To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of cases for each of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's divisions on 5 May. [795]

The latest available information relates to the end of April 1997 and is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has received during the last 12 months on wheel clamping; what action he proposes to take to regulate wheel clamping; and if he will make a statement. [1080]

Over the last 12 months, the Home Office has received proposals on wheel clamping from the Automobile Association the British Parking Association, and Legislation on Car Clamping. There have been four Parliamentary Questions, letters and suggestions for specific action to deal with the problem from 37 Members of Parliament, two letters from local authorities and 60 letters from members of the public. The Government consider the present situation on wheel clamping on private land to be unsatisfactory, and we will take a fresh look at the options for dealing with the problem.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to abolish the present structure of police authorities; and if he will introduce measures to make police authorities (a) more representative of and (b) more accountable to local communities. [1552]

No. There are no national plans at present to change the structure of police authorities. However, in London we are considering arrangements for establishing a new police authority for the Metropolitan Police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources his Department has given to Interpol's drug squad in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [1549]

Although a significant proportion of its work is in facilitating international drugs inquiries, Interpol does not have a drugs squad.The Home Office does, however, contribute to the cost of running and staffing the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU), the European Union centre for the exchange and development of criminal intelligence on drug trafficking and other forms of serious trans-national crime.The Home Offices's contribution to these costs has been:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for facilitating the implementation of CCTV crime prevention schemes by local councils. [457]

I am considering the future of the closed circuit television Challenge competition as part of our review of existing expenditure programmes. I want to ensure that the resources available for measures to promote community safety are used to best effect. A decision on whether there will be another round of the competition in 1998–99 will be made later in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources will be available to youth offender teams; what percentage of their funding will be met from local authority budgets; and if he will make a statement. [1577]

The Government are committed to a wide ranging reform of the youth justice system. Our proposals include establishing a National Youth Justice Board and local multi-agency youth offender teams to help ensure high standards and consistency in the delivery of youth justice services. We are currently developing the details of these proposals and will announce these over the coming months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of prisons (a) currently under construction and (b) being planned indicating when they will be completed, how much each will cost, and how many inmates they will take; and if he will make a statement. [1579]

Three new prisons are currently being built under the Private Finance Initiative.Her Majesty's Prison Altcourse will be a 600 place prison. It is planned that its first prisoner will be received on 1 December 1997. Its Net Present Value (NPV) is £247 million. The NPV covers the costs of construction, finance and operation in terms of fees over the lifetime of the contract.Her Majesty's Prison Parc will be an 800 place prison. It is planned that its first prisoner will be received on 17 November 1997. Its NPV is £266 million.Her Majesty's Prison Lowdham Grange will be a 500 place prison. It is planned that its first prisoner will be received on 16 February 1998. Its NPV is £130 million.The Prison Service plans to provide a further 2,400 places at new prisons over the next three years. Planning approval has been given to re-build Her Majesty's Prison Pucklechurch, near Bristol, as a 400 place prison for males under 21 years old. Plans to build an 800 place prison at Agecroft in Salford are subject to the outcome of a planning inquiry, expected shortly. The remaining 1,200 places will be provided by two more prisons once suitable sites have been agreed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contribution he intends his Department to make to the presentation and delivery of the Government's agenda. [2076]

I intend to publish a White Paper in the autumn on our programme for the regeneration of government. This will set out our unified approach to providing accountable government which is attuned to people's interests and concerns. I have already announced my intention to publish a White Paper on Freedom of Information before the Summer Recess. I will bring forward proposals on the accountability, efficiency and transparency of Departments, Executive Agencies, and other public bodies. I will develop our commitment to more efficient and effective public services. My Department will consult widely with the general public on our plans to transform the existing programme of charters to deliver what people want from public services; to remove unnecessary bureaucracy from the daily lives of citizens and small business; and to use Information Technology in the delivery of enhanced and accessible services to the public.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many broiler chickens slaughtered in the United Kingdom have been rejected as unfit for human consumption since 24 April 1996. [1120]

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what means his Department makes available its publications in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print; and how this is publicised. [1677]

The following material is available in special formats for those with impaired vision or hearing:

• The new microwave labels:
• Braille booklet
• Large print booklet
• Audio cassette.
• Healthy eating for older people:
• Audio cassette
• Large print booklet.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to adopt a social model of disability in framing all future and amending previous relevant legislation and guidance; and if he will make a statement. [1678]

Within the Ministry, those with responsibility for the development or review of policies or practices are required to consider the potential effect on any particular group, including those with a disability, and consult as appropriate. These requirements reflect the definitions in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and will be reviewed in the light of any relevant amendments.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of scrapie have been confirmed since it became a notifiable disease. [2075]

The following table shows the number of cases which have been confirmed as positive since January 1993 when scrapie became a notifiable disease.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the total acreage of uncultivated open land and moorland in Lancashire to which the public are denied access solely by reason of ownership. [1017]

I have been asked to reply.We have no information about the extent of uncultivated open land and moorland in Lancashire, nor is there any information about landowners who have been approached about opening up their land to the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the 1997 White Paper on Defence. [1274]

As the Strategic Defence Review will be conducted during 1997, it would not be appropriate for the Department to publish this year a forward-looking statement of policy in the form of the Statement on the Defence Estimates (SDE). Factual material on the activities of the Department and the Armed Forces in the last year, which is usually contained in the SDE, will appear in an expanded MOD Performance Report which the Department plans to publish in the Autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Pricing and Quality Services Organisation within the MOD Procurement Executive; and if he will make a statement. [2013]

A new Defence Agency, formed from the Pricing and Quality Services (PQS) elements of the Procurement Executive, was established on 1 June 1997. The agency will be known as Specialist Procurement Services (SPS). The Chief of Defence Procurement will be the Owner of the Agency and the current head of PQS will be the first Chief Executive (CE); subsequent CEs will be appointed through external competition. The Chief Executive has been set the following Key Targets for the first year of operation:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of (a) teachers and (b) lecturers come from ethnic minority backgrounds; and what initiatives he proposes to increase their number. [1042]

The Department does not collect the information required. The Teacher Training Agency has introduced various initiatives to attract ethnic minority entrants to teaching, including targeting recruitment advertisements. The Agency is responsible for allocating student numbers to teacher training institutions, based on the quality assessment of the institution. Within any given quality category, trainers with special features, including their record in recruiting people from ethnic minorities, may be given priority over others.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the numbers of students graduating in the performing arts in each year more nearly equates to the employment opportunities available to them. [1345]

None. Individual universities and colleges are responsible for the allocation of places on performing arts courses in the light of demand from suitably qualified applicants, whose numbers may be influenced by job opportunities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list in rank order the salaries of the vice-chancellors of United Kingdom universities indicating for each institution the number of students enrolled; [1443](2) what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of setting a salary scale for university vice-chancellors; [1470]

Universities are independent bodies and it is for them to determine levels of pay for their staff, including the vice-chancellor, in the light of their own particular needs and requirements. Other than requiring that universities take account of the Government priorities for public sector pay, the Department plays no part in considering or setting academic salary scales and does not collect information about the salaries of vice-chancellors.The Higher Education Funding Councils for England, Scotland and Wales and the Department of Education for Northern Ireland require universities to disclose the salary levels of senior staff. This information is published in the annual accounts of individual universities. Information on student enrolment is published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in its reference volume series:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure that his Department's computer system will be millennium compliant; and if he will make a statement. [1248]

The Department's plan for ensuring that all its computer systems will be millennium compliant by early 1999 are well established. A project has been set up which has already identified all the Department's computer systems which will be affected by the Millennium date change. A detailed impact analysis in under way. This project will provide detailed costings covering all the work needed up to the Millennium. We will take forward those changes where they are cost justified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to reform the funding of further education and tertiary colleges; and if he will make a statement. [1461]

Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 it is the statutory responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council for England to give financial support to the governing bodies of institutions in the further and higher education sector for the provision of further education. My right hon. Friend has no plans to change that arrangement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the amounts currently spent by employers on training; and if he will list equivalent figures for 1987 provided by the Training Agency in the study, Training in Britain (1989); and if he will make a statement. [1233]

Employers in the UK are estimated to have spent £10.6 billion on formal training courses and supervised on-the-job training in 1993. This estimate is the latest available and was published in the report `Employer Provided Training in the UK 1993'. An equivalent figure is not available from the 'Training in Britain' study because of differences in survey methods and the definitions of training used. The study estimated that total expenditure by employers in Great Britain in 1986–87 was £14.4 billion.Estimating employers' total expenditure on training is inherently difficult. While the latest survey provides a more accurate estimate of expenditure than that previously available, on its own the estimate does not convey much about training behaviour. More significantly, the survey shows a rising trend in the number of employees receiving training, both on and off-the-job. However we know that many companies—especially smaller ones—face difficulties in obtaining the training their businesses need. That is why we have pledged to help them, particularly by making the Investors in People Standard more accessible to small firms, and through the development of a University for Industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by what means his Department makes available its publications in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print; and how this is publicised. [1681]

The Department produces several of its information leaflets and booklets in Braille, on audio tape and in large print. The majority are unpriced and are available from the Department's mailing houses on request. The priced ones are available from The Stationery Office.The availability of Braille, audio tape and large print is normally publicised by a reference in the standard printed version of the publication along with a telephone number for those wishing to place orders. We also send specimen copies to organisations representing blind people for wider dissemination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many persons aged 16 to 18 years are not in employment, full-time education or on Government programmes. [1648]

In Autumn 1996, there were 300,000 16 to 18 year olds not in employment, full-time education or on government programmes in the UK, according to the Labour Force Survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans the Government have to review the role and function of the Equal Opportunities Commission. [2023]

Against the background of this Government's firm commitment to equal opportunities and the practice of quinquennial policy and financial management reviews of non-departmental public bodies, the Department will conduct a thorough review of the Equal Opportunities Commission during 1997–98. The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study with the following terms of reference:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people are currently undertaking modern apprenticeships; what is his assessment of the contribution of the scheme to redressing the skills balance; and what plans he has for its further extension. [1698]

[holding answer 2 June 1997]: In February 1997 (the latest date for which figures are available), there were 76,300 young people in training on Modern Apprenticeships.The initiative is making a vital contribution to raising skills. Evaluation studies have consistently shown that Modern Apprenticeships are highly popular, of high quality, and are meeting the expectations of both employers and young people.We want to sustain and build on this success and intend to develop Modern Apprenticeships in every sector where there is a demand. There are currently 69 frameworks approved with a further 10 expected in the next 12 months. There is every sign that employers' demand for Modern Apprentices will continue to grow and we and Training and Enterprise Councils will consider how best to respond to that demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review planning policy in Wales in regard to the existence of outstanding interim development orders; and if he will list the non-time limited planning permissions currently in force. [857]

My right hon. Friend and I currently have no plans to review outstanding interim development orders in Wales. There are no non-time limited mineral planning permissions currently in force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the need for changes in the role of the National Audit Office in relation to public expenditure in Wales in the event of Welsh devolution. [1090]

A Welsh Assembly would be subject to rigorous standards of audit and accountability. We will set out our detailed proposals on these and other matters in the White Paper to be published in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that all departmental expenditure in support of the Government's campaign for devolution is separately identified. [1087]

All Welsh Office publicity expenditure related to the proposals for a Welsh Assembly will be separately identifiable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit farms engaged in beef production in Alyn and Deeside. [1305]

My right hon. Friend and I hope to visit farms across Wales when the opportunity arises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will raise problems faced by beef farmers in Alyn and Deeside with EU officials; and if he will make a statement. [1307]

My right hon. Friend and I will ensure that the interests of farmers throughout Wales are considered when we prepare for such meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects both the new River Dee Bridge and Connah's Quay to be open to traffic. [1301]

Flintshire County Council are responsible for this scheme. They estimate completion late this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his estimate of the real level of unemployment in (a) Merthyr Tydfil and Ryhmney and (b) Wales; [1231](2) if he will assess the findings contained in the report, "The Real Level of Unemployment", by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam university, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement. [1234]

The Office for National Statistics is currently conducting a public consultation on labour market statistics. I welcome this review because I am extremely concerned at the high levels of joblessness in Wales not measured by the claimant count. I will write to my hon. Friend when the review is concluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to take people off benefit and into (a) work and (b) training; and what will be the role of further education colleges in such plans. [1258]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 May 1997, Official Report, column 75. The Government's Welfare to Work programme for unemployed young people "the New Deal" will have four options. Three of these: working with employers, voluntary organisations and the environmental task force, will involve accredited training for a day a week. The training could include college based courses and on the job training. The fourth option is full time study towards an approved qualification. I would expect Further Education Colleges to make a significant contribution to the success of the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to promote the film industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [1331]

Welsh Office Officials are currently talking to people in the industry about its potential for economic growth. Financial support for the industry is being channelled through the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Development Agency and Cardiff Bay Development Corporation who are providing grant aid to the new Media Agency for Wales. The Arts Council has also distributed some £1.5 million of Lottery money to film projects throughout Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he proposes to enhance openness in government. [1263]

We intend to introduce a Bill to strengthen data protection controls and a White Paper will be published on proposals for a Freedom of Information Bill. I shall shortly be announcing improvements to the meetings of the Welsh Grand Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he estimates money saved from the assisted places scheme will become available for local education authority schools; and if he will make a statement. [1255]

Subject to Parliamentary approval to the Education (Schools) Bill, savings through the phased abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme will start to become available in the 1998–99 financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future role of local education authorities. [1259]

We value the contribution made by LEAs and look forward to working in partnership with them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small businesses there are in Wales. [1265]

Official statistics on small business numbers are not available separately for Wales. The available data relate to VAT-registered enterprises only and therefore exclude many firms with a turnover below the VAT threshold. These figures show that in 1996 some 60,000 VAT-registered enterprises in Wales had a turnover of less than £250,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation to outlaw the illegal employment of school age children. [1541]

The Government are considering how the existing system for protecting children who work might be improved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if Wales will have the option of setting its own minimum wage following devolution. [1809]

Our plans for a Welsh Assembly do not entail its having powers of primary legislation. On this and other issues, it would operate within the statutory framework applying to the whole of England and Wales.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Government expenditure on the youth court system in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [1576]

I have figures for the magistrates courts system of which the youth court is a part. No separate expenditure figures are published for the youth court alone. However the following estimates are based on total revenue expenditure on magistrates courts apportioned to youth court work in proportion to the total of youth court work to aggregate magistrates court work for each year, measured by the weighted caseload system.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans there are to ensure that his Department's computer systems are millennium compliant; and if he will make a statement. [1238]

The Lord Chancellor's Department, the Court Service, the Public Trust Office, the Public Record Office and the Northern Ireland Court Service have established Year 2000 compliance projects. Their programmes of work follow the recommended approach identified by the Central Information Technology Unit and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, recognising their milestones for the completion of key tasks. The Chief Land Registrar will be replying directly to the Question on behalf of the Land Registry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the capital developments for which business cases have been submitted since 1 April 1994 in (a) Newcastle City Health Trust, (b) RVI and Hexham Trust, Newcastle and (c) Freeman Hospital Trust, Newcastle, indicating in each case when it was submitted; where (i) NHS Executive and (ii) Treasury approval was given; when tenders were accepted; and when work started on site. [1334]

The table shows the schemes for which an outline business case has been formally submitted to the National Health Service Executive and where capital costs are above the Trusts' delegated limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy relating to the use of the anti-malarial drug lariam. [1485]

Mefloquine (Lariam) is a highly effective drug in both preventing and treating malaria. It is particularly valuable where malaria is resistant to other medicines. The Department's policy relating to the use of mefloquine is outlined in the memorandum "Health Information for Overseas Travel" a free copy of which has been provided to all general practitioners. Further information was included in the Chief Medical Officer's Update 10 (May 1996) which was sent to all general practitioners. As with the use of all medicines, the benefits have to be weighed against the risk of adverse reactions.We are aware of public concerns about the safety of mefloquine, particularly about the nature of the suspected serious adverse reactions reported. Guidelines for health professionals on the use of malaria prophylaxis, including mefloquine, are prepared by an informal group of experts convened by the Malaria Reference Laboratory of the Public Health Laboratory Service. The guidelines are published, most recently in the British Medical Journal in 1995. The group is presently producing a new set of guidelines which, once the consultation process is complete, will be published as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid in fees to general practitioner fundholder managers in (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97; and if he will break down the figures by health authority. [1801]

The information requested is not held centrally. General practitioner fundholder managers are paid from the Practice Fund Management Allowance (PFMA) but their salary is not identified as a separate item within total PFMA allocations. The total PFMA expenditure for 1995–96 was £109.6 million and allocations of PFMA for 1996–97 were £153.3 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation to outlaw the illegal employment of school-age children. [1542]

We are considering how the existing system for protecting children under minimum school leaving age who work might be improved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department is responsible for funding the treatment of prisoners with HIV/AIDS. [1154]

I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parking fines were incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1996. [2029]

During 1996 the London diplomatic missions incurred a total of 1,676 unpaid parking fines, which is slightly more than the 1995 figure of 1,586. In February this year this department wrote to all diplomatic missions to give them an opportunity to pay off all outstanding parking tickets, or appeal to have the ticket cancelled. Since then payments totalling £48,640.00 have been received, compared with £11,600.00 in 1996. The table below shows only missions which have 11 or more fines outstanding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to change consular fees. [2021]

An order in Council was made on 20 May which reduces both the cost of a 5 year multiple entry visa and the cost of a certificate of entitlement and completes the 3 staged increase in settlement visa fees designed to achieve full cost recovery in this category. The Order also abolishes the fee for the confirmation of the right of abode (now obsolete). The Order will come into effect on 10 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will estimate the annual reduction in the number of visitors to the Strangers' Gallery during oral questions to him consequent upon the change to their timing. [958]

Admission of the public to the Strangers Gallery is a matter for the House authorities.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will nominate a Minister in each Department to help identify and to overcome obstacles to ability, employment, education and mobility among people with real or apparent disability; [1227](2) what considerations and consultations led him to do without a Minister with overall responsibility for disability issues. [1226]

The Government place great importance on ensuring equal opportunities for all groups, including disabled people. By moving the disability portfolio from the Department of Social Security to the Department for Education and Employment the Government has signalled a move away from treating disabled people as recipients of benefit towards a culture which will value their wider role in society as people willing and able to take advantage of education, training and employment opportunities.My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Equal Opportunities now deal with disability issues.My right hon. Friend will act as a focal point across Government for disability issues and will be working with Ministerial colleagues in their Departments to ensure that the needs of all disabled people are addressed as policies are being developed. In this way, my right hon. Friend will have an input into policy as it affects disabled people whilst responsibility for implementing specific areas will remain with the relevant Departments.

To ask the Prime Minister how much each Department has spent since 1 May on podiums and backdrops. [1224]

This is a matter for the individual departments. No central records are kept.

To ask the Prime Minister what is the role of the Minister without Portfolio; and for what reason he is excluded from the rota for oral questions. [1225]

My hon. Friend's role is to assist me and my Ministerial colleagues in implementing Government policy and presenting it effectively.My hon. Friend is not in charge of a Department. Therefore—in line with the practice of the Minister without Portfolio in the previous administration—he will not have a slot on the rota for oral questions.

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to attend the hand-over ceremony in Hong Kong. [1467]

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will both attend the hand-over ceremony in Hong Kong. I am still considering whether I will be able to attend.

To ask the Prime Minister which Department has ministerial responsibility for horse and dog racing. [1717]

[holding answer 2 June 1997]: Such Ministerial responsibility as there is for horse and dog racing arises from the sport's close links with betting. The Home Office is responsible for the betting legislation.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the public relations firms awarded Government contracts in each year since 1992, indicating the nature and value of the contract in each instance. [1639]

The information requested is not held centrally for all Government Departments.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 121, on the transfer of responsibility for charities and voluntary organisations, if he will publish the responses and a summary of the responses to his policy document, "Building a Future Together", relating to the specific issue of transferring responsibility for voluntary organisations and charities to the Home Office. [1716]

[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The Labour Party Policy Document published in March and the covering letter invited organisations and individuals from the voluntary sector to make their views known on how Government should structure its responsibilities for the voluntary sector. No one argued for responsibility for the sector to remain at the Department of National Heritage and views expressed to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) before and after the election were that there should be a clear focus for Government activity to support, nurture and work with the sector. Representatives of the voluntary sector and other respondents positively welcomed the return of the responsibility to the Home Office.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the pay of medical and dental officers in the Armed Forces. [2096]

The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has made recommendations on the pay of medical and dental officers in the Armed Forces. The Review Body recommends that the daily rate of basic pay should be increased by an average of 3.4 per cent. from 1 April. They have further proposed some significant changes to the pay structures of Service medical and dental officers which will see many forms of additional payments, such as consultant pay, consolidated into basic pay. The Review Body also mentioned that it welcomed the fact that the Ministry of Defence was, in future, proposing to base the pensions of Service medical and dental officers on representative rates of their own salaries rather than that of their combatant counterparts. These changes will serve to give a greater degree of comparability between the pay of Defence Medical Staff and their counterparts in the NHS.The Government has decided to accept the Review Body's recommendations. Along with the earlier recommendations of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, and the recommendations of the other Review Bodies, these will be staged, with 2 per cent. of the award being back dated to 1 April, and the remainder being payable from 1 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many indemnity undertakings were given by departments under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-month period ended 31 March; and what was the value of (a) any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under that section which remain outstanding as at 31 March, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remain outstanding as at 31 March and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remain outstanding at 31 March. [2027]

The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non-national institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan—for example through a scholarly publication.In the six month period ended 31 March 1997, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions:

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has for new regulations covering the ownership of national newspapers. [1822]

[holding answer 2 June 1997]: I have been asked to reply. My Department has no immediate plans for new regulations covering the transfer of ownership of national newspapers, however the Department of National Heritage is maintaining regular monitoring of the impact of various factors and policies on the media, including control of cross-media ownership.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to adopt a social model of disability in framing all future and amending previous relevant legislation and guidance; and if he will make a statement. [1666]

I shall be seeking to ensure that any proposed relevant future legislation and guidance issued by my Department reflects our manifesto commitment to establishing:

"comprehensive, enforceable civil rights for disabled people against discrimination in society or at work, developed in partnership with all interested parties".

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy with regard to the funding of Scottish Homes for the remainder of the present financial year. [87]

[holding answer 19 May 1997]: I can confirm that Scottish Homes grant in aid for 1997–98, as set out in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1997–98 to 1999–2000", is £264.899 million.I am making an additional £1 million available for the Scottish Rough Sleepers Initiative this year. Because this Initiative is funded through Scottish Homes, this extra money will be added to Scottish Homes' grant in aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about Government policy on private finance initiative for school building programmes. [1083]

A number of education authorities are considering the potential of the private finance initiative and public private partnerships to assist their school building programmes. We are committed to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of that process and will be offering authorities practical advice and assistance to that end.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to set up the independent body to be established under the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to consider cases of alleged miscarriages of justice. [1275]

My right hon. Friend supports the establishment of an independent Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission in principle, but further preparatory work will be required before a decision can be taken on implementation of the relevant provisions of the 1997 Act. He cannot at this stage say precisely when the Commission might be set up.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation he will initiate before seeking to bring into force those provisions of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 which require his consent or subordinate legislation. [1276]

We intend to consult the judiciary and other interested parties, as appropriate, before making orders under section 65(2) of the 1997 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about performance targets for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 1997–98. [2011]

For the financial year 1997–98 I have set the following targets:

• Aerial surveillance percentage of hours flown on task: 85 per cent.
• Aerial surveillance cost per aircraft sighting: £82
• Marine surveillance utilisation of effective patrol days: 96 per cent.
• cost per boarding: £2,685
• Marine surveillance number of boardings at sea: 2,200¹
• Sea Fisheries inspectorate cost per logsheet check: £65
• landing declarations checked against actual catches 40 per cent.
• 80 per cent. of cases for prosecution to be reported within 6 weeks of offence being detected and 95 per cent. within 8 weeks
• Number of cases where court proceedings are taken as percentage of offences reported to prosecuting authorities: 80 per cent.
• ¹This target is 400 less than that for 1996–97 and reflects the reduction from 300 to nil of Royal Navy patrol days contracted from the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the members of the Boundary Commission for Scotland. [2010]

My predecessor reappointed Dr. Charles M. Glennie CBE and Professor Urlan A. Wannop to the Boundary Commission for Scotland from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1997.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade by what means her Department makes available its publications in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print; and how this is publicised. [1679]

In discussions with the RNIB and other interested organisations, the Department seeks to ensure that its publications are accessible to the visually impaired.To this end, our consumer advice on metrication changes in 1995 was published and distributed in Braille by the RNIB on behalf of the Department. More recently, audio advice about tactile danger warnings and about risks of carbon monoxide poisoning have been made available to those with visual impairment through COI's regular Sound Advice audio tapes, which are distributed to over 4,500 organisations dealing with blind and partially sighted people.Also guidance will shortly be issued within the Department aimed at making printed material easier to read for visually impaired people.The Department also has a range of information about its policies, programmes and publications on the Internet (http.\\www.dti.gov.uk\). It is possible to print all DTI pages from the Internet in large print; the pages are also available in audio to those who have access to a Talking Computer.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to ensure that her Department's computer systems are millennium compliant; and if she will make a statement. [1244]

Following an initial impact assessment, my Department has initiated a programme of changes to its IT systems which will make them compliant with the Century date change. This programme is expected to be completed in the Spring 1999.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list on the basis of July to December 1973 = 100, the increase in United Kingdom relative export unit values in dollars for each year since 1970 together with United Kingdom share of volume of exports of manufactures by main manufacturing countries. [1556]

The information requested is not available. Data on relative export unit values are available only from 1975. Data based on 1990 = 100 between 1975 and 1996Q1 are available on the Central Shared Database which can be accessed from the Library. Data on the UK share of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries for 1982 to 1992Q3 based on 1985 weights are published in the February 1993 Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations her Department has received in the last 12 months relating to the misuse of fireworks; what consultations her Department has undertaken on firework safety in the last 12 months; what action she proposes to take to regulate the (a) sale and (b) use of fireworks; and if she will make a statement. [1441]

My Department has received several hundred complaints from the public about the misuse of fireworks and I propose shortly to consult interested organisations on draft regulations to introduce additional restrictions on the types of fireworks which should be sold to the public, including some types of fireworks which feature in complaints of misuse.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the proposed alliance of British Airways and American Airlines, following her meeting with Commissioner van Miert. [1505]

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade met Commissioner van Miert on Tuesday 20 May for a preliminary discussion of the proposed alliance between British Airways and American Airlines, and other competition matters. It is not the President of the Board of Trade's policy to make public statements about the merits of individual competition cases in which she will be responsible for making decisions.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement about the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on the merger between FirstBus and SB Holdings and the implications for Midland Bluebird. [1153]

[holding answer 2 June 1997]: The MMC's report on the acquisition by FirstBus plc of SB Holdings Ltd. (SBH) was published in January 1997. In line with the MMC's recommendations, the then Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs, Mr. John Taylor, asked the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) to seek undertakings from FirstBus to divest the business of its subsidiary Midland Bluebird, plus part of the Glasgow operations of SBH. In the event that FirstBus has not identified a firm buyer that has been approved by the Secretary of State by 24 October 1997, the undertakings which are being sought will provide for the divestment of SBH in its entirety without divestment of any of Midland Bluebird's operations. The DGFT will advise my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on the outcome of his discussions with FirstBus in due course.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what definition he will use to describe small firms, in terms of number of employees and turnover, when he introduces the fair payment of commercial debts bill; and if he will make a statement. [1277]

We will consult on the details of the Fair Payment of Commercial Debts Bill in the summer. We will ask businesses, their representative organisations and other interested bodies for their views about the extent and application of the legislation for a Statutory Right to Interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the number and percentage of deduction from earnings orders in force to recover arrears of maintenance assessments carried out by the Child Support Agency on absent parents (a) in total and (b) by regional office for each year since the establishment of the agency. [1355]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken by the CSA to complete an assessment review; and what action she intends to take to reduce this time. [1360]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the average length of time taken by the Child Support Agency to complete a maintenance assessment (a) in total and (b) by regional office for each year since the establishment of the agency. [1357]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the number and percentage of Child Support Agency cases in which no moneys are being recovered from the absent parent (a) in total, (b) by regional office and (c) by gender of absent parent for each year since the establishment of the agency. [1356]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the number and percentage of maintenance assessments carried out by the Child Support Agency which are challenged by the absent parent (a) in total and (b) by regional office for each year since the establishment of the agency. [1354]