Written Answers

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Written Answers Toquestions

Friday 21 June 1996

Duchy Of Lancaster

Local Authority (Property)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Coal Authority and English Partnerships in relation to the disposal of the Coal Authority's property portfolio. [33828]

I have had no such meeting.

Social Security

Benefits Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a decision has been reached on the future of the Benefits Agency freeline telephone advice service; and if he will make a statement. [34398]

The Benefits Agency is committed to providing a more responsive service to customers and to getting benefit payments right first time. The agency has therefore been reviewing all of its activities to ensure that its activities are properly focused on delivery of such a service at the lowest possible cost. As part of this review, it has been decided that the agency's freeline service should close from 12 July 1996. The review has concluded that many of the customers who contact the freeline service subsequently have to make contact with

C hild Support Agency Receipts
	Analysis of payments into client funds bank account (£'000s)
	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December	January	February	March	Total
1993–94	5	2	24	115	286	524	889	1,432	2,011	2,353	3,103	4,148	14,892
1994–95	4,165	4,366	4,890	5,293	5,753	6,647	8,859	9,635	10,417	11,335	12,190	10,518	94,068
1995–96	8,161	9,215	9,492	9,279	9,880	10,499	11,197	11,657	11,717	14,467	13,408	14,604	133,576
1996–97	15,000	16,557	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	31,557

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the current (a) backlog and (b) waiting time in respect of cases to be dealt with by the Child Support Agency, Dudley office; and what plans he has to appoint extra staff. [32575]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Steve Heminsley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 20 June 1996:

In the absence of Miss Chant, the Chief Executive, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Dudley Child Support Agency Centre.

their local office to pursue their inquiry. This is because the freeline service has no direct access to customer records and cannot therefore give advice about a specific benefit inquiry. The closure of freeline will enable BA to refocus its resources to ensure that customers are put directly in contact with those dealing with their claims or who can link the benefits available to customer's own personal circumstances and thus reduce duplication of effort both for the customer and our staff. The very substantial investment made by BA in its telephone equipment in recent years means that customers will find it much easier to contact their own local office direct. However the benefit inquiry line service will be retained for people with disabilities, their carers and representatives because of their special requirements for advice and information.

All staff currently employed on freeline duties will be redeployed elsewhere in the agency where their considerable skills will be put to good use.

Child Support Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the monthly receipts to the Child Support Agency since April 1993. [32577]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to my right hon. Friend.

Letter from Steve Heminsley to Mr. John Biffen, dated 20 June 1996:

In the absence of Miss Chant, the Chief Executive, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency receipts.

The information requested is shown in the attached table and is an extract from the monthly analyses of the flow of funds through the Agency's Client Fund Bank Account. The figures represent the receipts paid into the Client Funds Bank Account. They do not include those contributions to maintenance which are deducted from absent parents on Income Support and offset against the parent with care on Income Support. The Agency is advised of these contributions on a regular basis by the Benefits Agency.

I hope this is helpful.

The Agency estimates that its normal head of work would be around 250,000 cases in the process of a maintenance assessment. As of 30 April 1996 the Agency was dealing with 422,454 cases in which action had not been fully completed. The Dudley Child Support Agency Centre had 66,097 cases awaiting action.

Information on waiting times is not available in the format requested. The Agency does collect figures on the Secretary of State target to clear 60 per cent. of new maintenance assessments within 26 weeks. In April 1996, 53 per cent. of maintenance assessments had been cleared within 26 weeks.

The Dudley Child Support Agency Centre, in line with all the Centres, recruits new staff on an ongoing basis to maintain staffing levels.

I hope this is helpful.

Compensation Recovery Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will state the 10 highest sums recovered by the compensation recovery unit from the victims of illness, accident or disease in 1995–96 and the nature of their illness or disability; [33359](2) what was the amount recovered by the compensation recovery unit in 1995–96; [33357](3) what projection he has made of the amount of money pkely to be recovered by the compensation recovery unit in the present financial year; [33336](4) how much money was recovered from sufferers from asbestos-related diseases by the compensation recovery unit in 1995–96. [33358]

This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 20 June 1996:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking if he will state the 10 highest sums recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) from the victims of illness, accident or disease in 1995–96 and the nature of their illness or disability; what was the amount recovered by the CRU in 1995–96; what projection he has made of the amount of money likely to be recovered by the CRU in the present financial year and how much money was recovered from sufferers from asbestos related diseases by the CRU in 1995–96.

The 10 highest sums recovered from individual victims of illness and the nature of the injury/disease they relate to is provided in the table below.

Amount £	Injury/disease
93,950.05	Neck injury
91,601.46	Multiple injuries
84,630.01	Back/spinal injury
79,186.77	Multiple injuries
73,217.08	Head/facial injury
72,337.38	Arm injury
70,756.37	¹Miscellaneous
70,522.25	Head/facial injury
70,014.03	¹Miscellaneous
69,945.16	Multiple injuries
¹—miscellaneous injury is defined as lacerations, cuts, bruising or any combinatin whre no specific part of the body is mentioned.

The total amount recovered during 1995/96 was £135.1M. If the current trend continues it is envisaged that the amount recovered during the present financial year will be in the region of £145M.

Information relating to asbestos related diseases is not available. The system is not designed to identify these cases however, the amount recovered from asbestosis sufferers during 1995/96 was £1,507,320.58.

Data is provisional and subject to change.

I hope you find this reply helpful.

Housing Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the Benefits Agency districts serving the London borough of Wandsworth are receiving housing benefit. [33712]

On 30 November 1995, the latest date for which information is available, there were 30,500 recipients of housing benefit in the London borough of Wandsworth.

Notes:

1. Housing benefit is administered by local authorities, consequently these data are not collected on a Benefits Agency district basis.

2. A "recipient" may be a single person or a couple.

Source:

Housing benefit management information system quarterly case load counts.

Benefit Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the total level of in-work benefits for each year since 1975 (a) at current prices and (b) at constant 1996 prices; and if he will break down these figures for each year by family credit, housing benefit, income support and council tax benefit. [33920]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables.

Table 1: Expenditure on claimants who have income from work
£ millions
	Housing benefit		Community charge benefit/council tax benefit
	Cash terms	1996–97 prices	Cash terms	1996–97 prices
1990–91	340	416	170	208
1991–92	395	455	80	92
1992–93	525	581	95	105
1993–94	600	645	130	140
1994–95	700	739	140	148

Notes:

1. "In-work" includes claimants with earnings from employment and self-employment.

2. Details not available before 1990.

3. GDP deflator at market prices used in the calculation.

4. Council tax benefit introduced in 1993–94.

Source:

Housing benefit management information system I per cent. sample.

Table 2
£ million
Income Support
	Cash terms	1996–97 prices
1988–89	355	502
1989–90	371	490
1990–91	448	549
1991–92	577	664
1992–93	677	750
1993–94	590	634
1994–95	564	595

Notes: 1

"In-work" includes claimants with earnings from employment and self-employment.

2. GDP deflator at market prices used in the calculation.

Source:

Income support annual statistical inquiries—May 1989 to 1992.

Income support quarterly stastistical inquiries—February 1993 to 1995.

Table 3
£ millions
Family income supplement/family credit
Year	Cash price	1996–97 prices
1975–76	12	53
1976–77	18	68
1977–78	25	87
1978–79	24	74
1979–80	27	71
1980–81	42	94
1981–82	66	134
1982–83	94	178
1983–84	123	223
1984–85	126	218
1985–86	130	213
1986–87	161	256
1987–88	180	272
1988–89	394	558
1989–90	425	562
1990–91	494	605
1991–92	626	721
1992–93	929	1,028
1993–94	1,208	1,299
1994–95	1,441	1,521

Estimated annual expenditure on benefits paid to claimants with income from work in 1994–95
Table 1: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
£ millions
	Not in receipt of income support		In receipt of income support		All cases
	Housing benefit	Council tax benefit	Housing benefit	Council tax benefit	Housing benefit	Council tax benefit
Wales	25	3	9	2	34	4
Scotland	32	1	9	3	41	4
South East	106	14	33	8	139	22
South West	51	9	12	4	64	13
East Midlands	31	7	14	4	45	12
West Midlands	26	7	12	4	38	11
North West	58	17	15	5	73	23
Yorkshire and Humberside	46	14	14	4	59	17
North	27	8	15	4	42	13
East Anglia	16	3	19	2	25	6
London	119	12	21	4	140	16
Total	537	95	163	45	700	140

Notes:

1. Tables include benefit units where either the claimant or partner has income from employment/self-employment.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest million.

3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

4. No information is available by constituency or travel-to-work area.

Source:

Estimates derived from the annual 1 per cent. housing benefit sample enquiry.

Table 2: Family credit, disability working allowance and income support
£ millions
	Family credit	Disability working allowance	Income support
Midlands	265	2.0	93.8
North Eastern	268	2.0	93.9
London North	170	1.1	96.3
Wales and South Western	194	1.9	94.2
North Western	241	2.0	64.9
Scotland	158	1.1	28.3
London South	146	0.9	92.2
Great Britain	1,441	11.0	563.7

Notes:

1. Figures for family credit have been rounded to the nearest million.

2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

3. Areas are DSS administrative regions.

Sources:

1. Family credit statistics (5 per cent. sample of all awards)—February 1995.

2. Disability working allowance statistics (all awards)—February 1995.

3. Income support quarterly statistical inquiry—February 1995.

Table 3

£ millions

Family income supplement/family credit

Year

Cash price

1996–97 prices

1995–96

1,683

1,729

Notes:

1. GDP deflator at market prices used in the calculation.

Source:

1996 departmental report and its predecessors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was paid in in-work benefits in terms of (a) family credit, (b) housing benefit, (c) income support, (d) council tax benefit and (e) other in-work benefits (i) by region, (ii) by constituency and (iii) by travel-to-work-area in the last financial year. [33921]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables. The information given is for the financial year 1994–95, broken down by region.

Severe Disability Allowance

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances the Department reclaims overpayments from the estates of deceased severe disability allowance beneficiaries; and what duty it has to make payments to estates in cases of underpayment. [33329]

There are general principles governing the recovery of overpayments of benefit and the payment of arrears in cases where the claimant had died. Income support and the severe disability premium are covered by these principles.If an overpayment is caused by misrepresentation or failure to disclose a material fact, recovery is sought in appropriate cases. Recovery from the estate of a deceased claimant is considered only if a recoverable overpayment is outstanding or an overpayment is discovered due to non-disclosure of assets, after death.

Where arrears of benefit are identified as being due to a claimant but that claimant is deceased, provision exists for the arrears to be paid to the person who, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, is entitled to the payment.

Family Expenditure Survey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken in the forthcoming 1996 report on households below average income to issue adjusted and unadjusted results to take account of the lack of representation of the homeless and the under-representation of (a) those aged 75 years and over, (b) those unemployed for six months and more and (c) the chronically sick and disabled, in the annual reports of the family expenditure survey. [33554]

The statistical series households below average income has been based on data from the family expenditure survey, which collects information on income only from people living in private households. The annual reports of the FES have not sought to correct for under or over-representation of various groups in the FES sample. However, HBAI statistics have always grossed the sample estimates to correct for variations in FES response rates and thereby to make the results more representative of the population living in private households. The Department's statisticians have reviewed the grossing of survey data and chosen a new grossing regime which will be adopted when HBAI switches to using data from the family resources survey. Details can be found in the HBAI methodological review report, a copy of which is in the Library.There are no current plans to extend the coverage of the FES or family resources survey or to set up a new survey to collect information from people who are homeless or who live in institutions. There would be considerable methodological difficulties in collecting representative income data for these people. The Department's statisticians judge that, in general, the picture presented by HBAI statistics would not be greatly altered by the inclusion of such groups.

War Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently in receipt of (a) war widows pensions and (b) war pensions; and what were the equivalent figures (i) five years ago, (ii) 10 years and (iii) 15 years ago. [34043]

This information is in the table.As at 31 March 1996 a total of 57,497 war widows' pensions and 265,375 war disablement pensions were in payment.

	31 December 1980	31 December 1985	31 December 1990	31 December 1995
War Widows' Pension	76,500	64,859	54,124	49,726
War Disablement Pension	266,478	220,256	191,870	264,597

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from which organisations with regard to allowing (a) partial and (b) total disregard of war pensions and war widows' pension, in the calculation of housing and other benefit entitlements. [34042]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 23 January 1996, Official Report, column 221.Since January 1996, this Department has received a further 71 letters from hon. Members, and 69 letters from members of the public, local authorities and other interested parties.

Home Department

Mr Brian Parsons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Devon and Cornwall police as to when they completed their inquiry into the case of Mr. Brian Parsons arising from the recent submissions made by his solicitors to the Home Secretary; what further inquiries they have made; and when he expects to complete his consideration of the case. [32750]

We received from Devon and Cornwall police in November 1995 a final report into certain matters raised in the representations which have been made on behalf of Mr. Parsons. Our provisional conclusion is that grounds have not emerged for referring the case to the Court of Appeal. I am writing today to the hon. Member and to others setting out the basis on which these provisional conclusions have been reached.

Prisons (Computer Software)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if computer software equipment operated by prisons under private management has to be approved by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [33547]

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.

Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what approval is required for computer software equipment operated by prisons under private management.

contractual agreements for prisons under private management have no requirement for commercial software to be approved before installation and use.

with prisons in the public sector, privately managed prisons are provided with the local inmate data system (LIDS). This system is run from a central processor in each prison. No prison management is authorised to load any other software onto this central processor.

Prisons (Education)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was spent on prison education in (a) cash and (b) real terms in 1978–79 and 1994–95; how much time was made available in each of these years; how many prisoners attended courses; and what was the cost per prisoner receiving education and the cost per prisoner whether or not receiving education in (i) Wales and (ii) the regions of England. [30709]

[holding answer 4 June 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.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Win Griffiths, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about spending on education in 1978–79 and 1994–95.

The requested information is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost: prisons are operated on a national basis and separate statistics for England and Wales are therefore not available. The table below shows expenditure on education and cost per prisoner in cash and real terms for 1978–79 and 1994–95.

Prison service expenditure on education
Education expenditure			Cost per prisoner—Education		Average population
Year	Cash (£ million)	Real terms £ million at 1994–95 prices	Cash£	Real terms £ at 1994–95 prices
1978–79	6.1	17.8	145.2	423.7	42,008
1994–95	36.7	36.7	744.3	744.3	49,308

Prisons (Cells)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in gaols in England and Wales are currently doubling up in cells designed for one; what was the equivalent figure 12 months ago; and if he will make a statement. [33437]

[holding answer 20 June 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.

Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners currently doubling up in cells designed for one.

At the end of May 1996, there were 8,430 prisoners doubling up in cells designed for one. This represents 15.5. per cent of the total prison population. At the end of May 1995, there were 8,362 prisoners sharing accommodation designed for one. This represented 16.5 per cent of the total prison population.

Prisons (Costs)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the methodology and research used to compare the cost of public and private gaols during 1993–94; and if he will make a statement. [33441]

[holding answer 20 June 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.

Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking if he will publish the methodology and research used to compare the cost of public and private jails during 1993–94.

It is not possible to publish the study carried out by LEK Partnership comparing costs of private and public sector prisons using 1993–94 data, as it contains a considerable amount of commercially confidential information. This is because cost information was drawn from tender documents, as actual operating costs were not then available for the full year.

Summary results: LEK study of private and public sector performance
Percentage
Private prison	Public comparator group	Cost¹ per CNA lower by
Blakenhurst	Bullingdon Holme House Elmley	14
Doncaster	Bullingdon Holme House Elmley	14
Buckley Hall	Everthorpe Haverigg Ranby	26

Prisons (Staff)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of staff employed in the Prison Service headquarters and central services on 1 January; what is the estimated change in staff numbers over the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [33442]

[holding answer 20 June 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.

Letter from David Scott to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of staff employed at Prison Service headquarters.

At the end of October 1995 (the latest date on which detailed figures are available) there were 2130 full time equivalent staff in post in Prison Service headquarters. The Service aims to reduce the number of staff in headquarters to around 1800 full time equivalents by October 1996 and to around 1450 by April 1999.

Prisoners (Privileges)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have achieved (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced privilege status; and if he will make a statement. [33443]

[holding answer 20 June 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.

Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 June 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners who have achieved (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced privilege status.

Information on the number of prisoners on the privilege levels of incentives schemes is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trade And Industry

Nuclear Companies

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the external financing requirements of the nuclear companies have been adjusted for 1996–97; and what impact this has had on public expenditure. [34399]

The external financing requirements have been adjusted to Electricity (England and Wales) £-42 million, Electricity (Scotland) £0 million and British Nuclear Fuels £-29 million to take account of the restructuring of the nuclear generating industry on 31 March 1996, agreed changes to provision of Nirex payments and the outcome of contractual negotiations between Nuclear Electric plc and British Nuclear Fuels. These changes have no impact on overall public expenditure.

Environment

Satellite-Derived Data

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the level of his Department's funding in current and future years for the purchase of satellite-derived data; [33254](2) what current use is made of satellites to provide environmental data for his Department; and if he will make a statement. [33253]

The Department uses Earth observation data from satellites directly and also indirectly through commissioned research. The advanced along track scanning radiometer, to be flown in 1999 to test for the onset of human-induced climate changes, is an unique example of instrument purchase. Funding will be £15 million between 1991 and 1999. Satellite-derived data contribute to commissioned research including the climate change predictions of the Hadley centre, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology land cover map of Great Britain and the planned countryside survey 2000, north-east Atlantic rainfall and sea state climatology, and North sea plankton growth. Specific costs for the satellite data are not kept centrally. The Environment Agency uses satellite-derived data for water catchment management, diffuse pollution assessment and oil spill monitoring, and for research on flood defence. Specific future funding has yet to be identified. The Department keeps under review the further potential of satellite-derived data to provide information at an appropriate cost.

Air Pollution (West Midlands)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which areas have been identified in the west midlands as registering a level of air pollution deemed detrimental to human health. [33341]

A summary of exceedences of national and international guidelines and standards for air pollution levels across the United Kingdom, including the west midlands, is included in the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Statistics No. 18, 1996" and "Air Pollution in the United Kingdom: 1994", published on behalf of the Department by the National Environmental Technology Centre. Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

Noise Pollution

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of complaints received by the statutory authorities in respect of noise pollution by (a) metropolitan district and (b) region in each of the last five years. [33343]

This information is not collected by my Department. However, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health carries out an annual survey of statistics of environmental noise complaints made to local authorities in England and Wales. I shall write to the hon. Member with further details

Road Traffic (West Midlands)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the level of road traffic and its effects on health in the west midlands. [33340]

I have received a number of letters from Members of Parliament and the public concerning air quality, but I am not aware of any correspondence on this specific subject.

Heavy Traffic (Health Problems)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviroment what estimate has been made of the number of people suffering health problems caused by heavy traffic near their homes by (a) metropolitan district, (b) county council and (c) London borough. [33342]

The scientific and technical basis for making such specific estimates is not available. However, the independent Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution and the Advisory Group on Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes, which advise the Governent on such matters, have published several reports on the impact on public health of emissions from road traffic and other sources in the United Kingdom as a whole.Copies of the reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

Treasury

Prompt Payment Code

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Departments to date have not signed up to the Confederation of British Industry's prompt payment code; and if he will make a statement. [31431]

None.

Unemployment Statistics (Ethnic Minorities)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to improve the collection of statistics relating to unemployment in respect of black and other ethnic minority communities. [33602]

The collection and publication of unemployment and other labour market statistics relating to black and other ethnic minority groups were improved in 1992 with the introduction of the quarterly labour force survey. To obtain reliable figures for smaller sub-groups of the population surveyed, such as ethnic minority groups, the Office for National Statistics averages the data over several quarters. The ONS published a description of the methodology used and statistics produced in the June 1996 issue of "Labour Market Trends". ONS will publish further guidance for users in the autumn.

Construction Industry

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people there are currently employed in the construction industry in the United Kingdom; and what were the corresponding figures five and 10 years previously. [33801]

Information from the labour force survey is as follows:

Employment' in construction: United Kingdom (thousands), not seasonally adjusted

Winter 1995–96 1,819
Spring 1995 1,835
Spring 1990 2,141
Spring 1985 1,804

¹ Includes employees, self-employed, Government-supported training and employment programmes and, since 1992, unpaid family workers.

Tax Offices (Yorkshire)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in ranked order, those tax offices in Yorkshire that have achieved the targets set by the taxpayers charter. [33622]

[holding answer 20 June 1996]: The taxpayers charter sets out the general principles by which the Inland Revenue operates. To meet commitments under the charter, individual areas of work are targeted. The targets are published and included in the operating plan of each regional executive office. In order to achieve the performance set out in the operating plans, targets are set for each tax office. As these vary depending on the individual circumstances in each office, it is not possible to draw any comparison between the performance of individual offices.

National Heritage

Public Appointments

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures she intends to take to encourage applications from members of the public to take up appointments on her Department's public bodies. [34464]

I believe that it is very important to encourage a wide range of people with the right skills and experience to consider public service. I have commissioned advertisements in the national press, the first of which will appear in The Sunday Times on 23 June, inviting applications from members of the public willing to serve on one of the bodies sponsored by my Department when suitable vacancies arise.

Education And Employment

Departmental Personnel

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the personnel employed by her Department work on the employment aspects of her responsibilities. [33549]

The following table gives staff numbers in the Department and its agencies on 1 April 1996. Policies and programmes for education, vocational training and employment are increasingly integrated following the merger of the old Education and Employment Departments. Except in the agencies, the duties of officials reflect this and in many cases it is not possible to make the distinction that the hon. Member seeks.

DfEE staffing figures
1 April 1996
	Full-time head count	Part-time head count	Full-time equivalent
Permanent staff
DfEE excluding agencies	4,739	473	5,045.1
Employment service agency	30,215	7,455	34,911.6
Teachers' pensions agency	334	62	370.2
Total DfEE including agencies	35,288	7,990	40,327
Casual staff
DfEE excluding agencies	175	20	187.5
Employment service agency	3,308	179	3,420.8
Teachers' pensions agency	30	1	30.5
Total DfEE including agencies	3,513	200	3,639
All staff
DfEE excluding agencies	4,914	493	5,233
Employment service agency	33,523	7,634	38,332
Teachers' pension agency	364	63	401
Total DfEE including agencies	38,801	8,190	43,966

Judicial Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many occasions in each Session since 1991–92 legislation has been introduced into Parliament by her Department, with the purpose of (a) removing the effects of a judicial review decision or (b) implementing a judicial review decision; and if she will list the relevant legislative provisions. [33584]

No central record of this is retained, but the Department is not aware of any such in respect of either the DFEE or the former Departments in relation to current functions.

School Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what additional resources her Department has made available under the headings of school improvement and school effectiveness in recent years to (a) local education authorities and (b) grant-maintained schools; and, in each case, under what headings resources have been reduced to meet the additional costs. [33747]

Support for school improvement and effectiveness is available to LEA-maintained schools through the grant for education support and training programme. With this programme, total expenditure on school effectiveness grants supported in 1995–96 was £121.5 million; this has risen to £134 million in the current financial year.Support for the same purposes is available to grant-maintained schools through special purpose grants (development). It is for the schools themselves, as self-governing institutions, to decide how best to target these and other resources. The grants are paid by the Funding Agency for Schools, and I have asked the chairman of the Funding Agency for Schools to write to the hon. Member.Resources for school effectiveness and improvement for publicly funded schools are provided within the totals provided by Parliament for education, and not at the expense of other headings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding is provided by her Department specifically for governor training and support to enhance school effectiveness in (a) local education authority schools and (b) grant-maintained schools. [33745]

As regards local education authority schools, the school effectiveness grant within the grant for education support and training programme includes governor training and support to enhance effectiveness. It is for individual local education authorities and schools to determine how to apportion expenditure between the eligible categories defined in regulations (No. 734) and described in the Department's circular 8/95, in the light of local priorities.As regards grant-maintained schools, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier. These schools may use special purpose grants (development) to support governor training as well as school effectiveness.

Ethnic Minorities

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to improve the targeting of resources to assist the (a) black and (b) other ethnic minority unemployed. [33600]

The targeting of all the Department's programmes and services, including those delivered by training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service, is kept under regular review.

Student Drop-Out Rates

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the latest available statistics for student drop-out rates from higher education. [33718]

Our latest estimate of the drop-out rate of students from full-time and sandwich first degree courses is 17 to 18 per cent. in the academic year 1993–94. A range is given because the introduction of a new data source has made it difficult to measure drop-out accurately. Drop-out covers all those leaving degree courses because of exam failure, ill health, personal and other reasons. It includes those switching to a lower level course, but excludes students transferring between degree courses or subjects at the same university. The rate reflects the progression of students through the whole length of the course.

National Vocational Qualifications

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the advantages of reducing the priority accorded to workplace competence assessments in the design and delivery of national vocational qualifications. [33739]

Demonstration of competence in the workplace will remain a key feature of national vocational qualifications. As stated in our action plan in response to the Beaumont report, published on 27 March, the Government believe that a combination of assessment methods is desirable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the progress of reform of the system of vocational qualifications. [33738]

Following the Government's action plan in response to the Beaumont review, the National Council on Vocational Qualifications has been asked to undertake a review of each NVQ in line with its 1995 criteria and guidance and the points in the action plan. That review has now started and NVQs will be reviewed on a rolling basis until April 1998.

Class Sizes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average class size for the most recent year for which information is available at (a) key stage 3, (b) key stage 4 and (c) sixth forms in city technology colleges. [33919]

The available information is shown in the following list:Average size of one teacher classes in city technology colleges in England—January 1995

Pupils aged mainly under 14: 23.0
Pupils aged mainly 14 and 15: 20.0
Pupils aged mainly 16 and over: 10.5

Source: Schools Census

Transport

Aviation Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, columns 443–44, (1) on what basis the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bulgaria were selected for an inspection by the Civil Aviation Authority, [33291](2) if he will place in the Library copies of the results of the inspections carried out in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. [33290]

The disruption in the former Yugoslavia raised doubts as to that state's ability to comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation safety standards. In the case of Bulgaria, the assessment of compliance with ICAO standards was undertaken following a number of safety-related complaints received from passengers travelling on Bulgarian registered aircraft.In both cases, the Department of Transport felt that an independent assessment was necessary to ensure that ICAO standards were being adhered to. The reports of such inspections are commercially confidential and could be released only with the consent of the country involved.

Satellite Navigation

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made of the potential benefits for the United Kingdom in the transition to the future global navigation satellite system. [33257]

The Department of Transport has not carried out any studies of the potential benefits to the UK in the transition to the future global navigation satellite system. However, officials from the Department and the Civil Aviation Authority are participating in various European and international forums, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Eurocontrol, the European Space Agency, the International Maritime Organisation and the European Union. One of the main issues currently being examined in these forums is the benefits of future GNSS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the levels of his Department's funding allocated in current and future years to support United Kingdom participation in the European Space Agency satellite navigation development programme. [33256]

My Department has allocated £1.043 million per year for 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99 for satellite navigation development work. The proportion of this to be allocated to UK participation in the European Space Agency's satellite navigation development programme has yet to be decided.

Train Arrivals And Departures

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he collates relating to trains leaving and arriving at domestic destinations; and if he will make a statement on trends over the last five years. [33110]

My Department receives summary information concerning passenger train punctuality and reliability, collated by British Rail for the services under its overall control and by the franchising director for franchised services. The present arrangements were introduced with the British Rail passengers charter in 1992; annual results are therefore available only from 1992–93 onwards The data show that while there was deterioration during 1994, in part due to the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers strike, overall there has been a slight improvement in both punctuality and reliability.

Transport Supplementary Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out for each local authority in England the value of the bids made in their 1995 transport policies and programmes submissions for the award of transport supplementary grant for 1996–97 and the value of transport supplementary grant awarded by his Department for (a) major highway schemes eligible for transport supplementary grant, (b) major highway schemes not eligible for transport supplementary grant, (c) structural maintenance on carriageways, (d) structural maintenance on bridges, (e) major public transport projects, (f) minor works: highways, (g) minor works: public transport, and (h) minor works: local safety schemes and (i) parking. [33301]

Department of Transport support for local authority capital expenditure on transport infrastructure may be given as transport supplementary grant, TSG, grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968, or credit approvals.TSG is given for major highway scheme on roads of more than local importance, structural maintenance on the carriageways of principal roads and assessment, strengthening and other structural maintenance of bridges and highway structures. It is payable at a rate of 50 per cent. of accepted expenditure. Section 56 grant is given to major public transport schemes only. Credit approvals are given to match TSG and section 56 payments and for any worthwhile expenditure ineligible for grant.

Local transport capital settlement 1996–97
All figures in £000
	Major highway schemes				Structural maintenance
	TSG Eligible		Non-eligible		Principal RDS		Bridges
	(a)		(b)		(c)		(d)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted
City of London	—	0	0	0	0	0	1,067	622
Barking	0	0	0	0	1,000	178	284	146
Barnet	960	0	0	0	500	178	555	140
Bexley	8,439	7,650	840	150	1,500	720	633	458
Brent	0	0	399	300	1,000	516	725	220
Bromley	500	0	17,245	9,135	650	265	930	180
Camden	0	0	0	0	4,335	794	1,711	320
Croydon	0	0	0	0	1,431	794	1,130	225
Ealing	50	0	0	0	142	142	373	123
Enfield	521	400	1,541	0	2,912	794	2,885	1,070
Greenwich	9,245	5,500	0	0	698	345	674	284
Hackney	1,052	0	0	0	629	284	1,975	245
Hammersmith	0	0	3,631	1,667	1,025	450	597	530
Haringey	1,350	0	2,453	450	625	328	1,027	416
Harrow	5,540	4,400	0	0	481	292	1,295	395
Havering	0	0	0	0	115	102	277	277
Hillingdon	3,669	2,010	0	0	673	216	2,826	1,030
Hounslow	1,586	1,100	0	0	1,860	436	1,808	790
Islington	0	0	0	0	1,542	543	1,007	907
Kensington	1,344	400	133	133	301	266	967	300
Kingston	1,600	1,050	4,012	4,000	1,037	510	5,562	2,560
Lambeth	0	0	300	125	727	351	765	585
Lewisham	5,864	3,300	1,411	58	1,052	310	650	410
Merton	44	0	0	0	200	177	120	120
Newham	2,180	1,250	800	800	390	345	4,360	1,600
Redbridge	0	0	0	0	800	356	200	150
Richmond	0	0	650	650	239	211	387	185
Southwark	2,923	306	258	50	1,375	577	1,758	747
Sutton	1,850	200	0	0	183	161	1,074	244
Tower Hamlets	0	0	263	200	1,050	323	1,390	734
Waltham Forest	111	100	0	0	400	354	556	382
Wandsworth	0	0	780	108	1,013	427	1,715	765
Westminster	750	490	5,760	125	383	306	6,650	2,786
Bolton	0	0	388	243	1,208	546	4,530	990
Bury	0	0	0	0	1,089	524	1,400	484
Manchester	8,664	3,575	1,100	0	2,719	767	3,303	1,266
Oldham	2,608	2,000	0	0	1,842	638	4,736	1,190
Rochdale	0	0	0	0	902	474	2,872	2,392
Salford	9,673	4,950	0	0	1,924	682	1,595	910

All figures in £000
	Major highway schemes				Structural maintenance
	TSG eligible		Non-eligible		Principal RDS		Bridges
	(a)		(b)		(c)		(d)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted
Stockport	200	200	0	0	2,704	766	4,805	1,378
Tameside	770	0	0	0	1,240	566	1,520	584
Trafford	13,409	11,403	0	0	723	244	1,400	1,134
Wigan	1,798	0	0	0	1,266	441	1,038	510
Knowsley	5,500	4,500	0	0	3,650	692	390	322
Liverpool	3,425	0	0	0	2,100	936	1,725	726
St. Helens	1,967	947	0	0	200	134	1,883	715
Sefton	2,560	1,960	0	0	658	192	1,479	510
Wirral	325	325	0	0	400	264	1,985	583
Barnsley	4,588	4,444	0	0	1,860	669	2,275	562
Doncaster	12,447	2,850	0	0	928	502	1,497	1,162

The introduction of the package approach means that resources allocated for minor works may be used flexibly for either highway or public transport infrastructure works. No allocations were made specifically for parking.

Tables showing the bids from, and allocations of grants and credit approvals to, the local authorities in England for 1996–97 have been placed in the Library.

All figures in £000
	Major highway schemes				Structural maintenance
	TSG eligible		Non-eligible		Principal RDS		Bridges
	(a)		(b)		(c)		(d)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted
Rotherham	0	0	300	200	806	426	1,760	984
Sheffield	7,731	4,375	5,400	4,300	4,110	1,334	5,334	1,945
Gateshead	10	0	1,000	400	430	286	631	308
Newcastle	6,940	2,640	0	0	2,450	740	3,341	1,514
North Tyneside	250	0	0	0	1,500	549	1,183	557
South Tyneside	0	0	100	100	276	184	1,066	496
Sunderland	3,116	850	0	0	2,810	878	1,260	582
Birmingham	32,541	24,572	604	0	6,000	1,258	3,770	1,084
Coventry	11,010	11,010	0	0	535	305	868	741
Dudley	15,600	0	7,190	2,000	1,722	692	1,300	454
Sandwell	1,840	1,300	0	0	3,705	953	5,087	1,105
Solihull	1,900	900	0	0	750	200	281	271
Walsall	9,212	3,304	0	0	1,073	522	4,226	986
Wolverhampton	6,814	4,535	0	0	3,620	898	3,300	1,100
Bradford	1,690	0	0	250	3,782	1,271	8,569	1,106
Calderdale	200	0	0	0	3,626	1,306	1,826	494
Kirklees	50	0	80	0	6,095	1,550	2,100	556
Leeds	10,185	8,220	2,926	1,650	3,000	1,306	4,814	1,020
Wakefield	4,809	2,535	15	0	2,016	765	2,434	680
Isle of Wight	0	0	0	0	866	461	430	197
Bath and North
East Somerset	0	0	0	0	695	277	1,263	735
Bristol	3,156	58	681	600	552	312	2,156	934
North Somerset	479	469	0	0	1,133	287	390	304
South Gloucester	11,321	4,155	2,683	1,500	740	294	175	162
Hartlepool	0	0	4,156	1,500	289	282	10	18
Middlesbrough	0	0	0	0	291	144	1,013	702
Redcar and Cleveland	2,265	1,500	503	200	1,152	542	265	237
Stockton	8,823	986	0	0	716	247	220	200
East Riding	1,200	0	675	550	3,055	1,430	700	518

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		Roads (part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
City of London	0	0	0	0	885	0	66	0	0	5
Barking	0	0	0	0	174	0	175	507	262	100
Barnet	0	0	0	0	3,177	150	375	1,155	318	0
Bexley	0	0	0	0	1,446	0	263	750	387	65
Brent	0	0	879	0	4,117	0	578	2,880	537	0
Bromley	0	0	0	0	1,480	135	370	335	255	171
Camden	0	0	1,140	0	2,053	95	603	771	318	516
Croydon	0	0	1,050	0	4,653	0	541	1,408	655	0
Ealing	0	0	2,021	0	1,975	0	325	150	150	184
Enfield	0	0	290	0	1,200	0	326	921	502	0
Greenwich	0	0	77	0	2,912	1,055	513	856	387	150
Hackney	0	0	0	0	4,060	275	277	644	468	0
Hammersmith	0	0	4,468	0	1,776	0	348	700	387	800
Haringey	0	0	653	0	2,111	0	359	425	337	260
Harrow	0	0	0	0	2,046	0	291	300	268	0
Havering	0	0	0	0	1,064	0	281	550	214	1,074
Hillingdon	200	0	0	0	1,995	0	443	1,229	223	500
Hounslow	0	0	2,200	0	2,293	100	363	869	576	690
Islington	0	0	513	0	5,734	150	453	1,040	262	230
Kensington	0	0	0	0	2,234	300	178	390	227	0
Kingston	0	0	0	0	342	0	342	683	343	1,170
Lambeth	0	0	0	0	3,290	10	341	392	165	200
Lewisham	0	0	0	0	1,561	150	327	1,338	300	0
Merton	0	0	0	0	2,344	450	452	960	270	300
Newham	0	0	0	0	808	50	453	742	657	0

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		(part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
Redbridge	0	0	0	0	6,543	0	254	534	380	40
Richmond	0	0	430	0	732	171	253	389	342	145
Southwark	0	0	0	0	1,554	640	266	750	304	0
Sutton	0	0	620	0	3,342	70	488	994	345	550
Tower Hamlets	0	0	1,102	0	1,503	90	268	450	218	1,000
Waltham Forest	0	0	540	0	1,314	0	385	570	246	25
Wandsworth	0	0	0	0	6,625	3,970	513	1,780	421	500
Westminster	0	0	0	0	3,022	0	330	940	368	855
Bolton	0	0	2,719	311	0	15	0	393	248	0
Bury	0	0	1,368	418	0	0	0	340	247	150
Manchester	0	0	9,887	1,219	0	0	0	1,300	788	338
Oldham	0	0	5,003	351	1,952	0	0	680	429	130
Rochdale	0	0	1,967	549	0	0	0	275	268	0
Salford	0	0	4,695	409	0	0	0	713	630	0

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		(part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
Stockport	0	0	7,790	320	0	0	0	1,017	234	0
Tameside	0	0	3,122	329	0	0	0	360	310	0
Trafford	0	0	1,847	203	2,000	0	0	356	242	100
Wigan	0	0	2,501	391	0	0	0	250	214	0
Knowsley	0	0	2,995	900	400	0	0	419	294	0
Liverpool	0	0	5,080	1,720	0	0	0	1,200	614	150
St. Helens	0	0	1,561	540	0	0	0	175	110	15
Sefton	0	0	2,798	1,000	0	0	0	525	200	100
Wirral	0	0	3,655	870	0	0	0	400	400	0
Barnsley	3,500	0	2,875	711	595	0	0	310	250	0
Doncaster	250	0	3,125	936	0	0	0	600	262	0
Rotherham	0	0	2,020	816	135	90	0	170	170	0
Sheffield	150	0	4,680	1,662	4,770	0	0	550	417	0
Gateshead	0	0	1,635	460	1,820	0	0	400	325	350
Newcastle	0	0	2,207	565	0	0	0	400	325	0
North Tyneside	0	0	2,249	440	450	0	0	300	195	0
South Tyneside	0	0	1,032	355	0	0	0	378	310	600
Sunderland	100	0	2,840	680	428	15	0	530	375	340
Birmingham	0	0	7,802	3,085	65	0	0	2,350	1,150	340
Coventry	0	0	785	413	20	0	0	308	200	0
Dudley	0	0	0	994	2,115	0	0	750	370	1,000
Sandwell	0	0	3,432	945	0	0	0	441	240	130
Solihull	0	0	695	658	0	0	0	1,205	530	425
Walsall	0	0	4,010	988	0	0	0	852	460	400
Wolverhampton	0	0	5,200	956	0	0	0	690	370	300
Bradford	20	0	5,694	1,450	0	0	0	1,076	750	0
Calderdale	750	0	1,670	1,350	0	0	0	330	326	0
Kirklees	0	0	3,012	950	845	0	0	864	520	100
Leeds	35,500	0	5,875	3,800	6,147	0	0	1,400	747	909
Wakefield	0	0	3,947	700	2,230	0	0	589	347	106
Isle of Wight	0	0	0	0	4,590	10	1,952	486	264	100
Bath and North East Somerset	1,176	0	1,186	500	0	0	0	375	150	0
Bristol	670	0	3,039	850	0	0	0	617	325	0
North Somerset	0	0	1,736	400	0	0	0	50	20	0
South Gloucester	236	0	2,015	850	0	0	0	345	182	0
Hartlepool	0	0	413	150	0	0	0	30	20	0
Middlesbrough	0	0	903	355	0	0	0	445	275	0
Redcar and Cleveland	0	0	704	280	0	0	0	93	55	0
Stockton	0	0	1,186	465	0	0	0	79	50	0
East Riding	0	0	301	0	613	10	100	140	137	0

All figures in £000
	Major highway schemes				Structural maintenance
	TSG eligible		Non-eligible		Principal RDS		Bridges
	(a)		(b)		(c)		(d)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted
Hull	4,500	4,500	436	350	500	145	2,000	538
North East Lincoln	4,223	1,000	0	0	1,085	516	200	176
North Lincoln	0	0	0	0	1,915	322	720	402
North Yorkshire	7,532	2,777	0	0	10,606	1,382	6,300	1,744
York	2,262	2,262	0	0	1,021	100	221	206
Bedfordshire	3,087	1,567	0	0	2,560	815	3,585	986
Berkshire	7,447	998	0	0	2,260	722	2,665	1,114
Buckinghamshire	10,361	5,204	0	0	2,100	922	2,500	758
Cambridgeshire	7,114	4,571	0	0	3,668	1,150	5,622	1,433
Cheshire	23,610	17,820	1,300	0	11,155	3,090	6,265	2,341
Cornwall	5,098	3,386	0	0	3,202	946	4,610	1,340
Cumbria	4,550	2,830	0	0	3,000	796	3,300	1,256
Derbyshire	3,631	3,541	0	0	2,469	750	1,996	1,294
Devon	4,932	2,689	82	0	6,203	1,633	4,519	1,290
Dorset	4,850	451	0	0	1,005	587	2,735	1,160
Durham	9,670	3,233	1,519	700	2,210	904	3,700	1,727
East Sussex	9,291	6,330	2,290	1,500	4,786	1,013	3,365	1,144
Essex	5,950	431	695	200	6,300	1,551	4,967	1,540
Gloucestershire	6,843	3,763	0	0	2,854	799	1,900	1,030
Hampshire	13,518	10,679	2,210	2,000	10,386	2,064	3,027	1,331
Hereford/Worcestershire	12,014	8,817	0	0	5,400	1,122	1,490	759
Hertfordshire	6,800	4,800	400	200	4,000	1,050	4,500	1,286
Kent	128,902	71,242	4,198	2,000	16,168	3,752	7,550	1,456
Lancashire	12,056	6,375	203	0	10,202	2,010	17,995	2,356
Leicestershire	7,529	516	0	0	4,482	1,067	2,374	922
Lincolnshire	8,158	6,837	75	75	3,050	992	3,590	1,261
Norfolk	6,756	2,651	2,843	1,000	8,741	1,600	7,669	2,021
Northants	4,183	3,023	42	0	5,260	1,129	2,350	890
Northumberside	9,685	4,005	0	0	5,000	1,189	6,000	1,548
Nottinghamshire	6,472	2,655	235	175	6,977	1,435	6,124	1,580
Oxon	3,442	336	7,852	0	3,987	1,354	2,544	1,071
Shropshire	6,638	0	0	0	4,520	1,009	3,082	1,055
Somerset	9,135	7,332	200	200	2,390	886	3,396	1,487
Staffordshire	22,442	14,364	0	0	8,000	1,786	2,400	964
Suffolk	3,288	340	1,360	1,000	6,447	1,500	5,000	1,249
Surrey	24,627	9,680	0	0	8,694	2,473	10,152	1,641
Warwicks	579	0	0	0	3,234	956	3,470	1,270
West Sussex	4,863	2,171	2,507	0	2,428	776	1,622	951
Wiltshire	991	291	0	0	2,295	734	2,937	1,165

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		(part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
Hull	0	0	3,039	1,200	150	0	0	647	322	0
North East Lincoln	0	0	0	0	917	70	151	341	197	211
North Lincoln	0	0	0	0	820	150	149	129	129	0
North Yorkshire	0	0	2,261	0	1,774	0	725	1,726	772	0
York	0	0	1,918	600	329	0	0	249	172	120
Bedfordshire	1,110	500	4,416	800	563	135	456	1,542	780	0
Berkshire	0	0	4,974	700	3,032	159	451	1,607	785	0
Buckinghamshire	0	0	753	450	2,035	200	827	1,000	634	720
Cambridgeshire	0	0	4,212	1,500	1,378	339	685	3,551	1,180	115
Cheshire	0	0	706	450	3,545	381	118	900	716	0
Cornwall	0	0	865	300	2,592	45	722	900	609	562
Cumbria	0	0	0	0	4,985	165	813	600	450	260
Derbyshire	12,128	0	1,977	100	5,306	250	568	1,837	770	750
Devon	70	0	5,234	1,700	5,238	118	1,126	1,373	722	372
Dorset	0	0	1,230	500	2,726	0	1,036	464	244	0
Durham	0	0	2,671	0	2,463	0	534	540	320	100
East Sussex	4,000	0	1,985	850	2,005	0	368	870	628	0
Essex	0	0	4,612	1,300	8,281	0	1,050	4,690	1,557	0
Gloucestershire	0	0	2,311	650	1,935	350	114	1,189	358	254
Hampshire	0	0	7,775	1,500	2,470	540	689	2,359	1,420	2,500

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		(part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
Hereford/Worcestershire	0	0	1,728	350	3,919	0	114	540	320	108
Hertfordshire	0	0	4,067	1,000	3,815	1,475	925	2,500	1,030	0
Kent	0	0	3,067	650	4,953	227	1,286	5,779	1,223	0
Lancashire	1,215	1,000	5,034	900	6,457	1,140	1,153	2,796	1,497	60
Leicestershire	2,148	125	6,841	2,600	3,988	124	710	1,937	753	0
Lincolnshire	0	0	0	0	3,315	525	1,556	750	484	300
Norfolk	0	0	3,251	1,300	4,727	602	730	3,565	870	846
Northants	0	0	1,235	450	1,715	35	120	1,100	775	495
Northumberside	0	0	380	0	2,335	0	369	790	490	385
Nottinghamshire	5,351	0	4,085	1,300	5,409	1,317	988	1,607	870	324
Oxon	0	0	0	1,100	1,722	993	561	2,179	639	238
Shropshire	0	0	2,297	750	5,893	275	1,114	873	400	0
Somerset	0	0	136	0	3,779	0	632	955	502	0
Staffordshire	0	0	3,305	800	3,495	0	1,058	1,000	600	0
Suffolk	0	0	3,880	1,300	6,420	1,480	1,187	1,250	780	195
Surrey	0	0	2,152	500	8,023	717	1,181	10,022	1,460	4,244
Warwickshire	0	0	1,235	350	563	210	419	1,500	910	4
West Sussex	0	0	1,200	350	2,787	734	551	1,781	668	2,603
Wiltshire	0	0	954	300	3,096	63	495	1,314	528	0

All figures in £000
	Major highway schemes				Structural maintenance
	TSG eligible		Non-eligible		Principal RDS		Bridges
	(a)		(b)		(c)		(d)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted
Greater Manchester PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Merseyside PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Yorkshire PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tyne and Wear PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Midlands PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Yorkshire PTE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

All figures in £000
	Major schemes Public transport		Minor works		Other minor works			Local safety schemes		Parking
	(PT)		Packages		Roads	PT	Roads and PT
	(e)		(parts f and g)		(part f)	(part g)	(parts f and g)	(h)		(i)
	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Bid	Accepted	Bid	Accepted	Bid
Greater Manchester PTE	19,940	0	9,250	4,500	0	0	0	0	0	540
Merseyside PTE	9,423	809	15,550	4,970	0	8,338	0	0	0	0
South Yorkshire PTE	13,828	1,876	0	1,375	0	1,150	0	0	0	0
Tyne and Wear PTE	1,047	693	5,769	2,000	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Midlands PTE	54,860	25,000	13,170	2,961	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Yorkshire PTE	0	0	0	0	0	200	0	0	0	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many package bids for transport supplementary grant have been submitted to his department since their introduction; how many of these bids have been successful; and what is the total level of package-based funding awarded to date. [33302]

The figures are given in the table.

Settlement Year	Number of package bids submitted	Number of package bids accepted	Funding for package minor works (£ million)
1994–95	46	13	13
1995–96	82	39	64
1996–97	83	53	79

In addition to the funding for package minor works, we expect all new major schemes in package areas to be justified in the context of the package. Total package funding—including new major schemes—comes to £79 million in 1995–96 and £119 million in 1996–97.

Air Operations International

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what applications have been made by Air Operations International to operate flights in and out of the United Kingdom. [33283]

No applications to operate flights to the UK have been made to the Department of Transport by Air Operations International, which does not possess an operating licence or an air operator's certificate. I understand that the Swedish aeronautical authorities are currently considering an application for an air operator's certificate by Air Operations International. The Department has asked for a copy of the operating licence if and when one is issued.The terms of EC regulations 2407/92 and 2408/92 on, respectively, the licensing of air carriers and access for Community carriers to intra-Community air routes mean that carriers with a valid operating licence granted by a country in the European Economic Area are not required to apply for permission to operate services from the UK to a destination inside the EEA.Air Operations International would, however, need to apply to the Department for permission to operate flights from the UK to destinations outside the EEA.

Air Operations Of Europe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions when permits to operate to and from the United Kingdom were issued by (i) the Civil Aviation Authority and (ii) his Department to Air Operations of Europe after 10 October 1994. [33531]

The Department of Transport is the responsible body for issuing permits to operate to and from the UK. Since 10 October 1994 the Department has granted permission to Air Operations of Europe to operate in its own right to and from the UK on the following dates: 26 May 1995, 10 August 1995, 22 September 1995 and on 17 April.

Red Routes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the impact of red routes on small retail businesses along such routes. [33616]

I am determined that the needs of local businesses are considered fully before red routes are introduced. The Traffic Director for London, who is responsible for co-ordinating the introduction of the red route network, gives full consideration to how these needs can best be met. The traffic director monitors the effects of red routes on businesses and his executive summary of the first study, "Red Routes and Retailing", published in October 1995, has been placed in the Library.

Driving Theory Test Centre, Doncaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the application of the service specification in order to institute a driving theory test centre for Doncaster. [33638]

Proposals for theory test centres in the Doncaster area comply with the service specification for the theory test service delivery contract. I believe that the announced plans reflect a realistic balance between cost, the travelling distances to centres for candidates, and the frequency at which test sessions would be available.For an additional test centre to be sited in the Doncaster area, a robust case would need to demonstrate that special circumstances or difficulties applied in the case of this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what population figures and densities he has used for the towns of (a) Doncaster, (b) Southport and (c) Scunthorpe in deciding that Doncaster should be treated differently from (b) and (c) in respect of driving theory tests. [33637]

The population figures used in determining the network of driving theory test centres were taken from table 15.1 of a Central Statistical Office publication "Regional Trends—1994" published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The figures for the districts in which the following towns are located are:

(a) Doncaster—population density 505 persons per sq. km. Candidates should be within a 20-mile radius of the nearest theory test centre;

(b) Southport—population density 1,929 persons per sq. km. Candidates should be within a five-mile radius of the nearest theory test centre; and

(c) Scunthorpe—population density 1,836 persons per sq. km. Candidates should be within a five-mile radius of the nearest theory test centre.

The criteria used for located driving theory test centres are set out in my reply today to the right hon. Member, Ref. 33639.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what criteria he used to determine that residents of Doncaster, Central should travel to Scunthorpe or Sheffield for driving theory tests; [33639](2) what distances he has used between Doncaster and Scunthorpe and Doncaster and Sheffield to determine that Doncaster should not have a driving theory test centre. [33640]

The criteria for locating theory test centres across Great Britain were determined in order to give a balance between costs, the travelling distances to centres for candidates and the frequency with which test sessions would be available.Theory tests will be available:

within five miles in districts—usually towns or cities—with population density of greater than or equal to 1,250 persons per sq. km;
within 40 miles in sparsely populated districts with a population density of less than 100 person per sq. km;
within 20 miles in other districts where population density lies between these limits.

Doncaster lies in a district in the third category and within a 20-mile radius of both Sheffield and Scunthorpe driving theory test centre.

Asbestos

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the advantages of banning the use of asbestos in vehicle brakes and clutches; and if he will make a statement. [33631]

In 1994, a survey of companies producing asbestos products found that 4,5000 tonnes of chrysotile asbestos was used in friction materials, such as brakes and clutches, mainly for heavy goods vehicles. There is good evidence that, under conditions of use in brakes and clutches, chrysotile asbestos breaks down to less harmful products.

The Health and Safety Executive participated in a 1988 study by the International Programme on Chemical Safety—which comes under the auspices of the UN Environment Programme, the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation—which found the following:

(a) production workers who make the brakes and clutches, have since the 1940s had generally low exposure and low risk compared to other asbestos workers;

(b) mechanics who maintain/replace brake linings have low exposure and risk, particularly if HSE's advice is followed;

(c) ambient exposure levels in areas where increased braking of vehicles occur, generally show either no increase, or only a very small increase, in the background level of asbestos fibres in the air. Any risk from environmental brake emission is therefore very small.

Nevertheless agreement has been reached within the United Nationals Economic Commission for Europe to prohibit the use of asbestos in the brake linings of vehicles first used on or after 1 October 1998. Discussions to align EU braking requirements with those of the UNECE are schedule for later this year.

School Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for the Environment dispensation in respect of capping limits on expenditure to end the practice of seating three children to two seats in school transport. [33716]

The costs of ending the practice of seating three children to two seats in school transport were taken into account in deciding the education standard spending assessments. Increases in those assessments were taken into account in the capping guidelines for 1996–97. All local authority budgets for 1996–97 are now set.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the costs to local education authorities and schools of ending the practice of seating three children to two seats in school transport. [33717]

The costs associated with changes to the construction and use regulations to require seat belts in coaches and minibuses specifically used for the transport of children were given in the compliance cost assessment which accompanied the amended regulations in February. The costs associated with the consequential amendments to the Public Service Vehicle (Carrying Capacity) Regulations to remove the three for two concession where seat belts are fitted were included in the assessment.My Department has not considered the costs of further changes to remove the three for two concession completely, as there is no safety justification for doing so, and this is therefore a matter for local authorities to consider in relation to their specific school transport provisions.

London Transport Buses

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the grant to London Transport Buses in 1995–96, and how it was spent. [33609]

In 1995–96 London Transport Buses received grant from London Transport amounting to £44.3 million. This comprised £30.4 million in support of bus operations, £8.9 million on investment and £5 million working capital.

Office Of Passenger Rail Franchising

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the annual running costs of Opraf. [33813]

The annual running costs of Opraf for 1996–97 are £7.6 million for which the Government have sought approval in the Supply estimates laid before Parliament.

Rail Privatisation

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total costs, including external costs and external costs for advice, have been incurred by the Rail Regulator to date in respect of rail privatisation; and what are the estimates for the current financial year. [33797]

I am advised by the Office of the rail regulator that its expenditure from the time of its establishment in 1993–94 has been as set out in the following table, which includes a column showing planned expenditure in the current year. The 1995–96 figures are provisional.

£ million
	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Consultancy	0.6	2.9	3.0	1.2
Running costs	0.6	4.7	5.7	6.6
Capital	0.2	1.4	0.3	0.4
Total	1.4	9.0	9.0	8.2

A64

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the draft orders under the Highways Act 1980 for the Highways Agency's proposals for improving the A64 at its junction with Top lane, Copmanthorpe. [33888]

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

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Michael Alison, dated 21 June 1996:

As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when he will publish the draft Orders under the Highways Act 1980 for the Highways Agency's proposals for improving the A64 at its junction with Top Lane, Copmanthorpe.

You are aware that we held a public exhibition into the proposals in December 1995 and that we intended to publish draft Orders later this year. However, the Highways Agency Business Plan for 1996/97 has been agreed with Ministers and unfortunately we have no programme of local safety or small improvement schemes this year. The position for 1997/98 and beyond is of course unclear, and I am afraid that I cannot give any assurances about precisely when funds may be available to progress this scheme.

I know that you and your constituents will be very disappointed with this news, but our programmes have to reflect the current constraints on public expenditure.

British Rail Maintenance Depots

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Ernst and Young's report of its study of the sale of four ex-British Rail Maintenance Ltd. depots, two level 5 depots and the Swindon electronic service centre will be available; and if he will list the names of the purchasers and prices paid for the seven sales. [34491]

I have today placed a copy of the report in the Library. The total sale proceeds of £29.69 million, subject to final post completion adjustments, are divided as follows:

Depots	Purchaser	Proceeds (£ million)
Chart Leacon, Ilford and Doncaster	ABB Customer Support Ltd.	17.74
Wolverton and Springburn	Railcare Ltd.	6.0
Eastleigh	Wessex Traincare Ltd.	5.60
Electronic Service Centre, Swindon	ABB Customer Support Ltd.	0.35

Copyright

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department intends to complete its review of copyright law to ensure compliance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. [33763]

[holding answer 20 June 1996]: It is intended that the review be completed in September.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Bosnia

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the Government are making to ensure that refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina are able to vote in the forthcoming elections for the new Mostar local authorities and in the planned nationwide elections in September. [33777]

For the Mostar municipal elections due to be held on 30 June, the European Union has undertaken to designate one refugee voting centre in each of the four countries outside former Yugoslavia where the majority of Mostar refugees live, and to support financially bus transport to Mostar for refugees who wish to participate in the elections.The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the International Organisation of Migration will organise registration and voting for the nationwide elections for Bosnians resident in third countries. As a voluntary contribution to this process, Her Majesty's Government have made available office facilities for a registration and voting centre to be run under IOM supervision and have helped with the distribution of information to refugee populations.

Northern Ireland

Postage Costs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on postage in the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96; and how many items were posted during these periods. [32849]

The amount spent on postage by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments was as follows:

1994–95: £6,879,578
1995–96: £6,789,781

No statistics are available on the number of items posted.

Teachers

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers were made redundant (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily, at primary, secondary and further levels in each year since 1990. [33310]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extend schools with similar enrolments can employ differing numbers of teachers under present financial arrangements for schools. [33311]

The employment of teaching staff is a matter for the board of governors of each school with a delegated budget to decide, within the constraints of the school's annual budget allocation.

Schools Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the amount spent, in cash and constant price terms, excluding funding for special projects, per primary and post primary pupil in Northern Ireland in each year since 1989–90. [33312]

The information is as follows:

	Primary	Post-primary
1992–93
Cash	1,427	2,234
Constant	1,362	2,132
1993–94
Cash	1,480	2,286
Constant	1,453	2,245
1994–95
Cash	1,554	2,369
Constant	1,554	2,369
1994–95 prices

Information is not available for 1989–90 to 1991–92.

School Starting Ages

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the long-term impact of the earlier school starting age in Northern Ireland upon school pupils' attainments; and what were the findings. [33313]

No research into the earlier school starting age in Northern Ireland has been specifically commissioned. However, there is a range of research providing evidence of the long-term benefits of an early start in education.

Health And Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [33507]

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Next Steps Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Government agencies he estimates will be in place by the end of 1996; and if he will list them and their functions. [33540]

It is expected that there will be 24 next steps agencies in Northern Ireland by the end of 1996. A list of the existing and anticipated agencies and their functions is set out.Further and more detailed information about existing agencies can be found in the respective corporate and business plans which are published documents, copies of which are in the Library.

Compensation Agency

Function: Administration of three statutory compensation schemes; the criminal injuries compensation scheme, the criminal damage compensation scheme and the emergency provision compensation scheme.

Construction Service

Function: Design, construction, maintenance management, environmental quality and safety standards of work undertaken for Government Departments, agencies and other public bodies.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing (Northern Ireland)

Function: Issue of driving licences; registration and licensing of vehicles in Northern Ireland and collection and enforcement of vehicle excise duty.

Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

Function: Examines vehicles to make sure they are roadworthy, conducts driving tests and approves registration of new driving instructors.

Environment and Heritage Service

Function: Protection and conservation of the natural and built environment.

Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland

Function: Provision of effective scientific advice and support to enhance the delivery of justice.

Government Purchasing Agency (GPA)

Function: Provision of a professional procurement service.

Health Estates

Function: Provision of policy advice, guidance and support on estate matters to bodies responsible for the health and personal social service estate in Northern Ireland.

Industrial Research and Technology Unit

Function: Promotion of industrial research, development and technology transfer in Northern Ireland.

Land Registers of Northern Ireland

Function: Records details of legal rights to land, provides information for land and property conveyancing and has a judicial role in resolving disputes about registered land.

Northern Ireland Child Support Agency

Function: Operation of the system created by the Child Support Act 1991 in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Prison Service

Function: To serve and protect the community by holding in secure and humane confinement persons given into custody by the courts and by encouraging offenders to address their offending behaviour.

Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)

Function: Provision of a statistical and research service.

Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

Function: Is responsible for producing maps and related information services which are used in paper and computer form by public bodies, companies and private individuals.

Planning Service

Function: Prepares development plans, decides planning applications and provides a property certificate service for people involved in conveyancing.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Function: Identification and preservation of Northern Ireland's archival heritage.

Rate Collection Agency

Function: Collection of rates and administration of the housing benefit scheme for owner-occupiers.

Roads Service

Function: Provision and maintenance of the road network throughout Northern Ireland.

Social Security Agency (Northern Ireland)

Function: Administration of social security benefits, national insurance contributions and other health and welfare-related functions.

Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland)

Function: Administration of employment and training services in Northern Ireland.

Valuation and Lands Agency

Function: Maintenance of the valuation list for rating purposes in Northern Ireland.

Water Service

Function: Provision of water and sewerage service in Northern Ireland.

AGENCIES PREPARING FOR LAUNCH DURING 1996

Watercourse Management

Function: Provision of services dealing with flood protection, river drainage and navigation on certain inland waterways.

Business Development Services

Function: Provision of business support services to Government Departments.

Defence

Contracting Out

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those functions of the armed services which have been (a) contracted out and (b) given agency status since 1979. [33074]

I am writing to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Sea King Helicopters

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 4 June, Official Report, columns 339–40, if he will list for the Sea Kings currently in service the number which have suffered cracking to the lift frame (a) once and (b) more than once, by the year in which they entered service; how many repairs to Sea King lift frames have been carried out in each of the last 10 years; what are the reasons for the cracking; what measures have been taken (i) before delivery and (ii) for helicopters already in service, to prevent cracking; and how many helicopters have been taken out of service prematurely because of cracking to the lift frame. [32820]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Royal Marines (Landing Craft)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to purchase air-cushioned landing craft for the Royal Marines. [34047]

We have no such plans at present. The Royal Marines 539 Squadron currently operates four Griffon 2000 hovercraft.

Married Quarters

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married housing quarters his Department possesses in (a) Wiltshire, (b) Kent and (c) Surrey. [34048]

My Department currently owns 6,271 family quarters in Wiltshire, 3,046 in Kent, and 1,798 in Surrey.

Retraining Advice

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what retraining advice and assistance is provided to (a) officers and (b) other ranks of the armed forces who are leaving the service; and if he will make a statement. [34011]

Appropriate resettlement advice is available to all service personnel throughout their careers. A comprehensive programme of career and specialist briefings, training courses and elements of outplacement is also available to eligible personnel during their final two years, Training may be undertaken either in-house—two main resettlement centres and nine regional centres—or externally. External training, for which a grant is available, may be through commercial providers, educational and training institutions. Service leavers may also undertake familiarisation attachments or spend time with companies to gain work experience or on-the-job training. Help with job finding is provided through the services employment network.

Wales

Health And Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost in each of the past five years of (a) sick pay and (b) compensation paid to employees of his Department or their families, or members of the public, as a result of (i) minor, (ii) major and (iii) fatal injuries related to the work of his Department, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33526]

(a) Expenditure on sick pay as a result of injuries related to work is not separately recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

(b) Compensation paid as a result of injuries related to work was as follows:

Financial year	Minor injury	Major injury¹ £	Fatal injury
1995–96	nil	nil	nil
1994–95	nil	3,650	nil
1993–94	nil	nil	nil
1992–93	nil	nil	nil
Figures prior to 1992–93 are unavailable.
¹ Cases which are required to be reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [33524]

Internal health and safety monitoring and reporting is a continuous process within the Department. Many minor matters are reported in the course of a year and action taken. The Health and Safety Commission, through the Health and Safety Executive. has become involved on one occasion in the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [33527]

The information requested is not available. Prior to 1 April 1996, responsibilities for accommodation matters were divided between Property Holdings and the Department. Health and safety costs related to accommodation are not kept separately, but are subsumed within the cost of maintaining the Department's premises generally.

Gwent Health Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of Gwent health authority concerning the provision of (a) a draft and (b) a final report of the investigation by the authority's board into the appointment in January 1996 of a senior manager who was made redundant in December 1995 from Gwent Community Healthcare NHS trust; [34058](2) if he will place a copy in the Library of the report of the board of Gwent health authority into its investigation into the appointment of a senior manager in January 1996; [34051](3) what consultations he had had with the independent representative he appointed to the inquiry by the special sub-committee of the board of Gwent health authority to investigate the appointment of a senior manager in January 1996. [34050]

My Department is being kept informed of progress but I have not had any consultations with the chairman or the independent adviser who was appointed by the authority. I understand that, following a meeting of the authority on 17 June, the sub-committee undertaking the inquiry has been asked to carry out further work. I also understand that when it is completed the authority will publicise the findings of the review and any action it proposes to take.

Welsh Development Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many secured jobs have been created since 1975 by the Welsh Development Agency; [33884](2) what quantities of land have been

(a) auctioned off or otherwise sold and (b) acquired in each year since 1975 by the Welsh Development Agency; and if he will make a statement on the employment impact of the land sales. [33887]

These are operational matters for the Welsh Development Agency. I will arrange for the chief executive to write to the hon. Member and for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what benefits he expects will accrue in respect of the creation of jobs from the recent sale of land owned by the Welsh Development Agency. [33885]

I have set the agency a target for 1996–97 of creating or safeguarding 12,500 jobs in Wales. This will be achieved through a variety of programmes which are to be funded by some £80 million in receipts—excluding receipts from European programmes—and £40 million in grant in aid; the property disposal programme will contribute towards the receipts total.

Health

Oral Contraceptives

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on whose authority the special meeting of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on 11 October 1995 was called. [31897]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 19 December 1995, Official Report, columns 1150–51.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Committee on Safety of Medicines has issued a letter relating to desogestrel and gestodene in terms of paragraph 6(1)(c) of schedule 2 to the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc.) Regulations 1994 since 18 April. [31858]

Communications between the committee and licence holders are confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 19 December 1995, Official Report, columns 1150–51, if the United Kingdom representatives on the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products communicated to Ministers the results of the CPMP deliberations on 18 October prior to the issuing of the "dear doctor" letter of the same date. [31894]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 April, Official Report, column 499.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 19 December 1995, Official Report, columns 1151–52, what factors have prevented the Licensing Authority from reinforcing the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on desogestrel and gestodene. [31863]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 19 December 1995, Official Report, column 1149.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis the special meeting of the Committee on Safety of Medicines held on 13 October was called. [31859]

The meeting of 13 October was called because there was an urgent need to obtain independent expert advice on important new evidence concerning the safety of oral contraceptives.

Heart Surgery

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons over the age of 65 years received major heart surgery at hospitals covering the Greater London area during 1995. [33705]

This information is not available.

St George's Hospital, Tooting

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private hospital beds there are currently at St. George's hospital, Tooting. [33707]

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

Unique Patient Numbers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what procedure a hospital will be able to access the unique number for an NHS patient; if all hospitals will have such a procedure in place before the launch date of the project; and if he will make a statement. [33989]

An acute hospital will obtain the new national health service number for a patient from one of three possible sources: the number will be included in the general practitioner's referral letter; the number will already be present on the hospital's database if this is not the first referral; or the number will be accessed via a tracing service.It is planned for all acute hospitals to have access to these facilities by April 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of hospitals, and the number and proportion of general practitioner practices, which now have systems in place to handle the unique NHS patient number. [33990]

No detailed estimates have been prepared of the number of hospitals which have systems in place to handle the new national health service number. It will not be possible to produce reliable estimates until suppliers of hospital patient administration systems have been able to respond to the statement of requirements which will be issued shortly.All general practitioner practices that have been linked electronically to their health authorities now have systems in place which handle the new NHS number. At the end of May 1996, the number of practices with this capability was 5,700, which is 67 per cent. of all practices.

Parliamentary Questions

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parliamentary questions to his Department were referred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non-departmental agency for which he has responsibility for the 1994–95 parliamentary Session. [34331]

Following a search of the parliamentary on-line information service database, we have identified a total of 56 such parliamentary questions which were answered during the 1994–95 parliamentary Session. This represents around 1 per cent. of the total.

Children (Employment)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of young people in the United Kingdom (a) under 15 years working (i) less than and (ii) more than 10 hours per week, and (b) under 13 years in paid employment. [33862]

Such information as is available centrally was published in the April 1995 edition of the Employment Gazette, copies of which are available in the Library.

Osteopathy

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to make osteopathy services available on the national health service. [33809]

It is for local purchasers to decide, in the light of available resources and competing priorities, on the purchase of the most appropriate forms of treatment to meet the assessed health needs of their population. The reforms we have introduced in the national health service have made it easier for those doctors who would like to provide osteopathy services for their patients to do so.In April, a two-year pilot project commenced to assess whether osteopathy and chiropractic should be added to the standard list of goods and services which general practice fundholders can purchase on behalf of their patients.

Smoking

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his most recent estimate of the number of deaths in the United Kingdom per annum caused by secondary smoking. [34045]

In its fourth report, published in 1988, the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health estimated the number of lung cancer deaths in non-smokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke over most of their lives as "several hundred deaths per year".

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total annual cost to the NHS arising from illnesses caused by tobacco smoking. [34046]

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) on 12 June, Official Report, columns 187–88.

Childhood Cancer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the conclusions of (a) the fourth report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment and (b) the National Radiological Protection Board R-276 report, in respect of childhood leukaemia and domestic radon; and what estimate he has made of the reduction in incidence of childhood leukaemia if the radon action limit were reduced to 200 bq per cubic metre. [34056]

The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment's fourth report concluded that there was a continuing excess of leukaemia and other cancers in Seascale ward over four decades. This excess is unlikely to be due to chance alone. A number of possible factors which might have caused the excess have been considered but none of them, alone, could account for the increase. COMARE advised against further work specifically addressing the Seascale cluster until research indicates a new hypothesis to test. The Government accepted these conclusions.The National Radiological Protection Board report R-276 was designed to provide input for COMARE. Its main conclusions were that the total number of fatal radiation induced leukaemias and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in the period 1945 to 1992 was 0.36, of which most—78 per cent.—were caused by natural radiation.The United Kingdom action level for radon is already at 200 bq per cubic metre.

Electro-Magnetic Fields

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the findings of the national control case study of childhood cancer with regard to the effect of radon and electro-magnetic fields; and what recommendations the National Radiological Protection Board has made arising therefrom. [34053]

The United Kingdom childhood cancer study organised by the United Kingdom Co-ordinating Committee on Cancer Research commenced in April 1992, following preliminary studies from 1 January 1992 to 31 March 1992.Field work and the collection of data are expected to be completed by the end of 1997 with subsequent analysis of the data.The findings of the whole report will be submitted for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals. The UKCCCR will also disseminate the results more widely after publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what studies the National Radiological Protection Board has undertaken relating to the effects of electric railway conductors; and what were its findings; [34067](2) what studies of the effects of exposure to electric fields have been undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board; and with what results; [34055](3) if he will make a statement on the current assessment of the National Radiological Protection Board advisory group in respect of non-ionising radiation and the epidemiological evidence of a link between exposure to electro-magnetic fields and the incidence of leukaemia; what recent studies it has undertaken; and what were its findings. [34504]

The National Radiological Protection Board undertakes research into the effects of electro-magnetic fields on human health to support its advice to the Government and the publication of guidance. It has not carried out any specific studies relating to the effects of fields from electrified railway lines, although a review of magnetic fields associated with electrical transport has been published by NRPB which indicated that such exposure would not result in exceeding NRPB guidelines.Of two studies on rodents exposed to electric fields, one found no significant effects on two indices of central nervous system arousal and the other found that mains frequency fields had no effect on electrical activity in the rat brain. Further studies on high-level electric fields did not have a mutagenic effect on male germ cells.The Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation concluded in its 1992 report that human health—epidemiological—findings provided no firm evidence of the existence of a cancer hazard from exposure to power frequency EMF that may be associated with residence near major sources of electricity supply.Following a review of subsequent findings, the group concluded that, although the studies did not establish that exposure to power frequency EMF is a cause of cancer, they provided weak evidence to suggest that the possibility exists. Recommendations for further research were made and the advisory group is currently carrying out a further assessment taking into account studies which have been published since its last report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the attraction of radon decay product aerosols to electro-magnetic field sources. [34057]

A study has recently been commissioned to investigate the concentration and transport of radon daughter nuclei near sources of power frequency electro-magnetic fields. This is being carried out under the Department's radiation protection research programme.

Judicial Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many decisions by his Department were challenged by way of judicial review in each Session since 1991–92; and if he will list in how many cases (a) the Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the Department submitted to the judgement and (d) the Department appealed successfully against the judicial review decision; [33570](2) on how many occasions in each Session since 1991–92 legislation has been introduced into Parliament by his Department, with the purpose of

(a) removing the effects of a judicial review decision or (b) implementing a judicial review decision; and if he will list the relevant legislative provisions. [33587]

[holding answer 19 June 1996]: Information in the form requested is not available. Since April 1994,23 decisions have been challenged by way of judicial review. In 11 cases, the Department's decision was upheld by the court; in four cases, the court found for the applicant, and in none of those cases did the Department appeal against the judicial review decision. Four cases were settled out of court; and four cases are on-going. In that time, one piece of legislation—the NHS (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1995—has been introduced in order to implement a judicial review decision.Information for any period before April 1994 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Lord President Of The Council

Correspondence

To ask the Lord President of the Council when he will be replying to the letter he received from the right hon. Member dated 19 December 1995, acknowledged by his private secretary on 21 December 1995 and to the further letter dated 3 April 1996 he received from the right hon. Member asking for a reply. [33993]

I regret the delay in replying to my right hon. Friend, and am writing to him today.

Overseas Development Administration

Know-How Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total spending on know-how fund projects in each country benefiting from the fund in each of the past three years. [34044]

Spending for each country was set out in the table.

£ million
Country	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96
Bulgaria	1.857	2.179	2.968
Hungary	6.281	4.599	4.804
Poland	11.878	10.973	11.787
Romania	3.741	4.829	6.424
Albania	0.361	0.723	0.947
Slovenia	0.492	0.935	0.858
Macedonia	0.174	2.251	0.559
Czech Republic	2.768	2.544	2.806
Slovak Republic	2.569	2.405	2.722
Estonia	0.310	0.691	0.856
Latvia	0.259	0.915	0.632
Lithuania	1.058	0.900	0.605
Pan Baltic	0.627	0.603	0.108
Russia	17.098	28.738	27.392
Russia Chancellor's Scheme	0.953	1.350	2.225
Ukraine	3.265	5.330	8.919
Kazakhstan	1.012	1.909	2.649
Belarus	0.086	0.616	1.147
Moldova	0.040	0.124	0.382
Armenia	0.025	0.079	0.347
Azerbaijan	0.122	0.441	0.677
Georgia	0.071	0.496	1.004
Kyrgyztan	0.093	0.436	0.407
Turkmenistan	0.001	0.038	0.126
Tajikistan	—	0.081	0.122
Uzbekistan	0.266	0.302	0.587
Regional	2.433	2.799	4.200

House Of Commons

Oral Questions

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list each hon. Member who has had an oral question in the top six to the Prime Minister indicating for each hon. Member the number of times on which this has occurred in the current Session. [33994]

The information requested is as follows:

Member	Number of times member has had oral question in top six to Prime Minister
Mrs. Irene Adams	1
Mr. Nick Ainger	1
Mr Richard Alexander	1
Mr. David Amess	3
Ms Janet Anderson	1
Hilary Armstrong	2
Mr. Jacques Arnold	4
Mr. Matthew Banks	2
Mr. Robert Banks	2
Mr. Tony Banks	4
Mr. Harry Barnes	1
Mr. John Battle	1
Mr. Hugh Bayley	1
Mr. Roy Beggs	1
Mr. Roger Berry	1
Mr. Hartley Booth	1
Sir Graham Bright	1
Mr. Michael Brown	3
Mr. Ian Bruce	1
Mr. Malcolm Bruce	2
Mr. Richard Burden	1
Mr. Peter Butler	5

Member	Number of times member has had oral question in top six to Prime Minister
Mrs. Anne Campbell	3
Mr. Ronnie Campbell	3
Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours	1
Mr. Dennis Canavan	2
Mr. Matthew Carrington	2
Mr. David Chidgey	1
Mr. Malcolm Chisholm	1
Mr. Michael Clapham	1
Mr. Michael Clark	1
Mr. David Clelland	1
Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown	4
Ann Clwyd	2
Mr. Harry Cohen	3
Mr. David Congdon	4
Mr. Simon Coombs	3
Mr. Robin Corbett	1
Mr. Jeremy Corbyn	1
Jean Corston	1
Mr. Tom Cox	1
Mr. John Cummings	1
Mr. Jim Cunningham	1
Roseanna Cunningham	2
Mr. Tam Dalyell	3
Mr. Ian Davidson	2
Mr. Bryan Davies	3
Mr. Chris Davies	2
Mr. John Denham	1
Mr. Jim Dowd	2
Mr. Bob Dunn	2
Mr. Hugh Dykes	1
Ms Angela Eagle	1
Mr. David Evans	1
Mr. Nigel Evans	1
Mr. David Evennett	1
Mrs. Margaret Ewing	2
Mr. Michael Fabricant	2
Mr. Paul Flynn	2
Mr. Don Foster	1
Mr. George Foulkes	3
Mr. Phil Gallie	1
Mr. Mike Gapes	3
Mr. Neil Gerrard	1
Mr. Christopher Gill	2
Dr. Norman A. Godman	3
Dr. Charles Goodson-Wickes	4
Mrs. Teresa Gorman	1
Mr. Harry Greenway	2
Mr. Nigel Griffiths	1
Mr. John Gunnell	3
Mr. Peter Hain	2
Mr. Mike Hall	2
Sir John Hannam	3
Mr. David Hanson	2
Mr. Peter Hardy	2
Sir Alan Haselhurst	3
Mr. Nick Hawkins	1
Mr. Charles Hendry	2
Mr. Keith Hill	2
Mr. David Hinchliffe	1
Kate Hoey	1
Mr. Jimmy Hood	1
Mr. Geoffrey Hoon	3
Mr. Doug Hoyle	2
Mr. Robert G. Hughes (Harrow West)	2
Mr. Roy Hughes	1
Mr. Simon Hughes	2
Mr. Eric Illsley	4
Glenda Jackson	1
Mr. David Jamieson	2
Mr. Bernard Jenkin	2
Mr. Toby Jessel	1
Mr. Barry Jones	3

Member	Number of times member has had oral question in top six to Prime Minister
Mr. Jon Owen Jones	2
Mr. Martyn Jones	2
Jane Kennedy	3
Mr. Piara Khabra	1
Mr. Peter Kilfoyle	1
Mr. Archie Kirkwood	1
Sir Ivan Lawrence	1
Mr. Ken Livingstone	2
Mr. Peter Luff	2
Ms Liz Lynne	4
Mr. John McAllion	1
Mr. Thomas McAvoy	3
Mr. John McFall	3
Mr. Andrew Mackinlay	1
Mr. Kevin McNamara	1
Mr. Denis MacShane	2
Mr. Max Madden	3
Alice Mahon	2
Lady Olga Maitland	1
Mr. David Marshall	3
Mr. John Marshall	1
Mr. Michael J. Martin	1
Mr. Alun Michael	1
Mr. Bill Michie	4
Mr. Andrew Miller	1
Mr. Austin Mitchell	1
Sir Roger Moate	1
Sir Fergus Montgomery	2
Mr. Rhodri Morgan	1
Mr. George Mudie	1
Mr. Chris Mullin	4
Sir Michael Neubert	4
Mr. Mike O'Brien	4
Mr. William O'Brien	1
Mr. Edward O'Hara	1
Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock	3
Mr. Ian Pearson	1
Mr. Colin Pickthall	2
Mr. Peter L. Pike	2
Bridget Prentice	2
Mr. Gordon Prentice	1
Mr. Ken Purchase	1
Ms Joyce Quin	1
Mr. Tim Rathbone	2
Mr. Nick Raynsford	1
Mr. David Rendel	1
Mr. Graham Riddick	3
Sir Wyn Roberts	2
Mr. Mark Robinson	1
Mrs. Barbara Roche	1
Mr. Alex Salmond	1
Mr. David Shaw	2
Mr. Barry Sheerman	2
Sir Colin Shepherd	1
Mr. Alan Simpson	1
Sir Roger Sims	1

Member	Number of times member has had oral question in top six to Prime Minister
Mr. Dennis Skinner	2
Mr. Llew Smith	1
Rev Martin Smyth	1
Mr. Nigel Spearing	1
Mr. John Spellar	1
Mr. Richard Spring	1
Mr. Anthony Steen	2
Mr. Michael Stephen	1
Mr. George Stevenson	1
Mr. Allan Stewart	1
Mr. David Sumberg	1
Mr. Gerry Sutcliffe	1
Mr. Walter Sweeney	1
Sir Peter Tapsell	1
Mr. Matthew Taylor	2
Sir Teddy Taylor	3
Mr. Roy Thomason	1
Mr. Patrick Thompson	2
Mr. Stephen Timms	1
Mr. Paddy Tipping	1
Mr. Don Touhig	1
Mr. John Townend	1
Mr. Dennis Turner	2
Dr. Ian Twinn	1
Mr. Paul Tyler	1
Mr. Bill Walker	1
Mr. Robert N. Wareing	2
Mr. Nigel Waterson	2
Mr. Andrew Welsh	1
Mr. John Whittingdale	1
Mr. Malcolm Wicks	1
Mr. Dafydd Wigley	1
Mr. John Wilkinson	3
Dr. Alan W. Williams (Carmarthen)	3
Mr. Nicholas Winterton	1
Dr. Tony Wright	1

Attorney-General

Lenient Sentences

To ask the Attorney-General how many sentences were referred to the Court of Appeal as being too lenient in 1995; and in how many cases the sentence was increased. [33715]

In 1995, 77 cases were referred to the Court of Appeal in England and Wales and four in Northern Ireland. Three were subsequently withdrawn in England and Wales. To date, 64 of those cases have been heard by the Court of Appeal. Sentence was increased in 58 cases out of 64 or 91 per cent.

Volume 279: debated on Friday 21 June 1996

Written Answers Toquestions

Duchy Of Lancaster

Local Authority (Property)

Social Security

Benefits Agency

Child Support Agency

Compensation Recovery Unit

Housing Benefit

Benefit Statistics

Severe Disability Allowance

Family Expenditure Survey

War Pensions

Home Department

Mr Brian Parsons

Prisons (Computer Software)

Prisons (Education)

Prisons (Cells)

Prisons (Costs)

Prisons (Staff)

Prisoners (Privileges)

Trade And Industry

Nuclear Companies

Environment

Satellite-Derived Data

Air Pollution (West Midlands)

Noise Pollution

Road Traffic (West Midlands)

Heavy Traffic (Health Problems)

Treasury

Prompt Payment Code

Unemployment Statistics (Ethnic Minorities)

Construction Industry

Tax Offices (Yorkshire)

National Heritage

Public Appointments

Education And Employment

Departmental Personnel

Judicial Review

School Funding

Ethnic Minorities

Student Drop-Out Rates

National Vocational Qualifications

Class Sizes

Transport

Aviation Standards

Satellite Navigation

Train Arrivals And Departures

Transport Supplementary Grant

Air Operations International

Air Operations Of Europe

Red Routes

Driving Theory Test Centre, Doncaster

Asbestos

School Transport

London Transport Buses

Office Of Passenger Rail Franchising

Rail Privatisation

A64

British Rail Maintenance Depots

Copyright

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Bosnia

Northern Ireland

Postage Costs

Teachers

Schools Expenditure

School Starting Ages

Health And Safety

Next Steps Agencies

Defence

Contracting Out

Sea King Helicopters

Royal Marines (Landing Craft)

Married Quarters

Retraining Advice

Wales

Health And Safety

Gwent Health Authority