Written Answers of 1 February 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Computers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether there are plans to upgrade the current police national computer link into a fully integrated network which would allow connections between any police computer on the network;

  (2) if he will state the extent to which the new packet switched network for the police national computer will involve the linking of police computers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Work is in hand to replace the current police national computer network by an X25 packet switched network which will be compliant with the Government Open Systems Interconnection Protocol (Wide Area Networks) standard. This network would provide a means of linking police computers.

  Immigration (Inquiries)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if interpreters are available at all international airports in the United Kingdom to deal with immigration inquiries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The immigration service employs eight full-time interpreters, all of whom are stationed at Heathrow. Between them they are able to offer interpretative facilities in seven languages. At the last count over 1,500 immigration officers and chief immigration officers were drawing qualifying allowances in 33 different languages. In addition, officers in charge at all ports are authorised to use hourly-paid interpreters when necessary, drawn from lists of suitable persons kept locally.

  Mr. Hui Yat-Chi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he decided to allow Mr. Hui YatChi to remain in the United Kingdom; why he did not notify the hon. Member for Bradford, West of his decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  On 23 June 1987, I wrote to the hon. Member to advise him that Mr. Hui's immigration status was under investigation and said I would write to him again if it was decided to remove Mr. Hui from this country. In the event, inquiries by the immigration service established that Mr. Hui entered this country lawfully and was deemed to have indefinite leave to remain here. Mr. Hui's representatives were notified of this on 28 November 1987.

  Crown Prerogative
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the issue to chief 426
  constables of a circular inviting them to apply to his Department for equipment denied to them by their respective police authorities was in exercise of power under prerogative of the Crown.

  Mr. Hurd
  The arrangements for the supply of equipment to chief officers of police set out in the circular were made in exercise of my powers which exist both under the Police Act 1964 and the royal prerogative. The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous judgment, has recently upheld the grounds on which I acted.

  Firearm Certificates
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many holders of(a) shotgun licences and (b) firearms certificates there are in each Birmingham parliamentary constituency, by name, at the latest convenient date and in each of the preceding two years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information available centrally on shotgun and firearm certificates on issue relates to police force areas and for 31 December 1986 is published in tables 2 and 4 of Home Office statistical bulletin issue 2/88, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current arrangements for maintaining and regularly updating a register of shotgun licences and firearms certificates reported to the police as lost or stolen; how often such a list is circulated to police forces in England and Wales; and what arrangements are made in relation to ammunition reported stolen.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There is no register of shotgun and firearm certificates reported to the police as lost or stolen. Ammunition reported as stolen would, as is the case with firearms and shotguns, be placed on the police stolen property index.

  Drink-Driving Offenders
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the number of drink-driving offenders found guilty who are repeat offenders for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The available information on findings of guilt for offences of driving, etc. with alcohol above the prescribed limit is published annually in "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables", Table 5 of the issue for 1986, copies of which are in the Library. Information on repeated convictions for these offences is not available.

  Radio
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the licences for independent trust radio and community radio stations will be assigned by competitive tender.

  Mr. Renton
  No.

  Police Constable (Abscondment)
  Mr. Cohen
  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 incident on 23 January involving the abscondment with firearms and ammunition of a police constable in Chingford.
  427
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand an inquiry is in hand.

  Dr. Frank Skuse
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has anything to add to previous statements made concerning the circumstances, and reasons for the retirement of Dr. Frank Skuse, in the light of evidence presented at the hearing by the court of appeal of the case against the six men convicted of the Birmingham bomb offences.

  Mr. John Patten
  No.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what day the order was given to Dr. Frank Skuse to leave the Chorley laboratory by 31 October 1985.

  Mr. John Patten
  On 23 July 1985 Dr. Skuse was notified that his last day of service would be regarded as 31 October 1985. This arrangement ws confirmed in a letter dated 3 October 1985.

  TLC Tests
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department treats the TLC tests as a unique test for the presence of nitroglycerine.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. It is our normal practice to carry out confirmatory tests for the presence of nitroglycerine when the TLC test is used.

  Drink-driving Accidents
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for drink and driving accidents causing(a) death, (b) injuries and (c) damage to property for each year since 1974, have resulted in (i) acquittals, (ii) guilty verdicts, (iii) imprisonment, (iv) fines and (v) compensation to the victims.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on court proceedings and sentencing at all courts in England and Wales for driving, etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs is published annually in "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables" (tables 1, 2, 5 and 8 of the issue for 1986). Information on compensation orders could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information on deaths, injuries and property damage resulting from these offences is not collected centrally; however, information is published in "Road Accidents, Great Britain, 1986" on the number of persons killed or injured in accidents where the driver failed a roadside screening breath test. Copies of both publications are in the Library.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rights of Way
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will designate in 1988 a public right of way day in order to promote public awareness of their ancient rights.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Improved public awareness of the opportunities for countryside access is already a key objective in the Countryside Commission's revised policies 428
  for enjoying the countryside announced last September. We do not intend to designate a public right of way day in 1988.

  Housing Defects (Correspondence)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to reply to Easington district council on matters raised in correspondence dated 16 August 1985 regarding new town transferred housing defects.

  Mrs. Roe
  We have been in touch with Easington about the issues it raised with us, and I hope a substantive reply can be sent shortly.

  Smoke Detectors
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what talks he has had with district councils to discuss the installation of smoke detectors in every home; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  My Department is currently undertaking a study of the potential of automatic smoke detection as a means of improving life safety in residential buildings and a review of other research. The results of the review will be published. We will certainly inform the local authority associations of the outcome and give them the opportunity to discuss the implications.

  Estate Action
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the bids made by the London borough of Greenwich for assistance under the Estate Action programme during 1988–89, indicating when he expects to make a decision on each.

  Mrs. Roe
  The London borough of Greenwich has submitted nine bids for Estate Action resources in 1988–89:

  Continuation schemes

  £

  Barnfield estate

  1,102,000

  Hughesfield estate

  130,000

  Valley Grove estate

  796,000

  Bid for additional resources

  Schemes to start in 1988–89

  Cardwell estate

  655,000

  Cherry Orchard/Mascalls

  640,000

  Connaught estate

  738,000

  Ferrier estate

  1,100,000

  Hughesfield phase II

  551,000

  Meridian house, Azof street

  110,000

  Local authorities have been requested to submit outline bids by the end of January and we will tell them as soon as possible which bids we should like them to work up more fully. Approvals and additional allocations will follow as soon as councils can give us firm information on costs, phasing and other elements of their schemes.

  Charity Commissioners Building (Redevelopment)
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will use his powers to call in the plans for redevelopment of the site of the former Charity Commissioners building in Ryder street, SW1; and
  429
  whether he will inquire into the reasons why certain residents and business ratepayers were not informed of these projected developments.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Planning permission for this development was granted on 26 November 1987 by Westminster city council, as local planning authority. It is therefore no longer open to my right hon. Friend to call in the planning application.

  Shared Ownership
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's future plans for the extension of shared ownership schemes.

  Mrs. Roe
  The Government have promoted shared ownership since they came into office, as an important means of helping those who could not otherwise afford to buy their own homes.

  Until now, shared ownership has been developed largely by housing associations and local authorities. We believe that it could be made much more widely available if it were financed privately. That is why we legislated in the Housing and Planning Act 1986 to exempt certain shared ownership leases from the Rent Act.

  The regulations which bring those provisions into force have now been made. I hope that housing associations, financial institutions and others will take full advantage of the opportunities which this opens up.

  Homeless Persons
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for all local authorities in the south-west region, the amount they applied for and received of the £1·3 million allocated to the south-west region as part of the additional £44·7 million made available for housing projects for the homeless.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information is as follows:

  Local authority

  Bid £'000

  Allocation £'000

  Avon

  Bath

  450

  150

  Bristol

  250

  200

  Woodspring

  450

  —

  Cornwall

  Caradon

  75

  —

  Carrick

  82

  —

  Kerrier

  310

  —

  Penwith

  200

  —

  Restormel

  185

  —

  Isles of Scilly

  320

  160

  Devon

  Exeter

  184

  —

  South Hams

  200

  —

  Teignbridge

  60

  —

  Torridge

  40

  —

  Dorset

  Bournemouth

  200

  —

  East Dorset

  150

  —

  North Dorset

  210

  210

  Poole

  130

  100

  Purbeck

  257

  125

  West Dorset

  500

  —

  430

  Local authority

  Bid £'000

  Allocation £'000

  Weymouth and Portland

  360

  160

  Gloucestershire

  Cheltenham

  500

  —

  Gloucester

  400

  —

  Stroud

  400

  —

  Somerset

  Mendip

  220

  —

  Sedgemoor

  200

  —

  South Somerset

  150

  80

  Taunton Dene

  175

  —

  Wiltshire

  Kennet

  200

  115

  North Wiltshire

  300

  —

  West Wiltshire

  210

  —

  Of the additional £44·7 million announced by my right hon. Friend on 3 November, £25·7 million was allocated for schemes to combat homelessness.

  Aycliffe and Peterlee Development Corporation
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will give details of the bid made by Helicon Bar for the assets of the Aycliffe and Peterlee development corporation; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will give details of the management team's bid for the assets of the Aycliffe and Peterlee development corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  No. It would breach commercial confidentiality to give details of the bids received.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in descending order those 100 local authorities with the highest number of planning applications sent on appeal to the Secretary of State, and the number of appeals for each local authority in the last three available years.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The following table lists, in descending order, the 100 local authorities against whose decisions the highest number of planning appeals were lodged in 1986. In addition, the table includes for each authority the number of planning appeals lodged in 1984 and 1985.

  Local authority

  Appeals received

  1986

  1985

  1984

  Bromley

  254

  182

  196

  Camden

  205

  133

  139

  Chelmsford

  195

  203

  130

  Westminster

  181

  164

  122

  Wycombe

  177

  105

  91

  New Forest

  167

  146

  134

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  159

  120

  130

  Sevenoaks

  159

  124

  88

  Horsham

  157

  118

  98

  Newbury

  148

  102

  93

  Birmingham

  146

  133

  117

  South Oxfordshire

  144

  142

  116

  South Cambridgeshire

  135

  123

  107

  Torbay

  127

  100

  108

  Wealden

  126

  129

  104

  Epping Forest

  126

  124

  106

  Reigate and Banstead

  124

  105

  78

  Bristol

  123

  119

  92

  431

  Local authority

  Appeals received

  1986

  1985

  1984

  Hounslow

  123

  122

  78

  Wokingham

  122

  105

  92

  Macclesfield

  122

  92

  67

  Leeds

  121

  133

  134

  Harrow

  120

  76

  59

  Chichester

  119

  105

  103

  East Hampshire

  117

  84

  57

  Wimborne

  115

  104

  78

  Croydon

  114

  116

  85

  Mid Sussex

  113

  100

  81

  Maidstone

  112

  73

  79

  Waverley

  111

  125

  102

  Barnet

  111

  91

  74

  Enfield

  111

  80

  87

  Tandridge

  108

  85

  97

  Reading

  107

  81

  88

  Basingstoke and Deane

  106

  92

  96

  Stroud

  105

  83

  86

  Mid Bedfordshire

  104

  76

  60

  Winchester

  103

  116

  74

  Kensington and Chelsea

  102

  107

  79

  East Devon

  100

  90

  63

  Test Valley

  100

  67

  67

  Guildford

  100

  103

  105

  Bradford

  100

  71

  81

  Wansdyke

  99

  65

  35

  Basildon

  99

  83

  107

  Chiltern

  98

  70

  81

  Forest of Dean

  97

  73

  85

  West Dorset

  96

  62

  70

  Vale of White Horse

  93

  50

  51

  Kirklees

  92

  88

  83

  Greenwich

  92

  62

  54

  Brighton

  90

  55

  32

  North Devon

  89

  59

  70

  Salisbury

  88

  78

  50

  Northavon

  87

  61

  73

  Teignbridge

  87

  64

  56

  Wychavon

  87

  82

  77

  East Hertfordshire

  87

  90

  67

  Ealing

  87

  58

  65

  Richmond upon Thames

  86

  85

  70

  St. Albans

  85

  93

  109

  Elmbridge

  85

  88

  62

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  85

  65

  71

  Aylesbury Vale

  84

  72

  62

  Dacorum

  84

  55

  69

  North Norfolk

  83

  60

  69

  West Oxfordshire

  83

  68

  80

  South Hams

  82

  72

  83

  Solihull

  82

  96

  79

  Hart

  81

  54

  62

  South Norfolk

  81

  57

  58

  Mendip

  81

  52

  49

  Southwark

  81

  73

  46

  South Buckinghamshire

  80

  79

  69

  Tunbridge Wells

  80

  79

  76

  Runnymede

  80

  75

  70

  Tendring

  79

  71

  57

  Woodspring

  78

  102

  83

  Rother

  78

  77

  53

  Brentwood

  78

  63

  57

  Eastleigh

  78

  39

  29

  Harrogate

  78

  86

  74

  Mole Valley

  78

  75

  56

  Redbridge

  78

  79

  75

  North Bedfordshire

  77

  56

  74

  Lewes

  77

  35

  47

  Wirral

  76

  65

  34

  Three Rivers

  75

  74

  55

  Cambridge

  74

  65

  42

  Braintree

  74

  72

  56

  Carrick

  73

  68

  69

  Fareham

  73

  59

  55

  East Lindsey

  73

  63

  68

  South Somerset

  73

  65

  67

  432

  Local authority

  Appeals received

  1986

  1985

  1984

  Hillingdon

  73

  81

  60

  South Lakeland

  72

  46

  60

  Kingston upon Thames

  72

  74

  74

  Suffolk Coastal

  71

  62

  30

  Bracknell

  70

  63

  47

  Stratford-on-Avon

  70

  64

  73

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of planning application appeals he has received from applicants in the Chelmsford local authority area in the last three available years; and how many appeals were successful.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The table shows the number of planning appeals received against decisions of Chelmsford borough council in each year from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1986, and the number allowed:

  Year

  Appeals received

  Appeals allowed

  1984

  130

  32

  1985

  203

  64

  1986

  195

  85

  New Towns (Insurance)
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what requirements are laid down by his Department for the insurance of property and persons in new towns; what are the risks covered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  Subject to the general statutory requirements, new town development corporations are free to decide to what extent they should insure.

  Land Disposal
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each year since 1974(a) nature reserve lands, (b) public right of way paths, (c) common lands, (d) conservation areas which have ceased to be available to the public and have been given for the use of (i) Army training and exercise, (ii) shopping centres and (iii) other property development purposes.

  Mr. Moynihan
  This information is not available in the form requested. In general, the public have no legal right to access to nature reserves, commons or in conservation areas except where a right of way exists. Rights of way cannot be extinguished for any purpose other than by order made by the highway authority, or an application to the magistrates court. Such orders require confirmation by my right hon. Friend only when an objection is received.

  Safety Glass
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to accelerate the introduction of safety glass and glazing into domestic premises.

  Mr. Trippier
  A consultation letter on stage 2 of the review of the building regulations, which was issued on 15 December 1986, included a proposal that a requirement for safety glazing of doors and low level glazing should be
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  included in the regulations. There has been a generally favourable response. We intend to consult on detailed proposals and advice as soon as the British Standards Institution has completed its current work on the revision of the relevant standard.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the effects of the poll tax will be on youngsters' sports and football clubs, which lease recreation and sports grounds from local authorities and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Sports clubs are not directly affected by the introduction of the community charge. Where they remain in sole occupation of property they will normally pay rates at a uniform rate in the pound on up-to-date rateable values following revaluation in 1990. Non-profit-making sports clubs will continue to be eligible for rate relief of up to 100 per cent. at the discretion of local authorities.

  Rating Revaluations
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for how long owners or occupiers will have a right of appeal against the revaluation of their property under regulations governing the revaluation of business and commercial property in conjunction with the reform of local government finance.

  Mr. Howard
  We have published a proposal to limit the time for lodging appeals against the new valuation list to six months. We are still considering the responses to that, and to a number of other proposals, and hope to make a statement shortly.

  Game Licences
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many game licences were issued in each category during each of the last five years; what revenue was in in each category, respectively; and what were the administrative costs involved.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [pursuant to his reply 25 January 1988, c. 46]: The figures for game licences issued in England and Wales for 1986–87 were incorrect.

  The correct figures are as follows:

  1986–87

  Number issued

  Revenue (£)

  Game (Red)

  23,425

  140,550

  Game (Green)

  630

  2,520

  Game (Blue)

  9,818

  39,272

  Game (Occasional)

  1,081

  2,162

  Game (Dealer)

  1,324

  5,296

  Game (Keeper)

  785

  3,140

  TOTALS

  37,063

  192,940

WALES

  Motorway Network
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to improve the motorway network in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Government's motorway and trunk road programme in Wales is set out in "Roads in Wales 1985".

  Religious Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authority high schools in Wales have already phased out religious education as an option in the fourth and fifth General Certificate of Secondary Education years , and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information is not available in the form requested. According to figures supplied by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, 198 out of 230 maintained secondary schools in Wales entered candidates for GCE or CSE examinations in religious studies or scripture in 1987.

  A lack of examination candidates in a school in a particular academic year does not necessarily indicate that the subject is not offered as an option in that school.

  The Education Act 1944 requires schools to provide religious instruction for all children of compulsory school age. The proposals in the Education Reform Bill, now before the House, reaffirm this requirement.

  Radiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of farms, the number of sheep and the area of land, in acres, under restriction in Wales as a result of radioactivity from the Chernobyl accident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There are, under restriction in Wales, some 416 holdings, covering about 210,000 acres and containing about 300,000 sheep.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the appointments made by him since May 1979 to public office.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for 1985, 1986 and 1987(a) the number of paybeds, (b) the number of discharges and deaths of private patients, (c) the average number of paybeds occupied by private patients daily and (d) the percentage occupancy, for each district health authority.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information, which is available only for 1985 and 1986, is given in the table:
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  1Beds Authorised

  Discharges and Deaths

  Average Daily Occupied Beds

  2Percentage

  1985

  Clwyd

  12

  621

  4·11

  34

  East Dyfed

  7

  273

  3·15

  45

  Gwent

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Gwynedd

  8

  270

  3·90

  49

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  40

  0·26

  9

  Pembrokeshire

  3

  104

  1·10

  37

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  12

  84

  1·53

  13

  West Glamorgan

  4

  127

  0·63

  16

  1986

  Clwyd

  12

  487

  5·78

  48

  East Dyfed

  7

  332

  3·56

  51

  Gwent

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Gwynedd

  8

  277

  3·63

  45

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  83

  0·82

  27

  Pembrokeshire

  3

  102

  2·27

  76

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  12

  75

  1·56

  13

  West Glamorgan

  3

  167

  1·00

  33

  1 As at 31 December.

  2 Approximate measure, calculated as the ratio of the third and first columns.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made with the Chinese Textile Mill inward investment project.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I understand that Nantong has withdrawn from the potential joint venture project with Tootal plc. The levels of assistance potentially available to the project have been confirmed to both partners and the Chinese have indicated their intention to continue to seek industrial and trade opportunities in Swansea.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when WlNvest started negotiations with each of the Japanese companies which he recently announced as coming to Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Initial contacts with these companies were made in August 1986, June 1987 and July 1987.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average annual percentage increase at 1987–88 prices in National Health Service expenditure in Wales (a) since 1978–79 and (b) 1973–74 to 1978–79.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Between 1978–79 and 1987–88 expenditure in real terms has increased by 36·3 per cent. giving an average annual percentage increase of 4 per cent. and between 1974–75 and 1978–79 by 9·5 per cent., giving an average annual percentage increase of 2·4 per cent. The information requested is not available prior to 1974–75 because in 1974 there was a National Health Service reorganisation which included the transfer of a whole range of services including school health and ambulance and community health services from local authorities to the National Health Service.

  The right hon. Gentleman was perhaps wanting to compare the performance of the two Governments. I have only been able to give him the figures from the first to the last year of the Labour Government which, as he sees,
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  shows an annual increase of 2·4 per cent. per annum. The equivalent figures for the Conservative Government are from 1979–80 to 1987–88. During this period there has been an increase in real terms of 36·1 per cent., giving an annual average percentage increase of 4·5 per cent.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Religious Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the prospects for religious education as an examination subject after the implementation of the Education Reform Bill.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government have made it clear that they do not intend to prescribe the amount of time to be devoted to any subject in the school curriculum. It will be up to schools to determine how much time they spend on each subject and the range of subjects in which pupils are entered for public examinations. We believe that study of the foundation subjects of the national curriculum might take around 70 per cent. of curriculum time or more if schools and pupils so choose. This leaves ample time for study of religious education as an examination subject and there is no reason to think that schools will not continue to put in as many examination entries as hitherto.

  Local Education Authorities (Employees)
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how many were employed in local education authorities who were neither lecturers nor teachers in 1961, 1971, 1981 and at the latest convenient date.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Figures for 1961 and 1971 are not available centrally; the numbers of full-time equivalent staff employed in local authorities in education in England and Wales who were neither lecturers nor teachers were 398,000 at March 1981 and 402,000 (provisional) at June 1987, the latest available date.

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what plans he has to expand the assisted places scheme among(a) public schools and (b)state schools;

  (2) how many public schools have applied to join the assisted places scheme;

  (3) if he will publish the numbers of pupils on the assisted places scheme and their schools for each year since the scheme began;

  (4) if he will publish the names of (a) state schools, (b) public schools and (c) other schools participating in the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Dunn
  The assisted places scheme exists to give help with tuition fees at certain independent secondary schools to the parents of able children who might not otherwise attend those schools. A complete list of the participating schools in England and numbers of assisted pupils attending each school from 1985 onwards is given below. To provide a detailed breakdown of places before this date would incur disproportionate cost, and total figures only are given for the years 1981–84. As originally planned the scheme would have reached just over 33,000 places in England and Wales when fully developed. The Government now intend to raise that target to an eventual 35,000.

  Independent secondary schools in England were invited in October 1987 to apply to join the scheme or to take up additional places if they were already participants. The responses received are now under consideration. One hundred and twenty six new schools have applied to join the scheme and are being considered against the same criteria as apply to existing participants.

  Total number of assisted place holders

  School

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Abbey School

  60

  57

  69

  Abingdon School

  85

  82

  90

  Aldenham School

  13

  16

  24

  Alice Ottley School

  55

  65

  70

  Alleyn's School

  158

  184

  198

  Arnold School

  59

  67

  76

  Ashford School

  41

  41

  43

  Bancroft's School

  60

  68

  76

  Bath High School

  76

  85

  90

  Batley Grammar School

  198

  220

  249

  Bedales School

  2

  5

  9

  Bedford High School

  81

  91

  92

  Bedford Modern School

  131

  138

  136

  Bedford School

  69

  75

  76

  Dame Alice Harpur School

  131

  134

  145

  Belvedere School

  132

  150

  163

  Berkhamsted School

  33

  33

  29

  Berkhamsted School for Girls

  25

  28

  28

  Birkenhead High School

  185

  226

  258

  Birkenhead School

  193

  226

  245

  Bishop's Stortford College

  18

  23

  30

  Blackheath High School

  82

  95

  101

  Bolton School (Boys)

  186

  221

  262

  Bolton School (Girls)

  183

  214

  251

  Bradfield College

  4

  1

  0

  Bradford Girls' Grammar School

  44

  48

  58

  Bradford Grammar School

  150

  179

  201

  Brentwood School

  86

  97

  101

  Brighton and Hove High School

  146

  164

  152

  Brighton College

  69

  86

  99

  Bristol Cathedral School

  109

  126

  150

  Bristol Grammar School

  194

  232

  263

  Bromley High School

  93

  107

  120

  438

  School

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Bruton School for Girls

  110

  123

  127

  Bury Grammar School (Boys)

  153

  181

  198

  Bury Grammar School (Girls)

  182

  209

  229

  Canford School

  28

  34

  35

  Carmel College

  64

  71

  91

  Casterton School

  41

  42

  43

  Caterham School

  106

  104

  109

  Central Newcastle High School

  85

  103

  112

  Charterhouse

  14

  14

  14

  Cheadle Hulme School

  101

  117

  129

  Chigwell School

  57

  65

  70

  Churcher's College

  87

  98

  112

  City of London School

  100

  111

  124

  City of London School for Girls

  82

  94

  104

  Clifton College

  50

  59

  67

  Clifton High School

  46

  48

  52

  Colfe's School

  154

  175

  183

  Colston's School

  78

  87

  89

  Colston's Girls' School

  105

  125

  145

  Coventry Schools

  177

  213

  245

  Cranleigh School

  37

  39

  38

  Croydon High School

  95

  105

  119

  Culford School

  40

  45

  46

  Dame Allan's Boys' School

  111

  131

  142

  Dame Allan's Girls' School

  106

  115

  127

  Dauntsey's School

  47

  50

  54

  Denstone College

  91

  106

  114

  Dulwich College

  219

  245

  273

  Edgehill College

  94

  111

  123

  Eltham College

  83

  90

  104

  Emanuel School

  224

  260

  289

  Epsom College

  32

  30

  30

  Exeter School

  136

  153

  164

  Farnborough Hill School

  148

  170

  181

  Felsted School

  40

  44

  47

  Forest School

  115

  126

  138

  Friends' School

  74

  79

  79

  Godolphin and Latymer School

  149

  169

  182

  Gresham's School

  9

  10

  10

  Haberdashers' Aske's School, Elstree

  172

  207

  229

  Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, Elstree

  119

  122

  137

  Hampton School

  154

  174

  197

  Harrogate College

  16

  17

  18

  Hereford Cathedral School

  181

  210

  233

  Highgate School

  36

  32

  33

  Hulme Grammar (Boys)

  159

  185

  203

  Hulme Grammar (Girls)

  141

  153

  178

  Hymers College

  133

  141

  152

  Ipswich High School

  114

  126

  136

  Ipswich School

  59

  69

  79

  James Allen's Girls School

  119

  145

  157

  John Lyon School

  86

  93

  94

  Kent College

  62

  71

  80

  King Edward's School at Bath

  99

  113

  128

  King Edward's School, Birmingham

  222

  260

  281

  King Edward VI High School, Birmingham

  149

  160

  173

  King Edward VII School, Lytham

  168

  195

  214

  King Edward VI School, Norwich

  91

  105

  101

  King Edward VI School, Southampton

  184

  197

  222

  King Edward's School, Witley

  55

  67

  76

  King's College School

  75

  86

  93

  King's High School for Girls, Warwick

  136

  153

  170

  King's School, Chester

  73

  79

  94

  King's School, Macclesfield

  144

  157

  177

  King's School, Rochester

  51

  56

  57

  King's School, Worcester

  93

  120

  136

  Kingston Grammar School

  110

  128

  129

  Kingswood School

  36

  37

  36

  Kirkham Grammar School

  39

  55

  63

  Lady Eleanor Holies School

  56

  66

  74

  La Sagesse Convent School

  120

  136

  143

  Latymer Upper School

  244

  275

  291

  Leeds Girls' High School

  105

  122

  127

  Leeds Grammar School

  168

  177

  194

  Leys School

  27

  28

  29

  439

  School

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Liverpool College

  122

  150

  174

  Lord Wandsworth College

  63

  73

  78

  Loreto Convent Grammar School

  59

  66

  71

  Loughborough Grammar School

  98

  111

  120

  Loughborough High School

  77

  90

  94

  Magdalen College School

  100

  111

  117

  Malvern College

  50

  54

  57

  Manchester Grammar School

  205

  235

  271

  Manchester High School

  129

  143

  165

  Maynard School

  136

  159

  158

  Merchant Taylors' School, Liverpool

  149

  169

  186

  Merchant Taylors' School for Girls, Liverpool

  123

  149

  171

  Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood

  73

  81

  85

  Mill Hill School

  60

  64

  78

  Monkton Combe School

  32

  37

  38

  Mount St. Mary's College

  59

  64

  59

  Newcastle Under Lyme School

  340

  408

  459

  Northampton High School

  171

  182

  178

  North London Collegiate School

  59

  64

  73

  Norwich High School

  153

  170

  171

  Nottingham Girls' High School

  154

  165

  188

  Nottingham High School

  50

  70

  89

  Notting Hill and Ealing High School

  72

  95

  116

  Old Palace School

  147

  166

  195

  Oxford High School

  68

  84

  97

  Perse School for Boys

  45

  51

  57

  Perse School for Girls

  68

  73

  79

  Plymouth College

  141

  169

  182

  Pocklington School

  113

  126

  131

  Portsmouth Grammar School

  131

  164

  188

  Portsmouth High School

  127

  140

  149

  Putney High School

  91

  98

  105

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Blackburn

  202

  220

  246

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield

  127

  143

  153

  Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School, Bristol

  120

  144

  168

  Queen Mary School, Lytham

  193

  215

  237

  Queen's College, Taunton

  54

  60

  63

  Queens College, London

  54

  60

  68

  Queen's School, Chester

  70

  79

  84

  Ratcliffe College

  37

  46

  52

  Redland High School

  60

  69

  79

  Red Maid's School

  121

  140

  157

  Reigate Grammar School

  79

  94

  109

  Repton School

  33

  40

  45

  Rossall School

  31

  35

  43

  Royal Grammar School, Guildford

  107

  118

  116

  Royal Grammar School, Newcastle

  231

  287

  308

  Royal Grammar School, Worcester

  105

  144

  185

  St. Albans School

  109

  119

  124

  St. Albans High School for Girls

  48

  58

  59

  St. Ambrose College

  76

  77

  87

  St. Anselm's College

  139

  167

  175

  St. Bede's College

  157

  194

  213

  St. Bees School

  67

  76

  82

  St. Benedict's School

  58

  64

  71

  St. Catherine's School

  24

  29

  36

  St. Dunstan's College

  133

  149

  160

  St. Edmund's College, Ware

  52

  63

  65

  St. Edward's College, Liverpool

  273

  330

  385

  St. George's College

  21

  30

  28

  St. Helen's School

  29

  32

  28

  St. John's College

  142

  158

  181

  St. John's School, Leatherhead

  8

  14

  15

  St. Joseph's College

  60

  68

  76

  St. Joseph's Convent

  103

  117

  121

  St. Mary's College

  185

  220

  246

  St. Mary's Convent

  76

  84

  95

  St. Mary's Hall

  29

  40

  49

  St. Maur's Convent

  51

  60

  62

  St. Paul's School

  64

  71

  72

  St. Paul's Girls' School

  50

  52

  63

  St. Peter's School

  82

  111

  124

  St. Swithun's School

  3

  5

  3

  440

  School

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Salesian College

  84

  85

  86

  School of St. Helen and St. Katherine

  75

  92

  103

  Sedbergh School

  19

  24

  27

  Sheffield High School

  80

  84

  99

  Shrewsbury High School

  69

  69

  85

  Sir William Perkin's School

  80

  84

  87

  South Hampstead High School

  56

  60

  64

  Stamford School

  58

  62

  71

  Stamford High School

  51

  56

  64

  Stockport Grammar School

  195

  227

  269

  Stonyhurst College

  25

  28

  24

  Stowe School

  7

  5

  5

  Streatham Hill and Clapham High School

  121

  135

  154

  Sutton High School

  55

  61

  66

  Sutton Valence School

  36

  46

  50

  Sydenham High School

  87

  95

  109

  Talbot Heath School

  122

  135

  139

  Taunton School

  38

  44

  50

  Tonbridge School

  2

  3

  2

  Trent College

  96

  114

  116

  Trinity School of John Whitgift

  104

  125

  136

  Truro School

  80

  95

  110

  Truro High School

  55

  54

  55

  University College School

  52

  60

  69

  Upton Hall Convent School

  122

  143

  153

  Ursuline High School

  102

  118

  133

  Wakefield High School

  115

  127

  143

  Walthamstow Hall

  55

  78

  77

  Warwick School

  124

  126

  137

  Wellingborough School

  49

  54

  55

  Wellington College

  38

  43

  44

  Wellington School

  165

  190

  199

  Wells Cathedral School

  62

  66

  66

  West Buckland School

  28

  40

  52

  Westminster School

  11

  20

  26

  Whitgift School

  77

  90

  101

  William Hulme Grammar School

  155

  181

  207

  Wimbledon High School

  56

  58

  63

  Winchester College

  21

  24

  25

  Wisbech Grammar School

  145

  192

  236

  Withington Girls' School

  73

  81

  89

  Wolverhampton Grammar School

  224

  250

  260

  Woodbridge School

  77

  93

  101

  Woodhouse Grove School

  82

  103

  113

  Wycliffe College

  39

  43

  42

  TOTAL

  21,412

  24,478

  26,900

  Total numbers of assisted place holders 1981 to 1984

  Number

  1981

  4,185

  1982

  8,616

  1983

  13,102

  1984

  17,386

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications have been received for places under the assisted places scheme in Cheshire; and if he will give comparable figures for previous years.

  Mr. Dunn
  The recruitment of assisted pupils is a matter for the schools participating in the scheme. Information regarding applications for assisted places is not collected centrally.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost, at 1986–87 prices, of restoring student grants to the 1979 level.
  441
  Mr. Jackson
  Approximately £97 million.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost at 1986–87 prices of restoring the level of student transport costs to their 1979 level.

  Mr. Jackson
  To restore the arrangements for reimbursement which existed in 1979 would cost about £10 million at 1986–87 prices.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the cost, at 1986–87 prices, of ending parental contribution in respect of student grants.

  Mr. Jackson
  Over £300 million.

  School Meals
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are receiving free school meals in Blyth Valley, Northumberland.

  Mr. Dunn
  In October 1986, the latest date for which data are available, 5,841 pupils in Northumberland received free school meals. Information for Blyth Valley is not separately available.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratios
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total number of pupils on school rolls and the pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary schools in Northumberland for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dunn
  The number of pupils on roll and the pupil-teacher ratio in maintained primary schools in Northumberland each year since 1979 were as follows:

  January each year

  Pupils1

  Pupil-teacher ratio

  1979

  21,652

  23·4

  1980

  21,167

  23·1

  1981

  20,147

  23·5

  1982

  18,649

  23·4

  1983

  18,249

  230

  1984

  18,528

  23·3

  1985

  18,720

  23·3

  1986

  18,938

  23·3

  1987

  19,244

  23·1

  1 Full-time equivalent pupils. Part-time pupils counted as 0·5.

  Medicine Courses (Overseas Students)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current minimum sum recommended for fees for postgraduate medicine courses undertaken by overseas students; how many such students were on courses of postgraduate medical training in 1979 and how many are now; and if he will reconsider Her Majesty's Government's decision to charge overseas students full fees for medical postgraduate courses.

  Mr. Jackson
  Universities are themselves responsible for setting tuition fees charged to their overseas students. The University Grants Committee recommend minima. For science and clinical courses in 1988–89 the annual recommended minima are: science, £5,180; clinical, £9,590.
  442
  In 1979 there were 1,204 full-time non-United Kingdom-domiciled students on postgraduate medicine and dentistry courses at universities in Great Britain. In 1986 the comparable figure was 1,179.

  The overall number of postgraduate students from abroad in universities in Great Britain in 1986 was higher than in the late 1970s before the introduction of full-cost fees. My right hon. Friend sees no reason for considering a return to the previous system of subsidised fees.

  Teachers
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he intends to publish his reply to inquiries from the International Labour Office relating to the withdrawal of teachers' negotiating rights in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will place in the Library a copy of his supplementary response of 29 October 1987 in relation to the Green Paper "Teachers' Pay and Conditions"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Evidence submitted by the Government is confidential to the International Labour Organisation and its Committee on Freedom of Association. When the Committee on Freedom of Association has considered the evidence it will be for the governing body of the International Labour Organisation to decide what to publish.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to persuade firms to increase the experience of industry of teachers, especially in scarcity subjects.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We are keen to build bridges between education and industry and to provide all teachers with experience of industry, not just those in shortage subjects. A series of regional conferences to promote collaboration between firms and local education authorities has been held to provide a number of opportunities for teachers in the shortage subjects to obtain industrial experience. The partnership schemes developed by British Petroleum with Hertfordshire and Humberside, and between British Telecom and Bradford local education authorities, should also assist teachers awareness of industry. We are taking every opportunity to persuade employers of the importance of links with education and the value of giving teachers industrial experience is one part of this strategy.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on recent further developments towards establishing city technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) and 1 December, at column 751. Since then the Mercers' Company and Thamesmead Town have announced their intention to sponsor the establishment of a city technology college in Thamesmead.

  Modern Languages
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish the latest available figures for the cost of training a teacher of modern languages.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not available.

  Mathematics and Physics (Teacher Retraining)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, whether he will make a statement on progress with the programme designed to retrain teachers for mathematics and physics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We believe that earmarked moneys available from April 1988, under the Government's local education authority training grants scheme, will allow the funding of a substantial proportion of the one-year retraining places for mathematics, physics and CDT teachers available at higher education institutions. Grant supporting £4 million of expenditure is ring-fenced for the secondment of teachers on to long courses in recognition of the serious difficulties experienced by some institutions last year. In addition, the scheme will support a further £10 million of expenditure by LEAs on in-service training, which can be used for funding one-year retraining courses, in mathematics and physics. The programme of funding in this area will be reviewed for 1989–90.

  Education Reform Bill
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list the additional staff required by his Department in 1988–89 to deal with the Education Reform Bill; and if he will state the additional cost.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The recently published public expenditure White Paper, Cm 288, shows for 1988–89 planned staff numbers of 2,560 and running costs provision of £66·161 million compared with a target of 2,480 staff at 1 April 1988 and running costs provision of £58·3 million for 1987–88. Final dispositions have still to be made, but it is expected that most of the extra posts will be concerned directly or indirectly with the Education Reform Bill.

DEFENCE

  Chevaline
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the mid-life refurbishing programme for Chevaline flight hardware; what improvements are being incorporated in the system; and whether the cost of the refurbishment programme was included in the latest published programme cost estimates for the Chevaline system.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As for any equipment, refurbishment is part of the planned cycle of in-service support for Chevaline. As is the practice for such costs, they were not included in the project cost estimate last announced on 5 February 1985 at column 512. I am not prepared to reveal further information in line with the policy of successive Governments, for reasons of security.

  Trident
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the responsibility of the controller establishments, research and nuclear, in relation to the Trident programme extends to procurement of the reentry vehicle.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest figure for the real cost reduction in Trident warhead procurement over the 1981 estimate as last given in the Comproller and Auditor General's report on "Control and Management of the Trident Programme" (HC 27), paragraph 3·27; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The latest estimate for Trident warhead procurement shows a real cost reduction of about 5 per cent. on the 1981 estimate and is included in the overall Trident estimated cost of £9,043 million announced by my right hon. Friend on 21 January 1988.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how missiles from the United Kingdom Trident force will be transported to and from the United States/United Kingdom missile pool in the United States of America.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom's Trident D5 missiles will be transported to and from the United States facility at Kings bay, Georgia by the United Kingdom's Vanguard class SSBNs.

  Departmental Insurance
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give full details of the insurance cover effected by his Department for property and persons, including the risks covered.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is the general rule that the Government do not insure against the risk of any loss which, if it arose, would fall directly or indirectly on the Consolidated Fund. However, it was decided in 1982 that there would be distinct financial and administrative advantages in transferring to commercial insurers my Department's work on third party motor accident and employers liability claims in the United Kingdom. These risks remain with the commercial market, together with those in respect of the participation of Ministry of Defence aircraft and parachute teams in civil organised air shows, the Department's legal liabilities to certain fare-paying air passengers, and the Department's liabilities arising from the civilian use of Ministry air fields. In consultation with our brokers and insurance consultants, we continue to review those other areas of the Department's activities and risks which might lend themselves to commercial insurance, provided that a clear benefit to the Department would result.

  Departmental Staff (Merit Pay)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's civilian staff have received merit pay awards in 1985 and 1987.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The term "merit pay" is taken to refer to the three-year performance bonus experiment which was introduced throughout the Civil Service on 1 April 1985.
  445
  During the first year of the experiment, which ran from April 1985 to March 1986, 684 awards were made to MOD staff. During the second year, from April 1986 to March 1987, 698 awards were made. Details for the third year, from April 1987 to March 1988, are not yet available.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the grades of the recipients of merit pay in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The term "merit pay" is taken to refer to the three-year performance bonus experiment which was introduced throughout the Civil Service on 1 April 1985. Staff in the grades 3 to 7 and their equivalents were eligible to receive these bonuses.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total expenditure on merit pay within his Department during each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The term "merit pay" is taken to refer to the three-year performance bonus experiment which was introduced throughout the Civil Service on 1 April 1985.

  During the first year of the experiment, which ran from April 1985 to March 1986, expenditure on awards within the MOD was £691,500. Expenditure in the second year, from April 1986 to March 1987 was again £691,500. Details are not yet available for the third and final year of the experiment covering the period April 1987 to March 1988.

  Special Pay
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United Kingdom establishments operate special pay additions.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Special pay additions operate in the following establishments:

  RAF HQ Strike Command, High Wycombe.

  RAF Signals Engineering Establishment, Henlow and Wyton.

  Atomic Weapons Establishments, Aldermaston and Burghfield.

  Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke.

  HM Naval Base, Rosyth.

  HM Naval Base, Devonport.

  Directorate General Ship Refitting, Bath.

  Directorate General Submarines, Bath.

  Fleet Maintenance Repair Organisation, Portsmouth and in the Inner London area.

  Merchant Ships (Armilla Patrol)
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British or British dependency ownership of the parent company is required for a merchant ship to qualify for accompaniment by the Armilla patrol.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Ships eligible for RN protection are those registered in the United Kingdom or dependent territories, or those where there is a clear majority United Kingdom or dependent territory interest in the ownership.

  Research Projects
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps will be taken to ensure that research projects previously funded directly by his Department, whose funding is now to be channelled through the research 446
  councils, will not suffer a loss of income as a result; what steps will be taken to ensure that the total sums available for research will not decline in real terms as a result of this change; what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from universities and other academic institutions about this matter and what reply has been sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  When joint grants are made by the Ministry of Defence and the research councils for academic research of relevance to defence, research council funding arrangements apply. The grants are separate from and additional to contracts and agreements made by the Ministry for defence-related research. Defence spending on R and D in the academic sector has shown a sustained increase in recent years.

  AWRE Aldermaston
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimates were given of the required number of staff to be employed at AW RE Aldermaston for each year since 1979; and how far they have differed from the complement in each of these years;

  (2) how many electronics engineers have been recruited to work at AWRE Aldermaston in each year since 1979;

  (3) how many staff at AWRE Aldermaston have been transferred from research to production duties in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not our policy to disclose details of the number or deployment of staff employed on the nuclear warhead programme.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the AS90 warhead production complex will be in operation at AWRE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The A90 complex will be operational in the early nineties on a time scale consistent with planned deliveries for deployment of Trident in the mid-nineties.

  SSBN Submarines
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what date he estimates SSBNs 05, 06, 07 and 08 will have their full complement of missiles and warheads.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Vanguard class submarines will be fully effective from the start of their operational service. These precise dates are classified.

  Uranium
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where secondary enrichment of uranium for weapons grade takes place.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The arrangements for the final enrichment of uranium to the level required for defence purposes remain as announced by my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Defence on 23 June 1982 at columns 128–29.

  Polaris
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the phasing out of Polaris, in the light of the delays in the operational production line for warhead components.
  447
  Mr. Sainsbury
  As my right hon. Friend reaffirmed to the House on 21 January at column 775, Trident remains on programme to enter service in the mid-1990s. In the meantime, the United Kingdom Polaris force will remain fully operational and effective. The Polaris force will be progressively phased out after the entry into service of Trident.

  Royal Navy Armaments Depot
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the warhead convoys which travel by road between Royal Navy armaments depot Coulport and Burghfield will cease.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to discuss the movement of nuclear weapons.

  Aircraft Noise (Report)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a copy of the interim report of the NATO pilot study into "Aircraft Noise in a Modern Society".

  Mr. Freeman
  Copies of this report are already available in the Library.

  European Fighter Project
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, at his meeting with the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany on 20 January, he sought to discover when the West German Government intend to come to a final decision on their participation in the European fighter aircraft project.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  At his meeting with the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany on 20 January, my right hon. Friend discussed a number of topics, including progress towards national decisions on the development phase of the European fighter aircraft.

  RAF Binbrook (Near Miss)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 32, he will make a statement on the near miss which took place over RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire between and Air United Kingdom civil airliner Short 360 and a Phantom fighter bomber in April 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  The joint airmiss section of the National Air Traffic Services has investigated fully the circumstances surrounding the incident to which the hon. Member refers. Its findings have been examined by the joint airmiss working group, and its conclusions have been made known to the aviation community.

  Graphics (Supply)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that when contract number CB/SL24B/0059 for the supply of graphics to the armed services is considered the needs of the end users will be fully taken into account.
  448
  Mr. Sainsbury
  For all contract tasks whether for equipments or services, including graphics, the end users define the work to be performed and monitor performance by the contractor.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that, following the Department of Trade and Industry's initiative to help small businesses, he will ensure that when contract number CB/SL24B/0059 for the supply of graphics to the armed services is awarded, small companies will be given the opportunity of prime contractor status.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The phrase "prime contractor status" can be misunderstood. Depending on circumstances, award of contract can be direct between contractor and the Department, or some of the work can be sub-contracted by a main contractor. It would be wrong to try to forecast the result because tenders are not yet evaluated and will be considered on their merits. Tenders submitted, whether by larger or smaller firms will, of course, be given equal consideration.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that, when contract number CB/SL24B/0059 for the supply of graphics to the armed services is awarded, consideration will be given to splitting this contract up between a number of prime contractors so that it is possible to measure the relative performance of the winners during the contract period.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Because tenders cover requirements in seven regions of England and Wales it is probable that there shall be a number of contracts issued as a result of the evaluation of tenders.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Security
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will seek a variation of the injunction granted on 2 January against Times Newspapers Ltd. in relation to Anthony Cavendish so as to permit publications of a fair and accurate account of proceedings in Parliament.

  The Attorney-General
  At the Government's suggestion, such an amendment was made to the injunction of 15 January.

  Deputy Judges
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor proposes to make any changes to the system of appointing deputy judges; and if he will make a statement.

  The Solicitor-General
  Under the present system, the Lord Chancellor appoints, after due consultation, those whom he judges to have the calibre, experience and standing necessary for this judical work. He has no plans to change that system.

  Court Proceedings (Sketches)
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his policy towards the prosecution of those who publicise sketches of court proceedings in contravention of section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925; and if he has any proposals to allow them in circumstances most likely to ensure their accuracy.
  449
  The Attorney-General
  Sketches of court proceeding made with a view to publication are prohibited by section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 only if made in court. Where such an offence is alleged, the Crown Prosecution Service will prosecute if there is sufficient evidence and if it would be in the public interest to do so. The criteria it will apply are those made public by the Director of Public Prosecutions in his code for Crown prosecutors.

  Uncertificated Solicitors
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he will take to prevent uncertificated solicitors from acting improperly.

  The Attorney-General
  The rules of professional conduct and, in certain circumstances, the criminal law seek to prevent improper behaviour on the part of solicitors with or without practising certificates.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will seek a meeting with Mr. Stringer of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau to discuss complaints against the bureau; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will set up an inquiry into the manner in which the Solicitors Complaints Bureau conducts investigations, with respect to its standards of impartiality.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General how many uncertificated solicitors are practising in(a) the west midlands and (b) England and Wales.

  The Attorney-General
  No such statistics are kept. A practising certificate under the Solicitors Act 1974 is not required for all work that a solicitor may do, and information on the matters raised in the question would be difficult to obtain.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will take steps to establish a method of complaints against uncertificated solicitors which is more open to scrutiny than that of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General what action will he take against solicitors who acted uncertificated between November 1986 and 28 January 1987 in north Staffordshire.

  The Attorney-General
  If the hon. Member would supply details, her allegations will be investigated.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he will take to prevent the payment of legal aid moneys to uncertificated solicitors; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  When the legal aid administration of the Law Society receives information that a solicitor has undertaken legal aid work whilst uncertificated, no payment is made for the work concerned. Action is taken to recoup any moneys already paid in respect of the appropriate period.

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the amount of legal aid moneys recovered in 1983, 1984,450
  1985, 1986 and 1987 and paid in respect of a solicitor who at the relevant time did not hold a current practising certificate; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is not available, but the practice of the legal aid head office is to recover all legal aid moneys paid in respect of a solicitor who at the relevant time did not hold a current practising certificate.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will take steps to arrange for those who satisfy the income eligibility requirements to apply for legal aid to be able to apply for legal aid to be represented at an inquest where such representation is considered important to pursuing claims of negligence against public bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No. In present circumstances extension of legal aid to inquests cannot be justified.

  Solicitors
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he takes to prevent the destruction of any evidence relating to solicitors practising uncertificated.

  The Attorney-General
  I am not aware of any such impropriety.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary (Allegations)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what direction in respect of prosecution the Director of Public Prosecutions (Northern Ireland) has issued in respect of an officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and other persons in Belfast against whom allegations were made by Mr. Chan Hok-Chun and Mr. Hui Yat-Chi; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  An investigation has been carried out by the Royal Ulster Constabulary with regard to complaints made by Mr. Holc-Chun and Mr. Hui Yat-Chi.

  The results of these investigations were reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland who, having considered all the facts and circumstances reported to him, issued a direction of no prosecution. This direction was issued on 6 January 1988.

  British Rail Property (Offences)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Attorney-General whether his guidelines regarding offences on British Rail property made any reference to trespass by fox hunts.

  The Attorney-General
  I have interpreted the hon. Member's question as referring to the Attorney-General's guidelines on the criteria for prosecution. The guidelines have been reproduced in the code for Crown prosecutors, which is issued pursuant to section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, a copy of which is to be found in the Library of this House. The code makes no reference to fox hunts.

SCOTLAND

  Neighbourhood Heating
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will fund an expansion in the number of neighbourhood heating schemes, along the lines of the Heathwise in Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  As my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Energy announced on 9 April 1987, at columns 223–25, total Government support for community insulation projects in the United Kingdom in 1988–89 will be worth an estimated £55 million to £60 million. This represents an increase of up to 30 per cent. on 1987–88. The proportion of these resources coming to Scotland will not be known until the current consideration of bids for funding in 1988–89 is completed.

  Industrial Projects
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of industrial projects which are to receive public support in the current year in Angus, Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on individual projects which are to receive public support in the Angus local authority

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Grade 3 Under Secretary

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 5 Assistant Secretary

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 6 Senior Principal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Grade 7 Principal

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  3

  1

  2

  3

  1

  —

  3

  2

  2

  Executive Officer

  3

  4

  9

  2

  3

  5

  3

  3

  2

  6

  Clerical/Administrative Officer

  16

  13

  18

  6

  10

  12

  8

  2

  3

  8

  Clerical/Administrative Assistant

  27

  26

  29

  22

  14

  13

  7

  19

  9

  8

  TOTALS

  49

  48

  58

  32

  31

  31

  19

  27

  18

  25

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table indicating the number of administrative staff in his Department who have left before retirement for an occupation outside the Civil Service for each year over the last decade.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department does not maintain statistics on the reasons which staff may give for resigning, nor on the occupations which they subsequently take up.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the educational background of administrative class civil servants entering his Department for each of the last 10 years by(a) state, assisted or independent school and (b) university.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department does not maintain central statistics on the schools attended by staff, and the collation of information from individual records would be disproportionately costly.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate, by grade and the department within his Department they joined, the backgrounds of administrative grade civil servants who have entered his Department from other Government Departments for each year over the last decade.
  452
  district in the current year cannot be disclosed for reasons of confidentiality. However, in the current financial year, payments to firms in the Angus district under the original and revised regional development grant schemes have to date totalled some £500,000. There have been no payments of regional selective assistance (RSA). Approvals under the revised regional development grant scheme in the period April 1987 to January 1988 have amounted to £400,000, associated with project costs of £800,000 and the creation of 130 jobs. Details of the offers of RSA cannot be disclosed for reasons of confidentiality.

  Staff
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate how many of his Department's administrative staff have transferred to other Government Departments, by grade, for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The information is set out in the following table:

  Mr. Rifkind
  This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

  "Scottish Homes"
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the number of responses to the Scottish Development Department's consultative document "Scottish Homes".

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 10 December 1987 at column 192.

  School Management
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the number of responses to the Scottish Education Department's consultative document, "School Management and the Role of Parents".

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government received some 8,000 responses to the consultation paper on school management.

  Drink-Driving Offences
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions in Scotland for drink and driving offences causing(a) death, (b) injuries and (c) damages, for each year since 1979, have resulted in (i) acquittals, (ii) guilty verdicts, (iii) imprisonment, (iv) fines and (v) compensation to the victim.

  Drunk-driving offences, Scotland

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Acquittals

  337

  480

  392

  386

  386

  442

  364

  335

  Charges proved

  12,479

  13,712

  12,438

  11,613

  12,904

  13,557

  13,551

  13,082

  Imprisonment

  167

  188

  147

  203

  244

  252

  293

  279

  Fine

  11,866

  13,025

  11,832

  10,773

  12,129

  12,759

  12,725

  12,330

  Compensation order1 (includes those given in addition to a more serious penalty)

  —

  —

  0

  3

  6

  5

  3

  7

  1 Compensation orders were introduced on 1 April 1981.

  Bridge of Earn Hospital
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated underspend on the Bridge of Earn hospital development in 1987–88.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There is no hospital development at Bridge of Earn hospital.

  Health Spending
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest figure for the expected level of spending on(a) the hospital service and (b) the National Health Service as a whole in 1987–88.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest estimate of outturn for the year 1987–88 are gross expenditure of £1,697 million on hospital and community health services and £2,334 million on the National Health Service as a whole.

  Strathclyde (Education Expenditure)
  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the education element of the allocation to Strathclyde regional council for 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  As regards revenue expenditure, rate support grant is paid in support of an authority's income generally. It is not attributed to particular services. For capital expenditure the allocation to the council for educational purposes is £20,378,000. This figure may be enhanced by capital receipts raised by the region or by virement from its other capital programmes.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the community charge rebate scheme will be based on the full personal community charge levied in each local authority area or based on a national average community charge.

  Mr. Lang
  Under the proposed community charge rebate scheme, rebates will be calculated on the basis of the actual personal community charge payable in each local authority.
  454
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The available information is given in the table. Details on whether injury or damage resulted from a drunk-driving offence are not collected centrally.

  Salmon Netting Stations (River Tweed)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State For Scotland how many people have been employed at salmon netting stations on the River Tweed in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the intention of the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust to close netting stations on the Tweed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of persons reported to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland as employed at the nets by proprietors and occupiers of salmon net fishings on the River Tweed varies according to the time of the fishing season. The maximum numbers, including those employed on a seasonal basis, are:

  Number

  1982

  107

  1983

  103

  1984

  116

  1985

  99

  1986

  96

  The Government have noted with interest the proposals of the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust (Scotland) in relation to the River Tweed. This is, however, a matter for the trust and the owners of the netting stations. Government approval to any closure of netting stations is not required.

  Blood Donors
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to counteract the fall in blood donations in Scotland, and especially the west of Scotland region, between 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Yes. I have asked the Scottish national blood transfusion service to mount a national campaign to encourage people to give blood, and this will be launched later this month. In addition, regional efforts are being increased throughout Scotland. New donor sessions are being introduced; there are increased efforts to improve communications with potential donors; and donors may now be invited to give blood more frequently than hitherto.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Pirate Radio
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to increase the resources of the radio investigation service to take effective action against pirate radio stations.

  Mr. Butcher
  We have recently reviewed the resource need of the radio investigation service. We are currently strengthening manning levels in the London area and are investing some £400,000 in new equipment which should assist in the tracing of unlicensed radio operators. At the same time we are implementing new strategies to deal with the enormous tasks facing the service.

  The radio investigation service will act vigorously to clear the frequencies of unlicensed users. Particularly in view of the Home Secretary's announcement of 20 January on broadcast radio policy, I very much hope that unlicensed broadcasters will voluntarily stop broadcasting since they, with other interested parties, may soon have an opportunity to make applications to establish legal stations. At present they are squatting on frequencies assigned for legal stations and, because of the poor equipment they use, they are causing constant serious problems to the radio communications of users in other frequency bands including those who depend on radio for safety of life, such as Heathrow airport, fire brigades, the police, London Transport, British Gas, British Rail and the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning the alleged financing by record companies of pirate radio stations.

  Mr. Maude
  One representation has been received from the Association of Independent Radio Contractors Limited and one from Capital Radio plc.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions were brought against those (i) operating, (ii) controlling and (iii) financing pirate radio stations in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maude
  In 1987, 77 prosecutions were brought as a result of investigations by the Department's radio investigation service into the operations of unlicensed broadcasting stations. As a result, 75 offenders were convicted. I am sorry that the breakdown of statistics into the categories requested is not available.

  United Kingdom and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries trade

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Per capita US $

  As percentage of GDP

  1987

  United Kingdom'

  2,322

  2,078

  2,746

  2,616

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ֵ

  1986

  United Kingdom

  1,879

  1,667

  2,210

  2,097

  19·5

  17·3

  22·9

  21·8

  Butane Gas
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will introduce legislation to forbid the sale of butane gas cylinders to young people below the age of 16 years.

  Mr. Maude
  I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 8 April last, at columns 270–71.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he plans to upgrade his Department's equal opportunity officer post and bring it into line with Civil Service guidance, regarding grades 5/6 for the larger Departments.

  Mr. Butcher
  I see no need to upgrade the equal opportunity officer post. I am fully satisfied that the grade 7 incumbent has the full support of the grade 5 head of branch and the grade 3 head of personnel and has direct access to, and the confidence of, the principal establishment officer as suggested in the central guidance.

  Exports and Imports
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what are the latest figures for the annual value of exports, excluding oil, on(a) a per capita basis, and (b) as a percentage of gross national product; and what information he has as to comparable figures for other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries;

  (2) what are the latest figures for the annual value of exports, including oil, on (a) a per capita basis, and (b) as a percentage of gross national product; and what information he has as to comparable figures for other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries;

  (3) what are the latest figures for the annual value of imports, excluding oil, on (a) a per capita basis, and (b) as a percentage of gross national product; and what information he has as to comparable figures for other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries;

  (4) what are the latest figures for the annual value of imports, including oil, on (a) a per capita basis, and (b) as a percentage of gross national product; and what information he has as to comparable figures for other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The available information is in the following table:
  457

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Total

  Total excluding oil

  Per capita US $

  As percentage of GDP

  Canada

  3,282

  3,137

  3,109

  2,991

  23·4

  22·3

  22·2

  21·3

  USA

  847

  832

  1,578

  1,427

  4·9

  4·8

  9·2

  8·3

  Japan

  1,722

  1,718

  983

  782

  10·7

  10·7

  6·1

  4·9

  Australia

  1,345

  1,281

  1,579

  1,506

  12·9

  12·3

  15·2

  14·5

  New Zealand

  1,738

  1,728

  1,870

  1,708

  22·0

  21·9

  23·7

  21·6

  Austria

  2,976

  2,959

  3,548

  3,379

  23·9

  23·7

  28·5

  27·1

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  6,718

  6,419

  6,657

  6,177

  51·1

  48·8

  50·6

  47·0

  Denmark

  4,030

  3,931

  4,449

  4,159

  25·1

  24·5

  27·7

  25·9

  Finland

  3,319

  3,241

  3,116

  2,764

  23·1

  22·6

  21·7

  19·3

  France

  2,150

  2,114

  2,309

  2,106

  16·7

  16·5

  18·0

  16·4

  Germany

  3,969

  3,940

  3,102

  2,848

  27·1

  26·9

  21·2

  19·4

  Greece

  567

  530

  1,135

  950

  14·2

  13·3

  28·4

  23·8

  Ireland

  3,550

  3,530

  3,257

  3,048

  51·2

  50·9

  47·0

  44·0

  Italy

  1,709

  1,663

  1,744

  1,534

  16·3

  15·8

  16·6

  14·6

  Netherland

  5,525

  4,973

  5,182

  4,656

  46·4

  41·7

  43·5

  39·1

  Norway

  4,373

  3,359

  4,869

  4,663

  26·6

  20·4

  29·6

  28·4

  Portugal

  704

  681

  924

  799

  24·8

  23·9

  32·5

  28·1

  Spain

  707

  663

  919

  756

  11·9

  11·2

  15·5

  12·8

  Sweden

  4,435

  4,325

  3,883

  3,507

  28·2

  27·5

  24·7

  22·3

  Switzerland

  5,720

  5,711

  6,268

  5,935

  28·0

  28·0

  30·7

  29·1

  Turkey

  146

  143

  216

  178

  13·0

  12·6

  19·2

  15·8

  1 Figures based on 1986 population.

  ֵNot available.

  Export valued fob; imports cif.

  Sources: OECD Except UK 1987: OTS.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures for the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and the United States of America; and what information he has as to the balance of trade between the United States of America and Canada, Sweden, Japan, West Germany and Brazil.

  United States of America crude balance of trade with

  US $ billion

  Brazil

  Canada

  Japan

  Germany

  Sweden

  1987 January to September

  -2·7

  -10·6

  -41·8

  -11·3

  1-2·2

  1 Estimate.

  Source:

  United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

  United Slates: OECD; United States Department of Commerce.

  Illegal Broadcasting
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he will take to prevent the spread of illegal broadcasting; and if he will take steps to curb pirate stations in the London area.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) today.

  Driverplan Insurance Policy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning the Driverplan insurance policy offered by the St. Christopher's Motorists' Security Association Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I have received a number of
  458
  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is in the following table.

  United Kingdom crude balance of trade with the United States of America

  £ billion

  US $ billion

  1987

  2·0

  3·3

  representations about the undesirability of schemes like the Driverplan insurance policy which indemnify policyholders who are prevented from driving. We shall be looking again at such schemes in the light of the report of the review of road traffic law which is expected shortly.

  Property Services Agency and Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what studies and reports have been and are being undertaken by his Department into the operation of the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers from 1979 up to the latest date available.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 29 January 1988]: None. My Department does not undertake studies or reports into the operations of other Government Departments.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  International Debt
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the World Bank concerning the alleviation of the international debt crisis.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I maintain regular contact with the World Bank. International debt is often high on the agenda.

  Sudan
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for aid to the Sudan.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  In December 1987 we pledged £10 million as quick-disbursing balance of payments support for spending this year. During my recent visit to Sudan I announced a new £15 million grant for rehabilitation projects for spending up to 1991. This will be used principally for projects in the agricultural and transport sectors. In addition, we continue to provide assistance to the power, education and fisheries sectors.

  Kampuchea
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any representations concerning the restoration of development aid to Kampuchea.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I have received a number of representations. It remains the Government's view, however, that it would be wrong in principle to give develoment aid to the illegitimate and unrepresentative regime in Phnom Penh.

  Mozambique
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will increase the British contribution to health care and agricultural development projects in Mozambique.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Over half the £15 million of programme aid which we pledged last year is being spent on agriculture, and £400,000 on medical supplies. We have also provided seeds and agricultural tools and paid for the transport of medical supplies under our emergency relief programme. The Commonwealth Development Corporation is considering investments in agricultural projects. I am ready to consider requests for further help in these fields.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan Government as to assistance for that country following the recent disturbances there.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  At a special meeting of the Sri Lankan Aid Group in Paris on 4 December, Britain pledged additional aid of up to £20 million in support of reconstruction efforts. An aid mission visited Sri Lanka in January for discussions on the use of these funds.

  Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Southern Africa development coordination conference.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I attended the annual consultative meeting of the Southern African development coordination conference in Arusha on 28 and 29 January. During the conference I made a new pledge of £10 million. This brings to £45 million the total we have pledged for assistance through this organisation.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the level of international co-operation designed to avoid famine in Ethiopia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Donors have responded promptly and generously with famine relief for the people of Ethiopia. About three quarters of the food aid needed in 1988 has already been pledged and is being delivered to the Ethiopian ports. If there is a major catastrophe it will not be because donors have failed to play their part but because, tragically, the civil war has prevented food from being delivered to those in need.

  Women
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action his Department has taken to ensure that the needs of women are given due consideration in development projects sponsored by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  All major projects are assessed for social impact and within this context particular attention is give to the impact on women.

  Overseas Development Administration (Underspend)
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the underspend by the Overseas Development Administration for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The recent public expenditure White Paper shows that we expect to spend the planned aid programme in full, including the additional £13 million to which I referred on 27 January, at column 427, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs).

  UNICEF (Global Immunisation Programme)
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in UNICEF's global immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's contribution to it.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Some $211 million has so far been committed to immunisation projects. UNICEF estimates that 50 per cent. of the children of the developing world
  461
  have already been reached and 1·3 million lives saved each year. On present trends, over 70 per cent. of the developing world's children will be vaccinated by 1990.

  Her Majesty's Government have contributed £5·31 million bilaterally to the immunisation programme and we are also contributing through the European Community.

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the size of Her Majesty's Government's aid budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I have received representations from a number of sources. The Government White Paper on public expenditure published last month shows that the overseas aid programme is planned to grow by some 3 per cent. in real terms over the next three years.

  Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he will be taking to publicise the work of the Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute with a view to securing substantial outside funding for its work.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  As the ODA's own scientific unit, the ODNRI's resources form part of the ODA's total running costs. Ninety per cent. of the institute's work is commissioned by the ODA itself. The remainder is carried out on full repayment terms under contract to outside clients, typically the multilateral aid agencies. The institute is well known to potential external clients by virtue of its reputation as a world centre of excellence. The results of its work are normally published. Its activities are always featured in the ODA's annual review and a separate annual report covering the institute's work is published each year. Copies of the latest edition of these two publications are in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  National Health Service
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration she has given to the communication on the National Health Service presented to her on 27 January on behalf of the Manchester Evening News; if there is any action she is taking; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have noted the contents of the newspaper. I also refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 28 January, at column 313.

  Mr. Nigel Wicks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister why she has appointed Mr. Nigel Wicks as her personal representative at economic summits; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have appointed Mr. Wicks as my personal representative for economic summits in succession to Sir Robert Armstrong, who retired on 31 December 1987.

  Mr. Wicks is well equipped by his Treasury background and by his current position as my principal private secretary for this role.

  Crown Prerogative
  Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Prime Minister if the alteration in the terms of service of civil servants working at Government communications headquarters since 1983 has been made in exercise of the power under prerogative of the Crown.
  The Prime Minister
  Alterations to the terms of service of civil servants working at GCHQ have been made under the authority of the Civil Service Order in Council 1982, which is an instrument made under the royal prerogative.

THE ARTS

  Works of Art in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) whether he will make a statement regarding the acceptance in lieu of tax of eight drawings by Henry Moore from the estate of Lord Clark; whether these drawings will be vested in the trustees of the British museum, in accordance with the wishes of Lord Clark; and what amount of tax has been satisfied by this acceptance;

  (2) whether he has anything to add to his written answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 21 July 1987, Official Report, columns 114–5, regarding the acceptance in lieu of tax of Constable's painting Stratford Mill, in view of the fact that this painting is not listed in his written answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 18 January, Official Report, columns 477–8, among those works of art accepted during the half-year ended 31 December 1987, whether allocated or awaiting allocation; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I am pleased to announce the formal acceptances in lieu of tax of the items to which the hon. Member for Warley, East refers: Constable's "Stratford Mill" and nine drawings by Henry Moore. These acceptances were finalised on 8 January and 21 January 1988 respectively. The acceptance of Constable's "Stratford Mill" satisfied tax of £5.5 million, and the painting was allocated to the trustees of the National Gallery in accordance with the wishes of the owners. The acceptance of the Henry Moore drawings satisfied tax of £153,456, and the offer was conditional upon their allocation to the trustees of the British Museum. Ownership of the items will be transferred to the respective institutions shortly.

  National Museums
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what factors he takes into account when allocating central Government funds to the national museums.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 23 November 1987 at column 60.

  Museums (Admission Charges)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has since 1979 given any advice to any or all of the national museums about charging for admission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  Whether or not the national museums arid galleries charge for admission is up to them to decide in the light of their plans and priorities.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the changes in mortgage interest tax relief since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  There have been few changes in mortgage interest relief over this period. In 1983 the MIRAS scheme, provided for basic tax relief to be given by deduction at source, started up. This was essentially an administrative change not affecting the basic relief conditions. Also in 1983 the main residence loan relief limit was increased from £25,000 to its current level of £30,000, and relief for people living in job-related accommodation was extended to the self-employed, also with effect from April 1983. In addition, there have been various minor amendments to the operation of the MIRAS arrangements.

  If the hon. Gentleman has something else in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

  Food (VAT)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which food products are currently subject to the standard rate of value added tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  Food products which are currently subject to the standard rate of VAT are specified in group 1 of schedule 5 to the VAT Act 1983.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy towards value added tax on foodstuffs.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 7 July 1987 at column 192.

  Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust was recognised as a charitable body by the Inland Revenue office in Scotland; under which criteria for charitable status the trust was so recognised; and what is the value of tax relief granted in respect of payments to the trust for the last two years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that I cannot comment on the tax affairs of any particular body.

  Accountancy Firms (Tax Planning)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an estimate of the tax lost to the Revenue in 1987 as a direct consequence of tax planning by accountancy firms.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1988, c. 365]: If by "tax planning" the hon. Members means the legitimate use of relieving provisions in tax law, there is, by definition, no tax loss.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, at column 603, if he will provide his best estimate of the number of unemployed claimants in the London boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Newham in July 1981.

  Mr. Lee
  The information requested is not available. Figures of unemployed claimants at local level are available only from August 1982. Figures for London boroughs are compiled using the ward-based system and are available only from June 1983.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of registered unemployed in the United Kingdom in March, June, September and December for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom (seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers) for each of the months requested for the last 10 years. The data given are consistent over the time period requested.

  Unemployed claimants, seasonally adjusted United Kingdom

  thousands

  March

  June

  September

  December

  1977

  1,207·6

  1,250·6

  1,292·6

  1,282·7

  1978

  1,247·5

  1,235·1

  1,217·4

  1,166·6

  1979

  1,183·8

  1,131·8

  1,110·4

  1,121·7

  1980

  1,210·2

  1,359·1

  1,605·8

  1,898·4

  1981

  2,107·0

  2,275·4

  2,397·7

  2,479·1

  1982

  2,532·3

  2,605·8

  2,685·0

  2,771·5

  1983

  2,824·7

  2,884·2

  2,893·8

  2,919·5

  1984

  2,966·9

  2,978·6

  3,037·7

  3,069·9

  1985

  3,096·0

  3,109·3

  3,121·2

  3,143·0

  1986

  3,206·8

  3,212·5

  3,183·2

  3,119·4

  1987

  3,039·7

  2,925·2

  2,773·3

  2,614·0

  Vehicles (Accidents)
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people at work have been(a) killed and (b) injured off the highway by vehicles reversing; figures for each of the last five years for which they are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table gives the available information for deaths of employees at work struck by reversing vehicles. The deaths are those reported under the reporting regulations for accidents at work (see note1). Accidents reportable under the Road Traffic Act 1972 are excluded.

  Information for non-fatal injuries could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Reported deaths of employees, resulting from vehicles reversing1 (not on the highway)

  Great Britain

  Number

  1982

  16

  1983

  8

  1984

  13

  1985

  6

  1986 January to March

  4

  1986–872

  7

  465

  1 Including only accidents in which injury resulted from person being struck by the vehicle and reported to HM Factory, Agriculture, Explosives and Mines & Quarries Inspectorate, under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 (for 1982 to March 1986) and under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1986–87).

  2 Provisional data for year commencing 1 April.

  Reported occupational injuries to employees, resulting from vehicles etc1 (not on the highway) Great Britain

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986 Jan-March

  1986–872

  (a) deaths caused by:

  1. industrial & site vehicles and field machines

  13

  13

  15

  18

  7

  11

  2. transport for public roads

  27

  20

  29

  18

  3

  24

  (b) Reported major injuries3 caused by:

  1. industrial & site vehicles and field machines

  134

  142

  160

  170

  39

  260

  2. transport for public roads

  80

  94

  67

  90

  16

  171

  Reported "over 3 day injuries"4 caused by:

  1. industrial & site vehicles and field machines

  2,489

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,235

  2. transport for public roads

  1,197

  —

  —

  —

  —

  575

  1 including only accidents reported to Her Majesty's Factory, Agriculture, Explosives, Mines & Quarries Inspectorate in which injury resulted from person being struck by the vehicle.

  2 provisional data for year commencing 1 April.

  3 for 1982 to March 1986, as defined in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrencies Regulations (NADOR) 1980; for 1986–87 the definition is wider as given in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, (RIDDOR) 1985.

  4 for 1982 those leading to claims for industrial injury benefit notified to HSE by DHSS. This source was effectively abolished in 1983. From 1 April 1986 injuries reported directly to HSE under RIDDOR, not comparable with data from earlier period. These data for "over 3 day injuries" exclude reports to the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate.

  Investments
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been spent in each of the last 10 years by his Department on attracting investment from(a) inside the United Kingdom and (b) overseas for (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) each of the English regions, by region.

  Mr. Cope
  It is not a principal function of my Department to encourage regional investment. There are, however, two areas of expenditure which do create investment and the regional analysis is as follows:

  Region

  Assistance to tourist projects in England1

  City action team project fund

  1985–86 £000s

  1986–87 £000s

  1986–87 £000s

  1987–88 £000s

  North-East

  621

  644

  1,000

  1,000

  North-West

  1,479

  1,916

  —

  2,000

  Yorkshire

  865

  1,744

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  457

  1,224

  —

  1,000

  East Midlands

  22,241

  784

  —

  —

  South East

  1,317

  1,493

  —

  1,000

  South West

  2,464

  3,519

  —

  —

  East Anglia

  815

  785

  —

  —

  Southern

  1,290

  1,945

  —

  —

  1 Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have equivalent schemes for assistance to tourist projects.

  2 £1·5 million of this sum was to attract investment from overseas.

  All investment is from inside the United Kingdom except where specifically indicated. The Department
  466
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) fatalities and (b) injuries have been caused to people at work whilst off the highway by motor vehicles in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table gives the available information for employees at work struck by vehicles. The injuries are those reported under the relevant accident reporting regulations (see notes 1, 3 and 4). They exclude any accidents reportable under the Road Traffic Act 1972.

  assumed responsibility for tourism matters in September 1985. We ceased to have responsibility for city action teams from 1 October 1987.

  Rural Areas
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made by his Department in reducing unemployment in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Information on unemployment in rural areas is not readily available. However, an independent unemployment analysis carried out for the Development Commission for Rural England suggests that rural areas are sharing in the general drop in unemployment. The analysis estimated that the average unemployment rate in the Development Commission's rural development areas as a whole fell from 10·4 per cent. in the year to April 1987. During the same period, the unemployment rate nationally fell from 11·5 per cent. to 10·9 per cent. and since then has fallen further to 9·4 per cent.

  My Department is playing its part with other interested Departments in fostering these improvements by helping rural economies to diversify and generate new jobs through support for local enterprise agencies, encouragement of rural enterprise, our enterprise, employment and training measures.

  Food (Retail Price Index)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which food categories are included in the household food budget for the purposes of measuring the retail price index.

  Mr. Lee
  All categories of food are included in the household budget for the purposes of compiling the retail prices index.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  West Bank and Gaza
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to the Israeli Government on the security situation in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Israeli Government are well aware of our continuing concern at the unrest in the occupied territories and their response to it.

  Mr. Terry Waite
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any recent information on the whereabouts of Mr. Terry Waite; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We continue to receive many rumours about Terry Waite's whereabouts. Wherever practicable they are analysed and followed up, but to date none of them has yielded any firm or reliable information.

  Beirut Hostages
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts have been made with the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the locations, safety and fate of British hostages being held in Beirut.

  Mr. Eggar
  The International Committee of the Red Cross cannot be involved in negotiations with captors but would act as a channel if necessary as part of arrangements agreed by others. No claim has been made by those holding the British hostages. A formal ICRC role is not therefore feasible, although Her Majesty's embassy in Beirut has informal contact with the local ICRC representative.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any discussions have taken place with other Governments whose nationals are held hostage in Beirut, Lebanon, on establishing a common strategy for dealing with the kidnappers.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have worked hard with our partners and allies to formulate a common policy in dealing with terrorism. All our European partners gave a firm undertaking at the European Council in December 1986 not to make concessions under duress to terrorists or their sponsors. At the Venice economic summit in June 1987, Heads of State and Government confirmed their commitment to the same principle.

  Hong Kong (Human Rights)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application after 30 June 1997 of each of those international human rights conventions and other agreements that(a) do and (b) do not currently apply in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Joint Declaration on the queston of Hong Kong provides that"The provisions of the international covenant on civil and political rights and the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights as applied to Hong Kong shall remain in force".

  It is our understanding that the Chinese Government will make provision in the Basic Law for the future Hong Kong special administrative region, which they are currently drafting, to give effect to this undertaking in the joint declaration.

  Should further relevant conventions be extended to Hong Kong before 1997, we, together with the Chinese Government, would need to consider their continued application to Hong Kong after 30 June 1997.

  Hong Kong (ILO Conventions)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application after 30 June 1997 of each of those International Labour Organisation conventions that(a) do and (b) do not currently apply in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  It has been agreed in the Sino-British joint liaison group that relevant international labour conventions which currently apply to Hong Kong shall continue to apply to the Hong Kong SAR. Should further international labour conventions need to be applied to Hong Kong before then, we, together with the Chinese Government, would need to discuss the matter.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West, on plutonium,Official Report, 20 January, column 721, he expects to conclude consideration of the representations he has received from 20/20 Television.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is proposing to offer 20/20 Television a meeting with appropriate officials.

  Crown Prerogative
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what directions he has given to officials in United Kingdom dependent territories on the exercise of the right of Crown prerogative in the course of their duties.

  Mr. Eggar
  The constitutional arrangements for each territory vary. It is not possible to give a general account of the position in relation to the exercise of the royal prerogative in the various dependent territories.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present nine meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for February.

  The Internal Market Council meets on 2 February to discuss a number of measures relevant to the completion of the single European market.

  On 2 February, European Community and European Free Trade Association Ministers will meet to discuss mutual co-operation in tackling trade barriers as the European Community makes progress on completion of the single market.

  The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 9 February to discuss the Commission's proposals on the liberalisation of capital movements.

  The Agriculture Council is expected to meet on 8–9 February to discuss hormones (article 7 derogation); beef balance sheets for 1988; an amendment to the rules for granting olive oil production aid and the setting of the percentage of aid which may be retained by producer organisations to cover expenses.

  The European Council, which will be held in Brussels on 11–12 February, will concentrate on the Community's financial situation, including the reform of the common agricultural policy.

  The Foreign Affairs Council meets on 22–23 February to discuss preparations for the forthcoming meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Central American and Contadora group countries; and the commitment made at Punta del Este concerning the rollback of existing restrictions that are inconsistent with the GATT.

  The Budget Council will meet on 23–24 February to continue discussions on the establishment of a draft budget for 1988.

  The Fisheries Council meets on 29 February to consider discussions between the European Community and Morocco on a fisheries agreement; European Community tariff quotas; amendments to the marketing regime; and technical conservation.

  The fourth in a series of meetings between European Community, Central American and Contadora group Foreign Ministers will be held from 29 February to 1 March. Discussions will cover the whole range of the Community's relations with Central America and, in particular, progress on the peace process.

  Hong Kong (Animal Welfare)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the level of export of black rhino horn from Hong Kong in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 January 1988]: In the past five years only one export licence for rhino horn has been issued; this was in early 1984, for the export to Taiwan of 51 kg of black rhino horn which came from stock held since before the convention on international trade in endangered species came into effect. A total ban on export of all rhino products, including horn, has been in force since 1 April 1986.
  470
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government permit the sale of black rhino horn in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 January 1988]: Only black rhino horn which comes from stock held since before the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES) came into effect is permitted for sale in Hong Kong. Following the adoption by the Hong Kong Government of a CITES resolution in July 1987, the Hong Kong Government are to impose a total ban on the internal sale of rhino horn in July this year.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the importation into Hong Kong of black rhino horn in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 January 1988]: Hong Kong has banned the import of all rhino products, including horn, since 1979.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the importation of rare and endangered species into Hong Kong for gastronomic purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 January 1988]: The Hong Kong Government take their responsibilities under the convention on international trade in endangered species very seriously. The import, export, or possession of endangered species, whether alive, dead, parts or derivatives, are prohibited except when authorised by licence. Licences for rare and endangered species that could conceivably be used for gastronomic purposes are issued only to bona fide conservationist organisations to facilitate the exchange of specimens for breeding purposes. No licences have been issued to permit the consumption of such specimens and none will be.

  To prevent the illegal importation of rare and endangered species, the Hong Kong Government conduct checks at points of entry and follow up these checks with inspections in markets and restaurants throughout the territory. The Hong Kong Government are at present conducting a review of these measures to see whether they can be made more effective.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in Hong Kong are employed to inspect local restaurants to ensure that endangered species of animals are not served as food.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1988, c. 498]: The Agricultural and Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong Government employ five full-time inspectors whose duties include making inspections and spot checks at markets and restaurants in Hong Kong to ensure that endangered species are not served as food.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the reply of 13 January,Official Report, column 285, he will give details of the 14 seizures made in 1987 by the authorities in Hong Kong following inspections at local restaurants.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1988, c. 498]: Following inspection of local restaurants to check

  471
  for contravention of the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance, Cap. 187, the 14 seizures made in 1987 comprised five pangolins, 18 birds of prey, 16 giant salamanders and 12 bear paws.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the reply of 13 January,Official Report, column 285, he will give details of the 136 seizures made in 1987 by the authorities in Hong Kong of illegally imported animals and plants.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1988, c. 498]: The 136 seizures made in 1987 by Hong Kong officials of illegally imported endangered species comprised 16 pangolins, 117 birds of prey, 24 giant salamanders, 140 kilogrammes of pangolin meat and 2.5 kilogrammes of giant salamander meat.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the reply of 13 January,Official Report, column 285, he will explain why only 80 restaurants were visited in Hong Kong during 1987.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1988, c. 498]: The Hong Kong Government give priority first to the prevention of the illegal importation of endangered species, their parts and products; second, to the control of their commercial shipment under licence where licensing policy allows trade in scheduled specimens; and, third, to carrying out regular random checks of restaurants and markets in order to detect the sale of any such specimens which may have evaded import controls. Eighty such checks were made during 1987. Reports of the illegal trade in scheduled specimens and of the prohibited use of endangered species for food are investigated as they occur. The Hong Kong Government are considering proposals to strengthen their inspection capacity.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  No. 1 Bridge Street
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what are the long-term plans for the use of No. 1 Bridge street.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The building forms part of what is known as the Bridge street, phase II site. The Property Services Agency, with the agreement of the New Building Sub-Committee, has commissioned a detailed design study for the staged development of the whole site. I understand that the results will be made available shortly.

  Meanwhile, when the police recreation area on the ground floor of No. 1 Bridge street is moved to No. 1 Cannon row in 1989, the Parliamentary Works Office will undertake some limited work to enable ITN staff, at present working in Portakabins in Black Rod's Garden, to move into the vacant accommodation.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what agreements exist for civil nuclear waste to be(a) taken into the United Kingdom from other countries
  472
  and (b) taken to other countries from the United Kingdom; and how much waste has been moved under either of these two categories.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No radioactive waste separate from irradiated fuel is imported into the United Kingdom. Irradiated fuel is imported for reprocessing at British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) plant at Sellafield under contracts between BNFL and its customers.

  Since 1965, some 2,050 tonnes of uranium in the form of irradiated magnox fuel and 1,900 tonnes of uranium in the form of irradiated oxide fuel have been imported. The relatively small volume of radioactive waste derived has been stored at Sellafield prior to further treatment.

  Since 1976, BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that these options should be exercised and that the wastes should be returned. No wastes have yet been returned to overseas customers pending the completion of waste treatment facilities at Sellafield.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what plans exist for returning(a) the nuclear wastes, (b) depleted uranium, and (c) plutonium arising from the reprocessing of the 140 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel owned by O.K.G. Aktiebolag of Sweden, currently stored at Sellafield;

  (2) if he will make a statement on current policy for the management of (a) low, (b) intermediate and (c) high level wastes arising from contracts signed pre-1976 with O.K.G. Aktiebolag.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The arrangements for the disposal of all wastes arising from such contracts are set out 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 502–3. Any plutonium to be returned would be subject to the conditions specified in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) to the then hon. Member for Walthamstow, Mr. Deakins, on 16 April 1985, at column 123. Similar arrangements would apply to any depleted uranium arising.

  "Brass Tacks" (Transcript)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek to obtain and place in the Library a copy of the full transcript of the interview he gave to the BBC Television "Brass Tacks" production team for the series broadcast on BBC 2 in October 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No. I understand that the Library obtains transcripts from the broadcasters on behalf of hon. Members.

  Latina Magnox Reactor
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the future of the Latina Magnox reactor exported to Italy and on what opportunities exist for the United Kingdom's decommissioning expertise to be made available to Italy as it closes down its older nuclear reactors.
  473
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that this reactor has been closed. I hope that United Kingdom concerns would be given the opportunity to tender for any future decommissioning contracts.

  Irradiated Spent Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State of Energy what is the cost per tonne of irradiated spent nuclear fuel to be reprocessed for the Central Electricity Generating Board and South of Scotland Electricity Board in the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield; and how these costs compare with those agreed with foreign utilities for imported thermal oxide nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The terms under which business is conducted between BNFL and its customers are a commercial matter between the parties involved. I understand that the terms agreed with the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board are no less advantageous than those agreed with overseas customers.

  British Nuclear Fuels (Staff Retraining)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of the staff retraining programme for British Nuclear Fuels plc, Sellafield required in the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate report, "British Nuclear Fuels Limited, Sellafield, Post Audit progress", December 1987.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The HSE's post-audit report on BNFL Sellafield recognises that improvements have been made by the company in fulfilling the recommendations on training in the original audit report. Both reports are in the Library of the House.

  Nuclear Power Plants (Ministerial Visits)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the number of(a) nuclear power plants, (b) nuclear fuel cycle facilities, (c) fossil fuel plants, (d) fossil fuel processing facilities and (e) renewable energy production and conversion sites he or his predecessor has visited in the United Kingdom since 1979 in each case giving the date and location of the visit.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The information requested covers a period of three Parliaments and four Secretaries of State; it can be produced only at disproportionate costs.

  Electricity Board Reactors (Reprocessed Fuel)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give, as a proportion of spent Magnox fuel deriving from United Kingdom electricity board reactors reprocessed in the period 15 December 1986 to 15 December 1987, the amounts reprocessed in each year from 1980 to 1985.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  For the tonnages of civil spent fuel reprocessed, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 11 December 1985 at columns 638 and 639. 705 tonnes uranium (te u) were reprocessed in 1985–86.

  For the spent Magnox fuel derived from United Kingdom electricity board reactors, I refer the hon.
  474
  Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) on 16 December 1987, at column 516.

  Oil-related Fabrication Work
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will assess the availability and potential during the calendar year 1988 of oil-related fabrication work in the United Kingdom; if he will express that total capacity of availability as a percentage of the total capacity of the United Kingdom fabrication sector; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if, following his recent meeting with a delegation from local authorities within the Highlands, he will assess the availability and potential for oil-related fabrication work in the area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  During the course of 1988 we expect that new contracts for oil-related fabrication work of around 100,000 tonnes will be awarded. This work will come from projects already approved and from others currently under consideration. I am very much aware of the difficulties which the United Kingdom fabrication industry faces and of the continuing overcapacity within it. Virtually all fabrication work for United Kingdom continental shelf development is won by United Kingdom-based companies and United Kingdom yards, including those in the Scottish Highlands. Securing new work will depend on being competitive and maintaining good labour relations.

  Polonium 210 (Windscale Fire)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the first official mention was made of the release of polonium 210 in the 1957 Windscale fire, giving details of the source, date and place of publication.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Two reports which referred to polonium were produced by Atomic Energy Authority employees in 1958. The references are as follows:Stewart N. G. and Crooks R. A., Long-Range Travel of the Radioactive Cloud from the Accident at Windscale. Nature vol. 182 no. 4636 pp627–628.
  Dunstar H. J., Howells H. and Templeton W. L., District Surveys following the Windscale Accident, October 1957.
  Proc 2nd UN Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy vol. 18 pp296–308 (1958).

  Nuclear Installations
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his answer of 22 January on the Radiation Effects Research Foundation report, he will place the National Radiological Protection Board GS-9 document in the Library; what is the membership of the working group advising the Health and Safety Commission: if the remit of this working group includes a re-evaluation of the cost factors in nuclear power investment and the need for any modifications to existing nuclear installations; when the working group plans to report to the Health and Safety Commission; and if the working group's advice will be made available to any planning inquiry into new nuclear power installations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment that the
  475
  Health and Safety Commission's Working Group on Ionising Radiations (WGIR) has the following terms of reference:
  "To consider all matters concerning the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 and related radiation protection matters that are referred to it by the HSE or the Commission and to advise the Commission."

  Members of the working group have been nominated by the CBI, the TUC, local authority interests, the National Radiological Protection Board, Government Departments and professional bodies. Among the issues to be addressed initially by WGIR is what action to recommend the commission to take on the advice on dose limitation provided by national and international bodies. It is expected to have reported to the commission on this by the end of 1988. Wider distribution of any report will be a matter for the commission.

  I am arranging for a copy of the National Radiological Protection Board's GS-9 document to be placed in the Library of the House.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheep
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been and are being taken to ensure that potentially contaminated sheep taken to Staffordshire from restricted areas of Cumbria are being monitored.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Sheep may only be sold out of the restricted area of Cumbria after live monitoring. Those found to be above 1,000 bq/kg must be indentified by clipping on the head and neck and marking with a distinctive long lasting paint of a specified colour. It is an offence to slaughter sheep until all sheep of that specified colour have been released from control or the individual animal has been subsequently live monitored and found to be below the 1,000 bq/kg level. In this case it is identified with a distinctive Ministry ear tag as being no longer under slaughter restriction.

  All slaughterhouse, livestock market and showground operators in Staffordshire have been informed in writing of the details of these controls and any changes to them, correspondence being copied to the local authority.

  Food and Drink Surpluses
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total current volume in sterling of surplus food and drink in the EEC.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  A note setting out the volume of EC intervention stocks of agricultural commodities is deposited in the Library of the House and updated monthly. The estimated book value of the EC stocks set out in the most recently deposited note is £5·5 billion.

  Milk Marketing Board (Chairman)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend the Minister and I last met the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board on 16 December when we discussed a number of issues of current concern to the dairy industry.

  Beef (Hormones)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations exist for the prevention of the use of hormones in European and British beef; and whether any action is being taken to ensure that beef imported from the United States of America and Canada is also hormone free.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  A ban on the administration of hormones to livestock for fattening purposes imposed by EC directives 81/602 and 85/649 was implemented in all member states by 31 December 1987. Imports from third countries such as the USA and Canada, where hormone growth promoters continue to be used, are, however, authorised until 31 December 1988.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Shooting Range, Bruslee
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what investigations were undertaken by the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture into the potential effects on the livelihood of local farmers of the establishment of a military shooting range at Bruslee, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim.

  Mr. Viggers
  None. I understand that it would have been for the local council, from which the land was leased, to take account of local issues relating to the project.

  Rents
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what increase in rents is proposed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; what reason has been given for this increase; what is its relation to the current rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The Housing Executive's proposals for rental income in 1988–89 will be finalised as part of its annual budget which I expect to receive for approval at the end of February. However, the housing expenditure figures for 1988–89 which I announced in November last assumed that Housing Executive rents would rise by 9·2 per cent. from April 1988, subject to confirmation of a similar increase in England and Wales. This would maintain the recent policy of applying to Housing Executive rents the same increase, in percentage terms, as in England and Wales and would represent a rise of about 5 per cent. above the rate of inflation.

  Building Control
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to require applicants who seek planning permission to obtain certification that plans meet building control regulations before proceeding.

  Mr. Needham
  No. Not all classes of building work require planning permission and for those which do it would introduce unreasonable and unnecessary delay without adding significantly to the effectiveness of building regulations.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the numbers of new properties completed and occupied before plans have been
  477
  amended to meet building control regulations; and if he will take steps to ensure that district council building control officers are able to obtain amendments to incomplete plans submitted in a reasonable time after request.

  Mr. Needham
  None. Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained and compiled only at disproportionate cost. Neither the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 nor the regulations made under it require applicants to submit amended drawings within a prescribed period. I have at present no intention of introducing legislation prescribing such a period.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of plans submitted to district councils in Northern Ireland have required amendment before approval could be granted under building control regulations in each of the last three years.

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

  Ballyeasborough Primary School
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the enrolment at Ballyeasborough primary school in each of the past 10 years; why it is proposed to close the school; which school in the district has the facilities to accommodate the children of Ballyeasborough; and if he will make a statement on the future provision of primary education for children from Ballyeasborough district in the Ards peninsula.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Enrolments at 31 December were as follows:

  Number

  1978

  58

  1979

  61

  1980

  65

  1981

  67

  1982

  59

  1983

  49

  1984

  48

  1985

  51

  1986

  51

  1987

  58

  In May 1985, the Department of Education approved the formal development proposal to close Ballyeasborough primary school when Victoria primary school, Ballyhalbert, is rebuilt with appropriate extended permanent accommodation. In making this proposal the South Eastern education and library board had regard to the substandard accommodation at both schools, and to the future projected enrolments at both schools which fell short of the recommended viability level for a rural primary school.

  The new accommodation for Ballyhalbert primary school will cater for 91 to 123 pupils. It is expected that some of the Ballyeasborough pupils will transfer to Portavogie primary school.

  Funds have been made available for the new accommodation to be provided at Ballyhalbert, and building work is due to commence his month.

  RUC (Allegations Against Officers)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, the subject of allegations made by Mr. Chan Hok-Chun and Mr. Hui Yat-Chi, continue to be suspended from duty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stanley
  The question of suspension of a police officer is a matter for the Chief Constable of the RUC. But I understand one officer continues to be suspended from duty.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what disciplinary action is to he taken against Royal Ulster Constabulary officers subject to inquiries into allegations made by Mr. Chan Hok-Chun and Mr. Hui Yat-Chi; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stanley
  I understand, that the RUC's investigation is not completed and that no decision has so far been taken.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd),Official Report, column 201, from where he anticipates that the prisoners accounting for the anticipated rise in the number of inmates at Maghaberry from 38 to 100 by mid-February will be drawn.

  Mr. Stanley
  The number of inmates at Maghaberry (male) prison has now risen to 93. These prisoners have been drawn from Maze, Magilligan and Belfast prisons.

  Belfast City Council (High Sheriff)
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grounds Belfast city council have given for declining to nominate a high sheriff for 1987 and 1988, respectively.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 28 January 1988]: No grounds were given.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Community Care
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Sociial Services, when he now expects to receive and publish Sir Roy Griffiths' review on the future development of community care.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand that Sir Roy hopes to complete his review shortly. Issues arising from it, including publication, will then be considered.

  Maternity Allowance
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Glasgow, Central constituency claimed maternity allowance for the last year for which figures are available; and how many women are expected to qualify for maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987, assuming that the number of births remains constant.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending 12 January 1988, the latest year for which figures are available, the following
  479
  number of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which now cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous:

  Number

  Bridgeton

  161

  Laurieston

  579

  City

  145

  Rut herglen

  302

  The number of social fund maternity payments made by local offices in the constituency for the period from 6 April 1987 to 12 January 1988 was as follows:

  Number

  Bridgeton

  243

  Laurieston

  321

  City

  205

  Ruthergien

  450

  No separate forecasts were made of the number of women in the constituency likely to qualify for a social fund maternity payment.

  National Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the details of budgeted expenditures on the National Health Service for the West Midlands regional health authority, Bromsgrove and Redditch district authority, and the Worcester district health authority, for 1987–88, 1987–88 (outturn) and 1988–89.

  Mrs. Currie
  In 1987–88 the West Midlands regional health authority received an initial revenue cash limit of £1,114·4 million. Subsequent additions were made as follows:

  £ million

  Following the Government's acceptance of the review body recommendations

  26·6

  From the waiting list fund

  2·9

  For breast cancer screening

  0·2

  Following my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Health's announcement of additional funding for 1987–88 on 16 December

  6·7

  Outturn figures for 1987–88 will not be available until later this year. The region's initial revenue cash limit for 1988–89 is £1,213·8 million. Allocations to the Bromsgrove and Redditch and Worcester district health authorities are a matter for the West Midlands regional health authority.

  Hospitals (Building and Maintenance Costs)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services which hospitals built in the last 10 years have needed more than £1 million of remedial or maintenance expenditure in any one year; and how much has been spent on them.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information held centrally on hospital building schemes in England shows only one instance of expenditure in one year of over £1 million on the remedy of defects: building and engineering costs of reinstatement of the cardiac wing of Great Ormond street hospital are currently estimated at £17 million. Litigation continues in respect of claims for the recovery of these costs.

  Annual maintenance expenditure of over £1 million is incurred on most hospitals over about 500 beds but the inquiries necessary for a breakdown between remedial and
  480
  routine work could not be made without disproportionate cost. If my hon. Friend has any particular hospital in mind I would be glad to inquire for him.

  National Health Service Staff
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total numbers in whole-time equivalent of(a) directly-employed National Health Service staff and (b) hospital nursing and midwifery staff in England for 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  The available information is given in the table.

  National Health Service staff in post in England at 30 September 1986

  Whole-time equivalents1

  Total Directly Employed Staff2

  801,600

  Hospital Nursing and Midwifery Staff3

  354,700

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

  1 Figures are independently rounded to nearest one hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  2 Excludes locum medical and dental and agency nursing and midwifery staff.

  3 Includes agency nursing and midwifery staff.

  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many were employed in the National Health Service as doctors, nurses, administrators, cleaners and other staff in 1961, 1971, 1981 and at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Newton
  Doctors, nurses, administrators, cleaners and other staff have been interpreted as

  Medical and Dental

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Administrative and Clerical

  Ancillary

  Others

  Such information as is available is shown in the table. Figures for 1961 are not held centrally.

  NHS staff in post in England

  At 30 September

  Whole time equivalents1

  71971

  1981

  1986

  Medical and Dental2

  29,500

  41,000

  43,200

  Nursing and Midwifery3

  285,400

  391,800

  402,700

  Administrative and Clerical

  70,400

  108,800

  111,400

  Ancillary4 5

  168,000

  172,200

  124,300

  Others5 6

  76,300

  110,600

  120,000

  Total directly employed staff

  629,500

  824,400

  801,600

  Source: DHSS Annual Censuses of NHS Medical and Non-Medical Manpower

  1 Figures are independently rounded to nearest one hundred (100) whole time equivalents.

  2 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff.

  3 Includes agency staff. Figures not adjusted to take account of the reduction in nurses contractual hours (from 40 to 371 per week) during 1980–81.

  4 Includes staff in cleaning/domestic, catering, portering and other ancillary areas of work.

  5 On 1 April 1984 operating department assistants transferred from ancillary to professional and technical staff group. Figures not adjusted to take account of this change.

  6 Includes professional and technical, works, maintenance and ambulance staff.

  7 Due to the effects of the 1974 reorganisation some staffing figures for 1971 may not be on a consistent basis with those for 1981 and 1986.

  Nurses (Pay)
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out for the various grades of nurses in the National Health Service the current salary scales inclusive of London weighting; what is the procedure for pay review; and what is the current progress with this.

  Mr. Newton
  The pay of nursing staff, midwives and health visitors is determined on the recommendations of the independent review body appointed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in 1983. The review body is currently taking oral and written evidence from the Health Departments and staff side and is expected to report in the spring.

  Current salary scales for nurses, including the London weighting allowances, are set out in the table.

  Grade

  Salary scale including London Weighting1 £per annum

  Student nurse

  5,470; 5,665; 6,100.

  Nursing Auxiliary

  5,495; 5,705; 5,915; 6,125; 6,345; 6,565; 6,785

  Enrolled Nurse

  7,180; 7,430; 7,680; 7,930; 8,180; 8,530; 8,680

  Staff Nurse

  8,230; 8,490; 8,750; 9,010; 9,270; 9,530.

  Sister II

  9,930; 10,430; 10,930; 11,430; 11,930; 12430; 12,930.

  Senior Nurse 7

  11,780; 12,320; 12,860; 13,400; 13,940; 14,480

  1In addition nurses receive extra payments for working unsocial hours and overtime.

  Abortions
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of those who have had abortions since 1967 have subsequently had psychiatric treatment.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret this information is not available.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service abortions took place in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  The statistics of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 identify the category of premises where the operation took place. The table shows the number of abortions carried out in National Health Service premises, and for residents of England and Wales only the number of 'agency' abortions on National Health Service patients.

  Number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 performed (a) in National Health Service premises, residents and non-residents and (b) in non-National Health Service premises on National Health Service patients under 'agency' arrangements, residents only.

  England and Wales 1985 to 1987

  Year

  (a) National Health Service premises

  (b) non-National Health Service 'Agency'

  1985

  65,254

  5,919

  1986

  67,529

  6,819

  19871

  33,695

  3,819

  1 January to June inclusive (provisional).

  'Agency' gives the number of operations on National Health Service patients undertaken through arrangements between certain National Health Service authorities and the private sector. For National Health Service premises, an unknown number of operations are carried out on non-National Health Service patients.
  482
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the names of the 12 clinics which performed the most abortions in 1986 on foreign women with pregnancies of more than 17 weeks gestation, and the percentage of total abortions of more than 17 weeks gestation, and the percentage of total abortions of more than 17 weeks gestation on foreign women that the abortions performed by each clinic represent.

  Mr. Newton
  For reasons of maintaining confidentiality, statistics relating to individual premises are not released.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors and nurses were engaged on National Health Service abortions in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

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

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will expand on his statement during the report stage of the Social Security Bill,Official Report, 13 January, column 384, in relation to the protection of severely disabled people after the April social security changes by pursuing a solution that will depend on the voluntary sector.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 19 January 1988 at column 685.

  Ministerial Visit (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to visit Cornwall to see local hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  Not at present. Ministers do, however, frequently visit health authorities, and the last such visit to Cornwall was in August 1986.

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide a breakdown of the extra £220 million to be spent in income support in 1988–89 after transitional protection, referred to in the Official Report of 19 November 1987, column 1250, into claimant groups (a) including and (b) excluding compensation for the 20 per cent. contribution to rates.

  Mr. Scott
  The breakdown of the extra £220 million is as follows:

  Extra spending (£million)

  Pensioners age 80+

  +20

  Pensioners age 60–79

  +30

  Sick or disabled

  +50

  Lone parents

  +80

  Couples with children

  +50

  Others

  -10

  Total

  +220

  The £220 million includes compensation for the 20 per cent. contribution to rates. This figure cannot therefore he broken down excluding that compensation.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled pensioners currently receiving supplementary benefit who will not qualify for
  483
  the higher pensioner premium will receive transitional protection under the structural reform of social security benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. All claimants aged 80 or more will receive the higher pension premium, as will an estimated 130,000 claimants aged between 60 and 79 years. A total of 380,000 pensioners aged less than 80 who will not qualify for the higher penioner premium will receive transitional protection, but this protection will not always arise from needs associated with disablement; other factors are involved. We will look again at the detail of the premiums for disabled people when the results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey are known.

  Negligence
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many cases of negligence or breach of statutory duty have been brought against(a) his Department and (b) health authorities in the last three years; whether such claims were covered by insurance; how much money was paid on settlement; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what requirements are placed by his Department on regional and district health authorities to insure against negligence or breach of statutory duty.

  Mrs. Currie
  Neither the Department nor health authorities insure against claims relating to negligence or breach of statutory duty but carry their own risks.

  The total compensation payments by health authorities for the last three years, including compensation for injuries to persons, damages to property and damages for unfair dismissal were as follows.

  £

  Cases

  1984–85

  5,538,597

  3,397

  1985–86

  8,454,202

  3,702

  1986–87

  11,469,925

  4,244

  Settlements by the Department in respect of claims for personal injury to members of staff and the public in their dealings with social security local offices were

  £

  Cases

  1984–85

  28,000

  14

  1985–86

  48,000

  26

  1986–87

  23,000

  19

  (Excludes small claims settled locally).

  Figures are not routinely collected on cases where no payment is made.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing income support expenditure in 1988–89 broken down into claimant groups as in table 8b in the "Estimated Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-related Benefits" which will receive(a) more and (b) less than if supplementary benefit had continued with a normal uprating (i) including and (ii) excluding the compensation for 20 per cent. contribution to rates.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is as follows:484

  (a)Income support more than supplementary benefit

  Income support less than supplementary benefit

  Total

  (i) Including rates compensation (£ million) Pensioners

  Singles

  510

  200

  710

  Couples

  340

  130

  470

  Non-pensioners with children

  Lone parents

  1,250

  380

  1,630

  Couples

  1,720

  160

  1,880

  Non-pensioners without children

  Single age 25+

  1,040

  270

  1,310

  Single age <25

  650

  360

  1,010

  Couples

  80

  330

  410

  Total

  5,590

  1,830

  7,420

  (ii) Excluding rates compensation (£ million) Pensioners

  Singles

  310

  300

  610

  Couples

  260

  190

  450

  Non-pensioners with children

  Lone parents

  1,020

  580

  1,600

  Couples

  1,550

  290

  1,840

  Non-pensioners without children

  Single age 25+

  610

  650

  1,260

  Single age <

  25

  30

  950

  980

  Couples

  40

  360

  400

  Total

  3,820

  3,320

  7,140

  These figures take no account of transitional protection or estimated expenditure on boarders who are generally to be unaffected.

  Transplant Organs (Register)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has had from Sir Roy Calne, FRS on the need for a register of transplant organs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Edwina Currie
  We have received no representations from Sir Roy Calne, but we are in continuing discussion with the British Transplantation Society about the establishment of a register of transplant operations.

  Bradford Health Authority
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will undertake an immediate inquiry into the impact on patient services in Bradford of cuts in expenditure by Bradford health authority of £2,100,000 by 1989–90;

  (2) what is the latest estimate of Bradford health authority's revenue and capital expenditure for 1987–88; how much non-recurring allocation has been received by Bradford health authority; and whether he expects the authority to be in deficit at the end of the current financial year;

  (3) what requests he has made of Bradford health authority to reduce expenditure in 1988–89 and 1989–90; what deficit on revenue expenditure will accrue in 1988–89 and 1989–90 if no reduction in expenditure is agreed; what

  485
  reduction in revenue expenditure is required in 1988–89 and 1989–90 to avoid deficits arising in each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Allocation of funds, revenue and capital, to Bradford health authority, and any associated monitoring of expenditure, is the responsibility of the Yorkshire regional health authority. The hon. Member may therefore wish to contact the regional health authority chairman for the information he is seeking.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the effect on anticipated deficits of Bradford health authority of each per cent. pay awards which are not met by central Government; how many staff are now employed by the authority; how many staff were employed by the authority in each of the last five years: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The table sets out the number of staff directly employed by Bradford health authority for the years 1982 to 1986, the latest year for which data are centrally available. It is not possible to calculate accurately centrally the cost of each percentage increase of pay awards for individual district health authorities.

  The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Bradford health authority for the information he is seeking.

  NHS Directly Employed Stuff in Post in Bradford District Health Authority

  At 30 September

  Whole equivalents2

  1982

  5,610

  1983

  5,570

  1984

  5,390

  1985

  5,170

  1986

  5,090

  Source: DHSS annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

  1 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. Excludes senior registrars and consultants whose contracts are held by the regional health authority. Includes agency nursing and midwifery staff.

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

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the names of the members of Bradford health authority; when each was appointed and how long each has served; which members receive an annual salary; and what is the annual salary and annual service in days served in each case.

  Mrs. Currie
  The members of Bradford health authority are appointed by the Yorkshire regional health authority and Bradford city council. Details are not held centrally but may be obtained from the chairman of the regional health authority. Health authority members do not receive a salary but are entitled to claim travel and subsistence allowances and, in certain circumstances, to some compensation for loss of earnings.

  Health Services
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he gives to any proposal by a district health authority to reduce treatment to those living in a neighbouring district health authority.
  486
  Mrs. Currie
  The NHS is a national service and general practitioners are free to refer their patients to the consultant they consider most able to benefit their patient. The decision as to whether to accept a referral is a matter for the clinical judgment of the individual consultant. In some instances the consultant may conclude that the patient does not have need for the special services provided by the hospital where he is based and would be more appropriately treated elsewhere. These are not matters where it would be appropriate for us to intervene.

  Coronary Disease
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of sufferers of coronary disease whose final diagnosis resulted from initial detection during the course of a National Health Service sight test in each of the past 10 years.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Disabled Pensioners
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled pensioners claiming for the first time after April who would previously have received a heating addition and domestic requirements addition worth at least £10 will receive less under income support than they would have done under supplementary benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Heating Additions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether supplementary benefits claimants who are tenants of homes built with no fines concrete are entitled to a heating addition.

  Mr. Scott
  Weekly supplementary benefit heating additions are not awarded specifically to claimants who live in homes built with no fines concrete. Heating additions are, however, available to householder claimants if their home is difficult to heat adequately because, for instance, rooms are damp or draughty.

  General Practitioners (Charges)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to introduce charges for patients visiting their general practitioners.

  Mr. Newton
  No.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for 1985, 1986 and 1987(a) the number of paybeds, (b) the number of discharges and deaths of private patients, (c) the average number of paybeds occupied by private patients daily (d) the percentage occupancy for each district health authority and special health authority.

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

  Nurses
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 327, how much money in real terms expressed at constant prices has been spent by health regions on nursing training in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 27 January 1988 at column 264.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services to what factors he ascribes the increase in the average number of persons receiving invalidity benefit from 700,000 in 1982–83 to 995,000 in 1987–88 and the projected rise to 1,120,000 in 1990–91, shown in table 15.6 of Cm 288-II.

  Mr. Scott
  Invalidity benefit case loads are likely to reflect a number of demographic, medical and economic influences. To understand more fully the importance of these various factors in explaining the numbers of invalidity pensioners, the Department has commissioned research by economists at Newcastle-upon-Tyne university and polytechnic. It is hoped that this project will in due course give a clearer indication of the reasons for the recent increases in invalidity benefit case loads.

  Single Payments
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he received the commissioner's decision referred to in his answer of 16 November 1987,Official Report, column 445 and whether, in the light of this decision, he will amend regulations 10 and 10A of the single payments regulations to ensure that single payments for furniture are made where the claimant has become the tenant or owner of an unfurnished home on the date of claim.

  Mr. Scott
  The commissioner's decision referred to is still awaited.

  Benefits
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that severely disabled people who have a combined order book for attendance allowance and another long-term benefit receive as much compensation for the error in the retail prices index as those receiving the same benefits who have two order books; and how many people are in each of these categories.

  Mr. Scott
  Attendance allowance is paid at two rates, of which only the higher rate was affected by the error in the RPI. Because of the difficulty of distinguishing at the post office counter between recipients of the two rates, all AA recipients will be eligible for an ex-gratia payment. Where lower rate AA, received by nearly three fifths of AA recipients, is paid in combination with another long-term benefit, the £8 special payment is likely to compensate fully for any loss suffered. Where higher rate AA is paid with another long-term benefit, the degree of undercompensation will vary with the type of second benefit and the length of time for which the recipient is entitled to both benefits during the period April 1987 to April 1989. In these 488
  circumstances it would not be appropriate to make a second special payment to all recipients of attendance allowance, simply because a small minority may for special reasons receive benefit on two separate order books, both attracting an £8 payment. It is not known how many attendance allowance order books are held separately by claimants also receiving another long-term benefit, but the numbers are likely to be small.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what categories of claimants will have lost more as a result of the error in the retail prices index than the amount of compensation they are to receive; what will be the average net loss per loser and the total net loss for each of these categories; and how much money is to be distributed to charities to make good these losses.

  Mr. Scott
  It is not possible to say with accuracy which claimants will have lost more than the amount of the special payments that they will receive because the flat-rate special payments exercise does not take account of whether claimants have been or would be entitled to benefit for the whole of the two years affected by the error in the retail prices index. Generally speaking, the types of claimants who are likely to be undercompensated are those who receive the higher rate of attendance allowance combined with retirement pension, invalidity benefit, or widow's benefit. In each case the maximum net loss per loser will be about £5. The total net loss for these retirement pensioners will be about £640,000; for the invalidity pensioners about £250,000; and for the widows about £5,000. These net losses will comprise about £900,000 of the sum to be distributed among charities.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much planned expenditure from the social fund for 1989–90 and 1990–91 is for maternity and funeral payments, cold weather payments, community care grants and the excess of leave over repayments, respectively.

  Mr. Scott
  These figures are planning figures and subject to review in the light of experience of running the social fund.

  £ million

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Maternity and funeral payments

  35·2

  36·3

  Exceptionally cold weather payments

  4·5

  4·5

  Community care grants

  60

  60

  Net cost of loans

  39

  39

  Social Workers
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently receiving training in the certificate of qualification in social work; and to what extent this meets the demand for trained social workers.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been advised by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work that the total number of students on training courses leading to the award of the certificate of qualification in social work, in the United Kingdom, was 6,140 in 1986—the latest year for which figures are available. In the same year there were also 3,812 students on schemes leading to the award of the certificate in social service, which is now accepted by the council as a social work qualification.
  489
  The council estimates that an annual intake of 5,000 students is necessary to maintain the current level of qualified social workers. The combined intake of students to CQSW courses and CSS schemes in 1986 was 4,785.

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have been registered as long-term off work due to sickness in the United Kingdom in March, June, September and December for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. The numbers of people who were sick for at least 28 weeks and were in receipt of invalidity benefit at the end of the statistical periods of the last 10 available years is shown in the table.

  Date

  Number

  Great Britain

  4 June 1977

  506,550

  3 June 1978

  559,250

  2 June 1979

  611,000

  31 May 1980

  615,000

  30 May 1981

  632,975

  29 May 1982

  683,507

  2 April 1983

  736,914

  31 March 1984

  797,400

  30 March 1985

  849,300

  5 April 1986

  899,400

  Northern Ireland

  31 May 1977

  26,065

  31 May 1978

  26,190

  31 May 1979

  29,330

  31 May 1980

  30,415

  31 May 1981

  27,415

  31 May 1982

  30,530

  5 April 1983

  33,935

  5 April 1984

  35,160

  5 April 1985

  36,425

  5 April 1986

  38,110

  Windscale Fire
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the recent release of papers, he will review previous ministerial statements to the effect that there is no evidence that anyone in the United Kingdom has died as a result of polonium and other radiactive isotopes released into the atmosphere during the Windscale fire of 1957.

  Mrs. Currie
  All relevant information relating to the health consequences of the Windscale fire was available to Government at the time of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement on 18 April 1983, at column 12.

  NHS (Charges)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is intended that the present review of the National Health Service will consider charges for National Health Service patients receiving treatment in hospitals.

  Mr. Moore
  The review will be wide ranging and fundamental, and concerned with the development of the Health Service to meet the country's needs over many years to come. We do not intend to begin the review by ruling out any proposals for reform. Each will be considered on its merits and, as my right hon. Friend the 490
  Prime Minister said in her reply to the hon. Member on 28 January, at column 313, the Government will consider carefully any submissions put to them.

  So far as hospital charges are concerned, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reiterated on 28 January, at columns 477–78, that the Government will not introduce board and lodging charges for National Health Service patients during the lifetime of this Parliament.

  War Widows
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will use some of the funds made available to correct the error in the retail prices index, as announced to the House on 18 December 1987, to provide extra provision for the more elderly war widows who do not receive Ministry of Defence pensions or other forms of compensation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will use some of its funds made available to correct the error in the retail prices index, as announced to the House on 18 December 1987, to provide extra provision for the more elderly war widows who do not receive Ministry of Defence pensions or other forms of compensation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Payments will be made to war widows to compensate them for the error in the retail prices index. The money available to correct this error could not provide for improvements in war widows pensions provisions.

  Health Checks
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision he is proposing to make with hospitals for pathology and X-ray tests, in the light of the proposal in the White Paper, "Promoting Better Health", that patients newly registering with the National Health Service have a health check.

  Mr. Newton
  It will be for the family doctor to decide whether pathology and X-ray tests are needed, but it is unlikely there will be many such instances. We do not therefore envisage the need for special provision in hospitals for this purpose.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of patients awaiting(a) urgent and (b) non-urgent treatment in (i) Leeds Eastern health authority and (ii) Leeds Western health authority on the latest available figures; and if he will give the figures for the previous six and 12 months, respectively.

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

  War Pensioners
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to ensure that war pensioners have rights of appeal to independent tribunals, comparable with those of social security claimants.

  Mr. Scott
  Most pensioners already have a right of appeal to an independent Pensions Appeals Tribunal
  491
  against decisions about their entitlement to war pension and their level of assessment. If they are dissatisfied with a decision about which there is no statutory right of appeal, they may ask at any time for it to be reviewed by the Secretary of State and can ask their local war pensions committee to make representations on their behalf. War pensions committees are statutorily empowered to hear and consider such complaints and to make representations to the Secretary of State. I am satisfied that these longstanding arrangements operate satisfactorily to safeguard the interests of war pensioners.

  Neonatal Units (Staffing)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each year since 1976, for

  National Health Service nursing and midwifery staff by grade: Special Care Baby Units1 2 by regional health authority as at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalents3

  Sisters

  Staff nurses and midwives

  Other nursing staff4

  Region

  1981

  1986

  1981

  1986

  1981

  1986

  Northern

  35

  52

  31

  53

  42

  55

  Yorkshire

  28

  72

  28

  79

  28

  69

  Trent

  69

  90

  60

  117

  131

  144

  East Anglian

  25

  30

  48

  55

  46

  40

  North West Thames

  40

  65

  31

  59

  69

  73

  North East Thames

  22

  41

  23

  48

  29

  31

  South East Thames

  17

  56

  25

  72

  20

  85

  South West Thames

  22

  31

  18

  35

  29

  28

  Wessex

  20

  43

  29

  74

  34

  53

  Oxford

  21

  43

  31

  75

  28

  43

  South Western

  40

  47

  65

  92

  50

  50

  West Midlands

  27

  108

  19

  96

  81

  186

  Mersey

  50

  40

  14

  33

  65

  49

  North Western

  56

  109

  16

  76

  63

  108

  London post-graduate special health authorities

  —

  10

  —

  17

  —

  11

  England

  471

  834

  439

  981

  714

  1,023

  Source: DHSS Annual census of National Health Service non-medical manpower.

  1 Excludes Agency staff.

  2 Occupation codes identifying the Special Care Baby Unit area of work were introduced in 1981 therefore some of the apparent increases in staff in this area of work during this period may be partially due to improvements in coding.

  3 Figures are independently rounded to the nearest whole-time equivalent.

  4 Includes Enrolled nurses, Auxiliaries and other unqualified nursing staff.

  5 Includes Senior Nurses/Midwives.

  Sheffield Health Authority
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the increases in medical, nursing and dental staff, whole-time equivalents for Sheffield health authority for the period 1979 to the latest year available; and what are the equivalent figures for England as a whole.

  Mrs. Currie
  Such information as is available is shown in the table.

  National Health Service medical and dental and nursing and midwifery staff in post in Sheffield district health authority and England— at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalents1

  Change 1979 to 19862

  Change 1982 to 19862

  Medical and dental staff

  1979

  1982

  1986

  Whole-time equivalents

  Percentage

  Whole-time equivalents

  Percentage

  Sheffield district health authority3

  n/a

  630

  680

  n/a

  n/a

  60

  +8·7

  England4

  38,990

  41,460

  43,250

  4,260

  +10·9

  1,790

  +4·3

  492
  each neonatal unit in England (a) the number of sister posts, (b) the number of staff nurses or staff midwives, (c) the number of support nursing staff including nursing nurses and nursing auxiliaries and (d) the number of medical staff with specific commitment to neonates.

  Mr. Newton
  Information to this level of detail is not collected centrally for medical staff and is available for nursing and midwifery staff in each district health authority only from September 1981 but this could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Information by regional health authority for 1981 and 1986 is given in the table.

  Because of the effects of the 1982 National Health Service reorganisation figures for Sheffield district health authority for the years prior to 1982 are not available on a consistent basis with those for 1982 and later years.

  Senior registrars' contracts are held by the regional health authority. The district health authority where these staff work cannot be identified centrally. There will therefore be more doctors and dentists actually working in Sheffield district health authority than are accounted for in the table.
  493

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

  2 Changes and percentages calculated on unrounded whole-time equivalents.

  3 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff but excludes senior registrars whose contracts are held by the regional health authority.

  4 Includes all permanent paid, honorary and locum staff.

  Source: DHSS annual census of NHS medical manpower.

  Nursing and midwifery staff

  Whole-time Equivalents1

  Change 1979 to 19862

  Change 1982 to 19862

  1979

  1982

  1986

  Wte

  Per cent.

  Wte

  Per cent.

  Sheffield DHA3

  n/a

  6,090

  6,330

  n/a

  n/a

  240

  +3·9

  England34

  358,450

  397,080

  402,690

  44,240

  +12·3

  5,610

  +1·4

  Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

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

  2Changes and percentages calculated on un-rounded whole-time equivalents.

  3 Includes agency staff.

  4 Figures not adjusted to take account of the reduction in nurses contractual hours (from 40 to 37·5 per week) during 1980–81.

  Blood Donors
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the proportion and number of adults in England and Wales that would be suitable for blood donation;

  (2) what proportion and number of suitable adults give blood in England and Wales;

  (3) what proportion and number of suitable adults are needed to give blood to make England and Wales self-sufficient in blood and blood-derived products;

  (4) whether he will consider reducing the period between permitted donations of blood to four months from six, to ease the shortage of blood and blood-derived products, and to make England and Wales self-sufficient; and if he will make a statement;

  Mr. Newton
  We are already self-sufficient in whole blood. The new £60 million blood products laboratory at Elstree is now on stream and we expect England and Wales to become self-sufficient in blood products next year. Regional health authorities have been set targets to ensure that the necessary amount of plasma is collected for fractionation in the new laboratory.

  Plasma may either be collected from donors directly by plasmapheresis at intervals of a few weeks, or may be extracted from blood donations generally given twice a year. Guidance on the frequency of donation is kept under review.

  It is not possible simply to relate the number of plasma donations required to the number of donors. A total of about 2·2 million blood and plasma donations were given in 1986. The theoretical eligible donor population is estimated at 27 million but medical restrictions would reduce this total.

  Homeless Persons
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations his Department has received from organisations and individuals concerning the consequences for the general health service of resettling homeless persons outside their own borough; and what response has been made to those representations.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 3 December 1987]: We have been unable to trace any representations about resettling homeless persons outside their own borough but the Association of Metropolitan Authorities has written
  494
  about homelessness in London. The association has asked for a meeting and I have arranged to see them, together with appropriate health authority representatives.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, how many pensioner households he estimates to be eligible for exceptionally severe weather payments.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The number of pensioner householders aged 65 or over in the United Kingdom who are eligible for exceptionally cold weather payments is as follows:

  Number

  Scotland

  88,000

  England

  779,000

  Wales

  56,000

  Northern Ireland

  33,000

  Source: 1986 Annual Statistical Enquiry (Great Britain).

  1986 Annual Statistical Enquiry (Northern Ireland).

  Note: These figures exclude claimants with capital in excess of £500.

  Pensioners (Savings)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, how many pensioners on supplementary pensions he estimates to have savings of £500 or more.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 14 December 1987]: The number of claimants in the United Kingdom in receipt of supplementary pension (that is men aged 65 or over and women aged 60 or over) who have savings in excess of £500 is as follows:

  Number

  Scotland

  38,000

  England

  530,000

  Wales

  26,000

  Northern Ireland

  10,000

  Source: 1986 Annual Statistical Enquiry (Great Britain).

  1986 Annual Statistical Enquiry (Northern Ireland)

  Paediatric Intensive Care Nurses
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what conveniently available figures he has for the shortage of paediatric intensive care nurses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 18 January 1988]: Nationally, the total number of nursing and midwifery staff, including qualified and unqualified staff, in special care baby units and paediatric intensive care has increased by some 157 per cent. between September 1981 and September 1986; from 1,260 to 3,220 in whole-time equivalent terms. Work is in hand to establish a post-basic
  496
  paediatric intensive care nursing course in Birmingham. It is expected to commence later this year and will be the first of its kind outside London.

  The new grading structure for nurses to be introduced later this year will offer better pay and career prospects in clinical nursing for those who take on heavier responsibilities or who specialise in areas such as paediatric intensive care. It is expected that this will help to improve recruitment and retention.

  Recruitment and post-basic nurse training are the responsibility of health authorities. Information on shortages is not collected centrally on a routine basis. However, the results of a recent survey by the regional health authorities, undertaken for the nurses' pay review body, are expected shortly.

TRANSPORT

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Neale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much capital spending on trunk roads has increased since 1978–79.

  Mr. Channon
  Actual capital expenditure in 1978–79 was £327 million. Planned capital expenditure for 1987–88 is £893 million. This represents an increase in real terms of 34 per cent. at 1985–86 prices.

  Vehicle Mileage (Motorways)
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the percentage change in vehicle mileage on motorways in England since 1982.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The figure for Great Britain is about 70 per cent.

  Roll-on/Roll-off Ferries
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the progress on international arrangements to improve the safety of roll-on/roll-off ferries.

  Mr. Channon
  Yes. Following wide-ranging consultations, the United Kingdom has submitted, to the International Maritime Organisation, two sets of proposed amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea 74–78 convention. The first set will be considered for adoption in April.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the consultants employed by his Department to consider the safety of roll-on/roll-off ferries.

  Mr. Channon
  In the past three years my Department has obtained the services of what is now British Maritime Technology Ltd.;Lloyd's Register of Shipping; Newcastle university; and one consortium, comprising Lloyd's Register of Shipping, Ocean Fleets Ltd. and the General Council of British Shipping.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive interim reports on the structural safety of roll-on/roll-off ferries.

  Mr. Channon
  The report of the court of formal investigation into the capsize of the Herald of Free Enterprise included in its longer-term recommendations a proposal that there should be urgent investigations to find methods of improving the survivability of ro-ro ferries if the hull was breached. We intend to complete the first phase of this work by the end of this year.

  BR (Fares Policy)
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, when he next meets the chairman of British Rail, he will raise with him the fares policy of British Rail.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. The level and structure of rail fares are matters for British Rail to decide within the general objectives we have set it.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of London Regional Transport.

  Mr. Channon
  This Thursday, 4 February.

  Vehicle Mileage
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the percentage change in vehicle mileage on roads in England since 1982.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  22 per cent.

  South Dorset (M5)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received in favour of improving road links between south Dorset and the M5.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have three schemes on the trunk road sections of the route. Two of these, A303 Ilminster bypass and A5 Dorchester bypass, are due to be completed in the summer and autumn respectively. The third scheme, A303 Ilchester-South Petherton, should start construction in the second half of this year. Dorset and Somerset county councils also have their own programmes of major road improvements and aim to bring the rest of this route up to a satisfactory standard.

  Heavy Lorries
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the introduction of heavier lorries.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the introduction of heavier lorries.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the maximum weight of heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There are no plans to change the maximum permitted weight of 38 tonnes.

  LRT (Ticketing Systems)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has met the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss the safety implications of planned London Regional Transport investment in automatic ticketing systems.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. London Underground Limited is responsible for the design of this system and its safe operation. I have no reason to believe that the system, for which financial approval was given in 1985, is unsafe. If the hon. Lady has a particular cause of concern perhaps she will write to me.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of planned London Regional Transport capital investment is devoted to the installation of automatic ticketing systems.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  12 per cent. in the financial year 1988–89.

  West German Minister of Transport
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met his West German counterpart; and what was the content of their discussions.

  Mr. Channon
  I visited Dr. Warnke in Bonn on 25 November, when we discussed prospects for the December Transport Council and transport issues likely to arise during the German presidency of the European Community. We also met at the Transport Council itself.

  Fenchurch Street Station
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many letters he has received from the general public about British Rail's services to Fenchurch street station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We have received about 20 such letters since my right hon. Friend took up his present appointment. The management of the railway is a matter for British Rail. It is working hard to improve the quality of services to Fenchurch street.

  London Underground (Ticketing Systems)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning plans by London Underground Ltd. to install automatic ticketing systems.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The design and safety of this system is the responsibility of the London Underground, but I am informed that the new ticket gates will provide more passenger openings than the traditional barrier line, and in the event of emergency can quickly be set to a fully open position either locally or from the central command station at Baker street. In addition they are designed to be fail-safe in the event of a sudden loss of power or air supply, allowing passengers to push through easily and rapidly. Reports of wire mesh cages are entirely false.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the safety implications of the installation of automatic ticketing systems on the London underground.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have been made aware of the features being provided as part of the new underground ticketing system to ensure its effective and safe operation in the event of an emergency.

  Drink-Driving
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the comparable effects of(a) the 1987 Christmas drink and driving campaign and (b) the 1986 campaign.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  1987 saw increased media coverage, especially in Scotland, of drinking and driving as news and current affairs. The 1987 campaign reintroduced TV advertising. Preliminary police figures suggest the campaign on the whole had a considerable impact on injuries. Full figures will be published later this year.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what lessons were learnt from the 1987 Christmas anti-drink driving campaign; and if he will make a statement.
  500
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The most important lesson from the Christmas campaign is the value of the contributions made by the private sector, and by editorial coverage and discussion in the media. We particularly welcome and hope to build on the support of the brewing industry.

  What stands out is the fact that advising people to steer clear of alcohol if they are driving and making non-alcoholic drinks attractive and available are more effective measures than arguing about whether testing should be targeted or random.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many major road schemes were completed in 1987.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1987, a total of 28 major road schemes in the national roads programme were completed. The list is as follows:

  M5/M42 Junction (southern turn)

  M63 Stretford-Eccles improvement stage 3

  A1 Baldersby GSJ

  A1 Clifton-Stannington bridge improvement

  A2 Barham crossroads GSJ

  A6 Chapel-en-le-Frith bypass

  Al0 Buntingford bypass

  A11 Wymondham-Cringleford

  Al2 Martlesham bypass

  A19 Ricall and Barlby bypass

  A20 Sidcup bypass

  A30 Exeter-Okehampton stage 3

  A38 Belvedere Cross-Haldon hill GSJ

  A38 Hilliards Cross GSJ

  A39 Bideford bypass

  A43 Brackley bypass

  A43 Towcester bypass

  A47 Peterborough Longthorpe GSJ

  A47 Peterborough Westwood GSJ

  A47 Postwick-Blofield dualling

  A47 Wardley hill improvement

  A52 Barthomley link-M6

  A69 Eighton Lodge junction improvement

  A303 Furze Hedge improvement

  A422 Stratford northern bypass

  A406 South Woodford-Barking relief road

  A435 Evesham bypass

  A596-A595 Thursby bypass

  These schemes have added 72 miles to the network at a total works cost of about £275 million.

  Civil Aviation (Competition Policy)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on his policy on competition in civil aviation.

  Mr. Channon
  The Government remain committed to the policy set out in the 1984 White Paper on airlines competition of encouraging a sound competitive multi-airline industry, promoting competition in all markets, and ensuring adequate safeguards against anti-competitive behaviour.

  Dial-A-Ride
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average number of trips per person per week for London Dial-A-Ride members.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Less than one per week.
  501
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the number of trips per week that those eligible for Dial-A-Ride services should be able to receive.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards encouraging increases in the volume of services provided by Dial-A-Ride services.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Dial-A-Ride services outside London are funded generally from the local authorities' revenue support for passenger transport. The Transport Act 1985 imposes a specific duty on local authorities to have regard to the transport needs of people with disabilities. The execution of this duty is entirely a matter for the local authorities.

  Minibus Services
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence there is of a change in the level of minibus services as a result of deregulation.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Deregulation has strongly encouraged the introduction of minibuses, which served about 40 places at the end of 1985 and more than 250 by the end of 1987.

  Lancashire (Grant)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on Lancashire's transport supplementary grant for 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have received nine letters, eight from hon. Members and one direct from Lancashire county council. I am replying to them individually.

  London (East End)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals his Department has for improving vehicle access through the east end of London to Essex and East Anglia.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There is an extensive package of proposals for improvements through east London to Essex and East Anglia. The A406 South Woodford to Barking relief road opened before Christmas. Subject to the completion of statutory procedures, a link road between the M11 at Redbridge and the A102(M) at Hackney Wick is planned for start of works in 1990. Improvements to the A13 and A127 are also planned.

  A number of studies are also looking into traffic problems in east London. Stage II of the East London assessment study is now under way, with consultants developing a range of options to relieve the transport-related problems of that area. Consultants have been looking into possible improvements to the A13 between Limehouse and Dagenham and the future needs of the A127. A study of the A12 within Essex was also started recently.

  Ports Policy
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has undertaken a review of ports policy recently.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We keep our ports policy under continual review.

  St. Pancras-Sheffield Line
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in view of the disquiet in the communities along the St. Pancras to Sheffield Midland railway line, he will discuss with British Rail the future of that line.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I know of no valid reason why people who use the midland main line should feel any disquiet about its future. The line has an excellent high speed train service which will be improved from next May by extra trains, including one between Sheffield and London, and British Rail has just completed a £25 million programme to modernise its signalling. The future of the line is secure.

  Manchester International Airport
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of development has been approved for Manchester international airport in each of the last eight years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 11 January 1988 at columns 132–33.

  Disabled People (Transport)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to increase the provision of transport for the disabled.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on November 30 at columns 599–602.

  Cycle Lighting
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce a campaign stressing the importance to cyclists of having front and rear lighting on their bicycles during the hours of darkness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We work for increasing cycling safety. Unlit cycles in the dark are a danger to cyclists and other road users.

  The Department continues to distribute free material to local authority road safety officers encouraging cyclists to use adequate lights and clothing so that they can be easily seen. This follows up the regulations requiring new bicycles since October 1985 to carry amber pedal reflectors.

  BA (British Caledonian)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has met the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the implications of British Airways' purchase of British Caledonian.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend frequently meets the chairman of the authority to discuss issues of mutual interest.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the
  503
  implications for the level of Channel tunnel rail services of the currently planned provision of on-train customs facilities for Channel tunnel train services.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Section 12 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 requires on-train controls to be provided on services for destinations beyond London, subject to the railway operators asking for them and providing facilities acceptable to the appropriate Ministers. Discussions are in progress between BR and the Departments concerned.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he has agreed to allow British Rail to invest in the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  As reflected in the latest public expenditure White Paper, we have approved, in principle, a package of investments proposed by the British Railways Board not exceeding £550 million in total to enable Channel Tunnel rail services to commence in 1993. The board is now preparing detailed appraisals of individual elements in the package before final approval can be given.

  British Rail Engineering Ltd.
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary .of State for Transport what discussions he has held with the chairman of British Rail about the future size of the work force in British Rail Engineering Ltd.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with the chairman of British Rail about the future size of the work force in British Rail Engineering Ltd.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with the chairman of British Rail about the future size of the work force in British Rail Engingeering Ltd.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Members to my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) and for Swansea, East (Mr. Anderson).

  Civil Aviation Policy
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss civil aviation policy.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend frequently meets the chairman of the Authority to discuss issues of mutual interest.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to amend his policy on civil aviation, in the light of the purchase of British Caledonian by British Airways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo).

  Population (Thousands)

  1975

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  France

  n/a

  53,880

  53,960

  54,220

  54,730

  54,950

  55,000

  55,000

  West Germany

  n/a

  61,560

  61,670

  61,640

  61,420

  61,180

  61,049

  61,140

  United Kingdom

  56,226

  56,330

  56,352

  56,306

  56,347

  56,460

  56,618

  56,763

  504
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to meet the chairman of British Airways, following its purchase of British Caledonian, to discuss the implications for civil avaition policy.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the chairman of British Airways at the moment.

  Rural Bypasses
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bypasses have been authorised over the last three years; what is their total mileage; and what proportion are proposed as dual carriageway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Since 1 January 1985, orders have been made for 40 bypasses on national roads, with a total length of nearly 170 miles. Of these 15 (37·5 per cent.) are dual carriageway schemes, with a further five (12·5 per cent.) of mixed dual and single carriageway standard.

  London Lorry Traffic
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made of changes in routes and frequency of lorry traffic in London, following the completion of the M25 orbital motorway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Classified traffic counts were taken on all major roads in the vicinity of the M25 motorway in 1987, including those in outer London boroughs. The counts are currently being processed and results will be published in "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1977–1987" in September 1988. Traffic counts of medium and heavy goods vehicles crossing cordons on the London boundary, around inner London and around central London fell by 9 per cent. 6 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively between 1980 and 1986.

  Road Casualty Figures
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the relative road casualty figures in(a) France, (b) West Germany and (c) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Although data on non-fatal injuries are collected in France and West Germany, differences in definitions and the collection mechanisms used mean that valid comparison in casualties is restricted to fatalities.

  The population, fatalities in road accidents as well as fatalities per 100,000 motor vehicles and per 100,000 population in France, West Germany and the United Kingdom in 1975 and 1980 to 1986 are shown in the tables.
  505

  Fatalities in France, West Germany and the United Kingdom: 1975, 1980 to 1986

  1975

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  France

  14,166

  13,499

  13,287

  13,191

  12,728

  12,562

  11,387

  11,947

  West Germany

  14,870

  13,041

  11,674

  11,608

  11,732

  10,199

  8,400

  8,948

  United Kingdom

  6,679

  6,239

  6,069

  6,150

  5,618

  5,788

  5,342

  5,633

  Fatalities per 100,000 motor vehicles: in France, West Germany and the United Kingdom: 1975, 1980 to 1986

  1975

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  France

  79·5

  62·0

  59·1

  56·9

  53·4

  52·1

  46·7

  48·2

  West Germany

  76·9

  52·3

  45·8

  44·8

  44·4

  37·6

  30·2

  30·9

  United Kingdom

  41·0

  34·0

  33·7

  33·3

  29·6

  29·5

  26·6

  27·2

  Fatalities per 100,000 Population: in France, West Germany and the United Kingdom: 1975, 1980 to 1986

  1975

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  France

  n/a

  25·1

  24·6

  24·3

  23·3

  22·9

  20·7

  21·7

  West Germany

  n/a

  21·2

  18·9

  18·8

  19·1

  16·7

  13·8

  14·6

  United Kingdom

  11·9

  11·1

  10·8

  10·9

  10·0

  10·3

  9·4

  9·9

  Bypasses
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses have been built since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A total of 79 bypasses and relief roads have been built since 1979. They represent 40 per cent. of new national road mileage.

  Dartford-Thurrock Crossing
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the implications for the decision to build the Dartford-Thurrock crossing of capacity in the British steel industry.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The 38,000 tonnes of steel which will be required for construction of this proposed new bridge represents a significant potential order for the British steel production and fabrication industry. It would create some 2,500 man years of work most of which would be in the north-east of England and Scotland.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's estimate of the changes in the volume and patterns of traffic using the A2 if the east London river crossing is constructed.

  Mr. Channon
  The Department's estimate, given at the public inquiry into the East London river crossing, was that traffic volume on the A2 would increase by between 15 and 25 per cent. in the area of its junction with ELRC and by about 5 per cent. in the Dartford area.

  Driving Standards
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to improve standards of driving.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are considering ways of achieving higher standards through the tuition given by approved driving instructors to learner drivers. The driving test remains a rigorous test of competence to drive and includes assessment of a candidate's driving behaviour. All drivers should aim to improve their driving 506
  ability throughout their driving careers. We are looking at ways of encouraging people to do so. We will offer appropriate advice.

  London City Airport
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has met the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the London City airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has had no recent meeting with the chairman to discuss London City airport. The chairman did call on him in December to tell him of the possible suspension of flights between London City airport and Paris pending the outcome of an inquiry. That inquiry concluded in January that flights could safely be resumed, and I am pleased to say they are now running normally.

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, when he next meets the chairman of British Rail, he will raise with him the quality of service provided by British Rail's Network SouthEast.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We regularly monitor the quality of service on Network SouthEast services and we discuss it with the chairman as necessary. So far NSE's performance during 1987–88 suggests that quality is generally improving compared with 1986–87. For example, overall reliability and punctuality have been significantly better during much of the year. NSE is also planning major investments to improve quality. For example, it plans to invest about £400 million in new trains over the next five years.

  Motorway Safety
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about current measures designed to improve safety on motorways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 9 November 1987 at column 81.
  507
  In addition, we are now reviewing further measures which could be taken to make motorways safer. My right hon. Friend expects to reach decisions by the spring.

  Uncontrolled Air Space
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many United Kingdom airports operate international commercial flights in uncontrolled air space.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Civil aviation safety regulation is wholly the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I understand from the authority that, of the 35 United Kingdom aerodromes designated as customs and excise airports for international flights, 23 are not located within controlled air space (as defined in article 96 of the Air Navigation Order 1985). International flights may also operate from other aerodromes by special arrangement. Flights taking off or landing at aerodromes located within controlled air space may, nevertheless, pass through uncontrolled air space at some stage in their flight.

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Sackville
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the future development of Manchester airport.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have recently received a number of representations from hon. Members and others about the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on Manchester airport and its possible implications for the airport's development. The report was commissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority in pursuit of its statutory duty to set a condition governing the maximum charges which may be levied by the airport and is a matter entirely for the authority. We have also received representations about the development of air services between Manchester airport and the United States of America. The United States Government undertook to study proposals tabled by the United Kingdom Government last month. They have agreed to respond as quickly as possible.

  Motorway Development
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to speed up the process of motorway development.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The basic motorway network is already largely in place. Its completion is a top priority within our trunk road construction programme; work on the M20 and M40 is proceeding well. The need for further development of the motorway network is monitored. New schemes are added to the programme when justified.

  The White Paper "Policy for Roads in England 1987" added schemes for widening stretches of the M2, M3, M4, M6, M40, M62 and for junction improvements on the M4.

  Pre-construction procedures are also kept under continuous review with the aim of minimising the time taken and improving efficiency.

  Speed Limit Signs
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to begin the experiment, substituting 70 mph speed limit signs for existing signs comprising a black diagonal on a white background; and if he will ensure the experiment is carried out on a major motorway, such as the M25.
  508
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The experiment is already under way at a site on the M1. Traffic speeds are now being measured before the erection of 70 mph limit signs. The signs will come into use in the autumn this year. Speeds will then be studied for a further year to see the effect of the change.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number of bus services in operation in England and Wales operating at the latest available date; and what was the comparative figure in 1985.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Information is not collected on this basis. Local bus mileage in England and Wales increased by 14 per cent. between November 1985 and November 1987.

  Paddington-Heathrow (Rail Services)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding direct electrification of rail services from Paddington to Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We have received a large number of representations following the report on surface access to Heathrow by our consultants, Howard Humphreys and Partners, published in June 1987. These include representations on the possibility of an electrified link between Paddington and Heathrow. All the responses are now being considered and we will be making an announcement in due course.

  New Roads (Design Life)
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current design life of new roads.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  New roads are designed to carry the traffic expected to use them over 40 years, with appropriate maintenance. Capacity provision is related to an economic evaluation covering the first 30 years of use.

  London Bus Services
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of bus services to the public in the Greater London area.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is for London Regional Transport to assess what levels of bus services are adequate in accordance with its statutory duty to secure the provision of public transport services having regard to transport needs in London. LRT plans to improve the overall level of service operated in the coming year.

  Nuclear Material (Transport)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the planned increase in transport of these materials over the next decade, his Department has undertaken any study of the emergency arrangements for(a) ports, (b) cargo airports, (c) railways and (d) roads currently designated for the receipt, export and transport of nuclear materials.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The transport of radioactive materials must comply with regulations based on
  509
  international standards which do not depend for their effectiveness on the designation of particular routes or modes of transport.

  The increase in traffic over the next decade is not expected to raise new issues of principle.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements presently exist at ports registered to receive the import of spent nuclear fuel, or other nuclear materials, physically to check that the contents of the imported containers tally with the accompanying inventory and materials carriage documentation.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Ports do not have to be registered to handle radioactive materials. For safety reasons it is not possible to open containers of radioactive materials in a port area. The containers are subject to checking on loading and again on arrival at their destination.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for copies of the PATRAM 86 conference report on the packaging and transport of radioactive materials, published by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1987, to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the United States Senate decision on the proposed arrangements(a) to airfreight plutonium to Japan and (b) to re-transfer United Kingdom plutonium to Japan en route from Sellafield, stopping off on United States' territory.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I understand that Congress has incorporated into United States law a clause requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in certifying the safety of containers used to transport plutonium by air across United States air space, to include a drop test of a full-scale container from the maximum cruising altitude and the crash of a cargo aircraft fully loaded with such containers, unless the commission is satisfied that the stresses on the containers produced by other tests exceed those which would occur during a worst case accident. Meanwhile the International Atomic Energy Agency is reviewing the international regulations to see whether any changes are required in this area.

  M67-A57 Junction
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce new measures to slow down traffic leaving the M67 in Denton and coming onto the A57 Manchester road and the new roundabout for the M66 motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Traffic leaving the M67 will remain coned down to a single lane until the M66 roundabout opens. This, and construction work on the A57 over the next few months, will help to keep speeds down.

  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  National Bus Company
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the guidelines for the sale of 510
  the National Bus Company's subsidiaries, particularly with respect to any policy regarding the immediate sale or disposal of assets by the purchaser.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  A copy of the National Bus Company's disposal programme is in the Library of the House.

  In general, NBC does not seek to prevent the sale or disposal of particular assets by purchasers of subsidiaries; rationalisation or replacement of assets will often be part of the companies' plans for the successful continuation of bus services.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the undertaking given by Her Majesty's Government during the passage of the Transport Act 1985 relating to the sale of assets by private buyers of National Bus Companies.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I am not aware of any such undertakings.

  Crosville Motor Services
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will refuse to sanction the sale of Crosville Motor Services to Carlton PSV Ltd. without guarantees that Crewe bus station will remain in continuous use as a bus station;

  (2) what undertakings have been received from Carlton PSV Ltd. on the maintenance of suitable bus stations and garages if it is allowed to complete its purchase of Crosville Motors.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  In accordance with its statutory duties the National Bus Company seeks to sell its local bus operating subsidiaries only to parties who will continue to operate bus services. Responsibility for the negotiation of individual sales rests with NBC. We have not yet received NBC's proposals for the sale of Crosville Motor Services, and therefore I cannot speculate on its recommendation or any eventual decision.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the proposed sale of Crosville Motor Services to Carlton PSV Ltd.;

  (2) if he will make it his policy not to approve any recommendation from the National Bus Company for the sale of Crosville Motor Services to Carlton PSV Ltd.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We have not yet received from the National Bus Company any proposals for the sale of its Crosville Motor Services subsidiary. I cannot anticipate or prejudge NBC's recommendation.

  Foreign Lorry Drivers
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign lorry drivers, in the past year, have been involved in road accidents; how many were warned for dangerous driving; and how many were prosecuted.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The nationality of drivers involved in injury accidents is not recorded. The nationality of drivers warned and prosecuted for motoring offences is not available.

  The number of foreign-registered heavy goods vehicles involved in injury road accidents in Great Britain between 1984 and 1986 is as follows:

  511

  Foreign registered heavy goods vehicles involved in injury road accidents: Great Britain: 1984 to 1986

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  Total

  1984

  18

  51

  180

  249

  1985

  18

  76

  196

  290

  1986

  20

  70

  189

  279

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of replacing existing driving licences with EEC standard licences.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The present practice of issuing Community model licences when old-style licences have to be renewed or replaced avoids additional cost. Replacing the remaining 17 million old-style driving licences over a three-year period is estimated to cost £55 million.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people currently hold a full driver's licence in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  At the end of 1987 there were approximately 27 million full driving licence holders in Great Britain, (Northern Ireland has separate driver licensing arrangements).

  Foreign-Registered Vehicles
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign-registered vehicles entered Britain for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This information is not available.

  M11 (Harlow)
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what road surfaces are being used in the repair of the M11 near Harlow; and to what extent the need to reduce noise levels influenced the choice of surface.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The repairs involve cutting out sections of the existing concrete carriageways and the replacement of like for like. This gives no scope for a choice of material other than concrete.

  Vehicles (Reversing Accidents)
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) fatalities and (b) injuries have been caused by reversing heavy goods vehicles in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Statistics on the causes of accidents are not collected. The number of casualties in road accidents where a heavy goods vehicle was reversing is shown in the table.

  Casualties: in accidents where a heavy goods vehicle was reversing: by road user type and severity: Great Britain: 1982 to 1986.

  1982

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  11

  22

  69

  102

  Pedal cyclist

  1

  2

  8

  11

  Moped user

  0

  3

  3

  6

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motor cycle user

  2

  7

  32

  41

  512

  1982

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  TWMV combination user

  o

  o

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Car occupant

  5

  30

  86

  121

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PSV 1 occupant1

  1

  0

  18

  19

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  2

  4

  6

  HGV 3 occupant3

  1

  4

  6

  11

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  2

  2

  4

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  21

  72

  229

  322

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1983

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  8

  28

  56

  92

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  2

  5

  7

  Moped user

  0

  3

  6

  9

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motor cycle user

  1

  16

  16

  33

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Car occupant

  3

  14

  89

  106

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  1

  8

  9

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  1

  10

  11

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  2

  7

  9

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  12

  67

  202

  281

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1984

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  10

  28

  73

  111

  Pedal cyclist

  2

  0

  2

  4

  Moped user

  0

  1

  6

  7

  Motor scooter user

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Motor cycle user

  0

  6

  19

  25

  TWMV combination user

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Car occupant

  6

  21

  110

  137

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  1

  0

  1

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  2

  2

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  2

  7

  9

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  1

  9

  10

  513

  1984

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  18

  63

  235

  316

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1985

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  6

  25

  59

  90

  Pedal cyclist

  1

  4

  8

  13

  Moped user

  1

  4

  7

  12

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Motor cycle user

  0

  6

  12

  18

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Car occupant

  3

  8

  74

  85

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PSV I occupant1

  0

  0

  5

  5

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  0

  5

  5

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  2

  9

  11

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  11

  49

  184

  244

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1986

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  5

  33

  62

  100

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  1

  7

  8

  Moped user

  0

  1

  5

  6

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Motor cycle user

  1

  5

  13

  19

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Car occupant

  0

  20

  88

  108

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  5

  5

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  1

  6

  7

  HGV 3 occupant3

  2

  2

  14

  18

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  2

  2

  4

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  8

  65

  205

  278

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  514
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) fatalities and (b) injuries have been caused by reversing light vans in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Statistics on the causes of accidents are not collected. The number of casualties in road accidents where a light goods vehicle was reversing is shown in the table.

  Casualties: in accidents where a light goods vehicle was reversing: by road user type and severity: Great Britain: 1982 to 1986

  1982

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  9

  67

  221

  297

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  2

  27

  29

  Moped user

  0

  3

  8

  11

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motor cycle user

  1

  8

  25

  34

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Car occupant

  0

  3

  44

  47

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  1

  4

  5

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  1

  16

  17

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  10

  85

  350

  445

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  Casualties: in accidents where a light goods vehicle was reversing: by road user type and severity: Great Britain: 1982 to 1986

  1983

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  10

  68

  250

  328

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  7

  27

  34

  Moped user

  0

  4

  6

  10

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Motor cycle user

  0

  3

  16

  19

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Car occupant

  0

  4

  56

  60

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  3

  3

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  4

  4

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  6

  29

  35

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  1

  2

  3

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  All

  10

  93

  399

  502

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  515

  1984

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  4

  63

  250

  317

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  4

  35

  39

  Moped user

  0

  2

  12

  14

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motor cycle user

  0

  7

  16

  23

  TWMV combination user

  o

  o

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  o

  o

  1

  1

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Car occupant

  1

  3

  45

  49

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  5

  5

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  5

  27

  32

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  5

  84

  392

  481

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1984

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  4

  96

  269

  369

  Pedal cyclist

  1

  7

  19

  27

  Moped user

  0

  1

  10

  11

  Motor scooter user

  0

  1

  2

  3

  Motor cycle user

  0

  7

  22

  29

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Car occupant

  0

  4

  61

  65

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  3

  3

  LGV 2 occupant2

  0

  4

  28

  32

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  (i) Projects for which grant over £l million approved

  Route

  Title

  Progress

  Estimated total cost 1(£ million)

  Past:

  M531(M53)

  Ellesmere Port Motorway Extension A5117 to Stoak Interchange

  Completed October 1980

  4·6

  A418

  Thame Bypass

  Completed November 1980

  3·1

  A63

  Kingston upon Hull South Orbital Road: Market Place-Hedon Road

  Completed December 1980

  11·6

  A52

  Gamston to Lings Bar: A52 to A614/A606 Junction

  Completed September 1981

  6·7

  M531(M53)

  Ellesmere Port Motorway Extension Stoak Interchange to A56 at Hoole

  Completed July 1982

  13·2

  A282

  Dartford Tunnel Approach Roads (North)

  Completed November 1982

  2·3

  M602

  M602 Spur to Salford Docks

  Completed December 1982

  20·6

  A249

  Improvement between Chestnut Street and Bobbing

  Completed December 1982

  2·9

  M23/A264

  Copthorne Link

  Completed August 1984

  2·0

  A420

  Shrivenham Bypass

  Completed October 1984

  3·2

  A282

  Dartford Tunnel Approach Roads (South)

  Completed August 1986

  13·9

  A282

  Dartford Tunnel Toll Plaza

  Completed November 1986

  7·2

  516

  1985

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  5

  120

  417

  542

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  1986

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  All

  Pedestrian

  5

  70

  269

  344

  Pedal cyclist

  0

  3

  25

  28

  Moped user

  0

  0

  13

  13

  Motor scooter user

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Motor cycle user

  0

  2

  21

  23

  TWMV combination user

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Invalid tricycle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other 5 wheeler occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Taxi occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Car occupant

  0

  4

  60

  64

  Mini bus/Motor caravan occupant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  PSV 1 occupant1

  0

  0

  3

  3

  LGV 2 occupant2

  1

  5

  18

  24

  HGV 3 occupant3

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Other motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other non-motor vehicle occupant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All

  6

  84

  413

  503

  1 Public service vehicle

  2 Light goods vehicle

  3 Heavy goods vehicle

  Road Schemes (Grant)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the schemes for which grant was paid under section 272 of the Highways Act 1980 during the last eight years, showing the amount of grant paid in each case.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information requested is as set out.
  517

  Route

  Title

  Progress

  Estimated total cost 1(£ million)

  Present:

  A64

  Copmanthorpe GSJ

  Under Construction

  1·4

  A15

  Brigg and Red bourne Bypass

  In Preparation

  5·2

  A418

  Leighton Linslade Bypass

  In Preparation

  6·2

  —

  Callerton Lane Link

  In Preparation

  1·0

  1 Costs shown for Completed Schemes are at outturn prices, for schemes under construction at current prices and for schemes in preparation at November 1985 prices·

  Financial year of approval

  (ii) Projects for which grant over £0·5 million approved

  A6/A56 bridge strengthening

  1986–87

  (iii) Projects for which grant between £0·1 and £0·5 million approved

  A25 maintenance works

  1981–82

  Heavy load grid route in Greater Manchester

  1982–83

  A4 bridge maintenance

  1984–85

  A6 resurfacing

  1984–85

  Al2/A47 tidal flow system

  1987–88

  A57 road improvement

  1987–88

  (iv) Projects for which grant less than £0·1 million approved

  A412 measure to ease traffic congestion

  1980–81

  Steventon railway bridge repairs

  1981–82

  A59(T) bridge construction

  1982–83

  Thornaby/Middlesbrough dock route improvement

  1984–85

  M65 Re-routing of high load route 20

  1987–88

  Transport supplementary grant

  Authority

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)(i)

  (d)(ii)

  Bid 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 as percentage of bid

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1987–88

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1988–89

  City of London

  1·170

  0·366

  31·3

  100·0

  100·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  5·590

  5·672

  101·5

  12·5

  14·5

  Barnet

  0·695

  0·800

  115·1

  100·0

  100·0

  Bexley

  2·985

  1·298

  43·5

  55·1

  52·9

  Brent

  1·135

  0·872

  76·8

  66·2

  42·7

  Bromley

  9·718

  7·766

  79·9

  88·3

  17·6

  Camden

  0·556

  0·262

  47·1

  100·0

  100·0

  Croydon

  1·180

  0·468

  39·7

  100·0

  100·0

  Ealing

  6·446

  3·876

  60·1

  38·5

  34·6

  Enfield

  32·363

  22·510

  69·6

  2·6

  1·9

  Greenwich

  6·013

  1·632

  27·1

  3·5

  23·8

  Hackney

  2·902

  0·854

  29·4

  100·0

  100·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·210

  0·130

  61·9

  100·0

  100·0

  Haringey

  9·161

  7·324

  79·9

  4·3

  2·6

  Harrow

  9·869

  7·156

  72·5

  22·3

  7·8

  Havering

  2·170

  0·640

  29·5

  6·3

  25·5

  Hillingdon

  12·867

  3·914

  30·4

  13·3

  22·8

  Hounslow

  2·941

  1·516

  51·5

  92·0

  34·0

  Islington

  0·475

  0·144

  30·3

  100·0

  100·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·038

  0·138

  13·3

  16·9

  100·0

  Kingston upon Thames

  5·632

  0·662

  11·8

  7·2

  95·2

  Lambeth

  0·896

  0·494

  55·1

  100·0

  100·0

  Lewisham

  2·838

  1·940

  68·4

  58·2

  22·7

  Merton

  7·687

  5·058

  65·8

  8·0

  4·9

  Newham

  2·868

  0·686

  23·9

  23·1

  57·7

  Redbridge

  1·645

  0·806

  49·0

  8·1

  80·1

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·743

  0·372

  50·1

  100·0

  100·0

  Southwark

  5·227

  1·994

  38·1

  38·7

  15·1

  Sutton

  2·641

  1·556

  58·9

  29·3

  24·7

  Tower Hamlets

  0·909

  0·136

  15·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Highway Authorities
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority in England (a) its bid for capital allocation and transport supplementary grant for 1988–89, (b) the allocation announced in each case, (c) the allocation as a percentage of the bid in each case, (d) the percentage of each authority's transport supplementary grant allocation attributable to minor works, for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The capital allocations figures were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 11 January at columns 139–40. The figures for transport supplementary grant are in the following table:
  519

  Authority

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)(i)

  (d)(ii)

  Bid 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 as percentage of bid

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1987–88

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1988–89

  Waltham Forest

  1·442

  0·988

  68·5

  25·1

  88·1

  Wandsworth

  4·533

  1·108

  24·4

  14·0

  41·3

  Westminster

  5·280

  0·420

  8·0

  43·3

  100·0

  Bolton

  3·929

  2·686

  68·4

  0·0

  10·8

  Bury

  2·774

  2·020

  72·8

  84·5

  24·8

  Manchester

  10·353

  6·290

  60·8

  24·0

  22·2

  Oldham

  3·441

  2·240

  65·1

  100·0

  24·1

  Rochdale

  1·268

  0·570

  45·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Salford

  11·411

  7·692

  67·4

  6·0

  3·9

  Stockport

  0·687

  0·360

  52·4

  103·9

  111·1

  Tameside

  1·187

  0·620

  52·2

  8·12

  56·3

  Trafford

  2·689

  1·284

  47·8

  5·5

  45·5

  Wigan

  4·971

  4·630

  93·1

  7·1

  8·6

  Knowsley

  0·974

  0·484

  49·7

  89·5

  91·9

  Liverpool

  4·180

  2·470

  59·1

  19·9

  34·2

  St· Helens

  1·646

  1·270

  77·2

  100·0

  26·9

  Sefton

  1·779

  0·342

  19·2

  100·0

  94·2

  Wirral

  2·785

  2·460

  88·3

  50·3

  12·1

  Barnsley

  1·862

  0·800

  43·0

  29·7

  54·4

  Doncaster

  1·457

  0·942

  64·7

  58·4

  52·5

  Rotherham

  0·685

  0·446

  65·1

  83·8

  100·0

  Sheffield

  7·935

  0·760

  9·6

  16·4

  100·5

  Gateshead

  4·570

  3·990

  87·3

  62·5

  9·8

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  8·168

  4·570

  56·0

  7·6

  10·0

  North Tyneside

  1·262

  0·760

  60·2

  100·0

  100·0

  South Tyneside

  3·065

  0·720

  23·5

  16·2

  30·6

  Sunderland

  6·128

  3·154

  51·5

  25·0

  19·2

  Birmingham

  15·788

  7·806

  49·4

  12·8

  16·7

  Coventry

  5·534

  3·884

  70·2

  7·7

  6·5

  Dudley

  5·662

  1·384

  24·4

  19·5

  36·2

  Sandwell

  3·917

  1·834

  46·8

  33·7

  19·1

  Solihull

  1·394

  1·020

  73·2

  27·3

  14·7

  Walsall

  5·669

  3·156

  55·7

  18·2

  7·9

  Wolverhampton

  8·061

  6·922

  85·9

  5·3

  5·1

  Bradford

  4·510

  3·372

  74·8

  4·6

  21·4

  Calderdale

  0·546

  0·420

  76·9

  100·0

  100·0

  Kirklees

  3·317

  2·638

  79·5

  18·1

  13·7

  Leeds

  3·928

  3·046

  77·5

  63·3

  24·4

  Wakefield

  2·006

  0·526

  26·2

  100·0

  98·9

  Avon

  12·482

  8·612

  69·0

  30·4

  10·5

  Bedfordshire

  7·717

  6·498

  84·2

  1·9

  5·7

  Berkshire

  10·041

  5·376

  53·5

  4·8

  5·6

  Buckinghamshire

  2·441

  1·414

  57·9

  0·8

  4·2

  Cambridgeshire

  10·817

  4·510

  41·7

  7·3

  2·8

  Cheshire

  4·764

  2·728

  57·3

  21·0

  14·7

  Cleveland

  10·126

  6·324

  62·5

  13·3

  6·3

  Cornwall

  6·606

  4·540

  68·7

  13·5

  8·8

  Cumbria

  3·579

  2·800

  78·2

  80·6

  17·9

  Derbyshire

  4·836

  1·366

  28·2

  76·6

  77·8

  Devon

  11·932

  7·002

  58·7

  12·6

  8·6

  Dorset

  17·464

  8·640

  49·5

  1·9

  5·8

  Durham

  7·547

  3·876

  51·4

  8·5

  19·6

  East Sussex

  9·131

  4·242

  46·5

  57·1

  14·1

  Essex

  21·519

  17·460

  81·1

  6·8

  5·0

  Gloucestershire

  5·229

  2·154

  41·2

  8·0

  13·9

  Hampshire

  10·683

  8·230

  77·0

  7·1

  7·9

  Hereford & Worcester

  5·501

  3·952

  71·8

  14·8

  17·7

  Hertfordshire

  8·310

  6·190

  74·5

  2·8

  5·5

  Humberside

  10·989

  9·036

  82·2

  12·7

  6·6

  Isle of Wight

  3·449

  1·454

  42·2

  62·3

  69·I

  Kent

  28·174

  18·510

  65·7

  12·9

  5·4

  Lancashire

  22·146

  9·366

  42·3

  10·2

  14·4

  Leicestershire

  15·436

  9·890

  64·1

  3·2

  5·9

  Lincolnshire

  3·682

  2·278

  61·9

  25·4

  53·3

  Norfolk

  7·350

  4·300

  58·5

  15·1

  23·7

  Northamptonshire

  11·180

  6·470

  57·9

  5·1

  19·3

  Northumberland

  2·629

  1·088

  41·4

  3·5

  34·9

  North Yorkshire

  5·049

  3·850

  76·3

  5·6

  22·1

  Nottinghamshire

  5·563

  4·074

  73·2

  18·1

  17·2

  Oxfordshire

  7·013

  1·426

  20·3

  28·2

  35·0

  Shropshire

  6·797

  3·500

  51·5

  3·9

  5·7

  Somerset

  9·585

  6·422

  67·0

  7·8

  4·7

  520 521

  Authority

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)(i)

  (d)(ii)

  Bid 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 (£ million)

  Accepted expenditure 1988–89 as percentage of bid

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1987–88

  Minor works accepted expenditure as percentage of total net accepted expenditure 1988–89

  Staffordshire

  9·909

  5·644

  57·0

  14·1

  17·7

  Suffolk

  4·572

  3·506

  76·7

  33·5

  17·5

  Surrey

  9·642

  4·472

  46·4

  6·5

  13·4

  Warwickshire

  4·918

  3·492

  71·0

  8·6

  8·6

  West Sussex

  7·429

  5·460

  73·5

  7·3

  8·2

  Wiltshire

  3·390

  0·722

  21·3

  3·5

  55·4

  Note: Transport Supplementary Grant is paid at the rate of 50 per cent. of accepted expenditure.

  EC (Passenger Transport Subsidy)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the levels of central Government subsidy to public passenger transport in the European Community.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Member to the information on railway subsidies contained in the eighth Commission report on the transposed annual accounts of railway undertakings for 1984 (COM(87)311 final), a copy of which is in the Library. I have no comparable information about subsidies to other forms of passenger transport in the European Community.

  Level Crossings
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the location of automatic half-barrier level crossings in the United Kingdom, which are situated in residential commuter areas, and which are adjacent to a commuter line railway station where no pedestrian footbridge is provided over the road.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information is not available in the form requested. I wrote to my hon. Friend on 19 January giving examples of automatic half-barrier level crossings which are on main routes and used by children.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the expected average and peak pedestrian, including children, and vehicle usage rates for the proposed automatic half-barrier level crossing to be installed on Princess Margaret road, adjacent to East Tilbury station in Thurrock.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  A census taken over a period of nine days in February last year showed that the peak pedestrian, child and vehicles usage at the crossing in a period of 15 minutes did not exceed 84, 46 and 176 respectively. The average usage during any period of 15 minutes between 0600 and 2400 on the same day was 16, 4 and 67.

  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 19 January enclosing an extract from the Department's safety requirements for automatic half-barriers (AHB). He will be aware from this that the number of vehicles using the crossing is not a condition for suitability which has to be satisfied for the selection of AHB.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the average and peak rates of pedestrian usage and vehicle usage per hour over 522
  automatic half-barrier level crossings in the United Kingdom; and how many of the 330 in existence are within 10 per cent. of the highest usage.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information is not currently available.

  Drink-Driving Accidents
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are, for each year since 1975, the figures for deaths caused by drink and driving accidents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Deaths in road accidents where a driver or rider had a blood-alcohol count in excess of 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood are given in the table.

  Fatalities in road accidents where a driver or rider had a blood-alcohol level in excess of 80 mg per 100 ml of blood: Great Britain 1979 to 1985

  Number

  1979

  1,550

  1980

  1,400

  1981

  1,350

  1982

  1,450

  1983

  1,050

  1984

  1,100

  1985

  1,000

  There has been a welcome downward trend. Drinking and driving remains one of our most serious road safety problems.

  Data are not collected on the causes of road accidents.

  Road Haulage (Safety)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he will take against haulage companies registering vehicle fleets in Europe in order to avoid United Kingdom regulations on side guards and splash spray devices;

  (2) what estimates are available to him of the percentage of United Kingdom haulage companies and other vehicle fleet owners registering fleets in Europe to avoid United Kingdom transport safety regulations.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We do not have information about the motives of haulage companies or other vehicle fleet owners who choose to register vehicles abroad.

  Lyndhurst (Bypass)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from residents of
  523
  Lyndhurst in support of the construction of the bypass proposed by Hampshire county council; and, if so, how many of these residents have signified their support.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have received a petition containing 1,320 signatures and one other representation from residents of Lyndhurst in support of Hampshire county council's proposals for a bypass around Lyndhurst.

  British Rail
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish figures for the proportion of total man-hours worked on British Rail track(a) between 7 am and 7 pm (b) between 7 pm and 7 am (c) on weekdays and (d) on weekends in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Department does not hold such information. The hon. Member should apply to the British Railways Board direct.

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  CUBAN TROOPS IN ANGOLA
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