To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many organisations have been awarded funds from the national lottery five good causes; what is the total amount in pounds; and how much of the money in percentage terms from each of the five good causes has not yet been paid out to these organisations. [3278]

The rate at which funds flow to successful schemes is determined by the time it takes to conclude award negotiations and the requirements to make staged payments. It is less than 18 months since the awards process began.When a lottery award announcement is made, it is not necessarily to a project which is ready to begin immediately. This is likely to be true of only a few well planned and/or relatively straightforward projects. In most cases, further negotiation will be necessary. An award announcement should, therefore, be looked at more as an award in principle—as is the case with private finance initiative schemes—where it is accepted that some work still needs to be done before the project can get off the ground. Based on advice, the typical time gaps between award and spending on a project can be between nine and 15 months for major construction schemes and three and six months for smaller schemes.The lottery distributors have identified the main reasons for such time lags. These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list all payments from the national lottery awarded in Derbyshire. [2841]

[pursuant to his answer 18 November 1996, Official Report, column 686]: The list of awards is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has so far been made by the interdepartmental committee on compensation for property affected by rail and road schemes. [2000]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many submissions he has received on the consultation paper on blight arising from major infrastructure projects; [5238](2) when he expects the interdepartmental working group on blight to report; and what plans he has to bring forward proposals to implement its recommendations. [5239]

I have today placed in the Library a copy of the progress report of the interdepartmental working group on blight.This group, which was set up in March, published a discussion paper in June. Sixty-one responses were received. A sub-group held discussions with officials in France, Germany and the Netherlands, and further briefing was received in respect of Belgium, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, the USA and Japan.The Halifax building society has been invited to undertake a study into trends in property prices in areas which have experienced major infrastructure developments. Work on this study is in hand. A further study, commissioned in October 1995, into the operation of compulsory purchase procedures concludes this month. The group will be considering the final report of this study to see how its findings might inform the group's own work.The group is now considering a range of options for changes to law and practice. Their consideration will include an assessment both of direct costs of implementing change, and of the wider implications for compulsory acquisition and compensation. I have asked that the final report should be submitted as early as possible in the new year. Any changes which we might propose to existing law and practice would be subject to consultation in the usual way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. [4492]

My Department is the lead Department for ensuring that Government policies and programmes, including its own, take proper account of environmental concerns, in accordance with the 1990 environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", and "Sustainable Development: the UK Strategy", published in 1994.To this end, the Government have made a repeated commitment in successive White Paper annual reports to subject their policies to environmental appraisal. In 1991, the Department published "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", which gives extensive guidance on how to integrate environmental considerations into Government policy assessments. Green Ministers recently reaffirmed the need for all Departments to have adequate systems to ensure that the environmental implications of their policies were properly considered. Consultants are evaluating Government Departments' experiences with the guide and will report early next year. Green Ministers intend to publish a booklet of case studies in the new year, showing good examples of environmental appraisal in Departments.My Department aims continually to reduce the impact of its own activities on the environment and to improve the management of its own resources. Its management audit services division has been trained to undertake environmental audits and has, for example, recently examined management and waste issues as part of the Department's strategy to reduce waste by 15 per cent. over two years.Another of the Department's published objectives is to reduce the environmental impact of its buildings, where practicable, by undertaking objective assessments using BREEAM—the Building Research Establishment's environmental assessment method. Preliminary assessments of the Department's two new headquarters buildings—Eland house and Ashdown house in central London—have been carried out. As a result, the designs incorporate features such as the use of energy-efficient double-glazed panels, specially treated to reflect heat back into the building; displacement ventilation with static cooling and heating; combined heat and power systems, which use less gas and use waste heat to supply hot water, space heating and power for the cooling system; efficient boilers, with low nitrogen dioxide burners for supplementary heating; heat exchangers and heat exhaust recovery to avoid the loss of energy to the atmosphere in cooling towers.My Department supports the use of BREEAM across the wider Government estate and green Ministers agreed recently that all Departments should use the BREEAM system when commissioning new or substantial refurbishment of existing ones. My Department has also commissioned the Environment Agency to produce do it yourself environmental performance checklist for premises managers on the Government estate, which will help to promote further improvement in the use of energy, water and other resources, in reducing waste and saving money.My Department has been active in promoting environmental management and auditing more widely. As the United Kingdom competent body for administering the EC eco-management and audit scheme—EMAS—the Department has for the last two years promoted the scheme widely to industry—through national advertising campaigns and regional events; by publishing guides about the scheme and how it operates; by producing information videos and regular newsletters; through direct mailing to business; and by the introduction of a grant—Small company environmental energy management scheme—to help smaller businesses participate in the scheme. The UK has also led the way in promoting EMAS by introducing the first national extension of the scheme, now a fully operational version in the local government sector. My Department is conducting an exercise to test the feasibility of applying EMAS in a pilot area of housing policy and programme expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the report on the proposal in the European Parliament for a council directive amending directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, A4–0343/96. [4723]

The common position adopted by the European Council of Ministers on a directive amending directive 85/337/EEC will greatly improve the consistency and quality of decision making within the European Community. It is now for the European Commission to consider the report and put forward an opinion to the Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what caused the release into the atmosphere of material being processed at Solrec at Heysham; and what action he has taken to prevent a recurrence. [4714]

On 19 August 1996 there was an unauthorised release from the process for the application of steam distillation to produce solid residues at Solrec in Heysham. This process is used for solvent recovery. The unauthorised release was caused by a runaway exothermic reaction in a vessel, which caused pressure to build up in the vessel, resulting in a controlled release via a safety device.As a result of the incident, the Environment Agency served a prohibition notice on Solrec Ltd. under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This prohibits the company from operating the process until it has produced a procedure to demonstrate that the process can be performed without producing exothermic decomposition of the residues.I further understand from the Environment Agency that Solrec intends to abandon the particular process which gave rise to the unauthorised release.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the report by the European Parliament on the review of the European Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, A4-0300/96 with reference to his Department's policy on sustainable development. [4724]

My Department will be assessing in due course the first reading opinion of the European Parliament on the report, given on 13 November 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on the outcome of the meeting of the conference of the parties to the convention on biological diversity, with particular reference to progress made to the conservation of tropical rainforests. [4507]

This meeting, held in Buenos Aires from 4 to 15 November, successfully reached agreement on continued progress under the convention on a number of fronts. These included commitment to priority work on the assessment and monitoring of biodiversity, including the endorsement of a worldwide initiative for taxonomy developed by the subsidiary body to the convention earlier this year. Work programmes were agreed on agricultural and forest biodiversity. The latter will complement and not duplicate the work of the intergovernmental panel on forests and any successor process.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended the ministerial segment on 13 and 14 November and called for greater focus in priority setting under this convention. He also stressed the importance of national target setting and reporting, along the lines already under way in the UK, to enable global assessment of progress and efforts to implement the convention.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the permissible limits set for the annual discharge of nitrous oxide from Sellafield; and what quantities of nitrous oxide were emitted by British Nuclear Fuels from Sellafield in each of the past 10 years. [4721]

The Environment Agency monitors releases of, and set limits for, oxides of nitrogen NO_x under the integrated pollution control regime. The description, oxides of nitrogen, includes nitrous oxide N₂O as well as nitric oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO₂.Oxides of nitrogen were released by the large boilers, which were regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. These have now closed and data are available only for the years 1993 and 1994, as follows:

Year	Annual release limit tonnes per year	Actual release tonnes per year
1993	1,550	177·3
1994	2,132	200

Integrated pollution control authorisations have been issued this year for the Magnox and Thorp processes with the following limits for NO

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that planning constraints on agricultural buildings are applied equally to small and large farm holdings; and if he will make a statement. [4923]

We have no plans to amend the thresholds for agricultural permitted development rights in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, under which holdings of less than 5 hectares enjoy more limited rights than larger holdings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5085]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitment arising from contracts under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the basis for the proposed population threshold to be used as the main criterion in defining a rural area for the purposes of the rural exemption for housing association tenants from the purchase grant scheme; and if he will make a statement. [5010]

The new purchase grant scheme will allow more housing association tenants the choice of buying their own home at a discount funded by a Government grant. Landlords will receive the full market value of any property sold under the scheme, and will have to set aside sale proceeds to provide replacement properties to help other families in need.We announced in last year's rural White Paper our proposal to exclude small rural villages from the scheme. The aim of the rural exemption is to protect the supply of social housing in small rural villages where there would be a particular difficulty in securing replacement homes. In larger towns there is greater scope for a replacement home to be provided either through development or the purchase of existing properties.We have consulted on the detailed proposed designations for every county and area of England using a population guideline of 3,000 people. We believe that this identifies those small settlements that need to be protected, and it is consistent with the approach of our rural housing programmes. We indicated that we would consider cases referred to us where a settlement's population exceeded 3,000, but we would want to establish that there was a special reason why the settlement concerned faced similar problems to smaller settlements in replacing homes sold.We expect to announce the outcome of the consultation exercise shortly.Mr right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has also consulted on a different approach to be used in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the basis for the decision to remove the requirement for local authority licences for pleasure boats on waters owned or managed by British Waterways and the Environment Agency; and what is the expected saving to (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector from the proposed deregulation order. [4978]

Powers available to local authorities under the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907 to license pleasure boats duplicate those available to British Waterways on navigations that it manages. The Government have therefore decided to disapply the local authority powers in those circumstances. Powers available to the Environment Agency are less comprehensive than those of British Waterways. In the light of the recent consultation exercise, the Government are therefore reconsidering the inclusion of the Environment Agency in the proposed deregulation order. It is not possible to estimate the expected savings, but in future hire boat businesses which operate on deregulated waters and which have been subject to local authority licensing will benefit financially by having to pay licence fees to only one licensing authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of weeks' supply of bricks held in stock. [5364]

At the end of September, the latest date for which information is available, there were just over one billion bricks in stock, representing some 17½ weeks' deliveries at current rates of delivery.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the ways in which her Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if she will make a statement. [4542]

We are committed to carrying out the Department's work efficiently, with minimal negative environmental impact. We have undertaken energy audits, and included environmental objectives in the Department's business plan. Our energy consumption continues to fall in line with Government policy. For example, following the connection of the Department's Moorfoot building to the Sheffield combined heat and power station in 1995, 95 per cent. of Moorfoot's heat now comes from a green source.In October, I launched the schools environmental assessment method which encourages and enables schools to evaluate their environmental impact, and which also includes revised energy targets for new school buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the main conclusions of the Office for Standards in Education report following the inspection of schools in the Manningham area of Bradford; if she will list the schools included in that inspection; and if she will make a statement. [4387]

This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what information is collected centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies accountable to her Department. [5086]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the PFI. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregated projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. [4544]

My Department and its agencies play a full part in supporting the initiatives being carried forward in response to the 1990 White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", including membership of the green Ministers group. The Department implements an annual green housekeeping action plan, which is subject to regular audit.Examples of specific initiatives undertaken include:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 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. [4543]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General.

To ask the Prime Minister 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. [4538]

For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of his Department's provision for the Sudan; what plans there are to increase it; and if he will make a statement. [4783]

The UK has committed nearly £13 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and Sudanese refugees bilaterally and through the European Community since the start of 1995. Future assistance will depend on levels of humanitarian need.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5084]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 October, Official Report, column 167, how much of the total cost to his Department arising from visits abroad by members of the royal family in 1995–96 related to clothing. [3204]

[holding answer 11 November 1996]: In 1995–96 the total cost to this Department of clothing for official visits overseas by members of the royal family and those accompanying them was £47,452.As I advised in my answer to the hon. Member on 18 July

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5081]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under PFI. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under PFI would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Attorney-General what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5082]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information of future spending commitments arising from contracts under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projection of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost of staff, employed full-time or part-tune by his Department, to provide information and publicity in 1996–97. [3574]

For 1996–97, I estimate the cost of staff employed in my press office to be £335,000 and in my publicity branch to be £270,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) people and (b) children under the age of 18 years have been diagnosed as alcoholics in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [4411]

The information requested is not available centrally. However, the number of finished consultant episodes in NHS hospitals in Wales in each of the last five years where the primary diagnosis was alcohol dependency syndrome is given in the following table. The figures do not relate to the number of people treated as one person may have more than one finished consultant episode during the period. Only those admitted to NHS hospitals are included.

Finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of alcohol dependency syndrome
	People aged under 18	People aged 18 and over	Total
1991–92	10	1,261	1,271
1992–93	5	1,316	1,321
1993–94	3	1,191	1,194
1994–95	6	1,252	1,258
1995–961	4	746	750
1 Data for 1995–96 are not comparable to earlier years as records are not yet available for all hospitals and the diagnosis code used was different from earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding difficulties in appointing general practitioners in Blaenau Gwent. [4265]

Number of teachers retiring on infirmity grounds 1985–86 to 1994–951
Local education authority2	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95
Clwyd	7	17	14	18	28	33	23	38	66	72
Dyfed	20	32	26	33	48	46	45	65	61	67
Gwent	16	25	22	26	47	41	51	53	52	64
Gwynedd	20	14	15	26	38	35	34	46	53	67
Mid Glamorgan	33	48	48	64	71	86	77	118	117	96
Powys	11	5	2	14	14	10	14	21	21	27
South Glamorgan	29	25	19	27	47	38	50	37	52	60
West Glamorgan	14	25	20	33	35	61	66	59	62	61
Wales	150	191	166	241	328	350	350	437	484	514

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many licences he has issued during the last 12 months for the taking of piscivorous birds; how many birds of what species have been taken under each such licence; and on what evidence such licences have been issued. [4744]

During the 12-month period 1 October 1995 to 30 September 1996, 13 licences permitting the limited shooting of piscivorous birds were issued.Under these licences, a total of eight cormorants and 13 goosanders were taken. Licences for the shooting of piscivorous birds, as a means of reinforcing other scaring methods, are granted taking account of information supplied by the applicant and on advice provided by ADAS following site visits and consultations with other interested bodies.The number of birds shot against five of the licences is listed in the following table:

Birds	Number	Number	Number	Number	Number
Goosanders	1	6	3	0	3
Cormorants	0	3	1	1	3

No birds were shot under the remaining eight licences.

The Welsh Office has received two such representations during the last two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of schoolteachers in Wales (a) retiring and (b) obliged to take extended leave as a result of (i) sickness and (ii) nervous strain in Wales between 1985 and 1995. [3681]

Information on extended leave taken by teachers is not held centrally. Information on the number of teachers retiring on infirmity grounds is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress he has made to date on the implementation of the mitigation measures associated with the Cardiff bay barrage; and what recent relevant communications he has had with the European Commission. [4745]

The establishment of the bird reserve compensation measures in an operational matter for the corporation, assisted by the Land Authority for Wales.My officials have recently reported the following progress to the European Commission:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5073]

The Department maintains a full record of information about private finance initiative projects it has approved. Information about long-term revenue commitments resulting from PFI projects will be published in the Welsh Office's departmental report and in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", published by HM Treasury.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 18 and 19 November; and if he will make a statement. [5466]

I represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 18 November, accompanied by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office. The Council formally adopted the legislative text giving effect to changes in the EU beef regime agreed in principle at the Council in October. Germany maintained its negative vote.The Council had a first discussion of proposals for a system identification and registration of bovine animals, together with a linked proposal on the labelling of beef and beef products. I urged the Council to proceed quickly with a technical examination of the proposal on identification and registration so as to reach early conclusions and so facilitate the work on a computerised cattle traceability system already begun in the United Kingdom. I welcomed efforts to improve information about beef and beef products for consumers, but cautioned against placing heavy bureaucratic burdens on small operators. I also took the opportunity of this Council meeting to report on the progress made in the United Kingdom on BSE eradication and in particular in meeting the pre-conditions laid down in the June Florence agreement.The Council had general debates on proposals for amendments to EU support arrangements for durum wheat, and for a common organisation of the market in potatoes. On the latter, I indicated the UK Government's readiness to support a genuinely lightweight EU regime. The Council also drew up a declaration urging progress on establishing a European agency for veterinary and phytosanitary inspection.On animal welfare issues, I joined my German and Swedish colleagues in pressing the Commission to bring forward its review and proposals on battery cages for laying hens, and proposals on staging posts and vehicle standards for the protection of animals during transport. I also urged the Commission to ensure the proper implementation of Commission decision 96/239 regarding consignments of beef and beef products made from material not originating in the United Kingdom.The presidency and the Agriculture Commissioner reported to the Council on the conference on rural development which the presidency had hosted in Cork on 7 to 9 November. I welcomed the impetus which the Cork conference conclusions would give to further thinking on rural development policy and the evolution of the common agricultural policy, especially in view of the need to adjust that policy to take account of international trade pressures and the prospect of EU enlargement.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money his Department spent in each region of England in 1995–96 on (a) set-aside payments under the arable area scheme and (b) arable area payments. [4220]

[holding answer 18 November 1996]: The table gives figures for each MAFF region for claims in respect of (a) set-aside and (b) total payments under 1995 arable area payments scheme. The amounts paid will have been slightly lower because of the reductions made for various reasons. As such reductions normally have to be calculated on the basis of the total claim, which may include land in more than one region, it is not possible to give figures for the total amounts paid on a regional basis.

Payments claimed under arable area payments scheme in 1995
	Set-aside payments £	All arable area payments £
Anglia	46,798,016	289,913,141
East Midlands	33,075,309	219,326,503
North East	25,841,703	167,203,491
Northern	6,084,999	42,205,946
North Mercia	7,747,702	51,869,608
South Mercia	13,348,438	83,637,294
South East	30,979,065	177,429,223
South West	4,115,287	30,112,184
Wessex	11,717,915	73,109,534

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what area of land was set aside in 1995–96 under the arable area scheme for each region of England. [4221]

[holding answer 18 November 1996]: The areas of land set aside on which payments were made in each MAFF region under the 1995 arable area payments scheme were as follows:

	Hectare
Anglia	137,258
East Midlands	97,010
North East	75,794
Northern	17,847
North Mercia	22,724
South Mercia	39,151
South East	90,861
South West	12,070
Wessex	34,369

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many payments were made in England in 1995–96 for set-aside under the arable area scheme (a) between £0 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £10,000, (c) £10,001 and £15,000, (d) £15,001 and £20,000, (e) £20,001 and £25,000, (f) £25,001 and £50,000, (g) £50,001 and £75,000, (h) £75,001 and £100,000, (i) £100,001 and £150,000, (j) £150,001 and £200,000, (k) £200,001 and £250,000, (l) £250,001 and £300,000, (m) £300,001 and £350,000, (n) £350,001 to £400,000, (o) £400,001 and £450,000, (p) £450,001 and £500,000 and (q) over £500,000. [4223]

[holding answer 18 November 1996]: The table sets out the number of set-aside payments made under the 1995 arable area payments scheme in the bands requested. Some claimants will have received more than one payment.

Set-aside payments in England banded by size of payment
Size band	Number of payments
£0 and £5,000	22,143
£5,001 and £10,000	6,934
£10,001 and £15,000	2,204
£15,001 and £20,000	977
£20,001 and £25,000	413
£25,001 and £50,000	37
£50,001 and £75,000	87
£75,001 and £100,000	23
£100,001 and £150,000	7
£150,001 and £200,000	2
£200,001 and £250,000	1
£250,001 and over	0

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5088]

The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the PFI. This is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure expected to arise from signed contracts under PFI would be published in the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions his Department has had with Hillsdown Ambient Foods Group Ltd. relating to problems for the meat processing industry arising from the BSE crisis. [5048]

My Department holds regular meetings with various trade organisations representing the meat processing industry, including the British Meat Manufacturers Association and the UK Association of Frozen Food Producers. Representatives from the Hillsdown Ambient Foods Group Ltd. have attended these meetings, which regularly discuss problems facing the meat processing industry arising from the market disruption caused by consumer concern about BSE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to the Palestinian state since the devolution of power from Israel. [4916]

The Palestinian Authority assumed responsibility for Gaza and Jericho in May 1994. Bilateral development assistance given to the west bank and Gaza for 1994–95 and 1995–96 was £8.9 million. Additionally, we provide approximately one sixth of the EC's 500 mecu—£417 million-aid to the Palestinians, pledged for 1994 to 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what are the time scale and objectives of the Commonwealth ministerial action group mission to Nigeria; [5039](2) what plans the Commonwealth ministerial action group mission has to meet

The Commonwealth ministerial action group will visit Nigeria on 19 and 20 November. The group has been tasked to assess Nigeria's adherence to the Harare principles of good governance and make recommendations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government on its suspension from the association.The group has been working to encourage the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to improve human rights, including the release of political prisoners, and to restore accountable civilian government. It has also requested meetings with a wide range of people, including Chief Moshood Abiola.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to (a) Israel, (b) Egypt, (c) Jordan, (d) Lebanon and (e) Syria in each of the last five years. [4915]

UK aid to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the Lebanon and Syria has been provided on both a bilateral and a multilateral basis.

Bilateral expenditure
£ thousands
	Total ODA programme	Total gross public expenditure
Israel
1991–92	13	13
1992–93	8	8
1993–94	8	8
1994–95	7	7
1995–96	10	13
Egypt
1991–92	12,385	13,409
1992–93	7,606	8,833
1993–94	5,901	7,128
1994–95	4,884	6,123
1995–96	5,019	6,245
Jordan
1991–92	3,122	3,122
1992–93	4,251	7,307
1993–94	4,209	4,209
1994–95	5,231	8,902
1995–96	5,902	10,877
Lebanon
1991–92	182	182
1992–93	245	247
1993–94	264	316
1994–95	162	211
1995–96	219	219
Syria
1991–92	3	3
1992–93	16	16
1993–94	30	30
1994–95	0	49
1995–96	16	36

ODA Programme contains Financial Aid, Technical Cooperation, Aid and Trade Provision, Programme Aid, Emergency Aid, Non Project Technical Cooperation and ODA Debt Relief.GPEX consists ODA Programme plus CDC Investments and Other Debt relief and Drugs.

Multilateral expenditure
£ millions
	UK share of net oda disbursements
Israel
1990	0.1
1991	3.2
1992	0.7
1993	0
1994	2.1
Egypt
1990	5.1
1991	27.9
1992	7.8
1993	7.4
1994	17.5

Multilateral expenditure
£ millions
	UK share of net oda disbursements
Jordan
1990	0.9
1991	18.9
1992	4
1993	4.7
1994	5.8
Lebanon
1990	3
1991	0.8
1992	1.1
1993	1.9
1994	2.1
Syria
1990	1.1
1991	0.2
1992	1
1993	0.5
1994	1.6

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 10 countries receiving the largest amounts of United Kingdom aid in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [4831]

The 10 countries receiving the largest amounts of development assistance in each of the last three years are as follows:

	£ million
1993–94
India	102
Bangladesh	55
Former Yugoslavia	152
Zambia	48
Pakistan	44
Zimbabwe	41
Uganda	40
Indonesia	35
Mozambique	35
China	34
1994–95
India	100
Pakistan	80
Bangladesh	56
Zambia	56
Indonesia	51
Uganda	47
Former Yugoslavia	146
Rwanda	45
Malawi	41
Zimbabwe	35
1995–96
India	99
Bangladesh	48
Former Yugoslavia	138
Indonesia	38

	£million
Malawi	33
China	33
Uganda	32
Pakistan	32
Russia	31
Zambia	29
1Excluding technical co-operation to Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

At £2,154 million in 1996–97, British development assistance makes a substantial contribution to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development. An increasing proportion of ODA's bilateral budget is concentrated on the poorest countries in Africa and south Asia who need assistance the most and can make the best use of it.

Budget line	Title	1993	1994	1995	1996
B7-6000 (was B7-5010)	Community contributions towards schemes concerning developing countries carried out by NGOs	135,000,000 ecu (£105,592,491)	145,000,000 ecu (£113,414,157)	162,500,000 ecu (£127,102,072)	174,000,000 ecu (£136,096,989)
B7-610 (was B7-5031)	Separate Budget Line for training and promotion of awareness on developing issues	2,000,000 ecu (£1,564,333)	2,000,000 ecu (£1,564,333)	3,000,000 ecu (£2,346,500)	4,000,000 ecu (£3,128,666)
B7-631 (was B7-5050)	Aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries	4,000,000 ecu (£3,128,666)	5,000,000 ecu (£3,910,833)	6,000,000 ecu (£4,692,999)	7,000,000 ecu (£5,475,166)
B7-6211 (was B7-5046)	Health programme and the fight against HIV/AIDS in developing countries	10,000,000 ecu (£7,821,666)	12,500,000 ecu (£9,777,082)	12,500,000 ecu (£9,777,082)	15,000,000 ecu (£11,732,499)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding was allocated for how many and for which projects for (a) B7-5010, co-financing of development projects carried out by non-governmental organisations and public awareness campaigns, (b) B7-5050, aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries and (c) B7-5046, the fight against AIDS in developing countries European Union budget lines in each year since 1993; and which NGOs and agencies are responsible for implementing these projects. [4897]

I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of his Department's time and resources are spent dealing with administrative and policy matters connected with British membership of the European Union. [4961]

The Department has a European unit, devoted very largely to work connected to the European Union, which has a budget of just over £500,000. Beyond that, European Union matters are fully integrated into other policy and administration matters, and the sums of time and money spent in dealing with them cannot be disaggregated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the European Union budget commitment appropriation for (a) B7-5010, co-financing of development projects carried out by non-governmental organisations and public awarenesss campaigns, (b) B7-5050, aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries and (c) B7-5046, the fight against AIDS in developing countries in each year since 1993. [4896]

The European Union budget commitment appropriations for each of the years 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 respectively were as follows (sterling equivalents, at today's exchange rate of £1 = 1.2785 ecu, shown in brackets):