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Partial Birth Abortions

Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions he has issued in respect of partial birth abortions. [33031]

Mr. Horam: None. Methods of abortion are a matter of clinical judgment. We are not aware of this procedure being used in the United Kingdom.

DEFENCE

Hawk Trainer Crash, Portugal

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has established the reason for the crash of the Hawk trainer at Beja air base in Portugal in May. [33073]

Mr. Soames: No. Under the terms of a NATO standardisation agreement, the circumstances of this accident are being investigated by a Portuguese air force board of inquiry.

Duke of York's Royal Military School

Sir Trevor Skeet: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Duke of York's Royal Military School in 1996-97. [33598]

Mr. Soames: The key targets for the Duke of York's Royal Military School in 1996-97 are as follows:

1. To achieve 100 per cent. of GCSE passes at grades A* to G in August 1996.
2. To achieve five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C for 78 per cent. of candidates in August 1996.

18 Jun 1996 : Column: 411

3. To achieve 88 per cent. of A-level passes at grades A to E in August 1996.
4. To achieve three or more A-level passes at grades A to E for 80 per cent. of candidates in August 1996.
5. To achieve 34 per cent. of A-level passes at grades A and B in August 1996.
6. To achieve 100 per cent. award rate for general national vocational qualification advanced and Business and Technician Education Council national diploma courses in August 1996.
7. To implement key stage 4 modifications to national curriculum programmes by September 1996.
8. To achieve places in higher education for 70 per cent. of sixth form leavers by October 1996.
9. To ensure Wolfe house is prepared as a girl's senior boarding house by September 1996.
10. To achieve a pupil per capita cost in 1996-97 of £12,180.
11. To generate income of £410,000 by March 1997.
12. To achieve 210 applications for the September 1997 intake by April 1997.

Queen Victoria School

Sir Peter Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for Queen Victoria School in 1996-97. [33599]

Mr. Soames: The key targets for the Queen Victoria School in 1996-97 are as follows:

1. To improve the staying on rate at school for S4 to S5 from 65 per cent. to 68 per cent. on a three-year trend.
2. To achieve a percentage of pupils attaining at least five credit passes at standard grade at 2 per cent. above the average of all Scottish presentations, based on a three-year trend.
3. To achieve a percentage of the presentations at grades A to C in higher grade at least equal to the Scottish average, based on a three-year trend.
4. To review the new schemes introduced in the five to 14 programme in maths, English and environmental studies by March 1997.
5. To develop new programme in the five to 14 programme in expressive arts, religious education, and technology by March 1997.
6. To conduct an audit of teaching and learning in S5 and S6 within the classroom environment, to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning and thereby pupil performance by March 1997.
7. To have implemented a programme of measures to gain at least a satisfactory report for the welfare inspection required by the Children Scotland Act 1995 by January 1997.
8. To merge individual teaching staff appraisal with the annual subject departmental reviews by April 1997.
9. To have successfully completed the first phase of admission of girls by August 1996.
10. To reduce the 1995-96 output costs per pupil in real terms by 1 per cent. while remaining within current long-term costing provision.
11. To generate commercial income to the school of £20,000 by March 1997.

Former Yugoslavia

Sir Wyn Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of (a) British troops and (b) troops of other peacekeeping nations on the ground in the former Yugoslavia at the latest available date. [33334]

Mr. Soames: There are some 10,500 UK troops and 47,500 troops from other nations with IFOR in the former Yugoslavia.

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Animal Centre

Mr. Jessel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Animal Centre in 1996-97. [33614]

Mr. Soames: The key targets for the Defence Animal Centre in 1996-97 are as follows:

1. To meet the following proportion of agreed customer requirement in terms:
(a) DAC military personnel and military working animals for ground and air operations--100 per cent.
(b) Quality of trained MWAs and personnel measured in terms of customer satisfaction (1)--85 per cent.
(c) Number of trained personnel and MWAs-95 per cent.
(d) Timeliness of delivery measured in terms of customer satisfaction--95 per cent.
2. Ensure success rates for training are:
(a) MWA--greater than or equal to course specific target figures (2)--95 per cent.
(b) Personnel--greater than 90 per cent.
3. Reduce net full cost, as shown in the accruals accounts by 2.5 per cent.
4. Complete planned stages of DAC "Invertors in People" action plan.
5. Fully explore private finance initiative options for the rebuild of administrative and single living accommodation at the DAC.

Notes:

1. Customer satisfaction figures based on customer satisfaction survey questionnaire.
2. Different courses have widely varied success rates due to the nature of animal training; therefore separate expected pass rates are reported internally.

Gulf War Syndrome

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest number of service men and women who served in the Gulf conflict who have come forward in relation to the Gulf war syndrome; and when he expects to make a further statement about the recommendations contained in the eleventh report of the Defence Committee of Session 1994-95 (HC 197). [32926]

Mr. Soames: The Government take seriously the health concerns of all service personnel, and we are committed to ensuring that those who believe they are ill as a result of their Gulf service receive the best possible treatment. Some 937 service and ex-service men and women have so far came forward for assessment under my Department's medical assessment programme. Some 592 have been seen and we have added a second physician so that those remaining are seen as quickly as possible. I intend to update the House next month on our continuing work on Gulf health issues. This will include progress on the establishment of the programme of detailed research, which is being overseen by the Medical Research Council, that I announced on 30 January 1996, Official Report, columns 607-08.

Mr. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has so far been spent by his Department on the epidemiological survey into Gulf war cases since the issue of the Government reply to the eleventh report of the Defence Committee (HC187 of Session 1995-96). [32927]

18 Jun 1996 : Column: 413

Mr. Soames: As I announced on 30 January 1996, Official Report, columns 607-08, my Department will be commissioning a detailed programme of research into Gulf health issues. This research will be overseen by the Medical Research Council, which will ensure an objective, impartial and scientific approach. The MRC issued a call for research proposals including epidemiological studies at the end of May. Some preparatory work has already been completed on the database to support such research, but the costs of this work cannot be separately identified. My Department will, of course, meet the full costs of those research projects selected by the MRC as being most appropriate.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Training Levy (Construction Companies)

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many firms involved mainly in the construction and erection of agricultural buildings are registered for training levy with the Construction and Industry Training Board. [32822]

Mr. Paice: The information is not available.

Home and School Links

Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what guidance is given to (a) local education authorities, (b) school governors and (c) head teachers on establishing and strengthening links between home and school; [33085]

(2) what steps she has taken to ensure the dissemination of information about best practice in strengthening the links between home and school. [33087]

Mr. Robin Squire: The updated parents charter emphasised the importance of effective partnerships between parents and schools. This has been repeated in guidance on such matters as pupil behaviour and discipline, and special educational needs.

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