Written Answers of 21 April 1988

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) what are the current establishment figures for legally qualified persons in each Crown Prosecution Service area in England and Wales;

  (2) what are the current establishment figures for non-legally qualified persons in each Crown Prosecution Service area in England and Wales;

  CPS area

  Establishment figures for legally qualified staff

  Establishment figures for non-legally qualified staff

  Staff-in-post figures for non-legallyqualified staff

  Avon/Somerset

  42

  62

  56

  Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

  47

  60

  57·5

  Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire

  34

  48

  38·5

  Cheshire

  31

  40·5

  38·5

  Cleveland/North Yorkshire

  46

  64

  61

  Cumbria/Lancashire

  66

  76

  75

  Derbyshire

  28

  41

  42

  Devon/Cornwall

  37

  43

  37

  Dorset/Hampshire

  66

  84

  79·5

  Durham/Northumbria

  70

  103

  100

  Essex

  32

  49

  43·5

  Gloucestershire/Wiltshire

  27

  41

  37

  Greater Manchester

  122

  129

  122

  Humberside

  25

  42

  42

  Kent

  44

  61

  57·5

  Leicestershire/Northamptonshire

  38

  59

  57

  London, Inner

  130

  334

  294·5

  London, North

  96

  177

  158·5

  London, South

  87

  135

  114

  Merseyside

  74

  107

  105

  Norfolk, Suffolk

  34

  45

  42

  North Wales/Dyfed

  40

  57

  58·5

  Nottinghamshire

  39

  54

  52

  South Wales/Gwent

  76

  103

  97

  South Yorkshire

  43

  63

  52·5

  Staffordshire/Warwickshire

  41

  59

  57

  Sussex

  41

  52

  49·5

  Thames Valley

  53

  74

  61

  West Mercia

  32

  38

  38

  West Midlands

  91

  124

  116

  West Yorkshire

  74

  106

  102

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the proposed new rates of remuneration proposed for(a) legally qualified and (b) non-legally qualified persons in the Crown Prosecution Service.

  The Attorney-General
  The proposed new rates of pay for(a) legally qualified and (b) non-legally qualified staff in the Crown Prosecution Service are as follows:
  506
  (3) how many non-legally qualified persons were employed in each Crown Prosecution Service area in England and Wales at the latest date available.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is given in the following table, which represents the position as at 31 March 1988.

  (a) Proposed rates of remuneration for legally qualified staff in the CPS

  Grade

  Proposed rate (minimum and maximum) at 1 April 1988

  Performance point maximum1 after 1 October 19882

  (i) National

  Crown Prosecutor (CP)

  13,125–17,736

  20,532

  Senior Crown Prosecutor (SCP)

  16,692–21,737

  25,921

  6

  19,905–27,087

  31,563

  5

  27,087–30,387

  35,371

  (ii) London3 and some Home Counties

  507

  Grade

  Proposed rate (minimum and maximum) at 1 April 1988

  Performance point maximum1 after 1 October 19882

  Crown Prosecutor (CP)

  14,125–18,736

  21,532

  Senior CrownProsecutor (SCP)

  18,228–23,737

  28,154

  (b) Proposed rates of remuneration for non legally qualified staff in the CPS

  Grade

  Proposed rate minimum-maximum at 1 April 1988

  Performance point maximum1

  Proposed rate minimum-maximum from 1 October 1988

  Performance point maximum1

  7

  15,631–21,104

  21,936

  16,692–21,737

  25,921

  6

  19,537–26,348

  27,388

  19,905–27,087

  31,563

  5

  25,756–29,344

  30,644

  27,087–30,387

  35,371

  1 Subject to performance assessment.

  Grade

  Present rate (minimum-maximum) at 31 March 1988

  Proposed rate (minimum-maximum) at 1 April 1988

  SEO

  12,255–15,779

  Current offer is these rates plus 4 per cent. Detailed pay scales not yet published.

  H EO

  9,985–12,878

  EO

  5,870–10,292

  AO

  3,664–7,247

  AA

  3,314–5,799

  Senior personal secretary

  8,400–10,150

  Personal secretary

  6,607–7,846

  Typing manager

  8,400–10,100

  Typist

  4,964–6,363

  Note: These figures do not include London weighting.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General when he anticipates that the establishment numbers will be complete in the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  It is difficult to estimate when the establishment figures within the Crown Prosecution Service will be complete until the full impact has been felt of the proposed new pay scales for lawyers. In addition to this offer, the service is considering a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging recruitment and retention of staff.

TRANSPORT

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce the use of rural and urban speed limits.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  None. The Department has given guidance on criteria for speed limits to all highway authorities through circulars roads 1/80 and 4/83. The guidance is advisory but is widely respected and followed. The aim is to achieve realistic speed limits which give a satisfactory balance between safety and the need for fast convenient travel.

  Child Care
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what child care provision his Department
  508

  Grade

  Proposed rate (minimum and maximum) at 1 April 1988

  Performance point maximum1 after 1 October 19882

  6

  22,226–28,154

  32,784

  5

  27,087–30,387

  35,371

  1 Subjct to performance assessment.

  2 After 1 April 1988 in the case of Crown prosecutors.

  3 These figures do not include London weighting.

  provides for pre-school age children of the Department's employees; what child care provision, for school holiday and/or after school care, is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea runs an annual summer holiday play scheme for children of school age. An experimental child care acheme was held at the Cardington residential training centre for two weeks in August 1987. The Department is considering what scope there is for further provision without continuing subsidy.

  Bus Services (London)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to deregulate bus services in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It remains our intention to extend bus deregulation to London in the early 1990s.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority in England the percentage of each authority's bid for transport supplementary grant that is attributable to minor works for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is given in the following table.

  Percentage of total bid for Transport Supplementary Grant attributable to minor works

  Authority

  1987–88 percentage

  1988–89 percentage

  London boroughs

  City of London

  100·0

  100·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  6·8

  13·2

  Barnet

  100·0

  100·0

  Bexley

  45·1

  27·5

  Brent

  80·3

  55·9

  Bromley

  61·8

  15·8

  Camden

  100·0

  100·0

  509

  Authority

  1987–88 percentage

  1988–89 percentage

  Croydon

  100·0

  97·5

  Ealing

  26·3

  29·6

  Enfield

  1·5

  0·9

  Greenwich

  16·1

  16·7

  Hackney

  100·0

  100·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  100·0

  100·0

  Haringey

  0·0

  3·8

  Harrow

  17·5

  8·8

  Havering

  0·0

  1·4

  Hillingdon

  16·6

  23·1

  Hounslow

  48·2

  23·0

  Islington

  100·0

  47·4

  Kensington and Chelsea

  39·5

  20·7

  Kingston upon Thames

  14·8

  15·1

  Lambeth

  100·0

  100·0

  Lewisham

  81·7

  47·1

  Merton

  3·8

  7·0

  Newham

  53·9

  41·1

  Redbridge

  33·7

  78·1

  Richmond upon Thames

  100·0

  100·0

  Southwark

  30·5

  23·3

  Sutton

  13·4

  20·9

  Tower Hamlets

  97·4

  89·0

  Waltham Forest

  9·7

  64·1

  Wandsworth

  36·9

  81·2

  Westminster

  20·5

  8·7

  Metropolitan districts

  Bolton

  2·4

  7·4

  Bury

  71·7

  315

  Manchester

  43·9

  38·2

  Oldham

  100·0

  41·9

  Rochdale

  100·0

  100·0

  Salford

  12·6

  8·5

  Stockport

  84·1

  84·0

  Tameside

  88·8

  62·4

  Trafford

  9·4

  40·7

  Wigan

  8·9

  14·9

  Knowsley

  86·6

  88·3

  Liverpool

  32·7

  48·4

  St· Helens

  83·6

  21·1

  Sefton

  62·1

  23·8

  Wirral

  59·8

  10·7

  Barnsley

  47·8

  55·5

  Doncaster

  54·6

  43·0

  Rotherham

  95·8

  100·0

  Sheffield

  53·1

  42·3

  Gateshead

  64·5

  16·8

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  33·9

  16·7

  North Tyneside

  94·4

  96·0

  South Tyneside

  49·1

  54·3

  Sunderland

  58·3

  53·1

  Birmingham

  19·5

  31·0

  Conventry

  11·3

  14·1

  Dudley

  51·8

  54·0

  Sandwell

  41·8

  17·9

  Solihull

  42·0

  37·6

  Walsall

  27·6

  15·0

  Wolverhampton

  20·1

  14·9

  Bradford

  18·0

  25·4

  Calderdale

  100·0

  100·0

  Kirklees

  42·6

  29·8

  Leeds

  83·4

  41·4

  Wakefield

  93·6

  91·0

  Shire Counties

  Avon

  35·7

  15·8

  Bedfordshire

  3·4

  6·1

  Berkshire

  11·2

  10·9

  Buckinghamshire

  0·8

  4·1

  Cambridgeshire

  7·4

  1·9

  Cheshire

  16·7

  16·0

  Cleveland

  25·5

  11·0

  Cornwall

  20·6

  17·1

  Cumbria

  80·8

  30·1

  Derbyshire

  41·0

  41·0

  510

  Authority

  1987–88 percentage

  1988–89 percentage

  Devon

  17·3

  16·2

  Dorset

  14·4

  16·7

  Durham

  27·3

  45·7

  East Sussex

  47·8

  23·8

  Essex

  7·5

  5·8

  Gloucestershire

  17·0

  24·6

  Hampshire

  9·3

  13·0

  Hereford & Worcester

  16·0

  35·4

  Hertfordshire

  3·8

  6·7

  Humberside

  29·5

  9·7

  Isle of Wight

  75·8

  87·0

  Kent

  14·6

  18·2

  Lancashire

  8·9

  8·9

  Leicestershire

  21·0

  13·3

  Lincolnshire

  19·1

  58·9

  Norfolk

  28·6

  22·5

  Northamptonshire

  21·6

  12·5

  Northumberland

  12·8

  61·1

  North Yorkshire

  18·1

  23·5

  Nottinghamshire

  34·4

  29·1

  Oxfordshire

  14·6

  8·7

  Shropshire

  8·7

  30·4

  Somerset

  23·5

  8·8

  Staffordshire

  25·6

  38·7

  Suffolk

  15·0

  13·5

  Surrey

  12·5

  13·7

  Warwickshire

  27·7

  34·0

  West Sussex

  9·3

  8·9

  Wiltshire

  17·3

  42·7

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority in England the percentage of each authority's bid for transport supplementary grant and its transport supplementary grant allocation attributable to roads on the primary route network, for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is given in the following table for major schemes (each costing over £1 million). Equivalent data including minor works could be prepared only at disproportionate cost.

  (1) and (3) Percentage of bid for major schemes (costing over £1 million) which is attributable to roads on primary route network (including designated roads in London) for respective years.

  (2) and (4) Percentage of expenditure accepted for transport supplementary grant for major schemes (costing over £1 million) which is attributable to roads on primary route network (including designated roads in London) for respective years.

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Authority

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  London boroughs

  City of London

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  0·2

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Barnet

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Bexley

  30·2

  0·0

  40·3

  46·3

  Brent

  95·5

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Bromley

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Camden

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Croydon

  0·0

  0·0

  100·0

  0·0

  Ealing

  80·6

  100·0

  90·3

  100·0

  Enfield

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Greenwich

  94·9

  100·0

  95·0

  100·0

  Hackney

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Haringey

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Harrow

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Havering

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Hillingdon

  0·0

  0·0

  5·1

  0·0

  Hounslow

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  511

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Authority

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  Islington

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Kingston upon Thames

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Lambeth

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Lewisham

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Merton

  11·2

  26·7

  17·9

  26·7

  Newham

  59·2

  59·2

  56·8

  56·8

  Redbridge

  0·0

  0·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Southwark

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Sutton

  48·9

  100·0

  57·9

  100·0

  Tower Hamlets

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Waltham Forest

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Wandsworth

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Westminster

  19·9

  100·0

  68·9

  100·0

  Metropolitan Districts

  Bolton

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Bury

  30·0

  100·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Manchester

  89·4

  84·3

  100·0

  100·0

  Oldham

  0·0

  0·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Rochdale

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Salford

  100·0

  100·0

  99·8

  100·0

  Stockport

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Tameside

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Trafford

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Wigan

  59·6

  59·6

  23·6

  23·6

  Knowsley

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Liverpool

  98·8

  98·6

  100·0

  100·0

  St· Helens

  100·0

  0·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Sefton

  45·5

  0·0

  21·0

  0·0

  Wirral

  6·3

  0·0

  6·6

  2·7

  Barnsley

  100·0

  100·0

  92·6

  91·5

  Doncaster

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Rotherham

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Sheffield

  41·1

  41·1

  13·2

  6·2

  Gateshead

  0·0

  0·0

  34·2

  30·6

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  24·2

  29·4

  25·2

  38·3

  North Tyneside

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  South Tyneside

  55·4

  55·4

  32·1

  90·0

  Sunderland

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Birmingham

  98·7

  100·0

  94·6

  100·0

  Coventry

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Dudley

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Sandwell

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Solihull

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Walsall

  100·0

  100·0

  99·6

  100·0

  Wolverhampton

  91·0

  89·2

  100·0

  100·0

  Bradford

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Calderdale

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Kirkless

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Leeds

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Wakefield

  100·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Shire Counties

  Avon

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Bedfordshire

  14·7

  13·1

  5·6

  0·0

  Berkshire

  0·0

  0·0

  18·6

  21·6

  Buckinghamshire

  78·0

  77·4

  58·3

  28·0

  Cambridgeshire

  97·7

  97·6

  55·6

  83·7

  Cheshire

  82·4

  76·2

  98·2

  97·7

  Cleveland

  84·0

  100·0

  83·8

  82·7

  Cornwall

  87·9

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Cumbria

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Derbyshire

  415

  41·5

  87·2

  87·2

  Devon

  37·4

  27·1

  48·4

  45·9

  Dorset

  94·3

  98·9

  69·6

  91·9

  Durham

  82·5

  80·9

  79·2

  80·6

  East Sussex

  88·0

  100·0

  66·2

  71·1

  Essex

  91·4

  99·4

  84·5

  84·2

  Gloucestershire

  39·7

  53·2

  20·4

  42·5

  Hampshire

  37·8

  41·0

  10·8

  12·5

  Hereford & Worcester

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Hertfordshire

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Humberside

  90·2

  98·7

  47·1

  51·9

  Isle of Wight

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  512

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Authority

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  Kent

  30·2

  19·0

  58·8

  61·3

  Lancashire

  76·2

  91·6

  53·9

  80·0

  Leicestershire

  59·6

  53·3

  74·1

  74·1

  Lincolnshire

  98·1

  100·0

  97·4

  100·0

  Norfolk

  97·5

  100·0

  60·2

  100·0

  Northamptonshire

  99·4

  100·0

  99·7

  100·0

  Northumberland

  58·4

  48·4

  27·9

  0·0

  North Yorkshire

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Nottinghamshire

  82·9

  91·9

  85·5

  99·3

  Oxfordshire

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Shropshire

  88·5

  88·2

  100·0

  100·0

  Somerset

  67·7

  68·1

  91·1

  90·2

  Staffordshire

  61·4

  54·0

  56·9

  67·9

  Suffolk

  38·7

  96·7

  70·1

  67·1

  Surrey

  13·9

  3·2

  16·5

  19·3

  Warwickshire

  46·8

  59·0

  41·9

  41·9

  West Sussex

  97·1

  100·0

  95·5

  100·0

  Wiltshire

  63·2

  72·2

  75·2

  100·0

  Fares
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any information about the likely change in the number of(a) bus, (b) coach and (c) rail passengers carried as fare levels change; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Department does not itself publish general data on the effects of fare changes on public transport passenger levels. This information is available from various sources such as London Regional Transport and some passenger transport executives. Also, fom time to time, university research departments publish studies and the Department's Transport and Road Research Laboratory issued a wide ranging collection of evidence in 1980. However, where the Department is involved in individual investment decisions an examination is undertaken of the elasticities involved, in particular the interaction between public transport fares and road traffic congestion levels.

  London City Airport
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what application has been made to him by the Civil Aviation Authority to permit experimental flights of jet aircraft to or from London City airport; what response has been made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has received no application and does not expect one. Permission for such flights is not within his jurisdiction.

  Airline Competition Policy
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the status of the 1984 White Paper on airline competition policy following the British Airways takeover of B-Cal; and if he has any plans to publish a new statement of policy.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government's objectives remain as set out in the 1984 airline competition policy White Paper:

  —to encourage a sound and competitive multi-airline industry;

  —to promote competition in all markets.

  — to ensure adequate safeguards against anticompetitive behaviour by airlines.

  513
  The Civil Aviation Authority is considering the responses to its consultation on its revised statement of air transport licensing policies, which takes account of recent developments including the BA/B.CAL merger. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to publish a further statement.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Overloading)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has plans to review the adequacy of the current level of penalties to deter heavy goods vehicle operators from overloading, in relation to the profitable nature of the offence.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The level of fines imposed by the magistrates courts for overloading offences usually falls far short of the maximum provided by statute.

  Seriously overloaded vehicles are prohibited from proceeding until they have been unloaded. This provides a deterrent.

  In the case of habitual offenders the traffic commissioners can revoke or curtail an operator's licence. On 150 occasions last year overloading was one of the grounds for such action.

  During 1988–89 the Department's traffic examiners plan to weigh nearly 100,000 goods vehicles, an increase of 35 per cent. compared with 1987–88.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training Commission Projects (Grants)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply of 27 January,Official Report, column 302, if he will list the projects covered in each region by the Manpower Services Commission's local grants to employers programme, distinguishing between training and consultancy grants.

  Mr. Cope
  This information is not available. Information about projects to support individual employers is confidential for commercial reasons.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the number of employers against whom legal action has been taken over the last five years in connection with the quota scheme of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

  Mr. Lee
  There have been no prosecutions under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 in the last five years. The last prosecution was in 1975.

  Lime Spraying
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information his Department has about the health and safety requirements for the spraying of lime and other potentially dangerous substances in residential areas.

  Mr. Nicholls
  When the spraying of lime and other potentially dangerous substances in residential areas is carried out as part of a work activity it is subject to the general requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and, in the case of pesticides, the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the current unemployment and unfilled vacancies figures on his Department's register for the travel-to-work areas of Ashford, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone, respectively.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unfilled vacancies (excluding community programme vacancies) at job-centres covering areas closely corresponding to the Ashford, Canterbury, Dover and Deal and Folkestone travel-to-work areas on 4 March 1988, together with the total number of unemployed claimants in each travel-to-work area on 10 March 1988.

  Travel-to-work area

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  Ashford

  727

  2,328

  Canterbury

  914

  3,873

  Dover and Deal

  590

  3,551

  Folkestone

  529

  3,625

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Cells (Escaped Prisoners)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners remanded to police cells escaped between 1 January and 31 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The police inform me that the information available, which may not be complete, records that 15 such prisoners escaped during that period.

  Television Programmes (Content)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation and independent television companies about the family viewing content of television programmes broadcast before 9 pm

  Mr. Renton
  We have discussions with the broadcasting authorities from time to time on a wide range of issues, including their responsibility for programme standards. In this context, my right hon. Friend met the chairmen of the BBC and IBA on 29 September 1987 in order to discuss the portrayal of violence and sex on television. The broadcasting authorities have issued guidance on these matters, including advice on the timing of programmes and the care which needs to be taken when children and young persons are likely to be viewing.

  Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to monitor the change in the incidence of residential burglaries in areas where neighbourhood watch schemes have been established; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Where police forces have been able to isolate crime figures to areas covered by individual schemes the results have indicated that well-run schemes can reduce the level of local crime including residential burglary. For
  515
  example, neighbourhood watch schemes were established in the five towns project area in north Tyneside. By the end of the first 18 months of the project, residential burglary was down by 23 per cent. and crime overall was reduced by 18 per cent. Given that there are now over 50,000 schemes in England and Wales, it would not be practical for the Home Office to collect such results centrally, but we are considering proposals for a study in one police force area of the effectiveness of neighbourhood watch schemes in preventing crime.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the spread and achievements of the neighbourhood watch movement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are now more than 50,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales, almost double the figure 12 months ago. With so many schemes there is inevitably a variation in their size, scope and in the commitment of their members and, like all voluntary activity, some schemes are more effective than others. There are, however, many examples of schemes where crime has been reduced in neighbourhood watch areas coupled with an equally important enhancement, or revival of community spirit.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make solvent abuse a criminal offence.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. We share the view of most professionals in this field that to criminalise solvent misuse would be counter-productive and likely to deter misusers from seeking the help they need.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The ministerial group on the misuse of drugs, which I chair, continues to develop the Government's strategy to reduce both the supply of and demand for illicit drugs. Recent measures include improved international co-operation, strengthened enforcement by Customs and police, and increased prevention measures in the health and education fields.

  Drug Trafficking
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the steps being taken by the Government to strengthen the capability of the police to combat drug trafficking.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Police resources for drugs enforcement have been substantially increased in recent years. All police forces now have drugs squads employing in total more than 850 police officers. Seventeen dedicated drugs wings have recently been added to regional crime squads with 221 additional police officers to man them. The national drugs intelligence unit has been strengthened and further expansion is planned for this financial year. The Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 provides the police with vital new investigative powers which are now being used to good effect.
  516
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to combat drug trafficking.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) and to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) on 17 March 1988 at column 656.

  Terrorists (TV and Radio Interviews)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation prohibiting television or radio interviews with members of terrorist organisations along the lines of the example set by the Government of the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have no plans at present to introduce legislation prohibiting television or radio interviews with members of terrorist organisations.

  Fraud
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review the law on fraud; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Several aspects of the law on fraud are currently being reviewed by the Law Commission, and we shall give careful consideration to its recommendations.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government action to improve the investigation and prosecution of fraud cases.

  Mr. John Patten
  Many of the reforms which the Roskill committee proposed have been enacted in the Criminal Justice Act 1987. They include creation of the serious fraud office, equipped with extensive investigatory powers and an expert staff, which became operational earlier this month; and changes in court procedure for complex fraud cases which we hope to bring into effect later this year.

  In the Criminal Justice Bill we are proposing further measures, including changes to the law of evidence, which will help to bring fraudsters to justice.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has received to the new crime prevention advertising campaign.

  Mr. Renton
  The first phase of this three-year advertising campaign is only now drawing to a close and it is too early to draw conclusions about its effectiveness. We shall be better able to do this when we have the results of the market research we have commissioned. However, we have already received 176,000 requests for the crime prevention handbook featured in the advertising and 450,000 copies are being issued in response. The handbook is being reprinted.

  Crime Detection
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on steps being taken to increase the crime detection rate.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1987, the overall clear-up rate rose from 32 per cent. to 33 per cent. Operational decisions about the investigation of crime are a matter for chief officers. They are adopting a range of strategies, including crime screening and administrative support units, to help target resources more effectively. The Home Office is supporting work to improve the quality of the scientific and technological support available to the police. But in seeking to prevent and detect crime the police also need the help of the whole community. The Government's new crime prevention advertising campaign is aimed at encouraging individuals and groups to involve themselves in this task. Better prevention of crime will allow the police to concentrate resources on the detection of more serious offences.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what subjects he discussed at his last meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend and I last met representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers on 24 March. The Metropolitan police were also represented. We discussed the problems caused by the need to accommodate prisoners in police cells.

  Leicestershire Police Authority
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the request from the Leicestershire police authority for a higher police establishment; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Police Authority has been informed that its application will be considered in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary along with applications from other authorities for increases in establishment in 1988–89.

  Judith Ward (Trial Evidence)
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the review of the written evidence of Dr. Frank Skuse at the trial of Judith Ward, carried out by the director of the Chorley forensic science laboratory.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the review by the director of the Chorley forensic science laboratory of the evidence of Dr. Frank Skuse at the trial of Judith Ward.

  Mr. John Patten
  A review of Dr. Skuse's written evidence at the trial of Judith Ward was carried out by the then director, Chorley forensic science laboratory, in 1985, as part of a review of Dr. Skuse's evidence in some 350 cases, dating hack to 1966. The director concluded that there were no grounds for suspecting that Dr. Skuse's work in any of these cases had led to any miscarriage of justice.
  518
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what scientific tests were carried out by Dr. Frank Skuse to determine the presence of explosives on the person of Judith Ward.

  Mr. John Patten
  Dr. Skuse carried out the following tests to determine the presence of explosives on the person of Judith Ward:

  The Gricss Test

  Mass spectrometry

  Thin layer chromatography (TLC)

  Tests for ammonium and nitrate ions.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the review of the evidence of Dr. Frank Skuse at the trial of Judith Ward carried out by the director of the Chorley forensic science laboratory included Dr. Skuse's oral evidence.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. Mr. Walker, the then director of the laboratory, examined the written material which was available at the laboratory, which included Dr. Skuse's written statement. In any case, I understand that no transcript of Dr. Skuse's oral evidence is available; as none appears to have been produced.

  Broadcasting (Restrictive Practices)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the hoard of governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation to discuss restrictive practices in broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend has meetings with the chairman of the board of governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation from time to time at which various issues are discussed. No meeting is planned specifically to discuss restrictive practices in broadcasting.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced on 28 March that questions as to possible restrictive practices in television broadcasting and film production were being referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to improve the communications network between the emergency regional government centres in the event of a nuclear attack.

  Mr. John Patten
  The emergency communications network, which includes links between regional Government headquarters in wartime, is being extended and improved. Particular attention is being paid to the potential effects of the nuclear electromagnetic pulse.

  Visas
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take in relation to the system of visas, so as to stop the exploitation and abuses of immigrant workers by some employers.

  Mr. Renton
  Immigration control measures can have only a limited effect on employment abuses in this country. If, however, the hon. Member has particular instances or proposals in mind, perhaps he would write to me with the details.

  Knives (Criminal Offences)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in implementing his proposals to combat the increase of offences involving the use of knives.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have added to the Criminal Justice Bill a new provision making it an offence to be in possession of a bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place without good reason, with the onus on the carrier to show that he has such a reason. This represents a considerable strengthening of the law and will make it easier for the police to deal with people they find carrying knives. The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in the summer.

  Remand Accommodation (Privatisation)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consideration he has given to employing the private sector to relieve overcrowding in the remand sector.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement on prisons which my right hon. Friend made to the House on 30 March at columns 1083–85. He announced then our intentions, as part of the measures we are taking to deal with the current and projected growth in the population, to invite the private sector to make proposals for the faster provision of urban remand facilities and open prisons, to publish a Green Paper and set up a consultancy on the scope for involving the private sector in all aspects of the remand system, and to examine the possibility of the private sector providing and managing secure bail hostels.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of crimes involving the use of firearms in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable total 10 and 20 years previously.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" copies of which are available in the Library. Table 3.1 in the issue for 1986 (Cm. 233) gives figures for 1976 to 1986 inclusive. Comparable figures are not available before 1969, and figures for 1987 are not available yet.

  Auto Crime
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crime in 1987 was accounted for by the theft of, or from, vehicles; and what measures he is taking to reduce auto crime.

  Mr. John Patten
  In 1987, offences of theft of, and from, motor vehicles accounted for 26·9 per cent. of the total number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales.

  Last November, the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention set up a working group to consider the prevention of car crime. Rover Group, which is represented on the working group, has offered to produce
  520
  a thief-proof concept car, incorporating a range of the latest technology in car security, for display at this year's standing conference in December.

  Three parts of a British Standard on vehicle security (mechanical locking systems, security of in-car entertainment equipment, and window etching) have been published and further parts are due to be published shortly. We are seeking to have the British Standard adopted as a European Community directive.

  Our new crime prevention publicity campaign, launched last month, includes information on car crime and the scope for preventing it.

  Birmingham Pub Bombing
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the police officers who gave evidence at the original Birmingham pub bombing trial have since been imprisoned for criminal offences; and for what offences.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the police officers who gave evidence against the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings have subsequently been convicted of assaulting suspects with a view to obtaining a confession.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Of the 57 officers who gave written or oral evidence at the trial, none is currently suspended from duty. One, a police constable at the time involved in escort duties, but not in interviewing suspects, and who gave oral evidence, was subsequently, as a sergeant, convicted at Birmingham Crown court on 1 November 1983 of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The victim was a suspect arrested on suspicion of theft. The officer was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, six months of which were suspended. He was dismissed from the force.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department. pursuant to his answer of 17 March,Official Report, column 1212, before which police force he proposes that those hon. Members with evidence of alleged collusion between the two principal Crown witnesses. Dr. Frank Skuse and Superintendent George Reade, at the recent Appeal Court hearing of the Birmingham pub bombings case, should lay such evidence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The responsibility for investigating alleged offences rests with the police force in whose area the offence occurred. It will be for that force to seek assistance from any other force as necessary. In the case to which the hon. Member refers I understand the alleged offence may have occurred in the City of London.

  Rape
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further actions he proposes to seek to reduce the incidence of the crime of rape; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 13 April at column 145.

  Police Cells (Remanded Persons)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women were being held on remand in police cells on Monday 18 April.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On Monday 18 April 1,161 male prisoners, most of whom would have been on remand, were held in police cells in England and Wales; no women were being held.

  Fines (Non-payment)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of non-payment of fines were before the courts in 1987 and 1980.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is not recorded centrally.

  Pensioners (TV Licences)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce legislation providing free television licences for all pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no plans to do so.

  Football Matches (Policing Costs)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to provide information on those policing costs of football matches which are not recouped from the clubs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is for chief officers of police to decide, in the light of local circumstances, how many police officers should be deployed outside the ground at football matches. Information on the costs of providing this service could not be collected centrally without disproportionate cost.

  Immigration (Correspondence)
  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on what recent steps he has taken to reduce delays in dealing with immigration and nationality department correspondence.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to reduce the amount of time his Department takes to answer letters from right hon. and hon. Members and to reduce the delays at Lunar House.

  Mr. Renton
  With regard to the delay at Lunar house, I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) on 19 April at column 410.

  West Midlands (Chief Constable)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of the west midlands; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited the West Midlands police on 11 December 1987, and my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of 522
  State visited the force on 25 February. On each occasion a number of policing matters were discussed with the chief constable.

  14-year-old Boys (Custody)
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criminal justice policy objectives are secured by keeping 14-year-old boys in penal custody; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The courts must have the powers they need to deal suitably with offenders. It is desirable to use non-custodial disposals for offenders under 17 whenever possible. However, some juveniles, including a number of 14-year-old boys, commit serious offences for which in the last resort, only a custodial sentence is an adequate punishment.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received since April 1986 favouring a liberalisation of Sunday trading; what evidence he has concerning the inconsistent enforcement of the existing law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Between 15 April 1986 and 12 April 1988 we received 512 written representations, broadly in favour of liberalisation. We have some evidence on the pattern of enforcement in the country, but it is incomplete. I understand, however, that my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has asked the Association of District Councils to obtain an authoritative picture of the enforcement effort undertaken by local authorities.

  Dog Fights
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what priority he accords, in his overall policy towards law and order, to the elimination of illegal dog fights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government share the public abhorrence of the barbaric practice of dog fighting. We therefore supported the Protection of Animals (Penalties) Act 1987 increasing the maximum penalties available for these and other offences against animals, and are supporting the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Bill to increase substantially the maximum penalties for attendance at animal fights or baiting.

  Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend last met the Commissioner, together with representatives of the London local authority associations, on Tuesday 19 April when they discussed his strategy for 1988.

  Amusement Arcades
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details

  523
  of the byelaws which have been made by local planning authorities under the Public Health Act 1961 in respect of amusement arcades; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  To date, only Westminster city council has made byelaws specifically to regulate amusement arcades. These were confirmed on 24 August 1987. We will shortly be consulting the local authority associations and the amusements industry on a scheme of model byelaws which it is proposed to issue for adoption by other district and borough councils.

  Passports
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what complaints his Department has received concerning the telephones at the passport office in(a) London and (b) Peterborough being constantly engaged; what steps are being taken to provide more telephone lines and staff in order to reduce waiting times for renewal of passports; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the average length of time now occurring between a United Kingdom passport being received in (a) the London office and (b) Peterborough and its being renewed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Correctly completed, non-urgent passport applications of all types are being dealt with within 54 working days at the London passport office and within 28 days at Peterborough. Urgent applications are given priority.

  The difficulty of contacting passport offices by telephone is a frequent source of complaint. New telephone systems, with additional exchange lines for incoming calls, were installed at both London and Peterborough during 1987, and use is made at both offices of recorded message facilities to enable more calls to be handled. However, the number of calls received far exceeds the capacity of the systems and the provision of additional telephone lines alone would not solve the problem. Efforts are therefore being directed towards reducing the present delays in handling postal applications. I announced on 31 March in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) at column 679, a number of special measures to help achieve this, including the recruitment of additional staff. Over 30 additional casual staff have since been recruited at the London office. At Peterborough, where space is limited, an additional 10 staff are being recruited.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. and Mrs. David Guyatt of 134, Shoebury Road, Thorpe Bay, Essex, who submitted a passport application, ref. 2/0402/03, on 3 February, have not yet received their passports despite a number of letters and inquiries about the urgency of the case for business purposes; and if he will take steps to ensure that they now receive their passports.

  Mr. Renton
  The passports were posted on 19 April.

  Inmate A

  Inmate B

  Inmate C

  February

  March

  February

  March

  February

  March

  After legal visits

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  After other visits

  —

  2

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement giving his Department's definition and a full explanation of the phrase "class of firearm" as used in his Department's various letters and circulars concerning the administration of the Firearms Act 1968.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department has regard to the ordinary use of the words to which the hon. Member refers and to the relevant provisions of the Firearms Act.

  Risley Detention Centre
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners are at present held on remand at Risley detention centre; to how many strip searches they have been subjected in February and March, giving the number of persons involved, the number of times each person was searched and if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while a search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings:(a) making a remand appearance at court, (b) attending a trial, (c) inter-prison visit and (d) other reasons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 19 April, there were seven inmates on remand at Risley remand centre who had been placed in category A. Comprehensive records of strip searches are available only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there was one in Risley on the date in question. This prisoner was strip-searched on 14 occasions in February and on four occasions in March in connection with her appearances at remand hearings; and on five occasions in February and on three occasions in March following visits. No unauthorised article was discovered on any of these occasions. On no occasion did the prisoner refuse to be strip-searched.

  Durham Prison
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A women prisoners there were in Her Majesty's prison, Durham, in February and March, respectively; and how many strip searches were made on these prisoners in that month, indicating strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, after visits and after cell changes, wing searches and cell searches, and listing reasons why the searches were carried out and any illegal contraband or smuggled items found.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During February and March, there were three category A women prisoners in Durham prison. The number of occasions on which each was strip searched during each month is shown in the table:
  525

  Inmate A

  Inmate B

  Inmate C

  February

  March

  February

  March

  February

  March

  At the time of cell change wing and cell searches

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Other

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  No unauthorised article was found on any of the three women. I set out the reasons for such searches in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 15 January at column 446.

  David Garton
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what correspondence he has received from Burton Copeland, solicitors on behalf of David Garton, a remand prisoner at Strangeways prison, Manchester; when the letters were received and when replies were sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have received five letters from Messrs. Burton Copeland dated respectively 15 and 28 January, 4 and 18 February and 17 March. All were delivered within a few days of posting. They were all acknowledged on receipt, and a substantive reply was sent on 20 April. I very much regret they were not answered sooner.

PRIME MINISTER

  EC (Surplus Food and Wine)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the current level of expenditure on disposing of surplus food and wine stocks; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  Good progress is being made on translating into legal texts the agreements reached at the last European Council for bringing budget discipline into the agricultural sector.

  NATO
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen), 4 March,Official Report, column 1286, if she will indicate what role conventional weapons play in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and United Kingdom defences.

  The Prime Minister
  NATO has to be able to respond to a threat at any level and strong conventional forces are an essential part of its ability to do so.

  Royal Family (Security)
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the steps taken to ensure that adequate security arrangements are made for the safety of members of the Royal Family when they are passing through the middle east by air or landing for refuelling; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I am satisfied that the greatest care is taken to ensure the safety of members of the Royal Family on all overseas visits.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer on Cyprus by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 18 April,Official Report, column 298, if she will give examples of the good will gestures by all the parties which she put to the Prime Minister of Turkey.

  The Prime Minister
  My discussions with the Turkish Prime Minister were of course confidential. But the right hon. Gentleman will be aware from his recent contacts with the leaders of both sides in Cyprus of the sorts of gestures which will meet each side's concerns about security and other matters.

  Engagements
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 April.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 April.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 April.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Doctors and Dentists (Pay)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the latest report by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

  The Prime Minister
  [pursuant to her reply, 9 February 1988, c. 135]: I am now in a position to make a statement on the latest reports of the pay review bodies. The 1988 reports of the review bodies on the pay of Nursing Staff, Midwives and Health Visitors, and Professions Allied to Medicine, the Doctors and Dentists, and the Armed Forces, and of the Top Salaries Review Body, have been published today. Copies are now available in the Vote Office. The Government are grateful to members of the review bodies for these reports and the time and care which they have put into their preparation.

  The following table shows the increases in pay rates recommended by the review bodies, and their cost:

  Review Body Reports

  Average increase per cent.

  Range of increase per cent.

  Cost 1 £million

  Nurses, midwives and health visitors

  15·3

  24·2 to 33·6

  803

  Professions allied to medicine

  8·8

  7·6 to 9·5

  45

  Doctors and dentists

  7·9

  37·3 to 8·1

  318

  Armed Forces

  6·4

  2·5 to 7·3

  232

  Top Salaries

  527

  Review Body Reports

  Average increase per cent.

  Range of increase per cent.

  Cost 1 million

  Senior civil servants and senior officers of the armed forces

  5·4

  5·2 to 5·5

  Judiciary

  7·4

  45·3 to 11·9

  5·5

  The increases recommended for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors include implementation in the autumn of a radical new grading structure to provide more attractive career prospects and proper recognition of qualifications, skills and responsibilities for staff directly involved in patient care. The review body's recommendations are on the basis that there should be an immediate interim payment of 4 per cent. from 1 April 1988 and that once the new structure has been introduced, consequential pay increases would be backdated to 1 April 1988.

  The Government have decided to accept in full the review body's recommendations on nursing staff, midwives and health visitors. They have also decided that the increases recommended by the review bodies on the pay of Professions Allied to Medicine, Doctors and Dentists and the Armed Forces should be paid in full from 1 April 1988. The recommendations of the Top Salaries Review Body will be implemented as to 4 per cent. from 1 April 1988, with the balance from 1 October 1988.

  The full cost of the awards for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body and Top Salaries Review Body groups will be met from within existing public expenditure programme totals for this year. In the case of the health service groups the Government have decided that the cost in excess of the allocation already made for this year should be met from the Reserve. They will provide an extra £749 million from the Reserve within the planned total of public expenditure for this year, of which £683 million will be added to health authority cash limits. The remaining £66 million is for the family practitioner services. Together with the increases in allocation already announced, the increase in provision for the National Health Service in 1988–89 over 1987–88 will therefore be £1,852 million.

  The pay rates and scales resulting from the decisions will be promulgated as soon as possible for all the groups concerned. Pensions will be based on the salaries actually in payment in accordance with the principle set out in my written answer of 13 April 1984, at column 383.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Government Revenue
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Government revenue in 1985–86 and 1986–87 was raised from individuals or companies resident in tax districts in the north of England.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Income Tax and National Insurance
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show for 1988–89 those ranges of earnings within which the burden of income tax plus national insurance is less than in 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 12 April 1988]: The percentage of income taken in income tax and national insurance contributions is lower in 1988–89 than in 1978–79 at all levels of earnings except those shown in the table. Average earnings are those for men in all occupations who work a full week and whose pay is unaffected by absence (estimated at £92·80 per week in 1978–79 and £244·70 per week in 1988–89).

  Earnings where average rates of tax and national insurance contributions are higher in 1988–89 than in 1978–79 Percentages of average earnings

  Married man wife not earning—17 to 19 and 29 to 67.

  Single person—17 to 19, 29 to 38 and 43 to 52.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the amount of inheritance tax paid by tax units on marginal rates of income tax of(a) 60 per cent., (b) 55 per cent., (c) 50 per cent. and (d) 45 per cent. in 1987–88 and the projected amount of inheritance tax receipts for each of these categories in 1988–89 together with the amounts forgone as a result of the 1988–89 budget changes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: I regret that this information is not available.

  Political Parties
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each year since 1979 the
  number of transfers to political parties made on or within one year of death where the sum involved was(a) between £50,000 and £100,000 and (b) in excess of £100,000.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: Details of transfers to political parties are not separately recorded, so it is not possible to give for any year the number of such transfers or the amounts involved.

ENERGY

  Eastcroft District Heating Scheme, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the reply of 12 April, what his Department has done in the past to encourage the Eastcroft district heating scheme in Nottingham.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Eastcroft scheme has been in operation for some 15 years and is well-established. In 1986 my Department was informed of problems faced by
  529
  tenants served by the scheme and was asked to support an investigation. Such a study would have added little to the existing knowledge of CHP in general. However, the operators were advised that grant aid might be available, under the energy efficiency survey scheme, towards certain of the costs involved. Nottingham city council has now applied for a grant under this scheme and its application is being considered.

  Bradwell Nuclear Power Station
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, in the light of the findings of the nuclear installations inspectorate's long-term safety of the Bradwell nuclear power station, and of the design similarities with the Berkeley No. 1 reactor, he will direct the Central Electricity Generating Board not to recommence operation of that reactor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Health and Safety Executive published its report on the findings of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate's assessment of the CEGB's long-term safety review on Berkeley nuclear power station on 13 April 1988. The safety case for continued operation of the Berkeley reactors was assessed on its own merits and in the knowledge of the findings on Bradwell. The report generally confirms the adequacy of the existing safety case and raises no specific concern such that reactor operations cannot continue at present.

  British Gas
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost to(a) the Government and (b) British Gas of having to buy hack shares where a final instalment is not paid.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The cost of making repayments to investors in cases where the instalment is not paid will be met out of proceeds from reselling the shares in question on the market. There will therefore be no net cost to either British Gas or the Government.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many shareholders are there in British Gas(a) who have paid the final instalment and (b) who have not paid the final instalment.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  On Sunday 17 April, some three quarters of the 2·85 million payments had been received. Considerable numbers have been coming in since.

WALES

  Road Signs
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the total public expenditure on road signs on trunk roads and motorways in Wales in each year since 1966 at outturn and 1986–87 prices.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This information is not available. Expenditure is incurred either as part of individual road scheme costs or as part of maintenance costs.

  Pedestrian Bridge (Sandbank Road, Towyn Level Crossing)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet urgently the chairman of British Rail to 530
  discuss the reasons for the delay in installing the pedestrian bridge at the Sandbank road, Towyn level crossing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  No. This is a matter for British Rail.

  Rural Schools
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further steps he proposes to take to encourage small rural schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I continue to be concerned that we should maintain and improve the quality of education in rural areas of Wales. The Government have given specific help, through education support grant, to improve the quality and range of curriculum provided in rural schools. The measures included in the Education Reform Bill are intended to improve the quality of education in all schools, including small rural ones, and my right hon. Friend will be monitoring the effects of its implementation. It is for local education authorities to determine in the context of falling school rolls how to preserve and enhance the quality of education in rural areas. My right hon. Friend has consulted the Welsh Joint Education Committee and the Welsh Counties Committee about a draft circular on "Educational Quality in Wales" which covers these matters among others; he is now considering their comments.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the Welsh working group for the national curriculum.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I am pleased to announce that the professor of Welsh at the University college of North Wales, Professor Gwyn Thomas, has accepted the chairmanship of the group. Full membership will be announced shortly. A copy of the group's terms of reference has been placed in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  South Africa
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what international obligations and undertakings restrict Her Majesty's Government's policy on promoting the export of computer technology to South African companies and institutions; and what information he has on comparable limitations accepted by other European Economic Community member states and the United States of America.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In line with our EC and Commonwealth partners, the United Kingdom does not permit exports of computer equipment and other sensitive equipment to South African military, police or security forces; but, in accordance with our undertakings, we neither prevent nor discourage legitimate civil exports of computer technology to South Africa. Under the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act 1986, the United States has imposed a prohibition on the exports of computer equipment to certain entities of the Government of South Africa.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department is taking to persuade the Korean authorities to allow bottled-in-Scotland Scotch whisky to be imported and available within the Korean domestic market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Korean market is not fully open to exports of bottled-in-Scotland Scotch whisky. We press the Korean authorities on every suitable occasion, both bilaterally and through the EC, to remove the restrictions in this important sector. The Korean authorities have recently undertaken to liberalise the market as from 1 July 1989. We welcome this undertaking and are seeking full details of the proposed measures.

  Postal Services (Industrial Disputes)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to how often industrial disputes have disrupted postal deliveries in the London postal districts during each of the last five years.

  Mr. Butcher
  Disruption to postal services from industrial disputes is primarily a matter for the Post Office Board. I do not have details of the position in London over the last five years. However, I have asked the chairman of the Post Office to write to my hon. Friend.

  Working Breakfasts
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to invite the hon. Member for Newham North-West to the next working breakfast at which inner-city policy for London will be discussed; when and where that breakfast will take place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The London action for cities working breakfast will take place at the Business Design Centre, Islington Green, on Wednesday 22 June. The presentations are aimed at business men and are carefully designed to encourage business participation in the regeneration of our cities. Space is limited and we seek to ensure that the audience consists only of business men, and those officials of public agencies directly involved in working with the private sector. I am afraid that it is not my intention to invite the hon. Member to attend, as the only effect would be to displace a business representative.

  Royal Arms
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, why the Royal Arms no longer appear on the official notepaper of his office.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My official notepaper has been redesigned as part of a major exercise to improve communication between the DTI and business. This exercise is in support of the new objectives of the DTI set out in the White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" which I presented to Parliament on 12 January 1988.

  Regional Development Organizations
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give a breakdown of payments for 1988–89 for regional development organisations by region; and if he will make a statement.
  532
  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire South-West (Mr. Page) on 11 March 1988 at columns 369–71.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the percentage of European Regional Development Fund moneys going to the different standard regions in the previous five years for which information is available; and if he will give similar projections for such future periods for which figures are available.

  Mr. Atkins
  The table sets out the percentage distribution of European regional development fund commitments during the period 1983 to 1987:

  Region

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  11987

  North

  12·5

  10·5

  7·3

  11·3

  14·2

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  5·9

  13·9

  6·2

  11·6

  7·6

  East Midlands

  1·6

  1·2

  5·2

  0·6

  0·6

  South West

  4·3

  7·7

  3·0

  6·5

  7·0

  West Midlands

  1·5

  4·8

  13·4

  11·7

  16·4

  North West

  16·1

  15·5

  21·6

  13·8

  9·2

  Wales

  18·0

  15·5

  16·5

  13·1

  13·6

  Scotland

  31·7

  25·0

  20·1

  15·8

  20·9

  Northern Ireland

  8·4

  5·6

  6·7

  11·8

  9·8

  Multi-regional

  —

  —

  —

  3·8

  0·7

  TOTAL

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  1 Provisional.

  It is not possible to make projections for 1988 or future years.

  Timber
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what advice his Department is giving to retailers, manufacturers, importers, architects, local authorities and other institutional users of tropical woods about the use of wood from unsustainable sources;

  (2) if there are any plans to implement a code of conduct on the importation of non-sustainably produced tropical timber; and what initiatives are being taken to regulate the international trade in tropical timber;

  (3) what action has been taken to encourage the development of markets for sustainable produced timber products;
  (4) what advice his Department is giving to local authorities and other institutional users of tropical woods about the use of wood from unsustainable sources;

  (5) what plans there are to support initiatives aimed at regulating the international trade in tropical timber in such a way as to ensure that only timber from sustainable sources is imported into Europe.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government believe that solutions to depletion of the tropical rain forests are likely to be found only on a global basis. We have therefore positively supported the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), whose objectives balance conservation and trade expansion and diversification. We believe that ITTO represents a suitable forum to consider and discuss the wide-ranging and complex issues involved, including the usage of sustainably produced timber. The Government hope that the ITTO will urgently address the questions of
  533
  sustainable utilisation and management of tropical forests (including achievement of generally accepted definitions in this area).

  Israel (Trade)
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current volume of United Kingdom-Israeli trade.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the first two months of 1988 the volume of United Kingdom-Israel trade, measured in value terms, was: exports £64·5 million, imports £79·8 million.

  These figures should be treated with more than the usual caution because of major changes to customs procedures introduced in January 1988, details of which were given in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West, (Mr. Page) on 7 December 1987, at columns 34–5.

  Oil
  Ms. Ruddoek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much crude oil, expressed in(a) volume and (b) cash terms was imported into the United Kingdom from (i) Iran and (ii) Iraq in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total imports from each country each figure represents.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is given in the following table.

  Imports from Iran and Iraq: 1983–87

  Crude Oil

  Volume thousand metric tonnes

  Value in £million

  Total Imports Value in £million

  Crude Oil as percentage of total

  Iran

  1983

  510·3

  67·7

  102·2

  66·2

  1984

  2,777·2

  427·5

  476·3

  89·8

  1985

  618·7

  97·3

  147·0

  66·2

  1986

  627·2

  52·8

  93·9

  56·2

  1987

  2,175·2

  176·2

  236·6

  74·5

  Iraq

  1983

  618·4

  92·2

  95·7

  96·3

  1984

  413·4

  67·0

  76·9

  87·1

  1985

  1,893·9

  275·2

  293·2

  93·9

  1986

  3,083·7

  219·0

  249·5

  87·8

  1987

  3,900·9

  309·5

  324·3

  95·4

  The number of jobs (created or safeguarded) associated with inward investment projects announced by US companies

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Created

  Safeguarded

  Created

  Safeguarded

  Created

  Safeguarded

  1979

  3802

  n/a

  382

  n/a

  1953

  n/a

  1980

  3087

  n/a

  502

  n/a

  3208

  n/a

  1981

  3337

  n/a

  776

  n/a

  5096

  n/a

  1982

  3698

  n/a

  731

  n/a

  1956

  n/a

  1983

  5653

  5346

  1056

  2569

  3652

  2031

  1984

  3340

  2264

  2086

  1636

  7418

  1367

  1985

  11572

  5470

  820

  895

  3778

  2307

  1986

  5784

  4055

  1291

  2090

  1259

  220

  19871

  4283

  2479

  883

  757

  1519

  261

  1 Provisional.

  n/a = not available.

  534
  Source Overseas Trade Statistics

  Notes:

  (i) Imports valued cif, country of origin (COO) basis.

  (ii) Figures for 1986 and 1987 are provisional.

  (iii) Crude oil defined as division 33 (part 333·0) in the Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of his Department's inward investment activities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: The Invest in Britain Bureau (IBB) in my Department has a rolling programme of internal assessment for performance and value for money. Paid publicity and promotional material is assessed by independent research by consultants. Consultants are also employed to evaluate particular operational aspects, for example, the activities of the English regional development organisations that are part funded by my Department. The IBB, together with the agencies that it co-ordinates, have been successful and effective, as is shown by the United Kingdom's continuing to be the preferred European location for internationally mobile direct investment.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the number of jobs created in England, Wales and Scotland as a result of investment by United States companies since 1979.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: The following are the Invest in Britain Bureau (IBB) figures for the number of jobs expected to be created or safeguarded, in the long term, by inward investment projects announced by United States companies in each year since 1979 (the earliest for which formal records are available) for England, Wales and Scotland. The figures are based on information provided by the companies themselves and include only those jobs associated with inward investment projects currently known to the IBB.
  535
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the annual cost of the Invest in Britain Bureau since 1979; and how much of that expenditure was incurred in the United States of America.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: The following are the figures for the annual cost of the Invest in Britain Bureau; full costs are available only from the financial year 1986–87.

  Expenditure1 on the Invest in Britain Bureau (£UK)

  Year

  Total

  North American Section

  1986–87

  1,713

  923

  1987–88

  1,837

  823

  1 These figures include, for example, staff salary costs, travel and subsistence,entertainment,publicity material, advertising and promotional events, but exclude, accommodation costs and general overheads.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Disarmament
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the reasons why the United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations Special Session on disarmament does not, as in 1978 and 1982, include a member of a non-governmental organisation; and if he will make it his policy to reconsider the position.

  Mr. Mellor
  There now exists a wider range of nongovernmental organisations taking an interest in arms control issues than at the time of the first and second United Nations Special Sessions on Disarmament. Not all these groups share the same views on arms control and disarmament issues. We do not think it would be possible for a member of any one non-governmental organisation to be able to represent the views of all such groups. It would be invidious to try to make such a choice.

  We recognise the need for liaison between the United Kingdom delegation and the non-governmental organisations attending the Special Session. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office disarmament adviser, David Summerhayes, will carry out this task. His experience as leader of the United Kingdom delegation to UNSSD II and his contact with the whole range of NGO opinion in this country are particularly relevant to his task.

  Lebanon (British Hostages)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to help to secure the release of Mr. Terry Waite, Mr. John McCarthy and other British nationals unaccounted for in Lebanon and who have been taken hostage or kidnapped.

  Mr. Mellor
  Her Majesty's embassy in Beirut is doing all it can, in very difficult circumstances, to acquire information on the British hostages in Lebanon. We are also in touch with middle eastern and other Governments who might be able to help.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Reform
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will issue guidance on the provisions he would expect to be contained in the planning and delegation schemes for further education which local education authorities will be required to prepare under clause 121 of the Education Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I am today issuing draft guidance on the provisions which I would expect to be contained in the schemes which local education authorities would be required to prepare under clause 121 of the Education Reform Bill if it receive Royal Assent in its present form. The draft guidance is being issued now in order to inform discussion of the further education clauses during the remaining stages of the Bill's passage through Parliament: to help local education authorities, colleges and others to prepare for the introduction of the further education planning, budget-setting and delegation procedures envisaged by the Bill; and to give all concerned an early opportunity to comment.

  Copies of the draft guidance have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. They are also being sent to local education authorities, further and higher education colleges, and a range of interested bodies, with a request for any comments by 15 July 1988.

THE ARTS

  Lindow Man
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many individuals and organisations contacted him about Lindow Man; and how many of these argued the case for a location in the south-eastern region.

  Mr. Luce
  I was contacted about Lindow Man by 23 individuals and one organisation, all from the north-west. None argued the case for location in the south-east.

SCOTLAND

  Michael Forsyth Ltd. and Michael Forsyth Associates
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all contacts by(a) Ministers in his Department and (b) civil servants in his Department with representatives of Michael Forsyth Ltd., Michael Forsyth Associates and subsidiaries thereof, in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No Minister currently serving in the Scottish Office has had any official meetings with representatives of Michael Forsyth Ltd., Michael Forsyth Associates or any subsidiaries since taking up office. Nor have any of my officials had such a meeting in the last five years. Information about possible meetings with previous Scottish Office Ministers is not readily available.

  Cervical Smear Tests
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to collect centrally information on the waiting time for cervical smear test
  537
  results in each laboratory in every health board in Scotland; what steps are taken to achieve consistency in this regard both within and between health boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As part of the monitoring of the introduction of a comprehensive cervical cancer screening programme in Scotland, I am arranging for this information to be collected centrally.

  Electoral Register
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report, using population changes for those aged 17 and over, the 1986 forecast of the expected percentage change of the number of people on the electoral register in Scotland for 1987–88.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest available projection is 1985-based and shows a change of plus 0·28 per cent. between mid-1987 and mid-1988 for the population of Scotland aged 17 and over.

  Local Authorities (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement regarding the rejection by his Department's finance division of Grampian regional council's social work committee's request for an additional allocation to the region's capital programme in respect of voluntary-funded improvements to the regional council's homes for the elderly at Durnhythe, Portsoy and Rose Innes, Aberchirder;

  (2) what criteria his Department uses when requiring funds from voluntary sources to be counted as part of local authorities' capital plans.

  Mr. Lang
  The rules as to the counting of capital expenditure by local authorities against the allocations issued to them are set out in guidance issued annually by my Department. In broad terms, capital expenditure incurred by local authorities must count against allocations, no matter how that expenditure is financed.

  In circumstances such as those referred to there may be more than one way to achieve the desired result. I do not know why Grampian regional council has apparently chosen not to use such flexibility as is built into the system. My Department has written to remind it of the possibilities. I therefore see no case for issuing an additional capital allocation to the authority for these projects, and in any case the resources for 1988–89 have all been issued.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in the last five years his Department has required that the costs of improvements to regional council homes met from funds from voluntary sources should be counted as part of the council's capital plan; and if he will give a breakdown by region.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government's rules covering capital expenditure by local authorities issued annually by my Department are set out in general terms and do not specify every eventuality. While my Department is ready to give advice on specific points, it is for authorities to satisfy themselves and their auditors that the rules are adhered to. Authorities' returns do not identify capital expenditure financed from voluntary sources.

  Sporting Facilities
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of sporting facilities available to schoolchildren and youth clubs (i) in Scotland, (ii) in Strathclyde and (iii) in Glasgow; and how many of these are indoor facilities for swimming, tennis, gymnastics and athletics.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Comprehensive information about facilities in the public education sector is not recorded centrally. The Scottish Sports Council has recorded the following information about indoor facilities open to the public in Scotland.

  Facilities purpose built for:

  Scotland

  Strathclyde

  Glasgow

  Swimming

  135

  60

  16

  Tennis

  1

  1

  1

  Athletics

  1

  1

  1

  Gymnastics

  4

  2

  0

  General purpose sports centres

  59

  24

  5

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of road accidents resulting in deaths or serious injuries for each year since 1975(a) in Scotland, (b) in the Strathclyde region and (c) in Glasgow.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Scotland

  Strathclyde

  Glasgow

  Fatal

  Serious

  Fatal

  Serious

  Fatal

  Serious

  1975

  669

  6,912

  317

  3,010

  112

  1,150

  1976

  687

  6,923

  287

  2,644

  114

  887

  1977

  727

  7,063

  301

  2,946

  108

  1,187

  1978

  739

  7,442

  323

  2,983

  115

  1,350

  1979

  728

  7,536

  300

  3,172

  106

  1,135

  1980

  644

  7,218

  251

  3,072

  76

  1,038

  1981

  610

  7,265

  222

  2,988

  73

  965

  1982

  640

  7,421

  247

  3,055

  71

  941

  1983

  568

  6,429

  245

  2,676

  73

  877

  1984

  537

  6,547

  213

  2,833

  70

  1,005

  1985

  550

  6,507

  225

  2,739

  80

  924

  1986

  537

  6,182

  210

  2,563

  57

  849

  Procurator Fiscal v. McAvennie, Roberts, Butcher and Woods
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the number of man-hours in(a) the Solicitor-General's office, (b) the Glasgow procurator fiscal's office and (c) of police time devoted to the case of Procurator Fiscal v. Messrs. McAvennie, Roberts, Butcher and Woods.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The estimated number of man-hours devoted to this case, including time spent in court and in responding to media and parliamentary interest, were as follows:

  Number

  (a) Crown Office

  7

  (b) Procurator Fiscal's office, Glasgow

  74

  (c) Police

  218

  539
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the cost to public funds of the trial involving the Procurator Fiscal of Glasgow v. Messrs. McAvennie, Roberts, Butcher and Woods.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not possible to quantify the costs involved.

  Road Traffic Law (North Report)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to consider the implications in Scotland of the North report on road traffic law.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport indicated in his reply on 12 April, at columns 79–80, to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Colchester, North (Sir A.

  Court

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Aberdeen

  9,181

  6,571

  6,119

  5,700

  5,330

  Airdrie

  4,226

  2,863

  3,215

  3,159

  2,749

  Alloa

  1,586

  1,192

  1,299

  1,128

  1,124

  Arbroalh

  1,734

  1,119

  1,150

  1,308

  1,244

  Ayr

  3,666

  3,282

  3,294

  3,794

  3,862

  Banff

  828

  377

  415

  434

  453

  Campbeltown

  332

  298

  281

  325

  305

  Cupar

  1,202

  1,032

  1,033

  955

  1,118

  Dingwall

  956

  648

  642

  737

  840

  Dornoch

  426

  494

  329

  236

  250

  Dumbarton

  4,011

  3,527

  3,564

  3,574

  3,665

  Dumfries

  6,193

  5,179

  6,249

  5,347

  4,868

  Dundee

  6,537

  5,134

  5,032

  5,350

  5,538

  Dunfermline

  3,843

  2,947

  2,784

  3,146

  2,990

  Dunoon

  1,232

  1,220

  1,222

  1,077

  980

  Duns

  443

  255

  246

  225

  228

  Edinburgh

  23,491

  12,073

  11,767

  11,871

  14,616

  Elgin

  1,793

  1,318

  1,338

  1,431

  1,426

  Falkirk

  4,987

  3,099

  3,166

  3,558

  3,105

  Forfar

  1,411

  1,072

  1,323

  1,027

  1,019

  Fort William

  433

  530

  559

  536

  586

  Glasgow

  15,553

  18,227

  15,320

  9,490

  11,752

  Greenock

  2,969

  2,488

  2,290

  2,015

  2,053

  Haddington

  1,594

  1,172

  1,315

  1,231

  1,052

  Hamilton

  9,297

  6,167

  6,578

  5,982

  6,010

  Inverness

  2,616

  2,175

  2,564

  2,090

  2,198

  Jedburgh

  831

  402

  525

  484

  497

  Kilmarnock

  6,637

  5,433

  4,767

  5,691

  5,687

  Kirkcaldy

  4,486

  3,853

  3,294

  3,336

  4,113

  Kirkcudbright

  280

  223

  252

  338

  357

  Kirkwall

  346

  517

  568

  640

  602

  Lanark

  1,514

  880

  1,204

  1,040

  1,042

  Lerwick

  531

  536

  683

  563

  531

  Linlithgow

  4,238

  2,586

  3,197

  3,178

  2,939

  Lochmaddy

  204

  159

  204

  111

  155

  Oban

  440

  392

  410

  367

  442

  Paisley

  6,000

  5,330

  6,750

  6,801

  6,008

  Peebles

  506

  392

  371

  338

  279

  Perth

  5,974

  3,263

  4,110

  3,416

  3,729

  Peterhead

  884

  808

  932

  722

  687

  Portree

  250

  191

  202

  269

  192

  Rothesay

  329

  385

  336

  250

  293

  Selkirk

  872

  504

  444

  501

  376

  Stirling

  3,420

  2,526

  3,023

  3,380

  3,029

  Stonehaven

  1,736

  880

  1,052

  1,005

  794

  Stornoway

  407

  496

  428

  510

  439

  Stranraer

  1,356

  1,003

  1,056

  1,070

  1,144

  Tain

  914

  639

  660

  631

  539

  Wick

  511

  535

  579

  661

  561

  Total

  158,014

  116,392

  118,141

  111,194

  113,796

  540
  Buck), the Government welcome the report of the road traffic law review conducted under Dr. North's chairmanship and will be pressing on with consideration of its recommendations. Many of these are relevant to Scotland and we shall consider them in consultation with colleagues responsible for these matters in England and Wales.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by court the number of summary criminal cases dealt with in the sheriff court in Scotland in the last five years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: The number of accused persons proceeded against summarily in each of the sheriff courts in Scotland over the last five years was as follows:
  541
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State For Scotland if he will list by court the number of criminal cases dealt with by solemn procedure in the sheriff court in Scotland in the last five years for which information is available.

  Court

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Aberdeen

  199

  235

  208

  157

  144

  Airdrie

  93

  105

  122

  155

  147

  Alloa

  10

  15

  22

  18

  11

  Arbroath

  36

  25

  32

  41

  21

  Ayr

  63

  50

  76

  86

  72

  Banff

  20

  8

  11

  7

  18

  Cambeltown

  1

  4

  1

  4

  3

  Cupar

  13

  20

  23

  19

  19

  Dingwall

  8

  9

  15

  3

  9

  Dornoch

  4

  16

  10

  10

  3

  Dumbarton

  54

  68

  51

  66

  54

  Dumfries

  44

  45

  43

  66

  76

  Dundee

  156

  154

  122

  118

  164

  Dunfermline

  74

  57

  54

  50

  57

  Dunoon

  10

  13

  16

  18

  14

  Duns

  2

  1

  1

  9

  2

  Edinburgh

  431

  424

  327

  273

  283

  Elgin

  25

  29

  21

  26

  32

  Falkirk

  60

  60

  41

  51

  68

  Forfar

  17

  24

  23

  23

  23

  Fort William

  5

  5

  2

  2

  3

  Glasgow

  1,057

  1,088

  994

  857

  990

  Greenock

  106

  130

  82

  99

  75

  Haddington

  13

  4

  7

  12

  3

  Hamilton

  147

  140

  159

  166

  181

  Inverness

  31

  46

  29

  53

  55

  Jedburgh

  9

  13

  12

  13

  10

  Kilmarnock

  137

  112

  111

  97

  91

  Kirkcaldy

  78

  68

  95

  95

  53

  Kirkcudbright

  9

  8

  11

  7

  9

  Kirkwall

  5

  5

  3

  2

  1

  Lanark

  14

  16

  6

  9

  18

  Lenvick

  3

  12

  2

  3

  1

  Linlithgow

  37

  37

  60

  58

  60

  Lochmaddy

  0

  2

  2

  3

  0

  Oban

  10

  3

  9

  4

  17

  Paisley

  152

  196

  152

  96

  118

  Peebles

  9

  10

  3

  7

  0

  Perth

  68

  56

  76

  65

  50

  Peterhead

  17

  22

  27

  19

  15

  Portree

  1

  3

  1

  0

  6

  Rothesay

  4

  5

  8

  7

  4

  Selkirk

  11

  15

  13

  11

  13

  Stirling

  31

  48

  39

  36

  30

  Stonehaven

  11

  19

  12

  14

  14

  Stornoway

  2

  0

  1

  3

  4

  Stranraer

  17

  22

  35

  23

  40

  Tain

  8

  8

  3

  6

  12

  Wick

  5

  11

  12

  16

  5

  Total

  3,317

  3,466

  3,185

  2,983

  3,098

  Health Boards (Finance)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the percentage change in total cash allocations to Scottish health boards for each year from 1978–79, after correcting for(a) National Health Service pay and prices and (b) demographic factors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 January]: The available information is given in the table. No separate NHS pay and price index is maintained for Scotland and the calculations have therefore been undertaken using the GDP deflator.
  542
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: The number of indictments initiated in each sheriff court in Scotland in the last five years is as follows:

  Year-on-year changes in allocations1 to health boards

  (a) after adjustment using GDP de-flator percentage

  after further adjustment for changes in demo-graphic demand percentage

  1979–80

  +4·8

  +3·1

  1980–81

  +10·2

  +9·6

  1981–82

  +1·2

  +0·9

  1982–83

  +0·7

  +0·9

  1983·84

  +0·9

  +0·9

  543

  (a) after adjustment using GDP de-flator percentage

  (b) after further adjustment for changes in demo-graphic demand percentage

  1984–85

  +1·9

  +1·7

  1985–86

  -0·6

  -1·2

  1986–87

  +4·3

  +4·1

  1 Allocations for health boards' recurrent expenditure on hospital and community health services.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Pensioners
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate the number of single pensioners(a) aged 65 to 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over liable to income tax who both claim the age allowance and are in receipt of housing benefit who will receive reductions in housing benefit of (i) up to £1 per week, (ii) between £l and £2 per week, (iii) between £2 and £3 per week, (iv) between £3 and £4 per week, (v) between £4 and £5 per week and (vi) £5 per week or over from 11 April; and how many in each age group will lose all entitlement to housing benefit;

  (2) if he will estimate the number of pensioner couples claiming (a) the lower and (b) the higher age allowance and in receipt of housing benefit who will receive reductions in housing benefit of (i) up to £1 per week, (ii) £1 to £2 per week, (iii) £2 to £3 per week, (iv) £3 to £4 per week, (v) £4 to £5 per week and (vi) £5 per week and over from 11 April, and in each age group how many will lose all entitlement to housing benefit.

  (3) if he will estimate the number of single pensioners and pensioner couples (a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years or over who receive both an age allowance and housing benefit who will be (c) better off and (d) worse off by (1) up to £1 per week, (2) £1 to £2 per week, (3) £2 to £3 per week, (4) £3 to £4 per week, (5) £4 to £5 per week, and (6) £5 per week and over when the increases in the age allowances and the housing benefit regulations 1987 take effect in April.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is given in the tables.

  Increases in entitlement1

  Singles6

  Couples

  Weekly amount

  65–79

  80+

  65–79

  80+

  1. up to £1

  10

  *

  *

  *

  2. £1–2

  10

  *

  *

  *

  3. £2–3

  10

  10

  *

  *

  4. £3–4

  *

  *

  *

  *

  5. £4–5

  *

  *

  *

  *

  6. £5+

  *

  *

  *

  *

  Total

  30

  10

  *

  *

  Reduction in entitlement1

  (thousands)

  Singles6

  Couples

  Weekly amount

  65–79

  80+

  65–79

  80+

  1. up to £1

  50

  10

  40

  10

  2. £1–2

  60

  10

  30

  *

  544

  Singles6

  Couples

  Weekly amount

  65–79

  80+

  65–79

  80+

  3. £2–3

  50

  20

  40

  *

  4. £3–4

  20

  *

  30

  *

  5. £4–5

  10

  *

  10

  *

  6. £5+

  30

  *

  10

  *

  Total

  210

  40

  160

  10

  Numbers losing all entitlement5

  140

  40

  100

  10

  * denotes a number of less than 10,000

  Notes:

  1 Rounded to nearest 10,000.

  2 All who are liable to income tax are assumed to claim the age allowance and therefore the figures in the table are based on this assumption.

  3 Based on the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits" published in October 1987 and adjusted to take account of the 1988 Budget announcement.

  4 Totals may not add up exactly due to rounding.

  5 The numbers losing all entitlement are included in the table showing the weekly loss.

  6 All single pensioners in these tables will have a taxable income in excess of £56·92 per week and for couples it will be in excess of £89·90 per week.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will state the number of retirement pensioners(a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who both pay income tax and receive housing benefit;

  (2) if he will state the number of pensioners (a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who both claim the age allowance and receive housing benefit.

  Mr. Portillo
  The numbers of retirement pensioners in
  Great Britain who both pay income tax and receive housing benefit during 1987–88, in the requested age
  bands, are estimated to be as follows:

  Number

  Aged between 65 and 79 years

  330,000

  Aged 80 years and over

  90,000

  Notes:

  1. Source Family Expenditure Surveys 1984 and 1985.

  2. Married or unmarried couples count as one unit.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the number of retirement pensioners(a) aged between 65 and 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over who will both pay income tax and be entitled to housing benefit from 11 April.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  Aged between 65 and 79 years

  130,000

  Aged 80 years and over

  30,000

  Note:

  1. Based on the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits" published in October 1987 and adjusted to take account of the 1988 Budget announcement.

  2. Married and unmarried couples count as one unit.

  Michael Forsyth Ltd.
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all contacts by(a) Ministers in his Department and (b) civil servants in his Department with

  545
  representatives of Michael Forsyth Ltd., Michael Forsyth Associates and subsidiaries thereof, in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have no knowledge of any contact at ministerial level with representatives of any of these companies. Civil servants in the Department had contacts with M. Forsyth Associates in 1983 and 1984 concerning routine national insurance contributions matters. There may have been other contacts with any of the companies on routine social security business during the five years, but no details are available.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why Ministers have not yet approved for issue his Department's guidance for the organisation of the National Health Service in war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Ministers have already considered draft guidance on National Health Service responsibilities in civil defence and have asked for some amendments; an amended text has been considered by the Home Office, which has a co-ordinating role in emergency planning, and its advice will he taken into account in a further submission to Ministers.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many persons were registered as disabled on 31 December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987; and how many of those aged between 16 and 65 years were(a) in full-time employment, (b) in part-time employment,(c) registered as unemployed and (d) known to the Department not to be in employment;

  (2) how many persons registered as disabled, but not in employment, were in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) sickness and invalidity benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) free prescriptions on each of 31 December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Scott
  The available information on the numbers of persons registered as disabled with local authorities in England (for the years specified) is set out in the table. I regret that the remaining information requested is not collected centrally. Figures for the rest of Great Britain are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Number of persons with disabilities registered with local authority social services departments (England)

  Type of disability

  Year1

  All persons

  Persons aged 16–64 years

  Physically disabled (general classes)

  1984

  1,107,708

  370,386

  Blind or partially sighted

  1986

  191,652

  41,304

  Deaf or hard of hearing

  1986

  97,431

  33,149

  1 All figures as at 31 March.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to his Department of giving free prescriptions for persons registered as disabled but who do not qualify under the present regulations.
  546
  Mr. Newton
  The information needed to make a reliable estimate is not available.

  Child Care
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of the Department's employees; what child care provision for school holidays and/or after-school care is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department's central office at Newcastle operates a scheme of finding day-care parents for employees' children. It also runs holiday play schemes for employees' children in the Easter and summer holidays. Child care provision is one of the areas being examined in a review of opportunities available to women employees in the Department.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Monklands, West on 15 March,Official Report, column 552, if he will provide information on what proportions of elderly people aged 75-plus years, and what proportions of those aged 85-plus years are (a) housebound, (b) bedfast, (c) unable to negotiate stairs independently, (d) unable to bath, shower or wash all over alone, and (e) unable to go to the toilet unaided.

  Mrs. Currie
  The most recent information available is from the 1985 general household survey. Among those aged 75 and over, and 85 and over, included in the sample inverviewed for the survey, it showed the proportion of people who :

  Aged 75 and over Percentage

  Aged 85 and over Percentage

  (a) Were not able to go out of doors

  14·1

  32·5

  (b) Need help to get in and out of bed

  3·2

  6·3

  Could not get in and out of bed at all

  0·5

  1·2

  (c) Need help to negotiate stairs

  6·0

  11·6

  Could not negotiate stairs at all

  9·6

  19·4

  (d) Need help to bath, shower or wash all over

  12·8

  25·2

  Could do none of these tasks

  2.3

  5·4

  (e) Need help to get to the toilet

  2·0

  4·7

  Could not get to the toilet at all

  0·9

  2·0

  Income Support
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants at the Burnley local office of his Department will(a) have their benefit frozen at current level under the transitional arrangements for the introduction of income support and (b) have their benefits reduced as a result of the introduction of income support.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Nurse Teachers
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of Friday 18 March regarding the shortfall of nurse teachers, whether his Department has access to data and figures collected by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting on the shortfall in nurse teachers.

  Mr. Newton
  Information published by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health

  Senior hospital doctors (whole-time equivalent) per 100,000 in-patient cases treated: England

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  England

  222

  220

  222

  227

  220

  218

  215

  217

  Northern

  217

  214

  220

  236

  223

  220

  220

  220

  Yorkshire

  188

  181

  188

  194

  183

  178

  177

  178

  Trent

  201

  200

  197

  206

  198

  198

  195

  200

  East Anglian

  239

  224

  228

  242

  231

  228

  229

  226

  North West Thames

  270

  269

  274

  242

  243

  239

  241

  240

  North East Thames

  217

  215

  219

  244

  238

  232

  239

  240

  South East Thames

  231

  233

  234

  232

  231

  223

  212

  220

  South West Thames

  257

  260

  261

  250

  244

  238

  238

  245

  Wessex

  216

  213

  208

  216

  211

  214

  214

  208

  Oxford

  216

  214

  216

  230

  224

  231

  228

  233

  South Western

  211

  213

  215

  218

  213

  209

  206

  205

  West Midlands

  217

  215

  216

  220

  213

  209

  206

  212

  Mersey

  210

  214

  211

  216

  207

  205

  203

  202

  North Western

  198

  203

  204

  212

  206

  206

  200

  203

  SHAs

  385

  385

  380

  387

  392

  408

  399

  405

  Notes:

  (1) Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff in the grades of consultant, associate specialist and hospital practitioner within the medical specialties.

  (2) All figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number of the whole time equivalent.

  (3) Because of the NHS restructuring in 1982 figures on in-patients cases treated for the four Thames regions and Special Health Authorities are not strictly comparable over the whole period.

  Quality-adjusted Life Years System
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government have taken up the quality-adjusted life years system in regard to hospital treatment of patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The QALY (quality adjusted life year) is a qualitative measure of health which is being developed experimentally in various centres, mainly for evaluating new medical techniques. No consensus has yet emerged on its general use in making decisions about the treatment of patients. Any use made by the Department of QALYs would have been only as one among a variety of factors to be taken into account.

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress is being made with the review of the pay and grading of medical laboratory scientific officers; and when it will report.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand that at a meeting on 19 April the management side of the professional and technical staffs B Whitley council put proposals for a new grade structure for medical laboratory scientific officers to the staff side. Further meetings have been arranged.
  548
  Visiting shows the number of nurse teachers in post at 31 March 1987. It does not show the number of vacancies or shortfalls in nurse teachers.

  Senior Doctors
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each regional health authority the number of senior doctors per 100,000 in-patients treated for each year since 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Performance-related Pay
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 15 April,Official Report,,. column 264, if he will make it his policy in future to publish the reasons for each award of a performance related payment, whilst preserving the anonymity of individual recipients; if he will give this information in respect of 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  All managers eligible for performance-related pay are subject to an annual performance review. The Department's circular PM(86)11 defines five levels of performance for this purpose and specifies the percentage additions that may be paid to managers rated in each of the higher bands. The detailed reasons for particular awards will reflect the different objectives set for individual managers and we have no plans to publish them.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the district health authorities whose information-gathering ability has been responsible for the delay in his publishing the hospital waiting list figures for September 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  The following district health authorities were unable to supply a complete set of September 1987 waiting list figures :
  549

  Cambridge

  Brighton

  Norwich

  Dartford and Gravesham

  Huntingdon

  Maidstone

  Paddington and North

  Tunbridge Wells

  Kensington

  Camberwell

  North Derbyshire

  West Surrey and North East

  South Derbyshire

  Hampshire

  Leicestershire

  South West Surrey

  North Lincolnshire

  Mid Surrey

  South Lincolnshire

  Chichester

  Bassetlaw

  Mid Downs

  Central Nottinghamshire

  Kingston and Esher

  Nottingham

  Merton and Sutton

  Barnsley

  Portsmouth

  Doncaster

  Winchester

  Rotherham

  Bath

  Sheffield

  Hereford

  Swindon

  Kidderminster

  Oxfordshire

  Worcester

  Solihull

  North Staffordshire

  Preston

  South Warwickshire

  Oldham

  East Birmingham

  Hartlepool

  West Birmingham

  Riverside

  Sandwell

  Enfield

  Wandsworth

  In addition the September 1987 waiting list data supplied by the following district health authorities had
  large inconsistencies :

  Darlington

  Rugby

  South West Durham

  Central Birmingham

  South Tyneside

  East Birmingham

  Sunderland

  South Birmingham

  East Yorkshire

  Coventry

  Leeds Eastern

  Blackpool Wyre and Fylde

  North Hertfordshire

  Bolton

  Haringey

  Chorley and South Ribble

  Redbridge

  Bury

  Worthing

  North Manchester

  East Dorset

  Central Manchester

  West Dorset

  South Manchester

  West Berkshire

  Salford

  Aylesbury Vale

  Tameside and Glossop

  North Devon

  Wigan

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will be releasing the hospital waiting list figures for September 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  I hope to do so shortly.

  British Oxygen Company
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Clydesdale of 17 March,Official Report, column 679, there is a specific record of transactions with the British Oxygen Company held by each of the area boards of the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Currie
  Individual NHS authorities are expected to, and do, maintain records of their transactions with contractors, including British Oxygen Company. No central record of all such transactions is maintained.

  Social Workers (Law Teaching)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the standard of the teaching of law on courses leading to the certificate of qualification in social work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I am aware of the concern about the standard of teaching of the law content of qualifying 550
  training courses for social workers as evidenced in the research report issued this month by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work.

  The Government made available an additional £250,000 to CCETSW last autumn to assist it in achieving improvements in the quality of social work training. As part of the programme of improvements CCETSW has promoted research into the subject and organised a national workshop for all qualifying courses in social work to launch the report and to indicate the improvement required in the teaching and assessment of law.

  Registered Homes Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he will take to extend the provisions of the Registered Homes Act to private establishments with less than four residents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We are considering the proposals in Sir Roy Griffiths' report, "Community Care: Agenda for Action" and Lady Wagner's report, "Residential Care—A Positive Choice" (copies of both of which are in the Library) that residential care homes with fewer than four residents should be subject to registration, and shall make our conclusions known in due course.

  Wagner Report
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be in a position to make a statement on what action the Government propose to take in the light of Lady Wagner's report on residential care, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Newton
  I am unable to add anything to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris), and the hon. Members for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) and for Ynys Mon (Mr. Jones) on 8 March 1988 at column 171.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out in the Official Report what steps claimants for family credit, who were in receipt of family income supplement, are expected to take to satisfy his Department that they do not have more than £6,000 in savings, apart from providing details of accounts held by banks, building societies or other financial bodies.

  Mr. Portillo
  Family income supplement recipients who declared that they had capital worth more than £2,000 were asked to provide evidence by sending in bank statements or account books, and so on. Those who had any property or land (other than the house they lived in) were asked to submit recent evidence of the value if available, and if not to provide the necessary details of the Department to ask the district valuer for a valuation.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on a district health authority in one region taking over responsibility for part of the geographical area of a district health authority in a different region.
  551
  Mrs. Currie
  District health authority boundaries were established in 1982 after the most careful consultation locally and consideration of all the circumstances bearing on the effective delivery of services to patients. We would apply the same strict criteria to any proposal for changing those boundaries. I understand that a number of health authorities already manage some services on behalf of and within another authority's boundaries. That is a matter for agreement locally.

  Debt Counselling
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his staff have been given training in debt counselling; and what guidance has been given to staff when arranging loans under the social fund as to the consideration to be given to other debts which claimants may have.

  Mr. Portillo
  Social fund officers receive training which includes money advice. In addition guidance on money advice is contained in part 9 of the social fund manual, which has been published. Guidance on the consideration to be given to other debts is contained in parts 3, 4 and 5 of the social fund manual.

  Family Support
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the trends in spending since 1986 on(a) targeted and (b) untargeted financial support for families with children; and how they are expected to develop from April.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much(a) was spent in 1986–87, (b) will be spent in 1987–88, and (c) is expected to be spent in 1988–89 on providing financial assistance to families with children.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding anwer 8 March 1988]: It is estimated that in 1986–87 around £5 billion was spent on families with children through income-related benefits (covering the needs of the parents as well as of the children themselves) and around £5 billion in non-income-related benefits (principally child benefit). Comparable figures for later years are not available.

  "Family Fortunes"
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library a copy of the work by the Central Statistical Office which contains reservations concerning the findings of the "Family Fortunes" report produced by the Family Policy Study Centre.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 31 March 1988]: The Central Statistical Office is not the responsibility of this Department, but I understand that the director will be shortly placing in the Library the information requested.

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people were in receipt of severe disablement allowance at the latest date for which figures are available; what was the breakdown of this total by(a) age and (b) cause of incapacity for work;
  552
  (2) how many people are receiving severe disablement allowance as a result of (a) mental handicap (b) severe mental handicap.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: Separate information is not available on the numbers who are receiving severe disablement allowance as a result of mental handicap or severe mental handicap. These cases are included in Table 2 under 'mental disorders'.

  The information as at 5 April 1986 is as follows :

  Table 1

  Severe Disablement Allowance Claimants Incapacitated on 5 April 1986. Analysed by Age at 31 March 1986

  Age

  Men

  Women

  All ages

  103,000

  158,000

  Under 20

  12,000

  8,000

  20–24

  18,000

  10,000

  25–29

  11,000

  10,000

  30–34

  9,000

  11,000

  35–39

  9,000

  14,000

  40–44

  8,000

  14,000

  45–49

  6,000

  17,000

  50–54

  7,000

  23,000

  55–59

  7,000

  28,000

  60–64

  10,000

  16,000

  65 and over

  6,000

  6,000

  Note: The figures are quoted to the nearest 1,000.

  Severe disablement allowance claimants incapacitated on 5 April 1986 Analysed by cause according to the International classification of diseases 1975

  Men

  Women

  All causes

  103,000

  158,000

  Infectious and parasitic diseases

  1,000

  3,000

  Neoplasms

  —

  2,000

  Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, immunity disorders

  1,000

  3,000

  Diseases of blood and blood forming organs

  —

  1,000

  Mental disorders

  62,000

  60,000

  Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs

  16,000

  30,000

  Diseases of the circulartoy system

  3,000

  11,000

  Diseases of the respiratory system

  2,000

  5,000

  Diseases of the digestive system

  1,000

  1,000

  Diseases of the genito-urinary system

  —

  1,000

  Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

  —

  —

  Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue

  3,000

  27,000

  Congenital anomalies

  10,000

  10,000

  Symptoms signs and ill-defined conditions

  3,000

  4,000

  Injury and poisoning

  1,000

  2,000

  Notes:

  1. The figures are quoted to the nearest 1,000.

  2. A dash indicates that there are fewer than 500 claimants suffering from that condition.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if residents in private nursing homes are entitled to a weekly personal allowance from pension-Department of Health and Social Security payments.

  Mr. Needham
  Residents in private nursing homes who are eligible to receive retirement pension are paid the full weekly rate of pension to which they are entitled.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, in February and March, giving the number of persons involved and number of times each person was searched and if any prison contraband, smuggled item, or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings:(a) making a remand appearance at court, (b) attending trial, (c) inter-prison visit, and (d) other reasons.

  Mr. Stanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  February

  March

  Number of searches

  Total number of searches carried out

  34

  33

  Total number of inmates searched

  24

  25

  Number of prisoners searched once

  17

  17

  Number of prisoners searched twice

  6

  8

  Number of prisoners searched three times or more

  1

  —

  Reasons for search

  First admission on remand-awaiting trial

  10

  4

  First admission on sentence-final discharge

  17

  21

  Attending remand court

  —

  —

  Attending trial

  —

  —

  Inter-prison visits

  1

  1

  Pre-release home leave scheme

  2

  7

  Visits to outside hospital

  1

  —

  After a visit

  3

  —

  No prohibited article was found during these searches and no prisoners refused to be searched.

  Air Pollution
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the dangers that can be caused by the discharge of an excessive level of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere over Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: Monitoring of the levels of sulphur dioxide at various sites in Northern Ireland over many years has shown that these are within the international health criteria published by the World Health Organisation and the European Community.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the dangers that can he caused by the discharge of an excessive level of heavy metals into the atmosphere over Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: A survey carried out in the late 1970s by the Warren Spring laboratory of the Department of Trade and Industry showed that the levels of heavy metals sampled in the atmosphere in Northern Ireland were within the relevant criteria published for the protection of health. The nature of the Northern Ireland Industrial base means that levels of heavy metals discharged into the atmosphere are not a cause for concern.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment is made by his 554
  Department of the level of heavy metals discharged into the atmosphere over Northern Ireland annually from the burning of fossil fuels by electricity generating stations in England and Wales; what are the levels for the remaining discharge of heavy metals; and what is treated as a safe level.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: None. Monitoring of the effects of such discharges from the specific sources mentioned is neither practical nor necessary in view of the pattern of prevailing winds. As indicated in my reply to an earlier question from the hon. Member, the levels of certain heavy metals in the atmosphere in Northern Ireland are not a cause for concern.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measurements are made by his Department to assess the emissions of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 April 1988]: Continuous monitoring to assess the levels of sulphur dioxide and particulates in the atmosphere in Northern Ireland is undertaken by district councils and Northern Ireland Electricity. The results are published annually by the Warren Spring laboratory of the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will now, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (Mr. McCusker) of 9 March,Official Report, column 230, and the hon. Member for Londonderry, East on 22 March, publish a table in the Official Report to show how many of the 39 persons suggested by the Government of the Irish Republic for public appointments in Northern Ireland were first suggested in (a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987 and (d) 1988; and, in each of these years, how many were appointed to (i) the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights, (ii) the Fair Employment Agency, (iii) the Equal Opportunities Commission, (iv) the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, (v) the Police Complaints Board and (vi) other bodies;

  (2) if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East on 22 March, he will indicate how many of the persons suggested through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat are United Kingdom citizens; and how many of the persons suggested were born in the Irish Republic.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: No names were proposed this way in 1985; 34 were proposed in 1986, four in 1987 and two so far this year. Records of persons willing to serve on public bodies do not routinely include details of their citizenship or places of birth and information on these matters could be collected only at disproportionate cost. As I said in a reply to the hon. Gentleman on 22 March at column 81, all those proposed are resident in Northern Ireland.

  As I also said in that reply, it is not my practice to publish details of individuals so appointed.

DEFENCE

  Exercise JMC 88–2
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what activity will take place at Stornoway airport during Exercise JMC 88–2.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  None is planned.

  Northern Ireland Frontier Army Battalion
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the creation of a new Northern Ireland Frontier Army Battalion will have on(a) part-time Ulster Defence Regiment members in the area concerned and (b) full-time Ulster Defence Regiment personnel deployable along the frontier.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The planned formation of the additional brigade headquarters in Northern Ireland will not entail any changes to the present strengths of the part-time or permanent cadre UDR. However, there will be a number of changes in the deployment of both Regular Army and UDR units. It is not the policy to disclose such operational deployments.

  Sea-launched Cruise Missiles
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministers about the possible deployment of further sea-launched cruise missiles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) on 23 February, at column 165.

  US Air Force Northern Europe Tracking Station
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the locations in the United Kingdom that are in use, or are planned to be in use for the United States air force northern Europe tracking station project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  RAE Oakhanger is the only United Kingdom site currently planned to be used for this purpose.

  Ali Baba Oil Platform (Army Helicopter)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the exercise in October 1987 involving Army helicopters operating from the oil platform Ali Baba in the Cromarty Firth.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In October 1987 Army helicopters from the TA Army Air Corps squadron practised deck landings on the Ali Baba oil platform as part of their annual training camp. The aim of the exercise was to test navigation and flying skills under realistic conditions.

  Low Frequency Transmitter (Glen Garry)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place notice of proposed development with the Highland regional council relating to the establishment of a trial extremely low frequency transmitter in Glen Garry.
  556
  Mr. Sainsbury
  On present planning it is unlikely that a notice of proposed development will be submitted to the regional council before the autumn of this year.

  Aircrew (Medical Checks)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to procedures for medical checks on Royal Air Force aircrew following the findings of the inquest into the death of Flight Lieutenant Ian Hill on 24 June 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  Blood tests undertaken at periodic medical examinations have been revised to include cholesterol, triglyceride and thyroid stimulating hormone; on initial selection, at age 35, and five yearly thereafter. In addition, specific policy instructions for the interpretation of PME blood tests have been produced, and are about to be issued to all RAF medical officers, identifying levels at which further investigation is required.

  Army Equipment Exhibition
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that no representatives of Government with United Nations records of human rights abuse are invited to the British Army equipment exhibition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Invitations to the British Army equipment exhibition are considered on a case-by-case basis with all relevant factors taken into account. An invitation does not, of course, imply that we are prepared to authorise the sale of any particular item of equipment on display.

  Ammunition (Storage)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that no ammunition or explosives should be stored in, or close to, populated areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 10 April 1988]: It is our general policy to locate ammunition and explosives depots in areas of low population, but this is not possible in all cases, not least because of the encroachment of buildings towards the defence estate. However, the storage of ammunition and explosives is kept under constant review and stringent rules are enforced to ensure maximum safety.

ENVIRONMENT

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the figures indicating how his Department assesses the cost of(a) retaining each job and (b) creating each new job in enterprise zones; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  My answer to the hon. Member on 2 March described the method of assessing the cost of each net additional job in enterprise zones in Great Britain. The estimated cost at the end of 1986 of £8,500 for each net additional job was derived from the total costs to the Exchequer of £297 million and a total number of net additional jobs of 35,060.
  557
  The net additional jobs due to the enterprise zones include both jobs new to the zones and those jobs in firms that were present at designation and retained as a result of the zones, but separate estimates have not been made for each category.

  Housing (Haringey)
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the house building figures in the Haringey borough council area in(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector, on the latest available date, and for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Roe
  The reported house building figures up to 1986 appear in the following issues of "Local Housing Statistics" which are available in the Library:

  Issue No.

  Table No.

  1979

  59

  4(b)

  53

  71

  1980–83

  73

  1(b) to (e)

  3(b), (c)1

  1984

  77

  1(b)

  1985

  81

  1(b)

  1986

  82

  1(b)

  1 House building in Haringey by GLC and housing associations assisted by GLC, recorded separately.

  Haringey has not yet made returns for October to December 1987, but the figures for January to September are:—

  Starts

  Completions

  Local authority

  52

  0

  Housing associations

  46

  180

  —

  —

  Public sector

  98

  180

  Private sector

  128

  137

  —

  —

  All

  226

  317

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of registered homeless people in the Haringey borough council area on the latest available date; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Roe
  The numbers of households for whom Haringey reported accepting responsibility to secure accommodation under the homelessness provisions of Housing Acts, in each year from 1981 to 1986, appear in a table which was placed in the Library in May 1987.

  Corresponding information for 1979, 1980 and the first half of 1987 appears in "Local Housing Statistics" which is also available in the Library:

  Issue number

  Table number

  1979 first and second halves

  54

  14

  1980 first half

  59

  9

  second half

  62

  13

  1987 first quarter

  82

  9a

  second quarter

  83

  9

  Haringey has not yet reported the figures for the second half of 1987 to the Department.

  A new reporting system was introduced for London boroughs in the third quarter of 1982, so that figures are not directly comparable over the whole period.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of people on council 558
  house waiting lists in the Haringey borough council area on the latest available date; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Roe
  The number of households on waiting lists at April, and the changes in the previous 12 months, appear in columns B51 and B53, respectively, of the 1986 and 1987 housing investment programme "All items prints" which are available in the Library. Information for earlier years is not available centrally.

  Child Care
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of the Department's employees; what child care provision for school holiday and/or after school care is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mr. Ridley
  An experimental child care scheme was held at the Cardington residential training centre for two weeks in August 1987. The Department is considering what scope there is for further provision without continuing subsidy.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received seeking clarification of the treatment of riparian rights under the community charge provisions; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Some representations have been received about the rating of riparian rights. We have no proposals to change the existing provisions relating to the liability and assessment of rates in respect of riparian or other sporting rights; they will remain subject to rates and will be charged at the national non-domestic rate poundage.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply of 28 March to the hon. Member for Copeland,Official Report, column 312, when he expects the estimates to which he refers to be made available.

  Mr. Ridley
  As soon as I have local authorities budget returns. So far, 335 of 426 have been received. 80 of these appear to contain errors which are being followed up.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff are currently employed by the London residuary body.

  Mr. Chope
  The London residuary body employed 1,993 staff at 1 April 1988. This figure is in full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the London residuary body to be wound up.

  Mr. Chope
  The future of the London residuary body is dependent on Parliament's consideration of the Education Reform Bill. It expects to have completed its substantive work in winding up the affairs of the former Greater London council by March 1990.

  Rubenstein v. Secretary of State for the Environment
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lancashire, West of 30 March,Official Report, column 474, if he proposes to appeal against the judgment in the case of Rubenstein v. Secretary of State for the Environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We do not propose to appeal against this judgment, and are considering what line of future action we might take.

  Deforestation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take urgent steps to assist in the holding of an international conference on deforestation and the destruction of the ozone layer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department does not consider an international conference to be the most immediately effective way to evaluate recent theories that tropical forest burning may influence the ozone layer. The Montreal protocol on substances which deplete the ozone layer requires that scientific evidence be reassessed before the first review of measures in 1990 and the Department will ensure that the effect of tropical forest burning will be included in that assessment. In addition, I have asked the Department's expert advisory body, the stratospheric ozone review group, to comment on the hypothesis in their next report to the Department, expected this autumn.

  Dersingham Bypass
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter he has sent to Norfolk county council concerning the route of the Dersingham bypass and its environmental consequences.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department wrote to the chief executive, Norfolk county council on 10 March. The letter referred to a deemed planning permission granted by the county council to itself in February 1987 for the A149 Dersingham-Ingoldisthorpe-Snettisham bypass. The letter stated :"The Secretary of State considers that it might be expedient, in the wider public interest, for an order to he made under Section 45 of the 1971 Act, revoking the deemed planning permission, in view of the importance of the Dersingham Bog Site of Special Scientific Interest in a national and international context, and the need to ensure that conservation issues are fully and publicly examined.
  The Secretary of State accordingly hereby consults the local planning authority, in compliance with section 276(1) of

  Average weekly rents1 England

  Year

  LA (unrebated) April

  Fair rents Unfurnished tenancies2 2nd half year £

  Retail Prices Index United Kingdom April

  per cent. increase

  per cent increase

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  over year

  since 1979

  1979

  6·41

  —

  —

  39·55

  —

  —

  1980

  7·70

  20

  20

  311·40

  22

  22

  1981

  11·42

  48

  78

  13·00

  12

  36

  1982

  13·48

  18

  110

  14·25

  9

  49

  1983

  13·97

  4

  118

  15·60

  4

  55

  560
  the 1971 Act, as to whether it is expedient that an order should be made. The Department also wishes to know whether, if the Council consider that an order should be made, they would be prepared to make the order themselves."

  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a public inquiry into the potential effect to the Dersingham bog site of special scientific interest if the route of the proposed Dersingham bypass as approved by Norfolk county council is followed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department awaits the county council's response to the consultation letter of 10 March. If the county council objects, the Secretary of State will consider whether he ought to make a revocation order himself. Should he decide to do so, an inquiry would be held into objections to the proposed order including those of the county council. Any inquiry would probably be separate from, but concurrent with, the inquiry into objections to the council's related compulsory purchase and side roads orders.

  London City Airport
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what part of the planning permission he gave to the operators of London City airport permits experimental flights of jet aircraft to or from that airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The planning permission for London City airport, formerly known as STOLport, does not preclude flights of jet fixed-wing aircraft provided that they are in accordance with the conditions attached to my right hon. Friend's decision of 23 May 1985. Enforcement of these conditions is a matter for the London Docklands development corporation as the development control authority for the area in which the airport lies.

  Rents
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average level(a) of local authority rents and (b) of fair rents registered for unfurnished lettings in England in each of the years from 1979 to 1988, indicating the percentage increase in each on an annual and cumulative basis, showing also the movement of the retail prices index over that same period.

  Mr. Ridley
  The figures on local authority rents, the average rents registered by rent officers and the movements in the retail prices index up to 1987 are as follows. Corresponding figures are not available for 1988.
  561

  Average weekly rents1 England

  Year

  LA (unrebated) April

  Fair rents Unfurnished tenancies2 2nd half year £

  Retail Prices Index United Kingdom April

  per cent. increase

  per cent increase

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  over year

  since 1979

  1984

  14·66

  5

  129

  16·80

  5

  63

  1985

  15·54

  6

  142

  18·05

  7

  75

  1986

  16·36

  5

  155

  19·95

  3

  80

  1987

  17·20

  5

  168

  21·19

  4

  87

  1 service charges, if any, are included in fair rents, but not in local authority rents.

  2 registered rents for private regulated tenancies only.

  3 England and Wales.

  The mix of properties for which rents are registered varies from year to year for a number of reasons, for example, extension of decontrol in 1981 and the reduction from three to two years in the minim um period for re-registration which led to re-registrations in 1983 of rents previously registered in 1980 and 1981. Therefore, comparisons of average for consecutive years do not properly reflect rent movements. Better estimates of rent movements are derived from previous and new registered rents for tenancies where there has been no material change in terms or in the physical condition. For properties with rents fixed in the second halves of 1979, 1982, 1984 and 1986, the estimated increases are :

  per cent. increase in period

  annualised per cent. increase

  1979–82

  47

  14

  1982–84

  18

  9

  1984–86

  17

  8

  The estimated annualised increase for properties with rents fixed in the second half of 1987 was 9 per cent.

  Housing Investment Programme
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total of all the housing investment programme bids for 1988–89 submitted by English housing authorities; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1978–79.

  Mr. Ridley
  In their housing investment programme submissions, local authorities set out their proposals for their total capital expenditure programme in the relevant year. The figures are, therefore, intended to cover not only expenditure financed from allocations, but the very considerable amount of expenditure financed from other sources. The totals of proposed programmes for the years 1978–79 to 1988–89 have been as follows:

  Proposed Programmes1

  £ millions 1988–89 prices

  1978–79

  8,493

  1979–80

  7,091

  1980–81

  7,078

  1981–82

  5,203

  1982–83

  4,562

  1983–84

  4,462

  1984–85

  5,381

  1985–86

  5,516

  1986–87

  5,943

  1987–88

  6,011

  1988–89

  6,167

  1 Excludes non-prescribed expenditure.

  562
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the housing investment programme allocations made to each London borough, metropolitan district and non-metropolitan district in each of the years from 1978–79 to 1988–89, expressed in constant 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Ridley
  A table listing the housing investment programme allocations made for all housing authorities in England for each of the years from 1978–79 to 1988–89 at 1988–89 constant prices will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

  Since 1981–82 local authorities have been able to supplement their allocations by expenditure financed from capital receipts. Nationally over half of local authorities' capital expenditure in 1988–89 is expected to be financed from capital receipts.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following the announcement of the timetable for district and county councils to implement competitive tendering procedures, he will make a statement as to when the other bodies covered by part I of the Local Government Act have to implement competition for their services.

  Mr. Chope
  In the light of consultation, my right hon. Friend has now considered how competition can be implemented most effectively for these remaining authorities. His decisions reflect their level of activity in the services involved, the application of the ·100,000 de minimis threshold and the fact that parish and community councils have had less time than other councils to prepare for competition. He has decided that where they are not exempt under the de minimis threshold, the authorities and bodies listed in the table will be required to expose all their defined activities except ground maintenance to competition by 1 August 1989, and ground maintenance by 1 January 1990:

  Metropolitan county fire and civil defence authorities

  London Fire and Civil Defence Authorities

  Metropolitan county passenger transport authorities

  Waste disposal authorities set up by or under the Local Government Act 1985

  Joint police authorities

  Any joint committee of local authorities

  Urban development corporations

  The Council of the Isles of Scilly

  The Inner London Education Authority is excluded from the list in view of its short remaining life, assuming that the relevant provisions in the Education Reform Bill are enacted. A separate announcement will be made in relation of new town bodies.
  563
  Representatives of parish and community councils are being consulted on the proposition that competition should apply to them from 1 January 1990 for ground maintenance and 1 August 1990 for all other activities. Responses have been requested by 31 May.

  System-built Houses
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his Department assesses to be the latest amount needed on each Wimpey no-fines house, in the Blakenhall area of Walsall in order to bring such properties up to acceptable standards.

  Mrs. Roe
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]This is a matter for the local authority, rather than the Department.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the west midlands section of his Department will be willing to see a deputation of residents from the Wimpey no-fines properties in Walsall in order to discuss the present state of disrepair to these houses.

  Mrs. Roe
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: The regional controller and other officials have already visited these houses. I do not feel that a further meeting would be useful. It is for Walsall metropolitan borough council to determine its own priorities for the repair and improvement of its own housing stock.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what latest information and consultations have taken place between his Department and the Walsall metropolitan borough council regarding the work needed to bring up to acceptable standards the Wimpey no-fines properties in the Blakenhall area of the borough.

  Mrs. Roe
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: Officials of the Department discussed this with Walsall metropolitan borough council at the housing investment programme meeting on 16 September 1987. The council also submitted a written bid to the Department in January 1988 for estate action support in 1988–89 for the Blakenhall area, but this was not accepted, for the reasons given in my reply of 18 April to the hon. Member at column 307.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the dangers to residents of the present state of disrepair in the Wimpey no-fines properties in the Blakenhall area of Walsall.

  Mrs. Roe
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: Responsibility for the health and safety of tenants lies with the local authority, both as landlord and through their other statutory powers and responsibilities.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Chelford Market
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the case for additional grading facilities at Chelford market; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reconsider his refusal to grant additional grading facilities at Chelford market; what representations he has received on this subject; and if he will make a statement.
  564
  Mr. MacGregor
  I have received a number of representations. Grading facilities are provided to allow producers to obtain benefit of the variable premium schemes consistent with the need for efficiency and economy. There are numerous liveweight and deadweight certification facilities in the area and there are no grounds for providing additional facilities at Chelford.

  Set-aside and Extensification
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give(a) his Department's and (b) the European Community's definition for (i) set-aside and (ii) extensification.

  Mr. Gummer
  Definitions applying to all member states including the United Kingdom are contained in a regulation on this subject now awaiting formal adoption by the Council. The regulation defines set-aside as withdrawal from agricultural production of at least 20 per cent. of land devoted to supported arable crops in the reference period for at least five years, with provision for the farmer to opt out after three years. Extensification is defined as reduction of at least 20 per cent. for a period of at least five years in a farmer's output of a surplus agricultural product, without any increase in production capacity for other surplus products.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a ceiling for the annual or total cost to the European agricultural guarantee and guidance fund of the set-aside scheme was agreed at the European Community's Council meeting of 11 to 13 February.

  Mr. Gummer
  The European Council agreed that a ceiling of 600 million ECUs should apply in 1992 to expenditure on set-aside and income aids taken together.

  Peanuts
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of peanuts containing aflatoxin levels above one part per billion were imported into Britain in 1987; and if he will list and quantify the uses to which they were put.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria his Department uses in assessing the appropriate levels of aflatoxin permitted in peanuts for(a) human and (b) animal consumption.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The proposed statutory limit of 0·01 mg/kg for aflatoxin in peanuts for human consumption recommended by the independent Food Advisory Committee reflects the policy of reducing aflatoxin contamination to the lowest level that is technologically achievable by good manufacturing practice.

  So far as consumption by animals is concerned, maximum limits are set in EC Directives the aims of which include the protection of human and animal health. The levels in feedingstuffs aim to ensure no transference of aflatoxin into milk supplies.
  565
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the sampling methods used by his Department in assessing the levels of aflatoxin contained in peanuts imported into Britain.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The sampling plan used by port health authorities to monitor the levels of aflatoxins in peanuts intended for human consumption was designed by the Tropical Products Institute and is published in the Ministry's food surveillance paper No. 18 on mycotoxins, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Slaughterhouse Charges
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the purpose of the EEC directive on the harmonising of slaughterhouse charges in the EEC; what will be the consequence of the proposals for British slaughterhouse charges; whether Her Majesty's Government treat this proposal as falling to be considered under the Single European Act by majority vote; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The purpose of the proposals for harmonising hygiene and inspection charges in slaughterhouses is to remove distortions to competition. As put to the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting on 19 April the proposals were unacceptable to the United Kingdom and I succeeded in persuading the Council that the proposals needed further consideration. The proposals do fall to be determined by qualified majority, but that has nothing to do with changes arising from the Single European Act.

  Food Aid
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet decided on the arrangements to implement the European Community scheme for distribution of surplus food to the most needy.

  Mr. Gummer
  On 12 January, my right hon. Friend announced the form of the United Kingdom's participation in the European Community surplus food scheme. The deadline for applications from organisations wishing to participate was 29 February, and the Commission confirmed on 12 April its allocation of £.10·4 million (15 million ECUs) to the United Kingdom for 1988. Applications for butter and beef were received from a wide range of organisations, especially from charities. The Government have carefully considered these applications

  Member state

  Financial limit (MECUs)

  Maximum quantities which may be drawn from intervention stores subject for each member state to the overriding financial limit stated

  Belgium

  1·28

  225 tonnes of soft wheat

  160 tonnes of butter

  148 tonnes of beef

  Denmark

  0·10

  5 tonnes of butter

  20 tonnes of beef

  Germany

  7·30

  2,331 tonnes of butter

  Greece

  1·90

  700 tonnes of beef

  Spain

  20·10

  2,200 tonnes of durum wheat

  1,000 tonnes of butter

  4,600 tonnes of beef

  1,340 tonnes of olive oil

  France

  16·35

  2,050 tonnes of soft wheat

  4,850 tonnes of durum wheat

  1,300 tonnes of butter

  566
  and have designated 127 organisations which are capable of meeting the conditions of the scheme. I am placing a list of designated organisations in the Library.

  Individual designated organisations are being informed of the amounts of butter and beef they may withdraw free of charge from intervention stores. Since requests for produce from those organisations have exceeded the Commission's allocation to us by about three times, we have to impose some restrictions. To ensure that the produce is shared as fairly as possible between designated organisations, we have reduced the allocations for those who have requested the highest amount per recipient, and we will take up in the United Kingdom all the butter and beef allowed under the scheme.

  Charities and local authorities will make their own arrangements in response to local need and the capacity of their own organisations. Method and timing of distributions will therefore differ throughout the country, and these may take place at any time during the next eight months. Notification will therefore be arranged locally by the organisation concerned.

  Plant Variety and Seed Certification Systems
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the report of the "Review of Plant Variety and Seed Certification Systems"; if he will make it his policy to hold consultations with all interested parties before implementing any of the recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 18 April 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) at columns 241–42.

  Free Food Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amount of food which, to date, has been issued to the needy under the free food scheme for each country and each product; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply. 30 March 1988. c. 563.]: The Council has determined a budgetary allocation of 100 million ECUs for the free food scheme for 1988, within which total the Commission has allocated funds to each member state, and has authorised release as follows:
  567

  Member state

  Financial limit (MECUs)

  Maximum quantities which may be drawn from intervention stores subject for each member state to the overriding financial limit stated

  3,100 tonnes of beef

  Ireland

  2·35

  24 tonnes of butter

  500 tonnes of beef

  Italy

  15·90

  15,000 tonnes of durum wheat

  450 tonnes of butter

  3,300 tonnes of beef

  450 tonnes of olive oil

  Luxembourg

  0·10

  30 tonnes of soft wheat

  20 tonnes of butter

  10 tonnes of beef

  Netherlands

  1·50

  150 tonnes of butter

  300 tonnes of beef

  Portugal

  5·70

  650 tonnes of soft wheat

  350 tonnes of durum wheat

  350 tonnes of butter

  1,550 tonnes of beef

  United Kingdom

  15·00

  3,000 tonnes of butter

  2,000 tonnes of beef

  568

  MR. RONALD COLLIS
  MR. RONALD COLLIS
  PRISONERS: CRIMES DETECTED FOLLOWING VISITS
  PRISONERS: CRIMES DETECTED FOLLOWING VISITS
  NHS EXPENDITURE
  NHS EXPENDITURE
  SALMON CONSERVATION
  SALMON CONSERVATION