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Ulster Museum

Mr. Faulds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the attendance figures for 1996 reported by the Ulster museum, including its outstations, with the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1995. [20111]

Mr. Ancram: In 1996 a total of 256,064 people visited the Ulster museum and the Armagh County museum--a decrease of 24.20 per cent. on the attendance figure for 1995.

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Water Fluoridation

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Basingstoke, what is his scientific evidence for his statement that there is no difference between naturally found calcium fluoride and adding hexafluorosilicic acid or disodium hexafluorosilicate. [21136]

Mr. Moss: There is no evidence to suggest that there is any difference in effect between flouride which occurs naturally in water and that produced by adding either hexaflourosilicic acid or disodium hexaflourosilicate to water.

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which (a) health and social services boards, (b) district councils, (c) political parties and (d) other organisations in Northern Ireland have sent representations to his Department (i) recommending and (ii) otherwise supporting, the fluoridation of water in Northern Ireland. [21135]

Mr. Moss: All four health and social services boards in Northern Ireland have recommended the fluoridation of water supplies for their resident populations. Antrim borough council is the only district council in Northern Ireland to have indicated support for the boards' recommendations.

Information on the views of Northern Ireland political parties and other organisations on fluoridation is not held centrally.

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will announce his decision on whether or not to proceed with the fluoridation of water in Northern Ireland. [21137]

Mr. Moss: On 13 March I announced my decision to turn down requests from health and social services boards for approval to proceed with fluoridation proposals. However, health and social services boards may submit fresh applications in the future.

Ulster Savings

Sir David Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of Ulster Savings. [21393]

Sir John Wheeler: All new investments in Ulster Savings ceased with effect from 1 June 1991, although arrangements for reinvestment were retained. Having given careful consideration to the findings of a further policy review, I have decided that the facility to reinvest

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in Ulster Savings should be withdrawn. However, It has been agreed that the proceeds of matured Ulster savings certificates may be reinvested instead in National Savings with effect from 1 April 1997.

Holdings Centre

Mr. Thomason: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make an announcement about the posts of independent commissioner and deputy commissioner for the holdings centres which fall vacant on 31 March. [21426]

Sir Patrick Mayhew: I am happy to announce that Sir Louis Blom-Cooper and Dr. Bill Norris have accepted reappointment to the posts of independent commissioner and deputy commissioner respectively.

I am grateful to them both for accepting reappointment and I am confident that they will continue to monitor the care and treatment of detainees held in custody and to produce well-informed annual reports.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Consultants

Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much her Department has spent on contracts with external consultants in each of the last five financial years. [20907]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: The information requested is as follows:


Sports Medicine (Lottery Awards)

Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the awards from national lottery proceeds made to sports medicine organisations, indicating the amount of the awards and (a) when they were agreed, (b) when they were made and (c) who were the recipients. [19104]

Mr. Sproat: By the end of February 1997 four awards had been announced for sports medicine organisations. The details are as follows:

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Distributing bodyAgreement dateAward dateRecipientAward amount £
Scottish Sports Council20 March 199621 March 1996University of Strathclyde474,500
Sports Council22 April 19961 May 1996University of Birmingham131,300
Scottish Sports Council26 June 19963 July 1996Gordon Sports Medicine Centre5,900
Sports Council21 October 19966 November 1996National Sports Medicine Institute2,702,738
Total3,314,438

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Works of Art (Export Licences)

Mr. Faulds: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the items for which the issuing of export licences was withheld on the

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recommendation of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art during the half-year ended 31 December 1996, specifying in each case the valuation and whether an item was exported or retained, with

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particulars in the latter event of the acquiring institution; and if she will list any items for which licences have been withheld but the final disposal of which is not yet decided, specifying in each case (a) the valuation and (b) the relevant time limit. [20110]

Mr. Sproat: The information is as follows:

Description of itemValuation £Outcome
A painting Erminia finding the wounded Tancred by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called "II Guercino" (1591-1666)3,500,000Acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland
A pair of French Empire mahogany armchairs by the Parisian firm Jacob-Desmalter, c. 1803-13249,904.50Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum and Galleries on Merseyside
An "ideal" female bust by Antonio Canova, 1817695,000Acquired by the Ashmolean Museum
A London delft "clapmash" charger inscribed "John Ayres 1637"280,000Export licence granted
A silver-gilt and mother-of-pearl casket by Pierre Mangot, 15323,000,000Export licence granted
A pair of George II open armchairs by William and John Linnell, c. 1753192,307.69Export licence granted
A marble bust of Henry Fuseli by Edward Hodges Baily, 1824128,000Acquired by the National Portrait Gallery
A daguerreotype portrait of Sir John Herschel, c. 184827,053.75Acquired by the National Portrait Gallery
A negative and three prints by William Henry Fox Talbot, 18397,000 eachAcquired by the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television
Five Roman coins, 41-54 AD495 each Export licence granted
Three Roman coins, 41-54 AD825Export licence granted
A library desk by Giuseppe Maggiolini, c. 17841,683,012.50Export licence granted
A Venetian bronze andiron attributed to Niccolo Roccatagliata, c. 160077,752.50Acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland
A pair of late eighteenth--or early nineteenth--century Anglo-Indian ivory armchairs138,275Decision deferred until after 4 April 1997
A gold box by G. M. Moser, c. 1760314,171.15Acquired by the Royal Museum of Scotland
A neolithic stone ball8,000Decision deferred until after 8 April 1997
A painting A Cup of Water and a Rose on a Silver Plate by Francisco de Zurbaran, c. 1627-30305,997.10Acquired by the National Gallery
A painting Madonna and Child with Saints with a Distant Landscape by Annibale Carracci (1560-1609)197,325Decision deferred until after 8 May 1997

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings,

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(d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20899]

Mr. Sproat: The information is as follows:


The following bodies produce a triennial report:


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    (c) Minutes of Meetings
    British Film Institute
    English Sports Council 3
    GB Sports Council 3
    UK Sports Council 3
    (d) Agendas of Meetings
    British Film Institute
    English Sports Council 3
    GB Sports Council 3
    UK Sports Council 3
    (e) Register of Members Interests
    Arts Council of England 3
    British Film Institute 3
    British Library 3
    Crafts Council 3
    English Sports Council 3
    Library and Information Commission 3
    Museum of London 3
    National Heritage Memorial Fund 3
    National Lottery Charities Board 3
    National Gallery 3
    National Maritime Museum 3
    National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside 3
    National Museum of Science and Industry 3
    Natural History Museum 3
    Sir John Soane's Museum 3
    Royal Armouries 3
    Wallace Collection 3

All of DNH's executive NDPBs are currently developing registers of members' interests. Many of these are already in place and are open to the public on request.


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Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20938]

Mr. Sproat: The information is as follows:


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