Written Answers of 15 December 1988

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Expenditure (EC)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total budget expenditure for the EEC, European Coal and Steel Community and Euratom for 1988; and what was the total budget in its first full year of operation.

  Mr. Brooke
  In the ECSC's first year of activity (1952) its budget was 4·6 mecu. In 1968 that part of its budget covering non-operating (that is, largely administrative) expenditure was merged with the EC/Euratom budget, leaving the balance of its budget, covering operating expenditure (mainly aid and restructuring), to stand as a separate budget. In 1968 the ECSC budget, as redefined, amounted to 21·2 mecu; in 1988 it amounted to 562 mecu (£390·4 million1).

  The budget for the EEC and Euratom in their first year of activity (1958) amounted to 11 mecu. In 1968 the EC and Euratom budget was merged with the non-operating part of the ECSC budget to form the so-called general budget. In that year the general budget amounted to 1,561·3 mecu; in 1988 it amounted to 43,820·4 mecu (£30,431·1 million1).

  1 Converted at the Commission's current budget exchange rate of £1 = 1·439421 ecu.

  Developing Countries
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which recent International Monetary Fund study he was referring in his speech of 6 December in the Grand Committee Room which showed that, among developing countries, liberalising changes in trade outnumbered restrictive changes by nearly two to one in 1987.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 14 December 1988] : I was referring to table 1 of the 1988 IMF annual report on exchange arrangements and exchange restrictions, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which World Bank figures he was referring in his speech of 6 December in the Grand Committee Room which suggest that protection by industrialised countries costs the developing countries more than twice the amount of official aid that they receive.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 14 December 1988] : The reference was to estimates contained in a paper by World Bank staff "Industrial policies of Industrial Countries: Impact on Developing Countries" which was discussed at the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in September. The World Bank intend to publish the paper in due course.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will lay a statutory instrument before the House under section 119 of the Building Societies Act 1986 defining deferred shares and the terms on which they are issued.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 December 1988]I expect to lay an order under Section 119(1) of the Building Societies Act 1986, together with a consequential order under section 45(5), early in the new year.

  Tax Allowances
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the rate of single person's and married man's income tax allowances has increased between April 1979 and April 1988.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 9 December 1988]Between 1979–80 and 1988–89, the single person's income tax allowance has increased by 22 per cent. in real terms and the married man's allowance has increased by 23 per cent. in real terms.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  PLO (Meeting)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent meeting between the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) and the representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) gave to the hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 12 December at column 398.

  Berlin Security Service
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the British authorities in Berlin are responsible for the actions of the Berlin security service, Berliner Verfassungsschutz.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Under the declaration of Berlin of 5 May 1955, the Allied Kommandatura has"the right to take…such measures as may be required to…maintain the status and security of Berlin".

  However, the Berlin authorities have responsibility for the day-to-day running of the city, including the operation of the security services.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  In-plant Training
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future of the in-plant training scheme.

  Mr. Newton
  The in-plant training scheme, which operates under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 but is co-funded by the European Social Fund
  645
  and administered under ESF criteria, is to be closed to new applications with immediate effect. The scheme was designed to help companies meet training costs associated with new investment projects in the assisted areas which met the requirements for regional selective assistance. Because of substantial changes which the ESF has made to its criteria, the scheme is in practice no longer achieving this objective.

  Under the revised rules, trainees must be aged under 25 at the start of the training programme, be trained in the use of new technology and receive a minimum of 200 hours actual training. These requirements have proved difficult for applicants to satisfy and the three operating Departments have made no offers of assistance since the revised criteria were introduced in January 1986. As a result, the Government have decided that there is nothing to be gained by continuing with the scheme.

  Closure of the scheme will have no effect on the aount of assistance available to projects which meet the criteria for RSA.

  Japan and Taiwan
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will list in the Official Report the financial value of United Kingdom exports to Japan and Japanese imports to the United Kingdom in each of the last three years;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report the financial value of United Kingdom exports to Taiwan and Taiwanese imports to the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

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

  United Kingdom exports and imports for Japan and Taiwan 1985–87

  Value in £ millions

  Exports

  Imports

  Japan

  1985

  1,012·3

  4,115·5

  1986

  1,193·7

  4,936·9

  1987

  1,495·1

  5,463·1

  Taiwan

  1985

  164·8

  582·6

  1986

  192·5

  705·6

  1987

  292·3

  1,006·9

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics

  Note:

  (1) Figures for 1987 are provisional.

  (2) Exports valued fob, imports cif.

  Estate Agents
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to ensure that estate agents disclose major defects in properties before placing them on the market.

  Mr. Forth
  I have no immediate plans to do so. It is for the purchaser of a property to ensure that he or she has adequate information on the condition of the property before entering into a commitment to purchase.

  RENAVAL Programme
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his Department's646
  plans for the implementation of the European Economic Community's RENAVAL programme in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  The RENAVAL programme, financed by the European regional development fund, is for areas adversely affected by the restructuring of the shipbuilding and ship repair industries.

  I am consulting my right hon. Friends about applications which may be submitted to the European Commission for RENAVAL programmes for British areas.

  Most shipbuilding areas already receive a full range of benefits from the fund.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what responsibility his Department has for ensuring that foodstuffs are safe for human consumption and carry no risk of food poisoning; in what way this responsibility is carried out; how many and what type of staff are required; what is the annual cost to his Department; and what has been the change in the number of staff and the annual cost to his Department in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department of Trade and Industry has no direct responsibility for food safety for human consumption, although the laboratory of the Government chemist plays an important role in conducting analysis and advising the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Ministry of Defence on contamination by micro-organisms, heavy metals, pesticides and veterinary residues; the cost of that work rests with those Departments.

  The DTI and MAFF have launched a collaborative link research programme (£7 million from Government; £7 million from industry) to improve control of food processing, which will, lead to improvements in food quality and safety.

  Multi-Fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library the details of the bilateral textile agreement between the Economic Community and the Republic of China as it relates to knitted outerwear under the framework of the multi-fibre arrangement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 14 December 1988]Details of the new textiles agreement between the European Community and the People's Republic of China will be placed in the Library when they are made public.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to be able to publish the details of the bilateral agreement on textiles between the European Community and the Republic of China under the framework of the multi-fibre arrangement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 14 December 1988]The details of the new bilateral textiles agreement between the European Community and the People's Republic of China are still being finalised. They will be made public as soon as possible.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report the new

  647
  inner limits of knitted outwear agreed between the European Community and the Republic of China to the multi-fibre arrangement bilateral agreement expressed as a percentage of the inner limits contained in the previous agreement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 14 December 1988]: I am writing to the hon. Member.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many small businesses have started up and how many have closed over the past five years in Derbyshire; and how many jobs have been gained and lost in connection with these.

  Mr. John Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  Over the five years to the end of 1986, the latest year for which the data is available, there have been an estimated 12,237 registrations for VAT in Derbyshire, and an estimated 10,682 deregistrations. The overwhelming majority of these related to small firms. It is not possible to say how many jobs have been gained and lost as a result.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  City Technology College, Nottingham
  Mr. Graham Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his visit to the Nottingham city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend visited the Djanogly city technology college in Nottingham on Monday 5 December to lay the foundation stone of the building. The development of the college is proceeding well. The principal, deputy principal and four faculty heads have been appointed, the building programme is on schedule and offer letters have been sent to the pupils for the first year's intake next September.

  CERN
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about future United Kingdom membership of CERN.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have now considered the action taken by the CERN council in implementing the reforms recommended by the CERN review committee under the chairmanship of Professor Abragam and concluded that sufficient progress has been made for the United Kingdom to indicate that it will remain a member of the organisation.

  There are, however, a number of outstanding matters stemming from the review committee report which the United Kingdom will be expecting to see pursued over the next year. Accordingly, at the CERN council meeting today, the United Kingdom delegate made a statement emphasising the United Kingdom's wish to see CERN's scientific excellence continued and indicating the areas where progress on reducing the cost burden on member states has still to be made. I have arranged for copies of the statement to be placed in the Library.

  The Government's decision will be reflected in the forthcoming allocation of the science budget, which I shall make when I have considered the advice of the ABRC.

  F E Colleges (Opting-out)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to allow colleges of further education to opt out of local education authority control; and if he is considering legislation to extend the relevant provisions of the Education Act 1988 to include colleges of further education.

  Mr. Jackson
  Sections 139 to 155 of the Education Reform Act 1988 provide for the reform of governing bodies of LEA-maintained further education colleges and for substantial delegation to these bodies of responsibility for finance, staff and the pattern of courses. LEAs are free to go beyond this and grant their colleges corporate status, and my right hon. Friend would welcome such a development. To go further and enable colleges of further education to become fully independent of LEA control would require new legislation. My right hon. Friend has no plans for this.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table updating for the years 1987–88 to 1990–91 that section of table 1.2 in the "Cabinet Office Annual Review of Government Research and Development Expenditure" that relates to the University Grants Committee and the research councils in the light of announcements made subsequent to publication of the 1988 review.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced on 1 November increases of £306 million for the science budget over the next three years and of the over £100 million for teaching and research at the universities for the same period.

  Most, but not necessarily all, of the additional money for research will be for research as defined in the annual review. Neither research councils nor the UGC will be in a position to provide the necessary figures for updating table 1.2 until well into the new year.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of the additional money awarded to the research councils for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91 over and above that given in the table 1.2 of the "Cabinet Office Annual Review of Government Research and Development" has been earmarked for(a) AIDS research and(b)the Antarctic Survey.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's replies to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman) on 10 November at columns 253 and 254, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 8 November at columns 134 and 135.

  My right hon. Friend will be considering shortly the case for an increase in the Medical Research Council's strategic programme for AIDS research on the basis of advice from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils.

  Highbury Quadrant School
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to seek to improve the performance of redeployed teachers from Highbury Quadrant; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is not the responsibility of my right hon. Friend to take direct action to improve the performance of individual teachers. That is the responsibility of the employer, in this case the Inner London Education Authority.

  Business and Technician Education Council
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many learning establishments in England teach Business and Technician Education Council courses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information from the Business and Technician Education Council is that at 13 December 1988,601 public and private sector institutions are running courses leading to BTEC qualifications. They are in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A separate figure for England is not readily available. However, the numbers in Wales and Northern Ireland will be relatively small.

  Universities (Funding)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his policy on making new financial arrangements between his Department and the Universities Funding Council; and what requirements he intends to include in new financial arrangements concerning the monitoring by the Universities Funding Council of individual universities and the transmission of any such monitoring information to his Department;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning draft terms of the new financial arrangements between(a)his Department and the Universities Funding Council and(b) the Universities Funding Council and individual universities; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what is his policy on making arrangements for annual block grants to be made by his Department to the new Universities Funding Council; and what account will be taken of information made available by the Universities Funding Council concerning the monitoring by the Universities Funding Council of individual universities.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department is preparing a memorandum which will govern its financial relations with the Universities Funding Council under the Education Reform Act 1988. Discussions are being held with the council and with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on its proposed provisions. Some of those provisions will need to be reflected in the memoranda which the council will draw up with individual institutions. As in the Act, there is a balance to be struck in these matters between institutional autonomy and proper accountability to Parliament for substantial public funds. The council's general responsibilities mean that it needs to have a complete picture of the institutions it funds. While it consequently needs power to require information about the total funding of universities, the Act is clear that such information should not be used to affect funding decisions adversely. In the same way, the Government have made it clear that decisions on funding levels, reached in the light of the council's advice, will not penalise institutions' success in raising private income.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the operation of the consultation process leading to the formation of city technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We shall consider carefully any plans put to us by sponsors which meet the broad objectives of the CTC programme. While there is no general statutory requirement, sponsors will be expected and encouraged to consult the local community, local employers and the local education authority about these plans.

  Where local education authorities are considering the possibility of closing an existing maintained school to allow for the establishment of a CTC they will need to publish proposals under section 12 of the Education Act, 1980. We have made clear the importance we attach to appropriate consultations taking place on such proposals with all interested parties. Detailed guidance is given in the Department's Circular 3/87. We set out our policy on deciding section 12 proposals which had as an objective the establishment of a CTC in my right hon. Friend's statement of 28 July at column 402.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage difference between the local education authority providing nursery education for the highest proportion of children and that providing the lowest.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In January 1988 the percentage point difference between the local education authority where the least proportion of children under five were attending maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools and the local education authority where the highest proportion were attending such schools and classes was 68.

  Marine Research
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for the future funding of marine research.

  Mr. Jackson
  On the funding of marine research carried out by the Natural Environment Research Council, my right hon. Friend is considering the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils and hopes to announce his allocations for 1989–90 shortly. As to the wider context, the co-ordinating committee on marine science and technology will report in due course on a national strategic framework for Government-funded marine science.

  Agricultural and Food Research
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the Government's response to the interim report on agricultural and food research from the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have written to the Chairman of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, Sub-Committee I; the following is the text of my letter:
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  Lord Butterworth CBE

  Chairman

  Sub-Committee I

  House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology

  The House of Lords

  Dear Lord Butterworth,

  House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology Sub-Committee I (Agricultural and Food Research)

  1. I am writing to you as Chairman of Sub-Committee I to give the Government's observations on the Sub-Committee's Interim Report which was published on 27 October last.

  2. The Government appreciates the thorough and far-reaching enquiry which the Sub-Committee is making into this important subject; and the reasons that led you to make an interim report. The Government welcomes this report as timely further evidence of the remarkable and exciting developments in the biological sciences; of the growing realisation of their pervasive and complex nature; of their enormous potential for good; and of the way these changes rightly bring under review established perspectives and practices.

  3. The Government has noted carefully the Sub-Committee's opinion; and in particular their recommendations concerning the remit of SERC, the merger of AFRC and NERC, and the related recommendation on the future development of the Biotechnology Advisory Group. It will be giving these and related matters careful consideration over the coming months. As the Sub-Committee knows, the Advisory Board for the Research Councils (ABRC) is currently reviewing the Research Council's responsibilities for biological sciences. The Government believes that the Sub-Commitee's interim report should be helpful to the Board conducting this exercise. The Government would wish to have the results of that review and the Board's advice on it before reaching final conclusions on whether changes are needed in the structure and responsibilities of the Research Councils and, if so, what changes would be appropriate. I hope to have that advice during the early months of next year.

  4. In these circumstances, the Government does not intend to respond further at this time to the Sub-Committee's interim report. We look forward with interest to your final report, to which we will respond in the normal way.

  5. In accordance with past practice I shall be making this letter available to both Houses, and publishing it.

  Yours sincerely,

  Kenneth Baker.

  The ESG Programme in England in 1989–90

  Activities with New Starts in 1989–90

  New Expenditure in 1989–90 (cash) £ million

  Number of LEAs with new starts

  Total of new starts committed2£ million

  NEW ACTIVITIES

  Local Management

  1. Local Management of Schools1

  25·0

  97

  25·0

  2. Planning and Delegation Schemes for FE1

  1·2

  96

  1·2

  3. Training for School Governors1

  4·9

  97

  4·9

  4. Training for FE College Governors1

  0·2

  11

  0·2

  National Curriculum Related

  5. LEA Inspection1

  1·9

  96

  1·9

  6. National Curriculum1

  9·5

  97

  9·5

  7. English in the Curriculum1

  5·1

  97

  5·1

  Social Responsibility and Inner Cities

  8. Youth Leaders for the Inner Cities

  2·4

  21

  2·4

  9. Establishment of Adult Literacy Centres

  3·0

  54

  3·0

  10. Improvement and expansion of Educational Guidance for Adults

  1·5

  36

  1·5

  EXTENSIONS

  Financial Delegation-Related

  11. Management Information Systems in FE1

  3·5

  28

  6·9

  National Curriculum-Related

  12. IT in Schools—expansion of hardware scheme1

  9·5

  97

  20·7

  Education Support Grants
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on expenditure to be supported by education support grants in 1989–90.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Department has written to all local education authorities in England to inform them of the level of expenditure which I have approved for the purpose of education support grants in 1989–90.

  Expenditure under the programme in 1989–90 wilt total £125·5m. Some £49.5m of this will be for the continuing support of projects begun in earlier years, and £76m is for new and extended activities. The table sets out the programme and shows the number of LEAs receiving allocations for support of new expenditure.

  I am pleased that all local education authorities will be participating in the 1989–90 ESG programme, which is the largest to date. I made clear during the passage of the Education Reform Act that I would use my grant programmes to help with the implementation of the reforms. The approvals I have just announced represent substantial assistance for LEAs with the introduction of local management of schools and colleges and the national curriculum. I am also particularly glad that we have been able to provide support for centres to help adults with literacy and numeracy problems, and that ESGs will be used to allow almost 200 young people to train as youth workers in their own communities.

  I have approved £35m of new expenditure in the programme for activities relating to local management, including £25m specifically for its introduction into schools and £5m for governor training. £29m of new expenditure will go towards helping authorities with the various aspects of the introduction of the national curriculum, including £5m for English, £9.5m for the core subjects and technology, and a further £9.5m for the purchase of equipment for information technology in schools. Taking new and committed expenditure together there will be support for over £90m of spending in 1989–90 on activities relevant to the ERA reforms.
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  New Expenditure in 1989–90 (cash) £million

  Number of LEAs with new starts

  Total of new starts committed2 £million

  13. Science and Technology in Primary Schools1

  2·8

  41

  9·7

  Social Responsibility and Inner Cities

  14. Open Learning

  1·4

  48

  2·7

  15. Action to Combat Misuse of Drugs

  2·1

  94

  2·3

  Other

  16. Computer Aided Engineering

  2·0

  21

  2·0

  Activities Continuing without New Starts

  17. Maths in Schools1

  —

  —

  8·4

  18. Improving the Quality of Education in Rural Primary Schools

  —

  —

  1·5

  19. Improving the Quality of Education in Urban Primary Schools

  —

  —

  0·4

  20. Education for a Multi-Ethnic Society

  —

  —

  2·7

  21. PICKUP

  —

  —

  0·2

  22. IT in Non-Advanced FE

  —

  —

  4·9

  23. Education for the Unemployed

  —

  —

  0·3

  24. Support for Parents of Children Under 5 with Severe Learning Difficulties

  —

  —

  1·9

  25. Pilot projects to develop the use of the spoken word

  —

  —

  0·3

  26. Promotion of social responsibility in young people

  —

  —

  1·4

  27. Pilot project to develop Records of Achievement

  —

  —

  1·3

  28. Diversification of First Foreign Language in Schools

  —

  —

  0·5

  29. Learning by Achievement for 14-21 year olds

  —

  —

  2·2

  30. School teacher and lecturer appraisal

  —

  —

  0·5

  Totals

  76·0

  97

  125·5

  1Activities of relevance to the implementation of the ERA reforms.

  2Grant will be paid at 50 per cent. on the second tranche of expenditure and at 70 per cent. on commitments arising from 1988–89.

  Freedom of Speech
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the Government propose to review section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 in the light of its first year of operation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have written to the chairmen of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and of the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics and to the hon. secretary of the Standing Conference of Principals to suggest that as a first step their organisations should examine the working of the section by reference to their members' codes of practice and the way in which they have been applied and should recommend to the Government any desirable changes.

  The text of my letter to the chairman of the CVCP is as follows.

  Professor Sir Mark Richmond FRS

  Chairman

  Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals

  29 Tavistock Square

  LONDON WC1H 9EZ

  Dear Mark

  14 December 1988

  FREEDOM OF SPEECH
  It is just over a year since Section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 came into force. During that period there seems to have been a welcome decrease in the disruption which gave rise to the original legislation. But there have still been some bad incidents, which raise questions about the effectiveness of present arrangements. I am sure therefore that you will agree that we ought now to review the working of Section 43.
  2. The Government has indicated its intention to undertake such a review. However, we lack systematic
  654
  information on the arrangements made by institutions. In particular, we have only seen copies of a few institutions' Codes of Practice.
  3. I should therefore like to suggest that as a first step the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (and the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics and the Standing Conference of Principals, to whom I am writing in similar terms) might agree:

  (i) to examine the working of Section 43 by reference, among other things, to your members' Codes of Practice and the way in which they have been applied;

  (ii) to obtain from your members any additional information needed to illuminate a number of key issues described below, and

  (iii) to recommend to the Government any desirable changes.

  4. The key issues in (ii) are those which seem to us, as a result of our monitoring of events during the last year, pose particular problems for institutions. They do not necessarily reflect on the legislation but may raise questions as to how institutions have sought to put it into effect. They are:—

  (a) the practice of directly limiting the number of meetings which may be held, or requiring organisers to meet security costs which may be disproportionate to their resources. (One suggestion to consider is that the student body, represented by the Student Union, should bear the scrutiny costs as a means of engaging them in the maintenance of free speech and good order);

  (b) requirements for excessive notice of meetings. Notice is needed to make security arrangements but should not be such as to prevent topical meetings being arranged to a relatively short timescale. (Long periods of notice also enable those determined to cause disruption to marshall their forces);

  (c) the need to ensure that speakers are not intimidated by the number of actions of protestors. This may require institutions to take greater responsibility for the conduct of meetings and the selection of venues;

  (d) the responsibility of institutions to avoid appearing to acquiesce in "no platform" policies. We are aware of one institution which refused to consider, and referred back to its Student Union, a complaint from a student group that it had been denied rights by the Union;

  655

  (e) the need to take firm disciplinary measures against students who breach Codes of Practice and to have in place effective arrangements for identifying offenders.

  5. If the task outlined above could be completed by the end of April 1989, the Government would then review its own position and discuss with the CVCP, CDP and SCOP changes for adoption, if possible, from the beginning of the 1989/90 academic year.
  6. If you wish to discuss the contents of the letter with me or with officials, we are available to do so. But work needs to be put in hand quickly. I hope therefore that you can signify by Friday 6 January 1989 your agreement to proceed.

  ROBERT JACKSON

  Salmonella
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will reconsider the decision to terminate an annual grant of £113,000 to Dr. Geoff Mead at the Institute of Food Research in Bristol to fund work on the control of salmonella.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have been asked to reply.

  The decision to terminate the work on the manipulation of microbial flora of the gut of young chickens was taken following an extensive review of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food commissioned research in microbiology. It was decided that the work was ready for industry to develop.

  A small number of companies have participated in collaborative trials with the institute of food research, Bristol and it is to be hoped that they will be interested in taking this work further. This will not constitute a reduction in Government support on microbiological research, such as in salmonella. The funding is to be diverted to other important parts of our extensive programme of research into microbiological food safety. A working party is currently considering what further research is needed on salmonella and I will consider this advice carefully.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Council (Terrorism)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the procedures adopted by the European Council to implement its agreement on co-operation between member states to combat terrorism.

  The Prime Minister
  Her Majesty's Government have for many years attached particular importance to international co-operation in this field. I therefore welcome particularly this, and any other, agreement with our partners, which will give fresh impetus to practical and effective co-operation in defeating the menace of terrorism.

  Ministers (Exchange of Letters)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of 29 November, Official Report, column 178, she will list those occasions since 1979 on which the text of letters to departing Cabinet Ministers(a) have and (b) have not been published.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 15 November 1988 at column 543.

  Engagements
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 December.

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

  Member's Correspondence
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the text of her letter to the hon. Member for Brent, East on 29 September about Airey Neave and related matters.

  The Prime Minister
  No. It is not my usual practice to publish exchanges of this kind.

  Bed and Breakfast Hostels
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit families who are currently in bed and breakfast hostel accommodation; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no such plans at present.

  Junior Ministers
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister, if junior Ministers in Her Majesty's Government require authorisation from the senior Minister in the Departments concerned before making public announcements outside the House on policies; and if she will publish the recommended procedures involved.

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers speak on Government policy as appropriate.

  Train Travel
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) when she last travelled by train on official business in the United Kingdom;
  657
  (2) if she will list the occasions on which she has travelled by train on official business since June 1987.

  The Prime Minister
  In February 1987.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

  Grande Carajas Programme
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider the United Kingdom's contribution to the Grande Carajas programme in the Brazilian Amazonian forest.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Her Majesty's Government have not contributed directly to any project in the Greater Carajas programme area of Brazil. In 1982, the World bank and the European Coal and Steel Community approved loans to finance part of the costs of the Carajas iron ore project. Disbursement against these loans is complete. The World bank is also financing an energy options study, which is in progress, in the light of proposed pig-iron smelter production in the region.

TRANSPORT

  M66/A664 Interchange
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the draft order, Connecting Slip Roads, M66/A664 (Manchester) Interchange.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Next spring.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the intergovernmental commission expects to receive from Eurotunnel its proposals for safety arrangements, including operating rules and emergency procedures, for the Channel tunnel; and what arrangements are being made for these proposals to receive public scrutiny.

  Mr. Portillo
  Eurotunnel has already submitted to the intergovernmental commission a certain number of its design proposals for the Channel tunnel, mostly in preliminary form, and intends to complete submission of them in final form by the end of next year, but it has yet to suggest a date for the submission of its operating rules and emergency procedures. The intergovernmental commission, in considering Eurotunnel's proposals, has the assistance of the Channel tunnel safety authority, and the commission and the authority can look for assistance to other bodies, but the concession does not provide and arrangements have not been made for the proposals to receive public scrutiny.

  M1
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider remarking the lanes on the northbound carriageway of the MI motorway north of the junction with the M25 so that the offside lane hard shoulder currently not in use can be utilised as an additional lane but in such a way as to create an additional crawler lane on the nearside similar to the way the lanes have been remarked on the southbound carriageway of the M1 north of junction 4.
  658
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Crawler lanes are justified and effective only where there is a significant uphill gradient to the brow of a hill. These conditions do not apply to the northbound carriageway of the M1 north of the junction with the M25.

  Any use of the off-side hard shoulder at this location as a running lane would involve many vehicles in repeated changes of lane in a short distance. The adverse effects on safety and the free flow of traffic, particularly at junction 8, would outweigh any benefit from the availability of a short stretch of additional carriageway.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the road surface markings and signs relating thereto have recently been altered on the southbound carriageway of the M1 north of junction 4 on the stretch of four-lane motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Signs and markings were altered to signal the use of the nearside lane for slow-moving vehicles.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of procuring and erecting the new road signs informing motorists of the short stretch of four lanes on the southbound carriageway of the M1 motorway north of junction 4.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  £4,250.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of the road surface remarking recently carried out on the southbound carriageway of the M1 north of junction 4 on the stretch
  of four-lane motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  £10,500.

  Brixham Coastguard
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future of the Brixham coastguard.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are no plans to alter the present status of Brixham coastguard maritime rescue sub-centre.

  Research Expenditure
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the annual expenditure on research into(a)public transport and planning and(b)prevention and control of marine pollution in 1978–79, 1987–88, with forecasts and plans for1988—89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Portillo
  Expenditure by the Department on research into public transport and transport planning (excluding technology and investment analysis) has been as follows:

  Year

  £million

  1978–79

  1·4

  1987–88

  1·8

  Forecast expenditure for 1988–89 is £18 million. Planned expenditure for 1989–90 is £1·1 million. Specific plans for this sector have not yet been made for subsequent years but continuation of expenditure at about the 1989–90 level is likely.
  659
  For research into the prevention and control of marine pollution, no figures are readily available for 1978–79. For the other years my Department's forecast or planned expenditure is:

  Year

  £ million

  1987–88

  0·892

  1988–89

  1·052

  1989–90

  0·989

  1990–91

  0·970

  Other Departments also finance research in this area, including the Departments of the Environment, of Education and Science (NERC), and of Energy; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.

  Buses (Deregulation)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, as a result of research commissioned or conducted by his Department on bus deregulation, he can provide details of (a)the average annual percentage increase in fares since deregulation and(b) the number of routes which have ceased to be served by buses.

  Mr. Portillo
  Between 1985–86 (the last full year prior to bus deregulation) and 1987–88, local bus fares in Great Britain rose at an annual rate of just under 8 per cent., as fares in metropolitan areas rose from previous very low levels. Data on route mileage are not compiled, but bus mileage had increased sharply, the bulk of it being operated commercially. Local authorities have the power to purchase additional non-commercial services in case of social need.

  Railway Accident (Clapham Junction)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the name of the inspector to carry out the investigation into the serious railway accident near Clapham Junction on Monday 12 December.

  Mr. Channon
  I am glad to tell the House that Mr. Anthony Hidden QC has accepted my invitation to hold an inquiry into this accident. I shall be discussing with Mr. Hidden what expert assessors should be appointed to assist him. He expects to hold an initial hearing as early as possible in January.

  The investigation will be carried out under section 7 of the Regulation of Railways Act 1871. That will enable the investigation to inquire into the cause of the accident and all other relevant matters, and to make recommendations, so that appropriate lessons can be learned for the future.

  Railway Accident Statistics

  19881

  1987

  1986

  1985

  1984

  1983

  1982

  1981

  *2

  1980

  1979

  Collisions

  Involving Passenger Trains

  18

  20

  19

  17

  17

  17

  15

  18

  13

  18

  Involving Other Trains

  21

  27

  20

  16

  31

  35

  37

  10

  *

  6

  8

  Between Trains & Buffers

  38

  33

  36

  35

  35

  36

  28

  39

  32

  34

  Derailments

  Passenger Trains

  28

  20

  34

  30

  33

  25

  23

  35

  *

  28

  30

  Freight Trains

  77

  172

  158

  199

  187

  195

  150

  113

  *

  110

  153

  Passenger Casualties

  Train Accidents Killed

  0

  3

  8

  0

  18

  2

  0

  4

  0

  8

  Driver Testing
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the annual report and accounts of the Driver Testing and Training Organisation for the last financial year are yet available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Copies of the Driver Testing and Training Organisation's annual report for 1987–88 have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  We welcome the progress noted in the report towards tight management control of unit costs and reduced waiting times for L-tests. The organisation has been set targets to achieve further improvements during the current year and to provide a better all-round service for its 2 million customers.

  To help shorten waiting times, Saturday morning tests were introduced in September for a trial period at selected centres. Seven of the 11 regional driver test booking centres are now fully computerised. Once the new systems have settled down, this should mean a better service for customers, particularly when it comes to telephone inquiries.

  As from 24 October, the eight-test day recommended in the 1985 review of occupational stress among driving examiners has come into effect. This major improvement in working conditions was made possible by co-operation between management and staff representatives to identify time-saving compensating changes in working arrangements.

  Too many candidates take the test too soon. One in two fail. Driving should be learned not just to pass the test, but as an essential skill for life.

  Good training and an effective driver testing system are key elements in helping to equip new drivers on Britain's busy roads to cope with the conditions they will find there. It continues to be the overriding objective of the Driver Testing and Training Organisation to contribute cost-effectively to their reduction in road casualties.

  Railway Accidents
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the key statistics for railway accidents over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Channon
  The statistics asked for are available in the chief inspecting officer of railways' annual reports, available in the Library, but for convenience are set out below. The casualties from the Clapham accident have not been included because the final figures are not yet available.
  661

  19881

  1987

  1986

  1985

  1984

  1983

  1982

  1981

  *2

  1980

  1979

  Major Injuries

  3

  13

  44

  31

  28

  9

  3

  12

  *

  27

  18

  Movement Accidents

  Killed

  34

  36

  23

  31

  21

  25

  18

  31

  25

  42

  Major Injuries

  79

  80

  70

  42

  52

  46

  42

  54

  *

  67

  79

  Non-movement Accidents

  Killed

  0

  29

  1

  2

  0

  2

  2

  4

  1

  2

  Major Injuries

  105

  84

  55

  51

  35

  31

  48

  41

  *

  72

  60

  1 The 1988 statistics do not include the Clapham Junction accident and must be regarded as provisional.

  2 The Accident Reporting Order was changed at the beginning of 1981 and the figures on either side of the asterisk are not strictly comparable.

  Notes:

  Passenger Casualties

  Train Accident—

  Injuries to passengers caused by a collision or derailment of a passenger train.

  Movement Accident—

  Injuries to passengers not caused by a train accident but arising out of the movement of a train ie falling, boarding or alighting from a moving train, or being struck by a train or door.

  Non-movement Accident—

  Injuries to passengers not associated with train working. Most are slips, falls or trips on the same level or on stairs or escalators at stations. The casualties of the fire at Kings Cross are included in this category.

  Four-wheel Drive Vehicles
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Transport and Road Research Laboratory has completed tests on 4 x 4 multi-purpose vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The tests have now been completed. We shall be making the full results available tomorrow. We shall have detailed discussions with manufacturers and other interested parties, including the Consumers Association and motorists' organisations.

  The TRRL tests are part of our continuing examination of this complex issue. The results will be placed in the Library shortly. We are continuing our investigation of other aspects, notably analysis of accident data both in the United Kingdom and abroad, and sharing our experience with that of other countries.

  We have embarked on international discussions with a view to developing appropriate international vehicle safety standards.

  Multi-purpose Vehicles
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars and related multi-purpose passenger vehicles were involved in 1987 in injury accidents in which a vehicle rolled over.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1987, 8,338 cars, including multi-purpose passenger vehicles, were involved in injury accidents which included roll-over.

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the practice of the British Transport police in prosecuting(a) children,(b) young persons,(c) adults and (d) hunts who trespass on or cause damage to British Rail property.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer, 14 December 1988] : The hon. Member should aproach the British Transport police for this information.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation requiring the British Transport police to take legal action against members and officials of hunts who may endanger lives by trespassing on railway lines.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer, 14 December 1988]Decisions on prosecutions are matters for the police and the prosecuting authorities.

  Ardlough
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there was a public health risk or any ecological damage caused by the sinking of the vessel Ardlough; and whether hazardous substances, including low-level radioactive materials, which were unaccounted for have since been recovered.

  Mr. Portillo
  The public health risk was small and no ecological damage has been caused by the sinking of the 'Ardlough'. None of the hazardous materials unaccounted for has since been recovered. I am advised that the cargo which has not been recovered including the radioactive material, does not pose a threat of pollution sufficient to justify further action.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Infant Life Preservation Act 1929
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Attorney-General when was the last prosecution order under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929.

  The Attorney-General
  The last prosecution conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929 was in 1980.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Attorney-General when a prosecution was last taken against a doctor for aborting a child under section 1(1)(b) of the Abortion Act 1967.

  The Attorney-General
  Section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 does not create any offence and accordingly no prosecution can be taken under its terms. The last prosecution conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions for an offence under the law relating to abortion was in 1972. It resulted in a conviction.

  Magistracy and Judiciary (Ethnic Community)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of the ethnic community are members of the magistracy and judiciary.

  The Attorney-General
  No records are kept of the ethnic origin of members of the judiciary or of magistrates. However, a survey conducted of the magistracy at the end
  663
  of 1986 showed that the percentage of justices from ethnic minorities in relation to the total number of justices appointed in the Lord Chancellor's area was 1·92 per cent. In 1985 4·07 per cent. of new justices appointed were from ethnic minorities, and the corresponding figure for 1986 was 4·57 per cent. Informal indications are that the percentage will be slightly higher for 1987 and 1988.

  Property Sales
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to seek to bring the law of sale of property in England in line with Scots law to avoid gazumping.

  The Attorney-General
  None. Such legislation is unnecessary because the differences between England and Scotland in the way in which property is usually sold are differences of practice, not of law; and the procedural delays which permit gazumping in England are best dealt with by changes in practice.

  Land Registry
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General how many items of correspondence the Lord Chancellor has received from hon. Members about the work of the Land Registry since 1 July.

  The Attorney-General
  73.

  Mr. Tony Brooks
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Attorney-General if he is yet in a position to make a statement on Mr. Tony Brooks in relation to alleged illegal acts referred to on 14 November,Official Report, column 739.

  The Attorney-General
  The Solicitor-General wrote to the hon. Member for Workington on 18 November in the following terms:"Pursuant to my answer to your oral question on 14 November, I have caused inquiries to be made into your intimation of possible allegations in the Panorama programme broadcast on 13 October, or in David Leigh's book on the Wilson plot that Mr. Tony Brooks was involved in a plot to destabilise the Government of Lord Wilson, or committed illegal acts.
  There is in neither the programme, nor the book, any evidence, or indeed any allegation of any criminal activity by

  Number of Beds (As at 31 December)

  District Health Authority

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Clwyd

  491

  584

  677

  758

  840

  1,170

  East Dyfed

  —

  —

  —

  —

  146

  195

  Gwent

  71

  71

  71

  292

  421

  719

  Gwynedd

  149

  149

  158

  202

  326

  405

  Mid Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  48

  Pembrokeshire

  —

  —

  —

  8

  8

  8

  Powys

  —

  28

  42

  87

  195

  247

  South Glamorgan

  129

  140

  161

  203

  304

  381

  West Glamorgan

  144

  196

  224

  351

  547

  832

  Elderly People Health Care
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list by district health authorities(a) the number of people between 65 and 75 years of age who have been identified as needing or having (i) hip replacements, (ii) cataracts, (iii) chest complaints, (iv) heart disease, (v) strokes, (vi) Parkinson's disease, (vii) Alzheimer's disease
  664
  Mr. Brooks. I note particularly that Mr. Leigh in his book (at page 245) claims that, when Mr. Wright approached Mr. Brooks with the proposition for taking action relating to Lord Wilson, then the Prime Minister, Mr. Brooks responded that the proposition was improper. I would remind you of the Prime Minister's statement on 6 May 1987 in which she told the House that an investigation carried out by the Director General of the Security Service had found no evidence of any plot against Lord Wilson or his Government. There will be no criminal proceedings."

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will set out(a) the connections with (i) Leyton and (ii) Waltham Forest, (b) race, colour or ethnic origin, (c) business or public service background and (d) qualifications of each member of (1) the North East London area advisory committee and (2) the Waltham Forest division sub-committee on the appointment of justices of the peace.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster have decided that the names of members of advisory committees on the appointment of justices of the peace are to be disclosed and that this is to apply to all advisory committees no later than 1992. The north-east London advisory committee has already disclosed its names and these have been given to the hon. Member. It would not be appropriate for the Lord Chancellor to disclose other information about individual members. In any event, the committee is in the process of reconstitution.

WALES

  Nursing Homes
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of places in(a) private and (b) voluntary nursing homes in each district health authority in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  Comparable information is available only for the years 1982 to 1987. It is not possible to identify separately voluntary and private nursing homes.

  and (viii) osteo-rheumatoid arthritis and (b) the number of people over 75 years of age who have been identified as needing or having the above.

  Mr. Grist
  Information in the form requested is not available centrally. The number of discharges (including deaths) from NHS hospitals in Wales in 1987 by district health authority (DHA) of residence and by each diagnosis is as follows:—
  665

  Number of discharges (including deaths) from National Health Service Hospitals in Wales in 1987 by district health authority area of residence and age (years)

  Diagnosis

  Clwyd

  East Dyfed

  Pembroke-shire

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  Other/unknown

  Wales Total

  (a)Age 65–74 years

  A.

  252

  128

  32

  165

  131

  420

  22

  150

  166

  10

  1,476

  B.

  598

  277

  114

  617

  378

  811

  94

  419

  380

  147

  3,835

  C.

  414

  278

  108

  385

  314

  748

  84

  373

  404

  71

  3,179

  D.

  40

  22

  4

  29

  58

  33

  9

  40

  33

  4

  272

  E.

  71

  65

  9

  37

  25

  135

  8

  70

  75

  4

  499

  F.

  8

  —

  —

  8

  1

  1

  2

  1

  —

  4

  25

  G.

  335

  165

  103

  317

  247

  569

  84

  283

  393

  58

  2,464

  H.

  195

  89

  63

  202

  150

  440

  59

  206

  171

  35

  1,610

  I.i.

  20

  27

  13

  10

  7

  12

  10

  4

  19

  3

  125

  I.ii.

  50

  53

  37

  41

  26

  82

  12

  59

  39

  5

  404

  I.iii.

  69

  49

  34

  58

  41

  147

  31

  94

  69

  17

  609

  I.iv.

  110

  47

  15

  183

  90

  260

  23

  185

  152

  13

  1,078

  I.v.

  408

  197

  73

  246

  245

  756

  78

  275

  226

  43

  2,547

  J.

  127

  97

  36

  89

  77

  108

  17

  120

  68

  13

  752

  (b)Age 75 years and over

  A.

  536

  219

  47

  234

  272

  530

  45

  196

  265

  18

  2,362

  B.

  576

  253

  101

  464

  476

  642

  102

  487

  370

  77

  3,548

  C.

  668

  359

  90

  527

  458

  825

  159

  667

  586

  69

  4,408

  D.

  135

  42

  4

  54

  109

  92

  18

  94

  85

  9

  642

  E.

  37

  23

  4

  28

  34

  58

  19

  31

  44

  2

  280

  F.

  5

  —

  —

  21

  11

  1

  —

  8

  2

  5

  53

  G.

  665

  330

  195

  494

  547

  691

  166

  525

  527

  75

  4,215

  H.

  420

  191

  103

  341

  373

  561

  113

  420

  290

  47

  2,859

  I.i.

  86

  60

  25

  12

  10

  8

  8

  7

  24

  8

  248

  I.ii.

  21

  8

  13

  14

  7

  25

  1

  17

  9

  2

  117

  I.iii.

  303

  171

  77

  175

  114

  350

  91

  305

  246

  16

  1,848

  I.iv.

  108

  52

  15

  114

  114

  150

  48

  116

  111

  14

  842

  I.v.

  588

  240

  88

  346

  436

  772

  123

  477

  318

  35

  3,423

  J.

  144

  99

  33

  93

  84

  114

  18

  103

  96

  17

  801

  Diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision) (Code)

  A. Cataracts (366).

  B. Ischaemic heart disease (410–414).

  C. Other heart disease (393–398, 401–405, 415, 416, 420–429).

  D. Parkinson's Disease (332).

  E. Rheumatoid Arthritis (7140).

  F. Alzheimers Disease (3310).

  G. Cerebrovascular disease (430–438).

  H. of which cerebrovascular accident 4369).

  Chest Complaints:

  I.i. acute respiratory infection (460–466).

  I.ii. other diseases of upper respiratory tract 470–478).

  I.iii. pneumonia and influenza (480–487).

  I.v. bronchitis and emphysema (490–493).

  I.v. other diseases of respiratory system (494–519).

  J. Hip replacement (OPCS operation code 810, 811).

  Sewerage
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh Water Authority sewage treatment works that failed to meet their discharge contents in 1987; and on what count they failed.

  Name of works

  Determined failing

  Suspended solids

  Bio-chemical oxygen demand

  Ammonia

  Other metals

  Abbeydore

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Acton Green

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Betws yn Rhos

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Boncath

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Bonvilston West

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Brithdir

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Broadstone Catbrook (Llandogo)

  —

  —

  *

  —

  Bronwydd

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Bryncrug

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Burry Port

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Burton

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Caernarvon

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Carew

  —

  *

  —

  —

  666
  Mr. Grist
  The information for 108 works is given in the following table. The remainder of the authority's 810 sewage treatment works met their consent conditions.
  667

  Name of works

  Determined failing

  Suspended solids

  Bio-chemical oxygen demand

  Ammonia

  Other metals

  Carway

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Chester

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Chirk

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Chirk Bank

  —

  —

  *

  *

  Christchurch

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Cilycwm

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Cradoc

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Cross Inn & Nebo

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Cwmffrwd

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Darowen

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Denbigh

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Devils Bridge

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Dihewyd

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Dolgellau

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Draethen

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Drope (Westbury Homes)

  *

  —

  *

  —

  Drury

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Eardisley

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Five Fords

  *

  *

  *

  —

  Flint

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Froncysyllte

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Garway Fairview

  —

  *

  *

  —

  Glynceiriog

  —

  *

  *

  —

  Gorsgoch

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Gresford

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Henllan

  *

  —

  *

  —

  Hereford Rotherwas

  —

  *

  —

  *

  Hope

  —

  —

  *

  *

  Kenderchurch

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Kidwelly

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Kilgetty East

  —

  —

  *

  —

  Lampeter

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Little Dewchurch

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llanbedr

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd

  —

  —

  —

  *

  Llanbister

  —

  *

  *

  —

  Llandecwyn

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Llandewi Rhydderch

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Llanelli

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llanfaes

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llanfair Clydogau

  *

  *

  *

  —

  Llanfrothen

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llangarron-Herbert Hill

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Llangefni

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Llangndeyrn

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Llaniestyn

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Llantilio Crosenny

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Llanwarne-Monkton Place

  —

  *

  *

  —

  Llanybyther

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Maes-y-Groes

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Maesteg

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Marlas

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Miskin

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Mold Filter Works

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Mold activated sludge works

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Nantglyn

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Narberth East

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Newbridge-on-Wye

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Newchapel

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Newland

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Northop

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Norton

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Pandy

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Pencombe

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Penley

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Permorfa

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Pennard

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Penybont

  *

  *

  *

  —

  Ponthir

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pontrilas

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Presteigne

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Queensferry

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Raglan

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Rhandirmwyn

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Rhydpandy

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Rockfield

  *

  *

  —

  —

  668 669

  Name of works

  Determined failing

  Suspended solids

  Bio-chemical oxygen demand

  Ammonia

  Other metals

  Rosemarket

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Ross New (Lower Cleeve)

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Sarnau

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Sesswick

  —

  —

  *

  —

  Shobden

  *

  —

  —

  —

  St. Briavels

  *

  —

  —

  —

  St. Owens Cross

  *

  *

  —

  —

  St. Weonards

  —

  —

  *

  *

  Stanford Bishop

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Staunton-on-Wye

  —

  —

  *

  —

  Stoke Edith

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Talgarreg

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Talley

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Talybont (Price Bros)

  *

  *

  *

  —

  Tyddyn Hywel

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Walford (Coughton Place)

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Weston-U-Penyard

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Weycock Cross

  *

  —

  *

  —

  Wilton

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide details of any projections for the employment potential of forestry in rural areas in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  By the turn of the century, forestry and the wood-processing industries could be providing directly some 9,000 jobs in Wales, most of them in rural areas.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members' Offices
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members are sharing offices with other hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Walsh) on 14 December at column 578.

  Visitors' Guide
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the visitors' guide to the Galleries will be published in Italian and Dutch.

  Mr. Wakeham
  There are no plans to do so at present. However, the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee, which has initial responsibility for deciding in which languages the visitors' guide to the Galleries is produced, would be willing to consider any requests for additions to the range of languages available.

EMPLOYMENT

  YTS
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his Department's programme to promote racial equality in its YTS.

  Mr. Cope
  The Training Agency within my Department keeps under review the series of measures it has adopted to 670
  ensure that young people from ethnic minorities enjoy full equality of opportunity as regards YTS. I attach particular importance to the agency's attempts to ensure that any obstacles to ethnic minorities joining schemes in the employer-led sector are identified and overcome with the assistance of all parties involved. The Commission for Racial Equality has endorsed the equal opportunities code of practice for YTS.

  Trainees (Injuries)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each year the number of trainees on MSC/Training Commission/Training Agency programmes who have received payments under the analogous industrial injuries scheme which his Department oversees; and what is the average payment made to each trainee.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of adult and youth trainees eligible to receive benefits from the Training Agency's analogous industrial injuries scheme and the annual amounts paid since April 1983 is shown in the table. Comprehensive information is not available before 1983. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the average payment made because part of the annual amounts shown relate to trainees injured in an earlier year.

  Period

  Number of trainees who received benefits

  Total amount paid

  April 1983—March 1984

  945

  £263,799

  April 1984—March 1985

  779

  £363,497

  April 1985—March 1986

  782

  £480,434

  April 1986—March 1987

  850

  £601,339

  April 1987—March 1988

  1,057

  —607,837

  Business Registrations
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for 1987 business registrations and deregistrations by region as laid in table 12.7 of "Regional Trends 1988".

  Mr. Cope
  I regret that the information requested is not yet available.

  Training
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what effect he estimates his recent proposals for training, contained in "Employment for the 1990's" (Cm. 540) will have on voluntary and conservation groups; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The arrangements in the White Paper "Employment for the 1990's" (Cm. 540) will help to improve the delivery and focus of training at local level. Voluntary and conservation groups will be welcome to continue their support and commitment through training to helping unemployed people back into jobs.

  Trade union Ballots
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has published orders containing the qualifications of independent scrutineers of certain trade union ballots and elections and consequential changes to the trade union ballot funding scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  The Trade Union Ballots and Elections (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) Order 1988 has been published today. It specifies the conditions that a person must meet to be eligible for appontment as a scrutineer of certain ballots and elections which, under section 15 of the Employment Act 1988, will be subject to independent scrutiny from 1 February 1989. The order also specifies the following three bodies as being eligible for appointment as scrutineers:

  The Electorial Reform Society of Great Britain and Ireland Ltd.

  The Industrial Society

  Unity Security Balloting Services Ltd.

  The Funds for Trade Union Ballots (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1988 have also been published today. These regulations amend the scheme under which trade unions may reclaim certain costs associated with secret postal ballots to reflect the new statutory requirement for independent scrutiny of certain ballots and elections which comes into force on 1 February 1989.

  Youth Training Board
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to announce the creation of a successor body to the Youth Training Board.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 12 December 1988]: The Youth Training Board was dissolved when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took back the powers of the Training Commission into the Department of Employment. I cannot at the moment announce the creation of a successor body.

SCOTLAND

  Health Board Chairmen
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he uses in appointing health board chairmen.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend appoints the person who in his view is best fitted for the job of leading the health board. This requires commitment of time and energy and qualities of leadership, drive and sound judgment.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the figures for the last five years of the number of people who have applied for licences to run residential homes, broken down by health board area in which the homes are situated.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The responsibility for registration of residential care homes lies with local authorities. Information about the number of applications for registration is not available centrally.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are made for the good management of land sold by the Forestry Commission.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for the good management of land sold by the Forestry Commission rests with the purchasers.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of any projections for the employment potential of forestry in rural areas of Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  By the turn of the century, forestry and the wood-processing industries could be providing directly some 17,000 jobs in Scotland, most of them in rural areas.

  Sand Eels
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to reduce the catch of 'O' and 'I' group fish in the Shetland sand eel fishery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Shetland fishermen have already taken voluntary measures to reduce catches of the youngest sand eels. We are currently considering whether additional management measures are required to protect the stocks.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the maximum sustainable annual yield for the Shetland sand eel fishery; whether he intends to set a total allowable catch for this fishery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The sand eel is a short-lived species, and recruitment to the stocks varies widely from year to year. In the circumstances, our scientists consider that it is difficult to estimate the maximum sustainable yield or to advise on an appropriate total allowable catch for the Shetland sand eel stock. Other conservation measures may be a more appropriate way of managing the fishery.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to introduce a close season for sand eel fishing in Scottish waters to cover the period July to October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no plans to introduce a general close season for sand eel fishing in Scottish
  673
  waters. If further management measures appear to be needed around Shetland, a close season is one of the options which will be considered.

  Knitwear and Textiles
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing for each year since 1979, in index form with 1979 =100 the value in real terms of knitwear and textiles output in Scotland.

  Mr. Ian Lang
  The information requested is in the table. The hosiery and knitted goods industry is part of the wider textiles industry.

  Textiles

  Hosiery and knitted goods

  1979

  100

  100

  1980

  91

  103

  1981

  86

  106

  1982

  78

  97

  1983

  78

  93

  1984

  85

  108

  1985

  93

  122

  1986

  87

  116

  1987

  90

  120

  Source: Index of Industrial Production and Construction for Scotland.

  Health Spending
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance his Department has issued to health boards on the need for increased spending on services for the elderly, mentally ill and mentally handicapped in line with the Scottish Office publication "Health Spending in Scotland", and the Sharpen report.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government have endorsed the high priority accorded by the Sharpen report to the provision of community care services for the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped. Decisions on spending on local services for particular groups are for individual health boards from the substantially increased resources made available to the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Community Care
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines his Department has issued to health boards with regard to remedying the problems of community care, in cases where the transition from institutions to the community is costing more than anticipated.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. I do not accept that any deficiencies in the provision of community care arise from inadequate funding of the relevant authorities. Gross expenditure on the National Health Service in Scotland is expected to reach £2,754 million in 1989–90. After allowing for inflation, this amounts to an increase in real terms of 34 per cent. since 1979–80. The Government's planning figure for current expenditure on social work services in 1989–90 is £445·4 million, an increase of 38 per cent. in real terms since 1979–80. We have made it clear to the relevant authorities that within these substantially increased resources a high priority should be given to the provision of community care services for vulnerable groups.

  NHS Buildings (Sale)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the methods of monitoring the use of the proceeds from the sales of National Health Service buildings used for the mentally handicapped and mentally ill, and how his Department ensures that these proceeds are put back into those services rather than the regional budget.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The proceeds of sales of surplus Health Service property are now used for further investment in the Health Service by the health board in whose area the property lies. The use which is to be made of the proceeds of sales of a particular category of property is not generally specified but health boards know that they should give a high priority to the care of mentally handicapped and mentally ill patients. Capital expenditure on these categories of patient has been almost £20 million per annum in recent years. That sum far exceeds the proceeds of sales of surplus mental hospitals and associated land.

  Loch Sunart
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on pollution of Loch Sunart caused by the burial of diseased farmed fish close to the shore of the loch; and if he intends to take any action against any person responsible for such pollution.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Highland river purification board, as the authority responsible for the control of water pollution, is investigating a pollution incident at Loch Sunart. I am advised that the board's initial findings are that no serious pollution of the waters has taken place. The river purification board will determine what further action to take in the light of its inquiries.

  Agriculture Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the number of farmworkers whose employment will be affected by participation by their employers or others in the set-aside scheme; and if he will take any action either to compensate those workers or to provide additional employment in the areas concerned.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The possible effect of set-aside on farm and rural employment is one of the aspects of the scheme we shall be evaluating in its first years. Initial indications, on the basis of the average area of land proposed for set-aside by those who have applied this year (36 hectares) in comparison with the average holding size involved (140 hectares), are that the number of workers affected should be very small. There is no provision for special compensation. The Government already provide substantial assistance, through various programmes and agencies, aimed at improving employment opportunities in rural areas.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Standards
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the work of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards since its launch in July 1987.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Minister has recently received from the chairman of Food From Britain, Mr. Walter Goldsmith, the "Review of the Activities of the Board of United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards for the period October 1987 to October 1988", a copy of which I am placing in the Library of the House.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. McLouglin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council in Brussels which commenced on 12 December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I attended the Agriculture Council which commenced on Monday, 12 December. Decisions were reached on a number of issues. The most important was a decision, subject to consulting the European Parliament, on the long running and difficult negotiations to define the production and minimum strength rules for spirit drinks. The outcome was particularly satisfactory for the United Kingdom, in that it fully safeguarded our major interest in Scotch whisky, gin and vodka.

  Although the meeting continued late on Monday and Tuesday, and overnight on Wednesday, it was not possible to reach agreement on a large number of other issues on the agenda. The Council was consequently adjourned to Monday 19 December when a further attempt will be made to reach conclusions on all the outstanding issues.

  Radioactivity
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representatives of the National Farmers' Union and the Farmers' Union of Wales attended the briefing meeting in London on Friday 9 December to discuss the continuing effects of Chernobyl.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Three.

  Edenbridge House, Carlisle (Meeting)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers and landowners attended the meeting at Edenbridge house, Carlisle on 23 November to discuss the aerial survey of post-Chernobyl radioactivity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Six.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place a transcript in the Library of the meeting between his officials and the National Farmers' Union held at Edenbridge house, Carlisle, on 23 November.

  Mr. Ryder
  No transcript of proceedings was made. However, a letter summarising the data discussed at the meeting was sent to all farmers in the Cumbrian restricted area on 12 December and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Animals (Tuberculosis)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if will give details of research projects he is undertaking or funding into the spread and control of tuberculosis in farmed and wild animals; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he intends to increase research into the spread and control of tuberculosis in farmed and wild animals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department is presently funding at a cost of approximately £0£5 million per annum a programme of research and development at the central veterinary laboratory, Weybridge designed to improve the diagnosis and control of tuberculosis in cattle and wildlife including badgers and deer. Appropriate research work will continue to be funded by my Department in recognition of the statutory and public health importance of this disease.

  Radioactivity
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the final report of the aerial survey of post-Chernobyl radioactivity in Cumbria will contain a contour map of radioactive cæsium deposition when published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Yes, the report will contain such a map.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the levels of radioactivity discovered in the post-Chernobyl aerial survey of Cumbria, he will extend the survey to cover all of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ryder
  At present there are no plans to extend the aerial survey outside the Chernobyl restricted areas.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to extend the terrestrial radioactive monitoring programme throughout England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The terrestrial radioactivity monitoring programme is a routine monitoring programme for food and environmental materials in the vicinity of each of the major nuclear sites. The feasibility of extending TRAMP beyond its present coverage is currently under consideration.

  Deer (Tuberculosis)
  Dr. David Clarke
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will make tuberculosis in deer a notifiable disease; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he intends to introduce tuberculosis testing and compulsory slaughter arrangements for farmed deer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  When I met the British Deer Farmers Association recently I discussed with it the current problems with TB in farmed deer. I explained that the Government will introduce legislation to make TB in deer a notifiable disease and to make the keeping of movement records and the permanent identification of farmed deer compulsory. My officials are preparing the
  677
  necessary legislation and will shortly be consulting other interested organisations. Meanwhile, infected or suspected animals known to the Ministry, will continue to be subject to movement restrictions applied under article 15 of the tuberculosis (England and Wales) and (Scotland) Orders 1984.

  I have further agreed that my officials should explore with the industry the introduction of a voluntary tuberculosis attestation scheme for deer herds. Proposals for a scheme are at an advanced stage and letters have been sent to interested organisations inviting them to nominate representatives to form an advisory group to consider the proposals and their application.

  I believe that, taken together, these are useful measures to combat the problem of tuberculosis in deer. In response to suggestions from the industry that compulsory slaughter might be appropriate I have suggested that they should consider the possibility of an industry funded programme. We are awaiting an industry response on all these matters.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the duties and responsibilites of the atomic energy (unit C) section of his Ministry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The atomic energy unit of the food science division of the Ministry is now known as the food safety (radiation) unit. Its duties and responsibilities broadly cover all aspects of radioactivity in the terrestrial foodchain. This includes a responsibility, held jointly with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, for advising Ministers from nuclear sites, and inspection of those sites to ensure compliance. The unit is responsible for assessing, and advising on, the radiological consequences of all planned and accidental releases of radioactivity, in relation to agricultural and horticultural produce. It specifies the environmental surveillance programme to be carried out by nuclear operators and carries out its own programme of monitoring radioactivity in the terrestrial environment. The unit also provides technical advice on all aspects of food irradiation. It sponsors and directs scientific research programmes on relevant topics. Members of the unit represent the Ministry on many national and international advisory committees.

  Farmworkers (Set-aside Scheme)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will given an estimate of the number of farmworkers whose employment will be affected by participation by their employers or others in the set-aside scheme; and if he will take any action either to compensate those workers or to provide additional employment in the areas concerned.

  Mr. Ryder
  I am not yet in a position to estimate the employment effects of set-aside, which has only recently come into operation, but it offers a wide range of alternative land uses which should create new employment opportunities in the countryside, as will other recent Government initiatives such as the farm woodlands 678
  scheme and the farm diversification grant scheme. I do not therefore accept that there will be a net reduction in employment.

  Eggs
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many eggs which were infected by salmonella enteriditis have been found in the constituency of south Derbyshire during the last 12 months;

  (2) how many eggs have been found to be infected with salmonella enteriditis (a) in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and (b) nationally during the last 12 months; and what is the estimated number of eggs produced in the region annually.

  Mr. Ryder
  I regret that it is not possible to make a precise estimate of the number of infected eggs in any region. But I would agree with what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health told the House on 5 December at column 19, that the risk to any individual is small and the risk to the healthy adult small indeed.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide details of any projections for the employment potential of forestry in rural areas in England.

  Mr. Ryder
  Employment provided by forestry and the wood-processing industries in the rural areas of England is likely to stabilise at about the present level.

  Woodlands (Set-aside scheme)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether felling licences for woodlands planted under the set-aside scheme will be granted without a replanting condition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The control of tree felling rests with the Forestry Commissioners under powers contained in the Forestry Act 1967.

  When clear felling is proposed, it is at present the commissioners' normal policy to require replanting of the felled area. As we have already announced, for woodlands planted under the farm woodland scheme there will, subject to whatever legislation may be current at the time, be a presumption in favour of granting licences without such a replanting condition provided that in each case this has the support of the relevant agriculture department and there are no overriding environmental objections. Similar arrangements will apply to any planting done under the set-aside scheme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland how many nights each of the Ministers at his Department stayed in Northern Ireland during the months of June, July, August, September and October.

  Mr. Tom King
  The information is as follows:
  679

  June 1988

  July 1988

  August 1988

  September 1988

  October 1988

  Secretary of State

  9

  5

  6

  7

  7

  Mr. Stanley

  3

  5

  —

  —

  —

  Mr. Stewart

  —

  —

  1

  9

  11

  Lord Lyell

  9

  8

  9

  10

  11

  Mr. Needham

  11

  9

  17

  5

  9

  Dr. Mawhinney

  4

  8

  1

  8

  6

  Mr. Viggers

  5

  5

  3

  11

  7

  Mr. Stanley left the Northern Ireland Office and Mr. Stewart joined in July 1988.

  Plastic Bullets
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland what are the rules laid down for the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not the Government's practice to disclose detailed operational instructions under which the security forces operate in Northern Ireland. However, the general rules governing the use of plastic baton rounds state that riot guns will be used only when judged to be the reasonable amount of force necessary in the protection of life and property, the preservation of the peace, and the prevention and detection of crime. The instructions are designed to minimise the possibility of injury to those at whom the baton rounds are aimed.

  Weapons (Theft)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland if he will list with dates any occasions when weapons have been stolen or have gone unaccounted for from police stations in Northern Ireland from 1970 to the present date.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Detailed information in the form requested is not readily available from existing central records and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Milk Processing Plants
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland if the Industrial Development Board has concerned itself in the future development and ownership of Northern Ireland milk processing plants following the recent takeover bids by subsidiary firms of which the controlling interests are foreign based; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Industrial Development Board has been closely monitoring the progress of recent takeover bids in the milk processing sector in Northern Ireland but it is not part of its role to become involved in what are essentially commercial transactions.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Power Plants
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has received from the United States of America about the reasons for the shutdown of the nuclear power plants(a) Hanford, Washington, (b) Rocky Flats, Colorado, (c) Savannah River, South Carolina and (d) Fernald, Ohio; whether any pollution
  680
  resulted from accidents or discharges at these plants; whether any of this information is relevant to nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The plants to which the hon. Member refers are military plants and are of designs which have no close parallels in the United Kingdom.

  Natural Gas
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the status of Council directive 13/2/1975404 EEC relating to the use of natural gas in power stations; and whether he proposes to seek its modification.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 gives effect to Council directive 75/404/EEC. I understand that, in part as the result of United Kingdom prompting, the European Commission is carrying out a review of the directive.

  Atomic Energy Division
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if there are any restrictions on civil servants in his Department's atomic energy division travelling in COMECON countries for their holidays.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There are no specific restrictions against holiday travel in COMECON countries placed on members of this Department solely as a consequence of their being employed in our atomic energy division.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what restrictions exist on retired officials, who have worked in his atomic energy division, wishing to emigrate to the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There are no specific restrictions on the choice of country of residence on retirement placed on members of this Department solely as a consequence of their having been employed in our atomic energy division.

  Uranium
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he will take to ensure that weapons-grade uranium will not be sold into the wrong hands after privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 8 December 1988 at columns 328–29.

  Solar Housing Project
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many copies of the Linford/Pennylands solar housing
  681
  project book have been published; to whom copies have been distributed; and what has been the total cost of this publication.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Linford/Pennylands housing project book has not yet been published and we are currently reviewing the most effective way to promote the results of this work and other studies. Total cost of the work on the book so far has been £9,336. The three technical reports on the Linford and Pennyland houses on which the contents of the book are drawn are available from the British Lending Library on request. These reports are:Lindford low energy houses, report number S1025.
  A review of design and performance of Calor Solar Houses at Milton Keynes (this report relates to three houses at Linford), report number S1138.
  The Pennyland project, report number S1046.

  Copies of reports S1025 and S1046 are available from the Open university, price £10 (or £3·50 for a summary). No information is available on the number of copies distributed of the technical reports.

  Nuclear Reactors
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received any indication from British Nuclear Fuels plc as to the likely cost and timetable for(a) the closure and decommissioning of the Calder Hall and Chapelcross nuclear production reactors, (b) the redundant reprocessing buildings at Sellafield and (c) the capping of trenches and repackaging of radioactive wastes at Drigg.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that BNFL hope to operate the Calder Hall and Chapelcross reactors until 1998. During the first three years after closure the reactors would be defuelled; subsequently the external plant items would be removed. The remainder of the reactor would be decommissioned within 100 years of closure. The discounted cost, excluding the cost of reprocessing any fuel remaining in the core but excluding a substantial contingency, is estimated at £224 million.

  Decommissioning of redundant reprocessing facilities at Sellafield has already commenced where this is possible. Currently redundant facilities are expected to be decommissioned by 2000, except for three facilities due to be decommissioned by 2016. The estimated cost of £250 million will be incurred throughout the period.

  The filled trenches at Drigg are being capped now. This work is expected to be completed in mid 1989. The remaining trench and future vaults will be capped as they become full. The estimated total cost is £5 million.

  All wastes currently stored at Drigg are to be transported to Sellafield at a cost of around £5 million. Any necessary repackaging will be carried out as part of this exercise.

  Electricity Generation
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what electricity generating capacity is likely to be commissioned before the year 2000; and if he will estimate when.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This will be a matter for the privatised electricity industry to decide. The Central Electricity Generating Board has said in evidence to the 682
  Hinkley Point public inquiry that it estimates there will be a shortfall in generating capacity of 15·5 GW by the year 2000.

  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his estimates of coal and nuclear generating costs at rates of return of 5, 8 and 10 per cent.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Central Electricity Generating Board has, in evidence to the Hinkley Point public inquiry, estimated the generation costs from coal and nuclear power stations in their "base case" as follows:

  p/KWh

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Discount Rate

  5

  8

  10

  PWR

  2·24

  3·09

  3·80

  Coal

  Coastal station

  2·50

  2·97

  3·35

  Inland station

  2·62

  3·03

  3·36

  Heating Costs
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the annual cost of heating a small semi-detatched standardised house in England, Scotland, and Wales in 1979 by(a) gas, (b) electricity, (c) coal and (d) oil, expressed in cash.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Table 1 gives the costs of heating a standardised two bedroom house in five regions of Great Britain. The costs have been adjusted to 1979 money values using indices of current fuel prices as published in "Energy Trends". Costs vary between regions according to differences in temperature and fuel prices.

  Table 1

  Calculated costs of Heating a Standardised Two Bedroom House by region and type of fuel in 1979 money values

  Gas

  Electricity

  Coal

  Oil

  £

  £

  £

  £

  West Country

  70–121

  68–124

  57–106

  42–73

  (118–169)

  (106–163)

  (126–175)

  (70–101)

  South East

  73–127

  73–132

  64–118

  44–75

  (121–175)

  (111–170)

  (138–192)

  (73–103)

  North East

  85–145

  83–153

  59–108

  51–86

  (157–193)

  (122–192)

  (118–168)

  (79–114)

  Scotland

  85–148

  85–155

  67–123

  51–86

  (157–196)

  (124–194)

  (133–190)

  (79–114)

  Wales

  70–121

  69–127

  61–113

  42–73

  (115–169)

  (106–163)

  (130–182)

  (69–99)

  Notes:

  (1) Costs are calculated on the same basis as last published (Feb. 1986) Monergy Guides with fuel prices adjusted to 1979 money values.

  (2) Figures given first are for space heating only. The range represents the well insulated and poorly insulated cases. Bracketed figures include water heating.

  (3) No standing charges or maintenance costs are included.

  (4) The calculations are based on standard wet central heating system for gas, coal and oil. For electric heating storage heaters run on off peak heating are assumed.

  Electricity Supplies
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on agreements made at the meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers in Brussels on 8 November; and what are the implications for future construction of power plants in the United Kingdom
  683
  following from the decision to begin to establish a free market in electricity imports and exports in the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statement to the House of 14 November 1988 at column 426 on the outcome of the Energy Council of 8 November 1988.

  Trade in electricity is subject to the Treaty of Rome and therefore to the provisions in it precluding barriers to imports and exports between member states. The organisation of the industry in many member states however in practice may inhibit trade and on 8 November the Council endorsed the Commission intention to prepare a report on these practical problems. Importers of electricity into the United Kingdom already have common carrier rights and the right to sell to the utilities at a fair price established by the Energy Act 1983.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give in a table the position of nuclear power stations in England and Scotland, the planned capacity for each, the percentage available and the date of retirement of the stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter for the relevant electricity boards. I have asked the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to my hon. Friend in respect of nuclear power stations in England. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will ask the chairman of the South of Scotland electricity board to write in respect of nuclear power stations in Scotland.

  Fossil-fuel Power Stations
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the fossil-fuel power stations in the United Kingdom due to be retired before 2000, the capacity lost and the current plans for replacement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter for the relevant electricity boards. I have asked the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to my hon. Friend in respect of fossil-fuel power stations in England and Wales. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will ask the chairmen of the Scottish and Northern Ireland electricity boards to write in respect of their power stations.

  Uranium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is, for each year since 1973, the total amount of uranium mined in Namibia which has been imported into Britain.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 30 November 1988]: There were no imports of uranium ore concentrate from Namibia for the United Kingdom's civil nuclear power programme until 1977. Between 1977 and 1984, some 8,600 short tons of U308 (some 6,600 metric tonnes of contained uranium) were imported. There have been no such imports since 1984.
  684
  All uranium imported into the United Kingdom for civil purposes is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the United Kingdom-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement.

  Power Failure (Windsor)
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to complete his consideration of the power failure in Windsor referred to on 12 December,Official Report, column 641–2.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As required by the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988, the Southern electricity board notified my Department of the power failure which occurred at Windsor on 2 December. The cause was a fire in a substation, which led to a loss of supply to just over 12,000 consumers. Supply was restored to around 8,500 of these within five hours, but some remained without supply for a further 26 hours. The board is carrying out a full investigation, and I expect to have a report shortly. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have considered the report.

  Oil Rigs
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply of 12 December, upon whom the cost of abandonment of North sea oil rigs will fall; whether he has plans to introduce regulations to require future installations to be constructed in a way which makes their abandonment easier and less expensive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Responsibility for the costs of abandonment of North sea offshore installations lies with the parties to the joint operating agreement relating to the installation, and any other persons given notice by the Secretary of State under section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1987. Tax and royalty relief will be available under the normal rules. The cost of abandonment is a factor which my Department is already able to take into account when considering field development proposals.

  Energy Use Labelling
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the policy considerations that underpin the departmental view that it is neither desirable nor appropriate that the Government interfere in the market to enforce energy use labelling for domestic or commercial property for sale or rental.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  It would not be justifiable to compel a householder or property owner to spend a sizeable sum of his own money in this way. However, the Energy Efficiency Office supports the development of voluntary energy labels, and I consider this to be the best way forward. Furthermore, enforcement of the use of energy labels would require sanctions for non-compliance; workable sanctions would be difficult to devise and implement.

  Kingsnorth and West Burton
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the status of Kingsnorth and West Burton following the announced deferment of the coal-fired power station project.
  685
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As I said to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 9 December 1988, at column 379, my right hon. Friend is currently considering the CEGB's application for consent to construct a coal-fired power station at West Burton. He has received no application from the CEGB for consent to construct a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth. It is for the CEGB to decide whether and when to apply for consent to construct any new power station.

DEFENCE

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs were directly and indirectly supported by arms exports in(a) 1986 and (b)

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As stated in the statement on the defence estimates, (Cm 344-11 Volume 2, 1988 Table 6·8) the total number of jobs directly and indirectly supported by defence exports amounted to 110,000 for the year 1985–86. This is the latest year for which Government figures are yet available.

  Aircraft (Chaff)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to prevent the ejection of chaff from aircraft over areas grazed by livestock; what representations he has received from farmers on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. In war, the deployment of chaff would help our aircraft to avoid detection by enemy radar and thus enhance the survival prospects of the aircraft and aircrew. Practice in deploying chaff effectively is, therefore, essential. Most chaff is dropped over the sea, but a small amount has to be dispersed over land, almost all in the area of training ranges. Such use is very strictly controlled. Following complaints by a small number of farmers in the vicinity of the electronic warfare training range at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria, the Ministry of Defence commissioned an independent study into the properties of chaff. The Ministry of Defence is discussing with the National Farmers Union our intention to conduct a follow-on study of the effects of chaff upon livestock within the Spadeadam area for a period of two years commencing in the near future.

  Chemical Weapons
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why it is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to comment on information relating to chemical weapons capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information on which the assessment of chemical weapons capabilities set out in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I) is based is highly classified, and it would not be in the national interest to discuss such information in detail.

  Airfields
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to review the future of the airfields operated by the Procurement Executive of his Department.
  686
  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have decided to conduct a study into the future requirements for the airfields which support the research and development programme undertaken by the Procurement Executive. The airfields concerned are at royal aerospace establishment Bedford, aeroplane and armaments experimental establishment Boscombe Down and royal aerospace establishment Farnborough. The study will start early in the new year and all interested parties will have the opportunity to submit their views.

  Her Majesty's Forces (Car Registration Plates)
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to complete the transfer of car registration plates on civilian vehicles belonging to members of Her Majesty's forces in Germany.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All personnel with private vehicles registered with the British Forces Germany licensing centre have now been issued with United Kingdom-style civilian number plates. This action will be completed today. I should like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the excellent work by all those involved in Germany and elsewhere, in this very considerable task, which has involved some 60,000 vehicles and which has been completed in a most timely and efficient manner.

  Ingram Model 10 Gun
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the calibre of the Ingram Model 10 sub-machine gun referred to in his answer of 13 June,Official Report, column 229.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Nine millimetres.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Ingram Model 10 sub-machine gun was first issued to the Army in Northern Ireland; to which Army units it has been issued; and whether it can be fitted with a silencer.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I understand that the Ingram Model 10 was first issued to the Army in Northern Ireland in 1976. It is not our policy to comment on the issue of weapons to particular units. Although, like most firearms, the Ingram Model SMG Model 10 can be fitted with a silencer or suppressor, I am not aware of any occasion when a silenced or suppressed weapon has been used by the Army in Northern Ireland.

  Keenie Meenie Services
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which Ministry of Defence publications Keenie Meenie Services (KMS) have placed advertisements.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I am not aware of any advertisements having been procured or placed in Ministry of Defence publications by Keenie Meenie Services (KMS).

  14 Intelligence Company
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) at what date 14 Intelligence Company was formed; and whether it is still operative;

  (2) if he will list the locations and dates of 14 Intelligence Company's tours of duty.
  687
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our policy to comment on intelligence matters.

  Troops (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table showing the number of troops deployed in Northern Ireland and the number of his Department's civil servants stationed there in each year from 1969 to the present date.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information available on the Armed Forces and MOD civilian numbers in Northern Ireland on 1 January of each year since 1969 and at the latest date is as follows:

  Regular Forces

  UDR

  Civilians

  1969

  4,902

  —

  n/a

  1970

  8,816

  —

  n/a

  1971

  11,100

  4,000

  n/a

  1972

  15,323

  6,700

  n/a

  1973

  18,382

  9,000

  n/a

  1974

  16,991

  7,816

  n/a

  1975

  15,732

  7,676

  n/a

  1976

  15,627

  7,793

  n/a

  1977

  15,427

  7,616

  n/a

  1978

  15,287

  7,812

  3,364

  1979

  13,704

  7,761

  3,305

  1980

  13,389

  7,425

  3,231

  1981

  12,143

  7,431

  3,087

  1982

  11,799

  7,350

  2,947

  1983

  11,357

  7,026

  2,825

  1984

  10,260

  6,929

  2,761

  1985

  10,222

  6,468

  2,709

  1986

  10,090

  6,508

  2,693

  1987

  11,158

  6,535

  2,621

  1988

  10,887

  6,364

  2,618

  (1 July) 1988

  11,164

  6,310

  2,625

  n/a =not available.

  Regular Forces numbers in 1969, 1970 and 1971 are at 1 July.
  Recruitment to the UDR was authorised to commence on 1 January 1970.
  Civilian numbers prior to 1978 are not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
  Civilian numbers in 1978 are at 1 April.

  Ulster Defence Regiment
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the official duties and responsibilities separately of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the regular forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The role of the armed forces in Northern Ireland, including the Ulster Defence Regiment, is to support the RUC in the defeat of terrorism and the maintenance of law and order. The duties and

  Premature voluntary release: Army 1983–1988

  Year

  1983: 3rd

  1984: 3rd

  1985: 3rd

  1986: 3rd

  1987: 3rd

  1988: 3rd

  Quarter

  Quarter

  Quarter

  Quarter

  Quarter

  Quarter1

  Male Officers

  507

  146

  562

  153

  695

  167

  661

  188

  661

  173

  501

  208

  Female Officers

  16

  6

  25

  8

  37

  4

  25

  7

  39

  9

  25

  11

  Servicemen

  1,907

  503

  2,491

  637

  2,936

  769

  2,643

  580

  2,997

  749

  2,702

  912

  Servicewomen

  76

  19

  86

  24

  101

  22

  130

  28

  128

  29

  107

  36

  Total

  2,506

  674

  3,164

  822

  3,769

  962

  3,459

  803

  3,825

  960

  3,335

  1,167

  1 figures up to end of September 1988

  688
  responsibilities in connection with this role are set out in statements on the defence estimates and in such documents as "Regulations of the Ulster Defence Regiment" published by HMSO.

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, the British Nuclear Fuel plc team carrying out the programme audit of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield communicated with his Department's officials prior to the completion of their report in March 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes. The conduct of the audit required communication and consultation between the BNFL audit team and MOD officials during the audit period.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many programme audits of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield have been carried out;

  (2) how many programme audits of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield have been carried out by British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Three programme audits have been carried out on the AWE capital programme. These were carried out by British Nuclear Fuels plc, the controller, establishments research and nuclear, and John Brown (Engineers and Constructors) Ltd.

  AWE Capital Programme
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what, pursuant to his answer of 25 November.Official Report, column 50, was the nature of the indications that the estimated total cost of the AWE capital programme was rising.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 9 and 10 to appendix 4 of the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, "Control and Management of the Trident Programme"—HC 27.

  Premature Voluntary Release
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the Army premature voluntary release figures for the third quarter of each year from 1983 to 1988; and what are the comparable full year figures for each year from 1983 to 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information that my hon. Friend has requested is set out in the table:

HEALTH

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of reported cases of people affected by food poisoning caused by the bacterium salmonella enteritida found in eggs(a) for each year from 1980 to the present time and (b) for each calendar month during 1988.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We do not have readily available information for the years 1980–87 for cases of food poisoning caused by salmonella enteritidis found in eggs. To date, in 1988 there have been 46 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning involving over 1,000 cases in which the most likely source of infection was eggs. The monthly breakdown of cases is as follows. While we do not have readily available precise figures, a high proportion of these cases was associated with the salmonella enteritidis bacterium.

  Number

  January

  27

  February

  —

  March

  —

  April

  60

  May

  302

  June

  159

  July

  207

  August

  145

  September

  114

  October

  127

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility his Department has for ensuring that foodstuffs are safe for human consumption and carry no risk of food poisoning; in what way this responsibility is carried out; how many and what type of staff are required; what is the annual cost to his Department; and what has been the change in the number of staff and the annual cost to his Department in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Currie
  I shall let the right hon. Member have such information as can be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost as soon as possible.

  Physicists
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the starting salary of National Health Service physicists who determine radiation output levels in radiotherapy departments; what is the percentage gap between this starting salary and that for physicists in industry with similar qualifications; how many jobs for physicists in the National Health Service are currently vacant; and what proportion this is of the total number.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Starting salaries of physicists who determine radiation output levels in radiotherapy departments range from £11,164 to £14,591 outside London, and from £12,431 to £15,858 in inner London. We do not collect information centrally about vacant physicist posts in the National Health Service or about starting salaries of physicists in industry.

  Childminders
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that applicants 690
  for registration as childminders take part in a local authority approved course of pre-registration training, and that registered childminders do not discriminate against children or their families on grounds of ethnic origin, culture or religion.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Local authority social service departments have a duty to register childminders under the Nurseries and Childminders Regulation Act 1948. We intend to revise that legislation by introducing amendments in the Children Bill, now going through Parliament. We shall consider whether it is appropriate to specify training requirements in new legislation. Section 20 of the Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful for a person who provides facilities or services to the public or a section of the public to discriminate against any person who seeks to obtain those services, that is to treat him less favourably on racial grounds. I am advised that childminders are within the scope of that provision and I am satisfied that it is not necessary or desirable to make any further provision in legislation.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from(a) childminding associations, and (b) childcare and family service organisations, with regard to the White Paper, "The Law on Childcare and Family Services"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We have received representations on the Government's proposals for new legislation to regulate independently provided day care and out of school services set out in the White Paper from the National Childminding Association, the Staffordshire County Childminding Association and the pre-School Playgroups Association. We intend to introduce amendments to the Nurseries and Childminders Regulation Act 1948, which currently regulates these services, in the Children Bill.

  Operating Department Assistants
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether operating department assistants from agencies are paid at a higher or lower rate than National Health Service staff.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We have no information about the terms and conditions of service of operating department assistants employed by private agencies. Operating department assistants employed by the NHS receive a package of terms and conditions which includes items such as holidays, pensions and sick pay. Comparison is therefore not possible.

  Education Act 1981
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of district health authorities are not complying fully with section 10 of the Education Act 1981.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We do not collect this information centrally. However, the arrangements for identifying and providing for children under the age of five with special educational needs should be met through the continuous process of child health surveillance, including any necessary follow up arrangements, carried out by health authorities.

  AIDS
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will outline the specific aspects of the AIDS education programme designed to meet the needs of the deaf;

  (2) if he will make a statement explaining the reasons for refusing to renew the grant to AIDS health education and advice for the deaf for 1988–89; and whether the grant will be restored in 1989–90;

  (3) if he will allocate an additional separate budget for AIDS education for deaf people in 1988–89.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  During 1987–88 and 1988–89 financial support amounting to nearly £113,000 was given by my Department and the Health Education Authority, to AIDS AHEAD a consortium of organisations representing the deaf, for the production and distribution of educational materials including videos, leaflets and posters.

  A bid by AIDS AHEAD for further funding in the current financial year is currently being considered, and they have been invited to submit an outline bid for 1989–90.

  In setting programmes for AIDS prevention my Department and the Health Education Authority will continue to take account of the educational needs of people with sensory impairment.

  Drug abuse
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown of how the £9·5 million paid during the current financial year to combat drug abuse has been allocated between regional health authorities.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The £9·5 million available to regional health authorities for the development of drug misuse services in 1988–89 has been allocated as follows:

  Regional health authority

  £'000s

  Northern

  603

  Yorkshire

  718

  Trent

  932

  The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff

  Number of staff in each of the old clinical grades assimilated to each of the new clinical grades on the basis of duties and responsibilities on 1 April 1988: Wigan

  Numbers transferred to each new clinical grade

  Previous grade

  Staff in post whole time equivalents

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  1G

  H

  I

  Nursing Auxiliary

  416·13

  383·66

  32·47

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staff Nursery Nurse

  5·64

  —

  5·64

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Enrolled Nurse2

  406·60

  —

  —

  197·73

  81·81

  127·06

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Enrolled District Nurse2

  70·82

  —

  —

  —

  69·23

  1·59

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Enrolled Nurse2

  28·30

  —

  —

  —

  12·47

  15·83

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staff Nurse2

  310·25

  —

  —

  —

  53·94

  212·14

  44·17

  —

  —

  —

  Staff Midwife2

  44·98

  —

  —

  —

  2·00

  27·76

  15·22

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Sister2

  1·06

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·06

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nursing Sister II2

  228·78

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  91·43

  135·35

  2·00

  —

  Midwifery Sister II2

  87·72

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  36·76

  50·96

  —

  —

  District Nurse (Sister II)2

  59·12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·22

  54·90

  2·0

  —

  Nursing Sister I

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Midwifery Sister I2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Health Visitor

  80·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  77·00

  3·00

  —

  Senior Nurse 8

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·00

  2·00

  —

  Senior Nurse 8 (Midwife)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Nurse 7

  17·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·00

  14·00

  Senior Nurse 7 (Midwife)

  6·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6·00

  Clinical Teacher

  4·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4·00

  —

  Fieldwork Teacher

  12·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12·00

  —

  692

  Regional health authority

  £000s

  East Anglian

  393

  North West Thames

  719

  North East Thames

  765

  South East Thames

  718

  South West Thames

  576

  Wessex

  585

  Oxford

  530

  South Western

  617

  West Midlands

  1,044

  Mersey

  481

  North Western

  789

  Total

  9,470

  The allocations are based on each region's population in the 15 to 34 years age group.

  Grants
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the national organisations to whom grants were made under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 in each of the years 1985 to 1988; and if he will state the amount paid in grants in each case.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Lists giving the details of grants awarded under the section 64 general scheme for the financial years 1984–85 to 1986–87 have been placed in the Library. For 1987–88 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 27 June at columns 124-29.
  The majority of the grant recipients are national in scope.

  Grading
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in Wigan district health authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 12 December 1988]: The information requested is given in the table.
  693

  Numbers transferred to each new clinical grade

  Previous grade

  Staff in post whole time equivalents

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  1G

  H

  I

  Practical Work Teacher

  10·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10·00

  —

  Tutor

  8·60

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8·60

  Tutor Midwife

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·00

  Post Basic Students

  Enrolled Staff Nurse

  46·00

  —

  —

  —

  46·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Sister

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sister II

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Others

  2·80

  —

  2·80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTALS

  1,851·80

  383·66

  40·91

  197·73

  265·45

  385·44

  189·80

  318·21

  37·00

  33·60

  1 Excludes some additional G posts which health authorities have indicated they intend to create in future on existing two-sister wards.

  2 Excludes Post Basic Students.

  Medical Records Staff
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the cost per member of staff working in medical records, information and technology; and what comparable figure he has for(a) the United States of America, (b) France, (c) the Federal Republic of Germany and (d) Sweden, at current rates of exchange;

  (2) how many employees, and at what average rates, are engaged in medical records information and technology aged, respectively, 16 to 18 years, 19 to 24 years, 25 to 35 years, 36 to 50 years and 50 to 65 years; and what are the comparable figures for employees engaged in similar work in (1) the United States of America, (2) France, (3) the Federal Republic of Germany and (4) Sweden;

  NHS staff in post in England by Regional Health Authority at 30th September 1987

  Staff in Post1

  RHA

  Medical records

  Computing

  Medical2 records as percentage of total directly employed

  Computing2 as percentage of total directly employed

  England

  15,470

  2,320

  1·9

  0·3

  Northern

  810

  130

  1·5

  0·2

  Yorkshire

  1,140

  140

  1·9

  0·2

  Trent

  1,540

  120

  2·0

  0·2

  East Anglia

  590

  70

  1·9

  0·2

  North West Thames

  1,050

  130

  2·0

  0·2

  North East Thames

  1,310

  150

  1·9

  0·2

  South East Thames

  1,100

  180

  1·8

  0·3

  South West Thames

  940

  100

  2·1

  0·2

  Wessex

  1,090

  80

  2·5

  0·2

  Oxford

  680

  110

  2·0

  0·3

  South Western

  850

  180

  1·6

  0·3

  West Midlands

  1,640

  300

  1·9

  0·4

  Mersey

  930

  100

  2·2

  0·2

  North Western

  1,520

  150

  2·1

  0·2

  Source: Department of Health Annual Censuses of NHS Medical and Non-Medical Manpower.

  1Figures are for staff in Administrative and Clerical staff groups, and are independently rounded to nearest ten (10) Whole Time Equivalents.

  2Percentages are rounded to nearest decimal point, calculated on unrounded figures.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Widows
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows under the age of 45 years currently receive widow's pensions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 31 March 1988, the latest date for which information is available, approximately 4,500 widows aged under 45 were in receipt of widow's pension, which is payable to widows without dependent children.
  694
  (3) if he will provide the number of medical records information and technology staff analysed by each health service region and give for each region the percentage which the total of such staff bears to the overall number employed in that region.

  Mr. Mellor
  The work is performed by staff in a number of different grades and on different pay scales. Information on the average cost of such staff or on their breakdown into different age groups could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. The table shows, for each of the health service regions in England, the numbers of staff employed in medical records and in computing, and these numbers expressed as a percentage of total staff, at the latest available date of information. Comparative information on other countries is not available.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has of the number of women aged between 40 and 45 years of age who will be widowed during 1988.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Latest estimates indicate that approximately 4,000 women aged between 40 and 45 will be widowed during 1988.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last reviewed the level of the widow's pension; and if he will make a statement.
  695
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend reviewed the widow's payment at the same time as other benefits, before he made his uprating announcement to the House on 27 October.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and proportion of pensioners' households in Derbyshire are in receipt of(a) occupational pension payments, (b) income support, (c) housing benefit and (d) both income support and housing benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The county of Derbyshire is served by the Department's local offices at Derby (Becket street), Derby (London road), Derby (Heritage gate), Ilkeston, Chesterfield and Buxton, although the boundaries are not conterminous.

  The number of income support claimants in receipt of a pensioner premium from these offices as at 31 August 1988, the latest information available, was 22,594.

  I regret that the other information requested is not available.
  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action. The figures given include a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit and the information is provisional and subject to amendment.

  Transitional Payments
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department will authorise Waltham Forest council to pay £5·58p per week transitional payment awarded to Mr. and Mrs. E. W. and R. J. Hirst of 77 Tyndall road, ElO on 26 August; and how many other residents in Leyton are similarly awaiting notification to the local authority by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In this instance Mr. Hirst opted to have any transitional payments paid direct to Waltham Forest district council. Payments in respect of the period 4 April 1988 to 13 November 1988 have been sent to the council and in these circumstances it is for them to arrange direct with Mr. Hirst the level of future rent and rate liabilities to reflect any transitional payments received direct from the transitional payments unit. Details of applications outstanding within Leyton are not available.

  Community Care Grants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct social fund officers to consider the possible award of a community care grant in every case they handle as a means of ensuring that the budget is not underspent at the end of the year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Social fund officers are advised in "Social Fund Manual" paragraphs 1026, 3053 and 4032 that for each application they should consider whether a community care grant would meet the particular need.

  Departmental Computer Systems
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list in the Official Report the types of intrusion he is trying to prohibit in designing his departmental computer security systems;

  (2) what steps are being taken to protect departmental computer systems against theft of data, malicious damage or illegal tampering with data;
  696
  (3) whether encryption techniques are being employed in his departmental security systems;

  (4) what plans he has to deal with the safety of back-up storage facilities for computer data in his departmental security systems;

  (5) what plans he has to control access to information held in individual files in his departmental computer systems;

  (6) whether his computer security system will restrict access to the originator of the data;

  (7) what recovery procedures are available to a security supervisor of his departmental computer system when pass words are forgotten;

  (8) if there is any system for monitoring terminal usage in his departmental computer system;

  (9) what procedures exist to remove protection in particular files to make a computer data available for general release;

  (10) whether the Department's security system includes physical devices such as keys to protect computer data.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Department has a large number of information technology systems in use and a wide range of measures are provided to safeguard them. Most of the existing computer systems are batch-processing systems, which are not susceptible to many of the threats of on-line systems. However, the Department has now begun to implement its operational strategy, a major programme of computerisation which will provide on-line services for all social security offices. In devising the strategy, we have taken great care to ensure the security of the system.

  Entry to a system will be limited to those terminals which have authorised access to the system. The use of terminals will be carefully monitored. External users are unable to dial directly into a system. A dial-back facility will be imposed which ensures that only authorised external users are allowed entry.

  Access to a system is limited to authorised users by means of passwords and personal identification devices. Passwords are changed regularly and whenever a password is compromised or forgotten the individual must be re-introduced to the system by an authorised officer.

  Most computer data files record the personal details of individuals. These records are treated confidentially and are not avilable for general release. Access to data will be controlled by a system of access permissions which will ensure that officers address only those data needed to perform their work. All transactions will be audited to enable management to monitor access to data and to ensure attempted breaches of security are recognised and reported. Where appropriate, data will be encrypted. Back-up copies of data will be held separately and securely for all systems.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest information on how much of the social fund has so far been allocated for loans at Ayr's Department of Social Security office; and how much has been allocated as a national average.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 30 October 1988 45 per cent. of the social fund loans allocation to Ayr local office had been spent. At the same date national expenditure was 43 per cent. of the total loans budget allocation.
  697
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any information as to whether there will be an underspend at local offices of his Department of the social fund allocation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Future levels of expenditure by local offices will be dependent on the numbers, types and financial values of applications made, their relative priorities, the amounts available in local office budgets and the exercise of discretion by social fund officers on individual cases. It is not possible at this stage to predict with certainty the extent to which individual local offices might underspend their budget allocations.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest estimates for the number of families who will receive family credit scheme benefit during 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information will be published in the Public Expenditure White Paper in the new year.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for housing benefit transitional payments are still outstanding; and if all such cases will be finalised by the end of 1988.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Up to 9 December 396,000 applications had been received at the transitional payments unit. Of these, 314,000 have been assessed and 146,000 cases are now receiving payments. The majority of the outstanding cases are awaiting the return of the inquiry form which is sent to the relevant local authority to obtain housing benefit details. Local authorities are being contacted asking them to deal with the forms as quickly as possible. The unit is processing cases as soon as these inquiry forms are returned by local authorities. All outstanding cases will be cleared once the relevant forms have been sent back.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly payment currently paid out in housing benefit transitional payments; and what is the equivalent estimated sum in the next financial year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The current average weekly payment of housing benefit transitional payment is £4·06, but this figure has fluctuated over the period since payments began. This will continue up to 31 March 1989 which is the cut-off date for applications to be made. It is not therefore possible to predict the average payment for the next financial year until after this date when all applications have been processed.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the current estimated time for which housing benefit transitional payments are likely to continue.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No decision has yet been made on how transitional payments will finally be phased out although it has always been made clear that these payments will be reduced as people's circumstances change and the need for them is reduced. We have already 698
  announced that transitional payments will be reduced in the majority of cases by £2 per week next April. Some payments will therefore cease after the first year and others will not be paid after the end of year two. However, where large payments are being made the need will continue for several years.

  Benefit Changes
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 9 December, if he will set out the weekly change in benefit in 1989–90 for the individual claimant of(a) retirement pension, (b) widow's benefit, (c) unemployment benefit, (d) invalidity benefit, (e) attendance allowance and (f) mobility allowance, if mortgage interest payments were excluded from the calculation of the retail price index.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is as follows:

  proposed April 1989 rates, increased in line with published RPI

  April 1989 rates, increased in line with RPI excluding mortgage interest payments

  £

  £

  Full basic State Retirement Pension

  43·60

  43·30

  Widow's Pension standard rate

  43·60

  43·30

  Unemployment Benefit (under pension age)

  34·70

  34·45

  Invalidity Pension

  43·60

  43·30

  Attendance Allowance (higher rate)

  34·90

  34·65

  Mobility Allowance

  24·40

  24·25

  Benefit Levels
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what level of inflation has been allowed for in his Department's calculations leading up to the setting of social security benefit levels for(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  The April 1988 uprating was based on the published movement in the retail prices index (RPI) between September 1986 and September 1987; the index rose by 4·2 per cent. The rates of the new income-related benefits took account of a rise of 3·2 per cent. in the RPI less housing costs over the same period.

  The uprating in April 1989 is based on the movement in the RPI between September 1987 and September 1988; the RPI rose by 5·9 per cent. and the RPI less housing by 4·7 per cent. over that period. Because the RPI was subject to an error which was corrected during the relevant period, benefits are being increased by more than the rise in the RPI where necessary to compensate for the error. Also in recognition of the error the premiums in the income-related benefits will receive an extra increase.

  Board and Lodging Payments
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on proposed changes in board and lodging payments for people in supported lodgings and the level of representations in respect of the changes.
  699
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 52 representations on supported lodgings were made in response to consultative proposals to reform income support payments to people in lodgings. There will be generous transitional measures to protect this group against loss when new arrangements for people in board and lodgings accommodation come into force next April.

  Tax Benefit Model Tables
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the April 1988 edition of the tax benefit model tables; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have placed copies of these tables in the Library today.

  We have improved the presentation of the tables. By including take-home pay and net income before as well as after housing costs, we have made clearer the steps by which gross earnings are turned into final figures. We have also replaced the heading "marginal tax rate" by "marginal tax/benefit withdrawal rate". This more accurately describes the marginal deduction from income which occurs as gross earnings rise. As in previous editions, and in order to illustrate fully the interplay between the tax and the benefit systems, the tables apply to local authority tenants. This year we have reflected this in the title of the tables.

  In the tables expenses which claimants are expected to meet themselves are now treated as a part of net disposable income rather than deducted as they were before. This applies in particular to water service charges and fares to work. For those out of work and receiving income support, water service charges are treated like any other ordinary item of domestic expenditure. No particular fares-to-work figure, including the average, can represent the range of costs which occur in practice. Moreover, as many as one in three working people have no travel-to-work costs. The tables, therefore, assume no fares to work or other work-related expenses, but anyone

  Month ending

  7 April 1987

  5 May 1987

  2 June 1987

  30 June 1987

  28 July 1987

  25 August 1987

  22 September 1987

  20 October 1987

  17 November 1987

  15 December 1987

  Pensioner claims

  44,940

  29,678

  32,581

  29,447

  29,493

  29,172

  25,576

  28,326

  33,385

  37,057

  Pensioner awards

  15,766

  11,488

  13,870

  13,099

  13,350

  13,474

  11,838

  12,832

  14,079

  14,533

  Unemployed claims

  237,316

  201,428

  243,318

  248,918

  407,275

  343,851

  359,695

  338,023

  278,325

  233,861

  Unemployed awards

  180,506

  157,519

  191,536

  197,897

  344,576

  277,976

  301,629

  273,011

  220,325

  184,073

  Other claims

  79,073

  62,457

  74,867

  72,503

  79,239

  80,120

  77,122

  83,390

  81,949

  74,023

  Other awards

  42,260

  34,891

  41,752

  40,598

  45,106

  44,986

  45,108

  47,792

  45,883

  41,008

  Month ending

  12 January 1988

  9 February 1988

  8 March 1988

  8 April 1988

  29 April 1988

  31 May 1988

  30 June 1988

  31 July 1988

  31 August 1988

  30 September 1988

  31 October 1988

  Pensioner claims

  27,525

  41,695

  50,079

  59,579

  17,867

  39,387

  37,469

  28,838

  28,347

  22,008

  28,563

  Pensioner awards

  10,603

  16,648

  17,805

  18,901

  8,399

  19,907

  19,278

  15,442

  15,037

  12,504

  15,550

  Unemployed claims

  186,828

  254,803

  219,918

  205,795

  87,810

  182,543

  227,364

  325,864

  274,054

  268,409

  246,098

  Unemployed awards

  147,739

  203,520

  169,123

  157,004

  74,097

  153,171

  192,091

  288,723

  234,408

  233,869

  207,785

  Other claims

  54,819

  79,503

  81,732

  84,677

  30,385

  62,676

  68,360

  63,974

  67,732

  63,963

  69,652

  Other awards

  30,631

  46,119

  43,924

  44,158

  19,914

  41,770

  46,355

  45,511

  47,938

  47,486

  49,329

  Note: Recording of the information changes from four weekly to calendar monthly from April 1988.
  700
  wishing to deduct a particular amount, for example, the estimated average amount of £6·30 (which would be consistent with previous years figures), can make the appropriate adjustment to the net income figures shown in the tables.

  Despite these improvements, the examples in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use average rents and local authority rates so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay. The family characteristics in the tables are chosen only to illustrate various features of the social security system.

  Incomes
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing by how much the real equivalent incomes of the bottom 5 per cent. and the top 5 per cent. of the population rose between 1979 and 1985, after payment of housing costs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 9 December 1988]: Estimates of real equivalent increase in income are available only in 10 per cent. bands. Between 1979 and 1985, the incomes of the bottom 10 per cent. of individuals in Great Britain, calculated on the basis of "Households Below Average Income" and expressed after housing costs, rose by an average of 3 per cent. in real terms. The real incomes of the top 10 per cent. rose by 19 per cent.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for and awards of supplementary benefit or income support for persons over pension age, unemployed and in other circumstances were made in each month since April 1987.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 13 December 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Obscene Publications Act
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for seeking to amend the Obscene Publications Act.

  Mr. Renton
  We see no case for continuing the exemption of broadcasting from the Obscene Publications Act 1959, and would like to see it removed at the earliest opportunity. We have no other proposals at present.

  Wolverhampton Town Centre (Security Cameras)
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to whether similar action is being considered for other town centres, following the introduction by the police of security cameras in Wolverhampton town centre.

  Mr. John Patten
  The introduction of such schemes by the police in England and Wales is an operational matter for chief officers. Schemes of this kind might be considered in other "safer cities" areas. We are aware of similar schemes in Southampton, Bournemouth and King's Lynn.

  Remand Centres
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received regarding the future of remand centres.

  Mr. Hurd
  About 65 individuals and organisations have sent in comments on the Green Paper "Private Sector Involvement in the Remand System", which was published in July.

  Police Forces (Establishment)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces are unable to recruit to their permitted establishement at the present time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All forces in England and Wales are at, or very close to, their authorised establishment, although force strengths fluctuate in the light of recruitment and wastage patterns. Only four forces were more than 2 per cent. below establishment on 31 August: these were Bedfordshire 2·62 per cent. below establishment; Northants 2·35 per cent.; Cheshire 2·15 per cent.; and Avon and Somerset 2·07 per cent.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet ready to announce increases in police establishments for police forces.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to announce increases in police establishments for 1989–90. He will do so as soon as possible.

  Police/School Liaison Group
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the code of practice on police and schools produced by the police/school liaison group.
  702
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government welcome the spirit of co-operation between teachers and the police which is reflected in the production of their code of practice.

  I have to say that we do not agree with some of the detailed recommendations in the code, but we share the authors' view that police work in schools has an extremely important role to play in helping to develop the concept of social responsibility among young people and in maintaining the essential relationship of confidence and trust between the police and the public.

  National Disaster Unit
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to establish a national disaster unit.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are looking closely at our arrangements for handling disasters and I will be announcing our conclusions in the due course.

  Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the Stafford area.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the beginning of October, there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales with 159 schemes in the Stafford police division covering nearly 17,000 households. This is an increase of almost 100 schemes over the last 12 months and the number of households covered has more than doubled.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the Bury, South constituency.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of October, there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales and 288 schemes in the Bury metropolitan district division of the Greater Manchester police force area. I understand from the chief constable of Greater Manchester that figures are not readily available on the number of schemes in my hon. Friend's constituency.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many households in England and Wales are now members of a neighbourhood watch scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many households in England and Wales are now members of a neighbourhood watch scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  There are now almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales covering some 3·25 million households. Since the establishment of the first scheme in 1982, neighbourhood watch has caught the public's imagination and I welcome this clear evidence of their commitment to help the police in dealing with local crime problems.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of neighbourhood watch schemes operating(a) nationally and (b) in the north-west area.
  703
  Mr. John Patten
  At the beginning of October there were almost 60,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales, with over a quarter of this total (16,800) in the Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside police force areas.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the neighbourhood watch scheme in crime prevention.

  Mr. John Patten
  Neighbourhood watch schemes can be effective in reducing crime and the fear of crime, in increasing public awareness of the part they can play in preventing crime, in improving co-operation between the public and the police, and in providing a focus for action for those who wish to work against crime.

  Crime Statistics (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest quarterly recorded crime figures in the South Yorkshire metropolitan area; and what were the comparable figures for(a) the previous quarter and (b) one year ago.

  Mr. John Patten
  There was a further drop in recorded crime. In the three months to September, South Yorkshire police recorded 20,883 notifiable offences. This compares with 22,000 in the second quarter of 1988 and 22,888 in the third quarter of 1987.

  Forensic Science Service
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are, by grade, the manpower levels within the forensic science service; and what they were three and five years ago.

  Mr. Hurd
  The information is as follows:

  The numbers of staff in post in 1985 (at 31 December) and 1988 (at 31 October) at the six forensic science laboratories and the central research and support establishment (CRSE) were as follows:

  Grade

  1985

  1988

  5

  6

  6

  6

  8

  8

  7

  54

  51

  Senior Scientific Officer

  107·5

  118

  Higher Scientific Officer

  86

  95

  Scientific Officer

  101·5

  115·5

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  81·5

  54·5

  Laboratory Attendant

  11

  9·5

  Professional and Technology Officer

  2

  2

  Totals

  457·5

  459·5

  Staff in post figures for 1983 for the Chorley forensic science laboratory are not available. The number of staff in post at the other laboratories (including CRSE) on 31 December 1983 were as follows:

  Grade

  1983

  5

  5

  6

  6

  7

  43

  Senior Scientific Officer

  101

  Higher Scientific Officer

  76·5

  Scientific Officer

  76·5

  704

  Grade

  1983

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  90

  Laboratory Attendant

  9·5

  Professional and Technology Officer

  1

  Total

  408·5

  Voluntary Bodies (Participation)
  Mr. David Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure that the policies of all public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible support and encourage the role of the citizen in participation in voluntary bodies.

  Mr. John Patten
  Involvement in voluntary work is one of the ways in which responsible and active citizens make a positive contribution to their community and I take every opportunity to encourage this. Many of the bodies and agencies for which I have responsibility already work closely with voluntary organisations and with individual volunteers. Volunteers do valuable work for example in the crime prevention field and with young offenders. The Home Office also provides grant aid to a number of organisations which support and promote volunteering.

  "Death on the Rock"
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has received on the steps taken by the Independent Broadcasting Authority in relation to Thames Television's programme "Death on the Rock".

  Mr. Renton
  The board of Thames Television has appointed two independent assessors to inquire into the making of the programme "Death on the Rock". The IBA, as the regulatory authority for the ITV companies, will consider the report from Thames as soon as it becomes available, and decide whether any action is necessary.

  Broadwater Farm (Incident)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made inquiries into the alleged violations of police procedures during investigations into the death of PC Blakelock at Broadwater Farm in 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  An investigation into allegations and complaints against the police is being carried out under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. It would be wrong for my right hon. Friend to intervene in this process.

  Police Officers (Stress)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss stress among police officers.

  Mr. Hurd
  At the meeting of the Police Advisory Board on 25 October, which was attended by the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, I announced that a central facility would he provided within the Home Office to advise chief officers of police on matters of organisation health and welfare, including stress. I have no plans for a further meeting with the president on this issue.

  Offensive Weapons
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to prevent the manufacture and supply of offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have taken powers in the new Criminal Justice Act enabling the Secretary of State to specify, by affirmative order, weapons which it will be an offence to manufacture, sell, import, hire, give or lend. The purpose of this provision is to take out of circulation altogether weapons which have no legitimate use. An order specifying 14 martial arts and other weapons was recently debated and approved by Parliament. The order was made on 17 November and comes into force on 18 January 1989.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals his Department has to limit the manufacture and supply of offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have taken powers in the new Criminal Justice Act enabling the Secretary of State to specify, by affirmative order, weapons which it will be an offence to manufacture, sell, import, hire, give or lend. The purpose of this provision is to take out of circulation altogether weapons which have no legitimate use. An order specifying 14 martial arts and other weapons was recently debated and approved by Parliament. The order was made on 17 November and comes into force on 18 January 1989.

  Fire Services
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of the fire service(a) in south Yorkshire and (b) in other metropolitan county areas.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of the fire service(a) in West Yorkshire and (b) in other metropolitan counties.

  Mr. John Patten
  The budgets set by the fire and civil defence authorities in South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire in respect of all their functions show expected total expenditure for 1988–89 to be £22–422 million and £37–558 million, respectively. Corresponding information in respect of the other metropolitan fire and civil defence authorities is as follows:

  £ million

  Greater Manchester

  46·931

  Merseyside

  31·932

  Tyne and Wear

  22·982

  West Midlands

  44·227

  Robbery (Sentences)
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the change in the last year in the average sentence for robbery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The average sentence imposed on men aged 21 or over (this being the average generally used for purposes of comparison) increased by 9 per cent. in the last year and by over 20 per cent. in the last three years.

  Broadcasting Satellites
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to prevent broadcasting of obscene and violent programmes in the United Kingdom from foreign-owned satellites.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department will be taking to prevent broadcasting of obscene and violent programmes in the United Kingdom from foreign-owned satellites.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to prevent broadcasting of obscene and violent programmes in the United Kingdom from foreign-owned satellites.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friends to paragraphs 7.12 to 7.14 of our White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition, Choice and Quality" (November 1988, Cm. 517), copies of which were placed in the Library. Since the White Paper was published, we have made further significant progress, at last month's Stockholm ministerial conference, towards achieving agreement on an effective Council of Europe convention on transfrontier broadcasting (to which paragraph 7.13 refers). Subject to further discussion by Ministers' deputies, prospects now seem good for opening the convention for signature early in 1989.

  HIV Infection (Prisoners)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of HIV infection amongst prisoners.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 5 December 1988 the number of reported HIV antibody positive prisoners in England and Wales was 55. These are the identified cases. An informed assessment of the rate of infection in the prison population could be made only by taking the unacceptable step of requiring prisoners to submit to blood testing arrangements different from those which apply in the general community. Prisoners will, however, where appropriate be included in future approved research programmes based on anonymous blood testing.

  Prison Kitchens
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to meet the Institution of Environmental Health Officers to discuss the inspection of prison kitchens.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have plans to meet representatives of the institution at present.

  Official Secrets Bill
  32. Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the need for a public interest defence in the Official Secrets Bill.
  Mr. Hurd
  From the publication of our White Paper on the reform of section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 on
  707
  29 June up to 6 December I had received representations from 13 organisations and eight individuals supporting a public interest defence. In addition, right hon. and hon. Members had passed to me representations supporting such a defence which they had received from three organisations and three individuals.

  Broadcasting White Paper
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scottish broadcasting media regarding the Government's White Paper, Cm. 517.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scottish broadcasting media regarding the Government White Paper, Cm. 517.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scottish broadcasting media regarding the Government's White Paper, Cm. 517.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sillars) earlier today.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his broadcasting White Paper proposes that the new television channels should be available only to EEC companies and that each such station should have a required quota of programmes produced in the EEC.

  Mr. Renton
  Under European community rules the Government must not discriminate between United Kingdom and other EC television companies. The White Paper's proposals reflect well-established principles in existing legislation. Terrestrial television channels have power, immediacy and influence, and are a scarce national resource: the Government do not consider it desirable that non-EC companies should be able to control them. We are considering further whether this restriction should also apply to the proposed franchise for the local delivery of TV. The requirement for a proper proportion of programme material of EC origin should help to maintain a competitive and flourishing United Kingdom programme market.

  Guildford Pub Bombing
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the Guildford four cases 708
  to the Court of Appeal, in view of the new evidence submitted to him concerning the cases; and if he will make a statement.

  Guildford and Woolwich Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the outcome of his review of the convictions of the four people convicted of the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) on 6 December at column 113.

  Children (Rights)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that United Kingdom immigration rules and the United Nations draft conventions on the rights of the child are consistent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The draft conventions remain under discussion and I have no present plan to make changes to the rules for this purpose.

  Frontier Controls (Ports)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to alter frontier controls and arrangements at United Kingdom ports of entry in advance of 1992.

  Ports (Controls)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to controls at United Kingdom ports of entry after 1992.

  Frontier Control
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on control of EEC frontiers after 1992.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 14 December 1988 at columns 576-77.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Carlisle Report (Parole)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will estimate the effects upon the total prison population of the implementation of the Carlisle report on parole.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The review committee's assessment of the prison population effects of the proposed scheme is given in paragraphs 429-434 and in table 10, appendix 5 of its report, "The Parole System in England and Wales", November 1988, Cm. 532.

  Child Destruction
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of Her Majesty's prisons are currently serving custodial sentences for the crime of child destruction under the Infant Life Preservation Act.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The records held centrally show one offender currently serving a custodial sentence having been convicted under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929. I also refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess).

  Footballers (Incidents)
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has discussed with chief police officers in England and Wales the role of police in attendance at football grounds in relation to incidents involving players on the field of play.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is for the appropriate chief officer of police to decide whether criminal charges should be brought as a result of incidents during football matches. Any cases in which charges are made in England and Wales are then referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Police Authorities
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that adequate resources are available to police authorities.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to increase the resources and staffing of the South Yorkshire police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office meets, through police specific grant, 51 per cent. of all police authorities' expenditure for policing purposes. An additional contribution is made from central funds through block grant.

  Applications by police authorities for increases in police establishments in 1989–90 are under consideration and decisions will be announced as soon as possible. Eight hundred police posts are available outside London.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what was discussed.
  710
  Mr. Hurd
  I hold many meetings with the officers and committees of ACPO. The most recent was with members of the ACPO traffic committee on 24 October. The matters that we discussed included police breath-testing powers and the enforcement of road traffic law.

  Gaelic Broadcasting Service
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from those campaigning for a Gaelic language broadcasting service.

  Mr. Renton
  We have received representations on this matter from various interested parties on behalf of the Gaelic community in Scotland, including the report "Towards a Gaelic Television Service" submitted by Comunn na Gaidhlig. Those representations were taken into account in the preparation of the Government's recently published White Paper on broadcasting which, amongst other things, addresses the question of Gaelic broadcasting and how it might benefit from future television services.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding Gaelic broadcasting since the publication of the broadcasting White Paper.

  Mr. Renton
  We have received one representation from a Member of Parliament on behalf of his constituent. The question of Gaelic broadcasting, and how it might benefit from future television services, is addressed in the Government's recently published White Paper on broadcasting, and Home Office officials have met Comunn na Gaidhlig to discuss the implications of this part of the White Paper.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to discuss delays in processing claims.

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

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further resources he intends to make available in order to reduce the backlog of submissions to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Mr. Ground) on 1 December at column 395.

  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average waiting time between the injury and receipt of compensation payments from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

  Mr. John Patten
  The statistics kept by the board use the date of application as the baseline and not the date of the injury. The available information on the proportion of cases submitted to a single member for decision within certain periods from the date of application is published in the Board's annual reports. The most recent report was published on 6 December (Cm. 536).

  EC (Security and Frontier Controls)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent talks he has had with European Ministers about security and frontier controls following implementation of the single European market, in particular in connection with the fight against terrorism.

  Mr. Hurd
  I attended a meeting of Trevi Ministers in Athens on 9 December under the presidency of the Greek Minister for Public Order, Mr. Petsos. We agreed that Trevi should pursue its study of border checks, which had been instituted at my initiative at our previous meeting in Munich, so that the changes to take place on 1 January 1993 should not adversely affect prevention of terrorism, drug trafficking and other serious crime in the Community.

  In view of recent events and the important contribution that effective extradition arrangements can make to counter terrorism, we also agreed to ask our Foreign Minister colleagues to arrange for the working group on judicial co-operation to examine co-operation over the preparation and processing of extradition applications as part of its consideration of the subject as a whole. We also agreed an updated assessment of the terrorist threat to the Community countries.

  In recent months I have also had bilateral discussions with my French, Italian and Spanish counterparts on terrorism, including the security aspects of frontier checks and controls.

  European Court of Human Rights (Brogen and Others)
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet considered the implications for United Kingdom legislation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Brogen and others; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the statement I made on this matter when moving the Second Reading of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill on 6 December at columns 210-11.

  Crimes of Violence (Sentences)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider legislation to ensure greater consistency of sentencing for crimes of violence.

  Mr. John Patten
  From 1 February next, under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, the Attorney-General will be able to bring before the Court of Appeal for review sentences imposed by the Crown court for the most serious offences which appear unduly lenient. We have no plans for further legislation for the purpose which the hon. Member suggests.

  Rape
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the rise in the average sentence for rape over the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The average length of sentence imposed on men aged 21 or over (this being the average 712
  generally used for purposes of comparison) upon conviction of rape at the Crown court increased by 16 per cent. between 1986 and 1987, the latest year for which figures are available. The average sentence is now over six years.

  Old-Age Pensioners (TV Licence)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce free television licences for all old age pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  No. This suggestion has been rejected by the House on a number of occasions.

  Infant Life Preservation Act 1929
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been as a result of prosecutions brought under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929 in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess).

  Prisoners (Solitary Confinement)
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in England and Wales are currently held in solitary confinement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Solitary confinement, which entails deprivation of all human contact, is not available as a punishment in England and Wales. Cellular confinement may be awarded as a punishment at a disciplinary hearing, but figures are not available for the number so held at any one time. In such circumstances, governors have discretion concerning matters such as visits, education facilities and religious observance.

  Independent Television Franchises
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on his White Paper proposal to auction the independent television franchises.

  Mr. Renton
  We have received a number of representations on the proposal for licences to be allocated by competitive tender subject to a quality threshold. We have invited comments on the White Paper before 28 February 1989.

  Parking Enforcement
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the working party on parking enforcement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the parking enforcement working party is nearing the end of its deliberations and is likely to submit its report early in the new year. A decision about publication of the report will be taken when it is received.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions have been reached by his Department's parking enforcement working party; and if he will make a statement.
  713
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the parking enforcement working party is nearing the end of its work, and is likely to submit its report early in the new year.

  Abortion
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last inquest was carried out on a baby aborted under the Abortion Act 1967.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am not aware of any such inquest. This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he used when deciding that it was not in the public interest to order an inquest on the baby of 21 weeks gestational age aborted at the Carlisle city general hospital in July 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The conclusion was reached after careful consideration of all the information provided by the coroner.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the procedures adopted in determining whether inquests should be held on the deaths of babies aborted alive.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  After the decision was made not to direct the coroner to hold an inquest into the death of the Carlisle baby, we received some representations from Members and six letters from the public variously supporting or seeking reconsideration of the decision.

  Burglary
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department is making in reducing burglary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  There were 73,000 fewer recorded burglaries in England and Wales in the 12 months ending September 1988, compared with the corresponding period to September 1987, a decrease of 8 per cent. This is very encouraging and great credit is due to the police and the public in their co-operation in a range of crime prevention measures, in particular neighbourhood watch.

  Rural Violence
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to curb rural violence.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to the question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris).

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the BBC to discuss the future of broadcasting.

  Mr. Hurd
  I meet the chairman of the BBC often to discuss this and other matters.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the legislation on Sunday trading.

  Mr. Renton
  We are continuing our consultations with interested parties to see if we can find a practicable solution which will command sufficient support.

  Young Children (Attacks)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to prevent and reduce the number of violent attacks upon young children.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 9 December 1988 to my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier), at column 354.

  Punishment in the Community
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his plans for punishment in the community.

  Mr. John Patten
  Our proposals are set out in the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community" (Cm. 424). We have invited responses to our long-term proposals by 31 January 1989. Meanwhile we issued in August an action plan for dealing with young adult offenders (those aged 17 and under 21). This calls on probation services in co-operation with other agencies to make arrangements to enable more offenders to be kept out of custody.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on his Department's paper, "Punishment in the Community", Cm. 474.

  Mr. John Patten
  A number of representations have been received from individuals and organisations. We asked for comments by 31 January 1989, and we shall then give detailed consideration to all the responses.

  Football Clubs (Membership Schemes)
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to legislate to ensure that a conviction for any crime of violence will automatically disqualify the offender from the proposed national football membership scheme.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the report of the working party chaired by my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, published on 9 November. A copy is in the Library. The working party recommended that disqualification from membership should be linked specifically to conviction for football related offences. The Government's conclusion will be made known shortly when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment introduces a Bill on the football membership scheme.

  Passport Office (Staff)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the
  715
  claim by the Passport Office trade union side for an increase in numbers of permanent staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  As I indicated in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) on 28 November at column 72. passport department officials are in consultation with the trade unions about staffing levels.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about staffing levels in passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  A number of hon. Members have written recently on the matter, following an approach to them by the Civil and Public Services Association and the National Union of Civil and Public Servants. Replies will be sent shortly.

  Metropolitan Police (Fingerprinting)
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the average length of time in the Metropolitan police area taken for the fingerprint department to match a set of fingerprints found at the scene of crime with those of a suspect or suspects.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that searches of

  1985

  1986

  1987

  11988

  London

  418,036

  437,857

  355,475

  342,437

  Liverpool

  446,813

  556,664

  554,993

  583,865

  Peterborough

  392,460

  482,797

  480,422

  470,982

  Newport

  369,981

  427,800

  439,302

  452,769

  Glasgow

  137,098

  159,954

  159,723

  142,726

  Belfast

  34,655

  45,472

  51,305

  55,713

  1,799,043

  2,110,544

  2,041,220

  2,048,492

  1January to September.

  Police Service (Value for Money)
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to secure value for money in the police service.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office shares with chief officers of police and local police authorities the responsibility for securing value for money in the police service. Significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness have been achieved, with the encouragement and support of my Department and Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary, through, for example, the civilianisation of police posts (some 3,300 police officers were released for operational duties in this way in the last five years or so); the streamlining of procedures and the elimination of unnecessary paperwork; the contracting out of support services; and the introduction of efficiency scrutinies in the police service. The Home Office pays full regard to value for money in exercising central controls on police manpower and capital expenditure on land and buildings, and in fulfilling my right hon. Friend's responsibilities as police authority for the Metropolitan police; in providing central services for training, research and development, science and technology; and in promoting good practice across a wide range of police activity.
  716
  this kind are generally completed within a month. Priority is, however, given to cases involving serious offences and where there is a good quality mark, and the time taken in a particular case will depend therefore on the nature of the offence and the quality of the mark obtained at the scene.

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were in prison at the most recent count.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On Friday 2 December, the latest date for which figures are readily available, 49,235 prisoners were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. A further 937 prisoners were held in police cells.

  Passport Applications
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of passport applications at each passport office in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988, to September; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The table shows the number of passports issued in each of the last three years, and in the first nine months of this year.

  Drug Taking
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra resources he intends to make available in order to reduce drug taking.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In accordance with the Government's strategy for reducing both supply and demand, extra resources are being committed for: reducing supplies from India by a contribution of £1 million a year through the United Nations fund for drug abuse control; increasing the effectiveness of enforcement by the provision of some £10 million for additional specialist drugs investigators and improved technical aids for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise; developing prevention and education through the latest phase of the drug prevention publicity campaign and, in England and Wales, by an additional year of central funding for drugs education co-ordinators in the area of each local education authority; and improving treatment and rehabilitation. An additional £3 million is to be provided in 1988–89 for the expansion of drug misuse services in England to help prevent the spread of HIV infection.

  Scientific Advisory Group
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments are made to the
  717
  members of the scientific advisory group under the chairmanship of Sir Ronald Mason FRS; and what is the total expenditure made by his Department on this group to date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No payments are made to members of the forensic science service scientific advisory group other than reimbursement of travelling and subsistence expenses under the usual Civil Service rules.

  Horserace Betting Levy Scheme
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much progress has been made in discussions over the 28th horserace betting levy scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The chairman of the Horserace Betting levy Board and the Bookmakers' Committee have been asked to submit written representations about the disputed 28th levy scheme to us by 16 December. Each side will then be invited to comment on the other's memorandum of representations. We intend also to make available to both sides any other representations which we receive about the dispute. It will be open to either side to comment on such representations as it wishes. If either side to the dispute wishes to add to its written representations any further points at a meeting with my right hon. Friend, it is our intention to ensure that both sides are represented at any such meeting. This will afford each side the opportunity to comment on points made by the other.

  Police Interviews (Tape Recording)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a progress report to the House on the tape recording of interviews with suspects, indicating in how many police authority areas this procedure is now in full operation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that about one-third of all forces will be equipped to tape record interviews forcewide by April 1989. By the same date, all forces are expected to have completed plans to introduce tape recording in at least part of their force area. The tape recording of interviews in respect of indictable offences and offences triable either way should be standard practice throughout England and Wales by 1991.

  Excessive Drinking
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to deter foolish and excessive drinking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have strengthened the powers of licensing justices. Since 22 August, they have had discretion to grant or refuse late-night drinks extensions; from 1 March 1989 they will be in a position to order, if it is justified, the revocation of current licences for licensed premises at any licensing session. We have also strengthened the law on sales to under-age drinkers. We have prepared crime prevention advice and approved the experimental byelaw in Coventry banning the consumption of alcohol in designated streets and other public places. Similar byelaws will be introduced in six other towns. The ministerial group on alcohol misuse is taking forward further work on other aspects of alcohol misuse.

  Police Federation
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the Police Federation; and what matters he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Hurd
  I met the chairman of the Police Federation at a social function on 1 December, when conversation ranged over a number of police matters. The date for our next meeting has not yet been fixed.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends taking to control the unregulated proliferation of private security firms.

  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards matters raised in the report on the private security industry produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government have made it clear that they look to the private security industry to provide self-regulation. However, following publication of the report on the industry by the Association of Chief Police Officers, I have asked officials to consider with the police and the industry ways in which self-regulation might be improved.

  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending to England and Wales the regulations concerning the registration of private security company employees to be registered and vetted, currently in force in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. John Patten
  The reason for regulating security firms in Northern Ireland is to prevent proscribed organisations from benefiting from their activities. There is no equivalent need for statutory regulation in England and Wales, but following publication of the report by the Association of Chief Police Officers on the private security industry, we are considering ways in which the industry's self-regulatory role might be improved.

  Non-violent Crime
  Mr. Rees
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to achieve a reduction of custodial sentences for offenders convicted of non-violent crimes.

  Mr. John Patten
  Our proposals are set out in the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community" (Cm. 424). We have already taken steps to give effect to those which can be implemented under present legislation: we have circulated an action plan to encourage initiatives in developing non-custodial sentences for young adult offenders, and we have issued draft national standards for community service orders. By ensuring that community service is rigorous and demanding, we hope to encourage its use for offenders who might otherwise receive a custodial sentence.

  Prisons (Building and Refurbishment)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new prison building and refurbishment initiatives are planned during the coming year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The expansion and acceleration of the prison building programme continues with 18 new prisons at various stages of planning, design and construction in addition to the eight new prisons which have already opened. Seven prisons are now being constructed, the first of which should be ready for occupation in 1990. At least two further prisons will be added to this programme from the additional funds recently announced by my right hon. Friend the

  The new prison building programme

  Name

  Type of establishment

  Number of places

  Ready for occupation

  Already open

  1. Wayland

  Category C

  484

  1985

  2. Stocken

  Category C

  300

  1985

  3. Thorn Cross

  Youth Offender Institution

  300

  1985

  4. Full Sutton

  Category B (Dispersal)

  444

  1987

  5. Littlehey

  Category C

  484

  1988

  6. Mount

  Youth Offender Institution

  484

  1988

  7. Swaleside

  Category B

  504

  1988

  8. Garth

  Category B

  512

  1988

  Under construction

  9. Brinsford

  Training prison

  448

  1990

  10. Bullingdon

  Local prison

  620

  1991

  11. Whitemoor

  Training prison

  522

  1991

  12. Woolwich

  Local prison

  850

  1991

  13. Lindholme II

  Training prison

  620

  1991

  14. Lancaster Farms

  Youth Offender Institution

  360

  1992

  15. Milton Keynes

  Local prison

  544

  1992

  Planning clearance obtained

  16. Swaleside II

  Training prison

  620

  1991

  17. High Down (Banstead)

  Local prison

  620

  1991

  18. Ashford

  Training prison

  600

  1992

  19. Doncaster

  Local prison

  720

  1994

  Planning clearance being sought

  20. Hewell Grange

  Local prison

  620

  1991

  21. Holme House Farm (Tees-side)

  Local prison

  620

  1992

  22. Kirkham

  Training prison

  600

  1992

  23. Rochdale

  Local prison

  600

  1994

  Location and categories yet to be decided

  24-28.

  Terrorism
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have received a number of letters from members of the public expressing support for the Government's proposals for new measures aimed at curbing the finances of terrorist organisations, provision for which is now contained in the Bill. We have also consulted representatives of the banks and other financial institutions, both in London and Belfast, about these proposals and they have welcomed them and assured the Government that they will be co-operating fully with police investigations into dealings in suspected terrorist funds once the new provisions come into force.
  720
  Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement. The full programme of new prison building is set out in the table.

  The prison building programme includes major capital projects at existing establishments. Many of these schemes, some of which will take a number of years to complete, involve refurbishment and modernisation of living accommodation, including the provision of integral sanitation, and extra places. Work is also in progress to provide new places at existing establishments by the construction of ten 100-place houseblocks at Dover, Featherstone, Littlehey, Glen Parva (two), Full Sutton (two), New Hall, Stocken and Wayland. Details of the individual major capital projects for the coming year are currently being assembled and these will in due course be published as part of the 1989-90 Supply Estimates.

  Police Establishments (Civilians)
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of civilians currently employed in police establishments.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A total of 42,107 in England and Wales at the end of August (counting part-time staff on a two-for-one-basis).

  Women Police Officers
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women police officers there are in the United Kingdom police forces; and what percentage this is of the total forces.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend is responsible for police forces in England and Wales. At 31 August 1988
  721
  there were 12,936 women police officers in England and Wales. This represents 10·4 per cent. of the total police strength.

  Probation Service
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned level of spending on the probation service in England for each of the next five years in real terms.

  Mr. John Patten
  Current expenditure on the probation service by local authorities in England is estimated to be £205 million in 1988–89. This represents an increase in real terms of over 60 per cent. since 1979–80, while probation service manpower has risen by 38 per cent. over this period. The proposed level of expenditure in 1989–90 is £219 million. The Government's expenditure plans down to 1991–92, which are set out in cash terms, will be published early next year in the forthcoming public expenditure White Paper.

  Cigarettes (Children)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought against retailers for illegal sales of cigarettes to children in the last year for which figures are available; of these how many led to convictions; where these cases were heard; what penalties were imposed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", 1987, supplementary volume 1 (table S.1. (A) under classification 144) a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to improve facilities for people awaiting entry into Wandsworth prison to visit inmates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no present plans to improve facilities for visitors waiting access to Wandsworth prison, except that separate entry into the prison for pedestrians will be provided next year. This should enable visitors to be admitted rather more quickly than is possible at present.

  Empty Properties (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many properties in the City of Durham constituency which are owned by his Department by subordinate organisations for which his Department is responsible, or by the police authority, are standing empty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The number of properties owned by the Home Office in the City of Durham constituency that are currently standing empty is 53 of which 15 are currently in the course of disposal, two have structural faults awaiting rectification; and three are awaiting occupation. No records are maintained by the Home Office of vacant properties in the other categories mentioned.

  Drugs
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make the irresponsible prescribing of drugs a criminal act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 the Secretary of State may, subject to certain statutory procedures, give a direction against any practitioner who in his opinion is or has been prescribing any controlled drugs in an irresponsible manner, prohibiting him from prescribing any or all controlled drugs. It is an offence to contravene such a direction. These provisions seem to us sufficient.

  Passports
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items of correspondence he has received from hon. Members about the work of the passport department since 1 July.

  Mr. Renton
  A total of 342 such letters were received between 1 July and 7 December.

  Prisons (Rule 43)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of prison inmates on rule 43 on 1 December 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Figures for the dates mentioned are not readily available. The number of male prisoners on rule 43 in prisons in England and Wales on 1 January 1988 was 1,916 and on 1 July 1988, the most recent date for which information is available, was 2,126.

  MI5
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in light of the Security Services Bill, he will make it his policy to publish annually the establishment figures for MI5.

  Mr. Hurd
  No.

  Mr. Albert Baker
  Mr. Ken Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the case of Mr. Albert Baker No. 241254, Her Majesty's prison, Long Lartin, and consider whether he could complete the rest of his sentence in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. Baker's request for a transfer to Northern Ireland was turned down in February this year after a full review. Mr. Baker was told in April that the Home Office and Northern Ireland Office would be willing to reconsider the matter on the basis of further reports on his suitability for transfer after a year had elapsed.

  Deportations
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases regarding applications for deportation of Italian nationals from the United Kingdom to Italy in connection with terrorist offences are
  723
  still outstanding; when a decision is likely to be reached by him on each such case; and how many requests for deportation by the Italian authorities in the last five years have been agreed to and duly implemented.

  Mr. Hurd
  I assume that the question relates to extradition rather than deportation. There are no requests outstanding from Italy for the extradition of persons in connection with terrorist offences. Within the last five years there has been one request by the Italian authorities for the extradition of a person believed to have terrorist connections and she was surrendered in 1986.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in reaching a decision on the application for the deportation of Roberto Fiore to Italy where he is wanted in connection with the bombing in 1980 of Bologna railway station.

  Mr. Hurd
  In 1981 the Italian Government requested the extradition of Mr. Fiore for a number of terrorist offences, but the request failed in the courts because a prima facie case could not be established. This requirement has of course been removed in the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

  No further request has been received from the Italian Court, but Mr. Fiore has been informed that consideration is being given to his deportation under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971. He has made representations against such action, and the case is being further considered.

  Prisoners (Escapes)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the names of the 152 prisoners who escaped from British prisons between 1 January 1981 and 30 September 1988 and who were unlawfully at large on that date;

  (2) if he will list the names of the 52 prisoners who escaped from closed or high security prisons, between 1 January 1981 and 30 September 1988 and who were unlawfully at large on that date;

  (3) if he will give the number of escaped prisoners who were unlawfully at large on 30 September and who were serving prison sentences for crimes of violence;

  (4) if he will list the escaped prisoners who were unlawfully at large on 30 September who were serving prison sentences for fraud offences;

  (5) if he will list the escaped prisoners unlawfully at large on 30 September who were serving sentences for crimes involving drugs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Figures in relation to adult prisoners who escaped from within a closed prison between 1 January 1981 and 30 September 1988, or who absconded from within an open prison between the same dates, and who were recorded as being unlawfully at large on 30 September 1988, were given in my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 15 November at column 550. It would not be right to publish the details requested, but if the hon. Member has a particular reason for requiring more information about incidents to which the previous reply referred, he may wish to write to me.

  Extraditions (South Africa)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to secure the extradition of Colonel Henrik Botha, Stephanus De Jager, William Meteler Kamp and Jacobus La Gramse from South Africa.

  Mr. John Patten
  The United Kingdom has no extradition treaty with South Africa, and therefore no means of securing the return of these men.

  Vigilante Groups
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards police co-operation with vigilante groups in areas where there is a shortage of police on the beat.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 14 November 1988]: At the end of August, police strength stood at 124,426, an increase of 12,933 since 1979. My right hon. Friend recently announced that police establishments would be increased by a further 1,100 posts in 1989–90. These increases, together with the civilianisation programmes which all forces are pursuing, mean that the number of police officers available for beat duties has been substantially increased since 1979.

  The ultimate responsibility for maintaining law and order rests with the police. We welcome the growing support of members of the public to local crime prevention initiatives, such as neighbourhood watch or the special constabulary, but groups which seek to take over the role of the police, for example by patrolling the streets, are not acceptable.

  Motorways (Police Control)
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to a centralised police control of motorways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 9 December 1988]: We have no plans at present to centralise control of motorway policing.

  Dogs
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to disqualify from ownership of a dog, anyone who knowingly allows the animal to trespass on a railway line.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 12 December 1988]: I understand that the courts already have powers to disqualify persons from ownership of domestic or captive animals where cruelty or unnecessary suffering is caused to them.

ENVIRONMENT

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made in his Department's radioactive waste research programme using the "SYVAC" computer programme; what
  725
  developments have been made with the "Time 2" environmental change simulation programme; and what progress has been made with the "VANDAL" research computer model in evaluating future corrosion of nuclear waste containers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  SYVAC was used during 1982–86 to develop the basis of the Department's approach to the risk assessment of underground disposal of solid radioactive wastes and led to the development of VANDAL. VANDAL is not used for evaluating container corrosion. TIME 2 was developed to help estimate the likely effects on disposal sites of future changes in the environment to approximately 25,000 years. It is being further developed (TIME 4) to permit consideration of periods up to approximately a million years.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress in the hocus hole closure experiments conducted jointly by his Department and the BRE in support of the radioactive waste management research programme.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The hocus hole closure experiments were performed in November 1986 as part of an OECD/NEA study and have been reported in "Hocus Cruise Report, OECD/NEA Seabed Working Group, edited by C. Papucci, ENEA, La Spezia (Italy), May 1988".

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions are applied to civil servants in his Department's radioactive waste division travelling to the Soviet Union on holiday.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his present estimate per tonne of the cost of the long-term disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Accurate cost estimates are not possible as high-level waste will not be disposed of for at least 50 years. An indicative estimate for vitrified high-level waste is £200,000 per tonne.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there are any plans to export quantities of United Kingdom—generated high level radioactive waste to countries that have commercial contracts with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. at Sellafield to manage and reprocess spent nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's policy on the return of high-level radioactive waste was set down in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 2 May 1986 at columns 502-503.

  Seals
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is held by his Department on the link between phocine distemper and the recent increase in seal deaths in the North sea and off the north and west coast of the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The term phocine distemper and seal plague have been used by scientists to describe the 726
  virus which has seriously affected seal populations in the North Sea this summer. As far as United Kingdom waters are concerned, the latest information provided by the sea mammal research unit shows that a total of 2,705 dead seals in the United Kingdom had been reported to the unit since 1 August this year. Of these 189 were grey seals. This compares with total United Kingdom population estimates of 25,000 common seals and 100,000 grey seals. It is likely that a very high proportion, but not all, of the seal deaths reported are due to the virus, which has been identified as a member of the morbilli family, of a similar type to rinderpest and canine distemper. Reported seal deaths have declined in recent weeks but the virus seems likely to continue to affect seal populations into 1989. Present evidence is that grey seals appear able to resist the virus.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he possesses on research undertaken by Du Pont chemicals in the United States of America on the use of halon 121 to combat ozone layer damage from other halons.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government are aware that Du Pont is investigating the use of halon 121 for discharge testing of fire fighting equipment. The use of halon 121, also known as HCFC 22, is one of several possible approaches to avoiding the use in discharge testing of the halons controlled by the Montreal protocol.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been sponsored by his Department or the Health and Safety Executive into replacements for halon 1211, halon 1301, and halon 2402, to mitigate damage from the greenhouse effect.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government have sponsored no such studies. Officials keep in close touch with the steps being taken by industry to reduce use of these halons and to find suitable replacements.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been conducted by his Department on replacement options for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) 113; and what information his Department has on international research on CFC 113 by the electronics industry.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has not conducted research into replacement options for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) 113. The Department keeps in touch with the steps the electronics industry is taking, in the United Kingdom and internationally, both to make more efficient use of CFC 113 and to develop alternative methods of cleaning printed circuit boards, including not cleaning them at all.

  Tied Housing
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the respective number of farmworkers and other employees in tied housing who at present have their rates paid by their employer.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available.

  Chlorofluorocarbon Refrigerant
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to develop a collection network and incineration plants for the safe disposal of the chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant which will be removed from refrigeration machinery during the next 10 years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The EC code of good practice on reducing emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) 11 and 12 in commercial and industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning applications, published in 1984 and currently being updated, includes advice on recovery, re-use and disposal of refrigerants. Both United Kingdom manufacturers of CFCs offer a reprocessing service to their customers.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to include in government contracts for the servicing and replacement of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, a provision for the safe disposal of used or contaminated chlorofluorocarbon.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Government Departments have been asked to review their policies, specifications and practices with a view to promoting the objective of reducing use of chloroflurocarbons and halons to the maximum possible extent. The Department is assessing the preliminary results of this exercise and considering what further steps may be required.

  Rimnet
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 7 December on Rimnet, what is the gamma dose rate.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Gamma rays are emitted by many radioactive substances. The gamma dose rate is a measure of the quantity of gamma radiation over a fixed period.

  House of Commons Chandeliers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake investigations to discover if any of the House of Commons chandeliers survived the 1941 bombing.

  Mr. Chope
  Some chandeliers within the Palace did survive and are still hanging in various locations: but all those in the Chamber itself were destroyed.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his latest estimates of the distributional impact of the community charge on household finance.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have today placed in the Library a note updating figures on the impact on household finances of the community charge. The new figures show that: when fully implemented 58 per cent. of households (11·1 million) will gain from the introduction of the community charge; 83 per cent. of single pensioner households and 75 per cent. of other single adult households will gain from these proposals; percentage gains in net income are largest for the lowest income households; community charges on average would be less than domestic rates in all bands up to £200 per week.
  728
  The community charge will reduce the burden on the poorest. The lowest income group will pay less for local government. On average, their rates after rebates account for 3·9 per cent. of net income, whereas the community charge accounts for 3·0 per cent. Of course there will be gainers and losers in any change but these figures show that the community charge with its rebate system cuts the direct cost of local government on the poorest (those households with less than £50 a week) by nearly 25 per cent.

  Many poorer people pay more in rates than those who are better off, even in the same local authority, because there is no necessary connection between rateable value and ability to pay. Generally, people buy their homes while they are working, when their incomes are at their highest, but remain in the home and have to continue paying the same rates when they retire with reduced incomes. So it is no surprise that 41 per cent. of households living in homes with above average rateable values have below average incomes.

  These figures demonstrate that the majority of households will in fact gain from the community charge; that the poorest households stand to gain; and that domestic rates do not reflect ability to pay.

  The revised figures take account of amendments made during the passage of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, local authorities budgetted spending levels in 1988–89, the 15 per cent. community charge rebate taper announced on 14 April and incorporate the uprating of social security benefits announced for 1989–90.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can estimate the average community charge in 1990 for(a) all adults and (b) income support claimants.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have made no estimates of future community charges. Illustrative figures were published on 23 June showing what the community charge would have been in each area had the new system been in force in 1988–89. Those illustrative figures assume existing levels of spending and existing local authority responsibilities.

  Football Clubs (Membership Scheme)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the president of the Football League to discuss the football club membership scheme.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 14 December 1988.

  Clay Pigeon Shooting
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes in the laws governing clay pigeon shooting.

  Mr. Chope
  The Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 allows land to be used for clay pigeon shooting for up to 14 days in any calendar year without planning permission. My Department is issuing this week a consultation paper about whether the 1988 Order should be amended to revert to the 28 days maximum allowed by the previous, 1977 order.
  729
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those organisations he is proposing to consult with regard to the provisions of the General Development Order 1988 concerning clay pigeon shooting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I propose to consult 150 organisations, including the Sports Council, The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, other shooting bodies, amenity and environmental groups, and the local authority associations. I will place a copy of the consultation paper, and a full list of consultees, in the Library of the House.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update table 5A of the Cabinet Office review of research and development for 1988 in the light of announcements made subsequent to publication of the 1988 review.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Table 5A is produced from detailed analysis of research programme expenditure and plans by the Department, the Countryside Commission, the Nature Conservancy Council and the Sports Council. This analysis is now taking place as part of the Cabinet Office review of research and development for 1989 and will not be complete for some time.

  30-year Rule
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate a review of all statements, made to the House by Ministers of his Department or of predecessor Departments having responsibility for environmental protection, that may require revision in the light of official information made public under the 30-year rule on 1 January 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No.

  Private Tenancies
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what will be the effects of the arrangements for new private tenancies on families currently on local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what will be the effects of the arrangements for new private tenancies on families currently in bed and breakfast accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The new assured tenancy scheme should increase the supply of privately rented accommodation and therefore provide greater choice for families currently on local authority waiting lists or living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Bed and Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to visit families who are currently in bed and breakfast hostel accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Council Properties
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the percentage of existing council-owned residential properties which should remain in such ownership; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government take no view on such percentages. Our policy is to promote variety of tenure, and wherever possible to give tenants an opportunity to choose for themselves.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received from the international fund for animal welfare.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received cards from members of the public responding to an appeal by the international fund for animal welfare to express concern about the marine environment on an international basis. We recognise that many people are genuinely concerned about the health of our seas and the marine life that they support. Organisations such as IFAW can also play a valuable role in supporting on a voluntary basis conservation and research work on marine species such as seals. That is why I met it today to discuss their campaign.

  As the recent seal virus has shown, it is simplistic and wrong to imagine that every change in the marine environment including the death or decline of a particular species is brought about by the impact of human activities, whether through the discharge of wastes or otherwise.

  The Government are strongly committed to protecting and improving the quality of the marine environment and where there are good grounds for concern, scientifically supported, we have been ready to act. The precautionary measures, adopted at the North sea conference hosted in London last year by my right hon. Friend, to reduce inputs of dangerous substances to rivers and estuaries, and to phase out dumping and incineration of industrial waste at sea are illustrations of this. On 31 October my hon. Friend announced additional protection measures for seals and on 31 December new restrictions will come into force on the dumping of plastic garbage including nets from ships, one of the issues on which IFAW have campaigned strongly.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the consultation paper on the categories of works to be scheduled for control under proposals for changes to industrial air pollution legislation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have today published a consultation paper which lists those works which we propose should be subject to control by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate and by local authorities under legislation to amend the air pollution control system. Under proposals for a cross-media approach to pollution control, the works listed for authorisation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution would come under the integrated pollution control system.

  The paper largely discharges the commitment to further public consultation that was made in the consultation

  731
  papers on air pollution control and integrated pollution control issued (respectively) in December 1986 and in July of this year. A final consultation paper on charging will be issued in the early part of next year.

  Today's consultation paper is accompanied by a paper containing a summary of the responses to the consultation paper issued in 1986, a note on our decision now to favour enforcement of air pollution controls by means of binding authorisations, as recommended by the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, and two specimen authorisations.

  Rate support grant payable under latest supplementary report and 1988–89 settlement report

  (£m at constant 1988–89 prices)

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Barnsley

  71·06

  65·01

  64·40

  60·72

  56·12

  63·1

  64·05

  60·96

  Birmingham

  253·29

  228·60

  235·87

  224·07

  225·10

  200·50

  207·72

  Blackburn

  13·45

  12·04

  12·82

  12·35

  11·79

  12·66

  11·36

  10·55

  Bolton

  76·22

  73·50

  72·92

  70·57

  69·02

  76·73

  78·23

  76·40

  Bradford

  149·35

  143·32

  146·94

  139·82

  139·09

  146·70

  150·39

  155·81

  Bristol

  25·21

  21·08

  20·31

  19·51

  17·94

  18·75

  17·11

  16·19

  Burnley

  7·79

  6·80

  7·01

  6·68

  5·69

  5·79

  5·49

  5·35

  Coventry

  86·39

  82·53

  79·00

  75·17

  66·71

  68·13

  69·05

  69·39

  Derby

  10·02

  11·13

  10·77

  10·31

  9·48

  10·98

  10·20

  9·60

  Doncaster

  86·43

  78·58

  78·00

  74·46

  70·64

  77·76

  78·34

  76·36

  Dudley

  51·13

  47·47

  49·78

  48·78

  43·53

  53·57

  44·36

  41·17

  Gateshead

  63·33

  57·14

  55·98

  54·54

  51·24

  57·49

  56·40

  55·06

  Halton

  6·33

  5·53

  5·25

  4·98

  4·42

  4·71

  4·02

  4·03

  Hartlepool

  6·16

  5·60

  6·05

  5·85

  5·47

  5·28

  4·56

  4·57

  Kingston upon Hull

  19·84

  20·30

  19·92

  18·99

  18·55

  22·08

  19·79

  21·33

  Kirklees

  113·65

  114·02

  114·45

  111·64

  107·36

  118·93

  125·12

  125·99

  Knowsley

  59·30

  53·53

  51·04

  49·82

  45·51

  48·22

  48·03

  48·11

  Langbaurgh-on-Tees

  7·66

  6·26

  6·27

  5·82

  5·08

  5·08

  4·73

  2·83

  Leeds

  176·06

  158·43

  158·63

  152·29

  136·84

  151·14

  150·97

  146·09

  Leicester

  18·25

  15·21

  18·74

  16·68

  17·57

  16·12

  18·65

  18·16

  Liverpool

  172·80

  156·91

  151·82

  146·02

  143·51

  148·66

  144·47

  150·03

  Manchester

  165·09

  132·82

  126·10

  120·04

  112·29

  110·98

  93·11

  110·33

  Middlesbrough

  14·72

  12·85

  12·06

  12·38

  11·60

  12·98

  12·40

  13·96

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  70·82

  51·71

  54·06

  50·46

  46·85

  23·86

  45·27

  55·16

  North Tyneside

  58·11

  51·87

  50·30

  50·81

  47·18

  44·18

  47·25

  47·53

  Nottingham

  16·06

  15·92

  16·63

  16·04

  17·62

  19·36

  16·84

  16·61

  Oldham

  74·76

  68·86

  68·99

  66·36

  64·61

  70·38

  73·59

  73·71

  Plymouth

  13·98

  13·18

  12·54

  12·21

  11·62

  14·36

  13·31

  13·71

  Preston

  7·42

  7·23

  7·86

  7·54

  6·93

  7·05

  6·59

  6·29

  Rochdale

  69·28

  66·58

  66·74

  63·74

  60·64

  64·11

  63·67

  63·84

  Rotherham

  79·47

  72·68

  71·37

  68·62

  64·07

  72·10

  72·82

  71·43

  St. Helens

  50·62

  47·35

  48·07

  46·66

  42·83

  46·75

  48·10

  46·13

  Salford

  85·20

  75·64

  74·41

  65·64

  61·97

  63·06

  63·22

  59·98

  Sandwell

  58·03

  62·04

  67·34

  66·80

  57·96

  77·31

  65·81

  54·60

  Sefton

  73·03

  66·74

  63·12

  59·50

  56·92

  68·94

  65·15

  63·86

  Sheffield

  136·48

  122·73

  119·70

  124·38

  113·44

  98·12

  121·66

  115·72

  South Tyneside

  58·92

  53·10

  51·02

  48·45

  45·85

  50·19

  51·16

  51·08

  Stockton-on-Tees

  7·50

  6·59

  6·78

  6·44

  4·68

  5·67

  5·12

  4·55

  Sunderland

  91·46

  86·61

  83·62

  79·91

  77·46

  79·98

  84·75

  86·95

  Walsall

  59·58

  52·62

  60·14

  59·36

  52·78

  56·89

  57·58

  49·66

  Wigan

  90·28

  86·49

  78·06

  77·46

  73·30

  75·83

  79·92

  77·08

  Wirral

  86·10

  79·80

  79·57

  75·80

  72·23

  81·89

  78·05

  76·50

  Wolverhampton

  63·88

  61·20

  61·22

  59·04

  54·56

  70·79

  56·70

  53·52

  Wrekin

  7·35

  6·71

  6·56

  5·93

  5·06

  4·65

  4·01

  3·93

  Brent

  72·36

  76·62

  65·76

  77·01

  60·08

  57·69

  76·38

  74·32

  Greenwich

  41·03

  38·52

  35·04

  38·98

  40·81

  54·07

  56·46

  50·66

  Hackney

  58·56

  56·24

  52·41

  58·92

  53·92

  84·35

  73·19

  72·74

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  43·78

  43·01

  44·21

  42·18

  43·35

  56·39

  55·20

  51·35

  Haringey

  80·99

  80·73

  72·94

  69·07

  73·49

  57·06

  75·98

  84·67

  Islington

  35·61

  37·80

  43·17

  4·72

  28·93

  51·38

  60·51

  52·54

  Kensington and Chelsea

  16·23

  22·74

  25·77

  22·85

  15·37

  42·61

  36·68

  36·74

  Lambeth

  70·08

  73·26

  65·31

  59·91

  58·59

  57·31

  82·47

  89·95

  Lewisham

  63·09

  61·76

  59·56

  55·70

  58·31

  74·01

  68·72

  69·22

  Newham

  84·44

  95·59

  76·56

  91·24

  90·40

  80·82

  87·60

  98·41

  Southwark

  57·80

  49·17

  42·33

  18·96

  48·67

  74·24

  63·12

  68·74

  Tower Hamlets

  36·93

  33·73

  31·59

  28·83

  24·76

  66·91

  66·74

  60·49

  Wandsworth

  62·94

  59·99

  64·11

  60·95

  61·62

  80·54

  75·03

  73·49

  732
  Copies of both papers are being sent to local authority and industrial trade associations, environmental organisations and others with an interest, and are available in the Library of the House.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show for each authority currently designated with partnership or programme status, for each year from 1981–82 to 1988–89, at constant prices(a) the amount of rate support grant received and (b) total grants received under the urban programme.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 13 December 1988]: The information is as follows:
  733

  Urban Programme Grant Paid

  (£ million at constant 1988–89 prices)

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  11988–89

  Barnsley

  0·32

  0·27

  0·38

  0·37

  0·23

  0·34

  10·45

  0·64

  Birmingham

  8·98

  10·30

  13·05

  11·09

  9·94

  11·19

  13·32

  10·91

  Blackburn

  0·06

  0·09

  0·26

  0·61

  0·92

  0·89

  1·24

  1·14

  Bolton

  1·58

  1·61

  2·18

  1·95

  1·62

  1·68

  12·10

  1·74

  Bradford

  2·52

  2·94

  3·71

  3·78

  3·47

  3·36

  3·66

  3·15

  Bristol

  0·20

  0·28

  0·38

  0·45

  0·47

  0·47

  10·12

  0·12

  Burnley

  0·13

  0·13

  0·26

  0·24

  0·11

  0·22

  10·27

  0·17

  Coventry

  1·10

  0·94

  0·90

  1·95

  1·85

  1·68

  1·61

  1·21

  Derby

  0·28

  0·29

  0·31

  0·31

  0·29

  0·39

  0·46

  0·09

  Doncaster

  0·63

  0·54

  0·77

  0·85

  0·46

  0·56

  0·63

  0·57

  Dudley

  0·26

  0·39

  0·58

  1·47

  1·48

  1·21

  10·41

  0·29

  Gateshead

  3·31

  3·75

  3·97

  4·63

  4·28

  4·47

  5·54

  4·35

  Halton

  0·17

  0·10

  0·36

  0·43

  0·61

  0·65

  0·71

  0·30

  Hartlepool

  0·32

  0·40

  0·38

  0·49

  0·46

  0·45

  0·74

  0·52

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  0·95

  1·34

  1·66

  2·19

  2·31

  2·24

  12·97

  2·52

  Kirklees

  0·95

  0·97

  1·02

  0·95

  0·87

  0·76

  0·69

  0·43

  Knowsley

  0·79

  0·94

  1·28

  1·95

  1·62

  1·68

  2·81

  1·97

  Langbaurgh

  0·03

  0·03

  0·13

  0·12

  0·11

  0·11

  10·24

  0·45

  Leeds

  3·31

  3·08

  3·46

  3·90

  4·04

  3·36

  4·38

  2·94

  Leicester City

  1·58

  2·81

  3·07

  2·68

  2·08

  2·34

  2·72

  1·76

  Liverpool

  13·55

  15·92

  18·94

  20·47

  20·11

  20·13

  17·73

  11·64

  Manchester

  6·77

  6·82

  7·42

  7·07

  7·05

  8·85

  110·38

  8·65

  Middlesbrough

  1·10

  1·34

  1·66

  1·95

  1·85

  1·68

  12·11

  1·65

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  3·31

  3·21

  4·48

  5·48

  9·82

  5·59

  7·73

  4·94

  North Tyneside

  1·10

  1·07

  1·41

  2·07

  1·27

  1·68

  1·85

  0·49

  Nottingham City

  0·63

  1·20

  1·92

  2·44

  3·12

  2·80

  12·89

  2·94

  Oldham

  1·58

  1·74

  2·18

  1·58

  2·08

  1·68

  13·54

  2·13

  Plymouth

  0·01

  0·02

  0·03

  0·02

  0·03

  0·05

  0·22

  0·28

  Preston

  0·08

  0·17

  0·18

  0·17

  0·15

  0·18

  0·28

  0·28

  Rochdale

  1·26

  1·07

  1·28

  1·58

  1·50

  1·68

  11·79

  1·59

  Rotherham

  0·47

  0·54

  0·51

  0·61

  0·46

  1·68

  0·75

  0·73

  St. Helens

  0·47

  0·67

  0·89

  0·73

  0·11

  1·68

  10·15

  —

  Salford

  3·78

  3·61

  4·10

  3·53

  3·81

  3·36

  13·44

  4·25

  Sandwell

  0·95

  1·07

  1·54

  1·83

  1·96

  1·68

  2·42

  2·41

  Sefton

  0·47

  0·54

  0·89

  0·97

  0·92

  0·89

  0·81

  0·83

  Sheffield

  4·25

  2·54

  2·56

  3·69

  4·60

  4·08

  4·80

  1·84

  South Tyneside

  1·73

  1·74

  1·79

  1·95

  2·20

  2·24

  2·77

  2·21

  Stockton

  0·10

  0·15

  0·19

  0·22

  0·22

  0·21

  0·31

  —

  Sunderland

  2·36

  2·14

  2·30

  1·58

  0·92

  1·68

  3·69

  2·69

  Walsall

  1·26

  1·07

  1·15

  1·10

  1·04

  1·00

  10·35

  0·09

  Wigan

  0·47

  0·67

  0·64

  0·73

  0·58

  0·56

  0·59

  0·62

  Wirral

  1·10

  1·61

  2·30

  2·92

  2·66

  2·24

  12·48

  1·10

  Wolverhampton

  2·05

  1·87

  2·05

  2·31

  2·31

  2·24

  12·03

  2·24

  Wrekin

  0·06

  0·12

  0·23

  0·24

  0·27

  0·30

  0·25

  0·17

  Brent

  2·21

  1·61

  2·18

  2·07

  1·39

  0·67

  0·48

  —

  Greenwich

  2·05

  3·08

  2·30

  2·68

  0·81

  2·24

  2·47

  1·42

  Hackney

  3·62

  4·42

  5·89

  5·48

  5·66

  5·59

  5·20

  1·36

  Hammersmith/Fulham

  2·68

  2·81

  3·33

  3·17

  2·77

  2·80

  11·87

  1·27

  Haringey

  1·73

  1·61

  1·79

  1·71

  1·39

  1·45

  0·65

  0·17

  Islington

  6·46

  6·69

  5·50

  9·72

  9·11

  5·99

  15·76

  0·57

  Kensington/Chelsea

  1·11

  0·94

  0·94

  0·99

  0·97

  0·95

  10·46

  0·12

  Lambeth

  5·83

  5·62

  6·27

  5·73

  5·78

  5·59

  15·48

  2·62

  Lewisham

  2·05

  2·01

  1·92

  0·61

  0·58

  1·12

  10·85

  0·40

  Newham

  2·52

  2·01

  2·05

  1·71

  1·04

  1·68

  1·09

  0·82

  Southwark

  4·88

  5·08

  3·20

  2·20

  3·78

  3·91

  12·10

  2·43

  Tower Hamlets

  2·68

  2·54

  3·58

  4·48

  3·98

  5·04

  14·33

  0·52

  Wandsworth

  1·42

  1·34

  1·79

  1·95

  4·39

  3·91

  4·28

  1·38

  TOTALS

  115·62

  121·86

  139·49

  148·15

  146·91

  147·15

  153·45

  102·12

  1Part year.

  Press Gallery (Leak)
  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the roof leaking in the Press Gallery, off Press Gallery Library, Star Court extension, first reported in April, will be repaired.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 5 December 1988]: The flat roof which is leaking supports a two-storey Portakabin. This severely restricts access to the roof structure and it has not yet been possible to establish precisely where the water is entering. Further repairs were undertaken earlier in December but it will not be possible to judge their effect
  734
  until they have stood the test of heavy rain. If this latest work proves to have been unsuccessful it may eventually prove necessary to remove the Portakabins. If so, it would be discussed with the House authorities.

  Sports Centres
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants are available to local authorities to enable them to establish sports centres if they so wish; and if he will make a statement.
  735
  Mr. Moynihan
  The Sports Council provides grants towards the provision of sports centres by local authorities; as does the Department under the urban programme. I am delighted that the number of sports halls 736
  in England has risen from 770 in 1981 to 1,117 now; participation in sport and recreation has risen from 17 million in 1977 to 23 million now.

  AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH: INTERIM REPORT
  AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH: INTERIM REPORT
  HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SUB-COMMITTEE I (AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH)
  HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SUB-COMMITTEE I (AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH)
  HIV INFECTIONS AND AIDS
  HIV INFECTIONS AND AIDS
  CARE OF FORMER PATIENTS
  CARE OF FORMER PATIENTS
  POLLUTION CONTROL: CONSULTATION PROPOSALS
  POLLUTION CONTROL: CONSULTATION PROPOSALS
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: IMPACT
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: IMPACT
  ORGANIC FOOD STANDARDS REGISTER: REVIEW
  ORGANIC FOOD STANDARDS REGISTER: REVIEW