Written Answers of 24 April 1987

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  State Security
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 6 April, Official Report, column 1, what information the Director of Public Prosecutions has as to the reasons for the length of the police inquiries concerning the possible prosecution of Lord Rothschild under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act; if the police have given the Director of Public Prosecutions any indication as to when those inquiries are likely to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The police inquiries have necessarily been lengthy and complicated. Unfortunately, these had not been completed when the officer in charge of the case had to undertake an entirely separate task. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions now expects to receive an interim report from the Metropolitan police by the end of next week.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Free Ports
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Customs and Excise review of the free ports procedures has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The main work of the review has been completed and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise will submit its report to me shortly.

  EC Budget
  Mr. Rowe
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the European Commission's latest cash position and the implications for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Brooke
  The European Commission estimates that its spending obligations this month will again exceed available revenues under the budget for 1987.

  The Commission therefore requested member states to advance from May into April the payment of own resources other than VAT in accordance with article 10(2) of Council regulation 2891/77: a similar advance was made last month. The Government are satisfied that this request is within the vires of article 10(2) and accordingly made an advance payment on 21 April of £150 million from the Consolidated Fund under section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. The payment of levies and duties on 20 May will be reduced by the amount of the advance.

  The Commission has also informed us that it has had to overdraw its accounts with members states in April in accordance with article 12(2) of Council regulation
  702
  2891/77. The amount involved for the United Kingdom is expected to be of the order of £155 million. The Government are meeting this obligation from the Consolidated Fund in accordance with section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. Repayment of drawings made under this facility will be made by deduction from our May own resources payments.

  Neither of these facilities involves increasing the total amounts which the Community is authorised to spend during 1987. There is therefore no net addition to public expenditure.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Berkshire, Official Report, 8 April, column 261, he will place a draft of the Value Added Tax (Cash Accounting) Regulations in the Library.

  Mr. Brooke
  A copy has been placed in the Library today.

  Customs and Immigration
  Mr. Snape
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions Her Majesty's Government are having about the extent to which the Channel tunnel international passenger train service operated from 1993 should conform to European Economic Community customs and immigration formalities and about how this is to be achieved.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1987, c. 576]: None. Her Majesty's Government fully recognise that all customs and immigration formalities, including those for the Channel tunnel international train services to be operated from 1993, should conform to the requirements of relevant EC legislation in force al that time. In discussing any proposal for such legislation Her Majesty's Government will take full account of the special characteristics of the Channel tunnel services.

  Mr. Snape
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what consideration his Department is giving to European Economic Community directives and proposals relevant to possible changes in customs and immigration formalities by the beginning of 1993; and what assessment he has made of their implications;

  (2) what changes the European Commission has proposed for customs and immigration formalities for general passenger travel between European Economic Community member states, and between European Economic Community member states and other countries, by the beginning of 1993; and what changes at railway crossing points are implied in these proposals.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1987, c. 576]: There is a draft frontier controls directive under discussion which, if adopted, would provide for selective rather than comprehensive checks on Community nationals at land frontiers including at railway crossing points. It would expire in 1990. There are further proposals, also under discussion, for the introduction of common border posts for customs purposes at internal Community frontiers.

  More generally the Commission has indicated in its document "completing the internal market" that it wishes to arrive at a stage whereby checks on entry are abolished

  703
  for Community citizens arriving from another Community country by 1992. Any proposal to that effect would be adopted only by unanimity.

  It is not yet possible to make any realistic assessment of the implication of the above proposals which, for example, may be subject to changes arising from the discussions and negotiations.

  No proposals for changes for passengers travelling between EC member states and other countries have been made.

  Mr. Snape
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any customs and immigration checks for railway passengers travelling between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Eire are carried out on board moving trains; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1987, c. 576]: No customs or immigration checks on railway passengers are carried out on board moving trains between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Snape
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what information he has as to which railway crossing points within the European Economic Community require customs or immigration formalities;

  (2) what information he has as to which crossing points within the European Economic Community require customs or immigration formalities and, of these, which offer such formalities on board moving trains or trains on board ferries, and which offer such formalities on board long-distance passenger trains where customs or immigration staff undertake their work beyond stations adjacent to the member states border.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1987, c. 576]: This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

  Defence Estimates
  Mr. Marlow
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1987.

  Mr. Younger
  I intend to publish this year's "Statement on the Defence Estimates" on Wednesday, 6 May.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  British Embassy, Moscow
  Mr. George Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement about security arrangements for the new British embassy in Moscow.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. It is not our practice to comment about security arrangements at diplomatic missions overseas.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Disabled People
  Mr. Ashley
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to apply the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to Northern Ireland.
  704
  Mr. Major
  I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has similar legislation under consideration and the consultative procedures have begun.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Facsimile Service
  Mr. Onslow
  asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has any plans to improve the present arrangements for the receipt of facsimile messages by right hon. and hon. Members at the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Biffen
  I have no plans to improve the present arrangements. In May 1986 the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee examined the payments policy for the facsimile service and recommended that no changes be made. If my hon. Friend has a particular point in mind, perhaps he will write to me.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Visas
  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visas have been (a) made, (b) approved or (c) refused since the new arrangements were introduced in (i) Pakistan, (ii) India and (iii) Bangladesh.

  Mr. Waddington
  The information available centrally is given in the following table.

  Applications in the Indian sub-continent for visas to the United Kingdom1

  Number of persons

  Applications

  Newly received2

  Granted3

  Refused initially

  Bangladesh

  1986 October4 to December

  3,820

  2,920

  870

  1987 January, February

  1,830

  1,520

  400

  India

  1986 October4 to December

  21,590

  20,130

  720

  1987 January, February

  10,730

  9,400

  660

  Pakistan

  1986 0ctober4 to December

  13,650

  11,540

  1,050

  1987 January, February

  7,250

  5,970

  860

  1 For settlement or temporary purposes.

  2 Including applications subsequently withdrawn.

  3 Including applications granted on appeal.

  4 Including applications for entry clearance in the period 1 to 14 October 1986.

  Electorate
  Mr. Ashley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the most recent figure for the size of the electorate and the number of people in each category of persons unable to vote.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The total number of parliamentary electors on the 1987 United Kingdom electoral register,
  705
  details of which were published on 22 April in OPCS Monitor EL 87/1, is nearly 43,700,000. This figure includes about 700,000 persons who will attain the age of 18 during the currency of the register who are entitled to vote at an election only on or after their 18th birthday. It also includes persons temporarily ineligible to vote for part or all of the currency of the register, that is persons serving sentences of imprisonment, non-voluntary mental patients and persons found guilty of corrupt or illegal election practices during the past five years—estimates of their numbers are not available. The main groups of people resident in the United Kingdom who are ineligible to vote and who should not be on the electoral register, with estimates of their numbers, are:
  British and Commonwealth citizens and citizens of the Irish Republic aged under 18—12,600,000, excluding the 700,000 attainers on the register.
  Foreign nationals, excluding citizens of the Irish Republic—700,000, 100,000 of whom are aged under 18.

  Mr. John Cummishey (Member's Correspondence)
  Mr. Nellist
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the letter from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, dated 24 February, regarding Mr. John Cummishey, took seven weeks to answer.

  Mr. Mellor
  The hon. Member's letter inquiring why his constituent had been transferred from Long Lartin prison to Gloucester prison was received by us on 3 March. Inquiries were necessary to establish the reasons for the transfer, but it should have been possible to reply by the end of March and I regret the additional delay.

SCOTLAND

  Dog Excrement
  Mr. Kirkwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to announce the conclusions of the current review of the present legal provisions preventing dog excrement fouling public places.

  Mr. Ancram
  Consultation on this and other issues arising from a review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will commence as soon as possible. I cannot at this stage say when conclusions will be reached.

  January 1985

  January 1986

  LEA

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  England

  24·9

  23·6

  17·5

  25·5

  23·5

  17·6

  Conservative

  Barnet

  22·6

  24·5

  14·8

  23·4

  23·3

  15·2

  Berkshire

  25·8

  23·5

  17·0

  26·6

  23·2

  17·2

  Bexley

  25·9

  23·9

  17·8

  26·3

  24·7

  17·0

  Bromley

  26·2

  24·7

  16·2

  26·3

  24·8

  16·6

  Buckinghamshire

  26·7

  23·7

  17·9

  27·6

  23·4

  17·9

  Bury

  24·7

  23·9

  16·4

  25·7

  24·1

  17·1

  Croydon

  24·3

  24·4

  17·5

  25·6

  24·2

  16·5

  Dorset

  26·5

  24·7

  17·6

  26·6

  24·1

  17·9

  Ealing

  22·9

  22·2

  17·6

  23·7

  22·1

  16·7

  East Sussex

  25·8

  24·5

  17·7

  26·3

  24·7

  18·0

  Enfield

  25·5

  24·6

  15·4

  26·8

  24·4

  16·3

  Harrow

  24·1

  22·5

  17·7

  24·8

  24·8

  17·0

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Brent
  Mr. Greenway
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish Her Majesty's Inspectorate's report on education in the London borough of Brent.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The report is being published today and copies have been placed in the Library. It shows that there are serious and deep-seated problems affecting education in Brent: the borough's education service has been gravely impaired by basic weaknesses of management and performance. I have asked the authority to take urgent and immediate action and to let me know by the end of June its action programme and timetable for dealing with the matters raised in the report so that those who live in Brent receive the sort of educational provision they are entitled to expect. I shall continue to monitor the position closely.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Gould
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table grouping local education authorities into those controlled on 1 January 1986 by the Conservative party, those controlled by the Labour party, those controlled by the alliance parties and those with no overall control, showing for each authority, the average for each group and the overall average (a) the average primary school class size for January 1985 and January 1986, (b) the average secondary school class size for pupils under 14 in January 1985 and January 1986 and (c) the average secondary school class size for pupils over 14 in January 1985 and January 1986.

  Mr. Dunn
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1987, c. 427]: The information requested for each local education authority in England for the years 1985 and 1986 is given in the following table. Authorities are grouped by the political control as at 1 January 1986. The analyses relate to classes taught by one teacher on a selected period within the day of the census count in January of each year and may not be representative of pattern of classes over the academic year as a whole.
  707

  January 1985

  January 1986

  LEA

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  Havering

  25·6

  23·9

  16·9

  25·8

  23·2

  16·3

  Hereford and Worcester

  25·9

  24·5

  17·1

  25·9

  24·0

  17·6

  Hillingdon

  25·5

  23·2

  16·7

  25·7

  24·1

  17·7

  Kent

  27·0

  24·6

  17·8

  27·1

  24·1

  18·0

  Kingston Upon Thames

  24·6

  24·9

  16·1

  25·1

  24·8

  14·6

  Lincolnshire

  26·5

  24·2

  17·9

  27·0

  23·7

  18·2

  Merton

  24·1

  24·1

  17·3

  25·4

  24·7

  17·6

  Norfolk

  24·0

  23·2

  18·7

  24·8

  23·1

  18·5

  Northamptonshire

  24·5

  23·5

  16·6

  25·2

  23·0

  16·9

  Redbridge

  25·9

  22·6

  16·8

  27·0

  24·3

  17·6

  Sefton

  25·9

  24·3

  17·8

  26·5

  24·6

  18·0

  Solihull

  25·7

  23·1

  18·8

  26·0

  23·4

  18·6

  Suffolk

  23·9

  23·1

  18·4

  24·6

  23·4

  18·4

  Surrey

  25·0

  24·8

  17·7

  25·2

  24·2

  17·7

  Sutton

  26·9

  25·4

  16·5

  27·7

  25·5

  17·5

  Trafford

  25·6

  23·1

  18·7

  26·3

  23·1

  18·7

  West Sussex

  26·1

  25·0

  17·9

  26·2

  24·0

  17·8

  Wirral

  26·4

  24·1

  16·7

  26·9

  24·1

  17·7

  Overall Conservative

  25·5

  24·0

  17·4

  26·0

  23·9

  17·6

  Labour

  Barking

  23·7

  22·2

  16·8

  23·9

  23·0

  16·9

  Barnsley

  23·8

  23·1

  17·5

  24·5

  22·8

  17·3

  Birmingham

  25·9

  24·4

  18·7

  26·6

  24·7

  18·8

  Bolton

  26·6

  24·4

  17·2

  27·5

  23·3

  17·6

  Cleveland

  24·5

  23·9

  17·4

  25·4

  23·6

  17·6

  Coventry

  25·6

  24·6

  17·8

  25·6

  23·4

  18·6

  Derbyshire

  25·0

  24·3

  18·2

  25·3

  23·4

  18·4

  Doncaster

  23·7

  24·2

  18·0

  24·6

  24·2

  18·3

  Durham

  25·1

  24·4

  18·0

  25·7

  24·4

  17·8

  Gateshead

  21·6

  23·1

  16·8

  22·7

  23·7

  17·0

  Haringey

  22·0

  21·5

  15·7

  22·0

  20·4

  15·7

  Hounslow

  22·7

  22·7

  16·9

  24·3

  22·4

  17·4

  Inner London

  20·6

  21·1

  16·2

  21·8

  21·5

  16·2

  Kirklees

  24·4

  23·8

  17·2

  25·2

  23·3

  17·2

  Knowsley

  24·8

  21·6

  17·0

  25·0

  22·4

  16·4

  Leeds

  25·2

  23·9

  16·6

  25·5

  23·4

  17·0

  Liverpool

  23·7

  24·0

  17·4

  23·8

  22·8

  17·9

  Manchester

  24·7

  22·9

  16·6

  25·2

  22·7

  16·5

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  22·5

  21·6

  16·3

  23·9

  21·9

  15·9

  Newham

  23·5

  22·5

  16·8

  24·0

  21·6

  16·8

  North Tyneside

  21·1

  20·2

  15·9

  20·6

  20·3

  15·5

  Nottinghamshire

  23·7

  23·1

  17·2

  24·6

  22·7

  16·9

  Oldham

  25·5

  23·8

  17·9

  27·0

  23·6

  17·6

  Rotherham

  24·5

  23·6

  18·1

  24·6

  23·9

  17·1

  Salford

  24·0

  22·2

  16·9

  24·4

  22·7

  17·2

  Sandwell

  24·2

  22·4

  17·0

  24·8

  22·2

  16·8

  Sheffield

  22·8

  23·6

  17·5

  23·8

  23·3

  17·8

  South Tyneside

  23·4

  22·7

  15·0

  23·4

  22·7

  16·0

  St. Helens

  24·7

  23·7

  16·7

  25·8

  22·9

  16·6

  Staffordshire

  24·2

  23·6

  17·5

  25·3

  23·8

  17·9

  Sunderland

  24·3

  22·9

  16·7

  24·4

  22·9

  16·4

  Tameside

  25·6

  23·7

  16·8

  26·6

  23·0

  16·9

  Wakefield

  24·4

  23·2

  18·3

  25·2

  22·5

  18·0

  Wigan

  24·8

  23·0

  17·4

  25·5

  22·9

  17·3

  Wolverhampton

  21·3

  23·1

  16·1

  22·8

  22·4

  17·0

  Overall Labour

  23·8

  23·2

  17·2

  24·5

  23·0

  17·3

  Alliance

  Isle of Wight

  26·3

  24·1

  17·3

  27·2

  24·7

  17·7

  Overall Alliance

  26·3

  24·1

  17·3

  27·2

  24·7

  17·7

  Independent

  Isles of Scilly

  12·3

  17·0

  10·4

  12·3

  14·8

  11·2

  Overall Independent

  12·3

  17·0

  10·4

  12·3

  14·8

  11·2

  708 709

  January 1985

  January 1986

  LEA

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size Primary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils under 14 in Secondary Schools

  Average Class Size for Pupils 14 and over in Secondary Schools

  No overall control

  Avon

  27·3

  24·2

  18·0

  28·0

  23·7

  18·7

  Bedfordshire

  25·3

  23·6

  18·1

  25·5

  24·9

  18·1

  Bradford

  24·6

  22·6

  18·3

  25·4

  22·8

  18·0

  Brent

  21·9

  20·6

  15·1

  22·8

  19·6

  14·8

  Calderdale

  24·8

  24·1

  16·6

  25·0

  24·0

  17·5

  Cambridgeshire

  25·9

  24·3

  18·2

  26·4

  23·9

  18·0

  Cheshire

  25·8

  24·3

  17·9

  26·4

  24·4

  18·5

  Cornwall

  25·4

  23·7

  18·3

  25·7

  23·2

  18·3

  Cumbria

  23·2

  22·9

  17·0

  23·8

  22·7

  16·6

  Devon

  25·8

  24·5

  18·3

  26·1

  24·5

  18·6

  Dudley

  24·8

  22·5

  17·5

  25·4

  22·4

  17·4

  Essex

  26·6

  24·6

  18·2

  27·1

  24·6

  18·1

  Gloucestershire

  25·7

  24·1

  17·4

  26·1

  24·1

  17·8

  Hampshire

  27·1

  24·3

  18·9

  26·9

  23·7

  19·0

  Hertfordshire

  24·9

  23·5

  16·3

  25·6

  23·8

  16·2

  Humberside

  23·6

  23·1

  17·3

  24·3

  22·9

  17·1

  Lancashire

  26·5

  23·7

  18·3

  26·9

  23·6

  18·1

  Leicestershire

  24·7

  23·8

  18·0

  25·4

  22·9

  18·3

  North Yorkshire

  24·2

  23·9

  18·1

  24·6

  23·8

  18·3

  Northumberland

  25·4

  23·4

  17·6

  25·1

  23·2

  17·5

  Oxfordshire

  26·5

  24·4

  17·4

  26·2

  24·2

  18·1

  Richmond upon Thames

  24·7

  23·5

  18·9

  24·6

  22·5

  18·7

  Rochdale

  25·3

  22·6

  16·6

  26·6

  22·4

  17·0

  Shropshire

  23·7

  23·0

  17·1

  24·3

  22·9

  17·6

  Somerset

  27·2

  24·5

  19·6

  27·1

  23·9

  19·6

  Stockport

  26·2

  24·2

  17·0

  26·4

  24·0

  17·5

  Walsall

  21·8

  22·2

  16·1

  22·7

  21·9

  16·2

  Waltham Forest

  24·0

  20·4

  16·1

  25·0

  21·4

  16·3

  Warwickshire

  25·3

  24·3

  18·9

  26·2

  24·5

  18·6

  Wiltshire

  25·8

  23·5

  18·6

  25·6

  23·8

  18·9

  Overall no control

  25·5

  23·7

  17·8

  25·9

  23·6

  17·9

TRANSPORT

  Roads
  Mr. Fry
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the results of his review of the national trunk road construction programme.

  Mr. Moore
  On 28 April 1987.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  United States (Perfume Imports)
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the current volume of imports of perfumes from the United States of America; and what are the customs duties imposed thereon.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the first two months of 1987, 3,055 litres of perfumes and scents were imported from the United States under United Kingdom tariff heading 3306–2100. The rate of common customs tariff duty chargeable on that heading is 6·6 per cent.

  Airbus
  Mr. Murphy
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received any recent representations from employees or management at British Aerospace in Hatfield relating to future development projects proposed by Airbus Industrie; and if he will make a statement.
  710
  Mr. Pattie
  The Government have received representations from British Aerospace senior management, and from British Aerospace employees and union representatives at a number of sites, including Hatfield, about the company's application for launch aid in. respect of the Airbus A330 and A340 projects. Discussions with the company are continuing, and the Government aim to reach a decision as soon as possible.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those United Kingdom companies which have been awarded contracts as part of current airbus programmes; and if he will state in each case the value and general nature of the contract concerned.

  Mr. Pattie
  On the information currently available to the Department, 98 United Kingdom companies, in the following list, have been awarded contracts as part of current programmes. These contracts relate to the supply of materials, components and parts for airframes and aeroengines, avionics and equipment. In addition, United Kingdom companies are involved in the supply of furnishings and fittings to airlines purchasing Airbus aircraft. It is not possible to give the values of these contracts, as orders are placed in batches and the total values cannot be determined until the production programme, and in some cases, spares demand, has ended.

  Airbus—United Kingdom suppliers

  British Aerospace

  Dowty Rotol

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  contracts, as orders are placed in batches and the total values cannot be determined until the production programme, and in some cases, spares demand, has ended.

  Airbus—United Kingdom suppliers

  British Aerospace

  Dowty Rotol

  Dowty Electrics

  Flight Refuelling

  Fliteline

  HTE

  ICORE

  Intertechnique

  Lucas

  Rolls-Royce

  Aircraft Porous Media

  Marconi

  Marston Palmer

  Plessey

  Singer Link Miles

  Redifusion Simulation

  Smiths

  Bridport Aviation

  Fireproof Tanks UK

  Pall

  Avimo

  Thermal Control

  Rosemount

  Vickers Systems

  Triplex

  Short Bros

  A. & E. Engineering Ltd.

  Ampep

  Aviation Tool Corporation

  Cleveland Guest Engineering

  Gretone Ltd.

  Hychrome

  Hyde Components

  Kilgour Engineering Ltd.

  Luneside Engineering Ltd.

  Manx Engineering

  MIC

  Middleton Sheet Metal

  Moores (Wallisdown) Ltd.

  Robert Stuarts

  Sculpture Machining Ltd.

  Stopchoc

  Sycamore Developments

  Trefyn Engineering Co.

  Weston Electronic Units Ltd.

  Abbey Panel Ltd.

  AEM

  AIM

  Aircraft Engineering Components Ltd.

  Algram Engineering Co. Ltd.

  Blenkins Precision Engineering

  Cleveland Guest

  Dunlop

  GEC/Osram

  H. & E. Ltd.

  Holland Granfield Ltd.

  Hugates

  Impact Finishers

  Laser Profiles Ltd.

  NEMO Heat Treatments

  Peate Grange

  Plastic Coating

  R. B. Precision Engineering Co.

  Southborne Sheet Metal Co. Ltd.

  C. F. Taylor (Metal Workers) Ltd.

  Thorn EMI

  Union Carbide (Swindon)

  United Moulders

  W. E. S. Ltd.

  Wessex Metal Spinning Co.

  British Alcan

  IMI

  HDA

  LMF

  Cameron Iron Works

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  IPC

  Stone Founderies

  P. I. Castings

  Kent Aerospace

  British Composite Materials

  CIBA/CEIGY

  MMM

  BICC

  Berger

  Hi Shear Europe

  Lunead

  T. J. Brooks

  Kaynam

  RHP

  Rose Bearings

  Soumian

  Hellermann Deutsch

  ICI

  Bestobell

  Androx

  Fine Tubes

  Fothergill & Harvey

  Maycast-Precision

  Metal Improvement Co.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has considered any estimate for the number of jobs which will be created by the airbus project in each of the next 10 years and; if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pattie
  Estimates currently available to the Department indicate that the numbers of jobs which could be directly generated in the United Kingdom by the Airbus A330/A340 programme in each of the next ten years are as follows:

  Number

  1987

  750

  1988

  1,350

  1989

  2,600

  1990

  1,550

  1991

  550

  1992

  1,200

  1993

  1,000

  1994

  1,000

  1995

  —

  1996

  —

  10,000

  These estimates relate to jobs which would be either maintained or created within British Aerospace and companies supplying equipment and materials to the Airbus A330/A340 programme. British Aerospace have further estimated that, taking account of jobs which would be maintained or created within the wider community, the total number of A330/A340 related jobs could amount to 20,000.

  The significance of the potential employment benefits to the United Kingdom of participation in the Airbus A330/A340 programme is fully recognised by the Government.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the value and percentage of product cost which was represented by Government funding for British Aerospace's (a) design and development costs and (b) production costs for each of the following projects (a) 125–800, (b) Jetstream 31,

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  (c) ATP, (d) 146–100, (e) 146–200, (f) 146–300, (g) A300 B2/B4, (h) A300–600, (i) A310–200, (j) A310–300 and (k) A320–200.

  Mr. Pattie
  The Government are not funding British Aerospace's production costs on any current civil aircraft programme. The Government have agreed to provide launch aid of up to £250 million, representing 54 per cent. of British Aerospace's estimated development costs on the A320. The Government also provided financial assistance of £7·8 million to Hawker Siddeley Aviation for development work on the 146 project, before that company was incorporated into British Aerospace.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning total British Aerospace investment in current civil aircraft programmes; and how much this works out at (a) per British Aerospace employee and (b) per employee in the United Kingdom aerospace industry.

  Mr. Pattie
  On the information currently available to the Department, the cumulative investment in civil aircraft programmes, comprising launch costs and production work in progress, by British Aerospace out of its own funds since 1979 is of the order of £1,300 million. This represents some £17,300 per British Aerospace employee and some £6,500 per employee in the United Kingdom aerospace industry. In addition, £196 million has been spent on launch costs, which was financed by Government launch aid.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total amount of funds made available by the Government to British Aerospace for current civil aircraft programmes in the form of (a) interest-free loan, (b) grant and (c) interest-bearing loan.

  Mr. Pattie
  The Government have agreed to provide British Aerospace with repayable launch aid of up to £250 million in respect of one civil aircraft programme. Since January 1981, the Government have offered British Aerospace regional development grants and regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act amounting to approximately £18 million, from which current civil aircraft programmes have derived benefit. In addition, the Government's investments in British Aerospace between 1977 and 1985 included public dividend capital from 1977 to 1980, a holding of ordinary shares from 1981 to 1985, and interest-bearing, repayable National Loans Fund advances. These investments were not directly related to individual civil aircraft programmes.
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  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the revenue to be generated to the United Kingdom by (a) Airbus Industrie's forecast sales of 1,000 aircraft and (b) only 60 per cent. of their projected sales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pattie
  On Airbus Industrie's current forecast of 1,000 sales of A330 and A340 aircraft to the year 2005, it is estimated that the revenues, expressed in outturn values, generated to the United Kingdom in respect of airframes would be in order of £16·5 billion. The corresponding figure for 600 aircraft sales would be in the order of £10 billion. In addition, it is expected that further substantial revenues would accrue from the supply of equipment and aero-engine components, but no estimate of the value can be given until the supplier selection procedures by Airbus Industrie and the engine manufacturers have been completed.

  The Airbus A330/A340 programme would, in common with other civil aerospace programmes, contribute substantially to the United Kingdom's export earnings.

  Japan
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about trade relations with Japan.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1987, c. 552]: During his recent visit to Japan, my hon. and learned Friend, the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard), underlined the importance that this Government attach to the introduction of real and effective market opening measures by the Japanese authorities.

  At present, we are specifically concerned with two important objectives. First, in the financial services sector, we have laid down a timetable to secure access for British firms to the Tokyo stock exchange; second, in telecommunications, we have made it clear that we attach the highest importance to the equitable treatment of Cable and Wireless and the IDC consortium bidding to supply alternative international telecommunications services in Japan.

  We are also looking at Community safeguard measures which may prove necessary in the event of substantial diversion of Japanese exports following the implementation of recent United States protectionist measures.