Written Answers of 15 December 1987

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Single European Market
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what preparations his Department is making for the advent of the single European market in 1992; and whether he will establish a unit within his Department to study and report on changes in organisation and policy which may be required.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We have recently announced the launching of a national campaign to ensure that British business is aware of the challenge of creating a single Community market and is able to grasp the new opportunities which this will create. The campaign is being organised by a special single market unit within the Department which is working closely with other Government Departments to identify and secure early adoption of the measures needed to remove the remaining barriers.

  Petrol
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information his Department has on the price of four-star petrol at the pump on average(a) in the conurbations and (b) in the small towns and rural areas as at 11 November; what representations he has received from the Petrol Retailers Association on the level of competition in the conurbations and the incidence of petrol retail sites there owned by major oil companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Information on prices in the form requested is not collected by the Department. I understand, however, that certain price information is available in published material such as the Petroleum Times.

  I have received no recent representations directly from the Petrol Retailers Association, although I understand that the association has made representations to the Director General of Fair Trading. I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and from retailers expressing support for the Petrol Retailers Association's views.

  Newspaper Companies (Subsidies)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on other EEC countries subsidies for newspaper companies for(a) postage of newspapers, (b) telecommunications, (c) telexes, (d) telegram costs and (e) telephone rental charges.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No information is available.

  BSC Industries
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, prior to bringing forward privatisation legislation, he will discuss with the British Steel Corporation the possibility of increasing the allocation to BSC Industries from current profits, to assist communities such as Sheffield.

  Mr. Atkins
  BSC (Industry) Ltd. is a subsidiary of the British Steel Corporation, but has been self-supporting since March 1984. The question of its future financial relationship with BSC is a matter for the corporation itself.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he plans to take to improve the international competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Atkins
  Sustained improvements in competitiveness can be achieved only by industry itself. However, my Department offers a wide range of support and advice to assist in this task. That work is under review, and I hope to make an announcement to the House early in the new year.

  Motor Trade Bill
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce a comprehensive motor trade Bill designed to control the problem of the sale of unroadworthy cars and the altering of car mileages.

  Mr. Maude
  No. However, together with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport I am meeting the Director General of Fair Trading and other interested parties to discuss this problem.

  British Steel (Investment)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what are the current investment programmes at each British Steel Corporation plant; and what are the current and projected costs associated with each project;

  (2) what are the total investment costs at each of the British Steel Corporation's five integrated plants during the last three years;

  (3) what proposals he has received for investment to renew or expand the coke-making capacity at the British Steel Corporation Ravenscraig works.

  Mr. Atkins
  Capital investment by the British Steel Corporation is a matter for the board of BSC within ceilings agreed with the Government on annual expenditure and individual projects.

  Strip Steel
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what is the current loading level for each British Steel Corporation strip mill in Britain;

  (2) what occasions British Steel Corporation forecasts of demand for strip products from 1990–91 have been revised since 1985; and what are the current forecast levels.

  Mr. Atkins
  Those are matters for the board of the corporation.

  Steel Imports
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current level of steel imports into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  For the nine months ended September 1987, United Kingdom imports of steel amounted to £1,236·3 million.

  Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau: United Kingdom Imports of Iron and Steel, September 1987.

  Steel Plants (Closure)
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report, for each steel plant closed since 1967 (a) its location, (b) the date on which closure procedures were initiated and (c) the date of closure.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: This information is not readily available. I shall reply to my hon. Friend in writing as soon as possible and place a copy of the reply in the Library of the House.

  British Steel Corporation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total amount of public money spent on the British Steel Corporation from June 1979 to date.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The total net amount of public money provided to the British Steel Corporation since June 1979 is £5,151 million, consisting of subscriptions of capital under section 18 of the Iron and Steel Acts of 1975 and 1982, and regional development grants. No public money has been provided to the corporation since December 1985.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what measures he intends to take to prevent overseas steel and iron companies from buying shares in the proposed privatisation of the British Steel Corporation;

  (2) what measures he will take to prevent overseas firms and institutions from buying shares in the proposed privatisation of the British Steel Corporation.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: We shall consider whether there is a case for restricting foreign ownership, but no decisions have yet been taken.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the cost to date of the current British Steel Corporation advertising campaign.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: This is a matter for the board of the corporation.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hiscocks House, Brent
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to pay an official visit to Hiscocks house on the Stonebridge estate in the London borough of Brent.

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

  Westland plc
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy, before Her Majesty's Government 426
  approve any further public funds for Westland plc, to seek to establish the identity of six nominee companies, with shareholdings in the company, and with addresses in Panama, Uruguay, Spain and Australia; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Religious Education
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received in favour of compulsory morning assembly in schools, in the form of a short religious service or prayers.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations about religious education and assembly in schools.

  Australia
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next intends to seek to visit Australia.

  The Prime Minister
  I hope to take up the Australian Prime Minister's invitation to visit Australia during the bicentennial year.

  Clifton on Dunsmore
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Clifton on Dunsmore.

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

  EC (Food Aid Programme)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the recent report of the Court of Auditors on the EEC's food aid programme; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I wrote to the President of the European Commission on 5 October to express my grave concern over the Court of Auditors' findings. The report is now under discussion in the Council of Ministers.

  European Community
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she intends to submit any proposals to the emergency meeting of the European Council in February about the financial crises facing the Common Market; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on Tuesday 8 December, at columns 167–68, on the outcome of the Copenhagen European Council.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 December.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 December.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 December.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties
  427
  in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an Audience of Her Majesty The Queen.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  BP Shares
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what form he intends to advertise the Bank of England's buy-back proposals for British Petroleum shares.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Advertisements were placed in the press when details of the scheme were announced, and further publicity will take place, as appropriate, before the scheme closes.

  Banking Act
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the powers in section 23 of the Banking Act will be exercised in relation to European Community countries.

  Mr. Lawson
  The United Kingdom would, of course, fully respect its Community obligations when exercising its discretion to use its powers under section 23 of the Banking Act 1987. The United Kingdom would not use these powers against persons, companies or firms exercising any of their legitimate rights under Community law.

  Golden Shares
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the golden shares held by the Government in each of the privatised industries, giving(a) the expiry date of each of the shares, and (b) the conditions that are attached to each.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The Government hold special shares in the following privatised companies:

  Amersham International

  BAA

  British Aerospace

  British Gas

  British Telecom

  Britoil

  Cable and Wireless

  Enterprise Oil

  Jaguar

  Rolls-Royce

  Sealink

  Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering

  In each case, the rights and restrictions attaching to the special share, including the arrangements for its redemption, are defined in the articles of association of the company concerned.

  Treasury Stock
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of persons holding 2½ per cent. Treasury stock 1975 issued in 1946–47, and the size of the average holding.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: There are approximately 13,400 registered holdings of 2½ per
  428
  cent. Treasury stock 1975 or after with an average size of £35,600. It is impossible without undue cost to distinguish between personal and corporate holdings.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of redemption of 2½ per cent. Treasury stock 1975.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The cost of redemption of 2½ per cent. Treasury stock 1975 or after would be £475 million.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to redeem 2½ per cent. Treasury stock 1975.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: There are no plans to redeem 2½ per cent. Treasury stock 1975 or after.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Occupational Health Service
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress is being made in the setting up of the Civil Service occupational health service.

  Mr. Luce
  The Civil Service occupational health service (OHS) was set up on 23 June 1986. Since then much has been done to create an integrated, more efficient arid more effective organisation. Substantial economies of scale have been secured and the new service is costing about 7 per cent. less per annum than the organisations it replaced. At the same time it is providing a broader range of services to the whole of the Civil Service, many areas of which now have access for the first time to occupational health care. The OHS will continue to develop and maintain high standards of occupational health in the Civil Service.

THE ARTS

  British Library
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has for further construction of the new British library building at St. Pancras when building work on the present stage is completed in 1993.

  Mr. Luce
  I have recently authorised a feasibility study to examine options for the concluding stage of the British Library project, so that a start can be made before the work currently authorised is completed in 1993.

  The feasibility study will be carried out by the Property Services Agency, in conjunction with the British Library and the architects who designed the first phase of the building. Their findings and proposals will be reported to me by mid-1988.

  The object of the study is to draw up a plan for completing the project in a way which meets the key requirements of the library at the minimum additional cost. Those requirements are to concentrate most of the British Library's London-based collections at one location in a controlled pollution-free environment, with greatly improved facilities for readers and staff. Subject to the outcome of the study, the new building will enable the British Library to vacate most of the 19 sites around London where its stock is currently located, and to unite its major services within a single purpose-built building.
  429
  I shall announce further decisions when the feasibility study has been completed.

TRANSPORT

  Tourist Signposting
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of tourist signposting in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Progress with introducing the new white on brown tourist signs in England has generally been good. Signs have been approved for over 2,500 attractions. Many of these signs have now been erected. We expect even more signs will be in place before next summer's tourist season. We are continuing to encourage local authorities where progress has not been as good as elsewhere. Signing in other parts of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  M40
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his recent review of road scheme assessment criteria, to ensure that appropriate weight is given to leisure traffic, affects the predictions of traffic expected to travel on the proposed 12-mile two-lane section of the M40 motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In the recent review of road scheme assessment, the value of time for leisure trips was increased. This would increase the economic benefits of the M40 scheme. It would not affect the traffic predictions which contain both work and leisure trips transferred from existing roads within the M40 corridor and from the M1/M6 corridor.

  Newspapers (Subsidies)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any information on the subsidies paid for the costs of transporting(a) journalists and (b) newspapers in other EEC countries.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No.

  Roads (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will pay an official visit to the Easington constituency to assess conditions on the A1 between Easington and Dishforth and on the A19 between Dishforth and Easington; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We know quite a lot about conditions on the A1 and the A19 north of Dishforth.

  Written answers on 2 December at columns 577–78 give details of the proposed improvements to the A1 between Dishforth and Scotch Corner and the provision of dual carriageways on the last section of the A19-A168 route north of Dishforth. This latter scheme is included in the contract for the new A1/A168 grade-separated interchange for which tenders have now been invited.

  The A1 is a motorway from Scotch Corner to the Easington constituency and the A19 is a dual carriageway from Thirsk northwards. Along these stretches, both roads are considered to be of a satisfactory standard to meet traffic requirements in the forseeable future.

  Passenger Statistics (London)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers were carried on an average day in the latest year for which statistics are available on(a) the London Underground and (b) London buses; what was the comparable figure five years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information requested is as follows:

  Passenger journeys on LRT services

  Daily average (million)

  Underground

  Bus

  1982

  1·4

  2·9

  1986–87

  2·1

  3·2

  London Regional Transport
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if the objectives for London Regional Transport laid down by the Secretary of State on 20 July 1984 are still in force;

  (2) what financial objectives he has determined for London Regional Transport; and what other directions of a general character he has made as to the exercise and performance of the functions of London Regional Transport since 1984.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The 1984 objectives cover the financial years 1985–86 to 1987–88. They have not been superseded or supplemented and are still in force.

  Green Park Tube (Fire)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the findings of London Regional Transport's internal inquiry into the fire at Green Park tube station in June and as to the extent to which these have been implemented.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The incident was reported to the Department in accordance with the statute. It is understood that LRT's internal inquiry report made four recommendations, three of which were adopted.

  Motorways (Central Reservations)
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made with reviewing the case for emergency crossing points on the central reservations of motorways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Since June 1985, when the Department issued advice on the treatment of gaps in central reserve safety fences, the number of emergency crossing points (ECPs) has been reduced by 20 per cent., from 1,292 to 1,038. Agreement has been reached with the emergency services to close a further 568 ECPs by the end of March 1989, bringing the overall reduction to 63 per cent. 224 ECPs have been identified as essential, and 246 are still being considered.

  Morpeth Derailment
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has reached any conclusions on the
  431
  recommendations of the railway inspecting officer's report on the derailment that occurred in June 1984 at Morpeth; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The inspecting officer's recommendations have been considered very carefully by the British Railways Board and the Government. Action has been taken by the board on the recommendations which called for changes in operating procedures in order to prevent a recurrence of such an accident. The board is also continuing to work towards eliminating the practice of signing on by telephone, and progress on this is being monitored by the Railway Inspectorate.

  The inspecting officer also suggested that powers be introduced to require railway staff to submit to breath, blood or urine tests. There is no evidence that the railways face serious problems of alcohol or drugs abuse. In addition, the board's rule book makes it clear that staff must not report for duty under the influence of alcohol, or of any drug that might impair the proper performance of their duties, and must not consume alcohol or any such drug whilst on duty. The board considers that this continues to provide a better deterrent than could be achieved by taking powers to require railway staff to submit to breath, blood or urine tests. The introduction of testing could imply the acceptability of a certain level of alcohol, by analogy with the breath-alcohol limits set for motorists, which could undermine the board's more stringent disciplinary code. Supervisors are already instructed to call the police in serious cases, and the board reminds staff regularly of their responsibilities and gives advice to managers and supervisors on these matters.

  The Government accept the board's conclusions on this question and do not propose to seek powers to breathalyse train crews. Consultation with other transport industries has also confirmed that there is no clear case for the introduction of such powers for staff with similar responsibilities in those industries.

  There would he advantage, however, in updating the Railway Regulation Act 1842 in order to provide for increases in penalties for offences involving alcohol on the railways, and to extend the provisions to cover offences involving drugs. This would require primary legislation, which we propose should apply to all railways—British Rail, London Regional Transport, and privately owned concerns. We shall seek a suitable opportunity for such legislation in due course.

  London Traffic Control
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to continue to exercise the London traffic control functions transferred to him by the London Traffic Control System (Transfer) Order 1986.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. The London Residuary Body is terminating, with effect from 31 March 1988, the agency agreement under which it carries out certain London traffic control functions and manages the traffic control system unit; and the local authorities have for the time being been unable to agree joint arrangements for running the traffic control system themselves. The corporation of the city of London has agreed to take over the management of the TCSU from the LRB and provide a similar agency service from 1 April 1988. We propose to lay the necessary order early in the new year and to enter 432
  into an appropriate agency agreement with the city corporation. We are writing to authorities about the proposed arrangements.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Juvenile Crime
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies his Department is currently undertaking into the causes of juvenile crime; and when he intends to publish any results.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office research and planning unit and crime prevention unit have extensive and varied programmes of work, much of which may contribute to further knowledge about juvenile crime. Of particular relevance is a review of research on schools, disruptive behaviour and deliquency, due to be published in February 1988; the report of a study of fruit and video machine playing by 10 to 16-year-olds is also intended for publication early next year.

  Firearms
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during each of the past 10 years convictions have been made for abuse of the exemptions under section 14 of the Firearms Act 1968 by persons who have either acquired and misused or acquired and supplied shotguns to third parties not authorised to hold them.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is not available.

  Independent Broadcasting Authority
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Government appointees are on the board of the Independent Broadcasting Authority; what are the criteria for the selection; and if he will publish the list of appointees in the Official Report.

  Mr. Renton
  The Broadcasting Act 1981 provides for the members of the IBA, including the chairman and deputy chairman, to be appointed by the Home Secretary. The Home Secretary, with a view to enabling the authority to continue to fulfil its responsibility for safeguarding the public interest in broadcasting matters, wishes to ensure that the members of the authority combine personal distinction with a wide and balanced range of interests and experience. The present membership of the IBA is:

  Lord Thomson of Monifieth, Chairman

  Sir Donald Maitland, Deputy Chairman

  Mr. G. R. Peregrine, Member for Wales

  Professor J. F. Fulton, Member for Northern Ireland

  Mr. J. R. Purvis, Member for Scotland

  Mr. R. A. Grantham, Member

  Mrs. P. Ridley, Member

  Professor A. L. Cullen, Member

  Sir Anthony Jolliffe, Member

  Mr. M. H. Caine, Member

  Lady Popplewell, Member

  Mr. Ranjit Sondhi, Member.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has issued any guidelines to the Independent Broadcasting Authority concerning the production of politically sensitive material; and if he will make a statement.
  433
  Mr. Renton
  The Broadcasting Act 1981 places a duty on the IBA to satisfy itself, as far as possible, that due impartiality is preserved on the part of the persons providing programmes as respects matters of political or industrial controversy or relating to current public policy. For this purpose a series of programmes may be considered as a whole. Relevant guidance is contained in the IBA's "Television Programme Guidelines". It is for the IBA, not the Government, to interpret and enforce its statutory obigations.

  Leicestershire Police Force
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present establishment of the Leicestershire police force; and to what extent the force is up to establishment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The authorised police establishment of the Leicestershire constabulary is 1,733 and there is approval for nine supernumerary police posts. On 31 October 1987, the strength of the force was 1,754, which was 12 above the authorised number because recruitment in that month exceeded wastage.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the establishment of the Leicestershire police force was last altered; what proposals he has recently received to alter that establishment; and what has been his response.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The last change in the authorised establishment of the Leicestershire constabulary was in July 1982 when six additional police posts were approved, bringing the authorised police establishment up to 1,733. We have not recently received any application to vary that establishment.

  Cwm Clydach Estate
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of south Wales as to the number of occasions on which police officers have been called to deal with incidents at the Cwm Clydach estate and Glyn Coch Farm, Craig-cefri-parc, West Glamorgan, over the last three years; and what has been the total cost to the police force of dealing with such incidents.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of south Wales that since November 1984 the police have been called to five incidents on the Cwm Clydach estate. I further understand that, because the relevant information is not readily available, it is not possible to assess the cost of police attendance at these incidents.

  Nationality
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forms of registration under the British Nationality Act 1981 have been distributed by the immigration service.

  Mr. Renton
  Fewer than 100. But since the British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983 about 1 million application forms have been issued by the nationality division.
  434
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will launch an advertising campaign giving details of British nationality by registration on national and regional television;

  (2) what steps he took to monitor the effectiveness of recent advertisements giving details of British nationality by registration (a) in Great Britain and (b) in Manchester before his recent advertising campaign about British nationality;

  (3) what information was available to him on the circulation of the "Manchester A.M." and "Manchester Advertiser" newspapers amongst different ethnic minority groups (a) in Greater Manchester and (b) in the inner city wards of the city of Manchester and the wards in the Stretford constituency.

  Mr. Renton
  We have no plans to initiate further advertising at this late stage. The circulation of local newspapers and the geographical concentration of local ethnic minorities were taken into account in deciding which papers to use for our paid advertising campaigns, but the available information did not distinguish the ethnic minority readership. The response rate in the first round of advertising was assessed in deciding which newspapers to use in the second round.

  Rape
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted of rape since 1970; and how many of these persons have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on court proceedings for offences of rape is published annually in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales: Supplementary Tables Vols 1 and 2" under offence classification 19. The figures include some offences other than under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 such as aiding and abetting and attempted rape. Figures for proceedings in magistrates' courts and the Crown court are given in tables SI. 1(A) and S2. 1(A): and for the distribution of the lengths of sentences of imprisonment imposed in table S2. 4. Copies are in the Library of the House.

  Indeterminate Sentences
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he intends to seek to make in the law and procedure relating to indeterminate sentences, following the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Weekes case.

  Mr. John Patten
  The implications of the judgment of the European Court in the Weekes case are still under consideration.

  Trevi Ministers
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent meeting of Trevi Ministers in Copenhagen.

  Mr. Hurd
  A meeting of Trevi Ministers was held in Copenhagen on 9 December under the presidency of the Danish Minister of Justice, Mr. Ninn-Hansen. We discussed developments since our previous meeting in Brussels in April including terrorist incidents in a number of member states and successes against terrorist activity.
  435
  We agreed that continued co-operation between countries is the most effective way of countering terrorism and specific successes of such co-operation were reported at the meeting.

  A number of initiatives launched during the United Kingdom presidency have come to fruition. The coming into operation of the secure communication system has enabled a more rapid exchange of a variety of information to take place between member states, including the exchange of details of the theft and discovery of arms and explosives—an item which had been agreed in principle at our previous meeting. I reported on a successful conference of Trevi officials held in London in November on the detection of firearms and explosives especially at airports, which enabled the participants to exchange information on research into new techniques and to assess existing techniques. We also agreed an updated assessment of the terrorist threat to Community countries.

  In other areas of Trevi activity we approved a detailed agreement for developing the network of drug liaison officers outside the countries of the EC for the benefit of Community countries. This is the result of an initiative taken by the United Kingdom last year. I also reported that the conference in London in October had established an international network of co-operation to prevent and deal with football hooliganism.

  Official Secrets Act 1911
  Mr. Mates
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek to reform section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911.

  Mr. Hurd
  As my right hon. Friends, the Attorney-General and the Prime Minister have told the House, the Government have had work in hand for some time to find effective, enforceable and reasonable provisions to replace section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. This work is continuing and we intend to bring it to a conclusion later this Session. When the work is complete, we shall lay before Parliament a White Paper setting out the Government's proposals for reform of the present law, with a view to early legislation.

  Immigration (European Community)
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of the Ministers of the European Community concerned with immigration.

  Mr. Hurd
  The ministers of the states of the European Community concerned with immigration met on 9 December in Copenhagen under the presidency of the Danish Minister of Justice. A representative of the Commission of the European Community attended the meeting. My colleagues and I considered a further report from the ad hoc working group of senior officials which was established last year during the United Kingdom presidency.

  The meeting reaffirmed the importance of the coordination of the visa policies of member states. It was agreed that from 1 March 1988 nationals of 50 countries would require a visa if they wished to enter any country in the Community. It was also agreed that, as a general principle, it was necessary to make a specific individual assessment of such applicants before issuing a visa. There will be consultation between member states about any
  436
  proposal to remove a country from this list. The United Kingdom already requires visas of citizens of these 50 countries. The list includes the five countries to which our visa requirement has been extended since September 1986.

  Ministers instructed officials to study the possibility of further countries being added during 1988 to this common list of those whose citizens required visas, and to study ways of achieving greater co-ordination of the criteria for the grant of visas. We shall consider again at our next meeting the proposal to draw up a parallel list of countries—notably other European countries which have close links with member states of the Community — from whose citizens visas will not be required.

  A major problem facing all member states is the need to deal in a humane and orderly way with applications for asylum from those who apply for asylum in different countries, either at the same time or in sequence. It is necessary to establish clear guidelines to determine which country should examine an application for asylum (the "first country of asylum") both to reduce prolonged periods of uncertainty for applicants and to make it possible to deal more effectively with those applications which clearly fail to meet the requirements of the 1951 United Nations convention on refugees.

  The presidency put before the meeting detailed guidelines drawn up by the ad hoc working group which would be used to determine the country responsible for examining and reaching a decision on any given application. Given that EC countries received more than 150,000 applications for asylum in 1986, it is important to devise an orderly system for dealing with them. There was a wide measure of agreement on the suggested guidelines, and Ministers instructed officials to continue their work so that agreement might be reached at our next meeting under the German presidency in the first half of next year. My colleagues and I endorsed proposals for the regular exchange of information and statistics about policy and procedure in considering applications for asylum and also for the exchange of information about the conditions in the country of origin from which those seeking asylum in the Community have come.

  All those attending the meeting stressed the value of cooperation between Ministers and officials concerned with immigration, and the United Kingdom will continue to play its full part in this work.

  Welsh Language
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any plans to issue Welsh language versions of fixed-penalty notices for road traffic offences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The chief constables of the four Welsh police forces have recently completed a review of the practicability of issuing notices in the Welsh language following which arrangements are in hand for Welsh language notices to be offered from early in the new year. I welcome this initiative by the police service in Wales.

  Independent Local Radio
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the development of independent local radio.

  Mr. Hurd
  Our Green Paper "Radio: Choices and Opportunities", published in February, offered the
  437
  prospect of additional radio services at national, local and community level. The new stations would operate alongside existing independent local radio services under a lighter regulatory regime. I hope shortly to be able to announce our conclusions in the light of the consultatives process. New legislation would be required to give effect to proposals for a new framework for radio.

  In the meantime, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has suggested that, in the current improved financial climate for independent local radio (ILR), it would be sensible for the authority to resume progress with the development of ILR in accordance with its statutory duties. Of the 69 areas approved in principle for ILR purposes by the Government by 1981, 13 remain unserved. The IBA proposes to advertise new ILR contracts in a form which will invite applications from local groups or existing ILR contractors, and to leave it to applicants to propose whether the new services would be free-standing or involve a link with another station. With a view to keeping these costs to a minimum, the IBA proposes to provide services on a single waveband rather than two, and to review its procedures and technical requirements. Contracts will be offered for the period until December 1994, when the last of the IBA's existing ILR contracts expires.

  The IBA's aim will be to provide an ILR service to at least some of those areas which do not have one at the present. The provision of such services will, of course, be compatible with the opening of further local radio services under new legislation as part of the expansion of radio foreseen in the Green Paper. I have invited the IBA to proceed case by case. The first two contracts to be advertised will be Cambridge and Newmarket and Eastbourne-Hastings.

  Prisoners
  Miss Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners suffering from mental disorders were transferred to hospitals(a) before sentence and (b) after sentence, for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: The information for 1985 and 1986 is given in the table. Information for earlier years was published in table 3 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 31/85, copies of which are in the Library.

  Persons1 compulsorily admitted to hospital following transfer from Prison Department Establishments in England and Wales under Sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983

  1985

  1986

  Persons subject to special restrictions on discharge:

  Prior to disposal of case

  33

  50

  After sentence

  87

  84

  Persons not subject to special restrictions on discharge, admitted after sentence

  13

  23

  1 Excluding civil prisoners.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 14-year-olds entering detention centres in 1986 had had (i) no previous 438
  court appearances, (ii) one or two previous court appearances, (iii) three to five previous court appearances and (iv) six or more previous court appearances, respectively.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: The available information is given in the table:

  Males aged 14 received into Prison Department establishments under detention centre orders; by previous convictions, England and Wales 1986

  Number of previous convictions

  Number of persons

  0

  72

  1 to 2

  148

  3 to 5

  188

  6 and over

  54

  Not recorded

  71

  Total

  533

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 14-year-olds entering detention centres in 1986 had been convicted of (i) crimes of violence, (ii) sexual offences, (iii) robbery, (iv) burglary, (v) theft and (vi) other offences, respectively.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: The available information is given in the table.

  Males aged 14 received into Prison Department establishments under detention centre orders; by offence, England and Wales, 1986

  Offence

  Number of persons

  Violence against the person

  45

  Sexual offences

  3

  Burglary

  284

  Robbery

  19

  Theft, handling, fraud, forgery

  117

  Other offences

  65

  Total

  533

  Prisoners (Assisted Visits)
  Mr. Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new arrangements are planned for administering the programme of assisted visits to prisoners; when these changes will come into effect; and if those in receipt of supplementary benefit who are currently eligible for assistance will remain eligible under the new arrangements.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 27 November 1987]: New arrangements are being introduced for the administration of the scheme for assisted visits to prisons by close relatives. A new unit of the Home Office prison department will administer the scheme for England and Wales. Because it would be uneconomic to have a separate unit to administer the scheme for Scotland, the Home Office unit will act as an agent of the Scottish Home and Health Department. For administrative convenience, the new arrangements will begin to operate from 1 March 1988 in respect of visits to inmates in Scotland and from 11 April in respect of visits to inmates in Great Britain as a whole. Applications and payments will be handled by post rather than within DHSS local offices as hitherto. In order to take account of forthcoming changes in the social security system, financial eligibility will be based upon

  439
  entitlement to income support, which replaces supplementary benefit, family credit or a low-income certificate, but apart from this the principal terms and conditions of the scheme will remain the same.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Tourism
  Sir Peter Blaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education run tourism-related courses; and what is the number of students involved.

  Mr. Jackson
  In 1986, a total of 35 universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education ran tourism-related courses involving 820 students in universities in Great Britain and 5,620 higher education students in polytechnics and colleges in England.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of graduates entering the tourism industry.

  Mr. Jackson
  In 1986, a total of 610 first degree graduates entered the category of hotel, catering and leisure management occupations which includes tourism.

  Religious Education
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the extent to which the requirement of the Education Act 1944, for a daily period of religious education to take place in maintained schools, is being observed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There is no requirement in the 1944 Education Act for a daily period of religious education in maintained schools. Section 25(2) of the Act provides that religious instruction shall be given in every county and voluntary school. Section 26 and schedule 5 of the Act require that such instruction in county schools is given in accordance with an agreed syllabus, determined by a conference appointed by the local education authority. The evidence available suggests that a small minority of county schools may not be providing religious instruction in accordance with their locally agreed syllabus. Clauses 6 and 15 of the Education Reform Bill are designed to reinforce the relevant requirements of the 1944 Act.

ENERGY

  Wind Turbines
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has of the relative costs per kilowatt installed of 60 m diameter wind turbine generators compared with 3·5 m rotor diameter equipment.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The installed cost for 3·5 m diameter and similar machines is of the order of £500 per kilowatt. The larger machines of around 60 m diameter are all prototypes and no data are yet available of the installed costs for production-run machines of this size. Part of my Department's wind energy research and development programme is to investigate the optimum size of wind turbine generators for electricity production in this country.
  440
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what experiments are being carried out as to the effectiveness of the Danwin wind turbine; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Danwin machine, which is 23 m in diameter and rated at 180 kW, is one of many commercially available machines and is paralleled closely by similar 25 m machines being manufactured by British companies for centralised electricity generation. My Department's research and development programme in wind energy includes investigations of the relative merits of machines of different sizes and types.

  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what study he has made of the development of windpower in California; and what were his conclusions as to the application to the United Kingdom of the system used in California.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department is well aware of the expansion in the use of wind energy for power generation in California over recent years and is following developments there closely. Visits have been made to Californian wind energy sites by my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, West (Mr. Hunt) by officials from my Department and from the Energy Technology Support Unit, including programme managers, and by the chairman of the advisory Wind Energy Steering Committee. In addition, two British manufacturers, who are involved in my Department's wind energy research and development programme, have installed a number of machines in California: we are monitoring their progress.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all Central Electricity Generating Board closed stations, annotating the station's original installed capacity, the year in which it was closed, and its present condition as mothballed, decommissioned, demolished or other status.

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

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list Central Electricity Generating Board coal and oil stations whose lives have been extended beyond their planned 40 years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  None of the Central Electricity Generating Board's coal and oil stations has been extended beyond its planned life of 40 years.

  Generating Costs
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide an itemised account, for the last financial year available, of Central Electricity Generating Board costs of generating electricity from nuclear fuel and coal, itemising fuel costs, capital charges, interest during construction, provision for decommissioning and all other costs, together with the total number of kWhs generated from each fuel, and calculate an average cost per kWh of each fuel.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The latest analysis of comparative generation costs made by the CEGB gave data for
  441
  1983–84. This included an assessment of all costs arising from the construction, operation and decommissioning of power stations, before, during and beyond their lifetime. For plant commissioned between 1965 and 1979 the resultant costs, expressed as an average over lifetime and adjusted to March 1987 prices, are as follows:

  p/KWh

  Coal

  Nuclear

  Fuel costs

  2·30

  1·09

  Capital charges (including interest during construction and decommissioning)

  0·48

  1·55

  Other costs

  0·24

  0·40

  Average cost per KWh

  3·02

  3·04

  Total electricity generated (GWh)

  175,117

  31,260

  For the more modern plants at Hinkley Point B and the first stage of the coal-fired station at Drax the average cost on a comparable basis was 2·82 p/KWh and 3·03 p/KWh respectively.

  Hydro Power Schemes
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what studies his Department has undertaken on the potential for small-scale hydro power schemes of less than 5 MW in Scotland; and if he will list the main conclusions.

  Coal imports through Sunderland by country of consignment

  Thousand tonnes

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Australia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13·6

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  0·5

  0·7

  —

  —

  3·0

  —

  —

  11·0

  Denmark

  —

  —

  —

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  German Democratic Republic

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12·0

  —

  Federal Republic of Germany

  2·0

  8·5

  5·9

  16·1

  19·8

  6·1

  15·4

  10·7

  Netherlands

  5·3

  —

  —

  9·6

  8·8

  —

  47·6

  157·0

  Poland

  —

  —

  —

  16·8

  67·6

  17·0

  10·6

  42·3

  Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

  —

  —

  —

  0·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  United States of America

  14·4

  3·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·5

  8·3

  West Africa

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·3

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  22·3

  12·6

  5·9

  43·4

  101·5

  23·1

  88·2

  242·9

  Total may not equal sum of constituents due to rounding.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many oral questions Ministers in his Department have answered(a) orally and (b) in writing in each Session from 1979–80 to date; how many questions for written answer have been so answered over that period; and how many questions tabled for answer in the House of Lords Ministers in his Department have answered over a similar period.

  Mr. Eggar
  Following is the information requested, for both the diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which have been drawn from departmental records:
  442
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Department of Energy has commissioned a study of the potential of small-scale hydro electricity in the United Kingdom, including Scotland. The work is being carried out by Salford university and is expected to be completed towards the end of 1988.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 576, he will list the countries of origin of the coal imported through Sunderland and the destination of the coal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The countries of consignment of coal imported through Sunderland in each year since 1979 are shown in the following table. The country of consignment is the place from which the coal was dispatched to the United Kingdom and is not necessarily the country in which it was originally mined. I regret that information on the breakdown of coal imports through Sunderland by country of origin or the final destination of these imports is not available.

  House of Commons

  Oral

  Oral/Written

  Written

  1979–80

  258

  1303 (112)

  1,926 (354)

  1980–81

  174

  1257 (66)

  1,012 (196)

  1981–82

  197

  1348 (89)

  1,113 (180)

  1982–83

  162

  1262 (71)

  843 (217)

  1983–84

  251

  1477 (93)

  1,562 (537)

  1984–85

  162

  1564 (119)

  1,286 (468)

  1985–86

  143 (66)

  629 (74)

  1,248 (315)

  1986–87

  62 (30)

  315 (37)

  660 (107)

  1987–88

  33 (19)

  126 (45)

  480 (127)

  House of Lords

  FCO Oral

  FCO Written

  2ODA

  1979–803

  1980–813

  1981–823

  1982–833

  1983–84

  83

  146

  34

  443

  FCO Oral

  FCO Written

  2ODA

  1984–85

  72

  101

  23

  1985–86

  79

  113

  25

  1986–87

  38

  65

  6

  1987–88

  15

  43

  7

  1 Figures for ODA parliamentary questions prior to the Session 1985–86 are not readily available in the form requested and have been compiled from such records that exist. They include all oral parliamentary questions and those which subsequently received a written reply.

  2 Includes both oral and written answers.

  3 Figures are not available.

  African National Congress
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether an invitation was received to attend the African National Congress conference in Tanzania recently.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The high commission at Dar Es Salaam was invited to be represented at the opening session of the conference.

  Polish Citizens (Visas)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total number of Polish citizens waiting for visas to enter the United Kingdom from Poland and the average length of time taken to process these applications; what special provision has been made to ensure that Polish citizens can visit relations in the United Kingdom during the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The British embassy in Warsaw has approximately 1,000 applications awaiting decision, the current average processing time being three to four weeks. However, the embassy is giving priority handling to applications for travel during the Christmas and new year period.

  EI Salvador
  Mr. Corbyn
  To-ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact Her Majesty's ambassador in El Salvador has had with opposition and human rights groups since July.

  Mr. Eggar
  As part of their normal duties, Her Majesty's diplomatic staff accredited to El Salvador maintain regular contact with human rights and other organisations including political parties, trade unions and the Roman Catholic Church.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Cwm Clydach Estate (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any criminal prosecutions have arisen from incidents at the Cwm Clydach estate, Craig-cefri-parc, West Glamorgan, over the last three years.

  The Attorney-General
  Records kept by the Crown Prosecution Service do not enable criminal prosecutions to be identified as emanating from a particular geographical location. The information requested by the hon. Member could not therefore be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

  Mr. H. A. R. Philby
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy not to grant an immunity from prosecution to Mr. H. A. R. Philby in the event of his return to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I can foresee no circumstances in which, in the hypothetical event suggested by my hon. Friend, it would be my policy to offer immunity to Mr. Philby.

  Mr. Duncan Campbell
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will seek from the High Court a variation of the injunction of 27 November against Duncan Campbell so that the disclosure or publication of the material or information as defined therein by or to a right hon. or hon. Member shall not be constituted a breach of the order.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will seek from the High Court a variation of the injunction of 27 November against Duncan Campbell so that a fair and accurate report of proceedings in Parliament or of a court sitting in public shall not be constituted a breach of the order.

  The Attorney-General
  I propose to invite the court to take such a course when the matter is next before it.

  Classified Information
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to take steps to seize material relating to GCHQ, the same as that transmitted to Mr. Duncan Campbell by others and the subject of the injunction of 27 November, now in the possession of the hon. Member for Workington.

  The Attorney-General
  The Attorney-General has no powers of seizure.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on prosecution of such right hon. or hon. Members as in the course of their work receive material classified restricted and do not return it to the appropriate authorities;

  (2) what criteria he uses in deciding whether to prosecute under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act such persons as come into the possession of official information classified restricted and do not seek to return it to the appropriate authorities;

  The Attorney-General
  This is a matter not for the Government but for the Crown Prosecution Service and for me. In applying the code for Crown prosecutors to such circumstances account would be taken of all relevant factors.

WALES

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in Wales.
  445
  Mr. Peter Walker
  At 8 October 1987, unemployment in Wales had fallen in each of the previous 17 months and, at 148,050, was 26,055 lower than a year earlier—a fall of 2·2 percentage points.

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

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has had any meetings since June with representatives of Nirex in relation to the possibility of dumping nuclear waste in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  There has been no such meeting. Responsibility for identifying and developing a deep site is for Nirex, which should be in a position to make recommendations to Government in about a year's time.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total of council house and flat sales in Wales since May 1979 to the latest available date under both right to buy and voluntary provisions.

  Mr. Grist
  57,152 council houses and flats have been sold in Wales between May 1979 and June 1987.

  AIDS
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer of 3 December,Official Report, column 654, he will take steps to collect the available information of the proportion of patients attending sexually transmitted diseases clinics in Cardiff that have been tested, and have proved HIV positive.

  Mr. Grist
  No. Numbers of positive HIV antibody tests are reported to the communicable diseases surveillance centre by the relevant microbiologist. Cumulative totals of positive tests by region of report together with totals split by sex within patient characteristics are published quarterly. Shortly, the Government plan to seek Parliament's approval for an amendment to the AIDS (Control) Act 1987 which will require each district health authority to publish in an annual report the number of positive HIV antibody test results for their district.

  Community Physiotherapy Service
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those areas of Gwynedd in which a community physiotherapy service is available and those areas where the only service available is by reference of patients by their doctors to the orthopaedic department of a district general hospital.

  Mr. Grist
  These are matters of operational policy for Gwynedd health authority and I suggest that the hon. Gentleman writes to the district general manager.

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing(a) in current terms and (b) in constant money terms, the expenditure on the National Health Service in Wales over each of the past 10 years, indicating the sum within each figure which is represented by nurses' pay.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is given in the table:

  £ million

  Total net expenditure on the National Health Service

  Expenditure on nurses' pay

  Year

  Actual

  1Constant prices

  Actual

  1Constant prices

  1976–77

  306·7

  752·3

  70·6

  173·2

  1977–78

  346·8

  746·9

  77·2

  166·3

  1978–79

  398·0

  774·3

  87·2

  169·7

  1979–80

  465·9

  775·5

  106·6

  177·4

  1980–81

  599·1

  841·2

  150·5

  211·3

  1981–82

  682·9

  873·3

  162·3

  207·5

  1982–83

  751·0

  895·9

  176·6

  210·7

  1983–84

  797·2

  909·1

  185·2

  211·2

  1984–85

  862·0

  941·6

  201·9

  220·5

  1985–86

  920·7

  948·4

  215·0

  221·5

  1986–87

  989·3

  989·3

  235·4

  235·4

  1 Actual expenditure revalued to 1986–87 prices using the GDP deflator·

  Primary Schools (Clwyd)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available additional moneys to improve the staffing ratios in Clwyd primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: No. While provision for Clwyd's grant-related expenditure has been increasing in real terms with a continuing slow fall in pupil numbers, its primary sector pupil-teacher ratio has been rising. Decisions on staffing levels are for the local education authority and it must decide how to manage its resources.

  Civil Defence
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his reasons for excluding an assessment of, and guidance on, the likely effects of deep psychological trauma on the public and medical personnel on the civil defence plan-making duties of the health authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: I am not aware of any psychological effects of civil defence plan-making.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his reasons for excluding an assessment of the likely effects of the nuclear winter on the civil defence plan-making duties of the health authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: Since the likelihood of the effect known as nuclear winter arising is still a subject of debate, it would not have been right for reference to it to have been included in the circular "Emergency Planning in the NHS: Health Service Responsibilities in Civil Defence".

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to draw up a staged programme of
  447
  implementation of the civil defence duties of health authorities as set out in the circular "Emergency Planning in the National Health Service."

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: No.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many health authorities have followed the recommendations of his Department in appointing an emergency planning officer.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The Department has not recommended that health authorities appoint emergency planning officers. A health emergency planning officer for Wales, whose remit includes all emergency planning matters, has recently been appointed at the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his estimate of the financial, staffing and resource implications of the circular "Emergency Planning in the National Health Service."

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: As health authorities are already responsible for responding to major incidents, and have in place the arrangements necessary to undertake that responsibility, it is not expected that the circular "Emergency Planning in the NHS: Health Service Responsibilities" will have significant resource implications.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding his Department's circular "Emergency Planning in the National Health Service: Health Service Responsibilities in Civil Defence" issued on 14 September.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: None.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much civil defence grant was paid to each health authority in each of the last five years; and what proportion these sums constituted of the total emergency planning budget of each health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: No civil defence grants are paid to health authorities.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with representatives of the medical professions on the moral and ethical problems associated with the policy of triage after nuclear attack; and when he will issue guidelines on the implementation of triage after nuclear attack.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: I have had no such discussions and have no plans to issue guidelines.

  Housing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to take steps to ensure that only housing associations based in Wales will receive finance for developing housing in Wales through the approved development programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: I approve the Housing Corporation's development programme on the basis of its meeting specific housing needs and policy priorities. The vast majority of projects receiving funding under the approved development
  448
  programme are undertaken by housing associations based in Wales, but I do not intend that any association should be excluded if it has been identified as the best one to meet a specific need.

  Pre-school Education
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list by local authority the proportion of the total number of under-fives in pre-school education represented by(a) three-year-olds and (h) four-year-olds.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The information in respect of full-time and part-time pupils in all maintained and independent schools as at January 1987, is as follows:

  Percentage

  3 year olds1

  4 year olds1

  Clwyd

  45·7

  54·0

  Dyfed

  33·2

  61·8

  Gwent

  39·3

  5·91

  Gwynedd

  24·2

  73·8

  Mid Glamorgan

  39·2

  53·7

  Powys

  24·2

  75·5

  South Glamorgan

  29·5

  66·0

  West Glamorgan

  44·8

  47·4

  1 Ages as at 31 August 1986.

SCOTLAND

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for unemployment in the Glasgow, Pollock constituency.

  Mr. Lang
  On 8 October 1987 the number of unemployed claimants in the Glasgow, Pollock parliamentary constituency was 6,856.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figure for unemployment in manufacturing industry in the Motherwell, North constituency.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on unemployment by industry grouping is not available. However, the total number unemployed in the Motherwell, North constituency in October 1987 was 5,610; this represents a fall of 1,063, or 16 per cent., since October 1986.

  Votes
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of voters in each Scottish constituency on(a) the current electoral register and (b) the recently-compiled draft electoral register.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Number of electors

  Constituency

  1987 electoral register published in February

  11988 draft electoral register

  Aberdeen North

  63,751

  61,714

  Aberdeen South

  63,293

  58,425

  Angus East

  61,597

  61,687

  Argyll and Bute

  49,272

  49,175

  449

  Number of electors

  Constituency

  1987 electoral register published in February

  11988 draft electoral register

  Ayr

  67,224

  66,723

  Banff and Buchan

  62,867

  63,071

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,519

  30,978

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  57,196

  56,457

  Central Fife

  56,666

  56,267

  Clackmannan

  49,583

  49,071

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  50,824

  49,868

  Clydesdale

  62,429

  62,524

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  46,140

  46,126

  Cunninghame North

  55,544

  55,277

  Cunninghame South

  50,538

  50,210

  Dumbarton

  59,705

  58,859

  Dumfries

  59,992

  59,845

  Dundee East

  61,351

  60,934

  Dundee West

  62,453

  61,331

  Dunfermline East

  51,688

  50,868

  Dunfermline West

  51,581

  51,113

  East Kilbride

  63,998

  63,749

  East Lothian

  65,603

  64,938

  Eastwood

  62,713

  62,877

  Edinburgh Central

  59,757

  57,507

  Edinburgh East

  49,236

  48,142

  Edinburgh Leith

  60,687

  59,220

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  58,649

  58,178

  Edinburgh South

  64,225

  62,988

  Edinburgh West

  62,730

  61,817

  Falkirk East

  53,040

  52,662

  Falkirk West

  50,706

  50,564

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  53,994

  53,486

  Glasgow Cathcart

  49,832

  48,647

  Glasgow Central

  51,562

  50,625

  Glasgow Garscadden

  48,486

  46,861

  Glasgow Govan

  51,151

  49,983

  Glasgow Hillhead

  58,246

  57,254

  Glasgow Maryhill

  52,948

  51,508

  Glasgow Pollok

  52,021

  50,686

  Glasgow Provan

  44,394

  42,677

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  58,075

  56,875

  Glasgow Shettleston

  54,224

  53,589

  Glasgow Springburn

  52,164

  50,116

  Gordon

  74,199

  75,134

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  58,490

  57,031

  Hamilton

  63,155

  63,011

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  67,336

  66,650

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,441

  63,037

  Kincardine and Deeside

  64,219

  64,156

  Kirkcaldy

  53,922

  53,742

  Linlithgow

  60,014

  60,218

  Livingston

  57,231

  57,414

  Midlothian

  61,130

  60,700

  Monklands East

  50,406

  50,175

  Monklands West

  51,613

  51,200

  Moray

  62,917

  63,401

  Motherwell North

  58,539

  58,336

  Motherwell South

  52,842

  52,475

  North East Fife

  52,770

  52,023

  North Tayside

  54,464

  54,460

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,332

  31,142

  Paisley North

  50,020

  49,139

  Paisley South

  51,834

  50,389

  Perth and Kinross

  63,965

  63,869

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  56,958

  56,750

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  52,808

  52,174

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  43,646

  43,606

  450

  Number of electors

  Constituency

  1987 electoral register published in February

  11988 draft electoral register

  Stirling

  58,441

  58,600

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  63,579

  63,064

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  38,283

  38,404

  Western Isles

  23,685

  23,093

  Total

  3,994,893

  3,948,865

  1 The figures in this column exclude overseas electors of whom there are approximately 800 in the 1987 register.

  Private Medicine
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost to public funds in the current financial year of efforts to expand the private sector of medicine in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Efforts to expand the private sector of medicine are a matter for commercial operators. No public funds are targeted — or have been spent in this financial year — for the purpose set out in the question.

  AIDS
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates are availble to him of the number of likely AIDS cases in 1991 in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The report of the working party on Health Service implications of HIV infection in Scotland (the Tayler report), which was published in May 1987, projected that the cumulative total of AIDS cases in Scotland by the end of 1991 would be between 725 and 1,251. It also provided a projected best esimate of 557 living AIDS cases in 1991. The working party pointed out, and the Government agree, that the base upon which these projections were made is very limited; and the projections are being kept under review.

  Nuclear Attack (Health Care)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's policy towards the health care priorities after a nuclear attack in Scotland; and what circular or guidance has been issued on this subject.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The immediate provision of treatment for the sick and injured is the Government's primary health care priority following a nuclear attack. Guidance on the development of a recovery programme for the Health Service after such an attack is given in the Scottish Home and Health Department's circular SHHD/DGM (1987) 41.

  Population Decline
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the expected decline in the Scottish population over the next three decades.

  Mr. Lang
  None.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Scottish industry and commerce about the implications of separate English, Welsh and Scottish uniform business rates.

  Mr. Lang
  Representations have been received from a number of bodies about the effects of introducing a separate Scottish uniform business rate on the distribution of the overall rate burden on Scottish business. There are no plans to introduce a separate uniform business rate for Scotland.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of separate uniform business rates in Scotland, England and Wales on the Scottish industrial and commercial sectors; if he will express the estimated Scottish uniform business rate as a percentage of the estimated English uniform business rate in the first year of the simultaneous operation of both; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  There are no plans to introduce a separate uniform business rate for Scotland, and accordingly no such assessment has been made.

  Social Work (Scotland) Act
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department maintains a central record of all applications made under section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. The returns provided by local authorities show only total expenditure incurred and the number of persons assisted.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Millan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of the estimated outturn figure of £8,220 million for 1987–88 as given in his statement on public expenditure on 9 December,Official Report, column 439, under the same categories of expenditure as used for the other public expenditure figures given in that statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The latest estimate of net outturn for 1987–88 is as follows:

  £ million

  Agriculture

  195

  Industry

  257

  (1) Region

  (2) Number of designated sports stadia with spectator capacity of

  (3) Number of non-designated outdoor sports stadia with spectator capacity of:

  (4) Number of other outdoor sports grounds with spectator capacity of

  10,000+

  5,000–10,000

  10,000+

  5,000+

  Central

  5

  2

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  4

  1

  —

  —

  Grampian

  1

  1

  3

  —

  Highland and Islands

  —

  4

  1

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  4

  14

  —

  —

  452

  £ million

  Tourism

  13

  Transport

  616

  Housing

  699

  Other environmental services

  656

  Law, order and protective services

  621

  Education

  2,131

  Arts and libraries

  85

  Health and social work

  2,686

  Other public services

  117

  Nationalised Industries external financing

  135

  TOTAL

  8,212

  Note: Individual figures do not add up to the total, due to rounding; and the net outturn figure of £8,220 million shown in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement represented a rounding to the nearest £10 million of the estimate at that time.

  A1 (Cockburnspath)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to announce a date for the proposed realignment of the A1 at Cockburnspath.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A start date for the A1 Tower to Dunglass diversion cannot be determined until the outcome of the proposed public local inquiry is known.

  Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the representations he has received about the operation of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 and its subordinate regulations.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have now completed my consideration of the representations I have received, and my response, containing detailed proposals to amend the Act and subordinate legislation, is today being sent to the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Law Society of Scotland. Copies are also being sent to other bodies which made representations.

  A copy of my response has been placed in the Library.

  Stadiums
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many stadiums with a capacity of at least 5,000 people there are in Scotland; where they are located; and what kind of access the public have for practising sports or athletics.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 December 1987]: The number of stadiums and their location is set out in the table. Information on public access is not available centrally.
  453

  (1) Region

  (2) Number of designated sports stadia with spectator capacity of

  (3) Number of non-designated outdoor sports stadia with spectator capacity of:

  (4) Number of other outdoor sports grounds with spectator capacity of

  10,000+

  5,000–10,000

  10,000+

  5,000+

  Strathclyde

  13

  27

  6

  3

  Tayside

  4

  11

  3

  —

  TOTAL

  32

  60

  13

  3

  Notes:

  1. The sports stadia in column (2) are designated under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and include 31 Scottish Football League grounds, plus Murrayfield rugby stadium.

  2. Sports grounds in column (4) are grounds where the spectator capacity exceeds 5,000 and where the spectator accommodation does not surround the activity area.

  Schools Inspectorate
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes to ensure that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools in Scotland has recent, relevant and successful experience of teaching in(a) primary schools and (b) other sectors which it inspects.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: Good, successful and varied teaching experience is an essential qualification for entry to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools. The work and training programmes of inspectors give each of them continuing experience of the educational process in the classroom and elsewhere, in each of the sectors of education with which they deal. This ensures that they have a thorough knowledge of current learning and teaching practice.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the current programme of staff development for members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: After extensive induction training, the inspectors undertake a phased programme to extend their experience supplemented by courses on current educational issues. In addition, 36 inspectors are currently participating in the Scottish Office senior management development programme.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of inspectors in post in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools in Scotland; how many inspectors have teaching qualifications and experience at(a) pre-school, (b) early stages of primary school and (c) colleges of education; and how many members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools have experience of management in higher education.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The information is as follows:

  1. there are 109 inspectors currently in post;

  2. four inspectors have qualifications in pre-school and the early stages of primary school; these inspectors and a number of others have teaching experience in pre-school and the early stages of primary school;

  3. there are no qualifications specifically geared to teaching in colleges of education; 30 inspectors have experience of working at Scottish colleges of education;

  4. 19 inspectors have experience of management in higher education.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make arrangements for more detailed maps than those indicated in the NIREX consultative document, "The Way Forward", to be placed in the Library for those areas indicated as exhibiting geological potential for the possible disposal of nuclear waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: This is a matter for NIREX. However, as I indicated to the hon. Gentleman during Scottish Question Time on Wednesday 9 December my officials have drawn your comments to NIREX's attention.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much low and intermediate radioactive waste is produced in National Health Service hospitals in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: Virtually all the waste from the use of radioactive substances in medical practice consists of low or very low-level material, which is disposed of either locally, as it arises, or via the national disposal service. Details of such disposals are kept by health boards but are not held centrally. Any waste not suitable for disposal, including the very small quantities of intermediate level waste in the form of redundant radioactive sources, is stored; the amount is included in the national waste inventory published in the annual reports of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, which are available in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Departmental Running Costs
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what change is proposed for the 1987–88 running cost limit for his Department.

  Mr. Younger
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the 1987–88 running costs limit for the Ministry of Defence will be increased by £75,000,000 (or about 1 per cent. above the current provision) from £5,113,259,000 to £5,188,259,000. This increase arises from a number of factors including increased civilian redundancies arising from contractorisation, adverse fluctuations in exchange rates, increased forces' travel; and increased expenditure on maintenance of the defence estate. The revised limit also takes account
  455
  of the transfer to £58,000 to the Treasury Solicitor's Department for work arising from the repeal of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. The increases in running costs will be met by the defence budget and there will be no increase in public expenditure.

  Armed Forces (Fines)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose the money paid in fines by members of the armed forces is used.

  Mr. Freeman
  The money is appropriated in aid of defence Votes.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to the answer of 9 July, he will give for the 81 fines imposed by courts martial for 1985 and for the 46 fines imposed in 1986, the amount of the smallest, the largest and the median fine imposed for each category of offence.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and effort.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will carry out a sample survey in order to estimate for(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Royal Marines the annual number of fines summarily imposed by commanding officers; and if he will categorise the fines according to the nature of the offence and whether the fine falls into one of the following categories: (i) up to £100, (ii) £101 to £250, (iii) £250 to £500 and (iv) over £500.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of summary awards in 1986 for which a fine was the most serious punishment, together with the category of offence involved, are already known. Details are as follows:

  Numbers

  Army

  Total

  1,889

  Offences against person (excluding sexual)

  76

  Sexual offences

  0

  Drug offences

  1

  Offences against property

  102

  Desertion and AWOL

  175

  Drunkenness

  196

  Other offences against discipline

  1,264

  Other offences

  75

  Royal Air Force

  Total

  2,706

  Disloyalty/Security offences

  23

  Violence

  165

  Sexual offences

  4

  Drug offences

  3

  Criminal damage/negligent damage

  139

  Theft

  74

  Fraud

  144

  Desertion/AWOL

  84

  Drunkenness

  222

  Disciplinary

  1,317

  Driving and motor vehicle offences

  509

  Other offences

  22

  Royal Marines

  Total

  622

  Disloyalty/security offences

  3

  Violence

  28

  Sexual offences

  —

  Drug offences

  —

  Criminal damage/negligent damage

  52

  456

  Numbers

  Theft

  5

  Fraud

  5

  Desertion/AWOL

  42

  Drunkenness

  21

  Disciplinary

  414

  Driving and motor vehicle offences

  22

  Other offences

  30

  Categorisation by size of fine could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

  Bullying
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 9 December, if he will categorise the action that was taken regarding the 89 cases of alleged bullying that were referred to his Department during 1986.

  Mr. Freeman
  The 89 cases were referred to the Ministry of Defence during 1986 and 1987. All of these allegations were investigated. A total of 32 cases were substantiated, 40 were not substantiated and 17 are still under investigation. Of the 32 allegations substantiated, courts martial relating to nine of the cases are still pending or incomplete, one case resulted in an acquittal, and 11 resulted in convictions. Eleven cases were dealt with summarily.

  Contracts
  Mr. Mates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contractual restriction prevents or inhibits defence contractors complaining publicly or to any third party about the treatment they have received from his Department; and whether any change in contractual terms to this effect is planned.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Defence contractors are able to discuss with officials of my Department to the appropriate level any complaints that they may have about the treatment they have received. Any dispute or difference between the parties is normally resolved by negotiation. However, if this is not possible our contracts include a provision which enables either party to refer the case to arbitration. Few such references are made. There are standard conditions of contract which preclude disclosure by the contractor of the contract or its provisions to third parties without my Department's consent. No changes are planned.

  Exercise Mallet Blow
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence until what time night air activity was authorised during Exercise Mallet Blow 87–3.

  Mr. Freeman
  Low-flying activity within the Mallet Blow 87–3 exercise area was planned to end by 21.10 hours, although, in the event, all exercise activity was completed by 17.30 hours.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the latest time of day up to which exercise activity was permitted during Mallet Blow exercise since 1978.

  Mr. Freeman
  For all Mallet Blow exercises up to and including Mallet Blow 87–2, low-flying activity within the exercise area was planned to end by 17.30 hours.
  457
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist to increase or decrease the night flying element of future Mallet Blow exercises.

  Mr. Freeman
  There has never been any night flying, that is flying between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am, in Mallet Blow exercises, nor are there plans for any in future Mallet Blow exercises.

  Jaguar Crash (Roxburghshire)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is yet in a position to publish the findings of the board of inquiry into the reasons for the Jaguar crash in Roxburghshire last November.

  Mr. Freeman
  I expect to do so shortly.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sports Governing Bodies (Grants)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant changes, in percentage terms and real terms, have been made to sports governing bodies in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Sports Council grant-aided sports governing bodies and related organisations to the tune of £8·293 million in 1986–87 and £9·045 million in 1987–88. This represents a percentage increase of 9·1 per cent. and a real increase of 4·6 per cent. between the two years. Details of the grants given to each sport are provided in the Sports Council's annual report. The report for 1986–87 will be placed in the Library shortly. More detailed and up-to-date information is available from the Sports Council.

  I recently announced an increase of nearly £2 million in the Sports Council's grant-in-aid for 1988–89, to a total of £38·8 million. It is for the Sports Council to decide how much of these increased resources will go to governing bodies next year.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 8 December, if he will detail the number of council house and flat sales by each London borough in each 12-month period from 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  The number of sales reported by each authority in the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87 appear in the table placed in the Library on 11 December in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stamford and Spalding (Mr. Davies). The corresponding table covering the earlier years was placed in the Library on 26 May, since then the 1984–85 figures for Brent and Tower Hamlets have been raised to, respectively, 246 and, right to buy sales only, 144.

  I regret that in my answer of 8 December at column 275, the total sales for Southwark was incorrect and should have been 1,545.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations have taken place 458
  regarding the payment of local government taxation by central Government Departments after a national non-domestic rate has been introduced; and when he expects to announce a decision.

  Mr. Howard
  We anticipate that contributions in aid of rates in respect of Crown property should continue to be paid broadly as at present, at the national non-domestic rate poundage. Consultations with local authority associations have proceeded on that assumption.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the numbers of 18 to 25-year-olds gaining and losing given amounts, in pound sterling per week, with the full replacement of rates by community charge, on a similar basis to table J.8 in Cmnd. 9714, but based on individuals rather than tax units.

  Mr. Howard
  It is not possible to make these comparisons on an individual rather than on a householder tax unit basis. The family expenditure survey, on which our estimates are based, collects information for tax units and households only and the rate rebate system similarly calculates entitlements on a tax unit basis.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to his answer of 16 November,Official Report, column 420, the income after tax of £75 per week referred to in his answer includes state benefit.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes. For a full explanation I refer the hon. Member to page 103 of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714).

  Mr. Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the community charge for 1988–89 for the borough of Thamesdown equivalent to the rate-cap limit of £51·10p, announced on 9 December.

  Mr. Howard
  It is necessary to have information about the spending of all local authorities in an area before community charge figures can be produced. We shall be able to calculate illustrative figures for 1988–89 next spring when information on budgeted expenditure for all authorities is available.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps, in the light of the information given in the answer of 12 November to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on the difference between the contribution to local taxation of the highest and lowest paid,Official Report, column 190, to correct the figure given in his publication "Paying For Local Government."

  Mr. Howard
  No. Both figures are correct. Under the new system, the 10 per cent. of households with the highest net incomes would pay six times as much in community charges, after rebate, as the 10 per cent. of households with the lowest net incomes; in all, they would pay 16 times as much towards the cost of local services, including contributions via the grant system from national taxation.

  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the changes made by the Government in their proposals for a community charge to replace domestic rates between 11 June and the First Reading of the Local Government Finance Bill.
  459
  Mr. Howard
  Since 11 June we have announced new transitional arrangements and a special measure to protect the confidentiality of battered wives' and political refugees addresses. There have been no major changes to the community charge policy.

  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that those who will be entitled to 80 per cent. rebates of the proposed community charge will receive comparable rebates for their water rates.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. Assistance towards water charges will be subsumed in the basic personal rates of the new income support structure to be introduced next year.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will estimate(a) the average community charge payment for Britain as a whole and (b) the average water charge payment or water rate payment.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: In 1987–88 I have estimated that the average community charge in England would have been £224. The average household bill for water and sewerage is estimated to be £97. The figures for Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends. It is not sensible to average the figure for England and Wales and for Scotland because of differences in the charging structure for water supply and sewerage services.

  Protected Species
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those species recommended by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1986 for inclusion in schedules 5 and 8 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which he has decided not to include; if he will give his reasons for rejecting its advice; and in the case of those species, if he will list those organisations which made representations for them to be listed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The species recommended by the Nature Conservancy Council and which have not been included in schedule 5 are the adder (vipera beris), allis shad (alosa alosa), basking shark (cetorhirius maximus) freshwater pearl mussel (margaritefera margaritefera) and 22 species of British butterflies (rhopalocera).

  As I informed the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on Tuesday 8 December the Secretary of State is currently giving further careful consideration to the case for these species.

  Those making representations against the NCC recommendations included some local and statutory authorities and fishing interests in Scotland.

  My right hon. Friend has accepted all the recommendations made in respect of plants to be listed in schedule 8.

  Water
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the capital investment programme of each water authority in England and Wales to meet the requirements of the European Economic Community directive on the quality of bathing water.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have recently received information from the water authorities about their capital investment 460
  programmes for schemes related to the improvement of coastal bathing water quality. The returns are being analysed and will provide the basis of discussions with the authorities concerned.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to list the capital investment programme of each water authority in England and Wales to meet the requirements of the European Economic Community directive on the quality of drinking water, as recently interpreted.

  Mr. Moynihan
  It is difficult to distinguish expenditure required to comply with the directive from the substantial on-going programme of asset renewal. However, we will be reviewing the investment programmes of water authorities in the light of my right hon. Friend's statement of 2 December.

  Water Research Centre
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make it his policy that the Water Research Centre continues to support the water industry as a whole;

  (2) what is his intention on the extent to which the Water Research Centre should receive support from public funds after the water utilities are privatised.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The manner in which water undertakings support the Water Research Centre is in the first instance a matter for them, and for the centre itself. However, in the consultation paper "The National Rivers Authority" published in July 1987, the Government stated that when the water industry was restructured the Government would expect the Water Research Centre to continue to be an attractive research contractor for the Government themselves, for the utility companies and for the National Rivers Authority.

  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how it is intended that the research activities of the Water Research Centre will be funded after the utilities are privatised; to whom the results will be made available; and on what terms.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his question on 10 December 1987, at column 275. The Water Research Centre currently derives its income from subscriptions and contracts, with contract income an increasing proportion in recent years. The future balance is among the issues being considered by the managers and members of the Water Research Centre and by the council. The policy of making the results of publicly funded research generally available will not change.

  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are currently the directors of the Water Research Centre; what income it receives from public funds; and if he will place in the Library a copy of its memorandum and articles.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The directors of the Water Research Centre are the members of its council. They do not receive remuneration for their work on the council other than expenses allowable under clause 4 of the memorandum of association. I am arranging for copies of the memorandum and articles of association to be placed in the Library, together with copies of the Water Research Centre annual review, which contains a list of council members.

EMPLOYMENT

  Community Programme and Job Training Scheme
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the structure of the merged job training scheme and community programme.

  Mr. Fowler
  I have received a number of representations about the new adult training programme which I announced on 18 November and I am currently awaiting the comments of the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from employers on the community programme and the job training scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  We have received a number of representations from managing agents and other employers about the operation of the community programme and the new job training scheme.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive comments on the job training scheme/community programme from the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Cope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Manpower Services Commission for its detailed proposals by 15 January.

  YTS
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many people in the borough of Southwark have obtained jobs during or immediately following their period on a YTS scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  54 per cent. of young people who left YTS schemes in the borough of Southwark between April 1986 and June 1987 were in jobs when surveyed several months later.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what basis the transitional allowance has been calculated for the YTS.

  Mr. Cope
  The proposed YTS bridging allowance is designed to provide short-term payments for young people who have to wait for a few weeks for a YTS place after leaving a job or a previous YTS place. The allowance will be paid for a maximum of eight weeks, during which time the offer of a YTS place will be made. The allowance will be set initially at £15 per week — more than twice the level of child benefit.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people currently on the YTS have employed status.

  Mr. Cope
  Manpower Services Commission records show that at the end of September 1987 there were 46,900 young people on YTS with contracts of employment. This represents 11 per cent. of the total number of young people on YTS. The Government hope that still more employers will place their young employees on YTS for the quality training which the scheme provides.
  462
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proportion of YTS trainees obtaining jobs at the end of their training period.

  Mr. Cope
  The Manpower Services Commission conducts regular follow-up surveys of all young people leaving YTS. The latest results cover those leaving during the period April 1986 to June 1987 and show that for Great Britain 72 per cent. of those who completed their entitlement to training were in a job at the time of the surveys.

  This is welcome news as is the fact that many employers are placing their young employees on YTS for the high quality training which the scheme provides.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of YTS places unfilled at present.

  Mr. Cope
  It is estimated that 172,000 YTS places were unfilled on 31 October 1987.

  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the two-year YTS.

  Mr. Cope
  At the end of October 1987 there were some 431,000 young people receiving high quality training on YTS schemes, the highest figure ever for the programme. The latest information on those young people leaving YTS between April 1986 and June 1987 shows that 74 per cent. were going into work or further education and training.

  This is welcome news as is the fact that many employers are placing their young employees on YTS for the training which the scheme provides.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places on YTS schemes on Merseyside he plans for 1988–89.

  Mr. Cope
  21,645 YTS places are planned on Merseyside for 1988–89.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage of young people who have failed to complete the youth training scheme since the introduction of two-year YTS.

  Mr. Cope
  Some 765,400 young people started YTS schemes between April 1986 and October 1987. Of this number, 326,200 young people had left their scheme more than four weeks before their expected completion date. This represents 43 per cent. of those who have started the two-year YTS. Of those who left YTS early, 66 per cent. left to go into a job or on to another YTS scheme.

  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest statistics for YTS participants gaining employment at the end of their courses.

  Mr. Cope
  The Manpower Services Commission conducts regular follow-up surveys of all young people leaving YTS. The latest results cover those leaving during the period April 1986 to June 1987 and show that for Great Britain 72 per cent. of those who completed their entitlement to training were in a job at the time of the surveys.

  Labour Statistics
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Greater Manchester area.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the Greater Manchester metropolitan county, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed, was 13·2 per cent.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of youth unemployment in Tyne and Wear.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants aged 18 in the county of Tyne and Wear was 4,670. Figures of the number of employees under 18 years needed to calculate an unemployment rate are not available.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the fall in unemployment in Yorkshire and Humberside over the past 12 months; and what has been the comparable position in the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Lee
  The number of unemployed claimants in Yorkshire and Humberside has fallen by 44,500 since October 1986. The comparable fall in the United Kingdom as a whole was 485,800.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the fall in the numbers of unemployed in the west midlands in 1987 to date.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the west midlands region, adjusted for seasonality and excluding school leavers, was 278,300, a fall of 47,000 since January 1987.

  Mr. Knowles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the fall in numbers of unemployed in the east midlands from June 1983 to date.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the east midlands region adjusted for seasonality and excluding school leavers was 169,000, a fall of 7,100 since June 1983.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the fall in the numbers of unemployed in the north-west region from June 1983 to date.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the north-west region, adjusted for seasonality and excluding school leavers, was 372,100, a fall of 37,600 since June 1983.

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the fall in unemployment in the 18 to 25-year-old age group since January 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the 18 to 25 age group in the United Kingdom was 783,849. A fall of 186,702 since January 1987. This change will be affected by seasonal factors.
  464
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to deal with the high unemployment rate amongst young black males.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government's sound financial and economic policies are bringing new job opportunities to all sections of our community. Since March 1983 the number of jobs has grown by over 1,300,000 and unemployment over the last 16 months has fallen by almost half a million. In addition, we are offering individual unemployed people, irrespective of their racial origin, positive help towards employment and training measures, on which we are spending some £3 billion this year.

  However, we recognise that unemployment rates for ethnic minority groups are generally higher than for white groups with similar charactistics. It is against that background that the DE group implements a policy of ensuring access to programmes and services are open and available to all regardless of racial orgin. Additional help to ethnic minority job seekers includes outreach and caseload approaches by specially appointed jobcentre staff in inner-city offices.

  My Department's race relations employment advisory service continues to give help and guidance to employers and others on issues concerned with equality of treatment both in regards to access to work and progression within employment.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current state of employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  In June 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 24,904,000 people in the employed labour force in the United Kingdom. This represents an increase of 1,352,000 since March 1983. The figures are adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies were registered with job centres in November 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is not yet available. The number of vacancies notified to jobcentres between 7 November 1987 and 4 December 1987 will be available on 14 January 1988.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest trends in the number of vacancies reported to jobcentres.

  Mr. Lee
  The number of new vacancies notified to jobcentres in the United Kingdom increased by 7 per cent. over the past 12 months to reach 235,900 in the month ending October, the highest figure since the current series began in 1980.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which regions are showing the greatest fall in youth unemployment.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the number of unemployed claimants under 18 years of age at 9 October 1986 and at 8 October 1987 respectively, together with the change over the year, expressed numerically and as a percentage.
  465

  Region

  Unemployed claimants under 18 years

  October 1986

  October 1987

  Change

  Percentage change

  South East

  34,329

  21,451

  -12,878

  -37·5

  South West

  9,954

  6,598

  -3,356

  -33·7

  East Anglia

  4,498

  2,991

  -1,507

  -33·5

  East Midlands

  11,511

  8,044

  -3,467

  -30·1

  West Midlands

  20,406

  14,543

  -5,863

  -28·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  22,573

  16,402

  -6,171

  -27·3

  North West

  25,900

  19,260

  -6,640

  -25·6

  Wales

  10,667

  7,970

  -2,697

  -25·3

  Northern

  13,374

  10,408

  -2,966

  -22·2

  Scotland

  27,368

  22,157

  -5,211

  -19·0

  Northern Ireland

  5,940

  4,995

  - 945

  -15·9

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what additional action he is taking to improve unemployment in the area of the Dearne valley.

  Mr. Lee
  All my Department's employment, training and enterprise measures are already available in the Dearne valley. Although unemployment in the area remains too high, we have been encouraged by its continuing fall in recent months. In the Rotherham and Mexborough travel-to-work area, unemployment has fallen by over 2,750 in the last year.

  Restart Programme
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the progress of the restart interview programme.

  Mr. Lee
  Since April this year some 1·3 million people have been interviewed under the restart programme. A total of 2·6 million people have been interviewed since the start of the programme in July 1986.

  Since the programme began, a positive offer that might lead to employment has been made to nine out of ten of those interviewed. As from April next year, we shall be issuing a questionnaire to all those invited for their restart interview both to enhance the effectiveness of the restart process and to help establish that those interviewed remain available for work.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of offers of training are taken up by those interviewed on the restart programme.

  Mr. Lee
  Since the national introduction of the restart programme, 331,000 people have received offers of training during restart interviews.

  We do not know how many of those interviewed are ultimately placed on a training programme.

  Inner-City Initiative
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contribution his Department has made to the Government's inner-city initiative; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contribution his Department is making to inner-cities initiatives.

  Mr. Cope
  This Department and the Manpower Services Commission make a substantial contribution to Government inner-city policies through our wide range of employment, training and enterprise programmes. It is 466
  estimated that expenditure by this Department and the commission in urban programme authorities exceeds £1·1 billion.

  Tourism
  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas visitors came to the United Kingdom in the first six months of 1987; and how this figure compares with the figure for the first six months of 1986.

  Mr. Lee
  6,790,000 overseas visitors came to the United Kingdom in the first six months of 1987, an increase of nearly 16 per cent. of the 5,872,000 who visited in the same period in 1986.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the amount of money spent by overseas visitors on British carriers.

  Mr. Lee
  Spending by overseas visitors on fares with United Kingdom carriers was approximately £1,300 million in 1986.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to encourage the improvement of the presentation of tourism sites.

  Mr. Lee
  As the Minister responsible for tourism I have taken every opportunity to encourage the highest possible standards for all tourism facilities. Proper attention to presentation and quality are essential to the success of every tourism business. The English Tourist Board is similarly encouraging the industry to improve its product through its marketing and advisory services and its section 4 scheme of financial assistance.

  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there are any plans to create a national tourism day or week; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I am considering a number of ideas for raising the profile of the tourism industry. I have no specific plans in this area at present.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding the number of overseas visitors to York in 1986 and their expenditure.

  Mr. Lee
  Such information is not available. However, I understand that a study of tourism in Yorkshire is currently being undertaken by York university which is expected to provide specific information on individual tourism spending by town.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding cooperation agreements for tourism between Britain and other countries.

  Mr. Lee
  The United Kingdom Government have no formal agreements for tourism co-operation with other countries. The British Tourist Authority does from time to time enter into practical agreements with national tourist organisations of other countries, to promote and develop bilateral tourism.

  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest information he has on the percentage of total employment accounted for by the tourism industry.
  467
  Mr. Lee
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 20 November 1987 at column 508.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to encourage the tourism industry to he aware of the need to have a wide spread of markets.

  Mr. Lee
  Both my Department and the English Tourist Board are actively working to encourage the industry to invest in a range of new and improved facilities and attractions to appeal to all sectors of the domestic and overseas tourism market. The English Tourist Board's development and marketing strategy "A Vision for England" identifies the key developments necessary to encourage and promote the market appeal of England as a tourist destination.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to ensure that the Channel tunnel stimulates tourist traffic throughout the whole of Britain.

  Mr. Lee
  My Department is represented on the British Tourist Authority's Channel tunnel national tourism working party which is studying the tunnel's implications for tourism and identifying how best to exploit its tourism potential to the benefit of the whole country.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people at present employed in the tourist industry; and what was the corresponding figure for 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  The latest estimate of employees in employment in the industries most directly related to tourism relates to June 1987 when there were approximately 1·4 million employees. The corresponding figure for June 1979 was 1·2 million. These figures exclude the self-employed in tourism-related industries, for whom comparable estimates are not available.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to encourage tourists to visit industrial sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The success of those companies which have marketed themselves as tourism attractions in addition to their main manufacturing activities demonstrates that industry possesses considerable potential for tourism development. I have referred to the opportunities for further exploiting this potential in a number of recent speeches. In addition, I shall be meeting the president of the CBI, Sir David Nickson, in the new year to discuss this issue.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the provision of all-weather leisure facilities for tourists in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  The national tourist boards are encouraging the development of all-weather leisure facilities in order to help extend the tourist season, increase employment opportunities and to help spread the benefits of tourism throughout the country.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are(a) his Department and (b) the Manpower Services Commission doing to encourage the training of employees in the tourist industry; and if he will make a statement.
  468
  Mr. Lee
  As sponsors of the tourism industry, my Department takes every opportunity to promote training in this important sector. In particular, through the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) we are supporting training through a wide range of youth and adult programmes. I also recently launched a conference of representatives from the tourism industry which considered the training needs of employees in the tourism industry. Following this conference, the MSC has undertaken to work with the industry in looking at how training and qualification for this sector can be further developed.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on Britain's position in the world in terms of international tourism earnings.

  Mr. Lee
  In 1986 the United Kingdom's earnings from international tourism were about 6 per cent. of the total world tourism earnings and 11 per cent. of Europe's tourism earnings. Compared with other individual countries, the United Kingdom's earnings from tourism were the fourth highest in Europe and the fifth highest of OECD countries.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding new overseas marketing initiatives proposed by the British tourist authority.

  Mr. Lee
  The British Tourist Authority has recently drawn up its marketing plan for 1988 which contains a number of marketing initiatives. These are designed to meet the Government's objectives of spreading the benefits of tourism throughout Great Britain, particularly to those areas of unexploited tourism potential, encouraging the development of tourism during the off-peak months.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to encourage major institutions such as pension funds, insurance companies and building societies to invest in tourism projects.

  Mr. Lee
  I have had informal meetings with representatives of financial institutions in order to draw their attention to the good investment opportunities offered by the tourism and leisure industry. I have also highlighted these opportunities in the many contacts which I have had with different sectors of the industry. The English Tourist Board has also had discussions with a wide range of financial institutions in order to encourage financial backing for tourism and leisure projects. More recently, the board gave a presentation of its new development strategy "A Vision for England" in London which was aimed specifically at the City financial institutions.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will be encouraging the opening of more tourist information centres on motorway service areas similar to the one recently opened at the Forton motorway service area on the M6 in Cumbria.

  Mr. Lee
  As Minister responsible for tourism I was pleased to open the Forton tourist information centre in July. I understand also that in addition to the six currently operating, the English Tourist Board has plans to encourage the opening of other tourist information centres in motorway service areas on the M11, the M2.5 and the A1(M).
  469
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in tourism industry jobs between 1979 and 1987; and what percentage of these jobs are part-time.

  Mr. Lee
  The number of employees in employment in the industries most directly related to tourism increased by 200,000, or 17 per cent., between June 1979 and June 1987 to a level of 1·4 million. Of these 1·4 million jobs, approximately 54 per cent. are part-time. All of these figures exclude the self-employed in tourism-related industries for whom comparable estimates are not available.

  Community Programme
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the numbers of people, as a proportion of the work force, in north-west Durham who are employed on the community programme.

  Mr. Lee
  It is not possible to give the information in the precise form requested. The "denominator" figure for the county of Durham in mid-1986, the latest date for which figures are available, is 229,708. On 30 October 1987 there were 6,036 filled places on the community programme in the county of Durham of which 1,288 were in north-west Durham.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his plans for the future of the community programme.

  Mr. Fowler
  I announced on 18 November that I propose to bring together existing programmes for unemployed adults, including the community programme, into a new adult training programme. I have asked the Manpower Services Commission for its comments on the detailed arrangements for the new programme and proposals for introducing it from September next year.

  Community Newspaper
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the Manpower Services Commission's policy on the funding of community newspapers.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no separate instructions for the funding of community newspapers under the community programme. All proposals for funding of projects to be run under the community programme must satisfy the normal rules of the programme and have the approval of either the local area manpower board or local officials of the Manpower Services Commission with delegated responsibility.

  Black Economy
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning employment in the black economy.

  Mr. Cope
  My Department has received a number of representations, both from organisations and individuals, suggesting ways in which these working in the black economy might be detected and also ways in which these working in the black economy might be encouraged to join the open economy.

  Maternity Leave (Job Security)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to seek to discover how many women since 1981 have been refused the right to return to their job after maternity leave under section 12 of the Employment Act 1980.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Employment Protection Act
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have benefited from the insolvency provisions of the Employment Protection Act in Birmingham during the latest period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information is not available for Birmingham. However, the midlands regional finance office of the Department has made payments to 9,623 people in the first eight months of the current financial year.

  Jobcentres (Vacancies)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of job vacancies registered at jobcentres in Yorkshire.

  Mr. Lee
  On 2 October 1987, the number of unfilled vacancies registered at jobcentres in the counties of North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire was 15,547.

  Hotel Developments (British Business)
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of goods, services and labour in new hotel developments are provided by British business.

  Mr. Lee
  No precise figures are available but estimates suggest that some 80 per cent. of the value of construction of new hotels in Britain is undertaken by British businesses.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new jobs have been created since June 1983.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no figures for job gains and job losses. Between June 1983 and June 1987 (the latest date for which figures are available) the employed labour force in Great Britain increased by 1,321,000. The figure has been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's forces.

  Long-term Unemployment
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what regional variations there are in the rate of reduction of long-term unemployment.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the number of unemployed claimants who have been unemployed for over one year at 9 October 1986 and at 8 October 1987, together with the change over the year, expressed numerically and as a percentage.
  471

  Claimants unemployed for over one year

  Region

  October 1986

  October 1987

  Change

  Percentage Change

  South East

  283,303

  242,732

  -40,571

  -14·3

  East Anglia

  28,223

  23,584

  -4,639

  -16·4

  South West

  68,843

  57,563

  -11,280

  -16·4

  West Midlands

  161,417

  136,272

  -25,145

  -15·6

  East Midlands

  80,917

  69,755

  -11,162

  -13·8

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  130,122

  118,711

  -11,411

  -8·8

  North West

  199,305

  172,359

  -26,946

  -13-5

  Northern

  105,188

  90,520

  -14,668

  -13·9

  Wales

  73,043

  59,671

  -13,372

  -18·3

  Scotland

  146,394

  136,185

  -10,209

  -7·0

  Northern Ireland

  64,251

  64,884

  633

  1·0

  United Kingdom

  1,341,006

  1,172,236

  -168,770

  -12·6

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the reduction in the number of long-term unemployed since January 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  On 8 October 1987 the number of long-term unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 1,172,236, a fall of 162,194 since January 1987. The change will be affected by seasonal factors.

  Employees in Employment in the Manufacturing industries

  (a) Great Britain

  (b) Scotland

  Number of employees

  Net change in number of employees since June of previous year

  Number of employees

  Net change in number of employees since June of previous year

  June of each year

  1974

  7,722

  —

  683

  —

  1975

  7,351

  -371

  645

  -38

  1976

  7,118

  -233

  615

  -30

  1977

  7,172

  +54

  622

  +7

  1978

  7,138

  -34

  611

  -11

  1979

  7,107

  -31

  604

  -7

  1980

  6,801

  -306

  564

  -40

  1981

  6,099

  -702

  510

  -54

  1982

  5,751

  -348

  477

  -33

  1983

  5,418

  -333

  444

  -33

  1984

  5,302

  -116

  434

  -10

  1985

  5,258

  -44

  430

  -4

  1986

  5,137

  -121

  410

  -20

  1987

  5,071

  -66

  398

  -12

  Some of the decrease in the figures 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 subcontractors. This developing feature of our economy has the effect of exaggerating the extent of the move from manufacturing to service sector employment.

  London (Domestic Visitors)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding the number of domestic visitors to London in 1986.

  Mr. Lee
  I understand that English Tourist Board figures show that London attracted some 13 million domestic visitors in 1986.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new jobs have been created in manufacturing industry, for each year since 1974; and how many of them have been in Scotland.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no figures for job gains and job losses. The net changes in the numbers of employees in employment in the manufacturing industries for each of the years and areas specified are as follows:

  Temporary Work Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether participation in the new temporary work scheme for the long-term unemployed will be voluntary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  There are no proposals for a new temporary work scheme.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small businesses are currently trading in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The best estimate available of the number of small businesses currently trading in the United Kingdom
  473
  is from VAT information. At the end of 1986 there were an estimated 1,468,000 businesses registered for VAT, 96 per cent. of which are thought to be small under the definitions laid down by the Bolton committee. At the same time there were an estimated 2,677,700 self-employed people in the United Kingdom, many of whom were not registered for VAT.

  More significant is the fact that during the seven years 1980 to 1986 the number of businesses registered for VAT in the United Kingdom increased by 13·9 per cent., which represents an average net increase of around 500 firms per week. Regional estimates for 1980 to 1985 show that the number of firms registered for VAT increased in every region and country of the United Kingdom.

  Such figures reflect the efforts this Government have made to promote a more vigorous enterprise culture and the various measures they have taken to stimulate the development of new businesses and self-employment.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the policy of his Department on the purchase of goods and services from small businesses.

  Mr. Cope
  The purchasing policy of this Department places special emphasis on the role of small firms in achieving value for money. This policy is set out in guidance and training to all the Department's staff who now have greater discretion to use commercial suppliers since we have signed new customer agreements with the central procurement agencies.

  More generally, as Minister responsible for small firms, I am concerned to promote their role in Government purchasing as a whole. Small firms can face particular difficulties when trying to break into these markets but to overcome this the Department is encouraging simplified procedures for Government purchasing and improved information such as the small firms service's booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts."

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the small firms service.

  Mr. Cope
  The small firms service through its information and counselling arms works to promote viable and profitable small businesses. In 1986–87, in England, it handled 283,537 inquiries and gave 38,210 counselling sessions. With the development of local enterprise agencies, it is increasingly developing its counselling activities with established businesses.

  Copies of the annual report on the service for 1986–87 were placed in the Library in July.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss youth training.

  Mr. Cope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Ministers in the Department often meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss a wide range of training issues, including youth training. A date for the next meeting has not yet been arranged.

  Holiday Villages
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many holiday villages have been established in the United Kingdom since May 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  Detailed figures are not available. However, there has been investment both in a number of new self-catering developments and in improvements to existing holiday villages since 1979. The opening of Center Parc's all-year round holiday village in Sherwood forest earlier this year has introduced an innovative concept to the United Kingdom which I hope will stimulate further new developments and improvements.

  Job Training Scheme
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the voluntary sector on the proposal to merge the job training scheme and the community programme.

  Mr. Lee
  None.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from trade unions on the job training scheme/community programme.

  Mr. Lee
  We have not received any representations from trade unions about the proposal to replace the new job training scheme and the community programme with a new adult training programme.

  New Employment Service
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the new employment service.

  Mr. Lee
  The new employment service is making good progress in its objective of helping unemployed people get back into work. The merger into one organisation of jobcentre and benefit office work has been achieved over a remarkably short period, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, while maintaining services to the public.

  Hotels
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many establishments in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland are in the hotel classification scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  I understand that the number of establishments classified under the national tourist boards' voluntary crown classification schemes are: in England 8,700, in Scotland 2,388 and in Wales 2,502. In Northern Ireland, where registration with the tourist board is compulsory, the figure is 1,066.

  Apprentices
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the level of industrial apprentices taken on in 1979 as compared with 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information from the youth cohort study indicates that nearly 80,000 young people in England and Wales who reached minimum school-leaving age in the
  475
  academic year 1984–85 were undertaking an apprenticeship in spring 1986. This is an underestimate as some of the young people in the survey were unsure of their apprenticeship status and none of these have been included. In addition, some other young people will have been taken on as apprentices when older. Corresponding information for spring 1987 is not yet available. Information from the new entrants to employment survey indicates that just over 90,000 young people in England and Wales who reached minimum school-leaving age in the academic year 1978–79 had by the end of 1979 entered an apprenticeship in their first employment.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  [pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 17 November 1987, c. 506]: There are now over 300,000 unemployed people who have started their own businesses with the help of the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any proposals to change the enterprise allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  We are currently considering a number of proposals, the aim of which is to increase the effectiveness of the scheme by increasing the survival, growth and job generation prospects of business supported. Consideration of these proposals is at an early stage and announcements of any changes will be made in due course.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received regarding the Health and Safety Executive manpower cuts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have received a number of representations on the subject of resources for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive. For 1988–89 it is planned that their total expenditure will increase by £6·7 million compared to the previous White Paper provision for that year. This will allow the number of inspectors to be increased by 60 above present levels.

  Steel
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the total number of redundancies in the steel industry in(a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole since 1979.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the employment service confirmed as due to occur in the metal manufacture (Class 22 of standard industrial classification 1980. Includes nonferrous metal manufacturing industry) between January 1979 and October 1987 (Includes provisional figures for September and October 1987) are(a) 37,361 in Wales, and (b) 197,343 in Great Britain. Figures for Northern Irelnd are available only from 1984).

  Manpower Services Commission
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Cope
  The Government's plans for the future of the Manpower Services Commission were set out in our manifesto. In line with our manifesto commitments, the Employment Bill will enable us to increase employer representation on the commission. The Bill also renames the commission "The Training Commission" to reflect its new emphasis on training.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Sackville
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job clubs are now in operation.

  Mr. Lee
  By 10 December 1987 there were 1,133 job clubs in operation.

  Seaside Resorts
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the standard of accommodation in United Kingdom seaside resorts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I have received no specific representations. However, if seaside resorts are to retain their market share it is essential for them to provide a standard of accommodation and range and quality of facilities which is as good as, if not better than, our competitors.

  Theme Parks
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many theme parks have been established in the United Kingdom since May 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  This information is not available. However, there has been significant investment in a number of new attractions and improved facilities at existing theme and amusement parks since 1979.

  Ionising Radiation Exposure
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, in the light of the recent recommendation of the National Radiological Protection Board, he will consider revising the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985 to make the maximum permissible whole body exposure of workers to ionising radiation 15 mSv instead of 50 mSv; and if he will revise the regulations to make the investigation level above which an investigation is triggered 5 mSv instead of 15 mSv.

  Mr. Nicholls
  As announced on 18 November, the Health and Safety Commission has set up a working group on ionising radiation which met for the first time on 9 December. The working group will consider the recent guidance from the National Radiological Protection Board as part of its remit and will advise the commission on an appropriate course of action. I am content to await any subsequent recommendations.

  Hazardous Materials
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to be enforced by the fire service and road authorities, to require
  477
  companies involved in the production, storage or use of chemicals to keep an updated and easily accessible record of all potentially hazardous materials above an agreed limit, on site, specifying (a) the location on site of all potential hazardous substances, (b) a list of their chemical names and trade names, (c) their properties, and (d) manufactures' or suppliers' names and emergency telephone numbers; if, pending passage of the legislation, he will introduce a voluntary code of practice approved by the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Under the Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1984 (CPLR) dangerous substances are required to be labelled for both supply and/or conveyance by road. The labelling requirements are such that both users and transporters are warned of the possible dangers that could arise when dealing with the substance and the necessary safety precautions to employ.

  In particular, conveyance labelling alerts the emergency services to the immediate hazards of a substance in cases of an accident. The regulations are enforced by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive, and the local trading standards authorities.

  Under both the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 (NIHHS) and the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 (CIMAH) details of installations which are capable of presenting major accident hazards are already passed to the fire authorities. Information regarding such sites includes their location, the address of the person or organisation responsible for operation and details of each notifiable substance held on the site. In addition, under the CIMA regulations occupiers of sites defined by the regulations as having the greatest major accident hazard potential are required to draw up on and off-site emergency plans in consultation with appropriate bodies such as the emergency services. They in turn are required to prepare off-site emergency plans on the basis of information from occupiers. Such plans will include the major accident hazards presented by the chemicals held on site. Both sets of regulations operate where potentially hazardous materials are kept at or above a prescribed limit and are enforced by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive.

  The Health and Safety Commission is also developing proposals for regulations for the notification to the Health and Safety Executive of sites (other than sites otherwise notified), and for the erection of warning signs at sites, containing an aggregate quantity of 25 tonnes or more of dangerous substances. The intention is that notifications will be made available to local fire brigades to enable them to inspect and gather detailed information about such sites for their own purposes. The proposals, which will take account of comments on a consultative document published by the commission, are expected to be submitted to Ministers as early as possible in 1988.

  I see no advantage at this stage in diverting resources to the development of an interim code of practice.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Radiation Levels
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has 478
  received from the National Radiological Protection Board regarding radiation levels in the United Kingdom after the Chernobyl accident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The NRPB has informed me of the outcome of a programme of whole body monitoring of radioactivity levels in people recently undertaken in Yorkshire, from which it concludes that no one in Yorkshire is at any significant risk from Chernobyl fallout.

  Deer
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to take measures to encourage the raising of deer by farmers.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have no plans at present to do so. Grants are already available to farmers for approved investments in deer enterprises under the agricultural improvement scheme.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sightings of oil pollution in United Kingdom territorial waters were reported by the aircraft and vessels of the fisheries protection service in 1984, 1985, 1986 and so far in the current year.

  Mr. Gummer
  The fisheries protection service is required to report any sightings of oil pollution to the appropriate authorities. Records are not kept of the number of such sightings.

  EC Surpluses
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consult representatives of the retail trade to obtain their co-operation in organising the distribution of any surplus EEC food through shops and supermarkets.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: I am consulting on the free food scheme at this moment and I shall announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

  Special Sales (Butter)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 4 December,Official Report, column 775–6, what amount of the total of 500,100 tonnes of special sales of butter to the Soviet Union between February and November was from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: None.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 4 December,Official Report, column 775–6, what was the average purchase price and storage cost, expressed in pence per pound, of the 500,100 tonnes of special sales of butter sent to the Soviet Union by the European Economic Community from February to November; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The average purchase price of the butter sold by special sale to the USSR was approximately 88p per pound. I regret that information on the storage cost of the butter concerned is not available.

  European Community (Food and Wine Exports)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount of food and wine exported by the EEC to the Soviet Union and Eastern

  European Community1 exports of the main agricultural commodities to the Soviet Union

  000 tonnes

  January-May

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Wheat

  1,573

  3,822

  4,937

  4,753

  4,990

  4,290

  Barley

  6

  610

  673

  2,577

  1,510

  1,150

  Wheat Flour

  596

  178

  187

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  Rice

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  108

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Malt

  140

  227

  79

  ֵ

  0

  0

  Wholemilk Powder

  25

  1

  5

  6

  10

  15

  Skimmed milk powder

  ֵ

  0

  ֵ

  0

  0

  ֵ

  Condensed milk

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Butter (including butter oil)

  ֵ

  40

  86

  162

  105

  108

  Beef and veal

  67

  112

  75

  84

  141

  24

  Pigmeat

  0

  5

  ֵ

  0

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Poultrymeat

  46

  46

  ֵ

  2

  23

  ֵ

  Sugar total (white equivalent)

  1,092

  786

  589

  ֵ

  7

  0

  (of which, refined sugar)

  (896)

  (644)

  (452)

  ֵ

  ֵ

  (0)

  Olive oil

  4

  8

  4

  13

  12

  8

  Wine

  135

  63

  72

  35

  4

  ֵ

  Notes:1 1982–5 = EC 10, 1986–7 = EC 12

  ֵ denotes trade under 500 tonnes

  Source: EUROSTAT

  European Community1 exports of the main agricultural commodities to the Eastern Bloc (excluding USSR)2

  000 tonnes

  January-May

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Wheat

  1,986

  1,787

  1,634

  1,056

  623

  851

  Barley

  51

  154

  65

  902

  811

  14

  Wheat Flour

  129

  23

  ֵ

  ֵ

  8

  ֵ

  Rice

  31

  10

  8

  0

  7

  1

  Malt

  0

  1

  ֵ

  10

  ֵ

  0

  Wholemilk Powder

  4

  1

  1

  ֵ

  5

  ֵ

  Skimmed milk powder

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  1

  ֵ

  Condensed milk

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Butter (including butter oil)

  40

  7

  ֵ

  ֵ

  18

  9

  Beef and veal

  53

  45

  57

  13

  70

  6

  Pigmeat

  8

  26

  2

  ֵ

  1

  1

  Poultrymeat

  27

  12

  6

  3

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Sugar total (white equivalent)

  60

  18

  1

  15

  ֵ

  (3)

  (of which, refined sugar)

  (60)

  (6)

  (1)

  (2)

  ֵ

  (3)

  Olive oil

  5

  1

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Wine

  27

  15

  14

  28

  130

  39

  Notes:1 1982–5 = EC10, 1986–7 = EC12

  2 German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Roumania, Bulgaria, Albania

  ֵ denotes trade under 500 tonnes

  Source: EUROSTAT

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Anthony Hughes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on the circumstances in which Anthony Hughes was shot by the security forces at Longhall, County Armagh, on 8 May.

  Mr. Stanley
  As is the case in any shooting incident in Northern Ireland causing civilian deaths or injuries, and involving members of the security forces, the Chief
  480
  Europe respectively, in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals for each of the previous five years.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The information requested is contained in the tables.

  Constable of the RUC is carrying out an investigation into the shooting of Mr. Hughes, and the results of that investigation will be reported to the Director Public Prosecutions who will decide if any criminal proceedings should be brought.

  Peripatetic Remedial Reading Teachers
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many peripatetic remedial reading teachers are currently employed to serve small primary
  481
  schools in the Ards peninsula; whether the current service is deemed adequate to meet the needs of children in this area; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The deployment of peripatetic teachers in this area is a matter for the South-Eastern Education and Library Board. One full-time peripatetic remedial teacher is so deployed. Provision for children with reading difficulties may also be made either by the teachers employed in the school or by the appointment of part-time teachers. At present part-time teachers are providing remedial education in six primary schools in the area. The provision required for individual children is kept under review by the school authorities.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place with QED Design and Development Ltd. on the supply of British Army-style equipment and clothing to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: For some years the Police Authority for Northern Ireland has purchased cold weather items of equipment and clothing for the Royal Ulster Constabulary from a number of civilian firms, including QED Design and Development Ltd. The last such purchase from this company was in 1985. Discussions were confined to the normal supplier; customer relationship.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures exist for the acquisition by the Royal Ulster Constabulary of British military uniforms where such uniforms are to be used in training.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: The provision of equipment for the Royal Ulster Constabulary is the responsibility of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, which follows normal Government tendering practice. No military uniforms have been acquired. What was purchased was items of cold weather clothing and equipment most suitable for training and operations outdoor and in bad weather conditions. Many of these are also used by the Army for the same reasons.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what clothing and other equipment similar to that supplied to the British Army is currently in the possession of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: Some items obtained from a number of commercial organisations are still held in stock. These are for use in training or operations in the field where circumstances or bad weather conditions so require, and include such articles as arctic sleeping bags, parkas, rucksacks and insulated suits.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what contracts Frank Turner and QED Ltd. have had with the Royal Ulster Constabulary since 1981.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: Three orders were placed with QED Ltd. in 1982; two in 1983; two in 1984 and one in 1985.

  Police (Clothing)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purposes over the past five years the Police Authority for Northern Ireland has ordered green, black, khaki and green marine berets, Parka jackets, Streamlight torches and camouflaged thermal clothing.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: A total of 24 assorted berets were acquired in 1983 to add realism to the training of officers who might have to deal with, for example, illegal vehicle check points carried out by paramilitaries in the guise of military patrols. The other items were obtained for RUC operational training purposes, and may be used in the field when circumstances and weather conditions require.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the Police Authority for Northern Ireland paid in cash for British-style military uniforms in 1983 and 1984.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 8 December 1987]: I have no evidence of any payment in cash.

  Artificial Insemination
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to close any of the artificial insemination offices in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: As part of general Government policy on transfer of responsibilities from the public sector the Department of Agriculture is considering the position of the Al Service.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Employment of Children Act 1973
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring into effect the Employment of Children Act 1973.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Government have no plans to implement the Employment of Children Act 1973. All local authorities (except Isles of Scilly) have byelaws which regulate the hours and conditions of children's employment. The majority of byelaws follow departmental guidance of 1976 which is based on the proposed content of regulations under the 1973 Act.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will correct the figure for the allocation for the social fund to his Department's Glasgow, Provan office, announced in his reply on 4 November to the hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory),Official Report, columns 774–81.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that the figures for the social fund grants and loans budgets for 1988–89 for the Department's Glasgow, Provan office, announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 4 November at columns 774–81, were incorrect. The correct figures are as follows:
  483

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Glasgow, Provan

  447,797

  1,059,669

  The correction of these figures brings the total allocations to offices in Scotland to £11,506,069 for grants and £27,143,347 for loans.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what training is being given to his Department's staff in preparation for the introduction of the social fund in 1988.

  Mr. Portillo
  The training to be provided for clerical staff will consist of self-instruction and microcomputer training which is likely to last one week.

  The main training for social fund officers (SFOs) will cover a three-week period. During week one each officer will complete a series of linked self-instructional texts each concentrating on a particular aspect of the social fund. They will also study the social fund manual and undertake some background reading.

  During weeks two and three prospective social fund officers will attend a training course at one of the Department's training centres. This course provides an opportunity for staff to develop the use of discretion and judgment in decision making; this will cover an understanding of the needs of the many client groups who are likely to apply to the social fund—for example, the elderly, the mentally ill and those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. In addition, the social fund officer's liaison role with other statutory and voluntary welfare agencies will be examined. Training will also be given to equip those administering the fund with the knowledge they need to offer money advice to those applications who need it. The review process will also be included. Case studies will feature prominently within the course to help develop further the interviewing skills and technical knowledge of social fund officers. Training on the social fund microcomputer programme will also be given.

  Higher executive officers, the immediate line managers of social fund officers, will receive training with the addition of a one-day seminar on management, the review process and budgetary issues.

  Local office managers who will be responsible for the management of the local social fund budget will attend a two-day residential seminar during which their personal role, including liaison with other agencies, budgetary profiling and ongoing budget management will be examined.

  A video film describing the principles of the social fund is being prepared and will be sent to the Department's

  Table 1: Miles covered each year

  Non Emergency

  Emergency

  1Ambulances

  Hired cars

  Ambulance car service

  Total

  1979

  Data unavailable due to an industrial dispute

  1980

  3,098,285

  7,680,021

  283,550

  1,138,328

  9,101,899

  1981

  3,132,119

  8,231,233

  262,285

  1,012,161

  9,505,679

  1982

  3,246,434

  8,055,365

  273,202

  1,021,006

  9,349,573

  1983

  3,389,731

  8,201,627

  189,123

  1,039,784

  9,430,634

  1984

  3,500,909

  8,445,408

  45,319

  1,136,482

  9,627,209

  484
  local offices during February 1988. Arrangements are being made for those staff not directly involved in the administration of the social fund to see it.

  Charing Cross Hospital
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the estimate of the annual running costs contained in the initial feasibility study on the rebuilding of Charing Cross hospital; and what have been the annual running costs since its completion;

  (2) what was the estimated cost, both in money of the day and real terms, given in the original feasibility study of rebuilding Charing Cross hospital; and what was the final actual cost.

  Mrs. Currie
  Responsibility for the planning and construction of health buildings is delegated to regional health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to approach the regional chairman of the North West Thames regional health authority to inquire what information is available.

  Occasional-use Pushchair
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when a definitive reply can be expected to the representations made by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe concerning the decision to issue the Andrews McLaren occasional-use pushchair; if he will summarise the adverse comments from disabled people about the chair following its field trials; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have received a letter on this subject from the right hon. Member which I have passed to the chairman of the Disablement Services Authority. The right hon. Member will be aware that that authority has full responsibility for the supply of wheelchairs for disabled people within the National Health Service. I am confident that the chairman of the authority will reply fully to him shortly.

  London Ambulances
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many miles were covered each year since 1979 by the London ambulance service in(a) emergency services, (b) non-emergency services, (c) mini-cabs and (d) volunteer drivers;

  (2) how many emergency-equipped London ambulances were available at 6 pm on 18 November; and what was the equivalent for each year since 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is given in the tables.
  485

  Non Emergency

  Emergency

  1Ambulances

  Hired cars

  Ambulance car service

  Total

  1985

  3,695,393

  8,011,723

  82,498

  1,457,380

  9,551,601

  1986

  3,702,688

  6,406,224

  240,170

  1,763,843

  8,410,237

  19872

  3,767,080

  6,155,357

  222,679

  1,860,959

  8,238,995

  1 Includes vehicles on loan to day hospitals.

  2 Data for 1987 projected.

  Table 2: Number of emergency equipped ambulances available on 18 November 1983 and equivalent dates since

  Rostered

  Actually available

  Wednesday 23 November 1983

  134

  134

  Wednesday 21 November 1984

  134

  134

  Wednesday 20 November 1985

  134

  133

  Wednesday 19 November 1986

  1154

  152

  Wednesday 18 November 1987

  154

  2125

  1 Front-line ambulances on late turn increased by 20, as a part of the ambulance staff review, in March 1986.

  Average daily number of available beds, National Health Service hospitals, London 1979 to 1986

  Health authorities

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  North West Thames

  Barnet

  2,841

  2,800

  2,771

  2,748

  2,670

  2,551

  2,445

  2,324

  Harrow

  908

  902

  914

  938

  935

  878

  905

  886

  Hillingdon

  1,628

  1,480

  1,528

  1,526

  1,499

  1,406

  1,378

  1,329

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  1

  1

  1

  1,548

  1,497

  1,447

  1,382

  1,356

  Ealing

  1,709

  1,713

  1,753

  1,725

  1,663

  1,622

  1,543

  1,509

  Brent

  2,316

  2,332

  2,263

  2,273

  2,203

  2,059

  1,939

  1,883

  Paddington and North Kensington

  1,365

  1,276

  1,236

  1,216

  1,211

  1,187

  1,211

  1,208

  Riverside2

  1

  1

  1

  3,946

  3,845

  3,708

  3,465

  3,091

  North East Thames

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  3,283

  3,238

  3,183

  3,095

  3,033

  2,984

  2,878

  2,765

  Hampstead

  1

  1

  1

  1,963

  1,919

  1,894

  1,875

  1,818

  Bloomsbury

  1

  1

  1

  2,487

  2,490

  2,344

  2,116

  1,971

  Islington

  1

  1

  1

  1,177

  1,105

  1,018

  917

  866

  City and Hackney

  1,990

  1,867

  1,743

  1,887

  1,884

  1,853

  1,754

  1,686

  Newham

  941

  924

  936

  887

  845

  877

  880

  876

  Tower Hamlets

  1,561

  1,484

  1,605

  1,433

  1,396

  1,363

  1,355

  1,290

  Enfield

  1,234

  1,217

  1,137

  1,087

  1,114

  1,076

  1,069

  1,055

  Haringey

  1,236

  1,122

  1,143

  1,157

  1,109

  1,028

  986

  1,072

  Redbridge

  1,655

  1,655

  1,650

  1,633

  1,644

  1,630

  1,617

  1,553

  Waltham Forest

  3,311

  3,318

  3,245

  3,051

  2,842

  2,667

  2,508

  2,407

  South East Thames

  Bexley

  1,653

  1,667

  1,635

  1,585

  1,543

  1,468

  1,435

  1,386

  Greenwich

  1,777

  1,666

  1,623

  1,598

  1,611

  1,586

  1,517

  1,334

  Bromley

  2,591

  2,491

  2,466

  2,377

  2,296

  2,116

  1,989

  1,887

  West Lambeth

  1

  1

  1

  2,100

  2,119

  2,066

  1,993

  1,887

  Camberwell

  1,432

  1,366

  1,332

  1,289

  1,279

  1,232

  1,264

  1,232

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  2,336

  2,257

  2,208

  2,185

  2,194

  2,058

  2,048

  1,910

  South West Thames

  Croydon

  3,192

  3,089

  3,006

  2,929

  2,860

  2,728

  2,637

  2,397

  Kingston and Esher

  1

  1

  1

  1,564

  1,517

  1,457

  1,416

  1,378

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  1

  1

  1

  979

  970

  916

  868

  860

  Wandsworth

  2,871

  2,689

  2,543

  2,476

  2,494

  2,534

  2,338

  2,234

  Merton and Sutton

  2,687

  2,610

  2,510

  2,495

  2,477

  2,390

  2,332

  2,235

  Special Health Authorities

  The Hospital for Sick Children

  517

  506

  544

  494

  474

  418

  410

  402

  National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases

  357

  355

  345

  356

  351

  341

  349

  338

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  208

  204

  204

  208

  210

  181

  163

  152

  Bethlehem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals

  472

  492

  497

  501

  498

  506

  504

  511

  National Heart and Chest Hospitals

  603

  570

  577

  556

  552

  540

  449

  423

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  361

  361

  350

  340

  343

  333

  344

  354

  486

  2 The difference between rostered ambulances and available ambulances was due to a ban on voluntary overtime. This action took place between 4 November 1987 and 2 December 1987.

  Hospital Beds (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current bed availability, by district health authority, for London as at the latest date and the comparative figures for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is given in the table. The number of in-patient cases treated in London rose 5·7 per cent. between 1979 and 1986 from 1,045,877 to 1,105,481.
  487

  Health authorities

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's

  1

  1

  1

  891

  900

  917

  868

  845

  London3

  64,376

  62,205

  61,356

  60,697

  59,591

  57,381

  55,144

  52,708

  1 Comparable figures not readily available due to National Health Service restructuring in 1982.

  2 Hammersmith and Fulham district health authority and Victoria district health authority prior to 1985.

  3 Figures for 1979 to 1981 include data for districts which were split up in the 1982 National Health Service restructuring.

  Local Offices (Staffing)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual turnover of staff, by grade, for each year since 1979, for(a) Highgate, (b) Finsbury Park and (c) Dalston offices of his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department does not have a Dalston local office.

  The following tables give the total number of staff, in each grade, leaving the Highgate, Finsbury Park and Hoxton local offices of the Department, for all reasons, during the period 1 October 1985 to 31 October 1987.

  The information requested is not available prior to 1 October 1985.

  Grade

  Number of staff leaving local office

  1 October 1985 to 31 December 1985

  January 1986 to December 1986

  January 1987 to December 1987

  (a) Highgate Local Office

  LOI

  1

  9

  9

  LOII

  3

  26

  32

  AA

  2½

  11

  16

  Typist

  —

  3

  —

  Other

  2

  5

  4

  Total

  8½

  54

  61

  (b) Finsbury Park Local Office

  LOI

  1

  23

  4

  Grade

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Finsbury park ILO

  Principal

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  SEO

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  HEO

  9

  7

  6

  8

  8

  10

  6

  LO1

  44

  43

  37

  42

  48

  52

  52·5

  LO2

  82

  92

  84

  83

  100

  93·5

  107

  AA

  30

  32

  28

  31

  31

  36

  50

  Typist

  2·5

  3·5

  3·5

  4

  4

  4

  4

  Security Guard

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Messenger

  4

  3

  4

  4

  3

  4

  5

  Total

  174·5

  185·5

  165·5

  173

  196

  201·5

  226·5

  Highgate ILO

  Principal

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  SEO

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  HEO

  9

  10

  8

  7

  8

  7

  9

  LO1

  52

  57

  56

  50

  49

  49·5

  56·5

  LO2

  102

  94

  94

  99

  106

  98·5

  103·5

  AA

  35

  41

  39

  36

  38

  35

  39·5

  Typist

  3

  3

  4

  5

  5

  5

  6

  Security Guard

  1

  2

  2

  5

  4

  3

  4

  Messenger

  4

  4

  4

  3

  5

  5

  5

  Total

  209

  214

  210

  207

  217

  205

  225·5

  Hoxlon ILO

  Principal

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  488

  Grade

  Number of staff leaving local office

  1 October 1985 to 31 December 1985

  January 1986 to December 1986

  January 1987 to December 1987

  LOII

  4½

  40

  10

  AA

  1

  14

  4

  Typist

  —

  1

  1

  Other

  —

  3

  4

  Total

  6½

  81

  23

  (c)Hoxton Local Office

  LOI

  3

  8

  3

  LOII

  4

  19

  19

  AA

  —

  17

  14

  Typist

  1

  —

  —

  Other

  2

  3

  3

  Total

  10

  47

  39

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the staffing levels, by grade, of his Department's offices at(a) Finsbury Park, (b) Highgate and (c) Dalston for June in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Portillo
  There is no social security local office at Dalston. Information is provided for those offices serving the hon. Member's constituency which are Finsbury Park, Highgate and Hoxton. Records of staffing levels for 1982 and 1983 are unavailable as they have been destroyed by fire. For the remaining years since 1979 the numbers of staff in post at these offices as at 1 June are as follows:
  489

  Grade

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  SEO

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  HEO

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  7

  LOI

  35

  35

  37

  37

  35

  34

  40

  LO2

  59

  69

  65

  65

  66

  71

  62

  AA

  24

  23

  24

  26

  26

  24

  30

  Typist

  4

  3

  4

  4

  3

  4

  4

  Security Guard

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Messenger

  2

  1

  2

  3

  3

  3

  3

  Total

  133

  141

  142

  144

  142

  145

  149

  Abbreviations:

  ILO—Integrated Local Office.

  SEO—Senior Executive Officer.

  HEO—Higher Executive Officer.

  LO1—Local Officer 1.

  L02—Local Officer 2.

  AA—Administrative Assistant.

  Rate Rebates
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the lowest paid 10 per cent. of households are receiving full rate rebates under the present system.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

  Pregnancies
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each of the last 10 years the number of pregnancies which were alleged to have occurred as a result of rape; of these, how many were ended by abortion; and in what age groups, and what numbers in each of those age groups, such pregnancies and abortions occurred in each of these years.

  Mr. Newton
  The number of pregnancies which were alleged to have occurred as a result of rape is not known. Statistics of the number of mentions of rape on the abortion notification forms can be provided reliably only for 1987 and subsequent years. The figures for 1987 are expected to be available after May 1988.

  NHS Consultants
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what controls apply to National Health Service consultants being financially involved in commercial agencies supplying locums to the National Health Service hospitals in which they practise; and if he has any plans to alter the present position.

  Mr. Newton
  There are no specific controls. It is for health authorities to determine locally whether any individual abuses his position. There are no current plans to change this.

  Locums
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information is available about the amount of payments made to locums by health authorities; and if he has any plans to ensure that better value for money so spent is obtained.

  Mr. Newton
  In 1986–87, expenditure on directly employed locums and agency locums, as indicated by 490
  health authorities in their provisional accounts, was £39·7 million and £26·06 million respectively. These figures represent 3·46 per cent. and 2·27 per cent. of the total pay bill for medical and dental staff. Several health authorities are engaged in initiatives to reduce the proportion of spending on agency locums and we are monitoring carefully their progress.

  Severe Weather Payments (Scotland)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of severe weather payments paid by benefit offices in Scotland in 1986–87; if he will break down this figure by week of payment; and if he will estimate the total number of claimants involved.

  Mr. Scott
  The total and weekly number of exceptionally cold weather payments made by local offices in Scotland last winter is given in the table. With regard to the number of claimants involved I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 22 July at columns 248–252.

  Number of exceptionally cold weather payments made by local offices in Scotland by week of payment in the Winter of 1986–87

  Payment made in week commencing

  Number of £5 weekly payments made

  20 January 1987

  9,173

  27 January 1987

  92,698

  3 February 1987

  58,769

  10 February 1987

  60,560

  17 February 1987

  28,895

  24 February 1987

  17,984

  3 March 1987

  6,280

  10 March 1987

  6,748

  17 March 1987

  3,965

  24 March 1987

  2,021

  31 March 1987

  1,679

  7 April 1987

  898

  14 April 1987

  1—

  21 April 1987

  235

  28 April 1987

  255

  5 May 1987

  380

  12 May 1987

  293

  19 May 1987

  100

  26 May 1987

  90

  2 June 1987

  61

  9 June 1987

  64

  16 June 1987

  6

  23 June 1987

  5

  491

  Payment made in week commencing

  Number of £5 weekly payments made

  30 June 1987

  18

  Total

  291,177

  1 Industrial dispute.

  Irradiated and Novel Foods
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if Her Majesty's Government will give a date for the publication of the report of the Advisory Committee on Irradiated and Novel Foods; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Government's consideration of the report of the Advisory Committee on Irradiated and Novel Foods and of the committee's further advice following representations on the original report is almost complete. An announcement will be made shortly.

  Nurses (Special Duty Payments)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the future of special duty payments for nurses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand that the Nurses and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council is currently reviewing all allowances for patterns of working including special duty payments.

  Fluoridation Society
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was provided in grants to the Fluoridation Society by(a) his Department and (b) the Health Education Authority and Health Education Council during 1986–87 and 1987–88.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department provided the society with grants of £20,000 in each of the years 1986–87 and 1987–88. The Health Education Council provided a grant of £15,000 in 1986–87 and the Health Education Authority a grant of £13,000 in 1987–88. We intend to increase the centrally funded payments for the addition of fluoride to water, as set out in the White Paper — "Promoting Better Health" (Cm. 249) — as we regard it as an important and cost-effective measure against dental caries.

  Aycliffe School (Diet Experiments)
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 1 December,Official Report, column 444, what information he has as to whether the proposed experiments into children's diet and health at Aycliffe community school, County Durham, will be directly or indirectly funded by a health food company whose products form part of the experiment.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that, if the study proceeds, funds for the cost of the research time and any additional food costs are to be provided by an organisation called the British Society for Nutritional Medicine, which intends to raise the money from a variety of sources including the "health food" industry and suppliers.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 1 December,Official
  492
  Report, column 444, what information he has as to the membership of the steering committee established to oversee the proposed study into diet and behaviour at Aycliffe community school, County Durham, and their qualifications.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am informed that the membership of the academic steering committee which has been established to oversee the proposed study is as follows:Professor I. Kolvin—Professor of Child Psychiatry, Newcastle.
  Dr. Eastham—Consultant Nephrologist and Paediatric Dietician, Newcastle district health authority.
  Professor Dickerson—Emeritus Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, Surrey University.
  Dr. Damian Downing—Dietician, Secretary of British Society of Nutritional Medicine.
  Mrs. Caroline Fitzgibbon—Reader in Statistical and Research Methodology, Newcastle University.
  Dr. M. S. Hoghughi—Clinical Psychologist and Principal of Aycliffe School.

  Cancer Screening
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the implications for his policy on cancer screening within the National Health Service of the Sharp intercollegiate report on cervical cytology screening facilities, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mrs. Currie
  We shall shortly be issuing to health authorities consolidated and revised guidance on cervical cancer screening. We have agreed with the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that copies of the inter-collegiate report on cervical cytology screening, which has been placed in the Library, should be enclosed with that circular. The Department will pay for the necessary copies and distribution. Together these documents will give health authorities sound advice on ways of improving their screening programmes in order to reduce mortality from cervical cancer.

  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures have now been taken to clarify the relationship between the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and Ministers, and to ensure that the work Office of Population Censuses and Surveys undertakes for customer Departments reflects their requirements, as recommended in the machinery of government review,Official Report, 18 November 1986, columns 86–7.

  Mr. Moore
  The relationship between OPCS and Ministers has now been reviewed. It is partly determined by the legal position of the head of OPCS, as Registrar General for England and Wales. The Registrar General has statutory duties relating to the registration of births, marriages and deaths and civil marriage, the carrying out of censuses of population and the collection and publication of statistics between censuses. The registration functions are carried out independently of Ministers, except that the Secretary of State must approve regulations, local schemes for the organisation of the service, and the form of the annual abstract of statistics derived from registration. The duties under the Census and Population Statistics Acts are carried out under the direction of the Secretary of State. OPCS also has important non statutory functions, including carrying out social surveys, maintaining the NHS central register and the processing of statistics about hospital patients.
  493
  In 1987–88 OPCS introduced a system under which managers have agreed objectives; work targets and budgets, and performance is monitored against these. Performance is reviewed by Ministers at the end of the financial year, and plans agreed for the next year, having regard to the statutory position of the Registrar General. The budgetary system is now being developed to support this approach better, and to give line managers greater control over expenditure on support services.

  The statutory functions of the Registrar General will continue to be funded directly on the OPCS vote, although changes may be made for additional services. In general, non-statutory functions are paid for by customer departments or will be so paid for from 1 April 1988, including social surveys. For these services priorities will therefore be determined by customer departments, who will agree the work to be carried out, its timing and its cost.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will be making new appointments to regional health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The term of office of about half the current members of regional health authorities ends on 30 September 1988 and, in accordance with the National Health Service Act 1977, we are seeking nominations for new members. If hon. Members wish to recommend any individuals for membership I invite them to write to me by 4 January 1988. Reappointments and changes will be announced in due course.

  Revenue cash limits1

  Region

  1979–80 £000s

  1980–81 £000s

  1981–82 £000s

  1982–83 £000s

  1983–84 £000s

  1984–85 £000s

  1985–86 £000s

  21986–87 £000s

  31987–88 £000s

  Northern

  331,760

  442,422

  483,312

  524,176

  553,972

  588,093

  618,849

  663,513

  699,786

  Yorkshire

  375,478

  499,283

  547,152

  590,397

  623,720

  657,459

  686,193

  739,226

  786,599

  Trent

  437,607

  584,426

  644,611

  694,210

  739,498

  785,483

  836,351

  911,355

  970,216

  East Anglian

  182,967

  244,748

  269,314

  291,011

  311,707

  331,700

  355,385

  385,129

  411,602

  North West Thames

  438,733

  583,939

  643,693

  630,187

  654,944

  696,599

  713,194

  756,690

  786,508

  North East Thames

  480,181

  635,907

  693,840

  795,234

  828,880

  867,137

  897,987

  955,433

  996,092

  South East Thames

  451,820

  601,749

  656,510

  699,866

  729,510

  766,367

  797,993

  841,427

  874,233

  South West Thames

  354,614

  466,979

  517,658

  535,726

  554,052

  588,383

  599,402

  639,732

  710,025

  Wessex

  268,318

  351,050

  390,364

  424,173

  440,120

  479,603

  504,701

  546,020

  580,446

  Oxford

  216,647

  284,449

  312,099

  332,899

  350,569

  378,136

  398,107

  429,858

  454,746

  South Western

  329,628

  428,345

  472,900

  508,954

  538,149

  568,012

  598,751

  644,139

  688,642

  West Midlands

  522,633

  678,995

  752,247

  814,275

  861,746

  908,176

  956,120

  1,025,325

  1,114,355

  Mersey

  283,802

  369,217

  406,198

  437,494

  457,275

  481,787

  501,459

  537,022

  564,742

  North Western

  456,855

  601,857

  675,155

  730,416

  763,336

  807,578

  848,196

  912,460

  959,886

  1 Inclusive of all in-year adjustments, carry forward from previous financial year, and in-year transfers between revenue and capital.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Initial allocations shown. Final cash limits will reflect in-year adjustments (see note 1) which have not yet been finalised.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the administrative cost of the regional health authorities in England in 1987–88.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is not collected in-year and the annual accounts of health authorities for 1987–88, from which it would be derived, are not due for submission to the Department until June 1988. Information is available for 1986–87 and is provided in the table.

  However, in this context, it would be misleading to interpret regional health authority data in isolation from
  494
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the extra funding outlined in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement for the Health Service is to be made available to the regional health authorities; what will be the amount for the Trent region; what funding was available to the regions in the years 1979 and 1987 and whether the resource allocation working party formula will continue to apply.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to change the current policy of redistributing resources out of the North East Thames and other Thames regions in the light of its effects on London health districts; and if he will make a statement on the resource allocation working party formula as it applies to the North East Thames region.

  Mr. Newton
  Allocations to regional health authorities for 1988–89 will be announced shortly, including that for Trent regional health authority. The current review of the resource allocation working party formula is exploring the scope for improving the way in which the formula measures relative need for health care across the country. The review's programme of analysis and research is due for completion by around the end of the year, and any recommendations which may emerge will then be carefully considered. Meanwhile, the present arrangements will continue to apply, with the pace of change in allocations year by year remaining a matter for ministerial decision.

  Funding to regional health authorities in the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 is in the table.

  those for the districts they manage. Regions are managed in an integrated way and, therefore, to provide a more accurate picture, regional health authority and district health authority figures should be combined. In interpreting the figures, a number of factors need to be borne in mind, for example the size of the total budgets managed, the population of the region and the number of health autorities involved, all of which differ between regions. Similarly, the balance of management as between RHA and DHA headquarters that these figures appear to suggest will also vary from place to place according to such factors as geographical size, policy on centralisation of

  495
  services (for example supplies, ambulances, computers) to achieve economies of scale, whether the RHA has a policy of re-charging districts for services it provides etc.:

  Region

  RHA administration1 expenditure (£000)

  DHA administration1 expenditure (£000)

  Total administration1 expenditure (£000)

  Total revenue (£000)

  Total capital (£000)

  Resident population (million)

  Northern

  4,969

  22,098

  27,067

  664,666

  52,686

  3·09

  2(16)

  Yorkshire

  7,996

  24,218

  32,214

  748,109

  69,981

  3·59

  (17)

  Trent

  10,683

  22,847

  33,530

  914,488

  77,478

  4·60

  (12)

  East Anglian

  5,322

  11,542

  16,864

  389,423

  32,529

  1·90

  (8)

  North West Thames

  6,926

  25,506

  32,432

  777,781

  66,543

  3·49

  (14)

  North East Thames

  10,187

  32,629

  42,816

  976,100

  75,904

  3·76

  (16)

  South East Thames

  9,128

  29,418

  38,546

  857,088

  76,517

  3·60

  (15)

  South West Thames

  14,376

  17,968

  32,344

  650,071

  54,172

  2·96

  (13)

  Wessex

  4,264

  17,466

  21,730

  549,152

  70,999

  2·87

  (10)

  Oxford

  5,196

  12,722

  17,918

  433,809

  33,539

  2·46

  (8)

  South Western

  3,466

  22,219

  25,685

  650,026

  68,403

  3·14

  (11)

  West Midlands

  10,684

  35,170

  45,854

  1,049,734

  115,259

  5·17

  (22)

  Mersey

  4,159

  17,176

  21,335

  542,821

  48,443

  2·41

  (10)

  North Western

  12,089

  26,594

  38,683

  922,352

  65,673

  3·95

  (19)

  Total

  109,445

  317,573

  427,018

  10,125,620

  908,126

  46·99

  2(191)

  1 Expenditure on headquarters administration includes the pay and pay related costs of staff of all disciplines employed at regional/district headquarters levels and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit levels: such costs are regarded as operational.

  2 The figures in brackets in the second column of figures gives the numbers of Districts—191 in all (see (2))

  NHS Staff (Accommodation)
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the provision of residential accommodation for National Health Service staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I am very pleased to say that the Nationwide Anglia Building Society has today announced a special mortgage scheme for nurses and other National Health Service staff working in Greater London. Loans will be offered up to 100 per cent. of the purchase price, at a higher multiple of earnings than is normally available and at very favourable interest rates. Facilities for joint purchase are included. In return, the society will take a share of any capital gain at the time of disposal of the property. This imaginative scheme, prepared in consultation with the NHS management board, will enable more NHS staff to buy their own property and should improve the recruitment and retention of staff in London. It is an excellent example of how collaboration with the private sector can benefit the National Health Service.

  The scheme will be assisted by a proposal which has been put today to the General Whitley Council by the management side. This will give health authorities more discretion than at present to make interest-free advances of salary to staff wanting to acquire accommodation. The
  496
  aim is to help staff to take advantage of the Nationwide Anglia scheme and, throughout the country, make it easier for them to obtain homes of their own to buy or rent.

  These measures reflect the Government's view that, in the main, it is better for NHS staff to obtain their housing in the normal way. The proposals in our Housing Bill will help further by increasing the amount of private accommodation available to rent. Nevertheless, there will be a continuing need for appropriate residential accommodation to meet particular local NHS needs, riot only for student nurses and others in training and for those required to be resident on site but also in some places for qualified staff who cannot yet find their own accommodation.

  We will be asking health authorities, when determining their accommodation needs, to consider a number of options, including not only direct provision and management themselves but also, for example, collaboration with housing associations of similar bodies. The Department has already commissioned two pilot studies with housing associations.

  In addition, we will continue to encourage health authorities to improve accommodation standards by reinvesting the proceeds of sales of surplus properties. We are also reviewing the terms on which NHS staff occupy

  497
  residential accommodation and shall be issuing guidance to ensure that such staff have proper tenancy agreements setting out clearly their rights and responsibilities.

  I believe these measures represent a good deal for nurses and others and will improve health authorities' ability to recruit and retain staff.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff are employed in his Department to work on health matters; and how many staff are responsible to the National Health Service Management Board.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department employs around 6,900 whole-time equivalent staff on health matters. Of these some 5,000 are professional, technical and audit staff, the majority of whom are employed in running the special hospitals and the Disablement Services Authority (including the staff of the artificial limb and appliance centres).

  The remaining staff work in support of Ministers in their parliamentary and departmental duties. These include some 650 who are accountable to the chief executive of the National Health Service Management Board.

  NHS (Waste Reduction)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action the National Health Service Management Board has taken in the last six months to reduce waste in the National Health Service; and what early results have been achieved.

  Mr. Newton
  Ministers and the National Health Service Management Board are committed to ensuring that health authorities continue to improve the efficiency with which they provide services so as to maximise the resources available for patient care. Health authorities are already

  National Health Service staff in post in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district health authority at 30 September Whole time equivalents3

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Medical and Dental2

  110

  110

  120

  120

  120

  Nursing and Midwifery3

  2,720

  2,690

  2,670

  2,710

  2,660

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

  2 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. Excludes senior registrars and consultants.

  3 Includes agency staff.

  Source: DHSS annual censuses of National Health Service medical and non-medical manpower.

  Burnley Health Authority
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the level of funding for the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority in each of the last eight years; and what has been the percentage change, in both cash and real terms, in each year.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is not held centrally. The allocation of funds to district health authorities is a matter for regional health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of the North Western regional health authority who may be able to assist with the information he seeks.
  498
  undertaking work to improve efficiency and their cost improvement programmes will yield savings worth some £600 million by the end of the 1987–88 financial year.

  A number of initiatives have been launched to help authorities in their search for improved efficiency. This year we have.

  established a value for money unit to promote the dissemination of good practice and to carry out studies of potential areas for savings;
  issued a study of paymaster systems in health authorities identifying options for efficiency improvements and asked authorities to report on the scope for savings;
  encouraged authorities to implement schemes to generate additional income.

  In addition to these specific initiatives we are continuing:
  to promote improvements in NHS purchasing arrangements;
  to encourage authorities to make further energy savings;
  to introduce new systems of resource management to provide doctors, nurses and other professional staff with the information they need to ensure that the resources they control are used to best effect.

  The results of these initiatives are monitored through the existing planning and review systems, themselves introduced or improved under the aegis of the Management Board.

  Doctors and Nurses (Burnley)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) doctors and (b) nurses were employed in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority area in each of the last eight years.

  Mr. Newton
  Information is not held centrally in the exact form sought. The table shows numbers of medical and dental staff, and nursing and midwifery staff employed in the district from 1982 onwards. Comparable figures before this are not available because of the National Health Service reorganisation in that year.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were treated in each specialty in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority in each of the last five years; and how many operations were performed during these years.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks. Reliable estimates of the numbers of operations performed in individual district health authorities cannot be made from the central data sample. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority for the information he seeks. The available information is given in the tables.
  499

  Number of in-patients treated in NHS hospitals in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale District Health Authority

  Specialty

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  General Medicine

  4,388

  4,478

  4,787

  4,873

  5,189

  Paediatrics

  1,908

  2,020

  2,096

  2,222

  2,635

  Dermatology

  145

  248

  209

  227

  237

  Rheumatology

  143

  148

  167

  194

  240

  Geriatrics

  2,712

  2,918

  2,833

  3,055

  3,281

  General Surgery

  4,612

  4,777

  4,600

  4,562

  4,790

  Ear, Nose and Throat

  1,003

  906

  984

  982

  1,190

  Traumatic and Orthopaedic

  1,588

  1,627

  1,780

  1,672

  1,808

  Ophthalmology

  620

  672

  720

  721

  637

  Radiotherapy

  60

  33

  26

  13

  8

  Urology

  816

  857

  980

  952

  1,329

  Oral Surgery

  648

  661

  682

  690

  751

  Gynaecology

  2,595

  2,985

  3,127

  2,984

  3,174

  Obstetrics

  3,798

  4,099

  4,141

  4,022

  4,361

  S.C Baby Unit

  342

  367

  314

  287

  259

  Psychiatry Children

  0

  7

  24

  22

  12

  Mental Handicap

  262

  258

  236

  235

  151

  Mental illness

  1,108

  1,171

  1,065

  1,129

  1,102

  G P Maternity

  336

  207

  118

  105

  21

  G P Other

  97

  93

  112

  106

  105

  Accident and Emergency

  114

  130

  141

  149

  124

  Anaesthetics

  45

  42

  75

  37

  56

  Haematology

  —

  1

  35

  107

  145

  Intensive Care Unit

  259

  244

  280

  311

  307

  Psychogeriatric

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Radiology

  2

  2

  1

  1

  —

  Total

  27,601

  28,951

  29,533

  29,658

  31,912

  Number of day case attendances at NHS hospitals, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale District Health Authority

  Specialty

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  General Medicine

  1

  4

  555

  564

  498

  Paediatrics

  0

  0

  0

  52

  332

  Chest Diseases

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Dermatology

  9

  35

  10

  2

  8

  Neurology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Genito-Urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rheumatology

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  Geriatrics

  0

  0

  0

  4

  6

  General Surgery

  1,063

  1,417

  1,643

  1,806

  1,786

  Ear, Nose and Throat

  260

  336

  301

  288

  354

  Traumatic and Orthopaedic

  455

  663

  557

  505

  553

  Ophthalmology

  218

  191

  244

  221

  244

  Radiotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Urology

  972

  954

  992

  917

  950

  Plastic Surgery

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Thoracic Surgery

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oral Surgery

  72

  71

  122

  118

  107

  Orthodontics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurosurgery

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gynaecology

  149

  290

  811

  991

  660

  Obstetrics (AN and PN)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Psychiatry Children

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Handicap

  0

  0

  ֵ

  0

  0

  Mental illness

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  G P Maternity

  0

  0

  0

  —

  0

  G P Other

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Accident and Emergency

  —

  220

  230

  291

  330

  Anaesthetics

  48

  26

  6

  26

  25

  Haematology

  —

  4

  30

  63

  102

  Radiology

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Total

  3,247

  4,213

  5,502

  5,850

  5,956

  ֵ Not available.

  Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the Official Report the average increases in pay over the last five years of
  500
  laboratory scientific officers in the National Health Service and the equivalent figures for increases in the pay of nurses.
  501
  Mr. Newton
  The average percentage increases in pay awarded to medical laboratory scientific officers and to nurses and midwives since 1982 are shown in the table.

  Date of increase

  Average per cent. increase

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers

  11 September 1982

  110·77

  1 April 1984

  4·5

  1 April 1985

  4·7

  1 April 1986

  6·0

  1 April 1987

  5·0

  Nurses and Midwives

  23 August 1982

  112·3

  1 April 1984

  7·5

  1 April 1985

  25·0

  1 February 1986

  3·6

  1 July 1986

  7·8

  1 April 1987

  9·5

  1 Two year agreement covering period 1.4.82—31.3.84.

  2 Award for 1985·86 staged.

  Handynet
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action has been taken to ensure full participation in the Handynet programme of the European Economic Community and the availability in Britain of information from the database;

  (2) what action he is taking to ensure that Britain plays a leading role in the development of Handynet and that opportunities will exist for full use to be made of the information that it provides;

  (3) if he is planning to carry out an assessment of the value of the Handynet programme of the European Economic Community and British participation in it;

  (4) what is the Government's policy towards the second action programme of the European Economic Community to promote the social and economic integration and integration of people with disabilities and the role which Handynet is to play in that programme.

  Mr. Scott
  The Handynet project is concerned with establishing a computerised information system for disabled people within the European Community. It is being developed by the Commission and information is not yet available to enable an informed assessment to be made of its value to disabled people in the United Kingdom. The future development of Handynet is being considered as part of the proposals for a Community second action programme in favour of disabled people. The Government would like to see work on Handynet proceed, but in our view its practical implications and cost-effectiveness require further study before any part of the system is introduced on an operational basis.

  Apart from our concern about Handynet, the Government have some reservations on the proposed arrangements for the management and evaluation of the Programme. Otherwise we are broadly in favour of the Commission's proposals.

  Health Authorities (Yorkshire)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown, by each district health authority within the Yorkshire region, of the percentage of the total budget which is spent on administration.
  502
  Mrs. Currie
  Following is information derived from the 1986–87 annual accounts of the relevant health authorities:

  Revenue expenditure on headquarters administration as a proportion of total revenue expenditure

  District Health Authority

  Per cent.

  Hull

  3·24

  East Yorkshire

  3·85

  Grimsby

  4·07

  Scunthorpe

  3·92

  Northallerton

  6·25

  York

  3·37

  Scarborough

  4·33

  Harrogate

  3·20

  Bradford

  3·30

  Airedale

  3·29

  Calderdale

  3·77

  Huddersfield

  3·57

  Dewsbury

  3·95

  Leeds Western

  2·25

  Leeds Eastern

  2·89

  Wakefield

  3·10

  Pontefract

  4·13

  Note.—Expenditure on headquarters administration includes the pay and pay-related costs of staff of all disciplines employed at district headquarters level and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit level: such costs are regarded as operational.

  Cold-related Deaths (Teesside)
  Miss Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of hypothermia and cold-related deaths in the South and North Tees health authorities as a proportion of all such deaths for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  The table shows information on deaths with any mention of hypothermia on the death certificate, irrespective of whether it was or was not the underlying cause of death for usual residents of North Tees and South Tees district health authorities.

  Deaths with any mention of hypothermia to residents of North Tees and South Tees DHAs: numbers, and expressed as a percentage of similar deaths in England and Wales 1979 to 1986

  Year

  Number

  Percentage

  1979

  6

  0·69

  1980

  5

  0·83

  1981

  3

  0·43

  1982

  4

  0·60

  1983

  0·19

  1984

  2

  0·36

  1985

  4

  0·48

  19861

  1

  0·12

  1 Provisional.

  Incurable Patients (Teesside)
  Miss Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his best estimate of the number of patients in South and North Tees health authorities with treatment conditions who have become incurable in the past 12 months.

  Mrs. Currie
  Such information does not exist. It is a matter of clinical opinion in each individual case as to whether a patient's treatment is likely to prove successful.

  Thalassaemia
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken to discharge his undertaking of June to meet the cost of the information booklet produced by the United Kingdom Thalassaemia Society.

  Mrs. Currie
  The United Kingdom Thalassaemia Society made a formal application to the Department for help with the costs of reprinting its booklet and of translating it into the languages of the communities at risk on 12 October.

  I have responded to the society by approving a grant of £5,000 for this purpose.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will direct the Health Education Authority to produce information booklets on thalassaemia and to make them available in the appropriate languages.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 10 December 1987]: The Health Education Authority's booklet "Sickle Cell Disease" which also deals with thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies is intended as a guide for general practitioners, nurses and other health professionals.

  The Thalassaemia Society publishes an information leaflet on the disease in English and we have approved funding to make it available in the languages of those communities at most risk.

  East Berkshire Health Authority
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to overcome the financial difficulties experienced at East Berkshire health authority in meeting the cost of unbudgeted pay awards; if he will consider central funding of these awards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 28 October 1987, c. 308]: The cash allocation for East Berkshire health authority this year should read £53·5 million, not £69·5 million as stated.

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any information on links between cases of leukaemia among children in the northern area of Southport and contamination of Southport beaches by discharges of nuclear waste from Sellafield nuclear power station: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 9 November 1987, c. 99]: Data on the incidence of leukaemia amongst children resident in the area served by Southport and Formby district health authority for the years 1984–86 have now been obtained. The data for the full period from 1976 to 1986 are given in the table. A small excess was recognised locally in 1979–80, but it was within the limits of excesses which can easily arise by chance. Since then the incidence has been slightly below the national average. For 1976–78 the data are available up to 16 years, and for the years since up to 14 years.

  Southport and Formby Districts—Childhood Leukaemia

  Cases

  Number

  1976

  2

  1977

  1

  504

  Cases

  Number

  1978

  1

  1979

  3

  1980

  2

  1981

  1

  1982

  0

  1983

  1

  1984

  0

  1985

  1

  1986

  2

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the movements in working balances, over the past three financial years, indicating the levels of stocks, for each health authority in the north-west; and if he will give details of creditors and debtors in these authorities.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 29 October 1987]: The information the hon. Member seeks has now been placed in the Library.

  Severely Handicapped Children
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many severely handicapped children are currently placed in long-stay National Health Service hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 5 November 1987]: At 31 December 1986 there were 392 children under 16 years resident in mental handicap hospitals and units in England. A number of these children were receiving short-term respite care or assessment. In addition, 350 mentally handicapped children were resident in small National Health Service units in the community. It is estimated that about 400 of these 742 individuals will have been resident over a year. No information is available centrally on the severity of their handicap.

  Information is not available about the numbers of physically disabled children in hospital; there would be difficulties in defining this group for the purpose of collecting data.

  ARMS Project
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been spent on the ARMS research project at Central Middlesex hospital since its inception; what is the number of full-time and part-time personnel engaged; what funding the project receives other than the annual allocation of the North West Thames regional health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 10 December 1987]: The independent research work undertaken by Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis (ARMS) at the Central Middlesex hospital is funded by the charity and the hon. Member may wish to contact ARMS direct.

  Radiotherapy Services
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pending the outcome of his review of radiotherapy services, he will instruct the South East Thames regional health authority not to remove the radiotherapy service from the Medway towns; and if he will make a statement.
  505
  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 10 December 1987]: The proposals to rationalise radiotherapy services in Kent have been referred to Ministers for decision. In considering these proposals we shall await the outcome of the Department's current review of its guidance to health authorities on the organisation of radiotherapy services.

  Hospital Sales (Brent)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total sum realised by the sale of Neasden hospital by the Brent district health authority; what was the amount allocated by the regional health authority to Brent district health authority in respect of the sale; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the total sum realised by the sale of the Leamington Park hospital by the Brent district health authority; what was the amount actually received for the sale by the Brent district health authority; and what was the date on which it was allocated by the regional health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 10 December 1987]: I regret that this information is not available centrally. Regional health authorities are responsible for land disposal and the allocation of funds to their districts. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of the North West Thames regional health authority.

  Retirement Age
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he intends to take in regard to 506
  national insurance contributions in the light of the decision of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Northern Ireland upholding the complaint of Mrs. Frances Finnegan that she was obliged to retire at 60 years; and what is his assessment, in the case of a woman deciding to work until the age of 65 years, of the effect on her pension of continuing to pay national insurance contributions until that age.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 11 December 1987]: Action in the particular case of Mrs. Finnegan following the findings of the industrial tribunal which ruled on her complaint is a matter for the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland. In relation to Great Britain, the Sex Discrimination Act 1986 provides that it is unlawful for an employer to dismiss a woman on grounds of age where a comparable male employee would not be dismissed. These arrangements in respect of retirement from work have no direct bearing on the provisions of the social security scheme. Employees are liable to pay national insurance contributions up to state pension age, but no liability is incurred thereafter except in respect of employers' secondary contributions. State pension age itself is outside the scope of directive 79/7 on equal treatment in social security. Entitlement to pension cannot be increased after state pension age by either men or women, unless pension is forgone. Increments of about 7½ per cent. a year may then be earned for the first five years after pension age. We have no plans to change these long-standing arrangements.

  GULF CONFLICT: ATTACKS ON BRITISH SHIPS
  GULF CONFLICT: ATTACKS ON BRITISH SHIPS
  SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER
  SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER
  CANADA: PURCHASE OF NUCLEAR SUBMARINES
  CANADA: PURCHASE OF NUCLEAR SUBMARINES
  RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS: TRANSPORT BY AIR
  RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS: TRANSPORT BY AIR
  ARCTIC RESEARCH
  ARCTIC RESEARCH
  POWER STATIONS: BUILDING PROGRAMME
  POWER STATIONS: BUILDING PROGRAMME