§ Mr. Howardasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers' meeting on 16 and 17 July.
§ Mr. Jopling[pursuant to his reply, 18 July 1984, c. 265]: At last week's meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels I drew attention to the shortcomings of the proposed structures regulation as it concerns support for conservation. As the proposals at present stand, assistance to conservation would be available only as part of the capital grants schemes or else linked with livestock compensatory allowances in certain less favoured areas.
I have now decided to seek a more general provision in the structures regulation. This would not be confined to less favoured areas, and would be designed to allow member states to pay aids to farmers in suitably designated areas of high conservation value in order to encourage farming practices beneficial to the environment.
1980–81 £ 1981–82 £ 1982–83 £ 1983–84 £ Eastern Health and Social Services Board Belfast Simon Community 4,999 5,400 17,321 information not yet available Rosemary House — 3,000 — Belfast Womens' Aid 30,319 35,389 34,024 Extern 8,550 39,337 46,286 Roseville Hostel 17,909 17,574 18,576 Northern Health and Social Services Board Coleraine Womens' Aid 8,608 9,202 11,822 12,326 Southern Health and Social Services Board Newry Night Rest 75 — — — Women's Refuge Craigavon 5,735 8,019 8,177 8,668 Western Health and Social Services Board The House, St. Columb's Walls 6,000 6,000 8,500 8,500 Londonderry City Mission 13,410 14,447 15,747 16,700 Derry Womens' Aid 14,089 14,512 14,434 16,171 Bond Street Hostel 3,610 990 — — Claredon Street Night Shelter — 7,632 7,802 8,971
§ Mr. Soleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children were taken into care in 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84 by the four health and social service boards as a result of their parents becoming homeless or living in inadequate housing conditions; and how much money was spent by the boards in meeting this need in each of the four financial years.
§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is not available in the form requested. The numbers of children admitted to the care of the Health and Social Services Boards as a result of family homelessness in 1980, 1981 and 1982—the most recent years for which figures are available—were as follows:
518W
Health and Social Services Board Year Eastern Northern Southern Western Total 1980 7 — — 22 29 1981 14 — 8 5 27 1982* 8 — — 2 10 * Provisional figures. We shall be putting these ideas to the Commission and other member states.