To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to pay reparations to ex-service personnel who were prisoners of war in Japan. [4304]

Compensation for former prisoners of war was legally settled in the 1951 San Francisco peace treaty. This provided for the proceeds of Japanese assets held by the allies to be used for reparations.Through the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security, we have in place a comprehensive system of compensation for anyone disabled as a result of service in the armed forces. Far-eastern former prisoners of war are eligible for the basic war disablement pension and the wide range of supplementary allowances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from observers to the recent elections in Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement. [4583]

The 93-strong EU observer mission, including Dr. David Browning from Oxford university as the United Kingdom's independent observer, concluded that the elections, although not flawless, were conducted in a fair and transparent manner and contributed to the further consolidation of democracy. The Organisation of American States observer mission took a similar view. Dr. Browning has reported separately that the Nicaraguan people were allowed a free, fair and secret vote. Copies of the EU declaration and a of Dr. Browning's report will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom contributions to (a) the United Nations and (b) its agencies in 1995–96; and what is the estimated contribution for 1996–97. [4668]

Details of United Kingdom contributions to the UN and its specialised agencies in 1995 will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Figures for the financial year 1995–96 are not available because they are calculated by calendar year.Contributions in 1996 and 1997 are expected to be broadly similar.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to be able to make a statement on United Kingdom membership of UNESCO. [4705]

We have no immediate plans to rejoin UNESCO. This issue is being kept under review in the light of progress with reform in the organisation and other financial priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana will be free and fair. [4844]

We have provided £600,000 for optical scanners and 11 million voter registration forms. We will send four observers as part of the EU observer mission and will participate in a separate Commonwealth mission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications were made to the joint funding scheme in (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97; and how many were successful. [4630]

In 1995–96, 359 project applications were made to the joint funding scheme, of which 132 were successful. In 1996–97, 279 applications were received, of which 137 were successful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of joint funding scheme contracts issued by country and region in (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [4629]

Details of projects for which funding agreements were issued under the joint funding scheme in 1995–96 and 1996–97, by country and by region, are as listed.

New projects for which funding agreements were issued under the joint funding scheme—1995–96
By country	Number
Angola	1
Bangladesh	4
Bolivia	2
Brazil	2
Cambodia	4
Caribbean	1
Chad	1
Chile	2
China	1
Colombia	1
East Africa	3
Egypt	2
El Salvador	1
Eritrea	1
Ethiopia	9
Gambia, The	1
Ghana	4
Guatemala	1

New projects for which funding agreements were issued under the joint funding scheme—1995–96
By country	Number
Guyana	1
India	20
Indonesia	1
International	1
Kenya	7
Latin America	2
Lesotho	2
Malawi	1
Mozambique	1
Namibia	3
Nepal	1
Nicaragua	3
Niger	1
Occupied Territories	1
Pakistan	1
Peru	5
Philippines	3
Solomon Islands	1
South Africa	5
South East Asia	1
Sri Lanka	1
Sudan	2
Tanzania	4
Uganda	7
Vietnam	3
Windward Islands	1
Yemen	1
Zambia	3
Zimbabwe	8
Total	132
By region
Africa	66
Asia	42
Americas	22
Pacific	1
Worldwide	1
Total	132
By region
Africa	66
Asia	42
Americas	22
Pacific	1
Worldwide	1
Total	132

New Projects for which funding agreements were issued under the joint funding scheme—1996–97
By country	Number
Asia-Pacific	1
Bangladesh	6
Bolivia	2
Brazil	4
Cambodia	7
Cameroon	3
Chad	1
Chile	1
China	1
Colombia	2
Commonwealth	1
Ethiopia	5
Gambia, The	3
Ghana	5
Guyana	1
India	14
Indonesia	1
Jamaica	1
Kenya	10
Kiribati	1
Laos	1
Lebanon	1
Malawi	1
Middle East	1
Mozambique	1
Myanmar	1

New Projects for which funding agreements were issued under the joint funding scheme—1996–97
By country	Number
Namibia	2
Nepal	2
Nicaragua	3
Nigeria	2
Occupied Territories	1
Peru	2
Philippines	1
Rwanda	1
Senegal	1
Sierra Leone	3
South Africa	10
Somalia	2
Sri Lanka	4
Sudan	2
Swaziland	4
Syria	1
Tanzania	4
Thailand	3
Togo	1
Uganda	8
Vietnam	1
Zimbabwe	3
Total	137
By regional
Africa	72
Asia	47
Americas	16
Pacific	1
Worldwide	1
Total	137

:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Projects funded in Nicaragua in 1995–96 and 1996–97 through (a)technical co-operation,(b) Programme aid and (c) Commonwealth Development Corporation. [4628]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4525]

In considering project proposals, ODA programme managers are required to consider the need for environmental analysis and audit as set out in "Manual of Environmental Appraisal", a copy of which is in the

Passengers refused leave to enter and removed at United Kingdom ports for selected reasons for refusal
Main reason for refusal (as recorded in the statistics)	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	21993	21994	21995
Transit passenger—not satisfied able and intending to proceed at once to another country, and assured of entry there	679	698	528	884	1,474	1,293	962	941
Lack of returnability or inadequate entry facilities for country of ultimate destination—not allowed to proceed in transit	29	24	41	31	42	74	24	22

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of grant aid to Sri Lanka. [4303]

We expect to spend nearly £8 million this financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prohibited from entering the United Kingdom under paragraph 320 of the immigration rules in each year since 1979; and on what grounds. [3684]

The statistics available on reasons for refusal relate only to passengers refused and removed at ports in the United Kingdom since 1988. Those reasons for refusal which are wholly or partly linked to paragraph 320 of the rules are given in the table. Corresponding information for earlier years and for entry clearance refusals is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will accept the decision of the London fire and civil defence authority not to retain a second fire appliance at Battersea fire station. [3976]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Lady 0. Maitland) on 16 October 1996, Official Report, column 1008. 1 understand from the authority that no such decision has been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies have been (i) carried out and (ii) commissioned by his Department into the effectiveness of the enforcement of the current law on the availability of violent videos to children. [4464]

We are aware of no studies directed specifically at the effectiveness of the enforcement of the current law on the availability of violent videos to children. However, last year my right hon. and learned Friend commissioned research by the university of Birmingham into the effects of videos on the behaviour of young offenders. The results of the research are expected to be published in October 1997.Earlier this month, in view of the considerable public concern about the level of violence portrayed in videos, my right hon. and learned Friend asked the British Board of Film Classification for a report on the action the board is taking now to reduce the level of violence in videos; the steps it is taking to assess the level of public concern over the issue of violence in videos; and how, for the future, the board plans to adapt its processes and approach to continue properly to discharge its duties under the Video Recordings Act 1984. The report is expected next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the land area of each fire authority in England is designated as C and D risk. [4398]

Information on fire risk category areas is published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The latest available figures can be found on page 8 of "Fire Service Statistics 1996", a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firefighters have lost their lives since 1990 when attending building fires in designated C and D risk areas. [4397]

From 1 January 1990 to 13 November 1996, eight firefighters have died in fires that started in buildings in designated C or D risk areas in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which fire authorities in England currently provide a level of service in excess of the Home Office's recommended minimum standards of fire cover. [4399]

This information is not collected centrally in the form requested. Statutory responsibility for the provision of an efficient fire service rests with individual fire authorities. It is for the authority to decide whether it wishes to provide fire cover at a level above the national recommended standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total expenditure for the last financial year by his Department on defending cases of habeas corpus for asylum seekers held in custody. [4671]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about future arrangements for (a) section 11 funding in Birmingham, (b) pupil support projects in Birmingham and (c) its Home Office grant. [5004]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 13 November 1996, Official Report, column 242.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the European Court of Justice in future third pillar conventions; and what conclusions the Government have reached regarding the role of the court in relation to the conventions on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests and on the use of information technology for customs purposes. [5171]

The Government's policy on the role of the European Court of Justice in respect of conventions negotiated under the third pillar of the treaty on European Union is to consider each case on its merits. But we and our European Union partners recognised in agreeing to the protocol to the Europol convention that the best way forward in that case lay in a flexible formula under which member states could choose whether to make a declaration that they were prepared to accept the jurisdiction of the court to give preliminary rulings as to the interpretation of the convention on the basis of references by their national courts. As regards the role of the ECJ in the conventions on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests and on the use of information technology for customs purposes, the Government have concluded that they can agree to a flexible solution on similar lines to that in the Europol convention protocol.Accordingly, we shall signal our agreement to the draft protocols for this purpose prepared by the Irish presidency, which would enable member states to make a declaration accepting ECJ jurisdiction to give preliminary rulings as to the interpretation of these conventions on the basis of references by national courts. We shall make it clear that it would not be the United Kingdom's intention to make such a declaration in respect of our own courts.

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, pursuant to his answer of 31 October, Official Report, column 220, if he will (a) set out the objectives and (b) estimate the total individual costs of (i) the second phase of the overhaul of carriage gates, (ii) the external painting and roof repairs at Norman Shaw North, (iii) the repairs carried out to the supporting structure of the Prince's Chamber ceiling, (iv) provision of improved storage in the Library cellars, (v) an improved sales counter at the Speaker's bookstall, (vi) the new pulpit on the main committee corridor and (vii) other projects. [4704]

The policy objectives and forecast in-year costs relating to work in the House of Commons are as follows:

Project	Objective	In-year cost to the House £	In-Year cost total £
(i) Second phase of overhaul of carriage gates	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 7 November 1996,Official Report,column607
(ii) External painting and roof repairs at Norman Shaw North	To maintain the roof and exterior paintwork	175,000	175,000
(iii) The Prince's Chamber is administered by the House of Lords, for which I have no responsibility.
(iv) Provision of improved storage in the Library	To provide improved storage and meet health and safety requirements	40,000	40,000
(v) Improved sales counter at Speaker's bookstall	To improve facilities for Members and their visitors	16,000	16,000
(vi) New pulpit on main Committee Corridor	To provide a more effective working area for staff and include access for IT facilities	16,200	27,000
(vii) Other projects	MY committee's policy objective is to achieve exemplary standards of maintenance by carrying out appropriate conservation, maintenance and improvements haveing regard to health, safety energy conservation environmental issues and the historic fabric

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, pursuant to his answer of 31 October, Official Report, column 221, if he will list the 35 oil paintings that have been restored since July in the House, indicating the restoration cost of each painting. [4706]

The paintings are those situated in the Strangers and Members Dining Rooms, the Pugin Room, the Smoking Room and the Tea Room. It is not possible to give the cost of restoring each painting separately since the work was done under a single sum contract.

To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to the Government's response to recommendations 11 and 30 of the second report of the Public Service Committee, on ministerial accountability and responsibility, HC 67 Session 1996–97, if he will introduce proposals to remove the rules relating to the form and content of parliamentary questions. [3885]

The recommendations in the Public Service Committee's report, and the Government's response, relate to the answering of parliamentary questions. The recommendations and the responses do not bear on the rules of the House on whether questions are admissible or are in order. If the hon. Member has proposals for change in these rules, he may wish to draw them to the attention of the Procedure Committee.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many homes in Northern Ireland have been repossessed in each of the last 10 years. [3853]

The number of writs and originating summonses issued in respect of mortgages by the Chancery Division of the Northern Ireland High Court for each of the last 10 years as follows:

• 1985: 1,170
• 1986: 1,545
• 1987: 2,047
• 1988: 2,201
• 1989: 2,459
• 1990: 2,599
• 1991: 3.061
• 1992: 1,646
• 1993: 1,728
• 1994: 1,372
• 1995: 1,220

There are no reliable figures available on the number of decrees for possession granted on foot of these.The enforcement of judgments office, which is responsible for delivering vacant possession in Northern Ireland, has received the following number of applications to enforce an order for repossession of land for each year over the period:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) for what reasons the Legal Aid Board has refused to disclose to the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (a) the total amount Mr. X, whose name has been sent to him, has received in legal aid during the past five years and (b) the amount he is due to pay back for such aid which was wrongfully assigned; [4206]

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

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the highest amount of legal aid granted to a litigant in the last five years. [4120]

The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, in 1995–96 the largest total payment in a criminal case amounted to £2,946,000, which was paid to lawyers representing a defendant involved in a serious fraud trial. The largest payment in a civil case in the same year was £531,246 in a personal injury case, although the net cost of this case to the fund was nil.

To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received in the past 12 months from survivors of the sinking of the Marchioness, their relatives, friends and legal advisers; and if he will make a statement. [4305]

Representations have mainly taken the form of questions by hon. Members in this House and in another place about the progress of the review undertaken by the Crown Prosecution Service, which earlier this year re-examined the evidence given to the inquest jury in combination with the pre-inquest evidence. The Director of Public prosecutions announced on 26 July 1996 that the evidence was insufficient to justify any further criminal proceedings.I have received no subsequent representations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the result of the consultation on a proposal to establish a Potato Industry Development Council for Great Britain. [5464]

Our industry-wide consultation revealed overwhelming support for such a body. Therefore, with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales, I have decided to set up a Potato Industry Development Council for Great Britain.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for a surplus food scheme in 1997. [5465]

Yes. We intend to implement a surplus food scheme in 1997. The scheme will involve UK intervention beef only. It will be supplied in the form of canned stew steak, as was the case in 1995, and will be distributed to those on income support, family credit, jobseeker's allowance, the homeless and destitute and those living in welfare hostels.The scheme will involve up to 8,000 tonnes of beef containing no offal which will come from animals of less than 30 months of age. All this beef will have been purchased into intervention since April 1996.I hope that charitable organisations will find the surplus beef to be a help in their efforts.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research his Department has (a) planned, (b) commissioned and (c) evaluated with regard to integrating proposals to increase deciduous woodland with the creation of woodland-based manufacturing economies; what financial commitments his Department has made in this area; and if he will make a statement; [3229](2) what further support his Department proposes to promote existing projects currently experimenting with the integration of woodland-based manufacturing economies with an increase in the planting of deciduous woodland; and what assessment he has made of the advantages of supporting existing projects. [3225]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 18 November, Official Report, columns 399–400, by the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland., my hon. Friend the Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many contracts his Department, agencies and associated bodies have had with EDS for each year since 1985; what was the value of each contract; if he will indicate for each contract (a) if it was completed, (b) what modifications were made at the request of (i) the company and (ii) his Department and (c) if work under contract is being undertaken in-house; and if he will make a statement on the number of job reductions in his Department arising from the contracting out of work by EDS. [3802]

Records held centrally show that neither the core Department nor any of its agencies or associated bodies have held contracts with EDS since 1985. Consequently, there are no values, completion and modification details or in-house working to be reported. No job reductions in the Department fall to be reported, therefore.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to continue with initiatives encouraging tree planting in England. [3120]

We shall continue to encourage tree planting in England. As stated in our recent White paper "Rural England—A Nation Committed to a Living Countryside", we would like to see the area of woodland doubled over the next 50 years, subject to the necessary changes in the common agricultural policy.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 6 November, Official Report, column 583, on the use of beef in processed food, if he will set out the arrangement for the removal authorised by the regulation, and the basis of the legal requirement to destroy beef held in intervention prior to 29 March. [4495]

Beef held in intervention store on 27 March 1996 has been identified and, in accordance with regulation (EC) 1757/96, is being held separately from beef purchased after 27 March. Incineration will take place as soon as sufficient capacity can be identified. In any event, destruction must be completed by 31 March 1997. Article 23 of Council regulation (EEC) 805/68 provides the legal base for this destruction. None of the beef purchased before 27 March will be released for human consumption.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 6 November, Official Report, column 581, for what reasons 24.9 per cent. of the BSE cases reported between January and March were not subsequently confirmed; what changes in the procedure used have been introduced since then; and what percentage of reported cases were subsequently conformed. [4494]

The hon. Member for Wakefield who is familiar with the way BSE statistics are compiled will of course be aware that the figure given for BSE reported cases necessarily includes cases which recover are alternatively diagnosed and which are still under restriction.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield of 6 November, Official Report, columns 581–82, on experiments on BSE infectivity, what assessment he has made of the susceptibility of the mice challenged with BSE, relative to the susceptibility of other animals to comparable diseases. [4496]

It is accepted among specialists in this field that there is a likely 3 log difference in sensitivity between the mouse model used for bioassay and assay directly in calves. A specific experiment intended to quantify that difference is still in progress, and while final interpretation is therefore not possible the evidence so far does appear to support the assumption of a 3 log difference.The same experiment also highlights the compromises that have to be made by using laboratory models in that mouse assays provide results sooner than cattle assays when testing tissues which contain low levels of infectivity, if any at all. Cattle inoculated intracerebrally with pooled lymph nodes or spleen are still clinically healthy 45 months later, but a negative end point will take a further 39 months to achieve. Mouse models currently in use are capable of detecting scrapie in sheep tissues outside the central nervous system. Furthermore, BSE transmits more effectively from central nervous tissue to mice than do known strains of scrapie. It therefore seems logical that the failure to produce a spongiform encephalopathy in mice by the inoculation of bovine tissue indicates at the very least that the level of infectivity in the source tissue is extremely low, and lower than seen with scrapie. It is not simply a reflection of an inefficient model.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the current level of support for the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research and that for each of the last 10 years, at current prices. [4730]

The Institute of Grassland and Environment Research was not established until 1989. Using the gross domestic product deflator—1995–96 = 100—as provided by the Treasury, payments made to the institute by the Ministry, at constant prices, in respect of research and development projects are as follows:

	£000
1990–91	10.8
1991–92	8.1
1992–93	7.7
1993–94	7.8
1994–95	7.6
1995–96	7.4
1996–971	6.7
1Estimate only.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to alter the current level of support for the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research; and if he will make a statement; [4732](2) if he will list the projected level of support for the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in current prices for the next three financial years. [4731]

The Ministry funds research to support its policies, and regularly appraises its research programme and the funding arrangements it has with contractors to ensure policy needs are met.Final figures on Ministry funding at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research for 1997–98 and beyond are not yet available, but it is apparent that the level is likely to be reduced. IGER has been made aware that certain projects coming to the end of their contracts in March 1997 will not be renewed. These decisions follow full and detailed review and represent re-prioritisation of the programme. Some of the funding released will be redirected to other priorities but some will go to open competition in the same area, thereby providing opportunities for IGER to submit new research proposals and bid for further funding.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that easy-spread butter is available to British consumers at the same price as ordinary butter. [4369]

The European Commission has concluded that spreadable butter is ineligible for the preferential rate of duty which applies to imports of butter from New Zealand under the general agreement on tariffs and trade current access quota. This is a commercial matter which the New Zealand authorities are pursuing bilaterally with the Commission. Meantime, HM Customs and Excise has been notified of the Commission's conclusion and is acting upon it.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what time his Department's inspectors at Dover boarded the MV Cap Afrique to speak to the captain of the ship about the prevailing weather conditions on 6 November. [4247]

[holding answer 15 November 1996]: Between 1430 and 1500 hours.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep were exported from the United Kingdom between July and October, inclusive, with the place of loading stated as (a) Abbotsland farm, Capel Le Ferne, Kent, (b) Lydden Court farm, Lydden, Kent, (c) Homestead farm, Petham, Kent, (d) Uffington Court farm, Adisham, Kent and (e) Coxhill farm, Shepherdswell, Kent on the export health certificate. [4249]

[holding answer 15 November 1996]: The total number of sheep exported between July and October, inclusive, from these premises is:

	Number
Abbotsland	129,304
Lydden Court	77,687
Homestead	90,717
Uffington	24,121
Coxhill	47,462
Total	369,291

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which bodies his Department's inspectors at Dover consulted as to whether animals boarding the MV Cap Afrique for sailing on 6 November would be likely to be caused unnecessary suffering or injury while at sea under the terms of the Welfare of Animals During Transport Order 1996; and what decision they reached; [4246](2) what steps his Department's inspectors took to ensure that the master of the Cap Afrique exercised his judgment in accordance with article 11 of the Welfare of Animals During Transport Order 1996 on 6 November; and what factors led them to agree that it was acceptable for the MV Cap Afrique to sail at the time it sailed. [4248]

[holding answer 15 November 1996]: Information was sought from the Meteorological Office, HM Coastguard at Dover, the Dover harbour board port control office and the animal health and welfare veterinary section at the Ministry's headquarters. The master of the vessel was also consulted. The vessel sailed at approximately 1700 hours with 27 livestock vehicles.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons he has instructed (a) that live animals exported for fattening may be sent to the staging post Ryckewaert-Arnout, Loker in Belgium and (b) animals for slaughter are prohibited from being sent. [4252]

[holding answer 15 November 1996]: At the request of the Belgian authorities, animals for immediate slaughter are not consigned to these premises.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many audits of the work of local veterinary inspectors have been undertaken by his officials during (a) July, (b) August and (c) September for consignments of live sheep for export certified in the area of Dover. [1979]

[holding answer 4 November 1996]: During the month of July, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials undertook audits of the work of local veterinary inspectors concerning the certification of live sheep for export on three days. The audits took place on two days during August and on two days during September.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many supervised loadings were undertaken by his officials in the area of Dover; and on what dates during (a) July,(b) August and (c)September, [1980]

[holding answer 4 November 1996]: During the months of July, August and September, no supervised loadings at lairages were undertaken by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials in the area of Dover. During those months, officials inspected consignments of sheep at the point of loading on to the ship on the following dates:

• July 5
• July 8 (two sailings)
• July 10
• July 11
• July 12 (two sailings)
• July 15
• July 16
• July 17 (two sailings)
• July 18
• July 19 (two sailings)
• July 20
• July 22 (two sailings)
• July 23
• July 24
• July 25
• July 26 (two sailings)
• July 27
• July 29
• July 30 (two sailings)
• July 31 (two sailings)
• August 2
• August 3 (two sailings)
• August 5
• August 6
• August 7 (two sailings)
• August 8
• August 9 (three sailings)
• August 10
• August 12 (two sailings)
• August 14 (two sailings)
• August 16 (two sailings)
• August 18 (two sailings)
• August 20 (two sailings)
• August 21
• August 22
• August 23
• August 24
• August 27
• August 28
• August 30
• September 3
• September 5 (two sailings)
• September 10
• September 11

• September 13 (two sailings)
• September 17
• September 19
• September 21
• September 24
• September 25
• September 27

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when an inspector from the European Commission last visited Britain in respect of animal welfare matters; which areas and which types of premises the inspector visited; in respect of which EC directives; and if he will make a statement. [4164]

[holding answer 15 November 1996]: From 4 to 7 November an inspector visited a range of premises and facilities in Britain in respect of directive 91/628/EEC.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bovines animals were identified by his Department as having false or concealed identities on the first day of the special operation in the ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan; and if he will make a statement. [2692]

[holding answer 7 November 1996]: During a portal check at Stranraer and Cairnryan on Monday 28 October 1996, a consignment of 34 bovine animals was returned to Northern Ireland due to inadequate certification. The matter is under investigation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advice his Department is circulating to Government Departments about the implementation of the working time directive. [4921]

Officials have circulated advice to Departments and agencies. I have arranged for a copy of this advice to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the recommendations of the Donaldson report which were referred to in his answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 721, as under consideration (a) are to be included in the proposed Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Bill and (b) have been implemented to date; and if he will make a statement. [3507]

The Government have accepted 91 of the Donaldson report's 103 recommendations and rejected only four. Eight remain under consideration. Of these, the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Bill includes enabling powers to take forward recommendations 95 and 96, proposing charges for port state control inspections and emergency response. There is no intention of charging for marine search and rescue.A progress report giving details of the action taken as at 31 October on all the recommendations in the Donaldson report has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the responses made to date to his Department's merchant shipping notice M1659 on the provision of waste reception facilities. [4127]

Merchant shipping notice M1659 gave guidance to ports on the development of waste management plans; to date, 55 plans covering 67 ports have been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aeroplanes have landed at Heathrow airport in 1996 before (a) 5 am, (b) 5.30 am, (c) 6 am, (d) 6.30 am and (e) 7 am. [3913]

Records are not kept in the format requested, but I am able to provide the number of arrivals between 1 January and 31 October prior to 5 am, between 5.01 and 6 am, and between 6.01 am and 7 am. These figures have been taken from the London (Heathrow) airport runway utilisation logs produced by National Air Traffic Services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed legal challenge by the International Air Transport Association on the implementation date for the new aircraft noise limits at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. [4363]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the proposals put before the European Commission on 6 November to amend the environmental and safety requirements for vessels carrying irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level radioactive waste. [3917]

An explanatory memorandum has been placed in the Library of the House on the Commission's proposal for a Council directive amending directive 93/75/EEC concerning minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous or polluting goods. The Government are not aware of any other current proposals to or by the Commission relating to the carriage by sea of irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium or high-level radioactive wastes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contractors were invited to tender for the phase 2 survey of the MV Derbyshire; how many contractors submitted tenders; what were the names of the contractors; what criteria were used to evaluate the tenders; and on what basis the contract was awarded to the Woods Hole institute. [4257]

The project managers and the technical assessors to the Department and the European Commission advised that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the organisation best qualified, in terms of photographic and sonar technology and experience, to meet the objectives of phase 2. In light of this advice the Department and the European Commission agreed that the work should be carried out by Woods Hole.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the specifications drafted for phases 1 and 2 of the survey of the MV Derbyshire. [4258]

I have placed in the Library copies of the specification for phase 1 and of the latest specification for phase 2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of the phase 1 survey of the MV Derbyshire; and what is the estimated cost of the phase 2 survey. [4261]

The cost of the at sea element of the phase 1 survey was approximately £0.175 million. The at sea and post-return data processing elements of the phase 2 survey are expected to cost £1.75 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the assessors' report of the phase 1 survey of the MV Derbyshire. [4260]

I have placed in the Library the brief produced by the assessors on their return on the conduct and results of the phase 1 survey. Nothing further is being published but interested parties have had access to all the video material recorded during phase 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the gross costs and charges of parking meter enforcement ceased to be part of the public accounts. [4357]

Drivers who exceed the permitted time at a parking meter may incur an initial excess charge, subsequently followed by a penalty charge. Excess charges have always accrued to the local authority, which must maintain a separate account of income and expenditure arising from on-street parking places. Penalty charges are generally enforced by the serving by traffic wardens of a fixed penalty notice imposing a fine payable into court.Where local authorities have assumed responsibility for on-street parking enforcement under the Road Traffic Act 1991, penalty charge notices are, however, issued by local authority-employed parking attendants and the income is retained by the authority. All London boroughs had taken on this responsibility by July 1994, but outside London only Hampshire county council, in respect of the city of Winchester, has yet done so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation arrangements have been offered to the owners of property alongside the railway as a result of the railway accident at Stafford; and in what ways these arrangements differ from those which British Rail used to make in similar circumstances. [4503]

Compensation for property owners suffering loss as a result of any railway accident is a matter between them and whoever may be found liable for the accident. Claims will continue to be dealt with on the basis of liability.There will be no disadvantage to those suffering injury or loss simply because there is no longer one railway operator. Arrangements have been in place from 1 April 1994 for third parties suffering injury and loss on the railways to claim against a single, industry-controlled, agency, Railway Claims Ltd., created for the purpose, rather than to identify and claim against one or more operators. These arrangements are supervised by the Rail Regulator, who requires all licensed rail operators, which include Railtrack, to join these claims handling and allocation arrangements, and to maintain adequate insurance.In the case of the Stafford accident, however, a privately owned freight wagon was involved. Private wagon owners are not licensed operators of trains and therefore cannot be obliged by the Rail Regulator to be part of the claims allocation and handling arrangements. However, that is no different from the situation before restructuring, when such owners, which have never been part of British Rail, were accountable for their own actions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorate has to publish the report into the incident which occurred at Stevenage railway station on 10 and 11 August 1996. [4502]

The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate is currently investigating these two incidents. At present, the HSE has no plans to publish a report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the visit of the Minister for Railways and Roads to the Barking to Gospel Oak line on 28 October, what conclusions he has reached in respect of the ability of the line to produce an improved passenger service; and if he will make a statement. [4666]

My visit confirmed my view that the franchising of North London Railways, the operator of the Barking-Gospel Oak branch, will not only safeguard the current level of service on the line, but will bring about major improvements in its performance. My hon. Friend the Minister for Transport in London gave details of the franchising director's plans for the franchising of NLR in his oral answer to the hon. Member on 28 October, Official Report, columns 324–25.Not least among the benefits of franchising will be the replacement of all the rolling stock currently operating on the branch by the year 2000. I understand that Railtrack is to embark on a strategic study of the Barking to Gospel Oak route, to assess the scope for further developing its use by passenger and freight traffic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the (a) traffic volumes, (b) traffic speeds and (c) bus speeds on the A 1 (Archway road) to Upper street, Angel, N1, (i) before it attained red route status and (ii) at present. [4667]

Comprehensive surveys carried out for the Department of Transport on the section of the Al from Archway road to the Angel showed the following:

All day average
	Volume pcu1/hr/ direction	Traffic speed km/hr	Bus speed km/hr
Before red route surveys October 1990	1,160	16.7	12.9
After red route surveys October 1991	1,250	20.1	14.7
1pcu = passenger car unit.

No further surveys of an equivalent nature have been carried out.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances he would be prepared to ring-fence the slots for flights between Plymouth airport and Heathrow. [3947]

[holding answer 14 November 1996]: The Government do not consider it appropriate to ring-fence airport slots for domestic routes, as this would distort the aviation market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the value of the public sector cost comparator for the Dartford river crossing (a) before and (b) after adjustment for risk transfer considerations; and on what dates these figures were first calculated. [4547]

[holding answer 18 November 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints have been received about the routing guide recently published by the franchising director and the Rail Regulator. [4548]

[holding answer 18 November 1996]: Since the routing guide became operational on 29 September, 36 complaints have been received by my Department, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and the Office of the Rail Regulator. The guide has been improved experimentally for a period of eight months, and may be amended in the light of experience.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 November. [3520]

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 November. [3519]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his assessment of the desirability of issuing planning policy guidance on the subject of sustainable development based on the recommendations made in agenda 21. [3131]

Planning policy guidance has been progressively updated to take account of sustainable development. My Department is also preparing a better practice guide on how to implement sustainable development more effectively through the planning system to be published next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the measures the Government have taken to implement the Rio treaty of June 1992. [3134]

The UK has met its commitments in full under the action plan initiated by the Prime Minister following Rio and agreed by European and G7 colleagues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policies exist for maximising investment in local authority housing. [3135]

In 1996–97 under the housing investment programme £1.2 billion was allocated to local authorities in a competitive process which directed resources to those authorities best able to make use of them. This competitive system encourages local authorities to consider all available mechanisms for the provision of social housing in their area and increase the contribution made by private finance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities transferred (a) all and (b) part of their housing stock to new landlords in the last year. [3144]

The 1995 large-scale voluntary transfer programme included 11 local authorities which transferred all or part of their housing stock to 12 registered housing associations. Of these, four were partial transfers. In the current—1996—programme two local authorities have transferred their housing stock to two registered housing associations. One of these was a partial stock transfer and the other a whole stock transfer. A further three authorities propose to transfer all their stock by the end of this financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to further extend the rough sleepers initiative. [3136]

In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham (Mr. Merchant) on 31 October, Official Report, column 187, I described the Government's plans to expand the rough sleepers initiative in London, extend it to Brighton and establish a new rough sleepers revenue fund. Together with the extension of the rough sleepers initiative to Bristol earlier this year, these measures demonstrate the Government's commitment to ensuring that there is no necessity for people to sleep rough.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met local authority leaders to discuss the Government's contribution to local authority spending. [3137]

My hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the leaders of the local authority associations at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 16 October to discuss the prospects for the 1997–98 settlement. He is also due to meet the chairman of the local authority associations this afternoon, 19 November, and the 1997–98 local government finance settlement will be one of the items on the agenda.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage local authorities to bring forward projects under the private finance initiative.[3138]

On 31 October we relaxed the capital finance rules to promote the private finance initiative in local government. We also issued guidance on those relaxations and associated arrangements for revenue support for PFI projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce rate relief for village shops and post offices. [3139]

The Local Government and Rating Bill, which was introduced on 24 October, will give 50 per cent. mandatory rate relief to certain general stores and post offices in villages of 3,000 people or less. This will halve their bills. Local authorities will be able to top the relief up to 100 per cent., if they choose.The Bill will also give local authorities significant new discretionary powers which will enable them to reduce or waive the rates bills of any other business in the village which is important to the local community.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the construction industry concerning local authority capital investment. [3140]

Some construction industry organisations have proposed in their budget submission the further release of local authority capital receipts to encourage capital investment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress with the Thames gateway initiative. [3141]

Achieving the vision for Thames gateway is a long-term, 20 to 30–year project. Nevertheless, I am greatly encouraged by progress since publication of the Thames gateway planning framework in June 1995, both in general awareness of the area and its opportunities arid in the investment which is already being made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning regional government in Greater London. [3142]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on the setting of environmental targets. [3143]

The Government consider that sustainable development targets can be important and are ready to set quantified targets where this would be sensible. Such targets must be underpinned by scientific analysis and an assessment of the likely costs and benefits—including those to the environment. The Government list the quantified targets that they have agreed or are considering in their "The Common Inheritance" annual reports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much new development currently takes place on derelict or underused urban land; and what was the situation three years ago. [3145]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon Friend the member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will compensate Gosport borough council for the loss of standard spending assessments in 1997–98 and 1996–97 resulting from errors in the population date relating to service personnel in Gosport. [3930]

The population data used in standard spending assessments are those estimated by the Registrar General, using the best information available to him at the time. Information on service personnel is provided to the Registrar General by the Defence Analytical Services Agency. I understand that, following consultations with DASA, the Registrar General's estimates took account of concerns expressed by Gosport borough council relating to service personnel, to the extent that they appeared to him to be valid. I am aware that the methods of deriving the components of the population estimates are continually being refined; consequently, it is sometimes possible to produce updated estimates which differ from those provided previously for the calculation of SSAs. In the interests of certainty in financial allocations to local authorities, it is our general policy not to take account of any such subsequent refinements to any indicators, once the data have been used in the calculation of SSAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the report by Brunel university on the levels of female hormones found in sewage effluent discharged into watercourses and the sea around the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to ensure that water companies extract these hormones from discharges. [4482]

The Environment Agency commissioned this report. Further work is needed to establish whether these hormones need to be removed from sewage effluent. The water industry is investigating further how they are affected by the sewage treatment process. The Environment Agency plans further work to establish how the hormones are broken down naturally after discharge. With the Natural Environment Research Council, it is also examining whether the presence of these substances has any implications for fish populations and their fertility. Most of the rivers adjacent to the seven treatment works tested in this study support thriving fish populations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when water payments ceased to be treated as part of Government accounts in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland. [4356]

The information is as follows:In England and Wales, the 10 water and sewerage companies ceased to be within the public sector and their external finance requirement ceased to be counted against public expenditure for Government accounting purposes from the date of their privatisation on 12 December 1989;In Scotland, the external finance requirements of water authorities and domestic sewerage relief grants have counted against public expenditure since 1 April 1996; prior to April 1996 the capital expenditure financed by borrowing by the predecessor local authorities scored against public expenditure totals, as did central Government assistance through the revenue support grant and grants such as the rural water grant.In Northern Ireland, the Water Service, an executive agency of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, is the provider of public water and sewerage services and its finances are included in Government accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the legislation will be implemented in respect of disabled facility grants for local authorities. [4748]

Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, which includes the provisions on disabled facilities grants, will come into force on 17 December 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many individuals have bought their council houses under the right to buy; and if he will make a statement.[3521]

Local authorities and new towns in England reported have that between the introduction of right-to-buy legislation in October 1980 and the end of June 1996—the latest date for which information is available—the total RTB sale is 1.270 million homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received in respect of the London borough of Havering and other outer-London boroughs and the standard spending assessment and area cost adjustment. [3637]

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration received a delegation led by the London borough of Havering which included representatives from the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Kingston and Sutton about the area cost adjustment on 11 November. Other written representations have recently been received on standard spending assessments, including from outer-London boroughs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Sheffield city council regarding the area cost adjustment and its effect on Sheffield's standard spending assessment. [3826]

I have received a number of representations on the area cost adjustment from Sheffield city council, both individually and as part of larger groups of local authorities. The city council has drawn attention to the reduction in its standard spending assessment which would follow from the recommendations of the review of the area cost adjustment. It has urged us not to implement those recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what decision he has made on the proposed abolition of the regime of special advertisement control; and if he will make a statement. [4798]

After consideration of the extensive public consultation exercise over the future of special controls, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided that they will remain for the time being.The regime of special advertisement control was originally introduced in 1948 to remove the proliferation of poster panels along main roads in the countryside and to ensure continued protection against further unsuitable displays.My Department has commissioned research into areas of special control of advertisements because little appeared to be known or properly understood about the practical consequences of ASCA designation. Contrary to the belief of many, the removal of the ASCA regime would not have created an "open season" on advertising in the countryside, because these special controls largely duplicate advertisement controls already available to local planning authorities. In particular, all new poster hoardings, except certain temporary displays screening building sites, would still have required consent from local planning authorities to be lawfully displayed. Consultation revealed that local authority associations, planning practitioners and amenity societies were not in favour of complete abolition of the regime as proposed, but wished to retain the level of protection it afforded. Having carefully considered these representations, my right hon. Friend believed it was right to continue with the ASCA regime for the time being. As for the future, we shall be looking to see if there are sensible modifications that can be made to existing systems to provide the same protection of amenity with less bureaucracy.Copies of all the representations made in response to the Department's consultation paper have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 November, Official Report, column 323, on local authorities' receipts from business rates on sporting rights, on what he based his estimate of the total business rates paid on sporting rights. [4974]