To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actions he is taking to ensure that genetically modified maize is not marketed in the United Kingdom without the express authority of the Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. [8879]

Decisions on marketing of genetically modified organisms are taken on an EU-wide basis. The advice of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes was taken into account in formulating the United Kingdom position on genetically modified maize and has been passed on to the EU Scientific Committee for Food which is currently advising the Commission on this matter.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures the Government are taking to ensure that genetically modified maize is not mixed with normal maize gluten feed; and if he will make a statement. [8880]

Importers and distributors of maize and maize products have been informed that it is currently illegal to market unprocessed genetically modified maize in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people after leaving (1) national training awards, (2) new workers scheme, (3) North Norfolk Action, (4) other education initiative, (5) old job training scheme, (6) open learning credit, (7) other occupational training, (8) open tech learning, (9) one-to-one, (10) placing, assessment and counselling teams, (11) placing and advisory service, (12) Professional and Executive Recruitment, (13) promotion of tourism scheme, (14) Prince's Youth Business trust, (15) Remploy, (16) Skill Choice, (17) sheltered-supported employment, (18) Small Firms Advisory Service, (19) small firms employment subsidy, (20) small firms information service, (21) small firms loan guarantee scheme, (22) small firms service, (23) single regeneration budget, (24) special schemes for disabled, (25) Skills Training agency, (26) special temporary employment programme, (27) short-time working compensation scheme and (28) training access points, (a) went into employment and (b) went on to further schemes, including those who left before completion of the scheme, in each year of each scheme's operation; and what type and level of qualification each leaver obtained for each year of the scheme's operation up to the latest available year for which data are available. [8741]

The information requested can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she will announce allocations of credit approvals to local education authorities and capital grant to the governors of voluntary-aided schools. [9401]

Details will be placed in the Library on Monday 16 December.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many official functions were held in Westminster Hall during the past year; at what cost; and if he will make a statement on their purpose. [8845]

Two official events have been held in Westminster Hall this year. The President of the Republic of South Africa addressed Members of both Houses of Parliament on Thursday 11 July and the Lord Chancellor's annual breakfast, following the judges' service in Westminster Abbey, was held on Tuesday 1 October. The cost to the House of Commons works services vote of the event on 11 July was £48,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to commence the upgrading of the primary route road signs within the M25; and what projections he has made as to the cost of the programme. [8419]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the condition of road signs in the United Kingdom for which his Department has responsibility; [8417](2) what representations he has received in the last year on poor and inadequate road signing in the United Kingdom for which his Department has responsibility. [8421]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what notification he receives on the progress of co-ordination provided for in section 88 of the Transport Act 1985. [8803]

None. The exercise by local authorities of their duties under section 88 of the Transport Act 1985 is not subject to a requirement to report to my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the allocation of capital resources for expenditure on local roads and transport in England for 1997–98. [9469]

A total of £746 million will be allocated to local highway authorities and passenger transport authorities for capital expenditure on their transport infrastructure in 1997–98. This is in addition to the sums provided for transport schemes that are successful in the capital challenge competition.Full details of the allocations will be placed in the Library of the House on Monday 16 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the report produced as part of the prior options review of the Vehicle Inspectorate, evaluating its performance since its establishment as an executive agency, and copies of the revised framework document. [9431]

I have arranged for copies of these documents to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the documents submitted to, and discussed by, the Paris Commission on oil pollution discharges from drilling production and storage offshore oil platforms since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on United Kingdom compliance with its agreements on oil pollution. [8355]

The Paris Commission has been in existence for 18 years and in that period has considered a very large volume of papers on the subject of the offshore oil and gas industry. It would cost an unreasonable amount to identify and copy them all. I am placing in the Library a copy of the section on "Oil" of the "Paris Commission Procedures and Decisions Handbook," as amended up to 1994, together with copies of subsequent relevant decisions: this describes the work of the commission in this area.As far as I am aware, the United Kingdom is in compliance with its international obligations on oil pollution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received a copy of the 1994 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory from Nirex; and what assessment his Department has made of the environmental matters contained in the inventory. [8687]

The Department of the Environment commissions the United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory, jointly with Nirex, to support the development of radioactive waste management policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has received from Hillingdon borough council to his objections to the council's proposed changes to the Hillingdon borough draft unitary development plan. [8898]

I understand from Hillingdon council that it will not pursue its proposals for the Sidmouth drive recreation ground, Ruislip, but that it is still considering the other representations that it has received. Hillingdon is arranging a local inquiry to hear objections to the new issues raised by the proposed modifications, including objections to the housing proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the model registration scheme referred to in section 65 of the Housing Act 1996. [9194]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the member for Scarborough (Mr. Sykes) on 26 November, Official Report, column 147.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the winners of the pilot scheme for challenge funding of local authority capital expenditure. [9585]

Of 326 bids submitted earlier this year, 189 bids involving 217 authorities have been selected for support. The challenge fund of £600 million will bring in £1,200 million from other sources, including almost £700 million from the private sector, to spend on local authorities' highest priority capital projects.Details of individual successful bids will be placed in the Library of the House on Monday 16 December and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration will also be writing to all hon. Members in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the single regeneration budget challenge fund; when the outcome of round 3 will be announced; and if he will make a statement. [9586]

The single regeneration budget challenge fund has been a great success and is a tribute to the enthusiasm and commitment of the local partnerships which have put forward bids and are running schemes. For the third round, there has been an even higher standard of bids than previously in both the quality of the proposals submitted and how they are presented. This is reflected in a success rate of nearly 60 per cent. for those submitting final bids. In particular, about a quarter of recommended bids have come from previously unsuccessful partnerships.Taken together, schemes supported by the three rounds of the challenge fund will transform hundreds of localities for the better, and substantially improve the quality of life for local communities. Projected results for the lifetime of the 550 schemes supported by rounds 1 to 3 include more than 650,000 jobs created or safeguarded, more than 500,000 people trained and obtaining qualifications, more than 90,000 business starts, more than 250,000 dwellings built or improved and more than 40,000 voluntary groups supported.The challenge fund has continued to encourage local partnerships. I am particularly pleased that the voluntary sector and local communities are increasingly involved in challenge fund schemes. This is partly a result of efforts by Government offices for the regions, strengthening the national bidding guidance and the dissemination of information through organisations such as the Community Development Foundation, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Commission for Racial Equality.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to measure and evaluate the effects of his Department's policies on women. [5476]

In July of this year, the model guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment was revised and circulated at Cabinet level for Departments to adapt to their own circumstances. The guidance has been circulated to all senior officials in my Department with a view to incorporating it in the policy development process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for Royal Air Force deployments to Yuma Marine Corps air station, Arizona. [8596]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 12 March 1996, Official Report, column 509.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria in respect of (i) numbers of actively attending (ii) personnel and (iii) other factors must be met by (a) the Air Training Corps and (b) the Army Cadet Force in order to qualify for capital grants to maintain and improve facilities. [8086]

In order to qualify for capital grants to maintain and improve facilities, cadet force units must be viable, or in the case of new detachments or in certain other cases, be expected to become viable. A viable unit would normally have between 25 and 30 cadets attending, but in rural communities where no other youth activity exists a figure of approximately 12 is acceptable. Each unit must have at least one qualified adult instructor, and must have an adult female on the staff if female cadets are enrolled. The expenditure would be approved only if it would result in the accommodation occupied being suitable for training—with all the necessary facilities, such as classrooms, toilets and secure storage—accessible to cadets, and complaint with the requirements of both health and safety and fire prevention regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what compensation has been paid by Her Majesty's Government to the family of the murdered Danish tour guide in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [8716]

Issues of individual privacy arise in this tragic case, but people have the same compensation rights against the Ministry of Defence as they have against any other employer or organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of (a) officer ranked personnel and (b) other ranked personnel currently serving in Her Majesty's armed forces whose children benefit from the service children's boarding school allowance. [8946]

The total average number of officers whose children benefited from boarding school allowance in the academic year 1995–96 was 4,340; the number of other ranks for the same period was 2,525. Detailed statistics for the current term can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional administrative cost if all retirement pensioners eligible for income support in 1995–96 had successfully claimed it. [8249]

The information requested is not available. The additional administrative cost of processing and maintaining income support claims, had all pensioners chosen to take up their entitlement in 1994–95, is estimated to lie between £29 million and £39 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the respects in which the new medical information advanced as the basis for the change in the rules governing war disablement pension in respect of deafness differs from that set out in the sensorineural hearing loss medical appendix, paragraph 12.2, issued by the Department of Social Security; and when that appendix was first issued. [8948]

Medical appendices summarise the consensus of current medical opinion on the particular topic. They emphasise the aetiology of the condition. That on sensorineural hearing loss, issued in 1993, to which the question refers, describes the various causes of that condition, including noise. Paragraph 12.2 refers to the process by which noise damages hearing. It states that once exposure to excessive loss has ceased, the hearing loss resulting from that noise exposure does not of itself worsen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many war disablement pensioners have had their entitlement in respect of deafness (i) reduced and (ii) ended to date; and what estimate he has made of the number whose entitlement will be (a) reduced and (b) ended in (1) 1996–97 and (2) 1997–98 in consequence of the rate changes announced on 5 December. [9032]

No war pensioner has had, or will have, his pension reduced or ended as a result of the change in medical opinion announced on 5 December 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on arrangements which have been made to allow the consideration of financial redress where maladministration has occurred. [9584]

The Department of Social Security is committed to making its services more responsive to the needs of its customers, operating to set standards and offering redress where appropriate. Since 1977 the Department has operated arrangements whereby financial redress can be made to a customer who has experienced a pecuniary loss through maladministration. 'These arrangements have been periodically updated to reflect the changes to both the structure of the benefit administration and the expectations of the public. A major revision of the arrangements has recently been completed which has embraced the principles contained in Office of Public Service guidance to Departments and agencies and which responds to concerns raised by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.The revised arrangements provide the basis for a consistent approach to complaints across agencies. The guidance adopts a more sympathetic attitude to cases where official error has occurred but no financial loss has been experienced and ensures more equitable treatment in the consideration of compensation payments when moneys properly due have been delayed. The arrangements continue to strive to make allowances for the differing circumstances of each case.The arrangements will take effect from 1 January 1997. A copy of "Financial Redress for Maladministration," which provides detailed guidance, has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current level of arrears in maintenance payments remaining to be collected by the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement. [7909]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the accuracy rate of the assessments made by the Child Support Agency in 1994; and what is the latest available figure. [7908]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average time currently taken by courts to collect and pay compensation awards to those victims who have been awarded them; and what proposals he has to review current procedures. [8881]

Information concerning compensation awards is not collected separately. The average time taken by magistrates courts to collect all money due to the court, including fines, fees, costs, compensation awards and contributions to legal aid, at the end of 1995 was 236 days.My Department chairs an inter-agency working group which was set up May 1995 to identify urgently ways of improving the enforcement of financial penalties including fines, compensation orders and confiscation orders. The group issued good practice guidance on enforcement procedures to the courts in July this year. The group is continuing its work and further guidance will be issued where appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are currently the average hours of opening of embassies and consulates in (a) Europe and (b) other countries. [9034]

The opening hours for British embassies and consulates in Europe and in other countries are based on local practice.Normally this would mean at least seven hours on a full working day. Consular offices are normally open to the public for at least five hours on full working days but shorter hours may be implemented where the overall consular workload makes this appropriate.Consular staff are on call world wide 24 hours a day to help British nationals in distress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what hours the British consulate in Berlin is (a) open and (b) open to receive calls from British businesses. [9035]

The opening hours of the British embassy office in Berlin are 8.30 to 17.00 local with a lunch break between 12.30 and 13.30. The embassy office switchboard is manned continually during open hours.The consular section of the British embassy office in Berlin is open to the public from 9.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 16.00. Consular staff are on call 24 hours a day to help British nationals in distress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs during which hours of the day United Kingdom overseas embassies and consulates are open for telephone inquiries from United Kingdom businesses. [8950]

British embassies and consulates are usually open for telephone inquiries seven hours a day. Details for individual posts can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 0171 270 1500.Consular staff are on call world wide 24 hours a day to help British nationals in distress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the annual cost of his Department's presence in Germany in each of the last three years. [9033]

The annual cash operating cost of the missions in Germany was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost to his Department of the running of the consulate in Berlin. [8951]

The cash operating cost of the British embassy office in Berlin for 1995–96 was £3,780,937.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present staff establishment of the British consulate in Berlin. [8952]

UK-based staff figures are staff numbers from the authorised establishment but locally engaged staff are calculated in man years.There are currently 21 UK-based staff working at the British embassy office in Berlin. These are supported by 41.20 man years of locally engaged staff—this figure includes locally engaged staff at the ambassador's residence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost to his Department of all United Kingdom consulates in Germany. [8953]

The cash operating cost of our missions in Germany for 1995–96 was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps are being taken to check the stock in the collections held by (a) the British museum, (b) the Victoria and Albert museum and (c) the national museums in Scotland and Wales against their inventories; and when these checks were last made.[8200]

The national museums and galleries are accountable for the security of their collections. Under the financial memoranda, the British museum has to keep detailed inventory and stock records. It carries out regular stock-takes of the items in its collections and, as part of this, it is common practice for museum staff to make daily checks of exhibits. Similar arrangements apply to the national museums and galleries of Scotland and the national museums and galleries of Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the future of Crystal Palace national sports centre. [8332]

The future of the facilities at Crystal Palace national sports centre are, in the first instance, a matter for Bromley borough council and the Sports Council. In taking forward the initiatives in "Sport: Raising the Game", it will be necessary, however, to consider the future of the national sports centres currently operated by the Sports Council to see how the objectives of the sports policy statement can best be achieved within the resources and opportunities available.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much her Department plans to spend on celebrating Christmas and the new year. [7573]

[holding answer 6 December 1996]: My Department estimates that it will spend approximately £1,850 on celebrating Christmas and the new year. This includes the cost of Christmas cards, the provision of a Christmas tree and a contribution for official guests at the Department's party.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many of the individuals appointed by his Department to public positions in the last year were first identified by the public appointments unit. [8541]

[holding answer 10 December 1996]: Guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments requires that candidates for public appointment are selected from a wide field identified through advertising, executive search, consultation with interested bodies and through the public appointments unit as appropriate.Over the past year the Department of National Heritage has used all these methods and in addition has set up a central appointments unit to maintain a departmental register of those interested in public office.The Department of National Heritage does not retain records to enable us to identify which of the appointments made over the past year were candidates first identified by the PAU. However, of the 144 people appointed to this Department's sponsored bodies over the past year, 22 were registered with the PAU.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the safeguards that will be put in place to ensure that local association football clubs will continue to receive grants from the Football Trust; and what alternative funds will be provided from the national lottery. [8312]

[holding answer 11 December 1996]: The Football trust receives revenue from the spot the ball competition, the home nation football associations and the FA Premier league to help football clubs at all levels. The distribution of grants from these sources is a matter for the Football trust. This money is entirely separate from the pool betting duty concession afforded to the trust to find safety-related works in line with Lord Justice Taylor's report into the Hillsborough disaster for clubs in the FA Premier league, the Football league and the Scottish Football league.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to make an announcement regarding the increase in the BBC licence fee. [8318]

[holding answer 11 December 1996]: My right hon. Friend hopes to announce later this month what the television licence fees will be from 1 April next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 21 November, Official Report, column 647, what is the current total of future spending commitments arising under the private finance initiative as a percentage of the Department's discretionary expenditure. [8739]

[holding answer 12 December 1996]: The Department of National Heritage has no future spending commitments arising from the private finance initiative. Indeed, deals signed to date have generated an annual net positive revenue stream of £0.645 million. The Department's discretionary expenditure is £850 million, so this represents an annual income of 0.08 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in general taxation necessary to fund current levels of public spending, with current borrowing, if the United Kingdom economy had grown since 1979 at the rate established between the end of 1973 and the second quarter of 1979. [7388]

The United Kingdom's real gross domestic product grew at an average annual rate of 1.64 per cent. between the third quarter of 1973 and the second quarter of 1979. Since the third quarter of 1979 the annual rate of real GDP growth has averaged 1.9 per cent.If real GDP had grown since the third quarter of 1979 at an annual rate of 1.64 per cent., other things being equal, the combined impact on tax receipts and spending would raise borrowing by approximately 3½ per cent. of GDP. Therefore, to keep borrowing unchanged, taxation would have to rise by up to 3½ per cent. of GDP. However, there is great uncertainty over estimates of this kind.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those countries which do not have an income tax. [8027]

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown by civil Department of gross running costs, indicating (a) current expenditure on running costs and (b) running costs as a percentage of each Department's total expenditure. [8272]

[holding answer 9 December 1996]: Running costs provision by departmental grouping for 1990–91 to 1998–99 is shown in table 3.7 of "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1996–97, Cm 3201. Table 2.2 details all expenditure within the control total

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the costs for (a) employers and (b) employees in terms of (i) taxes and (ii) administrative and payroll costs, in the housebuilding sector of the ending of the self-employed status of construction operativesfor Inland Revenue purposes. [8321]

[holding answer 12 December 1996]: Self-employed status has not been ended for construction or building workers. As in all industries, whether someone is employed or self-employed depends on the terms and conditions of the engagement. Contractors will continue to be free to take on workers as self-employed where the terms and conditions of the engagement reflect genuine self-employment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many years construction operatives in the house building sector have been considered to be self-employed for taxation purposes; when, by whom and for what reasons the decision was taken to change that status; and if he will make a statement. [8322]

[holding answer 12 December 1996]: Whether someone is employed or self-employed depends on the terms and conditions of their engagement. This has always been a matter of general law and applies in the same way to the construction industry as it does to all other industries. The primary responsibility for deciding employment status rests with contractors who engage workers. Construction industry representatives expressed concern about the difficulties sometimes met in establishing the employment status of those working in that industry and the implications of this for tax and national insurance. They asked for help with employment status in the industry. In response, the Inland Revenue and Department of Social Security published leaflet IR48, 'Are Your Workers Employed or Self-employed?² This gives guidance to contractors to help them with the question of whether their workers are employed or self-employed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the figures upon which each line in chart 1 on page 100 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" is based. [7222]

[holding answer 2 December 1996]: The figures requested are as follows;

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letters dated 9 August, 12 September and 24 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Dr. S. Ala-ut Dun. [7287]

[holding answer 3 December 1996]: I sent a reply on 11 December 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the average annual cost of taking a child into local authority care. [8352]

The costs of taking a child into care will include a number of elements, not all of which are necessarily classified in the same way by different local authorities. The average costs for placements may be estimated by taking expenditure throughout the year reported by local authorities and dividing by the average number of children looked after in these placements at the start and end of the year. The latest available average costs calculated on this basis are £6,500 for foster placements and £19,800 for residential and other community placements.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were local authority capital receipts in each year from 1979–80 to 1995–96 in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland both in (i) nominal terms and (ii) 1996–97 prices. [7823]

[holding answer 6 December 1996]: The data requested are given in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to announce his decision on the arrangements for the transfer of funding for small rural schemes from the Welsh Development Agency to local authorities. [9464]

My right hon. Friend announced in March as part of the Rural White Paper, "A Working Countryside for Wales," the Government's intention to transfer funding for small rural schemes from the Welsh Development Agency to local authorities. In September we issued a consultation paper on the proposed arrangements; we received 17 responses, most of which welcomed the proposal.I have considered the various points made during consultation and decided that £5.4 million will be allocated to the eligible local authorities in 1997–98.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he plans to respond to the Trade and Industry Committee's seventh report, Session 1995–96, on former mineshafts, HC 495; and if he will make a statement. [8942]

The Committee published the Government's response as an appendix to its second special report on 30 October.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for East Antrim (Mr. Beggs) of 4 December, Official Report, column 1035, if he will list the 43 companies referred to and the projects in which they have taken part. [8530]

The following tables set out the 43 companies that have a significant involvement in the clean coal technology programme and the projects in which they have taken part.