To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the importing of South African goods; and what plans he has to assist South African industries to expand their world trade. [17712]

Negotiations are in progress between the European Commission and the South African Government on South Africa's qualified accession to the Lomé convention and on a possible free trade agreement. The British Government are pressing for swift progress on this issue and have made it clear that they support the most liberal agreement possible. Representations in support of a generous line towards South Africa have been received from numerous members of the British public and from interested organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has had in the last year to discuss housing and employment problems in South Africa. [17713]

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has not, in the last year, held meetings to address these specific issues. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has, however, had numerous meetings both in Britain and in South Africa, to discuss South Africa's development needs. Housing is not one of the five agreed priorities for the British aid programme, but our high commission in Pretoria has funded projects assisting with housing. The British development division in South Africa is also helping with small enterprise development and job creation.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total funding given by central Government Departments to voluntary bodies in the financial year 1994–95; and if she will make a statement. [18467]

Central Government funding of voluntary organisations in 1994–95, including grants from non-departmental public bodies, amounted to £3,453 million. Of this, £2,496 million was payments to housing associations. The remaining £957 million went direct to voluntary organisations to support the provision of services and a wide range of activities and projects, an increase in Government funding of 5 per cent. in cash terms and 3 per cent. in real terms over the level of provision in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate she has made of the cost of providing free television licences for old age pensioners in Wales. [17877]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: I understand that the cost of providing free television licences for all old age pensioners in Wales would be likely to be in the order of £30 million a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people (a) were assessed under, (b) failed and (c) passed the habitual residence test in each month since August 1994 in each of the Newham benefit offices broken down by (i) United Kingdom, (ii) European Economic Area and (iii) other; [17831](2) if he will provide a breakdown of the habitual residence test in the London borough of Newham since August 1994 for (i) Canning Town, (ii) Plaistow and Stratford benefit offices. [17833]

The administration of income support is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to allow local authorities to contract out housing benefit and council tax benefit. [18484]

I announced on 12 November 1996, Official Report, column 196, my intention to open consultation with the local authority associations on a proposal to bring forward an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 which would allow contractors to carry out housing and council tax benefit determinations. Existing legislation prevents contractors from making benefit determinations and reduces the efficiency of contracts which local authorities are able to negotiate. Following consultation with the local authority associations, I am laying before Parliament today the Contracting Out (Functions of Local Authorities in relation to Income-related Benefits) Order 1997. The order will allow contractors to carry out the bulk of housing and council tax benefits administration, including benefit determinations. However, some functions relating to claims for central Government subsidy, overpayments, prosecutions, discretionary payments and appeals will be reserved for local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what requests he has received to make an oral statement to the House on recent developments in relation to sensorineural hearing loss and war pensions; and if he will make a statement. [17895]

On 5 December 1996, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord MacKay of Ardbredknish announced to the Central Advisory Committee that he was seeking its views on a package of minor reforms to the war pension system. On the same occasion, he advised the Central Advisory Committee about changes to the handling of cases involving sensorineural hearing loss. Both prompted a substantial number of representations, only two of which suggested that an oral statement would be appropriate.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if producers who have cattle slaughtered under the selective cull scheme will be able to claim suckler cow and beef special premium and hill livestock compensatory allowances for those cattle slaughtered in the retention period for those payments; and if he will make a statement. [17397]

[holding answer 24 February 1997]: We have been in contact with the European Commission on this point and hope to be able to make an announcement in the near future.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total public expenditure under the CAP paid in the last year to farmers in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall. [17391]

Total public expenditure under the CAP paid to farmers in 1995—the last year for which figures are available—was as follows:

(a) Devon: £55,005,315

(b) Cornwall: £30,283,103

It should be noted that a small proportion of these totals relates to non-CAP schemes funded by the EU and in some cases amounts include an element of national as well as EU funding. Devon and Cornwall farmers also benefit from expenditure on market support measures, even though this is not paid directly to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the prior options studies of the Insolvency Service, companies registry and trading standards branches of the Department of Economic Development have been completed; and if he will make a statement on the outcomes. [18507]

These studies, which were undertaken by independent consultants, have been completed and Ministers have concluded that, given the size of the organisations involved, agentisation, either on an individual basis, or collectively, would be inappropriate. Ministers have agreed, however, that next steps principles should be applied to the management of the statutory and regulatory functions which all three branches are required to perform.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were (a) the total costs of legal aid in juvenile cases in the youth court and (b) the average cost per case in the latest year for which figures are available. [17284]

The total gross cost of legal aid in respect of juvenile cases heard in the youth court during 1995–96 was £16.8 million. The average unit cost of these proceedings was £439.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) reports and (b) other publications currently available from the radiobiological research laboratory at Alverstoke. [17901]

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of his Department's defence cost studies; what were the estimated savings accruing from the implementation of proposals contained in each study; and what is his current estimate of how much each proposal will save. [18114]

I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to the hon. Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) on 26 November 1996, Official Report, columns 196–97.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy in respect of claims that former service personnel who participated in the nuclear tests programme in Australia and the south Pacific have developed (a) leukaemia, excluding chronic lymphatic and (b) multiple myeloma as a result of those tests; and if he will make a statement. [17953]

My Department's policy is based on the conclusions of the studies by the National Radiological Protection Board. The second report concluded that the excess of leukaemia in test participants compared with controls in the period two to 25 years after the tests is likely to be a chance finding, although the possibility that test participation may have caused a small risk of developing leukaemia in the early years after the tests cannot be completely ruled out. It also concluded that data available from the additional follow-up since 1988 did not support the suggestion from the previous report that participants may have experienced a small hazard of multiple myeloma, which also appeared to be a chance finding.The general conclusion of the NRPB studies was that participation in the nuclear weapon testing programme had not had a detectable effect on the participants' expectation of life nor on their risk of developing cancer or other diseases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the revision of the manual of military law of armed conflict currently planned by Her Majesty's Government are part of a concerted NATO revision. [18101]

No. However, the authors have been in informal consultations with other nations which are working on similar projects including some NATO countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the planned new joint service manual on the law of armed conflict to replace part III of the manual of military law will be published; what consultations will be held on its revision; and if he is prepared to accept representations on it. [18091]

A text for a draft joint service manual was prepared some years ago but held in abeyance pending decisions on the ratification by the UK of the additional protocols to the Geneva conventions of 1949. That text is currently being updated to take into account recent developments in the field although no final date can be given as yet for its completion. The draft is being prepared by service officers, assisted by an eminent academic consultant, and the final text will be subject to comment both within the Ministry of Defence and other interested Departments prior to publication. There are no plans for public consultation or comment. Once published, it will be available to the public and subject to regular update and amendment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial assistance his Department plans to provide for service personnel to assist with increases in rents for family quarters; and if he will make a statement. [17948]

We do not propose to introduce any additional financial assistance to compensate for the rises in service accommodation charges.The Armed Forces Pay Review Body recommends levels of pay and charges broadly comparable to those in the civilian sector. The level of accommodation charge is based on the costs of comparable housing, less an abatement to take account of the relative disadvantages of living in service accommodation. Taking account of the increases in pay due to come into effect on 1 April and 1 December 1997, no personnel will experience a net decrease in pay as a result of the increases in accommodation charges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation he has received from General Sir David Scott-Barrett of the Scots Guards regarding Scots Guardsmen Fisher and Wright. [18208]

My right hon. Friend has received one representation direct from General Scott-Barrett. He and I have received a number of others from hon. Members about the case of Guardsmen Fisher and Wright.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's aircraft crashes which are still under investigation. [18112]

The information requested is as follows:

• 10 January 1996: 2 RAF Tornado F3s
• 23 January 1996: RAF Jaguar GR1B
• 13 February 1996: RAF Hawk T1
• 19 February 1996: RAF Harrier GR7
• 23 February 1996: RAF Tornado GR1
• 26 February 1996: RAF Tornado GR1
• 26 February 1996: RN Harrier T4N
• 26 May 1996: RAF Hawk T1
• 24 July 1996: RAF Jaguar GR1A
• 18 September 1996: RAF Jaguar T2A
• 28 September 1996: MOD(PE) Tornado F3
• 9 January 1997: RAF Harrier GR7
• 15 February 1997: RAF Puma HC1

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, Official Report, column 367, what were the total receipts for the sale of the empty homes by the end of summer 1996. [18113]

Of the 5,348 disposals, 2,373 formed part of the service families married quarter sale to Annington Homes and the value of surplus homes cannot be separately identified. A total of 2,687 were sold through the normal processes but receipts information is not held centrally and therefore it has not been possible to collate cost data in the time available: I will write to the hon. Member. Two hundred and fifteen houses were demolished as surplus or as part of the demolition and rebuild programme and thus did not attract receipts. Seventy-three houses were leased pending later sale.The above figures cover the 18-month period to 30 September 1996 and include the Annington Homes sales for which contracts were exchanged on 24 September 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his staff work from the A1 Bilad building, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; if his Department is the owner of the building; and which organisation is responsible for its security arrangements. [17238]

[holding answer 24 February 1997]: The building mentioned is not owned by my Department. I am withholding information on the security arrangements under exemption 4(f) of the code of practice on access to government information 1997.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to stop computer-generated claims for interest on tax payments received under self-assessment after 31 January where the cost of recovering the interest exceeds the interest; and if he will make a statement. [17182]

Self-assessment statements of account were not, and will not, be issued solely to advise taxpayers of small amounts of interest due.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the gross sum collected per annum by HM Customs and Excise in respect of the VAT levied on the repair and maintenance of private dwellings. [17082]

[holding answer 24 February 1997]: Statistics on the VAT collected on repairs and maintenance of private dwellings are not directly available. The gross VAT liability in 1995 in respect of repairs, maintenance and alterations carried out by contractors on private sector housing is estimated at £1.2 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the former head of the Inland Revenue special investigations unit (a) was arrested for corrupt practices and (b) requested information relating to the tax returns made by a right hon. Member. [17367]

[holding answer 24 February 1997]: Mr. Michael Allcock, the former head of the Inland Revenue's London special office 2 was arrested on suspicion of corruption on 27 July 1993.With reference to the second part of the hon. Member's question, the rules on taxpayer confidentiality prevent the disclosure of any information relating to the tax affairs of any particular taxpayer or taxpayers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent environmental considerations informed the scale of increase in vehicle fuel taxation in his last budget. [17361]

The Government's policy on fuel duties is an important part of their overall environmental policy. The policy of successive UK Governments has been to charge duty on road fuels at rates which will not only raise sufficient revenue but also take account of the need to conserve finite stocks of fossil fuels a protect the general environment.A commitment to raise road fuel duties by an average of at least 5 per cent. each year in real terms was announced in the 1993 Budget. The aim of these tax rises is to encourage fuel efficiency and to help to control harmful pollution. This will help to reach the Rio convention commitment by returning emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases—methane, nitrous oxide—to their 1990 levels by the year 2000. As a result, pollution from vehicles is already coming down.In order to encourage the use of high-mileage vehicles in our towns and cities and of more environmentally friendly fuels, two measures were announced: the duty rate of ultra-low sulphur diesel will be reduced by 1p per litre relative to ordinary diesel, when the necessary international agreement is attained. Ultra-low sulphur diesel is cleaner than ordinary diesel, but is slightly more expensive to produce. This measure will encourage the use of ultra-low sulphur diesel. We also announced 25 per cent. reduction in the duty on road fuel gases. This means the duty rate for gas used as road fuel is now 21.13 pence per kilogram—approximately 1.5 litres—compared with 41.68p per litre for leaded petrol and 36.86p per litre for unleaded petrol and diesel road fuel.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield in (a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96; and what is the estimated yield in 1996–97 from (i) petrol duty, (ii) derv duty, (iii) vehicle excise duty, (iv) VAT on petrol and derv rates and (v) VAT on vehicle sales. [17515]

The information requested is shown in the table:

£ billions
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97 (forecast)
petrol duty	9.6	10.1	—
derv duty	4.4	5.3	—
Total fuel duties	14.0	5.3	117.4
VED	3.8	4.0	4.3
VAT on fuel duties	2.5	2.7	3.0
VAT on vehicle sales	3.4	3.6	2n/a
1 Petrol and derv forecast receipts are not published separately.
2 Separate forecasts of VAT on vehicle sales are not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of local tax offices are meeting their performance targets for dealing with (a) personal callers, (b) telephone calls, (c) repayment claims and (d) correspondence. [17890]

The Inland Revenue does not publish its performance against annual targets until results covering the full period are available and appropriate validation and checking of figures has been carried out.Based on latest provisional figures, most local tax offices are currently on course to meet or exceed their annual targets for personal callers and telephone calls, but are unlikely to achieve their correspondence targets. The claims target applies only to specialist repayment offices, which are on course to meet or exceed this target.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in respect of the action by Customs and Excise against Weatherguard, Halbeath, Fife, in 1992–93 (a) the date and location of the seizure of jackets, (b) the number of jackets seized, (c) their country of manufacture and the manufacturer, (d) the haulier involved, (e) the date of the alleged criminal act, (f) the fine charged against the company, (g) the date when the fine was paid and (h) the intended destination of the jackets. [17262]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The Commissioners of Customs and Excise owe a duty of confidence to the trader in this case and cannot release the information requested.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue consequences of raising the basic rate of income tax in Wales to 25p in the pound. [17869]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The latest available information is for 1994–95. The full-year yield of increasing the basic rate of tax by 1p under the 1994–95 tax regime and at 1994–95 income levels is £70 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate of the revenue raised by a 50 per cent. tax rate on incomes of £40,000 plus per annum in Wales. [17867]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The latest available information is for 1994–95. The full-year yield under the 1994–95 tax regime and at 1994–95 income levels of introducing a new rate of 50 per cent. on taxable incomes above £40,000 is £30 million. The yield does not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of the new rate of tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue consequences of raising income tax thresholds in Wales so that 30,000 people would be removed from income tax liability. [17871]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The latest available information is for 1994–95. The full-year cost under the 1994–95 tax regime and at 1994–95 income levels of increasing non-aged and aged personal allowances by £330 is £70 million—this would have taken 30,000 taxpayers out of income tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes in the basic top rates of income tax over the last 30 years. [18144]

Tables 1.5 and 1.10 of the 1996–97 "Tax Benefit Reference Manual" gives income tax rates for years 1967–68 to 1996–97, a copy of which can be found in the Library.Proposed rates for 1997–98 are as follows:

£ per annul	Taxable income	Rate of income tax percentage
Up to 4,100		20
4,101–26,100		23
Over 26,101		40

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net transfer of European funds to the Republic of Ireland in each of the last five years. [17875]

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The European Court of Auditors annual reports indicate that the net benefits to the Republic of Ireland from the EC budget, for the years 1991 to 1995, the last five years for which information is available, are as listed in the table:

Year	Million ecu	£ million1
1991	2357.3	1650.3
1992	2140.1	1571.3
1993	2371.9	1846.6
1994	1752.0	1355.6
1995	1886.9	1545.2
1 Converted from ecu to £ using the average annual exchange rate listed in the Annual White Paper, "Statement on the Community Budget".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown by project of PFI schemes identified in table 5.5 of the Red Book. [18126]

Table 5.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1997–8", the Red Book, is derived from returns made by Departments as part of the pre-Budget expenditure round. Although the Treasury publishes these figures, ultimate responsibility for each departmental figure remains with individual Departments. Detailed questions on table 5.5 should therefore be directed towards the relevant Department.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the private employment agencies used by his Department and its agencies in each of the past 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. [16182]

I have asked directors of the Department's executive agencies to reply to the hon. Member separately.For the headquarters of the Department, excluding agencies and the Government offices, it is not possible to provide information in the form requested. Temporary staff are recruited from employment agencies to cover, usually, short-term secretarial and administrative support duties. Data on the average length of temporary staff recruited from agencies, the numbers employed and the median cost paid to agencies per person employed are not available.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to (a) EDS, (b) Andersens, (c) BMI, (d) Capita and (e) Sema since 1992 and the broad function to be carried out by the contractor, and the value of the contract in each case. [17608]

The following information is held centrally on contracts awarded to the companies in question:

Company	Number of contracts awarded since 1992
EDS	0
Andersens	2
BMI	0
Capita	6
Sema	4

All the above contracts relate to external consultancy and their total value is £512,613; commercial sensitivity prevents the disclosure of individual contract values.Information on other contracts could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The above information does not include contracts let by the Department's executive agencies, and I have asked the chief executives to reply separately to this question.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what terms the chief executive of Unipart was retained by his Department in connection with an initiative intended to improve the image of privatisation. [17396]

[holding answer 24 February 1997]: John Neill, the chief executive of the Unipart group of companies, was one of four chief executives and company chairmen who accepted my invitation to speak at a DTI conference— "Privatisation: Setting Enterprise Free"—on 5 December 1996, the main purpose of which was to help British companies to secure privatisation business in other countries. Mr. Neill delivered a speech setting out his personal view on how the privatisation of Unipart had enabled the company to improve its performance. Like all speakers, he gave his services free of charge.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to improve the arrangements for attracting inward investment into the eastern region; and if he will make a statement. [18558]

The attraction of inward investment is a major UK success story and the Government intend to maintain this excellent record. In England, there are already eight regional development organisations working in partnership with my Department's own Invest in Britain Bureau to attract inward investment.I consider it important for an RDO to be established in the east of England because the region has some unique strengths that could help it to win business in a very competitive environment. I have been impressed, too, by the strength of the public and private sector partnership that has got the East of England Investment Agency under way so quickly.I am therefore announcing today a £505,000 grant, which will help the East of England Investment Agency to be launched formally in 1997–98 and hit the ground running. It is proof of our continuing commitment to the encouragement of inward investment.The many global companies already operating in the east of England are a clear endorsement of the advantages of doing business here and I have no doubt that the East of England Investment Agency will play a key role in maximising those benefits for the regional economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current upper age limit for St. Helenians coming to work in the United Kingdom under the training and work experience scheme. [17477]

No upper age limit is applied to St. Helenians wishing to undertake training or work experience in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the contracts awarded by her Department to (a) EDS, (b) Andersens, (c) BMI, (d) Capita and (e) Sema since 1992, and the broad function to be carried out by the contractor and the value of the contract in each case. [17599]