To ask the Lord President of the Council since when former Speakers of the House have been disentitled to the parliamentary pension to which they have contributed throughout their parliamentary careers in the calculation of their pension based upon 50 per cent. of final salary; and if he will take steps to ensure that present and future ex-Speakers receive their pension as Speaker in addition to their parliamentary contributory pension.

Speakers, and Prime Ministers, were excluded from the parliamentary pension scheme from 1965, when the first pension scheme for Members was set up, until February 1991. Their contributions to the scheme were repaid to them, with interest, when they left office.In its report No. 26, the Top Salaries Review Body recommended that Speakers and Prime Ministers should be able to join the parliamentary pension scheme but that the change should not be retrospective nor apply to past service. The Government have accepted the recommendation and, since February 1991, Speakers in office have the option to remain in the parliamentary pension scheme and to contribute, earning additional pension on their reduced parliamentary salary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,

	1989–90 £	1990–91 £	1991–92 £	1992–93 £	1993–94 £
ES	13,549,979	13,858,393	14,681,323	15,968,500	14,900,554
ED	n/a	n/a	4,964,782	4,132,756	3,834,924
HSE	624,215	700,116	597,922	622,095	636,312
ACAS	336,978	336,971	345,925	408,549	490,014

The figures for the Employment Department for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Details of the number of calls made per year are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the duration of the trips, referred to in his answer of 26 October,Official Report,

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what use his Department has made of executive search agencies in filling vacancies within his Department and executive agencies administered by his Department during the last year; and how much these services have cost his Department.

Executive search agencies have been used on two occasions over the last year. The total cost is expected to be less than £60,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been spent on telephone charges and how many telephone calls have been made by his Department for each of the last five years.

The Employment Department's charges for telephony for years 1989–94 are shown in the following table:column 679 which were undertaken by Ministers in his Department and on which they were accompanied by their spouses and paid for at public expense.

My answer of the 26 October,Official Report, column 679, referred to the attendance of my hon. Friend the then Minister of State and his spouse at a social affairs informal council in Athens to which both had been invited by the Greek presidency. They travelled to Athens on the afternoon of 9 March and returned to London the following day.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (i) hold open meetings, (ii) conduct public consultation exercises, (iii) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (iv) publish a register of members' interests, (v) publish agendas for meetings and (vi) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is in each case (a) under a statutory requirement or (b) voluntary.

For the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department, the answers are as follows:

(i) none

(ii) The following advisory have carried out public consultation exercises:

• the Legal Aid Advisory Committee
• the Supreme Court Rule Committee
• the County Court Rule Committee
• the Family Proceedings Rule Committee
• the Law Commission
• the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
• The Judicial Studies Board has sent questionnaires on magisterial training to outside bodies and academic organisations with an interest in that area.

(iii) the Supreme Court Rule Committee, the County Court Rule Committee and the Family Proceedings Rule Committee regularly consult with individuals and organisations which have a professional or commercial interest in the amendment of rules of court.

The Law Commission do conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests but this is encompassed within

(ii) above

(iv) none

(v) none

(vi) none

There are no statutory requirement for these bodies in respect of any of the matters mentioned in the question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects 26 RAF houses in Lacey street and Crowlea road, Boulmer, Northumberland, to be sold; and in what way they are being offered for sale.

A survey report on the disposal of the 26 surplus married quarters in Lacey street and Crowlea road, Loughoughton, Northumberland, is at present being evaluated. We expect to be able to offer the properties for sale to service personnel through the services' discount scheme early in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of protection, surveillance and monitoring at Gruinard island in each year since 1988.

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when research at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment into protection against the use of anthrax ceased; and when the preparation and storage of (a) anthrax vaccine and (b) penicillin-resistant anthrax vaccine at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment ceased.

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the differences between the first and second anthrax inoculations administered to British personnel during the Gulf war; and by whom they were manufactured.

Details relating to all vaccines giving protection against biological warfare agents are classified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the conclusion of the Defence Committee in its second report of Session 1994–95, HC 87, that the review of naval support has been conducted in an unsatisfactory manner.

The Select Committee's report on naval stores proposals is being considered by my Department. We will make a formal response in the normal manner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the proposed privatisation of the Queen's Flight, indicating how many companies are being invited to tender; what is their nationality; if the list includes the company chosen to operate Ministers' flights out of Northolt; and if the ground crew in the flight are to be given the opportunity to tender.

There are no plans to privatise the Queen's Flight. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 23 June, Official Report, column 250, it was decided following an efficiency scrutiny that the Queen's Flight should move from RAF Benson to RAF Northolt to join the other communications aircraft of No. 32 Squadron. The two would then be amalgamated into one collocated squadron to be known as No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron. This process should be complete by 1 April 1995.As it would not be practicable to employ two contractors to maintain the aircraft of the single collocated squadron, an extension of the existing engineering support contract was arranged. Arrangements will be made in the normal way to re-tender this task when the current contract expires.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he gave to making an oral statement on the decision to close Rosyth naval base; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's proposals in relation to Rosyth naval base were set out fully in the "Font Line First" publication issued on 14 July, a copy of which was placed in the library of the House, and in the consultative document issued on that day. Full consultation ensued, including with the hon. Member and with other interested parties.The written answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth Sutton (Mr. Streeter) on 8 December,

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the formulation of the biological agent treatment sets issued to British troops during the Gulf war; what are their known side effects; and if the troops were informed of their formulation purpose and side effects.

Specific details relating to medical countermeasures against biological warfare agents are classified, but biological agent treatment sets—BATS—issued to British troops during Operation Granby consisted of a licensed antibiotic. Each individual was issued with one set, together with printed instructions for its use. The antibiotic was to have been taken by mouth on the orders of the local commander when the presence of a biological warfare agent was confirmed. No biological warfare agents were detected in the Gulf and it was not therefore necessary for orders to take BATS to be issued.Side effects to any antibiotic are uncommon but can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and skin rash. All troops were informed of the general nature and purpose of BATS but, because they were only to be used to combat life-threatening biological warfare attack, an explanation of their potential side effects was judged to be necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the memorandum of understanding recently signed with the United States of America.

The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence and the US Secretary for Defense have signed a memorandum of understanding relating to the principles governing co-operation in research and development, production, procurement, and logistic support of defence equipment. A United State/United Kingdom defence co-operation MOU was first signed in 1975, renewed in 1985, and has now been renewed for a further 10 year period. The aim of the MOU is to promote the widest possible use of standard or interoperable equipment in the interests of national security and to make the most cost-effective and rational use of the respective industrial, economic and technological resources in both countries. The MOU has been of significant benefit to both countries, creating a "two-way street" which has resulted in a severalfold increase in bilateral defence equipment trade since the mid-1970s.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with his Department' s review of the status of single parents in the armed forces.

My Department's review of the status of single parents serving in the armed forces is now complete. Its purpose has been to consider, against the background of changing social trends, whether the entitlement to service families' accommodation and other related allowances, which currently applies only to married personnel and to lone parents whose marriages have ended in bereavement, divorce or separation, should be extended to single parents. The armed forces rightly continue to attach great importance to the place of marriage and the family in the service community. We have concluded, however, that single parents should in future be eligible for the same entitlements as other lone parents. These new arrangements will take effect from l January 1995, and will place single parents who wish to remain in the service in a better position to meet fully their service commitments, at the same time as fulfilling their parental responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to make an announcement on the future of the Royal Air Force's Hercules fleet.

The Government place a high priority on the maintenance of an effective tactical air transport capability and have examined a range of options on this question. Our plans fall into two distinct parts: first, we have an urgent operational requirement to replace and refurbish that part of the Hercules fleet which is nearing the end of its operationally useful life. For this immediate requirement, I have concluded that refurbishment would provide poor value for money.The Government have accordingly decided to meet the urgent operational requirement of the RAF by purchasing 25 C-130J Hercules II aircraft from the Lockheed Aeronautical Systems, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of a contract. Lockheed has agreed to place contracts to the value of 100 per cent. of the order with United Kingdom companies. At least 10 per cent. of the value of these contracts will be for work directly on the C130J aircraft itself. As a result, some 36 United Kingdom companies will be participating in the production of C130J not only for the RAF's order but also for aircraft supplied to other nations.Although the FLA is not available to meet this requirement, it is expected to be available to meet the need to replace the balance of the Hercules fleet and other possible air transport requirements. This would lead to a requirement for between 40 and 50 FLA. The United Kingdom will, therefore, rejoin the FLA programme at the end of the feasibility phase provided that it is managed on a commercial basis under the umbrella of the Airbus consortium. Resources will need to be available at the time and our requirements on price and performance must also be met. Commercial management should include United Kingdom firms being given the opportunity to compete in the programme fairly and on merit. A programme of work on FLA has been set in hand with our partners.This decision will ensure that our urgent operational requirement is met in the most cost effective way, while bringing substantial benefit to United Kingdom industry which will stand to gain from both programmes.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish extracts from the notes of the Security Service debriefing of the Soviet defector Oleg Gordievsky to the extent that such extracts (a) do not threaten current national security, (b) add to public knowledge of the ways in which the Soviet state sought to obtain information from British people about the United Kingdom with a view to breaking its security and (c) reveal the main United Kingdom providers of such information.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister how many train journeys for one hour's duration or more he has made in Britain in 1994 in the course of his official duties.

I have made one such journey in the past 12 months.

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of whether the answers given to the hon. member for Workington on the cost per head of NHS spending in respect of Scotland, 7 December, Official Report, columns 278–79, Northern Ireland, 5 December, Official Report, column 47, and England and Wales, 1 December, Official Report, column 830, are comparable calculations based on comparable data.

The answers given to the hon. Member reflect the different structure of the national health service in each of the countries concerned, and the latest year for which figures on expenditure are available.

To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses in deciding whether it is appropriate for a spouse to accompany a Minister on Government duties abroad.

Public interest, as stated in paragraph 74 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the composition of the United kingdom delegation for the 1995 ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The 1995 ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be opened in Strasbourg on 30 January 1995. The delegation from the United Kingdom for the session will consist of 19 members of the Conservative party, 15 members of the Labour party and two members from the minority parties.The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the parties concerned, in accordance with the resolution of this House on 22 May 1992,

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the management of the home civil service.

The Government plan, in the light of the review of the Treasury's activities, that those central civil service management functions that remain after delegation to Departments should be transferred to the Minister with responsibility for the civil service with effect from 1 April 1995. The functions which it proposes to transfer include responsibility for senior civil service pay; policy on civil service recruitment, retirement and redundancy and the central management of the principal civil service pension scheme; and residual central responsibilities for civil service personnel management, industrial relations, conditions of service and allowances, and the collection of civil service manpower statistics. It is envisaged that the Treasury will undertake a last round of national pay negotiations in 1995 and carry through the remaining delegations to Departments up to 1 April 1996. The Treasury's pension benefit calculation work at Basingstoke will be taken over by the Paymaster agency.These changes, and the delegation of most civil service management functions to Departments, will not affect the Treasury's role in relation to public expenditure, including that on public sector pay. The Government propose to lay before Parliament the necessary transfer of functions order under the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on energy for each property owned or leased by his Department for the use of Ministers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The expenditure on energy for the last three years for which figures are available are as follows:

	1991–92 £million	1992–93 £million	1993–94 £million
The Home Office	1.66	1.78	1.74
Executive Agencies	29.20	31.10	31.80

The figures for 1991–92 exclude the Fire Service college and the United Kingdom Passport Agency as no information is available. Expenditure by these agencies 1992–93 and 1993–94 averaged £353,000 and £297,000 per annum respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the cash and staff resources of (a) the financial intelligence unit and (b) the central authority for mutual assistance in criminal matters; how many reports of suspected money laundering have been made to each in each year since 1987; and how many (i) prosecutions, (ii) convictions and (iii) seizures of arms and drugs have been made in each year since 1987.

The financial disclosures and money laundering section, formerly the financial intelligence unit, of the National Criminal Intelligence Service as 14 staff at a projected cost, including a common services element, of £460,000 in 1994–95. The United Kingdom Central Authority for Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters is a part of the Home Office. It has 13 staff in post: estimated staff costs for 1994–95 are £262,000. Figures for non-staff costs attributable to the central authority are not readily available.All disclosures of suspicious financial transactions under the money laundering legislation are passed to the

financial disclosures and money laundering section. Figures for numbers of disclosures are as follows:

Year	Disclosures
1987	544
1988	839
1989	1,595
1990	3,150
1991	4,410
1992	11,281
1993	12,750

The available information on prosecutions and convictions relates to the offence, in section 24 of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986. of assisting another to retain the proceeds of drug trafficking. The figures are:

	Prosecutions	Convictions
1987	8	0
1988	18	7
1989	11	3
1990	10	5
1991	15	4
1992	11	8
1993	16	7

Statistics on firearms seizures are not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The most recent information on drugs seizures is contained in Home Office statistical bulletin 30/93:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for (a) fly-posting and (b) litter offences for each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Information held centrally cannot separately identify offences of fly-posting from other summary offences under the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.Information for litter offences is given in the table below. 1994 data will not be available until the autumn 1995.

Number of defendants prosecuted for dropping litter11991–1993England and Wales
	1991	1992	1993
Prosecutions	1,673	1,639	1,170
1 An offence under Section 1(3) of the Litter Act 1983 repealed by Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will grant extra funds to the North Wales police authority to enable it to fund its national DNA database; and if he will make a statement.

The costs and benefits to the police of the DNA database have been taken fully into account in our assessment of future police spending requirements. It will be for chief constables to decide what use to make of the DNA database service on the balances as they see it, of those costs and benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was spent by his Department on researching alternatives to animal experiments for each of the last 10 years.

The readily available information is as follows:

Year	£
1984–85 to 1987–88	215,000
1988–89	60,000
1989–90	120,000
1990–91	115,500
1991–92	215,000
1992–93	253,000
1993–94	308,000
1994–95	273,000

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours annually, on average, a police constable spends (a) on operational duties and (b) undergoing training in England and Wales as a whole and in each individual police force.

I regret that information on time spent on operational duties is not available. In 1991–92, the latest year for which figures are available, police constables in England and Wales spent, on average, 14.8 days in training. The figures for individual forces are as follows:

Force	Average training days
Avon and Somerset	15
Bedfordshire	16
Cambridgeshire	15
Cheshire	11
City of London	21
Cleveland	16
Cumbria	18
Derbyshire	6
Devon and Cornwall	17
Dorset	17
Durham	12
Dyfed-Powys	15
Essex	20
Gloucestershire	20
Greater Manchester	17
Gwent	12
Hampshire	11
Hertfordshire	14
Humberside	22
Kent	24

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the appointment of the members of the security service tribunal.

Her Majesty has been pleased to re-appoint Lord Justice Simon Brown, Sheriff John McInnes and Sir Richard Gaskell as, respectively, president, vice-president and member of the security service tribunal for five years with effect from 18 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests his Department has made to the companies involved in exporting live animals from Millbay docks in Plymouth to contribute towards the policing costs.

[holding answer 15 December 1994]: None. This is a matter for the police authority.The disorder is caused by those seeking to blockade and disrupt the docks not by exporters carrying out a lawful activity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the terms of reference for the independent commissioner for the holding centres to permit the commissioner to be present at interviews with terrorist suspects in the police offices.

Following discussions with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, I have today placed in the Library of the House revised terms of reference for the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres to permit him to be present at interviews with terrorist suspects in the police offices, subject to certain caveats agreed both by the Commissioner and the RUC.This represents a very positive response to Sir Louis Blom-Cooper's comments in his first annual report which reflect his view that, to sustain its credibility, such a right must be vested in the post.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many credit unions were operating in Northern Ireland in 1980, 1990 and in each year since.

In 1980 there were 94 credit unions operating in Northern Ireland. By 1990 this figure had increased to 124 and the number in subsequent years are shown below:

Year	Number
1991	132
1992	138
1993	150
1994 (to 9 December)	152

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accounting supervision of fundholding general practitioner practices.

General practitioner fundholders are required to produce accounts in accordance with the general practitioners fundholders' manual of accounts. These accounts are independently certified by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission. A copy of the general practice fundholders' manual of accounts is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of sufferers from Alzheimer's disease, and the proportion of these residing without any family carer.

It is estimated that some 5 per cent. of the population aged 65 and over suffer from dementia and over half of these suffer from Alzheimer's disease. We do not collect information about the proportion who reside without any family carer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the studies undertaken into the National Blood Authority which led to the conclusion that five regional transfusion centres should be closed.

Part of the remit given to the National Blood Authority on its establishment was to provide a strategy to secure an adequate and cost-effective supply of blood and blood products to meet national needs. A review of the blood service was therefore undertaken by the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what specific steps she is taking to improve the equity of medical care, following the report of the Royal College of Physicians, entitled "Ensuring Equity and Quality of Care for Elderly People"; and if she will make a statement;(2) what specific steps she is taking to ensure a wider knowledge among hospital specialists of the special needs of elderly people with particular reference to those aspects where the development of multiple pathology and poly-pharmacy are relevant; and if she will make a statement.

We welcomed the publication of the report as an incentive to improved accessibility and quality of service for elderly people. Aimed primarily at professionals and managers in the sector, it emphasises the need to meet both the acute health care needs of older patients and any special needs arising from the ageing process, with appropriate liaison between specialists. We have cited the report in our priorities and planning guidance for the NHS for 1995–96.We have repeatedly stressed that the national health service must be open to people of all ages on the basis of clinical need. Since the publication of the Royal College of Physicians' report in May we have met with the British Geriatrics Society to discuss the issues it raises, and other matters relevant to the health of elderly people, and a further meeting is planned at official level. The chief medical officer proposes to host a seminar next spring for senior members of the medical profession to discuss the education and training of all doctors and medical students in the treatment and care of elderly people. In addition, the Department is represented on a Royal College of Physicians working group updating its 1984 publication "Medication for the elderly", which will provide useful guidance to the field in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Department of State has primary responsibility for the development of respite care services.

In England, policy on respite care provided as part of community care services, and that which is provided as part of services for children and their families under part III of the Children Act 1989, is the responsibility of my Department. It is the responsibility of local authorities and health authorities to plan, develop and arrange provision of respite care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 December, Official Report, columns 394–95, how many of the sample of 18 termination payments failed to comply in every respect with departmental guidance as set out in TEL (94)2.

National health service trusts have powers under schedule 2 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to make compensation to, or in respect, of any of the trust's employees who suffer loss of office. They have to exercise these powers within the usual disciplines of public spending. The guidance in TEL(94)3 is advisory.Of the 18 payments sampled, the NHS executive is seeking further information on eight. Of the other 10 cases, where the payments relate to the termination settlements on which TEL(94)3 provides advice the amounts paid are consistent with that advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use her Department has made of executive search agencies in filling vacancies within her Department and executive agencies administered by her Department during the last year; and how much these services have cost her Department.

Neither the Department nor its executive agencies have used executive search agencies to fill vacancies during the past year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the study produced for her in 1993 by PE Consultants assessed the difference in projected savings and efficiency increases likely to arise from integrated facility management of the entire NHS supplies authority function as against separate market testing of some NHSSA functions with private sector contractors co-ordinated by the existing NHSSA management; and whether she will commission independent research to assess which supplies model will deliver best service and value for money to the NHS.

No. The study concluded that some of the functions of the national health service supplies authority should be contracted out to make best use of private sector skills and experience; and some functions needed to be rationalised at lower cost to match the standard of commercial best practice elsewhere. The NHS supplies authority has been charged to deliver programmes of market testing and rationalisation in the areas of logistics, information management, purchasing, and customer services, while maintaining continuity of services to all NHS customers. It is also required to match commercial best practice standards by April 1997. Their progress towards these targets is reviewed each year, and progress to date has been encouraging. NHS supplies has also been invited to work in co-operation with the NHS trust federation to identify ways to improve NHS supplies organisation, operation and accountability. This joint work is at an early stage. The National Audit Office will also be reporting in the first half of 1995 on its study of NHS supplies progress since the earlier NAO study of 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food regarding the use by farmers of substances containing lindane.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, East (Ms Corston) on 15 December, Official Report, columns 777–78.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many termination payments have been made by NHS trusts to chief executives and senior managers in 1991–92 and 1992–93; and what is the total amount for each trust in each year specified.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will re-consider her decision not to hold an independent inquiry into recent events at Burnley Healthcare NHS trust following the publication of the report into the dismissal of Mr. Ian Mahady;(2) what consideration she has given to the report on Mr. Ian Mahady published by Burnley Healthcare NHS trust.

The inquiry report is a matter for the trust, which is responsible for its own management and employment arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the administrative costs incurred by (a) NHS purchasers and (b) NHS providers in each region in each year since 1990–91.

[holding answer 12 December 1994]: The available information is shown in the table.

National Health Service administration costs 1990–91 to 1993–94 by region
Region	1990–91£000	1991–92£000	1992–93£000	1993–94£000
Northern	55,616	50,937	59,823	76,960
Yorkshire	68,132	92,103	81,582	93,049
Trent	63,721	59,074	73,182	94,392
East Anglian	35,794	29,092	33,480	33,480
North West Thames	69,479	54,863	72,817	100,782
North East Thames	77,782	80,638	74,529	105,158
South East Thames	79,057	53,584	61,593	65,095
South West Thames	58,615	46,714	56,592	66,940
Wessex	48,991	57,543	64,525	76,559
Oxford	38,008	50,786	58,273	76,138
South
Western	52,174	36,372	41,372	51,171
West
Midlands	91,970	66,079	82,139	88,757
Mersey	37,847	47,844	58,136	46,341
North
Western	77,384	49,775	58,574	70,262

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what protection there will be, under the more stringent tests of availability for work under the arrangements for the new jobseeker's allowance, for claimants who have been deemed capable of work for the purpose of incapacity benefit but whose handicaps may genuinely restrict their availability for work.

I have been asked to reply.A decision in incapacity benefit that a person is capable of work will apply for all other benefits. In our proposals for the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance we recognise, as now, that some people with disabilities may have difficulties in making themselves available for the full range of employment opportunities. They will, therefore, be able to restrict their availability to the type or hours of work they are able to undertake within the limits of their physical or mental condition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cold weather payments were made and what were the total amounts set out by area for each year since 1983.

The administration of the cold weather payments scheme is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the proposals for reducing the level of support for mortgage interest payments under income support require primary legislation.

Secondary legislation only is required to amend the rules providing assistance with mortgage interest in income support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings he expects in a full year as a result of the proposed withdrawal of mortgage interest payments by his Department (a) in the first two months on income support and (b) at 50 per cent. for a further four months.

These two proposals to withdraw mortgage interest payments in the first two months on income support and pay at 50 per cent. for a further four

Major change	Date of change	Gainers	Losers	Cost £ million	Saving £ million
Responsibility for the housing costs of boarders/hostel dwellers transferred from Income Support to Housing Benefit1	April–October 1989	110,000	—	489	—
Capital limit doubled to £16,000	April 1990	50,000	—	62	—
Disengagement of students from Housing Benefit2	September 1990	—	—	—	28
Housing Benefit subsidy reduced by 2 per cent.3	April 1991	—	—	—	46
Restrict access to Housing Benefit by persons from abroad and other persons4	April and August 1994	—	22,000	—	40
Notes:
Figures on gainers and losers are the estimated figures for the financial year in which each change occurred.
Estimated costs/savings are at 1994–95 prices, except for the "disengagement of students" which is at 1990–91 (because the Department no longer collects data on students' incomes and rent levels)
1 Housing Benefit gainers/costs were offset by losers/savings in Income Support.
2 No figures on gainers/losers are available. The changes to Housing Benefit were made as part of an overall package of measures for full-time students and included the introduction of student loans and Access Funds. The overall increase in expenditure on students was over £100 million at the point of change.
3 No information is available on the number of persons affected by the change to local authority subsidy arrangements.
4 Three tests were introduced in 1994—the immigration status test in April 1994, and the habitual residence and Rights of Residence Directives tests in August 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend Housing Benefit Regulation 101(1) (b) to ensure that landlords will no longer bear the financial responsibility for fraudulent claims made by their tenants; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to do so. Recovery of overpaid housing benefit can be sought from a landlord where payment of such benefit has been made direct. In such circumstances, the local authority will still exercise judgement when deciding whether to pursue recovery in this way. Guidance issued to local authorities by this Department provides for authorities to make clear months will be the subject to wide consultation. The financial effect will depend on the outcome of this consultation and the final detail of the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 30 November, Official Report, columns 1205–8, what savings he expects over three years in respect of housing benefit; and what multiplier he used in calculating it.

The savings to housing benefit from the restriction on benefit for rents above the average, the increase in non-dependent deductions and the restriction on HB claimants temporarily absent from home are estimated to amount to around £360 million, rounded to the nearest £10 million, over the three financial years from April 1995.There is no one multiplier used to calculate the savings over three years. Estimation of the build up of savings is specific to each of the policies considered, and depends on a number of factors including estimates of forecast caseload and average rents.

To ask the Secretary of State for social Security if he will list the major changes in housing benefit since it was introduced identifying: (a) the numbers of gainers and losers and (b) the costs and savings of each measure.

[holding answer 5 December 1994:] The information requested is in the table.to landlords when offering the opportunity of receiving housing benefit direct, that they may become liable for any overpayment which may occur.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the duration of the trips, undertaken by Ministers in his Department on which they were accompanied by their spouses and paid for at public expense, which was referred to in his answer of 26 October, Official Report, column 706.

The trip lasted three days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the advisory non–departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (i) hold open meetings, (ii) conduct public consultation exercises, (iii) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (iv) publish a register of members' interests (v) publish agendas for meetings and (vi) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is in each case (a) under a statutory requirement or (b) voluntary.

The information requested is as follows:

(i) None.

(ii) The Social Security Advisory Committee and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board also frequently consults with medical experts and outside organisations representing disabled people.

All consultations are on a voluntary basis.

(iii) The Social Security Advisory Committee. Again, consultations are on a voluntary basis.

(iv) None.

(v) None.

(vi) None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what help is available from the social fund to people on income support who have suffered loss and damage as a result of the recent flooding in the Glasgow area; and if he will make a statement.

Disaster relief following flooding is essentially a matter for the relevant local authority. However, crisis loans can be made available through the social fund to help individuals in such circumstances. Community care grants are also available to help those who might otherwise be in danger of going into care; or to families who find themselves under exceptional pressure. Applications to the social fund are dealt with by specially trained social fund officers who look carefully at the individual circumstances surrounding each application and use discretion and flexibility when forming their decisions. I would expect the majority of any flood applications to the social fund to be dealt with under normal procedures.Up until 14 December a total of 311 social fund awards had been made to people in the Glasgow area who have been affected by the severe flooding, at a cost of £20,102. The majority of awards were for community care grants. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security proposes to make a social fund in–year allocation of £120,000 to the district offices affected. This will enable reimbursement of the additional expenditure already made and make available an extra £80,000 in grants and £20,000 in loans.

To ask the Attorney–General what role the Treasury Solicitors had in relation to official action against protestors on the M11 link road route; and what was the cost.

The Treasury Solicitor, on behalf of the Department of Transport, has taken proceedings against certain persons to restrain them from trespassing upon land required for the M11 link road and from trespass to the contractors' plant and machinery. The proceedings are not concluded and have to date cost approximately £222,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to make use of his Department's empty residential property.

My Department acquires land and property, including residential property, as a consequence of the Secretary of State's duties as a highway authority. Our policy is to keep to a minimum the number of properties standing empty at any time by letting, normally at full market rent, until road construction starts. Properties on the line of the road are demolished and those properties identified as surplus are released back into the housing market at the earliest possible date.As announced by my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field),

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train journeys of one hour's duration or more he has made in Britain in 1994 in the course of his official duties.

Whenever it is appropriate I travel by train to official engagements.Information on individual journeys and the times taken could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (i) hold open meetings, (ii) conduct public consultation exercises, (iii) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (iv) publish a register of members' interests, (v) publish agendas for meetings and (vi) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is in each case (a) under a statutory requirement or (b) voluntary.

My Department currently has two active advisory non-departmental public bodies—the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee and the Street Works Advisory Committee. The answer in respect of these is:

(i) none;

(ii) DPTAC has conducted public consultation exercises;

(iii) participation in the consultation exercises at (ii) has included bodies with outside commercial interests;

(iv) none;

(v) none;

(vi) none.

The Consultations referred to at (ii) and (iii) were voluntary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his oral answer on 21 November, Official Report, columns 325–26 in respect of the contractor's proposals for continuous day and night closures, what arrangements he has agreed for the closure of the M4 to facilitate the construction of a motorway service area at Reading.

The Highways Agency has, with my agreement, approved the closure of the M4 in the Reading area for about four hours within a period of six hours between 11pm and 5am on the nights of 27–28 and 28–29 December. This is for reasons of public safety while beams for a new bridge are lifted into place. There will

Number and percentage of pupils in independent schools—1990–1994 position in January each year
Age1	1990			1991			1992			1993			1994 (Provisional)
	Number of pupils 000's		Percentage of pupils in independent schools	Number of pupils 000's		Percentage of pupils in independent schools	Number of pupils 000's		Percentage of pupils in independent schools	Number of pupils 000's		Percentage of pupils in independent schools	Number of pupils 000's		Percentage of pupils in independent schools
	All schools2	independent schools3		All schools2	independent schools3		All schools2	independent schools3		All schools2	independent schools3		All schools2	independent schools3
19+over	2.2	1.3	58	2.3	1.3	56	2.6	1.4	54	2.9	1.6	53	2.9	1.6	54
18	13.7	4.4	32	14.8	4.7	31	15.9	4.5	28	16.4	4.8	29	17.3	5.2	30
17	128.3	32.7	25	130.1	33.4	26	135.3	33.5	25	139.1	33.6	24	139.7	33.2	24
16	181.8	38.4	21	185.6	37.8	20	195.3	37.9	19	195.8	36.5	19	192.4	36.7	19
15	595.9	48.8	8	567.6	48.5	9	544.4	46.8	9	522.8	46.4	9	532.9	47.0	9
14	571.9	48.4	8	549.7	47.1	9	529.4	47.0	9	540.5	47.5	9	586.3	49.0	8
13	549.5	46.9	9	529.3	47.1	9	540.7	48.0	9	587.5	49.0	8	604.7	48.2	8
12	527.9	46.0	9	539.9	47.6	9	586 6	49.7	8	604.4	48.5	8	597.6	46.5	8
11	538.7	47.2	9	585.7	49.5	8	603.3	49.7	8	596.7	47.2	8	586.2	45.2	8
10	585.2	385	7	603.2	39.1	6	596.0	38.0	6	585.9	36.2	6	590.6	35.0	6
9	602.0	36.5	6	595.7	36.0	6	585.3	34.9	6	589.8	33.9	6	589.9	33.0	6
8	595.0	33.4	6	585.2	32.9	6	589.7	32.4	5	589.3	31.7	5	611.8	31.8	5
7	584.2	29.8	5	589.8	30.0	5	588.9	30.1	5	611.6	30.1	5	614.7	29.4	5
6	588.7	26.8	5	611.1	28.1	5	613.8	27.9	5	628.2	27.7	4	648.2	28.0	4
5	588.1	26.8	5	611.1	28.1	5	613.8	27.9	5	628.2	27.7	4	648.2	28.0	4
4	548.5	28.0	5	563.7	28.9	5	579.9	28.9	5	603.8	29.2	5	605.5	28.4	5
3	244.6	18.8	8	258.4	19.4	8	271.2	19.9	7	278.2	20.1	7	290.5	20.8	7
2	34.2	6.3	18	36.1	6.9	19	35.5	6.9	19	39.7	7.6	19	42.2	8.1	19
1 Ages at previous 31st August each year.
2 Includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary, secondary (excluding sixth form colleges) and special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools including City Technology Colleges and direct grant nursery schools.
3 Includes City Technology Colleges and direct grant nursery schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils who obtained five or more A to C or five or more A to G grades at GCSE one or more years before reaching the 15–year-old age group were no longer at the same school at the time of the January pupil count in 1993–94; and what percentage this is of all pupils gaining those grades.

During the preparation of the 1994 performance tables, the following information was provided by schools.The number of 15-year-old pupils who obtained five or more A*–C grades at GCSE one or more years before reaching the 15-year-old age group, and who were no longer on the roll of the same school at the time of the January pupil count, was 203. This is 0.09 per cent. of all be a further need for closure in the spring when the existing bridge is to be demolished. I am pleased that we have been able to avoid any day-time closures and to limit night-time closures to short periods in the quiet week after Christmas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to introduce a national system to monitor exclusions from school.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 25 November, Official Report, column 395.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was (a) the total number of pupils at each aged between two and 19 years and (b) the percentage of those educated in independent schools at each age for each year since 1989–90.

The information requested is shown in the table.15-year-old pupils gaining those grades. The corresponding figures for 15-year-old pupils achieving five or more A*-G grades was 252,0.06 per cent. Of all 15-year-old pupils gaining those grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) hold open meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary.

No advisory non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by this Department.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people over the age of 65 years are liable for income tax at each of the lower, basic and higher rates, in the current financial year.

Latest estimates for 1994–95 based on projections from the 1992–93 survey of personal incomes are given in the table. Only 30 per cent. of people aged 65 or over are liable to income tax.

	Number millions
Taxpayers aged 65 or over liable at
Lower rate only	1.1
Basic rate but not higher rate	1.8
Higher rate	0.1
All	3.0

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The information requested is as follows:

Year	Costs £ thousands
HM Treasury
1991–92	405.2
1992–93	300.0
1993–94	318.1
No. 11 Downing street
1991–92	18.8
1992–93	10.3
1993–94	9.7
Valuation Office
1991–92	829.8
1992–93	883.1
1993–94	840.3
Central Statistical Office
1991–92	285.9
1992–93	286.1
1993–94	284.9
Paymaster
1991–92	281.6
1992–93	264.6
1993–94	236.6
Royal Mint
1991–92	68
1992–93	100
1993–94	98

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue regulations under the Building Societies Act 1986 to prevent building societies from becoming banks unless provision is made to ensure that directors and senior management do not increase their salaries and participation in share option schemes for five years thereafter.

No. Under the terms of the Building Societies Act 1986, a conversion has to be approved by the members of a society, subject to stringent turnout and voting requirements. In the transfer statement put to the members, the board must disclose details of how the remuneration, including share options, of directors and senior management of the society will be affected by the conversion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of his recent Budget statement as it applies to VAT on donkey rides on Cleethorpes beach.

Since donkey rides are not a recognised form of public transport, even on Cleethorpes beach, they will continue to be subject to the standard rate of VAT.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been received in VAT levied on restaurant meals in the last three years for which figures are available.

VAT arising from consumer spending is usually estimated from Central Statistical Office estimates of consumer spending. There are not separate figures for consumer spending on restaurant meals. The following figures for output tax paid by restaurants and cafés, etc, for the years 1991 to 1993 give a rough indication:

Year	£million
1991	554
1992	523
1993	481

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will direct Customs and Excise officials to send a refund to Robert MacDonald of Gullet house, South Pool, Kingsbridge, of VAT charged at 17½ per cent. for the kerosene delivered on 3 November for house central heating and hot water; and if he will make a statement about VAT on oil for domestic use.

No. Customs has already confirmed to Mr. MacDonald that he was overcharged in error by his supplier. The normal operation of VAT means that his supplier will make the refund. All supplies of heating oil for domestic use are liable to VAT at 8 per

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rules apply to the imposition of VAT on all goods and services, with particular reference to the sale of alcoholic beverages in the Palace of Westminster.

The normal ones. The Palace of Westminster is registered for VAT purposes and accounts for tax on all taxable supplies like any other registered trader.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many train journeys of one hour's duration or more he has made in Britain in 1994 in the course of his official duties.

Wherever it is sensible I travel by train to official engagements. Information on individual journeys and the times taken could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the next steps review of the Inland Revenue will commence.

In April 1992,day-to-day responsibility for assessing and collecting the taxes for which the Inland Revenue is responsible and for providing support services to the Department was given to a number

Revised table 1.5: The public spending plans1: After changes announced on 8 December
£ billion
	Estimated Outturn	New plans			Changes from previous plans
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Control Total by department
Social Security2	70.4	72.8	76.0	79.2	1.5	-0.2	-0.3
Health	31.7	33.0	33.3	34.1	0.0	0.0	0.0
DOE—Local Government	29.9	30.3	30.9	30.9	0.0	-0.5	-1.5
DOE—Other	9.4	8.7	9.6	8.6	-0.1	-0.6	-0.6
Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland	28.3	28.9	29.3	29.6	0.0	-0.4	-0.6
Defence	22.5	21.7	21.9	22.3	-0.3	-0.3	-0.2
Education	10.5	11.0	11.2	11.2	0.0	-0.2	-0.2
Home Office	6.3	6.4	6.4	6.6	0.0	-0.1	-0.1
Transport	6.1	4.4	4.4	5.1	0.3	-1.1	-0.9
Other departments	23.6	23.7	23.2	23.0	0.8	-0.3	-0.5
Local Authority self-financed expenditure	11.9	11.8	12.0	12.2	1.0	0.7	0.8
Reserve	—	3.0	5.7	8.7	-3.5	-4.0	-4.8
Adjustment	-1.0	—	—	—	-1.0	—	—
Control Total	249.6	255.5	262.8	271.5	-1.3	-7.0	-8.9
-real terms3	244.7	242.6	243.5	246.0	3.5	-0.7	-2.2
-real growth4	1.4	-0.8	0.4	1.0
Cyclical social security	14.1	14.0	14.0	14.4	-0.7	-1.5	-2.2
Central Government debt interest	22.1	24.5	26.0	26.2	-0.4	0.1	0.4
Accounting adjustments	9.5	10.7	12.5	12.7	0.2	0.2	0.9
General Government Expenditure excluding privatization proceeds	295.2	304.8	315.4	324.8	-2.1	-8.3	-9.8
- real terms3	289.4	289.4	292.1	294.2	3.6	-0.7	-1.9
- real growth4	2.3	0.0	0.9	0.7	—	—	—
- per cent. of GDP	43.50	42.50	41.75	40.75	—	—	—
1 For definitions, rounding and other conventions, see notes in Annex A to Chapter 6.
2 Excluding cyclical social security
3 1993–94 prices
4Per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make available revised versions of tables 1.5, 6.3 and 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" in the light of the measures he announced on 8 December.

The revised tables as requested are as follows: