To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the European Commission concerning integration of applied research funded under the fifth framework programme and national research initiatives. [3167]

I have been asked to reply.The UK set out its view on the relationship of EU and nationally funded research programmes in its position paper on the fifth framework programme for research and technological development, submitted to the European Commission in June 1996. This is available on the Internet at http://www.open.gov.uk/ost/osthome.html.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the European Commission as regards the priority accorded to basic research in the fifth framework programme. [3165]

I have been asked to reply.The UK set out its view on the place of basic research in the EU's fifth framework programme for research and technological development in its position paper submitted to the European Commission in June 1996. This can be found on the Internet at http://www.open.gov.uk/ost/osthome.html.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the EU on the levels of funding available for social sciences and humanities under the fifth framework programme. [3166]

I have been asked to reply.None. At this early stage in the negotiations for the EU's fifth framework programme for research and technological development, it is premature to make representations on levels of funding for specific parts of the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that the quality of research funded by the fifth framework programme is of a similar standard to that funded in the United Kingdom. [3164]

I have been asked to reply.The UK attaches great importance to research funded by the EU's framework programmes for research and technological development being of the highest quality. In the negotiations on the EU's fifth framework programme the UK will press for scientific excellence to remain the primary criterion for selecting projects for support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking in respect of the indirect costs of European research programmes to enable universities to participate actively in the fifth framework programme. [3168]

I have been asked to reply.None. It is for individual institutions to decide whether to bid for EU framework programme funds on the basis of the EU's conditions of funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on the furtherance of nuclear co-operation with France at the Anglo-French summit in Bordeaux. [3618]

My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, together with our French counterparts, reviewed the work of the Franco-British Joint Nuclear Commission.

To ask the Secretary for State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the United States Government before the Anglo-French summit on the matters to be discussed there. [3565]

My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary had no specific discussions with the United States Government prior to the UK-French summit on matters to be discussed there.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the members of his Department who attended the Anglo-French summit in Bordeaux and (b) the positions they hold. [3619]

The following members of this Department accompanied me to the UK French summit in Bordeaux:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which representatives of the United States Government attended the Anglo-French summit as observers. [3564]

No representatives of the United States Government attended the UK-French summit as observers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place copies of all agreements reached between Britain and France and all communiqués issued during the Anglo—French summit in Bordeaux in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [3603]

One joint agreement was signed at the summit, a UK-French naval letter of intent; and one joint statement was issued, on Zaire. A copy of each will be deposited in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on the memorandum of agreement on co-operation concerning nuclear safety and security which the United States of America signed with France on 4 June at the Anglo-French summit in Bordeaux [3617]

I have been asked to reply.We have had no such discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese Government regarding the detention of Mr. Ngawang Choephel; and if he will make a statement. [3659]

A great many cases, such as those of Ngawang Choephel, are brought to our attention. We continue to be concerned about such cases, and regularly express our views about the human rights situation in Tibet to the Chinese authorities. I did so most recently when I met the Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing in London on 5 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the advice given by his Department to the Home Office about political freedom in Pakistan following the recent decision by the President of that country to dismiss the Government. [3559]

We are continuing to monitor closely the situation in Pakistan in conjunction with the Home Office. It is important that the elections called for 3 February are free and fair.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the report of the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Pakistan; and if he will list the steps taken by his Government to ensure that the special rapporteur's recommendations are implemented. [3560]

The Special Rapporteur on Torture has reported instances of serious human rights abuses in Pakistan. We expect such allegations to be fully investigated. We have regularly raised human rights issues with Pakistan, most recently when I met the Human Rights Minister in Islamabad in October, and will continue to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the findings of the Secretary-General's report to the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 1995, regarding the health, social and economic conditions of areas in Belarus, Ukraine, and the southern Russian Federation which were worst affected by the Chernobyl disaster; and if he will make a statement. [3696]

The Secretary-General's report on the Chernobyl accident, presented to the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 1995, was studied with great interest by those UK Government Departments and agencies concerned. It was a valuable contribution to international understanding of the problems arising from the accident. The main emphasis of the UK's aid policy in relation to the affected areas of Belarus, Ukraine and in Russia has been to deliver assistance through international agencies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organisation and the European Union. We believe such agencies are best placed to co-ordinate and prioritise the work that needs to be done.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives Her Majesty's Government (a) have taken and (b) plan to take in 1996 to provide bilateral aid to the Governments of Ukraine and Belarus for the purposes of alleviating the social, health, economic and environmental effects of the Chernobyl disaster; and if he will make a statement. [3697]

Since 1986, UK bilateral assistance has included £6.1 million from the UK's know-how fund for energy sector reform measures in Ukraine, and we have funded land remediation feasibility studies in the region via the environmental know-how fund. But most of the UK's assistance is channelled through joint programmes managed with our G7 and EU partners. So far, we have contributed £18.25 million to the international nuclear safety account, of which £10 million has been earmarked for Chernobyl-related projects. The Department of Health is supporting international activities to deal with health effects from Chernobyl and is directly supporting research on the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer. This year we have supported work on radioactive food screening and soil decontamination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the Government have made to the United Nations trust fund for the relief of Chernobyl victims. [3698]

Her Majesty's Government have contributed £25,000 to the United Nations trust fund for the relief of Chernobyl victims.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to revise planning policy guidance note No. 22 on renewable energy to give greater encouragement to autonomous local services and associated industries; and if he will make a statement. [3435]

The Government have no immediate plans to revise planning policy guidance note No. 22, "Renewable Energy".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department provides to (a) the Prince's Trust and (b) Business in the Community. [3431]

My Department assists these organisations in a number of ways and greatly values the contribution that they make to strengthen communities and promoting regeneration. We are currently assisting the Prince's Trust through the free secondment of two members of staff, one to the headquarters office of the Prince's Trust volunteers and another to the Prince of Wales business leaders forum. We liaise with Business in the Community on various matters of common interest and provide grants towards some of its regeneration and environmental work, the total for the current financial year being about £120,000. My Department worked in partnership with Business in the Community and others to set up the local investment fund, which has already provided over £½ million in loans for voluntary sector projects in deprived areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are employed on Teesside development corporation's Preston Farm site in Stockton on Tees. [3880]

It is estimated that 3,400 people now work on the Preston Farm site.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when was the last meeting of the green Ministers; who attended; and what issues were discussed. [3867]

I refer the hon. Member to the Department's news release No. 480, issued earlier today.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many requests for information the principal civil service pension scheme has received from pension providers undertaking reviews of pension transfers and opt-outs; in how many cases all appropriate information has been supplied; what is the average length of time taken to supply such information; and what moratorium has been introduced on supplying such information. [3340]

The administration of the principal civil service pension scheme is carried out by employing Departments and the information requested is not held centrally. Administrators have been provided with information packs on the PCSPS, and use these, together with a standard questionnaire on members' benefits, to help them handle requests from pension providers consistently and efficiently. The recent introduction of powers to recharge administrative costs should assist further with the processing of such requests although we believe that relatively few civil servants are affected by the personal pensions review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to revise the booklet published in 1993 on the Cabinet Office's central intelligence machinery. [4256]

A revised edition of the booklet is to be published today and copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is being launched simultaneously on the Internet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the British Government (a) are taking and (b) plan to take, within the EU and with their UN partners, (i) to support the ceasefire in eastern Zaire, (ii) to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the refugee population in eastern Zaire and (iii) to promote a regional solution to the problems of the Great Lakes region. [3678]

UN Security Council resolution 1078 of 9 November calls for an immediate ceasefire and complete cessation of all hostilities in the region. We continue to urge all parties to observe a ceasefire, which will be vital for humanitarian aid to reach those in need. We are in close touch with UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, many of them British, which have undertaken missions into eastern Zaire to assess humanitarian needs and means of delivery. We stand ready to provide further assistance. An EU ministerial troika is also in the region to assess what contribution the EU can make. We strongly support the efforts of the EU and UN special envoys to promote a regional solution to the problems facing the Great Lakes, and welcome the constructive engagement of regional leaders in that process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the British Government have made to proposals to send a multinational force to Zaire; and what logistical and financial support the Government have offered in respect of such a force. [3679]

We supported United Nations Security Council resolution 1078 authorising member states to begin preparations for a multinational force and are working closely with our partners in considering the options for a possible UK contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British Government are taking to promote the holding of a regional conference on the political problems of the Great Lakes region. [3677]

We fully support the convening, under UN and Organisation of African Unity auspices, of an international conference on peace, security arid development in the Great Lakes region. We are working to promote the support of countries within the region, as well as of the wider international community, for urgent action to make all the necessary arrangements for such a conference.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent declaration of a ceasefire by the Tutsi rebels in eastern Zaire; and if he will make a statement. [3680]

We welcome the declaration of a ceasefire on 5 November by Banyamulenge leaders. We continue to urge all parties to the conflict in eastern Zaire to declare a complete cessation of violence.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the current total of unclaimed prizes from the national lottery; how much interest has been earned by this sum; and where each sum is retained and by whom. [3279]

This is an operational matter for Camelot Group plc. I have, therefore, asked the Director General of the Office of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the lottery, to write to the right hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what environmental assessment in respect of contaminated land has been conducted at (a) the chemical defence establishment at Nancekuke in Cornwall, (b) the central dockyard laboratory at HM naval base, Portsmouth and (c) the RAF aeroplane and armaments experimental establishment at Boscombe Down; [3526](2) what environmental impact assessment has been conducted in respect of contaminated land at

My Department has carried out environmental assessments as appropriate at its sites. As I informed the hon. Member on 15 October, Official Report, column 861, we are introducing a prioritised procedure of land quality assessment for the defence estate, which will provide a publicly available land quality statement for individual sites. However, such documents do not yet exist in respect of these sites, and historic details are not held centrally on work carried out in the past.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask his United States counterpart to provide routinely to his Department copies of the environmental compliance assessment and management programme reports for each military facility in the United Kingdom and overseas territories where operating rights have been granted to United States defence forces. [3414]

MOD personnel are already fully involved in the environmental audit process at US military facilities in the UK and are routinely made aware of the contents of environmental compliance assessment and management programme reports. Similarly FCO personnel are kept fully informed of the environmental impact of all US activities at overseas territories where operating rights have been granted to US forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions were held on co-ordinating the patrols of Trident and the French Triomphant submarines at the Anglo-French summit in Bordeaux. [3616]

No such discussions were held.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of occasions in the last four years that members of the French armed forces have visited the United Kingdom to discuss the furtherance of nuclear co-operation. [3604]

Members of the French armed forces regularly visit the United Kingdom to discuss matters related to defence nuclear co-operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the number of occasions in the last four years that representatives or contractors of the Delegation Generale pour l'Armement, and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique have visited the atomic weapons establishments at Aldermaston, Burghfield, Cardiff and Foulness; [3606](2) if he will list the number of occasions in the last four years that representatives or contractors of the Delegation Generale pour l'Armement, and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique have visited the United Kingdom to discuss the furtherance of nuclear co-operation. [3605]

There have been 28 visits by representatives or contractors of the DGA and CEA to UK atomic weapon establishments in the period. There have also been four visits by French officials to the UK for discussions on nuclear technical and scientific matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 31 October, Official Report, column 195, for what reasons British frozen beef is not readily available for use by the armed forces. [3821]

For commercial reasons the British market deals predominantly in fresh beef.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the purpose of the visit by the Under-Secretary of State, the Earl of Lindsay, to Middleshot square, Prestonpans, on 6 November. [3411]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: My noble Friend visited Prestonpans on 6 November to see at first hand the damage to the homes in Middleshot square and the efforts of the local authority and emergency services in dealing with the situation. He also took the opportunity to visit Preston Lodge school, where the local authority had provided rest centre facilities for the families who had been evacuated from their homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many earth tremors have been recorded in the Musselburgh area in recent weeks; what was the magnitude of the tremors; and if he will make a statement on possible connections with current and historic coal mining operations in the neighbourhood. [3086]

The British Geological Survey reported on 6 November that 79 tremors have been detected in the Musselburgh area; 19 of which have been recorded as being felt by residents. The tremors have been of varying magnitude; the largest, with a magnitude of 2 on the Richter scale, was recorded on 25 October. Precise records of old workings in the area do not exist. It is difficult therefore to determine precisely the relationship between the tremors and previous and current mining operations. However, in the 25 years of the British Geological Survey's seismic monitoring programme, there have been no reports of structural damage or injuries caused by mining-induced earthquakes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those companies which have established plants in Scotland in each of the past 10 years which have created research and development centres within those plants. [3210]

Information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many cases at (a) the High Court and (b) the sheriff court have been abandoned because of the inability of child witnesses to give evidence in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement; [3211](2) in respect of how many cases at

Statistics regarding the abandonment of such cases are not available, but indications are that the numbers are not substantial. A range of measures contribute to this. To assist those children whom it is anticipated may have difficulty giving evidence in a conventional court setting, applications may be made before the trial for the use of screens, closed circuit television or evidence on commission. Since 1 April 1996, prior statements of witnesses, including children, may be admissible in terms of the new exceptions to the hearsay rule contained in sections 259 to 262 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. There have been a number of instances where prosecutors have had recourse to these provisions, which allow for the introduction of prior statements by a child, providing at the time a statement was made, the child would have been a competent witness.CCTV has been employed in the examination of child witnesses on the following occasions:

Year	Sheriff Court cases	High Court cases
1993	2	5
1994	6	5
1995	6	5
1996 (to 30 September)	0	6

CCTV equipment is available in the High Court in Edinburgh and in each sheriffdom. It can be made available for all High Court sittings at which it is required. For the sheriff courts, equipment is based at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Greenock, Aberdeen, Airdrie and Falkirk sheriff courts. Installation of CCTV equipment is included in the plans for the refurbishment of the High Court buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to simplify the procedure for extra-contractual referrals; and when he plans to implement them. [3518]

Measures to simplify the procedures for extra-contractual referrals were introduced on 1 October 1996. From that date, it is no longer necessary for NHS trusts to notify purchasers in advance of emergency and tertiary extra-contractual referrals, unless a patient's stay is expected to exceed 28 days or where the costs are likely to be in excess of £6,000. Similar procedures have been introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will consult the health service in Scotland about any future proposals further to simplify the procedure for extra-contractual referrals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the loss of (a) excise and (b) VAT revenue during the last 12 months due to consumers crossing the English channel to avoid United Kingdom taxation on (i) alcohol, (ii) cigarettes and tobacco and (iii) perfumes; what is the equivalent figure for the previous 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [2787]

Customs' latest estimate of excise duty and VAT revenues lost from legitimate personal importation of duty-paid alcohol and tobacco products is for the calendar year 1995, and is given in the table. Equivalent figures for calendar year 1994 are given in brackets.

Revenue losses from cross-border shopping
£ million
Product type	Excise duty	VAT	Total revenue
Alcohol products	145 (145)	65 (60)	210 (205)
Tobacco products	65 (55)	15 (15)	80 (70)
Total	210 (200)	80 (75)	290 (275)

Figures have been independently rounded to £5 million. Figures assume that 50 per cent. of alcohol purchased is additional consumption.Customs' estimate of revenue evasion through smuggling of alcohol and tobacco products, excluding any losses from commercial fraud, is set out in the table. The actual loss to the Exchequer will be less than the amount of revenue evaded, as some smuggling is likely to represent additional consumption, rather than substituting for similar goods bought in the UK. There was no previous official estimate of revenue evaded through smuggling.

Revenue evaded through smuggling
£ million
Product type	Excise duty	VAT	Total revenue
Alcohol products	145	65	210
Tobacco products	445	115	560
Total	590	180	770

Figures have been independently rounded to £5 million.There is no official estimate of revenue losses from cross-border shopping in perfumes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of repayments of VAT to opticians; what rebates remained unpaid after the cut off date; what representations he has received on this matter; and what action he proposes to take as a result. [3035]

VAT refunds totalling about £200 million have been made to opticians. Customs and Excise does not have information on how many opticians had not made claims by 18 July, and does not hold figures centrally of those who have not received a full refund. Following the Government's announcement on 18 July, and the subsequent exposure of the related draft Finance Bill clauses, a number of representations on various aspects of the proposed changes have been received. They are being considered along with all other representations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) NHS trusts regarding the three year limit for refund claims for VAT payments by NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement. [3240]

None. Where trusts incur VAT on contracted-out services relating to their non-business activities, they should not normally need to make retrospective claims for VAT. Under the special arrangements for contracted out services, refunds can be claimed on a current, monthly basis and there is some flexibility at the end of each financial year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the reviews of personal pensions cases referred to in the guidelines issued by the Securities and Investments Board in 1994. [4278]

SIB' s guidance to regulators recognised under the Financial Services Act 1986 called for a substantial programme of case reviews to establish whether people who had transferred out of occupational schemes, or opted out of them, or had never joined them, in order to hold a personal pension had done so as a result of mis-selling. Where mis-selling was found to lead to financial loss for investors, SIB has looked to the investment firms responsible to provide redress either by reinstating the investor into the occupational scheme—where this was possible—or by topping up the investor's personal pension.This review process has proved extraordinarily difficult for all concerned. It has required regulators and investment firms to devote substantial resources to the casework. There have been a number of reasons why progress has been slower than the regulators had expected, some of them arising from factors beyond the control of the firms responsible for carrying out case reviews. However, regrettably there are some investment firms which have made less effort than others to carry out the required casework.Even when the firms concerned are anxious to bring cases to a speedy conclusion, it has often proved difficult to do so because of the volume and complexity of the information required to evaluate each case in full. For whatever reason they arise, delays are a matter of concern.In order to speed up progress with reviews, SIB has today issued a statement setting out a streamlined approach to evaluation of scheme benefits for computation of loss or redress. It involves using a simplified model which is designed both to reduce significantly the burden on occupational schemes and to enable firms to reach reliable conclusions by using information which is generally available about the terms of the relevant occupational scheme(s) together with standard or approximate data for missing items. By using this approach, it should be possible for investment firms to conclude case reviews more quickly and thus put matters right for investors more quickly too. Where standard or approximate data are used for important items, investors will be informed and have the opportunity to provide detailed data.The Government welcome this initiative. SIB's model should provide robust results with less administrative input. It means investors who might otherwise have been members of occupational schemes should get their cases sorted out more quickly while investment firms should need to divert resources into this important task for a shorter period. It will also require less input from occupational schemes, which can experience difficulties in providing non-pension information about former members.The pensions industry must make haste to complete their case reviews, in the interests not only of the financial position of the investors concerned but of restoring the industry's reputation. I also trust that occupational schemes will co-operate in providing information to investment firms and in providing reinstatement for current employees.For the public service pension schemes, the basic information required is already fully available. Steps have also been taken to ensure that these schemes stand ready to reinstate current employees into the relevant schemes for both future and past service.At this state, it is not clear how fast cases can now be progressed. Investment firms have much relevant information already and may be able to complete these cases quickly now. SIB now expects the front-line regulators to assess what can be achieved by their members using the new guidance, and then to set and monitor realistic but appropriately challenging targets for completing the review process.Investment firms have a clear responsibility to give priority to this important task. Their good names and the prospects of the industry depend upon it. I therefore welcome SIB's warning that firms failing to carry out their responsibilities must expect disciplinary action from their regulators. I very much hope that further disciplinary action will not be necessary and that the pensions industry will now move swiftly to put this unfortunate episode behind it.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will show the number and proportion of manual, non-manual, and all part-time employees on adult rates earning less than (a) £4.42, (b) £5.89 and (c) £6.31 per hour excluding overtime payments for (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) both sexes by standard economic region for Great Britain as a whole and for (1) each county and unitary authority in England, (2) each unitary authority in Wales, (3) each London borough and Greater London as a whole,(4) each unitary authority in Scotland, (5) Great Britain as a whole and (6) England as a whole for April 1996; [518](2) if he will show the number of and proportion of manual, non-manual and all full-time employees on adult rates earning less than

[holding answers 30 October 19961: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchquer (1) how security clearance is obtained for all personnel handling classified information at Oracle facilities abroad; [1076](2) if he will specify the arrangements made for the prosecution of offences under section 182 of the Finance Act 1989 by persons working at Oracle facilities abroad; [1078](3) if he will publish the undertaking which persons working at Oracle facilities abroad are required to sign in relation to taxpayer information; what are the terms of the oral declaration which persons working at Oracle facilities abroad are required to make and what are the circumstances in which it is required to be given, and the person to whom it is to be given; what are the arrangements made for ensuring compliance with these obligations at Oracle facilities abroad; and if he will specify the actions that would be taken against a person working at an Oracle facility abroad for breach of such obligations, or any other confidentiality obligation imposed by UK law; [1075](4) how Oracle ensures that persons at Oracle facilities abroad are made aware of their obligations under section 182 of the Finance Act 1989. [1077](5) if he will specify such other arrangements as may be made by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in carrying out their functions of care and management under section 1 of the Taxes and Management Act 1970 in respect of access to copies of batches of taxpayer records at Oracle facilities abroad. [1080]

[holding answers 30 October 1996]: The Inland Revenue's contract with Electronic Data Service Ltd. and EDS's contract with Oracle have both been amended to enable specialist staff at Oracle facilities abroad, in exceptional circumstances, to have access to copies of subsets of taxpayer records in order to carry out either diagnostic and/or remedial work necessary to support the self-assessment computer system. These amendments ensure that such access is permitted only under the very strict security arrangements specified by the Inland Revenue and that Oracle is fully accountable, through EDS, to the Inland Revenue if there are any breaches of confidentiality. All Oracle employees are required to sign an agreement which, among other provisions, commits them to protect any information belonging to the Inland Revenue. If these procedures were to be breached, the agreement provides for a range of sanctions, including summary dismissal. The sanctions and remedies afforded by the criminal or civil laws of the United States and Australia may also flow from any such breaches.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent local authorities are consulted prior to agreements being made to grant conditional exemption from inheritance tax on condition that reasonable public access is allowed over the site; if local authorities are required to consult interested parties over the proposals; and what restrictions are imposed upon local authorities preventing them from disclosing information on the proposals. [1626]

[holding answer 5 November 1996]: In considering claims for conditional exemption for land, the Inland Revenue seeks advice from the Government's heritage advisory agencies-for example, the Countryside Commission for scenic land in England. As well as considering the eligibility of the land, the advisory agencies discuss and negotiate with owners the steps needed to meet the undertakings required by the law about the maintenance and preservation of the land, and securing public access to it. As part of this process, the agencies consult local authorities and other interested parties as appropriate. In many cases the local authority is offered an agency agreement to monitor the owner's compliance with the undertakings.When an advisory agency consults a local authority or other body, the normal rules on taxpayer confidentiality apply, and any information given in connection with a claim or designation for conditional exemption is therefore confidential.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many non-taxpayers are in receipt of tax relief for home income plans; and if he will indicate the distribution of tax relief paid out for home income plans by income group. 13320]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: I regret that reliable information is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has of the revenue which would be raised by restricting mortgage interest tax relief at source, for new mortgage payers only, to (a) 10 per cent. in 1997–98, (b) 5 per cent. in 1998–99 and (c) 0 per cent. in 1999–2000. [3405]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: The revenue yield in 1997–98 and future years would depend on future interest rates and the future distribution of the number and value of new mortgages.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of uncollected (a) income tax, (b) corporation tax, (c) value added tax and (d) other taxes in (i) 1991–92, (ii) 1994–95 and (iii) 1995–96; and if he will make a statement. [3385]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: The information is given in the following table. In this question, "uncollected" has been taken to mean "uncollected and subsequently written off or remitted".Inland Revenue collection accounts are drawn up each year to the end of October, and the table therefore shows the amounts as at the end of October 1991, October 1994 and October 1995 (the latest date for which figures are available). Customs and Excise accounts are drawn up for each calendar year.

Amount remitted/written off
£ million
Type of tax	October 1991	October 1994	October 1995
Income tax	524	853	593
Corporation tax	321	262	127
Other taxes	39	44	36
Value added tax	515	550	484
Customs and other duties	0.7	1.7	5.9

The boards of Inland Revenue and of Customs and Excise allow remissions of tax on a case-by-case basis as an aspect of their responsibilities for the care and management of the various taxes.Sound management requires that tax which is not collected and which cannot practicably be collected—for example, because the taxpayer is insolvent or his whereabouts are unknown—should be written off.Insolvencies, where the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise have very little control over the amount recoverable, account for the vast majority of tax written off.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of allowing married couples to choose joint income tax assessment on the assumption (a) that each would retain their personal allowance, (b) that the 20 per cent. and 24 per cent. rate bands were doubled and (c) that the married couples allowance was not given. [2823]

[holding answer 12 November 1996]: The estimated full-year cost at 1996–97 income levels of allowing married couples to choose whether they are taxed under the current system of independent taxation or taxed under the proposed joint taxation regime is about £5 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the building societies legislation in order to safeguard the interests of disabled people whose accounts are held by trustees in the context of bonus payments given by building societies at the time of flotation. [2744]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to ensure that investors, with severe disabilities, whose account is managed by a third party, will benefit from payments consequent upon building societies converting to banks. [2699]

[holding answers 7 November 1996]: The existing law allows building societies to take account of the interests of underlying beneficiaries, including disabled investors and others in this position, but the final structure of any distribution is a matter for the society concerned, and it is for its members to decide whether they agree that distribution. I understand that the Building Societies Association has issued guidance to its members on future account opening and handling practice in advance of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 coming into force on 2 December.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to what extent the membership and voting rights of the Governor of the Bank of England on the European Monetary Institute will be modified if the United Kingdom declares against proceding to the third stage of economic and monetary union; [51](2) what assessment he has made of the impact on United Kingdom representation at the general council of the European central bank, referred to in article 45 of the statute of the European system of central banks, if the United Kingdom decides not to join the third stage of EMU. [8]

The Governor of the Bank of England would retain his voting rights in the Council of the European Monetary Institute irrespective of whether the Government were to decide that the United Kingdom should participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union.The governing council of the European central bank will be the main decision-making body of the ECB and will take decisions about the single monetary policy. Only governors from the central banks of countries participating in the single currency and members of the executive board of the ECB will be members of the governing council. Only nationals of those member states may be members of the executive board, including the president and vice-president of the ECB. In addition, the treaty provides for a general council of the ECB, which will have very limited responsibilities. The general council shall comprise the president and vice-president of the ECB and the governors of all member states' national central banks.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent safety and environment reviews have been conducted by (a) the Health and Safety Executive, (b) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and (c) the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency into nuclear-related operations at Dounreay. [2958]

There have been no recent safety and environmental reviews, but Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate, on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, carries out regular inspections of nuclear safety related operations on the Dounreay site. SEPA also carries out regular inspections to ensure that conditions of the discharge authorisations are in compliance with the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and these will be continuing.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what form and on what scale his Department will continue to fund business links beyond their third year of operation. [3777]

DTI funding for business links beyond their third year of operation is in the form of a grant to the relevant training and enterprise council for business link services.The scale of funding for business links beyond their third year is currently being considered in the 1996 public expenditure survey.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of the EC's proposals on packaging and packaging waste. [3655]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environmental published for consultation on 11 July 1996 the draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations, which propose to implement the provisions relating to the recovery and recycling targets contained in the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste, 94/62/EC. Responses received during the consultation period, which ended on 30 September, are now being considered. It is intended to implement certain other provisions in the directive by means of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, along with others relating to the identification and marking of packaging, when Commission decisions and a further Parliament and Council directive are adopted.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will re-introduce a minimum wage in occupations where the service provided is not traded internationally, with particular reference to hairdressing. [2081]

No. The Government have no intention of introducing minimum wage legislation. Statutory wage fixing would lead to increased costs and job losses in hairdressing as in any other industry.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the trade deficit with the Federal Republic of Germany in (a) visibles and (b) invisibles for 1996; and what were the equivalent figures for (i) 1995 and (ii) 1994. [3868]

The UK current account balances with unified Germany, for 1994, 1995 and the first eight months of 1996, are given in the table.

£ million
	1994	1995	1996 (January-August)
Goods	-4,669	-5,960	-4,392
Services	+462	+638	n/a
Investment income	+46	+293	n/a
Transfers	+28	+35	n/a

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the eligibility criteria for the provision of funds for capital expenditure under the joint equipment initiative; and if he will make a statement. [3690]

The eligibility criteria can be found in the guidelines for the initiative, which were issued on 26 February 1996. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support has been provided to universities under the joint equipment initiative; what were the targets set for the initiative; and if he will make a statement. [3689]

The awards to be made under the joint research equipment initiative have yet to be announced, so no figure is currently available for the support provided to universities under the initiative. The objectives of the scheme were as follows:

To enable high-quality research relevant to the foresight generic science and technology priorities to be conducted with the equipment;

To contribute more generally to the physical research infrastructure in higher education institutions;

To promote partnership between higher education institutions and external sponsors of research, such as industry/commerce, charities, Government Departments, agencies and NHS trusts;

To assist the funding councils, the Department of Education Northern Ireland and research councils in taking a strategic overview of the equipment needs of the UK higher education sector.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what annual savings targets have been set for the newly appointed central procurement officer for the research councils. [3691]

The procurement adviser has been set a number of key objectives for his first year, including an impact on the procurement bill. During the first three calendar months he will assess the current state of procurement practices and performance within the councils and that basis will propose targets and define the parameters for savings taking account of both purchase price and where applicable life-cycle cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were detained in prisons, under Immigration Act powers, at the end of (a) July, (b) August and (c) September; what were the nationalities of those detained; how many were deported; and in which prison establishments they were detained. [1043]

Responsiblity 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 if he will list (a) the number of prisoners tested for drugs each month since March 1996, (b)the number of prisoners who have tested positive for each type of drug in each month since March 1996 and (c)the number of prisons testing for drugs each month since March 1996. [1499]

Mandatory and voluntary drug testing: numbers of prisoners tested and numbers positive for each drug group, March 1996 to September 1996
Number positive for each drug
Number tested	Can	Opi	Ben	Coc	Amph	Meth	Bar	LSD
March
6,482	1,869	472	116	13	16	17	2	0
April
6,419	1,488	483	140	17	15	24	2	0
May
6,960	1,495	515	209	22	21	32	3	1
June
6,777	1,384	517	189	25	12	23	4	0
July
7,448	1,623	675	173	17	10	29	4	0
August
6,596	1,404	534	143	32	15	19	1	0
September1
6,743	1,413	570	143	21	17	33	4	1
1 Figures for September are provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the rules which govern the earnings of prisoners in United Kingdom prisons and the discretion given to individual prison governors. [1420]

Responsibility for this matter in so far as it relates to England and Wales has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given. The rules

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 (1) what is the current complement by grade of (a) part-time and (b) full-time staff employed by Premier Prison Services at Her Majesty's prison Doncaster; and what changes to staffing levels there have been in the last 12 months; [2712](2) how many serious assaults there have been on staff in her Majesty's prison Doncaster since 1 June; and what has been the total number of assaults on staff at the prison since it was opened; [2716](3) how many and what types of incidents have been reported to the Prison Service in relation to Her Majesty's prison Doncaster since

Responsibility for these matters 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 (1) what plans he has to increase the number of key performance indicators for the Prison Service which assess standards of custody and control; [2936](2) what plans he has to introduce key performance indicators for the Prison Service which assess (i) headquarters staffing levels, (ii) productivity, (iii) efficiency, (iv) standards of staff development and commitment and (v) rates of recidivism; [2937](3) what plans he has to increase the number of key performance indicators for the Prison Service' which assess (i) standards of physical security and (ii) levels of prisoner discipline; [2938](4) what plans he has to introduce key performance indicators for the Prison Service which assess

Responsibility for these matters 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 were the results achieved by the Prison Service on each of its key performance indicators for the first six months of 1996–97; and what assessment he has made of those results against (a) the published full year targets for 1996–97 and (b) the equivalent phased internal targets for the first six months. [2935]

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 plans he has to revise the way in which statistics are collected for the purpose of measuring the key performance indicators which refer to the Prison Service. [2940]

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 is the current backlog of maintenance work in (a) prisons and (b) police stations. [2798]

The Prison Service has an on-going programme to identify, priorities and carry out maintenance work. Priorities are to preserve a safe and secure environment for prisoners and staff alike and to ensure that as far as reasonably practicable accommodation is kept in use to help cope with the pressure on places resulting from the rising prison population. Because of the nature of maintenance work it is possible that during the year other maintenance schemes might have to be given a higher priority than schemes already in the programme. The situation is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis and the programme revised as necessary.Despite financial constraints, the schemes which have been identified as having the highest priority are proceeding in 1996–97. Around 50 per cent. of schemes—worth £16 million—have been deferred until later.Maintenance work in police stations is the responsibility of individual police forces and records are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions govern a local authority's duties in respect of the prosecution of a person breeding more than two bitches for the purpose of sale without a licence. [3639]

Section 4 of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 empowers a local authority to prosecute a person who keeps an unlicensed dog breeding establishment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 November, Official Report, columns 324–25, what are the names and addresses of the companies or individuals convicted under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, since 1980. [3502]

The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for information the (a) police pension scheme and (b) fireman's pension scheme have received from pension providers undertaking reviews of pension transfers and opt-outs; in how many cases all appropriate information has been supplied; what is the average length of time taken to supply such information; and what moratorium has been introduced on supplying such information. [3348]

The details requested are not held centrally. It is Government policy that assisting pension providers with their review should not impose a burden on the taxpayer. We hope that the necessary amendments can be made soon to the Police Pensions Act 1976 and the Fire Services Act 1947 to enable police and fire authorities to deal with the inquiries of personal pension providers in return for a reasonable charge to recover the administrative costs involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of (a) men and (b) women cautioned in each of the last five years for soliciting, broken down by age. [3650]

The information is given in the tables.

Table A: Number of recorded male cautions for the offence of soliciting or importuning in a public place for immoral purposes1, by age, 1991 to 1995
England and Wales
Age	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
10	—	—	—	—	—
11	—	—	—	—	—
12	—	—	—	—	—
13	—	—	—	—	—
14	—	2	3	1	—
15	1	2	—	1	—
16	3	2	1	2	—
17	1	4	2	—	1
18	4	3	—	1	1
19	2	6	7	3	3
20	4	4	7	1	2
21–24	17	21	20	13	10
25–29	26	23	22	35	12
30–34	15	24	24	44	24
35–39	26	21	30	28	9
40–44	26	19	21	26	15
45–49	16	16	30	33	12
50–54	13	17	18	20	12
55–59	4	9	8	18	6
60 and over	27	20	12	28	19
All ages	185	193	205	254	126
1 An offence under the Sexual Offences Act 1956, section 32.

Table B: Number of recorded male cautions for the offence of persistent soliciting of women for the purpose of prostitution1, by age, 1991 to 1995
England and Wales
Age	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
10	—	—	—	—	—
11	—	—	—	—	—
12	—	—	—	—	—
13	—	—	—	—	—
14	—	—	—	—	—
15	—	—	—	—	—
16	1	—	—	—	—
17	—	—	1	1	—
18	1	2	—	—	—
19	3	1	1	—	—
20	3	4	1	4	1
21-24	9	16	9	3	1
25-29	19	24	22	7	3
30-34	28	32	21	16	—
35-39	18	31	19	12	3
40-44	21	22	18	8	1
45-49	16	19	10	7	—
50-54	6	9	5	4	1
55-59	2	6	4	3	—
60 and over	3	5	3	1	—
All ages	130	171	114	66	10
1 An offence under the Sexual Offences Act 1985 Section 2.

Table C: Number of recorded female cautions for the offence of "Common prostitute loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution"1 by age, 1991 to 1995
England and Wales
Age	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
10	—	1	—	—	—
11	—	—	—	—	—
12	1	1	—	1	2
13	5	1	5	5	4
14	10	6	32	19	11
15	34	41	32	25	27
16	111	62	82	91	63
17	200	189	145	156	156
18	318	275	247	194	187
19	294	250	260	206	201
20	292	244	211	220	212
21–4	946	813	860	621	769
25–29	868	804	809	712	692
30–34	451	557	527	542	466
35–39	184	216	248	199	238
40–44	84	129	104	101	80
45–49	33	56	42	34	43
50–54	8	3	7	5	6
55–59	1	3	5	2	5
60 and over	—	2	—	—	—
All ages	3,840	3,653	3,616	3,133	3,162
1 An offence under the Street Offences Act 1859 Section 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities about funding from April 1997 under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1996. [4452]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his decision regarding the continued funding of schemes in Trafford currently funded under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966. [3823]

We attach great importance to the valuable work performed by teachers and others funded under section 11 in helping members of ethnic minorities to overcome barriers of language or culture. Despite other pressures on public expenditure generally, I can now announce that the current level of section 11 grant will be maintained until August 1998. Grant recipients are being advised accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason two different figures were given in letters of 29 October from the Director General of the Prison Service to the hon. Member for Rochdale for the number of assaults at HMP Buckley Hall since 14 December 1994. [3360]

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 information his Department collates on the number of persons currently licensed to carry handguns in the countryside for the purposes of killing animals for sport. [3109]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: Killing animals for sport would normally not be considered a good reason for possessing a hand gun.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines he has issued to (i) police authorities and (ii) the Prison Service on the use of dog collars that administer electric shocks to the animals; [3073](2) which (i) police authorities, (ii) prisons and (iii) sectors of the Prison Service are using dog collars that administer electric shocks to the animals; [3074](3)what is the number of dogs owned by (i) the police and (ii) the Prison Service on which electric shock dog collars

[holding answers 11 November 1996]: The Prison Service has possessed an electric collar since January 1994. It is kept at the national dog training centre and has been used a total of seven times on six dogs.The electric collar is not currently being used on any dog and is only ever used in accordance with the policy guidelines issued on 19 July 1996. These guidelines state that the electric collar will be used only when authorised by the head of the NDTC. It will be used on adult dogs as part of a training course or remedial training and only as a last resort when other methods of attempting to correct the dog in control-related exercises have failed. The collar is not to be used as a short-term solution for problems that can be resolved by other more traditional and acceptable methods. All uses of the collar are registered at the NDTC.The police have no national guidelines for the use of electric dog collars and information on its use is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons applications for compassionate parole by Ella O'Dwyer, detained in Maghaberry prison, have been refused; how many such applications she has made in the current year; what her prison status is; and if he will make a statement. [3303]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: Ms O'Dwyer is a prisoner temporarily transferred to Northern Ireland. Applications for temporary release are therefore considered with reference to her eligibility under the rules which apply to prisoners in England and Wales. As a category A high escape risk prisoner, Ms O'Dwyer is not eligible for any form of temporary release under those rules. However, we have the power to authorise release under section 27 of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 and have therefore considered each of Ms O'Dwyer's three applications for release on compassionate grounds carefully and on their individual merits. I did not consider, however, that there were sufficient compelling grounds to justify granting release exceptionally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how convicted prisoners escaped from a private coach on 5 November in London while being transferred from Her Majesty's prison, Blundeston; for what reasons a secure vehicle was not used; what changes he expects to make to the system for transporting prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [3392]