To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which the legal profession in the United Kingdom is open to candidates from all social backgrounds. [277]

The Lord Chancellor's responsibilities in this field extend only to England and Wales. The criteria for entry into the legal profession are set by the professional bodies and I have made no such assessment. However, both the Law Society and the Bar Council have adopted anti-discrimination measures to seek to ensure that fair recruitment practices are followed.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1250]

For the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Court Service and the Public Trust Office, the information is as follows:

• Total male: 4,205
• Total female: 7,370
• Proportion of total: 63.7 per cent.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average length of time from the charging of alleged young offenders to their cases being tried in (a) Manchester and (b) Trafford magistrates and youth courts in each of the last five years; and what is the national average figure. [1394]

The information requested is not available. The magistrates courts time intervals survey collects information on defendants in indictable—including triable either way—cases against whom proceedings are completed in three sample weeks a year—in February, June and October. The June survey also collects information about proceedings in summary cases. In cases where the defendant is charged, this date is collected. However, the start date of any summary trial is not. Further information on the survey is available in Lord Chancellor's Department information bulletins which are held in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1283]

Although the civil service collects statistical information on staff employed in Government Departments and executive agencies, we do not collect information on the parental status of individual staff. It would be inappropriate for us to request this information from staff and difficult to justify the collection of such data. For the period 1 October 1995 to 30 September 1996, however, subsidised employee child care was provided for 94 women who are mothers and 26 men who are fathers in the Lord Chancellor's Department, Court Service and Public Trust Office. Help is also available with additional child care costs incurred owing to breaks in normal working patterns and special leave given to parents for domestic emergencies. Advice on finding child care is contained in the "Childcare Handbook" provided to all maternity leavers.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1265]

My Department has no specific public relations budget. Expenditure on publicity and promotions in each of the last five financial years was as follows:

• 1992–93: £40,000
• 1993–94: £46,667
• 1994–95: £78,961
• 1995–96: £117,684
• 1996–97: (to end September): £40,061.

Expenditure on official hospitality in each of the last five financial years was as follows:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to restrict prosecutors in the Crown court to Crown Prosecution Service staff; and if he will make a statement. [268]

Rights of audience are determined under the procedure laid down in the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. There is no question of restricting prosecutors in the Crown court to Crown Prosecution Service staff. Rather, our policy is to allow for a wider provision of legal services, while maintaining the proper and efficient administration of justice.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when ADAS is to be privatised; and what the objectives for the privatisation will be. [2641]

ADAS is on course to meet its financial targets for 1996–97, including the target of 100 per cent. cost recovery on its advisory services. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have therefore decided to proceed as quickly as possible with the sale of the business. We will invite expressions of interest from potential bidders for the business as a whole or any or all of its constituent parts—consultancy, research and development and the laboratory—although our preference is to dispose of the business as a whole.Our objectives for the privatisable functions of ADAS will be:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed in his departmental cash limits for 1996–97. [2642]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class III, vote 1, section B—the Intervention Board executive agency—will be increased by £7,641,000 from £56,817,000 to £64,458,000. The increases are to cover the administration costs associated with the implementation of emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom for expenditure on IT services. The running costs cash limit will be increased by £3,350,000 from £36,818,000 to £40,168,000. Agents' services will be increased by £4,291,000 from £18,427,000 to £22,718,000. The supplementary will also give partial effect to the running costs end flexibility entitlement of £2,814,000 announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 12 July 1996, Official Report, columns 326–31. At this stage it is proposed to take up £565,000 of this increase to cover expenditure on IT systems.The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount of (a) beef and (b) beef products in the United Kingdom are currently imported from Botswana. [1659]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: Imports of (a) bovine meat and (b) prepared and preserved bovine meat into the United Kingdom from Botswana, as recorded in "Overseas Trade Statistics" are, as follows:

	1994		1995		1996
	£000	Tonnes	£000	Tonnes	£000	Tonnes
Bovine meat	12,457	4,058	17,682	6,655	8,996	3,488
Prepared and preserved bovine meat	1,931	777	1,945	723	281	116
All data are provisional.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the commercial value of the basking shark fishery as assessed under the EC-Norwegian exchange agreement. [1151]

Norway has a 100 tonne basking shark liver quota. No assessment of the commercial value of the fishery has been made. However, as nothing was taken in 1991, 1992, 1994 or 1995 and only 5.8 tonnes in 1993, the value is not likely to be great.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the fisheries for basking sharks in United Kingdom waters. [1150]

The Government are not aware of any current fishery for basking sharks in United Kingdom waters.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1276]

Expenditure on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) official hospitality in each of the last five financial years is as follows:

Year	Advertising £	Public relations £	Official hospitality £
1991–92	441,877	4,174,427	64,852
1992–93	191,738	4,225,228	72,986
1993–94	269,821	4,379,768	79,758
1994–95	140,700	4,820,603	64,092
1995–96	144,781	5,280,010	59,646

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1259]

As at 1 October 1996 the total number of women employed by the Department is 3,287. This represents 48.3 percent of the total number of people employed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1293]

Although the Ministry and its executive agencies collect statistical information on staff employed, this does not include information on the parental status of individual staff. It would not be appropriate to request this information and it would be difficult to justify its collection.The Ministry and its agencies support 120 nursery places and holiday play schemes are run at a number of sites across the country. Some sites provide information for staff on local child care opportunities. In addition, staff may seek reimbursement of certain additional child care costs associated with a break in the normal working routine such as attendance at training courses.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the changes in farmers' incomes in real terms for each month since January 1990; and if he will make a statement. [1588]

Data on farm incomes are collected through the farm business survey on an annual basis. They are published in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom"—1994–95 being the latest—a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to ensure that cattle producers in Wales have equal access to the authorised abattoirs in England under the 30-month cattle cull with producers from other cases; and if he will make a statement. [1753]

ABP Shrewsbury and Duggins (Bromsgrove), the two designated abattoirs to which I assume the hon. Member is referring, are required to source a predetermined number of cattle from Wales each week. No other area of the country has this guaranteed and preferential access to the two abattoirs concerned.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of the numbers of cattle over 30 months awaiting slaughter; and how this estimate was arrived at. [1955]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: A sample survey by telephone was conducted in September to estimate the number of cattle on farms awaiting slaughter under the over-30-month scheme. The survey indicated that a backlog was then of the order of 400,000 animals in the United Kingdom. We have since introduced a registration system for animals awaiting slaughter which will establish more precisely the size of the backlog.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the benefits of a full written survey of farmers to ascertain precise numbers of cattle over 30 months awaiting slaughter. [1956]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: The registration system for cattle, which are awaiting slaughter as at 2 November under the over-30-month scheme, will enable priority to be given to such animals as from 4 November.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by county the payments made under the arable payments scheme in (a) 1994 and (b) 1995. [1620]

The table gives the total arable area payments claimed in 1994 and 1995 on land situated in each county of England. The total amounts paid will have been slightly lower because of reductions made for various reasons. However, since such reductions normally have to be calculated on the basis of the total claim, which may include land in more than one county, it is not possible to give figures for the total amounts paid on a county basis.In preparing the answer to this question the Department became aware that a similar question tabled by the hon. Member last year had been answered incorrectly—

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will request the European Commission to publish the internal documents and correspondence on BSE which have appeared in newspapers in France and Germany. [2442]

No, this is a matter for the European Commission and I see no grounds on which it would be legitimate for me to seek to intervene.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many female officers served in the British Army in Northern Ireland in each year since 1969. [1104]

The number of female officers who served in Northern Ireland in each year since 1974 is as follows:

Year	Number of female officers
1975	22
1976	25
1977	21
1978	34
1979	31
1980	27
1981	32
1982	22
1983	24
1984	27
1985	28
1986	34
1987	54
1988	54
1989	59
1990	57
1991	62
1992	53
1993	79
1994	64
1995	57
1996	43

Figures for 1969–74 are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary for State for Defence how many Army personnel have been stationed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1969. [1106]

The number of Army personnel stationed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1975 is as follows:

Year	Number of Army personnel
1975	22,075
1976	22,446
1977	21,241
1978	21,011
1979	20,128
1980	19,116
1981	18,277
1982	17,776
1983	15,588
1984	15,802
1985	15,562
1986	17,419
1987	17,084
1988	16,741
1989	17,199
1990	16,894
1991	17,445
1992	17,996
1993	17,732
1994	17,118
1995	15,954
1996	15,490

Figures given are as of 1 April in the year concerned. They include members of Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Irish Regiment home service component but do not include Navy, Air Force or Territorial Army personnel. Complete figures for 1969 to 1974 are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all faults reported for the last two years to Tornado aircraft, indicating in each case the length of waiting time for repairs. [1153]

As with any other of the world's large military aircraft fleets, the number of faults found on Tornado aircraft runs into thousands each month, the vast majority of them trivial. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there was military exercise activity by (i) United Kingdom forces and (ii) non-United Kingdom forces in the vicinity of the Western Isles on the evening of Saturday 26 October. [1343]

My Department is not aware of any such activity off the Western Isles on the evening in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department received about military low flying in (a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95. [1744]

My Department received 5,520 complaints and inquiries about military low flying between April 1993 and March 1994 and 6,077 between April 1994 and March 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims for compensation were submitted to his Department as a result of damage caused by military low flying in each year from 1990 to 1995; and if he will make a statement. [1743]

The number of compensation claims received by my Department in each year from 1990 to 1995 as a result of military low flying was:

• 1990: 568
• 1991: 383
• 1992: 431
• 1993: 400
• 1994: 412
• 1995: 366

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints of excessive military low flying his Department received from people resident in Wales in 1995–96; and if he will make a statement. [1745]

Records are not maintained in such a way as to identify such complaints separately and details could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1254]

At 1 July 1996 there were 33,976 permanent women civil servants employed by my Department and its agencies, representing some 31 per cent. of the total number of permanent civil servants in MOD.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers, and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1287]

The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the process by which gallium and indium are removed from plutonium warhead pits withdrawn from service. [1831]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence file WO 208/3736, reports on Russian military activities in Manchuria (1946), will be made available to the Public Record Office. [2227]

Arrangements are being made to review WO 208/4736 to see whether release into the public domain is now possible. I will write to the hon. Member on completion of the review process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1270]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 16 October 1996, Official Report, column 925.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Departments which have an interest in the Prince's Trust, indicating in each case the nature of that interest. [1502]

At the relaunch of Prince's Trust volunteers on 4 June, I personally pledged Government support to the Prince's Trust's aim of recruiting 25,000 young volunteers per year by the year 2000. I have asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to promote the scheme across the civil service.Government Departments work in partnership with the Prince's Trust to help meet the many and varied needs of disadvantaged young people. The following Government Departments work with the Prince's Trust in a variety of ways, from providing secondees to giving advice on benefits policy:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1252]

The Home Office and its agencies employ a total of 14,049 women which represents 27 per cent. of the total work force of 52,098 permanent staff. However, if the Prison Service is excluded, 5,956 women, representing 51 per cent. of the total work force, are employed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1285]

Although the Home Office collects statistical information on staff employed in the Department and its agencies, information is not collected on the parental status of individual staff because it is not considered appropriate to do so. Child care assistance is provided in a variety of forms. The Department makes available a number of subsidised nursery and holiday play scheme places, provides advice on out-of-school care and pays additional child care expenses incurred where the normal working routine is broken.Over a 12-month period to the end of September 1996, 122 women and 58 men have used nursery places and 89 women and 14 men have used play scheme places. Over the same period, excluding the Prison Service, 58 women and two men have received payments in respect of additional child care expenses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1267]

The information requested about advertising and official hospitality is provided in the following table. The Home Office does not spend money on public relations. The communication directorate is responsible for providing information about my Department's policies and activities to the public and the media; providing information and advice to the public about their rights and obligations, and the protection of themselves and their property, for example; advice on fire safety and crime prevention, and of the need to register to vote. It achieves this through a wide range of communications means including news releases; answering the media's and the public inquiries; information campaigns; briefings; exhibitions; publications; and electronic publishing.

Financial Years	Advertising £	Official hospitality £
1991–92	7,275,940	28,094
1992–93	7,334,635	55,651
1993–94	9,090,222	49,017
1994–95	10,912,008	27,468
1995–96	7,609,227	38,604

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received Lord Lloyd's report on counter-terrorist legislation; and what is his timetable for its publication. [1985]

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I published Lord Lloyd's report on 31 October. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require the names of public houses to be included within the conditions of the licence issued by the appropriate authorities for the sale and consumption on the premises of alcoholic beverages. [1885]

No. Public house names are entirely a matter for the owners and licensees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the present situation relating to the proposed repatriation of Mr. Anthony Okere. [2142]

If the hon. Member will provide me with more information, I will write to him.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those people detained in Birmingham prison under Immigration Act powers were deported during the months of (a) July, (b) August, and (c) September; and what were the nationalities of those deported. [1041]

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 was the cost to the public funds of (a) PC Andrew Whitfield's suspension from 12 February 1995 to his acquittal, (b) the trial of PC Andrew Whitfield in February, (c) the trial of PC Andrew Whitfield in October and (d) the work of the Crown Prosecution Service relating to those trials. [1945]

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the numbers of (a) gun clubs and (b) members of gun clubs in (i) Germany, (ii) France, (iii) Italy and (iv) the United Kingdom; and what the security requirements for gun clubs and their members are in each country. [1666]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: The total number of shooting clubs approved by the Secretary of State in the United Kingdom is 2,067. The Government have no information on the number of members of approved clubs. Approved clubs must abide by published criteria which require them to store firearms and ammunition securely and to ensure that their members are of good character.We have no information about gun clubs in Germany, France or Italy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many women were detained in Scottish prisons under the powers contained within the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 during 1994 and 1995 and from 1 January this year to date; and what were the nationalities of those detained; [1527](2) how many people detained in Scottish prisons under the powers contained within the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 were deported during 1994 and 1995 and from 1 January this year to date; and what were the nationalities of those deported; [1524](3) how many women were deported from Scottish prisons under the powers contained within the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 during 1994 and 1995 and from 1 January this year to date; and what were the nationalities of those deported; [1528](4) how many people in Scotland who were convicted of a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence, were also ordered to be deported as part of their sentence in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 and from 1 January of this year to date; and what were the nationalities and genders of those deported; [1522](5) how many people were detained in Scottish prisons under the powers contained within the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 during 1994 and 1995 and from 1 January this year to date; and what were the nationalities of those detained. [1523]

[holding answer 31 October 1996]: The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many companies and individuals have been prosecuted for operating unlicensed puppy farms since the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 came into force; and if he will list them and the local authority area in which they are situated; [1684](2) how many puppy farms are currently licensed in each local authority area in Wales; [1685](3) how many prosecutions have been made against licensed operators of puppy farms for breaches of the licensing regulations relating to puppy farms in the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991. [1686]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: Information on the number of licensed dog breeding establishments in each local authority area in Wales is not available centrally.Information on prosecutions under the Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 is not collected in the form requested. Details of prosecutions in England and Wales for offences under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended, are available as follows:

Number of prosecutions and convictions for offences under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, by type of defendant 1980–95
Year	Prosecutions
1980	2
1981	6
1982	0
1983	2
1984	1
1985	1
1986	5
1987	7
1988	1
1989	3
1990	11
1991	3
1992	23
1993	15
1994	2
1995 (provisional)	1
Prosecutions are against persons unless stated otherwise.1 Includes two companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been extradited for trial on charges of child sexual abuse; and to which countries. [1362]

The figures for extradition to stand trial on charges of child sexual abuse from England, Wales and Northern Ireland since 1986 are:

• To the United States
• 1986: 1
• 1987: 1
• 1993: 1
• 1996: 1
• To Germany
• 1996:1
• To Holland
• 1995: 1.

The Home Office has three outstanding requests—two from the United States and one from Belgium—for extradition to stand trial on charges of child sexual abuse.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a review into the effectiveness of the enforcement of the current law on the availability of violent videos to children. [1208]

The Video Recordings Act 1984 makes it a criminal offence to supply an unclassified video, subject to certain limited exemptions, or to supply a video in breach of the classification certificate issued by the British Board of Film Classification—BBFC.The operation of the Act is kept under careful review. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 increased the maximum penalties for supplying unclassified videos—to two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine—and for supplying a video in breach of its classification—to six months in prison and/or a £5,000 fines. The 1994 Act also increased the powers of trading standards officers in investigating video offences, and amended the Video Recordings Act 1984 to lay down statutory classification criteria which the BBFC must take into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prisons and detention centres (a) built, and (b) managed under the private sector. [54]

The management of four prisons is contracted out to the private sector: they are Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster and Wolds. The private sector has not completed building any new prisons. It is currently building two prisons under the design, construct, manage and finance—DCMF—initiative at Fazakerley and at Bridgend. The third DCMF contract, for Lowdham Grange prison, is expected to be signed imminently.The management of three immigration detention centres is contracted out to the private sector: they are Campsfield house, Harmondsworth and a smaller, temporary facility at Gatwick airport. The fourth immigration centre, Tinsley house, was constructed by and is managed by the private sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been issued to local authorities regarding bids for section 11 grants after March 1997. [149]

We have under active consideration the position regarding further section 11 funding from next April onwards. Although we are not yet in a position to make an announcement, I expect to be able to do so shortly.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the undiscounted value of post-operational advanced gas-cooled reactor liabilities for each privatised nuclear station which are not covered by the segregated fund; and what are the arrangements for BE to meet these liabilities. [233]

The value of British Energy's liabilities as at 31 March 1996 are listed on page 85 and the projected pattern of payments are listed on page 100 of the prospectus for the sale of British Energy, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The segregated fund covers all of stages 1 to 3 of decommissioning, excluding defuelling, at all of British Energy's station sites. British Energy will meet those liabilities not covered by the segregated fund as part of its day-to-day operating costs.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when the final phase of building work for staff was completed in New Kings Beem house; what is the estimated cost of the work undertaken; and if he will make a statement; [1540](2) when the Radiocommunications Agency will be relocated to South Oxey from New Kings Beem house; and what are the proposed costs involved in relocating; [1541](3) if the structural survey has been completed on South Quay 3; if he will place a copy of the document in the Library; and if he will make a statement; [1542](4) what are the consequences to staff and business customers of the proposed reorganisation of the Radiocommunications Agency; and if he will make a statement; [1544](5) if adequate facilities are provided for the Radiocommunications Agency trade union side in accordance with his departmental facilities agreement. [1545]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: These are day-to-day operational matters for the Radiocommunications Agency and I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what research he has (a) commissioned or (b) evaluated on the health risks associated with electro-magnetic radiation being emitted from household appliances; and if he will make a statement; [1596](2) what research he has

My Department has not commissioned or evaluated research into the health risks associated with electro-magnetic radiation from household appliances, nor have we received representations concerning safety other than in relation to microwave ovens.The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI1994/3260) lay down requirements for the safety of household electrical appliances, implementing the low voltage directive (73/23/EEC), and include a requirement that radiation which would cause a danger must not be produced. The European electrotechnical standards body, CENELEC, has produced standards controlling radiation from appliances such as microwave ovens and sunbeds but has not found it necessary to specify requirements for other appliances.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the laboratories that are accredited by the national measurement accreditation service for the purposes of asbestos sampling. [1439]

Responsibility for the accreditation of laboratories was transferred in 1995 from DTI to the United Kingdom Accreditation Service—UKAS—an independent body which operates under a memorandum of understanding with the Government. I am informed by UKAS that over 30 laboratories are currently accredited for asbestos sampling. I have written to the hon. Member enclosing the addresses and other details concerning these laboratories.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the costs of the business breakfast tours to be undertaken by Ministers. [1957]

[holding answer 1 November 1996]: The costs will depend on the number and size of the events.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many businesses are currently being advised by (a) Business Link London South and (b) Business Link London Central in (i) central London and (ii) the rest of London. [2349]

Business links are private sector partnerships, not Government bodies. National statistics on business using business link are available in the quarterly "Report on Business Link and Business Link Regional Supply Network Management Information" and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Local statistics are a matter for local business link partnerships and I will ensure that the respective chief executives of Business Link London South and Business Link London Central are aware of the hon. Member's question.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the number of small firms which are aware of the loan guarantee scheme. [1233]

The Department does not carry out specific research into how many businesses may be aware of the loan guarantee scheme.Information about the scheme is readily available from all scheme lenders, a wide variety of business support services such as business links, training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies, enterprise agencies, business shops in Scotland, Business Connect in Wales, Government offices, chambers of commerce, business exhibitions, and intermediaries such as accountancy practices.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many post offices have (a) closed and (b) lost Crown status since April 1992. [1229]

I understand from the Post Office that nationally the number of post offices which closed—net of reopenings—between 1 April 1992 and 30 September 1996 is 855. During the same period, 376 Crown post offices were converted to agency status.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much her Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1272]

The available information requested is given in the following table:

	11992–93 £	11993–94 £	11994–95 £	11995–96 £	21996–97 £
Advertising	Nil	Nil	2,009	Nil	20,660
Public relations	Nil	72,850	Nil	5,352	Nil
Official hospitality	22,037	18,277	14,967	25,563	27,840
1 Actual.
2 Spend to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Kenyan Government regarding ratification of the UN convention against torture. [1930]

During her visit to Kenya in August, my right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker recommended to the Government of Kenya at a senior level that they should ratify this convention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will itemise every form of economic aid and economic and trade preference provided to Israel by the European Union, in each case, where possible, stating the financial value of such aid or assistance. [72]

[holding answer 28 October 1996]: Given Israel's level of development, it does not qualify for bilateral grant aid or structural adjustment assistance. It is eligible for non-subsidised European investment bank loans, EC regional aid and investment support.In the past seven years the EIB has made seven loans to Israel totalling 165 million ecu.Israel benefits from EC grant aid for regional co-operation, through initiatives under the new Euro-Mediterranean partnership launched at the Barcelona conference—details can be found in the Commission leaflet which I have placed in the Libraries of the House. The Euro-Mediterranean partnership is allocated 4.685 billion ecu in grants for the period 1995 to 1999 through middle east development and regulation.Over the first nine months of 1966, a total of 30 million ecu was committed in grants to the 12 Mediterranean partner countries, Israel included, for regional programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe elections fund for the Bosnian elections were paid to the Serbian Unity party. [1191]

The Serbian Unity party received DM300,104 for its election expenses. Funds for distribution among all registered political parties and independent candidates were provided by some Governments, but not the United Kingdom, and did not come out of regular OSCE funds or contributions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made after 1 April to the (a) New York Assembly and (b) other bodies on the Irish Famine as Genocide Education Bill; for what reasons his Department assessed the Bill was unlikely to pass into law; and what statements were issued by the consulate-general on the matter of Governor Pataki's signing ceremony and the invitations thereto in New York. [1158]

Following the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 1 April, Official Report, column 9, British officials in New York provided key legislators and their staffs with objective accounts of the history of the famine. They registered the Government's strong concern at the parallel which the New York State Assembly Bill drew between the holocaust and the Irish famine. I have described the circumstances of the passage into law of this legislation in correspondence with the hon. Member.The embassy in Washington and the New York consulate-general made plain our concern at the passage of the Bill into law, and at Governor Pataki's remarks at the signing ceremony on 8 October. The ambassador, Sir John Kerr, wrote to the governor emphasising the seriousness with which the Government regarded the issue, and explained that, unlike the holocaust, the Irish famine was not deliberate, not premeditated, not man-made and certainly not genocide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made this year to the Government of the Irish Republic about the protection and security of British citizens resident in border areas. [1159]

No British national resident in the border areas of the Irish Republic has contacted the embassy in Dublin or this Department this year with concerns about their protection and security. Accordingly the British Government have made no representations on this subject to the Irish Government. If such concerns were expressed, the embassy in Dublin and this Department stand ready to offer appropriate help or advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates and topics of presentations made by Foreign Office staff to the Anglo-Irish Secretariat since 1 January 1995. [1160]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1266]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 16 October 1996, Official Report, column 920.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1284]

This Department does not collect information on the parental status of individual staff.The numbers of staff who have used FCO subsidised child care schemes from October 1995 to October 1996 are:

	Women	Men
Nurseries in London and Hanslope park (age 3 months–5 years)	17	8
Holiday playschemes in London and East Kilbride (age 5–12 years)	27	8

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1251]

The number of women currently employed by this Department is 2,524. This represents over a third of the total staff—37 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies his Department has undertaken on the European convention on human rights; and if he will make a statement on the implications of writing the convention into United Kingdom law. [1163]

I have been asked to reply.The operation of the European convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms is subject to regular review within Government. Following one such review, my hon. Friend the Member for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor) announced proposals on 13 December 1995 for securing improvements in the convention's operation, which are presently under consideration in the Council of Europe. A paper setting out these proposals is available in the Library.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list, by Department, the (a) nurseries and (b) play schemes for children of civil servants. [1194]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 October 1996, Official Report, columns 662–63.Information on the number of civil service nurseries and play schemes, by Department, is not held centrally.Many civil service nurseries and play schemes currently in operation are run as interdepartmental or local partnerships, often involving other non-civil service employers such as local authorities and businesses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Government Departments have policy statements committing them to the recruitment, training and promotion of staff irrespective of age. [1427]

From 1 April 1996, the civil service management code prohibited unfair discrimination on the basis of age. It is the responsibility of Departments and agencies to incorporate this into their own equal opportunities policies. Information on the number of Departments and agencies that have done so is not held centrally.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will produce an analysis of the age profile of all staff employed in all Government Departments for the year 1995–96, together with equivalent figures for 1985–86. [1426]

The information requested was published on 1 November in Figure 11 of "Civil Service Statistics 1996," a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the company directorships of each member of the deregulation task force. [1230]

I am informed by those concerned that the company directorships currently held by members of the deregulation task force are as follows:

• The right hon. Francis Maude
• Non-executive Director, Asda Group plc;
• Non-executive Director, Benfield Reinsurance Co Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director. Sportfact Ltd.;
• Henry Angest
• Executive Director, Secure Trust Group plc;
• Executive Director, Secure Trust Bank plc;
• Executive Director, Flowidea Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Arbuthnot Fund Managers Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Arbuthnot Commercial Finance Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Arbuthnot Latham and Co Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Arbuthnot Properties Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Arbuthnot Investments Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Flowtrade Ltd.;
• Maurice Denyer
• Director Secretary of Fowler Bros Ltd.;
• Michael Fallon
• Executive Director. Just Learning Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Metermaster Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Quality Care Homes plc.
• Mike Fisher
• Non-executive Director, Whale Tankers Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Aims of Industry Ltd.;
• Teresa Graham
• None.
• Archie Norman
• Executive Director, Asda Group plc;
• Executive Director, Asda Stores Ltd. (which is wholly owned by Asda Group plc);
• Executive Director, Gazeley Holdings Ltd. (wholly owned by Asda Group plc);
• Non-executive Director, Railtrack Group plc.
• Tony Rammelt
• Executive Director, Regis Europe Limited;
• Executive Director, Regis South Africa (Proprietary) Limited;
• Executive Director, Regis Suisse Inc;
• Executive Director, Essanelle Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Steiner Salons Ltd.;
• Executive Director, Steiner Hairdressing Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, BAPE Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Barbon Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Bollihope Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Institute of Trichologist Inc;
• Non-executive Director, Trichologists Educational and Hospital Trust.
• Roger Singleton
• None.
• Thomas Swan
• Executive Director, Thomas Swan and Co Ltd.;
• Executive Chairman, Screen Technology Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Casa Chemicals Ltd.;
• Non-executive Director, Parallel Photonic Systems Ltd.;
• Dan Wright
• None.
• Peter Wyman
• None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to avoid conflicts of interest involving members of his deregulation task force. [1231]

The deregulation task force is an independent advisory body, and it is for it to decide which issues it wishes to address in its reports. All recommendations that it makes to the Government are considered entirely on their merits, and in the light of the views of others. In common with other advisory non-departmental public and advisory bodies, members are appointed for the expertise they can provide.The company interests of members of the deregulation task force, as with members of all non-departmental public bodies, are a matter of public record.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) entertainment in each of the last five financial years. [1274]

Expenditure on public relations cannot be separated from that recorded for publicity. Expenditure on advertising was not recorded separately from publicity before 1993–94. Expenditure recorded by the Cabinet Office, excluding the Prime Minister's Office, and the Office of Public Service on external advertising and publicity, and official hospitality in each of the last five financial years for which there are records is shown in the table.

	Advertising £	Publicity £	Official hospitality £
			Cabinet Office/OPS	OPS1 Agencies	Central Office of Information
1995–96	114,410	301,440	27,575	13,630	15,235
1994–95	116,427	369,495	17,550	16,420	9,200
1993–94	7,442	313,480	27,700	8,030	5,900
1992–93	2—	292,380	25,000	1,255	4,600
1991–92	2—	637,840	26,600	245	4,400
1 Coverage changes over the period.
2 Included in Publicity.

In addition, £234,100 was borne by the OPS in 1991–92 on official hospitality in respect of the 1991 economic summit.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the (a) women who are mothers and (b) men who are fathers who are employed by his Department have received assistance from the Department with child care. [1291]

Major injuries
Year	Construction	Numbers Manufacturing	Services	Construction	Rates per 100,000 Manufacturing	Services
1986–87	443	89	80	91.0	42.6	4.9
1987–88	561	100	105	103.5	40.7	5.9
1988–89	753	134	124	127.0	52.1	6.8
1989–90	927	132	138	128.4	47.1	7.1
1990–91	931	129	119	129.7	47.6	6.0
1991–92	729	119	126	89.4	42.8	6.4

Although the civil service collects statistical information on staff employed in Government Departments and executive agencies we do not collect information on the parental status of individual staff. It would be inappropriate for us to request this information from staff and difficult to justify the collection of such data.The number and proportion of staff receiving assistance in the Departments and agencies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible are as follows:

	Total staff	Number assisted	Per cent.
Cab/OPS	1,139	28	2.46
CCTA	261	10	2.61
CSC	258	15	5.8
SAFE	1,049	nil	—
TBA	123	nil	—
PACE	253	1	0.4
COI	423	14	3.3

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many women are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion this is of the total. [1257]

There are 558 women employed within the central of the Cabinet Office and Office of Public Services which represents 46.4 per cent. of the work force. There are a total of 1,013 women within the whole of the Cabinet Office and Office of Public Service and agencies which represents 32.4 per cent. of the work force. The divergence is attributable to the Security and Facilities Executive where the majority of employees are male security guards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, the number of non-fatal recorded accidents to self-employed people in (a) the construction industry, (b) all manufacturing industry and (c) service industries; and if he will list the number of over three-day injuries reported by self-employed people in categories (a) to (c). [657]

The number and incidence rate of non-fatal injuries to self-employed people in the construction, manufacturing and service industries, as reported to health and safety enforcing authorities, were as follows: