Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 19 February 1997

Home Department

Prison Births

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what decision has been made about whether, in the event of Roisin McAliskey giving birth while in custody, she will be handcuffed to a birthing partner or prison officer while the child is being delivered; [15636](2) if the change in policy whereby a prisoner is not handcuffed or otherwise restrained during labour and birth of her child applies to category A prisoners. [15637]

[holding answers 17 February 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.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 19 February 1997:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the use of restraints during childbirth.

The Home Secretary in his statement of 18 January 1996 made it clear that no woman admitted to hospital to give birth would be restrained while in hospital.

This includes Roisin McAliskey and any other category A prisoners.

Criminal Record Checks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in England and Wales, how many criminal record checks were carried out on behalf of (a) local authorities, (b) health bodies, (c) independent schools, (d) grant-maintained schools, (e) further education establishments, (f) voluntary organisations and (g) nursery groups by each police force in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93 for each year ended 31 March from 1993 to 1996; and in each case how many checks revealed a criminal conviction. [16584]

This information is not available centrally in the form requested. The total number of criminal record checks carried out on behalf of local authorities, statutory health bodies, independent schools, grant-maintained schools and further education establishments under the child protection arrangements outlined in Home Office circular 47/93 for the years ended 31 March 1993 to 31 March 1996, and the number of those checks which revealed a criminal conviction, was as follows:

Year	Total number of checks	Number revealing convictions¹
1993	654,472	33,894
1994	609,434	38,162

Year	Total number of checks	Number revealing convictions ¹
1995	607,573	39,679
1996	613,163	38,809
¹ Not all forces were able to provide details of the number of checks which revealed convictions.

No figures are available on the number of criminal record checks carried out for voluntary organisations or on people working in nursery groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the frequency of checks on individuals under the child protection arrangements, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16585]

Home Office circular 47/93 advises that in the case of agency staff employed by a local authority or health authority a check should be regarded as valid for three years. There is no recommendation that other staff should be rechecked at regular intervals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of enhanced criminal record checks which will be undertaken in the year to 31 March 1999 under the arrangements to be established under the Police Bill [Lords]. [16587]

It was originally estimated that, when the Criminal Records Agency became fully operational, it would issue around 1.3 million enhanced criminal record certificates each year. The Police Bill [Lords], as amended, provides for free checks for volunteers which we expect would increase demand for these certificates.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if payments are made by local education authorities and social services authorities to police forces for criminal record checks. [16590]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the unit costs to (i) police authorities and (ii) local authorities of each criminal record check made in respect of child protection, pursuant to Home Office circular 47/93. [16591]

There are wide variations in the cost of criminal record checks across police forces. It is estimated that, on average, it costs a police force £6.35 to carry out a criminal record check. It is not possible to break the figures down in order to identify the costs of child protection checks, although these will be higher than the average. Information is not available on the costs incurred by local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years who are not eligible for checks under arrangements made pursuant to Home Office circulars 47/93 and 92/117; what categories of individual are not covered by the arrangements under these two circulars; and what is the estimated number of individuals in these categories. [16593]

There are no formal arrangements for checking employees and volunteers working with people under 19 years of age who are not eligible for checks under the arrangements set out in Home Office circulars 47/93 and 42/94. Home Office circular 42/94 replaced 117/92 which has been cancelled. However, in 1993, the Home Office published a code of practice entitled "Safe from Harm" which offers voluntary organisations that work with children, but are not covered by the terms of the Home Office circulars, guidance on good policy and practice in areas such as recruitment, supervision and management of staff. Copies of "Safe from Hann" are in the Library.The main categories of individual not covered by the arrangements set out in the two circulars are employees and volunteers working for voluntary or private child-care organisations.It is not known exactly how many individuals are excluded from checking under the current arrangements but it is estimated that about 700,000 extra people would be eligible to apply for the enhanced criminal record certificates proposed in the Police Bill

[Lords].

Road Running

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what liaison he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Secretary of State for National Heritage since 5 December 1996 in respect of ensuring the continued success of road running; and if he will make a statement. [16234]

None. The police's approach towards road running races and other events held on the public highway is an operational matter and one for chief officers of police and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Table 1: Outer London
Outer London		1992			1993			1994
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Barking and Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham	279	143,681	19.42	286	143,681	19.91	287	143,681	19.97
Barnet
Barnet¹	753	293,564	25.65	759.3	293,564	25.86	780.6	293,564	26.59
Golders Green
West Hendon
Bexley
Bexleyheath	285	215,615	13.22	277.5	215,615	12.287	273	215,615	12.66
Brent
Wembley	660	243,025	27.16	623.91	243,025	25.67	620.1	243,025	25.52
Kilburn
Bromley
Bromley	523	290,609	18.00	473.44	290,609	16.29	480.58	290,609	16.54
Orpington
Croydon
Croydon	626	313,510	19.97	597.6	313.510	19.06	579.69	313.510	18.49
South Norwood
Eating
Ealing	604	275,257	21.94	620.28	275,257	22.53	653.01	275,257	23.72
Southall
Enfield
Edmonton	527	257,417	20.47	532	257,417	20.67	549.46	257,417	21.35
Enfield¹

I understand that, because of concerns about the safety of all road users, including race participants, and the inconvenience that can be caused to other road users, the association encourages organisations to undertake such events away from the highway.

Police (Lancashire)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police there were in Lancashire in (a) 1996 and (b) 1979; [16150](2) how much was spent by his Department on the police in Lancashire in

(a) 1996 and (b) 1979. [16149]

The information available is set out in the table:

Lancashire Constabulary	¹1979–80	²1996–97
Police Numbers	3,089	3,203
Expenditure (£ million)3	37.289	163.563
¹ Police numbers as at 31 December 1979.
² Police numbers as at 30 September 1996.
³ Expenditure includes police grant, revenue support grant and locally raised taxes.

Police (London)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers in London per 10,000 population, by borough using 1991 census data, as at 1 January in each of the last five years. [15968]

The information requested is given in the two following tables. Officers based at headquarters and at Heathrow have not been included.

Table 1: Outer London
Outer London	1992			1993			1994
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Greenwich
Greenwich	569	207,650	27.40	545	207,650	26.25	517.8	207,650	24.94
Plumstead

Outer London	1995			1996			1997
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Barking and Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham	304.6	143,681	21.20	303.2	143,681	21.10	299.85	143,681	20.87
Barnet
Barnet¹	790.85	293,564	26.94	752.55	293,564	25.63	736.06	293,564	25.07
Golders Green
West Hendon
Bexley
Bexleyheath	285	215,615	13.22	295.5	215,615	13.70	287.3	215,615	13.32
Brent
Wembley	651.98	243,025	26.83	617.74	243,025	25.42	639.86	243,025	26.33
Kilburn
Bromley
Bromley	500.43	290,609	17.22	490.44	290,609	16.88	471.44	290,609	16.22
Orpington
Croydon
Croydon	623.8	313,510	19.90	633.88	313,510	20.22	625.34	313,510	19.95
South Norwood
Ealing
Ealing	643.86	275,257	23.39	660.64	275,257	24.00	645.47	275,257	23.45
Southall
Enfield
Edmonton	543.6	257,417	21.12	545.48	257,417	21.19	553.88	257,417	21.52
Enfield¹
Greenwich
Greenwich	573.2	207,650	27.60	623.31	207,650	30.02	622.85	207,650	30.00
Plumstead

Table 1:Outer London
Outer London	1992			1993			1994
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Harrow
Harrow	288	200,100	14.39	272.2	200,100	13.60	277.2	200.100	13.85
Havering
Romford	369	229,492	16.08	366	229,492	15.95	375.01	229,492	16.34
Hillingdon
Hillingdon	467	231,602	20.16	453.9	231,602	19.60	443.98	231,602	19.17
Hounslow
Chiswick	474	204,397	23.19	451.4	204,397	22.08	482.9	204,397	23.63
Hounslow
Kingston
Kingston¹	403	132,996	30.30	375.4	132,996	28.23	395.7	132,996	29.75
Merton
Wimbledon	313	168,470	18.58	291.4	168,470	17.30	312	168,470	18.52

Outer London	1992			1993			1994
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Redbridge
Ilford	555	226,218	24.53	520	226,218	22.99	536.4	226,218	23.71
Barkingside¹
Richmond
Richmond	333	160,732	20.72	298	160,732	18.54	321.35	160,732	19.99
Sutton
Sutton¹	402	168,880	23.80	373.9	168,880	22.14	390	168,880	23.09
Spelthorne
Spelthorne	203	89,987	22.56	189.4	89,987	21.05	208.2	89,987	23.14
Waltham Forest
Chingford	472	212,033	22.26	461.8	212,033	21.78	473.8	212,033	22.35
Leyton

Outer London	1995			1996			1997
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Harrow
Harrow	272.2	200,100	13.60	293.8	200,100	14.68	283.4	200,100	14.6
Havering
Romford	377.17	229,492	16.43	363.49	229,492	15.84	351.05	229,492	15.30
Hillingdon
Hillingdon	439.5	231,602	18.98	437	231,602	18.87	418.7	231,602	18.08
Hounslow
Chiswick	466.3	204,397	22.81	484.2	204,397	23.69	470	204,397	22.99
Hounslow
Kingston
Kingston¹	373.14	132,996	28.06	393.34	132,996	29.58	362.24	132,996	27.24
Merton
Wimbledon	354.45	168,470	21.04	334.85	168,470	19.88	325.25	168,470	19.31
Redbridge
Ilford	553.89	226,218	24.48	545.1	226,218	24.10	552	226,218	24.40
Barkingside¹
Richmond
Richmond	297.45	160,732	18.51	319.85	160,732	19.90	295.85	160,732	18.41
Sutton
Sutton¹	428.9	168,880	25.40	431.38	168,880	25.54	405.23	168,880	24.00
Spelthorne
Spelthorne	199.2	89,987	22.14	199.8	89,987	22.20	198.2	89,987	22.03
Waltham Forest
Chingford	487.2	212,033	22.98	463.3	212,033	21.85	477.22	212,033	22.51
Leyton
Note:
¹ Officer strength shown for these divisions includes provision for policing parts of the borough situated in the counties of Hertfordshire, Surrey or Essex.

Table 2: Inner London
Inner London	1992			1993			1994
	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Camden
Hampstead	749	170,444	43.94	721.7	170,444	42.34	691.7	170,444	40.58
Kentish Town
Holborn

Table 2: Inner London
Inner London	1992			1993			1994
	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Hackney
Shoreditch	651	181,248	35.92	611	181,248	33.71	633	181,248	34.92
Stoke Newington
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hammersmith	536	148,502	36.09	541	148,502	36.43	548,33	148,502	36.92
Fulham
Haringey
Hornsey	577	202,204	28.54	561.6	202,204	27.77	561.6	202,204	27.77
Tottenham
Islington
Holloway	599	164,686	36.37	547	164,686	33.21	568.1	164,686	34.50
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Brompton	670	138,394	48.41	632	138,394	45.67	655.1	138,394	47.34
Notting Hill
Lambeth
Brixton	988	244,834	40.35	980.5	244,834	40.05	947.4	244,834	38.70
Streatham
Vauxhall
Lewisham
Catford	598	230,983	25.89	593.6	230,983	25.70	588.4	230.983	25.47
Lewisham
Newham
Forest Gate	595	212,170	28.04	570	212,170	26.87	577.48	212,170	27.22
Plaistow

Inner London	1995			1996			1997
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Camden
Hampstead	703.9	170,444	41.30	698.76	170,444	41.00	681.95	170,444	40.41
Kentish Town
Holbom
Hackney
Shoreditch	693.18	181,248	38.24	659.54	181,248	36.39	676.04	181,248	37.30
Stoke Newington
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hammersmith	545.2	148,502	36.71	533.13	148,502	35.90	561.25	148,502	37.79
Fulham
Haringey
Hornsey	579.95	202,204	28.68	544.6	202,204	26.93	535	202,204	26.46
Tottenham
Islington
Holloway	567.9	164,686	34.48	562	164,686	34.13	569.6	164,686	34.59
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Brompton	616.83	138,394	44.57	604.4	138,394	43.67	642.4	138,394	46.42
Notting Hill
Lambeth
Brixton	1,003.05	244,834	40.97	969.81	244,834	39.61	967.3	244,834	39.51
Streatham
Vauxhall
Lewisham
Catford	598.3	230,983	25.90	642.6	230,983	27.82	626.3	230,983	27.11
Lewisham
Newham
Forest Gate	623.08	212,170	29.37	626.68	212,170	29.54	625.88	212,170	29.50
Plaistow

Inner London	1992			1993			1994
Borough and division	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Southwark
Southwark	886	218,541	40.54	816.65	218,541	37.37	849.78	218,541	38.88
Peckham
Walworth
Tower Hamlets
Whitechapel	722	161,064	44.83	669	161,064	41.54	690	161,064	42.84
Limehouse
Wandsworth
Battersea	719	252,425	28.48	671.6	252,425	26.61	693.3	252,425	27.47
Wandsworth
Westminster
Belgravia	1881	174,814	107.60	1905.85	174,814	109.02	1901.2	174,814	108.76
West End Central
Charing Cross
Marylebone
Paddington
Total	19,276.00	6,765,544	28.49	18,589.93	6,765,544	27.48	18,863.17	6,765,544	27.88

Inner London	1995			1996			1997
Borough and division	Strength	Census Population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census Population	Number of officers per 10,000 population	Strength	Census Population	Number of officers per 10,000 population
Southwark
Southwark	871.47	218,541	39.88	902.86	218,541	41.31	878.16	218,541	40.18
Peckham
Walworth
Tower Hamlets
Whitechapel	633.7	161,064	39.34	613.7	161,064	38.10	596.4	161,064	37.03
Limehouse
Wandsworth
Battersea	647.78	252,425	25.66	638.18	252,425	25.28	662.28	252,425	26.24
Wandsworth
Westminster
Belgravia	1799.55	174,814	102.94	1714.55	174,814	98.08	1700.66	174,814	97.28
West End Central
Charring Cross
Marylebone
Paddington
Total	19,050.61	6,765,544	28.16	18,899.66	6,765,544	27.94	18744.31	6,765,544	27.71

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers as at 1 January in each of the last five years in each police division in London, sub-totalled (a) on an area and (b) on a borough basis and in total. [15967]

The information requested is given in two tables, which reflect the restructuring of the Metropolitan Police in 1994 when the number of areas was reduced from eight to five. Officers based at headquarters and at Heathrow have not been included. Copies of these tables have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the last three years and for 1979 the total number of police officers in each Metropolitan police area; and if he will make a statement. [15227]

The information is set out in the table:

			Numbers of Police Officers
Forces	May 1979	September 1994	September 1995	September 1996
Greater Manchester	6,440	6,949	7,026	6,961
Merseyside	4,441	4,690	4,536	4,271
Northumbria	3,285	3,592	3,611	3,693
South Yorkshire	2,560	3,029	3,041	3,128
West Midlands	6,031	6,981	7,078	7,203
West Yorkshire	4,739	5,039	5,122	5,154

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the total cost of public funds of the Metropolitan police in 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [16950]

As police authority for the Metropolitan police district. 1 have approved estimates which provide for net revenue expenditure of £1,741.437 million in 1997–98.

The receiver for the Metropolitan police district is issuing, with my approval, a precept of £57.00 per property in band D of the council tax valuation band for Metropolitan police purposes.

I have discussed the estimates for the Metropolitan police expenditure in 1997–98 with representatives of the London local authority associations.

Devon And Cornwall Constabulary

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current authorised establishment of the Devon and Cornwall constabulary; and what was it in 1992. [16539]

It is now for individual chief constables and police authorities to determine the number of officers in a force, having regard to the resources available to them. The Devon and Cornwall constabulary had 2,876 police officers in September 1996 compared to 2,898 in March 1992. The chief constable has estimated that the force will have 2,919 officers by the end of March 1997. Since 1992, the number of constables has increased from 2,197 to 2,248.

House Of Commons

Written Questions

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many written questions were tabled by each hon. Member in the (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 parliamentary Sessions. [15395]

I have written to the hon. Member with the information requested and arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

Total and average cost of ill-health retirements 1990–91 to 1995–96
	1990–91		1991–92		1992–93		1993–94		1994–95		1995–96
Last known local education authority	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement
City	¹—	¹—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—
Camden	¹—	¹—	269	26.9	307	27.9	393	28.0	879	35.1	817	34.0
Greenwich	¹—	¹—	213	17.8	514	30.2	509	30.0	711	33.8	748	34.0
Hackney	¹—	¹—	207	23.0	234	33.5	267	33.0	473	29.5	550	37.0
Hammersmith	¹—	¹—	222	27.7	456	38.0	420	32.0	856	30.6	965	36.0
Islington	¹—	¹—	268	29.7	404	28.9	349	32.0	532	31.3	771	39.0
Kensington and Chelsea	¹—	¹—	139	27.8	132	26.5	185	37.0	146	29.1	555	37.0
Lambeth	¹—	¹—	436	31.1	272	27.2	679	31.0	473	33.8	737	34.0
Lewisham	¹—	¹—	492	24.6	554	36.9	461	29.0	529	33.1	573	34.0
Southwark	¹—	¹—	319	24.5	418	29.9	815	33.0	428	32.9	871	35.0
Tower Hamlets	¹—	¹—	151	18.8	337	28.1	507	30.0	510	31.8	342	24.0
Wandsworth	¹—	¹—	382	29.4	505	31.5	588	31.0	771	32.1	649	30.0
Westminster	¹—	¹—	246	22.4	597	33.2	280	28.0	743	37.2	776	43.0
Other ILEA and not known³	4,504	22.6	471	19.6	304	17.9	359	17.1	424	20.2	587	20.2
Barki ng	219	27.4	292	32.5	185	20.6	555	29.0	492	28.9	467	36.0
Barnet	182	18.2	367	24.4	677	30.8	541	36.0	983	33.9	820	32.0
Bexley	504	22.9	252	22.9	546	28.7	633	35.0	543	31.9	566	31.0
Brent	232	23.2	273	24.8	269	26.9	326	30.0	463	30.9	440	29.0
Bromley	540	22.5	411	27.4	460	32.8	588	28.0	526	30.9	1,017	35.0
Croydon	666	25.6	626	28.5	526	23.9	828	30.0	864	30.9	1,070	37.0
Baling	499	21.7	455	24.0	338	21.1	349	27.0	428	28.5	554	31.0
Enfield	387	20.4	337	24.0	329	29.9	394	36.0	585	32.5	630	32.0
Haringey	100	16.7	219	31.3	107	17.9	264	33.0	530	29.4	680	36.0
Harrow	351	22.0	338	26.0	360	30.0	529	29.0	792	29.3	616	36.0
Havering	513	27.0	547	27.4	600	30.0	837	35.0	662	33.1	1,037	37.0
Hillingdon	500	25.0	725	27.9	439	27.4	181	26.0	311	28.3	539	36.0
Hounslow	581	22.3	354	27.2	392	26.1	408	27.0	760	31.7	1,148	35.0
Kingston upon Thames	141	28.2	²	²	399	33.2	312	26.0	381	34.6	683	33.0
Merton	345	24.6	134	26.7	245	40.9	361	30.0	276	27.6	263	33.0
Newham	279	23.3	267	20.6	386	27.6	587	33.0	566	25.7	376	29.0
Redbridge	414	24.4	433	27.0	219	31.3	300	33.0	390	27.8	236	30.0
Richmond upon Thames	²—	²—	214	23.7	177	35.4	463	29.0	413	27.5	421	30.0
Sutton	279	21.4	236	29.5	166	33.2	205	29.0	365	30.4	494	33.0
Waltham Forest	367	28.2	370	24.7	437	33.6	707	29.0	510	26.9	1,060	32.0
Birmingham	2,018	23.7	2.613	25.4	3,237	28.2	3,862	30.0	3.832	31.4	4,747	32.0
Coventry	667	23.8	1,047	24.4	820	26.5	1,165	27.0	1,198	29.2	1,058	32.0
Dudley	351	21.9	361	22.5	719	30.0	589	29.0	722	27.8	1,311	35.0

Strangers' Cafeteria

To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what is his latest estimate of the cost of refurbishing the Strangers' Cafeteria, including the cost of relocating other facilities in order to make space for the new facilities. [16614]

The current forecast of the final cost of modernising the former Members' and Strangers' Cafeterias, including the cost of relocating displaced facilities and building a new kitchen to service both the Terrace Cafeteria and the Members' Tea Room—in line with recommendations made by the Committee in its First Report of Session 1993–94, which was approved by the House on 12 July 1994—is £6.6 million. This figure is significantly less than the estimate agreed by the Committee in October 1994.

Education And Employment

Teachers (Early Retirement)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the cost to the teachers' superannuation scheme of early retirement on grounds of ill health over the last five years (a) in each local education authority and (b) per teacher in each local education authority. [16100]

The following table shows the total cost and cost per teacher from 1990–91 to 1995–96. The costs in each financial year are made up of the lump sum and annual pension paid in respect of new awards of ill health retirement only. The figures cover all members of the teachers' superannuation scheme.

Total and average cost of ill-health retirements 1990–91 to 1995–96
	1990–91		1991–92		1992–93		1993–94		1994–95		1995–96
Last known local education authority	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement	Total cost	Average cost per retirement
Sandwell	510	24.3	619	23.8	764	26.3	1.220	30.0	1,462	31.8	977	31.0
Solihull	637	25.5	413	23.0	655	32.7	529	31.0	962	34.4	554	31.0
Walsall	622	21.4	498	23.7	793	25.6	705	27.0	1,086	31.0	1,360	33.0
Woverhampton	517	19.1	757	31.5	1,586	29.4	1,148	30.0	1,400	32.5	937	29.0
Knowsley	242	26.9	566	25.7	509	30.0	719	31.0	494	29.0	694	29.0
Liverpool	1,162	24.2	1,599	25.8	1,584	29.3	2,356	31.0	1,819	30.8	2,233	31.0
St. Helens	640	26.7	475	25.0	1,056	30.2	1,135	31.0	1,043	30.7	719	31.0
Sefton	752	24.3	745	24.8	1,217	30.4	1,653	34.0	1,385	33.8	1,397	33.0
Wirral	665	20.8	955	26.5	566	28.3	975	31.0	1,083	31.9	1,339	32.0
Bolton	695	21.1	794	27.4	1,029	31.2	1,202	30.0	1,167	30.7	944	33.0
Bury	302	20.1	245	20.4	421	26.3	472	25.0	769	29.6	749	31.0
Manchester	1,083	22.1	1,386	27.7	1,772	27.3	1,997	30.0	1,786	29.3	1,866	32.0
Oldham	328	21.9	360	21.2	564	28.2	1,005	31.0	810	31.2	931	32.0
Rochdale	522	23.7	744	28.6	634	30.2	1,076	30.0	1,269	32.5	1.378	32.0
Salford	456	22.8	499	20.8	553	26.3	1,091	33.0	728	28.0	767	27.0
Stockport	689	21.5	915	23.5	1,217	29.7	1,659	33.0	1,455	29.1	1,458	30.0
Tameside	491	25.8	473	24.9	609	29.0	689	30.0	1,102	32.4	937	30.0
Trafford	370	21.8	590	28.1	830	29.7	1,243	33.0	927	28.1	1,088	35.0
Wigan	272	18.1	541	25.7	592	26.9	1,315	28.0	949	31.6	1,317	34.0
Barnsley	746	24.1	562	26.8	666	31.7	796	31.0	1,241	35.5	887	33.0
Doncaster	838	22.1	908	26.7	649	26.0	877	28.0	999	32.2	975	31.0
Rotherham	361	20.1	497	22.6	600	27.3	839	31.0	859	30.7	889	37.0
Sheffield	1,014	21.1	890	23.4	1,144	27.9	1,779	31.0	1,529	31.9	1,705	30.0
Bradford	1,237	22.5	1,374	24.1	1,181	26.2	1.815	28.0	1,495	26.2	1,796	31.0
Calderdale	655	25.2	647	28.1	580	27.6	815	33.0	1,050	33.9	838	31.0
Kirklees	1,117	23.3	839	24.7	1,273	26.0	2,341	33.0	1.822	29.4	1,650	31.0
Leeds	1,491	22.9	1,354	24.2	1,612	29.3	2,701	30.0	2,807	31.5	3,017	31.0
Wakefield	733	24.4	1,313	26.3	1,414	28.9	1,607	32.0	1,393	29.6	1,750	30.0
Gateshead	385	25.6	338	26.0	573	26.1	519	26.0	639	29.0	1,164	31.0
Newcastle upon Tyne	409	22.7	1,111	23.6	708	24.4	1,037	31.0	1,154	35.0	1,190	33.0
North Tyneside	252	18.0	446	26.3	565	29.8	613	31.0	529	27.9	504	30.0
South Tyneside	481	22.9	464	24.4	684	31.1	734	32.0	604	30.2	741	30.0
Sunderland	1,329	22.9	1,055	25.1	1,551	31.0	1,676	35.0	1,712	32.3	1,469	33.0
Isles of Scilly	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—	²—
Avon	1,760	23.2	2,040	25.8	1,759	26.6	3.010	29.0	3,784	32.6	3,386	33.0
Bedfordshire	1,490	23.3	1,138	24.7	1.402	28.0	1.705	30.0	2,123	30.8	1,584	29.0
Berkshire	1,260	22.9	1,893	25.6	1,981	31.0	2,299	31.0	2,273	32.5	2,452	33.0
Buckinghamshire	1,454	23.5	1.131	26.3	1,149	26.7	1,577	30.0	2,141	31.0	1,686	28.0
Cambridgeshire	Ml	20.9	1,240	27.6	1,248	27.7	1,191	31.0	2,098	30.9	1,680	29.0
Cheshire	2,279	25.3	2,039	24.9	2,230	29.0	3.067	31.0	3,607	31.9	3,625	33.0
Cleveland	1,953	24.4	1,923	25.3	2,661	29.6	3,155	32.0	3,113	31.4	3,236	30.0
Cornwall	1,632	23.0	1,400	27.5	1,287	27.4	1,384	31.0	1,447	32.2	2,347	33.0
Cumbria	700	21.2	1.285	25.2	1,224	27.8	1,562	28.0	1,519	30.4	1,676	33.0
Derbyshire	2,592	24.5	2.340	26.9	1,887	27.8	2,339	31.0	2,998	33.3	3,079	34.0
Devon	2,677	23.3	2,331	25.3	2,942	30.3	3,535	32.0	3,916	29.9	4,054	34.0
Dorset	1,591	23.4	1,305	26.1	2,074	30.1	1,563	31.0	2,124	29.9	2,008	30.0
Durham	1,882	23.2	1,681	25.5	1,965	28.5	2.216	31.0	3,136	34.1	3,757	33.0
East Sussex	1,330	22.5	1,516	24.1	1,928	29.7	2,476	31.0	2,906	30.3	2,265	31.0
Essex	3,115	23.1	2,664	24.0	3,723	30.0	4,738	31.0	5,249	30.2	4,949	31.0
Gloucestershire	848	21.7	790	23.2	1,147	29.4	1,632	31.0	1,622	33.1	1,902	30.0
Hampshire	3,755	23.2	3.782	26.4	4,608	30.1	5,823	30.0	6,861	31.9	6.249	32.0
Hereford and Worcester	1,814	25.6	2,131	25.1	2,651	29.1	3,054	33.0	3,990	33.0	3,288	33.0
Hertfordshire	1,902	22.4	2,334	26.8	2,531	31.3	2,671	31.0	3,796	31.4	3,079	29.0
Humberside	1,538	23.0	1,843	25.2	2,305	27.1	1.759	28.0	3.966	31.7	4,105	33.0
Isle of Wight	169	24.1	118	14.7	167	27.8	442	28.0	409	34.1	766	32.0
Kent	4,328	24.0	3,957	26.6	5,073	30.4	5,145	30.0	5,767	30.2	6,187	32.0
Lancashire	4,411	23.1	4,342	26.5	4.910	29.6	7,450	32.0	7,266	33.0	8,600	33.0
Leicestershire	1,571	23.4	2,197	25.2	1,916	29.0	2.541	32.0	3,221	31.9	3,376	31.0
Lincolnshire	1,681	25.1	1,983	26.4	1,469	31.9	2.321	33.0	2,269	29.5	2,029	33.0
Norfolk	1,631	24.0	2,128	25.9	2,039	29.6	2,677	31.0	2,466	31.6	3,289	34.0
North Yorkshire	1,927	25.7	1,535	25.6	1,571	30.8	2,318	33.0	3,103	34.1	2,254	34.0
Northamptonshire	1,313	23.4	1,232	24.2	1,450	29.6	2,610	30.0	2,809	33.4	2,848	32.0
Northumberland	665	23.7	747	29.9	837	31.0	1,236	32.0	1,014	32.7	1,113	34.0
Nottinghamshire	2,946	22.7	2.911	27.2	3,681	30.4	3,423	32.0	4,120	31.5	4,318	33.0
Oxfordshire	729	22.1	1,196	28.5	1,370	28.0	1,632	31.0	2,353	32.2	2,257	30.0
Shropshire	1,260	23.8	1,101	26.2	1,028	26.4	1,656	29.0	1,526	33.2	1,430	31.0
Somerset	1,261	26.3	1.916	27.8	1,971	29.0	2,413	32.0	2,861	34.9	3,089	33.0
Staffordshire	2,674	24.3	3,127	27.0	3,430	29.3	3,798	32.0	5,024	33.3	5,250	33.0
Suffolk	776	21.0	869	24.1	1,395	29.7	1,904	32.0	2,471	32.5	2,304	31.0
Surrey	2,295	22.7	2,197	25.2	2,622	27.3	3,209	32.0	3,126	31.3	2,697	31.0
Warwickshire	1,256	23.3	897	25.6	1,190	30.5	1,368	31.0	1.751	30.7	1,694	30.0
West Sussex	1,550	22.8	1,300	24.5	1,637	28.2	1,666	31.0	2.267	33.3	1,662	35.0
Wiltshire	1,220	24.4	1,669	27.8	1,548	31.6	2,249	34.0	2,112	30.2	1,551	30.0
¹ Not applicable.
² Costs based on less than five people are not shown.
³ Staff who left teaching prior to the abolition of ILEA and have now retired, may still be recorded to ILEA as the last known LEA of employment.

Private Employment Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the private employment agencies used by her Department and its agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available, indicating (a) the names of the agencies, (b) the numbers employed by the agencies in work for her Department, (c) the total cost to her Department of using employment agencies and the median cost paid to the agency per person recruited and (d) the average length of contract for persons recruited via such agencies. [16176]

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment her Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings her Department occupies; and if she will make a statement. [16314]

The DfEE has, through its facilities management and purchasing organisation, arrangements for assessing the presence of both hazardous and ozone-depleting substances. Assessments are carried out in accordance with current regulations and where appropriate, the Department has taken the necessary action either to eliminate their use or minimise the effects of the substances.

Teachers (Devon Education Authority)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are currently employed by the Devon education authority and how many there were in 1992. [16538]

The numbers of teachers employed by Devon LEA are shown in the table. Staff in grant-maintained schools are excluded.Full-time equivalent numbers of teachers in the LEA-maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special education sector.

January	Full-time equivalent
1992	7,330
1996	7,450

Home Teaching

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) boys and (b) girls of statutory school age are being taught at home; and how many of these have been excluded from maintained schools for behavioural problems. [16434]

This information is not available centrally.

Scottish Grand Committee

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the cost to public funds of the attendance of (a) Ministers and (b) officials of her Department at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee in Scotland since December 1994; and if she will list the meetings of the Committee which (a) and (b) have attended indicating the cost of attendance and the names of those who attended. [16565]

No Ministers from the Department for Education and Employment have attended a meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee.

Skills Shortages

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement about the effect of skills shortages on small firms. [15060]

In 1994, only 8 per cent. of employers with fewer than 25 employees reported that they had a vacancy which was proving hard to fill. Some 75 per cent. of these employers reported that the vacancies were affecting their business. More recent surveys of larger employers suggest that there has not been any substantial rise in recruitment difficulties since 1994. A shortage of skills is only one of a number of factors which can lead to recruitment difficulties.

Teachers' Pension Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the notional amount of money in the teachers' pension fund; and how much notional interest this generates per annum. [16130]

The notional balance of the teachers' superannuation account at 31 March 1994 was £26,666 million, and at 31 March 1995 was £28,440 million. The interest of notional investments credited to the account during this period was £2,023 million. More recent figures are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what account is taken of revenue generated by the teachers' pension fund when calculating the fund's expenditure against yearly revenue. [16131]

The teachers' superannuation vote—class IX, vote 2—takes account of expenditure on teachers' pensions and income from employers' and employees' contributions. It does not take account of notional interest generated by the notional investments of the teacher's pension fund. This is recorded in the teachers' superannuation account, which is used by the Government actuary to carry out his quinquennial reviews of the teachers' superannuation scheme.

"Work And The Family"

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many responses she has received to the consultation paper, "Work and the Family"; when she expects to publish results of the consultation exercise; and when she expects to announce Government proposals. [16207]

I have received 343 responses from a total of 305 organisations and individuals. I expect to be able to make a statement on the Government's proposed way forward in the spring.

Bradfield House School

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received relating to care arrangements for boys at Bradfield House school, Cullompton, Devon; and what action she has taken in response. [16348]

The Department has, over the last year, received representations from a number of sources, including Devon social services department, the police and local residents, over the adequacy of arrangements for the care and behaviour of pupils at Bradfield House school. The issues were taken up with the school, as a result of which an agreement was prepared between the school, Devon social services department and the police, for implementing measures to improve behaviour and care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Bradfield House school, Cullompton, Devon; [16332](2) when the Office for Standards in Education next intends to inspect Bradfield House school, Cullompton; and if the report will be made public; [16345](3) what measures are being taken to ensure Ofsted and social services reports into Bradfield house school, Cullompton, Devon are made available to those local authorities paying for boys at the school. [16346]

These are matters for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action was taken by her Department in response to the 1994 Ofsted report into Bradfield House school, Cullompton, Devon. [16349]

Following the Ofsted inspection in February 1994, the Department wrote to Bradfield House school requesting that attention be given to a number of serious weaknesses which had been identified. HM Inspectors have undertaken a number of follow-up visits to the school since then and discussions are continuing.

Teachers (Criminal Record Checks)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers were subject to criminal record checks in the year to 31 March 1996 in England and Wales. [16586]

The information requested is not available centrally.

School Governors (Criminal Record Checks)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements she has put in place to check the criminal records of school governors. [16592]

School governors are not covered by the present arrangements for criminal record checks because they do not satisfy the criterion of having substantial unsupervised access to children on a regular basis. However, the new arrangements that the Government are proposing in the Police Bill [Lords] will enable criminal record checks to be made on governors and a range of other groups that are not covered at present.

Transport

Rail Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provision he is making for the cost of rail services secured by English passenger transport executives in 1997–98. [16949]

A special grant report has been laid before the House for the payment of metropolitan railways passenger services grant in 1997–98 to English passenger transport authorities. The main purpose of the MRPSG is to provide support, in 1997–98, to those PTAs for the local rail services secured by those PTAs' passenger transport executives under the terms of franchise agreements with franchise operators and the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising.

Road Traffic Reduction Measures

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he made of the relative merits of (a) traffic reduction and (b) congestion reduction measures prior to giving backing to some aspects of the Road Traffic (Reduction) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [16014]

We believe that any such assessment are for local highway authorities to make, taking local circumstances into account. In practice, strategies for addressing the problems consequent on traffic growth need to encompass a variety of measures to influence demand, improve traffic flow and improve accessibility. The relative balance will depend on specific local circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made to date by the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment in its examination of the relationship between traffic growth, transport investment and economic growth; when he expects to receive the report of that committee; and if he will make it his policy not to proceed with, or facilitate the progress of, legislation in this area until such time as that report has been received and studied by his Department. [16015]

The Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment started its examination of the relationship between traffic growth, transport investment and economic growth at the end of last year and is expected to report its findings at the end of 1998.Meanwhile, the Government will continue to promote or support such transport legislation as they consider appropriate, taking account of the available evidence.

Driving Instruction

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to the relative effectiveness of a learner driver learning to drive with a professional instructor or a member of the learner driver's family; [16333](2) if he will make a statement on the research his Department proposes to commission from Surrey university into teaching methods for learner drivers, indicating the

(a) cost and (b) duration of contracts and the objectives of the research. [16344]

We have commissioned the university of Surrey to compare the effects of formal and informal training of learner drivers. The contract was awarded in August 1995 and is due for completion by August 1998. The estimated cost is £269,000.The objectives of the research are:

(a) to compare the experience gained and instruction given in the course of (i) professional driving lessons and (ii) practice with friends and relations; (b) to monitor the progress of drivers engaged in learning to drive using each method in isolation and a mix of the two methods; (c) to identify

differences in the level of skill, performance and situational awareness of the different groups and how this changes over time; and (d) to develop recommendations for driver training and practice.

Road Contracts

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the forecast Government expenditure for each of the next three decades for each of the design, build, finance and operate road contracts that have been let or are part of the current trunk roads programme; [15451](2) how much is to be paid to the contractor per vehicle or vehicle kilometre in shadow tolls for use of the road for each design, build, finance and operate contract let; [15452](3) what are his Department's forecasts for daily vehicle usage for each of the next three decades for each of the roads covered by a current or planned design, build, finance and operate contract. [15453]

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

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Cynog Dafis, dated 19 February 1997:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about DBFO road contracts.

The estimated payments for individual contracts are commercially confidential. However the following figures illustrate by each of the three DBFO tranches, the forecast average annual figure of government expenditure over each of the next three decades:

£ million
Tranche	1997–98 to 2006–07	2007–08 to 2016–17	2017–18 to 2026–27
Tranche 1	99	127	94
Tranche 1A	78	102	120
Tranche 2¹	126	201	205
Totals	303	430	419
¹ Include M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill and A40 West London Approach DBFOs.

At cash prices £ million:
Year	LU core	London buses	Tendered bus division	London transport buses	DLR²	New lines and extensions	Other	Total
1978	47	19	—	—	—	—	—	66
1979	65	35	—	—	—	—	—	100
1980	78	45	—	—	—	—	—	123
1981	91	56	—	—	—	—	—	147
1982	82	45	—	—	—	—	—	127
1983	110	58	—	—	—	—	—	168
1984–85³	147	60	—	—	33	—	—	240
1985–86	135	40	—	—	33	—	26	234
1986–87	171	36	—	—	16	—	18	241
1987–88	213	20	—	—	61	—	—	294
1988–89	215	25	1	—	51	6	14	312
1989–90	307	27	1	—	93	13	2	443
1990–91	414	28	1	—	139	45	7	634
1991–92	298	38	1	—	162	71	12	582
1992–93	632	46	1	—	—	96	14	789
1993–94	485	23	—	—	—	301	12	821
1994–95	528	2	—	9	—	401	14	954

Please note these figures which are in cash prices will vary according to the usage of the DBFO road and the performance of the DBFO Company. The figures do not include some additional but relatively minor future lump sum payments covering for example archaeological works. Because of their uncertain nature these are extremely difficult to estimate.

With regard to the other two questions, the amounts paid to the contractor per vehicle or vehicle kilometre and the Department's forecasts for daily vehicle usage over the next three decades, cannot be provided for commercial reasons.

Road Lighting

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he uses to decide which lengths of motorway are lit. [16228]

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

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 19 February 1997:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking what criteria he uses to decide which lengths of motorway are lit.

The decision whether to light in a particular case is taken following consideration of a full appraisal of the proposed scheme. This includes an economic assessment of the capital, maintenance and energy costs set against the potential savings as a result of the reduction in night time personal injury accidents, calculated over the life of the lighting scheme. A full assessment of the environmental factors is taken into account.

London Transport Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total investment and planned investment by London Transport in (a) London Underground core business, (b) London Buses, (c) tendered bus division, (d) docklands light railway, (e) new lines and extensions, and (f) other matters in each year between 1978 and 1999–2000 in (i) cash prices and (ii) 1996–97 prices. [16026]

The information requested is set out in the tables¹:

At cash prices £ million
Year	LU core	London buses	Tendered bus division	London transport buses	DLR ²	New lines and extensions	Other	Total
1995–96	561	—	—	10	—	526	18	1,115
1996–97^4,5,6	514	—	—	13	—	544	12	1,083
1997–98⁵	Estimates not yet available for these years
1998–99⁵
1999–2000⁵
¹ Figures provided by London Transport
² Responsibility for the Docklands Light Railway was transferred to the London Docklands Development Corporation from 1992–93 onwards
³ Fifteen months accounting period.
⁴ Estimated outturn
⁵ Apportionment of investment at outturn between LT Core business and the JLE will be determined by LT in the light of emerging
⁶ Includes Croydon Tramlink

At 1996–97 prices
Year	LU core	London Buses	Tendered bus division	London Transport buses	DLR ¹	New lines and extensions	Other	Total
1978	144	58	—	—	—	—	—	202
1979	170	92	—	—	—	—	—	262
1980	173	99	—	—	—	—	—	272
1981	184	113	—	—	—	—	—	297
1982	154	85	—	—	—	—	—	239
1983	198	105	—	—	—	—	—	303
1984–85²	252	103	—	—	57	—	—	412
1985–86	220	65	—	—	54	—	42	381
1986–87	270	57	—	—	25	—	28	380
1987–88	319	30	—	—	92	—	—	441
1988–89	302	35	1	—	72	8	20	438
1989–90	403	36	1	—	122	17	3	582
1990–91	504	34	1	—	169	55	8	771
1991–92	341	43	1	—	185	81	14	665
1992–93	693	51	1	—	—	105	15	865
1993–94	517	24	—	—	—	321	13	875
1994–95	553	2	—	9	—	420	15	999
1995–96	573	—	—	10	—	538	19	1,140
1996–97^{3, 4, 5}	514	—	—	13	—	544	12	1,083
1997–98⁴	Estimates not yet available for these years
1998–99⁴
1999–2000⁴
¹ Responsibility for the Docklands Light Railway was transferred to the London Docklands Development Corporation from 1992–93 onwards.
² 15 months accounting period.
³ Estimated outturn.
⁴ Apportionment of investment at outturn between LT Core business and the JLE will be determined by LT in the light of emerging requirements.
⁵ Includes Croydon Transport.

Air Traffic Control Centre (Swanwick)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role Ministers had in the decision to proceed with the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick; and what involvement they have had with the development since. [16336]

The Secretary of State is accountable to Parliament for ensuring that the financial and other controls of the CAA conform to the requirements both of propriety and good financial management.Capital investment by the CAA is approved and monitored within the framework set by the White Papers of 1967 (Cmnd 3437) and 1978 (Cmnd 7131). The Department is responsible for, inter alia, ensuring that investment appraisal methods used by the CAA are sound and applied consistently in practice.

The Department also becomes involved in the approval and scrutiny of specific projects, and exercises a general oversight of the authority's financial control and monitoring procedures.

This process has been applied to the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the Civil Aviation Authority's additional expenses from the delays in the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick becoming operational; and what contractual recourse the Civil Aviation Authority has to recoup these costs; [16340](2) what compensatory payments the Civil Aviation Authority will be seeking for the late operational completion of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick and from which companies. [16342]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply of 24 June 1996, Official Report column 29, to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Civil Aviation Authority (a) originally expected and (b) now expects the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick to be operational. [16337]

The original target date set for the centre to enter operation was the end of 1996. The CAA has announced that, in view of problems that have arisen in integrating the software sub-systems of the air traffic management system, the target date for operation is now March 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what procedure was used by the Civil Aviation Authority in commissioning the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick; what checks were carried out on companies bidding for work under the project; and what advice the CAA took in relation to the drafting of the clauses in the contract for the new centre in relation to penalty payments for delays; [16338](2) if he will list the contractors involved in the construction of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick and the parts of the project which each is responsible for. [16343]

I have asked the chairman of the CAA to reply direct to the hon. Member on this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what concerns officials from his Department have expressed to the Civil Aviation Authority about (a) delays and (b) additional costs in commissioning the new control centre at Swanwick; [16341](2) what discussions officials of his Department have had with the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to the final commissioning of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick and the contractual arrangements governing the costs incurred by the CAA from delays in the facility becoming operational. [16339]

Officials from the Department have discussed with the CAA the authority's plans to meet forecast capacity requirements despite the delay. They have likewise discussed the financial implications of the delay, bearing in mind that the additional costs required to complete the new en-route centre will be borne entirely by the project contractor.

Treasury

Income Tax (Scotland)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual income tax payers paid their tax via a Scottish Inland Revenue office in each of the last five years. [15931]

[holding answer 14 February 1997]: The information is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Scottish-based income tax payers have their tax affairs handled by tax offices outside Scotland; and what is the location of the tax offices. [15930]

[holding answer 14 February 1997]: The information is not available. In particular, taxpayer records of employees are grouped by reference to their employers. All the employees of a particular employer will be dealt with by the same tax office, which might be located anywhere in the UK. It is not immediately possible to distinguish those employees living in Scotland from those living in other parts of the UK.

Commercial Property Rents (Taxation)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make it his policy to suspend the implementation of the proposed changes to the option to tax provisions in relation to the value added tax treatment of commercial property rents; what consultations he has had with developers and landlords of commercial property before the decision to implement those changes; what further plans he has to consult about the impact of those changes; and if he will make a statement. [15377]

[holding answer 11 February 1997]: I made a statement on the range of possible Report stage amendments during the Standing Committee debate on 11 February. Anti-avoidance measures are not normally discussed before the Budget statement, although on this occasion some general discussions took place between customs and a property sector liaison group. There has since been a series of meetings with the major trade and professional bodies representing the industry.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the decision to close the option to tax provisions in relation to the value added tax treatment of commercial property rents; and if he will make a statement. [15376]

[holding answer 11 February 1997]: I have received a variety of different representations on clause 37 in the Finance Bill, and I made a statement on the range of possible Report stage amendments during the Standing Committee debate on 11 February.

European Union Finance

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the contributions of the United Kingdom to the general budget of the European Community from 1973 to 1996, at 1996 prices, under the headings agricultural and sugar levies, customs duties, gross VAT and GNP contributions, and (b) UK receipts under the headings of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, European regional development fund, European social fund refunds and/or abatements, (c) annual gross and net contributions and/or receipts together with other items and (d) annual percentage of receipts to contributions with, and without, refunds or rebates. [14327]

The information requested is set out in the table.

UK contributions to the EC budget, 1996 prices
(£ million)
Period ¹	Agriculture and sugar levels	Customs duties	VAT based contributions (net of adjustments) ^{2 3}	GNP based contributions (net of adjustments) ³	Other contributions ⁴	Adjustments ⁵	Gross contributions (total) ⁶
1973	60	949			201		1,210
1974	81	1,117			35	-189	1,053
1975	146	1,465				-49	1,566
1976	151	1,742				-52	1,841
1977	538	2,141				-105	2,574
1978	757	2,234		1,865		-638	4,219
1979	676	2,374	2,267			-963	4,393
1980	585	1,970	1,666			-184	4,044
1981	448	1,767	1,972			277	4,465
1982	586	1,911	2,859			109	5,465
1983	421	1,950	3,105			-78	5,398
1984	456	2,213	2,983			-95	5,556
1985	310	2,118	3,193		605	238	6,464
1986	388	1,976	4,356			418	7,138
1987	536	2,142	5,069			127	7,874
1988	305	2.062	4,272		875	-181	7,334
1989	256	2,181	4,185	402		413	7,437
1990	167	1,921	5,125			637	7,850
1991	233	1,765	4,389	939		-621	6,705
1992	226	1,721	4,810	1,031		-350	7,438
1993	213	1,876	5,312	1,721		-581	8,541
1994	211	1,885	4,396	2,456		-1,403	7,545
1995	208	2,067	4,752	1,680		406	9,113
19967	202	1,989	4,442	2,444		32	9,109
Notes:
¹ Breakdown of the UK gross contributions for the years 1975 to 1977, and of EAGGF, ERDF and ESF for years 1984 to 1985, are taken from the ONS (nee CSO) publications "UK Balance of Payments."
² Net of article 131 compensation in 1978, 1979, 1980.
³ Before adjustments in respect of earlier years' contributions.
⁴ Treasury advances and inter-governmental agreements.
⁵ Budget adjustments and adjustments to VAT and GNP contributions for earlier years. Adjustments for the years up to and including 1977, are taken from The Pink Book, 1984 edition.
⁶ Components do not always add to totals in this table as all figures have been rounded independently.
⁷ 1996 figures are estimates

The rounding convention used in this table is that of rounding to the nearest whole number.

The deflator is adjusted to take account of the abolition of domestic rates.

Sources:

"Statement on the 1996 EC Budget" CM 3350, and earlier editions.

CSO "UK Balance of Payments, 1993 and earlier editions.

HC Deb 11.7.83 c256W.

UK contributions to the EC budget, 1996 prices
£ million
Period ¹	Negotiated refunds	Abatement	Gross contributions after refunds and abatement
1973			1,210
1974			1,053
1975			1,566
1976			1,841
1977			2,574
1978			4,219
1979			4,393
1980	224		3,820
1981	1,423		3,042
1982	1,945		3,520
1983	1,464		3,934
1984	916		4,640
1985	100	-272	6,092
1986		-2,702	4,436
1987		-1,745	6,128
1988		-2,275	5,058
1989		-1,537	5,900
1990		-2,096	5,754
1991		-2,883	3,821

UK contributions to the EC budget, 1996 prices
£ million
Period ¹	Negotiated refunds	Abatement	Gross contributions after refunds and abatement
1992		-2,076	5,362
1993		-2,716	5,826
1994		-1,811	5,733
1995		-1,237	7,876
1996²		-2,412	6,697
Notes:
¹ Breakdown of the UK gross contributions for the years 1975 to 1977, and of EAGGF, ERDF and ESF for the years 1984 to 1985, are taken from the ONS (nee CSO) publications "UK Balance of Payments".
² 1996 figures are estimates.

The rounding convention used in this table is that of rounding to the nearest whole number.

The deflator is adjusted to take account of the abolition of domestic rates.

Sources:

"Statement on the 1996 EC Budget" CM 3350, and earlier editions.

CSO "UK Balance of Payments, 1993 and earlier editions.

HC Deb 11.7.83 c256W.

UK contributions to the EC budget, 1996 prices
(£ million)
							Receipts/contributions
Period ¹	EAGGF ²	ERDF	ESF	Other ³	Total ⁴	Net contributions ⁴	With refunds and abatement Per cent.	Without refunds or abatement Per cent.
1973	421			107	528	682	44	44
1974	652		93	128	873	180	83	83
1975	1,566	5	87 '	165	1,827	-256	117	117
1976	823	115	44	195	1,177	664	64	64
1977	629	210	171	279	1,289	1,289	50	50
1978	1,030	110	194	238	1,646	2,572	39	39
1979	1,015	194	238	356	1,802	2,590	41	41
1980	1,259	396	217	332	2,204	1,616	58	54
1981	1,403	298	220	306	2,226	815	73	50
1982	1,510	212	290	351	2,363	1,157	67	43
1983	1,963	252	232	314	2,761	1,174	70	51
1984	2,346	319	491	347	3,503	1,138	75	63
1985	1,888	450	420	368	3,125	2,966	51	48
1986	2,188	473	532	332	3,527	909	80	49
1987	2,037	611	648	227	3,524	2,605	57	45
1988	1,968	527	388	230	3,114	1,944	62	42
1989	1,751	462	541	64	2,818	3,083	48	38
1990	1,848	543	278	27	2,696	3,057	47	34
1991	2,033	427	714	18	3,192	628	84	48
1992	2,001	614	482	24	3,121	2,241	58	42
1993	2,414	455	630	21	3,520	2,305	60	41
1994	2,413	638	337	26	3,414	2,320	60	45
1995	2,503	447	775	33	3,757	4,118	48	41
1996⁵	3,408	822	805	57	5,094	1,603	76	56
Notes:
¹ Breakdown of the UK gross contributions for the years 1975 to 1977, and of EAGGF, ERDF and ESF for the years 1984 to 1985, are taken from the ONS (nee CSO) publications "UK Balance of Payments".
² Includes stock depreciation payments.
³ Excludes own resources refunds after 1988.
⁴ Components do not always add to totals in this table as all figures have been rounded independently.
⁵ 1996 figures are estimates.

The rounding convention used in this table is that of rounding to the nearest whole number.

The deflator is adjusted to take account of the abolition of domestic rates.

Sources:

"Statement on the 1996 EC Budget" Cm 3350, and earlier editions.

CSO "UK Balance of Payments, 1993" and earlier editions.

HC Deb 11.7.83 c256W.

Pensions Mis-Selling

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received asserting conflicts of interest in respect of the previous service of the present chairman of the Personal Investment Authority as chief executive of Legal and General Group and in respect of the group's alleged role in mis-selling pensions; and if he will make a statement. [16432]

The Treasury has received one such representation recently.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Securities and Investments Board since 25 October 1994 in its inquiries into sales of personal pensions. [16437]

I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) on 18 December 1996, Official Report, column 635.

British Agrochemicals Association

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months; what was the subject of those representations; and if he will make a statement. [16288]

I have received no representations from British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months.

Blind Person's Allowance

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of (a) the annual cost and (b) the numbers gaining from the introduction of an additional personal tax allowance to the value of the blind person's allowance for severely disabled people who pay for personal care with the assistance of payments from their local authority or from the independent living fund. [16097]

Reliable information is not available.

Treasury Model

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Treasury model of the economy allows simulated falls in both unemployment and inflation. [15843]

The Treasury model could predict a positive relationship between inflation and unemployment in some circumstances. For example, a cut in indirect taxes or imported raw material prices would tend temporarily to reduce inflation and unemployment. The model is available to the public and a copy is held in the House of Commons Library.

Financial Services Act Licences

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individuals and (b) firms have been licensed by each of the regulatory bodies created under the Financial Services Act 1986. [14786]

Details of the number of authorised firms by recognised body which are held on the Securities and Investments Board's central register are reproduced at page 68 of the SIB's annual report 1995–96 which is available in the Library.

General Government Borrowing Requirement

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the range of proportions of the UK GGBR that Scotland has accounted for on the basis of all studies published by Government Departments adopting methodology published in "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1994–95". [16116]

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: Figures published in the 1996 edition of "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland" show that, excluding North sea taxes and privatisation proceeds, the Scottish deficit was about 18 per cent. of the UK deficit in 1994–95. The 1995 edition of GERS gave the equivalent percentage for 1993–94 at 15 per cent., which the 1996 edition subsequently revised upwards to 16 per cent. The 1992 edition of GERS did not contain an estimate of the Scottish deficit but, had it done so, on the figures available at the time, the equivalent ratio for 1990–91 would have been 51 per cent. The latest available estimate of the ratio in 1990–91 is 54 per cent.

Overseas Development Administration

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which other EU countries are withdrawing from UNIDO. [16530]

No other EU countries have yet announced their intention to withdraw.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British private sector consultancy contracts and how much revenue were received from UNIDO purchases and contracts, in the last year for which figures are available. [16534]

In 1996, UNIDO had 22 contracts with UK consultants. The value to the UK from purchases and contracts in that year was £5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations were held with British staff of UNIDO about the decision to withdraw. [16533]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has held with EU partners on his decision to withdraw from UNIDO. [16531]

No formal consultations took place, but EU partners had been aware for some time of UK concerns about UNIDO.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of the United Kingdom's subscription to UNIDO, in the last year for which figures are available. [16535]

The UK contribution to UNIDO for calendar year 1996 was £4.69 million.

Micro-Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Overseas Development Agency's policy towards micro-finance. [16855]

Micro-finance—savings as well as credit—can be a powerful tool able to benefit large numbers of poor people in a manner which is financially sustainable. Since 1990, we have provided increasing support for projects and institutions engaged in micro-finance, notably through our bilateral programmes in Africa and Asia. Total commitments to date are approximately $100 million and it is a field where we anticipate continuing to deploy significant resources. But experience shows that it is important to assist micro-finance institutions over time to achieve full financial self-sustainability.In addition to direct support for micro-finance institutions, the Overseas Development Administration is involved in many other related areas. For example, we are active members of the World bank-based consultative group to assist the poorest; ODA chairs the working group on management information systems and reporting standards for micro-finance institutions. ODA is also the major source of funds for a study by the MicroFinance Network, an association of leading MFIs, on the critical subject of the regulation and supervision of MFI, looking at recent experiences in Latin America, Asia and Africa.We are concerned to assess the impact of micro-finance. The results of a major research project on finance against poverty was published last year. Currently ODA is supporting a study, in collaboration with 10 leading UK non-governmental organisations, on the degree to which women are empowered through micro-finance.

Albania

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in respect of every United Kingdom overseas aid contribution to Albania since 1990 the date it was approved, the value of the aid, United Kingdom expenditure to date and a description of the nature and purpose of the aid project or programme. [16627]

British overseas aid expenditure in Albania since 1991, the first year that the UK disbursed funds there, totals £5,001,619. The funds have been disbursed through the know-how fund and the ODA's emergency aid department. Since the know-how fund set up its programme for Albania it has focused on the following priority sectors: financial services; public administration and good government; agriculture; and health. The fund has also run projects in the media and education sectors.Development assistance projects vary in size of funding from a few hundred pounds to several hundreds of pounds. There are therefore too many to list in full. The following are the projects on which the fund and the ODA have disbursed over £100,000:

Description	£
The Know How Fund
Farm-land restructuring (November 1992)	113,053
Advice on privatising the Rural Commercial Bank (December 1994)	173,167
Support in setting up the stock exchange and advice on setting up investment funds (November 1995)	191,043
Advice on local Government finance and budgeting (July 1993)	343,329
Attachment of British haematologist to Albanian National Blood Transfusion Service (March 1994)	123,230
Assistance to Albanian National Health Insurance Institute (September 1995)	178,108
Pre-Investment Feasibility Studies since January 1994	139,841
Emergency Aid Department
Feed The Children—Food, medical and educational supplies (September 1991)	580,000
Feed the Children—Emergency supplies Tropjoe District purchase of 10-ton vehicle (March 1994)	300,405
Feed the Children—Food, hygiene materials, clothing and purchase of 2 trucks, 1 Land Rover, bedding and cooking equipment (March 1995)380,227 WHO donation to joint WHO/UNICEF appeal—polio epidemic (October 1996)	100,000
British Red Cross—Purchase, shipment and distribution of wheat flour and miscellaneous relief goods (February 1992)	287,369

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Albania

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by type and funding the know-how fund projects in Albania since 1992. [16411]

The know-how fund set up its programme for Albania in 1993. Since then, it has focused on the following priority sectors: financial services; public administration and good government; agriculture; and health. The fund has also run projects in the media and education sectors.Projects vary in size of funding from a few hundred pounds to several hundreds of pounds. There are therefore too many to list in full. The following are the projects on which the fund has disbursed over £100,000 since 1993:

Projects	£
Farm-land restructuring	113,053
Advice on privatising the Rural Commercial bank	173,167
Support in setting up the stock exchange and advice on setting up investment funds	191,043
Advice on local government finance and budgeting Attachment of British haematologist to Albanian	343,329
National Blood Transfusion Service	123,230
Assistance to Albanian National Health Insurance Institute	178,108
Pre-investment feasibility studies since January 1994	139,841

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the use of the diplomatic bag to convey party political propaganda to Tirana. [16403]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Albanian Government officials made Foreign and Commonwealth Office sponsored visits to the United Kingdom in (a) 1993, (b) 1994, (c) 1995, (d) 1996 and (e) 1997. [16402]

Visits sponsored by the Department to the UK by Albanian Government officials numbered, in financial years—1993–94, 11 (five visit programmes); 1994–95, 13 (three visit programmes); 1995–96, three (two visit programmes); 1996–97, one.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Albanian government in respect of their detention of (a) opposition leaders and (b) journalists. [16400]

We have raised with the Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister our deep concern at reports of arrests and intimidation by the authorities in Tirana. We have also pressed in the European Union for EU ambassadors to express their concern collectively.

Environmental Audit (Departmental Buildings)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an environmental audit of (a) energy use and (b) waste management within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16419]

This Department continually strives to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment. We retain the services of consultants who advise on energy efficiency and environmental matters for the UK estate. For example, a recent line analysis of electrical demand in the main building has identified possibilities for additional savings on power consumption. Most recently, a report in the management of waste paper has been prepared which will be used to enhance the existing recycling system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 1996, Official Report, columns 643–44, regarding the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing, if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated this within those buildings his Department (a) occupies in the United kingdom and (b) occupies abroad; and if he will make a statement. [16444]

Both diplomatic and overseas development wings of the Department retain the services of consultants to advised on energy efficiency and environmental matters concerning buildings occupied in the United Kingdom. The introduction of energy efficient lighting, modern boiler controls and optimisers have all contributed to cutting energy usage and costs. When maintaining, building or refurbishing properties for occupation overseas, the Department encourages consideration of the issues promoted by the Building Research Establishment/environmental assessment method. The Department also provides guidance to all overseas posts to enable compliance with global environmental issues.

Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone depleting substances within those buildings which his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16279]

Both wings of this Department maintain registers of hazardous materials—such as asbestos or polychlorinatedbiphenyls—in its buildings in UK and overseas. The chemical treatment programme for legionella is managed by specialists in the field.We are careful not to endanger the further depletion of the ozone layer, through a responsible procurement and disposal policy at home and abroad. Improvements in insulation levels and building services design and installation are encouraged. New air-conditioning systems operate with non-chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants. Halon fire extinguishers have been withdrawn. Advisory leaflets on CFCs, halon and energy conservation have been issued.

Banaban People

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation of the Banaban population in Fiji; what compensation has been paid to the Banaban people by Her Majesty's Government since 1981; and what part Her Majesty's Government have played in the environmental rehabilitation of the island of Banaba. [14994]

The Banaban community, based principally on the island of Rabi in Fiji, participate fully in Fiji's civil affairs. Its people retain links with their home island, where some still live, which is now part of the Republic of Kiribati. The Banabans enjoy special constitutional safeguards in both Fiji and Kiribati.

No payments have been made since the ex gratia 14.5 million Australian dollars compensation settlement by the British Phosphate Commission in 1981. Her Majesty's Government have played no part in Banaba's environmental rehabilitation since 1981, as this remains the responsibility of the Kiribati Government.

Environment

Departmental Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to pages 24 and 29, volume 6 of the appropriation accounts 1995–96, class VII, vote 3—HC ii-VI, Session 1996–97—what factors underlay the reductions in expenditure on (a) environmental protection in industry, with particular reference to the reasons for underbidding in the programme for the promotion of positive environmental management and (b) OECD contribution towards the framework convention on climate change. [15660]

The promotion of positive environmental management in industry programme was established in response to a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Business and Environment. It supports intermediaries working to raise awareness of environmental issues among small and medium firms and helps them improve their environmental performance. The programme primarily supports six pilot local initiatives, and expenditure on these was as planned during 1995-96. A small proportion of the budget was set aside for work with other business support organisations, but fewer suitable projects were identified than originally envisaged, leading to expenditure lower than forecast.The initial UK allocation for contributions to international climate change organisations was £725,000 for 1995–96. This included an allowance for the UK contribution to the administrative cost of the framework convention on climate change. Negotiations at the first conference of the parties in spring 1995 led to a reduction in the draft convention budget for 1996 and it was also decided that the cost of conference and subsidiary body meetings would be funded form the main UN budget. Hence, actual expenditure in 1995–96 was £224,000 lower than originally estimated.

Packaging Waste Regulations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue the statutory guidance regarding the packaging waste regulations. [15574]

The Advisory Committee on Packaging, chaired by Sir Peter Parker, is currently developing recommendations to the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the preparation of statutory guidance on compliance with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations, which are before the House. I understand that the advisory committee hopes to make public its recommendations in the very near future. The agencies will be responsible for issuing statutory guidance once the regulations have been made.

Local Government Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which 10 local councils in England have the highest budget deficits. [16158]

All local authorities are required to set balanced budgets, taking into account the amount of financial reserves that they estimate they will use in the year to finance expenditure. The following authorities budgeted to draw down the highest amounts from reserves in 1996–97:

Budgeted use of reserves 1996–97
	£000s
City of London	41,343
Hampshire	35,375
Metropolitan Police Authority	26,519
Staffordshire	21,002
Berkshire	18,474
Cheshire	18,000
Birmingham	17,658
Kent	17,088
Hereford and Worcester	16,020
Hertfordshire	15,410

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the total amount of local authority debt and local authority unused capital receipts in (i) 1985, (ii) 1990 and (iii) the latest year for which figures are available. [16162]

The amounts outstanding at 31 March each year were:

	Total debt £ billion	Usable capital receipts£ billion
1985	31.6	n/a
1990	41.2	2.4
1996	37.6	1.1

Source:

Debt: DOE borrowing and lending surveys and Public Works Loan Board.

capital outturn returns.The total debt figures include both long term and short-term borrowing; £4.5 billion of local authority debt, mainly amounts borrowed from the Public Works Loan Board, was commuted by the Government in 1992.Figures for the amounts of set-aside capital receipts are not available. These form part of the provision for credit liabilities, which also includes amounts set aside from revenue. It is not possible to give figures for usable capital receipts for years before 1990, when a different capital finance system was in operation.

Business Improvement Districts

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his assessment of business improvement districts; what measures would be required to introduce similar initiatives in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [16211]

The research is expected to be completed by late spring. We will consider the results of that research carefully in determining whether this approach could be applied in the UK context.

Glenn And John Howells

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will assist Kirklees metropolitan borough council in meeting the costs of providing secure accommodation for Glenn and John Howells. [16439]

Local authorities are responsible for decisions on how to accommodate young persons remanded by the courts to local authority accommodation. Provision for these costs is included within the children's personal social services block of the standard spending assessment. This provision is not identified specifically.

Credit Liabilities

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority the amount set aside as provision for credit liabilities as at 31 March 1996. [16474]

A list of the provision for credit liabilities at 31 March 1996 for each English local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.

Planning Policy Guidance (Countryside)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish the revised planning policy guidance note 7 on the countryside; and if he will make a statement. [16899]

I am today publishing revised policy planning guidance note 7 on the countryside.This new guidance note carries forward our commitment to a living countryside. It will help to ensure that the countryside is increasingly a place in which communities and businesses can thrive, while maintaining the unique qualities which make the English countryside such an attractive place in which to live and work.The revised note fulfils key commitments in our rural White Paper by giving greater encouragement to business diversification in the countryside while ensuring that necessary development is of a good quality, complementing and respecting the character of the countryside around it.The majority of the over 400 responses to the consultation draft welcomed the revised PPG7's comprehensive coverage of planning in the countryside and felt that it struck a fair and realistic balance between environmental protection and the need to stimulate rural economic activity. There was particular support for its coverage of sustainable development principles; its recognition of the interdependence between urban and rural policies; its acknowledgement of the value of rural strategies and its increased emphasis on good design.The new guidance note restates and clarifies policy on protecting from development the best agricultural land as a national resource. This means that we will maintain a stock of the best agricultural land, with its versatility and efficiency for farming, while making it clear that a more flexible approach may be adopted where there is an overriding need for development and any alternative land has a recognised, high environmental value or there is little suitable land of lower agricultural quality available.In addition, the guidance note clarifies policy on the reuse of rural buildings, allowing greater discrimination in favour of reuse for business rather than residential purposes; it stresses the importance of thoroughly checking the lawfulness of developments to be carried out under agricultural permitted development rights; advises on the possible removal of new buildings which abuse permitted development rights, without placing unnecessary additional burdens on genuine farmers; and advises local planning authorities on the scope for making planning permission conditional on the removal of unused ugly or derelict buildings in certain circumstances.I am also pleased to announce today that Charles Nunneley, chairman of the National Trust, has agreed to chair a small working group on the possible introduction of a rural business use class. This proposal, also included in the Rural White Paper, is designed to encourage enterprise in rural areas by giving local planning authorities an additional control, where needed, over the intensification of new businesses. The working party will consider how best to achieve the implementation of this proposal, taking account of the various practical issues and difficulties identified during the recent consultation exercise.

Thames Barrage Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of the Thames barrage scheme; and how much of this cost was met by central Government. [16446]

I have been asked to reply.The total cost of works under the Thames Barrier and Flood Protection Act 1972 was some £700 million, with the Thames barrier itself costing some £450 million and associated downstream works, including a second barrier at Barking, accounting for the remainder. Government grants made under the Act totalled approximatly £540 million.

National Heritage

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she plans to take to ensure the future of the Crystal Palace national sports centre as (a) a venue for national and international sporting events and (b) a training centre for British athletes. [15823]

The future of facilities at Crystal Palace national sports centre is, in the first instance, a matter for the London borough of Bromley and the English Sports Council. An independent feasibility study is being undertaken on behalf of the London borough of Bromley and the English Sports Council as one stage in the process to determine the future needs and use of the national sports centre. The English Sports Council has given an assurance that no decisions about long-term investment in the future of the centre will be taken without prior consultation with the relevant sporting governing bodies.

Sports Council Chairmen

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the contract of (a) the chairman of the United Kingdom Sports Council and (b) the chairman of the English Sports Council, indicating their remuneration. [12638]

Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth was appointed chairman-designate of the United Kingdom Sports Council from 1 April 1995. Lord MacLaurin's position as chairman of the United Kingdom Sports Council was formalised from the 19 September 1996 following the issue of letters patent under the great seal granting charters of incorporation to the new council. The appointment will expire in March 1998. Lord MacLaurin has chosen not to draw remuneration for this position.Sir Rodney Walker was appointed chairman of the Great Britain Sports Council and chairman-designate of English Sports Council from 1 October 1994. Sir Rodney's position as chairman of the English Sports Council was formalised from the 19 September 1996 following the issue of letters patent under the great seal granting charters of incorporation to the new council. This appointment will expire in September 2001. Sir Rodney receives a non-pensionable remuneration of £21,692 per annum.

Television Broadcasting

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate she has made of the cost of the engineering changes to UK transmitters of allowing the removal of power restrictions at the Clermont Carn transmitter in the Republic of Ireland in order to improve RTE coverage in Northern Ireland; and who will pay the costs of such changes. [15821]

The Irish Minister for the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht has given an assurance that RTE has undertaken to bear the engineering costs of UK broadcasters directly attributable to the proposed alterations to the Clermont Carn transmitter. The BBC and Independent Television Commission, which are responsible for television transmission arrangements in the UK, have estimated that the engineering costs of changes to UK transmitters attributable to an increase in the power of transmission from the Clermont Carn transmitter could be in the region of £650,000.

"Success Through Partnership: A Strategy For Tourism"

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much it cost to (a) print and (b) reprint the document, "Success Through Partnership: A Strategy for Tourism". [16193]

The cost of printing "Success through Partnership: A Strategy for Tourism" was £23,040. As originally planned, 1,000 copies were printed and delivered in advance for the launch of the document. A further 28,000 copies were delivered later for subsequent distribution to various organisations.

Public Libraries Review

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she will publish the public libraries review; and if she will make a statement. [17105]

The Government have today published "Reading the Future", the Government's review of public libraries in England.Public libraries are a great national asset. The Government are committed to ensuring that the public library system is equipped to face the challenges of the future, of which the single most important one will arise from the impact of information technology. Libraries are likely to be a key element in providing access to electronically stored information. Technology is changing so fast that plans for introducing new systems of technology need to be flexible enough to take account of both the changes and their cost and the need for libraries to play the fullest appropriate role in this revolution. The Government have therefore asked a working group set up by the Library and Information Commission to report by the end of July on how public libraries in England should respond effectively to this challenge.The other main issues addressed by the review are:

that the core book lending and reference services will remain free of charge;

public libraries should match opening hours to the needs of their users;

after 2001, the money that currently goes on millennium projects will go to a new Information and Communication Technology Fund, from which libraries should greatly benefit;

a £3 million contribution over three years from the Wolfson Foundation to the £6 million challenge fund to improve facilities in English public libraries announced in my Department's budget statement;

that libraries need to take further advantage of the opportunities offered by private sector partnerships, and a more commercially aware management style, including franchising, voluntary contracting-out of operations, and sponsorship;

libraries will benefit from the new £300 million information and communication technology fund post-2000;

to raise standards in public libraries, all English library authorities will be required to produce annually a Public Library Plan which will set out how libraries have performed compared with what they achieved the previous year, the standards they set themselves for the latest year, and the standards achieved by other libraries;

libraries are the focal point at the heart of many communities and service providers should build on that, for example by being more responsive to what local users want; using local volunteers; offering homework facilities for children; and encouraging appreciation of literature among users through activities such as live readings by authors.

I have today placed copies of the review in the Libraries of both Houses and am arranging for copies to be sent to a wide range of interested parties. Further copies are available on request from my Department.

Uk Sports Council

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she intends to announce the filling of vacancies on the UK Sports Council [17102]

Further to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 4 February 1996, Official Report, columns 583–86, I am pleased to announce that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has appointed Mr. Adrian Moorhouse MBE and Mrs. Judy Simpson as members of the United Kingdom sports council. Mr. Moorhouse had a hugely successful swimming career, including an olympic gold medal in the 100 m breaststroke at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. He is now managing director of Lane 4 Management Group. Mrs. Simpson is a former Commonwealth champion in the heptathlon, and is now president of the Women's Sports Foundation. Both appointees are also members of the English Sports Council's national lottery sports panel. I am confident that the skills and experience which Mr. Moorhouse and Mrs. Simpson bring with them will make them a great asset to the new United Kingdom Sports Council.

Duchy Of Lancaster

Civil Service Magazine

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total annual cost of producing, printing and distributing "Overview-The Magazine for the Modern Civil Service"; and if he will make a statement. [16294]

"Overview—The Magazine for the Modern Civil Service" is published by Public Sector Information, a privately owned company.

Minimum Age Requirements

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the minimum age requirements enforced by his Department. [15924]

The Office of Public Service does not enforce any statutory minimum age requirements.

Engagements

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Friday 31 January. [16335]

I had a number of meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

Special Educational Needs Tribunals

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for what reasons Her Majesty's Government recommended to Parliament that presidents of special educational needs tribunals or members of a panel of persons appointed to act as chairs or members of such tribunals should be ineligible to become hon. Members. [16621]

The president, chairmen and members of the special educational needs tribunal will be statutorily disqualified from membership of the House of Commons on the ground that these offices require demonstrable political impartiality. This will formalise the current position whereby members of the tribunal are disqualified from holding political office under the terms and conditions governing their appointment.

Consultants

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of Sir Peter Levene's letter to all Departments of 27 July 1995 regarding the appointment of consultants. [15842]

The text of Sir Peter Levene's letter of that date, which is concerned primarily with the establishment of ministerial approval limits in the hire of external consultants, has been placed in the Library.

Bletchley Park

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how and when the Government and the Post Office obtained Bletchley Park; [15674](2) how much was paid, and to whom, from Bletchley Park. [15838]

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of its framework document to the Property Advisers to the civil Estate under its chief executive, Mr. Neil Borrett. The agency is therefore responding to these questions.

Letter from N. E. Borrett to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 17 February 1997:

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to respond to your two Questions on Bletchley Park.

The freehold of the entire site was acquired by the predecessors of the Secretary of State for the Environment (Ministry of Works) assembling a number of parcels of land and buildings by means of nine separate conveyances between the years 1937 and 1964. A substantial portion of the site comprising 26 acres, was sold at privatisation to British Telecom, in 1984 for £2.3 million, leaving a residue of approximately 31.4 acres with the Secretary of State.

Unfortunately the records and deeds in our possession do not go back to the original conveyances. The property now comprises seven registered titles. However, there is mention in the deeds of Ernest Ingram being the vendor for two parcels, together with SS Holdings on a further parcel. The purchase price for the largest of these three areas amounted to £3,300 in 1952, whilst for the smaller one the consideration was £120 in 1949.

My understanding is that the land was originally acquired for the government's Code and Cipher school, which subsequently became part of GCHQ after the war.

Under the "Crichel Down" rules we are not required to offer the land back to former owners where the use has materially changed. Our view is that the use has materially changed and we do not intend to offer back.

Social Security

Benefit Fraud

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list by individual benefit the total amount of money his Department estimates has been saved by detecting fraud in each of the last five years; [14578](2) what were the estimated total savings to public funds accruing from the detection of fraud in each of the last five years. [14581]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Year	Savings recorded by DSS £	Savings recorded by Local Authorities¹£	Total£
1991–92	447m	n/a	447m
1992–93	558m	n/a	558m
1993–94	654m	92m	746m
1994–95	717m	171m	888m
1995–96	1.2bn²	224m	1.4bn
Notes:
¹ No central records are kept of any local authority savings achieved prior to April 1993.
²Includes savings from initiatives in the Security and Control Programme.

1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £1 million when under £1 billion and to the nearest £100 million when over.2. The information is given in terms of Weekly Benefit Savings deriving from activity in the given year, not public expenditure savings which could be accounted for in that year.

Child Support

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases there were in the most recent year for which figures are available in which benefits were reduced in respect of a parent with care on income support as a result of a pre-Child Support Agency child maintenance agreement. [15609]

The information is not available as maintenance which is in payment as a result of a pre-child support arrangement cannot be separately identified.

Severe Disablement Allowance

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of severe disablement allowance there are who are aged under 19 years are in education for (a) less than 21 hours per week and (b) more than 21 hours where the extra hours are not suitable for a non-disabled person. [15867]

The information is not available.

Housing Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1996, Official Report, column 66, when information about extended payments of housing benefit will be available. [15872]

The figures are currently being processed and will be published in the "Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Summary Statistics—Update Number 2" in March. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Benefits Agency Medical Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what customer service standards are being discussed with the private sector companies shortlisted for the running of the Benefits Agency medical services. [16498]

The contract will specify the customer service standards expected of the service supplier. The successful contractor(s) will have a mandatory requirement to meet, as a minimum, the current agency/departmental service standards and any changes which occur to those standards during the life of the contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 75, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance sent to the private companies shortlisted to run the Benefits Agency medical services. [16495]

The information has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements he proposes to make for independent inspection of the quality standards to be operated by the private companies running the Benefits Agency medical services. [16499]

The post contract management arrangements set in place by the Department will allow for the involvement of a medical surveillance group which will comprise external experts and acknowledged specialists. The group will participate in monitoring the quality of the medical service provided.In addition, the successful contractor(s) will have a mandatory contractual requirement to allow the National Audit Office appropriate access to it(s) records.

Trade And Industry

Computer Systems (Millennium)

21.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the awareness of business of the millennium compliance of computer systems. [15043]

Those organisations responding to PA Consulting's recent survey appear to have an increased level of awareness of the problem among their senior managers, now at 93 per cent., but only 65 per cent. have carried out a partial audit of their systems and the proportion having completed their audit is 9 per cent.

Firms (South-East)

22.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firms are located in the south-east region. [15044]

The south-east—excluding London—had 238,618 VAT-based enterprises at the end of 1995 as compared with 239,763 at the end of 1994 and 239,838 for 1993.

Business Links (Norfolk)

23.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on business links in Norfolk. [15045]

Business Link Norfolk and Waveney opened in November 1995 with a hub in Norwich and satellites in King's Lynn and Lowestoft and it has made significant progress in serving the local community. Since November 1995, the BL has handled nearly 20,000 inquiries and its personal business advisers are helping nearly 300 businesses.

Business Support (Rural Areas)

24.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding business support in rural areas. [15046]

Business support in both rural and urban areas is available through the network of business links in England and equivalent organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Telecommunication Services (Suppliers)

26.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the diversity of suppliers of telecommunication services. [15048]

The Government's policy of progressive liberalisation has led to substantial and growing level of competition in the provision of telecommunications infrastructure, and increased innovation in telecommunication services. As well as having a greater choice than ever before, consumers are also benefiting from better quality of service and lower prices.

Deregulation

27.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he has in respect of deregulation. [15049]

My Department is taking a number of new initiatives. For example, we have recently laid two deregulation orders, bringing the total to 10. Seven of these orders have already become law. We have a further six orders in the pipeline and will continue to bring other candidates forward when we can.We are striving to remove unnecessary burdens on business through a review of business licences. Consultation is under way on proposals designed to reduce the number of classes of radiocommunication licence from 50 to around 35.We have four consultation exercises under way on measures which will ease burdens on business. A further 10 such consultations are complete and the results are being considered.When considering deregulation, it is vital to listen to business. Last year, therefore, I wrote to 130 major trade associations for their views on further measures DTI should take. Over 50 per cent. responded and we are now considering the responses in detail.

Social Chapter

28.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals there are for future legislation under the social chapter; and what assessment he has made of the impact which this legislation would have on businesses in the United Kingdom. [15050]

Issues under discussion include rights for part-time and temporary workers, information and consultation in companies at national level and the reversal of the burden of proof in sex discrimination cases. The Commission is considering future action in other areas, including individual dismissals and sick pay. All these measures would be likely to impose damaging, job-destroying burdens on business if we gave up our opt-out from the social chapter.

Research And Development (Aerospace)

29.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received about Government assistance for research and development in the British aerospace industry. [15051]

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, I and other ministerial colleagues have received representations in recent months in the form of meetings with the Society of British Aerospace Companies and individual aerospace companies, and letters from Members of Parliament and from aerospace companies.

Petrol Pricing

30.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed petrol pricing with the Office of Fair Trading; and if he will make a statement. [15053]

Neither I nor my current ministerial colleagues have discussed petrol pricing with the Director General of Fair Trading. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Energy set out the Government's position on petrol retailing to the Trade and Industry Select Committee last year.

Bilateral Trade

31.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the prospects for bilateral trade and capital investment between (a) the UK and the USA and (b) the UK and Australia; and if he will make a statement. [15054]

The prospects for bilateral trade and capital investment between the United Kingdom and both overseas markets are excellent. Exports of goods to the United States reached £19.8 billion in 1996 and to Australia £2.5 billion.The bilateral investment position is very healthy. The United Kingdom and the United States are each the largest direct investor in the other. Australia is the United Kingdom's third largest destination for outward investment and Australia is one of the top five direct investors in the United Kingdom.

European Directives (Social Chapter)

32.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many European directives have been agreed under the social chapter to date. [15055]

Two directives have so far been adopted under the agreement on social policy.

Inward Investment

33.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on trends in foreign direct investment into the UK in the past decade. [15056]

The stock of inward investment in the UK rose from £44.3 billion in 1985 to £144 billion in 1995—the latest year for which comparable figures are available.This increase reflects the UK's continuing attractions as a business location, including competitive costs, a skilled and adaptable work force, low corporation tax and an established industrial infrastructure. That is why the UK is the market leader in Europe for investment from the US and Asia Pacific.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what value of inward investment has come to the United Kingdom in each of the past three years; from which principal countries; and if he will make a statement. [15276]

The value of flow figures for inward investment are only available on a consistent basis up to 1994. The top three sources for 1992–94 were as follows.

Year	Flows £ million
1992
United States	3,748
Germany	1,261
Netherlands	1,135
Total into United Kingdom	8,850
1993
United States	5,144
Netherlands	1,245
Australia	996
Total into United Kingdom	9,863
1994
United States	1,873
Netherlands	1,691
France	665
Total into United Kingdom	6,110

Source:

International Direct Investment Statistics Yearbook, 1996, OECD.

Trade Deficit

34.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was (a) the deficit in trade in goods in 1995 and (b) the total deficit in trade in goods for those months of 1996 for which figures are available. [15057]

The deficit in trade in goods in 1995 was £11.6 billion. In the first 11 months of 1996, the deficit was £11.7 billion. Overall, the balance of payments current account is close to balance and at its strongest for a decade.

Post Office

35.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the report on the future of the Post Office recently published by the Communications Workers Union. [15058]

I understand that the Communications Workers Union report on the future of the Post Office was published only on 17 February and neither my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade nor I have yet had an opportunity to study it.

Business Links (Sheffield)

36.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on business links in Sheffield. [15059]

The business link is now in its second year of operation and, together with its partner organisations, continues to provide valuable support services to the business community in Sheffield.It has dealt with over 6,000 inquiries since opening. Among its staff, it has three personal business advisers and three specialist counsellors advising on exports, design and finance.

Public Sector Research Establishments

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's prior options review of public sector research establishments. [15047]

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced the completion of the 1996 programme of prior options reviews on 29 January 1997. The results are designed to ensure that the bodies are managed as efficiently as possible while ensuring a sound scientific base for the future.

Departmental Policies (Bournemouth)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the effect of his Department's policies on the residents of Bournemouth since 1992, with special reference to the effects of changes in the resources provided in real terms. [14946]

Bournemouth has benefited from the increased competitiveness of British industry since 1992, which has been brought by maintaining a stable economy, with low burdens on business and a flexible labour market.Since December 1992, unemployment in Bournemouth has fallen by 44 per cent.—around 8 per cent. more than the national average.

Business Links, Taunton

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he has made of the financial reports of business links in Taunton, Somerset; and if he will make a statement; [14863](2) what action he is currently taking in respect of business links in Taunton, Somerset; and if he will make a statement. [14864]

[holding answers 10 February 1997]: My officials monitor all 89 business links on a regular basis to ensure that public funds are used for the purposes for which they are intended. Where there are particular concerns, my officials will address them with the business link concerned.There is currently an audit being undertaken at Business Link Somerset and officials are also discussing some monitoring issues with them.

Gross Domestic Product

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on gross domestic product per head in (a) the UK and (b) other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. [11787]

[holding answer 20 January 1997]: In 1995, gross domestic product per head in the UK grew by just over 2 per cent. in real terms, compared with just over 1 per cent. in the OECD as a whole.

Private Employment Agencies

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of which sectors of the economy private employment agencies primarily operate in. [16473]

The labour force survey of spring 1996 shows that, of people who describe themselves as agency temps, nearly a third are in banking, finance or business services, a quarter are in manufacturing, over a tenth are in public administration, education and health.

Engineering Skills And Training

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the extent of mismatch in skills and training in the United Kingdom engineering sector; and if he will make a statement. [16115]

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: My Department has drawn on a large number of studies to determine the strategic requirements of British business for engineering skills. It has also had first-hand input from senior representatives of business and industry who were members of the action for engineering steering group and task forces.Action for engineering brought together, in an action-oriented forum, employers and training providers to better and meet the skill requirements of industry and commerce. The majority of projects implemented and developed for implementation under action for engineering will address skills shortages through action on the selection, education, training and development of professional engineers and technicians. Outputs from the initiative include: a joint venture company, Setnet, which provides a single point of contact for advice to teachers and industry on school-industry links and curriculum support; better co-ordination of efforts to encourage more of our most able young people to consider engineering as a career, the publication and dissemination of best practice guides on the recruitment and development of technicians and on making better use of engineers; the launch of a training challenge for engineering; and the establishment of a master of engineering in business degree aimed at improving the breadth of skills of engineers in, and destined for, the boardroom.At the postgraduate level, the research councils are responsible for providing support to help to meet the country's needs, and they are in regular contact with industry and other research users on issues of quantity and quality of supply, in order to develop initiatives such as the engineering doctorate, the integrated graduate development scheme and the research masters. The foresight programme, run by the Office of Science and Technology, is providing further valuable information on skills needs in engineering and other disciplines.

University Research (Funding)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has in respect of funding for capital equipment for university research; and if he will make a statement. [15378]

[holding answer 11 February 1997]: There is to be second round of the joint research equipment initiative involving the research councils, funding councils and the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. In last year's initiative, public funds of around £25 million were matched by funds from industry and other sponsors to yield a total sum for university equipment of £50 million, with 175 projects supported in over 50 institutions.The details of the second round are currently being finalised, but the aim again is to provide some £50 million for equipment in 1997–98 with the help of industry and other sponsors.

Civil Aviation (Research)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what projects are currently being funded from CARAD—the civil aviation research and technology programme. [15856]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: I regret that the information requested cannot be provided. Some of the projects are supported jointly with the Ministry of Defence and are classified. Release could cause harm in terms of the defence, security and commercial confidence exemptions in the code of practice on access to government information, and would inform competitors about detailed areas of research supported, to the potentially serious detriment of the national research effort. The other projects are carried out by companies whose permission would be required to breach commercial confidentiality. This could be obtained for all projects only at disproportionate cost and would take considerable time. Some projects have been the subject of press publicity. Copies of press releases issued by the Department have been placed in the Library of the House and I have arranged for a copy of the latest CARAD annual report to be placed there.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total expenditure under the CARAD programme in each of the past five years. [15853]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: Total expenditure under the CARAD programme in each of the five years financial years 1991–92 to 1995–96 is tabulated below.

£ million
	Financial year
	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96
Gross	25.6	26.4	23.2	23.9	24.7
Receipts¹	-0.2	-0.1	-0.2	-0.5	-0.2
Nett	25.4	26.3	23.0	23.4	24.5
¹ Residual levies on pre-CARAD projects, and VAT recoveries.

Albania

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to prevent (a) British citizens, (b) British firms and (c) British-sponsored firms or consultancies from becoming involved in Albanian pyramid selling. [16412]

The Government cannot prevent people making unwise decisions in other countries. However, the Government have acted vigorously to inform people of the risks of money circulation schemes and to prevent such schemes gaining hold in the United Kingdom. In the past three years, we have successfully applied to the court to wind up over 20 companies where this appears justified in the public interest. We have supported the enactment of the Trading Schemes Act 1996 which brings money circulation schemes within the controls of the Fair Trading Act 1973. We have also made related regulations requiring basic good trading practice in the running of trading schemes.

Industry Acts Payments (Corby)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount paid under the Industry Acts and subsequent legislation to companies in the Corby area in each year since 1980. [15730]

Records showing the total amount paid to companies in the Corby travel-to-work area under sections 7 and 8 of the Industrial Development Act (1982), by calender year, for the period 1983 to 1996 are as follows:

Year	(£000's)
1983	840
1984	3,037
1985	5,611
1986	2,925
1987	6,561
1988	5,262
1989	7,210
1990	10,404
1991	3,322
1992	1,339
1993	1,991
1994	2,964
1995	669
1996	1,047
Total	53,182

There are no computerised records for the years 1980 to 1982, and the information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Waste Recycling

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many aluminium can recycling sites there were in the United Kingdom at the latest available date; and how many were located at (a) supermarkets, (b) local authority aluminium can banks, (c) local authority drinks can banks and (d) other facilities. [16202]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: In 1994, there were 4,800 aluminium can collection points in the UK. Reliable data relating to their precise location are not yet available.

Source: Aluminium Can Recycling Association.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the capacity in the United Kingdom for recycling (a) glass, (b) plastics, (c) steel cans, (d) aluminium cans, (e) paper and card, (f) batteries, (g) tyres, (h) vehicles and (i) electrical and electronic equipment, at the latest available date. [16199]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: Estimated theoretical capacities for post-consumer materials recycling are as follows:

	Tonnes
(a)	900,000
(b)	>112,500
(c)	240,000
(d)	120,000
(e)	>4,000,000
(f)	>100,000
(g)	>200,000
(h)	>975,000
(i)	>400,000

Utilisation of these capacities depends upon a number of technical, logistical and commercial factors. Capacity also exists for recovering energy from some of these materials.

Sources: recycling advisory unit and industry data.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the tonnage of (a) glass, (b) plastics, (c) steel cans, (d) aluminium cans, (e) paper and card, (f) batteries, (g) tyres, (h) vehicles and (i) electrical and electronic equipment, recycled in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [16200]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: Tonnages of post-consumer products recycled in 1995 were:

	Tonnes
(a)	501,000
(b)	112,500
(c)	80,000
(d)	30,000
(e)	4,000,000
(f)	100,000

	Tonnes
(g)	200,000
(h)	975,000
(i)	300,000¹
¹ Estimate, for "white goods".

Sources: recycling advisory unit and industry data.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the recycling rate for (a) glass, (b) plastics, (c) steel cans, (d) aluminium cans, (e) paper and card, (f) batteries, (g) tyres, (h) vehicles and (i) electrical and electronic equipment, in the United Kingdom at the latest available date. [16201]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: Recycling rates in 1995 for post-consumer waste products were:

	Per cent.
(a)	26.5
(b)	5.5
(c)	16.0
(d)	28.0
(e)	35.0
(f)	(car batteries) 90.0
(g)	51.0
(h)	75.0
(i)	(white goods) 75.0

Sources: recycling advisory unit and industry data.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the (a) number of aluminium cans produced and consumed, (b) consumption of aluminium cans in tonnes, (c) number of aluminium can banks, (d) number of aluminium cans collected, (e) number of tonnes of aluminium cans collected and (f) aluminium can recycling rate in (i) 1995 and (ii) 1996 in the United Kingdom. [16203]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: The information is as follows:

	1995	1996
(a)	7.0 billion produced	5.3 billion produced
	6.8 billion consumed	5.1 billion consumed
(b)	109,000 tonnes	84,000 tonnes
(c)	4,8000	Data not yet available
(d)	1.9 billion	Data not yet available
(e)	30,000 tonnes	Data not yet available
(f)	28 per cent	Data not yet available

Source: Aluminium Can Recycling Association.

Waste Disposal At Sea

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what are his Department's current proposals for disposal at sea of (a) bulky radioactive wastes and (b) redundant oil or gas installations; [15652](2) what is his Department's role in respect of the disposal of redundant oil and gas installations at sea; and if he will list the current proposals for such disposal under consideration by his Department. [15654]

Any proposals for the removal and disposal of disused offshore oil and gas installations are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987. Proposals involving disposal at sea also require approval under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in English and Welsh waters or from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland in Scottish waters. My Department has no proposals for sea disposal under consideration at the present time.Questions relating to the disposal of radioactive wastes are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment, and the Secretary of States for Scotland and for Wales.

Telecommunications

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the outcome of the World Trade Organisation talks on telecommunications; and if he will make a statement. [17104]

I very much welcome this major success, both for the World Trade Organisation as a promoter of free trade worldwide, and for the United Kingdom, particularly for telecommunications operators, manufacturers and users. The United Kingdom was an active participant in the talks, chairing them throughout the nearly three years they took to complete. My hon. Friend the Minister for Science and Technology attended earlier EU Telecoms Ministers Council Meetings and the final stages of the discussions last week.This agreement, which covers 69 countries and over 91 per cent. of the £400 billion world market for telecommunications will create an enormous boost for operators in the United Kingdom, the most open and competitive market for telecommunications in the world, by offering them access to a large number of markets worldwide, and reinforcing the United Kingdom's position as a global telecommunications hub. It will also give added impetus to the spread of liberalisation, which the United Kingdom has pioneered since the early 1980s, within a guaranteed framework of multilateral, enforceable rules. The expected boost to investment, as more countries open their markets to competition, means new orders for equipment and, equally important, software and systems management from which our manufacturers are well placed to benefit. Some estimates point to an additional £20 billion increase in UK telecoms revenues by 2010.To British consumers, it will mean cheaper telephone charges, as competition in other markets has the same effect as it has had here in bringing charges closer to cost, and British operators pass these on to consumers here. I expect this to bring us closer to the day when ringing New York will cost little more than ringing another town

Pension scheme	Current membership	Last annual employer (£000s)¹	Income from employee (£000s)	Annual payments in benefits (£000s) per annum¹	Administration costs (£000s) per annum¹
Health and personal social services (HPSS) superannuation scheme	36,435	21,380	32,235	85,439	680
Belfast corporation transport department	396	nil	nil	1,100	13
Northern Ireland firemen's pension scheme	1,395	nil	1,964	4,198	35
Northern Ireland local government officers superannuation scheme	27,109	8,340	18,705	43,855	927
Ulster transport authority	216	nil	nil	408	5
Teachers superannuation scheme	35,000²	40,200	30,727	94,754	450

in Britain. This also holds major benefits for the British economy as a whole. World-wide, industry and consumers spend more on telecommunications than on oil products. Low telecommunications charges have already made the United Kingdom an attractive location for people to do business and invest—even lower charges will reinforce this.

Exports (Manufactured Goods)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on trends since the end of the third quarter of 1996 in respect of United Kingdom exports of manufactured goods, with particular reference to (a) electronic equipment, (b) motor parts and components and (c) machine tools. [15178]

Information on trade with other EU countries to October 1996 is published by HM Customs and Excise in business monitor MM20A. Information on trade with non-EU members to November 1996 is published in business monitor MM20. There is insufficient data since the end of Q3 1996 to assess trends.

Export Credits Guarantee Department (Debt)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the debt currently owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department, indicating (a) arrears and current maturities that have rescheduled, (b) arrears and current maturities that have not been rescheduled and (c) future maturities that have not yet fallen due for payment. [16206]

At the close of ECGD's last financial year on 31 March 1996 the debt currently owed to the Department amounted to £6,721.3 million. Rescheduled amounts totalled £4,819.1 million and unrescheduled amounts £1,902.2 million.Total future maturities which have not yet fallen due for payment amounted to £17,720.3 million.

Northern Ireland

Public Sector Pension Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Northern Ireland public sector pension schemes with their (a) current membership, (b) last annual income from employer and employee contributions, (c) annual expenditure in payments of benefit and (d) administration costs. [14839]

The information requested is listed:

Pension scheme	Current membership	Last annual employer (£000s)¹	Income from employee (£000s)	Annual payments in benefits (£000s) per annum¹	Administration costs (£000s) per annum¹
Principal civil service pension scheme(Northern Ireland)	29,877	74,417	9,289	84,246	566
Police authority pension scheme	12,100	nil	30,580	44,140	300
¹ All monetary figures as at 31 March 1996.
² Approximately.

Civil Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the staffing and overtime costs of the recent special redundancy and early retirement exercise in the Northern Ireland civil service; how many civil servants of which grade and from which department were given payments; what was the average gratuity and pension awarded; and how many posts were declared redundant. [15726]

Not all of the releases planned under the 1996–97 redundancy and early retirement schemes have yet been processed; therefore the information given relates only to the period 1 April 1996 to 31 January 1997. The number of releases by department and grade are shown in the table.Most of the administration costs of the exercise have been subsumed within the normal running costs. The staffing costs therefore relate only to those additional costs which it has been possible to ascertain at other than disproportionate cost.The average gratuity includes scheme lump sum, enhanced lump sum, compensation lump sum and commuted lump sum while the average pension is the average annual amount to be paid until the various officers reach the normal retiring age.

	Cost/figures
Staff costs	£85,000.00
Overtime costs	£39,039.00
Number of redundancy/early retirement cases processed	311
Average gratuity	£50,362.55
Average pension payment (annual amount)	£2,131.26
Number of posts declared redundant (anticipated in period 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997)	557

Agri-Environment Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding his Department has allocated in the current year for the operation of agri-environment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the schemes. [15210]

Total funding for the operation of agri-environment schemes in Northern Ireland is £5.96 million. Of this, £5,092 million is allocated for payment to farmers, £100,000 for monitoring and evaluation costs and £768,000 in respect of operational costs.The agri-environment schemes are subject to periodic review. Approval has recently been received from the EC to certain minor changes on payment rates and other provisions of the environmentally sensitive area schemes which resulted from a review in 1996. The changes will be introduced shortly. A fundamental review will be carried out in 1998. The organic aid scheme is presently under review.

Rural White Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to produce a rural White Paper for Northern Ireland. [17106]

There are no plans at present to produce a rural White Paper for Northern Ireland. Apart from the range of Government policies covering Northern Ireland as a whole, rural areas are specifically addressed by some 16 existing and policy statements. In addition, there is a series of financial programmes targeted at the economic and social revitalisation of the most disadvantaged rural areas in Northern Ireland through community projects and partnerships with local people. A recently published report commissioned by the Department of Agriculture highlighted the considerable success of the rural development programme since its launch in 1991 and it continues to serve as an effective instrument in tackling the needs of rural areas in Northern Ireland.Existing Government policies and programmes for rural areas of Northern Ireland therefore compare very favourably with those in other parts of the UK. My Department will continue to keep abreast of policy developments affecting rural areas on the mainland and, where appropriate, will consider their adoption in Northern Ireland.

Department Of Health And Social Security Services (Maladministration)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding the DHSS arrangements for considering financial redress where maladministration has occurred. [17107]

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to making its services more responsive to the needs of its customers, operating financial redress where appropriate. Since 1977, the Department has operated arrangements whereby financial redress can be made to a customer who has suffered a financial loss through maladministration. These arrangements mirror those operated by the Department of Social Security. While the arrangements have been updated periodically since then, a major review, covering the whole of the United Kingdom, has recently been completed. The review, which took account of the principles contained in the Office of Public Service and Treasury guidance and concerns raised by the GB Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the parliamentary ombudsman for Northern Ireland, has resulted in the production of a revised set of arrangements.The revised arrangements provide the basis for a consistent approach to complaints across agencies and offer a more sympathetic attitude to cases where official error has occurred, but no financial loss has been experienced. They also ensure more equitable treatment in the consideration of compensation payments when moneys due are unnecessarily delayed. In line with the remainder of the United Kingdom, the revised arrangements are effective from 1 January 1997. A copy of "Financial Redress for Maladministration",— DHSS(NI), which provides detailed guidance will be placed in the Library.

Driver And Vehicle Testing Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency during 1997–98. [17108]

For 1997–98, the following targets have been set:

	Target
Vehicle test appointments	21 days average waiting time
Driving test appointments	38 days average waiting time
Productivity (vehicle testing)	18.5 units per man per day
Productivity (driver testing)	7.98 units per man per day
Faulty inspections	Faulty inspections not to exceed 0.01 per cent. of tests conducted
Level of complaints about booking arrangements	Less than 0.20 per cent. of applications received
Level of complaints about the conduct of tests	Less than 0.20 per cent. of applications received
Level of customer satisfaction with booking arrangements	At least 85 per cent. plus or minus 2 per cent. within the range of sampling error

Private hospitals and nursing homes
	Acute¹	Mental illness	Mental handicap	Category of bed Physical disabilities	Maternity	Elderly: General²	Other²	Total
Private hospitals at 31 December
1982	236	18	—	—	1	—	—	255
1983	227	18	—	—	1	—	—	246
1984	227	18	—	—	1	—	—	246
1985	227	18	—	—	1	—	—	246
1986	193	18	—	—	1	—	—	212
1987	196	18	—	—	1	—	—	215
at 31 March
1989	210	18	—	—	—	—	—	228
1990	250	18	—	—	—	—	—	268
1991	246	18	—		—	—	—	264
1992	243	18	—	—	—	—	12	273
1993	239	18	—	—	—	—	12	269
1994	230	5	—	—	—	—	10	245
1995	251	67	—	—	—	—	—	318
Private nursing homes at 31 December
1982	68	25	5	—	24	862	—	984
1983	98	54	—	—	24	992	—	1,168
1984	88	50	—	—	24	1,171	—	1,333
1985	79	71	—	—	24	1,727	—	1,901
1986	28	203	—	—	24	2,532	—	2,787
1987	291	307	9	—	—	3,398	—	4,005

	Target
Level of customer satisfaction with test procedures	At least 92 per cent, plus or minus 2 per cent, within the range of sampling error
Number of compensation payments for cancelled tests	Less than 0.2 per cent, of applications received

Wales

Mentally Ill People

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of cases of abuse of mentally ill people in community care in Wales which (a) are currently under investigation and (b) have been reported in each of the last five years; of those investigated, how many and what percentage have resulted in (i) prosecution and (ii) conviction; and if he will make a statement. [12951]

[holding answer 27 January 1997]: The Welsh Office has made no such estimate.

Hospital Beds

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each year since 1979 the numbers of (a) registered beds and (b) occupied beds in (i) registered private hospitals or clinics, (ii) registered private nursing homes and (iii) all registered establishments in Wales, showing separately those which were for (1) acute specialties, (2) mental illness, (3) people with learning difficulties, (4) people with physical disabilities, (5) maternity and (6) other purposes. [14545]

The information on registered beds is given in the following table. Information on occupied beds is not collected centrally and no information on bed numbers is available before 1982.

Private hospitals and nursing homes
	Category of bed
	Acute ¹	Mental illness	Mental handicap	Physical disabilities	Maternity	Elderly: General	Other ²	Total
at 31 March
1989	620	592	9	—	—	4,745	—	5,966
1990	357	874	37	—	—	6,491	—	7,759
1991	51	1,197	24	—	—	8,384	—	9,656
1992	65	1,280	162	409	—	8,808	309	11,033
1993	3	1,605	63	616	—	9,607	228	12,122
1994	67	1,816	24	354	—	10,280	165	12,706
1995	53	1,974	27	645	—	10,429	76	13,204
Private hospitals and nursing homes at 31 December
1982	304	43	5	—	25	862	—	1,239
1983	325	72	—	—	25	992	—	1,414
1984	315		—	—	25	1,171	—	1,579
1985	306	89	—	—	25	1,727	—	2,147
1986	221	221	—	—	25	2,532	—	2,999
1987	487	325	9	—	1	3,398	—	4,220
at 31 March
1989	830	610	9	—	—	4,745	—	6,194
1990	607	892	37	—	—	6,491	—	8,027
1991	297	1,215	24	—	—	8,384	—	9,920
1992	308	1,298	162	409	—	8,808	321	11,306
1993	242	1,623	63	616	—	9,607	240	12,391
1994	297	1,821	24	354	—	10,280	175	12,951
1995	304	2,041	27	645	—	10,429	76	13,522
¹Includes other general beds.
²General elderly beds not classified as acute.
³Terminal illness.

Beef Export Ban

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) farmers' incomes and (b) the economy of Wales of the European ban on UK beef exports. [15479]

Total income from farming in Wales is estimated to have fallen by 4.4 per cent. in 1996. This is due to a range of factors, including BSE. Output from the cattle sector in Wales is estimated to have fallen by just under 23 per cent. in 1996. However, this reduction in output is largely offset by compensation and support measures put in place by the Government. The Department is co-sponsoring an independent study to provide a comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of BSE.

Electoral Register

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total number of electors for each of the new parliamentary constituencies in Wales for the 1997–98 register of electors effective from 16 February. [16214]

The Office for National Statistics is preparing a monitor detailing numbers of electors on the 1997 electoral register for each of the new parliamentary constituencies. This will be published by early April 1997 and a copy will be placed in the Library on the day of publication.The numbers of electors on the 1996 electoral register for the new parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom were published in July 1996 by ONS in Monitor EL 96/2, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Mink Fur Farms

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many mink fur farms there are in Wales by county. [16410]

There are no mink fur farms in Wales.

Scottish Grand Committee

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the cost to public funds of the attendance of (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee in Scotland since December 1994; and if he will list the meetings of the Committee which (a) and (b) have attended, indicating the cost of attendance and the names of those who attended. [16578]

Nil.

Agri-Environment Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funding his Department has allocated in the current year for the operation of agri-environment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the schemes. [15208]

Current provision for 1996–97 is £3.32 million. I anticipate that running and monitoring costs for 1996–97 will be £1.98 million and £0.85 million respectively.

Scotland

Nhs Salaries And Wages

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list NHS salaries and wages costs for (a) general and senior manager, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) administrative and clerical staff for the financial years (i) 1994–95 and (ii) 1995–96. [14575]

The annual accounts of the health boards and NHS trusts do not detail separately salaries and wages for general and senior managers. This information is included in the costs of administrative and clerical staff as detailed in the table.

£thousand
	1994–95	1995–95
Nurses and midwives	949,697	939,844
Administrative and clerical staff	251,328	265,516

The salaries and wages of student nurses are included in the figure 1994–95 but not 1995–96 as a result of the introduction of Project 2000.

Basking Sharks

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of (a) the depletion rate of basking sharks over the past five years and (b) the size of the current population around the coastline and islands; and if he will make a statement. [14667]

[holding answer 12 February 1997]: No estimates are currently available due in part to the basking shark's erratic and highly variable appearances off Scotland's coasts. Scottish Natural Heritage has examined the feasibility of monitoring the distribution and movement of this species and is considering the best way of taking forward research.

Law Mining

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the actions taken by the Lanarkshire mining company, LAW Mining, in respect of petitioners against its planning applications to develop opencast mining; and if he will make a statement. [15977]

My right hon. Friend has received no representations about the reported action by LAW mining in respect of petitioners against its planning application. Clearly, it can sometimes be useful for a planning authority in preparing for decision making to take into account the views of applicants, objectors or consultees on representations made by other parties. However, should any party take it upon itself to make an inquiry about any such representation it should, of course, be undertaken in a lawful manner.

Scottish Prison Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the properties owned by the Scottish Prison Service in (a) Clydesdale, (b) Lanarkshire and (c) Scotland; and if he will list the total valuations in each category; [15902](2) if it is Government policy to sell off Scottish Prison Service property to the highest bidder; what account is taken of the willingness of the sitting tenants to buy; and if he will make a statement; [15899](3) what discount is allowed to Scottish prison officers living in tied accommodation when buying their homes; [15903](4) what consultation there was with sitting tenants, renting property owned by the Scottish Prison Service, concerning the sell-off of houses and garages. [15900]

The subject of the questions relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Jimmy Hood, dated 19 February 1997:

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your questions about properties owned by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and various associated matters relating to disposal procedures.

You asked for information abut properties owned by the SPS in specific parts of Scotland, and for the country as a whole. This infonnation is set out in the table attached. The valuation figures have been provided by the relevant District Valuers.

You also asked about the policy in relation to selling property to the highest bidder. Government policy is that assets, not required for operational purposes, should be disposed of at the best price possible, with due regard to any special factors, such as the discount sales scheme which operates in relation to staff quarters. The extent of discounts allowed was the subject of one of your further questions. The discount scheme enjoyed by prison officers is equivalent to that operated by local authorities under the "Right to Buy" legislation. Prison officers do not have a statutory right to buy, but, unless there are any limitations on security grounds relating to the sale of the property, officers may purchase quarters at discounts which range from 32 per cent. to 60 per cent. for a house, and 44 per cent. for a flat, depending upon length of tenure.

You also asked about what consultation there was with sitting tenants, renting property owned by the SPS, concerning the sell-off of houses and garages. When the discounted sales scheme was introduced in 1981, all SPS staff in rented quarters were advised of the conditions under which they were eligible to purchase, and the level of discounts they would receive. The terms of the discount scheme had been agreed with the relevant trade unions. Since then, staff who have continued to occupy SPS quarters have been reminded from time to time of the opportunity to purchase. Quarters are disposed of only to willing tenants who submit an application to purchase.

As regards garages, where these are occupied by SPS staff who are also renting or have purchased an SPS quarter, tenancies would continue until such time as the tenant either wished to purchase, gave up the garage voluntarily or left the Service. In certain cases, where there has been no interest by SPS staff in renting garages, and no internal or external interest in purchase, vacant garages have been rented to private tenants. In these circumstances, if the siting tenant later wished to purchase, the sale would normally take place at a price determined by the District Valuer. Given the small sums of money involved, it has not been the practice to seek then to advertise the property in an attempt to obtain a higher price. If an outside party expressed an interest in purchasing a garage in private tenancy then, in fairness to the sitting tenant, he/she would be offered first refusal, either at the District Valuer's sale price, or at the amount offered by the other party, whichever was the higher.

Scottish Prison Service Property ¹
Area	Total value £	Area sub total £
Clydesdale Constituency
2 garages (Hunters Way, Blackwood)	680	680
Lanarkshire (North and South)
2 houses (Hamilton Drive, Dungavel)	75,000
7 garages (Hamilton Drive, Dungavel)	2,310
4 houses (The Crescent, Longriggend)	104,000
13 garages (The Crescent, Longriggend)	4,030
1 staff club (at Longriggend Remand Institution)	50,000
10 houses (Burns Place, Shotts)	316,000
2 houses (Byron Road, Shotts)	93,500
14 garages (Burns Place, Shotts)	4,620
9 garages (Byron Road, Shotts)	2,970	652,430
Aberdeenshire
1 house (Ashgrove Place, Peterhead)	37,000
1 house (Bell Avenue)	37,500
1 house (Blackhill Crescent, Peterhead)	40,000
1 house (MacKenzie Court, Peterhead)	40,000
1 house (Seaview Gardens, Peterhead)	38,000
14 garages (Brucklay Court, Peterhead)	35,000
21 garages (North Site, Peterhead)	52,500
29 garages (South Site, Peterhead)	72,500
1 staff club (at Peterhead Prison)	80,000	432,500
Angus
1 house (Woodlands Avenue)	35,500
2 garages (Woodlands Avenue)	400
1 staff club (at Noranside Prison)	25,000	60,900
Clackmannanshire
1 house (The Cleaves, Glenochil)	54,000
9 garages (Glenochil Village)	13,500
30 garages (Woodlea Park, Sauchi, Alloa)	60,000
1 staff club (at Glenochil YOI and Prison)	49,000	176,500
Dumfries and Galloway
1 house (Ashfield Drive, Dumfries)	38,000
1 house (Cree Cottage, Penninghame)	43,000	81,000
East Dunbartonshire
1 house (Meadowburn, Bishopbriggs)	58,000	58,000
Edinburgh, City of
1 house (Calder Road, Edinburgh)	62,500
33 garages (Longstone Gardens, Edinburgh)	82,500
1 staff club (at Edinburgh Prison)	200,000	345,000
Falkirk
4 houses (Blairlodge Avenue, Brightons)	193,000
1 house (Polwarth Avenue, Brightons)	46,000
1 staff club (at Polmont YOI)	90,000	329,000
Glasgow, City of
6 houses (Lethamhill Road, Glasgow)	192,000
21 garages (Lethamhill Road, Glasgow)	10,500
1 staff club (at Barlinnie Prison)	180,000	382,500
Highland
1 garage (Old Edinburgh Road, Inverness)	2,750	2,750
Perth and Kinross
2 houses (The Avenue, Castle Huntly)	84,000
10 garages (Castle Grove, Castle Huntly)	4,500
1 staff club (at Castle Huntly Prison)	30,000
17 garages (Mansion Crescent, Perth)	8,500	1
1 staff club (at Perth Prison)	56,000	183,000

Scottish Prison Service Property ¹
Area	Total value £	Area sub total £
Stirling
6 houses (Cornton Cottages, Bridge of Allan)	292,000
4 garages (Castle Vale, Bridge of Allan)	6,000	298,000
West Lothian
1 storage depot (Fauldhouse)	800,000	800,000
Overall Total		3,802,260
¹Excluding prison establishment themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what training is available to staff within the Scottish Prison Service's estates department in public relations and how to communicate with the general public, and if he will make a statement; [15904](2) how many managers are employed within the Scottish Prison Service's estates department; and what are their grades and salaries; [15905]

The subject of the questions relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Jimmy Hood, dated 19 February 1997:

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your questions about Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Estate Department staff.

You asked about the numbers, grades (expressed in terms of pay bands) and salaries of managers employed with the SPS's Estate Department. The information, relating to the Estates Directorate within the SPS's Headquarters in Edinburgh, is as follows:—

Head of Estates Directorate

1 x Band H @ £40k

Branch Heads

1 xBandH @ £35k

2 x Band G @ £30k

There are no specific courses in "public relations and how to communicate with the general public". Normally mangers and their staff receive training in building, professional and construction matters, and also in administration-related topics, reflecting the range of duties they carry out. Contact with the public in such areas is minimal. It is however my view that all public servants where they do come into contact with the public, should deal with them in a polite, courteous and professional manner. Where a development need is identified, training can be provided.

Electoral Register

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of electors for each of the new parliamentary constituencies in Scotland for the 1997–98 register of electors effective from 16 February. [16209]

This information is not yet available centrally.

Private Employment Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the private employment agencies used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available, indicating (a) the names of the agencies, (b) the numbers employed by the agencies in work for his Department, (c) the total cost to his Department of using employment agencies and the median cost paid to the agency per person recruited and (d) the average length of contract for persons recruited via such agencies. [16183]

The Scottish Office and its agencies make minimal use of private employment agencies to provide staff with particular skills at short notice. Statistics are not held centrally either on the numbers employed through private employment agencies or on the median costs.The following tables do, however, give the figures for total expenditure in each of the last three years, along with an estimate of the average length of contract.

Private employment agencies
Name	Total cost for year (£)	Average length of contract (weeks)
1994
ASA International
Clyde Marine
Hays Accountancy Personnel
Office Personnel
Pertemps Caledonian
	53,787	4.6
1995
Accountancy Personnel
Clyde Marine
Hays Accountancy
Pertemps Caledonian
	64,962	17.75
1996
ASA International
Clyde Marine
Hays Accountancy Personnel
Humber Shipping Services
Reed Staffing
Sealife Crewing Services
Seamariner Ltd.
Pertemps Caledonian
	86,893	16.5

Royal Yacht

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the costs incurred by (a) Locate in Scotland and (b) Scottish Financial Enterprise in the promotional use of the royal yacht in the past seven years. [15626]

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: The total cost to Locate in Scotland of using the royal yacht for promotional purposes during the past seven years was £23,596.Scottish Financial Enterprise is a private sector organisation and questions relating to the costs incurred by it in connection with its use of the royal yacht are a matter for it.

Homeless People

To ask the Secretary of State of Scotland how many homeless people there were in each Scottish constituency in each year between 1992 and 1996; and if he will make a statement. [15892]

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: The available information relates to local authorities and not to parliamentary constituencies.

Mink Fur Farms

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mink fur farms there are in Scotland by county. [16408]

There are no mink fur farms in operation in Scotland.

Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department had made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16310]

The Department recognises that it has an important part to play in using products which do not contain either hazardous materials or ozone-depleting substances and has had green housekeeping strategies in place since 1992. Within the Scottish Office, core estate goods that contain chlorofluorocarbons in any application are not purchased and the use of ozone-depleting substances has been phased out. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 are fully implemented in the procurement, storage, use, and disposal of chemically based products.

Agri-Environment Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total budget for (a) environmentally sensitive areas and (b) the Scottish countryside premium scheme, over each of the next three years. [15213]

The overall planned provision for the Scottish agri-environment programme is £9.235 million for 1997–98, £13.468 million for 1998–99 and £15.7 million for 1999–2000. This excludes running costs for the schemes, since this information is not collected separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding his Department has allocated in the current year for the operation of agri-environment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the schemes. [15211]

The overall financial provision for the Scottish agri-environment programme for 1996–97 is £9.248 million. This includes monitoring costs for environmentally sensitive areas but excludes running costs for the schemes, since this information is not collected separately.

All aspects of the operation of the schemes are kept under review. Following completion of a programme of biennial reviews, substantial increases in payment rates and ceilings for environmentally sensitive areas were implemented last year. In addition, the new countryside premium scheme, which we plan to launch in the spring, will provide a comprehensive menu of conservation options previously only available to farmers and crofters in environmentally sensitive areas.

Pesca Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the disbursement of Pesca funding to local authorities in Scotland in respect of approved projects; when these funds were received from the EU authorities; when he proposes to distribute the money; if he will list the projects and authorities concerned, indicating the amounts of Pesca funding due; and what are the reasons for delays in that distribution. [15792]

The Pesca community initiative operates on a UK basis and the Scottish Office receives its share of funds from the European Commission via the

Pesca (UK programme)—Objective 1 sub-programme
Local Pesca group	Allocation in MECU (1995–99)	Approximate value in £s	Lead organisation and telephone number
1. Argyll	0.676	528,122	Argyll and the Islands Enterprise—01546 602281
2. Caithness and Sutherland	0.860	671,872	Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise—01847 896115
3. Lochaber	0.189	147.655	Locaber Ltd.—01397 874638
4. Orkney	0.286	223,436	Orkney Enterprise—01856 874638
5. Wester Ross	0.218	170,312	Ross and Cromarty Enterprise—01349 853666
6. Shetland	0.442	345,311	Shetland Enterprise—01595 693177
7. Skye and Lochalsh	0.297	232,030	Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise—01478 612841
8. Western Isles	0.608	474,998	Western Isles Enterprise—01851 703703
Total	3.576	2,793,736
Regional Projects	0.387	302,342	Highlands and Islands Enterprise—01463 234171
Management	0.398	310,936	Highlands and Islands Enterprise—01463 234171
Total	4.361	3,407,014

Non-objective 1 sub-programme
Local Pesca group	Allocation in MECU (1995–1999)	Allocation in sterling (1995–1999)	Lead organisation and telephone number
1. Grampian	8.149	6,366,374	Aberdeenshire Council—01224 682222
2. Tayside/Fife	1.34	1,046,870	Fife council—01592 414141
3. South West Scotland	1.34	1,046,870	Dumfries and Galloway Council—01387 260070
4. Borders	1.34	1,046,870	Scottish Borders Council—01835 824000
Total	12.169	9,506,983

Consultants

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on consultants' reports over the past five years. [16494]

Expenditure over the past five years by the Scottish Office and its associated agencies on external consultants including management consultants has been:

1991–92: £10,836,000
1992–93: £4,370,000
1993–94: £5,383,000
1994–95: £4,079,000
1995–96: £5,440,000

Department for Education and Employment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Trade and Industry respectively. The first instalments of all funds were received by November 1996.

Pesca is delivered in eligible areas in Scotland through local Pesca groups—LPGs. The Scottish Office has approved a business plan for each LPG detailing the budget and criteria for selecting individual projects at local level. Each LPG has begun to implement its business plan and approve projects. Detailed lists of projects will be provided in annual reports from the LPGs for collation by the Scottish Office and transmission to the European Commission in June 1997.

The table lists the LPGs, each group's allocation and the lead organisation and telephone number.

The need to establish administrative arrangements which achieved the greatest delegation of responsibility to local areas while ensuring proper accountability delayed the operation of Pesca in Scotland. It is to the credit of all concerned that we now have an acceptable balance. The Scottish sub-programmes are now operating ahead of most of the rest of the UK. By the end of this financial year, the Scottish Office will have disbursed all due Pesca funds.

Health

Lariam

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, with dates, the changes made between 1990 and 1997 in the product data sheet issued to patients with the drug Lariam, describing use and possible side-effects; and what were the reasons for the changes. [15193]

The changes that have been made to the product information for Lariam—mefloquine—between 1990 and 1997 have been placed in the Library. The reasons for the changes are that new evidence has become available to the marketing authorisation holder and to the Medicines Control Agency. The sources of the information include suspected adverse reactions received through spontaneous adverse reaction reporting schemes and clinical studies on efficacy or safety of the product.Copies of data sheets that have been included in the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry data sheet compendium between 1990 and 1996, along with the current data sheet and the patient information leaflets for the same period, have been placed in the Library.

Nhs Trusts (Lease Cars)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of NHS trust chairmen and non-executive directors with lease cars on 31 December (a) 1995 and (b) 1996. [16242]

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the different arrangements applying to (a) Crown and (b) lease cars provided to members of boards of NHS trusts. [16236]

Under the terms of section 24 of the general Whitley council handbook, national health service employers may offer Crown cars to employees where they deem it to be in the interests of the service. The Whitley council scheme does not apply to chairmen and non-executive directors. They may be provided with lease cars when this represents value for money when compared with other methods of funding their travel on NHS business. However, they must make a personal contribution for any private use equivalent to the full amount of the taxable benefit.

Nhs Medical Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral statement on 11 February, Official Report, column 156, concerning the size of the current Red Book contract for the delivery of NHS general medical services, what opportunities will be offered by his proposed amendment to the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill [Lords] which are not possible under a current Red Book contract. [16023]

The National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill will permit those who work in the NHS to shape services to reflect local needs and circumstances rather than work solely to the national terms of service.

Hospitals (Lancashire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many capital spending projects are (a) under way and (b) planned at hospitals in Lancashire. [16144]

As at 31 December 1996, there were 10 schemes under way in the North West region. A further 10 projects are planned. Details for Lancashire are not available separately.

Abortion

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will embody the British Medical Association guidelines on conscientious objection to abortion in a departmental circular to GPs. [16095]

In 1991 the general medical services council of the British Medical Association issued guidance to general practitioners through local medical committees, reminding them of their objections under their terms of service. The guidance remains extant, and GPs who have a conscientious objection to abortion should refer the patient to another doctor as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct regional health executives not to employ criteria for NHS abortions which are not provided for in the Abortion Act 1967. [16096]

The Abortion Act 1967 as amended sets out the grounds on which abortion may lawfully be carried out. The criteria health authorities use when deciding on the level of abortion services are not covered by the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement of the Abortion Law Reform Association report on "NHS Abortion Services". [16161]

The Abortion Law Reform Association report has indicted that where the conditions of the Abortion Act 1967 as amended are met there is an overall national improvement in access to abortion services.Any specific service issues are a matter for local health authorities and should be brought up with them in the first instance.

Dentists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists worked in the NHS in the north-west of England (a) at the latest available date and (b) in 1979. [16169]

The table shows the number of general dental service dentists at 30 September 1979 and 1995 in north-west England.

General Dental Service: number of demists by family health services authority at 30 September north-west England
	1979	1995
North-west England	1,511	2,083
Cheshire	241	319
Liverpool	123	152
St. Helens and Knowsley	75	95
Sefton	77	93
Wirral	89	121
Lancashire	284	442
Bolton	53	79
Bury	43	58
Manchester	136	167
Oldham	42	67
Rochdale	45	58
Salford	49	67
Stockport	91	108

General Dental Service: number of dentists by family health services authority at 30 September north-west England
	1979	1995
Tameside	46	73
Trafford	62	87
Wigan	55	97

1. The figures represent the number of dentists (principals) on the family health services authority list and their assistants and vocational trainees.

2. Some dentists have contracts with more than one family health services authority. These dentists have been counted only once.

3. Excludes salaried, hospital, and community dentists.

Hospitals (North-West)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients were treated in hospitals in the north-west in (a) 1995 and (b) 1979; [16147](2) how many patients were treated at hospitals in the north-west in 1979. [16159]

Information on the number of patients treated is not collected centrally. In-patient activity is recorded in terms of finished consultant episodes. The latest year for which information is available is 1995–96, and the information is contained in "Ordinary and day case admissions: England", copies of which are available in the Library.Prior to 1988–89, data were collected on a different basis. Information for 1979 is not available in the form requested for the North-west region.

Private Employment Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private employment agencies used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available, indicating (a) the names of the agencies, (b) the number employed by the agencies in work for this Department, (c) the total cost to his Department of using employment agencies and the median cost paid to the agency per person recruited and (d) the average length of contract for persons recruited via such agencies. [16184]

The information requested is shown in the table.Figures are not available to provide the median cost paid to each agency and the average length of contracts, but agency staff are used only to cover short-term absences.

Agencies used

1994

Stag Services
Accounts Temps
Adecco Alfred Marks
Adia
Badenock and Clarke
Challoner and James
Josephine Sammon
Headway
Kelly
Link Up Group
Manpower

Office Angels
Reed Personnel
Susan Hamilton
Talentmark Ltd.
Task Force Pro Libra
Total numbers: 211
Total costs: £688,655

1995

Accounts Temps
Adecco Alfred Marks
Adia
Badenock and Clarke
Challoner James
Josephine Sammon
Headway
Kelly
Link Up Group
Manpower
Office Angels
Reed Personnel
Susan Hamilton
Talentmark Ltd.
Task Force Pro Libra
Angela Mortimer
Headway Recruitment
Pax Services Ltd.
Premium Employment
The Library Association
The Staff Agency
Total numbers: 345
Total costs: £973,423

1996

Accounts Temps
Adecco Alfred Marks
Adia
Badenock and Clarke
Challoner James
Josephine Sammon
Headway
Kelly
Link Up Group
Manpower
Office Angels
Reed Personnel
Susan Hamilton
Talentmark Ltd.
Task Force Pro Libra
Angela Mortimer
Headway Recruitment
Pax Services Ltd.
Premium Employment
The Library Association
The Staff Agency
Accountancy Addition
Accountancy Solution
Brook St. Bureau

Career Girl
Per Temps
Select Appointments
Total numbers: 265
Total costs: £910,877

Scottish Grand Committee

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to public funds of the attendance of (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee in Scotland since December 1994; and if he will list the meetings of the Committee which (a) Ministers and (b) officials have attended indicating the cost of attendance and the names of those who attended. [16575]

No Ministers or officials from the Department of Health have attended a meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee.

National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what organisations have proposed amendments to the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill [Lords] to his Department. [15814]

The Department has held discussions with a number of organisations, including representatives of primary care professionals, about the provisions of the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill, including discussions about how the Bill might be amended in ways to meet their particular concerns. However, amendments may be proposed only through hon. Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations he has had with (a) unions representing medical workers, (b) NHS trusts, (c) medical insurance companies and (d) the British Medical Association regarding the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill [Lords].[15815]

The Bill follows wide consultations with all those with an interest in primary care, including national health service trusts, general practitioners, dentists, nurses and other health professionals and their representatives. The range and variety of consultation is outlined in the annex to "Primary Care: The Future", published on 10 June 1996, copies of which are available in the Library.Discussions about the Bill and its proposals between officials and representatives of the professions are continuing. Officials have had a preliminary meeting with a representative of the Medical Defence Union, at its request, to discuss the arrangements for indemnity under the proposals.

Cases of definite and probable sporadic CJD by age at death (1988 to 1991)
	1988		1989		1990		1991
Age range	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable
0 to 20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
21 to 30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
31 to 40	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
41 to 50	1	0	0	l	2	0	1	0
51 to 60	4	3	5	2	9	2	9	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the status of the family doctor service within the NHS; [15828](2) what plans he has to propose amendments to the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill

[Lords].[15816]

I refer the hon. Member to the opening statement on Second Reading of the National Health Service (Primary Care) Bill on 11 February, Official Report, at columns 146–158.

Multiple Sclerosis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of research funded by the Government into multiple sclerosis and on his plans for extending it. [15865]

The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. In addition to work specifically on multiple sclerosis, the MRC also undertakes work under the broader headings of auto-immune disorders, diseases of the central nervous system, and neurodegenerative diseases, all of which underpin research into MS. Results of Government-funded research are made freely and widely available.

Cancer Research

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of cancer research funded by the Government and on his plans for extending it. [15866]

The Government's commitment to prevention of ill health caused by cancer is set out in "The Health of the Nation". The national health service research and development programme's research and development priorities in cancer is an example of the Government's commitment to encourage research into the causes, prevention, early detection and treatment of all cancers. In 1995–96, the Government spent some £25 million on research into cancer. Results of Government-funded research are made freely and widely available.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many CJD cases designated (a) definite and (b) probable by his Department in the years 1988 to 1995 fell in the age range of (i) 0 to 20, (ii) 21 to 30, (iii) 31 to 40, (iv) 41 to 50, (v) 51 to 60, (vi) 61 to 70 and (vii) over 70 years at the time of death. [16128]

The information requested is given in the table.

Cases of definite and probable sporadic CJD by age at death (1988 to 1991)
	1988		1989		1990		1991
Age range	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable
61 to 70	5	4	5	4	10	0	13	3
70+	1	2	6	5	2	0	4	1
Total	¹12	9	16	12	24	2	27	5
¹Including one case age unknown.

Cases of definite and probable sporadic CJD by age at death (1992 to 1995)
Age range	1992		1995		1994		1995
	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable	Definite	Probable
0 to 20	0	0	0	0	0	0	¹1	0
21 to 30	0	0	0	0	0	0	¹2	0
31 to 40	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
41 to 50	2	0	1	0	4	1	0	0
51 to 60	6	1	6	0	8	0	8	0
61 to 70	17	3	14	4	15	4	13	1
70+	12	3	10	3	19	2	9	3
Total	37	7	31	7	46	7	33	4
¹New variant CJD cases.

Diprosone

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the reasons for the proposed inclusion of Diprosone on the list of drugs to be excluded from prescription. [16132]

A decision on whether to include Diprosone on the list of drugs to be excluded from prescription by general practitioners has been deferred pending the receipt of further advice from the advisory committee on national health service drugs.

Travel Vaccines

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reviews the Government are currently conducting in relation to travel vaccines; when the results of this review are expected to be published; what body is carrying out the review; and what representations have been received about the review. [16331]

The Department of Health, as part of a continuing internal review of the current arrangements for travel vaccines, is seeking to resolve the anomalies which exist at present. We shall consult interested bodies once we have proposals to present.

General Practitioners (Computers)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide figures comparable to those in his answer of 2 April 1996, Official Report, columns 175–76, for the reimbursement of the costs of the computerisation in general practice and the numbers of fundholding and non-fundholding practices and general practitioners in 1995–96; if the figures given for the reimbursement of the costs of computerization include the expenditure on computers to support general practitioner fundholding reported in table 13 of his Departmental report published in March 1996; and if he will make a statement. [16628]

The total amount directly reimbursed to general practitioners from public funds towards the costs of computerization in the financial year 1995–96 was

£64 million¹ . Information on the apportionment of these costs between fundholders and other GPs is not available centrally.

The figures previously provided to the hon. Member on 2 April, Official Report, columns 175–76, include reimbursements for the costs of computers to support GP fundholding as shown in table 13 of the departmental report published in March 1996.

The related figures for the number of fundholding and non-fundholding practices and general practitioners for 1995–96 are as follows² :

England—April 1995
	Total	Fundholding	Non-fundholding
Unrestricted principals	26,647	10,456	16,191
Practices	9,063	2,613	6,450
Source:
¹The annual financial returns of the family health services authority (provisional data).
²Enhanced GP census.

Criminal Record Checks

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the procedures are for criminal record checks through the voluntary organisations consultancy service, pursuant to arrangements made under Home Office circular 47/93; and which organisation or categories of organisation are eligible for such checks. [16588]

The procedures for criminal record checks through the voluntary organisations consultancy service are set out in Home Office circular 42/94, copies of which are available in the Library. Checks are available to all major national voluntary child care providers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many checks were made under the arrangements for criminal record checks through the voluntary organizations consultancy service, pursuant to arrangements made under Home Office circular 117/92. [16589]

The current arrangements for criminal record checks through the voluntary organisations consultancy service are set out in Home Office circular 42/94. In the year 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996, 8,857 checks were carried out for the VOCS by police forces in England and Wales.

Meningitis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the current research projects into meningitis (a) to which his Department has provided funds and (b) which other Government agencies have funded; and what proposals he has to increase the level and range of such research projects. [15372]

[holding answer 11 February 1997]: The Department of Health supports a number of research projects into meningitis through both the policy research programme and the National Health Service Executive. The PRP commissioned a two-year clinical trial of candidate meningococcal vaccines in 1993 at a total cost of £198,528. More research is needed before their suitability for widespread use can be considered. The Department is currently working with the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research to take this work forward. We also collaborate internationally in this area, for example the UK and Dutch health departments are working together to accelerate the development of group B meningococcal vaccines.Since 1993, the NHS Executive has supported a number of meningitis-related research projects worth £220,000. This includes a current study: neurodevelopmental examination at nine years of age of children who suffered neonatal meningitis. This is funded through North Thames regional office at a cost of £80,000.The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC received its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. Current projects receiving support from the MRC are listed as follows:

MRC-supported meningitis research

Indirect Support

Project grants

1. Dr. D. J. Maskell, Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London—The molecular genetics of lipid A-KDO biosynthesis by Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis.
2. Professor J. E. Heckels, Department of Molecular Microbiology, University of Southampton—Antigens from meningococcal outer membrane proteins as vaccine candidates.
3. Dr. D. Ala'Aldeen, Dr. I. Todd and Professor S. P. Boriello, Department of Microbiology, University of Nottingham—Identification of T-cell epitopes involved in protective immunity to meningococcal infection.
4. Professor J. R. Saunders, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Liverpool—Pilin variation and glycosylation in modulating pilus mediated adherence of Neisseria meningitidis to human cells.
5. Dr. H. Palmer, Institute of Infections and Immunity, University of Nottingham—Development of a pig model for meningococcal meningitis.

Strategic project grant

Professor S. P. Boriello, Department of Microbiology, University of Nottingham—Clinical research Initiative in bacterial infections: determinants of tissue damage is bacterial infections.

Programme grant

Professor E. R. Moxon, Molecular Infectious Diseases Group, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford—Molecular basis of Haemophilus influenza pathogenicity.

Infrastructure grant

Professor P. S. Watt and Professor S. T. Holgate—Mucosal Immunology—A Protein engineering laboratory for studies on vaccine design and asthma research.

Direct support

MRC Laboratories, The Gambia—An efficacy study of the Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib) polysaccaride-protein conjugate vaccine, PRP-T in The Gambia.

Lord Chancellor's Department

Franchising Advisory Group

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 January, Official Report, column 11, on the Franchising Advisory Committee, what were the dates of the two occasions on which the committee met; which organisations were represented at the meetings; when the members of the committee were advised of the decision to discontinue the committee; and what are the more effective mechanisms for communications and consultation which have been developed by the Legal Aid Board. [15494]

The Franchising Advisory Committee met on 11 February 1994 and 14 October 1994. The organisations represented were: the Advice Services Alliance, Legal Aid Practitioners' Group, the Law Society and the National Consumer Council. The committee was informed in January 1997 of the board's decision to disband it.Since October 1994, the board has held regular meetings of franchise liaison user groups. To date, 156 meetings have been held at various locations throughout England and Wales. At national level the board has met with the Advice Services Alliance on 13 occasions, the Legal Aid Practitioners' Group on five occasions and the Law Society on 12 occasions at which franchise issues have been raised. Those meetings are to continue.

Queen's Counsel (Selection)

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what costs were incurred by the Lord Chancellor's Department in conducting the procedure for selecting Queen's Counsel for 1996. [15482]

The departmental expenditure apportionable to the procedure for selecting Queen's Counsel in 1996 is estimated to be £81,202.

Chancel Repairs

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the Government's estimate of the cost of compensating the Church of England for abolishing the chancel repairing liability. [15683]

No such estimate has been prepared because the Law Commission report on this subject made no recommendation for compensation, a position which the Church of England and the Church in Wales are content to adopt.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the arrangements for those carrying out property searches to discover whether a particular property is affected by liability for chancel repairs. [15681]

Searches may be carried out in the tithe records now held at the Public Records Office.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions his Department has had with the Church of England in the last year regarding liability for chancel repairs. [15685]

There has been one exchange of letters between my Department and the general secretary of the General Synod of the Church of England.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations the Government have received in the last year on the Law Commission report No. 152, "Property Law: Liability for Chancel Repairs". [15684]

Apart from discussions within Government, my Department has corresponded with three bodies and two individual Members of Parliament.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of chancel repairing liabilities on properties, how many (a) properties and (b) hectares are affected; how many parishes benefit; if he will list those parishes; and by how much the Church of England benefited in each of the last 10 years. [15680]

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Tithes

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date tithes were abolished; and what has been the total paid in compensation by the Government to the Church of England. [15682]

The Tithe Act 1836 made provision for the conversion of existing tithes into tithe rent charges. Those were converted into tithe redemption annuities by the Tithe Act 1936, and ceased to be payable in 1977. Figures on compensation are not held centrally.

Bradfield House School, Devon

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many boys from Bradfield house school, Cullompton, Devon appeared before the Cullompton juvenile court; and what percentage of total cases this constituted in 1996. [16347]

I have been informed by the court that, out of 52 appearances before the Cullompton Youth Court in 1996, Bradfield house school was given as the defendant's address in 15 cases. That represents 29 per cent. of all appearances. In some instances, a defendant may have appeared on more than one occasion.

Legal Aid

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the (a) 20 solicitors firms and (b) barristers who have received the largest sums of money from the legal aid scheme for each year for which information is available. [8700]

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, which firms of solicitors received more than £500,000 from the legal aid fund in 1995–96; how much they each received; and what sum they have received in 1996–97. [12309]

[holding answer 29 January 1997): It has not proved possible to provide all the information in the form requested. I have therefore written to the hon. Members and placed a copy of the letters in the Library.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Agriculture Council

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 17 February; and if he will make a statement. [16858]

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office, represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 17 February.The main business of the Council was to consider the Commission's proposed regulations establishing a system of identification and registration of cattle, together with a linked proposal on the labelling of beef and beef products. The importance to the United Kingdom of early progress on the setting up of an EU-wide animal identification and registration system was emphasised in the Council discussions, subject to the proposal being technically sound and workable. However, my noble Friend expressed reservations about the practicability of the proposed funding arrangements. The presidency informed the Council that further work would continue urgently on these proposals with a view to the Council being in a position to reach agreement if possible at its March meeting.Prompted by discussion papers tabled by the Italian and United Kingdom Governments, the Council held a wide-ranging debate on the future of the Common Market organisation in milk and milk products, in particular the future of the EU milk quota regime. The United Kingdom pressed for early progress on reforming the milk regime in view of World Trade Organisation and budgetary constraints, as well as the prospect of future EU enlargement. In the light of the Council discussion, the European Commission undertook to bring forward shortly a detailed analysis of the milk sector and ideas for possible changes to the milk quota regime.The Council held a brief discussion on the situation in the beef and veal sector, in particular on the early marketing and calf processing schemes. My noble Friend took the opportunity to press for a reduction in the rates of payment under the calf processing scheme which, at their present levels, risked creating distortions in the market.The Agriculture Commissioner presented reports to the Council on options for reform of the EU market regimes for tobacco and olive oil. Legislative proposals will be made to the Council in the near future on changes to the tobacco regime. The Council will consider in detail the options for reforming the olive oil regime at its forthcoming meetings.

Bse

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to impose a ban on all beef and beef products, originating in countries which (a) cannot demonstrate a total absence of BSE in their cattle herds and (b) have not instituted a complete ban on specified bovine material and the use of animal protein in animal rations. [14769]

The Fresh Meat (Beef Control) Regulations 1996 prohibit the sale for human consumption of all bovine meat derived from bovines which at the time of slaughter were more than 30 months old. This measure applies to cattle slaughtered on or after 29 March 1996 whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, other than those born, reared and slaughtered in specific third countries set out in the regulations. This list of countries is confined to those where the Government are satisfied that we can import beef without risk because they are free of BSE. Other countries, including all other member states, are covered by the 30-month rule.The Government do not believe that it is necessary to go beyond this and institute a wider ban on the basis proposed by the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) in order to protect public health. Those member states which have endemic BSE already have controls in place to remove bovine offals which are similar in nature to those in this country. The Government have strongly supported European Commission proposals to introduce controls on bovine offals on a Community-wide basis which were discussed by the Council in December and rejected. We are pressing the Commission to introduce revised proposals shortly.The European Community already has a prohibition on the use of mammalian protein in ruminant rations, with certain exceptions. The United Kingdom law goes further and covers mammalian meat and bonemeal in all farm animal rations but neither European Community nor UK law prohibits the use of all animal protein in animal rations. In particular exceptions are made for mammalian proteins such as milk and there are no prohibitions on fish or avian proteins in any animal feed nor any scientific basis on which to justify such action.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many responses he has received to the consultation document, "Proposal for a UK Certified Herds Scheme"; from what source; and if his Department will publish a summary of those responses. [15874]

Forty eight replies were received in the UK to the consultation document, "Proposal for a UK Certified Herds Scheme". A list of those who responded and copies of their responses can be examined at the libraries of the Agricultural Departments.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress in discussions with the European Commission on the introduction of a UK certified herds scheme. [15876]

We have been working closely with the Commission on our proposals for an export certified herds scheme and intend formally to submit those proposals shortly. Thereafter, the proposals will be subject to the process laid down in the Florence agreement, which includes: consultation with the Scientific Veterinary Committee, the Multi Disciplinary Scientific Committee and, where appropriate, other relevant scientific committees, in tandem with discussions in the Standing Veterinary Committee. In the light of those discussions, the Commission will take a decision using established procedures and will subsequently fix the date when exports can effectively resume following a successful outcome of a Community inspection.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response his Department has made to the criticisms by the National Farmers Union of the proposed certified herds scheme. [15875]

We are finalising our proposals for an export certified herds scheme in the light of comments made on our consultation document from the National Farmers Union and others.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is the Government's policy to press for a lifting of the European ban first on certified herds in Northern Ireland. [15877]

I refer the hon. Member to the full statement by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the debate on the BSE crisis, Official Report, columns 708–13. My right hon. Friend made it clear that the export certified herds scheme we will put forward to the Commission applies to the whole United Kingdom but that Northern Ireland, with its computerised cattle tracing system and low incidence of BSE, would derive immediate and significant benefit from our proposals.

Adas (Sale)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the sale of ADAS has been agreed. [17133]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are pleased to announce, that following independent financial advice from PA Strategy Partners Ltd., we have selected the management and employee buy-out—MEBO—team led by the current chief executive, Phillip Needham, as the preferred bidder for ADAS.The deal which has been agreed meets all the objectives which I announced on 4 November 1966,

Official Report, column 313. The overall net present value to the taxpayer

of the MEBO bid is some £23.5 million, made up of the consideration for the business, savings flowing from the pricing structure for future services for MAFF and the Welsh Office, and rents for the properties occupied by ADAS.

We expect to exchange contracts on the sale very shortly. Completion will be subject to the requirement to inform and consult appropriate representatives of ADAS employees under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (as amended).

Agri-Environment Schemes

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what funding his Department has allocated in the current year for the operation of agri-environment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the schemes. [15209]

The 1995 public expenditure survey provision allocated a total of £76.3 million to the operation of agri-environment schemes in England for 1996–97. Of this total, £60.6 million was for payments to land managers, £12.5 million was for running costs and £3.2 million was for monitoring costs.The agri-environment programme provides a wide range of voluntary incentive schemes to encourage environmentally beneficial fanning practices. The Ministry carries out a monitoring programme to measure the success of each scheme and the detailed results of these are published. Schemes will normally be evaluated and reviewed every five years to assess the extent to which policy objectives are being achieved and the efficiency with which schemes are being administered. For example, the five stage I environmentally sensitive areas underwent their second five-yearly policy review in 1996. Results of a comprehensive programme of environmental monitoring have shown the schemes to be successful. A public consultation exercise detailing proposals for improvements to the scheme was conducted as part of the review and, as a result, several new tiers and options have recently been introduced.The schemes are kept under review and consultation arrangements have recently been expanded at both national and local level to ensure that we get the best out of our schemes.The Agriculture Select Committee is nearing the conclusion of its inquiry into the Ministry's agri-environment schemes and I look forward to receipt of its report.

Tobacco

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his statement in European Standing Committee A on 12 February, Official Report, column 2, what is the approximate annual production in the European Union of raw tobacco and its cost to the common agricultural policy in (i) ecus and (ii) pounds sterling; and what are the annual figures for the three most recent years for which figures are available for (a) quantities of tobacco consumed within the European Union and (b) the tonnage exported to each of the principal export destinations. [16022]

The latest figures available on EU tobacco production are for the 1994 harvest when 337,091 tonnes were produced. The current annual cost of the tobacco regime is approximately 1 billion ecus or £750 million'. For the three most recent years for which figures are available, the quantities of tobacco consumed within the European Union and the tonnages exported to principal destinations were as follows:

tonnes
	1993	1994	1995
EU consumption²	497,789	560,434	485,297
Total EU exports	195,882	192,362	272,179
Principal export destinations:
Russia	32,832	9,449	19,024
USA	26,021	19,370	21,188
Algeria	15,553	14,645	17,791
Egypt	14,415	38,933	13,564
Romania	14,370	7,067	3,689
Switzerland	8,860	11,704	12,117
Japan	8,597	8,208	9,583
Poland	7,259	9,321	12,359
Hungary	4,653	2,727	80,204
South Africa	944	1,863	13,864
Source:
Eurostat.
Notes:
¹Using an exchange rate of 1 ecu = £0.7493.
²Consumption, based on production and imports minus exports.

Cattle Cull

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the total costs incurred to date for slaughter, rendering incineration and storage of carcases under the over-30-months scheme. [16244]

As at 31 January 1997, the following amounts had been paid:

	£ million
Slaughter	65.6
Rendering	42.1
Incineration	5.4
Storage of carcases	11.6

Bse (Chickens)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what measures he has taken to prevent the spread of BSE to chickens; [16135](2) what action he has taken to investigate whether BSE

(a) can and (b) has spread to chickens. [16136]

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that chickens are susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. In experimental attempts to establish disease, BSE has not been transmitted to poultry either by oral exposure or by direct inoculation into the brain. Challenged birds survived to five years post-inoculation. Further tests have been carried out on tissues from these chickens by inoculation into further chickens and into mice to see if any infectivity can be detected. These are now eight months post-inoculation without evidence of transmission. I am aware of the recent press reports suggesting that TSEs have been identified in chickens. My Department has been informed by the researcher who holds the material in question that no pathological examination of brain tissue has yet been carried out. My Department has informed him that if on examination a TSE is suspected, he is under a legal obligation to surrender the material to a veterinary inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture for further analyses.The feeding of mammalian meat and bonemeal to all farm animals, which includes poultry, has been banned since 29 March 1996. This ban was put in place to prevent the accidental feeding of ruminants with feed intended for pigs and poultry, which prior to 29 March could legally have contained meat and bonemeal.

Spongiform Encephalopathy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the (a) number and (b) species of the zoo animals in which spongiform encephalopathy has been confirmed between 1988 and the present time. [16129]

The following table gives the number of confirmed transmissible spongiform encephalopathy cases in animals kept in zoological collections in Great Britain as at 1 February 1997¹:

Confirmed cases shown by year of clinical onset or year of confirmation	Species
1986	Nyala
1987	Gemsbok
1988	¹—
1989	Oryx (Arabian) Kudu, Eland
1990	Kudu
1991	Eland(3), Kudu
1992	Puma, Kudu(3), Cheetah, Oryx (scimitar horned)
1993	Cheetah²
1994	Ocelot, Eland
1995	Puma(2), Eland, Tiger(2)
1996	Ocelot, Bison
It is not possible to provide the data by date of confirmation or to give details of suspect cases which were not subsequently confirmed as central records are not compiled in this way. Furthermore, there was no statutory requirement to report diagnosis of a spongiform encephalopathy other than BSE or scrapie until November 1994. MAFF would not therefore have been informed of suspect cases for which laboratory examination proved to be negative. To provide the information in the way requested could be done only at disproportionate costs.
¹Two cases in Ankole cows were recorded in the BSE statistics for cattle for 1991.
²Two further cheetahs were confirmed in foreign zoos, having been born and infected in a British zoo.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of spongiform encephalopathy have been (a) suspected and (b) confirmed in each of the last 10 years, broken down by species. [16223]

The following table gives the number of suspected and confirmed cases of BSE in Great Britain as at 7 February 1996. The cases before 21 June 1988 are recorded by date of clinical onset of disease and the cases thereafter are recorded by date of restriction:

Year	Suspected³	Confirmed⁴
1986	²—	7
1987	²—	435
1988	2,516	2,469
1989	8,447	7,137
1990	17,323	14,181
1991	30,009	⁵25,032
1992	44,846	36,682
1993	42,931	34,370
1994	30,261	23,944
1995	17,946	14,298
1996	10,688	¹7,323
¹Incomplete data.
²BSE not a notifiable disease prior to 21 June 1988, details of suspect cases not available.
³Suspects restricted—only cases showing clinical signs suspicious of BSE are placed under restriction. Some suspects reported by owners will not on close examination justify service of restriction. No central records are kept of such cases.
⁴BSE confirmed—The figures are significantly in arrears of restriction as there will inevitably be a delay in examining the brains, and some animals placed under restriction in 1996 will not yet have been slaughtered.
⁵Includes two Ankole cows in zoos recorded as normal BSE cases.

The following table gives the number of suspected and confirmed cases of scrapie in Great Britain as at 18 February 1997.

Year	Suspected	Confirmed
1986	¹—	156
1987	¹—	179
1988	¹—	215
1989	¹—	246
1990	¹—	²348
1991	¹—	²989
1992	¹—	²666
1993	492	327
1994	291	199
1995	220	163
1996	²339	209
1997	¹35	—
¹Details of suspect cases unavailable. Scrapie became a notifiable disease on 1 January 1993.
²Figures are distorted because payments were offered for cases between October 1990 and August 1992 when brain pools were being assembled for rendering experiments.
³Some results due.
⁴All results due.

The following list gives the number of confirmed cases of feline spongiform encephalopathy by year of confirmation in Great Britain as at 1 February 1997:

1990: 12
1991: 12
1992: 10
1993: 11
1994: 16
1995: 8
1996: 6

Information on cases in other species is recorded in the answer to the hon. Member's other question about zoo animals.

British Agrochemicals Association Ltd

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what meetings he has had with the British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months; what was the subject of the meetings; and if he will make a statement; [16289](2) what representations he has received from British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months; what was the subject of those representations; and if he will make a statement. [16286]

British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. has not sought a meeting with my right hon. Friend or other MAFF Ministers in the last 12 months but the association is frequently in contact with our officials to discuss issues relating to the regulation of pesticides.In addition, the association has made formal representations to the Department on a number of issues including: updating of UK regulations on pesticides and European legislation on plant protection products; clarification of the arrangements for the authorisation of adjuvants; EC proposals for maximum residue levels in food; enforcement of maximum residue levels in protected lettuce; review of standards for the approval of amateur pesticides; the 1997–98 fees and charges structure and application arrangements operated by the Pesticides Safety Directorate; revision of the code of practice for the safe use of pesticides on farms and holdings; revision of the code of practice for suppliers of pesticides of agriculture, horticulture and forestry; labelling and risk management strategies for pesticides and terrestrial non-target arthropods; pesticide label phrases regarding the risk to honeybees; and a proposed MAFF booklet on pesticides in integrated farming.

Pesticides And Fertilisers

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the total amount of (a) pesticides and (b) fertilisers sold each year for the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [16293]

The current and constant price series given in the table show estimates of sales of pesticides and fertilisers for agricultural use in the UK. The constant price series are valued at the prices of pesticides and fertiliser in 1990. This is the best guide to changes in volumes as different types of fertiliser and pesticide are weighted according to their relative values in 1990.

Value of UK purchases for agricultural use
	Current prices, £ million		Constant 1990 prices, £ million
	(a) Pesticides	(b) Fertilisers and lime	(a) Pesticides	(b) Fertilisers and lime
1987	360	788	429	825
1988	440	745	506	753
1989	482	781	530	801
1990	459	807	459	807
1991	440	776	399	794
1992	428	675	375	729
1993	449	615	386	693

Value of UK purchases for agricultural use
	Current prices, £ million		Constant 1990 prices, £ million
	(a) Pesticides	(b) Fertilisers and lime	(a) Pesticides	(b) Fertilisers and lime
1994	443	715	365	765
1995	443	777	377	747
1996¹	459	823	372	716
¹ Provisional.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's search for cattle associated with BSE cases to be culled under the terms of the Florence agreement; how many cattle have been identified so far; what is his latest estimate of the likely total; how many farms are involved; and what is his estimate of the time scale for completing this search and concluding the accelerated cull. [16320]

[holding answer 18 February 1997]: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has responsibility for conducting the cull throughout Great Britain. The reply is therefore on a Great Britain-wide basis.On-farm visits to natal herds in which a confirmed case of BSE was born started in the week beginning 27 January. The total number of cattle that have been identified through these visits as having been exposed to the same feed as BSE cases is 4,439. Of this number, 199 animals have so far been confirmed as exposed by the central veterinary unit: 71 of these are still in the natal herd; 128 have moved and need to be traced further. The latest estimate of the number of cattle affected in Great Britain is 90,000 to 100,000. However, the true number of animals affected can be determined only by on-farm visits.There are natal herds in over 7,000 farms in Great Britain. Farms which have bought in exposed animals will also be affected. Again, the number of such farms can be established only through visits to the natal herds and subsequent tracing visits.It is very difficult at this early stage to estimate the length of time it will take to conclude the cull.

Organophosphates (Animal Health)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what current long-term research Her Majesty's Government have commissioned on organophosphates and animal health; and if he will make a statement. [15425]

[holding answer 12 February 1997]: There are no current long-term Government commissioned research projects on organophosphates and animal health.The Government have, however, awarded £500,000 to the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh for research into the possible long-term human health effects of organophosphorus sheep dips. The results of that study are expected in 1999.

Defence

Gulf War Syndrome

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 October, Official Report, column 924, on the discovery of mustard gas during the Gulf war, when he intends to send the letter to the hon. Member; and if he will list the reasons for the delay in writing. [14916]

I have written today.

Departmental Expenditure (Wales)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current estimate of the annual expenditure by his Department in Wales on (a) employment of service staff, (b) employment of civilian staff and (c) procurement. [16271]

The estimate of expenditure in the current financial year on employment in Wales of (a) service personnel pay is £118.69 million and (b) civilian staff is £96,773 million. Figures for the current financial year for Defence procurement in Wales are not available. The latest for which figures are available is 1994–95 when the total was £50 million, exclusive of VAT. This does not include expenditure by the armed forces for the provision of local services, for which figures are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Low Flying

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many collisions involving low-flying military aircraft have occurred over the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. [16133]

The number of collisions involving low-flying military aircraft over the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

1987: 2
1988: 1
1989: nil
1990: 1
1991: 1
1992: nil
1993: 1
1994: nil
1995: nil
1996: nil

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the automatic low flying flight planning enquiry and notification system—ALFENS—was not introduced in mid-1992; when he now expects the system to come into operation; and what penalties have been incurred by the contractors as a result of the delays. [16134]

As explained in detail to the House of Commons Defence Committee (HC314, Session 1993–4, pages 15–17), the original time scale for the introduction of ALFENS in mid-1992 was based on the best information available to National Air Traffic Services, which let the contract and manage it on behalf of the MOD, at an early stage of the procurement process. This date was not achieved due chiefly to delays caused by changes to the scope and complexity of the project and a number of problems with the submission and evaluation of tenders. We hope to see ALFENS in use by this summer. The contractors have carried out additional work at their own expense to rectify faults in the system.

Naval Movements (Ayrshire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the deployments of naval vessels off the coast of Ayrshire and naval aircraft in Ayrshire on 31 January, indicating what types and numbers of craft were involved, the reasons for their deployment and the costs of the deployments. [16334]

There were two separate training activities which involved naval vessels being off the Ayrshire coast on 31 January. The first was UK mine counter measures group training consisting of four Hunt class MCM vessels. The second involved the NATO standing naval force channel conducting training independent of the UK group and this included the use of one UK MCM vessel with one coastal survey vessel in support. MCM operations off the Ayrshire coast are part of normal Royal Navy activity and all costs were fully contained within the annual training budget. No additional costs were incurred.

Agency	Number supplied	Contract period	Cost £	Profession
Office Angels	1	12 months	1,500	Typist
Kellock Ltd.	3	12 months	50,612	Clerical
Corinth Medical	1	12 months		Nurse
Select Appts	1	12 months		Stores
Reed Staffing	1	Not known	11,000	Nurse
Barkers Personnel	5	Various	3,580.72	Typist
HMR Employment	2	12 months	14,000	Nurse
Fleet Industrial	1	4 weeks	1,358	Chef
Actionline	1	3 months	1,910	Typist
Brook Street	28	weekly	24,219	Industrial
Index Recruitment
Stirling Rec
P and D Employment	7	weekly	7,638	Industrial
P and D Driving	2	3 weeks	1,568	Drivers
Barkers Personnel	2	3 weeks	1,347	Typist
Reed Employment	4	2 weeks	1,375	Clerical
Stirling Rec	1	11 weeks	2,926	Clerical
Stirling Rec	2	28 weeks	15,245	Clerical
Hays Accountancy	3	13 weeks	12,437	Accountants
Involve (BDT)	2	3 months	14,000	Lecturers
BNA	1	6.5 weeks	3,650	Nurse
Crown Nursing	1	29 weeks	14,150	Nurse
ADECCO UK	1	10 weeks	6,800	Safety Officer
ADECCO UK	1	6 weeks	7,800	Technical
ADECCO UK	1	3 weeks	2,900	Lecturer
Reed Employment	1	12 months	7,000	Typist
Reed Employment	1	3 months	5,000	Typist
Bucks and Berks	1	6 months	6,500	Typist
Bucks and Berks	1	5.5 months	5,500	Clerical
Reed Employment	1	12 months	14,000	Clerical
Reed Employment	4	10 weeks	7,542	Typist
Personnel Select	1	2 weeks	561	Typist
Crown Nursing	2	11 weeks	18,505	Nurse
Battleway	1	13 weeks	2,915	Labourer

I hope this information is helpful.

Private Employment Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the private employment agencies used by his Department and its agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available, indicating (a) the names of the agencies, (b) the numbers employed by the agencies in work for his Department, (c) the total cost to his Department of using employment agencies and the median cost paid to the agency per person recruited and (d) the average length of contract for persons recruited via such agencies. [16175]

The information on employment agencies used by MOD is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is my Department's policy to use agencies on the following circumstances: to provide staff as an interim measure where directly employed labour cannot be provided; to assist recruitment authorities on all or part of the recruitment selection process, but most recruitment is undertaken in house.Information, where available, in respect of defence agencies is a matter for the chief executive concerned, who will be writing to the hon. Member separately.

Letter from C. A. Gordon to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as the Deputy Chief Executive of the Army Individual Training Organisation.

This Agency came into being on 1 April 1996 and I am therefore quoting figures from that date. Details of this Agency's use of private employment agencies are listed below:

Letter from Mr. S. R. Hill to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of employment agencies as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation (NARO).

2. Attached is a summary of the statistics for this Agency.

Parliamentary Question no 3243H—Agency Staff

1. Agencies used in the last 3 years are:
Barker Personnel Services
Brook Street
J M Recruitment
Wise Employment

2. Numbers employed by the Agencies in NARO Fleetlands Division:
Barker Personnel Services: 1
Brook Street: 2
J M Recruitment: 6
Wise Employment: 1

3. Costs over the last 3 years are:

Agency	1994–95£	1995–96£	1996–97£	Median cost (total cost divided by number of people£
Barker Personnel Services	13,500	15,500	18,000	15,666
Brook Street	nil	3,000	9,000	3,000
J M Recruitment	nil	nil	12,000	2,000
Wise Employment	Nil	nil	200	200

4. The average length of contracts is as follows:
Barker Personnel Services: 1 year
Brook Street: 5 months
J M Recruitment: 1 month
Wise Employment: 1 week

Letter from J. R. Drew to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him to list the private employment agencies used by the department and its agencies in each of the last three years. For the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) this matter falls within my responsibilities as Chief Executive.

I have enclosed the details you requested on a separate sheet. It should be noted that the number of staff engaged through employment agencies was unusually high in 1995–96 and 1996–97 because of the need temporarily to replace vital skills lost during the rundown of ABRO Old Dalby, which closed at the end of December 1996.

ABRO: Use of employment agencies
a. Agencies used ¹	b. Numbers of posts filled	c. Cost ²£
1994–95
Turner Charles Ltd., Staff UK, British Nursing Corporation	5	96,955
1995–96
Turner Charles Ltd., Staff UK, British Nursing Corporation, Kelly Services, Matchmaker Personnel	30	205,514
1996–97

ABRO: Use of employment agencies

a. Agencies used

b. Numbers of posts filled

c. Cost

²£

Turner Charles Ltd., Omega Personnel, Dargue Staff, Select Appointments, Partners Employment, Mitrem Employment Service, Personnel Placements, British Nursing Co-op Ltd., Kelly Services, Matchmaker Personnel

210,117

The average length of contract is 1 year 4 months.

¹ The individual fees for companies are not given as they are commercially confidential.

² It is not clear what is meant by the median cost paid to the employment agency. The employment agencies are paid an hourly rate for staff supplied.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about dealings with private employment agencies over the past three years as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency.

We make only limited use of contract staff from private employment agencies, usually to deal with surges in our workload. Unfortunately, our records are not kept in a form which would permit a precise answer to your question without incurring undue expense. However, I hope the following information will meet your needs:

Agency	Total expenditure £
1994–95 ¹
Manpower	32,300.64
Josephine Sammons	4,347.93
Total cost for year	36,648.57
1995–96 ²
Manpower	30,630.98
Josephine Sammons	2,533.86
Total cost for year	33,164.84
1996–97 ³
Manpower	13,603.88
JM Recruitment	3,639.34
Total cost for year	17,243.22
¹ Approximately four people were recruited during the year with an estimated median cost per week of £230.
² Approximately eight people were recruited during the year with an estimated median cost per week of £230.
³ Approximately six people were recruited during the year with an estimated median cost per week of £250.

Letter from Julian Hunt to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about staff supplied by private employment agencies, as this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office.

The Meteorological Office use agencies only rarely and the information you requested is given below:

1996

(a) Manpower

Josephine Sammons Employment Agency
Hays Accountancy Personnel

(b) 8

(d) 112 weeks

1995

(a) Manpower

(b) 2

(d) 3 months

1994

Nil
I hope this gives you the information you require.

Letter from John Trewby to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 18 February 1997:

I am replying as the Chief Executive of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency to your question to the Minister of State for Defence Procurement about private employment agencies.

The Naval Bases and Supply Agency launched in December 1996 and is formed from a number of management areas within the MOD. Information such as you have requested was not previously held on a consistent basis, the attached charts give the information which is available.

Private employment agencies used by NBSA
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
J. M. Recruitment
Number of staff employed	14	19	21
Total cost to the NBSA	£16,176	£81,373	£63,211
Median cost per person	£1,155	£4,282	£3,010
Average length of contract	1 month	4 months	3 months
Manpower
Number of staff employed	1	3	1
Total cost to the NBSA	£884	£13,200	£7,263
Median cost per person	£884	£4,400	£7,263
Average length of contract	3 weeks	4 months	6 months
Brook Street
Number of staff employed	1	nil	nil
Total cost to the NBSA	£162	nil	nil
Median cost per person	nil	nil	nil
Average length of contract	1 week	nil	nil
SMS
Number of staff employed	95	100	139
Total cost to the NBSA	£40,150	£42,485	£68,932
Median cost per person	£432	£425	£496
Average length of contract	2 weeks	2 weeks	2 weeks
Crown Nursing Agency
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	5
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£7,712
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£1,542
Average length of contract	nil	nil	3 days
TAV
Number of staff employed	nil	3	nil
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	£12,320	nil
Median cost per person	nil	£4,106	nil
Average length of contract	nil	4 months	nil
HMS
Number of staff employed	nil	3	nil
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	£14,960	nil
Median cost per person	nil	£4,987	nil
Average length of contract	nil	4 months	nil
Ross Campbell Associates
Number of staff employed	1	1	4
Total cost to the NBSA	£2,000	£6,950	£21,250
Median cost per person	£2,000	£6,950	£5,312
Average length of contract	8 weeks	30 weeks	16 weeks
Search Recruitment
Selection
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	3
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£12,800

Private employment agencies used by NBSA
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£4,254
Average length of contract	nil	nil	14 weeks
South Hams Nursing
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	3
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£10,680
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£3,560
Average length of contract	nil	nil	3 months
Drake International
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	15
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£32,400
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£2,160
Average length of contract	nil	nil	4 months
AYS
Number of staff employed	45	75	83
Total cost to the NBSA	£83,830	£147,790	£289,010
Median cost per person	£1,863	£1,970	£3,482
Average length of contract	3 months	4 months	6 months
Alfred Marks
Number of staff employed	92	88	97
Total cost to the NBSA	£141,790	£206,300	£319,200
Median cost per person	£1,541	£2,344	£3,290
Average length of contract	3 months	4 months	6 months
Saltash Transport
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	216
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£16,790
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£77
Average length of contract	nil	nil	3 days
Ross Campbell Consultants
Number of staff employed	Not available	2	3
Total cost to the NBSA	Not available	£2,900	£1,879
Median cost per person	Not available	£1,450	£626
Average length of contract	Not available	5 weeks	2 weeks
Search Consultants
Number of staff employed	Not available	7	3
Total cost to the NBSA	Not available	£10,997	£6,237
Median cost per person	Not available	£1,571	£2,079
Average length of contract	Not available	2 months	2 months
Fife Nursing Services Ltd.
Number of staff employed	Not available	4	7
Total cost to the NBSA	Not available	£2,303	£3,246
Median cost per person	Not available	£575	£463
Average length of contract	Not available	1 week	1 week
Office Helpline
Number of staff employed	nil	5	14
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	£13,339	£44,410
Median cost per person	nil	£2,667	£3,172
Average length of contract	nil	10 weeks	19 weeks
Workforce
Number of staff employed	nil	27	32
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	£71,398	£79,459
Median cost per person	nil	£2,644	£2,483
Average length of contract	nil	10 weeks	19 weeks
Kellock
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	1
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£6,242
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£6,242
Average length of contract	nil	nil	10 weeks
Reed Staffing
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	1
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£16,029
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£16,029
Average length of contract	nil	nil	20 weeks
Medic International
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	1
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£6,900
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£6,900
Average length of contract	nil	nil	20 weeks

Private employment agencies used by NBSA
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
CSOHS Agency
Number of staff employed	nil	nil	1
Total cost to the NBSA	nil	nil	£21,538
Median cost per person	nil	nil	£21,538
Average length of contract	nil	nil	23 sessions (medical practitioner)

Letter from Graham Jones to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies, by his Department and its agencies, in each of the last three years for which figures are available, as these matters fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Defence Agency. Specifically, you asked for: the names of the agencies; the numbers employed by the agencies in work for his Department; the total cost to the Department of using employment agencies; the median cost paid to the agency per person recruited; and the average length of contract for persons recruited via such agencies.

During the last 3 years the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment has used 5 private employment agencies—Piper Group Ltd, RSD Technology Ltd, Turner Charles Ltd, Inter Europe Technical Services Ltd, Escom Technical Services—to provide professional engineering staff to fill vacancies in the personnel establishment until full-time civil servants are recruited.

In 1994 these agencies supplied 38 personnel on an average contract length of 8½ months. The total cost was £957,486, with a median cost per agency of:
Piper Group Ltd: £26,274
RSD Technology Ltd: £25,636.
Turner Charles Ltd: £30,856.

Employment agencies used by the RAF MGDA
Agency name	1994–95 £	1995–96 £	1996–97 £	Total cost £	Numbers employed	Average length of contract (where known)
Michael Page	39,250	70,819	23,521	133,590	2	—
Doyle Clutton	56,055	50,969	0	107,024	4	2 years
Accountancy Personnel	0	0	27,642	27,642	1	2 years
Read Catering	0	0	48,447	48,447	Average 2	—
Paul Mitchell Associates (Leicester)	6,063	8,470	0	14,533	1	5 months
ACI (Huntington)	0	1,855	0	1,855	1	11 months
BNA (Peterborough)	0	47	1,173	1,820	1	—
Golden Key (Stamford)	0	0	962	962	1	—
Blue Arrow Personnel Services	0	0	28,154	28,154	1	8 months
Hayes Accountancy Personnel	0	54,027	41,572	95,599	3	12 months
Wynnwith Eng. Ltd.	0	¹307,000	1,500	308,500	not available	—
ORS Recruitment	0	0	9,000	9,000	1	6 months 18 months
MPI Aviation Ltd.¹	o	0	717,670	717,670	Average 53	call-off contract
MPI Aviation Ltd.	0	0	23,520	23,520	4	4 months
Total cost	101,368	493,187	923,761
¹This relates to the provision of agency manpower to meat fluctuating task levels.

Letter from Peter Foxton to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to the recent questions you tabled to the Secretary of State for Defence for those matters that fall within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Supply and Distribution Agency (ABSDA). You asked about the use being made of private employment agencies to recruit staff for employment within Defence Agencies, ABSDA has only been in existence since

Inter Europe Technical Services Ltd: £7,596.

In 1995 these agencies supplied 52 personnel on an average contract length of 8¾ months. The total cost was £1,003,425, with a median cost per agency of:
Piper Group Ltd: £26,641.
RSD Technology Ltd: £25,996.
Turner Charles Ltd: £11,412.
Inter Europe Technical Services Ltd: £2,809.
Escom Technical Services: £6,364.

In 1996 these agencies supplied 58 personnel on an average contract length of 7.45 months. The total cost was £1,310,206, with a median cost per agency of:
Piper Group Ltd: £28,781.
RSD Technology Ltd: £29,722.
Turner Charles Ltd: £19,896.
Inter Europe Technical Services Ltd: £11,711.
Escom Technical Services: £24,877.

Letter from Richard Kyle to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES USED BY THE ROYAL AIR FORCE MAINTENANCE GROUP DEFENCE AGENCY

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning private employment agencies used by his Department's Agencies because this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Maintenance Group Defence Agency.

The information readily available is given in the table at Annex A. As a number of the agency staffs are provided through call-off contract arrangements to cover manpower shortages or peak production periods, the information on median costs and contract periods for individual staff cannot easily be discerned, and is therefore not provided.

April 1995 and in that time there has only been one occasion where private employment agencies have been requested to recruit staff, and that was in 1996. The Occupational Health and Safety Bureau was tasked to provide a Grade E Nurse as a temporary measure due to difficulties in recruiting full time personnel.

Recruitment and Assessment Services (RAS), a government agency, were requested in August 1996 to seek candidates for the position of Chief Executive of ABSDA on the retirement of the incumbent. Between the selection procedure and my appointment RAS were privatised. Therefore, you may wish to consider RAS a private employment agency.

The total cost, for both appointments, was £30,289. The length of contract was four months for the Nurse and three years for my tenure of office.

I trust I have answered your questions satisfactorily.

Letter from D. L. Burden to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies by the Ministry of Defence and its Agencies, in so far as it applies to the Army Personnel Centre as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of that Agency.

I should explain that the Army Personnel Centre (APC) formed as an agency on 2 December 1996 and received delegated personnel management responsibility for civilian staff in the APC in Glasgow from 9 December 1996. I can confirm that the APC in Glasgow has not engaged private employment agency staff.

In addition to the staff employed in the APC at Glasgow I also have residual responsibility for staff at a number of sites in England currently involved in APC business. For the provision of civilian staff at Directorate of 'A' Information Systems (Army), Worthy Down, the now vacated sties (Earls Court and Stanmore) in London and the closing sites (Ashton-Under-Lyne, Leicester, Chester, York and Exeter) in England, I was and remain reliant on the respective Civilian Personnel Management Authorities (CPMAs) responsible for recruitment and management of staff within those areas. I envisage that the individual CPMAs will submit responses for collation centrally and, to avoid the risk of duplication, the data on private employment agency staff who have been employed to support the business of the APC at the closing sites would be incorporated into the MOD—collated return.

I hope this is helpful.

Letter from John Prince to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA).

ATSA launched in October 1995 and, to date, have used 2 private employment agencies, as follows:

Agency	Number of employed	Total cost£	Contract length
October 1995 to March 1996
Job Spot	1	2,800	8 weeks
April 1996 to February 1997
Job Spot	1	23,500	44 weeks
List Design Group	1	7,800	20 weeks

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

Your recent question asked for information about private employment agencies used by the Ministry of Defence and its Agencies including numbers of staff employed from employment agencies, the cost of staff thus employed and the cost paid to the agency and contract duration. I am replying on behalf of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).

I am afraid that this information is not held centrally in DERA as all our business sectors are empowered to recruit their own staff. The information you request could therefore only be collected at disproportionate cost.

All recruitment of permanent staff in DERA is through fair and open competition in accordance with Civil Service procedures. Where private employment agencies are used it is either to complement other methods of advertising for staff or to meet short term temporary requirement.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

Letter from T. McG. Brown to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt. Hon Michael Portillo MP, regarding the use of private employment agencies within the MOD. As Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency (DPCSA) I am responsible for recruitment and employment of staff within my Agency and I am therefore providing the details you have requested in respect of my Agency.

The four employment agencies shown below have supplied temporary staff to DPCSA during the period from 1st January 1994 to 31st December 1996. The total number of staff used from each agency during this period, the average length of contract, the cost per hour (inclusive of VAT) and the type of employee supplied is also shown.

	Number supplied	Contract period	Cost (£/hour)	Employee type
Bond
Accountancy	1	3 months	20	Accountant
Hays
Accountancy
Personnel	1	5 months	25	Accountant
Manpower plc	32	4 days	7–8	Drivers
Josephine
Sammons
Limited	10	4 months	7–8	Clerical staff

The overall cost of using these staff is not separately identified. However most of these staff were used during 1996/97 and current expenditure on temporary staff is approximately £45,000 per year. The overall cost of employing temporary staff is comparable with the cost of equivalent permanent staff.

The agencies listed above are used to recruit temporary staff on a short term basis while permanent staff are being recruited. All permanent staff are recruited from other areas of the MOD or directly by DPCSA via press advertisements, which are also sent to local Job Centres. No permanent staff are recruited from private employment agencies.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from Ron Smith to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies by Defence Agencies as this matter, in respect of the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA), falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the DSCA.

I regret, that the information requested, is not held in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Letter from Alan Bush to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, about the use of private employment agencies, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of the Defence Transport and Movements Executive Agency (DTMX).

A private employment agency has been used only once by DTMX in the last 3 years. We employed the Recruitment and Assessment Services, Basingstoke, at a total cost of £14,822, to engage direct from Industry the Commercial Business Adviser to DTMX. The individual concerned is employed on a contract of 2 years duration.

Letter from Malcolm Westgate to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies. This matter falls to me as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.

My organisation acquired Agency status in October 1994. The information you seek is given below, for the period October 1994 to December 1996.

1. Names of agencies used, and numbers employed by each agency in each year.

	1994	1995	1996
Josephine Sammons	3	3	4
Manpower Services	1	1	0
Alfred Marks Western Systems	1	1	1

2. Cost of using employment agencies.

1994: £14,414.67
1995: £47,743.20
1996: £35,278.96

3. The median cost per person recruited was £264.

4. The length of the contracts ranged from 2 weeks to 2 years. The average length was 8 months.

Letter from John Clarke to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question relating to the use by the MOD and its Agencies of private employment agencies in each of the last 3 years. As this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office I have been asked to reply to you.

No private employment agencies were used in the years 1994 and 1995. On 1st April 1996 the UK Hydrographic Agency became a Trading Fund Agency solely reliant for its funding on revenue from the sale of its products and services. It was therefore necessary to build up very rapidly a more commercial awareness in the Agency and for that reason a number of Interim Managers were employed through private employment agencies. In addition, one agency supplied a temporary employee to cover for short term absence. Details of these are:

Agency name	Numbers employed	Median cost per person recruited £
Ashton Penney	3	58,044
Barton Interim Management	1	92,277
Parity Solutions	1	12,740
Eurolink Group plc	1	9,800
Western Staff Services	1	472.11
Harrison Willis Ltd.	1	26,892.53

The total cost to the UK Hydrographic Agency of using employment agencies in 1996 was £316,315.64p. This amount included charges in respect of salaries paid to the recruits by the agencies but does not include VAT. The average length of contract was 19.4 weeks.

I hope this information has been helpful.

Letter from Gordon Wilson to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the use of private employment agencies.

The information you require in respect of this Agency is as follows:

Agency	Numbers employed	Cost £	Average cost per employee	Average length of contract
1993–94
ACE
Recruitment	1	2,375	2,375	15 weeks
BNA	1	553	553	2 weeks
CMS Employment	1	825	825	6 weeks
Barclays Comm Svcs	1	1,795	1,795	12 weeks
		5,548
1994–95
BNA	1	1,314	1,314	5 weeks
CMS Employment	1	1,361	1,361	12 weeks
Byers Exec Svcs	1	288	288	2 weeks
Night Force	1	141	141	2 days
		3,104
1995–96
BNA	1	8,295	8,295	22 weeks
Night Force	1	183	183	2 days
		8,478

Letter from Alan Pollard to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about use of private employment agencies. As Chief Executive, this falls within my area of responsibility for the Logistic Information Systems Agency (LISA).

The Agency was formed in November 1994 and assumed full responsibility for personnel recruitment in April 1996. During 1996, the Agency incurred expenditure of £830.76 + VAT to the Paterson Recruitment Agency of Bicester in recruiting one Administrative Assistant on a permanent basis. In recent weeks I have authorised expenditure amounting to £33763.62 to the Recruitment & Assessment Services for the coordination of a campaign to recruit up to 60 Higher Executive Officers and Executive Officers on a permanent basis. The recruitment process is ongoing with results yet to be promulgated.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter from Stephen Campion to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies as this matter falls within the area of responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Medical Supplies Agency, who is currently away from the office on official duties.

The answers to your questions are that since the Agency was established in March 1996:
(a) No permanent staff have been recruited through private employment services.
(b) A total of 4 industrial and 6 non-industrial casual staff have been recruited through one private agency.
(c) The costs of (b) above are £82,586.47 with the median cost paid to the agency being approximately £8,300.
(d) The average casual/temporary contract for these staff is 3 months (industrial) and 6 months (non-industrial).

Letter from Philip Wildman to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about private employment agencies used by his Department and its agencies as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of Military Survey Agency.

The breakdown of the employment agencies and the costs are below. The median cost paid to each agency per person recruited in 1996–97 is £31,480 with an average length of contract of one year.

Ser	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	Numbers 1996–97
1.	Reed Staffing	Reed Staffing	Reed Staffing	3.5
2.		¹Forward	¹MTS ¹Forward	50
3.	Corporate	Recruitment Corporate Services	Recruitment Corporate Services
4.	Services Group	Group Manpower	Group Manpower
5.		plc	plc	1
6.	F I Recruitment			1
7.	Alfred Marks
8.	Pertemp
9.	£623,460	£673,230	£699,596	55.5
¹MTS, Forward recruitment and Corporate Services Group are now one company. Figures include part-time contract staff.

Letter from Walter Boreham to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about private employment agencies, as this falls into my area of responsibility as Chief Constable/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency.

During the last three financial years I have used Belle Personnel, Key Personnel, Manpower Plc and Josephine Salmons employment agencies, who provided a total of 8 persons, at a cost of some £51,000.

I do not use the services of employment agencies to recruit permanent staff but rather to provide personnel to fill short term vacancies.

Letter from John McAnally to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question, about the use of employment agencies in each of the past three years, in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA).

I am afraid that it is not possible to provide you with the information in the format requested. The NRTA was created from the Flag Officer Training and Recruiting (FOTR) Command area on 1 April 1995 and, therefore, has not been in existence for three years, however, the following information has been compiled from the combined FOTR and NRTA use of employment agencies since 1994:
(a) Agencies Used:
South Hams Nursing Agency
Crown Nursing Agency
Personnel Selection
Primary Management
Alfred Marks
AYS Recruitment Agency
Manpower plc
Office Angels
(b) Total Number of Personnel Employed: 92
(c) Total Cost: £172,908 (Median Cost Per Person: £407.17)
(d) Average Length of Contract:½months.

You may be interested to note that, wherever possible, a competitive tendering process is used to identify the most cost-effective employment agency. In cases where there may be an ongoing requirement for agency personnel (e.g., Nurses), the negotiation of a longer term contract (say, for three years) is likely to result in more competitive prices than would be the case in ad hoc arrangements.

I hope that this is helpful.

Letter from A. J. Stables to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Training Group Defence Agency. The names of the agencies which have ben used are as follows:
Alfred Marks
Anaesthetists Agency
Angela Shaw Associates
Beaver Employment
Blue Arrow Catering Services
Brook Street Bureau plc
Defcon Security Services
Gibson Oliff Recruitment
Hamlin Nursing Agency
Hayes Accountancy Personnel
Jenrick Ltd.
Pertemps
Toner Graham
Travail

The total number of private agency staff employed over the last 3 years was 109; 29 of them were employed during financial year 1994–95, 32 in 1995–96 and 48 in 1996–97. The costs during these years were approximately £102K, £132.5K and £147.7K respectively; a total of £382.2K over the period. The median cost paid to the agencies per employee was approximately £3.5K. As far as can be determined from the information available, the average length of contract per person was just over 7.5 weeks.

I am sending a copy of this letter to my Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief.

Letter from Roger Babington to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 19 February 1997:

I am replying in part to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the use of private employment agencies, as this is related to my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency.

The Ships Support Agency was launched on 11 December 1996 and since that time has used two employment agencies, the details of which are provided below:
1.
(a) Ross Campbell Consultants Limited
(b) Two people employed
(c) Total cost £3,552, cost per employee £1,776
(d) Average contract length of employees ten months
2.
(a) Alfred Marks (At Your Service)
(b) Three people employed
(c) Total cost £8,086, cost per employee £2,695
(d) Average contract length of employees 5.5 months

(The cost per employee is the exact cost to the Department and not the median).

Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings which his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16287]

The assessment and recording of hazardous substances used in construction is covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1995. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 requires information regarding any hazardous materials incorporated within the fabric of any new structure to be recorded in the health and safety file for that structure.The presence of any hazardous materials, such as asbestos, in existing buildings is recorded in the appropriate register its location is noted and its condition monitored.Measures are in place to restrict the use of ozone-depleting substances in the construction of MOD buildings.

Volume 290: debated on Wednesday 19 February 1997

Written Answers To Questions

Home Department

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Road Running

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Banaban People

Environment

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"Success Through Partnership: A Strategy For Tourism"

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