To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have left the Army since 1 May; how many have been recruited since that date; and how many vacancies existed at the end of October. [16926]

A total of around 5,000 personnel left the Army between 1 May and 1 October 1997. More than 6,000 personnel entered the Army from civilian life during the same period. At 1 October the Army was undermanned by around 4,500 trained personnel. The figures to 1 October are provisional, and include trained Gurkha personnel but exclude the Royal Irish (Home Service). The figures to the end of October 1997 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research projects have been commissioned by his Department in each year from 1987 to date concerning the genetic modification of (a) organisms and (b) micro-organisms. [17736]

[holding answer 25 November 1997]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the number of foxes on his Department's estate in each of the past five years. [18033]

No estimates have been made of the numbers of foxes on the Defence Estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list each civilian company and subsidiary employed by his Department to service Ministry of Defence installations and buildings, indicating the functions they carry out; [17864](2) if he will list by company the cost to public funds to date in payments to each company contracted to service MOD buildings and installations. [17863]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that (a) cadets learning to fly through the university air squadrons and (b) those taking air experience flights will be trained in British-built aircraft. [18059]

A final decision has still to be taken on the contract to provide the University Air Squadron and Air Cadet Air Experience Flight flying requirements. A UK-manufactured aircraft is one of the options being considered. All factors will be taken into account in reaching a decision on which options offers best operational performance and best overall value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1997, Official Report, column 393, if he will discuss with the Masters of Foxhounds Association his Department's interpretation of the MFHA's press release of 8 August in respect of the practice of digging out foxes on the estate; and if he will make a statement. [17954]

My Department's position on the practice of digging out is clear: it will be neither requested nor permitted on the defence Estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who was responsible for the Union Flag flown above Whitehall main building on Remembrance Sunday. [17865]

Under the terms of their contract, day to day responsibility for ensuring that flags on MoD Main Building, Whitehall, are maintained in good condition, regularly washed and flown correctly at the appropriate times lies with Building and Property Defence Limited. Under new arrangements instituted since Remembrance Sunday, visual checks carried out by Departmental staff will ensure that correct procedures are followed.

To ask the Prime Minister if he gave permission for the President of the Board of Trade not to attend oral questions on 20 November. [17556]

I gave my permission for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to be overseas on 20 November.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the issues and companies which each Minister is unable to handle in order to avoid a conflict of interst. [17557]

No. Ministers are required to ensure that there is no conflict of interest between their public duties and their private interests. There is no static list of issues or companies. Ministers are asked to remain alert to the possibility of conflicts of interests when dealing with Government business.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the issues of public policy which he discussed with Mr. Rupert Murdoch during their meeting on 13 November. [17655]

[holding answer 25 November 1997]: We discussed a range of issues.

To ask the Prime Minister when he became aware of the possible conflict of interest arising from a second donation on behalf of Mr. Bernie Ecclestone. [17943]

I have nothing further to add to the oral answer I gave in the House on 12 November 1997, Official Report, columns 898–99.

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 19 November 1997, Official Report, column 325, what scientific advice the Government received recommending driving licence restrictions on insulin-dependent diabetics; and if he will publish that advice. [17610]

[holding answer 26 November 1997]: As I told the hon. Gentleman in my earlier reply, the Government receives advice from the Honorary Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes, one of a number of such panels comprising experts in their field. At a recent meeting they confirmed that in their view there was no new evidence to support a change in the policy with regard to granting licences to drive the heavier vehicles to diabetes sufferers treated by insulin. Their advice draws on their experience and assessment of the scientific literature. There is therefore no scientific advice as such from the Panel which could be published.

To ask the Prime Minister if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that (a) all visits undertaken by Ministers in connection with their duties be notified, reasonably in advance, to the hon. Member of the area visited and (b) that hon. Member is permitted to participate in the visit. [17843]

[holding answer 26 November 1997]: I set out guidance to my Ministerial colleagues on these matters in paragraph 79 of the Ministerial Code, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House in July.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government Information Service. [18408]

I am today placing in the Library of the House the Report of a Working Group on the Government Information Service. The Report is about modernising the Government's communications with the media to make them more effective and authoritative—an integral part of a democratic Government's duty to govern with consent. Its main proposals are:

to improve co-ordination with and from the centre, so as to get across consistently the Government's key policy themes and messages, through a new strategic communications unit serving the whole Government; a reformed Cab-E-Net system; and clearer rules on attribution;

to improve co-ordination within each Government Department so that Ministers, their special advisers, their press offices and their policy civil servants all play their part in the coherent formulation and communication of policy;

to bring the practice and procedures of all Government press offices up to the standards of the best, geared to quick response round the clock with help from a new central media monitoring unit;

to retain a politically impartial service and to sustain the trusted values of the service embodied in its rules of guidance;

on the basis that communication is an integral part of policy formulation, to develop closer and better working relations between policy civil servants and press offices;

to offer high quality management and leadership, staffing and training and development tailored to meet the needs of the 24-hour media world.

I have accepted the recommendations of the Report. The costs of the two new Units will be contained within the Department's running costs. Together, these proposals will produce a service, renamed the Government Information Service and Communication Service, which is fit for its purpose and fit for the future.

To ask the Prime Minister at what time he left the European Council meeting at Amsterdam. [18035]

At its conclusion.

To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons the request by Mr. Tariq Aziz to meet representatives of the British Government at the United Nations to enter into a dialogue on the situation in Iraq was declined. [17918]

Mr. Aziz wished to enter into dialogue on the subject of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM). It is not for Iraq to attempt to lay down conditions on this subject. UNSCOM received its mandate under Security Council Resolution (SCR) 687. It is non-negotiable. Iraq must comply with all relevant SCRs.

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to the statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland of 18 November 1997, Official Report, columns 215–16, what factors led him to conclude it would appear invidious for him to deny a person a jury trial in some scheduled offences; and for what reasons he assesses it not to be invidious for him to deny jury trials in other scheduled offences. [17570]

It is the legislation itself, the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996, which provides that the scheduled offences are tried by a judge without a jury. The Schedule permits the Attorney-General, in respect of certain offences, to certify that a particular offence is not to be treated as a scheduled offence. My certificate therefore operates to confer the right to be tried by jury in the normal way. The right to trial by jury is currently removed only by Parliament and it would be invidious for a Minister to have that power. The Attorney-General's function is purely to reduce the severity of the law in favour of individuals where appropriate.

To ask the Attorney-General what would be (a) the extra cost and (b) the necessary increase in personnel of the certifying in procedure for scheduled offences coming under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Bill. [17571]

Under the current legislation the Attorney-General may "certify out" certain scheduled offences with the effect that such an offence will not be treated as a scheduled offence. It is impossible to quantify the extra cost and the necessary increase in personnel which would be required were offences to be subject to a "certifying in" procedure, whereby they would be certified in to the Schedule by the Attorney-General, since the amount of work involved is entirely dependent on the number of offences committed. Under the provisions contained in the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Bill it is anticipated that there will be an increase in the work load of my office because of the proposal to increase the number of offences which are capable of being certified out.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) what percentage of cases of alleged sexual offences against children investigated by the Police in 1995–96 and 1996–97 and referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (a) were judged to have passed the evidential test, (b) proceeded to prosecution in court and (c) resulted in a conviction; [17660](2) what percentage of cases

The Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records on the outcome of proceedings in respect of particular offences. The information is held in Branch offices on individual case files and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Attorney-General what factors the Crown Prosecution Service takes into account in applying the evidential test in cases involving alleged sexual offences against children where the only evidence was the testimony of the child or children. [17661]

Each case is unique and must be considered on its own merit but, generally, a principle of fairness is applied to the evidence of children. This means that the evidence of a child is considered no less reliable than that of an adult simply because it comes from a child. As in all cases, prosecutors will consider whether the evidence can be used in court and whether it is reliable in deciding if there is a realistic prospect of conviction. Prosecutors are urged to use all the procedures available to assist child witnesses to give evidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage in a sentence a prisoner becomes eligible for home leave. [16182]

Following changes in the Prison Rules in April 1995, a new system of release on temporary licence was introduced to replace home leave and temporary release. The eligibility of prisoners to be considered for release on resettlement licence under the new system is set out in "Prison Service Instruction to Governors 36/1995," a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a draft of the ballot paper which would be issued to voters before the second reading of the European Parliamentary Elections Bill. [16957]

The final format of the ballot paper for elections to the European Parliament has not yet been determined. Parliament will be able to approve the final design. I have, however, placed a copy of an initial sketch in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people will be eligible to vote in the European Parliament elections in (a) each of the English regions upon which the proposed new constituencies will be based, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [17060]

[holding answer 21 November 1997]: The number of people eligible to vote in the next elections to the European Parliament in June 1999 will depend on the number of people on the relevant electoral registers on polling day. The number of people on the local government electoral registers in each of the proposed English electoral regions and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on 16 February 1997 was as follows:

	Number
East Midlands	3,167,433
Eastern	4,027,466
London	5,027,796
North East	1,984,212
North West	5,214,413
South East	5,988,686
South West	3,747,003
West Midlands	4,032,835
Yorkshire and The Humber	3,811,254
Scotland	3,995,923
Wales	2,226,923
Northern Ireland	1,190,977

The number of people entitled to vote in an election to the European Parliament would be slightly smaller since not all European Union citizens on the local government register chose to exercise their right to vote in European Parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students from eastern Europe who in the last six months have been given permits to work in agriculture have applied for political asylum. [17250]

I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students from eastern Europe who have been given permits to work in the United Kingdom have been recruited by gangmasters to work in the food processing factories in Lincolnshire. [17248]

I regret that information on the number of eastern European students recruited by gangmasters to work in food processing factories in Lincolnshire is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many permits he has granted to students from eastern Europe to work in agriculture in the United Kingdom during the last six months. [17249]

Eight thousand five hundred such students entered the United Kingdom in the six months from May to October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications of the Amsterdam Treaty for future asylum seekers from within the European Union; and for what reason his Department did not seek an exemption from the Asylum Protocol similar to that acquired by Belgium. [17217]

The Asylum Protocol to the Amsterdam Treaty will require that member states treat asylum applications from European Union nationals as either inadmissible or against a presumption that they are manifestly unfounded. Belgium has made a declaratory statement to the effect that it will apply the latter approach. This is not an exemption from the Protocol. There was no need for the United Kingdom to make a similar declaration. In accordance with United Kingdom asylum law, we will continue to give individual consideration to asylum applications from European Union nationals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the savings which will arise as a result of the use of tagging to bring about the early release of prisoners from custodial sentences. [17742]

I expect the costs of electronic monitoring to be considerably smaller than the expenditure on prisons which would otherwise be necessary. Fuller information will be given in the Financial Memorandum to the Crime and Disorder Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the criteria by which the Prison Service will carry out a risk assessment of offenders under consideration for early release through tagging. [17744]

I shall publish more detailed information about the working of the home detention curfew scheme in due course. The risk assessment procedures will build on those applying at present to release on temporary licence, as set out in Instruction to Governors 36/95, a copy of which is in the Library. A copy of the Instruction to Governors on home detention curfew will also be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders convicted of offences involving (a) sex and (b) violence were sentenced to periods of imprisonment of between three months and four years in the last year for which figures are available. [17743]

For England and Wales in 1996 (latest available figures) of the 4,426 offenders convicted of indictable sexual offences, 1,763 were sentenced to periods of immediate custody of between three months and up to and including four years.Similarly, for the indictable offence group of violence against the person, 30,011 offenders were convicted, of whom 7,366 were sentenced to periods of imprisonment of between three months and up to and including four years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department made submission to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions consultation on an integrated transport system; and if he will make a statement. [17749]

No formal submission was made but our two Departments have been and continue to be in close contact at Ministerial and official level about issues of mutual interest arising from the development of an integrated transport policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the quality and service of prison food. [17719]

The Prison Service has introduced a number of changes to improve catering procedures, including increased flexibility for caterers to provide food suited to the needs of prisoners, and greater choice and reduced waste, for example through the use of pre-select menus.A recent National Audit Office report (published on 7 November 1997) acknowledged these improvements and confirmed that prison caterers do well in difficult conditions. The report also identified a number of areas where further improvement is desirable, and the Prison Service is currently considering its recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter of 30 August 1992 to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain), what progress there has been in the inquiry into the bombings, in 1982, of the African National Congress offices in London; and what representations his Department has received on this matter. [17624]

[holding answer 26 November 1997]: The Metropolitan Police are continuing to monitor the situation in South Africa in relation to revelations made to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is their intention to interview more people in the course of their investigation into the bombing in due course. As for representations received in the Home Office, records relating to the period between 1982 and the end of 1991 are not kept centrally and I will therefore write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is possible to check the relevant papers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in considering legislation on fire safety. [18334]

In my reply to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 23 June 1997, Official Report, column 360. I indicated that the Government strongly support the aims of the Fire Safety Bill which my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Heppell) introduced in the last Parliament. Since then. I have received advice from the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council on the main principles incorporated in that Bill and officials have held discussions with a number of key stakeholders.On 28 November, the Government intend to publish a consultation document entitled "Fire Safety Legislation for the Future" and copies will be placed in the Library. The consultation document sets out proposals for a new fire safety regime based on the main principles included in the Fire Safety Bill which in turn picked up many of the recommendations of the June 1994 Inter-Departmental Review of Fire Safety Legislation and Enforcement.The proposed new regime should enable rationalisation and consolidation of existing legislation. It would be based on a new universal duty of fire safety care on the occupiers and owners of almost all premises (except single private dwellings) to provide and maintain fire precautions. There would be additional requirements for high risk premises and enforcement would generally be by fire authorities. To combat the deaths and casualties in people's homes, we are attracted to the possibility of a new statutory duty on fire authorities to undertake community fire safety.The consultation document generally covers fire safety in England and Wales and in Scotland. But where there are differences in the situation or proposals for Scotland these have been stated in a separate chapter.We intend that this consultation document should be a first step towards a legislative regime which will serve to meet the fire safety challenges of the future. The proposals also form one strand of the Home Office Comprehensive Spending Review and are interrelated to other aspects of that review on the funding and structure of the fire service and the potential for more flexible standards of fire cover.The consultation period lasts until the end of February 1998. The proposals at this stage are cast in broad terms. We will consider carefully the responses to them and, if we then seek to proceed with new legislation, there will be further consultation on detailed and costed proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make discrimination on religious grounds unlawful. [18559]

The Government are alive to concerns about religious discrimination. This issue raises many difficult, sensitive and complex questions, which need to be carefully considered before we reach conclusions. My current priority is the forthcoming legislation on racial harassment, violence and other racially motivated crimes. In the meantime, I am happy to receive views on whether legislation in due course would be desirable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 November 1997, Official Report, column 39, what factors underlay the interval between the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, concerning international user requirements for the lawful use of interception by law enforcement agencies, and its being deposited in the Library. [17867]

The Memorandum of Understanding concerning international user requirements for the lawful use of interception by law enforcement agencies was placed in the Library on 3 March 1997 in response to a Question from Lord Lester of Herne Hill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if MI5 is obliged to apply for a warrant of authorisation to tap a telephone in a public phone box. [17868]

Under the Interception of Communications Act 1985, a warrant authorised by a Secretary of State is required by the Security Service to intercept any communications in the course of their transmission by means of a public telecommunications system. The Interception of Communications Act applies irrespective of the type of telephone which is intercepted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research undertaken by his Department has identified a problem of unsupervised under-10-years-olds being on the streets at night; if he will publish that research; and if he will make a statement. [17774]

There is considerable research within the Home Office and elsewhere which indicates those influences which are strongest on young people, particularly in relation to commencement of offending. One of the strongest of these is poor parental supervision. This was dealt with in some detail in the 1995 Home Office Research Paper 145 "Young people and crime". The need for more responsible parenting is supported in a survey which was carried out for the Audit Commission in 1996 for its report "Streetwise Effective Police Patrol". Similar surveys for that report also revealed that there was a public concern about the need to deal with issues of juvenile nuisance and anti-social behaviour.The objectives of the Government's youth justice reform programme seek, amongst other things, to address these concerns. That is why one of the measures in the reform programme is the proposal to give local authorities the power, following consultation with the police and local community, to introduce local child curfews for unsupervised children under 10 who are out on the streets late at night. The aim of such curfews is two-fold. Not only will they address the need to protect young children from being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, but they will protect communities from the misery and distress which can be so often caused by groups of unsupervised children acting in this way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the National Anti-Vivisection Society's report "Accountability—Animal Experiments and Freedom of Information"; and what steps he plans in response; [17775]

We will be meeting with representatives of the National Anti-Vivisection Society next week and expect to discuss a number of issues with them, including their Accountability report.Copies of the report have also been given to all members of the Animal Procedures Committee.Much of the report is taken up with criticism of the membership of the Animal Procedures Committee, the way new members are appointed and the ways in which the Committee works.The procedures for appointing members to the Committee have been reviewed in the light of the recommendations made by the Nolan Committee: We have recently written to a number of professional bodies, representative organisations and animal protection groups seeking nominations for new Committee members. The field of potential candidates will then be considered by an advisory panel.In deciding whom to appoint, the requirements set down in section 19 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1996 must be met and we must maintain the necessary breadth of expertise needed by the Committee. All appointments are announced publicly.We have no plans to review the current membership. The existing members do an excellent job and bring to the Committee a valued mix of skills and expertise. However, four members will complete their second (and final) term on the Committee at the end of the year and we will be making a number of new appointments shortly. We have already announced our intention to increase the number of animal welfare experts on the Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many project licences, and for what projects, have been awarded which involve experimentation on monkeys at the Institute of Neurology in London since 1 January 1995. [17776]

Since 1 January 1995, no new licences under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been granted which authorise the use of primates at the Institute of Neurology.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what United Nations standards his Department recognises in relation to (a) the administration of juvenile justice and (b) the welfare of children; and if he will make a statement. [17773]

The United Kingdom signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in December 1991. In doing so, the then Government gave a commitment to implement and disseminate the Convention's terms and principles, subject to certain reservations which it entered. The United Kingdom made its first report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in January 1995. In formulating policy on juvenile justice and child welfare, the Government aim to take into account the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other similar instruments, guidelines and rules.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the new prison building projects (a) he has authorised and (b) he has assessed prior to authorisation since 2 May. [18047]

Since 2 May, authorisation has been given to proceed with the building of four new prisons:

• 800 place Category B prison on the site of the former Agecroft Power Station, Salford;
• 400 place Young Offender Institution on the site of the former remand centre at Pucklechurch near Bristol;
• 600 place Category B prison adjacent to the current prison establishment at Onley, Warwickshire;
• 600 place Category B prison at Marchington, Staffordshire.

All four are to be built under the Private Finance Initiative.Planning approval has been obtained for a low security establishment to be built on land between Parkhurst and Albany prisons on the Isle of Wight, although no final decision has been taken to pursue this option. In addition, a planning application was made for a temporary prison at Middleton Tower, Heysham.Since 2 May, agreement has also been given to the Prison Service pursuing to the formal planning application stage possible new prison sites at Ashworth (Maghull), Belmarsh (in Woolwich), Peterborough and Winwick (near Warrington).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the proposed membership of the committee established to liaise with the police in advance of next year's FIFA World Cup, separately identifying Scottish representation; what relationship this Committee will have with (a) the Scottish Office, (b) Scottish police and (c) the Scottish Football Association; what responsibility it will have for liaising with the World Cup authorities on behalf of Scottish football fans; and if he will make a statement. [17848]

The World Cup Co-ordination Group had its first meeting on 21 November 1997. Membership of the group includes officials from the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (including representation from the British Embassy, Paris), the Scottish Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Football Licensing Authority. Representatives of the Football Association and the Scottish Football Association are members. There is police representation from the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the British Transport Police. The group is chaired by the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions are placed on registered charities controlling the use of their title, style or logo by their subsidiary trading companies or other associates in (a) promoting, (b) marketing and (c) selling goods or services unrelated to their declared charitable aims. [18048]

There are no such restrictions. It is for the trustees of a charity to determine how its title, style or logo could be used by its subsidiary. Charity trustees are obliged to act in the best interests of their charity. Consequently, they should ensure that any use of the logo by a trading subsidiary, or any other licensee, does not put the charity's funds at risk or being negative publicity to the charity.Charities are permitted to the same legal protection for their intellectual property rights as any other person or body, and have the same powers as any other person or body to license others to exploit those rights, provided, of course, that the licensing arrangements are in the charity's interests (which includes economic interests).The Charity Commission has certain powers to act to protect the property of a charity—including its intellectual property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from dependent territories and what consultations he plans with them over the euro; and if he will make a statement. [17209]

The Gibraltar Government have raised with us the possibility of issuing commemorative coins denominated in Euros. No other dependent territory had made representations, and no consultations are planned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that United Kingdom acceptance of the integration of Spain within the NATO structure is conditional on the dropping by Spain of restrictions on United Kingdom civil and military flights over its territory. [17193]

[holding answer 24 November 1997]: We are currently negotiating with Spain over arrangements for military air access to Gibraltar. We will be dealing separately with civil air access, which is not part of NATO negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Turkey concerning their military activity in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [17833]

[holding answer 26 November 1997]: I raised this issue with the Turkish Foreign Minister during my visit to Ankara on 14 October, and made further representations to him on 27 October. We have told the Turkish government that their involvement in the inter-factional Kurdish fighting in northern Iraq is not compatible with their role as a co-sponsor of the Ankara process of reconciliation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings members of his Department have held with General Pinochet over the last three years. [17825]

[holding answer 26 November 1997]: There have been no meetings between members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and General Pinochet over the last three years. British Embassy staff in Santiago have attended several official state and military functions in Chile at which General Pinochet was also present, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army. No discussions took place between these staff and General Pinochet at these events.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 24 and 25 November. [18542]

At the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 24–25 November, the nine A points in document 12483/97 were approved, and the European Parliament resolutions of 5–6 November in document 11487/97 were noted. The texts of both documents will be placed in the libraries of the House as soon as they become available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what time he left the European Council at Amsterdam. [18034]

The Fourth Session of the European Council Meeting in Amsterdam broke up at 0340 hours, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary left the closing Press Conference when it finished at about 0400 hours on Wednesday 18 June. He departed for the UK from Valkenburg Naval Air Base 1010 hours that same day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in Directorate General V of the European Commission are engaged in work relating to future Social Chapter legislation. [17070]

[holding answer 24 November 1997]: I have been asked to reply.This is a matter for the Commission. We do not keep this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96, (iv) 1996–97, (v) the 1997–98, year to date, (vi) 1997–98, full year estimate and (vii) the 1998–99 planned expenditure. [15233]

[holding answer 11 November 1997]: Advertising and publicity expenditure by my Department for the years requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many motorway and trunk road cross-over accidents have occurred in the past five years involving the rupture or crossing of safety barriers; and what form of construction was used for those road barriers. [17171]

The total number of accidents involving rupture or crossing of safety barriers on motorways and trunk roads is not known. However, the numbers of injury accidents which involved one or more vehicles striking or crossing the central safety barrier are as shown below. No information is available regarding the form of construction of the barriers involved in these accidents.

Injury accidents on motorways and trunk roads in Great Britain
	Year of Accident
	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
One or more vehicles hit central safety barrier	1,388	1,490	1,594	1,621	1,736
One or more vehicles crossed central reservation	230	182	188	171	156
One or more vehicles hit central safety barrier and crossed the central reservation.	46	57	56	64	61

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many drivers have (a) been involved in and (b) suffered (i) serious injury and (ii) death from road traffic accidents within 12 months of passing their test in each of the last five years. [17635]

The information is not available in the form requested. However, it is estimated that:

(a) about one driver in five has an accident involving at least damage within 12 months of passing the driving test;

(b) about one in five casualties (to all road users) occur when at least one driver involved is within three years of passing the driving test;

(c) there are around 25,000 casualties per year (to all road users), of which around 3,500 are fatal or serious, in accidents involving a driver aged 17–25 and within 12 months of passing the driving test.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 June 1997, Official Report, columns 48–49, on applications for telecommunications masts, if he will list the types of serious threat to amenity which might give sufficient grounds for rejecting an application. [17567]

An application for prior approval determination allows the local planning authority the opportunity to say whether they wish to approve, within 28 days, details of the siting and appearance of a telecommunications mast permitted under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. It is for the local planning authority to determine whether the siting or appearance of the development would pose a serious threat to amenity on a case by case basis. Guidance on factors the authority may take into consideration when determining whether to give or refuse such approval is contained in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 and Appendix E to Circular 9/95. The answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning on 4 November 1997, Official Report, columns 152–53, announced a further factor for consideration in these circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authority planning refusals for telecommunications masts were overturned on appeal by planning inspectors in (a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96 and (c) 1996–97. [17530]

The number of appeals allowed against local authority refusals for telecommunications masts/towers information is as follows:

Year	Total number of mast appeals	Number of appeals allowed
1994–95	58	23
1995–96	55	37
1996–97	85	37

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many redundant telecommunications masts have been removed; and if he will list their locations: [17751](2) if he will make a statement on the procedures in place to monitor the removal of redundant telecommunications masts. [17752]

Development carried out by a telecommunications code system operator under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 is subject to the condition that apparatus shall be removed as soon as reasonably practicable after it is no longer required for telecommunications purposes. Where telecommunications development requires a planning application to the local planning authority, it is open to the authority to impose a similar condition on any planning permission granted. It is for the local planning authority to take any necessary enforcement action where they consider that planning conditions have not been observed. In addition, the provisions of the Telecommunications Act 1984 allow occupiers of land to require the removal of redundant apparatus from their land where access for the purposes of installing that apparatus was originally granted to the operator under the Code Powers granted to them by that Act. Data on the number of redundant masts removed are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many telecommunication posts (a) under 15 metres and (b) over 15 metres were erected in the United Kingdom in each of the years since 1993 to the latest available date. [17633]

This information is not collected centrally. We attach considerable importance to minimising the environmental impact of telecommunications mast development. It is for the that reason that my hon. Friend the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning recently stated our expectation that operators will provide evidence to local authorities that they have carefully considered the use of existing masts, buildings and other structures before seeking to erect any new mast.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to improve the markets for waste-derived compost. [18127]

I am today announcing the publication of two guides which are aimed at improving the markets for waste-derived compost. The first contains practical guidance for large-scale producers of waste-derived compost, such as local authorities and the waste industry, setting out how they can design and market their product effectively to a variety of end users, particularly those in the horticulture and landscaping industries. The second guide is aimed at potential users, such as landscape architects and contractors, and explains the benefits of using waste-derived compost in their operations.One of our major environmental objectives is to promote sustainable waste management across the country. Every nine months we produce enough waste in the United Kingdom to fill lake Windermere. And of the estimated 26 million tonnes of municipal solid waste produced in 1995–96, around 85 per cent. was landfilled. It is therefore vital that, in future, we choose waste management options which preserve and enhance our environment and safeguard human health. We are therefore committed to increasing the quality and quantity of organic waste which is composted. This means a greater degree of centralised composting by local authorities and the waste management industry. But to make such schemes viable, we also need to expand the markets for waste-derived compost and thereby increase the demand for the product.We hope that these guides will make a valuable contribution to this by providing practical advice to compost producers and specifiers. They will be widely distributed free of charge to local authorities in England, waste management companies, composting organisations, landscaping architectural practices and selected landscaping contractors.Copies of the guides have been placed in the house Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to improve fire safety in homes. [17554]

Part B of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 1991 makes requirements with regard to fire safety when building work is undertaken with regard to all buildings, including homes. Guidance on ways of meeting these requirements is given in Approved Document B. This Document is currently being revised and changes will be proposed that will improve fire safety in the home. The draft Approved Document will be issued for public consultation in the near future. Most relevant to homes there will be additional guidance on the siting and installation of smoke alarms, including in loft conversions to two storey houses, and on means of escape, in particular the provision of suitable windows in habitable rooms.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total number of unoccupied homes in England (i) in 1990 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available; and what proportion was owned by (a) local authorities, (b) central government departments, (c) the private sector, (d) housing associations and (e) others. [17711]

Estimates are given below of the numbers of vacant dwellings in England on 1 April in 1990 and, the latest date for which figures are available, in 1996.

	1990	1996
	Number	Proportion	Number	Proportion (per cent)
Local authority1	99,400	14	79,600	10
Housing associations2	19,700	3	23,600	3
Other public sector3	17,000	2	20,000	3
Private sector1	587,000	81	667,000	84
Total	723,000	100	790,000	100
Sources:
1 HIP1 returns from local authorities.
2 Housing Corporation HAR10/1 returns from housing associations.
3 Govnerment Departments and HIP1 returns from local authorities.

There are doubts about the quality of some authorities' estimates of the number of private sector vacants; independent survey data suggest that the HIP1 figures may over-estimate the total number of these vacants. Total vacants have been falling in recent years after increasing by around 20 per cent. between 1990 and 1993, and at any one time around half of the private sector vacants are empty as a function of the housing market.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what financial incentives are available through the local authority council tax system which encourage elderly or young relatives to live in annexes adjoining the main family home. [17709]

An annex which is classed as a separate dwelling for council tax purposes is exempt from council tax if a resident is a dependent relative. A relative is regarded as dependent if they are aged 65 or over, if they have a severe mental impairment, or if they are substantially and permanently disabled. In addition, there are exemptions for dwellings occupied only by those under the age of 18 or only by students.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures were agreed at the Luxembourg European Environment Council meeting of 16 October; and what are the projected compliance costs to the United Kingdom. [17081]

[holding answer 24 November 1997]: I informed the House of the outcome of the Environment Council in Luxembourg in October in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 19 November 1997, Official Report, column 199.One measure was agreed at the Environment Council in October: the proposal for a revised Drinking Water Directive. The current best estimate for the total capital or non-recurring costs of this for the UK is in the range £2,200 to £3,500 million at current prices with the majority of expenditure over 15 years from adoption of the Directive. This estimate was provided to the House in this Department's Compliance Cost Assessment under cover of Explanatory Memorandum 7208/95 in September 1996. The costs of measures will continue to be covered in the Department's explanatory memorandum to Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to bring forward proposals for annual elections for local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [17592]

A wide ranging consultation exercise on the agenda for modernising local democracy will begin in the coming few weeks. This will include options for the introduction of annual elections. The consultation process will feed into a comprehensive White Paper on Local Government in the late Spring or early Summer 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the proportion by region of local authority owned dwellings fitted with smoke alarms. [17616]

In 1996 the proportion of local authority homes in each region estimated to be fitted with smoke alarms was as follows:

Region	Percentage with smoke detectors 1996
North-east	55
Yorkshire and the Humber	54
North-west	69

Region	Percentage with smoke detectors 1996
East Midlands	66
West Midlands	68
South-west	71
Eastern	56
South-east	80
London	41
Merseyside	55
England	66

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he plans to take to support local authorities wishing to convert derelict land, vacant offices and difficult-to-let shops, in town and city centre areas, into housing units. [17240]

Local authorities are responsible for drawing up housing strategies that set out how they intend to meet local housing needs. In drawing up these strategies, they have to assess the need for additional housing as well as other housing needs. They then have to consider how to use the resources available to them, both financial and other, to meet those needs. It is for the local authority to decide the best way of using available resources to the benefit of their residents and tenants while achieving the best value for money.To assist local authorities meet housing needs we have recently made available additional resources through the Capital Receipts Initiative to assist with housing and housing related regeneration. Over £600 million will be available in England in 1998–99.More specifically, as far as local authority assets are concerned, in April this year the capital finance system was relaxed so that if an authority disposes of certain assets, more of the capital receipt can be recycled into regeneration schemes in deprived areas rather than being set aside for debt redemption. Assets covered by the concession are unoccupied council dwellings (except those sold under right-to-buy or large scale voluntary transfer), occupied industrial estates, docks and harbours, leisure facilities, shops and offices and land for development. Receipts from the sale of these assets can be applied to regeneration schemes in listed wards and wards adjacent to listed wards.In addition, planning policy guidance notes, both on housing (PPG3) and on town centres and retail developments (PPG6), advise local planning authorities, where appropriate, to reallocate land allocated for other uses to housing, and to encourage conversions of vacant offices and vacant accommodation over shops by taking a flexible approach to residential car parking and other standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish his proposals to place on councils a new duty to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area; and what plans he has to consult on the scope of the duty. [18121]

We will shortly be publishing a consultation paper on democracy and community leadership, which will include details of our proposals to place a duty on councils to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area. It will be one of a series of consultation papers on local government matters including best value, the ethical framework and finance, that will feed into a comprehensive White Paper on local government next Spring. We will consult widely on our proposals, including with the Local Government Association, local authorities, business, the voluntary sector and other interested organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy towards the granting of transatlantic fifth freedom rights from regional airports in cases where the granting of such rights would contribute materially to the development of other long-haul services from that airport. [17782]

The Department takes many factors into account in preparing its strategy for air services negotiations, including the granting of transatlantic fifth freedom rights from regional airports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment was undertaken of the wider benefits to the economy of north-west England of increased flights between Manchester and Pakistan with onward connections to the USA in connection with the recent negotiations between his Department and representatives of the Government of Pakistan; what criteria and methodology were used in the assessment of regional benefits; and if he will publish the study. [17772]

The CAA carried out an economic analysis on behalf of the Department before the recent negotiations with Pakistan. It was made available to all members of the UK delegation before the talks, including representatives of Manchester Airport, and taken into account when Ministers agreed the strategy for the negotiations. It is not our policy to publish such analyses, given their bearing on the UK negotiating position in air services negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will carry out a comprehensive study of industrial and tourism development benefits to regional economies of improved access to global air services. [17783]

The Government welcomes increased international services to regional airports. As the economic impact of a new air service is dependent on the characteristics of an individual route the Department considers it a more effective use of resources to ask the CAA to carry out a specific economic analysis before air services negotiations with bilateral partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his officials plan to meet representatives of the Malaysian government to discuss the project of commencing air services between Manchester and Kuala Lumpur before the 1998 Commonwealth Games. [17784]

My officials have no current plans to meet representatives of the Malaysian government for discussions on air services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the incidence of fly tipping since the introduction of the landfill levy. [18096]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr. Dafis) on 19 November 1997, Official Report, column 198.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his assessment of the viability of the financial case and of the arguments advanced in the Mott Macdonald Report on the possible reopening of the Lewes-Uckfield railway line. [17780]

I understand that the financial case will be presented to the Franchising Director very shortly and it will be for him to consider using his Criteria for the Appraisal of Support for Passenger Rail Services, a copy of which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport placed in the Library on 6 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the results of his consultations on the extension of Part M of the building regulations; and if he will make a statement. [18120]

I expect to announce my conclusions on Part M next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the use of economic instruments to improve water quality; and if he will make a statement. [18473]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made clear on World Environment Day our determination to find the best way to address environmental concerns and to make polluters pay for necessary remedial action. Regulation has achieved a good deal but it may not represent the most cost-effective means by which environmental objectives can be achieved, nor does it always make polluters pay for the cost of their activities.We want to find a mix of instruments that will be environmentally effective and economically efficient. Many of these will be regulatory in nature. Others may be voluntary. But we believe that economic instruments have a role to play in improving the environment. So, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in the Budget, we are actively considering their role as part of our environmental policy and as a contribution to reform of the tax system.Today, we are setting out ideas for the use of such instruments to protect and enhance the quality of our rivers and other waters. A copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the library. This is an important initiative. Water is of enormous environmental and economic importance and water pollution causes great concern to the public. We look forward to a period of active debate on these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what new measures he proposes to introduce to achieve further reductions in drink drive casualties. [18517]

The Government will be publishing a consultation paper in the New Year setting out a range of proposals for discussion, including the reduction of the legal blood alcohol limit and measures to deal with serious or persistent drink drive offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the expenditure by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on official hospitality for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997. [15246]

[holding answer 11 November 1997]: Expenditure on official hospitality by The Scottish Office and its departmental agencies is shown in the table.

Year	The Scottish Office£	Scottish Office agencies£
1980–81	18,427	not applicable
1987–88	41,983	not applicable
1990–91	65,123	nil
1991–92	83,836	5,700
1992–93	1125,118	4,979
1993–94	76,088	24,145
1994–95	79,510	28,603
1995–96	282,978	27,635
1996–97	86,167	20,200
1997–98 (May to September)	19,774	12,046
1 This figure includes expenditure on hospitality during the EC Council Meeting in Edinburgh in December 1992.
2 In addition, in 1995–96 The Scottish Office spent £34,680 on hospitality as part of the Government's contribution to the VE Day and VJ Day commemorations.

Information on hospitality spending by non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he intends to put in place to increase the level of pre-school provision once the pre-school education voucher scheme is withdrawn in June 1998. [18474]

We believe that every child should have the chance of good pre-school education. That means a major expansion of services. We have pledged, first, to make a good-quality, part-time education place available, without charge, to every child in the pre-school year; and we aim to achieve this by the winter of next year. After that, and as new resources are found, we will set staged targets for three-year-olds. This is an ambitious and exciting programme.For too long in some areas, pre-school education was neglected and ignored. Then it was subjected to the experiment of vouchers. Pre-school education needs a fresh start. It needs clear national priorities and targets, a fair and stable funding system, strong support for quality, and a framework for consultation and planning that will strengthen co-operation amongst providers.I am delighted today to announce the launching of a major consultation paper,

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he is putting in place in respect of Scottish police liaison with (a) FIFA, (b) the French authorities and (c) the French police over the World Cup; and if he will make a statement. [17849]

The police in Scotland are represented on the World Cup Co-ordinating Group, set up by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, to co-ordinate arrangements at UK level. In addition, a committee consisting of officials from The Scottish Office, senior police officers and representatives from the Scottish Football Association has been established to draw up a strategy for the safety and security of Scottish fans travelling to France. The committee will liaise with the French authorities after the draw on 4 December when venues for matches will be known. The Scottish Football Association will then deal directly with FIFA. The police plan to contact their counterparts in France where the Scotland team will play to exchange intelligence and invite representatives to attend matches in Scotland to gain first-hand experience of Scottish supporters who have a world wide reputation for good behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances local authorities, in assessing ability to pay for domiciliary services which do not include personal care, (a) should discount attendance allowance benefit and (b) have discretion to exclude from consideration attendance allowance benefit. [17917]

Local authorities in Scotland have similar powers to charge for domiciliary services to those which apply in England. I therefore refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health on 17 November 1997, Official Report, column 63.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action will be taken to prevent further contamination of land and sea adjacent to the Dounreay nuclear plant. [14302]

I have been asked to reply.Contamination in and around the Dounreay site is an historic legacy and one that the UKAEA is urgently addressing, subject to strict independent regulation by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. Government continues to monitor the situation closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many RUC officers have been seconded to other jurisdictions inside and outside the United kingdom over the past year; and how many officers of other jurisdictions have been seconded to the RUC over the same period. [13073]

Date	CB1	CB2	CB33	Total	Percentage CB1	Percentage CB2	Male	Female	Total	Percentage female
Royal Ulster Constabulary
1 September 1995	7,536	672	256	8,464	89.04	7.94	7,589	875	8,464	10.3
2 September 1996	7,447	677	260	8,384	88.82	8.07	7,494	890	8,384	10.6
1 September 1997	7,522	701	273	8,496	88.54	8.25	7,576	920	8,496	10.8
Full-time reserve
1 September 1995	2,780	199	166	3,145	88.39	6.33	2,994	151	3,145	4.8
2 September 1996	2,653	196	162	3,011	88.11	6.51	2,859	152	3,011	5.0
1 September 1997	2,567	200	156	2,923	87.82	6.84	2,706	217	2,923	7.4
Part-time reserve
1 September 1995	1,447	77	21	1,545	93.66	4.98	1,009	536	1,545	34.7
2 September 1996	1,411	79	21	1,511	93.38	5.23	972	539	1,511	35.7
1 September 1997	1,297	68	17	1,382	93.85	4.92	899	483	1,382	34.9

[holding answer 6 November 1997]: During the past year seven RUC officers have been seconded to other jurisdictions and one officer is presently seconded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary from a GB force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the principal functions of E4A squads, special support units, headquarters, mobile support units and special military intelligence units within the RUC; the annual cost of each; the numbers of officers and administrative staff employed; and the composition of each based on gender and religious/community origin. [13075]

[holding answer 6 November 1997]: The information sought is confidential to the Chief Constable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the terms of reference of the joint RUC and Police Authority for Northern Ireland working group to address the under-representation of women, Catholics and minorities within the RUC; and when it is expected to report. [13069]

[holding answer 6 November 1997]: The terms of reference of the joint Royal Ulster Constabulary, Police Authority for Northern Ireland and Civilian Working Group are:

to review the representation of Catholics, women and ethnic minorities within the RUC;

to assess the reasons for any under-representation and to make recommendations how suitable applicants from all communities can be encouraged to apply;

to examine selection procedures and satisfy the group that they assure equality of opportunity.

The group is expected to report to the Chief Constable in early 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the staffing levels of the RUC in September (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997 (1) in total and (2) broken down (i) into numbers and percentages of full-time, reserve full-time and part-time staff (ii) by gender and (iii) by perceived religious/community origin. [13071]

[holding answer 6 November 1997]: The information sought is set out below:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish the rules relating to the display by a uniformed RUC officer of clear personal identification. [15898]

[holding answer 18 November 1997]: RUC instructions require that Sergeants and Constables display numerals on the epaulettes of all outer garments. All other officers are required to display their badge of rank.