To ask the Prime Minister what has been the cost to public funds of the attendance of (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Deputy Prime Minister and (c) officials from the Cabinet Office at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee in Scotland since 1994; and if he will list the meetings of the Committee which (a) to (c) have attended indicating the cost of their attendance and the names of those who attended. [16560]

I attended the Scottish Grand Committee meeting on 5 July 1996 in Dumfries and had officials in attendance as necessary. Ministers attend Scottish Grand Committee meetings as part of their normal parliamentary duties and officials do so as part of their normal departmental duties. Expenditure falling to my Department has been limited to travelling costs.No other Ministers from the Cabinet Office have had the opportunity to attend a Scottish Grand Committee meeting.

To ask the Prime Minister when applications were received from the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) and Dame Pauline Neville-Jones under the business appointment rules; and when, and on what terms, approvals for their appointment to the Natwest bank were granted. [16948]

The right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) was not bound to seek the advice of my advisory committee on business appointments before joining the National Westminster bank in October 1995 because the guidelines on the acceptance of appointments outside Government for former Ministers did not come into effect until the start of the 1995–96 Session of Parliament.Nevertheless, I understand that Mr. Hurd consulted the chairman of the advisory committee informally before taking up the appointment. Dame Pauline Neville-Jones applied for prior permission, in accordance with the rules on the acceptance of outside appointments by Crown servants, to accept a position with the National Westminster bank after retirement. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on the advice of the advisory committee on business appointments, approved Dame Pauline's application unconditionally on 24 June 1996.

To ask the Prime Minister if he has received the 1996 annual report of the intelligence and security committee in accordance with the Intelligence Services Act 1994. [17513]

I have received the 1996 annual report of the intelligence and security committee and am presenting it to Parliament today. Copies are also being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. I am grateful to the committee for the valuable work it has undertaken in the preparation of the report. Certain portions of the report contained material which fell within the provisions of section 10 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994; accordingly, after consultation with the committee, these have been deleted from the published version.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Sri Lankan Tamils are in the United Kingdom having been granted political asylum; [16934](2) how many Sri Lankan Tamils are currently seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom. [16904]

The available information is for all Sri Lankan nationals; no distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans.During 1996, five nationals of Sri Lanka were granted asylum in the United Kingdom and a further 25 were refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain. Information on the number granted asylum in earlier years is given in table 3.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, 1995" issue 9/96, a copy of which is in the Library. Information regarding those granted exceptional leave in earlier years is given in table 3.2 of the same publication. It is not known how many of those granted either asylum or exceptional leave have remained in the United Kingdom.As at 31 December 1996, an estimated 2,895 Sri Lankan asylum seekers were awaiting an initial decision on their asylum applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils, who are being held in (a) prison and (b) detention centres, are seeking political asylum; and if he will make a statement. [16933]

The available information on all Sri Lankan asylum seekers held in detention, under sole Immigration Acts powers, is given in the table. No distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the penalties for electoral fraud where the offence involves the deprivation of a vulnerable elector of his or her vote. [17136]

None. Legislation already provides for a range of penalties, up to a maximum of an unlimited fine or a term of imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what date the Alsetex CS gas dispenser was approved by the police scientific and development branch at St. Albans for use by Home Office constabularies; and which alternative products were (a) tested and (b) approved; [16679](2) what chemical is used as the solvent in the Alsetex CS gas dispenser approved by the police scientific and development branch. [16680]

Decisions about the selection of police protective equipment are a matter for chief police officers. The Association of Police Chief Officers announced its choice of equipment marketed by SAE Alsetex for operational trials of CS sprays on 19 October 1995. It chose this equipment following advice from the police scientific and development branch about a variety of CS spray devices. The solvent used in the Alsetex equipment is methyl isobutyl ketone.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the firearms administration office at New Scotland Yard is to close in 1997; and what steps are being taken to provide alternative arrangements to serve the public. [17450]

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that firearms licensing functions currently discharged by the firearms licensing branch at New Scotland Yard will be devolved to each of the five areas of the Metropolitan police district on 1 April 1997. A small team will remain at New Scotland Yard with a policy development remit for firearms licensing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct police forces that when a blood sample is taken after an accident and tested for alcohol that it should also be treated for drugs; and if he will make a statement. [17451]

No. The decision on what action to take in each case is a matter for the police officer concerned. In the case of an alleged offence under section 3A or 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a blood sample can be taken with the consent of a medical practitioner and be tested for drugs and alcohol.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date approaches were made to him by Belgian police authorities seeking assistance in their investigations of the Dai Ichi Kyoto insurance company; and what actions and on what dates were taken as a result. [17400]

It is not the Government's policy to comment on whether requests have been received from overseas authorities for assistance in criminal matters or on the execution of requests.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received from the chief constable of Bedfordshire regarding the theft of large-calibre pistols from a police station in Luton, Bedfordshire; how many pistols were stolen; and on what date the theft occurred. [17448]

I understand from the chief constable of Bedfordshire that 23 guns which were the property of a former firearms dealer were taken from a store at Luton police station.None of the guns were pistols, and none were police issue guns. Police have traced all but one of the guns. Their investigations continue and I cannot comment further at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will rank the new parliamentary constituencies by share of the electorate below normal retirement age. [15836]

I have been asked to reply.This information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new instructions he has given to the Health and Safety Executive concerning the carrying out of studies of over 25 people relating to stress, working hours, fatigue or safety; and which proposed studies by the HSE have been abandoned as a result. [16216]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has given no new instructions to the Health and Safety Executive concerning studies in these areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Health and Safety Executive is required to obtain ministerial permission before conducting surveys of more then 25 people; and what recent changes there have been in this respect. [16212]

The Health and Safety Executive is required to obtain ministerial permission before conducting surveys of 25 or more people in accordance with the Prime Minister's instructions on the control of statistical surveys, which were issued to all Government Departments in August 1994. This is because the Government need to strike the balance between burdens on businesses and the need to collect information for Government purposes. No recent changes have been made in this respect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new instructions he has given concerning departmental approval of studies of over 25 people relating to stress, working hours, fatigue or safety. [16215]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has given no new instructions concerning departmental approval of studies in these areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. [16179]

In the last three years, my Department has used Addecco Alfred Marks, Manpower and Brook Street employment agencies to recruit temporary typists and secretaries. Since line managers have the delegation to appoint such staff, information on numbers, costs and length of employment is not held centrally and is not readily available.The chief executives of the Department's agencies have been asked to write to the hon. Member about their own arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which are the 10 highest spending local councils per head in England. [16157]

The 10 local authorities within each class of authority with the highest budgeted net revenue expenditure per head are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been Her Majesty's Government's grant in aid to British Waterways in the last 10 years. [16956]

Grant-in-aid to British Waterways since 1987–88 has been as follows:

• 1987–88: £43.0 million
• 1988–89: £44.8 million
• 1989–90: £47.156 million
• 1990–91: £48.3 million
• 1991–92: £50.1 million
• 1992–93: £51.075 million
• 1993–94: £49.3 million
• 1994–95: £48.866 million
• 1995–96: £49.84 million
• 1996–97: £49.8 million
• 1997–98: £50.89 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 13 February, Official Report, column 261, how many members of the Future BRE group were also members of the in-house bid team. [17444]

Five.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 13 February, Official Report, column 261, how many members of the Foundation for the Built Environment have been appointed to date. [17441]

The Foundation for the Built Environment is a company limited by guarantee the members of which, for the time being, are two members of staff of Ashurst Moms Crisp, legal advisers to the management bid team.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's estimate of the number of working days lost as a result of stress-related illness in each of the past 10 years. [17457]

There are no data that provide reliable estimates for work days lost annually from stress-related illness for each of the past 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to consolidate the local authority capital finance regulations and to provide guidance on the capital finance system. [17514]

The capital finance regulations, first made in 1990, have become increasingly unwieldy because of successive amendments. I want councils to have the clearest possible guidance and not be tied up with unnecessary red tape, so I am publishing today an updated and simplified version of the regulations consolidating all the changes made in the last six years.The document being published is an entirely new text with all the changes set out clearly and simply. It will make it easier for local authorities to make the best use of all the opportunities that we have created for investment, through public-private partnership, in new schools, roads and other amenities for their residents.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the revised planning policy guidance note 1; and if he will make a statement about the further action he proposes to take to encourage mixed use development in towns and cities. [17591]

I am delighted to publish today the revised "Planning Policy Guidance Note 1"—PPG1—"General Policy and Principles".This completes a long process of planning policy reform to strike the right balance between helping sustain economic growth while ensuring the protection of our environment.The revised PPG 1:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's pilot waste audit. [16426]

The only waste pilot scheme currently in progress within my Department is being conducted by the Court Service. I have asked Michael Huebner, the chief Executive of the Court Service, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. [16308]

My Department, its agencies, and the Northern Ireland Court Service ensure that annual assessments of the presence of hazardous materials are carried out on their behalf in accordance with the requirements of health and safety legislation. When such materials are found, they are removed or made safe as quickly as is practicable. With regard to ozone depleting substances, each body has completed a programme of inspections of all buildings on their estate.Within the Court Service there are no halon fire fighting systems, all refrigerants used have an ozone depletion potential of less than 0.05 and all new builds use cavity fill insulation in accordance with BS5617, 5618 and 8208 or use alternative materials. The Lord Chancellor's Department has no halon fire fighting systems, and controls, monitors and removes ozone depleting substances in accordance with the EC protocol. The Northern Ireland Court Service has phased out all halon fire fighting systems and uses the Department of the Environment (NI) Construction Service to ensure that ozone depleting substances in refrigerants and air conditioning are controlled and monitored to comply with regulations.The HM Land Registry controls, monitors and replaces all ozone depleting substances as soon as is practicable. The Public Record Office is phasing out all halon fire fighting equipment by March 1997. The Public Trust Office's audit concluded that it complied with all regulations regarding ozone depleting substances.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if legal aid is available for malicious defamation proceedings in the case of a person accused of murder. [16995]

Full civil legal aid is not available for defamation actions, although legal advice about defamation is available under the green form advice and assistance scheme.Legal aid is available for malicious falsehood actions.

To ask the Lord President of the Council 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. [16415]

The small size of the Privy Council Office, and the fact that it is located within buildings managed by the Cabinet Office, limit the scope for independent initiatives on energy use or waste management. However, my Department seeks to exercise maximum economy in energy use, and to minimise waste, including through the recycling of paper and other materials.

To ask the Lord President of the Council 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. [16280]

The Privy Council Office is committed both to complying with the requirements of all health and safety legislation relating to the identification and control of hazardous materials in the workplace, and to minimising the use of ozone-depleting substances.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have not worked since leaving school. [15978]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the parliamentary constituencies in which the number of people out of work and claiming benefit declined by more than 40 per cent. between December 1991 and December 1996, including in the table for each constituency the total for (a) December 1991 and £(b) December 1996, and the percentage reduction. [15731]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage change in (a) unemployment and (b) inflation in each of the past 25 years. [16107]

This information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total number of electors for each of the new parliamentary constituencies in England for the 1997–98 register of electors effective from 16 February. [16208]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Securities and Investments Board to oblige insurance companies to discontinue legal action against the alleged victims of pensions mis-selling, pending (a) decisions on what compensation is owed to those victims and (b) the conclusion of the legal remedies being pursued by those victims. [16448]

I am not aware of any legal actions by insurance companies against alleged victims of pension mis-selling. The only actions I am aware of are by investors against insurance companies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors his Department considered in respect of the appointment in 1993 of the present chairman of the Personal Investment Authority; and if he will make a statement. [16445]

Neither the Treasury nor the Securities and Investments Board has any role in the appointment of the chairman of the Personal Investment Authority. As it is a company limited by guarantee, this appointment is a matter for its board.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in descending order, the percentage of women in work in relation to the total work force in each of the EU countries. [16527]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the most recent available figures for perinatal mortality in (a) Bolton, (b) England and (c) the United Kingdom; and what trends there have been in each of those areas during the past five years. [16559]

This information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who took the decision to change the geographical basis of the monthly claimant count conducted by the Office for National Statistics; for what reasons the change took place with effect from April 1996; and if he will carry out back runs based on the 1981 census for each parliamentary constituency. [16777]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of income tax and national insurance contribution would be paid by a person (a) working full time and earning £8,320 per annum and (b) working 10 hours a week and earning £2,080 per annum. [16766]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: A single person, aged under 65, earning £8,320 per annum, would pay income tax of £860.25 and class 1 national insurance contributions at the contracted in rate of £574.08 in 1997–98. A single person working 10 hours a week and earning £2,080 per annum would pay nothing.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projections his Department has made for the economic activity rates for men of working age for each year from 1995 to 2006. [16778]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes in the regulatory structure his Department proposes to make as a result of the Sumitomo metal speculation case. [16916]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: The Securities and Investments Board is responsible for the oversight of the London metal exchange as a recognised investment exchange under the Financial Services Act 1986. The SIB published the report of its review of the London metal exchange on 19 December 1996 and I am placing a copy of that report in the Library of the House of Commons.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the purchasing power of the pound between (a) 1967 and 1996, (b) 1970 and 1975, (c) 1975 and 1980, (d) 1980 and 1990 and (e) 1990 and 1996; and if he will make a statement. [15373]

[holding answer 11 February 1996]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors underlie the projected rise in the cost of cyclical social security between 1996–97 and 2001–02 as set out in table 4.6 of general government expenditure of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1997–98"; and if he will make a statement. [15686]

[holding answer 13 February 1997]: Table 4.6 of the 1997–98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" shows projections for cyclical social security which are consistent with the Government's expectations for the public finances in the medium term. As such, it goes beyond the period covered by the last public expenditure survey for which a detailed analysis of expenditure was carried out.Table 5.3 shows that, between 1996–97 and 1999–2000, cyclical social security is expected to rise by roughly £400 million due to four factors. Uprating benefits for the effects of inflation adds £1 billion. Higher case loads and higher average amounts of benefit paid to those under 60 years old claiming income support, particularly the sick and disabled, adds a further £1.2 billion. Although these claimants are not required to seek work, they fall within the definition of cyclical social security. Policy changes announced in the Budget and reducing unemployment over the period will save £1.9 billion in total, largely offsetting the increases.Projections for 2000–01 and 2001–02, shown in table 4.6, were not part of the public expenditure survey and were based on simple broad assumptions. Whilst they illustrate the Government's expectations in the medium term, they lack the precision of projections for earlier years. To reflect this, the projections in table 4.6 are rounded to the nearest £1 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and the Government's statistical services have shared a common approach to rounding. [15837]

It can not be said that there has been any explicit sharing of a common approach to rounding. There is a description of good practice on page 37 of the second edition of "Plain Figures", recently published by The Stationery Office, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. In many respects, the approach taken depends inevitably on the context.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings for which it is responsible; and if he will make a statement. [16281]

The buildings on the parliamentary estate have been assessed under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health—COSHH—Regulations 1994. Hazardous substances are recorded and risk assessments are acted upon to minimise hazards. Environmentally friendly products are used whenever possible. A register is kept of the locations on the parliamentary estate where asbestos is known to remain. Ultimately the aim is to remove any materials containing asbestos but this cannot be done all at once, nor is it necessary to do so. Remaining asbestos is sealed and inspected at regular intervals. All equipment containing ozone depleting substances is registered and is inspected quarterly. As this equipment becomes obsolete it is replaced with environmentally friendly alternatives.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies addressed oral or supplementary questions to Ministers who primarily have responsibility for England in the Session 1995–96. [17274]

The information, taken from the parliamentary on-line information system database, is set out in the table. The list excludes questions to the Prime Minister, the Northern Ireland, Welsh and Scottish Offices, the National Audit Office, the Public Accounts Commission, the House of Commons Commission, the Church Commissioners and to me in my capacity as Leader of the House of Commons.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the number and percentage of cases completed by the Crown Prosecution Service at magistrates courts that have been (a) discontinued, (b) written off, (c) discharged at committal proceedings, (d) committed for trial, (e) bound over and (f) heard in court; and what was the total proceeded against in each of the 13 CPS areas in England and Wales in each year since 1992. [16238]

Tables setting out the information sought by the hon. Member would be too extensive to be included in the Official Report and I have placed them in the Libraries of the House. The figures contained in them are exclusive of pre-charge advice work and non-criminal proceedings, and do not include the specialised casework undertaken at CPS headquarters by Central Casework.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an environmental audit of waste management within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16422]

The Law Officers' Departments and agencies keep waste management issues under constant review for the buildings they occupy, and have already taken steps to recycle waste, achieve greater energy efficiency and promote the use of environmentally friendly products. Specific waste management measures include the use of "green" bins for the majority of waste paper; the recycling of used toner cartridges and fluorescent tubes; and the dissemination of the Department of the Environment's waste guide to premises managers for implementation. Policies are in place to undertake assessments of environmental performance, including waste management, on all new property acquisitions using BREEAM—the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method—where it is appropriate to do so. Consideration is also being given to ways of applying the BREEAM approach to buildings currently occupied.

To ask the Attorney-General 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. [16278]

Assessments are made of hazardous and ozone-depleting substances pursuant to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 and other statutory requirements. Measures taken include the holding of information on materials used by cleaning and building contractors, and the maintenance of asbestos records.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the schools in each metropolitan city which have sixth forms. [16019]

The latest available list of maintained secondary schools in metropolitan cities which have sixth forms is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will estimate the total available funding for the financial year 1997–98 for all of Rutland's primary schools if they all chose grant-maintained status. [16842]

I cannot make such an estimate. Any GM primary school in Rutland in 1997–98 would receive as annual maintenance grant an amount determined by reference to the local education authority's local management of schools—LMS—scheme, with additional money to reflect its additional responsibilities. The precise amounts also depend on the overall budget decisions which the authority makes.In addition, GM schools receive special purpose grants and capital grant. Responsibility for determining the amounts of these grants paid to individual schools rests with the Funding Agency for Schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much was spent, and how much is available under the SSA to be spent for each of the primary schools in Rutland for (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96, (iii) 1996–97 and (iv) 1997–98; [16838](2) what was the standard spending assessment for education spending on primary schools in Rutland; what was the total actual spending on Rutland's primary schools for (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96 and (iii) 1996–97; and how much is available under the SSA for 1997–98; [16839](3) what research her Department has conducted into the formula for the education SSA for primary schools in the newly unitary Rutland compared with the pattern of actual spending there in each of the three previous years; what factors have been taken into account for sparsity and special needs; and if she will make a statement. [16840]

The information is not available in the form in which it has been requested. Neither the total of Leicestershire county council's spending on primary schools nor the education component of the authority's standard spending assessment for the financial years in question can be accurately broken down to the level of individual primary schools in Rutland, primarily due to difficulties in apportioning central spending in support of these schools. I shall write to the hon. Member.For 1997–98, the new unitary authority for Rutland is free to decide whether to increase funding for primary schools within the overall increase in its budget requirement permitted by the provisional capping rules. There is no allowance within the education standard spending assessment that is comparable with spending on primary schools.The calculation of education standard spending assessments for Rutland and other authorities is based on an objective formula largely driven by pupil numbers. The cost adjustments for sparsity and additional education needs are defined in the "Local Government Finance Report (England) 1997–98", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The formula is, and will continue to be, specifically designed not to reflect actual levels of local authority spending on particular areas and all the factors in the formula are independent of the decisions taken by individual authorities. The formula is kept under annual review, in consultation with the local authority associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many names of individuals were placed on list 99 in (a) 1994, (b) 1995 and (c) 1996; and how many of these names were submitted by the independent education sector. [17115]

The following table shows the number of names added to list 99 in each of the last three years for which statistics are available. The table also shows the type of establishment in which these individuals were most recently employed. The Department's statistical record does not distinguish between cases reported by the employer and those reported by the police, or other agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers took early retirement under the premature retirement arrangements for teachers in each year since 1990. [17120]

The number of teachers granted premature retirement for each year from 1990–91 to 1995–96 is given in the following table.

• 1990–91: 11,692
• 1991–92: 10,287
• 1992–93: 12,214
• 1993–94: 12,233
• 1994–95: 10,608
• 1995–96: 13,055.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library the actuarial basis referred to in her Department's letter about changes to entitlement on redundancy within the teachers pension scheme to the secretary of the teachers panel; and if she will estimate (a) the savings to the scheme costs and (b) the extra social security expenditure implied by the changes she proposes. [16944]

I have placed in the Library a note by the Government Actuary, setting out the method of calculation of the actuarial factors which were referred to in the Department's letter of 17 December 1996 to the secretary of the teachers' panel. The Government Actuary

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to receive the report from the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority on values in education and the community; and if she will make a statement. [16959]

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, expects to receive advice on the final recommendations of the national forum for values in education and the community once the authority has finalised its consultations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment who had (a) trusteeship duties and (b) fiduciary duties for the teachers' pension scheme before and after the setting up of the Teachers Pensions Agency. [16918]

The teachers' superannuation scheme is an unfunded statutory scheme, which does not have trustees. The Secretary of State is accountable to Parliament for the running of the TSS.Fiduciary duties for the moneys coming into and out of the scheme rest with the permanent secretary of the relevant Department. During the existence of the Teachers Pensions Agency from 1992 to 1996, the chief executive of the agency was appointed as an additional accounting officer to support the permanent secretary in his role as principal accounting officer for the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many early pensions or redundancies were financed by the teachers' pension scheme in (a) schools, (b) further education and sixth form colleges and (c) higher education institutions in each of the past five complete years. [16921]

The following table shows the number of premature retirements from the teachers' superannuation scheme for each of the years 1991–92 to 1995–96, for schools—maintained and independent—further education and sixth form colleges, and higher education institutions. Redundancy payments are made by teachers' employers.recommends that the employers' contribution rate will be 7.2 per cent., if, as my right hon. Friend has decided, the cost of premature retirement is no longer borne by the scheme, and 8.8 per cent. if it continues to be borne by the scheme. The savings to teachers' employers arising from this difference will be £220 million per annum. It is not possible to say whether there will be extra expenditure on social security as a result of the changes. That will depend on the decisions reached by each individual employer, and the personal circumstances of each teacher who leaves employment. The Government intend premature retirement to continue to be available as a management tool, and has provided funding for that purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will introduce transitional arrangements to dampen the effect of the introduction of the new funding formula on the budget allocation to the Milton Keynes and North Buckinghamshire training and enterprise council; and if she will make a statement. [16978]

Initial budget proposals have been modified to some degree in Milton Keynes chamber of commerce, training and enterprise's favour during contract negotiations between the relevant Government office and the eight TECs in the south-east region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which Government regional offices have not introduced transitional arrangements to dampen the effect on budgets the implementation of the new funding formula for training and enterprise councils; and who is responsible for making such a decision. [16979]

Government offices are responsible for negotiating contracts with TECs within their allocated regional budgets, and are not required to use a particular funding formula.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to take a decision on the proposal of Newcastle LEA to close Blakelaw school, Newcastle; if she intends to set down (a) conditions and (b) targets as part of her decision; and if she will inform the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central of her decision. [17253]

My right hon. Friend will reach a decision on these statutory proposals as soon as possible. Targets and conditions cannot be part of a decision on this type of proposal. The hon. Member will be informed of her decision as soon as it is made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the schools receiving money from the assisted places scheme by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local education authority. [17123]

I am placing in the Library a list of the 355 schools participating in the assisted places scheme in England in the current academic year 1996–97. The list shows the parliamentary constituency and the local education authority area in which each school is situated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her Department's estimate of the number of working days lost by teachers as a result of stress-related illness in each of the past 10 years. [17456]

This information is not collected by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the Government's policy at the forthcoming ILO conference in respect of the protection of British citizens working (a) within and (b) outside the European Union. [17434]

The Government will be seeking to ensure that the basic protections of British citizens are taken into account in all discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment who will be representing the Government at the ILO conference in Geneva. [17390]

The United Kingdom will, as in previous years, be sending a tripartite delegation to the ILO conference. The members of that delegation have not yet been appointed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 12 February, Official Report, column 229, what is the total outturn cost of publishing the school performance tables of key stage 2 results for 1996. [16600]

[holding answer 20 February' 1997]: The outturn cost of the key stage 2 performance tables is not yet available. The cost of the 1996 secondary school and 16 to 18 tables, which listed some 5,500 institutions, was £1.4 million. Key stage 2 tables will list some 14,500 schools, but are likely to cost rather less.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the timetable for the production of accounts for the Astra Group pension scheme for the year ended 30 April 1994 and subsequent years; if she will investigate the way in which the trustees are carrying out their duties; what assessment she has made of the actuarial valuation made (a) before and (b) after privatisation; and if she will make a statement. [16939]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: Production of the company accounts of the former Astra group, and those of its pension scheme are not matters for this or any Government Department, though the Department of Trade and Industry can confirm the statutory timetables set for production of company accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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. [16189]

The information for my Department, and the two agencies for which it is responsible—the Historic Royal Palaces Agency (HRPA) and the Royal Parks Agency (RPA), is as follows:—(a) Agencies used in the last three years.Josephine Sammons, Manpower, Office Angels, Reinforcements, PRC Employment, Alfred Marks, Montrose Technical Recruitment, Hays Accountancy Personnel, Accountancy Selection, Adecco UK Ltd., Initial Contract Services, Kelly Services, Church Street Recruitment, Montrose, Adia Alfred Marks, Pipco Ltd., Harris Jones Recruitment, Huntley Cartwright, Roberts Associates, MTS Group, Abacus, Masterlock, The Peepul Bureau, Recruit, PD Bureau, and ADIA.(b) Number employed by the agencies in work for the Department and its agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions she has had with (a) Bromley council and (b) the Central Council for Physical Recreation about the future of Crystal Palace recreation centre and stadium. [16883]

None. I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 19 February, Official Report, column 585. Discussions about the future of facilities at Crystal Palace national sports centre are a matter for the English Sports Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will ensure that the athletic track and facilities at the Crystal Palace recreation centre will remain fully available for athletes training for Olympic athletics until adequate international class facilities are provided elsewhere in London. [16938]

[holding answer 20 February 1997]: An independent feasibility study is being undertaken on behalf of the London borough of Bromley and the English Sports Council to determine the future need for, and uses of, the Crystal Palace national sports centre. This is part of an ongoing commitment by the English Sports Council to ensure the provision of top class facilities for athletes. The lottery sports fund has to date made 32 awards to athletics for the development of new facilities. The total of these awards is £22,399,841.While discussions on the future of Crystal Palace national sports centre continue, the English Sports Council recognises that provision needs to be made both for competition and for training in London generally and in south London in particular. It is currently considering where such facilities can best be provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage by what mechanism she ensures that the BBC meets the requirements of its charter with particular reference to political impartiality; and if she will make a statement. [16957]

Under the terms of the new charter and agreement, it is for the BBC board of governors to ensure that the corporation is meeting its obligations to the public. Under the agreement, the BBC is required to treat controversial subjects with due accuracy and impartiality, both in the corporation's news services and in the more general field of programmes dealing with matters of public policy or of political or industrial controversy. Central to this obligation is the duty on the corporation to draw up a new code of guidance on how it is to meet its obligations of due accuracy and impartiality. The governors have a specific duty to ensure compliance with this code by all BBC employees and programme makers. The code was published on 13 November 1996 as part of the corporation's revised "Producers' Guidelines", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she will be announcing the further shortlist for the British Academy of Sport. [16663]

I will be announcing the final shortlist on the morning of 25 February and copies of the announcement will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [16579]

Ministers attend Scottish Grand Committee meetings as part of their normal parliamentary duties and officials attend as necessary as part of their normal departmental duties. Expenditure falling to my Department has been limited to travelling costs. The names of Scottish Office Ministers who have attended meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee held in Scotland since December 1994 can be found in the Official Report of each of these meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff employed by NHS trusts or health boards are on local contracts outwith Whitley agreements. [16744]

The information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of housing stock in each local authority was designated as unfit for habitation in each year since 1990. [17232]

The term "unfit for habitation" is not used in Scotland. The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 sets out the criteria for a dwelling to meet the tolerable standard, which is the relevant standard in Scotland. Local authority estimates of the number of dwellings which fall below the tolerable standard are published annually in the Scottish Office statistical bulletin housing series, bulletins HSG/1992/4, HSG/1992/7, HSG/1994/6, HSG/1994/8 and HSG/1996/2. These bulletins are available in the House Library. The most recent estimates, for April 1996, are due to be published on 27 February 1997. A copy of the relevant bulletin (HSG/1997/1) will also be placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the Pesca-funded schemes agreed by the EU for projects located in the Berwickshire area over the past 12 months indicating the title of the project, the amount of funding, the starting date for the scheme, and the date when the funds were made available to the organisers carrying out the schemes; [16986]

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 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.The Borders LPG, which incorporates Berwickshire, has a programme allocation of 1.34 mecu—£1,047 million approximately—for the period 1995–99. On receipt of a first claim from the group for expenditure defrayed in 1996, Scottish Office officials will visit the group to ensure that suitable administrative systems are in place, and a first advance of Pesca funds will be released.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were total capital receipts in respect of the right to buy from (a) council tenants, (b) Scottish Homes tenants, (c) new town tenants and (d) other public sector tenants in Scotland in each year from 1979–80 to 1995–96. [17226]

The available information is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individual farm units in Scotland outside environmentally sensitive areas are (a) under 40, (b) 41 to 50, (c) 61 to 70, (d) 71 to 80 and (e) over 80 hectares; and what is the total area of farmland outside the ESAs. [17255]

The estimated data are shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average daily number of hospital beds in general and acute specialties in each health authority in Scotland in (a) 1982, (b) 1990–91, (c) 1991–92 and (d) 1995–96. [17246]

The information is set out in the table.