To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those visits made within the United Kingdom since 1 May on which (a) he and (b) other Ministers within his Department have been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code indicating (i) those persons accompanying and (ii) the cost to public funds. [23758]

[holding answer 19 January 1998]: Since 1 May 1997, neither my Ministers nor I have been accompanied, within the United Kingdom, under the terms of Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in each of the last 12 months how many Czech and Slovak asylum seekers arrived at Dover; and how many applied for asylum (a) in their own right and (b) as dependants; [27382]

Applications1for asylum from nationals of the Czech Republic and Slovakia lodged at the Port of Dover, by recorded outcome, February 1997 to January 1998
Month of application	Applications received	Of which:
		Granted asylum	Granted exceptional leave to enter	Refused2	Withdrawn
February 1997	10	—	—	10	—
March 1997	15	—	—	10	—
April 1997	5	—	—	5	—
May 1997	20	—	—	15	—
June 1997	30	—	—	20	5
July 1997	40	—	—	25	5
August 1997	50	—	—	45	—
September 1997	65	—	—	50	5
Octoper 1997	130	—	—	90	20
November 1997	20	—	—	10	10
December 1997	15	—	—	10	—
January 1998	*	—	—	—	—
Total	400	—	—	295	50
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
2 Includes refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country and non-compliance refusals for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that he and his Ministers personally read the letters sent to them by hon. Members on constituency matters. [27673]

It has been my policy and that of my junior Ministers to read letters from hon. Members on constituency matters and that will remain the case.

The available information is given in the table.Of the 400 Czech and Slovak nationals who applied for asylum at the Port of Dover in the period 1 February 1997 to 31 January 1998, 190 have appealed to Immigration Adjudicators. Of these, 75 appeals have been dismissed or withdrawn and one has been allowed. These figures exclude dependants.It is estimated that, during the period 1 February 1997 to 31 January 1998, a total of 580 dependants arrived with Czech and Slovak asylum applicants at the Port of Dover. I regret that it is not possible to provide an accurate breakdown of this figure by date of application.In the case of the one appeal which was allowed, the Adjudicator recommended that the case should be reviewed within six months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of Ministerial overseas travel in his Department in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98 to date. [26680]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham, (Mr. MacShane) on 9 February 1998, Official Report, columns 16–17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97 and (iii)1997–98 to date. [27787]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The estimated cost of losses to the Home Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) from reported fraud and theft is summarised in the table:

£000
	1995–96	1996–97	11997–98
Core department Agencies NDPBs	148.8	56.4	19.9
Agencies	56.5	129.9	40.0
NDPBs	116.0	—	49.0
1Figures for 1997–98 relate to April-September 1997, the latest available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his current estimate of the expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on hospitality since 1 May 1997. [27790]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The current estimate of the expenditure by my Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of hospitality since 1 May 1997 is as follows:

	£000
Department	18,460
Agencies	31,896
Non-departmental public bodies	7,729
Total	58,085

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98 to date and 1997–98 full year; and if he will make a statement. [26679]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The recorded expenditure on buildings refurbishment by the Home Office, including the Prison Service, is as follows:

	£ million
Year
1995–96	34.2
1996–971	31.1
1997–98 to date	23.5
1997–98 full year (estimated)	36.3
1 From 1996 the figures include the common user estate properties inherited from Property Holdings on I April 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the conferences held by his Department since 1 May 1997, giving in each case the (a) purpose and (b) estimated cost. [27789]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The conferences held by my Department since 1 May 1997, with purpose and estimated costs, are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the current weekly cost of keeping a youngster in a secure unit; [27937](2) what was the age of the youngest

Local authority secure units accommodate a number of categories of young people. Those for whom my right hon. Friend is responsible are convicted under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. On 30 January 1998, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 182 of these: 170 male and 12 female. The youngest male detainee on that date was aged 11 years and 8 months; the youngest female, 13 years and 9 months. Costs vary from unit to unit, but the average weekly placement rate at 1997–98 prices was £2,628.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have resulted from the installation of speed cameras in the Dyfed Powys Police area; and what estimate he has made of their effect on the number of accidents on the roads concerned. [27974]

Information available centrally shows that ten prosecutions resulted from the use of automatic speed cameras in the Dyfed Powys Police area in 1995 and 38 in 1996. Information is not available centrally to show how many prosecutions may have occurred from the use of other speed enforcement devices of a portable nature.I understand from the Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys that the Force targeted roads on which excessive speeds were known to occur rather than accident black spots. There is therefore no information available on the impact of the use of these cameras on local accident statistics in Dyfed Powys. However, I can refer the hon. Member to the evaluation of the effectiveness of automatic speed and traffic light cameras in reducing traffic casualties which we published in 1996. ("Cost benefit analysis of traffic light and speed cameras"). A copy is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current cost per week of keeping an inmate in a (a) high security prison, (b) a normal security prison, (c) an open prison and (d) a young offenders' institution. [28239]

For the period April 1997 to December 1997, the average cost per week for keeping a prisoner in a dispersal prison was £677; a category B, category C and local prison was £337; an open prison was £291; and a young offender institution was £346.These figures are net current expenditure and exclude headquarters costs. These will be brought together at the end of the financial year. Headquarters costs will be assimilated at the end of the financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what projections he has made of the prison population in each year to 2005. [28013]

The figures requested are given in the table. The projection on which the table is based is the central or regression projection which assumes that trends in sentencing which have been observed over the last 20 or so years continue. Alternative scenarios are available which give a prison population by 2005 of 92,600 (custody rates increase at about the rate observed between 1992 and 1996, or of 64,400 (custody rates and sentence lengths remain at 1997 levels). The latest long term projections of the prison population in England and Wales were published in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 2/98) on 29 January 1998. The bulletin describes the methodology of the projections in more detail.

Projected prison population 1998–2005 Total prison population in England and Wales by year—central projection
Year	Number
1998	65,000
1999	69,600
2000	72,200
2001	73,700
2002	75,800
2003	78,000
2004	80,400
2005	82,800

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department intends to accept MPC valuations for handguns compensation. [28281]

Valuations by Managers and Processors of Claims are certainly among the sources used by the Firearms Compensation Section when assessing claims from individual shooters under Option C of the Compensation or Ex Gratia Schemes, but they do not provide conclusive evidence of value. Claims under Option C from firearms dealers must be supported by documentary evidence, in the form of invoices or equivalent documentation, of the cost to the dealer of the goods surrendered. Valuations in themselves cannot replace this evidence needed for these types of claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special arrangements are available to help women's prisons which do not share a site with a men's prison to accommodate their requirements for maternity leave among prison officers. [28007]

No special arrangements exist. However, the normal arrangement to meet critical shortfalls of staff availability is to supply detached duty staff from other establishments. Exceptionally, where a critical shortfall can be forecast (for instance in the case of cumulative staff absences on maternity leave) and this exceeds the nominal allowance for leave and sick absence, governors are advised to make bids for extra funding to cover this contingency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria govern the issue of licences to sell alcohol to garages and petrol stations. [28310]

Garages, defined as premises which are primarily used to sell petrol or to sell or maintain motor vehicles, are disqualified from holding a liquor licence. For any other premises, applications must be made in the usual way to licensing justices. They must be satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person, and they are not rosericted in what they may take into account when deciding an application.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reform the law on non-fatal offences against the person. [29353]

Last July I announced the Government's decision to accept the principle of the Law Commission's proposals for reform of those offences mainly contained in the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.I have today issued a consultation document containing the Government's proposals on how the law might be reformed, together with a draft Bill. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library. This is an important document demonstrating the Government's commitment to modernising and improving the law, and to genuine consultation on specific, considered proposals.Our proposals are largely based on those contained in the Law Commission's Report No. 218 "Offences Against the Person and General Principles", but they are not identical to those of the Law Commission. The law has developed since the Law Commission first published their report and on some issues we have taken the opportunity to review the law further, while on others we have taken a somewhat different view from that of the Law Commission.There are important and difficult issues set out in the consultation document. We are not seeking to introduce new offences but to clarify and rationalise the existing law. I urge all those concerned about this issue to read this paper and respond to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the current status is of the Firearms Consultative Committee; how many times it has met during the last two years; and what plans he has regarding future meetings of the committee. [28983]

The Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC) is a statutory body which was set up for an initial period of five years under section 22 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988. Its existence was last extended to the Firearms Consultative Committee Order 1996 made under that Act. It is due to expire on 1 February 2000 unless a further order is made. Its composition and purpose remains as set out in section 22 of the 1988 Act.The Firearms Consultative Committee held nine meetings in 1996 and four meetings in 1997. It has met once to date in 1998.The Government have made it clear that they intend to look again at firearms controls once all handguns have been banned to see whether other measures are needed to safeguard the public. As part of this process we shall consider any views from the FCC and will also look carefully at the role and composition of the FCC itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) EEA family permits and (b) residence permits or leave to remain as the spouse of an EEA national exercising Treaty rights have been refused since 1 February 1997 on the grounds that the entry clearance officer took the view that the marriage was one of convenience. [28294]

I have been asked to reply.Figures on refusals of EEA family permits and residence permits or leave to remain as the spouse of an EEA national on the grounds of marriage of convenience are not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to extend the concessionary television licence fee scheme to cover all households where all the occupants are of pensionable age. [28946]

The Government have no plans to do so. To provide £5 concessionary licences for all pensioner households would cost approximately £437 million annually in lost television licence fee revenue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the (a) target and (b) average length of time for his Department to answer letters from the public; and what proportion of letters are answered within the target period. [28922]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a target of 18 working days to answer letters from members of the public. The average length of time the Department takes to answer this type of correspondence is 16.65 days. The proportion of letters which are answered within the target period is 70.1 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received urging the return to the UK of the original stuffed toys of the Winnie the Pooh stories. [27921]

I have received no such representations, apart from that of my hon. Friend. Contrary to recent reports in the press, Winnie, Tigger, Kanga, Eeyore and Piglet are quite happy in New York. They are well looked after and are seen there by many people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent financial crisis in Far Eastern markets on tourism into the United Kingdom. [27495]

I believe it is too early to say whether events in Asia will have long term effects on tourism into the UK. The British Tourist Authority's revised targets for 1998 predict that visitors from Asia will decline by up to 3 per cent. and expenditure by up to 5 per cent. in 1998. Past experience suggests there may be only a short term impact on tourism flows. The British Tourist Authority will continue to monitor the situation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact on trends in the numbers of visitors to Britain from (a) South Korea, (b) Japan, (c) Indonesia, (d) Hong Kong, (e) Taiwan, (f) the rose of China, (g) Malaysia, (h) Thailand and (i) the Philippines as a result of the recent economic problems in Asia. [27511]

The British Tourist Authority revised forecasts for 1998, based on the economic situation in Asia in November/December, are:

• South Korea: -5 per cent.
• Japan: 0 per cent.
• Indonesia: n/a¹
• Hong Kong: -3 per cent.
• Taiwan: 0%
• Rose of China: +10 per cent.
• Malaysia: +1 per cent.
• Thailand: -3 per cent.
• Philippines: n/a¹.
• ¹BTA does not produce individual forecasts for Indonesia and the Philippines.

BTA will be reviewing these forecasts in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to ensure that the UK Sports Council is equipped to perform the role envisaged in the document, Creating Excellence in British Sport. [27677]

On 16 December 1997 Sheffield was chosen as the preferred bidder to run the Headquarters site of the United Kingdom Sports Institute. The Sheffield Consortium are currently in discussion with the United Kingdom Sports Council regarding the management structure of the Institute in which the Council will have a significant role.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the impact on tourism of a minimum wage. [27685]

I have received representations on this subject from a number of companies and associations in the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry. The independent Low Pay Commission has received written and oral evidence from a range of individuals and organisations, including many of the industry's representative bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many grants made from National Lottery funds have been of amounts up to £25,000. [27398]

To date 15,304 awards have been made for grants under £25,000. In addition, the Millennium Commission has made grants to around 16,000 people under the Millennium Awards scheme.Information on Lottery awards is now available on the Department's website www.lottery.gov.uk.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies her Department has carried out of the comparative price of over-the-counter medicines in the United Kingdom and the rose of the EU; and if she will publish those studies. [28861]

None.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate her Department has made of the total cost to public funds of the legal proceedings in the Roserictive Practices Court to be brought by the Office of Fair Trading in its attempt to end resale price maintenance on over-the-counter medicines. [28698]

Referrals to the Roserictive Practices Court are a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. I am asking him to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the proportion of foreign investment in Britain represented by mergers and acquisitions. [28699]

According to the results of the latest Overseas Direct Investment inquiries, conducted by the Office for National Statistics, net acquisition of UK companies' share and loan capital accounted for 48 per cent. of foreign direct investment into the UK during 1996.Net acquisition of share and loan capital covers acquisitions and mergers (net of disposals) over 10 per cent. and also includes cash injections by the overseas parent company into existing UK subsidiaries. "Green field" sites are not included in acquisitions or mergers.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans her Department has to ensure the transparency and accountability of decisions on export licences for arms; and what steps she will be taking in the future to ensure this. [28715]

On 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 26–29, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced the criteria to be used in considering individual applications for licences to export goods entered in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order, or dual-use goods where there are grounds for believing that the end-user will be the armed forces or the internal security forces of the recipient country.The Foreign Secretary also stated that the Government would report annually on the state of strategic export controls and their application. An announcement will be made in due course.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what conclusions she has drawn from the Office of Fair Trading investigation into roserictive retail trade practices relating to petrol sales. [28680]

I understand that the Director General of Fair Trading expects to complete his review of the wholesale and retail petrol market in the United Kingdom and publish the findings in March.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to improve current liquidation and bankruptcy procedures. [28704]

When Parliamentary time allows, I intend to introduce legislation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the procedure for disqualifying unfit company directors. This will make it possible for a person who under the present law is or could be subject to an application for a disqualification order instead to give an undertaking to the Secretary of State which would have the same legal effects as a disqualification order made by a court. I also wish to make it easier for firms in financial difficulty to make voluntary arrangements with their creditors by introducing into the existing statutory framework the option of a moratorium to give the company's management a breathing space within which to put a rescue plan to creditors.A working party is reviewing the current state of regulation in the insolvency profession and recently issued a consultation paper "Insolvency Practitioner Regulation—Ten Years On". Responses to that will inform their final report to the Secretary of State and the insolvency recognised professional bodies. Another working party, chaired by Mr. Justice Ferris, is considering remuneration of office holders and is expected to report in the spring. These findings and conclusions of both groups will be given very careful consideration when received.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to consult exporters about ECGD's arrangements for providing support for capital goods and project exports. [29230]

The Minister for Trade is writing today to leading members of the exporting and financial community for their views on the current arrangements and on options for change in the future. Copies of the consultation paper are being placed in the Library of the House and are publicly available from ECGD on request. The document will also be available on the ECGD internet site.The consultation paper reviews market development over the past 5 years and, without seeking to prejudge the outcome, asks whether changes to the UK system might now serve the interoses of the exporter and the taxpayer more effectively.We are asking for responses by 10 April so that the Government can decide on what should succeed ECGD's current Fixed Rate Export Finance (FREF) scheme, which is scheduled to expire at the end of June, and enter into the necessary negotiations.I hope the consultation document will stimulate serious debate about the best approach for delivering this Government's objective of ensuring UK capital goods and project exporters have access to competitive finance at acceptable public expenditure cost.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the engagements she undertook in the United Kingdom in the course of her duties during January indicating in each case which were accessed bycar, (b) train, (c) aeroplane and car, (d) aeroplane and train and (e) other means. [28942]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: I undertook a number of engagements in the UK during January which were accessed by car and train.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total installed capacity of combined heat and power schemes in Britain (a) in 1970,in 1980, (c) in 1990 and (d) at the latest available date; and what are the Government's targets for (i) 2000 and (ii) 2010. [28972]

	Electricity generation in 1994			Generating capacity in 1994
	Total gross electricity generation GWh	of which CHP GWh	Percentage CHP	Total gross installed electrical capacity MW	of which CHP MW	Percentage CHP
Germany	528,229	47,752	9	114,811	26,183	23
France	476,337	8,506	2	107,232	2,920	3
UK	325,402	11,996	4	68,999	3,042	4
Italy	231,498	26,477	11	64,150	6,328	10
Spain	161,775	8,537	5	44,489	1,533	3
Sweden	143,039	9,257	6	34,475	2,808	8
Netherlands	79,677	31,543	40	18,348	6,148	34
Austria	54,645	11,721	21	16,032	3,246	20
Belgium	72,236	7,645	11	14,899	1,806	12
Finland	65,635	20,312	31	14,148	4,085	29
Denmark	40,096	13,198	33	10,604	7,496	71
Greece	40,623	819	2	8,923	218	2
Portugal	31,380	3,111	10	8,806	991	11
Ireland	17,105	259	2	3,910	67	2
EU total	2,267,677	201,133	9	529,826	66,871	13

Historic data on the installed electrical capacity of combined heat and power schemes in the United Kingdom are available only for the year in which surveys of CHP schemes were carried out. These are as follows:

• 1977: 2,800 MWe
• 1983: 2,250 MWe
• 1988: 1,800 MWe
• 1991: 2,300 MWe
• 1996: 3,600 MWe.

It is estimated that in 1997 installed capacity grew to about 3,750 MWe with a further 250 MWe under construction.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was, for each member country of the European Community, (a) the installed capacity of combined heat and power, (b) total electricity generation capacity and (c) CHP as a percentage of total electricity generation capacity, at the latest available date. [28973]

The latest available information on combined heat and power in the European Community relates to 1994 and is shown in the table.While the UK has a comparatively low percentage of electricity produced by CHP, the installed capacity of CHP schemes is the third largest in the Community. Countries with high proportions of electricity generated by CHP plants (Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Austria) have publicly owned local district heating networks which can distribute the heat produced by CHP. District heating schemes of this type have not been economically attractive in the UK because of the generally shorter heating season and highly developed gas and electricity transmission networks.It should be noted that the definition of CHP can vary between countries. For some countries, the whole of the generating capacity of an installation is counted as CHP, even if only a small part of the heat produced is used. For the UK, for schemes that are CHP in part only, the corresponding portion of generating capacity is included rather than the entire capacity.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average number of hours of overtime worked each week by the private office staff of the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs. [25827]

[holding answer 28 January 1998]: It is an accepted feature of work in the Private Office that staff will be required to work additional hours. This continues to be the position.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made by the pilot scheme for research masters; and if she will make a statement. [29392]

Four of the Research Councils have been supporting over two hundred students each year on research Masters or "MRes" courses on a pilot basis. This is the third year of the pilot, and there are currently some 235 students on over 30 courses.Continued monitoring by the Research Councils indicates that many courses are proving very successful. Some others—for a variety of reasons—have not fared so well. Overall, the MRes continues to make good progress, with courses providing high-quality research training and the students positive about their experience. The development of the MRes is further proof of the ability of UK higher education institutions to provide innovative, high-quality education. I am placing a copy of the latest report from the Research Councils, together with a related press statement, in the Library.Given the experience with the pilot and the need to subject all expenditure to periodic review, I have decided that the individual Research Councils should now be free to develop the MRes by reviewing and redefining their support. Reflecting the success to date, I would expect the level of the Councils' support for MRes studentships to continue at least to match the 1997 intake. The MRes must remain a self-standing degree, and its design, including a significant research component, should also be unchanged.I believe that these guidelines will provide the necessary framework for the Councils and institutions to develop the MRes for the future. The Councils will continue to monitor the MRes to determine, over time, its role in preparing students for employment and for a PhD.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will announce support for any more trade fairs abroad in the year ending 31 March 1999. [29391]

I announced in September the first parts of our programmes for supporting trade fairs, seminars and missions abroad. I am pleased to announce support in principle for another 146 trade fairs and 151 outward missions in the period up to 31 March 1999.I will place lists of the additional events in the Library of the House and inform organisations that bid for support, Business Links and recipients of my Department's Overseas Trade Magazine.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list those visits made within the United Kingdom since 1 May on which (a) she and (b) other Ministers within her Department have been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code indicating (i) those persons accompanying and (ii) the cost to public funds. [23753]

[holding answer 19 January 1998]: Between 1 May 1997 and end January 1998, Mr. Beckett accompanied me on 17 visits, of which 6 involved a cost to public funds. The total cost was £238. In addition, the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) has been accompanied by Mrs. McCartney on 2 visits, neither involving cost to public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her policy for responding to letters received in the (a) Scottish Gaelic, (b) Welsh, (c) Urdu, (d) Hindi and (e) Chinese language. [28060]

We respond to all letters received no matter in what language. We normally reply in English.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the future of the Phare and Tacis democracy programmes. [28853]

An independent evaluation of the Democracy Programme was conducted late last year, confirming the value of the programme. A new draft Regulation—the legal basis for the Programme—has been tabled before the European Council, extending the programme to the former Yugoslavia. The Funds—15 mecu per annum in 1998—are to be disbursed in two ways. Firstly, small-scale NGO projects, i.e. projects initiated by beneficiaries, will be selected by the network of EU Delegations. Secondly, a limited number of larger-scale projects will be developed, including a continuation of the joint programme with the Council of Europe and joint programmes with other international organisations. The Commission is to tender the contract for the administration of the programme, currently being run by the European Human Rights Foundation. The Commission does not intend for there to be a call for proposals in 1998.The Democracy Programme is complemented by the LIEN and Phare Partnership programmes, enhancing the capacity of non-governmental organisations and civil society development.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to respond to the appeal by Jose Ramos-Horta for emergency food relief for the Indonesian territory of East Timor. [28636]

We have not provided relief but we have been monitoring the situation closely. We believe the situation is now under control. We are maintaining regular contact with our Embassy in Jakarta and the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva to keep the situation under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the current British aid projects in Honduras. [28639]

Current British aid projects in Honduras are as follows:

(i) Technical Cooperation programme
£
Project	DFID contribution
Conservation and Silviculture of Dry Zone Forest Species Project (CONSEFORH)	881,000
Wood Use Centre Project	1,090,000

(ii) Joint Funding Scheme project (50:50 funded by HMG and NGO)
£
Agency	Project	DFID contribution
Based (UK)	Tutorial Learning system (SAT) in the Honduran Mosquita	45,456

The tables do not include Joint Funding Scheme projects being supported through the block grants provided to certain agencies, as information on these will not be available until mid 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what are the aims of the Nicaragua Land Resources Monitoring Project. [28645]

The aim of the Land Resources Monitoring Project is to establish a sustainable remote sensing capability in the national environment protection agency, Ministerio Nicaraguanse de Recursos y del Ambiente (MARENA), which will provide information on forose fire risk, fire events and forose condition.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list DFID's contribution to technical co-operation projects and to joint funding scheme projects in Nicaragua by individual project. [28644]

The information is in the table.

(i) Technical cooperation programme projects
£
Project	DFID contribution
Land Resources Monitoring Project	513,000

(ii) Joint Funding Scheme projects (funding shared 50:50 between HMG/NGO)
£
Agency	Project	DFID contribution
CODA International	Institutional Capacity Building Programme	260,950
Health Unlimited	Community Health Care Programme	301,162
International Cooperation for Development	Promoting Gender and Development with Women's and Mixed Organisations	306,782
MSI	Developing Participative Programme Management Capacity	106,520
One World Action	Community Health Care Programme	127,995
One World Action	Support for Solidez	78,859
Y Care International	Acahualinca Youth and Community Development	33,450
Y Care International	Integrated Rural Community Development Programme	122,883

The table does not include Joint Funding Scheme projects being supported through the block grants provided to certain agencies, as information on these will not be available until mid 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the current British aid projects in Mexico. [28641]

Current British aid projects in Mexico are as follows:

(i) Technical Cooperation Programme Projects
£
Project	DFID contribution
Livestock Production and Management of Rural Resources Project: Phase III	1,449,021
Chiapas Cloud Forest Conservation and Rural Development Project	1,453,889
Quintana Roo Forest Management Project	1,336,500
Manantlan Biosphere Reserve Management Project	1,014,000
Chimalapas Campesino Ecological Reserve Project	2,204,215
Focus on Results (Government Efficiency) Project	310,000
Strategic Assistance to the Programme of Modernisation of Public Administration 1995/2000	157,292
Impact of Wastewater Irrigation on Groundwater in Mezquital Valley	317,010
South East English Language Teaching Project	94,000
Western English Language Teaching Project	108,475
South Central English Language Teaching Project	141,400
Health Economics/Financing Project	273,000
Health Know How Programme	500,000

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the aid given to the Sudan Government in each of the last three years, indicating the form in which that aid was given. [28664]

The bilateral aid programme to Sudan was suspended in 1991. Since then, UK aid has been given through United Nations and international non-government agencies to the poorose and most vulnerable groups in Sudan suffering the effects of famine and the continuing civil war. Details over the last three years are as follows:

Bilateral emergency aid to Sudan 1994–95 to 1996–97
£
Year	Food aid1	Disaster relief2	Refugee relief	Disaster preparedness	Total
1994–95	5,314	5,634	995	7	11,950
1995–96	—	3,358	485	—	3,844
1996–97	1,283	871	287	—	2,441
1DFID uses the World Food Programme as a means of delivering emergency food aid. These amounts are recorded as bilateral food aid as DFID has control over the decision to provide such food aid to a particular destination. Regular non-emergency provisions of food aid are not included in this table.
2 DFID uses certain UN Agencies as a means of delivering emergency assistance to individual countries. These amounts are recorded as bilateral disaster relief as DFID has influence over the use and destination of funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff she employs in the translation of inter-governmental documents; and what the forecast cost is for 1997–98. [28557]

The Department for International Development does not employ any staff for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the cost per mile of constructing the M6-M65 link. [26407]

Work on the M6-M65 link was carried out under a traditional form of civil engineering contract, produced by the Institution of Civil Engineers, under which payment is based on the actual, rather than estimated, work undertaken. It is unlikely that the contractors will submit their final accounts for the scheme until next year. Those accounts will then be examined and settled appropriately. It would be premature at this stage to forecast what the final cost is likely to be.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what compensation has been paid in respect of the M11 Link Road construction, to (a) household and (b) commercial properties broken down by local authority area; and if he will make a statement on forecast future expenditure on compensation. [27356]

The information requested is not available in the form requested. The total compensation so far paid by the Highways Agency or its predecessors is £25.65 million principally for the purchase price of land and properties acquired under blight provisions and by discretionary and compulsory purchase. These acquisitions have been in the areas of the present London Boroughs of Redbridge, Waltham Forose, Hackney and Newham. A further £16 million has been allowed for the settlement of claims under the statutory compensation code which are currently under negotiation or which may be made in future. These figures do not include third party claims made against contractors, which they or their insurers settle direct with the claimant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which sections of the Environment Act 1995 have not come into force; and when he expects to bring them into force. [27448]

The sections of the Environment Act 1995 which are not fully in force and which are the responsibility of my Department are: parts of sections 57, 58 and 60 (contaminated land and abandoned mines); and parts of the schedules attached to sections 116 (application of certain other enactments to the Crown) and 120 (minor and consequential amendments, transitional and transitory provisions, savings and repeals). We expect to commence the remainder of sections 58 and 60 shortly. We will reach a view on when to commence the remainder of section 57 after the Comprehensive Spending Review, as announced in my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs. Ellmon) on 22 December 1997, Official Report, column 439. We expect to commence paragraph 1 of schedule 21 in April. Decisions on the timing of other outstanding provisions in the schedules have not yet been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many road traffic accidents have occurred at Goss Moor on the A30 during the last 10 years. [28179]

The information requested is available only for personal road injury accidents. This is shown in the following table.

Number of accidents on the A30 in the Goss Moor area: GB 1987–96
Accidents
Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight	All
1987	0	1	0	1
1988	0	2	0	2
1989	1	2	1	4
1990	0	0	4	4
1991	0	1	1	2
1992	1	0	0	1
1993	0	0	2	2
1994	0	0	4	4
1995	0	0	0	0
1996	1	1	1	3
All	3	7	13	23

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the rates of absenteeism in his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97 and (iii) 1997–98 to date; and if he will make a statement. [26655]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Tuesday 10 February 1998, Official Report, column 116.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he or his Department has made of the effectiveness of Statutory Instrument 3031 (1993) in respect of the Trans-frontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste Regulations; [28228](2) what meetings ministers or officials of his Department have had since October 1997 to discuss the implications for the import and export of nuclear materials to and from the United Kingdom of the definition of radioactive waste adopted by the Government from EC Directive 92/3 (Euratom). [27991]

Each proposal for the import to or export from the UK of radioactive waste is considered on its merits by the relevant competent authority and no assessment of the overall effectiveness of SI 3031 has been carried out.The import and export of radioactive waste, including the scope, definitions and requirements of current EU and domestic legislation, are currently being considered in the context of the implementation into UK law of the revised EU Basic Safety Standards Directive (96/29 Euratom). The matters to which my hon. Friend refers will be included in a public consultation document covering some aspects of the implementation of the new Directive, which will be issued later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many alcohol-related accidents occurred in Wales in 1997; what percentage of total road accidents they represent; and if he will make a statement. [27972]

In 1995, the most recent year for which estimates of drink drive accidents are available for Wales, there were an estimated 540 personal injury, alcohol-related road accidents. They represent 5% of all personal injury road accidents in Wales in that year.The estimate of alcohol-related accidents includes those accidents in which one or more of the drivers or riders of motor vehicles involved refused to give a breath test specimen or failed either:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to give local authorities a general power to introduce speed limits of less than 30 mph in residential areas and erect signs to indicate this zone; and if he will make a statement. [27943]

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has confirmed that we intend to remove the need for local highway authorities to obtain central government consent to make 20 mph speed limits and to sign them appropriately. My officials are currently working on the necessary secondary legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the Government's fulfilment of their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity; and if he will make a statement. [28315]

The Government's actions under the Convention on Biological Diversity are set out in the United Kingdom's First National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity dated 31 December 1997, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. We also look forward to continuing the further implementation of the Convention at the next Conference of the Parties which is to be held from 4 to 15 May 1998 in Bratislava.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultations he has held with the Countryside Commission over the future of Thorne and Hatfield Moors; what advice the Commission gave; and if he will make a statement. [28458]

The Secretary of State has not been involved in any consultations with the Countryside Commission regarding the future of Thorne and Hatfield Moors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what amount of Brazilian mahogany has been (a) acquired and (b) specified by his Department in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1997; and for what purpose. [28388]

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, including its Agencies, has no record of any Brazilian Mahogany being acquired or specified for procurement during 1996 and 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the delay in introducing the Eurostar through service from Manchester to the Channel Tunnel; and if he will make a statement. [28330]

My department has received a number of representations about regional Eurostar services in recent months. These services are the responsibility of London and Continental Railways Ltd. through their subsidiary Eurostar (UK) Ltd. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link on 28 January 1998, Official Report, columns 661–74, in which he stressed the importance of protecting the excellent Eurostar service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received concerning training and assessment for gas installation industry employees; and if he will make a statement; [28461](2) what plans he has to review the appropriateness of current training and assessment courses for CORGI registration by gas installers; [28463](3) if he will make it his policy to review the current methods of certification and public identification of degree of competence of gas installation workers; [28464](4) what representations he has received concerning a review of the gas installation industry; [28566](5) what plans he has to initiate a review of the gas installation industry; [28567](6) what plans he has to meet industry representatives, gas suppliers and other Government departments to discuss the adequacy of current legislation and HSE criteria in controlling the non-registered and DIY gas installers; [28568](7) what research his Department has

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 (as amended) place a requirement on anyone carrying out gas work to be competent to do so. This requirement applies equally to gas fitters registered with the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) or people carrying out so-called 'DIY' work. The standards against which competence is assessed are set out in the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) 1988 Approved Code of Practice (ACoP), 'Standards of Training in Safe Gas Installation'. This ACoP has a special legal status.If an individual is prosecuted for a breach of the 1994 Regulations, and it is proved that the relevant provisions of the ACoP were not followed, a Court may find that individual at fault, unless they can demonstrate that the law was complied with in some other way. At the beginning of this year a new nationally accredited certification scheme for individual gas fitting operatives came on stream. It will run in parallel with the ACoP scheme until the latter is phased out on 31 July 1998.The 1994 Regulations, which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), also place a statutory duty on any employer with employees carrying out gas work, or self-employed person performing such work, to be a

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Government will give English Nature powers to require landowners to manage sites so as to maintain their conservation value. [28900]

The Government are currently considering how best to improve the protection and management of Sites of Special Scientific Interose. This will involve examining the powers available to English Nature. Officials are preparing a consultation paper seeking views.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment. Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Mr. Maginnis), of 15 January 1998, Official Report, column 259, what studies his Department has evaluated into the proportion of collapses at the wheel caused by hypoglaecemia. [27561]

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: A 1983 review of police reported accidents by the then Senior Medical Adviser at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency found that insulin-treated diabetes was responsible for 17 per cent. of 1,600 reported accidents involving collapse at the wheel in which the driver survived. A review of 100 of those accident cases revealed that 35 per cent. of the drivers had suffered from altered consciousness and 62 per cent. from complete loss of consciousness. More generally, the Secretary of State's Honorary Advisory Panel on Diabetes and Driving constantly reviews research findings on the road safety aspects of driving by diabetics treated by insulin as part of their role in advising the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the cost of the current computer system installed in (a) the Department of the Environment and (b) the Department of Transport; to what extent the two systems were compatible; and what is the cost of enabling the two systems to work together. [28889]

The cost to install the existing office automation (OA) systems in the Department of the Environment was £7.55m, and in the Department of Transport was £6.29m. The new office automation system is effectively a merger of the two existing systems using the best aspects of each and the estimated cost is £3.6m. Incompatibilities existed between the two systems at technical, user, document interchange and the cultural level. Although both systems used similar technology there were a number of differences in the detail of their technical architectures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the oral answer of 3 February 1998, Official Report, column 834, what plans he has to set departmental targets for (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants to reduce car mileage; and if he will make a statement. [28921]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: As part of the Government's commitment to reduce over-dependency on the car a "Guide to Green Transport Plans" was issued to all Departments in September 1997 which set out practical and comprehensive advice on how to set up plans to minimise the effect of staff travel on the environment. We have not set departmental targets for Ministers or for civil servants to reduce car mileage. My Department is discussing with other Government Departments what targets would be appropriate for the setting of Green Transport Plans for all main Government buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what studies his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) evaluated regarding the incidence of road accidents among young drivers in the first year after passing the test; and what comparisons it has made with the statistics for Northern Ireland following the introduction of probationer status there. [28883]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: A study was undertaken for the Department by the Transport Research Laboratory into about 29,000 drivers (of all ages) who took their driving test on certain days in 1988–89 including the subsequent accident history of those who passed the test. The Queen's University, Belfast, undertook a study of "rosericted" drivers in Northern Ireland (those in their first year after passing the driving test) for the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland in 1992–93. The latter study included a comparison with the findings of the Great Britain study and found no evidence that the number of accidents in the first year in Northern Ireland was reduced by the existence of the "rosericted driver" regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the latest available figures from the survey his Department is presently conducting into the incidence of drugs in fatal road accident victims; and if will make a statement. [29038]

The survey, over a three year period, started in October 1996. A copy of the Department's report on the interim results, to 7 January 1998 has today been placed in the Library.It is too early to draw firm conclusions from the findings, although general trends so far remain very consistent. Fuller results will be needed before the Government can consider and propose any measures that may appear to be necessary. Further findings will be published when we can reach a firm view.Screening devices which may be suitable for detecting the presence of drugs in motorists are to be trialled by four police forces for a short period from mid-March. The trials are intended to establish whether the screening devices are sufficiently robust and practical for the conditions likely to be encountered at the roadside—not to test for the presence of drugs.Traffic police from the Cleveland, Lancashire, Strathclyde and Sussex forces will ask motorists to volunteer to be tested—the police have no power to require anyone to undertake such a screening test. Volunteers names or their car registrations will not be recorded. Police will not test those who are obviously impaired through alcohol or drugs—they will be dealt with using existing powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the specialist hydrography departments which were consulted by the National Rivers Authority in formulating the recommendations on areas of high natural dispersion in 1994. [28490]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: The National Rivers Authority (now subsumed into the Environment Agency), made recommendations on areas of high natural dispersion (HNDAs) according to criteria agreed by Government and the water industry regulators.The Environment Agency, as the primary regulatory body, itself has considerable expertise in the field of hydrography. In formulating recommendations on HNDAs, it drew on information (including hydrodynamic modelling data for a significant proportion of the UK's coastline) available from internationally accredited research organisations such as Delft Hydraulics, MAFF/CEFAS, Water Research Centre, Hydraulics Research Wallingford and relevant university departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 4 February 1998, Official Report, column 1046, regarding the increase in the area of green belt land since 1 May 1997, if he will list (a) the location and size of the increase, (b) the area of green belt land on which planning permission and inspectors' approval has been given since 1 May 1997, (c) the percentage of total green belt land these figures represent and (d) the equivalent figures for the year prior to 1 May 1997. [28489]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: There has been a net increase of nearly 4,000 hectares of Green Belt in adopted development plans since 1 May 1997. The Hertfordshire Structure Plan, adopted in January, provides for an addition of 5,400 hectares to the Green Belt, as well as the deletion of 800 hectares from the Green Belt to the west of Stevenage. The exact boundaries of these changes have not yet been established at local plan level. Other Green Belt deletions have been adopted in the Bradford local plan (ca. 90 hectares) and in the Newcastle Unitary Development Plan (543 hectares).We do not have comprehensive information available on decisions taken by local planning authorities affecting the Green Belt, and it would be disproportionately costly to collect it. However, the figures for individual planning cases which the Secretary of State has called in and for which permission has been granted since 1 May 1997 amount to less than 100 hectares. For cases where permission has been granted by planning inspectors following appeal, the figure is about 320 hectares. In most or all of these cases the physical development itself is likely to have covered only a small proportion of that area. In addition, on 28 July 1997 the Secretary of State issued his decision granting permission for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR), the route of which passes through Green Belt in the West Midlands conurbation. The total land taken for the BNRR (including temporary acquisition for the purpose of construction) is 623 hectares, of which 600 hectares are in the Green Belt. One hundred and seventeen hectares of the total land taken for the road are to be used for landscaping to mitigate its environmental impact; and land temporarily acquired will be returned to the landowner following completion of construction works.The total Green Belt in England was estimated as 1,555,700 hectares in September 1993. More recent figures are not yet available. Against that total, the net increase represented by development plan changes referred to above is equivalent to about 0.25 per cent.; and the total area of Green Belt affected by the planning permissions referred to in the previous paragraph represent around 0.06 per cent.Equivalent information for the year prior to 1 May 1997 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will assess the advantages of continuing the payments of special grants to local housing authorities for accommodation provided to people who have been evacuated from the island of Montserrat. [28987]

The special grant scheme for the provision of accommodation for Montserratian evacuees that we introduced last October closed at the end of January and a report has been laid before the House today. We have concluded that grants should continue to be made available to authorities in England for accommodation provided until 31 March 1998. We will make a further special grant report to the House in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many units of social housing have been built in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area in each of the last five years. [27570]

The table shows figures of housebuilding completions (i.e. new build only) as reported to the Department by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and the National House Building Council:

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: social housing new build: completions Number of dwellings
Year	Registered social landlords: housing associations	Local authority
1993	59	0
1994	188	0
1995	109	0
1996	109	0
1997	217	0

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what is the total number of registered homeless people in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area; [27571](2) how many people have been accepted onto the homeless register of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in each of the last five years. [27574]

The table provides the available data on the numbers of households accepted as homeless and in priority need under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts in Basingstoke and Deane for the calendar years 1992 to 1996 and the first 9 months of 1997.

Year	Homelessness acceptances
1992	159
1993	206
1994	185
1995	175
1996	175
19971	105
1 Data for the first 3 quarters only.

Under Part VI of the Housing Act 1996 authorities must establish and maintain a housing register for the purpose of allocating their housing accommodation but there is no statutory obligation for local housing authorities to hold a register of homeless applicants. Accommodation secured as a discharge of a homelessness duty need not be a tenancy allocated under Part VI of the 1996 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many properties formerly owned by Government departments have been made available to (a) the council and (b) housing associations in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area in the last three years; [27572](2) how many properties formerly owned by government departments have been made available to

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in the last three years from (a) public bodies, (b) voluntary organisations, (c) the private sector and (d) local associations in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area about housing needs for that area. [27576]

The Secretary of State receives a number of representations from groups and information is not held centrally in the format requested about housing needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the number of properties that are underoccupied in Basingstoke and Deane Borough; and if he will make a statement. [27916]

Neither the Secretary of State nor the Local Authority have made any robust assessment of the number of properties that are under-occupied in Basingstoke and Deane Borough.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are on the housing transfer list of the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council; and what were the equivalent figures at the same time in each of the last five years. [27917]

The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the number of properties that are underoccupied in (a) Eastleigh Borough, (b) New Forose District, (c) Havant Borough and (d) Test Valley Borough; and if he will make a statement. [28149]

Neither the Secretary of State nor the Local Authority have made any robust assessment of the number of properties that are under-occupied in (a) Eastleigh Borough, (b) New Forose District, (c) Havant Borough, (d) Test Valley Borough.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the total numbers of registered homeless people in the (a) Eastleigh Borough (b) New Forose District, (c) Havant Borough and (d) Test Valley Borough council areas. [28150]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 February 1998, Official Report, column 126.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many units of social housing have been built in the (a) Test Valley Borough (b) Eastleigh Borough, (c) Havant Borough and (d) New Forose District Council areas, in each of the last five years. [28135]

Social housing new build: Completions
Number of dwellings
	Test Valley		Eastleigh		Havant		New Forest
Registered social landlords	Housing associations	Local authority	Housing associations	Local authority	Housing associations	Local authority	Housing associations	Local authority
1993	42	14	48	0	71	0	167	0
1994	12	26	61	0	111	0	165	0
1995	61	0	72	0	55	0	154	0
1996	11	0	2	0	149	0	11	0
1997	8	0	206	0	101	0	44	0

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Government Departments were not represented at Ministerial level at the last meeting of the Green Ministers. [25939]

[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1998, c. 324]: At the last meeting of Green Ministers on 18 December all Government Departments were represented except for the Scottish Office and the Law Officers' Departments. Most were represented at Ministerial level, but because of unavoidable other commitments the Lord Chancellor's Department, Home Office, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Security, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were represented by officials.

To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to pay an official visit to North Shropshire. [26909]

I have no immediate plans to do so.

To ask the President of the Council if she will list, by title, the publications produced under the authority of the Privy Council Office between 1 May 1997 and 31 January 1998. [26319]

My department's only publication in the period in question was "Tackling Drugs Locally", a report by the Social Policy Research Centre of Middlesex University commissioned by the Central Drugs Co-ordination Unit.

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: The table shows figures of housebuilding completions (i.e. new build only) as reported to the Department by these local authorities and the National House Building Council.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the corporation tax yield in the last financial year for which data is available, from companies in the ranges of profitability (a) under £300,000, (b) £300,000 to £600,000, (c) £600,000 to £1.5 billion and (d) above £1.5 billion. [26710]

The following table gives latest figures of companies' corporation tax liability after allowing for tax suffered abroad and before any deduction for income tax suffered at source, analysed by size of taxable profit.

Taxable profit1	Corporation tax liability (£billion)
Under £300,000	3
£300,001 to £600,000	1
£600,001 and above	23 ½
1Accounting periods ending in 1995–96.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra revenue would be raised between 6 April and 1 December 1998, over and above current plans, if tobacco duties were increased by 5 per cent. in real terms from the start of the 1998–99 financial year; and if he will give the same figures on the basis of the higher rates commencing in (a) May, (b) June, (c) July, (d) August, (e) September, (f) October and (g) November 1998. [26351]

I regret that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to use the forthcoming G8 sutnmit in Birmingham to highlight the problems of developing country debt. [27171]

The G8 Summit in Birmingham will discuss a range of key global economic issues, including the problems facing poorer developing countries. For many of these countries, a key difficulty is unsustainable debt. I will also be discussing this with my Finance Minister colleagues in preparing for the Summit discussion between Heads of State and Government.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if participants in each of the four New Deal options will be counted as unemployed for the purposes of the claimant count; and if they will fall within the Labour Force Survey measure of unemployment. [28491]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many legal abortions were performed in 1996 (a) with anti progesterone and (b) without overnight stay on women resident in each (i) health region and (ii) district health authority; and how many in each case involved (1) NHS hospitals, (2) NHS agency arrangements and (3) other purchasers. [28002]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. The tables referred to in the letter have been made available in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the weekly numbers of conceptions that end in termination. [28858]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of countries which will meet the Maastricht requirements to enter a single currency in the first wave. [28583]

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: The decision on which Member States satisfy the Maastricht requirements for participation in Stage Three of EMU will be taken by Heads of State or Government in May.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the United Kingdom has to spend a period of time in the ERM before qualifying for possible entry into the single currency. [28581]