To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Health and Safety Commission's report on gas safety will be published.

I have today published, jointly with the Health and Safety Commission, its report on safety in the new gas market.I welcome the report's recommendations for a comprehensive gas safety management regime. The proposals provide a firm framework which will allow the proposed safety regime to respond proportionately and flexibly to the unfolding impact of liberalisation.The report examines the safety implications of liberalising the domestic gas supply market, and of a more open framework for gas pipeline systems. It describes the means which will be required to maintain, and if possible improve upon, the safety record of British Gas as the extent of unitary control of the pipeline system reduces over time.Each system transporting gas to the public will be required to appoint a system manager, who will set out in a written safety case how management of the system will be achieved. Some of these safety cases are likely to be quite simple and straightforward. They will all, however, have to address key safety criteria approved by the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE will need to accept the safety case before operations can begin, although transitional arrangements will be put in place to avoid disruption as these new arrangements are introduced.When a number of public gas transporter systems come together, a network manager will he appointed to be responsible for producing an over-arching safety case for the network as a whole, which will also have to be accepted by the HSE. It will set down the specified emergency conditions in which the network manager will have statutory powers to override the operation of the whole network, and how this should be done. These powers will be backed up by licence obligations on shippers and suppliers to co-operate in an emergency.The report also covers other important issues, such as emergency response and safety downstream of the meter. Although adequate interim provision for safety is made in the Gas Bill, the HSC has set 1 April 1996 as a target date for agreeing new regulations and the associated documentation, to coincide with the opening up to competition of an initial area covering some 500,000 consumers.Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce legislation which would place a duty on the regulators of (a) the gas industry and (b) the electricity industry to have regard to the environmental impacts of the companies they regulate.

Section 3 of the Electricity Act 1989 places on the Director General of Electricity Supply a duty to take into account, in exercising his functions assigned or transferred to him under the Act, the effect on the physical environment of activities connected with the generation, transmission or supply of electricity. It is proposed to include a broadly equivalent provision in the forthcoming Gas Bill.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to promote west Cumbria as a destination for inward investment.

The Invest in Britain Bureau is responsible for promoting the UK as a destination for foreign investment. It has achieved some notable successes over recent years. At regional level the Invest in Britain Bureau part-funds a network of regional development organisations to promote overseas investment. Cumbria is served by INWARD, which received a grant of £1.29 million for 1994–95 to promote inward investment into the whole of the north-west region. The county also benefits from the activities of the Northern Development Company in this respect. At a more local level, my Department has contributed to the Cumbria marketing initiative and has worked closely with west Cumbria agencies to improve the attractiveness of the area for inward investment. West Cumbria benefits from the availability of regional selective assistance and a major investment programme by English Partnerships.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many households in the United Kingdom use gas from cylinders for (a) cooking and (b) heating; and if he will make a statement on the scale and impact of recent increases in the price of such gas supply.

It is estimated that about 300,000 households use gas from cylinders for cooking and/or heating in Great Britain and 150,000 households in Northern Ireland. There are no statistics available breaking down the use of cylinder gas between cooking and heating.I understand a temporary gas price surcharge was introduced around the beginning of February, reflecting an exceptional supply/demand imbalance in the international market for propane. The surcharge appears to be around 10 to 20 per cent. The suppliers have indicated that they expect to remove the surcharge in March.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what items of correspondence were received by Ministers in his Department from Messrs Ian Greer Associates in the last month.

[holding answer 28 February 1995]: As far as I am aware Ministers in my Department have received a total of six items of correspondence. They include one invitation for a reception and one invitation for drinks—both refused—one letter of congratulations to my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Industry and Energy for winding up the debate on regional electricity companies in the House of Commons on 20 February, and three letters of congratulations to my hon. Friend the new parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Energy.

To ask the Prime Minister, what proposals he has to make St. David's day a bank holiday in Wales.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the need for a tourist accommodation grading system in the United Kingdom.

I have today published an agenda for action in the tourist sector which sets out the Government's assessment of the need for improved market signals in the accommodation sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to promote jobs in the tourism industry.

I have over the past few months been conducting a review of the performance of the tourism industry and of our policies towards it. The analysis is complete and I have today published my agenda for Government action to help the industry improve its competitive performance. Details of my proposals are contained in a document entitle "Tourism: Competing with the Best", which I placed in the House of Commons Library earlier today, together with the analysis by McKinsey which underlies the agenda.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proportion of those accepted for fast-stream entry for which his Department is responsible (a) in 1991, (b) 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994 were women.

The figures for the proportion of women accepted for fast-stream entry by my Department are as follows:

Year	Total number of faststreamers	Proportion that were women (per cent.)
1992	0	0
1993	1	100
1994	2	50

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will ensure the enforcement provisions contained in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 apply to all regulations for which his Department is responsible, past, present and future, and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 27 February 1995]: I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 27 February 1995, Official Report, columns 431–32.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list (a) the percentage of civil cases considered by the Court of Appeal that were successful and (b) the percentage of civil cases in which (i) the successful party was British and (ii) the unsuccessful party was foreign for each of the last five years.

The percentage of civil appeal cases disposed of by the Court of Appeal that were successful in each legal year from 1989–90 to 1993–94 inclusive was 25.5, 26.1, 27.9, 27.8 and 28.7 respectively.Information relating to the nationality of parties is not recorded.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the arithmetic mean of the ages of the current judges that hear civil appeal cases in the Court of Appeal.

The arithmetic mean of the ages of the Master of the Rolls, the president of the family division, the vice-chancellor and the lords justices of appeal is 63. This figure is based on the judges in post on 27 February 1995, and their ages on that date. Lords justices are, of course, available to sit in both the civil and criminal divisions of the Court of Appeal. They are occasionally assisted by serving High Court judges and retired lords justices of appeal.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to collate information on the number of civil appeals unsuccessful in the Court of Appeal for which applications for leave of appeal to the House of Lords were refused.

I have no plans to do so. As the hon. Member will know, information on the outcome of petitions to the House of Lords for leave to appeal to that House is available.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what system he employs to check on the performance of judges who hear cases in the Court of Appeal.

The Lord Chancellor attaches the highest importance to the constitutional principle of judicial independence. He has established no procedures for monitoring the performance of the full-time judiciary. Recourse from a judicial decision in the Court of Appeal properly lies through the normal appeal process to the House of Lords.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department pursuant to his answer of 17 February, Official Report, column 845, if the legal aid fund expects to pay the costs of Mr. Bryce Taylor.

I understand that the parties in this case have settled out of court and that the terms of the settlement are such that there will be no call on the legal aid fund.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to (a) the United Nations and (b) the World bank for funds to assist construction projects with the Palestine National Authority.

We are in close touch with both the United Nations and the World bank and discuss their programmes and priorities in detail with them. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency has planned a number of labour intensive projects and the World bank is funding an emergency rehabilitation programme with the Palestinian authority: both programmes include construction projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total amount of United Kingdom funds so far (a) pledged and (b) remitted for the purpose of assisting the Palestine National Authority; and to what purpose the funds are directed.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced last year our intention to provide £75 million during 1994–95 to 1996–97 to the Palestinians and in support of the peace process. This includes direct bilateral assistance and aid channelled through multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the European Community.In 1993–94 we spent £3.3 million from our bilateral country programme, and we expect to spend around £6.4 million in 1994–95. This includes a £3 million contribution for police salaries. Most of the remainder will support a range of projects, in partnership with the Palestinian authority and non-government organisations, in public administration, finance and private enterprise, water and health.Since the signature of the Israeli-Palestinian declaration of principles in September 1993, the European Commission estimates that it has spent 73 million ecu. Over the same period we have provided £9 million direct to UNRWA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which specific projects the Overseas Development Administration is involved, or planning to become involved, in the Palestine National Authority.

A wide range of projects is being implemented or planned in the priority sectors agreed with the Palestinian authority. Information about a number of projects is given in an information folder called "British Aid to the Palestinians", copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.Announcements will he made about other significant projects as these are finalised with the Palestinian authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 December 1994, Official Report, columns 118–20, if he will give the exact date of formal appraisal documents submitted by the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of the aid and trade provision support for shortwave radio transmitters to Indonesia; and if he will place in the Library the relevant evaluation documents.

The Overseas Development Administration engaged the transmitter projects group of the British Broadcasting Corporation to appraise the shortwave radio transmitters project, Indonesia. The appraisal report is dated 25 October 1990.In line with established policy, the ODA does not publish its project appraisals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the aid given to Bangladesh in (a) 1993 and (b) 1994 has been spent on assisting the training of Bangladeshi troops.

No development funds have been used for the purpose of training Bangladeshi military officers. We do however provide assistance under the FCO-administered United Kingdom military training assistance scheme and the police and other training scheme—POLOT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to make the World bank more accountable to its funders.

We consider the arrangements which the bank has for accountability to the member Governments to be broadly satisfactory but, along with other shareholders, we continue to keep this matter under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other EC countries are making to the recovery of the humanitarian measures in Rwanda.

[holding answer 27 February 1995]: The EU and its member states have responded generously to humanitarian needs in Rwanda. The table, which is supplied by UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs, gives the breakdown of contributions up to 31 December 1994:

Donor	Value US$
Austria	427,097
Belgium	9,569,819
Denmark	12,022,532
Finland	3,147,876
France	4,969,849
Germany	54,032,033
Greece	169,193
Italy	13,698,477
Luxembourg	1,621.114
Netherlands	30,642,032
Spain	4,162,772
Sweden	36,340,848
United Kingdom	52,998,195
EC	1223,875,090
Total	447,676,927
1 Of which about 13 per cent, is provided by the UK.

The UK has already responded quickly to the 1995 UN consolidated inter-agency appeal for Rwanda with a pledge of £4 million.I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member of Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 6 February, column

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) civilians are currently serving in constabularies in (i) England and Wales and (ii) the west midlands; and how many were serving in 1979.

The information is set out in the table.

	Police officers		Civilian staff
As at 31 December	England and Wales	West Midlands police	England and Wales	West Midlands police
1979	113,580	6,160	35,382	1,413
1994	127,358	6,996	50,978	2,611

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his proposals for bringing competition to bear on police white collar support services.

It is the Government's intention that compulsory competitive tendering should be introduced to police white collar support services as part of a rolling programme. Detailed consultation proposals for police legal services were issued on 3 May 1994, and for police construction-related and property services, and the proposed statutory accounting framework on 6 June 1994. The Government have now considered the responses received from the police service, local authority associations and other interested bodies.With police legal services, the Government have decided that police authorities will be subject to the same CCT regime as other authorities defined under the Local Government Act 1988, except for a number of specific exemptions. The exemptions centre on the legal work associated with the criminal justice process, police complaints and discipline, unsatisfactory performance proceedings against police officers and licensing functions undertaken by police forces. The exemptions will protect operational policing and management functions special to the police service.Similarly, with the police construction-related and property services, the Government have decided that the same CCT regime will apply to both police and other defined authorities except for one specific exemption. The work of police architectural liaison officers will not be included within this defined activity, but will be specifically excluded because such a specialist crime prevention role should properly remain within the police service.The Government have also decided that police authorities will be subject to the same statutory accounting framework as other similar defined authorities, which will involve the annual publication of a statement of support service costs. The publication of SSSC's will enable informed discussion of support service costs, and promote efficiency and value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the future arrangements for the placement of young offenders, sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, in local authority accommodation and youth treatment centres.

From 1 April 1995 the responsibility for seeking and financing placements for young offenders, sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, in local authority accommodation and youth treatment centres will transfer from the Department of Health to the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban the use of wild-caught non-human primates in scientific procedures and introduce further administrative controls on the use of non-human primates in such procedures.

I have considered recommendations from the Animal Procedures Committee on the use of non-human primates in scientific procedures and have accepted its view that I should ban the use of wild-caught non-human primates except where a project licence applicant can establish exceptional and specific justification.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what will be the effect of the November 1994 budget statement on the North East London probation service;

The 1993 Budget statement resulted in a specific grant cash limit for 1994–95 for the North East London probation service of £7.2 million, 6.8 per cent. higher than for 1993–94. The 1994 Budget statement resulted in a specific grant cash limit for 1995–96 of £7.1 million, plus a further £200,000 to support probation service partnerships with the independent sector previously funded separately by the Home Office.It is for the North East London probation service to decide how these resources are best used and to determine what specific changes within the service should be undertaken on the basis of the total expenditure limit implied by this level of grant support.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed, and what grade, by the North East London probation service on 30 June 1992, 30 June 1993 and 30 June 1994.

Information is given in the table.

Staff employed by the North East London probation service, in post at 30 June, whole-time equivalent1 by grade and type
Number of staff, whole time equivalent
	30 June 1992	30 June 1993	30 June 1994
Probation Officers
Chief	1	1	1
Deputy Chief	—	—	—
Assistant Chief	3	4	4
Senior	21	21	22
Main grade	102	114	109
Total probation officers	127	140	137
Non-probation grade staff
Probation Services' Officers2	36	40	36
Clerical/secretarial	92	99	101
Administrative	11	13	12
Other non-probation grade staff, excluding hostel staff3	10	17	17
Hostel staff	12	17	13
Total non-probation grade staff	161	186	179
Total probation staff	287	326	316
1 Whole-time staff plus whole-time equivalent of part-time staff. Figures rounded to the nearest whole number. Components and totals are rounded independently and so components may not add precisely to totals.
2 Formerly ancillaries
3 Figures include sessional supervisors on community service schemes, staff employed in student training units and on miscellaneous functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is (a) the maximum and (b) the average penalty imposed on any person convicted for offences relating to the employment of children, and (c) how many served a term of imprisonment in the last year that figures were available.

Information for 1993—the latest available—is given in the table. 1994 data will not be available until autumn 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for how long the person who has been detained for the longest period of time, while seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, has been in Haslar prison;(2) if he will list

At 23 February 1995, a total of 83 people who had sought asylum were detained at the all-male Haslar holding centre. This figure includes people awaiting the setting of directions for removal following the refusal of their applications, as well as those whose applications were under consideration or subject to appeal. Information on the nationality and age of these detainees is given in the tables. The longest currently detained person at Haslar who had sought asylum has been detained since 23 March 1994.Haslar is a Prison Service establishment run almost exclusively to house people detained under immigration powers. The Prison Service does not separate out costs according to the category of inmate but, in 1993–94, the net operating cost per prisoner place in local prisons and remand centres was £21,400.

Numbers of persons detained at Her Majesty's Holding Centre, Haslar' who have sought asylum, by nationality, as at 23 February 1995
Nationality	Number detained
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria	1
Columbia	1
Poland	1
Russia	1
Turkey	3
Turkish Cyprus	1
Yugoslavia	1
Middle and Far East
Bangladesh	2
China	6
India	3

Numbers of persons detained at Her Majesty's Holding Centre, Haslar1 who have sought asylum, by nationality, as at 23 February 1995
Nationality	Number detained
Iran	1
Pakistan	1
Africa
Algeria	11
Benin	1
Eritrea	1
Ghana	18
Kenya	2
Liberia	2
Nigeria	21
Sierra Leone	2
Sudan	3
Zaire	1
Total	184
1 One Haslar detainee is currently in hospital.

Numbers of persons detained at HM Holding Centre, Haslar1 who have sought asylum, by age, as at 23 February 1995
Age	Number detained
19 or under	2
20–24	18
25–29	30
30–34	17
35–39	12
40–44	4
45 or over	1
Total	184
1 One Haslar detainee is currently in hospital.

To ask Secretary of state for the Home Department if he will publish a list of airlines which have been charged under the provisions of the Immigration (Carrier's Liability) Act 1987, stating the number of passengers involved, the amount of charges paid and the amount of charges unpaid for each of the past five years.

I am unable, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to provide details of the charges incurred by individual carriers, and the numbers of passengers involved. The total value of charges paid and outstanding for each of the last five years were as follows:

£ million
Year	Total charges paid in each year	Total charges outstanding at the end of each year
1990	3.433	115.653
19912	7.581	19.440
1992	4.789	25.775
1993	11.500	22.003
1994	8.652	324.527

To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department (1) what evidence he has of the involvement of people associated with Combat 18 in the recent football riot in Dublin;(2) what investigation he has called for into the organised involvement of political extremists in the recent football violence in Dublin.

I understand from the police that they have no evidence that this violence was organised by Combat 18 or any other group of political extremists, although some of the individuals involved may have sympathies with such groups. Any further investigation is a matter for the police.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the return to the Treasury of value added tax on works, maintenance and repair of buildings for which listed building consent is required, in each of the last five years.

Information on expenditure on repairs and maintenance of listed buildings is not readily available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will encourage clubs which supply sporting services, with particular reference to golf clubs, to take carefully into account the representations and interests of its past and present members when considering the application or distribution of any refunded VAT resulting from the VAT exemptions for supplies of certain sporting services for the period following 1 January 1990.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Butcher) on 27 February 1995, Official Report, column 409.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current forecast of the revenue the Exchequer will receive from national lottery tax in the financial years (a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96.

In the financial year 1994–95, it is estimated that the Exchequer will receive £104 million from lottery duty. Receipts for 1995–96 are difficult to forecast because the national lottery instant game is due to start shortly. However, lottery duty receipts are included in a forecast yield of £1.2 billion for 1995–96 from all betting, gaming and lottery duties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has so far been received in lottery tax from the operators of the national lottery; and on what dates these payments were made.

The operator of the national lottery has made three payments of lottery duty. On 15 December 1995, the operator paid £11,629,122.72; on 16 January, £32,755,258.32; and on 15 February, £29,978,975.04. The total revenue so far received is £74,363,356.08.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecast he made of national lottery turnover in the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96 when he set the rate of lottery tax at 12 per cent.

At the time the lottery duty rate was set at 12 per cent., the forecast for national lottery turnover was £1.5 billion for a full financial year. At that time it was not known when the national lottery would start to operate and no separate forecast was made for 1994–95.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what frequency operators of the national lottery are required to pay lottery tax.

The operator of the national lottery is required to pay lottery duty on the 15th of the month following the month in which the liability arises.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what benefit accrues to the Exchequer from the interest earned on sums due from the promoters of the national lottery in lottery tax but not paid until the due date.

There are no arrangements for the payment of interest to the Exchequer in relation to lottery duty.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates during the financial year 1994–95 the operators of the national lottery are required to pay lottery tax.

In the financial year 1994–95, the operator of the national lottery is required to make payments of lottery duty on 15 December, 13 January—15 January is a Sunday and payment should be made on the last working day before—15 February and 15 March.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what frequency football promoters are required to pay pool betting duty.

Pool betting duty is payable weekly on Thursday following the week, which ends on a Saturday, in which the liability for the duty arose. However, certain pools promoters have been granted an extension which allows them a further week before they are required to submit returns and payment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account the Government's monetary and exchange rate policies take of the role of the exchange rate as a market-clearing mechanism; and what assessment he has made of how the equilibrium rate is related to the current account of the balance of payments.

Movements in the exchange rate are considered as part of the general assessment of monetary conditions in setting monetary policy. The current account of the balance of payments is affected by a large number of factors, including world trade, growth in United Kingdom export markets, export profit margins, domestic demand and competitiveness. The current account is only one of many factors which can affect the exchange rate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1987, in 1994 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in.

[holding answer 9 February 1995]: The cost of employing consultants in the years since 1991–92 at 1994 prices is shown in the table. Expenditure in earlier years and details of the level of savings, which are not held centrally, could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Value of Consultancy work (in 1994 prices) (in £million—excluding VAT)
Year	£ million
1991–92	10.70
1992–93	2.27
1993–94	5.90
1994–95	1.00

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the statutory instruments which his Department has sponsored in the last 12 months.

[holding answer 27 February 1995]: The information relating to the Treasury, for the 12-month period February 1994 to January 1995, is as follows:

S.I. Number	Title
1994/188	The Traded Securities (Disclosure) Regulations 1994
1994/236	The Distraint by Collectors (Fees. Costs and Charges) Regulations 1994
1994/265	The Trustee Investments (Additional Powers) Order 1994
1994/343	The Savings Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 1994

S.I. Number	Title
1994/350	The Superannuation (Children's Pensions) (Earnings Limit) Order 1994
1994/468	The Acquisition of Land (Rate of Interest after Entry) Regulations 1994
1994/469	The Acquisition of Land (Rate of Interest after Entry) (Scotland) Regulations 1994
1994/656	The Building Societies (General Charge and Fees) Regulations 1994
1994/657	The Friendly Societies (General Charge and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
1994/658	The Industrial and Provident Societies (Credit Unions) (Amendment of Fees) Regulations 1994
1994/660	The Industrial and Provident Societies (Amendment of Fees) Regulations 1994
1994/687	The Value added Tax (Sport, Physical Education and Fund-raising Events) Order 1994
1994/744	The Telecommunications Act 1984 (Government Shareholding) Order 1994
1994/776	The Pensions Increase (Review) Order 1994
1994/777	The Income Tax (Replacement Cars) Regulation 1994
1994/778	The Income Tax (Car Benefits) (Replacement Accessories) Regulations 1994
1994/955	The Travellers' Allowances Order 1994
1994/1188	The Value Added Tax (Education) Order 1994
1994/1257(c.22)	The Finance Act 1994, Section 45, (Appointed Day) Order 1994
1994/1307	The Taxes (Interest Rate) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
1994/1410	The Free Zone (Southampton) Designation (Variation) Order 1994
1994/1479	The Income Tax (Definition of Unit Trust Scheme) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
1994/1517	The Financial Services Act 1986 (Miscellaneous Exemptions) Order 1994
1994/1518	The Private Medical Insurance (Disentitlement to Tax Relief and Approved Benefits) Regulations 1994
1994/1567	The Taxes (Interest Rate) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1994
1994/1698	The Insurance Premium Tax (Taxable Insurance Contracts) Order 1994
1994/1819	The Insurance Premium Tax (Prescribed Rates of Interest) Order 1994
1994/1820	The Air Passenger Duty (Prescribed Rates of Interest) Order 1994
1994/1821	The Air Passenger Duty (Connected Flights) Order 1994
1994/1908	The Trustee Investments (Additional Powers (No. 2) Order 1994
1994/2216	The Free Zone (Port of Tilbury) Designation (Variation) Order 1994
1994/2508(c.50)	The Finance Act 1989, Section 165(2), (Appointed Day) Order 1994
1994/2509	The Free Zone (Birmingham Airport) (Substitution of Responsible Authority) Order 1994
1994/2542	The Value Added Tax Act 1994 (Interest on Tax) (Prescribed Rate) Order 1994
1994/2543(c.51)	The Friendly Societies Act 1982 (Commencement No. 8) Order 1994
1994/2656	The Capital Gains Tax (Gilt-edged Securities) Order 1994
1994/2657	The Taxes (Interest Rate) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 1994
1994/2898	The Free Zone (Port of Sheerness) Designation Order 1994
1994/2904	The Alcoholic Liquor Duties (Beer-Based Beverages) Order 1994
1994/2905	The Value Added Tax (Increase of Registration Limits) Order 1994

S I. Number	Title
1994/2969	The Value Added Tax (Education) (No. 2) Order 1994
1994/3009	The Retirement Benefits Schemes (Indexation of Earnings Cap) Order 1994
1994/3008	The Capital Gains Tax (Annual Exempt Amount) Order 1994
1994–3010	The Income Tax (Cash Equivalents of Car Fuel Benefits) 1994
1994/3011	The Inheritance Tax (Indexation) Order 1994
1994/3012	The Income Tax (Indexation) Order 1994
1994/3013	The Value Added Tax (Buildings and Land) Order 1994
1994/3014	The Value Added Tax (Transport) Order 1994
1994/3041	The Excise Duty (Amendment of the Isle of Man Act 1979) Order 1994
1994/3206	The Ministerial and Other Salaries Order 1994
1994/3207	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Estonia) Order 1994
1994/3208	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Isle of Man) Order 1994
1994/3209	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Guernsey) Order 1994
1994/3210	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Jersey) Order 1994
1994/3211	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Kazakhstan) Order 1994
1994/3212	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Mexico) Order 1994
1994/3213	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Russian Federation) Order 1994
1994/3214	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Estates of Deceased Persons and Inheritances) (Switzerland) Order 1994
1994/3215	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Switzerland) Order 1994
1994/3216	The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Vietnam) Order 1994
1994/3218	The Value Added Tax (Means of Transport) Order 1994
1994/3224(c.79)	The Finance Act 1993, Section 165, (Appointed Day) Order 1994
1994/3225(c.80)	The Finance Act 1994, Chapter II of Part IV, (Appointed Day) Order 1994
1994/3226	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 1994
1994/3227	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Alternative Method of Calculation of Gain and Loss) Regulations 1994
1994/3228	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Deferral of Gains and Losses) Regulations 1994
1994/3229	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Excess Gains and Losses) Regulation 1994
1994/3230	The Local Currency Elections Regulations 1994
1994/3231	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Insurance Companies) Regulations 1994
1994/3232	The Exchange Gains and Losses (Debts of Varying Amounts) Regulations 1994
1994/3233	The Currency Contracts and Options (Amendment of Enactments) Order 1994
1994/3277	The National Savings Stock Register (Amendment) Regulation 1994
1994/3278	The Overseas Life Assurance Fund (Amendment) Order
1995/201	The Public Supply Contracts Regulations 1995
1995/171	The Friendly Societies (Taxation of Transfers of Business) Regulations 1995

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has concerning the number of occasions in each of the last five years upon which Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers investigated individuals returning from overseas in connection with the possible import of child pornography; and in how many of these cases prosecutions resulted.

[holding answer 28 February 1995]: The information requested is not available in that form. Centrally collated statistics for the period prior to 1993–94 do not disaggregate Customs investigations into offences concerning indecent or obscene paedophile material from those concerning illicit importations of other obscene material. Furthermore, the statistics for 1993–94 onwards refer to all investigations of importations of paedophile material, including postal importations.Between 1 April 1993 and the current date the following numbers of individuals have been investigated by officers of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in connection with suspected importation of indecent or obsence paedophile material, child pornography.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the funding available for (a) Barking and Havering health authority, (b) Redbridge and Waltham Forest health authority, (c) City and East London health authority and (d) Newham under the new capitation based funding formula and the previous funding formula.

Weighted capitation formulae are used to set capitation targets and so inform, but not determine, the amount of funding made available to health authorities.For 1995–96 the modified national weighted capitation formula has been used to set targets for regional health authorities. However it is for North Thames RHA to determine both its own sub-regional formula and how much funding is to be made available to its district health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir William Staveley, the chairman of North Thames regional health authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the pensions and severance payments made to Sir Duncan Nichol when he left the NHS executive.

Sir Duncan Nichol has been seconded to the national health service executive by Mersey regional health authority and on expiry of the secondment he was made redundant by the RHA. He received the benefits due to him under the NHS pension scheme after more than 30 years' service to the NHS—a superannuation lump sum and an annual pension—and statutory redundancy compensation. No other payments were made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the average tabular index of deprivation since used in the payment of general practitioners for each family health services authority in order of deprivation, and the average figure for all of them.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply Under-Secretary of State my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville), gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 20 July 1994, columns 355–57.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the gross administrative costs of NHS overseas enterprises in each year since 1990, together with any offsetting income.

This information is shown in the table:

£000
Year	National health services overseas enterprises Administrative costs	National health services overseas enterprises Total sales
1990–91	529	1,000
1991–92	367	1,176
1992–93	377	1,127
1993–94	371	1,600

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a list of the projects and their value together with the sponsoring NHS provider of projects (a) committed and (b) commenced under the auspices or as a result of the intervention of NHS overseas enterprises since 1990.

National health service overseas enterprises uses a database of some 800 professional staff from NHS trusts and health authorities to provide under contract both student training for overseas health care organisations and consultancy support for overseas health care projects.Since 1990, with help from 32 NHS hospitals and health authorities, it has trained some 240 students from five countries, predominantly in the technician grades, at a total contract value of about £1.7 million. In addition, it has completed or is involved in 41 other projects in 17 countries with a contract value of around £2.5 million, and involving some 40 NHS hospitals and health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS overseas enterprises insures, or indemnifies, losses from cost overruns, defaults, or payments not received for projects under the auspices of NHS overseas enterprises; and how often such overruns or defaults have occurred since 1990.

National health service overseas enterprises does not insure or indemnify against losses or bad debts. In the period form 1990–91 to 1993–94, its provision for bad debt, and the extent of write off, were as follows:

year	Bad debt provision £	Bad debts written off £
1990–91	Nil	Nil
1991–92	Nil	1,151
1992–93	Nil	Nil
1993–94	10,000	Nil

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often since 8 December 1994 Ministers have met to examine the impact of Government policies as a whole on the family; how often Ministers will be meeting for this purpose; and what assessment she has made of the outcomes to date.

Frequently. Such meetings contribute to overall policy making. they are not assessed in the way described.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS total computer costs are spent on (a) clinical information and (b) financial information required for the internal market.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent consultation she has had with colleagues regarding the effects of stress on general practitioners with particular reference to working long hours.

I meet frequently with colleagues to discuss the terms and conditions of service of general medical practitioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has for further HIV education development within the community.

Fundamental to the United Kingdom's success in limiting the spread of HIV infection is community based education projects. The Government will continue to support a great range of initiatives, developed by health and local authorities to meet the needs of their resident populations in places of education, work and recreation. Such projects are also supported by the community-based sexual health programme at the Health Education Authority. Some £49.6 million will be available next year through the national health service for HIV prevention of which about half will be used purely on public education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is available for the ACET—AIDS, care, education and training—training for life initiative.

A grant of £20,000 was awarded in 1994 to ACET as a contribution to the development and distribution of its training for life initiative which provides sex education training for schools. This was in addition to the Department of Health's direct funding of £150,000 towards the administrative costs of providing home care services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for offences relating to the employment of children for the last year that figures are available.

I understand that the number of people prosecuted and convicted under the relevant statutory provisions were as shown in the table.

England and Wales: 1993
Offence description/legislation	Prosecutions	Convictions
Offences against the Education Act 1944 Secs 58 to 60 including offences against byelaws as to the employment of children (except offences relating to Mines, Factories or Workshops)1	2	1
Offences in connection with employment of children and young persons. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 Sees 18 to 21 (Section 18 as amended by the Children Act 1972)	5	4
Offences in connection with the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 19202	1	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) inspections and (b) investigations were made into alleged offences relating to the employment of children in the last year that figures are available.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices per region took NHS patients in 1992: what was the number in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

The available information is shown in the table:

General Dental Services: number of dentists who had additions to their register for 31 December 1992 and 1994: England
	Number of dentists who had additions to their register by year
Regions	1992	1994
England	15,295	15,217
Northern	883	889
Yorkshire	1,158	1,142
Trent	1,283	1,308
East Anglia	619	622
North West Thames	1,511	1,508

General Dental Services: number of dentists who had additions to their register for 31 December 1992 and 1994: England
	Number of dentists who had additions to their register by year
Regions	1992	1994
North East Thames	1,314	1,315
South East Thames	1,392	1,374
South West Thames	1,298	1,300
Wessex	1,005	990
Oxford	861	842
South Western	1,248	1,237
West Midlands	1,427	1,443
Mersey	773	773
North Western	1,289	1,278

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been deregistered from their dentist since 1992 in each family health services authority area.

This information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what financial and general welfare protection is ensured by the Government for the partners of seriously ill people; and if she will make a statement.(2) what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the effects to the financial status, health, employment and general welfare of partners of the long-term seriously ill; and if she will make a statement.

This would depend on their circumstances. A wide range of support is available for those in need, ranging from the benefits system to community care and health respite support.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the work presented to his Department by BRMB International on the changes in public knowledge, attitudes and intended energy saving behaviour brought about by the Helping the Earth Begins at Home advertising campaign.

Yes. A copy of BRMB's report on the completed campaign will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State if he will place in the Library the findings presented to his Department by NOP on the Wasting Energy Costs the Earth advertising campaign.

The Wasting Energy Costs the Earth campaign, launched in October last year, is due to run until March 1996 and NOP will report on its completion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what legislation councillers on the Isle of Wight are liable for surcharging for refusing to license pop festivals.

Local authorities have discretionary powers to licence pop festivals under the provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Councillors who exercise their discretion by refusing to licence pop festivals would be liable to surcharge only if the authority's appointed auditor decided to take action under section 19 or section 20 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982. Under these provisions, the auditor may seek to recover, by surcharge of those responsible, any financial loss sustained by the authority as a result of illegal action or wilful misconduct by officers or members of the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he expects that the United Kingdom will meet its commitment under the current convention on climate change to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2000 on current policies; and if he will make a statement.

We remain fully committed to meeting the requirements of the climate change convention. We are reviewing progress under our current climate change programme and will make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue a public consultation document on detailed proposals for legislation to implement the Latham report.

Shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the Council of Mortgage Lenders to discuss (a) prospects for home ownership and (b) the impact of current Government policies.

My right hon. Friend the Ministers in this Department have regular meetings and contacts with the Council of Mortgage Lenders. No dates have yet been set for any future meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Audit Commission concerning the resources available to the district auditor of Westminster city council, with particular reference to the possible need for additional resources.

None. This is not a matter for the Government. It is for the appointed auditor to determine what resources he needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about appeals T/APP/C1435/A/90/161862/P3 and 161951/P3 against refusal of planning applications Nos. WD/87/3410/P and WD/89/1441/P made by Mr. F. M. Wood; if Mr. Wood had complied with the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, with special reference to sections 27 and 36; if these appeals were valid; and if the use of the words "perspective purchaser" on form PA1 invalidated or prejudiced the planning applications or subsequent appeals in any way.

Responsibility for these appeals has been delegated to the Planning Inspectorate executive agency under its chief executive, Mr. C. J. Shepley. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to which sectors of industry would incur financial costs if the duty to further nature conservation were extended to the pollution control functions of the Environment Agency; what is his estimate of those costs; and what costs are currently imposed by the duty to have regard to nature conservation.

The costs to regulated organisations of either a qualified duty on the Environment Agency to further conservation or an unqualified duty on it to have regard to conservation will depend upon the way in which the duty is discharged in practice. In either case they will depend upon judgments to be made by the agency as to what is reasonable in the particular circumstances. However whereas a duty to have regard to the desirability of conservation applies to all cases, a qualified furtherance duty would not apply to those cases falling within the terms of the qualifications. This may be uncertain and difficult to establish in relation to pollution control functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Environment Agency.

The Government issued on 17 January a draft outline showing the scope of the statutory guidance Ministers propose to issue on the agency's aims and objectives, including a proposed principal aim for the agency to help to promote sustainable development through high quality, integrated environmental protection, management and enhancement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the key principles of sustainable development.

I refer the hon. Member to "The UK's Strategy for Sustainable Development", Cm 2426, chapter 3.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on his proposals for local authority participation in companies and for amending the capital finance regulations; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have received some 180 representations on our proposed order under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, including requests to exercise our powers under that Act to exempt specific local authority companies from our proposals and about 40 representations on our proposed amendments to the capital finance regulations. Having regard to these representations, we have concluded that it would be right to allow certain exemptions and to make certain technical modifications, including making special transitional provisions, to our originally proposed order, and to make some amendments to the regulations.I have arranged for copies of a revised draft order and regulations, including those modifications, together with explanatory guides and a statement of our current intentions on exemptions, to be placed in the Library of the House. Department of the Environment and Welsh Office officials are continuing to discuss the detail of the draft order and regulations with the local authority associations, and we shall be considering further the applications received from individual authorities for exemptions. It is our intention to make the order and regulations by 1 April 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report, column 3, which agency was responsible for refusing the Queen Elizabeth 2 permission to sail from New York in December 1994 until further works had been undertaken on the vessel.

The requirements of both the Marine Safety Agency and the United States coast guard resulted in a delay to the departure of the Queen Elizabeth 2 from New York.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report, column 3, what discussions were held between the Marine Safety Agency and US authorities regarding the fitness of the Queen Elizabeth 2 to sail from New York in December 1994; what advice was received from the US authorities; and what action was taken as a result.

The Marine Safety Agency maintained a professional dialogue with the United States coast guard when they boarded the ship in New York. Both agencies advised the owners that further work was necessary before departure and action was taken to comply with these requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report, column 3, what was the precise nature of the work which the Marine Safety Agency required to be undertaken to the Queen Elizabeth 2 before the vessel was allowed to leave New York in December 1994.

As I explained in my previous answer on 20 February 1994, Official Report, column 3, the work which had been delayed due to heavy weather during the crossing had to be completed. This included materials being removed from the restricted access areas of the ship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report, column 3, what breaches of the safety of life at sea convention were identified on the QE2 (a) during the vessel's voyage to New York in December 1994 and (b) whilst in New York in December 1994.

The ship had work outstanding on sailing from Southampton, some of which was SOLAS related. For this reason, a certificate was issued for a reduced number of passengers, subject to special provisions and procedures being in place during the voyage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the outstanding debt on the Humber bridge; and what proposals he envisages to repay the debt.

The debt currently stands at £435 million. Primary legislation will be needed to write off or suspend debt which cannot be serviced from toll revenue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for privatising the Humber bridge.

There are no present proposals to privatise the Humber bridge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the daily number of vehicles which will use the Leicester western bypass when it is opened; what are the expected flow rates in each direction; and if he will make a statement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the level of investment by British Rail in each year since 1979 on (a) the rail network excluding the channel tunnel and (b) the channel tunnel.

British Rail has not invested in the channel tunnel. Investment in infrastructure and rolling stock to run international services through the tunnel is shown in the table, together with investment on the existing railway.

	Existing railway £ million cash	EPS and channel tunnel freight £ million cash	Total £ million cash
1979	367	—	367
1980	431	—	431
1981	409	—	409
1982	378	—	378
1983	439	—	439
1984–851	596	—	596
1985–86	550	—	550
1986–87	543	—	543
1987–88	693	—	693
1988–89	723	5	728
1989–90	865	27	892
1990–91	869	178	1,047
1991–92	969	350	1,319
1992–93	955	521	1,476
1993–94	650	515	1,165
1 Fifteen month year due to change from calendar year accounting to financial year accounting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he has made of the delays to motorists arising from (a) structural maintenance of roads and (b) bridge strengthening and replacement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to encourage wildlife habitats on roadside verges.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now intends to introduce regulations arising from the radioactive materials (Road Transport) Act 1991.

Regulations should be laid before the House in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what efficiency savings he has made in respect of the radioactive material transportation division.

A higher executive officer post has been given up, with estimated savings of £4,500 in the current financial year and £26,000 in 1995–96.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions during the last four years the joint aviation requirements—JAR-OPS 1—now being promulgated by the CAA as alternatives to or as an elaboration for, an air navigation order have been subject to the normal parliamentary process in the United Kingdom.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have left British Rail since January 1993 under redundancy or early retirement arrangements; and what has been the total cost of payments made to staff leaving the industry.

For the period from 1 January 1993 to 31 January 1995, 19,183 employees left British Rail under voluntary redundancy or special severance terms, at a cost of some £377 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the departmental preparation and supervision costs in trunk roads in England 1994 review, in respect of the proposed Birmingham northern relief road;(2) how much his Department has spent to date on the administration of the public inquiry into the proposed Birmingham northern relief road; and how much he expects to spend by the time the inquiry is completed;(3) how much his Department expects to spend on the compulsory purchase of land and property to make way for the proposed Birmingham northern relief road.

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