Sitting of 16 November 1989

Preamble
The House met at half-past Nine o'clock

PRAYERS
[MR. SPEAKER in the Chair]
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners:
The House went:—and, having returned:

PRAYERS

  Royal Assent
  10.8 am
  Mr. Speaker: I have to acquaint the House that the House has been to the House of Peers where a Commission under the Great Seal was read, authorising the Royal Assent to the following Acts:

  Brunei (Appeals) Act 1989

  Football Spectators Act 1989

  Employment Act 1989

  Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989

  Companies Act 1989

  Children Act 1989

  Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989

  Opticians Act 1989

  Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989

  Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Act 1989

  Midland Metro Act 1989

  International Westminster Bank Act 1989

  British Railways (Penalty Fares) Act 1989

Prorogation

  HER MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH
  Mr. Speaker: I have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor, one of the Lord Commissioners, delivered Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command. For greater accuracy, I have obtained a copy and also directed that the terms of the speech be printed in the Votes and Proceedings. Copies are being made available in the Vote Office.
  The Gracious Speech was as follows:
  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mrs. Babangida in May and His Highness the President of the United Arab Emirates in July. We were pleased to receive the visit in June of Her Majesty The Queen of the Netherlands and His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands to mark the conclusion of the William and Mary Tercentenary. We were also pleased to receive His Excellency the General Secretary and President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Mrs. Gorbachev in April, and the President of the United States of America and Mrs. Bush in June
  We recall with pleasure our visit to Barbados in March to mark the 350th Anniversary of the House of Assembly there. We remember with satisfaction our State Visits last month to Singapore and Malaysia, where I was also present on the occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur
  My Government have continued to play an active role in the important improvement which has taken place in relations between East and West, and particularly in the negotiations which led to the successful conclusion of the Vienna Review Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
  My Government have welcomed and encouraged the significant and liberalising changes which have taken place in Poland and Hungary, and in the Soviet Union.
  My Government have continued to improve the United Kingdom's defences. They have played a full part in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and have promoted United Kingdom and Western security interests outside the NATO area.
  My Government have continued to work for the achievement of balanced and verifiable arms control agreements. They have played a full part in the Vienna negotiations on reducing conventional forces in Europe and in the talks in Geneva on the abolition of chemical weapons. They have continued to co-operate with the United States over the removal of cruise missiles from the United Kingdom under the terms of the treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on intermediate range nuclear forces.
  My Government have continued to play a full and active role in progress towards the completion of the European Community's single market, and have encouraged business to prepare for the opportunities and challenges that this presents. They have, with our European Community partners, reaffirmed their commitment to the progressive realisation of economic and monetary union, and agreed that its first stage should begin on 1 July 1990. They have, with our European Community partners, established a Court of

  459
  First Instance attached to the European Court of Justice. They have continued to play a full part in multilateral negotiations designed to liberalise international trade.
  My Government have welcomed the completion of the Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and have continued to work for the restoration of that country's independence and non-aligned status. They have contributed to the implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence.
  My Government have welcomed the return of Pakistan to the Commonwealth.
  My Government have maintained a substantial overseas aid programme to developing countries, including emergency assistance to alleviate the effects of natural disasters in many parts of the world.
  My Government have continued their vigorous efforts to combat international terrorism. They have signed, subject to ratification, a new United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. They have concluded reciprocal agreements or arrangements with a further seven Governments to combat trafficking in drugs.
  My Government, together with our Western partners, have taken measures to express their concern at the suppression of the democracy movement in China. They have worked to restore confidence in Hong Kong, building on the foundation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. My Government have stood by their commitment to the people of the Falkland Islands, while making good progress in normalising relations with Argentina.
  Members of the House of Commons
  I thank you for the provision which you have made for the honour and dignity of the Crown and for the public service.
  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  My Government have continued to pursue firm financial policies designed to bear down on inflation and to foster the conditions necessary for sustained economic growth. They have made a public sector debt repayment for the second successive year, thus permanently reducing the cost of debt service. National output and living standards have continued to increase, and the number of people out of work has fallen further.
  As part of my Government's programme to improve incentives and the performance of the economy, employees' national insurance contributions have been reformed and reduced and the taxation of life assurance and pensions has been reformed.
  Legislation has been enacted to improve water quality and the water environment, to establish the National Rivers Authority and to provide for the sale of the utility functions of the water authorities in England and Wales. An Act has been passed to provide for the sale of the electricity supply industry in Great Britain. These measures continue my Government's programme of encouraging greater industrial efficiency and promoting wider share ownership.
  Measures have been passed to improve the law on companies, mergers and financial services.
  Legislation has been enacted to abolish royalties on post-1982 oil and gas fields in the Southern basin and onshore, and to 0enable my Government to give effect to the United Kingdom-Irish agreement on the delimitation of the Continental Shelf.
  An Act has been passed to end the statutory regulation of dock work.
  Legislation has been enacted further to promote sex equality in employment and to remove outdated restrictions on the employment of young people.
  An Act has been passed to reform the law on the conduct of local authority business, on local government capital and housing finance, and on the repair and improvement of the housing stock.
  An Act has been passed to counter hooliganism at football matches in this country and abroad.
  The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 has been re-enacted with strengthened provisions to curtail the funding of terrorist activity.
  An Act has been passed to reform and replace section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911.
  Legislation has been enacted to place the Security Service on a statutory basis under the authority of the Secretary of State.
  An Act has been passed to extend the entitlement of British citizens living overseas to vote in parliamentary elections held here, and to increase the limit on candidates' expenses in United Kingdom parliamentary by-elections.
  Acts have been passed to improve the law governing the care and protection of children in England and Wales, and to regulate arrangements for human organ transplants.
  Legislation has been enacted to modify the driver licensing system and to provide for new systems giving route guidance to drivers.
  In Northern Ireland, my Government have continued their efforts to combat terrorism, and to promote economic development. They have maintained constructive relations with the Republic of Ireland. Acts have been passed to strengthen the law on fair employment, and to extend the franchise for local elections and require from candidates a declaration against terrorism.
  For Scotland, legislation has been enacted to privatise the Scottish Bus Group and to extend parental choice in education by establishing arrangements for schools to be managed outside local authority control.
  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you.
  Thereafter a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read, after which the Lord Chancellor said:
  "My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission which has now been read we do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the twenty-first day of this instant November, to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the twenty-first day of this instant November."
  End of the Second Session (opened on 22 November 1988) of the Fiftieth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Thirty-Eighth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Bananas and Sugar Cane
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make representations to the European Community Commission regarding the impact of the abolition of internal tariff barriers in 1992 on the Caribbean banana and sugar cane industries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The European Commission is currently considering the possible arrangements for bananas post-1992, but has not yet come forward with proposals. They and member states are well aware that the United Kingdom endeavours to preserve the preferential arrangements enjoyed by our Caribbean suppliers. There are no internal tariff barriers on sugar.

  Garage Tenants
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to ensure that garage tenants are entitled to provide all brands of petrol for sale and to prevent petrol companies exerting any penalties or imposing conditions to prevent this; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have no present intention to do so. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission is investigating the supply of petrol and is due to report by 20 December. I cannot speculate on what the MMC may find, or on what decisions may be reached when its report has been considered.

  Single European Act
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the United Kingdom's record with regard to implementation of the Single European Act; what is the position in the other member states; and what assessment he has made of the accuracy of Commission statistics.

  Mr. Redwood
  A recent Commission report dated 7 September on progress in implementing EC directives on the single market into national laws confirms that the United Kingdom's record is excellent. On the Commission's reckoning, France is the best performer, followed by the United Kingdom. Our own records show the United Kingdom performance to be even better than the Commission suggests. It says that we are behind on 11 measures—we think the figure should be only three. This means we have implemented 65 out of 68 measures as appropriate in United Kingdom law. We have passed the relevant information to the Commission. Our calculations put United Kingdom performance roughly comparable with Denmark and the Netherlands, who also claim that the Commission have underestimated their tally. I intend 372
  to continue drawing attention to the importance of full implementation in all my contacts with the Commission and my counterparts in other member states.

  Blue Circle Industries
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received recently from Blue Circle Industries plc concerning competition with imports; and what reply he gave.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am not aware of having received any such representations.

  Post Office Counters
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to his reply of 27 July,Official Report, column 812, to the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) if he will list the recommendations of the 1988 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on Post Office Counters which have not yet been implemented; and what steps he is taking to ensure their early implementation.

  Mr. Forth
  Since the progress report referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply of 27 July, action on a further 14 recommendations of the 1988 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on Post Office Counters has been completed. Recommendations which remained to be implemented at the end of October are numbers 2, 3, 6a–e, 7, 8, 10–13, 15, 17–19, 22, 24, 25, 28, 30–39, 47, 51–55, 59–62, 67, 67a, 67b, 67f, 67g, 68. We are continuing to monitor the implementation of the outstanding recommendations against the timetable agreed with the Post Office and set out in its progress reports placed in the Library in December 1988 and July 1989. As my right hon. Friend said in his reply of 27 July, a further formal report will be made in June 1991.

  Origin Marking
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last discussed the issue of origin marking with the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Forth
  There has been contact with the EC Commission which resulted in changes, last December, to United Kingdom origin marking requirements in order to comply with our obligations under the treaty of Rome. We then undertook to explore with other member states and the EC Commission the feasibility of an EC origin marking regime for certain third country goods. My Department is considering the responses to that approach.

  Libya
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of goods and services sold to Libya in 1988 and to the latest available month in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Data on United Kingdom trade in services are not available by partner country. United Kingdom exports of goods to Libya were £236 million in 1988 and £172 million in the first nine months of 1989.

  Northern Region
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures and initiatives are being undertaken in the northern region to attract investment capital and industry; and if he will publish a table of capital investment in real terms showing the percentage increase this sum represents from May 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Companies in the assisted areas of the northern region with proposals for new investment can apply for regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act. In addition, as part of the enterprise initiative investment grants and innovation grants (up to a maximum of £15,000 and £25,000 respectively) are available to companies employing less than 25 people.

  My Department also provides financial support towards the promotional activities of the Northern Development Company; and works closely with other Government Departments, local authorities, development corporations and agencies in promoting a range of initiatives aimed at stimulating enterprise and training. These include projects promoted by the Tyne and Wear city action team, the regional task forces and the administration of the £45 million remedial package for the Sunderland area. The Department is also actively involved in the promotion of exports through services to industry provided by DTI export services.

  I regret that information on capital investment in the northern region is not available in the form requested.

  However, current price estimates of regional investment by selected industries and by Government are published annually in "Economic Trends"; a copy is available in the Library. The latest published figures may be found in "Economic Trends" No. 421, November 1988, pages 97 and 98. Constant price estimates are not available because there are no regional price indices.

  Unsafe Goods
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times he has issued prohibition notices under section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to prevent unsafe goods from being distributed in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  The Secretary of State has twice issued prohibition notices under section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  Toys
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that toys which are being sold to the public prior to Christmas comply with the terms of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  Mr. Forth
  Local authority trading standards departments have a duty to enforce the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1974 and the general safety requirement provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The Act provides the necessary powers to enable them to discharge this responsibility.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Officers' Salaries
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will give figures and grades, titles and ranks for all Officers of the House whose salaries are(a) higher and (b) lower than those of hon. Members, as at (i) 1 November 1989 and (ii) 1 February 1990.

  Mr. Beith
  The information requested is set out in the following tables. It should be noted that:

  (1) The salaries quoted include the appropriate provision of London weighting including with effect from 1 January 1990, the additional point on the pay spine which is payable to staff who work in London. Grades 1 and 2 do not receive London weighting and grade 3 attracts a London allowance of £2,000 per annum (included in tables).

  (2) The scales do not include the element of pay which is performance related.

  (3) Where the maximum of the salary scale is greater than the basic salary of Members at 1 November 1989 and 1 January 1990 respectively, the recipient is deemed to have a higher salary than that of a Member. If the maximum of the scale is less than the basic salary of the Member, the recipient is deemed to be paid less than a Member.

  (4) The statistics cover only "Officers of the House". Members of staff who are not "Officers of the House" (currently in receipt of salaries less than that of Members) are included in the list of all staff given in statement C to the 11th annual report to the House of Commons Commission, a copy of which is held in the Library.

  Supplementary note: Other tables show a breakdown of the actual salaries of staff in grades with pay scales which span the salaries of Members—showing those above and below the salary of Members at the relevant dates.

  Officers of the House with a salary higher than £24,107 as at 1 November 1989

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  Speaker's Office

  2

  Speaker's Counsel

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Speaker's Secretary

  5

  31,751–35,741

  1

  Assistant to Speaker's Counsel

  17

  23,797–28,041

  1 Legal staff

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  1

  Clerk of the House

  1

  72,000

  1

  Clerk Assistant

  2

  48,100–50,400

  1

  Clerk of Committees

  2

  48,100–50,400

  7

  Principal Clerk I

  3

  39,600–42,900

  2

  Principal Clerk II

  4

  38,568–40,004

  16

  Deputy Principal Clerk

  5

  31,751–35,741

  21

  Senior Clerk

  7

  21,939–25,825

  1

  Supervisor of Broadcasting

  5

  31,751–35,741

  1

  Clerk Services Sub-Committee

  27

  20,930–24,621

  2 95 per cent. of grade

  Department of the Serjeant at Arms

  1

  Serjeant at Arms

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Deputy Serjeant at Arms

  5

  31,751–35,741

  1

  Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  26

  23,637–30,251

  2

  Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  7

  21,939–25,825

  375

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  2 95 per cent. of grade

  Department of the Library

  1

  Librarian

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Deputy Librarian

  4

  38,568–40,004

  2

  Assistant Librarians

  5

  31,751–35,741

  9

  Deputy Assistant Librarians

  6

  24,789–31,751

  12½

  Senior Library Clerk

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Vote Office

  1

  Deliverer of the Vote

  6

  24,789–31,751

  1

  Deputy Deliverer of the Vote

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Administration Department

  1

  Head of Administration

  3

  39,600–42,900

  Fees Office

  1

  Accountant

  4

  38,568–40,004

  1

  Deputy Accountant

  5

  31,751–35,741

  1

  Senior Assistant Accountant

  6

  24,789–31,751

  4

  Assistant Accountant

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Establishments Office

  1

  Head of Establishments

  5

  31,751–35,741

  1

  Deputy Head of Establishments

  6

  24,789–31,751

  Computer Office

  1

  Computer Officer

  5

  31,751–35,741

  Internal Audit

  1

  Internal Auditor

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Staff Inspection

  1

  Staff Inspector

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Department of the Official Report

  1

  Editor

  4

  38,568–40,004

  1

  Deputy Editor

  6

  24,789–31,751

  4

  Principal Assistant Editors

  36

  23,176–29,651

  5

  Assistant Editors

  46

  20,872–26,651

  3 93 per cent. of grade

  4 83 per cent. of grade

  Refreshment Department

  1

  General Manager

  6

  24,789–31,751

  1

  Deputy General Manager

  7

  21,939–25,825

  1

  Catering Accountant

  7

  21,939–25,825

  Officers of the House with a salary lower than £24,107 as at 1 November 1989

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  Speaker's Office

  1

  Chaplain

  SEO (Max)

  4,709

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  6

  Assistant Clerk 'A'

  HEO (D)

  14,722–18,086

  2

  Assistant Clerk 'T'

  AT

  11,996–13,824

  Department of the Library

  6

  Assistant Clerk 'A'

  HEO (D)

  14,772–18,086

  4

  Assistant Clerk 'T'

  AT

  11,996–13,824

  1 November 1989

  Supplementary breakdown for those whose scales span the Members salary but are currently paid at a lower rate

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  8

  Senior Clerks

  7

  376

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  Department of the Serjeant at Arms

  1

  Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  7

  Department of the Library

  10

  Senior Library Clerks

  7

  Administration Department

  1

  Assistant Accountant

  7

  1

  Internal Auditor

  7

  Officers of the House with a salary higher than £26,701 as at 1 February 1990

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  Speaker's Office

  2

  Speaker's Counsel

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Speaker's Secretary

  5

  33,026–37,186

  1

  Assistant to Speaker's Counsel

  17

  24,789–29,224

  1 Legal staff

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  1

  Clerk of the House

  1

  72,000

  1

  Clerk Assistant

  2

  48,100–50,400

  1

  Clerk of Committees

  2

  48,100–50,400

  7

  Principal Clerk I

  3

  39,600–42,900

  2

  Principal Clerk II

  4

  40,004–41,496

  16

  Deputy Principal Clerk

  5

  33,026–37,186

  21

  Senior Clerk

  7

  22,848–26,910

  1

  Supervisor of Broadcasting

  5

  33,026–37,186

  Department of the Serjeant at Arms

  1

  Serjeant at Arms

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Deputy Serjeant at Arms

  5

  33,026–37,186

  1

  Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  26

  24,621–31,462

  2

  Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  7

  22,848–26,910

  2 95 per cent. of grade

  Department of the Library

  1

  Librarian

  3

  39,600–42,900

  1

  Deputy Librarian

  4

  40,004–41,496

  2

  Assistant Librarians

  5

  33,026–37,186

  9

  Deputy Assistant Librarians

  6

  25,825–33,026

  12½

  Senior Library Clerk

  7

  22,848–26,910

  (Vote Office)

  1

  Deliverer of the Vote

  6

  25,825–33,026

  1

  Deputy Deliverer of the Vote

  7

  22,848–26,910

  Administration Department

  1

  Head of Administration

  3

  39,600–42,900

  (Fees Office)

  1

  Accountant

  4

  40,004–41,496

  1

  Deputy Accountant

  5

  33,026–37,186

  1

  Senior Assistant Accountant

  6

  25,825–33,026

  4

  Assistant Accountant

  7

  22,848–26,910

  (Establishments Office)

  1

  Head of Establishments

  5

  33,026–37,186

  1

  Deputy Head of Establishments

  6

  25,825–33,026

  (Computer Office)

  1

  Computer Officer

  5

  33,026–37,186

  (Internal Audit)

  1

  Internal Auditor

  7

  22,848–26,910

  (Staff Inspection)

  1

  Staff Inspector

  7

  22,848–26,910

  Department of the Official Report

  1

  Editor

  4

  40,004–41,496

  1

  Deputy Editor

  6

  25,825–33,026

  4

  Principal Assistant Editors

  36

  24,140–30,837

  377

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  5

  Assistant Editors

  46

  21,732–27,709

  3 93 per cent. of grade

  4 83 per cent. of grade

  Refreshment Department

  1

  General Manager

  6

  25,825–33,026

  1

  Deputy General Manager

  7

  22,848–26,910

  1

  Catering Accountant

  7

  22,848–26,910

  Officers of the House with a salary lower than £26,701 as at 1 February 1990

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  £

  Speaker's Office

  1

  Chaplain

  SEO (Max)

  4,709

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  1

  Clerk Services Sub-Committee

  27

  21,793–25,652

  6

  Assistant Clerk 'A'

  HEO (D)

  14,722–18,086

  2

  Assistant Clerk 'T'

  AT

  11,996–13,824

  2 95 per cent. of grade

  Department of the Library

  6

  Assistant Clerk 'A'

  HEO (D)

  14,772–18,086

  4

  Assistant Clerk 'T'

  AT

  11,996–13,824

  February 1990

  Supplementary breakdown for those whose scales span the Members salary but are currently paid at a lower rate

  Civil Service equivalent grade

  Department of the Clerk of the House

  8

  Senior Clerks

  7

  Department of the Serjeant at Arms

  1

  Deputy Assistant Serjeant at Arms

  7

  Department of the Library

  10

  Senior Library Clerks

  7

  Administration Department

  1

  Assistant Accountant

  7

  1

  Internal Auditor

  7

  European MPs
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) what information he has as to the death in office grant of Members of Parliament of(a) European Economic Community countries and (b) Council of Europe countries at the latest available date;

  (2) what information he has as to what are the typical pension rights of Members of Parliament of (a) European Economic Community countries and (b) Council of Europe countries at the latest available date, giving the contributory factors;

  (3) what information he has as to what was the average salary of Members of Parliament of (a) European Economic Community countries and (b) Europe countries, at the most recent available date;

  (4) what information he has on payments to Members of Parliament who retire on health grounds in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan;
  378
  (5) what information he has on the amount paid as a percentage of salaries by Members of Parliament in (a) European Economic Community countries and (b) Council of Europe countries towards a pension at the latest date;

  (6) what information he has on the amount paid as a percentage of salaries by members of the United States of America, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and Japanese parliaments towards a pension;

  (7) what information he has on the death in office grant to Members of Parliament in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan;

  (8) what information he has on the early retirement payment to Members of Parliament in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan;

  (9) what information he has on the level of pension on retirement on health grounds paid to Members of Parliament of (a) European Economic Community countries and (b) Council of Europe countries;

  (10) what information he has on the qualifying periods for pensionable rights of Members of Parliament in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan;

  (11) what information he has on the salaries of United States of America, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and Japanese Members of Parliament at the latest available date;

  (12) what information he has on which countries make an early retirement payment to Members of Parliament; and what such payments are.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  None. The information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

  "Blue Peter" Appeal
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will enable hon. Members and staff of the Palace of Westminster to support the "Blue Peter" appeal for special care baby units by providing receptacles for aluminium drink cans in all refreshment areas of the House.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  No. It is considered neither appropriate nor practical for Refreshment Department facilities to be used for such purposes.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  County Courts
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General how many county courts are more than seven days behind in replying to letters.

  The Attorney-General
  Of the 275 county courts in England and Wales, 110 are currently taking seven days or more to reply to letters from court users. Priority is given to urgent correspondence. In the remaining 165 courts replies are currently sent within seven days.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions, for cases arising, respectively, in 1987, 1988 and 1989, the Lord Chancellor has paid compensation to county court users for loss occasioned as a result of the negligence of court officials; and in how many cases over the same period a claim has been made but payment refused.
  379
  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has paid compensation to county court users for loss occasioned as a result of the negligence of court officials in matters for which he is responsible, on the following number of occasions (by financial year):

  Cases

  1986–87

  300

  1987–88

  377

  1988–89

  359

  No figures in respect of claims refused are readily available and such information can be extracted only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average interval between the lodging of a bill for taxation in Bow county court and the taxing of the bill.

  The Attorney-General
  The average interval between the lodging of a bill for taxation in Bow county court and the notification of the taxation to the parties is six to nine weeks in respect of civil bills and 12 weeks in respect of matrimonial bills. The length of interval is due to delays in the administrative part of the process: consultation is in hand with local solicitors to discuss ways of improving the position.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General which class of post Wandsworth county court uses for the dispatch of letters; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Wandsworth county court dispatches its letters by second-class post. This is in accordance with departmental practice. Certain court documents such as summonses are required by the rules governing service to be dispatched by first-class post. Chief clerks are being reminded of this requirement.

  Child Abuse (Training of Judges)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the training and retraining courses on child abuse available to Her Majesty's judges and the number of courses that have been organised in the past year.

  The Attorney-General
  The Judicial Studies Board organises induction and refresher courses for circuit judges, recorders and assistant recorders in both the criminal and the civil and family jurisdictions. These courses cover a wide range of topics in order to give those who attend them a comprehensive picture of sentencing and current matters of importance. In 1988 Lord Justice Butler-Sloss spoke on "Child Protection in the Law" and in 1989, on "Child Protection—The Implications of the New Legislation", during which lectures she dealt with child abuse.

  The subject was also included in discussions at the annual conference for circuit judges arranged under the auspices of the president of the Family Division.

  A session dealing with child abuse will be included in the course currently being prepared to meet the requirements of the Children Act.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the names and occupations of the members of the legal aid board, together with their remuneration; and how often they have met.
  380
  The Attorney-General
  The names and occupations of the members of the legal aid board are:

  John Pitts (Chairman). Former Chairman and Chief Executive of the Tioxide Group.

  Martin Acland. J.P., General Commissioner of Income Tax and former executive Director of Mercantile Credit Co.

  Diana Beale. Advice worker and member of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.

  Allan Blake. Head of Department of Law, Leeds Polytechnic.

  Hilary Bradley. Barrister.

  Lyn Devonald. Solicitor.

  Kenneth Farrow. Barrister and Assistant Recorder.

  Suzette Harold. Former Managing Director of F. International Ltd.

  Geoffrey Hibbert. J.P. and former Personnel Director, Shell International Petroleum Co.

  David Sinker. J.P., Chartered Accountant and Chairman of the Leach Group.

  John Smith. J.P. and former Personnel Director and Assistant Managing Director, Associated British Ports.

  Peter Soar. Solicitor.

  The chairman of the board is paid £19,921 per annum and the members £13,280 for attendance on two days per week. The board was set up in a shadow capacity on 3 May 1988 and assumed full responsibility for the legal aid scheme on 1 April 1989. There have been seven meetings of the full board since 1 April 1989. The greater part of the board's work is conducted through its 11 committees and there are two or three committee meetings each week. In addition, board members undertake visits and attend meetings and conferences with representatives of the legal professions and advice agencies.

  Rudolf Hess
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will direct the Director of Public Prosecutions to reconsider his decision not to initiate criminal investigations as to the circumstances surrounding the death of Rudolf Hess in Spandau prison in August 1987 in respect of(a) the unexplained disappearance of the flex by which the asphyxiation was reported to be caused and (b) the unauthorised destruction of the garden shed in which the death occurred.

  The Attorney-General
  No. The Director of Public Prosecutions has advised the Metropolitan police that there is no cogent evidence as the basis for further investigation. I see no justification for doing as the hon. Member asks.

PRIME MINISTER

  COCOM
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will say what recent communication she has received from President Bush on the future of COCOM.

  The Prime Minister
  President Bush has conveyed to me his views that the streamlining of the COCOM control lists goes hand in hand with the enforcement of, and compliance with, the controls. I have made clear that I agree that we need still to guard our fundamental security interests while ensuring that the COCOM control lists deal with items which have been identified as genuinely critical.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will inquire into the reasons for the variations in the time taken by Government Departments to reply to correspondence from hon. Members; if she will take steps to raise the performance of all Departments to that of the best; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  It is for each Department to decide how it responds to correspondence from hon. Members. However, Departments ensure that a reply is sent as soon as possible.

  Golden Handshakes
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Government policy towards golden handshakes for departing chairmen of publicly owned companies; and how much public money has been spent in the last 10 years on this or related purposes.

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers may determine the compensation which may be paid to chairmen and others of boards of nationalised industries and other public boards and corporations when their appointments end prematurely in circumstances which make it right that the person concerned should receive compensation. The normal practice is that the assessment of compensation follows broadly the approach of a court of law in assessing damages for a breach of contract. Records are not kept centrally on the amount of compensation which has been paid to chairmen and members of public boards over the last 10 years.

  Golden Shares
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Government policy as to the use of what are known as golden shares is determined by the Minister in whom that share is legally vested, in each case.

  The Prime Minister
  I shall write to my hon. Friend.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Schools (Ballots)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many ballots in United Kingdom secondary schools on change of status to date have excluded parents of first-year pupils from voting.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Ballots on grant-maintained status for schools in England and Wales are governed by section 61 of the Education Reform Act 1988. This provides that all parents who are known to the governing body as parents of registered pupils at the school, and were named as parents of such pupils on the school register 14 days after the date when ballot was called (by the presentation of a parental petition or resolution of the governing body) are entitled to vote. This would normally include all parents of registered pupils at the school, including the parents of first-year pupils, at the time that the ballot was called. Rarely, where a ballot is called near the end of an academic year but is not held until the following year, this may differ from the register of parents at the school when the ballot is held.

  Disabled Students (Allowance)
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list, authority by authority, the total amount spent on the disabled student allowance.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information for the latest available year, 1987–88, is as follows. Local education authorities which awarded no disabled student allowances have been excluded from the table.

  Mandatory Awards: Disabled student allowance: 1987–88

  Number of students

  Amount awarded1

  London Boroughs

  Barnet

  3

  2,100

  Bexley

  2

  1,400

  Bromley

  2

  420

  Croydon

  2

  980

  Ealing

  1

  461

  Havering

  2

  701

  Hillingdon

  1

  700

  Hounslow

  2

  544

  Newham

  2

  869

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  3

  1,394

  Sutton

  2

  1,400

  Waltham Forest

  1

  700

  ILEA

  17

  10,325

  Metropolitan Districts

  Birmingham

  4

  1,582

  Coventry

  2

  700

  Dudley

  6

  2,475

  Sandwell

  2

  1,029

  Wolverhampton

  1

  455

  Liverpool

  6

  3,497

  St. Helens

  1

  44

  Sefton

  6

  1,706

  Wirral

  5

  1,607

  Bolton

  2

  425

  Bury

  4

  2,295

  Manchester

  6

  3,652

  Rochdale

  1

  700

  Salford

  3

  1,550

  Stockport

  1

  700

  Tameside

  2

  1,394

  Wigan

  1

  700

  Barnsley

  1

  545

  Doncaster

  4

  734

  Rotherham

  2

  663

  Sheffield

  8

  2,986

  Bradford

  1

  286

  Calderdale

  1

  700

  Kirklees

  1

  700

  Leeds

  8

  3,890

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1

  700

  South Tyneside

  3

  2,100

  Sunderland

  2

  335

  Shire Counties

  Avon

  4

  1,270

  Berkshire

  11

  3,398

  Buckinghamshire

  4

  1,635

  Cambridgeshire

  6

  1,748

  Cheshire

  7

  2,780

  Cleveland

  4

  1,261

  Cornwall

  1

  700

  Cumbria

  2

  791

  Derbyshire

  10

  4,200

  Devon

  9

  3,860

  Dorset

  8

  2,379

  Durham

  4

  860

  East Sussex

  8

  2,590

  Gloucestershire

  4

  1,339

  Hampshire

  25

  16,823

  Hereford and Worcester

  10

  4,696

  383

  Number of students

  Amount awarded1

  Hertfordshire

  12

  3,874

  Humberside

  1

  491

  Isle of Wight

  1

  450

  Kent

  12

  3,930

  Lancashire

  13

  5,625

  Norfolk

  4

  1,125

  North Yorkshire

  9

  3,185

  Northamptonshire

  2

  560

  Nottinghamshire

  7

  4,202

  Oxfordshire

  5

  3,200

  Shropshire

  1

  407

  Staffordshire

  6

  1,050

  Suffolk

  4

  1,055

  Surrey

  4

  972

  West Sussex

  2

  239

  Wiltshire

  12

  4,588

  Wales

  Clwyd

  5

  2,956

  Dyfed

  4

  2,800

  Gwent

  5

  1,700

  Gwynedd

  3

  1,700

  Mid-Glamorgan

  5

  1,443

  West Glamorgan

  4

  1,560

  England and Wales

  363

  157,586

  1 For disabled students allowances.

  Departmental Documents (Maintained Schools)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will tabulate in the Official Report the reference numbers and titles of all statutory instruments, departmental circulars, and other documents distributed by him direct to head teachers and governors of maintained schools consequential to the provisions of the Education Act 1988, indicating for each what action or return respectively is required; and what further documents in these categories and for which purposes he proposes to circulate prior to 1 September 1990.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information is not available in the precise form requested.

  Following are those statutory instruments, circulars and other documents that have been distributed since 2 January 1989.

  To identify those that were distributed directly to headteachers and governors of maintained schools would involve disproportionate cost.

  Statutory instruments

  The Education Reform Act 1988 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1988 S.I. 1988/1459 c.55.

  The Education Reform Act 1988 (Commencement No. 2) Order 1988 S.I. 1988/1794 c.63.

  The Education Reform Act 1988 (Commencement No. 3) Order 1988 S.I. 1988/2002 c.73.

  The Education (Higher Education Corporations) (No. 4) Order 1988 S.I. 1988/2283.

  The Education (Higher Education Corporations) (No. 5) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/17.

  The Education (Inner London Education Authority) (Transitional and Supplementary Provisions) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/46.

  The Education Reform Act 1988 (Commencement No. 5) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/164 c.5.

  The Secondary Examinations Council (Designation of Staff) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/176.

  The Education (Designated Institutions) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/282.

  The Education (Prescribed Courses of Higher Education) (England) Regulations 1989 S.I. 1989/302.

  384

  The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Mathematics) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/308.

  The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/309.

  The Education (Teachers) (Amendment) Regulations 1989 S.I. 1989/329.

  The Education (Schools and Further and Higher) Regulations 1989 S.I. 1989/351.

  The Education (Higher Education Corporations) (Designated Stall) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/369.

  The Education (Pre-Scheme Financial Statements) Regulations 1989 S.I. 1989/370.

  The Education (Prescribed Public Examinations) Regulations 1989 S.I. 1989/377.

  The Education (Schools Hours & Policies) (Information) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/398.

  The Education (Bulmershe College of Higher Education Higher Education Corporation) (Dissolution) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/408.

  The Education (West Midlands College of Higher Education Higher Education Corporation) (Dissolution) Order 1989.

  The Education (Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology Higher Education Corporation) (Dissolution) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/410.

  The Education (Listed Bodies) (Amendment) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/597.

  The Education (Recognised Awards) (Amendment) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/598.

  The Education Reform Act 1988 (Commencement No. 7) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/710 c.20.

  The Education (National Curriculum) (Modern Foreign Languages) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/825.

  The Education (Modification of Enactments Relating to Employment) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/901.

  The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/907.

  The Education (School Curriculum and Related Information) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/954.

  The Education (Inner London Education Authority) (Continuity and Offers of Employment) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1040.

  The Education (Inner London Education Authority) (Transitional and Supplementary Provisions (No. 2) Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1135.

  The Education (School Curriculum and Related Information) (Amendment) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1136.

  The Education (National Curriculum) (Temporary Exceptions for Individual Pupils) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1181.

  The Education (School Records) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1261.

  The Education (Inner London Education Authority) Schools Designation Order 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1280.

  The Education (Grant Maintained Schools) (Finance) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1287.

  The Education (Pre-Scheme Financial Statements) (Amendment) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1288.

  The Education (Teachers) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1319.

  The Education (Financial Delegation to Schools) (Mandatory Exceptions) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1352.

  The Education (Further and Higher Education Funding Schemes) (Publication and Information) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1452.

  The Education (Adult Education Centres Funding Schemes) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1468.

  The Education (Grant Maintained Schools) (Publication of Proposals) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1469.

  The Education (Proposed Further and Higher Education Institutions) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1470.

  The Education (Teachers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1989 S.I. No. 1989/1541.

  The Education (Designated Institutions)(Amendment) Order 1989 S.I. 1989/2055.

  385

  Chronological list of des circulars

  1/89

  9 January

  Education Reform Act 88: Local arrangements for the consideration of school complaints.

  2/89

  12 January

  Education Reform Act 88: Charges for school activities.

  3/89

  20 January

  Education Reform Act 88: Religious education and collective worship.

  5/89

  22 February

  Education Reform Act 88: The school curriculum and assessment.

  6/89

  7 March

  Education Reform Act 88: National Curriculum: Mathematics and Science orders under section 4.

  7/89

  22 March

  Teachers (Compensation for redundancy and premature retirement regulations 1989.

  9/89

  19 May

  Education Reform Act 88: Modern foreign languages in the national curriculum.

  10/89

  31 May

  Education Reform Act 88: English in the National Curriculum Key Stage One: order under section 4.

  11/89

  31 May

  Education Reform Act 88: Statutory approval of qualification under section 5. [Annex 3 revised on 31st July].

  13/89

  9 June

  Local management of schools and further and higher education colleges: order under section 222 of Education Reform Act 88.

  14/89

  12 June

  Education (school curriculum and related information) regulations 1989.

  15/89

  11 July

  National Curriculum: temporary exceptions from the National Curriculum.

  18/89

  16 August

  The Education (Teachers) Regulations 1989.

  19/89

  19 August

  Adult continuing education and the Education Reform Act 1988: Planning and delegation Schemes.

  21/89

  23 August

  Grant-maintained schools: Financial Arrangements.

  22/89

  29 September

  Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs: Procedures within the Education, Health and Social Services.

  23/89

  8 November

  Special schools for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

  Other documents

  Statutory Approval of Qualifictions: Draft Circular.

  The Education (School Curriculum and Related Information) Regulations 1989: Draft Circular.

  Education Reform Act 1988: Opportunity, Information, Action: The Replan guide to the Education Reform Act for People working with unwaged adults.

  ERA: A Bulletin for School Teachers and Governors: Spring 1989: Issue 2.

  National Curriculum: From Policy into Practice.

  Grant Maintained Schools: Financial Arrangements: Consultation Paper.

  Length and Control of School Sessions: Draft Circular.

  Education (Teachers) Regulations 1989: Draft Circular.

  LMS [Local Management of Schools]: Draft Regulations on Mandatory Exceptions.

  ERA: A Bulletin for Schools Teachers and Governors: Summer 1989 Issue 3.

  Recognised Degree Courses in the United Kingdom.

  National Curriculum: Draft Key stage I order for English.

  Guide for College Governors.

  National Curriculum History Working Group: Interim Report

  National Curiculum: Draft Orders for Mathematics and Science

  Mathematics in the National Curriculum.

  Science in the National Curriculum.

  Mathematics in the National Curriculum: Amendment pages.

  National Curriculum: Temporary Exemptions for Individual Pupils Draft Regulations and Circular.

  English in the National Curriculum.

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents.

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Bengali].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Chinese].

  386

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Greek].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Gujerati].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Hindi].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Panjabi].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Turkish].

  National Curriculum: A Guide for Parents [In Urdu].

  Tomorrow's schools: A Guide for Parents.

  Grant Maintained Schools: Model Instruments and Articles of Government.

  Guide to the Law for Grant Maintained School Governors.

  School Governors: How to become a Grant Maintained School.

  Middle School Systems
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which English local education authorities operate a middle school system; how many middle schools there are; and which of these are for ages nine to 13 years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested as at January 1989 is given in the following table.

  Local Education Authorities operating a Middle School System January 1989

  Total schools

  9–13 Schools

  Ealing

  31

  —

  Harrow

  18

  —

  Merton

  14

  14

  Birmingham

  14

  —

  Dudley

  3

  —

  Rochdale

  9

  —

  Barnsley

  2

  1

  Doncaster

  40

  17

  Sheffield

  38

  —

  Bradford

  63

  59

  Kirklees

  11

  8

  Leeds

  64

  60

  Wakefield

  28

  19

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  9

  9

  North Tyneside

  15

  15

  Bedfordshire

  43

  43

  Berkshire

  14

  4

  Buckinghamshire

  67

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  1

  Devon

  15

  5

  Dorset

  26

  18

  East Sussex

  1

  —

  Hampshire

  74

  —

  Hereford and Worcester

  39

  30

  Hertfordshire

  9

  9

  Humberside

  23

  4

  Isle of Wight

  16

  16

  Kent

  10

  10

  Leicestershire

  9

  —

  Norfolk

  59

  —

  North Yorkshire

  2

  —

  Northamptonshire

  23

  23

  Northumberland

  45

  45

  Nottinghamshire

  8

  8

  Oxfordshire

  12

  12

  Shropshire

  3

  3

  Somerset

  9

  9

  Staffordshire

  14

  14

  Suffolk

  39

  39

  Surrey

  104

  —

  Warwickshire

  56

  —

  West Sussex

  28

  2

  Wiltshire

  5

  5

  ENGLAND

  1,113

  502

  Genetic Research
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement further to his statement at the Royal Society on 14 November that lay people have a role to play in genetic research.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend referred, in his address at the Royal Society, to the fundamental ethical issues raised by genetic research. He commented that this is an area where lay people as well as scientists, theologians, philosophers and politicians have an important role to play in bringing the benefit of a varied and balanced range of views.

  Marine Science
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the remarks in his statement to the Royal Society on 14 November concerning those aspects of marine science which are best addressed on an international co-operative basis.

  Mr. Jackson
  As my right hon. Friend told the Royal Society seminar, one objective in developing international scientific collaboration is to undertake research and development projects whose size or complexity make them impossible for one nation alone. Aspects of marine science that fit this criterion include the study of ocean circulation to improve understanding of how the oceans affect the Earth's climate; the study of global marine processes such as biogeochemical ocean fluxes and air-sea interactions, also critical to understanding the role of the oceans in determining climate; and studies of the North sea, including the development of water quality models.

  Teachers (Modern Languages)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the shortage of teachers of modern languages in schools prior to 1992.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not available in the form requested. We project an overall shortage of about 1,000 modern languages teachers in 1995, with similar shortages in intervening years.

  Education Reform
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much he expects the budgets of opted-out schools to increase.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Funding for a grant-maintained school is calculated according to what its former maintaining local education authority would have spent on the school. This includes a per pupil share of the LEA's indirect spending on schools in the form of centrally-provided services. That share varies from one school and LEA to another but to date has been equal on average to about 15 per cent. of LEA's direct spending on schools.

  Pre-development Research
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for pre-development research.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department's main activity in the field of pre-development research—collaborative pre-competitive research involving the science base and 388
  industry —is through the research councils' participation in the Government's LINK initiative. There are currently 21 approved programmes, representing a total Government commitment of some £150 million, of which the research councils are contributing just over one third.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the administration of student loans.

  Mr. John MacGregor
  Agreement has been reached between the Government and a number of financial institutions on the next steps in preparatory work for the student loans scheme.

  A company, Student Loans Company Limited, is being formed. The company will be wholly owned by Barclays Bank plc, Midland Bank plc, National Westminster Bank plc, The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, TSB Bank plc, Girobank plc, Allied Irish Banks plc, Bank of Ireland, Northern Bank Limited and Ulster Bank Limited. I am placing a copy of the memorandum of understanding, which has been signed by the participating financial institutions, in the Library of the House. Additional financial institutions will be invited to become shareholders in Student Loans Company Limited when a brochure is issued.

  Contracts will be placed by the Government with Student Loans Company Limited for preparatory work on the students loans scheme, the cost of which in 1989–90 will be met by estimates already approved by Parliament. The company's first task will be to sign a contract for the central loans processing system. Contractual negotiations are already in hand.

  Subject to the passage of the necessary legislation and to final agreement being reached between the Government and the financial institutions, the Government intend to enter into a contract with the company for the administration of the scheme itself. As indicated in my predecessor's oral statement on 19 June at columns 21–22, the Government will fund the company for the administrative costs of the scheme and for the loans themselves and will pay a transaction fee of £12 per student loan application per year in return for the costs incurred at the branches of the financial institutions where certificates of entitlement are presented. The Government and the participating financial institutions agree that this fee represents a reasonable return for the work involved. The loans will be available to all eligible higher education students without reference to their credit rating.

  I am also placing in the Library of the House a copy of the report prepared by Price Waterhouse on state 2 of preparatory work on the student loans scheme, in fulfilment of the undertaking given to the hon. Member for Blackburn in my written answer of 17 October, at col. 89.

  Student Income and Expenditure (Survey)
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the results of the recent survey of student income and expenditure conducted by Research Services Ltd. will be published.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that Research Services Limited will be publishing the survey report today. I shall place copies in the Library.

  Examinations (Attainment)
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish tables for each local education authority for England, giving the average level of attainment of pupils in public examinations for the latest available date, adjusted to take account of the socio-economic background of pupils in each area in a manner similar to that used by his Department in its statistical bulletins, and the ranking of local education authorities when data are adjusted in this way, and when unadjusted.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 9 November 1989]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Number of children with statements in maintained schools

  Pupils with statements

  As a percentage of all pupils in maintained schools

  January of each year

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Barking

  300

  294

  276

  1·3

  1·3

  1·2

  Barnet

  519

  514

  508

  1·3

  1·4

  1·4

  Bexley

  592

  631

  639

  1·8

  1·9

  2·0

  Brent

  1

  401

  423

  1

  1·1

  1·1

  Bromley

  666

  618

  766

  1·7

  1·7

  2·1

  Croydon

  760

  823

  999

  1·7

  1·9

  2·4

  Ealing

  558

  579

  541

  1·4

  1·5

  1·4

  Enfield

  657

  629

  577

  1·7

  1·6

  1·5

  Haringey

  405

  372

  358

  1·4

  1·4

  1·3

  Harrow

  408

  398

  451

  1·5

  1·5

  1·7

  Havering

  560

  537

  537

  1·5

  1·5

  1·5

  Hillingdon

  488

  475

  514

  1·4

  1·4

  1·6

  Hounslow

  391

  610

  684

  1·3

  2·0

  2·3

  Kingston upon Thames

  283

  296

  283

  1·6

  1·7

  1·7

  Merton

  52

  149

  248

  0·2

  0·7

  1·2

  Newham

  680

  698

  693

  1·8

  1·9

  2·0

  Redbridge

  537

  534

  512

  1·7

  1·7

  1·7

  Richmond upon Thames

  253

  265

  281

  1·6

  1·7

  1·8

  Sutton

  218

  455

  413

  1·0

  2·0

  1·9

  Waltham Forest

  700

  675

  475

  2·1

  2·1

  1·5

  Inner London

  6,665

  6,961

  6,817

  2·4

  2·6

  2·5

  Birmingham

  3,402

  3,470

  3,533

  2·0

  2·0

  2·1

  Coventry

  981

  983

  947

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  Dudley

  852

  814

  826

  1·8

  1·7

  1·8

  Sandwell

  1,050

  1,043

  1,042

  2·0

  2·0

  2·1

  Solihull

  120

  182

  245

  0·3

  0·5

  0·7

  Walsall

  708

  713

  715

  1·5

  1·5

  1·6

  Wolverhampton

  727

  667

  719

  1·6

  1·6

  1·7

  Knowsley

  340

  486

  596

  1·1

  1·6

  2·0

  Liverpool

  1,606

  1,638

  1,638

  2·0

  2·1

  2·1

  St. Helens

  528

  518

  409

  1·6

  1·6

  1·3

  Sefton

  535

  607

  648

  1·1

  1·3

  1·4

  Wirral

  951

  922

  714

  1·8

  1·7

  1·4

  Bolton

  543

  521

  533

  1·2

  1·2

  1·2

  Bury

  474

  470

  531

  1·7

  1·7

  2·0

  Manchester

  222

  420

  690

  0·3

  0·6

  1·0

  Oldham

  651

  577

  517

  1·7

  1·5

  1·4

  Rochdale

  642

  658

  654

  1·7

  1·8

  1·8

  Salford

  723

  636

  525

  1·9

  1·7

  1·5

  Stockport

  666

  676

  795

  1·5

  1·5

  1·8

  Tameside

  735

  626

  676

  2·0

  1·7

  1·9

  Trafford

  389

  531

  545

  1·3

  1·8

  1·8

  Wigan

  198

  255

  418

  0·4

  0·5

  0·8

  Barnsley

  422

  432

  406

  1·1

  1·2

  1·1

  Doncaster

  115

  766

  808

  0·2

  1·5

  1·6

  Rotherham

  792

  809

  833

  1·8

  1·8

  2·0

  Sheffield

  1,341

  1,292

  1,254

  1·7

  1·7

  1·7

  Bradford

  1,338

  1,265

  1,231

  1·6

  1·5

  1·5

  Calderdale

  316

  334

  350

  0·9

  1·0

  1·1

  Kirklees

  953

  940

  1,119

  1·4

  1·5

  1·8

  Leeds

  1,482

  2,017

  1,836

  1·3

  1·8

  1·7

  Wakefield

  863

  807

  783

  1·7

  1·6

  1·6

  Statemented Children
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish a table showing, for local education authorities in England in each of the last three years for which records exist(a) how many children and what proportion of children of school age have been statemented as having special educational needs and (b) what extra resources in terms of teacher hours per statemented pupil per year have been made available by each local education authority in England respectively.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [pursuant to the reply, 31 October, c. 113]: The number of children with statements of special educational needs in maintained schools and these children as a percentage of all pupils in maintained schools for whom each local education authority is responsible in England in 1986, 1987 and 1988 is given in the following table.
  391

  Pupils with statements

  As a percentage of all pupils in maintained schools

  January of each year

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Gateshead

  569

  568

  483

  1·7

  1·8

  1·6

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  793

  785

  770

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  North Tyneside

  538

  553

  601

  1·7

  1·7

  1·9

  South Tyneside

  378

  411

  457

  1·5

  1·7

  1·9

  Sunderland

  926

  893

  825

  1·8

  1·7

  1·7

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  0

  0

  0·3

  0·0

  0·0

  Avon

  6,208

  3,394

  3,321

  4·6

  2·5

  2·5

  Bedfordshire

  1,376

  1,311

  1,385

  1·6

  1·6

  1·7

  Berkshire

  1,964

  1,921

  1,686

  1·8

  1·8

  1·6

  Buckinghamshire

  2,462

  2,429

  2,441

  2·5

  2·4

  2·5

  Cambridgeshire

  1,796

  1,149

  1,554

  1·8

  1·2

  1·6

  Cheshire

  3,149

  2,979

  3,048

  2·0

  1·9

  2·0

  Cleveland

  2,189

  2,140

  2,218

  2·1

  2·1

  2·2

  Cornwall

  1,038

  1,227

  1,316

  1·5

  1·8

  1·9

  Cumbria

  1,157

  1,236

  1,411

  1·5

  1·6

  1·9

  Derbyshire

  2,664

  3,002

  2,824

  1·8

  2·1

  2·0

  Devon

  2,447

  2,609

  2,821

  1·8

  2·0

  2·1

  Dorset

  1,450

  1,614

  1,705

  1·8

  2·1

  2·1

  Durham

  1,479

  1,335

  1,528

  1·5

  1·4

  1·6

  East Sussex

  1,431

  1,439

  1,493

  1·7

  1·7

  1·8

  Essex

  3,962

  3,813

  4,057

  1·7

  1·6

  1·8

  Gloucestershire

  203

  614

  534

  0·3

  0·8

  0·7

  Hampshire

  4,229

  4,041

  4,264

  1·9

  1·9

  2·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  33

  95

  191

  0·03

  0·1

  0·2

  Hertfordshire

  3,088

  3,182

  3,636

  2·0

  2·1

  2·5

  Humberside

  2,205

  2,088

  1,962

  1·5

  1·5

  1·4

  Isle of Wight

  298

  288

  309

  1·7

  1·7

  1·8

  Kent

  4,123

  3,838

  4,264

  1·8

  1·7

  1·9

  Lancashire

  3,441

  3,481

  3,361

  1·6

  1·6

  1·6

  Leicestershire

  1,632

  1,637

  1,748

  1·1

  1·2

  1·3

  Lincolnshire

  1,715

  1,708

  1,770

  2·0

  2·0

  2·1

  Norfolk

  1,567

  1,790

  1,937

  1·5

  1·7

  1·9

  North Yorkshire

  1,535

  1,546

  1,446

  1·5

  1·5

  1·5

  Northamptonshire

  1,646

  1,521

  1,236

  1·7

  1·6

  1·3

  Northumberland

  816

  829

  817

  1·6

  1·7

  1·7

  Nottinghamshire

  2,267

  2,159

  2,085

  1·4

  1·4

  1·4

  Oxfordshire

  847

  779

  728

  1·1

  1·1

  1·0

  Shropshire

  1,063

  1,093

  1,238

  1·7

  1·7

  2·0

  Somerset

  1,200

  1,413

  1,702

  1·8

  2·2

  2·7

  Staffordshire

  2,411

  2,636

  2,558

  1·4

  1·6

  1·6

  Suffolk

  1,380

  1,405

  1,577

  1·5

  1·6

  1·8

  Surrey

  2,719

  2,791

  3,002

  2·1

  2·2

  2·4

  Warwickshire

  1,471

  1,408

  1,545

  1·9

  1·9

  2·1

  West Sussex

  1,112

  1,121

  1,151

  1·2

  1·2

  1·3

  Wiltshire

  1,596

  1,645

  1,845

  2·0

  2·0

  2·3

  England

  120,931

  120,905

  124,381

  1·7

  1·7

  1·8

  1A Nil Return was received from Brent Lea in 1986.

TRANSPORT

  Stolen Cars (Accidents)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons have been killed in accidents involving police cars while driving stolen cars on Merseyside in the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not collected on the STATS19 accident report form.

  Air Controllers
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss ways of improving the workload of air controllers at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority and management of the National Air Traffic Services.

  Airports (Security)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) under what statutory authority security companies operate at British airports;

  (2) what guidance he issues on the criteria to be used in recruiting security firms at British airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Security companies offer a wide range of services. The arrangements under which they perform those services are a matter between themselves and their clients. The fact that some of the tasks they are engaged to carry out may be performed wholly or partly at airports does not make those arrangements in general a matter for my right hon. Friend. However, under directions made by the Secretary of State under the Aviation Security Act 1982 airport managers and aircraft operators have various obligations in relation to aviation security. They may use their employees or agents to fulfil these obligations. It is a requirement of current directions that any security companies engaged for this purpose must be members of the British Security Industry Association or the International Professional Security Association. The
  393
  Government will be responding in due course to the points made about this requirement by the Transport Select Committee in paragraph 56 of its recent report on airport security.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to improve security at British airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We are determined to improve aviation security. The very full answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith) by my right hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Mr. Channon), the then Secretary of State, on 24 April at columns 448–50, announced a range of new initiatives. These are being followed through vigorously, and we shall not hesitate to take any further steps which may be necessary.

  Underground Stations
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of London Underground stations north of the River Thames and the number south of the River Thames; and what plans are there to bring underground lines south of the river.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are 244 London Underground stations north of the River Thames and 29 south of the river. We are considering the extension of the Jubilee line via the south bank of the river to Canary wharf. An announcement on this will be made shortly.

  East London Rail Study
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the full report of the east London rail study; and when his Department will make the report publicly available.

  Mr. Portillo
  Halcrow Fox and Associates have prepared a fuller report on the east London rail study setting out the work which lay behind their summary report published in July. I have placed copies in the Library.

  Road Congestion
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department estimates for the budgets in terms of relief of road congestion in south and east London of the proposed new extension to the Jubilee line.

  Mr. Portillo
  This information is commercially confidential as it has a bearing on the negotiations with developers on their contributions to the Jubilee extension.

  Thames Riverbus
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Thames riverbus partnership following the six months of operation of the partnership.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have received periodic reports from the Riverbus partnership.

  Underground Extensions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received from local authorities and others in support of proposals for underground line extensions in(a) Southwark and (b) docklands.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has received a number of representations in support of proposals for extensions of the underground in Southwark and docklands.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected number of travellers on the proposed extension to the Jubilee Line(a) from Docklands westwards and (b) from west to Docklands in each of the first 10 years of operation.

  Mr. Portillo
  Forecasts have been made only for the morning peak three-hour period in 2001. The number of passengers predicted to use the line varies from link to link along its length. Between Green Park and Canary Wharf the number of people travelling daily eastward in the morning peak period is forecast to vary between 17,000 and 30,300 and the number travelling westward between 8,000 and 32,100.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he has information on the proposed extension of the Jubilee line to Greenwich; if his Department is proposing to fund this extension; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has on the extension of the Jubilee line into the London docklands; if any private companies are considering contributing to this extension: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) today. LRT will shortly deposit a Bill for an extension of the Jubilee line prepared on the basis of an alignment via Brunswick (not Greenwich). But, I understand that it would be possible for the promoter to propose to Parliament that the route be changed during the consideration of the Bill. That could be proposed if sufficient contributions were forthcoming from those with an interest in the Greenwich alignment to offset the additional costs of that route.

  Road Safety
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information he has relating to the total sums allocated, within the road safety budget 1990–91, specifically to benefit cyclists; and if he will list the projects;

  (2) what information he has relating to the total sums allocated, within the road safety budget 1990–91, specifically to benefit pedestrians; and if he will list the projects;

  (3) what information he has relating to the total sums being allocated to road safety projects for 1990–91; and if he will list the projects.
  395
  Mr. Atkins
  Road safety, including that of pedestrians and cyclists, is a key consideration in the road engineering and traffic management projects undertaken by my Department and the local authorities throughout Britain.

  Many other agencies, including the police, education authorities, RoSPA and road user organisations also contribute significantly to road safety projects and initiatives. Associated with this work, a wide ranging programme of research and publicity will continue in 1990–91.

  Because of the widespread nature of all these activities it is not possible to provide comprehensive information in the form requested.

  British Rail
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the level of subsidy for British Rail in each year since 1979 both in actual and real terms.

  Mr. Portillo
  The subsidy paid to British Rail in each year since 1979 as public service obligation grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and as level crossings grant under EEC regulation 1192/69 was as follows:

  £ million

  Cash

  1989–90 prices

  1979

  516

  1,024

  1980

  610

  1,021

  1981

  814

  1,241

  1982

  845

  1,204

  1983

  870

  1,184

  11984

  843

  1,093

  1985–86

  849

  1,044

  1986–87

  755

  899

  1987–88

  796

  901

  1988–89

  556

  587

  1989–90

  2517

  517

  1 1984–85 was a 15-month financial period. The figure shown for 1984 is the 12-month equivalent.

  2 PSO cash ceiling plus estimate for level crossings grant.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information is maintained by his Department on British Rail's levels of punctuality.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department receives information quarterly on the performance of each passenger sector against the quality objectives, including punctuality and, in addition, four-weekly reports for Network SouthEast and Provincial. British Rail reports formally on its performance against the quality of service objectives in its annual report and accounts.

  Drowning, Ilfracombe
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what stage the police were informed about the incident in which Mark Woodward was drowned at Ilfracombe on 16 August.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The police were informed at 16.44 local time.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, how far the lifeboat had to travel to respond to the incident at Ilfracombe in which Mark Woodward was drowned; and whether this rate of response meets the criteria used by his Department to assess suitable response times.
  396
  Mr. McLoughlin
  From the launching slip to the location of the incident was a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile. To reach the launching slip the Ilfracombe lifeboat has to proceed by road from the boat house, also a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile. From advising the lifeboat launching authority to lifeboat on scene was 13 minutes.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, from which document he is quoting in his reference to reports of a person on the rocks, cut off by tide; and whether this reference to a single person affected is confirmed by other sources.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Two almost simultaneous reports, one direct, the other re-routed from Milford Haven, were received at Swansea. The first suggested two persons cut off by tide, the second indicated a single person. All references are recorded in coastguard logs.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, whether the times of 16.20, 16.24, 16.35 and 16.41 to which he refers are log times or electronic tape times.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Log times.

  Swansea Coastguard
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, if he will indicate for each of the five personnel on duty at the Swansea coastguard station (a) the number of hours worked in total that day and (b) the start and end times of shifts.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The three regular coastguard officers each worked 12 hours from 0800 to 2000 and each had a meal break of 1½ hours in this period. In addition, auxiliary coastguard staff worked the following hours: two auxiliaries 0700 to 1300, one auxiliary 1200 to 1800 covering meal breaks and two auxiliaries 1300 to 1900. At no time were there fewer than four staff on watch.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the normal watch strength at the Swansea coastguard station; what representations were made earlier this year to the district management about the watch strength; and what action was taken, or is planned, as a result of these representations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The minimum watch level is three regular coastguard officers. However, the normal target is four regular officers on watch.

  Staff representations regarding manning have been considered at district, regional and headquarters level. The present complement is considered adequate for the task.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any regular difficulties were experienced in maintaining the watch strength earlier this year at the Swansea coastguard station as a result of leave entitlement, training absences, sick leave, prior engagements, or the secondment of staff to other duties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Some difficulty was experienced during July 1989 in maintaining the watch strength due to
  397
  a spate of short-term sickness which coincided with previously arranged staff leave and training absences. On no occasion, however, did the watch strength fall below the minimum requirement of three regular officers on watch. On the few occasions when there was only the minimum regular watch strength, the fourth person on watch was provided by use of an auxiliary coastguard.

  Coastguard
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the normal policy on informing the police when emergency calls are made to the coastguard.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The police are informed immediately if their assistance is required. The nature of the incident dictates whether police involvement is necessary.

  Ilfracombe Harbour
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy of his Department on the making of payments to boats in Ilfracombe harbour to monitor emergency frequencies and to respond if required.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No payments are made to vessels to monitor emergency frequencies. A master or person in charge of a vessel has an obligation, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, her crew and passengers (if any), to render assistance on receiving a signal from any source that a ship, aircraft or person is in distress.

  Scottish Airports Policy
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for research on noise number index contours around Glasgow airport relating to the impact of new transatlantic services and their interaction with European and shorthaul services before the consultation period on Scottish lowland airports policy closes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. My right hon. Friend has responsibility for the mitigation of noise at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. At other United Kingdom airports, including Glasgow, that responsibility lies with the airport operator.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the proposal to extend the docklands light railway to Lewisham; what assistance the Government are considering offering to this extension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  London Regional Transport has submitted an appraisal of a southern extension of the docklands light railway to Greenwich and Lewisham and is still investigating possible sources of finance. Decisions on the funding of the project cannot therefore be taken at this stage.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on behalf of disabled people on the difficulties they face in hailing and booking taxis; and if he will make a statement.
  398
  Mr. Atkins
  The Department is in constant touch with disabled people and the organisations representing them.

  Hailing and booking taxis has been a particular problem for wheelchair users. My Department was involved in the development of a wheelchair accessible London-type taxi. From 1 February this year all newly registered taxis in London have had to be wheelchair accessible and there are already 2,000 operating in the capital.

  Disabled people are now able to state their requirements when pre-booking taxis through the booking agencies. At present a suitable vehicle cannot always be guaranteed. As the pool of wheelchair accessible taxis grows, wheelchair users will not only be able to pre-book taxis with greater certainty; they will also be able to hail suitable vehicles in the street.

  London Rail Studies
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions he has taken on the major new lines proposed by the central and east London rail studies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I am pleased to be able to give the go-ahead to the first major addition to London's Underground network since the Victoria line was approved, a quarter of a century ago.

  The extension of the Jubilee line to docklands was recommended by the east London rail study. I am authorising LRT to deposit a Bill for this extension, which is to be routed from Green park via Westminster, Waterloo and London bridge, along the south bank of the Thames to Surrey docks, beneath the river again to Canary wharf on the Isle of Dogs, and thence via Canning Town to Stratford. This will greatly support regeneration of docklands; it will relieve congestion on roads and the existing rail network including the docklands light railway; and it will further strengthen public transport links with BR lines at Waterloo (including the new Channel tunnel terminal) and at London bridge. The new line will also much improve accessibility for areas south of the Thames in Southwark and Bermondsey and in London's east end in Tower Hamlets and Newham that are not now well served by public transport. I know how welcome this news will be in those areas.

  The Jubilee extension will cost about £1 billion in today's prices to which developers will over time be making a cash contribution of over £400 million. I warmly welcome this contribution, which is of an unprecedented scale. This is a further example of public and private sector co-operation to the mutual benefit of both. The net cost to Government is approximately £40 million in 1990–91 and £150 million and £240 million in the following two years. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has agreed that these sums should be made available from the public expenditure reserve which was set with this in mind.

  The development of docklands is itself bound to ease pressure on transport and other services in central London. What is more, the central London rail study proposed a two-fold strategy to relieve congestion in the rail network serving the central area: a major upgrading programme to make the fullest possible use of the existing lines; and the construction of two major new lines.

  The major upgrading programme is already under way. I have approved record levels of investment by London
  399
  Underground and Network SouthEast to enable them to improve services and increase capacity. The Central line is to be re-equipped with new signalling and 85 new trains; a start is to be made on a similar upgrading of the Northern line; major works are either in hand or being planned to increase capacity at the most congested underground stations including Angel, Victoria, Waterloo, London Bridge, Tottenham Court Road, Kings Cross and Holborn; and, during the last 12 months we have approved nearly 1,200 new vehicles for Network SouthEast.

  I welcome BR's proposals to develop their very successful Thameslink services, which at present carry through services from Luton and Bedford via King's Cross and Blackfriars to Brighton and other places south of London. Eighty more vehicles will be introduced next year, and the new St. Paul's Thameslink station will open in the spring. Off-peak services frequencies will increase next year. Provision of nearly £100 million has been made in the public expenditure settlement for the new trains and for design work and land acquisition principally at King's Cross for the next phase of development. The total project looks promising and the extra services would make a valuable contribution to the relief of congestion. BR hopes to be ready to seek legislative powers by November 1990.

  But I recognise that more must be done to meet longer-term requirements. Further work has been carried out since the central London rail study report was published in January this year. This has confirmed the view that, as well as the major upgradings now approved, additions to the network will be needed to relieve congestion in the central area as the London economy continues to grow over the rest of this century. Any one of the new lines under discussion would cost at least £1·5 billion to build at today's prices and would be a major engineering project affecting central London during its construction. For these reasons we are not currently planning to start on more than one new central area line, in addition to the Jubilee extension. Further work is necessary to decide which of the options offers the most practicable and cost-effective solution. In reaching this decision, my aim is to ensure that we select the line which will best serve the travelling public who will benefit from it and who will contribute to its costs through the fares they pay.

  It is important that we make good progress in completing this further assessment. I have therefore instructed that it should be completed in time for a decision during next year on the path of a new line, on its timing and its funding. Subject to the satisfactory outcome of this further work, I would expect to authorise the introduction of a Bill in November 1990.

  The upgrading of the present system, the Jubilee line extension, the improvements to Thameslink and a new line through central London would transform London's rail network over the next decade.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information his Department has on the length of time taken to respond to letters from hon. Members.
  400
  Mr. Cope
  The dates of receipt and of response to the majority of correspondence received from hon. Members by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments is incorporated in the basic data for each item.

  Integrated Schools
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what definition he intends to make of what constitutes an integrated school; what provision he intends to make to secure balanced enrolment in an integrated school; what provision for balance between both traditions in Northern Ireland he intends to provide on the governing bodies of integrated schools; what representations he has received about the definition and appointment of foundation governors and schemes of management for schools which opt for grant-maintained integrated status; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is clearly inherent in the concept of integrated schooling that substantial numbers of Protestant and Roman Catholic pupils should be educated together. It is also vital that the management and ethos of an integrated school should be such as to ensure that parents perceive the school as guaranteeing equality of respect and treatment for all pupils regardless of their religious denomination. To require a balanced enrolment would, however, imply the enrolment of Protestants and Roman Catholics in roughly equal numbers. This would have the effect of denying integrated status to all but a few schools, defeating the Government's objective of enabling as many parents as possible to aspire to have their children educated with children from both traditions.

  A distinctive constitution will be introduced for the board of governors of a grant-maintained integrated school. There will be two categories of directly appointed governors, namely, foundation governors and Department of Education appointees, together with two categories of elected governors, representing parents and teachers. For the Department's part, it will be required to choose persons committed to the viability of the school as an integrated school and it will seek to ensure that there is a broad balance of interests among those appointed.

  Some representations have been made that, where an existing school with an integrated ethos acquired grant-maintained integrated status, the legislation should ensure that existing practice for the appointment of foundation governors and the existing provisions of its instrument of government should continue to apply. However, since integrated status will be available to a wide range of schools, with different constitutions, it would be inappropriate to seek to make detailed statutory provision for the definition and appointment of foundation governors or for schemes of management. 'The Government, nevertheless, fully intend that the transition to grant-maintained integrated status for a school should be made with the maximum degree of continuity consistent with its former status. In particular, it will be for the school governors themselves to draw up a scheme of management for the school for approval by the Department.

  Security Fence (Newtownards)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has given planning permission to the new security fence at Short Brothers'
  401
  factory in Newtownards; to how many adjoining landowners notices of the planning application were served; and what provision he intends to make for access from Church street court to Half Acre lane to Corry street in Newtownards.

  Mr. Needham
  Planning permission was granted to Shorts plc in 1981 for, among other things, fencing at its Newtownards factory. This was before the introduction of the non-statutory neighbour notification scheme. The firm indicated to the DOE(NI) recently that it proposed to erect additional fencing and that a new planning application would be submitted. Both the new and original proposals showed a fence at either end of Forde street thus closing it off to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. All rights-of-way through Forde street were extinguished by the NI Housing Executive in 1982 and the DOE(NI) has no plans to provide alternative access from Church street court.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that the application in respect of the Carrickfergus site for the fire authority is not delayed pending the outcome of the appeal in respect of the Newtownabbey site to which neighbours objected.

  Mr. Needham
  The Carrickfergus application was approved on 25 October 1989.

  Mr. Roy Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with progress made in respect of the planning application related to a site for the fire authority in Carrickfergus.

  Mr. Needham
  Yes, considering the complexity of the planning issues involved. The application was approved on 25 October 1989.

  Chief Constable
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what restrictions on nationality apply to candidates for the post of Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Cope
  To be eligible for appointment all police officers of any grade in the United Kingdom must be:

  (a) a British citizen; or

  (b) a Commonwealth citizen (other than a British citizen) or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, in which case one of the following conditions must be satisfied:

  (i) at least one parent must be, or have been at death a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland; or

  (ii) the candidate must have resided in a country or territory within the Commonwealth or in the Republic of Ireland, or have been employed elsewhere in the service of the Crown, or partly have so resided and partly been so employed, for at least five years out of the last eight years preceding the date of his appointment.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he has met all of the bodies who submitted a response to the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989; what were the results of these meetings which have taken place; and if he will make a statement;
  402
  (2) if he will list all the bodies who submitted a response to the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last made an official visit to Cyprus; and if he has any plans to visit Cyprus.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have not visited Cyprus as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have no plans to do so.

  Scheduled Offences
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of persons convicted of scheduled offences in Northern Ireland, separately, for each calendar year since the commencement of the Emergency Provisions Act 1973.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 8 November 1989]: Information similar to that requested is published in the returns on the Emergency Provisions Act, but I will write to the hon. Member.

  Industrial Development
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those advanced and refurbished factories for new investment which were either sold or leased by the industrial development board, in each of the years since 1980, giving details by district council area.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 November 1989]: The information requested is set out below. It relates to vacant factories over 750 sq m.

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Antrim

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  1

  —

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  —

  1

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  2

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Ards

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  1

  403

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Armagh

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Ballymena

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  1

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Ballymoney

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  1

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Bonhridge

  1980–1981

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Belfast

  1980–81

  —

  2

  1981–82

  —

  3

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  3

  1984–85

  1

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  2

  1988–89

  4

  1

  1989–90

  2

  —

  404

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Carrickfergus

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Castlereagh

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  2

  —

  1989–90

  —

  1

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Coleraine

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Craigavon

  1980–81

  —

  l

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  3

  1983–84

  —

  4

  1984–85

  1

  —

  1985–86

  1

  —

  1986–87

  —

  4

  1987–88

  2

  1

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Derry

  1980–81

  —

  1

  1981–82

  —

  2

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  3

  1984–85

  —

  2

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  1

  2

  1987–88

  —

  1

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  405

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Down

  1980–81

  –

  1

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  1

  1

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Dungannon

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  1

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Fermanagh

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  2

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  1

  1987–88

  —

  1

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Lame

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  2

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  2

  1988–89

  —

  1

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Limavady

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  4

  —

  406

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Lisburn

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  2

  1983–84

  —

  4

  1984–85

  —

  4

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  1

  1

  1987–88

  2

  —

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  4

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Magherafelt

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Moyle

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Newry and

  Mourne

  1980–81

  —

  1

  1981–82

  —

  2

  1982–83

  —

  3

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  2

  1

  1986–87

  2

  —

  1987–88

  2

  1

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  1

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Newtonabbey

  1980–81

  —

  1

  1981–82

  —

  3

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  —

  1

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  1

  —

  1986–87

  1

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  407

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  North Down

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  1

  1986–87

  —

  1

  1987–88

  1

  —

  1988–89

  3

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Omagh

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  3

  1984–85

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  District council

  Sold

  Leased

  Strabane

  1980–81

  —

  —

  1981–82

  —

  —

  1982–83

  —

  1

  1983–84

  —

  —

  1984–85

  —

  1

  1985–86

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1

  1

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1

  —

  1989–90

  —

  —

  Competitive Tendering
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the consequences of so-called free hours offered by contractors upon the quality and cost of services put out to competitive tendering.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: None. Once a contract has been let, the contractor is obliged to provide the service to the agreed quality standard within the contract price.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his advice to health and social services boards as to how they should treat tenders submitted by contractors which contain qualifications as to the number of man-hours required to carry them out and who offer so-called free hours.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: The health and social services boards are expected to conduct the evaluation of tenders on a fully equitable basis. This includes assessing whether the man-hours proposed by private contractors are adequate to provide a quality service.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps were taken in advance of the 408
  Western health and social services board's award of a tender for catering services to ascertain the performance record of tendering contractors on previous projects for other authorities.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: In accordance with the Department of Health and Social Services' circular, the Western health and social services board assessed the capabilities of each potential contractor, including checking references and making visits to establish the company's performance record.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether every company which has tendered for health service contracts in Northern Ireland in the last year has complied with the provisions of the Fair Employment Act (Northern Ireland); and what information he has as to whether each of them awarded contracts has subsequently satisfied the provisions of the Act.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time farmers, in each district council area, are in receipt of family credit.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: The information is not available.

  Income Support
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many part-time farmers, in each district council area, are in receipt of income support.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989] The latest available figure for Northern Ireland is 2,340 at 31 May 1988. The numbers in each district council area are not known.

  Source: 5 per cent. sample (Income Support ASE)

  Farmers
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of(a) full-time farmers and (b) part-time farmers in each district council area of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]Agricultural census data for Northern Ireland are not at present analysed by district council area. Analyses are available by rural districts and counties and the relevant figures for 1989 are provided in the accompanying table. An analysis by district council areas will be produced in early 1990.

  District

  Full-time

  Part-time

  1. Antrim

  752

  461

  2. Ballycastle

  488

  199

  3. Ballymena

  1,305

  573

  4. Ballymoney

  840

  337

  5. Newtonabbey

  21

  12

  6. Larne

  645

  373

  7. Lisburn

  404

  227

  8. County Antrim urban

  21

  13

  9. Belfast, County Antrim

  County Antrim total

  4,476

  2,195

  409

  District

  Full-time

  Part-time

  10. Armagh

  1,409

  734

  11. Lurgan

  315

  171

  12. Newry No. 2

  1,008

  561

  13. Tadragee

  155

  75

  14. County Armagh urban

  13

  7

  County Armagh total

  2,900

  1,348

  15. Banbridge

  986

  473

  16. Castlereagh

  50

  31

  17. East Down

  834

  473

  18. Hillsborough

  558

  343

  19. South Down

  500

  282

  20. Moira

  218

  116

  21. Newry No. 1

  638

  304

  22. North Down

  804

  353

  23. County Down urban

  16

  20

  24. Belfast, County Down

  County Down total

  4,604

  2,395

  25. Enniskillen

  965

  442

  26. Irvinestown

  588

  420

  27. Lisnaskea

  1,094

  562

  28. County Fermanagh urban

  1

  0

  County Fermanagh total

  2,648

  1,424

  29. Coleraine

  809

  335

  30. Limavady

  643

  304

  31. Londonderry

  435

  210

  32. Magherafelt

  1,269

  617

  33. County Londonderry urban

  8

  0

  County Londonderry total

  3,164

  1,466

  34. Castlederg

  459

  223

  35. Clogher

  628

  292

  36. Cookstown

  822

  449

  37. Dungannon

  1,001

  587

  38. Omagh

  1,734

  923

  39. Strabane

  759

  304

  40. County Tyrone urban

  4

  4

  County Tyrone total

  5,407

  2,782

  Northern Ireland total

  23,199

  11,810

  Severe Disablement Premium
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of recipients of severe disablement premium.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]The latest available figure is 820 at 31 May 1988.

  Source: 5 per cent. sample (Income Support ASE)

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of applicants for invalid care allowance(a) granted and (b) refused, in each year since it was introduced.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]The information is as follows:

  Year

  Granted

  Refused

  1976

  683

  1,649

  1977

  277

  97

  1978

  228

  189

  1979

  262

  249

  410

  Year

  Granted

  Refused

  1980

  242

  152

  1981

  214

  140

  1982

  243

  97

  1983

  172

  101

  1984

  183

  89

  1985

  156

  353

  1986

  1,264

  1,128

  1987

  3,528

  2,611

  1988

  1,849

  2,493

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of applications for attendance allowance in Northern Ireland which were(a) received and (b) refused in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number received

  Number refused1

  1980

  8,096

  2,724

  1981

  8,125

  2,457

  1982

  9,933

  2,955

  1983

  11,043

  2,958

  1984

  12,043

  2,582

  1985

  12,285

  2,587

  1986

  12,409

  3,115

  1987

  13,951

  3,958

  1988

  15,709

  5,539

  1 Claims refused may not necessarily have been received that year.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of applications in Northern Ireland for attendance allowance granted at(a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]The information is as follows:

  Year

  Higher rate

  Lower rate

  1980

  2,266

  2,884

  1981

  2,327

  2,724

  1982

  3,013

  3,406

  1983

  3,831

  4,107

  1984

  4,146

  4,516

  1985

  3,637

  3,889

  1986

  3,995

  4,450

  1987

  4,099

  4,459

  1988

  4,724

  5,622

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the statutory and public bodies appointed by him, giving a list of their functions and total budgets.

  Mr. Cope
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of home help hours provided by each health board in Northern Ireland in each year since 1980.
  411
  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Kincora Boys' Home
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will appoint an inquiry into events at the Kincora boy's home in Northern Ireland, with specific terms of reference to consider allegations of criminal activites by Crown employees.

  Mr. Cope
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will reply to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North's letter of 4 September concerning the expert evidence of Mr. Radley confirming the authenticity of the memorandum drawn up by Mr. Colin Wallace on the Kincora boys' home dated 8 November 1974.

  Mr. Brooke
  I shall write to the hon. Member very shortly.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details for each of the years from 1980 to 30 September 1989 of members of(a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (b) the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve serving in Northern Ireland who have (i) voluntarily resigned having been involved in an offence, (ii) been discharged having been convicted of an offence and (iii) had their engagements terminated following the commission of an offence, but before trial; and what was the nature of the offence in each case.

  Mr. Cope
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Convicted Soldiers (Possession of Documents)
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the recent conviction of Corporal Cameron Hastie of the Regular Army and Private Joanne Garvin of the Ulster Defence Regiment under section 22(1)C of the Emergency Provisions (N.I.) Act 1987 for possession of documents likely to be of use to terrorists, whether any persons listed in the documents in respect of which charges were brought, or persons associated with such persons, have since been the victim of terrorist attack; and whether steps have been taken by the police to ensure the security of those listed.

  Mr. Cope
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Queen's University (Courses)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students attending Queen's university, Belfast, are involved in courses of study of less than 21 hours per week.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Health and Social Security Staff
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have applied for posts in the Department of Health and Social Security in 412
  Northern Ireland in each of the last three months; what has been the cost of processing such applications in each month; and whether an acknowledgement and a full reply has been sent to each applicant.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Limavady Bypass
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when he expects to make a decision on the route of the Limavady bypass; (2) whether he has completed his economic assessment of the Limavady bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that farmers affected by lead contamination controls receive full payment from the milk marketing board for November and December.

  Mr. Curry
  This is a matter for the milk marketing board.

  Cattle Dealers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the number of cattle dealers in England and Wales who have been summonsed for causing unnecessary suffering to animals exported to Europe for slaughter in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  There have been no such prosecutions during this period on matters subject to British jurisdiction.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to the European Community Commission concerning the planned end of milk quotas in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Current Community quota regulations extend only until the end of March 1992. The Commission is obliged to produce a report on their future by March 1991. I have emphasised to them the need for more flexible rules on quota transfers.

  Poultry Farming
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about any proposed modification to the recently announced regulations relating to poultry farming.

  Mr. Maclean
  Two new orders came into effect on 26 October 1989, modifying previous requirements relating to testing of poultry flocks for salmonella. I have no plans at present to make further changes to this legislation.

  Animal Feed
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will introduce a requirement for regular inspections of materials to be used in the manufacture of animal feedstuffs awaiting milling;

  (2) if he will take steps to grant powers to trading standards officers to impound suspect feedstuffs on import while awaiting sample analysis;

  (3) if he will take steps to prohibit the use of the term replacer product on animal feedstuffs and to substitute a requirement for accurate labelling of products;

  (4) if he will take steps to require a full declaration of all ingredients, including country of origin, on all animal feedstuffs;

  (5) if he will take steps to require all imports of animal feedstuffs to be identified by a batch number;

  (6) if he will take steps to require mandatory product testing of animal feedstuffs at the mill.

  Mr. Gummer
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Partridges
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 13 November, if he will initiate research into the effect of organophosphates on partridges.

  Mr. Curry
  There are no current proposals to study the effect of organophosphorus pesticides on partridges, as opposed to other bird species. However, new research findings are continually being evaluated and taken into consideration in the planning of MAFF's further research programme, including the selection of appropriate species for study.

  Horses and Ponies (Export)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North of 7 November, what steps he intends to take to ensure that the objective of adequate welfare standards are achieved during journeys of horses and ponies for export; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The negotiations on the draft EC regulation on the protection of animals during transport will cover areas such as vehicle standards, feeding and watering arrangements, proper separation and other transport conditions. In all these areas we will seek to ensure that the welfare of the animals is fully protected and that the requirements are properly enforced throughout the Community.

  Animals (Slaughter)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the number of live animals exported to Europe for slaughter in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following table gives the number of animals inspected and certified as fit for transportation prior to export from Great Britain.
  414

  For immediate slaughter

  For further fattening before slaughter

  Year

  Cattle

  Sheep

  Cattle

  Calves

  Sheep

  Pigs

  1986

  187

  154,017

  —

  190,683

  7,745

  1,321

  1987

  1,014

  182,781

  574

  365,166

  130,775

  —

  1988

  136

  262,647

  323

  234,651

  184,120

  —

  Sheep Variable Premium
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will extend the period over which the reduction of the sheep variable premium takes place from the calendar year 1990 to the end of the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  As part of a reformed sheepmeat regime the sheep variable premium scheme is to be phased out in stages during the calendar years 1990 to 1992. The United Kingdom has retained the right to end the scheme before the end of 1992. We will continue to consult closely all those concerned with the scheme, and will take decisions on the best way of ending the premium on the basis of the views expressed to us and on experience in the market.

  Knackers' Yards
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about recent proposals by the European Community Commission concerning knackers' yards.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Commission proposals for the disposal of animal waste, including dead and casualty stock, have recently been presented to Council. We are considering the implications in consultation with the interests concerned prior to Community discussion.

  Emergency Warnings
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will raise at the Council of Ministers the need for increased co-ordination between European veterinary services in relation to emergency warnings.

  Mr. Maclean
  Liaison between member states' veterinary authorities is in general very good. But if experience of the current outbreak of contamination of animal feed indicates that improvements in co-ordination between member states are necessary, we will not hesitate to press for them.

  Sheep
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent unnecessary suffering to sheep exported from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  As part of our controls my Department ensures that all animals are properly rested, offered food and water and inspected for fitness to travel at approved lairages prior to export from Great Britain. In the light of allegations concerning a consignment of sheep exported last month we have withheld certain export licences and have asked the French authorities, who are responsible for welfare controls on their territory, to investigate the incident.

  Cattle Deaths
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the incidence by numbers, date and location by county of cattle deaths during the last three months arising from lead or other heavy metal poisoning.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following table lists the numbers, date and location by county of reported deaths in cattle since 1 August 1989 which have been diagnosed by the veterinary investigation service as being due to lead or other heavy metal poisoning as a result of the examination of carcases or other material submitted to their laboratories (as of 15 November 1989):

  Number of cattle reported to have died

  Month1

  County

  Heavy metal poison

  2

  August

  Cumbria

  Lead

  2

  August

  Cumbria

  Lead

  1

  August

  Derbyshire

  Lead

  3

  August

  Lancashire

  Lead

  1

  September

  Cambridgeshire

  Lead

  1

  September

  Cumbria

  Lead

  1

  September

  Cumbria

  Lead

  1

  September

  Derbyshire

  Lead

  1

  September

  Gwynedd

  Lead

  2

  September

  Lancashire

  Lead

  2

  September

  West Glamorgan

  Lead

  1

  October

  Cornwall

  Lead

  1

  October

  Cornwall

  Lead2

  2

  October

  Cornwall

  Lead2

  2

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  7

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  1

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  1

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  2

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  3

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  3

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  1

  October

  Devon

  Lead2

  1

  October

  Durham

  Lead

  1

  October

  Durham

  Lead

  3

  October

  Lancashire

  Lead

  2

  October

  Lancashire

  Lead

  6

  October

  Leicestershire

  Lead2

  1

  November

  Cornwall

  Lead2

  3

  November

  Derbyshire

  Lead2

  2

  November

  Devon

  Lead

  1Month in which incident is reported to have started on the premises involved.

  2 Includes 33 deaths attributed to lead contaminated feed.

  Eggs
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 1 November,Official Report, column 210, what provisions exists for (a) following up on tests which prove positive for salmonella poisoning, (b) tracing the contaminated eggs back to their origin and (c) having the flocks from whence the contaminated imported eggs came either tested or tested and slaughtered;

  (2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 1 November, Official Report, column 210, why no consignments of imported eggs have been destroyed;

  (3) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 1 November, Official Report, column 210, what constitutes a consignment of eggs; how long after the 60 eggs are removed from the consignment
  416
  for testing the test results are known; whether the consignment, having had 60 eggs removed for testing is then allowed to proceed and disperse its eggs to retail sellers before test results have been obtained; and what provisions exist for recalling or withdrawing the dispersed eggs from retailers' shelves if testing proves positive for salmonella contamination.

  Mr. Curry
  No consignments of imported eggs have been destroyed as a result of finding invasive salmonella contamination in a sample. It can take at least five days to test for and confirm invasive salmonella in a sample of eggs. It would, on present evidence, be an unjustified interference in trade to detain any consignment of eggs pending the outcome of a test.

  A consignment of eggs is a quantity consigned by one exporter to one importer at one time and, typically, would be a container load.

  We have taken up each of the six positive identifications of salmonella in imported eggs with the member states concerned. In doing so we have informed them of the identity of the authorised packing centre involved whenever possible. It is for each member state to decide on the action to be taken in its territory.

  Wheat
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the tonnage for(a) the United Kingdom and (b) all European Community countries of intervention stocks of wheat in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Curry
  A note setting out the volume of stocks of agricultural commodities held in intervention and assisted private storage in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the EC as a whole, is deposited in the Library of the House and is updated monthly. These notes show that the volume of wheat held in intervention on 31 December (or the nearest available date) in each of the past five years was as follows:

  Total Wheat Stocks ('000 tonnes)

  Year

  United Kingdom

  EC

  1984

  2,113

  8,783

  1985

  3,674

  10,026

  1986

  2,621

  7,703

  1987

  561

  2,909

  1988

  455

  3,361

  Basking Sharks
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on how the quota of 400 tonnes of basking shark levels under the EC-Norwegian agreement is determined;

  (2) when he expects the EC-Norwegian agreement on basking shark quota to be decided; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) whether he has plans to withdraw basking shark from the EC-Norwegian agreement; and if he will make a statement;

  Mr. Curry
  The Norwegian quota for basking shark in Community waters is set as part of the annual EC-Norway overall fisheries arrangements. The quota is set with regard to the data available on the status of the stock as well as the amount sought. The details for the 1990 arrangements are presently being discussed and final agreement should
  417
  be reached by mid-December. In recent years the quota has been set at 400 tonnes of basking shark liver, although actual catches have been far below this level or nil. As the data available indicates there has been no decline in the stock in Community waters since 1978, should Norway request an allocation for 1990 in the context of the annual arrangement to exchange fisheries opportunities I have no plans to argue against a quota within reasonable levels.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the yearly catch for basking sharks under the EC-Norwegian agreement for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Curry
  The Norwegian quota for basking sharks in Community waters is set on the basis of liver weight. Over the last 10 years the landings of liver in tonnes have been as follows:

  Tonnes

  1979

  30·0

  1980

  Nil

  1981

  Nil

  1982

  40·0

  1983

  13·0

  1984

  48·7

  1985

  39·4

  1986

  13·0

  1987

  Nil

  1988

  Nil

DEFENCE

  Warships (South Korea)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British warships have made a visit to South Korea in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the last five years, Royal Navy warships have visited South Korea as follows:

  Number

  1985

  2

  1986

  3

  1987

  2

  1988

  None

  1989

  1

  UN Staff (South Korea)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are attached to the United Nations staff in South Korea.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 20 March 1989 at column 474.

  Armitage Shanks
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those British suppliers who could provide for the Royal Navy the products currently supplied by Armitage Shanks at Barrhead.

  Mr. Neubert
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  British Midland (London-Belfast Flight)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has of an explosion in the air near a British Midland aeroplane on a flight from London to Belfast at approximately 2030 hours on Saturday 11 November 1989; what information he has on who was responsible for this explosion; was this aeroplane in danger; was any terrorist organisation involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  AIDS
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of service men with AIDS have been notified to him for the year(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and the current year to date.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

  Farnborough
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Ministry of Defence personnel are represented on the Farnborough airfield civil enclave liaison committee.

  Mr. Neubert
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any plans to change the current restrictions on the weight of aircraft using the civil enclave at Farnborough airfield.

  Mr. Neubert
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  RAVC, Melton Mowbray
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it his policy that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will not announce any decision on the future of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Melton Mowbray, prior to(a) his forthcoming visit to the base, (b) having discussed the planning aspects with the Melton borough council and (c) meeting the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on this matter.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if any Warsaw pact country currently deploys its own chemical weapons;

  (2) if any Warsaw pact country currently manufactures chemical weapons;

  (3) if he will make a statement on current and recent progress in the negotiations for a chemical weapons convention;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the contingency plans for the safety and security of United States unitary chemical weapons stocks while being removed from the General Republic of Germany to the United States of America through United Kingdom territorial waters, airspace or land;
  419
  (5) if his Department has a capability to measure the size of the Soviet chemical weapons stockpile, independently of United States capabilities;

  (6) what has been his response to the United States Government's policy that chemical weapons will continue to be produced following the signing of an agreement on destruction of existing chemical weapon stocks;

  (7) what is his latest assessment of the size of the Soviet chemical weapons stockpile; and to what time period this assessment refers;

  (8) what recent changes have been observed in the Soviet chemical weapons and chemical warfare agents stockpiles;

  (9) what recent communications he has received from the United States Defence Department concerning changes in its assessment of the size of the Soviet chemical weapons or chemical warfare agents stockpiles.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Aircraft Noise
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has completed his review of the possibility of providing insulation or injurious compensation to mobile home and caravan dwellers affected by military aircraft noise levels that exceed 70 decibels; and how soon he expects to make known his conclusions.

  Mr. Neubert
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.

  Butt of Lewis (Accident)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiry he will be holding into the recent accident involving a submarine and the fishing vessel Scatia off the Butt of Lewis; and whether he will make available the findings of that inquiry.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

HEALTH

  Food Safety
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to ensure the inspection of food factories; what information he has concerning the quality of processes in such factories; whether any action has been taken against such factories in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Enforcement of food law is the responsibility of local authorities. No central records are kept of the number of actions taken against food processing factories which are inspected by environmental health officers. The Government's White Paper "Food Safety—Protecting the Consumer" contains proposals—amongst other things for extension of enforcement in food processing factories by permitting additional inspection by trading standards officers. The Government's intentions to make regulations on stricter food storage temperatures and to introduce tighter controls on certain food processes have been announced previously. Taken together, these measures will give local enforcement authorities an enhanced inspectorate role.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of patients in each health district for which figures are available who are on waiting lists for operations for which they have ceased to have a need.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We do not collect figures on this centrally. However, studies have shown that some waiting lists, especially the larger ones, are inflated with the names of people who no longer need treatment. Health authorities have been asked to validate their lists to ensure that they are up to date. In the six months to March 1989, a total of 110,000 patients were removed from the lists for reasons other than treatment.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the number of patients on hospital waiting lists at 31 March aged(a) under 65, (b) 65 to 75 and (c) 75 years and over;

  (2) what was the number of patients on hospital waiting lists in each case aged (a) under 65, (b) 65 to 75 and (c) 75 years and over for (i) varicose veins, hernias. (ii) hip replacement operations, (iii) operations on other joints and (iv) cataracts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  Life-saving Equipment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on patient care of the shortage of trained permanent staff to operate essential life-saving equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is for individual health authorities to assess the level of and requirement for specific groups of staff and what kind of skill mix is required to deliver individual services.

  There are some shortages of staff in high technology areas, as in others. Health authorities have an increasingly flexible range of pay and conditions of service systems to help deal with these, in addition to local measures to improve recruitment, retention and return which we have urged them to introduce.

  Geriatric Provision, Huddersfield
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the numbers of psycho-geriatric and geriatric beds in each hospital within the Huddersfield area health authority on 1 January 1980, 1 January 1988, and at the present time; and what is his estimate for 1 January 1991.

  Mr. Freeman
  I shall write to the hon. Member with such information as is available as soon as possible.

  North West RHA
  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the North West regional health authority; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have regular meetings with the chairmen of the regional health authorities, including Mr. Bruce Martin the chairman of the North Western regional health authority. I last met them on 14 November when we discussed a number of management issues.

  Quality Assurance
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the quality assurance activities introduced by the chief executive of the National Health Service management executive will measure rehabilitation services in hospital and after discharge for(a) patients who have undergone surgery, (b) patients who have suffered a disability or disabling illness, including cerebral vascular accident and (c) patients with long-term chronic disabilities or conditions such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The guidance issued by the chief executive in his letter of 22 June asked health authorities to develop systematic unit-based quality review programmes for all the services for which they are responsible. It will be for individual units to determine how they assess the effectiveness of particular services within their quality programmes.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance will be used under the quality assurance activities introduced in the National Health Service in June(a) to measure quality of long-stay care, (b) to provide information to patients and (c) to assess patients' satisfaction.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The guidance issued to the Health Service in June stressed the importance of health authorities having good quality information leaflets and regularly testing the views of patients about their local health services. It also emphasised the need for quality assurance programmes to be applied to all services and activities. We shall issue further guidance on these issues as necessary.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the quality assurance activities introduced in the National Health Service in June will cover long-stay care.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The quality assurance programmes which health authorities are preparing in response to the chief executive's letter of 22 June are expected to cover all services for which they are responsible.

  Artificial Limbs
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting period for artificial limbs to be supplied after initial consultation in(a) the west midlands, (b) New Cross hospital, Wolverhampton and (c) England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  The provision of artificial limbs in England is a matter for the Disablement Services Authority, to whom the hon. Member should address his question. Any question about limb fitting in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  "You and Your GP"
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many leaflets entitled "You and Your GP" have been published by his Department; and what has been the total cost of publishing and advertising them in national newspapers.
  422
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Trust Funds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on health authorities' responsibility for trust funds; and if he will list the final accounts as at 31 March, from each health authority in England, Wales and Scotland under each of the following headings(a) capital reserves funds held in perpetuity (i) general purposes and (ii) special purposes, (b) capital reserves other funds (i) general purposes and (ii) special purposes and (c) funds held by special trustees.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested as soon as possible. The information relating to Wales and Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Independent Consultants
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many independent consultants are retained or used on an ad hoc basis by the Health Education Authority to advise on diet and nutrition, dental health and related matters; and if he will publish a list of all such consultants in the Official Report, together with the date of their appointment, the matters on which they advise and the amount of any payment made to them.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held by the Department. The use of consultants is an operational matter for the Health Education Authority and I suggest my hon. Friend approach Sir Donald Maitland, the authority's chairman, for this information.

  Self-governing Hospitals
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy(a) that in the provision of accident and emergency services by self-governing hospitals there will be no discrimination of any kind between patients whose treatment is covered by a contract and those patients whose treatment will have to be paid for out of the hospital's own budget and (b) that accident and emergency facilities will continue to be made available to single homeless people who have no permanent or particular place of residence.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A fundamental principle of the new arrangements for funding hospital services is that emergency treatment should be available immediately and without question. In the case of accident and emergency services not involving in-patient treatment it is proposed that district health authorities should place contracts which cover the needs of all who are likely to require such services not just their own residents. Where in-patient treatment is involved the cost will be charged to the district of residence.

  Counterfeit Medicines
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the importation of counterfeit pharmaceutical products; what
  423
  steps are taken by the Medicines Control Agency to prevent counterfeit products being sold in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Representations concerning the importation of counterfeit products have been received from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

  Steps taken by the Medicines Control Agency to prevent the sale of counterfeit products involve:

  (1) a sampling and testing programme operated by the Medicines Inspectorate with analysis undertaken by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Medicines Testing Laboratory at Edinburgh;

  (2) an annual programme of inspection carried out by the Inspectors of the Medicines Control Agency and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and community pharmacists are inspected regularly;

  (3) particular checks carried out by licensed importers to verify the identity of each batch of imported material.

  We also rely on co-operation with the Customs and Excise and information received from the United Kingdom pharmaceutical industry, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, regulatory authorities in the European Community and the World Health Organisation.

  We are considering whether any changes may be necessary to the United Kingdom parallel import licensing scheme. We also welcome the European Commission's recent initiative involving proposals for the licensing of wholesalers throughout the Community.

  DRG Hospital Supplies
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total value of services to the National Health Service funded by DRG Hospital Supplies and DRG Malago for the last two complete financial accounting periods.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the last two financial accounting periods (calendar years 1987 and 1988) the NHS has purchased DRG manufactured sterilisation packaging and other medical disposables to the estimated value of £12·25 million and £13 million respectively. Analysis by subsidiary company within the group is not available and the estimate takes no account of non-medical sales, such as stationery. I understand that DRG spent £734,000 on research and development in the NHS in 1987 and £824,000 in 1988.

  Child Assessment Orders
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from which the Association of Directors of Social Services concerning the new child assessment order.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Association of Directors of Social Services expressed support for providing for a child assessment order in the Children Bill during the Bill's progress through Parliament. We have not received representations from the ADSS on this matter since these provisions were added to the Bill.

  Children Bill
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the names of the organisations that have written to him since the introduction of the Children Bill with suggestions for its improvement or amendment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Many organisations have written to colleagues, officials and me. It would be disproportionately expensive to trace and itemise all this correspondence.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he or his officials have met the Association of Directors of Social Services since the Children Bill completed its Commons stages.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I met the Association of Directors of Social Services on 9 November.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date it is anticipated that the Children Bill will be brought into effect.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government's aim is to implement the main provisions by October 1991.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the cost implications of the implementation of the Children Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Estimates were given in the financial memorandum attached to the Bill. The expenditure implications for local authorities will be taken into account in the relevant expenditure discussions.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have made representations to him concerning the cost implications of the Children Bill.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received representations from the London boroughs of Camden and Redbridge and Trafford metropolitan borough council, and from the local authority associations. These comments will be taken into account in the relevant expenditure discussions. On 22 September the Government announced grants totalling £4 million over two years for local authority staff training.

  Census
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Irish will qualify as one of the ethnic origins to be registered in the proposed form for the next census.

  Mr. Freeman
  The draft Order in Council for a census to be taken in Great Britain on 21 April 1991 was laid before Parliament on 13 November. The order does not specify Irish as one of the categories in the ethnic group question, but statistical information on people born in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland will be available from the separate question on country of birth.

  Abortions
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the number of abortions in]988 on girls aged 15 and under, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 years, by grounds and category of premises;
  425
  (2) what was the number of abortions in 1988 on girls aged 15 years and under, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 years, by grounds and marital status.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the number of abortions on(a) resident and (b) non-resident women in 1988 carried out at 18 weeks, 19 weeks, 20 weeks, 21 weeks, 22 weeks, 23 weeks, 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27 weeks and 28 weeks and over, by age, grounds and marital status;

  (2) what was the number of abortions on resident and non-resident women, numbers to be given separately for (a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) the first quarter of 1989 carried out at (i) 18 weeks gestation, (ii) 19 weeks gestation, (iii) 20 weeks gestation, (iv) 21 weeks gestation, (v) 22 weeks gestation, (vi) 23 weeks gestation, (vii) 24 weeks gestation, (viii) 25 weeks gestation, (ix) 26 weeks gestation, (x) 27 weeks gestation and (xi) 28 weeks gestation and over, according to grounds and age and marital status;

  (3) what was the number of abortions on resident and non-resident women (numbers to be given separately) for (a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) the first quarter of 1989, carried out at 18 weeks gestation, 19 weeks gestation, 20 weeks gestation, 21 weeks gestation, 22 weeks gestation, 23 weeks gestation, 24 weeks gestation, 25 weeks gestation, 26 weeks gestation, 27 weeks gestation, 28 weeks gestation and over, according to the age of the mother, grounds for termination, method of abortion and category of premises.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that the information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Miscarriages
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether immunisation treatment for the prevention of miscarriages is available under the National Health Service; at which hospitals the treatment is available; and if he will make a statement on the benefits of the treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. Research into this treatment is I understand to be undertaken at St. Mary's hospital, Paddington and that so far selected private patients have participated in trials of the treatment.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the members of his Department's advisory committee on the national blood transfusion service;

  (2) what assessment the advisory committee of the national blood transfusion service has made of the effect on the number of volunteer blood donors coming forward of the introduction of blood donor sessions in North East Thames regional health authority supervised by nurse managers alone;

  (3) whether any regional health authorities, other than North East Thames, have indicated their intention to introduce blood donor sessions conducted by nurse managers alone;

  (4) whether he will list the independent assessors who examined the procedures of North East Thames regional health authority for blood donor sessions conducted by nurse managers alone.
  426
  Mr. Freeman
  The advisory committee on the national blood transfusion service (ACNBTS) last met in February 1988, and has since been disbanded. When it looked at the procedure of specially trained nurses managing blood transfusion sessions, it examined the reports of 20 assessors, who were made up of non-blood transfusion consultant haematologists from the North East Thames region, representatives of the regional medical committee (including one member of the BMA regional committee for hospital medical services), nursing officers from other transfusion centres, and non-transfusion centre nursing officers from other regions, in addition to members of the ACNBTS itself.

  Based on the finding of the assessors, and a study of the detailed protocol for the scheme, the ACNBTS decided that the new procedure presented no risks to donors.

  The North East Thames regional transfusion centre has indicated that there has been a very positive donor response to the introduction of this procedure as standard practice, with an increase of some 7,500 donors attending during 1988 as compared with 1987.

  I understand that eight regional transfusion centres have expressed an interest in sending some of their nurses to North East Thames, to participate in their specially designed training courses. However, the decision to introduce a specially trained nurse-managed donor sessions in another regional transfusion centre is for the region to make, in consultation with the national director of the national blood transfusion service. I understand from the directorate that no other regions have informed it of definite plans to introduce blood donor sessions conducted by nurse-managers alone.

  NHS Prescriptions
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the reasons for the increase in National Health Service prescriptions, free of charge, from 60·9 per cent. in 1979 to 77·5 per cent. in 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  By far the biggest increase has been in the number of prescriptions dispensed for people of pensionable age. The second largest increase has been in prescriptions dispensed for people on a low income.

  GP Lists
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which circumstances a general practitioner may at present ask for and receive a premium before accepting a patient or a group of patients on to the practice list.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Speech Therapy
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people on average are covered by a single speech therapist; and what is the recommended number of people which one speech therapist should cover.

  Mr. Freeman
  In England in 1988, approximately 17,000 people were on average covered by a single (whole-time equivalent) NHS speech therapist. The Quirk committee report of 1972 recommended that there should be six whole-time equivalent speech therapists per 100,000 population.
  427
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if any study is currently underway into national target levels of speech therapy service in relation to patient groups; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department has sponsored a research study by Dr. Philip Davies of Oxford university which will provide estimates of the level of speech therapy service required by various groups of speech and language impaired people. The study is expected to be published shortly and we would expect health authorities to take account of the results of the study in planning speech therapy services. There are no plans to establish national target levels for the speech therapy service.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give a breakdown of the percentages of speech therapy referrals which come from doctors and consultants, and from clinical medical officers, health visitors, community nursing, educational services, social services, speech therapists in other districts, from self-referrals and other sources.

  Mr. Freeman
  An estimate of the percentage breakdown of initial contacts in the year is given in the table.

  Speech Therapy Services:

  Percentage of initial contacts by Source of Referral: 1988–89 England

  Source of Referral

  Percentage of initial contacts

  Consultants

  25

  General Practice

  5

  Other Medical

  12

  Health Visitor

  19

  Community Nursing

  2

  Education Service

  12

  Social Services

  3

  Self Referral

  9

  Speech Therapists in other Districts

  2

  Other Sources

  11

  Total all locations

  100

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a percentage breakdown of the communication—handicapped population who receive speech therapy in(a) the hospital site, (b) National Health Service premises, (c) local authority premises, (d) patients' homes and (e) other locations.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures are not available in exactly the form requested. An estimate of the percentage breakdown of face to face contacts in the year is given in the table.

  Speech Therapy Services: Percentage of face to face contacts by site: 1988–89 England

  Type of Location

  Percentage of face to contacts

  Hospital site

  24

  NHS premises other than a hospital site

  30

  Local Authority premises

  37

  Patient home

  4

  Other locations

  5

  Total all locations

  100

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide statistics on the levels of speech therapy service currently available in each district in the 428
  United Kingdom, if work is currently in progress to analyse the levels of service required for districts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of speech therapy staff (including helpers) in English district health authorities and the London postgraduate special health authorities at 30 September 1987, (the latest year for which information is available in the form requested) is given in the tables. It is for individual health authorities to assess the level of service required in their area.

  Speech therapy (includes helpers)

  Whole-time equivalents September 1987

  Number

  TOTAL

  2,657

  Northern

  Hartlepool

  5

  North Tees

  10

  South Tees

  15

  East Cumbria

  9

  South Cumbria

  9

  West Cumbria

  7

  Darlington

  7

  Durham

  12

  North West Durham

  5

  South West Durham

  8

  Northumberland

  16

  Gateshead

  8

  Newcastle

  22

  North Tyneside

  10

  South Tyneside

  6

  Sunderland

  12

  Yorkshire

  Hull

  12

  East Yorkshire

  10

  Grimsby

  8

  Scunthorpe

  6

  Northallerton

  5

  York

  10

  Scarborough

  7

  Harrogate

  8

  Bradford

  13

  Airedale

  10

  Calderdale

  10

  Huddersfield

  14

  Dewsbury

  11

  Leeds Western

  12

  Leeds Eastern

  14

  Wakefield

  8

  Pontefract

  6

  Trent

  North Derbyshire

  21

  South Derbyshire

  30

  Leicestershire

  39

  North Lincolnshire

  12

  South Lincolnshire

  13

  Bassetlaw

  5

  Central Nottingham

  19

  Nottingham

  45

  Barnsley

  13

  Doncaster

  14

  Rotherham

  8

  Sheffield

  38

  East Anglian

  Cambridge

  22

  Peterborough

  15

  West Suffolk

  11

  East Suffolk

  16

  Norwich

  26

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  10

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  8

  Huntingdon

  9

  429

  Number

  North West Thames

  North Bedfordshire

  13

  South Bedfordshire

  15

  North Hertfordshire

  10

  East Hertfordshire

  12

  North West Hertfordshire

  15

  South West Hertfordshire

  10

  Barnet

  17

  Harrow

  11

  Hillingdon

  7

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  15

  Ealing

  18

  Brent

  20

  Paddington and North Kensington

  11

  Riverside

  40

  North East Thames

  Basildon and Thurrock

  11

  Mid-Essex

  18

  North East Essex

  16

  West Essex

  9

  Southend

  14

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  20

  Hampstead

  22

  Bloomsbury

  29

  Islington

  9

  City and Hackney

  18

  Newham

  22

  Tower Hamlets

  14

  Enfield

  8

  Haringey

  12

  Redbridge

  9

  Waltham Forest

  13

  South East Thames

  Brighton

  18

  Eastbourne

  11

  Hastings

  7

  South East Kent

  9

  Canterbury and Thanet

  17

  Dartford and Gravesend

  6

  Maidstone

  9

  Med way

  12

  Tunbridge Wells

  15

  Bexley

  13

  Greenwich

  25

  Bromley

  15

  West Lambeth

  17

  Camberwell

  19

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  27

  South West Thames

  North West Surrey

  14

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  11

  South West Surrey

  11

  Mid-Surrey

  12

  East Surrey

  9

  Chichester

  8

  Mid-Downs

  12

  Worthing

  12

  Croydon

  20

  Kingston and Esher

  13

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  14

  Wandsworth

  19

  Merton and Sutton

  16

  Wessex

  East Dorset

  13

  West Dorset

  9

  Portsmouth and South East

  28

  Southampton and South West

  22

  Winchester

  10

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  9

  Salisbury

  8

  Swindon

  15

  Bath

  16

  Isle of Wight

  7

  430

  Number

  Oxford

  East Berkshire

  17

  West Berkshire

  33

  Aylesbury Vale

  0

  Wycombe

  11

  Milton Keynes

  22

  Kettering

  15

  Northampton

  18

  Oxfordshire

  29

  South Western

  Bristol and Weston

  29

  Frenchay

  26

  Southmead

  18

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  10

  Exeter

  16

  North Devon

  6

  Plymouth

  15

  Torbay

  11

  Cheltenham

  10

  Gloucester

  19

  Somerset

  24

  West Midlands

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  8

  Herefordshire

  3

  Kidderminster

  6

  Worcester

  10

  Shropshire

  15

  Mid-Staffordshire

  11

  North-Staffordshire

  19

  South-Staffordshire

  12

  Rugby

  0

  North Warwickshire

  11

  South Warwickshire

  19

  Central Birmingham

  16

  East Birmingham

  11

  North Birmingham

  9

  South Birmingham

  13

  West Birmingham

  12

  Coventry

  13

  Dudley

  18

  Sandwell

  18

  Solihull

  10

  Walsall

  16

  Wolverhampton

  9

  Mersey

  Chester

  9

  Crewe

  14

  Halton

  7

  Macclesfield

  11

  Warrington

  11

  Liverpool

  24

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  14

  Southport and Formby

  6

  South Sefton

  6

  Wirral

  13

  North Western

  Lancaster

  6

  Blackpool Wyre and Fylde

  17

  Preston

  14

  Blackburn Hymburn and Ribb

  14

  Burnley Pendle and Rossend

  18

  West Lancaster

  7

  Chorley and South Ribble

  4

  Bolton

  12

  Bury

  11

  North Manchester

  14

  Central Manchester

  15

  South Manchester

  16

  Oldham

  10

  Rochdale

  0

  Salford

  15

  Stockport

  20

  Tameside and Glossop

  16

  Trafford

  13

  431

  Number

  Wigan

  19

  The Hospital for Sick Children

  9

  The National Hospital for Nervous Diseases

  17

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  0

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  2

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's

  6

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide statistics relating to the percentages of people receiving speech therapy services who have associated mobility problems or a level of social-economic difficulty.

  Mr. Freeman
  Statistics are not collected in the form requested.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the joint Department of Health-National Health Service manpower advisory group intends to publish its recommendations aimed at improving recruitment and retention patterns in speech therapy; and whether information or statistics on current patterns are at present available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is intended to publish the DOH-MPAG report concerning recruitment and retention in speech therapy by the middle of next year.

  Statistics are currently being analysed. When this is complete a clearer picture of current patterns of recruitment and retention will be available.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the results of the study currently under way into the use of speech therapy assistants will be published; and whether his Department intends to issue guidelines following completion of the study.

  Mr. Freeman
  The research study into the use of speech therapy assistants commissioned by the Department is in its early stages. It is expected to be completed by September 1991, with publication following a few months later. We will consider the results of the study when they become available.

  Management Consultants
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on management consultants by(a) his Department and (b) National Health Service regions and districts in England in each of the years 1979 to 1989; and what quality controls are used by (i) his Department and (ii) the National Health Service to ensure that these expenditures provide good value for money.

  Mr. Freeman
  We cannot apportion expenditure between the Departments of Health and of Social Security prior to 1985–86. The estimated expenditure for each succeeding financial year from 1985–86 on fees and expenses for management consultants on health matters is as follows:

  £ million

  1985–86

  0·479

  1986–87

  2·103

  1987–88

  1·244

  1988–89

  1·584

  The figures are approximate since expenditure up to and including the 1988–89 year was from a joint health and
  432
  social security budget. In some cases expenditure has been apportioned where consultants have been engaged on both health and social security matters. The figures also include social services consultancy and some computer consultancy where these cannot be identified separately.

  The Department of Health controls and monitors the use of management consultants in line with the requirements laid down from time to time by the Treasury.

  The employment of management consultants is a matter for individual health authorities and their accounts do not separately identify any expenditure consequently incurred.

  Breast Cancer Screening
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in the light of clinical and economic evidence produced since the publication of the Forrest report on breast cancer screening, what is the current cost/quality adjusted life year estimate for this procedure.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We understand that work is being carried out, as part of the follow-up to the United Kingdom trial of early detection of breast cancer, on economic evaluation of the early detection of breast cancer. A model is being developed which would provide information on costs and quality adjusted life years.

  Old People (Monitoring)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has of the cost-effectiveness of annual monitoring of the over 75-year-olds.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not have any precise evidence linking the annual monitoring of people aged over 75 years to outcome costs. We have been happy to accept the advice we have received from a large number of doctors, and other health workers, that a better service can be offered to elderly people, not least in terms of the early identification of health or social problems, through a system of regular monitoring organised by their general practitioner. This proposal builds on a large number of local initiatives of this kind.

  Diethylstilbestrol
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is being done to support women who have been exposed to the synthetic hormone diethylstilbestrol.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Resource Management
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of his Department's evaluation of the resource management initiative.

  Mr. Freeman
  The management executive is still discussing certain details of the evaluation with the joint consultants committee.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Dental Practice Board has completed its survey of full dental provision; if the results will be published; and why his Department commissioned the study.
  433
  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Irish Patients
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his assessment of the reasons for patients from the Irish Republic seeking treatment in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 28 July 1989]: Under the relevant EC regulations residents of the Republic of Ireland may seek immediately necessary treatment under the NHS on the same basis as residents of the United Kingdom and may be referred by the Irish health authorities for treatment for specific conditions. Information on the reasons for patients seeking treatment is not available centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Generic Medicines
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many manufacturing sites for generic medicines supplied to the National Health Service are outside the European Community; and how many of these sites have been inspected within the last five years, last two years and last year, respectively.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: Manufacturing sites are not differentiated as generic or proprietary. Products currently licensed in the United Kingdom include those produced at 685 manufacturing sites outside the European Community (EC): some of these sites are within signatory countries of the pharmaceutical inspection convention (PIC).

  In the last five years the United Kingdom medicines inspectorate has inspected all manufacturing sites which are actively exporting medicinal products to the United Kingdom for use in the NHS and which are located outside the EC but are not within PIC signatory countries.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many product licences for generic medicines were granted in the years(a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987 and (d) 1988; and how many of the licence applications that received approval were referred to the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The information is not available in the form requested. Licences granted for medicinal products are recorded statistically by the Medicines Control Agency according to whether they are new active substances or established drug substances. Product licences granted for established drug substances, including those for products which may subsequently be prescribed generically, are given in the table according to whether or not they were approved by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).

  Licences granted for established drub substances

  Year

  Approved by the CSM

  Others

  Total

  1985

  78

  565

  643

  1986

  85

  570

  655

  1987

  60

  564

  624

  1988

  52

  487

  539

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions his Department has had with 434
  the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America with specific reference to the licensing of generic medicines;

  (2) whether his Department has any intention of categorising generic medicines, licenced by the Medicines Control Agency, into grade A and grade B products similar to the classifications in the orange guide to generics compiled by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America;

  (3) whether, in view of the corrupt and fraudulent practices related to the submission of falsified data on some generic medicines to the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America, he has any plans for tightening the procedures for the licensing of generic products by his Department.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: We are aware of the allegations made in the United States of America that fraudulent data had been submitted as part of generic licence applications and officials have been in touch with the Food and Drug Administration. There is no evidence to suggest that the alleged malpractice in the United States of America has affected any of the generic products currently licensed in the United Kingdom but the matter will be kept under close review.

  All licence applications, including generic products, must satisfy the strict requirements of the licensing authority as to safety, quality and efficacy of the product concerned before a licence is granted. We therefore have no plans for tightening the licensing procedures or for categorising generic drugs as in the United States of America.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that National Health Service patients receiving generic medicines are informed of the name of the manufacturer;

  (2) whether he intends to ensure that National Health Service patients will receive generic medicines in the manufacturers' original packs and with patient information leaflets in accordance with the proposed European Community Directive.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The question of original pack dispensing is under study. A recent European Community Commission consultative paper discussed the question of information for patients about medicines and made specific suggestions about labels and leaflets. However, this document was described as in no way engaging the Commission whom we understood currently to be considering the responses by Governments and outside organisations. It would be premature to make piecemeal commitments on detailed labelling or leaflet requirements before the Commission submits firm proposals for directives on these matters to the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to ask the public health laboratories to provide laboratory disintegration, dissolution and analytical data in respect of generic medicines that are the subject of product licence applications based purely on data submitted by the manufacturing company.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The licensing authority has access to the results of tests carried out by the National Health Service quality control laboratories on products purchased by the NHS.
  435
  In addition, the licensing authority operates a sampling and testing scheme for licensed products, usually at the medicines testing laboratory. Where relevant, such tests would include disintegration, dissolution and analysis. We have no plans to extend these arrangements.

  Northern RHA
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) administrative staff were employed in the Northern regional health authority for each year since 1979; what are the projections for future years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: The information requested is given in the table. Since 1979 the numbers of doctors, nurses and administrative staff employed in the northern region have all increased, at the same time as the workload undertaken has increased significantly. The Government's manpower plan "Hospital medical staffing: Achieving a Balance" aims to bring about a future expansion to the consultant grade at a rate of approximately 2 per cent. per annum. In addition the introduction of "Project 2000" will have a significant impact on the recruitment and skill-mix of staff employed in nursing in the future. Details of manpower projections in the northern region are a matter for the regional health authority.

  National Health Service staff in post

  Northern regional health authority at 30 September each year

  Whole time equivalent1

  Year

  Medical and dental2

  Nursing and midwifery3

  Administrative and clerical4

  1979

  2,530

  23,940

  5,940

  1980

  2,610

  25,170

  6,100

  1981

  2,670

  26,210

  6,160

  1982

  2,690

  26,380

  6,090

  1983

  2,770

  26,840

  6,220

  1984

  2,780

  26,740

  6,310

  1985

  2,820

  27,110

  6,120

  1986

  2,820

  27,390

  6,260

  1987

  2,810

  27,640

  6,490

  1988

  2,820

  27,770

  6,710

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

  1 Figures are independently rounded to nearest ten (10) whole-time equivalents.

  2 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. From 1987 figures also include agency locums.

  3 Includes agency staff.

  4 Includes General Managers.

  Ambulance authority

  Directly provided services

  Agency services

  Hospital car

  Rail

  Air

  Other

  All services England

  England

  13,276,465

  306,836

  3,415,560

  6,454

  266

  221,179

  17,226,760

  Cleveland

  197,764

  0

  0

  131

  0

  313

  198,208

  Cumbria

  210,812

  52

  36,407

  341

  3

  0

  247,615

  Durham

  256,721

  0

  2,033

  22

  0

  6,703

  265,479

  Northumbria Metropolitan

  625,171

  0

  22,258

  90

  2

  32,088

  679,609

  Humberside

  439,221

  0

  10,129

  118

  0

  0

  449,468

  North Yorkshire

  212,123

  0

  25,818

  132

  2

  0

  238,075

  West Yorkshire Metropolitan

  814,428

  0

  80,265

  87

  0

  0

  894,780

  Derbyshire

  287,975

  0

  2,506

  112

  1

  2,393

  292,987

  Leicestershire

  320,949

  0

  606

  111

  0

  0

  321,666

  Lincolnshire

  169,487

  0

  31,136

  0

  0

  0

  200,623

  Nottinghamshire

  378,283

  1,926

  69,743

  0

  0

  0

  449,952

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan

  493,910

  0

  9,514

  61

  0

  0

  503,485

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written parliamentary questions to him in Session 1988–89 received answers that the information(a) was not available, (b) was not separately recorded, (c) was not centrally recorded, (d) was not recorded in Government statistics or (e) could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: I regret that the information requested is not readily available for the Session as a whole. However for the first quarter of the Session, during which a total of 1,395 written answers were given, the information requested is as follows:

  Number

  Information not available

  23

  Information not separately recorded

  3

  Information not centrally recorded

  113

  Information not recorded in Government statistics

  1

  Disproportionate cost

  3

  There is no reason to suppose that this is not a representative quarter. For the Session as a whole, some 5,600 written answers have been given.

  Non-emergency Ambulance Service
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his statement of 9 November,Official Report, column 1219, he will list those areas of the United Kingdom where the non-emergency ambulance service has been adequately replaced by other forms of transport; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government for the non-emergency ambulance service in London.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: Health authorities were advised in 1984 that it was open to them to buy in part of the ambulance service if that is more cost-effective and provided that the quality of service is maintained. A number of NHS ambulance authorities are using private contractors, the hospital car service and the voluntary aid societies to transport appropriate NHS patients. The table shows by ambulance authority the number of patient journeys carried out in England in 1987–88 (the last year for which we have figures).
  437

  Ambulance authority

  Directly provided services

  Agency services

  Hospital car

  Rail

  Air

  Other

  All services England

  Cambridgeshire

  80,617

  0

  111,376

  0

  0

  0

  191,993

  Norfolk

  182,564

  0

  140,731

  325

  0

  0

  323,620

  Suffolk

  197,491

  0

  75,938

  189

  2

  0

  273,620

  Bedfordshire

  119,159

  0

  36,451

  0

  0

  0

  155,610

  Hertfordshire

  260,539

  0

  21914

  0

  0

  0

  282,453

  Essex

  265,011

  0

  218,641

  3

  0

  0

  483,655

  East Sussex

  255,920

  0

  199,465

  43

  8

  0

  455,436

  Kent

  421,259

  0

  31,758

  3

  1

  0

  453,021

  Surrey

  253,530

  0

  209,700

  6

  15

  0

  463,251

  West Sussex

  141,262

  0

  136,953

  145

  3

  0

  278,363

  London Ambulance Service

  1,435,423

  120,971

  186,686

  1,764

  21

  19,396

  1,764,261

  Dorset

  114,527

  0

  260,314

  51

  0

  0

  374,892

  Hampshire

  227,881

  20,035

  232,812

  104

  3

  0

  480,835

  Wiltshire

  45,086

  1,061

  120,908

  12

  0

  80,133

  247,200

  Isle of Wight

  20,146

  876

  0

  0

  0

  0

  21,022

  Berkshire

  131,884

  0

  55,080

  15

  0

  0

  186,979

  Buckinghamshire

  142,373

  3,570

  36,603

  1

  0

  0

  182,547

  Northamptonshire

  170,596

  0

  14,398

  239

  0

  0

  185,233

  Oxfordshire

  110,681

  0

  64,940

  7

  0

  0

  175,628

  Avon

  6,461

  0

  56,665

  39

  1

  1,243

  64,409

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  49,577

  373

  76,376

  449

  180

  0

  126,955

  Devon

  220,340

  0

  460,472

  346

  10

  9

  681,177

  Gloucestershire

  147,477

  0

  74,388

  136

  0

  0

  222,001

  Somerset

  99,934

  0

  67,748

  106

  0

  0

  167,788

  Hereford and Worcester

  169,849

  181

  117,260

  9

  0

  0

  287,299

  Shropshire

  101,201

  0

  35,491

  37

  0

  0

  136,729

  Staffordshire

  262,271

  0

  11,689

  92

  0

  0

  274,052

  Warwickshire

  96,529

  0

  4,573

  52

  0

  0

  101,154

  West Midlands Metropolitan

  786,469

  125,410

  0

  440

  6

  26

  912,351

  Cheshire

  406,997

  0

  16,186

  84

  0

  0

  423,267

  Mersey Metropolitan

  648,240

  0

  0

  260

  4

  120

  648,624

  Lancashire

  403,608

  0

  17,144

  122

  0

  78,392

  499,266

  Greater Manchester Metropolitan

  894,719

  32,381

  32,485

  170

  4

  363

  960,122

  The management of the London ambulance service is the responsibility of South West Thames RHA. The arrangements under which it provides a non-emergency service are a matter for that authority in discussion with the other three Thames regions and their district health authorities.

  Teaching Hospitals
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what review funding allocation is taking place within his Department as to the cost of research and training by teaching hospital within the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The service increment for teaching (SIFT) will be payable to teaching hospitals to cover the excess costs they incur as a result of supporting undergraduate medical education and research. The level of SIFT was last reviewed in 1988 by the then NHS management board as part of its review of the resource allocation working party formula. We intend to implement in 1990–91 the recommendation, arising from that review, that SIFT should be increased to meet, on average, 100 per cent. of the excess costs of teaching hospitals. The scope and distribution of SIFT will be reviewed again within three years.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Charge Rebate
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many community charge rebates it is anticipated will be made at the rates of(a) 80 per cent., (b) 50 per cent. and (c) 20 per cent.; and how these figures have been calculated.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I will write to my hon. Friend about part(a) of his question. The information required to answer parts (b) and (c) of this question is not available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Service Dispersal
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to relocate his Department's offices to the north-west of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 14 November at c.170 to my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick). We decided on Leeds after the most careful consideration of its advantages and those of other possible locations, including several in the north-west.

  Spending Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables using the assumptions in his answer to the hon Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 22 June 1988,Official Report, columns 571–76 but using expenditure and benefit figures appropriate for families in (a) Leeds, West, (b) Leeds metropolitan district and (c) nationally together with a column showing the extent of the differences resulting from the April 1988 changes.

  Mr. Scott
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Hardship Payments
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people aged under 25 years have received discretionary hardship payments from his Department's local offices in Wales since October 1988.

  Mr. Scott
  Regulation 8(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations was introduced in April 1988. Under it a person normally required to be available for work in order to receive income support may be excused that requirement, and therefore receive benefit, if he or his family would suffer hardship. Information on the number of people awarded benefit under this provision since October 1988 is not available. Details are being recorded from the start of October 1989 and the first figures will be available at the end of November.

  Section 20(4) of the Social Security Act 1986 gives the Secretary of State power to direct that a person aged 16 or 17 may receive income support, when he or she would not ordinarily be entitled, if payment of benefit is the only means of preventing severe hardship. In the period 12 September 1988 to 10 November 1989 a total of 533 applications from the Department's offices in Wales were considered under this provision. In 341 cases (64 per cent.) a direction was given to enable income support to be paid.

  Attendance Allowance Board (Chairman)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the term of office for the current chairman of the Attendance Allowance Board comes to an end.

  Mr. Scott
  On 18 October 1992.

  Christmas Bonus
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to announce the pensioners' Christmas bonus for 1989; if he will increase the bonus in line with inflation, since the bonus was first introduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the Christmas bonus for pensioners.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans to do so.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table of numbers of applications for grants and loans under the social fund that have been rejected in the current financial year at each Department of Social Security office.
  440
  Mr. Scott
  Information on the numbers of applications processed and awards made is available in the Library. Numbers of applications that have been rejected can be obtained from this information.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will specify the level of the social fund budget for offices covering Peckham in 1990–91.

  Mr. Scott
  We will make an announcement in due course.

  Income Support
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps were taken to ensure that income support was paid from 9 October to pensioners who claimed before that date and whose income at the date of claim exceeded the qualifying limit by less than the amount by which the pensioner premium was to be increased.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  An extensive publicity campaign mounted from 9 July invited pensioners to claim income support. All claims made on or after that dale by pensioners whose income exceeded the qualifying limit at the date of claim were automatically reconsidered from 9 October. Where appropriate, income support was payable from the payday in that week.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons aged 16 and 17 years had made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship, how many had been granted at 3 November by region; and how many at the same dates had been granted income support on grounds of being within exempted categories, by category.

  Mr. Scott
  The number of applications from 16 and 17-year-olds on grounds of severe hardship and the number of directions given to enable benefit to be paid in the period 12 September 1988 to 3 November 1989 are in the following table:

  Applications received

  Directions given

  London North

  1,269

  785

  London South

  1,227

  779

  Midlands

  1,827

  1,227

  North East

  3,794

  2,534

  North West

  2,428

  1,540

  Wales and South West

  1,317

  840

  Scotland

  6,134

  4,197

  Great Britain

  17,996

  11,902

  Notes:

  1. Based on 100 per cent. count of decisions received.

  2. Information relates to the number of applications received rather than the number of young people involved. Some individuals may have received more than one direction.

  As indicated in the reply to the hon. Member on 26 October at columns 539–40, the number of 16 and 17-year-olds granted income support because they fall within one of the exempt categories ceased to be collected after October 1988 and could now be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, our monitoring of the changes introduced in July 1989 indicates that between July and September some 2,600 awards of benefit were made to those who qualified under the exempt categories.

  Pension Schemes
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the existence of any occupational pension scheme in the private sector not covered by contributions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The rules of an occupational pension scheme specify whether, in addition to the employer, employee members of the scheme are required to contribute to the scheme. It is not a condition for an occupational scheme to be used for contracting-out of the state earnings-related pension scheme (SERPS) that employees pay contributions. There are about 1 million members of non-contributory private sector occupational pensions schemes.

  Job Search
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the additional costs of job search that unemployed people now have to bear in actively seeking work under the Social Security Act 1989;

  (2) whether he intends to increase unemployment benefit and income support to cover extra costs incurred by those actively seeking work by introducing a special job search allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Unemployed claimants have always been expected to look for work. For the majority of people who have done this, the new condition makes no difference. The cost of job search varies according to circumstances. Some activities cost nothing; many other ways of finding work have a modest cost, for example use of telephones, stationery and postage stamps. The travel-to-interview scheme administered by the employment service is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  We have no plans to increase benefit rates as suggested.

  Form AG1
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many complaints he has received about social security form AG1; and if he will list the general sources of complaint.

  Mr. Scott
  Since April 1988 when form AG1 first came into use, some 100 letters have been received from right hon. and hon. Members, mainly about the length and complexity of the form. The letters have referred to representations made by outside organisations, including some professional organisations as well as by individuals. In addition a few complaints have been made direct to the Department.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to simplify form AG1.

  Mr. Scott
  A revised version of form AG1 came into use last month. The new version reflects a major overhaul of the form and incorporates improvements to avoid particular difficulties identified from experience of the form in use. Several national organisations concerned with potential users of the form were consulted about the redesign and it was also tested in independent research arranged by the Central Office of Information. Although the dimensions of the form have been slightly reduced, the 442
  new version still has the same number of pages since the content is largely governed by the amount of information required to assess claims in accordance with the legislation. Nevertheless, the improvements should make the form easier to complete and more likely to produce all the relevant information and so minimise the need for additional inquiries.

  The form will be kept under review with a view to further improvements in the design and content.

  Staff Numbers
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list his most recent estimation of the reduction in his Department's staff numbers in future in Scotland due to the implementation of new technology and operational strategy.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The staffing reduction flowing from the implementation of the operational strategy in local offices in Scotland is currently expected to be 1,100 posts between 1 April 1989 and 31 March 1992.

  This reduction will be party offset by the creation of approximately 470 new jobs at the social security centre in Glasgow as a result of work being transferred from London.

  Current forecasts indicate that the reduction will be achieved through natural wastage.

  Staff have been assured that there will be no compulsory redundancies resulting from the implementation of the strategy.

  National Insurance
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals paid self-employed national insurance contributions in each of the years 1979–80 to 1988–89 inclusive.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The United Kingdom figures of the number of individuals who paid class 2 (self-employed) national insurance contributions between 1979 and 1988 are set out in the table. Agreed figures for the final year are not yet available for publication.

  Number2 (thousands)

  Number3 (thousands)

  1979–80

  1,376

  232

  1980–81

  1,450

  211

  1981–82

  1,479

  218

  1982–83

  1,526

  240

  1983–84

  1,594

  251

  1984–85

  1,663

  251

  1985–86

  1,732

  261

  1986–87

  1,850

  295

  1987–881

  1,871

  280

  1Provisional figures.

  2Who paid only Class 2 contributions during the year.

  3Who paid a mixture of Class 2 and Class 1 contributions during the year.

  Earnings Rule
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications his Department has received from people wishing to take up their basic state pension entitlement whilst working under the new earnings rules introduced on 1 October; how many of them have
  443
  received their pension; and how many additional whole-time equivalent staff his Department has employed to administer the new entitlement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Following the abolition of the earnings rule on 1 October 1989, 99,645* pensioners have claimed their state pension. A total of 72 per cent. (72,435) of those pensioners had been awarded their pension as at 10 November 1989. The estimated administrative cost for this exercise in the year 1989–90 is £12·74 million.

  * Note: As at 31 October 1989.

  Trainees
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons he set the permitted period which applies to trainees after 12 months of employment training at four weeks; and what is the likely permitted period for YTS trainees, including those who have employee status.

  Mr. Scott
  The period of four weeks during which a person, who has undergone extended training for a particular kind of employment, will be regarded as having good cause for refusing employment different from that for which he has trained takes account of the fact that some ex-trainees will be unable to start work immediately. The appropriate permitted period for all unemployed claimants is determined by the adjudication officer. The decision will take account of the factors listed in the Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 1989. (SI 1989 No. 1324.)

  21-hour Rule
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect he expects the actively seeking work clauses of the Social Security Act 1989 to have on people studying under the 21-hour rule provision.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We expect the actively seeking employment condition to have similar effects on all unemployed claimants. In determining whether a claimant has taken reasonable steps to seek employment, regard is had to time spent on vocational training or study.

  Benefits
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish in the Official Report a table on the same basis as that given in the written answer dated 20 March 1987 showing the total benefits paid out to the unemployed in 1987–88, 1988–89 and his forecast for 1989–90, together with payments from the redundancy fund, the percentage both represent of gross domestic product and the revenue from North sea oil.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  1987–88 £ million

  1988–89 £ million

  1989–90 £ million

  Benefits expenditure on the unemployed

  16,250

  25,430

  35,240

  Total expenditure from the Redundancy Fund

  181

  274

  371

  Total

  6,331

  5,504

  5,311

  As percentage of GDP

  1·5

  1·2

  1·0

  As percentage of North sea oil revenue

  138

  172

  204

  444
  1 Outturn

  2 Estimated outturn.

  3 Plans.

SCOTLAND

  Cancer Screening
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects that a computerised call and recall system will be set up in order to allow all Scottish women to have regular cervical cancer screening in whichever health board area they live.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 7 December,Official Report, column 211, relating to the records kept of the political affiliations of persons nominated for or appointed to public office, what records or references to persons' political affiliations exist.

  Mr. Malcolm Rifkind
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when a person resident in Govan constituency was last appointed to Greater Glasgow health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to lay before Parliament the code of practice under section 119 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am pleased to announce that the code has today been laid before both Houses. It contains important guidance to doctors, nurses and other professions in the care and treatment of those suffering from mental disorder and represents a further important step in enhancing the quality of life for such people.

  Nuclear Power Stations (Output)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current monthly output of each reactor at each nuclear power station in Scotland in million tonnes of coal equivalent.

  Mr. Lang
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Tobacco Industry (Sponsorship)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek informtion from the tobacco industry about sporting events which it intends to sponsor in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
  445
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: The tobacco companies, under a voluntary agreement dating from 1987, already inform the Government, in confidence, of their sponsorship plans for sporting events as they are decided.

  Drugs (Ambulance Staff)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions the Scottish Home and Health Department held with representatives of the Scottish ambulance service prior to the establishment of new regulations pertaining to the administration to patients by ambulance crew members of prescription-only drugs; and if he will make a statement about the rationale for his new regulations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Sanitation
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made with the introduction of integral sanitation into the prison system and its consequent increase in pressure on prison places.

  Mr. Mellor
  All prisons built or designed since 1979 have either integral sanitation within the living accommodation or free access to sanitation. At other establishments the introduction of sanitary facilities is proceeding as quickly as possible within physical and financial constraints. Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement yesterday, a further £150 million is being provided over the next two years for prison refurbishment. The programme aims to provide over 6,500 cells with sanitation during the next seven years. To achieve this the prison service is using a range of methods which, wherever possible, do not involve the displacement of large numbers of inmates.

  Remand Prisons
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the results of his inquiry into the involvement of the private sector in remand prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  In his statement on 1 March this year my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), at columns 277–78, announced that further studies would be carried out on the likely cost-effectiveness of private remand centres. I am now considering the results of this work and expect to make an announcement soon.

  Badgers
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for badger baiting there were in 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  In 1988 under the Badgers Act 1973 there were 74 prosecutions in England and Wales. Data for 1989 are not yet available.

  Rehabilitation of Offenders
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to re-examine the level and type of support offered to ex-offenders to enable their successful rehabilitation and resettlement in the community.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are currently considering the findings of Lord Carlisle's report on the parole system in England and Wales. These have considerable implications for the supervision, support and resettlement of offenders. We hope to publish detailed proposals, some of them dealing with my hon. Friend's points, in the new year.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now consider introducing free television licences for pensioners in view of the increase to take place on television licences fees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. The House has rejected the idea of free TV licences for pensioners on a number of occasions. The increase in the television licence fee from next April, announced on 31 October, is in line with the increase in the RPI. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security on 25 October, pensions and other state benefits will rise by the same amount.

  Drugs
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secrtary of State for the Home Department (1) how many needles or syringes were discovered in prison establishments in England and Wales during(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d) so far in 1989;

  (2) how many visitors to inmates to prison establishments in England and Wales were found to be in possession of an unlawful drug during the course of a visit in (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d) so far in 1989;

  (3) on how many occcasions (a) cannabis, (b) heroin and (c) cocaine has been discovered in prison establishments in England and Wales during (i) 1986, (ii) 1987, (iii) 1988 and (iv) to date in 1989.

  Mr. Mellor
  The following numbers of finds were reported by prison service establishments:

  Cannabis

  Heroin

  Cocaine

  Needles

  Syringes

  1986

  1,709

  55

  17

  25

  55

  1987

  1,676

  42

  18

  49

  92

  1988

  2,424

  55

  32

  77

  114

  11989

  2,765

  53

  42

  91

  167

  1 To 14 November.

  Note: The information requested about visitors is not available.

  Pigot Inquiry
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the results of the Pigot inquiry will be available to the House.

  Mr. John Patten
  Shortly.

  Vagrancy and Begging
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the costs incurred in arresting, detaining and prosecuting young persons in London under the Vagrancy Act 1824, and for each month of 1989 and each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for

  Persons prosecuted for begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 (as amended) by specific police force area for years 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988

  England and Wales

  Begging

  Sleeping out

  Police force area

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  6

  —

  5

  8

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  10

  3

  2

  —

  2

  8

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  4

  4

  —

  2

  —

  4

  —

  2

  2

  —

  Merseyside

  15

  7

  —

  —

  9

  10

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Metropolitan police district1

  851

  918

  334

  416

  500

  188

  45

  4

  9

  12

  Thames Valley

  31

  60

  24

  13

  14

  8

  1

  —

  2

  1

  West Yorkshire

  5

  9

  4

  4

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  England

  1,012

  1,080

  398

  462

  568

  272

  67

  9

  14

  16

  Wales

  1

  1

  —

  4

  5

  4

  —

  —

  —

  1

  England and Wales

  1,013

  1,081

  398

  466

  573

  276

  67

  9

  14

  17

  1 Including City of London.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state the number of persons(a) fined and (b) given custodial sentences arising from prosecutions under the Vagrancy Act 1824 and Metropolitan Police Act 1839 for 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988 for each police authority area for (a) England and (b) Wales;

  (2) if he will list by police authority area the number of persons held for questioning under the Vagrancy Act 1824 and the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 but subsequently released without being charged per year since 1979.

  Number of Persons sentenced to a fine or immediate custody for the offences of begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 (as amended) by police force area for years 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  England and Wales

  Police force area

  Fined

  Immediate custody

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  24

  30

  7

  5

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  4

  —

  2

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  4

  2

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hampshire

  9

  8

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hertfordshire

  —

  2

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  3

  2

  —

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  City of London

  7

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  10

  6

  —

  —

  7

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan Police District

  576

  719

  200

  246

  322

  93

  6

  —

  —

  —

  448
  begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 as amended by the Vagrancy Act 1985 and the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 in the years 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988 in the following police authorities: (a) Metropolitan police, (b) Merseyside, (c) Greater Manchester, (d) Thames Valley, (e) Devon and Cornwall, (f) Lancashire and (g) West Yorkshire; and if he will give the total for England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information held centrally for 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988 is given in the table. To produce such information for 1977 would involve disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the number of people held for questioning under the Vagrancy Act 1824 and the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 is not collected centrally.

  Information held centrally for 1980, 1983, 1986. 1987 and 1988 on the number of persons fined and given custodial sentences under the Vagrancy Act 1824, as amended, by police force area is given in the table.
  449

  Police force area

  Fined

  Immediate custody

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Surrey

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  5

  3

  1

  2

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  24

  51

  19

  11

  8

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  9

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  4

  5

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wiltshire

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  England

  692

  842

  242

  276

  357

  117

  7

  —

  —

  —

  Dyfed Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales

  1

  1

  —

  1

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wales

  1

  1

  —

  1

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  England and Wales

  693

  843

  242

  277

  359

  119

  7

  —

  —

  —

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convictions there have been for begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 in England and Wales in the years 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988;

  (2) how many convictions there have been for begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 in the London Metropolitan police district, Merseyside, Greater

  Persons convicted of begging and sleeping out under the Vagrancy Act 1824 (as amended) by specific police force area for years 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988—England and Wales

  Begging

  Sleeping out

  Police Force Area

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  5

  —

  4

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  10

  3

  2

  —

  1

  8

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  4

  2

  —

  2

  —

  4

  —

  2

  2

  —

  Merseyside

  15

  6

  —

  —

  8

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan Police District1

  829

  875

  319

  396

  455

  185

  38

  3

  9

  10

  Staffordshire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  26

  54

  24

  11

  10

  8

  1

  —

  2

  1

  England and Wales

  973

  1,015

  379

  440

  512

  269

  57

  8

  14

  13

  1 Including the City of London.

  Birmingham Six
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what locations all the police records of the convictions of the Birmingham Six are held; and whether they are available for inspection by solicitors for the prisoners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that all police records relating to the convictions of the Birmingham Six are held by the Devon and Cornwall constabulary on behalf of the West Midlands police, except for the forensic evidence which is held by the Director of Public Prosecutions. It would be for the chief constable of the West Midlands police to decide whether to make any particular document available for inspection, in the light of all the circumstances.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what and how many representations he has received concerning the case of the Birmingham Six; and if he will now refer the case to the Court of Appeal.
  450
  Manchester, Thames Valley, Devon and Cornwall, Lancashire and Staffordshire police districts in the years 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987, and 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information held centrally for 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988 is given in the table. To produce such information for 1977 would involve disproportionate cost.

  Mr. John Patten
  Since the case of those convicted of the Birmingham public house bombings was last considered by the Court of Appeal following a reference by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), representations proposing that the case be referred again to the Court of Appeal have been received from Members of both Houses of Parliament, representatives of the clergy, representatives of various campaign groups and members of the public.

  At present, there are no new grounds on which my right hon. and learned Friend would feel justified in referring this case back to the Court of Appeal, but he is always ready to consider new evidence or other considerations of substance which have not been before the courts and which appear to cast doubt upon the safety of any conviction.

  Confessional Evidence
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of conviction on the basis of confessional evidence have been(a) received by him,

  451
  (b) referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions or police investigation and (c) referred to the Court of Appeal each year since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Offences (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted of offences in Northern Ireland are currently serving sentences in English, Scottish and Welsh prisons; and how many have been returned to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland to complete their sentences.

  Mr. Mellor
  The table gives the numbers of permanent transfers of prisoners under section 26(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 between England and Wales and Northern Ireland since 1980. Information about how many transferred prisoners are still in custody could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  From Northern Ireland

  To Northern Ireland

  1980

  3

  1

  1981

  2

  —

  1982

  1

  —

  1983

  2

  3

  1984

  3

  1

  1985

  —

  4

  1986

  —

  2

  1987

  —

  3

  1988

  —

  10

  11989

  4

  14

  1 To 13 October.

  Transfers of prisoners between Northern Ireland and Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Transfers of prisoners are not possible between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland as, although the Republic of Ireland has signed the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons, it has not yet ratified it. The United Kingdom ratified the convention in 1985.

  Prevention of Terrorism Act
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each year since 1974 the number of persons(a) interviewed, (b) charged and (c) convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

  Mr. Waddington
  The readily available information on those detained under the prevention of terrorism legislation of Great Britain is published quarterly in Home Office statistical bulletins which are placed in the Library; the latest, issue 36/89, gives information on those detained up to the third quarter of 1989. Information on the outcome of charges following detention under this legislation is published in the end of year bulletins in this series; tables 6 and 7 of issue 3/89 give the figures for those detained over the period of the current legislation. Figures relating to earlier legislation can be obtained from corresponding earlier bulletins in this series.

  Republic of Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea made applications for visas to enter the United Kingdom during the last five years; and how many were successful.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from the Republic of Korea applied for visas to enter the United Kingdom during the last five years; and how many succeeded.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on applications received in the Republic of Korea for entry clearance to the United Kingdom is not available, but information on applications granted and refused initially is given in the table. Nationals of the Republic of Korea do not need an entry clearance to visit the United Kingdom.

  Applications in the Republic of Korea for entry clearance1 to the United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Year

  2Applications

  3 Granted

  Refused initially

  1984

  570

  n/a

  1985

  770

  n/a

  1986

  540

  n/a

  1987

  360

  4—

  1988

  340

  60

  n/a Not available.

  1 Including applications for a certificate of entitlement to (or, prior to August 1988, a confirmation of) the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

  2 These applications may have been received in an earlier period.

  3 Granted initially or on appeal.

  4 Five or fewer.

  Stolen Cars (Deaths)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been(a) killed whilst driving stolen cars and (b) killed by drivers of stolen cars on Merseyside in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable of Merseyside that between 1984 and 1988, 15 persons were killed whilst driving stolen vehicles in Merseyside. During the same period the number of persons killed by drivers of stolen vehicles was 15 (of these, nine persons were occupants of stolen vehicles and six were pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles). In 1989 up to 31 October, three deaths have occurred: two occupants or drivers of stolen cars and one other road user.

  Rape in Marriage
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about rape in marriage; what assessment his Department has made of the Scottish law on rape in marriage; whether he will ask the Criminal Law Revision Committee to give further consideration to the issue of rape in marriage; and what plans he has to bring forward legislation to outlaw rape in marriage.

  Mr. John Patten
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Private Nurseries
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines have been issued to the group charged with establishing voluntary accreditation for private nurseries;

  (2) what moneys have been allocated to the setting up of the voluntary accreditation scheme for private nurseries;

  (3) whether he has agreed the membership of the group to issue voluntary accreditation to private day nurseries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The ministerial group on women's issues, meeting last October, agreed to encourage the establishment of a national association of private nursery providers and childcare consultants which would set up an accreditation scheme for its members. The group has agreed in principle to provide pump-priming finance for the establishment of such an accreditation scheme. Any childcare provider will have to abide by the relevant statutory regulations, at present under the provision of the Nurseries and Childminders Act 1948 and, from 1991, under the Children Bill, which is due to receive Royal Assent today.

  Christian Radio
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to allow Christian groups to run an independent Christian radio station; and what restrictions he will place on the kind of broadcasting they can undertake.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are not proposing that religious groups should be prevented from running independent radio stations provided they observe the content requirements envisaged in paragraph 7.7 of the Green Paper "Radio: Choices and Opportunities" (February 1987, Cm. 92).

  Guildford Four
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what compensation payments have been paid to Paul Hill, Gerard Conlon, Patrick Armstrong and Carole Richardson in respect of their wrongful imprisonment; when they will receive the final sum; and what it will be.

  Mr. John Patten
  As I explained in my written answer of 1 November to the hon. Member at column 183, my right hon. and learned Friend agreed that interim awards of compensation should be made to all four, pending a final settlement of their claims. These payments have been made. It is not our practice to publish details of individual payments to applicants for compensation.

  The solicitors representing the four persons concerned have been asked to supply any information they wish the independent assessor to take into account when determining the final sum. It is for the assessor to decide what the amount should be and when he has the information he needs to reach a decision. In accordance with the provisions of section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, my right hon. and learned Friend will accept the assessor's recommendation.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Sir John May commenced work on the 454
  inquiry into the conviction of the Guildford Four; who is assessing the evidence with him; if all material presented to him will be available to the solicitors of the four; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Sir John May began work on his inquiry on 26 October 1989. Professor J. C. Smith, CBE, until recently professor at law at Nottingham university, has been appointed as an assessor to the inquiry. We will consider the appointment of further assessors if Sir John feels that this is necessary. The conduct of the inquiry will be a matter for Sir John May and it will be for him to decide the extent to which material presented to him during the inquiry will be made more widely available.

  Police Officers (Offences)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been sent for trial for criminal offences for the years 1980 to 1989 inclusive; and how many have been(a) convicted and (b) gaoled.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information relating to the number of officers convicted of criminal offences and the number who received sentences of imprisonment is published annually in the reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, copies of which may be found in the Library. Information relating to the number of officers against whom criminal proceedings have been brought, but who have not been convicted, is not available.

  DNA Tests
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time it takes for a DNA test to be available in family or criminal matters at Leicester magistrates court.

  Mr. John Patten
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Storridge Farm Prison
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed category B prison at Storridge farm in Westbury will now go ahead.

  Mr. Mellor
  A decision on the Home Office interest in the site at Storridge farm will be taken within the next few weeks.

  Firearms Certificates
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to his practice on the issuing of temporary shotgun or firearms certificates to the holders of expiring shotgun or firearms certificates when the chief constable has not completed his inquiries prior to the expiry of the existing certificate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Firearms Acts 1968 to 1988 do not provide for the issue of temporary shotgun or firearm certificates. The issue of certificates, and permits under section 7 of the 1968 Act, are entirely matters for chief officers of police.

  Summer Time
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of altering British summer time arrangements on traffic.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Whilst estimates of traffic accidents resulting from changes to summer time have been made by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, it has not been considered practicable to make a detailed assessment of road traffic as such, although likely changed travel patterns have been taken into account.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposals to alter British summer time on the number of accidents to postal workers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I am aware of the figures for accidents to postal workers during the British Standard Time experiment and have recently received representations from the Union of Communication Workers.

  Bail Accommodation
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached following the consultation process on the consultation paper "Bail Accommodation and Secure Bail Hostels" which was issued on 13 February.

  Mr. Waddington
  There were 62 responses made to the consultation paper "Bail Accommodation and Secure Bail Hostels". Most respondents pressed for more bail hostel and other accommodation in the community to be provided so that defendants without a fixed address could be bailed instead of being remanded in custody. The Government's current bail accommodation expansion programme aims to deliver 500 new bail places by April 1991. We have decided in addition to examine how low-cost hostels or networks of lodgings could be provided by the voluntary or private sectors; how private sector involvement in provision of bail hostels can be increased; how national standards for bail hostels can be drawn up; and how bail information schemes and accommodation networks can be integrated effectively. We have decided not to embark on the development of secure bail hostels for the time being. We want to see what the impact of this further programme of work aimed at expanding existing accommodation will be. There are other issues still under consideration: the part that hostels can play in a strategy for dealing with mentally disturbed defendants and how hostels can best respond to the needs of ethnic minorities and women.

  Prison Boards and Visitors
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in providing prison boards of visitors with the assistance of a qualified clerk at adjudications.

  Mr. Mellor
  A pilot scheme to provide clerks drawn from the magistrates courts service to assist boards at adjudications began in 13 establishments on 6 November. The scheme will run for one year and be independently monitored throughout to assess both the practicality of 456
  this proposal and the extent to which it proves to be of real assistance to boards of visitors. It is our hope that the independence and expertise which court clerks will bring to the adjudicatory process will further improve the quality of justice at disciplinary hearings. In the light of the results of the monitoring of the scheme, we shall wish to reach a view as to the desirability of making similar arrangements in all establishments.

  Video Surveillance
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the extent of video surveillance by the police of the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: No central record is held of the use of video surveillance by the police of the public. The police use CCTV in a range of circumstances—for example, for traffic control or in operations against crime. Where such equipment is used its use is subject to guidelines issued by the Home Office in 1984. We are aware of a number of crime prevention schemes around the country which involve the use of CCTV and we understand that in most of these the CCTV equipment is operated by local authorities or private security companies.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by his Department in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Waddington
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: I have written to the hon. Member and placed a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Section II Money
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much section II money has been made available to(a) local education authorities and (b) other bodies; and for what purposes in the past year, five, 10 and 15 years ago, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1989, c. 420]: I regret that the figures given for the financial years 1977–78 and 1987–88 were incorrect. The correct figures are:

  Year

  Total Grant £

  Education £

  Other £

  1977–78

  24,745,627

  20,777,102

  3,968,525

  1987–88

  93,022,000

  170,000,000

  123,000,000

  1 Approximate.

  Prevention of Terrorism
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have reached a conclusion on their response to the judgment of the
  457
  European Court of Human Rights in the case of Brogan and others concerning detention under the prevention of terrorism legislation.

  Mr. Waddington
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 November 1989, c. 209–10]: I regret that a typing error occurred at column 210, line 5, which should read
  "…for a period of up to seven days".

  Ivory
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific steps have been taken by his Department to enforce the ban on the importing of ivory into the United Kingdom; whether there have been any arrests or prosecutions since the introduction of this ban; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have been asked to reply.

  For many years the importation of ivory has been subject to the need for an import licence or permit issued by the Department of the Environment.

  Goods imported without such documents are liable to seizure by Customs so no special measures have been required as a result of the ban. Customs continue to seize consignments of illegally imported ivory.

  Most seizures, often involving small quantities, are made locally without reference to Customs headquarters. Statistical information is compiled only periodically. Up-to-date details could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

WALES

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of written questions he has answered from each hon. Member representing Welsh constituencies during the current Session; and what estimate he can make of the cost incurred for each hon. Member.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The number of written questions answered from each hon. Member representing Welsh constituencies to date during the current Session is shown in the table.

  The average cost of a written question is approximately £54. This figure relates to all questions to Ministers, not just to Welsh Office Ministers.

  Parliamentary questions answered

  Member

  Number

  Donald Anderson, Esq., MP

  19

  Nicholas Bennett, Esq., MP

  105

  Alex Carlile, Esq., QC, MP

  13

  Mrs. Ann Clwyd, MP

  59

  Donald Coleman, Esq., CBE, MP

  4

  Rt. hon. Denzil Davies, Esq., MP

  8

  Ron Davies, Esq., MP

  95

  Paul Flynn, Esq., MP

  36

  Rt. hon. Michael Foot, MP

  1

  Win Griffiths, Esq., MP

  24

  Geraint Howells, Esq., MP

  40

  Dr. Kim Howells, MP

  47

  Roy Hughes, Esq., MP

  29

  Barry Jones, Esq., MP

  315

  Gwilym Jones, Esq., MP

  39

  Ieuan Wyn Jones, Esq., MP

  29

  Martyn Jones, Esq., MP

  18

  Richard Livsey, Esq., MP

  30

  Dr. John Marek, MP

  15

  458

  Member

  Number

  Sir Anthony Meyer, BT, MP

  8

  Alun Michael, Esq., MP

  97

  Rhodri Morgan, Esq., MP

  9

  Rt. hon. John Morris, QC, MP

  8

  Paul Murphy, Esq., MP

  10

  Ray Powell, Esq., MP

  1

  Keith Raffan, Esq., MP

  7

  Allan Rogers, Esq., MP

  17

  Ted Rowlands, Esq., MP

  20

  John P. Smith, Esq., MP

  1

  Dr. Dafydd Ellis Thomas, MP

  61

  Sir John Stradling Thomas, MP

  —

  Gareth Wardell, Esq., MP

  72

  Dafydd Wigley, Esq., MP

  105

  Rt. hon. Alan Williams, MP

  13

  Alan W. Williams, MP

  16

  Housing Subsidy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the figure for central Government housing subsidies to local authorities during(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1979 and (d)

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is given in the following table and is based on returns made by Welsh local authorities:

  £ million

  1979–80

  54·8

  1983–84

  2·4

  1988–89

  10·2

  1989–90

  11

  Figures quoted are outturn with the exception of 1988–89 where provisional outturn has been included and 1989–90 where provision has been used.

  Significant changes to the subsidy system came into effect in 1981–82 so no valid comparison can be made between the earliest and later years.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the total cost of keeping homeless people and families in hotel accommodation in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  On the basis of the latest information available from local authority revenue outturn returns, gross current expenditure on bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless persons in 1987–88 was £280,000 of which £170,000 was met by local authorities and the remainder from local sources (mainly fees and charges).

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homeless families there were in Wales in the last year; how many were housed in temporary accommodation; and how many were housed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Mr. Grist
  During the period 1 July 1988 and 30 June 1989 a total of 7,730 households were accepted as homeless by local authorities in Wales; 793 households were housed in temporary accommodation. At 30 June 1989, a total of 145 of these were in bed and breakfast accommodation.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people in Wales under the age of 25 are
  459
  currently homeless; what proportion this is of the under-25 population; and if he will instigate a survey into the causes of homelessness among young people in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not collected centrally. The Department's contacts with organisations concerned with homelessness do not suggest that the causes of homelessness amongst the under-25s are very different from those for the population as a whole.

  Food Contamination
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how long it takes on average for the Welsh Office to inform district councils of instances of food contamination; and how many instances of food contamination were recorded in Wales during 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Grist
  In cases of physical contamination of food, where a decision is taken by the Government to issue a general warning to district council environmental health officers, food hazard warning notices are issued as soon as practicable (usually within a few hours) after receipt, by the Department, of the necessary information.

  The number of cases of food contamination recorded in Wales is not held centrally.

  Water Treatment Works
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 1 November to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside,Official Report, columns 207–8, if he will list in the Official Report, for each water treatment works, the date by which he expects each to comply with the aluminium standard under section 20(5)(b) of the Water Act 1989.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is shown in the table:

  Location and water treatment works

  Compliance date

  Clwyd

  Bylchau

  1995

  Cynwyd

  1995

  Glascoed

  1995

  Meifod

  1995

  Trecastell

  1995

  Alwen

  1995

  Bretton

  1992

  Cilcain

  1993

  Dyfed

  Bontgoch

  1995

  Strata Florida

  1990

  Bolton Hill

  1994

  Hotwells

  1995

  Preseli

  1995

  Valley Court

  1995

  Capel Dewi

  1990

  Bryncoch

  1992

  Dyfed and West Glamorgan

  Bryngwyn

  1991

  Felindre

  1992

  Powys

  Llanwrtyd Wells

  1992

  Llandeilo Graban

  1992

  Portis HL

  1992

  Hereford and Worcester

  Byton

  1992

  Broomy Hill

  1994

  Gwent

  Cwmtillery

  1995

  Nantybwch

  1995

  Georgetown

  1995

  460

  Location and water treatment works

  Compliance date

  Craig Ddu

  1995

  Rhymney Bridge

  1995

  Gwent and Mid Glamorgan

  Pontsticill

  1995

  South Glamorgan and Mid Glamorgan

  Cantref

  1995

  Llwynon

  1995

  Mid Glamorgan

  Hendre Bailey1

  1995

  Penderyn BH

  1995

  Maerdy HL and LL

  1995

  1 This supply is currently not in use.

  Notes:

  Abergynolwen was included in my answer of 1 November in error. When considering whether to accept the undertakings, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had regard to current medical advice and was satisfied that none of the supplies concerned would represent a risk to public health.

  NHS (Backlog Maintenance)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 30 October to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside,Official Report, column 35, what information he has as to the cost of backlog maintenance for National Health Service properties in Wales for (a) each hospital and (b) each health authority unit; and if he will list those by health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is not held centrally. District health authorities provide an annual return in which the backlog maintenance estimate is shown only as an aggregated total figure for the district. The detail requested could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  School Leavers (Employment)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps will he take to ensure that more employment opportunities can be found for school leavers with learning difficulties in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Government guarantee a place on YTS for all 16 and 17-year-olds who seek one, and the scheme offers those with learning difficulties the opportunity to develop basic skills and achieve recognised qualifications.

  The careers service and the employment service provide specialist advice and guidance to all young people with special needs to enable them to find suitable training and/or employment.

  Homeless Women
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the incidence of anaemia among homeless women in Wales over the past three years.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any information on how many women who suffered post-partum haemorrhages during the last three years were homeless.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not available centrally.

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the incidence of lead contamination on farms in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Restriction orders have been placed on the movement of milk and animals from some 200 farms in Wales to which supplies of contaminated feed have been traced. Milk from these farms is being segregated from supplies for public consumption and samples are being taken for testing. Results from the tests will be published as soon as they are available. Given the circumstances of the contamination further detailed tests are being conducted to identify other contaminants which might be associated with lead. Indications are that the maximum possible intake of lead from this incident does not represent a hazard to human health.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the cost of primary schools with(a) fewer than 20 pupils, (b) fewer than 30 pupils, (c) fewer than 40 pupils, (d) fewer than 50 pupils, (e) fewer than 60 pupils, (f) 60–99 pupils, (g) 100–149 pupils and (h) 150–1,999 pupils for each Welsh local education authority, for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Earnings
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to average male weekly earnings in each Welsh district or travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Recent information is available only for counties and sub-divisions from the Employment Department's new earnings survey which gives the following information for April 1988:

  Average male gross weekly earnings1

  £

  Clwyd

  222·0

  Clwyd West2

  196·5

  Clwyd East3

  231·7

  Dyfed (excluding Llanelli)

  200·4

  Gwent

  218·8

  Gwynedd

  204·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  221·5

  Powys

  191·2

  South Glamorgan

  224·9

  West Glamorgan (including Llanelli)

  220·7

  Wales

  217·8

  1 Full-time males on adult rates, whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.

  2 Colwyn, Glyndwr and Rhuddlan districts.

  3 Alyn and Deeside, Delyn and Wrexham Maelor.

  Figures for April 1989 are to be published on Thursday 23 November 1989.

  Opencast Coal, Bannel Bridge
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the proposed opencast coal site of the opencast executive at Bannel bridge, Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.
  462
  Mr. Peter Walker
  No.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet residents of the Bannel bridge area, Clwyd to hear their views concerning the application of the opencast executive to mine coal in the vicinity of their community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  It would not be appropriate for Ministers to discuss with the residents a planning application which may come before the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Rechem
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will detail the amount of PCBs in the consents from Welsh Water for Rechem to discharge into the Ponthir treatment works near Pontypool; and if he will summarise the results for 1988 and 1989 of tests carried out on the aqueous effluent by Welsh Water.

  Mr. Grist
  The consent granted to Rechem International Ltd. to discharge effluent to the Ponthir sewage treatment works includes a maximum concentration of 5 microgrammes per litre of polychlorinated biphenyls (a level which is lower than that normally present in human blood). The average concentration of PCBs in the effluent in the 42 samples taken and analysed by the Welsh water authority from March 1988 to September 1989 was less than half the maximum admissible level.

  Ward Closures
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the intended closure of wards in several major hospitals in Gwent, mid Glamorgan, Clwyd and east Dyfed from Christmas day until after the new year weekend.

  Mr. Grist
  Arrangements for the provision of hospital services over the Christmas period are operational matters for the district health authorities concerned.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total of each local authority's council house sales, by authority, since 1979, giving the number of council houses in current local authority possession to the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Sales1

  Provisional estimates2

  Aberconwy

  1,411

  2,826

  Alyn and Deeside

  1,457

  5,213

  Arfon

  1,134

  5,015

  Blaenau Gwent

  1,712

  10,422

  Brecknock

  1,229

  2,834

  Cardiff

  6,451

  20,168

  Carmarthen

  1,093

  3,554

  Ceredigion

  1,185

  3,475

  Colwyn

  737

  2,631

  Cynon Valley

  1,209

  5,351

  Delyn

  1,607

  4,750

  Dinefwr

  700

  2,590

  Dwyfor

  310

  1,461

  463

  Sales1

  Provisional estimates2

  Glyndwr

  1,063

  2,984

  Islwyn

  3,297

  6,128

  Llanelli

  2,901

  6,946

  Lliw Valley

  1,487

  5,203

  Meirionnydd

  769

  2,080

  Merthyr Tydfil

  1,856

  6,863

  Monmouth

  1,969

  4,963

  Montgomeryshire3

  1,238

  2,973

  Neath

  1,985

  5,653

  Newport

  3,555

  13,452

  Ogwr

  3,877

  9,756

  Port Talbot (Afan)

  2,953

  6,110

  Preseli

  1,807

  5,829

  Radnorshire

  497

  1,171

  Rhondda

  553

  4,991

  Rhuddlan

  753

  2,722

  Rhymney Valley

  3,075

  10,117

  South Pembrokeshire

  789

  2,873

  Swansea

  2,989

  17,382

  Taff.Ely

  3,171

  7,535

  Torfaen4

  5,703

  13,830

  Vale of Glamorgan

  2,969

  6,317

  Wrexham Maelor

  2,306

  16,096

  Ynys Mon

  1,199

  5,732

  Wales

  72,996

  237,996

  1 Of local authority dwellings May 1979 to April 1989.

  2 Of local authority stock April 1989.

  3 Excludes dwellings in Newtown.

  4 Includes dwellings in Cwmbran. Records of sales in Cwmbran are only available since 31 March 1980.

  Council House Building
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to boost council house building in areas of tourist activity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  It is for local authorities to determine how best to use the resources available to them, taking account of local needs and seeking to achieve value for money.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Cambodia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to how aid is provided through United Nations agencies in Cambodia and where, and to whom, it is distributed; and if he is satisfied that food supplied by the agencies is reaching only those for whom it is intended.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The international community provides aid in Cambodia through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in the Cambodian refugee camps on the Thai border through the United Nations Border Relief Operation (UNBRO).

  The UNHCR concentrates on small-scale reintegration projects for returned refugees. UNICEF concentrates on humanitarian programmes in Cambodia. In the refugee camps UNBRO administers directly and through voluntary agencies programmes to provide food, water, shelter, relief supplies, health and social services, primary education and adult literacy to over 300,000 refugees. We have assurances from UNBRO that the aid supplied benefits those for whom it is intended by the donors.
  464
  My predecessor made clear to those concerned that Britain's financial contribution should go only to people in those camps occupied by the non-Communist elements of the Cambodian resistance. We received assurances from UNBRO that this stipulation was observed. However, in view of recent allegations, I am reiterating the conditions of our contributions.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how assistance to eastern Europe will be administered and financed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The administration of British assistance to eastern Europe will be undertaken by a newly established joint unit within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office comprising staff from both the diplomatic wing and the Overseas Development Administration. My hon. Friend the Minister of State gave details of the £25 million to be provided for Poland in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 18 October. It has now been decided that provision for expenditure in 1989–90 and subsequent years will be sought in the overseas aid vote (Class II, Vote 5) and the other external relations vote (Class II, Vote 2). The provision in the overseas aid vote will be from resources outside and additional to the aid programme, and identified separately in the public expenditure White Paper and the Supply Estimates.

  Development Aid
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the individual amounts granted to United Kingdom nongovernmental organisations by the European Community in 1988(a) for projects in developing countries, (b) for development education and (c) other.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Under its NGO programme the European Community co-finances projects in developing countries and development education projects with European NGOs. Normally the Community contributes 50 per cent. of the costs of individual projects. In 1988, the latest year for which figures are available, amounts granted to United Kingdom NGOs were as follows:

  (a) For projects in developing countries

  £

  Accord

  141,307

  Action Aid

  456,231

  Biblelands Society

  239,568

  Christian Aid

  474,996

  Concern Universal

  54,784

  Cooperation For Development

  541,550

  Commonwealth Trade Union Council

  127,847

  Echo

  25,803

  Health Unlimited

  126,019

  Help the Aged

  238,178

  International Boys Town Trust

  118,191

  International Christian Relief

  140,479

  International Extension College

  239,401

  Intermediate Technology Development Group

  44,939

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  228,507

  Marie Stopes International

  481,729

  Methodist Church

  152,401

  Namibia Refugees

  20,000

  Order of St. John

  127,391

  Opportunities for Women

  18,638

  Oxfam

  "18,313

  465

  £

  Population Concern

  326,873

  Richmond Fellowship

  82,661

  Save The Children Fund

  151,783

  Scottish Education and Action For Development

  19,209

  SOS-Sahel International

  332,804

  Tear Fund

  23,333

  UK Foundation For People Of The South Pacific

  17,088

  United Nations Association—United Kingdom

  86,127

  Voluntary Service Overseas

  205,286

  War on Want

  982,651

  Water Aid

  32,298

  World University Service—United Kingdom

  122,883

  TOTAL

  7,099,268

  (b) For development education

  £

  Birmingham Development Education Centre

  50,513

  Catholic Institute of International Relations

  9,091

  Centre For World Development Education

  77,695

  Christian Aid

  119,561

  International Broadcasting Trust

  79,887

  Mayday Publication

  47,846

  National Association For Developing Education Centres

  200,369

  Namibia Support Committee

  112,014

  One World Centre

  7,694

  ODA grants to NGOs 1988–89

  Agency

  JFS

  Emergencies (Disasters Refugees Food Aid)

  Others

  Total

  ACAFESS (Afro Caribbean Community Organisation)

  130,130

  —

  —

  130,130

  Acord

  255,500

  627,991

  274,427

  1,157,918

  Action Aid

  253,361

  751,066

  303,668

  1,308,095

  Action Around Bethlehem

  —

  —

  27,550

  27,550

  Action on Disability and Development

  97,163

  —

  —

  97,163

  Action Water

  10,000

  —

  —

  10,000

  Afghanaid

  —

  1,313,580

  —

  1,313,580

  Africa Now

  10,300

  —

  —

  10,300

  Aga Khan Foundation

  195,183

  —

  1,364,857

  1,560,040

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG)

  131,039

  —

  337,715

  468,754

  Aid for India

  20,826

  —

  —

  20,826

  African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)

  182,541

  —

  —

  182,541

  Avon Industrial Award Scheme

  5,000

  —

  —

  5,000

  Band Aid

  —

  169,953

  —

  169,953

  Boston—Jalchatra Project

  —

  —

  12,000

  12,000

  Boys Brigade

  15,349

  —

  —

  15,349

  British Airways Trust

  48,500

  —

  —

  48,500

  British Executive Services Overseas

  —

  —

  300,006

  300,006

  British Red Cross Society

  16,797

  1,697,582

  —

  1,714,379

  British Refugee Council

  —

  6,000

  —

  6,000

  CAB International (Commonwealth Mycological Institute)

  —

  —

  57,437

  57,437

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD)

  625,000

  3,189,990

  —

  3,814,990

  Care Britain

  394,949

  2,752,509

  991,946

  4,139,404

  Centre for Economic Policy Research

  —

  —

  49,827

  49,827

  Centre for World Development Education

  —

  —

  135,000

  135,000

  Christian Aid

  1,375,000

  3,620,561

  438,000

  5,433,561

  Christian Outreach

  —

  189,103

  —

  189,103

  Christians Abroad

  —

  —

  17,000

  17,000

  CIIR

  49,673

  —

  945,000

  994,673

  Commonwealth Human Ecology Council

  50,013

  —

  —

  50,013

  Concern

  39,202

  1,093,668

  4,581

  1,137,451

  Council For Education in World Citizenship

  —

  —

  6,500

  6,500

  Council Of Europe North South Campaign

  —

  —

  30,000

  30,000

  Co-operation For Development

  205,884

  —

  338,700

  544,584

  Commonwealth TUC

  51,020

  —

  —

  51,020

  Cusichaca Project

  32,155

  —

  —

  32,155

  Disasters Emergency Committee

  —

  2,106,700

  —

  2,106,700

  Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

  5,000

  —

  —

  5,000

  Equipment for Community Hospitals Overseas

  6,307

  —

  —

  6,307

  466

  (b) For development education

  £

  Voluntary Service Overseas

  16,627

  Women Working Worldwide

  28,839

  750,136

  (c) Other

  In addition Christian Aid and Oxfam received funding for projects in consortium with other European NGOs.

  The total grants amounted to £2,579,811.

  Development Aid
  Sir John Stanely
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-governmental organisations associated with overseas development which received financial support from his Department in 1988–89, the total sum received by each organisation in that year and the breakdown of the total sum received by each organisation to show separately the sums received(a) under the joint funding scheme, (b) for emergency relief and (c) other.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information requested is as follows:
  467

  Agency

  JFS

  Emergencies (Disasters Refugees Food Aid)

  Others

  Total

  Food and Agriculture Research Mission

  12,514

  —

  —

  12,514

  Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala

  13,672

  —

  —

  13,672

  Hand In Hand

  17,636

  —

  —

  17,636

  Health Unlimited

  48,175

  —

  —

  48,175

  Help the Aged

  43,013

  156,890

  —

  199,903

  Homeless Trust

  153,137

  —

  16,100

  169,237

  International Council for Bird Preservation

  37,570

  —

  —

  37,570

  International Institute for Environment and Development

  —

  —

  55,000

  55,000

  Institute of Development Studies

  —

  —

  1,262,000

  1,262,000

  Intercare

  9,732

  —

  —

  9,732

  International Bee Research Association

  —

  —

  29,600

  29,600

  International Boys Town Trust

  21,621

  —

  —

  21,621

  International Extension College

  —

  198,200

  —

  198,200

  International Medical Relief

  —

  14,500

  —

  14,500

  International Committee of the Red Cross

  —

  610,000

  —

  610,000

  Intermediate Technologies Development Group

  22,562

  —

  1,880,000

  1,902,562

  International Voluntary Service

  14,886

  —

  760,000

  774,886

  King Mahendra Trust

  14,750

  —

  —

  14,750

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  57,691

  —

  —

  57,691

  Leprosy Mission

  25,030

  —

  —

  25,030

  Lifeline

  —

  —

  9,842

  9,842

  Ludhiana British Fellowship

  —

  —

  4,763

  4,763

  Marie Stopes International

  194,699

  —

  —

  194,699

  Namibia Refugee Project

  10,000

  —

  —

  10,000

  National Children's Home

  11,000

  —

  —

  11,000

  National Council of YMCA

  —

  62,500

  —

  62,500

  Ockenden Venture

  21,862

  238,874

  —

  260,736

  Operation Raleigh

  —

  —

  3,530

  3,530

  Order of St. John

  —

  —

  140,000

  140,000

  Overseas Development Institute

  —

  —

  715,203

  715,203

  OXFAM

  2,555,000

  5,091,413

  76,385

  1,722,798

  Panos Institute

  —

  —

  79,551

  79,551

  Parkes Foundation

  3,000

  —

  —

  3,000

  PLAN (Foster Parents Plan/World Family)

  126,250

  —

  —

  126,250

  Plunkett Foundation

  —

  —

  9,000

  9,000

  Population Concern

  190,739

  —

  —

  190,739

  Quaker Peace and Service

  —

  112,000

  13,382

  125,382

  Ranfurly Library Service

  —

  —

  77,880

  77,880

  Regional Conference on International Voluntary Service

  —

  —

  4,300

  4,300

  Richmond Fellowship

  13,000

  —

  —

  13,000

  Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind

  153,336

  50,000

  —

  203,336

  Royal Society

  —

  —

  112,000

  112,000

  Rural Development Consultancy for Christian Churches in Africa (RURCON)

  25,750

  —

  —

  25,750

  Ryder Cheshire Mission

  —

  23,000

  —

  23,000

  Salvation Army

  7,000

  —

  —

  7,000

  Sandy Gall Afghan Appeal

  —

  100,000

  —

  100,000

  Save The Children Fund

  1,925,000

  2,721,444

  1,569,430

  6,215,874

  Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

  107,252

  —

  —

  107,252

  Scottish Education and Action for Development

  —

  —

  6,000

  6,000

  The Scout Association

  21,092

  —

  —

  21,092

  Send a Cow

  34,500

  —

  —

  34,500

  SOS Sahel International

  49,557

  —

  —

  49,557

  Special Projects in Christian Missionary Areas

  —

  23,608

  59,831

  83,439

  St. John Ambulance

  8,721

  —

  —

  8,721

  Tear Fund

  64,713

  26,500

  —

  91,213

  Tree Trust

  11,130

  —

  —

  11,130

  Uganda Society for Disabled Children

  212,386

  —

  —

  212,386

  United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific

  24,860

  —

  —

  24,860

  UN Association International Service

  —

  —

  490,000

  490,000

  UNICEF

  —

  500,000

  50,000

  550,000

  UNIPAL

  —

  12,500

  —

  12,500

  Urban Aid

  20,000

  —

  —

  20,000

  Voluntary Service Overseas

  13,031

  —

  8,681,533

  8,694,564

  War on Want

  —

  290,065

  49,643

  339,708

  Water Aid

  447,172

  —

  —

  447,172

  Women's Corona Society

  —

  —

  34,000

  34,000

  Women's Environmental Network

  —

  —

  10,000

  10,000

  Work Start Overseas

  36,156

  —

  —

  36,156

  World Press Centre

  —

  —

  45,000

  45,000

  World University Service

  19,244

  471,218

  —

  490,462

  World Vision

  189,776

  1,179,315

  —

  1,369,091

  Worldwide Fund for Nature

  368,690

  52,200

  420,890

  468

  469

  Agency

  JFS

  Emergencies (Disasters Refugees Food Aid)

  Others

  Total

  Y-Care International

  77,040

  110,000

  25,000

  212,040

  You and Me

  27,550

  —

  27,550

  YWCA

  —

  2,300

  50,485

  52,785

  Zimbabwe Trust

  28,075

  —

  —

  28,075

  Total

  11,667,912

  29,540,580

  22,005,872

  63,214,364

  Note: These figures exclude the United Kingdom share of grants to British NGOs through the EC.

  Non-governmental Organisations
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-governmental organisations to which he will be making grants under the joint funding scheme in 1990 and the amount of grant that will be paid to each non-governmental organisation concerned.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Grants under the joint funding scheme are recorded by financial year rather than calendar year. The non-governmental agencies which will receive grants under the joint funding scheme this financial year, 1989–90, and the amount of grant they have been offered are:

  ODA joint funding scheme (JFS) grants to British NGOS 1989–90

  Agency

  1989–90 grant £

  Acord

  450,000

  Action Aid

  399,923

  Action Water

  10,000

  Action on Disability and Development

  147,825

  Africa Now

  9,213

  Aga Khan Foundation

  278,314

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG)

  140,733

  Aid for India

  52,215

  Alternative for India Development

  47,145

  African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)

  201,179

  Anti-Slavery Society

  40,945

  APT Design and Development

  23,650

  Boys Brigade

  15,000

  British Red Cross Society

  106,280

  Busoga Trust

  33,333

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD)

  1,000,000

  Care Britain

  847,799

  Christian Aid

  1,700,000

  Commonwealth Human Ecology Council

  28,266

  Child to Child

  8,000

  Catholic Institute for International Relations

  127,688

  CONCERN

  133,998

  Conservation Foundation

  112,537

  Co-operation for Development

  195,641

  Commonwealth TUC

  124,552

  Cusichaca Project Trust

  37,000

  Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme

  77,000

  Food and Agriculture Research Mission

  40,799

  Feed The Minds

  13,330

  Foundation of Nursing Studies

  48,200

  Hand in Hand

  16,000

  Harvest Help

  48,125

  Health Unlimited

  173,353

  Help the Aged

  129,978

  Homeless International

  39,500

  International Agricultural Training Programme

  47,180

  International Council for Bird Preservation

  82,500

  Impact Foundation

  10,250

  India Development Group

  30,000

  Intercare

  9,732

  Intermediate Technology Development Group

  188,996

  International Trust for Nature Conservation

  3,897

  International Voluntary Service

  69,103

  470

  Agency

  1989–90 grant £

  Jalchatra Project

  7,500

  Joe Homan Trust

  33,180

  King Mahendra Trust

  14,750

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  86,936

  Leprosy Mission

  15,000

  Living Earth

  61,400

  Money for Madagascar

  3,000

  Marie Stopes International

  507,754

  National Children's Home

  16,257

  Northumbrian Energy Workshop

  13,500

  Opportunities for Women

  58,056

  OXFAM

  3,100,000

  Passe-Partout

  33,713

  Plan UK (Foster Parents Plan/World Family)

  190,553

  Population Concern

  357,568

  Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind

  137,683

  Reed Charities

  100,000

  Richmond Fellowship

  13,200

  Save the Children

  2,400,000

  Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)

  75,348

  Semi-Arid Lands Training Centre (SALTLIC)

  28,789

  Send a Cow

  9,250

  SOS Sahel International

  76,848

  St John Ambulance

  53,914

  Tear Fund

  65,600

  Traidcraft Exchange

  27,267

  TRAX Program Support

  31,943

  Uganda Society for Disabled Children

  212,743

  United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific

  95,794

  Urban Aid

  15,000

  VETAID

  15,500

  VSO

  9,000

  Water Aid

  654,699

  WomanAid

  27,221

  World University Service

  14,913

  World Vision

  237,565

  Worldwide Fund for Nature

  1,000,000

  Y-Care

  79,707

  Zimbabwe Trust

  128,500

EMPLOYMENT

  Key Training
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which year his Department first paid fees to Key Training of 10 Eaton place, Reading.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Key Training Ltd. commenced operations in February 1985. The Training Agency has paid fees under contract continuously since then.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contracts, and for what purpose, his Department currently has with Key Training Ltd. of 10 Eaton place, Reading.
  471
  Mr. Nicholls
  Key Training Ltd. is currently in contract with 15 area offices of the Training Agency to deliver YTS training. In addition the company is in contract with three area offices to deliver employment training.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the sum total of fees by his Department in each of the last five years to Key Training Ltd. of 10 Eaton place, Reading.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Fees paid to Key Training Ltd., for 1987–88, 1988–89 and projected figures for 1989–90 are as follows:

  £

  1989–90

  5,682,323

  1988–89

  6,008,053

  1987–88

  5,790,692

  Aggregated figures are not available for fees paid prior to April 1987.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by the Health and Safety Executive on publicising availability of the registers of all improvement and prohibition notices in health and safety area offices, for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There has been no direct expenditure on publicising the additional registers of enforcement notices with public safety implications set up at area offices of the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of the Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 which came into force on 1 April 1989. Athough the Act made no provision for paid publicity, the executive has dealt with large numbers of inquiries from the media and secured extensive free publicity for both the new and pre-existing registers as part of its continuing task of publicising the Health and Safety Commission's publicly declared policy of openness.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the level of funding to the Health and Safety Executive with responsibility for Wales for each year since 1975, expressed at 1975 prices.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: Funding provision for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive is not made separately for Wales.

  Workplace Inspectors
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total numbers of workplace inspections conducted by the factory inspectorate in(a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom in each year since 1975.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested for the years 1975 to 1984. The table shows the number of preventive inspection visits carried out by the factory inspectorate in Wales and Great Britain since 1 April 1985:
  472

  Date (1 April–31 March)

  Wales

  Great Britain

  1985–86

  5,000

  90,081

  1986–87

  4,843

  94,308

  1987–88

  4,376

  100,815

  1988–89

  4,618

  101,141

  The Health and Safety Executive does not enforce health and safety legislation in Northern Ireland.

  Allied Colloids (Accident)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that a copy of the Health and Safety Executive report into the recent explosion at Allied Colloids, Low Moor, is placed in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all towns in(a) the north-west regions and (b) Merseyside which have full employment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There is no recognised level of full employment.

  Trainees
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what follow-up there is of an employment training trainee who leaves before three months without giving a reason.

  Mr. Nicholls
  All trainees leaving employment training from April this year are sent a follow-up questionnaire. This asks a number of questions including whether they have found a job or entered other training.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if a trainee who leaves an employment training scheme without having a job, other scheme or college place to go to, is eligible immediately for unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Anyone who leaves an ET or other scheme and is entitled to unemployment benefit can start to receive it from the day after any training allowance ends. If entitlement to UB is not established, or has previously been exhausted or disallowed, income support may be payable.

  Economic League
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many recent complaints or inquiries he has received from individuals and employees on the activities of the Economic League.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Over the last six months my Department has received three letters about the activities of the Economic League.

  Closed Shop
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of complaints per year from employees on the closed shop, from 1979.
  473
  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Benefit Offices (Staffing)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will announce plans to review staffing levels in unemployment benefit offices to take account of the increased workload imposed by the actively seeking work rules that became effective from October 1989;

  (2) if he will implement the 1988 report of unions, management and Treasury, which recommended that staffing levels in unemployment benefit offices be increased.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Unemployed Persons
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will announce plans to improve the quality of service given to the unemployed.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department, through the employment service, provides a comprehensive range of services aimed at helping people find jobs or increasing their chances of doing so. These are regularly reviewed and from time to time my right hon. Friend announces proposals for improving them.

  Training
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many employment training trainees are currently on placement in(a) Wimpey and (b) Sainsburys in each of the Training Agency area offices in London;

  (2) if he will estimate the level of expenditure on employment training by each of the Training Agency area offices in London in 1989–90 and 1990–91;

  (3) what correlation there is between the level of supplementary grant and the location of schemes in urban programme areas;

  (4) what is the level of supplementary grant currently paid to training managers by each area office of the Training Agency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Disabled People (Quotas)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the various grants for which employers may apply in order to facilitate the employment of disabled people; and if he will indicate in each case the(a) amounts allocated by his Department and (b) the amounts taken up by employers in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 8 November 1989, c. 655]: I regret that the information given in a table on the adaptations to premises and equipment scheme was incorrect due to an error in transposing figures. The correct information is as follows:

  My Department provides a variety of help to facilitate the employment of people with disabilities, including six special schemes to help overcome specific barriers to work. Two of these offer grants to employers:
  474

  (a) The Job Introduction Scheme—grants towards an individual's wages during a trial period.

  (b) the Adaptations to Premises and Equipment Scheme—grants to employers to adapt their premises or equipment to enable a specific disabled employee to work more effectively and productively.

  The other four offer help directly to individuals. Money is allocated to the special scheme as a bloc, and expenditure on any one scheme is not constrained by estimates for that scheme; these are based each year on previous take-up and other evidence of likely demand.

  Between 1979–80 and 1988–89, total expenditure on all the special schemes for the disabled rose from £743,000 per annum to £5,669,000 per annum.

  The financial information requested about the two schemes is as follows:

  Job introduction scheme

  Year

  Expenditure estimate £

  Actual expenditure £

  1979–80

  334,000

  297,201

  1980–81

  457,000

  269,433

  1981–82

  425,000

  354,588

  1982–83

  531,500

  439,861

  1983–84

  571,000

  567,980

  1984–85

  646,000

  659,000

  1985–86

  760,000

  674,000

  1986–87

  837,000

  574,000

  1987–88

  920,000

  619,000

  1988–89

  609,000

  614,000

  Adaptations to premises and equipment scheme

  Year

  Expenditure estimate £

  Actual expenditure £

  1979–80

  330,000

  50,000

  1980–81

  381,000

  64,233

  1981–82

  150,000

  71,469

  1982–83

  177,000

  107,334

  1983–84

  208,000

  134,412

  1984–85

  150,000

  243,649

  1985–86

  250,000

  295,000

  1986–87

  450,000

  256,000

  1987–88

  480,000

  404,000

  1988–89

  354,000

  423,000

  YTS, Seaham and Peterlee
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds, by sex, are currently denied benefit for not taking up the offer of a place on a youth training scheme within the Seaham and Peterlee areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have been asked to reply. The information is not collected because refusal to take up the offer of a place on a youth training scheme need not, of itself, deny benefit to 16 and 17-year-olds.

  The Secretary of State has the power to direct that, where unavoidable hardship would result if benefit were to be withheld, a young person will be entitled to income support even though that young person would ordinarily not be so entitled.

  Each case is considered on its merits. Factors which are taken into account are the young person's health and vulnerability, including the threat of homelessness; the availability of any income or savings; the prospects of a speedy entry into YTS; the availability of casual work; whether the person has any friends or relatives who could

  475
  put him or her up or otherwise offer assistance; and the financial commitments of the person and the prospects of postponing such payments, for example of a hostel charge.

ENERGY

  Oil and Gas (North Sea)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sillars) on 13 November, at column 99.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the level of coal imports to Britain; what it was 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Coal imports into the United Kingdom were 12.0 million tonnes last year and 2·4 million tonnes in 1978.

  Over two thirds of total coal imports in 1988 were of coking coal and anthracite, both of which are now in short supply in this country.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what further proposals he has to improve energy efficiency in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Improving energy efficiency is primarily a matter for individual consumers. The Energy Efficiency Office will continue to provide help and guidance to consumers, and to encourage the energy efficiency industry and buildings professions.

  North Sea Development
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the present rate of North sea development.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 13 November, at column 99.

  Energy Sources
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consideration he will give to non-economic considerations, such as pollution and safety, when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of coal and nuclear energy in relationship to renewable energy;
  476
  (2) whether, in calculating the cost of nuclear and renewable sources of energy, he intends to take into account the cost of commissioning a nuclear power installation and the long-term cost-effectiveness of renewable energy.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The choice of fuel for electricity generation will be for the market to decide, bearing in mind statutory requirements relating to pollution and safety and the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Nuclear Energy (Price)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to make a statement on the price of nuclear energy to be paid by private electricity companies; and when he intends to lay orders before the House.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Contracts for the sale of nuclear electricity are for negotiation between the nuclear generation company and the area boards, and will be subject to Government approval. The contracts for nuclear electricity must be signed before vesting. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also intends to lay before the House an order under section 32 of the Electricity Act 1989 before vesting.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the management of the nuclear power stations subsequent to vesting day for the electricity supply industry;

  (2) what consultations he had had with the chairman-designate of National Power for the management subsequent to vesting day of the Sizewell B (a) construction project and (b) nuclear power station;

  (3) what consultations he has had with the chairman-designate of PowerGen regarding agency arrangements for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain after vesting day under the Electricity Act;

  (4) what consultations he has had with the chairman-designate of National Power about the management structure of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain as a whole after vesting day under the Electricity Act;

  (5) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding agency arrangements for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain as a whole subsequent to vesting day under the Electricity Act;

  (6) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the future chairmanship of the board responsible for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain after vesting day under the Electricity Act;

  (7) what consultations he has had with the chief executive of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the future (a) ownership and (b) management of the proposed Hinkley Point C pressurised water reactor nuclear power station subsequent to vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act;

  (8) what consultations he has had with the chairmen of (a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and (b) the United

  477
  Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority regarding the future management and ownership of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland;

  (9) what consultations he has had with the staff of the nuclear power stations about their future management after vesting day of the electricity supply industry;

  (10) what proposals he has for the future management of the Sizewell B (a) construction project and (b) power station;

  (11) what proposals he has for the management of the nuclear power stations of England and Wales after vesting day in the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 9 November at column 1175. My right hon. Friend and I have held discussions on the issues with the chairmen of National Power and the Central Electricity Generating Board, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd, and with representatives of the staff.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the number of pressurised water reactor nuclear power stations to be constructed in England and Wales starting before the year 2000.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement to the House of 9 November at column 1175.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy at which nuclear power station sites there have been site emergency plan exercises over the past 10 years; when these exercises took place; what level of exercise they were designated; whether reports of the exercises are available; which exercises tested the concept of extendability; which non-electricity board organisations were involved; whether members of the public were involved in or notified of the exercises; and which nuclear power station sites are due to have their site emergency plans exercised in the next three years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  United Kingdom nuclear power stations have exercised their site emergency plans every year since the station started operations.

  These exercises are now classified at three levels: level 1, which comprises annual tests at each site of on-site emergency arrangements and emergency services; level 2, held every two or three years at each site, which also test the off-site arrangements and involve the local authorities and emergency services, regulatory bodies and Government Departments; or level 3, when one of the level 2 exercises is raised to national or level 3 status, and which involves full participation of local organisations, police, emergency services and central Government Departments. These exercises are witnessed by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate (HMNII) and appropriate reports are made available to relevant parties.

  Many of these exercises, at level 2 and 3, are based on an assumed radioactive release going significantly beyond that which could arise from the reference accident (i.e. the accident which although unlikely, has the greatest off-site consequences that can be reasonably predicted, given the design of plant, its protective systems and its operating limits). Generally level 2 and level 3 exercises involve the participation of external organisations which include HMNII, the National Radiological Protection Board,
  478
  Government Departments, local authorities, health authorities, the police and emergency services. There has been some limited public participation in some of these exercises. Local community liaison councils are made aware of both the programme and the outcome of exercises. For the future, each site will hold at least a level 1 exercise annually, with higher-level exercises continuing to take place with the same frequency as at present.

  AGRs
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with James Capel and Co., stockbrokers, regarding the impact on public Exchequer proceeds of withdrawal of the advanced gas-cooled reactors from the sale of the generating companies under the terms of the Electricity Act.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has had discussions from time to time with his advisers on electricity privatisation on a wide range of matters. All such discussions are confidential.

  Electricity Supply Industry
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the balance sheet assets and liabilities of the Central Electricity Generating Board to be transferred to(a) National Power, (b) PowerGen, (c) the National Grid Company and (d) any further residual company owning the nuclear power stations after vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 14 November at column 139.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the net effect to the Exchequer of the sale of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is too early to estimate the likely proceeds from the sale of the electricity supply industry and hence it is not possible to give an estimate of the effect on the public Exchequer.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level to be set for the nuclear levy in each of the first three years after vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The level of the fossil fuel levy will depend upon the prices for fossil and non-fossil generated power, which are in the process of negotiation.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any proposals to improve incentives for energy conservation schemes.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 13 November at column 17.

  Coal Imports, North-East
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the tonnage of coal imported into the ports of Seaham, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Teesside, by month, during 1989.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The latest information is shown in the table. Imports into Seaham are not identified separately but are recorded under the port of Sunderland. Imports into Teesside are recorded under the port of Middlesbrough.

  1989

  Thousand Tonnes1

  Month

  Sunderland

  Hartlepool

  Middlesbrough

  January

  23

  16

  103

  February

  31

  6

  276

  March

  38

  11

  206

  April

  45

  5

  430

  May

  23

  4

  176

  June

  50

  4

  72

  July

  10

  10

  —

  August

  26

  2

  165

  September

  2

  14

  457

  Total2

  249

  72

  1,885

  1Figures are rounded independently and a total may therefore differ from the sum of its constituent parts.

  2January to September 1989.

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise(port pf entry basis).

  Insulation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the change in the level of Government spending in real terms from 1983–84 to 1988–89 on(a) draught-proofing, (b) cavity wall insulation, (c) double glazing, (d) heating controls, (e) loft insulation and (f) external wall insulation.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Government expenditure on draughtproofing homes through the Community insulation programme rose from £6·7 million in 1983–84 to £44·1 million in 1987–88 (both sums at 1987–88 prices). The figures for 1988–89 are not available.

  Expenditure on loft, cold water tank and pipe insulation through the homes insulation scheme fell from £32·6 million in 1983–84 to £9·9 million (provisional) in 1988–89 (both sums at 1988–89 prices).

  In addition, there have been other Government-funded programmes in the housing sector which have included expenditure on insulation measures, but for which a breakdown in the form requested is not available.

  Efficiency
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received from the Association for the Conservation of Energy concerning Government spending or energy efficiency measures, and what response he has made.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend has received letters from the association and will be meeting its chairman in the near future.

  CEGB (Druridge Bay)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether land owned by the Central Electricity Generating Board at Druridge bay will be transferred to National Power or the proposed new nuclear company.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In accordance with section 66 of the Electricity Act 1989 the transfer of land assets is, in the first instance, a matter for the CEGB.

  Hinkley Point C
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make it his policy that local authorities in south Wales shall be reimbursed from Government funds for the costs they incurred in opposing the Hinkley Point C proposal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Most objectors appear at inquiries to defend their own interests. That is perfectly proper, but there is no reason why they should be funded from public funds.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the yield from capital gains tax in the current year if it was charged at a single rate of the standard rate of income tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Horses (VAT)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to secure the harmonisation of value added tax on(a) race horses and (b) all other equines dead or alive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  In discussions on the completion of the single market, the Government have made clear their view that market forces would bring about the harmonisation of tax rates to the extent necessary.

  Tax Treaty
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate how far discussions proceeded on the preparation of a new tax treaty with the Netherlands Antilles before the decision was taken not to undertake a new treaty; what were the terms of such a revised treaty which were agreed prior to the abandonment of negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  Discussions at official level about a new double taxation convention between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands Antilles commenced in May 1987. These discussions and subsequent talks were the subject of Inland Revenue press releases dated 1 July 1987, 24 June 1988, 16 March 1989 and 19 October 1989. The Government considered the position reached in these
  481
  discussions and decided that in all the circumstances a satisfactory basis for a new convention did not exist. This was announced on 19 October 1989. The terms of the draft text which formed the basis for discussions between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands Antilles remain confidential. There are no immediate plans to hold further discussions.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the tax allowances currently operative;

  (2) what is the total cost of tax allowances for each of the years since 1979;

  (3) which tax allowances have been abolished since 1979.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Incomes and Inflation
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average percentage increase in incomes, including tax reductions, over the past three years; and what has been the rate of inflation in the same period.

  Mr. Lilley
  Annual estimates of personal disposable income and the consumers' expenditure deflator (the appropriate measure of inflation in this context) may be found in tables 4.1 and 1.7, respectively, of the "United Kingdom National Accounts, 1989"; a copy of which is available in the Library. The average annual increases over the three years 1985–88 (the latest for which figures are available) are:

  Average annual compound rate of increase (percentage) 1985 to 1988

  Per cent.

  Personal disposable income

  8·6

  Consumers' expenditure deflator

  4·4

  Real personal disposable income

  4·0

  Earnings
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing how many people earned(a) less than £5,000, (b) between £5,000 to £10,000, (c)between £10,000 to £13,000, (d) between £13,000 to £17,500, (e) between £17,500 to £27,000 and (f) over £27,000 in 1988–89, and in each of the four previous years.

  Mr. Lilley
  Estimates for the latest four years available from the survey of personal incomes are shown in the table. The survey's coverage of incomes below £5,000 is incomplete. The estimates cover earned income (including income from self-employment) but employees' earnings are net of superannuation.

  Total earned income

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £

  Thousand

  Thousand

  Thousand

  Thousand

  5,001 to 10,000

  10,900

  11,100

  10,600

  10,400

  10,001 to 13,000

  2,320

  2,760

  3,230

  3,600

  13,001 to 17,500

  1,150

  1,470

  1,920

  2,350

  482

  Total earned income

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £

  Thousand

  Thousand

  Thousand

  Thousand

  17,501 to 27,000

  609

  743

  1,020

  1,310

  Over 27,000

  238

  306

  428

  553

  Maintoba Wheat
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the highest import levy and the lowest import levy on Manitoba wheat in the last 12 months; and on what dates they were in effect.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the period from 1 November 1988 to 30 October 1989 the highest rate of import levy on Manitoba wheat (CN Code 10 01 90 99) was £89·0721 per metric tonne. This rate applied for one day only: 7 December 1988. Over the same period the lowest rate of levy was £70·2926 per metric tonne. This rate applied for two days: 17 and 18 August 1989.

  Maize
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the highest import levy and the lowest import levy on maize in the last 12 months; and on what dates they were in effect.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the period from 1 November 1988 to 30 October 1989 the highest rate of import levy on maize (CN Code 10 05 90 00) was £103·4049 per metric tonne. This rate applied for three days: 5 to 7 August 1989. The lowest rate of levy over the same period was £79·9057 per metric tonne. This rate applied for one day only: 31 December 1989.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost of mortgage tax relief(a) for each of the years since 1979 and (b) for each of the last four months or quarters for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lilley
  The total cost of mortgage interest relief for each year since 1979–80 and the monthly repayments to lenders under the mortgage interest relief at source (MIRAS) scheme for July to October 1989 are given in the table. The monthly MIRAS figures exclude the costs of excess over basic rate relief and relief for loans outside the MIRAS scheme.

  Annual cost of mortgage tax relief

  Year

  £ million

  1979–80

  1,450

  1980–81

  1,960

  1981–82

  2,050

  1982–83

  2,150

  1983–84

  2,780

  1984–85

  3,580

  1985–86

  4,750

  1986–87

  4,670

  1987–88

  14,800

  1988–89

  15,400

  1989–90

  127,000

  1 Provisional.

  2 Assuming current mortgage interest rate.

  483

  Monthly repayments under Miras scheme

  1989

  £ million

  July

  445

  August

  540

  September

  460

  October

  445

  Blue Circle Industries
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in the last 12 months from Blue Circle Industries plc or its wholly owned subsidiaries concerning the sterling/lira exchange rate; and what reply he gave.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received no such representations in the last 12 months.

  Building Societies Commission
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by the Building Societies Commission expressed as full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Ryder
  A total of 42 people employed by the Registry of Friendly Societies work directly for the Building Societies Commission. A further nine common service staff are currently working primarily or wholly for it. Other common service staff provide varying degrees of support to both the commission and the central office of the registry.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of the Building Societies Commission are(a) solicitors, (b) barristers and (c) legal executives.

  Mr. Ryder
  The legal support for the Building Societies Commission is provided by the common services legal branch of the Registry of Friendly Societies, which comprises two solicitors and two barristers; there are no legal executives.

  Capital Investment
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table of capital investment in real terms, by standard planning region, showing the percentage increase this sum represents from May 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 November, at columns 281–82. Constant price estimates are not made, because there are no regional price indices.

  Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the responsibilities of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.

  Mr. Ryder
  The chief registrar is responsible in that post for:the public registry for mutual organisations registered under the Building Societies Act 1986, Friendly Societies Act 1974 and the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965;
  the prudential supervision of friendly societies and credit unions;
  the general supervision of the setting up and operations of industrial and provident societies;
  484
  arbitration in certain disputes between members and registered societies, between savers and the Department for National Savings and between individual policy holders and assurance companies (in his capacity as Industrial Assurance Commissioner);
  as Accounting Officer, the Registry of Friendly Societies Vote (Class XIX Vote 3) which covers the expenditure of the Registry in support of the Building Society Commission and the Registrars.

  He is also chairman and first commissioner of the Building Societies Commission.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies is appointed; and when the current contract comes up for renewal.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies holds his office during the pleasure of the Treasury, and subject to normal Civil Service conditions of service.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who appoints the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies is appointed by the Treasury.

  OECD Statistics
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will indicate in the Official Report the average annual level of inflation in each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country for each of the past five calendar years for which figures are available;

  (2) if he will indicate in the Official Report the average level of economic growth in each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country for each of the past five calendar years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer my hon. Friend to the OECD publication "Economic Outlook", June 1989, where the information requested is set out.

  Central Banks
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he has any plans to discuss the status of central banks at the next Ecofin meeting;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report those Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries whose central banks are independent of central Government.

  Mr. Ryder
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to discuss the status of central banks with the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and the president of the West German Bundesbank.

  Mr. Ryder
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of the Letter in the Library.

  Investment
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the percentage rate of growth of investment for each year from 1985 to 1989 in(a) manufacturing industry, (b) the property sector, (c) other production industries and (d) service industries;

  (2) what is the percentage rate of growth of investment in fixed assets for each year from 1985 to 1989, exclusive of all firms transferred from the public sector to the private sector during the period in (a) manufacturing industry, (b) property industry, (c) other production industries and, (d) service industries;

  (3) what is the percentage rate of growth of investment in fixed assets for each year from 1985 to 1989 in (a) manufacturing industry, (b) property industry, (c) other production industries and (d) service industries.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 7 November 1989]: Data for gross domestic fixed capital formation by industry group are available in table 13.7 of "United Kingdom National Accounts" 1989 edition. Figures for calendar year 1989 are not yet available. For reasons of confidentiality, no estimates are available which allow for the reclassification of industries between the public and private sectors. Data for some industrial groups are not available in 1988. The reasons for this are given in the methodological notes of the "United Kingdom National Accounts".

  Figures for growth in investment by property companies are not available in this table. They are set out in the table for the three years up to 1987 (the last for which figures are available). Though growth of property companies investment was rapid, its weight in total business investment is small. Excluding property companies' investment, and after allowing for the re-phasing of investment caused by the 1984 corporation tax reform, business investment still rose rapidly over this period, reflecting the success of this Government's policy in restoring profitability and business confidence.

  Annual percentage growth, 1985 prices

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Property companies' fixed investment1

  8

  40

  75

  n/a

  1 Excluding new dwellings and purchases less sales of land and existing building.

  Civil Servants (Salaries)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are currently receiving annual salaries in excess of those received by(a) the Prime Minister, (b) Cabinet Ministers, (c) Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and (d) Back-Bench honourable Members of Parliament.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 13 November 1989]: It is not possible to provide exact figures. Approximate figures are as follows:
  486

  Office

  Current salary1 (as at 1 January 1989)

  Approximate numbers of non-industrial civil servants earning in excess of column (2) (as at 1 August 1989)

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  Prime Minister

  364,257

  50

  Cabinet Minister

  Commons

  52,627

  60

  Lords

  41,997

  380

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary

  Commons

  36,367

  1,120

  Lords

  30,647

  6,000

  Member of Parliament

  24,107

  13,200

  1 Includes the reduced Parliamentary salary of £18,148 where appropriate.

  2SIP as at 1 July 1989 around 567,000.

  3The Prime Minister only accepts the same salary as a Cabinet Minister in the Commons.

  Trades Unions
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 526, what conditions he imposed on any trades unions during recent pay negotiations in respect of recommending offers to their members.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: It is for the unions concerned to make their recommendations to their members on whatever basis they think appropriate.

  Civil Service Pay
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 525, if he will seek the consent of parties to the publication of the results of the survey of data on private sector pay and Civil Service comparisons.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: No.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 526, what steps he has taken to assess the relative importance of pay among the factors which affect morale in the Civil Service; and how this assessment has informed his negotiations.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: No formal assessment has been made.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 525, what considerations of public policy are served by his decision to refuse to disclose the results of the survey of data on private sector pay levels and Civil Service comparisons.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: It would not be appropriate to publish the information as it is confidential to the parties.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for
  487
  Edinburgh, South of 7 November, Official Report, column 525, what information he has concerning the publication of confidential information relating to a survey of data on private sector pay levels and Civil Service comparisons in any FDA bulletin to its members; and what action he intends to take to establish whether a breach of confidence has occurred.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: The bulletin has been seen. No action is planned.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 526, what representations he has received from the FDA concerning the validity of the results of the survey of data on private sector and Civil Service pay levels.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: The interpretation of the survey information was one of the issues discussed with all the unions concerned in the negotiation of the recent pay settlement for grades 5 to 7.

  Private Sector Pay
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South of 7 November,Official Report, column 525, what steps he has taken to secure the agreement of the relevant trades unions to the publication of the results of the survey of data on private sector pay.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: None.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) oral and (b) written questions were asked of his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: To date this Session, the figures for questions directed to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor are as follows:

  Number

  Oral

  1,560

  Priority written

  889

  Ordinary written

  980

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written parliamentary questions he refused to answer in the parliamentary Session 1988–89.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: None.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written parliamentary questions to him in Session 1988–89 received answers that the information(a) was not available, (b) was not separately recorded, (c) was not centrally recorded, (d) was not recorded in Government statistics and (e) could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: This information is a matter of public record in the columns of the Official Report.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to his Department of answering parliamentary(a) oral and (b) written questions in the parliamentary Session 1988–89.
  488
  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: Based on the estimated average cost of answering oral and written questions, which currently stands at £90 per oral and £54 per written, the cost to date has been (a) £128,610, (b) £94,338.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the effect on different sectors of the United Kingdom economy of linking the £ sterling to the deutschmark within the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system;

  (2) whether the Government have considered the effect which locking sterling into the ERM of the EMS would have on United Kingdom trade in manufactures; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage increase in the volume of imports and output between 1973 and 1979, 1973 and 1988 and 1985 and 1989 to date in textiles, footwear, clothing, metals, metal goods net, motor vehicles and mechanical engineering, together with the figures for import penetration from the EEC for manufactures generally.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: The Government have made no such assessment. The available figures for the percentage increases in import volumes and output in United Kingdom manufacturing industries are as follows:

  Percentage changes

  Output

  Import volumes

  1979–85

  1979–87

  1979–85

  1979–87

  Metals

  -15·4

  -8·1

  -0·7

  11·3

  Metal goods nes.

  -18·5

  -16·0

  37·8

  63·6

  Mechanical engineering

  -14·9

  -17·1

  18·3

  28·7

  Motor vehicles and parts

  -24·6

  -20·5

  18·6

  28·6

  Textile industry

  -19·1

  -15·5

  29·7

  49·3

  Footwear

  -20·2

  -18·8

  34·0

  49·4

  Clothing, hats and gloves

  0·1

  -0·1

  16·8

  60·5

  Data on EC countries' imports of manufactures are published in OECD's "Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade". Data on manufacturing output in EC countries are published in OECD's "National Accounts" and can be expressed in the same currency (United States dollars) as the import figures using data from OECD's "International Financial Statistics".

  Currency Policy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to oppose moves by other members of the EEC to adopt a common currency managed by a common central bank without United Kingdom participation.

  Mr Ryder
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: The United Kingdom Government are playing a full part in discussions about the future economic and monetary arrangements throughout the Community. The Government do not accept stages 2 and 3 of economic and monetary union as recommended in the Delors report and have proposed an alternative approach.

  Statistics
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has discontinued(a) the collection or (b) the publication of any statistics since 1979.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 November 1989]: Changes in the basis of compilation, presentation and publication of statistical series are made from time to time in response to the requirements of Government and international organisations for statistical information. Other changes reflect changes in administrative systems on which some series are based, the development of new statistical techniques and technological developments affecting the compilation and dissemination of statistical data.

  When such changes are made they are fully documented in the relevant statistical publications.

  Mr Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for France and Italy the increase in real interest rates and in the trade-weighted relative export-unit values of the franc and the lira against the deutschmark since the first quarter of 1979, together with the increase in production, in the numbers unemployed and in the trade deficit with Germany in manufactures; and if he will provide similar figures for the United Kingdom;

  (2) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for trade in manufactures in 1970, 1988 and 1989 to date (a) the percentage of United Kingdom exports of manufactures which goes to the EMS countries, (b) the ratio of imports to exports, and (c) the balance of trade in manufacturers in current and 1989 prices;

  (3) if he will include in the Official Report a table showing for the United Kingdom, France and Italy the real rate of interest each year since 1979 as measured by the excess of the rate of interest over the rate of increase in (a) prices and (b) earnings.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Tax Relief
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures setting out the direct revenue costs, in the latest year for which the figures are available, including estimates for 1989–90, of the following:(a) each of the main personal income tax allowances, (b) mortgage interest relief, (c) life assurance premium relief, (d) empoyee's contributions to occupational pensions, (e) employers' contributions to occupational pensions, (f) retirement annuity premium relief, (g) relief on investment income of occupational pension funds and (h) relief from national insurance contributions in respect of minimum contribution to personal pension schemes.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 15 November 1989]: Available information for 1989–90 is as follows.

  The direct revenue cost of the main personal allowance is estimated to be £27·2 billion. The costs of mortgage interest relief and life assurance premium relief are estimated to be £7 billion and £360 million respectively.
  490
  The former assumes that the mortgage interest rate remains at the level in November for the remainder of 1989–90.

  Estimates for the cost of allowances and reliefs at 1988–89 levels of income are given in the table. All estimates are provisional and subject to revision.

  Cost of tax allowances and reliefs

  £ million

  Married man's allowance

  13,100

  Single person's allowance

  8,700

  Wife's earned income allowance

  3,300

  Election for separate taxation of wife's earnings

  310

  Age allowances

  380

  Mortgage interest relief1

  5,500

  Life assurance premium relief (where insurance contract made before 14 March 1984)1

  480

  Employee's contributions to occupational pensions2

  1,700

  Employer's contributions to occupational pensions2 3

  2,600

  Contributions to personal pensions (including retirement annuity premia and FSAVCS) 3 5

  425

  Investment income of occupational pension schemes2 3

  4,400

  1 Including the cost of deductions at source for non-taxpayers.

  2 The total cost of tax reliefs for pension schemes cannot be calculated by adding together the costs of the individual reliefs as this would imply a considerable degree of multiple taxation.

  3 On the basis that under present arrangements employers' contributions are not taxable as a benefit in kind of the employee.

  4 It is not possible to provide more detailed estimates or reliable estimates of the cost of exempting investment income and lump sum payments related to retirement annuity contracts.

  5 Assuming relief at the basic rate of income tax.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Namibia
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many detainees were discovered when the Clarke mission visited the SWAPO camp at Kwanza Sul in Angola; and whether UNTAG has subsequently ensured their return to Namibia to vote in the current elections provided for under the United Nations plan.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United Nations mission on detainees found no detainees in any of the alleged detention centres it visited in Angola.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Clarke mission to investigate SWAPO camps in Angola and Zambia; and if he will list those camps visited.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have noted the report's findings. The United Nations mission visited 22 locations in Angola, including Minya camp, Old Hainyeko camp, Ethiopia camp, Lenin camp and the vocational training centre in Kwanza Sul. It also visited eight locations in Zambia, including Nyanko camp near Kaomo.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total United Nations contribution to SWAPO; on what criteria the contribution has been made; and how much has been the United Kingdom contribution to this total.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United Nations has financed certain travel and accommodation costs for SWAPO since
  491
  1977. The budget for this purpose for the biennium 1988–89 was $1,006,000. The United Kingdom contributed 4·86 per cent. of the United Nations regular budget in 1988–89. SWAPO has also benefited from projects run by the Council of Namibia and other United Nations bodies. United Nations funding of SWAPO was terminated on 1 April.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what political and financial support the Government is prepared to give the United Nations to assist in the discharge of the responsibilities of any Namibian constituent assembly.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are making a substantial financial and material contribution to the United Nations transition assistance group whose role will continue until independence. The costs of the constituent assembly will be met by the existing Administration.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government will give to the Secretary General of the United Nations in his plans to provide assistance to Namibia in the period between elections and independence.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We fully support the secretary general's efforts to mobilise assistance to Namibia in the period between elections and independence. We already provide assistance to Namibia bilaterally and through the European Community and the Commonwealth.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Tatiana Futoryanskaya of Moscow and her daughter Ilana;

  (2) what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Andre and Irene Itkina Yershov of Kharkov and their daughter.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have not previously raised these particular cases with the Soviet authorities but we shall be ready to do so if my hon. Friend will provide the details.

  Drug Smuggling (Bahamas)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Bahamas; whether the question of illegal drugs was raised; and if he will make a statement on aid to the Bahamas to combat drug smuggling.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met Bahamian Government representatives, but my hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Home Office, had constructive meetings in May with Prime Minister Pindling about the threat from cocaine. In the last two years we have provided £66,000 of assistance to reinforce the Bahamas' capability to combat drug trafficking.

  East Timor
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to persuade the United Nations to establish an inquiry into allegations of torture and disappearances during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.
  492
  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met Amnesty International to discuss the Indonesian occupation of East Timor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Amnesty International has raised the question of human rights in East Timor with us in the course of regular contacts at official level. We are thus aware of its concerns and take careful note of its reports.

  Germany
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the reunification of Germany.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 13 November.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the lands formerly occupied by Germany and now recognised as belonging to Poland.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We give de facto recognition to those parts of Poland's borders established at the Potsdam conference in 1945. We welcomed the treaty of 1970 between Poland and the FRG, including its provisions which related to Poland's western frontier.

  China
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to China concerning human rights.

  Mr. Maude
  Following the events of June, the Presidency made a number of representations to the Chinese authorities stressing the concern of the Twelve at the repression in China. On 27 June the European Council issued a declaration which requested the Chinese authorities to respect human rights. Within the United Nations system we raised our concerns about human rights in China in the July meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also raised the situation in China in his speech to the United Nations general assembly on 27 September.

  South Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of South Korea concerning human rights abuses.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  None. Since President Roh assumed office in February 1988 we have been pleased to note a substantial improvement in the Republic of Korea's human rights record.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the hon. Members who have visited Hong Kong at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government in each of the last three years.
  493
  Mr. Maude
  The list for the current and three previous financial years is as follows:

  1986–87

  Full Sponsorship

  Mr. Ian Wrigglesworth (Ex-Stockton, South)

  Mr. Jack Dormand (Ex-Easington)

  Mr. David Alton (Mossley Hill)

  Mr. George Roberston (Hamilton)

  Mr. James Couchman (Gillingham)

  Mr. David Atkinson (Bournemouth East)

  Mr. Donald Anderson (Swansea, East)

  Mr. Robert Jackson (Wantage)

  Partial Sponsorship

  Mr. Neil Hamilton (Tatton)

  Mr. Hugh Dykes (Harrow, East)

  Mr. Clive Soley (Hammersmith)

  Mr. Brynmor John (Ex-Pontypridd)

  1987–88

  Full Sponsorship

  Mr. Bryan Gould (Dagenham)

  Mr. Tristan Garel-Jones (Watford)

  Dr. Jeremy Bray (Motherwell, South)

  Mr. Jerry Wiggin (Weston-Super-Mare)

  Mr. Michael Neubert (Romford)

  Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)

  Mr. Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)

  Rt. Hon. Sir Peter Blaker (Blackpool, South)

  Dr. John Marek (Wrexham)

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley (Surrey, South-West)

  Partial Sponsorship

  Rt. Hon. Jack Ashley (Stoke-on-Trent, South)

  Rt.Hon. Alfred Morris (Wythenshawe)

  Mr. James Hill (Southampton, Test)

  1986–87 HKD

  1987–88 HKD

  1988–89 HKD

  April-October 1989 HKD

  Full sponsorship

  (8)

  (10)

  (6)

  (9)

  (a) Air fare

  200,542

  312,327

  180,128

  288,000

  (b) Hospitality (including hotel)

  127,527

  126,512

  80,396

  89,533

  Partial sponsorship

  (4)

  (3)

  (Nil)

  (2)

  (a) Hospitality (including hotel)

  27,119

  26,577

  Nil

  17,585

  Total

  355,188

  465,416

  260,524

  395,118

  Note: Figures in brackets denote the number of Members of Parliament.

  Under the Hong Kong Government's visits programme, a number of Members of Parliament are offered fully sponsored visits to the territory each year—both air fare and hotel accommodation are provided. In addition, a number of Members of Parliament who pass through Hong Kong and agree to undertake a programme of visits are offered partial sponsorship, i e hotel accommodation only.

  Albania
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to resume diplomatic relations with Albania; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Our 1980 offer to establish diplomatic relations without pre-conditions remains open, but the Albanian Government have unfortunately not taken it up. Officials from the FCO have held talks with Albanian officials with a view to resolving the problems which have hindered the establishment of diplomatic relations, most recently in 1988. No agreement was reached, but we
  494

  1988–89

  Full Sponsorship

  Sir Russell Johnston (Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber)

  Rt.Hon. John Smith (Monklands, East)

  Mr. Andrew MacKay (Berkshire, East)

  Mr. Stuart Randall (Kingston upon Hull, West)

  Mr. Timothy Yeo (Suffolk, South)

  Mr. Andrew Rowe (Mid Kent)

  APRIL-OCTOBER 1989

  Full Sponsorship

  Rt. Hon. Gerald Kaufman (Gorton)

  Rt. Hon. Sir Peter Blaker (Blackpool, South)

  Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)

  Sir Hal Miller (Bromsgrove)

  Mr. Tony Blair (Sedgefield)

  Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock (Batley and Spen)

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell (Gedling)

  Mr. Kenneth Warren (Hastings and Rye)

  Mr. William Powell (Corby)

  Partial Sponsorship

  Mr. Robert Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby)

  Mr. Timothy Yeo (Suffolk, South)

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost to the Hong Kong Exchequer for(a) fares and (b) hospitality for visiting hon. Members in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maude
  The cost to the Hong Kong Government of these visits for this and the three previous financial years is as follows:

  should be happy to continue discussion with the Albanian Government if this seemed likely to lead to a mutually satisfactory outcome.

  State Recognition
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are adopted by Her Majesty's Government in recognising a sovereign state.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The normal criteria that we apply for recognition as a state are that it should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a population, a Government who are able of themselves to exercise effective control of that territory, and independence in their external relations. Other factors, including some United Nations resolutions, may also be relevant.

  Republic of Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's present relations with the Republic of Korea.
  495
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our relations with the Republic of Korea are excellent. We look forward to the further strengthening of relations during the visit of President Roh Tae-woo later this month.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to recognise the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have no plans to recognise North Korea.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries in east and west Europe maintain diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The following countries in East and West Europe have diplomatic relations with North Korea: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland. GDR, Hungary, Iceland, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, USSR, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

  British Embassy, Thailand
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current responsibilities and duties of the attaché (defence) at the British embassy in Thailand.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The attaché (defence) is a member of the diplomatic service. He is engaged in general duties in support of the defence section in Bangkok.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current responsibilities and duties of the defence and military attaché at the British embassy in Thailand.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The defence and military attaché is a member of the defence section in the British embassy in Bangkok. He shares responsibility for liaising with the Thai defence authorities on a range of military topics of common interest.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current responsibilities and duties of the naval and air attaché at the British embassy in Thailand.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The naval and air attaché is a member of the defence section in the British embassy in Bangkok. He shares responsibility for liasing with the Thai defence authorities on a range of military topics of common interest.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans exist to transfer staff from the British embassy in Thailand.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Staff from the British embassy in Thailand will be transferred at the end of their tours of duty.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to prevent the Khmer Rouge from returning to Cambodia and seizing power through military action; and if he will make a statement.
  496
  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are working with our friends and partners to prevent the Khmer Rouge from seizing power in Cambodia by supporting and promoting a comprehensive settlement which enables the Cambodian people to elect a Government of their own choice.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government have not opposed acceptance of the credentials of the coalition Government who currently occupy Democratic Kampuchea's United Nations seat.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We accept the legal and technical recommendations of the United Nations credentials committee on the credentials of representatives of member states. When the General Assembly adopted this year's report of the credentials committee on 17 October, our representative made it clear that our position on the credentials of Democratic Kampuchea should not be taken to imply support for the Khmer Rouge; and made clear our abhorrence of Pol Pot.

  Dalai Lama
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to meet the Dalai Lama when he next pays a visit to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  We have always recognised the Dalai Lama's role as a distinguished spiritual leader, and he is welcome to visit the United Kingdom at any time. Nevertheless, he is regarded by many of his followers as the leader of a government in exile, which is not recognised by any Government and with which successive British Governments have had no dealings. A meeting between a Government Minister and the Dalai Lama would thus be open to misinterpretation.

  Tibet
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to China on the question of human rights in Tibet.

  Mr. Maude
  We have, on frequent occasions, made clear to the Chinese, in public and in private, our concern about human rights in Tibet. We shall continue to take appropriate opportunities to do so. But our most urgent concern since 3 and 4 June has been to bring home to the Chinese the need for greater respect for human rights in China as a whole.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government were informed of the recent visit of three hon. Members to Tibet; and if the Government were involved in the planning of it.

  Mr. Maude
  We were informed of the visit by the three hon. Members some weeks in advance. The planning of the visit was the responsibility of the Chinese authorities. Her Majesty's embassy in Peking provided assistance with practical arrangements.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pollution (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, per year since 1979, the levels of pollution of London's air at ground level by(a) carbon dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) methane.

  Mr. Trippier
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of environmental health officers currently employed by local authorities and state what additional provision he is making to encourage more posts to be made available.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Disabled People (Poll Tax)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the grounds on which disabled people are exempt from poll tax payments.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Bottle Glass (Palace of Westminster)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that bottle glass from the Palace of Westminster is recycled.

  Mr. Chope
  The contractor employed by the Property Services Agency to dispose of all waste, including glass, from the Palace of Westminster, is required to provide bottle bank facilities. They are sited in State Officers' Court, alongside the collection point for other waste and any glass which is placed in these containers is sent for recycling by the contractor.

  London Riverbus
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will assist the London Docklands riverbus service by waiving licence fees for the piers used by the riverbus currently owned by his Department or its agencies.

  Mr. Moynihan
  LDDC owns the freehold of the pier at Greenland dock used by the riverbus, but management and security are provided by a lessee. The lessee reasonably expects a contribution by the riverbus service towards costs.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the London Docklands development corporation on the future of the riverbus service.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department's officials have discussed the service with the LDDC.

  Docklands (Transport Infrastructure)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the money spent by his Department or its agencies on improvements in public 498
  transport infrastructure in the London Docklands in the last 10 years has been spent (a) in the areas south of the River Thames; and (b) within the London borough of Southwark.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Special Wastes
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many large chemical incinerators there are in Britain that can handle special wastes;

  (2) if he will provide an estimate of the total amount of special wastes dumped at Leigh environmental waste disposal site in Walsall;

  (3) what information he has as to the number of large chemical incinerators which can handle special wastes in (a) the European Community (excluding the United Kingdom) and (b) the rest of the world;

  (4) what information he has as to the amount of special wastes incinerated on board ships during 1988 (a) in the North sea and (b) in European waters;

  (5) what information he has as to the number of large chemical incinerators for toxic wastes worldwide having (a) a double door with an air-lock and (b) a single door;

  (6) what is the total amount of special wastes that have been subjected to the Leigh environmental sealosafe solidification process; and what proportion of this is in a non-solid form;

  (7) what quantities of special wastes were imported into Britain for incineration for every year from 1979 to the present time;

  (8) if he will give details of the amounts found by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution of PCBs and dioxin in the flue gases from the Rechem International incinerator plant at Ponteg, Pontypool; and what information he has on comparable figures of large chemical incinerators in mainland Europe;

  (9) if he will summarise the results found by Her Majesty's inspectorate for pollution of tests for PCBs and dioxin in herbage and soil samples around the Rechem incinerator plant at Ponteg, Pontypool;

  (10) what amounts of chemical waste were incinerated at the Rechem plant in Pontypool in each year from 1985 to the present; and what quantities of PCB contaminated waste were handled each year;

  (11) what estimate he has on the cumulative total amount of PCBs manufactured over the last 30 years in (a) the Monsanto chemical works in Newport, Gwent,(b) Britain, (c) Western Europe and (d) worldwide;

  (12) what information he has of alternative methods to incineration now being considered for the destruction of polychlorinated bi-phenyls;

  (13) whether Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will consider the installation of continuous monitoring equipment to measure the amounts of PCBs and dioxin in the flue gases from the Rechem plant in Pontypool;

  (14) what quantities of flyash have been imported through Swansea Docks for every year from 1979 to the present time; and what are the results of analyses carried out for dioxin in such flyash.

  Mr. Trippier
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Bathroom and Sanitaryware (Imports)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received recently concerning imports of bathroom and sanitary-ware; and what reply he gave.

  Mr. Chope
  I am aware of no such representations.

  British Summertime
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed alterations to British summertime on productivity in the construction industry.

  Mr. Chope
  None; however, representations received from the construction industry are being considered by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.

  Pathfinder
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence he has received with regard to the accuracy of the Pathfinder prospectus launched on 3 November.

  Mr. Howard
  I will write to the hon. Member

  Water
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the trustees for each water holding company's trust scheme for employee share ownership, stating in each case their connection with the water holding company;

  (2) if he will list for each regional rivers advisory committee each member who is either a board member or a senior employee of a water plc;

  (3) if he will list for each regional fisheries advisory committee each member who is either a board member or a senior employee of a water plc;

  (4) how many technical assessors of water quality he intends to appoint within his Department;

  (5) whether his Department has issued any research contracts relating to surface and groundwater quality within the last 12 months.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mersey Basin
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to make an announcement regarding European Community funding through the Mersey basin phase II programme;

  (2) if he will exclude water-related projects from the Mersey basin phase II programmes in order to attract European regional development funds.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I will write to the hon. Member.

Preamble
The House met at half-past nine of the clock: The LORD CHANCELLOR On the Woolsack.
Prayers—Read by the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford.

Royal Commission
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern): My Lords, it not being convenient for Her Majesty to be personally present here this day, she has been pleased to cause a Commission under the Great Seal to be prepared for proroguing this present Parliament.
Then, the Lords Commissioners (being the Lord Chancellor, The Lord Belstead, The Lord Aberdare, The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos and The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead) being present and the Commons being at the Bar, the Lord Chancellor said: My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, Her Majesty, not thinking fit to be personally present here at this time, has been pleased to cause a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal, and thereby given Her Royal Assent to divers Acts which have been agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, the Titles whereof are particularly mentioned, and by the said Commission hath commanded Us to declare and notify Her Royal Assent to the said several Acts, in the presence of you the Lords and Commons assembled for that purpose; and hath also assigned to Us and other Lords directed full power and authority in Her Majesty's name to prorogue this present Parliament. Which Commission you will now hear read.
A Commission for Royal Assent and prorogation was read.
The Lord Chancellor: My Lords, in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, and by virtue of the Commission which has been now read, We do declare and notify to you, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled, that Her Majesty hath given Her Royal Assent to the several Acts in the Commission mentioned; and the Clerks are required to pass the same in the usual Form and Words.
The following Bills received the Royal Assent:

Brunei (Appeals) Act,

Football Spectators Act,

Employment Act,

Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act,

Companies Act,

Children Act,

Local Government and Housing Act,

Statute Law (Repeals) Act,

Opticians Act,

Prisons (Scotland) Act,

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Act,

Midland Metro Act,

International Westminster Bank Act,

British Railways (Penalty Fares) Act.

Prorogation: Her Majesty's Speech
Her Majesty's most gracious Speech was then delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord
1404
Chancellor (in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command) as follows:
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mrs. Babangida in May and His Highness the President of the United Arab Emirates in July. We were pleased to receive the visit in June of Her Majesty The Queen of the Netherlands and His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands to mark the conclusion of the William and Mary Tercentenary. We were also pleased to receive His Excellency the General Secretary and President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Mrs. Gorbachev in April, and the President of the United States of America and Mrs. Bush in June.
"We recall with pleasure our visit to Barbados in March to mark the 350th Anniversary of the House of Assembly there. We remember with satisfaction our State Visits last month to Singapore and Malaysia, where I was also present on the occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
"My Government have continued to play an active role in the important improvement which has taken place in relations between East and West, and particularly in the negotiations which led to the successful conclusion of the Vienna Review Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"My Government have welcomed and encouraged the significant and liberalising changes which have taken place in Poland and Hungary, and in the Soviet Union.
"My Government have continued to improve the United Kingdom's defences. They have played a full part in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and have promoted United Kingdom and Western security interests outside the NATO area.
"My Government have continued to work for the achievement of balanced and verifiable arms control agreements. They have played a full part in the Vienna negotiations on reducing conventional forces in Europe and in the talks in Geneva on the abolition of chemical weapons. They have continued to co-operate with the United States over the removal of cruise missiles from the United Kingdom under the terms of the treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces.
"My Government have continued to play a full and active role in progress towards the completion of the European Community's Single Market, and have encouraged business to prepare for the opportunities and challenges that this presents. They have, with our European Community partners, reaffirmed their commitment to the progressive realisation of economic and monetary union, and agreed that its first stage should begin on 1st July 1990. They have, with our European Community partners, established a Court of First Instance attached to the European Court of Justice. They have continued to play a full part in multilateral negotiations designed to liberalise international trade.
"My Government have welcomed the completion of the Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and have continued to work for the restoration of that country's independence and non-aligned status. They have contributed to the implementation of the United Nations Plan for Namibian independence.
"My Government have welcomed the return of Pakistan to the Commonwealth.
"My Government have maintained a substantial overseas aid programme to developing countries, including emergency assistance to alleviate the effects of natural disasters in many parts of the world.
"My Government have continued their vigorous efforts to combat international terrorism. They have signed, subject to ratification, a new United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. They have concluded reciprocal agreements or arrangements with a further seven Governments to combat trafficking in drugs.
"My Government, together with our Western partners, have taken measures to express their concern at the suppression of the democracy movement in China. They have worked to restore confidence in Hong Kong, building on the foundation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. My Government have stood by their commitment to the people of the Falkland Islands, while making good progress in normalising relations with Argentina.
"Members of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the provision which you have made for the honour and dignity of the Crown and for the public sector.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"My Government have continued to pursue firm financial policies designed to bear down on inflation and to foster the conditions necessary for sustained economic growth. They have made a public sector debt repayment for the second successive year, thus permanently reducing the cost of debt service. National output and living standards have continued to increase, and the number of people out of work has fallen further.
"As part of my Government's programme to improve incentives and the performance of the economy, employees' National Insurance contributions have been reformed and reduced and the taxation of life assurance and pensions has been reformed.
"Legislation has been enacted to improve water quality and the water environment, to establish the National Rivers Authority and to provide for the sale of utility functions of the water authorities in England and Wales. An Act has been passed to provide for the sale of the electricity supply industry in Great Britain. These measures continue my Government's programme of encouraging greater industrial efficiency and promoting wider share ownership.
"Measures have been passed to improve the law on companies, mergers and financial services.
"Legislation has been enacted to abolish royalties on post-1982 oil and gas fields in the
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Southern Basin and Onshore, and to enable my Government to give effect to the UK-Irish agreement on the delimitation of the Continental Shelf.
"An Act has been passed to end the statutory regulation of dock work.
"Legislation has been enacted further to promote sex equality in employment and to remove outdated restrictions on the employment of young people.
"An Act has been passed to reform the law on the conduct of local authority business, on local government capital and housing finance, and on the repair and improvement of the housing stock.
"An Act has been passed to counter hooliganism at football matches in this country and abroad.
" The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 has been re-enacted with strengthened provisions to curtail the funding of terrorist activity.
"An Act has been passed to reform and replace section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911.
"Legislation has been enacted to place the Security Service on a statutory basis under the authority of the Secretary of State.
"An Act has been passed to extend the entitlement of British citizens living overseas to vote in parliamentary elections held here, and to increase the limit on candidates' expenses in United Kingdom parliamentary by-elections.
"Acts have been passed to improve the law governing the care and protection of children in England and Wales, and to regulate arrangements for human organ transplants.
"Legislation has been enacted to modify the driver licensing system and to provide for new systems giving route guidance to drivers.
"In Northern Ireland, my Government have continued their efforts to combat terrorism, and to promote economic development. They have maintained constructive relations with the Republic of Ireland. Acts have been passed to strengthen the law on fair employment, and to extend the franchise for local elections and require from candidates a declaration against terrorism.
"For Scotland, legislation has been enacted to privatise the Scottish Bus Group and to extend parental choice in education by establishing arrangements for schools to be managed outside local authority control.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons.
"I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you."
After which the Lord Chancellor said:
My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, by virtue of Her Majesty's Commission which has been now read we do in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to the 21st day of November 1989, to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 21st day of November 1989.
Parliament was prorogued at five minutes past ten o'clock.