To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) tanks, (b) artillery pieces, (c) RAF fighter aircraft, (d) frigates and destroyers and (e) infantry were in the possession of United Kingdom armed forces in (i) 1979, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 1997. [14067]

[holding answer 4 February 1997]: Since 1979, the circumstances in which we envisage British armed forces being deployed have changed dramatically. In particular, with the end of the cold war, and the dissolution of the Warsaw pact, we have been able to reduce the size of the front line while spending a higher proportion of the defence budget on new equipment for

United Kingdom holdings of tanks, artillery, fighters, frigate and destroyers and infantry numbers,1979 to 19971
Year	Tanks2	Artillery pieces3	Fighters4	Frigates and destroyers	Infantry5
1979	640	282	126	69	45,600
1990	699	6298	157	48	46,900
1997	388	240	100	35	31,900
1Figures are for 1 April expect for 1997, where they reflect the situation at 1 January
2Figures are for main battle tanks only and exclude armoured reconnaissance vehicles and armoured vehicles royal engineers.
3Figures are for field artillery pieces only and exclude air defence artillery, anti-tank guided weapon system and, in 1979 and 1990, Lance sub-strategic nuclear missile lanchers.
4Defined as those aircraft established in the air defence role, as indicated by statements on the Defence Estimates.
5Figures include British and Gurkha soldier but exclude Royal Marines and troops of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) battalions. Figures include soldier trainees
6Includes the unit establishments for both M107 self-propelled guns and MLRS which was replacing them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21450]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21734]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, the services to enhance significantly their military capabilities. Each of the three services has taken delivery of new, advanced equipment including the Challenger 2 tank, AS90 howitzer, the Duke class type 23 frigate and advanced air-to-air missiles. In addition, orders have been placed for military equipment including the Apache attack helicopter and amphibious ships which will further enhance the fighting capability and mobility of the armed forces. The Government are, of course, also committed to the procurement of the Eurofighter 2000 aircraft.Our forces are robustly configured to face the challenges of the post-cold war world and are the envy of their counterparts around the globe. The Government's forward procurement programme illustrates our commitment to ensuring that this remains the case.The figures requested by the hon. Gentleman, which are set out in the table, should be considered in this context.Details of Army equipment holdings are not available in the form requested or across the period concerned. The overall unit establishments for Regular armoured and field artillery regiments have therefore been given to indicate their required front-line strength in the designated years. The figures exclude equipment held by training and research establishments, in store as the war maintenance reserve or awaiting disposal.

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [21690]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21378]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update his answer of 11 July 1994, Official Report, column436, on the use of organophosphate insecticides in Operation Granby, in light of the memorandum submitted by his Department to the Defence Select Committee on 26 February. [21593]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the briefing material prepared by his Department in support of the appearance by the then Minister for the Armed Forces, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), on BBC2's "Newsnight" programme on 5 July 1993 in respect of Gulf War illness. [18378]

No. The briefing material has been withheld under the terms of the internal discussion and advice exemption in part 2 of the code of practice on access to Government information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the transfer of Crown Agents to the Crown Agents Foundation has now been completed. [21789]

Vesting of Crown Agents under the provisions of the Crown Agents Act 1996 into The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd. and the transfer of ownership of that company to the Crown Agents Foundation took place today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received copies of the second annual report of the Global Environment Facility; and if he will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library. [21788]

Copies of the second annual report of the Global Environment Facility have recently been received. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 20 largest overseas aid donors in descending order, indicating the total amount of aid given by each donor country. [21494]

In 1995, total flows of official assistance from 21 members of the OECD's development assistance committee to developing and other countries on parts I and II of the DAC list were as follows, in descending order:

Donor	US$ million
1. Japan	14,739
2. Germany	12,038
3. France	9,191
4. USA	8,647
5. UK	3,563
6. Netherlands	3,531
7. Canada	2,317
8. Italy	1,909
9. Denmark	1,904
10. Sweden	1,809
11. Spain	1,348
12. Norway	1,244
13. Australia	1,198
14. Switzerland	1,186
15. Belgium	1,123
16. Austria	1,080
17. Finland	464
18. Portugal	293
19. Ireland	155
20. New Zealand	123
21. Luxembourg	65

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in descending order the 20 largest overseas aid donors on a per capita basis indicating the amount of aid per capita given by each donor country. [21495]

In per capita terms, the 21 members of the OECD's development assistance committee provided the following levels of official assistance to developing and other countries on parts I and II of the DAC list in 1995:

Donor	Total assistance per capita (US$ millions)
1. Denmark	363
2. Norway	285
3. Netherlands	228
4. Sweden	205
5. Switzerland	168
6. Luxembourg	167
7. France	158
8. Germany	147
9. Austria	134
10. Japan	117
11. Belgium	112
12. Finland	91
13. Canada	78
14. Australia	66
15. UK	61
16. Ireland	43
17. New Zealand	34
18. Spain	34
19. Italy	33
20. USA	33
21. Portugal	29

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his Department's policy to provide aid to Indonesia for projects of general application which treat East Timor as a province of Indonesia. [21405]

While it is not our policy to provide aid on a Government-to-Government basis for projects in East Timor, we do not consider it necessary, or indeed practicable in most cases, to exclude East Timor from projects of general application within Indonesia. This does not imply support for or recognition of Indonesian sovereignty over the territory.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish (a) the recommendations of the advisory committee on packaging for statutory guidance to be made by the Environment agencies under section 94(4) of the Environment Act 1995 and on accreditation of reprocessors and (b) the background analysis to his decision to adopt shared producer responsibility approach as the basis for the Producer Responsibility Obligation (Packaging Waste) Regulations made under the Environment Act 1995. [21826]

I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of Sir Peter Parker's letter to me of 7 March setting out the recommendations of the advisory committee on packaging on statutory guidance to be made by the environment agencies under section 94(4) and on accreditation of reprocessors. I am also placing in the House copies of the background analysis to the decision to adopt shared producer responsibility as the basis for the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations made under section 93(10) of the Environment Act 1995.I am also placing in the Library of the House a list of responses to the 1996 consultation papers and arranging for copies to be available for inspection. I will be making similar arrangements for the 1995 consultations responses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the current staff of the Building Research Establishment he estimates will leave its service through (a) retirement and early retirement and (b) (i) voluntary and (ii) involuntary redundancy, before the sale of the BRE is completed; and what are the estimated costs. [21363]

Of the 660 staff employed at BRE at close of play on 14 March, none left its service through retirement, early retirement or redundancy before the completion of the sale of BRE on 19 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been created by development corporations since their inception; and if he will make a statement. [21364]

Up to 31 March 1996, the urban development corporations have created 187,277 gross jobs in new developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter; [21452](2) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 July 1996, Official Report, column 29.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21710]

Details of the advisory non-department public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication, "Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Tuesday 12 March 1996,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21736]

Details of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication. "Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21693]

Details of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication, "Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Wednesday 20 March 1996,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of the Office of Water Services advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21749]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21726]

The Office of Water Services national consumer council is a non-statutory advisory body established by the Director General of Water Services. Accounts of the council's activities are published in its annual report, copies of which are in the Library. There is no statutory requirement on the council to publish or lay any papers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21379]

Non-departmental public bodies responsible to my Department for providing advice or services in London are listed below:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increase or decrease in real terms since privatisation in water charges. [21493]

Between 1989–90, the year of privatisation, and 1996–97, average domestic water and sewerage charges in England and Wales increased by 35 per cent. in real terms. Since privatisation, the water industry has invested over £18 billion and in 1994 the Director General of Water Services allowed for investment of £24 billion over the 10-year period to 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning guidance he has issued which relates to applications in respect of prison ships; what considerations are material to such applications; and if he will make a statement. [21413]

Planning guidance is issued to local planning authorities for them to take into account, inter alia, in decisions on planning applications. In the case of the proposed temporary mooring of a prison ship in Portland harbour, Dorset, the local planning authority accepts that planning permission is not required. Proposals by the Prison Service for shore-based facilities to serve the ship, which are Crown development, fall to be dealt with under the procedures set out in DOE Circular 18/84.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to extending the life of the Tyne and Wear development corporation; and if he will make a statement. [21420]

I refer to my reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury, (Mr. Baldry), then the Under-Secretary of State in this Department, on 22 April 1994 Official Report column 680.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department has issued in respect of decisions by planning inquiries which might bind an incoming Government. [21575]

The Secretary of State has a statutory responsibility to decide any planning case before him taking into account all material considerations, including the inquiry report. Guidance for an incoming Government on this issue does not therefore arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the results so far of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review; [21579](2) what proportion of the British coast is due to be assessed by the time the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review ends in March 1998; and what steps his Department will take to ensure that the rest of the British coast will be assessed for its marine nature conservation importance; [21580](3) which marine regions of Great Britain have been assessed for their marine nature conservation importance by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's nature conservation review. [21581]

The two major review publications— the rationale and methods volume and the first of the regional reports series, MNCR sector 6: inlets in eastern England—are in the Library already. I have arranged for a list of the 160 limited circulation reports also to be placed in the Library.By March 1998, if work in hand is completed, approximately 60 per cent. of the inshore coastal area of Great Britain will have been described and assessed. After the marine nature conservation review team finishes its work in March 1998, information collected by country nature conservation agencies and others using the review techniques will continue to be added to the MNCR database by the joint nature conservation committee, and will therefore be available to assist in management of marine resources.Assessments of marine conservation importance have been made or are in draft for the Shetland voes, south-east Scotland and north-east England, marine inlets in eastern England, marine inlets in south-west Britain, Liverpool bay and the Solway Firth and the Scottish lagoons. Assessments for Orkney, Cardigan bay and north Wales and the Scottish sea lochs will also be undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to respond to the second annual report of the United Kingdom Round Table on Sustainable Development published on 12 March. [21592]

We announced in "This Common Inheritance" annual report 1997 that we would publish a response to this report within three months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and in each case whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21685]

Registered social landlord are required by statute to provide a copy of their audited annual accounts to the Housing Corporation which holds them available for inspection. All other requirements are non-statutory. The main ones are:

The tenants guarantee, which requires registered social landlords to keep their tenants informed about their housing management performance.

Housing Corporation performance standards, under which associations are required to conduct their affairs in an open and accountable way, disseminating widely information about their housing provision and activities.

The National Housing Federation's code of governance, which requires board members to declare conflicts of interest and registered social landlords to maintain records of interests of board members and senior staff and to make them available for public inspection.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the statutory basis of housing associations; and if they (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21768]

Registered social landlords are independent non-profit making bodies, of which two-thirds are charities. There is no statutory requirement to admit members of the public to board or committee meetings, nor is there a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21765]

Registered social landlords are not subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, the Audit Commission, or the National Audit Office. However, the Housing Corporation, which has a statutory responsibility to regulate all registered social landlords is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner and scrutiny by the National Audit Office. Furthermore, under powers granted in the Housing Act 1996, the Audit Commission may undertake value for money studies for, and provide advice on audit matters to, the Housing Corporation.The corporation's statutory duties include the requirement to publish information about the performance of registered social landlords in the form of performance indicators.There are no statutory provisions for open government which apply to registered social landlords.Registered social landlords are eligible to apply for charter mark awards, and last year nine received awards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for copies of his Department's newsletter, "Environment News", to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. [21597]

The latest copy of "Windoe", the Departmental newsletter and successor to "Environment World", has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on the current

	Publish annual reports	Publish annual accounts	Publish the minutes of meetings	Publish the agendas of meetings	Public register of members' interests
Health and Social Services Boards	1Yes	2Yes	2Yes	2Yes	1Yes
Health and Social Services Councils	2Yes	1Yes	2Yes	2Yes	1Yes
Health and Social Services Trusts	2Yes	2Yes	No	No	1Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	2Yes	2Yes	No	No	1Yes
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	2Yes	2Yes	2Yes	2Yes	1Yes
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	2Yes	2Yes	No	No	1Yes
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	2Yes	2Yes	No	No	1Yes
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	2Yes	2Yes	No	No	1Yes
1 On a voluntary basis.
2 A statutory requirement.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what briefings have been requested by his Department from the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat since 1 January 1990. [17701]

This information is not available. It is, however, open to both sides of the secretariat to seek or offer briefings on subjects relevant to the operation of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department is responsible for the oversight of fair employment legislation and personnel matters. [20405]

[holding answer 20 March 1997]: Baroness Denton, by virtue of her responsibility for the Department of Economic Development, has ministerial responsibility for the fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland. My right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) is the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance and Personnel and hence for the general management and control of the Northern Ireland civil service. In that capacity he has a responsibility to oversee how the Northern Ireland civil service, as an employer, complies with good personnel practice including the relevant provisions of fair employment legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement. [21433]

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the pubic to all board committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21442]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21721](2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department

I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of

	Investigation by parliamentary commissioner	Scrutiny by the audit commission	Scrutiny by the national audit office	Statutory provisions for open government	Performance indicators	Provision under the citizens' charter
Health and Social Services Boards	Yes	not relevant in Northern Ireland	1No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Health and Social Service Councils	Yes		1 2No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Health and Social Services Trusts	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	Yes		1No	Yes	Yes	No
1 These bodies are scrutinised by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
2 Health and Social Services Councils expenditure is identified in Health and Social Services Boards accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary first learned that a sum of money had been paid to a civil servant formerly in her private office for sectarian harassment; and if he had to approve the payment. [20402]

The information is as follows:

	Statutory base	Admit public to board committee meetings	Open meetings for the public
Health and Social Services Boards	Yes	No	1Yes
Health and Social Services Councils	Yes	No	No
Health and Social Services Trusts	Yes	No	1Yes
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Central Services Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency	Yes	1Yes	No
Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency	Yes	No	No
Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency	Yes	No	No
1 A statutory requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21727]

The information is as follows:

[holding answer 20 March 1997]: I was not required to approve this payment, but I was advised of the key elements of the proposed settlement, and agreed that the case should be settled in January 1997. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State was advised at the end of December 1996 of the key elements of the proposed settlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Hayes inquiry into allegations of sectarian harassment in the office of the Economy Minister will be in public. [20403]

[holding answer 17 March 1997]: No. Dr. Hayes has been invited to undertake a review, not a public inquiry. The nature of the personnel issues to be examined by Dr. Hayes are unsuitable for public hearings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the report of the Hayes inquiry will be published in full. [20404]

[holding answer 20 March 1997]: Yes, subject to such matters as may derive from security and personal confidentiality considerations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money his Department has made available to the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the purchase of a safari park in County Antrim; and if he will make a statement. [21790]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 721, if he will make it his policy to keep and make available records of the religious breakdown of those public appointments made on the proposal of the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish secretariat at Maryfield; and for what reasons they are not currently made available. [21791]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Orders in Council made in 1995 and 1996, indicating which were taken (a) on the Floor of the House and (b) in Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation, giving in the latter case the names of the hon. Members from Northern Ireland who were nominated to each Committee. [21792]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff and what grades are in the private offices of (i) the Northern Ireland Office and (ii) each of the departmental private offices. [21794]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on present Government policy in relation to the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the extent of appropriate Bills; and what changes he has made to this policy since he became Secretary of State. [21793]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the powers of the inquiry set up to investigate the improper copying of restricted Department of Agriculture personnel documents to the media; and if civil servants will be obliged to answer questions about the matter. [21795]

I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those national citizens charters which (a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and (b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented; [21796](2) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services

I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Northern Ireland social fund discretionary budget will be for 1997–98. [21806]

I am pleased to announce that the social fund gross discretionary budget for 1997–98 will be £40.34 million. £9.76 million will be allocated to grants; £30.48 million to loans and £0.1 million will be held as a contingency reserve. The new allocations represent an increase of £3.63 million over the gross budget set at April 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of his annual departmental budget was spent in Wales in each of the last five years; and how much that proportion was in (a) 1997 prices and (b) cash terms for each year. [20705]

The available information is contained in the table. Other Home Office expenditure benefiting Wales, for example, crime prevention publicity campaigns and research, cannot be broken down beyond the global spend for England and Wales. In addition, for 1992–93, total Home Office expenditure cannot be broken down at all between England and Wales.

Year	Home Office expenditure in Wales (£000's)	Percentage of total Home office expenditure	Home Office expenditure in Wales (at 1997 prices)
1992–93	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993–94	203,929	3.4	218,114
1994–95	214,039	3.4	224,946
1995–96	230,813	3.6	236,583
1996–971	243,215	3.7	243,215
1 Estimated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will develop and implement a citizens charter for (a) the Immigration and Nationality Service and (b) the Prison Service. [21781]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department is he will list (a) the prison building projects for which contracts have been signed, (b) the estimated date of completion and (c) their planned capacity once opened. [21784]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries with which his Department competed to purchase the prison ship Weare. [21785]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about progress with the planning application for the prison ship in Portland; and what permissions have been granted for its continued mooring there. [21412]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenses have been incurred preparing shore facilities in Dorset for the prison ship Weare; when such expenditure was first authorised; and when such expenditure first began to be incurred. [21576]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the gross public spending on police authorities for each year since 1990–91, in 1996–97 prices. [21812]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the statutory basis of police authorities and if they (a) admit members of the public to board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under statutory requirement. [21769]

Police authorities, free-standing of local government, were established by provisions in the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994, now consolidated in the Police Act 1996. They, their committees and sub-committees, continue to be bound by provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, requiring meetings to be open to the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning (a) the safety of the conviction and (b) the case for parole, of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard; and if he will make a statement. [21378]

Representations about the cases of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard have been received from a variety of sources. The latest representations that they were wrongfully convicted, and that they should be granted parole stem from an article in The Guardian alleging that a key prosecution witness wished to withdraw his evidence. These are being considered.Both cases have been considered at the appropriate times by the Parole Board; neither has yet been recommended for release on life licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Data Protection Registrar on (a) the use by the Security Services of the exemptions in section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1984 and (b) the use by the police of the exemptions in section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984; and if he will make a statement. [21416]

I have had no such discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the implementation of the data protection directive, EC/95/46, on the problems associated with enforced subject access; and if he will make a statement. [21417]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21445]

The following executive non-departmental public bodies have a statutory base:

• Alcohol Education and Research Council
• Commission for Racial Equality
• Criminal Cases Review Commission
• Data Protection Registrar
• Gaming Board for Great Britain
• Horserace Betting Levy Board
• Horserace Totalisator Board
• Parole Board
• Police Complaints Authority.

None of the NDPBs for which I am responsible admits members of the public to all board or committee meetings either under a statutory requirement or voluntarily.The Commission for Racial Equality holds conferences and seminars on race relations issues, but none of the NDPBs for which I am responsible is under a statutory requirement to hold open meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21719]

The following advisory non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by my Department:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21767]

Police authorities established under the provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 now incorporated in the Police Act 1996 are not open to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, but by the Commissioner for Local Administration. Similarly, they are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, not the National Audit Office. Also, the Audit Commission's citizens charter performance indicators include a range of indicators that apply to the police service, and police authorities are required to publish these annually. As regards statutory provision for open government, police authorities are bound by rules similar to those that apply for local government.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21741]

The Government are required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies before relevant legislative proposals:

• Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs;
• Animal Proceduares Committee;
• Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;
• Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales;
• Poisons Board.

In addition, the Government's response to advice supplied by the following bodies must be published:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21696]

The following advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with (a) Lieutenant Colonel George Styles and (b) Dr. Hugh Thomas, former chief consultant surgeon to the British Army in Northern Ireland, and (c) Professor Bernard Knight, on the circumstances of the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. [21600]

None. The investigation of crime is a matter for the police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the actions taken by (a) his Department and (b) the Metropolitan police in

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the crime rate in each of the London boroughs; and if he will publish this in the Official Report giving details of each category of reported crime. [21491]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21381]

Available information on the bodies requested is given in the table:respect of the contents of the Channel 4 film, "Murder in St. James", broadcast in April 1996 concerning the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. [21599]

My officials viewed the programme and had various consultations about its contents. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State responded to the allegations made in it in the Adjournment debate initiated by the hon.. Member on 8 May 1996, and he and I have answered various questions asked by the hon. Member and letters from other hon. Members and members of the public. The metropolitan police reviewed the contents of the programme as part of their continuing investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. They remain satisfied with the findings of the inquest that the shot that killed her was fired from the Libyan People's Bureau.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to the immigration authorities for discretionary treatment of Albanian nationals currently present in the United Kingdom; what estimate he has made of the number of Albanian nationals who are currently in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [21772]

We are urgently reviewing the situation in Albania, in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pending the outcome of this review, instructions have been given that action on all outstanding Albanian asylum claims should be frozen and that any removal directions for Albanians to Albania should be suspended.Statistics on the number of Albanians currently present in the United Kingdom are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total expenditure on the Prison Service in each of the last five years; what is projected expenditure for the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [21584]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase in the prison population for each of the last 60 months for which figures are available; what increases he estimates will take place in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [21585]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) number of convictions, (b) conviction rate and (c) clear-up rate, for each category of crime, in each region, for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [21586]

Information on the number of convictions and the conviction rate for the years 1991, 1993 and 1995—latest available—is given in tables A, B and C. The provision of data for other years would involve disproportionate cost.Information on clear-up rates for 1995 and 1996 is given in tables D and E. Figures for earlier years are published annually in chapter 9 of "Regional Trends"; copies of which are available in the Library.