To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many in-patient, day care episodes involved a wait of longer than one year in each NHS hospital trust and health board in 1996; and what proportion of the total number of discharges these episodes represent. [11951]

The information is set out in the table. From April this year, the Government guarantee that no patient will wait longer than 12 months for in-patient and day case treatment.

Discharges after admission from the waiting list and numbers and percentage who waited over one year in the year ending 31 December 1996
Health Board/NHS Trust	Discharges
	Total	Number Waiting>1 Year
		Total	Per cent.
Argyll and Bute NHS Trust	1,423	3	0.2
Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust	8,480	100	1.2
Lomond Healthcare NHS Trust	4,491	—	—
Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS Trust	267	—	—
Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust	15,077	133	0.9
Argyll and Clyde Health Board Total	29,738	236	0.8
Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS Trust	7	—	—
North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust	15,728	5	0.0
South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust	1,422	15	1.1
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board Total	17,157	20	0.1
Borders General Hospital NHS Trust	9,261	11	0.1
Borders Health Board Total	9,261	11	0.1
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust	8,721	50	0.6
Dumfries and Galloway Community Health NHS Trust	17	—	—
Dumfries and Galloway Health Board Total	8,738	50	0.6
Fife Healthcare NHS Trust	4,431	5	0.1
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	11,921	56	0.5
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust	7,117	42	0.6
Fife Health Board Total	23,469	103	0.4
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	8,052	104	1.3
Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust	11,093	46	0.4
Forth Valley Health Board Total	19,145	150	0.8
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust	33,366	378	1.1
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust	4,009	1	0.0
Moray Health Services NHS Trust	3,418	21	0.6
Grampian Health Board Total	40,793	400	1.0

Discharges after admission from the waiting list and numbers and percentage who waited over one year in the year ending 31 December 1996
Health Board/NHS Trust	Discharges
	Total	Number Waiting>1 Year
		Total	Per cent.
Glasgow Dental Hospital and School NHS Trust	661	1	0.2
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust	30,023	580	1.0
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust	15,042	173	1.2
Stobhill NHS Trust	14,551	193	1.3
The Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust	11,960	493	4.1
The Yorkhill NHS Trust	7,636	19	0.3
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust	27,662	217	0.8
Greater Glasgow Health Board Total	107,535	1,676	1.6
Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust	1,819	—	—
Highland Communities NHS Trust	1,342	1	0.1
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust	14,107	237	1.7
Highland Health Board Total	17,268	238	1.4
Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust	14,722	91	0.6
Lanarkshire Healthcare NHS Trust	101	—	—
Law Hospital NHS Trust	10,577	49	0.5
Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust	9,640	55	0.6
Lanarkshire Health Board Total	35,040	195	0.6
East and Midlothian NHS Trust	5,365	10	0.2
Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust	58	—	—
Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust	4,715	2	0.0
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust	32,569	120	0.4
West Lothian NHS Trust	13,741	40	0.3
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust	15,880	9	0.1
Lothian Health Board Total	72,328	181	0.3
Orkney Health Board Total	691	5	0.7
Shetland Health Board Total	1,037	2	0.2
Angus NHS Trust	4,306	5	0.1
Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust	242	—	—
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	26,123	331	1.3
Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust	8,483	33	0.4
Tayside Health Board Total	39,154	369	0.9
Western Isles Health Board Total	1,017	—	—
Scotland—Total	422,371	3,636	0.9

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the revenue raised from business rates in 1996–97 for (a) Scotland and (b) Scottish local authorities. [13667]

[holding answer 31 January 1997]: The most recently available estimates of the revenue to be raised from business rates in 1996–97 are the mid-year estimates that councils submitted in November 1996. The total estimated non-domestic rate income for Scotland in 1996–97 is £1.34 billion. The relevant figure for each local authority is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the proportion of business rates in Scotland raised from (a) local government, (b) central Government, (c) public corporations, (d) private sector and (e) other. [13668]

[holding answer 31 January 1997]: Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the latest available information on the rateable values of non-domestic subjects analysed by type of subject. This analysis does not separately identify central Government, local government, public corporations and private sector subjects. Shares of rateable value do not give precise estimate of shares paid, as reliefs and exemptions may differ from different categories of subject.

Table 1: Total rateable value by type of subject, Scotland, April 1996
Type of Subject	Rateable value £ million	Percentage of total rateable value
Commercial
Shops (including restaurants)	753.0	19.9
Offices	627.0	16.6
Hotels, boarding houses etc.	97.1	2.6
Other Commercial subjects	560.5	14.8
Industrial and freight transport
Mineral extraction	21.7	0.6
Oil and petrochemicals	80.6	2.1
Other industrial and freight transport	531.9	14.1

Table 1: Total rateable value by type of subject, Scotland, April 1996
Type of Subject	Rateable value £ million	Percentage of total rateable value
Formula valued subjects
Water	33.2	0.9
Gas	53.3	1.4
Electricity	167.7	4.4
Rail	15.6	0.4
Miscellaneous1	833.5	22.1
Total all subjects	3,775.3	100.0
Notes:
1 Includes public buildings such as schools, hospitals, libraries also docks and harbours and independent generators of electricity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the proportion of business rates raised by each industrial sector, broken down by the standard industrial classification 1992 categories. [13669]

[holding answer 31 January 1997]: Information on rates paid by the manufacturing sector is available from the Scottish production database, and is shown in table 1 for 1994, the latest year for which information is available. The best available information for other economic sectors comes from work carried out in the compilation of 1993 Scottish input-output tables. The calculations are based on the level of rates paid by industries across the UK as a whole. Table 2 provides a percentage split between seven broad economic sectors in 1993.

Table 1 - Rates paid by Scottish Manufacturing sector, 1994
Manufacturing Division (SIC92)	Rates (£ million)
15–161	26.7
17	5.0
18	3.0
19	0.7
20	2.8
21	9.1
22	5.3
23–261	11.7
24	10.0
25	5.4
27	4.2
28	6.6
29	8.0
30	4.4
31	2.6
32	4.0
33	2.7
34	1.0
35	7.6
36—71	3.6
Manufacturing Total	124.4
Note:
1 These SIC groups are aggregated to avoid company specific information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the criteria for calculating the United Kingdom's contribution to European Union finances; and if he will estimate the Scottish contribution to the European Union based on these criteria. [13798]

[holding answer 31 January 1997]: The arrangements for financing the EC budget are set out in the Community's "Own Resources Division" Council decision 94/729/EC, Euratom, adopted by the Community in 1994. A copy of the ORD is held by the Library. The most significant effect of the ORD is to increase the Community's own resources ceiling from 1.2 per cent of Community GNP in 1994 to 1.27 per cent. in 1999. Because the data used to determine own resources contributions are collated for the UK as a whole, it would only be possible to estimate a disaggregated contribution for Scotland at disproportionate cost.

Notifications of Lyme Disease by Health Board Area4 1994 to 19961
Year	Argyll and Clyde	Ayrshire and Arran	Fife	Grampian	Greater Glasgow	Highland	Lothian	Tayside
19942	2	—	1	—	1	2	2	1
19952	—	1	—	1	1	2	—	—
19963	—	—	—	—	2	1	—	—
Source:
1 NHS Information and Statistics Division.
2 Confirmed notifications
4 Provisional notifications subject to amendment where a revised diagnosis is subsequently received
4 There were no statutory notifications from 7 Health Boards.

Lyme disease is transmitted from animals to man by the bite of the adult female tick. It is not a common condition in Scotland, but the notification requirements introduced in 1990 enable monitoring of its incidence to be maintained.The Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage have issued guidance to their field staff on precautions that should be taken to avoid tick bites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to impose a ban on the import and use of asbestos products in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [13561]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the progress of the investigation by the Scottish charities office into allegations about the Algrade trust raised in an Adjournment debate by the hon. Member for East Lothian on 16 January 1996. [13705]

The investigation under the supervision of charities legislation uncovered evidence of maladministration, but not dishonesty, on the part of the former trustees. This took the form of inefficiencies in management brought about by their advancing years and a reluctance to adapt to changing ideas for and approaches to the care of those with learning difficulties. The former trustees resigned following the intervention of the charities office and were replaced by trustees experienced in management and in the care of those with learning difficulties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the incidence of Lyme disease in the highlands of Scotland and in each of the other health board areas in each of the last three years; and what steps are being taken to prevent its spread. [13911]

Lyme disease has been a notifiable disease in Scotland since January 1990. The number of statutory notifications, by health board area, for 1994, 1995 and 1996 is as follows:

The United Kingdom takes the view that prohibitions on the marketing and use of asbestos should be based on agreements within the European Union. The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 and the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 implement directive 91/659/EEC and prohibit the importation and use of many forms of asbestos. Efforts will continue within the United Kingdom to find suitable alternatives to the remaining uses of asbestos, and to encourage the use of substitute products, but a total ban will not be instituted without EU agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what current research his Department has commissioned on the safe removal of asbestos from buildings in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [13560]

None, but the Health and Safety Executive has commissioned such research in the past. HSE keeps under review the available techniques for asbestos removal and issues guidance as appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the most recent review was undertaken of the asbestos licensing scheme in the United Kingdom; how many companies have been grated such licences; what are the criteria for granting such a licence; and if he will make a statement. [13562]

The Health and Safety Commission last reviewed the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 in 1988.The Health and Safety Executive does not distinguish in its records between licences granted to companies and those granted to individuals or partnerships. On 28 January 1997, a total of 730 licences were in force.Applicants for licences are required to demonstrate during a formal interview a good theoretical and practical knowledge of the requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987, the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983, the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the approved code of practice for work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating and asbestos insulating board published by the Health and Safety Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of his Department on the labelling of asbestos installed in buildings; and if he will make a statement. [13559]

The Asbestos Products (Safety) Regulations 1985, as amended, require that any products containing asbestos are labelled in accordance with the schedule to the regulations. The label serves as a warning that asbestos is present and gives details of precautions to be taken in handling the product.The Department of the Environment's guidance on asbestos, "Asbestos Materials in Buildings", recommends that the presence of an asbestos material should be noted on plans or other records, and that building owners should make known the existence of asbestos to workers or others who may be affected.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the gross value of reserved capital receipts held by local authorities; how much of the total relates to housing benefit receipts; and to what extent receipts are supported by cash. [13397]

Figures for the value of reserved capital receipts held by local authorities, and the amount relating to housing receipts, are not available. These form part of the provision for credit liabilities, which is reported the Department, but which also includes amounts set aside from revenue.The provision for credit liabilities may be held as cash or investments, or may be used temporarily to finance expenditure as a substituted for new borrowing. Information on the extent to which the provision for credit liabilities is supported by cash is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide (a) his Department's budgeted expenditure on (i) advertising, (ii) publicity and (iii) public information campaigns for the period January to March 1997 and (b) the actual expenditure on (1) advertising, (2) publicity and (3) public information campaigns in the period January to March in each of the past five years. [13460]

Total expenditure by my Department on paid publicity initiatives in each of the periods requested is in the table. Paid publicity campaigns usually involve a variety of multimedia elements and disaggregating expenditure into the categories requested is not possible except at disproportionate cost. The figures exclude expenditure by Departmental agencies and on central recruitment advertising.

	£000
Budgeted expenditure for January to March 1997	4,400
Actual expenditure for January to March 1992	1,597
1993	9,999
1994	3,410
1995	4,107
1996	2,950

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department collates on the gross capital value of assets shown on the balance sheets of local authorities in England and Wales. [13396]

The total value of fixed assets, at 31 March 1996, for local authorities in England, was about £130 billion. A list of figures for each local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.Information relating to local authorities in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Hertfordshire and Rutland will be (a) counties for the purposes of the Local Government Act 1972 and (b) eligible for Lord Lieutenants under the terms of the Lieutenances Bill [Lords]. [14061]

Rutland and Hertfordshire will both be counties for the purposes of the Local Government Act 1972, following local government reorganisation in April 1997 and April 1998 respectively. They will have their own lieutenancies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reopen the inquiry into plans for an underground laboratory at Sellafield to examine the need for additional data in respect of the underground rock. [14139]

We are considering the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to publish the report by HM chief inspector of prisons into the female wing of HMP Risley. [13494]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for the publication of the report into the female wing at Her Majesty's prison, Risley lies with the chief inspector of prisons. I understand that the chief inspector plans to publish this report on 21 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the physical restraint of Geoffrey Thomas in a hospice in Cardiff will be completed. [13532]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he had read a transcript of the trial of the men accused of the 1994 escape from HMP Whitemoor before his announcement that he was considering legislation that would allow the prosecution to appeal against judges' rulings stopping trials. [13419]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: No transcript was available at the time of my announcement on Friday 24 January, but I had been fully briefed on the outcome of the proceedings and the reason given for his decision by the trial judge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will (a) alter the conditions under which those accused in connection with the Whitemoor prison escape are held and (b) hold an independent inquiry into how far the conditions under which the accused are held are responsible for the health of the accused. [13417]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will request a report from the Director General of the Prison Service on the evidence of (a) Mr. Brodie Clarke and (b) Mr. Richard Vart at the trial of the men accused of the 1994 escape from Whitemoor prison; and if he will make a statement; [13418](2) if he will order a fresh inquiry into the 9 September 1994 escape from HMP Whitemoor in the light of claims by senior counsel that prison officers assisted in organising the escape. [13412]

[holding answers 30 January 1997]: The circumstances surrounding the escape from Her Majesty's prison, Whitemoor on 9 September 1994 were thoroughly investigated by Sir John Woodcock. While his inquiry found evidence of many loopholes in the adopted practices and procedures, it found no evidence that prison officers assisted in organising the escape. The report of the inquiry was published on 19 December 1994 and is available in the Library. Cambridgeshire constabulary has also carried out a thorough and detailed investigation of the escape. No charges have been brought against any member of Prison Service staff as a result of that investigation. If any person has any additional information concerning the escape, this should be made available to the police as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to locate the missing Prison Service category A books logging the movements of the six men accused of the 1994 escape from HMP Whitemoor; and if he will make a statement. [13420]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are the criteria under which prisoners in England and Wales are selected for detention on special secure units; [13415](2) what guidance he has issued on the maximum time prisoners in England and Wales may be held in special secure units; [13414](3) what explanation is supplied to prisoners in England and Wales for their detention in special secure units. [13416]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers who absconded in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [14016]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what explanation he has requested from the Director General of the Prison Service for the injuries to prisoner Danny McNamee shown in police photographs taken on 13 September 1994; and if he will make a statement. [13422]

[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) White Papers, (b) Green Papers, (c) consultation papers, (d) draft regulations and (e) circulars, for which his Department has been responsible issued in 1996 which his Department assesses could give rise, (i) directly and (ii) indirectly, to significant environmental effects. [12701]

[holding answer 27 January 1997]: The work of the Home Office has no significant environmental impact.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical facilities are currently available to Roisin McAliskey at HMP Holloway; and to which hospital she will be taken for her confinement. [13294]

[holding answer 29 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions have been placed on the receipt of printed material by Roisin McAliskey in Holloway prison; and if he will make a statement. [13252]

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people detained under Immigration Act powers in the United Kingdom were held in detention at the end of (i) October, (ii) November and (iii) December; in which establishments were they held; what were their (a) nationalities and (b) gender; and how many were deported and from which establishments. [12323]

The available information on persons in detention is given in the tables. The numbers of persons who had been detained at any time and subsequently removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process were 47 in October and 69 in November 1996. These figures are provisional and include persons departing voluntarily after deportation action had been initiated, but exclude persons removed as illegal entrants or under port refusal procedures. A corresponding figure for December 1996 is not yet available. An analysis of the deportation data, showing where the person had been detained, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Persons recorded as being in detention1solely under Immigration Act powers, by establishment
	1996
Establishment	31 October	30 November	31 December
Prison Service establishments in England and Wales2
Belmarsh	8	11	8
Birmingham	23	20	18
Bristol	7	5	3
Brixton	15	11	10
Canterbury	5	5	4
Doncaster	4	3	4
Exeter	4	3	—
Feltham	2	2	4
Haslar	135	131	129
High Down	30	28	23
Holloway	19	23	25
Leeds	7	9	7
Manchester	5	6	4
Pentonville	9	7	5
Rochester	190	186	183
Wandsworth	17	12	7
Wormwood Scrubs	25	13	15
Others	21	18	20
	526	493	469
Immigration Service detention centres
Campsfield House	195	189	194
Dover Harbour Board	6	10	9
Gatwick Meadvale	45	45	44
Harmondsworth	87	89	90
Harwick	—	1	1
Heathrow Queen's
Building	13	14	15

Table 1: Persons recorded as being in detention1solely under Immigration Act powers, by establishment
	1996
Establishment	31 October	30 November	31 December
Manchester Airport	13	13	4
Tinsley House	136	139	132
	495	500	489
Total	1,021	993	958
1 Excluding persons in police cells and Scottish prisons; data on such persons are incomplete.
2 Data are provisional.

Table 2: Persons recorded as being in detention1solely under Immigration Act powers, by nationality and gender
	1996
Nationality	31 October	30 November	31 December
European Economic Area
Austria	—	—	—
Belgium	—	—	—
Denmark	—	—	—
Finland	—	—	—
France	4	1	1
Germany	2	2	1
Greece	3	3	3
Iceland	—	—	—
Ireland	—	1	—
Italy	1	1	1
Luxembourg	—	—	—
Netherlands	3	2	2
Norway	—	—	—
Portugal	1	2	1
Spain	—	—	—
Sweden	—	—	—
Other Europe
Bulgaria	1	4	4
Cyprus	21	13	27
Former Czechoslovakia	6	5	2
Hungary	1	1	1
Malta	—	—	—
Poland	8	6	6
Romania	19	20	17
Russia	6	6	7
Other former USSR	13	13	14
Switzerland	—	—	—
Turkey	43	41	39
Former Yugoslavia	18	14	18
Other Europe	3	1	1
Americas
Argentina	1	1	1
Barbados	3	2	2
Brazil	—	1	—
Canada	1	1	1
Chile	—	1	1
Colombia	15	10	24
Guyana	1	—	—
Jamaica	45	40	43
Mexico	—	—	—
Peru	3	2	2
Trinidad and Tobago	1	—	—
USA	2	1	2
Venezuela	1	—	1
Other Americas	6	9	7
Africa
Algeria	86	95	96
Angola	19	14	18
Egypt	2	2	1
Ethiopia	12	9	8
Ghana	61	56	51
Kenya	6	8	6
Libya	2	3	3
Mauritius	—	—	—
Morocco	8	10	8
Nigeria	129	125	133
Sierra Leone	9	10	9
Somalia	7	8	3

Table 2: Persons recorded as being in detention1solely under Immigration Act powers, by nationality and gender
	1996
Nationality	31 October	30 November	31 December
South Africa	10	5	10
Sudan	6	4	7
Tanzania	5	5	7
Tunisia	3	3	3
Uganda	3	4	4
Zaire	45	42	40
Zambia	5	2	2
Zimbabwe	4	2	6
Other Africa	54	52	42
Indian sub-continent
Bangladesh	17	12	11
India	113	122	100
Pakistan	59	55	49
Middle East
Iran	13	13	9
Iraq	2	2	7
Israel	16	16	12
Jordan	—	—	1
Kuwait	—	—	—
Lebanon	3	4	4
Saudi Arabia	—	—	—
Syria	—	—	—
Yemen	—	1	1
Other Middle East	—	1	1
Remainder of Asia
China	40	35	39
Hong Kong2	2	1	1
Indonesia	—	—	—
Japan	—	—	—
Malaysia	—	—	—
Philippines	—	—	—
Singapore	—	—	—
South Korea	—	—	—
Sri Lanka	40	47	29
Taiwan	—	—	—
Thailand	—	—	—
Other Asia	2	3	3
Oceania
Australia	1	1	1
New Zealand	—	—	—
Other Oceania	—	—	—
British Overseas citizens	—	—	—
Stateless3 and nationality doubtful	12	22	11
All nationalities	1,028	998	965
Of whom
—males	934	900	871
—females	94	98	94
1 Excluding persons in police cells and Scottish prisons; data on such persons are incomplete.
2 Including Hong Kong stateless persons.
3 Excluding Palestine and Hong Kong stateless persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department has used the UK indicators for sustainable development in (a) the production of the Department's annual report, (b) monitoring progress towards meeting the objectives set out in the UK sustainable development strategy and (c) assessing the environmental implications of policy options; and what plans it has to extend their use in future within the Department. [12272]

As the 1994 publication, the Department of the Environment's "Sustainable Development—The United Kingdom Strategy" showed, the Home Office has no direct role in the achievement of the Government's sustainable development objectives. Nevertheless, my Department keeps itself fully informed of progress on, and alert to any opportunity to contribute to, these objectives. In particular, we pay close attention to the United Kingdom indicators for sustainable development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures he has established to process the applications for United Kingdom citizenship which he has received from members of the Hong Kong ethnic minority community; and if he will set out the special provisions proposed by Her Majesty's Government for this group. [13323]

Some members of the ethnic minority community in Hong Kong have applied successfully for citizenship under the British nationality selection scheme. The Government also made provision in the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 to prevent any British dependent territories citizen from becoming stateless, and have guaranteed that any solely British members of the ethnic minority community who come under pressure to leave Hong Kong after the handover will be able to come to the United Kingdom for settlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what progress has been made in respect of data protection measures to implement European directives; what further steps are being taken by Ministers; how long it has taken to implement European directives in this field (a) on average and (b) relative to other policy areas; and how progress in this area has compared with the speed with which other directives have been implemented by the Government; [13576](2) what European Community directives on data protection have been made; and what is the date by which measures must be implemented by the Government. [13575]

Directive 95/46/EC is the only European Community directive on personal data protection to have been adopted. We have carried out a consultation exercise and will bring forward proposals in time to meet the implementation date of 24 October 1998. The work needed to implement directives varies, and there is no sound basis for comparing progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Welsh young offenders have been placed in detention institutions for each of the last five years for which figures are available, by (a) age of offender and (b) category of offence; and if he will make a statement. [12836]

[holding answer 27 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to respond to the recommendations contained in the first report of the Home Affairs Select Committee on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, HC 146, Session 1996–97. [13770]

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to respond to the Home Affairs Select Committee report on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 during February.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what proposals are being considered by the Administration Committee for a staffed creche or nursery for the use of hon. Members. [13500]

None.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many Palace of Westminster security passes are (a) available and (b) currently in use for contractors; and if he will make a statement. [13063]

Photographic identity passes are made available for issue to contractors as and when the need arises; currently 2,176 passes for contractors are in use.

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee when construction of the new parliamentary building will commence; and if he will make a statement. [11925]

I am pleased to report that good progress is being made with the design and procurement of the new building. Contracts for over 70 per cent. of the work by value have been awarded. For example, prefabrication of the roof is proceeding apace in Lancashire, of the stone columns in Derbyshire and the contractors are well advanced with the detailed design and ordering of the mechanical and electrical services.It had been planned that work would start on site today, 3 February 1997. Unfortunately London Underground Ltd. and its contractor have not made as much progress as they planned with the construction of the new Westminster station and are not able to hand back the site. My Committee has taken evidence in public and in private from the chief executive of LUL and from the project director on a number of occasions and, while we appreciate the magnitude of their task, they have been left in no doubt of the considerable disappointment that they have not been able to return the site on the due date. In due course the House will be pursuing the remedies available under the terms of the agreement with LUL.At this stage I cannot advise the right hon. Member when work will start on site. There have been progressive slippages in the forecast date for the first stage handover and all the indications are that the current forecast of 29 July 1997 may not be achieved. My Committee continues to press London Underground and will keep the matter under continuous scrutiny.Until there is a date from London Underground in which we can have confidence, it is not possible to give a firm date for the completion of the building. The aim, however, is that occupation should start during the summer recess 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy will be in respect of funding for the global environment facility at the meeting of the ad hoc working group of the Commission on Sustainable Development on 24 February. [13820]

The Government remain strongly committed to the global environment facility and will be encouraging support for a satisfactory replenishment of it during the forthcoming negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy on the global environment facility replenishment negotiations in Paris in March. [13809]

The global environment facility replenishment negotiations will begin in Paris on 12 March with a meeting to outline the process and timetable. The UK intends to take a positive role in the negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how her Department has used the UK indicators for sustainable development in (a) the production of the Department's annual report, (b) monitoring progress towards meeting the objectives set out in the UK sustainable development strategy and (c) assessing the environmental implications of policy options; and what plans it has to extend their use in future within the Department. [12276]

The Department is primarily concerned with raising standards of educational achievement and skill and with promoting an efficient and flexible labour market. The environmental impact of our work is therefore relatively slight. None the less, we use the indicators for sustainable development to inform policy options and will continue to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what factors underlay her decision that the behaviour of teachers at Hawksworth Hall school had not fallen below the standards of propriety expected of the teaching profession; and if she will make a statement; [13511](2) what consideration she gave to whether there was fraud or deception by teachers at Hawksworth Hall school under the terms of the teachers misconduct circular 11/95; and she will make a statement. [13512]

The Department gave careful consideration to all the evidence available to it about events at Hawksworth Hall school, including the report of the independent inquiry commissioned by Scope. That evidence did not warrant action by the Secretary of State against any teachers at the school on grounds of misconduct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate of the likely size of the claim for the funding of the demand-led element of colleges by the Further Education Funding Council was made by her Department prior to the submission of the claim. [13565]

Expenditure on the demand-led element programme depends on the termly claims made by individual colleges to the Further Education Funding Council for England. The funding council then advisers the Department of its net funding requirement in February, April and July each year. The next claim from the funding council is therefore expected shortly. On the basis of advice from the funding council, the Department estimated that it would need to provide an additional £82 million to meet the likely size of the February claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for each local education authority in rank order the percentage change in the number of students gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above from 1995 to 1996. [13387]

The percentage change in the number of 15-year-old pupils in maintained schools gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above from 1995 to 1996 by local education authority in England is as follows:

Percentage change in the number of 15-year-olds in maintained schools gaining five or more GCSEs Grade C or above from 1995 to 1996 analysed by local education authority in England
	Percentage change 1995–1996
Isles of Scilly	72.7
Kensington and Chelsea	44.7
Islington	37.6
Newham	25.2
Westminster	21.8
Knowsley	19.8
Isle of Wight	19.5
Manchester	19.1
Newcastle upon Tyne	17.3
Redbridge	16.9
Southwark	16.9
Rochdale	16.3
Tower Hamlets	16.1
Doncaster	15.3
Richmond upon Thames	15.0
Coventry	14.3
Wandsworth	13.7
Dudley	13.4
Northamptonshire	12.8
Hillingdon	12.4
Stockport	11.6
Hammersmith and Fulham	11.4
Trafford	11.1
Brent	11.1
Bexley	11.0
Bedfordshire	11.0
Lambeth	10.5
Sutton	10.3
Somerset	10.3
Staffordshire	10.1
Tameside	10.1
Cambridgeshire	10.1
Birmingham	9.9
Bury	9.6
Hounslow	9.5
Calderdale	8.9
Salford	8.9
Camden	8.8
Oldham	8.7
Bromley	8.7
Dorset	8.6
Enfield	8.3
Derbyshire	8.3
Cumbria	8.3
Wirral	8.3
Hereford and Worcester	8.2
St. Helens	7.7
Nottinghamshire	7.5
Hackney	7.3
Waltham Forest	7.3
Kent	7.0
Leeds	7.0
Lewisham	6.9
Rotherham	6.7
Kingston upon Thames	6.6
North Tyneside	6.4
Bradford	6.4
Cheshire	6.0
Bolton	5.9
Oxfordshire	5.8
Gloucestershire	5.7
Liverpool	5.6
Ealing	5.5
Hampshire	5.4
Wigan	5.4
Barnet	5.3
Hertfordshire	5.3
Lancashire	5.3
Sheffield	5.2
Warwickshire	5.2

Percentage change in the number of 15-year-olds in maintained schools gaining five or more GCSEs Grade C or above from 1995 to 1996 analysed by local education authority in England
	Percentage change 1995–1996
Suffolk	5.2
Croydon	5.1
Walsall	5.1
East Sussex	5.1
Havering	5.0
Haringey	5.0
Leicestershire	5.0
Solihull	4.9
Kirklees	4.9
Durham	4.7
Merton	4.5
Buckinghamshire	4.4
Barking and Dagenham	4.3
Devon	4.2
South Tyneside	4.1
Cornwall	4.1
Surrey	3.3
Essex	3.2
Harrow	3.1
Northumberland	3.0
Sefton	3.0
Shropshire	3.0
Wakefield	2.7
Wiltshire	2.0
West Sussex	2.0
Lincolnshire	1.9
Sunderland	1.8
Sandwell	1.8
Berkshire	1.7
Gateshead	1.1
Norfolk	0.9
Barnsley	-1.2
Wolverhampton	-3.0
Greenwich	-4.1

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the most recent estimated United Kingdom education wastage rates for full-time students studying for first degrees. [13563]

The wastage rates for full-time and sandwich students for first degrees in the UK in 1994–95, the latest year for which figures are available, is estimated to be in the range of 17 to 18 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the performance of schools in Southend-on-Sea on A-level, GCSE, and the test for seven-year-olds on reading and spelling relative to the national average. [13510]

The performance of maintained schools in Southend-on-Sea on A-level and GCSE in 1996 are as follows. School-by-school key stage 1 national curriculum assessment results for seven-year-olds are not published centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools (a) applied for specialist technology college status and (b) were successful; and if he will indicate the parliamentary constituencies in which the schools were located. [13793]

In the most recent competition for technology college designation—October 1996—102 schools submitted applications, of which 29 were successful.Successful applications came from schools located in the following constituencies: