To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that vehicles hired for the transport of children to and from school have the appropriate licence or that local education authorities be empowered to issue a new form of licence specifically for school transport purposes.

All motor vehicles, including those used for school transport, are subject to the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 and to annual roadworthiness testing. Public service vehicles must also satisfy additional construction requirements and be licensed through the operator licensing system under which their operators are subject to sanction by traffic commissioners if standards are not maintained.We do not consider further controls to be necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those sites where he is currently monitoring vehicle pollution stating in each case (a) what monitoring he is undertaking and (b) whether PM₁₀ is counted.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate claims that legitimate operators using EU crews and acceptable working practices have been blocked from using the port of Folkestone; and if he will make a statement.

There is a disagreement between the harbour authority and a ship operator. I hope the parties will resolve the disagreement. I appear to have no locus to intervene.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to introduce compulsory fitment of seatbelts to minibuses and coaches used for the transport of children as foreshadowed in his announcement of 19 July 1994.

I am today issuing for consultation draft regulations on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the fatal accidents involving large lorries in 1993 were caused as a result of restricted vision on the near side.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he holds on the provision by other European Union countries of disabled drivers' parking permits similar to the orange badge; and if he will list all those that are recognised for parking purposes in this country in line with the decisions of 6 December 1977 European Conference of Ministers of Transport.

Formal reciprocal parking arrangements exist with the following European Union countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden, and also with Switzerland. All these countries operate national schemes similar to the orange badge scheme. There are no formal reciprocal arrangements with Greece, the Republic of Ireland or in Spain, though concessions may be available in the Republic of Ireland and in Spain. Details of known parking concessions throughout Europe are set out in the Department's leaflet "Reciprocal parking arrangements for disabled and blind people in Europe". I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration for this year and each of the past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total work force these employees constitute.

The Department's personnel information system records the following number of temporary employees this year and in the last five years:

	Department of Transport		Of which: Agencies
	Numbers	Percentage	Numbers	Percentage
1 March 1995	595.0	4.3	527.5	4.7
1 April 1994	452.0	3.2	389.0	3.4
1 April 1993	379.5	2.6	191.5	2.2
1 April 1992	457.0	3.0	229.0	2.4
1 April 1991	591.5	3.7	235.0	2.5
1 April 1990	716.0	4.6	280.5	4.1

In addition, my Department employs some staff on a "call off" basis, for example to support short-term fluctuations in work load. My Department does not hold a central record which distinguishes between contracts of 51 weeks and less than 51 weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for this year and each of the past five years how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible who have been employed on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration are re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date.

The Department's personnel information system records the following number of temporary employees for this year and the last five years who have been re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date:

	Department of Transport	Of which: Agencies
1990–91	35	13
1991–92	21	7
1992–93	23	13
1993–94	29	21
1994–95	33	31

In addition, my Department employs some staff on a "call off" basis, for example to support short term fluctuations in work load. My Department does not hold a central record which distinguishes between contracts of 51 weeks and less than 51 weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people he expects to employ in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which he is responsible on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration in the next three years, in each case specifying the number of employees who had previously been employed in a similar position on the same contract.

My Department employs staff on temporary contracts to meet its short-term needs and as such these needs arc difficult to forecast. However, the total number of staff in the Department will reduce over the next three years as a result of its efficiency plans and it is expected that the need for temporary staff will also reduce. Nor is it possible to forecast whether previous temporary contracts will be renewed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department.

I have today arranged for the information requested to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what positions in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are filled by employees who are employed on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration.

The Department's personnel system records in the following table the number of post by grade in the Department as a whole and executive agencies specifically which are filled by employees on temporary contracts of less than one year according to the Department's personnel information systems as at I March 1995. The length of the contracts lasting less than one year is not normally agreed in advance and separate records are not kept showing the length of the contracts.

Grade title	DOT	Of which: agencies
Grade 7	3.0	0
Senior Executive Officer	0.5	0.5
Senior Professional and Technology Officer	2.0	2.0
Nautical Surveyor 1	1.0	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the full terms of employment as specified to employees in his Department and all executive agencies for which he is responsible who are employed on a temporary contract of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration.

I have today arranged for the information requested to he placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated total cost of the railway facilities at the procurement executive headquarters at Abbey Wood.

					Petrol in pence per gallon	Percentage increases compared to the retail prices index
Fares in pence
Bus			LUL		Bus			LUL
	1 mile	3 miles	3 miles	6 miles		1 mile	3 miles	3 miles	6 miles
1965	2	3	5	10	26.5	—	—	—	—
1966	2	3	5	11	25.8	-3.7	-3.7	-3.7	6.0
1967	2	3	5	11	27.5	-2.4	-2.4	-2.4	-2.4
1968	2	3	5	11	27.9	-4.6	-4.6	-4.6	-4.6
1969	2.5	4	5	11	31.5	18.9	26.8	-4.9	-4.9
1970	2.5	5	7.5	12.5	32.5	-6.I	17.3	40.8	6.7
1971	4	5	5	15	33.7	46.5	-8.4	-38.9	9.9
1972	4	5	10	20	35.0	-7.0	-7.0	86.1	24.1
1973	4	5	15	20	35.0	-8.3	-8.3	37.5	-8.3
1974	4	5	15	20	42.0	-13.8	-13.8	-13.8	-13.8
1975	4	5	15	20	72.5	-19.5	-19.5	-19.5	-19.5
1976	6	8	20	35	76.5	28.7	37.3	14.4	50.2
1977	10	10	25	40	79.5	43.9	7.9	7.9	-1.4
1978	10	12	30	45	76.2	-7.7	10.8	10.8	3.9
1979	12	13	30	45	79.6	5.8	-4.5	-11.8	-11.8
1980	20	20	40	60	120.0	41.3	30.4	13.0	13.0
1981	25	25	50	80	132.1	11.7	11.7	11.7	19.2
1982	20	20	50	80	159.2	-26.3	-26.3	-7.9	-7.9
1983	30	40	60	100	166.8	43.4	91.2	14.7	19.5
1984	20	30	60	100	183.4	-36.5	-28.5	-4.7	-4.7
1985	25	30	60	90	188.8	17.8	-5.7	-5.7	-15.2
1986	30	30	60	90	189.2	15.6	-3.7	-3.7	-3.7
1987	30	35	70	100	174.7	-3.6	12.5	12.5	7.1
1988	30	40	80	110	167.2	-4.7	8.9	8.9	4.9
1989	30	40	90	120	168.8	-7.2	-7.2	4.4	1.2
1990	30	45	100	130	186.0	-8.7	2.8	1.5	-1.0
1991	40	50	110	140	205.2	26.0	5.0	3.9	1.7
1992	40	60	120	150	213.3	-3.6	15.7	5.2	3.3
1993	40	70	120	160	233.1	-1.5	14.9	-1.5	5.1
1994	40	70	130	170	252.3	-2.5	-2.5	5.6	3.6
1995	50	70	130	180	270.4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
n/a=Not yet available.

Fares information is for I March each year. Petrol prices arc the typical cost of a gallon of 4 star leaded petrol on 15 January each year.

The estimated cost of the new railway facilities at Abbey Wood is £1.056 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the levels of fares a typical resident of Hornsey and Wood Green would pay for short one-mile and three-mile single bus journeys—Dickinson Road to Finsbury Park and Muswell Hill to Archway—three and six-mile single London Underground fares—Finsbury Park to Euston and Wood Green to Oxford Circus today covering zones 1, 2 and 1, 2 and 1, 2, 3 and a five-mile BR fare—Wood Green-Alexandra Palace to Kings Cross; and if he will list the percentage increase for every change compared with the percentage change in the cost of living index from I March and I September for each year since 1965;(2) what was the average price including promotional discounting of a gallon of petrol, the price of a one-mile single bus fare in Central London and a three-mile single underground fare, today covering zones I and 2, applying on 1 March and I September for each year since 1968.

The information requested on bus and London Underground fares, provided by London Transport, and on petrol prices is shown in the table.The current BR single fare from Alexandra Palace to Kings Cross is £1.80. The return fare is £3.60. There is also a cheap day return fare of £2.00. The information requested on fares in previous years is not centrally held by the Department or British Rail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the increase or decrease in the average price including promotional discounting of a gallon of petrol, the cost of a one-mile single bus fare in Central London and a three-mile single underground fare, today covering zones 1 and 2, compared to the index of average wages on 1 March and 1 September for each year since 1965.

The information requested on bus and London Underground fares and petrol prices in relation to the index of average wages are shown in the table.

Percentage changes in fares and petrol prices compared to the index of average wages
	Bus	LUL	Petrol
1965	—	—	—
1966	-3.9	-3.9	-6.3
1967	-6.2	-6.2	-0.1
1968	-8.0	-8.0	-6.6
1969	15.8	-7.4	4.7
1970	-12.8	30.7	-10.2
1971	47.8	-38.4	-4.1
1972	-13.2	73.5	-10.0
1973	-7.5	38.8	-7.5
1974	-25.0	-25.0	-10.0
1975	-17.6	-17.6	42.2
1976	35.2	20.2	-4.9
1977	52.2	14.2	-5.1
1978	-10.5	7.4	-14.3
1979	-0.4	-17.0	-13.3
1980	40.6	12.5	27.2
1981	12.8	12.8	-0.7
1982	-26.5	-8.1	10.8
1983	40.2	12.1	-2.1
1984	-37.6	-6.4	2.9
1985	15.4	-7.7	-5.0

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the relative increase or decrease compared with the retail prices index of the average price including promotional discounting of a gallon of petrol compared with the cost of a one-mile single bus fare, in central London and a three-mile single London Underground fare today covering zones 1 and 2, on 1 March and 1 September for each year since 1965;(2) if he will list the relative increase or decrease in cash terms of the average price including promotional discounting of a gallon of petrol compared with the cost of a one-mile single bus fare in central London and a three-mile single London Underground fare, today covering zones 1 and 2, on 1 March and 1 September for each year since 1965.

The information requested is shown in the table.

Percentage changes in petrol prices compared to fares
	Cash terms Bus	LUL
1965	—	—
1965	–2.4	–2.4
1967	6.5	6.5
1968	1.5	1.5
1969	–9.6	13.0
1970	3.0	–31.3
1971	–35.1	55.7
1972	3.8	–48.1
1973	0.0	–33.3
1974	20.0	20.0
1975	72.6	72.6
1976	–29.7	–20.9
1977	–37.6	–16.9
1978	–4.2	–20.1
1979	–13.0	4.4
1980	–9.5	13.1
1981	–11.9	–11.9
1982	50.7	20.6
1983	–30.1	–12.7
1984	64.9	9.9
1985	–17.6	2.9
1986	–16.5	0.2
1987	–7.7	–20.9
1988	–4.2	–16.2
1989	1.0	–10.3
1990	10.2	–0.8
1991	–17.3	0.3
1992	4.0	–4.7
1993	9.2	9.2
1994	9.2	9.2
1995	8.3	–0.1

Fares information is for I March each year Petrol prices are the typical cost of a gallon of 4 star leaded petrol on 15 January each year.For each year and change in petrol relative to fares is the same whether real or cash values are used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will investigate the implications for safety of life at sea arising from the effects on crew fatigue of a rota of two months on and two months off on cross-channel ferries;(2) which classification societies are currently undertaking work on behalf of the Marine Safety Agency.

There are operational matters for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with representatives of the rail operators the frequency of train services on Welsh main lines; and if he will make a statement.

The frequency of train services is, at present, an operational matter for British Rail. The franchising director is currently consulting on the passenger service requirements to he included in the Great Western franchise. He will be consulting on passenger service requirements for other franchises providing services in Wales in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of his Department's expenditure on water and sewerage in (a) the current year and (b) each of the three previous years.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when inspections of the Cap Bon were carried out; who carried them out: what was the assessment: how many deficiencies were found; when he expects the boat to resume the carrying of livestock; and if he will make a statement.

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

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many green form legal advice and assistance payments were made to solicitors in each year since 1991, and if he will make a statement;(2) what were the total sums paid out in respect of green form legal advice and assistance claims by solicitors in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

The volume of bills paid and total paid out in respect of green form legal advice and assistance claims by solicitors between 1991–92 and 1993–94 was as follows:

Year	Number of bills paid	Total payments £000
1991–92	1.230,472	100,434
1992–93	1,434,661	124.533
1993–94	1,640.593	147,233

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals to the Legal Aid Board against the refusal to grant legal aid for civil cases there were in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

The number of appeals against refusal of legal aid certificates for civil cases for the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 was as follows:

To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the amounts borrowed (a) directly and (b) via group companies by the Church Commissioners and the total interest paid for each of the last 10 years.

This information is set out in the following table. Since 1990, considerable progress has been made in reducing borrowings.

Year	Appeals received	Appeals granted
1991–92	22,073	8,804
1992–93	28,053	14,118
1993–94	42,089	21,991

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the estimated cost to the legal aid fund of the defence of Mr. Craig Charles, and what statement of income and capital he produced for the Legal Aid Board.

I consider it inappropriate to speculate as to the final cost to the legal aid fund of the proceedings involving Mr. Craig Charles. Details of the financial means of applicants for legal aid are confidential.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he intends to publish his White Paper on divorce law reform.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to him on 13 January 1995, Official Report, column 213.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the current proportion of BBC network television production which emanates from the regions and national regions; and what target figure he has set or accepted.

Statistics on programme production should he sought direct from the BBC. I expect the BBC to include in its statement of promises to audiences quantifiable targets for increasing the proportion of network programmes made outside London and south-east England.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to appoint a replacement for Sir David Scholey as a governor of the BBC; and what criteria he intends to apply to this appointment.

BBC governors are appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the advice of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I hope that the vacancy created by Sir David Scholey's resignation will be filled without delay. In seeking a successor, regard will he had to the range of qualities and experience which the board of governors as a whole needs to possess in order to carry out its responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if it remains the policy of his Department that the agreement document between the BBC and Government will contain an undertaking on regional network production.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his latest estimate of the evasion rate for television licences; how much lost revenue this represents; what measures are being taken to help those who have difficulty paying for a television licence; and if he will make a statement.

The estimated rate of television licence evasion as at January 1995 was 6.8 per cent. which represents approximately £152 million in lost revenue. The television licensing regulations provide for quarterly and monthly payment schemes to enable people to spread the cost of their licence fee. There is also a television licence savings stamps scheme.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for assisted area status are completed in 60 working days from date of final application to offer of grant; and how many are not.

Of the 1,215 offers of regional selective assistance made in England during 1994, 984 were processed within 60 working days from receipt of application.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the home shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme.

In order to assist the competitiveness of the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry, I am introducing a new facility whereby the scheme can guarantee loans of up to 12 years duration for the purchase of new commercial ships from UK shipyards. Small vessels of less than £1 million contract cost will carry shorter credit periods. The normal maximum length of loan for ship conversions will be 10 years.Loans for up to 8.5 years at an interest rate of 7.5 per cent. will continue to be available. If a loan of more than 8.5 years is guaranteed, the component of the lending which represents an 8.5 year loan will carry the 7.5 per cent. interest rate. The additional lending resulting from the extended term will be at the commercial interest reference rate applicable to comparable export credit transactions. This arrangement is necessary to retain present interest rate subsidies while complying with EC requirements.The premium for 12-year finance will be 1 per cent. of the capital sum guaranteed, and for 10-year finance will be 0.8 per cent. of the capital sum guaranteed. A revised premium of two thirds of 1 per cent. of the capital sum guaranteed will apply in respect of finance of 8.5 years or less, for which application is made on or after 1 April 1995.The arrangements have been authorised by the EC Commission as consistent with the seventh EC shipbuilding directive. However, the Commission has ruled that guarantees of lending for more than 8.5 years should be considered to carry a subsidy level of 1 per cent. of contract value, for the purposes of the ceilings on shipbuilding support laid down in the directive. The size of this adjustment to the subsidy level is under discussion with the Commission. Guarantees of lending of 8.5 years duration or less are unaffected by the ruling.These arrangements will apply until the end of 1995, when the OECD agreement on the elimination of shipbuilding subsidies comes into force. The future of the scheme, after the end of the year, is subject to review.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade at what time and on what day the proposals of Professor Littlechild to regulate energy prices further were first drawn to the attention of departmental officials or Ministers.

[holding answer 13 March 1995]: There has been a growing public debate in recent months about whether the price control for the regional electricity companies' distribution businesses struck a fair balance between the interests of consumers and shareholders. The Trafalgar House bid for Northern Electric which was announced on 19 December 1994 and Northern Electric's defence added substantially to the concerns being expressed. A wide range of options were canvassed during this debate. There are regular contacts between the Department and Offer on all regulatory matters. Offer kept the Department regularly informed on Professor Littlechild's thinking from 27 February. The decision to consider further a review of the proposals for the new price controls was taken by Professor Littlechild on 6 March 1995.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade at what time and on what day departmental officials or Ministers first saw either the statement or a synopsis of the statement made by Professor Littlechild on the question of the further regulation of electricity prices.

[holding answer 13 March 1995]: At circa 16.45 on Monday 6 March, my officials first saw a draft of the statement Professor Littlechild planned to make the following day about the price controls on the distribution businesses of the regional electricity companies.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department had with the Director General of Electricity Supply prior to his announcement about prices of electricity.

[holding answer 13 March 1995]: There has been a growing public debate in recent months about whether the price control for the regional electricity companies' distribution businesses struck a fair balance between the interests of consumers and shareholders. The Trafalgar House bid for Northern Electric which was announced on 19 December 1994 and Northern Electric's defence added substantially to the concerns being expressed. A wide range of options were canvassed during this debate. Offer kept the Department regularly informed on the way Professor Littlechild's thinking was developing throughout the period from 27 February 1995 until his announcement on 7 March.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what powers he or the Director General of Fair Trading have to require divestment.

Under the Fair Trading Act 1973, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has powers to require divestment to remedy adverse findings of reports by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on monopoly or mergers situations. He can also require divestment where an undertaking to divest which has been accepted in lieu of a reference to the commission has not been fulfilled.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes have taken place in the numbers of staff employed in the Patent Office since last year in (a) established staff, (b) fixed-term appointees, (c) agency staff and (d) consultants; and if he will explain the reasons for the changes.

On 28 February 1994, there were 902 established staff in the Patent Office; 59 fixed-term appointees; 31 Manpower agency staff; and 27 non-established IT specialists, working in the office on individual contracts. Comparable figures at 28 February 1995 were 839; 49; 45; and 31.The decline in overall numbers, including numbers of established staff and fixed-term appointees, reflects efficiency improvements and changes in work volumes, and was accommodated as part of normal staff turnover. At the same time, use of IT in the office has grown, and a major systems development has been necessary to implement new trade marks legislation. The increase in the number of agency staff reflects the outcome of a market testing programme in the previous year.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department had with the Director General of Electricity Supply about the sale of publicly owned shares in the power generating companies.

[holding answer 13 March 1995]: There were a number of discussions between my Department and Offer about the sale of publicly owned shares in the generating companies during the preparation of the prospectuses and prior to the float.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to reduce from 60 working days the target for approval of assisted area status applications.

Targets vary in relation to the size band of project. These targets are kept under regular review.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last received from Her Majesty's embassies in Washington, Bonn, and Tokyo an assessment of each host nation's trade competitiveness at home and abroad.

Embassies have standing orders to cover competitiveness issues in their regular economic reports.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on carriage charges by news wholesalers to newsagents.

The Monopolies and Mergers Commission's 1993 report on the supply of newspapers in England and Wales included no adverse public interest findings in respect of carriage charges, and therefore no power arose to act on them.However, carriage charges in respect of new entrants are covered by the voluntary code of practice to govern the supply of national newspapers, agreed with the industry following publication of the MMC report. This provides that such charges should be set at an economic level in order that they are not used as a means of circumventing the prohibition on refusal to supply by making supply economically unattractive to new applicants.If new retailers feel that their carriage charges are incorrect they should take the matter up in the first instance with the wholesaler. If this does not resolve the dispute, the retailer should make use of the arbitration process set out in the code of practice.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the undertaking given by the Indonesian Government about the proposed use of the Scorpion tanks and light armoured vehicles for which he has given export licence approval.

The assurances are precisely as given in my answer on 2 March 1995 to my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls), Official Report, column 716.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female juveniles are kept in probation hostels.

The figures requested are not held centrally and are not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places are available in probation hostels.

The number of places currently available in approved hostels is 2,464.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department regularly holds with organisations dealing with solvent abuse; and if he will make a statement.

There are a number of Government Departments which have responsibilities covering volatile substance abuse. They have periodic contacts with interested organisations rather than regular discussions. I understand that Department of Health officials last met representatives Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse, on 24 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will consider safer city status for Stoke-on-Trent.

I have been asked to reply.Stoke-on-Trent was one of a number of areas considered for inclusion in the latest wave of safer cities projects announced in July of last year. However, the 20 areas selected were deemed to have a stronger claim to a project at that time.Decisions about a further wave of safer cities projects have not yet been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks

Casual staff employed in the Home Office and its Agencies on 13 March 1995
Grade	SGB 2		Admin. assts.		Admin. officers		Exec. officers		Other grade(s)		Total staff
	Number of casuals	Percentage of grade	Number of casuals	Percentage of grade	Number of casuals	Percentage of grade	Number of grade	Percentage of grade	Number of casuals	Percentage of grade	Number of casulas	Percentage of grade
Home Office	20	5.6	74	8.9	13	1	2	0.2	13	3.4	122	1.4
UK passport Agency	18	22.5	287	44.7	nil	nil	nil	nil	2	9.5	307	19.6
Fire Service College	nil	nil	1	10	2	6.5	1	7.7	1	100	5	2.6
Forensic Science Service	1	2.5	5	12.5	1	3.3	2	15.4	1	1.7	10	14

The Prison Service does not maintain a central record of casual appointments, some of which are made locally in establishments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the will list those police authorities which have set up police domestic violence units; how duration for this year and each of the past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total workforce these employees constitute;(2) how many people he expects to employ in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which he is responsible on temporary contracts of

The Home Office and its agencies employ casual staff to meet short-term or seasonal needs. No central record is available of casual staff employed in recent years, or of the duration of their contracts. The number of casual staff currently employed is set out in the following table. Contracts normally set out the expected period of employment; none of the above staff have been engaged on contracts of 51 weeks.The appointment and conditions of employment of casual staff are in accordance with the provisions of the civil service management code. It is not possible to anticipate the number of casual staff likely to he required in the next three years.many units there are per police authority; and what is the location of the units.

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The establishment of domestic violence units is an operational matter for the chief officers of police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female juveniles at present are kept in adult women prisons.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what establishments are currently being used for detention of asylum seekers; how many are held in each one; and what is their country of origin;(2) how many asylum seekers are currently held in custody; and what is the comparative figure for each month of the past year.

As at 8 March 1995, a total of 587 persons who had sought asylum were detained. This figure includes people awaiting the setting of directions for removal following refusal of the application, as well as those whose applications were under consideration or subject to appeal. Information on the nationality of those detained is given in the table.I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 2 March, column 660, which gave the available information on the location of those persons who had sought asylum detained as at 23 February 1995.Information on the numbers detained over the last year, by month, is not available.

Table 1
Number of people detained on 8 March 1995 who had sought asylum, by nationality
Country	Number detained
Angola	13
Albania	9
Algeria	58
Armenia	1
Bangladesh	18
Benin	1
Brazil	6
Bulgaria	2
Burma	3
Cameroon	3
China	19
Colombia	7
Dominica	1
Ecuador	3
Eritrea	1
Gambia	3
Georgia	5

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers currently detained under Immigration Act powers by (a) nationality, (b) gender, (c) length of detention, (d) place of detention and (e) immigration status at the time of application;(2) how many asylum seekers were detained under Immigration Act powers in each month in 1993 and 1994.

As at 8 March 1995, a total of 587 persons who had sought asylum were detained. This figure includes people awaiting the setting of directions for removal following refusal of the application, as well as those whose applications were under consideration or subject to appeal. Of this figure, 153 had been in detention less than one month, 104 between one and two months, 230 between two and six months, and 100 had been in detention longer than six months.Information on the gender, immigration status and nationality of those detained is given in tables 1 and 2.I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 2 March, column 660, which gave the available information on the location of those persons who had sought asylum detained as at 23 February 1995.Information on the numbers detained during 1993 and 1994, by month, is not available.