To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to privatise the Meteorological Office. [24812]

There are no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to meet Professor Julian Hunt, chief executive of the Meteorological Office to discuss the accuracy of weather forecasts. [24814]

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence maintains regular contact with the chief executive of the Meteorological Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of introducing competition for the Meteorological Office on the quality of weather forecasts. [24813]

The Meteorological Office and the private sector have been competing for a number of years for commercial contracts for meteorological services. The competition helps to ensure that the Met Office maintains a very high-quality forecasting service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the MOD bases where closures have been announced in the last five years; and in which parliamentary constituency they are located. [25188]

My Department does not hold information in the form requested and it could not be provided without disproportionate cost. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 3 May, Official Report, columns 234–38. which listed bases sold by my Department since 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of departmental staff and members of the armed services available for mobilisation in the event of a nuclear accident emergency as described at pages 39–40 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1995, Cm. 2800; and what level of training is given to departmental staff on nuclear emergency response. [25263]

In addition to a small full-time staff in MOD headquarters, the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation could draw on the skills of many hundreds of personnel across the armed forces and the MOD. Their precise number and specialisation would be dependent on the particular circumstances of an accident but it might include medical experts, health physicists, technical/design specialists, radiation monitoring experts, engineering teams and associated logistic and other support staff. In addition to the training given to ensure day-to-day expertise in these functions, appropriate training is also provided to ensure familiarisation with specific procedures relevant to a nuclear accident; the exercises described in the Statement on the Defence Estimates are an essential element in ensuring an effective response organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to announce the agreed final costs for AORO1 and AORO2; and if he will make a statement. [24868]

The total cost to the end of April 1995 to my Department is £154.890 million and £204.701 million, actual prices, for AORO1 and AORO2 respectively. Final costs for both vessels have still to be agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total amount of money spent by his Department on civilians receiving medical treatment at the Princess Alexandra hospital, RAF Wroughton, in each of the last five years. [25598]

No separate records are maintained of the costs of treating civilian NHS patients at service hospitals. The element of total running costs at the Princess Alexandra RAF hospital, Wroughton, proportionate to the percentage of patients treated on behalf of the NHS in each of the last five years is as follows:

• 1990–91: £8,100,000
• 1991–92: £6,200,000
• 1992–93: £7,600,000
• 1993–94: £8,400,000
• 1994–95: £8,100,000

These figures include fixed costs which would in any case have been incurred in the treatment of service patients. In addition, because of changes in budgetary responsibility and accounting procedures during the period, the costs are not entirely comparable year on year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 May, Official Report, column 49, what was the total cost of the damage done to 28 Tornado aircraft based at RAF Coningsby; who will carry out the repairs to the damaged aircraft; when the investigation into the contamination will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the investigation when he has received it. [25597]

Necessary work to allow the aircraft to resume normal operations was conducted by service personnel immediately after the contamination was discovered. Once full and careful consideration has been given to the investigation I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total cost of accommodation at the proposed tri-service hospital at Haslar. [25599]

Existing single accommodation will be made available for the staff of the Royal hospital, Haslar. Although some refurbishment may be necessary, the cost of this work is as yet unquantified. Estimates for the requirement of additional married quarters, which will be met in the short term by hiring property or payment of excess rent allowance, are not yet available, although these costs will be partially offset by savings at current locations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the removal of personal protection weapons from soldiers in the Royal Irish Regiment. [25353]

There has been no change in our policy on soldiers from the Royal Irish Regiment holding personal protection weapons. The requirement for individual soldiers to retain army-issue weapons is kept under review on a case-by-case basis, and there are no plans to institute a general policy of withdrawing such weapons.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to alter the inflation target. [24876]

The Government's aim is to keep underlying inflation in the range 1 to 4 per cent. and to bring it down into the lower half of this range by the end of the present Parliament. I have no plans to change the objective for that period.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it remains his policy to keep RPIX inflation below 2.5 per cent. at the end of the current Parliament. [24552]

The Government's policy is to keep underlying inflation, as measured by the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, in the range 1 to 4 per cent, and to bring it down to the lower half of the range by the end of the present Parliament.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for 1995–96 the number of individuals whose gross income and capital gains exceed (a) £70,000, (b) £80,000 and (c) £100,000, in each case specifying the number paying capital gains tax. [25011]

Available information is in terms of taxable income and capital gains. Provisional estimates are given in the table:

Number of individual taxpayers, excluding trusts, 1995–96
Taxable income1and gains2over:	Total	Paying capital gains tax3
£70,000	220,000	19,000
£80,000	170,000	17,000
£100,000	110,000	14,000
1 Taxable income is defined as gross income for income tax purposes less those allowances and reliefs which are available at the taxpayer's marginal rate.
2 Taxable gains are chargeable gains net of reliefs and the annual exempt amount.
3 Figures exclude gains made by companies which are included under corporation tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government intend to publish provisional outturn figures for public expenditure in 1994–95. [25997]

The Government propose to replace the annual Cash Limits Outturn White Paper by a comprehensive outturn document covering not just cash limited expenditure but all expenditure within the control total. The aim is to publish the first document in the new early July, a week or so before the normal publication date for the CLOWP. The document will show provisional outturn for 1994–95 for the control total by Department compared with plans, and for individual votes and voted cash limits, non-voted cash limits, external financing limits, and gross and net running costs limits compared with original and final provision.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the figures contained in tables 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 of the public expenditure statistical supplement to the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96 to show the outturn for 1994–95 and estimated outturn for 1995–96. [25193]

My answer today to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) described the arrangements for publishing provisional outturn data on public expenditure for 1994–95. For 1995–96, following usual practice, forecast outturn figures will be published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97 for the control total by Department, and in more detail in the statistical supplement to that report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with what frequency the Inland Revenue performs spot checks on the accounting practices of owners of private nursing homes. [25488]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: All businesses are liable to have their accounts inspected by the Inland Revenue and investigations are carried out where there is reason to believe the accounts may not be correct. Specific figures relating to nursing homes are not compiled.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been granted in tax relief to United Kingdom banks against possible default on third world debts in each of the last 10 years; and what is the rationale for such tax relief. [25373]

Provisions by banks operating in the United Kingdom for doubtful sovereign debt—mostly of third world countries, but which may include relatively small amounts for other countries—are estimated to have reduced corporation tax receipts in the last nine years by the following amounts:

	£ million
1986–87	70
1987–88	190
1988–89	550
1989–90	490
1990–91	880
1991–92	120
1992–93	120
1993–94	120
1994–95 (provisional)	120

Estimates for earlier years are zero or small.Third world debt is a feature of banking and losses on sovereign debt represent real losses arising in the normal course of such business. Losses or potential losses on sovereign debt therefore attract relief in broadly the same way as losses or potential losses on trading debts of other businesses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has asked the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England to substantiate the claim of December 1993 that exporters were profiteering by raising prices excessively instead of increasing sales. [25478]

I regularly discuss a wide range of economic issues with both the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. Export sales have clearly increased since December 1993, growing by 11 per cent. in 1994, the strongest increase in more than 20 years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the state of discussions between British ophthalmic physicians and his Department relating to the overpayment of tax under European directives; and how much his Department estimates is owed by the Customs and Excise to British opticians in overpaid tax. [25343]

Customs and Excise met opticians' representatives on 11 May and discussed the matters arising from the recent High Court decision on the VAT liability of supplies of spectacles. Proposals are awaited from the trade representatives on a number of the issues discussed and these will be considered at a further meeting planned for mid June. It is difficult to estimate the total amount of tax to be refunded to opticians, because the impact of the High Court decision will vary significantly from business to business; Customs estimate that the figure may be of the order of £250 million including statutory interest.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement on the draft negotiating mandate for a new trade regime between the European Union and South Africa; [25610](2) if he will undertake a study into the effect of the proposed free trade area between the European Union and South Africa on the economies of the other member states of the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community. [25609]

The draft negotiating directives presented by the European Commission propose that the EU should respond positively if the South African Government were willing to negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement. The Government believe that such an agreement offers the greatest potential for delivering improvements in access to the EU market for South African products and promoting our long-term trade relations.We therefore support the Commission proposal, on the understanding that any free trade agreement negotiated between the EU and South Africa is compatible with World Trade Organisation rules and takes account of South Africa's regional commitments. I believe that this is in line with the recommendation on the future relationship between the EU and South Africa made in the Trade and Industry Select Committee's report on trade with southern Africa published on 27 July 1994. In the process of negotiation, we will urge the European Commission to take into account the possible effects of such an agreement on the economies of South Africa's neighbours and we will also listen carefully to the views of South Africa's partners in the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what has been the balance of trade in oil in 1994 prices for each year since 1978; [25191](2) what has been the balance of trade in manufactured goods in 1994 prices for each year since 1978. [25190]

The information is published for 1994 by the Central Statistical Office in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", available in the Library of the House. The information is not available in 1994 prices for other years, although data at 1990 prices is available from the CSO's central shared database, also in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the applicability of the views attributed to his Department on pages 42 and 43 of "Renewing Local Government in the English Shires" to the future of trading standards services in Cleveland after the division of those services among four unitary authorities as a result of local government reorganisation. [25215]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 17 May, Official Report, column 283. The same considerations apply in Cleveland as in Berkshire.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now publish the Lebrecht report. [24955]

This report on an internal management review of the functions and organisation of the Ministry's animal health and veterinary group was not written with publication in mind and is not suitable for publication. My right hon. Friend did, however, issue a consultation document last October setting out the basis for his provisional conclusions following the review and took the many comments received into account in reaching the decisions that he announced in a written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. French) on 4 May.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why Irish vessels currently enjoy fishing rights off Spitzbergen. [25383]

For 1995 the European Union has a cod quota of 24,220 tonnes at Spitzbergen and Bear island. In accordance with the traditional allocation key, Council Regulation 3362/94 divides this between the member states as follows:

	Tonnes
France	2,130
Germany	4,820
Portugal	2,390
Spain	11,500
United Kingdom	3,130
Other member states except France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden	250

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what red fish quotas were offered in Iceland waters in 1994 and 1995 to (a) Britain and (b) Germany; which British firms were offered catches there by his Ministry; and whether they took up the offer. [25384]

Germany and the United Kingdom were allocated quotas for respectively 1690 tonnes and 1160 tonnes of red fish in Icelandic waters for both 1994 and 1995. The Fish Producers Organisation of Grimsby was offered the UK quota for 1994 but did not take up the opportunity. For 1995 the United Kingdom quota has not yet been allocated; it is not available before 1 July each year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of the recent survey of satisfaction with the levels of service his Department's regional organisation provides for the farming public. [26098]

In accordance with the principles of the citizens charter, a survey of customers of the MAFF regional service centre was carried out by a firm of independent consultants in early 1995. The overall results are very positive and show that nearly nine in 10 customers felt their MAFF centre had done a good, very good or excellent job in dealing with their most recent scheme or licence application. We will be considering carefully what can be done to address those areas where our customers feel that there is scope for improvement in our performance.I have placed copies of the consultants' report in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations she has had with community nurses, health visitors, midwives and other professionally involved groups concerning the effect of banning the advertising of baby milk within national health service premises on levels of breast feeding commencement; and if she will make a statement. [25605]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Sir D. Steel) on 14 March 1995, Official Report, columns 550–51.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what information he has on which European Union member states permit the advertising of baby milk (a) in generally available media and (b) health-specific premises on what dates changes in permission for either category of advertising was amended in either direction what subsequent changes occurred in breast feeding commencement levels; and if she will make a statement. [25604]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: I have no such information; there is no requirement on member states to supply it to one another.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 24 April, Official Report, column 379, how many vets are employed by the Spanish authorities; how many of these have undertaken spot checks of sheep being imported into Spain; how many spot checks were undertaken by the Spanish authorities in the last year for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the welfare of British sheep exported to Spain is adequately provided for. [21851]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The level of spot checking and the resources devoted to it are matters for the Spanish authorities. We maintain contact with them, and understand from them that they are satisfied on the basis of their checks that the animals' welfare is satisfactorily protected.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspections of live animals for export were made by Ministry vets at (a) Shoreham and (b) Brightlingsea, since 1 January. [24736]

[holding answer 18 May 1995]: Between 1 January and 12 May there were 60 sailings from Shoreham carrying animals for slaughter or for further fattening and 70 from Brightlingsea. Veterinary inspectors were present at the ports for each sailing, when visual checks were made of the animals on board lorries and export paperwork checked. Veterinary inspection of animals for fitness to travel is carried out at point of departure, not at the port.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) calves and (b) sheep arriving at (i) Shoreham and (ii) Plymouth, in the period between 1 November 1994 and 30 April 1995 were (1) dead on arrival, (2) judged to be unfit to travel and (3) destroyed because of injury or disease; and if he will make a statement. [24735]

[holding answer 16 May 1995]: The figures for the period specified are as follows:

Number of animals
	Dead on arrival		Unfit to travwel		Destroyed
Port	calves	sheep	calves	sheep	calves	sheep
Shoreham	none	1	1	2	none	none
Plymouth	none	none	none	none	none	none

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit north-west Kent. [23845]

Although I have no current plans to do so, I hope such a visit will be possible in the near future.

To ask the Prime Minister when he next intends to visit Scotland. [23846]

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 May 1995. [24304]

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 May. [24304]

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he has yet received a report from the Intelligence and Security Committee on the discharge of its functions under the Intelligence Services Act 1994. [25998]

I can confirm that I have recently received an interim report from the Intelligence and Security Committee, setting out the broad pattern of its work to date and outlining some of its future priorities for inquiry. I do not consider that the report contains any matter whose publication would be prejudicial to the continued discharge of the functions of the Secret Intelligence Service, Security Service or Government Communications Headquarters, and I have therefore today placed copies of it, as submitted by the Committee, in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to extend the recommendations of the Nolan Committee concerning the conduct of Ministers and officials to include the Governor of the Bank of England and all senior members of his staff. [25379]

I have no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister for what period Antanas Gecas was employed by British intelligence. [25622]

It remains the Government's policy not to provide information on the operations at the security and intelligence agencies.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25722]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: None.

To ask the Prime Minister if the statement of Government policy set out in paragraph 5 of the Bank of England press release of the text of the Deputy Governor's speech to the City branch of the Institute of Directors on 13 December was authorised by him. [25683]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 29 March 1995 Official Report, column 640.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce recycling programmes as part of the work of the Overseas Development Administration. [24991]

We are ready to consider support to recycling programmes whenever invited to do so by partner countries. We are, for example, discussing recycling as part of current environmental management projects in India and Egypt.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with regard to the Grameen trust's training programme application for support. [25090]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We are keen supporters of micro-enterprise development. We have advised the Garmeen trust that the managers of our micro-enterprise projects in recipient countries will seek to identify suitable opportunities for project beneficiaries to use the trust's training facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount donated by the Overseas Development Administration department for primary health care in Bangladesh, excluding family planning provision, for the last year in which figures are available. [25309]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: Our expenditure on primary health care projects in Bangladesh in 1993–94 was £2.55 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total expenditure on the aid and trade programme in each of the last five years; and which British companies have won contracts under this programme. [24884]

The final outturn of expenditure for ATP in 1994–95 is not yet available.Expenditure for ATP for each of the previous five years was:

Financial year	ATP actual expenditure £ million
1989–90	61.671
1990–91	94.424
1991–92	101.183
1992–93	93.019
1993–94	84.687

For lists of which British companies have won contracts under the ATP in the last five years I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action the Overseas Development Administration takes to ensure that money donated by Her Majesty's Government for family planning purposes is not used as part of a coercive family planning programme or to free resources in recipient countries for such programmes; [25313](2) what legal provisions govern the funding of coercive population programmes overseas; and what plans he has to promote legislation banning such funding. [25316]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: Bilateral programmes are designed and monitored to ensure that they promote reproductive choice on an entirely voluntary and informed basis. We ensure that organisations to which we give funds for reproductive health activities operate similar policies and approaches. We do not believe that it is necessary to introduce legislation to ensure that aid funds for reproductive health programmes are used effectively and in accordance with our policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Overseas Development Administration's policy on the provision of financial, personal or community incentives to encourage contraceptive use in developing countries. [25312]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We believe that decisions by couples and individuals about the use of particular methods of contraception should be made on an entirely voluntary and informed basis and that the use of incentives which are likely to prejudice this principle should be discouraged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the officials from the Overseas Development Administration who sit on any board, committee, or regular meeting of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the UN Family Planning Association. [25299]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The British Government have a seat on the executive board of the United Nations development programme, which is also the governing body of the United Nations fund for population activities. Part of each board meeting is devoted to UNFPA business. The United Kingdom is invited to the annual donors meeting of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. In both cases meetings are attended by officials from the Overseas Development Administration's health and population division.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits officials from his Department have made to China to assess the Chinese population control programme or the work of the Chinese Family Planning Association or the UN fund for population activities in China; and what reports exist on such visits. [25303]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: Officials from the British embassy in Peking have regular meetings with the relevant Chinese authorities to discuss a range of issues, including China's population policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries the Overseas Development Administration donates money, directly or via a non-governmental organisation, where overseas aid is tied to acceptance of family planning programmes; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on tying overseas aid to acceptance of family planning programmes. [25311]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: None. We do not support making the provision of overseas aid conditional on the implementation of family planning programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what considerations underlie the policy of donating funds from the Overseas Development Administration budget to the core funds of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the UN Family Planning Association rather than to specific earmarked projects undertaken by those organisations; [25298](2) if he will list those organisations involved in family planning projects to which the Overseas Development Administration makes donations to their core funds, together with the amount donated for the last year for which figures are available. [25306]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The United Nations Population Fund and the International Planned Parenthood Federation have the capacity to allocate and spend their resources in an effective manner. Together with other Governments we set policy for UNFPA and provide guidance for IPPF on the use of resources. Her Majesty's Government representatives seek to ensure that funds are used in ways which are fully in line with British aid policy and priority objectives. On this basis, we and other Governments provide the large majority of funds without earmarking. The efficiency and effectiveness of both organisations would be impeded if the United Kingdom and other donors earmarked their contributions for specific activities.In 1994 we gave £7.5 million to the general funds of IPPF and £8.5 million to those of UNFPA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library all reports submitted to the Overseas Development Administration since 1989 by the International Planned Parenthood Federation on population policies in China. [25317](2) what written statements by the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the UN Family Planning Association or the Chinese Family Planning Association condemning or disassociating themselves from any instance of coercive population control in China are held on the files of his Department; and if he will list in each case the instance condemned and the date of the document. [25301]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The latest annual report from the International Planned Parenthood Federation covering its worldwide operations, together with a sample of statements, by both the United Nations Population Fund and the IPPF, opposing coercion, have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on links between the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the British eugenics movement and the Gaton Institute. [25300]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We understand from the International Planned Parenthood Federation that some individual members at its founding in 1952 may have had links with the eugenics movement. However, eugenics views have never influenced IPPF's policies or programmes. IPPF makes it an unequivocal condition for membership that each autonomous family planning association commits itself to fight all discrimination and coercion based on social or economic status, gender, race, colour, creed or political beliefs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition the Overseas Development Administration uses of what constitutes coercive population control; and in which countries such practices have been identified. [25307]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: Population activities would be considered coercive if they sought to infringe the basic right of couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. Population programes funded by the Overseas Development Administration safeguard and promote this right and facilitate the exercise of such a right by individuals. The Overseas Development Administration does not hold authoritative information on instances of coercion in overseas countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers of volunteers provided by the Chinese Family Planning Association to assist in family planning initiatives in China; what assessment he had made of the level of independence of the Chinese Family Planning Association from the central Chinese Government; what information he has on the role played by the Chinese Family Planning Association in recent Chinese "population high tides"; what information he has on the liaison between the Chinese Family Planning Association and the International Planned Parenthood Federation; and what documentation the Overseas Development Administration has received arising from such liaison. [25310]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The China Family Planning Association is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. We understand that there are some 75 million volunteers in CFPA, including many doctors and nurses, who assist with counselling and providing information on family planning. The CFPA does not provide clinical services.The CFPA is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, governed by a board of volunteers drawn from all sections of national society. The CFPA has been appointed by the Chinese Government to monitor the national family planning programme and help to ensure that coercion does not take place in the programme. The IPPF provides information on the activities of CFPA as and when required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessments his Department has made for the unmet need for family planning overseas; and on what assumptions such assessments are made. [25308]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We use estimates of unmet demand for family planning prepared by the United Nations Population Fund and other organisations with expertise in this area. Such estimates are based on demographic and health survey data collected from individual countries. These surveys collect information about couples using family planning and about couples who do not, but who express a desire to limit their family size. Where necessary, we also undertake our own small-scale studies to assess specific reproductive health needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional bilateral aid will be provided to meet the goals set at the 1990 world summit for children, to reduce (a) infant mortality rates and (b) under-five mortality rates, by one third by 2000. [25089]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We are increasing our support for reproductive health programmes, which will enable children and women to enjoy better health through improved child spacing, safer childbirth, and improved access to other essential health care. We expect to commit, over the years 1994 and 1995, at least £100 million for these purposes and in support of other reproductive health goals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the change in episodes in (a) health visiting, (b) community nursing services, (c) district nursing, (d) community mental handicap nursing and (e) occupational therapy between 1988–89 and 1992–93. [21743]

The information available is set out in the table.

New episodes of care
	1988–89 (000's)	1992–93 (000's)
Community psychiatric nursing	229.7	303.4
Community mental handicap nursing	21.2	20.5
District nursing	2,383.2	2,152.5
Occupational therapy1	774.1	879.4
1Figures for occupational therapy are provisional.

New episodes of care have increased by 32.1 per cent, in community psychiatric nursing and by 13.6 per cent. in occupational therapy. Numbers of new episodes in community mental handicap nursing have remained virtually constant over the period 1988–89 to 1992–93.The number of new episodes has reduced by 9.7 per cent. in district nursing. This may reflect the increasingly complex treatment they provide, requiring a longer time to be spent with each patient, and also their role as team leaders. Simpler treatments often administered by district nurses in the past may now increasingly be provided by other members of the care team or through self-medication by patients, enabling district nurses to devote more time to individual patients who require their specialist skills.Information on episodes of care for health visitors is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many surgeons suspended on full pay by NHS hospital trusts have later been (a) dismissed and (b) reinstated; and how many cases await a decision on the surgeon's future; [24729]

The General Medical Council, an independent statutory body, is responsible for protecting the public by regulating the medical profession. Its professional conduct committee may attach conditions to a doctor's registration, or suspend or remove a doctor from the register, if the doctor is found guilty of serious professional misconduct. The committee may immediately suspend a doctor, notwithstanding that he may appeal. In exceptional circumstances, interim suspension for two months may be imposed pending a hearing by the professional conduct committee. A doctor whose name is suspended or erased cannot practise in the national health service.The GMC's powers are being widened. We have introduced the Medical (Professional Performance) Bill this Session, based on proposals by the GMC, to allow it to take action in cases of seriously deficient professional performance by doctors. This action may include suspension of registration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will meet the new president of the GMC, when he is elected, to discuss these and other matters.A doctor suspended by a NHS trust needs the trust's permission to work elsewhere. We would expect the trust to consider carefully the circumstances in which the doctor was suspended before agreeing to any other employment. Working without permission is a breach of contract. All NHS trusts should obtain references from previous employers as part of their duty to ensure that the competence and integrity of a doctor is not in doubt.A decision to disqualify a general practitioner is made by the NHS tribunal. We have supported the Bill introduced this Session by the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Austin-Walker)—the NHS (Amendment) Bill—which will enable the tribunal to protect patients by suspending a GP before a full hearing takes place.Guidance on doctors' registration and employment was issued in EL(92)84, copies of which are available in the Library. Figures on the number of suspensions by NHS trusts are not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to the report on London health services prepared by the Greater London Association of Community Health Councils for London Members of Parliament, dated 10 May, a copy of which has been sent to her. [24739]

No formal response has been made. However, the report on admissions times which monitors the progress of hospitals towards the new patients charter standard, launched in January 1995 is welcomed. From April 1995, all patients should be given a bed within three to four hours. The community health council figures show that progress has been made and it is encouraging to note the relatively small numbers outside the target last year before management attention was focused on this important issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a negotiating body was formed by Northern Birmingham Mental Health trust to deal with pay and other trade union related matters. [24777]

This is a matter for the trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Mrs. Judith Mackay, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) letters and (b) other representations she has received in the current year concerning the need to compensate those people who are infected by the hepatitis C virus from contaminated blood; and if she will make a statement. [24946]

Representations about payments include four parliamentary questions, a short debate in the House of Lords and three early-day motions. In addition, Ministers have received 196 letters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to hospital in (a) the London area and (b) nationally have to a significant extent been due to accidents involving bull bars on road vehicles in the latest available year. [25262]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions involving admission and discharge the same day were performed on women resident in each district health authority and in each regional health authority in England and Wales in 1993; and how many of these operations were performed in NHS hospitals. [25047]

This information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to introduce the model of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education for the delivery of postgraduate medical and dental education in England; and if she will make a statement. [25048]

None. The national health service executive is considering the future arrangements for postgraduate medical and dental education in England and a document entitled "Options for the Future Management of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education" was issued for consultation on 27 March 1995, copies of which are available in the Library. Responses to the document are being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the NHS has to support medical undergraduates' education. [26202]

I have placed in the Library a copy of the report, "SIFT into the Future", from an advisory group on future arrangements for the service increment for teaching—SIFT—chaired by Dr. Graham Winyard, health care director of the national health service executive.I welcome the direction of change proposed by the advisory group. The report recommends development in the way we meet the additional NHS costs to hospitals, community trusts and general practitioners associated with teaching medical undergraduates. Payments will be based progressively on the demonstrated costs of clinical placements and of facilities to support teaching, within a sound framework of responsibilities, relationships and accountability. The report has been welcomed by the steering group on undergraduate medical and dental education and research.I am sending copies of the report to health authorities, family health services authorities, trusts, universities and other interested bodies, seeking views on the detailed recommendations and on plans for implementation.Comments are also sought on separate proposals for changes in the service increment for teaching dental students, which follow from the recommendations of the dental hospital subgroup of SGUMDER. I have placed in the Library a copy of the consultation paper about the proposals for change.Subject to consultation and to detailed development work, changes will take effect from 1 April 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 166 how much of the amount allocated has been spent in (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 on each scheme funded through the LIZ initiative in Newham listed in her answer. [25214]

The information is shown in the table:

	Capital spend £
	1993–94	1994–95
Newham
Essex Lodge (primary care centre)	22,373	40,439
Shrewsbury Road	217,000	432,000
Improvement grants to GP premises	283,472	97,373
Star Lane (primary care center)	470,128	130,533
Stratford Corridor (primary care centre)	304,132	188
Cyprus Dock (resource centre)	192,000	138,495

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has considered in response to the 1994 report of the Thalidomide Trust National Advisory Council, with particular reference to the actuarial projections on the life of the trust. [24972]

The Government have not been asked to respond to this report. Representations have, however, been made by Thalidomide disabled people that the moneys held by the Thalidomide Trust are insufficient to meet their needs, and the Government have brought these concerns to the attention of the trust. The Government welcome the further financial help promised by Guinness plc to secure the future of the Thalidomide Trust and underpin the beneficiaries' needs, but have made it clear that adequacy of the settlement with Distillers—now Guinness—is not a matter in which the Government can intervene.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number and percentage of the population (a) across the United Kingdom, (b) in the north-west and (c) in Lancashire which have dental treatment outside the NHS for each year since 1979. [25152]

Information about the number and percentage of the population who have dental treatment outside the national health service is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of new hospitals which have opened in central London in the last 10 years, together with their numbers of beds. [25136]

This information is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Sir William Staveley and Mr. William Wells, chairmen of North Thames and South Thames regional health authorities respectively, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of (a) the registered morning-after pill and (b) the equivalent oral contraceptive; and if she will make a statement. [25046]

Schering PC4 is the only product marketed in the United Kingdom for use as a morning-after pill. The cost of a pack of four tablets is £1.40. Oral contraceptives range in price from 37p to £2.77 per cycle, but none is licensed for post-coital use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps her Department is taking to inform (a) people of Afro-Caribbean origin, (b) diabetics and (c) individuals aged over 40 years with a family history of glaucoma of the increased risks that they face of developing glaucoma; [25029](2) what steps her Department is taking to inform blood relatives of glaucoma sufferers of the availability of free glaucoma checks after they reach the age of 40 years. [25030]

All close relatives aged 40 and over— parents, brothers and sisters, and children—of diagnosed glaucoma sufferers are entitled to free national health service sight tests. All optometrists are required to display in their practices a notice advising of the services available under the general ophthalmic services. Information about glaucoma, and the groups most at risk from it, is also available from the International Glaucoma Association. It would not be appropriate to disclose information about a person's health to third parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistical evidence she has on whether improvements in the early detection of glaucoma have occurred in the last five years. [25031]

There is no centrally collected statistical data on prevalence of glaucoma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that uneven standards in testing for glaucoma are minimised. [25032]

Screening for diseases of the eye, of which glaucoma is one, is part of the routine sight test procedure carried out by optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners. We have no evidence which would lead us to believe that standards of sight testing are uneven.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration her Department has given to widening the availability of free eye tests to all groups that face a significantly higher than average risk of developing glaucoma. [25036]

Close relatives—parents, children, brothers and sisters—aged 40 or over of diagnosed glaucoma sufferers are already eligible for free sight tests. We have no plans to alter these categories.

To ask the Attorney-General how much was paid to leading counsel for the Serious Fraud Office in the prosecution against Roger Levitt; and how much was paid to the counsel team prosecuting in the Barlow Clowes case. [25780]

Leading counsel for the prosecution in the Roger Levitt case acted for the Serious Fraud Office from January 1991 to December 1993 and was paid a total of £137,405 in fees.Over the period 1988 to 1993, covering preparation, trial, and appeal, a total of nine counsel were instructed at different times as part of the prosecution team in the Barlow Clowes case. Five of those nine either were Queen's Counsel or were appointed queen's counsel during the course of the case. The total paid to the team in fees was £1,109,261.80.The information referred to above is based on payments made inclusive of value added tax.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what new steps he is taking to maximise the recycling of industrial waste materials; [24987]

The "Waste Strategy for England and Wales", a consultation draft published in January 1995, sets out the steps the Government are taking to minimise the production of and maximise the recycling of industrial waste materials. A copy is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of industrial waste is recycled. [24988]

The "Waste Strategy for England and Wales", a consultation draft published in January 1995, includes an estimate that approximately 18 per cent. of industrial waste in the UK is recycled or re-used—table 1.2, page 6. A copy is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives from local authorities to discuss waste minimisation and recycling issues. [24990]

Representatives from local authorities have regular meetings with the Department to discuss a wide range of waste related issues, including proposals set out in the draft "Waste Strategy for England and Wales".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the additional administrative staff who will be required by the four unitary authorities created as a result of local government reorganisation in Cleveland. [25219]

Staffing structures are a matter for the newly elected councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about both the transitional and continuing administrative costs of the reorganisation in Cleveland; and what was the outcome of those consultations. [25218]

Government decisions are collective. The Cleveland (Structural Change) Order 1995, which implements reorganisation in Cleveland, was made on 30 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the views he has received from the business community in the Teesside area, prior to and since the decision to divide the Teesside conurbation among three unitary authorities. [25224]

Following publication of the Local Government Commission's final recommendations for Cleveland, we received representations from the local business community both in support of and opposing the commission's proposals. We took these into account, together with other representations, when we decided to put the Cleveland (Structural Change) Order 1995 before the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment at what stage is Teesside airport's bid to gain the funding from the ERDF; and what guidelines he proposes to issue in respect of future bids by airports for funds from the ERDF. [24979]

The application from Teesside airport for ERDF grant is being considered alongside other bids which have been submitted under the north-east objective 2 structural funds programme for funding. There are no proposals to issue guidelines in respect of future bids by airports for funds from ERDF.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to the European Commission to reconsider the priority that airports have within the European regional development fund. [24976]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what (a) European and (b) national alternatives there are for bidders who fail to gain funds for capital projects from the European regional development fund through overbidding. [24978]

Competitive bidding for resources available under the structural funds programme plays a major part in ensuring good value for money. Bids for European regional development fund grants have generally exceeded the resources available under current programmes. This has helped to ensure that grant has been made only to those projects which best met the aims and objectives of each programme. Bids which fail to gain ERDF funding may be eligible to receive resources available under other European or national programmes. However, this will depend very much on the activity concerned and whether this is eligible for support under a particular programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many posts were lost in (a) the Department of the Environment and (b) agencies for which the Department of the Environment is responsible, listing the total lost posts agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and how many posts are proposed to be lost in 1995–96. [25076]

The numbers of staff employed by my Department and each of its executive agencies in 1993–94 and 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96, are published in my Department's annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This shows the reduction of posts between years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by volume, and rivers affected, the annual discharges from abandoned mines and tips in the Yorkshire National Rivers Authority area. [24909]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: The information requested, so far as it is available, has been provided by the National Rivers Authority and is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many court actions were taken in each of the last three years by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; what were the gross and net legal costs of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in each of the past three years; how many of the court actions taken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in each of the last three years resulted in prosecution and fines; and what were the total fines imposed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in respect of pollution incidents in each of the past three years. [25778]

The tables give details of the court actions taken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in each of the financial years 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95. Fines imposed by the courts and details of costs are also included. All this information is available in HMIP's annual reports, the latest one of which, for the year 1994–95, is due for publication on 21 July. When considering what level of enforcement action to take, HMIP considers not only the environmental consequences and operator culpability, but whether it will be sufficient to ensure that remedial action to prevent a recurrence is carried out. Prosecution is not the only solution in every case, as HMIP endeavours to make the level of enforcement action proportionate to the offence. Enforcement may take the form of a letter of admonishment, an enforcement notice, a prohibition notice, prosecution or even revocation of the authorisation.