Written Answers of 4 November 1987

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Life Sentence Prisoners
  Mr. Iain Mills
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of prisoners serving life sentences in prisons in 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1987.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of prisoners serving life sentences was 2,339 on 30 June 1987, the most recent date for which figures are available. Details of the average population for each of the previous 10 years are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales," at table 1.4 of the latest issue, for 1986 (Cm. 210) a copy of which is in the Library.

  Children (Abduction)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of children being detained under the port stop procedures under the Child Abduction Act 1984 have been reported to him; and how many of these cases were instances where children had been abducted by those who were not related to them.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. The Home Office relinquished direct responsibility for port stop procedures on 2 May 1986; the responsibility now lies with chief officers of police and no statistics are kept centrally.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what liaison exists between British Police forces and those of other European countries relating to the abduction of children; and what machinery exists for reporting of the abduction of minors.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Liaison between British police forces and those of other European countries is conducted through normal interpol channels. Within this country all police forces are alerted to the abduction of minors through the police national computer.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Jim Callaghan
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take steps to bring special constables into the disciplinary and grievance procedure which applies to other police constables; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representations he has received seeking the right for special constables to have an appeal mechanism against chief constables' decisions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no plans to introduce a discipline code for special constables since it would be difficult to apply such a code to voluntary unpaid officers. We have had no recent representations in favour of an appeal system other than from the hon. Member.

  Private Investigators
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government propose to introduce legislation to impose statutory controls on the private investigation industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The Government continue to support and encourage non-statutory self-regulation for professional investigators as we do for the private security industry.

  Nationality
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking in order to harmonise British nationality law with similar laws in European Community countries.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no Community proposals to harmonise nationality laws and we have no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Hurd
  The information is as follows:

  Number of Operational Researchers as at 1 January

  Year

  Number

  1979

  1

  1980

  1

  1981

  33

  1982

  32

  1983

  30

  1984

  31

  1985

  35

  1986

  36·5

  1987

  32·5

  1 Figures not readily available.

  Political Refugees
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the normal procedure with regard to extending the residence period granted to a person likely to be imprisoned for political reasons on return to his own country, on application, after an initial grant of 12 months' residence has lapsed; and what were the considerations made in the case of Mr. Safpar Hamdani, overseas co-ordinator to the Pakistan People's Party, currently in London.

  Mr. Renton
  An individual in this position would normally be granted leave to remain for an initial period of one year and then be granted further leave to remain for a period of three years, after which permanent settlement may be granted. Further leave to remain may however be granted for shorter periods than three years where, for example, there is a possibility of a change in the circumstances which led to the initial grant of leave to remain. The normal criteria have been applied in the case of Mr. Safpar Hamdani.

  Self-Defence
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the acceptable degree of self-defence available to citizens threatened by criminal acts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received numerous inquiries and representations from right hon. and hon. Members and direct from members of the public.

  The law permits a person to use reasonable force to defend himself or to prevent crime. What is reasonable will depend on all the circumstances and, if a charge is brought, will be determined by the court in each specific case. The courts have held that, if a person defending himself against attack did what he honestly and instinctively thought necessary, that would be the most potent evidence that only reasonable defensive action had been taken.

  The right of self-defence does not imply a right to the routine carrying by the public of weapons or articles intended for use as weapons; and we are concerned to reduce the number of weapons which are carried.

  Trials (Video Technology)
  Mrs. Golding
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will give the results of his consultations on the use of video technology at trials of alleged child abusers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend asked for views, first on the detailed implementation of our proposal to permit children to give evidence by closed-circuit television. We are still receiving helpful comments on this, and will bear these carefully in mind, together with observations made in this House and another place, when the time comes to implement proposals in the Criminal Justice Bill.

  Secondly, we asked for views on whether video recordings of interviews with children should be more readily admissible at trials. The responses generally show enthusiasm for this, on grounds with which we have much sympathy. But there are serious problems. In particular, a video recording which is helpful for investigative purposes is likely to present at least part of the child's evidence in a form inadmissible as evidence at the trial. Further, the benefits for the child envisaged by most responses would not be realised unless the use of the recording at the trial meant that the child need not give oral evidence. We believe, however, that it is vital in the interests of justice for the right of the defence to cross-examine the alleged victim to be preserved.

  As explained in the debate in another place on 22 October, we therefore feel that on balance easier admissibility of video recordings would not meet the twin tests of benefit to the child and interests of justice.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  City Technology College, Solihull
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications and inquiries have been received for places at the new city technology college in Solihull.
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  Mrs. Rumbold
  More than 700 inquiries have been received about admissions to the city technology college, Kingshurst. More than 300 applications have already been made.

  Boarding Schools Association
  Mr. Latham
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the recent meeting between the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) and representatives of the Boarding Schools Associations.

  Mr. Dunn
  I had a useful meeting with the association on 1 October. The secretary of the association has since written to me with a comprehensive note of points raised at the meeting, to which I have now replied.

  Expatriate Workers
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to support or assume responsibility for the education of children of expatriate workers other than for Government employees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  The Government have no such plans.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1979

  2

  1980

  2

  1981

  2

  1982

  2

  1983

  3

  1984

  3

  1985

  3

  1986

  4

  1987

  4

WALES

  Tourism
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate when his response can be expected to the report of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs on tourism in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I hope to respond shortly.

PRIME MINISTER

  ICL
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Prime Minister what investigations are currently going on into the affairs of ICL.

  The Prime Minister
  Investigations under the Companies Act are matters for the Department of Trade and Industry. Investigations in relation to defence issues
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  are matters for the Ministry of Defence. Similarly, the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have responsibility for their own investigations. Most such investigations are of a confidential nature for obvious reasons.

  Customs Barriers
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Prime Minister what assessment she has made of the advantages likely to accrue from the removal of all customs barriers on trade between the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Economic Community by 1992.

  The Prime Minister
  Customs barriers add to the costs of exporting and hinder the development of trade with the rest of the European Community. Tackling them and other barriers will increase opportunities for British business by creating a single market of 320 million people.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Summary Cases
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Attorney-General if his guidelines as to disclosure of previous inconsistent statements and unused material will apply in summary cases.

  The Attorney-General
  The guidelines issued by my predecessor in 1981 concern the disclosure to the defence of "unused material" in cases to be tried on indictment. There are not separate guidelines as to the disclosure of previous inconsistent statements. However, the term "unused material" includes all witness statements that have not otherwise been served on the defence, whether or not the maker of the statement is to give evidence for the prosecution. Thus, previous inconsistent written statements are covered by the 1981 outlines.

  In addition to the obligations imposed by the 1981 guidelines, the general duty to be fair requires a prosecutor to disclose to the defence any materially inconsistent statement made by a prosecution witness, written or oral, of which the prosecutor becomes aware at any stage of the proceedings. That duty applies equally to summary proceedings and to proceedings on indictment.

  Mr. Frank Larsen
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions will prosecute Mr. Frank Larsen for possession of a forged Ministry of Defence police warrant.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on Monday 2 November 1987 at column 510.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Attorney-General if he will give a detailed breakdown of all the legal costs accorded in the United Kingdom and outside in taking action to stop the publication of "Spycatcher."

  The Attorney-General
  I shall break down the total amount of costs to public funds to date of the court action in Australia into two categories: the first, travelling and subsistence for officials, is approximately £65,000; the second, legal fees, is approximately £369,000.
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  Travelling and subsistence costs have not yet been incurred in respect of the actions in New Zealand and Hong Kong; nor have they been incurred in repect of the action here against The Guardian, The Observer and The Sunday Times. The total costs to public funds to date of these actions remain as in my answer of 22 October to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Soviet Union
  Mr. Warren
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress of British-Soviet trade since the visit of the Prime Minister to the Soviet Union this year.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I was very encouraged by the high level of interest in trade and industrial co-operation shown by both sides during my visit to the Soviet Union for the UK/ USSR joint commission in mid-October. I was accompanied to Moscow by senior members of several United Kingdom companies and they were able to join me in calls on Soviet industrial Ministries which have now the right to engage in foreign trade directly. There is considerable potential which I hope that British companies will exploit energetically, with the full support of Her Majesty's Government, so that the increase in bilateral trade by 40 per cent. in 1990, as discussed by the Prime Minister with Mr. Ryzhkov in March, can be achieved.

  Mr. Warren
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a table of export and import trade between each of the member states of the European Economic Community and the Soviet Union during each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the trends indicated therein.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The figures are in the following table. Exports from the Community have shown little variation in recent years (in dollar terms) while imports have declined in recent years mainly because of reduced oil imports and the fall in the price of oil. The Community's overall deficit with the Soviet Union is about half its level four years ago.

  European Community countries' trade with the USSR

  US$ million

  exports (fob)

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Bel./Lux.

  536

  665

  547

  632

  496

  Denmark

  87

  77

  117

  135

  184

  France

  1,556

  2,231

  1,954

  1,896

  1,532

  Germany

  3,869

  4,418

  3,800

  3,603

  4,319

  Greece

  141

  143

  121

  142

  78

  Ireland

  43

  60

  22

  36

  61

  Italy

  1,510

  1,877

  1,586

  1,528

  1,618

  Netherlands

  424

  534

  303

  342

  334

  Portugal

  52

  51

  56

  70

  51

  Spain

  220

  334

  357

  441

  238

  United Kingdom

  623

  675

  982

  696

  791

  E. C. 12

  9,061

  11,063

  9,846

  9,521

  9,703

  imports (cif)

  Bel./Lux.

  1,468

  1,154

  1,858

  1,256

  1,047

  Denmark

  328

  271

  331

  286

  205

  France

  2,858

  2,811

  2,550

  2,453

  2,647

  Germany

  4,473

  4,444

  4,894

  4,630

  4,204

  Greece

  221

  247

  508

  532

  284

  705

  exports (fob)

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Ireland

  54

  50

  51

  51

  41

  Italy

  3,541

  3,593

  4,039

  2,980

  2,324

  Netherlands

  2,571

  2,627

  2,207

  2,328

  1,046

  Portugal

  101

  84

  61

  55

  51

  Spain

  493

  495

  537

  383

  299

  United Kingdom

  1,129

  1,105

  1,142

  939

  1,018

  E. C. 12

  17,235

  16,882

  18,177

  15,893

  13,166

  Source: OECD Series 'A' (via I. P. Sharp).

  British Caledonian and British Airways
  Mr. Flynn
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will make it his policy to take into account the potential impact of a British airline industry dominated by one carrier operating from both Heathrow and Gatwick on Cardiff and other regional airports before making his decision on the proposed merger of British Caledonian and British Airways.

  Mr. Sackville
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will take into account the potential impact of a British airline industry dominated by one carrier, operating from Heathrow and Gatwick, on Manchester and other regional airports before making his decision on the proposed take over of British Caledonian by British Airways.

  Mr. Atkinson
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will take into account the potential impact of a British airline industry dominated by one carrier, operating from both Heathrow and Gatwick, on Bournemouth International Airport and other regional airports in making his decision on the proposed take-over of British Caledonian by British Airways.

  Mr. Cran
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, when he takes the decision on the British Airways/British Caledonian merger, he will take into account the potential effect of a large British carrier on smaller independent air lines and their employees.

  Mr. Maude
  The proposed merger is being investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Only if the commission concludes that a merger might be expected to operate against the public interest does my right hon. and noble Friend have the power to intervene to prevent or impose conditions on it. In such cases, he will take into account all relevant considerations in deciding what action, if any, may be appropriate.

  Biodegradable Products
  Mr. Beggs
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what incentive Her Majesty's Government are giving to industry to encourage the development of biodegradable products; and whether Her Majesty's Government have plans to introduce legislation to require that biodegradable products are introduced to replace plastic products where possible.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation at this time.

  Normal channels of Government funding are available to encourage work in this area. We support and are in
  706
  discussions with the plastics industry about the use of degradable materials. They are being encouraged to employ them when it is commercially viable to do so.

  In October 1986 a workshop was held on the recycling of plastics which was attended by the industry and other interested bodies. This has been successful in creating a more positive attitude towards recycling.

  Regional Policy
  Ms. Armstrong
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has completed his review of regional policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State and I have been reviewing all our Department's activities since we were appointed to our present posts and we will continue to do so. We have recently established new objectives for the Department and we are considering the best application of those objectives in the field of regional policy.

  Toys (Safety)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to secure the safety of toys to be made available for sale during the pre-Christmas shopping period, and in particular to ensure that in future all toys sold within the United Kingdom should conform with BS 5665; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department plans to run a toy safety promotion campaign in November and December aimed at putting across an effective message during the Christmas peak buying period.

  The Government have no plans to make compliance with BS 5665 mandatory. We are effectively prevented from doing so under the standstill provisions of article 9(2) of the EC directive 83/189/EEC because a proposal for an EC toy safety directive is now in the final stages of negotiation.

  Toys supplied in the United Kingdom must comply with the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1974, which cover the main hazards. The general safety requirement of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 applies to hazards not covered by the regulations. As a published standard BS 5665 is relevant for the purpose of the general safety requirement.

  Trading Standards officers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any proposals for the removal of trading standards officers and their delegated functions from local authority control; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  There are no plans to remove trading standards officers and their delegated functions from local authority control. Local enforcement enables trading standards officers to respond quickly to the public, to take immediate action and to provide for the particular needs of local industry. There is no evidence that this can be achieved more efficiently or economically.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will list the cases in which Her Majesty's

  707
  Government have withdrawn from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission mergers referred for its consideration, as from 1979;

  (2) in what cases of proposed mergers a referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission can be withdrawn.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend has no powers, under the Fair Trading Act 1973, to withdraw a merger or proposed merger from consideration by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission once he has referred it to the commission. However under section 75 of the Act, if, in the course of its investigations on a merger reference, it appears to the commission that a merger proposal has been abandoned it may, if the Secretary of State consents, lay the reference aside. Since 1979 the following merger references have been laid aside:

  Proposed Merger

  Date of reference

  Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd./Coral Leisure Group Ltd.

  17 October 1980

  Argyll Foods Ltd./Linfood Holdings Ltd.

  10 November 1981

  Rowntree Mackintosh/Huntley and Palmer Foods plc

  16 March 1982

  Prosper de Mulder Ltd./Thomas Borthwick and Sons plc

  16 September 1982

  Redland plc/Ibstock Johnson plc

  28 January 1983

  Knoll International Holdings Inc./Sotheby Parke Bernet

  4 May 1983

  Scottish and Newcastle Breweries plc/J. W. Cameron and Company Ltd.

  5 June 1984

  Imperial Group plc/Permaflex Ltd.

  10 April 1985

  McCorquodale plc/Richard Clay pic

  23 August 1985

  Imperial Group plc/United Biscuits (Holdings) plc

  11 February 1986

  Guinness plc/The Distillers Company plc

  14 February 1986

  Cope Allman International plc/Firth Cleveland Strip

  3 April 1986

  Hillsdown Holdings plc/S and W Berisford plc

  19 May 1986

  London International Group plc/ Wedgwood plc

  9 June 1986

  Strong and Fisher (Holdings) plc/Garnar Booth plc

  2 November 1986

  Gulf Resources and Chemical Corporation/Imperial Continental Gas Association

  9 December 1986

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Hardy
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to make decisions or offer further opinion to the European Economic Community in regard to proposals to secure further contraction of the steel industry in the United Kingdom and in the other member states.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Commission's proposals on steel policy were considered by Ministers of the Twelve at the

  Table 1

  United Kingdom direct investment in developing countries1

  £ million

  21981

  21982

  21983

  1984

  1985

  Acquisition of share and loan capital in companies in the developing countries

  341

  230

  658

  978

  1,304

  Disposal of share and loan capital in companies in the developing countries

  25

  613

  148

  101

  202

  Reinvested Earnings from direct investments in developing countries

  590

  540

  605

  1,158

  761

  Net Total

  906

  157

  1,115

  2,035

  1,863

  708
  Industry Council on 21 September. The Council agreed to invite the Commission to appoint a group of three wise persons to advise the Council on how adequate commitments to the reduction of production capacity can be obtained. The wise persons have been asked to report by Mid-November. The next meeting of the Industry Council is scheduled for 8 December.

  Mr. Hardy
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the proportion by which the steel industry has contracted both in terms of production volume and job loss in Britain and in the other member states of the EEC since 1979.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested can be found in the "Iron and Steel Statistical Yearbook 1986" and the "Iron and Steel Quarterly Statistics" published by Eurostat, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Third World
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total value of invisible exports, invisible imports and the invisible balance of trade, between Britain and the third World, broken down into oil-exporting countries and the rest of the world, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  Comprehensive annual data on invisibles relating to the areas mentioned are not available.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the totals of new investment, reinvestment and disinvestment by Britain in the Third World and by the Third world from Britain, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  The available information relates to overseas direct investment. The value of acquisitions and disposals of share capital by UK companies in the companies in the developing countries and the value of reinvested profits in the overseas concerns are given in Table 1. The value of acquisitions and disposals of share capital of UK companies and of profits reinvested in the UK by companies in the developing countries are shown in table 2. The data relating to outward direct investment will be published in approximately two months time in Business Monitor MA4 1985.

  The net totals shown in tables 1 and 2 include only those items requested and hence exclude changes in the levels of current account and long-term loan balances and in branch/head office indebtedness, all of which are normally included in the published series for foreign direct investment in Business Monitor MA4.
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  1 Developing countries are defined as Asia, Africa (excluding South Africa), Caribbean, Central and South America, Oceania and Yugoslavia.

  2 Excludes oil companies.

  Table 2

  Direct investment by the developing countries1 in the United Kingdom

  £ million

  21981

  21982

  21983

  1984

  1985

  Acquisition of United Kingdom companies' share capital by companies in the developing countries

  238

  87

  87

  71

  —

  Disposal of United Kingdom companies' share capital by companies in the developing countries

  10

  —

  5

  26

  —

  Re-invested earnings from developing countries direct investments in the United Kingdom

  35

  6

  27

  -2

  102

  Net Total

  263

  93

  109

  43

  239

  1 and 2 See table 1.

  —Not available.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Butcher
  The number of operational research specialists in this Department for each year since 1979 was as follows:

  Number

  1979

  6

  1980

  7

  1981

  11

  1982

  9

  1983

  9

  1984

  6

  1985

  6

  1986

  10

  1987

  11

  Group Accounts
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in respect of the incorporation of the European Community's seventh directive on group accounts into British law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department is preparing detailed legislative proposals in the light of responses to a consultation document. The necessary legislation should be part of the next Companies Bill.

  Company Accounts (Disclosure of Liabilities)
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he intends to introduce legislation to restrict
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  the ability of companies not to make disclosure of liabilities through their accounts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department is considering the issues raised by the practice of keeping assets and liabilities off a company's balance sheet with the Accounting Standards Committee and other bodies with a close interest in this topic. This will be taken into account in drafting changes to company law which will be made to implement the EC seventh company law directive.

  Semi-Conductors
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any plans to assist the semi-conductor industry to play a part in joint European research initiatives, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  Assistance to joint European collaborative research in semi-conductors will be available through the second phase of the European Community's ESPRIT programme, which is now in the final stages of preparation. The Department is active in providing advice to companies wishing to participate in the programme.

  Electronics Industry
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to extend financial aid to more process-based projects in the electronics industry, along the lines of the proposed scheme to replace the Alvey programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The IT86 report's recommendations are being considered as part of the review of priorities, in the field of research and development, for the Department of Trade and Industry.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Consumer Credit Act 1974
  Mr. Grylls
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is in a position to make a statement on the future treatment of business lending and hiring under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

  Mr. Maude
  As stated in the White Paper "Building Businesses … not Barriers" the Government have been studying the treatment of business lending and hiring under the Act. At present the Act regulates any credit or hire agreement, within the financial limits of the Act, where the borrower or hirer is not a body corporate. It has been strongly argued by major lenders that the application of the Act to some business credit is harmful both to lenders and to small businesses themselves and can give rise to anomalies. My Department has consulted organisations representing small businesses on a possible change to the Act to exclude all credit for business purposes and this proposal has been generally welcomed. We have therefore decided that the Act should be amended to exclude all credit and hire for business purposes and we will make this change to the Act, together with other changes to simplify and clarify the Act's provisions, as soon as there is a suitable opportunity.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Jack
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is central Government's spending on telecommunications with (a) British Telecom and (b) Mercury Communications.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have been asked to reply.

  Records of expenditure on telecommunications products and services are not maintained centrally.

ENERGY

  South African Coal Industry
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the South African Government concerning the establishment of the office of the South African coal industry in London.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  None.

  Coal (Imports)
  Mr. Cummings
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the level of coal imports during the years 1985, 1986 and 1987 to date, through the port of Seaham; and what are the origins of such imports.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  For the purposes of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise's import statistics, Seaham is included within the port of Sunderland. Coal imports through Sunderland in 1985, 1986 and January-August 1987 (the latest period for which data are available), split by country of consignment, are shown in the table. The country of consignment is the place from which the coal was despatched to the United Kingdom and is not necessarily the country in which the coal was originally mined. No split of coal imports through Sunderland by country of origin is available.
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  Coal Imports through Sunderland by Country of Consignment

  Thousand tonnes

  1985

  1986

  Jan—Aug 1987

  Australia

  —

  13·6

  2·3

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  —

  11·0

  —

  France

  —

  —

  1·2

  German Democratic Republic

  12·0

  —

  —

  Federal Republic of Germany

  15·4

  10·7

  16·3

  Netherlands

  47·6

  157·0

  38·5

  Poland

  10·6

  42·3

  14·6

  Sweden

  —

  —

  4·3

  United States of America

  2·5

  8·3

  1·3

  Total

  88·2

  242·9

  78·6

  Total may not equal sum of constituents due to rounding.

  Drax Power Station
  Mr. Worthington
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy when orders will be placed for the desulphurisation plant at Drax power station.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Central Electricity Generating Board expects to be able to place the main plant contracts for the Drax power station by the end of 1988.

  Miners' Strike
  Mr. Cummings
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on how many miners in the north-east area who were dismissed during the 1984–85 strike have not yet been re-employed.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Questions on the dismissal and reemployment of mineworkers arc matters for the management of the British Coal Corporation.

  Power Transmission Cables
  Mr. Speed
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what studies are currently taking place to determine the economic and practical feasibility of placing underground more rural electric power transmission cables.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The placing of electric power lines is in the first instance a matter for the electricity supply industry and I have therefore asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to my hon. Friend with the information he requested and to send me a copy of this letter.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No operational research specialists have been employed in this Department since 1979.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pesticides
  Mr. Warren
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the operation of the pesticide regulations of the Food and Environmental Protection Act insofar as they relate to the need of growers

  713
  to register agro-chemicals which are off-label, with a view to suspending the regulations until such time as the applications before his Department have been cleared.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The requirements of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 are kept under constant review to ensure that they achieve their objectives in terms of protecting food and the environment. I also require to be satisfied that they do not impose unnecessary burdens on those who have to operate within them. I accordingly announced interim arrangements for off-label uses of pesticides in 1988 on 30 October, which give provisional approval for one year for additional uses of approved pesticides where safety considerations allow this. I believe that these arrangements will ensure that growers should have available to them appropriate products with which to treat almost all pest and disease situations. We are also giving priority to individual applications in those sectors which are not included in the interim arrangements, and I hope to be announcing definitive off-label approvals for those sectors within the next few weeks.

  Hedgerows (Removal Subsidy)
  Mr. Cummings
  asked the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of subsidy paid to farmers in Easington district for the removal of hedgerows.

  Mr. Gummer
  Grants for hedge removal were abolished in 1976 except where the removal was ancillary to drainage work. Grants even of this restrictive kind were discontinued for all new commitments on 1 December 1983. Since 1985 grants of up to 60 per cent. have been available for the provision, replacement or improvement of hedges and hedgerow trees.

  Forestry Planting Licences
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for forestry planting licences in England were objected to by local authorities and other statutory bodies, respectively, in each of the last five years and 1987 to date; and how many were refused as a result.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information is as follows:

  Number of objections from

  Year

  Number of applications object to

  Local authorities

  Other statutory bodies

  Decisions taken on these applications

  1982

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  —

  —

  1984

  3

  3

  2

  2 Refused 1 Approved

  1985

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  4

  3

  1

  1 Refused 3 Approved

  1987

  2

  2

  1

  1 Refused 1 Pending

  Dairy Inspection Charges
  Mr. David Nicholson
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has had since 1 July regarding the impact of dairy inspection charges on smaller farm units; and whether he will list the organisations making such representations;
  714
  (2) whether he has any plans to change the pattern or the administration of dairy inspection charges, insofar as these affect smaller farm units; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have received representations from individual farmers, from their Members of Parliament and from organisations such as the NFU and the MM B. The original proposals were modified to reduce the impact of charging on small producers, including those in the untreated milk sector. But the search for economies is continuing and any reduction in costs will be passed on to producers.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Leighton
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current United Kingdom trade balance with the rest of the European Economic Community in agricultural produce.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 28 October 1987]: The latest available information is given in the following table.

  Trade between the United Kingdom and other European Community countries—Agricultural products

  January to December 1986

  £ million

  Exports

  3,003

  Imports

  5,706

  Balance

  -2,703

  During the first eight months of 1987, exports have risen by 20 per cent. compared with the same period in 1986, and imports by only 8 per cent.

  North Sea (Pollution)
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what information he has as to the amount of pollution in the North sea caused by sea dumping by Britain;

  (2) what amount of waste and other materials Britain dumps in the North sea.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: The amount of waste and other materials disposed of in the North sea in 1986 by virtue of licences issued under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 was:

  Tonnes

  Dredgings

  17,776,000

  Sewage sludge

  5,540,000

  Solid industrial waste

  2,570,000

  Liquid industrial waste

  242,000

  Sea disposal licences are not issued unless careful scientific examination shows the operation in question to be acceptable in terms of its impact on the marine environment, the living resources it supports, and human health, and unless it conforms to the relevant international conventions. The practical availability of alternative methods of dealing with the wastes is also taken into account. Monitoring of the marine environment indicates that the United Kingdom's sea disposal activities meet these criteria and the quality status report prepared for the ministerial North sea conference bears this out.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much is owed by his Department to the London residuary body in respect of unsettled Greater London council accounts.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 29 October 1987]: I estimate that further grant aid of approximately £5 million may become payable to the London residuary body in respect of the Thames tidal defence scheme. The precise sum and the timing of payments are dependent upon the submissions to my Department of the information necessary for the verification of claims.

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Training Scheme
  Mr. McLeish
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of trainee places occupied on the new job training scheme in the last month for which full figures are available, in Scotland, England and Wales.

  Mr. Cope
  At 25 September 1987, 1,966 people in Scotland, 19,258 people in England and 887 people in Wales were receiving training on the new job training scheme.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  My Department has never employed operational research specialists because of limited demand. When such expertise is required my officials engage outside specialists.

  New Workers Scheme
  Mr. Bowis
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the future of the new workers scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his statement on 3 November, the new workers scheme will close on 31 January next year. Applications for support in respect of jobs starting up to and including that date will be considered, provided they are received within 13 weeks of the job start date. Payment of support in respect of applications already approved is not affected.

  Job Release Scheme
  Mr. Bowis
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the job release scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the scheme will close on 31 January 1988. All existing applications will be considered, but new applications can be considered only if the proposed date of early retirement is no later than 31 January 1988, except that applications made between 3 and 17 November 1987 with a release date up to 31 March 1988 may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  South Africa (Sanctions)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any official information pertaining to the reported threats by Mr. Johnstone Makatini of the African National Congress that British companies with investments in South Africa may be subjected to attacks and full scale violence if Her Majesty's Government do not apply further sanctions against South Africa; if in the light of previous contacts between Ministers and the African National Congress he has conveyed any representations or comments about this to Mr. Oliver Tambo; and what is his policy towards the threats to British subjects contained in Mr. Makatini's remarks.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 22 October, at column 929, Mr. Makatini said in Vancouver that"violence could include attacks on British and other Western companies refusing to disengage and hasten the collapse of apartheid".—[Official Report 22 October 1987; Vol. 120, c. 929.]

  We take strong exception to such language. A central theme of our contacts with the ANC has been to condemn violence from whatever quarter it may come. We continue to take every opportunity to make our views widely known, and to call on the ANC and similar bodies to forswear violence.

  Foreign Ministers Council
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects will be considered at the next meeting of the European Economic Community Foreign Ministers Council.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon) on 30 October at columns 479–80.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Nicaragua.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have normal diplomatic relations with Nicaragua.

  El Salvador
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the current human rights situation in El Salvador.

  Mr. Eggar
  We receive regular reports from various sources, including on the recent appalling murder of Mr. Herbert Anaya. The United Nations special representative's latest report indicates a further overall improvement in the situation, notes that the Government of El Salvador are doing what they can to combat the death squads and condemns killings, kidnapping and the indiscriminate use of landmines by the guerillas.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reapply for the membership of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  We made it clear when we withdrew from UNESCO that we would require evidence of fundamental and far-reaching reforms before reconsidering our position. There is no sign that such reforms are likely to be implemented in the near future.

  We welcome the prospect of the appointment of a new director general. This can be no more than one element in the task of tackling the formidable problems that face the organisation. Our fundamental concern remains UNESCO's programmes and administration. We shall continue to keep an open mind and monitor developments carefully.

  Cross-border Trade (Ireland)
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attitude has been taken by Her Majesty's Government to the restrictions imposed by the Government of the Republic of Ireland on cross-border trade, whose conditions have been declared illegal by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) on 28 October at column 270.

  Survey Office, Hong Kong
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the work of the Survey Office in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Survey Office was established to invite, collect, collate and report on the response of the public to the Hong Kong Government's Green Paper "The 1987 Review of Developments in Representative Government". It submitted its report to the Governor on 29 October. The independent monitors who were appointed to oversee the work of the office submitted their report to the Governor on 30 October. Copies of the two reports were tabled in the Legislative Council in Hong Kong today. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House. The reports will now be carefully considered prior to publication by the Hong Kong Government of a White Paper in the new year.

  KMS Ltd
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to gather information on the activities overseas of KMS Ltd.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. It is not our general policy to investigate the activities overseas of British companies.

  Middle East
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will sponsor an international conference to which representatives of the Israeli, Russian, and
  718
  American Governments can be invited, with representatives of the Palestinian people to discuss the situation on the middle east; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  As reaffirmed by Foreign Ministers of the Twelve in July, we continue to believe that an international conference under UN auspices represents the best way to make progress in finding a solution to the Israeli/Arab conflict.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rate Support Grant
  Mr. McCartney
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce the rate support grant settlement details for 1988–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  I issued a consultation paper on 27 October setting out details of my proposals for the 1988–89 rate support grant settlement.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Fearn
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any estimates as to the likely evasion levels of the proposed poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  I have no reason to suppose that evasion will be significant.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received from the general public about the proposed introduction of a community charge.

  Mr. Howard
  A summary of responses received by my Department before 31 October 1986, when the consultation period on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended, was placed in the Library on 15 December 1986. 1,217 responses were received. Though opinions varied, twice as many people wanted to abolish domestic rates as wanted to keep them. The community charge received greater support than any other replacement for the rates. We continue to receive representations about specific aspects of our proposals as well as requests for further information.

  Mrs. Mahon
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will grant a separate identifiable sum of money to local authorities to cover the cost of implementing the community charge.

  Mr. Howard
  The cost of implementing the community charge will be taken into account in the rate support grant settlement for 1989–90 and in the needs assessments which will be used to determine grant entitlements under the new system.

  Mr. Geraint Howells
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any estimates as to the likely increase in administration costs incurred by local authorities if a poll tax is introduced.

  Mr. Howard
  Our preliminary estimate is that the cost per person liable of collecting the community charge may be broadly similar to the cost per person liable of collecting domestic rates.

  Mr. George Howarth
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses has he received

  719
  to his consultation paper "Non-domestic Rates, Amendments to the Rating Legislation in England and Wales" published in July.

  Mr. Howard
  A total of 281 responses to the consultation paper were received, of which five were from local authority associations, 16 from professional organisations, 56 from national and local commercial and industrial organisations, 101 from local authorities, 30 from firms of surveyors and 73 from other private sector firms and individuals. We are considering the proposals in the light of these responses.

  Mr. Madden
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the impact of the poll tax on Bradford.

  Mr. Howard
  My Department received 1,217 responses before 31 October 1986 when the consultation period of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended. Two, about our proposals for a community charge were from respondents in Bradford. We continue to receive representations from all parts of the country about specific aspects of our proposals as well as requests for further information.

  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the arrangement for phasing in the proposed poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  The Government are considering the arrangements for introducing the community charge in England in the light of views that have been expressed. An announcement will be made in due course.

  Mr. Grocott
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those professional or academic organisations specialising in local government finance who are in favour of introduction of a poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor).

  Mr. Alton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have made representations to him in support of his poll tax proposals.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin) on 24 July at column 722.

  Mr. Pike
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next be meeting the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance to discuss proposed changes to the rating system.

  Mr. Howard
  The annual cycle of meetings of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance should recommence in the spring of next year.

  Mr. Illsley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government's proposals for a community charge or poll tax will apply to tenants of tied housing in the agricultural or other industries.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes.

  Mr. Allen
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses to the consultation document on the community charge he has received from the Nottingham area.

  Mr. Howard
  The booklet "Paying for Local Government—the Community Charge" was not a720
  consultation document. Since it was published in December 1986, the Department has received several thousand letters from all over the country of all aspects of our rate reform proposals.

  Mr. Canavan
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the Government's proposals to introduce a poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor).

  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the factors outside the control of a local authority which can influence the relationship between levels of expenditure and poll tax; and if he will make a statement outlining how these factors have been taken into account in the Green and Yellow Papers relating to the introduction of the poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer, 3 November 1987]: The amount of central Government grant and payments from the non-domestic rate pool will both be fixed in advance of that year. Changes in authorities' spending, in relation to that year, will be reflected directly in community charges. Payments of grant and non-domestic rates may vary between years. That is why our proposals for the payment of grant, published on 23 September, included proposals for substantially reducing instability in grant entitlements. Payments from the non-domestic rate pool will be proportionate to adult population and will reflect only changes in the income to the pool.

  Private Rented Accommodation
  Mr. Riddick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for improving the supply of privately rented accommodation.

  Mrs. Roe
  We outlined our proposals in the recent housing White Paper, and described them in more detail in the consultation document on the private rented sector issued by the Department on 1 October. We will introduce measures in a new Housing Bill this Session to stimulate the supply of privately rented accommodation.

  Inner Cities
  Mr. Duffy
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage investment in the inner cities.

  Mr. Ridley
  We have established five new urban development corporations and will be setting up a number of mini-UDCs, all of which will encourage investment. Urban development grant and urban regeneration grant generate substantial investment in inner cities. Our legislative proposals on the national non-domestic rate will remove a major obstacle to firms wishing to set up in those inner city areas which at present choose to have prohibitively high rates.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for stimulating new enterprise in the inner cities.

  Mr. Trippier
  A number of my Department's programmes are specifically aimed at stimulating new enterprise in the inner cities. Urban development corporations, which operate in some of the most rundown
  721
  areas, use their powers to acquire, reclaim and service land and their development control powers to create a climate of confidence to attract businesses and encourage them to invest.

  Urban development grants are paid through local authorities to bridge the gap between the cost of a project and its value.

  Urban regeneration grants work in the same way as urban development grants, but are paid direct to the private sector for projects which bring very large sites and buildings back into use.

  Urban programme support for local authority assistance to industry is aimed at removing or reducing the competitive disadvantages suffered by business in rundown urban areas.

  Other programmes, which are wider in scope, also help to encourage businesses to invest in inner city areas.

  Derelict land grant covers part of the net loss to the landowner as a result of carrying out reclamation work; and land registers bring to the attention of prospective developers details of unused and underused land owned by public authorities.

  In addition, our legislative proposals on the national non-domestic rate will remove a major obstacle to firms wishing to set up in those inner city areas which at present choose to have prohibitively high rates.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that in his Department's housing and financial policies for the inner cities, the needs of existing inner city residents are given priority.

  Mr. Trippier
  Improving the quality of life for inner city residents is a key part of the Government's strategy for urban renewal. My Department's plans for giving council tenants the opportunity to find another landlord when they are dissatisfied with the service their local authority provides, and the competition and enterprise this will stimulate, should lead to a major improvement in the quality of housing management and service to inner city tenants. The Government have made it clear that housing action trusts will regard the interest of those already resident in their area as central. Policies to strengthen local authorities' financial accountability, and extended competition in the provision of services will also benefit inner city residents. The urban programme places a strong emphasis on economic, environmental and social projects of direct benefit to local residents, complementing wider measures designed to regenerate the urban economy.

  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, for the purposes of tackling the inner cities crisis, he will make it his policy to consult church, environmental and housing organisations, local authorities and other members of the communities affected by such problems.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department regularly discusses inner cities policy and the operation of existing programmes with a wide range of interested organisations and individuals including local authorities and representatives of the churches, business organisations, and other bodies concerned with economic, social, environmental and housing issues.

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the outstanding level of debt for each of Britain's 10 water authorities compared with the level of their water rates.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The outstanding debt of each of the English water authorities as a percentage of its annual turnover is as follows:

  Number

  Anglian

  264

  Northumbrian

  368

  North West

  239

  Severn Trent

  188

  Southern

  146

  South West

  131

  Thames

  42

  Wessex

  218

  Yorkshire

  199

  The Welsh water authority is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. There are no water authorities in Scotland.

  House Building
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for private house building starts.

  Mrs. Roe
  In January to September this year 127,000 private dwellings were started in England, more than in those months of any other year since 1973.

  Derelict Land
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for bringing into use publicly owned derelict land.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am empowered under part X of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 to direct certain public bodies to dispose of their underused land. Since 1984, the statutory procedures for directing owners to sell have been initiated on over 250 sites covering 1,300 acres. The Local Government Bill now before Parliament contains our proposals to streamline these procedures.

  Westminster Council (Housing Policy)
  Dr. Moonie
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he plans to take on representations sent to him about the housing policy of Westminster council.

  Mrs. Roe
  None. Local Authorities are responsible for their own housing policies, subject to legal requirements, including, where appropriate, the need to obtain consent from my right hon. Friend.

  Rates
  Mr. Leigh
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest assessment of the impact on rate levels of the next statutory revaluation.

  Mr. Howard
  Information on the effects of the 1990 revaluation will not be available until the valuation office has analysed the rental information that it is now collecting.
  723
  Mr. Evennett
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from business organisations in London and the home counties concerning the proposed establishment of a uniform business rate.

  Mr. Howard
  My Department received 1,217 responses before 31 October 1986 when the consultation period on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended. Of these, 45 were about our proposals for a uniform business rate and were from business organisations in the home counties. We continue to receive representations from all parts of the country about aspects of our proposals as well as requests for further information.

  Mr. Watts
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  542 responses were received about our proposals for a national non-domestic rate before 31 October 1986 when the consultation period on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended. We continue to receive representations about specific aspects of our proposals as well as requests for further information.

  Mr. Riddick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the likely effects upon households in (a) the Colne Valley constituency and (b) the Kirklees Metropolitan district council and (c) the Yorkshire and Humberside region of proceeding with a rate revaluation of domestic properties; and what is his estimate of the number of gainers and losers under such a revaluation.

  Mr. Howard
  Detailed estimates of the effects of a domestic revaluation are not available; but a recent independent study has forecast that rate bills in the north would increase, especially for occupiers of terraced houses.

  Dorset (Structure Plan)
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contact he has had with Dorset county council confirming its proposed revision of the current structure plan.

  Mrs. Roe
  I have had no personal contact with Dorset county council. As is customary, my officials replied to the county council's consultative document of June 1986, but not on the merits of the proposals. They have also met the council's officers to discuss technical details, and to keep in touch with progress on the review of the structure plan.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. O'Brien
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about his proposals to establish a National Rivers Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  By the end of October, a total of 318 responses had been received to our policy and consultation paper. Of these, 160 expressed support, and 34 opposition, for the proposals to establish the National Rivers Authority; the remainder commented on details of our proposals, but expressed no view on the principle. I am pleased by the wide measure of support which the 724
  responses have shown for our proposals, both inside and outside the water industry itself. We are now considering the comments received, and we shall make known our decisions on the unresolved aspects of our proposals in due course.

  Dr. Reid
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered what mechanisms or criteria will be used by the National Rivers Authority for charging for water recreational activity and fishing, and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Wise
  asked the Secretary of state for the Environment what he estimates the annual Exchequer grant-in-aid to the National Rivers Authority is likely to be.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on Monday 2 November 1987.

  Mr. Martlew
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made as to percentage increases in charges to industry for discharge consents that will be made by the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government have proposed that the National Rivers Authority should be empowered to charge for the costs which it reasonably incurs in setting, and monitoring compliance with, effluent discharge consents. Such costs may vary in relation to the scale and complexity of the discharge, but the average charge is unlikely to be substantial.

  Rural Development Areas
  Mr. Beith
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent evidence he has of the effectiveness of the policies pursued in rural development areas designated by the Development Commission.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Development Commission's annual report for 1986–87 which was published on 14 October sets out the latest information on the commission's various achievements in rural areas. A detailed study of the effectiveness of the commission's economic programmes by the Joint Unit for Research on the Urban Environment is to be published shortly.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Dykes
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following his announcement that there would be no change of use in respect of hospitals included on metropolitan green belt sites which are subject to relocation proposals.

  Mrs. Roe
  We have received several representations about detailed aspects of the guidelines on the alternative uses to which redundant hospital sites in green belts may be put.

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on progress with contracting out local authority services by competitive tendering.

  Mr. Howard
  It is clear that despite the good example shown by a small number of authorities, the vast majority
  725
  of local services will not be subjected to market tests of their efficiency without compulsion. Part I of the current Local Government Bill therefore fulfils our commitments to bring forward legislation so as to ensure that ratepayers are not denied the benefits of competition for much longer.

  Rivers (Quality)
  Ms. Quin
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals exist to reverse the decline in river quality over the last five years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government's proposals for protection and enhancement of the water environment were published last year in its consultation paper, "The Water Environment: The Next Steps." A copy is lodged in the Library of the House. We are considering, in the light of the recent report by the Environment Committee, whether any further measures may be appropriate.

  Private Empty Property
  Mr. Robert Hayward
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for bringing into use privately owned empty properties.

  Mrs. Roe
  Our proposals to reform the private rented sector, outlined in the recent housing White Paper, should encourage many landlords to bring back into use properties which are currently empty.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Livsey
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to allow local authorities to spend more then 20 per cent. of their capital receipts from council house sales on housing needs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  Local authorities can use their capital receipts at any time to redeem debt or for non-prescribed expenditure such as capitalised repairs. The future use of capital receipts from the sale of council houses will be discussed in the Government's forthcoming consultation paper on a new financial regime for local authority housing.

  House Prices
  Mr. Darling
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to deal with house price inflation in the south-east of England.

  Mrs. Roe
  House prices are determined by individual buyers and sellers, and the Government do not propose to intervene in private negotiations. The Government will continue to encourage initiatives such as shared ownership which can help to reduce the initial costs of home ownership.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make funds available to local authorities to assist them in dealing with any long-term damage arising from the recent storms and floods.

  Mr. Chope
  The scheme of special financial assistance for dealing with storm damage in England announced by my right hon. Friend on 21 October applies only to 726
  immediate emergency-related expenditure incurred by local authorities. But, as my right hon. Friend announced. the Government are making limited additional capital allocations available to local authorities this year to assist with repairs to buildings; and additional funds for the Countryside Commission's tree-planting scheme, which extends to local authorities.

  The flooding in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Ms. Ruddock
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reimburse the London borough of Lewisham for costs incurred, within his area of responsibility, in meeting the emergencies resulting from the hurricane on 16 October.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, on 21 October. The London borough of Lewisham was invited that day by the Department to apply for assistance if it incurred eligible expenditure above the threshold in the Bellwin scheme.

  "The New Grant System"
  Mr. Battle
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has received to his consultation paper "The New Grant System" published in September.

  Mr. Howard
  Ten letters have been received. In addition, my officials have discussed the paper with officials of the local authority associations.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Fallon
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses were available for letting but vacant on 1 April; and what change this represents from April 1986.

  Mrs. Roe
  The latest estimates, based on figures reported by English local authorities in their annual housing investment programme returns, is 25,000 dwellings vacant and available for letting at 1 April 1987, a reduction of 5,000 (16 per cent.) compared with April 1986.

  Dr. Twinn
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for increasing choice in housing provision for those living in council-owned accommodation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend proposes a "tenants' choice" scheme, allowing most secure tenants of local housing authorities to invite a new landlord of their choice to apply to the council to buy, with their consent, the freehold of their home.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dunnachie
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next proposes to discuss the reform of local government finance with the local authority associations.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department has established a number of working groups with the local authority associations to discuss our proposals for reforming the present system of financing local government in England. The annual cycle
  727
  of meetings of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, which are chaired by my right hon. Friend, should recommence in the spring of next year.

  Mr. David Porter
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his detailed proposals to reform the present system of financing of local government.

  Mr. Howard
  The Government's proposals for changes to the local finance system were set out in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) published on 28 January 1986. Consultation on the proposals ran until 31 October 1986 and the Government subsequently published a document "Paying for Local Government: The Community Charge", confirming that they intended to proceed and setting out the proposed administrative arrangements, on 15 December 1986. Since then we have published further documents setting out the Government's proposals for amending the non-domestic rating system and for a new grant system. It was announced in the Gracious Speech that a Bill would be introduced in this Session of Parliament to reform the present rating system.

  Housing Defects Act 1984
  Mr. Barron
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to seek to amend the Housing Defects Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have no plans to amend the housing defects legislation itself. However, we are currently considering whether the detailed rules, in section 538 of the Act, governing grant as against repurchase, might be made more flexible. These rules can be revised tinder secondary legislation.

  Rate Capping
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he makes of the demand for services in a particular local authority when reaching his decision on whether to rate-cap that authority.

  Mr. Chope
  Under the Rates Act 1984, an authority may only be selected for rate limitation on the basis of certain common criteria determined by my right hon. Friend. For every year since the system was introduced, one of the criteria he has determined is the extent to which an authority's total expenditure is likely to exceed its grant-related expenditure, which itself is an objective assessment of what the authority would need to spend to provide a standard level of services.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Bellingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of council home sales in the latest period for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Roe
  In the three months April to June 1987, English local authorities and new towns sold an estimated 21,900 dwellings.

  Mr. Flannery
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold since the right to buy was given to sitting tenants; and how many council houses have been built in the same period.

  Mrs. Roe
  From October 1980 to end June 1987, 765,000 dwellings were sold by English local authorities and new towns, while 214,000 were completed for them.
  728
  Sir John Farr
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to make it possible for council house tenants to buy their homes where they are now prevented from so doing because of fittings therein for a disabled member of the family.

  Mrs. Roe
  It seems right that purpose-built and sheltered housing for the physically disabled should be excluded from the right to buy. In 1984 the Government proposed in the Housing and Building Control Bill to extend the right to buy to housing which had only been adapted for the disabled, but an amendment was carried excluding dwellings which had been the subject of certain major adaptations. There are no plans for further legislation.

  Structure Plans
  Mr. Nicholas
  Baker asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of structure plans.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government published proposals for the future of development plans in September 1986, as a basis for consultation. One of the proposals put forward was that the present system of structure and local plans should be abolished, and replaced by a single tier of district development plans. There has been a very full response to that paper from a wide range of organisations and individuals and we are considering the action which should now be taken.

  Urban Regeneration Grants
  Mr. Heddle
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to revise the criteria for urban regeneration grants.

  Mr. Trippier
  Urban regeneration grant was launched in April 1987 and has generated considerable interest. I shall review progress shortly.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the increase in London's homelessness between 1979 and 1987.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In 1979, London boroughs accepted responsibility for securing accommodation for 16,650 households. In the first half of 1987, they accepted 14,820.

  Mr. Haynes
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to offer temporary accommodation to the homeless over Christmas and in periods of severe weather.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The primary responsibility for assisting homeless people rests with the local authorities.

  Mr. Corbyn
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent previous year's cost to the London boroughs of bed-and-breakfast accommodation for homeless people.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  From returns made by local authorities to the Department it is estimated that in 1985–86 the total net cost to London boroughs was £25·3 million.

  Ms. Primarolo
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to deal with the problem of homelessness.
  729
  Mrs. Roe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan).

  Pollution
  Mrs. Walley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has, as to the amount of pollution in the North sea caused by British rivers.

  Rivers

  N

  P

  CD

  HG

  CU

  PB

  ZN

  CR

  NI

  As

  Forth

  818

  —

  1·7

  0·1

  38·5

  12·7

  65·6

  8·5

  13·1

  —

  Tyne

  876

  190

  1·3

  1·4

  9·4

  6·9

  490·4

  3·3

  5·0

  8·6

  Tees

  1,752

  219

  0·6

  0·6

  5·9

  8·8

  20·5

  0·6

  1·1

  2·9

  Humber

  41,537

  584

  3·4

  0·7

  114·2

  122·0

  355·6

  60·7

  123·9

  20·2

  Thames

  31,280

  110

  1·5

  1·1

  21·7

  40·5

  58·0

  13·0

  32·4

  1·6

  Others

  34,477

  2,336

  2·5

  1·0

  76·3

  83·1

  455·4

  33·5

  74·0

  13·4

  110,740

  3,439

  11

  4·9

  266

  274

  1,445·5

  119·6

  249·5

  46·7

  Percentage of total riverine inputs to the North sea from British rivers: 11 4·5 22 23 20 28 20

  Information from other countries is incomplete.

  Local Government (Accountability)
  Mr. Forth
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for improving the accountability to the community of local government.

  Mr. Chope
  Our proposed changes to the way local government is paid for, in particular the introduction of the community charge, will greatly enhance the accountability of local authorities to those who live in their areas.

  Business Movement
  Mr. Moss
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for encouraging the movement of businesses into the poorer parts of the country.

  Mr. Trippier
  A number of my Department's programmes are aimed specifically at encouraging businesses to invest in inner city areas.

  Urban development corporations, which operate in some of the most rundown areas, use their powers to acquire, reclaim and service land and their development control powers to create a climate of confidence to attract businesses and encourage them to invest.

  Urban development grants are paid through local authorities to bridge the gap between the cost of a project and its value.

  Urban regeneration grants work in the same way as urban development grants, but are paid direct to the private sector for projects which bring very large sites and buildings back into use.

  Urban programme support for local authority assistance to industry is aimed at removing or reducing the competitive disadvantages suffered by business in rundown urban areas.

  Other programmes help to encourage businesses to invest in other areas with economic difficulties.

  Derelict land grant covers part of the net loss to the landowner as a result of carrying out reclamation work, and land registers bring to the attention of prospective developers details of unused and under-used land owned
  730
  Mr. Moynihan
  Controls on inputs of potentially polluting substances to rivers which discharge into the North sea are designed to reduce to a minimum their harmful effects, that is, pollution. The table shows the estimated levels (in tonnes per annum) of the main discharges via British rivers in 1985.

  by public authorities. The assistance provided by the Development Commission and its agent COSIRA is given to small firms operating or wishing to set up in particularly needy rural areas.

  Our legislative proposals on the national non-domestic rate will remove a major obstacle to businesses wishing to set up or expand in those inner city areas which at present choose to have prohibitively high rates.

  "Paying for Local Government: the Need for Change"
  Mr. Clelland
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the latest yellow summary pamphlet of "Paying for Local Government: the Need for Change" cost his Department to produce and print; and how many copies have been printed to date.

  Mr. Howard
  100,000 copies of "Paying for Local Government: the Need for Change" have been printed at a total cost of £16,200.

  Nugee Report
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding his Department's response to the Nugee report in relation to leasehold flats.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There have been a number of representations from interested organisations and members of the public about the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, which implemented the main findings of the Nugee report.

  Local Authority Manual Workers
  Mr. Atkinson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the likely impact on the level of rates of the recent wage settlement for local authority manual workers.

  Mr. Chope
  If there is no increase in productivity, the 10·6 per cent. pay increase conceded by the local authority employers to their manual workers could cost over £330 million, which is equivalent to 2 per cent. on rates.

  Housing (Inner-City Areas)
  Mr. Baldry
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on initiatives being taken in collaboration with the private sector to improve public sector housing in inner-city areas.

  Mrs. Roe
  We are undertaking a number of major initiatives to attract the skills and resources of the private sector into public sector housing, particularly in inner city areas. In 1985 we launched the estate action team to develop with local authorities packages of solutions for the difficult to let housing estates. A key aim is to involve the private sector wherever possible in these packages, for example through a housebuilder or developer refurbishing rundown empty properties for onward sale or renting. More than 20 of the 138 estate action schemes approved in 1986–87 include private sector investment which will provide up to 3,000 new or refurbished houses. We aim to improve this figure this year.

  The estate action team's work is complemented by a range of financial incentives to include the private sector in housing initiatives generally, where an additional public sector input is needed. The unit itself has £75 million in 1987–88 (£50 million in 1986–87) to allocate in support of its packages. We have also made available £30 million to the Housing Corporation this year to allocate to projects, including homelessness schemes, which will draw in a further £70 million in private investment, and urban development grant (up to £30 million in 1987–88) continues to be available to enable a wide range of projects, including housing schemes, to go ahead in inner city areas.

  In the forthcoming Housing Bill we will be taking two new initiatives which will build on estate action's work. First, in areas where social problems and housing disrepair are particularly serious, housing action trusts will be set up to carry out improvements using both public and private sector resources before transferring the stock to new owners and managers. Secondly, we are introducing in the Bill arrangements to allow council tenants to choose to transfer to other, private landlords. As well as creating greater choice and efficiency, this move will also lead to more private investment in rented housing overall.

  Berkshire (Planning Appeals)
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of planning appeals in Berkshire he has allowed in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  During the year 1 September 1986 to 31 August 1987, 46 per cent. of planning appeals decided in the Berkshire area were allowed.

  Lead-free Petrol
  Mr. McTaggart
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects lead-free petrol to be readily and widely available in Britain.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Encouraging progress is being made. As at 12 October 1987, 519 petrol stations, providing good geographical coverage, were offering unleaded petrol for sale. I expect further rapid expansion, but the precise scale and timing will depend on increasing uptake by the motoring public, and the response of the petrol companies. We are taking a number of measures to encourage motorists to switch to the cleaner fuel.

  Housing Initiatives (Government Support)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on central Government support for housing initiatives in the city of Manchester and the borough of Trafford.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In Manchester, my Department's estate action unit approved additional capital allocations of £1,048,000 in 1986–87 and £915,000 in 1987–88 for work to the Miles Platting council estate; and £351,000 in 1986–87 to help the homeless. Urban programme grant for environmental work at Miles Platting has also been approved: £784,383 was available in 1986–87 and £1,270,232 this year.

  Both Manchester and Trafford are expected to make bids shortly for estate action support for new schemes in 1987–88.

  Local Government
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for improving the efficiency of operation of local government.

  Mr. Chope
  Effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operation in local government are the responsibility of the locally elected councillors. The proposals now before the House to widen competitive tendering will improve value for money in the delivery of local government services. Our proposals on paying for local government will immensely strengthen the direct accountability of local authorities to their electorates for the efficiency of the services they provide.

  Lambeth
  Mr. Fraser
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether in 1988–89 he proposes to increase resources in Lambeth which are directed at inner-city problems.

  Mr. Trippier
  I cannot anticipate public expenditure decisions for 1988–89. I will decide on Lambeth's allocation of urban programme resources, which are specifically directed to inner city problems, in the light of the borough's inner area programme.

  Common Land
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to introduce legislation regarding common land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell) on 22 October at column 871.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's proposals in relation to the storage of intermediate-level nuclear waste.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Intermediate-level radioactive waste is currently being stored at producing sites, pending the development of a deep disposal facility for both intermediate and low-level waste. Responsibility for evaluating the relative merits of techniques of deep burial
  733
  and identifying a suitable location for a facility rests with UK NIREX Ltd. NIREX is planning to publish a discussion document shortly which will outline the options it is pursuing and invite comments from interested parties.

  International Conference on the North Sea
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will be attending the international conference on the North sea to be held in London in November, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood).

  Squatting
  Mr. Bendall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the incidence of squatting in London and the impact that this has on those on the waiting list for council housing including the homeless.

  Mrs. Roe
  London boroughs reported in their latest housing investment programme returns that, at 1 April 1987, 6,900 of their dwelling, 0·9 per cent. of total council stock in London, were squatted. Information is not available on squatting in property not owned by the boroughs.

  In most authorities the number of squatted dwellings is a very small proportion of their total stock. Three boroughs however, (Southwark, Lambeth and Hackney), accounted for 64 per cent. of all reported cases of squatting in London, with just under 3 per cent. of these boroughs' stock being used in this way, and the impact may well be felt on the homeless and those on council housing lists there.

  Basildon (Rate-capping)
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about his decision to rate-cap Basildon district council.

  Mr. Chope
  The Secretary of State has received no representations about the selection of Basildon district council for rate limitation in 1988–89.

  Rural Areas (Housing)
  Dr. Marek
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to deal with problems of housing in rural areas.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The proposals in the White Paper "Housing: the Government's Proposals" (Cmnd. 214) will provide opportunities for improving housing in both rural and urban areas. I have had a useful discussion with interested groups on the implications for rural areas: and will take them into account as the new approach is developed.

  Property Revaluation
  Mr. Favell
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when was the last revaluation of properties in England and Wales; and what information he has as to the class of domestic properties whose value increased most as a result.
  734
  Mr. Howard
  The last rating revaluation of properties in England and Wales was in 1973. I will write to my hon. Friend about the other part of his question.

  Water Meters
  Mr. Nellist
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has estimated the cost of installing water meters in every home in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. The cost will depend on where meters are sited and on the economics of scale a widespread metering programme will generate. The proposed compulsory metering trials will help to establish the sort of costs involved.

  Runcorn
  Mr. Butler
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to consult new town tenants in Runcorn on their wishes with regard to future landlords after the wind-up of the new town development corporation.

  Mrs. Roe
  The Government believe that the interests of the development corporation's tenants are of vital importance, and we shall make sure that they have an opportunity to express their views before any change of landlord takes place.

  Water Industry
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with progress on compliance with the terms of EC environment directives within the water industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In general, yes. The United Kingdom makes every effort to comply with European Community directives and our record is a good one, both in terms of the formal implementation of directives' requirements and the quality of water in the environment which is achieved.

  However, like other member states, we sometimes have difficulties in implementing or meeting the requirements of particular directives. Such problems, when identified, can usually be resolved either through discussions with the water industry or, where appropriate, with the Commission of the European Communities.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Ridley
  Five currently. The information is not available for past years.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are used to assess the job creation effect of enterprise zones; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Regular annual monitoring of activity in the zones records changes in employment but does not distinguish between new jobs and those transferred from
  735
  elsewhere. We therefore asked the consultants who have evaluated the enterprise zone experiment in Great Britain to assess changes in employment attributable to the zones. Their report will be published in the near future.

  Golden Plover
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to remove the golden plover from the quarry species of birds included in schedule 2. part I, to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I am advised that there is no conservation reason at present which would justify removal of the golden plover from part I of schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Surveying Authority

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Total

  Submitted

  Confirmed

  Submitted

  Confirmed

  Submitted

  Confirmed

  Submitted

  Confirmed

  Submitted

  Confirmed

  Avon

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Berkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  1

  1

  5

  1

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  3

  —

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Devon

  1

  —

  3

  —

  3

  1

  1

  1

  8

  2

  Dorset

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3

  2

  1

  —

  5

  2

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  1

  —

  6

  10

  7

  Essex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  5

  —

  7

  —

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Isle of Wight

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  5

  1

  Kent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  4

  1

  Leicestershire

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  —

  1

  4

  6

  5

  Lincolnshire

  3

  —

  2

  —

  1

  3

  1

  1

  7

  4

  Norfolk

  7

  —

  4

  —

  5

  5

  8

  3

  24

  8

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  4

  1

  Northumberland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Oxfordshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Shropshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  12

  —

  2

  5

  15

  5

  Somerset

  2

  —

  2

  2

  4

  1

  4

  5

  12

  8

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1

  3

  1

  West Sussex

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  4

  3

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  4

  2

  Greater Manchester

  1

  —

  4

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3

  5

  4

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Tyne and Wear

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Wakefield MDC

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  Leeds City Council

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  Stockport MBC

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Calderdale MBC

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

DEFENCE

  Search and Rescue
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each year since establishment the number of sorties involving the rescue of (a) military personnel, (b) merchant seamen and (c) civilians undertaken by the helicopter search and rescue flight stationed at RAF Brawdy, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Freeman
  Statistics are readily available only from 1983, and in the following form. From 1 January 1983

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
  Mr. Key
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of (a) notices and (b) orders applied for by each local authority under section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for each year since its introduction; of those, how many (i) notices and (ii) orders were granted under section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for each year since its introduction; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Figures for the numbers of notices served by surveying authorities under section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are not held centrally. Nor have we any information about the numbers of orders made except in cases where they are opposed and subsequently submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation. The relevant annual figures for each authority that has so submitted such an order to date are as follows:

  until 30 September 1987 the following search and rescue sorties were carried out by helicopters based at RAF Brawdy:

  Number of persons recovered

  Year

  Number of sorties

  Military

  Civilians

  (A)

  (B)

  Total

  1983

  39

  7

  17

  33

  57

  1984

  50

  —

  29

  68

  97

  1985

  36

  1

  23

  43

  67

  1986

  46

  8

  34

  45

  87

  1987

  43

  1

  5

  51

  57

  737
  (A) Category includes merchant seamen and civilians on passenger vessels for example, ferries.

  (B) Other civilians includes fishermen, pleasure craft and those rescued on land.

  RNAD Milford and Trecwin
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many working days were lost as a result of industrial action in each of the past 13 years at (a) royal naval armaments depot Milford and (b) royal naval armaments depot Trecwin; and if he will list the reason for each industrial action.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The available information is not held in the form requested. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  Naval Mines
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of the role of the conventional naval mine in modern warfare as both a defensive and offensive weapon.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Recent events in the Gulf demonstrate the threat that can be posed to surface shipping by conventional naval mines. Additionally, the conventional naval mine can be employed as an anti-submarine weapon system with options for use in an offensive or defensive role.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list for each NATO country the estimated number of conventional naval mines held by each country;

  (2) if he will list for each NATO country the estimated annual production of conventional naval mines in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not our practice, for good reasons of security, to give details of stocks or production rates of munitions of this kind.

  Goose Bay
  Sir Dudley Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what use is made of the facilities at Goose Bay in Labrador for low-flying training; and whether there are any plans for an expansion of Royal Air Force activities there.

  Mr. Freeman
  The facilities at Goose Bay in Labrador are currently used for low-flying training by the Royal Air Force, as well as the air forces of Canada, the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Netherlands. Usage is governed by a multilateral memorandum of understanding, voluntarily entered into by all these Governments, including Her Majesty's Government. This limits the maximum number of aircraft and personnel to be stationed there. There are at present no plans to renegotiate this understanding. Goose Bay also remains one of the possible locations for the proposed NATO tactical fighter weapons training centre, on which a decision by NATO has not yet been made.

  Swynnerton Training Area, (Radioactivity)
  Ms. Walley
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will invite the local elected representatives responsible for public protection, hon. Members representing Staffordshire and a radiation monitoring expert of the county council's choice to visit the Swynnerton camp and satisfy themselves that there is no danger from radiation;

  (2) if he will now publish the dates of all exercises involving the use of radioactive material at Swynnerton;

  (3) what amount of topsoil was removed from Swynnerton following exercises involving radioactive material; to where; and where it now is.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not our practice to discuss details of nuclear accident response exercises. However, the precautions that we take to ensure the safety both of participants in nuclear accident response exercises and of the general public were fully set out in the reply that I gave to the hon. Lady and to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 23 July at columns 386–87. I see no valid reason for the suggested inspection of Swynnerton training area.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Operational research specialists in the Ministry of Defence are not separately identified. Scientists from a wide range of scientific and mathematical disciplines can expect to be posted into operational research and assessment groups in the Department at various stages in their careers.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Empty Government Property
  Mr. Rogers
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Government-owned houses and flats have been empty for more than six months.

  Mr. Major
  I regret that this information cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.

  Tax Offices
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve the administrative efficiency and speed with which matters are dealt with by tax offices in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Generally, tax offices are working efficiently, but, where necessary, the Inland Revenue takes all possible steps to reduce arrears of work.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Henderson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many companies have registered an interest in the profit-related pay scheme;

  (2) if he will list those companies which have registered an interest in the profit-related pay scheme.

  Mr. Brooke
  The mailing list held by the Inland Revenue of all those who have asked to receive
  739
  information and guidance notes about profit-related pay contains over 26,000 names. I do not propose to publish this list.

  Inland Revenue (Records)
  Mr. Raison
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many individuals are home addresses known to the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Lawson
  The Inland Revenue has records of the home addresses of some 31 million individuals. When—as in many cases—there has been no need for recent correspondence, the information may of course be out of date.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer in a full year if both husband and wife enjoyed a separate capital gains allowance.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  If husband and wife were each entitled to an annual exempt amount of £6,600, and if unused amounts were transferable to the other spouse, the cost would be of the order of £50 million to £100 million.

  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in a full year of raising the capital gains tax allowance to £10,000 per person, and allowing both husband and wife a separate allowance.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  About £250 million to £350 million if annual exempt amounts unused by one spouse were transferable to the other.

  Taxation
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about present taxation policies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lamont
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of representations, which he is considering. It is not customary to make statements on taxation policy ahead of the Budget statement

  Third-World
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to grant tax relief to the banks in respect of their write-down of Third-world debt; and what will be the cost to the Exchequer.

  Mr. Lilley
  Tax relief due to banks in respect of loans which cannot be recovered in full is governed by the ordinary tax rules which apply to any trader who gives credit in the course of his business. Insufficient data are available to estimate the notional amount of tax revenues forgone as a result of losses incurred by banks on irrecoverable loans.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the lending to the Third world by British banks was to finance the servicing of existing loans, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Lilley
  No comprehensive data are available for annual flows of gross lending by British banks to less 740
  developed sovereign borrowers which identify the purpose to which such lending has been put. However, end-year consolidated figures for United Kingdom registered banks' total claims on less developed countries for the period 1982–86 are as follows. British-owned banks account for around three quarters of the total. Firm figures for interest paid to British-owned banks are unavailable, but a rough calculation suggests that the annual amounts paid by less developed countries might have fallen by about a third between 1982 and 1986, the effect of an increase in the debt outstanding being more than offset by a decline in interest rates.

  End-period

  Total

  ․ billion

  1982

  45·9

  1983

  47·8

  1984

  47·4

  1985

  48·0

  1986

  49·2

  Notes:

  (1) Changes between years reflect the effect of exchange rate movements as well as flows of lending.

  (2) Many developing countries, included in these figures, have not experienced problems in servicing their debts.

  HMSO
  Mr. Trotter
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 29 October, what specific problems are occurring in the Stationery Office which are resulting in some parliamentary questions continuing to appear on the Order Paper after an instruction has been given that they should be withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Her Majesty's Stationery Office very much regrets that problems have occasionally occurred as a result of errors in the checking procedure. Her Majesty's Stationery Office is working closely with the House editorial staff to introduce more robust procedures to avoid this happening in future.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details in the Official Report of the new printing equipment which has been purchased by Her Majesty's Stationery Office for the printing of Commons publications.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: The main items of equipment newly purchased by Her Majesty's Stationery Office for the printing of Commons publications are as follows:

  a computer typesetting system, comprising two independently working but interlinked systems, with a total of 26 terminals;

  three helium-neon laser typesetting machines, connected on-line to the typesetting system;

  two high-volume bromide paper developing units, with a third smaller unit;

  two projection platemaking systems comprising camera stations, film development unit and computer-driven platemaking unit;

  two plate processing units:

  three twin-unit web-fed offset lithographic printing presses;

  six sheet-fed offset lithographic perfecting presses; one flat-bed lithographic proofing press;

  one 16-station finishing line for automatic gathering, side-stitching and trimming;

  741

  one 6-station finishing line for gathering and saddle-stitching;

  two plastic enveloping machines and one plastic shrink wrapping machine.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name the manufacturers, suppliers and country of origin of the new equipment at Her Majesty's Stationery Office which has been involved in the recent delays in the printing of Commons papers.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: The manufacturers, suppliers and country of origin of the relevant new equipment at the Parliamentary Press are as follows:

  Miles 33 system 400 typesetting system. Miles 33 is a British supplier. Hardware was manufactured in the United States of America by Data General and Rank Xerox and in the United Kingdom by Linwood Ltd. Software was written in the United Kingdom.

  Wohlenberg Projekte Systeme GmbH. a West German Company, manufactured the majority of the 16-station flowline which was supplied by Pershke Price Service Organisation, a British firm.

  EC (Finance)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the gross contribution, before any rebates or refunds, which the United Kingdom will be required to make to the European Economic Community in respect of 1987; and what estimate he has made of the gross contribution under the proposals now made by the European Economic Community Commission for contributions by member states related to gross domestic product and value added tax had been in force.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]:Estimates of the United Kingdom's gross contribution before abatement to the 1987 Community budget, both under the current financing system and under the Commission's proposals for a new structure of own resources, are contained in table 10 of the Commission's report COM(87)101. These show a gross contribution of 6,660 mecu (£4,883 million at the exchange rates assumed by the Commission) under the present system, and 6,354 mecu (£4,658 million) which would have been paid under the new proposals. The estimates do not take account of the 1987 supplementary and amending budget, but the relative effects of the two financing systems are not significantly affected by this.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Fearn
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to introduce allowances against tax for stock appreciation within a business and company.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: No. Stock appreciation relief was abolished as part of the business tax reforms in 1984. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has no plans to revive it.

  Profits and Dividends
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the totals of profits and dividends repatriated to Britain from the Third world and to the Third world from Britain in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.
  742
  The available information relates to overseas direct investment. The value of branch profits and dividends remitted to the United Kingdom from affiliates of United Kingdom companies in the developing countries and the value of branch profits and dividends remitted from United Kingdom companies to their parent companies in the developing countries are given in the table.

  The data relating to United Kingdom outward investment will be published in Business Monitor MA4 1985 in approximately two months' time.

  Remitted earnings from United Kingdom direct investment in developing countries1

  Remitted earnings from direct investment in the United Kingdom by the developing countries1

  Branch Profits

  Dividends

  Total

  Branch Profits

  Dividends

  Total

  £ million

  21981

  277

  284

  561

  45

  14

  59

  21982

  295

  324

  619

  57

  252

  309

  21983

  243

  424

  667

  45

  31

  76

  1984

  402

  896

  1,298

  11

  41

  52

  1985

  227

  1,221

  1,448

  6

  39

  45

  1 Developing countries are defined as Asia, Africa (excluding South Africa), Caribbean, Central and South America, Oceana and Yugoslavia.

  2 Excludes oil companies.

SCOTLAND

  Buses
  Mr. Darling
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the total cost to each local authority in Scotland, excluding expenditure on concessionary travel (a) of providing bus services in 1985–86 and (b) of payments made to bus operators in the period from 26 October 1986 to 31 March 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The amount of revenue support by each local authority for bus services shown in their final outturn for 1985–86 is as follows:

  Regional/Islands Council

  £ million

  Borders

  0·510

  Central

  1·271

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1·116

  Fife

  0·446

  Grampian

  -0·276

  Highland

  1·156

  Lothian

  3·736

  Strathclyde

  15·787

  Tayside

  1·504

  Orkney

  0·038

  Shetland

  0·244

  Western Isles

  0·416

  Total

  25·948

  1 Profit on local authority transport undertaking

  Figures are not available for local authority expenditure on payments to bus operators in the period from 26 October 1986 to 31 March 1987, but estimates which have been made suggest that payments have been running at an annual rate of around £15 million.

  Forestry
  Mr. Maxton
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all grants and tax exemptions currently

  743
  available for the planting of forestry in Scotland; and if he will give the number of applicants and the total take-up of each in each of the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Grant aid for forestry is provided under the Forestry Commission's forestry grant scheme and broadleaved woodland grant scheme, and I am arranging for copies of leaflets giving details of these schemes to be placed in the Library of the House. As regards taxation, a copy of Forestry Commission leaflet No. 12 "Taxation of Woodlands" is already available in the Library. This leaflet is currently being revised and a copy of the new version will be placed in the Library as soon as it is published.

  The information requested on grant scheme applications in Scotland is as follows

  Year ended 31 March

  Number of applications received

  Area approved for entry to the scheme (hectares)

  Area of planting (including restocking) for which grants were paid (hectares)

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  Forestry Grant Scheme

  1983

  513

  34,419

  5,959

  1984

  538

  34,096

  12,309

  1985

  590

  33,267

  13,648

  1986

  704

  37,562

  17,714

  1987

  992

  41,833

  17,411

  Broadleaved Woodland Grant Scheme (introduced on 1 October 1985)

  1986

  313

  313

  —

  1987

  599

  2,408

  336

  Note: The areas shown in column 3

  (a) include existing woodlands; and

  (b) over approvals for planting over a five-year period.

  Mr. Maxton
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total acreage of forestry in Scotland in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table:

  Year (as at 31 March)

  Hectares (thousands)

  1978

  867

  1979

  883

  1980

  904

  1981

  921

  1982

  940

  1983

  978

  1984

  1,000

  1985

  1,017

  1986

  1,038

  1987

  1,067

  Scottish Legal Aid Board
  Mr. Foulkes
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the delay in payments to individuals by the Scottish Legal Aid Board of money paid to the board on their behalf and the refusal of the board to credit interest on the money to the individual concerned; what action he has taken in response; and if he will make a statement.
  744
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This specific topic has not featured in the various representations which my right hon. and learned Friend has received recently about legal aid.

  Doctors
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what special transport facilities he is giving to general practitioners who, in order to discharge their duties, must travel through very difficult terrain, or which requires the crossing of lochs and rivers in rural Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  General practitioners are responsible for making their own transport arrangements, and the costs which they incur in so doing are met from the generality of fees and allowances. In addition, for those doctors who, in the course of the discharge of their practice duties, encounter difficult terrain and water journeys, my right hon. and learned Friend makes compensatory payments through the Scottish rural practices fund. The operation of this fund takes account of particular factors, such as the distance of patients' homes from the practice, the use of footpaths and travel by water.

  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of new full-time doctors needed to cover the need for primary care in the rural parts of Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of general medical practitioners practising in Scotland is kept under constant review by the Scottish medical practices committee whose duty it is to determine the adequacy of general medical services in each health board area. My right hon. and learned Friend has no evidence that the existing number of doctors is inadequate to meet the needs of patients in rural areas.

  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what urgent steps he is taking in order to solve the problems facing doctors in charge of primary care in rural Scotland, particularly in remote and low populated areas,

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The position of general medical practitioners in rural areas is currently being considered by my right hon. and learned Friend in the course of the review of primary health care, which followed publication of the Government's consultative document "Primary Health Care: An Agenda for Discussion". The conclusions reached on this review will be announced shortly in a White Paper.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he is satisfied with the quality of drinking water in Scotland;

  (2) what is his policy towards drinking water quality in Scotland in the light of the recent European Community report which finds that the drinking water is not up to the required standard.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government have not received such a report. The European Commission has written to the Government seeking clarification of a number of matters relating to the EC directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption (80/778/EEC). The Government are considering these matters and will reply to the Commission in due course.
  745
  Water authorities—the regional and islands councils—have a duty to provide a supply of wholesome water for domestic purposes. The quality of private water supplies is the responsibility of the owners, but the district and islands councils have powers and duties to ensure that such supplies are not a risk to public health.

  My right hon. and learned Friend considers that the local authorities are discharging their duties satisfactorily. He also considers that the quality of drinking water is generally satisfactory and that where necessary improvements are in progress or are planned.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on the Scottish fishing industry of freezer trawler operations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Two freezer trawlers, based at ports in England, currently operate in the main herring and mackerel fisheries; the granting of licences for three further freezer trawlers (two based in England, one in Scotland) was announced in January, but these additional licences are unlikely to be utilised until 1988. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food recently pointed out, freezer trawlers have a part to play in ensuring that this country can fully fish its quotas. The existing freezer trawlers have not had any appreciable impact on the 45 purse seine vessels which make up the main component of the Scottish-based pelagic fleet but this is something which I am keeping under close review.

  Visits
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is planning a visit to Clydesdale in the near future.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No.

  Regional Development Grants
  Mr. McLeish
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent in Scotland at 1986 prices, on (a) regional development grant and (b) regional selective assistance for each year from 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  Total payments of regional selective assistance and regional development grant, at 1986 prices, to firms in Scotland between 1979–80 and 1986–87 are set out in the table below:

  £ million

  Year

  Payments of Regional Selective Assistance at constant (1986) prices

  Payments of Regional Development Grant at constant (1986) prices

  1979–80

  28·7

  115·8

  1980–81

  30·9

  157·2

  1981–82

  24·4

  1810

  1982–83

  23·7

  3390

  1983–84

  27·2

  161·6

  1984–85

  34·5

  117·6

  1985–86

  491

  108·5

  1986–87

  351

  166·8

  Mr. McLeish
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will reconsider the exclusion of Glenrothes new town from the areas designated in Scotland for regional development grants; and if he will make a statement.
  746
  Mr. Lang
  My righ hon. Friend is aware of concern about the assisted area status of Glenrothes new town but no review of assisted area designation is planned at the present time.

  British Rail (Scotland)
  Mrs. Ewing
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the total number and level of grants awarded by the Scottish Development Department to British Rail (Scotland) in each of the past five years, giving details of the projects for which such grants were allocated.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There were none.

  Advertising
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in national newspapers in each of the past five years; and if he will provide a breakdown by newspaper titles.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: The total expenditure by my Department on advertising in Scottish national, regional and local newspapers for the past five years was:

  £

  1982–83

  334,860

  1983–84

  387,400

  1984–85

  455,850

  1985–86

  318,560

  1986–87

  394,000

  These figures include production costs. A breakdown of expenditure in national and local newspapers could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  Hospital and Community Health Service, Lothian
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the annual change in available resources, taking into account the inflation of hospital and community health service costs, in the provision of the hospital and community health service in the Lothian health board area for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: No record is maintained of pay and price movements within the NHS in Scotland and it would not, in any event, be appropriate to apply a national index of pay and price movements to expenditure figures for individual health boards because the composition of that expenditure may differ substantially from the national average. The following table shows the year-on-year change in Lothian health board's revenue allocation for hospital and community health services, after adjustment for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.

  Change over previous year

  £ million (at 1986–87 prices)

  Per cent.

  1980–81

  +18·764

  +9·44

  1981–82

  +2·837

  +1·30

  1982–83

  +1·823

  +0·83

  1983–84

  -0·218

  -0·10

  747

  £ million (at 1986–87 prices)

  Per cent.

  1984–85

  +4·483

  +2·02

  1985–86

  -2·276

  -1·00

  1986–87

  +10·942

  +4·88

  1987–88

  +6·386

  +2·72

  Monofilament Nets
  Mr. Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many convictions have been obtained, by sheriff court, under the monofilament banning order 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: The order in question is the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986. Precise figures are not available and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The indications are, however, that the number of cases is very small. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has reported only one case under the order which resulted in a conviction.

  Rating Reform
  Dr. Godman
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to estimate the number of service men who will have to pay the personal community charge in Scotland in its first year of operation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: My right hon. and learned Friend has made no such estimate. In 1986 about 19,700 United Kingdom service men were stationed in Scotland.

  £ million

  Performing arts

  Film

  Arts Council

  Successor Authorities

  British Film Institute

  Successor Authorities

  London

  9·470

  10·585

  0·838

  0·493

  Greater Manchester

  1·495

  0·934

  0·193

  0·101

  Merseyside

  1·223

  0·341

  0·142

  0·026

  South Yorkshire

  0·397

  0·186

  0·201

  0·008

  West Yorkshire

  0·764

  0·700

  Tyne and Wear

  1·532

  1·384

  0·431

  0·302

  West Midlands

  0·849

  0·471

  0·142

  0·071

  South Bank

  8·758

  —

  —

  —

  Reserve

  0·512

  —

  —

  —

  Administration

  —

  —

  0·060

  —

  Total

  25·000

  14·601

  12·007

  1·001

  1 Of this total £1·3 million represents the net increase in expenditure, post-abolition.

  For comparative information on grants to museums I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 22 July 1987, at column 238.

  Factory Closures
  Mr. Gordon
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many factory closures have been reported to him in (a) Fife and (b) Scotland since June 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: Information is not available in the precise form requested. It is provisionally estimated that between July 1979 and September 1987, 810 closures in Scotland involving 10 or more redundancies in manufacturing industry were confirmed to Manpower Services Commission. Comprehensive figures for Fife on the same basis cannot be provided since records are not completely allocated to some regions for some of the earlier years of the period.

  Education Statistics
  Dr. Godman
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of PhDs awarded, by subject and institution, in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: The information is not readily available.

THE ARTS

  Financial Provision
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Minister for the Arts what is the latest assessment his Department has made of the effect of the abolition of the metropolitan authorities on arts spending and arts provision in the areas concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  Replacement expenditure in 1986–87 by the Arts Council, the British Film Institute and successor authorities in those areas affected by abolition was as follows:

  Regional Arts Councils
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Minister for the Arts if he will provide figures for each of the last five years, and the estimates for 1987 and 1988, in real and cash terms, to show spending by each of the regional arts councils.

  Mr. Luce
  The information requested is as follows:
  749

  £ million

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  11987–88 (Estimate)

  Greater London Arts

  Cash terms

  1·464

  1·487

  1·584

  1·791

  7·858

  7·910

  Real terms

  1·464

  1·422

  1·450

  1·547

  6·587

  6·345

  Northern Arts

  Cash terms

  1·733

  1·819

  1·939

  2·087

  3·492

  3·511

  Real terms

  1·733

  1·739

  1·776

  1·802

  2·927

  2·816

  West Midlands Arts

  Cash terms

  1·035

  1·100

  1·222

  1·558

  2·232

  2·276

  Real terms

  1·035

  1·052

  1·119

  1·345

  1·871

  1·826

  Yorkshire Arts

  Cash terms

  0·717

  0·738

  0·842

  1·339

  2·050

  2·068

  Real terms

  0·717

  0·706

  0·771

  1·156

  1·718

  1·659

  North West Arts

  Cash terms

  0·865

  0·932

  1·032

  1·494

  1·958

  1·995

  Real terms

  0·865

  0·891

  0·945

  1·290

  1·641

  1·600

  East Midlands Arts

  Cash terms

  0·825

  0·927

  1·061

  1·627

  1·759

  1·834

  Real terms

  0·825

  0·886

  0·972

  1·405

  1·474

  1·471

  Eastern Arts

  Cash terms

  0·690

  0·728

  0·890

  1·145

  1·630

  1·705

  Real terms

  0·690

  0·696

  0·815

  0·989

  1·366

  1·368

  South West Arts

  Cash terms

  0·876

  0·884

  0·971

  1·225

  1·530

  1·599

  Real terms

  0·876

  0·845

  0·889

  1·058

  1·283

  1·283

  Southern Arts

  Cash terms

  0·850

  0·884

  0·995

  1·172

  1·274

  1·329

  Real terms

  0·850

  0·845

  0·911

  1·012

  1·068

  1·066

  South East Arts

  Cash terms

  0·540

  0·582

  0·629

  1·086

  1·223

  1·278

  Real terms

  0·540

  0·556

  0·576

  0·938

  1·025

  1·025

  Lines and Humberside Arts

  Cash terms

  0·523

  0·557

  0·591

  0·783

  0·853

  0·892

  Real terms

  0·523

  0·533

  0·541

  0·676

  0·715

  0·716

  1 Estimate

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Minister for the Arts what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Luce
  There have been no operational research specialists employed in the Office of Arts and Libraries since its establishment as a separate Department in 1983.

  Advertising
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Minister for the Arts how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in national newspapers in each of the past five years; and if he will provide a breakdown by newspaper titles.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: My Department has spent nothing on advertising in national newspapers in the past five years.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many current occupants of National Health Service hospital and unit beds have a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis in each health region; what those figures are as percentages of (a) mental and (b) all hospital beds in each region; and how figures compare with each of the past five years.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry I cannot give my hon. Friend the information he seeks as it is not centrally collected. Statistics on the numbers of long-stay residents with particular mental illnesses will be available in the future following the implementation of new data collection systems throughout the National Health Service from April 1987.

  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the admissions by diagnosis and order of admissions, including percentage change in

  751
  numbers and rates per 100,000 populations, of patients suffering from schizophrenic psychosis in each of the health regions for the years 1984–86 inclusive.

  Admissions to Mental Illness hospitals and units in England of persons with diagnoses of Schizophrenic psychosis 1984, 1985 and 1986.

  Admissions

  Percentage change in numbers

  Rates per 100,000 population

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  All Admissions

  England

  24,998

  25,925

  25,046

  +3·7

  -3·4

  53

  55

  53

  Northern

  1,835

  1,815

  1,744

  -1·1

  -3·9

  59

  59

  57

  Yorkshire

  2,218

  2,210

  2,237

  -0·4

  +1·2

  62

  61

  62

  Trent

  2,036

  2,130

  1,950

  +4·6

  -8·5

  44

  46

  42

  East Anglian

  712

  766

  756

  +7·6

  -1·3

  37

  39

  38

  North West Thames

  2,272

  2,287

  2,316

  +0·7

  +1·3

  65

  66

  66

  North East Thames

  2,473

  2,583

  2,551

  +4·4

  -1·2

  66

  69

  68

  South East Thames

  1,939

  1,994

  1,860

  +2·8

  -6·7

  61

  63

  60

  South West Thames

  1,707

  1,680

  1,597

  -1·6

  -4·9

  58

  57

  54

  Wessex

  1,447

  1,450

  1,537

  +0·2

  +6·0

  51

  51

  53

  Oxford

  670

  813

  773

  +21·3

  -4·9

  28

  33

  31

  South Western

  1,228

  1,267

  1,178

  +3·2

  -7·0

  39

  40

  37

  West Midlands

  2,362

  2,422

  2,417

  +2·5

  -0·2

  46

  47

  47

  Mersey

  1,248

  1,412

  1,322

  +13·1

  -6·4

  51

  58

  55

  North Western

  2,612

  2,804

  2,503

  +7·4

  -10·7

  65

  70

  63

  Bethlem Royal and Maudsley1

  239

  292

  305

  +22·2

  +4·5

  —

  —

  —

  First Admissions

  England

  2,742

  2,687

  2,523

  -2·0

  -6·1

  6

  6

  5

  Northern

  227

  199

  186

  -12·3

  -6·5

  7

  6

  6

  Yorkshire

  252

  235

  258

  -6·7

  +9·8

  7

  7

  7

  Trent

  322

  323

  261

  +0·3

  -19·2

  7

  7

  7

  East Anglian

  78

  80

  66

  +2·6

  -17·5

  4

  4

  3

  North West Thames

  289

  247

  245

  -14·5

  -0·8

  8

  7

  7

  North East Thames

  127

  154

  151

  +21·3

  -1·9

  3

  4

  4

  South East Thames

  212

  206

  181

  -2·8

  -12·1

  7

  7

  6

  South West Thames

  143

  127

  110

  -11·2

  -13·4

  5

  4

  4

  Wessex

  150

  158

  172

  +5·3

  +8·9

  5

  6

  6

  Oxford

  111

  83

  68

  -25·2

  -18·1

  5

  3

  3

  South Western

  136

  133

  138

  -2·2

  +3·8

  4

  4

  4

  West Midlands

  264

  285

  273

  +8·0

  -4·2

  5

  5

  5

  Mersey

  98

  122

  118

  +24·5

  -3·3

  4

  5

  5

  North Western

  294

  298

  244

  +1·4

  -18·1

  7

  7

  6

  Bethlem Royal and Maudsley1

  39

  37

  52

  -5·1

  +40·5

  —

  —

  —

  THE FIGURES FOR THIS HOSPITAL HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE FIGURES FOR SOUTH EAST THAMES FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE RTES PER 100,000 POPULATION.

  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the discharges and deaths by length of stay, including percentage change in numbers and

  Deaths, by length of stay, of persons from Mental Illness hospitals and units in England with diagnosis of Schizophrenic psychosis, 1984, 1985 and 1986

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  England

  All lengths

  1,018

  950

  963

  -6·1

  +1·4

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  69

  78

  72

  +13·0

  -7·7

  6·8

  8·2

  7·5

  1 month

  53

  44

  49

  -17·0

  +11·4

  5·2

  4·6

  5·1

  3 months

  80

  61

  71

  -23·8

  +16·4

  7·9

  6·4

  7·4

  1 year

  110

  113

  119

  +2·7

  +5·3

  10·8

  11·9

  12·4

  5 years

  172

  143

  144

  -16·9

  +0·7

  16·9

  15·1

  15·0

  15 years and over

  534

  511

  508

  -4·3

  -0·6

  52·5

  53·8

  52·8

  Northern

  All lengths

  79

  75

  79

  -51

  -5·3

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  11

  6

  3

  -45·5

  -16·7

  13·9

  8·0

  3·8

  1 month

  4

  5

  2

  +25·0

  -60·0

  5·1

  6·7

  2·5

  3 months

  9

  4

  3

  -55·6

  -25·0

  11·4

  5·3

  3·8

  752
  Mrs. Currie
  The information is in the following table.

  percentage distribution, of patients suffering from schizophrenic psychosis in each of the health regions for the years 1984–86 inclusive.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is in the following table.
  753

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1 year

  11

  15

  15

  +36·4

  —

  13·9

  20·0

  19·0

  5 years

  13

  11

  14

  -15·4

  +27·3

  16·5

  14·7

  17·7

  15 years and over

  31

  34

  42

  +9·7

  +23·5

  39·2

  45·3

  53·2

  Yorkshire

  All lengths

  77

  84

  79

  +9·1

  -6·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  6

  8

  6

  +33·3

  -25·0

  7·8

  9·5

  7·6

  1 month

  2

  6

  7

  +200·0

  +16·7

  2·6

  7·1

  8·9

  3 months

  8

  4

  7

  +50·0

  +75·0

  10·4

  4·8

  8·9

  1 year

  11

  10

  15

  -9·1

  +50·0

  14·3

  11·9

  19·0

  5 years

  16

  13

  6

  -18·8

  -53·8

  20·8

  15·5

  7·6

  15 years and over

  34

  43

  38

  +26·5

  -11·6

  44·2

  51·2

  48·1

  Trent

  All lengths

  70

  81

  72

  +15·7

  -11·1

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  7

  8

  8

  +14·3

  —

  10·0

  9·9

  11·1

  1 month

  4

  2

  3

  -50·0

  +50·0

  5·7

  2·5

  4·2

  3 months

  7

  4

  1

  -42·9

  -75·0

  10·0

  4·9

  1·4

  1 year

  6

  12

  13

  +100·0

  +8·3

  8·6

  14·8

  18·1

  5 years

  10

  12

  12

  +20·0

  —

  14·3

  14·8

  16·7

  15 years and over

  36

  43

  35

  +19·4

  -18·6

  51·4

  53·1

  48·6

  East Anglian

  All lengths

  32

  19

  38

  -40·6

  +100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  —

  4

  8

  —

  +100·0

  —

  21·0

  21·1

  1 month

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  9·4

  —

  7·9

  3 months

  2

  3

  4

  +50·0

  +33·3

  6·3

  15·8

  10·5

  1 year

  3

  4

  8

  +33·3

  +100·0

  9·4

  21·1

  21·1

  5 years

  7

  4

  8

  -42·9

  +100·0

  21·9

  21·1

  21·1

  15 years and over

  17

  4

  7

  -76·5

  +75·0

  53·1

  21·1

  18·4

  North West Thames

  All lengths

  98

  72

  80

  -26·5

  +1·1

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  4

  1

  4

  -75·0

  +300·1

  4·1

  1·4

  5·0

  1 month

  5

  2

  6

  -60·0

  +200·0

  5·1

  2·8

  7·5

  3 months

  7

  5

  10

  -28·6

  +100·0

  7·1

  6·9

  12·5

  1 year

  9

  9

  8

  —

  -11·1

  9·2

  12·5

  10·0

  5 years

  13

  6

  7

  -53·8

  +16·7

  13·3

  8·3

  8·8

  15 years and over

  60

  49

  45

  -18·5

  -8·2

  61·2

  68·1

  56·2

  North East Thames

  All lengths

  90

  90

  77

  —

  -14·4

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  5

  10

  5

  +100·0

  -50·0

  5·6

  11·1

  6·5

  1 month

  4

  4

  6

  —

  +50·0

  4·4

  4·4

  7·8

  3 months

  5

  9

  5

  +80·0

  -44·4

  5·6

  10·0

  6·5

  1 year

  11

  11

  11

  —

  —

  12·2

  12·2

  14·3

  5 years

  15

  9

  9

  -40·0

  —

  16·7

  10·0

  11·7

  15 years and over

  50

  47

  41

  -6·0

  -12·8

  55·6

  52·2

  53·2

  South East Thames

  All lengths

  92

  73

  68

  -20·7

  -6·8

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  7

  3

  4

  -57·1

  +33·3

  7·6

  4·1

  5·9

  1 month

  9

  6

  4

  -33·3

  -33·3

  9·8

  8·2

  5·9

  3 months

  8

  4

  12

  -50·0

  +200·0

  8·7

  5·5

  17·6

  1 year

  8

  8

  8

  —

  —

  8·7

  11·0

  11·8

  5 years

  17

  16

  10

  -5·9

  -37·5

  18·5

  21·9

  14·7

  15 years and over

  43

  36

  30

  -16·3

  -16·7

  46·7

  49·3

  44·1

  South West Thames

  All lengths

  104

  111

  125 +6·7

  +12·6

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  7

  5

  3

  -28·6

  -40·0

  6·7

  4·5

  2·4

  1 month

  7

  4

  2

  -42·9

  -50·0

  6·7

  3·6

  1·6

  3 months

  2

  7

  6

  +250·0

  -14·3

  1·9

  6·3

  4·8

  1 year

  11

  10

  11

  -9·1

  +10·0

  10·6

  9·0

  8·8

  5 years

  15

  12

  18

  -20·0

  +50·0

  14·4

  10·8

  14·4

  15 years and over

  62

  73

  85

  +17·7

  +16·4

  59·6

  65·8

  68·0

  Wessex

  All lengths

  61

  60

  55

  -1·6

  -8·3

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  3

  5

  4

  +66·7

  -20·0

  4·9

  8·3

  7·3

  1 month

  3

  4

  1

  +33·3

  -75·0

  4·9

  6·7

  1·8

  3 months

  6

  3

  —

  -50·0

  —

  9·8

  5·0

  —

  1 year

  9

  8

  5

  -11·1

  -37·5

  14·8

  13·3

  9·1

  5 years

  8

  9

  10

  +12·5

  +11·1

  13·1

  15·0

  18·2

  15 years and over

  32

  31

  35

  -3·1

  +12·9

  52·5

  51·7

  63·6

  754 755

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Oxford

  All lengths

  27

  32

  19

  +18·5

  -40·6

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  4

  5

  3

  +25·0

  -40·0

  14·8

  15·6

  15·8

  1 month

  3

  4

  1

  +33·3

  -75·0

  11·1

  12·5

  5·3

  3 months

  4

  4

  4

  —

  —

  14·8

  12·5

  21·1

  1 year

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  7·4

  6·2

  10·5

  5 years

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  14·8

  —

  5·3

  15 years and over

  111

  17

  8

  +70·0

  -53·0

  37·0

  53·1

  42·1

  South Western

  All lengths

  68

  54

  53

  -20·6

  -1·9

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  4

  6

  11

  +50·0

  +83·3

  5·9

  11·1

  20·8

  1 month

  3

  4

  2

  +33·3

  -50·0

  4·4

  7·4

  3·8

  3 months

  8

  1

  6

  -87·5

  +500·0

  11·8

  1·9

  11·3

  1 year

  8

  6

  6

  -25·0

  —

  11·8

  11·1

  11·3

  5 years

  15

  8

  9

  -46·7

  +12·5

  22·1

  14·8

  17·0

  15 years and over

  30

  29

  19

  -3·3

  -34·5

  44·1

  53·7

  35·8

  West Midlands

  All lengths

  84

  66

  81

  -21·4

  +22·7

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  2

  2

  7

  —

  +250·0

  2·4

  3·0

  8·6

  1 month

  2

  1

  3

  -50·0

  +200·0

  2·4

  1·5

  3·7

  3 months

  8

  7

  5

  -12·5

  -28·6

  9·5

  10·6

  6·2

  1 year

  10

  5

  7

  -50·0

  +40·0

  11·9

  7·6

  8·6

  5 years

  19

  19

  16

  —

  -15·8

  22·6

  28·8

  19·8

  15 years and over

  43

  32

  43

  -25·6

  +34·4

  51·2

  48·5

  53·1

  Mersey

  All lengths

  66

  53

  53

  -19·7

  —

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  7

  6

  2

  -14·3

  -66·7

  10·6

  11·3

  3·8

  1 month

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1·5

  —

  3·8

  3 months

  4

  2

  1

  -50·0

  -50·0

  6·1

  3·8

  1·9

  1 year

  4

  9

  4

  +125·0

  -55·6

  6·1

  17·0

  7·5

  5 years

  14

  13

  12

  -7·1

  -7·7

  21·2

  24·5

  22·6

  15 years and over

  36

  23

  32

  -36·1

  +39·1

  54·5

  43·4

  60·4

  North Western

  All lengths

  66

  79

  79

  +19·7

  —

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1

  8

  3

  +700·0

  -62·5

  1·5

  10·1

  3·8

  1 month

  3

  2

  6

  -33·3

  +200·0

  4·5

  2·5

  7·6

  3 months

  2

  4

  4

  +100·0

  —

  3·0

  5·1

  5·1

  1 year

  4

  4

  6

  —

  -50·0

  6·1

  5·1

  7·6

  5 years

  6

  11

  12

  +83·3

  +9·1

  9·1

  14·0

  15·2

  15 years and over

  50

  50

  48

  —

  -4·0

  75·8

  63·3

  60·8

  Bethlem Royal1 and Maudsley

  All lengths

  4

  1

  5

  -75·0

  +400·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  25·0

  100·0

  20·0

  1 month

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20·0

  3 months

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  60·0

  1 year

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  75·0

  —

  —

  5 years

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15 years and over

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 The figures for this hospital have been included in the figures for South East Thames.

  Source: Mental Health Enquiry.

  Discharges, by length of stay, of persons from Mental Illness hospitals and units in England with diagnoses of Schizophrenic psychosis 1984, 1985 and 1986

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  England

  All lengths

  25,934

  26,225

  26,077

  +1·1

  -0·6

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  13,093

  13,617

  13,307

  +4·0

  -2·3

  50·5

  51·9

  51·0

  1 month

  7,506

  7,484

  7,358

  -0·3

  -1·7

  28·9

  28·5

  28·2

  3 months

  3,323

  3,330

  3,472

  +0·2

  +4·3

  12·8

  12·7

  13·3

  1 year

  1,155

  935

  961

  -19·0

  +2·8

  4·5

  3·6

  3·7

  5 years

  370

  359

  387

  -3·0

  +7·8

  1·4

  1·4

  1·5

  15 years and over

  487

  500

  592

  +2·7

  +18·4

  1·9

  1·9

  2·3

  Northern

  All lengths

  1,858

  1,799

  1,767

  -3·2

  -1·8

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  756 757

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Under 1 month

  944

  940

  947

  —

  +1·0

  50·8

  52·3

  53·6

  1 month

  552

  545

  508

  -1·3

  -6·8

  29·7

  30·3

  28·7

  3 months

  186

  207

  202

  +11·3

  -2·4

  10·0

  11·5

  11·4

  1 year

  127

  57

  66

  -55·1

  +15·8

  6·8

  3·2

  3·7

  5 years

  22

  23

  23

  +4·5

  —

  1·2

  1·3

  1·3

  15 years and over

  27

  27

  21

  +—

  -22·2

  1·5

  1·5

  1·2

  Yorkshire

  All lengths

  2,294

  2,199

  2,282

  -4·1

  +3·8

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,273

  1,274

  1,327

  +0·1

  +4·2

  55·5

  57·9

  58·2

  1 month

  624

  577

  607

  -7·5

  +5·2

  27·2

  26·2

  26·6

  3 months

  221

  200

  218

  -9·5

  +9·0

  9·6

  9·1

  9·6

  1 year

  70

  75

  57

  +7·1

  -24·0

  3·1

  3·4

  2·5

  5 years

  32

  27

  21

  -15·6

  -22·2

  1·4

  1·2

  0·9

  15 years and over

  74

  46

  52

  -37·8

  +13·0

  3·2

  2·1

  2·3

  Trent

  All lengths

  2,156

  2,112

  2,064

  -2·0

  -2·3

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,020

  1,097

  1,008

  +7·5

  -8·1

  47·3

  51·9

  48·8

  1 month

  692

  621

  613

  -10·3

  -1·3

  32·1

  29·4

  29·7

  3 months

  274

  239

  275

  -12·8

  +15·1

  12·7

  11·3

  13·3

  1 year

  97

  87

  81

  -10·3

  -6·9

  4·5

  4·1

  3·9

  5 years

  34

  32

  39

  -5·9

  +21·9

  1·6

  1·5

  1·9

  15 years and over

  39

  36

  48

  -7·7

  +33·3

  1·8

  1·7

  2·3

  East Anglian

  All lengths

  772

  765

  791

  -0·9

  +3·4

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  360

  376

  352

  +4·4

  -6·4

  46·6

  49·2

  44·5

  1 month

  204

  189

  225

  -7·4

  +19·0

  26·4

  24·7

  28·4

  3 months

  127

  113

  133

  -11·0

  +17·7

  16·5

  14·8

  16·8

  1 year

  51

  43

  48

  -15·7

  +11·6

  6·6

  5·6

  6·1

  5 years

  16

  15

  16

  -6·2

  +6·7

  2·1

  2·0

  2·0

  15 years and over

  14

  29

  17

  +107·1

  +41·4

  1·8

  3·8

  2·1

  North West Thames

  All lengths

  2,373

  2,397

  2,469

  +1·0

  +3·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,206

  1,246

  1,186

  +3·3

  -4·8

  50·8

  52·0

  48·0

  1 month

  698

  669

  649

  -4·2

  -3·0

  29·4

  27·9

  26·3

  3 months

  305

  326

  311

  +6·9

  -4·6

  12·9

  13·6

  12·6

  1 year

  85

  77

  109

  -9·4

  +41·6

  3·6

  3·2

  4·4

  5 years

  30

  23

  47

  -23·3

  +104·3

  1·3

  1·0

  1·9

  15 years and over

  49

  56

  167

  +14·3

  +198·2

  2·1

  2·3

  6·8

  North East Thames

  All lengths

  2,562

  2,596

  2,663

  +1·3

  +2·6

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,307

  1,319

  1,313

  +0·9

  -0·5

  51·0

  50·8

  49·3

  1 month

  759

  753

  815

  -0·8

  +8·2

  29·6

  29·0

  30·6

  3 months

  328

  331

  352

  +0·9

  +6·3

  12·8

  12·8

  13·2

  1 year

  87

  103

  110

  +18·4

  +6·8

  3·4

  4·0

  4·1

  5 years

  37

  36

  32

  -2·7

  -11·1

  1·4

  1·4

  1·2

  15 years and over

  44

  54

  41

  +22·7

  -24·1

  1·7

  2·1

  1·5

  South East Thames

  All lengths

  1,983

  2,052

  1,927

  +3·5

  -6·1

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  961

  1,020

  1,050

  +6·1

  +2·9

  48·5

  49·7

  54·5

  1 month

  567

  605

  531

  +6·7

  -12·2

  28·6

  29·5

  27·6

  3 months

  297

  278

  245

  -6·4

  -11·9

  15·0

  13·5

  12·7

  1 year

  90

  63

  61

  -30·0

  -3·2

  4·5

  3·1

  3·2

  5 years

  29

  35

  24

  +20·7

  -31·4

  1·5

  1·7

  1·2

  15 years and over

  39

  51

  16

  +30·8

  -68·8

  2·0

  2·5

  0·8

  South West Thames

  All lengths

  1,713

  1,685

  1,615

  -1·6

  -4·2

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  871

  847

  791

  -2·8

  -6·6

  50·8

  50·3

  49·0

  1 month

  449

  492

  459

  -9·6

  -6·7

  26·2

  29·2

  28·4

  3 months

  250

  240

  235

  -4·0

  -2·1

  14·6

  14·2

  14·6

  1 year

  89

  54

  67

  -39·3

  +24·1

  5·2

  3·2

  4·1

  5 years

  24

  21

  30

  -12·5

  +42·9

  1·4

  1·2

  1·9

  15 years and over

  30

  31

  33

  +3·3

  +6·5

  1·8

  1·8

  2·0

  Wessex

  All lengths

  1,452

  1,443

  1,551

  -0·6

  +7·5

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  790

  805

  849

  +1·9

  +5·5

  54·4

  55·8

  54·7

  1 month

  386

  358

  385

  -7·3

  +7·5

  26·6

  24·8

  24·8

  3 months

  168

  180

  184

  -7·1

  +2·2

  11·6

  12·5

  11·9

  758 759

  Numbers

  Percentage change in numbers

  Percentage distribution

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1 year

  74

  57

  62

  -23·0

  +8·8

  5·1

  4·0

  4·0

  5 years

  11

  16

  26

  +45·5

  +62·5

  0·8

  1·1

  1·7

  15 years and over

  23

  27

  45

  +17·4

  +66·7

  1·6

  1·9

  2·9

  Oxford

  All lengths

  707

  781

  845

  +10·5

  +8·2

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  341

  368

  419

  +7·9

  +13·9

  48·2

  47·1

  49·6

  1 month

  222

  251

  236

  +13·1

  -6·0

  31·4

  32·1

  27·9

  3 months

  94

  104

  122

  +10·6

  +17·3

  13·3

  13·3

  14·4

  1 year

  25

  28

  33

  +12·0

  +17·9

  3·5

  3·6

  3·9

  5 years

  10

  12

  15

  +20·0

  +25·0

  1·4

  1·5

  1·8

  15 years and over

  15

  18

  20

  +20·0

  +11·1

  2·1

  2·3

  2·4

  South Western

  All lengths

  1,280

  1,304

  1,264

  +1·9

  -3·1

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  609

  635

  569

  +4·3

  -10·4

  47·6

  48·7

  45·0

  1 month

  323

  361

  365

  +11·8

  +1·1

  25·2

  27·7

  28·9

  3 months

  192

  185

  198

  -3·6

  +7·0

  15·0

  14·2

  15·7

  1 year

  72

  58

  64

  -19·4

  410·3

  5·6

  4·4

  5·1

  5 years

  21

  31

  27

  +47·6

  -12·9

  1·6

  2·4

  2·1

  15 years and over

  63

  34

  41

  -46·0

  +20·6

  4·9

  2·4

  3·2

  West Midlands

  All lengths

  2,485

  2,458

  2,478

  -1·1

  +0·8

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,169

  1,182

  1,213

  +1·1

  +2·6

  47·0

  48·1

  49·0

  1 month

  725

  731

  695

  +0·8

  -4·9

  29·2

  29·7

  28·0

  3 months

  364

  377

  401

  +3·6

  +6·4

  14·6

  15·3

  16·2

  1 year

  139

  98

  73

  -29·5

  -25·5

  5·6

  4·0

  2·9

  5 years

  58

  41

  54

  -29·3

  +31·7

  2·3

  1·7

  2·2

  15 years and over

  30

  29

  42

  -3·3

  +44·8

  1·2

  1·2

  1·7

  Mersey

  All lengths

  1,377

  1,488

  1,412

  +8·1

  -5·1

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  725

  782

  740

  +7·9

  -5·4

  52·6

  52·6

  52·4

  1 month

  365

  405

  378

  +11·0

  -6·7

  76·5

  27·2

  27·8

  3 months

  168

  171

  202

  +2·8

  +18·1

  12·2

  11·5

  14·3

  1 year

  64

  60

  49

  -6·2

  -18·3

  4·6

  4·0

  3·5

  5 years

  23

  23

  19

  —

  -17·4

  1·7

  1·5

  1·3

  15 years and over

  32

  47

  24

  +46·9

  -48·9

  2·3

  3·2

  1·7

  North Western

  All lengths

  2,683

  2,875

  2,621

  +7·2

  -8·8

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  1,436

  1,626

  1,401

  +13·2

  -13·8

  53·5

  56·6

  53·5

  1 month

  860

  834

  795

  -3·0

  -4·7

  32·1

  29·0

  30·3

  3 months

  292

  308

  318

  +5·5

  +3·2

  11·9

  10·7

  12·1

  1 year

  65

  69

  69

  +6·2

  —

  2·4

  2·4

  2·6

  5 years

  22

  23

  13

  +4·5

  -43·5

  0·8

  0·8

  0·5

  15 years and over

  8

  15

  25

  +87·5

  +66·7

  0·3

  0·5

  1·0

  Bethlem Royal1 and Maudsley

  All lengths

  239

  271

  328

  +13·4

  +21·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Under 1 month

  81

  100

  142

  +23·5

  +42·0

  33·9

  36·9

  43·3

  1 month

  80

  93

  97

  +16·2

  +4·3

  33·5

  34·3

  29·6

  3 months

  57

  71

  76

  +24·6

  +7·0

  23·8

  26·2

  23·2

  1 year

  20

  6

  12

  -70·0

  +100·0

  8·4

  2·2

  3·7

  5 years

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  0·4

  0·4

  0·3

  15 years and over

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 The figures for this hospital have been included in the figures for South East Thames for the purpose of the rates per 100,000 population.

  Source: Mental Health Enquiry.

  Domestic Heating Standards
  Mr. Foulkes
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the standard of heating in British homes, particularly in the case of elderly people and people on low incomes.

  Mr. Portillo
  No studies have been made by this Department of the standard of heating itself. However, help with the cost of heating for elderly people and those on low incomes is available through the weekly supplementary benefit scale rates and heating additions.

  Mortality Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what was the total number of deaths among those aged (a) 60 to 69 years, (b) 70 to 79 years and (c) 80 years and over for the period 1 October 1986 to 31 December 1986.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table.
  761

  Number of death registrations by age-group

  1 October—31 December 1986, England and Wales.

  Age-Group

  (a) 60–69

  (b) 70–79

  (c) 80 +

  Number of deaths

  25,108

  45,108

  50,357

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 1 July, Official Report, column 115, when he expects to process data relating to the numbers of deaths among those aged (a) 60 to 69 years, (b) 70 to 79 years and (c) 80 years and over for the period 1 January to 31 March.

  Mrs. Currie
  The data have been processed and are shown in the table:

  Number of death registrations by age-group,

  1 January—31 March 1987 England and Wales.

  Age-Group

  (a) 60–69

  (b) 70–79

  (c) 80 +

  Number of deaths

  26,421

  48,853

  59,126

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of cases where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many of each annual total were of people aged (a) 65 years and over and (b) 80 years and over.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table.

  Number of death registrations with mention of hypothermia on the death certificate, all ages, aged 65 and over, and aged 80 and over, 1977 to 1986, England and Wales

  Year

  All ages

  65 and over

  80 and over

  1977

  613

  509

  280

  1978

  708

  597

  327

  11979

  863

  688

  374

  1980

  596

  497

  237

  1981

  685

  574

  326

  1982

  664

  541

  319

  1983

  538

  450

  261

  1984

  555

  462

  257

  1985

  827

  709

  417

  1986

  848

  708

  443

  Basic salary1 £

  Units of medical time

  Grade

  21984–85

  31985–86

  41986–87

  As a percentage of one tenth of basic salary: 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87

  5 Class A

  6Class B

  House Officer

  8,090

  8,590

  9,180

  38

  10

  Senior House Officer

  10,130

  10,760

  11,510

  38

  10

  Registrar

  12,270

  13,030

  13,950

  34

  10

  Senior Registrar

  14,710

  15,630

  16,750

  30

  10

  1 Scale maximum.

  2 With effect from 1 November 1984.

  3 With effect from 1 June 1985.

  4 With effect from 1 July 1986.

  5 For standing-by or working in hospital, or at home, where the practitioner's availability is such that he is as fully on stand-by as if he were on stand-by at the hospital.

  6 For availability on call.

  Ms. Harman
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific action he plans to take to reduce the hours worked by junior hospital doctors.
  762
  1 1977–78 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 8th Revision code 778·9 (pt). 1979–86 ICD 9th Revision 991·6 and 778·3.

  Cranial Osteopaths
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which health districts in the United Kingdom fund the treatment of patients by cranial osteopaths.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information is not held centrally on the funding of individual forms of treatment provided through the National Health Service. General practitioners and hospital doctors are free to recommend any form of treatment which in their clinical judgment will benefit an individual patient's condition.

  Doctors
  Mr. Cousins
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the area of the Northern regional health authority, what was the average basic rate of pay for junior hospital doctor grades in the years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87; what was the average income from overtime pay in each of those years; and what were the average numbers of overtime hours worked expressed as an annual and an average figure for each working week.

  Mr. Newton
  The hon. Member may wish to approach the Northern regional health authority for this information, which is not available centrally in the form requested. The basic rate of salary for junior hospital doctors is related to the first 40 hours of duty. They may receive payments additional to basic salary for each unit of medical time (UMT), being four hours of duty, which they are contractually required to perform in excess of 40 hours. The relevant rates are shown in the table. Practitioners may also receive additional earnings from duty performed outside their normal contracted hours for their own or another employing authority.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith) and for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on 3 November.
  763
  Ms. Harman
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific steps he proposes to take to increase the number of hospital doctors.

  Mr. Newton
  It is for health authorities to determine the number of hospital doctors they require to meet their service objectives, within broad national priorities, but taking account of local needs and circumstances. The Department's role is to ensure an adequate supply of doctors at all stages in the career progression to meet those needs. Decisions on the overall supply of doctors will be taken in the light of advice from an advisory committee on medical manpower planning, but a preliminary assessment is that the current supply is sufficient to sustain a steady growth in the number of hospital doctors. Decisions on the number of training programmes in individual specialties are taken in the light of advice from a joint planning advisory committee, and where necessary additional posts are set up. Finally, to help to ensure that hospital medicine continues to be an attractive career option for young doctors, health departments have held discussions with the medical profession and with regional chairmen culminating in the publication of "Achieving a Balance—Plan for Action", which I announced on 27 October in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt) at column 258. Among its provisions are a number of measures designed to increase the number of consultants, the introduction of a new intermediate-level staff grade, and a mechanism to relate the number of doctors in training to expected consultant opportunities.

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Cousins
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of fully-trained speech therapists employed in each region of the National Health Service for 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87; and what was the rate of turnover of fully-trained speech therapy staff in each region for those years.

  Mr. Newton
  Staff in post figures are shown in the table. Information on turnover of staff is not held centrally.

  National Health Service staff in post at 30 September

  Speech therapists by regional health authority and England

  Whole time equivalent1

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern regional health authority

  120

  130

  160

  Yorkshire regional health authority

  130

  140

  150

  Trent regional health authority

  200

  220

  250

  East Anglian regional health authority

  100

  100

  110

  North West Thames regional health authority

  180

  190

  210

  North East Thames regional health authority

  200

  220

  230

  South East Thames regional health authority

  180

  190

  210

  South West Thames regional health authority

  150

  150

  170

  Wessex regional health authority

  100

  120

  130

  Oxford regional health authority

  110

  130

  140

  South Western regional health authority

  150

  160

  170

  West Midlands regional health authority

  210

  240

  250

  Mersey regional health authority

  90

  100

  100

  North Western regional health authority

  210

  210

  220

  London PGSHAs

  20

  30

  30

  ENGLAND TOTAL

  2,150

  2,340

  2,510

  764
  Source: DHSS (SR7) Annual Census of National Health Service non-medical manpower.

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

  St. Nicholas Mental Illness Hospital, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the refusal on appeal of planning permission for a Fine Fare superstore in the grounds of St. Nicholas mental illness hospital, Newcastle, and the consequent loss of capital recession, if he will make a special capital allocation available to Newcastle district health authority to allow that authority's programme of transferring mental illness patients into the community to continue.

  Mr. Newton
  The allocation of capital moneys to Newcastle district health authority is the responsibility of the Northern regional health authority.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will announce the allocation of the social fund grants and loans budgets for 1988–89 to individual local offices.

  Mr. Scott
  Allocations to each individual local office in Great Britain which will administer the fund, together with totals for each social security region, are listed as follows.

  Scotland

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Aberdeen North

  130,238

  306,935

  Aberdeen South

  120,583

  285,384

  Airdrie

  288,826

  680,841

  Arbroath

  64,152

  150,481

  Ayr

  314,942

  742,833

  Bellshill

  212,846

  502,285

  Bathgate

  225,938

  534,854

  Campbeltown

  15,916

  37,378

  Clydebank

  211,095

  496,800

  Coatbridge

  212,523

  500,040

  Cowdenbeath

  57,904

  138,172

  Cumbernauld

  208,497

  493,285

  Dumbarton

  204,769

  483,231

  Dumfries

  93,110

  219,563

  Dundee East

  187,158

  444,827

  Dundee West

  152,386

  358,252

  Dunfermline

  94,310

  223,536

  East Kilbride

  123,682

  292,085

  Edinburgh City

  221,992

  531,168

  Edinburgh East

  203,829

  479,643

  Edinburgh North

  176,386

  418,697

  Edinburgh South

  185,364

  438,095

  Edinburgh West

  189,633

  448,939

  Elgin

  70,166

  164,481

  Falkirk

  266,850

  628,389

  Fort William

  32,385

  76,606

  Galashiels

  67,829

  156,770

  Glasgow Anniesland

  292,175

  686,574

  Glasgow Bridgeton

  193,539

  456,146

  Glasgow City

  260,770

  615,137

  Glasgow Craighton

  371,601

  871,348

  Glasgow Cranstonhill

  40,153

  95,101

  Glasgow Laurieston

  379,954

  895,959

  Glasgow Maryhill

  324,242

  764,663

  Glasgow Parkhead

  406,292

  954,260

  Glasgow Partick

  173,220

  409,844

  Glasgow Provan

  270,577

  643,194

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  464,887

  1,095,068

  765

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Glasgow South Side

  381,691

  901,200

  Glasgow Springburn

  395,717

  932,252

  Greenock

  288,662

  678,882

  Hamilton

  480,658

  1,132,207

  Inverness

  134,166

  320,284

  Irvine

  328,898

  779,326

  Johnstone

  141,992

  336,032

  Kilmarnock

  173,515

  407,887

  Kirkcaldy

  174,478

  411,697

  Lerwick

  9,583

  22,101

  Leven

  63,093

  148,678

  Motherwell

  288,079

  679,608

  Oban

  21,139

  49,859

  Paisley

  351,045

  828,312

  Perth

  82,742

  194,062

  Peterhead

  56,628

  132,508

  Port Glasgow

  177,865

  419,713

  Stirling

  161,863

  383,415

  Stornoway

  31,632

  71,384

  Stranraer

  37,457

  88,531

  Wick

  37,224

  88,072

  Regional Total

  11,328,849

  26,726,872

  Wales and South Western Region

  Grants Budget

  Loans Budget

  £

  £

  Aberdare

  117,197

  275,645

  Abertillery

  50,641

  119,140

  Aberystwyth

  39,177

  93,385

  Ammanford (Group)

  34,778

  81,157

  Anglesey

  75,564

  178,577

  Bargoed

  96,515

  227,602

  Barnstaple

  72,262

  167,689

  Barry

  81,593

  192,302

  Bath

  82,299

  190,490

  Blackwood

  57,198

  134,412

  Bournemouth

  119,947

  275,517

  Bridgend

  109,586

  257,942

  Bridgwater

  53,673

  124,208

  Bristol Central

  111,157

  264,522

  Bristol East

  127,674

  294,694

  Bristol Horfield

  70,147

  163,315

  Bristol South

  165,248

  387,447

  Bristol West

  53,453

  123,971

  Caernarfon

  54,447

  128,371

  Caerphilly

  140,479

  330,381

  Cardiff Central

  125,774

  295,462

  Cardiff East

  222,410

  527,385

  Cardiff West

  159,245

  375,336

  Carmarthen

  32,068

  75,425

  Cheltenham

  80,905

  187,987

  Chippenham

  31,537

  71,182

  Colwyn Bay

  72,718

  167,426

  Cwmbran (Group)

  139,281

  327,430

  Devonport

  144,224

  338,677

  Ebbw Vale (Group)

  86,850

  202,441

  Exeter

  184,510

  427,754

  Gloucester

  159,562

  374,376

  Haverfordwest

  76,901

  182,001

  Launceston

  36,494

  83,778

  Llanelli

  100,610

  233,417

  Merthyr Tydfil

  110,153

  258,095

  Morriston

  132,632

  311,339

  Neath

  66,025

  153,854

  Newport (Gwent)

  277,682

  654,525

  Newtown (Group)

  40,825

  95,665

  Pembroke Dock

  49,832

  118,380

  Penzance

  66,667

  155,651

  Plymouth

  171,097

  402,337

  Pontypridd

  95,829

  225,699

  Poole

  98,595

  225,616

  766

  Grants Budget

  Loans Budget

  £

  £

  Porth

  54,991

  128,661

  Porthmadog/Dolgellau

  33,013

  76,957

  Port Talbot

  73,349

  171,339

  Rhondda West

  96,644

  226,921

  Rhyl

  122,755

  287,363

  St. Austell

  81,926

  193,435

  Salisbury

  49,875

  114,881

  Stroud

  46,330

  104,416

  Swansea

  247,674

  581,965

  Swindon

  98,404

  232,025

  Taunton

  81,473

  188,053

  Torbay

  172,395

  396,230

  Trowbridge

  35,511

  81,648

  Truro

  100,896

  236,533

  Weston-Super-Mare

  58,299

  133,884

  Weymouth

  54,109

  123,297

  Wrexham (Group)

  187,801

  440,645

  Yeovil

  42,694

  97,725

  Regional Total

  6,113,603

  14,297,979

  London (North) Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Acton

  121,102

  288,221

  Aylesbury

  57,972

  131,876

  Banbury

  37,305

  86,211

  Barking

  141,041

  324,060

  Barnet

  43,185

  98,387

  Basildon

  229,370

  534,082

  Bedford

  108,308

  250,546

  Braintree

  58,806

  132,715

  Bury St. Edmunds

  65,889

  149,884

  Cambridge

  111,346

  257,259

  Canning Town

  121,895

  286,661

  Chelmsford

  58,701

  134,410

  Clacton

  48,309

  110,157

  Colchester

  76,471

  177,637

  Cricklewood

  108,399

  259,916

  Diss

  15,402

  33,758

  Ealing

  113,489

  265,166

  Edgware

  71,329

  164,154

  Edmonton

  97,956

  223,480

  Euston

  108,899

  260,425

  Finsbury Park

  221,419

  531,819

  Grays

  100,781

  236,225

  Great Yarmouth

  90,484

  212,951

  Hackney

  292,693

  696,055

  Harlesden

  195,419

  464,020

  Harlow

  88,631

  206,559

  Harrow

  85,571

  196,522

  Hemel Hempstead

  52,767

  122,409

  Hendon

  101,423

  237,646

  Hertford

  48,508

  108,799

  Highgate

  166,045

  398,523

  High Wycombe

  72,202

  166,392

  Hoxton

  169,167

  400,152

  Ilford

  170,167

  396,059

  Ipswich

  112,537

  256,944

  Kings Lynn

  105,468

  240,979

  Leytonstone

  145,316

  342,936

  Lowestoft

  80,924

  189,382

  Luton

  145,705

  345,813

  Milton Keynes

  124,555

  295,994

  Neasden

  178,624

  423,135

  Norwich Chantry

  125,622

  288,963

  Norwich Mountergate

  200,324

  467,418

  Notting Hill

  101,960

  242,597

  Oxford

  189,885

  443,438

  Paddington

  166,919

  396,585

  Peterborough

  281,325

  662,310

  Plaistow

  161,562

  379,156

  767

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Poplar

  155,965

  369,437

  Romford

  93,310

  212,988

  St. Albans

  51,842

  118,851

  Shoreditch

  152,093

  358,754

  Southend

  117,864

  270,173

  Southall

  92,969

  216,745

  Stepney

  81,965

  193,956

  Stevenage

  86,766

  199,706

  Stoke Newington

  136,188

  323,962

  Thames North

  6,651

  16,843

  Tottenham

  190,547

  450,724

  Uxbridge

  52,900

  119,993

  Walthamstow

  113,533

  263,042

  Watford

  51,343

  116,487

  Woodgrange Park

  264,083

  625,103

  Wood Green

  86,626

  205,699

  Regional total

  7,505,820

  17,581,245

  London (South) Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  (£)

  (£)

  Aldershot

  72,138

  167,031

  Andover

  27,663

  63,397

  Ashford

  44,118

  102,425

  Balham

  181,897

  430,857

  Basingstoke

  34,931

  80,012

  Battersea

  189,529

  449,418

  Bexley

  104,823

  243,715

  Bloomsbury

  118,532

  281,621

  Bognor Regis

  47,680

  106,745

  Bracknell

  44,518

  102,574

  Brighton

  152,681

  356,539

  Brixton

  169,094

  404,941

  Bromley

  67,726

  155,665

  Camberwell

  186,487

  442,473

  Canterbury

  50,942

  116,818

  Chatham

  112,917

  269,146

  Chelsea

  143,712

  342,291

  Chichester

  27,514

  61,375

  Crawley

  53,204

  121,219

  Croydon

  148,225

  350,139

  Crystal Palace

  178,572

  422,185

  Dartford

  43,433

  100,662

  Dover

  38,938

  89,476

  Eastbourne

  75,895

  170,230

  Eltham

  32,230

  74,793

  Epsom

  23,994

  53,215

  Fareham

  82,131

  192,872

  Folkestone

  52,067

  121,164

  Gravesend

  45,878

  107,634

  Greenwich Park

  226,116

  539,810

  Guildford

  52,246

  117,604

  Hastings

  94,818

  215,107

  Havant

  90,498

  213,275

  Hither Green

  56,949

  132,412

  Hounslow

  162,483

  378,400

  Hove

  74,424

  168,948

  Isle of Wight

  92,647

  215,319

  Kennington Park

  158,672

  377,078

  Kensington

  82,270

  197,791

  Kingston

  64,878

  149,762

  Lewes

  45,913

  102,765

  Lewisham

  257,003

  607,205

  Maidstone

  65,646

  152,539

  Mitcham

  53,176

  119,700

  Newbury

  42,614

  98,077

  New Forest

  62,684

  144,378

  Orpington

  37,846

  86,420

  Oval

  166,030

  400,572

  Peckham

  145,406

  343,582

  Portsmouth North

  67,720

  161,847

  768

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  (£)

  (£)

  Portsmouth South

  60,871

  145,478

  Reading

  168,857

  397,123

  Redhill

  44,214

  98,703

  Rochester

  49,396

  116,976

  Sittingbourne

  72,546

  169,731

  Slough

  92,957

  216,757

  Southampton

  202,403

  478,883

  Southwark

  202,543

  476,775

  Streatham

  159,823

  378,345

  Surbiton

  27,887

  63,279

  Sutton

  33,289

  75,355

  Thames South

  10,289

  26,107

  Thanet

  107,002

  247,915

  Tunbridge Wells

  49,499

  109,682

  Twickenham

  34,407

  77,158

  Wandsworth

  91,654

  215,295

  Westminster

  72,446

  169,668

  Wimbledon

  72,651

  169,497

  Winchester

  40,547

  92,850

  Woking

  66,499

  150,424

  Woolwich

  318,954

  754,407

  Worthing

  67,597

  150,277

  Regional Total

  6,697,838

  15,683,907

  North Western Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Accrington

  85,886

  199,387

  Ashton-under-Lyne

  108,485

  253,035

  Barrow in Furness

  64,234

  148,393

  Birkenhead North

  263,077

  621,681

  Birkenhead South

  123,136

  291,034

  Blackburn

  146,823

  346,212

  Bolton

  253,077

  592,998

  Bootle

  222,411

  525,821

  Burnley

  165,095

  385,252

  Bury

  155,173

  360,162

  Buxton

  10,426

  23,533

  Carlisle

  73,671

  173,657

  Chester

  96,105

  228,840

  Crewe

  100,198

  232,299

  Crosby

  167,536

  394,861

  Ellesmere Port

  93,623

  223,289

  Failsworth

  174,953

  409,116

  Farnworth

  89,398

  207,926

  Fylde North

  120,047

  280,108

  Fylde South

  60,757

  140,146

  Huyton

  275,382

  651,000

  Hyde

  140,025

  327,677

  Kendal

  14,218

  32,215

  Kirkby

  289,314

  687,182

  Lancaster

  142,738

  336,407

  Leigh

  112,065

  263,290

  Liverpool Belle Vale

  164,338

  388,441

  Liverpool Breckfield

  269,344

  636,501

  Liverpool City

  166,981

  394,233

  Liverpool Edge Hill

  179,261

  426,409

  Liverpool Garston

  138,674

  327,373

  Liverpool Norris Green

  124,393

  294,272

  Liverpool Toxteth

  346,814

  822,695

  Liverpool West Derby

  150,053

  355,108

  Macclesfield

  38,186

  88,922

  Manchester Central

  84,502

  202,008

  Manchester Cheetham

  160,122

  377,651

  Manchester Chorlton

  148,534

  353,731

  Manchester Longsight

  195,163

  461,460

  Manchester Openshaw

  141,664

  330,716

  Manchester Rusholme

  241,437

  572,071

  Manchester Wythenshawe

  192,335

  449,632

  Middleton

  103,517

  243,491

  Northwich

  103,042

  243,534

  Oldham

  178,907

  418,274

  Penrith

  10,521

  23,942

  769

  North Western Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Preston North

  127,692

  301,291

  Preston South

  98,090

  230,593

  Rochdale

  139,685

  328,420

  Rossendale

  51,815

  119,459

  St. Helens

  240,016

  568,334

  Sale

  131,364

  307,104

  Salford North

  159,064

  371,699

  Salford South

  101,790

  239,552

  Skelmersdale

  163,877

  389,153

  Southport

  51,115

  116,512

  Stockport North

  143,022

  334,754

  Stockport South

  138,699

  324,577

  Wallasey

  178,834

  421,399

  Warrington

  187,134

  442,915

  Whitehaven

  43,546

  102,207

  Widnes

  286,040

  677,603

  Wigan

  225,928

  533,689

  Wilmslow

  24,675

  57,262

  Workington

  65,658

  153,686

  Regional total

  9,243,683

  21,766,193

  North Eastern Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Ashington

  92,016

  216,319

  Barnsley East

  263,378

  622,401

  Barnsley West

  154,341

  362,902

  Berwick-on-Tweed

  11,429

  25,599

  Bishop Auckland

  166,522

  389,184

  Blyth

  89,216

  209,217

  Bradford East

  186,133

  439,459

  Bradford South

  168,331

  396,767

  Bradford West

  190,383

  447,426

  Bridlington

  46,853

  107,758

  Castleford

  79,579

  187,435

  Chester-le-Street

  85,166

  200,920

  Darlington

  195,327

  458,994

  Dewsbury

  120,167

  280,774

  Doncaster East

  144,479

  342,852

  Doncaster West

  229,217

  544,005

  Durham

  65,682

  154,104

  Eston

  115,478

  274,286

  Gateshead

  245,740

  573,344

  Goole

  48,366

  113,307

  Grimsby

  223,099

  525,411

  Halifax

  193,893

  451,068

  Harrogate

  65,621

  150,699

  Hartlepool

  137,309

  324,471

  Hemsworth

  63,930

  151,202

  Hexham

  21,368

  48,975

  Houghton le Spring

  67,240

  158,631

  Huddersfield

  152,595

  358,432

  Hull East

  281,143

  661,746

  Hull West

  231,052

  542,546

  Jarrow

  142,140

  332,695

  Keighley

  81,852

  188,214

  Leeds East

  248,808

  583,349

  Leeds North

  303,814

  715,148

  Leeds North West

  148,484

  348,905

  Leeds South

  102,980

  239,663

  Leeds West

  141,298

  327,704

  Middlesbrough

  369,076

  875,866

  Newcastle St. James

  207,326

  488,185

  Newcastle East

  178,137

  417,973

  Newcastle West

  173,364

  408,836

  Northallerton

  34,467

  80,919

  North Shields

  144,857

  337,813

  Peterlee

  82,730

  194,254

  Pontefract

  78,851

  186,060

  Redcar

  122,309

  289,713

  Rotherham North

  69,479

  164,477

  770

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Rotherham South

  224,521

  531,727

  Scarborough

  67,202

  155,860

  Scunthorpe

  155,633

  367,527

  Seaham

  31,603

  73,912

  Sheffield North East

  425,798

  999,133

  Sheffield North West

  314,504

  741,002

  Sheffield South East

  201,597

  470,613

  Sheffield South West

  273,698

  646,101

  Skipton

  13,805

  31,133

  South Shields

  182,571

  427,696

  Stanley

  128,143

  301,674

  Stockton

  266,774

  633,039

  Sunderland North

  356,408

  842,253

  Sunderland South

  219,537

  517,908

  Wakefield

  137,333

  321,751

  Wallsend

  115,907

  270,518

  Wath-on-Dearne

  143,346

  339,241

  York

  122,469

  286,852

  Regional total

  10,145,879

  23,857,950

  Midlands Region

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Birmingham Bradford

  137,231

  326,569

  Birmingham Edgbaston

  252,724

  596,587

  Birmingham Erdington

  237,874

  561,325

  Birmingham Handsworth

  328,132

  784,200

  Birmingham Ladywood

  194,586

  461,609

  Birmingham Northfield

  218,514

  515,618

  Birmingham Perry Barr

  162,426

  380,387

  Birmingham Ravenhurst

  117,890

  282,090

  Birmingham South Yardley

  218,255

  514,772

  Birmingham Sparkhill

  89,736

  214,121

  Birmingham Washwood Heath

  203,698

  478,941

  Boston

  50,893

  116,390

  Burton on Trent

  49,051

  115,181

  Cannock

  84,347

  201,306

  Chesterfield

  160,694

  377,931

  Corby

  77,232

  182,945

  Coventry East

  301,709

  716,314

  Coventry West

  201,370

  474,844

  Derby Becket Street

  89,412

  210,734

  Derby London Road

  132,875

  312,438

  Derby Victoria Street

  56,898

  130,695

  Dudley North

  192,773

  450,771

  Dudley South

  89,131

  207,470

  Grantham

  50,702

  117,260

  Hereford

  87,968

  204,672

  Ilkeston

  84,490

  197,631

  Kidderminster

  102,510

  241,580

  Leamington

  82,908

  191,463

  Leicester Burleys Way

  100,549

  234,189

  Leicester Lower Hill

  153,531

  358,745

  Leicester Norton Street

  179,752

  422,836

  Leicester Yeoman Street

  256,424

  599,448

  Lichfield

  134,613

  319,481

  Lincoln Newland

  137,804

  323,256

  Lincoln Orchard Street

  154,702

  362,204

  Loughborough

  75,038

  173,555

  Mansfield

  154,522

  364,522

  Newcastle (Staffs)

  103,432

  241,326

  Northampton

  149,281

  346,992

  Nottingham Castle Gate

  136,689

  322,966

  Nottingham David Lane

  155,039

  367,562

  Nottingham Shakespeare

  196,780

  462,468

  Nottingham Station

  151,705

  356,924

  Nuneaton

  113,186

  266,523

  Redditch

  75,794

  178,813

  Rugby

  48,847

  114,381

  Shewsbury

  123,265

  287,762

  Skegness

  37,354

  87,657

  771

  Grants budget

  Loans budget

  £

  £

  Smethwick

  214,556

  503,552

  Stafford

  54,097

  126,487

  Stoke North

  170,561

  395,567

  Stoke South

  99,583

  231,637

  Sutton-In-Ashfield

  75,927

  177,166

  Telford

  188,018

  445,166

  Wellingborough

  130,754

  300,869

  Walsall East

  137,782

  324,641

  Walsall West

  190,173

  449,284

  West Bromwich

  243,961

  573,205

  Wolverhampton North

  299,583

  708,434

  Wolverhampton South

  247,631

  583,906

  Worcester

  118,458

  274,940

  Worksop

  98,902

  233,547

  Regional Total

  8,964,325

  21,085,851

  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of the representations received from Scotland about his draft guidelines for the social fund.

  Mr. Portillo
  Thirteen organisations based in Scotland have commented on the draft social fund manual.

  Scientists and Clinical Psychologists
  Mr. Battle
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the 1987 clinical psychologists pay claim.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring forward proposals to improve the pay of hospital scientists.

  Mr. Newton
  The pay of scientists and clinical psychologists is a matter for the Whitley Council. I understand that a joint meeting has been arranged for 11 November.

  Disablement Services Authority
  Mr. Chris Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the members of the Disablement Services Authority have any form of disability; and what steps he is taking to arrange for disabled people to be more widely represented on the authority.

  Mr. Scott
  One member of the Disablement Services Authority is a double amputee and another is a wheelchair user. We have no plans for changing the present membership of the authority.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Cummings
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the number of live births and stillbirths within Easington district during the year 1986–87.

  Mrs. Currie
  During the 1986–87 financial year (from April 1986 to March 1987) there were 1,315 live births and five stillbirths to women resident in the Easington district of County Durham.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Gale
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive a full assessment of
  772
  recent storm damage to National Health Service property; what steps he intends to take to ensure that the cost of repairs to National Health Service property in the Canterbury and Thanet health authority district does not detract from funds available for patient care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The regional health authorities concerned have been asked to provide information, including the estimated cost of making good the damage caused to their property on 15/16 October. We expect to receive a detailed assessment shortly, and will consider the position in the light of that assessment.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department. for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Portillo
  The number of operational research scientists employed in the Department for each year since 1979 is:

  Operational research scientists

  Date (1 April)

  Number

  1979

  29

  1980

  50

  1981

  27

  1982

  23

  1983

  22

  1984

  19

  1985

  18

  1986

  20

  1987

  20

  19871 2

  19

  1 Latest available figure.

  2 1 October.

  St. Paul's Eye Hospital, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many inter-ocular lens operations will take place at Liverpool's St. Paul's eye hospital in the remainder of the financial year 1987–88; and how many have taken place in the last six months.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to ask the chairman of the Liverpool health authority for the information.

  Royal Liverpool Hospital (Funding)
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on funding for the royal Liverpool hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  As responsibility for the allocation of resources to the royal Liverpool hospital lies with Liverpool health authority, the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman.

  Maternity Grant
  Mr. Fraser
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the level of the £80 maternity grant from the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  As my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 27 October the social fund maternity payment will be increased to £85 as from next April.

  Sex Abuse Allegations (Leeds)
  Mr. Bell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were taken into care in Leeds for each of the years 1984, 1985 and 1986 as a result of a diagnosis of alleged sex abuse.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Radiotherapy Levels
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his policy division expects to complete its review of the policy of centralising radio therapy levels; if the review will be published; and if the division has invited the submission of evidence.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department's internal review of its guidance to health authorities on the organisation of radiotherapy services is nearing completion. An announcement will be made as soon as conclusions have been reached.

  Disabled Persons (Services, Representation and Consultation) Act 1986
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when Her Majesty's Government intend to implement sections 5 and 6 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Representation and Consultation) Act 1986.

  Mr. Scott
  Following the successful outcome of discussions with the local authority associations, I am pleased to be able to announce that sections 5 and 6 of the Act are to be implemented with effect from 1 February 1988. That date has been selected to give local authorities time to make the necessary administrative arrangements. The next step will be to consult the associations and the consortium of voluntary organisations who have been monitoring the implementation of the Act on draft guidance to local authorities on these two sections. This will be done as soon as possible.

  The first disabled school leavers to receive statutory assessment by local authority social services departments under the terms of section 5 will mainly be those reaching the statutory school leaving age in 1990. However, I hope that local authorities will be able to apply the new arrangements on a non-statutory basis to as many as possible disabled young people who leave school in 1989.

  The additional costs arising from sections 5 and 6 in 1988–89, mainly in relation to the identification and assessment of disabled school leavers, are estimated at £5 million. The local authority associations have accepted that this is covered in the proposed personal social services provision for that year. It has also been agreed that the best estimate of additional service costs arising from assessments made under section 5 is £14 million in 1989–90 and £20 million in subsequent years. These figures will be taken into account in the public expenditure discussions for the appropriate year.

  There will be continuing discussions with the local authority associations on the costs of other outstanding sections of the Act.

  Heating Additions
  Mr. Cousins
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many supplementary benefit claimants on
  774
  the long-term rate of benefit were receiving heating additions at (a) the higher and (b) the lower rate on 30 September 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987; what percentages of the total numbers of claimants on the long-term rate were receiving each type of addition on that date; and what were these figures and percentages for each office of his Department within Newcastle upon Tyne;

  (2) how many supplementary benefit claimants were receiving heating additions at (a) the higher and (b) the lower rate on 30 September 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987; what percentages of the total numbers of supplementary benefit claimants were receiving each type of addition on that date; and if he will give these figures and percentages for each office of his Department within Newcastle upon Tyne.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information from which the number and percentage of supplementary benefit claimants in Great Britain receiving heating additions can be extracted is available only for December 1984 and February 1986. I will let the hon. Member have a reply giving these figures as soon as possible. Equivalent figures for each local office in Newcastle upon Tyne are not available.

  Benefits
  Mr. Frank Field
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of supplementary benefit recipients aged under 25 years in Great Britain in 1986 and in the earliest year for which figures are available in the following household categories (a) lone person householders, (b) living as members of another person's household and (c) paying an inclusive charge for full board and lodgings.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: The information is as follows:

  November 1979

  February 1986

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  (a) Lone person householders1

  20

  129

  (b) Members of another person's household

  222

  647

  (c) Boarders2

  5

  52

  1 Excludes joint householders, and householders with dependants, non-dependants, boarders or sub-tenants.

  2 Excludes claimants in hostels or common lodging houses but includes cases where only part board is supplied (eg bed and breakfast only).

  Source: Annual statistical enquiries.

  Abortion
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, Official Report, column 175, how many of the 69.7 per cent. of abortions after 18 weeks which were performed upon women with no previous children were performed upon women who had had a previous abortion.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: of the 5,770 notified abortions at 18 weeks and over gestation performed in England and Wales in 1986 on women with no previous children, 722 (12.5 per cent.) were performed on women who had had a previous abortion.

  Birmingham Health Authority
  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out figures for revenue spending for the Birmingham health authorities in 1982–83 at 1985–86 values together with the figure for 1985–86; and what account these figures take of demographic changes in addition to inflation.

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 21 October 1987 c. 806]: Allocations to the five Birmingham district health authorities are a matter for the West Midlands regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of the RHA seeking information about the basis of those allocations.

  Gross expenditure1 for the five Birmingham Health Authorities

  £000s

  1982–83

  Percentage change 1982–83 to 1985–86

  1986–87

  Percentage change 1982–83 to 1986–87

  Cash

  At 1985–86 prices2

  1985–86 cash

  Cash

  Real terms

  Cash

  At 1985–86 prices2

  Cash

  Real terms

  1987–88 initial cash allocation4

  Central Birmingham

  63,388

  73,403

  77,172

  21·7

  5·1

  85,035

  82,543

  34·1

  12·5

  77,832

  East Birmingham

  29,071

  33,664

  36,015

  23·

  7·0

  38,875

  37,736

  33·7

  12·1

  33,403

  North Birmingham

  30,574

  35,405

  35,914

  17·5

  1·4

  332,725

  331,766

  —

  —

  35,922

  South Birmingham

  51,720

  59,892

  57,549

  11·3

  -3·9

  62,519

  60,687

  20·9

  1·3

  57,450

  West Birmingham

  49,878

  57,759

  58,768

  17·8

  1·7

  62,339

  60,512

  25·0

  4·8

  56,680

  Total

  224,631

  260,123

  265,418

  18·2

  2·9

  281,488

  273,239

  —

  —

  261,287

  1 Based on health authorities' summarised accounts; figures for 1986–87 are provisional.

  2 Revalued using the Gross Domestic Product deflator.

  3 The 1986–87 figures for North Birmingham Health Authority are not comparable with those for earlier years as a number of hospitals managed by that Authority transferred to South East Staffordshire on 1 April 1986.

  4 Initial allocation figures are not comparable with outturn expenditure shown for earlier years.

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

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

  Mr. Moore
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 July 1987, c.667]: My Department has no section which can be separately identified as public relations. Functions which arc commonly associated with public relations are carried out by the Department's information division.

  Total spending by my Department's information division in 1986–87 was as follows:

  £

  Advertising and promotional literature

  19,200,000

  Professional manpower

  936,000

  Estimates for the 1987–88 year are as follows:

  £

  Advertising and promotional literature

  28,800,000

  Professional manpower

  994,000

  Figures for the total spending by my Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising (but not cinema or poster advertising) and other literature in 1986–87 are as follows:
  776
  The information requested on revenue expenditure is shown in the following table. Provisional expenditure figures for 1986–87 are also shown. Comparable figures for 1987–88 will not be available until after the end of the financial year. The initial 1987–88 revenue allocations which the districts received from the West Midlands regional health authority are given in the table. However these allocation figures are not comparable with the expenditure figures shown for earlier years; in particular, they exclude income generated by the authorities themselves.

  £

  Television

  2,345,000

  Radio

  771,000

  Newspapers

  5,570,000

  Other promotional literature

  8,488,000

  Total

  17,174,000

  Estimates for the 1987–88 year are as follows:

  £

  Television

  7,688,000

  Radio

  1,420,000

  Newspapers

  8,232,000

  Other promotional literature

  6,720,000

  Total

  24,040,000

  Social security spending in the 1986–87 financial year centred on the changes arising from the reform of social security. In addition to the routine amendments to benefit literature, campaigns were mounted to advise potential beneficiaries of changed entitlements to maternity and invalid care allowances and the provision for extra help with heating costs because of the exceptionally cold weather.

  Estimated expenditure for the 1987–88 financial year on advertising and promotional literature includes £11 million to explain and introduce the reform of social security. Approximately half of this figure will be for literature explaining the benefits. The balance will be spent on advertising to bring the changes to the attention of the public.
  777
  The major elements in health publicity spending in 1986–87 and that planned for 1987–88 include: public education campaigns on AIDS, drugs misuse, teenage anti-smoking, breast and cervical cancer and advice for people travelling abroad; together with recruitment campaigns for nurses, other NHS staff groups and blood donors.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people with a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how many of them were taken into local authority residential care in the same year.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1986

  981

  1985

  1,120

  1984

  1,096

  1983

  1,037

  1982

  985

  These figures may include patients discharged more than once in the year.

  Information about how many of these people were subsequently admitted into residential care provided by health and social services boards in Northern Ireland is not available.

  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people discharged from hospital following a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis and subsequently taken by the police under section to hospital have been refused admission in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  This information is not held centrally and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost from each of the psychiatric units in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Goodlad
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research projects his Department has funded to test the effectiveness of community care for people suffering from schizophrenic psychosis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Deaf/Blind People
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf/blind and blind/deaf people there are in Northern Ireland; what advice his Department is giving to area health and social services boards as to how the needs of these groups can be met; what provision is being made by boards; what efforts are being made to provide employment for young deaf/blind people who are capable of earning a living; what provision exists for specialist training of social workers to meet the needs of deaf/blind people in Northern Ireland; what is the incidence of mental handicap among the deaf/blind; what additional needs have been identified as requiring further help; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  In the absense of an accepted definition of the terms blind/deaf and deaf/blind, information about 778
  these groups and on the incidence of mental handicap among them is not available. In an attempt to provide a workable interpretation the Royal National Institute for the Blind has established a working party which is currently considering this complex issue.

  In Northern Ireland, the individual needs of visually handicapped and hearing-impaired clients are met by the general range of statutory and voluntary services including the provision of home helps, aids and adaptations. and day centre and workshop activities. In the Eastern board area, specialist rehabilitation services are provided at Beechbank house and Helen Keller house. However, it is recognised that services specifically for the deaf and blind reqire improvement. In its regional strategy for the period 1987–92. the Department has advised boards that it will expect them to effect improvements either through the creation of specialist posts or through in-service training designed to ensure that existing staff, including social workers, are made more aware and capable of meeting the needs of blind and deaf people.

  With regard to employment opportunities, each of the Province's 28 jobmarkets has a careers officer who has particular responsibility for guiding and advising disabled young persons on career choice and on training in the youth training programme. The programme provides financial resources for young disabled people to meet the cost of, for example specialist equipment, and for deaf and blind trainees in particular, assistance is available through the Education Support Service which has three full-time teachers specialising in their needs.

  Roads
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of funding allocated to the major roads programme in the last 10 years in the areas covered by the following divisional offices: Craigavon and Downpatrick; and if he will give a geographic breakdown of funding in (i) Down district (all) (ii) Newry and Mourne district (in County Down) and (iii) Banbridge (in the electoral wards of Bannside and Katesbridge, Dromore South, Dromore North, Quilly, Garron and Croob).

  Mr. Needham
  Expenditure was as follows:

  £ million

  Craigavon Division

  14·8

  Downpatrick Division

  22·6

  Down District

  0·6

  Newry and Mourne District (in County Down)

  5·8

  Bambridge District (electoral wards of Bannside, Katcsbridge, Dromorc South, Dromore North, Quilly, Garran and Croob

  1·0

  Housing
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of contractors' work is inspected after improvement work is carried out to Housing Executive dwellings in the areas covered by the following district offices: Downpatrick, Kilkeel, Banbridge, Newry district 1 and Newry district 2; and if he is satisfied that this process results in value for money and a proper standard of workmanship.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the chairman of the Housing Executive who has advised me that all dwellings in improvement schemes are inspected on completion of
  779
  the works and at the end of a defects liability period. The executive is satisfied that its inspection arrangements result in value for money and a proper standard of workmanship.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current policy on the improvement of labourers' cottages in Northern Ireland; and how many unimproved labourers' cottages are part of Housing Executive stock in the areas covered by the following district offices: Downpatrick, Kilkeel, Banbridge, Newry district 1 and Newry district 2.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the chairman of the Housing Executive who has informed me that current policy is to carry out full improvements to labourers' cottages where possible subject to normal value for money considerations. The executive is aware of only one cottage in the districts in question on which no improvements have been carried out.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new houses the Housing Executive will construct in the financial year 1987–88 in the areas covered by the following district offices: Downpatrick, Kilkeel, Banbridge, Newry district 1 and Newry district 2.

  Mr. Needham
  This is primarily a matter for the Housing Executive. I understand from the chairman that in the 1987–88 financial year the Housing Executive expects to complete or start dwellings in the areas covered by these district offices as follows:

  District Office

  Planned completions

  Planned starts

  Downpatrick

  31

  31

  Kilkeel

  —

  11

  Banbridge

  22

  44

  Newry No. 1

  8

  31

  Newry No. 2

  9

  33

  Mr. McCrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many handicapped adaptations applications have been received in the areas covered by the following offices during 1987–88: Downpatrick, Kilkeel, Banbridge, Newry district 1 and Newry district 2; for what types of adaptations applications are made; how many of these have been completed; what agencies are involved in the process and how long it takes to process a handicapped adaptation.

  Mr. Needham
  This a matter for the chairman of the Housing Executive, who has informed me that the number of handicapped adaptations applications received in respect of both private and public dwellings in the areas referred to during the period April 1987 to September 1987 was as follows:—

  Number

  Downpatrick

  52

  Banbridge

  60

  Kilkeel

  233

  Newry 1

  Newry 2

  Separate figures for applications received in Kilkeel and the two Newry district offices, and the numbers of these applications which have been completed are not readily available but I will ask the chairman of the Executive to write to the hon. Member on both these points.
  780
  The type of adaptations requested range from minor works such as provision of handrails or the fitting of locks and handles at convenient levels, to major renovations involving provision of an extension for kitchen, bathroom or bedroom facilities.

  In dealing with such applications the Housing Executive works closely with the appropriate health and social services board, district council and Northern Ireland Fire Authority.

  The time scale from receipt of an initial request to on-site completion varies considerably according to the complexity of each case. Minor works can he undertaken within a relatively short period. For major works to public sector houses, allowing for consultations, design, statutory approvals and contract period the average would be 1½ to 2 years.

  Disabled People
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was his response to the Northern Ireland Council on Disability's proposals for equality of opportunity in employment for disabled people; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he has any plans for further consultations with the Northern Ireland Council on Disability regarding equality of employment opportunity for people with disabilities;

  (3) what plans he has for promoting equality of opportunity in employment for people in Northern Ireland with disabilities.

  Mr. Viggers
  Following consideration of all responses, including those received from the Northern Ireland Council on Disability, to the Government's consultative paper on equality of opportunity in employment the council has been advised that disability in Northern Ireland will continue to be addressed in the same way as in the rest of the United Kingdom. Discussions are, however, taking place between council and Government officials to examine how employment and training provision for disabled people can be most effectively administered and to consider proposals by the NICD that an equality of opportunity unit within its own organisation should be established.

  Capital Grants
  Mr. Mallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why Northern Ireland has incurred a cut in the standard capital grant rate from 20 per cent. to 12·5 per cent; and what is his estimate of the percentage reduction in real terms.

  Mr. Viggers
  The decision to reduce the rate of standard capital grant was taken because this scheme does not provide good value for public money. Due to its automatic nature the scheme is unable to take account of factors such as the relationship between the investment and the creation of jobs or whether the project would have proceeded irrespective of grant assistance. In addition SCG has created a displacement effect whereby the grant aiding of some firms has placed their competitors, who are also dependent on local markets at a disadvantage.

  The grant rate change is expected to result in a reduction in SCG expenditure this year of £1·75 million and £5 million in the next financial year. This represents

  781
  some 1 per cent. and 3 per cent. respectively of the current year's planned expenditure on industrial support and development.

  The Government intend that available funds should be targeted increasingly on the stimulation of new developments, the promotion of competitiveness and the introduction of better design, quality and marketing. It is intended that this change of emphasis should be achieved by greater use of IDB's and LEDU's selective assistance schemes.

  Democracy
  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list in the Official Report the 20 delegations of councillors which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North (Mr. Needham) saw from the main political parties in Northern Ireland before publishing his discussion paper on elected representatives and the democratic process in Northern Ireland;

  (2) if he will list in relation to the 20 delegations of councillors which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North saw, concerning the discussion paper on elected representatives and the democratic process in Northern Ireland (a) which councils were represented by which parties and (b) which councils were represented by joint delegations composed of representatives of which parties.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: I received delegations, at separate or joint meetings, from the following councils and political parties: Antrim (SDLP and UUP); Ards (DUP and UUP); Armagh (DUP, SDLP and UUP); Banbridge (DUP and UUP); Ballymena (DUP and UUP); Belfast (SDLP and UUP); Carrickfergus (DUP and UUP); Craigavon (SDLP); Cookstown (SDLP); Derry (DUP); Down (SDLP); Dungannon (UUP); Fermanagh (DUP and UUP); Larne (DUP and UUP); Limavady (DUP, SDLP and UUP); Lisburn (Alliance and UUP); Magherafelt (DUP); Newtownabbey (DUP and UUP); North Down (Alliance, DUP and UUP); and Strabane (DUP). Councillors from the two unionist parties attended joint meetings, along with a number of Independent Unionists. The other political parties were represented at separate meetings.

  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in relation to the 20 delegations of councillors which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North saw, concerning the discussion paper on elected representatives and the democratic process in Northern Ireland, which of the councils involved had subscribed to the Fair Employment Agency's declaration on fair employment.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: Belfast, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey councils had signed the Fair Employment Agency's declaration of principle and intent.

  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, in relation to the 20 delegations of councillors, which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North saw, concerning the discussion paper on elected representatives and the democratic process in Northern
  782
  Ireland, which of the councils represented had limited or refused to conduct their business after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: Of the councils whose members took part in the 20 meetings held, protest action against the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement resulting in some form of disruption of council business was taken by Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Cookstown, Craigavon, Dungannon, Lame, Limavady, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down councils.

  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to him, in relation to the 20 delegations of councillors which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North saw, concerning the discussion paper on elected representatives and the democratic process in Northern Ireland, as to which of the delegations were mandated by their councils and which by political groups.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 27 October 1987]: None.

  Sheep and Lambs (Sale Restrictions)
  Mr. William Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sheep and lambs, and in what areas of Northern Ireland, are still under restriction for sale as a result of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in the USSR.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: When restrictions on movement and slaughter of sheep were introduced on 15 September 1987 a survey revealed the presence of approximately 35,000 sheep in the affected areas as follows:

  Number

  Glenwherry, County Antrim

  8,500

  Glenshane, County Londonderry

  21,000

  Belraugh, County Londonderry

  5,500

  To date approximately 4,000 sheep have been monitored and released from restriction.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. William Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has to the number of dwellings which were flooded in each council area in Northern Ireland due to the exceptional rainfall on 21 October.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: Flooding of dwellings was confined mainly to the west and north-west of the Province. Details of reported major incidents of flooding are as follows:

  District

  Dwellings

  Strabane

  300

  Omagh

  84

  Fermanagh

  52

  Craigavon

  35

  Coleraine

  28

  Banbridge

  24

  Armagh

  16

  Limavady

  13

  Precise numbers of flooded dwellings in other council districts are not known but are probably in single figures.
  783
  Mr. William Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the repairs to the banking system on the River Roe which are necessary as a result of flood damage on 21 October to be completed; and what is his estimate of the cost.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: Repairs to the flood bank on the River Roe have already started. Progress will depend on weather conditions and the work is likely to take up to six months to complete. Its estimated costs is £120,000.

  Home Help Service
  Mr. Mallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the inflation-adjusted cost of the home help care service in the constituency of Newry and Armagh during 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 respectively.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer, 2 November 1987]: The costs of the home help service provided in the Armagh/ Dungannon and Newry/Mourne units of management are as follows:

  £1

  1983–84

  2,799,314

  1984–85

  2,737,926

  1985–86

  2,913,641

  1986–87

  22,856,046

  1 At 1985–86 prices.

  2 Provisional.

  Mr. Mallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of recipients of home help care in the constituency of Newry and Armagh in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 respectively.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: The numbers who received home help service in the Newry and Mourne and Armagh and Dungannon units of management were:

  Newry and Mourne

  Armagh and Dungannon

  1983

  1,817

  1,953

  1984

  1,848

  1,772

  1985

  1,958

  1,987

  1986

  1,576

  1,921

  Mr. Mallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of recipients of home help care in Northern Ireland in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 respectively.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: The information is as follows:

  28,023, 28,318, 29,602 and 29,897 respectively.

  Mr. Mallon
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will initiate a review of the home help care service in Northern Ireland to establish the cost of the service during 1986 and the savings achieved by the Department of Health and Social Services as a result of the home help care service reducing the number of sick, aged and disabled who would otherwise have needed to be admitted to hospital or residential care during the same period.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 November 1987]: No. The Department of Health and Social Services has
  784
  recognised in its regional strategy for 1987–92 that a wide range of domiciliary and other community services is essential in ensuring that people are admitted to long-stay care, whether in hospital or residential accommodation, only where this is essential.

  The Department has also indicated that it intends to test this strategy by means of a programme of evaluation and monitoring, but a review related only to one component of the range of services which comprise community care would not be appropriate.

  Maryfield Secretariat
  Mr. William Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South of 2 July, Official Report, column 161, he will bring up to date the costs so far to public funds of the Maryfield secretariat;

  (2) if he will list all the sums of over £1,000 annual cost attributable to expenditure on the Maryfield secretariat

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 3 November 1987]: The cost to United Kingdom public funds of secretariat salaries, to the end of September, was £193,000; that of running expenses £184,000. Records are not kept in such a form as to yield the further breakdown the hon. Gentleman seeks.

  Intergovernmental Council
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give particulars of each of the meetings of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council held since the signing of the Hillsborough agreement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council has continued to provide a framework for a wide variety of meetings between our two Governments. These include the meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference established by the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, which was explicitly set up within the framework of the ADC. There have been a number of meetings at all the levels since the conclusion of the agreement, including those of the ADC co-ordinating committee and its cultural and educational working group.

TRANSPORT

  Catalytic Converters
  Mr. Livingstone
  asked the Secretary of State far Transport what account he has taken of recent developments in catalytic converters; and if he will now reconsider the case for fitting these converters to British cars.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We keep in close touch with developments in vehicle technology. We will be tightening our legal emission standards when the relevant European directives have been finally adopted. We expect that catalysts will be needed in the 1990s on a substantial number of new cars registered in Britain.

  Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase planning controls on the granting of licences for the operation of goods vehicles.
  785
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The environmental provisions relating to operator licensing were reviewed last year. I announced then that a number of amendments to the legislation would be brought forward when an opportunity arose. There was no recommendation for a closer link between planning and licensing law. When considering an application which involves a new operating centre the licensing authorities are able to take into account any information about planning permission.

  Lean Burn Engines
  Mr. Ingram
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the lean burn engine to be fitted to all new cars sold in Britain.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I cannot predict how widely the lean burn engine will be used in future. It is one of the most attractive options open to manufacturers seeking to comply with tighter emission limits, taking into account factors such as cost, performance, fuel economy and driveability.

  Lead-free Petrol
  Mr. Allen McKay
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set a final date for Britain to have lead-free petrol only on sale.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No. Leaded petrol will be needed for a diminishing number of cars until around the end of the century.

  Farm Vehicles
  Mr. Michael Morris
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what enforcement action is taken to ensure that farmers do not abuse the preferential treatment of farmers' vehicles to undercut boda fide professional road haulage.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Both the police and officials of this Department aim to ensure, by roadside checks and other available means, that vehicles are correctly licensed for the uses to which they are being put. I am not aware of any general difficulty relating to the licensing concessions for farmers' vehicles. Perhaps my hon. Friend could write to me if he has a particular problem in mind.

  Coach Routes (Designation)
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now return to local authorities the duty to designate coach routes in their areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Local authorities retain their powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to prevent public service vehicles from using unsuitable roads. The Transport Act 1985 gave them a further power to prohibit or restrict waiting by local buses.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Hood
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received from the Civil Aviation Authority concerning radar, radio and telephone problems at air traffic control centres in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  These matters fall within the day-to-day management responsibility of the Civil Aviation 786
  Authority and it does not therefore make such reports to my right hon. Friend as a matter of routine. He is informed of major failures in the system. Improved reliability of equipment may sometimes form part of the justification for investment proposals which require his approval.

  Road Humps
  Mr. Adley
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of relevant applications received by his Department, to install road humps, by each local authority in England; how many have been approved; and what steps he is taking to encourage the use of these devices.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have recently issued a leaflet on speed control humps to local authorities to help them assess where these might be appropriate and to advise them on technical aspects. It is for local authorities to decide where local circumstances make their use desirable. The Department does not approve or monitor individual installations of speed control humps or other local authority road and traffic measures.

  M20 (Hollingbourne to Ashford)
  Mr. Speed
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to let the main contract for the Hollingbourne to Ashford section of the M20 motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Subject to the satisfactory completion of the remaining statutory procedures, we plan to let two contracts in the spring and summer next year for completion at about the same time in late 1990.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Noise)
  Mr. Speed
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what research is currently being undertaken by his Department with a view to reducing noise made by heavy goods vehicles with respect to (a) bodies, (b) engines (c) tyres and (d) transmissions.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The quiet heavy vehicle (QH V90) project—a joint Government and industry initiative to research and develop methods of quietening heavy goods vehicles—should be virtually completed during 1988. During this programme a range of noise reduction measures have been examined, but not tyre noise. Trials of improved road surfaces, aimed at meeting a number of criteria including reduced tyre noise, are continuing.

  Shipping Registers (British Dependent Territories)
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any review of the status of British dependent territory shipping registers has taken place since January 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Proposals on the British dependent territory shipping registers were published in the consultative document "Proposals for Legislation on Ship Registration and Other Matters" issued by my Department in March 1984. The Merchant Shipping Bill, introduced in the other place on 29 October, by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport carries forward these proposals, modified in the light of comments made on the consultative document and
  787
  of subsequent developments. The White Paper "Merchant Shipping: Legislative Proposals" (Cm. 239) published on 30 October gives further background.

  Research Specialists
  Mr. Bermingham
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of operational research specialists in his Department, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Four currently. The information is not available for previous years.

  Transport Infrastructure Improvements
  Dr. Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is considering any proposals for making joint applications with other European Community member states for financial assistance from the European Community for transport infrastructure improvements of mutual benefit to both the United Kingdom and the other member states.

  M40 (Progress)
  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding progress in completing the M40 motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are making good progress. Both contracts for the Warwick section are already under construction and all five contracts for the Banbury and Gaydon sections should be under way by mid-1988. A public inquiry is currently in progress into the remaining, Waterstock-Wendlebury, section. Subject to the completion of statutory procedures, we hope to begin work on this section in 1989 and to complete it during 1991.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are at present being undertaken to extend the length of electrified railway track in England and Wales; and in which British Rail regions.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Work is currently under way on five projects:

  Region

  Bournemouth-Weymouth

  Southern

  North London Line

  Eastern

  East Coast Main Line

  Anglian/

  Eastern/

  Scottish

  Royston-Cambridge

  Anglia

  Watford-St. Albans

  London

  A further 15 projects have been completed since 1979.

  British Rail (Privatisation)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with British Rail on the privatisation of passenger services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  None. The Government's policy towards the railways was set out in the letter on objectives sent to Sir Robert Reid in October 1986.

  Skips
  Mr. Moate
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish statistics showing the number of injuries and accidents which involve skips which are located on public highways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The presence of skips is not recorded on road accident reports. The information requested is therefore not available.

  Airports (Financial Assistance)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport which airports have received financial assistance from Her Majesty"s Government in each of the last three years; in what form; and what was the value of the assistance in each case.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Following is the information:

  Airport and Year

  Form of assitance

  Value £'000s

  Belfast (Aldergrove)

  1984–85

  Security grant

  604

  1985–86

  Security grant

  655

  Airport development grant

  833

  1988–87

  Security grant

  680

  Birmingham

  1984–85

  Airport development grant (under the terms of the now expired municipalisation agreement)

  3,134

  Liverpool

  1984–85

  Urban programme grants

  n/a

  1985–86

  Urban programme grants

  n/a

  1986–87

  Urban programme grants

  n/a

  St. Mary's (I.of S.)

  1984–1985

  Assistance in respect of losses following I. of S. assumption of airport management from DTI

  25

  1985–86

  60

  Scottish Highlands and Islands

  1984–85

  Assistance in respect of losses at

  3,364

  1985–86

  eight Highlands and Islands

  3,251

  1986–87

  aerodromes

  2,896

  n/a Not readily available.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what financial assistance is available for airports accepting scheduled or non-scheduled traffic from (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Economic Community; and what criteria are used in determining elegibility for such assistance.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Government financial assistance is not generally available, but some airports might be eligible for consideration under the following specific schemes:

  (a) Urban programme grants. Available for inner city projects within designated areas to tackle problems of unemployment and social need.

  (b) Security grants. Northern Ireland only. Compensation for additional security measures provided at Belfast international (Aldergrove).

  (c) Scottish Development Department assistance to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. (a subsidiary of the Civil Aviation Authority) in respect of losses incurred at its eight aerodromes (Benbecula, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick).

  789

  (d) European regional development fund. Available to projects in assisted areas designated by the Department of Trade and Industry, or serving an assisted area in such a way as to assist in the regeneration of its economy.

  Airports (Civil Traffic)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will list each airport in the United Kingdom which accepts non-scheduled civil or scheduled civil airline traffic;

  (2) whether he will list each airport in the United Kingdom which accepts scheduled airline traffic.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Under article 71 of the Air Navigation Order 1985, most aircraft involved in scheduled or non-scheduled public transport of passengers in the United Kingdom are required to use an aerodrome licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority, a Government aerodrome, or one owned or managed by the authority. I am sending the hon. Member a list of such aerodromes, marked to show those from which scheduled services operated in October 1987. Copies will be placed in the Library. Information is not readily available to distinguish which aerodromes accept non-scheduled traffic.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library the text of the undertaking given by British Rail to Eurotunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. The agreement on payments to be made by British Rail and SNCF for use of the Channel tunnel is a commercial matter between the Railways and Eurotunnel.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when, and in what manner, he gave permission to British Rail to guarantee payments to Eurotunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It was entirely the Railways' decision to agree to make regular minimum payments to Eurotunnel each year once the Channel tunnel has opened in return for entitlement to use 50 per cent. of the tunnel's capacity. The Government were however, kept informed of progress on those negotiations, and were satisfied that British Rail did not go beyond what it considered would be commercially justifiable and that thus there was no question of the treaty or section 42 of the Channel Tunnel Act being contravened.
  790
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what conditions have been placed by the international banks on the granting of £5,000 million loans to Eurotunnel; and if in particular they are conditional on the undertaking given by British Rail and the loan facility provided by the European Investment Bank, respectively.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The conditions placed by the international banks on the granting of credit facilities of £5,000,000,000 to Eurotunnel are a matter for the banks themselves.

  Newark Bypass
  Mr. Alexander
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the tenderers for the Newark bypass whose quotations he has rejected and (b) the tender figures offered by each of them.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The firms, in alphabetical order, were:

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  Cementation Construction Ltd.

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  John Mowlem & Co. Plc.

  Wimpey Construction UK Ltd.

  It is the Department's policy not publicly to attribute unsuccessful tender prices to the firms that offered them.

  The prices, in ascending order, were:

  £34,977,331·47

  £35,224,724·00

  £35,786,402·79

  £35,817,341·72

  £36,329,677·07

  £36,801,616·86

  £37,449,317·20

  Public Transport (Workers)
  Mr. Morley
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many workers were employed within the public transport industry in (a) 1985 and (b)

  Mr. Major
  I have been asked to reply.

  Numbers in thousands were as follows:

  Mid year 1985

  Mid year 1986

  Public sector transport

  397

  383

  Source: Data underlying "Employment in the public and private sectors, 1980 to 1986" Economic Trends, December 1986.

  HONG KONG: REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
  HONG KONG: REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
  RELIGIOUS SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS: REPORT
  RELIGIOUS SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS: REPORT
  PET ANIMALS: EUROPEAN CONVENTION
  PET ANIMALS: EUROPEAN CONVENTION
  DIVIS AND UNITY FLATS, BELFAST: DEMOLITION
  DIVIS AND UNITY FLATS, BELFAST: DEMOLITION
  ENERGY GRANTS: PAYMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  ENERGY GRANTS: PAYMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND