To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of arrangements for co-ordinating Government policy towards the south-west. [24461]

The Government office for the south-west already plays a valuable role in ensuring close dialogue between Government and the people, businesses and local representative bodies of the south-west. But this is the largest English region, and it has distinct identities and needs. In recognition of this, I have asked the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration to act as a central co-ordinator of Government policy towards the south-west. Working with colleagues in the relevant Government Departments, my hon. Friend will take a close interest in the broad issues affecting the whole of the south-west, but will focus particularly on the concerns and interests of the peninsular counties of Devon and Cornwall.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about ministerial responsibility for volunteering, the voluntary sector and charity matters. [24475]

In consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage, I have decided that ministerial responsibility for:

Government co-ordination of policy on the voluntary sector including volunteering,

charity matters, including sponsorship of the charity commission grants to voluntary sector infra-structure bodies,

sponsorship of the National Lottery Charities Board, the Community Development Foundation and the Volunteering Partnership,

should be transferred as soon as the necessary financial and other arrangements can be made from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage. I have concluded that these matters will fit more appropriately within the framework of the responsibilities of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage, who already has responsibility for other lottery distributors.

To ask the Prime Minister who hosted the reception held at No. 10 Downing street on (a) 7 November 1994 and (b) Monday 6 November 1995. [23724]

My wife hosted a reception on 7 November 1994. There was no reception on 6 November 1995.

To ask the Prime Minister how many pieces of existing Community legislation have been repealed or amended in each of the past three years. [23698]

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Much new Council and Commission legislation supersedes, repeals or amends existing legislation.

To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers have hosted non-official party receptions of functions in No. 10 Downing street since July 1993. [23605]

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has hosted three receptions since July 1993.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all the functions for industrialists held at No. 10 Downing street which were attended by the chairman of the Conservation party since November 1990. [23777]

As far as I am aware, none.

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he will bring forward to the international community to address health problems among the population of Iraq. [23757]

[holding answer 29 March 1996]: United Nations Security Council resolution 986 is designed to bring much-needed relief to the people of Iraq by permitting the sale of oil to purchase more humanitarian supplies. Iraq has so far refused to implement the resolution. We, and a number of other countries, already give substantial support to humanitarian projects in Iraq, many of which specifically address health needs. Food and medical supplies are not subject to United Nations sanction.

To ask the Minister if he will make it his policy to compensate fully any person who has contracted CJD from beef since 1989. [23602]

[holding answer 29 March 1996]: Any claim for compensation would be considered within the framework of the Government's legal obligations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make voluntary contributions to capital projects tax deductible. [21879]

Voluntary contributions to capital projects will commonly be tax deductible under the present system. For instance, a person who, for the purposes of his or his tenant's trade, contributes towards another's capital expenditure can generally claim capital allowances on that contribution. And businesses can have a deduction in calculating business profits for tax purposes for contributions to a capital project if the expenditure is revenue in nature and incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines are currently in force in his 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 his Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22860]

It is Treasury policy that all contracts to be placed by the Department with a potential value of over £10,000 should be the subject of a competitive under tender. The Government's public purchasing policy consolidated guidelines require goods and services to be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary, such as (a) the requirement cannot be sufficiently defined so that normal tendering procedures cannot be adopted; (b) there are insufficient firms in the market capable or willing to bid; (c) intellectual property rights restrict the options available; or (d) extreme urgency, where for example public safety is at risk. All competitive tenders are processed by the Department's purchasing unit. Cases for single tendering are put to the unit where they are evaluated on an individual basis, following the guidelines.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by his Department and executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if he will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by his Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22872]

It is Treasury policy that all purchases made by the Department should be subject to competition. Each exception is treated on its merits. Individual contracts would each need to be checked to determine the overall number in this category, the value of each such contract and the reason why it was awarded on a single course basis. This information could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures for United Kingdom exports of manufactures in the form of the first three lines of the table in page 31 of the March OECD main economic indicators. [22959]

The best available estimates of values of UK exports of manufactures in US dollars at 1991 prices can be made from information available from the CSO database which may be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of answering parliamentary questions in each parliamentary Session since 1989–90. [22902]

The estimated cost of answering questions to Treasury Ministers is given in the list:

• 1989–90: £219,000
• 1990–91: £164.000
• 1991–92: £104,000
• 1992–93: £342,000
• 1993–94: £208,000
• 1994–95: £256,000.

These figures are based on service-wide average costs and assume that half the questions tabled for oral answer were in fact answered in writing.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what out-sourcing contracts his agencies have with the EDS software computer system; what is the current cost; when the contract ends; what are the penalties involved should he seek early termination of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [23740]

None of these agencies holds out-sourcing contracts with the EDS software computer system.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the terms of contract the Inland Revenue has with the EDS computer system; and if he will make a statement. [23718]

I am unable, on the ground of commercial confidentiality, to give any details of specific provisions contained with the contract between Inland Revenue and EDS.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of revenue which the Treasury accrued in the financial year 1994–95 from the taxation of staff perquisites in relation to bus and rail season tickets. [23711]

Employees are generally liable to income tax on vouchers provided for free or cheap travel. Where the employee takes a cheap or interest-free loan from the employer to purchase a season ticket, no tax is chargeable if the total balance outstanding does not exceed £5,000 at any time in the year of assessment in question.Estimates of the revenue raised from the taxation of these vouchers and loans are not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in real take-home pay for (i) a one-earner couple with two children and (ii) a single person on (a) 75 per cent., (b) 100 per cent. and (c) 150 per cent. of average male earnings, in pounds per week at 1995–96 prices, to the nearest 5p in the years 1990–91 to 1991–92 and 1992–93 to 1993–94. [22388]

[holding answer 25 March 1996]: The information requested is contained in the table.

Change in real take-home pay (£s per week to the nearest Sp 1995–96 prices)
Percentage of male average earnings	75 per cent.	100 per cent.	150 per cent.
1990–91 to 1991–921
One-earner couple with 2 children2	5.95	7.40	9.10
Single	5.40	6.80	9.10
1992–93 to 1993–942
One-earner couple with 2 children2	3.35	4.30	6.20
Single	3.10	4.05	3.30
1Two child benefit regimes were in operation during 1991–92—one covering April 1991 to September 1991 and one from October 1991 to March 1992. The year average of the two regimes is used in this calculation.
2Child benefit is treated as a negative income tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual expected cost to the Exchequer of the tax reliefs on (a) personal equity plans, (b) tax-exempt special savings accounts and (c) national savings products, in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97. [22776]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: The latest estimates are in the table.

Estimated total cost of tax relief
	1995–961 2 £million	1996–971 2 3 £ million
PEPs4	450	650
TESSAs	450	350
National Savings Products5	350	350
1Provisional
2These figures are tentative and subject to a wide margin of error. They have been rounded to the nearest £25 million.
3The cost will fall in 1996–97 due to the reduction in the basic rate of income tax on savings from 25 per cent. to 20 per cent. and follow-up accounts starting with only the capital (but none of the interest or bonuses) from the first TESSA.
4Including the CGT cost of capital gains within Personal Equity plans.
5Cost of exemption of interest on National Savings Certificates including index-linked Certificates, and first £70 of National Savings bank ordinary account interest.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue which would be raised by introducing a new upper rate of income tax of (a) 45 per cent. and (b) 50 per cent. for marginal incomes above (1) £75,000 per annum, (2) £80,000 per annum, (3) £100,000 per annum and (4) £1,000,000 per annum; and if he will estimate, in each case, the number of individuals whose post-tax incomes would be affected. [22687]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: Estimated full-year yields at 1996–97 income levels are given in the table. The estimates do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such changes. It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the effect of introducing the higher tax rates for taxable incomes over £1,000,000.

Lower limit of taxable income	Full year revenue yield at 1996–97 income levels Upper rate1		Number of taxpayers affected
£	45 per cent. £ billion	50 per cent. £ billion	Thousands
75,000	0.8	1.5	190
80,000	0.7	1.4	170
100,000	0.6	1.1	110
1The figures include consequential effects on the yield of capital gains tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue consequence of restricting the tax-free lump sum on retirement to £75,000. [22689]

[holding answer 26 March 1996]: I regret that the information required to provide such an estimate is not available because detailed figures on tax free payments are not required for tax administration. The current level of the earnings cap is £78,600 and from 6 April 1996 it will rise to £82,200, giving a maximum lump sum of £123,300.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many orders under the negative resolution procedure have been brought into effect on the day they have been made since January 1995. [23316]

[holding answer 29 March 1996]: None.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to establish a launch aid scheme for defence export products. [23685]

None. The promotion of defence export product is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. The statutory basis for launch aid is the Civil Aviation Act 1982.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional support has been given to the Society of British Aerospace Companies' competitiveness challenge since the 1995 report from the technology foresight panel. [23691]

My Department has fully supported and the Society of British Aerospace Companies' competitiveness challenge to increase the aerospace industries' competitiveness.In addition to the £86,000 given to the competitiveness challenge, prior to the publication of the technology foresight panel's report in 1995, DTI has provided further direct financial assistance to the programme of £165,000 as well as a full-time DTI member of staff, seconded to the SBAC.DTI has also provided £50,000 to the competitiveness challenge-related supply chain relationships in aerospace initiative.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional support has been given to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's innovative manufacturing initiative since the 1995 report from the technology foresight panel. [23690]

The EPSRC's allocation for 1996–97 is £375.95 million. None of this has been specifically allocated by Government to the innovative manufacturing initiative and it is for EPSRC to decide how much to spend on it.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to create a UK space agency with a dedicated space budget. [23687]

The UK's expenditure on civil space programmes, totalling some £180 million a year, is co-ordinated by the British national space centre, which comprises eight Government Departments, agencies and research councils.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether permission was (a) sought from the guarantor and (b) given by the guarantor for British Coal's action in appropriating the assets of the industrial death and retirement fund. [23515]

This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. I understand, however, that the industrial death and retirement scheme—it was not a fund—had no guarantor. British Coal retains the liability to meet all entitlements under the scheme, and informed my Department of its plans before the scheme closed in January 1995.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding his Department's policy on the disposal of orphan assets held by the life assurance industry: and if he will make a statement. [23995]

My Department's general approach to this question was set out by my hon. Friend the then Minister for Corporate Affairs on 24 February 1995, Official Report, columns 362–63, in the context of an announcement by the United Friendly Insurance Co. about attribution of its estate. Since then, a number of life offices have announced that they are entering discussions with my Department over the attribution of their long-term funds. In addition, the Department has received representations from some 20 interested parties.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the value of orphan assets currently held by the life assurance industry. [23996]

A precise figure is not available. Any estimate is subject to a wide margin of error because of the differences in the circumstances of individual companies. In aggregate, the unattributed assets of long-term funds of proprietary life offices are likely to be of the order of £20 billion to £25 billion. I expect much of this to remain undistributed within the funds for the foreseeable future.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action the British Government intend to take to ensure that British businesses are not adversely affected by the United States Cuba Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act. [23077]

[holding answer 27 March 1996]: The key provisions of this legislation are titles III and IV. Title III introduces a private right of action in the US courts for US nationals against non-US persons allegedly trafficking in property expropriated from US nationals in Cuba. Title IV excludes from the US any alien, including company officials and controlling shareholders, allegedly trafficking in confiscated property, a claim to which is owned by a US national.The impact of the legislation on British business will depend on the way in which it is implemented by the US Administration and the US courts. The UK, the EU and other Governments have made a number of representations to the US authorities on the matter and the Government are considering what further action might be appropriate.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of the loan guaranteed by his Department to Porthocurno Management Co. Ltd. under the loan guarantee scheme in 1994 and the value of the guarantee that was assessed when the company was dissolved. [22569]

[holding answer 25 March 1996]: This information is commercially confidential between the Department and the lender.I can confirm the Department has paid a demand under the guarantee to the sum of £70,601.16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what out-sourcing contracts his agencies have with the EDS software computer system; what is the current cost; when the contract ends; what are the penalties involved should he seek early termination of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [23726]

The executive agencies of this Department have no contracts for software computer systems with EDS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by United Kingdom diplomats in the United States of America on the New York Assembly Bill, Ref. A6510/S4880, amending the education law in relation to instruction on genocide and mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850; and if he will make a statement. [23222]

None. The consulate-general in New York, who is monitoring the legislation closely, believes that this Bill is unlikely to pass into law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated audience for BBC World Service English language broadcasts in each of the 10 countries with most listeners; and from which 10 countries the most audience letters are annually received with the numbers involved. [23224]

The estimated audiences for BBC World Service English language broadcasts are as follows:

Top 10 countries (excluding UK)
Country	Audience (millions)
Nigeria	7.5
India	5.5
USA	3.5
Australia	1.9
Ghana	1.1
Ethiopia	0.9
Kenya	0.9
Bangladesh	0.8
Germany	0.7
Uganda	0.7
Total	23.5

The UK domestic audience is estimated at 1.3 million.The highest numbers of letters in 1995 were received from the following countries:

Country	Letters
India	172,000
Burma	78,700
Nigeria	32,400
Indonesia	29,000
China	25,800
Pakistan	19,000
Sri Lanka	10,800
Algeria	10,400
Egypt	9,800
Somalia1	3,500
1A further 4,000+ letters originated in Somalia but were posted via other countries, assisted by the Red Cross.

The World Service received 13,400 letters from the UK in 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what would be the annual cost and the estimated savings involved in rebroadcasting BBC Home Service programmes on to the current schedule of the World Service or the proposed World Service news and current affairs channel; and if he will make a statement. [23225]

Programme content is a matter for the BBC World Service. English language programmes are prepared for a global audience. Most listeners have English as a second language. Many have no first-hand knowledge of the UK. BBC Home Service programmes are meant for a UK audience, but the World Service uses them when appropriate.The BBC has made no estimate of the cost of rebroadcasting domestic material since most of it is unsuitable for its global audience.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments the Irish Republic was required to make in relation to territorial claims on fellow members of the Western European Union when it applied for observer status of that organisation; and if he will make a statement of the compatibility of such claims with the WEU's European defence policy. [23226]

The Rome declaration of 20 November 1992 on WEU observers, which recorded the invitation to the Republic of Ireland to become an observer, does not incorporate any such commitments. We do not regard the Irish constitutional position as incompatible with observer status in WEU.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure the safe return of the refugee followers of Fikret Abdic from Kolaric in Croatia to their homes in Velika Kladusa; and what instructions have been given to United Kingdom forces in Bihac in respect of this matter. [23223]

All but 5,900 followers of Fikret Abdic have returned to Bosnia. The rest remain in the Kuplensko refugee camp in Croatia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Croatian authorities have decided to close the camp. Those who do not wish to return to Bosnia will be moved further away from the border until permanent arrangements for their future are worked out.There are no British units based in Bihac.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many appeals mechanisms, as laid out in section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, he expects to establish by the end of 1996; how many staff each appeals system will employ; and what their estimated annual running costs will be. [23613]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which commercial bank applied for a banking licence on St. Helena prior to 1996; for what reasons it was not granted; and if he will make a statement. [23625]

The Bank of Nova Scotia applied for a banking licence in 1994, but subsequently withdrew its application.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average gross annual income on the island of St. Helena of each quartile of those employed in (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector. [23626]

Information in the form requested cannot be extracted from the statistical data.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for England and for each English local authority for the latest year for which figures are available (a) the number of contracts put out to competitive tender, (b) the number and percentage of those bids which were won by in-house teams, (c) the number and percentage of those bids won by other local authority-managed teams and (d) the number and percentage of those bids won by private companies; and what was the political control of each authority in the relevant year. [23380]

This information is not held centrally. The Local Government Management Board publishes survey reports of its CCT information service which give information about eight areas of activity covered by the Local Government Act 1988. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the date he originally announced for the publication of the revised guidance PPG6; and when he now expects the guidance to be published. [23669]

No date has been announced for the publication of the revised PPG6, but I expect to be in a position to publish in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received asking for publication of the revised PPG6. [23670]

We have received no representations, but we have had a number of inquiries about the publication date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if a reduction in uniform business rate will be made for butchers with stocks of unsold beef. [23768]

I have no plans to make such a reduction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will issue his consultation paper on proposals for promoting greater competition in the water industry.[24287]

I have today issued a consultation paper on extending competition and customer choice in water and sewerage services.Competition is the best guarantee for consumers that they receive value for money, better services and lower prices. The Government are looking to increase progressively competition in the water industry within a strong regulatory framework designed to ensure effective protection and enhancement of water quality and the environment. The proposals in this consultation document, "Water—Increasing Customer Choice", mark an important step in this process.In summary, the proposals which have been developed in consultation with the Director General of Water Services, would:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what regulations exist to control disposal of waste from abattoirs (a) in water catchment areas, (b) in areas used for grazing and (c) adjacent to public rights of way; [23214]

The disposal of substances discarded as waste by abattoirs is controlled under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. These controls also apply to such wastes which are recycled by spreading on land for the benefit of agriculture. The objective of these controls is to ensure that waste is disposed of, or recycled, without endangering human health or harming the environment. The Environment Agency is responsible from 1 April 1996 for the administration and enforcement of the waste management licensing system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been carried out into potential human health risks associated with the distribution of abattoir waste (a) in water catchment areas, (b) in areas used for grazing and (c) adjacent to public rights of way. [23215]

The Department, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the national Rivers Authority, is funding research to provide guidance on the landspreading of industrial wastes, including abattoir waste. A prime objective of the research is to provide technical, scientific and practical guidance on the spreading of industrial wastes on land in a manner that protects human health and the environment as required by article 4 of the waste framework directive 91/156/EEC.The results of the research will be published by the Environment Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of advice he receives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food relating to the disposal of abattoir waste (a) in water catchment areas, (b) in areas used for grazing and (c) adjacent to public rights of way. [23216]

The code of good agricultural practice for the protection of water, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Welsh Office Agriculture Department, provides guidance on the application of wastes from animal processing to all types of agricultural land.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring takes places of the effectiveness of the code of good practice for the protection of water following the disposal of abattoir waste in water catchment areas. [23220]

The spreading of waste on land for the benefit of agriculture or ecological improvement is a recovery operation for the purposes of the amended EC framework directive on waste; and is controlled under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. The objective of these controls is to ensure that waste is recovered without endangering human health or harming the environment.It is an offence under section 33 of the 1990 Act to carry out this operation without a waste management licence or contrary to the conditions of a licence or a licence exemption. The administration and enforcement of the licensing system are the responsibility of waste regulation authorities whose functions are transferred to the Environment Agency with effect from 1 April 1996.The National Rivers Authority also has statutory duties and powers to protect the aquatic environment from pollution and the authority is required to monitor water quality and investigate pollution incidents. The authority's functions are also transferred to the Environment Agency with effect from 1 April 1996.Any pollution incidents that result from abattoir waste being spread in contravention of these controls will be taken into account when the "Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Water" is reviewed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the oral answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the hon. Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) on 26 February, Official Report, column 576, if he will list those statutory instruments and Acts of Parliament which have been gold plated in the past five years; and what steps he is taking to amend or repeal each piece of gold plating on existing legislation.[23637]

The Government's policy is not to add unnecessary burdens when implementing EC directives. Departments take every opportunity to review existing legislation in the light of this. Officials are currently working on revised guidance to enable Ministers to see where implementing legislation goes beyond the underlying EC directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals mechanisms, as laid out in section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, he expects to establish by the end of 1996; how many staff each appeals system will employ; and what their estimated annual running costs will be. [23615]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers are available to local authorities to enable them to maintain the competitiveness of town and city shopping centres against out-of-town shopping centres; and if he will make a statement. [24020]

Local authorities can help by ensuring that the services for which they are responsible are delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible. This includes providing a clear planning framework and local plan that properly reflects the principles set out in PPG6—retailing and town centres—and PPG13—transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he has taken in respect of potential conflicts of interests for members of the board of the Environment Agency who are professionally engaged in industries that must be licensed by the agency with particular reference to the chairman of Ready Mixed Concrete. [23775]

The statutory requirements in respect of agency board members' interests are set out in schedule 1 to the Environment Act 1995. Agency board members were required by their terms of appointment to abide by the Department's general guidance on the declaration and registration of interests—both financial and non-financial—until the agency had drawn up and issued its own guidance. The agency is required to draw up a code of practice for its board members, based on the Government's general code of best practice for board members of public bodies, for approval by the Department. This will incorporate guidance on the declaration and registration of interests.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action is needed to implement Council directive 91/689/EEC as amended by 94/31/EC, the hazardous waste directive. [24369]

The Special Waste Regulations 1996 were laid before Parliament today and will come into force on 1 September 1996 and implement Council directive No. 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste as amended by Council directive 94/31/EC. These regulations replace the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980.The main provisions of the 1996 regulations are to:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the report from the inspector involved in the public inquiry on Kent county council's waste disposal plan to be available. [23430]

[holding answer 29 March 1996]: The inspector's report on objections to the Kent waste local plan is expected to be issued to Kent county council in April 1996. It will be for the council to decide when to publish the report. I have asked the Planning Inspectorate's chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the total annual cost to public funds of early-day motions. [23643]

Her Majesty's Stationery Office estimates that the total cost to public funds of producing EDMs in the Official Report, for the Session 1994–95, was £1,868,000.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the average number of signatures added to early-day motions per week. [23642]

The parliamentary on-line information service database records that, from 15 November 1995 until 26 March 1996, 28,842 signatures were added to EDMs over 77 sitting days, averaging 374.57 per day.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what outstanding loans HMSO has; and from what source these loans come; [23251](2) what plans there are to extend or replace the HMSO service level agreement that is held with the Ministry of Defence; [23255](3) what service level agreements HMSO holds with other Government Departments; and which of these are due to expire during 1996; [23253]

As these are purely operational matters, I have asked the chief executive of HMSO to reply directly to the right hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the House will be given full details of the information memorandum related to the proposed sale of HMSO. [23257]

The information memorandum is a commercially sensitive document to which access is carefully controlled in order to protect HMSO's business and the interests of the Government in the sale process. I do not intend therefore to make the information memorandum generally available. However, in accordance with the undertaking which I gave to the Finance and Services Select Committee when I appeared before it on 21 November 1995, I shall provide the information memorandum to the Committee Clerk.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what leasehold and freehold properties are to be included with the proposed sale of HMSO. [23252]

The intention is that all freehold and leasehold properties occupied by HMSO at the time of the sale, with the exception of suite B, St. Clement's house, should be included with the proposed sale.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 26 February, Official Report, column 328, what was the cost of printing and distribution for the two booklets "Getting a Good Deal in Europe" and "Checking the Cost of Regulation"; and when he intends to distribute the remaining copies of these publications.[23640]

The cost of printing the two booklets was:

	£
"Getting a good deal in Europe … Deregulatory Principles in Practice"	8,062
"Checking the Cost of Regulation: A Guide to Compliance Cost Assessment"	8,666

The costs of distribution are not separately identified.Current stocks are intended to last the lifetime of the booklets and are made freely available to officials throughout Government and to others with an interest as and when they are needed. I have also sent copies of the compliance cost assessment booklet to my ministerial counterparts in other member states.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many appeals mechanisms, as laid out in section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, he expects to establish by the end of 1996; how many staff each appeals system will employ; and what their estimated annual running costs will be. [23614]

As I made clear in my response to my hon. friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Deva) on 11 March, Official Report, columns 464–65, consultation on a draft statutory instrument setting out provisions for the model appeals mechanism is currently in progress. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library and I have asked for replies by 11 May this year.Under section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act, there will be only one model mechanism. This model will be considered for all appeals against enforcement action in appropriate legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what targets he has set for Property Advisers to the Civil Estate on its creation as an executive agency in his Department. [24354]

PACE has today been established as an executive agency in the Office of Public Service. Its main aims are to enable Departments to achieve best overall value for money in the management of their property assets, by providing advisory and co-ordination services, and to carry out residual functions of disposing of inherited vacant property and collecting opportunity cost rents. I have set performance targets for its first year 1996–97:

(i) to identify savings from proposals to be agreed with Departments for the co-ordination of property activities on the civil estate which in total should exceed the agency's related running costs;

(ii) to recover 100 per cent. of the costs of providing intelligent client services;

(iii) to contain expenditure on vacant properties within an annual net provision of £110 million;

(iv) to recover 100 per cent. of opportunity cost rents due;

(v) to recover 100 per cent. of the costs of the Whitehall district heating system.

I have today placed copies of the agency's framework document in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key targets have been set for the Chessington Computer Centre trading fund for the current financial year.[24353]

My primary objective for Chessington Computer Centre is to implement its privatisation this summer. However, until that is achieved, Chessington will be managed with the following key targets for 1996–97:

(1) to achieve an operating surplus of £223,000;

(2) to increase pay clerk productivity by 7 per cent. over 1995–96 performance;

(3) to increase use of the on-line data capture system (SPIRE) to 60 per cent. for a new major customer;

(4) to maintain the minimum on-line service availability at 98.5 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made with the establishment of the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency as a next steps executive agency. [24355]

I am pleased to announce that I have today established the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency as a next steps executive agency. The arrangements for CCTA are fully described in its framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.The purpose of CCTA is to improve the delivery of public services by developing, maintaining and making available, expertise about information technology which public sector organisations will draw on in order to operate more effectively and efficiently.I have set CCTA the following targets for 1996–97:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Paris meeting of the consultative group for Kenya. [23151]

The consultative group for Kenya met at the invitation of the World bank in Paris on 21 to 22 March. Donors welcomed recent positive developments in Kenya's economic policies and the publication of a new policy framework paper, while underlining the importance of a range of good governance issues. The UK announced the immediate release of £5.1 million of programme aid, to support civil service reforms. A copy of the World bank's press statement has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the St. Helena tourism bureau commenced operations; what is its annual budget; and how many (a) local and (b) non-island staff it employs. [23624]

No tourism bureau exists on St. Helena. A consultancy visit in the near future arranged by the World Tourism Organisation, under United Nations Development Programme auspices, will help advise the St. Helena Government on future arrangements for tourism development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of "Investing in St. Helena" were printed on behalf of the St. Helena development agency; at what total production cost; how and where they were distributed; and if he will make a statement.[23801]

Some 1,000 copies of the booklet were produced at a total production cost of £2,891. Copies were sent to UK chambers of commerce; South Africa chambers of commerce; individuals and companies that had previously expressed an interest in investment in St. Helena; and to the UK representative of St. Helena.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of the people of the British Isles were capable of qualifying for legal aid in 1966; what is the latest corresponding figure; and if he will make a statement. [21927]

The Department has no estimates of eligibility for 1966. The Department's estimate of the proportion of households in England and Wales currently eligible for civil legal aid is 48 per cent.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent representations he has received about legal aid in civil cases. [21929]

I have received many representations recently on legal aid in civil cases.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for legal aid over £10,000 have been awarded by the Legal Aid Board during the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [21932]

Information prior to 1993–94 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of civil legal aid certificates where the Legal Aid Board paid gross costs in excess of £10,000 for the following years was as follows:

• 1993–94: 5,437
• 1994–95: 7,346.

In addition, the Legal Aid Board paid gross costs of over £10,000 for criminal legal aid in the magistrates courts as follows.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the operations of the Legal Aid Board. [21935]

The day-to-day operations of the Legal Aid Board are a matter for its chief executive. The board's annual report, which sets out its performance, is available in the House Library.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the (a) gross cost and (b) net cost of the legal aid fund in (i) 1979, (ii) 1989 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available. [23161]

The gross and net costs of the legal aid fund in 1979–80, 1989–90 and 1994–95, being the latest year for which figures are available are:

£ million
	Gross cost	Net cost
1979–80	124	98
1989–90	716	565
1994–95	1,598	1,299

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of judicial vacancies were advertised in 1995. [21928]

Over half the appointments to the full-time professional judiciary in 1995 were made following either advertisement or notice to eligible candidates where eligibility is restricted. The equivalent figure for the part-time professional judiciary was about 20 per cent.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent representations he has received on the working of the magistrates courts. [21930]

I receive frequent representations on the working of the magistrates courts.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what advice he has given to judges in respect of dealing with cases in which a public interest immunity certificate relating to the suppression of evidence has been issued. [21931]

None. Decisions on such claims are matters solely for the courts.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what have been the principal issues which were raised in representations to him about the Family Law Bill during March. [21933]

I received representations on the Family Law Bill on a number of issues during March. The principal issues were: reconciliation and support for marriage, the use of allegations of fault, the professional competence of mediators, the influence of conduct on financial settlements and the timing of finance and property orders.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are his responsibilities in respect of (a) giving advice and (b) making representations to Her Majesty the Queen in her private capacity. [21934]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 March 1996, Official Report, column 73.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information his Department collates on judicial reviews of community care policy. [24155]

The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of regional variations in sickness rates (a) in the civil service, (b) elsewhere in the public sector and (c) in other employment. [22377]

The following table gives an assessment of regional variations in sickness rates in the civil service. The Department has not made an assessment of sickness rates for elsewhere in the public sector or in other employment.

Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 1994: CS Occupational Health and Safety Agency Report
Average working days absence per staff-year by region.
Region	Unadjusted		Adjusted
	1993	1994	1993	1994
North West	11.8	11.2	10.5	10.6
Scotland	11.7	10.1	10.9	10.0
Wales	11.2	10.0	9.4	9.3
North East	11.2	9.7	9.9	8.9
West Midlands	9.4	8.9	8.6	8.5
Northern Ireland	9.2	9.4	8.5	8.4
South East	8.9	8.1	8.7	8.3
Yorkshire and Humberside	9.3	8.3	8.6	8.1
East Midlands	9.2	8.5	8.3	8.0
South West	8.3	7.5	7.9	7.4
East Anglia	8.5	7.6	7.9	7.3
Civil Service average	10.1	8.9	—	—

Having adjusted for the factors affecting sickness absence which have been considered earlier in this Report (age, gender and grade level), there remain substantial differences between regions. The North West has the highest rate of absence of all Regions, followed by Scotland and Wales. East Anglia and the South West were clearly the regions of lowest absence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money has been made available for each year since 1990 for information technology initiatives (a) for initial teacher training and (b) in schools; and if she will make a statement.[22556]

The Department has given a central lead to the development of information technology in schools since the early 1980s. It is not possible to isolate the initial teacher training element.The main source of the Department's financial support is provided through the grants for education support and training programme. The specific GEST allocations for IT in schools in the five years from 1990–91 to 1994–95 were: £19.8 million, £30.4 million, £30 million, £30 million, and £21.9 million.In 1995–96 and 1996–97 support for IT in schools continues to be available through the school effectiveness GEST programme. Eligible expenditure, which attracts grant at the rate of 60 per cent., includes IT equipment, upgrades and software, the installation of networking, the cost of teacher training provision and the employment of IT advisory teachers.Over the period from 1990–91 to 1995–96, the Department has also separately made available funding in excess of £22 million to pilot new technologies; to stimulate software development focused on the needs of the national curriculum; to provide additional funding to equip many schools with multimedia technologies, and to support the development of the effective use of IT in individual curriculum subjects, the primary phase and with children with special educational needs.In addition, the Department has made an annual grant available, in the region of £5 million per annum, to support the work of the National Council for Educational Technology to help schools use IT effectively for curriculum and administrative purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances unemployed benefit recipients who are engaged in community self-build housing schemes from October 1996, will be required to limit their self-build participation to (a) 21 hours and (b) 16 hours in a week; and if the figures will be the same for (i) those carrying out self-build work on a voluntary basis, (ii) self-builders participating in training and enterprise council-funded training programmes and (iii) those participating in European social fund-funded programmes. [23058]

The Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996 make no special provisions for people who participate in self-build housing schemes. To be entitled to JSA all jobseekers must be available for and actively seeking employment, and not in remunerative work for 16 hours or more per week as defined in the JSA regulations. The current approach in income support that those involved in self-build schemes will not usually be treated as engaged in remunerative work will be carried forward into JSA. Each claim from a jobseeker who participates in a self-build scheme will be considered on the individual facts of the case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the number of students in further and higher education in the United Kingdom; and what is the current ratio of school leavers to the number entering higher education. [23249]

The numbers of enrolments in further—excluding adult education centres—and higher education in the UK in 1994–95 are provisionally estimated to be 2,573,000 and 1,701,000, respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the oral answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the hon. Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) on 26 February, Official Report, column 576, if she will list those statutory instruments and Acts of Parliament which have been gold plated in the past five years; and what steps she is taking to amend or repeal each piece of gold plating on existing legislation. [23634]

The Government's policy is not to add unnecessary burden when implementing EC directives. Departments take every opportunity to review existing legislation in the light of this. Officials are currently working on revised guidance to enable Ministers to see where implementing legislation goes beyond the underlying EC directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many appeals mechanisms, as laid out in section 6 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, she expects to establish by the end of 1996; how many staff each appeals system will employ; and what their estimated annual running costs will be. [23617]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the number of temporary exclusions from schools in each year since 1979. [24026]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the number of permanent school exclusions for each year since 1979. [24024]

The Department is this year collecting, for the first time, systematic data on permanent exclusions from all maintained schools, through the annual schools census return issued in January. Comprehensive data on permanent exclusions in the school year 1994–95 will thus be available in the autumn.Prior to this, information was collected on an ad hoc basis. Data on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England were assembled by the Department over a two year period, starting with the summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system. Some 2,910 permanent exclusions were reported in the first year and 3,833 in the second.A survey conducted by Christ Church college, Canterbury on behalf of the Department and published in July last year, showed that there were 10,624 permanent exclusions in the school year 1993–94 in the 101 local education authorities in England which responded to the researchers' questionnaire out of a total of 109 LEAs. It also showed there were 4,550 permanent exclusions in the autumn term 1994 in 101 LEAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children in care of the local authority have been excluded from school in each year since 1979. [24025]

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current benefit sanction on claimants failing to attend 1-2-1 interviews; and what sanctions will apply under the jobseeker's allowance. [24152]

Under current legislation any jobseeker who fails to attend 1-2-1 interviews when required will be disallowed benefit until such time as he does attend. Under jobseeeker's allowance any jobseeker who fails to attend a 1-2-1 interview without good cause will face a fixed period sanction of two weeks' loss of JSA. If he has received an earlier sanction within the previous 12 months, the fixed period may be four weeks' loss of JSA. Depending on the circumstances of the jobseeker, he may be able to receive hardship payments of JSA during the period of sanction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if regulation 9 of the Job Seeker's Allowance Regulations 1996 will allow claimants who satisfy all other availability conditions to restrict their availability for employment during the first six months of a claim. [24156]

Jobseekers may place restrictions on the nature of the employment for which they are available, the terms or conditions of employment, including the rate of remuneration, and the locality in which they are looking for employment provided that they can show that they have reasonable prospects of securing employment despite those restrictions. Regulation 9 imposes a six-month limit on any restriction to do with the rate of remuneration. There is no limit to other areas of restriction, although an adjudication officer may take into account the length of time a jobseeker has been unemployed when determining whether a jobseeker continues to retain reasonable propects of securing employment with the restrictions he has imposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the new 13-week qualifying period for employment on trial of claimants of JSA will take into account any period of unemployment preceding 7 October 1996. [24154]

Yes. Jobseekers can take advantage of employment on trial if they have been unemployed for a continuous period of 13 weeks falling before the start of the job. Jobseekers will not have to have been in receipt of benefit during this period in order to qualify. The reduction in the qualifying period to 13 weeks represents a significant improvement in the provision enabling more people to try out an unfamiliar job without fear of losing benefit later if they decide to give up the job.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what order the jobsearcher's plan and jobseeker's agreement will be completed by claimants of JSA; what additional forms will have to be completed by those entitled to income related JSA and passported benefits; and at what intervals the jobseeker's agreement will be reviewed by Employment Service staff. [24153]

New claimants to jobseeker's allowance will be asked to complete a "helping you back to work" form—formerly referred to as the jobsearch plan form-to help them prepare for an interview to agree a jobseeker's agreement. The jobseeker's agreement may be reviewed at each fortnightly attendance and advisory interview, and will be varied as necessary.Jobseekers who claim income-based JSA and wish to claim housing benefit and council tax benefit will also be required to compete forms NHBI (HB) and NHBI (CBT), as they are currently required to do, in addition to the JSA claim form. Existing arrangements for claiming benefits from other Departments will be carried forward into JSA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has for Employment Service staff to take adjudication decisions on benefit sanctions against claimants of JSA. [24149]

All labour market adjudication decisions in JSA, including those where a benefit sanction is appropriate, will be taken by adjudication officers employed by the Employment Service. Adjudication officers act independently of the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment at what intervals claimants of JSA will have to attend compulsory advisory interviews; and if the existing pattern of compulsory six-monthly restart interviews will be maintained. [24151]

Jobseekers will have to attend advisory interviews when they make a new claim, when they have been unemployed for 13 weeks, or earlier if that has been agreed with the jobseeker, and when they have been unemployed for six months—the existing pattern of six-monthly restart interviews will be maintained.Jobseekers will also have a short review when they attend the jobcentre every fortnight. If, as a result of those reviews, it is decided that a more in-depth advisory interview is appropriate, one will be arranged. Failure to attend any interview as required may lead to the loss of JSA.This pattern of interviews will, of course, be reviewed from time to time in the light of changing circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to enable all unemployed people on Government employment and training programmes to count participation in these towards the three-month qualification period for undertaking part-time education as specified in regulation 11 of Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations. [24147]

Jobseekers who claim jobseeker's allowance will be able to study part time so long as they remain available for and actively seeking employment.There will be an additional concession for certain jobseekers, where no aspect of their study will be taken into account when deciding whether they are available for work if they are willing and able to rearrange their course to take a job within the hours that they have agreed in their jobseeker's agreement they will be available for work. Those who have been in receipt of JSA or certain other benefits for broadly three months or more in the last six will qualify for this concession. Such people may also have been participating in Government programmes. Attendance for an appropriate period on a Government employment and training programme aimed primarily at 16 and 17-year-olds will also qualify a jobseeker for this concession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in which areas and when the new approaches on part-time study arrangements will be piloted; and what particular aspects will be covered. [24148]