To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) to what extent the targets for effective smoking policy in public places have been met in the last 12 months; [26593](2) what steps he will take to improve the voluntary imposition to smoking controls in public places; [26578](3) what plans he has to introduce statutory protection of the public from passive smoking. [26579]

In 1992, the Government's target was that 80 per cent. of public places should have effective smoking policies by the end of 1994. The report "Smoking in Public Places, 2nd Survey Report, " a copy of which has been put in the Library of the House of Commons, shows for eight categories of establishment the percentage with an effective smoking policy are:

Category	Percentage
Shops	63
Advice/money transactions	48
Travel	38
Health	71
Formal education	77
Informal education	62
Food/entertainment	37
Sports/recreation	48

The report relates to a survey carried out in 1995. The Government's position is that non-smoking should be the norm in all enclosed public spaces visited by the public, with facilities as appropriate for those who wish to smoke. In 1991, the Department of the Environment, jointly with other Departments, published a code of practice on smoking in public places which provides practical guidance to owners and managers on implementing suitable policies on smoking. The Government will continue to make copies of that code freely available. The essence of a voluntary approach to smoking in public places is that the public should make their views known without Government interference.The report shows that the voluntary approach is working, albeit more slowly than had been hoped. The Government had no plans to introduce statutory protection of the public from passive smoking beyond that which already exists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual cost to his Department of allowing defence companies to claim the costs of marketing their products abroad as overheads on non-competitive Government contracts; [26184](2) what is the annual cost to his Department of allowing the costs of entertainment to be included in the overheads on non-competitive Government contracts by companies claiming the costs of marketing their products abroad. [26185]

The financial information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, these costs are the subject of detailed negotiations with individual companies, to ensure that they comply with the criteria laid down in Government accounting conventions for the pricing of non-competitive contacts. Briefly, such costs must be necessarily incurred and be fair and reasonable; they must conform to an appropriate classification into "product groups", which must be agreed by my Department and they must not relate directly to a contract, in which case they would be directly charged to that contract and not be attributed to overheads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 April, Official Report, columns 501-3, in respect of the soldiers convicted of killing a Danish tour guide in Cyprus, if he has conveyed to the Danish Government the content of the reply; and if he will make a statement. [26551]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence wrote to the Danish Minister of Defence, Mr. Hans Haekkerup, on 3 April to make clear the Army's abhorrence of the disgraceful conduct of the three convicted riflemen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) of 28 February, Official Report, columns 553-54, on the market testing of the Marine Services Organisation, what were the reasons for non-compliance with the management requirements of the task which led to the elimination of the in-house team. [26693]

The in-house team's bid for the ports element of the marine services market test was ruled to be non-compliant since the proposed management arrangements were judged to be inadequate for the effective control of the task and to carry an unacceptably high risk of failure, with consequent financial and operational penalties to my Department. Specific areas of concern included the absence, under the in-house bid team's proposals, of a single focal point at each naval base responsible and accountable for all aspects of the provision of ports services. In addition, levels of delegation to junior staff were judged to exceed what was considered desirable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the chiefs of staff concerning the military utility of anti-personnel land mines. [27025]

It is not normal practice to give details of discussions between Ministers and their advisers. Our policy on anti-personnel mines reflects our judgment of the balance to be struck between humanitarian goals and the continuing needs of our armed forces until there is international agreement on a total ban on such mines, or viable alternatives are developed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's offices used telephone numbers (a) 01–374–0075 and (b) 01–434–1162 in each year since 1970. [26694]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 18 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley), Official Report, column 583.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles for which import licences were granted for each of the last five years; and if he will break down the figures by (a) domestic police and armed forces end use and (b) others. [26427]

DTI licences for the import of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles are issued only to those individuals or companies who have a valid authority, granted at the discretion of either the Home Secretary, the Scottish Secretary or the Northern Ireland Secretary, to hold or to trade in such weapons.The numbers of these types of firearms for which import licences were specifically applied for each of the past five years are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the consultancies let to KPMG in each of the last three years and the contract fee in each case. [25559]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 25 April, Official Report, columns 261-62.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many HIV positive cases were recorded for prison inmates in England and Wales during 1995. [26545]

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the 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 inmates have been put on report in each prison in England and Wales for having in their possession unauthorised drugs, since 1 January. [26304]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which wings in HMP Walton are currently closed; which wings at this establishment are planned to be closed in the near future; what are the reasons for each of the closures; and if, once the areas closed and planned to be closed have re-opened, there will be no slopping out. [26436]

[holding answer 23 April 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the 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 when the Minister with responsibility for prisons last visited Risley prison. [26334]

[holding answer 24 April 1996]: I visited Risley prison on Wednesday 10 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay the provision of £700,000 for the pensions following the early retirement of the chief executives of East Sussex health authority and the East Sussex family health services authority. [26423]

I understand that these pension provisions were made in accordance with the national health service superannuation scheme and are a matter for East Sussex, Brighton and Hove health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the authority, Mr. Julian Wellesley, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on how many occasions in 1995 patients were turned away from St. George's hospital, Tooting, because the bed capacity of the hospital was complete; and if he will make a statement; [26582](2) What has been the number of staff redundancies amongst nursing staff at St. George's hospital within the last 12 months. [26586](3) how many patients were operated on privately at St. George's hospital Tooting, after referral by a general practitioner to that hospital, during 1995; [26588](4) how many operations were cancelled at St. George's hospital during 1995; [26581](5) how many patients have had to wait for four hours or more in the accident and emergency services at St. George's hospital, Tooting, as a result of a shortage of hospital beds since 1 January 1996; [26583](6) how many patients had to wait overnight in the accident and emergency services at St. George's hospital, Tooting, during 1995; [26585](7) what was the average length of time that

This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Dr. Elizabeth Vallance, chairman of St. George's Healthcare national health service trust, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion has taken place between his Department and the NHS trust management of St. George's hospital, Tooting, regarding any future possible bed closures. [26556]

The National Health Service Executive holds regular business planning meetings with national health service trusts, including St. George's Healthcare NHS trust. No proposals for future bed closures have emerged from those meetings. The trust opened 16 additional beds on 1 April, and plans to open two additional paediatric intensive care beds later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the amount by which current national health service funding in the Doncaster area is under target; what action he plans to take to meet the target; and if he will make a statement. [26646]

Doncaster health authority is £2.8 million or 2.2 per cent. under target in 1996–97.We plan to move all health authorities to their weighted capitation target as soon as it is practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the estimated total cost in 1996, 1997 and 1998 of additional payments to health authority managers who recruit general practitioners to become fundholders; [26795](2) what new financial incentives are to be offered to health authority managers to persuade general practitioners to become fundholders. [26794]

Performance-related pay is awarded at the discretion of employing authorities, who decide locally what objectives are set for particular posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was provided by the Trent regional health authority, prior to its dissolution, to the Sheffield centre for health and related research. [26812]

Trent regional health authority provided the following funding to the Sheffield centre for health and related research.

			£
Purpose	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Operational research	56,000	130,000	70,000
Purchasing effective care	—	30,000	16,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what employees at the Sheffield centre for health and related research are paid directly or indirectly by funds made available through the national health service executive or by other NHS funds; and if, in each case, he will list their name, current salary and remuneration package. [26813]

The Department of Health and National Health Service Executive fund some research and development work carried out at the Sheffield centre for health and related research, through the university of Sheffield. The centre is part of the University of Sheffield. Current information about its employees and their remuneration is a matter for the university.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which staff from the Trent regional health authority transferred to take up posts at the Sheffield centre for health and related research, or took up posts at that centre consequent on the dissolution of the regional health authority. [26847]

Three staff formerly employed by Trent regional health authority's operational research division took up employment with the Sheffield centre for health and related research in 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 April, Official Report, column 477, what exceptions were made in providing redundancy terms more favourable than those listed in section 45 of the General Whitley Council handbook or circular HSG (94) 18, following the dissolution of the Trent regional health authority; in each case, what were the circumstances in which this was done; and by how much the terms agreed exceeded those set out in the above guidance. [26848]

No exceptions were made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the five-year rule for keeping and destroying departmental file records was introduced; if he will now review its usefulness; if the five-year rule applies to the departmental solicitors' records; what representations he has had from the National Audit Office concerning the destruction of five-year-old records; when the records pertaining to the extra-statutory payments for general practitioner fundholders' management allowances were destroyed; and if he will make a statement. [27070]

Since the 1960s the guiding principle for Government record keeping is for Departments routinely to review the need to retain records once their business use has ceased. This is set out in detail in the Public Record Office's "Manual of Records Administration", a copy of which is in the Library.Following a thorough review of departmental records management in 1995–96, all important Department of Health information is kept for at least two years and the need to keep it is reviewed when it is between two and five years old. These procedures apply to all departmental records including those for departmental solicitors.No representation have been received from the National Audit Office on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out in descending order the funding allocation per head of population to each health authority in England. [26890]

The information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning local reduced availability of NHS dental treatment; and if he will make a statement. [26979]

We receive letters from hon. Members and from the public about access to general dental services. Health authorities can advise patients on where best to seek national health service dental treatment locally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out in descending order, by health authority in England, the incidence of (a) dental caries in five-year-olds, (b) adults with no natural teeth and (c) oral cancer. [26891]

The table shows the latest information on the incidence of oral cancer in each of the former regional health authorities in descending order. Information on dental caries in five-year-olds and adults with no natural teeth is not available in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 16 February at column 737, for information on the mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth of five-year-old children in each health authority in 1993–94.

Provisional crude rates and numbers or oral cancers1diagnosed in 1990 in England and Wales
Regional Health Authority (as at 1990)	Rate per 100,000	Number
Mersey	7.76	187
North Western	7.08	283
Northern	6.25	193
Yorkshire	6.20	227
Wales	5.84	168
East Anglian	5.63	116
Wessex	5.61	166
South East Thames	5.29	195
West Midlands	4.97	261
Trent	4.79	225
North West Thames	4.72	168
Oxford	4.55	116
South West Thames	4.54	137
South Western	4.26	140
North East Thames	3.98	150
Total	5.37	2,732
1 Oral cancer is defined as: cancer of the lip (International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, 140), tongue (ICD9 141), gum (ICD9 143), floor of the mouth (ICD9 145), unspecified parts of the mouth (ICD9 145), oropharynx (ICD9 146), nasopharynx (ICD9 147), and hypopharynx (ICD9 148). Cancers of the salivary glands (ICD9 142) have been excluded as they are not normally grouped with oral cancers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors were taken into account in making the current year's allocation of funding to Manchester health authority; and if he will make a statement. [26892]

In 1996–97 we have maintained continuity and stability of funding by ensuring that no health authority lost resources. All health authorities received a cash uplift of 2.73 per cent. for Manchester health authority this meant a cash increase of £6.2 million.We have also ensured greater equity in resource allocation by using growth principally to move under-target health authorities closer to target. As Manchester health authority was more than 10 per cent. over target it received no allocation for growth in 1996–97.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the business case was completed for the development funding of Read codes; when Treasury approval was obtained for the scheme; what is the total discontinuation compensation payment agreed under the terms for the purchase of the rights from Mr. Read; what payment has been made to (a) Loughborough university and (b) Mr. Read under the rights purchase agreement; and if he will make a statement. [27065]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Sackville) gave him on 18 October 1995 at column 280–81.Details of negotiations conducted on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health are confidential.Part of the agreement to make Read clinical codes crown copyright is that the purchase price is not divulged to third parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the revisions to his Department's objectives for export promotion since those listed in table 1.3 of "Overseas Trade Service: Assistance to Exporters", a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, HC 293; and if he will make a statement. [26703]

Our objectives and achievements, including for trade and investment promotion, are contained in the departmental report for 1996, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.The National Audit Office report (HC 293) on services to exporters provided by the FCO and DTI through their joint export promotion arm Overseas Trade Services shows that the FCO's overseas posts provide valuable assistance to existing and potential British exporters and investors overseas. The NAO concluded that the OTS services it examined in four south-east Asian countries had helped introduce around 1,000 British companies to those markets over two years. These services, which cost around £4.5 million to provide, helped generate additional exports for British companies worth around £345 million: a gearing of almost 1:80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contracts his Department and his agencies have with Serco Ltd.; what is the current cost; when each contract ends; what are the penalties involved should he seek early termination of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [26680]

This Department and agencies have no contract with Serco Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the revenue spending estimated by his Department in connection with the private finance initiative for (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26632]

We consider the use of private finance as the preferred option for all proposed capital projects. No projects under the private finance initiative scheme have yet been agreed. It is not yet possible to make an accurate estimate of the revenue implications of potential PFI projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council and the intergovernmental conference ministerial meeting on 22 April. [27169]

The A items listed in document 6507/96, which will be placed in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is available, were approved except item 6 of the former Yugoslavia which became a B item for substantive discussion.The Council took note of resolution in EP documents 5779/96 (PE-RE-24) and 6210/96 (PE-RE 27). Copies of these documents will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.The Council agreed conclusions on former Yugoslavia; the critical dialogue with Iran; and the US/'Helms/Burton' legislation on trade with Cuba.A declaration on the latest developments in Lebanon and conclusions on the situation in Niger were agreed. The Council also expressed its sympathy for the families of victims of the terrorist attack in Cairo on 18 April.The Council discussed the MEDA regulation on aid to countries in the Mediterranean. While no agreement was reached at this Council, the presidency expressed hope for agreement during the next Council scheduled for 13 May. Ministers also discussed former Yugoslavia; and Slovenia.The Council discussed the continuing export ban on British beef products. The Secretary of State underlined the urgent need for progress towards lifting the ban.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on increases in the costs of (a) the European Union Commission, (b) the EU Country Auditors and (c) the European Court, since 1990; and what are their estimated costs in 1996. [26317]

I have been asked to reply.I presume my hon. Friend refers to the cost of the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors and the European Court of Justice. The information is provided in the table:

Costs of the European Commission, European Court of Auditors and the European Court of Justice
	1990 (ecu)	1996 (ecu)	Average annual growth (Per cent.)
European Commission	1,505.0	2,696.7	10.3
European Court of Auditors	53.4	56.2	3.1
European Court of Justice	66.9	169.7	17.7

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the Agriculture Directorate General for 1996; and what is the cost of the Agriculture Commissioner's cabinet. [26316]

I have been asked to reply.I am afraid the 1996 EC budget does not show the information requested. I suggest that my hon. Friend contacts the European Commission direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what part-funding contribution his Department has made towards the development of Read codes for computerised health and hospital information systems. [27064]

The Scottish Office department of health has not made any contribution towards the funding of the development of Read codes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the key performance targets he has set Historic Scotland for 1996–97. [27541]

I have set Historic Scotland the following key performance targets for 1996–97:

	Target
Protecting Scotland's Built Heritage
Number of monuments scheduled	370
Weighted number of listed building resurvey units	176
Percentage of scheduled monument consent cases resolved within 12 weeks	81 per cent.
Percentage of listed building consent cases resolved within 28 days	97 per cent.
Number of historic building repair projects newly assisted by grant	145
Total value of grand-assisted repairs in Progress	£33.5 million
Backlog of conservation of monuments in care	reduce
Promoting and Presenting the Built Heritage
Number of visitors to monuments in care	2.4 million
HS market share compared to major paid heritage attractions in Scotland	47 per cent.
Percentage of satisfied visitors (based on surveys)	95 per cent.
Average spend per visitor	£1.02
Agency management
Percentage efficiency gains/savings on all non-grant expenditure	1.5 per cent
Total agency income	£9.9 million

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish his report on the discharge of his duties for further education in Scotland as required under section 1 of the Further and Higher Education Scotland (Act) 1972; and if he will make a statement. [27542]

My right hon. Friend's report on further education in Scotland in 1995 has been published today and has been laid before both Houses of Parliament. Copies are available in the Library of the House.The report, entitled "Further Education in Scotland 1995: Report by the Secretary of State for Scotland" shows that further education colleges have continued to raise standards and that progress has been made in the use of performance indicators as part of their quality assurance arrangements. They continue to make an impressive contribution to the training needs of individuals and of employers and are to be congratulated on the 6 per cent. increase in student activity and 4 per cent. efficiency gains which they achieved in the 1994–95 academic year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress his Department has made towards obtaining a photocopying licence from the copyright licensing agency to ensure compliance with copyright law. [26711]

[holding answer 25 April 1996]: The Department is discussing detailed arrangements with the copyright licensing agency to determine what, if any, need it has for a licence to ensure compliance with copyright law.

To ask the Secretary of State

Pupils of Primary and Secondary school age whose education is provided by Local Education Authorities by LEA of provision LEA of residence and age, for each (LEA in England1
March 1996		January 1994
		Provision
	Political control of authority2	All Pupils			Pupils resident in other LEAs
		Number			Number			Percentage
		5-10	11-15	16+	5-10	11-15	16+	5-10	11-15	16+
Corporation of London	Independent	169	8	0	161	4	0	95.3	50.0	0.0
Camden	Labour	8,628	8,954	1,931	943	4,453	1,205	10.9	49.7	62.4
Greenwich	Labour	16,734	12,891	1,598	994	2,292	279	5.9	17.8	17.5
Hackney	Labour	13,277	7,468	444	929	1,075	127	7.0	14.4	28.6
Hammersmith	Labour	7,254	5,766	530	627	2,702	331	8.6	46.9	62.5
Islington	Labour	12,131	7,053	424	1,710	2,371	177	14.1	33.6	41.7
Kensington and Chelsea	Conservative	5,142	2,802	478	1,323	1,562	298	25.7	55.7	62.3
Lambeth	No overall control	15,309	7,212	167	1,137	1,226	62	7.4	17.0	37.1
Lewisham	Labour	16,492	10,117	1,084	1,078	2,016	207	6.5	19.9	19.1
Southwark	Labour	17,014	9,241	159	1,722	2,544	86	10.1	27.5	54..1
Tower Hamlets	Labour	16,808	11,393	943	321	785	99	1.9	6.9	10.5
Wandsworth	Conservative	13,089	8,438	1,206	1,391	2,550	325	10.6	30.2	26.9
Westminster	Conservative	7,362	6,393	1,158	1,719	3,670	695	23.3	57.4	60.0
Barking	Labour	12,107	8,901	977	848	969	126	7.0	10.9	12.9
Barnet	No overall control	18,859	16,148	2,981	1,535	3,887	739	8.1	24.1	24.8

The estimated recurrent spending by this Department, including the Employment Service—but not including independent education institutions or local authorities—in connection with projects undertaken through the private finance initiative cannot, yet, be accurately calculated for 1996–97 and 1997–98. None was paid in 1995–96. As the hon. Member will surmise from the answer to her question of 19 April, this Department estimates that a number of projects will come forward over the next few years. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 6 December, Official Report, column 311.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what evidence she has indicating whether some local authorities are now delegating a smaller proportion of their budgets to schools in the primary, secondary or special school sectors when compared with 1993. [26790]

I will write to my hon. Friend when the local management of schools budget statements produced by local education authorities for 1996–97 have been analysed by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will show for each English local education authority (i) the total number of pupils in each authority's (a) primary and (b) secondary schools, (ii) the total number of pupils and percentage at (1) primary and (2) secondary level who are educated outside their home local education authority, (iii) the total number and percentage of pupils in each authority at (x) primary and (y) secondary level who come from another local education authority and (iv) the political control of each local education authority. [26789]

The latest available information is shown in the following table: