To ask the President of the Council what are the higher limits of office costs allowance for hon. Members with disabilities; and what are the assessment processes for qualification to receive such allowances. [28667]

The higher limits are set out in the resolutions of the House of 14 July 1988, Official Report, column 686, and 9 March 1995, Official Report, column 529, and are respectively 2.57 and 1.33 times the standard limit of the Office Costs Allowance. The assessment processes will vary according to the particular needs and circumstances of the hon. Members concerned.

To ask the President of the Council what allowance is made for additional costs incurred by hon. Members with disabilities in meeting additional costs of accommodation in (a) London and (b) their constituency. [28668]

None.

To ask the President of the Council what is her policy for responding to letters received in the (a) Scottish Gaelic, (b) Welsh, (c) Urdu, (d) Hindi and (e) Chinese language. [28062]

Were any such letters received, the Privy Council Office would seek to reply in the language used by the correspondent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received from voluntary organisations that are training providers for people with learning disabilities on the effects of delays of approval of ESF funds. [24357]

Since 1 May 1997, my right hon. Friend has received representations about delays in approving ESF funds from a provider of training to people with learning difficulties in Gloucester and I have received representations from a similar organisation in Milton Keynes. In 1996 the eligible period of spending was extended by six months to June 1997 to avoid the danger of large underspends. The Gloucester project was funded from these underspends to run until June 1997. The extension to the programme will mean later final payments but enable full funding of the project.The final payment to the Milton Keynes project was delayed because of an appreciation in the value of sterling against the ECU in 1997, which left insufficient funds to pay all claims. It has now received payment in full.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what mechanisms he has put in place to ensure the Government's objective of promoting sustainable development is reflected in the outcome of the comprehensive spending reviews for his Department. [25908]

The DfEE Departmental Spending Review is looking at all areas of the Department's activities and expenditure, many of which contribute to sustainable development objectives including improving economic prosperity and ensuring that economic and environmental benefits are available to everyone. The Government's New Deal, including the Environmental Task Force, is a clear example of taking sustainable development and environmental concerns into account in the formulation of policy. However, no specific mechanism has been put in place to consider environmental matters in isolation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding will be allocated to the New Deal hotline; and how many operators there will be in each standard region. [25565]

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: The New Deal hotline, 0800 163 339, which is the point of contact for participants, employers and providers already involved in New Deal, is an important element in ensuring a quality service to New Deal clients. It will be open between 8am and 6pm and we have initially trained two people per region. We are closely monitoring the demand for the hotline from Pathfinder areas and will adjust the staffing levels accordingly in advance of the national start of the New Deal in April. During the first month approximately 30 calls were received.There is, in addition, a New Deal information line, 0845 606 2626 which is the main inquiry point for members of the public, employers and providers who would like more details about New Deal. This line is open 24 hours a day and is presently handling 490 calls per week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many contracts have been (a) awarded, (b) finalised and (c) signed for the New Deal in Cornwall. [25465]

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: Seven contracts have been awarded in Cornwall and all of these have been finalised. One contract has been signed. In addition 105 employer agreements have been signed with firms and other organisations interested in providing New Deal employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many contracts have (a) been awarded at tender, (b) signed at the tender price and (c) signed at a price below tender for the New Deal in Cornwall. [25466]

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: I can confirm that seven contracts have been awarded from 19 tenders. Six contracts have been agreed at tender price, one at below tender price.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance restrict their availability for work because of ill health or disability; and how many of these are over the age of 50 years. [26164]

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how long on average it takes his Department to answer letters from hon. Members; what target date his Department sets; what percentage receive replies within the target date; and what assessment he has made of how long it takes to deliver a letter after it has been typed. [27041]

[holding answer 2 February 1998]: The Department target is to respond to letters within 15 working days of receipt. Since the election Ministers have responded to 73 per cent. of letters within their deadline. This includes all Ministerial replies, not only those letters from hon. Members. On average Ministers have responded to all letters in 18.2 calendar days.No assessment has been made of how long it takes to deliver a letter after it has been typed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment 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. [27669]

I can confirm that Ministers read all letters sent to them by hon. Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department issues on the appropriate size of sites for new schools. [27387]

The Department's Building Bulletin 82, Area Guidelines for Schools, was published in 1996. This includes guidance on site areas for new schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the gross cost of setting up mechanisms for the means testing of citizens of other EU member states to assess their eligibility to pay tuition fees. [27718]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 27 January 1998, Official Report, column 191.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to monitor the quality of NVQ provision in the workplace. [27709]

The quality assurance of NVQs is primarily a matter for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the awarding bodies. The Department is currently providing £1.5 million to support additional external verification of NVQs by awarding bodies to help in assuring standards of assessment. In addition the delivery of training funded through Colleges and TECs, which includes NVQ provision in the workplace, is inspected by the Further Education Funding Council and the Training Standards Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of Portsmouth City Council's proposals to build a school on the site of the East wing of St. Mary's Hospital in respect of the adequacy of the site for a school of the size proposed. [27885]

I can confirm that Portsmouth City Council has put forward a public-private partnership proposal to provide a new secondary school. I understand that the Council is still considering a number of possible sites for the school. As part of the new process for assessing the viability of local authority PPP/PFI projects, the Council's proposal is currently being considered by the interdepartmental Project Review Group. An announcement about approved projects is expected shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the difference between the education budget and the general schools budget for each local education authority in the country; and how much of that amount was spent on service strategy and regulation activity in the last year for which figures are available. [27500]

The following table sets out, for each local education authority in England, the difference between its total education budget and its General Schools Budget, and its Service Strategy and Regulation expenditure for 1996–97.

£000
1996–97
LEA	Difference between total education budget and General Schools Budget	Net current expenditure on Service Strategy and Regulation
Barking and Dagenham	6,783	1,450
Barnet	40,769	1,855
Barnsley	4,600	1,589
Bedfordshire	41,366	1,156
Berkshire	58,035	1,726
Bexley	17,374	1,659
Birmingham	74,431	639
Bolton	12,204	595
Bradford	23,023	259
Brent	45,749	388
Bromley	58,006	1,085
Buckinghamshire	59,395	3,573
Bury	4,401	1,013
Calderdale	28,932	669
Cambridgeshire	61,018	2,119
Camden	17,557	1,028
Cheshire	31,819	1,529
Cornwall	10,689	1,347
Corporation of London	2,063	295
Coventry	11,899	1,020
Croydon	40,567	1,573
Cumbria	50,268	1,286
Derbyshire	70,651	1,748
Devon	35,900	1,766
Doncaster	4,895	223
Dorset	48,766	1,318
Dudley	21,924	1,643
Durham	17,548	806
Ealing	31,416	962
East Sussex	16,744	2,523
Enfield	27,730	2,048
Essex	256,325	6,405
Gateshead	7,197	463
Gloucestershire	80,845	1,251
Greenwich	13,294	1,238
Hackney	18,069	1,122
Hammersmith and Fulham	16,841	1,975
Hampshire	77,345	2,877
Haringey	8,454	602
Harrow	10,596	1,093
Havering	16,282	730
Hereford and Worcester	28,649	1,314
Hertfordshire	88,423	3,341
Hillingdon	44,809	302
Hounslow	9,875	850
Hull	10,871	463
Isle of Wight	5,171	579
Isles of Scilly	253	21
Islington	15,595	692
Kensington and Chelsea	16,779	1,412
Kent	204,930	1,688
Kirklees	15,979	627

£000
1996–97
LEA	Difference between total education budget and General Schools Budget	Net current expenditure on Service Strategy and Regulation
Knowsley	7,186	2,918
Lambeth	46,551	750
Lancashire	56,052	1,962
Leeds	26,012	667
Leicestershire	25,109	1,101
Lewisham	18,775	2,027
Lincolnshire	82,098	1,527
Liverpool	35,090	2,277
Manchester	16,281	1,474
Merton	5,724	1,531
Newcastle	17,487	2,779
Newham	14,918	1,346
Norfolk	47,394	886
North Tyneside	4,214	578
Northamptonshire	44,666	1,597
Northumberland	6,447	1,223
Nottinghamshire	34,367	2,351
Oldham	3,756	515
Oxfordshire	18,167	1,035
Redbridge	11,345	1,105
Richmond	4,732	810
Rochdale	16,566	587
Rotherham	6,016	315
Salford	7,781	682
Sandwell	14,383	879
Sefton	5,467	436
Sheffield	12,710	827
Shropshire	20,853	873
Solihull	3,658	1,621
Somerset	17,014	582
South Tyneside	5,756	82
Southwark	29,274	675
St. Helens	5,048	803
Staffordshire	37,808	1,600
Stockport	4,867	373
Suffolk	13,196	1,988
Sunderland	6,841	264
Surrey	72,845	3,062
Sutton	25,962	758
Tameside	12,144	664
Tower Hamlets	23,107	1,892
Trafford	19,592	700
Wakefield	4,593	582
Walsall	28,150	1,664
Waltham Forest	17,079	2,384
Wandsworth	28,468	1,316
Warwickshire	20,673	1,662
West Sussex	15,310	1,346
Westminster	17,869	2,240
Wigan	725	568
Wiltshire	56,829	1,046
Wirral	15,320	1,535
Wolverhampton	16,151	1,333

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the contractual arrangement for the delivery of the New Deal services to provide Welfare to Work. [27687]

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of training 50,000 child-minders under the New Deal; which organisations will be expected to carry out such training; and how many participants are expected to be (a) young people unemployed for more than six months, (b) single parents and (c) others. [27712]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 28 January 1998, Official Report, column 237, on the number of young people likely to train as childcare workers under the New Deal for 18–24 year olds. Potentially, participants on the New Deal for long-term unemployed people could also train as childcare workers under these options, and participants on the New Deal for lone parents could be helped to find employment as a childcare worker.There are different arrangements for training and funding young people to become childcare workers for each of the options for the New Deal for 18–24 year olds. On the Voluntary Sector (VS) and Employment options young people will be provided with work experience by voluntary childcare organisations, and by private and local authority nurseries respectively, which will work with training organisations to enable participants to attend an approved childcare course for at least the equivalent of a day per week. On the Full Time Education and Training (FTET) option young people will attend approved childcare courses provided by training organisations. In addition to the allowances that will be payable to participants on the FTET and VS options, voluntary organisations will be paid a placement fee for each participant in the VS option (the amount depending on contract), employers will receive a job subsidy of £60 per week per participant under the Employment option, and training organisations will receive a fee which is negotiated locally under the FTET option. Organisations providing placements on the VS and Employment options, will also be paid £750 per participant for training. The overall cost will depend upon the level of take up on each of the options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish equity of funding for all post-16 students. [28471]

The scope for achieving greater equity of funding is being considered as part of the Department's Comprehensive Spending Review which has not yet been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what response he has made to the recommendation of the National Advisory Committee on Lifelong Learning on a common inspection framework for schools and further education colleges. [28474]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to set out his proposals for harmonising inspection arrangements in the forthcoming consultation paper on Lifelong Learning.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to improve the accountability of further education corporations to the communities in which their colleges are located. [28473]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to announce his plans for improving the local accountability of governing bodies of further education colleges in the forthcoming consultation paper on Lifelong Learning.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment 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. [28377]

No Brazilian mahogany was acquired or specified by the Department in 1996 or 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what additional funding he is making available to Shropshire Local Education Authority; and how the decision was announced. [28451]

In response to an application by Shropshire Local Education Authority for assistance with their capital programme, we have made £2.5 million available for essential capital work as Supplementary Credit Approvals of £500,000 for 1997–98 and £2,000,000 for 1998–99. This information was given to the Authority by means of a letter from officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish a national framework for strategic planning of post- compulsory education at national, regional and local levels. [28472]

We are considering, with the Further Education Funding Council and the Local Government Association, how to work with them and other partners to develop a more co-ordinated approach to post-16 education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to provide funding support for the compulsory training of gas installation industry employees. [28462]

We have no plans to provide funding support for the compulsory training of gas installation industry employees. It is up to employers and self employed people to pay for the training they need to meet their business needs and to comply with gas safety legislation. The proposed National Training Organisation will assist employers in finding accredited training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has evaluated on the extent to which the results of National Curriculum tests in English at Key Stage 3 can be used to predict a pupil's achievement in GCSE English examinations. [28793]

The Department commissioned a major national project on value added in 1994 which reported last year. The project found that the National Curriculum tests in English at Key Stage 3 were highly related to achievement in GCSE English examinations, but that the average test level across the three core subjects at Key Stage 3 was the best basis for predicting achievement in GCSE English examinations. A copy of the final report is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the agencies commissioned by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority to evaluate arrangements for statutory assessment at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in 1997; what was the cost of each evaluation; when the evaluation reports were (a) made available to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and (b) published; and in what ways the evaluation reports have informed arrangements for statutory assessment in 1998, including the content of the tests and arrangements for marking. [28849]

The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority commissioned the following evaluations of the 1997 Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 assessment arrangements:

Agency	Focus of evaluation
Institute of Education, University of London	Key Stage 1 assessment arrangements
University of Nottingham	Key Stage 2 assessment arrangements
Social & Market Strategic Research Ltd.	Key Stage 3 assessment arrangements
National Foundation for Education Research	Key Stage 1 English

Agency	Focus of evaluation
CFAS, University of Manchester	Key Stage 1 and 3 mathematics
National Foundation for Education Research	Key Stage 2 English
MAK2, University of Leeds	Key Stage 2 mathematics
CRIPSAT, University of Liverpool	Key Stage 2 science
University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate	Key Stage 3 English and science

Total budgetary provision in 1997–98 was £270,000. The contracts for evaluation work are tendered annually and the value of individual contracts is therefore commercially sensitive. The evaluation reports were submitted to QCA in September 1997. The six Key Stage subject reports will be published this month and the three Key Stage general reports in March. The evaluations have helped QCA to identify areas of the tests, marking and administrative arrangements which could be strengthened in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans he has to require LEAs to monitor and provide advisory support to private and voluntary sector providers of early years education; [28902](2) what plans he has regularly to monitor the quality of public, private and voluntary sector provision of early years education; [28903](3) what plans he has to monitor the quality of and provide support to the private and voluntary early years education place providers in North Yorkshire. [28904]

All private and voluntary sector providers included in an Early Years Development Plan and in receipt of grant funding will be subject to regular inspection by a Registered Nursery Inspector recruited, trained and registered by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools. Providers registered under the Children Act 1989 will also be subject to the normal inspection arrangements under that Act. We will shortly be consulting on the current regulatory regimes and how to bring them closer together.The Early Years Development Plan should indicate how local authorities intend to raise standards of provision whilst maintaining a wide range of providers. This should include, among other aspects of quality assurance, details on how progress will be made towards the involvement of a qualified teacher in raising standards in all settings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans he has to allow LEAs to state a minimum requirement of free places that have to be offered by private or voluntary providers to entitle them to be included in an Early Years Development Plan; [28901](2) what is the minimum number of places a private or voluntary provider of early years education has to have in order that they can be included in a LEA Early Years Development Plan. [28905]

Providers which satisfy the eligibility criteria can be included in an Early Years Development Plan as long as they have at least one place available for an eligible four year old.Early Years Development Plans cannot include providers who, in addition to receiving grant, charge parents fees for the minimum early education entitlement of five two and a half hour sessions a week for 33 weeks in a year. Where parents are willing to pay, private, voluntary and independent sector providers can charge for additional services (such as a longer session or associated daycare). However, they must agree with the Partnership a maximum number of places which will be offered to parents giving the minimum early education entitlement for the grant alone, with no requirement on the parent to buy additional services. It will be for the provider and Partnership to agree how many such places will be offered, based on an assessment of local demand, but for the provider to be included in the Plan there must be at least one such place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish a national framework for pay and conditions of service within the further education sector. [28695]

Pay and conditions are matters for colleges to decide individually. Colleges are independent institutions, responsible for setting their own pay and conditions. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to remove that responsibility from them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when school breakfast clubs started. [28812]

1994–95
Framework Area	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	All Levels
1. Tendering animals, plants and land	3,814	5,670	518	5	0	10,007
2. Extracting and providing natural resources	100	2,007	7	0	0	2,114
3. Constructing	6,295	13,702	5,942	21	0	25,960
4. Engineering	3,919	20,466	13,101	835	0	38,321
5. Manufacturing	2,689	6,065	195	0	0	8,949
6. Transporting	381	2,497	101	0	0	2,979
7. Providing goods and services	16,119	52,916	4,248	25	0	73,308
8. Providing health, social and protective services	4,120	14,389	2,815	1	0	21,325
9. Providing business services	14,859	46,581	20,920	6,077	902	89,339
10. Communicating	0	3	4	75	0	82
11. Developing and extending knowledge and skills	0	28	831	183	0	1,042
All Framework Areas	52,296	164,324	48,682	7,222	902	273,426

1995–96
Framework Area	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	All Levels
1. Tendering animals, plants and land	3,356	6,484	784	9	0	10,633
2. Extracting and providing natural resources	59	1,219	39	0	0	1,317
3. Constructing	5,035	12,662	6,313	3	0	24,013
4. Engineering	4,591	25,121	8,855	525	0	39,092
5. Manufacturing	3,889	5,799	214	2	0	9,904
6. Transporting	346	6,352	96	0	0	6,794

Whether to organise school breakfast clubs is a matter for local decision. Information about them is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what monitoring he has evaluated on recent changes in the nutritional values of school meals. [28821]

Statutory nutritional standards for school meals were abolished by the previous Administration in 1980. Local education authorities and schools have since been responsible for deciding and monitoring the nutritional values of meals they provide. The Government propose to introduce new nutritional standards and will be consulting on these.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority in England, the total number of pupils on the roll of maintained schools in its area for the financial year 1997–98. [28269]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: The information requested will be available in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many NVQs were awarded at each of the five levels in the 11 framework areas for vocational qualifications in each of the last three years. [28199]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: According to the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA), the numbers of NVQs awarded at each level in the 11 framework areas in each of the last three years are shown in the following tables:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to extend the mandatory disabled student allowance to postgraduate students who are not registered for PGCE qualifications. [27501]

The Disabled Students' Allowances are part of the mandatory awards system and as such are available to those receiving mandatory awards who are also disabled. Mandatory awards apply to full-time first degree courses and to the post-graduate certificate of education.The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Dearing Committee) recommended the extension of eligibility to part-time students, to postgraduates and to those who have become disabled since taking a first degree and who now wish to obtain a different first degree level qualification. These recommendations are currently being considered and we hope to make an announcement later this year.The Government are sympathetic to the needs of disabled students. We have already announced the ending of means-testing for disabled students' allowances and have also increased the rates payable, including doubling the non-medical personal helpers' allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to support students with disabilities with the costs directly associated with their disabilities on postgraduate legal practice courses. [27502]

Disabled people, including those on postgraduate Legal Practice Courses, may be entitled to support from the Benefits Agency. We are still considering a recommendation from the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Dearing Committee) about extending the Disabled Students' Allowances to postgraduate students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the amounts held in the accounts of Sheffield TEC. [28233]

The latest published accounts for Sheffield TEC provide the following information at the year ended 30 March 1997:

£000
Income and Expenditure Account 1996–97
Turnover	17,229
Surplus for the year	167
Balance Sheet
Fixed assets	743
Current assets (including cash at bank 6,820)	9,635
Current liabilities	4,251
Long term liabilities	2,444
Total assets	3,683
Reserves
Total reserves	3,683
Revenue	1,733
TEC committed reserves	1,950

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will estimate the number of assaults made on teachers by (a) pupils, (b) parents and (c) others in the last academic year; what assessment he has made of the trends in those numbers; and what plans he has to tackle the problem of assaults on teachers; [28979](2) if he will estimate the number of times the police were called to deal with incidents in schools in the last academic year; and what assessment he has made of the trend in the number of such incidents. [28980]

Information is not collected centrally on either the number of assaults on teachers or the number of times police are called to deal with incidents at schools. We recently issued guidance, 'School Security: Dealing with Troublemakers', to help schools deal promptly and effectively with such difficult incidents. We have also announced a further programme of grants to help improve security in schools, supporting an extra £22 million of spending in 1998–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if students beginning courses in 1999–2000 and beyond will be eligible to claim travel allowance on the same basis as at present. [29211]

We are considering the detail of some of the supplementary allowances for new students in 1999–2000 and beyond, including travel. In considering the arrangements for travel we will have regard to the particular circumstances in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment who will be responsible for administering the new hardship loan scheme; how much money in total has been allocated for this purpose; how much each individual student will be able to claim in the form of a hardship loan; if all students who apply will be given a hardship loan; when and how those who take out hardship loans will be expected to repay them; and if he will make a statement. [29212]

HSE Area	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	Total
Midlands	1.00	—	1.00	—	—	—	—	2.00
North West	1.00	—	2.00	1.00	—	—	—	4.00
Wales & West	3.00	2.00	14.00	3.00	2.00	1.00	—	25.00
Scotland	—	8.00	4.00	9.00	2.00	—	—	23.00
Yorkshire & North East	1.00	—	1.00	—	—	—	—	2.00
London & South East	—	3.00	—	—	—	—	—	3.00
Home Counties	1.00	3.00	—	—	—	—	—	4.00
Total	7.00	16.00	22.00	13.00	4.00	1.00	—	63.00

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of the Trident programme in the next financial year. [28205]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 11 February 1998, Official Report, columns 240–41.

£5 million has been made available in 1998–99 in England and Wales. New students starting their courses after 1 September 1998 who are eligible for the normal student loan will be eligible to apply additionally for the hardship load, which is discretionary and intended to contribute towards the living costs of students in financial hardship. The amount available to individual students will be £250 per year. The hardship loan will be repayable on an income contingent basis under similar arrangements to the normal loan.The other points raised are currently being considered and we will be consulting interested parties on the details shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many improvement notices have been issued against employers relating to the control of dust at work for each of the geographical areas of the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate for each year over the last 20 years. [28637]

I have been asked to reply.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not issued any improvement notices in respect of mines.For mines, the Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations 1975 apply and these require the owner of a coal mine to notify HSE's Inspectorate of Mines when the levels of dust exceeds the permitted amount. The information in respect of notifications to HSE's Inspectorate of Mines for each year over the last 20 years for each geographical area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.The HSE has issued improvement notices in relation to the control of dust or other substances hazardous to health in quarries. Details of the numbers of improvement notices issued in each geographical area since 1990 are available and are as shown. The geographical areas represent the current HSE Regional structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-career civil servants have been appointed to his Department since 1 May 1997. [25857]

The number of casual, fixed term appointees and special advisers appointed between 1 May and 30 November 1997, which is the latest information available, is 3,032, broken down as follows:

• Special advisers:
• Fixed term appointments: 840
• Casual appointments (including sandwich course students): 2,190.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants in his Department at grade three or above have (a) resigned, (b) retired before pensionable age and (c) moved to different responsibilities within the Department since 1 May 1997; if he will indicate the Ministers to whom each was responsible; and if he will make a statement. [26924]

Since 1 May 1997; (a) no civil servants within the Department at grade three or above have resigned; (b) two civil servants within the Department at grade three or above have retired before pensionable age;

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by grade the number of officials in his Department at grade 3 or above who have (a) taken early retirement, (b) taken official leave, (c) been dismissed, (d) changed jobs within the Department, (e) moved to another Department and (f) been offered and rejected an alternative position (i) within the Department and (ii) in another Department since 1 May. [27455]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Since 1 May 1997, two Grade 3 officials within the Department have taken early retirement.Information on official leave is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.No officials at Grade 3 or above within the Department have been dismissed.Seven officials at Grade 3 have changed jobs within the Department. One official at Grade 2 has changed jobs within the Department. One official has changed jobs on promotion from Grade 3 to Grade 2.One official at Grade 3 has commenced a period on loan to another Department.No officials at Grade 3 or above have been offered and rejected alternative positions either within the Department or in another Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 January 1998, Official Report, column 244, if he will make a statement on progress to date on his review into the release of details of military assistance provided to other countries; and when he expects the review to be completed. [28495]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave him on 10 February 1998, Official Report, column 196.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proportion of Ministry of Defence (P E) projects have been delayed by the need to conform to annualised budgeting in each of the years 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97; [28322](2) what proportion of Ministry of Defence (PE) projects have incurred cost increases due to delay owing to annualised Ministry of Defence budgeting in each of the years 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, and 1996–97. [28321]

The most recent report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the progress and costs of major projects (Major Projects Report 1996) identified budgetary constraints as a cause of delay on 13 out of the top 25 projects. However, the information on project cost increases is analysed on a different basis and not directly correlated to budgetary constraints.The forward defence programme is re-costed and, where necessary, adjusted annually to reflect the latest assessment of individual project timescales and costs, and to ensure that the programme remains affordable within projected annual provision.Information covering the five years in question as to the total numbers of projects which were changed solely to keep within projected annual budgets and any consequent cost increases could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the NATO headquarters in Gibraltar. [28660]

As part of the implementation of NATO's new command structure GIBMED, the NATO headquarters based in Gibraltar will close. The UK national headquarters in Gibraltar will continue to be available for NATO use when required, and NATO facilities will also remain based on Gibraltar. The defence and security of Gibraltar will of course remain the direct responsibility of the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the small training aircraft the RAF proposes to purchase. [28794]

A competition is currently underway to procure flying hours to meet the University Air Squadron and Air Cadet flying requirements. The contract would also cover provision of a range of support services at the University Air Squadron sites. Bidders have offered a choice of aircraft which will be owned by the contractor. We have recently asked the bidders to 'revise or confirm' their prices and aircraft selection will be made following evaluation of their responses taking into account such factors as cost, operational effectiveness, suitability for task and safety. I very much hope that this process will be completed within the next two months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been employed in each of the last three years by the Royal Navy on coastal charts around Scottish territorial waters; what facilities for map making the Royal Navy maintains in Scotland; how many coastal survey charts have been produced by the Royal Navy for Scottish territorial waters in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [28550]

[holding answer 11 February 1998]: The number of people employed in each of the last 3 years by the Royal Navy on surveys for coastal charts inside the Territorial Waters of the United Kingdom adjacent to Scotland and on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf adjacent to Scotland was:

Year	Number of personnel
1995	13
1996	13
1997	140

These figures comprise the complements of the ships and Naval Parties which took part in those surveys. Additionally, in excess of 500 personnel at the UK Hydrographic Office, Taunton, assisted in the compilation and production of charts covering Scottish waters during each year.There are no facilities for Chart production in Scotland, all such production being carried out centrally at the UK Hydrographic Office at Taunton. The Hydrographer of the Navy maintains a Chart Correction Unit at Faslane which currently employs 4 people.The number of new coastal Charts, and new editions of existing charts, covering UK Territorial Waters adjacent to Scotland which were produced following the surveys referred to above in the last 3 years were:

Year	New Charts	New Editions
1995	1	8
1996	7	1
1997	14	—

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet representatives of the local community prior to any decisions being announced on the future of RNAD Broughton Moor, Cumbria. [29068]

I have already written to my hon. Friend agreeing to meet Local Authority representatives with him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) individuals and (b) organisations who have expressed an interest in developing the RNAD site at Broughton Moor, Cumbria. [29066]

Twenty expressions of interest in purchasing all or part of the site have been received since August 1991. Of this total, twelve, comprising one individual and eleven organisations, expressed an interest in developing the site. We have received three other expressions, of which two individuals and one organisation were interested in developing, but not purchasing, the site. I am not releasing the names of the companies or firms concerned under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he intends to announce his decisions on the future of RNAD Broughton Moor, Cumbria; [29067](2) what surveys are being undertaken on the alternative disposal uses of Broughton Moor RNAD. [29069]

A professional firm of Chartered Surveyors is currently advising the Defence Estate Organisation on potential alternative uses for the site. In addition, consideration is currently being given to what entitlement, if any, former owners might have under the Crichel Down Rules. When the former owner question has been resolved, it is intended to run a campaign inviting expressions of interest in the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1998, Official Report, columns 132–33, on the cost of decommissioning old buildings and equipment at AWE Aldermaston, when he expects to be able to provide the information. [28226]

It is a convention that detailed information as to the outcome of the Department's Long Term Costings, of which the decommissioning of old buildings and equipment at AWE Aldermaston forms a part, and the projections and assumptions on which they are based, are not published. Accordingly, I am withholding this information under exemption 2, internal discussions and advice, of the Code of Practice on Government Information.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what (a) number and (b) percentage of members of the judiciary and other consultees who were asked for an opinion on the suitability of applicants for silk, declined to express an opinion in the last year for which figures are available. [28176]

Of those asked for an opinion on the suitability of applicants for silk, during the current round, approximately 157 consultees have not commented, which represents 37 per cent. of the total number consulted.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what volume of work was undertaken in (a) Shrewsbury and (b) Telford county courts each year since 1990. [27934]

(a) Shrewsbury
Year	Summons	Warrants issued	Bankruptcy petitions	High Court work	Divorcepetitionsfiled	MortgagePossessionActions	Trials heard	Arbitrations heard
1997	2,211	939	114	221	578	149	2	315
1996	2,296	1,061	112	276	661	181	17	367
1995	2,304	1,034	131	317	534	167	8	207
1994	2,604	1,445	192	406	639	177	8	181
1993	3,431	1,949	204	316	595	162	34	294
1992	4,243	2,504	215	444	633	271	41	244
1991	4,163	2,535	128	721	650	328	15	268
1990	3,996	2,131	90	762	750	301	19	128

(b) Telford
Year	Summons	Warrants issued	Bankruptcy petitions	High Court work	Divorcepetitionsfiled	MortgagePossessionActions	Trials heard	Arbitrations heard
1997	5,116	2,069	0	0	800	278	196	409
1996	5,144	2,142	0	0	765	390	128	343
1995	5,378	2,407	0	0	799	435	141	265
1994	4,118	2,266	0	0	748	340	168	259
1993	4,167	3,180	0	0	752	490	193	263
1992	5,855	4,477	0	0	893	697	104	243
1991	6,400	4,565	0	0	833	781	114	226
1990	5,560	4,118	0	0	811	439	46	190

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what spare capacity there is in Telford County Court. [27933]

Telford County Court has three court rooms that are used approximately 40 per cent. of the time only.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many summonses for non-payment of a television licence have been heard at (a) Colchester and (b) Harwich magistrates' courts in the past 12 months. [28579]

I have been asked to reply.Information held centrally by my Department on the number of persons prosecuted under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1967 does not identify the offence of television licence evasion separately from other offences under these Acts.In 1996, there were 922 persons prosecuted (under summons) at Colchester Magistrates' Court for offences under the above Acts. This figure includes intake from the Harwich court, which was amalgamated with Colchester during 1996.

The volume of work undertaken by (a) Shrewsbury and (b) Telford county courts since 1990 is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the cost to public funds of travel by spouses and partners of Ministers of each of the last five years. [25884]

This information is not available [for the whole period requested]. The total cost of Ministerial travel over the last five years was set out by the Prime Minister on 9 February 1998, Official Report, columns 16–17.

To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he has discussed the matters raised with Commissioner Liikanen during his recent meeting with (a) Ministers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) representatives of the Prime Minister's Office. [28740]

I was accompanied at the meeting by a senior official from UKRep Brussels. The main points arising from my meetings in Brussels have been reported in the normal way.

To ask the Minister without Portfolio in what capacity he recently met Commissioner Liikanen; what matters were discussed; at whose request the meeting took place; from which Department the civil servants present came; and if he will make a statement. [28739]

I met Commissioner Liikanen in the course of a programme arranged by the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union (UKRep). I discussed with Commissioner Liikanen his responsibilities for budget, management and staffing issues. I was accompanied by a senior official from UKRep.

To ask the Minister without Portfolio in what capacity he gave his Florence lecture in January; at what public expense; and what consultations he had with representatives of the Foreign Office beforehand. [28741]

I was invited by HM Ambassador, Rome to give the lecture at the European University Institute as the first in a series of lectures to mark the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union. The cost of my visit was approximately £970.

Expenditure on local authority owned new-build and acquisitions
£000
	Estimated Outturn
	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
Barking and Dagenham	222	876	176	1,419	2,016	696	529	122
Barnet	2,116	364	93	—	—	—	—	—
Bexley	302	8	4	—	30	—	—	—
Brent	230	169	44	—	—	—	—	—
Bromley	1,041	206	103	—	—	—	—	—
Camden	1,488	397	—	—	—	—	—	—
City of London	—	—	—	—	24	392	309	168
Croydon	19,682	2,727	1,262	313	154	6	—	—
Ealing	2,888	369	251	153	166	318	—	—
Enfield	995	106	71	253	18	1	2	—
Greenwich	1,078	—	56	29	35	—	—	—
Hackney	4,067	3,356	3,748	7,265	—	—	65	377
Hammersmith and Fulham	—	—	146	—	324	88	—	—
Haringey	3,072	1,916	949	624	50	4	—	—
Harrow	799	1,679	83	—	—	—	—	—
Havering	1,443	15	2	—	—	—	—	—
Hillingdon	5,601	1,812	485	496	300	6	179	3,965
Hounslow	263	49	385	995	—	—	—	—
Islington	1,572	459	3,335	1,998	679	572	5	—
Kensington and Chelsea	—	—	122	46	—	—	—	—
Kingston upon Thames	2,320	93	25	219	417	85	17	102
Lambeth	3,510	1,316	1,275	370	1	112	139	2,092
Lewisham	3,710	2,347	56	—	—	1	—	—
Merton	10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Newham	4,762	2,768	867	206	30	—	—	—
Redbridge	—	160	—	—	—	—	—	—
Richmond upon Thames	31	17	18	6	—	—	—	—
Southwark	4,016	719	33	—	1	1,496	9,185	10,058
Sutton	3,892	325	45	30	3	—	—	—
Tower Hamlets	35	2,733	6,432	3,445	785	2,745	1,581	2,704

To ask the Minister without Portfolio to what extent his ministerial responsibilities cover relations with (a) the European Union and (b) the European Commission. [28835]

I am a member of the Ministerial Sub-Committee on European Issues ((E)DOP).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each year since 1990 the total expenditure for each London borough on construction of (a) local authority, (b) housing association and (c) co-operative housing and in each case the estimate for 1998–99. [27429]

[holding answer 4 February 1998]: The available information is set out in the table, expressed in financial years. Estimates of expenditure outturn in 1998–99 are not yet available.Figures for housing associations and co-operatives are not available separately, and cannot be provided at local authority level for years prior to 1993–94.