To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the post-Chernobyl restricted areas have now been designated free from contamination to the extent that animals originating there are deemed fit for human consumption. [13680]

Approximately 94 per cent. of the original area in England which was restricted in 1986 as a result of the Chernobyl accident is now free from contamination such that the animals originating there are totally free from all controls and are fit for human consumption.In addition, approximately half of the remaining restricted area has been found to be free from contamination but is currently being held under controls due to the open nature of the land and the presence of common grazing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the development of the research programme on the control of sheep scab and the use of organophosphorus dips. [14420]

My Department has just approved two research projects to investigate alternatives to chemicals such as organophosphorus dips for the control of sheep scab. These will run for three years and cost about £1.2 million. They will form a significant addition to the existing research programme and will be directed to developing and testing new approaches to the identification of possible sheep scab vaccines and identifying the most effective methods of application. Additionally the research will develop models to maximise the impact of future control strategies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his White Paper on changes to sentencing; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposals on the prison population in England and Wales. [13280]

We intend to publish a White Paper in the spring setting out full details of the Government's proposals on sentencing, including our assessment of their implications for the prison population.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to clarify the law relating to manslaughter to enable operators of seriously defective vehicles which subsequently kill to be liable to charges for serious offences. [13274]

The Law Commission is examining the issue of corporate liability for manslaughter as part of its review of the law on involuntary manslaughter. The Government will consider whether to clarify the law in this area in the light of the commission's final report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons were stopped and searched by police forces in England and Wales during (a) 1989 and (b) 1994 and were subsequently (i) arrested, (ii) cautioned and (iii) charged, broken down by ethnic background; [13464](2) how many persons who were stopped and searched since 1989 by police forces in England and Wales and subsequently charged, were convicted, breaking down the figures by ethnicity and gender; [13454](3) how many of those persons who were stopped and searched since 1989 by the Metropolitan police in England and Wales and subsequently charged, were convicted, breaking down the figures by ethnicity and gender; [13455](4) how many persons were stopped and searched by the Metropolitan police in England and Wales during

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to her question on 5 December 1995 Official Report, column 212.Details of the ethnic group of those stopped and searched during 1994–95 will be available shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January, Official Report, column 708, how many offenders cautioned each year since 1991 had already been cautioned on two or more occasions. [13431]

The information requested is not routinely collected. The table below shows results from special studies of those cautioned for indictable offences in one week in each of 1991 and 1994 in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the past 10 years payments for (a) compensation and (b) damages with or without the admission of liability, have been offered by his Department to individuals as a result of disturbances in Her Majesty's prisons; if he will list the number of payments and amounts involved on each occasion; and how many other such claims have been made but refused. [13895]

Responsibility for this matter for prisons in England and Wales has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given. Responsibility for prisons in Northern Ireland and Scotland is a matter for the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and for Scotland respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on (a) staff and (b) prisoners occurred before and after mandatory drugs testing took place in (i) February to April, (ii) May to June and (iii) August to October in (1) 1993, (2) 1994 and (3) 1995 and (iv) November to January in (4) 1993–94, (5) 1994–95 and (6) 1995–96. [13898]

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refusals there were in respect of mandatory drugs testings in prisons in England and Wales; how many urine samples were provided; of those, how many proved positive for (a) cannabis only, (b) class A drugs only and (c) cannabis and class A drugs; how many days' loss of remission there were consequent on refusals; and how many days' loss of remission there were consequent on positive urine tests for (i) February to April, (ii) May to June, (iii) August to October and (iv) November 1995 to January 1996. [13897]

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's involvement in the public safety radio communications project. [13778]

My Department is responsible for managing the public safety radio communications project in close co-operation with representatives of the police and fire services. The procurement, which will be based on the private finance initiative, was formally launched with the appearance of a notice to potential suppliers in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 23 January 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial and manpower resources he is making available to the public safety radio communications project. [13779]

The public safety radio communications project will employ the equivalent of 19 officers plus consultants in 1996–97 at a cost of approximately £1 million. A substantial sum of money, which is commercially confidential, has been put aside as a contribution to the cost of project definition studies, contracts for which are currently the subject of a European-wide procurement exercise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timetable was originally planned for the public safety radio communications project and what is the present timetable. [13780]

The implementation of new radio communications systems for the police service in England and Wales, through the public safety radio communications project, is expected to be completed by 2003. This was the original timetable and has not changed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce who will be deputy-chairman of the parliamentary boundary commission for Wales. [14390]

The Lord Chancellor has appointed Mr. Justice Maurice Kay to serve as the deputy chairman of the parliamentary boundary commission for Wales. This appointment is effective until 31 December 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the outcome of the prior options study of the Office of the Data Protection Registrar. [14391]

The study has concluded that there is still a need for the controls provided by the Data Protection Act 1984, and that these should continue to be performed by the Data Protection Registrar as an independent public body. I am placing a copy of the report of the study in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will provide a range of estimates on how a flat rate income tax could operate in the United Kingdom; [12609](2) what would be the estimated yield in a full year from a flat rate income tax if

Estimated full-year costs at 1996–97 income levels are given in the table. These estimates include the abolition of mortgage interest relief and tax relief on employees' contributions to occupational and personal pension schemes. Adjustments have also been made to allow for the abolition of reliefs for TESSAs, PEPs, profit-related pay, national savings certificates, employee share schemes and charitable giving.The estimates do not take into account the substantial behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such changes nor do they allow for any subsequent changes to the tax system, such as changes to tax relief on employers' contributions to pension schemes or relief for investment income in pension funds. It is assumed that employers' and employees' national insurance contributions would remain as at present.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums have been allocated to each country in the European Union to publicise the benefits of a single European currency. [12602]

The Commission is organising publicity for the single currency, taking into account the circumstances in each member state. Community spending is not allocated on a member state basis. The Commission has confirmed that no publicity campaign promoting the single currency will be launched in the UK.Protocol No. 11, annexed to the EC treaty, means that the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to move to the third stage of economic union without a separate decision to do so by the Government and Parliament. We will agree to take part in a single currency only if it is in our national interest to do so, given the circumstances at the time.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what action he is taking in connection with the Customs and Excise department at London airports, following the investigation by the adjudicator's office into the case of Dr. A. Molnar of Warwick; [13576](2) how many Customs and Excise officials have been dismissed or moved to other posts, following the investigation carried out into the strip and search of Dr. A. Molnar of Warwick at Gatwick airport on 23 March 1995; [13577](3) if the recommendation from the adjudicator's office that a number of aspects of current procedures by Customs and Excise officers at London airports should be reviewed has been implemented. [13575]

The adjudicator's recommendations were received by customs on 16 January and are currently being considered by senior customs managers. The adjudicator found that the search of Dr. Molnar was not unreasonable. She recommended that some procedural aspects, including the handling of the complaint, should be reviewed. This is being done and the adjudicator will be informed of the outcome of the review. The adjudicator's findings do not justify the dismissal or transfer of any officials concerned in the case.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning possible amendments to schedule 1 to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 to Scotland; and what reply he has given. [13816]

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated annual saving to business from the Deregulation (Industrial and Provident Societies) Order 1996. [13204]

Smaller societies should save an estimated £3 million a year from the increase in the threshold for a full, professional annual audit.The longer period within which accounts can be prepared should also lead to savings, but these are more difficult to quantify.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Central Statistical Office forms which have been replaced by forms issued under requirements of the European Community. [13641]

In January 1993 the quarterly and annual sales of industry inquires were replaced by the quarterly and annual PRODCOM inquiries. These inquiries are conducted under a Council regulation approved in 1991 to harmonise statistics on products throughout the EU. The product data are broadly comparable with external trade statistics at a detailed level.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the current year what would be the savings in revenue if pension contributions were allowed at the standard rate only. [12962]

[holding answer 1 February 1996]: The estimated full-year yield of restricting relief from pension contributions to the basic rate at 1996–97 income levels would be about £790 million. This is based on a projection of the 1993–94 survey of personal incomes and other survey data in line with assumptions in the Budget forecast. It does not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such changes. The yield represents about 8 per cent. of the total cost of reliefs for pension schemes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the receipts for advance corporation tax for each of the last 36 months; and what estimate he has made of the total ACT receipts for 1994–95 and 1995–96. [13749]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: Receipts of ACT in 1994–95 were £8.1 billion, and for 1995–96 were forecast at the time of the 1995 Budget to be £9.9 billion. Receipts for each of the last 36 months are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) of 25 June 1993, Official Report, column 327, on corporation tax. [13761]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: Latest available figures for turnover, profit before tax, and corporation tax liability of the 25 largest profitable United Kingdom companies and company groups chosen on the basis of turnover in their 1994 accounts are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) of 28 June 1993, Official Report, column 327, on corporation tax repayments. [13762]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: The information is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will quantify the tax losses which will be made available to Railtrack on privatisation. [13757]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: Details of the tax affairs of identified taxpayers are confidential.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will quantify the tax losses which will be made available to British Coal on privatisation. [13756]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: Details of the tax affairs of identified taxpayers are confidential.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people claimed tax relief for vocational training for (a) NVQ and (b) SVQ; and what estimate he has made of how many people will claim relief for other qualifications included under training relief measures in the Budget. [13758]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: The number of people claiming vocation training relief in 1995–96 is estimated at 200,000. A breakdown of this figure between those taking courses that qualify towards national vocational qualifications or Scottish vocational qualifications is not available.It is estimated that up to an additional 20,000 people will claim vocational training relief as a result of the extension to the relief announced in the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of diabetics are unemployed; and what percentage lose their jobs following diagnosis. [13594]

[holding answer 6 February 1996]: Information is available from the labour force survey about the number of people of working age who, in response to the survey, say that they have a health problem or disability expected to last for more than a year which affects the kind of paid work they can do. In the summer—June to August—1995, 234,000 people among this group said they had diabetes and, of these, 7 per cent. were unemployed on the International Labour Organisation definition.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the capital cost threshold for a private finance initiative scheme at which his Department becomes involved. [13970]

[holding answer 6 February 1996]: It is Government policy that the Treasury will not approve any capital projects unless private finance options have been explored, though not necessarily tested in the market place. The level of delegated authority below which Treasury approval is not required is a matter for each Department. There is no set threshold.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Inland Revenue maintains separate records of class 1 and class 1A contributions collected on behalf of the Contributions Agency. [13745]

[holding answer 5 February 1996]: The Inland Revenue does not maintain its own separate records of class 1 and class 1A contributions collected on behalf of the Contributions Agency.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the criminal incidents since 1985, other than the blowing up of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, for which Her Majesty's Government attribute responsibility to Libya. [14047]

We believe that Libya was responsible for the murder of a number of Libyan dissidents, mainly in the late 1980s, including some in Europe, but none in Britain.We also believe that Libya may have been involved in other criminal incidents outside the UK, including the bombing of a UTA flight in September 1989. It would not be appropriate to provide further detail.

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the total expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity for each of the years (a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (1) advertising and (2) press and public relations. [11364]

[holding answer 25 January 1996]: For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service.

To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by (a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11453]

[holding answer 30 January 1996]: For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service.

To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for (a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11456]

[holding answer 30 January 1996]: For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service.

To ask the Prime Minister which Minister (a) took the decision which set the terms of reference for the Scott inquiry, (b) took the decision to appoint Sir Richard Scott to head the inquiry and (c) took the decision to establish the Scott inquiry. [13994]

[holding answer Tuesday 6 February 1996]: The Government set up the inquiry, as I set out in my parliamentary answer on 16 November 1992, Official Report, column 74–75.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will act upon recommendations made in Sir Richard Scott's forthcoming report. [13992]

[holding answer 6 February 1996]: The Government will consider carefully any recommendations made by Sir Richard Scott.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list how many UN refugee camps there are currently in Africa; how many refugees are in each camp; what were the figures three years ago; and if he will make a statement. [13620]

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that, at 31 December 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 11.8 million refugees in Africa. The corresponding figure at 31 December 1992 was 5.4 million. Precise information on the population of individual camps is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards the appeals by the World Food Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organisation for assistance in alleviating the famine in North Korea; what aid and assistance the British Government have offered those agencies; and if he will make a statement. [13951]

Our policy is to give humanitarian aid where there is a need. We have already donated £150,000 to the flood relief efforts of the United Nations. What is necessary now is to ascertain the scope of the problem in North Korea.We are therefore funding a secondment to the World Food Programme operation in North Korea, at its request, of two nutritionists from the Save the Children Fund. They will work to and support the WFP country director there. The secondment begins this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to improve security in primary and secondary schools. [12422]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has established a working group to advise urgently on what should be done to improve security in and around schools. We shall consider the recommendations made by the group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultants there are specialising in the treatment of osteoporosis in each health authority in Wales. [12993]

Information relating to the number of consultants working in the NHS in Wales is collected centrally on the basis of specialties recognised by the royal colleges. Osteoporosis is not one of these recognised specialties and the information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make grants available for older people to undertake the repairs and improvements needed to make homes warm, safe and secure. [13182]

Grants are already available under the home renovation grant arrangements and the home energy efficiency scheme. The new home repair assistance in the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Bill would replace minor works assistance and be of particular help to older people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning warmth and energy efficiency for elderly people. [13184]

There are a number of measures in place to help pensioners in Wales.The Welsh Office's annual "Keep Warm Keep Well" campaign, run in conjunction with Age Concern Cymru, advises vulnerable people how to minimise the risks of cold weather and what help is available.The home energy efficiency scheme provides grants for basic insulation measures to people aged over 60, whether they rent, own or are buying their own homes. The number of homes in Wales insulated in 1994–95 under the HEES was 20,808 at a cost of around £3.3 million. In 1995–96 an estimated 29,750 homes in Wales will benefit at a cost of some £4.8 million.As at 1 February 1996, an estimated 5,546,795 cold weather payments, at an estimated cost of £47,147,754, have been issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has to encourage the building of homes at affordable rents by the new unitary authorities; [13180](2) if he will make available moneys to the new unitary authorities for building homes for older people with special needs and for those on low income. [13181]

Housing associations are now the main providers of new affordable rented homes, including homes for those with special needs. The Welsh Office is currently discussing with the shadow authorities the opportunities presented by the Housing Bill. The Bill allows for the setting up of local housing companies as registered landlords, which could include board members from the relevant unitary authority to undertake the repair and building of homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to require provision of underground main electricity supply cables in areas likely to be particularly affected by adverse weather conditions; and if he will make a statement. [13259]

This is a matter for the companies concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients have been formally removed from registration with their local general practitioners in each of the past five years. [13353]

The information requested is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research has been undertaken or commissioned by his Department to ascertain the extent to which licensed discharge associated oil and gas licences in Cardigan bay will add to the pollutant load in the bay; and if he will place copies of the relevant research documents in the Library. [12411]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all (a) loans, (b) grants and (c) other payments in excess of £100,000 which have been made in each of the last five years by the Welsh Office to (i) Gateway, (ii) Safeway, (iii) Waitrose, (iv) Morrisons, (v) Kwiksave, (vi) Sainsburys, (vii) Asda and (viii) Spar (UK) Ltd.; and if he will make a statement. [13704]

There were none.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisations have responded to the draft circular "Local Authority Building Control and Related Services-Approved Inspectors-Uncompetitive Practices"; which organisations supported the publication of the circular; which organisations advised against its publication; and if he will arrange for the responses to be placed in the Library. [12521]

This was a limited consultation rather than a full public consultation, and in such cases it is not the Department's normal practice to make the responses public by placing them in the Library of the House. Therefore, no statement was made in the consultation letter about publication of the responses, and consultees were not asked whether they wished their replies to be kept confidential. I am not prepared to put the responses in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the chairman of the National House Building Council about the draft circular "Local Authority Building Control and Related Services-Approved Inspectors-Uncompetitive Practices". [12523]

My right hon. Friend has not discussed this circular with the chairman of the National House Building Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what complaints he has received about alleged uncompetitive practices in the provision of building control services by local authorities in the last three years; and if he has verified the allegations with the authorities concerned. [12522]

I have received a number of complaints about alleged uncompetitive practices in the provision of building control services in the last three years. They were made in strict confidence, and undertakings were given that this would not be breached.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities and other bodies whose bids for single regeneration budget moneys were unsuccessful in both year one and year two. [13140]

Listed below, by region, are the names of the local authorities and other bodies who were the bidders for support from the single regeneration budget challenge fund that were unsuccessful in both year one and year two. It should be noted that in many cases the content of the individual bid and the composition of the partnership submitting it were not identical. A number of the organisations listed were also members of partnerships that were successful in round two.

• Region and Lead Bidder
• South-east
• Kent TEC
• Shepway District Council
• Eastern
• Cambridgeshire TEC
• Harlow DC
• Huntingdonshire DC
• Mid Norfolk Railway Group
• Southend BC
• Stevenage BC
• Waveney DC
• South West
• Wiltshire CC
• North Devon DC
• Exeter Business Forum
• Devon and Cornwall TEC
• Cheltenham BC
• Thamesdown BC
• Wiltshire TEC
• Exeter Homes Committee
• WESTEC
• West Midlands
• Worcester CC
• West Midlands European Centre Ltd.
• Roapp Hall Ltd.
• North-west
• Midlands Refugee Council
• Bury MBC
• Stockport Partnership for Urban Regeneration
• Cumbria TEC
• Ribble Valley BC
• Nissim and Associates
• VISIONS Community Designs Ltd.
• Gorton Community Forum
• Blackstone Edge Outdoor Pursuits and Leisure Centre
• Warrington BC
• Merseyside
• Knowsley MBC
• Wirral MBC
• London
• Westminster CC
• Cephas Consultancy Services Ltd.
• London Borough of Brent
• Bromley by Bow Centre
• London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
• London Borough of Havering
• London Borough of Hounslow
• The College of North West London
• North-east
• Chester le Street DC
• Darlington BC
• Northumberland CC
• Valley Watch
• East Midlands
• East Midlands Offender Employment Consortium
• Amber Valley BC East Lindsey DC
• Yorkshire and Humberside
• None

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in rank order the second round single regeneration budget bids showing where each local authorities fell in the index of deprivation (a) at local authority level, (b) by census enumeration districts and (c) by the average score of the worst three wards. [13141]

I have placed the information requested in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to simplify the system of water abstraction licensing. [13673]

A joint DOE and Welsh Office consultation paper, "Proposed amendments to the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Reservoirs Act 1975", was issued in November 1993. It included plans to simplify the system of water abstraction licensing. A number of these proposals were included with the Environment Act 1995, while those not covered by that Act are being considered under deregulation procedures available under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local education authorities in England spent below their capping limits in (a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96; and, in each case, by how much in cash and percentage of total spending. [13443]

The local education authorities which budgeted by more than £50,000 below their capping limits in 1994–95 and 1995–96 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of the Commission for the New Towns. [13893]

We are considering what should be the arrangements from March 1998. Suitable enabling provisions are included in part V of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for a new town at Ebbsfleet; and if he will make a statement. [14041]

The regional planning guidance for the Thames gateway—the Thames gateway planning framework, RPG9a—identifies Kent Thames-side, including the Ebbsfleet valley, and Stratford and the royal docks in east London, as the two main locations within the area where substantial growth can be expected. It is for the market to respond to these development opportunities. I understand that an application for outline planning permission for a mixed housing and commercial development on a 176 hectare—435 acre—site adjoining the proposed Ebbsfleet international and domestic channel tunnel rail link station has recently been submitted jointly to Dartford and Gravesham borough councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking (a) to identify the source of polychlorinated biphenyls recently found at high levels in cetaecan carcases washed up in Cardigan bay and (b) to eliminate polychlorinated biphenyls from the environment of Cardigan bay. [12410]

Long use of PCBs before the ban of production and new use in this country in 1986 means that they still remain at detectable levels within flora and fauna through deposition and food chains in all areas. Investigations of contaminants in stranded cetaceans in Great Britain since 1990 have included 10 carcases at Cardigan bay in which levels of PCBs were comparatively high but similar to those found elsewhere.Within further attempts to reduce and eliminate PCBs, the Government will be issuing an action plan very shortly, reflecting consultations on proposals to eliminate all identifiable holdings of PCBs by the end of 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will propose the River Kennet as a special area of conservation. [12404]

The statutory nature conservation agencies are currently considering the representations which have been made during consultation for additions to the list of possible special areas of conservation. The River Kennet is included in these considerations and the agencies will advise in due course as to any additional sites which could qualify as possible SACs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times the Health and Safety Executive has been contacted by tenants with concerns about the safety of gas appliances since the introduction of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994; and how many visits it has made to premises. [13705]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many offences have been committed under section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in relation to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 since their introduction. [13706]

Between 31 October 1994, when the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations came into force, and 31 March 1995, the latest date for which information is readily available, the Health and Safety Executive secured two¹ convictions under the regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals were made by (a) tenants and (b) landlords against rent officers' determinations of rent broken down into secure tenants of housing associations and regulated tenants of private landlords by rent office district. [13707]

Rent assessment committees do not record for statistical purposes whether the appellant against a rent officer determination is the landlord or the tenant. Nor do they distinguish between secure tenants of housing associations and regulated private tenants. Statistics are available for the total number of registered fair rent appeal cases dealt with by rent assessment committees by rent regulation area. A table giving figures for each of the last six years is given: