To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm holdings receive subsidy payments, excluding environmental and hill livestock compensatory allowances, in excess of (a) £30,000, (b) £40,000 and (c) £50,000 per annum. [28354]

[holding answer 13 June 1995]: Farm holdings can receive subsidy payments under one or several schemes. Those holdings in England receiving payments under the sheep annual premium, suckler cow premium, beef special premium and arable area payments schemes which either together or separately exceeded the totals stated for the 1994 scheme year are as follows:

(a) £30,000: 10,857

(b) £40,000: 7,219

(c) £50,000: 5,055

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money would be saved if farm subsidy payments, excluding environmental and hill livestock compensatory allowances, were capped at a ceiling of (a)£30,000 per holding, (b)£40,000 per holding and (c)£50,000 per holding per annum. [28355]

[holding answer 13 June 1995]:Farm holdings can receive subsidy payments under one or several schemes.The total sums paid under the sheep annual premium, suckler cow premium, beef special premium and arable area payments schemes, in respect of the 1995 scheme year, would have been reduced by the following amounts if the respective ceilings per holding had been applied:

Ceiling applied per holding £	Reduction in total payments £ million
(a)
30,000	350.4
(b)
40,000	261.7
(c)
50,000	201.1

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what measure HMS Alderney is taking in respect of (a)monitoring pollution and (b)monitoring the activities of Greenpeace; [29181](2) for what reasons HMS Alderney is following the Shell flotilla towing the Brent Spar; and what task it is undertaking. [29180]

I have been asked to reply.The Royal Navy ship which has been deployed to the area of Brent Spar has been asked to monitor the general situation. It has been taking no measures beyond this specifically to monitor pollution or Greepeace activity.

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how may (a)sheriff officers and (b)police officers are present on HMS Alderney on its current voyage following the Shell flotilla towing the Brent Spar. [29182]

I have been asked to reply.The answer is none.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the political profile of justices of the peace on all benches under his jurisdiction. [29481]

The political breakdown of justices of the peace for benches in the counties of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside is as follows:

Political profile of benches in the counties of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside
	Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrat	Others uncommitted
Lancashire
Blackpool	68	31	14	30
Fylde	29	7	7	9
Wyre	38	13	10	7
Preston	53	33	3	22
Lancaster	30	19	14	20
Chorley	40	12	6	15
South Ribble	33	16	4	20
Ormskirk	46	19	7	11
Blackburn, Darwen and Ribble Valley	49	32	10	29
Hyndburn	22	19	3	10
Burnley and Pendle	67	40	17	36
Rossendale	27	11	4	5
Greater Manchester
Bolton	83	44	16	48
Bury	62	26	20	33
Manchester	122	104	59	74
Oldham	62	49	32	50
Rochdale	29	19	35	27
Middleton and Heywood	26	23	11	19
Salford	61	47	21	34
Stockport	73	35	30	44
Tameside	81	40	14	48
Trafford	50	26	20	26
Wigan	62	40	12	49
Leigh	26	28	3	29
Merseyside
Knowsley	45	39	27	24
Liverpool	171	76	89	62
North Sefton	45	2	19	45
South Sefton	50	25	22	30
St. Helens	41	18	18	50
Wirral	123	49	36	55

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information (a)could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b)was not held centrally and (c)was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered now due to computerisation; more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28509]

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28499]

Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Member by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard after the Minister's reply.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 June, Official Report, column 519, what was the total amount of fraudulent legal aid claims made by solicitors in each of the last five years; how much was recovered in each year; and how many cases resulted in criminal prosecutions and conviction. [29707]

It is not possible to quantify the total amount of fraudulent legal aid claims made by solicitors in each of the last five years. This is because there may well be an element within the total amount of the claims under suspicion which may relate to work actually and reasonably done by the solicitor. In addition,

Table 1: Details of judiciary in post as at 1 June 1995
	Number	Men	Women	Barrister1	Solicitor	Black/Asian
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary	12	12	0	12	0	0
Lords Justices	32	31	1	32	0	0
Heads of division (excludes Lord Chancellor)	4	4	0	4	0	0
High court judges	95	89	6	94	1	0
Circuit judges (include official referees)	514	483	31	455	59	3
Recorders	927	872	55	833	94	10
Assistant recorders (excludes assistant recorders in training)	334	284	50	270	64	8
Stipendiary magistrates	87	76	11	36	51	1

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will update the information given in his answer of 7 February 1994, Official Report, column 11, to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North regarding the composition of the judiciary. [28889]

The information relating to numbers of men, women, barristers and solicitors in post, correct as at 1 June 1995, is set out in table 1. The figures for black and Asian office holders are believed to be correct, but the formal recording of the ethnic background of applicants for judicial office began only on 1 October 1991, so such information may be incomplete. Aggregated information is not generally kept on the average ages of judges. The information supplied on 7 February 1994 was available as a result of a special exercise, which has not since been repeated, and no new information is readily available. Aggregated information is not generally kept about the educational background of judges, but the results of a recent special exercise in relation to the university background of the more senior levels of the judiciary, as at 26 May 1995, is set out in table 2.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had over the future of the NRA within the proposed environment agency. [28045]

The integrated environment agency has been welcomed in all parts of the House and by the environmental bodies. We are now consulting on the options for the geographical and managerial structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest information he has on the number of empty houses in England. [28047]

Local authorities estimated in their 1994 housing investment programme returns that there are some 845,000 empty properties in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he proposes to assist council leaseholders of former council high-rise dwellings with service charges. [28048]

My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration announced on Monday the introduction of a package of measures to help local authorities to assist leaseholders, including a good practice guide on service charges, a more flexible form of mortgage indemnity agreement and an exchange sale scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses have been bought by their tenants under right-to-buy legislation; and if he will make a statement. [28065]

In England, almost 1.25 million homes have been sold under the right to buy up to the end of 1994. The figure for Great Britain as a whole is more than 1.6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were repossessed in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [28050]

Figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that the number of properties taken into possession in each year since 1990 is as follows:

• 1990: 43,890
• 1991: 75,540
• 1992: 68,540
• 1993: 58,540
• 1994: 49,210

These figures show that the number of properties taken into possession in 1994 was the lowest since 1990 and 35 per cent. lower than the peak in 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of households likely to lose their home through repossession for mortgage arrears in the next 12 months. [28054]

The Government do not make predictions about future levels of repossessions, but I am pleased to note from the latest figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders that the number of properties taken into possession in 1994 was the lowest since 1990 and 25 per cent. lower than the peak in 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the likely need for social housing in Britain up to 2001. [28052]

The analysis released by the Department last month to the Environment Select Committee suggests the additional demand for new social lettings lies within the range 60,000 to 100,000 units a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding his review of planning policy. [28053]

I refer the hon. Member to my oral answer to the hon. Member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the implementation of planning policy guidance notes 6 and 13. [28064]

PPG6 is currently being revised. I hope to issue it for consultation next month. A guide to better practice, to help implement PPG13, will be issued in the early autumn. Research is under way to monitor the implementation of PPG13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding his review of planning policy. [28049]

The only review that my right hon. Friend proposes is to revise PPG6, on which he has received a number of representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had about compulsory water metering of the business premises by North West Water. [28057]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the need to introduce regional government in the east of England. [28058]

I have received no representations on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated amount of energy saved, to date, as a result of his Department's "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign. [28059]

The "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign, launched in October last year, aims to raise public awareness and encourages action to save energy in the home, as part of the United Kingdom's climate change programme. A full assessment of the campaign's effectiveness will be made when it is completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to St. Helens to discuss standard spending assessments. [28062]

I have no plans to visit St Helens. If there are any proposals that St. Helens wishes to make as to how the standard spending assessment methodology could be improved, I suggest that these are passed to the Association of Metropolitan Authorities for discussion at the SSA sub-group.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for the United Kingdom of the recent changes made in the EU draft directive on landfill of waste by the European Parliament in report A-4 0082/95. [28066]

There are no implications for the United Kingdom of the report to the European Parliament by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection. This recommended acceptance of the Council's proposal to amend the legal basis of the draft landfill directive from article 100A of the treaty of Rome to article 130S. The United Kingdom supported this change in Council. The European Parliament has now agreed to the change of legal base.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average rent paid by tenants of private landlords; and what the figure was in 1978–79 in actual and real terms. [28055]

The average weekly rent paid by tenants of private landlords in England is £60. The average weekly rent in 1978–79 was £6.30, equivalent to £17 a week at 1993–94 prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to reduce levels of air pollution in London. [28056]

The Government have put forward amendments to the Environment Bill to implement a new framework for air quality management, and will publish later this year their draft national strategy for improving air quality throughout the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for revising the air quality banding system in order to make it readily understandable by the public. [29489]

I shall shortly be publishing a consultation paper proposing revisions to the Department of the Environment's air quality bulletin service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce what action the Government intend to take on the recommendations in the review of rural water supply and sewerage in England and Wales following the consultation exercise on the review's findings last year. [30236]

The Government accept the review's recommendations affecting existing development. In taking them forward, my right hon. Friend will be introducing today into the Environment Bill amendments to the Water Industry Act 1991. These will put a new requirement on sewerage undertakers to provide public sewers to be used for the drainage for domestic purposes of premises in any locality in its area where there are problems arising from the existing system, and mains connection is the most satisfactory and most effective solution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those parts of his Department or departmental agencies which were privatised without an in-house bid; if he will indicate the expertise which was absent in his Department or departmental agencies which prevented an in-house bid taking place; which future parts of his Department or departmental agencies he intends to privatise; and which of them do not have the necessary in-house expertise to mount an in-house bid. [29421]

Since April 1992, the Department's agencies, Property Holdings and the Planning Inspectorate, strategically contracted out—that is, without an in-house bid—two areas of work:

• Property Holdings: Professional Property Services
• Planning Inspectorate: IT Project Management

All the central Department's activities under the "Competing for Quality" initiative so far have involved in-house bids.No decisions have been taken on which additional areas of work may be suitable for contracting out without an in-house bid.Contracting out without an in-house bid can occur for example when a Department judges that the private sector is clearly better equipped to deliver a specific service, has a better understanding of market needs or has capacity to invest in new technology. A strategic decision to contract out could also be taken where an activity has not previously been performed in-house or where an activity may be relatively small and peripheral to a Department's functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of times per year addresses were changed on the community charges registers held by London boroughs during the operation of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement. [29768]

None. The maintenance of community charge registers was a matter for local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sits of special scientific interest have been (a) wholly and (b) partially affected by residential, industrial or other development in the past 10 years. [29643]

The information is not available in the form requested. Between 1 April 1984 and 31 March 1991 statistical information on damage to SSSIs in Great Britain is set out in the annual reports of the former Nature Conservancy Council. Since 1 April 1991 similar detail for England is contained in English Nature's annual reports. Copies of annual reports are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will implement in full the recommendations for Wiltshire of the Local Government Commission, with particular reference to parish council status to the city of Salisbury. [28233]

We expect to announce shortly our decisions on a number of the commission's recommendations concerning new parishes, including that for Salisbury.As to the commission's other recommendations for Wiltshire, the draft Wiltshire (Borough of Thamesdown) (Structural Change) Order, which provides for change to the structure of local government in Thamesdown on 1 April 1997 and other associated matters, was laid before Parliament on 15 June 1995. Subject to approval of that order, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary intends in due course to lay before Parliament an order giving effect to the commission's recommendation for a combined fire authority. We intend to give effect to the commission's recommendations for ceremonial matters in a statutory instrument to be laid before Parliament later this year. Other recommendations are for the local authorities themselves to take forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from riding school proprietors about the rates they pay; what subsequent action he is proposing to take; and if he will make a statement. [28548]

I have received four such representations since the beginning of last year. I have no plans for action in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has to multiply and improve the habitats of natterjack toads. [29302]

The natterjack toad has been the subject of a three-year English Nature species recovery programme, which is due to end in June 1995. English Nature will continue to participate, in co-operation with the Herpetological Conservation Trust, in conservation and repopulation measures identified in a consequential 10-year management plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the airports outside London that have received European grants for noise abatement; [24980]

I am answering these questions on behalf of my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.We have no record of European grant being paid for noise abatement to any airport in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many representations he has received (a) for and (b) against the size of the jackpot in the national lottery. [29105]

[holding answer 20 June 1995]: I have received many representations about the size of the national lottery jackpots. It is not possible to determine the number for or against the size of the jackpot without incurring disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the figures for each month since the launch of the Child Support Agency of (a) the amount of child maintenance assessed by the Agency as payable and (b) the amount payable under arrangements carried over from before the launch of the agency; and how much of each amount was paid (i) directly to the parent with care and (ii) via the agency. [27947]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents are making child support payments by way of deduction of earnings orders. [29521]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the state retirement pension in real terms, for each year since 1979. [29550]

The information is in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the amount recovered by claimants by way of arrears of supplementary benefit in the area covered by the Wrexham and North Wales Coast district benefits agency for each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [29706]

The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of people who died because of asthma and respiratory illness in each of the last five years. [29089]

The information for England and Wales is shown in the table.Numbers of deaths certified as due to asthma, ICD9 code 493, and diseases of the respiratory system, ICD9 code 460–519 inclusive, in the last five years.

Year	Deaths certified as due to diseases of the respiratory system (ICD9 code 460–519)	Deaths certified as due to Year asthma (ICD9 code 493)
1993	90,745	1,690
1992	60,388	1,790
1991	63,237	1,884
1990	61,018	1,858
1989	66,712	1,957

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the top 10 districts where expenditure on prescriptions are the highest for (a)asthma treatment and (b)other respiratory conditions. [29088]

The information is shown in the tables. They list those family health services authorities in which total expenditure is greatest, which could reflect the size of the family health services authorities, and do not show where the expenditure per head of population is greatest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies her Department has made of the possible negative effects of using temazepam without a prescription, with special reference to the injection of the drug; what assessment she has made of whether other benzodiazepines are more effective in the treatment of anxiety and sleeplessness than temazepam; what information and educational material is currently available to the general public concerning the ill effects of illegal use of temazepam; to what degree this information is available; and if she will make a statement. [29247]

The Department has commissioned research on the impact of prescription drug leakage on the illicit drug market, including on the risk behaviours associated with injecting prescription drugs. It is due to be completed in late 1996.It is for doctors treating patients for anxiety and sleeplessness to decide which benzodiazepine, if any, would be the most effective for individual patients. Doctors have access to information about the effects of benzodiazepine prescribing in the British National Formulary, copies of which are in the Library. The Department issues this to all doctors free of charge.General information on the ill-effects of the misuse of benzodiazepines, including temazepam, is given in the leaflets "Drugs and Solvent Misuse—A Basic Briefing" and "Drugs and Solvents: Things You Should Know" which is targeted at young people. These are widely available and, together with similar leaflets produced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, can be ordered free of charge through the national drugs helpline service, telephone 0800 77 66 00. Local health authorities and boards or other agencies may produce their own educational materials.The Mental Health Foundation booklet "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence", which contains information about the risks of benzodiazepines, drew attention to the potential for misuse of these drugs and for diversion of supplies to illicit markets. The booklet, copies of which are available in the Library, was circulated to all English family health services authorities in March 1994 under cover of a letter which gave Departmental endorsement to the guidelines and recommended their use by general practitioners wishing to help patients who may be dependent on benzodiazepines to shift gradually to non-prescribing interventions.The Department is considering what further advice should be issued to FHSAs on the powers they have to examine controlled drug prescribing and to clinicians on the prescribing of benzodiazepine and related drugs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take action to unfreeze the posts for speech therapists required for special education needs in Bootle. [29321]

This is a matter for Sefton health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. F. R. Ludlow, chairman of the health authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the treatment of occupational pensions by local authorities when the recipient enters residential accommodation leaving a spouse remaining in the community. [30505]

We have been looking carefully and sympathetically at this issue. While our guidance to social services departments makes it clear that they can exercise discretion when applying the charging rules to care home residents with occupational pensions, they are not at present required to disregard a portion of that occupational pension in order to provide for a spouse remaining at home. We have now decided in principle that the local authority charging regulations should be amended so as to disregard half the occupational pension when a husband or wife enters a residential care or nursing home in order to help their spouse remaining at home. The Department will be consulting with the interested parties, including the local authority associations, about the details of implementing this proposal. At the same time, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be taking forward a similar proposal in respect of people who were in residential care or nursing homes on 31 March 1993 and who have preserved rights to the higher levels of income support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the future management of special hospitals. [30595]

We have decided on a number of important changes in the organisation and funding of high security psychiatric services provided by the three special hospitals, Ashworth, Broadmoor and Rampton. Their purpose is to integrate special hospital services more closely with mainstream mental health services while fully maintaining the protection of the public, staff and patients themselves. They build on the substantial improvements in quality and effectiveness of services that have been achieved by the Special Hospitals Service Authority since it was set up in 1989.The changes take account of the recommendations of the expert group, chaired by Dr. John Reed CB, on high security and related psychiatric provision whose report was published in July 1994. I announced then that we were asking officials to examine further the group's recommendations and advise on what changes, if any, should be made in the funding, management and deployment of the services. In doing this, they were to pay particular regard to Ministers' obligations to maintain the security and quality of the services and to achieve value for money. The decisions I am announcing today have been taken in the light of this further advice.The key features of the new arrangements that we are introducing are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to reduce the availability of appetite suppressant drugs. [29305]

Proposals are being considered to limit the availability of appetite suppressants by way of an order under section 62 of the Medicines Act 1968 to situations in which there exists a clear medical need for such products. The Medicines Control Agency is currently consulting those with an interest in this subject on the form that such an order might take.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average cost in real terms of hip prostheses to the national health service in each of the last 12 years. [29300]

The information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sets of (a)twins, (b)triplets, (c)quadruplets, (d)quintuplets and (e)sextuplets were born in England in each year from 1990 to 1994; what was the total number of maternities in England in each year; how many multiple births were conceived as a result of (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception; and if she will make a statement. [29529]

The information on multiple and total maternities is shown in the table.

England
	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Twins	7,537	7,739	7,883	7,897	8,014
Triplets	190	201	192	225	249
Quadruplets	9	10	8	11	8
Quintuplets	—	1	1	—	—
Sextuplets	—	—	—	1	—
Septuplets	—	—	—	—	—
Total number of maternities with multiple births	7,736	7,951	8,084	8,134	8,271
All maternities	662,048	655,703	646,266	631,710	624,004

The table excludes those maternities to mothers resident outside England and Wales.Figures relating to multiple births following assisted conception are contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to visit Edgware general hospital in the near future; and if she will meet a deputation of local residents and medical staff during her visit. [29752]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Edgware hospital at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make it her policy to review the proposed closure in April 1997 of Edgware general hospital accident and emergency unit when her Department receives medical evidence of up-to-date local requirements; [29753](2) if she will list the replacement services for the local community to be undertaken by the relevant health authorities after the closure in April 1997 of the accident and emergency department of Edgware general hospital. [29751]

No. Barnet health authority has a duty to ensure that residents have a comprehensive health service meeting the full range of their needs effectively and safely. Edgware hospital's accident and emergency department will not close until alternative facilities are available and capable of providing an improved service to patients.A new minor accident treatment service is being established on the Edgware site and will provide modern and effective services for local residents. Full-scale accident and emergency services will be provided at the redeveloped Barnet hospital, as well as at Northwick Park and the Royal Free. A primary care investment fund, amounting to £17 million, has been established to improve family doctor and community services in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the annual costs of carrying out competitive tendering processes in the national health service since their introduction. [29705]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients (a) in each region and (b) in England were removed from general practitioners' lists in the latest available year; how many and what proportion of these were de-registered at the request of their GP; and how many patients in England were de-registered at the request of their GP in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [29700]

Information on the removal of patients is available only for 1992–93, and I refer the hon. Member to the answer that the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), gave him on 20 July at columns 368–70.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the annual cost of carrying out market-testing processes in the national health service since their introduction. [29704]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her reply of 16 May, Official Report, column 167, with regard to Gorton medical centre, if she will state the latest position both with regard to the judgment of the High Court and with regard to financial assistance to improve the premises of the centre. [29969]

We are still considering the implications of the judgment of the High Court.Officials at Manchester family health services authority have recently received a copy of plans from the doctors at Gorton medical centre regarding the proposed work to improve their practice premises. The authority will now consider what financial assistance can be provided and the right hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Joan Higgins, chairman of Manchester FHSA, about future progress in this connection.

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 451, how much each Treasury counsel retained for civil work received in fees from public funds in 1994–95; of the Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court, how many received between (i) £250,000 to £300,000, (ii) £300,000 to £350,000, (iii) £350,000 to £400,000, (iv) £400,000 to £500,000, (v) in excess of £500,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service for financial year 1994–95. [29928]

The Treasury Solicitor's Department paid each of the two Treasury counsel retained for Government civil work between £200,000 and £250,000 in the financial year 1994–95. However, Treasury counsel will also have received fees from other Government Departments and agencies which have instructed them direct. The total fees paid to Treasury counsel from public funds could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.On the information currently available, of the Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court the following numbers received payments from the Crown Prosecution Service during the financial year 1994–95 in the following bands:

	Number
(i) £250,000 to £300,000	3
(ii) £300,000 to £350,000	1
(iii) £350,000 to £400,000	0
(iv) £400,000 to £500,000	1
(v) in excess of £500,000	1

All figures are inclusive of value added tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all areas within (a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28657]

[holding answer 15 June 1995]: The reference to the Crown immunity in the question is taken to refer to legislation that does not bind the Crown. Certain legislation is expressly applied to the Crown. In most legislation, however, particularly older legislation, there is no such express provision. In those circumstances, whether legislation applies to the Crown will depend upon the implications to be drawn from the drafting and context of the legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his estimates of the (a) total tax assessed and (b) total tax refunded in respect of profits or losses made by the underwriting members of Lloyd's of London in each of the years since 1977–78. [28673]

[holding answer 15 June 1995]: The available information is shown in the table, and covers (a) the total tax charged on initial assessments, including estimated assessments, made during each tax year on underwriting profits and gains and (b) the total of income tax and capital gains tax repaid to Lloyd's underwriters by the underwriters unit of Inland Revenue in each tax year, including any repayment supplement attracted by the tax refunded.

£ million
Tax year	(a) Initial assessments	(b) Repayments
1977–78	43.6	not available
1978–79	53.0	not available
1979–80	60.5	not available
1980–81	72.1	not available
1981–82	75.9	not available
1982–83	96.3	24.3
1983–84	146.9	85.6
1984–85	153.5	87.1
1985–86	182.7	62.0
1986–87	204.0	160.3
1987–88	152.5	155.6
1988–89	157.3	157.7
1989–90	308.9	118.2
1990–91	228.2	91.0
1991–92	101.8	126.7
1992–93	10.3	386.6
1993–94	3.7	479.1
1994–95	8.9	375.4

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the findings of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise will be presented to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury following its investigation into breaches of export control by BMARC. [29352]

[holding answer 19 June 1995]: No.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the terms of the reference and subject matter of the HM Customs and Excise inquiry into BMARC. [29484]

Customs and Excise is an independent prosecuting authority of the Crown and conducts investigations to determine whether there is a basis for instituting criminal proceedings in relation to alleged breaches of, inter alia, statutory export and import controls.In that capacity, it is for the commissioners to determine the subject matter and extent of any investigation and, in relation to the BMARC allegations, the Department is actively following up information received.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last reviewed the threshold figure for the definition of proportionate cost in relation to parliamentary questions. [29362]

The disproportionate cost threshold for answering written parliamentary questions was last reviewed in February 1995. I concluded that costs had not increased sufficiently since the previous review to warrant raising the threshold. The threshold continues to be £450.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his estimates of the (b) public sector's tangible assets, (b) public sector's net financial liabilities and (c) public sector's net worth for each year from 1970–71 to 1997–98 expressed in 1994 prices. [29890]

Table 12.12 in the Central Statistical Office Blue Book provides the information requested for 1984 up to 1993. Included within the table are the relevant CSO identifiers, providing the data as far back as is readily available, for each of (a), (b) and (c).Forecasts of the public sector's tangible assets and thus net worth are not available. However, forecasts of the public sector's net financial liabilities, as measured by "net public sector debt" were published in table 4.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96", revised tables. Table 6A.1 of the FSBR contains the necessary deflators to convert the figures into real terms.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to aim to run a balanced Budget over the cycle. [29898]

The Government's fiscal objective is to bring the public sector borrowing requirement back towards balance over the medium term.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumption about the price elasticity of demand for spirits was used by his Department in 1994 in consideration of altering the levels of domestic duty on spirits in the Budget. [29891]

The Chancellor takes into account a wide range of factors when determining possible tax changes. The revenue implications are estimated using a computer model produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies. That model has a wide range of both own and cross price elasticities for various categories of consumption. The own price elasticity for spirits is -1.07.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change has taken place in the retail prices index between March 1979 and March 1995. [26364]

The information requested can be calculated from table 11 of the March 1995 edition of the "Business Monitor MM23 on Retail Prices Index", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer on 12 June, Official Report, column 395, regarding contracts with EDS in respect of Government data, what arrangements exist to ensure the smooth, continuous running of the relevant systems in the event of a change of contractor, the appointment of a subcontractor or an unforeseen event or policy decision taken by the contractor; and what back-up arrangements are in place to ensure the continuous running of these systems. [29766]

EDS has outsourcing contracts with the Inland Revenue, the Department of Social Security and the Department of Transport.There are provisions within the EDS contracts with those Government Departments, which cover the handover of work and resources at the end of the contract and which will ensure continuity of service. The provisions for handover apply equally to a transfer to another supplier or direct to the Department and they can be invoked even if the contract is terminated prematurely.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he took into account section 164 of the Financial Services Act 1986 in determining whether or not to go ahead with the sale of National Power and PowerGen. [28816]

Section 164 of the Financial Services Act 1986 has never been brought into force, but would in any case have applied only to unlisted securities. The shares of the generating companies were already listed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forward projections he has made for the income from alcohol duty for each of the next 10 years. [29436]

Forecasts cover the short to medium term; and the last published set was in the revised 1995–96 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". After 1995–96, figures presented combine income from excise duties on fuel, alcohol and tobacco. New estimates will be published by HM Treasury in the summer economic forecast at the end of June.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to meet representatives of the Licensed Victuallers Association to discuss the Government's policy on the harmonisation of alcohol duties across the EC. [29434]

Meetings are held regularly with trade organisations and other representatives of that industry.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect of the Government's monetary and exchange rate policies since 1979 on the UK share of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries. [29442]

The UK's share of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries depends on a variety of factors, including competitiveness and export profitability. It is not possible to isolate with any confidence the effects stemming from monetary and exchange rate policies. However, the Government's commitment to deliver permanently low inflation will provide a stable climate within which British manufacturing can compete successfully, in both world and domestic markets.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the EUROCARE report into alcohol policy across the European Union. [29433]

I await a copy of that report, which will then receive attention.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies his Department has carried out into the potential for using the reform of vehicle excise duty to encourage the sale and purchase of less-polluting vehicles. [29490]

The possibility of using vehicle excise duty to encourage the sale and purchase of less-polluting vehicles is kept under review. The policy of phased increases in fuel duty is, however, thought at present to be the most efficient way of curbing emissions from vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notices have been issued to carriers under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 in each quarter since March 1991. [29701]

The total number of notices issued in each quarter since March 1991 is as follows:

Quarter ending	Number of notices
31 March 1991	2,843
30 June 1991	2,759
30 September 1991	2,451
30 December 1991	2,031
31 March 1992	1,954
30 June 1992	1,605
30 September 1992	2,355
31 December 1992	2,197
31 March 1993	1,608
30 June 1993	1,663
30 September 1993	1,815
31 December 1993	1,819
31 March 1994	1,638
30 June 1994	1,605
30 September 1994	2,085
31 December 1994	2,011
31 March 1995	1,864

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total amount of liability incurred by all carriers under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987; and how much has been paid. [29703]

A total of £79.770 million had been incurred to 31 May 1995. Of that sum, £45.861 million has been paid and £10.47 million waived following representations by carriers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to extend to British citizens born overseas who wish to return to their countries of origin the programme of financial assistance for repatriation already available to non-British citizens in similar circumstances. [29929]

Under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 the Government fund a small humanitarian programme that provides for limited assistance to be given to non-British citizens who wish to return to their countries of origin but who lack sufficient means to do so. British citizens born overseas who wish to return to their countries of origin to settle may, in certain circumstances, renounce their British citizenship, and become eligible to receive assistance from the programme.