To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [25716]

[holding answer 22 May 1995]: None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European directives he has requested the Government of Gibraltar to give effect to in the last 12 months; in which cases they have failed to do so; what have been the consequences of these failures and what sanctions are available to him in the case of these failures. [30457]

As in any other part of the EU, the Government of Gibraltar must implement all applicable EU legislation. I welcome the Chief Minister of Gibraltar's recent public undertakings to implement by the end of this year the backlog of legislation which as arisen. We are providing help with that process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the costs at current prices of the European Parliament for each of the last 10 years. [30500]

The costs at current prices of the European Parliament for each of the last 10 years were:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received in respect of war crimes committed against the Serb population in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. [31138]

There have been allegations of war crimes committed against all sides in the conflict in former Yugoslavia. We regularly pass information on possible war crimes to the international tribunal in the Hague.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 27 June. [29364]

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 15 June 1995. [29366]

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is currently in Cannes attending the European Council.

To ask the Prime Minister what was his response to the delegation which met him on 21 June concerning former British prisoners of war held by the Japanese; and if he will make a statement. [31135]

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister expressed his very great sympathy for all that the former prisoners had endured. While recalling the Government's view of legal position, he said that he had discussed the matter with successive Japanese Prime Ministers and would continue to pursue it. He agreed to ask his Japanese counterpart if he would meet representatives of the former prisoners when they visit Japan next month.

To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about the peace process; and if he will make a statement. [31140]

I have been asked to reply.The Prime Minister has frequent discussions about all aspects of the situation in Northern Ireland with my right hon. and learned Friend.

To ask the Prime Minister what consideration was given during the G7 summit in Halifax, Canada to raising with the French President the matter of public concern over nuclear testing.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed nuclear testing with President Chirac on other occasions. It was not considered necessary to do so at Halifax.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he proposes to develop the options for additional Thames crossings in east London identified in the Thames gateway planning framework. [31492]

A Consultation Document, "River Crossings to the East of Tower Bridge", was published today by the Government office for London. This seeks the widest possible views on the form and priorities for crossings, with the aim of identifying buildable schemes which have a broad degree of consensus.I will place a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the result of the Transport Council in Luxembourg on 19th and 20th June. [31493]

The Transport Council met in Luxembourg on 19 and 20 June. My right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State for Wales and I represented the United Kingdom.The Council adopted conclusions on aviation relations with the USA. At my insistence, these require the Commission to carry out a thorough analysis to show whether a better result for all member states could realistically be produced by negotiations at Community level and to define the common interest.The Council reached a common position on guidelines on trans-European networks in transport and on a draft directive on interoperability of the high-speed train network. In the case of the guidelines on trans-European networks, a unanimous decision was required in the face of objections by the Commission.The Council reached a common position on a regulation on implementation of the international safety management code on the safety and management of vessels. The regulation provides for early mandatory application of the code from 1 July 1996 to all roll-on roll-off passenger ferries using EU ports.The Council adopted a directive on the collection of harmonised statistics on the carriage of passengers and goods by sea and on vessel movements.The Council held an orientation debate on alternative proposals for more effective recording equipment in road vehicles, in the light of member states' commitment to improve the enforcement of legislation on drivers' hours. At the end of an inconclusive debate the presidency called for further work to be carried out to assess the relative costs and benefits of the alternatives.The Council discussed Commission proposals to relax the constraints on the hire of road haulage vehicles for international operations. Most member states saw substantial difficulties in the proposals as they stand. The Committee of Permanent Representatives was invited to carry out further work on them in the light of the Council's discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 15 June, Official Report, column 618, what is the estimated time necessary for full evacuation in a real emergency from The Viking. [30301]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated time for evacuation from a roll-on roll-off ferry with carrying (a) 600, (b) 650 and (c) 700 passengers. [30233]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated time for evacuation from the CONDOR 11 catamaran when at full capacity; and what is the evacuation procedure. [30234]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his Department's policy on restricting access to any motorway during episodes of traffic congestion; to which motorways this policy has been applied in practice in the last six months; and whether it is his intention to extend such a policy to the M25; [30657](2) what is his Department's policy on restricting access to the M5 during episodes of traffic congestion; on how many occasions restrictions have been necessary in the last six months; and if he will list the junction numbers of the entry points which have been closed on each of the last three occasions. [30658]

These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many scientists were directly employed by the ODA in each year since 1983; [29864](2) how many qualified scientists there are in each grade in the Overseas Development Administration. [30217]

The number of ODA posts, including those in the Natural Resources Institute, requiring a natural science or social science qualification, by grade, since 1983 are:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the value of the £30,000 mortgage tax relief if it had been increased in line with inflation from the time of its inception. [29638]

As a result of lower mortgage interest rates the average mortgage holder is over £130 a month better off than five years ago. The £30,000 limit on mortgage interest relief was introduced in 1983–84. If this limit had been indexed in line with the change in the retail prices index, the limit for 1995–96 would be £53,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has decided to drop the Government's previous commitment to aim for a long-term rate of inflation of 2 per cent. or less. [30003]

The Government's commitment to permanently low inflation is unchanged. In his Mansion House speech on 14 June my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor laid down precise guidelines for the day to day operation of policy. Interest rates will be set consistently to achieve inflation of 21/2 per cent. or less, which should ensure that inflation will remain within the range 1 to 4 per cent. This would put us on course to achieve one of the best performances in Europe.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what prior information he was given about the appeal by the Inland Revenue on the separate assessment for council tax purposes of annexes of houses set aside for elderly relatives; if the appeal was undertaken with his approval; what action he proposes to take as a result; and if he will make a statement. [30021]

[holding answer 22 June 1995]: Officials of the Valuation Office Agency briefed me on this issue earlier in the year. It is for the VOA and its legal advisers to consider whether to appeal to the High Court in council tax cases and the chief executive decided to do so in these cases.The Government will study the full text of the judgment as soon as it is available, in order to decide what action may be necessary. Our current understanding is that it affects only a small number of cases where there is an unresolved dispute as to whether a property contains one dwelling or more than one dwelling for council tax purposes. The ruling, as we understand it pending full examination of the transcript, does not mean that thousands of families caring for elderly relatives are likely to face additional back-dated council tax bills. The High Court has not said that either annexes generally or the particular annexes which were the subject of these cases are liable to separate council tax. It has merely said that the valuation tribunals concerned took irrelevant factors into account in taking their decisions and has remitted the cases to the tribunals for reconsideration.The Government do not believe, and the judgment does not appear to suggest, that families should be penalised for sharing their home with an elderly relative or relatives.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies his Department has carried out on the effect on retail sales of (a) an upturn, (b) a standstill and (c) a fall in the housing market. [30417]

Treasury officials frequently review evidence on the relationship between consumer spending and real house prices. Most studies show a positive association, not least because factors such as actual and expected income and interest rates tend to drive both in the same direction.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider extending the consultation period for the recent proposals to change the taxation of gilt-edged stock. [31248]

We considered the timetable for consultation very carefully before announcing the proposals in the Revenue's consultative document, as my foreword makes clear. We concluded that the period proposed struck the best available balance between the need to allow scope for consultation and to minimise uncertainly. That remains our view.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to bring proposals to the House in relation to the reform of taxation of gilt-edged stock. [31247]

My hon. Friend the Minister of State announced the publication of an Inland Revenue consultative document in reply to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 25 May 1995 Official Report, column 712. Copies were placed in the Library of the House. We will announce our decision whether to proceed shortly after the period for consultation closes at the end of this month. Any consequent legislative proposals will come before the House in the normal way.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to protect personal investors in gilt-edged stocks from the retrospective tax consequences of the recent proposals to reform the taxation of gilt-edged stock; and if he will make a statement. [31249]

The proposals would not have retrospective effect: they would apply only to gains or losses building up in the future.The consultative document on the possible reform of the taxation of gilts and bonds suggests that there should be a sizeable threshold for private investors below which only interest would be taxable. It seeks views on the size and form of this threshold. The Government envisage that the threshold would be set at a level high enough to ensure that the overwhelming majority of personal investors were below it.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if the proposed privatisation of the administration of the civil service pension fund will require secondary legislation. [31265]

The Government propose, following an efficiency scrutiny of administration of the PCSPS, to permit Departments to market test administration of the scheme. Parliamentary approval for this intended course of action will be sought. I expect shortly to make a statement on the matter. Occupational pension arrangements for civil servants will continue to be provided through the PCSPS.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key targets have been set for the Civil Service College for the current year. [31155]

I have set the following targets for the Civil Service College in 1995–96:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been spent by the Health and Safety Executive in employing private sector consultants in support of its market testing and contracting out programme; and for what purposes. [29214]

In the period from 1992 to 1993, the Health and Safety Executive has spent a total of £386,759 on private sector consultancy in support of its market testing and contracting out programme.These consultants have been used to support in-house teams in constructing their bids, and to advise the HSE on the various aspects of particular procurements.To date, the gross saving for market testing and contracting out is £2.68 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions for infringement of safety regulations have been brought before the courts over the last five years in each region. [29358]

The number of prosecutions—measured by the number of informations laid—by the Health and Safety Executive's field operations division for infringement of safety regulations in each of the last five years in each HSE region is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions for infringement of health and safety regulations related to the food manufacturing industry have taken place in each region in each of the last five years. [29918]

The number of prosecutions—measured by the number of informations laid—by the Health and Safety Executive for infringement of health and safety legislation by the food manufacturing industry as defined by standard industrial classification in each region in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people attended and left the YT programme in each year of its operation including those who left before the completion of the programme. [30034]

The information requested is given in the following table. Information on leavers is available only from 1992–93.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the sums paid by Barnsley/Doncaster TEC to RJB Mining for miners that have been re-employed for retraining purposes. [30471]

The information requested relates to a contract between a training and enterprise council and one of its providers and is therefore commercial in confidence. TECs are private companies limited by guarantee, funded by the Government to provide training which best meets the needs of the local community. TECs are free to decide with whom they contract, taking into account the needs of the local labour market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of total notifications to his Department of impending redundancies under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 did not fully meet the requirements of that section in each of the last five years. [30705]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what inquiries are considered to be appropriate for his Department to make when an employer is alleged to have failed to notify impending redundancies to the Department under the terms of section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. [30703]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: The Department seeks details of proposals from an employer who is alleged to have failed to notify and, if appropriate, an explanation of the reasons for such failure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many instances there have been of an employer failing on more than one occasion to comply with, or fully comply with, the notice requirements of section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 in the last five years. [30706]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the six most common kinds of failure by employers to meet fully the requirements of section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 concerning notification of impending redundancies to his Department in each of the last five years. [30704]

[holding answer 26 June 1995]: Reasons for non-compliance are not separately recorded. The most common reason would be failure to give the minimum notice required by section 193(1) or (2) of the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the British economy of sick building syndrome. [29238]

Sick building syndrome is not a diagnosable disease. There is no reliable information on the numbers who might be affected by it and it is not possible, therefore, to estimate the annual cost to the British economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department is currently funding into the cause of sick building syndrome; and what will be the cost to public funds of that research. [29239]

The Health and Safety Executive published a full review of sick building syndrome research in August 1992 and issued guidance for employers on 23 May 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what targets Remploy has been set in its 1995–96 annual performance agreement. [31483]

I have written to the chairman of Remploy approving the 1995–96 annual performance agreement between the Department and the company. This agreement covers the year from 1 April 1995. It has been negotiated by the chief executive of the Employment Service on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State. The targets are:

the average number of disabled people employed by Remploy Ltd. will be at least 9,200;

of which more than 7,200 on average must be employed in factories;

at least 125 disabled employees will move from Remploy factories to Interwork having been employed there for at least one year, or from Interwork or factories to open employment;

the unit cost of Interwork should be no more than £4,500;

Remploy Ltd. will keep within a unit cost target (operating deficit per disabled worker) of £10,400;

Choices programme to be in place in every factory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by her or her Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28486]

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 below the Minister's reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 19 April 1995, Official Report, column 131, what is the information for England for 1993–94 for both income and expenditure in respect of the placement of old people in residential care and nursing homes. [28941]

The data with which to update my answer of 19 April to 1993–94 have recently become available. I shall place an updated table in the Library shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department carried out into hypertension intervention in high risk patients; what have been the findings; and if she will make a statement. [30002]

The available research is summarised in the "Health of the Nation" publications. "Assessing the Options: CHD and Stroke" and "Key Area Handbook: Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke" and the publication "Health Care Needs Assessment" which contain information on hypertension and which have been placed in the Library.The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to support on its own expert judgment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to make (a) soya milk infant formula feeds and (b) other foods with high oestrogen and phytoestrogen contents designed for under five-year-olds available by prescription only. [29991]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been (a) started and (b) completed on phytoestrogen in soya milk following the 1992 recommendations of the committee on toxicity of foodstuffs. [29992]

Since 1992, when the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment last considered phytoestrogens, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has commissioned two studies which include analysis of soya milk and infant formula. These have not been completed. In addition, a surveillance project measuring levels of oestrogens in the diets of infants, toddlers and young children will start shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has received from Coventry's education department regarding the safety of children at private nursery schools with fewer than five pupils; and what action will be taken on those proposals. [30205]

The chairman of Coventry's education and training committee and other councillors have recently jointly written to the Secretaries of State for Education and for Health about the registration of independent nursery schools. Registration of independent schools which have five or more pupils of school age is a matter for the Department for Education. The Department of Health is responsible for the framework for the registration with local authorities of other day care services for young children. The Secretaries of State for Education and for Health keep the arrangements for ensuring appropriate standards of child care and education in all settings under regular review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the paediatric cardiac unit doctors in Bristol have taken part in the National Confidential Inquiry into Peri-operative Deaths audit in each of the last 10 years. [30005]

The information is not available. The National Confidential Inquiry into Peri-operative Deaths is an independent organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to develop a service of autologous blood transfusion. [30419]

We recognise the value of autologous transfusion for those patients where the procedures are applicable. In appropriate cases it can provide a useful supplement to the supply of blood from voluntary donors which the National Blood Service supplies to our hospitals. The medical profession is aware of autologous transfusion and advice is available from medical staff of the National Blood Service and hospital consultant haematologists. Selection of patients for this procedure has to be undertaken with extreme care to avoid any possible clinical risk to that patient.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been recorded as dying of the heart defect HCM. [30422]

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) on 20 December 1994, Official Report, column 1149.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which European countries have screening programmes for the heart defect HCM. [30423]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were in each of the last five years. [30426]

Information for the years 1989–90 to 1993–94 is available in Department of Health statistical bulletin 12/94, "NHS hospital activity statistics: England 1983 to 1993–94", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has carried out in respect of a national prevalence survey of infection in hospitals; and if she will make a statement. [30473]

A national prevalence survey of infection in hospitals was carried out in 1993–94. The detailed results are expected later this year.The Department continues to fund a number of research and audit studies aimed at providing a basis for improving practice. Within the next three months we shall be placing a contract to set up a national surveillance system for hospital-acquired infection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will release funds to allow Solihull hospital to continue as a separate hospital with full facilities including children's wards and an accident and emergency unit. [30638]

Allocation of funds to health authorities is a matter for the appropriate regional health authority. It is then the responsibility of health authorities to use this funding to purchase relevant and efficient local health services. Solihull health authority is responsible for ensuring effective provision of services for the people of Solihull. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Robert Fordham, chairman of Solihull health authority, for further information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will discuss with the regional health authority the possibility of restoring Solihull hospital to full trust status in the near future; and if she will make a statement. [30637]

We have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being undertaken on male reproductive health and environmental chemicals with oestrogenic effects. [30539.]

No research is being undertaken in this area by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in setting up a pilot network of health-promoting schools as described in "The Health of the Nation;" and what her Department's budget has been for this project in the current year. [30545]

England formally entered a European network of health-promoting schools in September 1993. The 16 pilot schools which make up the English network are currently involved in a wide variety of health education and health promotion activities, involving not only the school community but also external agencies. A number of schools have established European links with the wider European network of schools.The Department of Health will contribute approximately £400,000 to the project for the current year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage change in full-time equivalent consultant numbers by region in 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94. [30454]

The available information is shown in the table. Data for 1993–94 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has on whether any junior doctors are working such long hours for damage to their health to be foreseen. [30465]

None. The new deal on junior doctors' hours, a copy of which is available in the Library, sets limits on the maximum average weekly hours junior doctors can be both on duty and actually working.Significant progress has been made through the new deal to reduce hours. Latest returns from regional task forces show that 96 per cent. of all junior doctors are within the contracted hours limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when each EEC country brought in blood test screening for hepatitis C. [30467]

European Community countries introduced testing for the hepatitis C virus at various times. We do not have information on the details. Screening was introduced in the United Kingdom in September 1991 when satisfactory kits became available, together with confirmatory tests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children who have been abused have been helped in each of the last five years. [30766]

Information available centrally relates to children subject to initial stage child protection conferences and to children at risk placed on a child protection register. It does not give an indication of numbers abused. Available figures are published annually in "Children and young people on child protection registers, year ending 31 March 19XX, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the review by the clinical standards advisory group of standards of care for people with schizophrenia will be published. [30191]

Shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients fell within the remit of the Mental Health Act Commission for each year since 1990. [30179]

Information is not available in the form requested. The number of formal admissions to national health service facilities, private mental nursing homes and the three special hospitals is published in the bulletin "In-Patients Formally Detained in Hospitals under The Mental Health Act 1983 and Other Legislation, England: 1987–88 to 1992–93", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, for the last five years, the total numbers of medical practitioners in England currently approved under section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 as having special skill and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorder, listing them, in England, by regional health authority area and distinguishing between general medical practitioners who are approved and specialist medical practitioners who are approved. [30181]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 19 June at column 45.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total number of patients admitted to hospital under sections 3, 37 and 37 to 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983, distinguishing between each of those sections and the classification of mental disorder from which the patient was judged to be suffering in each of the last five years. [30183]

Information on the number of patients is not available centrally. Information on the number of formal admissions under sections 3 and 37, with section 41 restrictions, and section 37 without section 41 restrictions, of the Mental Health Act 1983, distinguishing between each of those sections and the classification of mental disorder for the years 1990–91 to 1992–93 is shown in the table. Figures for the last two years are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comments have been received by her Department on its draft "Guide to Arrangements for Inter-Agency Working for the Care and Protection of Severely Mentally Ill People" with particular reference to the after-care form contained in it; and when the guide will be published. [30185]

We have received a number of comments in response to our wide consultation on the draft "Guide to Arrangements for Inter-Agency Working for the Care and Protection of Severely Mentally Ill People". The guide will be published later this year.We consulted separately on the after-care form before its introduction in February. More than 100 agencies and individuals responded and the form was broadly welcomed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the Mental Health Act Commission for each of the last five financial years; and what is its projected cost for 1995–96 and 1996–97. [30187]

Past and projected expenditure on commissioners' fees and expenses and staffing and administration is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to consider the contents and recommendations of the Law Commission's report No. 231 on mental incapacity; and if she will make a statement. [30189]

The Department is represented on the inter-departmental working group, chaired by the Lord Chancellor's Department, which is considering the Law Commission's report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements her Department has made since August 1993 to provide better training for key workers under the care programme approach, including on the revised Mental Health Act code of practice and on new guidance on discharge from hospital, including what additional resources it has made available for such training, and an estimate of the numbers of staff trained as a result. [30193]

Training for key workers on all appropriate issues under the care programme approach is primarily a matter for national health service provider units and social services departments and a wide range of local training is under way or planned. To support this process we have arranged a number of national conferences to improve training with further national and regional conferences planned; commissioned the Open university to develop an open learning pack for social services staff; and commissioned a development pack for local health and social services authorities which incorporates the outcome of a national key worker training conference.Information on the number of staff trained is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for the last five years the total number of patients who have been received into guardianship under sections 7 or 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 listing them by social services authority and distinguishing between different classifications of mental disorder and between sections 7 and 37. [30190]

The centrally available information on the number of new cases by local authority, classification of mental disorder and section for the years 1989–90 to 1993–94 will be placed in the Library. An England summary of the data was published in "Guardianship under the Mental Health Act (1983) Year Ending 31 March 1994, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements her Department has made to provide improved training to doctors approved under section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 including on the revised Mental Health code of practice, on the new guidance on discharge from hospital and on supervision registers, including the additional resources it has made available for such training; and what is her estimate of the numbers of doctors trained as a result. [30192]

Regional directors of public health are responsible, in association with professional and other bodies, for ensuring that suitable training is provided to doctors approved under section 12 of the Act. We have already recognised the potential value of a common core of training which would include the matters identified by the hon. Member and have been discussing with the Royal College of Psychiatrists the preparation of a training pack for this purpose. We expect to receive the college's detailed proposals shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements exist to monitor and evaluate strict compliance by district health authorities, NHS trusts and local social services authorities with the requirements of HC(90)23/LASSL(90)11; how many district health authority areas she has assessed being fully complied with this guidance; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with the necessary arrangements in those remaining. [30178]

We have been closely monitoring the introduction of the care programme approach in a survey of district health authorities earlier this year. From those responding it was clear that many districts were making rapid progress towards full implementation and over one third had already achieved this. We identified implementation of the care programme approach as a priority for the national health service in the priorities and planning guidance for 1995–96 and we have issued a revised "The Health of the Nation" mental illness key area handbook which contains further advice on implementing it. We have also commissioned an audit tool from the Royal College of Psychiatrists' research unit to enable district health authorities and trusts to monitor their performance. We are continuing to monitor the position closely to ensure that all districts achieve full implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is undertaking or funding into the impact and effectiveness of the Mental Health Act code of practice on decision making by those with powers under the Mental Health Act 1983, with particular reference to the effect of the revisions made to the code in November 1993 on the use of those powers to admit and detain patients in hospital for assessment or for treatment. [30180]

None at present. We have given wide publicity to the 1993 revisions to the code clarifying the grounds on which a patient may be admitted to hospital under the Act, and have no reason to believe that they are not properly understood.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions she has been requested by the Mental Health Act Commission in accordance with section 121(4) of the Mental Health Act 1983 to direct it to keep under review the care and treatment of any patients other than those detained under the Act to which patients the requests related; and how she responded. [30182]

The Commission made a request in 1986 for its remit to be extended to hospital patients other than those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. Similar requests have been made with regard to patients subject to guardianship and those who would be receiving after-care under supervision. We have told the commission that we consider its overriding priority to be the protection of patients detained under the 1983 Act. This remains our view and we do not consider that an extension of its remit would be justified at this stage. We shall however keep this matter under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to amend the Mental Health Act code of practice; and when draft revisions will be published for consultation. [30184]

We shall be proposing amendments to the code to cover the provisions of the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill, if this receives parliamentary approval. They will be published for consultation after Royal Assent and when the necessary regulations have been laid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what theoretical and practical training is received by general medical practitioners as part of their general syllabus in assessing the risk of harm which a person's mental disorder may pose to that person's health or safety or to the safety of others. [30186]

Training in psychiatry is an important part of the basic medical education common to all doctors. The body responsible for general practice vocational training—the joint committee on postgraduate training for general practice—expects general practitioners to be knowledgeable about the impact of psychological factors upon illness and of illness upon patients and their families and skilled in recognising and making appropriate decisions about all problems presented by their patients. The specific curricular arrangements are the responsibility of regional postgraduate organisations. Further training and experience are provided as part of the continuing education of practitioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the organisations and individuals which have made representations to her Department during the last two years requesting her to establish a review of the Mental Health Act 1983. [30188]

The Mental Health Act Commission submitted proposals for a review of the Mental Health Act 1983 to my right hon. Friend in September 1993. This was followed by a joint representation by the commission, the Law Society and the Institute of Psychiatry. In her response, my right hon. Friend said that while the Act as a whole would need to be reviewed at some stage this would have to take account of the impact of the Government's proposals for supervised discharge and related initiatives in the field of mental health.Arguments for a review of the Act have been put forward by a number of other organisations and individuals including some of those who responded to our consultation on legal powers on the care of mentally ill people in the community and on Mental Health Act guardianship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements exist to monitor and evaluate compliance by district health authorities and NHS trusts with the requirements of HSG(94)5; how many district health authority areas she has assessed as having fully and sufficiently implemented this guidance; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that those remaining introduce the necessary arrangements. [30194]

The introduction of supervision registers has been closely monitored by the national health service executive. Registers have been established in all districts. We are continuing to monitor the position to ensure that the registers are operating effectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there are in each region approved under section 12 of the Mental Health Act 1983; and what steps are taken to ensure that a section 12 approved doctor can be contacted in an emergency. [31050]

Regional directors of public health are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient suitably trained and experienced doctors approved under the Act, and that the necessary out-of-hours cover is available. We are satisfied that these requirements are being properly met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups and bodies she is consulting over her proposal to implement the EC directive on the protection of young people at work; when this consultation is due to end; what documents pertaining to this process have already been issued and to whom; what discussions she or her Department had with the Department of Employment over this issue; and if she will make a statement. [31023]

We shall be consulting a wide range of groups and bodies in due course. We are in touch with all other Government Departments with an interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received opposing proposed changes to the Liverpool blood transfusion centre. [31137]

Ministers have received 88 letters about the National Blood Authority's proposals for the Liverpool blood transfusion centre since August 1994. In addition, there have been two early-day motions and one parliamentary question relating to the proposals for the Liverpool centre. This is in addition to other representations covering wider areas which include Liverpool.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the proposed changes to, and the future of, the Liverpool blood transfusion centre. [31139]

This is a matter for the National Blood Authority. We expect it to make its revised recommendations for the organisation to the National Blood Service shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the capital expenditure on (a) new hospitals, (b) other new medical centres or units and (c) repairing existing NHS building in each of the last 16 years, excluding private capital. [28641]

[holding answer 15 June 1995]: Information is not available in the form requested. Total capital expenditure in each of the last 16 years is shown in the table. The definition of capital has changed during the 16-year period; therefore comparisons between years cannot readily be made. For 1993–94, the threshold value for the definition of capital expenditure was increased from £1,000 to £5,000. This technical change to accounting policy reduced capital expenditure as money spent on tangible assets which was formerly classed as capital was in 1993–94 recorded as revenue. In 1993–94, over £100 million was transferred from capital to revenue to take account of the increase to the capital threshold.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all areas within (a) her Department (b) agencies under her Department's control and (c) organisations for which she has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration she has given to removing this; and if she will make a statement. [28648]

[holding answer 15 June 1995]: The detail requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost, but the general position is as follows.An Act of Parliament is presumed not to bind the Crown, and thus the Department of Health and its agencies, unless the contrary intention is clearly stated, or there is a necessary implication that the Crown is to be bound. Ministers and civil servants do not necessarily share the Crown's immunity from criminal prosecution.Crown immunity was removed from those national health service bodies which had until then enjoyed it, by section 60 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 with effect from 1 April 1991, subject to certain exemptions provided for in schedule 8 to that Act.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much public money has been spent to date on Shell's activities with regard to the proposed sinking of the Brent Spar oil platform. [30816]

Consideration of Shell's proposals for disposal of the Brent Spar has taken three years and has involved a number of Government Departments and agencies. It is not practicable to quantify the cost in terms of public expenditure.