To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the estimated percentage change in the Probation Service budget in England and Wales for the next two financial years; and if he will make a statement. [18635]

We are still considering probation service revenue grant for 1998–99 but expect to make an announcement very shortly. The level of funding in 1999–2000 and beyond will be considered in the comprehensive spending review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average annual case load per probation officer for the last two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [18638]

The average annual caseload per officer for 1995 and 1996, excluding community service, was 25 and 27.7 respectively.These figures are given in table 8.13 of the Probation Statistics England and Wales 1996, a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has undertaken on the degree of knowledge and awareness among the judiciary about community penalties and their effectiveness; and if he will make a statement. [18636]

Home Office Research Study 144, "Measuring the Satisfaction of Courts with the Probation Service", published in 1995, reported that 70 per cent. of the judges questioned thought that the probation service kept them very well or quite well informed about its work; 37 per cent. considered the quality of supervision for probation orders to be very good or quite good; and 45 per cent. were very satisfied or quite satisfied with current arrangements for enforcing probation orders.Further relevant information will feature next year in the Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate's evaluation of the community sentence demonstration projects in Teesside and Shropshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) have notified the police in relation to the Sex Offender Register and (b) are yet to notify the police in relation to the register for the last date for which figures are available. [18639]

On 2 October, the latest date for which figures are available, 2,170 sex offenders had notified the police of their details in accordance with the Sex Offenders Act 1997.Police records indicate a further 567 sex offenders who had yet to notify the police of their details by this date. These include both those who are within the 14 day period allowed for registration and those who have gone beyond this period.A survey of registrations over the first three months of the operation of the sex offender register is currently being carried out. The figures will be available in mid December.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the measures under consideration for the forthcoming Crime and Disorder Bill for extended supervision of sex offenders will extend to all serious sex offenders. [18217]

We envisage that the courts should have the power to require sex offenders to undergo an extended period of supervision, of up to ten years, to be added to whatever sentence the court would currently impose. The power will apply to all sex offenders who receive custodial sentences, including those imprisoned for less than 12 months, who are not liable, under the current law, to supervision following release. It will not, however, apply retrospectively to offenders already sentenced under the current or previous law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy on the use of radar devices to avoid police radar speed traps. [18140]

The use of such detector devices without a licence is an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 and successful prosecutions have been taken out by the police against motorists who have used them. My Department has carried out tests which showed such devices to be largely unreliable and ineffective but we have asked the Association of Chief Police Officers' Traffic Committee to keep us informed of any significant increase in the use of these devices and of any difficulties which forces experience. In addition, where an advertisement for such a device is brought to my department's attention we lodge the papers with the Advertising Standards Authority so that the Authority can ensure that the advertising copy makes the legal position clear.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have suspended their use of CS gas sprays in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. [18344]

None in England and Wales, so far as I am aware. Trials of CS sprays by Strathclyde Police and Tayside Police were suspended between 2 and 20 October but have since resumed. Responsibility for deciding whether to issue CS spray equipment rests with individual chief police officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ministerial announcements have not been made in the first instance to the House; and of those how many were (a) speeches to outside bodies, (b) press releases, (c) press briefings and (d) made by other means, since 1 May; and if he will make a statement about his Department's policy in respect of making public ministerial announcements. [18890]

Since 1 May, my Department has made 234 announcements by press release, including ones relating to public speeches. All major announcements are made to Parliament first when it is sitting. Such recent major announcements include a statement on Home Detention Orders, the White Paper on Youth Justice and the Bill to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into British Law. Press briefings are usually held to give further explanation to announcements, after they have been made public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to alter the law relating to vivisection; and if he will make a statement. [18681]

An Order will be made shortly to add "pigs, if genetically modified" and "sheep, if genetically modified" to Schedule 2 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.Following the recommendation made by the Animal Procedures Committee in its interim report on the review of the operation of the 1986 Act, the same Order will add ferrets and gerbils to Schedule 2. This will take effect from 1 January 1999.An Order will also be made under the European Communities Act 1972 to make minor amendments to introduce into the face of the 1986 Act some controls which are currently exercised through administrative measures (such as standard licence conditions).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals for a new offence of aggravated perjury to apply where persons have brought an action in the courts and have lied on oath. [18532]

We see no need to bring forward proposals for a new offence of aggravated perjury. The law enables those who have brought a civil action and are then found to have lied to be liable to prosecution and conviction for perjury, which could result in a prison sentence for up to seven years. In addition, a person who intentionally swears a false affidavit could be charged with perverting the course of justice. As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend on 16 July 1997, official report, column 181, the serious common law offence of perverting, or attempting to pervert, the course of justice is committed where a person acts or embarks upon a course of conduct which has a tendency to, and is intended to, pervert the course of justice. It is a matter for the prosecuting authorities to decide in any such case whether there is sufficient evidence to mount a prosecution and whether it would be in the public interest. As a common law offence, the maximum penalty for perverting the course of justice is at large, which means that the court would be free to impose any penalty that they considered appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) timetable and (b) guidelines exist for compensating the owners of unusual hand guns; and what arrangements exist for paying interest on delayed compensation. [18619]

Those handguns not listed under options A and B of the Firearms Compensation Scheme will have been claimed for under option C, which required owners to attach evidence of value. These particular claims, because they require individual assessment of the evidence provided, are being deferred to allow faster processing of claims submitted under the first two options. Many option C claimants have also claimed under other options and so will receive a part payment of their claim first. It is expected that most, if not all, option C claims will have been dealt with by the end of 1998. This position is in accordance with our earlier expectations and was made clear in the information sent out to potential claimants in June. There are no arrangements in the Scheme for the payment of interest on claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds (a) were allocated to safer cities projects in each year since their commencement and (b) will be allocated to safer cities projects in the year 1998–99. [18600]

(a) the Grants paid to safer cities projects in each year from 1988–89 to 1997–98 are listed¹. These figures include the payments made by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to the Phase 2 English projects between 1994–95 to 1997–98.

	£ million
1989–90	2.403
1990–91	4.569
1991–92	5.178
1992–93	5.271
1993–94	3.738
1994–95	2.168
1995–96	3.848
1996–97	3.124
1997–98	2.170

At the beginning of this financial year, the Home Office also paid an exit grant of £40,000 to the one Welsh project which closed on 31 March 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access for disabled people in wheelchairs to the museums and galleries for which he has responsibility. [17169]

Access to the museums and galleries for which this Department is responsible is generally good, though some constraints are imposed by the historic buildings in which the collections are located. Many already allow full access to wheelchair users, and in most other cases nearly all of the collections are accessible. Among the facilities provided are: designated parking, ramps, lifts, specially designed lavatories, low-height telephones and low-height labelling of exhibits. Many institutions also have wheelchairs available for use and provide special training for staff.However, there is no room for complacency. Recent advances in information technology have been used to provide visual displays where access to the actual display itself is not available. Where new building is underway, special attention is being paid to the needs of wheelchair users with the aid of expert advice.My Department is carrying out a review of access to the national museums and galleries and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be reporting shortly on the progress of that review.

To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the leaders of other member states of the European Union to discuss matters relating to the membership, structure and functions of the Security Council of the United Nations. [17516]

I have not discussed this issue with my European Union counterparts. However, there are regular discussions between officials at the United Nations in New York and in Capitals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public appointments he has made since 1 May; and how many and what percentage of these (a) receive remuneration and (b) are of (i) Afro-Caribbean and (ii) Asian origin. [16777]

Since 1 May I have made 105 Public Appointments. Of these, 77 or 73 per cent. receive remuneration.The information about ethnic origin cannot be provided since to do so would risk identifying individuals without their consent. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has provided information for all departments in an aggregated form.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individuals or organisations, corporate or otherwise, he and his ministers have met in their official capacity since 21 May 1997 who have or had donated £5,000 or more to the Labour Party in the last two years; and if he will list them. [17729]

[holding answer 25 November 1997]: The Labour Party's policy on disclosure is to declare the identity of any individual or organisation which, in the course of one calendar year, makes donations in the aggregate in excess of £5,000. Donations made during 1997 will be declared in 1998. Therefore, the following information refers to qualifying donors in 1995 and 1996.Scottish Office Ministers have met representatives of Unison, the Mirror Group, the Daily Record, the AEEU, the FBU, the GMB and the T&GWU. Ministers have also had meetings with the Paymaster General.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the impact on obstetric services in South Lanarkshire and surrounding areas of the closure of Bellshill and Rutherglen maternity hospitals. [18151]

In considering the closure of Bellshill and Rutherglen maternity hospitals, Ministers have taken fully into account the impact on obstetric services in South Lanarkshire. I am confident that both Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire Health Board's Maternity Strategies will greatly improve the maternity services available to the mothers and babies in these areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if paragraph 9 of his Department's consultation document, "Developing an Integrated Transport Policy", represents Government policy. [18195]

The definitive statements of Government transport policy for Scotland will be contained in the Government's White Papers on Integrated Transport for Scotland, and for the UK generally, that we intend to publish in Spring 1998. In developing that policy we are currently considering the many responses to the key broad issues set out in the consultation document.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were diagnosed to be suffering from asbestosis in (a) 1995 and (b) 1996 broken down by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority unit. [18156]

The information is not available in the form requested by the hon. Member. However, it is possible to provide figures for the numbers of patients discharged from hospital, whose diagnosis includes asbestosis, for the year 1995, broken down by Health Board of residence, as follows:

Health Board of residence	Patients discharged in 1995
Argyll and Clyde	6
Artier and Arran	3
Borders	1
Dumfries and Galloway	0
Fife	9
Forth Valley	4
Grampian	3
Greater Glasgow	43
Highland	4
Lanarkshire	3
Lothian	12
Orkney	1
Tayside	1
Western Isles	0
Scotland	90

These figures include both newly diagnosed and longer term cases of asbestosis. The equivalent information for 1996 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what (a) net and (b) gross parental or household income level Scottish students will be required to pay the full £1,000 per annum tuition fee. [17850]

[holding answer 27 November 1997]: The rates for student awards and loans, and the associated contribution scales, for academic year 1998–99 have not yet been determined.Had tuition fee contributions been in effect in academic year 1997–98, eligible Scottish domiciled students with a net parental income after allowable deductions of about £26,500 would have been assessed as due to pay the full £1,000; the comparable figure for a spouse contribution would have been in the region of £22,250.It is not practicable to give individual figures for the equivalent gross income since this would depend on the circumstances of the family concerned though, typically, the figure would be about £35,000 per annum.Means-testing will be carried out in exactly the same way north and south of the border, using the same sealer, as now.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the amount spent on smoking cessation initiatives for (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97 devoted to (i) visits by primary health care professionals and (ii) prescriptions; and what are the estimated figures for 1997–98. [17854]

[holding answer 1 December 1997]: Information on the amount of expenditure specifically on smoking cessation initiatives devoted to visits by primary health care professionals is not held centrally. Similarly, there is no information available on the amount spent on prescriptions in respect of smoking cessation. In terms of Schedule 10 of the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995, substances such as nicotine replacements cannot be supplied by general medical practitioners or prescribed for supply under pharmaceutical services. All such products have to be purchased over the counter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent research his Department has evaluated on (a) the total cost to the National Health Service in Scotland of treating people with smoking-related diseases and (b) the prevalence of smoking-related diseases among the Scottish population broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age, (iii) socio-economic class and (iv) health board area. [17856]

[holding answer 1 December 1997]: The most recent national research study on smoking related diseases was the 1991 Report, "The Smoking Epidemic—Counting the Cost in Scotland", a publication produced jointly by HEBS and ASH (Scotland). It estimated that the costs to the NHS in Scotland were approximately £69 million per year. There was no breakdown of this figure by sex, age, socio-economic class or health board area. The prevalence of all diseases in Scotland is monitored by routine ongoing surveillance rather than by specific research projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount spent on smoking cessation initiatives for (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97; and what are the projected figures for 1997–98, broken down by health board. [17853]

[holding answer 1 December 1997]: The information requested is detailed in the tables below. This includes expenditure by the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) and the annual grant provided by The Scottish Office to ASH (Scotland) for the same period.

Expenditure on smoking cessation initiatives
£000s
Organisation	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
HEBS	748	672	1 585
ASH (Scotland)	73	88.9	88.9
Total	821	760.9	673.9
1 Projected.

Estimated spend by health board health promotion departments on smoking initiatives1
Health board	1995–96 £	1996–97 £	Projected 1997–98 £
Argyll and Clyde	45,000	45,000	45,000
Ayrshier and Arran	88,500	96,500	96,500
Borders	47,895	49,330	50,809
Dumfries and Galloway	66,030	95,994	82,808
Fife	18,600	12,000	8,200
Forth Valley	90,989	95,673	101,698
Grampian	143,000	181,000	209,000
Greater Glasgow	70,000	70,000	130,000
Highland	25,000	30,000	37,000
Lanarkshire	44,000	35,000	58,250
Lothian	84,000	106,000	103,000
Orkney	3,415	2,775	3,115

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current estimated cost to the NHS in Scotland of treating people with smoking-related diseases (a) in total and (b) by health board. [17855]

[holding answer 1 December 1997]: There is no simple classification of diseases into those which are smoking related and those which are not. Smoking is only one of several causative factors in many diseases. In 1991, the ASH (Scotland)/HEBS publication "The Smoking Epidemic—Counting the Cost in Scotland" estimated that the NHS costs of treating smoking related diseases were of the order of £69 million per year. A more recent study, commissioned by ASH (Scotland) in 1994, estimated an annual cost to the NHS in Scotland of £83 million. No information is held centrally on the breakdown of these figures by health board area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the lowest hourly rate paid by his Department to (a) full-time employees, (b) part-time employees, (c) persons employed under personal contract and (d) persons employed by firms undertaking contracted-out services for central government offices, defining the job title in each case. [18107]

[holding answer 2 December 1997]: Based on a net working week of 37 hours the information is (a) £3.69 in respect of Administrative Assistants and equivalent grades (although there are two individuals—a Receptionist and a Messenger who are paid £3.37 and £3.63 respectively), (b) £3.69 in respect of Administrative Assistants and equivalent grades, (c) £3.69 in respect of Administrative Assistants and equivalent grades employed on a short-term casual basis and (d) this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce his plans for allocating total expenditure within his responsibility for 1998–99 including details of the 1998–99 Local Government Finance Settlement. [19298]

The attached table outlines my plans for allocating the total expenditure for Scotland within my responsibility.I have been able to improve significantly on the plans for the local government settlement. Following extensive consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, I propose to increase the level of Government Supported Expenditure by 2.2 per cent.—over £133 million—and the level of Aggregate External Finance by 0.6 per cent., or £33.1 million, in both cases after adjustments for the transfer of responsibility for funding nursery education and the additional resources provided in the current year for policing the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.Next year, Scottish local authorities will receive Government support through AEF of nearly £5.3 billion, £91 million greater than the published plans, which represents over 37 per cent. of the total Scottish Office budget. On top of that local authorities will receive a further £75 million of support to fund pre-school education, £9 million more than the published plans, £7 million for Early Intervention and £1 million for Alternatives to Exclusion, plus £325 million of non-housing capital allocations.I am also announcing today provisional capping principles which will allow local authorities to increase their capped expenditure by 3.4 per cent. or £191 million, almost £150 million more than the inherited plans. The proposed regime is tiered to allow councils spending close to GAE a greater increase in expenditure than those spending well above GAE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about a third round under the Scottish Renewables Obligation. [19299]

A consultation exercise held earlier this year by my Department showed broad support for the Government's approach to developing renewable energy. I am therefore proposing a third order under the SRO to oblige ScottishPower and Hydro-Electric to secure the availability of more capacity from new renewable sources in Scotland.The first two orders led to 56 renewables projects with a combined capacity of 189MW securing contracts with ScottishPower and Hydro-Electric, although many of these have not yet been commissioned. I am very keen to see SR03, which will come into force in early 1999, again attracting technically sound yet innovative projects which must be extremely competitive on price, with the downward trend in prices seen under SRO2 being continued in so far as that is possible.Capacity will be made available to those technologies that are able to demonstrate these qualities. On that basis I am minded that the third order should cover wind, small hydro, waste to energy and biomass projects, and that it should also make limited capacity available to small wind schemes and wave power projects. I hope that community-based projects will take advantage of this opportunity.The Government is committed to a new and strong drive to promote renewables and a review of renewable energy policy is underway. I intend that the SR03, which represents the culmination of the current programme in Scotland, should be for around 110–120MW in capacity, i.e. about the same size as SR02.I am aware of certain concerns about the local environmental impact of particular renewables projects, and for that reason I expect prospective developers to consult interested parties, including local planning authorities, at an early stage. Evidence of having done so will be required as part of the application process. Developers are further reminded that the award of a contract under the SRO in no way implies preferential treatment when it comes to the planning process and planning permission will still have to be sought in the usual way.My Department will shortly be writing to ScottishPower and Hydro-Electric setting out these proposals in more detail and will also issue detailed guidance to prospective applicants under SR03. Developers who are interested in bidding are invited to register their interest with my Department as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss the report of the National Radiological Protection Board Assessment of the Radiological Implications of Dumping in Beaufort's Dyke and Other Coastal Waters from the 1950s with representatives of (a) the Clyde Fishermen's Association and (b) other fishermen's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [18640]

The National Radiological Protection Board report concludes that any doses of radiation from the past dumpings identified would be well within the International Commission on Radiological Protections's recommended limit and that further additional monitoring is not required. However, the Board recommended that advice should be drawn up against the possibility, which it acknowledges is remote, that two anti-static devices dumped off Arran in 1958 might be trawled up and washed ashore. My officials will be in touch with the fishermen's association once that advice has been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the estimated acreage of contaminated land in England; and what proposals his Department has to encourage the reclamation of contaminated land. [18143]

The Environment Agency has estimated that there may be some 300,000 hectares of land across Britain as a whole which is affected, to some extent, by industrial or natural contamination. However, much of this contamination will be relatively minor. In only a small proportion of cases will there be a need for detailed investigation, assessment or remediation either with respect to current risks to human health and the environment or to facilitate the redevelopment of the land.A range of policy programmes are already in place to encourage the reclamation of derelict and potentially contaminated land. My Department, together with other public bodies including the Environment Agency and the research councils, funds research and development for site investigation and remediation techniques, as well as publishing technical advice and guidance. Planning policies and guidance seek directly to encourage the recycling of brown-field sites rather than permitting the development of greenfield sites, and also seek to ensure that contamination risks are properly dealt with as particular developments are taken forward. Significant sums of public investment in the regeneration of vacant, derelict and contaminated land are committed each year by the statutory regeneration agencies, such as English Partnerships.My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment will be announcing shortly proposals for the implementation of legislation providing a statutory regime for the identification and remediation of contaminated land which is not necessarily subject to development proposals, but which is currently causing significant risks to human health or the environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the plans for a Worthing by-pass; and if he will make a statement. [18144]

We are currently undertaking a strategic Roads Review. It is intended that the output of the Roads Review should include, firstly, a short-term investment programme; and, secondly, a programme of studies to look at the remaining problems—from which we will develop the medium and longer-term investment programme.Once the Roads Review has been completed, we expect to be able to set out what future work is needed on plans for the A27 at Worthing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the original projected costs to public funds and what are the latest forecast outturn costs of the Jubilee Line extension. [18221]

At project commencement in October 1993, the estimated overall cost of the Jubilee Line extension was £2.1 billion at cash outturn prices. This included £1.9 billion ring-fenced cost, funded by Government grant, the rest being costs for associated works, funded by the London Transport core business. A further £100 million in ring-fenced grant was later added to mitigate the rise in costs following the New Austrian Tunnelling Method collapse on the Heathrow Express project in 1994. London Transport now estimate outturn cost at £2.76 billion. Of this total, £2 billion will be directly funded by ring-fenced grant; the remainder will be met from London Transport's core resources (which include substantial Government grant) and from private sector contributions of over £400 million, over £100 million of which have already been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were (a) the projected and (b) the outturn costs to public funds of the South Yorkshire Supertram. [18220]

The South Yorkshire Supertram scheme was forecast to cost £240.610 million in outturn prices. The final outturn expenditure reported by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive in March 1997 was £240.609 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what long-term measures his Department (a) has in place and (b) proposes to reduce the number of fatal accidents at work; and if he will make a statement. [18574]

The Government share my hon. Friend's concern about the increase in the number of fatal accidents at work in 1996–97. In July, I approved the Health and Safety Commission's Plan of Work for 1997–98. The Plan of Work sets out the actions that the Commission and the Health and Safety Executive have agreed with me should be taken now and in the longer term to reduce fatalities, and more generally to promote health and safety in the workplace.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive on nuclear site emergency plan extendability; and if he will make a statement. [18367]

Yes. A copy of the report of the review, commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and undertaken by WS Atkins Science and Technology on the extendibility of local authority plans for responding to nuclear emergencies, will be placed in the Library.Extendibility was one of many issues considered by the Hinkley Point C Public Inquiry. In response to the recommendations, HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate published in 1990 a quantified scenario against which extended plans could be drawn up and tested. The scenario was last used to drive the Heysham Level 2 emergency exercise "Madonna" in September 1997. The review report was part of a process of evaluation which, together with the experience of the Heysham exercise, will be fed into a paper on outline planning for extendibility which will be considered by the Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group (NEPLG) for issue during 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the likely effects on each local authority of returning non-domestic rates to local government; [18346](2) what plans he has to incorporate a resource equalisation scheme into the SSA in respect of the return of non-domestic rates to local authorities. [18347]

The Government will be publishing shortly a consultation paper on options for the localisation of non-domestic rates. The effects on individual authorities will depend on the specifications of the scheme, which will not be decided until after we have seen the responses to the consultation. However, resource equalisation between authorities will clearly remain essential.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much funding has been allocated in 1997 to housing associations for the conversion of properties to meet housing needs. [18570]

Allocations are made by financial year, rather than calendar year. In 1996–97 £191 million public funding was allocated to housing associations through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and local authorities' Social Housing Grant for the acquisition and rehabilitation or conversion of properties to meet housing need.A further £43 million was allocated to housing associations for improvement or conversion works to their existing stock.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of procedures to take account of local water supply in respect of planning for new housing. [18524]

Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 (PPG12) already requires local planning authorities to take account of the capacity of existing infrastructure and the need for additional facilities in preparing their development plans. However, we are currently considering the need to revise and update PPG12 and we will consider whether further advice is required on this issue as part of that review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many inspections have taken place of working conditions in the construction and agriculture industries in 1997 to date. [18572]

In the period 1 January 1997–21 November 1997, the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive made 31,843 inspection contacts in the construction industry. Inspection contacts in the agricultural sector over the same time period were 11,946. In addition to inspections, contacts are made for other purposes, including the investigation of accidents and complaints and for enforcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many inspectors are employed by his Department to inspect working conditions in the construction and agriculture industries in England and Wales. [18573]

For England and Wales, the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive has allocated 103 operational inspectors to the construction sector and 65.9 to the agricultural sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list all those locations licensed by his Department for the use of radioactive materials; and if he will make a statement. [18368]

There are 40 nuclear licensed sites, which are licensed and regulated by the Health and Safety Executive under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended). As required under Section 6 of this Act, a list of these sites is held by the Department of Trade and Industry and is available for inspection by members of the public. Copies are also available for inspection at the Health and Safety Executive's Regional and other main offices.In general, radioactive materials and waste are regulated under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (as amended by the Environment Act 1995) and the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985. Under the Radioactive Substances Act, the keeping and use of radioactive material, other than on nuclear licensed sites, must be registered with the appropriate Agency (that is, the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland, and the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland). In addition, the Act also requires that the disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear licensed sites, and the accumulation and disposal of radioactive waste from all other sites, are authorised by the appropriate Agency. Certain classes of users and radioactive material are exempted from some or all of these requirements, by Exemption Orders which are Statutory Instruments made under the Act, or, in the case of certain Ministry of Defence sites, as a consequence of Crown Immunity.The Environment Agency advise that in England and Wales there are currently in force approximately 5,700 registrations for the keeping and use of radioactive material and approximately 1,100 authorisations for the accumulation and/or disposal of radioactive waste. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency advise that in Scotland about 700 premises are registered for the keeping and use of radioactive material, and about 400 premises are authorised for the accumulation and/or disposal of radioactive waste. The Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service advise that in Northern Ireland approximately 120 sites are registered for the keeping or use of radioactive materials, of which approximately 25 are authorised to accumulate and dispose of radioactive waste.Applications and certificates for registrations and authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act (except any information specifically excluded by virtue of Section 39(1) of the Act on national security or commercial grounds) are available for public inspection at the area offices of the Environment Agency (in England and Wales); at the regional offices of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (in Scotland); and at the Head Office of the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland. No centrally held list is available. Subject to Section 25 of the Act, the appropriate agencies are also required to provide copies of registration and authorisation certificates and applications to relevant local authorities, which must themselves—subject to the provisions of Section 39(2)—make publicly available the information which they hold.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch report on the accident involving the vessels "Seahorse" and "Exodus". [18499]

This accident, which took place in Irish territorial waters, was investigated by both Irish and UK accident investigators in full co-operation. The Irish authorities intend to publish their report.The UK's Marine Accidents Investigation Branch conducted the investigation under their "Inspector's Investigation" procedure whereby the report is not formally published but is made available to involved and interested parties. A short summary of the report will be included in the forthcoming MAIB "Safety Digest". The next edition will be published early next year. Copies will be placed in the library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each of the last 10 years, by incident, the number of passengers and crew killed in accidents involving (a) the rail network, (b) UK registered aircraft or aircraft within

Passenger and staff/crew fatalities in transport accidents1
	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
Railways2	4	36	12	1	6	1	0	8	2	1
UK registered aircraft or aircraft in UK airspace3	62	278	76	45	23	40	27	38	30	43
UK registered passenger ferries or passenger ferries in UK waters	190	40	40	0	0	2	0	0	0	0
River craft operating in the UK5	6—	3	51	6—	2	2	1	1	3	4
1 As far as possible the fatalities included in the table are those due to an aircraft, train or vessel accident, for example a collision. Fatalities due to the movement of a vehicle etc, for example due to the opening or closing of a carriage door at a railway station, are excluded.
2 For railways, figures for 1991 are for the period January 1991 to March 1992. Those for the subsequent periods shown relate to financial years. Railways includes all railway undertakings in Great Britain.
3 Figures cover both public transport flights and general aviation (executive, club and group, private and training flights). Most fatalities occur in this latter group.
4 There were in addition six fatalities in 1988 and two in 1989 involving a United Kingdom registered merchant vessel. Available records do not indicate whether the vessels were ferries.
5 Accidents reported to British Waterways.
6 Not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of public accountability for the railway system. [18799]

We are committed to establishing more effective and accountable regulation of the railways to ensure that the system is run in the public interest. As a first step towards improving public accountability, we have introduced new Objectives, Instructions and Guidance for the Franchising Director and a concordat with the Rail Regulator, designed to strengthen railways regulation. We are also conducting a wide ranging review which will look at all aspects of the rail industry, including the shortcomings of the sanctions already available to the regulators.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Government policy on insuring their building estate against fire and other risks. [18837]

[holding answer 2 December 1997]: The policy on insurance is set out in Chapter 27 of Government Accounting. There is a requirement to consult HM Treasury before taking out commercial insurance, except for:

(a) building insurance where insurance is a condition of a lease and the lessor will not accept an indemnity;

(b) overall site insurance; and

(c) insurance in respect of boilers and lifts.

[holding answer 18 November 1997]: Individual accidents could be listed only at disproportionate cost. The number of fatalities in each year are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since Crown immunity was lifted Government buildings have been insured against fire and general risks; if he will list the buildings involved. [18838]

[holding answer 2 December 1997]: My Department does not keep a central record of building insured against fire or other risks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what meetings he or his ministers have had with individuals who are connected with house builders or construction companies and who have made donations to the Labor party of more than £5,000. [18979]

My Ministers and I have met representatives of the construction and house building industries on numerous occasions as part of our policy responsibilities for efficient construction, land use planning, housing, transport and environmental sustainability.Information on donations to the Labour Party at more than £5,000 is published in the Labour Annual Report Donations to the Conservative Party are not of course disclosed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the area of Thorne and Hatfield Moors is currently in the process of being returned to the legal ownership of English Nature; and when this will be completed. [18972]

In 1992 Fisons, the predecessor of Levingtons, gave the freehold ownership of 1,175 hectares at Thorne and Hatfield Moors to English Nature. Legal arrangements for the management of the sites for their nature conservation interest were concluded in 1994 and in 1995 this area of land was declared a National Nature Reserve.Two further areas of 205.7 hectares and 80 hectares were handed back to English Nature in 1996. Legal arrangements for the handback of these two areas is not yet complete.These areas represent 56 per cent. of the SSSI.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to issue new guidance on the conduct of compulsory competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement. [19448]

I have today published a new Departmental Circular No. 16/97 (Welsh Office 62/97) which gives authorities guidance on the conduct of compulsory competitive tendering (CCT).The guidance reflects the new regulations on CCT laid before Parliament on 21 November. These amended the existing framework for CCT in England and Wales to make it more flexible and encourage local authorities to move to a Best Value-based approach to service delivery. The new guidance will allow authorities to pursue the principles of Best Value in a manner consistent with the purpose of the CCT legislation (that is that local authorities carry out work only if they do so competitively) and provide more flexibility to tendering.A draft of the guidance formed part of a package of proposed changes to CCT which went out to consultation on 25 July. The new Circular takes account of the views of 112 local authorities and related organisations, professional bodies and private sector interests who responded specifically to the draft. A further 19 responses were received by the Welsh Office. Copies of the responses are held in the DETR's Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision about which local authorities will pilot the duty of best value; and if he will make a statement. [19462]

I intend to announce these decisions later this week. My Department will write to all local authorities and other organisations that submitted proposals to pilot Best Value. I shall place a list of proposals, together with a record of the decision taken on each proposal, in the Library on the day of the announcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had concerning the principle of state liability for damages to citizens and the environment from an accident involving the shipment of nuclear materials. [18403]

I have been asked to reply.I have had no such discussions. Under UK law, which is in line with international conventions, the nuclear operator is exclusively liable for nuclear damage. All nuclear operators are required to have third party insurance arrangements, which include risks associated with nuclear material in transit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current costs of the Berlaymont renovation and connected expenses; what was the original projected cost; if he will make a statement on the presence of asbestos in that building; and which other Community institutions are in the process of relocation. [18480]

The Berlaymont building was evacuated in 1991, after the discovery of asbestos. The cost of renovation is estimated at ECU 325 million. The cost of asbestos removal is estimated at ECU 90 million. These costs will initially be borne by the Belgian Government (which owns the building). The Commission will reimburse the renovation costs (but not the cost of asbestos removal) over 27 years and will pay ECU 50 million for the building's shell. Legal ownership of the Berlaymont will then pass to them.The only Community institution in the process of relocating is the European Parliament, which recently moved into a new building in Brussels and is constructing new premises in Strasbourg.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if decrypting powers resulting from discussions centring on COM (97) 503 will be available to (a) Europol and (b) agencies of the European Community; and if he will make a statement. [18489]

COM (97) 53 is a consultation document. It does not propose specific legislation but seeks comments on the basis of which the Commission intends to come forward with detailed proposals. Its primary focus is on digital signature rather than on encryption. It makes no prescription for decryption powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his Department's policy towards the EU Commission's Agenda 2000. [18856]

Enlargement of the European Union (EU) will enhance stability and prosperity across Europe and is strongly in the national interest. Reform of the EU's main policies is essential for enlargement to be successful. That is why we broadly welcome the proposals made in the European Commission's Agenda 2000 document, in particular:

to begin EU accession negotiations as soon as possible with those candidate countries that are ready while ensuring an all-inclusive enlargement process.

to maintain the ceiling on the Community budget's Own Resources at 1.27 per cent. of EU-GDP throughout the next financing period from 2000–2006.

to reform the CAP by cutting support prices and increasing targeted measures for rural areas and the environment.

to reform the Structural and Cohesion Funds while maintaining their budget ceiling at 0.46 per cent. of EU-GDP and treating new and present Member States fairly.

The Luxembourg European Council on 12–13 December 1997 will receive a report from the General Affairs Council on Agenda 2000. We expect the European Council to invite the Commission to open accession negotiations and to table draft legislative proposals early in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts Government Ministers have maintained with the representatives of missing persons from Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and if the British Government will be providing specific assistance in order to determine the fate of the missing persons. [18826]

I met representatives of the "Women of Srebrenica" group of relatives of victims Srebrenica on 19 November. We are currently considering an appeal for donations to the 1998 exhumation project, launched on 26 November by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government have provided to the international programme to identify and exhume mass grave sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to identify the bodies of missing persons. [18827]

We are currently considering how to respond to an appeal of 26 November for donations to the International Criminal Tribunal's exhumation programme for 1998. The British contingent of SFOR provides a secure environment within which ICTY' s forensic teams operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral Answer of 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 765, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the decline in youth unemployment in the United Kingdom over the last four years which is attributable (a) to the fall in numbers in that age group and (b) to other factors. [18569]

[holding answer 1 December 1997]: About 30 per cent. of the reduction in unemployment among young people in the last four years has been due to a decline in the overall population in this age group. The rest is due to a rise in the proportion of young people remaining in full-time education and to the economic upswing, which started earlier in this country than in other major European countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for December; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months. [19231]

The information is as follows:

Monthly forecast of business for December 1997
	Venue	Event
1 December	Brussels	Ecofin Council
1 December	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
December 4	Brussels	Health Council
December 4–5	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
December 8	Brussels	Energy Council
December 8–9	Brussels	General Affairs Council
December 10–11	Brussels	Transport Council
December 12–13	Luxembourg	European Council
December 15	Brussels	Social Affairs Council
December 15–16	Brussels	Agriculture Council
December 16–17	Brussels	Environment Council
December 18–19	Copenhagen	OSCE Ministerial Council
December 18–19	Brussels	Fisheries Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legal advice he has received over the challenge to the Protocol on asylum in Title VI of the Amsterdam Treaty based on Article 14(I) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and if he will make a statement. [17913]

I have been asked to reply.We are not aware of any formal legal challenge to the Asylum Protocol. As we have made clear, we will, in accordance with United Kingdom asylum law, continue to give individual consideration to asylum applications from European Union nationals as we do to other nationals. We do not therefore consider that any question arises as to the United Kingdom's adherence to Article 14(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the Aid and Trade Provision projects currently in place by country, their costs and their expected dates of completion. [18950]

The following table shows the financial year in which DFID expenditure is expected to end for projects currently under implementation and for projects for which there are ongoing loan subsidy payments.

Country	Project	ATP commitment	Expenditure ends
Bangladesh	Bhairab Bridge:Pre-FeasibilityStudy/Appraisal Report	0.3	1997–98
China	Cosco Ships	13.8	2007–08
China	Yue Yang Power Station	55.7	2007–08
China	Bohai Aluminium Mill I	8.8	2008–09
China	Xinjiang Ethylene Plant	47.2	2011–12
China	Urumqi PTA	33.7	2007–08
China	Fushun Heat and Power Plant	11.7	1997–98
China	Urumqi PX	13.0	2008–09
China	Dalian Urban Traffic Control	1.0	1997–98
China	Nanjing Airport Project	9.4	1997–98
China	Liuzhou Water Treatment Works	1.9	1997–98