To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire (Mr. Barnes) of 4 June, Official Report, column 394, what powers he has under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to alter the valuation list bands for dwellings; and if he will use those powers to alter the council tax liability of residents of mobile homes. [33070]

My right hon. Friend has powers under section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to alter the number of, the ranges of values ascribed to, and the proportion of council tax payable in respect of the existing valuation bands, by order subject to affirmative resolution of the House of Commons.My right hon. Friend has, however, no plans to make such an order. He sees no grounds for reducing the contributions which residents of mobile homes make towards the cost of local services. This would, besides, entail increasing the liability of other council tax payers and would necessitate a massive, and expensive, re-banding exercise: there are over 5 million dwellings in band A alone.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to exempt non-dividend-paying sports clubs from the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement. [33171]

None. Sports clubs which are not conducted for profit may already apply for up to 100 per cent. of discretionary relief from their business rates bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses his Department received to its consultation on extending part M of the Building Regulations to residential dwellings; and how many of these (a) supported and (b) opposed the extension. [33367]

One thousand and seventy-four responses were received. The consultation posed a number of questions, the responses to which cannot be summarised simply as numbers who either supported or opposed the extension.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the responses to the consultation on the extension of part M of the Building Regulations to residential dwellings. [33368]

Copies of the responses were placed in the Library in May 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate his Department has made of (a) the cost per cubic metre of producing desalinated water and (b) the overall cost of providing desalinated water as a long-term solution to water shortages in Britain. [33536]

In its 1992 report "Water Resources Development Strategy", the National Rivers Authority—now part of the Environment Agency—in considering options for meeting imbalances between public water supply and demand which might arise, estimated an indicative overall cost of between £4 million and £6 million for production of 1,000 cu m of water per day by means of desalination. The work which informed this report indicated water production costs generally in the order of 70p to 80p per cubic metre, although in plants featuring energy recovery—for example, from an adjacent power station—the costs might be in the range of 42p to 48p per cubic metre.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on how many occasions in each of the past five years health and safety problems in his Department and its agencies have been reported via internal monitoring; and on how many occasions the Health and Safety Commission has become involved; [33476](2) how many

The numbers of accidents reported in my Department and the agencies for which it was responsible at the time are:

Year	Minor	Major	Fatal
1991–92	508	2	1
1992–93	277	1	0
1993–94	230	1	0
1994–95	176	0	1
1995–96	219	0	0

Data on accidents related to information technology are not collected separately.The Department records accidents at the time of their occurrence and collects the data annually. As required by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, the Health and Safety Executive was notified of all major injuries and fatalities at the time they occurred. Of the two fatalities, one was as a result of a fall from a window. The second occurred while a lift was being repaired.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost in each of the past five years of rectifying working conditions that were the responsibility of his Department and its agencies, to bring them up to acceptable health and safety standards, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33479]

My Department has a continuing programme of maintenance and repair to its buildings, furnishings and equipment to ensure a good working environment for its staff and visitors. Expenditure specifically related to health and safety measures is not recorded separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of each of the local energy advice centres in providing cost-effective advice to the public and on the need for the continued provision of such services (a) in those areas with local energy advice centres and (b) elsewhere. [33365]

The Government passed control of the local energy advice centre pilot study to the Energy Saving Trust at the beginning of April 1996. The trust is assessing the pilot study, which will be completed at the end of the September.Previous market research results have demonstrated that the local energy advice centres are providing an effective and value for money service. Sixty per cent. of clients found the advice they received "very useful" and 90 per cent. of clients would recommend others to contact LEACs for advice. In 1994–95 around 57,000 clients visited LEAC offices. As a result of advice received, 21,000 tonnes of CO

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the continued funding of local energy advice centres. [33366]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones) on Tuesday 18 June 1996, Official Report, column 402.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of people employed by each of the next steps agencies under his Department's control; how many of those employees are women; and at what civil service or equivalent grades they are employed. [32733]

The following information covers non-industrial permanent staff in the three next steps agencies as at 13 June 1996:

Grade	Female	Male	Total
Building Research Establishment
Grade 3 and equivalent	0	1	1
Grade 4 and equivalent	0	1	1
Grade 5 and equivalent	0	4	4
Grade 6 and equivalent	1	20	21
Grade 7 and equivalent	7	92	99
Senior Executive Officer and equivalent	30	112	142

Grade	Female	Male	Total
Higher Executive Officer and equivalent	38	81	119
Executive Officer and equivalent	29	44	73
Administrative Officer and equivalent	97	26	123
Administrative Assistant and equivalent	30	2	32
Total	232	383	615
Planning Inspectorate
Grade 3 and equivalent	0	1	1
Grade 4 and equivalent	0	1	1
Grade 5 and equivalent	2	4	6
Grade 6 and equivalent	12	178	190
Grade 7 and equivalent	2	22	24
Senior Executive Officer and equivalent	1	14	15
Higher Executive Officer and equivalent	18	24	42
Executive Officer and equivalent	44	49	93
Administrative Officer and equivalent	103	72	175
Administrative Assistant and equivalent	40	32	72
Total	222	397	619
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
Grade 5 and equivalent	0	1	1
Grade 6 and equivalent	1	0	1
Grade 7 and equivalent	0	3	3
Senior Executive Officer and equivalent	1	7	8
Higher Executive Officer and equivalent	6	8	14
Executive Officer and equivalent	6	3	9
Administrative Officer and equivalent	17	6	23
Administrative Assistant and equivalent	4	4	8
Total	35	32	67

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all (a) periodicals, (b) magazines and (c) journals received on subscription by his Department over the last three months. [33759]

Titles received on subscription in the past three months include a range of trade, technical, scientific and professional journals and magazines covering the work of the Department. To list each would involve disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department intends to complete its review of measures required to ensure compliance with copyright law. [33767]

It is anticipated that the review of photocopying procedures to ensure compliance with copyright law will be completed by the end of September 1996, after which legal advice may be sought.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he proposes to take against those local authorities whose direct labour and direct service organisations failed to meet their statutory financial objectives in 1994–95. [34208]

On 2 April this year, 26 statutory notices were served on 22 local authorities concerning the failure of their direct labour and service organisations to meet the required financial objectives in 1994–95. My right hon. Friend has now considered the response to those notices, and has decided to give 22 directions to 20 local authorities.The directions take the following three forms:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is the total number of people employed by each of the next steps agencies under his Department's control; how many of those employees are women; and at what civil service or equivalent grades they are employed. [32727]

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executives of the agencies. I have, therefore, asked the chief executives of the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, Central Office of Information, Chessington Computer Centre, Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, Civil Service College, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Occupational Health and Safety Agency, Recruitment and Assessment Services, the Security Facilities Executive and the Buying Agency to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has he made of the effectiveness of the citizens charter; and if he will make a statement. [32685]

The key criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of the citizens charter is improvement in the standards and responsiveness of public services. A full account of this is set out in last year's charter White Paper "The Citizen's Charter: The Facts and Figures", Cm 2970.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how cost compliance assessments for legislation are arrived at; and what consultation there is with (a) business organisations and (b) representatives of small businesses before they are published. [33191]

The arrangements for preparing compliance cost assessments are set out in "Checking the Cost of Regulation: A Guide to Compliance Cost Assessment", a copy of which is in the House Library. Responsibility for preparing the CCA rests with the official responsible for the policy proposal. A preliminary CCA should be prepared as soon as possible in the policy-making process. This should be refined as the policy proposal is developed, incorporating the views of business. Departments must consult business and representative bodies on the content of the CCA, preferably on the basis of their initial assessment. Small businesses must also be consulted and the impact on them of the proposal must be separately identified.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has made to EU colleagues about consulting (a) business organisations and (b) small business representatives while drawing up cost compliance assessment for European legislation. [33192]

The best way of calculating the costs of new regulatory proposals is to consult business and consultation with small businesses is particularly important. I take every opportunity to make this point in contacts with my EU colleagues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment his Department has made of the terms of the photocopying licence proposed by the Copyright Licensing Agency; and what plans it has to purchase such a licence. [33760]

My Department is still considering the terms of the photocopying licence proposed by the agency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all (a) periodicals, (b) magazines and (c) academic journals received on subscription by his Department over the last three months. [33757]

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence received by Ministers and agency chief executives from hon. members, the targets set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target. [34211]

The 1995 correspondence figures are set out in the table. The table also sets out the figures for 1994, first published on 18 April 1995, Official Report, columns 21–24. Hon. Members' attention is drawn to the footnotes which accompany the table and which provide general background information on how totals have been calculated. In particular, the entry for the Benefits Agency shows a fall in the number of letters received from 21,411 in 1994 to 2,689 in 1995. This reflects a change in the way the figures have been presented. The 1995 figure excludes 13,981 letters from Members of Parliament sent direct to district offices where local officials have replied.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the total number of people employed by each of the next steps agencies under his Department's control; how many of those employees are women; and at what civil service or equivalent grades they are employed. [32736]

The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for four agencies: the Court Service, the Public Trust Office, the Public Record Office and Her Majesty's Land Registry. As the question concerns a specific operational matter on which the respective chief executives are best placed to provide an answer, I have asked them to reply.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many senior (a) male and (b) female judges from an ethnic minority background sit in courts in England and Wales; and if he will state the position held by each such judge. [32913]

The table sets out the figures for male and female holders of judicial office believed to be of ethnic minority origin as at 1 June 1996. The figures for ethnic minority office holders are believed to be correct, but as the ethnic origin of candidates for judicial appointment was not recorded prior to the autumn of 1991, the numbers may be incomplete.

Judiciary	Of ethnic minority origin	Male (ethnic minority)	Female (ethnic minority)
Full-time Judiciary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary	0	0	0
Heads of Division	0	0	0
Lords Justices of Appeal	0	0	0
High Court Judges	0	0	0
Circuit Judges (including Official Referees)	5	4	1
District Judges	2	0	2
Stipendiary Magistrates	2	1	1
Part-time Judiciary
Recorders	13	12	1
Assistant Recorders	9	6	3
Deputy District Judges	12	8	4
Acting Stipendiary Magistrates	2	2	0

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if all courts in England and Wales now have a system of providing privacy for a child who is required to give evidence in court cases. [32875]

I have asked the chief executive of the Court Service to reply directly to the hon. Member in respect of the operational arrangements for the Crown court, county court and High Court. The magistrates' courts are a locally managed service and responsibility for putting in place privacy systems for child witnesses rests with the relevant magistrates' courts committee. My Department is always willing to advise on such systems which include the provision of screens to shield witnesses, and the use of video and television links. Courts without such equipment can make arrangements with other courts to use their facilities. Where possible, every effort is made by court staff to comply with requests for a child witness to wait separately or to arrive and depart separately.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 20 June. [32547]

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 20 June. [32548]

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for each of the last three years, how many new-start airlines have been able to commence operations at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick airports under the EU rule that allows 50 per cent. of any additional runway capacity to be offered to new-start airlines. [32795]

The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the Civil Aviation Authority document CAP 644, "Slot Allocation: A proposal for Europe's airports", which provides useful information on the proportion of slots allocated to new entrant airlines. A copy of this document will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the time allowance expresed in minutes per flight that airlines currently build into their operating schedules to allow for congestion at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. [32787]

This is a matter for individual airlines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the conclusion of the runway capacity in the south-east—RUCATSE—study that a new full runway would provide for the equivalent of five years' traffic growth. [32908]

The RUCATSE study did not produce any general conclusion that a new runway would provide for the eqivalent of five years' traffic growth. The speed at which a new runway is taken up would depend on which site was chosen and when it was introduced. RUCATSE showed that, with new runways at either Heathrow or Gatwick in 2010, these would be full by 2015, with traffic being drawn in from the other London airports, but that the take-up of a new runway at Stansted would be much slower.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what contingency plans he has in place to amend the traffic area boundaries in the event of Parliament not approving secondary legislation; [33292](2) if the Government's proposals to close the traffic area offices in Manchester and Cardiff can proceed before the secondary legislation to amend the traffic area boundaries has been approved by Parliament. [33292]

There is nothing in legislation which requires the Secretary of State for Transport to provide an office in each traffic area, so the approval of new boundaries by Parliament is not necessary before the closure of offices. We would seek to make whatever arrangements for dealing with the work were most efficient. We will be consulting the Council on Tribunals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he estimates a fifth terminal at Heathrow would be completed in the event of the inquiry finding in favour of its construction. [33360]

Following submission of the inspector's report, the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport are responsible forjointly determining whether BAA plc's application for planning permission for a fifth terminal should be approved. The construction timetable thereafter would be a matter for BAA plc.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to protect United Kingdom coach and heavy goods vehicle operators from unfair competition resulting from lower fuel taxation in other EU countries. [33345]

Fuel duty is only one element of the costs that affect the international competitiveness of road transport operators. We have supported the introduction of minimum rates of fuel duty in the EU. The rate of duty on fuel in the UK is of course a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to ensure that the European centre for future satellite navigation services is based in the United Kingdom. [33255]

My Department is involved in discussion about the need for a European centre for future satellite navigation services. The case has not been established for such a centre, but if it is we will ensure that UK interests are protected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he collates relating to the punctuality of aircraft leaving and arriving in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on trends over the last five years. [33109]

The information relating to the punctuality of aircraft leaving and arriving in the United Kingdom is available in the Civil Aviation Authority monthly and annual publication "Punctuality statistics". My Department issues quarterly press notices with summary tables and with comment on these statistics. The level of punctuality achieved in 1995 was higher than that for 1990 and 1991, although slightly lower than that achieved in 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the country of registration for all aircraft operated by Excalibur Airways operating to and from the United Kingdom. [33533]

Excalibur Airways currently operates one aircraft to and from the United Kingdom, which is registered in Antigua.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken with regard to safety recommendation 95–25 of the air accident investigation branch, as detailed in paragraph 2.9.1 of air accident report 1/96. [33284]

The Department of Transport has accepted and implemented the recommendation to which the hon. Member refers. Permit procedures have been reviewed and changed in order to clarify permit and safety responsibilities regarding applications by foreign operators involving the use of wet-leased aircraft.These measures were announced on 10 January by my noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping. A copy of the announcement—Department of Transport press notice No. 9—was, at that time, placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost in each of the past five years of rectifying working conditions that were the responsibility of his Department and its agencies, to bring them to acceptable health and safety standards, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33523]