Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 8 February 1995

Duchy Of Lancaster

Oxygenated Petrol

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what research his Department has carried out into oxygenated petrol; what plans he has for research into the environmental suitability of oxygenated petrol; and if he will make a statement.

This is a development issue which is being pursued by the fuel industry, but the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is considering launching a programme into fundamental combustion research aimed at raising the efficiency and reducing the harmful emissions of the combustive process.

Ian Greer

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Special Advisers

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 6 February 1995, Official Report, column 69.

Lord Chancellor's Department

Ian Greer

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

I received one item from Ian Greer last week. It was an invitation to a reception which my constituency secretary declined on my behalf.

Child Witnesses

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all fast-tracking initiatives being made to reduce delays faced by child witnesses; and if these initiatives are to be evaluated for broader application.

Fast-tracking schemes are currently in place at the following Crown court centres: Leeds, Lincoln, Newcastle, covering cases from Durham; Peterborough; Plymouth, pilot scheme; Preston and Winchester, pilot scheme. Area criminal justice liaison committees are still considering whether similar schemes can be set up in other Crown court centres. However, a number of informal schemes are also in existence, in response to the duty on the courts to ensure that waiting times in cases involving child witnesses are kept to a minimum.The Criminal Justice Consultative Council is due to review the introduction of fast tracking schemes in the Crown court at its next meeting in April, when a decision will be taken as to further action.

Treasury

Vat

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparable to table 3 of appendix 7 of HC 289 of Session 1990–91 giving estimates of the increase in VAT payments between. 1991–92 and 1995–96 by decile group.

Latest estimates of VAT paid by decile of income are given in the Central Statistical Office article "Effects of taxes and benefits upon household income 1993" on the December 1994 edition of "Economic Trends". VAT payments in 1995–96 will depend on what happens to earnings and prices, and on household composition and spending patterns.

Lending Package (Mexico)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the short-term lending package for Mexico authorised by central banks through the bank of international settlement has been promised by Her Majesty's Government.

No formal lending proposal has yet been received from the BIS.

Capital Gains Tax

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the costs of collecting capital gains tax for each of the previous five years.

The figures for the five tax years to 1993–94—the latest figure available—are:

£ million
1989–90	34.3
1990–91	39.0
1991–92	43.3
1992–93	38.4
1993–94	41.9

The figures quoted exclude tax on gains made by companies included in corporation tax. Some of the costs associated with companies, however, cannot be separately identified and are therefore included in the costs figures for CGT rather than corporation tax.

Retail Prices Index

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the monthly changes in the retail prices index since January 1989, with January 1989 being taken as 100.

Monthly percentage changes in the retail prices index are available from the Central Statistical

Monthly percentage changes in the Retail Prices Index (January 1989=100)
	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Year
1989	—	0.7	0.5	1.8	0.6	0.4	0.1	0.2	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.2
1990	0.7	0.6	1.0	3.0	0.9	0.4	0.1	1.1	1.0	0.8	-0.3	-0.1
1991	0.3	0.5	0.4	1.3	0.3	0.4	-0.2	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.1
1992	-0.1	0.5	0.3	1.5	0.4	0.0	-0.4	0.1	0.4	0.3	-0.1	-0.4
1993	-1.0	0.6	0.4	1	0.3	-0.1	-0.2	0.4	0.4	0.1	-0.1	0.2
1994	-0.4	0.5	0.3	1.2	0.4	0.0	-0.5	0.5	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.5

Beer Excise Duty

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reconsider the Government's position on beer excise duty; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's position with respect to the excise duty on beer and other alcoholic drinks was made clear in my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement and in his further statement to the House. The increase in duty which took effect from 1 January 1995 resulted from the decision to leave the rate of VAT on domestic fuel and power at 8 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from Yorkshire brewers regarding the excise duty on beer.

Representations have been received from the Yorkshire Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has carried out into the effects of maintaining a higher level of duty on beer in the United Kingdom than in other European Union member states.

HM Customs and Excise has considered the effects of the differing level of beer duty among EU member states, the impact these have had on UK production and revenue receipts, the findings of consultants engaged by the European Commission and the various representations made by trade and other bodies.

Exchange Rates

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extent to which the exchange rate would have fallen against the deutschmark and the United States dollar since the end of June 1994 if interest rates had not been raised since then.

Interest rates are set to deliver the Government's inflation objective. Movements in exchange rates depend on many factors beside interest rates, and it is not possible to estimate the effect of any one factor with any degree of confidence.

Customs And Excise Office, Ellesmere Port

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made on the effectiveness of

Office database—series CLEQ—which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

Rebasing the index by using January 1989 as 100 rather than the official January 1987 = 100 base has little effect on monthly changes. There are, however, slight differences due to the retail prices index methodology of calculating percentage changes from index numbers rounded to 1 decimal place. The figures requested are listed below.

anti-drug smuggling activities in relation to the proposed closure of Ellesmere Port Customs and Excise office.

The estimation of the effectiveness of anti-smuggling activity in a particular area is a matter for the head of the local Customs and Excise executive unit.Customs has examined the effect of moving its operational anti-smuggling base from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool and has concluded that there will be no adverse effect on anti-smuggling control.

Ian Greer

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Lord President Of The Council

Ian Greer

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

House Of Commons

Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund

To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects the accounts of the parliamentary contributory pension fund for 1993–94 to be presented to Parliament.

The accounts of the parliamentary contributory pension fund for 1993–94 were laid in the House on 11 January 1995—HOC paper 129.

Badge Messengers

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission what was the longest period of continuous duty worked by a badge messenger in the weeks commencing (a) 23 January and (b) 30 January and for what hours he or she worked; what was the longest week worked by any badge messenger; what plans the Commission has to review the working hours of badge messengers; and if he will make a statement.

There are no current plans for the Commission to review the working hours of badge messengers, but they will be included in any examination of alteration of patterns of work caused by revised sittings arrangements of the House. I have asked the Serjeant at Arms to write to the right hon. Member with the operational details that he requests.

Official Paid Post Cards

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many official paid post cards to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a communication have been printed with an air mail marking; what was the cost; for what reasons it was necessary to produce them; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: In 1991, the House of Commons Services Committee gave approval in principle for the free provision of telephone calls and postal services to the main institutions of the European Community and the offices of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of the Western Europe Union. These proposals were approved subsequently by the Commission, and a range of stationery for use by Members in correspondence to approved official destinations in Europe was subsequently made available. I have asked the Serjeant at Arms to write to the hon. Member about the cost of the postcards.

Disabled People Access

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what measures (a) have recently been taken and (b) will be taken to assist people with disabilities to gain better access to the Palace of Westminster.

The Committee has given detailed and careful consideration to the consultant's report on access by disabled people commissioned by the Parliamentary Works Directorate and submitted to the Committee on 30 June 1993. The report is a very comprehensive study dealing with the Palace and 1, The Abbey garden. The cost of implementing all the recommendations proposed by the consultant was estimated by the Director of Works to be £1,272,700.In addition to receiving written evidence, the Committee also took oral evidence on four occasions including sessions with the all-party disablement group, English Heritage, the consultant and Officers of the House. Oral and written evidence received by the Committee during the inquiry will be published in due course: the consultants report will be deposited in the Library and in the Record Office, House of Lords. The relevant minutes of proceedings of the Committee are being published today.

Many of the consultant's proposals were considered uncontroversial by the Committee and have already been implemented by the Parliamentary Works Directorate. Other schemes needing greater expenditure have been endorsed and will be included in the programme of works. A full list of the items undertaken or planned has been placed in the Library. The consultant's report also recommended several projects which, in the committee's view, would be highly controversial, if implemented. The committee has therefore considered these proposals in greater detail. As with other recommendations, it has been necessary, in seeking to make possible dignified access to the various parts of the building for people with disabilities, to take into account the need to preserve the historic fabric of the Palace, which is a grade 1 listed building of national and international importance. The committee was concerned that the provision of access to certain areas should not subject disabled people, particularly those in wheelchairs, to increased risk if an emergency evacuation of the premises became necessary, and has asked the Serjeant at Arms and the Director of Parliamentary Works to conduct a further study into this aspect.

One of the areas where access for disabled people is most difficult is the Grand Committee Room and Jubilee Room. The consultant's proposal was for a lift from Westminster Hall to the Grand Committee Room level,. involving a cavity being opened up in the 12th century walls of Westminster Hall, at a total cost of £230,000. The Committee was aware, in considering this proposal, that the adjacent Westminster Hall cafeteria is due to be converted to a visitor centre following approval by the House on 12 July 1994 of a report by the Catering Committee on Refreshment Provision for Line of Rowe visitors, HC, 1993–94, 307. The Committee therefore considered that the design work for the conversion should contain a requirement for the architect to consider how a lift could be incorporated in this area. This would have less impact on Westminster Hall and the Grand Committee Room. As the conversion to a visitor centre cannot take place until a suitable alternative for the present lunchtime users of the cafeteria is provided, the Committee also proposes that a replacement for the current chairlift which would allow disabled people to remain in their wheelchairs should be sought as a matter of urgency. The Committee also agreed to support the provision of a disabled person's toilet outside the Grand Committee Room.

Another area which presents considerable difficulty for anyone using a wheelchair is the Crypt Chapel. Public access is via entrances in Old Palace Yard and Westminster Hall. The Committee has asked the Serjeant at Arms to examine whether alternative access arrangements via the Cloisters are practicable. The Committee does not, however, favour the solution proposed by the consultant, of a chair lift.

Access by disabled people to the Ground, Principal, Committee and Upper Committee floors by disabled people is also vital. The Committee supports the proposal of the Parliamentary Works Directorate to upgrade lift No.15 to ensure that these floors are easily accessible.

The consultant proposed that a central handrail should be provided on the stairs leading to St. Stephens Hall. As there are already handrails at the side of this staircase, the entrance is narrow, and as a separate route is available for people in wheelchairs, the Committee did not support this proposal. Other proposals supported by the Committee included the provision of a tactile model of the building and consideration of a sound guide on the line-of-route to assist visually impaired visitors; and further improvements to the existing induction loop provision to include all Committee Rooms.

As part of the review, and in the light of the anticipated beneficial effects of the provision of the New Parliamentary Building (Phase 2), the design for which includes improved facilities for people with disabilities, the Committee has invited the Serjeant at Arms to give further consideration to what organisational or administrative changes might be made to assist disabled people.

I understand that similar arrangements are being made in another place to implement the consultant's proposals.

The measures and recommendations outlined above are the result of careful and sympathetic consideration by the Accommodation and Works Committee and, when complete, will enable people with disabilities to reach all but the most difficult parts of this historic building in a

Course title	Course objective	Organisation	Total cost (exclusive of VAT) £	Responsibility of participants
Developing a Strategic Approach	To enable senior managers to develop and encourage their staff to take a more strategic view of their work.	Nexus consulting 12 Whitworth Close Wellesbourne Warwickshire	7,050	Senior Managers
Management Skills for Senior Managers	To show senior managers how they can help staff develop and how to gain the co-operation of their staff by demonstrating leadership.	Weavers Down Seymour Hall Bratton Seymour Somerset	8,947	Senior Managers
Effective Presentation Skills for Senior Managers	To help senior staff to develop effective oral communicatin techniques in the context of advice and presentations to Ministers and presentations to senior officials in theprivate and public sectors.	Weavers Down	5,070	Senior Managers
Developing Personal Effectiveness	To encourage staff to consider their personal effectiveness, future potential and development needs and to show them how to make practical action plans to take their development forward.	Nexus Consulting	8,225	Junior and Middle Managers
Development Training for HEO/SEO staff	To develop the following important skills for middle managers: policy and planning; setting objectives; managing staff; teamwork; written and oral communication; managing meetings; making decisions.	Weavers Down	6,267	Junior and Middle Managers

Note:

1. The courses were evaluated by scrutinising the participants' course reaction questionnaires and tutors' reports.

Speech Therapists

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what initiatives he is taking to obtain more speech therapists in Wales; and if he will make a statement;(2) when he will set up a north Wales training scheme for speech therapists; and if he will make a statement.

The recruitment and retention of speech therapists is a matter for employers. They will need to liaise with the education sector over the number of students entering the appropriate training.

dignified manner. The Committee will continue to consider the needs of people with disabilities as new works projects are proposed.

Wales

Training Courses

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list ach 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 the Department or agency.

During 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1994 the Welsh Office purchased five training courses costing more than £5,000 each. Details are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many speech therapy vacancies have been vacant for six months or more; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not held centrally.

Language Units

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will visit language units in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

(2) what is his policy concerning language units in maintained schools in Wales;

(3) which language units he has visited in (a) Clwyd and (b) Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I has yet paid a specific visit to a language unit but I will bear it in mind for my future programme. It is the responsibility of local education authorities and schools to make appropriate provision for pupils, including those children with special educational needs who may need support from a speech and language unit.

Opencast Coal Sites

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the opencast coal sites in Wales.

There are currently 17 operational licensed opencast sites in Wales. These are as follows:

Site	County
East Pit Extension	Dyfed
Ffos Las	Dyfed
Gilfach Iago	Dyfed
Lane End	Clwyd
Springhill Quarry	Clwyd
The Smelt	Clwyd
Kays and Kears	Gwent
Great White Tip	Mid Glamorgan
Helid Colliery	Mid Glamorgan
Llanilid West Revised	Mid Glamorgan
Henllan Uchaf	Powys
Blaenpergwm South	West Glamorgan
Brawds Level	West Glamorgan
Derlwyn 2	West Glamorgan
Lletty'r Crudd	West Glamorgan
Nant Helen	West Glamorgan
Tyn y Craig	West Glamorgan

School Playing Fields

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on school playing fields.

The Government's policy on school playing fields is laid down in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981, which set minimum area standards. In addition, policy planning guidance note 17 states that, with the needs of the wider community in mind, playing fields should normally be preserved.

Art Collection

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that the Welsh Arts Council's art collection will be available for viewing by the general public.

The Secretary of State has no powers of direction in this matter; it is an issue for the Arts Council of Wales.

Pre-School Playgroups

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pre-school playgroups there are in each of the counties of Wales.

The latest available figures provided by Wales PPA are for 1993–94. They are taken from "Statistics from Wales PPA Facts and Figures 1993–94" and are as follows:

	Number
Clwyd	79
Dyfed	45
Mid Glam	80
South Glam	89
West Glam	17
Gwent	68
Gwynedd	32
Powys	34
Wales	444

These do not include combined parent and toddler groups/playgroups.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

No items have been received from Ian Greer.

Special Advisers

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

[holding answer 1 February 19951: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 February, Official Report, column 69, by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary.

Home Department

Prisoners

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current ratio of staff to prisoners at (a) Doncaster, (b) the Wolds, (c) Lindholme, (d) Wakefield, (e) New Hall and (f) Wakefield prisons; and what was the figure (i) six months and (ii) 12 months ago.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 8 February 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the ratio of staff to prisoners at Doncaster and Wolds, both of which are local prisons, at Lindholme, a category C prison, New Hall which is a closed women's prison and Wakefield, a dispersal prison.

The number of prisoners per member of staff at each prison is as follows.

Prison	December 1993	June 1994	December 1994
Doncaster	not open	0.49	1.75
Wolds	1.45	1.17	1.47
Lindholme	1.44	1.49	1.45
Wakefield	1.00	1.07	1.10
New Hall	0.85	0.80	0.89

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to alter the arrangements for incentives and privileges for prisoners.

The Prison Service is developing a national framework for incentives and earned privileges. The emphasis will be on prisoners earning privileges by good behaviour and participation in work or other constructive activity. I will be making an announcement later.

Poisons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of (a) category A, (b) category B and (c) category C places available in each of the Prison Service regions; and if he will list the changes that have taken place during the last 12 months between those categories.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 8 February 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the total number of Category A, B and C places available in each Prison Service region.

Prisons are defined by operational function and an establishment will have, according to its particular function, accommodation designed for holding prisoners up to a particular security category.

Information on the security standard of accommodation available in each of the Prison Service areas at closed training prisons and local prisons is given in the attached tables. Copies of these tables have been placed in the Library of the House.

Table 1: Number of adult male prison places available for prisoners categorised A, B or C at 31 December 1994 (March 1994 figures are shown in brackets)
Area	Category A	Category B	Category C
Central	362(362)	1,841(1,695)	1,361(1,660)
Chilterns	—	932(890)	776(776)
East Midlands	—_	1,437(1,433)	1,526(1,572)
East Anglia	—	992(1,088)	1,259(1,259)
Kent	—	1,231(1,208)	859(838)
London North	534(534)	2,141(2,039)	1,127(1,277)
London South	301(334)	2,964(2,976)	151(145)
Mercia	—	168(168)	—
North East	1,014(1,051)	1,173(1,140)	1,307(1,307)
North West	—	854(894)	1,116(1,097)
South Coast	—	2,213(2,047)	721(768)
Trans Pennine	727(637)	2,614(2,077)	794(751)

Table 1: Number of adult male prison places available for prisoners categorised A, B or C at 31 December 1994 (March 1994 figures are shown in brackets)
Area	Category A	Category B	Category C
Wales and West	—	1,078(1,130)	270 (256)
Wessex		936(970)	1,192(1,304)
Yorkshire	—	320(320)	408(394)
Total	2,938(2,918)	20,895 (20,075)	12,867 (13,404)

Notes:

1. Figures for Category A places comprise total number of places available in dispersal prisons which are suitable for Category A and Category B prisoners; and the number of places in the Category A Unit at HMP Belmarsh.

2. Figures for Category B places comprise the total number of places in non-dispersal training prisons and local prisons. Some of the more secure local prisons also hold Category A prisoners as and when necessary. A formal maximum number of places for this purpose is not designated.

3. The Category B figures include 127 (145) places immigration detainees at HMHC Haslar.

Table 2: Number of places available for convicted and sentenced Category A female prisoners

Area

Category A

Category B

Category C

North East

—

Notes:

1. There is currently only one sentenced Category A female prisoner.

2. With the exception of those categorised A, convicted and sentenced female prisoners are not categorised, but are allocated to open or closed conditions.

Misuse Of Drugs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to introduce legislation to outlaw the illicit supply of anabolic steroids;(2) if he will publish the minutes of the January meeting of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

The technical committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs met on 24 January. The meeting considered, in the light of the decision to control anabolic steroids and similar substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, precisely which substances should be brought under control. The Committee's conclusions will be considered by the full council at its next meeting on 11 May, a date which I understand it would not now be practicable to bring forward. We intend to bring forward the necessary draft order and regulations as quickly as possible thereafter. It is not the practice to publish the minutes of meetings of the advisory council or its committees.

Police Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the estimated percentage increase in population for each police authority area since 1979 and (b) the estimated percentage increase in police establishment since 1979.

The information is set out in the table.

	Population			¹Police establishment
Police authority	1979	1993 ²	Population increase	1979 ³	1994³	Percentage increase
Avon and Somerset	1,334,000	1,447,000	8.5	2,953	3,087	4.5
Bedfordshire	499,000	539,000	8.0	947	1,162	22.7
Cambridgeshire	579,000	683,000	18.0	1,140	1,241	8.9
Cheshire	926,000	972,000	5.0	1,805	1,920	6.4
City of London	5,000	4,000	-20.0	1,022	803	-21.4
Cleveland	569,000	559,000	-1.8	1,418	1,502	5.9
Cumbria	470,000	490,000	4.3	1,113	1,190	6.9
Derbyshire	898,000	951,000	5.9	1,712	1,850	8.1
Devon and Cornwall	1,371,000	1,526,000	11.3	2,673	2,928	9.5
Dorset	591,000	667,000	12.9	1,164	1,302	11.9
Durham	603,000	608,000	0.8	1,349	1,389	3.0
Dyfed-Powys	433,000	471,000	8.8	934	972	4.1
Essex	1,377,000	1,489,000	8.1	2,533	2,950	16.5
Gloucestershire	497,000	544,000	9.5	1,116	1.184	6.1
Greater Manchester	2,648,000	2,579,000	-2.6	6,766	7,109	5.1
Gwent	436,000	450,000	3.2	975	1,010	3.6
Hampshire	1,575,000	1,718,000	9.1	3,034	3,269	7.7
Hertfordshire	808,000	849,000	5.1	1,533	1,700	10.9
Humberside	850,000	884,000	4	1,939	2,034	4.9
Kent	1,456,000	1,540,000	5.8	2,842	3,150	10.8
Lancashire	1,370,000	1,421,000	3.7	3,138	3,229	2.9
Leicestershire	836,000	910,000	8.9	1,706	1,867	9.4
Lincolnshire	534,000	601,000	12.5	1,182	1,206	2.0
Merseyside	1,532,000	1,441,000	-5.9	4,451	4,705	5.7
Metropolitan Police	7,353,000	7,420,000	0.9	26,589	27,736	4.3
Norfolk	686,000	765,000	11.5	1,265	1,446	14.3
North Wales	611,000	656,000	7.4	1,309	1,369	4.6
North Yorkshire	663,000	722,000	8.9	1,368	1,418	3.7
Northamptonshire	523,000	592,000	13.2	978	1,190	21.7
Northumbria	1,446,000	1,445,000	-0.1	3,325	3,613	8.7
Nottinghamshire	974,000	1,028,000	5.5	2,260	2,344	3.7
South Wales	1,295,000	1,329,000	2.6	3,069	3,168	3.2
South Yorkshire	1,301,000	1,306,000	0.4	2,752	3,031	10.1
Staffordshire	1,000,000	1,054,000	5.4	2,066	2,215	7.2
Suffolk	598,000	646,000	8.0	1,123	1,233	9.8
Surrey	725,000	770,000	6.2	1,602	1,685	5.2
Sussex	1,298,000	1,440,000	10.9	2,811	3,014	7.2
Thames Valley	1,760,000	2,001,000	13.7	3,005	3,812	26.9
Warwickshire	469,000	494,000	5.3	876	1,020	16.4
West Mercia	987,000	1,109,000	12.4	1,834	2,067	12.7
West Midlands	2,696,000	2,634,000	-2.3	6,509	6,991	7.4
West Yorkshire	2,064,000	2,102,000	1.8	5,104	5,295	3.7
Wiltshire	516,000	583,000	13	1,032	1,181	14.4
Total	49,162,000	51,439,000	4.6	118,322	126,587	7.0
¹ Figures exclude officers seconded to regional crime squads and central services.
² Population figures are provided by the OPCS. 1993 is the latest available estimate.
³At 31 December.

Child Witnesses

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the steering group on child evidence will next meet; and what policy decisions arose from the last meeting.

The steering group on child evidence will next meet on 23 March.At its last meeting, the steering group discussed the causes of delay in bringing child abuse cases to court, and the action being taken by the relevant agencies to reduce delays.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned in respect of delays faced by child witnesses in cases of alleged abuse; and if he will outline the scope of any such research project.

The Home Office and the Department of Health are funding research by Ms Joyce Plotnikoff and Mr. Richard Woolfson into the delays in bringing prosecutions in child abuse cases. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's policy to give priority to such prosecutions, to identify factors causing delay and to recommend mechanisms for reducing delays.

Reconviction Rates

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current reconviction rates for persons discharged from (a) first custodial sentences, (b) subsequent custodial sentences and (c) custodial sentences generally.

The information is as follows:Percentage of offenders reconvicted

¹ within a two-year period following discharge from a custodial sentence in 1990 by whether or not the current sentence was a first custodial sentence.

History of imprisonment	Number discharged	Per cent, reconvicted
First custodial sentence	28,298	52
Subsequent custodial sentence	18,701	53
All discharges²	47,473	52
¹ Reconvicted of a serious offence as defined by the standard list in Appendices 4 and 5 of Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1993.
² Includes 474 cases where the previous history of imprisonment is not known.

Comparisons between reconviction rates are affected by differences in the age, sex, previous convictions and other characteristics of offenders.

Woodcock Report

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his detailed timetable for the implementation of each of the recommendations of the Woodcock report.

I have today placed in the Library a timetable for implementation of the 64 recommendations in Sir John Woodcock's report on Whitemoor. The timetable may be subject to amendment in the light of any comments made by Sir John Learmont when he reports on his review of security in the Prison Service. I have asked Sir John Learmont to report to me by the end of the year on how far the recommendations of Sir John Woodcock have been implemented.

Prevention Of Terrorism Act

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extensions of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act were made in each month in 1994; and how many of these resulted in a criminal charge.

The information requested is shown in the table.

Extensions of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by outcome: United Kingdom in 1994
	Number of extensions			Number of criminal charges
Month	Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Total	Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Total
January	—	43	43	—	9	9
February	2	46	48	2	12	14
March	—	36	36	—	16	16
April	—	81	81	—	14	14
May	1	70	71	¹—	16	16
June	1	39	40	¹—	18	18
July	—	17	17	—	6	6
August	—	41	41	—	14	14
September	—	7	7	—	²3	3
October	—	—	—	—	²—	—
November	—	2	2	—	²—	—
December	—	—	—	—	²—	—

Note:

¹ The two persons whose detention was extended in Great Britain in May and June were both subsequently served with exclusion orders.

² Provisional figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders made under the provision of the Prevention of Terrorism Act were in force in 1994; and how many were reveiwed, replaced, revoked or scrapped.

The information requested is shown in the table.

Exclusion orders: United Kingdom 1994
	Orders made by Home Secretary	Orders made by Northern Ireland Secretary
Orders in force on 1 January	71	9
New orders made	4	1
Orders reviewed, of which	28	—
Orders renewed or replaced	14	—
Orders revoked or allowed to lapse	14	—
Deaths	3	—
Orders in force on 31 December	58	10

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the review for 1994 of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

I received Mr. Rowe's report on 3 February and shall arrange for it to be made available in the usual way in good time for the debates on the future of the legislation.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Asylum

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reviewed the working of the asylum appeals system; and if he will make a statement.

I have today placed in the Library a report by the consultancy firm KPMG Peat Marwick on the operation of the asylum appeals procedures. The study arose from the commitment which was given at the time of the adoption of the Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules 1993 to review the new regulations after a year of operation. The consultants analysed over 200 appeal cases and looked at all aspects of the asylum appeal determination system from an operational perspective. They have produced a helpful report, and have made a number of recommendations of a mainly operational and procedural nature, which the Lord Chancellor and I are considering.

Police National Computer

To ask the Secretary of Sate for the Home Department if he will make a statement about future arrangements for delivering the police national computer and other police information technology.

We are currently discussing with the police service proposals to set up a new body to deliver police IT more effectively and efficiently on a partnership basis between chief constables, police authorities and the Home Office. The discussions are based in part on proposals from the police, and are focusing on the scope for bringing into a single organisation the responsibility for centrally provided IT services, such as the police national computer, and delivery of the police information services/information technology initiative which was launched last November.Following a detailed study, I have decided that the market test of the Hendon Data Centre should not proceed to competitive tendering at present. The existing police national computer system, which is provided by the centre, has been in service since 1991 and planning for its eventual replacement has already begun. A decision about the future management of the centre and the possibility of contracting-out the service will be taken in about 18 months when the likely nature, size and scope of the new system is clearer. Whatever arrangements are made in future for the provision of the police national computer system, the ownership and use of the criminal records held on it will remain firmly under the control of the police.

Data Protection Directive

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the nature of the data rules applying to banks recently approved by the EC; what will be the cost of the measures; what benefit will stem from the rules; and if Her Majesty's Government voted for the measures.

[holding answer 6 February 1995]: The directive is intended to help the operation of the single market by ensuring common standards of data protection within the European Union. It is likely to require the elaboration of existing United Kingdom data protection rules and will involve their application to manual as well as computerised records. The initial proposals would have imposed substantial additional costs on the banks and other data users; modifications made to the proposals in the course of subsequent negotiations have gone a significant way to reducing those burdens.Political agreement was reached on the directive in the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 February: the UK said that it would be abstaining when the matter is put to a formal vote, probably later this month. The UK's abstention was conditional upon, among a number of other points, the Council and the Commission expressing their agreement to greater flexibility in applying the directive to existing manual records.

Prison Escapes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of escapes from prison in each year since 1979 stating (a) which prison the prisoner escaped from, (b) what the offence of the prisoner was and (c) for how long each prisoner was at large.

[holding answer 6 February 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 8 February 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for details of the number of escapes from prison in each year sincc 1979 stating (a) which prison the prisoner escaped from (b) what the offence of the prisoner was and (c) for how long each prisoner was at large.

Before 20 June 1988, records were not kept centrally on escapes. The attached table lists the number of prisoners who have escaped and the prison establishment concerned from that date until 31 December 1994. A copy of this table has been placed in the Library of the House.

The information on the offence of the prisoner involved and the length of time these prisoners were unlawfully at large could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

	20 June 1988–31 Dec.
Establishment	1989	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Acklington	2	6	11	6	2	3	0
Aldington	1	6	6	16	14	1	4
Ashwell	7	3	2	6	1	4	4
Bedford	1	0	0	3	0	0	1
Belmarsh	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Birmingham	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Blakenhurst	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Blantyre House	0	0	0	0	2	2	2
Blundeston	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Brinsford	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Bristol	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Brixton	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Brockhill	0	0	0	4	0	0	1
Buckley Hall	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Bullwood Hall	0	0	0	3	0	0	0
Camp Hill	1	1	3	1	4	1	2
Campsfield House	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Canterbury	0	2	1	2	0	0	0
Cardiff	0	0	1	2	5	0	0
Castington	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Channings Wood	2	5	3	9	8	2	6
Chelmsford	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Coldingley	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Dartmoor	0	2	0	1	0	0	3
Deerbolt	0	12	5	5	6	0	4
Doncaster	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Dorchester	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Dover	0	0	0	7	4	0	0
Downview	0	0	0	3	4	6	5
Durham	0	0	5	0	0	0	1
Eastwood Park	0	1	5	1	1	0	0
Elmley	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
Erlestoke	0	4	7	4	1	4	0
Everthorpe	0	0	0	4	12	4	2
Exeter	0	0	1	0	1	1	1
Featherstone	6	4	5	5	3	10	11
Feltham	20	3	0	14	18	3	0
Frankland	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Glen Parva	6	0	0	5	8	2	2
Gloucester	0	0	8	3	8	0	0
Guys Marsh	0	0	0	0	4	18	0
Haslar	0	5	0	0	7	5	8
Haverigg	0	1	6	4	3	10	5
Hewell Grange	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Highdown	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Highpoint	14	28	11	15	17	2	3
Hindley	6	6	0	1	3	0	1
Holloway	0	0	0	1	1	0	3
Huntercombe	0	0	7	3	4	0	0
Hull	0	1	1	0	0	0	0
Kingston	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Kirklevington	0	1	0	3	1	1	1
Latchmere House	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Lancaster	0	0	1	0	0	0	2
Lancaster Farms	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Leeds	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
Leicester	0	0	1	0	0	0	0

	20 June 1988–31 Dec.
Establishment	1989	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Lewes	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
Leyhill	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Lincoln	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Lindholme	11	4	7	29	9	8	6
Littlehey	2	0	5	1	5	7	1
Liverpool	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Maidstone	0	0	0	1	2	0	2
Manchester	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Moorland	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
The Mount	1	2	1	12	2	4	2
New Hall	0	0	0	1	9	1	1
Northeye	0	5	4	3	0	0	0
Norwich	2	4	9	7	5	3	0
Nottingham	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Onley	0	0	2	4	0	9	2
Oxford	0	2	3	3	0	0	0
Parkhurst	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Pentonville	3	1	1	0	1	0	3
Portland	1	3	4	24	10	17	4
Preston	0	0	3	1	0	3	0
Pucklechurch	0	4	0	0	0	0	0
Ranby	4	9	29	11	14	22	9
Risley	0	0	0	4	3	1	4
Rochester	0	0	0	3	2	2	1
Rollestone	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Send	0	0	4	4	3	3	1
Shepton Mallet	0	0	4	2	0	3	0
Stafford	0	5	1	1	0	3	1
Stocken	1	3	2	0	3	0	0
Stoke Heath	0	0	0	8	0	3	0
Styal	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Sudbury	0	0	1	1	1	0	1
Swaleside	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Swansea	0	0	1	0	1	0	1
Thorn Cross	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Thorp Arch	1	2	3	0	1	0	6
USK	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
The Verne	3	5	3	1	6	8	2
Wandsworth	0	0	0	2	1	0	0
Wayland	2	0	7	7	3	0	1
Wellingborough	0	0	2	4	5	7	3
Werrington	0	0	0	4	7	8	9
Wetherby	0	3	0	2	3	5	10
Whatton	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
Whitemoor	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
Winchester	0	0	0	2	3	0	0
The Wolds	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Wormwood Scrubs	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Wymott	3	11	5	18	1	0	0
Total	103	161	195	303	254	204	156

Transport

Train Cancellations And Delays

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains arrived more than five minutes late during peak hours; how many of these cancellations were attributable to (a) train breakdowns, (b) signal failures, (c) track/points failures, (d) leaves on the line, (e) staff shortages, (f) adverse weather conditions and (g) other factors; and what percentage of peak hour trains arrived more than five minutes late on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four week period during (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (ii) 1994.

BR publishes details of train service performance against passengers charter targets for punctuality and reliability every four weeks. However, the detailed information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Heathrow Airport (Night Flights)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many flights land at, and take off from, Heathrow airport on average (a) between 2300 hours and 0600 hours and (b) between 2330 hours and 0630 hours.

At Heathrow, the night quota period runs from 2330 to 0600. In the 1994 summer season—27 March 1994 to 23 October 1994—there were 3,204 runway movements in the night quota period, of which 2,905 counted against the movements limit, an average of 15 per night. Data for times outside the night quota period are not readily available on an equivalent basis. Very few movements are scheduled for the period 2300 to 2329, but actual numbers of movements in this period fluctuate considerably per night depending on whether flights have been delayed from earlier in the day. Movements in the period 0601 to 0630 are mostly arrivals. Analysis of data for sample weeks during the summer shows an average of about 16 movements per night during this half hour. There can be considerable variation in the number of movements in the half hours immediately before and after 0600 on a particular night due to the weather.

Severn Bridge

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has had on diversion of traffic from the Severn bridge to rural routes in Gloucestershire.

In July last year, a study carried out on behalf of the Highways Agency by Gloucestershire county council showed that while, on average, some 2,700 more vehicles than might be expected—allowing for traffic growth—travelled west through the county each day, only 1,500 of these could be positively identified as avoiding the bridge tolls. The extra traffic was distributed fairly evenly over the M50 and three other diversion routes, the A48 (T), A40(T)/A4136 and B4215.

Roll-On-Roll-Off Ferries

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage reduction, or other measure of reduction, of vehicle-carrying capacity of roll-on-roll-off ferry vessels that would he occasioned by the installation of removable bulkheads.

This is a technical matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Robin Bradley to Mr. Nigel Spearing, dated 8 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about loss of vehicle carrying capacity on ro-ro ferries if removable bulkheads are installed.

No general estimate has been made of the reduction in capacity consequent upon installing removable bulkheads on the car deck. The reduction of vehicle capacity will depend upon the size of the ship and the vehicle loading and stowage arrangement. During the second half of 1990 a study was made into modifications that would be needed for existing ferries to meet the requirements known as SOLAS 90. The details are contained in the International Maritime Organization paper SLF 35/inf.7 a copy which is attached, and which you may find of interest.

Railway Signalling

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much will be invested in railway signalling

	£ million cash
	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
Signalling and track projects¹	91	141	189	214	242
Signalling only (included in above)	—	—	—	126	140

	£ million 1994–95 prices²
	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
Signalling and track projects	114	164	207	225	247
Signalling only (included in above)	—	—	—	132	143
¹ Major resignalling schemes are often combined with alterations to track layouts eg. to simplify traffic flow at junctions.
² Using GDP deflator.

Rss Report

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference of the report being carried out on the RSS office in Cardiff; and on what date this report is due.

This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Robin Bradley to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 8 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the review being carried out on the RSS Office in Cardiff.

The terms of reference of the review are to:
(a) follow up initial work carried out by the Department's internal auditors and make such further enquiries as are necessary to ensure that the requirements of propriety and effective operation, management and control are being met throughout RSS;
(b) make recommendations on any changes to policy, procedures or practice needed to achieve the above;
(c) make recommendations on any personnel or training issues arising;
(d) consider whether the service level agreement under which RSS operates provides a suitable basis as presently written for the future management of RSS.

The review is a management review being carried out on my behalf and the report is due to be made to me by 31 March 1995.

Cycle Helmets

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current Government policy on cycle helmets; and what plans he has to change it.

The Government actively promote the benefits of cycle helmet wearing, but we have no plans to make them compulsory.

infrastructure in Great Britain in 1994–95; and how much has been invested in each of the previous five years at (a) cash and (b) constant prices.

In 1994–95, Railtrack expects to invest about £175 million in railway signalling infrastructure.Investment in the previous five years in signalling and track projects is as follows. Figures for signalling alone are not available before 1992–93.

Rail Consultants

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are currently employed full-time and part-time on contract and as consultants on property matters for British Railways; and what were the figures for the same time last year.

This is an operational matter for British Rail.

Merchant Fleet

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Chamber of Shipping to discuss the future plans for the British merchant fleet.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport meets the president of the Chamber of Shipping from time to time to discuss a range of shipping issues.

Cellos And Double Basses (Rail Transport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport: what discussions he has had with (a) the chairman of British Rail, (b) the Musicians Union and (c) representatives of leading British orchestras concerning problems experienced by musicians transporting cellos and double basses by rail.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposed to take to ensure that all British Rail staff responsible for the issuing and examination of tickets are aware of the fares policy for the transportation of cellos and double basses by rail.

This is a matter for the British Railways Board and its train operating units. However, I understand that ticket retail and examining staff are issued with manuals detailing current fares policy.

Hunting (Damage)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the damage caused by the York and Ainsty North hunt to the York to Harrogate railway in January.

I understand that no damage was caused either to Railtrack north-east's infrastructure or to the train operated by Regional Railways north-east.

Red Routes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest timetable for implementation of his Department's proposals for red routes in London; and if he will make a statement.

The traffic director for London is currently considering a revised timetable for implementing the red route measures with the objective of having the network operational in 2000.

Ian Greer

The ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Rail Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external financing limits have been set for British Rail and Railtrack for 1995–96; and what estimates he has made for Government grant support to passenger services for 1995–96.

The British Rail and Railtrack EFLs have been set respectively at contributions of £817 million and £128 million. These contributions are based on an estimate of grant support, comprising franchising director and metropolitan railway grants, of £1,800 million for 1995–96. This estimate of grant includes metropolitan railway grant paid by the Scottish Office to Strathclyde regional council. These external finance contributions and the estimated level of grant support are consistent with the combined external finance limits for BR/Railtrack and European passenger services/Union Railways announced in the Budget statement last November, after allowing for a transfer of –15 million from EPS to Railtrack for investment to be carried out by Railtrack on behalf of EPS. Any adjustments to these figures will be notified to Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external financing limit has been set for the railway industry in 1994–95.

The railway industry external finance limit (EFL) for 1994–95 is currently £496 million, as previously announced in reply to the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin) on 29 November 1994, Official Report column 659. However, the Government have agreed to increase the EFL by up to a further £64 million, if required, to meet certain working capital requirements. If the EFL is increased, the external finance contribution of British Rail, which is currently £272 million, will be reduced by a corresponding amount. Parliament will be notified of any adjustments.

Isys Warning System

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety advantages of using the ISYS warning system to avoid collisions.

[holding answer 31 January 1995]: My Department is not aware of this system.

Mv Derbyshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has reached arising out of the report by the Marine Accident Board on the findings of the Oceaneering Technologies investigation into the wreck of MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: My right hon. Friend is still considering the chief inspector of marine accidents' assessment of the material provided by the International Transport Workers Federation, and whether further action needs to be taken.

Electrical Shock Weapons

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now institute an inquiry into how British Midland Security allowed ICL Technical Plastics to carry an electro-shock weapon on a British Midland flight from Glasgow on 25 November 1994 arriving in London Heathrow at 10.20 a.m.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: My Department has made inquiries of both British Midland and BAA at Glasgow. Neither can trace the incident.

Special Advisers

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the severance payment made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

[holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 7 February 1995, column 69.

Environment

Homelessness

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 31 January, Official Report, columns 574–75, if he will list the contribution each of the 10 authorities receives from homelessness indicators in the SSA formula, in descending order.

Homelessness is one of a large number of general indicators that are included within composite indices in the personal social services and all other services service blocks. It is the overall value of an index which is important in determining an authority's SSA and not the value of an individual indicator within an index. Subject to that qualification, the 10 authorities which have the highest contribution from homelessness indicators, and the amounts, are:

	£ millions
Birmingham City Council	13.323
Manchester City Council	9.807
London Borough of Lambeth	6.356
London Borough of Hackney	5.789
London Borough of Southwark	5.319
London Borough of Islington	4.891
Walsall Metropolitan Borough	4.775
Bradford City Council	4.003
London Borough of Haringey	3.944
Westminster City Council	3.519

Lord Government Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional amount was needed on Nottingham's 1995–96 local government finance settlement in order to keep pace with inflation; and what further amount beyond this was allocated.

Adjusted for changes of function, the increase in total standard spending for

	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—
	NE	NE	NE	NE	NW	NW	NW	NW	M	M	M	M
Grade	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED
G2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G3	1	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
G4	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G5	1	2	—	1	—	2	—	1	1	2	—	1
G6	2	1	—	2	2	1	—	3	—	—	—	1
G7	7	9	1	11	8	17	2	16	3	4	1	6
SEO+ EQV	14	10	1	4	13	11	1	4	2	5	—	3
HEO+EQV	24	14	4	10	22	22	1	20	13	10	1	8
EO+EQV	32	21	7	10	31	34	2	14	12	17	—	8
AO+EQV	26	24	7	12	31	46	1	19	8	20	1	8
AA+EQV	21	8	1	2	18	23	—	4	9	5	—	2
SGB1	—	1	—	—	1	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
SGB2	3	8	—	—	7	6	—	2	2	1	—	—
TECH	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	131	99	21	52	135	164	7	83	50	65	3	37

	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—	GO—
	YH	YH	YH	YH	WM	WM	WM	WM	EM	EM	EM	EM
Grade	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED
G2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G3	—	—	—	1	—	1	—	—	1	—	—	—
G4	1	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
G5	—	2	—	1	—	3	—	1	1	—	—	1
G6	2	—	—	1	2	—	—	2	2	1	—	2
G7	8	9	2	12	7	11	1	12	5	9	2	12
SEO+EQV	8	21	1	5	15	13	1	3	8	10	1	4
HEO+EQV	25	20	2	16	28	19	2	17	21	15	1	12
EO+EQV	25	24	1	22	32	23	2	12	22	16	3	12
AO+EQV	19	24	2	11	42	37	1	13	16	35	1	18
AA+EQV	19	25	—	8	30	13	2	9	17	9	—	3
SGB1	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	2	—	—
SGB2	3	8	—	1	3	—	—	1	3	6	—	—
TECH	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	1ll	134	8	78	160	120	9	71	96	104	8	64

England between 1994–95 and 1995–96 is 0.8 per cent. The Treasury forecast for underlying inflation for the same period is 2.5 per cent. The distribution of resources to individual local authorities is dependent on needs assessments, which vary from year to year.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the numbers and grades of staff, broken down by programme where possible, allocated and to be allocated by each department to each Government office for the regions, in each of the financial years 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96.

The number of staff by grade and Department in each Government office for the regions as at 31 January 1995 is shown in the table below. There are no equivalent figures for 1993–94, since the Government offices came into being only in April 1994. Staffing arrangements in the Offices in 1995–96 have yet to be finalised. Details will be available in the Government office MINIS returns, which will be published in the spring.

	ER	ER	ER	ER	SW	SW	SW	SW
Grade	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED
G2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G3	—	—	—	1	—	1	—	—
G4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G5	1	2	—	1	1	1	—	1
G6	—	1	1	2	1	3	1	2
G7	3	11	2	11	4	7	1	10
SEO+EQV	3	8	1	5	4	8	—	6
HEO+EQV	11	8	1	12	14	16	2	7
EO+EQV	14	19	2	12	18	18	3	16
AO+EQV	18	13	3	4	26	18	2	13
AA+EQV	7	9	—	5	18	5	—	5
SGB1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SGB2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
TECH	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	57	71	10	53	86	77	9	60

	SE	SE	SE	SE	L	L	L	L
Grade	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED	DTI	DOE	DOT	ED
G2	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
G3	—	—	1	—	—	1	1	—
G4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
G5	1	2	1	1	1	4	2	1
G6	1	—	—	3	1	2	1	3
G7	3	12	2	14	3	21	13	19
SEO+EQV	6	10	1	2	2	14	7	5
NEO+EQV	14	17	2	13	11	30	5	22
EO+EQV	17	25	2	13	17	30	8	16
AO+EQV	24	18	2	14	17	21	13	11
AA+EQV	8	5	—	1	7	7	4	2
SGB1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SGB2	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
TECH	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	74	90	11	61	59	131	54	79

Local Government Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for the environment when he expects to announce his response to the Local Government Commission's recommendations for Staffordshire.

We are still considering the Local Government Commission's recommendations about the future structure of local government in Staffordshire, and will announce a decision as soon as possible.

Water Charges

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from local authorities, voluntary organisations and other consumer groups concerning future options for charging for the provision of water supplies.

The Department has received representations from a number of local authorities and other interested bodies such as the Consumers' Association and Age Concern.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None

Water Meters

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of households with water meters which have been installed (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily.

The Office of Water Services estimates that 1.1 million households in England and Wales currently have water meters. Information on the proportion of households metered voluntarily and compulsorily is not available.

Single Regeneration Budget

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each programme of expenditure under the single regeneration budget in each London borough or London training and enterprise council area, the commitments predating the single regeneration budget for (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: I am placing this information in the Library of the House.

Attorney-General

Ian Greer

To ask the Attorney-General how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Transfer Of Undertakings (Protection Ofemployment) Regulations 1981

To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library the advice given by his Department to the CBI on the application of the TUPE regulations.

By convention, the Law Officers do not normally disclose whether advice has been given on a particular issue or the substance of any advice that they may have given.

Prime Minister

European Union

To ask the Prime Minister what consultations have taken place on the European content on the draft framework document on Northern Ireland with (a) heads of Government in the EU other than the Taoiseach, (b) ministerial councils of EU states other than the Irish Republic, (c) the President of the EU and (d) individual commissioners of the EU.

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure that so long as Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland interests will continue to be represented in the European Union's various ministerial Councils exclusively by Ministers answerable to the Parliament at Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

	Eastern			Northern
	Cases paid	Settlements £	Legal costs £	Cases paid	Settlements £	Legal costs £
1990–91¹	22	770,500	76,116	10	132,250	51,109
1991–92	49	302,200	361,726	14	204,650	98,861
1992–93	31	409,268	260,942	12	332,766	102,507
1993–94	43	4,025,707	576,461	7	33,700	40,974

	Southern			Western
	Cases paid	Settlements £	Legal costs £	Cases paid	Settlements £	Legal costs £
1990–91¹	9	140,248	31,902	8	45,250	10,339
1991–92	15	637,644	158,550	10	199,750	92,247
1992–93	6	855,550	190,361	12	194,842	83,129
1993–94	13	1,031,500	68,364	10	268,148	61,985
¹ Information is only available for the last six months of 1990–91.

Under article 146 of the treaty of Rome, as amended by the treaty on European Union, member states' representatives on the Council must be authorised to commit the Government of that member state. United Kingdom Ministers are answerable to the Parliament of Westminster, and will continue to represent the United Kingdom.

Ian Greer

To ask the Prime Minister how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Chequers

To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost to public funds of the meeting held at Chequers on 13 January to review British foreign policy; and what are the rules determining which expenditures at Chequers shall be met from public funds.

[holding answer Tuesday 7 February]: It is not my usual practice to give the costs of individual meetings or receptions.Expenses incurred by Ministers and officials meeting at Chequers in the course of official duty are met by the Cabinet Office.

Northern Ireland

Medical Negligence

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a table showing the number of cases of medical negligence settled and the total cost of damages awarded together with legal costs, in each year since 1990–91, by health board area.

The number of cases of medical negligence settled since 1990–91 along with total costs of damages and legal costs by health and social services board area is as follows:

Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firms in Northern Ireland have received Government assistance under the small firms loan guarantee scheme in the last five years.

The number of loans guaranteed under the small firms loan guarantee scheme in Northern Ireland over the past five years was 101. Some companies may have received more than one loan.

Funeral Costs

to ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the average cost of a funeral in (a) Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland; and what comparisons he has made with funeral charges outside Northern Ireland;(2) what plans he has to make higher provision for the costs of a funeral in Northern Ireland following the Secretary of state for Social Security's recent decision that social fund payments to cover funeral costs are to be limited to £875.

Information on the average cost of funerals in Belfast and Northern Ireland is not available.Costs of funerals vary considerably within and between local areas and regions of the United Kingdom. The social fund funeral payment scheme cannot be expected to meet the cost of all variations and eventualities.The Government have referred their proposals to the Social Security Advisory Committee and will consider its report when it has been completed.

Divisional allocation of additional funds (£000)
Functional heading	Ballymena	Belfast	Coleraine	Craigavon	D'Patrick	Omagh
1. Capital works
(a) Carried over form 1993–94	—	—	—	900	—	—
(b) Development schemes	—	—	715	—	—	—
(c) Bridge strengthening	147	231	95	50	122	150
2. Structural maintenance	358	453	359	450	426	654
3. Plant and building	—	133	127	—	—	—

Some of these changes are subject to Parliament's approval of the Spring supplementary estimates for 1994–95.

Special Advisers

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

[holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 6 February 1995 by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary, Official Report, column 69.

Health

Mental Illness

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in London were diagnosed as

Anglo Irish

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given in the Anglo-Irish discussions to the Irish Government's proposal to hold elections in 1995 for senators representative of Irish people living outside the Republic; and if he will make a statement.

None.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Roads Service Budget

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many amendments have been made to date in the Department of the Environment's roads service budget during the year 1994–95; and what has been the effect of each amendment, in financial terms, for each division of the roads service.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: Apart from a number of technical adjustments which have no financial effect for any of the six divisions of the Department's roads service, five amendments have been made in the roads service budget during the current financial year resulting in additional funding for those Divisions as follows:mentally ill and detained

(a)n medical wards, (b)n prison or (c)n police cells in the latest year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Information is not available centrally in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients on psychiatric wards are legally detained under the Mental Health Act.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients have been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each year since 1990;(2) how many patients are currently detained under the Mental Health Act 1993 in private psychiatric hospitals.

A bulletin and booklet on legal status statistics 1987–88 to 1992–93 containing figures on admissions of patients detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act to national health services facilities, private nursing homes and to the special hospitals are shortly to be published. Copies of both publications will be placed in the Library.

Private Psychiatric Hospitals

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to (a) monitor and investigate deaths of patients in private psychiatric hospitals and (b) monitor standards of care in private psychiatric hospitals.

All hospitals in all sections, which are caring for patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 should notify the Mental Health Act Commission of the death of any such patient. Health authorities and national health service trusts purchasing services from private psychiatric hospitals should ensure that their contract allows for the procedures outlined in circular HSG(94)27 to be initiated following the death of any NHS—funded patient. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.Arrangements for monitoring the standards of care given to NHS patients in private psychiatric hospitals are agreed between health authorities and NHS trusts and the private hospital as part of the contracting process. The Mental Health Act Commission visits detained patients in private psychiatric hospitals regularly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations are being carried out into the deaths of Oswald Morson, Grant Anstead, Alex Clements and Alan Bannister at the Kneesworth House private psychiatric hospital.

These cases have been investigated by the coroner. An inquest into the death of Alexander Clements was held in Sheffield on 19 December. In the case of Alan Bannister, the coroner has decided that an inquest is not required. An inquest into the death of Oswald Morson will be held on 6 March. An inquest into the death of Grant Anstead has been opened and adjourned to a date yet to be fixed.In each case, the hospital managers have held an internal inquiry and made a full report on the outcome to the health authority responsible for funding the patient's care.The Mental Health Act Commission is currently carrying out a review of the circumstances of these patients' deaths, as it does in all such deaths.

Death With Dignity Act

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the recent vote in Oregon on the Death With Dignity Act; and if she will make a statement.

The Government's firm view is that the deliberate taking of life should remain illegal. The House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics rejected the case for legalising euthanasia or assisting a person to commit suicide, and the Government wholly share the Committee's view. The vote in Oregon does not change our position on the matter.

Cannabis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the BMA regarding the views of hospital doctors on the possibility of cannabis being made available on prescription.

None, as far as I am aware.

Psychiatric Beds

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding shortfalls in the availability of psychiatric beds.

We have received a number of representations concerning alleged shortfalls in psychiatric beds. The requirement for beds must be judged locally and cannot be viewed in isolation from other provision for mentally ill people.

Pharmacy Licences

Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make it her policy that the grant of a licence for the establishment of a pharmacy is conditional upon the establishment of such a pharmacy within a specified time scale;(2) what plans she has to prevent companies from holding licences for the establishment of pharmacies which they do not intend to use.

Under the provisions of the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992, as amended, a pharmacy which is given permission to open must do so within six months of permission being granted. A family health services authority, or on appeal, the family health services appeal unit, may extend this period, up to a maximum of 24 months from the date of the original grant, if it considers there is good cause for so doing.

Gp Fundholders

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact on surgical provision in individual hospitals of general practitioner fundholders switching moneys from hospital to hospital.

The precise pattern of care to meet patients' needs in a particular locality is agreed in contracts between national health service purchasers— health authorities and fundholding general practitioners— and hospitals. Fundholding general practitioners, like health authorities, are expected to provide six months' notice of their intention to make significant changes to their contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given to ensure that a loss of general practitioner fundholders' money for non-emergency surgery in hospitals does not lead to a reduction of emergency services for the same fundholder.

None.District health authorities are responsible for purchasing emergency services for the patients of both fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners. It is for purchasers and hospitals to agree contracts which best meet patients' needs.

General Practitioners

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received in the last 12 months from doctors about funding out-of-hours work by general practitioners; and if she will make a statement.

Throughout the period, we have had regular discussions with representatives of the medical profession. These discussions are continuing.

Neuroleptic Drugs

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to instigate research into deaths of psychiatric patients associated with neuroleptic drugs.

We are discussing with the Royal College of Psychiatrists the possibility of extending the remit of the confidential inquiry into homicides and suicides by mentally ill people to cover the deaths of psychiatric patients associated with neuroleptic drugs.

Consultants

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she intends to take to monitor the allocation of time by NHS consultants between their NHS responsibilities and their private practices.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 2 February, Official Report columns 837–38.

Rights Of The Child

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she intends to take to take to implement the British Government's obligations under article 44 of the United Nations convention following the committee's report on the rights of the child in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

The government fulfilled their obligations under article 44 of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child by publishing the United Kingdom national report in February 1994.

Regional Health Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department offers to regional health authorities on the premium of intensive care beds on the same site as elective surgical beds.

None

Private Health Insurance

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had private health insurance for each year from 1990.

Information on the number of people with private health insurance is not collected by the Department.

Nhs Beds

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide figures of (a) the number of surgical beds (b) the number of intensive care beds and (c) the number and locations of surgical beds without same site access to an intensive care unit for (i) North Thames regional health authority and (ii) South Thames regional health authority.

Information on beds is collected by ward classification and not by clinical speciality. Details of the average daily number of intensive care beds available and the average daily number of general and acute beds available for each national health service trust in the North Thames regional health authority and the South Thames regional health authority is published in "Bed availability for England, Financial year 1993–94", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive therapy unit beds there were in London in each year since 1990.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave on 2 February, Official Report column 846.

Children In Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children looked after by local authorities were placed in the area of another local authority in the last year for which figures are available.

During the year ending 31 March 1993, it is estimated that 4,200 children looked after by local authorities in England started foster placements in the area of other authorities. At 31 March 1993, the total number currently placed in that way was 5,700. Corresponding figures are not available centrally for other types of placement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children looked after by local authorities were placed in residential care (a) in privately registered children's homes under section 63 of the Children Act 1989, (b) in residential care homes registered under the Residential Homes Act 1984 and (c) in voluntary children's homes registered under the Children Act 1989 in the last year for which figures are available.

Estimates for the year ending 31 March 1993 are shown in the table:

Children looked after by local authorities and placed in selected types of residential tare homes, England estimates for the year ending 31 March 1993.
Type of Home	Number¹ starting a placement during the year	Number¹ at 31 March
a In privately registered children's homes under section 63 of the Children Act 1989	690	670
b In residential care homes registered under the Registered Homes Act 1984	60	60
c In voluntary children's homes registered under the Children Act 1989	550	620

Notes:

¹ Figures are provisional and are estimated to the nearest 10. They exclude children accommodated in a series of short-term placements under one agreement under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when information on the placement of children looked after by local authorities for the year 1993–94 will be available.

In due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children looked after by local authorities were absent for more than one week from agreed placements; and, of those children, in how many absences their whereabouts were unknown in the last year for which figures are available.

Out of some 85,000 children looked after by local authorities during the year ended 31 March 1993, it is estimated that 680 were absent for more than one week from their agreed placements.The number of absences of these children where the whereabouts was unknown was 520.

Private Children's Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private children's homes were listed in each local authority for each of the last five years.

This information is not available centrally.

Hospital Social Workers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances a hospital social worker would be expected to undertake the role of keyworker for an individual.

It may be agreed, as part of the arrangements for a psychiatric patient's discharge under the care programme approach, for a hospital social worker to be his key worker.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the level of referrals to hospital social workers.

It depends on the referral of whom or what.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers were based in hospitals in 1993.

The number of social work staff directly employed by local authority social services departments in hospitals and other health related settings in September 1993 is given in "Local Authority Social Services Statistics: Staff of Local Authority Social Services Departments at 30 September 1993; England", copies of which are available in the Library.

Secure Accommodation

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times her Department has received requests for secure accommodation for young people in each of the last four years.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the secure facilities currently available for young people provided by (a) local authorities, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) the private sector.

A list of secure units in England providing accommodation for young people is contained in the publication "Children Accommodated in Secure Units During the Year Ending 31 March 1994"—series number A/F 94/21—copies of which are available in the Library.

Social Day Care Places

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social day care places were available for (a) the elderly, (b) those with learning disabilities, (c) those with physical disabilities and (d) mentally ill people in (i) local authorities, (ii) the voluntary sector and (iii) the private sector in each year since 1979.

The information requested on day centre places, covering survey weeks in 1992 and 1993, is published in "Personal Social Services: Day and domiciliary services for adults 1993", statistical bulletin 1994–98. Data before 1992 were collected on a different basis and for local authority provision only and were published in "Adult Training Centres for People with Learning Disabilities and Local Authority Day Centres for Adults", up to 1991, A/F91/8; and in "Adult Training Centres for Mentally Handicapped People and Day Centres for Mentally Ill, Mentally Handicapped, Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People" up to 1989, A/F89/8. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

Mental Handicap Hospitals

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 25 January, Official Report, column 248, if she will make it her policy to collate the number of long-stay mental hospitals which have gained trust status.

No.

Community Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) of 19 January, Official Report, column 634, what statistics are collected from local authorities on their use of independent sector residential accommodation and day and domiciliary services.

Information on the detail of the routine statistics on residential accommodation and day and domiciliary services was published in the minutes of evidence following the appearance of the director of statistics on 21 April 1993 before the Health Select Committee—paper 624 of Session 1992–93, annexes C. D and E. Information on data sources is also provided in the "Personal Social Services Statistical Information Directory April 1994", a copy of which is available in the Library.

Hostel Places

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hostel places were available for people with mental health problems in each of the last five years.

Hostels are not defined or identified within our information collection system.

Doctors, St Thomas's Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors are currently working over 72 hours a week at St. Thomas's hospital, London.

St. Thomas's has reported to the South Thames region task force that at 30 September 1994, there were 41.5 junior doctors contracted for an average of more than 72 hours a week. None of these posts was in the hard-pressed specialties which are now subject to a ceiling of 72 hours a week. Task forces were set up in each region to help implement and monitor the new deal on junior doctors' hours. They report progress to the national health service executive.In December, I announced that £64 million—£14 million more than last year—would be spent in 1995 on tackling junior doctors hours. The extra £14 million will be enough to set up 230 fully funded posts.

Hospital Closures

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has provided to district health authorities on taking local opinion into account when deciding to close a hospital.

Guidance about consultation on hospital closure and substantial changes in service provision was attached to an executive letter—EL(90)185—issued in September 1990, copies of which are available in the Library.

Hinchingbrook Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there have been at Hinchingbrook hospital in each year since 1990; and how many times the hospital has had to close to emergencies through lack of beds in the last year.

The hospital has not had to close to emergencies through lack of beds in the past year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many projects at the Hinchingbrook hospital are currently being considered or have been considered over the last three years which involve ownership of the hospital or part of the hospital by the private sector.

This information is not available centrally. This is a matter for the Hinchingbrooke Health Care national health service trust and Anglia and Oxford regional health authority. The right hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the trust, Mr. Ken Spink OBE, and the chairman of the health authority, Sir Stuart Burgess, for details.

Cardiac Centres And Cancer Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 31 January, Official Report, column 876, how many cardiac centres and cancer services there are in London; what is her estimate of the number needed; and if she will explain her reference to a great duplication and concentration of specialty services in London.

The Tomlinson report found

"unwarranted duplication of specialist services, sometimes at great expense",

referring inter alia to 14 cardiac centres and 13 cancer centres providing regional specialty services in inner London. The reports in June 1993 to the London implementation group of an independent review of specialist services in London confirmed Tomlinson's findings and said, of cardiac services, that

"there is a clear case for rationalisation to create fewer, larger and stronger centres"

and, of cancer services,

"there are several serious disadvantages in the current pattern of small centres".

Both reports recommended some consolidation in order that high-quality clinical care, teaching and research should be sustained. The advice of these and the other specialty reviews remains available to inform health authorities and NHS hospital trusts.

Leeds General Infirmary

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future practice of pathology services at the Leeds general infirmary.

It is for trusts to determine the best means of delivering pathology services to secure high-quality patient care and the most cost-effective use of resources. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Hall, the chairman of the United Leeds Teaching Hospitals national health service trust for further details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress on the capital investment programme at the Leeds general infirmary with particular reference to whether the programme is running in line with budget targets.

The capital investment programme currently in progress for the United Leeds Teaching Hospitals national health service trust, which includes the Leeds general infirmary, is running within budget and on time.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many items she has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

From the available information, no items have been received from Ian Greer in the last month.

Propofol

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse reactions and how many fatalities reported to the Medicines Control Agency were associated with the use of anaesthetic propofol since 27 February 1986.

[holding answer 3 February I 995]: Since 27 February 1986, the Medicines Control Agency has received 1,072 yellow card reports for propofol describing 1,987 suspected adverse reactions, 35 of which were fatal. The large number of suspected adverse reactions is a reflection of the extensive use of this drug as an anaesthetic agent. No anaesthesia is without risks; the adverse reaction profile for propofol is not significantly different from other widely used anaesthetic agents. A report of a suspected reaction to a drug does not necessarily mean that the drug itself caused the reaction.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Drugs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what services the European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction will be able to offer to developing countries attempting to replace drug-linked cultivation and defeat drug production and trafficking.

The European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction is set up to provide the Community and its member states with objective, reliable and comparable information at the European level on drugs and drug addiction and their consequences. The centre's future work programme has not yet been decided. The centre does not have a remit to offer specific services to less-developed countries. However, subject to member states' obligations on transmission of information under the provisions of United Nations drugs conventions, the centre may promote the inclusion of data it collects into international monitoring and drug control programmes, particularly those established by the UN.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total sum the United Kingdom has made available to the UN drug control programme for each year since 1994 and the percentage of these figures used for drug control programmes in developing countries.

The United Kingdom made £4.8 million available to the UN international drug control programme in the financial year 1993–94, the latest complete year for which figures are available. Sixty-two per cent. of this sum was used for UNDCP programmes in less developed countries. The remainder was used for UNDCP programmes in central and eastern European countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the criteria, under the draft European action plan to combat drugs which will be used to assess a country's progress in drug control.

The scope and extent of co-operation between the European Community and third countries is set out in individual association agreements. These agreements cover all subjects of common interest, including illicit drugs, and aim to promote co-operation and facilitate joint initiatives. They also provide for a continuing process of consultation and co-ordination. Drugs clauses in these agreements may, for example, include co-operation on measures to tackle the supply, trafficking and demand for illicit drugs, as well as action against money laundering and misuse of chemical precursors.The draft European action plan to combat drugs proposes that failure by recipient governments to achieve the drugs objectives in association agreements would allow the Union to consider suspension or termination of specific aspects of relations, including imposition of political, economic or financial sanctions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with European counterparts with regard to the European action plan to combat drugs; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom has been actively involved in discussions with European partners about Commission draft proposals for a new European Union action plan to combat drugs. The proposals require further refinement and improvement, within the mechanisms set up under the treaty on European Union, to produce a balanced multidisciplinary plan for effective action. The draft plan is to be submitted to the European Council during the current French presidency.We welcome this work within the European Union to consolidate and further improve anti-drugs co-operation between member states and between the EU and other regions and countries. Drug trafficking and misuse remain a serious and growing threat to the UK, other countries in the European Union and most other countries around the world. Drug traffickers are quick to exploit new markets and routes for their pernicious trade. Firm national action by all Governments is fundamentally important. But effective practical action and international co-operation are also essential if we are to succeed in defeating the global menace of the illicit drug trade.The UK has played, and will continue to play, a leading role in the international fight against drugs, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in particular through the UN international drug control programme, the Council of Europe and the European Union.

Sudan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consult with the French Government about relations with the Government of Sudan; and if he will make it his policy that while France has the Presidency of the EU, the EU will maintain a united policy towards Sudan with respect to the sale of arms and respect for human rights.

We exchange views regularly with the French Government and other EU partners in the framework of the common foreign and security policy. We have no evidence to suggest that any EU country intends to change its policy towards Sudan with respect to the sale of arms and respect for human rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arms or military training the Government of France are providing to the Government of Sudan.

I refer the hon. Member to myearlier reply today. The EU agreed an arms embargo against Sudan in March 1994. This remains in force.

Western Sahara

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings representatives of his Department have had with representatives of the Polisario Front; and if he will make a statement.

Polisario representatives have met FCO officials on a number of occasions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions at the United Nations Security Council the United Kingdom representatives has raised the issue of the performance of the MINURSO force in the Western Sahara.

The subject of MINURSO and its performance has been raised and discussed in the UN Security Council on numerous occasions, most recently on 13 January 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the statement made to the United States Congress House Appropriations Committee on 25 January by Frank Ruddy concerning the United Nations operation in Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

We understand that no transcript or detailed record was made of Mr. Ruddy's comments to the appropriations sub-committee of the United States House of Representatives on 25 January, and have made no assessment of them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits have been made to the Western Sahara by representatives of Her Majesty's Government; and which diplomatic post deals with relations with the Polisario.

Three visits were made to the Western Sahara by FCO officials in 1994. We do not have formal relations with Polisario.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Britain currently makes to MINURSO; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom does not at present contribute personnel to MINURSO. The mission continues to operate from an unencumbered balance assessed on member states in 1991, the UK contributionto which was US $8.2 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken by the United Kingdom to assist giving effect to the United Nations Security Council resolution 973, concerning the future of the Western Saraha.

The United Kingdom will be paying its share of the cost of the reinforcements for MINURSO which are provided for in Security Council resolution 973. Implementation of the resolution is primarily a matter for the UN secretariat. The British ambassadors in Tunis and Addis Ababa have, with French, American and Spanish colleagues, lobbied the President of Tunisia—the current President of the Organisation of African Unity—and the OAU Secretary-General to provide extra observers for the UN's identification process in Western Sahara.

Rwanda

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of the Government of France in respect of providing arms or military training to the military, or the militias, loyal to the out-going Government of Rwanda.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed us that the French Government do not provide arms or military training to the supporters of the former Government of Rwanda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which country it is proposed to hold the international tribunal into war crimes in Rwanda.

The location of the tribunal has yet to be decided but the UN Secretary General is due to report on this and other matters relating to the tribunal soon. In the meantime, a prosecutor's office is being established in Kigali to allow investigations to continue.

Legislatures

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to place in the Library the names and details of each member of the local legislatures for each colony and dependent territory.

I will place such lists in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by which method it is possible for (a) the chief minister and (b) individual member of colony and dependent territory legislatures to bring to the attention of Her Majesty's Government or hon. Members of the House any grievance they have about the stewardship or conduct of governors or official members of the local government and legislature in respect of those matters for which the governors or official members are directly responsible.

All British dependent territories citizens have the right to approach us or Members of the House on any matter they wish to raise.Chief Ministers and members of the legislature in the dependent territories can and frequently do raise issues in connection with the Governors' reserve powers with us and hon. Members.

Colonies And Dependent Territories

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total cost and any other subventions paid from United Kingdom public funds to the (a) defence, (b) administration, (c) economic and social generation and (d) promotion of interest for each colony or dependent territory in each of the last five years.

The total amount paid from United Kingdom public funds to the dependent territories over the past five financial years is estimated to be in the region of £1 billion.To provide a breakdown per subject and territory, as requested by the hon. Member, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total contribution to imperial functions and services paid to the Exchequer from the local governments by each of the colonies or dependent territories over each of the last five years; and if he will list the contributions made towards the cost of (a) defence, (b) the civil list and (c) consular and other services provided by his Department abroad.

The total contribution to United Kingdom public funds made by the dependent territories over the past five financial years is estimated to be £382 million.To provide a breakdown per territory and subject heading, as requested by the hon. Member, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by which method voters in the colonies and dependent territories are able to influence (a) foreign policy, (b) defence policy and (c) policing policy; and if he will make a statement.

All three policy areas fall within the reserve powers of the governors of dependent territories, as laid down in the respective constitutions.

However, control of the individual budgets for some of these powers rests with the elected local government—for example, the police budget in the Caribbean dependent territories—and this allows the electorate to influence policy decisions. Members of legislative councils may appeal to the governor in respect of decisions relating to his reserve powers and in some territories the governor takes advice from statutory advisory bodies and public committees, for example, the Police Complaints Committee in Hong Kong.

Governors have authority to delegate aspects of their reserve powers to elected Ministers, examples of which include certain policing matters in Bermuda and contacts with regional organisations in Anguilla and Montserrat.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of all the governors of the colonies and dependent territories, with the names and functions of each official member of the local government or legislature who are appointed by his Department or governor.

The following are the names of the governors of the dependent territories and the names of official members of the government or legislature appointed by governors:

Anguilla
Governor: Alan W. Shave, CVO, OBE
Deputy Governor and ex-officio member of the House of Assembly: Harry McCrory, LVO, OBE
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the House of Assembly: Kurt DeFreitas
Second Nominated Member to the House of Assembly (Governor's appointee): Vacant

British Indian Ocean Territory

Commissioner: David Maclennan (non-resident)

Turks and Caicos Islands

Governor: Martin Bourke
Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Roger Cousins
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: David Ballantyne
Second Nominated member of the Legislature Assembly (Governor's appointee): Vacant

Montserrat

Governor: Frank Savage, LVO, OBE
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Mrs. Gertel Thom
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Charles John
First Nominated Member of the Legislature Assembly (Governor's appointee): Frank Edwards

Cayman Islands

Governor: Michael Gore, CVO, OBE
Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: James Ryan, MBE, JP
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Richard Coles
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: George McCarthy, OBE, JP

British Virgin Islands

Governor: Peter Penfold, OBE
Deputy Governor and Chief Secretary: Elton Georges
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Mrs. Dancia Penn

Bermuda

Governor and Commander-in-Chief: The right hon. Lord Waddington, D,L QC
President of the Senate: Senator Albert Jackson MBE, (Appointed by the Governor)
Vice President of the Senate: Senator Norma Astwood (appointed by the Governor)
Senator Alfred Oughton, MBE, Governor's nominated member in the Senate.

Pitcairn Islands

Governor: Robert Alston CMG (resides in Wellington)
Member of Island Council (voting): Mrs Betty Christian
Member of the Island Council (non-voting): Mrs Phillipa Foley

Gibralter

Governor and Commander-in-Chief: Field Marshall Sir, Itohn Chapple, GCB, CBE
Deputy Governor: A. Carter
Acting Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: P. Dean
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: B. Traynor

Hong Kong

Governor: The Rt Hon Christopher Patten
Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Mrs Anson Chan, CBE, KBE, JP
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Sir Hamish Macleod, KBE, JP
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: J. F. Matthews, CMG, JP

Falkland Islands

Governor: D. E. Tatham, CMG
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. Lang, CBE, QC
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. Howatt
Chief Executive and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: A Gurr.

St. Helena

Governor and Commander-in-Chief: A. N. Hoole, OBE
Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: J. G. Perrott
Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: R. J. Perrott
Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. J. Jerimiah

Ascension Island

Administrator: B. N. Connelly (appointed by the FCO)

Tristan da Cunha

Administrator: B. Dailey (appointed by the FCO)
Member of the Island Council: Mrs. J. Green
Member of the Island Council: D. Rogers
Member of the Island Council: S. Swain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Commissioner: D. E. Tatham CMG (appointed by FCO)
Asst Commissioner: C. S. Shelton (Appointed by FCO)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of the population of each colony or dependent territory excluding Hong Kong, with the total population.

The most recent estimates of the population of each colony or dependent territory, excluding Hong Kong, are as follows:

Territory	Population
Anguilla	9,000
Ascension Island	1,132
Bermuda	70,000
British Antarctic Territory	Nil
British Indian Ocean Territory¹	3,500
British Virgin Islands	17,000
Cayman Islands	30,000
Falkland Islands	2,120
Gibraltar	29,000
Montserrat	11,000
Pitcairn Islands	54
St. Helena	5,390
Tristan da Cunha	294
Turks and Caicos Islands	14,000
Total (including Hong Kong)	6,212,490
¹ No indigenous population.

Tivar To Bari Ferry

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by the international community to the assertion by the President of Albania regarding the use made by Serbia of the Tivar to Bari ferry route; and if he will make a statement.

We are not aware of such an assertion. According to the international sanctions monitors there is no ferry service operating between Tivar and Bari. The only service operating under UN Security Council resolution 943 is that which links the ports of Bar and Bari.

Refugee Camps (Zaire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries the United Nations appealed for troops to police Rwanda refugee camps in Zaire; and what was the response.

The United Nations approached a total of 60 potential troop-contributing nations seeking troops to police the Rwandan refugee camps in Zaire. Of those 60, we understand that only one responded positively. A list of the countries concerned is not available.

Sierra Leone

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he is currently giving to British citizens in Sierra Leone.

We have advised British citizens that dependents, and those with no pressing need to stay, should leave the country as soon as possible. We are monitoring developments closely, and will review our advice in the light of changing circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present security situation in Sierra Leone.

Over the last few weeks there has been a substantial increase in attacks on people and property over a large area of Sierra Leone with many reported deaths. At least 17 foreign citizens including six Britons are being held captive. We have advised British citizens with no pressing need to remain to consider leaving the country. We continue to follow the situation closely and are working for the release of those held captive. We are also responding to requests for emergency aid for those who have been displaced by the latest fighting.

Civil Servants, Hong Kong

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent discussions with the Chinese Government concerning the pensions of Hong Kong civil servants after 1997.

The Hong Kong Government intend to establish a HK$7 billion pension reserve fund to reinforce existing statutory pension safeguards and the guarantees in the Sino-British joint declaration on the continued payment of Hong Kong public service pensions. This subject has been discussed by the British and Chinese Governments in the Sino-British joint liaison group.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he will make to the Government of Burma for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi without charge is indefensible. We have repeatedly called for her early and unconditional release. We will continue to express our concerns directly to the State Law and Order Restoration Council and through the relevant international forums.

Burma

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to review Her Majesty's Government trade policy in respect of Burma.

Our policy with Burma is kept under regular review. For the present we ensure that British firms are aware of trade opportunities not covered by the EU arms embargo. But we offer no financial support to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Burma to end their offensive against the Karen ethnic group.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 3 February, at column 883.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

To my knowledge there were none.

Foreign Affairs Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 to 24 January.

The Council began with an open debate on the French presidency programme. All member states broadly endorsed the presidency's plans.The Commission then set out its timetable for follow-up work to the Essen European Council. Commission priorities include the White Paper on the integration of the central and eastern European states into the single market, proposals on financing for trans-European networks and a paper on the Mediterranean.The Council agreed the text of the EC/Vietnam co-operation agreement.The presidency's proposals for handling the preparations for the Euro-Mediterranean conference were agreed.The presidency reported on progress in the negotiations on customs union with Turkey and on preparations for the review of Cyprus' application for EU membership. This was remitted for further discussion at the 6 February FAC.Ministers discussed events in Chechnya and issued a statement.The presidency outlined plans for the preparation for the Council's report to the 1996 IGC study group.The Council agreed a statement on Algeria which confirmed the EU's support for all initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue between those who reject terrorism and violence. The EU also confirmed its willingness to support a policy of democratic development and economic restructuring in Algeria.Over lunch, the Italian Foreign Minister, Ms Agnelli, said the new Italian Government were ready to resume discussions soon with Slovenia over obstacles to the EU/Slovenia agreement.Ministers took note of the Danish candidacy to succeed Switzerland as OSCE chairman in office in 1997.The Council heard a report from Lord Owen and exchanged views on the situation in the former Yugoslavia. They approved a declaration on Bosnia and Croatia. They agreed to consider in March whether to begin negotiations on an EU/Croatia trade co-operation agreement. The Council also adopted a common position and Council regulation continuing sanctions relief for Serbia-Montenegro.The presidency and the Commission informed Ministers about preparations for the concluding conference to adopt the stability pact in Paris on 20–21 March.

eign Minister, Mr. Juppe, and Sir Leon Brittan briefed the Council on the agenda for their 26–27 January visit to Washington. Mr. Juppe said that he would raise EU/United States relations, former Yugoslavia, the middle east peace process, Latin America, Russia and Chechnya, and the director-generalship of the WTO.

an reported briefly on relations with Japan and looked forward to a full debate at the April FAC. He introduced the Commission's communication on Korea, proposing a Commission negotiating mandate for an EU/Korea trade and co-operation agreement.The Council approved a statement expressing interest in the Singaporean proposal for an EU/Asian Summit and requesting the political committee and Coreper to present it with a report in March.The presidency. noted that the Commission would shortly come forward with a draft mandate for article XXIV.6 negotiations with the United States and others to compensate for tariff increases arising from EU enlargement.There was a preliminary discussion on trade aspects of the mid-term review of the fourth Lome convention, and on the size of the eighth European development fund.

missioner for the Mediterranean. Latin America, the middle east and Asia—reported on progress in negotiations with Israel, Morocco and Tunisia.The Council agreed on an early ministerial Troika visit to Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Occupied Territories.A partnership and co-operation agreement between the EU and Kazakhstan was signed on 23 January.

Overseas Development Administration

Drugs

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what research his Department has carried out into the effectiveness of crop replacement programmes in zones of drug-linked cultivation in developing countries.

The ODA has carried out research in Peru and North Morocco, and has funded desk studies covering the main coca growing areas of South America and the opium growing areas of Asia. Alternative crops have been identified, but their exploitation depends on social, economic and infrastructural changes. Since 1985, the ODA has committed £7 million to promote crop substitution in northern Pakistan.

Algeria

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid, by way of grant, loans, credit or otherwise, has been provided to Algeria by the European Community or European Union and their institutions in the last four years.

European Community support to Algeria is provided through its programme of grant and European Investment bank loan funded assistance to the mediterranean region and loan financed balance of payments support.Under the Community's mediterranean programme, through the fourth financial protocol, 1992–96, Algeria is eligible for 350 mecu, or £276 million, comprising 280 mecu or £220 million, EIB loans, 18 mecu, or £14.2 million, risk capital and 52 mecu, or £41 million grant aid. By the end of January 1995, 88 per cent. of the budget funds had been committed and 64 per cent. of the EIB loans. Algeria has also received a loan of 55 mecu, or 43.3 million, from the mediterranean structural adjustment facility as balance of payments support.Since 1991, Algeria has been granted a total of 600 mecu, or £473 million, loan funded balance of payments support. Of this, 400 mecu, or £315 million, was agreed in 1991 and a further 200 mecu, or £157 million, subject to continuing compliance with its IMF programme, in December 1994. The first tranche of the further 200 meco—100 mecu, or £78.9 million—has already been disbursed.

Trinidad And Tobago

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the value of Britain's multilateral and unilateral aid to Trinidad and Tobago for each of the last five years; and what is the projected aid for the next two years.

Gross bilateral aid expenditure for Trinidad and Tobago comprises primarily disbursements by the Commonwealth Development Corporation. Total gross United Kingdom bilateral aid for the last five years is as follows:

Year	£ thousands
1989–90	556
1990–91	808
1991–92	5,310
1992–93	11,659
1993–94	5,725

The latest figures available for the estimated United Kingdom share of multilateral disbursements of net official development assistance to Trinidad and Tobago are:

Year	£ million
1989	0.29
1990	0.97
1991	0.33

The distribution of aid resources for the public expenditure survey period 1995–96–1997–98 is currently being considered and no final decisions have yet been made.

Refugees (Guinea)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian

ATP agreements with Indonesia concluded since 1980
Country	Project	Company	EOL date	Type	Export value £ million	ATP value £ million	Sector
ATP agreements concluded during 1982
Indonesia	Mrica Hydro Project	Balfour Beatty	22 October 1982		44.646	12.075	Power
ATP agreements concluded during 1983
Indonesia	Jambu Aye Hydroelectric Dam Study	RendelWilliamson Hydro	1983		0.200	0.200	Power
Indonesia	Ombelin Coal Mine Project	Dowty Meco	30 August 1983		19.200	4.445	Mining

assistance is being given to refugees from Sierra Leone in Guinea.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme are providing food, blankets and shelter materials for an estimated 24,000 Sierra Leonean refugees who have recently fled to Guinea, in addition to sustaining relief assistance to over 500,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea's forest region over the past five years.

Indonesia

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the costs of training consultancy visits to Indonesia by British specialists working with the Indonesian police force in each year since 1990; and in each year how many consultants visited Indonesia.

[holding reply 3 February 1995]: The costs of consultancy visits have been as follows.

	Costs of consultancy visits to Indonesia£	Number of UK consultants visiting	Total number of visits by consultants
1990–91	155,000	4	6
1991–92	106,000	4	7
1992–93	155,000	4	9
1993–94	99,000	4	8

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list all aid and trade provision projects in Indonesia since 1980, in each case specifying the date of the agreement, the cost to the aid budget and the name of the British companies involved;(2) if he will list dates when aid and trade provision government-to-government agreements and exchanges with Indonesia were signed in each year since 1980;(3) if he will list all aid and trade provision contracts with Indonesia since 1980 stating the year and month in which the agreement was reached, the lead United Kingdom company, the value of aid given, and in each case the date of the formal appraisal documents submitted by the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: A list of all aid and trade provision projects in Indonesia on which government-to-government agreements have been concluded is set out in the attached table. Details of appraisal documents for aid projects are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

ATP agreements with Indonesia concluded since 1980
Country	Project	Company	EOL date	Type	Export value £ million	ATP value £ million	Sector
ATP agreements concluded during 1984
Indonesia	AIS Submarine Cable	STC	12 November 1984		104	3.093	Telecom
Indonesia	Education Equipment Study	British Council	27 November 1984		0.036	0.036	Misc
Indonesia	Jabotabek Railway Study	L H Manderstan	1 June 1984		1.000	1.000	Transport
ATP agreements concluded during 1985
Indonesia	S Bengkulu Oil Palm Study	Massey Ferguson	1985		0.400	0.400	Misc
Indonesia	Isolated Diesels	HSPE	26 March 1985		38.400	12.515	Power
Indonesia	Bukit Asam Rail Bridges	Balfour Beatty	15 July 1985		0.750	0.152	Transport
Indonesia	Offshore Supply Vessels	Marine Design Consultants	14 August 1985		2.156	0.571	Transport
Indonesia	Ombelin Coal Mine Training	Dowty Meco	1985		0.655	0.655	Mining
ATP agreements concluded during 1986
Indonesia	Jabotabek Feasibility Study	Manderstan/F Wheeler	5 September 1986		0.007	0.007	Transport
Indonesia	Railway Track Turnouts	Henry Boot Railway Eng Ltd	6 March 1986	ATP/TC	0.259	0.259	Transport
ATP agreements concluded during 1987
Indonesia	Steel Bridging	Mabey and Johnson	2 April 1987	SL	9.930	6.642	Transport
Indonesia	Navigational Aids	Pharos Marine	29 April 1987	SL	9.906	6.386	Transport
Indonesia	Coal Fired Power Station Training	British Electricity International	4 June 1987	ATP/TC	0.533	0.533	Power
Indonesia	Marine Diesel Engines	Mirrlees Blackstone (STPT) Ltd	10 February 1987	ATP/TC	0.048	0.048	Transport
ATP agreements concluded during 1988
Indonesia	Batam Island Power Development Study	Kennedy and Donkin Power Systems Ltd	17 June 1988	ATP/TC	0.194	0.194	Power
Indonesia	Bandung Television Studios	Quantel Link Systems	24 October 1988	SL	11.735	9.734	Telecom
Indonesia	Radio/Rehabilitation	David Whittle Associates	29 February 1988	ATP/TC	0.156	0.156	Telecom
ATP agreements concluded during 1989
Indonesia	Cigading Port Extension	Tarmac International Special Projects	1 March 1989	SL	17.28	13.266	Transport
Indonesia	Radio Studios	David Whittle Associates	2 November 1989	ATP/TC	0.651	0.651	Telecom
Indonesia	Satellite Remote Sensing	Technology Applied Systems	—	—	0.028	0.028	Telecom
Indonesia	Scattered Diesels	GEC Diesels Ltd	25 January 1989	SL	6.887	5.891	Power
Indonesia	Ombilin Coalmine I	Dowty Meco Ltd	1.89	ATP/TC	0.211	0.211	Mining
ATP agreements concluded during 1990
Indonesia	Citayam/Cibinong Railway	Foster Wheeler World Services	30 Novembeer 1990	SL	23.000	20.105	Transport
Indonesia	Cigading/Serpong Railway Rehabilitation	Davy/British Railway International	15 March 1990	SL	31.861	24,690	Telecom
Indonesia	Radio Communication System for the Ministry of Forestry	Philips Radio Communication Systems	30 November 1990	SL	37.234	34.111	Telecom
Indonesia	Radio Studio Rehabilitation	Audix Ltd	1 February 1990	SL	6.33	5.04	Telecom
Indonesia	Shortwave Radio Transmitters	Marconi	30 November 1990	SL	29.000	26.911	Telecom
Indonesia	Aircraft Simulator Consultancy	CAA	14 February 1990	ATP/TC	0.050	0.050	Transport

ATP agreements with Indonesia concluded since 1980
Country	Project	Company	EOL date	Type	Export value £ million	ATP value £ million	Sector
ATP agreements concluded during 1991
Indonesia	Western Universities Equipment	Philip Harris International/Gallenkamp	14 May 1991	SL	14.284	13.671	Misc
Indonesia	Bali and Medan Airport Security	IAL International Aeradio Ltd	21 August 1991	SL	11.452	10.455	Misc
Indonesia	Jambi Power Station	Mirrlees Blackstone (STPT) Ltd	21 August 1991	SL	5.74	5.345	Power
Indonesia	Flight Simulator	Aeronautical Systems Designers	20 June 1991	SL	4.969	4.659	Transport
Indonesia	Steel Bridging II	Mabey and Johnson	22 May 1991	SL	3.831	3.669	Transport
Indonesia	Cikampek/Padalarang Toll Road	Cementation	15 October 1991	ATP/TC	1.7	1.7	Transport
Indonesia	Auto Industry Development Study	De Montfort Management Ltd	7 January 1991	ATP/TC	0.489	0.489	Transport
ATP agreements concluded during 1992
Indonesia	Western Universities Training Centre	Sunderland Engineering Education Services	29 August 1992	ATP/TC	2.214	2.214	Education
Indonesia	Flight Simulator	CAA	24 January 1992	ATP/TC	0.389	0.389	Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost in each year since 1990 of supporting work with the Indonesian national police force.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: Costs from 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1994 were as follows:

Year	£
1990–91	247,000
1991–92	178,000
1992–93	283,000
1993–94	126,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of scholarship awards in Britain for Indonesian police officers in each year since 1990.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: Costs from 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1994 were as follows:

Year	£
1990–91	33,200
1991–92	26,000
1992–93	66,500
1993–94	3,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Indonesian national police force have visited the United Kingdom for training purposes in each year since 1990.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: The numbers of such members financed by the Government were:

1990–91: 14
1991–92: 13
1992–93: 21
1993–94: 1

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cost to his Department of annual study tours to the United Kingdom for Indonesian police officers in each year since 1990, in each case stating which British police forces are involved.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: The cost of study tours, which last up to one month, was as follows:

	UK police forces	Study tour participants	Cost per year £
1990–91	Surrey	10	31,000
1991–92	Surrey	10	30,000
1992–93	Surrey	15	43,000
1993–94	—	0	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Indonesian police officers have received scholarship awards in each year since 1990, in each case specifying the recipient's rank, the cost and duration of the scholarship.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: Scholarship awards involving training for one month or more have been made as follows:

Name of police officer	Rank	Cost of Awards per year £	Duration (months)
1990–91
Mr. Yusnar Arsyad	Lieutenant Colonel	8,300	4
Mr. Adjie Rustarn Ramdja	Major	8,300	4
Mr. Deddy S. K.	Lieutenant Colonel	8,300	4
Mr. Medhy Chumadi	Lieutenant Colonel	8,300	4
1991–92
Mr. Minton Mariaty Simanjuntak	Major	8,000	3
Mr. Soekamid	Major	9,000	8
Mr. Yadi Ermlady	Captain	9,000	8
1992–93
Mr. Soekamid	Major	13,500	12
Mr. Yadi Ermlady	Captain	13,500	12
Mr. Pengasihan Gaut	Major	8,500	3
Mr. Adjie Ramdja	Major	8,500	3
Mr. Pepe Tjhjana	Lieutenant Colonel	8,500	3
Mr. Tito Kamavian	First Lieutenant	14,000	12
1993–94
Mr. Herman Rasyld	Colonel	3,000	1

National Heritage

Bbc

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has for the capital receipts from privatising the transmission services of the BBC to be (a) retained by the corporation and (b) paid over to Her Majesty's Treasury.

I am currently considering the options for the future of the BBC transmission service.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the BBC's annual transmission costs broken down by revenue, capital and regions.

Information about the BBC's internal costs and charges is primarily a matter for the BBC. We do not routinely hold such information.

Contemporary Arts

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what provision he is making for the encouragement of active participation by the elderly in contemporary arts;(2) what plans he has to enable regional arts boards to fund educational work with people beyond the age of 25 years.

My Department provides funds to the Arts Council, and through it to the regional arts boards, which themselves take decisions on how those funds are used. In doing so they take into account both artistic objectives and other issues of the kind the hon. Gentleman mentions.

Public Bodies

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.

The public bodies for which I am responsible are all listed in "Public Bodies 1994", which was published on 6 February and is available in the Library. None of the bodies for which I am responsible has been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

I have no record of any items received from Ian Greer in the last month.

Women's Football

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to ensure that women can play league football.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: Responsibility for the development of women's football in this country rests with the Football Association. The FA is currently developing a strategy document outlining its aims and objectives for the future development of the women's game.

Employment

Earnings Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the median weekly earnings of full-time working men and women on adult rates in Yorkshire and Humberside and the north in 1994 and 1984.

Information showing the median weekly earnings of full-time men and women employees on adult rates in each region of England can be found in part E, table 116 of the "New Earnings Survey", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the change in earnings for full time employees for every year, a cumulatively, since 1979 of the top and bottom (i) 1 per cent., (ii) 5 per cent. and (iii) 10 per cent. of the earnings distribution as recorded in the "New Earnings Survey", also breaking down the data by gender.

[holding answer 6 February 1995]: The top and bottom deciles are published in part A, table 1 of the "New Earnings Survey" from 1979 to 1994, copies of which are available in the Library. Information on the top and bottom 1 and 5 per cent. points of the earnings distribution is not available.

Investors In People

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest available figures for the number of employees in each training and enterprise council area who have been recognised as achieving investors in people standard; and what percentage of the employees potentially eligible for receipt of the award this represents in each area.

The latest figures, at 4 December 1994, for employers in each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales, who have been recognised as achieving the investors in people standard are shown in the following table. It is not possible to provide information on what percentage of the employees potentially eligible for receipt of the award this represents in each area. Organisations committed to, or recognised as, investors in people employ between them 17 per cent. of the UK work force.

Employers recognised as investors in people—as at 4 December 1994
TEC	Employers
Greater Nottingham	7
Leicestershire	11
Lincolnshire	6
Northamptonshire	16
North Derbyshire	11
North Nottinghamshire	17
Southern Derbyshire	28
Bedfordshire	10
CAMBSTEC	3
Essex	11
Greater Peterborough	2
Hertfordshire	7
Norfolk and Waveney	16
Suffolk	7
County Durham	18
Northumberland	14
Teeside	19
Tyneside	22
Sunderland City	6
Barnsley/Doncaster	17
Bradford and District	5
Calderdale/Kirklees	9
Humberside	48
Leeds	18
Rotherham	10
Sheffield	7
Wakefield	4
North Yorkshire	14
Bolton/Bury	14
Cumbria	6
ELTEC	22
LAWTEC	7
Manchester	19
METROTEC	6
NORMIDTEC	23
Oldham	7
Rochdale	2
South and East Cheshire	16
Stockport/High Peak	7
Birmingham	17
Central England	20
Coventry/Warwickshire	15
Dudley	6
HAWTEC	13
Sandwell	3
Shropshire	7
Staffordshire	5
Walsall	5
Wolverhampton	6

Employers recognised as investors in people—as at 4 December 1994
TEC	Employers
Mid Glamorgan	18
South Glamorgan	11
Gwent	10
Powys	4
North East Wales	5
North West Wales	6
West Wales	21
Avon	20
Devon and Cornwall	58
Dorset	39
Gloucestershire	89
Somerset	10
Wiltshire	16
Hampshire	30
Heart of England	14
Wight Training and Enterprise	1
Kent	9
Milton Keynes	4
Surrey	16
Sussex	15
Thames Valley Enterprise	39
AZTEC	8
North London	3
North West London	7
CILNTEC	4
CENTEC	10
London East	5
SOLOTEC	7
West London	8
South Thames	4
CEWTEC	15
Merseyside	32
QUALITEC	3

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Pre-Pension Income

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the economic status of men and women just prior to reaching the statutory pension age for the latest year for which information is available.

Estimates from the "Labour Force Survey" of the economic activity of men aged 64 and women aged 59 are given in the following table:

Economic activity of Men aged 64 and Women aged 59 Great Britain—Summer 1994
Thousands
	Men aged 64	Women aged 59
In employment	95	123
ILO unemployment	11	¹—
Economically inactive²	160	155
¹ Estimate below 10,000 not shown.² Includes long-term sick and disabled and people looking after the home.

Source:

LFS

Social Security

Child Support Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the percentage of cases cleared by individual Child Support Agency centres during the first two quarters of 1994–95 (a) in under 40 days, (b) between 40 days and 100 days and (c) in over 100 days; and when he expects to be able to provide detailed information on the average time taken for each stage of the assessment process.

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

Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 8 February 1995:

I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency's clearance times for the maintenance application process.

The information you require is shown in the tables in Annex A. Table 1 includes figures on all cases cleared by the Agency, many of which have been outstanding for a long period. Table 2 provides details of the average time taken for each stage of the assessment process.

I hope that this is helpful.

ANNEX A
Table. 1 Time taken to clear the percentage of cases across all Child Support Agency Centres 1st quarter: April to June 1994
Child support area centre	40 days or less Per cent.	More than 40 days, less than 100 days Per cent.	More than 100 days Per cent.
Belfast	45.63	27.63	34.41
Birkenhead	58.72	17.04	24.25
Dudley	45.63	19.66	34.71
Falkirk	34.68	30.52	34.81
Hastings	42.27	21.00	36.74
Plymouth	27.97	24.35	47.7
Agency	41.2	23.37	35.43

2nd quarter: July to September 1994
Child support area centre	40 days or less Per cent.	More than 40 days, less than 100 days Per cent.	More than 100 days Per cent.
Belfast	38.85	19.21	41.95
Birkenhead	56.11	9.89	34.00
Dudley	43.68	11.82	44.51
Falkirk	43.34	8.03	48.63
Hastings	36.51	15.96	47.53
Plymouth	30.53	11.31	58.16
Agency	41.50	12.7	45.8

Table 2. Average times taken for each stage of the Agency's assessment process.
Stages of assessment process	Average time (days)
Period form the issue of the maintenance application form(MAF) to the parent with care to the date it was returned to the Agency.	39
Period from the return of the MAF to the Agency to the date when a maintenance enquiry form (MEF) was issued to the absent parent.	69
Period from issue of the MEF to the date it was returned to the Agency.	47
Period from the return of the MEF to the date a maintenance assessment was completed.	86
Overall period.	¹175

¹ This figure does not equal the sum of the first four stages due to the variation in sample sizes which arises when cases are withdrawn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the 2,269 outstanding Child Support Agency cases referred to in his answer of 18 May 1994, Official Report, column 526, in which paternity was being disputed at the end of March 1994, have now been resolved; if he will consider monitoring disputed paternity cases to establish the outcomes; in how many cases dealt with by the Child Support Agency between April and October 1994 the alleged absent parent disputed paternity; how many of these cases have been resolved without reference to court; how many disputed paternity cases have been referred to court by the agency; how many cases have been heard to date; in how many paternity has been established by the court,; and what is the total number of unresolved paternity disputes to-date.

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

Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 8 February 1995:

I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about disputed paternity cases dealt with by the Child Support Agency.

Improvements were introduced during April 1994 to the Agency's management information systems which improved the monitoring of paternity cases. As a result it has been ascertained that at the end of April 1994 there were 5,350 paternity cases on hand, just over 3,000 more than had previously been reported at the end of March 1994.

Between the end of April and October 1994 there were a further 5,693 cases of disputed paternity. Of these, 4,316 cases were resolved without reference to Court. There were 178 applications to Court for a hearing, and 51 cases were heard. Paternity was established in each of these cases.

At the end of October 1994, 5,976 cases were on hand, of these. 1,761 were more than 6 months old. In addition to the 51 cases where Court action was completed, there have been applications to Court for a hearing in a further 127 cases.

I hope this reply is helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what considerations underlay the decision to transfer from child support offices to area managers the responsibility for issuing reduced benefit directions under the requirement to co-operate procedure in the special cases sections of the regional centres; whom the Child Support Agency consulted before changing the procedure; what training has been given to area managers when taking over this responsibility; and what systems are in place for monitoring the decisions made by area managers and ensuring consistency of decision-making across the country.

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

Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 8 February 1995:

I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the issuing of reduced benefit directions (RBDs).

This work was transferred to Field offices from the Child Support Agency Centres because a degree of double handling had been identified. As is usual in such circumstances, and internal consultation exercise on the implication and viability of the measure took place. The final decision was taken by the Operations Management Team in the light of the Agency's business needs, resources available and relevant staff experience. The Trade Union Side in the Agency were kept fully informed of the changes and the appropriate technical training was given.

The Agency monitors decisions on RBDs in a similar way to other adjudication decisions made by child support officers (CSOs). CSO decisions are also monitored by the Chief Child Support Officer, an independent authority, who reports annually, in writing, to the Secretary of State.

I hope that this is helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give figures for the number of cases taken on by the Child Support Agency that previously involved absent parents that had paid no maintenance as a proportion of all cases for each six-month period since the establishment of the agency; and if he will give figures for the actual child maintenance paid by absent fathers as a proportion of the child maintenance paid by virtue of the work of the agency for each six-month period since the agency was founded.

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

Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 8 February 1995:

I am replying to you Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security on the number of absent parents (APs) who paid no maintenance for each six-month period of the Child Support Agency's operations; and the actual proportion of child maintenance paid as a result of action by the Agency.

The estimated proportion of cases that involve APs who had paid no child maintenance, as a proportion of all cases, is given in the following table:

	Per cent.
April 1993—September 1993	43
October 1993—March 1994	59
April 1994—September 1994	77

The gross child maintenance paid by APs via the Agency's collection service is given in the following table. This does not include cases where maintenance is paid direct by the AP to the PWC. These amount to around 20 per cent of cases dealt with by the Agency. There is no business need for the Agency to collect details of payments made in this way and it is assumed that, unless the PWC advises otherwise, payments are received regularly.

£million
April 1993—September 1993	0.73
October 1993—March 1994	11.26
April 1994—September 1994	25.70

Benefits Agency Office, Doncaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will make a decision on the plan to build a national Benefits Agency office block on a site in Wood street, Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 6 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the timing of a decision on the plan to build a Benefits Agency office on a site in Wood St, Doncaster.

I confirm that negotiations with the Developer are now at a late stage and a final decision on progressing the project to build a new office to serve the Doncaster area is expected by the end of February 1995.

I hope you find this reply helpful,

Cold Weather Payments

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many days in the last five years cold weather payments have been made covering postcode areas NE12 and NE23 in the north east of England; and which weather stations cover these areas.

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.

Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Stephen Byers, dated 7 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Cold Weather Payments made in postcode areas NE12 and NE23 in the last five years.

Postcode NE12 is linked to the Leeming Weather Station and NE23 to the Tynemouth Weather Station.

Cold weather periods are forecast or recorded on a weekly basis and, if appropriate, a payment is made for the same period. I have provided a table showing the number of weeks for which Cold Weather Payments were made for each year in the areas in question.

	¹1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95
NE 12	3	3	2	2	0
NE 23	2	0	0	0	0
¹ The 1990–91 figures include Cold Weather Payments made on a national basis, irrespective of recorded temperatures, for the two week period 1 February 1991 to 14 February 1991.

I hope you find my reply helpful.

Compensation Recovery Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of benefit clawback that will be attained by the compensation recovery unit of his Department in the present financial year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 24 November 1994, Official Report, columns 285–86.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received in the past year about the work of the compensation recovery unit.

A number of representations have been received, in particular from Clydeside Action on Asbestos and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to recover benefit paid to guilty parties in motor accident cases.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research he has conducted into the impact of the compensation recovery unit on the level of settlements in actions for compensation for industrial injury and disease and traffic accidents.

None. The level of settlement is a matter for the plaintiff and the defendant.

Eu Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the percentage contributions provided by employers and employees towards public pensions in the member states of the European Union for the latest year for which information is available.

The information available is in the table. In some member states, the contributions for retirement pensions and survivors benefits are included in a general contribution. There are also differences between states in the measure of income/earnings to which the contribution rates apply and in the application of ceilings to contribution amounts. Reliable and detailed information on the precise calculation of contributions is not readily available.

Compensation Recovery Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if benefit paid to victims of motor

EU—contributions towards pensions
	Employer	Employee	Ceiling	Benefits covered
Austria¹	12.55 per cent.	10.25 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors
Belgium	8.86 per cent.	7.5 per cent.	No	Old age, survivors
Denmark	National pension: nil (tax financed) Supplementary pension: fixed rate contribution ⅔	National pension: nil (tax financed) Supplementary pension: fixed rate contribution ⅓	Not applicable	Old age, survivors
Finland¹	Basic pension: private sector: 2.4 per cent. Of payroll public sector: 3.95 per cent. Of payroll Employment pension: 15.2 per cent. (average)	Basic pension 1.8 per cent. Employment pension: 3.0 per cent. (average)	Yes	Old age, survivors, invalidity
France	8.2 per cent, (plus additional contribution for the old age solidarity scheme)	6.55 per cent, (plus additional contribution for the old age solidarity scheme	Yes	Old age
Germany	9.6 per cent.	9.6 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors, invalidity
Greece	13.33 per cent.	6.67 per cent.	Only for those insured before 31.12.92	Old age, survivors, invalidity
Ireland	9.0 per cent, up to IR£173 per week 12.2 per cent. On all earnings where annual income is in excess of IR£9,000	5.5 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors, invalidity, sickness, maternity, employment injuries, occupational diseases unemployment
Italy	18.93 per cent.	8.34 per cent.	No	Old age, survivors, invalidity
Luxembourg	8.0 per cent.	8.0 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors, invalidity
Netherlands	Nil	15.85 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors

accidents or industrial accident, illness or disease is recovered when their compensation award was not for income maintenance.

Yes.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

One, item has been received by Ministers in this Department, during the week commencing 6 February 1995.

Unemployment Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount of unemployment benefit claimed in each of the past five years in (a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

EU— contributions towards pensions
	Employer	Employee	Ceiling	Benefits covered
Portugal	24 per cent.	11 per cent.	No	Old age, survivors, sickness, maternity, invalidity, unemployment, family
Spain	24.4 per cent.	4.9 per cent.	Yes	Old age, survivors, survivors, sickness, invalidity, family benefits
Sweden¹	Basic pension: 7.45 per cent. Supplementary pension: 13 per cent.	Nil	No	Old age, survivors, invalidity
UK	No contributions for weekly earnings below £57; otherwise: 3.6 per cent., 5.6 per cent., 7.6 per cent. or 10.2 per cent., depending on level of earnings	Rates are reduced by 3 per cent. if employee is contracted out of state earnings-related pension No contributions for weekly earnings below £57; otherwise: 2 per cent. of £57 plus 10 per cent. Rates are reduced by 1.8 per cent. if employee is contracted out of state earnings-related pension	Employees only	Old age, survivors, sickness, maternity, invalidity, unemployment

Sources:

Social Protection in the Member States of the Union—MISSOC 1994

¹ Comparative tables of social security schemes—Council of Europe 1992

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Salmon And Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975

To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food when he expects to make a decision on the National Rivers Authority's proposed byelaw changes to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the new National Rivers Authority byelaws intended to rationalise the rules on the close season for fishing for coarse fish. I hope to be able to announce a decision on these in the near future.

Milk Marque

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will conduct an investigation into the sales overseas by Milk Marque during December at discount prices; and if he will make a statement.

No. Milk Marque's pricing policy is a commercial matter for the company itself. It is for the competition authorities to investigate any complaints.

Mink And Arctic Fox

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in the past three years his inspectors have supervised, examined or monitored the slaughter of factory farm mink and Arctic fox; and by what method killings were carried out.

In the last three years officers of the State Veterinary Service have monitored the slaughter of Arctic fox on one occasion and of farmed mink on 11 occasions. The method of slaughter used for the Arctic fox was by lethal injection. The methods used for the farmed mink were exposure to CO and CO₂, and by lethal injection.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if mink or Arctic fox are still present at premises at Brooksbank avenue, Scholemoor, Bradford.

When last visited by the State Veterinary Service in November 1994 no mink or Arctic fox were found on these premises.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to improve the welfare of mink and Arctic fox kept at factory farms since the Farm Animal Welfare Council report of April 1989.

The welfare of animals farmed for their fur is protected by the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, which makes it an offence to cause them unnecessary pain or distress. Fur farms are subject to annual visits from officers of the State Veterinary Service, who will check that this legislation is being complied with. We are currently consulting interested organisations on additional advice received from the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1994.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences were issued for mink factory farms for each county of England and Wales in each of the last five years.

No licences have been issued in Wales in the last five years. The numbers of licences issued in England are as follows:

Number of Licences issued in England during the last five years ¹
County	1 April 1990–31 March 1991	1 April 1991–31 March 1992	1 April 1992–31 March 1993	1 April 1993–31 March 1994	1 April 1994–31 January 1995
Cheshire	2	2	1	—	—
Cornwall	1	1	2	1	1
Dorset	1	1	1	1	1
Hampshire	—	—	—	—	1
Humberside	2	—	1	—	—
Isle of Wight	1	1	1	1	1
Lancashire	9	9	9	4	4
Norfolk	1	1	—	—	—
Northumberland	1	1	1	1	1
South Yorkshire	1	—	—	—	—
Staffordshire	—	—	—	1	1
Suffolk	3	3	2	2	1
West Yorkshire	4	—	2	1	1
Total	26	19	20	12	12
¹ The date of issue of a licence does not necessarily correspond with the date on which the licence comes into effect.

Ian Greer

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

None.

Agri-Environment Regulations

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to meet the EEC Agri-Environment Regulations; and what funds have been made available for their implementation.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: Over the last year we have launched in England six new environmentally sensitive areas, new payments to promote public access in ESA, a habitat scheme, 22 new nitrate sensitive areas, an organic aid scheme and a countryside access scheme. We plan to launch a moorland scheme shortly. These are additional to the 16 existing ESA, the 10 pilot NSAs and the countryside stewardship scheme, which also form part of the agri-environmental programme for England. Expenditure on all these schemes is planned to rise to £75 million in England by 1996–97. In addition, there are separate agri-environment programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Pesticides

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the connection between pesticide exposure and neurological and other diseases.

[holding answer 2 February 1995]: The use of pesticides is closely regulated and monitored. There are no proven links between the use of pesticides, in accordance with their statutory conditions of approval, and neurological and other diseases. However, were any evidence of such links to emerge, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides would be consulted and Ministers would take any necessary action as a matter of urgency.

Special Advisers

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

[holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 6 February 1995, Official Report, column 69.

Education

School Meals

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received about the call to restore nutritional standards for school meals; and if she will make a statement.

In the last two years, the Department has received 12 written representations on the matter. The Government will be drawing up voluntary nutritional guidance for school meals providers as part of the programme to achieve the targets set in "The Health of the Nation" strategy. I hope that this guidance will be published in the summer.

School Suspensions And Exclusions

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were (a) suspended temporarily and (b) excluded permanently from secondary schools in the last year for which figures are available.

Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two-year period, starting with the summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system. In England, 2,910 permanent exclusions were reported in year one and 3,833 in year two. Figures for temporary exclusions were not collected.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many items she has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

My right hon. Friend has received no items from Ian Greer Associates in the last month. Her three ministerial colleagues have received invitations to a social event, which have been declined.

Trade And Industry

Gas (Standing Charges)

To ask the President of the Board of Trace if he will discuss with the Gas Consumer Council the benefits of abolishing standing charges to customers on low incomes.

British Gas's standing charges are a matter for the company and Ofgas. The tariff formula, agreed by Ofgas, limits the prices which British Gas can charge to tariff customers.

Gas Care Services

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the Gas Consumer Council to discuss the future of services to gas customers who have disabilities.

British Gas has made it clear that it will not cut the services it offers to the elderly or disabled or introduce charges for such services. The forthcoming Gas Bill will provide that all suppliers make special services available to these groups of customers.

21.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the chairman of British Gas to discuss the future of services to gas customers who have disabilities.

32.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the Gas Regulator to discuss the future of services to gas customers who have disabilities.

I refer the hon. Members to the oral answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown).

Council Of Ministers

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he is next due to meet his EU counterparts at the Council of Ministers; and what will be on the agenda.

My right hon. and noble Friend Earl Ferrers, Minister for Small Firms and Consumer Affairs, will attend the Consumer Council on 30 March. The agenda has not yet been fixed.

Engineering

11.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote United Kingdom engineering.

Under the title "Action for Engineering" my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has set up an industry—led steering group and five task forces with the remit to increase substantially the influence, involvement and achievements of professional engineers and technicians for the benefit of British industry. This Department also continues to promote innovation, industrially relevant research and development and world-class engineering education and training.

Inward Investment

15.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inward investment projects were announced during 1994.

According to figures notified to my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau for the financial year 1993–94, there were 427 decisions by foreign companies to invest in the United Kingdom.Figures for the financial year 1994–95 will be available in June.

Deregulation

24.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to propose further measures for deregulation.

Deregulation measures are announced as and when the opportunity arises. For example, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister recently announced that we intend to liberalise the legislation on Sunday licensing. We have now brought into force the great majority of deregulation measures in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. A range of further measures are currently the subject of consultation and consideration and will be announced over the next few months.

30.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what annual target he has set for his Department with regard to the deregulation of existing rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement as to what progress he has made to reach his target in the current year.

Deregulation targets for the year to 31 March 1995 were published as part of MINIS 94 last July. Progress against these targets will be published in May following completion of MINIS 95.

Business Link

25.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to publicise Business Link.

A major national campaign to develop awareness of business link and to support Business Links local activity is being developed. This will begin when the majority of Business Links are in place.The campaign will have three phases: first, an editorial and advertising campaign beginning this April; secondly, a national launch of the Business Link network this autumn, by which time almost 200 Business Links should be open; and, thirdly, highly targeted promotion activity from the end of this year, aimed at small firms.

Manufacturing Exports

26. Mr.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the latest information he has on the level of manufacturing exports; and what was the corresponding figure for the previous year.

Manufacturing exports over the three months to October 1994 amounted to £29 billion, 12 per cent. higher than in the same period of 1993.

British Coal Property

27.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met the head of British Coal Property to discuss its future activity; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Charles Wardle: Ministerial colleagues and I have had no meetings with the head of British Coal Property. However we meet senior British Coal staff regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.

28.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the gas regulator to discuss the future of services to gas customers who are blind.

I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown).

Car Industry

29.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new measures his Department is considering to help the car industry in 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Last May's White Paper "Competitiveness: Helping Business to Win" identified a wide range of factors critical to the United Kingdom's international competitiveness. We are reviewing with the car industry the importance of each of these to its own performance and aim to agree, during 1995, a joint programme for accelerating the recovery that is already under way in this key sector.

Postal Services, Rochdale

31.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent meetings he has held with Post Office representatives relating to postal services in Rochdale.

None. The provision of postal services in a specific locality is the operational responsibility of Post Office management.

Oil Industry

33.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on prospects for the United Kingdom oil fabrication sector.

Most of the oil and gas discoveries now being developed need small platforms, floating production systems or sub-sea facilities. Demand for large-scale fabrication work has fallen and we do not expect it to increase significantly in the near future.

Gas Supply

34.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress he is making with his plans to introduce competition in the supply of gas.

I expect shortly to bring forward a Bill to introduce further competition in the supply of gas. On 24 January I issued a consultation document with the Director General of Gas Supply, inviting views on the choice of areas for the initial phase of competition which would be introduced from 1996–98, subject to parliamentary approval of the Bill. A copy of this consultation document has been sent to all right hon. and hon. Members.

British Rail Engineering

35.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of assistance his Department has given British Rail Engineering Ltd. since 1990.

The company, now ABB Vehicles Ltd, has received Government assistance towards its export and research and development efforts.

Small Firms

36.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet representatives of the small firms sector to discuss the abolition of the audit requirements.

I have no such plans at present. My Department is in touch with a wide range of interested parties to see how the changes we introduced last August are beginning to operate. We will review the position with those concerned once the efforts of those changes are clear and will, of course, consult widely on any further proposals.

Electricity Interconnector

37.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the current agreement for green ticket payments to Electricté de France for electricity supply via the cross-channel interconnector concludes; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are considering the future of the fossil fuel levy and the associated arrangements, including non-leviable status, in respect of nuclear generation as part of the nuclear review, and I cannot prejudge the outcome.

British Companies

38.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the relative size of the largest British companies, by market capitalisation, compared with the largest companies in other EU countries.

According to the Financial Times FT500 which appeared in the FT of 20 January, 40 of the top 100 EU companies ranked by market capitalisation were United Kingdom-registered, including three that are Anglo-Dutch.

Civil Servants

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants since 4 May 1979 have left the Export Credits Guarantee Department and within two years joined companies engaged in contracts with the Ministry of Defence.

Such information is not held by ECGD and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Indonesia

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list in order of pound sterling value the 10 principal product imports to the United Kingdom from Indonesia; (2) if he will list in order of pound sterling volumes the 10 principal United Kingdom product exports to Indonesia.

The available information is published in Central Statistical Office business monitor MM20 "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Community", available in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each year since 1979 the extent of Export Credits Guarantee Department cover, and the extent of claims paid relating to trade with Indonesia.

The figures for business and claims paid in respect of export credits for capital goods and projects to Indonesia are set out in the table:

Year	Business	Claims paid
	£ million	£ million
1980–81	9	0.5
1981–82	150	0.8
1982–83	566	1.5
1983–84	301	2.1
1984–85	249	2.3
1985–86	140	17.1
1986–87	73	7.1
1987–88	48	6.3
1988–89	67	4.8
1989–90	52	4.3
1990–91	150	3.4
1991–92	124	1.6
1992–93	450	0
1993–94	100	0

Reliable comparable data are not available prior to 1980–81.

ECGD total capital goods and project business experience—(£ million) for specific markets requested.
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
Brazil	37	49	459	162	0	0	0	0	0	11	0	0	0	45
Chile	3	0	1	13	1	0	0	2	0	0	13	0	10	0
Libya	0	70	40	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Malta	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sudan	0	0	15	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tunisia	0	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	0	13	0
Yemen	0	11	1	0	11	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0

ECGD defence business (£ million) for specific markets requested.
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
Brazil	0	0	36	111	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	45
Chile	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Libya	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Malta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sudan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tunisia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yemen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fire Safety

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding the review of fire safety legislation and enforcement matters arising

Sulphur Quotas

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek a reallocation over the next two years of unused sulphur quotas from England and Wales to Northern Ireland.

The allocation of sulphur quotas between England and Wales and Northern Ireland under the United Kingdom's national plan for the implementation of the large combustion plants directive is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In common with other elements of the plan, this is kept under regular review.

Chemical Exports

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how long the group of chemicals and related products now classified as ML7 has required export licences.

Heading ML7 covering toxicological agents, noxious chemicals, tear gas and related equipment, specially designed components and software was introduced into the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1985. Subsequent orders have extended and clarified the items subject to export control under this heading. Prior to 1985 a number of specified noxious chemicals were subject to control.

Export Credits

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) of 25 January, Official Report, columns 127–8, regarding export credits if he will provide similar information for (a) Brazil, (b) Sudan, (c) Libya, (d) Tunisia, (e) the Yemen, (f) Malta and (g) Chile.

The figures requested are shown in the tables:from the deregulation proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Since the review was announced on 17 January 1994, Official Report, column 381, colleagues and I have received some 3,500 representations from various organisations and individuals about the review of fire safety legislation and enforcement. Following the publication of the review team's report for full consultation, over 460 organisations and individuals have provided detailed written comments on the recommendations in the report.All these comments are now being fully analysed. No decisions will be taken on making changes to the current fire safety legislation and enforcement regime until we have carefully considered all the views that have been expressed.

Libya

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the latest estimate of the loss of trade with Libya as a result of United Nations sanctions.

The British Government neither promote nor discourage trade with Libya. We are not able to estimate the loss of trade as a result of United Nations sanctions. However, provisional figures for 1994 showed that our visible exports decreased 28.1 per cent. to £197 million compared with £274.1 million in 1993.

Ian Greer

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

No items were received from Ian Greer last month.

Icl Technical Plastics

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance was given to ICL Technical Plastics, in Glasgow in sponsoring sales trips abroad; and what sum was involved.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: It is not normally the practice to disclose such details, but in view of the public interest in recent allegations about this company I am prepared to disclose that support was given in the context of an overseas trade mission to Singapore in 1978. The case papers have since been routinely destroyed, but the amount of travel grant available for Singapore at that time was £505 to help defray air travel costs.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions were held between his Department and ICL Technical Plastics in order to promote its products in the foreign market place; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: There is no record of such discussions with, or support for, ICL Technical Plastics Ltd. for the sale of electro-shock equipment. Establishing whether any other discussions have taken place could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost and would in any case be a matter of commercial confidentiality. I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of today in respect of financial assistance to the company towards participation in an overseas trade mission to Singapore in 1978.

Electro-Shock Weapons

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the manufacture and supply of (a) electro-shock weapons and (b) instruments of torture by United Kingdom companies to countries with an established record of using torture.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: The manufacture of electro-shock weapons is prohibited under the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1992 and requires the specific authority of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. My Department gives careful consideration to applications for the export of weapons. In considering such proposals special care is taken over the political and military implications of allowing consignments to go overseas. Particular attention is paid to countries with poor human rights records, where equipment might be used for internal repression. The Government deeply deprecate the export of any equipment knowingly to be used as an instrument of torture. The difficultly in this area lies in the fact that many perfectly innocuous goods may be misused for such purposes overseas and it is not practical to control the export of such items. However, if any such cases are brought to the Government's attention we shall make the strongest possible representations to those involved. If they are ignored, we will examine what steps could be taken to prevent export from taking place. When realistic, enforceable controls arc possible we can act urgently to impose them.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance has been given by his Department to United Kingdom companies actively involved in the manufacture, marketing and supply of electro-shock weapons, and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: I am not aware of any such companies.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received on the manufacture, marketing and supply of (a) electro-shock weapons and (b) instruments of torture; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: A number of people, including right hon. and hon. Members, have written to me about the allegations in the Channel 4 television programme "Dispatches" on 11 January 1995. The companies involved have made public denials of the allegations.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the manufacture and supply of (a) electro-shock weapons and (b) instruments of torture by United Kingdom-based companies; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: None.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of his Department in providing financial assistance to firms involved in the manufacture, marketing or supply of electro-shock weapons; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: I know of no such companies.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assurances are sought from United Kingdom companies active in the manufacture, marketing and supply of (a) electro-shock weapons and (b) instruments of torture that such assistance as is given to them will not be used to facilitate trade in and support the marketing of electro-shock weapons.

[holding answer 30 January 1995]: I know of no such companies.

Indonesia

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1994, Official Report, column 301, what percentage of export credits to Indonesia in each year since 1979 have been related to defence exports.

[holding answer 3 February 1995]: The percentages requested are set out in the following table:

Year	Percentage
1980–81	0
1981–82	36
1982–83	4
1983–84	0
1984–85	44
1985–86	59
1986–87	70
1987–88	13
1988–89	4
1989–90	0
1990–91	2
1991–92	2
1992–93	98
1993–94	6

Reliable comparable data are not available prior to 1980–81.

Contractors

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will identify those contracts dated since January 1990 valued at more than £1 million that have been supported by export credit guarantees, together with the country concerned and the leading United Kingdom contractor.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: It has been the policy of successive Governments not to disclose details of individual contracts unless the relevant parties have agreed to this.

Defence

Royal Military Police

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances the Royal Military police central criminal records index office computers store information on the sexual orientation of civilians.

The Royal Military police central and criminal records intelligence office stores on its computer database information about sexual orientation in individual cases where this has given grounds for an investigation into a suspected offence. The database includes information about investigations of former service personnel suspected of committing an offence while serving in the armed forces and of UK-based civilians and dependants suspected of committing an offence who, while serving overseas, were subject to the Army Act 1955.

Porton Down

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost of running the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down in each of the last five years; what is the planned expenditure for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

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.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 6 February 1995:

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what has been the total cost of running the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down in each of the last five years; what is the planned expenditure for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. In providing the gross cash budgets for CBDE Porton Down over the past five years, it is important to recognise that there have been significant changes in accounting and financial practices.

a. From 1990/91 onwards, the figures include works and property management costs as MOD untied from PSA on 1 April 1990.

b. From 1 April 1991, CBDE became a Defence Agency under the Next Steps programme and our annual accounts are in accruals format to a Treasury Accounts Direction.

c. From 1 April 1991 some expenditure previously control:led centrally was desegregated to CBDE causing the gross cash budget to increase.

Consequently the figures provided for 1989/90 and 1990/91 are not directly comparable with those in the published Annual Reports because of the changes in the accounting and financial procedures.

3. The gross cash budgets for CBDE in each of the last five years at 1994/95 price levels was as follows:

Year	Gross cash budgets £ million
1989–90	23.4
1990–91	26.7
1991–92	33.4
1992–93	35.0
1993–94	34.2

The apparent increase in cash budget is primarily due to the changes in accounting and financial procedures resulting in the inclusion of the works and property management costs which vary from year to year depending on the works programme. In addition since becoming an Agency CBDE has successfully won contracts from outside the MOD thereby increasing the gross cash budget.

4. The intention is that from 1 April 1995 CBDE Porton Down will become part of the proposed new Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and operate on a trading fund. From this date, CBDE will no longer receive direct vote funding. Its level of expenditure will therefore be determined by the income which it attracts from a number of MOD budget holders. It is consequently not possible to make a definitive statement about the expenditure for the next three years, although it is not expected on current plains to change significantly.

Land Mines

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the research conducted by his Department on the current need for anti-personnel mines by United Kingdom forces.

The need for, and role of, anti-personnel land mines is not assessed separately from our overall military strategy, and can be considered only in that broader context. It is therefore not possible to release information on the military utility of a particular weapon system without revealing details of wider operational capability and tactics. Such information is classified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will commission a report on the military utility of anti-personnel mines for United Kingdom armed forces within the context of the United Kingdom's military strategy.

Anti-personnel land mines continue to have an important defensive role. Our requirement for such equipment will continue to be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United Kingdom's policy on anti-personnel mines is based on contemporary analysis of the need of these weapons by United Kingdom forces.

The United Kingdom's policy on anti-personnel land mines is based on a number of factors, including not only an analysis of military requirements but a desire to avoid the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of these weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions for United Kingdom policy he has drawn from the report published by the United States Department of Defence in June 1994 entitled "The Military Utility of Landmines: Implications for Arms Control"; and if he will make a statement.

We have not made an assessment of this report, which I understand was prepared by the Institute for Defence Studies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an estimate of the number of land mines on and around the former confrontation lines between the Bosnian Croats and Muslims; what progress has been made in clearing those mines; and if British personnel are involved in this task.

Estimates have placed the figure for mines on and around the former confrontation lines as high as 800,000. The mine clearance programme continues and, although this has been successful in clearing many roads and areas in central Bosnia, a significant proportion of mines remain to be dealt with. BRITFOR explosive ordnance disposal personnel continue to make an important contribution to the programme, liaising with Bosnian Muslim and Croatian troops and monitoring clearance operations to ensure that all the mines are lifted and destroyed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the number of anti-personnel mines still active in the Falkland Islands; and what plans exist for their removal.

[holding answer 7 February 1995:]: A total of some 30,000 Argentine mines are believed to remain in the Falkland Islands. We do not have precise details of the numbers of individual types of mine, nor their current condition. Work is progressing on the offer by Argentina to pay a third party to clear the minefields in the Falklands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) people and (b) animals have been injured by anti-personnel land mines in the Falkland Islands and other territories formerly occupied by Argentinian forces.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: Four British service men were seriously wounded in the course of operations to clear minefields in the Falklands Islands immediately after the conflict. No personnel have been injured by mines in other United Kingdom territory in the South Atlantic formerly occupied by Argentine forces. No records are kept of animals injured by mines in the Falkland Islands.

Indonesia

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of armed forces personnel sent to Indonesia to support Rapier missile sales.

Details of any training assistance to other countries, including costs, are not normally disclosed as they are regarded as confidential between Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the involvement of armed forces personnel in training members of the Indonesian armed forces or security forces in counter-insurgency techniques since 4 May 1979.

Details of any training assistance to other countries are not normally disclosed as they are regarded as confidential between Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to his Department in each year since 1990 of supporting work with the Indonesian national police force.

My Department has not been involved in work of this nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Ministers or officials in his Department have at any time since 1979 been informed of British-supplied defence equipment being used in East Timor or in its territorial waters or airspace.

My Department has no evidence that British-supplied defence equipment has been used in East Timor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the rank of defence attaches to the British mission in Indonesia in each year since 1979.

Since 1979, the defence attache to the British embassy in Indonesia has been at the rank of colonel. In addition, an assistant defence attaché with the rank of squadron leader was attached to the embassy from 1981 to 1983. The assistant defence attaché from October 1983 until February 1987 was at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was replaced by a navaUair attaché at the rank of wing commander from July 1988 until February 1991 and at the rank of commander RN from February 1991 until February 1993, when the post lapsed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the costs of training consultancy visits to Indonesia by British specialists working with the Indonesian police force in each year since 1990; and in each year how many consultants visited Indonesia.

My Department has not engaged in consultancy visits of this kind.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the involvement of United Kingdom armed forces personnel in counter-insurgency activities in Indonesia or East Timor since 4 May 1979.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom armed forces personnel have served in Indonesia in each year since 1990.

A defence attaché with the rank of colonel is attached to the British embassy in Jakarta with a warrant officer in support. Until 1993, a joint naval air attaché was also attached to the embassy. Details of training assistance given by the UK, including the numbers involved, are not normally disclosed as they are regarded as confidential between the Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the level of military aid to Indonesia for each year since 1979.

It is not our practice to disclose information of this nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates memoranda of understanding have been signed with the Government of Indonesia since 1 January 1980.

Memoranda of understanding concerning defence contracts with the Government of Indonesia were signed in September 1983, March 1984, April 1986 and November 1991.

Bosnia

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what accommodation and facilities are available for British UNPROFOR personnel in Gorazde.

British UNPROFOR troops in Gorazde are accommodated in 123 portacabins which are equipped with bunk beds and camp beds and fitted with electric heaters. Troops have access to purpose built shower, toilet and washbasin facilities and the camp has its own tented kitchen facilities which are currently in the process of being replaced by a prefabricated kitchen and dining area. There are also two welfare telephones to enable troops to make calls home.

Usa Global Positioning System

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the United Kingdom has direct access to the USA global positioning system; and what agreements or treaties govern such access.

The United Kingdom armed forces make extensive use of the United States global positioning system. They do so under conditions set out in a memorandum of understanding first negotiated with the US Department of Defence in 1978. MOU IV signed in October 1993 provides for an extension of these arrangements into the next century.

School And Related Fees

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armed service officers are entitled to school and related fees for their children to be met: from the armed forces vote; and if he will make a statement.

Boarding school allowance is designed to assist with the payment of school fees, and is available to all ranks of the armed forces who are serving either in the United Kingdom or overseas, providing that they meet the eligibility criteria. Service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service, including boarding school allowance, are however the subject of an independent review which the then Minister for the Armed Forces my right hon. Friend the Minister for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), announced on 30 March 1994, Official Report, columns 752–53.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose school and related fees are paid from the armed forces vote in respect of the education of children of officers in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Boarding school allowance is provided to assist eligible service parents of all ranks in providing a stable education for their children in the face of the domestic turbulence frequently encountered in service life.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost over the past 10 years of school and related fees for the children of officers in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

The total cost of school and related fees is not held by my Department. Boarding school allowance is paid up to a maximum annual limit, and service parents are expected to make a contribution of 10 per cent. to the fees. Additionally, for schools whose fees are higher than this maximum rate of BSA, parents are expected to make up any shortfall themselves. The total amounts of BSA paid for all ranks for the years in question is as follows:

£ million
1985–86	85.00
1986–87	93.60
1987–88	106.58
1988–89	107.10
1989–90	104.51
1990–91	105.61
1991–92	115.35
1992–93	116.72
1993–94	113.61

The total estimated expenditure for financial year 1994–1995 is £104 million.

Armed Forces (Work And Activities)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept of the work and activities undertaken by members of the armed forces during the hours in which they are on duty.

The chain of command in each of the three services exists to ensure that its personnel are working effectively. Against this background, records of work carried out by service personnel are kept only in certain circumstances. These include reports of aircraft or vehicle maintenance completed; stores records of receipts and issues; and log books of various types, including aircrew log books of flying hours. In addition to this, certain records are maintained of individuals' on-the-job training.

Horses (Insurance)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost per year of insuring a horse owned by his Department which is involved in (a) hunting, (b) ceremonial duties and (c) neither (a) nor (b).

Horses owned by my Department are not insured for hunting, ceremonial duty or any other official use.

Hunting

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel from Britannia Naval college in Devon took part in hunts with the Britannia Beagles during duty hours in each of the last three years.

No service personnel from the Britannia Royal Naval college have taken part in hunts during duty hours in the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses are owned by his Department; and how many have participated in hunts in each of the last five years.

My Department has an establishment of 474 horses with an average strength of around 470. Records do not separately identify hunting from other forms of recognised training, but it is estimated that some 70 horses have participated in hunts in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received relating to damage caused to property under the control of his Department by the Bicester with Whaddon Chase hunt.

My Department has no record of any representations relating to damage caused by the Bicester with Whaddon Chase hunt.

Royal Navy Ships

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those Royal Navy ships which are in a state of (a) refit, (b) repair and (c) rest, giving the date when he expects each will return to full service.

All Royal Navy vessels undergo essential repairs and maintenance as required while remaining part of the operational fleet. The following Royal Navy surface ships are, however, undergoing refit and are consequently non-operational: HM Ships Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, London, Bulldog and Orkney. We expect all of these vessels to be returned to operational service within the next year.We do not hold Royal Navy vessels in a state of rest. Some vessels are held in extended readiness, thus enabling significant running cost savings to be achieved whilst maintaining assets against the eventuality of adverse changes in the international situation. At present, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Intrepid are in extended readiness. For operational reasons, it is not our policy to discuss when these vessels will be returned to operational service.

Type 23 Frigates

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for the next batch of type 23 frigates.

Invitations to tender for a further batch of up to three type 23 frigates were issued in November 1994. Subject to a successful outcome of the current competition, we hope to be in a position to place an order around the end of the year.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications from members of his Department to join defence or defence-related companies have been approved (a) subject to a waiting period and (b) with a ban on the involvement of the applicant in a specific project or area of work on behalf of the employer in the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Over the last 10 years, 4,422 business appointment applications have been approved. Of these, 328 were subject to a waiting period and 242 were subject to a ban on the involvement of the applicant in a specific project or area of work. Many staff submitted multiple applications of a speculative nature, and it is not known how many appointments were taken up.

Departmental Houses (Sales)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and location of his Department's houses sold off on the last two years; if he will give (a) the name of the company which bought the houses, (b) the amount received by his Department for the sale of each house; and (c) what monitoring is carried on of the price at which the houses were subsequently sold on by estate agents; and if he will make a statement.

In the last two years from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1994 my Department sold the following dwellings:

Number	Location	Purchaser
67	Aberdeen	Aberdeen University
19	Abingdon	Individual Purchasers
3	Abingdon	Individual Purchasers
24	Alderton	Individual Purchasers
30	Andover	Individual Purchasers
19	Armagh	Individual Purchasers
1	Aultbea	Individual Purchaser
30	Barton Stacey	Individual Purchasers
6	Barton Stacey	Griffin and Tabb Ltd.
18	Basingstoke	Individual Purchaser
1	Bath	Individual Purchasers
48	Baughurst	Individual Purchasers
3	Bedford	Individual Purchasers
7	Beith	Individual Purchasers
3	Benbecula	Individual Purchasers
1	Benbecula	Western Isles Island Council
1	Benbecula	Highlands and Islands Fire Board
3	Benbecula	Northern Joint Police Committee
1	Benbecula	Property Holdings, Scotland
73	Biggin Hill	Artesian Group of Companies
1	Boscombe Down	Individual Purchaser
4	Bournemouth	Mr. Richards
2	Bovington	Individual Purchasers
68	Bramley	Individual Purchasers
12	Bristol	Haig Homes
5	Broughton Moor	Individual Purchasers
20	Burghfield	Individual Purchasers
5	Caerwent	Individual Purchasers
10	Calcot	Individual Purchasers
1	Cambridge	Individual Purchaser

Number	Location	Purchaser
32	Campsie	Individual Purchasers
7	Cardington	Individual Purchasers
2	Carlisle	Individual Purchasers
66	Chatham	London and Quadrant Housing Trust
7	Chatham	Individual Purchasers
1	Chattenden	Individual Purchaser
2	Cheadle	Individual Purchasers
4	Chester	Individual Purchasers
7	Chester	Northern Counties Housing Association
1	Cobham	Berkeley Homes
2	Cold Meece	Individual Purchasers
15	Colerne	Individual Purchasers
19	Colerne	O'Kane Properties
16	Colerne	Tyning Properties Ltd
3	Colerne	Sanctuary Spiral Housing Association
3	Colerne/Durrington/Hullavington	Brecks Property Co Ltd
	Hullavington
3	Corsham	Individual Purchasers
2	Crombie	Individual Purchasers
3	Dinton/Tisbury	Hetton Properties Ltd
1	Dumfries	Individual Purchaser
1	Dunfermline	Individual Purchaser
1	Durrington	Individual Purchaser
17	Edinburgh	Individual Purchasers
3	Edinburgh	Cairn Housing Association
2	Ely	Individual Purchasers
3	Enfield Lock	Individual Purchasers
4	Enford/Compton	Individual Purchasers
3	Enniskillen	Individual Purchasers
6	Eskmeals	Individual Purchasers
2	Ewell	Individual Purchasers
10	Exmouth	Individual Purchasers
105	Farnborough	Individual Purchasers
70	Felixstowe	Orwell Housing Association
47	Felixstowe	Individual Purchasers
119	Finningley	South Yorkshire Housing Association
2	Formby	Individual Purchasers
28	Garelochhead	Individual Purchasers
24	Gosport	Individual Purchasers
196	Gosport	Barratt London Ltd
75	Gosport	Ideal Homes
18	Gosport	Portsmouth Housing Association
7	Great Broughton	Individual Purchasers
1	Halton Heath	Individual Purchaser
1	Hampton Magna	Orbit Housing Association
2	Hampton Magna	Individual Purchasers
4	Helensburgh	Individual Purchaser
3	Helston	Individual Purchasers
1	Hendon	Tambarella Properties Ltc
1	Hereford	Individual Purchaser
11	Houndstone	Individual Purchasers
7	Inverness	Individual Purchasers
34	Ipswich	Individual Purchasers
1	Kings Lynn	Individual Purchaser
6	Kirkcudbright	Individual Purchasers
1	Lee on Solent	Individual Purchaser
16	Liverpool	Individual Purchasers
16	Liverpool	Liverpool Housing Trust
6	Lovedean	Arundel Estates
11	Lovedean	Individual Purchasers
37	Lovedean	Portsmouth Housing
		Association
10	Lower Quinton	Individual Purchasers
1	Lower Quinton	Orbit Housing Association
2	Lyneham	Individual Purchasers

Number	Location	Purchaser
4	Maidstone	Individual Purchasers
11	Malvern	Individual Purchasers
41	Martlesham Heath	Haymills (Contractors) Ltd
17	Newark	C S H Finance Ltd
2	Newark	Individual Purchasers
12	Newbury	Individual Purchasers
1	Northfleet	Individual Purchaser
12	Nythe	Individual Purchasers
21	Padstow	C S H Finance Ltd
19	Plymouth	Individual Purchasers
170	Plymouth	Wallsend Estates
26	Plymouth	Devon and Cornwall Housing Association
54	Plymouth	Plymouth Development Corporation
29	Poole	Individual Purchasers
29	Portadown	Individual Purchasers
36	Portland	Individual Purchasers
66	Portsmouth	Portsmouth Housing Association
3	Portsmouth	Individual Purchasers
228	Portsmouth	Messrs Pantheon
84	Portsmouth	Swaythling Housing Association
12	Portsmouth	Messrs Rendle and Pringle
1	Quedgely	Individual Purchaser
6	Reading	Individual Purchaser
2	Rochdale	Individual Purchaser
56	Rosyth	Individual Purchasers
16	Saxa Vord	Shetland Islands Council
1	Sevenoaks	Individual Purchaser
24	Shawbury	Bromford Corinthian Housing Association
8	Shawbury	Beth Johnson Housing Association
22	Shawbury	Individual Purchasers
14	Shoeburyness	Individual Purchasers
42	Shotley Gate	Hodge and Co
24	Shotley Gate	Haymills (Contractors) Ltd
52	Shotley Gate	Individual Purchasers
3	Small Dole	Individual Purchasers
1	Southwater	Individual Purchaser
24	Stafford	Individual Purchasers
5	Stockton Heath	Individual Purchasers
1	Stornoway	Individual Purchaser
3	Strood	Individual Purchasers
2	Strood	V Perry
33	Tadley	Individual Purchasers
13	Tandragee	Individual Purchasers
1	Tangmere	Individual Purchaser
1	Thetford	Individual Purchaser
26	Thurso	Caithness District Council
38	Thurso	Individual Purchasers
4	Tidworth	Individual Purchasers
1	Tisbury	Individual Purchaser
1	Waltham Abbey	Individual Purchaser
1	Warton	Individual Purchaser
1	Welford	Individual Purchaser
5	Whitby	Individual Purchasers
1	Woodford Green	Individual Purchaser
30	Woolwich	Giftboat Properties
8	Woolwich	N H P Homes Ltd
80	Woolwich	Brickstern Ltd
2	Wythenshaw	Individual Purchasers

Bulk sales are carried out by tender or at the district valuer's valuation to ensure that we receive a full market price.Individual purchasers include service personnel who have bought through the services' discount scheme,

tenants of MOD civilian houses who have bought at a discount and individuals who have bought on the open market through the estate agents. The amount received from sales is commercial in confidence and there are no measures in hand to monitor the price at which houses are subsequently sold on by estate agents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel houses have been sold by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much money was received for the sales in each of these years.

The number of service married quarters sold and the capital receipts from these sales in each of the past five financial years was as follows:

Financial year	Total sold	Receipts £million
1989–90	1,380	46
1990–91	2,121	44
1991–92	1,306	51
1992–93	857	33
1993–94	1,254	24

Receipts do not always relate directly to the number of houses sold in a particular year because of stage payments and accounting procedures.

Type 42 Destroyers

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's current policy towards the Horizon class replacement for type 42 destroyers.

We remain committed to Project Horizon. A memorandum of understanding for the joint development of this project was signed by the three partner nations, Britain, France and Italy, in July of last year. We continue to plan to replace the Royal Navy's type 42 destroyers with the common new generation frigate early in the next century.

Procurement project	Original estimated cost £	Current estimated cost £	Original planned in-service date	Current in-service date
Trident	15.1 billion	11.6 billion	December 1994	²December 1994
EF 2000¹	12.7 billion	14.9 billion	December 1998	December 2000
Common New Generation Frigate (project horizon)	4.5 —5 billion	4.5 —5 billion	December 2002	³n/a
EH101 Merlin¹	3.8 billion	3.9 billion	December 1993	December 1998
Bowman¹	2.1 billion	1.9 billion	December 1995	January 2000
Challenger 2⁴	1.1 billion	2.02 billion	December 1995	December 1995
Spearfish	885 million	⁵1.1 billion	December 1987	March 1994
Asraam	871 million	795 million	December 1994	December 1998
Tornado MLU	⁶829 million	837 million	June 1993	September 1998
High Velocity Missile (HVM)⁷	397 million	411 million	December 1990	Mid 1995

Notes:

¹ Previously reports in Hansard on 1 February 1995, Official Report,column 744.

² For first of class. ISD data for the remaining boats is classified.

³ Date classified

⁴ Costs include Challenger Armament (CHARM) 1 and 3 Programme.

⁵ Excludes costs of main production order as commercially sensitive.

⁶ At November 1993 reapproval of 'reduced scope' programme.

⁷ Tranche 1 only.

Competing For Quality Programme

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision for continuity of supply is made in the contracts awarded to private contractors as part of his Department's competing for quality programme; and if he will make a statement.

Continuity of supply, or service, is ensured by the arrangements under which our contracts are placed. These arrangements include the use of appropriate conditions of contract, and proper planning of tendering programmes.

Ministerial Duties

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what days he attended the House during the parliamentary week beginning 30 January.

Mr right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence attended the House on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the parliamentary week beginning 30 January.

Ian Greer

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month. Mr. Freeman: My ministerial colleagues and I keep no records of the unsolicited mail or other items that we receive.I have received one social invitation from Ian Greer Associates which I have declined.

Procurement Projects

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the 10 most expensive procurement projects currently being undertaken by his Department; what was the original estimated cost of each of these projects and their current estimated cost at today's prices; and what was the original planned in-service dates of each project together and the latest estimate of the in-service date.

The 10 most expensive procurement projects currently being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence are set out below. Where data are classified or of a commercially sensitive nature this had been omitted.

Ministry Of Defence Police Federation

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions he visited the Ministry of Defence Police Federation's exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall during the week beginning 30 January; which police or federation officers he met; what topics he discussed with these officers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend did not make an official visit to the exhibition, but had the opportunity to see it when he was in the Upper Waiting Hall on Wednesday 1 February 1995. At the time, there were no MOD police or Defence Police Federation representatives present.

Gulf War Syndrome

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent medical audit is carried out on the assessments made of Gulf war veterans claiming to he suffering from Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is obviously concerned that any serving or former members of the armed forces should be worried about their health following service in the Gulf. It was for this reason that numerous appeals have been made for individuals to come forward for a thorough medical examination under our Gulf medical assessment programme. Under this programme, which has been the main focus of our investigations into the alleged Gulf War syndrome, United Kingdom Gulf veterans receive a full medical evaluation by military medical specialists. Approximately one third of the 233 veterans who have so far come forward under this programme have now been assessed and diagnosed, enabling some provisional conclusions to he drawn.Although there remains no scientific or medical evidence of a syndrome, the substantial statistical assurance which these investigations provide now make it appropriate for these preliminary findings to be subject to independent verification and to be publicised. consequently, the Royal College of Physicians has been approached to carry out an independent clinical audit of our assessment programme and its results to date, and it has kindly agreed to do so. It has been our intention to make public the detailed preliminary findings of the assessment programme at an appropriate stage when sufficient Gulf veterans have been examined under the MOD medical assessment programme, and I have agreed with the Surgeon General that he should do this in a letter to the

British Medical Journal after 100 such assessments have been made.

I again urge all current and former armed forces personnel with concerns about their health as a result of service in the Gulf conflict to come forward, through their normal doctors, for assessment under the programme. For those still serving I repeat my assurance that their careers will not be jeopardised as a result.

Defence Industrial Base

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will set out the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the United Kingdom's strategic defence industrial base and its relationship to defence procurement decisions.

[holding answer 20 December 19941: Although we see our relationship with industry as principally one of customer to supplier, we fully recognise that it is an advantage to us and to the economy more generally to have a healthy, technologically capable and broad-based defence industry.

Special Advisers

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

[holding answer 1 February 19951: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 6 February, by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Official Report, column 69.

Scotland

Executive Search Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 December, Official Report, column 1055, which posts were filled as a result of the employment of executive search agencies, which executive search companies were involved in this exercise; and what were the values of the individual contracts involved.

Between 2 December 1993 and 30 November 1994, my Department made use of executive search agencies Goddard Kay Rogers and Associates Ltd. and Korn Ferry International. These were for appointments to Director of Human Resources and Director of Finance respectively, both within the NHS-Management Executive in Scotland. The total cost was £69,912 including VAT, as stated on 20 December 1994, Official Report, column 1055.In addition, although none of my agencies has used executive search agencies for search purposes, the Scottish Prison Service has used recruitment services provided by the following companies:

Companies
Melville Craig	Marketing and sales manager
NB Selection	Five human resource managers; one senior procurement officer
Rileys	Ongoing campaign to recruit band C
Search	Prison officers. Partial cost only paid so far. Remaining costs to be paid at the successful conclusion of the campaign.
Search	Procurement buyer

The cost of this work, which involves advertising arid dealing with resulting applications was £64,358.84.The value of individual contracts is a matter for the companies themselves and is regarded as commercial in confidence.

Agricultural Census

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the rate of response in each of the past five years in respect of the June agricultural census forms; and when was the last prosecution for failure to return the agricultural census forms.

The response rate for the main June census was as follows:

1990 per cent.	1991 per cent.	1992 per cent.	1993 per cent.	1994 per cent.
93	93	90	92	92

The last year in which non-respondents were prosecuted for failure to return a June agricultural census form was 1992.

Gourock Ropeworks

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed the present circumstances surrounding the Gourock ropeworks in Port Glasgow with Historic Scotland and the Inverclyde district council; and if he will make a statement.

Historic Scotland is an executive agency within the Scottish Office and reports to my right hon. Friend on built heritage matters.My right hon. Friend has recently received a letter from Inverclyde district council conveying the council's view that the Gourock ropeworks should not be converted for residential accommodation but should he demolished. He has noted that view.The building is a category A listed building. Its demolition would require the granting of listed building consent, for which no application has yet been received. Historic Buildings

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those historic buildings, listed for their architectural merit in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole which have subsequently been de-listed and demolished in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

The subjects of the question relate to matters undertaken by Historic Scotland. I have asked its Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Graeme Munro to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from F. J. Lawrie to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 8 February 1995:

You tabled a Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Scotland for written answer on 8 February seeking statistics on de-listing and demolition of listed buildings. As your Question relates to operational matters undertaken by Historic Scotland, Mr. Graeme Munro, Historic Scotland's Director and Chief Executive, has been asked to provide the information you seek. In Mr. Munro's absence, I am responding.

I regret that we cannot answer the Question precisely as posed, since we do not keep a separate record of demolitions of listed buildings. Listed buildings may be demolished after the granting of listed building consent, but listed buildings are also lost from time to time by accident, such as through fire damage or structural failure.

The removal of demolished buildings from the statutory list would occur either through routine list maintenance or as a result of the rolling programme of national re-survey. Information on the annual number of deletions from the statutory list is only readily available from 1989; this information is as follows:

	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Strathclyde	26	6	7	8	17	16
Scotland	704	374	123	23	81	44

Although we do not keep separate statistics to show why listed buildings have been deleted from the statutory lists, the majority of the deletions arise following re-assessment of merit under the re-survey programme.

I hope this information is helpful.

Mink Farming

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences were issued for mink factory farms for each county of Scotland in each of the last five years.

The numbers of licensed mink farms over the past five years are as follows:

Region	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Central	1	—	—	—	—
Grampian	1	1	1	1	—
Strathclyde	3	1	1	—	—
Tayside	1	—	—	—	—
Total	6	2	2	1	—

Lochgreen Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will instruct Forth Valley health board to extend beyond 8 February the period for consultation on the board's proposal to close Lochgreen hospital;(2) if he will instruct Fort Valley health board to hold a public meeting as part of the consultation process on the board's proposal to close Lochgreen hospital.

The three-month public consultation on the closure of Lochgreen hospital was originally due to finish on 11 January. Forth Valley health board extended the period to finish on 8 February in response to a request from Central regional council and has no plans to extend the period further.The Scottish Office guidance on closure and change of use of health service premises published in June 1975 sets out the procedure which health boards must follow when proposing to close a hospital. It is a matter for the health board concerned to decide whether to hold public meetings.

Housing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the names of the housing associations in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow which will be allowed by Scottish Homes to bid for houses which Scottish Homes seeks to release;(2) what constraints have been placed upon Rankin housing association by Scottish Homes; and if he will make a statement;

(3) if the ballot papers issued to Scottish Homes tenants in Greenock and Port Glasgow will have an option for the tenants to vote (a) to remain with Scottish Homes, (b) to be transferred to (i) the Rankin housing association, (ii) the Clock housing association (iii) the James Watt housing association, (iv) the Victoria housing association (v) some other community-based housing association or (vi) the Inverclyde district council; and if he will make a statement;

(4) which housing schemes in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow Scottish Homes is attempting to transfer to housing associations or other landlords;

(5) what is the current value of the houses in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow that the Rankin housing association is seeking to acquire from Scottish Homes; and how much will be charged by Scottish Homes for these acquisitions.

[holding answer 7 February 1995]: The information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes. I have asked its chairman, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member.

Nhs Trusts

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which hospital and related trusts have introduced elements of performance-related salaries for their employees.

[holding answer 6 February 1995]: All NHS trusts in Scotland have introduced elements of performance-related salaries for some of their staff.

Agri-Environmental Regulations

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to meet the EEC agri-environmental regulations; and what funds have been made available for their implementation.

[holding answer 7 February I995]: The Scottish agri-environment programme introduced under Council regulation EEC 2078/92 includes the extension of the environmentally sensitive area scheme and new schemes to encourage the conservation of heather moorland, the creation of wildlife habitats, organic farming, and informal recreation in ESAs and on set-aside land. The only scheme not yet introduced is the heather moorland scheme and this is scheduled for the spring. Expenditure on all these schemes is planned to rise to £12 million by 1996–97.

Recruitment

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent during 1994 on recruiting staff to his Department and its executive agencies; and how many staff were recruited.

[holding answer 27 January 1995]: In 1994, the Scottish Office and its executive agencies recruited 158 staff at a total cost of £416,000. This excludes the recruitment of casual, temporary and seasonal staff. It also excludes the cost of executive search agencies which was the subject of a separate answer on 20 December 1994, Official Report, column 1055.

Next Steps Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out for each of the next steps agencies in his Department, whether they have acquired their own headquarters buildings and, if so, at what purchase cost or annual rental; how many support staff they have required which were not required when their operations were within his Department; how many of them published periodical journals and at what annual cost; how many have fleets of executive cars or single executive cars and at what annual cost; how many have specifically designed logos and at what cost; how many have corporate clothing and at what cost; and what is the cost of specifically designed and printed corporate stationery.

[holding answer 25 January I995]: These are matters which are delegated to agency chief executives and I have asked them to reply. Copies of their letters will be placed in the House Library.Registers of Scotland was a separate Government Department in its own right and the Scottish Record Office was an associated department of the Scottish Office and as such neither was part of the Scottish Office before they became executive agencies.When functions were transferred from the core of the Scottish Office to the agencies, so was the necessary funding; staffing levels in the Scottish Office and its agencies have decreased over the four years since the establishment of the first Executive Agency in my Department.The record of agencies in improving effectiveness and efficiency in government is summarised in the "Next Steps Review 1994," Cm 2750.

Volume 254: debated on Wednesday 8 February 1995

Written Answers To Questions

Duchy Of Lancaster

Oxygenated Petrol

Ian Greer

Special Advisers

Lord Chancellor's Department

Ian Greer

Child Witnesses

Treasury

Vat

Lending Package (Mexico)

Capital Gains Tax

Retail Prices Index

Beer Excise Duty

Exchange Rates

Customs And Excise Office, Ellesmere Port

Ian Greer

Lord President Of The Council

Ian Greer

House Of Commons

Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund

Badge Messengers

Official Paid Post Cards

Disabled People Access

Speech Therapists

Wales

Training Courses

Language Units

Opencast Coal Sites

School Playing Fields

Art Collection

Pre-School Playgroups

Ian Greer

Special Advisers

Home Department

Prisoners

Poisons

Misuse Of Drugs

Police Authorities

Child Witnesses

Reconviction Rates

Woodcock Report

Prevention Of Terrorism Act

Ian Greer

Asylum

Police National Computer

Data Protection Directive

Prison Escapes

Transport

Train Cancellations And Delays

Heathrow Airport (Night Flights)

Severn Bridge

Roll-On-Roll-Off Ferries

Railway Signalling

Rss Report

Cycle Helmets

Rail Consultants

Merchant Fleet

Cellos And Double Basses (Rail Transport)

Hunting (Damage)

Red Routes

Ian Greer

Rail Services

Isys Warning System

Mv Derbyshire

Electrical Shock Weapons

Special Advisers

Environment

Homelessness

Lord Government Finance

Departmental Staff

Local Government Commission

Water Charges

Ian Greer

Water Meters

Single Regeneration Budget

Attorney-General

Ian Greer