To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total number of water purification plants held in storage by the Government; what is the purpose of the storage; how many have been released to assist the recent emergency in Rwanda; and if he will make a statement.

The Overseas Development Administration holds no water purification plants in store. If such items are to be supplied for overseas emergencies, they can be obtained rapidly from a variety of sources. No such plants have been directly provided by the ODA for the Rwandan emergency.

List of training and tuition courses with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by The Lord Chancellor's Department during the last 12 months
Course title	Course objectives	Organisation engaged	Total cost of each course	Summary of responsibilities	Evaluation process
Steeping up on promotion	1. Prepare a detailed personal development plan	International Training Services Ltd	£8,961(3 stage modular approach)	Senior Managers (Grades 5/6), responsible for policy, legal work and operational matters	End of course evaluation process plus review day
	2. Develop awareness of current priorities and managing issues facing senior managers
	3. Consider wider management topics and their application to the Department
Grade 7 foundation course	1. To introduce Grade 7 staff to the competences and the process of development	Price Waterhouse	£11,100(3 stage modular approach) Grade 7 staff responsible for policy, legal work and operational matters End of course evaluation process, follow-up interviews and development planning
	2. To identify training and development needs and produce a personal development plan

Courses paid for by the Lord Chancellor's Department for members of staff from Magistrates' courts service
Annex A
Course title	Course objectives	Organisations engaged	Total cost of each course	Summary of responsibilities	Evaluation process
Mastering effective communication	To learn and practice effective skills for communicating with people in a way that can promote more productive and satisfying relationships at work and elsewhere	Effectiveness training consultants	£7,200 per cohort£81,671 average per year	Course offered to senior managers who had completed the Senior Management Development Programme	Evaluation questionnaire completed at the conclusion of each course

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by his Department or agency.

Each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for during the last 12 months through central funds is listed at annexe A. Further inquiries concerning courses which may be held locally throughout the Department would incur disproportionate costs.The Lord Chancellor is responsible for three agencies—HM Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. The question concerns specific operational matters on which the chief executives are best placed to provide answers. I have accordingly asked chief executives to reply direct.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what parliamentary procedure he proposes for pre-summit consideration of the principles of the world summit for social development in Copenhagen in March.

I have no current plans for a debate in Government time on the world summit for social development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was Britain's expenditure on public sector health care expressed as a percentage of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average in (a) 1979 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available; and what factors account for the relative change since 1979.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development collects and publishes figures for health spending. The table shows the figures requested for 1979 and 1990, the latest year for which figures are available for all countries.

Public expenditure on health care—value per capita in $ at current prices using purchasing power parities
	1979	1990
United Kingdom	353	825
OECD Average	389	901
United Kingdom as percentage of OECD average	91	92

These figures are not fully comparable because of differences in definitions between countries. In addition, comparisons between expenditure figures alone ignore the efficiency and effectiveness with which resources are used. The national health service improved its efficiency by over a fifth between 1978–79 and 1991–92. In contrast, unit costs in the health care systems of comparable countries have generally risen over the last decade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 10 January, Official Report, column 113, when the information for the number of qualified nursing staff by specialty for each region in 1994 will become available.

Data for qualified nursing staff by specialty for each region should be available by mid-summer 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) of 19 December, Official Report, column 985–86 regarding termination payments to senior executives, to whom each of the two payments from the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS trust was made.

This is a matter for the Hammersmith Hospitals national health service trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many long-stay rehabilitation beds in (a) London, (b) Birmingham and (c) Manchester have been closed since 1979.

Long-stay rehabilitation is not a recognised classification for national health service beds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had on difficulties encountered by persons who, on moving home try to register with a new general practitioner (a) in London and (b) elsewhere in England; and if she will make a statement on measures to assist persons encountering such difficulties.

None. Family health services authorities have responsibility for assisting any patient who experiences difficulty in registering with a general practitioner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish her decision on the future of high-security NHS psychiatric services.

The official group announced in my reply on 14 July 1994 to my hon. Friend the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Robinson), columns 701–702, has now submitted its advice. We will announce our conclusions when we have completed our consideration of this advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will publish the report of the Advisory Group on Limb Defects.

The group's report has been published today and copies placed in the Library.I welcome the publication of the group's report which has been prepared promptly. Although defects of the limb which are present at birth are rare, when they occur they are very distressing for the parents and families of the children concerned and speculation on the causes can be a source of worry for women who are pregnant or who are thinking of becoming pregnant. I am particularly glad that REACH—the Association for Children with Hand or Arm Deficiency—which represents many, parents of children with limb defects, were able to send an observer to the advisory group and that it has been able to endorse the group's advice.The causes of most limb defects are unknown. The Government set up the advisory group on limb defects to determine the best way of making progress. The group's report sets out a programme of action which we intend to take forward. The group recommends a detailed, thorough review of all current relevant research and my officials are negotiating with a research team which will undertake this task. The group has also identified three further lines of inquiry and the Department is exploring these.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the relationship between the need for hospital beds in London and the number of beds available; and if she will make a statement.

It is for commissioning authorities to assess health care requirements locally and to secure the appropriate services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the latest available figure for the number

£000
	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
DH Spending
Cot Death	1611	—	21	30	—	—
HEA spending
Teenage smoking campaign	2,520	1,054	1,199	1,260	—	—
Smoking in Pregnancy	514	564	446	480	—	—
Adult and parental smoking	1,409	3,820	6,611	7,552	4,000	4,000
Birth to five	253	231	77	1107	—	—
Pregnancy book	326	328	151	1196	—	—
Totals	6,633	5,997	8,505	9,625	4,000	4,000
1 Provisional figures for the year to date. Further expenditure is planned to the end of the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's assessment of the relative merits of breast feeding and baby milk products; and if she will make a statement.

Based on medical advice, the Government have consistently supported breastfeeding as the best means of feeding a baby. Where a mother is either unable or chooses not to breastfeed, there is a range of suitable infant formulae available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce measures to implement the World Health Organisation's code of marketing in relation to baby milk products.

The Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995 on the composition, labelling and marketing of these products were laid before Parliament on 16 January 1995 and will come into force of (a) practice managers and (b) general practitioners in the London implementation zone; and how many there were in September 1990.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Dulwich (Ms Jowell) on 6 December 1994, column 198.Information on the number of practice managers is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage increase in treatments in casualty departments within the London implementation zone area over the past three years; what plans she has to reduce the number of casualty departments; and if she will make a statement.

The increase in attendances at accident and emergency departments in Greater London over the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 was 2.1 per cent. Health authorities are responsible for planning future demand for casualty facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the budget for health promotional activities on cot death in each of the last five years; and what is the projected budget for the next two years.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1995, c. 481–82]: I regret that there were errors in the table relating to health promotion activity on smoking in my previous reply. The following table shows the corrected data.on 1 March 1995. The regulations implement relevant European Community legislation which is based on the principles of the World Health Organisation international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes which the United Kingdom supports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the proportion of generic prescribing for each family health services authority divided by (a) general practitioner fundholders and (b) non-fundholders in each of the last three years.

The information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the value of NHS contracts with non-NHS providers (a) in total, (b) by each regional health authority, (c) by each general practitioner fundholding practice, (d) by each trust hospital and (e) by each district health authority.

[holding answer 20 January 1995]: The value of national health service contracts with non-NHS providers for 1993–94 in total was £357,354,000. A breakdown of this total by each regional health authority, by family health services authority—for general practice fundholders—and by each trust hospital and each district health authority will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list all (a) specialist medical and (b) general training courses by duration and numbers attending since January 1993 for experienced medical practitioners employed by the Benefits Agency medical services section which has responsibility for Northumberland and Tyne and Wear;(2) if he will give the total number of experienced medical practitioners employed by the Benefits Agency medical services section which has responsibility for Northumberland and Tyne and Wear;(3) if he will give the total budget by year since 1993 for training courses provided for experienced medical practitioners employed by the Benefits Agency medical services section which has responsibility for Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.

The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services 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 what is the estimated cost for reprogramming information systems because of changes to the Child Support Act 1991 announced on 23 January; and if he will make a statement.

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the absenteeism rates for (a) the Child Support Agency, (b) his Department, (c) the Benefits Agency, (d) the Contributions Agency, (e) the Information Technology Services Agency, (f) the Resettlement Agency and (g) the War Pensions Agency in 1994.

Information on sickness absence rates for 1994 will not be available until later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on the provision of

Month	Successful	1988 Per cent.	Unsuccessful	Per cent.
January	—	—	—	—
February	—	—	—	—
March	—	—	—	—
April	—	—	—	—
May	—	—	—	—
June	—	—	—	—
July	—	—	—	—
August	—	—	—	—
September	234	69	107	31
October	311	63	183	37
November	594	70	259	30
December	488	69	224	31

Month	Successful	1989 Per cent.	Unsuccessful	Per cent.
January	705	65	387	35
February	760	59	518	41
March	1,012	65	554	35
April	999	64	562	36
May	952	69	427	31
June	1,133	63	666	37
July	1,173	67	569	33
August	1,250	69	571	31
September	1,291	70	558	30
October	795	65	410	35
November	791	65	433	35
December	895	69	409	31

Month	Successful	1990 Per cent.	Unsuccessful	Per cent.
January	1,440	70	625	30
February	1,386	67	693	33
March	1,671	67	822	33
April	1,332	72	511	28
May	1,660	67	831	33
June	1,608	72	631	28
July	1,755	72	681	28

The Bill does not seek to identify specific illnesses but establishes a framework definition of those who would be protected by the proposed rights. This is that a person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Further details on the interpretation of disability are given in schedule 1 of the Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of restoring income support to unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds.

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the number of (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful claims for the severe hardship allowance in each month since its introduction; and if he will give these figures as a percentage of the total number of claims.

The information is set out in the tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost to the national insurance fund of all current holders of an appropriate personal pension with an annual income of (a) £2,000 or below (b) up to £3,000, (c) up to £4,000, (d) up to £5,000, (e) up to £6,000, (f) up to £7,000, (g) up to £8,000, (h) up to £9,000 and (i) up to £10,000 opting back into state earnings-related pensions.

[holding answer 25 January 1995]: Information is not available in the form requested. Any

Extra SERPS expenditure in selected years if APP holder in low earnings bands opt back into SERPS for one year. £ million 1994–95 prices
APP holders with earnings under (£per annum)	2010–11	2020–21	2030–31	2040–41	2050–51
2,000	—	—	—	—	—
3,000	0	0	0	0	0
4,000	0	0	1	1	0
5,000	0	1	2	2	1
6,000	0	2	4	5	3
7,000	1	3	10	10	5
8,000	1	5	15	15	10
9,000	2	10	25	25	15
10,000	2	10	30	35	20

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government will take with regard to the recent Burmese military offensive against the Karen people.

Together with our European Union partners, we intend to express our concern directly to the ruling military regime in Burma about the recent attacks on the headquarters of the Karen ethnic group. We will be pressing for clarification of their commitment to national reconciliation and democratic reform.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government have taken to promote bilateral trade with Burma; and what account is being taken of the Burmese Government's human rights violations.

We try to ensure that British firms are aware of trade opportunities in Burma not covered by the EU arms embargo, but we offer no financial support to them.We remain acutely concerned about the continued abuse of human rights in Burma. We and our European Union partners have made it clear to the ruling military regime that normalisation of our relations depends on progress in key areas, including human rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public funds estimates of the total cost to the national insurance fund of current holders of appropriate personal pensions opting back into the state earnings-related pension scheme would depend on a large number of unknown factors: these include how long the people concerned would remain contracted in to SERPS, how long they would otherwise have contributed to APP schemes and what their future earnings would be. The table gives illustrative estimates of the cost arising, in selected future years, from contributions paid solely in the single year in which the individuals concerned are assumed to contract into SERPS.were made available in the current financial year and what changes are likely for the year 1995–96 for payments to

(a) The Westminster Foundation for Democracy received a grant in aid of £2.2 million for the current financial year. The foundation will receive £2.5 million for the financial year 1995–96. The foundation exists to promote democratic development worldwide. The majority of its income is spent in central and eastern Europe, former Soviet Union and anglophone Africa.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public representations were made to the Indonesian delegation to the consultative group on Indonesia in July 1994 in respect of the violent suppression of a peaceful demonstration in Jakarta and the suppression of three publications; and if he will explain the phrase in the margins of the July meeting as used in his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 14 July 1994, Official Report, column 752.

None. We raised our concerns about the banning of the three journals in the margins—outside the formal sessions—of the July meeting of the consultative group for Indonesia, in bilateral representations to the Indonesian delegation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of Britain's diplomatic presence in Indonesia for each year since 1979.

The total annual costs of Britain's diplomatic presence in Indonesia since the financial year 1983–84 are given. Figures for earlier years are not available.

Year	£
1983–84	1,437,785
1984–85	1,810,622
1985–86	1,925,507
1986–87	1,745,757
1987–88	1,798,299
1988–89	1,935,654
1989–90	2,206,047
1990–91	2,766,434
1991–92	3,003,996
1992–93	3,394,306
1993–94	3,512,444

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many diplomatic staff have been stationed in Indonesia in each year since 1979.

The number of United Kingdom-based staff stationed in Indonesia—at the British embassy, Jakarta—for each year since 1982 are listed. The figures include representatives from other Government Departments and agencies. Figures for earlier years are not available.

Year	Number
1982	30
1983	30
1984	30
1985	31
1986	31
1987	30
1988	31
1989	33
1990	33
1991	33
1992	33
1993	33
1994	32
1995	30

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised the question of Indonesia's illegal occupation of East Timor at meetings of the Group of Seven.

As far as we are aware, the subject has not been addressed at G7 meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many military personnel visited Colombia in 1994 to train military students;(2) when military personnel were first dispatched to Colombia to assist in the training of military students; and if he will make a statement;(3) from which regiments military personnel are dispatched to Colombia to train military students.

British military personnel have been providing training to the Colombian authorities to help counter the illicit production and trafficking of drugs since 1989. Details of the assistance provided are confidential between the two Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reported incidents of low flying there were in each year since 1990.

The numbers of inquiries and complaints received by my Department about military low flying in the United Kingdom in each year since 1990 are as follows:

• 1990: 7,130
• 1991: 4,846
• 1992: 6,295
• 1993: 5,738
• 1994: 5,778

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent discussions he has had with his colleagues in Government regarding a single ministry for ex-service men's organisations;(2) what discussions he has had with ex-service men's associations regarding a single Ministry to work with ex-service men's associations.

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence met the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People together with representatives of the Royal British Legion and the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 23 November 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the provisions in health and safety laws and regulations from which the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down is exempt, providing an explanation of why the exemption has been allowed in each case;(2) what research has been carried out on the nerve agent GB at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down since the closure of the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke; what quantity of the nerve agent GB has been used in this research at Porton Down; with which country the results of the research have been exchanged; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged;

These are matters for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down 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 in which years studies with service volunteers were undertaken at RMCS Shrivenham; what was the purpose and conclusions of these studies; how many studies were carried out there; and how many service volunteers were involved in these tests.

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down 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 if he will obtain for his Department a copy of the article, details of which have been sent to him.

Copies of the article are held by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission research to investigate any possible future risk to fishermen fishing the deep waters west of the Hebrides from chemical weapons dumped in the area after the second world war; and if he will discuss with other European Governments collective ways of addressing this issue.

The potential hazards of chemical waste dump sites and whether there is a need for any remedial action have been reviewed by the Helsinki commission and the Oslo commission. The results of this work have been reported to the global London convention. The consensus of international scientific opinion is to leave CW dump sites undisturbed. Current scientific evidence indicates CW dump sites present no significant risk to human health or to the marine environment and the living resources it supports, now or in the future. Chemical warfare agents either rapidly hydrolise to non-toxic components or are rendered ineffective through dilution. Given this background and the depth of water in which the vessels were scuttled, no monitoring of the Atlantic dump sites has been undertaken or is planned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 2, if he will list the ranks of each of the armed services in which there are no women serving.

As at 1 October 1994, the information requested is as follows:

Royal Naval Services1	Army	Royal Air Force
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the RAF
Admiral	General	Air Chief Marshal
Vice Admiral	Lieutenant General	Air Marshal
Rear Admiral	Major General	Air Vice Marshal
		Air Commodore
1 Women do not serve in the Royal Marines apart from the Band Service where the only ranks in which women are serving are marine (2nd class) and junior.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions and in what circumstances in the last five years advertisements have been placed in newspaper or periodicals which have been described as being issued by or on behalf of Ministers in his Department rather than on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.

Advertisements for land and property for sale by the Ministry of Defence are normally issued in the name of the Secretary of State for Defence. Records of the numbers of advertisements over the past five years are not kept centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received on the sale of remote control undersea detonators to Iraq by Oceano Instruments UK Ltd. of Edinburgh in 1990; and whether Lord Justice Scott has asked his Department for any information held on this equipment sale.

These matters are being investigated by Sir Richard Scott and it would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment. The question of information requested by the Scott inquiry is a matter for the inquiry and the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is in relation to answering questions relating to details of arms sales to particular countries.

In general, it remains Government policy not to reveal details of arms sales to particular countries. Such information is confidential between the purchaser and the supplier.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration his Department has given to the report by Wing Commander Bill Coker concerning illnesses suffered by service personnel since serving in the Gulf war; if he will publish the report; what assessment he has made of the percentage of people diagnosed as ill by Wing Commander Coker; and if he will now establish an independent medical inquiry.

Contrary to media speculation, no such report exists. Gulf veterans who consider that their health has been adversely affected by their service in the Gulf continue to be assessed under the Department's medical assessment programme and detailed preliminary findings will be made public at an appropriate stage when sufficient have been examined to draw provisional conclusions. Of those seen so far, approximately 25 per cent. have been diagnosed as suffering from psychological conditions, 20 per cent. from a range of serious well-recognised medical conditions unrelated to service in the Gulf, 10 per cent. from chronic fatigue syndrome and the remainder from a range of minor physical ailments. None of the conditions has been found to be peculiar to service in the Gulf. There is no single illness, major or minor, common to those he has examined and no evidence to suggest the existence of a Gulf war syndrome. Consequently, there is no reason to establish an independent inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it remains his Department's policy to maintain around 35 warships; what consideration he has given to changing this policy; what consultations he has had with the Admiral of the Fleet on any change in the number of warships required for the Royal Navy; how many warships he estimates the United Kingdom will posses by 2000; and if he will make a statement.

The Royal Navy currently maintains a surface fleet of 97 commissioned vessels, including 36 destroyers and frigates. As set out in the last year's statement on the Defence Estimates, we continue to plan for a future force level of 35 destroyers and frigates from 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 445, what are the other established criteria in deciding the export of land mine components.

The other established criteria are those used in deciding whether to grant export licences for any defence equipment, and include the guidelines agreed by the permanent five members of the Security Council of the United Nations; with European Union partners; and in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 446, when the conclusions of the KPMG Peat Marwick report concerning the expenditure at the residence known as Haymes Garth will be reported to the House.

As I said in my answer to the hon. Member for Dorset, West (Sir J. Spicer) on 4 July 1994, Official Report, column 85, we will make a full report to the House on the conclusion of the work which has been set in hand to look into expenditure on Haymes Garth and other official service residences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last year intra-departmental facsimile messages have been sent to the wrong destination; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not recorded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the security implications of intra-departmental facsimile messages mistakenly sent to the wrong destination; and if he will make a statement.

Should a breach of security occur, the circumstances would be investigated by my Department's security directorate or the appropriate single service security authority. Additionally, an investigation into local procedures would be undertaken by line management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has initiated an inquiry into mistakes in his Department resulting in the sending of facsimile messages to the wrong destination; and if he will make a statement.

Should a breach of security occur from the mis-dialling and transmission of a facsimile message, the appropriate departmental authority would investigate the incident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the intra-departmental facsimile messages sent to the wrong destination in the last year have been (a) classified and (b) unclassified.

Although records would be kept when breaches of security occur, no central record of these is maintained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the effect of the facsimile message mistakenly sent to The News in Plymouth in April 1994, on the career prospects of the officers who were its subject.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 January, Official Report, column 690, when the hon. Member for South Shields will receive an answer to his question about golf courses.

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member shortly, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what conditions civilian students are admitted to dental hygiene courses at the Royal Army Dental Corps training unit at Aldershot; and how many such students have been admitted in each of the past five years.

Civilian students are admitted to dental hygienist courses at RADC Aldershot on a "space available" and repayment basis. Over the last five years, two one-year courses have been run every year with a maximum of 10 students per course. At present, only one course is being offered and this begins in March 1995. Priority is given to armed forces students, but any surplus places may be allocated to civilian students.During the past five years, a total of 30 civilian students have been trained at RADC Aldershot as follows.

Service and civilian students admitted to dental hygienist course at RADC Aldershot
Date	Service students	Civilian students
January 1990	6	4
September 1990	7	3
January 1991	6	4
September 1991	9	1
January 1992	9	1
September 1992	6	4
January 1993	7	3
September 1993	6	4
January 1994	8	2
September 1994	6	4
Total	70	30

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about noise pollution from each proof and experimental establishment at Shoeburyness and Pendine were received in each calendar month from January 1992 to date.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the percentage production outside the Trident warhead programme by value at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Llanishen, Cardiff, in each of the last 10 years.

Figures for each of the last 10 years could not be produced without disproportionate effort. During the period 1984 to date, however, somewhat less than half the output of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Llanishen, Cardiff has been related to the Trident programme. The balance of capacity has been allocated to other nuclear work save for 5 to 10 per cent. which consisted of work, primarily high-precision machining, undertaken on behalf of commercial customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist with the Russian Federation and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to ensure that the Russian military or Government do not misinterpret as offensive the testing of rockets launched for scientific research with particular reference to the launch in Norway on 25 January.

I have been asked to reply.None. However, the Norwegian Government have confirmed that, in line with long-standing bilateral arrangements with Russia, the launch on 25 January was notified in advance to the Russian authorities through diplomatic channels.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the research findings from the project currently being conducted at the university of Leicester: "Evaluation of New Provision for Child Witnesses 1991".

We expect to publish the report in the spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the remit of the steering group chaired by his Department on children's evidence; and if he will list the membership of the group.

The remit of the steering group on child evidence is as follows:

(a) to monitor the implementation of relevant legislation and Government initiatives;

(b) to provide a national forum for the resolution of problems relating to child evidence;

(c) to assess what further reforms might be necessary and to assess their viability; and

(d) to keep informed of new developments in the field.

The following are represented on the group:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are issued by his Department to the new police authorities in respect of (a) the number of full meetings that should be held annually and (b) what constitutes suitable accommodation for those meetings.

None; these are matters for the members of the new authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in the setting-up of secure training centres; and if he will make a statement.

Outline planning permission has been granted in respect of the site at Cookham Wood, and a certificate of lawful use for the redevelopment of the site at Gringley. We intend to issue invitations to tender for the design, construction/refurbishment, management and finance of STCs on those sites within the next few weeks. Invitations to tender for the remaining sites will follow as soon as possible thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of asylum seekers from Bosnia who have arrived in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the civil war in Bosnia; and how many have (a) been given full political refugee status, (b) been given exceptional leave to remain, (c) been rejected and (d) still await his decision.

The available information on asylum applications by nationals of the former Yugoslavia, and on decisions made, for the period 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1994, is given in the table; data for Bosnians are not separately identified in the statistics. As at 31 December 1994 an estimated 5,990 applications for asylum from former Yugoslays were outstanding.In addition to consideration of asylum applications, the Government have, under arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia and their close dependants. As at 31 January 1995, 842 particularly vulnerable individuals and 1,142 dependants had arrived under these arrangements. Prior to this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.

Decisions1 on applications1received for asylum from nationals of the former Yugoslavia in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1992 to 1994
Number of principal applicants
	1992	1993	1994
Asylum applications2	5,635	1,830	1,385
Decisions2 3	130	175	1,765
Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum	*	—	25
Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain4	*	55	1,265
Refused asylum and ELR—after full consideration	—	10	375
Refused under para 180F5	65	80	75
Refused on safe third country grounds6	60	30	25
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, with '*'=1 or 2.
2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.
3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same year.
4 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.
5 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity—para. 101 prior to 26 July 1993;
6 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers and dependants have made applications to enter the United Kingdom since 1 January 1990; what percentage of these have made their application other than on arrival at the port of entry; how many have had their cases determined and, of these, how many have been refused and deported; and how many are awaiting determination of their cases.

The available information on applications, decisions, and removals, excluding dependants, by location of application, for the years 1990 to 1994 is given in table A. Table B gives the available information on applications and decisions, including dependants for the years 1990 to 1994.At 31 December 1994—the latest date for which information is available—an estimated 55,255 applications for asylum, excluding dependants, were outstanding.