asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the oral Answer given by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 13 November, whether they will disclose the donors, trustees and beneficiaries of the blind trusts which contribute to party political funding.

The trustees and beneficiaries of Labour Party trusts are already public. The Prime Minister has proposed to the leaders of other political parties that all parties agree to making available in confidence to the Neill Committee the details of all donations over £5,000 to party funds since 1992. The Labour Party would be prepared to ask the trustees to include donations to blind trusts, such as the Labour leader's office fund, in this evidence. The leader of the Liberal Democrats has indicated his willingness to consider this approach. The leader of the Conservative Party has said he is unwilling to do so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who let the first contracts for the construction of the millennium dome in March; when it was decided to proceed with the dome as distinct from the "millennium experience"; and who would have been responsible for any loss incurred before the final decision was taken on 19 June 1997.

The first contracts for the construction of the millennium dome were let by the operating company who were, at the time, called Millennium Central Ltd. The final decision to proceed with the dome was taken on 20 June when final planning permission was granted from the London Borough of Greenwich. The Millennium Commission would have been responsible for meeting the costs associated with the project (at the time, around £50 million) had the decision been taken to cancel the exhibition at Greenwich.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give a breakdown by region of the 5,684 new cases of BSE in Great Britain which were reported in the 52 week period ending on 14 November.

The breakdown by region of the 5,684 new cases of BSE in Great Britain reported in the 52 week period ending on 14 November 1997 is shown in the following table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have received from:

The Government have received a number of letters from Consumers for Health Choice, the Society for the Promotion for Nutritional Therapy and the Council for Responsible Nutrition about the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements. Ministers and officials have also met with representatives of these organisations to discuss the proposed controls. The Government have also received a large number of representations from other organisations and individuals. These have included organisations representing consumers, practitioners and retailers. No assessment has been made of whether any of the individuals who have submitted representations could be regarded as being experts in nutrition.No record has been made of the number of representations received which either supported or opposed the new controls. However, almost all have either opposed, questioned the basis of, or expressed reservations about the proposed controls.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many letters and other representations they have received since 1 July about the proposed restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 from:

Since the beginning of July the Government have received approximately 1,200 items of correspondence from Members of Parliament and 10,000 letters, many in standard form, from others concerning their proposed control on dietary supplements containing vitamin B6. No record has been made of those supporting or opposing the proposed controls. However, almost all of the letters received have either opposed, questioned the basis of, or expressed reservations about the proposed controls.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received any representations or requests from the United States Embassy or from American health food manufacturers about the implications of the proposed restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; if so, what those approaches were; and what response they intend to make.

No representations have been received from the United States Embassy about the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements. A number of manufacturers of dietary supplements have made written representations on this subject and it is believed that at least one of those has links with the United States. The nature of the representations received vary, but most either opposed, questioned the basis of, or expressed reservations about the proposed controls. The Government's response will have varied according to the nature of the representation received, but in most cases it will have included an explanation of the background to the issue and a statement of the Government's policy on it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the compliance cost assessment undertaken in connection with the proposed restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplementation included an assessment of the increase in business for those providing alternative drug regimes for women experiencing pre-menstrual tension; and what account they took of these commercial considerations when assessing the advice of the committee on toxicity.

A draft compliance cost assessment in connection with the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements is being prepared and will be included with the draft regulations required to give effect to the new controls when these are sent out for consultation. No assessment of the possible increase in business for those providing alternative drug regimes for women experiencing pre-menstrual tension was made when the Government considered the advice of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment nor was this or any other commercial consideration a factor in the Government's decision.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What individual experts in nutrition, other than members of the committee on toxicity, have contacted them (a) to express support for, or (b) to register opposition to, the proposed restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6.

The Government have received a large number of representations from individuals about the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements. No assessment has been made of whether any of these individuals could be regarded as being experts in nutrition.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any representations they may have received from PMS Help in relation to the proposed restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 included a declaration of family or other links to Dr. K. Dalton; and whether they are aware of any such links.

It is clear from the correspondence that we have received from PMS Help that Dr. Katrina Dalton is one of its patrons. The Government are aware of this and of the family link between Dr. Dalton and PMS Help.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have yet completed the compliance cost assessment in connection with their proposed new restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; and whether that assessment will include an estimate of the impact of the restriction on the retail sector.

Information on the impact of the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements has been sought from organisations representing retail interests and will be included in the compliance cost assessment which is in the process of being prepared.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the draft statutory instrument to implement their recent decision to restrict the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; what plans they have to consult interested parties about the draft; and whether that consultation will include the opportunity to review the decision to introduce the new restriction as well as the way in which the restrictions will be enforced.

The regulations required to implement the proposed controls on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements are in the process of being drafted and are likely to be issued for consultation at the end of December or early in the New Year. Those consulted will include organisations representing interests likely to be substantially effected by the regulations. No decision has yet been taken on the exact scope of the consultation exercise but it will extend to matters other than the way in which the restrictions will be enforced.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of advice from the British Equine Veterinary Association that in European law the horse is classified as a food producing animal, how they can treat the horse as a food producing animal, but not an agricultural animal.

Classification of all horses as agricultural animals is not a requirement of European law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will add to the performance indicators given to the Royal Ulster Constabulary the number of public places of worship and public halls attacked by arson or otherwise.

The Government have no plans at present to set such a performance indicator.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the £31 million of new health service funding announced by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in July 1997 is to be allocated.

As announced earlier today by my right honourable friend Mr. Tony Worthington, the Minister with responsibility for this matter, in the Northern Ireland Grand Committee, £33 million will be directed primarily at front line services. In addition to alleviating the necessary pay and inflation increases and providing £7.4 million capitation assistance to allow the northern and southern health and social services boards to maintain their current funding, the additional £31 million will allow for key service developments through the provision of £5 million for community care, £4 million for child care, £2 million for cancer services and £2 million for essential health and safety work. In addition to those key service developments, some of the additional funding will be used to develop primary care led services, to increase support for voluntary organisations, to meet the cost of improved food safety standards in the wake of the E-coli outbreak in Scotland, to maintain the quality assurance of cervical screening and to improve medical training both in hospital and general practice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware of conditions in Gibraltar prison; and, if so, what plans they have to improve them.

We are aware of the conditions at the prison. The Government of Gibraltar is currently carrying out a programme of improvements. We would consider any proposals for practical assistance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the five years imprisonment in Turkey imposed on Mr. Unsal Ozturk for his activities as a publisher constitute a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights.

We are pleased to hear from the Turkish Human Rights Association that Mr. Ozturk has recently been released. The question of whether his conviction is in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights is more appropriately a matter for the European Court to consider.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to close the UNITA of Angola office in the United Kingdom and to expel its representatives as required by the decision of the United Nations Security Council on 29 October 1997.

The Home Office wrote to the UNITA representative, Mr. Kandeya, on 5 December requiring him to leave the United Kingdom immediately.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What reply they have given to the United Nations Sanctions Committee on the implementation of sanctions on UNITA of Angola as required by the United Nations Security Council decision on 29 October 1997.

A copy of the reply given to the United Nations Sanctions Committee has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to implement sanctions against UNITA of Angola as required by the decision of the United Nations Security Council on 29 October 1997.

The information requested is provided in the reply given to the United Nations Sanctions Committee. A copy of this has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to provide medical consultants in dermatology, plastic surgery and ENT surgery for our servicemen and their families stationed in Germany.

The dermatology service is normally provided by a British civilian consultant employed by the Health Alliance. He is based at Bielefeld, but conducts clinics at garrison and station medical centres throughout British Forces Germany. However, due to the resignation of the postholder, the service is currently being provided by a UK civilian locum consultant who visits Germany for one week every month and conducts out-patient clinics in all regions.A military consultant in plastic surgery from the Defence Secondary Care Agency makes regular visits at three-monthly intervals to Germany to provide out-patient clinics for Service personnel and their families. Work is in hand to reduce the period between visits to two months. An alternative means of delivering the service is being investigated to facilitate this. If surgery is recommended, arrangements are made for the patients to receive this either at the Royal Hospital Haslar or at a designated German provider hospital. Should urgent treatment be required, the patients would be referred to the nearest appropriate German hospital or evacuated to the UK.ENT consultants are provided by the five designated German provider hospitals as a part of the latter's contracts with the Health Alliance. In addition, a British consultant is currently employed by the Health Alliance to provide an out-patient service in the Rhine region because the designated German provider hospital in that area was originally unable to meet the level of demand. However, with effect from 17 December, the hospital will be able to deliver the required service and, as a result, the British consultant will no longer be required. Consequently, all ENT patients will be referred direct from GPs to German consultants at the appropriate designated German provider hospital.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to ensure that an emergency ophthalmology service is available at all times for all our servicemen and their families stationed in Germany.

Service personnel and their families in Germany who require emergency ophthalmology treatment are referred to the nearest German hospital which is able to provide the necessary high standard of care.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many suicides have occurred at Her Majesty's Prison Littlehey in each year since it opened.

There have been three self-inflicted deaths at Littlehey prison since it opened. There were one each in 1989 (inquest verdict—suicide); 1992 (inquest verdict—open); and 1997 (inquest scheduled for 17 December).

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what evidence the Home Secretary bases his view that the social risk associated with rapid draw lotteries makes their introduction in the United Kingdom unacceptable; and which experts he has consulted.

Successive large scale lottery draws, running in a rapid series through the day and operating simultaneously in a large number of different outlets, would have many of the characteristics of hard gambling. Their association with premises such as pubs, to which the public have ready access and where alcohol is freely available, is likely to encourage excessive participation. It is longstanding public policy that harder forms of gambling should be confined to specially licensed and appropriately controlled premises.The Government have consulted the Gaming Board, the public body which regulates gambling including under the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 and which is its principal adviser on gambling regulation, the National Association for Gambling Care Educational Resources and Training (Gamcare) and the Director of the Centre for Research into the Social Impact of Gambling, University of Plymouth.

asked Her Majesty's Government:From which organisations and individuals representations have been received in relation to the introduction of a rapid draw lottery in licensed premises.

As at 8 December, we have received representations about rapid draw lotteries from the following:Action Research, Addiction Counselling World: Addiction Recovery Foundation; The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust; Lord Ashley of Stoke (President of the charity Defeating Deafness); Blindcare; Brainwave; Chemical Dependency Centre; Children in Crisis; Children's Unit Appeal (East Somerset NHS Trust); Counsel and Care; Crown Leisure plc; Cystic Fibrosis Trust; Defeating Deafness; Disability Advice and Welfare Network; The Drug and Alcohol Foundation; Lord Elton (Chairman of the DIVERT Trust); The European Children's Trust; Dr. Sue Fisher, Director of the Centre for Research into the Social Impact of Gambling (Plymouth University); The Gaming Board, Help the Hospices; Holiday Care Service; Inter Lotto (UK) Ltd.; Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers; the Lotteries Council; MENCAP; the Methodist Church; National Association for Gambling, Care, Educational Resources and Training (GAMCARE); National Council for Social Concern; National Council for Voluntary Organisations; Osteopathic Centre for Children; Rainbow Trust; The Royal British Legion; St. Ann's Hospice, The Samaritans; Sound Seekers; The Earl of Stockton (on behalf of Chemical Dependency Centre); and Treloar Trust.In addition we have received letters from nine Members of Parliament and four members of the public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What results have been achieved so far by the Kairos project at the Verne Prison; how many prisoners are now taking part in this experiment; and what changes there have been in prisoners' religious registration since the project started.

The staff at the Verne prison are encouraged by the preliminary effects that the course has had on the behaviour of prisoners. Vandalism in the dedicated wing has ceased, and the previously high incidence of recorded drug taking and bullying in the wing has fallen away. The project started on 3 April 1997 with a course for 24 prisoners. The second group of 42 prisoners commenced the second course on 16 October. Of the 66 inmates who have been on the course, no prisoner has requested to change his religious registration.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many social workers are currently carrying out the functions of probation officers, without having previous probation training and experience in service.

Her Majesty's Government are aware of no cases in which probation services are carrying out their functions in this way. We are aware of the decision by the contractors operating Altcourse prison to employ a throughcare manager and three social workers directly rather than use seconded probation staff on throughcare functions. Of the three staff so far appointed, none of whom is yet in post, two have previously worked in a probation service, although not as probation officers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether applications to the Home Office at Lunar House, Croydon, for work permit extensions or other immigration documentation may continue to be made on behalf of clients by courier companies rather than by post.

On 10 November, the public inquiry office at Lunar House restricted its service to personal callers only and ceased to deal with any third party applicants, including couriers, solicitors and other immigration consultants. A guaranteed 24 hour postal service is offered for straightforward urgent applications and is operating satisfactorily.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will agree with the previous government that England will need 4.4 million more houses by 2016 than there were in 1991; who worked out the figure of 4.4 million; and what assumptions underlie this figure as to movement of people around the country.

The projections, which are for 4.4 million additional households not houses, were published in 1995 in my department's document Projections of Households in England to 2016. They are only one of the factors that regional conferences of local authorities have to take into consideration when advising the Secretary of State on housing requirements in regional planning guidance. We are satisfied that the projections were the best that could be made with the available data and that they accurately reflect recent trends. The methodology to produce them has been broadly endorsed by independent inquiries, including the Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons in their Second Report on Housing Need (12 February 1996 HOC11/i/1995/1996/).Migration assumptions of the sub-national population projections, on which the household projections were based, were initially derived by the Office for National Statistics. They were based on past trends in internal and international migration, from the National Health Service central register (showing movements of NHS doctors' patients), the 1991 census, and the international passenger survey. The Department of the Environment, and the Department of Health consulted local authorities and health authorities on these assumed migration patterns in two consultation phases.The constraints on the consultation process were that there must be a net balance in internal migration, and net international migration must match the assumptions in national population projections. However, where possible, evidence for alternative local migration patterns, supplied by local authorities, was taken into account.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any reports produced by them which show the benefits of wearing a rear seat belt.

No government report specifically shows the benefits of wearing a rear seat belt. However, the following reports examine the effects of the earlier legislation on front seat belts:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals they have for the future of the Rural Development Commission.

May I refer my noble friend to the Statement about the English regions which I read to the House on 3 December 1997 (Official Report col. 1391), and to the answer I gave to the subsequent question from the noble Lord, Lord Shuttleworth (Official Report col. 1405). We are considering the future of the Rural Development Commission as part of the comprehensive spending review. We expect to reach conclusions in the New Year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to increase or decrease Scotland's education capital budgets in real terms for the next financial year in comparison to this financial year; and what percentage change this represents.

Local authorities receive most of their capital allocations in the form of a single block consent to cover capital expenditure on education, roads and transport, social work, flood prevention, general services and housing other than council housing. Provision for individual programmes is not separately identified within the single allocation total and local authorities are free to determine their own priorities for capital expenditure on individual programmes. Her Majesty's Government announced on 2 July, as part of the Budget, that an additional £8.9 million this year and £26.7 million in each of the next four years would be made available for capital expenditure on improving the condition of schools in Scotland. It has been made clear to authorities that this should be additional to what they would otherwise have spent on schools. Payment will be under special grant arrangements separate from the usual capital allocation arrangements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to increase or decrease Scotland's housing capital budget in real terms for the next financial year in comparison to this financial year, and what percentage change this represents.

Net planned provision for local authority capital in 1998-99, at £180 million, remains the same as for 1997-98. Scottish Homes' development programme for 1998-99 will be determined and announced in due course. Shortly after coming into office, the Government announced an extra £1 million this year for the rough sleepers initiative and £2 million this year for a new empty homes initiative. In July, the Government announced an extra £12.5 million this year and an extra £43.7 million next year for measures to improve home energy efficiency and to promote the new housing partnerships initiative. The Government also announced on 3 December that an additional £7 million was being made available for the empty homes initiative in 1998-99. These extra resources demonstrate the high priority which the Government attach to housing in Scotland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to increase or decrease Scotland's road capital budget in real terms for the next financial year in comparison to this financial year, and what percentage change this represents.

The proposed motorways and trunk roads capital budget for Scotland for 1998-99 is £110.15 million, a 22 per cent. reduction in real terms from 1997-98. This reflects decisions about the scale of activity on major capital projects announced earlier this year, in conjunction with the implementation of our manifesto commitment to a strategic review of the trunk roads programme. A substantial part of the reduction has been redirected to other transport priorities, notably freight facilities grants to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail and the external financing limits of Caledonian MacBrayne and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Capital expenditure on local roads in 1998-99 is a matter for local authorities to determine within the overall resources available to them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to increase or decrease Scotland's NHS budget in real terms for the next financial year in comparison to this financial year; and what percentage change this represents.

Scotland's NHS budget will increase in real terms in the next financial year by 1.8 per cent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the prison population in Scotland in each of the past five years.

The average daily prisoner population in Scotland in each of the last five years (April to March) was follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements are made to screen and treat prisoners with mental illnesses within the prison service in Scotland.

On admission to prison, every prisoner is assessed by a nurse and within 24 hours is also seen by the prison doctor for a full medical assessment, including current and past mental health history and treatment. If the doctor considers it necessary, and provided the prisoner gives his consent, contact is made with the prisoner's own doctor for further information on diagnosis, medication and treatment. Any treatment that the prisoner has been receiving in the community is continued if deemed appropriate.All receiving prisons have access to psychiatric consultants who attend regularly and see those prisoners referred to them by the prison doctor. Day care facilities for mentally-ill prisoners are also available in certain prisons. In cases where it is considered that a prisoner with a mental illness cannot be cared for in prison, arrangements are made for that person to transfer to a psychiatric hospital. In appropriate cases, the prisoner may be compulsorily detained in hospital under the provisions of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the criteria on which the Secretary of State for Scotland relies when calling in planning applications for opencast mining.

The long established general principle under which the planning system operates in Scotland is that decisions should be taken at the most local administrative level unless there are strong reasons for taking them at a higher level, for example where issues of national rather than local importance are raised. Where an application for planning permission is brought to the Secretary of State's attention he will consider it on an individual basis with a view to deciding whether or not it raises issues which would warrant him calling in the application for his own determination.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy on opencast mining in Scotland.

The Government's energy policy aims to ensure the availability of secure, diverse and sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices and while meeting environmental targets. In general the Government believe that this will be achieved, or at least enhanced, by diversity in the types of fuel supplied, in the source and suppliers of these fuels, and in the means of delivery. The Government are currently reviewing thier policy on fuel supplies to electricity generating stations.The Government are also currently considering their approach to opencast mining in the context of the current review of planning policy for opencast coal.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to review the work of the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.

The Gene Therapy Advisory Committee has performed extremely successfully since its establishment in 1993. As is usual with all advisory bodies, which have operated for a number of years, we have asked a small team to undertake a review of GTAC's role and functions. We expect the review team to present its recommendations early in the new year.The members are Mrs. Marcia Fry (Department of Health) Chair; Professor Kay Davies—Professor of Genetics, Oxford University; Dr. Brian Davis—Medicines Control Agency, Professor Jim McEwen—Multicentre Research Ethics Committee Chairman, Scotland; Dr. Peter Rigby—National Institute for Medical Research; Mr. Indarjit Singh—Member of British Medical Association Ethics Committee; and Dr. Richard Tiner—Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the figures announced on 8 November 1993, purporting to show that smokers need to consult general practitioners 8 million times a year more than non-smokers, were based on accurate figures or on estimates; and whether other factors including poverty, bad housing conditions and unemployment were also taken into account.

The figures released on 8 November 1993 by the Health Education Authority in The Smoking Epidemic—A prescription for change showed that smoking accounts for an additional 8 million general practitioner consultations per year in England and Wales. These were based on estimates from the 1988 and 1990 general household surveys. Respondents were asked how many GP consultations they had had during the two weeks before the survey and the numbers of GP consultations for smokers and non-smokers were compared. Adjustments to the estimates were made for age and sex so that potential excess costs were not exaggerated, but no attempt was made to adjust for other factors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What safeguards exist to ensure the accountability of all concerned in social work case conferences, and in particular that the records of such conferences are not incorrectly kept, for example, by recording opinions as matters of fact.

Working Together under the Children Act 1989, the Government's inter-departmental policy guidance, makes clear the Government's expectations for the recording of child protection conferences. All child protection conferences must have someone whose sole task is to take notes and produce minutes of the meeting. A copy of the minutes should be sent to all those who attended the conference—including parents if present for the whole of the conference. People receiving the minutes are required to draw attention to any inaccuracies. The minutes should be despatched as quickly as possible. If the parent(s) did not attend the whole or part of the conference, they should get a copy of the summary or the full minutes depending on the Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) policy. Again, parents can comment if they are inaccurate. The quality of the written records is monitored by the child protection conference chair and the line managers within each agency. Ultimately, the ACPC is responsible for monitoring the minutes. Working Together is issued to local authorities as guidance under Section 7 of the Local Government Act 1970. As such it does not have the full force of statute but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of National Health Service medical posts is filled by overseas doctors, excluding those from the European Community.

The number and percentage of medical staff in Great Britain qualified outside the European Economic Area as at 30 September 1996 is shown in the table:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What statistics they have regarding graduates from British medical schools emigrating abroad.

Evidence of doctors going abroad is available from studies published in 1991 by Professor James Parkhouse. This gives the results of surveys of doctors who qualified in 1974, 1977, 1980 and 1983. The department has commissioned further cohort studies of doctors' careers by the Medical Careers Research Group at the Oxford Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology. These are examining career patterns of doctors who qualified in 1988, 1993 and 1996, as well as some of the cohorts surveyed originally by Professor Parkhouse. The studies, which collect data via questionnaires, continue to look at wastage from the medical profession including reasons why doctors choose to go abroad.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures are undertaken to retain both trainee doctors and the most highly qualified consultants within the National Health Service.

The Government are committed to tackling the concerns of National Health Service staff and bringing back a more co-operative culture by listening to staff and taking an evolutionary approach to change. The new approach is based on a combination of fairness, flexibility, and efficiency. In September 1997, a consultation exercise on managing human resources in the NHS, a service wide approach, was launched in England. A key aim of this strategy is to provide sufficient experienced, knowledgeable, skilled, well trained and highly motivated staff to deliver health services. In Scotland, a similar consultation exercise to develop a human resource strategy was launched in October 1997. Good recruitment and retention practice in trusts is being identified for sharing with the service. Annual planning guidance issued to the NHS, stresses the need for employers to improve retention for all staff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the terms and conditions of National Health Service doctors compare with those of doctors in (a) France; (b) Germany; (c) Canada; and (d) the US.

The structure of healthcare provision and the employment arrangements of doctors differ between the countries listed. It is therefore not possible to make meaningful comparisons.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of the Department of Health press notice of 7 November entitled

No. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health made it clear in his press statement of 7 November that the Government intend to consult widely on the law relating to parental discipline. We will then decide how the law should be clarified.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list any published studies of vitamin B6 toxicity in animals of which they are aware and which specifically concluded that 50 mg per day should be the safety limit for human vitamin B6 supplementation; and whether they will summarise any representations which they have received on this matter from the authors of published papers relating to vitamin B6 toxicity in animals, indicating in each case the specific daily safety limits which such authors have advocated.

The lists of studies which were considered by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), including both animal and human studies, have been placed in the Library. At a meeting on 8 September 1997, an edited transcript of which has been sent to the Government, Dr. Ian Munro, the author of an experimental study on vitamin B6 toxicity in dogs, suggested that 100 mg per day would not produce adverse effects in humans. This information did not cause the COT to change its advice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that there is adequate progress being made in the new meningococcal A & C vaccine; and when it will be introduced into the general immunisation programme.

Following preliminary work commissioned by the Department of Health in 1995, on 3 November this year the department announced an extension of work to evaluate meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines in United Kingdom children. The study is being funded by the department at a total cost of over £1 million and is being carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service in collaboration with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Controls, the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research and the Institute for Child Health. Good progress is being made and these studies have shown very encouraging results already for Group C. Early indicators for Group B are also encouraging. There are reasonable prospects that these vaccines will eventually be able to induce long term immunity although more research is needed before their suitability for widespread use can be considered. The work in progress on accelerated development of conjugate vaccines puts the UK in a world leading position.Group A vaccine is recommended for those travelling to areas where this strain is prevalent; it is very rare in this country.The Department of Health looks to its independent expert committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), to advise on the appropriate method and timing of the introduction of new vaccines. The results of the studies set out above will allow JCVI to make an assessment of the efficacy and safety of new meningococcal vaccines and their potential place in the UK immunisation programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the recent increase in cases of meningococcal meningitis type C amongst the student population of United Kingdom colleges and universities, they will consider making available now the meningococcal A & C vaccine to all first year students and those living in halls of residence, andWhether, in the light of the recent increase in cases of meningococcal meningitis type C amongst the student population of United Kingdom colleges and universities, they will consider making standard practice for all first year students to receive meningococcal A & C vaccine in the first two weeks of the Autumn term.

The current policy on the use of meningococcal C vaccine is based on the recommendations of independent experts, including the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. These experts have considered the possible more widespread use of the existing meningococcal vaccine, but concluded that the vaccine had problems (set out as follows) which made such use unsuitable.The presently available Group C vaccine only offers about 80 per cent. protection for those in older age groups, this immunity is relatively short lived and the vaccine offers no protection at all against the most common strain of meningococcal disease. Group B.There is some preliminary evidence that those who receive the existing Group C vaccine may develop immune tolerance for further exposure, a risk as yet unresolved. Someone who has had the existing vaccine may not have a very good level of immunity when given the new, more effective vaccine under development, or potentially when exposed to the meningococcal organism.The vital message is to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease and to be alert. These remain the best general protection. The Health Education Authority's "Look out for your mate" campaign, together with the information provided by the Meningitis Research Foundation and the National Meningitis Trust, seeks to ensure students are aware and alert.It should also be remembered that rates of meningococcal infection are highest in under fives. If the existing vaccine were suitable for more widespread use these and other age groups would also have to be considered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that public funds spent on student meningitis awareness campaigns by the Department of Health would be better spent on medical research, given the fact that there are well-established meningitis charities running their own awareness campaigns.

The Department of Health first asked the Health Education Authority to develop material for students in 1996 as the department was aware of the lack of information specifically aimed at this group. The meningitis charities have since also produced information aimed at students independently of the department's information strategy. The department reviews annually its information strategies and will be consulting with the two meningitis charities about next year's student awareness campaigns.The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The council is always willing to consider support for soundly based new scientific proposals in competition with other applications. As regards research into meningitis, the MRC is currently providing support for two MRC units and funding 12 research grants at a cost of £2.3 million in 1995/6.In addition work to evaluate meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines in United Kingdom children is being funded by the department at a total cost of over £1 million. Early indications from this work are encouraging and puts the UK in a world leading position. The department provides funding to both the National Meningitis Trust and the Meningitis Research Foundation to support their work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many Chairmen of NHS Trusts whose term of appointment ended on 31 October or 30 November and who served only one term have not been reappointed and how many of these were women.

To date, 23 chairmen who had served only one term and stood for reappointment have not been reappointed. Of these, seven were women. All appointees are advised that there can be no presumption of reappointment at the end of any term of appointment served.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they approve the principle of an elected upper house, or second chamber, of parliament; whether they believe that members of an elected upper house, or second chamber, should be remunerated and provided with secretarial and research assistance at a level enjoyed by Members of the House of Commons; and what powers should be transferred from the House of Commons to this elected upper house, or second chamber.

The Government will bring forward their proposals for fulfilling their manifesto commitments on reforming the House of Lords in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the total amount of aid given to Zimbabwe, including both bilateral aid and the United Kingdom's share of European Union aid, for each of the last five years; and what is projected for the next three years.

The British aid programme to Zimbabwe for the financial years 1992–93 to 1996–97 was: