Written Answers of 22 July 1987

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Company Accounts (Publication)
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide the latest details of the current average length of time between the receipt of annual accounts by companies registration office and their publication, listed separately for April, May and June.

  Mr. Maude
  In recent months, days have been lost due to industrial action and an accompanying overtime ban. The Registrar of Companies estimates that the average time between the receipt of batches of annual accounts and returns and their publication at the end of April, May and June this year was around five weeks, six weeks and seven weeks respectively.

  The registrar greatly regrets this lengthening of the time taken to place documents on the public record: he accords high priority to the reduction of the accumulated arrears as quickly as possible.

  Net Book Agreements
  Mr. Butler
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to what extent his Department's competition division monitors the operation of the net book agreement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 and the Resale Prices Act 1976 provide the current legal framework within which arrangements such as the net book agreement may be considered in the light of the public interest. Judgments as to the public interest in such cases are a matter for the Restrictive Practices Court. As stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 15 July 1987, at columns 483–84, an application to the court to review its 1962 judgment in respect of the net book agreement may he made by the Director General of Fair Trading. There is no provision for the Secretary of State to make such an application.

  It is therefore for the Director General to determine whether the conditions for an application to the court in respect of the net book agreement are met and in these circumstances the operation of the agreement is not monitored by my Department.

  Textiles (Labelling)
  Mr. Madden
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster w hat representations he has received from the West Yorkshire trading standards joint committee concerning false labelling on textiles with particular, regard to the overstatement of wool content in garments; what further action he is planning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  I have recently received a letter from the West Yorkshire trading standards joint committee on this matter. This is currently receiving attention.
  184
  The European Commission is currently investigating the situation and I understand that the Commission is expected to make known its findings in October.

  Radio Navigator Receivers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of marine radio navigation receivers compatible with the Decca navigator system is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The report is published today.

  The Commission found that a monopoly situation existed in favour of several subsidiary companies of the Racal Group in the supply in the United Kingdom of marine radio navigation receivers compatible with the Decca navigator system but concluded that this did not operate against the public interest.

  At the time the reference was made, the DNS transmitters were operated and financed by Racal. Complaints had been made about some of Racal's practices, particularly those directed against the supply of competitors' receivers whose manufacture Racal had not licensed. Racal explained these practices as being necessary in the past in order to generate and safeguard the income needed for it to meet the operating costs of DNS transmitters. However, as a result of a contract concluded in February this year with the general lighthouse authorities Racal, while still owning the DNS transmitters in the United Kingdom, will operate them under the superintendence of the GLAs and as a charge to the general lighthouse fund, which will provide the necessary income. Racal assured the commission that following this agreement it had abandoned the practices complained of and that there was now total freedom as to the use made of DNS signals. The commission was, however, critical of Racal's having made certain changes to DNS transmissions in the past which might have compromised safety at sea. The commission therefore made two suggestions about authorising future changes to the DNS transmissions and instituting type approval for all DNS receivers.

  I accept the findings of the commission's report. Because the commission found that the monopoly situation under reference did not operate against the public interest, there is no statutory basis on which to take further action. I shall, however, be drawing the commission's suggestions on authorisation of future changes to DNS transmissions and introduction of type approval for all DNS receivers to the attention of my ministerial colleagues at the Department of Transport.

  Consumer Protection Act 1987
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 will be brought into effect.

  Mr. Maude
  My noble Friend intends to make a commencement order under section 50(2) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to bring into force on 1 October 1987 part II together with its related provisions in parts IV and V and schedules 2, 4 and 5. Section 10 in part II creates the general safety requirement, which requires consumer goods to be reasonably safe.

  The same commencement order will bring the product liability provisions into effect on 1 March 1988 (part I and

  185
  schedule 1, together with the related provisions of part V and schedules 4 and 5). Businesses will need rather more time to prepare themselves for the changes to product liability and therefore sufficient time has been allowed for this purpose. However, my Department will be consulting interested parties urgently about the dates of implementation.

  A guidance leaflet for manufacturers will be published explaining the way in which the safety provisions of the Act will work. Regulations ancillary to the general safety requirement will be laid at the appropriate time.

  On misleading prices (part III of the Act) we expect to consult interested parties on a revised draft of the code of practice and any draft regulations in the autumn.

  It is presently envisaged that section 36 and schedule 3, which makes amendments to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, will be brought into force on 1 March 1988.

  United Kingdom trade in textiles and clothing1: 1970 to 1986 Imports

  £ million

  France

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Irish Republic

  Denmark

  Greece

  Portugal

  Spain

  Rest of World

  European Community2

  1970

  11·9

  14·7

  14·7

  21·9

  20·6

  38·1

  7·7

  0·2

  20·3

  3·2

  232·3

  153·5

  1971

  14·5

  18·6

  14·2

  31·7

  23·2

  46·3

  10·9

  0·3

  31·7

  4·8

  307·0

  196·2

  1972

  19·3

  23·0

  16·0

  33·9

  26·4

  55·7

  15·1

  0·4

  42·4

  4·6

  351·7

  236·9

  1973

  30·2

  27·8

  23·3

  56·1

  38·7

  80·8

  19·8

  1·1

  67·9

  4·7

  497·4

  350·4

  1974

  42·7

  35·0

  32·0

  73·1

  60·6

  108·0

  19·9

  4·6

  82·8

  7·2

  624·1

  465·8

  1975

  53·0

  47·1

  29·3

  76·9

  84·4

  106·8

  21·5

  3·3

  78·4

  7·9

  679·1

  508·4

  1976

  66·9

  65·9

  43·1

  116·1

  128·1

  132·9

  23·6

  8·1

  78·4

  9·9

  621·9

  673·2

  1977

  100·7

  79·9

  55·4

  140·1

  190·4

  173·1

  23·9

  12·8

  86·9

  13·2

  1,008·2

  876·3

  1978

  138·2

  123·5

  87·1

  190·4

  272·5

  194·5

  28·9

  18·9

  118·6

  22·1

  1,179·6

  1,194·7

  1979

  151·6

  142·0

  96·5

  236·7

  323·8

  205·4

  37·0

  23·1

  157·9

  25·2

  1,486·1

  1,399·2

  1980

  140·7

  149·0

  91·2

  222·9

  264·0

  197·4

  37·3

  27·9

  146·3

  23·5

  1,474·4

  1,300·2

  1981

  166·5

  198·6

  107·3

  291·8

  319·7

  195·7

  46·1

  37·2

  140·2

  32·1

  1,664·7

  1,535·3

  1982

  190·4

  212·1

  122·5

  374·3

  374·1

  197·5

  48·7

  37·1

  184·7

  36·1

  1,649·9

  1,777·6

  1983

  227·3

  273·2

  145·4

  447·8

  472·2

  211·4

  57·3

  39·8

  218·7

  43·3

  1,785·1

  2,136·4

  1984

  288·7

  326·7

  188·1

  548·5

  565·2

  220·6

  67·2

  52·8

  267·7

  53·9

  2,137·6

  2,579·5

  1985

  339·2

  358·1

  242·3

  646·3

  620·8

  238·5

  70·7

  60·8

  305·8

  59·1

  1,180·6

  2,941·5

  19863

  341·5

  398·2

  293·3

  677·8

  669·5

  260·0

  74·1

  71·4

  309·5

  59·8

  2,394·3

  3,155·0

  1 Textiles and clothing defined as Divisons 65 and 84 of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC).

  2 European Community total includes all member states as at 1 January 1987 throughout.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  United Kingdom trade in textiles and clothing1: 1970 to 1986—Exports

  £ million

  France

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Irish Republic

  Denmark

  Greece

  Portugal

  Spain

  Rest of World

  European Community1

  1970

  11·8

  8·0

  16·3

  31·1

  12·5

  36·3

  25·0

  2·7

  6·3

  4·2

  365·2

  154·1

  1971

  13·4

  8·2

  15·6

  34·3

  10·4

  41·9

  26·5

  2·7

  8·6

  3·2

  390·3

  164·7

  1972

  19·6

  11·9

  16·9

  35·7

  11·9

  47·8

  30·8

  3·0

  8·7

  4·4

  399·0

  190·7

  1973

  28·1

  18·2

  21·9

  45·4

  17·2

  67·5

  44·0

  3·9

  14·4

  7·0

  501·5

  267·6

  1974

  37·1

  23·3

  32·0

  58·8

  22·9

  88·8

  43·6

  3·6

  22·6

  8·2

  633·8

  340·9

  1975

  45·2

  27·8

  41·3

  71·5

  21·4

  92·3

  43·6

  3·6

  13·9

  7·7

  596·2

  368·3

  1976

  79·2

  49·7

  67·8

  106·0

  37·8

  126·9

  70·2

  5·8

  20·5

  10·0

  772·0

  573·8

  1977

  105·7

  69·8

  96·2

  152·0

  47·2

  168·1

  79·8

  9·7

  19·9

  10·3

  986·3

  758·8

  1978

  127·5

  80·5

  111·3

  175·3

  55·9

  219·4

  69·6

  12·3

  16·3

  6·6

  1,032·6

  874·7

  1979

  164·0

  94·3

  124·6

  196·6

  80·7

  265·6

  73·2

  14·1

  18·7

  11·6

  1,047·1

  1,043·4

  1980

  179·5

  100·0

  129·2

  233·1

  109·0

  155·4

  58·8

  11·2

  22·9

  13·6

  1,052·4

  1,118·2

  1981

  159·0

  81·6

  112·0

  188·6

  94·8

  254·9

  43·2

  11·9

  17·5

  11·9

  1,074·0

  975·3

  1982

  165·0

  83·1

  96·9

  177·6

  84·9

  267·3

  47·2

  13·9

  19·4

  15·2

  1,061·3

  970·6

  1983

  172·9

  85·5

  105·2

  206·0

  99·3

  288·5

  45·6

  14·3

  19·7

  16·4

  1·0968

  1,053·4

  1984

  194·5

  95·8

  112·9

  245·7

  128·1

  301·1

  54·4

  17·3

  17·7

  14·2

  1,299·4

  1,181·8

  1985

  118·2

  106·1

  133·7

  268·5

  147·8

  326·0

  67·8

  21·2

  24·9

  16·3

  1,531·2

  1,349·5

  19863

  268·9

  121·5

  147·0

  335·7

  148·9

  345·8

  74·2

  17·6

  30·2

  24·9

  1,425·0

  1,514·8

  1 Textiles and clothing defined as Divisions 65 and 84 of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC).

  2 European Community total includes all member states as at 1 January 1987 throughout

  3 Provisional figures

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Textiles (Statistics)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will publish as a table in the Official Report the United Kingdom imports and exports of textiles and clothing from and to (a) other individual European Community countries, (b) the rest of the world and (c) the European Community for each year since 1970;

  (2) what are the figures for imports and exports of textiles and clothing between the United Kingdom and separately, the European Community and the rest of the world in real terms for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1987, c. 583]: The information is in the following tables. Information in real terms is not available.

ENERGY

  Energy Efficiency Policy
  Mr. Speller
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the energy efficiency policy proposals for 1987 submitted to the Energy Select Committee by his predecessor remain his policy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  It is important that energy is used efficiently. I am currently reviewing with my right hon. Friend how this can best be done.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Universities (Medical Education)
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of Sir John Burnett's public statement at the Edinburgh university convention on Saturday 18 July, a copy of which has been sent to him, he is satisfied with the provision of medical education in British universities over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have read Sir John's remarks with interest. The Government, in their joint note of guidance on medical education to universities and health authorities, have asked the University Grants Committee to give careful consideration to the level of funding it provides for medical education and to the guidance it gives to institutions. The UGC has impressed upon universities the need for decisions about clinical academic posts to be the subject of close consultation with the relevant health authorities. The Government are also examining the arrangements for co-ordination and co-operation among the relevant Departments at national level and the responses received to the recommendations on this matter by the Croham committee ("Review of the University Grants Committee", Cm. 81).

  Non-advanced Further Education
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the report of the joint efficiency study of non-advanced further education will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The report, which is entitled "Managing Colleges Efficiently", is published today.

  It recommends a number of measures which LEAs and further education colleges should take so as to manage their resources more efficiently and effectively. It is the outcome of a joint study undertaken by the DES, the WOED and the local authority associations, and we intend to build on that partnership so as to ensure that the report's challenging recommendations are implemented.

  Sports Facilities
  Mr. Mans
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet received the report from the study of the dual use of school sports facilities; and if he will make a statement.
  188
  Mr. Dunn
  This study which has now been completed confirms first that there is scope for expanding the dual use of school sports facilities. Secondly it makes recommendations for improved accounting, management and marketing for dual use. We shall now be working towards the publication of practical advice arising from this study. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

  Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Curry
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science who will be the members of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The membership of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions is as follows:

  Chairman

  Lord Chilver FRS:—

  Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield Institute of Technology.

  Members

  Dr. Peter Andrews CBE:—

  GCSE Co-ordinator for Derbyshire, former head of a comprehensive school in Derbyshire.

  Mr. Geoffrey Armstrong:—

  Director of Metal Box PLC.

  Mr. Ray Carter:—

  Director of Marathon Oil (UK) Ltd., and Former Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Northfield.

  Mrs. Judith Chaplin:—

  Head of policy unit, Institute of Directors and former Chairman of Norfolk County Council Education Committee.

  Mr. Ken Graham CBE:—

  Recently retired Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress.

  Dr. Anne Hogg:—

  Consultant and member of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body.

  Mrs. Rosemary White:—

  Just retiring as head of a primary school in Cardiff.

  The committee's first main task will be to advise on the April 1988 pay settlement for school teachers in England and Wales in accordance with the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987.

  Universities (Grants)
  Mr. Sumberg
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list grants made available to universities in Great Britain in the financial year 1986–87, on the advice of the University Grants Committee and the Computer Board.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested is as follows:
  189

  Grants to Universities and Colleges, etc.

  1986–87

  For Recurrent Grants

  General Purposes £000

  Overseas Research Student Awards Scheme £000

  Total Subhead C1 £000

  Computers Subhead D2 £000

  Aston University

  16,181

  27

  16,208

  223

  Bath University

  14,239

  55

  14,294

  1,454

  Birmingham University

  42,007

  71

  42,078

  348

  Bradford University

  16,262

  12

  16,274

  180

  Bristol University

  32,691

  35

  32,726

  278

  Brunel University

  13,960

  15

  13,975

  140

  Cambridge University

  46,479

  861

  47,340

  556

  City University

  12,943

  13

  12,956

  170

  Durham University

  18,973

  35

  19,008

  123

  East Anglia University

  14,775

  15

  14,790

  188

  Essex University

  9,488

  38

  9,526

  205

  Exeter University

  16,658

  23

  16,681

  85

  Hull University

  15,659

  6

  15,665

  229

  Keele University

  9,237

  6

  9,243

  165

  Kent University

  12,142

  14

  12,156

  218

  Lancaster University

  14,653

  23

  14,676

  220

  Leeds University4

  45,990

  157

  46,147

  359

  Leicester University

  19,855

  20

  19,875

  171

  Liverpool University

  40,634

  77

  40,711

  267

  London Business School

  2,246

  10

  2,256

  0

  London University, including its Colleges and Schools4

  249,967

  1,043

  251,010

  5,883

  Loughborough University of Technology

  20,065

  34

  20,099

  252

  Manchester Business School

  1,771

  3

  1,774

  43

  Manchester University

  52,147

  107

  52,254

  3,070

  Manchester University Institute of Science and Technology

  18,441

  222

  18,663

  Newcastle upon Tyne University

  35,567

  69

  35,636

  351

  Nottingham University

  30,471

  40

  30,511

  432

  Oxford University

  46,741

  553

  47,294

  587

  Reading University

  20,402

  49

  20,451

  177

  Salford University

  14,512

  17

  14,529

  311

  Sheffield University

  35,377

  92

  35,469

  239

  Southampton University

  27,286

  77

  27,363

  319

  Surrey University

  13,870

  44

  13,914

  172

  Sussex University

  15,299

  58

  15,357

  125

  Warwick University

  20,364

  18

  20,382

  240

  York University

  12,570

  28

  12,598

  116

  University of Wales, including University Colleges and Institute of Science and Technology

  77,128

  141

  77,269

  863

  Aberdeen University

  24,942

  32

  24,974

  305

  Dundee University

  17,186

  33

  17,219

  118

  Edinburgh University

  52,083

  132

  52,215

  892

  Glasgow University

  49,158

  72

  49,230

  345

  Heriot-Watt University

  13,086

  26

  13,112

  157

  St. Andrews University

  13,273

  33

  13,306

  116

  Stirling University

  10,124

  15

  10,139

  107

  Strathclyde University

  27,868

  108

  27,976

  295

  Other payments

  1649

  2145

  794

  3603

  TOTAL

  1,315,419

  4,074

  1,320,123

  21,695

  1 £609,000 paid direct to the University Central Council on Admissions, and £40,000 in respect of the National Engineering Laboratory, East Kilbride.

  2 £104,000 paid to Cranfield Institute of Technology, £33,000 to the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals for administration of the Overseas Research Student Fees Support Scheme and £8,000 to the Royal College of Art.

  3 £603,000 paid to the Rutherford and Appleton Laboratories (SERC).

  4 In addition to the payments tabulated alongside, the following in respect of subhead Dl, compensation for loss of fee income were also made:- Leeds £17,000 and London £6,000.

  1986–87

  For Capital Expenditure

  Universities etc. Subhead A1(1) £000

  Medical and Dental Schools Subhead A1 (2) £000

  Equipment and Furniture Subhead A21 £000

  Computers Subhead B1 £000

  Aston University

  —

  —

  1,612

  49

  Bath University

  751

  —

  1,426

  718

  190 191

  For Capital Expenditure

  Universities etc. Subhead A1(1) £000

  Medical and Dental Schools Subhead A1 (2) £000

  Equipment and Furniture Subhead A21 £000

  Computers Subhead B1 £000

  Birmingham University

  —

  94

  3,052

  1

  Bradford University

  —

  —

  1,290

  211

  Bristol University

  51

  15

  2,707

  126

  Brunel University

  —

  —

  1,241

  197

  Cambridge University

  —

  32

  5,861

  116

  City University

  —

  —

  817

  4

  Durham University

  74

  —

  1,198

  4

  East Anglia University

  61

  —

  828

  768

  Essex University

  —

  —

  637

  8

  Exeter University

  —

  4

  975

  8

  Hull University

  —

  —

  869

  251

  Keele University

  59

  —

  542

  17

  Kent University

  —

  —

  686

  686

  Lancaster University

  —

  —

  897

  24

  Leeds University

  —

  158

  3,273

  84

  Leicester University

  —

  35

  1,392

  284

  Liverpool University

  25

  93

  3,138

  —

  London Business School

  150

  —

  69

  —

  London University, including its Colleges and Schools

  1,335

  5,992

  22,286

  4,595

  Loughborough University of Technology

  —

  —

  1,865

  —

  Manchester Business School

  —

  —

  42

  —

  Manchester University

  394

  700

  3,900

  1,899

  Manchester University Institute of Science and Technology

  1,868

  —

  2,668

  Newcastle upon Tyne University

  —

  315

  2,573

  407

  Nottingham University

  —

  640

  2,456

  16

  Oxford University

  111

  101

  5,711

  3

  Reading University

  63

  —

  1,695

  58

  Salford University

  985

  —

  1,180

  23

  Sheffield University

  —

  107

  2,546

  54

  Southampton University

  1,775

  653

  3,218

  1,771

  Surrey University

  —

  —

  1,359

  —

  Sussex University

  —

  —

  1,208

  326

  Warwick University

  21

  —

  1,331

  28

  York University

  —

  —

  971

  617

  University of Wales, including University Colleges and Institute of Science and Technology

  506

  —

  5,643

  693

  Aberdeen University

  —

  64

  1,601

  —

  Dundee University

  819

  —

  1,276

  4

  Edinburgh University

  —

  —

  3,630

  151

  Glasgow University

  186

  53

  3,718

  11

  Heriot-Watt University

  3,771

  —

  1,470

  9

  St. Andrews University

  —

  —

  716

  —

  Stirling University

  —

  —

  476

  —

  Strathclyde University

  75

  —

  1,995

  551

  Other payments

  —

  —

  —

  2514

  Total

  13,080

  9,056

  108,044

  15,285

  1The sums provided from Subhead A2, earmarked for individual universities as shown, were transferred to a Deposit Account with the Paymaster General from which issues were made as required towards meeting the cost of furniture and equipment. The balance remaining in the Deposit Account at 31 March 1987, which is not liable to surrender to the Consolidated Fund, was £15,839,000. This sum includes £2,418,000 in respect of the Engineering and Technology Programme for use in 1987–88.

  2 Other payments comprise £300,000 fees paid to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency for negotiating contract and £214,000 paid to the Rutherford and Appleton Laboratories (SERC) for networking projects.

  Grants and loans for long-term capital projects: universities etc. (subhead A1(1)) Details of expenditure on works services costing more than £1,000,000 shown in table 1 to the Estimate

  1986–87

  Expenditure compared with provision

  Project

  Provision £000

  Expenditure £000

  Less than provided £000

  More than provided £000

  Building projects and purchases of existing buildings:

  1. New and on-going projects originally expected to cost £1 million or more

  East Anglia University Education Building

  61

  61

  —

  —

  Glasgow University: Library III

  185

  153

  32

  —

  Salford University: Physical Restructuring

  1,982

  804

  1,178

  —

  192 193

  Expenditure compared with provision

  Project

  Provision £000

  Expenditure £000

  Less than provided £000

  More than provided £000

  London University: Bedford/Royal Holloway merger

  (a) Earth Sciences Building

  74

  140

  —

  66

  (b) Life Sciences, Arts and Mathematics

  71

  —

  71

  —

  Liverpool University: Faculty of Education and Extension Studies

  25

  25

  —

  —

  Heriot-Watt University:

  (a) Department of Building

  1,233

  1,460

  —

  227

  (b) Administration Building

  546

  578

  —

  32

  (c) Chemical and Process Engineering

  714

  485

  229

  —

  (d) Library Phase II

  635

  334

  301

  —

  (e) Department of Brewing and Biological Science

  407

  387

  20

  —

  Southampton University: Library

  1,435

  1,683

  —

  248

  UMIST: Library

  1,007

  1,868

  —

  861

  Bath University. Building 6 East

  1,175

  751

  424

  —

  Dundee University: Library

  841

  819

  22

  —

  London University: Queen Mary College: Library

  1,595

  825

  770

  —

  SUB TOTAL

  11,986

  10,373

  3,047

  1,434

  2. Engineering and Technology Programme

  1,300

  504

  796

  —

  3. Ongoing projects

  —

  2,203

  —

  2,203

  TOTAL (Universities etc.) (subhead A1(1))

  13,286

  13,080

  3,843

  3,637

  1986–87

  Grants and Loans for Long Term Capital Projects: Medical and Dental Schools, (Subhead A1(2)) Details of expenditure on works services costing more than £1,000,000 shown in Table 2 to the Estimate

  Expenditure compared with Provision

  Project

  Provision £000

  Expenditure £000

  Less than Provided £000

  More than Provided £000

  Building projects and purchases of existing buildings:

  1. New and on-going projects originally expected to cost the UGC £1 million or more

  London University: St. Mary's HMS, Phase 1B

  895

  890

  5

  —

  London University: Institute of Child Care, Cardiac Wing, Remedial Works

  970

  2,242

  —

  1,272

  London University: Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Cyclotron Building, Remedial Works

  280

  258

  22

  —

  London University: Cardiothoracic Institute, Cardiothoracic Centre, Phase I

  195

  766

  —

  571

  London University: Institute of Dermatology, Relocation at St. Thomas' Hospital

  570

  —

  570

  —

  Manchester University: Royal Infirmary, Phase II

  340

  598

  —

  258

  Sheffield University: School of Clinical Dentistry

  345

  99

  246

  —

  2. New and on-going phased medical projects, the total UGC contribution to all phases expected to be £1 million or more

  London University:

  St. George's HMS, Block H

  25

  74

  —

  49

  London University: Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Redevelopment of Hammersmith Hospital, Phase I

  245

  265

  —

  20

  London University: University College Middlesex HMS Whittington Hospital Redevelopment, Phase I

  55

  9

  46

  —

  SUB TOTAL

  3,920

  5,201

  889

  2,170

  3. Projects expected to start in 1986–87 on which the UGC contribution not yet agreed

  1,650

  —

  1,650

  —

  4. On-going projects costing the UGC less than £1 million

  4,630

  3,120

  1,510

  —

  5. Furniture on Health-controlled schemes

  1,300

  396

  904

  —

  6. Purchase of sites and buildings for demolition

  1,600

  339

  1,261

  —

  7. End-year flexibility

  TOTAL (Medical and Dental Schools) (Subhead A1(2))

  13,100

  9,056

  6,214

  2,170

  TOTAL (Universities, etc.) (Subhead A1(1) (Table 1))

  13,286

  13,080

  3,843

  3,637

  TOTAL SUBHEAD A1

  126,386

  22,136

  10,057

  5,807

  1 Treasury agreement was given for £1,559,000 of this total amount to be vired from subhead A1 to C1 for distribution as Capital-in-Recurrent Grant.

  194

  195

  1986–87

  Grants for Expenditure Long Term Capital Computer Projects, (Subhead B1) Details of expenditure on computer projects costing more than £1,000,000 payable under subhead B1

  Expenditure compared with Provision

  Project

  Provision £000

  Expenditure £000

  Less than Provided £000

  More than Provided £000

  Projects costing £1 million or more1

  Newcastle University new computer

  369

  315

  54

  —

  Aston University new computer

  230

  —

  230

  —

  Southampton University new computer

  1700

  1,762

  —

  62

  London University (ULCC) front end computer

  3,250

  3,098

  152

  —

  Strathclyde University new computer

  299

  229

  —

  —

  Manchester (UMRCC) front end computer

  —

  1,671

  —

  1,671

  Sub total

  5,778

  7,075

  436

  1,733

  Projects costing less than £1 million

  9,469

  8,210

  1,259

  —

  End-year flexibility

  Total (Subhead B1)

  15,247

  15,285

  1,695

  1,733

  1 These purchases are made on the basis of fixed price contracts.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Hargreaves
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to advance the use of information technology in schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have developed a new and comprehensive strategy on IT in schools which will take us into the 1990s and beyond. Details are set out in a letter to chief education officers, which was issued yesterday. Copies are available in the Library.

  Polytechnics and Colleges
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which polytechnics and colleges currently maintained or assisted by local education authorities will be covered by the forthcoming Education Bill.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The following maintained institutions were listed in "Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" (Cm. 114), to be re-established as free-standing corporate bodies, coming within the ambit of a new Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council:

  Bath College of Higher Education

  Bolton Institute of Higher Education

  Bretton Hall College of Higher Education

  Brighton Polytechnic

  Bristol Polytechnic

  Bulmershe College of Higher Education

  Charlotte Mason College of Education

  City of Birmingham Polytechnic

  Coventry Polytechnic

  Crewe and Alsager College of Higher Education

  Dorset Institute of Higher Education

  Ealing College of Higher Education

  Edge Hill College of Higher Education

  Essex Institute of Higher Education

  Garnett College (this will now instead merge with Thames Polytechnic in August 1987)

  Hatfield Polytechnic (includes Harfordshire College of Higher Education, merged in April 1987)

  The Polytechnic, Huddersfield

  Humberside College of Higher Education

  Kent Institute of Art and Design (to be established in September 1987 from the Canterbury College of Art, Maidstone College of Art and Medway College of Design)

  Kingston Polytechnic

  Lancashire Polytechnic

  Leeds Polytechnic

  196

  Leicester Polytechnic

  Liverpool Polytechnic

  Loughborough College of Art and Design

  Manchester Polytechnic

  Middlesex Polytechnic

  Nene College

  Newcastle Polytechnic

  North East London Polytechnic

  North Riding College

  North Staffordshire Polytechnic

  Oxford Polytechnic

  Plymouth Polytechnic

  Portsmouth Polytechnic

  Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication

  Rolle College

  Royal Northern College of Music

  Sheffield City Polytechnic

  Slough College of Higher Education

  Southampton Institute of Higher Education

  South West London College

  Sunderland Polytechnic

  Teesside Polytechnic

  Trent Polytechnic

  West Midlands College of Higher Education

  West Surrey College of Art and Design

  The Polytechnic, Wolverhampton

  Worcester College of Higher Education

  The following assisted institutions will also come within the ambit of the PCF:

  Polytechnic of Central London

  City of London Polytechnic

  Derbyshire College of Higher Education

  Polytechnic of North London

  Polytechnic of the South Bank

  Thames Polytechnic (including Garnett College)

  West London Institute of Higher Education

  West Sussex Institute of Higher Education

  In addition, in the case of 11 institutions with fewer than 350 full-time equivalent higher education students, there is a choice as to whether to opt in to the new arrangements. The legislation will cover those which exercise this choice.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently serving prison

  197
  sentences in Her Majesty's prisons for sexual assault on a child; and what is the average sentence currently being served.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information in the form requested is not available. The number of offenders sentenced to

  Persons sentenced to unsuspended imprisonment and youth custody for sexual offences where the victim is known to he aged under 16 and average sentence length

  England and Wales 1985

  Offence description

  Numbers sentenced to

  average sentence length (months)

  Unsuspended imprisonment

  Youth custody

  Unsuspended imprisonment

  Youth custody

  Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal

  95

  7

  41

  22

  Attempt to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal

  11

  —

  33

  —

  Indecent assault on a male person under 16

  160

  11

  20

  12

  Indecent assault on a female person under 16

  368

  40

  17

  10

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13

  53

  5

  28

  22

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16

  77

  11

  10

  7

  Incest with girl under 13

  40

  —

  34

  —

  Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse

  —

  2

  —

  9

  Abduction of unmarried girl under 16

  2

  1

  13

  12

  Gross indecency with children

  61

  6

  11

  6

  Pregnant Women (Remand)
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidelines regarding the circumstances in which pregnant women are placed on remand; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  In deciding whether or not to remand an accused person in custody, a magistrates' court is required by the terms of the Bail Act 1976 to have regard to any considerations which appear to be relevant. Such decisions are taken in the exercise of judicial discretion, in accordance with the provisions of the Bail Act 1976, and we would not think it right to issue guidance to the courts on how they should interpret their responsibilities in the light of individual circumstances.

  Nenneh Jalloh and Mohammed Parkit
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold an urgent inquiry into the deaths of (a) Nenneh Jalloh on 24 April at Marylebone police station and (b) Mohammed Parkit on 1 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he has not received any complaints arising from the deaths of either Mohammed Parkit, who did not die in police custody, or Nenneh Jalloh, and that there was no criticism of police action by the coroner at the inquests into their deaths. The Commissioner has referred the death of Nenneh Jalloh to the Police Complaints Authority, which is supervising an investigation into the circumstances in which it took place.

  I have no plans to institute any other form of inquiry.
  198
  immediate imprisonment or youth custody in 1985 for certain sexual offences against children is given in the following table, which also shows the average length of sentence imposed. For other offences it is not possible, from the records of the results of court proceedings held centrally, to distinguish the age of the victim.

  Immigration
  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to extend the lease on the car ferry Earl William for use as an immigration detention centre.

  Mr. Renton
  The existing lease is for three months, with the option of extensions up to a maximum of 12 months. We have decided to exercise that option for a period of three months in the first instance.

  Police Establishment (Newham)
  Mr. Leighton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many police officers there are at each of the police stations in the London borough of Newham, and as to what the comparable figures were for the three previous years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is set out in the table. Figures for 1984 are not available. The figures for 1987 are not comparable with those for earlier years, as manpower accounting procedures were changed during the force reorganisation; officers in certain units who had previously been carried on divisional strengths now form part of the establishment of area headquarters.

  16 June 1985

  15 June 1986

  14 June 1987

  East Ham

  Uniformed

  115

  138

  105

  CID

  6

  11

  5

  Total

  121

  149

  110

  Plaistow

  Uniformed

  117

  114

  110

  CID

  16

  14

  17

  Total

  133

  128

  93

  West Ham

  199

  16 June 1985

  15 June 1986

  14 June 1987

  Uniformed

  156

  172

  143

  CID

  16

  21

  21

  Total

  172

  193

  164

  Forest Gate

  Uniformed

  114

  104

  100

  CID

  10

  8

  6

  Total

  124

  112

  106

  North Woolwich

  Uniformed

  11

  19

  34

  CID

  0

  0

  2

  Total

  11

  19

  36

  Economic League
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the date and place of the police examination of the records of names held by the Economic League.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the police examination referred to took place at the Skipton offices of the Economic League on 25 March 1987.

  Prison Department Houses (Culcheth, Warrington)
  Mr. Doug Hoyle
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in selling the empty prison houses and hostel in Culcheth, Warrington; how many have been sold; when the remainder will be placed on the market; what is the value of these empty properties; and how long they have now been empty.

  Mr. John Patten
  Marketing of the 39 empty prison officers' houses and hostel at Culcheth, which are being sold as a single block, has been resumed, following agreement with the local authority of adoption specifications for roads and services. A considerable amount of interest has been shown in the properties by prospective purchasers, but to date no firm offers have been received. Information about the value of the properties is subject to usual commercial confidentiality. The bulk of the houses have been empty for five to six years and the hostel for about five years.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy towards the encouragement of the development of an independent sector in broadcasting by the stipulation of a substantial proportion of independently-produced programmes on BBC and ITV; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Our policy is to ensure that at least 25 per cent. of programmes broadcast on both ITV and BBC television are supplied by independent producers as soon as possible. We have asked the IBA and BBC to come forward with firm plans for the achievement of this target.

  Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Leighton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Police Complaints Authority are engaged in supervising investigations of complaints against the police.
  200
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Five members, supported by a staff, supervise investigations which are carried out by poke officers.

  Mr. Leighton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Police Complaints Authority has dealt with over the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total number of complaints this represents.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The most recent statistics relating to complaints are published in the annual reports for 1986 of the Police Complaints Authority, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed his review of the arrangements for investigating allegations of misconduct made against senior police officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Yes. This review was undertaken in the light of concern expressed about the investigation of allegations against the former deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester, Mr. John Stalker.

  It had the benefit of observations from the Greater Manchester police authority, the Police Complaints Authority and the chief constable of West Yorkshire, Mr. Colin Sampson, all of whom were involved in the investigation of allegations against Mr. Stalker, and from the Association of Chief Police Officers and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

  The essential requirements of any disciplinary arrangements are that they should be fair and thorough and that they should afford adequate safeguards to the person against whom allegations are made. I have concluded that the present arrangements, which are contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and regulations continue to meet these criteria. In particular, I am satisfied that the central feature in these arrangements should continue to be the role of the police authority as disciplinary authority. It is the responsibility of the police authority to decide:
  whether to launch an investigation against a senior police officer;
  whether to suspend the officer from duty;
  what action to take in the light of an investigating officer's report;
  what punishment to award if the officer is found guilty.

  The police authority does not have complete freedom in these matters. Thus, a decision to suspend a senior officer can be taken only with the approval of the Police Complaints Authority; and that authority can decide to supervise the investigation of any allegations. (In the case of the investigation of allegations made against Mr. Stalker, the Police Complaints Authority approved his suspension, supervised the investigation, and publicly stated its view that the allegations were serious enough to warrant investigation.) Moreover, if a police authority decides to bring disciplinary charges against a senior officer, it is a requirement that the charges must be drawn up by an independent solicitor and that they must be heard by a tribunal consisting of a single person selected from a list of persons nominated by the Lord Chancellor. Some of those consulted wanted still more scope for independent

  201
  review of the police authority's role in the procedures, but there was no agreement on what form such further review might take.

  Other matters considered during the review included the extensive media coverage of the investigation of allegations about Mr. Stalker and of the consideration of Mr. Sampson's report by the Greater Manchester police authority, and the absence of any right for senior officers to recover the costs of employing legal advice in investigations which do not lead to criminal or disciplinary proceedings. On the first issue, I have concluded that there is no case for any restriction on the reporting of investigations against police officers; and, as regards the payment of legal costs in discipline proceedings from public funds, I am not persuaded of the need to change the present arrangements under which a police authority has discretion to make a payment.

  In the light of these conclusions, I have no plans to modify existing procedures by changes in the law. But the review has suggested that it might be useful to amplify the existing guidance on the procedures which must be followed when allegations are made against senior officers. Accordingly, I intend shortly to consult police authorities and other interested parties about the content of such further guidance.

  Pool Competitions Act 1971
  Mr. Greg Knight
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has plans to renew the Pool Competitions Act 1971; and if he will make a statement.

  Division 1

  Division 2

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Percentage change

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Percentage change

  Overall percentage change

  Attendances

  9,008,673

  9,213,328

  +2

  3,542,028

  4,144,905

  +17

  +6

  Arrests

  1,839

  2,008

  +9

  1,050

  1,708

  +68

  +29

  Ejections

  2,206

  3,532

  +60

  1,089

  1,255

  +15

  +45

  The Government remain determined to seek further progress, in partnership with the football authorities, through measures such as the wider adoption of membership schemes and the exclusion order provisions of the Public Order Act 1986, which will come into force on 1 August.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals held under the international provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 and against whom an extension of detention was authorised by the Secretary of State were (a) subsequently charged with an offence or (b) deported under the Immigration Act 1971.

  Mr. Hurd
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1987, c. 364]: From the implementation of the 1984 Act on 22 March 1984 to 31 March 1987, 24 persons whose detention under the international provisions of the Act had been extended beyond 48 hours were later charged with offences. I shall write to the hon. Member later about the numbers deported after having been so held.

  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were successfully
  202
  Mr. Hurd
  No. In line with the policy as announced in Standing Committee on 5 July 1983 and on subsequent occasions, I have decided that the Pool Competitions Act 1971 should not be renewed. The Act will therefore lapse on 26 July. The few organisations affected have already been notified.

  Football Hooliganism
  Mr. Greg Knight
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about recent trends in the incidence of football hooliganism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Association of Chief Police Officers for England and Wales has reported that the improvement in standards of crowd behaviour during the 1985–86 season was maintained during last season, which saw a welcome increase in overall attendances at football matches.

  The police take the view that the use of closed-circuit television and the controls on alcohol have made a major contribution to the prevention of disorder inside grounds. They have been increasingly able to take prompt and effective action to control violent behaviour where it occurs, and have also tackled other forms of unacceptable behaviour such as racial chanting. This is reflected in the statistics for arrests at Football League matches and ejections from grounds in 1986–87, which show an increase in comparison with 1985–86. The figures for divisions 1 and 2 are as follows:

  contacted from 1984 in connection with the comprehensive review of exclusion orders made under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 that were still in force.

  Mr. Hurd
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1987, c. 364]: Ninety five people were successfully contacted in respect of the main review of exclusion orders made under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons excluded under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974, 1976 and 1984 were excluded direct from prison after completing a prison term.

  Mr. Hurd
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1987, c. 363]: The information which can be provided without disproportionate cost relates to the period 1 January 1982 to 31 March 1987, during which 12 persons were excluded on release from prison.

  Mr. Soley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons excluded under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts were originally detained in London.
  203
  Mr. Hurd
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1987, c. 363]: The information which can be provided relates to the period from 1 January 1979 to 31 March 1987, during which a total of 30 persons were made subject to exclusion orders, having been originally detained by the Metropolitan police, eight of whom were detained in 1979, 12 in 1980 and two in 1981.

TRANSPORT

  Barking-Gospel Oak Railway Line
  Mr. Summerson
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of British Rail to discuss the standard of services on the Barking to Gospel Oak line.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have agreed standards for the quality of BR services as a whole, which I shall be monitoring in general terms, but it would not be appropriate for me to discuss each and every service's performance with Sir Robert Reid. These aspects will be being watched carefully by the statutory consumer bodies, and I expect them to report on any persisting difficulties.

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport for the last year for which records are available, how many accidents have occurred on (a) motorways, (b) other trunk roads for which his Department is responsible, and (c) other roads generally caused by the problems on the road or hard shoulder of broken down vehicles, involving (i) damage, (ii) personal injury and (iii) fatality.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I regret the information is not generally available. Reports received by the Department do not identify causes of accidents. The presence of broken-down vehicles is not recorded.

  Kowloon Bridge
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to publish his Department's report on the grounding and subsequent sinking of the Kowloon Bridge.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for aviation and shipping has received the report and arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library. The report, made on behalf of the Hong Kong Administration, does not hold anyone to blame, but concludes that a succession of events associated with atrocious weather led to the grounding and loss of the Kowloon Bridge. Of these events, the most serious was the failure of the steering gear and this was probably linked to the grounding of the vessel while she was in Bantry Bay. A successful evacuation of all 28 persons on board was effected by RAF aircraft, which were using Cork airport at the time in connection with another rescue. Apart from an RAF winchman who sustained arm injuries, everyone else was rescued unhurt. The rescue was admirably carried out with RAF personnel displaying the courage and professionalism which we have come to expect in such circumstances. The master and his crew also carried out their part in the abandonment of the vessel with calmness and courage.

  British Railways Board (Property)
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on implementation of the recommendations made in the report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the British Railways Board's property activities, published in June 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Railways Board is continuing to make good progress in implementing the commission's recommendations, and I am placing copies of its second response in the Library of the House.

  A number of improvements have been made in the British Rail property board's organisation and management structure. This action has also taken account of advice from consultants appointed by the property boa rd to review its organisation, management structure, systems and procedures, and working practices. I am pleased to note that simpler procedures for releasing land no longer needed for the railway have been introduced. In particular, I welcome the opportunities for increased sales of surplus land that the board has identified, amounting to an additional £100 million in its latest business plan. The board's development division has also been reviewed and reorganised, taking account of recommendations from a group of private sector property consultants.

  Good progress is also being made in increasing the commercial exploitation of the board's operational property, with more extensive private sector involvement. The arch refurbishment programme, which generates income and helps the environment, has been stepped up to cover over 700 schemes over the last two years, and is expected to continue at a high level, and greater competition is being introduced in station trading.

  I am also placing in the Library a copy of' my Department's review of the board's liabilities for property no longer needed for the railway, particularly in connection with closed branch lines, as proposed by the commission. The property board's current and forecast levels of expenditure in this area are small in relation to the board's overall finances, and we see no case for removing the liabilities or for separately funding them. The evidence suggests that the property board should continue broadly with its present maintenance policies, negotiating with local highway authorities and other interested parties to shed its liabilities on the basis of voluntary agreements, taking every opportunity to transfer individual liabilities where this makes financial sense.

  The Department will assist the board to establish an English and Welsh viaducts committee, similar to that which exists in Scotland, in order to provide a forum for considering the future of listed viaducts on closed railway lines, and we will support a further application to the Charity Commissioners seeking charitable status for the Railway Heritage Trust, if the board and the trust judge it advantageous. We will also keep under review the question of ownership and statutory responsibility for the board's road overbridges.

  BAA Flotation
  Mr. Haselhurst
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the tender offer in the British Airports Authority flotation.
  205
  Mr. Channon
  The tender element in the offer for sale has proved very successful. Valid tender applications at or above 283p per share will be satisfied in full. Valid applications at 282p per share will be accepted and an allocation of about 15 per cent. of the shares applied for will be made.

  The level of subscription for tender shares means that all the 125 million shares provisionally placed with institutions at the fixed price of 245p have been clawed back and the taxpayer will benefit by an extra £56 million of proceeds.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  United Nations Agencies
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total value in constant prices of all contributions made by Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations children's fund since 1970.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is as follows:

  Contributions at current prices (£ million)

  1986prices (£million)

  Year

  General Fund

  Special Appeals

  Total

  General Fund

  Total

  1970

  0·600

  —

  0·600

  3·2

  3·2

  1971

  0·600

  —

  0·600

  2·9

  2·9

  1972

  0·700

  —

  0·700

  3·1

  3·1

  1973

  0·800

  0·350

  1·150

  3·4

  4·8

  a. Contributions to General Fund at 1986 constant prices ($ million)

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1980–86 total

  Australia

  2·2

  2·4

  3·2

  3·5

  1·8

  1·9

  1·8

  16·7

  Austria

  0·8

  1·0

  1·1

  1·0

  1·0

  1·1

  1·1

  7·0

  Belgium

  1·0

  1·0

  0·8

  1·2

  1·2

  1·5

  1·4

  8·1

  Canada

  9·1

  9·2

  10·0

  10·4

  12·2

  9·8

  10·5

  71·2

  Denmark

  6·2

  6·2

  6·7

  6·8

  7·1

  7·0

  7·6

  47·7

  Finland

  1·9

  2·6

  2·8

  4·8

  7·8

  7·4

  11·4

  38·7

  France

  2·6

  2·0

  2·2

  5·5

  5·7

  5·0

  5·0

  28·0

  Germany

  6·4

  5·9

  6·1

  6·1

  7·4

  6·6

  7·3

  45·7

  Ireland

  0·5

  0·5

  0·4

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  0·5

  3·5

  Italy

  2·9

  6·5

  23·8

  21·4

  19·3

  24·2

  21·6

  119·7

  Japan

  7·7

  8·7

  12·7

  15·3

  18·1

  20·5

  15·5

  98·4

  Netherlands

  7·8

  9·4

  9·9

  9·7

  9·1

  9·2

  11·4

  66·5

  New Zealand

  0·7

  0·6

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  0·4

  0·5

  3·7

  Norway

  13·3

  12·7

  15·2

  18·2

  17·7

  18·7

  21·9

  117·8

  Sweden

  27·3

  25·2

  24·9

  25·8

  26·7

  29·1

  31·1

  190·1

  Switzerland

  4·8

  4·6

  4·9

  5·1

  5·5

  7·1

  7·4

  39·5

  United Kingdom

  9·0

  10·9

  10·4

  10·2

  9·6

  9·8

  9·6

  69·5

  United States

  45·7

  43·5

  47·4

  46·8

  55·7

  54·9

  51·4

  345·3

  DAC total

  149·8

  152·9

  183·0

  192·5

  207·1

  214·9

  217·0

  1,317·1

  b. Total contributions at 1986 constant prices ($ million) (These include contributions to both the General Fund and Special Appeals)

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1980–86 total

  Australia

  3·5

  2·7

  7·8

  4·4

  3·3

  2·6

  2·2

  26·6

  Austria

  1·7

  1·0

  1·6

  2·3

  1·0

  1·5

  1·1

  10·1

  Belgium

  1·0

  1·0

  1·1

  1·2

  1·2

  1·5

  1·4

  8·4

  Canada

  14·6

  9·6

  11·5

  10·8

  15·6

  13·2

  16·5

  91·7

  Denmark

  6·6

  6·6

  7·6

  6·8

  7·5

  7·3

  7·9

  50·2

  Finland

  2·0

  2·6

  3·3

  4·8

  9·4

  9·0

  12·2

  43·2

  France

  3·7

  2·0

  2·2

  5·5

  6·1

  5·0

  5·0

  29·4

  Germany

  14·6

  6·4

  6·4

  6·1

  7·4

  6·6

  7·7

  55·1

  Ireland

  0·5

  0·6

  0·4

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  0·6

  3·7

  206

  Contributions at current prices (£ million)

  1986 prices (£million)

  Year

  General Fund

  Special Appeals

  Total

  General Fund

  Total

  1974

  1·300

  —

  1·300

  4·8

  4·8

  1975

  2·000

  1·545

  3·545

  5·7

  10·2

  1976

  2·300

  —

  2·300

  5·7

  5·7

  1977

  3·300

  0·020

  3·320

  7·2

  7·3

  1978

  4·500

  2·032

  6·532

  8·9

  12·9

  1979

  15·800

  1·582

  7·382

  10·0

  12·7

  1980

  4·300

  0·691

  4·991

  6·2

  7·2

  1981

  5·900

  1·456

  7·356

  7·6

  9·5

  1982

  5·900

  0·083

  5·983

  7·1

  7·2

  1983

  6·000

  0·069

  6·069

  6·8

  6·9

  1984

  6·000

  0·025

  6·025

  6·6

  6·6

  1985

  6·300

  2·100

  8·400

  6·5

  8·7

  1986

  6·500

  0·238

  6·738

  6·5

  6·7

  1987

  27·000

  25·000

  212·000

  36·7

  311·5

  1 Special increase to mark International Year of the Child.

  2 Pledged.

  3 Estimates.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the total value in constant prices of all contributions made by member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee to the United Nations children's fund since 1980

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is given in the tables at constant 1986 prices. The constant prices allow for the effects of both national rates of inflation and changing dollar exchange rates.
  207

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1980–86 total

  Italy

  2·9

  6·5

  26·8

  21·4

  20·6

  26·4

  22·1

  126·6

  Japan

  17·1

  13·8

  14·2

  15·3

  18·2

  27·3

  16·3

  122·2

  Netherlands

  10·4

  11·3

  10·9

  9·9

  10·9

  9·5

  11·7

  74·5

  New Zealand

  0·9

  0·6

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  0·9

  1·0

  5·0

  Norway

  13·8

  14·6

  16·4

  18·6

  19·3

  18·9

  22·2

  123·8

  Sweden

  28·4

  25·4

  26·9

  26·0

  27·7

  30·1

  32·9

  197·3

  Switzerland

  5·8

  5·0

  5·2

  5·1

  5·7

  7·3

  7·5

  41·6

  United Kingdom

  10·5

  13·7

  10·5

  10·3

  9·7

  13·0

  10·0

  77·6

  United States

  57·5

  51·2

  62·4

  46·8

  56·7

  64·6

  55·0

  394·2

  DAC total

  195·4

  174·4

  215·6

  195·9

  221·2

  245·1

  233·2

  1,480·9

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the level of official aid per capita contributed by each member state of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Development Assistance Committee to the United Nations children's fund; in constant prices, for each year since 1980.

  (a) Contributions per capita to General Fund at 1986 constant prices ($)

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Australia

  0·15

  0·16

  0·21

  0·23

  0·11

  0·12

  0·11

  Austria

  0·10

  0·13

  0·14

  0·13

  0·13

  0·15

  0·14

  Belgium

  0·10

  0·10

  0·09

  0·12

  0·13

  0·15

  0·15

  Canada

  0·38

  0·38

  0·41

  0·42

  0·48

  0·39

  0·41

  Denmark

  1·21

  1·22

  1·31

  1·33

  1·39

  1·38

  1·49

  Finland

  0·40

  0·53

  0·59

  0·98

  1·61

  1·52

  2·33

  France

  0·05

  0·04

  0·04

  0·10

  0·10

  0·09

  0·09

  Germany

  0·10

  0·10

  0·10

  0·10

  0·12

  0·11

  0·12

  Ireland

  0·15

  0·15

  0·11

  0·13

  0·17

  0·14

  0·15

  Italy

  0·05

  0·12

  0·42

  0·38

  0·34

  0·42

  0·38

  Japan

  0·07

  0·07

  0·11

  0·13

  0·15

  0·17

  0·13

  Netherlands

  0·55

  0·66

  0·69

  0·67

  0·63

  0·63

  0·78

  New Zealand

  0·22

  0·18

  0·17

  0·15

  0·16

  0·13

  0·15

  Norway

  3·26

  3·11

  3·70

  4·41

  4·27

  4·51

  5·25

  Sweden

  3·28

  3·02

  2·99

  3·10

  3·21

  3·49

  3·73

  Switzerland

  0·76

  0·72

  0·75

  0·79

  0·85

  1·09

  1·13

  United Kingdom

  0·16

  0·19

  0·18

  0·18

  0·17

  0·17

  0·17

  United States

  0·20

  0·19

  0·20

  0·20

  0·23

  0·23

  0·21

  DAC Total

  0·22

  0·22

  0·27

  0·28

  0·30

  0·31

  0·31

  (b) Total contributions per capita at 1986 constant prices ($) (These include contributions to both the General Fund and Special Appeals)

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Australia

  0·24

  0·18

  0·51

  0·28

  0·21

  0·17

  0·14

  Austria

  0·22

  0·13

  0·21

  0·30

  0·13

  0·20

  0·14

  Belgium

  0·10

  0·10

  0·11

  0·12

  0·13

  0·15

  0·15

  Canada

  0·61

  0·39

  0·46

  0·43

  0·62

  0·52

  0·65

  Denmark

  1·28

  1·28

  1·49

  1·33

  1·46

  1·43

  1·55

  Finland

  0·41

  0·53

  0·68

  0·98

  1·93

  1·83

  2·49

  France

  0·07

  0·04

  0·04

  0·10

  0·11

  0·09

  0·09

  Germany

  0·24

  0·10

  0·10

  0·10

  0·12

  0·11

  0·13

  Ireland

  0·16

  0·17

  0·11

  0·13

  0·17

  0·14

  0·17

  Italy

  0·05

  0·12

  0·47

  0·38

  0·36

  0·46

  0·39

  Japan

  0·15

  0·12

  0·12

  0·13

  0·15

  0·23

  0·13

  Netherlands

  0·73

  0·79

  0·76

  0·69

  0·76

  0·65

  0·81

  New Zealand

  0·30

  0·20

  0·17

  0·15

  0·16

  0·27

  0·31

  Norway

  3·39

  3·55

  4·00

  4·50

  4·65

  4·56

  5·34

  Sweden

  3·42

  3·05

  3·23

  3·13

  3·32

  3·60

  3·94

  Switzerland

  0·91

  0·77

  0·80

  0·79

  0·87

  1·12

  1·15

  United Kingdom

  0·19

  0·24

  0·19

  0·18

  0·17

  0·23

  0·18

  United Stales

  0·25

  0·22

  0·27

  0·20

  0·24

  0·27

  0·23

  DAC Total

  0·29

  0·26

  0·31

  0·28

  0·32

  0·35

  0·33

  208
  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is given in the tables at constant 1986 prices. The constant prices allow for the effects of both national rates of inflation and changing dollar exchange rates. The 1986 figures are based on provisional population estimates.
  209
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give such information as he has, in the form of a list, in rank order, by size of total contribution in constant prices, of those member states of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Assistance Committee that provided funds for the United Nations children's fund for each year since 1980.

  (a) Contributions to General Fund at 1986 constant prices

  Rank

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  2

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  3

  Norway

  Norway

  Italy

  Italy

  Italy

  Italy

  Norway

  4

  Canada

  United Kingdom

  Norway

  Norway

  Japan

  Japan

  Italy

  5

  United Kingdom

  Netherlands

  Japan

  Japan

  Norway

  Norway

  Japan

  6

  Netherlands

  Canada

  United Kingdom

  Canada

  Canada

  Canada

  Finland

  7

  Japan

  Japan

  Canada

  United Kingdom

  United Kingdom

  United Kingdom

  Netherlands

  8

  Germany

  Italy

  Netherlands

  Netherlands

  Netherlands

  Netherlands

  Canada

  9

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Finland

  Finland

  United Kingdom

  10

  Switzerland

  Germany

  Germany

  Germany

  Germany

  Switzerland

  Denmark

  11

  Italy

  Switzerland

  Switzerland

  France

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Switzerland

  12

  France

  Finland

  Australia

  Switzerland

  France

  Germany

  Germany

  13

  Australia

  Australia

  Finland

  Finland

  Switzerland

  France

  France

  14

  Finland

  France

  France

  Australia

  Australia

  Australia

  Australia

  15

  Belgium

  Austria

  Austria

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Belgium

  16

  Austria

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Austria

  Austria

  Austria

  Austria

  17

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  18

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  (b) Total contributions at 1986 constant prices

  Rank

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  United States

  2

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  Sweden

  3

  Japan

  Norway

  Italy

  Italy

  Italy

  Japan

  Norway

  4

  Canada

  Japan

  Norway

  Norway

  Norway

  Italy

  Italy

  5

  Germany

  United Kingdom

  Japan

  Japan

  Japan

  Norway

  Canada

  6

  Norway

  Netherlands

  Canada

  Canada

  Canada

  Canada

  Japan

  7

  United Kingdom

  Canada

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Finland

  8

  Netherlands

  Denmark

  United Kingdom

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Netherlands

  Netherlands

  9

  Denmark

  Italy

  Australia

  Denmark

  Finland

  Finland

  United Kingdom

  10

  Switzerland

  Germany

  Denmark

  Germany

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Denmark

  11

  France

  Switzerland

  Germany

  France

  Germany

  Switzerland

  Germany

  12

  Australia

  Australia

  Switzerland

  Switzerland

  France

  Germany

  Switzerland

  13

  Italy

  Finland

  Finland

  Finland

  Switzerland

  France

  France

  14

  Finland

  France

  France

  Australia

  Australia

  Australia

  Australia

  15

  Austria

  Austria

  Austria

  Austria

  Belgium

  Austria

  Belgium

  16

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Belgium

  Austria

  Belgium

  Austria

  17

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  Ireland

  New Zealand

  New Zealand

  18

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  New Zealand

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Developing Countries (Aid)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total value in constant prices of all multilateral aid flows by Her Majesty's Government to developing countries since 1970.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information in constant 1986 prices is as follows:

  £ million

  1970

  105·8

  1971

  147·5

  1972

  219·5

  1973

  262·7

  1974

  310·9

  1975

  377·8

  1976

  342·7

  1977

  442·2

  210
  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is given in the tables; ranking is by constant 1986 prices in United States dollars. The constant prices allow for the effects of both national inflation rates and changing dollar exchange rate.

  £ million

  1978

  370·0

  1979

  442·1

  1980

  378·9

  1981

  446·0

  1982

  491·9

  1983

  546·7

  1984

  580·6

  1985

  508·4

  1986

  510·6

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total value in constant prices of all aid flows by Her Majesty's Government to developing countries since 1970.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information in constant 1986 prices is as follows:
  211

  £ million

  1970

  1,187

  1971

  1,358

  1972

  1,301

  1973

  1,234

  1974

  1,326

  1975

  1,298

  1976

  1,323

  1977

  1,328

  1978

  1,481

  1979

  1,617

  1980

  1,387

  1981

  1,525

  1982

  1,297

  1983

  1,336

  1984

  1,441

  1985

  1,355

  1986

  1,358

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Training Scheme
  Mr. Hardy
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that all 16-year-old school leavers in south Yorkshire will have the opportunity to be meaningfully engaged in the two-year training scheme during 1987.

  Mr. Cope
  The Government have given an undertaking that all unemployed 16-year-old school leavers will be offered a suitable place on 2-year YTS by the Christmas after they leave school. I am confident that all concerned will work to ensure that this guarantee will be substantially met in 1987 as it has been in previous years.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Ms. Armstrong
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what causes he attributes the fact, as revealed in "Regional Trades 1987", that a lower proportion of those who leave YTS schemes in the north find full-time employment, following completion of the scheme, than in any other region in Great Britain.

  Mr. Cope
  It is difficult to attribute regional variation in the placement rate of YTS trainees to particular factors, though the characteristics of the regional labour market are bound to have an influence.

  It is encouraging that, in the six months from April to September 1986, 49 per cent. of those leaving one year YTS in the north entered full-time employment compared with 40 per cent. in 1985–86.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Stern
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instruct all agencies sponsored by his Department that any person employed under any scheme which involves working with children should be vetted for any previous history of child abuse or assault on children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The main programmes which provide support services for young children are community programme and YTS. I am not aware of any allegations of child abuse or assault in either of these programmes. The main providers of these programmes are local authorities and voluntary organisations. The Manpower Services Commission, which administers both programmes,212
  requires providers to ensure appropriate selection of those entering the programmes and to maintain an appropriate level of supervision.

  Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
  Mr. Flynn
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to ensure that the nuclear installations inspectorate achieves its target recruitment figure for inspectors of 150.

  Mr. Cope
  The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) current target is to increase the number of Nuclear Installations Inspectors to 120 by 1 April 1988. The Government and the Health and Safety Commission and Executive remain committed to ensuring that the inspectorate is adequately staffed. A continuous recruitment competition is in progress. Substantial increases in the salaries paid to Nuclear Installations Inspectors have recently been agreed and should ensure that the inspectorate will now be able to attract a sufficient number of recruits.

  Tourism
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the potential for job creation in the tourist industry.

  Mr. Lee
  In recent years there has been substantial growth in the number of employees in those industries which most directly serve tourists (up by 46,000 in the hotel, catering and leisure and recreational services sectors in the year to March 1987).

  On the basis of the indication we have so far, I would expect to see further significant growth in jobs in these industries in 1987.

  Bridge Programmes
  Mr. Cartwright
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many bridge programmes for unemployed managers and professionals have been set up since the scheme was first launched; and at what estimated annual cost;

  (2) how many unemployed managers and professionals have been accepted into bridge programmes since the scheme was launched: and how many are estimated to have found permanent employment as a result.

  Mr. Cope
  In 1986–87, courses under the bridge programme were mounted by 43 training providers through 55 centres at a cost of £2·4 million. The cost of similar provision in earlier years cannot be separately identified, but available information on numbers helped is as follows:

  Financial year

  Number of trainee starts

  1983–84

  3,735

  1984–85

  5,648

  1985–86

  6,795

  1986–87

  6,722

  Total

  22,900

  The most recent follow-up survey of former bridge trainees, held in September 1986, indicated that some 59 per cent. had obtained employment or self-employment within three months of leaving the scheme.
  213
  Mr. Cartwright
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the decision to end the bridge programme for unemployed managers and professionals; and what response he has offered.

  Mr. Cope
  Hon. Members, training providers and trainees have written about the need to continue provision for unemployed executives and managers seeking training in job-searching and interviewing skills. We have explained that the decision to withdraw funding from separate bridge courses was taken as part of a wider redeployment of resources to increase help for long-term unemployed people. Similar training assistance is available through the new job training scheme and jobclubs for those who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks, and some opportunities will continue to be available for executives and managers with shorter periods of unemployment through the wider opportunities training programme.

  Distribution of weekly household disposable income

  Lowest decile £

  Lowerquartile £

  Median £

  Upper quartile £

  Highest decile £

  All United Kingdom households

  1983

  46·03

  75·96

  133·25

  198·32

  271·94

  1985

  48·44

  83·45

  152·73

  232·74

  322·59

  Greater London households

  1983

  47·94

  75·84

  142·61

  231·57

  324·46

  1985

  46·60

  89·50

  167·50

  261·50

  367·82

  Data in this table are subject to sampling variation.

  Pay Levels
  Mr. David Nicholson
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish tables showing the percentage increases in average pay levels from 1972, 1979 and 1983 up to the latest available date for the following groups of full-time adult workers: primary and secondary school teachers in England and Wales, National Health Service nurses and midwives, ambulancemen, National Health Service ancillary staff, National Health Service administrative and clerical staff, non-manual grades in

  Percentage increase in average gross weekly earnings of full-time1 adult employees by agreement Great Britain—April

  1972 to 1986 per cent.

  1979 to 1986 per cent.

  1983–1986 per cent.

  Full-time adult employees

  Primary and secondary schools teachers England and Wales

  471·5

  114·8

  22·5

  National Health Service Nurses and midwives

  528·7

  120·4

  22·4

  Ambulancemen

  ..

  117·3

  24·6

  Ancillary staff

  405·8

  85·6

  14·1

  Administrative and clerical staff

  398·9

  84·2

  11·4

  Full-time adult non-manual employees

  Local authorities services

  Administrative, professional, technical and clerical NJC

  England and Wales

  ..

  108·1

  19·9

  Scotland

  ..

  108·1

  21·4

  Police service—ranks below superintendent only

  ..

  127·9

  20·2

  Fire service—operational ranks below station officer

  ..

  115·9

  22·4

  Prison officers

  ..

  133·8

  21·2

  Disposable Income
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures on the distribution of aggregate disposable income in 1985, showing lowest and highest deciles, upper and lower quartiles, and the median, for (a) all households in the United Kingdom and (b) for Greater London, in an adjusted form that will allow direct comparisons with the published figures for 1983 and earlier years.

  Mr. Lee
  The exact information requested in available only at disproportionate cost. However provision was made in analysis of the 1983 "Family Expenditure Survey" (when the introduction of the housing benefit scheme necessitated a change of income definition) to provide results on two bases. The figures below show 1985 and 1983 distributions from the "Family Expenditure Survey" on the current basis.

  local authority services, the police service, the fire service, prison officers, the Civil Service, subdivided as appropriate, but indicating separately, the professional and technology group and the science group, non-manual staff in gas, electricity and water, salaried staff in British Rail and clerical and executive grades in the Post Office.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information which is based on new earnings survey results for national agreements affecting these groups is shown in the table. Comparable information for 1972 was not collected for all the agreements shown.
  215

  1972 to 1986 per cent.

  1979 to 1986 per cent.

  1983–1986 per cent.

  Civil Service

  Administration group:

  Middle and higher grades

  ..

  95·5

  18·5

  Clerical grades

  ..

  84·8

  18·8

  Professional and technology group

  ..

  108·4

  18·0

  Science group

  ..

  88·0

  15·4

  Secretarial, typing and data processing grades

  ..

  94·2

  21·1

  Gas staffs and senior officers NJC

  ..

  112·8

  22·0

  Electricity administrative and clerical grades NJC

  ..

  119·3

  26·5

  Water service staffs NJC

  ..

  117·5

  24·9

  British Rail—salaried staff

  ..

  125·7

  27·3

  Post Office—clerical and executive grades

  ..

  ..

  20·1

  1 Whose earnings were not affected by absence.

  .. Not available.

  The figures shown in the table can be affected by the timing of pay settlements. Changes in average earnings can reflect several factors including changes in the amount of overtime worked and changes in the structure and composition of employment.

WALES

  Cardiff Bay Development Authority
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales who has been shortlisted by his Department for the position of chief executive of the Cardiff Bay development authority.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The recruitment and appointment of a chief executive are matters for the Cardiff Bay development corporation.

  Local Government Ombudsman
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by each Welsh district and county for the years 1980 to 1986 and classify by type of case (i) the number of complaints made to the local government ombudsman and (ii) the number of complaints upheld.

  Mr. Grist
  I have no information about the numbers of complaints against individual local authorities. The information you seek is held by the Commissioner for Local Administration in Wales who is independent of central Government.

  At 1 April

  Welsh Districts

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Aberconwy

  —

  —

  —

  —

  45

  4

  22

  7

  4

  Alyn and Deeside

  —

  35

  14

  —

  6

  51

  9

  5

  8

  Arfon

  —

  —

  13

  20

  30

  9

  12

  10

  —

  Blaenau Gwent

  n/a

  14

  —

  —

  —

  50

  35

  —

  —

  Brecknock

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cardiff

  89

  72

  46

  550

  223

  254

  175

  120

  45

  Carmarthen

  n/a

  7

  2

  4

  3

  4

  4

  3

  4

  Ceredigion

  —

  16

  14

  4

  32

  —

  20

  12

  6

  Colwyn

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Cynon Valley

  2

  5

  6

  72

  50

  29

  5

  14

  19

  Delyn

  42

  30

  37

  36

  32

  30

  28

  10

  59

  Dinefwr

  —

  6

  2

  12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dwyfor

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Glyndwr

  n/a

  6

  2

  34

  52

  14

  12

  6

  8

  Islwyn

  —

  1

  4

  —

  —

  23

  13

  12

  16

  Planning Inspectors
  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of his Department's planning inspectors speak both Welsh and English.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  One.

  Housing
  Mr. Dafydd Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to replace his Department's 1984 circular on housing provision in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The Secretary of State has no plans to replace circular 47/84, "Land for Housing in Wales". However, further guidance on procedures involved in securing an adequate housing land supply is under consideration.

  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses are available for rent in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector, in each district authority area in Wales; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1987]: The numbers of vacant local authority dwellings available for letting are set out in the following tables. Similar information is not available in respect of housing association or private sector dwellings.
  217

  Welsh Districts

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Llanelli

  —

  —

  5

  2

  3

  12

  14

  12

  10

  Lliw Valley

  n/a

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  4

  7

  6

  Meirionnydd

  10

  5

  6

  7

  5

  16

  7

  6

  2

  Merthyr Tydfil

  48

  10

  26

  34

  —

  36

  94

  —

  10

  Monmouth

  n/a

  21

  11

  43

  6

  10

  19

  13

  21

  Montgomeryshire

  8

  —

  21

  47

  43

  43

  15

  16

  24

  Neath

  12

  —

  —

  —

  50

  30

  22

  22

  22

  Newport

  n/a

  29

  35

  250

  176

  169

  55

  157

  130

  Ogwr

  12

  10

  9

  30

  40

  35

  30

  25

  32

  Port Talbot-Afan

  24

  —

  10

  127

  5

  15

  10

  15

  25

  Preseli

  29

  6

  6

  13

  54

  48

  21

  19

  8

  Radnor

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  10

  4

  Rhondda

  20

  47

  18

  188

  32

  52

  13

  19

  20

  Rhuddlan

  —

  —

  11

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18

  15

  Rhymney Valley

  n/a

  —

  3

  6

  6

  —

  —

  10

  14

  South Pembrokeshire

  n/a

  —

  19

  27

  29

  9

  28

  —

  4

  Swansea

  46

  14

  29

  62

  86

  51

  38

  125

  115

  Taff-Ely

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  13

  8

  6

  8

  Torfaen

  9

  17

  7

  21

  22

  27

  20

  18

  39

  Vale of Glamorgan

  53

  54

  51

  77

  15

  83

  95

  7

  1

  Wrexham Maelor

  162

  275

  147

  302

  341

  474

  247

  16

  49

  Ynys Môn

  n/a

  n/a

  7

  36

  —

  10

  20

  12

  7

  Wales total (LA)

  570

  680

  561

  2,005

  1,389

  1,603

  1,100

  732

  758

  Cwmbran

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newtown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wales total (ALL)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Anglo-Argentine Relations
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Anglo-Argentine relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Gracious Speech made from the Throne to both Houses on 25 June:"My Government … will stand by their pledge to the people of the Falkland Islands, while seeking more normal relations with Argentina."

  Central America
  Mr. John Evans
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has had recently concerning proposals for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in central America.

  Mr. Eggar
  We regularly discuss central America with other Governments. Most recent discussions by my right honourable and learned Friend were with President Arias of Costa Rica and the Foreign Minister of Uruguay, Sr. Iglesias.

  El Salvador
  Mr. Chris Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a detailed budget of Her Majesty's Government's current (a) military and (b) non-military aid programme to El Salvador.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is as follows:(a) Military aid programme—no provision for 1987–88.
  (b) Non-military aid programme — aid funds for 1987–88 have been allocated as follows:

  £

  United Kingdom Civilian Training Awards

  17,000

  Heads of Mission Gift Scheme

  10,000

  Books Presentation Programme

  3,000

  Unused balance of 1985 equipment grant

  15,000

  218
  Mr. Chris Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of scholarships for study in Britain that are proposed for nominated students from E1 Salvador; where the students will study; on what courses; when the scholarships will commence; and what is the budget for the scholarship programme.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been no students nominated for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarships and awards scheme from El Salvador since that scheme began in 1983.

  With regard to the ODA-funded awards for El Salvador announced in 1983, no nominations have been received since the awards first became available in the financial year 1985–86, but the allocation remains and stands at £17,000 for 1987–88 (which would cover about two awards).

  Guatemala
  Mr. Chris Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of Her Majesty's Government's technical scholarship programme for Guatemala; what is the cost of funding for the programme; on what date the scholarships will commence; what training will be offered by the scholarships and where; how many such scholarships are proposed; and what will be the selection procedure for candidates.

  Mr. Eggar
  Following the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Guatemala, ODA will provide up to 6 scholarships in the United Kingdom with effect from 1987–88, at a total cost of £48,000 per annum.

  Priority areas for study include public health, human nutrition, agriculture and water supply.

  It is proposed that selection be assisted by a board, chaired by a representative of the British embassy and including a representative of the Government of Guatemala and local specialists appropriate to the applicant's field of study. Nominations have not yet been

  219
  received for the scholarships; but it is envisaged that a selection board would meet before the end of the year and could still take candidates who might start their courses before the end of the financial year.

  Guatemalan Ambassador
  Mr. Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he expects the new ambassador of Guatemala to arrive in Britain to take up his appointment; and where the new embassy will be.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Guatemalan ambassador arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday 15 July and took up his appointment on 16 July. He is currently making arrangements to acquire embassy premises.

  Conference on Security and Co-operation
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present situation regarding the conference on security and co-operation in Europe negotiations.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Vienna conference on security and cooperation in Europe Meeting is still in its third and final phase, during which work is underway on drafting of a final document. We expect the meeting to go into recess at the start of August and to reconvene in late September. During the current round of negotiations, the United Kingdom delegation has continued to explain and defend the ambitious and constructive initiatives we have tabled in conjunction with other Western countries: these include proposals for a three-stage action programme designed to ensure concrete progress on human rights after Vienna, for an East-West economic conference in the Federal Republic of Germany and for an information forum in London. More recently, the Alliance tabled on 10 July a proposal for further work on confidence and security building measures. We also remain concerned about the many breaches by the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries of their current CSCE commitments, and have continued to raise these issues regularly in debate.

  High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many high commissions, embassies and consulates Her Majesty's Government sustain in (a) Commonwealth and (b) non-commonwealth countries.

  Mr. Eggar
  In Commonwealth countries there are 42 High Commissions, 4 Deputy High Commissions, 9 Consulates-General, 5 Consulates and 3 Offices of Honorary British Representatives.

  In non-Commonwealth countries there are 87 embassies, 36 consulates-general and 168 consulates or vice-consulates.

  United Nations Agencies
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total value in constant prices of all contributions made by Her Majesty's Government to all United Nations agencies since 1970.
  220
  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Military Exercises
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the implementation of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe agreement on military exercises as it affects this autumn's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises in the United Kingdom and Germany;

  (2) whether Warsaw pact observers will be invited to visit the United Kingdom under the conference on security and co-operation in Europe agreement to observe this autumn's exercises.

  Mr. Mellor
  The exercises taking place in the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany this autumn were included in the annual calendars of notifiable military activities for 1987 produced by NATO countries in accordance with the provisions of the Stockholm Document. The United Kingdom will be involved in three: "Certain Strike" and "Keystone", both in the FRG, in September and October respectively and "Purple Warrior" in Scotland in November. All Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe states will be invited to send observers to these three exercises, all of which are above the observation as well as the notification threshold.

  Falkland Islands (Fishing)
  Dr. Marek
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of fishing licences and quotas off the Falkland Islands for the coming year; and whether the total catch is such as to be self sustainable in the present unchanging ecology.

  Mr. Eggar
  Eighty-five fishing licences have been allocated by the Falkland Islands Government for the second season, 1 July to 31 December 1987. The number is consistent with estimated sustainable catch levels for squid and finfish. Arrangements for 1988 will be decided in the autumn after analysis of catch data gathered in the first six months of 1987.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 20 July.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 20 July.

  The Council agreed a programme of work on the future financing of the Community. It reflects United Kingdom priorities satisfactorily.

  The Council reaffirmed its concern at the possible consequences for bilateral and world trade of United States trade legislation; and the Community's determination to respond to any United States restrictive measures in accordance with its GATT rights, if necessary. The Council asked the Commission to continue to make every effort to reach a satisfactory settlement with the United States in the dispute over export restitutions on pasta and

  221
  agreed that the Community would need to respond to any restrictive measures unilaterally imposed by the United States.

  The Council noted that reasonable, if modest, progress had been made in the Community's negotiations with Japan to reduce barriers to trade in a number of sectors (motor vehicles, cosmetics, medical equipment), but that there was a need for quicker progress on a wider range of sectors and the establishment of timetables for the implementation of measures already agreed.

  The Council adopted the annual report on EC/EFTA Co-operation. Ministers welcomed the progress which had been made towards the achievement of a wider European economic area and stressed the importance of keeping up the momentum as the EC made progress in the internal market.

  The Council discussed but did not approve a Commission proposal for a phased reduction of the crisis levy imposed in 1981 on the emoluments of Community officials. A staff request for conciliation was agreed.

  The Presidency reported to the Council that agreement had been reached on the Framework Programme for Research and Development for 1987–1991. The agreement implements the proposal put to the European Council by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Turks and Caicos Islands (Development Project)
  Mr. Wells
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the outcome of the commission of inquiry into the North Creek development project in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Commission, led by Mr. Louis Blom-Cooper QC, has submitted its report to the Governor. The Report is being printed as a Command Paper and copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

  The report finds that Mr. Terence Donegan committed various acts of misfeasance in public office while Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1980 to 1982 in promoting the Little Bluff Development Company in which he had a considerable interest and in failing in his fiduciary duty to the Crown.

  In the light of the report the Governor has decided that it is not in the public interest that Mr. Donegan should remain in the islands. Acting upon his own authority under the powers vested in him in the constitution and the local Immigration Ordinance the Governor has therefore issued a deportation order against Mr. Donegan. The question of restitution of profits and the possible restitution of alienated Crown Lands by compulsory purchase under the constitution are matters which are the legitimate interest of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and have been referred to them for decision. We fully endorse the Governor's decision.

  The report also makes it clear that in seeking to promote the development of Crown Lands at North Creek through a project involving the Raul Construction Company certain TCI Ministers in the Executive Council acted without proper regard for the public interest.

  No action is considered necessary in the case of those Ministers. One of the Ministers concerned was sentenced by United States Courts for drugs-related offences in 1985. Another was among those who resigned office shortly
  222
  before the decision to suspend Ministerial Government in the TCI announced on 25 July last year. No other Ministers appear to be implicated.

  This is the third Commission on TCI matters since January 1986. All three have revealed serious weaknesses in the administration of the Islands. Our decision to suspend Ministerial Government in the Islands in July 1986, and our action following the Report of the constitutional Commission appointed in September last year, shows that Her Majesty's Government are fully determined to correct these weaknesses and to ensure that the Islands are provided with the responsible administration to which they have an undoubted right.

PRIME MINISTER

  Official Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  asked the Prime Minister (1) what is the latest figure for the cost of entertaining at (a) Chequers and (b) 10 Downing street since (i) May 1979 and (ii) July 1983;

  (2) what is the latest cost figure for maintaining her Private Office since May 1979;

  (3) what is the latest figure for the cost of her foreign tours since May 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  The cost of maintaining my Office since 1979 (including the full costs for the financial year 1979–80) is £25,350,000; of foreign visits since May 1979 is £2,923,000; and of entertainment (i) since May 1979 is £146,000 and (ii) since July 1983 is £82,000. The figures for entertainment cover both Chequers and No. 10 Downing street; the information is not available by location.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Michael Marshall
  asked the Prime Minister whether she had an opportunity of discussing with President Reagan the common interests of the United Kingdom and the United States of America in a speedy resolution to the negotiations for the second KDD international telecommunications network in Japan.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The United States Administration, however, are well aware of our views.

  Official Secrets Act
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Prime Minister if she will introduce legislation to amend the Official Secrets Act so as to provide that civil servants who provide information to Mr. Speaker are not open to prosecution in the courts.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no plans at present to amend the Official Secrets Act.

  British Museum
  Mr. William Powell
  asked the Prime Minister if she has reviewed departmental responsibility for the British Museum (Natural History); and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have decided that responsibility for the British Museum (Natural History) should be transferred from the Secretary of State for Education and Science to the Minister for the Arts. Such a change will enable this world famous museum to play its full part
  223
  alongside the other great national museums and galleries in the Government's developing policies for the national heritage. It will also enhance its potential for collaboration with the other museums, particularly those in South Kensington.

  I and my Ministerial colleagues concerned hope and intend that, following the transfer which will come into effect on 1 August, the museum will maintain and develop its distinguished scientific standing and strong working links with the scientific community. The Royal Society will continue as now to advise on the appointment of one member of the trustees; this advice will in future be given to the Minister for the Arts. In addition the museum will be eligible to apply in future on a competitive basis to the bodies funded from the science budget for research grants and awards allocated by normal peer review procedures.

  The transfer will not imply or require any change in the pay, conditions and grading of current or future staff.

  Members' Correspondence
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  asked the Prime Minister whether she will repeat her instruction that, to preserve the confidentiality of hon. Members' correspondence with Ministers, acknowledgement cards will not be sent out naked, but enclosed in an envelope.

  The Prime Minister
  [pursuant to her reply, 9 July 1987, c. 208]: I have arranged for Departments to be advised that, in order to preserve the confidentiality of hon. Members' correspondence with Ministers, where acknowlegement cards are not sent in envelopes they should omit the subject matter of constituents' correspondence.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Retired Judges
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the practice of retired judges in receipt of pensions continuing to preside as judges.

  The Attorney-General
  Retired judges in receipt of pensions may sit as deputy judges in accordance with the provisions of section 9 of the Supreme Court Act 1981, in the case of judges of the Supreme Court, and section 24 of the Courts Act 1971, as amended by section 146 of the Supreme Court Act 1981, in the case of circuit judges.

  Judge John Edward Jones
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Attorney-General how many sittings Judge John Edward Jones has had since his retirement; and what remuneration he has received.

  The Attorney-General
  Since his retirement in 1984, his Honour Judge John Edward Jones has sat a total of 311½ days. He received payment at the current daily rates.

  Mr. Alton
  asked the Attorney-General what pension Judge John Edward Jones receives following his retirement; and what is the level of that pension.

  The Attorney-General
  On retirement, his Honour John Edward Jones was granted a pension in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of the Judicial Pensions Act 1981. It is accepted practice not to divulge the details of an individual's personal pension.

  Mr. Peter Wright
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Attorney-General what is the estimated cost of sending Mr. John Lewis to Australia to plead before the New South Wales Court of Appeal in relation to the Peter Wright proceedings.

  The Attorney-General
  I do not give details of the fees of individual counsel.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Attorney-General whether he intends to bring an action for criminal contempt against the Sunday Telegraph, for publishing material on 19 July taken from the book, "Spycatcher" by Mr. Peter Wright; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The matter is under consideration.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Attorney-General whether he intends to bring an action for criminal contempt against The Observer, for publishing material on 19 July in an article by David Leigh, the contents of which were drawn from the book, "Spycatcher" by Peter Wright; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The matter is under consideration.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Special Education
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements exist for the training of teachers in respect of meeting special educational needs in Northern Ireland; how many teachers in Northern Ireland are currently qualified to teach children with special educational needs; and what changes he plans in this provision.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Licensed Bookmakers
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any plans to permit licensed bookmaking offices in Northern Ireland to show televised broadcasts of races and other events on which betting takes place.

  Mr. Needham
  Yes, it is my attention to make an order for this purpose as soon as possible under article 32 (14) of the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

  South Tyrone Hospital
  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 July 1987]: The available information is as follows:

  225

  Number waiting for admission for surgery

  At

  Number

  31 December 1985

  508

  31 March 1986

  418

  30 June 1986

  405

  30 September 1986

  304

  31 December 1986

  304

  31 March 1987

  446

  30 June 1987

  523

DEFENCE

  Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down
  Mr. Key
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the safety of the community in Salisbury and in nearby villages in view of experiments with gas and chemicals at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  All work carried out at the Chemical Defence Establishment, (CDE) Porton Down, is subject to exacting safety standards. The procedures followed conform fully with the appropriate national and international standards and the establishment is open to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive. I can assure my hon. Friend that the work of the CDE poses no hazard to the local community, which includes many members of staff and their families.

  Military Research Spending
  Mr. Wilkinson
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the comparisons, as a percentage of gross domestic product at 1987 prices, between (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America, (c) Japan, (d) West Germany and (e) France for military research spending in non-governmental establishments.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Total Government spending on defence R and D as a percentage of GDP in the countries stated is given in table Fla of the "Annual Review of Government Funded R and D 1986". In the United Kingdom, 0·036 per cent. of GDP will be spent on extramural defence research in the financial year 1987–88, but comparable figures are not readily available for other countries. Statistics on private venture research expenditure by the United Kingdom defence industry are not held centrally.

  Extra-Mural Research Projects
  Mr. Wilkinson
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department issues a list of extra-mural research projects which it is willing to fund.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Ministry of Defence carries out extra-mural research in the major fields described in the MOD section of the "Annual Review of Government Funded R and D".

  Further detail on areas of interest is given in the brochures of the small firms research initiative and the joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme.

  Research contracts over £500,000 are covered by the MOD contracts bulletin.

  Training Exercises (Live Contaminants)
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 15 July, he will give the chemical formula of (a) radium sulphate and (b) any other live contaminants used in military training exercises.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) all radioactive materials used in training exercise simulating nuclear accidents and (b) the half-life of each radionuclide involved.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The table shows the live contaminants used in nuclear accident response exercises and training and their approximate half-lives. In addition, a number of sealed sources have been used for such purposes as instrument calibration. The use of all these materials is subject to stringent precautions to ensure the safety of the public and participating personnel. The smallest quantities of such materials are used and they are of very low levels of radioactivity. Even at the time of exercises they are of no more than the lowest level of radioactivity required to achieve instrument readings for training purposes.

  Radioisotope

  Half-life

  Chemical formula

  Actinon (Radon 219) daughters

  40 minutes

  Rn

  Radium 223 sulphate

  11·4 days

  Ra SO4

  Radium 224 chloride

  3·65 days

  Ra Cl2

  Radium 224 sulphate

  3·65 days

  Ra SO4

  Technetium 99m

  6 hours

  Tc

  Yttrium 90 oxide

  64 hours

  Y2O3

  RTM 322 Engine
  Mr. Page
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West, Official Report, column 162, on 2 July, over the evaluations of the RTM 322 engine in the SH60B by the United States authorities, how the evaluation is proceeding in those tests which were started some two months earlier than 6 June.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  RTM 322 engines were installed in the SH60B during February, in preparation for the United States navy evaluation. Some initial ground running and flying were then carried out before the aircraft was handed over to the United States navy on 6 June. I understand that, during that preparatory period, the testing was entirely satisfactory and the engines performed fully up to expectations.

  Exercise Reforger
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether United States Air Force, Army, Navy and reserve units will exercise in the United Kingdom as part of this autumn's Reforger exercises;

  (2) how many United States regular and reserve service men and women will visit the United Kingdom during this autumn's Reforger exercises.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I am advised that some 2,000 United States service personnel, regulars and reserves, are expecting to visit the United Kingdom to take part in Exercise Reforger. The breakdown of this figure between the services is classified.
  227
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether air-launched cruise missiles will be deployed in Britain as part of the Reforger 87 exercises.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The position remains as stated by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Mr. Stanley) in his answers to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 18 June 1984 at column 41, 26 July 1984 at columns 751–52, and 15 November 1985 at column 309.

  Nuclear Weapons (Exercises)
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give details of any of this autumn's exercises involving either British forces or British territory and airspace which will simulate the use of nuclear weapons;

  (2) whether any estimate of civilian casualties will be made as part of Exercise Certain Strike;

  (3) if he will give the total civilian casualties estimated during Exercise Lionheart

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Details of exercise scenarios are classified.

  NATO Exercises
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the titles and purposes of each of this autumn's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's exercises involving British territory or forces;

  (2) if he will list by both constituency and exercise name such information as is yet available on the United Kingdom Army and Royal Air Force units which will participate in this autumn's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises in the United Kingdom and Germany; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In general it is not the Government's policy to provide details of United Kingdom participation in forthcoming NATO exercises prior to their announcement by the relevant NATO authority.

  Warsaw Pact Exercises
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the most recent Warsaw pact exercises in Germany involving (a) more than 80,000 ground and air forces and (b) more than 50,000 ground and air forces.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Under the 1975 Helsinki final act, states were encouraged to notify major military manoeuvres exceeding a total of 25,000 troops. The Warsaw pact has held much larger exercises in the Soviet Union than in Germany. However, a number of exercises held in the GDR were notified, although the only notified exercise of the size specified by the hon. Member was a ground, air and naval exercise involving 60,000 troops which was held partly in the GDR in 1984. Under the Stockholm document, which came into operation on 1 January this year, it is mandatory to notify military activities involving more than 13,000 troops; but none of the exercises planned to be held in the GDR this year involves 50,000 or more troops.

  Cruise Missiles
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the use of either conventional or nuclear submarine-launched cruise missiles will be included in any exercise involving either British Army of the Rhine or the northern flank this autumn.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The United Kingdom has no submarine-launched cruise missiles. It is not for Her Majesty's Government to comment on the training of other national military forces in exercises of this nature.

  United States Navy Vessels (Visits)
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the visits to United Kingdom ports of United States Navy vessels by ship name, ship type and port in the last year for which such information is available.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  As my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Mailing, the then Minister of State for the Armed forces, told the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) on 20 February 1984 at column 432, 13 March 1984 at column 132 and 16 May 1985 at columns 209–10, full records of visits by United States Navy ships are not generally held. However the following information is available, covering the period 1 July 1986 to 30 June 1987:

  Portsmouth

  Submarines

  Albuquerque

  Minniapolis St. Paul

  Bluefish

  Scamp

  Narwhal

  Lapon

  Phoenix

  Destroyers

  Thorn

  Deyo

  Frigates

  Moinester

  Antrim

  Assault Ships

  Inchon

  Saipan

  Battleship

  Iowa

  Amphibious Command Ship

  Mount Whitney

  Amphibious Transport Dock

  Raleigh

  Tank Landing Ship

  Sumpter

  Plymouth

  Submarines

  Lewis and Clark

  Augusta

  Portland

  Submarines

  Lafayette

  Andrew Jackson

  Rosyth

  Cruiser

  Bainbridge

  229
  Dover

  Amphibious Transport Dock

  Austin

  Glasgow

  Fleet Ocean Tug

  Powhattan

  Survey Ship

  Kane

  Southampton

  Fleet Ocean Tug

  Apache

  Tactical Nuclear Forces
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions have been taken regarding the modernisation of the tactical nuclear forces of the Army or Royal Navy or Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 24 March 1987 at column 162.

  Exercise Certain Strike
  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether French forces will participate in exercise Certain Strike.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  That is a matter for the French Government.

  Military Aircraft Losses (Training Exercises)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish a list of all military aircraft lost, damaged or irreparably damaged over the United Kingdom in the last 12 years, including aircraft belonging to foreign powers and aircraft assigned to NATO but not British, involved in training exercises over the United Kingdom mainland.

  Mr. Freeman
  Details of losses of, and serious damage to, aircraft of the three United Kingdom services are published each year in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates". Details of accidents over the United Kingdom mainland involving foreign aircraft are not held centrally and the collation of the information requested would involve disproportionate cost and effort.

  Materials and Equipment (Bolton)
  Mr. David Young
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information is given by his Department to local authorities and police of the nature of cargoes of defence materials and equipment parked overnight in Bolton.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has no knowledge of any cargoes of defence materials and equipment being parked overnight in Bolton. If the hon. Member would care to write to me with further details I will have the matter fully investigated.

  Defence Review
  Mr. Allen
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is planning to announce a Defence Review.
  230
  Mr. Stewart
  No.

  RAF Binbrook
  Mr. Leigh
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is yet able to make a statement on the future of RAF Binbrook.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The future of RAF Binbrook has been under review for some time as a result of plans to withdraw the Lightning air defence force from service in September 1988.

  A number of options for the future of the station after that date have been evaluated including both operational flying tasks and ground training functions. However, after a thorough and careful examination of defence needs and possible uses for the station, I regret to say that no alternative use has been identified and RAF Binbrook will therefore be closed at the end of 1988. We plan to retain the airfield there as a relief landing ground for RAF Scampton and as a war reserve airfield to provide flexibility for dispersed operations. In the light of this decision, other Government Departments who might have a possible interest in the facilities will be consulted.

  There will be no requirement for permanent staff at RAF Binbrook, either civilian or service, after the closure. Civilian staff, other than those who will reach normal retirement age or leave voluntarily, will he offered redundancy terms. Full consultation with the trades union side will be pursued in the usual way. Service personnel will be redeployed elsewhere, including a small detachment to RAF Scampton who will commute to RAF Binbrook.

  Lea Aviation Ltd.
  Mr. Denzil
  Davies asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is with his approval that two serving Royal Air Force officers are directly connected with a private company, Lea Aviation Limited, using Royal Air Force assets for commercial gain;

  (2) what are the guidelines for circumstances whereby serving military personnel are allowed to be directly connected with commercial organisations whose business includes the use, for private profit, of military equipment.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1987, c. 71]: Serving military personnel who wish to he connected with commercial organisations of any sort are required by the Queen's Regulations to seek approval; in the case of the Royal Air Force by QR(RAF) paragraph J910. The two serving Royal Air Force officers connected with Lea Aviation Ltd. have received approval under this regulation.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who authorised the use by Lea Aviation Limited of an airshow on the North Weald airfield, Epping, of front-line Royal Air Force aircraft including Tornados, Harriers and Hawks;

  (2) on what basis is the amount paid by Lea Aviation Limited to his Department for the use of Royal Air Force assets computed;

  (3) whether the contract for the use of Royal Air Force aircraft at the recent private airshow operated by Lea Aviation Limited at the North Weald Airfield, Epping, was put out for tender;

  (4) who provided the security arrangements for the protection of the Tornado, Harrier and Hawk aircraft

  231
  which took part in a recent airshow organised by Lea Aviation Limited at North Weald Airfield, Epping; and who paid for the arrangements.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1987, c.71]: The presence of RAF aircraft at the air display at North Weald on 27–28 June was authorised under long-standing arrangements for the participation by the Royal Air Force in public functions in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. For the 1987 display season RAF resources have so far been allocated to some 328 events including that at North Weald. Charges for RAF participation in this event, were levied in accordance with regulations made by the Ministry of Defence: the organisers also provided and paid for security arrangements to the standard agreed with the RAF.

  RAF Boulmer
  Mr. Beith
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters at RAF Boulmer have been vacant for more than 12 months.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1987, c. 71]: There are three married quarters at RAF Boulmer which have been vacant for more than 12 months.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Frank Cook
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications for the strategic and tactical role of the British Army of the Rhine of French plans to place nuclear weapons in the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) to his related questions on 16 July at column 636.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Research (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Wilkinson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax relief is allowed against expenditure on research by private industry in the United Kingdom; and how this compares with the position in (a) the United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) West Germany and (d) France.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A recent Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Treasury study "Fiscal Incentives for Research and Development Spending" (a copy of which has been placed in the Library) reviewed the tax treatment of R & D spending in the United Kingdom and nine other OECD countries, including the United States of America, Japan, West Germany and France. In all the countries studied most research expenditure, being on current account, is allowed for tax purposes in the year in which it is incurred. In the United Kingdom this treatment extends also to trade-related capital expenditure on scientific research. The position in each of the other countries is described in the survey referred to.

  International comparisons are difficult, but, broadly speaking, while the overall effect of the corporate tax systems in the United Kingdom, Japan and West Germany is more or less neutral in relation to R & D investments, France and the United States offer very small incentives to invest. The evidence of the cost-effectiveness of such
  232
  incentives remains uncertain but in general it suggests that only one half the value of tax revenues forgone by Governments under such schemes is actually spent by companies on additional R & D.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Wales with incomes of £125 per week or less pay income tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The information held is in terms of tax units (married couples and single persons) rather than households. About 390,000 tax units resident in Wales were liable to income tax and had earned income averaging £125 per week or less assessable for 1984–85, the latest year for which information is available.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. David Nicholson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many under-secretaries, assistant secretaries and senior principals there were in post on the latest available date; and how many of each there were on the same date in 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1985, respectively.

  Mr. Brooke
  From 1 January 1984 under-secretary was designated as Grade 3 and unified Grades 5 and 6 were also introduced. Grade 5 comprises former assistant secretaries and their equivalents in the Science, Professional and Technology and other groups. Grade 6 includes Senior Principals and equivalents.

  The information available for 1 January of each year is as follows:

  Grade

  1979

  1981

  1983

  1985

  1987

  3

  625

  587

  511

  490

  489

  5

  2,228

  2,182

  2,032

  2,021

  2,108

  6

  3,095

  3,763

  3,484

  3,376

  3,734

  Mr. David Nicholson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he would define the functions of (a) assistant secretary and (b) senior principal, as distinct from the functions of other grades in the Home Civil Service.

  Mr. Brooke
  The grades of assistant secretary and senior principal were incorporated into the unified grades 5 and 6 respectively on the extension of the Home Civil Service open structure on 1 January 1984.

  The duties of grades 5 and 6 are described in grading guidance booklets issued by my Department, copies of which have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

  VAT (Zero Rating)
  Mr. Watts
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report for the hearing of case 416/85 before the European Court of Justice brought by the Commission of the European Communities against the United Kingdom concerning the zero-rating of certain goods and services.

  Mr. Brooke
  A copy of the report for the hearing of case 416/85 before the European Court of Justice on 15 September 1987 has today been placed in the Library of the House. This is a document prepared by the court on the basis of the submissions put to it and summarises the main issues. It cannot be expected to reflect the full force
  233
  of the Government's arguments, which will be vigorously pursued by counsel at the hearing itself. It is not the practice to disclose written pleadings before the ECJ without the agreement of the other party to the case, in this case the Commission. We have approached the Commission to see whether, in the particular circumstances, it would be prepared to agree to publication. But a summary of the Government's position and the general rules on confidentiality of pleadings are set out in appendices 2 and 3 respectively of the fourth report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee (Session 1986–87) "The defence of VAT zero-rating".

  Financial Services
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in establishing the regulatory regime for the wholesale markets under section 43 of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Lilley
  Under section 43 of the Financial Services Act the Treasury has responsibility for approving the conditions that the Bank of England intends imposing for admission to its list of exempted persons and the arrangements for a person's admission to and removal from it. Draft conditions and arrangements were set out in a consultative document jointly issued by the Treasury and the Bank of England in December 1986. ("The future regulation of the wholesale markets in sterling, foreign exchange and bullion"). Following revisions in the light of comments received, the Treasury has now approved the following conditions and arrangements:"An applicant will need to satisfy the Bank that it is 'fit and proper', by reason of its capital, managerial and operational resources, its standards of business conduct and its high reputation and standing, to undertake the particular activity and also that it acts on a regular basis as a market maker or broker in one or more of the wholesale market instruments. In determining whether an applicant meets these conditions, the Bank will take into account the following factors:

  (a) that the financial position of the applicant is sound;

  (b) that its ownership structure does not result in any unacceptable conflicts of interest, nor is in any other way a source of potential weakness;

  (c) that its management and staff are of high quality and appropriate experience and that its systems are effective;

  (d) that its reputation in the market place is good;

  (e) that it is able and willing to adhere to an undertaking to observe the London Code of Conduct, as specified by the Bank of England from time to time;

  (f) that it acts as a market maker or broker in one or more of the wholesale market instruments. In those markets where prices arc quoted continuously, the term market maker will be taken to mean an institution which, as principal, holds itself out generally and continuously as willing to make a price in the relevant instrument. In less continuous markets (eg in bullion, swaps or options), the Bank will wish to include those institutions who are generally willing to make a price in the relevant instrument. But, unlike for example in the gilt-edged market, there is no absolute commitment or obligation on market makers in the wholesale markets to make prices regardless of market conditions; the Bank is concerned with those institutions whose function is normally to do so."

  A firm applying for inclusion on the list will be required to submit a business plan setting out the type or types of activity it intends to undertake, including types of instrument (and currencies) in which it intends to trade. Its
  234
  permitted scope will be limited to those activities agreed with the Bank, subject to review. Applicants should supply any information requested by the Bank which the Bank reasonably requires to form its view on the application.

  Applications should in any event, unless explicitly agreed with the Bank, include the business plan described above, a description of the applicant's organisation and staff resources, details of ownership, information on directors and managers, and details of internal control systems. Where appropriate, applicants should specify which of their operations are already supervised, and by whom.

  The Bank will also require the applicant's latest audited accounts. Where it would fall to the Bank to assess an applicant's capital adequacy, the applicant will be asked for any additional information necessary to demonstrate its financial soundness.

  The Bank will aim to give its decision within three months of receiving an application. Where the Bank is minded to reject an application, it will give the applicant notice of that fact and specify its reasons. The Bank will allow the applicant reasonable opportunity to make representations and will consider any representations made before coming to a decision.

  Once established on the list, an institution will need to continue to satisfy the Bank that it should remain listed.

  The Bank will give notice to any listed institution which it considers should no longer be included on the list that it may be removed from the list. The Bank will give its reasons for taking that view. The institution will be given reasonable opportunity to make representations as to why it should not be removed from the list and, where relevant, to take remedial action, before the Bank comes to a decision.

  Where the Bank, having considered the representations of an applicant whose application it is minded to reject or an institution it is minded to remove from the list, remains of the view that the application should he rejected or the institution removed, it will specify its reasons for rejecting these representations. The applicant or the institution may have the matter reviewed by a suitable independent person(s) appointed by the Bank for that purpose, such as a member of the panel established under section 96 of the Financial Services Act. In addition to considering and reporting on the substantive issues, the person(s) conducting the review will decide who should pay the costs of review. There will normally be a presumption that where the Bank's decision is supported, these costs will be borne by the applicant or institution. The Bank will require a prior written undertaking from the applicant or institution concerned to pay such costs, if any, as are awarded against it.

  Later this week the Bank of England will publish a paper setting out in detail how it intends to supervise these markets, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Tax Consultative Committee
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in the past three years officials from his Department have been involved in meetings of the Tax Consultative Committee; which officials were involved; with whom they met; what is the purpose of the meetings; and if he will make a statement.
  235
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1987]: The Tax Consultative Committee, which is chaired by a Treasury Minister, has met on nine occasions in the past three years. It is an informal body consisting of senior Inland Revenue and Treasury officials, and of people knowledgeable about tax from the point of view of industry, commerce, accountancy and the law. The meetings cover a wide range of taxation topics.

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount spent on mortgage tax relief in Wales, Scotland and each of the English regions in each financial year since 1979 both at outturn and 1987 prices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1987]; Estimates for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 have been derived from the results of the survey of personal incomes and are given in the table.

  Cost of mortgage interest relief

  (£ million, outturn prices)

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  Northern

  55

  80

  70

  95

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  100

  160

  150

  160

  North West

  130

  200

  180

  220

  East Midlands

  80

  110

  110

  130

  West Midlands

  130

  160

  190

  170

  East Anglia

  45

  50

  60

  75

  Greater London

  220

  280

  290

  260

  Other South East

  440

  560

  600

  650

  South West

  100

  140

  170

  140

  Wales

  45

  65

  80

  80

  Scotland

  80

  120

  120

  140

  Northern Ireland

  25

  35

  30

  30

  UNITED KINGDOM

  1,450

  1,960

  2,050

  2,150

  Cost of mortgage interest relief

  (£ million, 1987–88 prices)

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  Northern

  95

  120

  95

  120

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  180

  230

  200

  200

  North West

  220

  300

  240

  270

  East Midlands

  140

  170

  150

  160

  West Midlands

  230

  240

  250

  210

  East Anglia

  75

  75

  80

  90

  Greater London

  380

  420

  390

  320

  Other South East

  760

  830

  800

  820

  South West

  180

  210

  230

  180

  Wales

  75

  100

  110

  100

  Scotland

  140

  180

  160

  180

  Northern Ireland

  45

  50

  40

  40

  UNITED KINGDOM

  2,520

  2,925

  2,745

  2,690

  Following the introduction of MIRAS in April 1983, regional information on the cost of mortgage interest relief cannot be extracted from Inland Revenue records. The regional distribution of mortgage interest can be estimated from the "Family Expenditure Survey" but, as the sample size for the FES is relatively small, it is not possible to provide robust estimates of regional trends for the period after 1982–83. Accordingly, the following tables show the cost of mortgage interest relief in the United Kingdom from 1983–84 to 1987–88 with the percentage distribution of the relief by county and region, based on FES data from 1983 to 1985.
  236

  Cost of mortgage interest relief

  (£ million)

  Outturn prices

  1987–88 prices

  1983–84

  2,750

  3,290

  1984–85

  3,500

  3,980

  1985–86

  4,500

  4,830

  1986–87

  4,500

  4,680

  1987–88

  4,750

  4,750

  Regional share of mortgage interest relief based on FES data for 1983 to 1985

  per cent.

  Northern

  3·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  7·4

  North West

  9·4

  East Midlands

  6·5

  West Midlands

  8·1

  East Anglia

  3·4

  Greater London

  14·5

  Other South East

  26·9

  South West

  8·3

  Wales

  3·8

  Scotland

  6·8

  Northern Ireland

  1·3

  UNITED KINGDOM

  100·0

  Mr. Grylls
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to enable Members of Parliament with various interests outside Parliament from which they earn income, to elect to be self employed as regards the whole of their income including Parliamentary salary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to the reply, 20 July 1987]; No.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EC (Butter)
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he now has to reimburse charities for all the costs involved in the distribution of free European Economic Community butter to pensioners.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Community-funded payments were made for the cost of packaging and of transport to the charities' own distribution points. As we made clear at the outset of the scheme to representatives of the charities, neither Community nor national funds are available for other costs.

  Green Pound (Pig Farmers)
  Mr. Shersby
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect of the recent changes in the value of the green pound and changes in the method of calculating the monetary compensatory amounts on (a) the price of pigmeat imported into the United Kingdom and (b) swill pig farmers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  These changes will reduce the MCAs paid on imports into the United Kingdom and the charges on exports of pigmeat from the United Kingdom. Taken together with the helpful reductions agreed in other members states positive MCAs, this should help to make our industry more competitive and so help all pig farmers
  237
  in the United Kingdom. The precise benefit cannot be stated as this will depend, to a certain extent, on future movements in sterling.

  Milk
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the reductions in milk production in each in each European Community country since April 1984; and what estimate has been made of what further reductions need to be made in order to eliminate surplus production.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Milk deliveries to dairies per member state in 1985–86 compared with 1983–84 are as follows:

  '000 tonnes

  Member State

  1983–84

  1985–86

  per cent, difference

  Germany

  25,472

  23,719

  -6·9

  France

  26,247

  25,770

  -1·8

  Italy

  8,541

  8,356

  -2·2

  Netherlands

  12,929

  12,287

  -5·0

  Belgium

  3,269

  3,260

  -0·3

  Luxembourg

  282

  294

  +4·3

  United Kingdom

  16,786

  15,613

  -7·0

  Ireland

  5,436

  5,588

  +2·8

  Denmark

  5,280

  4,900

  -7·2

  Greece

  429

  446

  +4·0

  Source: Eurostat.

  Period: April–March.

  Last autumn the European Commission estimated that a reduction in production of 9·5 million tonnes was required to restore balance to the dairy market. It is intended that 7 million tonnes of this should be achieved by the measures already imposed for this marketing year and the remaining 2·5 million tonnes by the further cuts agreed for 1988–89.

  Exports
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the top 10 agricultural products exported from Great Britain in 1986, in each case giving the amounts produced and the amounts exported.

  Mr. Gummer
  The top 10 exported agricultural commodities can be defined in a variety of ways. The following table shows those commodities which had the largest export values in 1986. The export information is not completely comparable with the production figures as it includes overseas produce re-exported from the United Kingdom.

  Commodities, such as tea, which consist entirely of re-exports have not been included in the table. All the information relates to the United Kingdom as information for Great Britain is not readily available.

  Production and Exports of Main Agricultural Commodities in the United Kingdom 19861

  Commodity

  United Kingdom Exports '000 Tonnes

  United Kingdom Production'000 Tonnes

  Wheat

  3,987

  13,974

  Barley

  4,119

  10,019

  Beef and Veal

  2223

  1,039

  Milk Powder

  220

  333

  Oilseed Rape

  495

  965

  238

  Commodity

  United Kingdom Exports '000 Tonnes

  United Kingdom Production'000 Tonnes

  Animal Feed

  338

  3—

  Mutton and Lamb

  273

  307

  Wool

  38

  59

  All Legumes

  293

  4385

  Pigmeat

  269

  1,009

  1 Provisional Estimates.

  2 Includes carcase weight equivalent of carcase meat, preserved and prepared meat, and live animals.

  3 Not readily available.

  4 Includes Peas Harvested Dry for human consumption only.

  Fishing Industry
  Dr. Godman
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the Sea Fish Industry Authority about the future of the fishing industry.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department maintains close contact with the Sea Fish Industry Authority on matters concerning the future of the fishing industry and I last met the chairman on Monday 20 July.

  EEC Food Statistics
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of (a) the total agricultural support for the European Economic Community, (b) overall European Ecomomic Community expenditure and (c) total European Economic Community agricultural exports, at the latest date for which information is available.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Expenditure in 1986 under the common agricultural policy amounted to 23 billion ecu (£14,900 million). Final outturn figures for total Community expenditure are not yet available, but the budget provision was 35,174 mecu (£22,800 million). The value of exports from the European Community of agricultural products in 1986 was nearly 29 billion ecu (£18,800 million). (Source: Eurostat.)

  Irradiated Food
  Mr. Steel
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on his Department's policy with regard to irradiation as a method of food preservation;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that all food treated by irradiation will be clearly labelled.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I are considering the current legislation which prohibits the general irradiation of food in this country in the light of the Report of the Advisory Committee on Irradiated and Novel Foods. An announcement about whether we intend to issue proposals to amend the existing legislation will be made after we have fully considered the Report and the representations received on it. Consideration will include the advice in the Report of the Food Advisory Committee on the labelling of irradiated food, that if the irradiation of food is permitted such foods should be required to be clearly labelled.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what experiments have been carried out into the effect on cattle of injection of bovine somatotropin; what representations he has received concerning the prospect of the milk of such cattle being included in the general pool for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The data relating to experiments on the effect on cattle of injection of bovine somatotropin were submitted to my Department in support of applications for animal test certificates under the Medicines Act 1968. The Act prohibits the disclosure of such information.

  So far this year hon. Members have asked five questions and have sent me letters from about 80 constituents.

  About 180 members of the public (including some who had written to hon. Members) wrote to me directly.

  As hon. Members already know, the Farm Animal Welfare Council has been asked to look at the wider welfare implications of using BST in cows and to produce a report. Their report, in addition to all the other information available to me, will he taken into account in reaching any decisions that fall to me under domestic or Community legislation.

  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the dangers arising from the use of bovine somatatropin in milk.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Currently field trials of bovine somatatropin are in progress authorised by animal test certificates granted under the Medicines Act 1968 by my Department. Before such certificates were granted, we were satisfied as to the safety of the consumer of milk or other produce from treated animals, among a number of other matters laid down in the Medicines Act. These questions were thoroughly scrutinised by a committee of independent experts including medical doctors as well as by my officials. Had doubts on this score been revealed, the certificates for the animal tests would not have been granted. Additionally, I have asked the Farm Animal Welfare Council for its advice on the animal welfare implications of this product.

  Saddlers' List
  Sir Michael Shaw
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has reached a final decision on the future of the saddlers' list arrangements made under the Medicines Act 1968 under which for a three-year period registered saddlers were permitted to sell a specified range of medicinal products for horses.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Following statutory consultation with representative organisations, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and I have decided that these arrangements should be made permanent. The necessary Order will be laid before Parliament in the autumn.

THE ARTS

  Acceptances in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Minister for the Arts when the Office of Arts and Libraries proposes to issue a press
  240
  notice giving information laid before the House, in accordance with section 9(6) of the National Heritage Act 1980, specifying disposals and transfers of property accepted in lieu of capital transfer tax or inheritance tax carried out during the financial year 1986–87, and including particulars of the bodies or institutions to whom transfers were made and the amount of tax satisfied in each case.

  Mr. Luce
  The statement is being prepared and will be laid shortly. A press notice will be issued on the same day.

  Museums (Merseyside)
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Minister for the Arts if he will list the grants made by him to the national museums on Merseyside, and constituent institutions, in every year since their inception; and if he will break the figures down by whether they are for capital costs, operating costs, or for purchases.

  Mr. Luce
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 July 1987]: The trustee body for the national museums and galleries on Merseyside was formed on 20 February 1986 and was allocated a "setting up" grant of £18,000 in 1985–86.

  In 1986–87 the NMGM was allocated allocated £10,145,000. Within this total, £7,995,000 was for running costs; £1,400,000 for the completion of the main contract for the Merseyside maritime museum; and £750,000 for purchase grant.

  In 1987–88 the NMGM has been allocated £9,414,000 comprising £8,414,000 for running costs; £250,000 for capital works; and £750,000 for purchase grant.

  It is for the trustee of the NMGM to decide how they will divide their grant amonst the constituent institutions.

  Museums (Grants)
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Minister for the Arts how much of his Department's expenditure on museums has been set aside for the replacement of the Greater London council and metropolitan authorities grants to museums in every year since the Greater London council and metropolitan authorities were abolished; which institutions have benefited; and by how much.

  Mr. Luce
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 July 1987]: On the abolition of the metropolitan county councils, the central Government arts programme took on the direct funding of two major museums: the national museums and galleries on Merseyside, which were allocated a total grant-in-aid of £10·145 million in 1986–87 (including a special provision of £1·4 million for the completion of the Merseyside maritime museum project) and £9·414 million in 1987–88; and the Greater Manchester museum of science and industry which was allocated £1·075 million in 1986–87 and £1·252 million in 1987–88. The Government also increased from 33 per cent. to 50 per cent. their contribution towards the costs of the museum of London, a cash increase of £0·75 million in 1986–87 and £0·776 million in 1987–88.

  Arrangements for assistance to certain other institutions were made by transfers to the appropriate funding agency in 1986–87. The University Grants Committee received £0·336 million for Manchester university's museum and the Whitworth gallery; the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission received £1·75 million for Kenwood house, Rangers house and

  241
  Marble Hill house; and the Inner London education authority £1·361 million for the Geoffrye and Horniman museums.

  Assistance to other museums and galleries in abolition areas is channelled through the Museums and Galleries Commission and disbursed as grants. With the exception of the Tyne and Wear museum service where longer term arrangements were appropriate, the commission has negotiated with each successor local authority an agreement whereby central Government support was 75 per cent. of metropolitan county council funding, uprated for inflation, in 1986–87, is 50 per cent. in 1987–88 and will be 25 per cent. in 1988–89 and nil thereafter. All the successor authorities have agreed to make up the funding to at least pre-abolition levels and some have exceeded these. Allocations for 1986–87 are as follows. Precise levels of funding to individual institutions for 1987–88 are still under discussion.

  Museums and galleries commission: Post abolition grants 1986–87

  £

  £

  Greater London (London Boroughs Grants Scheme—Richmond)

  Dulwich Picture Gallery

  5,375

  Jewish Museum

  8,070

  Museum of the Jewish East End

  12,700

  National Museum of Labour History

  7,987

  Area Museum Service for South

  10,375

  Eastern England, for London Museum Service

  44,507

  Tyne and Wear

  Tyne and Wear Joint Museums Committee (Joint Committee)

  750,000

  Beamish, North of England Open Air Museum (5 separate District Councils)

  105,000

  North of England Museum Service

  350

  855,350

  Greater Manchester

  £ million

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  (a) National museums and galleries

  British Museum

  4·982

  5·305

  6·406

  7·843

  10·141

  11·116

  11·602

  12·350

  12·771

  13·096

  13·345

  13·938

  Imperial War Museum

  1·296

  1·673

  2·035

  2·445

  3·107

  3·710

  3·871

  3·997

  4·100

  4·445

  4·497

  4·727

  National Gallery

  2·262

  2·330

  3·255

  4·441

  5·545

  5·657

  6·005

  6·659

  6·992

  6·571

  6·771

  7·017

  National Maritime Museum

  1·573

  1·817

  1·986

  2·538

  3·381

  3·563

  3·796

  3·988

  4·275

  4·218

  4·462

  4·677

  National museums and galleries on Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·018

  10·145

  9·414

  National Portrait Gallery

  0·647

  0·735

  0·966

  1·196

  1·474

  1·581

  1·674

  1·757

  1·866

  1·777

  1·814

  1·899

  Science Museum

  2·696

  3·183

  3·235

  4·526

  5·917

  6·388

  7·117

  7·642

  8·483

  8·954

  9·171

  9·589

  Tate Gallery

  1·813

  2·154

  3·152

  3·328

  4·558

  4·681

  5·023

  5·320

  5·594

  5·644

  5·782

  6·497

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  4·087

  4·299

  4·939

  6·882

  8·774

  8·749

  9·365

  10·299

  11·340

  10·670

  11·023

  11·680

  Wallace Collection

  0·315

  0·311

  0·345

  0·414

  0·617

  0·656

  0·759

  0·781

  0·822

  0·876

  0·906

  0·939

  National museums and galleries building programme

  10·000

  10·333

  17·232

  12·137

  14·159

  15·527

  23·067

  22·378

  25·557

  30·132

  27·681

  27·302

  (b) Museums and galleries commission (including area museum councils)

  0·755

  0·906

  0·951

  1·501

  1·557

  1·914

  2·194

  2·375

  2·913

  4·196

  5·961

  6·233

  (c) Other museums and galleries funded by the Office of Arts and Libraries

  Greater Manchester Museum of Science

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·075

  1·252

  Museum of London

  0·750

  0·844

  0·735

  0·856

  1·005

  1·034

  1·175

  1·240

  1·278

  1·357

  2·250

  2·329

  Sir John Soane's Museum

  0·075

  0·069

  0·075

  0·095

  0·129

  0·144

  0·153

  0·149

  0·205

  0·232

  0·250

  0·287

  Total expenditure

  31·251

  33·959

  45·312

  48·202

  60·364

  64·720

  75·801

  78·935

  85·258

  92·186

  105·133

  107·780

  242

  £

  £

  Lyme Hall (Stockport)

  61,780

  61,780

  Merseyside

  North Western Museum and Art Gallery Service

  20,300

  20,300

  West Midlands

  Dudley, Black Country Museum (Dudley)

  43,315

  43,315

  South Yorkshire

  Cooper Art Gallery (Barnsley)

  46,060

  Worsborough Mill Museum (Barnsley)

  21,300

  67,360

  West Yorkshire

  Yorkshire Sculpture Park (Wakefield)

  26,380

  Caphouse Colliery, Yorkshire Mining Museum (Wakefield)

  33,150

  Area Museum and Art Gallery Service for Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,660

  62,190

  1,154,802

  Museums and Galleries (Expenditure)
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Minister for the Arts what the total expenditure by his Department on museums and galleries has been in every year since 1976–77; and within the totals, what sums have been allocated to (a) the national museums, (b) the Museums and Galleries Commission, and (c) the remainder.

  Mr. Luce
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 July 1987]: Expenditure by the Office of Arts and Libraries on museums and galleries since 1976–77 is as follows:
  243
  Notes:

  (1) In 1984–85 responsibility and financial provision for local museum purchase grant funds was transferred from the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums to the Museums and Galleries Commission.

  (2) Direct central government funding of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside and the Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry began on 1 April 1986 following the abolition of the GLC and MCCs. The central government contribution to the cost of the Museum of London increased from 33 per cent. to 50 per cent. Further central government funds were disbursed by the Museums and Galleries Commission as transitional grants to other museums and galleries in areas affected by abolition.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Staff Statistics
  Mr. David Nicholson
  asked the Minister for the Civil Service at what age, in general, officials are promoted to the rank of assistant secretary and senior principal, respectively; and from what ranks or grades, in general, these promotions are made.

  Mr. Luce
  As a means of simplifying and streamlining the Civil Service grading system, unified grading was introduced for most senior levels of the service in the early 1970s. Unified grading was extended to the assistant secretary and senior principal levels on 1 January 1984 and further extended on 1 January 1986 to principal level. Assistant secretary now forms part of unified grade 5, senior principal is included in unified grade 6 and principal in unified grade 7.

  Promotions into grade 5 can be made from both grade 6 and grade 7 level. Promotion into grade 6 are made exclusively from grade 7. For the years 1984–86 the average age of those promoted into grade 5 was (i) from grade 6, 47 years and (ii) from grade 7, 39 years. For the same period, the average age of promotions into grade 6 from grade 7 was 45 years.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Hospital Admissions (Waltham Forest)
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients from Waltham Forest seeking admission to St. Bartholomew's hospital since the beginning of the current year have been refused as a result of the new policy on catchment areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of the North-East Thames regional health authority. since information about decisions on referrals of patients from one health authority area to hospitals in another is not held centrally. It should, however, be noted that the guidance to general practitioners whose referrals from outside the City and Hackney health authority catchment area are not accepted is that the case for acceptance will be reassessed if the referring doctor considers this is warranted.

  Balderton Hospital (Eastdale Unit)
  Mr. Irving
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a decision has yet been taken to close the Eastdale unit at Balderton hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  No decisions have yet been taken. Any proposals would be subject to full local consultation in line with established procedures.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of extending exemption from prescription charges to all persons aged 60 years or over.

  Mr. Newton
  Women aged 60 or over and men 65 or over are already exempt from prescription charges. We estimate that it would cost in the region of £10 million to £15 million to extend exemption from prescription charges to men aged 60–64 who are not already exempt, for example, on low income or medical grounds.

  AIDS
  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements his Department has made to publicise the AIDS campaign in other languages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  We are aware of the need to ensure that people who do not speak English have access to health education information about AIDS. Work is in hand to establish a "dial and listen" service in six Asian languages, and in simple English. The service will be run as an adjunct to the National Advisory Service on AIDS which we set up at the beginning of the year. This provides a free-call helpline, which I am pleased to announce will continue in operation at least until the end of March 1988.

  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the siting of AIDS hospices or hostels in rural village communities.

  Mr. Newton
  This is a matter for decision by the individual agencies responsible in the light of local circumstances. Health authorities have this year been specifically requested to examine their provision of services for all terminally ill patients.

  NHS (Staff Statistics)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the total National Health Service, establishment figures for each profession allied to medicine and actual variations from these figures for each of the last 10 years up until the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that information is not available in the form requested. However, chairmen of regional health authorities, at the request of the Pay Review Body covering this group of staff, have conducted sample surveys for the past three years. These indicate that the percentages of funded posts vacant for three months or more were as follows:

  Percentage variations against funded posts

  Sample years

  Profession

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Chiropody

  14·1

  11·10

  9·00

  Dietetics

  1·7

  3·68

  1·19

  245

  Sample years

  Profession

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Occupational therapy

  14·3

  19·20

  12·75

  Orthoptics

  1·5

  1·58

  0·93

  Physiotherapy

  4·5

  3·50

  0·94

  Radiography

  1·5

  1·20

  1·81

  Under-fives (Consultative Group)
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how often the inter-departmental consultative group on the under-fives has met since it came into being; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached;

  (2) if he will publish in the Official Report a summary of the brief to the inter-departmental consultative group on the under-fives.

  Mrs. Currie
  The interdepartmental consultative group was set up in 1979 and has met 11 times, five of which were joint meetings with representatives of the local authority associations and the voluntary sector. Its terms of reference are"to provide a forum for interdepartmental discussion and co-ordination on provision for the under-fives in the field of community services".

  The next meeting is planned for 12 October. Subjects discussed at the meetings include unregistered childminding, playgroups, research in the day care field, nursery education, services for under-fives from the ethnic communities, the implications of the Education Act 1981 for health authorities, the Manpower Services Commission's community programme and the under-fives initiative. We are satisfied that the group fulfils a useful purpose.

  EEC (Social Workers)
  Mr. Jim Lester
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of social workers in total and per hundred thousand population in each of the European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Newton
  There were 30,700 field social workers (expressed as whole-time equivalents) employed by local authority social services departments in the United Kingdom in 1985, equivalent to 54 per 100,000 population. I regret that I am unable to supply corresponding information relating to other European Community countries.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals of over 800 beds are (a) currently being built and (b) have been approved but not yet started.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information held centrally shows there are no hospitals with over 800 beds approved or under construction as discrete projects. There are, however, schemes approved at 12 existing hospitals and schemes under construction at nine more which will bring their total beds over 800.

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the value of the land owned by Norwich health authority surrounding (a) the two hospitals at Thorpe St. Andrews and (b) the Hellesdon hospital.
  246
  Mrs. Currie
  Estimates of the value of these sites depends on assumptions about the planning permissions that could be obtained and current market forces. The East Anglian regional health authority will be reassessing the range of potential values of these sites as part of the further site appraisal for the proposed second district general hospital in Norwich.

  Ambulance Authorities (Orcon Standard)
  Ms. Harman
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which ambulance authorities failed to meet the Orcon standard for (a) emergency and (b) non-emergency calls in 1979 and 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  Regional and district health authorities are responsible for the day-to-day operational management and monitoring of National Health Service ambulance services, and I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

  Pensions Appeal Tribunal
  Mr. Steen
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the procedure for implementing the decisions of the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal when it finds against the Department's own assessment; and what is the normal length of time between the Tribunal's findings and the payment of the award.

  Mr. Portillo
  The tribunal notifies the decision to the Department within two to four weeks of the hearing. The Department's doctors consider it and advise on the medical aspects. Payment is calculated and aspects such as overlapping benefits are considered. The Department aims to make payment within two months of the hearing.

  Mr. Steen
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when the arrears of the increased award determined by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal on 24 June 1986, both at the 80 per cent. level for 1985–86 and at the 90 per cent. level for 1986–87 will be paid to Mr. J. F. Harding of 5 Undertown, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Devon; and if he will make a statement that Mr. Harding is now getting the pension which he was awarded by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal;

  (2) what were the reasons for the delay in paying the increase awarded by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal against the Department's assessment of 60 per cent. to Mr. J. F. Harding of 5 Undertown. Ugborough.; Ivybridge, Devon, from 24 June 1986; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will set out the reasons why Mr. J. F. Harding of 5 Undertown, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Devon, has still not received the award of the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal on 24 June 1986 for the 12 months previous to 24 June 1986.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Pensions Appeal Tribunal heard Mr. Harding's appeal on 13 March 1987. Regrettably, because of a clerical error, there were delays in implementing the tribunal's award. It is now in payment, and arrears were paid on 10 July 1987.

  Community Care
  Mr. Latham
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give statistical details of the financial resources for care in the community made

  247
  available by his Department to Leicestershire county council and the other organisations which jointly signed the letter to him dated 3 July; and what are the projected sums for the next three years.

  Mrs. Currie
  None of the general revenue funds or grants provided centrally to these organisations is specifically earmarked for community care. However, the personal social services allocation made for 1987–88 to Leicestershire county council included £92,000 in respect of schemes funded jointly with Leicestershire health authority. Trent regional health authority also allocates joint finance (capital and revenue) to Leicestershire health authority for community care and primary health care projects. I understand that a total of £1·894 million joint finance has been allocated to Leicestershire health authority for 1987–88 compared with £1·802 million for the previous year.

  Mr. Latham
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Leicestershire county council, acting also on behalf of the Leicestershire health authority and others, about the level of resources available for community care in the county; and what reply he has sent.

  Mrs. Currie
  My right hon. Friend has received a letter dated 3 July, together with a document commenting on the care in the community initiative, signed by the chief executive of Leicestershire county council on behalf of the three political groups on the county council, the chairmen of Leicestershire health authority and Leicestershire family practitioner committee and one of the voluntary sector representatives on the county joint consultative committee. A reply will be sent shortly. I will ensure that the hon. Members whose constituencies cover Leicestershire receive a copy.

  Ambulance Staff (Hepatitis)
  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make available to all ambulance men free vaccinations against hepatitis B.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Department on all aspects of immunisation, has considered revised proposals for amending its guidance on hepatitis B vaccination, and has referred them to its advisory group on hepatitis. We hope to be in a position to consider its recommendations, including any on ambulance staff, very shortly.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy in respect of the use of housing benefit in rental purchase schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The current housing benefits scheme provides help with payments under a rental purchase scheme for people on low incomes. The draft regulations for the reformed housing benefits scheme to be introduced in April 1988 carry forward existing arrangements.

  Psittacosis
  Sir Anthony Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the incidence of psittacosis in
  248
  Cambridgeshire in comparison with the rest of Britain., if he will approve at the earliest opportunity the order of the South Cambridgeshire District Council making psittacosis a notifiable disease under section 16 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

  Speech Therapists
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he intends to take to bring the pay of speech therapists into parity with other graduate professions within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  Pay is a matter for the Whitley Council. I understand that negotiations are in progress on the 1987 pay claim.

  Overseas Voters
  Mr William Powell
  asked the Secretary of State far Social Services if he will list the total number of persons resident overseas registered to vote in the United Kingdom as at 11 June 1987 in each parliamentary constituency.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Kaufman) on 15 July 1987 at column 523.

  Fluoridation
  Miss Widdecombe
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government have any information on the genetic effects of fluoride as used in water fluoridation.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has recently considered the relevant evidence on genetic effects of fluoride in relation to the addition of fluoride to drinking water to a concentration of 1 milligram per litre including the results of recent research carried out in the United Kingdom. Its conclusions are as follows:"There is evidence that prolonged exposure of cultured mammalian cells to sodium fluoride can cause mutations in these cells. Although the mechanism of action of fluoride is not understood, there is no chemical evidence to believe that fluoride reacts directly with DNA under physiologial conditions. On the contrary, there are indications that the action of fluoride is probably indirect and would not occur at low concentrations.
  Such effects as have been observed in cultured mammalian cells occur at concentrations of fluoride considerably in excess of the plasma concentrations resulting from in vivo exposure to fluoride in water at 1 mg/l. All well-conducted in vivo mutagenicity tests are negative.
  The Committee considers that there is sufficient evidence from the available data to conclude that the consumption of fluoridated water would not constitute a mutagenic hazard to man through the induction of heritable abnormalities in the gene cells.
  The Committee has noted that the direct and extensive studies of human populations reviewed by the DHSS Working Party on Fluoridation and Cancer provide no sound evidence at all of an effect of fluoridation on cancer mortality and incidence rates, whether for cancer as a whole or for cancer at a large number of specific sites."

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Stern
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether there has been any change in the cash limits for his Department.

  Mr. Scott
  The latest provisional outturn for 1986–87 on class XV, vote 5 (Departmental Administration and Miscellaneous Services) is £1,178·698 million compared with a cash limit of £1,174·414 million. The overspend arose on capital expenditure on the Department's computerisation programme. The cash limit for 1987–88 will accordingly be reduced by £4–284 million from £1,347·252 million to £1,342·968 million. Improvements in expenditure control are being introduced as necessary.

  Supplementary Benefit and Residential Care
  Mr. Malins
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report of the Second Joint Working Party on supplementary benefit and residential care will be published.

  Mr. Newton
  The joint working party's report is being published today, as is the report of the associated pilot studies conducted by the university of York into the assessment of residents' care needs and of the reasonableness of the charges levied in homes. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The Government will not be seeking to reach conclusions on the joint working party's report in isolation, but will be considering it in the context of other studies, including to work of Lady Wagner's group on the role of residential care and Sir Roy Griffiths' wider examination of the use of resources in relation to community care. Meanwhile, we will welcome views from interested parties and the public about the options identified by the working party.

  Research (Priorities)
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his Department's priorities for research in the fields of health, personal social services and social security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moore
  The research programmes supported by the Department contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the health and social services by promoting improvements in organisation, operation and administration.

  Bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the Medical Research Council for biomedical research, I have concluded that the health and personal social services programme should be concentrated on the following areas, which are set out in order of priority:

  acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS);

  the demands on, and effectiveness of, acute sector services;

  the transition to community care;

  consumer attitudes to the health and personal social services;

  the influencing of lifestyles, for example in relation to drug abuse;

  professional manpower.

  Social security research will concentrate on the transition to community care; evaluation of the effectiveness of social programmes.
  250
  These priorities will govern the commissioning of research projects in 1987–88 and the continuation of some existing projects. They will be kept under review.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants received exceptionally severe weather payments at each benefit office in each constituency of Scotland in the winter of 1986–87; and how much was paid out at each office.

  Mr. Scott
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1987, c. 313]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. Figures are available on the number of £5 payments but not the number of individuals receiving payment. The great majority of successful claimants will have received £5 in respect of each week for which help was available in their area.

  Local offices where help was available for 4 weeks

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly covered within the area covered by the office

  No. of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Galashiels

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire,

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  4,657

  23,285

  Local offices where help was available for three weeks

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Airdrie

  4,157

  20,785

  Monklands East

  Bellshill

  5,342

  26,710

  Motherwell North

  Clydebank

  4,258

  21,290

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  Coatbridge

  5,374

  26,870

  Monklands East

  Monklands West

  Cumbernauld

  9,569

  47,845

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  Monklands West

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  Dumbarton

  6,423

  32,115

  Argyle and Bute

  Dumbarton

  East Kilbride

  4,231

  21,155

  East Kilbride

  Glasgow:

  Anniesland

  5,293

  26,465

  Glasgow Garscadden

  Glasgow Hillhead

  Bridgeton

  5,750

  28,750

  Glasgow Central

  Glasgow Shettleston

  Glasgow Springburn

  City

  5,925

  29,625

  Glasgow Hillhead

  Glasgow Maryhill

  Glasgow Springburn

  Glasgow Central

  251

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Craigton

  6,545

  32,725

  Glasgow Central

  Glasgow Govan

  Paisley South

  Laurieston

  9,988

  49,940

  Glasgow Cathcart

  Glasgow Central

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  Maryhill

  6,786

  33,930

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  Glasgow Hillhead

  Glasgow Maryhill

  Glasgow Springburn

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  Parkhead

  9,206

  46,030

  Glasgow Central

  Glasgow Provan

  Glasgow Shettleston

  Glasgow Springburn

  Partick

  4,891

  24,455

  Glasgow Garscadden

  Glasgow Hillhead

  Glasgow Maryhill

  Provan

  12,057

  60,285

  Glasgow Provan

  Glasgow Springburn

  Rutherglen

  10,687

  53,435

  Glasgow Cathcart

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  Glasgow Central

  South Side

  12,090

  64,545

  Glasgow Cathcart

  Glasgow Central

  Glasgow Govan

  Glasgow Pollock

  Eastwood

  Springburn

  7,101

  35,505

  Glasgow Maryhill

  Glasgow Springburn

  Monklands West

  Greenock

  7,891

  39,455

  Argyle and Bute

  Cunninghame North

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  Hamilton

  12,311

  61,555

  Clydesdale

  Hamilton

  Motherwell North

  Motherwell South

  Johnstone

  5,621

  28,105

  Paisley North

  Paisley South

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  Motherwell

  9,627

  48,135

  Motherwell North

  Motherwell South

  Paisley

  10,369

  51,845

  Paisley North

  Paisley South

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  252

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Port Glasgow

  10,163

  50,815

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  Local offices where help was available for two weeks

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Aberdeen (North)

  1,767

  8,835

  Aberdeen North

  Aberdeen South

  Gordon

  Aberdeen (South)

  3,092

  15,460

  Aberdeen North

  Aberdeen South

  Kincardine and Deeside

  Arbroath

  1,913

  9,565

  Angus East

  Tayside North

  Ayr

  6,284

  31,420

  Ayr

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  Clydesdale

  Bathgate

  10,361

  51,805

  Linlithgow

  Livingston

  Motherwell North

  Campbeltown

  631

  3,155

  Argyle and Bute

  Cowdenbeath

  1,702

  8,510

  Dunfermline East

  Fife Central

  Dumfries

  2,592

  12,960

  Dumfries

  Clydesdale

  Dundee (East)

  3,478

  17,390

  Angus East

  Dundee East

  Dundee West

  Fife North-East

  Dundee (West)

  4,982

  24,910

  Angus East

  Dundee East

  Dundee West

  Perth and Kinross

  Tayside North

  Dunfermline

  1,984

  9,920

  Dunfermline East

  Dunfermline West

  Edinburgh: City

  2,380

  11,900

  Edinburgh Central

  Edinburgh East

  Edinburgh Leith

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  Edinburgh South

  Edinburgh West

  Edinburgh: East

  2,572

  12,860

  Edinburgh East

  East Lothian

  253

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Edinburgh: North

  2,137

  10,685

  Edinburgh East

  Edinburgh Leith

  Edinburgh: South

  3,638

  18,190

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  Edinburgh South

  Midlothian

  Edinburgh: West

  1,577

  7,885

  Edinburgh Central

  Edinburgh West

  Linlithgow

  Livingston

  Elgin

  2,018

  10,090

  Banff and Buchan

  Moray

  Falkirk

  7,936

  39,680

  Clackmannan

  Falkirk East

  Falkirk West

  Fort William

  624

  3,120

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  Inverness Nairn and Lochaber

  Inverness

  2,846

  14,230

  Caithness and Sutherland

  Inverness Nairn and Lochaber

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  Irvine

  3,992

  19,960

  Cunninghame North

  Cunninghame South

  Kilmarnock

  6,044

  30,220

  Ayr

  Kilmarnock and Loudon

  Kirkcaldy

  4,310

  21,550

  Fife Central

  Kirkcaldy

  Lerwick

  168

  840

  Orkney and Shetland

  Leven

  1,995

  9,975

  Fife Central

  Oban

  627

  3,135

  Argyle and Bute

  Perth

  2,285

  11,425

  Fife North-East

  Tayside North

  Perth and Kinross

  Peterhead

  1,763

  8,815

  Banff and Buchan

  Moray

  Stirling

  4,154

  20,770

  Clackmannan

  Stirling

  Stornoway

  1,630

  8,150

  Western Isles

  Stranraer

  1,154

  5,770

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  254

  Local office with constituencies wholly or partly within the area covered by the office

  Number of £5 payments

  Total amount paid £

  Wick

  1,410

  7,050

  Caithness and Sutherland

  Orkney and Shetland

SCOTLAND

  Sea Angling
  Mr. Lambie
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he is doing to encourage sea angling as a tourist attraction in the Firth of Clyde; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government encourage sea angling as a tourist attraction in the Clyde and elsewhere through the Scottish Tourist Board and the Highlands and Islands Development Board. Assistance includes grants towards the purchase of vessels and equipment and annual publications giving sea angling information.

  Rate Support Grant
  Mr. Ingram
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to increase the percentage level of rate support grant paid by his Department to Scottish local authorities in the next financial year.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to make an announcement very soon about expenditure provision and grant for Scottish local authorities in 1988–89.

  Mr. O'Neill
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will be meeting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the rate support grant settlement for next year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I will be meeting the convention on Monday 12 October and Friday 4 December to complete my consultations with it on rate support grant for 1988–89.

  Scottish Assembly
  Mr. Douglas
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals for constitutional changes in Scotland arising from the result of the June 1987 general election.

  Mr. Canavan
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now introduce legislation to create a directly elected Scottish Assembly.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he is considering on the reform of the structure of Scottish government.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will hold discussions with a view to setting up a Scottish Assembly with legislative powers.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will hold discussions with a view to setting up a Scottish Assembly with legislative powers.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I have today given to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Doran).
  255
  Mr. Bill Walker
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the number of representations he has received regarding the setting up of an Assembly in Edinburgh.

  Mr. McAllion
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received in the past month urging him to establish a directly elected Scottish Assembly.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Over the last month there have been just over 50 letters, almost all from members of the public, on this subject. Slightly more than half of them urge me to set up a Scottish Assembly; just under half urge me not to do so.

  Mr. McKelvey
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will appoint a commission consisting of representatives of all the Scottish political parties together with the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Confederation of British Industry, and so on, to consider the case for the creation of a directly elected Scottish Assembly.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No.

  Mr. Galloway
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to take steps to ascertain the level of public support in Scotland for the creation of a directly elected Scottish Assembly.

  Mr. Foulkes
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to make arrangements to ascertain the level of public support in Scotland for the creation of a directly elected Scottish Assembly.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no plans to take any such steps. During the election campaign I formed a clear impression of the priority which the people of Scotland attach to this issue.

  Industrial Support
  Mr. Fallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on industrial support in Scotland since 1983.

  Mr. Lang
  Expenditure on regional assistance in Scotland between 1983–84 and 1986–87 was £854 million. Industry also received support, either directly or indirectly, from other Government programmes.

  Caterpillar Tractor Working Party
  Mr. Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings his officials have had with the Caterpillar Tractor working party; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Senior officials of the Industry Department have attended all the meetings of the working party. I myself had a helpful meeting with representatives of the working party last week.

  Efforts are continuing to seek alternative employment opportunities for the Caterpillar work force. The help and support of all those on the working party are likely to prove most valuable.

  Economic Prospects
  Sir Hector Monro
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the fall in unemployment in Scotland over the last three months and its effect on the Scottish economy.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Over the last three months, seasonally adjusted unemployment in Scotland has fallen by 10,200 and is now at its lowest level since the end of 1985. More generally, survey evidence suggests rising economic activity in Scotland this year.

  Dr. Godman
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to make an official visit to Greenock and Port Glasgow in the near future to discuss the prospects for the local economy.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no plans for such a visit at present.

  Highlands and Islands Development Board
  Sir Russell Johnston
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in considering the appointment of a new member of the Highlands and Islands Development Board, he will give particular weight to knowledge and experience of, and connection with, the area.

  Mr. Lang
  The prime requirements for the appointment are managerial, financial and presentational skills, my right hon. and learned Friend will give particular consideration to candidates for board membership who combine these skills with a knowledge and understanding of the area. A varied experience of rural and small business would also be considered to be helpful.

  Extradition
  Mr. Rees
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria the Lord Advocate uses in deciding whether to accede to a formal request for assistance in procuring the extradition from Scotland of a suspected criminal; and whether any different criteria apply to suspected war criminals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The criteria applied in all extradition cases are those provided in the Extradition Acts 1870 to 1935 and the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967.

  Universities Funding Council
  Mr. Buchanan-Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with educational bodies in Scotland regarding the membership of the Scottish committee of the proposed Universities Funding Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science, has issued a consultation paper on the Universities Funding Council. I have seen the responses made by the Standing Committee of the Scottish Universities on behalf of all the Scottish universities, by the Joint Committee of Principals of Colleges of Education and the Principals and Directors of Central Institutions, and by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

  "Scottish Homes" (Consultation Period)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will extend the consultation period for consideration of his Department's document "Scottish Homes"; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. We have allowed nearly four months, to 31 August, for comments to be offered on our proposals for Scottish homes and we wish to make early progress, taking account of such comments.

  Forestry
  Mr. Hardy
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he expects to make in regard to forestry policy in the United Kingdom during the next five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Forestry policy will continue to be reviewed from time to time. However, I cannot anticipate the outcome of any future reviews.

  Mr. Key
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase afforestation in the United Kingdom in order to reduce reliance on imported timber and encourage diversification in the rural economy.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As announced to the House by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling), on 9 February 1987, at column 70, the target for new forestry planting has been raised to 33,000 hectares a year, and planting is being encouraged through the grant schemes administered by the Forestry Commission and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. My right hon. Friend also announced the intention to introduce a farm woodland scheme to encourage farmers to plant trees on some of their land.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on current progress being made towards the implementation of the community charge in 1989.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend will shortly make a commencement order bringing into force the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987. Regulations will then be made covering the detailed operation of the new system in good time for the necessary preparatory work to be undertaken by local authorities for the introduction of the system on 1 April 1989.

  Mr. McAvoy
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he expects will be the cost to Scottish local authorities in compiling the community charge register in the first year in which it will be operational.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend estimates that expenditure of up to £9 million will be necessary in 1988–89 on the establishment of the register and the preparation of new billing and collection systems.

  Mr. McFall
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the maximum level of rebate available to the unemployed and to the low paid under the community charge system.

  Mr. Lang
  The community charge rebate scheme will follow closely the revised arrangements for rate rebates which will be introduced in April 1988 under the 258
  provisions of the Social Security Act 1986. The draft housing benefit regulations recently circulated to local authorities confirm that, to promote accountability, the Government expect everyone who is liable to pay domestic rates to make a minimum contribution of 20 per cent. of their rates bill: the maximum rebate will therefore be 80 per cent.

  In setting income support levels from 1 April 1988 under the new social security arrangements, the Government will take the minimum contribution to rates into account. Similar principles will apply to the community charge.

  Mr. Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will delay introduction of the poll tax until such time as parallel legislation is on the statute book for England and Wales.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects that the legislation establishing a community charge system for England and Wales will have been passed by Parliament well before the system is introduced in Scotland on 1 April 1989.

  Mr. Strang
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the setting up of arrangements to collect the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have consistently made clear my willingness to have consultations with the convention about the legislation.

  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from Scottish local authorities (a) supporting and (b) opposing the introduction of the community charge as a replacement for domestic rates.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received representations from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and from 39 individual local authorities on rating reform since the publication of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714). While most local authorities oppose the community charge system in principle, many representations include comments in favour of some of the proposals and against others. It is not therefore possible to provide the information in precisely the form requested.

  Mr. Macdonald
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the impact of the Abolition of Domestic Rates, Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 on crofters and peripheral rural areas.

  Mr. Lang
  The impact of our proposals will depend on individual and household circumstances. It is not therefore appropriate to make any general assessment of their impact on these groups whose circumstances will vary widely. Rebates will be available for those on low incomes who would otherwise have difficulty in meeting their full community charge liability.

  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many extra staff he estimates local authorities will need to employ to implement the poll tax legislation in 1989; and at what cost.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend estimates that expenditure of up to £9 million will be necessary in
  259
  1988–89 on the establishment of the register and preparation of new billing and collection systems for the community charge in Scotland. He also estimates that the total additional cost to local authorities in running the system from 1 April 1989 onwards will be in the range of £17 to £22 million per year. It will be for individual local authorities to consider the manpower implications of the plans for their own areas.

  Mr. David Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the administrative and financial arrangements for the implementation of the Abolition of Domestic Rates etc. (Scotland) Act.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have consistently made clear my willingness to have consultations with the convention about the legislation.

  Scottish Development Agency
  Mr. McLeish
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to increase the budget of the Scottish Development Agency.

  Mr. Lang
  The agency's gross provision for 1987–88 is expected to be £136 million which continues the real terms increase trend in the agency's budget since this Government came to office. This is a sizeable budget and one which reflects the Government"s commitment to the agency as its main instrument of economic and environmental regeneration in Scotland.

  Scottish Rural Development Agency
  Mr. Steel
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received proposing a Scottish Rural Development Agency.

  Mr. Rifkind
  None. The Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board already have a wide range or powers to assist the development of rural areas throughout Scotland.

  NHS (Expenditure)
  Mr. Forth
  asked the Secretaty of State for Scotland if he will give the figures of National Health Service per capita expenditure for Scotland for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the current financial year gross expenditure of £2,307 million is planned on the National Health Service in Scotland; this represents per capita expenditure of £450, a figure 23 per cent. higher than that for England. Scotland has 39 per cent. more health staff and 59 per cent. more hospital beds measured by population.

  Ravenscraig Steelworks
  Mr. Michael Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of Ravenscraig steelworks.

  Mr. Lang
  Ravenscraig's assured operation up to at least August 1988 is part of the strategy for the British Steel Corporation agreed in 1985. The future of Ravenscraig cannot be considered in isolation from the determination of future strategy for BSC as a whole, and it is too early to reach decisions on this.

  Woodilee Hospital
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to date of the recent emergency evacuation of Woodilee hospital; and if he will hold a public inquiry into this matter.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Costs of £110,000 were incurred during the evacuation of the main block at Woodilee hospital in March. Since then the Greater Glasgow health board has incurred additional revenue expenditure of about £16,000 per week in providing in-patient services at the hospitals to which the patients have been transferred, where the board has already incurred capital expenditure of £170,000 on improvements and has decided to spend another £260,000 on further upgrading work. The board is currently considering the options for the longer term. I see no need for a public inquiry.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the proposed trunk road construction projects which will affect traffic in the Eastwood constituency; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible only for trunk road projects. The one such project which will directly affect traffic in the Eastwood constituency is the section of the proposed Ayr road route (A77) between the former Glasgow city boundary and Malletsheugh.

  Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for the more speedy conduct of business in the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The report of the review body on the use of judicial time in the superior courts in Scotland, chaired by Lord Maxwell, which was published on 18 July 1986, made a number of recommendations aimed at securing the speedy disposal of business in the supreme courts. The recommendations mainly fell within the responsibility of the Lord President of the Court of Session, and must have been or are being implemented. The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987 introduces a simplified procedure for arranging sittings of the High Court of Justiciary and increases the sentencing powers of a sheriff in solemn proceedings. In addition, the Maximum Number of Judges (Scotland) Order 1986 increased the number of judges from 23 to 24. All of these measures should help to improve the disposal of business in the supreme courts.

  Borders Region
  Mr. Kirkwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now undertake a review of the development status of the Borders region.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to review the assisted area status of Borders region.

  Employment Prospects
  Mr. Darling
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on employment prospects in Edinburgh over the next five years.

  Mr. Lang
  Employment prospects in Edinburgh, as elsewhere, are dependent upon continued economic growth, industrial competitiveness and pay restraint. Unemployment in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area is well below the Scottish level for both males and females and is falling. I note the importance for Edinburgh of developments in electronics and other manufacturing sectors and also the service sector, in particular financial and business services, and tourism.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses have been built or acquired by housing associations in Gordon and Aberdeen districts over the past five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Over the five years to 31 March 1987, 535 houses have been acquired by housing associations in Aberdeen district and 60 in Gordon district. Over the same period, 603 homes have been completed (either by new construction or by rehabilitation) in Aberdeen district and 182 in Gordon district.

  School Meals
  Mrs. Fyfe
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to protect the nutritional standards of school meals in the event of the service being taken over by private contractors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The nutritional content of school meals is a matter for the individual education authority. Under the Government's proposals for competitive tendering, education authorities would be obliged to submit their in-house operation to outside competition, on a comparable basis. It would be for the authority to stipulate, in the tendering process, the nature and quality of the service it wished to maintain and to monitor the performance of the chosen contractor.

  Fish Farming
  Mr. Wallace
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to take further to promote the development of fish farming in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The industry has grown spectacularly in recent years with for example the added value of farmed salmon to the economy in 1987 estimated at £60 million. Government assistance at 1986 prices amounts to some £26 million to date and is continuing.

  Orthopaedic Waiting Lists
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) to what factors he attributes the difference in
  262
  orthopaedic waiting lists between 494 days in Fife and 53 days in Argyll and Clyde; and what action he is taking to reduce these differences;

  (2) to what factors he attributes the large variation in orthopaedic waiting times in the same health boards in Scotland; and what action he is taking to reduce these differences.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Waiting times in different areas and specialties will inevitably vary, for a wide variety of reasons. Because of this it is difficult to reach any firm conclusion when comparing the waiting times of patients in different board areas particularly in respect of one single specialty taken in isolation. Health boards are ultimately responsible for managing waiting lists and from their knowledge of local needs, they decide on priorities in the provision of services. I am exploring possible courses of action to assist in the reduction of waiting times.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the National Health Service per capita expenditure for each of the health boards in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information for 1985–86 is as follows:

  Health Board

  Per capita (£)

  Argyll and Clyde

  296·98

  Ayrshire and Arran

  274·41

  Borders

  284·82

  Dumfries and Galloway

  328·70

  Fife

  269·02

  Forth Valley

  321·47

  Grampian

  319·26

  Greater Glasgow

  460·55

  Highland

  347·89

  Lanarkshire

  275·16

  Lothian

  373·51

  Orkney

  279·26

  Shetland

  274·83

  Tayside

  409·10

  Western Isles

  313·36

  Scotland

  347·64

  Note:

  The expenditure figures used are taken from the annual accounts submitted to the Department by health boards and are net of charges retained by family practitioners.

  Surgical Operations (Statistics)
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of operations done in each surgical specialty in each hospital in Scotland in 1985.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is set out in the tables:
  263

  Hospital

  Operations by surgical specialty

  General

  Orthopaedic

  Ear, nose and throat

  Ophthalmology

  Urology

  Neurosurgery

  Cardiothoracic

  Plastic

  Oral

  Paediatric

  Gynaecology

  Total

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  Crosshouse

  3,659

  2,182

  1,496

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  434

  —

  1,511

  9,282

  Ayr County

  962

  1,708

  671

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3,342

  Heathfield

  —

  —

  —

  1,056

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,056

  Seafield, Sick Children

  420

  216

  494

  —

  109

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,239

  Ballochmyle

  1,429

  14

  163

  —

  1,694

  —

  —

  —

  229

  —

  1,856

  5,385

  Borders Health Board

  Peel

  1,773

  961

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,734

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  Dunoon and District General

  43

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  54

  Victoria, Rothesay

  91

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  32

  123

  West Highland

  569

  1

  26

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  273

  —

  —

  869

  Vale of Leven District General

  1,057

  26

  31

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  453

  1,567

  Victoria Infirmary, Helensburgh

  180

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  35

  215

  Inverclyde Royal

  3,677

  914

  831

  519

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14

  —

  1,259

  7,214

  Hawk head

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,039

  1,039

  Royal Alexandra Infirmary

  1,743

  516

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,259

  Royal Alexandra Annexe

  —

  268

  1,340

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,608

  Royal Victoria Eye Infirmary

  —

  —

  —

  699

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  699

  Thorn

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,170

  1,170

  Fife Health Board

  Victoria, Kirkcaldy

  2,949

  1,921

  1,819

  1,019

  1,714

  —

  —

  —

  291

  376

  2,390

  12,479

  Adamson

  96

  117

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  212

  —

  89

  514

  St. Andrews

  150

  4

  —

  —

  95

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  590

  839

  Randolph Wemyss Memorial

  130

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  130

  Dunfermline and West Fife

  2,832

  1,235

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  852

  4,926

  Milesmark

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Maternity Hospital, Dunfermline

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  21

  21

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  Belvidere

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Canniesburn

  —

  —

  —

  647

  —

  —

  —

  3,292

  —

  —

  —

  3,939

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary

  6,697

  2,066

  1,647

  —

  1,534

  —

  1,064

  71

  281

  —

  3,114

  16,474

  Stobhill

  2,912

  603

  1,079

  678

  2,840

  —

  —

  —

  458

  —

  3,272

  11,842

  Mearnskirk General

  1

  —

  848

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  89

  —

  —

  940

  Philipshill

  —

  1,289

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,289

  Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,635

  3,635

  Victoria Infirmary

  3,725

  —

  1,545

  —

  1,381

  —

  —

  —

  332

  —

  1,322

  8,305

  David Elder Infirmary

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,063

  1,063

  Southern General

  2,720

  960

  —

  905

  1,692

  935

  —

  —

  136

  —

  480

  7,828

  Gartnavel District General

  2,401

  1,480

  1,246

  1,424

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6,551

  RHSC Drumchapel

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  RHSC Yorkhill

  4

  1,000

  768

  207

  —

  —

  212

  —

  —

  3,562

  —

  5,753

  Western Infirmary

  2,371

  697

  —

  795

  1,494

  —

  959

  —

  232

  —

  2,390

  8,938

  Highland Health Board

  Dunbar Hospital, Thurso

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  389

  389

  Bignold

  1,191

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,191

  Lawson Memorial

  201

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  201

  RNI, Inverness

  788

  12

  449

  207

  —

  —

  —

  9

  —

  —

  —

  1,465

  Raigmore

  3,359

  1,668

  904

  415

  —

  —

  —

  30

  451

  —

  1,947

  8,774

  Belford

  978

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  983

  MacKinnon Memorial

  743

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  743

  Ross Memorial

  147

  68

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  222

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Monklands District General

  2,471

  1,461

  1,122

  —

  1,236

  —

  —

  83

  478

  —

  1,999

  8,850

  Cleland

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Law

  3,715

  1,597

  1,234

  —

  805

  —

  —

  —

  —

  387

  1,281

  9,019

  Hairmyres

  4,436

  538

  —

  —

  1,201

  —

  774

  —

  1

  —

  1,452

  8,402

  Stonehouse

  2,002

  589

  1,080

  704

  260

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  752

  5,387

  Grampion Health Board

  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

  4,870

  1,889

  1,943

  1

  3,518

  429

  896

  —

  1,677

  —

  3,263

  18,486

  Woodend

  1,724

  827

  —

  1,094

  —

  —

  —

  1,405

  —

  —

  3,223

  8,273

  Royal Aberdeen Children's

  —

  489

  1,570

  253

  —

  —

  —

  510

  111

  1,191

  —

  4,124

  Aberdeen Maternity

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  79

  79

  Huntley Jubilee

  115

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  24

  139

  Chalmers

  136

  38

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  37

  211

  Dr. Gray's

  2,143

  —

  —

  275

  —

  —

  —

  —

  131

  —

  —

  2,549

  Turner

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14

  Leanchoil

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  28

  28

  Orkney Health Board

  Balfour

  859

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  53

  —

  —

  912

  Lothian Health Board

  Eastern General

  1,479

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,158

  3,637

  Leith

  1,102

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  420

  —

  1,522

  Roodlands General

  1,286

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  246

  1,532

  264 265

  Hospital

  Operations by surgical specialty

  General

  Orthopaedic

  Ear, nose and throat

  Ophthalmology

  Urology

  Neurosurgery

  Cardiothoracic

  Plastic

  Oral

  Paediatric

  Gynaecology

  Total

  Western General

  1,989

  832

  —

  —

  2,166

  786

  —

  —

  —

  724

  1,454

  7,951

  Bruntsfield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  407

  1,616

  2,023

  Chalmers

  1,105

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,105

  City, Edinburgh

  1

  —

  5,118

  —

  —

  —

  955

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6,074

  Deaconess

  772

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  772

  Longmore

  1,428

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,428

  PMR Orthopaedic

  —

  3,568

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,568

  RHSC, Edinburgh

  —

  —

  1,503

  —

  —

  —

  —

  837

  —

  1,274

  —

  3,614

  Royal Infirmary

  5,733

  2,169

  —

  1,747

  3,426

  178

  653

  1

  802

  —

  4,633

  19,342

  Simpson's Memorial Maternity Pavilion

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20

  20

  Bangour

  3,895

  845

  1,239

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,642

  1

  —

  1,828

  9,450

  Tayside Health Board

  Ninewells

  5,737

  —

  2,299

  2,081

  177

  —

  —

  —

  1

  373

  3,000

  13,668

  Dundee Royal Infirmary

  —

  2,556

  —

  —

  1,978

  745

  —

  869

  562

  —

  —

  6,710

  Bridge of Earn

  10

  1,668

  628

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,248

  —

  —

  —

  3,554

  Perth Royal Infirmary

  3,538

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  82

  463

  —

  1,332

  5,416

  Blairgowrie and Rattray Cottage

  167

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  167

  Meigle Cottage

  29

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  29

  Arbroath Infirmary

  316

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  71

  387

  Forfar Infirmary

  440

  18

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  98

  557

  Stracathro

  2,004

  1,779

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  —

  202

  4,000

  Forth Valley Health Board

  Falkirk Royal Infirmary

  2,702

  1,483

  910

  313

  1,412

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,872

  8,692

  Stirling Royal Infirmary

  2,059

  876

  1,136

  450

  1,356

  —

  —

  —

  —

  101

  1,393

  7,371

  Clackmannan County

  1,070

  142

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  209

  1,421

  Western Isles Health Board

  Lewis

  808

  —

  21

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  34

  23

  295

  1,182

  Daliburgh

  109

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  109

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  Cresswell Maternity

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  30

  30

  Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

  3,279

  1,064

  887

  266

  —

  —

  —

  —

  370

  308

  1,649

  7,823

  Garrick

  675

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  675

  Shetland Health Board

  Gilbert Bain

  1,110

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,110

  Total

  115,328

  44,357

  36,068

  15,756

  30,090

  3,073

  5,513

  10,080

  8,123

  9,154

  63,163

  340,705

  Out-patients
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total average waiting time for a new out-patient attendance in each surgical specialty in each hospital in Scotland in 1985.
  266
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS (Consultants)
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of whole-time and the number of part-time consultants in each surgical specialty in each hospital in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The precise current distribution of consultant staff in each surgical specialty in each hospital in Scotland is not known centrally. Information about consultant manpower by speciality and health board is published in "Scottish Health Statistics" a copy of which is held in the Library.

  Women
  Mrs. Fyfe
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who is his Department's representative on the transdepartmental group set up by the Prime Minister to look at the forward-looking strategies which came out of the United Nations decade for women; and when this group will report.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I represent the Scottish Office on the ministerial group on women's issues. The group has reviewed the Nairobi forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women. A copy of the review, which was published on 30 April, has been placed in the Library.

  Machinery of Government
  Mr. Salmond
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to consult bodies in Scotland on the machinery of government.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no plans at present.

  Regional Councils
  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures to show the trend in real terms over the last five years of Strathclyde's share of the resources allocated to regional councils; if he will also provide a table showing regional councils in descending order according to their level of deprivation, as measured

  £ million

  1983–1984

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Regional/Islands Council

  Borders

  5·507

  5·904

  6·970

  8·497

  8·842

  Central

  11·948

  12·413

  12·813

  13·893

  15·240

  Dumfries and Galloway

  8·430

  8·260

  9·220

  9·607

  10·567

  Fife

  15·880

  17·220

  19·930

  22·958

  21·383

  Grampian

  36·636

  37·875

  43·740

  42·668

  40·250

  Highland

  16·645

  17·521

  21·990

  21·775

  23·150

  Lothian

  44·963

  40·552

  50·332

  49·810

  46·776

  (A) Strathclyde

  139·362

  134·460

  144·813

  139·940

  140·190

  Tayside

  21·279

  23·008

  25·100

  24·540

  25·940

  Orkney

  3·235

  2·900

  3·885

  4·875

  4·160

  Shetland

  9·570

  8·160

  6·445

  7·000

  6·700

  Western Isles

  6·280

  6·350

  7·315

  11·087

  10·500

  Joint Police Boards

  0·777

  1·260

  3·479

  5·110

  6·140

  268
  by his Department's criteria; and if he will indicate how deprivation levels influence decisions on the allocation of resources to individual regional councils.

  Mr. Lang
  Strathclyde's share of the resources available to regional councils over the last five years is set out in table A below. Table B shows the ranking of the regional councils in terms of area deprivation. Aspects of social deprivation are taken into account in the assessment of authorities' relative expenditure need, which is undertaken in consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and which underlies the calculation of current expenditure guidelines.

  Table A

  Strathclyde's current expenditure guideline as a percentage of all regional councils' guidelines

  Per cent.

  1983–84

  49·4

  1984–85

  49·3

  1985–86

  49·1

  1986–87

  48·5

  1987–88

  48·3

  Table B

  Ranking of regional councils in terms of area deprivation

  1. Strathclyde

  2. Tayside

  3. Central

  4. Lothian

  5. Fife

  6. Dumfries and Galloway

  7. Highland

  8. Grampian

  9. Borders

  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria are used to determine the allocation of capital funds to Scottish regional councils; what amount Strathclyde regional council has received in each of the last five years; and how these figures compare pro rata with other regional councils.

  Mr. Lang
  In determining the allocation of resources for capital expenditure by local authorities, careful consideration is given to the relative needs of authorities, as expressed in their financial plans. In assessing relative needs, account is taken of a number of factors, which may vary according to the nature of the proposed expenditure. The figures requested are set out in the table.
  269

  1983–1984

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  (B) Total

  320·512

  315·883

  356·032

  361·760

  359·838

  (A) as a percentage of (B)

  43·48

  42·56

  40·67

  38·68

  38·95

  Notes:

  (1) The table is based on final allocations, plus any supplementary allocations, and specific consents (eg urban programme, civil defence) but does not take account of enhancements/abatements to allocations as a result of underspends/overspends in the previous year.

  (2) The figures for 1983–84 and 1984–85 do not include an allowance for capital financed from current revenue.

  (3) The table covers allocations for the roads and transport, water and sewerage, social work, education, general services, police, urban aid and civil defence programmes. In the case of police, account has been taken of allocations to joint police boards.

  Regional Services (Strathclyde)
  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures to show for each regional service what account is taken in the calculation of (a) rate support grant and (b) his guideline figures for Strathclyde of its obligations to provide services to meet national and European Economic Community standards as well as national pay awards and agreements.

  Mr. Lang
  Each local authority's guideline is constructed on the basis of assessments of its relative expenditure need for each service. These assessments are based on total provision for local authority current expenditure and the allocation of that provision to services. These are determined taking account of all relevant factors, including nationally or internationally determined standards of service where they apply, and the costs including wage costs of providing the service. It is not possible to identify elements of provision or of assessed need attributable directly to these factors. Rate support grant is paid in support of a local authority's expenditure generally, and is not attributable to particular items of expenditure.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage share of National Health Service costs allocated to the Scottish ambulance service; and how this compares with percentage expenditure in England and Wales.

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

  Scottish Special Housing Association
  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is proposed for the future of the Scottish Special Housing Association housing in Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Insofar as the proposals contained in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland" concern Scottish Special Housing Association housing, they include such houses in the hon. Member's constituency.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the purpose of the public meetings organised by the Scottish Special Housing Association for its tenants; and what say the tenants will have on the future of their houses when the consultation is completed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand that the association has arranged some meetings with tenants in 270
  response to their inquiries about the proposals in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland". The association is holding a conference on this subject for representatives of tenants' associations on 15 August. The chairman of the association wrote on 14 July to all tenants and said that the association would receive and let the Government know about views expressed by tenants. My right hon. and learned Friend will, of course, take full account of all comments submitted to him.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Special Housing Association will be meeting the Renfrew district council and the Inverclyde district council to discuss what will happen to the Association's local agreement in relation to housing local people.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for the bodies themselves to determine whether they hold any meetings. The association's agreement with these and other district councils about the allocation of the association's houses will be taken into account in our consideration of the proposals for "Scottish Homes".

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Special Housing Association will be informing hon. Members with Scottish Special Housing Association houses in their constituencies about the consultations that are taking place with local groups about the proposals entitled "Scottish Homes".

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for the Scottish Special Housing Association to decide.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the tenants of the Scottish Special Housing Association will be balloted on whether they want their district council to take them over; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if the tenants of the Scottish Special Housing Association will be asked whether they want their local district councils to take over and run their houses as district council houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. Our proposals for the future of Scottish Special Housing Association houses are contained in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland" and we shall take full account of comments made by association tenants on these proposals.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the local hon. Members and district councillors who have Scottish Special Housing Association houses in their areas will be consulted about the proposals to abolish the Scottish Special Housing Association.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Copies of the consulta-tion document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for
  271
  Housing in Scotland" were placed in the Library and sent to all district councils on 7 May. It is for hon. Members and district councillors to decide whether they wish to comment on the proposals which include the replacement of the association by the new agency.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish Special Housing Association houses there are in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. At 30 September 1986, there were 7,429 and 3,288 SSHA dwellings in Renfrew and Inverclyde district council areas respectively.

  Mr. Graham
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what has been the level of rent rises in Scottish Special Housing Association houses in each year since 1979;

  (2) what information he has about the average rent of a four-apartment, three-apartment and five-apartment terraced house and flat, respectively, owned by the Scottish Special Housing Association in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency; and what is the average rent in Scotland as a whole for Scottish Special Housing Association houses;

  (3) what information he has about the average rents of Renfrew district council's five, four and three apartment terraced houses and flats, respectively; and what are the figures for Inverclyde district council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Separate information on average rents for terraced houses and for flats is not collected centrally. Average annual rents for local authority and SSHA dwellings by apartment size at 30 September 1986 and rent increases nationally are detailed in Scottish Development Department statistical bulletin HSIU No. 29: "Public Sector Rents 1986–87," a copy of which has recently been sent to all hon. Members with Scottish constituencies.

  War Criminals (Extradition)
  Mr. Sumberg
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many requests have been received by the Lord Advocate since 1957 for assistance in procuring the extradition from Scotland of suspected war criminals; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None, so far as can be ascertained. Any such request would be treated on its merits in accordance with extradition law.

  Prison Statistics
  Mr. Maclennan
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state (a) the number and grades of staff in post and (b) the (i) sentence, (ii) security and (iii) offence categories of prisoners held at Her Majesty's prison Peterhead on 31 December 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  (a) The number and grades of staff in post at Her Majesty's prison Peterhead on 1 January 1987 are given in the table. 1 January is the nearest date to that requested for which the information is available.

  Grade

  Number

  Governor I

  1

  Governor III

  1

  272

  Grade

  Number

  Governor IV

  1

  Assistant Governor

  2

  Chief Officer I (Discipline)

  1

  Chief Officer II (Discipline)

  2

  Principal Officer (Discipline)

  17

  Senior Officer (Discipline)

  23

  Officer (Discipline)

  154

  Principal Nurse Officer

  1

  Senior Nurse Officer

  1

  Nurse Officer

  4

  Principal Officer (Catering)

  1

  Senior Officer (Catering)

  1

  Officer (Catering)

  2

  Chief Workers Officer I

  1

  Principal Works Officer

  2

  Senior Works Officer

  3

  Works Officer

  10

  Chief Clerk Officer

  1

  Principal Clerk Officer

  3

  Clerk Officer

  2

  Principal Officer (Instructor)

  2

  Officer (Instructor)

  2

  Civilian Instructional Officer III

  4

  Civilian Instructional Officer IV

  2

  Typists

  3

  Civilian Tradesmen

  2

  Total

  249

  (b) (i) The average sentence categories for the month of December 1986 (this information is not available on a daily basis).

  Average Sentence categories

  More than 18 months but less than 2 years

  1

  2 years but less than 3 years

  8

  3 years but less than 4 years

  11

  4 years but less than 5 years

  18

  5 years

  28

  More than 5 years but less than 10 years

  41

  10 years or more

  39

  Life

  28

  (ii) The security categories of prisoners at Peterhead on 30 December 1986 (the nearest date at which figures are available).

  Security categories

  Category 'A'

  6

  Category 'B'

  145

  Category 'C

  21

  (iii) Information is not readily available on offence categories.

  Teachers
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate the number of newly qualified secondary teachers who will not be able to find teaching jobs in the forthcoming school year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information on which such an estimate would be based is not held centrally.

  Gary MacGregor (Death)
  Mr. Ron Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received recent representations seeking an inquiry into the death of Gary MacGregor; and if he will make a statement.
  273
  Lord James Douglas-Hamiliton
  I have received a request for an inquiry from Mr. David Martin, MEP. The circumstances of this death were fully investigated by the procurator fiscal and reported to Crown counsel, who instructed criminal proceedings against the driver of the police vehicle involved for a contravention of section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1972. All relevant available evidence concerning the accident was placed before the court in the criminal trial on 11 March 1985 when the driver was acquitted. Since the circumstances of the death have been sufficiently established in the course of the trial, Crown counsel did not consider it appropriate or necessary in the public interest to hold a fatal accident inquiry.

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Management Agreements)
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if, in relation to the operation in Scotland of the guidelines for management agreements under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, he will list the recommendations and proposals made by the Government's consultants for the avoidance of over-compensation; and if he will specify in each case the action taken to implement them.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have been asked to reply.

  Details of the consultant's recommendations and proposals designed to improve the accuracy and reliability of payments under management agreements may be found on pages 60–64 and 102–106 of the consultant's report, a copy of which has been deposited in the Library. The Government's preliminary views on these are set out in full in the consultation paper published on 8 Aprl 1987, which has also been deposited in the Library and distributed to interested parties.

  We are currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise and will make an announcement in due course.

ENVIRONMENT

  Litter
  Sir Anthony Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on the progress of the antilitter campaign and in particular on the work of Mr. Richard Branson in this respect.

  Mr. Trippier
  UK2000, under Mr. Richard Branson's chairmanship, is now undertaking practical work to improve the environment. A part of this work involves action to tackle litter, but it includes many other types of project.

  At the end of June UK2000 had 214 projects under way. A total of 3,900 community programme workers and 7,000 volunteers worked on these projects. Nearly £750,000 private sector sponsorship in cash and kind has been attracted. UK2000 seeks to ensure that projects are of high quality and that g000d training and work experience is offered to participants.

  The priorities for UK2000 as it enters its second year are to develop more innovative and major environmental projects and to explore the potential for creating new enterprises from environmental improvement.

  Rating Reform
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Government intend to adapt to the proposed community charge in the principle of rate relief for disabled people who have special provisions in their homes on account of their disabilities.

  Mr. Howard
  Under the domestic rating system rateable values are increased to take account of extensions and alterations of property. Rate relief is granted to disabled people to ensure that they do not have to pay high bills as a result of modifications needed to their homes as a result of their disabilities.

  This problem will not arise with the community charge, because improvements to people's homes will not affect the level of the charge.

  Flats (Disabled People)
  Mr. Hannam
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans exist to introduce common parts grants for adaptations to the communal areas of blocks of flats to meet the needs of disabled residents.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Housing and Planning Act 1986 includes provisions for a new discretionary grant for the common parts of blocks of flats, including work required to make them suitable for use by a disabled occupant of a dwelling. The local authority associations are now being consulted about the subordinate legislation needed to implement the grant provisions. I expect the necessary statutory instruments to be laid before Parliament later this year.

  Disabled People (Housing)
  Mr. Hannam
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice or guidance is available from his Department to local authorities on considering the requirements of disabled people when modernising old council housing.

  Mrs. Roe
  The Department has published a number of circulars and other forms of guidance on the housing requirements of disabled people. These include:Circular 74/74 "Housing for People who are Physically handicapped";
  Circular 59/78 "Adaptations of Housing for People who are Physically handicapped";
  design guidance on mobility housing and wheelchair housing (Housing Development Directorate Occasional Papers 2/74 and 2/75);
  advice on housing services for disabled people (HDD Occasional Paper 3/78);
  1984 guidance manual on advice booklets produced by local authorities for disabled people;
  a comprehensive film and information pack "Housing for the Disabled" (1981); and
  a manual on house adaptations for disabled people to be published soon by HMSO.

  Empty Houses and Flats
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 district or borough councils with the largest number of empty houses and flats, including on the list the total number of houses and flats in each council's ownership and the proportion unoccupied.
  275
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The 10 English local authorities reporting most vacant dwellings at April 1986 provided the following information in their 1986 housing investment programme returns.

  Local Authority Stock1 at 1 April 1986

  Vacant2 dwellings

  Total stock

  Percentage vacant

  Liverpool

  7,704

  64,836

  11·9

  Manchester

  4,939

  79,499

  6·2

  Sheffield

  3,277

  89,994

  3·6

  Tower Hamle

  3,200

  48,700

  6·6

  Hackney

  3,111

  45,730

  6·8

  Birmingham

  3,106

  120,955

  2·6

  Sandwell

  2,751

  55,787

  4·9

  Newham

  2,420

  31,110

  7·8

  Islington

  2,271

  41,261

  5·5

  Bradford

  2,117

  37,082

  5·7

  1 Housing owned by the local authority within its own area.

  2 Includes dwellings awaiting demolition.

  Derelict and Unused Land
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 largest public owners of derelict and unused land by acreage, together with the acreage held by each.

  Mr. Trippier
  The registers of unused and under-used land owned by public bodies compiled under part X of the Local Government Planning Land Act 1980 contain details of parcels of land larger than one acre in size (a few sites smaller than this have been entered at public request). The 10 public bodies with the largest areas of land currently entered on the registers are:

  Acreage

  1. British Rail

  9,339

  2. Central Electricity Generating Board

  3,258

  3. Warrington Development Corporation

  2,123

  4. National Coal Board

  2,011

  5. Telford Development Corporation

  1,989

  6. Commission for New Towns

  1,712

  7. British Steel Corporation

  1,358

  8. Kent County Council

  1,345

  9. Tyne and Wear County Council

  1,319

  10. Leeds City Council

  1,233

  Council Housing (Rehabilitation)
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the four most extensive council flats rehabilitation projects that have used private capital, along with the amounts of money invested, the number of units improved, and the ultimate form of tenure of the rehabilitated houses.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We do not have this information. My Department assembles details about the numbers of empty local authority dwellings disposed of to the private sector and I included the most recent list in our answer to the hon. Member for Bootle on 13 July 1987 at column 387. This list is not necessarily comprehensive however, since local authorities are not required to seek the Secretary of State's consent or to inform the Department when they are disposing of empty housing at the best price.

  My Department's estate action team has produced a booklet "New Homes from Old" which gives details of a range of schemes whereby empty rundown council
  276
  housing has been successfully transformed by using private capital. I have written to my hon. Friend enclosing a copy.

  Richmond Dock Shipyard Site, Appledore
  Dr. Cunningham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of alleged irregularities in the granting of planning consent for the redevelopment of the Richmond dock shipyard site, Appledore, Devon and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  A number of telephone calls from a local councillor have been received by my Department's regional office. I understand the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission has received correspondence from the same councillor. It is for the local planning authority to make a decision about the applications.

  Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
  Mr. Butler
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now set a target date for the winding-up of Warrington and Runcorn development corporation.

  Mrs. Roe
  In December last year the relevant local authorities were consulted on a proposal to wind up the Warrington and Runcorn development corporation on 30 September 1989. I have considered the responses to that consultation and I have decided to confirm that date as the target for wind-up. The final decision and formal order will be made in the usual way nearer the time, after die statutory consultations required under the New Towns Act 1981 have been undertaken. I am still considering what further development the development corporation should promote before September 1989.

  Banqueting House, Whitehall
  Mrs. Gorman
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make the banqueting house, Whitehall, available more widely for functions.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We have recently reviewed the criteria for the use of the banqueting house and have decided to extend the privilege of holding functions there to a wider group of suitable organisations, including for a trial period reputable private companies. Any function must be in keeping with the dignity and traditions of the banqueting house, which has the status of a royal palace, and will not interfere with the normal daytime admission of the public. Applications will now be considered in respect of:

  (a) Receptions and dinners held by the Government, Government agencies, local government organisations, individual local authorities and other reputable public bodies; Foreign and Commonwealth Government receptions and dinners.

  (b) Registered charities of a national character, normally on distinctive occasions, for fund-raising or other appropriate activities.

  (c) Receptions or dinners, by non-profit making commercial and industrial organisations for the promotion of export trade or other suitable purposes.

  (d) Functions organised by professional institutions.

  (e) Cultural and learned events, such as lectures and concerts.

  (f) Receptions and dinners given by reputable private companies, but not to promote products or services.

  277

  (g) Functions associated with bookings at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.

  Permission to use the banqueting house will be at the absolute discretion of the Department of the Environment. All functions will take place in the evenings except concerts and lectures which may be permitted in the day-time provided that the banqueting house can remain open to the general public.

  Appropriate charges for the use of the hall will be preferred.

  The following events will still not be acceptable:

  (i) dances

  (ii) party political or politically controversial gatherings

  (iii) use by private individuals, except in very exceptional circumstances.

  Local Authority Fees and Charges
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the review of local authority fees and charges.

  Mr. Ridley
  In the light of the review, the Government have decided to provide an enabling power in primary legislation, allowing new or amended charging powers to be introduced by order. The Government consider that allowing new charging powers to be introduced in secondary legislation in this way will give central and local government more flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.

  The enabling power will also allow the level of fees and charges under existing, new or amended charging powers to be prescribed or varied.

  The enabling power will not be exercisable in respect of certain functions and services, including school education, policing, firefighting and elections. In addition there are many areas in respect of which the enabling power will formally be exercisable, but to which the Department has no plans to introduce or extend charging powers. These include basic public library services and household waste collection.

  Albert Memorial
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has of the likely cost of restoring the Albert Memorial; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [pursuant to his answer, 21 July 1987]: The cost of restoration or other treatment will depend on the option chosen. So far no decision about this has been made.

  St. George's Hospital Building
  Mr. Chapman
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how long the St. George's hospital building, Hyde Park corner, has been unoccupied; what initiatives he will take to ensure this grade II building is adequately protected from any further deterioration which might necessitate its demolition; and what further initiatives he will take to ensure this building will be restored to its original design.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1987]: The former St. George's hospital consists of a group of early 19th century Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings which were vacated by DHSS in mid-1980. Following an approach by Westminster city council, which has powers
  278
  to serve a repairs notice on the owners, stabilisation work is being carried out. The city council is monitoring this work and the Secretary of State is satisfied that this aspect can safely be left in their hands.

  Proposals for development are currently under consideration. If any demolition of a listed building is involved, the applications will be referred to the Secretary of State to decide whether to intervene.

  Mersey Basin Programme
  Mr. David Young
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will approach the European Commission to seek a change in the financing of environmental improvement works under the Mersey basin programme.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has recently negotiated a more flexible interpretation of the rules relating to environmental improvement works within national programmes of community interest. This will be of benefit to the Mersey basin programme.

  Mr. Stott
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now take steps to consult relevant local authorities about Her Majesty's Government's submission to the European Commission of phase 2 of the Mersey basin programme; why no consultation has taken place so far; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Consultation had in fact been under way since November 1986 through the three local authority-led Project Groups of the Mersey Basin Campaign, though the Department has receved only 15 responses from individual local authorities and other public bodies, including Wigan M BC. This together with information held centrally, has been sufficient to build up a satisfactory submission to the European Commission. I hope for a favourable response at about the end of this year.

  Defence Materials and Equipment (Bolton)
  Mr. David Young
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is given by his Department to local authorities and police; and what is the required notification to him of cargoes of defence materials and equipment parked overnight in Bolton.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman).

  Non-domestic Rates
  Dr. Cunningham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority the amount to be received from non-domestic rates in 1987–88, showing also what each authority would receive in 1987–88 from a national non-domestic rate poundage of 224·1 pence.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have today placed in the Library figures showing the estimated non-domestic rates to be received by rating authorities in 1987–88.

  The hon. Gentleman is seeking to make a false comparison. Under the proposals in Cmnd. 9714 authorities would receive £233–1 per adult as a result of a uniform domestic rate of 224–1p. This figures is not

  279
  comparable with the income from non-domestic rates under the present arrangements which provide for inequalities in rateable value to be mitigated by adjustments to block grant.

  Land and Buildings (Sales)
  Mrs. Gorman
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total sales, in pounds sterling, of land and buildings disposed of by local and central Government in the years: 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Information about receipts from the sale by local government of land and buildings is not separately available. Receipts from the sale of fixed assets (including land and buildings) are as follows:

  £ million

  1978–79

  194·659

  1979–80

  304·030

  1980–81

  406·322

  1981–82

  866·650

  1982–83

  1,461·861

  1983–84

  1,412·817

  1984–85

  1,447·617

  1985–86

  1,628·624

  1986–87

  11,950·000

  1 Estimated figure.

  280
  The Property Services Agency falls within my responsibility. Sales of land and buildings by it for the defence and common user civil estates are as follows:

  £ million

  Year

  Defence

  Civil

  1978–79

  33·0

  5

  1979–80

  50·0

  8

  1980–81

  65·0

  18

  1981–82

  54·6

  9

  1982–83

  41·0

  20

  1983–84

  42·0

  10

  1984–85

  28·0

  14

  1985–86

  60·0

  29

  1986–87

  75·0

  41

  Fire Engines and Ambulances (Hooters)
  Mr. Summerson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the typical decibel level of hooters on fire engines and ambulances; and what assessment his Department has made as to whether they can be made less noisy while remaining effective in clearing the road.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  About 115 decibels at 2m. Chief fire officers and chief ambulance officers decide what type of signal best suits their operational needs. The Department has made no assessment of the kind described.

  CHILDREN FOR PROSECUTION: SCOTTISH GUIDANCE DIRECTIONS
  CHILDREN FOR PROSECUTION: SCOTTISH GUIDANCE DIRECTIONS
  RECYCLING AND RECLAMATION: GOVERNMENT PLANS
  RECYCLING AND RECLAMATION: GOVERNMENT PLANS
  FUNERALS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FIGURES
  FUNERALS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FIGURES
  SOCIAL FUND LOANS: REPAYMENTS
  SOCIAL FUND LOANS: REPAYMENTS
  SOCIAL SECURITY: VOLUNTARY BODIES —LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
  SOCIAL SECURITY: VOLUNTARY BODIES —LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
  KENT UNIVERSITY: DHSS—FUNDED STUDY
  KENT UNIVERSITY: DHSS—FUNDED STUDY
  BANQUETING HOUSE, WHITEHALL
  BANQUETING HOUSE, WHITEHALL
  MR. COLIN SAMPSON'S REPORT
  MR. COLIN SAMPSON'S REPORT
  WAVE POWER UTILISATION
  WAVE POWER UTILISATION
  SULPHUR EMISSIONS: STATISTICS
  SULPHUR EMISSIONS: STATISTICS
  ISLAY: ELECTRICITY PLANT
  ISLAY: ELECTRICITY PLANT