To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) which Minister in his Department has responsibility for the Disability Discrimination Bill in respect of the provision of goods and services; [16366](2) what discussions he or his ministerial colleagues have held with Ministers in other Departments in respect of the Disability Discrimination Bill; [16364](3) what is his Department's policy in respect of the Disability Discrimination Bill; [16365](4) what consideration his Department has given to the effects of specific clauses of the Disability Discrimination Bill in respect of

My right hon. and noble Friend Earl Ferrers has responsibility for all aspects of consumer affairs. As well as my responsibility for corporate affairs, I have the responsibility, as deregulation Minister, for leading, under the authority of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, the Government's deregulation initiative, ensuring, across all Departments, that any proposals that may impose burdens on business are properly appraised. DTI Ministers and officials play and continue to play a full part in collective and bilateral discussion with their Government colleagues in developing the Government's policies in areas such as disability, consulting as necessary representative bodies, businesses and consumers on the affects such measures may have and their impact on business compliance costs.The Government's assessment of the impact of the Disability Discrimination Bill on business is set out in the compliance cost assessment "Ending Discrimination against Disabled People", issued in January 1995 by the Department of social Security, which has the policy lead in Government on disability issues. The role of the DTI deregulation unit in relation to CCAs is to monitor their quality, coverage of smaller firms, and ensure a consistent approach across Government. The unit provides guidance and acts as a source of advise to those requiring help with the preparation of CCAs.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to hold a public inquiry into National Power's plans to burn orimulsion fuel in Pembroke; and if he will make a statement. [16631]

National Power plc submitted an application on 5 January 1995 under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the President of the Board of Trade's consent to retrofit flue gas desulphurisation plant at the Pembroke power station in order to use emulsified hydrocarbons as the fuel.Should a relevant planning authority object to the application, my right hon. Friend would be obliged to hold a public inquiry before reaching his decision on it.If there is no objection from a relevant planning authority, my right hon. Friend may still call for a public inquiry to be held at his own discretion.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of the measures his Department has taken to encourage greater use of renewable energy following the Government's acceptance of the conclusions and recommendations of the United Nation conference on the environment and development. [15655]

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department proposes to encourage greater use of renewable energy in pursuance of the Government's support for the declarations and undertakings made at the Rio climate summit in 1992. [15518]

The Government are stimulating the development of new and renewable energy sources and industrial and market infrastructure through a market enablement strategy. The strategy was published as "Energy Paper 62" in March 1994.The strategy's principal measure involves stimulating an initial market for electricity-producing technologies close to commercial competitiveness via renewables orders made under the non-fossil fuel obligation. Other measures are aimed at assessing and developing technology options, ensuring that the market is fully informed, removing inappropriate market barriers and encouraging internationally competitive industries to develop.The first and the second renewables orders set an obligation of renewables-sourced electricity for approximately 600 MW. The Government announced a third renewables order, for 626.92 MW, in December 1994. They expect this to lead to a further 300 to 400 MW of new capacity.The Government intend to work, through the NFFO, towards a figure of 1,500 MW of new renewable electricity generating capacity in the UK by the year 2000, thus contributing to the UK's international environmental commitment.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department is taking as a result of the declaration of Madrid "An Action Plan for Renewable Sources in Europe", 16 to 18 March 1994; and if his Department is taking part in the proposed EC discussions on renewable energy. [15966]

A Department of Trade and Industry representative attended the conference on renewable energy in Madrid in March 1994 and my Department is monitoring developments with regard to the establishment of the EU's European Forum on Renewable Energies—EUFORES.The Government are stimulating the development of new and renewable energy sources and industrial and market infrastructure through a market enablement strategy. The strategy was published as "Energy Paper 62" in March 1994.The strategy's principal measure involves stimulating an initial market for electricity-producing technologies close to commercial competitiveness via renewables orders made under the non-fossil fuel obligation. Other measures are aimed at assessing and developing technology options, ensuring that the market is fully informed, removing inappropriate market barriers and encouraging internationally competitive industries to develop.The first and the second renewables orders set an obligation of renewables-sourced electricity for approximately 600MW. The Government announced a third renewables order, for 626.92MW, in December 1994. They expect this to lead to a further 300 to 400MW of new capacity.The Government intend to work, through the NFFO, towards a figure of 1,500MW of new renewable electricity generating capacity in the UK by the year 2000, thus contributing to the UK's international environmental commitment.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have been held with Turkey about increasing trade and the customs union with the EU; and what links have been made to human rights abuse in Turkey. [16682]

We have a continuing dialogue with our Turkish partners on a wide range of trade issues; there is no direct linkage between customs union and Turkey's record on human rights. However, the Turks are well aware of the importance that we and our EU partners attach to a raising of standards to western norms.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the funding of Business Links and the progress they have made. [15184]

Business Links have been designed to increase the effectiveness and improve the quality of local business support services by bringing together their delivery and avoiding overlap and duplication.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on the bids for VSEL by GEC and British Aerospace; and how soon after the receipt of that report he will be in a position to announce the Government's decision. [16160]

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has allowed a single extension of time, to 12 April 1995, for the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to report on the bids for VSEL by GEC and British Aerospace. The Department aims to publish MMC merger reports, along with the decision of the President of the Board of Trade on any action which he considers necessary in the event of the MMC finding that a merger is against the public interest, within 20 working days of receipt.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Post Office has made of the impact of franchising of Crown post offices on the services offered to postal customers with particular reference to rural areas. [16308]

The Post Office believe that the franchising of Crown post offices has a beneficial effect on the services offered to customers in rural areas. When a Crown post office is converted, it is located in the same general vicinity, if not in the same premises, and offers the same range of services. Additional facilities such as longer opening hours are often also provided. The lower costs to the Post Office of providing services through franchise offices assist in maintaining the network of rural post offices.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade in how many cases in England in each year in the period 1984 until 1994 the official receiver has been unable to pursue an in-depth investigation into complaints against companies because of expenditure restrictions; and if he will make a statement. [15828]

The information requested is not maintained centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what prohibitions exist for companies that wish to export products containing lindane, gamma HCH, or gamma BHC to (a) Switzerland, (b) Germany and (c) the United States of America; and if he will make a statement. [15513]

Products containing lindane, gamma HCH or gamma BHC require an export licence, under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, only if the exporter knows or suspects that the goods might be used for purposes connected with weapons of mass destruction. If an export licence is required, it will be required for any destination including Switzerland, Germany or the United States of America.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussion his Department has had with the parliamentary space committee; and if he envisages further consultations in the run-up to the European Space Agency ministerial conference. [16686]

I held a meeting with the parliamentary space committee on 16 March, at which we had a fruitful discussion of a range of issues, including Earth observation activities, satellite-based telecommunications and broadcasting, and satellite navigation. At the meeting, I announced additional Government funding of £2.612 million for the European Space Agency GNSS satellite navigation programme, £1.5 million for the ESA ARTES4 telecommunications technology programme and £1 million to cover the cost of delay to the launch of ESA's ERS2 remote sensing satellite. I would be glad to hold further consultation with the committee in the run-up to the ESA ministerial conference.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the effect of the revocation of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1986/1323 on the supply of fireworks to children under 16 years. [15818]

After revocation of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1986 it will remain illegal to supply fireworks to those aged under 16 as such supply would breach section 31 of the Explosives Act 1875, as amended by the Explosives (Age of Purchase) Act 1976. Breaches of this prohibition are triable by a magistrates court and currently may result in a fine of up to £5000. The 1986 regulations are being repealed as they reproduced the provisions of the 1875 Act as amended and also empowered the courts to impose a custodial sentence of up to six months for those convicted of the sale of fireworks to persons under 16. I understand the courts have never imposed a custodial sentence. Bearing in mind the scale of the fines which may now be imposed, the Government believe that it is no longer necessary to provide for a custodial sentence.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to give the Post Office the commercial freedom it seeks. [16379]

The Post Office operates several businesses. We are actively engaged in widening the opportunities for Post Office Counters and are helping to automate its services.We will announce any plans to change the present arrangements governing the remainder of the Post Office in due course.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department. [15567]

One of the principal aims of the Department is to work to reduce regulatory and administration burdens on business. Each Minister has to pursue this objective in the policy areas for which he or she is responsible. There is also a Minister with particular responsibility for promoting deregulation in the Department.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15551]

Under the deregulation initiative, which is co-ordinated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, over 1,000 regulations have been targeted by Departments for amendment or repeal to remove unnecessary burdens on business. Other prime targets are:

ensuring that new regulations, whether UK or EC, are introduced only if they are needed and have the minimum possible compliance costs;

making enforcement procedures more business friendly—one aim is to see 100 local business partnerships established by March 1996; and

promoting a deregulatory approach in the European Union.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much funding his Department is giving to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in 1995–96; how much it would have been if the 1994–95 level had been fully increased to reflect the change in the cost of living; and what assessment he has made of the effect of this change in funding in real terms on the number of regional offices sustained by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. [14670]

Funding from my Department for the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux for 1995–96 will be £11,916,000. Core funding for 1994–95 was also £11,916,000. Based on the adjusted gross domestic product deflator given in the Treasury Red Book, annexe A to chapter 6, this figure would have increased to £12,297,312. It is for the association to decide how best to use the resources which are available to it, and it would not be appropriate for the Department to intervene in operational decisions such as the number of regional offices which are sustained by the association.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the value of (a) exports to and (b) imports from, the Argentine in each of the past five years. [16232]

The information is published by the Central Statistical Office in "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Lord Present of the Council (1) if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department, includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department; [15569](2) what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15561]

The objectives in question are not applicable to the Privy Council Office, which does not itself generate regulations.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal has been granted to the Home Office in the case of Mr. Mohd Ashfaq, Ref: TH/1740/94;IMM/C2021. [L16629]

The application by the Home Office is currently being considered by the Immigration Appeal Tribunal.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d) access to ministerial meetings, (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at interdepartmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in his Department. [15620]

The Lord Chancellor's Department does not currently employ any specialist advisers.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992. [15621]

There have been no political advisers appointed to the Lord Chancellor's Department since May 1992.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992; [15637](2) what facilities in terms of

There are and have been no such political or specialist advisers in any of the Departments for which I have been responsible since May 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of redundancy payments to national health service staff (a) in each of the regional health authorities, and (b) for the national health service as a whole for each of the last 10 years. [15366]

The available information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimates her Department has made as to the cost to public funds of providing private health care within the NHS including the costs of capital investment and training of medical staff. [15767](2) if her Department will commission an independent inquiry to establish the full costs of providing private health care within the NHS; including the costs of capital investment and training of medical staff. [15766]

Private practice in the national health service results in further funds being made available to improve services for all patients and reduces the burden on public funds. Private patients are charged at a commercial rate. The availability of private practice in the NHS increases choice for patients. An independent inquiry would divert resources unnecessarily from patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of all (a) C grade, (b) D grade, (c) E grade, (d) F grade and (e) G grade nursing posts remained vacant as at 1 April on each of the last 10 years for each regional health authority. [15769]

This information is not available centrally.Figures on nursing vacancies collected by the Office of Manpower and Economics are available in the annual report of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine. Copies of the review body's report are placed in the Library each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct family health services to stop the practice of allowing dental contractors to take early retirement other than for genuine medical reasons.[16390]

Under the limited early retirement scheme agreed with the dental profession, decisions on which applicants to accept are taken centrally on the advice of a selection panel. Full account is taken of the need to maintain the accessibility of general dental services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the long-term effects on health of exposure to fluoride; [16336](2) if she will indicate the ways she has considered of delivering fluoride to its target population other than through the main water supplies; and if she will make a statement; [16335](3) what has been the incidence of caries in

Information, by year, about the incidence of caries compared between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas is not readily available. However, epidemiological evidence in general continues to support the Government's position on the positive benefits of fluoridation. Studies which have been carried out contrasting comparable fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas have consistently shown that the reduction in dental decay is between one third to one half greater in the fluoridated than in the comparable non-fluoridated area.The long-term health effects of fluoride have been a widely considered aspect of this issue over the 50 years since water fluoridation began. No significant long-term ill effects have ever been found to exist as a result of domestic water fluoridation at the optimum level of one part per million.There may be a number of alternative ways of delivering fluoride to the target population, and we are considering what these are, but it is generally held that fluoridation of domestic water is the most efficient means of delivery, and offers the best cost benefit.The Government remain convinced that fluoridation of drinking water is a safe, effective and cost-effective public health measure and will continue to support the introduction of such schemes, particularly where the dental health of the population is known to be poor. In 1994 the Government agreed to help with the capital funding of seven schemes in the north of England which would bring fluoridation to 1.7 million more people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will order the South Birmingham health trust to cease soliciting payments, under the Road Traffic Acts, from road accident victims. [16247]

Health service hospitals are empowered to collect the emergency treatment fee under section 158 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The fee must be covered by motor vehicle insurance policies and is payable by vehicle users, in respect of each person given immediate treatment or examination arising from a road traffic accident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received from health care firms from abroad seeking to expand into the United Kingdom health sector. [16889]

Ministers and officials receive representations from health care firms from abroad on a regular basis. As such representations can take the form of visits, telephone calls or letters and can be made at ministerial or official level no figure on the number of representations is kept or can be estimated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence or research is available from (a) within the United Kingdom, (b) the USA and (c) other countries in respect of any correlation between aplastic anaemia and bone marrow failure with the use of lindane, gamma HCH or gamma BHC; and if she will make a statement. [15497]

In 1992 the Advisory Committee on Pesticides reviewed the substantial number of worldwide reports, published in the open literature as well as unpublished reports, on lindane exposure and aplastic anaemia. The ACP review focused particularly on cases of people in the United Kingdom who had been diagnosed as having aplastic anaemia and who had been exposed to lindane in pesticidal products. The committee concluded that the weight of evidence suggested that lindane does not cause aplastic anaemia in man. On the basis of the information available, the ACP recommended that no regulatory action on this aspect was justified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has of skin complaints being caused by lindane, gamma HCH or gamma BHC; and if she will make a statement. [15496]

In the United Kingdom lindane is used mainly as an agricultural pesticide. Its only other use in the UK is in some products licensed under the Medicines Act 1986 for the treatment of scabies and crablice, and available only from pharmacies. There are no veterinary uses of lindane in the UK.The London poisons unit undertook a review of suspected cases of lindane poisoning reported to the unit between 1969 and 1988. The results were submitted to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides for evaluation during its review of lindane in 1991–92. Data were available on 110 cases, in six of which skin irritation was reported. Details of this review were published in December 1992 in the document "Evaluation on Gamma HCH (Lindane 2," copies of which are available in the Library.Dermatoses can be caused by an allergic reaction to any chemical, whether naturally occurring or manufactured, and some people may be especially sensitive to ingredients of pesticides or medicines. Apart from these very rare cases, no adverse effects should be expected in the short, medium or long term if the product is used in strict accordance with the recommendations on the label and accompanying literature, which give dose and safety precautions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence is available from the World Health Organisation regarding the rates of breast cancer in countries where the use of lindane or gamma hexachlorocyclohexane is banned or restricted. [15502]

Lindane is used in many countries. In developed countries, the use of pesticides is regulated by the conditions of approval, and is to that extent restricted. Conditions of approval vary from country to country. Since 1984 lindane, or gamma hexachlorocyclohexane, has been withdrawn from use as a pesticide in Indonesia, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, St. Lucia and two European Union countries, Sweden and Finland.There are several known risk factors involved in the development of breast cancer but no convincing evidence that exposure to lindane is one. Breast cancer rates alone, in countries in which lindane is banned, give no indication of whether or not there might be a causal relationship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of exposure to lindane gamma HCH or gamma BHC on pregnant women and their foetuses. [15493]

The information on humans is very limited. Adverse effects have been reported in spray operators or workers involved in the manufacture of gamma HCH. These include an increased incidence of spontaneous abortions and stillbirths. However, in all cases exposure to other pesticides or chemicals involved in the manufacture of gamma HCH occurred, therefore it is not possible to conclude that these effects are related to exposure to gamma HCH.The Advisory Committee on Pesticides has reviewed both published and unpublished data on the effects of lindane on human and animal reproduction and fertility. It did not conclude that, used under the terms of approval, there is a risk from lindane to pregnant women or their foetus.Full details were given in the document "Evaluation of Gamma HCH (Lindane 2)", December 1992, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which EU countries lindane, gamma HCH and gamma BHC are banned or restricted; and if she will make a statement [15506]

The use of lindane is restricted in the United Kingdom and all other European Union countries. Approval for the use of lindane as a pesticide has been withdrawn in Sweden and Finland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has that lindane, gamma HCH or gamma BHC causes or contributes to CHARGE syndrome; and if she will make a statement. [15494]

In 1994 the subcommittee on pesticides reviewed data from the CHARGE Association family support group, and cases of CHARGE syndrome linked with pesticide exposure which had been reported to the Health and Safety Executive. The SCP agreed that no conclusions could be drawn from the reports available, but that the situation be reviewed on a periodic basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which products designed to kill lice on children contain lindane, gamma HCH or gamma BHC; and if she will make a statement. [15495]

Medicines Control Agency records show that quellada application is the only product currently licensed in the United Kingdom containing lindane—alternatively known as gamma HCH or gamma BHC—which is indicated to kill lice on children.The Medicines Control Agency ensures that all medicines on the UK market meet acceptable standards of safety, quality and efficacy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has that organochlorines may be a contributory factor in the cause of breast cancer; and if she will make a statement. [15510]

The Department of Health's independent expert advisory committee on the carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment reviewed the available epidemiology data on breast cancer in women and levels of lindane in serum and breast fat tissue at its meeting on the 16 March 1995. The committee concluded that there was no clear evidence of an association between serum and fat levels of lindane and breast cancer at the present time, and recommended that the matter be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each well woman centre and indicate which are currently part-funded by individual health authorities.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given to fundholding general practitioners regarding purchasing from well woman centres. [15754]

None.It is for national health service purchasers, both fundholding general practitioners and health authorities, to decide whether, and to what extent, they purchase services from well woman centres. Not all services which are provided by well woman centres are included in the fundholding scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what age of child is dealt with in the "Handle with Care" leaflet, sponsored by her Department. [15752]

Babies and toddlers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 March, Official Report, columns 41–42, if the figures for clinical negligence include legal costs; and if she will itemise those costs. [15750]

All the figures include legal costs. The new method of estimating total costs of clinical negligence is not broken down between legal costs and damages paid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which management consultants have been employed by her Department to assist in the assessment of applications for NHS units for trust status; how much each was paid; and how many assessments they undertook in each wave. [15846]

I refer the hon. Member to the replies the then Minister for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), gave him on 3 November 1993, Official Report, column 225, and on 12 July 1994, Official Report, column 528. The information for the fifth wave of national health service trusts is as shown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that her ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for her Department, includes deregulation objectives (a) for her and (b) for each of the Ministers within her Department. [15564]

The need to avoid unnecessary regulatory burdens on business and on others is identified as an objective in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement of aims, goals, priorities and key challenges for the Department of Health for 1994–95, and subsequent years, which was published on 18 April 1994 and placed in the Library. Each Minister has to pursue this objective in the policy areas for which he or she is responsible. There is also a Minister with particular responsibility for promoting deregulation in the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets she has for withdrawing regulations within her Department. [15545]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d) access to ministerial meetings, (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at interdepartmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in her Department. [15624]

Special advisers are members of the civil service, have the same conditions of service as civil servants and are subject to the same rules of conduct as other civil servants, with certain limited exceptions. They have facilities appropriate to their duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to her Department since May 1992. [15625]

The Department has not appointed a special adviser since May 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that appropriate police checks are undertaken in respect of lay assessors who have access to children's homes. [16043]

Police checks are generally available for those who have substantial unsupervised access to children in children's homes. Lay assessors do not fall into this category. It is the responsibility of local authorities to satisfy themselves about the suitability of people they engage as lay assessors, for example by checking CVs and taking up references.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many died as a result of infection with the hepatitis C virus in the NHS for (a) 1992, (b) 1993, and (c) 1994. [16583]

The current international classification of diseases, 9th revision, does not allow us separately to identify the hepatitis C virus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people currently have the hepatitis C virus in the United Kingdom. [16585]

There have been no large population seroprevalence studies in the United Kingdom which could give precise estimates of the numbers infected.Small studies in transfusion centres at the time of introducing HCV testing estimated the prevalence in blood donors to be 0.06 per cent. This would be an underestimate of the numbers in the United Kingdom population as a whole because the group at most risk of infection, those who have injected drugs, are asked to self-defer from blood donation. There is evidence to suggest that perhaps between 50 and 80 per cent. of intravenous drug users have been infected with hepatitis C. Rates vary with geographical area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with haemophilia died as a result of infection with the hepatitis C virus in the NHS in (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994. [16630]

We understand from the United Kingdom haemophilia directors that, of 119 haemophilia patients known to have died in 1992, 10 showed the cause of death as liver disease of which hepatitis C may have been the cause. In respect of the 1993 figures, I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 1 December 1994, column 830. I understand that figures for 1994 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department carried out since 1989 on haemophilia; and if she will make a statement. [16582]

The Department has not carried out any such research. The main agency that the Government support for biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current mortality rate for women with breast cancer in England, for each health authority. [16580]

The latest available data on incidence to mortality ratios are published in table 15 of cancer statistics, registration, 1989, series MB1, No. 22, HMSO, 1994, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have died from breast cancer in the United Kingdom in each year since 1989. [16581]

The information is shown in the table.Number of women who have died from breast cancer—ICD

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men were diagnosed with breast cancer in the NHS for (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994 respectively; and if she will make a statement. [16579]

The latest available data on male breast cancer registrations are published in table 2 of cancer statistics, registrations, 1989, series MB1 No. 22, HMSO, 1994, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of asthma, and asthma-related disorders for (a) 1992, (b) 1993, and (c) 1994. [16584]

The net ingredient cost of national health service prescriptions for asthma medication was £305.2 million in 1992, £348.6 million in 1993 and £381 million in 1994. The net ingredient cost is the basic price of a drug before discounts and the addition of dispensing costs or fees. Information on the cost of other NHS services for asthma is not available for the years requested. In 1989–90, excluding community health services, they cost an estimated £72 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role is played by the chair of the Yorkshire and Northern health region in the strategic planning of health care within the area covered by Wakefield health authority. [16350]

District health authorities are directly accountable to regional health authorities. The regional health authority provides the strategic framework for regulating the relationship between purchasers and providers and ensures that local services are developed within the context of national guidelines. The authority also seeks to ensure that the most comprehensive and cost-effective balance of primary and secondary services is secured at a local level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms exist to resolve disagreements on strategic decisions at local level between purchasers and providers and community health councils. [16348]

Health authorities are expected to consult health care providers about local health strategies and to make every endeavour to resolve differences locally. Disagreement between health authorities and providers can be referred to the regional health authority for arbitration as set out in EL(91)11, "NHS Contracts: Guidance on Resolving Disputes." Health Authorities are required, under regulation 19 of the Community Health Council Regulations, as amended, to consult the community health council on proposals for substantial developments or variations in the provision of health services in the district. Copies of EL(91)11 are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the extent to which the strategic planning of health provision at local level may be affected by the decisions of private investors of capital. [16351]

The strategic planning of health provision is undertaken by the national health service. It is not affected by the decisions of private investors of capital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has on the link between chorionic villus sampling intrauterine tests and subsequent deformities in babies subjected to the test; [16341](2) if she will launch an investigation into the links between chorionic villus sampling and deformities in babies; [16343](3) what follow-up of mothers and babies who have been subjected to chorionic villus sampling tests her Department undertakes; [16342](4) how many cases of deformities in babies subjected to the chorionic villus sampling test her Department knows of. [16344]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) on 22 March, columns 207–208.A further article in

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the NHS executive of setting up the private finance database run by Newchurch and Company. [16522]

The cost to the Department of Health national health service executive of setting up the private finance database run by Newchurch and Company and operating it to date has been £70,000 plus £12,250 value added tax.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what objective assessment of the operation of the internal market in health in any particular locality is undertaken on her behalf. [16352]

The main way in which the operation of the internal market is assessed is through the monitoring of the performance of trusts and district health authorities against targets and objectives which are set to ensure the national health service delivers good-quality, responsive services in an efficient manner.These include: performance against the patients charter standards which have recently been expanded; position on waiting times; extent of efficiency gains measured through the efficiency index; and progress towards achievement of "The Health of the Nation" targets. These are available at a district level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has on requests by general practices to hospitals to delay to come in—TCI—dates for non-urgent patients until the commencement of the new financial year for financial reasons; [16680](2) what guidelines she has given to general practices concerning the information to be supplied to patients, whose non-urgent TCI dates have been delayed as the request of their general practice until the commencement of the new financial year for exclusively financial reasons; and if she will make a statement. [16676]

Fundholding general practitioners, like other national health service purchasers of health care, are required to assess the needs of their population and establish contracts for services accordingly. All emergency cases will be seen immediately and urgent cases are placed on a common waiting list. For non-urgent cases, national or local patients charter standards apply. The patients charter makes it clear that health authorities and general practitioners should give detailed information to patients on local health services, including quality standards and maximum waiting times.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure that Pinderfields hospital, Wakefield, remains open as a district general hospital maintaining regional specialisms. [16349]

This is a matter for the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. John Greetham CBE, chairman of the authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors determine whether she would intervene in the proposals of an individual health authority with regard to future health provision at local level. [16347]

It is for health authorities to determine health provision for their area taking account of local needs. Normally, Ministers are involved only in cases where, following consultation by the health authority, plans to close or significantly change the use of health service facilities are contested by the community health council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table giving the total amount of European Community money that has been awarded in grants for each financial year from 1986–87 to the present to (a) each local authority in Wales, (b) the Welsh Development Agency and (c) other organisations, giving the total annually of all such EC grants to Wales. [15346]

[holding answer 22 March 1995]: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d) access to ministerial meetings (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at interdepartmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in his Department. [15602]

Special advisers are members of the civil service, have the same conditions of service as civil servants and are subject to the same rules of conduct as other civil servants, with certain limited exceptions. They have facilities appropriate to their duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15548]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department, includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department. [15577]

One of the most important objectives which I have set for my Department is the encouragement of the growth, efficiency and competitiveness of Welsh industry and agriculture. The removal of unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens, together with improved practice in enforcement and future legislation, is central to the achievement of this objective, which is naturally supported by my Welsh Office ministerial colleagues. Most regulations are United Kingdom or England and Wales regulations where the Welsh Office is not the lead department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992. [15603]

The answer is:

• Mr. Michael McManus
• Mr. Hywel Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which management consultants have been employed by his Department to assist in the assessment of applications for NHS units for trust status; how much each was paid; and how many assessments they undertook in each wave. [15845]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 1 November 1993 by the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff North, (Mr. Jones), Official Report, column 51.In addition, Secta Consulting Ltd. was appointed to assess five applications for NHS trust status from April 1995 at a cost of £17,625.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to family health services authorities and fundholding general practices concerning information to be given to their non-urgent patients whose TCI—to come in—dates have been delayed until the commencement of the new financial year for exclusively financial reasons; and if he will make a statement. [16675]

I have not issued any guidelines on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has regarding general practitioners' requests to hospitals to delay the TCI dates for non-urgent patients until the commencement of the new financial year for exclusively financial reasons. [16679]

I have no details of any requests from general practitioners to hospitals to delay planned admissions until the new financial year.

To ask the Secretary of States for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 22 March Official Report, column 258, how many of the board members of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales whose terms are expiring on 31 March have been informed that they are not being reappointed. [16677]

One.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been his Department's expenditure on TECs in 1994–95; and what are the plans for (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [16338]

Negotiations are continuing with TECs on their contracts for 1995–96. When these negotiations are completed I will write to the hon. Member.Final outturn figures for 1994–95 will not be available until the appropriation accounts are approved. When I write to the hon. Member on TEC contracts, I will let him also have the latest provisional outturn figures available at the time.Expenditure in 1996–97 will be dependent on TEC contract negotiations which will take place early in 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date the publication by the Countryside Council for Wales's action plan for 1995–97 period will take place. [16678]

I hope to publish the action plan shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 825, if he will place in the Library a copy of the paper on prescribed disease D4, mucous membrane, prepared by a senior medical adviser of the Department of Social Security in January 1995. [15824]

A copy of the paper has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when David Towler of the Sunderland TUC unemployed centre may expect to receive a reply to his letter dated 6 February regarding the case of Mrs. Jackson and the training arrangements for medical boarding doctors addressed to Dr. S. M. Reed of the Benefits Agency medical section. [15825]

Following several telephone conversations with Mr. Towler, it was assumed that the matter had been dealt with. Dr. Reed wrote to Mr. Towler on 23 March to clarify the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to conduct research into the impact of the compensatory recovery unit on the lives of those who are obliged to pay back DSS benefits to the CRU. [15986]

The compensation recovery unit recovers benefits attributable to an injury or disease from the compensator rather than the plaintiff. It performs this function effectively. We have no plans to mount the research to which the hon. Member refers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the extent of the practice of awarding £2,500 to those seeking compensation as victims of illness, accident or disease so as to avoid claw back of benefit to the compensation recovery unit. [15987]

The level of settlement is a matter for the plaintiff and defendant, so no such assessment has been conducted. I understand, however, that a study of the level of settlement in some 10,000 compensation awards was recently completed on behalf of the Association of British Insurers. This study was conducted in support of evidence recently given by the association on the subject of compensation recovery to the Social Security Select Committee. The study concluded that the incidence of awards of £2,500 was not disproportionate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he keeps on the impact of the compensation recovery unit upon the lives of those who have to pay DSS benefits to the CRU. [15985]

The Department keeps such information as is necessary to discharge its responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d) access to ministerial meetings, (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at inter-departmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in his Department. [15610]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15553]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Corporate Affairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the level of (a) over-payments and (b) under-payments of income support in each year since its introduction; and what sums have been recovered. [15751]

Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables. Information is not collected on underpaid amounts. These are paid to claimants as soon as they are discovered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department, includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department. [15573]

This Department's deregulation objectives are set out on pages 2, 47 and 48 of the 1995 departmental report, "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1995–96 to 1997–98", published on 9 March 1995. One of our key tasks for the next three years is to reduce the burdens on business wherever possible, particularly by dealing with the differences in national insurance and Inland Revenue procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992. [15611]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 1 December 1994, Official Report, column 891.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances child maintenance payments can be obtained from service men posted abroad; what plans he has to review this issue; and if he will make a statement. [15544]

Child Support rules apply equally to service personnel and civilians. Where service men are posted abroad the Child Support Agency retains jurisdiction where it appears that the absent parent maintains sufficient links with the United Kingdom to be considered habitually resident here. This applies in the overwhelming majority of cases. There are no plans to review these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the numbers and proportion of claimants of an incapacity benefit who have been assessed as capable of their usual occupation or an alternative who have lodged an appeal against this decision in each of the last four quarters. [16704]

The information is not available in the form requested.Available information is in the tables.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the percentage of total income received by (a) the top 1 per cent., (b) the top 5 per cent., (c) the top 10 per cent., (d) the bottom 70 per cent. and

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates will receive the £10 per week supplement to disability working allowance for those working more than 30 hours a week. [16705]

We estimate that around 2,000 of the current 4,752 disability working allowance recipients will benefit from the new £10 per week additional allowance.Source: Disability Working Allowance monitoring statistics for the month ending February 1995.

To ask the Secretary of States for Social Security what are the numbers of people currently receiving attendance allowance by main disabling condition, broken down by (a) entitlement to the highest rate and (b) entitlement to the lowest rate of the allowance. [16703]

The information is in the table. This shows separately the disabling conditions that apply to at least 2 per cent. of the total recipients:(e) the bottom 10 per cent. of taxpayers in 1994–95; and what are the estimated figures for 1995–96; [15670](2) what was the percentage of the tax take in 1994–95 and the estimated take for 1995–96 from