Written Answers of 7 December 1988

DEFENCE

  United States Chemical Munitions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what United States chemical munitions or components of chemical munitions are(a) stored, (b) transported or (c) deployed within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Freeman
  None.

  Argentina
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom defence contracts have been concluded with Argentina since June 1982; and when export sales organisations of his Department resumed their efforts to promote the sale of military equipment to Argentina.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No United Kingdom defence contracts have been concluded with Argentina since June 1982, and currently there continues to be no promotion of defence equipment sales to that country by my Department.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there have been any British nuclear tests in 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Procurement
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the annual procurement costs within his Department; and what proportion of this is obtained from(a) Wales and (b) south-east England.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Tuesday 29 November at columns 570-71 and the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 18 April at column 334.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are employed in the procurement division of his Department who are legally qualified.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Staff Dispersal
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to the relocation of Ministry of Defence procurement staff away from central London.
  158
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Studies are already in hand into how best to rationalise the location of staff in the sea systems controllerate of the Procurement Executive, most of whom already work at sites in the south-west. Initial studies are now being launched into the feasibility of relocating the work of the land and air systems controllerates, which together employ over 3,000 people, the bulk of them in central London. As has already been said, Ministers are currently considering the results of an investment appraisal concerning the future location of the directorate general of defence quality assurance.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessments he has made as to the likely effect on(a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases, of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mr. Freeman
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on VAT will have no effect on my Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, it is not possible to offer meaningful estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  Aldermaston and Burghfield
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many projects were examined in the independent programme audit of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield carried out by British Nuclear Fuels; what was the number of staff engaged to carry out this audit; and what was the total cost of the audit.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The BNFL programme audit reviewed four major projects and was carried out by a seven-man team representing 218 man days' effort. It is not the practice to reveal the details of individual contract costs for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Trident
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long a delay in a Trident-related programme must be before it is considered significant enough to report to the Defence Committee in the course of its annual examination of the Trident programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is the MOD's aim to provide the Select Committee on Defence with information concerning the progress of all significant aspects of the project. In reaching a judgment as to the significance of a projected delay in a part of the programme the MOD will consider aspects such as prospects for recovery and possible consequences of any overruns. Judgments are then made on a case-by-case basis.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where those elements of the Trident warheads that are purchased from the United States will be serviced and maintained.
  159
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Servicing and maintenance of the British warhead for Trident will be undertaken in this country, regardless of the source of any particular elements.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the proportion of non-fissile elements in the Trident warhead that will be produced in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It has been the policy of successive Governments not to reveal detailed information of this nature, for security reasons. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the broad indications given in the recent report of the Defence Committee (third report, Session 1987–88, page 22, Q26).

  Non-nuclear Defence Research Establishments
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to finish his considerations of the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the defence research study team into the feasibility of establishing the non-nuclear defence research establishments as an executive agency.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Shortly.

  Defence Statistics Organisation
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to order a feasibility study into the potential for using the private sector in the work of the Defence Statistics Organisation.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I am still considering what action should be taken on the report on the potential for using the private sector in the Defence Statistics Organisation.

  Contractors
  Mr. Menzies-Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contractual arrangements his Department makes when placing orders with defence contractors to ensure that deliveries are made on time and up to specification.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 6 December 1988] : The Ministry's policy is to negotiate taut contract terms and conditions which define the requirements in terms of specification and delivery and which enable redress to be sought where appropriate.

TRANSPORT

  Lorries
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce regulations to control the shedding of stones and gravel from lorries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Effective legislation for enforcement already exists in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, as supplemented by the Department's code of practice on the safety of loads on vehicles.

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children under the age of five years have been killed in traffic accidents in which the vehicle driver was found to be intoxicated with alcohol.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1986, two children under the age of five years were killed in accidents where at least one of the drivers involved had a blood or breath alcohol content above the legal limit. In 1987, three children under five years were killed in accidents where a driver involved failed a roadside breath test. The accidents where a driver was killed and found to have a high blood alcohol content have not yet been completely indentified for 1987.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities and serious injuries concerning children under five years travelling in vehicles involved in traffic accidents took place in the years 1980 to 1988; and how many of these children were travelling in car safety seats.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The table shows the numbers of children under five years who suffered fatal or serious injuries in road accidents while they were travelling in cars or other motor vehicles. It also shows the percentage of these child casualties who were recorded as using a child restraint or seat belt.

  Casualties (fatal and serious) among children aged 0-4 travelling in motor vehicles: Great Britain: 1980–1987

  Year

  Vehicle type

  Percentage of (a) restrained

  (a) Cars

  (b) Other motor vehicles

  1980

  329

  39

  6

  1981

  306

  48

  9

  1982

  330

  36

  11

  1983

  310

  34

  15

  1984

  381

  33

  19

  1985

  357

  33

  15

  1986

  390

  30

  19

  1987

  403

  28

  20

  It is obvious that the numbers are influenced by the spreading family use of cars and the percentage by the growing installation and use of restraints by child passengers.

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor cycle accidents there have been in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Too many. The trend is downwards.

  The table attached shows the number of motor cycles involved in accidents in Great Britain between 1977 and 1987. The total number of motor cycle accidents is lower, since some accidents involve more than one motor cycle.

  Motor cylce involved in accidents: Great Britain: 1977–1987

  Year

  All Severities

  1977

  73,676

  1978

  71,382

  1979

  69,173

  1980

  73,054

  1981

  70,949

  161

  Year

  All Severities

  1982

  73,033

  1983

  65,962

  1984

  65,340

  1985

  57,822

  1986

  53,562

  1987

  47,024

  Motor cycles include all two-wheeled motor vehicles.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is considering restricting the power of motor cycles bought for road use in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There are existing and proposed limitations on the size of motor cycles that some riders may use. Motor cycle importers follow a voluntary maximum limit of 125 bhp for motor cycles brought into this country for use on the road.

  The 1981 Transport Act restricted learner riders to machines of 125cc. Research indicates that this has reduced learner rider casualties by one quarter. The move up from a 125cc motor cycle to a large high performance machine can be too big a step for newly qualified riders. I therefore announced in February that we propose to introduce a new licence category for motor cycles in excess of 400cc. Progress to these larger machines will be linked to two years riding experience on a full licence. This will bring us into line with the relevant European proposals for harmonisation of driving licences. We have no plans to restrict the power of motor cycles sold in this country.

  Road Signs
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the locations on motorways and trunk roads of variable message signs, the number of signs currently in use on each road, the costs involved in installing them and details of their running costs; and if he will make a statement about his future intentions to extend the use of this type of sign and give details of the roads on which they will be installed.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The detailed information requested is not readily available. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  Roads and Pavements (Reinstatement)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure the reinstatement of roads and pavements to their original standard by the utilities following work undertaken by them.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The breaking open and reinstatement of streets by public utilities is regulated by a general code in the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950. Reinstatement is either carried out entirely by the utility, or the highway authority may elect to do all or certain portions of it themselves. In cases where the highway authority does not elect to reinstate a street, the utility is under an obligation to carry out the reinstatement in accordance with any reasonable requirements of the highway authority and to reinstate openings up to the original surface level.

  We accepted in our response to the Horne report on the review of the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 that new primary legislation is required. It is proposed that
  162
  utilities should be made entirely responsible for reinstating the highway following their excavation work. They would have to comply with new national specifications for reinstatement and meet objective standards of performance for the repaired road surface. Work to prepare these specifications and standards is well advanced. Utilities would be required to make good, at their expense, any reinstatements which fell outside these standards during a warranty period.

  Legislation will be introduced as soon as a suitable opportunity can be found.

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the talks, involving representatives of his Department and of the United States Government, on the licence applications for Manchester routes by three United States airlines; and if there is any further action he will be taking.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The two sides explored a number of new ideas from which an appropriate basis for agreement may be found. A further round of negotiations will be held this month or early in January. Precise dates are currently being considered.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Patrick Ryan
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied that the request for extradition of Mr. Patrick Ryan from Belgium was accompanied by the appropriate legal documents prepared properly in accordance with Belgium law; what information he has as to the grounds on which that request was refused; and what steps he is taking to secure the extradition of Mr. Ryan from the Irish Republic.

  The Attorney-General
  I am satisfied that the documents were prepared properly to meet the requirements of Belgian law. The advice of the Belgian prosecuting authorities themselves was sought, given and followed in the preparation of the extradition request.

  The request was refused by the Belgium Government on the grounds that:
  "it would appear from examination of the case that the imprecise charges contained in arrest warrants delivered by the British legal authorities and retained by executing order of the chamber of indictments and investigation of the Appeal Court do not constitute the necessary elements for the offence of conspiracy in Belgian law, the only grounds on which, according to the executing order, extradition to the United Kingdom could have been agreed by Belgium".

  The court of first instance and the Court of Appeal of Brussels had both upheld the extradition request in relation to the conspiracy charges.

  As regards the steps taken to secure Ryan's extradition from the Republic of Ireland, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the private notice question tabled by the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) on 1 December. The Irish Attorney-General's Office sent to my Office in the late afternoon of 1 December a letter requesting clarification and further information on certain matters set out in the statements of facts and law sent to him on 25 November. A full response

  163
  answering all the questions was transmitted to the Irish Attorney-General's Office during the afternoon of 2 December.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministers (Public Statements)
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will take action to discourage Ministers from making public statements outside the remit of their own Department.

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers will continue to speak on Government policy as appropriate.

  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the duty of making public statements concerning the safety of agricultural produce for human consumption reposes in Ministers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, or in the Department of Health.

  The Prime Minister
  The safety of foodstuffs consumed in this country is a matter for Health and Agriculture Ministers acting jointly. By arrangement, the Department of Health leads on matters concerning food hygiene and microbiological contamination of food which are likely to pose public health risks whereas Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food leads on all other food issues and associated health risks. In either case there is close liaison between Health and Agriculture Departments and consultation with relevant outside interests.

WALES

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to alter the operation of the Welsh Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 26 October 1988, at column 224.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress he is making in reducing hospital waiting lists in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Responsibility for the management of waiting lists in Wales rests with district health authorities within their allocated financial resources which (in terms of recurrent revenue provision and after taking account of inflation) have risen by 34 per cent. in the period 1978–79 to 1988–89. As part of the Department's efforts to reduce waiting times, £1 million of additional moneys have been made available to health authorities in each financial year from 1986–87 to 1988–89 to tackle specific problem lists. In 1988–89 this extra help should generate an estimated additional throughput of 10,300 new out-patients and 1,400 in-patients.

  The Welsh Office is keeping the activities of DHAs under close scrutiny. In addition to the annual reviews of health authorities' performance, which include their efforts to tackle waiting lists, officials have recently completed a round of meetings with all authorities to discuss their plans for reducing waiting times.
  164
  At March 1988 72 per cent. of urgent in-patient waiting lists 61 per cent. of non-urgent in-patient waiting lists and 46 per cent. of out-patient waiting lists were within the waiting times targets. I am none the less concerned that many patients have to wait over-long for treatment, and the drive to reduce waiting times will continue.

  Health Service (Grading)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate the date on which he first received grading projections from each health authority on the new clinical structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors.

  Mr. Grist
  Provisional returns for Welsh district health authorities were received by the Department during the first two weeks of September 1988.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a breakdown of the new grading structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors broken down by grade, type of hospital including psychiatric, geriatric and acute, by district and region.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Sir R. Gower) on 30 November, at columns 244-46, and 1 December at columns 349-50. Information by area of work is not available centrally.

  Cervical Smear Tests
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time taken by each Welsh health authority to process cervical smear tests and provide the results for the patient and her general practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 14 June 1988, at column 85, which contains the latest comprehensive information available centrally.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Free School Transport
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to review the free transport limits for school pupils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present.

  Disabled Persons (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of his Department's staff are classed as disabled.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  2·5 per cent. of the Department's staff are registered disabled persons.

  It is the Department's policy to encourage applications from disabled people. All those who apply with the necessary qualifications, or pass the alternative written test, are invited for an interview.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessments he has made as to
  165
  the likely effect on (a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases, of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on VAT will have no effect on my Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, it is not possible to offer meaningful estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  Teachers
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the salaries of grades of teachers comparable to those in the United Kingdom in each member state of the European Community.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Some information on European Community teachers' salaries in 1985 is published in a detailed research report "The Conditions of Service of Teachers in the European Community", published by the European Commission in 1988 (pages 133 to 160). A copy is available in the Library.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that the pay of supply teachers takes account of their length of service and experience.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The schools teachers' pay and conditions document 1988 already provides for local education authorities when determining the pay of a supply teacher to have regard to any qualifications or experience which they consider to be of value in the performance of his duties.

  Science and Engineering Research Council
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the annual report of the Science and Engineering Research Council for 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The annual report of the Science and Engineering Research Council for 1987–88 has been submitted to me under the requirements of the Science and Technology Act 1965, and a copy is being laid before the House today.

  I was most interested to study the report on what has obviously been an exciting year for the council in fields ranging from fundamental work in astronomy to areas of great potential for future exploitation. I was particularly encouraged to note:

  (i) the increase in the proportion of the council's expenditure applied to grants for core sciences and engineering research in higher education institutions—from 30·9 per cent. in 1986–87 to 33·5 per cent. in the year under review;

  (ii) the development of the interdisciplinary research centre (IRC) concept, with the announcement of the first four centres during the year, at a cost of £25·7 million over six years;

  166

  (iii) the rapid response of the council and its academic and industrial committees to the fast-moving developments in high temperature superconductivity—including the choice of this subject for the first of the council's IRCs and in addition the allocation of some £700,000 in grant awards, with the later commitment of a further £2 million early in the 1988–89 session;

  (iv) the council's participation, jointly with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in the first collaborative LINK programmes in molecular electronics; advanced semiconductor devices; eukaryotic genetic engineering; and industrial measurements systems–the total SERC contribution to these programmes totalling £14·3 million over five years; and

  (v) the deployment for high quality research by British scientists of sophisticated equipment such as the Liverpool university electron microscope capable of beam control over atomic dimensions; the high brightness lattice on the synchrotron radiation source at the council's Da resbury laboratory; transputer equipment at the national and regional centres, jointly funded with the DTI; and the 4.2 million William Herschel optical telescope on La Palma.

  I look forward to seeing what progress has been achieved with these new initiatives and equipment in next year's report.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Inner-city Task Forces
  Mr. Knowles
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what further progress has been made in the 16 inner-city task forces.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress achieved by his Department's inner-city task forces.

  Mr. Newton
  Since the task forces first began their work in 1986, they have supported over 1,000 projects, committing over £33 million of Government funds to stimulate the regeneration of their areas.

  At the last count, as I indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 26 October, task forces projects have been approved that are expected to generate or safeguard at least 4,000 jobs, and to facilitate more than 20,000 training places. Over 400 companies have been involved in the task forces' work.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress of the inner-city task forces in the north-west.

  Mr. Forth
  The inner-city task forces are central to the Government's action for cities programme. Their objectives are to secure more jobs for local people, to improve their employability, to encourage and facilitate local enterprise and to support environmental and crime prevention initiatives which also contribute to these objectives.

  All three inner-city task forces in the north-west have made excellent progress towards achieving these aims. To

  167
  date, the Moss Side and Hulme (Manchester), Preston and Rochdale task forces have supported 141 projects which, among other things, have helped to create or safeguard 214 jobs and 1,315 training places.

  All three have established development funds in co-operation with private sector institutions to help the start-up or strengthening of small businesses. They have sought to improve residents' employability by, for example, sponsoring courses in English as a second language, with particular reference to job-seeking skills. Training courses in skills relevant to industries such as textile and knitting, construction, computing and the banking and finance sectors have also been established.

  Takeovers
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of takeovers by overseas companies in the United Kingdom for the latest convenient period; and what was the corresponding figure for overseas takeovers by United Kingdom companies.

  Mr. Maude
  The value of cross-border acquisition and mergers by overseas companies in the United Kingdom in the 12 months to September 1988 was £5·8 billion. The corresponding figure for cross-border acquisitions and mergers by United Kingdom companies was £11·7 billion.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to discuss takeover policy.

  Mr. Maude
  I have no plans at present to meet the chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to discuss merger policy. The chairman of the Commission meets my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and myself from time to time to discuss matters relevant to the work of the commission.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he is taking to ensure a level playing field for takeover bids within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government raised the issue of barriers to takeovers in Europe at the Internal Market Council on 18 November.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current level of company spending on takeovers.

  Mr. Maude
  In the 12 months to September 1988 United Kingdom industrial and commercial companies' expenditure on acquisitions of United Kingdom companies was about £20 billion and their expenditure on acquisitions of overseas companies was about £6 billion. Further information is published in Business Monitor MQ7 "Acquisitions and mergers by industrial and commercial companies".

  EC (Trade Balance)
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he expects the impact of 1992 to be on the trade balance with other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The single European market will create opportunities for increased trade with the European 168
  Community as the barriers are removed. Realising the potential gains to the economy, including improved competitiveness against third countries, will depend on the flexibility of United Kingdom firms in responding to the new opportunities and challenges.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he expects the impact of 1992 to be on the trade balance with other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The single European market will create opportunities for increased trade with the European Community as the barriers are removed. Realising the potential gains to the economy, including improved competitiveness against third countries, will depend on the flexibility of United Kingdom firms in responding to the new opportunities and challenges.

  Information Technology (Research)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he is doing to encourage collaboration between universities and industry in the field of information technology research.

  Mr. Forth
  The Alvey programme successfully brings together industry and universities in collaborative IT research, and will continue until 1991–92. Support for collaboration between industry and universities will continue through further national and European IT research programmes, particularly Esprit and our new advanced technology programme, launched by my predecessor in July 1988, to which there has already been a most encouraging response.

  Civil Research and Development
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the level of expenditure by British industry on civil research and development.

  Mr. Forth
  Expenditure by United Kingdom industry on industrial research and development amounted to about 1 per cent. of GDP in 1986, just slightly above the proportion for 1985. The economic climate established by Her Majesty's Government should encourage United Kingdom industry to raise its level of R and D expenditure further.

  Competitiveness
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which measures of competitiveness have shown an improvement since 1979; and which have shown a deterioration.

  Mr. Newton
  The two main measures of international competitiveness are relative unit labour costs and share of world trade. Compared with our major competitors United Kingdom relative unit labour costs for manufactured goods fell by 5·8 per cent. between 1979 and 1987. Our share of the volume of world trade in manufactures has been broadly stable since 1981, after many years of decline. The signs are that our non-price competitiveness, which covers factors such as quality, reliability and after-sales service has also improved.

  Departmental Official History
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will commission Sir Brian Hayes to write the official history of his Department for the period 1985 to 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  "Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax", a history of the Department published in 1986, covered the period from 1786 to 1986. A copy was placed in the Library.

  CBI
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Newton
  I last met the CBI on 24 November when I spoke at its conference "Business Opportunities in Urban Regeneration".

  Company Headquarters
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the headquarters of Britain's top 100 companies are outside the south-east; and if he will give comparable figures for 10 and 20 years ago.

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

  EC (Trade Deficit)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which European Economic Community countries Britain is running a trade deficit.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the 12 months to October the United Kingdom had deficits on visible trade with Belgium/Luxembourg, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.

  EC (Research and Development)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future of the European Community framework programme of research and development.

  Mr. Forth
  There has been welcome progress in implementing specific research programmes within the current framework programme. The Commission is itself conducting a review and is expected to put forward its own ideas for the future of Community research next year. At this stage it is not possible to anticipate what its conclusions may be. The United Kingdom will play an active part in the subsequent discussions. We shall, however, insist that any proposals for revision of existing Community research activity must be fully justified.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of Barlow Clowes investors.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the Barlow Clowes investors.
  170
  Mr. Maude
  I met representatives of the Barlow Clowes Investors Group on 24 November.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on the Barlow Clowes affair.

  Mr. Maude
  Copies of Sir Godfray Le Quesne's report were passed to a number of regulatory and professional bodies. Action being taken by the Securities and Investments Board and the Financial Intermediaries, Managers and Brokers Regulatory Association was set out in my answer of 10 November at column 261. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has set up a team to examine the work of the auditors involved in the case, which has been asked to report by the end of the year.

  I understand that the joint liquidators of Barlow Clowes International and Barlow Clowes Gilt Managers continue to make progress on recovery of investors' funds and towards distribution of recovered funds, as described by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his statement on 20 October.

  Contract Industrial Research
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimates he has made of the growth of the contract industrial research market in the United Kingdom and worldwide.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures published in the 1988 annual review of Government-funded research and development show a rising trend of expenditure on extramural contract research and development by United Kingdom industry. In 1985 the figure was £332 million rising from £464 million in 1986. Independent forecasts suggest that this trend is likely to continue and that contract research and development expenditure is growing faster than intramural expenditure, the latter growing appoximately in line with GDP. There are no published worldwide figures.

  Action for Cities Campaign
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the private sector is responding to his Department's action for cities campaign; and how he plans to increase its involvement.

  Mr. Newton
  The private sector response has been excellent. Our series of seven breakfast presentations, completed in the east midlands on 6 December, has already led to over 300 offers of help or expressions of interest in urban regeneration from local business people. Chambers of commerce are becoming increasingly involved in planning the renewal of their cities. At national level the CBI, Business in the Community and Phoenix have joined in a forum to promote and assist the development of local business leadership. Above all, the growth of activity and investment in inner cities shows that the private sector is taking the business opportunities which action for cities is helping to generate.

  The £3,000 million that the Government are spending on inner cities this year will do much to encourage more businesses to become involved in the inner cities. We shall also continue to make clear the commercial benefits of doing business in inner cities.

  Merger Policy
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to meet Sir Gordon Borrie, Director General of Fair Trading to discuss merger policy.

  Mr. Maude
  I have no plans at present to meet Sir Gordon Borrie to discuss merger policy. Sir Gordon meets my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and myself from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest including mergers policy.

  Manufacturing Industry (Output)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the figures in constant value of the output in manufacturing industries in the north-west(a) in 1979 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maude
  Gross value added, at constant (1980) prices, for manufacturing industry in the north-west is estimated to have been £9,171 million and £7,453 million in 1979 and 1986 repectively.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures for the output of manufacturing industry; and what was the comparable figure one year ago.

  Mr. Maude
  In the third quarter of 1988 manufacturing output was at a level of 115·8, based on 1985 equal to 100. This is 7 per cent. higher than the level of 108·3 for third quarter of 1987. Manufacturing output is at its highest ever level.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his forecast for the growth of manufacturing output in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  In his Autumn Statement, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer forecast that manufacturing output would be 7 per cent. higher in 1988 than in 1987.

  Single Market
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if any attempt has been made to monitor the effectiveness of the advertising campaign of 1992 and the completion of the single market.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what monitoring he has undertaken of the level of awareness among business men of the single European market achieved by his Department's Europe Open for Business campaign.

  Mr. Maude
  DTI has a substantial evaluation exercise to monitor the effectiveness of the campaign and the level of business response. This includes a detailed survey of 100 different companies each week.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response there has been to his Department's Europe Open for Business campaign.

  Mr. Maude
  The response has been enormous. DTI has received more than 160,000 requests for information since 172
  March, including over 105,000 calls to our 1992 hotline. DTI Ministers and officials are speaking at some 500 conferences and seminars on the single market in the second half of this year.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response has been made by firms in(a) south Yorkshire and (b) the Doncaster area to the campaign on the single European market; what particular action has been taken by his Department to bring this awareness to firms in south Yorkshire so that this area benefits equally as other parts of Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Since DTI's Europe Open for Business campaign opened in March, we have recorded more than 2,220 individual inquiries from the south Yorkshire area, including 345 from Doncaster. More than 200 senior business representatives attended DTI's regional conference held in Sheffield on 15 November.

  DTI's regional office is active throughout the Yorkshire and Humberside region in arranging and supporting conferences and seminars. Staff from the regional office have been involved in 16 such events in south Yorkshire since 1 September.

  British Coal (Accounts)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will use his powers under section 11 of the Competition Act 1980 to order an independent investigation by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of British Coal's accounts with special reference to payments for coalmining subsidence.

  Mr. Maude
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has recently completed an inquiry under section 11 of the Competition Act 1980 into British Coal's investment programme. I also understand that the recommendations of the Waddilove committee which examined the corporation's subsidence compensation arrangements are still being followed through. I therefore see no present case for a further section II inquiry.

  EC (Anti-dumping Powers)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the recent decisions of the European Economic Community to impose levies under its anti-dumping powers; and what representations he has received from United Kingdom firms on the issue.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Since 1 April 1988, six investigations by the European Commission into the alleged injury to Community producers caused by the dumping of goods in the Community have been formally closed with the imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties. Provisional anti-dumping duties have been imposed by the Commission in a further six investigations in the same period.

  Ministers receive representations from time to time both from firms supporting dumping complaints and from those likely to be affected by anti-dumping duties on goods they import.

  USSR
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the latest annual figures of the value of exports to and imports from the USSR.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the 12 months ended December 1987 exports to the USSR were £491·6 million and imports £875·4 million.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the estimated cost to industry of the rise in interest rates since 9 May.

  Mr. Newton
  Bank base rates fell from 8 per cent. to 7½ per cent. on 18 May and have since risen in stages. The cost to industrial and commercial companies to date compared with the cost if base rates had remained at 8 per cent. since 9 May is estimated at about £700 million. The hon. Member should bear in mind that a 1 per cent. interest rate increase, even if sustained for a full year, costs industrial and commercial companies far less than a one percentage point increase in pay settlements.

  Takeovers and Mergers
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any proposals to change the criteria upon which takeover bids and mergers are referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Maude
  No. As recently as March this year we published the results of a thorough review of mergers policy and we have no plans for a further review. We concluded that the potential effect on competition should remain the chief criterion for referring mergers and proposed mergers to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Hotol
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the aerospace industry about Hotol.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has continuing contacts with industry on this issue.

  Japanese Liquor Tax System
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress being made towards the reform of the Japanese liquor tax system as it affects the Scotch whisky industry.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The intentions of the Japanese authorities to introduce a single rate of tax for all whiskies is well on course for implementation on 1 April 1989.

  Staff Dispersal
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's policy on dispersing staff to the regions; and what proportion of his staff now work outside London.

  Mr. Newton
  The Government's policy is that Civil Service work should be located where it can be done most 174
  cost-effectively and provide the best service to the public. The Government's urban and regional policies are taken into account at an early stage when considering each possible relocation, in consultation with territorial departments and my Department's regional offices.

  The Department has some 12,550 staff in post and about half of them will be working outside central London when the laboratory of the Government chemist completes the move to Teddington which is currently in hand.

  We have taken decisions on moving about a thousand more jobs out of central London. We are also carrying out a thorough review to assess the extent to which other units of the Department may operate more cost-effectively out of London.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State and I met the chairman of the commission in the course of the year and have discussed matters relevant to the work of the commission.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he will take to stop companies who make bids which are referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission buying further shares in the market.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend has already made clear that in future cases, where mergers are referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and in the past he would have sought undertakings regarding further share purchases, voting or other matters, he proposes to safeguard the conduct of the inquiry by making an appropriate order to come into effect when the reference is announced.

  However, this entails making a new order on each occasion. As the prohibition on further purchases of shares by the bidder is to apply in all appropriate cases, it is proposed to put the prohibition on a permanent footing. It is therefore our intention to include such a prohibition among the provisions relating to mergers in the forthcoming companies legislation.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next expects to meet the Trades Union Congress to discuss the future of the British steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans at present for such a meeting.

  Latin America and the Caribbean
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has recently taken to promote trade between the United Kingdom and Latin America and the Caribbean; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We should like to see a substantial increase of trade with the region and my Department's full range of export services is available to help United Kingdom companies to export there. In the past 12
  175
  months we have supported 23 outward trade missions to, three inward trade missions from and seven exhibitions in, the area. We also give financial support to the Latin American trade advisory group and the Caribbean trade advisory group, which are two of the Department's area advisory groups and do valuable work in promoting United Kingdom exports to Latin America and the Caribbean.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many new small businesses have started up in each of the past five years; how many people they employ in(a) Ealing and (b) in total; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The latest available estimates provided by the Department of Employment in respect of the numbers of new businesses first registered for VAT are:

  Year

  United Kingdom

  Ealing

  1983

  180,000

  929

  1984

  182,000

  1,090

  1985

  182,000

  1,057

  1986

  191,000

  1,131

  1987

  205,000

  1,311

  Although most of the new businesses are likely to be small the numbers of people they employ is not recorded. Over the period the total numbers of businesses registered in the United Kingdom increased by 11 per cent., while for those registered in Ealing the increase was 38 per cent.

  Consumer Protection
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans for seeking to extend consumer protection.

  Mr. Forth
  Part III of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 comes into force on 1 March 1989 making it an offence to give misleading price indications. We shall be making regulations under part III governing price indications at bureaux de change and the resale of electricity and gas by landlords. An order will be introduced under the Prices Act 1974 to implement EC directives on unit pricing and price marking of food and non-food products.

  We plan to amend the law on the sale and supply of goods following the Law Commission's report and to amend the Consumer Credit Act and related legislation as detailed in the recent White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" (Cm 512). We shall also introduce revised regulations on pyramid selling.

  In the field of consumer safety, we shall soon be introducing regulations with strict requirements for domestic gas cookers. Regulations on toy safety are being prepared to implement and EC directive. Safety standards for a wide range of consumer products are being updated for the purposes of the general safety requirement in the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  Car Market
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the change in the United Kingdom share of the British car market so far in 1988.
  176
  Mr. Atkins
  In the first 11 months of 1988 the United Kingdom share of the British car market was 43 per cent., compared with 48 per cent. in the same period of 1987.

  North-west (Investment)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the role and extent of foreign investment in the economy of the north-west.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) in the House on 13 July this year.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest figure for the balance of trade in manufactured goods; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Figures for trade in manufactures on a balance of payments basis and seasonally adjusted are:

  £ billion

  Exports

  Imports

  Balance

  12 months to October 1988

  64·5

  78·3

  -13·8

  1979 Year

  30·9

  28·3

  +2·7

  Post Office (Letter Monopoly)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what examination has been undertaken of the Post Office monopoly on the delivery of letters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The last public review of the future of the Post Office monopoly on the delivery of letters took place in 1980 and resulted in the suspension of the monopoly until 2006 in respect of letters carried for a charge of not less than £1. We naturally keep the issue of the letter monopoly under review but have no present plans for further change.

  EC (Merger Directives)
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his policy towards the formulation in the European Economic Community of merger directives.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government have reserved their position with regard to the EC Commission's proposals for a merger control regulation. The United Kingdom continues to participate constructively in discussions on the proposal.

  Overseas Companies
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many overseas companies have set up operations in Britain; and what is his estimate of how many jobs such overseas investment has created and is sustaining.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Since my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau started formally recording individual investment projects in 1979, there have been 2,463. These
  177
  include the establishment of a new business, the expansion or acquisition of an existing business, and involvement in joint venture. Altogether, from the information provided by the companies themselves, these have been responsible for the creation of over 185,000 jobs and, since 1983, are known to have safeguarded some 95,000 others.

  European Community (Monopolies, Mergers and Restrictive Practices)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made in the Council of Ministers of the European Community in determining and then implementing a common policy towards monopolies, mergers and restrictive practices.

  Mr. Maude
  A European policy towards monopolies and restrictive practices is already in place. Discussions on the European Community Commission's proposals for a European merger control regulation were held at the Internal Market Council on 18 November. Some progress was made, but much still remains to be decided. Further discussions will be held at the Internal Market Council on 21 December.

  British Petroleum (Kuwait Investment Office)
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plan to review his decision that the Kuwait Investment Office should sell its shares in British Petroleum, which amount to more than 9·9 per cent. of the company, within 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission recommended that the Government of Kuwait should be required to reduce their shareholding in British Petroleum over a period of some 12 months. However, in order to promote an orderly disposal of the shareholding, the report also recommended that this period should be subject to some flexibility in the light of market conditions. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State accordingly asked the Director General of Fair Trading to consult the Kuwait Investment Office on this basis with a view to obtaining undertakings to reduce the shareholding in British Petroleum to not more than 9·9 per cent. and to advise him further on the appropriate time scale for divestment.

  Disabled Persons (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the Department of Trade and Industry's staff are classed as disabled.

  Mr. Forth
  The percentage of the Department's staff who are known to be disabled is 1·7 per cent. This figure includes both registered and unregistered disabled officers.

  Data Protection Act
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why members of his Department are on the interdepartmental group looking at the workings of the Data Protection Act; and whether he will define the concerns of his Department in respect of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department of Trade and Industry's several concerns in the Data Protection Act are reflected 178
  by including in the group reviewing its working officials from the market division for the information technology industry, the division responsible for the protection of consumer interests in domestic and trade policy, and the enterprise and deregulation unit which co-ordinates action across Government to remove unnecessary burdens on business.

  Companies Act 1985
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Messrs. Lewis and Tucker of 16 Hanover square, London W1.

  Mr. Maude
  I am not aware of any Companies Act offences committed by Lewis and Tucker but I shall consider any information the hon. Member may have.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Wisland Investment Group Ltd.;

  (2) what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Bestwood Property Ltd.;

  (3) what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Chelwood Holdings Ltd.

  Mr. Maude
  Wisland Property Group Ltd., Bestwood Property Ltd. and Chelwood Holdings Ltd., are overseas registered companies and not subject to United Kingdom company law.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Royel Investments.

  Mr. Maude
  When Royel Investments Ltd. was incorporated in the style of Growish Ltd. it used the trading name Royel Investments and I refer the hon. Member to my reply yesterday to his question about Growish Ltd.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Platemede Ltd.

  Mr. Maude
  There is no United Kingdom company registered as Platemede Ltd., but I will consider any information the hon. Member may have.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Cemetery Assets UK.

  Mr. Maude
  I assume the hon. Member refers to Cemetery Assets UK Ltd. which is currently in default in filing annual accounts and returns. The Registrar of Companies is taking action to strike the company off the register.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on
  179
  investigations into alleged offences under the Companies Act 1985 in respect of Clive Warren Lewis of Lewis and Tucker, 16 Hanover square, London W1.

  Mr. Maude
  I am not aware of any Companies Act offences committed by Mr. Clive Warren Lewis but I shall consider any information the hon. Member may have.

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made in the negotiations to renew the bilateral trade agreement with China under the terms of the multi-fibre arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Negotiations were still in progress in Brussels this morning. They may conclude this afternoon.

  Nissan Vehicles
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will hold urgent talks with his Spanish counterpart concerning delays at the docks in Spain affecting imports of United Kingdom manufactured Nissan motor vehicles.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My right hon. and noble Friend is pursuing this matter vigorously with the European Commission and the Spanish Minister concerned. We are determined to see the rules of the treaty respected.

  Shares (Disclosure of Interests)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he proposes any changes to the law on disclosure of interests in shares following the recent consultation by the Government.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government intend to make two major changes to the law on disclosure of interests in shares, which will be included in this Session's Companies Bill. The level at which interests in shares of companies have to be disclosed will be reduced from 5 per cent. to 3 per cent. The deadline for such disclosure will be shortened from five days to two days.

  I believe that the changes we propose to make will significantly improve market transparency, and will in particular give investors an early indication when a potential offeror purchases a large interest in a company. The Government's policy is to leave merger decisions to the market unless they raise overriding issues of public interest. It is, therefore, important that adequate information should be publicly available as a basis for the market's assessments and decisions. The changes will enable the market to make a fully informed assessment, especially during the vital period prior to the launching of a formal offer. The Government believe that relying on the operation of the market mechanism to assess the merits of takeovers is in the best interests of industry. It is no part of our policy to afford extra protection to the management of companies which are the subjects of takeover offers.

  A further improvement to disclosure would be a change to certain stock exchange rules. These rules limit the ability of companies to restrict the rights of shares when inquiries into share ownership are frustrated. Our consultation has shown that there is significant support for a relaxation of the constraints in this respect that the stock exchange
  180
  places upon listed companies. I am in sympathy with that view. I, therefore, welcome the fact that the stock exchange has agreed to consider changing its rules. The exchange has assured me that it will make an announcement as soon as it has completed its own consultations with interested parties.

  Pirate Radio
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning interference with independent local radio broadcasts by pirate radio operators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 6 December 1988] : Several recent representations have been received concerning interference to one independent local radio broadcast station in London.

  My Department's radio investigation service has already acted to remove the source of interference causing a particular problem and it will continue to act vigorously to clear the radio frequencies of unlicensed broadcasters that cause interference, though they always give first priority to dealing with interference to radio systems upon which emergency services depend.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Non-departmental Bodies
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-departmental bodies are currently in existence; and when the annual list of such bodies will be published.

  Mr. Luce
  On 1 April 1988 there were 1,648 non-departmental public bodies. This represents a net increase of five over the previous year, although there are 519 bodies fewer than in 1979. The bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1988" published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  As the Prime Minister announced on 28 January 1988 at column 313-14, the Government will continue to resist proposals for new non-departmental public bodies unless it can be clearly demonstrated that they are the most appropriate and cost-effective solution, and will keep existing bodies under review.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for family credit have now been granted since the inception of the scheme; and how many applications are currently awaiting determination.

  Mr. Scott
  By 2 December, 280,986 claims for family credit had resulted in awards and a further 47,925 claims were awaiting determination. In addition, 206,279 family income supplement recipients were awarded family credit without having to make a claim.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals claim family credit from each of his Department's offices in Nottingham; and how many individuals are entitled to claim family credit in Nottingham.
  181
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Family credit claims are dealt with centrally and information is not available on a local basis.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time it takes to process a family credit claim from a self-employed applicant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 2 December]: Just under 34 working days in respect of self-employed cases cleared during November. Of this, less than 11 working days was for work within the family credit branch. The other 23 days were taken up by waiting for responses to inquiries.

  Social Fund Officers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many social fund officers he has nominated under section 32(10) of the Social Security Act 1986; and for what areas;

  (2) what matters relating to the social fund he has specified as matters about which the social fund officer nominated for an area may issue general guidance to other social fund officers in the area.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 454 officers have been nominated under this section. These are the managers or temporary managers of local offices, excluding national insurance offices, who are authorised to issue guidance to other social fund officers on the nature, extent and urgency of the needs in the areas served by their local offices.

  Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to abolish the earnings rule for retirement pensions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None.

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Widow's allowance

  Average number of beneficiaries (thousands)

  36

  37

  34

  34

  33

  32

  31

  30

  30

  Expenditure (£ million)

  65

  75

  80

  84

  80

  83

  84

  84

  87

  Widowed mother's allowance

  Average number of beneficiaries (thousands)

  123

  119

  117

  114

  110

  105

  100

  93

  88

  Expenditure (£ million)

  156

  165

  188

  207 (including £1 million AP)2

  215 (including £3 million AP)2

  222 (including £5 million AP)2

  219 (including £8 million AP)2

  215 (including £11 million AP)2

  214 (including £13 million AP)2

  Death grant (by calendar year)

  Awards (thousands)

  583

  593

  593

  591

  597

  600

  1600

  601

  1600

  Expenditure (£ million)

  16

  16

  16

  17

  17

  17

  17

  18

  18

  Maternity grant

  Awards (thousands)

  622

  659

  654

  1640

  653

  662

  1700

  694

  1560

  Expenditure (£ million)

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  17

  18

  17

  14

  1 Estimates.

  2 Records of expenditure on widowed mothers allowance include amounts of additional Pension payable.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the most recent figures for numbers of claimants and levels of expenditure, (b) the anticipated end of the year outturn on numbers of claimants and levels of expenditure and (c) the
  182
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will identify those countries in which annual increments are paid to United Kingdom pensioners without a reciprocal social security agreement existing between the United Kingdom and the country concerned.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Outside the European Community and Sark, pension uprating increases are paid to United Kingdom pensioners only in those countries with which we have a social security agreement that specifically provides for such increases to be paid. Pensions payable to EC nationals living in the Community are uprated by virtue of Community rules. Pensions payable in Sark are increased in line with United Kingdom rates by virtue of a separate provision of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits in cash and kind received by pensioners in the United Kingdom and in each country of the European Community.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the tables of social benefit systems in the European Communities, a copy of which is in the Library. The tables set out, for the principal schemes, the rates payable from 1 January 1988. Comparative statistics on benefits in kind are not available.

  Allowances and Grants
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report the expenditure and number of claimants for each of the years 1978 to 1987 for (i) widow's allowance, (ii) widowed mother's allowance, (iii) death grant and (iv) maternity grant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 1 December 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

  anticipated numbers of claimants and levels of expenditure for 1988–89 for (i) widow's payment, (ii) widowed mother's allowance, (iii) death grant and (iv) maternity grant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 1 December]: The information is as follows:
  183

  Most recent figures available,1987–88

  Anticipated end of year 1988–89 Figures

  Number of awards

  Levels of expenditure (£ million)

  Number of awards

  Levels of expenditure (£ million)

  Widow's payment

  1n/a

  1n/a

  55,000

  55

  Widowed mothers allowance

  82,000

  210 2(including £15 million AP)

  78,000

  210 2(including £20 million AP)

  Death grant (information is given by calendar year)

  3n/a

  33

  4Nil

  4Nil

  Maternity grant

  4Nil

  4Nil

  4Nil

  4Nil

  1 Widow's payment was introduced in April 1988.

  2 Records of expenditure on widowed mother's allowance include amounts of additional pension payable.

  3 The expenditure on death grant in 1987–88 represents awards for people who died before then but that were paid in the 1987–88 financial year.

  4 Both maternity grant and death grant were abolished from April 1987.

HEALTH

  Pharmaceutical Industry
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual return on the pharmaceutical industry's average historic capital employed on National Health Service business in 1987; and what comparable figures he has for the average for United Kingdom private sector industry.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have written to my hon. Friend.

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

  Mrs. Currie
  The table shows the number of death registrations which contained any mention of hypothermia, by year of registration.

  Number of death registrations with any mention of hypothermia on the death certificate, all ages, aged 65 and over, and aged 80 and over, 1978 to 30 November 1988

  England and Wales

  Year

  All ages

  65 and over

  80 and over

  1978

  708

  597

  327

  1979

  863

  688

  374

  1980

  596

  497

  237

  1981

  685

  574

  326

  1982

  664

  541

  319

  1983

  538

  450

  261

  1984

  555

  462

  257

  1985

  827

  709

  417

  1986

  837

  698

  439

  1 1987

  559

  448

  277

  2 1988

  363

  302

  165

  1 Provisional.

  2 Registration 1 January to 30 November 1988.

  Number of deaths registered in six month periods from 1 April 1978, persons aged 60 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 and over years

  England and Wales

  Period

  Age group in years

  60 to 69

  70 to 79

  80 and over

  1 April 1978 to 30 September 1978

  54,448

  87,894

  82,065

  1 October 1978 to 31 March 1979

  61,382

  104,655

  103,526

  1 April 1979 to 30 September 1979

  52,658

  88,841

  83,997

  Congenital Abnormalities
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make available figures comparing the number of babies suffering from congenital abnormalities born to girls under 16 years of age at the date of delivery with those born to women between the ages of 18 and 35 years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table for the latest years available. Figures are derived from a voluntary system of notification of congenital malformations observed at birth or up to seven days after birth. They are therefore likely to be an incomplete measure of the total number of affected babies.

  Number of babies notified as being born with congenital malformations by age of mother, England and Wales, 1978–87

  Number of babies

  Year of notification

  Age of mother under 16 years

  Age of mother 18-35 years

  1978

  153

  11,563

  1979

  153

  12,282

  1980

  118

  12,886

  1981

  117

  12,226

  1982

  115

  11,987

  1983

  127

  12,560

  1984

  139

  12,545

  1985

  121

  11,902

  1986

  99

  11,747

  1987

  116

  12,212

  Elderly People (Deaths)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of deaths among those aged(a) 60 to 69 years, (b) 70 to 79 years and (c) 80 years and over for each complete six-monthly period from 1 April 1978 to 31 March 1988 for England and Wales.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is Shown in the table.
  185

  Period

  Age group in years

  60 to 69

  70 to 79

  80 and over

  1 October 1979 to 31 March 1980

  58,348

  101,304

  100,062

  1 April 1980 to 30 September 1980

  52,526

  88,774

  85,433

  1 October 1980 to 31 March 1981

  57,706

  101,403

  104,203

  1 April 1981 to 30 September 1981

  51,003

  87,722

  86,298

  1 October 1981 to 31 March 1982

  57,808

  104,422

  110,338

  1 April 1982 to 30 September 1982

  51,151

  88,023

  88,605

  1 October 1982 to 31 March 1983

  57,482

  103,202

  110,941

  1 April 1983 to 30 September 1983

  50,765

  88,331

  90,264

  1 October 1983 to 31 March 1984

  54,512

  98,956

  106,859

  1 April 1984 to 30 September 1984

  49,190

  87,007

  91,720

  1 October 1984 to 31 March 1985

  55,657

  102,670

  117,664

  1 April 1985 to 30 September 1985

  48,927

  88,249

  96,511

  1 October 1985 to 31 March 1986

  54,149

  102,276

  121,568

  1 April 1986 to 30 September 1986

  49,216

  87,831

  96,419

  1 October 1986 to 31 March 1987

  51,524

  93,959

  109,480

  1 April 1987 to 30 September 1987

  48,083

  84,043

  96,212

  1 October 1987 to 31 March 19881

  54,028

  95,145

  120,229

  1 1988 data is provisional.

  Nurses
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next plans to meet representatives of all the nursing unions to discuss the regrading of nurses' pay.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to meet representatives of the nursing profession to discuss the issue of staff regrading.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 5 December at column 82.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appeals have so far been heard by region, district health authority, and nationally against gradings issued to nurses; how many have succeeded; and how many have failed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We do not hold information on the numbers of appeals heard at health authority level centrally. No appeals against gradings issued as a consequence of the clinical grading exercise have yet been heard at regional appeals committee or Whitley council level.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments he has made as to the likely effect on(a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mrs. Currie
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment, on VAT will have no effect on the Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, we cannot offer estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request his Department's Social Services 186
  inspectorate to carry out a study of the arrangements for health care in non-statutory residential care homes similar to its review of arrangements for health care in local authority residential homes for elderly people carried out in 1986.

  Mr. Mellor
  The social services inspectorate carried out an exercise to examine the use made by local authorities of guidance issued by the Department some years ago. Such guidance has not been formally issued to non-statutory homes and we therefore have no plans to carry out a similar exercise there. We are now considering, in the light of the report on local authority homes, what further action we need to take to ensure good standards of health care in all residential care homes, including those in the non-statutory sector.

  Resources (West Midlands)
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, following the publication of the National Health Service management board review of the national allocation formula in July, he intends to implement the resources allocation working party formula such as to reduce future allocations to the west midlands region by approximately £23 million; and if he will made a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government are considering the recommendations of the National Health Service management board's review of the resource allocation working party formula in the wider context of the National Health Service review.

  Dentists
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give the figures for the number of practising dentists(a) joining and (b) leaving the dental lists of family practitioner committees in the latest available five-year period;

  (2) what information he has on the number of general dental practitioners who have left the National Health Service for private dentistry during the last five years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The number of general dental practitioners in England and Wales who joined or left the lists of family practitioner committees in the 12 months up to 30 September of each of the last five years are as follows:
  187

  Year

  Entries

  Exits

  1984

  1,199

  793

  1985

  1,176

  880

  1986

  1,137

  957

  1987

  1,181

  892

  1988

  1,161

  838

  We do not hold information on the number of practitioners who withdrew from an FPC list to practise privately.

  Horticultural Therapy
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial and others steps he is taking to encourage horticultural therapy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department has grant-aided the Society for Horticultural Therapy since 1984. The current grant of £52,000 a year towards the society's project advice and training services was awarded in April 1988 and supports a range of activity including the promotion and dissemination of good practice in the therapeutic rehabilitation of hospital patients.

  NHS Staff (Pay)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will indicate the date on which he first received grading projections from each health authority on the new clinical structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I first received preliminary and provisional projections during the first two weeks of September.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown of the new grading structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors broken down by grade, types of hospital including psychiatric, geriatric and acute, by district and region.

  Mr. Mellor
  For the grading breakdown by district and by region, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox) on 28 November at column 147-48. We do not hold information on the outcome by type of hospital centrally.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of salmonella poisoning caused by infected eggs have been reported in each month of 1988; and what percentage of total egg sales these figures represent.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Reports of food poisoning do not normally identify the food stuff causing the illness. However, in England and Wales, there were 46 outbreaks involving 1,141 people in the first 10 months of 1988 in which the most likely source of infection was uncooked or partially cooked eggs. Recent studies indicate that some sporadic cases of salmonellosis have also been caused by eggs. We also have reason to believe that these figures underestimate the total number of people affected. The monthly breakdown of 1,141 cases is as follows:188

  Number

  January

  27

  February

  —

  March

  —

  April

  60

  May

  302

  June

  159

  July

  207

  August

  145

  September

  114

  October

  127

  Figures of egg sales are not available but the number of eggs produced each year in the United Kingdom is between 12,000-13,000 million. The percentage of reported cases to egg sales is clearly very small.

  Although the risk of harm to any healthy individual from consuming a single raw or partially cooked egg is small, it is advisable for vulnerable people such as the elderly, the sick, babies and pregnant women to consume only eggs which have been cooked until the white and yolk are solid.

  General Practice Finance Corporation
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government intends to invite offers for the purchase of the General Practice Finance Corporation.

  Mr. Mellor
  Hambros Bank, on behalf of the Government, will tomorrow issue an information memorandum to those financial institutions and others who have expressed an interest in acquiring the operating business of the General Practice Finance Corporation. The GPFC provides family doctors with a source of funds for the purchase, construction and improvement of their surgery premises in the form of fixed and variable rate loans and acquisition and lease finance.

  An agreement has been reached with the general medical services committee of the British Medical Association providing for its participation in the management of the successor company to the corporation once it is transferred into the private sector. The object is to preserve the ethos of the existing business, maintain its sensitivity to the needs of family doctors, and ensure the operational integrity of the new company in its early years within any group of which it might become part.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Disabled Persons (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of his Department's staff are classed as disabled.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 0·3 per cent. of staff are registered disabled people. In the aid wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1·4 per cent. of staff are registered disabled people.

  Viacheslav Uspensky
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Soviet authorities the case of Viacheslav Uspensky, on
  189
  hunger strike in protest against the refusal of the Soviet Government to grant a visa for himself and his parents to emigrate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We regularly make representations to the Soviet authorities on behalf of those, such as Viacheslav Uspensky, who are refused permission to leave the Soviet Union. We last raised the case of the Uspensky family at the bilateral consultations in Moscow on 23 June. We shall continue to raise this case at every suitable opportunity including during Mr. Gorbachev's forthcoming visit.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessments he has made as to the likely effect on(a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases, of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on VAT will have no effect on the Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, it is not possible to offer meaningful estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will announce the details of the agreement reached on 1 December with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on the future of the Gibraltar social insurance fund.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Gibraltar have established that the state of the social insurance fund is such that it is no longer financially viable. Payments will continue to all beneficiaries at existing cash levels for a further five years. At the end of that time, the fund will be dissolved, and the balance paid out to all past and present contributors, taking account of their accrued rights. Under these arrangements, all beneficiaries will be treated in an equitable and non-discriminatory manner. Her Majesty's Government have agreed to make available the necessary funds to make up any shortfall in the SIF for the duration of these arrangements. The details of dissolution and distribution will now be worked out on the basis of a thorough analysis of the fund's contribution records.

  Internal Market (EC)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the measures required to complete the internal market for 1992;

  (2) if he will list those of the items identified by the European Commission as being essential to complete the internal market in Europe which have to date been incorporated in (a) European Community and (b) United Kingdom law;

  (3) if he will list those items identified by the European Commission as essential to complete the internal market where agreement has not yet been reached.
  190
  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton) at column 440. Since then the following measures have also been agreed by the Council of Ministers:

  Control of Goods
  Directive amending Directive 77/93 on protective measures concerning entry into Member States or organisms harmful to plants or plant products. [adopted]

  Removal of Technical Barriers
  Food for particular nutritional use (amendment).[common position]
  Food labelling (amendment). [common position)
  Two (concerning proprietary and immunological medicinal products) of a package of four proposals on the extension of directives to medicinal products not already included. [common position]
  The following measures are either currently in force in the United Kingdom or legislation has been made or administrative action taken to bring them into force by the required implementation dates.

  Control of Goods
  Duty-free admission of fuel contained in the fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles: lorries and coaches*.
  Single Administrative document (SAD) third country aspects.
  Simplification of Community transit procedure: amendment to Reg 222/77.
  Abolition of customs presentation charges.
  Elimination of customs formalities in the framework of the TIR Convention and the Introduction of common border posts—"banalisation".
  Live animals of the bovine species: amended eradication directives to provide for final eradication of brucellosis, tuberculosis and leukosis.
  Eradication of classical swine fever in the Community as a whole and swine fever.
  Hormone growth promoters.
  Medical examination of Personnel.
  Antibiotic residues.
  Control of residues.
  Swine fever.
  Control of foot and mouth disease.
  Amendment to Directive 77/93 (plant health).
  Maximum levels for pesticide residues in cereals and foodstuffs of animal origin.
  Amendment of Directive 79/117/EEC on the prohibition of certain plant protection products (ethylene oxide).
  Proposal for Directive on the fixing of guidelines for the evaluation of additives used in animal foodstuffs.
  Modification of Directive 72/461 on health problems affecting Intra-Community trade in fresh meat and Directive 72/462 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from 3rd countries.
  Acceptance for breeding purposes of purebred breeding animals of the bovine species.
  Amendment to Directive 80/215 on animal health problems affecting Intra-Community trade in meat products.
  Amendment to Directive 74/63 on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition (maximum pesticide residues in animal feeding-stuffs).
  Semen of animals.

  Control of Individuals
  Sixth Directive relative to exemptions in international travel: increase to 350 ECUs.
  Tax reliefs to be allowed on the importation of goods in small consignments of a non-commercial character.

  The Removal of Technical Barriers
  Proposal for the extension of information procedures on standards and technical rules (amendment to Directive 83/189)
  Type approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, Directive 70/156

  191
  Directive on the approximation of laws relating to weights and dimensions of certain motor vehicles
  Modification of tractors framework Directive 74/150
  General Directive on sampling and methods of analysis Emulsifiers (modification)
  Coffee extracts chicory extracts (modification)
  Proposal for Directive concerning the placing on the market of high-technology medicinal products including those derived from biotechnology
  Proposal amending Directive 75/318/EEC concerning the testing of medical specialities
  Proposal amending Directive 81/852/EEC concerning veterinary medicinal products
  Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 65/65/EEC concerning medical specialities
  Council Directive relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls)
  Council Directive relating to "Restrictions on the marketing and use of asbestos"
  Non-ionic detergents (modification of existing Directive)
  Tyre pressure gauge
  Hydraulic diggers (noise)
  Good laboratory practices—non-clinical testing of chemicals

  Free Movement for Labour and the Professions
  Comparability of vocational training qualifications
  Co-operation between higher education and industry for advanced training relating to new technologies (COMETT)
  Co-ordination of provisions in respect of certain activities in the field of pharmacy
  Mutual recognition of diplomas in pharmacy

  Common Market for Services
  Collective investment undertakings for transferable securities UCITS Directive: special measures concerning certain investments.

  Transport
  Fares for scheduled air services.
  Air transport: sharing of passenger capacity and market access
  Air transport: application of Articles 85 and 86 (rules of competition).
  Maritime transport:

  1. freedom to provide services in the sea transport sector: between Member States and between Member States and third countries.

  2. application of Articles 85 and 86 of Rome Treaty to maritime transport.

  3. unfair pricing practices.

  4. co-ordinated action to safeguard free access to cargoes in oceanic trades.

  Road transport: organisation of the market (Community quota) for the carriage of goods by road between Member States: transitional and final stages [except in so far as all Community quotas and bilateral quotas between Member States will not be abolished until 1 January 1993].

  Capital Movements
  Liberalisation of units in collective investment undertakings for transferrable securities.
  Liberalisation of operations such as transactions in securities not dealt in on a Stock Exchange, admission of securities of the capital market and long-term commercial credits.
  Liberalisation of capital movements

  Other Areas
  Legal protection of micro circuits.

  Fiscal Measures
  13th VAT Directive concerning tax refunds to persons not established in the Community.
  17th VAT Directive concerning the temporary importation of goods other than means of transport.
  In addition the following measures do not require implementation by the United Kingdom because they are recommendations, or action is for other Member States or the Commission.
  192
  Control of Goods
  Live animals of the porcine species: eradication of African swine fever in Portugal.
  Live animals of the porcine species: eradication of African swine fever in Spain.

  The removal of technical barriers
  Proposals for a Council Recommendation concerning tests relating to the placing on the Market of medical specialties.
  Membership of the European Pharmacopeia
  Membership of the European Agreement on detergents
  Protection of hotels against fire

  New technologies and services
  Recommendation on a European Code of Conduct relating to electronic payment (relations between financial institutions, traders and service establishments and consumers).
  Establishment at Community level of a policy and plan of priority action for the development of an information services market.

  Fiscal measures
  Harmonisation of the structure of excise duties on alcoholic drinks (FOD Rum)

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those items in the internal market programme which he intends to oppose in the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government strongly supports the aim of completing the Single Market. We attach priority to many of the proposals made by the European Commission, but have difficulties with some others—as do other Member States. Many measures in the Single Market Programme are complex and all involve detailed negotiation. It would not therefore be possible to present the information in the form requested.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Reactors (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress he has made towards the production of safety specification guidelines for the decommissioning and disposal of British nuclear reactors operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in the event that such decommissioning and disposal becomes necessary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority determines the need for the decommissioning of its reactors as part of its overall technical programme and addresses the safety of such operations within well established procedures for safety management.

  Mr. Angelo Casfikis
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list details of the occasions when he, or other Ministers in his Department, met Mr. Angelo Casfikis to discuss the reopening of Central Electricity Generating Board coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Mr. Casfikis has met Ministers here on five occasions:10 February 1987, 19 January 1988, 17 March 1988, 15 April 1988, and 30 September 1988.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all communications made by his Department to
  193
  the Central Electricity Generating Board concerning the proposal by Mr. Angelo Casfikis and the I.P.E. Company to generate electricity under the terms of the Energy Act 1983.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department has been in regular touch with the CEGB, in particular in response to points raised by the hon. Member.

  Coal-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to vary the environmental conditions required to operate new or reopened coal-fired power stations and to encourage other responsible bodies to vary these.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  None. It is the responsibility of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to determine the level of atmospheric emission control equipment to be fitted to such stations.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the proportion of the future supply of electricity he expects to be generated under the terms of the Energy Act 1983 in(a) 1990, (b) 1995 and (c)

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department does not publish such estimates. Experience of the energy market has shown that changes in the future composition of energy production cannot be forecast with any certainty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will consider amending the Energy Act 1983 to ensure the appropriate firm safeguards are required of future aspirant power generating companies to provide(a) security of the power supply, (b) high standards of pollution control and (c) financial security and propriety.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Clause 15 of the Electricity Bill will impose an obligation to supply on the public electricity suppliers, instead of the generators as now. Privatisation will make no difference to the environmental standards which the electricity industry has to meet. It will be required to meet United Kingdom emissions standards and will be subject to an amenity obligation similar to section 37 of the 1957 Electricity Act. Clause 3 of the Electricity Bill gives the Secretary of State and Director General of Electricity Supply a duty to secure that licence holders are able to finance the carrying on of the activities which they are authorised by their licences to carry on.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the approaches that have been made by his Department in(a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c) 1988 to the Central Electricity Generating Board to encourage the implementation of competition in electricity generation as envisaged in the Energy Act 1983.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB is fully aware of its statutory responsibilities under the 1983 Energy Act.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the number of new electricity generating units that(a) have been introduced or (b) are planned to be introduced as a consequence of the Energy Act 1983.
  194
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The number of private generators selling to area boards has almost doubled from 59 to 103 since the 1983 Energy Act. We are aware of some 16 new proposed private generation projects which would total over 6GW of new capacity; most of these have come forward since the Government's intention to privatise the industry was announced.

  Electricity Transmission
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received the Central Electricity Generating Board's second response to the report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the efficiency and costs of transmission of electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Central Electricity Generating Board has sent me its second response to the report which was published on 26 June 1987. Copies of the response have been placed in the Library.

  The board's response summarises the action which the board has taken and is continuing to take. Of the five areas identified by the commission requiring priority action, progress has been made as follows:

  1) Clear Definition of Board Responsibilities

  The board will continue to ensure that the responsibilities of executive board members are clearly defined and understood up to the vesting of the CEGB's successor bodies. The CEGB has also identified the senior management of the successor bodies. It is important, particularly in view of the period of change that the industry is presently undergoing, that board members' responsibilities remain clearly defined.

  2) Future Management of the Five Centre Grid Control Project

  The board announced in June 1988 that it had awarded the contract for its five centre grid control project to Control Data Corporation. The CDC system will provide a single fully integrated computer system to support the operation and control of the high voltage grid transmission system. When operational the system will continuously collect, display and calculate information about power flowing through the network and the state of the network itself. The system will provide an effective mechanism with which to manage the grid.

  3) Year to Year Changes in Transmission Plans, and

  4) Fluctuations in estimated Plant and Equipment Requirements

  Initial work on reviewing the board's last five transmission plans is expected to be complete by the end of this year. My Department will keep in touch with the progress of the review.

  5) Approach to Budget Setting

  The board has introduced a new project appraisal system which ensures that all projects are carefully analysed and re-examined. To ensure compliance with tight financial disciplines the board has increased the size of its audit function.

  The board has responded positively to the recommendations made by the MMC and has made good progress in the fields of system operation and planning. I welcome the board's response and the progress it is making towards meeting the recommendations of the commission.

  Since the board's first response the Government have announced their proposals to privatise the electricity supply industry, under which the board's transmission

  195
  system will be managed by a new transmission company. These proposals represent major changes in the organisational structure of the industry, including the management of the transmission system, and the board's second response takes account of these proposed changes. In view of these impending changes it is unlikely that the board will be called upon to produce a third response although my Department will keep in touch with the board on progress towards meeting the MMC recommendations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Plastic Bullets
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic bullets have been fired each year since they first came into use in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Since the introduction of plastic baton rounds in 1973, the security forces have fired 54,234 (to 31 October 1988). The annual figures are:

  Numbers of plastic baton rounds fired

  Year

  Number

  1973

  42

  1974

  216

  1975

  3,556

  1976

  3,464

  1977

  1,490

  1978

  1,743

  1979

  1,271

  1980

  1,231

  1981

  29,695

  1982

  500

  1983

  661

  1984

  1,768

  1985

  1,172

  1986

  1,785

  1987

  2,575

  1988 1

  3,065

  54,234

  1 to 31 October 1988

  Rathlin Island
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to provide mains electricity to Rathlin Island; whether the survey report prepared by Northern Ireland Electricity is available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  Northern Ireland Electricity has been evaluating methods of supply for Rathlin and is presently studying the results of a hydrographic survey, the implications of which, when known, will be discussed with representatives of the islanders.

  Prisons
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what staff and medical care facilities would be required for an industrial or commercial business of comparable size and work force to that of each of Northern Ireland's prisons; and how far short of that level are the staffing and facilities of each of those prisons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978, require employers to provide certain minimum levels of first aid facilities for 196
  employees who are injured or become ill at work. The first aid facilities provided in each of Northern Ireland's prisons exceed the minimum requirements.

  Business Plans
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the names of accountancy firms in Northern Ireland which have submitted business plans or proposals in each of the last three years to the Local Employment Development Unit and the Industrial Development Board on behalf of clients.

  Mr. Viggers
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Peter Clifford
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what explosive substances were found in the car in which Peter Clifford was a passenger on 8 November; and what checks were made on his clothes;

  (2) why Peter Clifford was arrested near Long Kesh on 8 November; what charges were made against him; and for how many hours he was detained;

  (3) what happened to the finger-prints taken from Peter Clifford in Gough barracks on 8 November; and what records are kept of his arrest and interrogation;

  (4) what questions were asked of Peter Clifford during interrogation at Gough barracks; and what documents he signed.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answers 25 November 1988] : A routine Army patrol operating close to Her Majesty's prison Maze near Lisburn, on 8 November stopped and searched a vehicle in which Mr. Clifford was a passenger. Traces of what was thought to be an explosive substance were found in the vehicle. The vehicle's occupants were subsequently arrested and the vehicle was taken for further examination. Following forensic examination of the vehicle and Mr. Clifford's clothing, it was established that the material discovered was not an explosive substance.

  Mr. Clifford was initially detained under section 14 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 for a period of four hours and subsequently arrested under section 12 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

  He was detained at 1409 hours on 8 November and released at 1300 hours on 9 November and therefore remained in custody for just under 24 hours. He was released without charge.

  Whilst he was in custody, Mr. Clifford's fingerprints were taken and in accordance with normal procedure these have now been destroyed. Procedural records of his arrest and detention have been retained. During police interview Mr. Clifford was asked a number of questions about the substance found, his identity and the reasons for this presence in that particular area. Before his release Mr. Clifford signed a number of official forms relating to his detention. I now understand that Mr. Clifford has lodged a formal complaint in relation to his detention and this is being investigated by the police.

ENVIRONMENT

  Radon
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many households in Yorkshire have been recorded as being over the recommended safety limit in respect of radon; and if he will list their locations;

  (2) if he will list any sites in Yorkshire that have been identified as being over the safety limit in respect of radon; and what radiation levels were recorded.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The National Radiological Protection Board surveys in the three Yorkshire counties have led to the discovery of one house, in west Yorkshire, with a radon concentration at the action level at 400 bequerels per cubic metre. In the county as a whole, concentrations are almost exactly the national average.

  Pollution Control (Self-Regulation)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to allow private industry to self regulate pollution control methods; how he would monitor such voluntary actions; and whether he will consider the application of stricter legislative controls on environmentally hazardous emissions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Legislative controls over hazardous emissions already exist. Where monitoring is undertaken by industry as part of the control system, it is policed by the pollution control authority. Proposals currently being developed on an integrated system for controlling industrial pollution will make this framework more efficient and effective.

  Radioactivity
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the premises in Nottingham which are authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Mrs. Bottomley
  A list of all premises in England and Wales authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 was published by the Department in April 1988 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the function of the RIMNET station at Watnall, Nottingham.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The function of the RIMNET station of Watnall is to measure gamma dose rate.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether RIMNET stations can detect(a) particulate radioactivity, (b) gaseous radionuclides and (c) radionuclides with short half-lives.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The RIMNET monitors detect particulate and gaseous radionuclides which emit gamma radiation. They are able to detect both short and long-life radionuclides.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the monitoring equipment used by RIMNET; and if he will make a statement on the future of RIMNET.
  198
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  RIMNET sites are currently equipped with Geiger-Muller gamma dose rate monitors. The proposals for the development of RIMNET are set out in the DOE booklet "Nuclear Accidents Overseas—The National Response Plan and Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET). A Statement of Proposals", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites where his Department conducts random monitoring for radioactivity in Nottingham other than at premises authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Nottingham's drinking water is monitored regularly by HM inspectorate of pollution under the national environmental radioactivity monitoring programme. The effects of all liquid discharges in the Nottingham area are monitored by sampling the river Trent. No other monitoring for radioactivity is warranted.

  Homelessness
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has developed to tackle homelessness.

  Mr. Trippier
  A review of the current homelessness legislation is under way. As yet, it is too early to say whether this will result in any new, national initiatives.

  Single Market
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to give advice and guidelines to local authorities on the implications for them of the introduction of the single European market in 1992; and if he would make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department will shortly be discussing this matter with representatives of the local authority associations.

  Global Developments
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an annual progress report on how his Department's policies, programmes and spending are directed towards global sustainable developments.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on 30 November 1988 at column 283.

  Planning Appeals (Hampshire)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals relating to Hampshire were made to his Department in 1987; how many were determined; how many were allowed; and what has happened to those not determined.

  Mr. Howard
  A total of 1,124 planning appeals relating to Hampshire were lodged in 1987, but 186 of these have been withdrawn. Of the remainder, 351 were allowed, 570
  199
  were dismissed and 17 are still to be determined. Those appeals still to be decided are either in abeyance (at the request of the parties) or are in the final stages of processing.

  Clay Pigeon Shooting
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will annul the General Development Order 1988 to ration permitted days use of land for clay pigeon shooting to 28.

  Mr. Chope
  The General Development Order 1988 came into operation on 5 December. We intend to consult shortly on whether to amend it so as to increase from 14 to 28 the maximum number of days in a year on which land may be used for clay pigeon shooting without planning permission.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress on his consultations regarding the draft poll tax regulations.

  Mr. Gummer
  We are currently consulting the local authority associations and other bodies on draft regulations covering the administration and enforcement of community charges. Consultation on further regulations will follow shortly.

  Housing Statistics
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the most recent figures he has for the number of dwellings owned by(a) the London residuary body, (b) the Inner London education authority, (c) central Government Departments and (d) housing associations, which are unlawfully occupied in each London borough.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held by the Department.

  Sewage Works
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet in a position to make a further statement on his policies for improving the performance of sewage treatment works in England and Wales.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes. There will be capital programmes involving expenditure of £900 million to £1,000 million designed to bring substandard works into compliance with their legal limits by March 1992. But in some cases, because of the scale of the design and construction work which is necessary, it will not be possible to complete the work by this date. In those cases, completion will be achieved as soon as practically possible thereafter. The Government will be discussing with water authorities the detailed timetables for their programmes.

  Applications for temporary variations in consent conditions will be considered in cases where improvement works are programmed for completion by March 1992. This is the best way of securing rapid completion of major investment programmes while protecting river quality.

  Upper tier conditions in time-limited consents will also be introduced as a new maximum limit for effluent
  200
  standards. These will be set at levels which ensure the protection of the receiving waters against excessive discharges. Water authorities exceeding their limits will be at risk of prosecution.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amendments he will be seeking to make to the regulations made under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 relating to direct labour organisations, in the light of consultation.

  Mr. Gummer
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Wales have now decided, in the light of a consultation exercise carried out earlier this year, that all building and maintenance work other than highways and sewerage work should be subject to competition from October of next year and that the present exemption for direct labour organisations with not more than 30 employees should be reduced to 15 employees.

  We are also prohibiting authorities from renewing maintenance contracts with their direct labour organisations without first going out to tender. We are examining the scope for restricting the kinds of emergency work which can be carried out by direct labour organisations without open competition.

  The present regulations, made under part III of the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980, have been in force since 1983 and the Government feel that there is no longer a case for any competition-free allowance for this work. Some authorities already expose all their maintenance and minor construction work to competition.

  We estimate that an extra £400 million of work would be exposed to compulsory competition each year. A 30-employee de minimis threshold no longer seems justified. This could allow an authority to carry out work worth £600,000 a year without competition.

  Local Authority Rents
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing average local authority rents at 1987–88 prices, for each year since 1967–68.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 6 December 1988]: Average weekly unrebated rents for English local authorities, revalued to 1987–88 prices using the retail prices index, are as follows:

  £per week

  1967–68

  11·23

  1968–69

  11·63

  1969–70

  12·01

  1970–71

  12·49

  1971–72

  12·33

  1972–73

  12·75

  1973–74

  15·01

  1974–75

  13·51

  1975–76

  12·24

  1976–77

  12·18

  1977–78

  12·15

  1978–79

  11·85

  1979–80

  11·26

  1980–81

  12·22

  1981–82

  15·43

  1982–83

  16·97

  201

  £ per week

  1983–84

  16·75

  1984–85

  16·81

  1985–86

  16·77

  1986–87

  17·14

  1987–88

  17·36

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fish (Contamination)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures his Department is taking to monitor the level of contamination of fish landed at British ports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Scientists from my Department carry out a regular monitoring programme to assess the quality of fish and shellfish in terms of contaminant concentrations. Results of this programme are published at regular intervals in aquatic environment monitoring reports which are available in the Library of the House.

  The information gathered over almost 20 years has shown that levels of contaminants are low and that the quality of our fish complies fully with European Community environmental quality standards and national guidelines.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what EEC funding for the buying up of fishing vessels is available under regulation 4028/86; how many British vessels have been able to take advantage of this; and what proposals he has for allowing more British fishing vessels to do so.

  Situation at 1 January 1987

  Reduction required at 1 January 1987

  Situation at 30 June 1988

  Reduction required at 30 June 1988

  United Kingdom

  GRT

  151,823

  -10,203

  168,806

  -27,186

  KW

  789,241

  -40,996

  863,199

  -114,954

  Denmark

  GRT

  136,488

  -17,088

  130,554

  -11,154

  KW

  571,996

  -56,696

  555,212

  -39,912

  France

  GRT

  192,953

  -5,930

  195,488

  -8,465

  KW

  988,418

  -92,698

  1,037,220

  -141,500

  Netherlands

  GRT

  77,500

  -12,704

  1

  1

  KW

  462,900

  -80,622

  443,620

  -61,342

  1 Information not yet available.

  Potato Marketing Board
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the overall response to his consultation paper regarding the Potato Marketing Board; and whether he proposes to accept the majority or minority views expressed on the options suggested.

  Mr. Ryder
  The period for the response to the consultation paper on future potato market policy in Great Britain does not expire until 31 December 1988, and there are clearly many replies yet to be received.
  202
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Commission has allocated 100 mecu (£65 million) over a five-year period from 1987 to 1991 under regulation 4028/86 for the buying up (decommissioning) of fishing vessels. The United Kingdom has not implemented this particular measure and at present we have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many Spanish-owned vessels are currently on the register of British fishing vessels; what ports they fish from; and in which quota sectors they operate.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There are at present approximately 150 fishing vessels on the British register which are believed to be beneficially Spanish owned. Of these 97 are licensed to fish for stocks subject to quotas.

  The vessels operate mainly in Western waters (ICES areas VI, Vb, VII and VIII) taking substantial quantities of hake, megrim and anglerfish. They also catch significant quantities of haddock and saithe from areas VII and VIII plus some whiting from area VII (exc VIIa), cod VII (exc VIIa) and VIII and sole VIIfg.

  Whilst the majority of the vessels are nominally based in the ports of Milford haven, Plymouth or Fleetwood, the majority of their catches are landed and sold at ports in Northern Spain.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction of number of fishing vessels and what proportion of the reduction has been secured to date in the multi annual guidance programmes for fishing for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Denmark, (c) France and (d) Holland.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is only readily available as follows:

  Aldrin
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban the use of the pesticide Aldrin immediately; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Three minor pesticide uses of aldrin are currently permitted until the end of 1992, when approval for these uses will be revoked. This interval is intended to permit alternative treatments to be developed and growers' stocks to be used up safely. No further opportunity can be allowed.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Domestic Credit
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each quarter since 1 January 1986 the contribution made to the expansion of domestic credit by the overseas sector.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his earlier question on 9 November 1988 at column 240.

  Smokeless Fuels
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to provide a tax incentive in favour of premium smokeless fuels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  Premium, smokeless fuel, like other forms of fuel and power, are zero-rated for VAT purposes. They are not liable to any other form of indirect taxation.

  Disabled Persons (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Her Majesty's Treasury staff are classed as disabled.

  Mr. Brooke
  The current figure for the Treasury is 1·4 per cent.

  Overseas Assets
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the stock of net overseas assets.

  Mr. Major
  At the end of 1987 the United Kingdom's net stock of overseas assets was worth £89½ billion, or 21 per cent. of GDP. These assets generated earnings of £5½ billion in 1987. The surplus on invisibles in 1986 and 1987 was the largest in the world.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which local authorities have applied for grant-aid for the purpose of establishing, equipping or maintaining emergency centres, pursuant to regulation 4(1)(b) of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983, since 2 December 1985;

  (2) which local authorities have been given grant-aid for the purpose of establishing, equipping or maintaining emergency centres, pursuant to regulation 4(1)(b) of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983, since 2 December 1985; and what was the amount of such grant.

  Mr. John Patten
  The local authorities which have applied for and been given grant aid for this purpose are listed. Details of grants paid in respect of these centres, for each local authority and over the particular period quoted, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Counties and fire and civil defence authorities which have applied for and been given grant are as follows:
  Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Clwyd, Cornwall,
  204
  Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, Dyfed, Essex, Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Gwynedd, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, London, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Powys, Shropshire (Salop), Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Wiltshire, North Yorkshire.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which local authorities have applied for grant-aid for the purpose of establishing, equipping or maintaining emergency centres, pursuant to regulation 5(1)(c) of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983, since 2 December 1985;

  (2) which local authorities have been given grant-aid for the purpose of establishing, equipping or maintaining emergency centres, pursuant to regulation 5(1)(c) of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983, since 2 December 1985; and what was the amount of such grant.

  Mr. John Patten
  Civil defence grant is normally claimed by county authorities and fire and civil defence authorities on behalf of district level authorities. The local authorities which have applied for and been given grant in respect of district level emergency centres are listed. Details of grant paid in respect of these centres, for each local authority and over the particular period quoted, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Counties and fire and civil defence authorities which have applied for and been given grant are as follows:
  Avon, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Clwyd, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, Dyfed, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Gwynedd, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, London, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire (Salop), Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, North Yorkshire.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the annual spending on civil defence research and development over the past four years;

  (2) what plans he has for future expenditure on civil defence research and development.

  Mr. John Patten
  Home Office expenditure on civil defence research and development (including scientific staff costs) for the past four years was as follows:

  £ million

  1984–85

  0·560

  1985–86

  1·192

  1986–87

  1·028

  1987–88

  1·293

  The estimate for 1988–89 is £1·015 million; proposed expenditure for future years is about £1·3 million per annum.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of members of staff employed for emergency planning in district authorities whose salary costs are funded either wholly or partly by Home Office civil defence grant.
  205
  Mr. John Patten
  The total numbers of grant-aided local authority staff employed for emergency planning in England and Wales at 30 September 1988 were 499 emergency planning officers and 147 administrative and support staff. The great majority of these staff have some involvement in emergency planning in district authorities. The numbers employed directly by district authorities are 35 emergency planning officers and 10 administrative and support staff.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of his Department's review of the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation will be published; and whether he has considered the case for a moratorium on capital expenditure by the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation until the review report is available for consideration.

  Mr. John Patten
  We expect to publish shortly an account of the main findings of the review. During the course of the review, new capital expenditure on warning and monitoring was limited to items essential to the maintenance of the organisation's effectiveness and readiness for operation. Future capital programmes will be considered in the light of the review, taking fully into account the results of consultation with interested parties on its findings.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff are employed by each county council and fire and civil defence authority(a) as emergency planning officers and (b) as emergency planning team administrative and support staff.

  Mr. John Patten
  The numbers of civil defence grant-aided staff employed in England and Wales at 30 September 1988 were as follows:

  Emergency planning officer

  Emergency planning team administrative and support staff

  Avon

  5

  2

  Bedfordshire

  4

  1

  Berkshire

  10

  2

  Buckinghamshire

  6

  2

  Cambridgeshire

  9

  2

  Cheshire

  13

  4

  Cleveland

  5

  2

  Clwyd

  10

  2

  Cornwall

  10

  2

  Cumbria

  8

  2

  Derbyshire

  6

  3

  Devon

  18

  8

  Dorset

  10

  2

  Durham

  8

  1

  Dyfed

  8

  2

  Essex

  8

  3

  Mid Glamorgan

  6

  2

  South Glamorgan

  5

  3

  West Glamorgan

  7

  3

  Gloucestershire

  9

  1

  Greater Manchester

  13

  3

  Gwent

  9

  2

  Gwynedd

  5

  2

  Hampshire

  9

  2

  Hereford and Worcester

  6

  2

  Hertfordshire

  7

  3

  Humberside

  8

  6

  Isle of Wight

  4

  —

  206

  Emergency planning officer

  Emergency planning team administrative and support staff

  Kent

  11

  3

  Lancashire

  6

  2

  Leicestershire

  6

  2

  Lincolnshire

  9

  2

  London

  34

  7

  Merseyside

  13

  5

  Norfolk

  4

  1

  Northamptonshire

  6

  4

  Northumberland

  8

  3

  Nottinghamshire

  9

  2

  Oxfordshire

  5

  1

  Powys

  5

  —

  Shropshire (Salop)

  7

  1

  Somerset

  8

  3

  Staffordshire

  7

  3

  Suffolk

  4

  1

  Surrey

  9

  4

  East Sussex

  6

  —

  West Sussex

  6

  1

  Tyne and Wear

  12

  3

  Warwickshire

  7

  3

  West Midlands

  14

  5

  Wiltshire

  9

  2

  North Yorkshire

  10

  4

  South Yorkshire

  12

  3

  West Yorkshire

  11

  3

  Total

  464

  137

  Adults (Arrests)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the adult population in England and Wales were arrested in 1987.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information relates to arrests of those aged 17 and over in England and Wales, excluding the Metropolitan police district, in 1987. There were 1·3 million such arrests among a population of the same age group of 33·5 million.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessments he has made as to the likely effect on(a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mr. Hurd
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on VAT will have no effect on my Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, it is not possible to offer meaningful estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last consulted the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds over the use of its
  207
  database to identify prosecution cases including the killing, sale and smuggling of British birds of prey and other wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds wrote to the Home Office in July 1988 to seek assistance with the maintenance of its database. We consulted the Association of Chief Police Officers about this request. We understand from ACPO that the police service only rarely consults the RSPB database and we have informed the RSPB that in those circumstances Home Office assistance could not be justified.

  Lindholme Prison (Disturbances)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries will be undertaken into the disturbances in Her Majesty's prison Lindholme in July by(a) Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons and (b) the prison's board of visitors; and when reports will be produced.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A full inquiry into the incident was conducted by the deputy director general of the prison service in July and a copy of his report is in the Library. Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons has not been invited to make any new inquiry, and I understand that Her Majesty's prison Lindholme board of visitors has no plans to do so.

  POA (Deduction of Subscriptions)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has withdrawn the facility for allowing the voluntary deduction of Prison Officers Association subscriptions from members' pay.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The facility was suspended because the association, after due warning, has failed to take genuine steps to draw up and agree with prison service management a firm programme for ending national industrial action which has been taking place since 13 January 1988.

  Women Police Surgeons (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the establishment requirement for women police surgeons in the South Yorkshire police force; and how many are in post.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Police surgeons are appointed by police authorities, which determine their own establishment requirements. No central record is maintained.

  Passports (Cabinet)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which members of the Cabinet have been issued with the new common format passport.

  Mr. Renton
  United Kingdom passports in the European Community common format are at present held by the Home Secretary and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary.

  Asylum (Singhalese and Tamils)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to review the current level 208
  of political and inter-racial violence in Sri Lanka with regard to the application of criteria for granting of asylum to Singhalese and Tamils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The situation in Sri Lanka is kept under constant review. Applications for asylum from Sri Lankans, as for all nationalities, are considered on an individual basis and refugee status is granted to those who meet the criteria established by the 1951 convention. The Government remain of the view, however, that membership of any particular ethnic group in Sri Lanka does not of itself provide the basis of a claim to refugee status under the convention. Asylum applicants who fail to meet the requirements of the convention are liable to be returned to Sri Lanka. Exceptional leave to enter, or remain, in the United Kingdom may be considered taking into account all the individual circumstances of a case, including in particular an applicant's personal acceptability, the length of time he has been in the United Kingdom and any compassionate factors.

  Driving While Disqualified
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were in England and Wales in 1987 for the offence of driving while disqualified; and what assessment he has made of the actual incidence of driving whilst disqualified which remains undetected.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of findings of guilt for driving while disqualified is published annually in Home Office statistical bulletins, "Offences, relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales" (table 9 of issue 32/88 gives figures up to 1987). Further information is given in a companion volume of supplementary tables; the issue for 1987 will be published soon.

  Information on the level of undetected offences of driving while disqualified is not available.

  Vietnamese Refugees
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong admitted to the United Kingdom by each year, for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Renton
  The total numbers of south-east Asian refugees accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1978 to 1987 and in the first half of 1988 are published in table 18 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1987" (Cm. 415) and in table 3 of Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of Immigration; Statistics—Second Quarter 1988" (Issue 27/88). Separate figures are not available for the number of these refugees who have come from Hong Kong.

  Prisoners (Repatriation)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries with which the United Kingdom has a reciprocal arrangement for the repatriation of prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries.

  Mr. John Patten
  Austria, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States of
  209
  America; and the following overseas territories: Anguilla, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, St. Helena, St. Helena Dependencies, and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the 1990s," whether he will specify the criteria which will be used in assessing the diversity of programming.

  Mr. Renton
  The positive programming requirements will be spelt out in general terms in legislation, and it would be for the new Independent Television Commission to decide precisely how to apply them in practice.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items of news reporting and current affairs which were broadcast on(a) BBC 1, (b) BBC 2, (e) ITV, (d) Channel 4, (e) independent local radio, (f) BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 or 4 and (g) BBC local radio have been affected by the order on restrictions on reporting from Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Tim Renton
  My right hon. Friend has given general directions to the BBC and the IBA requiring them to refrain from broadcasting direct statements by Northern Ireland terrorist organisations and their apologists. It is now for the BBC and the IBA to apply those directions. They are not, of course, required to make returns to my right hon. Friend about the effect of the directions. In any case, the directions do not prevent the second-hand reporting of events, only the coverage of direct broadcast statements.

  Extradition
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests have been received from the Republic of Ireland in each year since 1968 for(a) terrorist and terrorist-related offences and (b) other offences; and how many in each category have been refused in each year.

  Mr. John Patten
  The readily available information for extradition requests from the Republic of Ireland to England and Wales is given in the table. It is based on statistics provided by police forces.

  Requests received

  Requests refused

  1982

  9

  —

  1983

  15

  —

  1984

  31

  —

  1985

  29

  —

  1986

  15

  3

  1987

  20

  —

  1988

  1

  1

  1 Not yet available.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests have been received from Belgium in each year since 1968 for(a) terrorist and terrorist-related offences and (b) other offences; and how many in each category have been refused in each year.
  210
  Mr. John Patten
  Since January 1968 the Belgian Government have made extradition requests to the United Kingdom in respect of 50 persons. Of these 26 were charged in connection with the Heysel stadium riot. No requests were for terrorist or terrorist-related offences. Requests relating to other offences were made in the following years:

  Numbers of requested persons

  Refused

  1968

  3

  3

  1971

  1

  1

  1972

  1

  1

  1973

  2

  1

  1975

  1

  —

  1977

  2

  —

  1979

  1

  —

  1980

  2

  —

  1981

  4

  1

  1983

  2

  1

  1984

  1

  —

  1985

  1

  1

  1986

  28

  2

  1987

  1

  —

  50

  11

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of extraditions requested in each year since 1968 from Belgium for(a) terrorist and terrorist-related offences and (b) other offences; and how many requests in each category were refused in each year.

  Mr. John Patten
  Since January 1986 the Government have made extradition requests for 14 persons to be returned from Belgium. Only one request, made in 1988, was for terrorist or terrorist-related offences and this was refused. Requests relating to other offences were made in the following years:

  Number of requested persons

  Refused

  1969

  2

  —

  1971

  1

  —

  1972

  3

  1

  1978

  1

  —

  1981

  1

  —

  1983

  1

  —

  1985

  2

  —

  1986

  2

  —

  13

  1

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of extraditions requested in each year since 1968 from the Republic of Ireland for(a) terrorist and terrorist-related offences and (b) other offences; and how many requests in each category were refused in each year.

  Mr. John Patten
  The readily available information for extradition requests from England and Wales to the Republic of Ireland is given in the table. This is based mainly on information provided by police forces. Requests involving terrorist offences are specified where known.
  211

  Requests made

  Requests refused

  1982

  41

  1

  1983

  31

  —

  1984

  29

  —

  1985

  23

  —

  1986

  112

  11

  1987

  5

  2

  1988

  27

  —

  1 includes 1 case involving terrorist offences

  2 includes 2 cases involving terrorist offences

SCOTLAND

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy on ministerial appointments to public bodies; if he will publish an up-to-date list of the quangos to which he nominates members, showing the level of public funding for each body and listing the individual members appointed by himself and showing any renumeration that they receive in connection with such membership; and if he will indicate any political allegiance that has been drawn to his attention in the nomination of candidates for such positions.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In making appointments to public bodies, I seek to draw from all sections of the community candidates who will be able to make a significant personal contribution to the body to which they are appointed. In all cases I expect to appoint the best person available.

  The list of non-departmental bodies to which I make appointments is contained in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies", a copy of which is available in the Library. A new edition is to be published shortly. The list includes information about the public funding of each body and the remuneration paid to members. No consistent record is kept of the political affiliation of persons nominated for or appointed to public office.

  The list of individuals appointed is too long for publication in Hansard. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why officials of the Greater Glasgow health board came to London to meet the Scottish representatives of the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives; what was the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statements.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  These are matters for the health board, and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his answer of 30 November, if he will instruct Greater Glasgow health board, under section 2 of the Health Services (Scotland) Act 1974, to provide him with the information requested in order that it can be made available to Parliament.
  212
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There is no such Act. I understand that the information that the hon. Gentleman is seeking was made public by the health board through a press release on 28 November.

  Water Research Council
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what will be the effects on the work in Scotland of the Water Research Council of the privatisation of the water industry in England and Wales;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the future role of the Water Research Council in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The organisation and work of the Water Research Centre is determined by its members, among them the Scottish water authorities and river purification boards. Arrangements are being made for the WRC to continue to serve the water industry, Government and other customers and for its work in Scotland to be maintained. No representations on the future role of WRC in Scotland have been received.

  Health Service (Grading)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a breakdown of the new grading structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors broken down by grade, type of hospital including psychiatric, geriatric and acute, by district and region.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally and could be gathered only at disproportionate cost. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on Thursday 1 December 1988, at column 342.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the date on which he first received grading projections from each health board on the new clinical structure for nurses, midwives and health visitors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Health boards' interim returns were received in the latter part of August and in September.

  Domestic Assaults
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct police forces to produce separate figures on the number of reported domestic assaults each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This matter is currently under consideration in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland).

  Schools
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish details of his proposals for allowing parents to take schools out of local authority control.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A paper is being issued today entitled "Self-Governing Schools—Extending Choice for Scottish Parents" describing proposals expected to provide
  213
  the basis for forthcoming legislation. It is being made available to education authorities representative bodies. school councils, parent-teacher associations and the general public. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  These proposals represent another major step towards greater choice in education. Opting for local self-management in place of central control by the education authority will create a new form of school. The school will remain in the public sector but will enjoy freedom to develop its own ethos under local management and to tailor provision to the needs of its pupils and the expectations of the local community.

  The decision whether to seek self-governing status will be entirely for the parents at each individual school: there will be no pressure or obligation on any school to take this route against the wishes of parents. The paper we have now issued to education authorities and others provides fuller details of what would be involved. The main features are:
  A self-governing school will remain part of the mainstream of education provision, publicly funded, open to all without qualifying examination or fees.
  Self-governing schools will be subject to inspection to ensure that they provide a satisfactory standard of education.
  The school will be managed, and its staff employed, by a board of management consisting of parents, staff and representatives of the wider community.
  Funding will be by direct Government grant, set to match the resources which the school could reasonably have expected to receive if it had stayed under the management of the education authority.

EMPLOYMENT

  Skill Training
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by what means he ensures that the needs of industry for a properly trained work force are met.

  Mr. Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the White Paper "Employment in the 1990s" and the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of 5 December 1988.

  Skills Shortages
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures his Department is taking to counteract the skills shortage in the south-east.

  Mr. Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the chapter on training in White Paper "Employment in the 1990s" published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on Monday 5 December.

  Tourism
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to meet the chairman of the English Tourist Board to discuss the expansion of the tourist industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  My right hon. Friend has no plans for a meeting with the chairman of the English Tourist Board on this Subject.

  Employment Training (Liverpool)
  Mr. Bary Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on Liverpool city council's participation in the employment training scheme.
  214
  Mr. Nicholls
  Liverpool city council is not taking part in employment training. Indeed, the council decided to punish local voluntary organisations and employers which did want to participate and the High Court has now ruled that this action is unlawful. Unlike Liverpool city council, the Government will continue to provide help through the quality training opportunities offered through employment training.

  School Leavers
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the numbers of young people leaving school and being available for work in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The most recent projected numbers of school leavers in Great Britain available for employment for academic years from 1988–89 to 1992–93 are as follows:

  Projected number of school leavers in Great Britain available for employment1

  Academic year ending 31 August

  Thousands

  1988–89

  520

  1989–90

  490

  1990–91

  460

  1991–92

  440

  1992–93

  420

  1 Rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  Careers Service (Funding)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the proposed allocation for the revised careers service strengthening scheme for 1989–90 and for 1988–89 for all local education authorities based on the current method of funding for specific posts.

  Mr. Cope
  The available information is given in the table below. For 1989–90 under the revised scheme, the figures are of provisional cash allocations; 1988–89 figures show the number of posts allocated. Grants to LEAs in 1988–89 depends on the number of posts allocated, the extent to which those posts are filled, the salary level of careers officers filling the posts and the level of grants payable for posts under the scheme. Estimates of the actual cash grants which will be paid to each individual authority as a result of these factors are not made. Allocations in 1989–90 are designed to provide a contribution to all careers service costs and are not related to numbers of posts.

  Local education authority

  Allocated posts 1988–89

  Cash allocations 1989–90

  ILEA

  52·0

  920,000

  Barking

  2·5

  43,000

  Barnet

  3·0

  42,000

  Bexley

  3·0

  41,000

  Brent

  4·0

  78,000

  Bromley

  3·5

  49,000

  Croydon

  4·0

  70,000

  Ealing

  5·0

  63,000

  Enfield

  4·0

  50,000

  Haringey

  5·0

  92,000

  Harrow

  1·0

  22,000

  Havering

  2·5

  37,000

  Hillington

  2·0

  29,000

  215

  Local education authority

  Allocated posts 1988–89

  Cash allocations 1989–90

  Hounslow

  2·0

  38,000

  Kingston

  1·0

  13,000

  Merton

  0·5

  26,000

  Newham

  8·0

  122,000

  Redbridge

  2·5

  47,000

  Richmond

  0·5

  13,000

  Sutton

  1·0

  19,000

  Waltham Forest

  5·0

  73,000

  Bedfordshire

  9·0

  123,000

  Berkshire

  9·0

  113,000

  Buckinghamshire

  6·0

  78,000

  Cambridgeshire

  9·0

  133,000

  East Sussex

  8·0

  122,000

  Essex

  21·0

  303,000

  Hampshire

  24·0

  358,000

  Hertfordshire

  11·0

  139,000

  Isle of Wight

  4·0

  50,000

  Kent

  26·0

  370,000

  Norfolk

  15·0

  218,000

  Oxfordshire

  8·0

  101,000

  Suffolk

  10·0

  126,000

  Surrey

  8·0

  101,000

  West Sussex

  5·0

  65,000

  Avon

  18·0

  227,000

  Cornwall

  11·5

  152,000

  Devon

  20·0

  290,000

  Dorset

  8·0

  108,000

  Gloucestershire

  10·0

  126,000

  Somerset

  9·0

  113,000

  Wiltshire

  10·5

  132,000

  Birmingham

  41·0

  667,000

  Coventry

  15·0

  196,000

  Derbyshire

  25·0

  384,000

  Dudley

  9·0

  133,000

  Hereford

  13·0

  185,000

  Leicestershire

  0·14

  217,000

  Lincolnshire

  14·0

  178,000

  Northamptonshire

  10·0

  126,000

  Nottinghamshire

  29·0

  446,000

  Sandwell

  13·0

  190,000

  Shropshire

  12·0

  151,000

  Solihull

  5·0

  82,000

  Staffordshire

  26·0

  383,000

  Walsall

  9·0

  141,000

  Warwickshire

  11·0

  139,000

  Wolverhampton

  14·0

  188,000

  Barnsley

  11·0

  172,000

  Bradford

  16·0

  234,000

  Calderdale

  5·5

  69,000

  Doncaster

  15·0

  192,000

  Humberside

  34·5

  440,000

  Kirklees

  11·0

  160,000

  Leeds

  22·0

  330,000

  North Yorkshire

  12·0

  178,000

  Rotherham

  11·0

  160,000

  Sheffield

  23·0

  402,000

  Wakefield

  10·0

  168,000

  Bolton

  8·0

  126,000

  Bury

  6·0

  75,000

  Cheshire

  26·0

  386,000

  Cumbria

  13·0

  169,000

  Knowsley

  17·0

  214,000

  Lancashire

  33·0

  494,000

  Liverpool

  37·0

  467,000

  Manchester

  18·0

  317,000

  Oldham

  6·0

  90,000

  Rochdale

  6·0

  94,000

  Salford

  9·0

  138,000

  Sefton

  13·0

  164,000

  St. Helens

  10·0

  126,000

  Stockport

  6·0

  88,000

  Tameside

  6·0

  91,000

  Trafford

  6·0

  75,000

  Wigan

  12·0

  187,000

  Wirral

  13·0

  182,000

  Cleveland

  30·0

  379,000

  216

  Local education authority

  Allocated posts 1998–89

  Cash allocations 1989–90

  Durham

  25·0

  315,000

  Northumberland

  11·0

  139,000

  Gateshead

  11·0

  139,000

  Newcastle

  16·0

  202,000

  North Tyne

  10·0

  126,000

  South Tyne

  12·0

  151,000

  Sunderland

  17·0

  219,000

  Job Vacancies
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for employment if he will publish an analysis of known job vacancies in Greater Manchester by skill category required.

  Mr. Lee
  the following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unfilled vacancies analysed by occupation at jobcentres in the Greater Manchester county on 7 October 1988.

  Recent research has confirmed that, nationally, about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres.

  Job vacancies analysed by occupation in Greater Manchester as at 7 October 1988

  Occupation description

  Vacancies

  Managerial

  478

  Nursing

  139

  Typing and Secretarial

  245

  Clerical and Machine operators

  1,648

  Selling—Distribution

  1,159

  Selling—others

  493

  Security and Protective services

  244

  Catering

  1,367

  Cleaning and personal services

  1,158

  Farming and Fishing

  29

  Materials Processing—Textiles/Cloth

  14

  Materials Processing—Food

  121

  Metal Processing

  13

  Metal Processing—Others

  14

  Making/ Repairing/Textiles/Cloths

  522

  Making/Repairing—Others

  273

  Machine operator (Engineering)—Skilled

  120

  Machine operator (Engineering)—Unskilled

  19

  Toolmakers/Fitters

  44

  Installation/Maintenance

  230

  Electricians

  166

  Electronic Technicians

  36

  Welding/Fabrication

  231

  Painting

  80

  Assembling/Packaging/Inspecting

  306

  Construction—Skilled

  211

  Construction—Unskilled

  34

  Mining and Quarrying

  2

  Transport Operators—HGV and PSV

  173

  Transport Operators—Others

  509

  Miscellaneous

  380

  Total

  10,504

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of vacancies which exist by industrial classification in each of the constituencies in Greater Manchester; and if he will list other vacancies according to whatever similar criteria his Department uses for the same area.

  Mr. Lee
  The table gives the available information which is also in the Library. It shows the number of unfilled vacancies analysed by industry at jobcentres in the county of Greater Manchester on 5 August 1988, the latest
  217
  available date. Vacancy statistics are collected by jobcentre area, and it is not possible to allocate the figures accurately by parliamentary constituency for Greater Manchester.

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Altrincham jobcentre

  Ashton-under-Lyne jobcentre

  Atherton jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  3

  0

  8

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  4

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  1

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  3

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: of metal goods

  4

  12

  1

  Mechanical engineering

  15

  16

  4

  Manufacture: office machinery/D.P. equipment

  1

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  8

  5

  2

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  1

  0

  2

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  1

  3

  3

  Textiles

  1

  8

  4

  Leather, footware and clothing

  1

  16

  12

  Timber and furniture

  3

  3

  10

  Paper, printing and publishing

  5

  2

  0

  Other manufacturing

  6

  2

  4

  Construction

  25

  14

  8

  Wholesale and distribution

  9

  7

  1

  Retail distribution

  101

  32

  5

  Hotels and catering

  80

  24

  3

  Repair of consumer foods and vehicles

  4

  1

  1

  Transport

  13

  11

  14

  Telecommunications

  2

  1

  1

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  49

  25

  8

  Public administration and defence

  19

  33

  5

  Medical and other health services

  14

  88

  3

  Other services—NES

  38

  11

  7

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  407

  318

  106

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Beswick jobcentre

  Bolton jobcentre

  Bury jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  1

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  7

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  2

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  1

  5

  Chemical industry

  7

  2

  9

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  5

  10

  5

  Mechanical engineering

  16

  40

  8

  Manufacture: office machinery/D.P. equipment

  2

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  1

  4

  3

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  4

  1

  1

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  1

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  3

  1

  2

  Textiles

  0

  23

  10

  Leather, footware and clothing

  4

  41

  17

  Timber and furniture

  2

  7

  8

  Paper, printing and publishing

  2

  7

  8

  Other manufacturing

  0

  17

  13

  Construction

  6

  38

  28

  Wholesale and distribution

  18

  21

  14

  218
  Recent reaserarch has confirmed that, nationally, about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres.
  219

  Industrial classification

  Beswick jobcentre

  Bolton jobcentre

  Bury jobcentre

  Retail distribution

  15

  119

  28

  Hotels and catering

  16

  62

  18

  Repair of consumer foods and vehicles

  1

  11

  5

  Transport

  7

  11

  14

  Telecommunications

  2

  1

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  5

  60

  15

  Public administration and defence

  13

  78

  29

  Medical and other health services

  1

  20

  13

  Other services—NES

  5

  37

  31

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  135

  620

  287

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Denton jobcentre

  Didsury jobcentre

  Droylsden jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  1

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  0

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  0

  0

  2

  Mechanical engineering

  5

  0

  0

  Manufacture: office machinery/D.P. equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  5

  3

  1

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  1

  0

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  2

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  0

  6

  1

  Textiles

  0

  0

  1

  Leather, footware and clothing

  8

  0

  0

  Timber and furniture

  3

  1

  2

  Paper, printing and publishing

  1

  2

  0

  Other manufacturing

  1

  2

  3

  Construction

  3

  8

  1

  Wholesale and distribution

  1

  1

  1

  Retail distribution

  10

  32

  3

  Hotels and catering

  7

  35

  12

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  0

  2

  0

  Transport

  5

  1

  1

  Telecommunications

  1

  5

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  9

  24

  2

  Public administration and defence

  2

  16

  2

  Medical and other health services

  0

  20

  0

  Other services—NES

  7

  32

  2

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  72

  190

  34

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Eccles jobcentre

  Failsworth jobcentre

  Farnworth jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  1

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  1

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  1

  4

  0

  Mechanical engineering

  3

  1

  5

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  2

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  0

  4

  5

  220 221

  Industrial classification

  Eccles jobcentre

  Failsworth jobcentre

  Farnworth jobcentre

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  1

  0

  4

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  1

  Instrument engineering

  0

  1

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  1

  0

  1

  Textiles

  0

  0

  2

  Leather, footware and clothing

  5

  3

  19

  Timber and furniture

  4

  2

  6

  Paper, printing and publishing

  0

  2

  2

  Other manufacturing

  5

  4

  10

  Construction

  11

  16

  18

  Wholesale and distribution

  9

  3

  4

  Retail distribution

  23

  12

  26

  Hotels and catering

  23

  14

  12

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  0

  0

  0

  Transport

  10

  2

  13

  Telecommunications

  0

  0

  1

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  20

  9

  10

  Public administration and defence

  20

  3

  41

  Medical and other health services

  8

  0

  11

  Other services—NES

  6

  3

  12

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  152

  84

  204

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Heywood jobcentre

  Hindley jobcentre

  Horwich jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  1

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  1

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  1

  0

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  0

  0

  3

  Mechanical engineering

  1

  0

  3

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  3

  11

  1

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  0

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  1

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  0

  1

  3

  Textiles

  7

  3

  2

  Leather, footware and clothing

  0

  3

  5

  Timber and furniture

  0

  2

  1

  Paper, printing and publishing

  0

  0

  4

  Other manufacturing

  2

  0

  0

  Construction

  5

  3

  4

  Wholesale and distribution

  10

  0

  2

  Retail distribution

  5

  3

  5

  Hotels and catering

  5

  11

  17

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  1

  0

  0

  Transport

  8

  3

  0

  Telecommunications

  0

  0

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  17

  0

  4

  Public administration and defence

  4

  2

  6

  Medical and other health services

  1

  0

  3

  Other services—NES

  7

  10

  4

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  78

  53

  68

  222 223

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Hyde jobcentre

  Irlam jobcentre

  Leigh jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  1

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  1

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  1

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  2

  2

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  5

  1

  0

  Mechanical engineering

  16

  8

  8

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  4

  1

  4

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  0

  1

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  1

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  6

  1

  3

  Textiles

  5

  0

  1

  Leather, footware and clothing

  7

  1

  7

  Timber and furniture

  2

  3

  1

  Paper, printing and publishing

  6

  0

  7

  Other manufacturing

  0

  0

  4

  Construction

  12

  8

  31

  Wholesale and distribution

  3

  2

  2

  Retail distribution

  11

  2

  17

  Hotels and catering

  11

  2

  19

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  4

  1

  2

  Transport

  4

  4

  33

  Telecommunications

  0

  0

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  8

  9

  11

  Public administration and defence

  1

  4

  12

  Medical and other health services

  4

  1

  10

  Other services—NES

  4

  0

  13

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  117

  51

  187

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Levenshulme jobcentre

  Manchester jobcentre

  Marple jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  1

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  8

  5

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  1

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  0

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  0

  9

  2

  Mechanical engineering

  10

  14

  1

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  1

  2

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  0

  11

  1

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  1

  2

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  1

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  1

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  7

  5

  0

  Textiles

  6

  43

  2

  Leather, footware and clothing

  17

  78

  7

  Timber and furniture

  2

  8

  0

  Paper, printing and publishing

  1

  16

  0

  Other manufacturing

  3

  7

  0

  Construction

  2

  32

  5

  Wholesale and distribution

  2

  100

  0

  Retail distribution

  40

  269

  5

  Hotels and catering

  12

  237

  7

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  1

  15

  1

  Transport

  13

  31

  5

  224 225

  Industrial classification

  Levenshulme jobcentre

  Manchester jobcentre

  Marple jobcentre

  Telecommunications

  1

  13

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  12

  209

  3

  Public administration and defence

  5

  129

  2

  Medical and other health services

  3

  21

  1

  Other services—NES

  32

  102

  22

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  178

  1,361

  66

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Middleton jobcentre

  Moss Side jobcentre

  Mossley jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  2

  2

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  1

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  1

  5

  2

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  2

  0

  2

  Mechanical engineering

  3

  1

  8

  Manufacture: office machinery/D.P. equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  2

  0

  0

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  1

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  5

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  5

  1

  0

  Textiles

  0

  0

  2

  Leather, footware and clothing

  11

  12

  1

  Timber and furniture

  0

  1

  0

  Paper, printing and publishing

  5

  1

  1

  Other manufacturing

  1

  0

  0

  Construction

  6

  11

  5

  Wholesale and distribution

  1

  8

  0

  Retail distribution

  15

  8

  3

  Hotels and catering

  5

  16

  0

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  1

  9

  0

  Transport

  9

  5

  2

  Telecommunications

  1

  0

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  14

  24

  4

  Public administration and defence

  5

  27

  2

  Medical and other health services

  0

  7

  2

  Other services—NES

  3

  22

  5

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  91

  166

  41

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Newton Heath jobcentre

  Oldham and Chadderton jobcentre

  Prestwick jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  2

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  1

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  2

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  3

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  6

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  manufacture of metal goods

  11

  11

  0

  Mechanical engineering

  8

  17

  0

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  0

  6

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  3

  15

  1

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  1

  6

  0

  Shipbuildings and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  226 227

  Industrial classification

  Newton Heath jobcentre

  Oldham and Chadderton jobcentre

  Prestwick jobcentre

  Instrument engineering

  0

  1

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  4

  33

  0

  Textiles

  6

  9

  0

  Leather, footware and clothing

  16

  19

  4

  Timber and furniture

  3

  14

  4

  Paper, printing and publishing

  1

  5

  1

  Other manufacturing

  0

  21

  2

  Construction

  5

  36

  8

  Wholesale and distribution

  9

  12

  13

  Retail distribution

  11

  59

  15

  Hotels and catering

  9

  44

  11

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  3

  6

  0

  Transport

  4

  20

  2

  Telecommunications

  1

  1

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  7

  29

  11

  Public administration and defence

  3

  42

  7

  Medical and other health services

  46

  28

  6

  Other services—NES

  5

  41

  15

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  162

  483

  100

  Unfilleld vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Radcliffe jobcentre

  Rochdale jobcentre

  Royton jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  2

  0

  Chemical industry

  0

  4

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  1

  5

  5

  Mechanical engineering

  5

  18

  7

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  7

  4

  4

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  1

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  0

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  1

  3

  4

  Textiles

  1

  3

  4

  Leather, footware and clothing

  6

  8

  3

  Timber and furniture

  1

  7

  2

  Paper, printing and publishing

  2

  1

  1

  Other manufacturing

  3

  3

  0

  Construction

  9

  33

  7

  Wholesale and distribution

  2

  2

  9

  Retail distribution

  14

  45

  8

  Hotels and catering

  5

  26

  6

  Repair of consumer foods and vehicles

  1

  9

  0

  Transport

  1

  22

  2

  Telecommunications

  0

  17

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  6

  38

  3

  Public administration and defence

  0

  48

  5

  Medical and other health services

  2

  1

  1

  Other services—NES

  5

  14

  8

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  73

  334

  86

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Salford jobcentre

  Stalybridge jobcentre

  Stockport jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  2

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  228 229

  Industrial classification

  Salford jobcentre

  Stalybridge jobcentre

  Stockport jobcentre

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  1

  4

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  1

  1

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  0

  4

  2

  Chemical industry

  1

  0

  16

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  2

  5

  10

  Mechanical engineering

  9

  4

  32

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  4

  0

  10

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  7

  0

  27

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  0

  0

  3

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  0

  0

  3

  Instrument engineering

  1

  0

  2

  Food, drink and tobacco

  4

  0

  16

  Textiles

  0

  2

  11

  Leather, footware and clothing

  26

  3

  33

  Timber and furniture

  4

  0

  12

  Paper, printing and publishing

  0

  1

  17

  Other manufacturing

  5

  1

  17

  Construction

  26

  2

  68

  Wholesale and distribution

  18

  1

  27

  Retail distribution

  39

  6

  163

  Hotels and catering

  23

  8

  82

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  5

  0

  19

  Transport

  5

  0

  38

  Telecommunications

  1

  0

  2

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  31

  6

  116

  Public administration and defence

  16

  2

  70

  Medical and other health services

  11

  0

  38

  Other services—NES

  12

  4

  61

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  251

  51

  901

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Stretford jobcentre

  Swinton jobcentre

  Westhoughton jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  1

  0

  1

  Coal extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  4

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  2

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  3

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  2

  1

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  3

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  8

  2

  2

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  17

  0

  2

  Mechanical engineering

  22

  3

  4

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  1

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  10

  3

  0

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  4

  0

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  5

  0

  2

  Instrument engineering

  3

  2

  1

  Food, drink and tobacco

  10

  0

  0

  Textiles

  2

  2

  0

  Leather, footware and clothing

  3

  0

  2

  Timber and furniture

  2

  0

  4

  Paper, printing and publishing

  1

  0

  0

  Other manufacturing

  4

  0

  1

  Construction

  40

  13

  12

  Wholesale and distribution

  34

  0

  1

  Retail distribution

  60

  13

  7

  Hotels and catering

  27

  16

  18

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  11

  3

  2

  Transport

  21

  2

  0

  Telecommunications

  2

  2

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  43

  8

  1

  Public administration and defence

  80

  131

  4

  Medical and other health services

  15

  7

  0

  Other services—NES

  39

  5

  8

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  230 231

  Industrial classification

  Stretford jobcentre

  Swinton jobcentre

  Westhoughton jobcentre

  TOTALS

  479

  213

  72

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  Wigan jobcentre

  Worsley jobcentre

  Wythenshawe jobcentre

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  0

  0

  0

  Coal extraction

  1

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natrual gas extraction

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  0

  0

  0

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  4

  0

  0

  Chemical industry

  1

  6

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture of metal goods

  5

  2

  0

  Mechanical engineering

  14

  22

  3

  Manufacture: office machinery/DP equipment

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  6

  17

  12

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  6

  2

  0

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  0

  3

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  2

  0

  0

  Instrument engineering

  1

  0

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  9

  0

  7

  Textiles

  2

  2

  0

  Leather, footware and clothing

  21

  9

  1

  Timber and furniture

  8

  4

  10

  Paper, printing and publishing

  5

  1

  0

  Other manufacturing

  6

  0

  1

  Construction

  35

  7

  4

  Wholesale and distribution

  3

  9

  3

  Retail distribution

  43

  13

  16

  Hotels and catering

  34

  13

  37

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  6

  0

  0

  Transport

  16

  11

  41

  Telecommunications

  1

  1

  1

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  49

  7

  14

  Public administration and defence

  30

  8

  30

  Medical and other health services

  14

  4

  13

  Other services—NES

  22

  8

  45

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  346

  149

  243

  Coal Industry (Accidents)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view of the accident rates of contractors to British Coal, he will take any measures to improve safety records of those companies through stricter enforcement of the relevant legislation.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforce the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 and other legislation as it applies to contractors and their employees within mines. This Act and the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 also require British Coal and its managers to ensure the safety of contractors. British Coal has also recently taken action with its major contractors to improve safety standards and safety awareness.

  Children (Insurance Cover)
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to seek to amend section 2 of the Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 so as to provide for compulsory insurance cover for children employed by their relatives; and if he will make a statement.
  232
  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to seek to amend section 2 of the Act.

  Mining Industry (Accidents)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the rate of fatal and major injury accidents of(a) British Coal employees and (b) employees contracted to British Coal expressed as a ratio of accidents to total numbers employed in each category.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the rate of (i) deaths and (ii) serious accidents in the mining industry per 100,000 workers in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is listed in the table:
  233

  Year

  Number employed (1,000's)

  Fatal rate per 100,000 employed

  Serious injury rate per 100,000 employed

  1970

  304·4

  29·9

  210·8

  1971

  297·7

  24·2

  215·8

  1972

  289·7

  22·1

  179·6

  1973

  270·1

  29·6

  204·8

  1974

  256·7

  18·7

  194·1

  1975

  259·2

  24·7

  226·2

  1976

  254·5

  19·7

  210·6

  1977

  252·6

  15·9

  198·8

  1978

  248·1

  25·4

  199·2

  1979

  243·5

  18·9

  194·6

  1980

  242·6

  17·3

  211·6

  19811

  232·4

  15·1

  351·3

  1982

  220·5

  17·3

  393·2

  1983

  206·3

  14·6

  400·0

  1984–853 4

  175·4

  12·6

  216·0

  1985–863 5

  154·6

  18·2

  464·3

  1986–872 3 5

  125·4

  12·0

  761·6

  1987–883 5

  104·4

  8·6

  702·9

  Source: Health and Safety Executive and British Coal.

  1 NADOR Regulations 1980—introduced 1 January 1981.

  2 RIDDOR Regulations 1985—introduced 1 April 1986.

  3 Average number employed during the year.

  4 Covers 15-month period January 1984-March 1985—not comparable with earlier calendar year data.

  5 Excludes licensed mines.

  Opencast Mining
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if any investigation has been made of health problems arising from the close proximity of people to opencast mining; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I am not aware of any authoritative survey or investigation into links between opencast mining and illness in people living nearby. There is no firm evidence that such a study would be worthwhile. However the Health and Safety Executive will continue to monitor the position and will take account of any new evidence that may emerge.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the impact of changes in the method of calculating unemployment figures since 1979 on the figures for the Stretford constituency.

  Mr. Lee
  The information requested is not available for areas smaller than standard planning regions.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing what information he has for Greater Manchester as to the average weekly wage for(a) full-time male employees, (b) part-time male employees, (c) full-time female employees and (d) part-time female employees in both cash terms and real terms based on 1987–88 prices, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  The available figures of average gross weekly earnings of employees in Greater Manchester are given in the table.234

  Average gross weekly earnings—Greater Manchester metropolitan county (gross earnings of adult employees whose pay was not affected by absence)

  April (£ per week)

  Males1

  Females2

  Full time

  Full time

  Part time3

  Cash terms

  1979

  98·8

  60·7

  26·7

  1980

  120·0

  74·3

  33·5

  1981

  136·6

  88·2

  36·5

  1982

  147·1

  93·8

  39·4

  1983

  160·1

  101·7

  43·4

  1984

  171·5

  110·9

  45·9

  1985

  183·5

  119·6

  48·8

  1986

  198·6

  130·6

  52·0

  1987

  214·4

  140·6

  55·7

  1988

  231·4

  154·8

  NYA

  At April 1988

  prices4

  1979

  192·5

  118·3

  52·0

  1980

  192·1

  118·9

  53·6

  1981

  195·1

  126·0

  52·1

  1982

  192·1

  122·5

  51·4

  1983

  201·0

  127·7

  54·5

  1984

  204·7

  132·4

  54·8

  1985

  204·8

  133·5

  54·5

  1986

  215·1

  141·5

  56·3

  1987

  222·8

  146·1

  57·9

  1988

  231·4

  154·8

  NYA

  Notes:

  1 Aged 21 years and over.

  2 Aged 18 years and over.

  3 Figures from 1984 onwards estimated from those on adult rates.

  4 Cash figures revalued using April 1988 retail price index (all items).
  NYA denotes not yet available.
  Figures for part time males are not available.
  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the unemployment figures for each quarter from 1971 onwards, calculated on the same basis as last week's figures and publish alongside them the figures released at each quarter by his Department.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the latest seasonally adjusted unemployment figures consistent with the current coverage, together with the seasonally adjusted unemployment figures as published at the time for the United Kingdom, quarterly from January 1971.

  United Kingdom

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment consistent with current coverage Total

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment as published at the time1 Total

  1971

  January

  538·2

  647·7

  April

  604·3

  718·7

  July

  670·2

  794·2

  October

  721·5

  852·6

  1972

  January

  760·1

  900·1

  April

  782·7

  911·9

  July

  718·3

  846·4

  October

  686·9

  814·8

  1973

  January

  609·4

  738·6

  April

  552·9

  647·7

  July

  512·1

  606·3

  October

  461·5

  538·8

  235

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment consistent with current coverage Total

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment as published at the time1 Total

  1974

  January

  473·8

  565·1

  April

  504·1

  573·0

  July

  517·4

  605·5

  October

  546·1

  636·8

  1975

  January

  594·6

  712·9

  April

  691·2

  798·3

  July

  825·4

  968·2

  October

  944·6

  1,088·7

  1976

  January

  1,032·5

  1,196·9

  April

  1,081·8

  1,251·5

  July

  1,103·6

  1,285·6

  October

  1,110·3

  1,305·9

  1977

  January

  1,123·6

  1,345·1

  April

  1,130·4

  1,322·6

  July

  1,180·4

  1,402·2

  October

  1,201·3

  1,433·4

  1978

  January

  1,180·8

  1,419·2

  April

  1,161·2

  1,387·1

  July

  1,147·7

  1,371·4

  October

  1,127·7

  1,359·6

  1979

  January

  1,102·3

  1,339·1

  April

  1,089·1

  1,327·4

  July

  1,066·1

  1,278·7

  October

  1,053·9

  1,282·0

  1980

  January

  1,073·8

  1,336·7

  April

  1,185·9

  1,458·1

  July

  1,342·6

  1,605·7

  October

  1,596·4

  1,892·6

  1981

  January

  1,861·1

  2,228·3

  April

  2,068·0

  2,452·3

  July

  2,226·8

  2,582·3

  October

  2,342·2

  2,728·9

  1982

  January

  2,425·8

  2,828·9

  April

  2,477·7

  2,850·3

  July

  2,553·4

  2,926·4

  October

  2,641·4

  3,059·5

  1983

  January

  2,718·0

  2,984·7

  April

  2,766·8

  3,021·2

  July

  2,810·2

  2,963·2

  October

  2,822·0

  2,941·2

  1984

  January

  2,853·4

  2,975·1

  April

  2,878·7

  3,012·3

  July

  2,917·3

  3,053·9

  October

  2,972·2

  3,101·2

  1985

  January

  3,000·6

  3,126·4

  April

  3,037·2

  3,177·2

  July

  3,033·3

  3,175·4

  October

  3,050·7

  3,174·8

  1986

  January

  3,081·3

  3,204·9

  April

  3,114·6

  3,201·8

  236

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment consistent with current coverage Total

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment as published at the time1 Total

  July

  3,133·2

  3,224·0

  October

  3,096·3

  3,167·6

  1987

  January

  3,051·3

  3,119·4

  April

  2,953·9

  3,020·1

  July

  2,812·6

  2,877·6

  October

  2,663·9

  2,714·9

  1988

  January

  2,519·4

  2,563·1

  April

  2,402·9

  2,455·0

  July

  2,267·3

  2,313·9

  October

  2,160·2

  2,160·2

  1 These are the figures first published at the time. They therefore do not allow for all the various changes in coverage. Nor do they take account of the later more accurate assessments of the seasonal variations.

  Tourism
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to increase employment in the tourism industry in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the south; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The Government will continue with the sound economic policies that have helped to establish an enterprise economy which is generating sustained growth. The Government's role in developing the tourism industry in England is being considered as part of the review announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on July 18.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the total amount spent on tourism and leisure developments in the first six months of 1988; what are the figures compared with those for the previous six month period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The English tourist board's "Tourism Investment Report" shows that the total amount spent on projects with a value of £0·5 million or more which were completed in the period January to June 1988 was ·247 million. Investment in projects under construction during the periods January to June 1988 and July to December 1987 amounted to £1,737 million and £1,005 million respectively.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessments he has made as to the likely effect on(a) his Department's capital building programme and (b) the rent the Department will pay under occupational leases, of implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax on non-domestic buildings.

  Mr. Cope
  Implementation of the European Court of Justice's judgment on VAT will have no effect on my Department's capital building programme, since compensating adjustments have been made to the relevant expenditure provisions. At this stage, before landlords have decided whether to exercise their option to tax rents, it is not possible to offer meaningful estimates of the effects of the judgment on rental costs.

  LONDON GROUNDWATER LEVELS
  LONDON GROUNDWATER LEVELS
  SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS: IMPROVEMENTS
  SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS: IMPROVEMENTS
  SOUND RECORDINGS: MMC REPORT ON COLLECTIVE LICENSING
  SOUND RECORDINGS: MMC REPORT ON COLLECTIVE LICENSING
  MMC REFERENCES: SHARE PURCHASE PROHIBITION
  MMC REFERENCES: SHARE PURCHASE PROHIBITION
  SHARES: DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST
  SHARES: DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST