To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities to promote local food production in inner cities and urban areas by the planting of fruit trees in parks and cities; and if he will make a statement. [37360]

There are already a number of Government initiatives which promote local food production and the planting of fruit trees in urban areas. This year we gave a £26,100 grant from the environmental action fund to the charity Common Ground, which successfully encourages volunteer involvement in a number of campaigns including the development in urban areas of community orchards containing indigenous fruit trees, and which promote the annual apple day.This year my Department is again funding the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners with a grant of £30,450, part of which is designed to help it to promote allotment gardening and increase the take-up of vacant allotments, including those in inner cities. The NSALG has a number of information leaflets on how to acquire an allotment and how to cultivate it.Furthermore, last October I announced the launch of the greening the city initiative which will culminate this autumn in the publication of a good practice guide on urban greening. It will be up to individual authorities and bodies how they implement these guidelines, but the planting of trees is an integral component of the urban greening process. It will be for individual authorities to determine which species are appropriate for specific projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to help farmers prepare for the possibility of drought. [36434]

The Environment Agency has a policy of seeking to minimise the impact of any restrictions which might be necessary on the direct abstraction of water for irrigation purposes. It will provide information in advance of possible restrictions. It is working to encourage farmers to determine the risks to the reliability of their supplies of potential restrictions, and to assess the costs and benefits of providing on-farm winter storage bearing in mind the substantial reductions in charges for winter abstraction which the agency makes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 July, Official Report, column 500, if he will place in the Library two copies of base maps of 1:100,000 scale for each county, bearing the new local authority and new parliamentary boundaries. [37721]

No. Ordnance Survey does not produce 1:100,000 scale county maps with local authority and parliamentary boundary overprints as a standard, paper-based product. The agency is able to supply a customised product, derived from the computerised national topographic database, at a price estimated for individual requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for local education authorities in England (i) individually, (ii) by class and (iii) in total (a) the actual budget outturn for 1996–97, (b) the provisional budget for 1997–98 and (c) the provisional education standard spending assessment. [37781]

Budgeted 1996–97 net revenue expenditure information by individual authority has been placed in the Library of the House. Class totals are as follows:

		£ million
	Total net revenue expenditure	Education net revenue expenditure
Shire counties	17,190	9,956
Unitary authorities1	2,136	1,028
Isles of Scilly	3	1
Metropolitan districts1	9,470	4,462
City of London	143	4
Inner London boroughs	2,857	1,109
Outer London boroughs	3,873	1,849
All local education authorities1	35,672	18,409
1 Includes estimates for two authorities who have yet to return a valid RA96/97 form.

Provisional budgets and standard spending assessments for 1997–98 will not be available until after the revenue support grant consultation announcement towards the end of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to give further consideration to the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham, what is the minimum distance from a school required for (a) short-term and (b) permanent permission for such a repository; how far the European school is from the site at Culham; and if he will make a statement; [37988](2) what representations he has received against the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham. [37989]

The Environment Agency is considering an application from Safeguard International for authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in respect of a radioactive waste transfer station at Culham. The facility would be a temporary store, not a repository for the permanent disposal of radioactive waste and would handle non-nuclear radioactive waste—e.g. from hospitals, universities, research laboratories and non-nuclear industries. The European school is 1.5 km from the proposed facility. There is no requirement to set minimum distance for schools or any other development, since the surroundings of a facility are taken into account by the Environment Agency when considering applications. The Secretary of State has received one petition and 89 nine letters and will consider whether to call in the application for his own determination under section 24 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how Departments performed against last year's targets for reducing empty homes; and what new targets have been set for 1996–97. [38816]

	Total slock at 1 April 1996	1995–96 target for percentage empty	Achievement against target	1996–97 target for percentage empty	1995–96 target for percentage habitable homes empty more than six months	Percentage achievement against target	1996–97 target for percentage habitable homes empty more titan six months	Action being taken to dispose of homes empty more than six months
Home Office	3,455	<11	7 (242)	<6	<3	0.3 (10)	1	—
Department of Transport	3,532	<25	18.9 (669)	<17	<9	8.3 (293)	<7	194 of these homes are in the process of being sold, including 60 being auctioned. 99 are in the process of being let
Welsh Office	243	1<3	20.5 (50)	<15	3	9.0 (22)	<5	Seven sales in progress, one under offer, three to be auctioned. Seven awaiting disposal as part of larger package
Scottish Office	213	10	9.8 (21)	1	<3	1.8 (4)	1	Expected occupation of all houses by winter 1996
Ministry of Defence	70,409	To dispose of 1,500 homes by April 1996 and to dispose of a further 2,500 by end summer 1996	1,703 disposed of by April	To dispose of 4,000 empty homes	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
1 The 3 per cent. target was based on the position at 1 April 1995. In relation to the properties empty at that time 2.8 per cent. are still empty. However, others have become empty since then. The targets for 1996ߝ97 make realistic provision for properties becoming empty during the year.
<=less than.
1. Properties that are "habitable"include all properties except:
(a) derelict properties that await demolition (e.g., to make way for road schemes),
(b) those that are expected to be demolished in the near future where the expenditure required to make them habitable would be disproportionate to their expected life (e.g. where substantial investment would be required to connect essential services such as water, sewage or electricity),
(c) those that cannot be made accessible (e.g., due to adjacent construction works).
2. Figures for the national health service in England and Scotland are not included in the table. The recent survey figures for England show a decrease in vacant properties from 1,800 at 1 December 1992 to 1,604 at 21 October 1995. The target for this period was to reduce the number of vacant properties to 1,100. The NHS is committed to future reductions in the number of empty properties held, but do not intend to carry out further surveys since the void rate equates to only about 3.5 units per NHS trust. Figures for NHS Trust properties in Scotland at 1 April 1995 were; total stock 1,185—properties empty 113 [9.5 per cent.]. Figures at 1 April 1996 are; total stock 1,087—properties empty 162 [14.9 per cent.]. The NHS in Scotland is also committed to future reductions in the number of empty properties held.
3. The Welsh Office figure includes information about empty property belonging to health authorities and NHS trusts in Wales.
4. The total number of empty homes in the civil estate owned by Govnerment Departments—(i.e., excluding MOD and the NHS—was 1,567 on 1 April 1995 and 970 on 1 April 1996, a reduction of 38.1 per cent.

The number of empty homes in the civil estate owned by Government Departments fell by almost 600 between (1) April 1995 and 1 April 1996, a reduction of nearly 40 per cent.In 1995–96, almost all Government Departments reduced the number of empty homes that they hold. I am particularly pleased that the Home Office, Department of Transport and Scottish Office all exceeded their targets.Departments' progress demonstrates the Government's continued commitment to reduce the number of empty homes. The new, more exacting targets set for 1996–97 will build on this success. I am also confident that the sale of the Ministry of Defence married quarters estate will lead to an improvement in performance in tackling MOD empty homes.Details of achievement against targets for 1995–96, and new targets for 1996–97 are shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what mechanisms people living in new properties are able to change from meters to rateable value means of paying for water. [37370]

Properties built after April 1990 do not have rateable values. Consequently, where a water company has a policy of metering new properties, it is not possible to change to a rateable value basis of paying for water.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the supplement to the English house condition survey will be published. [37991]

The supplementary energy report will be published this summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in taking forward the commitment in the White Paper, "Rural England", to stimulate the more active participation of parish councils in footpath management and to develop, with the Countryside Commission, a pilot project to build on the experience of the parish paths partnership. [38817]

The aims of the local access initiative will be to maximise the role of local people in access management and maintenance, to integrate more fully the rights of way network with other access and recreational opportunities, and to provide opportunities for additional access, on a voluntary basis.We also intend that the initiative will consider the relationship of local management to the accurate recording of rights of way and look at the scope for changes to the network. We intend to set up projects in four or five areas in England.We have asked the Countryside Commission to manage the initiative. The commission will be seeking to set up schemes involving partnerships of local landowners, farmers, other local people and interested groups of individuals, on a parish basis. Participation in the initiative will be entirely voluntary and management of the scheme is expected to be through the local highway authority. We hope to announce the projects by the end of the year.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he takes to protect from (a) fire and (b) other damage manuscripts and other records at the Public Record Office. [36892]

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

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those magistrates courts in the Yorkshire and Humberside region that are to be built under the private finance initiative proposals; and if he will make a statement. [36876]

PFI bids will be sought for the provision of new or improved magistrates court facilities at: Kingston upon Hull, Beverley, Keighley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Northallerton, Malton and Doncaster.The programme for procuring magistrates courthouse facilities under PFI is now to be taken forward. Details of the programme and guidance are being sent to local authorities and magistrates courts committees this week.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many schemes for the building of magistrates courts are proposed under the private finance initiative. [36887]

There are proposals to provide new or improved facilities at 50 magistrates courts under the private finance initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent advice he has given to the Republic of South Africa on land reform; and if he will make a statement. [38191]

Land reform is a major priority for the South African Government. We are currently supporting, with the EU and the Danish Government, a Government pilot programme of land reform which aims to promote land transfer to the rural poor using the market and to develop local capacity for service provision. Her Majesty's Government's contribution is about £7 million including our share of EU funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the current television licensing requirements for touring caravans; and if she will make a statement. [38769]

As announced on 2 July on Report stage of the Broadcasting Bill, the Government will introduce regulations to take account of the changes in the use of television in recent years. Our intention is that the scope of the television licence will be altered so that a licence will be required only when a television is installed or used in a

"fixed abode or permanent place of residence".

This will be reflected in the regulations which specify the fees. Use of television in touring caravans, and in other vehicles and vessels, will require a separate licence only if they are used as a permanent place of residence or if no licence is held for the normal place of residence. The revised licensing requirements will be set out in detail in new consolidated regulations, which we aim to lay before the end of this calendar year.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what deregulation orders her Department has made under sections 1 to 4 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. [38770]

The Department's first deregulation order was made on 16 July 1996 and will come into force on 16 August 1996. It abolishes the existing statutory requirements for television dealers both to register with the BBC and to hold and pay a fee for a dealer demonstration licence. Dealers will still be required to notify all sales or rentals of television sets to the BBC.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by (a) procedure, (b) gestation of pregnancy and (c) technique of the number of abortions performed in the North Thames region in the latest year for which figures are available. [37007]

The figures presented are for legal abortions performed in 1994 on women usually resident in the North Thames health region.¹

(a) Number of abortions by procedure
Procedure	Number of abortions
Hysterotomy (only)	6
Hysterectomy (only)	1
Vacuum aspiration (only)	29,416
Vacuum aspiration with dilation and evacuation	2,979
Dilation and evacuation	745
Other surgical	1
Prostaglandins (only)	302
Prostaglandins with other agents	154
Antiprogesterone with or without prostaglandins	595
Other medical	30
Other combined methods	5
Total	34,234

(b) Number of abortions by gestation of pregnancy
Gestation in weeks	Number of abortions
Under 9	15,786
9–12	15,195
13–19	2,865
20 and over	388
Total	34,234
(c) Number of abortions by technique Abortion data by technique are not routinely collected.
11994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 21.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by the procedure adopted of the number of abortions performed in the Northern and Yorkshire region in the latest year for which figures are available. [36928]

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: The figures presented give a breakdown of the number of abortions performed to women usually resident in the Northern and Yorkshire health region by procedure, for the year 1994¹.

Procedure	Number of abortions
Hysterotomy (only)	3
Hysterectomy (only)	1
Vacuum aspiration (only)	13,503
Vacuum aspiration with dilation and evacuation	335
Dilation and Evacuation	450
Other surgical	2
Prostaglandins (only)	595
Prostaglandins with other agents	203
Antiprogesterone with or without prostaglandins	1,130
Other medical	24
Other combined methods	14
Total	16,260
1 Reference: 1994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 21.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by technique of the number of abortions performed in the Northern and Yorkshire region in the latest year for which figures are available. [36930]

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: Abortion data are not routinely collected by technique.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of suicides in England and Wales in each of the last three years. [37842]

The number of deaths from suicide and injury of undetermined intent, ICD¹ E950–E959, E980–E989 less E988.8, in England and Wales is shown in the table. The deaths in 1993 and 1994 represent occurrences whereas those for 1995 are registrations.

Year	Deaths
1993	5,250
1994	5,144
1995	5,146
1International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.

ICD codes E950–E959 refer to deaths where suicide is the underlying cause of death; ICD codes E950–E989, minus E988.8 relate to deaths where it is undetermined whether the injury was accidentally or purposefully inflicted. The majority of these, however, are regarded as suicides.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of reducing the duty on commercial diesel by £0.09 per litre. [37981]

The last published "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" by HM Treasury shows that reducing the duty rate on road diesel by 9p would cost around £1.5 billion in the first full year, measured against a non-indexed base.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of reducing duty on diesel to the European average. [37980]

The last published 'Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" by HM Treasury shows that reducing the duty rate on road diesel by approximately 6p to the European average would cost around £1 billion in the first full year, measured against a non-indexed base.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to limit retrospective repayments of VAT and other indirect taxes and duties. [38693]

The Government have become concerned at the increasing amounts of revenue at risk in taxation boundary disputes, particularly VAT. Large sums, collected and paid in good faith, are being repaid to businesses, in some cases many years after the tax was collected and with no possibility that refunds will be passed on to final consumers. The Chancellor therefore asked Customs to undertake a review of the refund provisions applying to VAT and other indirect taxes. I am today announcing the outcome of that review.I am proposing that with effect from today a three-year limit will be introduced for retrospective refund claims, applying to VAT and other indirect taxes, and to associated statutory interest. This will be subject to parliamentary approval.I also propose to recommend changes to the unsatisfactory law on unjust enrichment. Draft legislation effecting these changes will be published shortly and will subsequently be included in the 1997 Finance Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 July, Official Report, column 145, when the cost of implementing the recommendations arising from the review of the open prison estate will be made available. [37451]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records his Department collates in respect of re-offending by those convicted of sexual offences against children. [37786]

Offenders who are convicted of sexual offences against a child can be charged with any one of a number of offences. The legal categories of sexual offence do not always differentiate between child and adult victims. This means that the Department's centrally available records cannot be used to determine reconviction rates for offenders convicted of sexual offences against children.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths in England and Wales in house fires occurred in each of the last three years. [37792]

The number of fire-related deaths from dwelling fires attended by local authority fire brigades in England and Wales in the last three years for which figures are available are 502 in 1992, 406 in 1993 and 383 in 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account will be taken of the judgment in the case of Kevin Lippiatt v. the Electoral Registration Officer, Penwith district council in the guidelines to be issued to electoral registration officers concerning the registration of homeless people. [38167]

The guidance will take the judgment fully into consideration, within the context of existing legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many dangerous dogs have been registered under the Dangerous Dogs Acts; and how many people have been (a) injured and (b) killed by dogs in each year since 1988; [38009](2) what plans he has to extend the categories of dog in the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Acts; [38007](3) if he will make a statement on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Acts; [38006](4) what plans he has to make ownership of a dangerous dog, as specified under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Acts, illegal; and if he will make a statement. [38008]

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 imposed controls on dogs bred for fighting. The dogs so designated are the types known as the pit bull terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero. There are no plans to extend this designation.Section 1 of the Act makes it an offence to possess a designated type of dog unless the owner had the dog registered, neutered, tattooed, and insured by 30 November 1991. It is also an offence to allow such a dog to be in a public place without being muzzled or on a lead. A total of 8,600 pit bull terriers were notified to the police and the index of exempted dogs. Of these, 5,223 were issued with certificates of exemption, of which 3,609 are currently valid.Section 3 of the Act also created new offences, applying to all types of dog, of owning or being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. A conviction for an offence in respect of one of the designated types of dog or for any dog not kept under proper control, and when there is an injury to the person, results in mandatory destruction of the dog. These provisions are intended to encourage more responsible dog ownership.Information on attacks by dogs is not collected centrally. The Act has resulted in a substantial reduction in pit bull ownership, in line with eliminating this type of dog in the United Kingdom. The Government remain committed to the objectives of the Act and have no plans to amend the law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further announcement on the future of the Tote. [38626]

I announced last year that I intend to carry out a review of the options for the future of the Tote in a way which preserves the extent to which racing benefits from the Tote's activities.Since that time, my officials have been carrying out preparatory work including informal consultations with a number of interested parties. The conclusion which I have drawn from this preliminary work is that those options which involve changing the existing statutory framework might put at risk the contribution which the Tote makes to racing.I have concluded that, pending further work on these issues, I should end the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Tote by retaining the present statutory framework for the present. In reaching this conclusion, I have had regard to the wish of the British Horseracing Board to take on responsibility for the Tote. However, while it is the representative body of racing, transfer of a public asset to a private body such as the BHB raises complex issues which are unlikely to be settled in the short term.I am laying in the Library a brief explanatory note about the Tote and the issues which have led to this conclusion.I intend to begin very shortly the search for a new chairman to take on responsibility for the organisation and to work with racing when Lord Wyatt retires in April 1997. The post will be advertised. In view of the importance of the Tote to racing, I intend to consult the BHB and other interested parties about the appointment and the responsibilities of the post so far as is consistent with the statute and the code of practice on public appointments.The new chairman will be tasked both with supporting racing and with conducting a wide-ranging review of the Tote's operations. I would expect them to pursue further the improvements in efficiency the Tote has made in recent years. The Government will wish to return to the issue of the Tote's status in the future.The Government wish to enhance further their working relationship with the horseracing industry. I have therefore accepted a proposal from the chairman of the British Horseracing Board that he should personally select a small horseracing advisory group, who will meet me from time to time to discuss the general state of, and key issues affecting, the horseracing industry. The group will complement, not replace, the established arrangements for regulation and communication between government and the industry.Lord Wakeham has agreed to select the group, to which appointments will be personal, not formally representative of any particular interest, by the autumn and I look forward to a first meeting later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish a report on the progress of his Department's drug prevention initiative. [38627]

I am publishing today the drugs prevention initiative's sixth annual progress report which covers the period from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996. The report describes the varied and extensive programme of community-based drugs prevention work which the initiative has developed during the first year of its expanded operation in 12 areas in England. The programme will run until 1998–99, and aims to show by then what people can do to respond to local drugs problems. I have placed a copy of the report in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has determined the materials used to produce the explosive mixture used in the Manchester bomb; and if Semtex was used in the device. [34844]

[holding answer 1 July 1996]: The investigation into the bombing in Manchester on Saturday 15 June is a matter for the police. It is for them to decide if, having regard to any possible future criminal proceedings, they should make public the results of their current forensic inquiries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan on the issue of refugees from Afghanistan living in Pakistan. [37785]

We regularly discuss with the Government of Pakistan a wide range of issues including Afghan refugees. Officials last discussed the issue with Pakistani counterparts during the annual aid talks in Islamabad in December 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on the recent elections in Albania and with whom. [37791]

We have had discussions in the European Union and continue to work with our partners in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe to establish a dialogue between the Government and the Opposition with the aim of agreeing steps to restore confidence in the democratic process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy will be available. [38625]

Copies of the foundation's annual report for 1995–96 will be placed in the Libraries of the House during the week beginning 22 July. The foundation received £2.5 million from the FCO for its activities in 1995–96. With this grant it has supported 426 projects, compared with 244 last year. Its priority areas for assistance have been central and eastern Europe, central Asia and anglophone Africa, but it has also funded projects elsewhere. The foundation continues to make a valuable contribution to the promotion of democracy overseas. Projects have included work with political parties, the independent media, trade unions, human rights groups, women's group and other non-governmental organisations involved in political development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 28, if he will provide a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £4,600 incurred by his Department on the visit of the Duchess of Kent to the Seychelles on 3 to 6 December 1993; and if he will break down the travel cost to show the methods and people carried. [35875]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main expenditure was for clothing, which cost £4,300 for the whole party.Commercial flights were used. Four staff accompanied the Duchess of Kent, at a total cost for the whole party of £15,500.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 26, if he will itemise the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £7,500 on the official visit by the Duke and Duchess of Kent to Hong Kong from 25 November to 2 December 1994. [35740]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main miscellaneous expenditure was for clothing, which cost £7,400 for the whole party.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 27, if he will itemise the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £7,400 on the official visit by the Duke of Edinburgh to the Caribbean in March 1993. [35742]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous categories were as follows:

• Clothing for the whole party: £1,800
• Expenditure on royal yacht: £4,400

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 27, if he will give details of the methods and costs of travel for the visit by the Prince Edward to Swaziland between 4 and 7 September; and if he will give a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £4,900. [35873]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The party travelled by commercial flight at a total cost of £11,600. The main expenditure in the miscellaneous heading was as follows:

• Clothing for the whole party: £2,200
• Reconnaissance visit: £2,600

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 29, if he will give a breakdown of the main spending in the expenditure of £6,300 incurred by his Department arising from the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to Mexico on 20 to 23 November 1995. [35877]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous category were as follows:

• Clothing for the whole party: £3,000
• Reconnaissance visit: £3,300

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 28, if he will provide a breakdown of the miscellaneous expenditure of £8,100 incurred by his Department for the visit of Princess Alexandra to Hong Kong and India on 14 to 27 October 1994. [35874]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main expenditure in the miscellaneous category was for clothing for the whole party at £7,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 28, if he will give the dates of the visit and the engagements undertaken by the Princess Margaret to San Francisco in 1995; and if he will give a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £10,300 incurred by his Department as part of the visit. [35876]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The visit by Princess Margaret to San Francisco was from 23 to 29 June 1995.Engagements included attendance at events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, a concert by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and official receptions including for the English Speaking Union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, columns 26–27, if he will list those countries visited by the Duke of Edinburgh in the Caribbean in March 1993 and Her Majesty the Queen in the same area in 1994. [35741]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: In 1993, the Duke of Edinburgh visited Dominica, Montserrat, St. Christopher and Nevis, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.In 1994 the Queen visited Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Dominica, Guyana, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 27, if he will provide a breakdown of the main items comprising the £13,400 miscellaneous expenditure incurred by his Department in respect of the visit by the Princess of Wales to Nepal on 2 to 6 March 1993; and how much of the expenditure related to clothes for the princess. [35872]

[holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous category were:

• Clothing for the whole party: £4,800
• Reconnaissance visit: £7,000

It would be inappropriate to provide further details. High-profile and worthy representation of Britain abroad inevitably involves additional expenditure on clothes by members of the royal family and certain of those accompanying them. It is right that such expenditure should be met by the Government for visits undertaken at our request.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to ensure that at least one member of an industrial tribunal dealing with cases raised under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is a person with special knowledge or experience of disability issues in the employment field; and if he will make a statement. [37894]

The constitution of individual tribunals is a matter for the president of the industrial tribunals and their regional chairmen. However, my Department and the industrial tribunals are currently considering the implications of the employment provisions contained in the Disability Discrimination Act. As part of this, special efforts were made in October last year to recruit new lay members who are disabled or have a special interest in disability matters. Eight per cent. of those appointed were people with disabilities. We also added the Employers Forum on Disability and the National League of the Blind and Disabled to the list of sponsor bodies which provide nominations to the Secretary of State.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's investigation into the Queen's Moat Houses group, indicating the costs to public funds incurred to date. [37822]

On 12 November 1993 inspectors were appointed under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985 to investigate and report on the affairs of Queen's Moat Houses plc. Their inquiries are continuing. The cost of the inspection to date is £2.5 million.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to promote competition in the manufacture and supply of bricks; and if he will make a statement; [38039](2) what steps he intends to take to prevent the creation of a duopoly in the supply of bricks to the building industry. [38036]

The Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to keep markets under review and to consider taking action where he believes there may be anti-competitive behaviour.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed acquisition of Redland Brick plc by Ibstock Building Products Ltd; and if he will make a statement. [38034]

As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade made clear on 11 July, Official Report, column 284, on the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading he will refer this proposed acquisition to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission unless suitable undertakings are given by Ibstock to remove the competition concerns arising from the acquisition. A public consultation exercise is under way on the form and content of those undertakings and it would be wrong to prejudge the final outcome.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received to date from the housebuilding industry about the proposed acquisition of Redland Brick plc by Ibstock Building Products Ltd. [38035]

One has been made to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. Representations about mergers under consideration by the Director General of Fair Trading would usually be made to the DGFT in the first instance so that he could include them in his advice to my right hon. Friend.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Export Guarantees Advisory Council (a) holds public meetings, (b) conducts public consultation exercises, (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside interests, (d) publishes a register of members' interests, (e) publishes agendas for meetings and (f) publishes the minutes of meetings; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37904]

The Export Guarantees Advisory Council is a purely advisory body appointed under the terms of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991. Its function is to advise the Secretary of State, at his request, in respect of any matter relating to the exercise of his functions under the Act. Its members receive no remuneration.The answers to the specific questions are no in every case except that in respect of

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary; [37905](2) what is the statutory base of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation; and if they

There are 14 electricity consumers committees, which are independent bodies established under section 2 of the Electricity Act 1989. Section 52 of the Electricity Act requires each committee to report annually to the Director General of Electricity Supply and to include a statement on all the matters on which the committee has advised the director during that period. Section 52 enables the director to publish the reports of the consumers committees. In practice he has done this by incorporating them into the Offer annual report, which is published and laid before Parliament. Schedule 2 of the Act requires that the meetings of the committees, with certain exceptions, shall be open to the public and that agendas be published. Copies of the minutes of public meetings are available on request. Section 51 of the Act requires each committee to consult with and make representations to the relevant public electricity supplier. The consumers committees consult local consumer groups. A register of members' interests is not published.The National Consumers Consultative Committee was established under section 53 of the Act. Its statutory duty is to keep under review matters affecting the interests of electricity customers generally and to facilitate the exchange of information between the director and the consumers committees. Its membership is made up of the chairmen of the electricity consumer councils. Details of the work of the National Consumers Consultative Committee appears in the Offer annual report.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of bills were paid on time by Government Departments and their agencies during the financial year 1995–96. [38855]

Government Departments and their agencies are required to monitor their payment performance and to publish the results in their departmental or annual reports. The following table lists, by Department, the proportion of bills paid within 30 days, or other agreed credit period, of receipt of a valid invoice for financial year 1995–96.The figures in the tables have been calculated using different monitoring methods and concerns have been expressed that these differences have made comparisons between Departments difficult.The Prime Minister therefore announced on 11 March this year that more consistent monitoring requirements were to be placed on Departments and that they were to publish their performance against strict targets in an annual league table. This would allow more valid comparison between Departments in addition to the year on year comparisons possible under the previous monitoring system.The new monitoring requirements have been in place since 1 June 1996 and the first league table of performance based on these requirements will be published in the autumn. It is currently the intention to publish the information annually thereafter, following the end of each financial year. All Departments should aim to pay 100 per cent. of invoices, including disputed invoices once the dispute has been settled, on time. No Department should fall below 95 per cent. for undisputed bills.The results for 1995–96 based on the previous monitoring procedures are:

Departmental payment performance 1995–96
Department	Percentage of invoices paid on time
Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food	83
Registry of Friendly Societies	96
Charity Commission	88.8
HM Customs and Excise	94
Cabinet Office	84
Central Statistical Office	88
Crown Prosecution Service	94.3
Ministry of Defence	99.9
Department for Education	75.2
Employment Department	97.1
Employment Service	98.5
Office of Electricity Regulation	99.66
Office for Standards in Education	96.3
Department of the Environment (incl. Office of Water Services)	92
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre	90
Ordnance Survey	91
PSA Services	100
Health and Safety Executive	93.8
Office of Fair Trading	96
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	93.5

Departmental payment performance 1995–96
Department	Percentage of invoices paid on time
Forestry Commission	86
Office of Gas Supply	99.8
Department of Health	95.2
Home Office	91
Inland Revenue	92.3
National Investment and Loans Office	100
Office of the National Lottery	89
Lord Chancellors Department/The Court Service	93.9
Department of National Heritage	91
Department for National Savings	99.2
Northern Ireland Office	96.6
Overseas Development Administration	90
HM Paymaster General	84.6
Office of Passenger Rail Franchising	97.4
Office of the Rail Regulator	98.7
Serious Fraud Office	92
Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools (Wales)	98.5
The Scottish Office	94
Department of Social Security	96
Office of Telecommunications	94
Department of Trade and Industry	93
Department of Transport	90.3
HM Treasury	86
The Welsh Office	95

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he is planning to secure business for the United Kingdom in (a) the middle east and (b) the far east; and if he will make a statement. [36381]

[holding answer 17 July 1996]: Through the overseas trade services organisation the Government spend more than £200 million a year on a wide range of export promotion services and support helping to secure business of UK companies across the world. For the markets of the middle east and the far east, my Department is supporting an extensive programme of trade missions, trade fairs, exhibitions, seminars, sectoral and market promotions, and is planning ministerial and other high-level visits with accompanying business delegations. Examples of initiatives include:(a) Middle east.A major exhibition in Bahrain in February 1997 to highlight British design excellence.A programme of Gulf update conferences through the UK to promote the Gulf as an export destination and to market the 14 DTI supported trade missions to the Gulf between autumn 1996 and spring 1997.A series of initiatives to encourage British business women to visit the Gulf and to access the extensive network of Arab women who own businesses in the region. My Department took a team of British business women to Saudi Arabia in March—to demonstrate that women can do business there.The Israel-Britain Business Council, a new forum for business, has been established and has now held its second meeting.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the book value of each research institute site of the research institutes of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council:. and who is the registered owner of each site. [37399]

[holding answer 15 July 1996]: The information is as follows:

Institute site	Owner	Net book value (£ million)1
BBSRC2
Institute for Arable Crops Research:
Rothamsted experimental station	Lawes Agricultural Trust	30.4
Long Ashton research station	University of Bristol	11.3
Broom's Barn	Lawes Agricultural Trust	2.5
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research:
Aberystwyth research centre	University of Wales	12.1
North Wyke research centre	Crown Commissioners	2.0
Bronydd Mawr research station	Crown Commissioners	0.8
Trawsgoed research farm	BBSRC	2.8
John Innes Centre	John Innes Foundation	28.2
Silsoe Research Institute	Part BBSRC; part Department of the Environment	12.7
Roslin Institute:
Edinburgh	Part BBSRC; part University of Edinburgh	7.0
Blythbank	BBSRC	1.5
Babraham Institute	BBSRC	30.4

Institute site	Owner	Net book value (£ million)1
Institute for Animal Health:
Compton laboratory	BBSRC	34.0
Pirbright laboratory	BBSRC	29.0
Neuropathogenesis unit	BBSRC	2.0
Institute for Food Research:
Reading laboratory	Reading University	10.0
Norwich laboratory	BBBSRC	9.6
MRC
National Institute for Medical Research	MRC	16.6
Laboratory of Molecular Biology	Addenbrookes Hospital NHS Trust	1.5
Clinical Sciences Centre	Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust	11.0
NERC British Geological Survey
Eskdalemuir	NERC	0.3
Keyworth	NERC	8.3
Hartland	NERC	0.2
Exeter	NERC	0.2
Murchison House	Edinburgh University	2.9
Institute of Freshwater Ecology
East Stoke	NERC	0.2
Wareham	Freshwater Biological Association	nil
Windermere	Freshwater Biological Association	nil
Institute of Hydrology
Wallingford	NERC	2.8
Balquidder	NERC	0.0
Staylittle	Forestry Commission	nil
Stirling	Scottish Metropolitan	nil
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology
Furzebrook	NERC	0.3
Merlewood	NERC	0.4
Monks Wood	NERC	0.7
Limegarth Wood	NERC	0.0
Banchory	NERC	0.3
Bangor	NERC	0.1
	University of Wales	nil
Bush	NERC	0.8
Abergwyngregyn	University of Wales	nil
Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory
Bidston	NERC	0.0
	Borough of Birkenhead	0.5
Victoria Dock	Mersey Docks and Harbour Company	nil
NERC Scientific Services	NERC	0.0
British Antartic Survey	Cambridge University	5.0
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Raglan barracks	Department of Trade and Industry	nil
Citadel Hill	Crown Estate	nil
Prospect Place	City of Plymouth	2.5
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory	Scottish Association for Marine Science	Nil

Institute site	Owner	Net book value (£ million)1
Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology:
Oxford	University of Oxford	2.4
Wytham	University of Oxford	0.0
Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory	Scottish Enterprise	Nil
Southampton Oceanography Centre	Associated British Ports	430.2
PPARC
Royal Greenwich Observatory	Science and Engineering Research Council	5.2
Royal Observatory Edinburgh	PPARC	7.4
Joint Astronomy Centre, Hawaii	University of Hawaii	13.5
Iaac Newton Telescopes, La Palma	Government of Spain	15.5
1 Values are for land and buildings. 2Existing use values based on 1992 prices.
3 Open Market values for alternative use.
4 Depreciated replacement cost.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to suspend the Post Office's statutory monopoly on delivery of letters under £1. [38854]

I wrote last week to the chairman of the Post Office initiating consultations on the implications of suspension of the monopoly. These consultations are continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each occasion in the last two months in which his Department has consulted fanners directly about policy development concerning the BSE and beef crisis; and if he will make a statement. [37363]

During May to July my Department has consulted directly with the beef industry on the following specific occasions:

• 3 May: Mature beef assurance scheme
• 6 June: Proposals for compulsory cattle passports
• 10 June: Mammalian meat and bonemeal—proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)
• 11 June: specified bovine material controls in abattoirs
• 3 July: BSE accelerated slaughter scheme
• 10 July: meat and bone meal proposed legislation
• 11 July: Mammalian meat and bonemeal—proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)

Where direct consultation with individual farmers is not possible, my Department works closely with the main representative bodies involved in the industry. I am particularly appreciative of the way in which the industry in Scotland has been co-operating throughout the BSE crisis. Individual beef producers are kept abreast of developments, through the regular newsletter distributed by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he has given to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of its Doomsday 2000 initiative; and if he will make a statement. [37992]

The keeper and chief executive of the Registers of Scotland executive agency is actively assisting and co-operating with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of the ScotLIS initiative, the Scottish version of Domesday 2000.The agency is currently chairing a core group of interested parties, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Scottish Homes, Scottish Enterprise and Ordnance Survey, which is considering how best to take forward the development of a national land information system for Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration (a) holds public meetings, (b) conducts public consultation exercises, (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside interests, (d) publishes a register of members' interests, (e) publishes agendas for meetings and (f) publishes the minutes of meetings; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37908]

The Scottish Law Commission does not hold public meetings, publish a register of commissioners' interests or publish agendas or minutes of meetings. The commission does hold public consultation exercises and consultation exercises with outside interests. It does so voluntarily in order to carry out effectively its statutory duty to keep the law under review and make proposals for its reform.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets he has set the Scottish Prison Service for 1996–97. [38628]Mr. Michael Forsyth: I have set the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service the following targets:

Performance measures	Key targets
The number of prisoners unlawfully at large	No 'A' category prisoners should escape.
	The number of escapes by 'B' category prisoners should be no higher than 2 per 1,000 prisoners.
	The number of escapes by 'C' category prisoners should be no higher than 2.5 per 1,000 prisoners.

Performance measures	Key targets
The number of serious assaults on staff and prisoners	The number of serious assaults on staff should be no higher than 3 per 1,000 staff.
	The number of serious assaults on other prisoners should be no higher than 10 per 1,000 prisoners.
The amount of available opportunities for prisoners' self development	To ensure that 400 prisoners have completed a cognitive skills programme and 100 prisoners have completed a sex offender programme during 1996–97.
Average annual cost per prisoner place	To keep costs within £27,392 per place available for use.
The level of absence through staff sickness	To reduce the average number of days lost per person per year through staff sickness to 16.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Association for Science Education to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38230]

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 25 November to Friday 29 November 1996.

To ask the Chairman of the administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Tackling Drugs Together—Those Who Make it Possible", to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38474]

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 2 December to Friday 6 December 1996.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to 100 years of British mycology to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38514]

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 11 November to Friday 15 November 1996.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the average annual salary, including where appropriate any overtime, on 1 October 1971 of (i) (a) a Senior Library Clerk, (b) the highest paid Chef, (c) a Senior Clerk in the House of Commons and (ii) a ministerial car driver; if he will indicate in each of those cases what that salary would be today if it had been increased annually in line with inflation; and what is the current annual salary for each of those grades.

Figures for salaries of Commission staff prior to 1978 are not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the establishment of the House of Commons Commission in 1978, staff salaries have been included in the Commission's annual reports. Figures for ministerial car drivers are a matter for the Cabinet Office. The earliest figures readily available are those for 1 April 1978.London-based salaries are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list showing the number, nature and value of contracts awarded by his Department to Coopers and Lybrand, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton, BDO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37312]

In 1995–96 the number and value of contracts let to these consultancy firms, and their subsidiaries and associates, by the Cabinet Office including the Office of Public Service and its executive agencies, the Central Office of Information and Her Majesty's Stationery Office was as follows:

Firms	Total value (£)	Contracts let
Coopers and Lybrand	1,147,000	9
KPMG	928,000	16
Price Waterhouse	292,000	6
Ernst and Young	43,000	3
Deloitte and Touche	180,000	5
Arthur Andersen	41,000	1
Grant Thornton	Nil	0
BDO Stoy Hayward	Nil	0
Pannel Kerr Forster	130,000	2
Robson Rhodes	Nil	0

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37230]

Several divisions and groups within the Office of Public Service and its agencies have Internet websites which provide electronic versions of published documents; these include the Civil Service Employer Group, citizens charter unit, Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency and Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Ministers also have addresses on Internet.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key performance targets he has set for the Civil Service College executive agency for the current year. [38694]

The key performance targets for the Civil Service College executive agency for 1996–97 are:

• to break even in accrual accounting terms;
• to earn £1,600,000 from consultancy work;
• to attract 2,400 students from the senior civil service;
• to attract 1,400 students from the private sector;
• to earn 83 per cent. of course evaluations in the two highest of six categories.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions during the current parliamentary Session his office has co-ordinated responses from his ministerial colleagues to parliamentary questions. [36110]

The reply that I gave to the hon. Member in answer to a previous question on this matter, Official Report, 2 April 1996, column 86, sets out the circumstances in which procedures for co-ordinating responses to parliamentary questions come into play. Such co-ordination takes place on an ad hoc basis, and advice is often sought, and provided, informally. I am not, therefore, able to give the hon. Member a figure for the number of times responses have been co-ordinated in the course of the current parliamentary Session.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what account he took of the research by York university, commissioned by his Department, in drawing up the Housing Benefit General Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996; [34333](2) when he intends to publish the research commissioned by his Department into service charges in relation to supported housing; and if he will make a statement. [34334]

The proposed amendment would restate the current position concerning which service charges can be met by housing benefit on the basis that the service relates to the provision of adequate accommodation. It was proposed after a commissioner's decision in an income support case cast doubt on the meaning of binding case law on this point, possibly leading to unplanned housing benefit expenditure in respect of charges for personal services. Early results of research by the centre for housing policy at the university of York suggested that payments of housing benefit were already being used for this purpose, confirming the need to regularise the position. We expect to publish the final results of the research before the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996 on (a) the availability of (i) sheltered accommodation, (ii) departments' supported accommodation where housing benefit is currently payable and (iii) residential accommodation provided by social services departments and (b) community care policy. [35688]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already advised the chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee and the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson), that these regulations have been withdrawn pending an inter-departmental review of the funding of services in supported accommodation. This review will consider matters such as the impact of the proposed legislation on accommodation supply and community care policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list as a proportion of all pensioners those (a) pensioners, (b) single male pensioners aged under 75 years, (c) single female pensioners aged under 75 years, (d) single pensioners aged under 75 years, (e) pensioner couples aged under 75 years, (f) single male pensioners aged 75 years and over, (g) single female pensioners aged 75 years and over, (h) single pensioners aged 75 years and over and (i) pensioner couples where at least one partner is aged 75 years and over receiving income from occupational pensions; and if he will provide figures for the mean and median amount received for the latest year for which figures are available. [36257]

The information is in the table.

	Proportion with income from occupational pensions (per cent.)	Mean amount (£ per week)	Median amount (£ per week)
All pensioner units	62	73.60	38.60
Single male pensioners under 75	50	180.80	141.60
Single female pensioners under 75	64	51.00	29.20
Single pensioners under 75	61	58.10	31.00
Pensioner couples with head under 75	74	100.10	60.60
Single male pensioners 75 and over	61	164.10	132.40
Single female pensioners 75 and over	49	42.60	21.30
Single pensioners 75 and over	52	49.00	23.80
Pensioner couples with head over 75	66	81.40	44.10
1 These results are based on a relatively small sample size. Therefore these results should be treated with a higher degree of caution than usual.

1. Proportions are rounded to the nearest whole percentage, amounts are rounded to the nearest 10p.2. Information is based on the family expenditure Survey 1993 and the GAD survey of occupational pension schemes. All amounts are in July 1993 prices.3. A pensioner unit is defined as a single pensioner over state pension age (SPA) and a couple where the husband, or head, is over SPA. To provide consistency the age of the head has been used to define the age of the couple.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of claimants for family credit in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36335]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage and number of (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples have a total income of at least £125 per week; and what percentage and number of pensioner couples have a total income of at least (i) £200 per week and (ii) £250 per week. [36823]

The number of single pensioners with gross income of at least £125 per week is 1,200,000, or 28 per cent. of all single pensioners. The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £125 per week is 2,250,000, or 85 per cent. of all pensioner couples.The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £200 per week is 1,150,000, or 43 per cent. of all pensioner couples. The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £250 per week is 800,000, or 29 per cent. of all pensioner couples.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the (a) current hourly rate and (b) current payment per half-day session for fee-paid part-time doctors. [36908]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average number of appointments for a medical examination for the all-work test of incapacity which are lost in each half-day session. [36910]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 3 April, Official Report, column 345, about the cost of answering written questions, what work would be necessary to collate the information requested. [37513]

The examination of over 12,000 files dating back to 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent action the Government have taken to tackle discrimination against disabled people. [37155]

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 makes discrimination against disabled people unlawful in employment, access to goods, facilities, services and premises. These areas of the Act come into force on 2 December this year.I have today laid the Disability Discrimination (Services and Premises) Regulations before the House under part III of the DDA. These regulations relate to: insurance, where the way in which the Act operates needs to be qualified so that objective underwriting decisions are not restricted; guarantees and refundable deposits; education-related services; and people who have a power of attorney and act on behalf of a disabled person.I have placed in the Library copies of the analysis of responses to our recent consultation on these regulations. I have also placed in the Library copies of the National Disability Council's analysis of responses to its recent consultation exercise on proposals for a code of practice on the first of the rights of access to goods, facilities, services and premises under the DDA.The council is to be commended for all its efforts in producing a code of practice to such a high standard so quickly after its creation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the 15p limit on the allowable cost of a meal during working hours, stipulated under regulation 4 of the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1978, was last increased; what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in restaurant meal prices since then; and if he will increase the limit by a similar percentage. [37841]

The 15p limit reflects the treatment, for tax purposes, of employees who receive luncheon vouchers. It has not been increased since its introduction in 1967. No estimate has been made of the increase in restaurant meal prices and we have no plans to increase the limit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the latest year for which figures are available the distribution of child benefit expenditure among families with children, broken down into equal value income bands before and after housing costs. [37915]

The latest available information is in the table:

Distribution of child benefit expenditure by equivalised income band, UK 1992–93
		Percentages
Equivalised weekly household income (January 1993 prices)	Before housing costs	After housing costs
£100 or less	12	28
> £100 to £150	26	21
> £150 to £200	19	18
> £200 to £250	15	13
> £250 to £300	10	8
> £300 to £350	7	4
Over £350	11	8

1. Information in the table is derived from the 1992–93 households below average income dataset; 1992–93 figures are for two calendar years data combined.2. Income bands are based on the standard households below average income definition of income—weekly household disposable income adjusted for household size and composition (equivalised).3. Estimates are shown by £50 income bands except where figures would be unreliable due to small sample sizes. All estimates are subject to sampling error.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to revise the arrangement whereby people in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance are exempt from payment of the vehicle road fund tax on their personal vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [37985]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is considering options for changes to the law relating to disabled vehicle excise duty exemptions to be introduced within the November budget. We are assured that, in the meantime, no disabled person will lose entitlement to free vehicle excise duty, even if they are affected by the disability living allowance changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action has been taken by his Department in respect of the National Audit Office's study into Motability; and if he will make a statement. [38629]

The National Audit Office report has just been received and is now being studied by the Department.The motability scheme was founded in 1977 by the late Lord Goodman and Lord Sterling with all-party support. It is a unique example of collaboration between the public, voluntary and private sectors. This independent charity enables severely disabled people receiving mobility allowance—replaced by the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance from April 1992—or war pensioners mobility supplement to gain access to personal transport. Currently, over a quarter of a million disabled people enjoy the benefits of the scheme.The NAO report examines whether the scheme offers value for money to disabled people and how Motability monitors the quality of service the scheme provides. The report also looks at how the Department monitors Motability's activities against the conditions of the grant in aid provided. The NAO report concludes that the scheme provides good value for money to disabled people. It also notes that the Department has improved its oversight of Motability by setting out in a financial memorandum the accountability arrangements for the grant in aid towards Motability's administration costs, and holding six-monthly meetings to monitor progress.The NAO makes sensible recommendations for improvements in Motability's customer service and oversight of service providers. Motability has already begun to implement these recommendations and many are now in place.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will undertake discussions with major fast food chains in the United Kingdom to encourage them to revert to the serving of British beef. [36414]

We have already had several productive discussions with representatives of those companies who have not reverted to the serving of British beef. We continue to do all that we can in consultation with the Meat and Livestock Commission to persuade such establishments to restore British beef to their menus.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into products with similar ingredients to Roseclear remaining on the market; and if he will make a statement. [36415]

We are assessing whether other amateur use products may present similar risks to consumers as Roseclear. In the light of this, we may require the manufacturers to carry out further safety studies.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the level of agricultural subsidy in the United Kingdom which went to (a) production, (b) non-production and set-aside and (c) organic farming for each of the last five years. [36416]

The information requested is contained in table 9.1 of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1995", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance is available to develop uses for residual raw material from crops. [36417]

The Government have funded research into industrial uses for crop by-products such as cereal and linseed straw, and there are grant-aided schemes which can be used to help projects in this area.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to provide consumers with information on the purity of the food they buy. [36418]

It is an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 to label or advertise food in a way which is likely to mislead as to the nature, substance and quality of the food. Enforcement of these requirements is the responsibility of local authorities.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of jobs lost since March in the beef processing industries on a regional basis. [36419]

Job losses resulting from the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis are being monitored by the Employment Service, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. Reliable regional or sectoral analysis is not available, but it is estimated that nationally up to 10,000 jobs might have been lost across all sectors affected.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance and advice his Department has given the Isle of Wight on coastal erosion in the last three years. [36420]

In the last three years, the Ministry has provided the Isle of Wight council and all other coast protection authorities with (a) written guidance on the strategic approach to coastal defences and their environmental and economic appraisal, and (b) the results of the Ministry's coast protection survey and of the commissioned research programme. The regional engineer has advised on individual proposals for studies and schemes, and approval for grant aid has been given to 13 such schemes and studies at an estimated cost of £4.2 million.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the distribution of payments under the common agricultural policy to EU farm holdings. [36421]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Budgen).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in having the EU's ban on the export of British beef lifted. [36422]

We have agreed a framework for lifting the ban, based on objective scientific criteria. We are working hard to fulfil the conditions attached to the agreement to secure the earliest possible removal of the ban.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the ban on British beef exports to be fully lifted. [36423]

The Florence agreement provides a framework for lifting the ban, with decisions based on objective criteria. We hope to be in a position by November to meet the necessary conditions for decisions to resume an export trade worth £530 million.