asked Her Majesty's Government:How many serious offences were committed in the United Kingdom in 1996 by persons entitled to immunity; and how many foreign diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn from their posts in the United Kingdom in the past year as a result of alleged ofences.

From a diplomatic community of over 17,000 persons, 34 alleged serious offences by persons entitled to immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1996. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the Report to the Foreign Affairs Committee The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985) as offences which fall into the category which in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or more: the majority involved drinking and driving and shoplifting.Six diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's request from posts in the United Kingdom as a result of alleged offences, compared with five the previous year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the United States has been keeping its NATO allies, the OSCE, and the United Nations, fully informed of the progress of its policy to arm and train the Bosnian-Croat element of Bosnia, and what is the present situation.

The United States Government, in conjunction with Military Professional Resources Incorporated (MPRI), which runs and administers the Train and Equip programme, provides regular updates on progress. Current indications are that MPRI will continue to train the Federation Army at least until mid-1998.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will support any of the submissions made by the Committee of the Regions of the European Union (CoR) for consideration at the Intergovernmental Conference, and in particular the total separation of CoR from the Economic and Social Committee.

A number of the changes suggested by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) for consideration by the Intergovernmental Conference were agreed at the Amsterdam European Council. These include the separation of the administrative structures of the CoR and the Economic and Social Committee.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in their view British arms exported to (a) Turkey and (b) Indonesia have been used in the last five years for internal repression or the control of illegally occupied territories.

No formal procedures have existed for routinely monitoring the use that has been made of British defence equipment, once exported. We are aware of concerns expressed in the media and elsewhere that, in the past, UK defence equipment exported to Indonesia, and UK-designed vehicles manufactured under licence in Turkey, may have been used for purposes of internal repression.We have made a firm commitment not to allow the sale of arms to regimes that might use them for internal repression or international aggression. To give effect to that commitment, we have initiated an urgent review of the criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional arms. We are also committed to strengthen monitoring of the end-use of defence exports to prevent diversion to third countries and to ensure that exported equipment is used only on the conditions under which the export licence has been granted.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why British Information Services New York do not offer e-mail address on their website to which correspondence may be sent; and whether they will ensure that this deficiency is remedied.

It is not the case that "Britain in the USA", the Internet site maintained by British Information Services (BIS) New York, lacks an e-mail address. Since the site's inception in 1995, its front page has carried the e-mail address, bis@panix.com. Further e-mail addresses are available on the relevant pages for the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations (gbrun@undp.org), the Invest in Britain Bureau (ibbny@mail.idt.net), the British Trade Office, New York (btony@gramercy.ios.com), and the Science and Technology Office of the British Embassy in Washington (besci@tmn.com).Visitors to the "Britain in the USA" site are encouraged to use the BIS e-mail address to comment on the content of the site and to report technical errors; they do so in increasing numbers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What approach they intend to adopt at the Intergovernmental Conference in Amsterdam on 16 and 17 June as regards: (a) the protection of fundamental rights; (b) the place which social rights should have in the Treaty on European Union or in the preamble; (c) the penalties to be applied to states which fail to respect fundamental rights and democracy; and (d) the powers of the Union to take measures to combat discrimination in general and to promote equality between men and women.

The Intergovernmental Conference in Amsterdam agreed Treaty amendments including the following:

(a) an amendment to Article F.1 strengthening the Union's role as a guarantor of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, liberty and the rule of law; and a new role for the European Court of Justice (ECJ), giving it explicit jurisdiction over fundamental rights with regard to the acts of the institutions in so far as the ECJ has jurisdiction under the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC) and Title VI of the Treaty on European Union (TEU);

(b) a new paragraph in the preamble to the TEU on social rights as defined by the European Social Charter and the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers. Social Agreement provisions were also incorporated into the TEC;

(c) a new article providing for suspension of rights of a new member state which breaches fundamental rights;

(d) new articles allowing the Community to take action to combat discrimination and to promote equality between men and women.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will commission research on the experience of those who suffer disentitlement to social security benefits and in particular whether the percentage of those in employment six months later is higher or lower than of those who were able to remain on benefit.

Since October 1996 jobseeker's allowance (JSA) has been the main benefit for unemployed people.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make it a requirement that inquests returning a verdict of suicide should record whether the person was homeless or enjoyed visible means of support.

No. This would be inconsistent with the limited aims of an inquest verdict.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Under which clauses of which Acts, and under which secondary legislation, the British Library has a right to receive copies of printed works gratis.

Section 15 of the Copyright Act 1911 (as amended) provides for the publisher of every book published in the United Kingdom to deposit a copy of it with the British Library, at his own expense, within one month of publication. The term "book" for this purpose has a wide meaning and includes journals, newspapers, pamphlets, sheets of letter-press, sheets of music, maps, plans, charts and tables. Categories of material which are exempted from deposit, including trade catalogues, advertisements, local passenger timetables, calendars and wall charts, are set out in regulations made under the Copyright (British Museum) Act 1915 and the British Museum Act 1932. Under the Theatres Act 1968, scripts of new plays publicly performed in Great Britain must be deposited with the British Library. Reciprocal arrangements exist with the Republic of Ireland. Under the Irish Copyright Act 1963, as amended by the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997, publishers are required to deposit at the British Library a copy of every book published in the Republic.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In relation to those Members of Parliament who lost their seats in the 1997 general election, how many received severance payment in connection with their work as MPs; and how much each former Member received.

Two hundred and forty-five former Members had claimed resettlement grants by 23 June 1997. Such grants are available to all Members who left the House at the election, whether or not they contested seats. In accordance with the Resolution of the House of Commons of 22 May 1991 (Official Report, cols. 1036–1038), grants vary between 50 per cent. and 100 per cent. of annual salary immediately before the dissolution (£43,860), depending on the Member's age and length of service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which Ministers belonging to the previous government received severance payments in connection with the cessation of their ministerial duties; and how much each former Minister received.

All former Ministers received a severance payment of one quarter of their annual salary under the terms of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, except for the following, who were not eligible because of the office they previously held, their age or the fact that they were appointed to another paid office within three weeks.

• The Rt Hon John Major MP
• The Rt Hon Lord Mackay of Clashfern
• The Rt Hon Viscount Cranborne
• The Rt Hon Earl Ferrers
• The Rt Hon Lord Strathclyde
• The Viscount Long
• The Rt Hon Baroness Trumpington
• The Rt Hon Sir Patrick Mayhew QC
• The Rt Hon Alastair Goodlad MP
• Andrew Mackay MP
• Bowen Wells MP

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consult with their EU colleagues to grant more favourable terms to enable Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to export more of their manufacturing and farm products into EU countries.

The Free Trade Agreements between the EU and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania already provide for duty free access to the EU market for all industrial goods except for certain textile imports from Latvia and Lithuania which are subject to annual tariff-free ceilings. There are no restrictions on textile imports from Estonia.For agricultural products, the Free Trade Agreements provide for quotas for imports of certain products at a reduced tariff rate.The Government are keen to see improved access to the EU market for the three Baltic countries. Wherever possible we argue in the EU for improved trade concessions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For which factors affecting inflation they accept responsibility.

Inflation is affected by a range of factors. It is the responsibility of the Bank of England to take these factors into account when setting interest rates to meet the Government's inflation target. A full explanation of the Government's approach to monetary policy was set out in the Chancellor's Mansion House speech.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the average growth rate of the UK economy since 1979; and what, in their view, is the appropriate long-term growth rate to be used when making forecasts of the UK economy.

The average annual rate of growth of GDP over the period 1979–1996 was 2 per cent. A report by the National Audit Office, published on Thursday 19 June, endorsed an assumption of 2¼ per cent. trend growth per annum for the underlying growth rate of the economy as, "broadly consistent with past experience, with the range of published estimates of the long-term rate of growth in the economy, and with assessments of the medium-term prospect for growth."

asked Her Majesty's Government:In relation to their proposed scheme to tackle late payments to small companies, after what period of time a penalty will become payable on a late payment.

The Government are proposing legislation for a statutory right to claim interest on the late payment of commercial debt. Views on the precise content of the Bill will shortly be sought in a Green Paper. This should be issued before Parliament rises.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, within the scope of the strategic defence review, there is any question of altering or abandoning the regimental system of the British Army.

The Strategic Defence Review will examine how the Army should be structured to meet our nation's interests and commitments, taking full account of the recognised strengths of the regimental system. It would, however, be premature to speculate on whether the review will alter any aspect of the system.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence on 2 June 1997 (HC Deb.,

It remains our policy to secure the best price which can reasonably be obtained for surplus property. Treasury guidance recognises, however, that this approach needs to be in accord with the local planning framework, and that there may be circumstances—for example, with historic buildings—where it will be reasonable to consider wider issues. The Government's aim is to work with local authorities and others to ensure that protecting the interests of the taxpayer does not conflict with meeting our wider employment and environmental objectives, or local planning and social considerations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is any known association between liver malfunction and chronic exposure to organophosphates, pyridostigmine bromide or any of the vaccines which were administered to members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces prior to and during Operation Granby.

Her Majesty's Government are not aware of any link between exposures to these substances and liver malfunction in humans.There has been some research which suggests that chronic low-level exposure to particular organophosphate pesticides can cause liver malfunction in certain animals. Abnormal liver function tests have been reported after vaccination against hepatitis B, although a causal relationship has not been established. Hepatitis B vaccine was given to medical and dental workers deploying to the Gulf. There have also been reports of jaundice temporally related to immunisation against yellow fever, although again we are not aware of a causal relationship. Yellow fever was a routine vaccine administered to personnel during the Gulf conflict.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many Gulf veterans who have been examined under the Medical Assessment Programme have been diagnosed as having an enlarged liver or liver malfunction, and to what this attributed.

In order that data can be collected on a form suitable for future publication, diagnostic information from the records of individual patients of the Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) is coded according to Revisions 9 and 10 of the International Classification of Diseases and entered in a database. Owing to pressure on resources, the diagnostic coding, and the preparation of statistical data has so far been completed for only a small proportion of the veterans who have been seen and diagnosed by the MAP physicians. Accordingly, the information requested can at present regrettably not be provided.As the Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced last month, extra resources are being made available to the MAP.Urgent work is in hand to appoint extra staff to the MAP, both medical and administrative. Ensuring that the MAP database is complete and up-to-date will be a priority task for the administrative staff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the national curriculum assessment results for individual schools would be available to interested parties under the proposed Freedom of Information Act; and, if so, why Her Majesty's Government are considering not publishing this information nationally.

National curriculum assessment results will continue to be available in school prospectuses. We have also announced today that we intend to require local education authorities to publish performance tables of the assessment results of 11 year-olds in primary schools in their area. The 1997 results, together with additional local information, are expected to be available from LEAs during January 1998.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they hope to prevent schools and pupils becoming focused on exam results to the exclusion of all else.

The Government's proposals for raising standards in schools—both in academic achievement and more generally—will be set out in our forthcoming White Paper.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With reference to their modified target that "by 2006 practically every 11 year-old should reach this level (i.e. "the appropriate reading standard for their age")", whether they intend that the words "practically every 11 year-old" should be read as excluding or including children assessed as having special educational needs.

The Government believe that very many children assessed as having special educational needs are capable of reaching the appropriate reading standard for their age. They have therefore set inclusive targets, both for 2002 and 2006.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was (a) the shortest and (b) the longest time taken from initiation to result of a planning application in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter to Lord Skelmersdale from the Chief Executive of the Planning Service, Mr. T. W. Stewart, dated 20 June 1997.

I have been asked to reply to your recent Question about decision times on planning applications in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.The shortest and longest time taken from initiation to determination of planning applications in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is as follows:-

Year	Shortest time taken (days)	Longest time taken (days)
1992	6	1,641
1993	18	2,301
1994	10	2,575
1995	14	1,966
1996	20	1,716

While the length of time taken to determine the "longest" applications would appear to be excessive I should explain that three of the five applications involved related to mineral/quarry operations which by their nature tend to be complex and generally take longer to determine given the associated environmental issues. A combination of factors led to delays in determining the applications, for example in most cases there were delays by the applicant/agent in submitting the necessary information to enable the application to be progressed, others were held in abeyance either at the applicant's request or to await the determination of related applications which were material planning considerations. In one case the delay in determining the application was for reasons of prematurity pending the review and adoption of the development plan for the area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they can provide figures to explain the annual increases in the cost of public transport in London over the past three years, and whether there can be any guarantee that the cost will not be increased next year.

The annual increases in London transport fares over the last three years is shown in the table below.

	Real Fares Indices(1994=100)		Real Year On Year Percentage Average increases
	London Underground	LT Buses	London Underground	LT Buses
1994	100.0	100.0	—	—
1995	101.5	101.8	1.5	1.8
1996	103.6	103.9	2.1	2.1
1997	104.9	104.5	1.3	0.6

Because of the restructuring of the railways industry following privatisation, a consistent series of data on rail fares in London is not available. However, from 1 January 1996 until December 1998 increases in a range of fares, comprising main commuter fares and leisure fares, are capped at RPI (retail prices index).Fare levels on London Transport (LT) services are the statutory responsibility of LT. The Government can give no guarantee that LT fares will not increase next year.

of Cults asked Her Majesty's Government:What reduction in accidents and fatalities they expect to result from the introduction of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 divided between (a) houses in multiple occupation and (b) other let accommodation.

This Government take gas safety very seriously and are committed to ensuring that landlords take responsibility for their tenants' safety. It is too early to make a valid assessment about what impact the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 will have on reducing incidents and fatalities from gas-related carbon monoxide poisoning as they only came into force on 31 October 1996. However, we hope that the amendment will lead to greater compliance by landlords and thus reducing the number of incidents and fatalities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for further consultation on future policy relating to water charges.

As my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minster announced at the Water Summit, the Government are to review the system of charging for water in England and Wales. He is launching that review today. The purpose of the review is to ensure that we have a fair and sustainable system of charging for water and sewerage services.The review will be conducted jointly by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Welsh Office, in consultation with the Office of Water Services. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions will be writing today to interested bodies with details of the main issues which the review will address and inviting their representations. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.There is public concern about the system of charging for water. Water and sewerage services have to be paid for, but customers are entitled to expect that the basis on which their charges are levied is a fair one. The method of charging should have the support of customers as well as water companies.The review will look at the various methods of charging for mains water and sewerage services, including both unmeasured and measured systems. Under Section 145 of the Water Industry Act 1991, water companies must not base their charges on rateable values after 31 March 2000. The review will consider the future use of rateable values and other possible bases for unmeasured charges, such as the use of council tax bands. It will also consider debt recovery arrangements.We have made clear our opposition to compulsory metering for essential household use of water. We will also want to look very carefully at the issues of disconnection and the use of budget payment meters for household water supplies: no one should be deprived of water because of inability to pay for it. We will consider these issues in the review. But we do want to have views from all the interested parties before we bring forward proposals for changes in the present regime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the result of the Transport Council held in Luxembourg on 17 and 18 June.

The Transport Council met in Luxembourg on 17 and 18 June. My right honourable friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Transport represented the United Kingdom.My right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister made a statement emphasising the importance the Government attach to Europe and stressing the constructive approach the United Kingdom would seek to take.The Council reached political agreement on a Directive to co-ordinate and improve member states' arrangements for safety inspection of third country aircraft using EU airports. The United Kingdom, supported by Germany, asked for a statement to be entered in the Council minutes making clear that we would have preferred the Directive to apply also to EU aircraft.The Council agreed conclusions on Community involvement in the EUROCONTROL organisation, which co-ordinates air traffic management arrangements within Europe, and on work towards the creation of a new European aviation safety organisation.The Council held a further discussion on a draft directive on the levels of heavy goods vehicle taxation and of road user charges for those member states which levy a specific charge for the use of their motorways. By qualified majority (with Germany opposing) the Council agreed a regulation which will require new commercial vehicles to be fitted with electronic tachographs when such instruments have been type approved. This was the only item on which the Council took a vote. The United Kingdom secured an amendment intended to ensure that the security of new electronic tachograph products will be properly tested before they are approved for use.The Council debated road safety, and agreed conclusions which, in particular, encouraged the Commission to take forward ideas on exchange of best practice. The Council also agreed conclusions endorsing a Commission report by the Commission on road transport telematics and inviting further work in this area.The Council agreed conclusions welcoming a Commission communication on trans-European rail freight freeways, whose aim is to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail by allowing greater freedom of access by train operators to the Community's rail network.The Council reached political agreement on a Directive requiring counting of passengers on all sea voyages and the registration of the name, gender and other details of passengers on voyages over 20 miles, subject to certain exemptions and derogations. The Council also reached political agreement on a Directive bringing Community rules on seafarer training into line with the 1995 revision of the International Maritime Organisation Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.The Council held a general debate on a Commission communication on maritime external relations, and agreed conclusions welcoming a Commission report on short sea shipping.Among other issues raised at the Council were the growth of weekend lorry bans, the Community's aviation negotiations with the US and with central and eastern European countries, and duty-free sales on travel within the European Union. On this a number of member states sought an independent study of the effects of abolition: no undertaking was, however, given by the Commission.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to pursue their commitment to the proper regulation of buses.

As part of the fundamental review of transport policy announced by my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 June, my right honourable friend the Minister for Transport announced in a speech to the Confederation of Passenger Transport earlier today a wide ranging bus review. Its purpose is to examine how buses can best play their part in an integrated transport policy. Our aim is to see increased use of the bus as a means of reducing congestion and pollution, particularly by attracting motorists from their cars.The review will look at all aspects of buses including: the scope for more effective use of bus priority measures, coupled as necessary with traffic restraint; better arrangements for passenger information and ticketing, including inter-modal travel; and regulatory and other measures to improve the quality of bus services, notably through the "quality partnership" approach between operators and local authorities. In addition, it will address financial issues such as costs and support for the industry.We intend to consult fully with the industry, local authorities, bus users and other interest groups, building on the joint work that has previously been done in this area. The results of the review will form part of the proposed White Paper next Spring on integrated transport policy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in regard to their proposals to replace compulsory competitive tendering with a new duty on local authorities to ensure best value for money, they have considered what powers the Secretary of State shall have to enforce his chosen form of intervention in appropriate cases, and whether that intervention is to be on the advice of individual auditors or the Audit Commission.

On 2 June, we sent the Local Government Association and the Audit Commission a draft set of 12 principles which would underpin further development work on the best value framework. A copy of the relevant letter has been placed in the Library. These principles included four points covering the roles of auditors and the Audit Commission, and the nature and form of intervention.At this stage, we have an open mind about the precise form of intervention powers and the roles of the Audit Commission and individual auditors within the relevant procedures. In advance of legislation on best value we will be consulting all interested parties. I expect a number of these parties will have views on intervention powers and the procedures which should be adopted. We will consider these views before bringing forward legislation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether National Car Free Day illustrates the importance which the public attach to the unrestricted use of their cars.

The National Car Free Day initiative organised by the Environmental Transport Association resulted in reduced car use by some organisations and people, although day-to-day variations in traffic levels make it difficult to determine its effect in detail, and it is clear that many people continued to use their car on 17 June. But such events are largely intended to raise people's awareness of the wider environmental and economic consequences of over-reliance on the car, and not simply to reduce car use on a particular day. The Government consider that initiatives to raise travel awareness have an important role to play. The effectiveness of such measures in changing attitudes and influencing individual transport decisions will be addressed in the Government's fundamental review of transport and its development of an integrated transport policy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of homes to be built by local authorities will be designed for use by disabled people.

Under the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) resources are allocated to local authorities for capital expenditure on housing. Local authorities also receive resources from other programmes such as the single regeneration budget and the capital challenge pilot, and in addition they can use their own resources such as useable capital receipts to fund housing works. It is for local authorities to set out local priorities in their housing strategy including the need for properties for disabled people.Local authority tenants are also able to apply for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). DFGs are awarded on a mandatory or discretionary basis depending on the type of works and subject to a means test. Mandatory grants are awarded for essential works needed to help a disabled person manage more independently in their home and discretionary grants are available for a wide range of other adaptation works.Housing associations are the main providers of new social housing. New Housing Association housing for people with physical disabilities will receive funding where housing for the disabled is identified as a priority housing need by the local authority in its housing strategy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Secretary of State for Health expects to resume making appointments to health authorities and trusts to fill vacancies that have occurred in recent months.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health is introducing a range of measures to ensure that appointments to the boards of both National Health Service trusts and health authorities are more democratic and representative of the communities they serve. The new process will start in the very near future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many new cases of poliomyelitis have been reported in each of the last five years.

Cases of poliomyelitis are categorised as caused by wild virus, vaccine associated or imported aetiology. There has not been a single confirmed case of indigenous wild virus polio in the United Kingdom for more than a decade. The number of cases of polio reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service for the last five years are given in the table. Between 1992 and 1996 over 30 million doses of oral polio vaccine were distributed in the UK.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list for every year from 1947 to date the percentage of GDP spent on the National Health Service, together with the percentages of the total raised by general taxation and through charges to patients, together with the percentages of the total spent on capital costs and on running costs.

Information on the percentage of gross domestic product spent on the National Health Service is available from 1949 and is given in Table A. The available information on contributions from general taxation and charging, and on capital costs and running costs, is set out in the Department of Health departmental reports, but refers to England only. A summary of the available information is given in Tables B and C. Copies of the departmental reports are available in the Library.

Table A: UK NHS Expenditure as a proportion of GDP 1949 to 1996–97
Year	Proportion of GDP per cent.
1949	3.5
1950	3.6
1951	3.4
1952	3.1
1953	3.1
1954	3.0
1955	3.0
1956	3.0
1957	3.1
1958	3.2
1959	3.2
1960	3.3
1961	4.2
1962	3.4
1963	3.4
1964	3.4
1965	3.5
1966	3.7
1967	3.9
1968	3.9
1969	3.8
1970	3.9
1971	3.9
1972	4.0
1973	4.1
1974–75	4.8
1975–76	5.1
1976–77	5.0