Written Answers of 27 October 1987

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Passports
  Mr. Wheeler
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be made for passports for Queens Messengers following the introduction of the European Community common format; and what distinctive feature such passports will display.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no plans at present to change either the arrangements for issue or the format of the distinctive couriers passport currently used by members of the Corps of Queen's Messengers in the course of their official duties.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms. Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is (a) the proportion of working time allocated to his departmental equal opportunities officer for equal opportunities duties, (b) the other duties carried out by the departmental equal opportunities officer, (c) the proportion, and the amount, of the departmental budget allocated to equal opportunities work, (d) the number of occasions when the department equal opportunities officer meets equal opportunities officers from other Government Departments each year, (e) the guidelines issued to departmental training officers and equal opportunities officers to promote the use of section 47 of the Sex Discrimination Act and (f) what action has been taken to facilitate job share, part-time working and parental leave.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Home Office has two equal opportunities officers, one for staff in prison service establishments, and the other for staff in the rest of the Department. The former spends about 10 per cent. of his time on work relating to equal opportunities and the latter about 20 per cent. of hers. Both have support from other staff. Both are also departmental training officers. The Prison Department EOO has, in addition, personal management responsibilities; the other EOO has responsibility for industrial relations, communications with staff, and certain other management matters.

  The departmental budget breakdown for equal opportunities work is not readily identifiable. The promotion of equal opportunities in the Home Office involves not only EOOs and their supporting staff, but personnel management divisions, training branches and line managers throughout the Department, as well as trade union representatives. In addition, because of its wider responsibilities, the Home Office has staff working to promote equality of opportunity in the community generally, and funds the work of the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality. The EOOs meet their counterparts from other Departments at an annual meeting arranged by the office of the Minister
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  for the Civil Service, and on other occasions as necessary. No formal guidelines have been issued concerning the application of section 47 of the Sex Discrimination Act.

  The Department has informed staff that it will try to meet requests from those who wish, because of their domestic responsibilities, to work part-time or to share a job. The names of those wishing to share are noted so that they can, when the opportunity arises, be put in touch with a prospective partner. Staff inspectors have been asked to review the scope for part-time work or job sharing. In addition, special leave may be granted to staff to enable them to cope with temporary domestic difficulties.

  Prisons (Privatisation)
  Mr. Steinberg
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to privatise the recruitment of prison ancillaries, night patrols, moving staff, prison kitchen staff and dog patrols.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to do so.

  Isle of Man (Arms Shipments)
  Mr. Foulkes
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Government of the Isle of Man on the situation in which a bank account on the island was set up in order to facilitate the shipment of arms to Iran via South Africa; and what action is being taken by the Manx authorities to deal with the individual concerned and to prevent a recurrence.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no statutory provisions either in the United Kingdom or the Isle of Man regulating the use of a bank account in relation to arms shipments. I understand that the Isle of Man authorities have no information to suggest that a bank account in the island has been improperly conducted; and there is no evidence to suggest that there has been a breach of export controls. The Isle of Man authorities are well aware of the need to take whatever steps may be necessary within their domestic jurisdiction to conform with the Government's policy in relation to these matters.

  African National Congress
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by the authorities to protect leading members of the African National Congress living in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I understand that leading members of the African National Congress have been seen by the police and given advice about their personal security.

  Television Licence Fees
  Mr. Michael Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet able to announce the level of the television licence fees to take effect from 1 April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The television licence fee has remained at £58·00 for a colour licence and £18·00 for a monochrome licence since 28 March 1985. On 14 January this year, at column 263, I announced that the fee would be increased only in line with the increase in retail prices index. I also
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  said that the increase would be calculated from a notional baseline fee of £60·00 for a colour licence and £2000 for a monochrome licence.

  The principle of indexation and the choice of the baseline were both designed to encourage increased efficiency and economy by the BBC. Its costs had historically risen at a higher rate than the RPI and it was then planning to spend money on the provision of television and radio services in the present financial year at a rate higher than that represented by the baseline fee.

  The RPI figure for September published on 9 October showed a year on year increase of 4·2 per cent. I have accordingly decided that from 1 April 1988 the colour licence fee should be £62·50 and the monochrome fee £21·00. The necessary regulations will be laid before the House in due course.

  As I have already announced, the licence fee for the two years starting 1 April 1989 and 1 April 1990 will also be calculated in accordance with changes in the RPI, which themselves determine the rate of increase of pensions and other state benefits.

TRANSPORT

  M40
  Mr. Baldry
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the present position with regard to the siting of a motorway service area on the proposed M40 extention in the Bicester area.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Cherwell district council has objected to our proposal for a motorway service area at Ardley. Esso plc has appealed against the refusal of its application for a services facility at an adjacent site. The Department of the Environment proposes to hold a joint inquiry. The date is not yet settled.

  Wardie Bay
  Mr. Ron Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he discussed the proposed Wardie bay development and reclamation scheme when he recently met the Forth Ports Authority in Leith; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Forth Ports Authority outlined to my right hon. Friend the plans it has formulated, in a joint venture with GA Group Ltd of Glasgow called Edinburgh Maritime Ltd, for the regeneration of the waterfront between the ports of Granton and Leith. Last month Edinburgh Maritime submitted an application for planning permission for a £400 million mixed-use redevelopment scheme to the city of Edinburgh district council aimed at enhancing the environment and creating jobs and new housing. The planning application has now been called in by Lothian regional council. I understand that the proposals have been welcomed by the Scottish Development Agency as complementing the work that it and its partners have achieved in the Leith project.

  A417–A419
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for improvements to the A417–A419 link between Swindon and Gloucester, beyond those already programmed.
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  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  None. The published national trunk road programme contains schemes covering almost the entire length between Swindon and Gloucester where improvements have not yet been effected.

  Prestwick Airport
  Mr. Foulkes
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current responsibility for determining the status of Prestwick airport as Scotland's transatlantic gateway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The 1985 airports policy White Paper explained that if Prestwick airport's financial results had not shown steady improvements by 1989, the Government would review their present policy for air traffic distribution among the Scottish lowland airports. This remains the case; we shall naturally have regard to BAA plc's assessment of Prestwick's performance and future prospects in deciding whether to conduct a review.

  M1–A1 Link
  Mr. David Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport what date work will start on the construction of the M1–A1 link.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Subject to the satisfactory completion of the remaining statutory procedures, in the late spring or early summer of next year.

  Pedestrian Crossings
  Mr. Onslow
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an approved specification for a tactile warning device for pedestrians using pedestrian crossings.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The specification for a tactile warning device for pedestrians using pelican crossings was approved and issued on 6 August 1987.

  National Bus Company
  Mr. Franks
  asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied with the progress being made by the National Bus Company in the implementation of its disposal programme.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I am impressed by the progress made by the National Bus Company in the implementation of its disposal programme, as shown by the company's annual report and accounts published today. Already some 50 subsidiaries have been sold, and there is an encouraging level of interest in the remainder. I congratulate Mr. Lund, chairman of NBC, and his colleagues.

  To facilitate the remaining sales, I have modified NBC's disposal programme to enable it to offer for sale two or more bus operating subsidiaries together. This modification, made at NBC's request, will not affect NBC's statutory duty to promote fair and sustained competition in disposing of its subsidiaries, but will give NBC more flexibility in fulfilling this duty. All sales will remain subject to the consent of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I have placed a copy of the amendment in the Library of the House. I have also laid before the House a revocation of two directions given to NBC on 13

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  February and 7 April 1986, in relation to the preparation of its disposal programme. The directions had ceased to have effect once the programme was approved.

ENVIRONMENT

  Conservation Policy
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has studied the publication "This Pleasant Land" which has been sent to him; and what are his policies on (a) establishing protected green belt areas, (b) designating housing restraint areas and (c) creating strategic development boundaries, in the light of the publication;

  (2) if he will introduce regulations to establish (a) protected green belt areas, (b) housing restraint areas and (c) strategic development boundaries to be protected from development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  "This Pleasant Land" is an interesting discussion of current planning issues. However, it understates the strength and success of existing conservation policies. The Government have vigorously maintained the protection afforded to the green belts and other sensitive areas, and will continue to do so. I see no need for new designations of the kind proposed. The success of policies for housing development in existing urban areas is evidenced by the extent to which land for housebuilding is coming from previously developed sites and vacant land within urban areas—in the last two years about 46 per cent. of land developed for housing came from these sources.

  Land use surveys can provide valuable information, but assessments of housing land supply must also take account of such factors as ownership, market demand and the availability of services, which can only be assessed at the local level. That is why, within the context of structure and local plan allocations, we have urged local authorities and housebuilders to undertake joint studies of housing land availability in each area.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Raison
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the likely impact of the proposed unified business rate after revaluation on non-domestic ratepayers in each of the districts of Buckinghamshire, expressed as a percentage change.

  Mr. Howard
  The table shows the effect on business rates in Buckinghamshire districts if a uniform non-domestic rate had been set in 1987–88 at the present national average poundage. Arrangements for the revaluation of non-domestic property are not yet sufficiently far advanced to predict what the impact will be in Buckinghamshire.

  Present poundage

  Uniform poundage

  Per cent, change

  Aylesbury Vale

  220·9p

  224·1p

  +1·5

  South Bucks

  222·0p

  224·1p

  +1·0

  Chiltern

  227·2p

  224·1p

  -1·4

  Milton Keynes

  236·9p

  224·1p

  -5·4

  Wycombe

  223·8p

  224·1p

  +0·2

  Commons Court (Asbestos)
  Mr. Butler
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish estimates of the presence of asbestos fibres in the air in Commons Court; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Air samples taken on 23 October from all three floors at Commons Court block show a reading of less than 0·01 fibres/ml. This is below the minimum safety level and is the same as the reading taken before the removal of sprayed asbestos from structural beams and girders in 15 offices during the summer recess. It is intended that the remaining 34 offices will be treated during the next summer recess.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council and new town commission houses or flats have been sold in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Roe
  Sales of dwellings by English local authorities and new towns for 1982 and 1983 were published in table 9.6 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1976–1986" and figures for 1984 to 1986 were published in table 2.12 of "Housing and Construction Statistics Part 2 June 1987" copies of which are available in the Library.

  Home Ownership
  Mr. Amess
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on future plans to encourage wider home ownership.

  Mrs. Roe
  The Government's commitment to supporting the growth of owner occupation was set out in chapter 2 of the recent White Paper "Housing: The Government's Proposals" (Cm. 214). The Government will encourage the operation of a free market in buying, selling and constructing homes, and will continue to assist homebuyers through tax relief on mortgage interest. They will also encourage the development of initiatives such as shared ownership which reduce the initial cost of home ownership, and will maintain the right of council tenants to buy their homes.

  Hares
  Mr. Corbett
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make it his policy to establish an independent scientific survey into the hare population with a view to including the species under schedule 5 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. The conservation status of the brown hare was carefully considered by the Government's statutory adviser on wildlife matters, the Nature Conservancy Council, as part of its recent statutory review of schedules 5 and 8 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, following its first five years of operation. Its advice following this review was that the brown hare does not merit inclusion in schedule 5 on conservation grounds. I understand the blue hare is not under threat.

  Housing Action Areas
  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made

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  by his Department on declaring housing action areas in Handsworth, Birmingham, since the Parliamentary Under-Secretary replied to the Adjournment on 14 July, Official Report, columns 1105–8.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Further discussions took place between officials of the Department and Birmingham city council on 11 September. A formal submission for the declaration of Charles as a housing action area is now awaited from the city council. A decision on whether or not the declaration is allowed to stand will be made as quickly as possible after the submission is received.

  The other area referred to in the Adjournment debate was Turville. I understand that the city council will need to carry out further survey work before it will be ready to make a submission in this case.

  Enveloping Schemes
  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many enveloping schemes he has approved in Birmingham since 14 July.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since 14 July 1987, four envelope schemes submitted by Birmingham city council have been approved. They involved a total of 525 dwellings, at a cost of £4,279,177.

  Home Loan Scheme
  Mr. French
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have received assistance from the Government's home loan scheme in (a) Gloucester and (b) England and Wales for the most recent year for which figures are available; how this compares with previous years; what proportion of first-time buyers this represents; and what action the Government takes to promote the scheme.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Information on the take-up of the home loan scheme is not available for individual areas.

  The take-up of the scheme for the last five years is shown in the table:

  Financial year

  Number of first-time buyers benefiting

  1982–83

  6,277

  1983–84

  4,240

  1984–85

  3,580

  1985–86

  3,520

  1986–87

  1,660

  The number of people receiving assistance in the financial year 1986–87 represents about 0·25 per cent. of first-time buyers who received advances from banks and building societies.

  The Government make a full range of promotional material for the scheme available through banks, building societies and other mortgage lenders and savings institutions.

  Rate Support Grant
  Sir Peter Hordern
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his proposals for the rate support grant settlement for 1988–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am today issuing a consultation paper to the local authority associations and local authorities 206
  setting out my detailed proposals for the 1988–89 rate support grant settlement. The associations and individual local authorities have been asked for their written comments and representations on these proposals by 17 November.

  Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Growth Rates
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent estimate of the growth rate in the European Economic Community, the United States of America, Japan and the United Kingdom respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The latest available data for the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan are for the second quarter of 1987. Over the year to that quarter, GDP grew by 3·8 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 2·7 per cent. in Japan and 2·4 per cent. in the United States. The latest complete data for the EC are for the first quarter of 1987. Over the year to that quarter, GDP in the EC grew by 2·6 per cent.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms. Richardson
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is (a) the proportion of working time allocated to his departmental equal opportunities officer for equal opportunities duties, (b) the other duties carried out by the departmental equal opportunities officer, (c) the proportion, and amount, of the departmental budget which is allocated to equal opportunities work, (d) the number of occasions when the departmental equal opportunities officer meets equal opportunities officers from other Government Departments each year, (e) the guidelines issued to his departmental training officers and equal opportunities officers to promote the use of section 47 of the Sex Discrimination Act and (f) the action taken to facilitate job share, part-time working and parental leave.

  Mr. Brooke
  The departmental equal opportunities officer reports to the principal establishment officer. In addition to work on equal opportunities, for which no fixed proportion of the time is allocated, there are other duties, including policy on personnel management. The officer attends the annual meeting of departmental equal opportunities officers, and meets them frequently on other occasions throughout the year. No specific part of the departmental budget is allocated to equal opportunities.

  No guidelines have been issued, either to departmental training officers or to departmental equal opportunities officers, on the operation of section 47 of the Sex Discrimination Act.

  All personnel managers in my Department are encouraged to identify opportunities for job sharing and part-time working. Individual requests are dealt with sympathetically, taking into account the working needs of the Department. The Department offers maternity leave. Requests for special leave caused by domestic emergencies are considered on an individual basis.

  Tax Arrears
  Mr. Steel
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that, where tax arrears result from errors made by the Inland Revenue, there be no obligation on the taxpayer to pay such arrears.

  Mr. Lawson
  The general rule is that tax arrears remain legally payable, whether or not the underpayment is attributable in some measure to Inland Revenue error. The Inland Revenue does, however, operate an extra-statutory concession under which arrears of tax may be wholly or partly waived if they have arisen because of a departmental error which involved the failure to make proper and timely use of information about income or personal circumstances supplied by the taxpayer so that he could reasonably believe that his affairs were in order.

  The proportion of arrears remitted under this practice varies according to the size of the taxpayer's income. The terms of the concession (ESC A19) are published in the Inland Revenue's list of extra-statutory concessions.

  Arts (Tax Incentives)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effect on the arts of tax incentives for individuals and companies introduced in the Finance Act 1986.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The tax incentives which the Government introduced last year to encourage personal and corporate donations to charities were widely and warmly welcomed. Inland Revenue records do not distinguish between different types of charities, but arts charities can benefit in the same way as other charities. It is too soon to judge the full effect of the 1986 measures, but the early signs are encouraging. I hope donors and charities will take full advantage of the opportunities which the Government have provided to increase the flow of funds into charities.

  Computer Records (Access)
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how access to taxpayers' computer records will be governed when the new computer system proposed by the business review of the collection service is introduced by the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement.

  European Communities Budget

  1986 Payment appropriations mecu

  Percentage of total budget

  1987 Payment appropriations mecu

  Percentage of total budget

  All fisheries support

  164·0

  0·5

  177·3

  0·5

  All agricultural support

  22,902·2

  65·1

  23,804·0

  65·8

  European Social Fund

  2,533·0

  7·2

  2,542·3

  7·0

  European Regional Development Fund

  3,373·0

  6·7

  2,497·3

  6·9

  These figures are based on the payment appropriations entered into the 1986 and 1987 European Communities budgets.
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  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The new computer system, BROCS, is planned to be implemented in stages from 1990. It will be designed to improve both the efficiency of the revenue's operations and the service provided to taxpayers. In particular, it will provide accurate and up-to-date information in three main areas where present systems are now generally seen to be unacceptably slow and fallible:

  (i) where a tax inspector needs to have information held on collection records relevant to an assessment for which he is responsible.

  (ii) where a collector needs to have information held on tax office records relevant to a tax debt which he is handling—to ensure that recovery procedures start with an accurate knowledge of the taxpayer's position.

  (iii) where a collector needs to know of information on other collection records—to confirm the payment position of outstanding liabilities, co-ordinate handling of cases where a taxpayer may have several tax debts outstanding and ensure prompt banking of tax receipts.

  These facilities are, in essence, the same as those that tax and collection offices are authorised to have under the present collection procedures. It is proposed to adopt standard access rules for BROCS and the other main computer systems linked with it: COP (for PAYE); CODA (for schedule D) and OCTA (for corporation tax).

  Access to information under these systems will continue to be strictly controlled on a "need to know" basis. In some circumstances, it will be given only to certain nominated officers and generally on a view-only basis. There will continue to be special controls for certain sensitive records. Additional safeguards built into the new system will include a separate record and audit trail of all accesses to computer records.

  EC Budget
  Dr. Godman
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest figure for the proportion of the European Commission budget for 1987 on (a) all fisheries support, (b) all agricultural support, (c) the social fund and (d) the regional fund; and how these sums compare with those of 1986.

  Mr. Brooke
  The information requested is given in the table.

WALES

  Hip Replacement Operations
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of hip replacement operations under the National Health Service in Wales.
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  Mr. Grist
  Between 1979 and 1986 the number of hip replacement operations performed by the National Health Service in Wales rose from 1,541 to 1,908—an increase of some 24 per cent.

  Community Care
  Mr. Barry Jones
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he will take to ensure that adequate short-term funds are made available to local health authorities to meet the cost of setting up properly funded community care schemes for the elderly, mentally ill and physically disabled people.

  Mr. Grist
  A variety of mechanisms already exist to provide central funds to health authorities in support of community care schemes for elderly, mentally ill and physically disabled people. These include joint finance, under which the Department collaborates financially with health authorities, local authorities and voluntary organisations, and the mental health development scheme, under which health authorities receive 100 per cent. central funding for projects for mentally ill people. In addition, the elderly initiative grant scheme launched in January this year provides grant-aid to health authorities and other agencies to set up innovative projects to test new patterns of community care for elderly people.

  Low-paid Workers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of workers in Wales who earn less than £3 per hour and the percentage which they constitute of the total Welsh work force.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  An estimate of the number of workers is not available, but results of the 1986 new earnings survey indicate that 28·6 per cent. of full-time adult workers in Wales whose earnings were not affected by absence earn less than £3 per hour.

  Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of children under the age of 16 years in Wales are educated in state schools.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  In January 1987, 97·9 per cent of all school pupils aged under 16 years in Wales were educated in maintained schools.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Soviet Union (Mail)
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assurances the Post Office has (a) sought and (b) received about the delivery of mail in the Soviet Union; and what steps it takes to monitor their implementation.

  Mr. Butcher
  International postal operations are governed by the provisions of the Universal Postal Union convention, to which both the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom are signatories. The UPU convention makes provision for the prohibition of the importation of articles whose importation and circulation is prohibited in the country of destination. The precise internal regulations under which Soviet customs or postal officials operate in 210
  confiscating items are not publicly available. But the Soviet notification to the UPU of prohibited articles is so widely drawn as to allow the Soviet authorities, in theory, to refuse entry or to confiscate items we would consider innocuous. We find this situation far from satisfactory.

  The Soviet authorities are well aware of our views, which we have made known to them on a number of occasions. As I said in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend on 21 October, at columns 811–12, we have raised the matter at the CSCE follow-up meeting currently taking place in Vienna.

  I understand that most mail to the Soviet Union is registered, and all registered items are individually listed before dispatch. It is therefore always possible to check whether a particular letter has been forwarded. The Post Office sets inquiries in train with the Soviet postal authorities as necessary about the non-delivery of specific items.

  Marble, Granite and Stone
  Mr. William Powell
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report the value and country of origin, of imports into the United Kingdom of finished (a) marble, (b) granite and (c) stone in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Butcher
  Building and monumental stone is classified in the standard international trade classification revision 2 (SITC R2) under item heading 661.32, but marble and granite are not separately identified. Information by country of origin is not readily available at SITC item level: information on a country of origin basis for the years 1980 and 1986 has been prepared within cost limits.

  Imports of Building and Monumental Stone

  Total United Kingdom Imports

  £'000

  1980

  9,668

  1981

  10,460

  1982

  11,384

  1983

  13,491

  1984

  16,238

  1985

  19,066

  1986

  27,245

  Country of Origin breakdown:

  1980

  Total imports =

  9,668

  of which

  Italy

  6,529

  India

  734

  South Africa

  730

  France

  417

  Portugal

  407

  Pakistan

  239

  1986

  Total imports =

  27,245

  of which

  Italy

  14,867

  France

  2,195

  Portugal

  2,025

  Taiwan

  1,755

  India

  1,632

  Spain

  1,236

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Notes:

  Building and monumental stone defined as Standard International Trade Classification (revision 2) item 661.32.

  1986 figures provisional.

  Data Protection Act
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's policy towards fees for subject access under the terms of the Data Protection Act; how many register entries his Department has; and what would be the total cost to a data subject seeking access to personal data held under all register entries.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department intends to make no charge in respect of subject access requests made by its employees in respect of information that it holds under the Act in its capacity as their employer. For all other requests, including external requests, a fee of 10 will be charged in order to cover the cost of providing the service. This is in accordance with Treasury guidelines on charging.

  Music Industry
  Sir David Price
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will use his statutory powers to prevent increased control of music publishers by record, film and television groups, in the light of the effects of such control on the contractual and royalty terms of composers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Any such increases of control may constitute mergers which qualify under the terms of the Fair Trading Act 1973 for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for further investigation. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State announced on 7 October that the proposed merger between enterprises carried on by or under the control of Chappell and Co. Inc. and enterprises carried on by or under the control of Warner Communications Inc. had been referred to the MMC. In assessing whether a merger may operate against the public interest, the MMC has a statutory duty to take into account all matters which it considers in the circumstances to be relevant.

  Films
  Mr. Gale
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to release the Director of Fair Trading's report on practices relating to the public exhibition of films.

  Mr. Maude
  I intend to do so shortly in order to consult the industry and other interested parties about the appropriate follow-up action to the report.

  UNCTAD
  Mr. Oppenheim
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will report on the outcome of the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development held in Geneva from 9 July to 3 August 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  This session of the conference adopted a Final Act which set out the consensus reached on the main substantive item under consideration—the revitalisation of development, growth and international trade.

  I have arranged for copies of this document, the speech I made at the conference and the text of the closing statement by the United Kingdom following the adoption of the Final Act to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Oppenheim
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will report on the Internal Market Council held on 5 October.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, agreed a common position on a revised proposal by the European Commission to amend the EC directive on the rules for public sector supplies contracts. The Council also discussed proposals for a directive on the mutual recognition of member states professional qualifications and for amending the existing directive on sound power levels of lawnmowers, and heard a Commission statement on its proposal for a regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings (the "Merger Control" regulation).

  Listing Particulars (EC Directive)
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the adoption of a European Community directive on listing particulars.

  Mr. Maude
  A Council of Ministers adopted on 22 June a directive on the mutual recognition of listing particulars, the information document required to be published when securities are admitted to official stock exchange listing. This directive requires listing particulars which have been approved by a competent authority in one member state to be accepted throughout the Community. During negotiations on the proposal the United Kingdom secured important improvemens to the original proposal which materially reduced the scope for listing particulars of an unacceptable standard to benefit from mutual recognition. There was a real risk that these improvements might have been undermined had the United Kingdom delayed adoption of the proposal beyond 1 July, the date on which the Single European Act came into force. I therefore judged that it was in the United Kingdom's interest not to delay adoption until the House had completed its consideration of the measure. I regret that the normal scrutiny procedures were not followed on this occasion. but I hope the House will understand the special reasons why the Government agreed to the adoption of the directive in these circumstances.

PRIME MINISTER

  Pembrokeshire
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to make an official visit to Pembrokeshire.

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

  Blowpipe Missiles
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have yet responded to the Soviet protest in connection with deliveries of Blowpipe missiles to Afghanistan.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 13 July at column 335.

  Darnchurch
  Mr. Pawsey
  asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Darnchurch, near Rugby.

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

  Burgh Island
  Mr. Steen
  asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to visit Burgh Island.

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

  Plutonium
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Prime Minister on what basis, and for what reason, Her Majesty's Government have given permission to British Nuclear Fuels to sell the equipment and know-how to make weapons-grade plutonium to other countries; whether any other of Britain's NATO allies were consulted; and if she will make a statement on the implications for non-proliferation agreements.

  The Prime Minister
  All exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are made within the guidelines set out in the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Sir James Callaghan, on 31 March 1976 at columns 514–16. Those guidelines ensure that any such export will be wholly consistent with our international non-proliferation obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.

  Space Research
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  asked the Prime Minister what response she has made to the representations from ACOST to the effect that further funds should be committed to space research and development or the United Kingdom should withdraw from the European venture.

  The Prime Minister
  I have in the last few days received advice from ACOST on the subject of space research and development. That advice was given in confidence. My hon. Friend should not assume that the advice coincides with his description of it. I shall be responding to ACOST in due course.

  Security Services
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on co-operation of the British security services with the South African authorities; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters.

  Engagements
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 October.

  Mr. Pike
  asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 October.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 October.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties 214
  in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Reform
  Mr. Livingstone
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what basis he will determine the specific objective ratings for school attainment scores, in particular with mathematics, once the regular testing of children at seven, 11 and 14 years comes into force.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has appointed expert working groups on mathematics and on science to advise on the national attainment targets for these subjects and arrangements for assessment and testing performance in relation to these targets. He has also appointed a task group on assessment and testing to make recommendations for a national assessment system, including ways in which results should be expressed and reported to meet the various purposes of assessment.

  The mathematics and science working groups are to produce interim reports in November and final reports by July 1988. The task group on assessment and testing has been asked to report by Christmas 1987. There will be consultations about its recommendations before new arrangements are brought into effect.

  Truancy
  Mr. Cyril Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will collect and publish statistics on the incidence of truancy amongst 12-year-old and 13-year-old children (a) in authorities with a middle school system and (b) in authorities which have an 11 to 16-year-old school system.

  Mr. Dunn
  The Department does not collect any statistics on the incidence of truancy.

  A-Level Examination
  Mr. Cyril Smith
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will collect and publish statistics on A-level passes obtained by pupils, as a percentage of those entered for the examination in (a) authorities with a middle school system, (b) authorities with an 11 to 16-year-old school system, (c) sixth form college system authorities and (d) authorities with a tertiary college system.

  Mr. Dunn
  Information on the A-level attainments of English school leavers is published in "Statistics of Education: School Leavers CSE and GCE", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's policy towards fees for subject access under the terms of the Data Protection Act; how many register entries his Department has; and what would be the total cost to a data subject seeking access to personal data held under all register entries.
  215
  Mrs. Rumbold
  My Department's policy on subject access fees is to recover the direct costs of meeting a request for personal data, on an estimated average basis. My Department has eight register entries at present.

  The cost to a data subject of obtaining his personal data would in most cases be £8 but, very exceptionally, might total a maximum of £40.

  Merseyside (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Parry
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Merseyside.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  In the course of my visit to Liverpool on Monday 5 October I was able to see a nursery, a primary, and a comprehensive school, and to lunch at Liverpool polytechnic. I welcomed the opportunity to meet members of the authority and to discuss matters of common concern with a group of young people at Shorefields comprehensive school in Toxteth.

  Medical Research Council
  Mr. Parry
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent by the Medical Research Council on research into the causes of the post viral fatigue syndrome in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Medical Research Council has not funded any research directly on post viral fatigue syndrome. However, the council does support research on immune responses to muscle, nerve cells and related structures which may shed light on this problem. The council is always willing to consider soundly based scientific proposals in competition with other applications.

  Examination Courses
  Mr. Key
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now give details of the arrangements in place to approve examination courses offered in the compulsory years of secondary education against national criteria.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced earlier this month interim non-statutory arrangements for the approval of all public examination courses for 14 to 16-year-olds against national criteria. Under these arrangements, agreed by the major examination bodies concerned, all examinations offered to the 14 to 16 age group will be subject to approval and monitoring by the Secondary Examinations Council in the same way as GCSE courses.

  All single-subject courses will be approved against the existing GCSE national criteria. New criteria are being introduced for approving integrated courses, that is those which cover a range of subjects and occupy most of a pupil's time. Approved courses will be offered in schools from September 1988.

  These arrangements are based on advice made to my right hon. Friend by the SEC in the light of consultation on the report of a working party chaired by Mr. R. S. Johnson, director of education for Leeds. We are grateful to the SEC for its advice and to the working party for its recommendations.

  Our proposals for a national curriculum, which my right hon. Friend intends to present to the House this
  216
  coming Session, will put these arrangements on a statutory basis. They may also necessitate changes to the integrated course criteria.

  Copies of the interim integrated course criteria have been placed in the Library.

  Teachers (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Pawsey
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the Green Paper on permanent arrangements for settling teachers' pay and conditions will be published.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have today laid before Parliament a Green Paper entitled "Teachers' Pay and Conditions: a Consultative Document". Copies are available in the Vote Office.

  Mr. Haselhurst
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions will be given its remit.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have today written to Lord Chilver, the chairman of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions, a letter which sets. out the issues on which the advice of the committee is sought. The text of my letter is as follows:

  Lord Chilver FRS, FEng, CBIM

  Chairman

  Interim Advisory Committee on

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions 27 October 1987

  Dear Henry,

  1. I am grateful to you and your colleagues for agreeing to be members of the Interim Advisory Committee. The purpose of this letter is to set out the issues on which the Government now seeks the Committee's advice.

  2. As you know, the Committee has a statutory basis, Sub-sections (1) and (4) of Section 2 of the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act provide that:
  "The Secretary of State shall appoint an Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions to examine and report to him on such matters relating to the remuneration and other conditions of employment of school teachers in England and Wales as he may refer to them."
  "The Secretary of State may give directions to the Committee with respect to matters referred to them as to considerations to which they are to have regard and financial or other constraints to which their recommendations are to be subject, and as to the time within which they are to report to him."

  3. Sub-section (5) of Section 2 provides that the Committee shall give notice of matters referred to the Committee and of any relevant directions to the appropriate associations of local education authorities and any individual local education authority with whom consultation appears desirable, bodies representing the interests of governors of voluntary schools and organisations representing school teachers, so as to afford them a reasonable opportunity of submitting evidence and representations.

  4. In accordance with Section 2 of the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987 I invite the Interim Advisory Committee to examine and report on the following matters subject to the considerations in paragraph 5 and to the constraints in paragraph 6.

  (i) What changes should be made in the figures for salaries and allowances, and other details, set out in the Pay section of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 1987?

  (ii) Should there be any modifications to the provision for differentials within the pay structure? In particular do the differentials between heads' salaries and deputies' salaries and between heads' and deputies' salaries on the one hand, and other

  217
  teachers' salaries on the other, reflect appropriately the responsibilities of heads and deputies in primary and secondary schools (including special schools)?

  (iii) In the light of the operation of the arrangements in the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 1987 should there be any modifications to the provision relating to teachers' duties?

  (iv) Should there be any change in London area allowances, and should any other regional variations in salaries be introduced taking account of shortages of teachers in particular areas and of particular skills?

  (v) Is the existing social priority allowance still appropriate?

  5. In considering these matters I direct the Committee under sub-section (4) of Section 2 to have regard to the following considerations.

  (i) The Government's view is that school teachers' pay and conditions of service should be such as to enable the maintained school system to recruit, retain and motivate sufficient teachers of the required quality both nationally and at local level within what can be afforded.

  (ii) The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 1987 sets out a new pay structure and a new definition of teachers' duties and working time. It was prepared taking account of work undertaken during the long period of discussions between the local authority associations and the teachers' unions with the assistance of ACAS, the recommendations in the Main Report, and views expressed in consultations with local education authority associations, teacher unions and bodies representing the interests of governors of voluntary schools. The Government does not intend to make major changes to the pay structure consisting of a main professional scale and five rates of incentive allowances or to the provisions relating to teachers' duties and working time for 1988–89.

  6. I further direct under sub-section (4) of Section 2 that the Committee's recommendations are to be subject to the following constraints.

  (i) The rates of salaries and allowances to be recommended by the Committee shall be in respect of the period 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989. The Committee may also consider and make recommendations about the London area allowances from 1 July 1987.

  (ii) The recommendations of the Committee should be such that they do not cost more than an additional £300 million in the 1988–89 financial year or in later years.

  7. My Department will in due course place evidence before the Committee in relation to these matters.

  8. I further direct the Committee to report to me the results of their examination of these matters, with their recommendations and such other advice relating to these matters as they think fit, by 31 March 1988. Sub-section 7 of Section 2 of the Act requires me to arrange for your report to be published.

  Yours sincerely

  KENNETH BAKER

ENERGY

  National Grid
  Mr. Wray
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy what contingency arrangements he proposes to make for national or regional emergencies affecting the national grid in the proposals he will be putting before Parliament for the privatisation of electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Our proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry will ensure that the industry maintains the ability to operate the national grid in a flexible manner, during national and regional emergencies and at other times.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Frank Larsen and Others (Prosecution)
  Mr. Spearing
  asked the Attorney-General if, pursuant to his statement and answers given to the House on Friday, 23 October, he will list those criminal charges which on available evidence, could be made against the persons discharged from Lambeth magistrates court; and if he will request the Director of Public Prosecution to consider prosecutions accordingly.

  The Attorney-General
  The Director of Public Prosecutions has already considered all the available evidence and all possible criminal proceedings arising therefrom. It is not his practice, nor is it mine, to detail allegations, whether or not they are capable of substantiation, against persons who are not subject to criminal proceedings.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  India
  Mr. Dunnachie
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the total aid budget given to India in the past financial year by Her Majesty's Government, and (b) the estimated aid budget for India in the coming financial year; and what proportion of Her Majesty's Government aid budget comprises loans to the Indian Government to be paid back to Her Majesty's Government with interest.

  Mr. Eggar
  Firm figures for gross public expenditure on aid in the last financial year are not yet available by country. In the calendar year 1986, gross public expenditure on aid to India was £143·5 million.

  It is not our practice to reveal planning allocations for future years: these are of a provisional nature.

  All aid expenditure in India in 1986 was in the form of grants, which have been the standard form of aid to India since 1975.

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Dunnachie
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was the total United Kingdom overseas aid budget for the last financial year as a percentage of United Kingdom gross national product;

  (2) if he will list the total percentage of United Kingdom gross national product given as overseas aid in comparison with similar percentages of the member nations of the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Eggar
  The percentages of gross national product given in 1986 as net official development assistance by European Community states which are members of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development were:

  Percentage

  Belgium

  0·48

  Denmark

  0·89

  France (excluding overseas departments and territories)

  0·49

  Germany

  0·43

  Ireland

  0·28

  Italy

  0·40

  Netherlands

  1·00

  United Kingdom

  0·32

  219
  Details of other European Community member states are not available for 1986.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total overseas aid budget given by Her Majesty's Government to (a) Bangladesh, (b) Pakistan and (c) Sri Lanka in the last financial year; and what proportion of this aid comprised loans to be paid back to Her Majesty's Government with interest.

  Mr. Eggar
  Firm figures for gross public expenditure on aid in the last financial year are not yet available by country. In the calendar year 1986, gross public expenditure on aid to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka was as follows, excluding transactions by the Commonwealth Development Corporation:

  £ million

  Bangladesh

  38·3

  Pakistan

  20·7

  Sri Lanka

  13·4

  None of these disbursements was in respect of an interest-bearing loan. Since 1975 the standard form of aid to these countries has been grant. In addition, the Commonwealth Development Corporation disbursed £2 million to Sir Lanka in 1986 in loan form.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Jonathan Wash
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the death of Jonathan Wash in the Ivory Coast on 19 November 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The file on this case prepared by the examining magistrate in the Ivory Coast has been sent to the Bedfordshire police who are conducting an investigation into Mr. Wash's death at the request of the Bedfordshire coroner. A team from the Bedfordshire police expects to visit the Ivory Coast shortly.

  Citizenship
  Mr. Dunnachie
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many citizens of (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh were granted full United Kingdom citizenship for each year since and including 1983;

  (2) how many citizens of (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh applied unsuccessfully for United Kingdom citizenship for each year since and including 1983.

  Mr. Renton
  I have been asked to reply.

  Grants of citizenship by nationality are published annually in Home Office statistical bulletins, most recently in bulletin 29/87; the figures requested are given in the table. Corresponding information on refusals of applications for citizenship is not readily available.
  220

  Grants of British citizenship

  Numbers

  Previous citizenship or nationality

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  India

  7,865

  12,567

  5,907

  3,833

  Pakistan

  7,728

  10,272

  6,931

  4,882

  Bangladesh

  2,234

  3,787

  2,968

  2,748

EMPLOYMENT

  Community Programme
  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from voluntary organisations on Merseyside about planned changes in the operation of the community programme; if he plans to meet such organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I have received correspondence from a number of hon. Members on this matter. I have already met national representatives of the voluntary sector to discuss the proposed improvements to community programme provision, but I have no current plans to meet voluntary organisations from Merseyside.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the current levels of unemployment in France, Italy, West Germany., the United States of America and the United Kingdom respectively; and what were the comparable figures of the calendar years 1973 and 1982, respectively, for each country.

  Mr. Lee
  Following is the information requested. The figures are not fully comparable becaue of national differences in definitions and the methods of compiling the statistics.

  Thousands

  Current level (Seasonally adjusted—latest month)

  Annual average

  1973

  1982

  France

  2,638 (July)

  394

  2,000

  Italy

  3,233 (May)

  1,005

  2,163

  West Germany

  2,255 (September)

  274

  1,855

  United States of America

  7,221 (August)

  4,365

  10,678

  United Kingdom1

  2,775 (September)

  545

  2,626

  1 Excluding school leavers on consistent basis, allowing for changes in coverage.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing, in respect of the most recent date for which figures are available, the percentage of unemployed men in France, Belgium, West Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America respectively, who have been unemployed for a year or more; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The information requested is given in the following table. The figures are not directly comparable because of national differences in definitions and methods of compiling the statistics. In particular, the figures for the United States of America are based on surveys rather than registrations at unemployment offices.
  221

  Percentage of unemployed men who were unemployed for a year or more in 1986

  Per cent.

  France

  28

  Belgium

  52

  West Germany

  32

  United Kingdom

  46

  United States of America

  11

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Meat Imports
  Mr. Wray
  asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures Her Majesty's Government will take so as to strictly abide by the European Community ban of hormone treated meat imports from the United States of America.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Imported Food Regulations 1984 give powers to prohibit, by notice in the London Gazette, the import of meat and meat products which do not satisfy the relevant requirements of EC legislation.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Corbett
  asked the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he plans to meet the Farm Animal Welfare Council working group on religious slaughter before announcing his conclusions on the Farm Animal Welfare Council report on religious slaughter.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Yes. In fact yesterday I met the chairman of the Farm Animal Welfare Council and members of the council's working group on religious slaughter.

  Organic Farming
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the definition of organic farming used for the purposes of his Department.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department does not currently use any one definition of organic farming. However, the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards has recently been established by Food From Britain to consider the question of standards to be observed in organic production and I shall seek advice from that body as required.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he now has concerning the number of farmers, in total and by county in England and Wales, who are using (a) organic methods and (b) low-input, low-output methods.

  Mr. Gummer
  Such information is not currently available. In due course, however, it should be possible to produce data on the number of farmers using organic methods and who have registered with the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards.

  Sheepmeat
  Mr. Ron Davies
  asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the operation of the Sheep Variable Premium (Protection of Payments) (Amendment)
  222
  Order 1983 (S.I. 1983/1009) and the (Recovery Powers) Regulations 1983 (S.I. 1983/1010) have had on sheep meat prices and the cost of the sheep variable premium scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  These regulations form a necessary part of the sheep variable premium scheme operated in Great Britain. Their effects on prices or SVPS costs cannot be meaningfully isolated.

  Freezer Trawlers
  Dr. Godman
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the freezer trawlers which received de-commissioning grants, the amount of grant in each case, and the amount of money obtained by the sale of each of these vessels; how much money was paid by the state, by way of a grant, to assist in the construction of each of these vessels; and if he is able to estimate the annual depreciation of each of these vessels.

  Mr. Gummer
  Information about decommissioning grants and construction grants paid in respect of 17 freezer trawlers is shown in the table. The decommissioning scheme did not require vessel owners to supply my Department with details of the selling prices. I am therefore not able to estimate the annual depreciation of decommissioned vessels.

  Vessel Name

  Decommissioning Grant £

  National Construction Grant £

  Arctic Raider

  484,400

  113,177

  Arctic Freebooter

  587,600

  145,496

  Cordelia

  614,000

  459,033

  Farnella

  591,100

  279,572

  Dane

  591,992

  554,344

  Roman

  579,292

  393,494

  Defiance

  580,400

  158,287

  Goth

  579,292

  383,472

  Norse

  579,292

  355,270

  St. Jasper

  514,484

  241,128

  St. Jerome

  515,280

  217,925

  St. Jason

  537,200

  226,288

  St. Benedict

  581,504

  505,990

  Boston Lincoln

  397,620

  89,615

  Sir Fred Parkes

  620,000

  138,109

  Pict

  728,800

  561,160

  Northella

  614,000

  506,443

  Sharks
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many basking sharks were taken from British territorial waters in each of the past five years; which countries took them; for what purposes; what is the estimated population of basking sharks in British waters; and if he will consider a total ban on their being fished.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 October 1987, c. 890]: The only known directed fisheries for basking sharks in British fishery limits are carried out by Norwegian vessels fishing within quotas allocated under the EC-Norway fisheries agreement and by an individual Scottish fisherman who has taken a number of basking sharks each year since 1983 in the Clyde and the Irish sea.

  The Norwegian quota is 400 tonnes of basking shark liver.
  223
  In the last three years Norwegian catches against this quota are understood to have been 48·7 tonnes, 39·4 tonnes and 13 tonnes liver weight respectively, taken in ICES area VIIg (Celtic sea), only part of which falls within British fishery limits. Information on catches in earlier years is not readily available.

  As regards the Scottish catches, it is not the normal practice to publish statistics relating to an individual enterprise, but the catches have declined substantially in the last three years.

  The main purpose for which basking sharks are caught is for their livers, which are used for the production of liver oil products. It is understood that the reduced catches in recent years reflect reduced demand.

  There is no estimate available of the population of basking sharks in British fishery limits. In common with many other species which in British waters are at the limits of their north eastern Atlantic distribution, these are likely to be subject to natural fluctuations in local abundance.

  The Nature Conservancy Council has recommended that basking sharks should be protected in United Kingdom territorial waters under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This recommendation is currently being considered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Health Boards
  Mr. Beggs
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the per capita expenditure and revenue allocations of each of the four area health boards in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  The revenue allocation for each board in 1987–88 and the corresponding per capita figure, based on mid-1986 population estimates are:

  £

  £ per capita

  Northern

  95,472,000

  252

  Southern

  90,199,000

  312

  Eastern

  320,439,000

  499

  Western

  88,344,000

  344

  This information is meaningless for the purposes of comparison between boards. Estimated board populations do not coincide with actual catchment populations for many services; for example, regional medical services, acute hospital services, psychiatric and mental handicap hospital services.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary (Code of Conduct)
  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when the Royal Ulster Constabulary code of conduct as approved by the Police Authority (Northern Ireland), will be published;

  (2) whether he will place a copy of the Royal Ulster Constabulary code of conduct, as approved by the Police Authority (Northern Ireland), in the Library.

  Mr. Tom King
  The Chief Constable has issued a document entitled "Professional Policy Ethics" to be incorporated in the RUC manual, which is an internal document for police use only. Any decision on publication is a matter for the Chief Constable.

  Payment for Debt (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972
  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have had deductions made under the provisions of the Payment for Debt (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 from moneys due to them from state bodies, in each year since the passage of the legislation, broken down according to religion and local authority area.

  Mr. Stanley
  Information on the number of people from whom deductions have been made under Payments for Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 in respect of moneys due to them from state bodies is not readily available in the form requested and could not be compiled except at disproportionate cost.

  United States of America (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. McNamara
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost to the British Government of the recent 11-day trip by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the United States of America.

  Mr. Tom King
  I regret that the information requested is not yet available. I shall write to the hon. Member with the detailed information as soon as possible.

  Contraception
  Ms. Harman
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the breakdown of numbers of individuals receiving contraceptive advice and treatment (1) by contraceptive method and (2) by source of treatment clinic or general practitioner in Northern Ireland for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is not available in precisely the form requested. The information available is given in the table.

  Table A

  Health1 and Social Services Boards

  General Practitioners1

  Total

  Year

  Oral Contraceptives

  Intrauterine Devices

  Total

  1982

  260,064

  35,379

  1,429

  36,808

  96,872

  1983

  364,542

  39,635

  1,558

  41,193

  105,735

  1984

  74,660

  39,139

  1,950

  41,089

  115,749

  1985

  75,483

  40,424

  2,010

  42,434

  117,917

  1986

  73,836

  43,988

  1,873

  45,861

  119,697

  1 Numbers of individuals for which contraceptives prescribed.

  2 Numbers of individuals attending for advice and treatment.

  3 Figures for Western health and social services board not available.

  Abortions
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of abortions undertaken in each health authority area since 1967.

  Mr. Needham
  In Northern Ireland abortions are carried out only on therapeutic grounds where the life of the woman is threatened by the pregnancy or where continuance of the pregnancy is likely to cause grave danger to her physical or mental health.

  Statistical information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Gynaecological Operations
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each health board the number of outstanding gynaecological operations.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, the total number of patients, by health and social services hoard, awaiting admission to a gynaecological bed at 30 June 1987 was:

  Number

  Eastern Board

  1,058

  Northern Board

  263

  Southern Board

  284

  Western Board

  496

  Hospitals
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is his policy on the maintenance of acute hospital services facility in Down unit of management;

  (2) if he accepts the findings of PA Management Consultants in respect of hospital services in Down unit of management which was presented by Down district council to the Department of Health and Social Services.

  Mr. Needham
  As the hon. Member knows, decisions on the pattern of hospital services are in the first instance a matter for health and social services boards. I understand, however, that in its area strategic plan for 1987 to 1992, a copy of which is available in the Library, the Eastern board has concluded that it should attempt to maintain acute services at the Down hospital over the current planning period.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he is prepared to instruct the Eastern health board to make an allocation from the capital budget towards the construction of a new hospital to replace the Down hospital, Downpatrick;

  (2) what is his policy on the need for a new hospital building programme in Downpatrick.

  Mr. Needham
  It is not for me to instruct boards about the need for specific capital developments in their areas. Boards are responsible for the planning and management of services in their areas and must assess not only the justification for each specific proposal but the priority of such proposals in relation to other demands on resources. Since the replacement of the Down hospital would involve major capital expenditure it would require the approval of the Department of Health and Social Services. The Department, however, has not yet received any formal proposal from the Eastern board for such a capital scheme.

  Castlewellan Factory
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purpose the Moss Lane factory, Castlewellan has been transferred from the IDB to the Department of Health and Social Security.

  Mr. Needham
  The lease on premises at Bessbrook, Co. Armagh, which the DHSS uses for emergency stores, expired on 30 September 1986. The Moss Lane factory was declared surplus to IDB requirements and first offered to Government Departments and public bodies under 226
  normal disposal rules. The offer was taken up by DHSS which had an immediate need to find alternative accommodation for the stores.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the exact location and size of the existing site in the south of Northern Ireland which it is proposed the Castlewellan factory will replace.

  Mr. Needham
  The present store is located within the industrial estate on the outskirts of Bessbrook Village, Co. Armagh. This store is approximately 25,000 sq ft and occupies four floors of a former mill.

  Nuclear War
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many stores of medical supplies for use after a nuclear exchange are there in Northern Ireland; and what is their location.

  Mr. Needham
  There are two such stores in Northern Ireland, one at Bessbrook, Co. Armagh and one at Ballymoney, Co. Antrim.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what district councils will be serviced by the Castlewellan factory in a post-nuclear situation.

  Mr. Needham
  All 26 district councils.

  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there will be any communication between the Castlewellan factory store and the three nuclear stations which the Government have proposed to site in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  It is assumed that the nuclear stations referred to are the proposed emergency centres which would be used among other things in the event of a nuclear attack. There will be no special communication link between the Castlewellan factory store and any of the three proposed emergency centres other than by the public telephone network.

  Floods
  Mr. McGrady
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in view of the recent severe flooding, what additional resources are to be given to help those affected by flood damage; and what financial aid will be given to farmers who have suffered stock losses.

  Mr. Viggers
  It is too early yet to say what measures if any might be taken, but it is a general rule that the Government do not compensate for losses caused by the weather. Nevertheless, my colleagues and I are looking at the nature of the circumstances surrounding the flooding emergency in Northern Ireland.

  Police Secondments
  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers from police forces in England, Wales and Scotland were seconded to duties in Northern Ireland in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Stanley
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 October 1987, c.877]: No formal secondments have been made, but under normal co-operation arrangements some officers may have been temporarily attached to the RUC over this period.

SCOTLAND

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Wray
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for drug abuse increase in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In Scotland in 1986, 616 new addicts were notified by medical practitioners to the Home Office and 348 former addicts were re-notified. In the same year there were 3,437 seizures of controlled drugs by the police and HM Customs and Excise in Scotland and 5,318 drugs offences were recorded by the police.

  There were increases in the total number of seizures and in the number of drugs offences recorded compared to 1985 but the rates of increase were lower than in the previous year. The total number of addicts notified in 1986 decreased by 12·5 per cent. compared to 1985 when there was a 51 per cent. increase over 1984.

  These statistics are not an accurate measure of the extent of drug misuse but may serve as indicators of general trends. These and other indicators suggest that the

  European countries' stock by tenure

  percentages

  Rented stock

  Owner occupied

  All

  Public sector

  Housing associations

  Private sector

  Scotland

  1986

  42

  58

  49

  2

  6

  United Kingdom

  1986

  63

  37

  27

  3

  8

  Belgium

  1981

  61

  39

  57

  5—

  532

  Denmark

  1980

  55

  45

  4

  16

  25

  France1

  1982

  51

  49

  13

  —

  36

  Germany, Federal Republic2

  1982

  40

  60

  3

  14

  43

  Greece3

  1982

  72

  28

  4

  4

  4

  Ireland, Republic of

  1981

  74

  26

  13

  —

  13

  Italy2

  1981

  59

  41

  4

  4

  4

  Luxembourg3

  1981

  60

  40

  4

  4

  4

  Netherlands

  1981

  43

  57

  12

  30

  14

  Portugal

  1981

  56

  44

  3

  —

  41

  Spain

  1980

  77

  23

  2

  1

  20

  Austria1

  1981

  50

  50

  4

  4

  4

  Switzerland

  1980

  30

  70

  3

  4

  4

  Finland

  1980

  68

  32

  4

  4

  4

  Sweden

  1980

  58

  42

  523

  5—

  519

  Norway

  1980

  74

  26

  4

  4

  4

  1 Occupied main residences—Owner occupied: includes condominiums and co-operatives of similar nature.

  2 Main residences.

  3 Households—Rented: includes tied and rent free accommodation.

  4 Not known—Housing associations: organisations broadly similar to those in Britain.

  5 Approximate estimate.

  All figures including totals have been individually rounded.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make and publish a detailed analysis of waiting lists for public sector houses in each district and island area in order to ascertain whether there are enough suitable houses available to let to meet local needs.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A two-year research project, to assess the extent to which waiting lists can be used as an indication of housing need, was announced by the Government in December 1986.

  Public Advice Services
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the total level of Government
  228
  problem may not now be increasing in scale at the same rate as experienced in 1980–85. The incidence of drug misuse remains unacceptably high, however, and the Government will continue to accord a high priority to tackling the problem.

  Housing
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the housing stock in Scotland is owned by local authorities or governmental agencies; and what information he has about the equivalent proportions in other European countries.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The percentage of housing stock in Scotland owned by local authorities, new towns and the Scottish Special Housing Association at 31 December 1986 was 49·4 per cent. Comparative figures are not readily available for many European countries, partly due to differences between countries in the type of institutions and organisations which finance the provision of rented housing and the allocation of these between the public and private sector. Information available on the breakdown of tenure is shown in the table.

  spending, including urban aid, as well as expenditure by the Manpower Services Commission and the unemployed voluntary action fund, on independent public advice services in Scotland for the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Lang
  Many Government-supported programmes and projects, for example, funded through Manpower Services Commission schemes, contain elements of advice and information but the total amount of Government support for independent public advice services cannot be readily quantified.

  Information on public advice services funded through the urban programme and the unemployed voluntary action fund is set out.
  229

  Number of Projects

  £

  Urban Programme

  1985–86

  50

  1,431,486

  1986–87

  56

  1,461,625

  Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund

  1985–86

  12

  58,580

  1986–87

  16

  116,240

  School Leavers
  Mr. John Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils at local authority schools in Scotland left without any academic qualifications in 1985–86; what was the comparable figure in similar schools in England and Wales; and if he will publish a breakdown of the overall Scottish figure by regional council.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  19,385 of the pupils leaving Scottish education authority schools in 1985–86 (24·4 per cent. of the total) did not hold a Scottish certificate of education (SCE) qualification. However, some of these school leavers would have held qualifications such as the certificate of secondary education (CSE), the SCOTVEC national certificate or other qualifications. Information on the numbers involved is not available.

  The table gives a breakdown by region and islands area of the school leavers not holding an SCE qualification, together with the percentages these represent of all school leavers in the respective areas.

  74,705 of the pupils leaving maintained schools in England and Wales in 1985–86 (10·4 per cent. of the total) did not hold a graded CSE or GCE qualification. Because these figures include CSE awards, they are not directly comparable with the figures for Scotland.

  Comparisons will be easier once the GCSE and SCE standard grade examination have been introduced.

  Scottish school leavers1 1985–86 with no SCE qualifications, by region and islands area

  Number

  Percentage of leavers

  Borders

  263

  16·6

  Central

  982

  22·2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  503

  20·6

  Fife

  1,180

  21·4

  Grampian

  1,342

  19·3

  Highland

  590

  18·6

  Lothian

  2,578

  25·3

  Stralhclyde

  10,534

  27·6

  Tayside

  1,202

  20·9

  Orkney

  51

  17·3

  Shetland

  33

  9·2

  Western Isles

  127

  24·9

  SCOTLAND

  19,385

  24·4

  1 From education authority schools.

  Education
  Mr. Macdonald
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of pupils on school rolls and the pupil to teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the Western Isles for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is contained in the statistical bulletins on "Pupils and 230
  Teachers in Education Authority Primary and Secondary Schools" which are published annually. Copies of these are held in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Macdonald
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils from the Western Isles have obtained places in higher or further education in each year since 1979; and if he will express that number as a percentage of the age group for each year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Estimates of the percentages of school leavers from the Western Isles entering full-time further education have been published for sessions 1979–80 and 1981–82 in Scottish Education Department statistical bulletins (Nos. 2/E1/1983 and 10/E1/1983), copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library. The corresponding estimate for 1983–84 school leavers, to be published in a forthcoming bulletin, is 31 per cent.

  These estimates must be treated with caution since, for the Western Isles, they are based on small sample numbers.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total numbers of pupils on school rolls and the pupil to teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the Monklands, West constituency for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on schools in Monklands, West can be obtained from Strathclyde regional council.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to provide for participation by parents in the management of private schools.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total numbers of pupils on school rolls and the pupil to teacher ratio in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in East Lothian for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on schools in East Lothian can be obtained from Lothian regional council.

  Mr. Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of pupils on school meals and the pupil-teacher ratio in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in the Cunninghame, North constituency since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on schools in Cunninghame, North can be obtained from Strathclyde regional council.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils from East Lothian have obtained places in higher or further education in each year since 1979; and if he will express that number as a percentage of the age group for each year.

  Mr. Doran
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils from the Aberdeen constituency obtain places in higher or further education in each year since 1979; and if he will express that number as a percentage of the age group for each year.

  Mr. Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils from Cunninghame, North have serious higher or further education plans in each year since 1979.
  231
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not readily available.

  School Boards
  Mr. Macdonald
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate and publish the cost of setting up school boards in the Western Isles.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I would expect the cost of implementation of our proposals to be a very small element in the education budget. Costs could vary depending on factors such as the number of boards established and the range of responsibilities they had.

  Abortions
  Mr. Doran
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of abortions performed on women residents in the Grampian health board area in 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1985

  1,087

  1986

  11186

  1Provisional.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Law Society of Scotland and other bodies about the legal aid system; and if he intends to propose any amendments to the legal aid regulations and legislation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received representations from the Law Society and others, and observations from the Scottish Legal Aid Board, on the operation of the new legal aid legislation. He hopes to reach a view on the various suggestions by the end of November.

  Torness Nuclear Power Station
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will extend the zone covered by contingency emergency plans for Torness nuclear power station to a radius of 25 km; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 14 May at column 302.

  Mortgage Defaulters
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish information available to him concerning the number of mortgage defaulters in Scotland in each of the last five years involving (a) private sector houses and (b) public sector houses purchased under the right to buy legislation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Rents
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on changes in rent
  232
  levels in Scotland since 1979 and on the Government's policy for rent levels and measures to protect tenants on low incomes in the future.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Average local authority rents in Scotland have risen from £4·92 per house per week in 1979–80 to £14·65 per week in 1987–88. Over the same period average SSHA rents have risen from £5·43 to £17·28, and average Scottish new town rents have risen from £6·36 to £18·26. Average registered rents in private sector unfurnished accommodation have risen from £3·50 per house per week in 1979–80 to £16·29 in 1986–87 and registered housing association rents have risen from £7·58 per house per week to £19·17 over the same period.

  Responsibility for setting rent levels for public sector housing lies with the individual local authority or agency concerned, not with the Secretary of State. The Government, however, have a legitimate interest in determining the amount of overall public expenditure which the nation can afford to spend on housing in Scotland. In recent years, the Government's priority has been to reduce expenditure on indiscriminate housing subsidy and to concentrate the resources available upon capital investment in the public sector housing stock, whilst targeting subsidies directly to those individual tenants who need help with their housing costs.

  Public sector rents in Scotland are generally lower than those south of the border. It is the Government's policy to encourage authorities to set rents that enable them to meet more of their housing costs from revenue, hut to restrict excessive year-on-year rent increases by continuing Exchequer subsidies. For those tenants who have difficulty in meeting their full housing costs direct assistance is, and will continue to be, available through the housing benefit system. In addition, most increases in rent following registration of a higher rent for private sector and housing association tenants are subject to limits on the amount by which the existing rent may be increased each year.

  Housing Policy
  Mr. Home Robertson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Government policy towards people who want to remain or become public sector tenants; and if he will undertake to ensure that Scottish Special Housing Association tenants will have the option of remaining public sector tenants if they so choose.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government's proposals for the future development of housing policy will be set out in full in a White Paper which it is intended to publish shortly. My right hon. and learnd Friend has already made it clear that tenants of the Scottish Special Housing Association would remain public sector tenants, with all of the statutory rights which this Government have conferred on such tenants, under the Government's proposals to create a new unified housing development agency for Scotland, Scottish Homes.

  Rating Reform
  Dr. Reid
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the nature and estimated amount of funding given to local authorities in Scotland for the purpose of collecting the proposed community charge.

  Mr. Lang
  Provision for local authority current expenditure provision in 1988–89 includes £9 million for
  233
  the cost of introducing the community charge and £3 million for the cost of related changes to housing benefit arrangements. Provision for subsequent years will reflect the cost of collecting the community charge in the same way as for the cost of rate collection at present. Local authority expenditure is supported by rate support grant from central Government. In 1989–90 this will be replaced by revenue support grant. Both of these are grants in aid of the general revenues of authorities and are not hypothecated to individual items of expenditure.

  Regional Development Grants
  Mr. Ingram
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the average waiting time from the date of application for regional development grants to date of approval or rejection by constituency.

  Mr. Lang
  The numbers of applications from companies which have been rejected in each calendar year since 1984 are as follows:

  Deaths with any mention of hypothermia, by age group and month, Scotland 1981 to 1987

  Under 25

  25 to 34

  34 to 44

  45 to 54

  55 to 64

  65 to 74

  75 to 84

  85+

  Total

  1981

  January

  5

  —

  1

  3

  5

  10

  18

  11

  53

  February

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  10

  10

  5

  29

  March

  1

  —

  —

  1

  4

  6

  10

  2

  24

  April

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  5

  4

  1

  13

  May

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  4

  1

  7

  June

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3

  4

  9

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  August

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  3

  October

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  5

  5

  5

  18

  November

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  3

  4

  2

  11

  December

  1

  5

  1

  5

  8

  22

  27

  16

  85

  Total

  8

  5

  2

  14

  26

  65

  87

  47

  254

  1982

  January

  1

  1

  1

  2

  6

  21

  26

  12

  70

  February

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  14

  5

  26

  March

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1

  3

  5

  7

  19

  April

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  1

  5

  May

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  4

  —

  2

  10

  June

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  3

  2

  9

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  August

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  3

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  October

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  —

  4

  November

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  3

  6

  —

  11

  December

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  10

  15

  8

  37

  Total

  2

  3

  3

  7

  18

  52

  73

  38

  196

  1983

  January

  2

  1

  1

  1

  5

  5

  4

  7

  26

  February

  1

  —

  —

  5

  —

  7

  16

  9

  38

  March

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  5

  5

  18

  April

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  4

  7

  4

  19

  May

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  7

  June

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  2

  3

  8

  July

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  3

  August

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  3

  September

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  4

  5

  —

  10

  234

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  RDG I

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  RDG II

  1 Nil

  9

  19

  32

  1 No applications submitted

  Mr. Ingram
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of companies in the East Kilbride constituency which have been unsuccessful in their application for regional deveopment grants in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Lang
  I regret the information is not readily available on a constituency basis; however, the average processing time in Scotland for application for regional development grants is currently 16 weeks.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of deaths in Scotland from hypothermia for each month since January 1981 broken down by age group.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987, c. 744]: The information is as follows:
  235

  Under 25

  25 to 34

  34 to 44

  45 to 54

  55 to 64

  65 to 74

  75 to 84

  85+

  Total

  October

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  4

  4

  3

  13

  November

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  4

  2

  11

  December

  1

  —

  —

  2

  2

  5

  9

  4

  23

  Total

  5

  2

  2

  15

  16

  35

  60

  44

  179

  1984

  January

  1

  1

  —

  1

  6

  13

  19

  12

  53

  February

  —

  —

  —

  1

  4

  4

  6

  9

  24

  March

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  9

  5

  1

  16

  April

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  3

  4

  13

  May

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  1

  —

  5

  June

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  1

  5

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  August

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  4

  October

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  4

  1

  1

  10

  November

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  6

  7

  4

  21

  December

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  4

  7

  8

  21

  Total

  3

  2

  1

  6

  23

  44

  56

  41

  176

  1985

  January

  —

  1

  —

  —

  5

  19

  29

  11

  65

  February

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  5

  18

  11

  35

  March

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  2

  10

  9

  24

  April

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  6

  7

  3

  19

  May

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  7

  June

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  3

  August

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  2

  7

  September

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  6

  October

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  —

  1

  6

  November

  —

  1

  —

  3

  2

  6

  10

  10

  32

  December

  1

  —

  —

  —

  4

  5

  8

  9

  27

  Total

  2

  3

  1

  6

  16

  46

  93

  65

  232

  1986

  January

  —

  2

  3

  2

  4

  12

  25

  6

  54

  February

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  5

  14

  6

  28

  March

  —

  —

  1

  1

  3

  6

  10

  7

  28

  April

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  7

  5

  16

  May

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  7

  June

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  August

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  6

  2

  9

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  5

  2

  9

  October

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  6

  2

  11

  November

  1

  —

  —

  2

  2

  6

  6

  3

  20

  December

  2

  —

  2

  —

  2

  6

  9

  2

  23

  Total

  3

  2

  6

  g

  19

  41

  90

  40

  209

  19871

  January

  —

  1

  3

  —

  4

  11

  15

  11

  45

  February

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  7

  4

  15

  March

  —

  —

  1

  1

  3

  4

  7

  3

  19

  April

  1

  —

  1

  2

  3

  2

  2

  2

  13

  May

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  6

  June

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  4

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  August

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  5

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  3

  7

  October

  November

  December

  Total

  3

  2

  6

  5

  11

  22

  40

  26

  115

  1 provisional figures.

  236

DEFENCE

  Absent Without Leave
  Mr. Ashley
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of service personnel in each branch of the services were absent without leave in each of the last four years; and what was the number in each branch.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 April 1987, at column 566. The figures for those deserting or being declared absent without leave given in that answer can be expressed as percentages of the average strength of the services in the years in question as follows:

  Royal Navy and Royal Marines

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  1983

  0·21

  0·42

  0·02

  1984

  0·16

  0·41

  0·02

  1985

  0·17

  0·34

  0·01

  1986

  0·15

  0·32

  0·01

  Zimbabwe and Mozambique
  Mr. Galbraith
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the total numbers of the Zimbabwe and Mozambique armed forces who have received training in the United Kingdom since 1980.

  Mr. Freeman
  Some members of the Zimbabwean armed forces received training at Ministry of Defence establishments in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1980 to financial year 1986–87. A small number of Mozambiquan military personnel also received training at defence establishments in the United Kingdom in the financial years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87.

  It is not our policy to reveal the details of training provided to foreign armed forces since such agreements are confidential between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments concerned.

  Helicopter Rescue Service
  Mr. Galloway
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements climbers and hillwalkers will be expected to make in the event of privatisation of the helicopter rescue service.

  Mr. Freeman
  On its initiative, Bristow Helicopters Ltd. has put forward proposals advocating the transfer to commercial contractors of the search and rescue helicopter service currently provided by the RN and RAF. We are studying its ideas but have not yet reached any conclusions. It would therefore be premature to comment on arrangements for any particular interest group in the event of privatisation.

  While the Ministry of Defence's concern is primarily the recovery of military personnel, I can assure the hon. Member that the decisions taken will reflect the Government's commitment to maintaining an efficient search and rescue service, for both military personnel and civilians.

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital (Young Patient)
  Mr. Cartwright
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances an 11-year-old girl came to be held
  238
  in a psychiatric ward at Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich; what steps have been taken to obtain more appropriate care and treatment for her; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Vaz
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to reduce waiting lists in Leicestershire.

  Mr. Newton
  Leicestershire district health authority is receiving £151,500 from the waiting list fund. This will enable its hospitals to treat 210 extra in-patients and 500 extra out-patients. This is in addition to the measures being taken within existing resources to improve waiting lists and times.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Beckett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to set the levels of income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends fully to compensate claimants on income support for having to pay an element of rates.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Members to my right hon. Friend's statement to the House today.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Thurnham
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what current proposals he has for further help for the disabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  In developing all our policies we continue to bear in mind the special circumstances of disabled people. We expect to be greatly helped by the results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey of disabled people.

  Health (Lifestyle)
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures the Government are taking to encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles.

  Mrs. Currie
  Together with the Health Education Authority we are running a number of campaigns designed to provide the information that will help people choose healthier ways of living. One of these—the "Look After Your Heart" campaign—is a national strategy aimed at encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyles in England and reducing the amount of unnecessary death and illness from heart disease. We are firmly committed to taking this campaign forward into the 1990s.

  Cancer Screening
  Mr. Mullin
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the cervical cancer screening programme.

  Mrs. Currie
  We are committed to reducing mortality from cervical cancer. Sir Roy Griffiths, deputy chairman of the National Health Service management board, is
  239
  leading a team to oversee the implementation of the Government's policies on cancer screening. Health authorities are on target to have computerised call and recall schemes for cervical cytology in operation by next spring. Laboratory and other back-up services are being expanded. The Department is currently consulting on revised guidance on all aspects of cervical cytology screening and related services, which it intends to issue later this year.

  Mr. Bright
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in the introduction of a cervical cytology call and recall system by the South Bedfordshire Health Authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  The cervical cytology call and recall scheme for south Bedfordshire is operated by the Bedfordshire family practitioner committee, and came into operation in January 1985. The scheme covers the whole of the county, with costs being shared by the two client authorities, North and South Bedfordshire health authorities. The scheme, which is computerised, covers all women between the ages of 35 and 60 who are registered with a GP.

  Following our request in February this year, the family practitioner committee and the district health authorities will be making plans to reduce the minimum age to 20.

  Mr. Corbett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he received an application from Quest for a Test for Cancer for funding cervical smear tests using an integrating microdensitometer; and when he expects to reach a decision on the application.

  Mrs. Currie
  An application for DHSS funding for a research development project entitled "The screening of cervical neoplasia by quantitative assay of a hydrolysed DNA component present in the nuclei of cells exfoliated from the cervix uteri", was received from Dr. A. M. Sincock on 31 July 1987. This method would employ an integrated microdensitometer. Dr. Sincock is employed as a senior research fellow in the academic department of obstetrics and gynaecology in the Middlesex hospital; his work is currently supported by Quest for a Test for Cancer and the Newman Foundation. The application has been sent to academic referees. A decision on funding is expected by the end of November.

  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans further to assist family practitioner committees in meeting the Government's targets for cervical cytology.

  Mr. Newton
  I have now authorised an allocation of funds to four family practitioner committees whose existing equipment is in need of upgrading in order to meet the timetable to which the Government are committed. Those FPCs are:

  £

  Devon

  46,000

  Kirkless

  40,250

  Croydon

  8,000

  Bury

  1,500

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the procedures for dealing with child abuse and neglect.
  240
  Mr. Newton
  In my reply to my hon. Friend on 30 June, at column 69, I referred to the new guidance and circular on multi-agency working which was issued in draft last year. I also referred to the special initiative to help training of professional staff. Two stages of this have started. Further projects are being considered. In my statement to the House on 9 July, at columns 526–27, announcing the inquiry at Cleveland, I referred to the preparation of practice guidelines for social workers and for nurses and of guidance for doctors on the clinical diagnosis of sexual abuse. I would expect all this work, including the guidance on inter-agency working, to be published when we have considered the report from Mrs. Justice Butler-Sloss on Cleveland.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Corbyn
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to modify the draft guidelines issued on the social fund in the light of the representations he has received.

  Mr. Scott
  Yes. The final version of the social fund manual will incorporate some of the points raised by those who commented on the draft.

  Mr. Hardy
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received since the issue of draft guidelines for the social fund.

  Mr. Portillo
  A total of 108 representations were received on the draft social fund manual.

  Schools (Charges)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to seek to change social security legislation in order for charges for music lessons, field trips, school visits and books to be met, where the parents of pupils are in receipt of supplementary benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  It is not the purpose of the supplementary benefits scheme to help with educational expenses: these fall within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Pensions
  Mr. Stern
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in implementing new pension choices made available as a result of the Social Security Act 1986.

  Mr. Scott
  We have made considerable progress. After an extensive period of consultation, we laid regulations in July which established the detailed framework for the new pensions choices.

  We are now well on course towards the introduction next April of the changes affecting occupational schemes, in particular the start of money purchase contracting-out. In July 1988 we will complete the process of reform by giving people the right to take a personal pension in place of state earnings-related pension scheme.

  Mr. Speller
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to seek powers to link the pension received for age with a fixed percentage of the average manual wage.

  Mr. Scott
  No. We are pledged to maintain the value of retirement pension against inflation, and the legislation
  241
  gives power to increase it further if it is appropriate to do so. We do not believe a restriction such as is suggested would be appropriate.

  Mrs. Mowlam
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to phase in an equalised pension age for women and men.

  Mr. Scott
  We acknowledge the arguments for equalising state pension age for men and women, but the social and economic implications of doing so are considerable. We need to examine these in full before deciding whether to make any particular change.

  Mr. Sayeed
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the Government propose to make it easier for employers to set up new pension schemes.

  Mr. Scott
  From 6 April 1988, employers will be able to set up occupational pension schemes which can be contracted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme on a money purchase basis, instead of having to make the open-ended promise of a salary-related pension. The minimum level of contribution required will be equal to the contracted-out national insurance rebate, so a scheme could be set up at virtually no cost to the employer, and new schemes will also qualify for an extra financial incentive until 1993. In addition, we have already simplified the contracting-out conditions for employers with salary-related schemes.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms. Abbott
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations on the documents on the new housing benefit scheme he has received since they were issued in draft.

  Mr. Portillo
  Representations have been received so far from each of the local authority associations consulted on the draft Housing Benefit Regulations under statutory arrangements. In addition, about 40 letters, containing general representations, have been received from individual local authorities and other organisations, to whom the regulations were sent for information.

  NHS (Administration)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the administration of the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 23 July 1987 at columns 454–55.

  Disability
  Mr. Boyes
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the results of the survey on disability presently being carried out.

  Mr. Scott
  The results of the survey of disabled people currently being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys are expected to be published in instalments starting in 1988.

  Resource Allocation Working Party
  30. Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the workings of the resources allocation working party formula for distribution of resources to health authorities.

  Mr. Newton
  The workings of the resource allocation working party (RAWP) formula for distribution of resources to health authorities are explained in two documents, "Sharing resources for health in England, Reports of the Resource Allocation Working Party 1976"; and "Report of the Advisory Group on Resource Allocation 1980".

  In December 1985 the then Secretary of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield, (Mr. Fowler) asked the NHS management board to carry out a review to identify the scope for refining the RAWP formula and improving its measurement of need. The initial report on the review, published in December 1986, recommended a further programme of analysis and research which is now in progress.

  Copies of all three reports are in the Library.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Riddick
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how Britain's total expenditure on benefits and support for elderly people, as a proportion of gross domestic product, compares with that of other countries in the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Portillo
  Britain's total expenditure on the elderly as a proportion of gross domestic product was the third highest in the European Community in 1983, the latest year for which full information is available. Partial figures for 1984 show that Britain's expenditure had increased as a proportion of GDP, whilst that of other countries making a return had declined slightly. Full details are in the table.

  Expenditure on programmes for old age as a proportion of GDP at market prices for EC member states (excluding Greece) in 1983

  Country

  Percentage

  Denmark

  10·4

  France

  9·8

  United Kingdom

  9·6

  Italy

  9·5

  Netherlands

  9·2

  Belgium

  8·6

  West Germany

  8·6

  Luxembourg

  7·8

  Ireland

  6·1

  average

  9·3

  Source: Eurostat Social Protection Statistical Bulletins, March 1985. Note: Figures include state and occupational pensions and cash benefits for the elderly, expenditure on residential and nursing homes, local authority services for the elderly and other expenditure on the elderly. They do not include the cost of health care or increases in pensions for dependants.

  Well Women Centres
  Ms. Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to encourage and support the establishment of a well woman centre in every health district.

  Mrs. Currie
  The establishment of well women centres to provide services such as cervical screening is an option
  243
  open to all health authorities and one which a number have taken up. We welcome the additional flexibility that this model of service delivery offers but recognise that it is for individual health authorities to decide on the most appropriate method of providing services locally.

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Haynes
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will meet the chairman of the Trent regional health authority to discuss staff shortages.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have regular meetings with all regional chairmen to discuss a wide range of issues including manpower.

  AIDS
  Mr. Strang
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what additional funding is being provided in the current financial year in relation to HIV and AIDS.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mrs. Shephard) on 23 October.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the AIDS public education campaign.

  Mr. Moore
  We embarked last year on a sustained campaign of health education to give the general public the basic facts about AIDS and HIV infection and to encourage changed attitudes to sexual and other behaviour, particularly among groups most at risk.

  On 2 September I launched the second stage of the campaign, which concentrates on the risks of infection from the injection of drugs. As we have already announced, further stages of the campaign will be carried forward by the new health education authority in close cooperation with the other United Kingdom health education agencies and the Government Departments concerned.

  Leeds (In-patients)
  Mr. Kirkhope
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the reduction in the in-patient waiting list in the Leeds eastern district.

  Mr. Newton
  The latest available figures for March 1987 show that 6,064 people were on the in-patient waiting list in the Leeds eastern district health authority. Whilst the total list size is now some 7·1 per cent. higher than in March 1986, there has been a welcomed continuing fall in the numbers waiting over one year. On 31 March 1987, 907 people had been on the list for more than a year, 32·6 per cent. fewer than in March 1986.

  Leeds eastern DHA has received £425,300 from the waiting list fund, for projects to enable its hospitals to treat 2,050 additional waiting list cases in 1987–88. This is in addition to the measures being taken to reduce waiting lists within existing resources.

  Pensioners (Income)
  Mr. Mans
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much pensioners' average weekly incomes have increased since 1979.
  244
  Mr. Scott
  Between 1979 and 1985, the latest date for which information is available, pensioners' average weekly net incomes increased by some 18 per cent. in real terms.

  Embryo Experiments
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Government intend to bring forward legislation to clarify the law on embryo experiments.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 30 June at columns 80–81.

  Long-term Sick and Disabled
  Sir George Young
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much spending on the long-term sick and disabled has changed since 1979.

  Mr. Scott
  In 1979–80 expenditure on benefits and services for long-term sick and disabled people provided direct by the Department is estimated to have totalled £2,160 million. Latest estimates are that such expenditure in 1986–87 was about £6,130 million, an increase in real terms of 70 per cent.

  Information on provision of services by health authorities and by local authorities specifically to this group is not available.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Patchett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to modify the severe weather payments scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 26 October.

  Liverpool (NHS Services)
  Mr. Parry
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will meet a deputation of hon. Members from Liverpool to discuss funding of the National Health Service in the city.

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

  Social Security Reforms
  Mr. Brazier
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the introduction of the social security reforms will help to alleviate the unemployment and poverty traps.

  Mr. Scott
  One of the main aims of the reforms is to improve work incentives. The introduction next April of family credit, which is expected to help over twice as many low-income working families as family income supplement, and the closer alignment of help for people in and out of work, are expected to alleviate the unemployment trap. In addition, assessing income-related benefits on net, rather than gross, income eliminates the possibility that in-work income-related benefits reduce net spending power when earnings rise. This eliminates one of the worst features of the poverty trap.

  Nurses (Working Hours)
  Mr. Favell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to seek to increase the proportion of a nurse's working day spent with patients.

  Mr. Newton
  It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to ensure that the most effective and efficient use is made of the nursing and midwifery work force. The Department assists by distributing management services reports on, for example, the work of hospital-based midwives and (shortly) night nursing services. It must be the aim of each employing authority to maximise the amount of time devoted to patient care.

  South-East Thames (Non-urgent Surgery)
  Mr. Evenett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for non-urgent surgery in the south-east Thames region.

  Mr. Newton
  I am sorry I cannot give my hon. Friend the information he seeks in precisely the form requested. The estimated median interval between the date a patient was placed on the waiting list and admission as an inpatient to a surgical department of a NHS hospital in the South-East Thames regional health authority area during 1985, the latest year for which information is available centrally, was eight weeks.

  Insulation Payments
  Mrs. Clwyd
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to introduce a new scheme for assistance with insulation payments to replace the existing scheme from April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  When the current system of single payments of supplementary benefit for draught-proofing materials ends in April 1988 new arrangements will continue to provide support for the work of the community insulation projects. My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Energy announced on 8 April 1987, at columns 223–225, that from April 1988 help with the cost of draught-proofing materials will be provided through the Manpower Services Commission. The category of those eligible will be widened to include all households in receipt of income support, housing benefit or family credit. In the longer term, it is intended to include the cost of draught-proofing materials within a revised home improvement grant system.

  Mersey Region (Waiting Lists)
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the waiting lists in the Mersey region.

  Mr. Newton
  On 31 March 1987 there were 29,147 people on the in-patient waiting list in Mersey regional health authority. This represents a fall of 1,632 (5·3 per cent.) since March 1986. The number of people waiting over a year for treatment has fallen by 18 per cent. to 6,257.

  Mersey RHA has been allocated £1·35 million from the waiting list fund for 1987–88 for projects to enable the region to treat some 7,700 extra patients from the inpatient lists. This is in addition to the measures being taken to reduce waiting lists and times within existing resources.

  Nurses (Pay)
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future of levels of nurses' pay.

  Mr. Newton
  The pay of nurses, midwives and health visitors is determined on the recommendations of the independent Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives and Health Visitors. I understand that the review body will shortly be taking evidence from the health departments, trade unions and professional associations with a view to reporting to the Prime Minister in the spring of next year.

  The Government have implemented all four reports of the independent review body since it was established in 1984. As a result, nurses' pay has risen by some 16 per cent. in real terms during this period and by nearly 30 per cent. in real terms since 1979.

  Royal United Hospital, Bath
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to visit the new royal united hospital in Bath.

  Mrs. Currie
  The last complete development at this hospital included 168 acute beds and a boilerhouse, costing £4·4 million, and was opened on 31 March 1987. It is part of the largest ever sustained National Health Service building programme. Throughout England 480 schemes, each costing over £1 million, with a total value of over £3 billion, are at various stages of planning, design and construction.

  Ministers have no plans to visit this hospital at present.

  Review Procedures
  Mr. Jack
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for reviewing the effectiveness of the review procedures at both regional and district health authority level.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department keeps the system for conducting accountability reviews with regional health authorities under constant review, drawing on experience of past reviews to assess its effectiveness and ensuring that any necessary improvements are implemented. Reviews at district level are the responsibility of regional health authorities.

  St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington
  Mr. Wheeler
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the St. Mary's hospital development in Paddington.

  Mrs. Currie
  The new 10-storey building, to be known as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother wing, has been built at a cost of over £35 million. The wing has a total of 337 beds, 224 of which are allocated to surgical specialties, and when fully open it will provide a broad range of facilities. These include the accident and emergency department, which opened on 4 September and has one of the first computerised patient administration systems in London, the Paddington Green children's unit, eight operating theatres, an intensive care unit, and two day surgery units. Among other departments which form a part of the complex are the radiology department, facilities for the St. Mary's hospital medical school and central catering facilities.
  247
  This development is part of the largest health building programme in the history of the NHS. There are currently more than 480 building schemes each costing over £1 million at various stages of planning, design and construction. The total value of the programme is estimated to be over £3 billion and it will provide over 24,000 new hospital beds.

  Nurse Recruitment (Thames Region)
  Mr. Jessel
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the current position on nurse recruitment in the Thames region.

  Mr. Newton
  The ability to recruit varies considerably between health authorities. There are particular recruitment difficulties in mental illness, mental handicap and the specialist acute areas—theatres and intensive care. These recruitment difficulties are more marked in London and the south-east.

  The NHS management board has commended a number of measures to improve the recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery staff. It is also currently considering what further action may be required at national or local level in the light of the latest information about the recruitment and retention situation in London.

  Bradwell New Geriatric Hospital, North Staffordshire
  Mr. Knox
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the Bradwell new geriatric hospital in North Staffordshire.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Bradwell new geriatric hospital is due for completion at the end of October at a total cost of £5,260,821. The hospital's 96 beds and associated facilities are expected to open at the beginning of 1988.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the discontinuation of the single payment for mothers on supplementary benefit.

  For four week period ending 22 September 1987

  Hackney office

  Stoke Newington

  London north region

  London south region

  1. Claims to Supplementary Benefit

  Average Clearance Times

  7 days

  21 days

  7 days

  8 days

  2. Non-caller Claims

  A. Number Received

  885

  673

  63,229

  60,415

  B. Outstanding

  329

  629

  25,113

  24,781

  C. B as a percentage of all non-caller claims outstanding

  28 per cent.

  49 per cent.

  28 per cent.

  30 per cent.

  3. Single Payments Claims

  No information is available on number received.

  A. Decisions Made

  396

  265

  26,621

  23,468

  B. Cases Outstanding (may involve more than one decision)

  323

  116

  5,231

  5,889

  C. Average Clearance time

  No information is available

  248
  Mr. Portillo
  During the last 12 months we have received approximately 500 letters about the new maternity benefit arrangements. Some of these letters have referred to the discontinuation of supplementary benefit single payments for maternity expenses and their replacement by flat rate payments of £80 from the social fund.

  Ms. Abbott
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the average waiting time for a decision on supplementary benefit claims for (1) his Department's Hackney office, (2) his Department's Stoke newington office, (3) London north region and (4) London south region;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report the number of non-caller claims for supplementary benefit received in the last four week period for which records are available, the percentage of non-caller claims awaiting a decision at the end of that four-week period; and if he will supply this information in respect of (1) his Department, Hackney office, (2) his Department, Stoke Newington office, (3) London north region as a whole and (4) London south region as a whole;

  (3) if he will list in the Official Report the number of supplementary payment claims received by his Department in the last four week period, the total number of single payment claims which are awaiting a decision and the average waiting time between receipt of claims and a decision; and if he will supply this information in respect of (1) his Department, Hackney office, (2) his Department, Stoke Newington office, (3) London north region. and (4) London south region.

  Mr. Portillo
  The table sets out the information requested, where it is available, for the four-week period up to 22 September 1987.

  Where the information is not available in the precise form requested the most relevant figures available have been quoted.

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Mr. David Porter
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on progress within the Whitley council on 1987 pay negotiations for medical laboratory scientific officers; and if he will make a statement about the Government's intention to recognise the professionalism of medical laboratory scientific officers with a better pay structure.

  Mr. Newton
  Pay is a matter for the Whitley council. I understand that on 5 October the management side made a pay offer to the staff side representing MLSOs about which it is now consulting its members. They also undertook to meet again as soon as possible to discuss proposals for restructuring MLSO grades.

  Storm Damage
  Mr Nelson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures he is taking to ensure the continued provision of health services in areas which have suffered damage and disruption from the storms on the night of the 15–16 October.

  Mrs. Currie
  Officials were in contact with health authorities in the south and east throughout Friday 16 October and monitored the situation throughout. It soon became clear that everything possible was being done to maintain health services and patient care despite damage to buildings and public utilities and disruption of communications and transport in many places.

  The splendid response of hospital and ambulance staff in finding alternative means of getting to work and in many cases giving up their off-duty time ensured adequate staffing levels. Ambulance services were hard pressed but their problems lessened as roads were cleared and communications were restored. Fortunately there were no major incidents involving multiple serious casualties.

  Emergency arrangements were made for a few patients requiring artifical ventilation or home dialysis. Where power supplies failed hospitals turned to their standby generators or to portable versions supplied by the Army.

  It was necessary to curtail or postpone some out-patient clinics because of damage or transport problems. Some non-emergency operations were postponed to ease severe pressure on the South London blood transfusion centre. Blood donors responded to appeals, allowing the full blood supply to be resumed within a few days.

  I was particularly glad that the Department had surveyed health authorities' contingency plans earlier this year and found them to be generally satisfactory. This form of monitoring will continue and we will consider any lessons learnt in the recent episode.

  Disabled Persons Act 1986
  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to speed up the implementation of the Disabled Persons Act 1986 during the current Session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Corbett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he now has for implementing sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the Disabled Persons Act 1986; and whether he will estimate the cost of doing so under each section.

  Mr. Scott
  Discussions with the local authority associations on the costs of the various outstanding 250
  sections of the Act are proceeding, and decisions on the timing of implementation will be taken in the light of the outcome of those discussions. I met the local authority associations on 16 September, and there have subsequently been two meetings between the Department and the associations at official level. Recent discussions have concentrated on sections 5 and 6 of the Act, and I hope to make an announcement shortly about the implementation of those sections.

  HIV Positive Patients (Dental Treatment)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific provision is proposed for the dental treatment within the National Health Service of HIV positive patients to avoid the possibility of cross-infection.

  Mr. Newton
  The chief dental officer issued guidance to all dentists in the hospital, community and general dental services in April of last year. This stressed the importance of following high standards of cross-infection control when treating patients. By following simple procedures dentists will be able to minimise the risks from exposure to the virus during the course of routine dental treatment.

  Additionally, the guidance recommends specific precautions to be followed when the patient receiving treatment is a known carrier of HIV. At present, there are no plans to issue further guidance to dentists on this subject, though the need to do so is kept under regular review.

  These measures may require some additional expenditure by general dental practitioners. Consequently, on the recommendation of the Dental Rates Study Group, the fees paid to practitioners in 1987–88 reflect amongst other factors exceptional expenditure on cross-infection procedures.

  Ward Closures (West Berkshire)
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning ward closures and other cuts in services in the West Berkshire district health authority area.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have received representations from the chairman of the West Berkshire district health authority, Reading council and from a number of hon. Members.

  Health authorities are expected to live within their budgets. This means balancing the cost of increasing activity against other pressures. It is for health authorities to decide on suitable measures which will enable them to sustain activity within their budgets without detriment to essential services.

  NHS (Expenditure)
  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give figures for the last three years showing (a) the increase in spending on the National Health Service in England and Wales and (b) hospital bed reductions in England and Wales.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is as follows:
  251

  NHS Expenditure, England (Gross)

  £ million

  Growth in cash percentage

  1983–84

  12,921

  —

  1984–85

  13,871

  7·4

  1985–86

  14,676

  5·8

  1986–87

  15,762

  7·4

  Average number of beds available daily in NHS hospitals in England

  Beds

  Percentage change

  1983

  343,091

  —

  1984

  334,513

  -2·5

  1985

  325,487

  -2·7

  1986

  315,817

  -3·0

  The information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information he has as to any correlation between higher National Health Service spending and areas of rapid population growth;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to allocate extra national Health Service moneys to areas of high housing and population growth; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Resources are allocated to regional health authorities using the method recommended by the Resource Allocation Working Party. The underlying objective of this approach is to secure progressively through resource allocation equal opportunity of access to health care for people in equal need. The population served by each region and projected population growth are important factors in this process and bear directly on the distribution of resources between regions.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are currently employed by his Department in preparing the way for the full implementation of the Social Security Act 1986 in April 1988; how many of these were recruited especially for this task; and what is the cost of the preparatory work.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not held in the precise form requested.

  At 1 October 1987 there were 71,100 full-time equivalent staff in local offices both maintaining the current social security scheme and preparing for implementation of the Social Security Act 1986 from April 1988. Some 2,400 of these staff were recruited especially for the latter task. In addition, 110 full-time equivalent staff—increasing to 600 by 1 April 1988—are working on family credit which will be administered from North Fylde central office. Thus, at April 1988 there will be about 3,000 additional staff in post to introduce the new benefits. These staff, who will have cost an estimated £23 million, are required for a temporary period only.

  Lorazepam
  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what efforts he is making to assist patients
  252
  suffering from the withdrawal effects of taking lorazepam; how this assistance is being given; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The services of general practitioners, hospital psychiatric departments, and specialist drug treatment and advice agencies—many of which have been provided through special funding from this Department—are available to those people taking lorazepam who suffer withdrawal effects. The cost cannot be separately identified.

  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has any plans to ban the prescribing of lorazepam to new patients; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he has set up or plans to set up a study of the problems associated with the prescribing and represcribing of lorazepam; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he has now received a copy of the report of the Committee on safety of Medicines concerning the prescribing and represcribing of lorazepam; and when it is likely to be published.

  Mr. Newton
  On the advice currently available to us, benziodiazepines have a place in medical practice if prescribed with appropriate care. The data sheet for Ativan (the trade name under which lorazepam is sold) was amended earlier this year, following discussion with DHSS medicines division to advise that it should be used only in the short term and to give doctors additional advice about avoiding dependence.

  The Committee on Safety of Medicines is at present considering whether further steps should be taken in relation both to lorazepam and to other benziodiazepines. It would be premature for me to comment on the question of possible publication before the committee has completed this work.

  Mr. Wareing
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions and by what means his Department has drawn the attention of the medical profession to the dangers of represcribing lorazepam.

  Mr. Newton
  Advice is given in the British National Formulary, which is distributed to all NI-IS doctors every six months, that treatment with benzodiazepines, of which lorazepam is one, should be limited to the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time and that withdrawal of the drug after long-term administration should be gradual. "Guidelines of Good Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Drug Misuse", which have been issued to all doctors, contain advice on the addictive potential of benzodiazepines and on withdrawal procedures. The data sheet for lorazepam, sent by Wyeth Laboratories to all doctors, which provides guidance and warnings to doctors on the prescribing of lorazepam, has recently been amended in agreement with the Department to re-emphasise the potential problems of dependence on lorazepam. The data sheet now recommends lorazepam tablets for short-term use only and gives guidelines for treatment to minimise the risk of benzodiazepine-related dependence.

  The Department funds the distribution to all general medical practitioners of a number of independently produced prescribing publications. Several articles about benzodiazepines have been published in the last 5 years.

  253
  These include "some problems with Benzodiazepines" and "Lessening the Use of Benzodiazepines" in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. "Adverse Effects of Prolonged Benzodiazepine Use" in the "Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin" and "Benzodiazepines and transient insomnia" in Prescribers' Journal. More general articles on, for example, repeat prescribing and the hazards of abrupt withdrawal of drugs have also contained references to benzodiazepines. In March 1980 the British Medical Journal published an article provided by the Committee on Review of Medicines entitled "A systematic review of benzodiazepines" which referred to the problems of dependence.

  Social Fund Manual
  Mrs. Beckett
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what basis and to how many individuals and organisations advance copies of the social fund manual have been supplied; and whether copies are available to hon. Members.

  Mr. Portillo
  An advance copy of the social fund manual has been sent to a total of 90 organisations which commented on the draft manual. Where both the national office and local branches of an organisation commented an advance copy has been sent to the national office only. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

  Abortions
  Mr. Alton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions were done in the latest year for which figures are available in (a) private clinics or agencies and (b) the National Health Service at 18 weeks or over, and if he will distinguish between residents and non-residents.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is shown in the table.

  Category

  Number

  Residents

  NHS

  1,176

  NonNHS

  3,412

  Non-residents

  NHS

  3

  Non NHS

  3,685

  Child Benefit
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what change he estimates there will be in the number of people entitled to claim means-tested benefits in the course of a full year as a result of his decision in regard to the uprating of child benefit; and what will be the number of their dependants.

  Mr. Portillo
  On the basis of the benefit rates announced today and the tables showing the likely distributional effect of the new schemes, around 15,000 more families with 30,000 dependent children are expected to be entitled to income related benefits.

  Hospital Medical Career Structure
  Mr. Burt
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is yet in a position to report progress on the recent negotiations on the hospital medical career structure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Following the consultative document "Hospital Medical Staffing: Achieving a Balance" published in July last year the steering group which I chair, has today published its subsequent report "Hospital Medical Staffing: Achieving a Balance—Plan for Action".

  The various measures in the report are based on three principal needs:

  —to increase the number of consultants, to provide both the leadership and the career opportunities an expanding service requires;

  —sensible planning of the numbers of doctors in training grades, taking account of career prospects;

  —maintenance of the necessary levels of support for consultants, particularly in the acute specialties.

  The purpose of the reforms is to improve the quality of care doctors will be giving to their patients, by increasing the extent to which fully trained doctors are involved in direct patient care and in the supervision of their junior staff and by making a career in the hospital service more secure and therefore more attractive.

  The reforms have already begun, with the announcement in February of 45 new consultant posts this year, and a further 55 on offer next year. Other parts of the package will be introduced over the next few months, so that work will have started on all parts of it by next April. Completing the programme of reform, in particular to achieve the right balance between doctors in training and career posts, is however expected to take several years.

  UNCTAD: CONFERENCE CONCLUSIONS
  UNCTAD: CONFERENCE CONCLUSIONS
  ECSC GRANTS
  ECSC GRANTS
  NORTHERN CYPRUS: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATIONS
  NORTHERN CYPRUS: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATIONS
  FOOD ADDITIVES
  FOOD ADDITIVES
  DAIRY INSPECTION CHARGES IN THE EC
  DAIRY INSPECTION CHARGES IN THE EC
  EAST NORTON BYPASS
  EAST NORTON BYPASS