Written Answers of 10 December 1987

WALES

  Housing Waiting Lists
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will collate figures for housing waiting lists in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  No. Waiting lists are not compiled by local authorities on any uniform basis. There would be no merit in collating the figures centrally, since this would not provide meaningful information.

  Intensive Poultry Farming
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received over the past five years on the adverse environmental impact of the establishment of intensive poultry farming in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  No comprehensive records are kept, but since 1984 approximately 14 representations have been received about the environmental impact of poultry farming.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the present state of teaching of the Welsh language in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Encouraging progress has been made. Our proposals for including Welsh in the national curriculum are a further significant step forward.

  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has completed his consideration of the responses to the consultation exercises conducted by his Department on the question of Welsh language legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  After studying the responses I have concluded that both I and the Minister of State need to take further soundings on this sensitive issue. I propose early in the new year to meet representatives of several organisations to discuss the matter further. Additionally, I am setting up a working group with a membership spanning a very broad spectrum of Welsh life to be chaired by the Minister of State. This group will consider the more substantive comments submitted as part of the consultation exercise, seek any further views it feels necessary and advise me on the most constructive and appropriate action that I might take to foster the Welsh language.

  NHS (Consultants)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision exists in his Department's budget for the current financial year for the employment of outside consultants in relation to his Department's responsibility for the National Health Service in Wales.
  216
  Mr. Grist
  At the start of the financial year, £0·282 million was earmarked with hospital and community health services provision for consultancies for which there was an outstanding commitment to provide central funding. Since then a further £0·200 million has been made available for consultancies in respect of Gwynedd and Mid Glamorgan health authorities from funds released through slippage in the take-up (by authorities) of funds originally allocated for centrally financed service developments.

  Integration Operations
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in the European Commission with regard to the integration operations proposals put forward by Gwynedd, Dyfed and Powys county councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Commission has not yet reached a decision on the integrated operations programme for Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys. I have fully endorsed the submission and I am pressing for an early decision.

  Community Hospital (Gwynedd)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether staff of his Department have had discussions during the past three months with members or staff of Gwynedd health authority about the practicability of scheduling at an early date, the construction of a new community hospital to serve Dwyfor and north Meirionnydd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  No discussions have taken place.

  Ysbym Madog
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date his Department received an inquiry from the Gwynedd health authority concerning the legal status of Ysbym Madog, Porthmadog; and on what date his Department replied to such an inquiry.

  Mr. Grist
  No inquiry has been received.

  Health Authorities (Sale of Land)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued in relation to the sale of land or buildings by health authorities in Wales; and whether health authorities are allowed to retain the cash proceeds from such sales and to use them at their unfettered discretion.

  Mr. Grist
  Health authorities are required to conduct land transactions within the procedures set out in the National Health Service "Land Transactions Handbook" and the relevant Welsh health circulars. They are entitled to receive the proceeds from the sale of land or buildings no longer needed by the health service except in those cases where the property has become surplus because of a closure following a centrally funded scheme. In such cases the sale proceeds will not be kept by the district health authority, but will benefit the all-Wales provision. Health authorities may use the proceeds of sale for the provision of hospital and community health services for which they are responsible.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those hospitals in Wales for which closure proposals have been submitted to him for decision, after the appropriate local consultation procedures, during the past four years; and if he will indicate for each one whether closure was approved or rejected or whether a decision is still pending.

  Mr. Grist
  I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT

  Welded Rail
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of continuous welded rail he expects to authorise, as envisaged in British Rail's corporate plan, in the years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  British Rail's expenditure on continuous welded rail is a management matter for which they do not require ministerial consent. The mileage of track on which British Rail expects to complete work in each year is as follows:

  Mileage

  1988–89

  268

  1989–90

  249

  1990–91

  241

  1991–92

  228

  Railway Crossing, Criccieth
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what direct representations he has received from residents of the Criccieth area concerning the danger of the railway crossing at Criccieth; whether he has replied to these representations; if he has agreed to meet the county councils for the area to discuss this problem; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Representations have been received from the Criccieth Maes Railways Crossing Action Group that the existing Automatic Open Crossing should be programmed for immediate conversion to an Automatic Half-Barrier installation. The Department have replied to the effect that British Railways have primary responsibility for deciding what alterations should be made and when the works should take place. We have had no request to meet the county councils for the area.

  Motor Cycle Noise
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress with the implementation of the Motor Cycle Noise Act.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are preparing two sets of regulations on motor cycle noise. The first, under the Motor Cycle Noise Act, will introduce controls on the sale of motor cycle silencers and exhausts. The second, an amendment to the Construction and Use Regulations, will bring into effect the provisions of directive 87/56/EEC, which sets tighter noise limits for motorcycles first used on or after 1 October 1990.
  218
  We expect to circulate both sets of regulations for comment early in the new year.

  A43 (Accidents)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many personal injury accidents have occurred at the junction of the A43 trunk road with the unclassified road from Charlton to Evenley since the dual carriageway was opened on 20 August; and what action he proposes to take to improve visibility and reduce further accident risks.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There have been two personal injury accidents. The junction is of a type common throughout the country. It is well signed and has good visibility. Our agents, Northamptonshire county council, have been instructed to monitor the situation and examine whether there is any scope for improvement.

  Traffic (Lowestoft)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make public the findings of the Maunsell report into Lowestoft's traffic problems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are considering the Maunsell report following the consultant's study of traffic movement on A12 in Lowestoft. I shall make an announcement about the findings and our response as soon as possible.

  Special Types General Order
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends further to amend the Special Types General Order.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. I have signed an amending order to modify the new rules set out in Statutory Instrument 1987 No. 1327. This extends the time for changing existing vehicles used for carrying abnormal indivisible loads. These will now be permitted until 1 October 1989 to operate with their existing axle arrangements. For those weighing up to 80 tonnes gross weight the maximum axle weight will be reduced to 13·5 tonnes. From 1 October 1989 the maximum axle weight for these vehicles will be further reduced to 12·5 tonnes and the new rules on axle arrangements will apply.

  Railways Inspectorate (Chief Inspecting Officer Post)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the recently advertised post of chief inspecting officer at the Railways Inspectorate has been set at one grade lower than that of the current holder of the post.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  When unified grading was introduced into the enlarged open structure of the Civil Service, the post of Chief Inspector of Railways was assigned to grade 4. Grade 4 posts are, however, usually responsible for the management of grade 5 officers. There are no such posts in the chief inspector's command. The present chief inspector retires next year and this represented an opportunity to consider the grading of his post. Since it does not involve the management of other senior staff, it was decided that it should formally be grade 5.
  219
  There is no intention, implied or otherwise, to diminish the post of the chief inspecting officer or the statutory responsibilities of the post. I am fully conscious of the need to appoint a candidate of the highest quality to carry out these important duties. The advertisement makes it clear, therefore, that a higher salary will be considered for a candidate with exceptional qualifications or experience.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hillmorton
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Hillmorton in Rugby.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Holy Loch
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to Holy Loch.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Prime Minister how many council houses and flats have been sold to their tenants since May 1979 in the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  More than I million tenants have bought their own homes since May 1979.

  Engagements
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 December.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 December.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 December.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 December.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Land Registry
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to the answer of 30 November, what specific plans there are to cut the length of time it takes to process new titles in the Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  In his response to the Adjournment debate on 30 November 1987, at columns 741–44 my hon. and learned Friend, the Solicitor-General, set out specific plans to meet the Land Registry's commitments and to contain, and eventually reduce, the backlog of outstanding casework, including new titles.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Attorney-General who is to be the successor to Mr. Roderic Bowen QC as Welsh Social Security Commissioner; and if he will be capable of chairing hearings undertaken in the Welsh language.

  The Attorney-General
  Oral hearings continue to be held in Cardiff on a regular basis to deal with appeals which arise in Wales. A commissioner, based in the London office, is available to conduct oral hearings in the Welsh language should the need arise. The Lord Chancellor has no plans at present to appoint a further social security commissioner to be based in Wales.

  Family Law Reform Act 1987
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) 23 July,Official Report, column 291, how the Government have derived the figure of £3·5 million a year as the cost of implementing part II of the Family Law Reform Act 1987, and if he will give a breakdown of this figure.

  The Attorney-General: The figure of £3·5 million is derived from the impact on the county courts and on the legal aid fund of the increased rights given to both unmarried parents by part 11 of the Act. The breakdown of costs is as follows:

  £million

  Court services and judiciary

  0·4

  Services of probation officers

  0·6

  Legal aid

  2·5

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Books and Equipment
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what system he has for ensuring that the provision made by him in grants to local education authorities for books and equipment in schools is being allocated by schools and local education authorities for those purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Education support grant is allocated to authorities for specific purposes, including the provision of books and equipment for GCSE. Grant may be claimed only on expenditure which an authority's auditors are satisfied has been made for that purpose. However, it is for individual authorities and schools to decide on the priority to be given to books and equipment within expenditure supported by block grant.

  Overseas Students
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of students registered at universities in the United Kingdom from countries outside the EEC, defined by country of origin, in each of the years since 1978.

  Mr. Jackson
  The required information for 1986 for countries with more than 250 students is shown in the table. Information for all countries could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition, there were 7,000
  221
  students from other non-EC countries. Information for earlier years has been published in "Statistics of Students from abroad in the United Kingdom", by the British Council, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Students from abroad in United Kingdom universities

  1986

  Hong Kong

  4,729

  United States

  4,202

  Malaysia

  3,788

  Singapore

  1,606

  Nigeria

  1,493

  Norway

  1,104

  Iraq

  1,061

  Algeria

  1,059

  Iran

  1,044

  Canada

  952

  Cyprus

  719

  China

  716

  Kenya

  688

  India

  650

  Pakistan

  634

  Saudi Arabia

  575

  Japan

  444

  Brazil

  419

  Egypt

  419

  Zambia

  392

  Australia

  363

  Jordan

  356

  Cameroon

  336

  Lebanon

  330

  Sri Lanka

  324

  South Africa

  316

  Indonesia

  286

  Bangladesh

  280

  Tanzania

  261

  Total

  29,546

  Adult Literacy
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has available to him regarding the standards of adult literacy in England and Wales.

  Mr. Jackson
  Few adults are unable to read or write at all, but there are a large number who have problems with reading, writing and spelling. In a report recently published by the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, it is reported that 13 per cent. of 23-year-olds who were interviewed in the National Child Development Study survey in 1981, said they had some problems with reading, writing or numeracy. If this were typical of all adults, an estimated 5·5 million people in England and Wales could have difficulties with literacy and numeracy. The Government provide help through the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit which acts as a central focus to assist LEAs and voluntary organisations to establish new basic skills provision and develop existing provision. The grant to the unit for the current year is £2,170,000.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning adult literacy.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has not received any such representations during the present Session.

  CERN
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the review of CERN has 222
  yet been completed; if a decision has yet been reached on the United Kingdom membership of CERN; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that the CERN review group, chaired by Professor Abragam, has completed its work and that its report will be available before the CERN council meeting on 17 December. The report's recommendations will be taken into account in reaching any decision.

  School Meals
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to provide information as to how many children living in Lancashire are in receipt of free school meals; and what percentage of Lancashire school children this represents.

  Mr. Dunn
  The total number of free school meals taken in Lancashire on the day of the annual school meals census in October 1986 was 44,017, or 21 per cent. of full-time equivalent pupils registered at maintained schools.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratios
  Miss Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total number of pupils on school rolls and the pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary schools in Cleveland for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dunn
  The number of pupils on roll and the pupil-teacher ratio in maintained primary schools in Cleveland each year since 1979 were as follows:

  January each year

  Pupils1

  Pupil-teacher ratio

  1979

  65,386

  23·4

  1980

  62,770

  23·1

  1981

  60,446

  23·1

  1982

  57,321

  22·4

  1983

  54,395

  21·8

  1984

  53,505

  22·1

  1985

  53,106

  22·2

  1986

  53,270

  22·3

  1987

  53,755

  22·1

  1 Full-time equivalent pupils. Part-time pupils counted as 0·5.

  "Educational Reform"
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many copies of the booklet "Educational Reform" have been printed; to whom they are to be distributed; and what is the total cost of the publication itemised by costs of(a) printing, (b) preparation at all stages, (c) distribution, including postage, and (d) other costs.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  500,000 copies of the booklet have been printed. Individual copies have been sent to all headteachers and clerks of governing bodies in England; to all right hon. and hon. Members and to some noble Lords; to local education authorities, chief education officers, examining bodies, teacher unions, examining groups, employers' groups and others known to have an interest and who requested copies of the consultation documents. Further copies are available on request from my Department.

  The cost is as follows:

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  £

  (a) Printing

  46,450

  (b) Design

  4,250

  (c) Postage

  45,560

  (d) Other costs

  Nil

  Total

  196,260

  1 Unit cost 19·25p.

DEFENCE

  Foreign Service Allowance
  Mr. Neil Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations took place with the Retired Officers Association over the replacement of foreign service allowance from I January 1988 with a cost of living allowance.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Cost of living addition was agreed after extensive negotiations between the official and trade union sides of the national Whitley Council in 1985 and 1986. It was announced within my Department in a Defence Council instruction on 2 May 1986 and is being introduced progressively worldwide. Transitional arrangements were included in the agreement for staff whose allowances were reduced.

  The Retired Officers Association is not a member of the Council of Civil Service Unions and does not have independent negotiating rights. However, like all civil servants, including non-union members, members of the ROA are subject to such nationally negotiated agreements. The new rates for staff in Germany result from a recent Treasury inspection. They were agreed following negotiations with local trade union and staff representatives. The local representative of the ROA was given the opportunity to present the association's views to the inspector.

  Mr. Neil Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of how much retired officers filling service appointments as re-employed officers will on average lose in a year as a result of the replacement of tax-free foreign service allowance with cost of living allowance.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Under Inland Revenue rules, overseas allowances can only be regarded as tax-free if they compensate for necessary and actual additional expenditure. One of the major features of the cost of living addition (COLA) provisions is to pay child provision only to officers with eligible dependent children whereas foreign service allowance included an element for a child in the basic rate, whether or not the officer had dependent children.

  This change will result in any civil servant without children, including retired officers, receiving the basic rate of COLA without child provision. In Germany the new rate of COLA for this category of staff in the grade equivalent to RO3 is approximately £760 per annum less than the old FSA rate, due mainly to this change.

  Mr. Neil Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average annual payment of foreign service allowance to(a) a young married officer with young children and (b) retired officers filling service appointments as re-employed officers who no longer have
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  dependent children; and what will be the average annual payments of cost of living allowance for these examples after 1 January 1988.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The old and new rates in Germany payable to a married civilian officer with two children compared to that for a married officer with no children, for the grade RO3 in which the majority of retired officers fall, are:

  Old £

  New £

  Band 4 Civilian Officers without dependent children

  2,630

  1,869

  Band 4 Civilian Officers with 2 dependent children at post

  3,014

  4,212

  Retired Officers (Re-employment)
  Mr. Neil Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to preserve the pay and conditions of retired officers filling service appointments as re-employed officers, after the introduction of cost of living allowance on 1 January 1988.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Foreign service allowance is being replaced by the cost of living addition (COLA) which came into effect on 9 January 1986. COLA is being introduced progressively worldwide as individual countries are inspected under the allowances procedure. The COLA agreement applies to all UK-based civilians serving overseas and it is not within the power of my Department to exempt any of our staff from the terms of this agreement.

  Low-level Flying
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has anything to add to his replies to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 10 November,Official Report, column 157, and the hon. Member for Workington on 16 November, Official Report, column 451, on the number of RAF fast jets lost in low-level accidents in the United Kingdom and surrounding waters in 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information given in my answer to the hon. Member on 16 November is correct. The answer on 10 November to a question from the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) about the number of aircraft and airmen lost during Royal Air Force fast jet operations involving low-flying training in the United Kingdom and surrounding waters in 1985–87 omitted to mention one aircraft loss which occured in 1986, but had not at the time of the answer been identified in records as occurring during a low-flying excerise over the sea. No fatalities were involved.

  TR-1 Reconnaissance Aircraft
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have been held with the Lockheed company concerning the possible purchase of the TR-1 reconnaissance aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  None.

  Holy Loch (Servicing)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any request or notification from the United States authorities relating to the replenishment or servicing of United States Navy Tomahawk cruise-missile armed submarines at Holy Loch.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Any discussions of this nature would be confidential between the two Governments.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the European fighter aircraft is expected to be procured as a one-for-one replacement for Royal Air Force Jaguar and Phantom aircraft: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross) on 8 December at column 149.

  Royal Ordnance Factories
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to respond to the report by the National Audit Office on the loss of public money involved in the sale of Royal Ordnance factories; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I understand that the Committee of Public Accounts examined the accounting officer on 9 December on the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the costs and benefits of the sale of Royal Ordnance plc. Once the Committee has reported to the House on its conclusions, the Government's response to those conclusions will be given, in the customary manner, by means of a Treasury minute.

  Radioactive Contaminants
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many armed forces exercises involving radioactive contamination have taken place at Buchan since 1981;

  (2) if he will make a statement about armed forces exercises involving radioactive contamination at Buchan.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not our policy to discuss the locations where exercises involving the use of radioactive contaminants are held.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT (United States Forces)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss to the Exchequer of exempting maintenance and equipment contracts for United States forces in Britain from value added tax; under what authority this is done; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information on revenue forgone is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Relief from the United Kingdom duties and taxes is afforded to United States visiting forces under the authority of an exchange of notes between the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America which was made in 1952 and which supplements earlier agreements including the mutual defence assistance agreement of 1950.

  Friendly Societies (Political Donations)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and which organisations lodging accounts with the Director of Friendly Societies show political donations.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that an answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he does not include defence procurement expenditure in tables showing identifiable public expenditure by function in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

  Mr. Major
  Defence procurement expenditure is deemed to have been incurred on behalf of the United Kingdom as a whole and it is, therefore, not appropriate to allocate it to an individual country in tables showing identifiable public expenditure by function and territory.

  Television (Public Service Messages)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 543, what information the Central Office of Information has as to the number of viewers reached by public service messages on BBC and independent television, respectively; what specific steps he is taking to achieve greater audience penetration amongst those who watch predominantly BBC channels; if any fee is payable to the BBC for this service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Central Office of Information receives regular reports from the BBC and independent television companies detailing the times at which public service messages were transmitted and the channels or companies which broadcast the material. However, this information does not include audience figures and it would need a disproportionate use of resources in the Central Office of Information to research individual audience figures for each public service message. In the 12 months to the end of September 1987, the independent television companies and the BBC reported details of more than 16,000 transmissions of Government-sponsored public service messages.

  Monthly guidance is given to encourage the greater use of topical public service messages, but transmission must be at the discretion of the broadcasting organisations. No fee is payable to the BBC or ITV companies for the transmission of public service messages.

  Housing Bill
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of reissuing the Housing Bill, excluding printing; and of that how much was the postage cost for distribution.

  Mr. Brooke
  The cost of re-issuing the Housing Bill (excluding printing) cannot be determined exactly without incurring disproportionate cost, but it is estimated to have been around £300, of which some £175 would have been for postage and carriage.

  EC (Budget Council)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Community Budget Council meeting on 9 December.
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  Mr. Brooke
  The Budget Council met in Brussels on 9 December. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council held further discussions on the establishment of a 1988 draft budget. I again made clear that any draft budget must respect the own resources ceiling. The Council adjourned without reaching agreement.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply of 26 November,Official Report, column 293, how many jobs in manufacturing industry in Scotland were created for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: Estimates of employees in employment in Scottish manufacturing industries, along with comparable estimates for the service sector and total employees in Scotland, are as follows:

  Employees in employment in Scotland: thousands, mid-year

  (Changes on a year earlier in brackets)

  Manufacturing

  Services

  Total

  1975

  645 (-38)

  1,158 (+30)

  2,076 (-8)

  1976

  615 (-30)

  1,182 (+24)

  2,071 (-5)

  1977

  622 (+7)

  1,182 (-)

  2,071 (-)

  1978

  611 (-11)

  1,190 (+8)

  2,067 (-4)

  1979

  604 (-7)

  1,224 (+34)

  2,102 (+35)

  1980

  564 (-40)

  1,244 (+20)

  2,082 (-20)

  1981

  510 (-54)

  1,233 (-11)

  2,002 (-80)

  1982

  477 (-33)

  1,228 (-5)

  1,950 (-52)

  1983

  444 (-33)

  1,216 (-12)

  1,899 (-51)

  1984

  434 (-10)

  1,231 (+15)

  1,901 (+2)

  1985

  430 (-4)

  1,244 (+13)

  1,904 (+3)

  1986

  410 (-20)

  1,260 (+16)

  1,888 (-16)

  1987

  398 (-12)

  1,278 (+18)

  1,890 (+2)

  Changes between

  1975–87

  -247

  +120

  -186

  1979–87

  -206

  +54

  -212

  1983–87

  -46

  +62

  -9

  Some of the decrease in the figures for manufacturing will be the result of the reclassification of jobs such as industrial cleaning, catering, computer services and road haulage previously done by manufacturers' own employees and now done by sub-contractors. This developing feature of our economy has the effect of exaggerating the extent of the move from manufacturing to service sector employment. Employees in employmment in the service sector in Scotland increased between 1976 and 1987.

EMPLOYMENT

  Community Programme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from voluntary and conservation bodies concerning proposals for the reform of eligibility criteria for the community programme.

  Mr. Lee
  I have received a number of representations from voluntary and conservation bodies about the community programme eligibility criteria.

  Benefit Adjudication Officers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional support staff for unemployment benefit adjudication officers have been appointed, following recommendations of the chief adjudication officer's annual report.

  Mr. Lee
  The chief adjudiction officer first recommended an increase in support staff for adjudication officers 230
  in his annual report for 1984–85. Since the period covered by that report, my Department has conducted an internal survey into the organisation of the adjudication service. In the two years since that survey some 90 additional clerical and secretarial staff have been introduced to support the work of adjudication officers.

  Passive Smoking
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to protect employees in their places of work against the consequences of passive smoking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government are awaiting the fourth report of the independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health, which is expected about the end of the year. I understand that the report will cover the health risks associated with passive smoking, on which the committee made an interim statement earlier this year. We shall then be able to consider any further action that may be needed on smoking in the workplace. We are continuing to encourage employers to limit the exposure of nonsmokers to tobacco smoke at work on a voluntary basis, for example by workplace agreements to limit smoking to particular areas or to segregate smokers and non-smokers.

  National Dock Labour Scheme
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people employed in national dock labour scheme ports; and what information he has as to what proportion this constitutes of the total number employed in all ports.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The forthcoming report on manpower in the United Kingdom ports industry, soon to be published jointly by the British Ports Association and the National Association of Port Employers, will show that, of around 40,000 people employed in United Kingdom ports on 20 March 1987, about 28,000 (70 per cent.) worked in scheme ports.

  Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has concerning section 51 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

  Mr. Fowler
  A consultation document has been published today. It explains the changes required in relation to section 51, sets out in detail the other legislation under consideration and seeks, by 29 February, views on the extent to and manner in which the legislation should be amended. Copies of the document have been placed in the Library.

  Restart Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures showing the number of unemployed people who have been issued with invitations to attend restart interviews since the beginning of the scheme, the total number of interviews conducted during the same period and a breakdown of the difference between these two totals, estimating(a) those who ceased to be unemployed prior to receiving the invitation, (b) those who left the register between the receipt of the invitation and the interview date and (c)

  231
  other reasons for non-attendance; and if he will also provide an estimate of how many of these people would be likely to leave the register if the normal outflow from the unemployment register continued at pre-restart levels.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: Since the start of the restart programme, 3,286,000 people have been invited and 2,558,000 have attended an interview. It is not possible to break down the difference between these two totals in the manner requested. However, among those people invited for interview who do not in the event attend for interview are:

  (a) people who cease to be unemployed shortly before or after receiving their invitation;

  (b) people who are about to start work;

  (c) people who cease claiming unemployment benefits for other reasons.

  We do not know how many people ultimately find work or other opportunities as a result of a restart interview.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures showing(a) the average duration of unemployment of those who have attended restart interviews and (b) the proportion of restart interviewees who remain on the unemployment register (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months and (iv) six months after a restart interview.

  1 June 1986 to 9 October 1986

  10 October 1986 to 8 January 1987

  9 January 1987 to 9 April 1987

  10 April 1987 to 26 June 1987

  29 June 1987 to 25 September 1987

  People counselled under restart

  366,451

  412,600

  506,046

  409,436

  612,264

  Referals

  Job

  37,930

  34,906

  38,669

  38,128

  52,181

  Community Programme

  56,883

  48,195

  43,247

  30,102

  45,040

  Jobclubs

  17,278

  23,358

  36,054

  39,520

  59,057

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  16,800

  17,493

  20,087

  16,047

  22,732

  Restart Courses

  63,149

  68,095

  57,801

  19,655

  25,316

  Training

  45,327

  51,349

  59,267

  74,305

  101,022

  Voluntary Projects Programme

  9,628

  11,357

  14,786

  7,149

  11,198

  Voluntary Work

  Employment rehabilitation Centres

  2,883

  132

  1,726

  934

  1,229

  Jobstart Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures showing the total number of payments made under the jobstart scheme, together with a breakdown of the wages of jobs covered by the scheme in the same format used in the reply given on 18 April 1986,Official Report, columns 527–28; and if he will show the average duration of jobstart payments.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 7 November 1987]: Since the introduction of jobstart, 18,107 people have been accepted on to the allowance. The total sum paid out under jobstart up to 27 November 1987 amounts to £6·8 million. The most recent figures available as to the breakdown of wages of jobs covered by the scheme are as follows:

  1 July 1986 to 25 September 1987

  Wages (£ a week)

  Number

  0 to 39

  642

  40 to 49

  1,101

  50 to 59

  2,521

  60 to 69

  4,104

  232
  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: Most of those interviewed under the restart programme are invited to interview after six, 12 or 18 months unemployment. The information requested on the length of time spent unemployed after a restart interview is not available.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures, showing the outcome of interviews conducted under the restart scheme, covering the period from the introduction 01 the scheme, in the same format used in the reply given on 6 November 1986,Official Report, columns 523–24, together with a breakdown of these figures to show outcomes for each three-month or similar time period.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: The number of people interviewed under the restart programme and the numbers referred to the various menu items, broken down into three-month periods since the national inception of restart, are shown in the table.

  We do not know how many of those selected for interview are ultimately placed in a job or in a training scheme or programme.

  Wages (£ a week)

  Number

  70 to 79

  7,543

  Total

  15,911

  Information on the average duration of jobstart payments is not available.

  YTS (Statistics)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Employment how many persons have had a benefit penalty applied to them by an adjudication officer for refusing to enter a YTS course or for leaving a YTS course early, for each month since December 1983.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have been asked to reply.

  The numbers of people who have had their supplementary benefit reduced for refusing a youth training scheme place, or for leaving courses early, in each month since December 1983, are as follows.

  For 4 Weeks ending:

  Refusal of Place

  Early Leavers

  1983

  20 December

  168

  789

  233

  For 4 Weeks ending:

  Refusal of Place

  Early Leavers

  1984

  17 January

  191

  733

  14 February

  265

  1,362

  13 March

  165

  1,229

  10 April

  88

  1,093

  8 May

  63

  895

  5 June

  47

  853

  3 July

  53

  806

  31 July

  36

  627

  28 August

  27

  462

  25 September

  25

  502

  23 October

  40

  649

  20 November

  42

  716

  18 December

  32

  579

  1985

  15 January

  35

  357

  12 February

  56

  766

  12 March

  50

  607

  9 April

  34

  469

  7 May

  36

  429

  4 June

  22

  405

  2 July

  17

  401

  30 July

  18

  318

  27 August

  10

  267

  24 September

  12

  371

  22 October

  48

  426

  19 November

  29

  496

  17 December

  22

  405

  1986

  14 January

  9

  217

  11 February

  25

  475

  11 March

  28

  526

  8 April

  20

  375

  6 May

  n/a

  555

  3 June

  17

  322

  1 July

  20

  318

  29 July

  17

  282

  26 August

  6

  234

  23 September

  16

  346

  21 October

  16

  507

  18 November

  25

  428

  16 December

  25

  392

  1987

  13 January

  25

  219

  10 February

  22

  350

  10 March

  17

  403

  7 April

  10

  306

  5 May

  3

  106

  2 June

  6

  80

  30 June

  9

  65

  28 July

  4

  65

  25 August

  3

  80

  22 September

  2

  64

  20 October

  1

  81

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Recidivism
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current rate of recidivism among former prisoners; and what was the rate for each of the previous four years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The readily available information relates to sentenced prisoners reconvicted within two years of discharge from a prison department establishment and is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and 234
  Wales" copies of which are in the Library. Table 8(a) of the latest issue (Cm. 210) gives information about those discharged in 1983 and earlier years.

  Sheltered Housing (Fires)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fatal fires there were in local authority homes for the elderly or sheltered housing in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information readily available is given in the table. Fire statistics for 1986 will be available shortly.

  Fires, and deaths in fires, attended by local authority fire brigades in certain locations1

  United Kingdom

  Number

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Elderly persons' homes1

  Fire deaths2

  3

  7

  5

  Fires resulting in these deaths of which, in local authority

  3

  4

  5

  premises3

  2

  1

  2

  Sheltered housing1

  Fire deaths

  5

  4

  6

  Fires resulting in these deaths of which, in local authority

  5

  4

  5

  premises3

  1

  1

  —

  1 Information on location is based on brigades' descriptions of the premises involved. Figures for "sheltered housing" exclude premises described by brigades as old peoples" dwellings (flats, bungalows, etc) but not specifically as sheltered housing.

  2 Figures published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (Table 32 of the volume for 1985).

  3 Fires readily identifiable from fire reports as occurring in local authority premises. It is possible that some of the other fatal fires above were also in local authority premises.

  Home Defence Exercises
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of local authorities in the major home defence exercises planned for September-October 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have indicated to local authorities our belief that participation should be limited to the provision of guidance by county emergency planning officers on any local authority matters which may arise.

  Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were lodged against police officers yearly, since 1979; and of them(a) how many complaints were withdrawn, (b) how many complaints were upheld, (c) how many complaints were rejected and (d) how many prosecutions were brought against police officers as a result of a complaint.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information about complaints made against the police and their outcome is contained in the annual reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. Further informaton can be found in the annual reports of the Police Complaints Board or, since 1985, the Police Complaints Authority. These reports are available in the Library.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report how many firearms, of what calibres and types (a) civilian held, (b) police owned, and (c) armed forces owned, which have been (i) stolen and (ii) recovered in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on the number of burglaries and thefts recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been stolen, by principal weapon type and location of incident, is published in tables 3.12 and 3.13 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1986" (Cm 233) copies of which are in the Library. Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of weapons stolen in these incidents, on their ownership or on the number subsequently recovered. The information included for thefts and for burglaries from military establishments is thought to be incomplete because such offences are not necessarily reported to and recorded by the police. Comprehensive figures for thefts from the armed forces are not readily available.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made any estimate of the number of lives which will be saved annually as a result of his recently announced measures for firearms control, and how many would arise(a) from the reduced use of firearms by the legal holders of such weapons and (b) from the reduced use of firearms in the commission of other criminal acts which end in murder or manslaughter.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not possible to estimate how many lives might be saved by the Government's proposals for new firearms controls. The Government believe, however, that the new measures will reduce the risk of firearms misuse, which the Hungerford shootings and other recent incidents have shown to be unacceptably high.

  Murder and Manslaughter (Firearms)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons have been the victims of murder and manslaughter in cases where a firearm was used which was not known to have been legally held in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;

  (2) how many persons have been the victims of manslaughter or murder by persons legally holding firearms, in each of the last 10 years for which records are available; how many of these murders were committed by persons related to the victim; and if he will provide a breakdown of the type of firearms used in each year;

  (3) how many persons have been the victims of manslaughter or murder by legally held firearms stolen from their owners in each of the last 10 years for which figures were available; in how many of these cases such deaths occurred when other crimes were being attempted or carried out; and what information he has as to the type of weapons used in each year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on offences of homicide by shooting and on the type of firearm involved is published annually in tables 4.3 and 3.6 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" copies of which are in the Library; the latest issue (Cm. 233) gives figures for 1976–86. The available information on the relationship between victim and suspect for all homicides by shooting 236
  and on homicides by shooting in furtherance of theft or gain is given in the tables. Information on whether the firearms involved were legally held, illegally held or stolen is not available centrally; corresponding information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Table 1

  Offences currently1 recorded as homicide where the victim was related to the principal suspect by type of firearm

  Number of offences

  Year

  Total

  Type of firearm

  Long-barrelled shotgun

  Sawn-off shotgun

  Pistol

  Rifle

  Other

  1982

  12

  9

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1983

  22

  14

  2

  5

  1

  —

  1984

  19

  19

  1

  9

  —

  —

  1985

  29

  10

  2

  2

  5

  —

  1986

  23

  15

  5

  3

  —

  —

  1 As at 1 June 1987.

  Table 2

  Offences currently1 recorded as homicide where the victim was related to the principal suspect by type of firearm

  Number of offences

  Year

  Total

  Type of firearm

  Long-barrelled shotgun

  Sawn-off shotgun

  Pistol

  Rifle

  Other

  1982

  3

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1983

  3

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1984

  6

  3

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1985

  6

  1

  2

  3

  —

  —

  1986

  2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1 As at 1 June 1987.

  Mrs. Fatima Mohamed Gulaid
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations and lion. Members who have made representations to his Department concerning the proposed deportation of Mrs. Fatima Mohamed Gulaid.

  Mr. Renton
  No representations from organizations have been received about the proposal to remove Mrs. Fatima Mohamed Gulaid following refusal of leave to enter. Representations have been received from the hon. Member, from the hon. Members for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton), for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer), for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden), for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) and for Liverpool, Broadgreen (Mr. Fields). On 11 November an early-day motion was tabled and signed by eight hon. Members, including the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside. We expect to reach a decision on the case shortly.

  Winson Green Prison
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many female prison officers have been allocated to the male prisoners' wings at Winson Green prison under the fresh start programme;

  (2) if the duties of the female prison officers at Winson Green prison, Birmingham, include supervision of slopping out by male prisoners; and if he will make a statement.
  237
  Mr. John Patten
  Six additional female prison officers were allocated to Birmingham prison last month. Part of their duties involves working with male officers in male prisoners' wings, for example to lock and unlock prisoners. The arrangements take account of the need to preserve privacy and decency.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Stock Exchange (Deregulation)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has of the effects of deregulation upon the turnover of foreign investment on the stock exchange; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Such figures as are available about foreign investment on the stock exchange are contained in the autumn edition of its publication "Quality of Markets Quarterly".

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has of the effects of deregulation on the average commission rate on share dealings on the stock exchange; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The stock exchange, in the autumn 1987 edition of its report "Quality of Markets Quarterly", has given its most recent estimate about the trends in commissions since big bang, namely 27 October 1986.

  Departmental Establishment (Wales)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was and is the total establishment number of the Department of Trade and Industry in Wales for each year since 1970.

  Mr. Atkins
  Staff-in-post figures for the Department of Trade and Industry in Wales for each year since 1976 were as follows:

  Number

  1 April 1976

  1,608

  1 April 1977

  2,262

  1 April 1978

  2,262

  1 April 1979

  2,395

  1 April 1980

  2,270

  1 April 1981

  2,194

  1 April 1982

  2,060

  1 April 1983

  1,979

  1 April 1984

  1,788

  1 April 1985

  1,770

  1 April 1986

  1,769

  1 April 1987

  1,727

  Figures prior to 1976 are not available. The figures in the table do not represent a comparative series because of machinery of Government changes.

  Estate Agents
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce legislation to make the description of homes for sale given by estate agents in their publicity material subject to the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act.

  Mr. Maude
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Textiles (Turkey)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the results of the European Community's recent negotiations with Turkey for renewal of a voluntary restraint arrangement for textiles; if he will publish the agreed import limits in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Auditors
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has for implementing the European Commission eighth company law directive on the regulation of auditors.

  Mr. Maude
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a note setting out the basis on which the Government intend to implement this directive. This follows detailed consultation. Legislation will be included in the next Companies Bill.

  The main points are as follows: the directive governs the supervision of auditors engaged on the audit of the annual accounts of companies where such audit is required by company law. Our intention is that the overall responsibility for this supervision should be exercised by the Secretary of State, but the detailed implementation will be entrusted to recognised professional bodies. However, the legislation will be designed to enable him to transfer these responsibilities to a general auditing council or some other supervisory body, if, in due course, he considers it appropriate to do so. Under the proposed system, the ability to practise as an auditor will depend on the fulfilment of appropriate education and training requirements to be administered by recognised professional bodies according to standards approved by the Secretary of State, or on individual approval by the Secretary of State. In addition, practising auditors, including those individually approved by the Secretary of State, should be designated "registered auditors" and subject to detailed supervision by a body approved for that purpose by the Secretary of State. Any body seeking approval as a monitoring body should have to demonstrate the adequacy of its rules and procedures against broad criteria set out in the legislation.

  We propose to keep statutory provisions on the edcuation and training requirements for the recognition of professional qualifications to the minimum necessary for compliance with the Directive. This will give the recognised bodies the maximum flexibility to develop new courses and make other adjustments in the light of changing circumstances.

  In fulfilling the directive's requirement to safeguard the independence of auditors, we believe that the emphasis should be on strengthening professional guidance rather than statutory requirements. However, the Secretary of State will need to be satisfied that the guidance is adequate before approving a monitoring body. We also intend that companies other than small companies should have to disclose fees paid to their auditors for non-audit services.

  We also propose to remove the existing statutory prohibition on corporate auditors. The basis on which incorporation should be allowed poses some questions and I welcome the recent announcement that representatives of the accounting profession are setting up a joint working

  239
  party to consider them. We shall want to take account of their conclusions before putting forward detailed proposals. I do not believe, however, that the need to safeguard independence necessarily rules out outside ownership of shares. I hope, therefore, that the working group will be able to reach agreement on ways of safeguarding independence while allowing an appropriate degree of flexibility in the way incorporation is permitted.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake a feasibility study into relocating the Patent Office to Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will make it his policy to transfer the Patent Office in London to Yorkshire and give consideration to finding a site in Harrogate.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My officials together with officials from the Welsh Office and the PSA are currently examining the feasibility of relocating the Patent Office to Cardiff or Newport. These locations already house large DTI establishments and locating the Patent Office close to them would yield significant operational and financial benefits. I, therefore, have no plans to look elsewhere at the moment.

  Plymouth
  Miss Fookes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the European Commission to give its agreement to the continuation of the intermediate area status of the Plymouth travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Commission's agreement to intermediate area status for Plymouth was for a three-year period from November 1984. I am pleased to confirm that, on the basis of a submission by my Department supporting the case made by the local councils, the Commission has no objection to Plymouth's intermediate area status being extended for a further four-year period.

THE ARTS

  British Library (Hebrew Collection)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will issue a direction to the British Library Board under section 5 of the British Library Act 1972 to compile and publish a catalogue of its collection of Hebrew printed books.

  Mr. Luce
  It is for the British Library Board to determine the priorities for its cataloguing programme. The library hopes to publish early next year a second supplement to its original 19th century Hebrew catalogue.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he is satisfied with access for disabled people in wheelchairs to all museums and galleries for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Luce
  I am satisfied that the museums and galleries for which I am responsible are fully aware of the needs of disabled people and are doing all they can to meet those 240
  needs. This includes improving access in existing buildings and planning for the needs of the disabled in new buildings.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he is satisfied that the extension to the National gallery and the Tate gallery of the north in Liverpool will provide adequate access for disabled people.

  Mr. Luce
  I am satisfied that the new extension to the National gallery has been designed to provide a full range of facilities, including adequate access, for disabled people, both visitors and staff. Similarly, I am satisfied that the needs of disabled people, including that of adequate access, have been given particular consideration in the planning and refurbishment of the Tate gallery building in Liverpool.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he is satisfied with the access for disabled people to the new Turner gallery at the Tate; and whether he has received any complaints from disabled people or organisations on this issue.

  Mr. Luce
  The needs of disabled people were taken into account when the Tate gallery drew up the design brief for the Turner gallery. The director and trustees of the Tate recognise, however, that further improvements need to be made, particularly within the building. They are taking steps to rectify the situation. I have not received any representations from disabled people or organisations on this matter.

ENERGY

  Coal Mining
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he has any plans to repeal the restriction on deep coal mines which prevents them from employing more than 30 people;

  (2) if he intends to abolish the royalty that must be paid to the National Coal Board on every ton of coal mined by private opencast pits;

  (3) if he has any plans to remove the restrictions on marketing to which private coal mines are subject;

  (4) if he has any plans to seek to reform legislation relating to the licensing of private coal mines;

  (5) if he intends to facilitate worker buy-outs of local pits by National Coal Board employees.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Under existing legislation the British Coal Corporation is responsible for the issue of licences for private mining operations and is entitled to levy a royalty on coal produced under licence. There are no present plans for changes to that legislation, but the Government are considering the possibility of changing the statutory limits on both deep mined and opencast licensed production. The corporation is considering whether there is scope for increased flexibility and transparency within that legislation. The corporation does not require licensed coal to be delivered to it except by agreement with the licensee. Within existing legislation British Coal is prepared to consider proposals by former employees to establish worker co-operatives.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether plans by the Central Electricity
  241
  Generating Board for new fossil fuel power stations at coastal sites in the United Kingdom include flue gas desulphurisation based on sea water scrubbing.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The sea water scrubbing process is at an early stage of development and there are no present plans to use it at proposed new fossil power stations.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy that the retrofitting of flue gas desulphurisation proposed for three coal-fired power stations and the programme to retrofit low nitrogen oxide burners at the 12 major stations operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board will be retained following the privatisation of the industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government will expect existing commitments entered into by the Central Electricity Generating Board to be fulfilled following privatisation of the industry.

  Plutonium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the present preferred method for the transport of civil plutonium from Sellafield to Japan; and what safety tests have been conducted, or are planned, on both emergency planning and container packaging for this transport.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that the present preferred option for the proposed transport of reprocessed plutonium to Japan is shipment by air, although this is not expected to take place until 1992 at the earliest.

  Emergency arrangements for all types of radioactive materials transport are required by national and international regulations, and are subject to periodic testing by exercises.

  Design testing and development of a suitable package is in progress.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Redundancies
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many employees of the Commission or its predecessor have been made redundant on grounds of redundancy or financial exigency in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  In the last 10 years one employee's appointment has been terminated on grounds of redundancy.

  Refreshment Department
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Lord Privy Seal what was the total profit made by the House of Commons Refreshment Department in the week preceding the Christmas recess in 1986.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Refreshment Department does not produce weekly profit figures.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Agency Nurses
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present monthly additional cost from employing agency nurses rather than regular nurses in the National Health, Service.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) on 9 November at columns 100–101. For the reasons explained in that reply it is not possible to provide the information requested.

  Doctors' Lists
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) to what size the patient list is going to be increased in order to qualify for full basic practice allowance, as set out in the primary health care White Paper;

  (2) on what measure of patient numbers the practice list leading to qualification for full basic practice allowance will be based; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if the proposal to increase the minimum list for qualification for full basic practice allowance applies to rural areas.

  Mr. Newton
  Changes in the criteria for entitlement to full basic practice allowance proposed in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" will be the subject of negotiations with the British Medical Association's general medical services committee. We will be consulting the general medical services committee over the scope for introducing measures to assist family doctors who practise in rural areas.

  AIDS
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what drugs are available from the National Health Service for those over 65 years of age suffering from HIV contracted through blood products.

  Mr. Newton
  People whose immune systems become impaired because of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may acquire opportunistic infections which are amenable to treatment and for which the full range of appropriate drugs are available through the National Health Service. Zidovudine (Retrovir) inhibits replication of the virus and is available for the management of patients with serious manifestations of HIV infection. The choice of drugs for an individual patient is a matter for the doctor concerned.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals have been closed as temporary closures in each of the last eight years; how many have re-opened subsequently; and how many have been disposed of.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of recipients of
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  attendance allowance (a) at the lower rate and (b) at the higher rate at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Attendance allowance: Numbers of recipients at 31 March 1986

  Number

  Higher rate

  237,000

  Lower rate

  348,000

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated net annual cost of providing(a) attendance allowance in respect of children below the age of two years who are otherwise eligible but at present are excluded by reason of their age, and (b) mobility allowance in respect of children below the age of five years under the same criteria.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 30 November 1987]: If the proportions of children who would qualify for attendance allowance below age two and for mobility allowance below age five were similar to the proportions of children currently eligible, the costs in a full year would be about £17 million and £8 million, respectively. These figures must, however, be treated with caution because they do not exclude the unquantifiable number of impaired infants who might be ineligible because their need for attention or inability to walk is no greater than that normally to be found in a child of that age.

  Rent Taper
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of pensioner households which will lose entitlement to housing benefit as a result of the increase in the rent taper to 65 per cent.

  Mr. Portillo
  The estimated number of pensioner households losing all entitlement to rent allowances or rent rebates as a result of increasing the rent taper from 60 to 65 per cent. is 25,000. Some of these will retain entitlement to rate rebates. People receiving income support will be unaffected because by definition they continue to receive maximum help with rent.

  Notes:

  1. The source is the 1985 family expenditure survey, updated to 1988–89.

  2. Further information on data sources can be found in the introduction to the revised technical annex, "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits", which is in the Library. This does not identify housing benefit separately.

  Housing Benefit Regulations
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) in what circumstances accommodation is considered to be particularly suitable for elderly, sick or disabled persons by virtue of (i) size and (ii) heating system for the purposes of schedule 1, paragraph 1(c)(ii) to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987;

  (2) in what circumstances accommodation is considered to be not particularly suitable for elderly, sick or disabled persons by virtue of (i) size and (ii) heating system for the purposes of schedule 1, paragraph 1(c)(ii) to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987;

  (3) by what criteria other than size or heating system accommodation will be assessed as particularly suitable
  244
  for elderly, sick or disabled persons for the purposes of schedule 1, paragraph 1(c)(ii) to the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 provide that a charge for an alarm system may be met through housing benefit where the system is provided in accommodation which is occupied by and has been specifically designed or adapted for elderly, sick or disabled people or is otherwise particularly suitable for them. In deciding whether accommodation is particularly suitable, the regulations require authorities to consider the size, heating system and the other major features or facilities of the accommodation as a whole.

  The question of whether accommodation is particularly suitable is a matter for local authorities to decide. The factors we would expect a local authority to take into account in reaching its decision include the number of bedrooms, the overall amount of floorspace, the number of rooms which are heated as well as the location of the accommodation, its proximity to health and social services facilities and its accessibility.

  A one-bedroom ground floor property with heating in the bedroom and living room and which is close to shops, health and social services facilities is likely to be considered suitable for an elderly, sick or disabled person; whereas, for example, a property with several spare bedrooms, heating only in the living room, and which is at a distance from such facilities would be considered unsuitable.

  NHS Superannuation Scheme
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nurses have opted out of the National Health Service superannuation scheme as soon as they have finished their training and made their first job move, since 1983, or over any similar period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  The specific information requested is not available. However, the total number of members who left the National Health Service superannuation scheme with a refund of contributions and therefore less than five years service since 1983 is as follows:

  Number

  1983

  52,287

  1984

  52,728

  1985

  53,933

  1986

  51,161

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to accord higher pay and status to medical laboratory scientific officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The pay and grading of National Health Service medical laboratory scientific officers is a matter for the professional and technical staffs a Whitley council. I understand that an offer of a 5 per cent. increase in pay and allowances effective from 1 April 1987 was accepted on 16 November. Discussions are expected to begin shortly on proposals for a comprehensive review of the medical laboratory scientific officer grading structure.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider individual representations for
  245
  medical laboratory scientific officers when he prepares his response to the forthcoming report of the current Whitley B committee.

  Mr. Newton
  I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the planned discussions between the management and staff sides of the professional and technical staffs 'B' Whitley council on proposals for a revised grading structure for medical laboratory scientific officers. MLSOs will be represented in those discussions by the staff side of the Council, but it is open to individuals to make their views known through management channels.

  Cervical Cancer (Dewsbury)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the area covered by Dewsbury health authority have died from cervical cancer in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what is this figure expressed per 1,000 women.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table.

  Numbers of deaths and death rates per 1,000 women for malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri (ICD 180)1 for usual residents of Dewsbury health authority.2

  1977–86

  Year

  Numbers

  Rates (per 1,000 women)

  1977

  8

  0·49

  1978

  6

  0·37

  1979

  6

  0·36

  1980

  8

  0·49

  1981

  12

  0·73

  1982

  8

  0·49

  1983

  8

  0·49

  1984

  4

  0·24

  1985

  10

  0·61

  1986

  5

  0·30

  1 International Classification of Diseases 8th, 9th Revisions.

  2 Dewsbury Health District 1977–81.

  Dewsbury District Health Authority 1982–86.

  Waiting Lists (Teesside)
  Miss Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are on hospital waiting lists in(a) South Tees health authority and (b) North Tees health authority.

  Mr. Newton
  The latest information available centrally is contained in the booklet "Hospital In-Patient Waiting List—England at 31 March 1987, National, Regional and District Summaries", copies of which have been placed in the Library. For more recent figures the hon. Member may wish to write to the chairmen of the district health authorities concerned.

  Emergency Alarm Systems
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any proposals to provide assistance through income support with the installation and running costs of emergency alarm systems.

  Mr. Portillo
  The costs of the installation of emergency alarm systems are not met under the existing supplementary benefit scheme and we do not intend to make specific provision for this under income support or the social fund. Where a person's income support assessment includes an 246
  amount towards his housing costs (in particular, mortgage interest) help will be available for the running costs of an emergency alarm system. Help will be given only where the alarm system is provided in accommodation which is occupied by and is particularly suitable for elderly, sick or disabled people and the claimant has no choice but to meet the cost as part of their service charge.

  Parliamentary Constituencies (Hampshire)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report each of the parliamentary constituencies in Hampshire in ranking order according to the size of their current electorates, indicating the percentage variation on the average number of electors per constituency in England.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested has been taken from OPCS monitor EL87/1 and is as follows:

  1987 electorate

  Parliamentary constituency

  Number

  Percentage difference from English average1

  Eastleigh

  88,664

  +27·4

  East Hampshire

  87,476

  +25·7

  Aldershot

  81,791

  +17·5

  Portsmouth, North

  81,350

  + 16·9

  Romsey and Waterside

  80,179

  +15·2

  Basingstoke

  79,116

  +13·7

  Fareham

  77,910

  +12·0

  Winchester

  77,527

  +11·4

  Havant

  77,412

  +11·2

  Portsmouth, South

  76,814

  +10·4

  New Forest

  75,780

  +8·9

  Southampton, Test

  74,711

  +7·4

  Southampton, Itchen

  73,412

  +5·5

  North West Hampshire

  70,916

  +1·9

  Gosport

  68,891

  -1·0

  1 The average number of electors per constituency in England is 69,585.

  Short-term Locums
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has made any estimate of the effect of the abatement rules on the availability of recently retired consultants for short-term locums in the summer months, and of the effect this has had on National Health Service waiting lists.

  Mr. Newton
  It is not possible to make any such estimate. The abatement rules which apply to consultants are those which apply to all National Health Service staff who retire from the service and take retirement benefits. The current abatement provisions in the major public sector occupational schemes are under review.

  Medical Practitioners
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has not answered the letter from the Secretary of the British Medical Association of November 1986 requesting a meeting with him on the subject of the superannuability of fees payable to medical practitioners who serve on district management teams; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have replied to the British Medical Association today, at the same time expressing my regret about the error which has occurred.

  Abortion
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost to public funds of abortions carried out under the National Health Service for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  In 1986–87 the total cost of abortions carried out under the National Heath Service, including those performed under agency arrangements with the private sector, is estimated to be approximately £13 million.

  Family Planning
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost to public funds for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available of supplying under the National Health Service, without charge, contraceptive devices and related substances.

  Mr. Newton
  The latest information available about the cost of National Health Service family planning services gives expenditure of £76 million in England in 1985–86. This covers the cost of contraceptive substances and appliances prescribed, contraceptive fees paid to general practitioners and appropriate health authority staffing and overheads costs.

  Benefit Payments
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide information for each of his Department's offices at Bradford and Keighley on total expenditure on supplementary single payments and number of payments granted for the periods (i) January 1985 to December 1985, (ii) January 1986 to December 1986, (iii) August 1985 to July 1986 and (iv) August 1986 to July 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 2 December 1987] Information about single payment expenditure and the number of payments made for each of the Department's offices in Bradford and Keighley is given in the tables.

  Table I

  Number of payments

  1984–85

  1985–86

  11986–87

  11987–88

  Bradford East

  16,818

  19,614

  14,362

  2,090

  Bradford South

  12,167

  14,962

  12,249

  1,919

  Bradford West

  12,208

  15,644

  13,320

  2,175

  Keighley

  5,516

  6,271

  6,319

  1,183

  Table 2

  Expenditure

  1984–85

  1985–86

  11986–87

  11987–88

  Bradford East

  1,199,016

  1,595,387

  1,219,857

  181,569

  Bradford South

  769,691

  1,052,278

  916,405

  147,769

  Bradford West

  1,215,077

  1,358,779

  1,149,496

  196,967

  Keighley

  398,713

  497,612

  461,145

  86,541

  Notes:

  1 Figures for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are provisional and subject to amendment.

  1. Information is given for the year April to April.

  2. Figures for 1987–88 are given for the period 8 April 1987 to 28 July 1987.

  Housing Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of households receiving(a) certificated and (b) standard housing benefit containing non-dependants in respect of whom deductions from housing benefit are made; and if he will estimate the proportion, in each case, who are subject to either the higher or lower rate of non-dependant deduction at the latest available date.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: The estimated number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain for which a deduction was made in respect of one or more non-dependants in autumn 1986 was as follows:

  Thousands

  Certificated cases

  340

  Standard cases

  370

  TOTAL

  710

  The number of non-dependants in each category in certificated housing benefit households was as follows:

  Thousands

  Higher rate deduction

  210

  Lower rate deduction

  160

  TOTAL

  370

  This total is higher than the corresponding figure quoted above because there is on average more than one non-dependant per household.

  Information on the number of non-dependants in each category in households receiving standard housing benefit is not available.

  Labour Force Survey
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report data from the latest labour force survey showing how many residents of the United Kingdom (a) were born in the Republic of Ireland and (b) are citizens of the Republic; and whether he will include separate figures for the south-east region and Greater London.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is estimated from the 1986 labour force survey that, in spring 1986, the numbers were as follows:

  Area of residence

  Persons born in Republic of Ireland '000

  Citizens of the Republic of Ireland '000

  United Kingdom

  580

  560

  South East Region of England

  290

  250

  Greater London

  180

  160

  Blind People
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the most recent statistics on annual registrations as partially sighted by people in age ranges(a) 16 to 64 years and (b) and over 65 years, whose BD8 shows the cause of blindness to be (i) glaucoma, (ii) diabetic retinopathy and (iii) cataracts;

  (2) what are the most recent statistics on annual registrations as blind by people in age ranges (a) 16 to 64

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  years and (b) and over 65 years, whose BD8 shows the cause of blindness to be (i) glaucoma, (ii) diabetic retinopathy and (iii) cataracts.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: The data are given in the table.

  Annual registrations as blind and partially sighted by people aged 16 to 64 years and over 65 years: certain causes

  Blind

  Partially sighted

  16–64 years (1985–86)

  Glaucoma

  72

  68

  Diabetic retinopathy

  152

  128

  Cataracts (including congenital)

  95

  128

  Over 65 years (1980–81)

  Glaucoma

  1,209

  834

  Diabetic retinopathy

  437

  243

  Cataracts (including congenital)

  1,012

  1,054

  Note: Registrations arising from more than one of the causes listed have been counted under both, or all three, conditions.

  Restart Interviews
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish up-to-date figures showing the total proportion and numbers of benefit disqualifications or reductions that are linked to restart interviews; how many of these were(a) because of failure to attend the interview without good cause, together with the number of reinstatements following a later interview, (b) on the grounds of non-availability for work and (c) because of the refusal of suitable offers of employment; how many of these decisions were subject to appeal; and what was the outcome of such appeals.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: I have been asked to reply.

  Under long-standing legal rules people can lose benefit if they fail to attend an employment interview without good reason. Up to 28 September the total number of claimants disallowed under these rules for failing to attend restart interviews was 27,991. Information is not available on the number of these people who appealed against these dis-allowances nor on the number who had their benefit reinstated following a later interview.

  Any refusal of benefit subsequent to a restart interview follows not from the interview itself but from the decision of an independent adjudication officer operating under long-standing legal rules adopted by successive Governments.

SCOTLAND

  Firearms
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received since 1 July calling for amendment of the law of Scotland relating to the control of firearms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  About 100, the majority commenting on the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 22 September of the Government's main conclusions following the Hungerford tragedy.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will itemise, for each health board in Scotland, the donations received by the health board from voluntary organisations, patients, relatives or other benefactors for each month of 1987 to date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the pay settlement for National Health staff has cost each health board in Scotland in each year since 1982; and how much extra funding for this was made available by his Department.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: Table 1 shows the full cost of pay settlements for National Health staff for the years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87. These figures are derived from broad estimates by health boards. I regret that figures for 1982–83 and 1983–84 are not available.

  Boards' allocations have been increased year on year to allow for forecast inflation, including the cost of pay settlements. Financial allocations additional to this were made in 1984–85 and 1986–87 and these are shown in table 2. The amounts in table 2 are in addition to the allowances for forecast inflation already included in boards' allocations in those years.

  Table 1

  Estimated total costs of pay settlements for national health staff

  £ thousand

  Health Board

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,099

  3,808

  4,542

  Ayrshire and Arran

  2,870

  2,661

  3,341

  Borders

  901

  783

  965

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,599

  1,392

  1,653

  Fife

  2,787

  2,536

  3,174

  Forth Valley

  2,610

  2,394

  2,939

  Grampian

  4,998

  4,557

  5,590

  Greater Glasgow

  14,361

  13,347

  16,186

  Highland

  2,093

  1,921

  2,309

  Lanarkshire

  4,629

  3,997

  7,360

  Lothian

  8,933

  8,154

  9,737

  Orkney

  164

  121

  173

  Shetland

  192

  180

  209

  Tayside

  5,381

  4,794

  5,831

  Western Isles

  338

  250

  350

  Scotland

  55,955

  50,895

  64,359

  Table 2

  Additional allocations

  £ thousand

  Health Board

  1984–85

  1986–87

  Argyll and Clyde

  1,634

  411

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1,139

  299

  Borders

  331

  86

  Dumfries and Galloway

  584

  147

  Fife

  1,083

  280

  Forth Valley

  1,058

  268

  Grampian

  1,983

  511

  Greater Glasgow

  5,931

  1,473

  Highland

  836

  211

  Lanarkshire

  1,844

  467

  Lothian

  3,584

  903

  Orkney

  60

  16

  Shetland

  76

  19

  Tayside

  2,128

  530

  251

  Health Board

  1984–85

  1986–87

  Western Isles

  114

  29

  Scotland

  22,385

  5,650

  Agricultural Development
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the light of the failure to resolve EEC budget difficulties, he will indicate the likely date of the commencement of the Scottish islands agricultural development programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Spring 1988.

  Mr. James Stobo
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the relevant experience of the newly appointed chairman of the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council, Mr. James Stobo, with particular reference to any direct or indirect experience of the production, processing or planting of seed potatoes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947 the chairman of a development council established in the exercise of powers conferred by that Act is required to be one of the council's independent members, that is, he must have no financial or industrial interest which would be likely to affect him in the discharge of his functions as a member of the council. Mr. James Stobo satisfies this statutory requirement in that he has no financial or industrial interest in seed potato matters. By virtue of his wide-ranging knowledge and experience of agricultural promotion and marketing Mr. Stobo is well qualified for the post of chairman of the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council, the main function of which is to promote the production and marketing of Scottish seed potatoes.

  Forestry Commission
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to announce the outcome of the Forestry Commission's review of the composition and procedures of its regional advisory committees.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Forestry Commission has now completed its review, and my right hon. Friends and I have agreed a number of changes designed to improve the effectiveness of the regional advisory committees in their role of conciliating over forestry proposals in respect of which there are unresolved objections from statutory authorities consulted by the Commission.

  This review stemmed from the undertaking given by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) on 31 January 1985 in his response to the Countryside Commission's Report "A Better Future for the Uplands" (Official Report, columns 282–90), that the Forestry Commission would be seeking ways to achieve greater public accountability for the regional advisory committees' proceedings. The basis on which the Commission approached this task was to look for ways in which the proceedings of the committees might be better publicised when they are exercising their conciliation role in disputed forestry grant and felling applications, so that
  252
  the public can have an opportunity to voice their opinion. The Commission subsequently extended the review to consider possible improvements to the composition of the committees with a view to achieving a better balance on them between forestry and other countryside interests.

  In the course of the review, the Forestry Commission issued a consultation paper setting out its proposals which drew comments from over 50 organisations and individuals with interests in forestry, land use and the environment. The consultation paper, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House, also provided a helpful background summary of the Commission's present consultative procedures for forestry grant and felling permissions and the key role played in these by the regional advisory committees.

  The Commission noted the concern which has been expressed by environmental bodies that the planning and environmental members on the committees cannot be expected to be in a position to cover the whole range of environmental interests—such as landscape, recreation and nature conservation—and that the numbers should be increased to accommodate members with expertise in those areas. The farming interest on the committees was also considered to be under-represented. In the past, this problem has to a certain extent been met by the appointment of forestry members with multi-disciplinary backgrounds, but this was clearly not a satisfactory answer in the longer term.

  With the growing importance attached to the regional advisory committees' conciliatory role, coupled with the Commission's new environmenal duty introduced under the Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment) Act 1985, we have some sympathy with the Commission's conclusion, which has received fairly wide support from both forestry and environmental interests, that the membership of the committees should be raised from a maximum of nine to 12, and we are considering this matter further.

  In the meantime, the regional advisory committee chairmen will be encouraged to invite to meetings considering disputed grant or felling cases any persons whom they think might be able to assist in achieving an agreed solution, particularly when a case involves an interest not represented on the committee. The Commission will prepare and maintain lists of persons who could be asked to serve in this capacity as the occasion arises.

  As regards other aspects of the appointment of committee members, we agree that the Forestry Commissioners should give closer consideration to ensuring that appointees are suited by technical, professional and practical experience and knowledge to speak for the general interests they are appointed to represent. We also endorse the Commission's proposal that the service of Committee members should normally be restricted to two three-year terms, although exceptions might be made in special circumstances to retain the services of a particular member for an extended period. This proposal has merit in allowing a reasonable turnover of members. Further, we endorse the principle that new regional advisory committee chairmen should as far as possible be appointed from backgrounds which are unlikely to cause any real or apparent clash of interests when disputed cases come before their committees. It is also desirable that the chairmen should have a broad range of knowledge on relevant land use matters.
  253
  Turning to the main purpose of the review, which was to find ways of achieving greater public accountability in the proceedings of the regional advisory committees, the Forestry Commission proposed in its consultation paper that procedures should be introduced to give the public the opportunity to submit views to the committees when they were considering disputed planting and felling proposals. It was envisaged that this would be done through a system of advertising details of cases to be considered by the committees and inviting those wishing to comment to do so in writing; such comments would then be taken into account by the Committee in its discussions with the parties to the dispute.

  The Commission received a wide variety of views on this proposal, ranging from those which felt that it would detract from the regional advisory committees' chances of successfully fulfilling their conciliation role to those which considered that, while it was a small step in the right direction, it did not go far enough. A number of environmental interests wish to see all forestry proposals presented for public comment, not just the small percentage referred to the committees.

  We have considered these representations very carefully, but have concluded that the Commission's proposals strike broadly the right balance between wider public involvement and the risk of increased bureaucracy and administrative costs. However, the statutory authorities consulted are already encouraged to consider the views of voluntary bodies and others in commenting on forestry applications, and we have asked the commission to discuss with the local authority associations the effectiveness of those arrangements and any ways in which they might be improved and made more cost-effective.

  Again, we have carefully considered calls for the meetings of the committees to discuss disputed cases to be open to the public, and for the record of such meetings, including the intended advice to the Foresty Commissioners, to be published. We accept the commission's view, however, that it would not be practical or conducive to the committees' conciliation role to throw open site discussions with the applicant and the objecting authority or authorities to anyone who wishes to attend. As was stated in the consultation paper, the committee chairmen will nevertheless have discretion to invite any person or non-statutory organisation who has submitted views to attend or be represented at the site meeting, if it is considered that this will assist in the conciliation process.

  We also take the view that the publication of a record of committee meetings could inhibit full and frank discussion between the parties and hamper the prospects of a compromise solution being found. It would be the intention, however, to notify those who had submitted comments of the outcome of the case.

  The procedure for public particiption proposed by the Commission is necessarily a limited one, but the Government is satisfied that it should broadly meet the need for public views to be taken into account by the regional advisory committees without detracting from their conciliation function. We have therefore asked the commision to introduce it in respect of all future cases.

  The Government greatly appreciate the dedicated and constructive contribution that the members of the regional advisory committees make, not only in giving general advice to the forestry commission but in the part they play in the Commission's consultation procedures. We hope
  254
  that the changes I have announced will assist them in their work and lead to a wider understanding and acceptance of their role.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, during the past eight years, Ministers of his Department have held joint meetings with health authorities in Scotland, together with right hon. and hon. Members representing constituencies served by those health authorities; and whether he is currently prepared to consider such three-sided meetings if so requested by health authorities in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There has been one such formal meeting, although Ministers have from time to time had less formal discussions with constituency MPs when visiting health board facilities. Ministers meet regularly with health board chairmen to discuss a wide range of issues, and health boards in turn hold meetings with constituency MPs.

  Bypasses
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current state of progress of the bypasses for(a) Auckinleck and Cumnock, (b) New Cumnock, (c) Maybole and (d) Girvan; how this compares with the planned progress; and what are the reasons for any alteration in plans or speed of planning or construction.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  These schemes are at various stages of preparation. As with all schemes, progress depends on the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, the availability of funds and the priority of particular schemes within the context of competing claims from the entire trunk road network in Scotland. I would not expect any of the four schemes mentioned by the hon. Member to commence construction before the early 1990s.

  School Management
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which political parties responded to the consultation paper "School Management and the Role of Parents".

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: We received submissions for the national organisations of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party, the Scottish Labour party, the Liberal alliance, the Scottish National party and the Scottish Green party and from a number of local and constituency associations.

  Social Work Services Group
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with delinquency have been published by the Social Work Services Group;

  (2) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with alcohol abuse have been published by the Social Work Services Group;

  (3) what innovative proposals, policy guidelines or ideas for dealing with drug problems have been published by the Social Work Services Group;
  255
  (4) what has been the published contribution of the Social Work Services Group to policy development for the mentally handicapped:

  (5) what has been the published contribution of the Social Work Services Group to policy development of community services for the mentally ill;

  (6) 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;

  (7) what has been the published contribution of the Social Work Services Group to the development of policy initiatives for the care of the elderly in the community.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 December 1987, c. 41]: Since 1979 there have been published or widely circulated to social work agencies, some 80 circulars or similar communications to local authorities, 12 practice guidance documents, 32 research reports, four reports of programme planning groups (jointly with the Scottish Home and Health Department), and a number of miscellaneous documents, including reports of seminar

  Cereals Tonnes

  Beef Tonnes

  Butter Tonnes

  Skimmed milk powder Tonnes

  England (Regions)

  Northern

  146,715

  7,009

  18,921

  280

  Midland and Western

  221,217

  5,230

  57,669

  2,377

  South West

  164,300

  1,191

  42,448

  1,988

  Eastern

  1,096,232

  9,807

  18,563

  —

  South East

  118,582

  1,417

  14,145

  —

  Scotland

  451,500

  5,949

  12,957

  101

  Wales

  —

  217

  19,240

  1,155

  Northern Ireland

  —

  28,875

  14,969

  1,596

  Total

  2,198,546

  60,695

  198,912

  7,497

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by commodity, town of location and amount in each store, the stocks currently held in European Economic Community intervention by the United Kingdom Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I refer the hon. Member of the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill (Mr. Davis) on 19 November at column 663.

  Free Food
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the final figures of the amounts of food distributed in the United Kingdom under the free food for the needy scheme, broken down by region and by commodity.

  Mr. MacGregor: The information is as follows:

  A. Products released from intervention stores; final figures (regional breakdown by location of store)

  Tonnes

  Butter

  England and Wales

  8,959·2

  Scotland

  1,571·0

  Northern Ireland

  3,093·5

  Total

  13,623·7

  Beef

  England and Wales

  336·602

  256
  proceedings, bearing on topics mentioned by the hon. Member. The group's purpose in issuing material of this kind is to provide information and guidance to local authority social work departments which, since reorganisation in May 1975, have exercised responsibility for developing regional policies and service patterns, and to other social work agencies.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Intervention Stocks
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures by commodity for the total amounts of food taken into European Economic Community intervention by the United Kingdom Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce; and if he will break these figures down by region.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  At 30 September 1987 intervention stocks in the United Kingdom were:

  Tonnes

  Scotland

  146·475

  Northern Ireland

  557·752

  Total

  1,040·829

  B. Milk and milk products on which reimbursements were claimed as at 3 December 1987.

  (Regional breakdown by location of charity claiming reimbursement)

  Litres

  Whole milk

  England and Wales

  2,991,289·28

  Scotland

  497,444·96

  Northern Ireland

  1,409,501·07

  Total

  4,898,235·31

  Semi-skimmed milk

  England and Wales

  228,154·38

  Scotland

  551,279·04

  Northern Ireland

  Nil

  Total

  779,433·42

  Cheese

  Kgs.

  England and Wales

  7,397,786·42

  Scotland

  1,427,402·56

  Northern Ireland

  1,401,875·77

  Total

  10,214,529·75

  Concentrated butter

  England and Wales

  81,777·93

  257

  Litres

  Scotland

  3,360·00

  Northern Ireland

  Nil

  Total

  85,137·93

  EC (Fruit and Vegetables)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amounts, by commodity, of fruit and vegetables have been withdrawn from the market under European Economic Community regulations in the United Kingdom so far in the current year, and each year for the past seven years; what proportion of that amount has been destroyed or left to rot; and what proportion has been put to some use.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The figures requested are given below:

  Marketing Year1

  Withdrawn (Tonnes)

  Used for human or animal food

  Destroyed

  Total

  Cauliflowers

  1987–882

  592

  5,479

  6,071

  1986–87

  4,100

  20,000

  24,100

  1985–86

  800

  4,100

  4,900

  1984–85

  560

  7,800

  8,360

  1983–84

  25

  575

  600

  1982–83

  110

  8,100

  8,210

  1981–82

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1980–81

  400

  675

  1,075

  Tomatoes

  1987–882

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1986–87

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1985–86

  1

  20

  21

  1984–85

  5

  125

  130

  1983–84

  Nil

  180

  180

  1982–83

  Nil

  54

  54

  1981–82

  Nil

  5

  5

  1980–81

  Nil

  4

  4

  Apples

  1987–882

  220

  232

  452

  1986–87

  3,550

  3,560

  7,110

  1985–86

  2,100

  8,500

  10,600

  1984–85

  7,800

  15,200

  23,000

  1983–84

  2,300

  3,600

  5,900

  1982–83

  8,400

  13,850

  22,250

  1981–82

  160

  300

  460

  1980–81

  5,400

  19,000

  24,400

  Pears

  1987–882

  19

  Nil

  19

  1986–87

  230

  33

  263

  1985–86

  735

  142

  877

  1984–85

  600

  130

  730

  1983–84

  515

  260

  775

  1982–83

  535

  30

  565

  1981–82

  Nil

  40

  40

  1980–81

  45

  140

  185

  1 Cauliflower 1 May-30 April; Tomatoes 1 January-31 December; Apples 1 July-30 June; Pears 1 July-30 June.

  2 To date.

  EEC Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total EEC expenditure on(a) cereals, (b) dairy products and (c) sheepmeat in each of the past three years; and what is the projected outturn for the current financial year.
  258
  Mr. MacGregor
  The information requested is set out in the table below.

  (mecu)

  1985

  1985

  1986

  11987

  Cereals

  1,650

  2,310

  3,391

  5,023

  Milk and milk products

  5,442

  5,933

  5,406

  26,298

  Sheepmeat

  434

  502

  617

  704

  Source:

  1984—EAGGF financial reports.

  1987—Estimate based on EC Commission statistics.

  1 Estimate of total spend, which exceeds the 1987 budget. Expenditure in November and December 1987 will be met by member states who will be reimbursed from the 1988 budget.

  2 Excludes costs of special disposal scheme for butter which will be spread over the budgets for the four years from 1989.

  Italy (Lamb and Sheep Exports)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the details of consignments of lambs or sheep from the United Kingdom which were refused entry to Italy between 26 April and 31 December 1986.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  For a period following 3 May 1986 food imports into Italy were temporarily disrupted while the Italian authorities worked out a certification system following the Chernobyl incident. That apart and aside from routine checks on matters such as health and welfare certification — which can occasionally cause temporary delays —I have no evidence to suggest that the Italian authorities have refused entry to our sheep or lambs.

  Battery Hens
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what provisions within the Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987 are additional to those required to implement the European directive 86/113/EEC; and for what reason they were included in the regulations;

  (2) what scientific research has been undertaken by his Department into the optimum size of battery hen cages to house one, two and three birds, respectively.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Member states are required to implement at least the minimum standards laid down in this directive. The Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987 require more space than the directive's minimum of 450 sq cm per bird when there are only one, two or three birds in a cage. This is because it is recognised from work carried out in this country and abroad that birds in such small colony sizes are less able to share each others' space than when there are four, five or six birds in a cage. Work carried out by my Department suggests that mortality is reduced and egg production increased when small numbers of birds are given more space.

  Dead Sheep
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he first issued instructions in 1986 to farmers in the restricted area of Cumbria on how to dispose of dead sheep.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) Order 1986 was issued on 20
  259
  June 1986. Under it movement of any sheep (either live or dead) off holdings in a designated area was forbidden except under a consent. Advice to farmers on disposal of dead sheep (on or off the holding) was given by my staff on a case-by-case basis.

  Chickens
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the amount of(a) live chickens and (b) frozen chickens imported into the United Kingdom in 1986.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Details of imports are not available in the form requested.

  In 1986, 743,820 live chickens (other than day-old chicks) were imported into the United Kingdom. In the same period, a total of 70,418 tonnes of fresh or frozen chickens were imported.

  Radiation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to the adequacy of the weather charts available to the National Radiological Protection Board for the period immediately after the Chernobyl accident and as to the National Radiological Protection Board's ability to build up a detailed picture of the areas with high rainfall and consequent fallout; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have been asked to reply.

  The National Radiological Protection Board had access to weather data provided by the Meteorological Office, together with information on dose rates and activity concentrations in air, rain, grass, soil and foods supplied by a number of other bodies. This was sufficient to enable a detailed assessment of any potential risks to be completed quickly so that advice on remedial and protection action could be given to Government and the public. Advice about refraining from drinking undiluted, fresh rainwater for prolonged periods was given within a day of the radiation cloud reaching the United Kingdom.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Investment Programme
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration is given in deciding the allocation of housing investment programme moneys to an individual local authority as to that authority's housing rent arrears.

  Mrs. Roe
  Housing investment programme allocations to local authorities are based on an assessment of need. We are currently consulting the local authority associations about the details of the methodology for allocations for 1988–89.

  Councillors
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of local authorities are not liable to pay rates.

  Mr. Chope
  I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  Residuary Bodies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the expenses and emoluments paid to each chair and every member of the residuary bodies for the five former metropolitan counties for the year 1986–87.

  Mr. Chope
  Information of salaries for the year 1986–87 is as follows:

  Salary on 1 April 1986

  Salary from 1 July 1986

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  Chairmen Greater Manchester;

  Merseyside;

  West Midlands

  17,600

  18,198

  South Yorkshire;

  Tyne and Wear;

  West Yorkshire

  16,000

  16,544

  Deputy Chairman

  South Yorkshire

  13,200

  13,742

  Members

  All members

  5,600

  5,830

  Notes:

  (i) As a result of increased time commitment to residuary body work the salaries of five members of Merseyside residuary body were doubled, during the period 1 February to 31 July 1986;

  (ii) One member of West Yorkshire residuary body received a daily attendance allowance as an alternative to an annual salary. This was increased on 13 May 1986 from £16 to £16·70;

  (iii) Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

  Information on the total expenses paid to chairmen and members is contained in the residuary body annual reports and accounts for 1986–87 which were laid before Parliament on 25 November.

  Estate Action
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the £4 million for Estate Action packages, published by his departmental news release No. 499 of 1 December, is for the expenditure of money provided by him in grant and how much in loan sanctions from existing resources of local councils.

  Mrs. Roe
  As indicated in the press release of 1 December, £217,624 (5·5 per cent.) of the approved expenditure announced that day will be eligible for estate action urban programme grant; the other HIP extra allocations totalling some £3·7 million (94·5 per cent.) are additional resources being made available by Estate Action to the local authorities.

  Rate Support Grant (Bolton)
  Mr. Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to rectify the miscalculation in the future education and highways elements of grant-related expenditure in establishing Bolton's rate support grant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will correct at the first supplementary report stage the errors so far discovered and acknowledged by his Department and any errors which may subsequently be confirmed in his calculation of the rate support grant settlement for 1988–89 for Bolton; and if he will make a statement.
  261
  Mr. Howard
  Information supplied to the Department by the Department of Education and Science and used in calculating grant-related expenditure assessments for the 1988–89 RSG settlement had not taken into account further education students undertaking courses as part of the MSC technical and vocational education initiative. GREs for all education authorities will be revised in the first supplementary report for 1988–89 to correct this. There has been no miscalculation of the highway maintenance component of Bolton's GRE.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the position of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the proposal from Switzerland, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, within the framework of the UNECE Geneva convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, to establish a protocol to achieve a 30 per cent. reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides by 1995.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In common with the great majority of countries which are parties to the convention the United Kingdom Government do not consider the objective of a 30 per cent. reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 1995, on a 1980 base, to be a feasible objective, given, for example, the lead times involved for the introduction of the new emission controls technology.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the discussions held between 16 and 18 November during the meeting of the working group on nitrogen oxides under the auspices of the UNECE Geneva convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, in view of the working group's mandate to draft a protocol which would result in effective reductions in emissions of nitrogen oxides by 1995.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The United Kingdom, together with representatives of 20 other parties to the convention, participated in the meeting to which the hon. Member refers.

  The working group agreed on the structure of the draft protocol and on a number of articles, but has yet to reach agreement on the key articles concerning basic obligations and transfer of technology. I expect further progress to be made at the next meeting of the working group, scheduled for 16–19 February 1988.

  There is no reference to 1995 in the mandate of the working group.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the anticipated annual emissions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons from petrol-engined motor vehicles in the United Kingdom for each of the years up to the end of the century, taking into consideration the limits agreed under the Luxembourg agreement and changes in the vehicle fleet.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Estimates of future nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbon emissions from petrol-engined vehicles depend on assumptions about growth in vehicle use, vehicle replacement rate and the full emission characteristics of vehicles built to new specifications. Uncertainties attach to each of these factors and estimates are revised as new evidence becomes available. Warren Spring 262
  Laboratory has made some initial predictions for the Department through to the year 2010 and these have been published in report LR 612 (AP)M. I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House shortly.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline(a) the results yielded by daily measurements of precipitation composition from the primary network of nine rural sites during the most recent week for which figures are available, (b) the results yielded by the secondary network of collectors during the most recent week for which figures are available and (c) for each network the minimum period of delay between recordings being taken and results being available.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Results from the first year of operation (1986) of the primary and secondary acid deposition networks were published in September 1987 by Warren Spring Laboratory which undertakes the monitoring on behalf of the Department. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library. The report shows maps of the annual averages of acid deposition. Stringent quality control of the data is carried out in quarterly periods; validated data are generally available within one month of the end of each quarter. I am arranging for data for the most recent available week to be extracted and sent to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the tonnages of both sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by each of the coal and oil-fired power stations operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board for each year between 1970 and the present day (b) the corresponding percentage sulphur content of the fuel consumed at each of these stations and (c) the source of the fuel.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I regret that this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made as to the effectiveness of the use of tall chimneys to dilute and disperse emissions of(a) sulphur dioxide and (b) nitrogen oxides, from fossil fuel power stations.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Evidence for the effectiveness of tall chimneys in achieving low ground level concentrations of sulphur dioxide is provided by the data published in the Department's annual digests of environmental protection and water statistics. These show that ground level concentrations have fallen in line with emissions from low level domestic, commercial and industrial sources but are much less influenced by power station emissions. The results are consistent with the parameters imposed on power station chimney design intended to give acceptable ground level concentrations of both pollutants.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current estimates of acid deposition falling over Britain which originates from United Kingdom sources of air pollution; and if he will provide a breakdown of this information into sulphur and nitrogen oxides.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Sulphur and nitrogen budgets for the United Kingdom were presented by the United Kingdom review group on acid rain in its second report to the Department ("Acid Deposition in the United Kingdom 1981–85", pages 65–66). Copies have been placed in the Library.
  263
  Approximately 85 per cent. of sulphur deposition on the United Kingdom is estimated to come from United Kingdom sources, and the figures for nitrogen oxides is very similar.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his written answer,Official Report, 8 July, column 161, to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark). whether he is now able to make a statement on the findings of the study by the Fellowship of Engineering into the environmental impact of various flue gas desulphurisation systems for use at coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The report of the Fellowship of Engineering's study on acidic emissions abatement processes will be presented to the Department on 15 December. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House. One of its four volumes is devoted to coal combustion. The environmental impact of the various flue gas desulphurisation processes depends not only on the process but also on the circumstances of the particular power station. The report is a valuable source of part of the information needed to assess the impact of FGD at particular stations but it also has a wider value as a source document for specialists investigating the implications of possible future abatement options.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to the exploitation of indigenous reserves of low sulphur coal as a means of reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide from coal-fired power stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The House of Commons Environment Committee considered this possibility in 1984 but concluded that there was little scope for using indigenous low-sulphur coal to reduce emissions from power stations.

  The bulk of the United Kingdom's low-sulphur coal production comes from Scotland and from Wales. The former is almost entirely used already by the south of Scotland Electricity Board, and the latter by specialist markets. I understand that there is no scope for the economic expansion of this production.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment the chief inspector of pollution has made as to whether the prevention of emissions of sulphur dioxide from the chimneys of the major coal-fired power stations not included in the three-station programme of flue gas desulphurisation retrofitting is practicable with current abatement technology.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The chief inspector has advised that for new coal-fired power stations flue gas desulphurisation is practicable with current abatement technology. On the basis of this advice the Government, in September 1986, in addition to authorising the CEGB to retrofit 6,000 MW of existing generating capacity over the period 1988 to 1997, announced that future coal-fired power stations would he required to be fitted with FGD. There are no plans at present to extend the retrofitting programme to other existing stations, but the possibility is kept under review.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rail Services
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the British Railways Board about rail services in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Urban Development Corporation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to seek to set up mini urban development corporations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  I plan to introduce legislation to create a development corporation which would be responsible for developing a series of vacant and underused sites along the banks of the River Lagan as it flows through Belfast's inner city.

  I do not foresee the need to create new development corporations for other areas of Belfast or elsewhere.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when Maghaberry prison will be ready for full occupation.

  Mr. Stanley
  There are two prisons on the same site at Maghaberry, one for women and one for men. The women's prison has been fully operational since March 1986. It is anticipated that the whole of the male prison will be available for occupation from January 1988. A gradual build-up of the population in the male prison has already started and will continue over the course of next year.

  Mutual Understanding
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase teaching in education for mutual understanding in schools.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  On 14 September I announced a new initiative in education for mutual understanding and allocated additional resources for this purpose. As part of this initiative there will be greater emphasis on EMU in the training of teachers and increased support from the Department's inspectorate. Funding for voluntary groups involved in inter schools' work will also be enhanced.

  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met schoolchildren in Enniskillen to promote education for mutual understanding.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have not spoken directly to these children since the tragic events of Remembrance Sunday. In addressing local sixth formers at Fermanagh college of further education in September last year I took the opportunity of emphasising the importance of mutual understanding when launching "The General Lesson", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Flood Damage
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding he will provide for the victims of the flooding at Strabane.
  265
  Mr. Needham
  In my reply of 3 December 1987, at columns 638–69, I indicated to the hon. Member the help provided at that time. Last week I announced a further package of measures to help those in genuine need in both Omagh and Strabane, including the creation of 45 ACE posts to provide the much needed help to refit and redecorate damaged property. I would also encourage those who may be eligible for payments under the social security system to claim these entitlements immediately.

  Schools (Parental Choice)
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to introduce greater parental choice of schools in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I announced new arrangements on 7 April this year to abolish intake quotas to secondary schools which will give parents greater freedom of choice in the selection of secondary school for their children. The new arrangements are planned to take effect from September 1988.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any plans to seek to change the scope and nature of the activities of the Intergovernmental Conference set up by the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I have no such plans at present. My hon. Friend is aware that the agreement itself provides for a review of the working of the conference next November.

  Queen's University
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy, when fixing the block grant for Queen's University, Belfast, to stipulate that open competitions be held for academic posts and that all heads of department be required to spend a minimum number of days per week on university business; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. Appointments to academic posts at Queen's University, Belfast and the conditions of service of staff are entirely matters for the university authorities.

  Security
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border security in the period since Sunday 8 November.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security position in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on improving cross-border security since 8 November.
  266
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery).

  Election Candidates (Declaration)
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to introduce a declaration of non-violence to be undertaken by all local government election candidates.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government's discussion paper "Elected Representatives and the Democratic Process in Northern Ireland" sought views by 30 November on such a proposal. We are now considering the way forward in the light of the responses received.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent the new budget for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive takes account of the difficulties faced by the executive in making adequate provision for the elderly, the disabled, and the homeless and in maintaining and improving existing housing stock.

  Mr. Needham
  Housing needs and conditions in Northern Ireland are assessed annually by the Housing Executive and the results of its reviews are considered fully when the public expenditure allocations for Northern Ireland are decided. While it has not proved possible to provide all of the funds sought by the Housing Executive for 1988–89, in recognition of the difficulties faced by the NIHE, the resources allocated are, in terms of expenditure per capita, significantly above other regions of the United Kingdom. It will be for the executive to propose, in the first instance, how these resources should be used in the provision of the various services which it supplies to tenants and applicants.

  Postgraduate Teacher Training Awards
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to change the eligibility criteria for postgraduate teacher training awards for Northern Ireland students studying in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have no such plans for the immediate future, but I shall continue to review the position each year.

  Education Reform Bill
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to seek to extend the provisions of the Education Reform Bill to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations he has had on the implications of the Education Reform Bill for policy on secondary and higher education in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The provisions of the Education Reform Bill will not generally extend to Northern Ireland, apart from those relating to certain university matters. I
  267
  shall be issuing a consultative paper early in the new year inviting comments on how best measures corresponding to those in the Bill can be implemented in Northern Ireland. Thereafter, separate Northern Ireland legislation will be brought forward.

  ACE Scheme
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the level of funding for the ACE scheme in the financial year 1987–88; and if he will make a statement on future levels of funding.

  Mr. Viggers
  A total of £28·84 million. An additional £10 million has been allocated to increase provision for the ACE programme in 1988–89.

  Youth Training Programme
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the operation of the youth training programme in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  The youth training programme has provided a two-year training package for 16 and 17-yearolds since 1982. During that time there have been 75,000 entrants. At the end of October this year there were 14,000 young people in training.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government are to publish their reply to the report on fair employment of the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights.

  Mr. Viggers
  We shall announce our plans for legislation on religious equality of opportunity as soon as possible in the new year. Our detailed proposals will take full account of the recommendations of the Standing Advisory Commission's report.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he accepts the recommendation of the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights in its report on fair employment, that the Government establish the goal of reducing the differential between male Catholic and male Protestant unemployment from two and a half times to one and a half times over the next five years.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Government's goal is to effect a substantial reduction in the disparity in employment opportunity between the two communities, through the immediate adoption by all employers of the sound employment practices outlined in our "Guide to Effective Practice."

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many copies of the document "Religious Equality of Opportunity in Employment: Guide to Effective Practice" have been distributed.

  Mr. Viggers
  Approximately 29,700 copies of the "Guide to Effective Practice" have been distributed to date.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is yet in a positin to say what steps he proposes to take to implement the recommendations of 268
  the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights report on equality of opportunity to use the Government's purchasing power to promote equal opportunities, and to eradicate religious discrimination, in employment.

  Mr. Viggers
  The recommendations made by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights are being carefully studied and they will be taken fully into account in framing our new legislative proposals. Details will be announced as soon as possible in the new year.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is his intention to legislate by means of a Bill, rather than by Order in Council, on the recommendation of the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights' report on fair employment.

  Mr. Viggers
  We intend to introduce new fair employment legislation at the earliest opportunity. My right hon. Friend and I have already made it clear that we shall take the recommendations of the Standing Advisory Commission fully into account in the new provisions. We have noted the representations that such legislation should be by Bill.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry).

  Terrorism
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with progress in the fight against terrorism.

  Mr. Tom King
  Since 23 November a major security operation has been mounted by the Irish security forces, supported in Northern Ireland by the RUC and the Army, which has resulted in a number of important arrests and some finds of explosives and munitions.

  Since I last answered questions in the House on 12 November, two civilians have died in sectarian attacks. The security forces have continued their determined and courageous work. So far this year 431 people have been charged with serious offences, including 27 with murder, while 247 weapons, approximately 18,000 rounds of ammunition and nearly 13,000 lb of explosives have been recovered.

  In addition, the Garda Siochana has recovered up to the end of October 123 weapons, 10,000 rounds of ammunition and some 4,000 lb of explosives.

  Recent events north and south of the border have emphasised most clearly the vital need for both Governments to co-operate closely in the defeat of terrorism throughout the island of Ireland.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation following the Enniskillen bombing.

  Mr. Tom King
  Since 23 November a major security operation has been mounted by the Irish security forces, supported in Northern Ireland by the RUC and the Army, which has resulted in a number of important arrests and some finds of explosives and munitions.
  269
  Since I last answered questions in the House on 12 November, two civilians have died in sectarian attacks. The security forces have continued their determined and courageous work. So far this year 431 people have been charged with serious offences, including 27 with murder, while 247 weapons, approximately 18,000 rounds of ammunition and nearly 13,000 lb of explosives have been recovered.

  In addition, the Garda Siochana has recovered up to the end of October 123 weapons, 10,000 rounds of ammunition and some 4,000 lb of explosives.

  That does not include a product of the recent search, which I understand will be announced this afternoon. It included some 50 weapons and four bunkers which are believed to have been for storage of possible shipments.

  Recent events north and south of the border have emphasised most clearly the vital need for both Governments to co-operate closely in the defeat of terrorism throughout the island of Ireland.

  Labour Statistics
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of unemployed in each local office area in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information is as follows:

  Local office area (Jobmarket area)

  Number of unemployed claimants1

  October 1985

  October 1986

  October 1987

  Antrim

  3,802

  3,775

  3,455

  Armagh

  3,073

  3,369

  3,228

  Ballymena

  3,790

  4,228

  4,037

  Ballymoney

  2,692

  3,137

  2,889

  Ballynahinch

  801

  878

  843

  Banbridge

  2,095

  2,214

  2,144

  Bangor

  2,945

  3,089

  3,008

  Belfast

  38,960

  41,994

  40,050

  Carrickfergus

  2,272

  2,524

  2,236

  Coleraine

  3,941

  4,407

  4,130

  Cookstown

  2,272

  2,307

  2,189

  Downpatrick

  1,450

  1,555

  1,597

  Dungannon

  3,588

  3,832

  3,721

  Enniskillen

  4,480

  4,853

  4,627

  Kilkeel

  751

  836

  772

  Larne

  2,117

  2,296

  2,021

  Limavady

  2,318

  2,550

  2,424

  Lisburn

  4,265

  4,588

  4,176

  Londonderry

  10,021

  10,389

  9,956

  Lurgan

  3,841

  4,172

  3,843

  Magherafelt

  3,031

  3,165

  3,130

  Newcastle

  1,110

  1,172

  1,114

  Newry

  6,189

  6,463

  6,317

  Newtownards

  2,646

  2,896

  2,721

  Omagh

  3,105

  3,454

  3,465

  Portadown

  2,504

  2,575

  2,660

  Strabane

  3,763

  3,917

  3,948

  Northern Ireland

  121,822

  130,635

  124,701

  1 There was a change in the compilation of the unemployment statistics in March 1986, which provided a more accurate and consistent measure of the numbers claiming benefits. This change consisted of compiling the statistics 3 weeks, rather than 1 week, after the specified count date each month. It resulted in the count being lower by an estimated average of 2,100 per month in Northern Ireland.

  Financial Policy
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy that all Government-approved increases, particularly regional rates, public housing rents and public housing heating charges, will not exceed the recognised inflationary factor.

  Mr. Stanley
  No. The Government recognise the significance of these costs for many households but the policy with regard to increases in charges must also have regard to overall public expenditure and fiscal considerations.

  Extradition
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the proposed changes in arrangements for extradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the extradition agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Mid-Ulster (Rev. William McCrea).

  Integrated Rural Development Plan
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to implement the integrated rural development plan for Northern Ireland, prepared and adopted by the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  I am satisfied that the continued operation of existing administrative and financial arrangements, including the assistance available from the European Community, provide the appropriate means for tackling the social and economic problems in rural areas in Northern Ireland.

  RUC Mountain Rescue Team
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ensure that the RUC mountain rescue team is maintained.

  Mr. Stanley
  This is a matter for the operational judgment of the Chief Constable.

  Child Welfare
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government intend to take to ensure that those disposed sexually to interfere with handicapped children are not appointed to positions in connection with children's welfare or education.

  Mr. Needham
  Since 1983 the Department of Health and Social Services has operated a pre-employment consultancy service which enables health and social services boards and voluntary child care organisations to check the criminal background of shortlisted applicants for posts giving access to children in certain child care settings, chiefly children's homes and day-care facilities. The service does not generally extend to posts giving access
  271
  to children in facilities specifically for the mentally or physically handicapped. However, an interdepartmental working party, representative of the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Officer, is currently drawing up proposals for a broader vetting system for the statutory sector, covering a wider range of posts, including those giving access to mentally or physically handicapped children. At a later stage consideration will be given to extending the system to the voluntary sector.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dental officers employed by each health

  Dental Officers 1984–87 at 31 December1 by Health and Social Services Board

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Health and social services board

  Number full time

  Number part time

  Total WRE

  Number full time

  Number part time

  Total WTE

  Change in WTE since 1984

  Number full time

  Number part time

  Total WTE

  Change in WTE since 1986

  Number full time

  Number part time

  Total WTE

  Change in WTE since 1985

  Eastern

  22

  4

  23·68

  22

  10

  26·38

  +2·70

  22

  10

  24·79

  -4·30

  22

  14

  24·36

  -0·43

  Northern

  8

  1

  8·61

  10

  —

  10·00

  +1·39

  9

  —

  9·00

  -1·00

  9

  1

  9·68

  +0·68

  Southern

  10

  1

  10·60

  9

  2

  9·78

  -0·82

  7

  2

  7·97

  -1·81

  8

  2

  8·97

  +1·00

  Western

  8

  5

  10·40

  7

  5

  9·40

  -1·00

  10

  5

  12·40

  +3·00

  10

  5

  12·40

  —

  1 1987 figures as at 30 September.

  Matrimonial and Family Proceedings (NI) Order
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account Her Majesty's Government took of the various views expressed by interested bodies in submissions on the draft Matrimonial and Family Proceedings (NI) Order.

  Mr. Stanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 3 December to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor).
  272
  and social services board in Northern Ireland are (a) full and (b) part-time; what full-time equivalents these numbers represent; whether their duties are similar; whether any board has any plans to increase the numbers of such officers; what change there has been in their numbers during the last three years; and what were the principal reasons for any such changes.

  Mr. Needham
  The table sets out the number of dental officers employed by each health and social services board in each of the past three years. The duties of these officers are similar. There are no plans to increase the number of these officers and any alterations in numbers over the past three years has been due to posts becoming vacant and subsequently being filled.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to increase the hill livestock compensatory allowance payable to farmers, in view of the drop in beef cattle numbers.

  Mr. Viggers
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced on 9 December 1987 the arrangements which will apply in the United Kingdom to the 1988 hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme. I have nothing further to add.

  PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN THE SOUTH-EAST
  PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN THE SOUTH-EAST
  UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS
  UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS
  JOBCENTRES: SUPPORT TO NEW ENTERPRISES
  JOBCENTRES: SUPPORT TO NEW ENTERPRISES
  DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES: CONTROL
  DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES: CONTROL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  LONDON BOROUGHS: JOINT COMMITTEES
  LONDON BOROUGHS: JOINT COMMITTEES