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Frederick and Rosemary West

Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy that any moneys raised by the sale of any book to be written by Mr. Geoffrey Mansell and commissioned by the Official Solicitor which uses copyright material from the West estate, or any other sums which drive from West memorabilia, will be used exclusively for the benefit of victims of the Wests. [22098]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Government have no involvement with the sale of rights in the West estate. The Official Solicitor, who is independent of Government, has been appointed as administrator of the West estate by the court. Like any other administrator, he is accountable to the court and, through the court to the beneficiaries.

The distribution of the estate and any income derived from it is a matter of law. The family of a murder victim might have a claim against an offender's estate.

Equal Opportunities

Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what amounts of money have been paid out by (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other organisations for which he is accountable to Parliament, to how many staff or former staff in respect of (i) alleged equal opportunities breaches which do not proceed to tribunals or courts and (ii) equal opportunities breaches which proceeded to tribunals or courts in (1) the current year and (2) the two previous years. [22503]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Lord Chancellor is responsible for four executive agencies. As this is an operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of the Land Registry and of the Public Record Office to reply direct. The chief executives of the Public Trust Office and

27 Mar 1996 : Column: 631

of the Court Service, which became executive agencies during the period specified in the question, will reply direct in respect of the period since their creation. In respect of the Lord Chancellor's Department and all other organisations for which he is responsible, no payments to staff or former staff for breaches of equal opportunities have been made over the last three years.

Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. David Shaw, dated 27 March 1996:

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply in respect of the Court Service to your Question about equal opportunities breaches and tribunals.
Since the Court Service was established, on 3 April 1995, it has made no payments in respect of alleged equal opportunities breaches which did not proceed to tribunals or courts. The Court Service has paid £3,000 in respect of cases that did proceed to tribunals or courts.

Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. David Shaw, dated 27 March 1996:

The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 21 March 1996 regarding amounts paid out in the current year and the two preceding years for equal opportunities breaches proceeding to tribunals or courts, and for alleged breaches which did not so proceed.
The figures are as follows:-
1993-4: Nil
1994-5: Nil
1995-6: Nil.

Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. David Shaw, dated 27 March 1996:

I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question requesting details of monies paid out to staff or former staff in respect of alleged equal opportunities breaches.
I can inform you that no monies have been paid out by HM Land Registry in such circumstances.

Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. David Shaw, dated 27 March 1996:

I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about equal opportunities breaches.
The Public Record Office has made no payments to staff or former staff in respect of (i) alleged equal opportunities breaches which do not proceed to tribunals or courts or (ii) equal opportunities breaches which proceeded to tribunals or courts, in (1) the current year or (2) the two previous years.

Family Credit

Mr. Madden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance he has issued to adjudicators concerning family credit in appeals relating to recourse to public funds and defining couples as being self-supporting in the long term referred to in respect of cases cited by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Kirkhope), during the Adjournment debate on 21 February, Official Report, columns 340-46; and if he will make a statement. [23074]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: None.

27 Mar 1996 : Column: 632

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Publications

Dr. Marek: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans he has for ensuring that non-governmental publications previously available through the Vote Office will continue to be so available. [22413]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: Non-governmental publications which are published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office or for which HMSO is the selling agent can be ordered through the Vote Office, subject to certain exclusions such as works of reference. There are a few cases in which organisations have ceased to use HMSO. There are no immediate plans to alter the green form system, but a review may be appropriate if the problem of dispersed publishing becomes widespread.

"Commonwealth Year Book"

Dr. Marek: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what proposals there are to continue to make the "Commonwealth Year Book" available to hon. Members through the Vote Office. [22414]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: The green form system in the Vote Office applies only to publications which are available through Her Majesty's Stationery Office. I understand that the next edition of the "Commonwealth Year Book" is not to be published by HMSO. That decision is not a matter for the Committee.

Internet Exhibition

Mr. Waller: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to educational benefits to pupils gained through access to the Internet to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [23322]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 1 April to Friday 5 April 1996.

Health Education Authority Exhibition

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Health Education Authority's campaign "Active For Life", to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [23089]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 3 June to Friday 7 June 1996.

27 Mar 1996 : Column: 633

DEFENCE

Works of Art

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which works of art held by his Department have been purchased by staff to use as gifts; to whom they were given; and if he will make a statement. [20911]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department knows of only one such purchase. Senior civil servants in my Department purchased the reproduction "A View of the Admiralty" to present to the right hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell Sir A. Hamilton on his departure from the post of Minister of State for the Armed Forces in 1993.

Army Careers Information Offices

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 February, Official Report, column 682, what definitions his Department applies to short-term retained offices; and if he will make a statement. [22500]

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 29 February, Official Report, column 682, which explains that short-term retained offices are those that will remain open until April 1997.

Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of decommissioning, in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines, those facilities due to be replaced by the new capital works programme at AWE Aldermaston. [22357]

Mr. Arbuthnot: The cost will be substantial, reflecting the complexity and duration of the task. The work must be undertaken in a careful and progressive manner and in conformity with all relevant guidelines and legislation and the requirements of the regulatory bodies. However, detailed costs of the defence nuclear programme have been regarded by successive Governments as inappropriate for public disclosure.

Tornado Aircraft

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers and types of Tornado aircraft in service with the RAF, indicating in each case which numbers and types have (a) global positioning systems integration, (b) "smart" weapons guidance and control systems, (c) ground radar suppression systems, (d) all-weather night navigation systems and (e) electronic reconnaissance systems.[22586]

Mr. Soames: The strength of the RAF, broken down by aircraft type and number is listed in the annual "Statement on the Defence Estimates," a copy of which is in the Library of the House. It is not my Department's policy to provide detailed information on specific operational capabilities.

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