Written Answers of 17 July 1987

WALES

  Farm Rents
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average rise in farm rents per hectare, for farms which experienced, a rent change, for Welsh tenants during the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The latest information available is for the period mid-October 1985 to mid-October 1986 and shows that for the 30 per cent. of farms which had a rent change, the average rent per hectare rose from £40·12 to £48·43, an increase of 20·7 per cent.

  Agricultural Land
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the agricultural land which became vacant in 1986 in the tenanted sector was subsequently lost to that sector.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Figures are not available separately for Wales. However, based on the results of the annual rent inquiry published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, some 48·4 per cent. of the total area of agricultural land which fell vacant in 1986 in the tenanted sector of England and Wales was not subsequently relet.

  Housing (Planning Appeals)
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the occasions on which planning permission has been granted for residential housing developments on appeal to his Department since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  Welsh Office records of planning permissions granted for residential housing development on appeal show the name of the developer, the site, and the district in which the site lies. They also give a brief description of the development but not the number of dwellings unless this has been specified in the planning application.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The total expenditure on press and public relations in 1986–87 was £969,057. This figure includes expenditure on salaries and accommodation for all the information grades and support staff, based on the ready reckoner figures for 1986–87.

  Estimated expenditure for the current year is £598,500—a budget figure only—as the ready reckoner tables for 1987–88 are not yet available.
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  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The total spending in 1986–87 on television, radio, newspaper and promotional literature amounted to £406,965.

  The estimated spend for the current year for newspaper, television and radio advertising, together with other promotional literature, is £598,500.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people of pensionable age there are at present in Wales; what proportion of the population they represent; and what were the corresponding figures for 1957, 1967 and 1987.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is given in the following table. Data for 1987 are not yet available.

  Number of Persons of Pensionable Age1 in Wales

  In thousands

  As a percentage of total population

  1986

  542.4

  19.2

  1977

  504.7

  18.0

  1967

  434.7

  16.0

  1957

  373.0

  14.3

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys

  1 Pensionable age is taken as 65 years and over for males 60 years and over for females.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many mortgage repossessions occurred in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the tenants of each local housing authority in Wales are behind with their rent payments; and in each case what proportion of the total number of tenants they represent.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not collected centrally.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Tim Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment.

  Mr. Canavan
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of unemployed people in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. On 11 June 1987 the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 2,905,325.

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. John Evans
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the numbers of accidents in manufacturing industry and the building industry for each of the last five years.

  Reported Occupational Fatal and Major1 Injuries in Manufacturing and Construction, Great Britain

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Manufacturing

  employees

  4,218

  4,193

  4,349

  4,774

  4,932

  self employed

  14

  23

  28

  35

  17

  non-employed

  26

  44

  68

  60

  49

  Total

  4,258

  4,260

  4,445

  4,869

  4,998

  of which fatal

  119

  133

  129

  132

  111

  Construction

  employees

  1,796

  2,050

  2,294

  2,388

  2,351

  self employed

  51

  69

  77

  87

  135

  non-employed

  48

  46

  77

  82

  92

  Total

  1,895

  2,165

  2,448

  2,557

  2,578

  of which fatal

  129

  131

  149

  124

  143

  1 As defined in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations and reported to relevant enforcing authorities.

  Area Manpower Boards
  Ms. Armstrong
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will outline his plans for area manpower boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  I have written to the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission asking for the commission's proposals for establishing a degree of employer representation on area manpower boards which reflects the increased employer representation which is to be introduced for the commission.

  Benefits
  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people in receipt of unemployment benefit in the constituencies of (a) Burnley, (b) Pendle, (c) Hyndburn and (d) Rossendale and Darwen.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library.

  Unemployed claimants of benefits—11 June 1987

  Number

  Burnley constituency

  4,943

  Pendle constituency

  3,722

  Hyndburn constituency

  3,235

  Rossendale and Darwen constituency

  3,735

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (2) what was the total spending by the Manpower Services Commission on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;
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  Mr. Nicholls
  The table gives the available information. Data collected under the new reporting regulations, which came into force in April 1986 are not yet available.

  (3) what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (4) what was the total spending by the Manpower Services Commission on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (5) what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Fowler
  I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Departmental Cash Limits
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if any changes will be made to the cash limits on his Department's Votes for 1987–88.

  Mr. Fowler
  The cash limit on class VII, Vote 2, relating to administrative expenditure by the Department of employment will be reduced by £1,769,000 from £63,860,000 to £62,091,000. This is to compensate for an overspend of £1,769,000 in 1986–87 and follows the standard practice whereby the cash limit for this financial year is reduced by the amount of the previous year's overspend.

  The running costs control limit for 1987–88 will also be reduced by £2,337,000 from £402,435,000 to £400,098,000.

  The Department is reviewing its monitoring procedures for payments in order to improve its cash-limit control.

  Textiles and Clothing Industries
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has concerning the

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  number of people employed as full-time equivalents in the textiles and clothing industries for each quarter in the last eight years.

  Employees in Employment in the Textile and Clothing Industries in Great Britain

  Thousands

  1 Textiles

  1 Clothing

  2 Males All

  Part-time

  Females All

  Part-time

  2 Males All

  Females All

  Part-time

  1979

  March

  196·8

  ..

  179·3

  39·0

  67·5

  255·8

  50·8

  June

  192·8

  ..

  178·9

  37·0

  68·6

  257·7

  51·1

  September

  188·9

  ..

  176·1

  37·2

  67·6

  257·3

  48·7

  December

  182·3

  ..

  171·4

  35·4

  66·4

  252·5

  49·8

  1980

  March

  174·1

  ..

  163·8

  32·8

  64·0

  243·8

  50·1

  June

  166·3

  ..

  158·4

  31·4

  62·7

  233·1

  45·4

  September

  155·8

  ..

  149·1

  29·8

  60·6

  225·0

  44·0

  December

  150·1

  ..

  142·3

  28·1

  58·2

  211·8

  40·3

  1981

  March

  144·9

  ..

  137·2

  26·0

  57·0

  202·8

  38·8

  June

  140·7

  ..

  132·3

  25·9

  56·7

  198·9

  41·1

  September

  139·8

  3·5

  132·3

  25·5

  3 56·1

  195·7

  35·3

  December

  136·7

  ..

  130·3

  24·9

  54·6

  193·5

  33·9

  1982

  March

  134·3

  ..

  128·1

  24·3

  53·6

  190·4

  32·9

  June

  130·9

  ..

  125·2

  23·9

  54·2

  187·6

  33·3

  September

  128·0

  ..

  122·6

  23·3

  53·4

  187·8

  32·8

  December

  125·2

  ..

  120·5

  21·7

  52·9

  185·3

  32·0

  1983

  March

  124·0

  ..

  117·6

  20·4

  52·0

  182·5

  30·8

  June

  122·7

  ..

  116·1

  20·1

  51·4

  183·1

  30·2

  September

  123·0

  ..

  117·3

  21·1

  51·7

  185·5

  29·2

  December

  121·1

  ..

  116·8

  20·3

  51·7

  187·1

  30·1

  1984

  March

  119·0

  ..

  114·2

  20·0

  51·8

  188·8

  29·8

  June

  119·5

  ..

  114·0

  19·4

  51·1

  187·8

  26·7

  September

  120·6

  2·1

  114·3

  19·9

  351·4

  188·0

  27·7

  December

  120·4

  2·1

  114·5

  19·0

  51·4

  189·6

  27·7

  1985

  March

  118·7

  2·0

  112·8

  19·1

  51·3

  189·4

  27·7

  June

  118·9

  2·1

  113·9

  19·6

  52·2

  190·7

  28·0

  September

  120·7

  2·3

  115·9

  19·2

  53·5

  194·2

  27·7

  December

  121·4

  2·2

  115·5

  18·7

  53·2

  192·7

  25·1

  1986

  March

  120·5

  2·3

  114·6

  18·9

  53·6

  191·7

  26·2

  June

  119·9

  2·4

  114·3

  19·1

  53·6

  189·5

  24·1

  September

  117·2

  2·2

  112·0

  17·8

  53·3

  186·6

  22·9

  December

  118·1

  2·2

  113·9

  18·0

  53·8

  184·7

  22·1

  1987

  March

  115·1

  2·0

  107·8

  15·5

  52·5

  183·0

  24·0

  1 Textiles are defined as SIC Class 43 and clothing as SIC Class 45 excluding footwear.

  2 Estimates of the number of part-time male employees are available for all industries at census of employment dates with quarterly estimates from September 1984 for those industries where the sample is large enough to give reasonable estimates, including textiles but not clothing.

  3 Includes 3,600 part-time males at September 1981 and 2,200 at September 1984.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Irish Ex-Service Men
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the enactment of the Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust Act 1987, he will give particulars of any Irish ex-Service men
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  Mr. Lee
  [pursuant to his reply, Thursday 16 July 1987]: There is insufficient detail in the quarterly employment estimates to form the basis of a calculation of a full-time equivalent series. Estimates of total employees and, where available, part-time employees are shown in the table.

  of the first world war on the waiting list of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; and if he will give particulars of any such Irish ex-Service men drawing war pensions from the Department of Health and Social Security who have not received help from the Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are two Irish ex-service men to the first world war on the waiting list of the Northern Ireland
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  Housing Executive. As the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust does not have records of former tenants, it is not possible to answer the second part of the question.

  Overseas Staff (Pay)
  Mr. Madden
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the pay scale for (a) clerical support staff and (b) locally engaged staff employed at British posts in (i) India, (ii) Pakistan, (iii) Bangladesh, (iv) Ghana and (v) Nigeria.

  Mr. Eggar
  The pay scales are as follows:

  (a) United Kingdom-based clerical support staff (Diplomatic Service grade 10) are on the same basic salary scale worldwide:

  Minimum £7,542—Maximum £8,712 per annum. As for all United Kingdom-based staff, these pay scales are supplemented by foreign allowances which differ from post to post.

  (b) Locally-engaged staff pay scales are:

  Minimum

  Maximum

  £

  £

  India

  781

  4,798

  Pakistan

  588

  6,370

  Bangladesh

  491

  6,967

  Ghana

  153

  6,900

  Nigeria

  310

  8,255

  All the pay scales are expressed on an annual basis in rounded sterling amounts and converted at the latest available exchange rates.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Eggar
  Total expenditure on press and public relations was as follows:

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88 Estimate

  Payment to Central Office of Information for overseas information material and related activities

  18·7

  19·6

  Other Information Services

  0·7

  0·9

  Running costs of Diplomatic Wing Information/News Department

  11·9

  2·0

  Running costs of ODA Wing Information Department

  0·2

  0·2

  Costs of Information Staff at overseas posts

  114·6

  15·9

  Total

  136·1

  38·6

  1 Indicates provisional figures.

  Most of this expenditure is incurred in carrying out the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's responsibilities for the projection of Britain's image and Her Majesty's Government's policies overseas.

  Mr. Frank Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what what the total spending by his Department on television radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.
  646
  Mr. Eggar
  Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87 was:

  FCO Diplomatic Wing

  FCO ODA Wing

  £

  £

  1986–87

  335,754

  228,347

  Estimates for 1987–88 are

  198,000

  240,000

  This expenditure relates mainly to advertising for recruitment; advertising relating to the Anglo-Soviet agreement on the settlement of claims (1986–87 only); publicity to promote the new entitlement of certain British residents overseas to vote in British and European Parliament elections; and promotional literature in the United Kingdom. A breakdown of these figures to identify the medium used is not available.

  Kuwaiti Oil Tankers
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of reflagging Kuwaiti oil tankers operating in the Gulf.

  Mr. Mellor
  The reflagging of merchant shipping is a commercial and administrative matter. It does not require our approval but does require applicants to satisfy certain requirements imposed by the Department of Transport. These requirements apply to all applicants wherever they originate.

  Syria
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with Syria.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no plans for high level bilateral contacts or for resuming diplomatic relations with Syria. We note the Syrian action against Abu Nidal but look for further convincing evidence of a sustained change in Syrian policy on terrorism.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Installations
  Mr. Flynn
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to make a response to the recent report by the advisory committee for the safety of nuclear installations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The recent report of the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations does not require an immediate response from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I note, however, that in his foreword to the report, the chairman welcomed the Government's recent decision to increase salary scales for the NII.

  Mr. Flynn
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make it his policy to invite safety inspectors from the International Atomic Energy operational safety review team to assist the nuclear installations inspectorate until such time as the latter has fulfilled its full desired complement of inspectors.
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  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The NII of the HSE is able to carry out all its essential statutory functions with its existing complement of staff. The operational safety review teams of the IAEA were never intended to perform the role of the national regulatory authorities of member countries.

  Nuclear Safety (Report)
  Mr. Flynn
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what response he has made to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's nuclear energy agency report, "Electricity, Nuclear Power and Full Cycle Data in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Countries"; and if he will reappraise his nuclear safety programme in the light of the report.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As this report is of a purely statistical nature, compiled from data supplied by each member country, no response is called for.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Frank Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The provisional figure for expenditure by my Department on press and public relations in 1986–87 is £13,876,852. Estimated expenditure for the current year is £9,287,647.

  The bulk of the programme costs are in respect of the energy efficiency campaign. Special effort was put into the campaign during Energy Efficiency year 1986.

  Notes:

  The figures (in cash prices) include:

  (i) programme expenditure on information and publicity material including advertising, displays, exhibitions, films, promotions, publications, research, seminars. theatre groups and the press office;

  (ii) staff costs (salaries, accommodation and common services) for all permanent information service and support staff in post on 1 April each year based upon ready reckoner figures.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy, what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The provisional figures for expenditure by my Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87 was £7,060,000. The bulk of this expenditure was related to the special effort put into the energy efficiency campaign during Energy Efficiency Year. This figure excludes costs included in gas privatisation. Estimated expenditure for the current year is £2,520,000.

  ESCOM (South Africa)
  Mr. Boateng
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy (I) what information he has concerning the loan of United Kingdom electricity supply industry staff to ESCOM in South Africa;

  (2) whether all uranium imported into the United Kingdom from (a) South Africa and (b) Namibia is treated as covered by the International Atomic Energy or Euratom safeguards;
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  (3) whether there has been any withdrawal of uranium of South African or Namibian origin from international safeguards for national security reasons (a) before May 1979 and (b) since May 1979;

  (4) what proportion of the total uranium stockpile held in the United Kingdom is under International Atomic Energy Authority or Euratom safeguards;

  (5) whether he will place in the Library any correspondence between (a) Her Majesty's Government and the European Commissioners and (b) between Her Majesty's Government and the Australian and Canadian attaches to the European Community on the matter of the application of nuclear safeguards to uranium imports to the EEC for use in the United Kingdom, in each case since May 1979.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Boateng
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the uranium stocks held by (a) British Nuclear Fuels Limited, (b) the Central Electricity Generating Board, (c) the South of Scotland Electricity Board and (d) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is of (i) South African and (ii) Namibian origin.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the industries and I have asked the chairmen of BNFL, the CEGB and the UKAEA to write to the hon. Member. The SSEB is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Gas and Electricity Disconnections
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many people in Wales were disconnected from their (a) gas, and (b) electricity supplies during the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  This is a matter for the industries themselves. I have asked the chairmen of the Electricity Council and British Gas plc to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

SCOTLAND

  Foula Pier
  Mr. Wallace
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in discussions between his Department and Shetlands Islands council towards final approval of the Foula pier improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We are now considering the proposal for pier improvements at Foula in the light of the discussions between the Scottish Development Department and Shetland Islands council. We hope to reach a decision shortly.

  Clydesdale Bank
  Mr. Salmond
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what aspects of the sale of the Clydesdale bank he discussed at his recent meeting with representatives of the National Australia bank; on what date the meeting took place; when he first learned about the proposed sale; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend met representatives of the National Australia bank at their
  649
  request on 6 July. The purpose of that meeting was for the National Australia bank representatives to give my right hon. and learned Friend prior notice of their intentions in relation to the Clydesdale bank, as subsequently announced publicly on 7 July. My right hon. and learned Friend had been alerted to the proposed sale on 2 July.

  National Australia Bank
  Mr. Salmond
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the implications for the Scottish economy of the proposed purchase by the National Australia bank of the Clydesdale bank; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The question of any statutory intervention, of course, falls to the consideration of my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, however, in terms of his responsibilities for the Scottish economy, has noted with interest the statement by the National Australia bank management that they intend that the Clydesdale bank will have a greater degree of autonomy than it has enjoyed in the recent past, and that they see Clydesdale as a springboard for further expansion in the United Kingdom and Europe.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The running costs of the Scottish Information Office in 1986–87, including the cost of paid publicity, were £1·5 million. The costs for 1987–88 are estimated at £1·7 million.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The total expenditure by my Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87 was £926,000. Estimated expenditure for the current financial year is £1·2 million.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department in helping small businesses over the last three years; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My Department operates a wide range of measures, designed to improve the performance and competitiveness of businesses, large and small. Over the past three years, the measures taken by the Government to reduce burdens on business, some of which have particular application to small firms, have been set out in the White Paper "Building Businesses … Not 650
  Barriers" (Cmnd. 9794) published in May 1986, and in the progress report "Encouraging Enterprise" published in May this year.

  As these documents show, work is continuing in the company law field. In particular, the procedures introduced by the companies registration offices (CROs) for reminding companies of their filing obligations have proved of real value to small business men. Since the introduction of the reminder procedure for filing annual returns and accounts at the CRO, compliance rates have risen from around 60 per cent. to approximately 80 per cent.

  Consultative documents have been issued inviting views on accounting and audit requirements for small companies, procedures for filing annual accounts and returns at the CROs and abolition of the ultra vires rule with a view to action in the next Companies Bill. That Bill is also likely to include further measures designed to simplify company law requirements and, where possible, remove them altogether, especially where small business men are concerned. In addition, we currently await comments on the consultative document published jointly with the Inland Revenue earlier this month on possible changes in tax and company law aimed at making it easier for small companies to disincorporate.

  The new regional development grant scheme for development areas introduced in November 1984 was designed to be particularly favourable to firms with up to 200 employees. The main indicator of success in meeting this objective is that 83 per cent. of all grants made by the Department since the beginning of the scheme has gone to firms of this size. This represents an amount of grant of £78 million, which has been paid towards projects involving the creation of some 27,000 jobs. Comparable figures for the proportion of grants under the old regional development grant scheme going to small firms are not available but there is no doubt that the proportion was much lower.

  On 17 February 1987 the Minister of State announced simplified arrangements for regional selective assistance offers of up to £25,000. Some indication of the impact of these new arrangements will be given by the trends in the number and value of offers of this size but it is too early to draw any conclusions from the information available so far. Twenty per cent. by value of DTI offers of RSA in the last three years have been made to firms with fewer than 200 employees; this amounts to over £80 million in grant offered.

  The business improvement services scheme (BIS), a package of measures specifically tailored to the needs of small firms, was introduced in November 1984 in areas of England which have suffered a decline in the steel, shipbuilding and textiles industries. The scheme was extended in March 1986 to certain similarly affected fisheries areas and again in July 1986 to west Cornwall to provide support for small firms in that area, following the closure of the Geevor tin mine. At 3 May 1987 almost 6,000 offers had been made with a value of £45 million. It is too early to make an assessment of the performance of BIS but it has been a popular scheme. Initial reactions by the business community have been favourable.

  The exchange risk guarantee scheme (ERGS) has operated since 1978; following its most recent review in July 1985, it was decided that the resources available should be concentrated on small firms. The scheme enables firms to take advantage of low-interest foreign

  651
  currency loans from the European Coal and Steel Community. These loans can also attract a subsidy linked to the number of jobs created.

  The period of loan for which ERGS cover is provided is, typically, seven to 10 years. The fluctuation in exchange rates over the period of time will ultimately determine the cost of providing such cover and, therefore, the precise cost will not be known until the expiry of the loan period. In these circumstances specific performance indicators are not considered appropriate. However, the operation of the scheme is kept under regular review.

  Under the support for innovation scheme there is a minimum of £100,000 eligible costs below which applications are only considered from small firms. Such applications are subject to a simplified appraisal process and the criteria are applied less stringently. Since April 1985, 352 small firms have been offered assistance involving expenditure of £6 million on total project costs of £24 million. Projects from small firms with costs in excess of £100,000 are not given favourable treatment.

  Over the last three years about 15,000 firms with up to 500 employees have received subsidised consultancy through the various elements of the business and technical advisory services (BTAS) aimed at improving marketing, design and management. About 90 per cent. of those assisted had fewer than 200 employees; more than half had fewer than 50 employees. Individual BTAS projects are monitored in the short term to ensure that firms get value for money and benefit from the experience. In the longer term, the Department, as part of its overall evaluation of expenditure, regularly carries out assessments of the benefits of funding support for business. A report on the SFI scheme, covering SFI support for all sizes of business, will be published this autumn.

  The British Overseas Trade Board provides a wide range of services to exporters. Although not available exclusively for small businesses, these are designed with the needs of such firms particularly in mind. Small firms account for over 70 per cent. of the board's contact with industry, and continued attention will be given to encouraging and enabling these firms to develop their potential for breaking successfully into overseas markets.

  The board attempts as rigorous an assessment as possible of the value of its expenditure on the services it provides. These assessments can never be wholly accurate but indicate that the BOTB services examined are linked to around £2 billion of exports which would not otherwise have been won. This produces a ratio of exports to expenditure of about 50:1.

  Mock Auctions
  Mr. Waller
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek to amend the Mock Auctions Act 1961 in order to strengthen the powers of enforcement officers.

  Mr. Maude
  There are no plans at present to amend the Mock Auctions Act 1961.

  Mr. Waller
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many successful prosecutions took place in each of the last five years for offences under the provisions of the Mock Auctions Act 1961.
  652
  Mr. Maude
  The number of successful prosecutions under the provisions of the Mock Auctions Act 1961 in each of the years 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985 were as follows:

  Number

  1982

  90

  1983

  33

  1984

  24

  1985

  7

  Figures for 1986 are not yet available but are expected to be published in September this year.

  Turtle Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the importation of turtle products by (a) description, (b) weight and (c) value in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Turtle products are not separately identified in the UK Overseas Trade Statistics. However, import permits for turtle products are granted by the Department of the Environment in accordance with European Council regulation 3626/82, which implements the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora within the European Community, from which the following information has been obtained.

  Figures are not yet available for 1986. Information on the value of turtle products is not available; with the exception of meat and calipee (for which weight is available), the only information relates to the number of items.

  United Kingdom imports of Turtle products 1982–85

  Quantity

  Product

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Handbags

  11

  164

  —

  —

  Bodies

  3

  112

  —

  1

  Shoes

  634

  414

  —

  —

  Shells

  6

  328

  9

  21

  Shell:

  carvings

  64

  —

  7

  16

  boxes

  3

  —

  —

  —

  pieces

  —

  —

  14

  —

  cabinet

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Scales

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Belts

  10

  27

  —

  —

  Wallets

  —

  140

  —

  —

  Skin pieces

  —

  —

  20

  —

  Eggs

  —

  —

  —

  150

  Meat (kg)

  —

  1,000

  6,902

  —

  Calipee (kg)

  —

  —

  545

  —

  Notes:

  (1) Shoes are counted in pairs.

  (2) Skin pieces counted in sets.

  Source: Annual Reports on the Implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

  British Telecom
  Mr. Clay
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will set out the latest information regarding shareholding in British Telecom using the same format as that given in his reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist) on 20 January 1986.

  Mr. Butcher
  As my previous answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South-East (Mr. Nellist) made
  653
  clear, this is properly a matter for British Telecom. Its 1987 annual report gives the most recent available figures on categories of shareholdings. A copy of this is available in the Library of the House.

  Clydesdale Bank
  Mr. Salmond
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the answer of 13 July, when he expects to be in a position to announce his decision on the possible reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of the proposed purchase by the National Australia bank of the Clydesdale bank.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will be in a position to make a decision on the possible reference of this proposal when he has received the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading. The Director General will submit his advice as soon as is reasonably practicable.

  British Shipbuilders (Ferry Order)
  Mr. Clay
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date his Department first knew of the potential PZ order for ferries from British Shipbuilders.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department was first approached in February 1986 about a possible order for a series of ferry hulls. British Shipbuilders became involved in March 1986 in discussions about building a series of complete ships.

  Mr. Clay
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assistance was provided by his Department in the successful tender for the PZ order to British Shipbuilders.

  Mr. Atkins
  Considerable assistance was provided for this order from the shipbuilding intervention fund under the rules of the EC fifth directive on aid to shipbuilding. The tender also took into account the benefit of export credit provided on OECD understanding terms.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total spending by the Department of Trade and Industry on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Butcher
  I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total spending by the Department of Trade and Industry on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Butcher
  Information is not readily available to distinguish between expenditure on advertising in newspapers and that in the press generally. Nor is it readily available for amounts spent other than centrally by my Department.

  The figures which are readily available are:
  654

  Advertising

  TV

  Radio

  Newspapers (Press)

  Promotional Literature

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1986–87

  —

  2,921

  986,798

  1,007,569

  1987–88

  16,000

  15,500

  1,648,000

  1,491,500

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers (Pay)
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, when reviewing teachers' pay, he will consider extending the boundaries of outer London weighting to include teachers working in Berkshire.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has it in mind to refer the question of London weighting allowances to the interim advisory committee.

  Research
  Mr. Wilkinson
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of Science and Engineering Research Council/Medical Research Council funds are spent on fundamental research compared with industrially relevant development work.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is not available exactly in form requested. A breakdown of Science and Engineering Research Council and Medical Research Council spending into the four categories—basic research, strategic applied research, specific applied research and experimental development—is given in table A23 on page 22 of the 1986 "Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development," a copy of which is in the Library. The definition of the four categories is given in annex 3, page 183, of the review.

  Mr. Wilkinson
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent private industry contributes financially to scientific research in universities and polytechnics.

  Mr. Jackson
  In respect of universities. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 8 July 1987 at column 156. Comparable information is not collected centrally for polytechnics.

  Edinburgh University
  Mr. Knapman
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) for what purpose the department of Bacteriology at the university of Edinburgh applied for funds from the Medical Research Council; and why this application was not acceded to in full;

  (2) if the work that the department of bacteriology at the university of Edinburgh proposed to the Medical Research Council is being carried out at other centres.

  Mr. Jackson
  The department of bacteriology at the University of Edinburgh applied to the Medical Research Council for funds to support research on susceptibility to meningitis (the project is entitled "The Secretor State and Susceptibility to Bacterial Meningitis"). The application was carefully considered by the council's physiological systems and disorders board in the light of advice from
  655
  expert referees. The decision was that the application was not of sufficient scientific merit to justify full support, but that it should receive limited support to enable the applicants to confirm the premliminary hypothesis on which the study is based.

  The Medical Research Council is not aware of any similar work being done in this country. However, I understand that similar work is at present being done in the Netherlands.

  Conservative Central Office (Correspondence)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to the answer of 6 July, Official Report, column 37, whether letters referred to Conservative Central Office or his political adviser have the status of a ministerial reply; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to the answer of 6 July, Official Report, column 37, whether he can estimate how many letters addressed to him on ministerial business were referred to Conservative Central Office or his political adviser;

  (3) pursuant to the answer of 6 July, Official Report, column 37, on what basis letters addressed to him as Minister were referred to Conservative Central Office or his political adviser for replies.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  All letters from candidates were considered for reply by Conservative Central Office or my political adviser, as were letters relating to policies announced in the Conservative manifesto. Replies on Conservative Central Office paper do not have the status of a ministerial reply. About 15 replies on educational matters were deal with in this way.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Mullin
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply of 6 July, Official Report, column 37, if he will make it his policy to regard mandatory levies as part of fees for the purposes of the student grant.

  Mr. Jackson
  No.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Total spending, including staff costs, on press and public relations by the Department of Education and Science in 1986–87 was £1,937,849. The estimated expenditure for the current year is £2,305,287.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Rumbold
  Total spending on advertising and other promotional literature by the Department of Education and Science in 1986–87 is as follows:656

  £

  Newspapers

  532,000

  Television

  —

  Radio

  —

  Other promotional literature

  533,000

  The estimated expenditure for the current year is £1,52,000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Simon Brown
  Mr. Cox
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the conditions under which Simon Brown, aged 17 years, has been held in police cells at Horseferry road police station; for how long he has been held there: and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how and when the family of Simon Brown, aged 17 years, were informed that he was to be moved from police cells at Horseferry road police station to Ashford remand centre; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many visits Simon Brown was allowed from members of his family while he was being held in police cells at Horseferry road police station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Police cells in the metropolis are the responsibility of the Commissioner of Police. The police provide the best conditions they can under difficult circumstances, but we are well aware that facilities may leave much to be desired. The measures which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced yesterday are designed to alleviate the present situation.

  I am informed that Simon Brown was held in Horseferry road police cells from 8 to 11 July before being transferred to Ashford remand centre.

  The police do not allow visits to prisoners in Horseferry road police cells although they do allow food and changes of clothing to be taken in by the prisoner's family

  The police are not obliged to inform prisoners' families when they are transferred to prison custody, but they do so if the prisoner requests it. No record is kept which would enable the police to say whether that was done in this case.

  Ashford Remand Centre
  Mr. Cox
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policy is followed at Ashford remand centre in allowing visits to people being held on remand; on what days visits are allowed; how people are informed of this and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Because of a substantial increase in the population of Ashford remand centre and the limited accommodation available for visits, my right hon. Friend authorised, exceptionally, last year a reduction in the minimum of 15 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays normally allowed for visits to remand prisoners. The current provision at Ashford is for 15-minute visits on alternate weekdays with 10-minute visits on Saturdays.
  657
  Inmates are informed of the visiting arrangements on arrival at the establishment and details are contained in notices on all landings. When next of kin are notified of an inmate's reception, information on visiting arrangements is provided. In addition, details are displayed on notices in the visitors' centre outside the remand centre, at the gate and in the passage leading to the visits room.

  Ordinary Visitors and business visitors admitted to the United Kingdom between November 1985 and March 1987

  Number

  Nationality

  India

  Pakistan

  Bangladesh

  Ghana

  Nigeria

  VISITORS

  1985

  November

  7,080

  3,300

  520

  1,730

  9,280

  December

  8,490

  4,120

  600

  1,820

  12,760

  1986

  January

  5,070

  2,930

  420

  1,250

  8,020

  February

  5,890

  2,640

  340

  1,140

  7,100

  March

  6,970

  3,940

  500

  1,270

  9,100

  April

  10,220

  5,140

  580

  1,160

  8,020

  May

  18,350

  6,120

  980

  1,510

  10,110

  June

  20,410

  10,040

  1,080

  1,670

  10,410

  July

  19,960

  14,770

  1,600

  2,730

  20,420

  August

  16,740

  8,750

  1,360

  2,920

  19,200

  September

  13,210

  6,210

  1,060

  2,000

  12,320

  October

  8,520

  4,340

  850

  1,290

  5,660

  November

  5,450

  2,610

  500

  810

  3,480

  December

  4,730

  3,090

  510

  970

  4,400

  1987

  January

  3,730

  2,130

  400

  680

  3,500

  February

  3,710

  1,880

  310

  590

  1,750

  March

  4,890

  2,650

  380

  680

  1,930

  BUSINESS VISITORS

  1985

  November

  2,280

  1,090

  180

  770

  5,400

  December

  1,680

  650

  190

  590

  2,950

  1986

  January

  1,970

  680

  100

  500

  4,320

  February

  2,260

  760

  120

  590

  5,530

  March

  2,340

  870

  110

  510

  5,280

  April

  2,530

  1,060

  160

  610

  5,330

  May

  3,290

  1,170

  210

  700

  5,830

  June

  2,940

  1,010

  180

  600

  5,460

  July

  2,650

  1,080

  150

  530

  5,520

  August

  2,000

  890

  150

  620

  4,080

  September

  4,030

  1,150

  170

  680

  5,650

  October

  2,780

  1,050

  170

  570

  3,320

  November

  2,490

  930

  150

  570

  2,820

  December

  1,480

  690

  110

  370

  1,820

  1987

  January

  1,950

  780

  90

  460

  1,850

  February

  2,110

  710

  100

  490

  1,820

  March

  2,510

  920

  100

  620

  2,820

  Private Security Industry
  Mr. George
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the recent robbery at the Knightsbridge safe deposit centre, he will order an urgent review of the private security industry; and if he will seek to impose statutory controls over its operation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. While the private security industry shold be properly regulated, it does not follow that the answer lies in statutory regulation. We have made

  Foreign Visitors
  Mr. Madden
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) ordinary and (b) business visitors entered the United Kingdom in each month since November 1985 from each of the following countries: (i) India, (ii) Pakistan, (iii) Bangladesh, (iv) Ghana and (v) Nigeria.

  Mr. Renton
  The latest available information is given in the following table:

  it clear that we look to the industry itself to provide self-regulation, and much progress has been made by both the British Security Industry Association and the International Professional Security Association.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.
  659
  Mr. Hurd
  The total running cost of the Home Office public relations branch, excluding direct expenditure on paid pubicity, in 1986–87 was £753,000. The forecast expenditure in the current financial year is £877,500.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Hurd
  The total amount spent by the Home Office on advertising, promotional literature and other paid publicity, in 1986–87 was £5·7 million, Estimated expenditure for the current financial year is £9·1 million.

  Metropolitan Police (Publicity)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total spending by the Metropolitan police on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that staffing and accommodation costs of the Directorate of Public Affairs and spending on recruitment and other advertising and other promotional literature totalled £4,444,103 in 1986–87. The estimate for 1987–88 is £4,654,926.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total spending by the Metropolitan police on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature, in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that expenditure by the Metropolitan police on all forms of recruitment and other advertising, and other promotional literature totalled £2,269,000 in 1986–87. The estimate for 1987–88 is £2,483,000.

PRIME MINISTER

  Public Sector Workers (Pay Increases)
  Mr. Grocott
  asked the Prime Minister if she will list the most recent percentage pay increases agreed with the following public sector workers: (a) university lecturers, (b) the police, (c) doctors and dentists, and (d) civil servants.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage increase

  Date of most recent increase

  University Lecturers

  16·6

  1 1 December 1986

  Police

  7·5

  1 September 1986

  Doctors and Dentists

  7·7

  1 April 1987

  Civil Servants

  4·6

  1 April 1987

  1 First stage of a staged deal. Second increase of 7·4 per cent, due from 1 March 1988.

  International Society for Krishna Consciousness
  Mr. Bidwell
  asked the prime Minister what representations she has received concerning the use of Bhaktivedanta
  660
  manor at Letchmore heath as a temple by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have recently received a petition from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and a letter from my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Mr. Watts). I shall be writing to him in due course.

  Westland plc
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer on 14 July, relating to the Westland affair, she will list each of the previous answers to which she referred, giving in each case a precise column reference in the Official Report; if she will make it her policy in future, when answering questions by alluding to previous replies, to give detailed Official Report column references: and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  In my reply of 17 November 1986, at column 50, I told the hon. Gentleman that full accounts have already been given by myself and other Ministers in statements in Parliament, speeches in debates and answers to parliamentary questions, and by the head of the Home Civil Service in his evidence to the Defence Committee. This material is readily available in the Official Report and in the minutes of evidence to the Committee. The Government stand by those accounts, and see no reason to qualify or add to them.

  Turtle Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Prime Minister whether turtle soup has been served at any official Prime Ministerial function since 1979; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Records for the period before 1982 are not available. Since 1982 there have been no occasions when turtle soup has been served at any official luncheon or dinner at No. 10 Downing street.

  KMS (Government Contracts)
  Mr. Madden
  asked the Prime Minister if she will list all Government contracts for which the organisation KMS has tendered since 1979; and if she will give the date in each case.

  The Prime Minister
  Details of tenders for Government contracts are not recorded centrally. Records for my office are readily available only from April 1984. No contracts have been placed with, or payments made to, KMS Limited by or on behalf of my office during that period.

  Libya (United States Bombing)
  Mr. Ron Brown
  asked the Prime Minister if she will raise with the United States Administration the question of paying compensation to the families affected by the United States bombing of Libya in 1986.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. Richard Branson
  Mr. Brown
  asked the Prime Minister if she has asked Mr. Richard Branson to pay the costs of his rescue; and if she will make a statement.
  661
  The Prime Minister
  No. It is not our policy to charge for rescuing those whose lives are at risk.

  Publicity Expenditure
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Prime Minister what was the total spending by the Cabinet Office on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. Expenditure on press and public relations in 1986–87 by the Cabinet Office, including by No. 10 Downing street, the Management and Personnel Office, and the Central Statistical Office, as well as on such services provided to the Office of Arts and Libraries, was £551,500. An estimated £535,000 is expected to be spent on these activities in 1987–88.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Prime Minister what was the total spending by the Cabinet Office on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  The Prime Minister
  Such expenditure by the Cabinet Office, including the Central Statistical Office and the Management and Personnel Office, is nearly all related to recruitment by the Civil Service Commission. Total spending in 1986–87 was £2,156,000, of which £2,004,000 was on recruitment. Estimated expenditure in 1987–88 is expected to be £2,400,000, of which £2,212,000 will be on recruitment.

  Obstetricians
  Ms. Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was (a) the total number of obstetricians

  Table 2

  Permanent paid staff in Obstetrics and Gynaecology: showing number of staff, number and percentage of female staff; number of part-time staff2 as proportion of all staff and number and percentage of female staff at 30 September each year

  England and Wales

  Number of staff

  part-time staff

  Total

  Female

  Percentage of female

  Total

  Percentage of all staff

  Female

  Female part-time staff as percentage of all part-time staff

  1978

  1,174

  186

  15·8

  542

  46·2

  77

  14·2

  1979

  1,190

  195

  16·4

  550

  46·2

  82

  14·9

  1980

  1,186

  203

  17·1

  537

  45·3

  78

  14·5

  1981

  1,215

  230

  18·9

  540

  44·4

  80

  14·8

  1982

  1,252

  245

  19·6

  543

  43·4

  89

  16·4

  1983

  1,272

  241

  18·9

  539

  42·4

  84

  15·6

  1984

  1,283

  258

  20·1

  543

  42·3

  83

  15·3

  1985

  1,276

  267

  20·9

  532

  41·7

  82

  15·4

  1986

  1,303

  262

  20·1

  528

  40·5

  78

  14·8

  1 Including consultants, associate specialists, senior registrars and registrars.

  2 Including maximum part-time consultants and associate specialists and other part-time staff in grades of consultant, associate specialist, senior registrar and registrar.

  Women's Health
  Ms. Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list (a) the amount of grant aid allocated by Government to each voluntary organisation devoted to women's health, for each year from 1974, (b) the percentage' increase or decrease in
  662
  practising in the National Health Service, (b) the number and percentage of women obstetricians practising in the National Health Service, (c) the number and percentage of part-time obstetricians practising in the National Health Service and (d) the number and percentage of women part-time obstetricians of the total of part-time obstetricians practising in the National Health Service since 1974.

  Mrs. Currie
  The tables set out available data for England and Wales of doctors in the specialty of obstetrics and gynaecology. Data of the sex of part-time medical staff are not available prior to 1978 or for all grades. Table 2 includes part-time medical staff in the consultant, associate specialist, senior registrar and registrar grades.

  Table 1

  Hospital medical staff1 in obstetrics and gynaecology: showing number of staff, and number and percentage of female staff at 30 September each year

  England and Wales

  Females

  All Staff

  Number

  Per Cent.

  1974

  2,306

  611

  26·5

  1975

  2,426

  613

  25·3

  1976

  2,426

  590

  24·3

  1977

  2,466

  626

  25·4

  1978

  2,497

  641

  25·7

  1979

  2,518

  691

  27·4

  1980

  2,560

  673

  26·3

  1981

  2,616

  718

  27·4

  1982

  2,682

  742

  27·7

  1983

  2,709

  735

  27·1

  1984

  2,715

  766

  28·2

  1985

  2,733

  832

  30·4

  1986

  2,752

  866

  31·5

  1 Including consultants and senior hospital medical officers with allowance, associate specialists, senior registrars, registrars, senior house officers and house officers.

  Government grants to these organisations, for each year from 1974 and (c) organisations which have ceased to receive Government grants from 1974 to date.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested would be available only at disproportionate cost.

  The following is a list of voluntary organisations funded by the Department in 1986–87 which are either

  663
  devoted to women's health and welfare, or of primary or particular interest to women, and of the amount of funding they received from the Department in 1986–87.

  Voluntary organisations funded under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  £

  General Scheme

  Women's National Cancer Control Campaign

  68,000

  Women's Health Concern

  7,000

  Women's Therapy Centre

  5,000

  Widow's Advisory Trust

  20,000

  London Black Women's Health Action Group

  3,750

  Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development (FORWARD)

  40,000

  Mastectomy Association

  6,000

  Maternity Alliance

  37,000

  National Childbirth Trust

  42,500

  La Leche League of Great Britain

  6,000

  National Association for Maternal and Child Welfare

  10,000

  Miscarriage Association

  2,274

  Stillbirth and Neo-natal Death Associaton

  22,000

  Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths

  10,000

  National Women's Aids Federation

  29,590

  Rape Counselling and Research Project

  22,000

  Anorexic Family Aid

  24,881

  London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard (towards its telephone information service in relation to AIDS)

  10,335

  Central Funding Initiative for Services for Drug Misusers

  City Roads (to provide additional accommodation for women and children)

  72,177

  Coke Hole Trust (rehabilitation service)—mother and baby unit

  10,963

  Phoenix House, S. Tyneside Project (to provide a residential rehabilitation unit with special facilities for women and their families)

  78,051

  Tranx (National Tranquilliser Advice Centre)

  20,300

  The Department funds many other voluntary organisations whose work is of interest to both women and men, including a number of organisations working for young children.

  Balderton Hospital (Eastdale Unit)
  Mr. Irving
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are currently in the Eastdale unit at Balderton hospital; and how many people are currently awaiting transfer to the unit.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand from the Central Nottinghamshire health authority that there are six patients in the unit. Of these, two are at present away from it, one in police custody and the other on assessment leave. Seven patients have been identified as potentially suitable for short periods of phased leave and observation in the unit.

  District General Hospital (East Midlands)
  Mr. Heddle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now able to publish a firm date for the start of building work on the new district general hospital to serve Lichfield, Tamworth and Burton on Trent.

  Mrs. Currie
  The management of this scheme is the responsibility of the West Midlands regional health authority. I understand that building work is due to start in July 1989.

  Medical and Surgical Aids
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the medical and surgical aids which are available (a) free of charge and (b) at a reduced cost to women aged 60 years or over and men aged 65 years or over.

  Mr. Newton
  A wide range of aids is available free of charge to people of pensionable age. Those available on general practitioner prescription are listed in part IXA of the "Drug Tariff'', a copy of which is available in the Library. There is no comprehensive list of the aids available through the hospital and community health services.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of extending entitlement to concessions on the cost of medical and surgical aids to all persons aged 60 years or over.

  Mr. Newton
  The information on which to base a reliable estimate is not available.

  Private Laboratories (Testing)
  Mr. Irving
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring in legislation to ban private laboratories from advertising testing services to the general public.

  Mrs. Currie
  No. We are considering how best to ensure that private laboratories offering testing services maintain acceptable standards. The Advertising Standards Authority's guidance to the media is that advertisements from laboratories should be accepted only if the work in question is supervised by a suitably qualified person.

  Kendal Hospital
  Mr. Jopling
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the dates for the start and the completion of the new Kendal hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  No firm start date is available pending final approval to contract arrangements. A decision is expected shortly.

  NHS (Jobs)
  Mr. Allen
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many jobs have been lost or created in Nottingham in the National Health Service (a) since 1979 and (b) since 1983.

  Mr. Newton
  I have interpreted "Nottingham" as referring to Nottingham district health authority. Information on jobs lost or created is not collected centrally. The table shows staff in post figures for Nottingham district health authority, at 30 September 1983 and 1985. Due to the effects of the 1982 reorganisation, data are not available for 1979 on a consistent basis with those for later years. The figures for 30 September 1985 are the latest available to this level of detail.
  665

  NHS directly employed staff in post—Nottingham (teaching) DHA at 30 September

  whole time equivalent1

  1983

  1985

  Total Staff (including agency and locums)2

  11,680

  11,720

  Source: DHSS annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

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

  2 Includes all permanent medical and dental staff and locums except Senior Registrars whose contracts are held by the Regional Health Authority.

  Marriage and Cohabitation (Trends)
  Mr. Shersby
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the trend over the past (a) 10 and (b) five years of the number and proportion of households consisting of (i) married and (ii) cohabiting couples.

  Mrs. Currie
  The available information which most closely approximates to that requested is as follows:

  Great Britain

  1976

  1979

  1981

  1984

  Estimated number of private households (millions)1

  19·3

  19·7

  20·1

  20·5

  Estimated percentage of households containing a married couple2

  67

  65

  65

  63

  Estimated percentage of women aged 18–49 who were cohabiting2

  n/a

  3

  5

  4

  1Source: Department of the Environment

  2Source: General Household Survey

  n/a = not available.

  Family Income Support Unit
  Mr. Grocott
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why there is a special family income support unit that deals solely with claims from civil servants.

  Mr. Portillo
  There is no such unit.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the size of the waiting list in the Barnet health authority; and how this compares with the waiting list in September 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  I am sorry I cannot give my hon. Friend the information he seeks as the latest figures available centrally are for 30 September 1986.

  Cystic Fibrosis (Prescriptions)
  Mr. McCrindle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of providing free prescriptions for all sufferers from cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  All cystic fibrosis sufferers under the age of 16 are automatically exempt from charges and a number of those over 16 will be exempt on financial or other medical grounds. The cost of extending exemption to the remainder would be small but it would be unfair to single out one group from others who seek exemption on medical grounds.
  666
  Mr. McCrindle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to make free prescriptions available for all cystic fibrosis sufferers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have no plans to do so.

  Miss Irene Clipsom
  Mr. Heddle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when a decision will be reached by his Department's attendance allowance office at Norcross, Blackpool, in the case of Miss Irene Clipsom of 24 Mill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire, in respect of her mother Mrs. Clipsom, national insurance No. ZA 57 26 89 A.

  Mr. Scott
  A decision was given on 25 February 1987 by the Attendance Allowance Board, the independent adjudicating authority responsible for deciding whether the medical conditions for an allowance are satisfied in individual cases, and sent to Miss Clipsom on 16 March. I understand she has asked for the decision to be reviewed and this is currently being considered by the board.

  Lithotripter Machine (Cost)
  Mr. Battle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of purchasing a lithotripter machine.

  Mrs. Currie
  The purchase price of lithotripters available in this country is between £600,000 and £1,200,000.

  Breast Milk Substitutes
  Mr. Battle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library a copy of the Food Manufacturers' Federation code on the marketing of breast milk substitues; when he expects the report of the monitoring committee; and what are the current enforcement responsibilities of the committee.

  Mrs. Currie
  The first general report of the committee responsible for monitoring the FMF code is expected early next year; Ministers received an interim report in June 1986. The committee has no enforcement powers. Its remit requires it to report to the Government any infringement of the code which the person or firm responsible will not remedy. I have arranged for a copy of the code to be placed in the Library.

  Kidney Stones Treatment (Leeds)
  Mr. Battle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently on the waiting list for treatment for kidney stones in the Leeds West and Leeds East district health authorities; and how many patients have been referred to other regional health authority areas for such treatment.

  Mr. Newton
  I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks. Information available centrally on in-patient waiting lists is categorised according to the specialty of the consultant but not according to the intended method of treatment. With regard to the numbers of patients referred to other regional health authorities for treatment, the sample numbers held centrally are too small for a reliable estimate to be made.
  667
  The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Leeds, West and Leeds, East district health authorities for the information required.

  Speech Therapy Services
  Mr. Steinberg
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been allocated for speech therapy services by the Durham district health authority; what information he has about the shortage of speech therapists (a) in Durham district health authority, and (b) nationally; and what information he has about the effect of this shortage on the demand for private speech therapy services in the Durham district health authority area.

  Mr. Newton
  The information the hon. Member seeks relating to Durham district health authority is not collected centrally, and he may wish to write to the chairman of that authority for the information he requires. Nationally, the number of speech therapists employed has gone up by over 50 per cent. since 1979, and I am advised there is no general evidence of unfilled authorised posts.

  Benefits (Deductions)
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Wales had automatic deductions made from their basic benefit to pay for (a) electricity, and (b) gas because of debt, during the last year for which full figures are available.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information is not available precisely in the form requested. The number of supplementary benefit claimants in Wales who were having automatic deductions made from their benefit for payment direct to the fuel authorities in February 1986 (the latest available information) was:

  Number

  Electricity

  10,281

  Gas

  7,653

  Source: Supplementary Benefit Statistics (Annual Inquiry) February 1986.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (2) what was the total spending by his Department on television. radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Moore
  I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the total social security budget of his Department in Wales, Scotland, England and each of the English regions for each year since 1979, both at outturn and 1987 prices.

  Mr. Scott
  Total identifiable public expenditure on the social security programme in England, Scotland and Wales is as set out for the years 1980–81 to 1985–86.668
  Comparable figures for 1986–87 are not yet available. Figures consistent with those given in the table are not available for 1979–80. Regional analyses of expenditure in England are available only for certain benefits; detailed figures for the years to 1984–85 have been published in successive editions of "Regional Trends" from 1982 to 1987, copies of which are in the Library.

  £ million

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Cash

  1Real

  Cash

  1Real

  Cash

  1Real

  1980–812

  19,565·7

  27,473

  2,226·4

  3,126

  1,234·5

  1,733

  1981–82

  23,769·7

  30,391

  2,759·4

  3,528

  1,495·0

  1,911

  1982–83

  27,151·2

  32,367

  3,123·0

  3,723

  1,702·5

  2,030

  1983–84

  29,378·5

  33,527

  3,387·3

  3,866

  1,854·9

  2,117

  1984–85

  31,857·2

  34,857

  3,662·3

  4,007

  2,014·8

  2,205

  1985–86

  34,642·7

  35,682

  4,009·6

  4,130

  2,202·8

  2,269

  1 Cash figures converted to constant (1986–87) prices using the GDP deflator.

  2 Figures not wholly consistent with later years. The later years have been updated with later information unavailable for 1980–81.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (I) how many children in Wales under the age of 16 years live in households on or below the supplementary benefit poverty line; and what proportion of the population of that age in Wales they represent;

  (2) how many people in Wales live on or below the supplementary benefit poverty line; and what proportion of the population they represent;

  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people of pensionable age in Wales live on or below the supplementary benefit poverty line; and what proportion of their age group they represent;

  (2) how many single parent families in Wales live on or below the supplementary benefit poverty line; and what proportion of such families this figure represents.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that figures which are statistically reliable cannot be provided in the manner requested.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners in Wales, Scotland, England, and each of the English regions, are dependent on a state pension and other state benefits as their sole source of income; and in each case what proportion of the total number of pensioners in each area they represent.

  Mr. Portillo
  I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all cases since 1980 in which he has substituted his own estimate of total expenditure for rate support grants and other purposes for that provided by a local authority.

  Mr. Howard
  Since 1980 the Secretary of State has substituted his own estimates of total expenditure in the following cases:—for the purposes of the third rate support grant supplementary report for 1985–86, for Manchester, Brent

  669
  and Merton. These authorities did not supply outturn information by the due date and total expenditures given on the budget returns were adjusted by the amount of changes in the contribution to the advanced further education and in-service training pools required as a result of a new method of apportionment;
  —for the purpose of calculating block grant entitlements in 1987–88 for

  Surrey

  Derbyshire

  Lancashire

  Staffordshire

  Bedfordshire

  Somerset

  Cumbria

  Cornwall

  East Sussex

  Hampshire

  Isle of Wight

  Shropshire

  Devon

  Suffolk

  Sunderland

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  These authorities had excluded the additional cost of the teachers' pay award on returns made to the Department.

  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all local authorities in England who have been requested since March 1987 to provide his Department with their total estimated expenditure in relation to 1987–88; and what criteria were used to select these authorities.

  Mr. Howard
  On 4 March 1987 all local authorities in England were asked to provide estimates of their 1987–88 total expenditure on the return of expenditure and rates (RER 88).

  Further information regarding their estimated total expenditure in 1987–88 was sought from the following authorities during and after the end of March where there were doubts as to whether the information already provided was the best available.

  Bedfordshire

  Berkshire1

  Cambridgeshire

  Cornwall

  Cumbria

  Derbyshire

  Devon

  East Sussex

  Hampshire

  Hereford and Worcester

  Isle of Wight

  Lancashire

  Northamptonshire

  Northumberland

  Shropshire

  Somerset

  Staffordshire

  Suffolk

  Surrey

  West Sussex

  ILEA1

  Hammersmith and Fulham1

  Barnet1

  Enfield

  Hounslow1

  Manchester1

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne1

  Sheffield1

  Sunderland1

  1 Authorities contacted after the end of March.

  Water Authorities (Privatisation)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to treat the South
  670
  West water authority as an exception to the proposed privatisation of water authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No.

  Canary Wharf
  Mr. Heddle
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reasons have been given to the London Docklands Development Corporation as to why the master building agreement in respect of the Canary wharf was not signed by Mr. G. Ware-Travelsted on (a) the original date of 28 February stipulated by the London Docklands Development Corporation, (b) 90 days after the London Dockland Light Railway Bill received Royal Assent, 18 March 1987, as confirmed to the London Docklands Development Corporation by Mr. WareTravelsted's chief executive, and (c) on other dates stipulated by the London Docklands Development Corporation since then; and if he will make a statement on the present state of negotiations between the London Docklands Development Corporation and (i) Mr. WareTravelsted and (ii) any other party.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have approved the terms of LDDC's proposed agreements with Olympia and York, the developers who now lead the project, and the negotiations are in their final stages.

  At the earlier dates referred to, negotiations between the LDDC and the prospective developers of Canary wharf were not sufficiently advanced for any agreement to be finalised.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Cunningham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will add Bombus Terrestis, Bombus Lapidavius and Apius Mellifera to the list of endangered species; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  I shall answer this question shortly.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Janner
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to implement the recommendations made by the Environment Committee in May 1987 that there should be national timetabled water quality objectives in order to bring about a steady rate of improvement in polluted rivers and estuaries.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I shall answer this question shortly.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (I) what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (2) what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Ridley
  I shall answer these questions shortly.

  Turtles
  Dr. David Clark
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member

  671
  for South Shields on 13 July about the implementation of CITES conference resolution 2.12, how many live turtles have been imported into Grand Cayman from Nicaragua since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1987]: According to the statistics assembled by the Department as part of its responsibilities under the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) there have been no imports of live turtles from Nicaragua into Grand Cayman since 1979.

  British Rail quality of service objectives for passenger railway

  Intercity

  NSE

  Provincial

  Punctuality

  Right time and up to 10 minutes late 90 per cent

  Right time and up to 5 minutes late 90 per cent

  Right time and up to 5 minutes late 85–97 per cent

  Cancellations (percentage of services to run)

  At least 99·5 per cent.

  At least 99 per cent.

  At least 98·5 per cent.

  Train enquery bureaux

  95 per cent. of calls to be answered within 30 seconds

  Ticket offices

  Maximum queuing time of 3 minutes off peak and 5 minutes peak

  Carriage cleaning

  interior daily clean

  100 per cent.

  100 per cent.

  95–100 per cent.

  exterior daily wash

  95 per cent.

  100per cent.

  75–100 per cent.

  heavy interior (per 28 days)

  95 per cent.

  100 per cent.

  90–100 per cent.

  Load factors

  —

  —1

  —

  1No more than 135 per cent. for sliding door stock or 100 per cent. for slam door stock or 110 per cent. for slam door stock. No standing over 20 minutes excepts by choice.

  British Railways Board (PSO Grant)
  Mr. Squire
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the British Railways Board PSO cash ceiling for 1987–88.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  For 1987–88, the cash ceiling on PSO grant (which, for this year, still includes the inter-city sector) will be £809 million. It allows for increased expenditure on investment to improve quality and for additional expenditure to improve efficiency which will yield productivity savings in future years. It also includes a technical change in the method of funding investment in the grant-aided railway which will have the effect of reducing the board's borrowing requirement.

  Gatwick Airport
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the proportion of charter and scheduled passengers, respectively, using Gatwick who had originations and destinations north of the River Thames in 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The survey of London area airports carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority in 1984 showed that four fifths of all surface journeys by international air passengers using Gatwick start or finish in the south-east region.

  Of those, the proportion having origins or destinations north of the River Thames was as follows:

  Per cent.

  (i) passengers on scheduled services

  58

  (ii) passengers on charter services

  47

  Figures for 1985 and 1986 are not available.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail (Objectives)
  Mr. Squire
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on agreeing new quality of service standards, as required in the objectives set for British Rail last autumn.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I am glad to say that I have agreed with British Rail the new quality of service targets set out as follows. They build on the targets to which the board has been working hitherto. I am assured by Sir Robert Reid that they can be achieved within the resources available. I shall be monitoring their performance closely.

  Motorways (Speed Limits)
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards upper and lower speed limits on the motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The current maximum speed limit on the motorways was fully reviewed in 1984 and 1985. We decided that a 70 mph limit continues to provide the right balance between safety and the need for fast and convenient travel.

  I have no plans for minimum limits.

  Coaches
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now review the safety and environmental requirements laid on coaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have no plans for a review. A number of improvements are in hand including those I announced on 10 July in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill).

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has re-evaluated the case for the east London river crossing in the light of its recent changes in the economic valuation of road schemes.

  Mr. Channon
  In accordance with the announced intentions at the time the changes were promulgated. such a reassessment will be carried out in due course.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I will then consider whether the results, affect our decisions on the inspector's report.
  673
  Mr. Cartwright
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list any excavation, boring or construction work which has been carried out or authorised in connection with the east London river crossing.

  Mr. Channon
  Geotechnical investigations involving boreholes and trial pits have been undertaken along the proposed line of the east London river crossing. There was a preliminary site investigation in 1980 and a detailed site investigation in 1983.

  In 1984 a contaminated ground survey was undertaken in the areas of Beckton gas works and Thamesmead known to be contaminated with toxic and other potentially harmful waste materials.

  A report was also compiled from existing records on the underground chalk workings in the Rockcliff gardens area.

  All the surveys were referred to and made available for inspection during the public inquiry.

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Channon
  The total spending for press and public relations during the financial year 1986–87 was £6·1 million. The estimated expenditure for the current year is £6·5 million. This includes both spending on programmes and running costs.

  T S C A V

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £'000

  £

  Provision

  Expenditure

  Provision

  Section J2(1)

  Road Safety Publicity

  4,853

  4,806

  5,220

  Section J2(2)

  Grants to Voluntary & Other Bodies

  96

  78

  181

  Section K3

  Marine Publicity

  224

  148

  393

  Total programme

  5,173

  5,032

  5,794

  Running Costs1

  n/a

  1,084

  754

  Grand Total

  —

  6,116

  6,548

  1 Running cost lower in 1987–88 because of transfer of certain categories of expenditure to programme.

  Nuclear Material Movements (Salford)
  Mr. Terry Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all movements of nuclear material for which his Department is responsible through Irlam and Cadishead in the city of Salford during each month of 1987.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department does not collect information of the kind requested. The arrangements for ensuring safety in the transport of radioactive materials, which are based on International Atomic Energy Agency regulations, do not depend on the particular route used.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Assistant Secretaries
  Mr. Frank Field
  asked the Minister for the Civil Service if, for each Government Department, he will give the numbers of officials at assistant secretary level and above who have been educated privately; what percentage of each grade in each Department these figures represent; and how these figures compare with those for 1980–81.

  Mr. Luce
  I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Interest Reduction
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on whether the Inland Revenue will use section 38 of the Finance Act 1976 to deny an interest reduction where the debt is created solely as a result of the unwinding of a dual resident company as a result of the provisions of the Finance (No. 2) Bill affecting such companies.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Clay
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish for each company privatised since 1979 the number of shareholders holding 500 shares or less following privatisation and the latest information available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I shall let the hon. Member have as soon as possible.

  Inflation
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions his Department has made about the rate of inflation for 1988, 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Major
  The Financial Statement and Budget Report published in March 1987 contains assumptions for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator for the financial years 1988–89 to 1990–91, together with forecasts for growth in the GDP deflator in 1987–88 and for the retail prices index up to the second quarter of 1988. These figures are presented as follows:

  Inflation

  (percentage change on a year earlier)

  GDP deflator

  Forecast

  1987–88

  4·5

  1988–89

  4·0

  1989–90

  3·5

  1990–91

  3·0

  RPI

  1987 4th quarter

  4·0

  1988 2nd quarter

  4·0

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total spending by his Department on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year;

  (2) what was the total spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Brooke
  I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

  Clydesdale Bank
  Mr. Salmond
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 14 July, if he will specify the precise dates on which (a) the Bank of England and (b) his Department were first informed of the proposed purchase of the Clydesdale bank by the National Australia bank.

  Mr. Lilley
  No, but within the timescale of the negotiations between the respective parties, the Bank of England had adequate time to inform the Treasury and to reach its conclusions.

  Married Man's Allowance
  Mr. McCrindle
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings to the Exchequer of abolishing the married man's tax allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1987]: The direct yield from abolishing the excess of the married man's allowance over the single person's allowance and the excess of married age allowances over the single age allowances is estimated to be £4·6 billion in a full year at 1987–88 income levels.

  Investment and Capital Relief
  Mr. McCrindle
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider expanding the range of investment and capital relief for investment in new and expanding companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1987]: The Government have introduced a variety of measures to encourage investment in new and expanding companies. We shall continue to monitor developments and to examine proposals which might further encourage productive investment.

DEFENCE

  Publicity (Departmental Expenditure)
  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total spending by his Department and the armed forces, respectively, on press and public relations in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures requested are as follows:676

  MOD £

  Armed Forces £

  1986–87

  11,772,000

  15,551,000

  1987–88

  21,942,000

  25,572,000

  1 Latest outturn figure

  2 Estimate

  These figures include staffing costs together with expenditure on films, exhibitions, publications, equipment and so on.

  Mr. Dobson
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total spending by his Department and the armed forces, respectively, on television, radio and newspaper advertising and other promotional literature in 1986–87; and what is the estimated expenditure for the current year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  RAF St. Mawgan (Fire)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on an incident when Royal Air Force firemen were refused access to an American nuclear weapons storage area, after a fire alert at RAF St. Mawgan; whether local people or Royal Air Force firemen were in any danger from any radiation leak at that time; why those Royal Air Force firemen were not given access to detailed information regarding the nuclear make up of that base; and whether today the Royal Air Force has detailed knowledge of the nuclear weapons currently stored at the United States bases in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Freeman
  For security reasons, I am not prepared to comment on locations where nuclear weapons may be stored. There is, however, good liaison between the United States and the United Kingdom on nuclear accident response issues. There has never been an accident involved nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom resulting in the release of radioactive material to the environment, and there has therefore never been any hazard either to the public or to service personnel.

  Army Cadet Corps (Inner Cities)
  Sir John Farr
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to establish an Army Cadet Corps unit in Leicester and in other inner city areas.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1987, c. 346]: The Army Cadet Force (ACF), which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 1985, is a voluntary youth organisation sponsored by the Army. Its current membership is 43,500 cadets deployed in 1,650 detachments throughout Britain.

  The Government attach great value to this force. Participation in both the military and community activities of the ACF engenders good citizenship, a spirit of service to Queen and country and a high degree of self-discipline. While the ACF is not part of either the Regular Army or the Territorial Army and membership carries no obligation to join the armed forces, a high proportion of cadets choose to pursue a career in the services. For instance, some 25 per cent. of the Regular Army intake in the period 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987 had been members of the ACF.
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  The Ministry of Defence is examining the possibility of expanding the ACF in a number of inner city areas. Twenty existing detachments located within such areas are considered to be capable of expansion, and a number of other areas have been identified where new detachments might be formed. Some expansion is already being undertaken where this is possible at no or very low cost, including the expansion of one of the six existing detachments in Leicester, and its move into the TA centre in Brentwood road. Any substantial increase in the ACF would, however, depend on the availability of funds.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  asked the Minister of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department in helping small businesses over the last three years; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Government have introduced a variety of measures that are of particular benefit to smaller farm businesses. These measures include:the introduction of the agricultural improvement scheme in October 1985 which provides grant aid for a wide range of agricultural and horticultural investments. This is of particular help to small and medium sized businesses, many of which were not regarded as sufficiently large to qualify under previous capital grant schemes. The effectiveness of the scheme may be judged by the number of farmers and growers who benefit from it, the expenditure already incurred and the commitment to future expenditure. Information on achievements is expected to be published in the next annual public expenditure White Paper;
  arrangements to restore the milk quota received by producers with less than 200,000 litres of quota to their pre-quota level and making direct compensation payments in 1984–85 and 1985–86 to alleviate the effect of the milk co-responsibility levy on small-scale producers;
  obtaining £3·4 million of EC aid to offset the effect of the cereals co-responsibility levy on small producers; the reform of capital transfer tax to abolish the tax on capital gifts made between individuals during their lifetime;
  new opportunities for diversification with grant available for ancillary businesses on or adjacent to farms;
  the extension of the less favoured areas in 1984 and the introduction of environmentally sensitive areas;
  plans to increase the activities of the Agricultural Training Board in rural areas under the extended scope provided by the Agricultural Training Board Act 1987; grants to agricultural and horticultural co-operatives to improve the marketing of produce and to forage groups in less favoured areas. During the last three years these grants have amounted to more than £15 million.

  I would also draw the attention of my hon. Friend to paragraphs 7.43 to 7.50 in the progress report on deregulation "Encouraging Enterprise" presented by the Secretary of State for Employment in May. These and relevant paragraphs in the two preceding White Papers on deregulation show the attention being given in my Department to reducing burdens on businesses. In addition, all purchasing points have been issued with a guidance booklet entitled "Payment on Time" intended
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  particularly to assist small suppliers, and, as part of the Ministry's purchasing strategy, we are developing improved and closer relationships with small suppliers in order to stimulate competitiveness and innovation.

  Monitoring and control systems, output measures, and performance indicators across the whole range of my Ministry's activities are being developed. Such information relevant to small businesses that is currently available has been set out in this reply.

  Intervention Board (Delay in Payments)
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current delay in payment by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce dairy section, Reading; what estimate he has made of the implications of the delay for the cash flow of small companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  For butter and skimmed milk powder purchased into intervention, the board makes payment in accordance with EC regulations between 120 and 140 days after the date of takeover. For other internal market schemes and for export refunds, the board's aim is to make payment within 28 days of the receipt of a properly documented claim. This time scale is in line with the best commercial practice. During the last 12 months the board has consistently met this target in the dairy sector. In the case of export refunds, this has been despite continuous increase in claims, numerous changes in EC regulations, and the need to prepare a new system of computer handling of claims in order to increase the board's efficiency further. If my hon. Friend has some specific case in mind, I would be grateful if she could let me have details.

  Intervention Stores
  Mr. John Mark Taylor
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the current contents of each European Economic Community intervention foodstore in Britain; and what is the total annual cost to public funds of the operation of such foodstores.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  On the first part of his question I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John) on 16 July. Estimate provision for 1987–88 in class IV, vote I, agricultural support (Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce), in respect of storage and related costs for intervention produce, is £177,247,000.

  Farm Rents
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average rise in farm rents per hectare, for farms which experienced a rent change, for tenants in each of the English regions during the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the results of the recent Agriculture Council meeting.
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  Mr. MacGregor
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made to the House on Wednesday 1 July at column 511.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the reform of the common agricultural policy since the meeting in June of the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Commission has undertaken to bring forward very soon the detailed proposals requested by the European Council on 30 June, as a basis for future work on CAP reform and other matters.

  Morocco (Fisheries Agreement)
  Mr. Beith
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is the policy Her Majesty's Government that the European Economic Community fisheries agreement with Morocco should extend only to the area of sea which is internationally recognised as Moroccan waters.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1987]: The details of a fisheries agreement between the European Community and the kingdom of Morocco are for negotiation between the Commission and the Moroccan authorities. We consider that the Western Sahara issue is for the countries of the region to settle. The normal wording of the Community's fisheries agreements with third countries would not prejudice the outcome of this matter but the Commission and the member states are fully aware of the need to proceed with caution.

  Fishing Quotas
  Mr. Randall
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to compensate those companies which did not exceed the saithe catch quotas allocated to them for area six before the closure of this fishery; and what corresponding action he will take with those companies which exceeded their quotas in this area.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1987]: Under the terms of the sectoral quota arrangements for the area IV and VI white fisheries agreed with the industry at a consultative meeting in January, organisations which exceed a sectoral quota allocation to the disadvantage of others in the fishery are subject to a tonne-for-tonne deduction in the following year with the quantities concerned being used to compensate those disadvantaged.
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  We are currently seeking additional opportunities for saithe by means of a quota exchange with another member state. If this proves successful, we shall discuss with the industry the scope for using the additional quantities to provide compensation this year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Teacher-Pupil Ratios
  Mr. Kilfedder
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current teacher-pupil ratio in primary schools, secondary schools and grammar schools in the North Down constituency.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  That latest available information relates to the 1985–86 school year and is as follows:

  Ratio

  Primary1

  25·13

  Secondary

  14·80

  Grammar

  15·95

  1 Includes nursery classes in primary schools and preparatory departments of grammar schools.

  Schools
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the regulations regarding the choice of schools for secondary education; and to what extent parental choice is taken into consideration.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are no statutory regulations regarding the choice of schools for secondary education. However, the present transfer arrangements operate on the basis enshrined in article 44 of the Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986 that the Department of Education and Library Boards shall have regard to the general principle that, so far as is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure, pupils shall be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents.

  South Tyrone Hospital, Dungannon
  Mr. Maginnis
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were on the waiting list for surgery at the South Tyrone hospital, Dungannon, on 1 January 1986, and on the first day of each subsequent month up to, and including, 1 July.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.