To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Zoological Society of London to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 22 May to Friday 26 May 1995.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Association for the Prevention of Addiction to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 24 July to Friday 28 July 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 London boroughs with the highest number of empty units of accommodation, and the political control of each. [14437]

The 10 London boroughs reporting the highest number of management vacants—dwellings available for letting immediately or after minor repairs—on 1 April 1994 in their 1994 housing investment progamme HIP1 returns, were.

	Number of management vacants	Present political control
Hackney	2,168	Labour
Lambeth	799	Noc
Tower Hamlets	744	Labour
Greenwich	667	Labour
Southwark	645	Labour
Islington	602	Labour
Lewisham	438	Labour
Croydon	396	Labour
Newham	389	Labour
Barking and Dagenham	364	Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 London boroughs with the lowest record on collecting council rents, the cost and percentage owed and the political control of each authority. [14435]

Information on local authority rent arrears is collected from authorities on their housing subsidy claim form returns. The 10 London boroughs with the highest cumulative rent arrears—including arrears for former tenants—as a proportion of rent roll on 31 March 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, are as follows:

	Cumulative arrears as a percentage of 1993–94 rent roll	Total cumulative rent arrears (£000s)	Present political control
Hackney	36.8	34,684	Labour
Haringey	35.4	22,482	Labour
Lambeth	23.5	22,491	Noc
Ealing	22.5	14,239	Labour
Greenwich	22.3	16,300	Labour
Southwark	20.6	26,424	Labour
Newham	17.7	10,190	Labour
Brent	16.6	8,280	Noc
Camden	16.0	12,610	Labour
Islington	15.8	15,369	Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure on (a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000. [14596]

[holding answer 17 March 1995]: To supply all the information requested would involve disproportionate expense. The following information is readily available.Publicity expenditure by my Department, excluding agencies, expressed in 1994 prices, is as follows:

Year
1985–86	5.4
1986–87	6.3
1987–88	6.9
1988–89	9.3
1989–90	139.5
1990–91	8.7
1991–92	3.0
1992–93	214.1
1993–94	13.3
1994–95	9.7
1 The figure for 1989–90 includes publicity costs associated with water privatisation.
2 The figures from 1992 include publicity costs associated with the carbon dioxide reduction campaign, "Helping the Earth", and the introduction of the council tax.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the employment of polling or public survey organisations by his Department during the current and previous financial years, on the organisations employed by his Department, on the values of individual contracts for these services, on the total amounts of money spent and on the purposes of the research undertaken by these organisations. [14513]

[holding answer 20 March 1995]: The Department undertakes a wide range of research activities to assist in meeting its priority aims, as set out in the Department's annual report. In order to achieve this in an efficient and cost-effective manner, the Department employs research organisations on short-term contracts to undertake relevant and necessary public survey work. The main purpose of these surveys is to seek public views on key issues in order to monitor and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of departmental policy. Contracts are awarded on the basis of open competitive tendering, in line with government purchasing procedures.In the current and previous financial years—that is, 1994–95 to date and 1993–94—the Department commissioned 39 public surveys from a variety of research bodies, including market research companies, academic bodies and commercial organisations. The total value of these contracts was in the order of £2.2 million. The value of individual contracts is a matter of commercial confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many spare allotment spaces there are currently (a) in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, (b) in the Ancoats area of Manchester, on Teesside and (d) nationally.

Allotments are a matter for the appropriate local authority, and this information is not held centrally. However, my Department is currently funding the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners to conduct a survey of allotment authorities. This aims, within the next two years, to produce statistics on the number of plots, vacancies and waiting lists, whether the site is local authority run or self-managed, and details of the site facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to make available information to the unemployed on how to manage allotments and grow their own vegetables. [15260]

My Department is this year funding the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners with a grant of £35,000, part of which is designed to help promote allotment gardening and increase the take-up of vacant allotment plots, particularly by the unemployed. NSALG has a number of information leaflets available, including a starter pack for new tenants on how to grow vegetables.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the code of practice being prepared by his Department on cabling will be completed. [15761]

The national joint utilities group in producing guidelines to encourage operators of underground services to adopt practices which minimise damage to trees. They will be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if a report or survey will be produced on the damage to tree roots that has resulted from cabling. [15762]

No. However, the national joint utilities group will shortly publish guidelines to help minimise damage to tree roots by operators of underground services. The guidelines will be reviewed six months after their implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the exact date on which it was decided in principle to set up an office of the Commonwealth Development Corporation in Indonesia; on what exact date it was set up; how many staff it has employed in each year since it was set up; what has been its running costs in each year; what account the Commonwealth Development Corporation takes in its funding arrangements on human rights abuses in Indonesia; and if the Commonwealth Development Corporation has supported projects with implications for the development of East Timor. [15473]

The CDC representative office in Indonesia was opened in 1971 following ministerial approval in 1970 for CDC to operate in Indonesia. I understand from the CDC that the office has three executive and 10 support staff. Running costs in 1994 were £413,000. Staffing and costs since 1971 have been similar; details for each year could be provided only at disproportionate cost.When deciding on its programme in particular countries, the Government expect CDC to take account of any decision to suspend other aid programme activities on human rights grounds. This does not arise in Indonesia, where we believe there is a good economic and development case for continuing to provide aid.CDC does not have, and has never had, any involvement in East Timor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support the Commonwealth Development Corporation has given to projects in Indonesia in each year since 1980; and if he will list the project supported and the cost in each case. [15450]

[holding answer 22 March 1995]: CDC Investments, and projects committed since 1980, are shown in the following tables.

CDC investments in Indonesia 1980 to 1993–94
	£000s
1980	1,635
1981	7,535
1982	6,055
1983	2,843
1984	15,473
1985	1,869
1986	1,435
1987	2,829
1987–88	4,537
1988–89	4,350
1989–90	9,707
1990–91	5,550
1991–92	10,952
1992–93	9,041
1993–94	10,439

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is currently being provided by the United Kingdom Government to the Government of Madagascar to promote sustainable development and the conservation of biodiversity in Madagascar.

Under our joint funding scheme we are providing £385,000 in support of two World Wide Fund for Nature projects to assist the Government of Madagascar in biodiversity and protected areas management and environmental education. Our bilateral development programme is confined to English language teaching and training awards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the use of United Kingdom public funds in the Rio Tinto Zinc project to mine for titanium dioxide in southern Madagascar.

No British aid funds are involved in this project.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the sources and calculation behind his statement in January on the extra amount that a Scottish Parliament could cost the average Scot. [14917]

I have no intention of introducing a Scottish Parliament which would undermine the integrity of the Union and make Scotland the highest taxed part of the United Kingdom. As I said in January, a tax-raising Scottish Parliament able to raise income tax by 3p in the pound could cost the average family on Scottish male average earnings £6 per week. I am arranging for the basis for this calculation to be placed in the House library. Moreover, if identifiable public expenditure in Scotland were to be reduced after the establishment of a Scottish Parliament to the same level per head as the United Kingdom average, the shortfall to be made up by Scottish taxpayers would be equivalent to at least an extra 19p in the pound on income tax. The basis for this calculation is also being placed in House Library.The proponents of a Scottish Parliament should have calculated the cost to taxpayers in Scotland before they committed themselves to its introduction.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he will ensure that the replacement for the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England in a senior industrialist or trade unionist who understands manufacturing economy and its needs in competitive industry. [16066]

The Government will ensure that the person appointed to this post will be the one best qualified to fill it.

To ask the Prime Minister how soon after the publication of the Scott report the minutes of evidence will be available; and if he will make a statement. [16067]

The transcripts of the public hearings of Sir Richard Scott's inquiry are available in the House Library and Westminster city library. In addition, Sir Richard Scott has made it clear that he will publish as soon as practicable following the publication of his report as much as possible of the documentary evidence submitted to the inquiry, including witness statements and the questionnaires sent by the inquiry to the witnesses.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list in respect of each privatisation since 1979, including industries previously located at the Department of Energy, (a) the loss or profit of each company in the five years prior to privatisation and (b) the grants or loans made over the same period. [15352]

This information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. Such information as is readily available on the finances of privatised bodies when they were in the public sector can be found in the following published sources:

"The Government's Expenditure Plans", for each of the years up to and including 1989;

The annual "Statistical Supplement to the Autumn Statement", for 1990 to 1992, succeeded for 1993 and 1994 by the "Statistical Supplement to the Financial Statement and Budget Report".

These were published by HMSO as Command Papers and are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with Mr. Bill Gates of Microsoft Corporation with particular reference to employment issues. [15526]

We had a wide-ranging discussion about a number of matters. I would not be prepared to make a public statement about matters discussed in confidence.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much equity capital has been invested in the United Kingdom since 1990 by (a) EU companies and (b) non-EU companies; [15327](2) how much has been invested in the United Kingdom by overseas companies by way of additional loans since 1990. [15324]

The latest available information was published by the Central Statistical Office in table 2.10 of Business Monitor MA4, "Overseas Direct Investment", which is available in the Library of the House. Official statistics do not distinguish between share capital and loan capital.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the tonnage of coal imported into the United Kingdom, and the power stations which used it, in each of the last five years. [15841]

[holding answer 23 March 1995]: The total quantities of coal imported into the United Kingdom and the quantities imported by the major power producers over the past five years were:

Year	Total imports	(Thousand tonnes) Imports by major power producers
1990	14,783	4,721
1991	19,611	7,261
1992	20,339	7,568
19931	18,400	4,508
19941	15,850	2,889
1Figures for 1993 and 1994 are provisional and include a small element of estimation.

Figures for individual companies are confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what financial provision will be made to training youth and community workers beyond the current financial year; and if she will make a statement. [15542]

Local education authorities are free to decide on how much they budget for youth and community work and other educational areas from within their more general education budgets.In 1995–96, an allocation of £1.2 million from the Department's budget for the grants for education support and training—GEST—programme will be specifically target training in youth and community work. The GEST programme accounts for less than 2 per cent. of overall LEA expenditure.Through the funding councils the Department also funds higher and further education institutions which provide youth and community worker training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what role is projected for her Department's youth service unit beyond 1995. [15541]

The youth service unit's principal role will be to assist in discharging the objective for the youth service described in the Department's document "Better Education for All", which is to support statutory and voluntary youth service providers in promoting the personal and social education of young people.

To ask (1) the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of students in the last year for which figures are available are eligible for free prescriptions. [15950]

I have been asked to reply.Student loans have been an integral element of the provision made from public funds for student support since September 1990. Since that day they have been taken into account as income when assessing students' entitlement to help through the national health service low-income scheme. In 1993–94, around 308,000 low-income scheme claims were made by students, of which about 60 per cent. resulted in entitlement to free prescriptions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to franchise rail services serving the constituency of Carshalton and Wallington in the current Parliament; and what guarantees he can give about the safety, frequency and reliability of the services. [15270]

The Franchising Director proposes to issue invitations to tender for the Network SouthCentral franchise later this year. He aims to let the franchise by April 1996. The passenger service requirement for the franchise will specify, among other things, the frequency of trains to be operated and maximum journey times. The Franchising Director will monitor operators' performance regularly and he will be able to impose penalties if the passenger service requirement is not delivered. The Rail Regulator requires train operators to have a validated safety case before he will issue a licence to operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff currently employed in the Highways Agency are being re-deployed to the roads programme directorate in Birmingham to provide local knowledge of schemes in the north-west. [15664]

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 (1) if individual airports are permitted to carry out self-assessment on the need for arrestor beds; [15776](2) if the Civil Aviation Authority has reviewed the potential safety hazards beyond current runway and safety areas and determined the need for ground arrestor systems at Plymouth airport in accordance with recommendation 94–15 of the air accidents branch; [15775](3) if he will make a statement regarding the progress being made by the Civil Aviation Authority to implement recommendation 94–15 of the air accident branch report on the accident for Cessna 550 Citation II at Southampton Eastleigh airport on 26 May 1993. [15781]

These are matters for the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority who, I understand, wrote to the hon. Member on 22 December 1994. As was pointed out in that letter, it is consistent with good safety management practice for individual airport authorities to conduct their own safety risk assessments of any potential hazards beyond the ends of runways and to take any action they consider appropriate to eliminate or mitigate the potential risks posed.I expect the Civil Aviation Authority to advise me later this year on progress with the review that it is conducting in response to the air accident investigation branch's recommendation 94–15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the United Kingdom post in Islamabad asked the Home Office to interview the sponsor in the United Kingdom of Mr. Shahid Iqbal, IMM/89155 and J238169; and when and where the sponsor is to be interviewed. [16147]

The request from the British high commission in Islamabad for an interview from Mr. Shahid Iqbal's sponsor was received by the Home Office on 22 February 1995. The papers are currently at Leeds-Bradford airport, which will contact Mr. Iqbal's sponsor to arrange an interview in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when papers were forwarded to Leeds-Bradford airport in connection with a request to interview the sponsor of Mr. Parvez Akhtar, IMP A518185/2(S) and PO 28871/94; if an interview date has been allocated to the sponsor; and if he will make a staement. [16145]

The papers in connection with the request to interview the sponsor of Mr. Parvez Akhtar were sent to Leeds-Bradford airport on 1 June 1994. Since I wrote on 15 February, Leeds-Bradford airport has written to Mr. Akhtar's sponsor to ask whether she would be willing to travel to a port in the north-east other than Leeds-Bradford airport to be interviewed. As a result of the response, the papers have now been transferred to the immigration office at North Shields who will shortly contact Mr. Akhtar's sponsor to offer her an appointment for an interview.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which of Her Majesty's prisons action to control the use of illegal drugs has been intensified within the past six months.

[holding answer 16 January 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance he issues to police authorities on the remuneration scales to be used for the employment of the clerk to the authority; and if such posts have to be advertised for open competition. [15582]

No guidance has been issued to police authorities on the remuneration scales to be used for the employment of the clerk to the authority; this is a matter for police authorities to determine. There is no requirement for such posts to be advertised for open competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of the victims helpline to 8 March. [15167]

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 what is his estimate of additional policing costs arising from the transhipment of (a) live animals and (b) veal calves for 1994–95 at (i) Coventry airport, (ii) Shoreham point, (iii) Brightlingsea, (iv) Plymouth and (v) Swansea. [15252]

These are matters for individual police authorities. I understand that the latest estimates of the additional policing costs to be incurred in 1994–95 are:

	£
Coventry Airport	385,000
Shoreham	3.74 million
Brightlingsea	1.8 million
Plymouth	1100,000
Swansea	2,500
1 Actual expenditure to 17 March.

It is not possible to apportion costs by type of animal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if teachers of the Protestant faith can be appointed to schools controlled by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools; and if he will make a statement about fair employment practices in controlled schools. [14844]

Teachers of the Protestant faith can be appointed to schools controlled by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools. Fair employment legislation does not, however, apply to teachers in any schools but does apply to non-teaching staff in all schools. Education and library boards have in place an equal opportunities policy statement which is used by controlled schools for their non-teaching staff and are presently preparing a statement to be used by controlled schools for their teaching staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fishing vessels are estimated to be involved in the catching of nephrops; and how many of these vessels previously caught white fish. [15124]

In the Northern Ireland fleet 184 vessels of over 10 m in length landed nephrops during 1994. While fishing for nephrops, there is an inevitable by-catch of white fish and all these vessels caught white fish.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the 18 projects grant-aided in 1992–93 by the EC Commission in the fishing industry in Northern Ireland as described in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 5.22. [15428]

The 18 projects grant-aided in 1992–93 by the EC Commission in the fishing industry in Northern Ireland are set out in the table.

Payments made under regulation EEC 4028/86 in 1992–93
Project number	Type of project	Payment made £
UK/212/89/02	Vessel modernisation	7,350
UK/8/91/01	Vessel modernisation	7,490
UK/9/91/01	Vessel modernisation	22,625
UK/10/91/01	Vessel modernisation	5,950
UK/12/91/01	Vessel modernisation	13,510
UK/13/91/01	Vessel modernisation	8,043
UK/14/91/01	Vessel modernisation	14,950
UK/44/91/01	Aquaculture unit construction	4,148
UK/45/91/01	Aquaculture unit construction	10,686
UK/66/91/02	Vessel modernisation	28,131
UK/67/91/02	Vessel modernisation	12,500

	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Tuberculosis	2,493	3,124	4,108	4,601	6,241	5,286
Brucellosis	34	23	122	27	3	20
Salmonella (poultry flocks)	47	26	65	25	11	20
Salmonella (other species)	238	193	131	198	148	134
Sheep scab	14	36	46	59	48	71
Johne's Disease	8	26	25	13	6	11
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy	30	100	170	333	487	363
Enzootic abortions in ewes	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	24	56

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of epizootic disease in animals have been diagnosed in Northern Ireland each year since 1989; and when he projects the eradication of this disease. [15405]

Epizootic disease is the term used to describe any highly infectious disease which affects a large number of animals in a wide area at the same time and spreads with great rapidity.Since 1989 the only instances of epizootic disease in Northern Ireland was in 1991 when six cases of Newcastle disease occurred in poultry.Action continues to be taken to prevent the introduction of any epizootic disease of animals or poultry into Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of cases of ectoparasitic infestation in sheep for (a) the two years before compulsory dipping was abolished and (b) the two years since compulsory dipping has been abolished. [14567]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of enzootic disease in animals have been diagnosed in Northern Ireland each year since 1989; and what proportion of these cases was introduced from outside Northern Ireland. [15404]

Enzootic disease is the term used to describe any animals or poultry disease which exists in a particular area. Listed in the table are the number of cases of the main notifiable enzootic diseases present in Northern Ireland for which statistics are available since 1989. It is not possible to provide the proportion of cases introduced from outside Northern Ireland.

[holding answer 23 March 1995]: With the exception of sheep scab, the number of ectoparasitic infections in sheep are not recorded in Northern Ireland.Compulsory dipping of sheep was abolished in Northern Ireland in 1993. The number of cases in sheep scap in Northern Ireland for the years in question is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the areas in Northern Ireland that have been designated as environmentally sensitive, (b) the amount of money spent on each of these areas since 1989, (c) the expenditure for each of these areas in 1994–95 and (d) the projected expenditure for each of these areas for 1996–97. [15424]

The information requested is as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the criteria for an area of land to be designated as environmentally sensitive. [15423]

The following criteria were applied to the selection of the existing five environmentally sensitive areas in Northern Ireland:

"Each area must be of national environmental significance; must represent a discrete and coherent unit of environmental interest; its conservation must depend on adopting, maintaining or extending particular farming practices; farming practices in the area must have changed, or must be likely to do so, in ways that pose a threat to the environment."

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many calls the helpline planned by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland—see "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 5.8—received in its first year; and how much it cost. [15426]

In its first year the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland's helpline received 750 calls. The cost of each call was borne by the caller and the estimated cost of handling the calls was £370.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons there is a planned decrease of £3 million in spending on the industrial research and technology unit in Northern Ireland between 1995–96 and 1996–97, referred to in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", table 6.1. [15409]

The budget for the industrial research and technology unit will, in addition, receive European regional development fund funding which is included in the ERDF line of the table. Taking account of this, the total funding planned for the unit is:

• 1995–96: £13.5 million
• 1996–97: £13.3 million
• 1997–98: £13.2 million

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the review of arrangements for ministerial and official travel mentioned in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 4.49 has taken place; and if he will list how much each Minister and other officials spent on travel (a) in 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95. [15420]

Three reviews have been taken in 1994–95 into the use of (a) executive jets provided by the private sector; (b) agents to provide travel and hotel bookings in Belfast; and (c) the use of the Government car service. As a result of each review, the new contracts have provided improved value for money through reducing costs and higher discounts.It is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to identify the separate travel costs for each individual Minister and officials. The total expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office on all travel and subsistence, including police escorts for Ministers, broken down as between

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on watercourse management in Northern Ireland since 1989; and what is the projected expenditure for watercourse management in 1996–97. [15407]

Expenditure for watercourse management division from April 1989 to March 1995 was £110.4 million. Projected expenditure for 1996–97 is £18.8 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of converting the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland into a voluntary co-operative. [15406]

The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland"s expenditure on this matter is estimated at £250,000 over the two years 1993–94 and 1994–95. This is compromised mainly of staff time but includes payments for independent financial advice. The Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland has estimated its expenditure at £650,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the success of the campaign introduced in 1991 by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland to reduce farm pollution from farms in river catchment areas as described in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 5.16(i); what were the costs of setting up this campaign; what were the costs of this campaign for 1994–95; and what are the projected costs of this campaign for 1996–97. [15427]

More than 30 per cent. of farmers took action to minimise the risk of pollution.There were no additional costs in setting up the campaign. It was rather a focusing of existing resources to target high-risk farms on selected river catchments with a known history of pollution from agricultural activities.Measures to reduce farm source pollution remain a priority. The Department of Agriculture offers free advice to farmers at a cost of £186,000 in 1994–95.Projected costs for 1996–97 are broadly similar to 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the £4 million planned for the Forensic Science Laboratory in Northern Ireland in 1994–95 was or will be recovered from the Police Authority as charges for services. [15410]

It is estimated that, of the laboratory"s total expenditure of £4.8 million in 1994–95, £4.6 million will be recouped from the Police Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) projected spending for the civil defence services for 1996–97 and (b) the areas within this where savings have been identified, as mentioned in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 4.41. [15412]

The projected spending for civil defence services for 1996–97, based on the 1994 public expenditure survey exercise, is contained within a budget of £522,000 for all emergency planning services within the Northern Ireland Office. However, the projected spending is likely to be reduced to £403,000 as a result of the 1995 PES exercise which is not yet complete. The savings identified, as mentioned in "Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95 to 1996–97", section 4.41 are primarily in respect of the elimination of costs for the rental and maintenance of food stores following the programme of disposal of the food stockpile, in line with United Kingdom policy, and the disposal elements of the former air attack warning system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the estimated numbers of employees in respect of whom employers will qualify for national insurance contribution rebates under clause 23 of the Jobseekers Bill in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98; what is the estimated resulting reduction in the number of unemployed people receiving a jobseeker"s allowance; and what are the estimated resulting reductions in contribution revenue and benefit expenditure. [15135]

It is estimated that in 1996–97 employers will qualify for rebates under clause 23 of the Jobseekers Bill in respect of some 120,000 employees. It is expected that employers will reclaim some £45 million from their national insurance payments. The figures for 1997–98 are expected to be broadly the same.It is not possible to estimate the likely effects of the measures at this stage, but unemployment might be cut ultimately by up to 100,000 by all the work incentive measures, including the national insurance contribution rebate, announced by the Chancellor in the November 1994 Budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total amount of funds in private pension provision in the United Kingdom; and what is the equivalent figure for the two next largest European Union countries. [15330]

In 1992, the total amount of funds in private pension provision in the United Kingdom was around £550 billion. This is more than three times the amount in either of the two European Union countries with the next highest level of pension funds—£160 billion for Germany and £140 billion for the Netherlands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit entitlement applies pending the outcome of the appeal when a recipient of incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance who is found to be capable of work under the all-work test lodges an appeal against the decision and declines to register as unemployed. [16139]

Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance cease to be payable when a recipient is found to be capable of work under the all-work test. A claimant who has lodged an appeal and has not registered as unemployed may qualify for income support. Where a claimant would normally be entitled to income support only if he were available for work, and he has declined to register as unemployed pending his appeal, income support will be reduced by an amount equal to 20 per cent. of the single person"s personal allowance. This reduction will not be made if the claimant was in receipt of invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance on 12 April 1995, and the appeal is against a decision based on the first application of the all-work test to him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if recipients of invalidity benefit, incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance may take up part-time or full-time education or training courses without prejudice to their benefit entitlement; and if the taking up of such a place affects the assessment of their capacity for work. [16138]

Days on which a person attends a Government-funded course in respect of which he is paid a training allowance are not treated as days of incapacity for work, and benefit would not be payable. People getting invalidity benefit, sever disablement allowance or, from 13 April, incapacity benefit before starting the course will get a training allowance based on the rate of benefit they were receiving, plus £10.Attendance on a course of education, either part-time or full-time, or a non-Government funded course, will not generally affect payment of benefit unless the nature of the course raises doubts about a person"s continued incapacity for work.Young people aged between 16 and 19 cannot get severe disablement allowance if they are in full-time education which would be suitable for young people of the same age who are not disabled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many hours of study people in receipt of invalid care allowance will be allowed to undertake

Employees aged 21 and over sampled in the labour force survey whose earnings were at their usual level
		Number earning per hour
	Number in sample	Average hourly earnings £	£2.70 to £2.80	£2.80 to £2.90	£2.90 to £3.00	£3.00 to £3.10	£3.10 to £3.20
Autumn 1993 (based on SIC 1980)
Clothing manufacture	28	4.38	4	2	1	1	—
Retail distribution	499	4.68	11	19	11	26	34
Restaurants	41	4.04	3	1	—	4	2
Public houses	56	3.84	1	2	2	13	2
Hotels	40	4.46	1	1	2	8	3
Winter 1993 (based on SIC 1992)
Clothing manufacture	49	4.84	3	2	2	1	1
Retail distribution	505	4.48	12	15	12	30	34
Restaurants	54	3.89	2	2	—	4	2
Public houses	41	3.37	1	2	1	14	5
Hotels	35	4.72	1	—	—	2	1
Spring 1994 (based on SIC 1992)
Clothing manufacture	57	4.17	4	2	1	1	2
Retail distribution	710	4.79	12	10	6	33	36
Restaurants	62	3.64	2	4	—	11	3
Public houses	64	3.88	3	1	1	10	2
Hotels	55	4.66	1	1	—	7	1

Those in receipt of invalid care allowance will be allowed to undertake a part-time course at a higher education establishment or up to 16 guided learning hours of study at a college of further education without jeopardising entitlement to jobseeker"s allowance. We have no plans at present to change the invalid care allowance rules, which allow 21 hours study a week. As now, full-time students will be excluded from benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list (a) the number of employees in employment in every wages council industry whose hourly pay rate was the wages council hourly rate for all quarters from spring 1992 to summer 1993, (b) the number of employees in employment in every former wages council industry whose hourly pay rate was the wages council hourly rate for all quarters from autumn 1993 to the last quarter, in each case expressing the data by individual wages council industry and using micro data from the quarterly labour force survey; [14228](2) if he will list the hourly wage rate for all employees in employment in every former wages council sector whose hourly wage rate was the wages council rate prior to the abolition of the wages councils, expressing the data by individual wages council sector, for all quarters beginning autumn 1993 up to the latest quarter, and using micro-data from the quarterly labour force survey. [14229]

[holding answer 16 March 1995]: The labour force survey did not ask questions about earnings until winter 1992–93. The information from LFS that could be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs is in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in each English region and for Wales and Scotland in (a) full-time work and (b) part-time work earn (i) less than £1.50 an hour, (ii) between £1.50 and £2 an hour, (iii) between £2 and £2.50 an hour, (iv) between £2.50 and £3 an hour, (v) between

Estimated numbers of employees, rounded to nearest 10,000
			Number earnings
	Less than £1.50	1.50—£2.00	£2.00—£2.50	£2.50—£3.00	£3.00—£3.50	£3.50—£4.00
Full-time
South East region	10,000	10,000	20,000	40,000	90,000	160,000
East Anglia region	—	—	—	10,000	20,000	30,000
South West region	—	—	10,000	10,000	40,000	70,000
West Midlands region	—	—	10,000	20,000	60,000	90,000
East Midlands region	—	—	10,000	20,000	50,000	70,000
Yorkshire and Humberside region	—	—	10,000	20,000	60,000	80,000
North West region	—	—	10,000	30,000	60,000	90,000
North region	—	—	10,000	10,000	30,000	50,000
Wales	—	—	—	10,000	30,000	40,000
Scotland	—	—	10,000	20,000	60,000	90,000
Part-time
South East region	10,000	20,000	20,000	70,000	210,000	240,000
East Anglia region	—	—	—	20,000	40,000	40,000
South West region	10,000	—	10,000	40,000	120,000	80,000
West Midlands region	10,000	—	10,000	30,000	110,000	90,000
East Midlands region	10,000	—	10,000	30,000	90,000	80,000
Yorkshire and Humberside region	10,000	—	10,000	30,000	100,000	110,000
North West region	—	—	20,000	40,000	120,000	110,000
North region	—	—	10,000	20,000	60,000	60,000
Wales	10,000	—	10,000	20,000	50,000	50,000
Scotland	—	10,000	10,000	20,000	110,000	100,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of using narrow based rates in the regional unemployment statistics. [14919]

The wide-based rate is a sensible way to expressing the claimant unemployment rate since its denominator has a more complete coverage of the workforce and it is the only rate which is quoted in the labour market statistics national press notice. Narrow-based rates are published in the Employment Gazette and on NOMIS, the Department's on-line

[holding answer 16 March 1995]: Estimates derived from the results of the 1994 new earnings survey are given in the following table:database. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment to whom training and enterprise councils are financially accountable. [15787]

Training and enterprise councils are independent companies, mostly limited by guarantee, and are run by a board of directors who are also their members. The board has ultimate responsibility for all its TEC"s financial obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in awarding TECs three-year licences; and how many have been granted such licenses. [16141]

Training and enterprise councils have made significant progress in meeting the demanding criteria required to be awarded three-year licences. Twenty-one TECs have already obtained licences to operate from 27 March this year. The other 53 English TECs have until 1997 to meet the criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what significant changes are being made to (a) the TEC operating agreement for 1995–96 and (b) the TEC quality assurance supplier management requirements; and if he will place copies of these in the Library. [16140]

The training and enterprise council operating agreement for 1995–96 has been significantly redrafted to:

• incorporate the requirements of TEC licensing;
• include new programmes announced in the competitiveness White Paper;
• include the services funded by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade; and
• improve the clarity of the Government"s contract with TECs.

There have been no changes to the TEC quality assurance supplier management requirements. Copies of all relevant documents have already been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been removed from doctors" lists in each of the last three years. [14736]

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of the family health services authorities concerning the adequacy of supply of the doctors entering general practice; if he will list which authorities have made representations regarding shortage of latent supply; and if he will make a statement. [16191]

I have held no specific consultations with chairmen of FHSAs nor received any representations. Over the past three years there have been approximately 1,400 new entrants to general practice per year in England and Wales. This has been sufficient to ensure a continuing increase in overall numbers of GPs.

To ask the Secretary of Sate for Wales how many planning appeals have been decided by his Department in each of the last five years; and how many have been successful. [14871]

The provision of statistical information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the inspectorate"s chief executive, Mr. C. Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if environmental appraisal will be required for project funding bids for ERDF moneys in all circumstances; [14826](2) at what stage in the bidding process for project funding for ERDF moneys environmental appraisals will be assessed; [14825](3) if he will establish a specialist advisory group to undertake critical evaluation of environmental appraisals relevant to project funding bids for ERDF moneys; [14827](4) when he will issue guidance notes on the significance attached to environmental appraisals in project funding bids for ERDF money. [14828]

A statement in respect of the environmental impact of development proposals is required for all ERDF applications; in addition, a full environmental impact assessment is required for all projects with costs above 15 million ecu.These statements and assessments are taken into account during the process of project appraisal, and the environmental contribution of a project is one of the key criteria used in selecting projects for ERDF assistance. Given the considerable experience in environmental matters available to assist the secretariat and the wider partnership in appraising projects, it is not considered necessary to establish a specialist advisory group in this field. A comprehensive guidance note intended to assist ERDF applicants has recently been issued to the rural Wales and industrial south Wales partnerships; it includes guidance on environmental appraisals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with Welsh health authorities and trusts concerning the availability of adequate supplies of junior doctors for hospital appointments, with particular regard to the staffing of accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement. [16189]

My officials are undertaking extensive discussions with Welsh health authorities and trusts concerning the present problems of attracting adequate junior staff to accident and emergency departments with a view to establishing a co-ordinated strategy for dealing with any future shortages.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each hospital or hospital group unit which have either gained or lost accreditation for the training of junior doctors in each of the last three academic years, including parts of years, up to the present. [16194]

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list which health authorities, family health services authorities and hospital trusts have undertaken overseas recruitment drives during the past 12 months to match supply with the demand for junior doctors and new entrants into general practice; and what information he has received concerning the countries from which overseas doctors have been recruited. [16192]

As part of their general recruitment policy, a number of health authorities and hospital trusts have employed doctors from overseas, but precise details are not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those health authorities and trusts where there have been occasions of enforced closure at a hospital casualty unit for significant periods during the past two years; and if he will list each such occasion, the length of time for each such closure and the principal reason given for the closure. [16190]

This information is not held centrally, but can be obtained from health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will conduct an all-Wales review of casualty, accident and emergency and trauma units, in terms of demand, distribution and staffing requirements. [16195]

My Department is currently undertaking such a review, and advice to the NHS in Wales will be available later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from the Cardiff community health council, the South Glamorgan health authority and the university hospital of Wales—Cardiff Royal Infirmary NHS trust-designate concerning the procedure to be followed pursuant to the vote by the Cardiff community health council against the transfer of accident and emergency services to the university hospital of Wales site at the Heath, Cardiff; and if he will list each step of the statutory procedure. [16196]

I have not received any representations on this issue. Guidance on the procedures to be followed in the event of a community health council objecting to a health authority proposal for a major service change is set out in "Substantial changes in the use of health buildings: consultation procedures", which was published by my Department in June 1991. I will place a copy of the guidance in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what criteria three-year operators" licences are being awarded to training and enterprise councils in Wales; and how many have been awarded. [16143]

Arrangements for training and enterprise councils to apply for three-year operating licences have not been introduced in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has reached a decision on the future of the voluntary youth services, village halls and community centres programme; and if he will make a statement. [16861]

Further to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 20 January 1995, Official Report, column 716 the consultation period on my proposal has ended. I received eight responses.I have concluded that the programme should be wound up and the finance transferred to local authorities with effect from 31 March 1997. This is in line with our policy that decisions on the funding of local facilities should, wherever possible and appropriate, be taken by local authorities. After that date, assistance to local youth, voluntary and community groups to repair existing facilities and to construct new premises will not normally be funded under these regulations.This decision does not affect projects which have already been approved under the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement following the completion of the world summit for social development on the issues raised at the summit. [15979]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 20 March 1995, Official Report, column 15.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies his Department carries out of the endocrine effects of pollutants, or industrially discharged chemicals, on marine mammals, shellfish or fish.

Industrial discharge of chemicals to seas and rivers may only take place in accordance with consents or authorisations issued by the National Rivers Authority and Her Majesty"s inspectorate of pollution. The Ministry carries out general pollution monitoring in the marine environment and has undertaken some research on levels of alkylphenolethoxylates and alkylphenols in river and estuarine waters. This research, funded by DOE, was to identify effects on caged male fish in rivers close to discharge points from sewage treatment works. Oestrogenic responses were observed close to discharge points but disappeared rapidly with distance downstream. Work is being carried out by the NRA to determine possible causes of the observed effects in fish. No work has been carried out on marine mammals. However, a further MAFF"funded programme of investigation on marine fish species is currently under consideration.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 9 March, Official Report, column 329, what information he has on the number of calves exported from Coventry airport in each of the last two years and the number of times flights have been delayed; and how often during that period officials have used their powers to ensure calves do not go for longer than 15 hours from the start of their journey without being fed and rested. [15166]

A total of 20,213 calves were exported from Coventry airport in 1994. The number of calves exported by this route in the current year so far, to 20 March, is 6,873.Delays long enough to compromise the 15-hour journey time on flights from Coventry airport occurred on 7 and 8 December because of bad weather—one flight on each date—and on 3 February, when the activities of protesters affected three flights. On each of these occasions calves that had arrived at the airport had to be returned to their premises of origin. In one instance on 3 February, the calves which were delayed at the airport would have exceeded the 15-hour statutory period in returning to their premises of origin. The calves were therefore returned under a notice requiring their feeding immediately on arrival at the home premises. The other journeys of calves returning to their premises of origin could be completed before expiry of the 15 hours, and so notices did not need to be served by officials.