Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Monday 11 March 1996

Lord Chancellor's Department

Office Space

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to buy or rent office space in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. [19363]

The Lord Chancellor's Department, including its executive agencies, has no plans to rent or buy office accommodation in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in the immediate future.

Transsexuals

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been spent from public funds in the last two financial years on cases brought by transsexuals in the European Court. [19259]

Legal costs amounting to £7,357 were incurred for the purposes of the Government's intervention in one case in the European Court of Justice.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been expended from public funds in each of the last five financial years in defence of actions brought by transsexuals against the Government or their Departments. [19258]

The information requested by the hon. Member is contained in my letter of 4 March to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile), which has been placed in the Libraries of the House. In summary, the total cost so far of the three current cases alleging breaches of the European convention on human rights is £26,245. The cost of the recent unsuccessful application for judicial review against the registrar general was £14,597. The cost of proceedings for unfair dismissal brought by a person who was dismissed by the Prison Service was £28,260.

Treasury

Factor 8

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on charging value added tax on (a) recombinant factor 8 and (b) plasma-derived factor 8; how much of each is (i) exported and (ii) imported annually; and what revenue accrues to the Exchequer as a result. [19565]

Human blood and substances derived from it, including plasma-derived factor 8, are exempt from VAT under items 6 and 7 of group 7 of schedule 9 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994. Recombinant factor 8, being synthetic and not derived from human blood, does not fall within the exemption. Its taxable treatment is the same as that of other drugs and therapeutic products, both here and in other EC member states in accordance with the sixth VAT directive of 1977.There are no official import or export data relating to these specific products.The application of the standard rate of VAT to recombinant factor 8 is estimated to raise approximately £1.2 million per year.

Value Added Tax

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue from the extension of value added tax to (a) newspapers, (b) children's shoes and (c) other exempt items. [19323]

The tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs, published by Her Majesty's Treasury in July 1995, shows that the estimated cost of not applying standard rate VAT to certain groups of expenditure is as follows:

	£ million 1995–96
(a) Books, newspapers and magazines	1,200
(b) Children's clothing and footwear	750
(c) Other zero and reduced rate items	15,700
Exempt items	5,750

These figures make no allowance for changes in consumer behaviour.

Executive Agencies

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in each of the past five years Ministers in his Department have passed (a) hon. Members' letters and (b) hon. Members' questions to agencies for response; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of letters and questions received. [19415]

As the table shows, seven written parliamentary questions and 99 letters from Members have been referred to the executive agencies responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer since the arrangements for delegating replies to agencies were introduced in October and December 1992 respectively:

Year	Written Questions	Letters
1992	3	—
1993	—	16
1994	—	45
1995	2	36
1996 to date	2	2
	7	99

These are tiny proportions of Members' 7,500 written questions and 60,200 letters to Treasury Ministers over this period.

Environment

Cumbria County Council

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that public money allocated by Cumbria county council for the funding of trade union duties has not been spent on those trade union activities for which public money is not permitted to be used. [18813]

I am sure my right hon. Friend will want to draw his concerns to the attention of the independent auditor of the county council, who is empowered to act in cases of illegal expenditure.

Asylum Seekers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities about the form in which they record expenses arising from their responsibilities to asylum seekers following the implementation of new benefit regulations on 5 February. [19612]

An official in my Department wrote to all directors of housing in English local authorities on 12 February to advise them about information that they could collect. I am placing a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

Local Government Officers (Pay)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the statutory obligations on local authorities to publish the salaries and other employment costs of senior local government officers; and what assessment he has made of the availability of such information to the public. [19617]

We have today laid before Parliament the Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996 which will require the annual statement of accounts of local authorities to disclose the number of employees whose remuneration falls in each bracket of a scale in multiples of £10,000 starting with £40,000. "Remuneration" means all amounts paid to or receivable by an employee, including the estimated money value of any benefits received or receivable otherwise than in cash. These new requirements will apply for the first time to the financial year 1996–97. Local authority statements of accounts will continue to be required to be published and to be available for public inspection.

Computers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all cases since 1987 where his Department has bought computer capacity from (a) other Departments and (b) the private sector, giving the value of each contract and the name of the private sector contractors. [19458]

Information which identifies externally purchased computer processing is available only for 1991–92 to 1995–96.The only external processing in this period provided by other departments was the payroll processing service from the Treasury Chessington Computer Centre and the superannuation service from the Paymaster General's Office.Contracts with private sector contractors in this period were:

Contractor	Project	Expenditure per annum £
F International	Construction industry consultants and contractors registers	110,000
CFM	Construction industry consultants and contractors registers	180,000
CAM Ltd.	National dwelling and household survey	3,000
Peter Peregrinus Ltd.	Environmental research in Britain database	70,000

Flags

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 747, what distinction is made between the flags of sovereign nations and states and those of non-sovereign nations, British dependencies, territories or colonies. [19606]

The provision in schedule 2—class 1—to the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992 refer to "the national flag of any country", without further interpretation. It would be for the court to interpret how these provisions should apply to a particular flag. No judicial authority is known to my Department.

Fire Service

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has recently received from the Fire Brigades Union; and if he will make a statement. [19752]

The Fire Brigades Union has made representations to the Department on overall fire service funding for 1996–97, on the fire service college and on the report of the interdepartmental review of fire safety legislation and enforcement in the UK. Overall fire service funding and the fire service college are matters for the Home Secretary. The Government's response to the report of the interdepartmental review will be given as soon as possible.

Leghold Traps

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of the discussions relating to animal leghold traps at the Environment Council on Monday 4 March. [20209]

As a result of UK representations, supported by the Ministers of several other member states, the Commission was invited to produce a fixed timetable as soon as possible for the negotiations that it is conducting with the fur-producer countries. The Council also accepted unanimously the UK's proposals that the import ban on furs obtained by leghold traps should come into force on 1 January 1997, unless this final attempt at a negotiated agreement with the producer states on the introduction of alternative humane traps succeeds.

Released Animals (Disease)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on protocols to reduce the risk of disease from released animals being transferred to their own kind in the wild, or to species other than their own. [17908]

No research has been commissioned into the risks of disease transference from released animals either to their own kind or to other species.

Environmental Appraisals

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the Housing Bill were considered in environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19544](2) if the Housing Bill has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; [19543](3) how the Housing Bill was modified by the results of environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19545](4) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the Housing Bill. [19546]

The Housing Bill, introduced into Parliament on 18 January, implements policies set out in the White Paper, "Our Future Homes", published in June 1995. Referring to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration to the hon. Lady on Wednesday 22 November 1995, Official Report column 114, environmental considerations were taken into account in the preparation of this White Paper, and a specific chapter on "Housing and the Environment" set out the Government's aim of meeting demand for housing in an environmentally sustainable way.The specific provisions in the Bill do not have significant environmental implications. The environmental and sustainable development implications of housing policy more generally will, however, continue to be kept under review, in accordance with the Department's guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the environmental appraisal conducted under the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" published by his Department on the forthcoming proposals to revise the outdoor advertisement control regime. [19579]

The consultation paper entitled "Outdoor Advertisement Control: Areas of Special Control of Advertisements" is intended to contribute to the policy appraisal process. The paper and the accompanying research consultants' report outline the environmental consequences of possible changes to the areas of special advertisement control regime. The responses to consultation will help to complete the appraisal process before my right hon. Friend's decision is taken.

An environmental appraisal conducted according to "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" was not appropriate for the forthcoming guidance to the Environment Agency. The guidance was concerned not with identifying and judging policy options but rather with advising the agency on its objectives and the contribution it should make towards achieving sustainable development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how the Housing Contracts, Construction and Development Bill was modified by the results of environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19541](2) if the Housing Contracts, Construction and Development Bill has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; [19539](3) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the Housing Contracts, Construction and Development Bill; [19542](4) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the Housing Contracts, Construction and Development Bill were considered in environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department. [19540]

The housing provisions within the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Bill implements policies set out in the White Paper, "Our Future Homes", published in June 1995. Referring to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration to the hon. Lady on Wednesday 22 November 1995, Official Report, column 114, environmental considerations were taken into account in the preparation of this White Paper, and a specific chapter on "Housing and the Environment" set out the Government's aim of meeting demand for housing in an environmentally sustainable way.Of the other provisions, the Bill will enable a wider range of energy saving measures to become eligible for grants made in connection with the home energy efficiency scheme. The proposed powers for financial assistance under the single regeneration budget will support activities that help to create an attractive and safe environment. The other provisions within the Bill have little or no environmental impact.

In implementing the policies and provisions within this Bill, environmental and sustainable development considerations will be assessed in accordance with the Department's guidance as it relates to each policy area. For example, successful schemes under the single regeneration budget challenge fund will be monitored to ensure that the intended outputs, including improvements to land and buildings, waste management, recycling schemes, etcetera, are achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of "Policy Guidelines for the Coast"; [19526](2) "Policy Guidelines for the Coast" has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and Environment"; and if he will publish the appraisal; [19523](3) What alternative courses of action from those detailed in "Policy Guidelines for the Coast" were considered in the environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19524](4) how "Policy Guidelines for the Coast" was modified by the results of environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department. [19525]

An environmental appraisal conducted according to "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" was not appropriate for the recent DOE publication "Policy Guidelines for the Coast" as this set out—in summary form—existing policies on the various issues described.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the draft circular "Local Government Change and the planning system" has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; [19531](2) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the draft circular "Local Government Change and the Planning System" were considered in environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19532](3) how the draft circular "Local Government Change and the Planning System" was modified by the results of any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [19533](4) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the draft circular "Local Government Change and the Planning System". [19534]

An environmental appraisal conducted according to "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" was not appropriate for the consultation draft circular "Local Government Change and the Planning System". The draft circular is not concerned with identifying and judging new planning policies; its purpose is to explain how development plan functions and procedures will be affected by changes made following the Local Government Commission's review of local government structure, and how transitional regulations will enable work in progress on development plans to continue after those changes come into effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the consultation paper, "Planning Obligations"—draft revised DOE circular 16/91—has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; [19535](2) how the consultation paper "Planning Obligations"—draft revised DOE circular 16/91— was modified by the results of environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [19537](3) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the consultation paper "Planning Obligations"—draft revised DOE circular 16/91—were considered in environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [19536](4) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the consultation paper "Planning Obligations"—draft revised DOE circular 16/91. [19538]

An environmental appraisal conducted according to "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" was not appropriate for the consultation draft circular "Planning Obligations"—proposed as a replacement for DOE circular 16/91. The draft revised circular is not concerned with identifying and judging new planning policies; its purpose is rather to reaffirm the advice contained in circular 16/91 in the light of recent legal decisions and to clarify existing guidance on detailed matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the results of the environmental appraisal conducted under the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" published by his Department on the forthcoming consultation paper on draft hedgerow regulations. [19577]

The Government expressed their commitment to the protection of key hedgerows in the 1990 White Paper "This Common Inheritance". This commitment was renewed in 1994 when the results of a survey into hedgerow changes between 1990 and 1993 were published. The report showed that, although the rate of hedgerow removal has slowed and was now broadly balanced by that for new planting, hedgerows of key importance were still at risk. Consideration of the environmental impacts that would result if action was not taken to address this trend has therefore been a major factor throughout the development of our policy, and will inform the forthcoming consultation paper on hedgerow protection regulations. The regulations themselves will be introduced only after careful consideration of all responses received.

Deregulation

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the savings to business from the Deregulation (Building) (Initial Notices and Final Certificates) Order 1996. [19500]

The estimated saving to business that will result from this order is £68,000 per annum.

Waste Classification

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects the report on the consultation exercise on the system for classifying waste for the national waste classification system; and if he will publish the results; [19692](2) if he will make it his policy to extend the scope of the proposed category 1 of the system for classifying waste for the national waste classification system to include salt purification waste; [19696](3) if he will change the emphasis in the system for classifying wastes for the national waste classification system between the natural qualities of the material and their disposal method and the process through which they may pass. [19697]

The national waste classification scheme is being introduced with several aims:

to provide a means to describe waste consistently that will assist waste producers and the waste management industry in assessing the wastes they have to deal with;
to help promote consistency of waste management licensing and the effectiveness of the duty of care; and
to assist the new environment agencies in their waste management planning roles to provide the sort of information on the production and management of waste that is needed for the development of sound waste strategies at both local and national level.

Grade	1991		1992		1993		1994		1995		1996
	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers
Grade 3	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Grade 4	0	2	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0
Grade 5	4	8	5	9	7	6	10	7	8	6	7	6
Grade 6	19	31	20	27	22	24	23	23	23	22	22	23
Grade 7	68	90	70	88	75	94	83	85	80	80	78	72
SEO and equivalent	42	58	85	63	107	70	110	69	114	69	110	62
HEO and equivalent	14	12	14	14	19	13	20	10	12	8	11	2
EO and equivalent	0	5	0	12	0	19	0	2	0	1	0	1
AO and equivalent	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
AA and equivalent	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Public Interest Immunity Certificates

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to amend the public interest immunity certificates issued in the litigation brought by Andrew Balfour. [18811]

The public interest immunity certificates issued have been upheld by the Court of Appeal, and there are no plans to amend them.

The stage 2 consultation paper on the national waste classification scheme classifies waste by both the intrinsic properties and its origins. I propose to keep to these principles in the third stage of consultation.

Responses to stage 2 of the consultation exercise, including those about the classification of salt purification waste, are being considered. The results will be published next month as part of the third stage of consultation. This will involve the introduction of the scheme on a non-statutory basis from April, so that its use can be fully assessed.

Water (Conservation And Consumer Choice) Bill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the Water (Conservation and Consumer Choice) Bill. [19779]

[holding answer 8 March 1996]: The Department has received about 3,000 representations to date. Almost all have been inspired by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' campaign, which urges members to write in support of the Bill. The majority of the representations dealt with reflect that view.

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of his Department in each year from 1991 to the current year. [19801]

The following information gives the numbers of professional scientists and engineers each year from 1991 to the current year.

Iran

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the introduction of international trade sanctions against Iran. [19762]

We have a number of serious concerns about Iranian policy which we and our European Union partners make clear to the Iranian Government. Exports to Iran are strictly controlled. But we do not believe that an international trade embargo would be practicable.

Former Yugoslavia

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) of 31 January, Official Report, column 766, if he will ensure that no licences will be granted for export of equipment to the former Yugoslavia that could be used in the development of indigenous arms industries. [19956]

We will consider all export licence applications for defence equipment to the former Yugoslavia on a case by case basis as explained in the answer to which the hon. Member refers.For the duration of the implementation force's deployment, our primary objective will be the safety of British troops.

Kenya

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions Her Majesty's Government are taking to promote increased investment from the United Kingdom to Kenya; and if he will make a statement. [17102]

I have been asked to reply.My Department, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration, is offering assistance to the Kenyan Government in their efforts to attract investment through financial and technical assistance and the introduction of key Kenyan individuals to UK organisations for attracting inward investment. We are also making potential UK investors aware of the opportunities in Kenya through our trade promotion programme.

Sierra Leone

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Sierra Leone with particular reference to allegations of breaches of human rights. [19342]

Any lasting improvement in the political and human rights situations in Sierra Leone depends on the restoration of accountable, civilian government and an end to the rebel war. We therefore welcome the elections held on 26 and 27 February as well as the opening of peace talks between Sierra Leone authorities and the Revolutionary United Front.

Mr Omar Al Hassan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about Mr. Omar al Hassan; and if he will make a statement. [17855]

From time to time, this Department receives information about Dr. al Hassan and the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies.

Trade And Industry

British Coal Enterprise

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) upon what criteria the successful bids for British Coal Enterprise will be chosen; and if he will make a statement; [19894](2) how many bids have been made for British Coal Enterprise; and by whom. [19893]

The sale of British Coal Enterprise is a matter for British Coal. I understand, however, that the corporation has announced that two management buy-out teams have been identified as preferred bidders for the business funding and outplacement arms of BCE. Discussions will be continuing with a number of parties about the sale of the company's property portfolio.When launching the sales process for BCE, British Coal indicated that it would be considering proposals for the company in the light of its statutory duties and the importance of ensuring continuation of effective assistance to coalfield communities.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many bids (a) he has received, (b) he has rejected and (c) are still under consideration for British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement; [19127](2) what criteria the bidding party has to fulfil to be accepted as the buyer of British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement; [19128](3) if he will make it his policy that the present level of economic regeneration in coal mining communities be maintained after the sale of British Coal Enterprise; [19129](4) if the sale of British Coal Enterprise will go ahead if the European Commission requires repayment of some or all of European regional development fund loans; [19130](5) if he will make it his policy that the money generated from the sale of British Coal Enterprise be used on new projects to regenerate coalfield areas; and if he will make a statement; [19131](6) if he will make it a condition of sale of British Coal Enterprise that the buyer will retain its activities in the United Kingdom coalfields; and if he will make a statement; [19132](7) what extra funding the coalfield areas fund will receive after the sale of British Coal Enterprise; [19133](8) when he will announce which bid has won the contract to buy British Coal Enterprise. [19134]

The sale of British Coal Enterprise is a matter for British Coal. When launching the sales process, British Coal indicated that it would be considering proposals for the BCE in the light of its statutory duties and the importance of ensuring continuation of effective assistance to coalfield communities.The Government's continuing support for economic regeneration in the coalfields is provided through regional selective assistance and the single regeneration budget, in addition to the availability of European structural funds.

Where projects supported by ERDF grant or the associated grant payments are complete, the Government do not believe that the sale of BCE or of its workspace activities, will affect the status of the projects or of the grants, provided that the assets continue to be used for eligible purposes and in accordance with the terms of the relevant offers of grant.

Where projects supported by ERDF grant or the associated grant payments are not complete, or where offers of grant are still to be made in response to applications from BCE, the Government will seek assurances from any prospective purchaser of BCE, or of its work space activities, that it will complete the projects in accordance with the terms of the offer of ERDF grant, continue to use the assets for eligible purposes and comply with the other requirements, both of the Government and of European Community law, as they relate to the offer of those grants.

The corporation has announced that two management buy-out teams have been identified as preferred bidders for for the business funding and outplacement arms of BCE. Discussions will be proceeding with a number of parties about the sale of the company's property portfolio. The corporation expects that the process will be concluded at or shortly after the end of March 1996.

Scott Inquiry

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to paragraphs D1.27 and D1.28 of the Scott report, if he will list those matters relating to the work of his Department since 1979 classified as matters about which successive administrations have refused to answer. [17418]

[holding answer 26 February 1996]: The Principal Clerk to the Table Office gave evidence in 1972 to a Select Committee appointed

"to consider the practice and procedure in relation to Questions and Question Time",

giving a list of matters about which successive Administrations have refused to answer. This list is referred to in the current edition of "Erskine May." Subjects listed under the Department of Trade and Industry are as follows:

Commercial activities of the Overseas Marketing Corporation
Trade Statistics for Scotland
Financial support for trade fairs in the UK
Relations between ECGD and individual exporters
Reasons for refusal to refer mergers to monopolies Commission
Names of complainants about companies
Day to day matters for the English Tourist Board
Details of defence research establishments
Details of research contracts
Forecasts of price movements
Advice from Economic Planning Councils
Details of financial assistance to individual companies
Individual applicants for IDCs
Details of export licenses
Details of air miss inquiries
Individual transactions between National Film Finance Corporation and Customers.

Some of these subjects no longer fall within the responsibilities of my Department.

On 9 November 1979, the then Secretary of State for Trade and the Under-Secretary of State for Industry stated that it was not possible to provide an exhaustive list of subjects on which they would decline to answer and that each question would be considered on its merits, Official Report, columns 365 and 338. This is still the case.

Warren Springs Laboratory

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the research projects relating to the aviation industry undertaken by the Warren Springs laboratory in the five years prior to its closure. [19086]

The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Equipment And Furniture

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies in each of the past five years, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [19040]

Details of equipment stolen or otherwise unaccounted for from the Department during the last five years are set out.All incidents involving losses exceeding £5,000 are listed individually, to the nearest £1,000.

	Value £
1991–92
It equipment incidents: 24	30,000
Other equipment incidents: 46	66,000
Items over £5,000: Theft of chairs	49,000
1992–93
It equipment incidents: 11	15,000
Other equipment incidents: 5	1,000
Items over £5,000: Theft of personal computers	7,000
1993–94
IT equipment incidents: 20	59,000
Other equipment incidents: 35	9,000
Items over £5,000: Theft of computer chips	42,000
1994–95
It equipment incidents: 35	69,000
Other equipment incidents: 26	17,000
Items over £5,000: Theft of vehicle	5,000
Theft of computer components	26,000

Education And Employment

Nursery Education

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library for each of the local education authority areas participating in her scheme for early years education, the names of the providers who have agreed to supply existing, or new places, for the scheme together with the number of full-time equivalent places offered and the nature of their settings. [17869]

[holding answer 28 February 1996]: A list of providers classified by type has been placed in the Library of the House. The estimated number of four-year-olds in the maintained sector in each of the phase 1 authorities is listed below.

LEA	Estimates number of four year-olds in maintained provision at January 1995
Kensington and Chelsea	800
Wandsworth	2,600
Westminster	1,100
Norfolk	6,300

Travel To Interview Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what factors underlay her decision to extend the qualifying period of unemployment to be eligible for assistance under the travel to interview scheme from four to 13 weeks. [19101]

From April 1996, the travel to interview scheme will form part of a package of measures for people who have been unemployed for 13 weeks. It will support jobseeker's who are required to widen their search for jobs after they have been unemployed for 13 weeks and who, after the introduction of jobseeker's allowance, will be interviewed and expected to review their jobseeker's agreement at that point.

Youth Training (South Yorkshire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many eligible young people in (a) Doncaster and (b) the Mexborough area of South Yorkshire are currently unable to obtain a place on a youth training scheme; and what this figure was 12 months ago. [19350]

The information is not available in the format requested.In the Barnsley and Doncaster training and enterprise council area, no young person within the youth training guarantee group was awaiting a place on youth training at January 1996. At the same time last year only one young person in the guarantee group had been waiting more than eight weeks for a training place.

Computers

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list all cases since 1987 where his Department has bought computer capacity from (a) other Departments and (b) the private sector, giving the value of each contract and the name of the private sector contractors. [19466]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Access To Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) of 14 December 1995, Official Report, column 738, what research her Department has undertaken into how many people will not be able to participate in the access to work scheme as a result of the priority setting; and if she will review the possibility of making available extra funding for the scheme. [19321]

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Frank Field, dated 11 March 1996:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about research into the number of people participating in the Access to Work programme; and about funding for the programme.

We have not undertaken research into how many people will not be able to particpate in the programme as a result of the priority setting announced by the secretary of state on 14 December; although we know that about 80% of new applicants were employed.

The report of major research on Access to Work overall after its first year of operation will be published imminently.

By the end of January 1996 12,749 people (of whom 8,799 were new applicants) had been helped by Access to Work compared to 10,394 in the whole of 1994/5. Significant extra funds have been provided to make this possible.

I hope this is helpful.

Executive Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many occasions in each of the past five years Ministers in her Department have passed (a) hon. Members' letters and (b) hon. Members' questions to agencies for response; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of letters and questions received. [19427]

The information requested is a matter of public record, but it could be extracted in the form requested only at disproportionate cost.

Assisted Places Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what additional assisted places are to be made available, by school, in the north of England. [19622]

The information requested for schools already participating in the assisted places scheme is given in the table:

	Number of additional entry places in September 1996
North-east
Barnard Castle school	10
Central Newcastle high school	5
Dame Allan's boys' school	7
Dame Allan's girls' school	7
King's school, Tynemouth	28
Newcastle upon Tyne church high	30
Polam Hall school	10

	Number of additional entry places in September 1996
Royal Grammar school	5
Teeside high	7
Yarm school	10
North-west
Arnold school	25
Austin Friars school	8
Belverdere school	20
Birkenhead high school	5
Birkenhead school	5
Bolton school boys' division	10
Bolton school girls' division	10
Bury Grammar school (boys)	10
Bury Grammar school (girls)	10
Casterton school	8
Cheadle Hulme School	5
Hulme Grammar school for boys	5
Hulme Grammar school for girls	5
King Edward VII school	5
King's school Chester	4
King's school Macclesfield	35
Kirkham Grammar	5
Manchester Grammar school	10
Manchester High school for girls	10
Merchant Taylors' boys' school	20
Merchant Taylors' school for girls	15
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar school	20
Queen Mary school	10
Sedbergh school	15
St. Ambrose college	22
St. Bede's college	25
St. Bees	4
St. Edward's	25
Stockport Grammar school	5
Stonyhurst college	29
Westholme school	40
William Hulme's Grammar	30
Withington Girls' school	3
Yorkshire and Humberside
Ashville college	13
Batley Grammar school	30
Bootham	12
Bradford Girls' Grammar school	3
Bradford Grammar school	20
Giggleswick school	10
Harrogate Ladies' college	14
Hymers college	5
Leeds Girls' high school	5
Leeds Grammar school	15
Mount school	13
Queen Elizabeth Grammar school	10
Scarborough college	33
Sheffield High school for girls	12
St. Peter's school	5
Wakefield girls' high school	10
Woodhouse Grove	5

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce shortly the allocation of a further 1,100 entry places in September 1996 at 60 or so schools in England not currently participating in the scheme.

Higher Education Funding (London)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was (a) the recurrent and formula capital grant for each higher education institution in London for 1995–96 and 1996–97, (b) the percentage variation in the level of grants between these years and (c) the total figures for institutions in Greater London. [19658]

This information was published on 29 February and communicated to institutions by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in its circular 4/96, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Jobcentres (Lancashire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many complaints were received about the services provided by jobcentres in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; [19628](2) what assessments she has made of the performance of jobcentres in

(a) Burnley, (b) Pendle and (c) Rossendale measured against charter standards in the last 12 months.

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 11 March 1996:

The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your two recent written questions. The first concerned the number of complaints received about the services offered by Jobcentres in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale areas. The second question asked what assessment had been made of the performance of these Jobcentres against Charter standards.

As both questions relate to information obtained through monitoring performance against the Jobseeker's Charter, I am dealing with both questions in this reply.

The Jobseeker's Charter sets out obligations both of the Employment Service (ES) to deliver services, and of its clients. It informs jobseekers about the standards of service they can expect when visiting or calling ES offices, the help we provide, and what we expect from our clients. It is a valuable medium to demonstrate to jobseekers and others that ES is committed to looking at the services we provide, and that we actively seek to improve our standards, where possible. As part of this process, complaints about our services and suggestions for improving them are encouraged and welcomed.

Jobseeker's Charter statistical and monitoring returns are completed on a quarterly basis and, during the 12 months ended December 1995, within the Burnley ES District (which covers the areas of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale), 61 complaints were recorded.

This should be viewed in the context of staff in the district making 120,000 job submissions and conducting over 29,000 advisory interviews during that period. You should also be aware that 45 letters were received, complimenting the ES on the service it provides locally.

As well as recording suggestions and complaints, the ES currently monitors performance against five standards of service set out in its Jobseeker's Charter. These are:

Telephone answering times (within 30 seconds)
Waiting times (Clients to be seen within 10 minutes)
Answering correspondence (replies to written correspondence within 5 working days)
Currency of vacancies (during a sample week)
Speed and accuracy of payments

The performance levels achieved by Jobcentres in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale in the last four quarters is detailed below. Unfortunately, some of these standards are monitored at District, rather than Jobcentre, level, so the performance information contained in the table relates to all nine offices in the Burnley ES District, rather than just those in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Burnley ES District
Percentage
	Quarter ending
Standard	March 1995	June 1995	September 1995	December 1995
Telephone answering time	100	96.5	85	92.8
Waiting time	90	99	97.1	99.4
Answering correspondence	100	100	100	100
Currency of vacancies	96	95.9	96	94
Speed and accuracy of payment	96.3	97.4	95.8	100

Performance against standards is regularly reviewed by ES managers and improvements are continually sought where possible. I hope this is helpful.

Age Of Transfer, Burnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to determine the proposals from Buckinghamshire county council for a change in age of transfer in the Burnham area. [19442]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will determine these proposals as quickly as is compatible with a full and careful consideration of all comments made and the educational issues involved.

Higher education awards: Students domiciled in Wales
	Mandatory		Discretionary		Total
Academic year	¹Awards (000)	²Average grant (£)	¹Awards (000)	²Average grant (£)	¹Awards (000)	Full-time and sandwich HE students (000)
1989–90	28.4	1,540	1.2	1,630	29.6	31.0
1990–91	30.9	1,590	1.7	1,670	32.6	34.4
1991–92	34.8	1,620	1.4	1,830	36.2	38.7
1992–93	39.6	1,690	1.1	1,760	40.7	43.2
1993–94	42.3	1,740	0.3	1,840	42.6	47.7

Notes:

¹ Awards made by local education authorities to students normally domiciled in Wales irrespective of their place of study; includes placement year sandwich students.

² Average net maintenance grant paid by LEAs (to the nearest £10); excludes fees and placement year sandwich students

Source:

F503G, FESR, USR and HESA.

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of her Department in each year from 1991 to the current year.[19800]

There are no practicing professional scientists working in the Department for Education and Employment. The number of professional engineers is shown in the table:

Teacher Training Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria have been used by the Teacher Training Agency to appoint the members of the working groups which will develop draft standards for teachers; and if she will list the membership of each group and their professional qualifications. [19441]

I will ask the chairman of the Teacher Training Agency, Mr. Geoffrey Parker, to write to the hon. Member as soon as the membership of the groups is finalised.

Student Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students in higher education in Wales have received (a) mandatory and (b) discretionary grants in each of the last five years; what percentage of students this represents in each case; and what is the annual average amount of the grant in each case in each of the last five years. [19921]

The information requested for the academic years 1989–90 to 1993–94, the latest year for which data are available, is given in the following table. Since 1990–91, eligible students have also had access to non means-tested student loans. It is not possible to say what percentage of students received awards because some awards are made to students in private institutions for which population data are not available. The number of full-time and sandwich students in the final column is therefore given for illustration only.

	Number of staff by grade
Date	Grade 7 engineer	Grade 6 engineer	Senior professional and technology officer
1 January1991	1	0	2
1 January 1992	1	0	1
1 January 1993	1	0	1
1 January 1994	1	0	1
1 January 1995	0	1	1
1 January 1996	0	1	1

There are other professionally qualified engineers and scientists working in mainstream grades, but information on these staff is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Student Loans

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students in higher education in Wales have received loans from the Student Loans Company in each year that it has been granting them; and what has been the percentage of students claiming in each year and the annual average amount of the loan. [19922]

The information requested is given in the table. Figures are shown from the academic year 1990–91, when the student loan scheme was introduced, to 1994–95, the latest year for which data are available.

Student loans made to students studying in Wales
Academic year	Number of loans taken out	Loans as a percentage of eligible students (Percentage)	Average loan £
1990–91	7,100	22	384
1991–92	10,900	29	524
1992–93	15,900	36	643
1993–94	20,500	42	721
1994–95	26,500	51	1,018

Sources:

Student Loans Company, Welsh Office, Higher Educational Statistical Agency.

Prime Minister

Plutonium

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to take up the recent suggestion by the United States Government regarding the declassification of hitherto secret data on plutonium to encourage other nations with military plutonium stocks to declassify and release similar data. [20267]

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of the United Kingdom's stocks of fissile materials held for defence purposes.

Hong Kong (Visit)

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Hong Kong. [19665]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend) on 7 March, Official Report, columns 315–16.

Royal Residences

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those members of the royal family living in accommodation a contribution to the upkeep of which is made from public funds. [19649]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of National Heritage to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 13 February, Official Report, column 547.

Weapons Licensing

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to make the Ministry of Defence the licensing authority in respect of weapons and goods licensable under the military list. [17207]

I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 26 February, Official Report, columns 589–604. The Department of Trade and Industry is to undertake a review of the current export control powers and procedures, following which a consultation paper will be produced.

Special Advisers

To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a list of Ministers who have requested prior assent from the Prime Minister, under "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", paragraph 75, for payment from public funds to meet the expenses of special advisers whose salary is not met from public funds accompanying Ministers on overseas visits; and if he will indicate which requests were granted and which were refused for each year since 1990. [17495]

None.

Deregulation

To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of European Community legislation has been simplified or repealed in the past year, as referred to in his oral answer of 12 April 1994, Official Report, column 18. [19618]

The answer that I gave on 12 April 1994 refers to the Commission estimate of the reduction in the volume of EC legislation arising from recommendations in the report on subsidiarity which was presented to the European Council meeting in Brussels in December 1993. In its "Better Law Making" report to the Madrid European Council in December 1995, the Commission reported on progress in implementing the Brussels programme. A copy of the report is in the Library of the House. Although the number of new Commission legislative proposals continues to decline, down from 48 in 1993 to a forecast of 19 in the 1996 work programme, the Government want the Commission to do more. I therefore welcome the remit given to the Commission by the Madrid European Council to bring forward further proposals to repeal and simplify both existing and proposed legislation.

Ex-Service Men And Women

To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of interdepartmental co-operation in relation to ex-service affairs; and if he will meet the chairman of the Royal British Legion to discuss his views on this matter. [19670]

I have no plans to do so. My noble Friend Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish has regular meetings with ex-services organisations, including the Royal British Legion. In addition, my noble Friends Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish and Lord Henley met the Royal British Legion on 23 November 1994 to discuss the provision of Government services to ex-service men and women.The Government's continuing commitment is to ensure that all Departments provide an effective service for every citizen.

Biodiversity Steering Group

To ask the Prime Minister which Departments are involved in the cross-sectional steering group on the United Kingdom biodiversity action plan; and what assistance they are giving the Department of the Environment. [17909]

The United Kingdom biodiversity steering group included officials from the Department of the Environment, the Scottish Office, the Welsh Office, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Forestry Commission.The steering group published its report containing advice on the Government on 13 December 1995. Departments throughout Whitehall, including those involved in the steering group, are assisting the Department of the Environment in preparing the Government's response to the report. We expect to publish this in the spring of 1996.

Welsh Office (Permanent Secretary)

To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to announce the appointment of the new permanent secretary of the Welsh Office. [19668]

The next permanent secretary of the Welsh Office will be selected following an open competition and the appointment will then be announced in the normal way.

Home Department

Immigration Detainees

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report, columns 101–2, if he will set out in the same format information relating to (a) overstayers and (b) convicted criminals awaiting deportation; and if he will ensure that the figures relating to the three categories concerned are contained in future statistical publications. [19616]

The information requested is given in tables A and B covering all overstayers and convicted criminals respectively, including those who have applied for asylum. Information on asylum seekers in detention—which account for the great majority of immigration detainees—is already published in the annual Home Office statistical bulletin on asylum statistics, copies of which are in the Library. There are no plans to publish, in the half-yearly bulletin or annual Command Paper on immigration statistics, detailed analyses of the additional categories of immigration detainee.

Table A1: Overstayers recorded as detained¹on 31 January 1996 by gender
	Number detained²
Male	60
Female	2
Total	62
¹Under Immigration Act powers.
²Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table A2: Overstayers recorded as detained¹on 31 January 1996, by length of detention
Length of detention	Number detained²
0–1 month	20
1–2 months	6
2–6 months	23
6–12 months	12
12 months+	1
Total	62
¹Under Immigration Act powers.
²Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table A3: Overstayers recorded as detained¹on 31 January 1996, by nationality
Nationality	Number detained²
Nigeria	14
Algeria	7
Ghana	7
Bangladesh	5
India	4
Jamaica	4
Pakistan	3
Poland	3
Morocco	2
Others	13
Total	62
¹Under Immigration Act powers.
²Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table A4: Overstayers recorded as detained¹on 31 January 1996, by place of detention
Place of detention	Number detained¹
Prison Service establishments
HMP Rochester	14
HMP Winson Green	6
HMP Haslar	4
HMP Wandsworth	2
Others	6
	32
Other places of detention
Police cells	13
Campsfield House	10
Harmondsworth	6
Queen's Building	1
	30
Total	62
¹Under Immigration Act powers.
²Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table B1: Convicted criminals¹recorded as detained²on 31 January 1996, by gender
	Number detained¹
Male	44
Female	5
Total	49
¹Subject to deportation action either following a court recommendation or on grounds that their continued presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good (where the court did not address the question of making a recommendation for deportation).
²Under Immigration Act powers.
³Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table B2: Convicted criminals¹recorded as detained²on 31 January 1996, by length of detention
Length of detention	Number detained³
0–1 month	10
1–2 months	18
2–6 months	15
6–12 months	6
12 months+	—
Total	49
¹Subject to deportation action either following a court recommendation or on grounds that their continued presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good (where the court did not address the question of making a recommendation for deportation).
²Under Immigration Act powers.
³Data are subject to recording error—eg in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table B3: Convicted criminals¹recorded as detained²on 31 January 1996, by nationality
Nationality	Number detained³
Nigeria	9
Gambia	8
Angola	3

Table B3: Convicted criminals¹recorded as detained²on 31 January 1996, by nationality
Nationality	Number detained³
Colombia	3
Jamaica	3
Zaire	3
Algeria	2
Poland	2
Others	16
Total	49
¹Subject to deportation action either following a court recommendation or on grounds that their continued presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good (where the court did not address the question of making a recommendation for deportation).
²Under Immigration Act powers.
³Data are subject to recording error—e.g. in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Table B4: Convicted criminals¹recorded as detained²on 31 January 1996, by place of detention
Place of detention	Number detained³
Prison Service establishments
HMP Brixton	10
HMP Rochester	9
HMP Wandsworth	5
HMYOI Feltham	3
HMP Holloway	3
HMP Pentonville	2
HMP Preston	2
HMP The Mount	2
Others	8
	44
Other places of detention
Campsfield House	3
Others	2
	5
Total	49
¹Subject to deportation action either following a court recommendation or on grounds that their continued presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good (where the court did not address the question of making a recommendation for deportation).
²Under Immigration Act powers.
³Data are subject to recording error—e.g. in respect of delayed notification of reception into, and release from, detention.

Private Security Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he is undertaking, and with whom, on the statutory regulation of the private security industry; and if he will make a statement. [19353]

We have spoken to the police, the industry, other Government Departments, and have examined evidence given to the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the private security industry. We are now consulting Cabinet colleagues on the way forward.

Convicted Prisoners (Deportation)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure that forms required under the Immigration Act 1971 to be filled in by convicted prisoners liable to deportation on conclusion of their sentences are not given to prisoners to whom they do not apply. [19506]

I am not aware of any form required to be completed under the Immigration Act 1971 by people in this category. A person charged with an offence punishable with imprisonment may be served by the arresting authority with a notice warning him of his liability to deportation. The notice—IM3—sets out categories of persons who are not liable to deportation and every effort is made to ensure that notices are not given to people who are not so liable.

Anabolic Steroids

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 November, Official Report, columns 292–93, when the Government will lay the draft modification order to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to outlaw the use of anabolic steroids and other similar drugs. [19311]

We hope to lay the draft modification order very soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the number of family break-ups caused by the abuse of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in each year from 1979; [19320](2) what estimate he has made of the number of violent crimes caused by the abuse of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in each year since 1979. [19319]

No data are available to enable any such estimates to be made.

Executive Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the past five years Ministers in his Department have passed (a) hon. Members' letters and (b) hon. Members' questions to agencies for response; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of letters and questions received. [19422]

The information in the form requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Football

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the premier league and Endsleigh league clubs giving separately the total season's attendance at (a) matches played in the premier league and football league and (b) matches played in the FA cup and Coca-Cola cup along with (i) the total number of arrests and (ii) arrests as a percentage of total attendance at each category of such matches accurate to four decimal places for the seasons (1) 1990–91, (2) 1991–92, (3) 1992–93, (4) 1993–94 and (5) 1994–95. [19309]

The hon. Member has previously received such information for seasons 1990–91,1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 15 February 1995, Official Report, columns 691–93, for details about the 1993–94 season. Details for the other seasons referred to were provided under cover of ministerial correspondence of 31 July 1991 and 1 February 1994—copies were also placed in the Library.Information in the requested format for season 199495 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Arrests during season 1994–95 for premier league, Endsleigh league, FA cup and Coca-Cola cup matches is provided.

Premier League: 1,723
Endsleigh League: 2,127
FA Cup: 914
Coca-Cola Cup: 308

Computers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all cases since 1987 where his Department has brought computer capacity from (a) other departments and (b) the private sector, giving the value of each contract and the name of the private sector contractors. [19465]

There are no records of computer capacity in my Department having been bought from other Departments or from the private sector since 1987.

Fire Fighters (Pensions)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next meeting will be held of the review group, to review the pension arrangements for fire fighters; and when it will conclude its studies and publish its findings. [19764]

No such meeting has been arranged. I hope that it will soon be possible to circulate a consultation document on the review group's findings to the fire service organisations.

Fire Brigades Union

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has recently received from the Fire Brigades Union; and if he will make a statement. [19753]

My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations from the Fire Brigades Union. Issues raised in recent months have included fire service funding, fire safety, the Fire Service College and the new brigade structure in Wales. All these representations have received, or will be given, considered replies.

Fire Brigades (Standards)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fire brigades failed to meet the statutory minimum standards for their rescue and firefighting role in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Northern Ireland in 1995–96; and if he will make a statement. [19758]

I am satisfied that, in general, all brigades in England and Wales remain able to meet the nationally recommended standards of fire cover which are set out in terms of the response times that fire brigades are expected to maintain. Her Majesty's inspectors of fire services draw attention to any exceptions in the course of their inspections of brigades. It is for the fire authority concerned to take the appropriate action in any such case. Responsibilities for brigades in Scotland and Northern Ireland are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.

Peter Welch

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Peter Welch was awarded compensation by the European Court of Human Rights. [20529]

Peter Welch claimed compensation of £320,596, but this claim was rejected by the court. In its judgment dated 26 February, the court ruled that Peter Welch's alleged losses could not legitimately be said to result from the application to him of the confiscatory provisions of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986. Therefore, no compensation was awarded, nor did the court grant him any costs in bringing the claim.

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of his Department in each year from 1991 to the current year. [19802]

The figures for the main Home Office, excluding Agencies, for 1993–96 are as follows. Figures are not available in the form requested for 1991 and 1992.

Grade and discipline	1993	1994	1995	1996
Grade 3: (science and physics)	1	0	0	1
Grade 5: (research: social science)	1	1	1	1
Grade 5: (science: life science: toxicology)	1	0	0	1
Grade 5: (statistics)	3	3	3	3
Grade 6 (engineering telecommunications)	3	3	1	1
Grade 6 (research: social science)	1	4	5	5
Grade 6 (science)	0	0	0	2
Grade 6 (science: chemistry)	0	0	0	2
Grade 6 (science: forensics)	0	0	0	1
Grade 6 (science: life science)	1	1	1	1
Grade 6 (science: life science: biology)	2	0	0	2
Grade 6 (science: life science: zoology)	I	0	1	0
Grade 6 (science: physics)	1	1	1	1
Grade 7 (engineering mechanical)	1	1	1	1
Grade 7 (engineering metallurgy)	0	0	1	1
Grade 7 (engineering: tele-communications)	11	12	6	6
Grade 7 (research: social science)	14	15	14	13
Grade 7 (science: chemistry)¹	18	2	2	2
Grade 7 (science: computer science)	3	3	4	5
Grade 7 (science: engineering)	3	3	3	2

Grade and discipline	1993	1994	1995	1996
Grade 7 (science: life science)	8	2	2	1
Grade 7 (science: life science: photography)	1	1	1	1
Grade 7 (science: operational research)	8	8	8	8
Grade 7 (science: physics)	11	12	12	11
Grade 7 (statistics)	21	20	19	19
Senior Executive Officer (engineering: civil)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (engineering: electronic)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (engineering: mechanical)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (engineering: tele-communications)+	42	41	21	21
Senior Executive Officer (engineering: professional and technological construction)	0	1	0	1
Senior Executive Officer (science)	4	4	3	5
Senior Executive Officer (science: computer science)	7	9	8	8
Senior Executive Officer (science: electronics)	3	3	3	3
Senior Executive Officer (science: engineering)	2	2	2	2
Senior Executive Officer (science: mathematics/statistics)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (science: meteorology)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (science: operational research)	8	8	8	8
Senior Executive Officer (science: physics)	6	8	8	9
Senior Executive Officer (science: life sciences)	1	1	1	1
Senior Executive Officer (research: social science)	8	7	13	13
Higher Executive Officer (engineering)	1	1	1	1
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: building)	1	1	2	2
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: electronic)	5	4	3	3
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: mechanical)	1	1	1	2
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: mechanical/electrical)	1	1	1	1
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: production)	0	0	0	1
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: professional and technological construction)	0	0	0	2
Higher Executive Officer (engineering: tele-communications) +	97	93	9	9
Higher Executive Officer (science)	8	8	5	8
Higher Executive Officer (science: computer science)	3	1	0	0
Higher Executive Officer (science: forensics¹)	139	0	2	2
Higher Executive Officer (science: operational research)	4	4	4	3
Higher Executive Officer (science: physics)	15	12	13	11

Grade and discipline	1993	1994	1995	1996
Higher Executive Officer (science: social science)	2	1	0	0
Higher Executive Officer (science: life science)	1	0	0	1
Higher Executive Officer (research: social science)	9	8	14	15
Higher Executive Officer (statistics)	7	8	8	7
Executive Officer (engineering: building)	1	1	1	1
Executive Officer (engineering: civil)	1	1	0	0
Executive Officer (engineering: electronic)	4	3	3	3
Executive Officer (engineering: mechanical)	3	2	2	1
Executive Officer (engineering: production)	1	1	1	0
Executive Officer (engineering: tele-communications)2	192	197	0	1
Executive Officer (science)	9	9	10	7
Executive Officer (science: computer science)	1	1	0	1
Executive Officer (science: physics)	2	2	2	2
Executive Officer (science: life science)	2	2	2	1
Executive Officer (science: mathematics/statistics)	0	0	0	1
Executive Officer (statistics)	2	1	1	1
Administrative Officer (science)	6	5	5	4
Administrative Officer (science: forensic)¹	82	0	0	0
Administrative Officer (statistics)	1	1	0	0
Administrative Assistant (science: forensic)¹	1	0	0	0
¹Reduction reflects establishments of the Forensic Science Service as an executive agency.
²Reduction reflects the privatisation of Directorate of Telecommunications.

Departmental Staff Guidelines

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines his Department provides regarding employees and recent ex-employees taking up positions with companies tendering for his Department's contracts. [19677]

All staff who are offered employment within two years of leaving Crown service—or outside normal working hours while still in the service—by organisations with which they have had official dealings must apply for approval under the business appointment rules. The rules are set out in standing guidance to staff and also in the civil service management code; they are part of all civil servants' conditions of service. Staff are reminded of the rules when they join the Department and on leaving the civil service.

Buckley Hall Prison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are currently adopted in Buckley Hall prison to stop the smuggling into the prison of (a) alcohol, (b) cannabis and other illegal drugs and Great Britain (c) other items; and what plans there are to increase the Excluded, number of searches carried out on (i) male and (ii) female deported or prison visitors. [19793]

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

Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Liz Lynne, dated II March 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the procedures currently adopted at Buckley Hall prison to stop smuggling, and whether there are any plans to increase the number of searches carried out on both male and female prison visitors.

Every visitor to Buckley Hall prison is already searched before being allowed to visit a prisoner. In addition all visitors are required to pass through a metal detector portal. Procedures for the regular searching of staff are also in place.

Other procedures at Buckley Hall prison to prevent any attempt to smuggle alcohol, cannabis, other illegal drugs or any other items into the prison are extensive. These include the searching of all items accompanying visitors which may hold illicit items. Items taken into the visiting room are x-rayed and there is camera and video monitoring of visits.

Prevention Of Terrorism Acts

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders under the prevention of terrorism Acts are still in force. [20313]

There are currently 33 people subject to exclusion orders, 29 from Great Britain and four from the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been released without charge after being (a) arrested and (b) detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts for each calendar year since 1974. [20315]

The figures relate to persons arrested and/or detained under section 14 or schedule 5 to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act. The table additionally shows numbers for those detainees who, although not charged, were subsequently made the subject of exclusion orders, were deported, or removed under the Immigration Act 1971.

Great Britain
Year	Detained	Not charged	Excluded, deported or removed
1974 (from 29 November)	59	51	12
1975	1,067	1,004	46
1976	1,066	1,009	23
1977	853	806	17
1978	622	603	49
1979	857	749	48
1980	537	495	45
1981	274	235	10
1982	220	198	11
1983	191	160	13
1984	203	172	14
1985	266	205	12
1986	202	166	16
1987	225	200	24

Great Britain
Year	Detained	Not charged	Excluded, deported or removed
1988	186	165	16
1989	181	160	12
1990	193	165	16
1991	153	146	11
1992	160	120	1
1993	152	120	4
1994	61	52	4
1995	34	21	0

Northern Ireland
Year	Detained	Not charged
1989	1,583	1,223
1990	1,549	1,179
1991	1,680	1,294
1992	1,795	1,335
1993	1,641	1,259
1994	1,503	11,136
1995	443	335

Figures for Northern Ireland are readily available only from 1989: those prior to then could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been subject to exclusion orders under the prevention of terrorism Acts for each calendar year since 1974. [20312]

Figures for exclusion orders are set out in the lists.

Great Britain
1974: 19¹
1975: 50
1976: 24
1977: 18
1978: 53
1979: 53
1980: 49
1981: 11
1982: 15
1983: 15
1984: 3
1985: 7
1986: 9
1987: 19
1988: 20
1989: 9
1990: 16
1991: 11
1992: 2
1993: 7
1994: 4
1995: 0
¹From 29 November
Northern Ireland
1974: 0¹
1975: 1
1976: 1
1977: 0

1978: 2
1979: 4
1980: 3
1981: 11
1982: 2
1983: 4
1984: 2
1985: 0
1986: 0
1987: 1
1988: 1
1989: 1
1990: 0
1991: 0
1992: 0
1993: 0
1994: 1
1995: 0
¹From 29 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) detained under the prevention of terrorism Acts for each calendar year since 1974; and if he will give a breakdown of the lengths of detention. [20314]

The figures relate to persons arrested and/or detained under section 14 or schedule 5 to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act. Detentions under 48 hours can be authorised by the police. Those over 48 hours must be authorised by the Secretary of State.

In Great Britain
	Under 48 hours	Over 48 hours
1974 (from 29 November)	13	46
1975	930	137
1976	1,006	60
1977	824	29
1978	599	23
1979	617	240
1980	411	126
1981	216	58
1982	183	37
1983	146	45
1984	163	40
1985	172	94
1986	145	57
1987	174	51
1988	161	25
1989	145	36
1990	158	35
1991	123	30
1992	143	17
1993	113	39
1994	57	4
1995	16	18

In Northern Ireland
	Under 48 hours	Over 48 hours
1974 (from 29 November)	0	0
1975	3	5

In Northern Ireland
	Under 48 hours	Over 48 hours
1976	44	202
1977	39	123
1978	7	144
1979	36	126
1980	36	186
1981	94	401
1982	189	639
1983	447	728
1984	375	533
1985	381	557
1986	825	484
1987	1,008	451
1988	1,175	542
1989	1,053	530
1990	1,089	460
1991	1,109	571
1992	1,354	441
1993	1,186	455
1994	1,119	384
1995	431	12

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have taken place in the terms of reference of the Lloyd review of the prevention of terrorism acts since the resumption of violence connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland. [20316]

None.

Capita Managed Services

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all (a) facilities management consortia, (b) private finance initiative bids, (c) management buy-out consortia, (d) contractorisation schemes and (e) market-testing schemes in his Department in respect of which (i) Capita Managed Services and (ii) Lusis Business Solutions are currently involved in bidding. [19905]

[holding answer 8 March 1996]: Neither Capita Managed Services nor Lusis Business Solutions is currently involved in bidding for any of the projects listed.

Defence

Aircraft Crashes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when (a) the Royal Navy Sea Harrier T4 which crashed near Wellington, Somerset, on 23 February and (b) the Royal Air Force Tornado GR I which crashed near Issam, Germany, on 26 February last has a major service; who carried it out; and if he will make a statement. [19312]

All Royal Navy and Royal Air Force aircraft are maintained in accordance with the appropriate authorised servicing cycle and approved maintenance procedures. Harrier T Mk 4 XZ445 underwent its last scheduled basic maintenance, the deepest appropriate level of maintenance, in 1994. This was carried out by the Maintenance Group Defence Agency at RAF St. Athan. The aircraft's last scheduled servicing was carried out on the parent squadron in January 1996. The servicing policy for RAF Tornados was explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 8 March 1996, Official Report, columns 368–69.Tornado GR1 ZD845's last major servicing was carried out in August 1995 at the operating unit. The separate boards of inquiry into these aircraft losses are on-going; a summary of the board's findings will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current damage and repair status of Tornado GR1 serial number ZD844; what repair work is schedules for this aircraft; where such repairs will be carried out; and what is the expected date of re-entry to service of this aircraft. [19756]

Tornado GR1 ZD844 was involved in a mid-air collision over Canada on 1 August 1994. The aircraft, which landed safely, sustained varying degrees of damage to the left-hand engine intake, engine bay door, main landing gear, fuselage and left wing. Repairs to the damaged wing are being carried out by the Maintenance Group Defence Agency at RAF St. Athan. Repairs to the fuselage are being undertaken using service manpower at RAF Marham. It is expected that ZD844 will re-enter service in 1997.

Dismissals (Drug Offences)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have been (a) charged with drug offences and (b) subsequently dismissed for such offences in each of the last 10 years. [19486]

The information is not available in the format requested, but we are able to provide the following information for the nine-year period 1986 to 1994:

(a) The number of armed forces personnel convicted of drug offences:

1986: 131
1987: 145
1988: 105
1989: 196
1990: 339
1991: 426
1992: 612
1993: 513
1994: 296

(b) The number subsequently dismissed' for such offences:

1986: 60
1987: 56
1988: 67
1989: 68
1990: 118
1991: 165
1992: 225
1993: 152
1994: 112

¹ The figures relate to those sentenced to dismissal from service at court martial, summary trial or were dismissed following a sentence of imprisonment from a service or civilian court.

Empty Properties

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD properties in Hampshire are currently empty; and if he will indicate the number of properties in each local authority area. [19623]

No central record is maintained of the number of buildings other than married quarters which may be empty at any given time. At 7 March 1996, there were 831 married quarters in the following council areas:

	Number
East Hampshire DC	53
Fareham DC	21
Gosport BC	238
Hart DC	22
Havant DC	20
Portsmouth CC	142
Ruchmoor BC	120
Test Valley BC	101
Winchester CC	63
New Forest DC	51

Married Quarters Discounted Sale Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) of 1 March, Official Report, column 766, how many personnel will be eligible for the interest-free advance scheme; and if personnel made redundant between 1 March and 1 August will be eligible for the scheme. [19833]

Some 23 per cent. of Army and RAF personnel will qualify by age for the long service advance of pay scheme, but significantly fewer personnel are expected to join the scheme because the pattern of service in the Army and RAF promotes accompanied service and this can deter home ownership in some circumstances.The Royal Navy has enjoyed the benefits of LSAP since 1963 and, because of the pattern of family separation which is inherent in a sea-going service, it has promoted a housing policy which does not differentiate between accompanied or unaccompanied service when ashore. The historical take-up rate of LSAP in the RN is approximately 40 per cent. of all eligible personnel, and represent an annual maximum uptake of 1,500 personnel. Although take-up figures can be only speculative, the RN trends, with the differing age qualifications and accompanied service preferences of the Army and RAF, would indicate an average of 1,200 new LSAP members each year. This would represent a threefold increase over those who have annually benefited from the married quarters discounted sales scheme.Army or RAF personnel made redundant between now and 1 August 1996 will not be able to take advantage of the scheme. They will, however, still be able to apply to purchase a home under the married quarter discounted sales scheme, which will remain in force until 1 August 1996.

Abbey Wood

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 5 March, Official Report, column 141, what additional payments have been claimed by the construction contractors for the new MOD building at Abbey Wood. [20087]

We respect the commercial in confidence nature of contractual and claims issues which are between the Department and the contractors concerned. As is our normal practice, claims against the Department are reviewed and processed in accordance with the contract terms—action which has and is being taken in respect of claims submitted by the shell and core contractor. As I have said, there is a constructive dialogue going on between the Department and the contractor. Both the contractor and the Department are working positively to realise the project's programme objectives.

Future Large Aircraft

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart concerning the future large aircraft programme. [20196]

I met Henri Conzé, délegué général pour 1'armement on Friday 1 March. The future large aircraft programme was discussed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not recently discussed the future large aircraft programme with his French counterpart.

Scott Inquiry

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes his Department will introduce in relation to defence exports following the Scott inquiry report. [20197]

My Department will participate fully in the review of the Government's existing export control powers and procedures being undertaken by the Department of Trade and Industry. In addition, my Department will take the lead in the review of the convention on the disclosure of information about defence exports.

Otterburn Training Area

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what alternative courses of action from those listed in "Improving the Training Infrastructure at Otterburn Training Area: The MOD's Aspirations for the Next Five Years" were considered in environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department; [19528](2) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of "Improving the Training Infrastructure at Otterburn Training Area: The MOD's Aspirations for the Next Five Years"; [19530](3) if "Improving the Training Infrastructure at Otterburn Training Area: The MOD's Aspirations for the Next Five Years" has been subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by the Department of the Environment; [19527](4) how "Improving the Training Infrastructure at Otterburn Training Area: The MOD's Aspirations for the Next Five Years" was modified by the results the environmental appraisals undertaken by his Department. [19529]

The Ministry of Defence document to which the hon. Member refers was produced at the request of the Northumberland national park authority. It sets out my Department's aspirations for improving the infrastructure at Otterburn training area for the next five years and describes the positive planning principles the Ministry of Defence has adopted for taking these forward. It will be used to take forward our discussions with the park authority under the normal planning arrangements in Department of the Environment circular 18/84. None of the aspirations has yet been agreed, and each remains subject to internal scrutiny, funding, and planning consent.My Department's aim, through this forward-looking document, is to provide the national park authority with a clearer understanding of the likely trend of development, against which they will be better placed to judge the acceptability or otherwise of individual development applications. Full environmental appraisals will be undertaken as appropriate, and these will take due account of all relevant environmental considerations and where necessary draw upon Government policy and guidance as contained in documents such as the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment".

Scotland

Railway Investment

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what applications for railway investment have been (a) approved and (b) submitted for consideration to the highland and Islands development partnership since objective 1 status was announced. [19330]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if railway capital investment in the highlands is eligible for EC objective 1 funding. [19331]

In principle, applications may be eligible, but this would depend on the precise nature of the project.

Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many orthopaedic trauma operations have been carried out in Edinburgh for each month since January 1995 to the present; how many such patients had to wait more than two days for surgery after sustaining a fracture; if he will express the numbers waiting for more than two days, as a percentage of the number of operations carried out; and if he will give the monthly budget for such operations; [19558]

(2) what evaluation he has made of the adequacy of available theatre time to cope with demands for orthopaedic trauma surgery at peak periods. [19559]

Information on the number of orthopaedic trauma operations carried out in Edinburgh, the number of patients who wait more than two days for surgery after sustaining a fracture and the

Emergency admissions¹to orthopaedic surgery, receiving an operation, by pre-operative stay and month of discharge NHS hospitals in Edinburgh², for calendar year 1995³
	Month of Discharge
	January	February	March	April	May	June
Pre-operative stay
0–2 days Number	240	244	256	254	227	259
Percentage	94.5	95.7	94.5	93.7	86.6	87.8
3+ days Number	14	11	15	17	35	36
Percentage	5.5	4.3	5.5	6.3	13.4	12.2
Total
Number	254	255	271	271	262	295
Percentage	100	100	100	100	100	100

	Month of discharge
	July	August	September	October	November	December	Total
Pre-operative stay
0–2 days Number	228	231	283	287	245	192	2,946
Percentage	91.9	93.9	88.4	92.0	88.1	81.7	90.7
3+ days Number	20	15	37	25	33	43	301
Percentage	8.1	6.1	11.6	8.0	11.9	18.3	9.3
Total
Number	248	246	320	312	278	235	3,247
Percentage	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
¹ Day case, out-patient and accident and emergency attendances are excluded.
² The hospitals included in the above table are: Princess Margaret Rose orthopaedic hospital, Royal Hospital for sick children, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
³ 1995 data are provisional.

Transport Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amounts of objective 1 funding has been approved in the Highlands and Islands so far for (a) roads and road transport, (b) airports and air transport, (c) ferries and (d) railways. [19327]

The information is set out in the table:

Sector	Number of projects	European Regional Development Award £ million
Roads	32	14.35
Ferries	2	1.75
Airports	1	0.32
Railways	0	0

monthly budget for such operations is not held centrally. The table sets out the number of discharges, admitted as emergencies, from orthopaedics who received an operation for each month in 1995 in Edinburgh NHS hospitals showing the percentage and number waiting more than two days. The data are provisional. The availability of theatre time to cope with demand for orthopaedic traumatic surgery is a matter for the NHS trusts concerned.

Lothian Health Board

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds the last general manager of Lothian health board left that position. [19345]

The last board general manager of Lothian health retired early on grounds of ill health.

European Structural Funds

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the resourcing and administrative arrangements for the secretariat dealing with the distribution of European structural funds in Scotland; on what date the independent secretariat was established; what is the number of full-time equivalent employees involved in its administration; and what representations he has received from infrastructure providers and others in relation to the present arrangements. [19361]

[holding answer 7 March 1996]: Of the seven structural fund programmes operating in Scotland, four are administered by programme executives. Infrastructure providers and others in areas with programme executives appear to be generally content with the arrangements; and any discussions about their operation have tended to focus on various detailed points. Details of the resourcing and administration arrangements for dealing with the funds in Scotland are as follows:

Programme executives
The Strathclyde European Partnership
Established—June 1989
Staff number—16 full-time equivalent—FTE
Highlands and Islands Partnership
Established—February 1994
Staff number—eight FTE
Eastern Scotland European Partnership
Established—January 1995
Staff number—8.8 FTE
Dumfries and Galloway European Partnership
Established—November 1994
Staff number—3.5 FTE.

European Social Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for changing the administration of the European social fund in Scotland; what is the number of full-time equivalent employees required to administer the funds under (a) present and (b) future arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [19362]

[holding answer 7 March 1996]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland accepted responsibility for the administration of the European social fund on 1 January 1994 for objective 1, 2 and 5b programme areas. Responsibility for the objective 3 programme and EC community initiatives was transferred on 1 April 1995. These major changes have required new administrative arrangements, which we are keeping under review to ensure that they are as effective as possible.Presently, there are 12 full-time equivalent employees, in the Scottish Office and nine full-time equivalent employees in the four programme executives involved in the administration of the funds.

Falkirk Football Club

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct the reporter to expedite the report of the public inquiry on the planning application by Falkirk football club for a new stadium, to enable the club to meet the deadline for implementation of the Taylor report requirement for all-seater stadia. [15543]

[holding answer 29 February 1996]: The reporter is aware of the requirements of the Taylor report for all-seater stadia. For that reason, this case has been given—and will continue to receive—priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of the public inquiry on the planning application by Falkirk football club for a new stadium. [15544]

[holding answer 29 February 1996]: Depending on the extent, nature and content of comments received following circulation to parties of part I of the report, my right hon. Friend expects to receive the final report by the end of the first week in May.

Northern Ireland

School Pupils (Strangford)

To ask the secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils there (a) are this year and (b) were last year at each primary school in the constituency of Strangford. [18932]

The information requested is as follows:

Strangford
School name	(a) 1995–96	(b) 1994–95
Abbey PS	590	558
Alexander Dickson PS	215	216
Andrews Memorial PS	522	523
Ballykeigle PS	59	61
Ballyvester PS	92	97
Ballywalter PS	153	141
Belvoir Park PS	394	383
Braniel PS	417	409
Cairnshill PS	474	457
Carrickmannon PS	82	79
Carrowdore PS	133	126
Castle Gardens PS	408	414
Comber PS	394	398
Cottown PS	—	23
Donaghadee PS	479	459
Greyabbey PS	70	72
Killinchy PS	243	233
Killyleagh PS	146	157
Kircubbin PS	68	58
Kirkistown PS	58	54
Leadhill PS	206	201
Londonderry PS	315	317
Lough View Integrated PS	93	51
Loughries PS	89	88
Millisle PS	172	180
Moneyrea PS	136	126
Newtownards Model PS	388	376
Newtownbreda PS	230	232
O'Neill Memorial PS	41	36
Portaferry PS	54	43
Portavogie PS	132	143
Regent House School	165	175
St. Anne's PS	49	37
St. Finian's PS	161	174
St. Mary's PS, Portaferry	281	308
St. Mary's PS, Comber	39	32
St. Mary's PS, Ballygowan	50	54
St. Mary's PS, Kirkcubbin	224	228
St. Patrick's PS	104	98
Victoria PS (Newtownards)	553	543
Victoria PS (Ballyhalbert)	106	104
West Winds PS	181	194

Cottown Primary School closed 31 August 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils there (a) are this year and (b) were last year at each secondary school of all categories in the constituency of Strangford. [18934]

The information requested is as follows:

School Name	(a) 1995–96	(b) 1994–95
Comber High School	422	424
Donaghadee High School	254	283
Glastry High School	560	573
Lagan College	933	917
Movilla High School	834	799
Regent House School	1,444	1,445
Scrabo High School	309	325
St. Columba's High School	348	342

Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils there are at Regent House grammar school, Newtownards; how many temporary classrooms there are at the school; how many applicants there were for entry into form 1 in the current year; how many pupils were enrolled into form 1 in the current year; what proposals there are to provide permanent classrooms at the school; and if he will make a statement. [18936]

Regent House school has 1,444 pupils in its secondary department and 165 pupils in its preparatory department. The school has 31 temporary classrooms. It had 217 applicants for entry into form 1 for 1995–96—figures for 1996–97 are not yet available—and has 215 pupils in form 1 this year.I understand that the south-eastern education and library board is developing plans to extend and refurbish the existing premises.

Leadhill Primary School

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the enrolment in each of the past five years at Leadhill primary school; what is the expected enrolment at the school in each of the next five years; when was the last capital investment for extra accommodation at Leadhill primary school; what proposals there are for the provision of further accommodation at this school; and if he will make a statement. [18933]

The information is as follows:

1990: 175
1991: 172
1992: 179
1993: 187
1994: 201
1995: 206.

Enrolments over the next five years are expected to be around 220.The last capital investment for extra accommodation at the school was in 1984: and I understand that the south-eastern education and library board is currently considering the provision of a purpose-built three classroom block for the school.

Dundonald Primary School

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the enrolment in each of the past five years at Dundonald primary school; what is the expected enrolment at the school in each of the next five years; what proposals there are to provide additional accommodation at the school; how many places in primary 1 will be available in the next academic year; how many applicants there are for places in primary 1 at the school for the next academic year; and if he will make a statement. [18935]

The enrolments in each of the past five years are as follows:

Year	Number of pupils enrolled	Number of applicants refused places¹
1991–92	537 (at January 1991)	n/a
1992–93	558 (at October 1992)	none
1993–94	563 (at October 1993)	14
1994–95	547 (at October 1994)	5
1995–96	553 (at October 1995)	9
¹ Information available only from 1992–93 onwards.

It is not possible to accurately project an enrolment figure for each of the next five years.Provision of controlled primary school places in Dundonald is the responsibility of the South Eastern education and library board. I understand that the board has no plans to increase the size of Dundonald primary school at present, but it is reviewing demand for primary schools places in the Dundonald area and is monitoring residential development as part of its consideration of future primary school provision.The approved admissions number for the 1996–97 school year is 81, but the school has discretion to admit a maximum of five pupils above this number. The school has received 91 applications.

Driver And Vehicle Testing Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the addresses of the proposed six offices of the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency; and if these offices will (a) be at ground floor level or (b) provide access by a lift. [19935]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency under its chief executive Mr. Brian Watson. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. B. Watson to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 7 March 1996:

Your Question about the location of Driver amp; Vehicle Testing Agency offices has been referred to me for reply.

Theory test centres will be located in Ballymena, Belfast, Londonderry, Newry, Omagh and Portadown. The addresses of the centres will be published when suitable premises have been acquired.

It is expected that theory test centres will either be at ground floor level or that appropriate arrangements will be made for disabled candidates.

House Of Commons

Office Facilities

To ask the right hon. Member or Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate office facilities for hon. Members. [18032]

The new parliamentary building will provide offices for 208 hon. Members. It will also accommodate at least the same number of Members' support staff.Until the new building is opened in 1999, every effort is being made to improve Members' office facilities as part of the building refurbishment programme, which includes the installation of the parliamentary data and video network and the clean feed from the Chamber as well as more telephone lines.

Eu Legislation

38.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has had concerning the preparation and scrutiny of European legislation. [18030]

The Select Committee on European Legislation published a report in July 1995 on the forthcoming intergovernmental conference. This addressed a number of issues including the European Community's legislative process and the arrangements for parliamentary scrutiny of European Community legislation. The Government responded to the report in November and look forward to receiving a further report from the Committee focusing in more detail on parliamentary scrutiny arrangements.

Central And Members' Lobbies

39.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will review the names of the Central and Members' Lobbies. [18031]

I have no plans to do so.

Libya And Iraq (Sanctions)

40.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will set up a Select Committee to examine the policy of UN sanctions against Libya and Iraq. [18033]

	Grade 3	Grade 5	Grade 6	Grade 7	Below G7	Total
1997
Science	2	10	35	50	15	112
Engineering	—	1	9	8	—	19
1992
Science	2	11	38	42	12	105
Engineering	—	1	9	8	—	18
1993
Science	2	12	43	41	13	111
Engineering	—	1	8	8	—	17
1994
Science	2	12	41	53	11	119
Engineering	—	1	8	8	—	17
1995

I have no plans to do so.

Office Allowances

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on future office allowances for hon. Members. [18026]

As I announced on 6 February, Official Report, columns 101–2, the Senior Salaries Review Body has been asked to undertake a review of the whole matter of Members' pay and allowances. In the meantime, under the existing resolution, the office costs allowance will increase automatically with effect from 1 April by reference to the retail prices index.

Scottish Grand Committee

To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the total cost of each of the sittings of the Scottish Grand Committee held in Scotland during this Parliament; and what is the estimated cost of the future sittings in Scotland planned for this parliamentary Session for (a) accommodation for Members, (b) travel for Members and (c) other costs. [17776]

My responsibility in this area is limited to the reimbursement to extended travel, although information on this is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Accommodation and other costs associated with the work of the Scottish Grand Committee are the responsibility of the House of Commons Commission.

Overseas Development Administration

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of the Overseas Development Administration in each year from 1991 to the current year. [19799]

Information is not held in the form requested. The figures cover professional scientists and engineers employed by ODA in each year, including a small number seconded to other organisations:

Grade 3

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Below G7

Total

Science

114

Engineering

—

Aid And Trade Provision

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British companies were awarded contracts under the aid and trade provision; and how much ATP money was disbursed on each contract, connected with (a) the Botswana flight information region project approved in 1988, (b) the television studio in Indonesia approved in 1985 and (c) the metro in Ankara approved in 1990. [19962]

The information requested is as follows:

Project	Company	ATP disbursement (£ million)
Flight Information Region Project (Botswana)	Siemens Plessey Radar	2.936
Bandung Television Studio Project (Indonesia)	Quantel Link Systems	2.906
Ankara Metro Project (Turkey)	Coppee UK/Westinghouse Brakes	6.334

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many aid and trade provision projects for which all Overseas Development Administration payments were made before 10 November 1994 fall outside the interpretation of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980 given in the judgments in the divisional court on that day in relation to the Pergau hydro-electric project; and if he will list these projects, the British companies awarded contracts in relation to these projects and the amount of aid and trade provision aid spent on each of those contracts. [20006]

Three projects were pronounced to have fallen outside the interpretation of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980 in the judgment relating to the Pergau hydro-electric project.The projects are listed.

Project	Company	Disbursement (£ millions)
Flight Information Region Project (Botswana)	Siemens Plessey Radar	2,936
Bandung Television Studio Project (Indonesia)	Quantel Link Systems	2.906
Ankara Metro Project (Turkey)	Coppee UK/Westinghouse Brakes	6,334

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each contract awarded under the aid and trade provision since its inception in 1978 to (a) Trafalgar House, including Davy and John Brown Engineering, (b) Balfour Beatty, (c) Rolls-Royce, including NEI, and (d) Biwater, specifying the date each contract was awarded and its cash value. [19943]

Since its inception in 1978 the following aid and trade provision projects have been awarded to (a) Trafalgar House, including Davy and John Brown Engineering, (b) Balfour Beatty, (c) Rolls-Royce, including Northern Engineering Industries and (d) Biwater:

Project	Date of contract	ATP allocation (£ millions)
(A) Trafalgar House, including Davy and John Brown Engineering
Sicartsa Steel Plate Mill (Mexico)	8 March 1982	34.945
Brake Block Foundry (Egypt)	15 July 1986	0.635
Chongquing Power Station (China)	17 May 1988	6.500
Bohai Aluminium Mill I (China)	19 October 1988	8.802
Danyang Aluminium Plant (China)	11 December 1990	3.532
Cigading/Serpong Railway (Indonesia)	15 March 1990	24.690
Tetouan Gas Turbines (Morocco)	11 June 1993	10.925
Cikampek-Cirebon Double Track Railway (Indonesia)	27 February 1995	15.010
Nador Roll Mill (Morocco)	14 April 1981	13.505
Haipon Power Station (Vietnam)	12 February 1979	2.888
Gas Turbines Project (Burma)	3 April 1980	3.201
Gas Turbines Project (Burma)	6 August 1982	2.213
Kipevu Power Station (Kenya)	29 August 1986	1.959
Shengli Power Plant (China)	17 March 1987	4.247
Gas Turbine Power Station (Panama)	30 October 1987	6.727
Gas Turbines Power Station (Philippines)	2 May 1989	13.125
Gas Turbines (Morocco)	2 February 1990	7.276
(B) Balfour Beatty
Wood Burning Power Station (Philippines)	3 September 1980	1.967
Nini Hydros (Philippines)	12 March 1980	4.610
Railway Electrification (Zimbabwe)	30 July 1980	2.931
Bridges Project (Colombia)	16 December 1981	0.300
Power Transmission Scheme (Paraguay)	3 December 1981	2.870
Power Transmission Scheme (Paraguay)	7 July 1982	1.350
Mini Hydro Project (Peru)	5 August 1982	4.843
Mini Hydro Project (Indonesia)	22 October 1982	12.075
Bridge Project (Burma)	8 March 1983	0.090
Bridge Project Extension (Colombia)	30 July 1984	0.152
HV Transmission Line (Jordan)	19 February 1984	3.611

Project	Date of contract	ATP allocation (£ millions)
Sungei Ashning Dam (Malaysia)	28 December 1984	2.344
Ascuncion Sewerage Consultancy (Paraguay)	21 December 1984	0.950
Dendro Power Station Adviser (Philippines)	21 February 1984	0.040
Mini Hydros Pilot Plant (Thailand)	8 August 1984	3.200
Bukit Asam Rail Bridges (Indonesia)	15 July 1984	0.152
Samanala Wewa Hydro Project (Sri Lanka)	24 April 1986	16.570
N. W. Electrification (Cameroon)	24 February 1986	1.795
Power Transmission (Malawi)	12 June 1987	2.590
Yue Yang Transmission Line (China)	16 December 1988	3.072
Karachi Water II Consultancy (Pakistan)	25 July 1988	1.360
Railway Equipment (Tunisia)	30 August 1989	0.500
Beijing Subway (China)	16 May 1990	9.987
Pergau Hydro Electric Project (Malaysia)	8 July 1991	24.370
Mini Hydros (Thailand)	17 August 1994	4.121
(C) Rolls Royce (Including NEI)
Electricity Generation Project (Egypt)	29 October 1979	10.020
Dhekelia B Power Station (Cyprus)	30 August 1980	0.366
Rihand I Super Thermal Power Plant (India)	17 November 1982	17.034
Morupule Power Station Turbines (Botswana)	26 September 1983	4.418
Sandakan Power Station (Malaysia)	6 November 1988	0.929
Connaught Bridge (Malaysia)	3 December 1990	23.485
Samarinda Power Station (Indonesia)	6 March 1996	12.568
(D) Biwater
Rural Water Supply Scheme (Malaysia)	29 August 1986	59.460
Hill Country Water (Sri Lanka)	29 December 1988	2.129

Attorney-General

Departmental Equipment And Furniture

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies in each of the past five years, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [19037]

No equipment or furniture has been stolen from my own office in the past five years nor from the Government Property Lawyers Agency since its inception on 1 April 1993. The number of items and cost of equipment and furniture stolen from the Treasury Solicitor's Department, Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Prosecution Service is stated in the table. No item was valued at £5,000 or more.

	IT equipment stolen		Non-IT equipment and furniture stolen
	Items	£	Items	£
1991	6	8,300	1	400
1992	24	33,627	6	2,000
1993	19	16,930	11	1,114
1994	12	10,051	17	5,116
1995	8	13,608	17	6,904

Two non-IT items, costing in total £1,300, were otherwise unaccounted for from the Serious Fraud Office in 1995. No other items were otherwise unaccounted for in the past five years from the departments and agency for which I am responsible.

Unscom Report

To ask the Attorney-General what prosecutions will follow the UN special commission on Iraq—UNSCOM—report on the involvement of British companies in supplying the Iraqi programmes developing weapons of mass destruction. [20085]

I understand any information contained in an UNSCOM report indicating possible unlawful supply of weapons to Iraq will have been passed to HM Customs and Excise. Follow-up to any information about, and investigation of, any suspected breaches of UK export controls will be a matter for that Department. Decisions about prosecution are taken in the light of the outcome of such investigations.

Duchy Of Lancaster

Deregulation

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made towards the formulation of a model appeals mechanism as provided for under section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. [20447]

I am today issuing for consultation a draft statutory instrument setting out the model provisions. The model appeal mechanism is designed to provide a fair and independent process for resolving disputes about enforcement across a wide range of policy areas. It provides for problems to be ironed out at the earliest stage by giving a right to be warned before enforcement action is taken, and a chance to make representations to challenge proposed enforcement action, unless immediate action is necessary. It will also require enforcers to give reasons for taking action and explain how an appeal can be made. These rights have already been applied to health and safety regulations and will shortly be applied to environmental standards, food safety and building regulations, with a range of consumer affairs legislation to follow.The model appeal mechanism provides for appeals to be considered on the merits of the case by a three person panel. Common procedural rules would apply to all enforcement appeals with time limits and active case management to ensure a simple, speedy and inexpensive process. I have arranged for copies of the consultation paper to be placed in the Library of the House.

Deregulation Unit

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the estimated cost of maintaining the deregulation unit within the Cabinet Office; and how many permanent staff are employed in it. [18646]

The cost of the deregulation unit was set out in the annual MINIS 95 return for the Department of Trade and Industry, as the unit was at that stage part of that Department. The return was published on 12 June 1995 and a copy placed in the Library of the House.The staff complement of the deregulation unit at January 1996 was equivalent to 43.5 man years.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Live Animal Exports

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what vehicles carrying calves were loaded on ships at Dover bound for French and Belgian ports on 8 February 1995; and what was the declared country of destination on each journey plan and the health certification for the purposes of the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1995. [15716]

Scheduled ferry operators announced their intention to stop carrying farm animals for further fattening, or immediate slaughter, in 1994. No specialist livestock ships operated from Dover before 20 April 1995.

Executive Agencies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each of the past five years Ministers in his Department have passed (a) hon. Members' letters and (b) hon. Members' questions to agencies for response; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of letters and questions received. [19414]

The information requested is as follows:(a) The number of letters to which I, or my predecessors, have asked executive agencies to reply during the last five calendar years are as follows:

Year	Number	As a percentage of all letters from hon. Members or Peers
1991	234	2.35
1992	357	3.25
1993	475	4.26
1994	872	9.24
1995	828	9.70

The answer to the vast majority of such letters were partially or wholly prepared by agencies but signed by MAFF Ministers.

(b) Parliamentary questions are not passed to chief executives, although chief executives are asked to write to the Member concerned when the question seeks information about operational matters delegated to them.

The number of questions for which I, or my predecessors, have asked executive agencies to respond to by letter are as follows:

Parliamentary Session	Number	As a percentage of all questions
1993–94	6	0.3
1994–95	35	1.84
1995–96 (to date)	16	2.09

These figures include parliamentary answers where a partial answer has been given by me or my predecessors in respect of the core Department

Figures are not readily available for earlier sessions of Parliament.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the ages of cattle confirmed as having BSE between 6 October 1995 and 29 December 1995. [19354]

The following table shows the age distribution of BSE confirmed cases by age at clinical onset during the period 6 October to 29 December 1995:

Age (years)	Number
<2	0
2–3	4
3–4	116
4–5	324
5–6	636
6–7	576
7–8	566
8–9	248
9–10	78
10–11	25
11–12	4
12–13	6
13–14	2
Unknown	136

Transport

Rail Privatisation

13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the costs of the Government's rail privatisation programme; and if he will make a statement. [18004]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the costs to public funds of rail privatisation. [18019]

Total Government privatisation costs by the end of 1995–96 are estimated to be some £145 million.Total sale proceeds are in excess of £2 billion.

Maritime Safety

15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new proposals he has to improve maritime safety. [18007]

The Government are committed to further improvements in maritime safety, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. We have successfully pursued a range of proposals through the International Maritime Organisation and we will continue to work towards higher standards and their proper implementation. This commitment has been clearly demonstrated recently with regard to roll-on roll-off passenger ferries. Working first through IMO and then with our regional neighbours, we played a leading role in securing agreement to the application of a higher stability standard to ferries operating in north-western Europe.

Uk-Us Air Services Agreement

16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to resume discussions with the United States Government about the air services agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States. [18008]

The US suspended formal air services talks in October last year. However, informal contacts are continuing at official level.

Marine Pollution

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to take to improve the protection of the marine environment from accidents to oil tankers. [18011]

In addition to our policies to improve vessel safety, we are committed to ensuring that the United Kingdom has the resources to respond quickly and effectively to marine pollution incidents. We have accepted the vast majority of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson's inquiry into the protection of the marine environment from pollution from ships, and we are implementing those recommendations vigorously.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the danger of marine pollution arising from the presence of oil tankers off British coasts; and if he will make a statement. [18018]

The carriage of any hazardous or polluting cargo by any transport mode inevitably involves some element of risk. The Government remain committed to reducing that risk so far as is possible.

Trunk Road Construction

20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on attracting private finance initiative bids to assist trunk road construction. [18012]

We have made excellent progress in attracting private finance initiative bids to assist trunk road construction. Industry enthusiasm for the DBFO programme has meant there has been no shortage of bidders and we have already awarded the contract for the A69 and expect to announce the award of other tranche 1 projects shortly.

Royal Train

21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Wisconsin Central paid for the royal train. [18013]

Wisconsin Central Transportation has not bought the royal train.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the date of manufacture of the royal train locomotive and rolling stock; and what was the purchase price in current prices. [18910]

One of two class 47 locomotives—built in the 1960s—owned by Rail Express Systems Ltd, is generally used to haul the royal train, and they are also used for other purposes. The royal train coaches are owned by Railtrack, and were originally manufactured between 1969 and 1986. Apart from four which entered royal train service from new in the mid-1980s, they are all conversions from prototype or redundant coaches. The conversions took place in 1976–97 and between 1988 and 1991. The cost was approximately £10 million at historic prices. The purchase price at current prices is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, in order of precedence, those members of the royal family entitled to use the royal train on official business. [19343]

If on official business, the following members of the royal family are entitled to use the royal train: the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke of York, the Prince Edward, the Princess Royal, the Princess Margaret, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy.

Birmingham Northern Relief Road

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long after the inquiry has closed it has taken on average in each of the last 10 major road inquiries for the decision to be announced; and when he expects to announce the decision into the Birmingham northern relief road. [18014]

Sixteen months. The decision on the Birmingham northern relief road will be announced when my by right Hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport, have received and considered the inquiry inspector's report.

Railway Investment

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans next to meet the chairman of Railtrack to discuss future investment; and if he will make a statement. [18015]

My right Hon. Friend has regular meetings with the chairman of Railtrack to discuss all aspects of Railtrack's business. Railtrack's plans for its expenditure on the network are set out in its network management statement, published on 20 December 1995. This document shows that Railtrack is planning to spend over £1 billion per year over the next 10 years.

Bus Deregulation

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to review the impact of bus deregulation. [18017]

Bus deregulation outside London has meant more bus operators running more bus miles at lower cost than previously, with new buses on many routes, and with greatly reduced public subsidy. The bus working group, which I chair and on which are represented bus operators, local authorities and bus users, has been reviewing the scope for further enhancement of the role of buses in meeting public transport needs, within the deregulated framework. I announced its initial conclusions and a further programme of work on 8 January.

Vehicle Emissions

29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives of the Freight Transport Association to discuss exhaust emissions from heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [18021]

My right Hon. Friend has met the Freight Transport Association twice in the past six months but has not discussed with it the subject of exhaust emissions from goods vehicles. Officials of the Department and the Vehicle Inspectorate do, however, hold regular meetings with the FTA to discuss matters of mutual interest, including exhaust emissions.

Blind People (Public Transport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Government assistance towards access for blind people to all means of public transport. [18016]

The needs of blind and partially sighted people have, over a number of years, been an integral part of the work to improve access to transport for disabled people. Many of the features which are now commonplace on our public transport systems—colour-contrasted step edges and handrails and the use of tactile indicators—have been developed and introduced in consultation with visually impaired people.The regulations which will be introduced under the transport section of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will build on current developments to ensure that the needs of people with sensory impairments are addressed, in the same way as those of people with physical disabilities. Consultation with disabled people will be an essential element in the development of those regulations.

Rail Safety Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate safety standards are maintained by Railtrack. [18009]

We have implemented in full the health and safety commission's recommendations for an enhanced safety regime. The independent Health and Safety Executive will continue to ensure that standards and commitments are met, and will react as necessary.

Chiltern Line

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rail services on the Chiltern line; and if he will make a statement. [18382]

None. Current levels of service are a matter for Chiltern. The franchising director has invited indicative bids for the Chiltern franchise by 22 March. The passenger service requirement, which is the contractually agreed level of service that the franchise operator will be required to provide, was finalised on 22 January following consultation between the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and relevant local authorities—including the London boroughs of Ealing and Brent—and rail users' consultative committees.

London To Colchester Rail Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the train operating companies running services between London and Colchester will be taken over by the private sector. [18596]

Services between London and Colchester are currently operated by Great Eastern and Anglia. The franchising director issued invitations to pre-qualify for the Anglia franchise on 22 February, and the deadline for expressions of interest is 22 March. Invitations to tender will be issued as soon as is practicable. The Great Eastern franchise will be offered to the private sector in due course.

Guidance Notes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pages of guidance notes have been issued by (a) his Department, (b) regulatory authorities and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years. [18647]

This information is not collected.

London To Greenwich Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase transport capacity between central London and Greenwich. [18903]

Transport links between central London and Greenwich will be substantially improved by both the Jubilee line extension, which is under construction, and the proposed extension of the docklands light railway to Lewisham. Together with members of the River Thames working group, which I chair, the Government are also considering a report by London First on the potential for improving access to Greenwich by boat and ferry services via the River Thames. We are also considering the responses received to our consultation document on possible river crossings to the east of Tower bridge.

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of his Department in each year from 1991 to the current year. [19792]

I will place a table containing the figures in the Library of the House.

Environmental Appraisals

To ask the Secretary of Transport if he will publish the result of the environmental appraisal conducted under the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" published by the Department of the Environment on the forthcoming transport policies and programmes circular 1997–98. [19547]

The transport policies and programme circular contains guidance to local authorities on their annual TPP submissions, and is not in itself susceptible to environmental appraisal. Environmental considerations play a large part in the development of the Government's local transport policies. For example, we have introduced the package approach to local transport investment, which encourages local authorities to develop alternatives to road building and discourages use of the private car where effective alternatives exist.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the result of the environmental appraisal conducted under the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" published by the Department of the Environment on the forthcoming transport policy paper. [19548]

The Government have not yet published their report drawing together the threads of the national debate on transport, so it would be premature to discuss the report's contents.

Buses (London)

To ask the Secretary of State for transport what arrangements are in place to ensure that, in central London, bus journeys between the same stops attract the same fares whatever the number of the bus service on the route or the operator; and if he will make a statement. [20240]

Fares on London Transport bus services are set by London Transport. With certain exceptions, fares in central London are determined by a zoning system, and are not related to the operator and route. Special fares apply to journeys on night buses, limited stop express services, and the Red Arrow network. For any local service provided independently of the London Transport network, fares would be a matter for individual operators.

M40

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to start on the widening of the M40 between Denham and Loudwater. [19443]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Tim Smith, dated 11 March 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about widening the M40 between Denham and Loudwater.

As you know, the M40 Junctions 1A to 3 (Denham to Loudwater) widening scheme has been included as part of the larger DBFO project M40 Junctions 1 to 15. Tenders for the DBFO project were invited in June 1995 and bids were received at the end of October. Since then negotiations have been taking place with the tenderers and we would hope to sign a contract with the successful tenderer this summer. On that basis work could still start on the widening in late summer.

I am sorry that I cannot be more precise about the date for the start of works, but that depends on progress with negotiations and the successful tenderer's programme. However, we have included a strong financial incentive in the contract for the contractor to complete the widening as quickly as possible and I expect work to progress speedily once it starts.

Kensington Olympia (Train Marshalling)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the last valuation was made of the site at Kensington Olympia where facilities for train marshalling are being provided; and what value was attached to the asset. [20303]

The site at Kensington Olympia has been valued during 1995–96 with a historic cost value of £800,000.

English Channel (Collisions)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many collisions were reported in (a) the English channel and (b) the western approaches in each year since 1987. [20309]

Figures for collisions reported to the marine accidents investigation branch are available only from 1991 onwards and are as follows:

Collisions in the English channel
1991: 12
1992: 7
1993: 11
1994: 11
1995: 14
1996: 1 (to date)
Collisions in the western approaches
1991: —
1992: 1
1993: 1
1994: 2
1995: —
1996: — (to date)

Challenge Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce challenge funding into the transport policies and programmes—transport supplementary grant process. [19768]

We already incorporate the essential features of the challenge approach in our TPP process, a competitive bidding process which requires local authorities to set out a clear local transport strategy aimed at meeting overarching local objectives, and to prioritise their capital requirements in support of that strategy.

Traffic Flow

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if new roads are required to meet a British Standard with regard to carriageway traffic flow rates. [20043]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Keith Vaz, dated 11 March 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking if new roads should be designed to a British Standard with regards to carriageway traffic flow rates.

No. There is no British Standard for carriageway flow rates.

Newbury Bypass

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the clearance work being carried out for the Newbury bypass is on schedule; and if the targets and deadlines for clearance work will be met. [19667]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Rendel, dated 11 March 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking if clearance work being carried out for the Newbury bypass is on schedule; and if the targets and deadlines for clearance work will be met.

We are broadly on schedule despite the efforts of the protestors. Good progress is being made with felling the trees and shrubs. We may need to carry some work over into the main contract later this year, but we do not anticipate any delays to that contract.

British Rail Freight Business

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken in negotiations with prospective buyers of the British Railways Board's freight businesses to ensure that he complies with section 113 of the Railways Act 1993. [19860]

Negotiations with prospective purchasers are a matter for the British Railways Board. My right hon. Friend considers the board's recommendations for disposal in the light of his objectives under section 113 before deciding whether to consent to a sale.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been spent by (a) his Department, (b) the Office of the Rail Regulator and (c) the British Railways Board in the reorganisation of the British Railways Board's freight business. [19858]

The expenditure by my Department and by the Office of the Rail Regulator on reorganising the British Railways Board's trainload freight division cannot be identified separately, nor could the expenditure by the board without a detailed analysis at disproportionate cost to the board.

Highways Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct the Highways Agency to co-operate with local authorities on preparing package submissions. [19769]

No such instruction is necessary—the Highways Agency already discusses trunk road aspects of package submissions with local authorities when requested.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 5 March, Official Report, column 150, if he (a) commissioned and (b) received valuations of the assets to be transferred to the successful bidder for the channel tunnel rail link. [19940]

The bidders in the CTRL competition made their own assessment of the value of these assets as part of the calculation to determine the amount of public sector support they required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the consortia bidding for the CTRL contract were invited to consider in their submissions a direct link from the CTRL to the west coast main line. [20307]

No.

Railway Bridge, Kidsgrove

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on plans to demolish the unused railway bridge in Kidsgrove. [19947]

The British Rail Property Board is responsible for several disused railway bridges at Kidsgrove and several others have been sold to the local council. BR has no plans at present to demolish any of the bridges in its ownership.

Overseas Visits

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including (a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17492]

I am placing the information requested in the Library.

London Underground Penalty Fares

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) how many people have had penalty fares waived on appeal by London Underground on the ground that they had a valid travelcard but had forgotten to take it with them on their journey; and what proportion of people appealing on those grounds this represents; [19508](2) how much income has been received by London Underground from penalty fares on travellers who had valid travelcards but had forgotten to take their travelcard on their journey. [19507]

London Underground does not generally uphold appeals where the reason for issuing a penalty fare is that the customer has left his or her travelcard at home. This is because travelcard holders are required to carry their tickets with them as proof of their entitlement to travel. However, London Underground has made an exception in some 105 cases—just over 1 per cent. of people appealing on these grounds—where there were extenuating circumstances.London Underground estimates that it has received £37,600 to date in penalty fares from customers claiming that they had forgotten to take their travelcard with them.

Railtrack (Compensation Agreement)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the compensation agreement between Railtrack and (a) InterCity and (b) the west coast main line, stating the amount which is payable in compensation for each minute of delay. [19255]

This is commercially sensitive information between Railtrack and train operating companies.

Railways (Rolling Stock Maintenance)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the (a) specifications and (b) time intervals between maintenance overhauls of InterCity and regional railways engines and coaches; [19253](2) what regular maintenance overhauls were carried out and what changes were made to the routine maintenance checks and to the regularity of those checks on the stock involved in

(a) the Staffordshire and (b) the Longsight decoupling incidents in the last three years. [19254]

The stock involved in the Staffordshire and Longsight decoupling incidents consisted of InterCity west coast electrically hauled push-pull trains.The specification for the maintenance and overhaul of Intercity west coast push-pull trains and electric locomotives are laid down in vehicle maintenance and overhaul instructions, originally issued by the InterCity fleet engineer.A visual safety check of locomotives and coaching stock takes place each day.For coaching stock, a more detailed safety examination is completed every three to four days, with progressively larger examinations at one, three, six and 12-monthly intervals.The full vehicle overhaul is mileage based, but occurs approximately every two years.

For locomotives, a more detailed safety examination is completed every 120 hours in traffic equating to 10 to 14 days. There is a range of progressively larger examinations based on hours in traffic.

Locomotive overhaul is also based on hours in traffic, but the regime consists of three types of overhaul occurring approximately at two and three-quarter, five and a half and 11-year intervals respectively.

Similar specifications and frequencies apply to other engines and coaches. The contents of the vehicle maintenance and overhaul instructions are the subject of occasional review. However, British Rail has advised me that the periodicities have not been changed in the last three years.

Social Security

One-Parent Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland currently receive (a) one-parent benefit without any means-tested benefit and (b) one-parent benefit with a means-tested benefit, broken down by each means-tested benefit. [17164]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the following table:

Recipients of one-parent benefit in Scotland
	Number¹of recipients
Total number receiving one-parent benefit Number receiving one-parent benefit with a means-tested benefit (by benefit)².	97,000
Income support	38,000
Housing benefit	45,000
Council tax benefit	36,000

1. In Scotland, 34,000 lone parents are in receipt of family credit. It is estimated that the vast majority are also receiving one-parent benefit; however, precise figures are not available.

¹ Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

² It is not possible to provide a breakdown of one-parent benefit recipients between those with and without at least one means-tested benefit because a person can be in receipt of more than one means-tested benefit and not all of the overlaps between benefits can be identified.

Unemployment Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum duration of unemployment benefit that claimants will receive if their period of unemployment commences before 8 April and they otherwise meet the conditions of entitlement but are not in receipt of unemployment benefit on this date because they (a) are in receipt of a payment in lieu of notice, (b) are still within the three-day waiting period, (c) have informed the Employment Service of their unemployment before 8 April but are given an appointment with a new client adviser on, or after, this date or have not informed the Employment Service before 8 April of their unemployment but have a good cause for a delayed claim; and if she will make a statement. [17225]

The unemployment benefit scheme will continue until it is replaced by jobseeker's allowance on 7 October 1996. Those who are unemployed, entitled to benefit based on their contributions and whose entitlement spans this date will receive days of contribution-based benefit comprising unemployment benefit and jobseeker's allowance.If a claimant is in receipt of a payment in lieu of notice, or they are within the three-day period, the maximum duration of unemployment benefit they will receive will be 156 days.There is a maximum of 312 days where unemployment benefit is payable for 6 or 7 April 1996, either because the claim is made before 8 April 1996 or because good cause is accepted for a claim made after that date but in respect of a period before it, and unemployment benefit is also payable for 5 or 6 October 1996. If both of these conditions do not apply the maximum number of days will be 156.

Asbestosis

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the rules governing the payment of industrial injuries compensation to current or former Government employees who contracted asbestosis before 1987. [18303]

For the purposes of industrial injuries disablement benefit, crown employees, other than members of Her Majesty's forces, are treated under the same rules as all other employees. Asbestosis has been a prescribed disease since 4 July 1948.

Family Credit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on public revenues in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of allowing families in receipt of family credit to claim a child care disregard for each dependent child. [18241]

[holding answer 29 February 1996]: The estimated cost of disregarding all child care expenses for recipients of family credit would be in the region of £40 million in the long run, with or without allowing for behavioural effects. If all such costs were disregarded, there would be a strong incentive for people who do not pay for child care at the moment to declare some payment. There are about 100,000 people on family credit who would be faced with such an incentive, which could lead to very substantial further costs.Note:Estimates based on date 1991–92 and 1993 family expenditure surveys, and the 1994 annual statistical enquiry, uprated to 1996–97 and 1997–98 levels adjusted using data on child care in the 199394 family resources survey.

Income Support

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on public revenues in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of allowing income support claimants to disregard work-related child care expenses in calculating income support entitlement. [18235]

[holding answer 29 February 1996]: The estimated cost of offsetting work-related child care expenses against earnings in income support is in the region of £10 million for 1996–97 and 1997–98. This figure takes no account of around 50,000 income support claimants who currently have unpaid child care. On the assumption that these people each started to pay £10 a week for child care, the additional cost is estimated to be in the region of £25 million in both years. These figures do not take account of other behavioural changes or of the additional costs of administration.Note:Estimates based on data from the 1991–92 and 1993 family expenditure surveys, and the 1994 annual statistical enquiry, uprated to 1996–97 and 1997–98 levels, adjusted using data on child care from the 1993–94 family resource survey.

Asylum Seekers

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance he has issued to local authorities about the form in which they record expenses arising from their responsibilities to asylum seekers following the implementation of new regulations on 5 February. [19613]

I have been asked to reply.An official in my Department wrote to all directors of housing in English local authorities on 12 February to advise them about information that they could collect. I am placing a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

Income Support (Residential Care)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change income support regulations to reflect the changes in capital asset levels for residential long-term care. [18964]

Regulation 12 of the Income-Related Benefits (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1996—SI 1996 No. 462—which was laid before the House on 4 March, implements the changes in the capital asset levels for residential long-term care. The regulations come into force on 1 April in relation to housing benefit and 8 April in relation to income support.

Departmental Research

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all Departments for Social Security funded pilots, trials and research studies which have been conducted since 1990 in (a) Doncaster, (b) Mexborough, (c) Doncaster travel-to-work area and (d) Mexborough travel-to-work area identifying (i) title, summary and duration of the pilot or trial, (ii) target population and total number of participants and (iii) whether each pilot, trial or research finding was published and the date of publication; and if he will list all other non-DSS research bodies or organisations involved in each pilot, trial or research scheme. [19090]

Since 1990, the following research has been carried out in the geographical areas specified:

Target population, number and duration
1991–95 Doncaster
Title	Annual Local Customer Survey
Duration	Several weeks
Target population	All District customers
Participants	10 per cent, of total customer base
Publication	Yes—results held locally
Non-DSS involvement	None
1993
Mexborough
Doncaster and Mexborough travel-to-work areas
Title	Annual Local Customer Survey
Duration	Several weeks
Target population	250 customers
Participants	138 customers
Publication	Yes—results held locally
Non-DSS involvement	None
1994
Mexborough
Doncaster and Mexborough travel-to-work areas
Title	Annual Local Customer Survey
Duration	Several weeks
Target population	1,349 customers
Participants	1,019 customers
Publication	Yes—results held locally
Non-DSS involvement	None
1995
Mexborough
Doncaster and Mexborough travel-to-work areas
Title	Annual Local Customer Survey
Duration	Several weeks
Target population	1,538 customers
Participants	700 customers
Publication	Yes—results held locally
Non-DSS involvement	None
1995
Doncaster
Title	Qualitative survey of customer representatives
Duration	6 months
Target population	19 local customer representative organisations
Participants	All 19 took part
Publication	Report produced and held locally
Non-DSS involvement	None
¹ No other pilots, trials or research studies have been identified.
² All the above research was conducted by the Benefits Agency.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 from organisations for people with diabetes; what replies have been sent; and if he will make a statement. [18474]

Representations have been received from a broad range of organisations representing disabled people, which may include people with diabetes. All representations received are given careful consideration.

Guidance Notes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pages of guidance notes have been issued by (a) his Department, (b) regulatory authorities and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years. [18648]

The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Children's Maintenance Payments

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to ensure that no court order for children's maintenance payments are stopped by the Child Support Agency until the parent responsible for child support payments has accepted the agency's (a) temporary and (b) other assessments and agreed to make payments from a specified date. [19920]

No. The child support scheme aims to ensure that all parents maintain their children to the extent that they can afford to do so. Making action conditional on confirmation that the absent parent accepts the assessment would allow such parents to defer indefinitely any enforcement of maintenance by the Child Support Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Child Support Agency to collect information about the number of court orders for children's maintenance payments which they stop and the date, in each case, that payments begin under Child Support Act 1991 arrangements. [19919]

No. The Child Support Agency has no business need to record the number of such cases nor would it serve any reliable policy monitoring function.

Benefits

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many awards for benefit he has suspended under regulation 37A of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 for each year since its introduction; [20084](2) how many awards of benefit he has suspended under regulation 37A of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 in each year since 1990. [20086]

The information is not available in the format requested as figures are not kept on an annual basis. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

Provision

Estimated number of cases affected

Regulation 37A of the Social Security Claims and Payments Regulations 1987

52,100

Estimate relates to the number of cases affected since the regulation came into force on 9 March 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many awards of benefit he has suspended pending appeals in the cases of (a) Graham and (b) Halliday, aka Fairey; in how many cases the suspension was lifted following representations by or on behalf of claimants; and if he will give a breakdown of the reasons for lifting the suspension. [20194]

The information is set out in the table.

Lead case	Number of suspensions	Number of suspensions lifted
Graham	46,418	1,693
Halliday	2,796	13

Note:

In all cases the suspension was lifted on the grounds of hardship.

Child Support Departures Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to carry out the planned pilot exercise referred to during the passage of the Child Support Bill to test arrangements for the new child support departures scheme. [20528]

I have today laid before parliament a statutory instrument containing the regulations which will underpin the trial of the child support departures scheme. The pilot exercise will begin on Tuesday 9 April and will involve cases covered by the Hastings Child Support Agency centre. Invitations to participate in this pilot scheme will be issued from today onwards.

Health

Locum Budget

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the locum budget for (a) doctors and (b) nurses in each of the last five years. [17940]

There is no national budget for locum doctors or nurses.

Message Handling Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has undertaken of the benefits for emergency and immediate notifications of the use of a uniform electronic messaging system at all levels of the NHS. [18787]

	October 1995		February 1996
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
Health authorities	2	3	2	1
Family health services authorities	4	5	29	13
Hospital trusts	20	27	32	14

A system for the electronic transmission of emergency communications between the Chief Medical Officer and the national health service is currently being piloted in Kent and Birmingham. The benefits to the NHS will be assessed once the pilot is complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the BT Syntegra system became generally available within the NHS in October 1995. [18791]

After extensive testing in several health authorities, involving a range of users in the national health service, Syntegra launched its message handling service for use in the NHS at the Exchanging Healthcare Information conference in October 1995. So far, 222 connections have been made and this number is expected to grow over time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if trusts are obliged to have regard to the contract awarded by his Department by competitive procurement to BT Syntegra in 1994 when making decisions concerning message handling services. [18789]

The use of Syntegra's message handling service is not mandatory in the national health service. Each NHS organisation will decide on the basis of value for money whether or not to use the Syntegra message handling service. The large corporate discounts obtained from Syntegra mean that alternatives are unlikely to be cost effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his current estimate of the cost savings to the NHS accruing from use of Syntegra's message handling service. [18793]

It is too early to make realistic estimates of cost savings to the national health service due to the use of Syntegra's message handling service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current number, in actual and percentage terms, of subscribers to the BT Syntegra NHS message handling system; and what was the number in October 1995 among (a) health authorities, (b) family health services authorities (c) hospital trusts, (d) other trusts and (e) general practitioners. [18792]

The number of subscribers to Syntegra's message handling system are as follows:

	October 1995	February 1996
Organisationally based systems—e.g. health authorities and trusts where there would be many individual users	44	86
Personal systems—e.g. a GP.	29	136

Numbers of users by national health service units, also expressed as a percentage of the total subscribers, are as follows:

	October 1995		February 1996
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
Other trusts	2	3	4	2
General practitioners	0	0	20	9
Others—e.g. Department of Health, NHS Executive	45	62	135	61

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to trusts regarding the take-up and use of each of the message handling services available within the NHS. [18790]

General guidance about NHS-wide networking services, which includes message handling, has been issued to all NHS organisations, including NHS trusts. It is planned that this guidance will be supplemented by Syntegra's marketing activities, and other networking suppliers wishing to sell their services to the NHS.

Computers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many separate local area networks and wide area networks are currently in operation within the NHS. [18796]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all cases since 1987 where his Department has bought computer capacity from (a) other Departments and (b) the private sector, giving the value of each contract and the name of the private sector contractors. [19457]

During 1995–96 the Department rented computer capacity from:

Hoskyns Group plc: £112,300
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys: £14,000

Apart from this the Department has, since 1987, purchased total services which have included computer processing capacity from other departments and the private sector. Services have been provided by Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Department of Social Security, Information Technology Services Agency and Chessington Computer Centre—an agency of the Cabinet Office—in the public sector and by Data Sciences and CMS, taken over recently by Hoskyns Group plc, in the private sector. The cost of computer capacity cannot be separated within the total charges.

Pharmacists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the 80 per cent.-20 per cent. payment schedule for pharmacists; and if he will make a statement. [19208]

We continue to discuss the pharmacists' concerns about the present payment arrangements.

Gender Identity Disorder

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of diagnosed cases of gender identity disorder in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and how many were (i) male-to-female and (ii) female-to-male. [19269]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department gives to practitioners and health authorities regarding the treatment of gender identity disorder. [19273]

Guidelines on specific medical treatments are a matter for the relevant professional body.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's forecast for the future growth of numbers of diagnoses of gender identity disorder created by the backlog of previously untreated cases. [19270]

It is for individual health authorities to assess the health care needs of their local populations, working closely with clinicians.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of the gender identity disorder syndrome is used by the NHS and by his Department. [19272]

There are a variety of internationally recognised gender disorders classified within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and ICD-10 Classification of Mental Disorders.

North Staffordshire And South Cheshire Health Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the five most common causes of death for women in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire health authorities in the last year for which figures are available. [19556]

The information requested is shown in the table. Data are not at present available for the new South Cheshire health authority, which incorporates the former Chester district health authority, South and East Cheshire DHA, and small parts formerly within Wirral DHA and North Cheshire DHA. Chester DHA and South and East Cheshire DHA together constitute almost 95 per cent. of the new South Cheshire health authority.

Top five causes of death in 1994 to female residents of:
	ICD
North Staffordshire DHA
1. Ischaemic heart disease	410–414
2. Cerebrovascular disease	430–438
3. Pneumonia	480–486
4. Breast cancer	174
5. Malignant neoplasm of the trachea, bronchus and lung	162
Chester DHA
1. Ischaemic heart disease	410–414
2. Cerebrovascular disease	430–438
3. Pneumonia	480–486

Top five causes of death in 1994 to female residents of:
	ICD
4. Malignant neoplasm of the trachea, bronchus and lung	162
5. Breast cancer	174
South and East Cheshire DHA
1. Ischaemic heart disease	410–414
2. Cerebrovascular disease	430–438
3. Pneumonia	480–486
4. Breast cancer	174
5. Malignant neoplasm of the trachea, bronchus and lung	162

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnancies occurred in each of the last five years in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire health authorities. [19557]

The information requested for the North Staffordshire health authority is shown in the table. Data are not at present available for the new South Cheshire HA, which incorporates the former Cheshire DHA, South and East Cheshire DHA, and small parts formerly within Wirral DHA and North Cheshire DHA. Estimates are provided for the former Cheshire DHA and the former South and East Cheshire DHA which together constitute almost 95 per cent. of the new South Cheshire HA.

Conceptions¹, 1989–93
	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993¹
North Staffordshire
HA Chester	6,295	7,599	7,118	6,882	6,542
DHA South and East	2,532	2,971	3,041	2,718	2,723
Cheshire DHA	5,774	6,688	6,435	6,239	6,199
	8,306	9,659	9,476	8,957	8,922
¹Includes pregnancies which resulted in either a maternity or a termination of pregnancy by abortion under the 1967 Act. There is no reliable information about pregnancies which led to spontaneous abortions and these are not included.
²Analyses of data about conceptions in 1994, most of which resulted in births during 1995, will be completed later this year.

Ambulance Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS ambulance trusts are deemed to be rural services; which of these contain significantly sized urban areas; and, in each case, what is the latest percentage of emergency calls reached within (a) eight minutes, (b) 14 minutes and (c) 19 minutes, for (i) the trust as a whole, (ii) the urban areas and (iii) the rural areas. [19564]

Information on rural services and their response times can be found in "Statistical Bulletin on Patient Transport Services in England: 1994–95," copies of which have been placed in the Library.Information on areas and response times within ambulance services is not available centrally, but may be available from local health authorities and ambulance services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many vehicles were in service with each NHS ambulance trust in each of the last three years; and, of these, how many were (a) emergency vehicles and (b) vehicles for non-emergency purposes; [19560](2) how many vehicles and of what type are (i) owned and (ii) leased by each NHS ambulance trust; and, for each type, how many are

(a) less than one year old, (b) between one and three years old, (c) between four and seven years old and (d) eight or more years old. [19511]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of criterion-based dispatch systems for the prioritisation of emergency calls. [19512]

We are still awaiting the final report of a research study commissioned from Sheffield university.

York District Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for cataract surgery was at York district hospital at the latest date for which figures are available and at the same date in each of the previous five years. [19610]

Waiting time returns are collected centrally on a specialty basis and not by individual procedure. The number waiting by time band for elective admission in ophthalmology at York Health Services National Health Service Trust, and for York district health authority prior to 1992, are contained in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library.

Chiropody Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what entitlements apply in respect of free chiropody services for (a) men and (b) ladies over the age of 60 years. [19351]

Whatever the age and sex of the patient, national health service services, including chiropody services, are available on the basis on clinical need.

Opencast Mining

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions his Department has reached in respect of the studies on the health effects of opencast mining referred to in his answer of 9 May 1995, Official Report, column 419. [19447]

We are still in discussion with researchers about a proposal for research on this subject. We hope to reach a decision shortly.

Emergency Patients (Transport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold centrally records of the number of emergency patients transported more than 50 miles to receive hospital treatment and of how many subsequently died; and if he will make a statement. [19348]

I have no such plans. Health authorities and hospital trusts are responsible for the health-care of national health service patients in each locality. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 6 March a programme of action on emergency care services.

Ward Closures

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what notification has been received by his Department in respect of ward closures at (a) Doncaster royal infirmary and (b) Mexborough Montagu trust. [19633]

None

Psychiatric Hospital Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is collated centrally in relation to the extra-contractual referral of patients needing acute psychiatric hospital care; and if he will make a statement. [19823]

No such information is collected centrally.

Thyroid Cancer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Prime Minister's letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 8 January, what consideration he is giving to the evidence gained regarding stable iodine prophylaxis in the cause of World Health Organisation and European Union work in western European nuclear matters in relation to United Kingdom health service planning for radiological emergencies involving diseases such as thyroid cancer.[17910]

The United Kingdom Health Departments are fully aware of the evidence arising from the World Health Organisation and European Union work as was stated in the reply by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Balton, West Blaenau Gwent (Mr Smith) on 27 November 1995 at columns 523–24. This work is being taken into account in a revision of guidance to the national health service on planning for radiological emergencies, which is under way.

Prescription Charges

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the current average waiting time for men claiming refunds as a result of the recent European Court ruling on prescription charges for men aged 60 to 65 years before (a) decisions are made about eligibility and (b) the refunds are provided; 19197](2) what measures have been taken to shorten the waiting time for men claiming refunds as a result of the recent European Court ruling on prescription charges for men aged 60 to 65 years. 19198]

A total of 187,000 claim forms have been issued by the prescription claims processing unit. Once completed claim forms have been received, the average time taken to assess entitlement and issue authorisation of payment is one month.Administrative procedures have been kept as simple as possible and we expect 90 per cent.of payments to have been authorized by the end of March.

Child Labour

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions have occurred for the illegal employment of children in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [19336]

I understand that the number of defendants prosecuted under the relevant provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and the Education Act 1944 in the last three years for which statistics are available was as shown in the table.

England and Wales
Offence Description/Legislation	1992	1993	1994
Causing or allowing person under 18 to go abroad to perform for profit [Children and Young Persons Act 1933 sections 25 and 26]	1	—	2
Offences against the [Education Act 1944 sections 58 to 60] including offences against byelaws as to employment of children (except offences relating to mines, factories or workshops)	—	2	8
Offences in connection with employment of children and young persons [Children and Young Persons Act 1933 sections 18 to 21 (section 18 as amended by the Children Act 1972)]	12	5	3
Causing or allowing children to take part in entertainments without licence [Children and Young Persons Act 1963 section 40(1)(a)]
Total	13	7	13

Source:

Home Office.

In addition, I understand that the number of informations laid under the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 1920, which prohibits the employment of school age children in industrial undertakings was as set out in the following table:

England and Wales
Date of hearing¹	Informations laid
1992–93	1
1993–94	8
1994–95	2

Notes:

¹ Years commencing 1 April.

² Provisional.

Source:

Health and Safety Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on child labour. [19298]

We have a comprehensive legal system in place to protect the health, welfare and education of children who work.

Public Consultation

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public consultation procedure a health authority is required to undertake before using private facilities to provide care services previously available in hospital. [19366]

Health authorities are statutorily required to consult the relevant community health council on proposals which would result in substantial changes to local services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has to monitor the delivery of undertakings given by health authorities during public consultation procedures on the closure or change of use of health facilities. [19367](2) what mechanisms are available to the public to ensure the implementation of policy commitments given by a health authority during a public consultation process. [19368]

Progress on the development of new health facilities, or changes to them, is monitored by the NHS Executive. The public can raise any matters of concern direct with a health authority or through their community health council.

Contact Lenses

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to amend the leaflet, "Contact Lenses and You", published by his Department, to make reference to acanthamoeba; and if he will make a statement. [19502]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to amend the leaflet, "Contact Lenses and You", since it already makes reference to the necessary aspects of lens care and hygiene relevant to acanthamoeba.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department has taken to ensure that the leaflet "Contact Lenses and You" is available at opticians. [19503]

My Department has ensured widespread availability firstly by taking out a series of press notices in leading eye care professional journals setting out the necessary information for obtaining these leaflets; and secondly through direct promotion by the relevant eye care professional bodies.

Property Sale, Harrogate

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the procedures adopted by his Department for the sale of the former Yorkshire regional health authority building in Harrogate; and if he will make a statement. [19698]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley) on March 1996, Official Report columns 288–89.

Myodil

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of United Kingdom citizens rendered disabled by Myodil. [19680]

None, as this information is not centrally available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received from, and what assistance it has given to (a) the Myodil Action Group and (b) the Arachnoiditis Trust since 1987; [19678](2) what research his Department has

(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into seeking a cure for arachnoiditis. [19679]

We have received a number of representations from arachnoiditis sufferers and organisations representing them since 1987. The Government have offered financial assistance to the Arachnoiditis Trust for three years through the general scheme of grants to voluntary organisations under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to help fund a pain management nurse. Since making its grant application, the Arachnoiditis Trust has re-assessed its priorities and has declined to take up our offer of funding.My Department has not directly commissioned research into a cure for arachnoiditis. 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 President of the Board of Trade. The MRC is always willing to consider high quality research proposals.

Scientists And Engineers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in the headquarters division of the Department of Health in each year from 1991 to the current year. [19796]

Information for Department of Health headquarters only is not available prior to April 1995. Information for 1995 is shown in the table.

Scientific staff numbers (whole-time equivalents)
	April 1995
Senior scientific officer	19
Higher scientific officer	13
Scientific officer	9
Assistant scientific officer	1
Total	42
Engineering staff (all grades)	Nil

Tobacco Advertising

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what immediate measures he will take to tighten the voluntary agreements on tobacco advertising. [20027]

The voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising was comprehensively renegotiated at the end of 1994 and strengthened substantially in a number of areas, particularly in relation to the protection of children.

Meningitis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what money has been given for research into meningitis in each of the last five years. [19224]

[holding answer 6 March 1996]: The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC, which is currently doing research in this area, receives its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Health commissioned a two-year clinical trial of candidate meningococcal vaccines in 1993 at a cost of £198,528. The NHS is known to have spent £88,900 on two meningitis-related research projects since 1991.

Wales

Mr Mark Griffen

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will enable Mark Griffen of Buckley to have essential treatment at the Breakspeare hospital, Hertfordshire. [17341]

Responsibility for arranging treatment for Mark Griffen remains a matter for the Clwyd health authority.I understand that the health authority has recently issued a press statement to explain its action to date and the arrangements under way to secure the necessary treatment for Mark Griffen.

Nursing Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was (a) the average daily number and (b) the number per 1,000 people aged 75 years and over, of (i) occupied geriatric beds, (ii) long-stay beds in NHS nursing homes and (iii) places occupied in (1) local authority residential homes, (2) voluntary residential homes, (3) private residential homes and (4) private nursing homes in Wales for the latest year for which information is available. [18912]

The information is given in the following table. There are no NHS nursing homes in Wales.

	Number	Rate¹
Average daily occupied geriatric beds in NHS hospitals (1994–95)	2,704	12.7
Places occupied by residents of all ages in:
Local authority residential homes for the elderly (at 31 March 1994)	4,957	23.2
Voluntary residential homes for the elderly (at 31 March 1994)	972	4.5
Private residential homes for the elderly (at 31 March 1994)	6,722	31.5
Private nursing homes (at March 1995)	10,969	51.3
¹ Per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over using the 1994 mid-year estimate.

Full-Time Education

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of 16-year-olds stay on in full-time education. [18924]

The information requested is as follows:

16-year-olds in full-time education 1994–95¹
	Number	Percentage of mid year population
Schools²	13,074	39
Further and Higher Education Institutions³	10,770	32
Total	23,844	72
¹Numbers enrolled at January for schools, November for further education institutions and December for Higher education institutions. Age at 31 August prior to academic year. Provisional.
²All maintained and independent schools.
³Includes the University of Wales. Full-time, short full-time, short course and sandwich students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the number of extra pupils that will be coming into full-time statutory education in each of the next three years and the number of teachers that will need to be employed on the basis of the pupil-teacher ratio of 1989–90. [19918]

The available information is as follows:

	1995	1996	1997	1998
Estimated Welsh population of an age to receive statutory full-time education¹	433,100	435,000	435,900	435,900
Change on previous year	—	1,900	900	0

Source:

Government Actuary's Department 1994 based population projection.

Notes:

¹ At January each year, aged 5–15 or 16 but not yet of school leaving age.

The 1989–90 pupil/teacher ratio for all pupils within Welsh schools, including the pupils who were younger than five or over the school leaving age, was 18.1. No assessment has been made centrally of the need for additional teachers.

School Pupils

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children in Wales are in (a) primary schools, including voluntary primary, (b) comprehensive and grant-maintained comprehensive schools, (c) nursery schools, (d) private schools and (e) selective state grammar schools. [18926]

The following table shows the percentages as at January 1995. All maintained secondary schools in Wales are comprehensive.

	Percentage¹of all pupils
Primary schools:
LEA and grant maintained (including voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools)	57.3

	Percentage¹of all pupils
Secondary schools:
LEA maintained comprehensives	37.4
Grant maintained	1.9
LEA maintained nursery schools	0.7
LEA maintained special schools	0.7
Independent schools	2.0
Total	100
¹Percentages have been calculated by dividing the number of full-time and part-time pupils in each type of school by the total number of full-time and part-time pupils in each type of school by the total number of full-time and part-time pupils in all schools.

Nursery Voucher Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the nursery voucher system. [18916]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 January 1996, Official Report, column 838, and to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 26 January 1996, Official Report, columns 479–80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost to local education authorities of administering the nursery voucher scheme; and if he will make it his policy to provide for these costs in the revenue settlement to local authorities in the event of the scheme being implemented in 1997. [19944]

The vouchers will be distributed and redeemed by a private contractor selected through normal tendering procedures to secure best value for money. The costs of the contractor will be funded from the new money that will be available. Additional administrative burdens for local authorities should be minimal. It is open to the Welsh Local Government Association to identify additional costs in the annual revenue settlement discussions with the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which voucher schemes he examined before agreeing to introduce vouchers for pre-school provision for four-year-olds; and what conclusions he reached about their success in expanding provision and improving quality. [19942]

The Government consider that a voucher scheme is the most appropriate means of expanding nursery provision, while offering parents a greater choice in the sort of provision they want for their child, stimulating greater diversity of provision to enhance that choice, and raising standards generally. The scheme is being developed and tailored specifically to achieve those objectives. It is not meaningful to seek to make comparisons with other voucher schemes.

	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95²
Aberystwyth	4,013	4,502	5,070	5,767	6,629
Bangor	3,819	4,291	5,015	5,509	6,163
Cardiff	10,069	11,065	12,134	13,110	15,155
St. Davids	1,012	1,150	1,332	1,472	1,592

School Inspections

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales, by county, have been commended by the inspectorate; and if he will make a statement. [18919]

This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in Wales. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and will place a copy of his reply in the Library of the House.

Council Tax

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each of the new unitary authorities and for Wales as a whole the (a) estimated council tax levels for each band per two-person household, (b) average council tax for each two-person household, (c) estimated revenue raised from council tax, (d) estimated revenue from all other sources and (e) column (c) expressed as a percentage of the totals of columns (c) and (d). [18528]

Unitary authorities in Wales are required to notify my right hon. Friend of the level of council tax set for 1996–97 by 18 March. I will write to the hon. Member when the final figures are available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Local Management Of Schools

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the mandatory exceptions that are taken into account when local education authorities are assessing that part of their education budget on which the minimum of 90 per cent. must be given to schools under the local management formula; and if all of the mandatory exceptions are covered by properly approved orders under which local authorities operate local management of schools properties. [19925]

Details are contained in the Education (Financial Delegation to Schools) (Mandatory Exceptions) Regulations 1995 which as a result of the Education (Financial Delegation to Schools) (Mandatory Exceptions) Revocation and Amendment) Regulations 1996 will apply to local education authorities in Wales for a financial year beginning on or after 1 April 1996.

University Of Wales

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of students at each college of the university of Wales in each of the last five years, indicating the funding provided by the Government in (a) cash and (b) real terms for each college in each of these years. [19929]

The number of students at each college of the university of Wales from 1990–91 to 1994–95¹ was:

	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95 ²
Swansea	6,056	7,124	7,823	8,807	9,688
College of Medicine	1,201	1,355	1,738	1,725	2,295
Total	26,170	29,487	33,112	36,390	41,522
¹Includes full-time and part-time students. At December.
²Provisional.

In cash terms, the colleges received the following grant support from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales in the academic years 1993–94 and 1994–95:

£ million
	1993–94	1994–95
Aberystwyth	15.7	21.9
Bangor	16.1	21.4
Cardiff	37.2	49.7
St. Davids	3.3	5.0
Medicine	10.5	12.7
Swansea	23.7	32.2

In addition, the colleges received grant from the funding council in respect of backlog maintenance and some other capital works in the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95. This was:

£ million
	1993–94	1994–95
Aberystwyth	0.5	0.6
Bangor	0.5	0.7
Cardiff	0.8	0.3
St. Davids	0.1	0.1
Medicine	—	—
Swansea	0.6	0.8

The movement in GDP between 1993–94 and 1994–95 was nearly 2 per cent.

Prior to 1993–94, funding for the higher education institutions in Wales was from a variety of sources. Comparable funding information for these years could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Pre-School Education

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what percentage of the rate support grant has been included by the Welsh Office to give local education authorities the option to provide pre-school education for (a) four-year-olds and (b) three-year-olds in each of the last five years; [19924](2) what percentage of the revenue support grant has been included by the Welsh Office to support local authorities in meeting their statutory commitments to provide services for children under five years in each of the last five years. [19923]

Revenue support grant is not attributed to specific local authority services.

University Of Glamorgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of students at the university of Glamorgan in each of the last five years, indicating the sums provided from public funds in (a) cash and (b) real terms in each of these years. [19928]

The number of students at the university of Glamorgan—formerly the polytechnic of Wales—from 1990–91 to 1994–95¹ was:

1990–91: 6,791
1991–92: 8,098
1992–93: 11,525
1993–94: 13,886
1994–95: 14,517²
¹Includes full-time and part-time students. At November for 1990–91 to 1993–94 and at December for 1994–95.
¹Provisional.

In cash terms, the university of Glamorgan received grant support from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales in the academic years 1993–94 and 1994–95 of £18.7 million and £28.9 million respectively. In the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95, it also received grant of £600,000 and £1.1 million respectively, in respect of backlog maintenance. The movement in GDP between 1993–94 and 1994–95 was nearly 2 per cent.Information on funding in the three years prior to 1993–94 could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has for the funding of the university of Glamorgan in 1998–99; and how many students this funding will enable the university to accept; [19926](2) what plans he has for the funding of the colleges of the university of Wales in 1998–99; and how many students this funding will enable the colleges to accept. [19927]

My right hon. Friend announced the financial provision for the higher education sector in Wales for 1996–97, and the planning figures for the following two years, on 13 December 1995, Official Report, column 1004. A copy of the Department's letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales setting out the details of the settlements has been placed in the Library of the House. Decisions relating to individual institutions are for the HEFCW.

Special Needs Teacher Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what steps he has taken in the last three years at (a) the initial teacher training level and (b) in the grants for education support and training programme to provide teachers with the skills to identify children who may be dyslexic; [19930]

(2) what steps he has taken in the process of preparation and implementation of the code of practice in the identification and assessment of special educational needs of providing training for teachers to identify children (a) learning with difficulties with particular reference to dyslexia and (b) behavioural problems with particular reference to the autistic spectrum. [19931]

From autumn 1996 all newly qualified primary teachers will have to acquire in their initial training the necessary foundation to develop the ability to identify and provide for special educational needs, including specific learning difficulties or dyslexia. A similar requirement has been in place for newly qualified secondary teachers since autumn 1994.The Welsh Office for a number of years has made specific grant available to local education authorities under the grants for education support and training programme to develop staff expertise and provision for pupils with special educational needs. This includes grant expressly for training in the teaching of pupils with dyslexia or autism, for teachers with designated responsibilities for special educational needs in ordinary schools and for measures to support schools in the application of the code of practice. The grant is continuing in 1996–97.

Volume 273: debated on Monday 11 March 1996

Written Answers To Questions

Lord Chancellor's Department

Office Space

Transsexuals

Treasury

Factor 8

Value Added Tax

Executive Agencies

Environment

Cumbria County Council

Asylum Seekers

Local Government Officers (Pay)

Computers

Flags

Fire Service

Leghold Traps

Released Animals (Disease)

Environmental Appraisals

Deregulation

Waste Classification

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Public Interest Immunity Certificates

Water (Conservation And Consumer Choice) Bill

Scientists And Engineers

Iran

Former Yugoslavia

Kenya

Sierra Leone

Mr Omar Al Hassan

Trade And Industry

British Coal Enterprise

Scott Inquiry

Warren Springs Laboratory

Departmental Equipment And Furniture

Education And Employment

Nursery Education

Travel To Interview Scheme

Youth Training (South Yorkshire)

Computers

Access To Work

Executive Agencies

Assisted Places Scheme

Higher Education Funding (London)

Jobcentres (Lancashire)

Age Of Transfer, Burnham

Scientists And Engineers

Teacher Training Agency

Student Grants

Student Loans

Prime Minister

Plutonium

Hong Kong (Visit)

Royal Residences

Weapons Licensing

Special Advisers

Deregulation

Ex-Service Men And Women

Biodiversity Steering Group

Welsh Office (Permanent Secretary)

Home Department

Immigration Detainees

Private Security Industry

Convicted Prisoners (Deportation)

Anabolic Steroids

Executive Agencies

Football

Computers

Fire Fighters (Pensions)

Fire Brigades Union

Fire Brigades (Standards)

Peter Welch

Scientists And Engineers

Departmental Staff Guidelines

Buckley Hall Prison

Prevention Of Terrorism Acts

Capita Managed Services

Defence

Aircraft Crashes