To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what arrangements can be made to ensure speedier access through security controls for the public touring the House. [26433]

This is a matter for the Serjeant at Arms. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. [26637]

The Cabinet Office, including the Office of Public Service, Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information have not yet approved any projects under the PFI. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency hopes to involve private finance in the provision of the metropolitan telecommunications service. The precise level of revenue spending will not be determined until detailed negotiations are completed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to ensure that officials negotiating EU regulations are informed of their impact on United Kingdom business. [27074]

Revised guidance requiring Departments to produce a compliance cost assessment for all EC legislative proposals was published on 25 January 1996, Official Report, columns 321-22.These assessments inform Government policy and the position taken by UK officials when negotiating EC legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when HMSO's 1995 report and accounts will be published; and if he will make a statement [27442]

The 1995 HMSO accounts have been audited and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General, and are being published today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. [26630]

The Department of the Environment and its sponsored bodies attracted over £4.5 billion in private investment in support of programmes in 1994–95 and anticipates a similar outturn in 1995–96. Forecasts for 1996–97 and 1997–98 are for about £6 billion in private investment to be generated. This will assist in the delivery of a large number of projects, most notably ones relating to housing and urban regeneration. Estimated revenue spending on the Department's recently announced private finance initiative design, build, finance and operate-type projects is forecast to be nil in 1995–96, £200,000 in 1996–96 and £700,000 in 1997–98.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. [26679]

The information requested is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of reserves of Essex county council; what proportion of total expenditure that figure represents; and what is the average proportion for shire counties. [26878]

The total level of reserves of Essex county council at 31 March 1995 was £120,127,000—of which £25,159,000 was local management of schools reserves—which was 12.4 per cent. of budgeted revenue expenditure for 1995–96. The same percentage for all shire counties at that date was 9.3 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of domestic customers in each water company area who have suffered interruptions of supply through the operation of pre-payment water devices in each of the last three years; and what percentage this represents of customers using pre-payment water devices in each case. [27026]

[holding answer 26 april 1996]: This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the numbers of pre-payment water meters installed in each water company area; and if he will list which areas (a) provide for total disconnection from the water supply and (b) continue to allow a restricted quantity of water to be supplied in the event of prolonged non-payment. [26893]

The Director General of Water Services is assembling information on the number of budget payment units in operation in each water company area. This information will be placed in the Library as soon as it is available. There is no disconnection of the water supply to the property as a result of the operation

Reservoir	Storage, percentage of capacity
	1 April 1996	1 October 1995	1 April 1995
North West
Northern Command Zone group	78	13	99
Vyrnwy	64	26	97
Northumbria
Teesdale group	77	31	99
Kielder	96	82	97
Severn Trent
Clywedog	86	43	97
Derwent Valley group	54	36	100
Yorkshire
Washburn group	70	24	98
Bradford Supply group	59	15	98

To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment in what circumstances in each water company area disconnection from water supply as a result of the operation of pre-payment water devices renders a water customer liable for less than the regular annual water and sewerage bill for his or her property. [26894]

Customers operating a budget payment unit who pay their bill on a rateable value basis are not eligible for a discount to reflect occasions when the water supply is not taken because the customer has not recharged the unit. Customers who pay their bill on a measured basis and use a budget payment unit pay only for the amount of water consumed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the water companies' representations on the effect of the current regulation scheme on the level of water resources; and what plans he has to initiate a discussion at high level with the regulators and the Environment Agency on water resources. [27266]

Together with the Environment Agency, the Office of Water Services and the drinking water inspectorate, the Water Companies Association and the Water Services Association are both participating in high-level discussions as part of the review of water resources and supply arrangements in the longer term which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced last September.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of reservoir capacity is currently full in each water company area; and what is was (a) six months ago and (b) a year ago. [27166]

Storage as a percentage of capacity as at 1 April 1996, 1 October 1995 and 1 April 1995 in the major reservoirs or groups of reservoirs in each of the Environment Agency areas in England and Wales and which serve water companies is given in the following table:

Reservoir	Storage, percentage of capacity
	1 April 1996	1 October 1995	1 April 1995
Anglian
Grafham	94	72	95
Rutland	92	61	91
Thames
London Group	94	66	97
Farmoor group	99	76	97
Southern
Bewl	99	69	99
Ardingly	100	46	100
Wessex
Clatworthy	100	30	100
Bristol West group	95	44	99
South West
Colliford	63	47	97
Roadford	37	26	96
Wimbleball	78	30	100
Stithians	99	27	96
Welsh
Celyn and Brenig group	72	48	100
Brianne	100	48	100
South Wales group	94	19	99
Elan Valley group	98	34	95

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in total and by each valuation office the number of appeals that have been received against the 1995 rating; how many have been resolved; how many remain outstanding; and when he estimates that this process will be completed. [27306]

I am placing in the Library a table which sets out, in total and by each office of the Valuation Office agency in England, the number of valid proposals to alter the 1995 rating lists which were received by 31 March 1996, the number settled and the number outstanding. We expect that all these outstanding appeals will be settled by the end of 1997. Appeals against entries in the 1995 rating lists may still be made up until 31 March 2001. Further appeals may be made thereafter in cases where lists have been altered, for example following decisions of valuation tribunals, the Lands Tribunal or the High Court. I cannot therefore estimate when all appeals against the 1995 list will have been settled.

To ask the Secrectary of State for the Environment if he will set out in total and by each Valuation Office region the number of valid proposals to alter the valuation list which were lodged (a) before 30 November 1993, (b) between 1 December 1993 and 30 November 1994, (c) between 1 December 1994 and

Age of unresolved valid banding proposals as at 31 January 1996
VOA region	Under 3 months	Between 3 and 6 months	Between 6 and 12 months	Between 12 and 18 months	Between 18 and 24 months	Over 24 months	Total
Central	3,135	2,884	3,243	898	455	535	11,150
East	3,191	2,884	3,569	1,012	513	829	11,998

In the periods 1 April to 30 November 1993—the "initial appeal period"—1 December 1993 to 30 November 1994, 1 December 1994 to 30 November 1995 and 1 December 1995 to 31 March 1996 the Valuation Office agency received, respectively, 864,316, 89,440, 93,213 and 83,220 banding proposals in respect of dwellings in England.Statistics are held on proposals made during the initial appeal period, and the total made cumulatively since 1 April 1993. The tables show, by Valuation Office region and in total, the last available figures for proposals received and outstanding and the age of those yet to be resolved.

Proposals received and outstanding as at 31 March 1996
	Initial Appeal Period (1/4/93–30/11/93)		Cumulative (1/4/93–31/12/96)
VOA region	Valid proposals received	Number outstanding	Valid proposal received	Number outstanding
Central	156,848	307	193,972	9,783
East	160,456	400	199,953	10,400
London	140,034	404	173,370	7,056
North	108,644	191	130,901	5,238
South	204,766	657	252,733	12,242
West	93,568	51	115,777	5,252
Total	864,316	2,010	1,066,706	49,971

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current percentage level of maximum groundwater in each of the water company areas; and what it was (a) six months ago and (b) one year ago. [27099]

Site	Aquifer1	Percentage of historic maximum level for month
		March 1996	October 1995	March 1995
Anglian
Washpit Farm (Norfolk)	C	86	94	98
Redlands Hall (Hertfordshire)	C	78	74	100
Keelby Grange (N. Lincolnshire)	C	34	70	95
New Red Lion (S. Lincolnshire)	LL	63	47	88
Northumbrian
Rushyford (Durham)	ML	99	99	99
Skirwith (Cumbria)	S	99	100	100
Southern
Westdean (E. Sussex)	C	35	35	88
Compton House (W. Sussex)	C	60	52	90
Little Bucket Farm (Kent)	C	72	84	100
Chilgrove House (W. Sussex)	C	66	46	88
Severn Trent
Alstonfield (N. Derbyshire)	CL	86	87	93
South West
Lime Kiln Way (Dorset)	C	100	101	100
Bussels (E. Devon)	S	96	98	98
Thames
The Holt (Hertfordshire)	C	95	98	86
Therfield Rectory (Hertfordshire)	C	82	83	94
Rockley (Wiltshire)	C	95	95	100
Ampney Crucis (Gloucestershire)	MJ	99	97	99
Wessex
Ashton Farm (Dorset)	C	99	93	99
West Woodyates Manor (Dorset)	C	85	64	89
Welsh
Llanfair D. C. (Clwyd)	S	99	99	100
Yorkshire
Dalton Holme (E. Riding)	C	59	56	87
Wetwang (E. Riding)	C	65	87	73
Peggy Ellerton (W. Riding)	ML	92	93	94
1 Aquifer codes: C = Chalk and Upper Greensand; CL = Carboniferous Limestone; LL = Lincolnshire Limestone; MJ = Middle Jurassic limestones; ML = Magnesian Limestone; S = Permo-Triassic sandstones.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list central Government expenditure on energy efficiency by all Departments and programmes for 1995–96. [27237]

The information of 1995–96 is not yet available, but will be requested from individual Departments later this year. I expect shortly to publish figures for 1994–95.

Groundwater levels as a percentage of the maximum historically recorded for the month in question at index sites on the major aquifers used for public water supply in England and Wales are given in the following table, grouped according to Environment Agency area and also showing the aquifer type:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations he received in each of the last four years complaining about the procedure for selecting for and excusing from jury service. [26451]

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 Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the approximate shortfall in magistrates available to the Doncaster Bench. [26309]

The current strength of the Doncaster Bench is 185 and the most recent annual average number of sittings is 43. This is marginally over the Lord Chancellor's desired upper level of 40 sittings to achieve which it is estimated that a further 17 lay magistrates would be required.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what legal aid is available to a British national who is appealing against a prison sentence imposed in an overseas country; and if he will make a statement. [26426]

A British national appealing against a prison sentence imposed overseas would be doing so under the jurisdiction of the overseas country. Legal aid would be available to the appellant according to the rules of any scheme operated by that country. Under the legal aid scheme of England and Wales, legal aid is limited to matters of English law and to proceedings before the courts of England and Wales. Parallel provisions apply under the legal aid schemes of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral statement of 25 March, Official Report, columns 711-23, what are the risks referred to by SEAC associated with changing from eating beef to non-beef products. [26450]

As the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's advice stated,

"no human activity is without some risk",

and it is widely acknowledged that there is a variety of health risks associated with food.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [26624]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 6 December 1995, Official Report, column 224.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of cancelled operations in each of the hospitals in the area covered by the West Yorkshire district health authority in each quarter of 1994–95 and 1995–96. [26776]

The latest information available is shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the study taking place in the Sellafield area in respect of cases of childhood leukaemia, sewage outlets and a virus. [26697]

No study is being carried out nor is one planned. At present, there are no data to link childhood leukaemia with viral infection or still less with any virus that would normally be present in sewage.In its recent report, published on 27 March 1996, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment recommended that the United Kingdom childhood cancer study, which is a national study testing both radiation and non-radiation hypotheses regarding the aetiology of childhood cancer and leukaemia, should be supported to completion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which locations childhood leukaemia has been linked to (a) sewage outlets and (b) viruses; and if he will make a statement. [26698]

There is no evidence to link childhood leukaemia with any virus that would normally be present in sewage, or with any other viral infection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 April, Official Report, column 480, what proportion of general practitioners' premises were below minimum standards in each London health authority in each year since 1990. [26649]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Dulwich (Ms Jowell) on 30 January, Official Report, column 711.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the value and risks of prescribing steroids to children. [26786]

Corticosteroids are effective in the treatment of many serious and life-threatening conditions and have been used for the treatment of children and adults for many years. All medicines have side effects, and those for corticosteroids are well documented in the product information, which is produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the Licensing Authority and in the British National Formulary, which the Department sends free of charge to all doctors. The product information contains special precautions regarding use in children. In addition, in 1994, the Committee on Safety of Medicines evaluated the association of corticosteroids and severe chickenpox, as a result of which the product information for corticosteroids was revised to further improve warnings and precautions of use. Doctors and pharmacists were informed of these changes through the CSM's regular bulletin "Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance".

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will restrict the sale of paracetamol and products which include paracetamol as a principal ingredient to outlets controlled by qualified pharmacists. [26796]

The sale of paracetamol in pack sizes over 25 tablets is already restricted to control by a pharmacist. There are currently no proposals further to restrict the sale of products containing paracetamol.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation he has made of the findings of the report commissioned for Headway on assessing residential care needs of people who have suffered traumatic brain injury; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement. [26478]

We shall study the report, which has just been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 30 January, Official Report, column 716, if he will now publish the results of the monitoring figures for the occupancy of intensive care paediatric beds for the months of February, March and April, and monthly thereafter. [27264]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the chief executive of the national health service to report to him on paediatric intensive care by the end of April. Information for this report is still being collated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if representatives from his Department will be attending the 11th international conference on AIDS in Vancouver in July. [27268]

There will be two representatives from the Department of Health attending the 11th international conference on AIDS in Vancouver in July 1996—a principal scientific officer and a nursing officer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the per capita funding in each district health authority in (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [25887]

[holding answer 19 April 1996]: The figures for district health authorities' funding per capita in 1995–96 will be placed in the Library. District health authorities were abolished on 31 March 1996 and replaced by health authorities combining the functions of district health authorities and family health services authorities, and often with different boundaries.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the countries he has visited and the dates of these visits in each year since 1992. [26299]

I refer to the reply I gave on 26 April 1996 to the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Hall), Official Report, columns 322-25.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times he has visited Switzerland and on what dates and for what purposes in each year since 1992. [26300]

Since I became Chancellor in May 1993, I have made the following visits to Switzerland:

• 27-30 January 1994: Davos, Switzerland (World Economic Forum)
• 26-29 January 1995: Davos, Switzerland (World Economic Forum).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has had since 1 January 1995 about (a) delays in hearing appeals against valuation of business premises for rates and (b) reductions in manpower in the Valuation Office; and if he will make a statement. [26338]

Ministers within the Treasury have received around 10 inquiries relating to alleged delays in the hearing of business rate appeals and a further five inquiries in connection with reductions in manpower within the Valuation Office agency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 10, on net EU receipts, if he will set out the formula and basis of calculation of (i) the gross contribution and (ii) the abatement in respect of 1995–96 and the previous year. [26788]

The basis of the Community's revenue system, which leads to the member states' gross contributions to the European Community budget, and a broad description of the basis used to determine the UK's abatement are contained in chapter 8 of the "Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's smaller Departments—The Government's Expenditure Plans 1996–97 to 1998–99", Cm 3217. This chapter also outlines the main differences between the UK's gross contributions in the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dover of 22 April, Official Report, column 10, relating to net EU receipts, in which documents produced by Her Majesty's Government the column "Public sector receipts" is analysed; and if he will set out the Departments which receive the funds and give details of their use. [26787]

Details of the amounts of the UK's receipts from the Community budget by Department and by main Community funds, for the period 1990–91 to 1998–99, are given in table 8D of the "Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's smaller Departments—The Government's Expenditure Plans 1996–97 to 1998–99", Cm 3217. Similar details of the amounts in earlier years are given in the earlier departmental reports. Details of the use to which these funds are put can be obtained from the relevant departmental Ministers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [26641]

The Treasury, Royal Mint, Office of HM Paymaster General, Valuation Office and Office for National Statistics have no contracts with Serco Ltd.The Inland Revenue has a contract with Serco for administration services at the Inland Revenue offices, Castle Meadow road, Nottingham. This includes typing, secretarial, messenger, porter post room, switchboard, help desk, training/conference room booking services, etcetera. The current cost is £1,123,343.97—February 1995 to January 1996—and the contract ends on the 31 January 1998 with an option to extend to 31 January 2000.There are no penalties if the contract is terminated early, due to a default in the service, or for a breach of the contract.If Inland Revenue wishes not to continue with the contract for reasons other than the above, it needs to give six months' notice and would be liable to pay reasonable commitments, liabilities and expenditure which otherwise would be an unavoidable loss to Serco by reason of termination of the contract.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the effects of reducing value added tax on energy-saving materials from 17.5 per cent. to 8 per cent; and if he will make a statement. [26831]

I have no plans to reduce the rate of value added tax on energy-saving materials.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to monitor the performance of Government Departments in the timely payment of creditors. [26835]

[holding answer 25 April 1996]: Departments are currently required to publish details of their payment performance in their departmental reports. Following the Prime Minister's statement at the Your Business Matters national conference, a league table of all Departments' payment performance will be published every year, and the Treasury is currently considering a new, rigorous and consistent method to collect this data.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the income tax yield from the self-employed in the latest year for which figures are available. [27034]

[holding answer 26 April 1996]: In 1995–96, it is estimated that £8.6 billion income tax was received in respect of income from trades, professions and vocations, net of repayments made. No estimate is available of tax paid by self-employed people on their other income.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of his Department in pressing for changes to the administrative procedures of the EU Poland and Hungary Assistance for Economic Restructuring programme. [25903]

The improvements we have been seeking PHARE's procedures include greater decentralisation of programme management from Brussels to recipient countries, effective monitoring and evaluation of programmes and a larger role for EU delegations in co-ordination and information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the material which he has received from the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activity concerning their budgets and programmes in China. [26546]

The China country programme of the United Nations Population Fund—UNFPA—has a current allocation of $500,000 which will be spent on women's development and mother and child health care projects, and for contraceptive quality assurance work. The International Planned Parenthood Federation has an allocation for the China Family Planning Association in 1996 of $1 million which is for audio-visual equipment and vehicles. Copies of relevant documents will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the work of the United Nations Fund for Population Activity in China with particular reference to encouraging population control policies which do not involve coercion. [27132]

Our judgment is that the United Nations Population Fund performs an essential role in promoting adherence to voluntary and non-coercive approaches to family planning in all countries of the world, including in China. UNFPA is currently engaged in an intensive dialogue with the Government of China about the nature of any future assistance to that country. UNFPA has made it clear that it is prepared to support activities only in countries where birth planning restrictions have been lifted.

$ million
Country and project title	Total international commitment	GEF commitment	Biodiversity action plan
Bhutan; Trust fund for Environmental Conservation, World Bank	13.6	10.0	No
Bolivia; Biodiversity Conservation	8.40	4.5	1No
Brazil; Biodiversity Fund	30.0	25.0	Yes
Brazil; National Biodiversity Project	10.0	10.0	Yes
Cameroon; Biodiversity Conservation and Management	11.40	6.0	1No
Central African Republic; Decentralised Approach to Biodiversity Protection and Use; Bangassou Dense Forest	3.40	2.5	No
China; Nature Reserves Management	17.90	17.9	Yes
Columbia; Biodiversity Conservation in the Choco Region	9.0	9.0	No
Congo; Wildlife protection and Management	16.0	10.0	1No
Costa Rica; Conservation and Development of La Amistad and La Osa Conservation Areas	8.0	8.0	Yes
East Africa region; Institutional Support to Protect Biodiversity	10.0	10.0	No
Ecuador; Biodiversity Protection	7.3	7.2	1No

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those occasions during the last year when Ministers from his Department have made representations in respect of Chinese population control programmes and policies; what was the outcome on each of those occasions; and if he will make a statement. [26547]

Ministers raised human rights issues, which include allegations of coercion in family planning programmes, with a vice-minister of the state family planning commission in September 1995; during meetings with Chinese leaders in October 1995 and January 1996; and with the Chinese Foreign Minister in April 1996. These meetings have had the common objective of persuading the Chinese Government to adhere to international human rights standards. All meetings have served to underline to the Chinese Government the seriousness with which human rights issues in China are viewed in the United Kingdom, and have supported the current intensive efforts of the United Nations Population Fund to encourage the Chinese Government to implement family planning programmes which are responsive to freely-expressed demand for services, rather than seek to meet particular birth quotas or targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those projects concerned with the conversation of tropical rainforests, or species within them, funded through the global environment facility, together with sums of money which have been committed internationally to each project; and if he will indicate if each project forms part of biodiversity action plans published by the Governments of the countries in which the projects are located. [25925]

Further to the holding reply of 23 April, the table lists relevant projects and is based on information supplied by the secretariat of the global environment facility. Under the biodiversity convention, each party is obliged to develop or adapt national plans, strategies or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in accordance with its particular conditions and capabilities. Many countries have yet to complete or adapt these plans. Some of the projects listed will assist in the formulation of these plans. However, all GEF projects relate to the recipient Governments' existing relevant environmental plans. These are listed in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Educationa and Employment what contracts her Department and her agencies have with Serco Ltd.; what is the current cost; when each contract ends; what are the penalties involved should she seek early termination of the contract; and if she will make a statement. [26678]

DFEE and its agencies have two facilities management contracts with Serco, for head office buildings in London and Runcorn, respectively, for which the Department pays annual management fees. The contracts expire on 31 March 1997 and can be terminated by giving 90 days' notice with no specified penalties.Financial details of the contracts are in confidence for commercial reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much has been spent on publicity in each of the four pilot authorities in phase 1 of the voucher scheme; and in each case what was the estimated publicity budget. [26783]

To date, some £1.1 million has been spent on providing information to parents and providers nationwide. The budget, of £750,000, was exceeded in order to meet the unexpectedly high demand for information outside the phase 1 areas. It is not possible to break down expenditure between the phase 1 areas or between phase 1 areas and the rest of the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding has been made available to each of the four pilot authorities and in total to cover the cost of administration in phase 1 of the voucher scheme. [26814]

Grant aid has been made available to the four local education authorities taking part in the first phase of the voucher scheme to recognise the additional costs incurred in participating in phase 1 compared with joining in phase 2.The maximum level of grant up to which each local education authority may claim is as follows:

£
Kensington and Chelsea	37,220
Norfolk	92,107
Wandsworth	48,980
Westminster	38,585
Total	216,892

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many equal value claims have been brought by women for each year since 1990; and how many of those claims were successful in the same period. [26764]

The precise information requested is not available.Statistics showing the number of equal pay cases disposed of each year since 1990, and the number of successful cases in each of those years, are shown in the following table.

Year	Equal pay cases disposed of1	Number successful2
1990	508	10
1991	227	5
1992	240	21
1993	780	19
1994	418	8
Total	2,173	63
1 Many equal pay cases typically consist of a single complaint to which is linked a number of identical claims made by colleagues of the complainant who are employed by the same employer. When a tribunal disposes of a complainant's case, all other cases linked to it are disposed of in the same way and are recorded as such in tribunal statistics.
2 This column records the actual number of successful complaints decided by tribunals. The figures do not include linked complaints which were not actually heard by tribunals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the directives which have affected her Department in each of the past three years and (a) the United Kingdom legislation introduced as a result of the directives, (b) the United Kingdom legislation which goes beyond the minimum standards set out in the directives and (c) the clauses within each piece of United Kingdom legislation which amplify the minimum standards set out in the directives. [27078]

The Department for Education and Employment is responsible for two related directives which require implementation in the UK and have been adopted in the last three years:

Directive 94/38/EC of 26 July 1994 amending annexes C and D to Council directive 92/51/EEC on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training to supplement directive 89/48/EEC;

Directive 95/43/EC of 20 July 1995 amending annexes C and D to Council directive 92/51/EEC on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training to supplement directive 89/48/EEC.

To date, no UK legislation has been introduced as a result of the directives, although legislation in the form of regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 is being prepared for introduction later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what date Solotec inherited responsibility for courses organised by Sight and Sound which had originally been entered into by South Thames training and enterprise council. [27273]

A contract was signed between Solotec and Sight and Sound on 24 April 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 23 April, Official Report, column 102, if the letters to the regional offices in relation to the training and enterprise councils dated 22 March named particular training provider companies. [27315]

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if Employment Service staff based in jobcentres will take adjudication decisions on benefit sanctions for claimants of jobseeker's allowance. [27101]

All adjudication decisions on jobseeker's allowance will be made by independent adjudication officers. Decisions on the refusal of a jobseeker on principle to enter into a jobseeker's agreement, decisions connected with training schemes or employment programmes under section 19(5)(b) of the Jobseekers Act 1995 and decisions on the failure of a jobseeker to attend an Employment Service interview as required will normally be made by those independent officers located in jobcentres. All other labour market adjudication decisions will be made in centralised locations. We will in due course consider whether more independent adjudication will take place in jobcentres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if EU nationals can count periods of unemployment and receipt of benefit in another EU country towards the eligibility qualifying period for (a) training for work and (b) other Employment Service programmes. [27102]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my colleague, the then Minister of State for Employment, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, (Ms Short) on 22 March 1995, Official Report, column 245.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action will be taken against claimants who decline to participate in the job search element of project work. [27103]

The first 13 weeks of job search activity on the project work pilots is voluntary. Unemployed people will be offered extra help to find work through a range of opportunities including: 1-2-1 interviews, jobclub, jobfinder's grant, work trials, training for work and some specialist opportunities for people with disabilities. No action will be taken against clients who decline places on programmes.Those who are then referred to project work experience will be required to attend three hours' supervised job search a week. Those who fail to do this without good cause may be subject to benefit sanctions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for which training providers the London chamber of commerce and industry verify and award NVQ certificates. [27119]

The Department does not hold this information. The National Council for Vocational Qualifications, as accrediting body for NVQs, is provided with details of approved NVQ centres by the London chamber of commerce and industry examinations board under the status of commercial in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will investigate the circumstances surrounding the award of business administration and information technology NVQ qualifications by the London chamber of commerce and industry for courses provided by Sight and Sound and funded by Solotec. [27120]

I understand that the National Council for Vocational Qualifications is undertaking an investigation into this matter. The Department is being kept fully informed and will received a copy of the report when it is finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will carry out a comprehensive review of the way in which NVQs are awarded. [27121]

NVQs were the subject of a comprehensive review by Gordon Beaumont who reported on the 100 most used NVQs and Scottish vocational qualifications in January. I have agreed an action plan, published on 27 March, in response to his recommendations, which includes actions relating to assessment, verification and certification of awards. These are being taken forward by NCVQ under a major programme of work which is sponsored by this Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps she has taken to ensure that the London chamber of commerce and industry is a suitable body to issue NVQ certificates; [27130](2) if she will investigate the suitability of the London chamber of commerce and industry verifiers to assess NVQ portfolios. [27131]

The National Council for Vocational Qualifications is responsible for regulating the NVQ system and its quality. The council regularly reviews the performance of awarding bodies to ensure that they have adequate arrangements and resources for quality assurance and that systems approved at the time of NVQ accreditation continue to operate effectively. The council has recently agreed a plan with the London chamber of commerce and industry examinations board requiring strengthening of arrangements for centre approval, external verification and internal verification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Government office for London was first informed about concerns surrounding the award of NVQs by the London chamber of commerce and industry for students attending courses organised by Sight and Sound. [27129]

The Government office for London first became aware about concerns surrounding the award of NVQs following information from Solotec on 16 April 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the information from the relevant national authorities on eyesight requirements for lorry drivers required by the second European directive on driving licences, 91/439/EEC. [27072]

We have received replies from some, and are awaiting replies from other EU member states. We hope to receive outstanding replies shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the directives which have affected his Department in each of the past three years and (a) the legislation introduced as a result of the directives, (b) the legislation which goes beyond the minimum standards set out in the directives and (c) the clauses within each piece of legislation which amplify the minimum standards set out in the directives. [27080]

The relevant directives are listed in the following table, along with the United kingdom legislation introduced as a result. In our view, in no case does the legislation go beyond the minimum standards required by the directive in question. It is intended that this should also be the case for legislation still in preparation.

Number	Title and description of Community Instrument	United Kingdom legislation
93/103/EEC	Minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels	Implementation in progress.
93/116/EEC	Council Directive relating to interior fittings of motor vehicles	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
93/12/EEC	Council Directive relating to sulphur content of certain liquid fuels	Motor Fuels (Composition and Content) Regulations 1994
93/14/EEC	Council Directive on the braking of two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Currently consulting on changes to Construction and Use regulations.
93/29/EEC	Council Directive on the identification of controls, tell-tales and indicators for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/30/EEC	Council Directive on audible warning devices for two- or three- wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will lift the line orders for the east London river crossing. [27501]

The Government have decided that the east London river crossing line order should be revoked. Statutory procedures leading to revocation will be initiated as soon as practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sums were paid by his Department in fuel duty rebate in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 to (a) British Bus plc, (b) First Bus plc and (c) Stagecoach Holdings plc and their subsidiaries. [27231]

It would not be appropriate for the Government to disclose this information, which is regarded as commercially confidential, about private sector bus operators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list for each of the last five years (a) the number of staff employed and (b) the total cost to his Department in respect of responsibilities for Fishes Royal; and if he will make a statement; [26700](2) how much has been received in each of the last five years in respect of the disposal for Fishes Royal; and if he will make a statement. [26702]

I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard agency to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for each of the last five years, the number of occasions on which his Department has been asked to grant permission for (a) dry leasing of aircraft and (b) wet leasing of aircraft. [26821]

The following table shows the number of wet and dry lease applications which have been made to the Department of Transport over the last five years:

	Wet	Dry
1991	35	6
1992	48	14
1993	49	36
1994	69	14
1995	85	31

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 23 April, Official Report, columns 76-77, which months of the year it is possible to visit the wreck of the MV Derbyshire; and what assessment he has made of whether the recommendation of the assessors and advisers will be ready in time for a visit in the current year. [27236]

An assessment of the weather impact on operations in the area of Derbyshire site has been made in conjunction with the meteorological departments of the UK and USA and additional information from commercial organisations that have carried out underwater operations in this region. We expect to receive the recommendations of the assessors and advisors in time for a visit this year if that proves practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the franchise agreements for those passenger rail franchises that have recently been awarded by the franchising director.[27134]

The Gatwick Express, InterCity East Coast and Midland Main Line franchises commenced operation yesterday, 28 April. Copies of the franchise agreements and ancillary documents have today been placed in the Library. Certain provision of these documents have been deleted in line with section 73 of the Railways Act 1993.The Network SouthCentral franchise will commence operation as soon as practicable and a copy of the franchise agreement will be placed in the Library thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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 be he seek early termination of the contracts; and if he will make a statement. [26688]

[pursuant to his answer, 25 April 1996, c. 246-47]: My Department also has the following contracts with Serco Ltd:

Description	Termination date
Supply and Installation of MIDAS instation and outstation equipment	Mid June 1996
Supply, Installation and Commissioning of Back Projection Display	31 July 1996
NMCS1 Maintenance	7 October 1996
Supply and installation of MIDAS System Manchester Network M62	7 October 1996
NCD Stores Yate	31 January 1997

To ask the Prime Minister if he will take measures (a) at the Council of Ministers of the European Community and (b) the Court of Justice in Luxembourg to expedite the hearing of the British Government's proposed case against the European Commission's embargo on the export of British beef, particularly to third countries; and if he will instruct the Attorney-General to present the British case. [26372]

[holding answer 23 April]: The European Union ban on the export of British beef is not justified on the basis of science as a measure necessary to protect public health, and it is totally disproportionate. We are pressing at every opportunity in the Council of Ministers for this ban on the export of British beef to be lifted. We are also challenging the legality of the ban before the European Court of Justice.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the reporting of trials in the media. [25667]

The law provides a general right to make fair and accurate reports of legal proceedings held in public, published contemporaneously and in good faith, subject to limited statutory exceptions such as those to protect rape victims and children and certain powers to order postponement of reporting where necessary to avoid prejudice to the administration of justice.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on his Department's role in respect of fraud in financial institutions. [25669]

The role of the Serious Fraud Office is to deter fraud through the investigation and prosecution of cases of serious and complex fraud which fall within the criteria set by the director following the recommendations of the Davie report.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the current annual cost of running the Crown Prosecution Service; what was the cost five years ago; and if he will make a statement. [26047]

The current running cost provision for the CPS in 1996–97 is £220 million. Running cost expenditure in 1992–93, five years ago, was £201 million in cash terms and £222 million in constant prices. After taking account of price changes, the CPS's running costs are lower in 1996–97 in real terms by approximately 1 per cent. than they were five years ago in 1992–93.

To ask the Attorney-General what new proposals he has to improve the effectiveness of prosecution procedures. [25660]

Current initiatives between the Crown Prosecution Service and the police include steps to improve the quality and timeliness of case preparation by reducing the volume of paperwork in police files and piloting the use of CPS lawyers giving on-the-spot advice in busy police stations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are currently resident in Taiwan; and if he will make a statement. [26991]

There are estimated to be about 800 British citizens resident in Taiwan, mainly business men with families, English language teachers and missionaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the subject of human rights in Iran with his EU counterparts. [25904]

We frequently raise and discuss the subject of human rights in Iran with our European Union partners. The EU co-sponsors resolutions critical of Iran at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations General Assembly. The most recent resolution was adopted by the UNCHR on 24 April 1996. The EU also raises specific cases of human rights abuses with the Iranian authorities. We will continue to work closely with our EU partners on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to ensure the continuation and expansion of the BBC world television service in Arabic. [25905]

BBC Arabic TV, a commercial service of BBC Worldwide Television, ceased operation on 22 April. Decisions about any future developments are a matter for BBC Worldwide Television.