Written Answers of 7 December 1987

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Child Emigrant Scheme (Nottinghamshire)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the chairman of social services of Nottinghamshire county council regarding Mrs. Humphries and the child emigrant scheme; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Charities
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many charities in England and Wales registered in 1986 are specifically undertaking medical research projects.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information available centrally does not make it possible to identify which registered charities are currently undertaking medical research.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many charities in England and Wales are currently undertaking medical research projects.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not available centrally for either registered or unregistered charities.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charities are currently exempt from registration under sections 4(4) and (9) of the Charities Act 1960; and if he will list the figures by class of exemption.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on exempt charities is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charities were registered in England and Wales in 1986.

  Mr. John Patten
  Three thousand, nine hundred and forty-two.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charities are currently registered in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of October 1987, this figure stood at 161,014.

  Nottinghamshire Constabulary
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 114 additional police posts for the Nottinghamshire constabulary since May 1979 were granted since May 1981.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None of these additional police posts was approved since May 1981. One hundred and 2
  fifteen additional police posts were approved on 31 December 1979, and an application to decrease the authorised police establishment by one post of sergeant was approved on 19 February 1981.

  Fingerprinting
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many times section 27 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which allows fingerprinting after conviction, has been used.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information is not recorded centrally.

  Police Stations (Lay Visitors)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lay visitors' schemes there are for police stations; whether he will now seek to put the schemes on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Twenty six lay visitor schemes have been approved in the Metropolitan police area, 18 of which are operating. In the rest of England and Wales, 34 police authorities are either operating or have indicated an intention to operate schemes. We have no plans to put the arrangements for lay visiting schemes on a statutory basis.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to whether the Data Protection Registrar has used his powers under section 36(5) of the Data Protection Act to report on how the personal data held by the security services affect his functions of supervising the workings of the Data Protection Act;

  (2) what information he has as to whether the Data Protection Registrar has used his powers under section 36(5) of the Data Protection Act to report on how the use of personal data collected for the electoral register affects his functions of supervising the workings of the Data Protection Act;

  (3) what information he has as to whether the Data Protection Registrar has used his powers under section 36(5) of the Data Protection Act to report on how the use of personal data collected for the community charge will affect his functions of supervising the workings of the Data Protection Act;

  (4) what information he has as to whether the Data Protection Registrar has used his powers under section 36(5) of the Data Protection Act to report on how the use of personal data collected in share registers affects his functions of supervising the workings of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Renton
  In his third annual report to Parliament in July 1987, made in accordance with section 36(5) of the Data Protection Act 1984, the Data Protection Registrar did not make any reference to the security services but commented, at pages 3 and 4 on electoral registers, community charge registers and share registers.

  Body Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details on a monthly
  3
  basis of the number of body searches, cell searches and cell changes and strip searches carried out on each of the category A prisoners being held at Her Majesty's prison, Durham, between April and November.

  Mr. John Patten
  As the hon. Member knows, records are not kept of the occasions when rub down searching or "frisking" is carried out in prisons and it is not the practice to disclose detailed information about security arrangements such as that requested about the frequency of cell searches and cell changes.

  Comprehensive records of strip searches are available only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there were three in Durham prison during the period in question. The number of occasions on which each was strip searched in each month from April to November is shown in the table:

  Inmate A

  Inmate B

  Inmate C

  April

  3

  2

  4

  May

  7

  5

  3

  June

  2

  5

  3

  July

  2

  3

  1

  August

  3

  3

  2

  September

  3

  4

  4

  October

  2

  4

  3

  November

  3

  3

  2

  Prisons
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total time taken between announcement and completion of each of the prisons built since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The table sets out the year in which each prison was included in the building programme and the year it was completed. Projects may be admitted to this programme with a view to planning and other preparatory work starting at a later date.

  Prison

  Included in Programme

  Completed

  Wayland

  1978

  1984

  Stocken

  1978

  1985

  Thorn Cross

  1978

  1985

  Full Sutton

  1979

  1987

  Littlehey1

  1981

  1987

  Swaleside1

  1980

  1987

  Mount

  1980

  1987

  Garth1

  1980

  1988

  1almost complete.

  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the completion of his Department's review of the specification of prison design and construction.

  Mr. John Patten
  The review of the prison building design guides is scheduled for completion late in 1988.

  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to name the members of the Prisons Building Board.

  Mr. John Patten
  We expect to announce the names of the Prison Building Board shortly.

  Firearms
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving firearms have 4
  been committed by gun clubs members in possession of a firearms certificate, in each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The available information relating to notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" at chapter 3 of the issue for 1986, (Cmnd. 233) copies of which are in the Library. Information on the suspected offender is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to require licensed gun clubs to use pattern targets rather than targets depicting a human figure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The Government's proposals for the reform of firearms legislation are set out in the White Paper "Firearms Act 1968, Proposals for Reform", (Cm. 261) published on 2 December.

  Prisoners
  Miss Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are estimated to be suffering from mental illness, as defined by the Mental Health Act.

  Mr. John Patten
  The latest returns from prison medical officers of the number of inmates considered to be suffering from mental disorder of a type or degree such that they would be detainable under the Mental Health Act 1983 show that on 31 March 1987, 95 sentenced and 145 unsentenced inmates were suffering from mental illness. These and numbers considered to be detainable in other categories defined by the Mental Health Act are given on page 69 of the "Report on the Work of the Prison Service 1986–87" (Cm. 246) a copy of which is in the Library.

  Miss Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are estimated to be suffering from mental disorders not falling within the terms of the Mental Health Act, for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information is not available in precisely the form requested. Two censuses have been undertaken by prison medical officers of inmates serving sentences of six months and more considered to require specialised therapeutic facilities by reason of mental disorder or abnormality. The censuses showed that on 4 December 1985, a total of 1,583 inmates and on 1 October 1986 a total of 1,340 inmates were suffering from mental disorder that was not of a type or degree such that they would be detainable under the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Citizenship
  Mr. Millan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend by at least six months the date of 31 December by which certain categories of applications to register as British citizens have to be made under the British Nationality Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  No. We do not believe we would be justified in seeking the necessary powers.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if, in view of the shortage of
  5
  registration forms for British citizenship and of the delays in acknowledging receipt of completed forms, he will extend the deadline for registration as a British citizen to allow for sufficient forms to be printed and distributed and then completed by those wishing to register;

  (2) how many forms for registration of British citizenship were printed by his Department; what has been the level of demand; and how he plans to make allowance for any shortfall;

  (3) why registration forms for British citizenship are being rationed and orders for forms are only being partially met after delays of several weeks.

  Mr. Renton
  About 850,000 Forms R and W (the two main forms for those eligible to apply before 31 December 1987), have been printed. Nearly 810,000 have been distributed. Stocks are closely monitored. Although on occasions some orders were partially met pending delivery of reprinted supplies, the position now is that adequate stocks are available. We accept that the large number of applications has inevitably led to some delay in acknowledging receipt of completed forms, but the deadline of 31 December 1987 refers to applications, with fees, being lodged by then, not to their acknowledgement.

  I see no need to seek powers to extend the deadline.

  Anton Gecas
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received seeking action against Mr. A. Gecas, a resident of Edinburgh, in relation to alleged war crimes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Around 2,000, mostly in the form of pre-printed postcards. We are now considering the policy and legal implications of the documents provided by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Africa
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a list of the names of the officers of his Department based in London who have current responsibilities for each country in Africa; and if he will detail those responsibilities.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Library already contains Her Majesty's Stationery Office publications "The Diplomatic Service List (1987)" and the "Civil Service Yearbook (1987)". These list senior and middle-ranking officers of the diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibilities for Africa.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department holds of the number of British subjects currently employed in (i) Benin, (ii) Togo, (iii) Mali, (iv) Niger and (v) Burkina Faso.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have separate figures for those British nationals currently employed in Benin, Togo, Mali, Niger or Burkina Faso, but the following indicate the approximate size of the respective British expatriate adult (over 18) communities in these countries: 20, 45, 62, 44, 41.
  6
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library a list of the maps of Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Niger currently held by his Department that are available for reference purposes to right hon. and hon. Members; and if he will indicate the scales on which the maps are available;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a list of the maps of Benin held by his Department that are available for reference by right hon. and hon. Members.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds the following published single sheet maps of Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Niger, available for reference purposes to right hon. and hon. Members, at the scales indicated.

  Benin: I.G.N. (Paris) scale 1: 600,000 (1984)

  Burkina Faso: L.G.N. (Paris) scale 1: 1,000,000 (1968)

  Cote d'Ivoire: Michelin scale 1:800,000 (1982)

  Mali: MOD Series 2201 scale 1: 2,000,000 sheets 11, 12, 16 and 17 (1969)

  Niger: I.G.N. (Paris) scale 1:2,500,000 (19691

  Togo: I.G.N. (Paris) 1:500,000 (1960)

  The Michelin series Africa North and West (sheet 153), scale 1: 4,000,000 also covers all these countries. They may be inspected in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Library.

  Argentina
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the nuclear weapons capability of Argentina.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no evidence to confirm that Argentina has a nuclear weapon capability. We remain, however, concerned that Argentina has neither signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty nor ratified the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America.

  Mr. J. A. Smith
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British high commission in Harare has yet received the doctor's certificate sent to them by Mr. J. A. Smith of Newmarket in connection with the disablement pension to which he is entitled in Zimbabwe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Yes. The medical certificate dated 22 September was forwarded by the British High Commission in Zimbabwe to the Zimbabwe social welfare pensions office on 15 October.

  Guatemala
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the Belize/Guatemala territorial dispute.

  Mr. Mellor
  The territorial dispute is a matter for bilateral settlement between Belize and Guatemala. We should like to see the problem resolved at an early date and are willing to assist the parties directly involved by being present as observers at negotiations if both sides so wish.

  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present state of relations between the United Kingdom and Guatemala.
  7
  Mr. Mellor
  We have normal diplomatic relations with Guatemala, whose return to democracy in late 1985 we warmly welcomed.

  Falkland Islands (Fishing)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the criteria used in awarding fishing licences in the Falkland Islands conservation zone.

  Mr. Mellor
  Representations have been received from a number of governments and commercial organisations requesting clarification of the licence allocations for 1988. Licences are allocated by the Falkland Islands Government in accordance with the conservation requirements of the fishery.

  RMS St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made to ensure that no further expense is incurred by Her Majesty's Government after the handing over of the recently ordered vessel to replace the RMS St. Helena, in the event of Hall Russell of Aberdeen going into liquidation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The contract for this ship has not yet been finalised, but will require Hall Russell to provide a post-delivery guarantee backed by a bond equivalent to some 2 per cent. of the contract price. Manufacturers of major items of equipment, such as engines, will provide separate warranty cover in accordance with normal commercial arrangements.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases there have been of legal aid money being recovered from law firms acting without a certificated solicitor since 1979.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is not available, but the legal aid head office's practice is to recover all legal aid moneys paid in respect of a solicitor who at the relevant time did not hold a current practising certificate.

  Uncertificated Solicitors
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General how many firms of solicitors have been proved to have been practising uncertificated in the years 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  The Attorney-General
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ENERGY

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what encouragement of, and support for, the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency is being given by Her Majesty's Government.
  8
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In his address to the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in September, my right hon. Friend stated that the agency's work was of vital importance for world peace and international nuclear safety. The Government contribute both to the agency's regular budget and to its technical assistance and co-operation fund. Support is also given in a number of practical ways including the participation of experts in meetings of technical and other groups.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has on talks the Central Electricity Generating Board has had with entrepreneurs concerning the reopening of electricity generation of Connahs Quay power station, Deeside, Clwyd; what is his estimate of the cash value of Connahs Quay power station as an energy producing unit; if he will direct the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the implications of renewed energy production at Connahs Quay with the Alyn-Deeside and Clwyd county council; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the United Kingdom coal-fired power stations which are currently closed but which could be refurbished to begin production of electricity again in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England; and what is his estimate of the total capital value of such power stations with a capability to produce energy;

  (3) what information he has on the current estimated cash value of the Central Electricity Generating Board's Connahs Quay power station site.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter which falls within the management responsibilities of the Central Electricity Generating Board. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Connahs Quay Power Station
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will meet the leaders of Alyn-Deeside district council to consider the future of the Connahs Quay power station site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I shall be meeting the hon. Member and a delegation from the local authority on 16 December 1987.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when, pursuant to his answer of 30 October,Official Report columns 447–48, he now expects to publish the information on plutonium production in civil reactors referred to therein.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As I said in my answer of 30 October 1987 to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) at columns 447–48, I shall publish the information as soon as possible.

  Sizewell B
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made on the implementation of each of the 13 recommendations made in the report of the Sizewell B public inquiry by Sir Frank Layfield.
  9
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Walker) dealt with the recommendations contained in Sir Frank Layfield's report in his letter to the chairman of the CEGB of 12 March 1987. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Further action was relevant to only some of the recommendations:Recommendations 2 and 3: The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate advises me that these have been implemented through appropriate conditions attached to the nuclear site licence.
  Recommendations 4 and 7(b): The HSE advises me that it plans to publish in the new year a discussion document on tolerable levels of risk. Work is also in hand on the other items covered by these recommendations.
  Recommendation 6: The Government's thorough review of nuclear emergency planning, being carried out in the light of the Chernobyl accident, has taken full account of this recommendation. In relation to paragraph (f) of this recommendation, the CEGB advises me that it has recently revised its local consultative arrangements for all nuclear power stations. Parish councils adjacent to the site arc now invited to nominate representatives to attend the newly established local community liaison councils. In addition, these liaison councils may agree to appoint additional members, being local representatives of other organisations who, in the opinion of the liaison council, may be able to contribute to its deliberations.
  Recommendation 7(a): The CEGB advises me that the version of the pre-construction safety report on which the NII issued the site licence for Sizewell B will (apart from matters of commercial sensitivity) be made publicly available before the end of the year.
  Recommendation 10: This is a matter for Suffolk county council in consultation with the CEGB. I am informed that a study of alternative routes for heavy goods vehicle traffic has been carried out and is under consideration by both parties.
  Recommendation 13: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) on 30 October at columns 447–48.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Forces
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the oral answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 761, if she will give a detailed breakdown of the statistical evidence on which she based her statement about the comparison between Trident, Polaris and the Soviet Union's nuclear forces; why she chose 1970 as the baseline; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The answer I gave referred to strategic nuclear warheads. The first part of the comparison assumed 192 United Kingdom Polaris warheads and approximately 1,800 Soviet strategic warheads. The Trident part of the comparison assumed a maximum of 512 United Kingdom Trident warheads and 6,000 Soviet strategic warheads. The figures give ratios of 11 per cent. and 9 per cent. respectively. 1970 was used as a convenient baseline because this was the year in which the fourth United Kingdom Polaris submarine first became operational.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of I December, she will make it her policy to notify the House when any new contract for the export of equipment or know-how to make weapons-grade plutonium is approved by Her Majesty's Government; and if she will make a statement.
  10
  The Prime Minister
  No. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies I gave him on 27 October 1987 and 6 November 1987 at columns 217 and 903, respectively.

  Sir Philip Woodfield
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister how she intends that Sir Philip Woodfield will be able to make known to right hon. and hon. Members the scope and nature of his work as staff counsellor for the security and intelligence services.

  The Prime Minister
  The staff counsellor for the security and intelligence services will report to me, and to my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary as appropriate. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment publicly on security and intelligence matters.

  Surplus Butter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 1 December, if she will place in the Library or otherwise identify the financial rules which led the Commission of the European Economic Community to the view that the declaration of the European Court of Auditors on the legality of the transfer of responsibilities for the cost of the subsidised export of butter surplus to member states could be set aside; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  In its opinion, the Court of Auditors expressed the view that deferred reimbursement for the programme of butter stock disposal conflicted with the principal of the annuality of the budget, as laid down in article 199 of the treaty and articles 4 and 5 of the financial regulation. The Commission explained its reasons for considering that there was no breach of this principle in its report to the Council of 15 June 1987 on the financial impact of this measure on Spain and Portugal (document 7124/87). A copy of this document is in the Library of the House.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Dalyell
  : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will specify the criteria and considerations which have led Her Majesty's Government, in the latest guidance on the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers, to place greater emphasis as specified in paragraph 8, on the possible use of civil legal action to enforce the duty of confidentiality owed by officials; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if, for each difference of (a) substance and (b) emphasis as between the latest guidance on I he duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers and the last such guidance issued, she will specify the reasons for making the change; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The only change of substance is the inclusion of a provision for appeal to the Head of the Home Civil Service on fundamental issues of conscience, which the Government accepted in principle in their response (Cmnd. 9841) to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's seventh report of 1985–86. Other changes are for the sake of clarification or completeness.

  European Council, Copenhagen
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will place in the Library details of the proposals made by Mr. Pohl Schlueter, Prime Minister of Denmark, concerning the proposals to be discussed at Copenhagen on 4 and 5 December, and her response thereto.

  The Prime Minister
  The working papers circulated by the presidency as the basis for discussions between the member states are confidential. I shall be making a statement on the outcome of the Copenhagen European Council shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Questions
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Lord Privy Seal if, for each of the last five years, he will give the total number of questions tabled for oral answer.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The total number of questions tabled for oral reply during each of the last five sessions and for the present session to week ending 27 November 1987 is as follows:

  Number

  1982–83

  6,125

  1983–84

  13,386

  1984–85

  14,800

  1985–86

  18,139

  1986–87

  12,766

  1987–88

  14,255

  1 To 27 November 1987.

  Mineral Waters
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Lord Privy Seal which English, Welsh and Scottish still and carbonated mineral waters have been selected for consumption in parliamentary refreshment facilities; how much of each he estimates will be consumed during the coming year, based on last year's consumption figures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  A decision on the selection of mineral waters has not yet been taken by the Catering Sub-Committee of the Services Committee, since it has not had an opportunity to meet. The estimated consumption of still and carbonated mineral waters during the coming year is expected to be between 10,000 and 11,000 litres.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Primary Schools (Technology)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to technology in primary schools to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Dunn
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 14 December to Friday 18 December.

  Foreign Language Teachers
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many native Spanish speakers are currently teaching Spanish in maintained schools;

  (2) how many teachers of French nationality are currently teaching French in maintained schools;

  (3) how many teachers of German nationality are currently teaching German in maintained schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. In maintained schools in England in 1984 there were 1,834, 19,694 and 5,890 teachers of, respectively, Spanish, French and German. It is not known how many of these were of Spanish, French or German nationality or were native speakers of those languages. There are also 163 Spanish, 1,760 French and 481 German language assistants currently in England and Wales, most of whom are teaching in maintained schools and are native speakers.

  O-level Passes
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of school pupils in(a) England, (b) the shire counties and (c) Essex, respectively, succeeded in securing five or more O-levels passes at the higher grades in the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Dunn
  The percentages of pupils in 1985–86 leaving maintained schools in Essex, the shire counties and England respectively with five or more higher grades at O level/CSE (O level grades A-C/CSE grade 1) were 26.0, 25.4 and 23.6.

  Secondary Education
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has received from Her Majesty's Inspectorate about the standard of secondary education in Essex; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has not received advice about the general standard of secondary education in Essex. Reports of inspections of a number of individual schools have been published in the usual way.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action the National Environmental Research Council is taking to study the natural development of mature British woods in southeast England in the circumstances created by the hurricane of 16 October.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council, undertakes research on the ecology of woodlands, including work on natural regeneration and conservation. The institute has not instigated new work since 16 October. It has, however, a wide knowledge of developments following natural disturbances to woodlands, and this is available to authorities concerned with the replanting and natural restoration of woodlands, including those damaged recently in south-east England.
  13
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from local education authorities from the south and east of England about storm damage to education buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received no written representations. In his statement on 21 October, at column 731, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced limited additional allocations for capital expenditure incurred in the current year by authorities restoring buildings damaged by storm. His Department wrote on 23 October to the chief executive of a number of authorities inviting applications for all services direct to that Department.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students entered courses of initial teacher training in England and Wales in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  About 19,160 students entered courses of initial teacher training in 1987, an increase of some 2,271 over 1986. Recruitment to primary training has exceeded target by 3 per cent; and intakes to secondary training are 14 per cent. higher than last year.

  I particularly welcome the major increases in recruitment to courses in the key subjects of mathematics, craft, design and technology, and physics. Intakes to mathematics and CDT courses are some 33 per cent. higher than last year; recruitment to physics courses has increased by some 50 per cent; and in all these subjects recruitment is much closer to targets, which themselves have increased.

  I am placing in the Library the principal findings of my Department's survey of this year's recruitment.

ENVIRONMENT

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many trees were destroyed in (a) Essex and (b) the Basildon area as a result of the storms in October; and how the figures were calculated.

  Sales of dwellings by London Boroughs

  1All sales April 1979 to June 1987

  Right to buy applications: October 1980 to June 1987

  Number

  of which

  Total

  of which, in quarters ending:

  RTB per cent.

  Vacant per cent.

  Number

  September

  December

  March

  June

  1986

  1986

  1987

  1987

  City of London

  1,091

  65

  8

  3,035

  52

  86

  229

  190

  Barking and Dagenham

  6,245

  100

  0

  11,143

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Barnet

  4,535

  80

  4

  7,883

  391

  263

  407

  620

  Bexley

  2,742

  11

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Brent

  1,798

  96

  3

  4,559

  210

  206

  330

  342

  Bromley

  5,207

  86

  4

  8,083

  276

  291

  577

  672

  Camden

  725

  94

  6

  4,975

  228

  228

  515

  625

  Croydon

  4,952

  70

  4

  7,215

  312

  263

  ֵ

  434

  Ealing

  4,592

  44

  1

  3,978

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  0

  Enfield

  4,210

  83

  8

  7,054

  301

  295

  704

  ֵ

  Greenwich

  2,552

  100

  0

  6,329

  295

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  Hackney

  828

  96

  2

  3,308

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,029

  59

  25

  4,025

  231

  158

  335

  35

  Haringey

  2,475

  97

  0

  5,977

  295

  256

  485

  516

  14
  Mr. Moynihan
  Essex county council estimates that 72,000 isolated trees were destroyed by the hurricane force winds, and a further 750,000 badly damaged. They have not provided separate estimates for the Basildon area. The Department has commissioned an aerial photographic survey in the affected area by Hunting Technical Surveys Ltd. The sample areas being photographed include 20 in Essex and one in the Basildon area. However the survey is being delayed by adverse weather conditions.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from environmentalist groups in the Essex region in connection with the damage caused by the storm of October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department has received no such representations. However, I understand that the Essex Naturalist Trust and a number of national conservation bodies have been in touch with Task force Trees a unit of the Countryside Commission, about funding for various projects in the Essex region relating to storm damage to the landscape. The Task force expects to announce its decisions on these applications very shortly.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many council houses, flats and maisonnettes have been sold by each London borough between May 1979 and November 1987;

  (2) what percentage of council houses sold in each London borough between May 1979 and November 1987 were sold (a) under the right-to-buy legislation and (b) as vacant possession sales;

  (3) how many applications to exercise the right-to-buy have been received by each London borough between (a) May 1979 and March 1987 and (b) for each month from November 1986 to November 1987.

  Mrs. Roe
  Information on council house sales and right to buy applications has been collected almost wholly in regular quarterly returns and the figures in the table are those reported for the period from 1 April 1979 to 30 June 1987:
  15

  1All sales April 1979 to June 1987

  Right to buy applications: October 1980 to June 1987

  Number

  of which

  Total

  of which, in quarters ending:

  RTB per cent.

  Vacant per cent.

  Number

  September

  December

  March

  June

  1986

  1986

  1987

  1987

  Harrow

  1,943

  85

  2

  3,369

  150

  117

  192

  229

  Havering

  4,921

  53

  6

  4,059

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Hillingdon

  2,693

  16

  48

  1,469

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Hounslow

  2,681

  96

  0

  6,694

  281

  260

  390

  448

  Islington

  1,108

  83

  17

  4,915

  109

  152

  183

  94

  Kensington and Chelsea

  780

  54

  39

  1,653

  101

  65

  197

  233

  Kingston

  1,550

  72

  11

  2,457

  85

  89

  189

  149

  Lambeth

  745

  93

  6

  3,866

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Lewisham

  2,826

  100

  0

  7,800

  414

  317

  687

  746

  Merton

  3,724

  53

  8

  3,348

  ֵ

  146

  92

  0

  Newham

  2,544

  90

  10

  6,577

  484

  268

  517

  685

  Redbridge

  2,868

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Richmond

  1,698

  90

  0

  3,691

  139

  160

  236

  292

  Southwark

  2,117

  76

  19

  4,318

  105

  182

  268

  518

  Sutton

  2,251

  84

  6

  4,163

  225

  182

  263

  274

  Tower Hamlets

  1,010

  78

  22

  897

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Waltham Forest

  2,524

  73

  27

  3,693

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Wandsworth

  10,673

  40

  55

  10,693

  ֵ

  564

  954

  ֵ

  Westminster

  1,830

  66

  22

  4,209

  287

  154

  750

  ֵ

  ֵ Not available.

  1 All sales include voluntary sales to sitting tenants.

  Waste (Public Houses)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his proposals for new regulations for imposing charges for the removal of waste in so far as these affect public houses.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Our proposals included the classification of waste from properties which cover both household and commercial interests (such as many public houses) as commercial waste, for which collection authorities would have a duty to recover a reasonable charge, unless they considered it inappropriate to do so. Collection authorities would be able to take account of the proportion of household waste in setting the level of charges.

  An announcement about the outcome of consultation on our proposals will be made shortly.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the rules relating to the need to advertise planning applications.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend receives representations from time to time advocating that a wider range of planning applications should be subject to statutory advertisement. I believe that the best approach is that the local planning authority should continue to have discretion to decide, for the great majority of applications, the extent of advertisement which is desirable in the individual case.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's latest assessment of the effect of acid rain on Britain's trees.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We have just received the results of the Forestry Commission's 1987 tree health survey and are studying its results. I will answer the hon. Member's question shortly.

  Wildlife Conservation
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be making an announcement following the recommendations submitted to him by the Nature Conservancy Council under section 24 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 about the protection of United Kingdom native species.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on Tuesday 1 December at column 552–3.

  Wildlife Protection
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to include the Glanville fritillary and the common dog whelk for protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Nature Conservancy Council, the Government's statutory adviser on wildlife matters, recommended further protection for the Glanville fritillary along with a number of other United Kingdom butterflies, through the sale licensing provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A decision on these species has been deferred pending a review of sale licensing procedures in the light of the changes to the protected lists of plants and animals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 1 December. A further announcement will be made in due course.

  The common dog whelk was not included in the NCC's recommendations for protection under the Act. Since it is hoped that the decline of this species will be arrested following the regulations of Tri-butyl tin anti-fouling paint.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the previous financial experience of those appointed to the board of the London
  17
  Docklands Development Corporation; what investigations he made before he made the appointments; and what qualifications or expertise he considers necessary for appointment.

  Mr. Trippier
  Current board members and their relevant background are as follows:Mr. Christopher Benson, JP, FRICS (Chairman)—Vice Chairman and Managing Director MEPC plc—property development.
  Mrs. Jennifer d'Abo—Former Chairman Ryman Group—retailing.
  Mr. Alan Benjamin, OBE—Director CAP Group plc—chartered accountant, advanced technology and computing.
  Sir Andrew Derbyshire, FRIBA, FSIAD—Chairman of Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall London Ltd — architects and planning consultants.
  Sir John Garlick, KCB — Former Permanent Secretary and Accounting Officer of Departments of Environment and Transport.
  Cllr. Jonathan Mathews—Councillor and architectural tutor.
  Mr. Lewis Moss, DBE, DL—Senior partner Moss & Partners—property surveying.
  Mr. Dennis Stevenson, DBE—SRU Ltd—Ex-Chairman Aycliffe and Peterlee New Town.
  Mr. Windham Thomas—Chairman and Chief Executive, Inner City Enterprises—former general manager, Peterborough New Town.

  Inquiries were made of available information.

  The general qualifications for appointment are that members should have relevant experience to the regeneration of urban areas, and the board must include some members with special knowledge of the locality.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the dismissal of Mr. John Mills as deputy chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation; what financial arrangements have been made following the dismissal; and if he has any plans to continue Mr. Mills' connection with the London Docklands Development Corporation in any form.

  Mr. Trippier
  Mr. Mills was removed from office on 30 November. The Secretary of State considered him unsuitable to remain a member of the LDDC board. He has not been reinstated. No financial arrangements have been made. The appointment of Mr. Mills as a special consultant to the LDDC would be a matter for the chairman and the board.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each member of the London Docklands Development Corporation; how much they are paid; and what is the time of their working week.

  Mr. Trippier
  The details requested are currently as follows:

  Remuneration £

  Days per week

  Mr. Christopher Benson (Chairman)

  27,226

  2

  Mr. Alan Benjamin

  4,535

  ½

  Sir Andrew Derbyshire

  4,535

  ½

  Mrs. Jennifer d'Abo

  4,535

  ½

  Sir John Garlick

  4,535

  ½

  Councillor Jonathan Mathews

  4,535

  ½

  Mr. Lewis Moss

  4,535

  ½

  Mr. Dennis Stevenson

  4,535

  ½

  Mr. Wyndham Thomas

  4,535

  ½

  Drinking Water
  Sir Giles Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) over what time scale he now plans to implement the European Commission drinking water directive;
  18
  (2) if he will consult the water authorities before he determines the timetable for implementing the European Commission drinking water directive;

  (3) what will be the estimated capital cost of the applications to water authorities of the maximum admissible concentration measurement in the implementation of the European Commission drinking water directive.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The drinking water directive was implemented throughout the United Kingdom in July 1985. In view of the recent change in interpretation of the directive which my right hon. Friend stated in his reply to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) on 2 December at column 915, I am not able to provide costs or time scales. However, I can confirm that all public supplies are perfectly safe to drink; improvements being made to comply with the directive will now principally relate to matters such as the appearance of the water. The Department is consulting the water authorities on these matters.

  Footpaths, Bridleways and Byways
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by local highways authorities in complying with the duty to erect and maintain a signpost on all footpaths, bridleways and byways at every point where they leave a metal road; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Circular 32/81 emphasised the benefits of sign posting and waymarking and encourages highway authorities to make greater progress in fulfilling their statutory obligations. But, apart from some estimates recently presented to the rights of way review committee, we have at the moment no overall information about progress made since that was issued.

  Nuclear Waste (Drigg)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the low-level nuclear waste disposal facility at Drigg to be full.

  Mr. Moynihan
  With improved methods of waste management and at planned disposal rates, Drigg is not expected to be full until about 2016. BNFL is considering further options for development of the site that could extend the lifetime still further.

  Runcorn (Housing)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the successor landlords of new town housing in Runcorn.

  Mrs. Roe
  I cannot add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 2 December at column 629.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet a delegation from the Runcorn Residents Federation to discuss the future of new town housing in Runcorn.

  Mrs. Roe
  My officials met representatives of the federation on 3 December. I am receiving a full report of that meeting.

  Housing Projects (Finance)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate in the Official Report, following the announcement on 30 November of extra finances for housing projects to help the homeless, the amount (a) numerically and (b) as a percentage of the total allocation that has been awarded to each of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Sutton and Richmond.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information is as follows:

  Allocation £

  Percentage of total allocation

  Southwark

  nil

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  1,150,000

  4·5

  Sutton

  nil

  —

  Richmond

  nil

  —

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how often it is intended to update the poll tax register; and what forecast he has made of the number of register changes in the course of a year.

  Mr. Howard
  The community charges registration officer for each area will compile and maintain an up-to-date register. He will update it continuously to reflect changes of address and circumstances within his area as they are notified to him. We have made no forecast of the number of changes in the course of a year.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has decided where to locate the next generation of urban development corporations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  I propose to set up "mini" urban development corporations in Bristol, Leeds and Central Manchester. I also propose to extend the area of the existing Black Country development corporation to take in parts of Wolverhampton.

  I have placed maps in the Library today showing the areas which the UDCs are likely to cover. I will be appointing consultants shortly to advise on the development potential of the areas and on the boundaries of the UDCs. Final decisions on the boundaries will be taken in the light of the results of these studies and of the views of the local interests.

  I have chosen these areas because they all have significant amounts of derelict and disused land and vacant buildings. It will be the job of each UDC to bring about the regeneration of its area by bringing sites and buildings back into productive use, to encourage the development of existing and new industry and commerce, to create an attractive environment and ensure that housing and social facilities are available to encourage people to live and work in the area. Each corporation will attract considerable private investment to its area.

  These new UDCs will be modelled on the six urban development corporations already established in England which are already clearly demonstrating the rapid progress which can be achieved with a single minded approach to urban regeneration. These new corporations, however, will be based on smaller areas than their predecessors, varying in size from 250 acres to 1,600 acres. Each UDC
  20
  could spend about£15 million over four to five years. They will also be responsible for co-ordinating expenditure in their areas on urban regeneration grant, urban development grant and derelict land grant paid to the private sector. In some areas this could be considerable.

  I am greatly encouraged by the achievements of the first two development corporations in London Docklands and Merseyside and also by the enthusiastic progress already being made by the four corporations I set up earlier this year on Tyneside, Teeside, Trafford Park and the Black Country. I have every confidence that the proposals I have announced today will lead to similar achievements in Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Wolverhampton.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of the Environment Council on 3 December.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Countryside and Water represented the United Kingdom at this meeting. I am delighted to report that the Council finally adopted the directive (known as the "Luxembourg Package") concerning exhaust emission standards for cars. We have already announced our intention to require cars to be able to run on unleaded petrol from the earliest dates permitted by the directive. We are in active discussion with other member states with the intention of harmonising, as far as possible, the dates of mandatory application of the exhaust emission standards for small and medium cars. We also intend to apply the large car standard as soon as practicable, probably in the early 1990s. The Council also adopted a directive dealing with gaseous emissions from heavy vehicles. We believe that these measures will make a significant contribution to environmental improvement.

  The Council reached a common position by a qualified majority on a directive setting limits applicable in 1989–90 for emissions of particulates from diesel cars. The latter directive, which requires the Council to decide in 1989 on a further stage of tighter controls, will now be referred to the European Parliament under the cooperation procedure. Provided the European Parliament agrees, the directive is likely to be adopted next year.

  Agreement was reached on a regulation concerning export from and import into the Community of certain dangerous chemicals. The regulation will ensure that when specified chemicals are exported from the Community the authorities in the importing countries are notified. The regulation requires member states to inform the Commission of notifications from third countries concerning the import into the Community of dangerous chemicals. This measure represents a useful and practical step forward in protecting importing countries from the risks of certain dangerous substances.

  The Council reached agreement on a proposal for limit values and quality objectives for discharges of hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene both by-products of the chemical industry and on the list I of most dangerous substances under directive 76/464/EEC, but has to await the opinion of the European Parliament before formal adoption.

  The Council had a general discussion of the presidency's proposed guidelines for future work on the

  21
  proposed directive on large combustion plants. The Council took note of several positive elements and looked to the German presidency to take the ideas further.

  A resolution outlining future Community action to combat environmental pollution by cadium was agreed.

  There was a first exchange of views on a proposal to establish a five-year Communitywide programme of projects illustrating how actions in the environment field might also contribute to employment creation. The Council agreed to discuss this again once the Community's budgetary situation had been clarified.

  The Council also discussed the extension to inland waterways of the Community's marine pollution system as well as a proposed directive for quality objectives for chromium in water.

  270–272 Heathway, Dagenham
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive a recommendation from the Property Services Agency in respect of the application by the London borough of Barking and Dagenham to purchase the leasehold interest in 270–272 Heathway, Dagenham.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: I am currently considering the application by the London borough of Barking and Dagenham to purchase 270–272 Heathway, Dagenham. I shall write to the hon. Lady shortly.

WALES

  A55 Expressway
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects work to start on realignment of the A55 expressway at Rhuallt Hill.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Rhuallt Hill improvement was included in "Roads in Wales 1985" for a start of work in the period January 1988 to December 1990. This is still my expectation, subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and availability of resources.

  Road Infrastructure
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the next financial year to improve the road infrastructure in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Local authority capital allocations for 1988–89 were announced on 30 November. They will enable a start to be made on four major new schemes. Details of central Government expenditure will be announced in the new year. I expect it to enable us to continue with a substantial programme of new work.

  Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many groups of Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin his Department helped to fund in(a) 1979 and (b) the latest available year.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Financial support to Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin under S26 of the Development of Rural Wales Act is provided on an all-Wales basis. It is allocated by Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin centrally to its county 22
  committees for distribution, according to local need, to individual groups, of which there were 280 in 1979 and 720 in 1987.

  Theatre Nurses
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients in(a) South Glamorgan and (b) Wales have had their operation cancelled due to lack of theatre nurses; and how many have had their operations cancelled twice for this reason since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not available centrally.

  Industrial Assistance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of regional assistance funds to industry allocated through his Department during the last year for which full figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  During 1986–87, a total of £123 million in regional assistance was paid to industry in Wales through my Department.

  Anglesey Coast (Sewage Sludge)
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his response to proposals by the North-West water authority to dump sewage sludge off the Anglesey coast.

  Mr. Grist
  I have received no application from the North West water authority for a licence to dump sewage sludge off the Anglesey coast.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he will take to cut hospital waiting lists in the Rhondda, in Mid-Glamorgan and in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The prime responsibility for cutting waiting times in Wales rests with district health authorities, and I have asked each of them to submit plans for doing so. The Welsh Office is supporting these efforts in Mid Glamorgan and throughout Wales by improved funding of the NHS, by £1 million of specific funding of local initiatives and by the work of its waiting list catalyst team.

  European Development Fund
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by county, how much money Wales has received from the European regional development fund since 1 January 1985.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  European regional development fund commitments to Wales since January 1985 have amounted to £131 million. With permission, I will circulate the county breakdown in the Official Report.

  Education Reform Bill
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in support of the Education Reform Bill, as it relates to Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Many representations I have received have given support to proposals incorporated in the Education Reform Bill. Copies of the principal responses from organisations in Wales to the consultation exercise are being placed in the Library.
  23
  Sir Raymond Gower
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for how long he will receive representations relating to the Education Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I am taking account of representations received since the formal deadline for responses to the consultation papers, and I will continue to do so.

  Advance Factories
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what figures he has for the relative take-up rates between advance factories in development areas and those in areas without development status.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  8·5 per cent. of Welsh Development Agency and Mid-Wales Development factory floor space in the assisted areas was vacant and available for letting as at 31 October 1987, compared with 15 per cent. in the non-assisted areas. Separate figures for advance factory units alone are not readily available.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to allocate more advance factories in(a) Wales and (b) Clwyd.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I announced in the House on 2 December that the Welsh Development Agency had been given approval to make an early start on a further package of schemes comprising advance factory units with a total floor space of 100,000 sq. ft., including some in Clwyd.

  Speech therapists

  Occupational therapists

  Physiotherapists1

  1979

  1987

  1979

  1987

  1979

  1987

  Clwyd

  12·0

  23·3

  5·0

  25·3

  46·2

  71·5

  East Dyfed

  7·1

  13·3

  6·3

  9·9

  38·0

  35·2

  Pembrokeshire

  7·1

  6·0

  6·3

  5·8

  38·0

  13·6

  Gwent

  10·5

  14·9

  17·4

  46·8

  41·6

  82·1

  Gwynedd

  3·2

  10·0

  5·0

  18·7

  26·7

  48·7

  Mid Glamorgan

  9·8

  17·0

  19·7

  31·7

  62·8

  75·0

  Powys

  3·3

  3·8

  3·3

  10·6

  13·6

  24·7

  South Glamorgan

  11·0

  27·6

  54·4

  64·5

  79·4

  120·3

  West Glamorgan

  7·4

  14·2

  10·3

  27·6

  41·9

  57·0

  1 Includes remedial gymnasts.

  Forestry
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the direct cost to his Department of forestry grants in Wales during the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In the period from 1 April 1987 to 1 November 1987, the Forestry Commission's grant payments to private woodland owners in Wales totalled £395, 583.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy with regard to privatising the Forestry Commission, or any part of its activities in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Government has no plans at present to privatise the Forestry Commission or any part of its activities in Wales, but looks to the Commission to continue to rationalise its estate by selling properties that are surplus to its needs or are difficult and expensive to manage.
  24
  When decisions on the aggregate funding for 1988–89 for the Welsh Development Agency and Mid Wales Development have been made, I will give priority to considering their related property development proposals.

  Job Vacancies
  Sir Raymond Gower
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many notified job vacancies there were in Wales, in South Glamorgan and in the area of the Vale of Glamorgan borough council at the latest convenient date; and if he will make a statement regarding job opportunities in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The number of vacancies notified to Jobcentres and careers offices in Wales on 2 October 1987 were 15,640 and 342 respectively. Figures are not available at district local authority area level, but the corresponding figures for South Glamorgan are 1,888 and 67 respectively.

  Therapists
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by each Welsh health district, the numbers of(a) speech therapists, (b) occupational therapists and (c) physiotherapists employed; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on the number of whole-time equivalents as at 30 September is given in the following table:

  Further and Higher Education Trades Unions
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next proposes meeting representatives of further and higher education trades unions to discuss the proposals for reform of the further education and higher education structure in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has received the views of the further and higher education trades unions in response to the consultation paper on maintained further and higher education in Wales; and these have been fully considered.

  Roads
  Sir Raymond Gower
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many miles of motorway and major roads within the responsibility of his Department were completed during each of the past five years.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information is as follows:
  25

  Miles

  1982

  9·2

  1983

  12·5

  1984

  16·6

  1985

  16·7

  1986

  9·6

  19871

  13·1

  1 To 30 November.

  Clwyd

  East Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Pembrokeshire

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  1983

  General Medicine

  201·5

  113·4

  280·9

  125·3

  332·1

  55·4

  —

  254·1

  231·0

  General Surgery

  269·6

  188·5

  277·1

  156·9

  339·1

  70·9

  —

  259·0

  266·6

  Other non-psychiatric acute

  928·1

  439·6

  957·1

  388·1

  1,175·0

  137·7

  241·5

  1,351·0

  952·6

  Geriatric

  576·0

  393·5

  632·0

  399·6

  828·5

  139·3

  248·0

  458·1

  464·4

  Younger disabled

  —

  —

  —

  8·2

  19·0

  —

  —

  1·8

  15·6

  Maternity1

  162·3

  62·0

  170·8

  79·5

  242·0

  40·0

  40·0

  152·8

  157·8

  Mantal Illness2

  720·8

  602·8

  933·0

  —

  1,268·3

  —

  345·5

  663·3

  374·1

  Mental Handicap

  92·0

  69·0

  440·5

  356·0

  519·0

  32·0

  213·3

  427·0

  134·8

  Total

  2,950·3

  1,868·8

  3,691·4

  1,513·6

  4,723·0

  475·3

  1,088·3

  3,567·1

  2,596·9

  1986

  General Medicine

  186·4

  129·2

  277·9

  155·1

  391·8

  61·3

  —

  234·7

  261·1

  General Surgery

  259·0

  204·4

  260·6

  165·0

  311·0

  75·8

  —

  243·1

  249·8

  Other non-psychiatric acute

  891·0

  361·3

  850·2

  398·6

  1,110·6

  129·5

  220·9

  1,273·2

  937·0

  Geriatric

  580·6

  385·5

  635·2

  425·1

  858·2

  134·5

  220·3

  463·9

  461·6

  Younger disabled

  —

  —

  —

  9·0

  7·0

  —

  —

  5·6

  11·9

  Maternity1

  134·2

  48·0

  149·8

  82·9

  232·0

  39·9

  37·0

  155·5

  149·0

  Mental Illness2

  631·0

  556·8

  930·4

  61·2

  1,131·0

  —

  328·0

  674·3

  417·8

  Mental Handicap

  86·0

  73·0

  404·7

  333·0

  456·8

  32·0

  208·2

  410·0

  85·9

  Total

  2,769·1

  1,758·2

  3,508·8

  1,629·9

  4,498·4

  473·0

  1,014·4

  3,460·3

  2,574·1

  1 Includes Obstetrics and General Practitioner Maternity.

  2 Includes Mental Illness, Mentall Illness Children, Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychogeriatric and Elderly Mentally Infirm.

  NHS (Agency Staff)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give, for each year since 1983 and for the latest available financial year, for each district health authority, regional health authority and special health authority the

  Revenue expenditure on non-NHS staff (agency etc.)

  Clwyd

  East Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Pembrokeshire

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  WHCSA

  All-Wales

  Actual expenditure£'000

  1983–84

  57·6

  —

  112·0

  44·5

  3·8

  1·7

  (1·5)

  14·1

  —

  7·9

  240·1

  1984–85

  100·3

  —

  26·0

  58·8

  35·3

  35·9

  15·0

  22·3

  3·5

  7·6

  304·7

  1985–86

  142·2

  9·4

  13·5

  62·9

  14·9

  12·2

  10·1

  49·4

  33·5

  5·7

  353·9

  1986–87

  228·8

  88·8

  17·8

  172·5

  12·7

  198·6

  14·5

  49·4

  95·1

  3·2

  881·4

  Expenditure at constant prices£'000s1

  1983–84

  65·6

  —

  127·8

  50·8

  4·3

  1·9

  (1·7)

  16·0

  —

  9·0

  273·7

  1984–85

  109·5

  —

  28·4

  64·2

  38·6

  39·2

  16·4

  24·4

  3·8

  8·3

  332·8

  1985–86

  146·5

  9·6

  13·9

  64·8

  15·3

  12·7

  10·4

  50·9

  34·5

  5·9

  364·5

  1986–87

  228·8

  88·8

  17·8

  172·5

  12·7

  198·6

  14·5

  49·4

  95·1

  3·2

  881·34

  Expenditure as a percentage of total revenue expenditure2

  1983–84

  0·09

  —

  0·13

  0·11

  —

  0·01

  —

  0·01

  —

  0·19

  0·04

  1984–85

  0·14

  —

  0·03

  0·13

  0·03

  0·24

  0·07

  0·02

  0·01

  0·17

  0·05

  1985–86

  0·19

  0·02

  0·01

  0·13

  0·01

  0·08

  0·05

  0·04

  0·04

  0·12

  0·06

  1986–87

  0·28

  0·17

  0·02

  0·34

  0·01

  1·13

  0·06

  0·04

  0·11

  0·06

  0·13

  1 Actual expenditure expressed at constant prices by revaluation to 1986–87 levels by use of the GDP deflator.

  2 Rounded to two decimal places.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for 1983 and for the latest year available the total number of hospital beds for each of the following services, broken down by district health authorities(a) general medical, (b) general surgical, (c) non-psychiatric acute, (d) geriatric, (e) maternity, (f) mental illness, (g) mentally handicapped and (h) total.

  Mr. Grist
  Information for the average daily available number of beds, is given in the table:

  total expenditure on agency staff, expressed at current prices, constant prices and as a percentage of health authority's budget.

  Mr. Grist
  The following tables set out the information requested.
  27

  Expenditure on agency staff charged to capital—WHCSA only1 Actual expenditure

  £'000

  1983–84

  65·2

  1984–85

  66·1

  1985–86

  78·8

  1986–87

  108·0

  Expenditure at constant prices2

  £'000

  1983–84

  74·3

  1984–85

  72·2

  1985–86

  81·2

  1986–87

  108·0

  Expenditure as a percentage of total capital expenditure3

  Per cent.

  1983–84

  0·13

  1984–85

  0·13

  1985–86

  0·15

  1986–87

  0·18

  Medical and Dental

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Professional2 and Technical

  Administrative and Clerical

  Ancillary

  Total non-medical Staff

  Number1

  WTE

  Number

  WTE

  Number

  WTE

  Number

  WTE

  Number

  WTE

  Number

  WTE

  Clwyd

  329

  287

  4,116

  3,671

  626

  535

  890

  779

  1,527

  1,221

  7,577

  6,614

  East Dyfed

  240

  197

  2,538

  2,170

  396

  333

  568

  517

  1,010

  795

  4,821

  4,115

  Gwent

  367

  345

  5,221

  4,354

  773

  684

  1,141

  947

  2,183

  1,562

  9,885

  8,103

  Gwynedd

  228

  165

  2,277

  2,031

  439

  367

  618

  560

  1,079

  812

  4,761

  4,116

  Mid Glamorgan

  459

  392

  5,952

  5,160

  760

  686

  1,200

  1,067

  2,680

  1,978

  11,290

  9,578

  Pembrokeshire

  84

  70

  808

  676

  127

  115

  192

  166

  310

  204

  1,522

  1,246

  Powys

  99

  32

  1,380

  1,104

  157

  117

  187

  171

  515

  372

  2,444

  1,959

  South Glamorgan

  829

  674

  5,395

  4,596

  1,459

  1,341

  1,645

  1,424

  2,427

  1,859

  11,520

  9,813

  West Glamorgan

  341

  308

  3,989

  3,425

  664

  590

  895

  798

  1,899

  1,395

  7,878

  6,636

  1 Medical and dental staff who work in more than one authority are included in the numbers of staff for each of those authorities.

  2 Excluding works staff.

  Nurses
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual rate of loss of nurses from National Health Service hospitals in Wales; in which categories of nurses have these occurred; and how this rate of loss compares with five years and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Grist
  A special study was carried out in 1986 to obtain the estimated nurse wastage rates given below. Information in not available for detailed categories of nurses or for earlier years.

  Leavers from the NHS in Wales1

  Percent

  Enrolled Nurses

  8·3

  Registered Nurses

  9·4

  1 Excluding South Glamorgan.

  I am pleased to say that there are now 5,900 more nurses in NHS hospitals than there were in 1978.

  Operations
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many operations in Welsh hospitals were
  28

  1 Figures relate to the Welsh Health Common Services Agency only—information is not available centrally on any agency staff employed by the works departments of District Health Authorities in Wales.

  2 Actual expenditure expressed at constant prices by revaluation to 1986–87 levels by use of the GDP deflator.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each district health authority and special health authority for 1986 the total number of staff expressed as the total number of staff and as whole-time equivalents in the following categories:(a) medical and dental, (b) nursing and midwifery, (c) professional and technical, (d) administrative and clerical, (e) ancillary and (f) total non-medical staff.

  Mr. Grist
  The requested information, which relates to 30 September 1986, is given in the following table:

  cancelled in the most recently available 12-month period for which information is available; and in which medical categories.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not available centrally.

  Education Policy (Official's Address)
  Mr Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the address on education policy in Wales, given to the St. David's Forum on the weekend of 28–29 November by an official of his Department, represents official Government policy.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The official said nothing which departs from Government policy.

  St. David's Forum
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department is officially represented on the St. David's Forum.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The St. David's Forum is not a representative body.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State of Wales when, pursuant to his answer of 16 November,Official Report, column 758, he will publish his statement on his response to the consultation exercise on the national curriculum.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I am today publishing a policy statement, "The National Curriculum in Wales", which sets out my policy on the implementation of the national curriculumin schools in Wales. The statement is intended to inform debate on the Education Reform Bill, now before the House, and to provide greater detail for teachers, parents and others about the Government's proposals as they affect Wales.

  Copies of the statement have been placed in the Library.

  District Health Authorities (Patient Treatment)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each district health authority(a) the total numbers of people waiting for treatment in September 1982, (b) the total numbers of people waiting for treatment in March 1987 and (c) the percentage change represented by (b) over (a), ordering the list so that a district with the biggest increase is first and that the largest decrease is last.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: The information is given in the following table:

  Health authority

  1Waiting list

  2Waiting list

  Percentage change

  Waiting for in-patient admission

  Pembrokeshire

  1,828

  2,510

  + 37·3

  West Glamorgan

  4,294

  5,521

  + 28·6

  South Glamorgan

  6,184

  7,876

  + 27·4

  East Dyfed

  1,965

  2,335

  + 18·8

  Clwyd

  4,429

  4,959

  +12·0

  Gwynedd

  1,802

  1,971

  +9·4

  Gwent

  7,542

  7,705

  + 2·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  10,483

  8,483

  -19·1

  Powys

  100

  36

  -64·0

  Wailing for first out-patient consultation

  Powys

  279

  640

  +129·4

  Clwyd

  5,967

  8,352

  +40·0

  Gwent

  8,475

  11,749

  + 38·6

  Pembrokeshire

  1,724

  2,291

  +32·9

  Gwynedd

  3,257

  4,309

  +32·3

  East Dyfed

  4,110

  5,189

  +26·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  15,797

  16,911

  +7·1

  West Glamorgan

  14,631

  14,142

  -3·3

  South Glamorgan

  15,490

  14,381

  -7·2

  1 As at 30 September 1982.

  2 As at 31 March 1987.

  I am, however, pleased to say that the number of cases treated by the NHS in Wales has increased significantly over the same period as the following tables shows.

  In-patient cases

  1982

  1986

  Percentage change

  Clwyd

  51,512

  57,519

  +11·7

  East Dyfed

  28,110

  31,405

  +11·7

  Gwent

  55,099

  65,991

  +19·8

  Gwynedd

  31,227

  34,867

  +11·7

  Mid Glamorgan

  64,489

  80,119

  +24·2

  Pembrokeshire

  11,513

  13,186

  +14·5

  Powys

  5,847

  6,842

  +17·0

  South Glamorgan

  69,852

  81,891

  +17·2

  30

  In-patient cases

  1982

  1986

  Percentage change

  West Glamorgan

  52,583

  62,050

  +18·0

  Wales

  370,232

  433,870

  +17·2

  New Out-Patient attendances

  Clwyd

  63,908

  70,506

  +10·3

  East Dyfed

  35,137

  40,368

  +14·9

  Gwent

  62,254

  75,651

  +21·5

  Gwynedd

  34,483

  37,556

  +8·9

  Mid Glamorgan

  74,440

  80,587

  +8·3

  Pembrokeshire

  12,614

  14,217

  +12·7

  Powys

  7,815

  7,492

  -4·1

  South Glamorgan

  100,020

  109,412

  +9·4

  West Glamorgan

  57,615

  68,971

  +19·7

  Wales

  448,286

  504,760

  +12·6

EMPLOYMENT

  Waste Paper
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

  Mr. Cope
  The majority of printed material used by the Department is printed on general purpose paper, which may include an element of recycled waste.

  Supplies of British recycled paper suitable for general stationery purposes are limited and prices are uncompetitive when compared with a suitable general purpose woodfree printing paper. Currently, prices are approximately 100 per cent. more expensive.

  Waste paper acceptable for recycling purposes is collected by an authorised contractor for reprocessing.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of unemployed people in the Nottingham travel-to-work area at the latest available date.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the Nottingham travel-to-work area was 38,048.

  Tourism
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to stimulate rural tourism.

  Mr. Lee
  The English tourist board is encouraging the provision and improvement of rural tourist attractions and accommodation through its section 4 scheme of financial assistance. Further schemes of support for rural enterprise, including tourism, have also been introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Development Commission. The ETB is consulting these and other interested organisations on the preparation of a rural tourism strategy for England. This is intended to provide a framework to assist effective co-operation between the main public agencies concerned with rural tourism and to stimulate joint tourism initiatives.

  New Workers Scheme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why he is withdrawing the new workers scheme from the end of January 1988.
  31
  Mr. Lee
  Resources devoted to the new workers scheme, which does not specifically help the long-term unemployed, can be better used on other programmes provided for this priority group.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in May 1979; and what is the number currently unemployed.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom, excluding school leavers and adjusted for seasonality was 2,714,900. The corresponding figure for May 1979 was 1,152,000.

  Part-time Workers
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence he has on the effect of employment rights for part-time workers on the economic conditions for the creation of part-time jobs.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Evidence from a number of surveys indicates that some employers are reluctant to recruit additional staff because of the employment protection legislation. Although the proportions are small, they represent a significant number of employers and missed employment opportunities.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of part-time workers who currently qualify for employment rights but who would be excluded from these if the proposals in the White Paper "Building Businesses … Not Barriers" are implemented; and how many of these would be women.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not our intention to take away employment protection rights from those who currently qualify for them. Estimates of the numbers excluded in the future depend on factors such as the state of the labour market at the time. However, the latest figures available indicate that in March 1986, 313,300 people were in jobs in the categories which would be affected by the proposal to increase the part-time hours thresholds in employment protection legislation. Of these some 93 per cent. were jobs occupied by women.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now support the adoption of the European Economic Community directive on voluntary part-time work, in respect of non-discrimination between part-time and full-time employees.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. This directive would limit the flexibility which is a major attraction of part-time work for both employers and employees. It would increase employers' costs and have an adverse effect on employment.

  Restart Scheme
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been interviewed in Avon for the restart scheme in 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  Up until the end of September, 19,593 people have been interviewed in Avon under the restart programme in 1987.

  Farm Accidents
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of fatal and other accidents in farming in each category of adults and children for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Nichols
  The number of fatal and other accidents in farming in each category of adults and children for each year since 1985 is given in the table:

  1985

  First quarter 1986

  11986–87

  Fatal

  Adults: Employees

  22

  3

  21

  Self-Employed

  40

  4

  20

  Others

  6

  1

  6

  68

  8

  47

  Children: Employees

  1

  0

  1

  Others

  9

  0

  9

  Total

  10

  0

  10

  Major

  Adults: Employee

  216

  46

  382

  Self-Employed

  32

  7

  67

  Others

  20

  1

  57

  Total

  268

  54

  506

  Children: Employees

  2

  0

  3

  Others

  23

  0

  33

  Total

  25

  0

  36

  1 Fiscal Year: Provisional.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the effect on the retail prices index of the average 8·5 per cent. electricity price increase assumed by Her Majesty's Government for 1988–89; and what is his estimate of the effect on the cost of living of low-income households, in particular.

  Mr. Lee
  An average increase of 8·5 per cent. in the price of electricity would currently increase the Retail Price Idex by about 0·25 per cent.

  I have no estimate of the effect on the cost of living for low-income households.

  YTS
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the number and (b) the percentage of YTS trainees, in each London borough, for each year since the YTS began, who have obtained full-time jobs during or at the end of this period on that scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Manpower Services Commission has conducted regular follow-up surveys of all YTS leavers since April 1985. The table shows the number and
  33
  percentage of those who responded to the surveys and were in full-time jobs at the time of the surveys, for each London local authority district:

  Leavers from YTS Schemes during the periods:

  April 1985-March 1986

  April 1986-June 1987

  Number of leavers in full-time jobs

  Percentage of leavers in full-time jobs

  Number of leavers in full-time jobs

  Percentage of leavers in full-time jobs

  Harrow

  183

  68

  205

  76

  Brent

  188

  47

  107

  48

  Enfield

  209

  65

  250

  64

  Barnet

  140

  66

  75

  77

  Harringey

  120

  53

  70

  43

  Camden

  279

  66

  93

  59

  Westminster

  348

  72

  274

  80

  Lambeth

  271

  58

  267

  58

  Southwark

  185

  46

  260

  51

  Lewisham

  110

  53

  207

  64

  Greenwich

  167

  50

  197

  58

  Bromley

  361

  67

  445

  70

  Bexley

  304

  59

  415

  68

  Croydon

  317

  65

  363

  71

  City of London

  303

  77

  197

  77

  Islington

  123

  49

  310

  57

  Hackney

  99

  56

  72

  40

  Tower Hamlets

  124

  49

  181

  48

  Newham

  163

  57

  199

  56

  Barking

  166

  50

  251

  67

  Havering

  279

  63

  386

  68

  Redbridge

  367

  66

  418

  77

  Waltham Forest

  190

  57

  219

  60

  Kensington and Chelsea

  50

  53

  40

  63

  Hammersmith

  81

  58

  95

  57

  Hillingdon

  135

  59

  246

  63

  Ealing

  208

  65

  174

  63

  Hounslow

  268

  68

  340

  80

  Richmond upon Thames

  99

  79

  58

  81

  Kingston upon Thames

  106

  75

  150

  75

  Sutton

  151

  73

  236

  72

  Merton

  88

  55

  168

  69

  Wandsworth

  126

  44

  83

  57

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British Caledonian (Proposed SAS Purchase)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to refer any proposed purchase of shares by SAS in British Caledonian to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State announced on 3 December that he had decided not to refer this proposal to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. His decision was in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Electronic Rentals (Granada Television Takeover)
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will refer the proposed takeover by Granada Television of Electronic Rentals to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Maude
  The proposed ac quisition of Electronic Rentals Group plc by Granada plc is being considered by the Director General of Fair Trading. My right hon. and 34
  noble Friend will make his decision whether to refer the proposed acquisition to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in the light of the Director General's advice.

  Customs Procedures
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes to customs procedures will be introduced from January 1988; and what their effect will be on figures of imports and exports.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The two main elements of the changes are the introduction of the "single administrative document" for freight declaration and an extensively revised tariff and statistical classification based on a new "harmonised system" of commodity classification. The SAD is being introduced at the same time in all European community countries and the HS is expected to be adopted worldwide by most major trading countries. The SAD will reduce the administrative burden on traders; in the United Kingdom alone it will replace 27 existing forms. It is an important step in the creation of a single Community market. The HS is a more up-to-date and useful classification of goods than the present one. It is more detailed and will improve international comparisons of visible trade statistics.

  In the first few months of 1988, some traders may be relatively unfamiliar with the new procedures and system

  35
  of classification. The visible trade statistics, which are derived from freight declaration documents, may suffer a temporary drop in quality — especially at the more detailed commodity levels. Users of visible trade statistics will, where possible, be advised if there are major effects on the figures.

  However, I am sure that all British exporters and their agents, and importers, will co-operate in ensuring a smooth introduction of these quite radical changes—the primary purpose of which is to facilitate trade. The Department of Trade and Industry and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have been involved in an extensive awareness and training programme with trade associations and organisations — and will continue to help traders with questions about the impact of these changes.

  An article in British Business of 27 November provides more details of the changes and their likely effects. A copy is available in the Library.

  Mergers and Takeovers
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will make a statement on the proposals submitted by the Commission of the Common Market on a requirement that Commission approval be required for mergers and takeovers of large United Kingdom companies; and what was the outcome of the meeting on 30 November when this proposal was discussed;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 30 November in relation to the preparation of a directive to give the Commission powers on the control of mergers;

  (3) why he concurred with the Commission proposal on the preparation of the directive designed to give the Commission powers over mergers and takeovers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The proposed EC regulation on the control of concentrations (the "merger control" regulation) was discussed at the Internal Market Council on 30 November, where I represented the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom reserved its position on the principle of such a regulation, indicating that it had substantial difficulties with the proposal.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under what powers the European Economic Community Commission is seeking to initiate a court action on their jurisdiction over mergers and takeovers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The EC Commission has indicated that it may seek to apply articles 85 and 86 of the treaty of Rome to mergers.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department is treating the proposed directive on mergers as one which falls to be considered by majority vote at the EEC Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The proposed EC regulation on the control of concentrations (draft merger control regulation) is based on articles 87 and 235 of the treaty of Rome. Its adoption would therefore require unanimous agreement of the Council of Ministers.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what information he has as to what percentage of the original six members of the European Economic Community's imports of manufactured goods came from the United Kingdom in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable percentage in 1972;

  (2) what percentage of the United Kingdom's imports of manufactured goods came from the original six members of the European Economic Community in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable percentage in 1972.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is in the table.

  Share of United Kingdom imports from EC(6)

  Share of EC(6) imports from United Kingdom

  per cent.

  per cent.

  1972

  34

  6·1

  1986

  49

  7·1

  12 months to October 1987

  48

  ֵ

  ֵ Not available. The share in the 12 months ending March 1987 is estimated to be 7·2 per cent.

  Sources: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics, OECD.

  Accountancy Firms (EC Directive)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the draft directive relating to outside investment in accountancy firms; when the directive will be considered by the Council of Ministers; and if his Department is treating this proposal as one which falls to be considered by majority vote under the Single European Act.

  Mr. Maude
  The eighth company law directive, which has been adopted, sets conditions for shareholdings in incorporated firms of auditors: I shall make an announcement later this week of the Government's proposals for implementing this directive.

  Girobank
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of(a) the turnover of Girobank and (b) the profits of Girobank is derived from (i) social security payments and (ii) other Government transactions; and if he will express the figures in cash terms.

  Mr. Butcher
  The information requested is commercially confidential to Girobank, as with any other bank.

SCOTLAND

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to respond to the Countryside Commission for Scotland's report "Forestry in Scotland"; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Countryside Commission for Scotland has not sought a formal, public response from the Government at this stage. Discussions are, however, continuing at official level.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of Scottish gross domestic product in the calendar year 1986 was represented by identifiable public expenditure in Scotland in the financial year 1986–87.

  Mr. Lang
  Identifiable public expenditure in Scotland in the financial year 1986–87 was 48 per cent of the estimated Scottish gross domestic product at factor cost in the calendar year 1986.

  Devolution
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further representations, pursuant to his statement of 23 November,Official Report, column 45, he has received from Scottish industry and commerce about the implications of a devolved assembly with tax-raising powers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I receive frequent representations from industry and commerce expressing concern on this score.

  Specialty

  Scotland

  Argyll and Clyde

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Borders

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Fife

  Forth Valley

  Grampian

  Greater Glasgow

  Highland

  Lanarkshire

  Lothian

  Orkney

  Shetland

  Tayside

  Western Isles

  1983

  General medicine

  4,912

  357

  266

  63

  87

  175

  200

  431

  1,229

  216

  408

  1,014

  —

  18

  421

  26

  General surgery

  3,789

  361

  248

  67

  124

  170

  151

  296

  780

  221

  388

  519

  41

  44

  343

  36

  Other non-psychiatric acute specialties1

  12,208

  681

  617

  203

  246

  568

  388

  1,200

  3,219

  421

  1,104

  2,245

  18

  —

  1,277

  22

  Geriatric

  10,401

  982

  683

  235

  322

  600

  565

  978

  2,125

  388

  966

  1,429

  51

  87

  885

  105

  Maternity

  2,664

  244

  213

  32

  73

  145

  149

  256

  522

  116

  252

  402

  12

  11

  220

  17

  Mental illness

  16,466

  1,448

  775

  296

  664

  877

  868

  1,617

  3,832

  686

  1,722

  2,096

  —

  —

  1,582

  2

  Mental handicap

  6,479

  327

  116

  32

  24

  478

  1,125

  707

  1,454

  241

  613

  773

  —

  —

  588

  —

  Young Chronic Sick

  376

  39

  —

  —

  —

  14

  —

  —

  193

  1

  38

  46

  9

  —

  36

  —

  Total

  57,295

  4,438

  2,918

  928

  1,540

  3,026

  3,446

  5,486

  13,355

  2,290

  5,491

  8,522

  131

  160

  5,354

  210

  1984

  General medicine

  4,869

  354

  271

  66

  82

  174

  185

  444

  1,210

  205

  412

  1,000

  —

  18

  421

  27

  General surgery

  3,797

  360

  250

  69

  124

  182

  146

  310

  749

  226

  386

  534

  44

  45

  337

  35

  Other non-psychiatric acute specialties1

  12,068

  679

  694

  198

  252

  567

  394

  1,198

  3,163

  379

  1,068

  2,176

  15

  —

  1,263

  22

  Geriatric

  10,700

  984

  704

  240

  326

  647

  601

  1,026

  2,206

  414

  971

  1,450

  52

  87

  886

  105

  Maternity

  2,633

  246

  203

  33

  69

  145

  146

  257

  521

  117

  237

  401

  12

  11

  219

  17

  Mental illness

  16,500

  1,474

  818

  292

  662

  959

  868

  1,629

  3,793

  692

  1,680

  2,091

  —

  —

  1,540

  2

  Mental handicap

  6,255

  310

  119

  33

  27

  475

  1,096

  711

  1,331

  241

  613

  753

  —

  —

  547

  —

  Young Chronic Sick

  394

  38

  —

  —

  —

  12

  —

  20

  193

  3

  38

  46

  9

  —

  36

  —

  Total

  57,216

  4,445

  3,059

  931

  1,542

  3,161

  3,436

  5,595

  13,166

  2,277

  5,404

  8,451

  132

  161

  5,248

  208

  1985

  General medicine

  4,897

  360

  272

  70

  88

  174

  182

  454

  1,221

  201

  431

  993

  —

  18

  404

  27

  General surgery

  3,715

  351

  239

  69

  124

  170

  141

  313

  763

  212

  367

  531

  42

  43

  316

  35

  Other non-psychiatric acute specialties1

  11,761

  670

  660

  195

  262

  541

  399

  1,195

  3,085

  361

  968

  2,122

  15

  —

  1,266

  23

  Geriatric

  10,690

  981

  708

  241

  326

  673

  613

  1,010

  2,193

  402

  976

  1,444

  52

  84

  880

  108

  Maternity

  2,563

  241

  191

  30

  70

  135

  139

  255

  523

  115

  211

  393

  12

  11

  221

  17

  Mental illness

  16,307

  1,457

  810

  289

  633

  972

  868

  1,599

  3,718

  684

  1,685

  2,087

  —

  —

  1,503

  1

  Mental handicap

  6,016

  316

  121

  33

  29

  475

  1,066

  713

  1,211

  238

  613

  664

  —

  —

  536

  —

  Young Chronic Sick

  386

  39

  —

  —

  —

  12

  —

  20

  193

  5

  30

  46

  9

  —

  32

  —

  Total

  56,334

  4,415

  3,001

  927

  1,531

  3,152

  3,407

  5,558

  12,907

  2,220

  5,283

  8,279

  129

  157

  5,158

  211

  1986

  General medicine

  4,900

  373

  271

  77

  84

  174

  176

  454

  1,248

  191

  424

  966

  —

  22

  413

  27

  General surgery

  3,647

  340

  229

  72

  125

  181

  147

  308

  766

  199

  360

  500

  43

  40

  301

  35

  Other non-psychiatric acute specialties1

  11,523

  672

  637

  195

  268

  559

  403

  1,194

  2,932

  353

  966

  2,059

  15

  —

  1,249

  23

  Geriatric

  10,889

  977

  716

  241

  329

  701

  631

  1,039

  2,229

  405

  1,008

  1,486

  52

  87

  879

  110

  Maternity

  2,436

  239

  190

  32

  65

  135

  131

  252

  505

  107

  203

  318

  12

  11

  218

  17

  Mental illness

  16,029

  1,424

  809

  288

  598

  1,026

  862

  1,607

  3,609

  655

  1,576

  2,077

  —

  —

  1,497

  1

  Mental handicap

  5,948

  303

  122

  33

  38

  475

  1,066

  702

  1,210

  233

  592

  637

  —

  —

  536

  —

  Young Chronic Sick

  385

  39

  —

  —

  —

  12

  —

  20

  193

  6

  34

  46

  9

  —

  27

  —

  Total

  55,757

  4,367

  2,974

  939

  1,507

  3,262

  3,417

  5,575

  12,691

  2,149

  5,164

  8,089

  131

  160

  5,120

  212

  1987

  General medicine

  4,917

  386

  269

  80

  85

  173

  174

  449

  1,255

  190

  426

  969

  —

  22

  412

  27

  General surgery

  3,613

  335

  226

  74

  122

  184

  149

  301

  767

  196

  361

  492

  42

  38

  293

  35

  Other non-psychiatric acute specialties1

  11,365

  621

  634

  194

  266

  562

  403

  1,189

  2,882

  356

  950

  2,027

  17

  —

  1,242

  23

  38
  Any higher tax burden in Scotland, or even the threat of it, would inevitably have an adverse effect on Scottish industry and commerce and, consequently, on employment. These fears were very much in evidence in the responses to the recent survey of industry and commerce conducted by the Scottish Conservative party.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1983 the total number of hospital beds for each of the following services broken down by health board:(a) general medical (b) general surgical, (c) non-psychiatric acute, (d) geriatric, (e) maternity, (f) mental illness, (g) mentally handicapped and (h) total.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The average available staffed beds in the specialty groupings requested in all NHS hospitals in each health board are set out in the table. Data relate to the year ending 30 September in each case except for 1987 which is the year ending 31 March.
  39

  Specialty

  Scotland

  Argyll and Clyde

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Borders

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Fife

  Forth Valley

  Grampian

  Greater Glasgow

  Highland

  Lanarkshire

  Lothian

  Orkney

  Shetland

  Tayside

  Western Isles

  Geriatric

  10,961

  973

  709

  241

  329

  703

  634

  1,040

  2,229

  425

  1,032

  1,512

  52

  87

  881

  113

  Maternity

  2,388

  238

  187

  33

  65

  134

  126

  245

  494

  106

  200

  304

  11

  11

  218

  17

  Mental illness

  15,820

  1,430

  805

  288

  584

  1,046

  857

  1,570

  3,549

  655

  1,469

  2,066

  —

  —

  1,501

  1

  Mental handicap

  5,888

  290

  120

  34

  42

  475

  1,066

  699

  1,191

  233

  571

  631

  —

  —

  536

  —

  Young Chronic Sick

  385

  39

  —

  —

  —

  12

  —

  20

  193

  5

  34

  46

  9

  —

  27

  —

  Total

  55,338

  4,312

  2,951

  944

  1,493

  3,290

  3,410

  5,513

  12,559

  2,165

  5,042

  8,047

  131

  158

  5,109

  216

  1 Other acute specialties, including supra-area specialites and special categories.

  Note: Components may not sum exactly to totals due to rounding.

  NHS (Agency Staff)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will give, for each year since 1983 and for each health

  Expenditure by Health Boards on Agency etc.1 Staff

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Health Boards

  As in accounts

  As converted to 1986–87 prices2

  As proportion of gross recurrent expenditure3

  As in accounts

  As converted to 1986–87 prices2

  As proportion of gross recurrent expenditure3

  As in accounts

  As converted to 1986–87 prices2

  As proportion of gross recurrent expenditure3

  As in accounts

  As proportion of gross recurrent expenditure3

  £'000

  £'000

  per cent.

  £'000

  £'000

  per cent.

  £'000

  £'000

  per cent.

  £'000

  per cent.

  Argyll and Clyde

  141

  161

  0·16

  185

  202

  0·20

  1

  1

  —

  23

  0·20

  Ayr and Arran

  9

  10

  0·01

  —

  —

  —

  12

  12

  0·02

  10

  0·01

  Borders

  224

  255

  1·26

  265

  289

  1·39

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  2,035

  2,321

  1·90

  2,182

  2,383

  1·90

  2,583

  2,661

  2·10

  3,151

  2·39

  Greater Glasgow

  555

  633

  -0·17

  666

  727

  0·19

  1,557

  1,604

  0·42

  1,994

  0·52

  Highland

  109

  124

  0·24

  116

  127

  0·24

  122

  126

  0·24

  31

  0·05

  Lanarkshire

  264

  301

  0·27

  195

  213

  0·18

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian

  4,657

  5,311

  2·36

  5,830

  6,368

  2·79

  3,706

  3,818

  1·68

  6,347

  2·65

  Orkney

  21

  24

  0·66

  27

  29

  0·78

  25

  26

  0·69

  37

  0·93

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  18

  20

  0·41

  40

  41

  0·86

  51

  1·03

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  8,015

  9,140

  0·66

  9,484

  10,358

  0·73

  8,046

  8,289

  0·58

  11,644

  0·79

  1 Includes staff supplied by private sector agencies, other casual staff not on NHS payrolls. University staff in teaching hospitals and payments to non NHS hospitals with contractual arrangements with health boards.

  2 Using Gross Domestic Product Deflator.

  3 Minimal percentage figures (ie too small to register as 0·01 per cent. have not been shown.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1983 and for each health board the total number of staff as whole-time equivalents in the following categories:(a) medical and dental, (b) nursing and midwifery, (c) professional and technical, (d) administrative and clerical, (e) ancillary and (f) total non-medical staff.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is published each year in "Scottish Health Statistics", copies of which are held in the Library.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has had discussions with the National Farmers Union (Scotland) on the introduction of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  A meeting took place on 16 March between the then Scottish Office Minister for local government and the environment and the National Farmers Union of Scotland about the effect of the community charge proposals on agriculture.
  40
  board, the total expenditure on agency staff, expressed at current prices, constant prices and as a percentage of each health authority's budget.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information available is contained in the table:

  Mental Health
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of a general practitioner's surgery time is devoted to matters attributable to mental health issues.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available.

  Glue Ear
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why the waiting time for an operation for children with glue ear in the Greater Glasgow health board area has risen from 45 days in 1985 to eight or ten months now.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest information on waiting times held centrally relates to 1985. I invite the hon. Member to ask the chairman of Greater Glasgow health board whether he can provide more recent information and the underlying reasons for the current position.

  Social Work Services Group
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the role of his Department's social work services group; and if he has any plans to review its effectiveness;
  41
  (2) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with delinquency have been published by the social work services group;

  (3) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with alcohol abuse have been published by the social work services group;

  (4) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with drug problems have been published by the social work services group;

  (5) what has been the published contribution of the social work services group to policy development for the mentally handicapped;

  (6) what has been the published contribution of the social work services group to policy development of community services for the mentally ill;

  (7) what has been the published contribution of the social work services group to the development of policy initiatives for 16 to 21-year-old offenders;

  (8) what has been the published contribution of the social work services group to the development of policy intiatives for the care of the elderly in the community.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The main function of the group is to advise and support Ministers in the exercise of the responsibilities laid upon my right hon. and learned Friend by the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and related legislation and to implement policy decisions taken by Ministers. Some adjustments were made to the internal organisation of the group following an efficiency review undertaken in 1985. Copies of the report on the review were placed in the library. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans meantime to undertake a further review.

  I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible on the question of publications.

  Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987
  Mr. Millan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give statistics, by direct court area, of the use made to date by procurators fiscal of the powers granted to them in section 56 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No use has been made by procurators fiscal of the powers contained in section 56 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987. This section will not be brought into force until 1 January 1988.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Lanarkshire People newspaper is not in the list of those newspapers in which his Department intends to advertise on the community charge.

  Mr. Lang
  The campaign did not cover every Scottish newspaper since there are overlaps in circulation areas. The selection of newspapers for this advertisement was designed to ensure effective coverage in Lanarkshire, as elsewhere, within reasonable cost and I believe that that objective has been achieved.

  Agricultural Holdings
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals to bring forward legislation in the present Session to consolidate the legislation relating to agricultural holdings in Scotland.
  42
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Progress is being made with the consolidation, but it may not be possible to introduce legislation in the present Session.

  Latin
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of implementing standard grade Latin in schools.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  To date some £2,500 has been spent by central Government on the preparation and distribution of curricular material to support standard grade Latin. The allocation of resources within schools is a matter for education authorities.

  Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which schools are taking part in the pilot standard grade examinations of 1986 and the limited trials of the investigative element of 1987 had begun Latin from scratch at the beginning of school year three.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Of the 10 schools which participated in the trial examination in standard grade Latin in 1986, none started Latin in S3 although two schools had courses of only one period a week in S2. Fifteen schools participated in 1987. One candidate took the optional investigative element. That candidate began Latin prior to S3.

  Common Illnesses (Hospital Admissions)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which are the 10 most common illnesses for which patients are admitted to National Health Service hospitals for more than seven days in(a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 November 1987]: The information, based on the three digit codes from the international classification of diseases, ninth revision, for all acute hospitals in Scotland and in Greater Glasgow health board for 1985, the latest available year, is set out in the Table. Information is not available on a constituency basis.

  (a) Scotland

  1. Acute myocardial infarction.

  2. Acute but ill-defined cerebrovascular disease.

  3. Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung.

  4. Fracture of neck of femur.

  5. Heart failure.

  6. Cataract.

  7. Osteoarthrosis and allied disorder.

  8. Other forms of chronic ischaemic heart disease.

  9. Chronic airways obstruction, not elsewhere classified.

  10. Other symptoms involving abdomen and pelvis.

  (b) Greater Glasgow

  1. Acute myocardial infarction.

  2. Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung.

  3. Cataract.

  4. Other forms of chronic ischaemic heart disease.

  5. Fracture of neck of femur.

  6. Acute but ill-defined cerebrovascular disease.

  7. Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory polyarthropathies.

  8. Heart failure.

  9. Other symptoms involving abdomen and pelvis.

  10. Chronic airways obstruction, not elsewhere classified.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which are the 10 most common illnesses for which patients
  43
  are admitted for more than seven days into National Health Service hospitals in (a) Scotland, (b) the Clydesdale area and (c) Lanark.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 November 1987]: The information, based on the three digit codes from the international classification of diseases, ninth revision, for all acute hospitals in Scotland and in Lanarkshire health board for 1985, the latest available year, is set out in the table. Information is not available on a constituency basis.

  (a) Scotland

  1. Acute myocardial infarction

  2. Acute but ill-defined cerebrovascular disease

  3. Malignant neoplasms of trachea, bronchus and lung

  4. Fracture of neck of femur

  5. Heart failure

  6. Cataract

  7. Osteoarthrosis and allied disorders

  8. Other forms of chronic ischaemic heart disease

  9. Chronic airways obstruction, not classified elsewhere

  10. Other symptoms involving abdomen and pelvis

  (b) Lanarkshire

  1. Acute myocardial infarction

  £ million

  Capital

  Percentage of total

  Recurrent

  Percentage of total

  Total

  1979–80

  109·9

  6·3

  1,642·2

  93·7

  1,752·1

  1980–81

  93·6

  5·0

  1,774·6

  95·0

  1,868·2

  1981–82

  121·6

  6·3

  1,820·9

  93·7

  1,942·5

  1982–83

  123·8

  6·3

  1,841·7

  93·7

  1,965·5

  1983–84

  123·3

  6·1

  1,881·7

  93·9

  2,005·0

  1984–85

  128·9

  6·3

  1,930·4

  93·7

  2,059·3

  1985–86

  136·1

  6·6

  1,921·3

  93·4

  2,057·4

  1986–87

  116·2

  5·5

  2,009·9

  94·5

  2,126·1

  1987–88

  118·0

  5·3

  2,106·2

  94·7

  2,224·0

  The figures given are for gross expenditure expressed in 1986–87 cost terms, using GDP deflator factors. The figures for 1987–88 are estimated.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fish Diseases
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow) of 16 November,Official Report, column 432, when he hopes to bring gyrodactylus salaris within the control provisions of the Diseases of Fish Act 1937; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  A statutory instrument under section 13 of the Diseases of Fish Act 1937 (as amended) will be laid before Parliament shortly.

  Sewage Sludge
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the dumping of sewage sludge by the Wessex and Welsh water authorities off the coast of Devon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have been asked to reply.

  None, except for recent correspondence from my hon. Friend about the quality of bathing waters on the north Devon coast. I understand that current sludge disposal
  44

  2. Acute but ill-defined cerebrovascular disease

  3. Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung

  4. Heart failure

  5. Other symptons involving abdomen and pelvis

  6. Cholelithiasis

  7. Other and unspecified disorders of back

  8. Fracture of neck of femur

  9. Cataract

  10. Diabetes mellitus

  Health Service (Expenditure)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of expenditure in real terms in the Scottish Health Service annually since 1979, indicating what proportion of that expenditure relates to(a) wage inflation, (b) debt charges and (c) committed capital expenditure.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 2 December 1987]: The information is not available in the form requested. I have listed in the table gross capital and recurrent expenditure on the NHS in Scotland in real terms since 1979–80.

  operations in the Bristol channel 11 miles north of Ilfracombe have no measurable effect on bathing water quality in north Devon.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Leicestershire (Capital Projects)
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list with the dates any significant capital projects his Department intends to commence in the next five years in the borough of Oadby and Wigston;

  (2) if he will list with the dates those sigificant capital projects his Department intends to commence in the next five years in the district of Harborough.

  Mrs. Currie
  No major National Health Service capital schemes are planned for these boroughs although, of course, recent major developments and future agreed developments in Leicestershire will benefit their residents. These developments include Glenfield general hospital phase I (official opened by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent in March 1986) and phase II (building work started in May 1987) and phase 4B at Leicester royal infirmary (building work started in October 1987) totalling in excess of £60 million between them. The Department does not hold details of schemes costing under £1 million and my hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of the Leicestershire district health authority for this information.

  AIDS
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria he uses when deciding on the scale of resources to be made available to(a) health authorities for treatment and (b) the Health Education Authority for educational work in connection with AIDS over the next five years.

  Mr. Newton
  It is for health authorities to provide treatment services for AIDS and AIDS-related illnesses from within their general allocations. Where additional funds have been made available specifically to help meet AIDS treatment costs they have been directed to those regions carrying the heaviest case loads. Decisions will be made shortly on general allocations to health authorities for 1988–89 and on the allocation of earmarked money for AIDS-related services. Allocations are made on an annual basis and the costs of AIDS treatment services will be kept under reveiw.

  Resources allocated to the Health Education Authority for AIDS public education in 1987–88 cover the costs of the operational plan based on the authority's initial AIDS strategy agreed by Ministers. Future funding will take account of the need to sustain levels of knowledge among the general public; to provide effective support to health professionals; and to provide specific information and advice for groups at particular risk.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any extra resources will be made available to local authorities arising from the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent announcement and the increase in incidence of AIDS.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) on 24 November at column 130.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest information about the(a) concentration and (b) contagiousness of the human immunovirus as found in the saliva of carriers.

  Mr. Newton
  I am advised that the human immunodeficiency virus can sometimes be detected in saliva of infected individuals. Precise quantification of this virus in saliva in those individuals in which it is present has not been performed. There is no evidence that saliva from a HIV-infected person is capable of being infectious to humans.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the amount of money devoted currently and cumulatively to research work on AIDS in the United Kingdom; and what equivalent information he has for France, Germany and the United States of America.

  Mr. Newton
  It is estimated that expenditure on Government-funded research on AIDS in the United Kingdom in 1987–88 will be £10·5 million. Expenditure for the financial years 1984–85 to 1987–88 inclusive is estimated to total 13·8 million.

  Information on the amount spent on AIDS research by non-governmental organisations in the United Kingdom is not available; nor are totals of Government and non-government expenditure in France, Germany and the United States of America.

  Dentist's Prescribing Patterns
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures are currently adopted if a dentist's prescribing patterns are considered to be excessively high.

  Mrs. Currie
  Responsibility for the monitoring of prescribing in general practice rests with the Dental Estimates Board. If the board considers a dentist's prescribing to be substantially out of line with that of his colleagues, it carries out an investigation. This may include arranging for an examination of the dentist's patients by the Department's dental reference service. If evidence of abuse is found, or the dentist is considered to be in breach of his terms of service, the board may initiate disciplinary action in accordance with the appropriate regulations; this was done in 399 cases in 1986–87.

  Income Support
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to introduce a linking rule, as for existing benefit entitlements, to ensure that after April 1988 transitional protection is not lost after very short periods of loss of entitlement to income support.

  Mr. Scott
  We have already provided a linking rule for transitional additions. Normal transitional additions of £10 or more will not cease as a result of loss of entitlement to income support for a period of eight weeks or less, eight weeks being the normal linking period for socal security benefits. This rule also applies to special transitional additions — the protection against loss of domestic assistance additional requirements–of any amount.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why the Government have refused to index-link the transitional protection given to disabled people, presently on benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Protection in cash terms is the normal way to give protection when benefit rules are changed. However, the special transitional addition which will be payable to disabled people in receipt of high amounts of the domestic assistance addition will be index-linked. We will also be monitoring the position of those people in receipt of other transitional additions.

  Bradwell Hospital (Domestic Contract)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will establish an inquiry into the decision by North Staffordshire district health authority to award a domestic contract at the new Bradwell hospital, Newcastle under Lyme, to ISC Initial, following agreement that Initial could correct various omissions and mistakes in its tender after the closing date for tenders;

  (2) if he will establish an inquiry into the awarding of a domesic contract at the new Bradwell hospital, Newcastle under Lyme, to ISC Initial, in relation to observance by the authority of paragraph 11·1 of its conditions of tender;

  (3) if he will establish an inquiry into the awarding of a domestic contract at the new Bradwell hospital,

  47
  Newcastle under Lyme, to ISC Initial, in relation to the authority's observance of paragraphs 2.2, 6.2 and 8.5 of its conditions of tender.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that both tenders for this contract were given the opportunity to clarify their 48
  documentations after the closing date for tenders. However the award of contracts is a matter for health authorities and the hon. Member may therefore wish to to write to the chairman of the North Staffordshire district health authority for further detailed information.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Sheppey General Hospital
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he will make a decision about the Sheppey general hospital;

  (2) what has been the context of representations received about Sheppey general hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  Medway health authority has made proposals for changes in the pattern of health care provision in Swale for the next five years, involving seven hospitals in the district, including services at Sheppey general hospital. Following formal objection by the Medway community health council, the proposals have recently been referred to Ministers for decision and we are giving them careful consideration. In the meantime Medway health authority found it necessary to close the in-patient obstetric and gynaecology beds at Sheppey general hospital on an urgent temporary basis from 1 August, because of continuing staffing difficulties. The final decision on the future services will however be considered as part of the Swale proposals. Representations have been received from hon. Members and members of the public about both the Swale proposals and the closure of beds at Sheppey general hospital.

  Children (Intensive Care)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, by each health district, the amount spent on intensive care for children in 1979 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret the information requested is not collected centrally.

  Abortions
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list each licensed private clinic with the number of abortions performed in each in 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  For the list of approved places in England, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 26 October, at columns 170–75. Information on the number of abortions performed in any individual approved place is not released, for reasons of maintaining confidentiality.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions in the past 10 years an abortion has been refused by a private clinic, licensed by his Department, on the grounds that it did not comply with the statutory grounds listed in the Abortion Act 1967.

  Mr. Newton
  Pregnancy advice bureaux are required to maintain registers which show, inter alia, whether or not women are referred for abortion. These registers, which are inspected by the Department's investigative officers in the course of their inspection visits, show that in some cases women do not proceed to abortion because the grounds of the Abortion Act are not satisfied. As there is no requirement for such cases to be notified, this information is not collected centrally.
  50
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the grounds on which abortion is available(a) in France after 10 weeks, and (b) in Italy after 12 weeks.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand that the position is as follows:

  (a) France — The law provides for abortion after 10 weeks if the continuing pregnancy will place the health of the woman in grave danger or if there is a strong probability that the child will suffer from a particularly serious condition recognised to be incurable.

  (b) Italy—Italian law permits abortion after 90 days if her continuing pregnancy would endanger the woman's life or her physical or mental health, for example because of the risk of fetal abnormality.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to(a) the maximum number of weeks pregnancy within which an abortion may legally be performed, and (b) the grounds on which legal abortion is available, in (i) Austria, (ii) Bulgaria, (iii) Finland, (iv) the German Democratic Republic, (v) Hungary, (vi) Norway, (vii) Poland, (viii) Sweden, (ix) Switzerland, (x) Turkey, and (xi) Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand that the position is as follows:

  Austria

  1. Up to 12 weeks gestation the law allows abortion on demand, providing the woman first visits a medical counselling panel.

  2. After 12 weeks gestation abortion is allowed:

  (i) if it is necessary to avert a grave danger of the pregnant woman's life or serious damage to her physical or mental health;

  (ii) if there is a grave danger that the child's mental or physical health will be seriously damaged;

  (iii) if the woman was a minor at the time of conception.

  3. There is no gestational age beyond which all abortions become illegal.

  Bulgaria
  Abortion is allowed on demand up to 10 weeks gestation for married women with two or more living children, married women over 40 with one living child, unmarried women of any age and in the case of rape or incest.

  Finland

  Abortion is allowed:

  1. Up to 12 weeks gestation when:

  (i) domestic circumstances are such that caring for the child would be a great strain on the mother;

  (ii) when conception takes place in certain specified circumstances, such as rape;

  (iii) when either or both parents is unfit, through illness or otherwise to look after the child.

  2. Up to 20 weeks gestation when the mother was under 17 or over 40 at the time of conception or had already borne four children.

  3. Up to 24 weeks gestation where there are reasons to believe that the child will be feeble minded or physically unhealthy.

  4. At any gestational age when the continued pregnancy or childbirth would endanger the life or damage the health of the mother.

  Hungary

  1. Abortion is legally available on demand up to 12 weeks gestation (or 18 weeks in the case of a single mother).

  2. Beyond this, individual cases are considered on their merits by a committee which normally includes the woman's GP. This committee takes into account the mother's health, marital status, number of children, previous abortions etc. 24 weeks is the latest gestational period normally considered by the committee but in exceptional cases a later abortion might he permitted.

  51
  Norway

  The law permits abortion:

  1. Up to 12 weeks gestation on demand.

  2. Up to 18 weeks on the following statutorily defined grounds:

  (i) if the pregnancy, birth or care of the child may result in unreasonable strain upon the physical or mental health of the woman;

  (ii) if the pregnancy, birth or care of the child may place the woman in a difficult life situation;

  (iii) if there is a major risk that the child may suffer from a serious disease as a result of its genotype or disease or harmful influence during pregnancy;

  (iv) if the woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest;

  (v) if the woman is severely mentally ill or mentally retarded.

  3. After 18 weeks abortion is only permitted to save the life of the mother or if the fetus when born will not be viable.

  Poland

  1. The law allows abortion on demand up to 12 weeks gestation.

  2. At any genstational age after 12 weeks abortion is only permitted when the mother's health is at risk or when the fetus develops abnormally.

  Sweden

  1. Abortion is allowed on demand up to 12 weeks gestation.

  2. Between 12 and 18 weeks abortion on demand is still available but must be preceded by a special investigation which includes counselling.

  3. After 18 weeks, special grounds must be shown and the permission of the Board of Health and Welfare is required. No abortions are permitted if there are grounds to suppose that the fetus is capable of surviving.

  Switzerland
  Swiss law permits abortion at any gestational age if it is performed by a qualified doctor who has taken a second opinion and when no other means is available to remove a risk to the life or health of the mother. Decisions on whether or when to terminate pregnancies are taken by doctors and it is understood that interpretation of the legislation varies considerably from Canton to Canton.

  Turkey

  1. Turkish law allows abortion on demand up to 10 weeks gestation provided there are no grounds for concern for the mother's health.

  2. After 10 weeks gestation abortion is permissible if:

  (i) the pregnancy represents or is expected to represent a threat to the mother's life;

  (ii) the pregnancy is expected to produce disabilities in the baby to be born or in future generations.

  Yugoslavia

  1. Yugoslav law allows abortion on demand up to 10 weeks gestation.

  2. Up to 20 weeks gestation abortion is allowed by permission of the Medical Commission.

  3. Exceptionally, if medical indications exist abortion may be allowed regardless of the length of gestation.

  Stockport Infirmary
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what further capital expenditure plans at Stockport infirmary by Stockport district health authority he has approved.

  Mrs. Currie
  None.

  Supplementary Benefit Offices
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what amounts were paid out by the supplementary benefit offices at Seaham and Peterlee in the form of 52
  (a) single payments and (b) urgent needs payments from (i) March 1985 to March 1986 and (ii) March 1986 to March 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information about urgent needs payments is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information about single payments is given in the table.

  1985–86 £

  11986–87 £

  Seaham

  237,886

  197,572

  Peterlee

  453,083

  417,003

  Notes: Information given is for the periods 10 April 1985 to 8 April 1986 and 9 April 1986 to 7 April 1987.

  1 The figures for 1986–87 are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures available for the cost to the United Kingdom of social security payments for non-United Kingdom nationals resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that no information is collected about social security payments to non-United Kingdom nationals resident in the United Kingdom.

  Surplus Land Sales
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Norwich, South of 26 November, whether the proceeds of the sale of surplus land by health authorities may be used to offset revenue deficits or to fund capital projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Receipts from the sale of surplus land and buildings are treated by health authorities as appropriations in aid to capital and used to offset gross capital spending.

  General Practitioner Prescriptions
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proportion of general practitioner prescriptions is paid for by National Health Service patients; what income was received from such charges by the Government in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proportion of general practitioners prescriptions would be paid by patients if the exemption categories were the same as for optical charges; what would be the estimated extra annual revenue at the current prescription charge rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Of the total number of items prescribed by general practitioners and dispensed by pharmacists in England in 1986–87, 18 per cent. attracted the standard prescription charge and a further 5 per cent. went to persons holding prepayment certificates. The total income received was about £140 million.

  If the present exemption arrangements were reduced so as to be the same as those applying to optical charges, it is estimated that around 62 per cent. of all prescription items would become chargeable and the additional revenue based upon the current prescription charge would be about £330 million.

  Staffing Requirements (Review)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the review of staffing requirements for adjudication, as requested by the Chief Adjudication Officer, has been carried out.

  Mr. Portillo
  A full review of complements of social security local offices was completed at the end of 1986 which took account of all work including adjudication falling to local offices. A total of over 4,800 additional staff has been allocated to local offices for supplementary benefit work. Adjudication work cannot be identified separately, but part of the additional resources was allocated to this task. A further review of local office staffing for adjudication work is not envisaged.

  Benefit Adjudication Officers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 19 November, what was the total numbers of disallowances of unemployment benefit for each year since 1980, shown under each heading used in the annual analysis of decisions of adjudication officers.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information available is as follows:

  Total numbers of disallowances in Great Britain

  Reasons fur disallowance

  1980

  1981

  All questions

  949,477

  892,198

  Days of unemployment

  Total numbers of disallowances in Great Britain

  Reasons for disallowance

  1982

  1983

  1985

  1986

  All questions

  943,553

  977,978

  999,441

  1,081,394

  Capability

  4,656

  5,518

  7,040

  8,298

  Employment not terminated

  147

  94

  212

  21

  Engaged in employment

  65,350

  96,760

  71,676

  59,361

  Employed to full normal extent

  3,194

  11,636

  28,473

  35,997

  Normal idle day

  1,914

  1,912

  1,773

  1,862

  Payment in lieu of notice or wages etc.

  232,436

  232,355

  196,394

  215,831

  Recognised or customary holiday

  4,090

  5,725

  7,254

  7,676

  Whether unemployed

  39,983

  47,596

  56,872

  63,719

  Share fishermen work as

  233

  309

  230

  310

  no work available

  477

  502

  305

  202

  Dependants benefit child

  6,688

  5,162

  440

  187

  adult

  4,469

  4,249

  5,130

  4,139

  Delayed claim

  94,754

  104,478

  125,241

  152,212

  Failure to attend for interview

  152

  325

  254

  617

  Failure to keep to signing time

  43

  32

  78

  45

  Occupational pensions

  262

  191

  100

  143

  Availability

  52,725

  50,243

  48,020

  61,402

  Restricted availability

  9,290

  6,994

  5,660

  7,371

  Share fishermen-neglect to avail

  183

  176

  117

  203

  Trade dispute

  586

  976

  2,457

  892

  Seasonal working

  3,995

  5,015

  6,185

  6,658

  Leaving voluntarily

  255,822

  261,284

  298,206

  314,229

  Misconduct

  96,318

  94,696

  98,738

  99,503

  Employment neglect to avail

  434

  433

  762

  1,242

  refusal of

  2,248

  1,450

  1,534

  1,945

  Refusal or premature termination of training

  274

  1,249

  7,008

  6,322

  Refusal to carry out written recommendations

  68

  94

  116

  32

  Restart

  —

  —

  —

  505

  Other questions

  62,762

  38,524

  29,166

  30,471

  Notes:

  1 The headings used in the Annual Analysis changed from 1982.

  2 Figures for 1984 are not available.

  54

  Reasons for disallowance

  1980

  1981

  Availability

  40,835

  39,642

  Capability

  3,545

  3,408

  Employment not terminated

  21

  27

  Failure to attend for interview

  424

  156

  Failure to keep signing time

  108

  36

  Following on occupation

  27,751

  43,034

  Employed to full normal extent

  1,606

  2,138

  Normal idle day

  781

  1,183

  Pay in lieu of notice or wages etc.

  181,578

  242,975

  Recognised or customary holiday

  2,431

  3,218

  Restricted availability

  11,391

  9,804

  Whether employed

  25,277

  31,205

  Delayed claim

  83,781

  81,289

  Leaving voluntarily

  350,303

  245,779

  Misconduct

  134,870

  103,172

  Employment Neglect to avail

  736

  .585

  Refusal of

  8,227

  4,194

  Refusal or premature termination of training

  447

  366

  Refusal to carry out written recommendations

  264

  122

  Trade disputes

  4,291

  1,775

  Seasonal workers

  3,410

  3,274

  Share fishermen Work as

  174

  408

  Neglect to avail

  164

  1,163

  No work available

  1,159

  3,146

  Dependants benefit Child

  8,402

  7,889

  Adult

  4,478

  4,599

  Earnings-related supplement

  940

  1,141

  Other questions

  51,883

  56,470

  Pensions
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what informationhe has, for both a single and a married old age pensioner, as to the total pension he may receive from the state, the amount of supplements to the pension that may be claimed, the other benefits that are available from central and local government and the payments that are necessary for health care, in each European Economic Community country.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer my hon. Friend to sections II, IV and IX of the Department's publication, "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities (Position at 1 January 1987)", a copy of which is in the Library. This covers all the major cash benefits available nation-wide in each member state. Comprehensive information on occasions and benefits from local authorities is not available.

  Hospital Car Service
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider establishing a set level of mileage payments to drivers working in the hospital car service so that all drivers wherever they may be working will receive the same mileage allowances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Under existing arrangements health authorities are free to reimburse drivers in the hospital car service at rates notified annually by the Department, which are based upon those agreed by the General Whitley council for NHS staff. Alternatively, they may determine their own rates to take account of local needs. Given that these can and do vary considerably, it would not be practicable to restrict authorities to a particular fixed rate.

  Japanese Experimentation Camp
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what the Government have done to support survivors of the Japanese experimentation camp 731; and what action they intend to take to support the widows of those who have died.

  Mr. Portillo
  Under the war pensions scheme, administered by the Department, a war disablement or widow's pension is payable where an ex-service man suffers any disability or illness or dies as a result of service in the armed forces, which includes periods spent as a prisoner of war. The Government fully recognise the great hardship and suffering endured by Far Eastern prisoners of war and their claims to war pension are given special and very careful consideration. All Far Eastern prisoners of war are offered a tropical disease investigation to ascertain whether they are suffering any residual effects of disease suffered whilst a prisoner.

  Agency Staff
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give, for each year since 1983 and for the latest available financial year, and for each regional health authority, special health authority, and district health authority the total expenditure on agency staff, expressed at current prices, constant prices and as a percentage of each health authority's revenue budget.
  56
  Mr. Newton
  Information derived from the annual accounts of health authorities has been placed in the Library.

  Health Authority Staff
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each health authority the total number of nursing staff employed in(a) 1979, where possible, (b) 1982 and (c)

  Mr. Newton
  The available information is in the table. Data for district health authorities could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  NHS Nursing and Midwifery Staff (including agency) by Regional Health Authority at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalent12

  Region

  1979

  1982

  1986

  Northern

  23,900

  26,400

  27,400

  Yorkshire

  27,000

  30,000

  30,300

  Trent

  32,500

  35,400

  37,100

  East Anglian

  12,800

  14,400

  15,600

  North West Thames

  26,800

  29,100

  28,700

  North East Thames

  30,900

  35,100

  34,300

  South East Thames

  29,000

  31,600

  30,400

  South West Thames

  23,800

  25,000

  24,400

  Wessex

  19,700

  21,600

  23,100

  Oxford

  14,700

  16,700

  16,900

  South Western

  23,600

  26,100

  27,000

  West Midlands

  36,300

  41,100

  42,500

  Mersey

  21,000

  22,500

  22,300

  North Western

  32,200

  37,000

  37,900

  London Post-Graduate Special Health

  Authorities

  4,100

  5,200

  4,900

  England

  358,400

  397,100

  402,700

  Source: DHSS — Annual Census of NHS Non-medical Manpower.

  1 Figures are independently rounded to the nearest one hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  2 No adjustments have been made for the change in nurses' working hours (from 40 to 37·5 hours per week) during 1980–81.

  Kidney Treatment
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each year since 1982(a) the number of people receiving kidney dialysis treatment and (b) the number of people who have received kidney transplants.

  Mrs. Currie
  According to information supplied by the European dialysis and transplant association registry, the number of patients treated on all forms of dialysis on 31 December in each year since 1982 was as follows:

  Number of patients treated in United Kingdom

  Year

  Number

  1982

  4,751

  1983

  5,156

  1984

  5,661

  1985

  6,381

  1986

  16,890

  1 Provisional data.

  Statistics provided by the United Kingdom Transplant Service on the number of cadaveric kidney transplants performed with the National Health Service in the calendar years from 1982 are as follows:

  57

  Kidney transplants with the National Health Service

  Year

  Number

  1982

  1,033

  1983

  1,144

  1984

  1,443

  1985

  1,336

  1986

  1,493

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report by Sir Raymond Hoffenberg about the kidney transplant service will be released; and if he will make a statement about the delay in its release.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have been considering this report carefully, and hope to publish it shortly.

  Young Claimants
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many 16 year and 17-year-old persons who are not in education chose to remain on social security rather than take up work or accept a training place in the last year.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is not available in the form requested, but in August 1987 there were more than 54,000 school leavers in the claimant count, excluding this year's summer leavers. A school leaver for this purpose is a person under 18 who has not entered employment since terminating education. It is not known how many of these have been offered jobs or youth training scheme places, but it is known that there are enough YTS places available for anyone who wants one.

  Specialist Treatment
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to ensure that patients received by National Health Service hospitals obtain the necessary specialist treatment in the nearest hospital compatible with patient safety.

  Mrs. Currie
  I do not think this is a matter in which central direction would be helpful. Patients admitted for a planned course of treatment or an operation will usually have been referred to a hospital near their homes, although a more distant referral may be arranged if this would reduce waiting time. Where the patient is found to require specialist treatment which is provided in only a limited number of hospitals he or she may have to be sent further from home, normally to the nearest hospital which is able to provide the treatment at that particular time.

  Job Training Schemes
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people to date have lost benefits of any kind because they refused places on the YTS and job training scheme;

  (2) how many people in Scotland to date have lost benefit of any kind because they refused to accept YTS or job training scheme places.

  Mr. Portillo
  Between December 1983, when figures were first kept, and 20 October 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, 2,263 people in Great Britain, including 179 people in Scotland, have had their supplementary benefit reduced for refusing a place on the 58
  youth training scheme without good cause. Benefit sanctions are not applied to people who refuse places in the new job training scheme.

  Gloucester Health Authority
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many in-patient cases and out-patient cases have been treated by Gloucester health authority in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  The available information is given in the table.

  Number of patients treated in NHS hospitals and clinics in Gloucester District Health Authority in the years 1982 to 1986

  Year1

  Deaths and discharges

  Day cases

  Out-patient attendances2

  1982

  33,624

  3,169

  186,154

  1983

  34,009

  3,292

  186,204

  1984

  34,341

  3,178

  189,039

  1985

  36,562

  2,809

  193,264

  1986

  38,175

  3,194

  186,836

  1 Due to NHS re-structuring in April 1982 comparable data for earlier years is not available.

  2 The reduction on out-patient attendances between 1986 and 1985 was due to the transfer of mental illness services from Gloucester to Cheltenham District Health Authority.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of patients waiting for operations with the Gloucester health authority, for the most recent month for which figures are available, for the same month for each of the last 10 years and May 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The available information is given in the table.

  Number of cases on in-patient wailing list in Gloucester District Health Authority—NHS hospitals

  Month/Year1

  Surgical specialties

  All specialties

  September 1982

  4,886

  4,959

  March 1983

  4,932

  5,018

  March 1984

  4,416

  4,482

  March 1985

  4,272

  4,339

  March 1986

  4,324

  4,346

  March 1987

  4,138

  4,214

  1 Due to NHS re-structuring in April 1982 comparable data for earlier years is not available.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how much capital spending the Gloucester health authority has undertaken in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will express the figures in actual and in constant 1987 prices;

  (2) how much the Gloucester health authority has spent on revenue services for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will express the figures in actual and in constant 1987 prices.

  Mrs. Currie
  Following is the information requested derived from the annual accounts of the Gloucester health authority:

  Revenue expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  Per annual accounts £ million

  At 1986–87 prices £ million

  Per annual accounts £ million

  At 1986–87 prices £ million

  1982–83

  44·7

  53·3

  3·0

  3·6

  1983–84

  47·6

  54·2

  2·2

  2·5

  59

  Revenue expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  Per annual account £ million

  At 1986–87 prices £ million

  Per annual account £ million

  At 1986–87 prices £ million

  1984–85

  50·8

  55·5

  3·1

  3·4

  1985–86

  53·0

  54·6

  2·8

  2·9

  1986–87

  59·8

  59·8

  4·4

  4·4

  Notes:

  1. The figures for the earlier years have been expressed at 1986–87 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product deflator.

  2. The figures for capital expenditure include sums in respect of capital schemes within the district recorded in the accounts of the South Western Regional health authority. Revenue and capital expenditure incurred by the latter authority for the region as a whole is excluded.

  3. Prior to 1 April 1985 the health district had an associated family practitioner committee and the relevant expenditure figures recorded in the table include small, not separately identifiable elements relating to family practitioner committees' administrative expenses.

  4. Prior to I April 1982 the health district formed part of the Gloucestershire area health authority and district based figures were not collected centrally.

  Dental Care
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the statement of the hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton) on primary health care,Official Report, 25 November, columns 259–60, what assumptions he has made about future demand for dental inspection and sight testing in calculating the estimated contribution to be made by 1990–91 by those making payments towards dental care and sight testing.

  Mr. Newton
  The estimates of resources to be released by charges for dental examinations and the other changes to dental charges I announced on 25 November do not need to take into account any assumptions about changes in demand for treatment. This is because over a three-year period, dentists' fees, to which all charges will in future be linked, will be adjusted to take account of changes in demand.

  Similarly, the estimated contribution from optical services is not based on assumptions about the future demand for sight tests by those who will pay privately. It reflects the savings from restricting the availability of National Health Service sight tests to certain groups.

  Computer Centres
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has hired outside consultants to work in his Department's computer centres; what has been the cost as compared with equivalent Civil Service staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Consultants have been contracted to work in the Department on a number of information technology projects, principally in the development of our operational strategy, the major programme to computerise the assessment and delivery of social security benefit in the 1990s. The Department benefits from the direct input of their technical and information technology management expertise, which is not available in the Civil Service. This means that the major benefits and economies arising from 60
  computerisation will be achieved more quickly and effectively — indeed many of these very complex tasks undertaken in the computer centres would not be possible without the skills available in the private sector. As well as providing advice and guidance, consultants sometimes work along-side civil servants in joint teams responsible for delivery of specific products to tight time scales; such an arrangement has been used so that in-house staff can learn skills from the consultants whilst project development continues.

  It is not possible directly to compare costs between civil servants and consultants because, as indicated, staff with equivalent skills and the ability to deliver to the same time scale are not available.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of firms withholding national insurance contributions which had been deducted from the pay of employees have been discovered by his Department during each of the years 1980 to 1986 inclusive; what were the amounts involved; how many members of his Department are engaged in investigating such matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested on numbers of cases and amounts involved is not available. There are some 2,000 national insurance inspectors engaged on work, including examination of employers' records, to ensure compliance with national insurance contributions regulations.

  Instances of employers collecting, but not paying over national insurance contributions could come to light in routine examination of employers' records by the Department's inspectors or Inland Revenue PAYE auditors and through employees receiving from the Department a statement informing them that their national insurance record was deficient. All such cases are investigated urgently and there are special arrangements to protect the national insurance records of the employees affected to avoid loss of benefit entitlement. The Department has no evidence suggesting that this type of abuse is widespread, but it is investigating a recent report alleging instances in the west midlands.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of recipients of mobility allowance at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  The number of recipients, at 1 December 1987, was 509,000.

  Health Authorities (Employment)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will itemise the numbers employed by each regional health authority in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986.

  Mrs. Currie
  The figures are shown in the table:
  61

  NHS Directly Employed Staff by Regional Health Authority1 at 30 September Whole time equivalents2

  Region

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  50,800

  52,600

  54,100

  54,000

  54,500

  54,200

  53,800

  53,500

  Yorkshire

  56,800

  59,000

  62,300

  62,000

  61,700

  61,000

  60,600

  59,600

  Trent

  70,200

  70,600

  74,000

  74,700

  74,400

  74,500

  74,800

  74,300

  East Anglian

  27,400

  28,500

  29,600

  30,000

  30,500

  30,700

  30,600

  30,500

  North West Thames

  58,300

  58,700

  61,700

  60,400

  59,700

  58,600

  56,500

  54,800

  North East Thames

  66,700

  67,200

  69,400

  74,800

  74,400

  73,100

  70,800

  69,100

  South East Thames

  65,300

  66,400

  68,000

  67,800

  67,400

  65,300

  63,400

  61,900

  South West Thames

  50,000

  50,700

  52,200

  50,700

  50,800

  49,100

  47,200

  45,700

  Wessex

  41,100

  41,600

  43,100

  43,800

  44,200

  44,300

  44,200

  43,500

  Oxford

  32,200

  33,000

  34,200

  34,200

  34,000

  34,500

  33,600

  33,200

  South Western

  49,900

  51,400

  53,100

  53,400

  53,200

  52,800

  52,400

  52,400

  West Midlands

  78,100

  80,700

  84,500

  84,700

  84,600

  84,000

  84,400

  84,200

  Mersey

  43,400

  43,800

  45,200

  45,200

  44,800

  44,000

  43,600

  42,900

  Northern Western

  68,000

  71,700

  74,800

  76,200

  76,300

  75,400

  74,700

  74,100

  England3

  775,300

  793,800

  824,400

  830,600

  829,400

  819,300

  812,900

  801,600

  Source:

  DHSS(SR7) annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

  Notes:

  1 Includes all permanent paid, honorary and locum medical and dental staff, and agency nursing and midwifery staff. No adjustments have been made for the effects of the reduction in nurses' working hours during 1980–1981 (from 40 to 37·5 hours per week) or for the transfer of operating department assistants from ancillary to professional and technical staff group in April 1984.

  2 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest one hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  3 Includes all staff of regional health authorities, London post-graduate special health authorities, Dental Estimates Board, Prescription Pricing Authority, London ambulance service and family practitioners committees.

  Radiographers
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has now received the report which he was awaiting on the examination results from the various bodies training radiographers, and whether he will publish the results.

  Mr. Newton
  We have not yet received this information from the College of Radiographers. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible. The publication of the results is a matter for the college.

  Girobank
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services until what date the Government are contracted to use Girobank for transacting social security payments.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has a continuing agreement with National Girobank for the payment of social security benefits by girocheque. This agreement can be terminated by either party giving 12 months' notice in writing.

  Unit General Managers
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each district health authority within the Mersey region, the numbers of unit managers currently employed, the date of their appointment and the total cost in salaries to the district of such appointments.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each district health authority within the Yorkshire region, the number of unit managers currently employed, the date of their appointment and the total cost in salaries to the district of such appointments.
  62
  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 30 November 1987]: The number of unit general manager (UGM) posts is as follows:

  District

  UGMs

  Mersey Regional Health Authority

  Southport and Formby

  3

  Wirral

  3

  Halton

  2

  Warrington

  4

  Crewe

  2

  Macclesfield

  3

  Chester

  3

  South Sefton

  3

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  3

  Liverpool

  6

  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority

  Hull

  3

  Scunthorpe

  3

  East Yorkshire

  3

  Airedale

  2

  Scarborough

  2

  Pontefract

  2

  Wakefield

  3

  Leeds West

  5

  Grimsby

  2

  York

  3

  Calderdale

  3

  Harrogate

  2

  Leeds East

  3

  Bradford

  3

  Huddersfield

  3

  Dewsbury

  2

  The pay structure for unit general managers comprises five grades with individual posts graded according to the revenue budget and teaching status of the unit. The 1986–87 annual pay rates for these grades are:

  63

  £

  UGM 1

  28,000

  UGM 2

  25,500

  UGM 3

  23,000

  UGM 4

  20,000

  UGM 5

  16,500

  In addition, a discretionary amount of up to 15 per cent. of the grade rate may be added to reflect the different weights of individual posts, and unit general managers whose performance is assessed as meritorious are eligible for further additions in the form of performance related pay.

  The number of unit general managers posts in each grade is as follows:

  Mersey RHA

  UGM 1 — 2

  UGM 2 — 9

  UGM 3 — 12

  UGM 4 —8

  UGM 5 — 1

  Yorkshire RHA

  UGM 1 — 2

  UGM 2 — 9

  UGM 3 — 19

  UGM 4 — 12

  UGM 5 — 2

  Information about the current occupancy of these posts, dates of appointment and total salary costs is not held centrally.

  Women (Doctor Consultants)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he intends to take to ensure that women have the right to consult a woman doctor.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: We accept that many women prefer to have access to female medical staff, particularly for the treatment of gynaecological conditions. Everyone has a right to seek to register with the family doctor of her choice. The Department has issued guidance asking general practitioners, where possible, to refer female patients to a female consultant if they so wish. Women general practitioners and consultants are not always available, but the fact that almost half those now entering medical schools are female should mean an increasing number of women doctors in the National Health Service in future. Because of the length of training, however, it will be some years before parity is reached.

  In the meantime, the Department is taking several measures to help women doctors who have children to continue their careers. In addition in the recent White Paper, "Promoting Better Health" (Cm. 249) the Government announced that they would discuss with the professions what arrangements might be made to ensure that more women are encouraged to enter and remain in general practice.

  Housing Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his Department's latest estimate of the number of local authorities operating local schemes under the housing benefit scheme, and the total cost to the authorities concerned of such enhancements.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: A total of 259 authorities are estimated to have operated
  64
  discretionary local schemes in 1986–87, the latest year for which information is available. Total expenditure on discretionary enhancements to benefit was about £32·4 million. This figure includes expenditure on local schemes and also a small additional amount of expenditure on discretionary increases in cases of individual hardship, for which a separate total is not held.

TRANSPORT

  Driving Test
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to make an announcement arising from the review of the driving test; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  When we have the results of our consultations with the driving instructors' organisations—referred to in the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 20 November—we shall take a view on the way forward.

  Underground (Train Doors)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 433 what steps have been taken to eliminate sabotage as a cause of recent incidents of underground train doors opening while the train is in motion, with particular reference to the two incidents on 12 November; what safeguards are attached to the special keys which activate the doors; if, for each of the incidents listed by the previous answer for which no cause has been positively identified, he will give the suspected cause; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Unauthorised interference with the operator's panel for opening the doors was one of the possibilities considered by London Underground Ltd. when investigating the recent incidents. Possible measures to prevent such interference are being considered by LUL and will be covered in the report referred to in my answer of 30 November at column 433. The special operators' keys are issued against a signature to those members of the staff who require them for their official duties. The cause of the incidents on 12 November is still under investigation by LUL; the probable cause of the others was given in my earlier answer.

  Accident Prevention Exercise (Wiltshire)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what purpose his Department is carrying out an accident prevention exercise in Wiltshire; what form it is taking; which villages it covers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The purpose of the study is to investigate accident problems on A36, A303 and A419 trunk roads in the county, and to identify possible low-cost improvements or other remedial measures to improve road safety. The study involves an analysis of the accident records; a review of the physical characteristics of problem sections of the roads; and the development of the remedial measures considered to be necessary.

  London City Airport
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 592, what steps he has taken, or intends to take, in respect of safety in uncontrolled air space used by commercial airline flights to and from London City airport; and what advice he has received from the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible, through National Air Traffic Services, for all aspects of airspace management. I understand that the authority is satisfied with the arrangements for commercial airline flights to and from London City airport.

  Air Safety
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards air safety in the light of the conclusions contained in the paper presented to the EEC symposium on air safety last week by the director of Cranfield air safety centre regarding the number of fatalities involved in the Manchester airport tragedy which occurred as a direct result of smoke and toxic fumes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Any action on civil aviation safety arising from the conclusions of the paper are a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, which is wholly responsible for aviation safety regulation.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the accident investigation branch has yet reported its conclusions to him regarding the Manchester airport tragedy and any recommendations for the implementation of measures to reduce the risk and severity of such accidents in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The investigation by the air accidents investigation branch into the Boeing 737 accident at Manchester airport in August 1985 has been complex and exhaustive, going deeply into the problems of survivability.

  The investigation is now complete and the draft report is shortly to be sent to the persons entitled to it under the regulations, for their representations. The chief inspector of accidents anticipates submitting the report to the Secretary of State in the spring and it will be published shortly afterwards, subject to any request for a review board.

  Soon after the accident the Civil Aviation Authority took airworthiness action on engine failure as a result of information passed by the AAIB. The AAIB also made several recommendations between September and December 1985 concerning the safety of passengers.

  Smoke Hoods
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had during the last six months in support of the introduction of regulations requiring the provision of smoke hoods in passenger transport aircraft.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Civil Aviation Authority is wholly responsible for aviation safety regulation. A66
  number of representations concerning the provision of passenger smoke hoods have been discussed with the chairman.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the results of the aircraft evacuation tests carried out by Linacre college at Teesside airport in connection with the donning of smoke hoods;

  (2) what survey information he has concerning passenger acceptability of smoke hoods;

  (3) when the Civil Aviation Authority expects to publish its cost-benefit analysis of safety measures to improve air passenger transport protection.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  All aspects of civil aviation safety regulation, including passenger evacuation and the provision of passenger smoke hoods, are the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I understand that the authority intends shortly to announce the results of its considerations into the provision of passenger smoke hoods. I will draw the hon. Member's questions to the attention of the chairman of the authority.

  Air Services
  Mr. Sackville
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to what route licence applications have been received for air services out of(a) Manchester and (b) Gatwick; and which of each have been (i) rejected, (ii) approved and (iii) are still under consideration.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Air transport licensing is the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I am drawing the question to the attention of the chairman of the authority so that he may reply.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusion the collaborative research programme with other countries has drawn, concerning the potential effectiveness of smoke hoods in protecting against smoke and toxic fumes in fire-related civil air passenger transport accidents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  All aspects of civil aviation safety regulation, including passenger evacuation and the provision of passenger smoke hoods are the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I understand that the authority intends shortly to announce the results of its considerations into the provision of passenger smoke hoods. I will draw my hon. Friend's questions to the attention of the chairman of the authority.

  Wortley Curve Rail Line
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will, in the light of the recent court judgment, give a direction to British Rail to reopen immediately the Wortley Curve rail line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. It is British Rail's responsibility to decide what action is required following the judgment.

  Air Fares
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Secretary of State for. Transport what further progress has been made towards a free market in European air fares; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  I am pleased to say that, earlier today, the European Community's Transport Council formally agreed a package of measures liberalising civil aviation within the Community. This is a package which first took shape under the British Presidency in the second half of 1986. Its measures provide important new opportunities for airlines to introduce lower fares, to decide for themselves what capacity to operate, to open up new routes and for greater competition between airlines on routes already operated.

  While this represents a major agreement, it is only a first stage. The Council is committed to agreeing on a second, more far reaching, step during 1990 as part of the wider process of completing the Community's internal market by the end of 1992.

  London Underground
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the reports of the fire brigade annual inspections of the London Undergound for 1978 and each year up to and including 1986.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. Now that the formal investigation into the King's Cross fire has begun, LRT will be making all relevant material available to it. I fully recognise the concern of the hon. Member and all Members of the House, and of the general public in the aftermath of the disaster, but it is the investigation that has the responsibility to establish the cause of the accident and to examine the circumstances attending it.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will furnish information on the transportation of nuclear waste through Liverpool airport; how much waste has passed through in the last 12 months; what route it takes from its source; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I understand that British Nuclear Fuels plc has not transported radioactive material through Liverpool airport since November 1985.

  Tyres
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to warn motorists about unsafe second hand and remould tyres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Anybody buying second-hand or retreaded tyres should check their standard and condition carefully first.

  To help motorists know what to look for, the Department has sent a poster to MOT testing stations, motor trade associations and other suitable outlets for display.

  Drivers should look out for the compulsory E mark required on used tyres and the British Standard BS AU 144b marking required on retreaded or re-moulded tyres.
  68
  It warns them to check for adequate tread depth and for any signs of damage or unacceptable repair work on second-hand tyres.

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if will make a statement on the operation of the vehicle inspectorate.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The inspectorate's annual report for 1986–87 is published today. It provides a useful overall picture of the general condition of Britain's road vehicles. It also sets out the excellent progress made in introducing a more businesslike approach into the inspectorate's work. Unit costs have been reduced significantly and standards of service improved. To enable it to continue to develop this approach and to respond quickly to changes in demand for its fee-earning services, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that it should be exempted from gross running cost controls as from 1 April 1988. It will be required instead to work within a new system of unit cost and performance targets.

  The picture is less satisfactory on the state of Britain's vehicles. Twenty per cent. of buses and lorries continue to fail their annual test. For cars and light goods vehicles the figure is 41 per cent. The vehicle inspectorate is working closely with the vehicle user associations to pin point the causes of the high failure rate and to see how best they can be tackled. The Government will continue to take a tough line against those who consistently fail to maintain their vehicles properly.

  Airports
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the growth in numbers of passengers using(a) Manchester, (b) Birmingham, (c) Leeds-Bradford and (d) Bristol airports in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Growth for the 12-month period ending September 1987 (the latest period for which Civil Aviation Authority statistics are available) compared with the previous 12 months was:

  Per cent.

  Manchester

  16

  Birmingham

  28

  Leeds-Bradford

  22

  Bristol

  35

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing how much tax revenue was collected in capital gains tax(a) from gains on quoted shares, (b) from gains on unquoted shares, and (c) from other gains in the financial year 1986–87; and what the corresponding costs of collection were.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A little over £1 billion was collected in capital gains tax in 1986–87. It is estimated that 40 to 50 per cent. was derived from ordinary shares quoted on the United Kingdom stock exchange, about 20 per cent. from other shares and securities, and the rest from other
  69
  property. Corporation tax receipts in 1986–87 from companies gains are estimated at £650 million. I regret that a breakdown by type of gain is not available.

  The cost of collecting capital gains tax in 1985–86 is estimated at 1·7 per cent. of the yield.

  Company Taxation
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average period for companies to receive repayment of tax from elections under section 177(2) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information is not available centrally. The repayment period will vary depending upon

  Total BES investment per company in each year

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–861

  Companies

  Amount £ million

  Companies

  Amount £ million

  Companies

  Amount £ million

  up to £100,000

  495

  15

  527

  15

  440

  12

  £100,000—£250,000

  118

  19

  159

  25

  110

  17

  £250,000—£500,000

  58

  20

  59

  20

  54

  18

  £500,000—£1 million

  32

  20

  33

  22

  30

  22

  over £1 million

  12

  31

  29

  66

  36

  88

  Total

  715

  105

  807

  148

  670

  157

  1 Provisional. Final results for 1985–86 are expected to show a slight increase on those quoted above.

  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the contribution of the relief given to companies raising over £1 million in equity under the business expansion scheme towards stimulating the development of small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  An assessment of the contribution made by the business expansion scheme towards stimulating the development of small businesses is contained in the Peat Marwick report which was published in March 1986; a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Taxes
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate, for each year from 1978–79 to 1986–87, the proportion of total Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and national insurance fund receipts accounted for by(a) income tax, (b) employees' national insurance contributions, (c) employers' national insurance contributions, (d) value added tax, (e) excise duties, (f) corporation tax and special taxes on profits, (g) petroleum revenue tax and supplementary petroleum duty, (h) stamp duty, (i) estate duty, other death duties and capital transfer tax, and (j) capital gains and development land taxes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Details of net receipts by the board of Inland Revenue and by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise by head of duty are given in "Financial Statistics" tables 3.13 and 3.14 and total national insurance contributions are given in table 3.1. Figures for employees' and employers' contributions are not readily available for the financial years requested. Some details of 70
  the precise circumstances. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, I would be very happy to ask the Inland Revenue to look into it.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing how many companies have equity(a) of up to £100,000, (b) between £100,000 and £250,000, (c) between £250,000 and £500,000, (d) between £500,000 and £1 million and (e) over £1 million invested under the terms of the business expansion scheme; and what the amount of capital for which relief was given in each of these brackets was in the last three financial years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The information is as follows:

  employees' and employers' contributions are available on a calendar year basis in the "National Accounts CSO Blue Book" (table 9.6).

  "Inland Revenue Statistics"
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the reason for the delay in the publication of "Inland Revenue Statistics" for 1987; and when he expects to publish them;

  (2) if he will update the information on personal wealth contained in appendix D2 of "Inland Revenue Statistics" 1986 for the years 1984, 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  "Inland Revenue Statistics" is usually available towards the end of the year. The 1987 edition is expected to be published early in January 1988. It will contain information on personal wealth for 1984 and 1985. The 1986 estimates are not yet available.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate, for 1985–86 and 1986–87, the total cost of those tax allowances and reliefs detailed in table 1.6 of "Inland Revenue Statistics".

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Such a figure would have little meaning, since allowances and reliefs of some kind are an essential feature of any tax system. For the cost of individual allowances and reliefs for 1986–87, I refer the hon. Member to "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1987–88 to 1989–90", Volume II (Cm 56–11) Table 2.29.

  BP Shares
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investors have taken up the Bank of England's offer to buy partly paid BP shares at a guaranteed price.
  71
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  As of close of business on 3 December, I understand the Bank of England had made disbursements in respect of 253 acceptances.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many partly paid BP shares have been bought by the Bank of England from investors selling to the bank at the guaranteed price.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  As of close of business on 3 December, I understand the Bank of England had received acceptances in respect of 72,233 shares.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of current share values, he has any intention of extending the final possible date for the Bank of England's offer to repurchase partly paid BP shares beyond 6 January.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  No.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each day from 20 October until 2 December, the price that will be recognised as the market value in partly paid BP shares, for the purposes of calculating allowable losses to offset against capital gains tax or for computing trading losses.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Capital gains and losses on quoted shares are normally computed by reference to the actual price at which transactions are conducted. It is only in limited circumstances — for example, where a transaction is not at arm's length or is between connected persons—that regard is had to market value. Generally, market value is computed by reference to the prices quoted in the stock exchange daily official list. However, those prices do not always give a guide to market value for particular transactions for tax purposes, particularly when there are large price movements during the day or where sizeable blocks of shares are concerned. In these circumstances it would be necessary to have regard to all the facts of the individual transaction. Against this background, it is not possible to provide a single figure for what would be the market value for tax purposes for shares in an individual company on an particular day.

  EC (Payments)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum received from the European Economic Community in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what part of this total was in respect of the repayment of export rebates, food storage, and the destruction of food respectively.

  Mr. Brooke
  The United Kingdom received £2,219 million from the European Economic Community budget during the calendar year 1986. During 1986 some £330 million (14·9 per cent.) was paid to the United Kingdom in respect of the repayment of export rebates, some £151 million (6·8 per cent.) for public intervention storage and some £4 million (0·2 per cent.) in respect of withdrawals of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. In some circumstances withdrawn produce finds no end use and may be assumed to be spoilt or wasted, although the relevant expenditure is not separately identified.

  Eurotunnel
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply of 6 November,Official
  72
  Report, column 908, regarding the contractual arrangements for the European investment bank loan to Eurotunnel, in his capacity as director of the bank, he regards the equity issue as having been successfully completed for the purpose of conclusion of contractual arrangements for the loan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  This is a matter for the European investment bank (of which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is a governor, not a director). I understand that the bank considers that the condition regarding the raising of £750 million in equity capital has now been fulfilled.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply of 6 November, in his capacity as director of the European investment bank, if a decision has now been made on the portion of the European investment bank loan of £1,000 million to Eurotunnel which will be guaranteed by each of the United Kingdom clearing banks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand that the European investment bank has still not made a decision on which banks should guarantee the £1,000 million loan to Eurotunnel. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is a governor, not a director, of the bank.

  Bankruptcy
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice of the Inland Revenue in deciding, where moneys are owed to it, whether to take out bankruptcy proceedings rather than a garnishee order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Inland Revenue, like any other creditor, must have been granted judgment by a court before an application for a garnishee order can be made. A garnishee application can only seek to attach, at most, the amount in judgment. Only certain types of debt are attachable. Bankruptcy proceedings, while normally based on a judgment of a court, are commenced in respect of all monies due to a creditor, including sums not subject to judgment. Thus, one consideration in deciding the appropriate course is the relative amounts of judgment debt, tax due outside judgment and sums attachable.

  If the Inland Revenue were aware of an attachable debt, it would also consider whether it was significant enough for garnishee to be worth while and what other enforcement processes, short of bankruptcy, were available. In respect of bankruptcy proceedings, it would take into account whether tax liability was accruing at a faster rate than prospective clearance by payments or recovery through other proceedings.

  Value Added Tax
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the implications for Her Majesty's Government's policy towards widening the base of value added tax of the opinion delivered by the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice on 2 December.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 3 December 1987, at column 698.
  73
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the European Commission with regard to their proposals to harmonise excise duties and value added tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Commission formally presented its package of tax proposals to the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers on 16 November. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor made it clear then that we would not permit to come into force any proposals that in any way conflicted with pledges the Government has given concerning the United Kingdom's zero rates of VAT. The Council confirmed that the Economic Policy Committee should carry out an economic analysis of the Commission's proposals before further consideration of them by Economic and Finance Ministers.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the current standard rate of value added tax applied in each EEC member state and, where there is no standard rate in a particular country, that rate which produces the highest tax revenue.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson) on 3 December 1987 at column 583, which lists all the VAT rates applied in the individual member states of the EC, including the standard rates to which he refers.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average cost of each job created in the following Government programmes:(a) enterprise zones, (b) the business expansion scheme, (c) urban development corporation and (d) regional selective assistance.

  Mr. Major
  These programmes are part of the Government's wider policy of helping markets to work more effectively. That policy, combined with the sound macro-economic policies we have pursued has secured great success, helping to generate 1·25 million new jobs in the United Kingdom since 1983. Adult unemployment (seasonally adjusted) has fallen for 16 months in succession.

  Cost per job is one of a number of measures used in assessing programmes which are aimed at job creation. Where relevant and available, information is given in the public expenditure White Paper. Questions on such measures in relation to individual schemes are a matter for the Secretary of State responsible for them. No current information on cost per job is available for the business expansion scheme.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest estimate of the revenue yield from an increase in the rate of income tax of 1p taking into account current economic growth and unemployment figures.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The estimated direct revenue effect would be about £1·25 billion in 1988–89 and £1·60 billion in 1989–90, as published in table 4·5 of the Autumn Statement 1987.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give(a) the total revenue received from corporation tax and (b) that sum as a percentage of all revenue received from taxation, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: The information is as follows:

  Net receipts of corporation tax1

  £ million

  Per cent.2

  1978–79

  3,940

  8·1

  1979–80

  4,646

  7·6

  1980–81

  4,645

  6·5

  1981–82

  4,930

  5·7

  1982–83

  5,679

  6·2

  1983–84

  6,184

  6·4

  1984–85

  8,341

  7·8

  1985–86

  10,708

  9·4

  1986–87

  13,495

  11·3

  1 Including advance corporation tax.

  2 As percentage of total taxes and royalties.

  Source: Table 3.13 and S24 Financial Statistics.

  Tax Evasion
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the use of prosecution as a means of dealing with tax evasion.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: The law provides for money penalties to be the normal punishment for tax evasion. However the possibility of prosecution is an important deterrent to the spread of tax evasion. The Inland Revenue therefore considers prosecution where a fraud is particularly prevalent or where a case is a very serious one of its type.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Excehquer if he will publish in the Official Report the number of full-time equivalent posts dedicated solely or mainly to the detection of tax evasion.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: 3,264 Inland Revenue officers, measured in staff unit equivalents, were assigned solely or mainly to investigation work at 31 March 1987.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details or estimates of the amounts of unpaid tax recovered by the Inland Revenue for each year since 1979 from(a) persons prosecuted for tax evasion and (b) persons dealt with but not prosecuted for tax evasion.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: The total yield—tax, interest and penalties—due from Inland Revenue investigations for each year since 1979 is as follows:

  Year ending 31 October

  £ million

  1979

  111·6

  1980

  137·9

  1981

  165·1

  1982

  265·6

  75

  Year ending 31 March

  £ million

  1983

  304·8

  1984

  399·2

  1985

  594·4

  1986

  694·5

  1987

  741·3

  It is not possible, except at disporportionate cost, to distinguish amounts relating to prosecution cases from those relating to non-prosecution cases. Nor is it possible to state how much of the amount due was ultimately recovered.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details or estimates of the number of persons dealt with by methods other than prosecution for tax evasion since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: The Inland Revenue figures do not distinguish between cases of outright fraud and other cases which have been investigated. Nor are the figures for the number of individuals concerned available. However, the number of cases where additional tax has become due as a result of an investigation is as follows:

  Tax Office and Enquiry branch investigations

  Number yielding extra tax only

  Number involving interest, or interest and penalties (in addition to tax)

  Year to 31 October

  1979

  31,651

  21,229

  1980

  30,870

  22,344

  1981

  32,589

  22,515

  1982

  35,649

  27,656

  Year to 31 March

  1983

  35,392

  31,417

  1984

  33,585

  37,249

  1985

  31,747

  38,859

  1986

  27,105

  37,484

  1987

  22,949

  38,707

  PAYE audit investigations

  Number where only current year adjustments necessary

  Number where adjustments of earlier years necessary

  1984–85

  3,920

  17,179

  1985–86

  3,879

  20,431

  1986–87

  4,480

  23,848

  The method of recording information altered in 1984 and comparison with earlier years would not be meaningful.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of estimates of the amount of tax due but not recovered from persons known to be involved in tax evasion since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: This information is not held centrally.

  May Day Holiday
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the gross national product of abolition of the May Day bank holiday.
  76
  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 4 December 1987]: None. The Government at present have no plans to abolish the May Day bank holiday.

  Pay-as-you-earn
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the numbers of persons paying pay-as-you-earn, for the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 12 November 1987]: The table gives estimates of the numbers of individuals who were liable to tax on their total income and had income subject to PAYE which was greater than the PAYE threshold. Married women are included if their earned income exceeded the maximum amount of wife's earned income relief. I regret that information for earlier years could be compiled only at disproportionate expense.

  Year

  Number of individuals (millions)

  1980–81

  22·9

  1981–82

  22·8

  1982–83

  22·6

  1983–84

  22·2

  1984–85

  21·8

  1985–86

  21·9

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Prisoners
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings have been convened by the Life Sentence Review Board; how many prisoners' cases they have reviewed; and what were their recommendations, in each of 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Stanley
  The information is set out in the following table:

  1985

  1986

  19871

  Number of meetings

  9

  11

  8

  Number of cases considered

  127

  108

  112

  Cases recommended for consultation with the judiciary with a view to the setting of a provisional release date

  26

  26

  20

  Cases put back for further review

  101

  82

  92

  1 To date.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many applications were made for the severe weather heating allowance at the social security offices in Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Newcastle, Kilkeel, Banbridge and Newry (County Down) during the winter of 1986–87;

  (2) how many successful applications were made for severe weather heating allowance and how much money was paid by the social security offices in Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Newcastle, Kilkeel, Banbridge and Newry (County Down), during the winter of 1986–87.

  Mr. Needham
  Information is not readily available in the precise form requested. The available figures are as follows:
  77

  Social Security Office

  Number of payments

  Amounts

  Claims disallowed

  Downpatrick

  1,331

  6,655

  334

  Ballynahinch

  602

  3,010

  268

  Newcastle

  931

  4,655

  335

  Kilkeel

  835

  4,175

  223

  Banbridge

  1,784

  8,920

  307

  Newry

  4,794

  23,970

  1,363

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase the amount payable in respect of severe weather heating allowance to old age pensioners in Northern Ireland; and if he will consider making the allowance available throughout the year.

  Mr. Needham
  No.

  Security
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current estimate of the cost of security related to the Northern Ireland conflict as an absolute figure, a percentage figure of all Government expenditure in Northern Ireland and as a per capita figure for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 30 November 1987]: In 1987–88 it is estimated that expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office on law, order, protective and miscellaneous services (LOPMS) will amount to some £512·4 million. This comprises approximately 10·5 per cent. of total Government expenditure in the Province. In addition, the cost of deploying the armed forces in support of the Royal Ulster Constabularly is estimated at £168 million in 1987–88. Taken together this works out to be a cost of some £12 per person in the United Kingdom.

  Note: The LOPMS budget includes expenditure on items (for example, civil defence) not directly related to the terrorist campaign, and the bulk of LOPMS expenditure (for example, on the RUC and on prisons) does not all arise from the terrorist campaign.

  Mr. Anthony Hughes
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary as to when the clothes and car belonging to the late Anthony Hughes will be returned to his wife; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 1 December 1987]: The motor vehicle and clothing belonging to the late Mr. Anthony Hughes are items of important evidential value to the RUC in its investigations into his death. Until these investigations are completed and it is clear that the items are no longer required either by the Director of Public Prosecutions or Her Majesty's coroner they will need to be retained by the police.

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  Total number of searches carried out

  49

  34

  22

  33

  24

  36

  20

  46

  Total number of inmates searched

  27

  22

  14

  22

  18

  28

  15

  33

  Number of prisoners searched once

  9

  13

  8

  12

  12

  20

  10

  20

  Children (Intensive Care)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, by each health authority, the amount spent on intensive care for children in 1979 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  It is not possible to give this information, as expenditure on hospital services for children is not identified separately and could be derived only at disproportionate cost.

  Terrorism
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received regarding Her Majesty's Government's policy towards attempts by constitutional political parties in Northern Ireland to make common cause against IRA terrorism and its sympathisers.

  Mr. Needham
  None recently, but I would welcome any efforts to bring about a constructive dialogue between the constitutional political parties.

  Playgroups
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each board on grants for pre-school playgroups in the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: The information is as follows:

  Year ending 31 March

  1985

  1986

  1987

  £

  £

  £

  Northern board

  61,833

  54,067

  75,054

  Southern board

  12,496

  18,757

  31,361

  Eastern board

  753,422

  734,216

  823,948

  Western board

  122,557

  114,941

  142,837

  Northern Ireland Total

  950,308

  921,981

  1,073,200

  Strip Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, in each month from April to November; if he will give the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; whether any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restained while the search was being conducted; and if he will indicate the reasons for the search, namely, making a remand appearance at court, attending trial, inter-prison visit or other reasons.

  Mr. Stanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  79

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  Number of prisoners searched twice

  15

  7

  5

  9

  6

  8

  5

  13

  Number of prisoners searched three times

  2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Number of prisoners searched four times

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Reason for Search

  First admission on remand awaiting trial

  8

  11

  2

  6

  7

  10

  6

  12

  First admission on sentence/final discharge

  25

  13

  14

  20

  12

  23

  12

  29

  Attending Remand Court

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Attending Trial

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Attending Appeal

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bail Court appearances

  7

  4

  —

  —

  3

  2

  1

  2

  Going on and returning from home leave

  2

  4

  6

  4

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Inter-prison visit

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1

  1

  1

  —

  After a visit

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  No prohibited article was found during these searches and no prisoner refused to be searched.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for each year and since 1983, the

  Available beds in Northern Ireland by Board 1983–86

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  E

  N

  S

  W

  E

  N

  S

  W

  E

  N

  S

  W

  E

  N

  S

  W

  General medicine

  714·1

  363·9

  335·1

  206·5

  728·4

  346·7

  333·7

  206·3

  728·2

  349·7

  332·2

  211·2

  634·8

  357·1

  317·4

  222·9

  General surgery

  789·0

  381·3

  369·4

  234·8

  759·5

  367·9

  372·1

  231·7

  797·3

  370·0

  389·5

  227·3

  714·6

  375·3

  390·2

  219·1

  Non-psychiatric acute

  2,656·9

  424·8

  292·7

  435·8

  2,611·3

  401·0

  294·1

  322·3

  2,565·5

  415·2

  302·3

  416·9

  2,302·5

  374·3

  300·4

  406·3

  Geriatric medicine

  1,194·7

  545·6

  420·1

  443·8

  1,180·1

  548·8

  418·7

  444·8

  1,173·9

  546·0

  417·2

  438·0

  1,234·7

  535·4

  415·0

  441·9

  Maternity

  362·6

  181·0

  171·1

  177·4

  152·3

  181·2

  171·6

  177·2

  363·5

  182·0

  172·2

  175·3

  339·5

  180·5

  176·6

  154·0

  Mental illness

  2,128·8

  647·0

  563·0

  1,378·0

  2,059·8

  626·8

  558·0

  1,339·3

  1,919·8

  640·0

  558·0

  1,345·0

  1,889·8

  629·5

  510·8

  1,285·0

  Mentally handicapped

  837·3

  —

  454·5

  209·0

  823·0

  —

  458·1

  209·0

  826·3

  —

  436·5

  209·0

  814·0

  —

  445·0

  209·0

  Total1

  8,736·4

  2,518·4

  2,605·9

  3,100·3

  8,367·4

  2,477·4

  2,606·3

  2,945·6

  8,426·5

  2,507·9

  2,607·9

  3,037·9

  7,981·9

  2,457·1

  2,555·4

  2,953·2

  1 Includes young chronic sick beds, which are not included in the table.

  E = Eastern Health and Social Services Board.

  N = Northern Health and Social Services Board.

  S = Southern Health and Social Services Board.

  W = Western Health and Social Services Board.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for each year since 1983 and for each health board, the total expenditure on agency staff, expressed at current prices, constant prices and as a percentage of each health authority's budget.

  Mr. Needham
  Since 1983 only two health and social services boards have incurred expenditure on agency staff. The information is as follows:

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  Expenditure on agency staff

  Constant prices1

  Percentage of boards' revenue expenditure

  £

  £

  £

  Eastern Board

  1982–83

  83,593

  96,800

  0·03

  1983–84

  54,900

  60,778

  0·02

  1984–85

  49,478

  52,466

  0·02

  1985–86

  1,685

  1,685

  0·0005

  80
  total number of hospital beds for each of the following services, broken down by health board: (a) general medical, (b) general surgical, (c) non-psychiatric acute, (d) geriatric, (e) maternity, (f) mental illness, (g) mentally handicapped and (h) total.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  Expenditure on agency staff

  Constant prices1

  Percentage of boards' revenue expenditure

  £

  £

  £

  1986–87

  Nil

  —

  —

  Western Board

  1982–83 to

  1984–85

  Nil

  —

  —

  1985–86

  10,500

  10,500

  0.01

  1986–87

  Nil

  —

  —

  1 Figures have been adjusted for inflation (at 1985–86 prices) by using the GDP deflators.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give for each year since 1983 and for each health board the total number of staff as whole-time equivalents in the following categories:(a) medical and dental, (b) nursing and midwifery, (c) professional and technical, (d) administrative and clerical, (e) ancillary and (f) total non-medical.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:
  81

  Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Staff at 31 December by Health and Social Services Board (Figures are W.I.E.)

  Year

  Health and Social Services Board/Category

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  11987

  Eastern:

  Medical and Dental

  1,288·82

  1,308·34

  1,306·65

  1,307·46

  1,326·29

  Nursing and Midwifery

  9,984·84

  9,822·65

  9,583·24

  9,492·56

  9,361·54

  Professional and Technical

  2,070·33

  2,072·16

  2,039·67

  2,025·57

  1,962·41

  Administrative and Clerical

  2,909·66

  2,957·94

  2,988·23

  3,037·56

  3,051·74

  Ancillary

  7,698·48

  7,545·24

  7,357·57

  7,157·47

  7,092·50

  Total Non-Medical

  22,633·31

  22,397·99

  21,968·71

  21,713·16

  21,468·19

  Northern:

  Medical and Dental

  274·53

  280·18

  271·59

  276·15

  283·91

  Nursing and Midwifery

  2,831·13

  2,901·07

  2,895·35

  2,905·50

  2,920·17

  Professional and Technical

  520·81

  526·32

  511·78

  510·23

  486·27

  Administrative and Clerical

  994·12

  1,029·05

  1,059·37

  1,053·45

  1,050·07

  Ancillary

  2,519·53

  2,497·69

  2,502·85

  2,404·20

  2,337·24

  Total Non-Medical

  6,865·59

  6,954·13

  6,969·35

  6,873·35

  6,793·75

  Southern:

  Medical and Dental

  244·97

  252·68

  256·35

  254·58

  252·00

  Nursing and Midwifery

  2,968·81

  2,932·68

  2,969·14

  2,827·82

  2,856·35

  Professional and Technical

  424·35

  437·40

  455·03

  417·50

  371·05

  Administrative and Clerical

  782·88

  814·61

  824·76

  821·21

  815·32

  Ancillary

  2,677·73

  2,613·93

  2,551·34

  2,449·99

  2,400·74

  Total Non-Medical

  6,853·77

  6,798·62

  6,800·27

  6,516·52

  6,443·46

  Western:

  Medical and Dental

  219·77

  229·54

  233·46

  243·81

  247·87

  Nursing and Midwifery

  2,889·44

  2,863·56

  2,871·89

  2,886·51

  2,915·22

  Professional and Technical

  403·09

  409·16

  386·08

  391·45

  359·30

  Administrative and Clerical

  69344

  715·86

  745·15

  756·69

  781·46

  Ancillary

  2,299·78

  2,284·27

  2,299·56

  2,237·84

  2,271·89

  Total Non-Medical

  6,285·75

  6,272·85

  6,302·68

  6,272·49

  6,327·87

  Note: Total Non-Medical is the total of Nursing and Midwifery, Professional, echnical, Administrative and Clerical and Ancillary.

  11987 figures at 30 September.

  Social Fund
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to appoint a social fund commissioner to be responsible for the social fund as it applies to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Mrs. Rosalind Mackworth has been appointed to serve as social fund commissioner in Northern Ireland as well as in Great Britain for a period of three years from 1 December 1987.

DEFENCE

  Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed the proposed intermediate range nuclear forces treaty and its consequences with his NATO colleagues; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  My right hon. Friend last discussed the prospective INF agreement collectively with his NATO colleagues at the defence planning committee meeting in Brussels on 1–2 December, a copy of the communique from which will be placed in the Library.

  Low-Flying Aircraft
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, pursuant to his reply of 10 November,Official Report, column 160, he is now in a position to make a statement following his review of low-flying training over the residential developments of Hardwiche and Quedgeley.

  Mr. Freeman
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 30 November 1987.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the accident analysis capabilities of the computer installed in the RAF inspectorate of flight safety; and what information it provides on low-flying accident rates per 10,000 hours.

  Mr. Freeman
  The computer system used by the Royal Air Force's inspectorate of flight safety is designed to allow the timely retrieval of accident data relevant to the safety of RAF aircraft. It contains information on all serious accidents to RAF aircraft since 1979. The time actually spent at low level by RAF aircraft during training sorties is not recorded. The information requested is, therefore, not available.
  83
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to reply to recent letters sent to him by hon. Members on the subject of low-flying aircraft.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will send full replies to those hon. Members who have written to me on the subject of low flying as soon as possible. Correspondence from hon. Members normally requires investigations and the number of such letters has recently risen significantly. In the meantime, I have sent either acknowledgements or interim replies to all such Members.

  Home Defence
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current cost to his Department's budget of providing home defence for the protection of the United Kingdom in the event of hostilities in Europe.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to figure 10 in the 1987 "Statement on the Defence Estimates".

  Foxhunter
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 5 November about negotiations with Marconi Defence Systems over the Foxhunter radar programme, when the negotiations started; for what reasons they have lasted so long; and when he expects them to be concluded.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Negotiations began early this year. I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 12 November at column 303.

  Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 5 November, when he expects to be in a position to make a further statement about the cost overrun in the redevelopment programme at Aldermaston.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to my answers to the hon. Member of 30 October and 12 November at columns 485 and 303.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the precise purposes in relation to the Trident project for which the new capital facilities at Aldermaston are designed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The programme to improve or replace aging capital facilities at Aldermaston was announced in 1979, before the decision to purchase Trident. The facilities relate basically to plutonium processing, waste management and supporting facilities such as conventional power generation. None are solely for the purposes of Trident.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards collaboration in relation to the joint targeting and maintenance of nuclear weapons within NATO, with specific reference to the United Kingdom and French deterrent forces.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  All our nuclear forces are assigned to NATO although they remain at all times under the control of the British Government and are capable of being 84
  employed independently when supreme national interests are at stake. In their NATO role, United Kingdom nuclear warheads are targeted by SACEUR in accordance with the Alliance's general political guidelines. The servicing or maintenance of United Kingdom nuclear warheads has always been and will continue to be a purely national responsibility.

  France's nuclear forces are outside the integrated military structure of the Alliance.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 13 November,Official Report, column 334, regarding nuclear weapons in Europe, how the minimum number of weapons to be maintained by NATO will be assessed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The size of NATO's forces in Europe is determined by politico-military assessments of what is required to implement the strategy of flexible response. Details of these assessments are classified.

  Waste Paper
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

  Mr. Freeman
  The use of recycled paper by the Ministry of Defence remains as set out by my hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) in his reply to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 26 January 1987, at column 128.

  The Ministry arranges for scrap paper and board to be collected from its units and establishments through contracts let by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Depending on the quality and suitability of the material, it is understood that much of it is recycled by the industry in a range of papers and cardboards.

  Sea-launched Cruise Missiles
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given by his Department to the problems of verification posed by sea-launched cruise missiles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The United Kingdom is not involved in arms control negotiations on these systems. However my Department maintains a continuous and close interest in all aspects of verification.

  Trident
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions officials of his Department met the Comptroller and Auditor General or his staff in the course of the preparation of the most recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the control and management of the Trident programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The report on the control and management of the Trident programme (HC 27) was compiled by the staff of the Comptroller and Auditor General after thorough examination of my Department's records and after extensive discussion and correspondence with a number of my officials.

  This process covered all parts of my Department engaged in the control and management of the United Kingdom Trident programme and covered a period of some 15 months.

  US Submarines (Holy Loch)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a list of incidents involving the leak of radioactive material from United States nuclear-powered submarines in Holy Loch since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There have been no incidents involving leakages of radioactive materials from United States nuclear-powered submarines in the Holy Loch since 1975.

  Air-Launched Stand-Off Weapons
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 34, he will place in the Library the memorandum of understanding on the development and production of air-launched stand-off weapons.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the memorandum of understanding concerning general arrangements for the collaborative development and production of a modular stand-off weapon system.

  Flying Accidents (Compensation)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many relatives of aircrew killed in flying accidents have been able to benefit from compensation from his Department, following the repeal of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has received no claims from relatives of aircrew killed in flying accidents since the Crown Proceedings (Armed Forces) Act 1987 became law on 15 May. Any claims for compensation will be dealt with on their merits and on the basis of any legal liability on the part of the Ministry of Defence.

  RAF (Accident Reports)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to place copies of Royal Air Force aircraft accident reports in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. It is already the usual practice, however, to place in the Library of the House unclassified summaries of the findings of boards of inquiry into major Royal Air Force aircraft accidents.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many animals have been subjected to penetration wounds in order to assess the effectiveness of military weapons, for each year since 1979;

  (2) how many animals have been subjected to blast wounds in military experiments, for each year since 1979;

  (3) how many animals have been subjected to chemical weapons tests by his Department, for each year since 1979;.

  (4) how many animals have been killed in military experiments, in each year since 1979;

  (5) whether animals involved in wounding or blast experiments by his Department are anaesthetised prior to the experiments; and if he will make a statement.
  86
  Mr. Sainsbury
  A relatively small number of scientific procedures involving animals is carried out, principally in order to assess the safety and effectiveness of protective measures against chemical and biological attack. Some procedures are also carried out in order to improve our understanding of wounds and our ability to treat them. Animals involved in all such procedures are deeply anaesthetised. In no instance are animals used in work to improve weapon performance. Scientific procedures involving animals are carried out on important work only after careful consideration of alternatives has shown that none is an adequate substitute and the lowest!possible order of animal is selected, usually mice, guinea pigs and rats. It is not our policy to make detailed information available on scientific procedures involving animals in the defence field, but I can say that the overall annual figure which was less than 7,000 in 1986, constitutes less than one half of one per cent. of all animal experiments conducted in the United Kingdom.

  Harrier GR 5
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any Harrier GR 5 aircraft have been flown since the loss of a GR 5 in October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Harrier GR 5 test flying has been suspended until the cause of the accident on 22 October has been fully investigated. A board of inquiry, which was convened on 24 October, is still in progress, and flying is unlikely to be resumed before early next year.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the order for the second batch of Harrier GR 5 aircraft has been postponed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 November at column 454. The second batch order has not been postponed and ordering is consistent with the need to maintain the manufacturing programme and aircraft deliveries.

  Bird Strikes
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force aircraft have been lost as a result of bird strikes for each year since 1979, listing the aircraft type and the location.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Aircraft Type

  Location

  1979

  Jaguar

  Federal Republic of Germany

  1980

  Harrier

  Dyfed

  1980

  Jet Provost

  North Yorkshire

  1980

  Nimrod

  Grampian

  1981

  Jaguar

  Tayside

  1982

  Hawk

  Devon

  1983

  Jaguar

  Grampian

  1983

  Jet Provost

  North Yorkshire

  1984

  Hawk

  Gwynedd

  1984

  Harrier

  Falkland Islands

  1985

  Nil

  —

  1986

  Nil

  —

  19871

  Nil

  —

  1 To 4 December.

  RAF Aircraft (Losses)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force aircraft have been lost as a result of technical malfunction for each year since 1979, listing the type of aircraft involved.

  Mr. Freeman
  On those losses of Royal Air Force aircraft for which board of inquiry findings are available, the following have been identified as having occurred owing to technical malfunctions:

  Year

  Number of Aircraft

  Type Aircraft

  1979

  5

  Hunter/Jet Provost/Harrier Buccaneer/Lightning

  1980

  7

  Buccaneer/Hunter/Phantom/Jaguar/Harrier/Canberra

  1981

  3

  Hunter/Lightning

  1982

  6

  Hunter/Jaguar/Victor/Harrier

  1983

  2

  Jet Provost/Tornado

  1984

  5

  Harrier/Tornado/Hawk/Lightning/Chinook

  1985

  0

  —

  1986

  1

  Harrier

  19871

  0

  —

  1To 4 December

  The statistics only relate to accidents where technical malfunction was identified as the cause. Accidents where the board of inquiry has not yet reported are excluded, as are also those where the cause cannot be positively determined.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jet Provost aircraft have crashed as a result of technical malfunction for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  Aircraft lost through technical malfunction as positively identified are as follows:

  Number

  1979

  1

  1980

  0

  1981

  0

  1982

  0

  1983

  1

  1984

  0

  1985

  0

  1986

  0

  11987

  0

  1 To 4 December.

  RFA Argus
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus will be tasked as an aviation support ship for the Royal Marines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  RFA Argus will replace RFA Engadine. Her peacetime role will be as an air training ship. In war, her task would depend on the priorities at the time and she could be used to provide helicopter support in the amphibious group.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus will enter Royal Navy service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is expected that the ship will leave the shipyard in the new year. Following a period of extensive trials and training, the vessel is scheduled to enter service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary towards the end of 1988.

  RNSSIX Satellite System
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the RNSSIX satellite system.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Procurement of the SSIXS from the United States has been under way for some years, for fitment mainly in Royal Navy submarines. Interoperability between the navies of our two countries has been enhanced in consequence of this acquisition, and the equipment has proved very reliable in operation.

  Sea Wolf
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met trade union representatives of Rose Packaging Ltd., Gainsborough, to discuss the Sea Wolf launcher contract.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement met trade union officials representing employees of Rose Forgrove Ltd. in July 1986. Matters associated with the development of a launcher for lightweight Sea Wolf were discussed.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he next expects to place orders for the lightweight Sea Wolf;

  (2) which Royal Navy vessels will be fitted with the lightweight Sea Wolf; and how many units will be fitted to each vessel.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 10 November at column 157.

  Thunder and Colt Balloon Factory
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why eight crew members of HMS Argonaut were flown to the Thunder and Colt balloon factory in Oswestry on Monday 9 November.

  Mr. Freeman
  Crew members from HMS Argonaut were flown in the ship's Lynx helicopter to the Thunder and Colt balloon factory, Oswestry, at the invitation of Per Lindstrand in recognition of the part the helicopter played in the rescue of Mr. Lindstrand following his transatlantic balloon flight in July of this year. The visit was made during a navigational training flight which included three hours instrument flying and three radar let downs. This flight was a pre-requisite for a pilot's instrument rating lost and so no extra cost fell upon public funds.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of flying a Lynx helicopter to the Thunder and Colt balloon factory in Oswestry on Monday 9 November.

  Mr. Freeman
  The cost of flying the Lynx from Portland to Oswestry and back was £4,476. As the flight was, however, carried out as part of the air crew's training programme, there was no extra cost to public funds.

  Higher Reardon Farm, West Dartmoor (Barracks Block)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what will be the cost of building a barracks block on Higher Beardon farm, West Dartmoor;
  89
  (2) what will be the size of the barracks that his Department intends to build on Higher Beardon farm, West Dartmoor;

  (3) why his Department has postponed its formal application to the Dartmoor national park committee to build a new barracks block on Higher Beardon farm; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what account his Department took of the proximity of Okehampton camp in deciding upon the necessity for a new barracks block at Higher Beardon farm; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 23 November 1987,Official Report, column 35–36. The Ministry of Defence proposals to replace Willsworthy camp at Higher Beardon farm, Lydford, were submitted to the Dartmoor national park authority on 19 October, in accordance with normal procedures, which we continue to follow. Okehampton training camp could not be used for this purpose, mainly because it is too far away to provide ready access to shelter from the harsh and rapidly changing weather conditions on the moor. The proposed camp is not a barracks, but would merely provide overnight shelter for up to 100 troops using the ranges. It would be a single storey building which, with a small parking area, would cover about half an acre, about a third of the size of the present camp. The cost of construction would depend on the results of a competitive tender.

  Royal Naval Fleet
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what size he estimates the Royal Navy fleet will be by the year 2000.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  On current plans, the size and shape of the Royal Navy in the year 2000 should not differ greatly from what they are now.

  Aldermaston Defence Establishment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the recent leak of radioactive material from a pipe at Aldermaston defence establishment.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  On Wednesday 2 December an escape was discovered from the pipe which carries treated effluent from the atomic weapons establishment (AWE) Aldermaston to the River Thames. The escape was terminated promptly by AWE staff and no special action was required. Both the amount and the level of contamination were small, falling well below the notifiable reporting level. None the less, all the relevant authorities and the occupiers of adjacent properties were informed of the situation.

  No effluent is discharged from AWE until has been fully treated and checked to ensure that it is below the limits set by the regulatory authorities. This escape took place when the pipe was being refilled with clean water following routine maintenance, so the effluent involved in the escape was even more diluted than usual. The cause appears to have been an incompletely closed sampling point, though the precise circumstances are being investigated. At no time has there been any danger to either the public or the environment—indeed, the levels found were barely above the recommended guidelines for drinking water. However, surplus water has now been removed by tanker to AWE and the area has been subjected to a thorough check.

  Noise Disturbance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what representations he has received about the noise disturbance caused by the large number of Chinook landings at RAF Molesworth on 4 December;

  (2) what representations he has received about the noise disturbance caused by the large number of aircraft movements into RAF Alconbury on 3 December.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  None.

  BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES
  BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES
  LAND REGISTRY
  LAND REGISTRY
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL MEETING, 3RD DECEMBER
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL MEETING, 3RD DECEMBER
  ARMOURED VEHICLES SUPPLIED TO POLICE FORCES
  ARMOURED VEHICLES SUPPLIED TO POLICE FORCES