To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 23 February.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 23 February.

This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many letters were received from hon. Members last month;(2) how many letters were sent to hon. Members last month.

[holding answer 22 February 1995]: I received nearly 180 letters from hon. Members last month. Approximately half received responses.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he has under review any revision to article 223 of the treaty of Rome; and what requests he has received from British defence manufacturers to consider such a review.

In preparation for next year's intergovernmental conference, the Government are considering the operation of the treaty as a whole.I am not aware of any request by British defence manufacturers to review article 223 in particular.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the percentage of extra fuel which is required to heat identical houses in (a) London, (b) Manchester, (c) Cardiff, (d) Newcastle, (e) Leicester, (f) Norwich, (g) Birmingham, (h) Plymouth, (i) Edinburgh, (j) Aberdeen and (k) Brighton, taking Bristol as the base.

The percentage of extra fuel required to heat a typical semi-detached house with gas central heating is estimated to be as follows for each of the specified locations:

(a) London -1 per cent. (b) Manchester +16 per cent. (c) Cardiff 0 per cent. (d) Newcastle +17 per cent. (e) Leicester +17 per cent. (f) Norwich +10 per cent. (g) Birmingham +13 per cent. (h) Plymouth -13 per cent. (i) Edinburgh +28 per cent. (j) Aberdeen +41 per cent. and (k) Brighton -3 per cent.

These figures have been calculated using the Building Research Establishment domestic energy model and taking Bristol as the base case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those zoos which are owned by local authorities.

According to our latest information, the following zoos in England, which are licensed under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, are owned by local authorities:

• Abbey Gardens zoo, Bury St. Edmunds
• Animal world, Bolton
• Battersea Park children's zoo, Wandsworth, London
• Birmingham nature centre, Birmingham
• Blackpool municipal zoological gardens, Blackpool
• Aquarium, Bolton
• Butterfly world, Bolton
• Clissold park, Hackney, London
• Crystal Palace park zoo, Crystal Palace, London
• Harewood bird garden, Leeds
• Lotherton Hall bird garden and deer park, Aberford, Leeds
• Newquay zoo, Newquay
• Pudsey park, Leeds
• Roundhay park, Leeds
• Sir George Staunton country park, Leigh park gardens, Havant
• Stewart park, Marton, Middlesborough
• War Memorial park aviaries and pets corner, Coventry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the implementation of the Latham report.

My right hon. Friend announced on 7 February, Official Report, column 131, that he had agreed with the construction industry that a construction industry board should be set up to take forward the proposals of the Latham report for restructuring the construction process. Sir Michael Latham has agreed to be the board's first chairman, and my right hon. Friend has agreed to be its president.The board will oversee the working groups established in the wake of the report to look at specific aspects of the report's recommendations. It will also provide a channel for industry and client comment to Government on any legislative proposals—I hope to enter into public consultation on such proposals shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his Department's review of radioactive waste policy.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on Tuesday 6 December, Official Report, column 132.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants in the north-west government office were involved in assessing each of the bids submitted under the single regeneration budget; and what was the average time spent reviewing each bid.

In the two-stage process for submission of potential single regeneration budget bids, approximately 40 staff from the government office for the north-west were involved to some degree.It is not possible, in hindsight, to give an average time spent on each bid.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which will (a) follow the pay arrangements of the sponsoring Department and (b) pursue an independent and separate route under the delegated pay option (i) from April 1995 and (ii) from April 1996.

Three of the Department's NDPBs need to change their pay arrangements as a result of civil service pay delegation. English Nature proposes to introduce its own pay system during 1996; the Countryside Commission and Rural Development Commission are still developing their proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on housing revenue account subsidy in each year from 1979–80 to 1994–95; and what the planned spending is in 1995–96, in (a) Greater London, (b) the metropolitan district areas and (c) elsewhere.

[holding answer 21 February 1995]: Provision for the pre-1981 housing subsidy system was:

Year	£ million
1979–80	1,128
1980–81	1,869

The amounts of housing subsidy paid in respect of the years 1981–82 to 1989–90 were as follows:

Year	£ million
1981–82	1,216
1982–83	887
1983–84	324
1984–85	357
1985–86	484
1986–87	475
1987–88	451
1988–89	542
1989–90	644

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 15 February, Official Report, column 674, what information his Department will be giving to the European topic centre of the European Environment Agency on air quality; and what plans he has for changes to the monitoring system of air pollution in United Kingdom cities and in measures to reduce pollution.

[holding answer 22 February 1995]: The European topic centre of the European Environment Agency on air quality has only recently been established. It is currently developing its work programme which includes preparing questionnaires for collecting relevant air quality information from member states. The Government will be co-operating fully with the topic centre in taking its work programme forward.The Government published "Air Quality: Meeting the Challenge" on 19 January. This describes the Government's strategic policies for air quality management, including the Government's plans to expand their urban air quality monitoring programme. A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations his Department have received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the proposed boundary change in his draft order to create a new York local authority from (i) individual members of the public (ii) local authorities (iii) parish councils and (iv) others.

The figures are as follows:

Representation received from	Against	For
Individual members of the public	1,066	30
Local authorities	7	0
Parish Councils	26	0
Others	15	1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations the Local Government Commission received (a) supporting and (b) opposing its proposals for the boundary for a new local authority for York from (i) individual members of the public, (ii) local authorities, (iii) parish councils and (iv) others.

This is a matter for the Local Government Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the current electoral wards within the proposed new York local authority boundary, plus the parishes of Shipton, Overton, Upper Helmsley, Gate Helmsley and Warthill; how many residents in each of these wards made representations to (a) him or other Ministers and officials in his Department and (b) the Local Government Commission (i) supporting and (ii) opposing the inclusion of their own ward or parish in a new York local authority.

Representations to the Department have been as follows:

Ward/Parish name	Opposing	Supporting
Existing City of York	76	8
Parishes:
Shipton	32	1
Overton	5	0
Upper Helmsley	2	0
Gate Helmsley	140	0
Warthill	40	0
New Wards:
Bishopthorpe with Copmanthorpe, parish of Acaster Malbis	172	1
Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Rufforth, Hessay, Nether Poppleton and Upper Poppleton	27	0
Clifton Without	4	1
Skelton, Rawcliffe	7	0
Wigginton	102	0
Haxby	43	3
New Earswick and Huntington	199	0
Strensall, Towthorpe, Earswick, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Holtby and Murton	136	1
Heworth without	0	0
Osbaldwick	5	0
Fulford	7	1
Dunnington and Kexby	10	1
Elvington, Wheldrake. Deighton and Naburn	3	2

The analysis of representation made to the commission is a matter for the commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what objections were received before the end of the statutory consultation period on 10 February to the Local Government Commission's proposal to set up separate parish councils for Ulgham and Widdrington Station, Northumberland.

No representations have been received objecting to this proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 November, Official Report, column 726, if he will now update the table on negative equity.

Estimates of negative equity are sensitive to the house price index used. Based on Department of the Environment house price data, an estimate of the number of households affected by negative equity in the fourth quarter of 1994 and the value of negative equity by region are as follows:

Region	No. of households (thousands)	Value (millions)
South East	334.68	-1576.97
Greater London	96.80	-363.39
South West	82.82	-282.18
East Anglia	61.59	-238.33
East Midlands	13.67	-19.02
West Midlands	15.32	-15.99
Wales	17.45	-45.94
Yorks & Humberside	30.54	-28.67
North West	6.47	-1.46
North	8.52	-10.12
Scotland	8.52	-6.12
Northern Ireland	1.06	-1.15
United Kingdom	677.44	-2589.34

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will make a statement on the past work of the Black Country limestone advisory panel; and what is its future role.

The Black Country limestone advisory panel was appointed by the then Secretary of State in November 1983 to advise him on proposals for monitoring site investigations and remedial works in relation to old limestone mines in the black country which were to be funded by derelict land grant and, particularly, on the development of a practical programme of work and priorities within it.The chairman, Sir Edward Parkes, and the five individual members, Professor David Blockley, Professor John Burland, Mr. Owen Gregory, Mr. Donald Reeve and Mr. John Trustram Eve, have served continuously since the panel's establishment until Mr. Reeve's death last year.With the assumption by English Partnerships of responsibility for derelict land grant, which is now subsumed within the agency's land reclamation programme, the Secretary of State's need for external advice is less than it was in the past. With the publication of its reports and the advice given over the last 11 years, the advisory panel has effectively completed its remit. The panel will therefore cease operations at the end of this financial year.The Government recognise that, although much has been achieved in reducing the impact of old limestone mines in the black country, much remains to be done. The panel's contributions point the way forward to English Partnerships in carrying forward the programme of reclamation, which was identified as a priority in the guidance issued by the Secretary of State in April 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he intends to make to the 16th report from the Royal Commission on environmental pollution on freshwater quality.

The Government welcomed the commission's report as an independent and authoritative review of freshwater quality issues. It has made an important contribution to our understanding of the issues surrounding the control of water pollution; those remain essential as we seek to maintain progress in protecting the water environment. I am today publishing the Government's response.We have accepted many of the recommendations made by the commission; others accorded with action and initiatives which were already under way. In developing our policies for water quality in the period since the report was published, we have taken careful note of its recommendations.We share the concern expressed by the commission about the need to protect our best-quality rivers and to tackle those stretches of river which are currently of the worst quality. In implementing this approach, we have to take a wide view of priorities for improvement both in the water environment and the environment more generally and to make assessments of the associated costs and benefits so that the maximum benefit is obtained from the resources that are available for environmental improvement. The results are encouraging. In respect of England and Wales, the National Rivers Authority, the body that we have established to be the guardian of the water environment, estimates that there has been a net improvement in the quality of more than 15 per cent. of our rivers between 1990 and 1993. In Scotland, between 1985 and 1990, the proportion of class 1 rivers rose from 95 per cent. to 97 per cent. and in Northern Ireland 89 per cent. of river length is classified as of good or fair quality.Provision was made in the price limits determination announced last year by the Director General of Water Services for a major investment programme for maintaining and improving freshwater quality, including £522 million of expenditure in the period 1995 to 2000 specifically intended to secure discretionary improvements over and above statutory obligations. In Scotland, the water and sewerage programme currently amounts to some £240 million per annum, about 60 per cent. of which is directed towards sewerage investment programmes and the Government will be considering longer-term needs in the context of the establishment of the new water and sewerage authorities in 1996. In Northern Ireland, the Government are undertaking a major capital works programme of some £80 million over the period 1994–96 aimed at improvements to sewage treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of his review of the prior options for the future of his Departments's Buying Agency.

The Buying Agency acts as a purchasing agent for Government Departments and other public bodies. It has an impressive record of securing favourable terms to the advantage of the Exchequer. Its costs are fully covered by commissions paid by its departmental clients.I have conducted a review of its future in order to determine, after its initial period of operation, whether these functions continue to be necessary, whether Government need to be responsible for them and whether they might be better carried out by the private sector. This review, in which I was advised by consultants KPMG Corporate Finance, made an exhaustive study of the costs and benefits of this range of options.The review confirmed that the work carried out by the Buying Agency secures significant savings in the costs of public sector procurement. It is important that savings continue, and that they should accrue to the Exchequer. I have decided therefore that to achieve the best value for money the Buying Agency should continue as a next steps agency for a further five years. The agency's chief executive has already implemented a number of efficiency gains identified by the consultants, and I have asked him to continue to examine the scope for further improvements in performance.I have also concluded that, subject to parliamentary approval, the Buying Agency should adsorb as soon as practical my Departments's fuel branch, which negotiates contracts for the public purchase of fuels on behalf of a wide range of public sector bodies, and has a successful record of securing advantageous terms for them. These functions are complementary to those of the Buying Agency, and I believe the two bodies will operate more effectively together. My Department is consulting with its trade unions on the staffing consequences of this proposed merger.These conclusions and consequent adjustments to the financial controls of the agency will he reflected in the framework document which is to be reviewed and updated for the period ahead.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each of the past five years, and in total all advisers employed directly by Ministers in his Department and all staff employed in each private office giving the official post held by each person and the salary or fees paid to each member of staff or adviser.

The following information covers staff in private offices of my Department on 1 April of each year:

	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Civil Servants	59	70	66	72	69
Special Advisers	4	4	6	3	4

The four special advisers are my expert adviser on the environment, Tom Burke; my expert adviser on architecture, Liam O'Connor; my political adviser, Keith Adams; and the Ministers of State's political adviser, James Gray.The salaries for permanent civil servants employed in the private offices in the financial year 1993–94 total £1,517,302 and in this financial year, to end December, £1,059,416.The salaries for special advisers employed in the private offices in the financial year 1993–94 total £132,394 and in this financial year, to end December, £114, 373.Information about previous financial years or on a calendar year basis is not readily available and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits and running costs limits in 1994–95.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1995, c. 770]: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised supplementary estimate, the following change will be made:

• (a) the cash limit for class V, vote 1—Department of Employment: programmes and central services—will now be increased by £28,549,000 from £2,302,056,000 to £2,330,605,000. The increase in the cash limit arises from additional Employment Department group restructuring costs.

The increase will be offset by savings, transfers or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many full and part-time jobs have been created between 1988 and 1994;(2) how many full-time jobs have been lost to the united Kingdom economy since 1988;

Information is available only for the net change in jobs. Also, estimates of full and part-time jobs in 1988 are available only for Great Britain. In September 1988 the work force in employment in Great Britain stood at 25,760,000 compared to 24,755,000 in September 1994—a net decrease of 1,005,000, or 3.9 per cent. Full-time jobs fell by 1,776,000, or 9.1 per cent., over this period, while part-time jobs rose by 771,000, or 12.6 per cent.A more meaningful comparison can be made by comparing similar points in the economic cycle. Between 1979 and 1990—peak to peak of the cycle—the work force in employment grew by 1.5 million. Over this period, the United Kingdom was also the only major EU country which increased the proportion of its population of working age in employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been placed in work by jobcentres in the northern region in each year since 1979.

The information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which sectors the modern apprenticeship scheme will cover in 1995–96; and what funding he will make available for the scheme.

Modern apprenticeships will continue to be offered in the sectors covered by the current prototype arrangements. These are:

• Agriculture
• Business Administration
• Chemicals Industry
• Child Care
• Construction
• Electrical Installation Engineering
• Engineering Manufacture
• Engineering Construction
• Information Technology
• Marine Engineering
• Merchant Navy
• Plumbing
• Polymers
• Retailing
• Steel Industry
• Travel Services
• Wool Textiles

In addition, it is envisaged that modern apprenticeships will also be offered in the following sectors from September 1995:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is taking to encourage the employment of people with disabilities in the horticultural industry.

The Department has a wide range of initiatives and services which help enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including those wishing to work in the horticultural industry. We will continue our programme of educating and persuading employers to adopt good employment practices for disabled people. We will also continue to provide effective practical help to both employers and disabled individuals.The Government have also introduced a Disability Discrimination Bill which will make it unlawful for an employer to treat a disabled person less favourably because of his or her disability, without justifiable reason.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the arrangements are for paying employers investment in people programme, contractors to South Thames TEC, since the appointment of the receiver; and if he will make a statement.

Since his appointment on 21 December 1994. the receiver has been operating South Thames training and enterprise council in accordance with the company's operating agreement with the Employment Department. The receiver is making payments to providers in respect of employers investment in people activity undertaken since his appointment. He is making related claims upon the Department and the Department is meeting legitimate claims. As is normally the case when a company is in receivership, the receiver has not met claims arising from activities undertaken before his appointment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much in (a) cash and (b) percentage terms he expects to distribute of the skills for small business budget in 1995–96 in Wales.

I have been asked to reply.I am providing £1 million to fund the small firms training initiative in Wales during 1995–96. This represents 11 per cent. of the £9 million level of funding set aside for the equivalent programme in England known as skills for small business.

To ask the Attorney-General how many representations his office has received in each year since 1990, alleging unfair outcomes of prosecutions in England and Wales.

The detailed information requested by the hon. Member could be obtained only by scrutiny of all correspondence and other representations received in my office since 1990 and would involve disproportionate expense.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has sought for his Department from the director general of the BBC on how to manage redundancy.

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of new long-dated government borrowing is from the accumulated funds of (a) insurance linked saving, (b) a personal equity plans and (c) tax-exempt special savings accounts.

Information is available only for the net investment in long-dated government stock by insurance companies, unit and investment trusts up to September 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the United Kingdom named Iraq as being in breach of the 1925 chemical weapons obligation; when his Department first became aware that Iraq had breached its 1925 obligations; what action ensued in respect of Iraq as a result of it being so named; and what assessment his Department made as to the adequacy of these actions.

In a written answer to the House on 20 March 1986, Official Report, column 260, the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) condemned Iraq's

"clear breach of the Geneva protocol".

He referred to a report by a team of specialists which had been released on 14 March 1986 by the UN Secretary-General which confirmed the use of chemical weapons by Iraqi forces in the conflict between Iran and Iraq.The Security Council subsequently considered the report, and on 21 March 1986 the president of the council

made a statement on behalf of all the members of the council, including the United Kingdom. The statement considered the

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will bring forward proposals to add to the third paragraph of article 189 of the EC treaty a provision that directives shall have no legal consequences except in so far as they are implemented in national legislation;(2) if he will propose for the intergovernmental commission a review of the European Court of Justice with an intention to limit a priori application of directives and to overcome the expression "independently of the legislation of member states" in the judgment Van Gend en Loos—ECJ 1963.

We are considering ways of addressing concerns we have about some ECJ judgments, particularly where they have had unforeseen or disproportionate cost implications. But it is important that any changes to the treaty articles relating to the European Court of Justice should maintain or strengthen the rule of law in the Community, which is in the interests of all member states, including the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he intends to put forward at the world summit on social development to prevent the dumping of subsidised European Union agricultural products in developing countries.

The world summit on social development will deal with issues relevant to all UN members and not focus on specific EU policies. We believe it is important to reduce EU surpluses which damage the agricultural economies and industries of developing countries. The reforms of the common agricultural policy, begun in 1992, have already gone a long way towards reducing surplus agricultural production which led to the subsidising of exports to world markets. The United Kingdom continues to press for further reforms, including continuing reductions in support prices, leading to a more market-oriented CAP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held with representatives of the Chechen people since last November; what contact they have been able to have with Her Majesty's ambassador in Moscow; and if he will make a statement.

In January, a meeting was organised under the auspices of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation between an official at our embassy in The Hague and a citizen of the Chechen republic. There have been no meetings in London or Moscow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy his Department has in respect of self-determination for Chechnya.

We continue to press the Russian Government to pursue a peaceful settlement which allows the Chechen people to express their identity within the framework of the constitution of the Russian Federation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of China concerning the use of child labour; and if he will make a statement.

We regularly raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally and with our European partners. China is a signatory to the UN convention on the rights of the child. We have seen reports both of exploitation of child labour and of action taken by the authorities to tackle the problem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mrs. Ghazalah Yaqoob—Ref: C5009—applied to the United Kingdom post in Islamabad to join her husband in the United Kingdom; when she was interviewed; when a decision is to he taken on her application; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked the entry clearance officer in Islamabad to let me have a report on the application from Mrs. Ghazalah Yaqoob. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the letter, dated 9 February, from the migration and visa correspondence unit of his Department to the hon. Member for Bradford, West, how many of the 31 entry applications with solicitors Aurangzeb Iqbal and Co. of Bradford asked the entry clearance manager at Islamabad to review have to date been reviewed; how many decisions have been maintained; how many decisions have been varied; if the solicitors have been informed of all decisions after review; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked the entry clearance officer in Islamabad to let me have a report. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he is putting forward at the world summit on social development to request the World Trade Organisation to pursue objectives that help the poor in poor countries

One of the core issues which the summit will discuss is the alleviation of poverty; the UK has contributed a number of proposals for action in this area. Although we do not think it is for the summit to advise the World Trade Organisation on its work programme, we believe developing countries and their populations should benefit substantially from the effects of implementation of the Uruguay round agreements, which is the World Trade Organisation's main task.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now announce the leadership and composition of his delegation to the world summit on social development.

A final decision on attendance at the summit will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the recent international conference concerning the use of child labour that was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh; and what response he made to the declaration.

There was not an international conference as such.Representatives of the International Labour Organisation, UNICEF and the US Government recently had discussions with the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association about child labour in Bangladesh. The member companies of BGMEA have undertaken to try to end child labour in their factories.We applaud this, but understand that the immediate effect has been to increase hardship as many thousands of children have been laid off with no provision for their welfare. Many of the children, instead of working in garment factories, are now working elsewhere.This reinforces our view that the best approach to the problem of child labour is to try to tackle the poverty which is often its cause. Our aid programme seeks to address poverty, and includes funding for projects to help children in employment. We also encourage other Governments to help children, both through dialogue and by funding activities such as slum improvement schemes in south Asia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government plans to ratify the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention, in particular protocol II in relation to the use of land mines.

The United Kingdom permanent representative to the UN in New York deposited the United Kingdom's instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General on 13 February. We will be bound by all three protocols to the convention which cover the use of non-detectable fragments, land mines and booby-traps, and incendiary weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support has been given to the far eastern prisoners of war and civilian internees who are seeking compensation from the Japanese Government.

The Government have the deepest respect for all those who suffered as prisoners of the Japanese during world war two, and the greatest sympathy for their families.The question of compensation was legally settled, in the Government's view, by the San Francisco peace treaty of 1951, and we are precluded from raising it formally with the Japanese Government.British Ministers have drawn the attention of their Japanese counterparts to the strong feelings which the treatment of the prisoners continues to arouse in this country. When the Prime Minister visited Japan in September 1993, he discussed the matter with the then Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Hosokawa, and Mr. Hosokawa expressed his

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will reply to the British Retail Consortium's letter regarding its concern that the provisions of the Jobseekers Bill may discriminate against unemployed people who take up part-time vocational training.

I wrote to the director general of the British Retail Consortium on Wednesday 15 February, explaining that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment would be responding on behalf of both this and his own Department shortly. I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment sent a full reply on 19 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, (1) what is his estimate of the projected annual cost of the child care allowance for 1995–96 at current levels of take-up;(2) what are the latest figures for take-up of the child care allowance; and what percentage of those eligible for child care allowance he estimates this constitutes.

It is not possible to be precise about percentage take-up levels or costs so early in the life of the new child care allowance. It will take some time for the new help to take full effect. Existing family credit recipients can claim the child care help only when their 26-week award which was current at the end of September 1994 expires, while many potential beneficiaries need to find work of 16 hours or more and to make appropriate child care arrangements.By 31 January 1995, the latest date for which figures are available, 10,500 families had been awarded higher family credit as a result of the new help with child care charges. This figure will increase as claims made but not decided by that date are awarded. No information is yet available about the number of housing benefit and council tax benefit recipients. In the long term, we expect that, in total, around 150,000 families will benefit from the new help at an annual benefit cost of around £60 million.Source: Five per cent. sample of family credit awards made between 1 October 1994 and 31 January 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 November, to the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes), Official Report, column 747, how many of those refused benefits under the habitual residence test have received crisis loans.

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, (1) if he will list by county in Wales (a) how many applications have been made to the social fund for a payment for rent in advance and (b) how many of these applications were successful for each year since the social fund came into operation;(2) how many

The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration his Department has given to evidence from the Scottish cancer research scheme on the number of women suffering from mesothelioma who are not recognised by his Department as doing so; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised on the list of occupational diseases by the independent Industrial Injuries Advisory Council which keeps developments in the field of all occupational diseases under review. I understand the council is aware of this research into asbestos-related diseases which it intends to review, together with other available new evidence, as part of its work programme for the next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) the numbers of housing benefit claimants, split into rent rebate and rent allowance categories and the total amounts paid under each heading, (b) the numbers and amounts of housing benefit hack-dated payments, regulation 72(15) and the amount paid as a percentage of each local authority's housing benefit expenditure, (c) the number, amount and percentage of amount in relation to total housing benefit expenditure in relation to discretionary payments, regulation 69(8) and (d) the number and amount of housing benefit overpayments and the amount as a percentage of the authority's overall housing benefit expenditure for each district and metropolitan borough council in England and Wales for each available year since 1991–92.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people annually gain national insurance credits; and what estimate he has made of the cost of these credits if taxpayers contributed the sums which such individuals would have paid into the national insurance scheme from their own employer's contributions if they were on (a) two thirds and (b) average earnings.

[pursuant to his answer, 13 February 1995, c. 541–52]: I regret that the information provided was incorrect. The correct information is set out.In 1992–93, the most recent year for which information is available, some 10.5 million people were awarded an average of 37 national insurance contribution credits. If these individuals were receiving earnings and paid employee's national insurance contributions at current rates, those on two thirds of average earnings would have paid £734.08 and those on average earnings would have paid £1,185.48 in contributions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what have been the 10 largest amounts of benefit recovered by the compensation recovery unit in this financial year; and what disease, sickness or disability the person paying benefit suffered from in each case;(2) how many people have had to pay back benefits to the compensation recovery unit in this financial year, and what is the distribution by the size of the amounts recovered.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Spanish flagships are not part of the British register.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of channel tunnel freight trains in London; and if he will make a statement.

The railway operators and the local authorities concerned have taken the lead in determining the environmental effects and dealing with them. My officials and I have followed this process closely and have visited some of the lines involved with local authority representatives and hon. Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representatives he has received regarding the environmental impact of channel tunnel freight trains in London; and from whom.

Since January 1994 I have received 113 representations from hon. Members and members of the public, and a petition from residents of west London. We have also maintained close contact with local authorities and railway operators on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take, to reduce the environmental impact of channel tunnel freight trains in London.

It falls to the railway operators to take measures to mitigate environmental effects. The measures include installing continuously welded rail to reduce the noise of wheels on the track; ordering a fleet of new wagons, which are quieter than existing stock; and working with local authorities to provide jointly funded noise barrier schemes for locations which remain noisy. Axle loadings of international freight trains are lower than for domestic, in accordance with internationally agreed standards.The Government have assisted these schemes by providing supplementary credit approvals to the authorities. Noise will he further reduced by the introduction later this year of new electric locomotives, which will replace the diesels currently in use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the volume of channel tunnel freight trains currently running through central London; and what volume of trains are projected for each of the next 10 years.

There are currently 11 trains a day in each direction. BR expects a gradual increase in frequencies to 27 a day each way by the end of 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish his response to the appeal by Colonel Owen and the effect of the judgment on those affected by planning blight created by developments proposed by Government Departments.

My Department will publish new guidelines for the discretionary purchase of property by the Highways Agency. These guidelines will take full account of the requirements of the judgment. The effect of the judgment on discretionary purchase of property by other highway authorities or by other departments will be for them and their legal advisers to consider.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the improvements now being made to Westminster tube station will provide full access for disabled people.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received of the accident on the Barking-Gospel Oak railway line on 18 February; and what information he has of plans for changing the signalling of the line.

The circumstances of the collision at Wanstead Park between the 12.30 Barking to Gospel Oak passenger train and a Freightliner train standing at a signal are being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate, and by Railtrack and British Rail. It is too early to say what caused the accident and what, if any, remedial action is necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what train stations currently provide through ticketing facilities for services that do not require prior booking within (a) Hampshire and (b) South West Trains.

I understand from BR that the following stations are equipped with through ticketing automatic passenger ticket issuing system machines. Those marked with an asterisk also have access to the computerised seat reservation system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new action he is taking to encourage increased renewal of the United Kingdom's rail rolling stock.

It is for British Rail, including the rolling leasing companies, and other train owners to evaluate the needs for renewal. BR recently invited expressions of interest in the provision of new trains for Kent and discussions are continuing. The recently approved order for Northern line trains demonstrates the Government's commitment to worthwhile renewal programmes through the private finance initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list, by region, the number of driving test centres in Scotland;(2) if he will list, by region, the number of driving test centres that have closed in the past 15 years in Scotland.

These are operational matters for theDriving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assistance she will give the governors of Feversham college in Bradford to submit a fresh application for voluntary-aided status; and what financial assistance is available to the college to make such an application.

My right hon. Friend has assured the governors that officials will be available to advise them as they prepare a further application for voluntary-aided status. The Department does not make funding available to help promoters draw up proposals for voluntary-aided status.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what grounds she rejected an application for voluntary-aided status by Feversham college in Bradford; when the application was submitted; how many meetings have since taken place between her officials and governors and others to discuss the application; on what dates her officials visited the college; and if she will make a statement.

I set out the reasons for the decision in my letter of 16 February to the hon. Member. The school accommodation does not meet the standards required of schools joining the maintained sector. My right hon. Friend was also not persuaded that the school was in a position to deliver the full national curriculum. We have made it clear, however, that we are ready to consider a fresh application from the promoters.The promoters published their proposals on 26 March last year and submitted them to the Department on 10 May. Officials have since held one meeting with the governors and others, and visited the school on 23 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her Department's estimate of the total number of full-time equivalent teaching posts that are under threat from a reduction in section 11 funding; and how many, and from which authority, have been given redundancy notices.

Section 11 funding is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. The number of teaching posts to he provided in 1995–96 will depend on detailed decisions by individual local authorities in the light of the outcome of their bids for single regeneration budget and section 11 support. The Department does not collect information about the particular arrangements made by individual authorities for the management of any changes in the number of these posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department which will (a) follow the pay arrangements of the sponsoring Department and (b) pursue an independent and separate route under the delegated pay option (i) from April 1995 and (ii) from April 1996.

No DFE-sponsored NDPBs will introduce new arrangements from April 1995. All such bodies that currently follow civil service pay arrangements are considering their preferred option from April 1996. None has yet put forward proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what information is held by her Department on charges levied by private nursery schools; and if she will list the available data by geographical area;to ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of the total level of expenditure on private day care for children under the age of five years in the United Kingdom; and what this amount constitutes per head for children under the age of five years who are in the care of private day carers;(2) what information she has as to the average cost of a child minder to the parent, by local education authority area.

Local authority social services departments, which register day care facilities for children aged under eight, have no responsibility under the Children Act 1989 to collect information on payments or charges for private care.The precise information requested on national costs is not collected centrally, but relevant information for England of costs in 1990 of the different types of private day care was published in 1994 in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys report "Day care services for children", a copy of which is in the Library—tables 6.4, 7.5, 8.10, 10.10, 11.10 and table 16.2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff have been employed in the Industrial Development Board in each of the last three financial years; and what plans there are to reduce the number.