To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates he received letters from officials of the Transport and General Workers Union requesting meetings to discuss the European driving licence directive, 91/439/EEC; what was his response; and if he will make a statement. [23066]

The national secretary of the road transport (commercial) division of the Transport and General Workers Union wrote to me on 22 January commenting on the new eyesight standards for drivers of large goods vehicles and passenger carrying vehicles and requesting a meeting to discuss this; I received a further letter on 22 February again requesting a meeting. I replied fully to the first letter on 6 March setting out the considerations underlying the new requirements and did not therefore consider that a meeting could usefully take matters forward. I confirmed this in a letter of 13 March. I replied to a further letter, dated 11 March, on 18 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated concerning the number of (i) fatal and (ii) other accidents, concerning the drivers of heavy goods vehicles in each of the last five years; and in respect of how many such accidents the cause was attributed to the heavy goods vehicles' drivers wearing glasses, contact lenses, or having below standard eyesight. [23076]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies that I gave to earlier questions covering the same issue, recorded in the Official Report dated 6 February, column 302 and 8 February, columns 157–58.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral statement of 6 March, Official Report, column 306, if he will name the 95 bodies consulted; and which bodies were in favour and which opposed to the continuation of grandfather rights. [22891]

Those consulted are as listed.

BUSINESS

1. Trade Associations

• (I) General Business Interest
• Alliance of Small Firms and Self Employed People
• Association of British Chambers of Commerce
• CBI
• CBI Wales
• CBI Scotland
• Forum of Private Business
• National Chamber of Trade
• The National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Ltd.
• (II) Trade/Employers Associations
• Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators
• Association of Tanker Container Operators
• Association of Local Authority Bus Managers
• British Association of Removers
• British Retailers Association
• British Road Federation
• Building Employers Federation
• Builders Merchants Federation
• Coach Operators Federation
• Community Transport Association
• Construction Plant Hire Association
• Dairy Trade Federation
• Federation of Public Passenger Transport Employers
• Freight Transport Association
• Institute of Road Transport Engineers
• National Owner Drivers Association UK
• National Playbus Association
• Road Haulage Association
• Showman's Guild of Great Britain
• Wales Community Transport Operators Association

2. Employees Representative Bodies

• Fire Brigades' Union
• National Joint Committee for Young Large Goods Drivers
• National Union of Road Transport Operatives
• National Union of General and Municipal Workers
• Road Transport Association
• Trades Union Congress
• Transport and General Workers Union
• United Road Transport Union

3. Insurance Industry

• Motor Insurers Bureau
• Association of British Insurers
• Lloyds Motor Underwriters Association

4. Motor Trade

• Retail Motor Industry Federation
• Scottish Motor Trade Association Ltd.
• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd.

SPECIALIST

1. Medical

• Association of British Dispensing Opticians
• Association of Optometrists
• British Medical Association
• College of Ophthalmologists
• The Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians
• Medical Committee on Accident Prevention
• Society of Opticians

2. Road Safety

• Accident Officers Association
• Association of Independent Road Safety Officers
• Association of London Borough Road Safety
• Officers Institute of Road Safety Officers
• Parliamentary Advisory Council of Transport Safety
• Road Operators Safety Council
• Safety Training Advisory Council

3. User/Transport Interest

• Confederation of Passenger Transport UK
• Institute of Transport Administration
• Motorcycle Action Group
• National Advisory Unit for Community Transport
• Pedestrians Association
• Scottish Community Transport Group

4. Motoring Organisations

• Automobile Association
• Royal Automobile Association

• . Driving Instructors
• Approved Driving Instructors
• Approved Driving Instructors of Scotland
• Driving Instructors Scottish Council
• Institute of HGV Driving Instructors
• Institute of RAC Registered Instructors
• Motor Schools Association of Great Britain
• National Association of Approved Driving Instructors
• Road Transport Industry Training Board

5. Others

• Keep Death Off Our Roads (K-Door)
• National Council for Civil Liberties

6. Press

• Commercial Motor Magazine
• Motor Transport Magazine

GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

1. Central Government

• Department of Employment
• Home Office
• Department of Environment, Northern Ireland
• Welsh Office

2. Police

• Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
• ACPO Scotland

3. Courts

• Justices Clerks Society

4. Local Authorit

• Association of County Councils
• Association of District Councils
• Association of Metropolitan Authorities
• Association of London Authorities
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
• London Boroughs Association
• National Association of Local Councils
• Welsh Office of the Association of District Councils
• Committee of Welsh District Councils

5. Others

• States of Guernsey
• Isle of Man
• States of Jersey

Sixteen of the above organisations responded: 11 supported abolition of grandfather rights; five opposed. We did not advise those consulted that their responses might be made public and therefore in line with established practice individual respondents are not identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce (a) delays on London Underground and (b) the number of station closures (i) for over 15 minutes due to attributable causes and (ii) due to repair work. [22946]

Responsibility for minimising delays and temporary station closures on the underground is an operational matter for London Underground Ltd. However, I have recently set new quality of service objectives for LUL to achieve by March 1999, with interim objectives for 1996–97. These objectives include higher targets for service reliability and for customer satisfaction with the quality of train service, and a new target for the percentage of scheduled train miles operated.All of the targets are set out in the table.

Percentage
	1995–96	1995–96	1996–97	1989–89
Measure	target	to date	target	target
Train service regularity (percentage headways achieved)	95.7	95.8	95.7	96.2
Percentage schedule operated	—	96.4	96.5	97.2
Ticket purchase (percentage queuing under 3 minutes)	98.0	97.5	98.0	98.0
Escalator availability	92.0	92.7	92.0	94.5
Lift availability	95.0	95.7	96.0	96.0
Train service CSR	77.0	76.0	76.0	78.0
Train and station information CSR	—	73.0	73.0	76.0
Customer security and safety CSR	83.0	82.0	83.0	83.0
Staff helpfulness and availability CSR	69.0	68.0	69.0	71.0
Train and station cleanliness CSR	—	68.0	69.0	71.0
CSR = Customer Satisfaction Rating.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to provide the bulk of funds to London Transport announced by the Secretary of State in 1991. [22947]

Grant for London Transport in 1992–93 was paid in line with that announced in the 1991 autumn statement. The plans then announced for grant in later years have been superseded by subsequent years' announcements. The Government's current plans for the provision of grant for London Transport were announced in the unified Budget in November 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the individuals, by name, civil service post and receiving company, who are on temporary secondment from his Department to industry as part of the continuing programme of interchange of staff with the private sector. [22791]

The information is set out in the table.

Transport secondees to private sector
Name	Grade in civil service	Company seconded to
Mr. Steve D. Allen	7	J. Henry Schroder & Co. Ltd.
Mr. William Hills	7	Union Railways Ltd.
Mr. Alan Jeffs	7	Black Country Development Corporation
Ms Lynda Jones	SEO (part time)	Cispotel (lifeboat fund-charity)
Mr. John H. Mairs	SPTO	International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Nick Patel	7	Bristol Development Corporation

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on providing access from the motorway network to new motorway service areas; and if he will make a statement. [23721]

The Highways Agency is consulted on all planning applications for new motorway service areas—MSAs. It will not normally object so long as the proposal meets a range of minimum requirements relating to the facilities to be provided and the spacing of the site from other MSAs, and provided the proposed access arrangements are acceptable in safety and traffic management terms. As a matter of policy, however, we do not expect to connect new MSAs to any motorway which, because of exceptional traffic circumstances, has been or is expected to be widened to dual five lane standard. To do so would invite further congestion on what are the most heavily used parts of the motorway network

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trials are currently being undertaken in the United Kingdom of weighing-in-motion weighbridges; and what proposals he has to implement them nationally. [23300]

The Vehicle Inspectorate is trialling weigh-in-motion equipment at three sites. The results of the trials will inform decisions on how such equipment might be used most effectively to support enforcement against overloading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected outturn expenditure of the Highways Agency for the financial year 1995–96, broken down between (i) assessment, strengthening, repair and upgrading of structures, (ii) capital maintenance of roads, (iii) motorway control and communications equipment, (iv) network enhancements, (v) national schemes, (vi) routine maintenance, (vii) research and development and (viii) other activities; and what proportion, by value of the work planned for 1995–96 in the Highways Agency's business plan, is expected to be completed within this financial year. [22757]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much British Rail and its successor bodies have spent on the painting of the Forth rail bridge in each of the last four financial years, and in the current financial year; and what changes have occurred in the method used for painting the bridge. [22843]

On the question of costs, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 November 1995, column 150.I understand that the painting methodology changed in the early 1980s when British Rail began moving from a short-term cycle of repainting to a long-term cycle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 7 March, Official Report, columns 308–9, what records the Civil Aviation Authority maintains of aircraft taking off and landing without allocated slots. [21733]

The CAA does not maintain records specifically of aircraft taking off or landing without being allocated a runway slot.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government will support the efforts of the UN environment programme to draw up a global, legally binding treaty to ban the most dangerous identified persistent organic pollutants at the forthcoming meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development. [22265]

The UK has played a major role in developing a proposed protocol on persistent organic pollutants under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe convention on long-range transboundary air pollution. The Government support the United Nations Environment Programme initiative to build on this work and will play an active role in its development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to draw up a national plan of action (a) to end the United Kingdom's use of the most dangerous identified persistent organic pollutants and (b) to phase out the disposal of raw sewage and industrial waste in rivers and oceans. [22266]

The 12 most dangerous persistent organic pollutants identified by the United Nations Environment Programme are no longer used in this country, except for polychlorobiphenyls, the use of which is being phased out.In line with the requirements of the urban waste water treatment directive, an implementation programme, which includes the provision of treatment for all significant discharges of sewage, has been established. A copy of this programme is in the Library of the House.The discharge of industrial waste from prescribed processes is controlled by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. In issuing permits, it requires dischargers to apply the best available techniques not entailing excessive costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the operators of purpose-built incinerators concerning the Government's policy statement, "Making Waste Work". [22955]

I have received a number of representations from organisations representing the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated average cost per gallon of treating drinking water drawn from (a) reservoirs, (b) rivers and (c) groundwater. [22980]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The information requested is not held by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what actions have been taken by his Department since the liquidation of Trafford Home Improvement Services to safeguard (a) public money and (b) moneys owed to owner-occupiers and building firms; and when these actions were taken; [23043](2) if he will make a statement on the position of creditors of Trafford Home Improvement Services; [23044](3) if he will make a statement on the discussions he has held with Trafford council in respect of the liquidation of Trafford Home Improvement Services; [23045](4) if he will make a statement on the liquidation of Trafford Home Improvement Services in Trafford, Greater Manchester; [23046](5) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department, Trafford council and Trafford Home Improvement Services, with reference to appointments to that body or concerning that body which were made by him, or by Trafford council and the financial regulations which he imposed; [23047](6) when his Department was made aware of the financial position of Trafford Home Improvement Services which led to its liquidation; and what action his Department took. [23048]

In early February, my Department was informed by Trafford council that Trafford Home Improvement Services had gone into voluntary liquidation. Trafford Home Improvement Services is a private company limited by guarantee, used by Trafford council to provide home improvement agency services in its area. None of the directors or guarantors of the company is appointed by the Government. I am unable, therefore, to comment on the position of the creditors. It is understood that the receivers appointed by the creditors will prepare a report in due course.Local authorities are invited each year to submit bids for grant towards the costs of providing home improvement agency services in their area. Authorities are responsible for agreeing individual budgets produced by home improvement agencies and for claiming grant on their behalf. In view of the collapse of Trafford Home Improvement Services, the Department has asked for a full report from Trafford council on affairs of the agency. The Department is also seeking to establish whether the authority has breached any of the grant conditions and, if appropriate, will seek recovery of grant.The Department has agreed to fund Trafford council's costs in employing an official for one month to assist with the orderly closure of the agency. Care and Repair Ltd., the national co-ordinating body appointed by the Government to advise on home improvement agencies, is also closely involved with the programme of work to wind up the affairs of the agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits for 1995–96. [23438]

I propose to make the following changes:

(a) The DOE/HC (Housing Corporation) non-voted cash limit, covering grants and capital expenditure by the Housing Corporation in England, will be increased by £4,316,000 from £1,149,089 to £1,153,405,000. The increase is to fund an additional £2,820,000 in respect of city challenge expenditure; and to effect a transfer of £1,496,000 from current to capital expenditure under the rough sleepers' initiative.

(b) The DOE/LACAP (local authority capital) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £1,649,000 from £1,924,064,000 to £1,925,713,000. The increase is due to take up of end-of-year flexibility for supplementary credit approvals to local authorities to enable funding of projects within the Housing Partnership Fund. The EYF entitlement of £933,000 was announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995, Official Report, columns 776–82, but was subsequently recalculated following revised forecast outturn data. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will therefore not add to the planned control total of public expenditure.

(c) The DOE/RCW (regeneration and countryside and wildlife) non-voted cash limit will be decreased by £2,262,000 from £1,504,274,000 to £1,502,012,000. The decrease is the net effect of a transfer of £2,820,000 to the non-voted cash limit for the Housing Corporation (DOE/HC), to allow expenditure on city challenge projects financed by the Housing Corporation in England and an increase met by a transfer of £558,000 from the cash limit on class VII, vote 4 to allow the issue of supplementary credit approvals in respect of the urban programme.

(d) The external financing limits will be increased for urban development corporations by £500,000 from £259,514,000 to £260,014,000 to allow Merseyside development corporation to bring forward regeneration projects; and for housing action trusts by £2,855,000 from £89,979,000 to £92,834,000 to accelerate progress on the redevelopment of housing action trust estates.

(e) The DOE/OES (other environmental services) non-voted cash limit will be increased by £4,703,000 from £32,832,000 to £37,535,000. This increase reflects the take up of end year flexibility (£2,310,000) as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995, Official Report, columns 776–82, to fund increases in provision for: contaminated land; recycling; and, Isles of Scilly water and sewerage supplementary credit approvals. The increase also includes a technical transfer of £2,393,000 from the DOE/NT (new towns) non-voted cash limit in respect of local authority contributions to the Commission for the New Towns under road cost sharing arrangements. The increase will be used to provide supplementary credit approvals to local authorities to cover their capital contributions to the Commission for the New Towns.

(f) The DOE/NT (new towns) non-voted cash limit will be reduced by £2,025,000 from -£125,000,000 to -£127,025,000. The reduction is the result of additional receipts of £2,393,000 from local authorities financed by the increase in DOE/OES described above. In addition, there is a decrease of £315,000 resulting from a change in the final EFL (from nil to -£315,000) of the former Letchworth Garden city corporation which ceased to exist on 30 September. This is offset by an increase of £683,000 through take up of end year flexibility as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 July 1995, Official Report, columns 776–82. I draw attention to the presentation of the DOEINT (new towns) non-voted cash limit for 1995–96 in the Summary and Guide to the Supply Estimates 1995–96 (Cm. 2775). It incorrectly showed the cash limit to be -£134,301,000 instead of the correct figure of -£125,000,000.

(g) The external financing limits for the British Waterways Board will be increased by £200,000 from £49,640,000 to £49,840,000. The increase arises from savings on other sub-heads within vote 3 (environmental protection and water) and it will fund additional capital and maintenance expenditure.

(h) The cash limit for class VII, vote 4, (local government and planning, England) covering sections A to F of that vote, will be reduced by £558,000 from £30,086,810,000 to £30,086,252,000. This change is to allow savings due to lower charges for Valuation Office Agency non-domestic rating work on section A (valuation services) to be transferred to the non-voted cash limit for regeneration and countryside and wildlife to allow the issue of supplementary credit approvals for the urban programme.

All the increases will be offset either by savings or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) requests for information and (b) applications for grants were made under the home energy efficiency scheme in (i) February 1995, (ii) February 1996, (iii) March 1995 and (iv) March 1996 to the latest available date; and if he will supply the information in the same form as his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 201. [23073]

The table shows the numbers of requests for information received by Eaga Ltd. the scheme managers, and the numbers of applications made for grant.

Month	Requests for information	Grant applications
February 1995	27,322	42,801
February 1996	53,874	58,551
March 1995	18,805	32,390
March 1996 (until 22nd)	37,398	43,450

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Merseyside fire brigade dispute; and if he will make a statement. [22494]

The dispute is a local matter about changes to leave arrangements proposed by Merseyside fire and civil defence authority. I understand that the authority and the Fire Brigades Union are engaged in talks at the Advisory, Consiliation and Arbitration Service and I hope that these discussions will lead to an early end to the dispute. In the interim, military assistance to provide fire cover if there are further strikes continues to be available to the fire and civil defence authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many marches have been made by the Loyal Orange Lodge on the streets of Liverpool in each of the past three years; how many police were involved in policing the marches; what was the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [22450]

The deployment of police resources and details of police arrests at particular events in Liverpool are operational matters for the chief constable of the Merseyside police. Such information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for introducing computers into the handling of immigration casework. [23566]

The immigration and nationality department has developed a programme to computerise the handling of immigration casework in order to deliver improvements in service, to strengthen the administration of the control and to produce substantial efficiency savings. A seven-year contract is to be awarded to Siemens Business Services under the private finance initiative, by means of which the company will design, build, finance and operate a comprehensive new information technology system for this purpose and assist IND in the introduction of appropriate working methods.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the effect of the national lottery on charitable income. [23567]

The national lottery has provided an unparalleled source of new funds for charities and the voluntary sector generally. The National Lottery Charities Board has so far made awards totalling £159 million, exclusively for the benefit of the voluntary sector. Furthermore, a very large part of the awards from the other lottery distributors has gone to the voluntary sector. Of the £1 billion allocated so far to arts, sports, heritage and millennium projects, almost £400 million has been awarded to voluntary sector organisations. This means that almost 50 per cent. of available lottery moneys for good causes has gone to charities and voluntary organisations. As the lottery continues, similar sums of money will be available to the sector year on year.The claims which have been made so far have been based on surveys in which people state whether they have made any recent unplanned donations. These surveys say little about the size of donations, nor about whether any changes in giving are due to the lottery. A wide range of economic and social symptoms has been blamed on the lottery, from a decline in savings to a reduction in cinema attendances; but the causal link, not least for charities, is far from clear. The situation is further complicated by the fact that, while there are charities which have seen donations declining since the introduction of the national lottery, others have reported an increase.During the passage of the National Lottery etc. Bill, the Government gave a commitment to monitor changes in charities' income following the introduction of the Lottery. With the participation of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Government have set up a research programme to look at charities' income before and after the lottery was established. Provisional findings should be available by late spring, more comprehensive findings by next year and final results by early 1998.Examination of charities' accounts is a more reliable and factually based method of approaching this issue than surveys of the public can be. It is, however, inevitably a longer-term exercise and, in the meantime, public surveys, a useful but secondary method of researching the issue, remain the main source of information. While this is the case, firm conclusions cannot be drawn.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the escape of John Kearney from prison officer custody. [21753]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of those convicted (a) twice and (b) more than twice for each of the last five years for each offence for which a lift sentence is imposable by discretion, were sentenced to (i) life, (ii) a determinate sentence of (1) 20 years or more, (2) 15 years or more, (3) 10 years or more and (4) under 10 years by type of offence; in respect of how many of those cases, in each category, the Attorney-General referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal; and if he will make a statement. [23033]

Table 1: Offenders convicted twice of an offence carrying a discretionary life sentence
	Sentence length
Offence1 2	Less than 10 years	10 years or more	15 years or more	20 years or more	Life	Total
Manslaughter
Number	4	—	—	—	—	4
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
Number	25	2	—	—	—	27
Percentage	93	7	—	—	—	100
Possession of firearms with intent
Number	1	—	—	—	—	1
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Buggery
Number	2	1	—	—	—	3
Percentage	67	33	—	—	—	100
Rape
Number	6	1	—	—	3	10
Percentage	60	10	—	—	30	100
Aggravated burglary
Number	2	1	—	—	—	3
Percentage	67	33	—	—	—	100
Robbery
Number	70	1	—	—	—	71
Percentage	99	1	—	—	—	100
Kidnapping
Number	2	—	—	—	—	2
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
False imprisonment
Number	3	—	—	—	—	3
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Arson
Number	8	—	—	—	—	8
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
All offenders
Number	123	6	—	—	3	132
Percentage	93	5	—	—	2	100
1 Previous convictions are for any offence carrying a discretionary life sentence.
2 There are several offences which carry a discretionary life sentence for which there were no second convictions in the sample weeks. These are attempted murder, unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged under 13, incest with a girl aged under 13, conspiring to commit murder, endangering railway passengers, hijacking, criminal damage endangering life, possession or use of explosives with intent to endanger life or to do grievous bodily harm.

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The information requested is not collected routinely and data for each of the last five years are not available. A sample of those convicted in five weeks of 1993–94 for indictable offences includes 1,086 offenders convicted of offences carrying a discretionary life sentence. Some 132 offenders in the sample had been convicted twice of offences carrying a discretionary life sentence and 50 had been convicted more than twice. The sentence length given to these repeat offenders in the sample is shown for each offence in the tables. Information is not available on referrals to the Court of Appeal for the offenders included in the sample.

Table 2: Offenders convicted more than twice of an offence carrying a discretionary life sentence
	Sentence length
Offence1 2	Less than 10 years	10 years or more	15 years or more	20 years or more	Life	Total
Manslaughter
Number	1	—	—	—	—	1
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
Number	6	1	—	—	—	7
Percentage	86	14	—	—	—	100
Buggery
Number	1	—	—	—	—	1
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Rape
Number	1	—	—	—	1	2
Percentage	50	—	—	—	50	100
Robbery
Number	32	—	—	—	1	33
Percentage	97	—	—	—	3	100
Kidnapping
Number	2	—	—	—	—	2
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
False imprisonment
Number	3	—	—	—	—	3
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
Arson
Number	1	—	—	—	—	1
Percentage	100	—	—	—	—	100
All offenders
Number	47	1	—	—	2	50
Percentage	94	2	—	—	4	100
1 Previous convictions are for any offence carrying a discretionary life sentence.
2 There are several offences which carry a discretionary life sentence for which there were no second convictions in the sample weeks. These are attempted murder, unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged under 13, incest with a girl aged under 13, conspiring to commit murder, endangering railway passengers, hijacking, criminal damage endangering life, possession or use of explosives with intent to endanger life or to do grievous bodily harm

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reference number was given to the consultation paper concerning the deregulation of casinos and bingo clubs published on 27 February; to whom it was sent; how many copies were printed: if it is available from (a) Her Majesty's Stationery Office and (b) other outlets; and at what price. [22767]

The consultation paper on casinos and bingo clubs has the reference number ISBN: 1858935725.A full list of those consulted is given in appendix 1 to the paper. In addition, copies were sent to all hon. Members. Approximately 2,200 copies of the paper were printed.The paper is not available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office but can be obtained, free of charge, direct from the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make changes to the methods used for the mandatory drug testing of women prisoners. [22663]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to date to fill the vacant position of the Director General of the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement. [21086]

I am considering the matter carefully and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest reconviction rates two years and four years after release for (a) adults, (b) 15 to 17-year-olds and (c) 18 to 21-year-olds, breaking down the figures by gender. [22462]

The most recent available information is as follows:

Two year reconviction rates1 for sentenced prisoners discharged from Prison Service establishments during 1992
England and Wales
Age at sentence	Males	Females	Total
Aged 15–17	82	256	81
Aged 18–203	68	49	68
Aged 18–21	65	48	65
All young offenders	72	51	71
Adults	45	36	45
Total	52	38	511
1 Relates to convictions for "standard list" offences only. These offences include all indictable offences and some of the more serious summary offences. Rates are based on a sample of prisoners.
2 This figure is based on only 59 discharges.
3 Figures are supplied for those aged 18 to 20 in addition to those aged 18 to 21 as prisoners aged 21 at sentence are included among adults.

Four year reconviction rates1 for sentenced prisoners discharged from Prison Service establishments during 1988
England and Wales
Age at sentence	Males	Females	Total
Aged 15–17	87	66	87
Aged 18–202	75	59	74
Aged 18–21	73	57	73
All young offenders	79	61	78
Adults	58	43	57
Total	65	47	64
1 Relates to convictions for "standard list" offences only. These offences include all indictable offences and some of the more serious summary offences. Rates are based on a samples of prisoners.
2 Figures are supplied for those aged 18 to 20 in addition to those aged 18 to 21 as prisoners aged 21 at sentence are included among adults.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade who was the last guarantor for the industrial death and redevelopment scheme. [22997]

This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation, which remains liable to meet all entitlements under the industrial death and retirement scheme.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the decision by Marathon Oil plc to drill an exploration well 5.6 miles east-south-east from Douglas head. [22455]

The proposed drilling activity will take place in block 112/29 which falls within the Isle of Man territorial waters and is therefore a matter for the Isle of Man Government.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the decision by Esso plc to carry out exploratory seismic operations in the Solway firth; and if he will make a statement. [22454]

Esso Exploration and Production UK Ltd. is the licensee of blocks 112/10, 112/14, 112/15 and 113/11 in the north Irish sea, which are located to the west of the Solway firth bay closing line. The licensed area of these blocks does not extend into the Solway firth.These blocks were awarded in the 14th round of offshore oil and gas licensing and are subject to strict conditions—which were agreed with other Government Departments and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee—to take account of the concerns of other users of the sea and protect any environmental sensitivities which have been identified in the area. I have placed a copy of the 14th round indicative licence conditions in the Library of the House.The company has already completed seismic operations in the area, and is close to concluding an extensive and wide-ranging consultation exercise regarding its plans to drill. Those consulted include Government Departments, the JNCC,the fishing industry and local authorities.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many scientists and researchers were employed at the Institute of Animal Health in Edinburgh in each year since 1990 up to the current date. [22951]

The number of people in terms of full-time equivalents employed at the neuropathogenesis unit in the science grades for the respective years since 1990 is:

Year	Number of science employees
1990	25
1991	30
1992	40
1993	41
1994	36.5
1995	26
1996	33

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which (a) the Government are required to consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) the Government are required to publish their response to advice supplied by them. [21865]

[holding answer 21 March 1996]: My Department is not required to consult its advisory non-departmental public bodies prior to legislative proposals, although it does so whenever appropriate. Nor is it required to publish its response to advice supplied by advisory non-departmental public bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Benefits Agency offices there have been in Wales in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [22375]

The Benefits Agency was established in 1991 and the information requested from that date is set out in the table:

	Main processing offices	Public caller outlets
1991	37	38
1992	37	38
1993	37	38
1994	36	39
1995	35	40
1996	34	41

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has (i) to take actors out of class 1 national insurance and (ii) to consult them before implementing such plans; and if he will make a statement. [22697]

We have been considering for some time the implications of treating actors as self-employed for national insurance purposes as the majority are now for tax purposes and we have already consulted widely on the matter. We have written to the British Actors' Equity Association and other performers' representatives to invite them to further discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) food stocks in Somalia, (b) the number of people suffering malnutrition in Somalia and (c) the possibility of famine in Somalia in the coming months. [23078]

The food supply situation in Somalia has been affected by insecurity, erratic rains and pest infestation. The World Food Programme estimates a 1996 food shortfall of about 150,000 tonnes. The WFP plans to distribute 2,500 tonnes per month to meet immediate needs. To date, it has pledges of 39,000 tonnes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the internal conflict in Somalia and (b) the capacity for reconciliation; and what measures are being taken, or are planned, by (i) Her Majesty's Government and (ii) the EU to assist such reconciliation. [23079]

We remain concerned at the instability in Somalia caused by factional fighting. A return to peace can be achieved only by agreement among the Somalis themselves. We are supporting efforts by the EU and UN to encourage national reconciliation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made, and what discussions have taken place, between Her Majesty's Government and British and non-British non-governmental organisations of the possibility of making food aid available in Somalia; and what assessment he has made of the security of that food aid and of the people involved in distributing it. [23080]

My noble friend Baroness Chalker and officials are in regular contact with international NGOs about food aid needs throughout the Horn of Africa. We have no outstanding requests for food aid for Somalia. We remain ready to consider further assistance if needs increase. In doing so, we would take into consideration the provision of adequate security for the food aid and those distributing it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Indonesian police officers have received training in the maintenance of public order in each year since 1990 under the police management training project (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Indonesia by United Kingdom police officers. [22876]

The training provided under this project has included courses on personnel management, business administration, training management, organisation development, leadership, and training for trainers, as well as attachments to UK police forces. It has not included training in the maintenance of public order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which former public sector research establishments in the Overseas Development Administration have been privatised since 1979; and which public sector research establishments in the Overseas Development Administration are currently undergoing reviews with a view to placing them in the private sector. [21940]

From 1979 to date, no ODA research establishment has been transferred to the private sector. Over the period, a number of separate bodies were brought together to form the Natural Resources Institute. The transfer of the NRI to the private sector is in progress; a preferred bidder was announced on 5 March, Official Report, column 166.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was taxable income after all allowances and reliefs as a percentage of total taxpayers' income in (a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987, (d) 1992 and (e) the latest year for which figures are available. [20344]

Estimates based on the survey of personal incomes are given in the table. A comparable figure is not available for 1996–97. For years prior to 1994–95, the married couple's allowance and mortgage interest relief affected the calculation of taxable income. From 1994–95, these have been available at a specified rate, so they no longer affect the calculation of taxable income. Taxable income—after allowances and reliefs given at marginal rates—on the new basis as a percentage of total taxpayers' income is estimated to be 73 per cent. in 1996–97.

Year	Taxable income after all allowances and reliefs as a percentage of total taxpayers' income (per cent.)
1978–79	61
1982–83	62
1986–87	59
1991–92	62
1996–97	—

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the additional annual revenue which would be raised from Welsh taxpayers if the basic rate of income tax were increased from 24 to 25 per cent. [22688]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: It is not possible to provide a reliable breakdown below United Kingdom level for 1996–97. The latest available information is for 1993–94. The full-year yield from an increase in the basic rate of tax under the 1993–94 tax regime and at 1993–94 income levels is £1,600 million for the United Kingdom and £60 million for Wales.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines the Government have produced in relation to prospectuses for privatisation of public utilities. [20693]

[holding answer 25 March 1996]: At the time of an initial or subsequent offer, the Government, as seller of the shares, and the company concerned, as issuer of the shares to be sold, are subject to the same legal and regulatory framework as other vendors or issuers. There are no guidelines relating specifically to the prospectuses for offers of shares in privatisations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which years since 1978–79 the public sector borrowed more than was required to finance its net capital spending. [22389]

[holding answer 25 March 1996]: The public sector borrowing requirement exceeded net capital spending in the years 1978–79 to 1985–86 inclusive and 1991–92 to 1994–95 inclusive.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total number of small self-administered pension schemes at the most recent date for which figures are available. [23055]

Information held by the Inland Revenue's pension schemes office shows that there are currently about 28,000 small self-administered pension schemes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue staff are engaged in work relating directly to the administration of small, self-administered pension schemes. [23054]

Approximately 60 full-time staff units of the Inland Revenue's pension schemes office are engaged in work relating directly to the tax approval and monitoring of small self-administered pension schemes. In addition, some staff in local tax offices are periodically involved in this work, as a consequence of dealing with the tax affairs of specific companies and individuals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue which would be raised by restricting the value of the personal tax allowance to relief of tax at the 24 per cent. rate and below. [22833]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The estimated full-year yield at 1996–97 income levels from restricting personal allowances to the basic rate is £1.6 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the full year cost to the Exchequer of raising the value of the personal tax allowance by (a) £100, (b) £200, (c) £300, (d) £400, (e) £500, (f) £1,000, (g) £1,500 and (h) £2,000. [22832]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: Estimates are given in the table.

Estimated full year costs at 1996–97 income levels (£ billion)
Increase in non aged and aged personal allowances	Full year cost £ billion
100	0.6
200	1.2
300	1.8
400	2.4
500	3.1
1,000	6.0
1,500	9.0
2,000	11.5

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present annual cost to the Exchequer of the married couple's allowance. [22830]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The estimated full-year cost at 1996–97 income levels is £3.3 billion. This includes the cost of allowances related to the married couple's allowance—the additional personal allowance and the widow's bereavement allowance.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the addition to Exchequer revenues which would result from raising the basic rate of tax from 24 per cent. to 25 per cent. in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–2001. [22834]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The estimated full-year yield would be about £1.6 billion at 1996–97 income levels. The yields for future years would depend on levels of incomes, tax reliefs and allowances in those years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present annual cost to the Exchequer of mortgage interest tax relief at source. [22831]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: In 1995–96, the estimated total cost of mortgage interest relief is about £2.7 billion, of which £2.6 billion is given through the MIRAS—mortgage interest relief at source—scheme.These figures are based on the assumption, by convention, of no change from the current estimated average building society interest rate of 7.3 per cent. The rate of relief is 15 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of ending the payment of value added tax on repairs to historic buildings. [22690]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The best estimate is £60 million per year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the full-year revenue effect of raising the level of tobacco duty by the equivalent of 5p extra on a standard packet of cigarettes. [22691]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The Treasury publication "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" shows that the estimated full-year revenue effect of raising the level of tobacco duty by 5p is £175 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to prevent avoidance of duty on hydrocarbon oils by mixing products after the duty has been paid. [23503]

Subject to a resolution of the House, the Government will be bringing forward two new clauses at the report stage of the Finance Bill. These clauses will ensure that duty at the appropriate rate will have to be paid if non-dutiable kerosene is added to diesel road fuel, or to gas oil for use in off-road vehicles respectively. The first new clause will also ensure that lead or octane enhancers cannot be added to unleaded petrol by distributors or retailers without the higher rate of duty being paid. Both new clauses will come into force on a date to be specified in an order made by the commissioners of Customs and Excise.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the law covering the duty on hydrocarbon oils. [23507]

Customs and Excise will shortly be starting a major review of the legislation covering the way hydrocarbon oil duty is charged with the aim of bringing forward proposals next year for having it set out more clearly and simply. Customs will be consulting fully with the trade and other interested parties. The intention is not to review the rates of duty charged or the current rebates and exemptions or the time at which duty is charged, matters on which the Chancellor of the Exchequer will make his decisions in the normal way, but to put the existing provisions in a simpler and more robust format which will be better able to cope with the introduction of new products.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets will be set for the Valuation Office executive agency for the year 1996–97. [23504]

The following key targets have been set for the Valuation Office in 1996–97:

Operational

• to clear 100,000 appeals against the council tax valuation lists;
• to clear 330,000 appeals in aggregate against the 1990 and 1995 rating lists;
• to undertake 64,000 valuation cases for the Inland Revenue for capital gains tax and inheritance tax purposes.

Financial and cost efficiency

• to ensure that the agency's net operating cost, after deducting the cost of statutory non-chargeable work, is at least fully covered by receipts;
• to break even from year to year within each business segment, after charging for the full cost of chargeable services including notional interest of 6 per cent. on the average working capital;
• to achieve efficiency savings of 7.9 per cent. on the agency's gross expenditure.

Quality of service

• to reply to 100 per cent. of correspondence within 20 working days of receipt;
• to achieve specified time limits on 97 per cent. of cases undertaken;
• to achieve a specified valuation quality standard in 85 per cent. of cases carried out.

Further details are set out in the agency's forward plan, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House on publication.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the Government's borrowing programme for 1996–97. [23505]

Yes. The Government today published the 1996–97 debt management report. This report, the second of the series, includes details of the 1996–97 borrowing programme and the Government's remit to Bank of England for gilt sales in 1996–97. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish a remit for sales of debt by the Department for National Savings. [23506]

The remit for the Department for National Savings for 1996–97 is as follows:

Objectives

• The Department for National Savings' declared aim is to support the Government's management of their debt and their policies for personal savings by attracting and retaining investments from the retail market efficiently and cost-effectively.
• The Department's primary task is therefore to be an efficiency and cost-effective source of funding for Her Majesty's Government. It is also charged with maintaining a suitable range of schemes to encourage savings among the population.

Volume of Funding in 1996–97

• The net contribution of national savings to funding in 1996–97 is assumed to be around £3.0 billion.

Responsibilities

• The Treasury is responsible, under the National Loans Act 1968, for setting the terms of national savings products. DNS will normally take the lead in bringing forward proposals to Treasury Ministers on product terms, including rates.

Cost Comparisons

• The Government intend that National Savings' contribution to funding should offer value for money overall compared with other sources of funding. Product terms will take account of the need for DNS to retain the capability and market presence to contribute to the Government's funding needs over the medium term.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many questions were tabled to his Department in each Session since 1987–88; how many were not answered on the grounds of disproportionate cost; what percentage of the total number of questions this represented; how many were not answered on the grounds that the information was not centrally available; and what percentage of the total number of questions this represented. [21150]

The figures for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments since 1987–88 are in the table.

Year	Oral questions	Written questions
1987–88	354	2,205
1988–89	264	1,275
1989–90	247	1,461
1990–91	227	1,214
1991–92	123	757
1992–93	332	1,775
1993–94	220	1,285
1994–95	235	1,761
1995–96	87	639

These figures have been produced from the POLIS—parliamentary on-line information system—database. The figures reflect the number of questions answered and should be treated as indicative only; because of certain factors, complete accuracy on departmental activity cannot be provided.The further information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, what the annual production of table-sized rainbow trout from the 104 fattening ponds has been in each of the last 10 years. [21799]

This information is not available. The licences under which these small ponds operate precludes the sale of the fish produced.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, which Government Department sanctions and licences the movements of the live juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply to each of the fattening ponds. [21803]

The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, if he will list by title and location each of the ponds where rainbow trout are artificially fed. [21811]

A list of the names and addresses of those holding fish culture licences for garden ponds has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, if he will publish the licences of recorded movements of juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply each fattening pond. [21805]

A copy of the permits issued during 1995 under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 which authorise the movement of live fish and which relate to the supply of juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply each pond has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, how often the ponds are tested for enteric red mouth disease. [21809]

No routine disease monitoring is undertaken at these ponds where production is not permitted to exceed 500 fish per annum. Testing for a range of diseases, including enteric redmouth is carried out when exposure to infection is suspected and when abnormal mortalities or disease outbreaks are reported as required under the terms of fish culture licences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, what information the operators of the ponds are required to provide to the Fisheries Conservancy Board. [21797]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, if a fish dealer's licence is required to purchase the mature rainbow trout from the fattening ponds for supply to fishmongers, hotels and the catering trade. [21801]

The supply of fish to fishmongers, hotels and the catering trade is precluded by the terms of the licences under which these ponds operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, how many recorded uses of chemicals at the ponds there were in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995. [21808]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, on what date each of the 104 ponds were granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act Northern Ireland 1966. [21800]

This information is contained on the list of holders of fish culture licences in respect of garden ponds which has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, how many of the sites where rainbow trout are artificially fed have been granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act Northern Ireland 1966. [21804]

All known sites where rainbow trout are artificially fed have been granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, how often officials of the Fisheries Conservancy Board visit each of the fattening ponds. [21802]

There is no routine monitoring of ponds by officials of the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland: the monitoring of compliance with fish culture licence conditions is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, what measures are in place to ensure that rainbow trout from the ponds have been reared to Government standards. [21806]

Appropriate requirements are imposed as conditions of the fish culture licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, how many of the ponds are used and supplied directly by Movanagher fish farm to grow on to maturity. [21810]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 525, if he will list the fish farms which have supplied and are currently supplying juvenile rainbow trout to the 104 fattening ponds. [21798]

Historic information on those fish farms which have supplied juvenile rainbow trout to the ponds is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.During 1995, Seven Springs trout hatchery, Bush Valley fish farm and Movanagher fish farm supplied juvenile fish to ponds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to combat organised crime. [23509]

The Government are continuously seeking to enhance the effectiveness of the law to combat racketeering and organised crime in Northern Ireland in a way which balances the freedom of law-abiding people to go about their business against the threat from those who would pervert this freedom.Our primary concern has been to counter the murderous campaigns of republican and loyalist terrorists. This will remain the case so long as it is necessary to combat the activities of groups, or a particular group, who espouse violence as a means of achieving their ends. The Government recognise that racketeering in Northern Ireland is intimately bound up with the activities of the terrorists. Indeed, the problem did not disappear during the ceasefires.There has never been a clear distinction between "terrorist" racketeering and racketeering for personal gain and the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee on Organised Crime has recently warned that combating this menace

To ask the Attorney-General what amounts of money have been paid out by (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other organisations for which he is accountable to Parliament, to how many staff or former staff in respect of (i) alleged equal opportunities breaches which do not proceed to tribunals or courts and (ii) equal opportunities breaches which proceeded to tribunals or courts in (1) the current year and (2) the two previous years. [22515]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the annual number of extra Northern Ireland Orders in Council that will flow from the proposed Deregulation and Contracting-out Order in Council. [14546]

[holding answer 13 February 1996]: A composite deregulation Order in Council will be introduced next year and as frequently as necessary thereafter, to carry forward in Northern Ireland, as appropriate, changes being made in Great Britain under the order-making powers in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 and any measures unique to Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current number of (a) men and (b) women unemployed (i) as a percentage of the work force and (ii) in total for each council or other convenient geographical area. [22010]

Travel-to-work areas are the only geographical areas within Northern Ireland for which both unemployment numbers and rates are available. Male, female and total figures for Northern Ireland TTWAs at 8 February 1996 are shown in the following table:

No such payments have been made by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Government Property Lawyers or the Serious Fraud Office.The Crown Prosecution Service has made the following payments in respect of alleged equal opportunities breaches which did not proceed to tribunals or courts:

To ask the Attorney-General if he will seek to prosecute (a) SMDS, (b) J and S Franklin, (c) Compass Safety International/Compass Maritime, (d) CCS, and (e) Civil Defence Supply for their role in the supply of electro-shock batons. [22978]

The question of prosecution does not arise unless there has been a prior criminal investigation. These companies to which the hon. Member refers have not featured in the investigation carried out by the Ministry of Defence police. If she has any evidence tending to support allegations that these companies or their employees have committed criminal offences, then she should make it available to the police.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what amounts of money have been paid out by (a) her Department and (b) executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other organisations for which she is accountable to Parliament, to how many staff or former staff in respect of (i) alleged equal opportunities breaches which do not proceed to tribunals or courts and (ii) equal opportunities breaches which proceeded to tribunals or courts in (1) the current year and (2) the two previous years. [22518]

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Financial year	(a) (i)	(a) (ii)	(b) (i)	(b) (ii)
1995–96	1 person £1,000	2 people £5,000 + £ 12,000	1 person £1,000	—
1994–95	—	—	1 person £16,105	—
1993–94	—	—	1 person £500	1 person £1,500

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidelines are currently in force in her Department and its executive agencies relating to competitive tendering and the use of single negotiated tenders; on what grounds single negotiated tenders can be used; and what procedures are in place within her Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22847]

Written guidance is fully in accordance with Government procurement policies, including the principles set out in the recent White Papers "Competing for Quality" and "Setting New Standards" and compliant with the EC procurement directive has been disseminated to staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by her Department and its executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if she will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by her Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22861]

Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions have taken place with (a) the voluntary sector, (b) trade unions and (c) other groups to encourage people from outside the private sector to join training and enterprise council boards of directors; and if she will make a statement. [22173]