Written Answers of 5 February 1988

WALES

  Rents
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time taken in each county in Wales from the day of application for a fair rent to the actual registration of rent, in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Grist
  The following table contains information on the median interval between date of application to registration by the rent officer. The intervals include a period of not less than seven and not more than 14 days in which both landlord and tenant have the right to request a consultation. Where a consultation is requested at least seven days' notice must be given by the rent officer, except where a landlord application involves service charges in which case 14 days notice must be given.

  Rent Act 1977: Time Taken to Deal with Applications by the Rent Officer, Wales 1986

  Rent Registration Area

  Median Time Taken in Weeks

  Clwyd

  3·6

  Dyfed

  7·6

  Gwent

  6·5

  Gwynedd

  3·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  9·4

  Powys

  4·3

  South Glamorgan

  11·1

  West Glamorgan

  6·5

  Modern Languages
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) those secondary schools in each local education authority in Wales in which a second modern language, besides Welsh, is taught between the ages of 11 and 16 years and (b) those schools and other educational institutions catering for 16 to 18-year-olds, in which two, or more, modern languages are taught, other than the Welsh language, post 16 years old.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information from the 1984 secondary school staffing survey indicates that a modern langage other than Welsh and English was undertaken within year groups I to V in virtually all maintained secondary schools in Wales. Comparable information for schools in which two or more modern languages other than Welsh and English were taught to pupils aged 16 and over is not available.

  The colleges of further and higher education offering identifiable examinable courses in two or more modern langages other than Welsh and English in 1987–88 are as follows:

  North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, Clwyd

  Llandrillo Techincal College, Clwyd

  Newport College of Further Education, Gwent

  766

  Crosskeys College, Gwent

  Pontypool College, Gwent

  Gwynedd Technical College, Gwynedd

  Merthyr Tydfil Technical College, Mid Glamorgan

  The Polytechnic of Wales, Mid Glamorgan

  Bredgend Technical College, Mid Glamorgan

  South Glamorgan Institute, South Glamorgan

  Rumney College, South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan Institute, West Glamorgan

  Swansea College of Further Education, West Glamorgan

  Gorseinon College of Further Education. West Glamorgan

  Neath College, West Glamorgan

  Afan College, West Glamorgan

  Consultant Rheumatologists
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultant rheumatologists there are in Gwent; what is the size of the population served; what is the ratio recommended by the Royal College of Physicians; and what action he intends to take to remedy the situation in Gwent.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There is currently one whole-time equivalent consultant rheumatologist employed by Gwent district health authority, although patients with rheumatic conditions are also treated by consultants in other specialties.

  Precise estimates of the population served are not available. The population of the area covered by the Gwent district health authority is 441,800. The majority of Gwent and some residents of other districts requiring rheumatological treatment are treated within Gwent. Likewise, some Gwent residents are treated in other health authorities.

  I understand that the Royal College of Physicians/regional advisers' guidelines refer to a recommended ratio of one whole-time equivalent consultant rheumatologist per 150,000 population.

  The level of staff and resources for rheumatology services in Gwent is an operational matter for the Gwent health authority to determine.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were(a) employed and (b) unemployed in (i) Wales and (ii) Clwyd for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 3 February 1988]: The information available is given in the following table:

  000s

  Total in civil employment

  Unemployed claimants

  Year

  1Clwyd

  2Wales

  3Clwyd

  4Wales

  June 1979

  ֵ

  1,157

  ֵ

  70·3

  June 1980

  ֵ

  1,125

  ֵ

  84·2

  June 1981

  113

  1,054

  ֵ

  132·4

  June 1982

  ֵ

  1,027

  ֵ

  146·8

  June 1983

  ֵ

  1,014

  22·4

  158·7

  June 1984

  118

  1,030

  21·9

  162·7

  June 1985

  ֵ

  1,023

  23·0

  172·2

  June 1986

  ֵ

  1,016

  23·1

  175·0

  June 1987

  ֵ

  1,027

  20·4

  154·1

  1 For Clwyd, the figures exclude self-employed—the only available figure, from the April 1981 Census of Population, which shows 17,800. Employees in Employment Statistics come from Censuses of Employment and relate to September.

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  2 Department of Employment quarterly estimate series and Labour Force Survey estimates of self-employed.

  3 Unadjusted figures (including school leavers); Figures for June 1983 are affected by the 1983 Budget measures whereby some men, mainly aged 60 or over, were no longer required to sign on at unemployment offices to receive benefit. There is discontinuity in data from March 1986, owning to a change in the compilation of unemployment statistics.

  44 Consistent seasonally-adjusted series.

ENERGY

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the total value of goods and services provided to increase energy efficiency in each of the last 15 years, expressed as constant prices.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Energy efficiency goods and services are provided by a large number of bodies including central and local government, industry and professional organisations. Assessment of their value could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.

  Pin-ups
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will issue instructions for the removal of all offensive pin-ups in all his departmental premises.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Item 69 of the programme of action to achieve equality of opportunity for women states that no form of sexual harassment at work will be tolerated in the Civil Service. The programme of action was published by the Cabinet Office (MPO) in 1984.

  Guidance has already been issued to all Department of Energy staff that the display of sexually offensive material in the office amounts to sexual harassment, and that such behaviour is not acceptable.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of 15 January,Official Report, column 421, in what form the figures for plutonium production are recorded.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have nothing to add to the answers I gave the hon. Member on 15 January 1988 at column 421 and 2 February 1988 at column 532.

  Oil
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what share of current oil production from the United Kingdom North sea is accounted for by(a) BP and (b) Britoil;

  (2) what share of proven and probable oil reserves in the United Kingdom North sea is owned by (a) BP and (b) Britoil.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My annual report to Parliament on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, available in the Library of the House, contains tables showing operating companies' oil reserve estimates, company shares in oil fields, and output levels from those fields.

PRIME MINISTER

  Sexual Harassment
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the Cabinet Office policy on sexual harassment at work; whether guidance has been issued to staff on reporting complaints; what is the number of complaints which have been reported in the past five years; and what disciplinary action has been taken.

  The Prime Minister
  The Cabinet Office is totally opposed to sexual harassment at work. No specific guidance has been issued on reporting these matters. Complaints should go to the personnel manager or welfare officer. None has been reported in the past five years.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if, during her recent discussions with Chancellor Kohl, she raised questions of the modernisation programme for NATO nuclear weapons, in terms of the re-deployment of the nuclear warheads of Pershings I and II and cruise missiles within the context of the Montebello agreement of 1983;

  (2) if, during her recent meeting with Chancellor Kohl, the issue of possible United Kingdom-France joint nuclear weapons development and deployment was raised, in the context of the responsibilities discharged by Her Majesty's Government under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, in her recent meetings with President Mitterrand and Ministers in the French Government, she discussed the implications of article I of the non-proliferation treaty of 1968 in future Anglo-French nuclear weapons collaboration.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. John Stalker
  Mr. Rees
  To ask the Prime Minister which of her Ministers has the duty of asking the Attorney-General to consider whether the former deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester is to be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act or, in view of the income derived from the publication, to be proceeded against under the civil law.

  The Prime Minister
  As to the question of possible criminal proceedings, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 4 February, at column 681. The question whether to institute civil proceedings against Mr. Stalker is a matter for Ministers collectively.

  Civil Nuclear Installations
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy at the next European Council of Ministers meeting to raise the matter of the bribery and corruption allegations involving European Economic Community civil nuclear installations; and what initiatives she expects to take to strengthen Euratom safeguards provisions in the European Economic Community.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The allegations surrounding the transfer of nuclear material between Belgium and the
  769
  Federal Republic of Germany are matters for those Governments. Judicial inquiries into them have been set up in both countries and the question is also to be considered by a committee of inquiry of the Federal Germany Parliament. Investigations by the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency have found no evidence of any breach of Euratom safeguards provisions.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment she has made of the implications for security in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to the safety of British troops, of the recently announced decision not to prosecute officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for alleged offences of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 28 January 1988, at column 465.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Commission Documents
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many documents published by the Commission of the European Economic Community have been reclassified from the COM series, following representation from Ministers or officials of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None. Decisions about the classification of documents are for the Commission. We have not sought to have documents reclassified.

  East Timor
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the British delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights will support a move to have the human rights situation investigated in East Timor at their meeting in Geneva in February.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave on 19 January to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) at column 639.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Councillor Mrs. Angela Pink
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will call for a copy of the report to the Director of Public Prosecutions from the Nottinghamshire police regarding Councillor Mrs. Angela Pink; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Reports of alleged offences are submitted to me by the Director of Public Prosecutions only if my consent to a prosecution is required or if for some other reason it is considered appropriate to do so.

  Public Records Office
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will review the current cost of obtaining photocopied pages or microfilm copies of documents released under the 30-year 770
  rule and kept at the Public Records Office; if he will seek to institute a reduction in unit costs charged to researchers seeking such Public Records Office information; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The fees and charges payable in respect of photocopies and microfilm of public records open to inspection in the Public Records Office are currently prescribed by the Public Records Office (Fees) Regulations 1987 (SI 1987/444). They are calculated to recover the full cost of the service in respect of each particular reprographic process and are kept under continual review.

  Crown Prosecutors
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the code for Crown prosecutors.

  The Attorney-General
  The code for Crown prosecutors is set out in the annual report made by the Director of Public Prosecutions to the Attorney-General. Copies of the Director's first report were placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 13 August 1987. This was announced in the Official Report on 21 October 1987 at column 743.

  Sampson and Stalker Reports
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the reports of either Mr. Colin Sampson or Mr. John Stalker to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland recommended prosecution of any members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with regard to the illegal killings of any persons; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  As is the usual practice with police reports covering criminal investigations, neither the report by Mr. John Stalker nor the report by Mr. Colin Sampson will be published. I remind the hon. Member, however, of the following passage in the statement I made to the House on 25 January 1988:"In regard to the shooting incidents to which I have referred, the Director has considered all the facts and information ascertained and reported by Mr. Stalker and Mr. Sampson, and he has re-examined the original RUC investigation files. He has concluded that the evidence does not warrant any further prosecution in respect of the shootings which occurred on 11 November 1982 and 12 December 1982 and which have already been the subject of prosecutions. He has further concluded that the evidence does not warrant any prosecution in respect of either the fatal shooting or the wounding that occurred on 24 November 1982. I have considered the Director's conclusions and I agree with them. He has given directions accordingly."—(Official Report, 25 January 1988; Vol. 126, c. 22.]

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether his statement in relation to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland's decision not to prosecute Royal Ulster Constabulary officers for allegedly perverting the course of justice was based on the findings of inquiries prior to, as well as during, the course of the Stalker-Sampson investigations; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House on 25 January. The Director considered all the facts and information ascertained and reported by Mr. Stalker and Mr. Sampson, he re-examined
  771
  the original RUC investigation files and his conclusions were reached in the light of all the facts and information brought to his notice.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether forensic evidence discovered during the course of inquiries by Mr. John Stalker and Mr. Colin Sampson was made available to the courts during any prosecution of persons for unlawful killing; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Trials of members of the RUC took place in March 1984 and May 1984. Mr. Stalker was appointed to conduct his investigation on 24 May 1984 and Mr. Stalker's interim report was furnished to the chief constable on 18 September 1985. Accordingly any evidence elicited by the investigation team headed by Mr. Stalker and Mr. Sampson was not available to the courts during the prosecutions referred to.

  Michael Tighe
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) whether tapes in connection with the killing of Michael Tighe at Ballynerry Road North, Lurgon, are still in existence; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether (a) the tape made by the security forces and (b) a transcript of the tape were made available to Mr. Colin Sampson before his final report was made to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in respect of the killing of Micheel Tighe; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  As is the usual practice with police reports covering criminal investigations, neither the report by Mr. John Stalker nor the report by Mr. Colin Sampson will be published. Accordingly I do not intend to make any statement on detailed matters of evidence.

  Police Officers (Possible Prosecutions)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will specify the precise considerations which led him to inform the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland about the nature of the public interest in relation to the possible prosecutions of Superintendent Thomas George Anderson, Superintendent Samuel George Flanagan and Chief Superintendent Desmond Brown for seeking to pervert the course of justice in respect of the alleged suppression of information on an unlawful killing; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the full statement which I made to the House on 27 January 1988. I have nothing to add to it either generally or with particular reference to the considerations of public interest (and in particular considerations of national security) which were taken into account, or as to the identity of any person whose conduct was the subject of investigation.

  Mr. Martin Macauley
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the tapes in connection with the killing of Michael Tighe were made available to the court at the time of the trial of Mr. Martin Macauley; and if he will make a statement.
  772
  The Attorney-General
  The evidence before the court at the time of the trial of Mr. Martin Macauley is a matter of public record. The court received no evidence of or from any tape.

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General why information is not available in respect of the amount of legal aid moneys recovered in 1983, 1984, 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 is not available because recoveries of legal aid moneys in the circumstances described are not separately recorded.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will introduce new procedures designed to ensure that a declaration of certification is made before a legal aid payment is made to a solicitor and that anyone making a false declaration is prosecuted.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has asked the legal aid head office to give further details of its procedures and if necessary to review them. I will write to the hon. Member when that review is complete.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General under which heading in the legal aid accounts for 1985–86 are to be found sums recovered from solicitors who at the relevant time did not hold a current practising certificate.

  The Attorney-General
  Sums are recovered by deduction from subsequent payments to the solicitors concerned. Recoupments thus lead to the amount recorded in the legal aid accounts as "solicitors" charges and counsel's fees being lower than would otherwise have been the case.

  Uncertificated Solicitors
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will seek to strengthen the criminal law with the intention of reducing the number of uncertificated solicitors who are acting improperly.

  The Attorney-General
  I see no reason to do so. Criminal sanctions for an offence under section 20 of the Solicitors Act 1974 are already severe; penalties of imprisonment for not more than two years, a fine, or both may be imposed. Specific offences relating to the commission of certain prohibited acts attract other penalties under the Solicitors Act 1974.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General why he will not take steps to establish a method of complaints against uncertificated solicitors which is more open to scrutiny than the Solicitors Complaints Bureau.

  The Attorney-General
  I have not seen any reason to do so.

  Solicitors Complaints Bureau
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General why he will not set up an inquiry into the way in which the Solicitors Complaints Bureau conducts investigations, with respect to its standards of impartiality.

  The Attorney-General
  I have not seen any reason to do so.
  773
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he has ever met Mr. Stringer of the Solicitors Complaints Bureau; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I have not met Mr. Stringer.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Act 1980
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is willing to consider representations from right hon. Members and hon. Members in respect of proposals made under sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 at any time up to the date of his formal decision on that proposal being published.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend would encourage hon. and right hon. Members to make representations to him about proposals made under sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 whenever possible within three months of the date of publication of those proposals. He is, nevertheless, willing to listen to representations after that time. Once proposals have been approved or rejected under those sections, my right hon. Friend has no power to rescind that decision.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the procedures taken by himself, his Ministers and officials within his Department in arriving at a decision for approval or rejection of a proposal under sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 are treated as strictly confidential, and do not constitute any decision until he publicly announces such a decision.

  Mr. Dunn
  Advice from officials to Ministers is normally regarded as confidential. My right hon. Friend is advised that, where a decision in respect of particular proposals under sections 12 or 13 of the Education Act 1980 is communicated to the proposers, the proposals are approved or rejected for the purposes of those sections, irrespective of whether any public announcement has been made.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the procedure he adopts(a) to publish decisions taken under sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 and (b) to inform all interested parties of such a decision.

  Mr. Dunn
  Approval or rejection by my right hon. Friend of proposals published under sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 is conveyed to the proposers concerned. The authority is required to inform local objectors of the decision. Where an hon. or right hon. Member has expressed an interest in the proposal, it is the usual practice of my right hon. Friend to inform the hon. Member of the decision at the same time as it is conveyed to the proposers.

  Schools (Opting-out)
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received seeking the insertion of a clause in the Education Reform Bill which would require that, where a school had voted under the opt out provisions to remain under local authority control, a minimum time period should elapse 774
  before a further ballot may be held on the same subject; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  No such representations have been received. However, in the interests of minimising disruption to schools, the Government have brought forward an amendment to the Bill in Committee to ensure that no governing body may resolve to hold a ballot if one has been held within the previous 12 months, unless the Secretary of State gives his written consent.

  Lancashire County Council (Grants)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what grants he has allocated to Lancashire county council for 1988–89; what were the allocations for 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  Lancashire LEA's allocation for prescribed capital expenditure on schools and further and higher education in 1988–89 is £12·809 million; its allocation in 1987–88 was £5·994 million. Next year's allocation is 113 per cent. higher than this year's, and represents 50 per cent. of its planned expenditure compared with the national average of 39 per cent. In addition, the authority has been allocated £3·298 million for expenditure by governors of voluntary aided and special agreement schools in 1988–89 compared with £0·793 million in 1987–88, which represents an increase of 316 per cent. and is the second highest allocation made.

ENVIRONMENT

  Environmental Protection (Funding)
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those applications made by agencies in the United Kingdom for funding under the European Commission ACE fund to protect the environment; and if he will give the outcome of those applications.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In the information in the table, successful applications for funding udner the European Community ACE—Action by the Community on the Environment—regulations are marked with an asterisk. Decisions on some projects have had to be deferred pending clarifications of technical points or through lack of funds at the time of consideration.

  Applications under article 1.1 (a)—Demonstration projects aimed at developing new "clean" technologies

  Project

  Applicant

  1. Proposed effluent plant

  Charles Paisley and Sons

  2. Control of lead emissions

  Choloride Metals Ltd.

  3. Reduction of chrome effluent levels

  Alumina Company Ltd.

  4. New process for manufacturing cellophane

  BCL ltd.

  Applications under article 1.1(b)—Demonstration projects aimed at developing new techniques and methods for measuring monitoring the quality of the natural environment

  Project

  Applicant

  1. Windpowered aerogenerator

  J. Roger White

  2. Techniques of resonant ionisation mass spectroscopy

  University Glasgow

  775

  Project

  Applicant

  3. Quantitative assessment of suspendded sediments and associated metals

  Hunting Geology and Geophysics Ltd.

  4. Screening tests for mutagen contamination

  Thames Polytechnic

  5. Isolation and indentification of free-living amoebae

  Royal United Hospital, Bath

  6. Improved methods for monitoring quality of the North Sea.

  Water Research Centre

  *7. Use of bacterial electrodes for monitoring effluent in surface water

  Water Research Centre

  8. Assessment of environmental pathways of polychlorinated organic materials

  Warren Spring Laboratory

  9. Monitoring heavy metal pollution

  University of Glasgow

  *10. Determination of pollutional load on water

  University of Glasgow

  * 11. Measuring wet deposition of SO2, NOx and their derivatives

  Warren Spring Laboratory

  12. Assess effectiveness of reducing phosphorus input to water

  Dept. of Agriculture for Northern Ireland

  13. Comparability tests on uptake of organic substances by plants

  Water Research Centre

  *14. Measurement of NOx and derivatives

  Heriot-Watt University

  15. Developing a rapid method of measuring BOD5

  University of Glasgow

  Applications under article 1.1(c)—Projects providing an incentive and aimed at contributing towards the maintenance or re-establishing of seriously threatened biotopes

  *1. Protection of Frampton Marshes

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  2.Protection of Leighton Moss

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  *3. Management and re-instatement Old Hall Marshes

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  4. Conservation of Crex crex in the Wester Isles of Scotland

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  5. Wheldrake—Wressle

  Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

  6. Contribution to the management of Special Protection Areas

  International Waterfowl Research Bureau

  7. Re-establishment and maintenance of Doffcocker Lodge

  Metropolitan Borough of Bolton

  *8. Round off the boundaries to Welney Wildfowl Refuge

  Wildfowl Trust

  *9. Lease of Rockcliffe Marsh

  Nature Conservancy Council

  10. Reinstatement of land adjoining Holkam Natinal Nature Reserve

  Nature Conservancy Council

  *11. Purchase of Tore Hill

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  *12. Swale National Reserve Bunding Scheme

  Nature Conservancy Council

  13. Protection of Ben Macdui

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  14. Protection of Halvergate Marshes

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  15. Protection of Cliffe and Cooling Marshes

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  16. Radio communication network for North Norfolk Coast

  National Trust

  17. Monitoring the effects of wild-fowling

  Wildfowl Trust

  18. Purchase of Salthouse Marshes

  Norfolk Naturalists Trust

  *19. Restoration of Duich Moss

  Nature Conservancy Council

  20. Relief of recreational pressure on Ythan Estuary

  Grampian Regional Council

  21. A Quantitative Atlas of Breeding Birds

  British Trust for Ornithology

  22. Protection of Campfield Marsh

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Chelmsford,Official Report, 1 February, column 432, how many of the planning appeals received by his Department from applicants in the Chelmsford area involved planning applications in green belt land, in each of the last three available years.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information is not available exactly in the form requested. The number of planning appeals from Chelmsford borough involving land in the designated green belt recorded as having been decided by inspectors in 1984, 1985 and 1986 was:

  Year

  Appeals Decided

  1984

  18

  1985

  32

  1986

  35

  Disabled People
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional measures he intends to undertake to ensure equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities to allow for the fact that local authorities will no longer be able to exercise contract compliance on their behalf if the terms of the Local Government Bill remain unchanged; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  None. The provisions of the Local Government Bill do not affect employers' duties under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

  River Calder (Pollution)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to reduce the pollution of the River Calder in west Yorkshire.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Most of the River Calder from Huddersfield to its confluence with the River Aire is classified as poor quality (class 3). The Yorkshire water authority is working towards upgrading the river to fair quality (class 2) by the early 1990s. The improvement will largely come about through the completion of major schemes at sewage treatment works in the Huddersfield area on which the authority is planning to spend around £17 million over the next two to three years.

  Lancashire
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants he has agreed to make to Lancashire county council in 1988–89; what grants were made by his Department to Lancashire in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  On the basis of its estimated spending, Lancashire county council will receive in 1987–88 £317.568 million in rate support grant. For spending at the 1988–89 RSG settlement spending assumption of £644.309 million, the council would receive £337.336 million

  The council will also receive in respect of this financial year and 1988–89 payments of gipsy site grant and derelict land grant and small sums under part III of scheduel 15

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  to the Housing Act 1985. It is not yet possible to say how much the council will receive in these grants in respect of the two years, as payments are made on the basis of claims made to my Department after expenditure is incurred.

  Supplementary Report
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the third supplementary report for 1986–87 and the fourth supplementary reports for 1983–84 and 1984–85 for England will be published.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have laid these supplementary reports—SRs—before the House today. The main purpose of these SRs is to adjust grant to reflect the latest information on each authority's expenditure. The fourth SRs for 1983–84 and 1984–85 make new estimates of the totals of relevant expenditure, and specific grants, and adjust aggregate Exchequer grant, individual authorites grant, grant-related expenditure—GRE—assessments and their liability to grant abatement in the light of audited outturn expenditure in these years. The third SR for 1986–87 makes similar changes in the light of provisional outturn expenditure. However, there was no expenditure guidance issued in 1986–87, so there was no grant abatement in that year. All three SRs make certain other changes to correct errors, reflect boundary changes, and so on.

  The SRs have to be approved by the House of Commons. Subject to that, I plan to make the revisions to grants payments to reflect the reports early in April. Copies of the reports and tables showing revised grant entitlement are being sent today to local authoriy associations and to each authority.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  EC (Trade Barriers)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about current progress towards removing internal barriers to trade within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We and our Community partners are making encouraging progress towards the completion of the single market by the target date of 31 December 1992. Over 100 individual measures aimed at removing barriers have been agreed in the last 18 months, 48 of them during the United Kingdom presidency in the second half of 1986. Following implementation of the Single European Act, the increased use of qualified majority voting is likely to speed up the process of decision taking.

  Network Services Licences
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will list in the Official Report the names of all the companies and individuals holding general value added network services licences and the dates of issue for each;

  (2) if he will indicate the circumstances in which a general value added network services licence can be revoked.

  Mr. Butcher
  The provision of value added and data services, other than by the public telecommunications operators and their associates, is authorised under a class licence granted to all persons on 30 April 1987. Public 778
  telecommunications operators provide services under their main PTO licences. PTO associates are authorised to provide VADS under a separate but similar class licence also granted on 30 April 1987.

  The precise circumstances in which the class licence can be revoked are set out in schedule 2 to the licence. In brief the licence may only be revoked in respect of an individual and then only:

  (i) if the licensee agrees; or

  (ii) if the Licensee has breached the conditions of the licence and refuses to comply with an enforcement order from the Director General of Telecommunications or if the licensee is running an unauthorised telecommunications system;or

  (iii) if the licensee becomes insolvent.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. John Bainbridge
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will take regarding John Bainbridge, who petitioned the House on 9 December 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The matter raised by John Bainbridge in his petition to the House on 9 December 1987 has been considered in accordance with the normal procedures and a decision will be given to him shortly. I shall then write to the hon. Member.

  North Yorkshire Constabulary
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reached a conclusion about his response to the requests from the North Yorkshire constabulary for an increase in their police establishment of 50 officers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The application by North Yorkshire police authority for an increase in their force establishment is being considered along with applications from other authorities and in the light of advice from Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Fixed Penalty Fines
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Deaprtment (1) how many fixed penalty fines were issued on foreign-registered vehicles for each of the last five years; if he will give a breakdown of the figures between(a) private vehicles and (b) business vehicles; and if he will express the figures as a percentage of the total number of fines;

  (2) if he will list, by country of origin, the total number and value of fixed penalty fines for road traffic offences unrecovered, for each of the last five years;

  (3) how many of the fixed penalty fines issued on foreign-registered vehicles for each of the last five years were paid; and if he will estimate the cost of recovering such fines that remained unpaid in the first instance;

  (4) if he will list, by country of origin, the number of fixed penalty fines issued on foreign-registered vehicles for the last year for which figures are available;

  (5) if he will list, by country of origin, the number of convictions for road traffic offences, other than fixed penalty fines, against drivers of foreign-registered vehicles,

  779
  for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will give a breakdown between (a) private vehicles and (b) business vehicles.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on fixed penalty notices issued, the proportion paid, and so on, and findings of guilt at all courts is published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales" (tables 3,6 and 7 of the issue for 1986, number 36/87, a copy of which is in the Library. Information is not collected centrally on the cost of recovering unpaid fines, the country of registration or the type of vehicle involved.

  Road Traffic Offences
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the total number of foreign

  Receptions under sentence1 into Prison Department establishments in England and Wales: by type of offence and citizenship, 1986

  Number of persons

  Citizenship

  Motoring offences

  Other offences

  All offences

  British, British Overseas, British Dependent Territories, Commonwealth countries, Pakistan and the Republic of Ireland

  12,270

  71,900

  84,160

  Other Foreign nationalities of which

  160

  1,170

  1,330

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  3

  ֵ

  ֵ

  France

  2

  ֵ

  ֵ

  German Federal Republic

  52

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Greece

  2

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Holland

  4

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Hungary

  3

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Italy

  9

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Poland

  5

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Spain

  3

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Other Europe

  12

  ֵ

  ֵ

  United States of America

  16

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Other Americas

  3

  ֵ

  ֵ

  South Africa

  11

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Bangladesh

  2

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Burma

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Peoples' Republic of China

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Iran

  4

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Turkey

  7

  ֵ

  ֵ

  USSR

  1

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Rest of the World

  17

  ֵ

  ֵ

  Not recorded

  100

  560

  660

  All

  12,530

  73,630

  86,150

  1Including fine defaulters. Based on records held centrally, which are approximate.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to strengthen the provisions of the Data Protection Act in relation to the first and third data protection principles, in the light of the Data Protection Registrar's comments on the community charge; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  No.

  Refugees
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State of the Home Department how many refugees are currently seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom; from which 780
  offenders imprisoned for each of the last five years; and if he will express the figures as a percentage of (a) the total number of prisoners and (b) the total number of foreign prisoners imprisoned for road traffic offences;

  (2) if he will list, by country of origin, the total number of offenders imprisoned for road traffic offences for each of the last five years, who were using foreign-registered vehicles.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The readily available information, which is only for 1986, is given in the table, excluding citizens of Commonwealth countries, Pakistan and the Republic of Ireland the recording of whom is not sufficiently reliable for separate estimates of their numbers to be given. No details of the registration of any vehicles involved are held centrally.

  countries they originate; how many are in detenion; and what information he has as to which political movements they are members.

  Mr. Renton
  The latest available information on outstanding applications for asylum relates to 1 October 1987 and is shown in the following table. Delays in the input of data to the computer system means that some applications made before this date do not appear in the table and some applications on which a decision has been taken are included.

  There are at present some 53 persons seeking asylum in the United Kingdom who have been detained for more than 14 days. Information regarding the membership of political movements of asylum-seekers is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
  781

  Refugee Applications Outstanding as at 1 October 1987

  Nationality

  Number

  Afghanistan

  103

  Albania

  1

  Algeria

  6

  Angola

  17

  Bahrain

  7

  Bangladesh

  9

  Bolivia

  7

  Botswana

  1

  Bulgaria

  3

  Burkina Faso

  1

  Burma

  8

  Cameroon

  1

  Chad

  1

  Chile

  22

  China

  4

  Colombia

  13

  Congo

  1

  Cyprus

  8

  Czechoslovakia

  9

  Djibouti

  3

  Egypt

  10

  El Salvador

  4

  Ethiopia

  373

  Gambia

  2

  Ghana

  367

  Grenada

  1

  Guatamala

  1

  Guyana

  4

  Hungary

  10

  India

  198

  Iran

  1,390

  Iraq

  435

  Israel

  1

  Jamaica

  1

  Jordan

  8

  Kenya

  11

  Laos

  1

  Lebanon

  70

  Lesotho

  3

  Liberia

  9

  Libya

  136

  Malaysia

  1

  Mali

  1

  Mauritius

  2

  Morocco

  6

  Mozambique

  1

  Netherlands

  1

  Nicaragua

  1

  Niger

  24

  Nigeria

  37

  Pakistan

  712

  Peru

  1

  Philippines

  4

  Poland

  114

  Romania

  7

  Seychelles

  192

  Sierra Leone

  11

  Somalia

  470

  South Africa

  95

  Spain

  2

  Sri Lanka

  1,038

  Sudan

  80

  Surinam

  1

  Syria

  32

  Tanzania

  7

  Tunisia

  1

  Turkey

  177

  Uganda

  469

  USA

  4

  USSR

  2

  Yemen (AR)

  5

  Yemen (PDR)

  19

  Yugoslavia

  6

  Zaire

  63

  Zambia

  11

  Zimbabwe

  47

  782

  Nationality

  Number

  BOC

  2

  Nationality uncertain

  112

  All Nationalities

  7,042

  Radio Authority
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the new radio authority will have powers to restrict the networking of programmes between local radio stations.

  Mr. Renton
  The extent to which programmes of interest to a wider audience are distributed between individual stations will be governed principally by the requirement on stations licensed by the radio authority to honour their promises of performance.

  Amusement Arcades (Report)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report on amusement arcades and similar activities from the Gaming Board of Great Britain.

  Mr. John Patten
  Yes.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently being held in detention under the Immigration Act 1987(a) pending the outcome of an immigration appeal and (b) under detention for other reasons, at (i) Welford road prison, Leicester, and (ii) all other prisons in Britain.

  Mr. Renton
  There are currently seven people detained at Leicester prison, under the Immigration Act 1971. Of these one is detained pending the outcome of an immigration appeal.

  The main prison service establishment used for immigration cases is Latchmere house where, on 4 February, 94 people were detained under the Immigration Act 1971. Similar information for other establishments, and details of those detained pending the outcome of an appeal is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the feasibility study on DNA testing; what arrangements he is making to assist those in financial hardship to obtain DNA tests; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Officials are preparing a report on the pilot trial of the use of DNA profiling in immigration cases. A copy will be placed in the Library as soon as possible. We shall address the related policy issue, including the availability of financial assistance, when the report is available.

  Shotgun Licences and Firearms Certificates
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many duplicate(a) shotgun

  783
  licences and (b) firearms certificates were issued by each police force area in the last year for which figures are available and in the preceding year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Central Guns Register
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing and maintaining a central guns register.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The recently published White Paper on the review of firearms controls drew attention to the possibility of establishing a national guns register, if on further examination, this seems desirable. I do not now have estimates of the costs which would be incurred in establishing and maintaining such a register.

  Stolen Property Index
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the stolen property index is maintained on a sub-division, division or whole-force police area; and whether it is(a) circulated to other police forces and (b) available on request.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the stolen property index is maintained on a national basis. Some forces maintain their own index. Details from the index are available to police forces on request but are not available to the public.

  Multilateral aid

  Bilateral aid

  Project aid

  Programme aid

  Technical cooperation

  Disaster relief

  Food aid

  1977

  33·7

  22·4

  11·7

  20·7

  0·2

  1·2

  1978

  25·0

  25·1

  17·4

  20·4

  0·4

  2·0

  1979

  27·3

  28·7

  16·3

  19·8

  0·2

  0·8

  1980

  27·3

  29·9

  7·1

  23·1

  0·3

  0·9

  1981

  29·3

  35·9

  5·8

  18·3

  0·1

  1·2

  1982

  37·9

  28·4

  6·6

  19·5

  0·2

  1·1

  1983

  40·9

  27·7

  4·3

  19·7

  0·2

  1·1

  1984

  40·3

  30·3

  2·8

  18·2

  0·7

  1·1

  1985

  37·7

  27·3

  3·5

  21·1

  2·5

  2·1

  1986

  37·6

  29·5

  4·2

  21·4

  1·4

  0·6

  Source: British Aid Statistics.

  Some multilateral aid and food aid was for disaster relief.

THE ARTS

  Pin-ups
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will issue instructions for the removal of all offensive pin-ups in all his departmental premises.

  Mr. Luce
  No form of sexual harassment at work is tolerated by my Department.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Borrowing Requirement
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the public sector borrowing requirement for 1987–88.

  Telephone Interceptions
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wire taps were authorised in 1987 for the purpose of investigating nuisance callers to(a) British Telecom Talkabout and (b) other premium services operating with general value added network services licences.

  Mr. Hurd
  Any arrangements British Telecom may make for routine monitoring of calls to such services as British Telecom Talkabout are not made under section 2 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Expenditure
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the proportion of the Overseas Development Administration budget spent on emergency relief, project aid, programme aid, multilateral aid and technical assistance for each year for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Percentages of gross public expenditure on aid spent on these programmes were as follows:

  Mr. Major
  The Autumn Statement forecast was for a PSBR in 1987–88 of £1 billion. A revised estimate will be published next month in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest indication of Her Majesty's Government's borrowing requirement at the end of the 1987–88 financial year, on present spending plans.

  Mr. Major
  The Autumn Statement forecast was for a public sector borrowing requirement in 1987–88 of £1 billion. A revised estimate for 1987–88, together with a forecast for 1988–89, will be published next month in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.

  NHS Funding
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of recent representations, he will increase the resources available to(a) the National Health Service and (b) education and training from the totals proposed in his White Paper.
  785
  Mr. Major
  The White Paper plans show large increases in provision for both health and education. They will be reviewed again in the normal way in this year's public expenditure survey.

  National Economic Development Council
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to meet the National Economic Development Council to discuss economic matters.

  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor plans to meet the National Economic Development Council next year.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent growth in the economy has been reflected in falling unemployment over the past year.

  Mr. Major
  Strong growth in the economy accounts for the greater part of the fall in unemployment of over half a million over the past year, the largest fall since similar records began in 1948.

  Avgas
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives of the General Aviation Manufacturers and Trade Association to discuss the duty on Avgas.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has not met representatives of GAMTA and nor have I.

  BP Sale
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the costs of the BP sale.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is provisionally estimated that the cost of the sale of BP shares in the financial year 1987–88 will be some £114 million. This represented about 2 per cent. of the total proceeds raised for the Government of £5,503 million.

  The main categories of expenditure are estimated to comprise:

  £ million

  United Kingdom sale

  —advisers fees

  3

  —marketing costs

  39

  —receiving bank registration

  5

  —underwriting and selling commissions

  36

  Overseas sales

  31

  114

  In addition, the administrative costs of the Bank of England purchase arrangements borne by the Treasury are provisionally estimated to amount to some £1·4 million.

  The corresponding spring supplementary estimate for these costs, which is for a token £1,000 and which will be presented shortly, provides for expenditure on expenses of £161,860,000. The difference represents transfers of funds within Government, principally stamp duty and VAT, which are not a cost to the Exchequer.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures for the growth of gross domestic product over the past year.

  Mr. Major
  Real gross domestic product is provisionally estimated to have grown by 5¼ per cent. in the year to the third quarter of 1987.

  Customs and Excise (Aberdeen)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total revenue collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in Aberdeen over each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 February 1988]: I regret that this information is not available.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held about proposals that Her Majesty's Customs and Excise office in Aberdeen, covering the north and north-east of Scotland, should be closed and its work transferred to Edinburgh or Glasgow.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 February 1988]: The office will not be closed. Although overall administrative responsibility for Customs and Excise matters in the north and north-east of Scotland will be transferred to Edinburgh and Glasgow (and Clyde) collections, senior managers will remain in Aberdeen to manage Customs and Excise matters and full services to local commercial and industrial organisations will be maintained.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants, by grade, are employed at Her Majesty's Customs and Excise office in Aberdeen.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 February 1988]: The Aberdeen regional collection of Customs and Excise has a total of 471½ staff, of whom the following grades are located in the town of Aberdeen:

  Grade

  Number of staff

  5

  1

  6

  1

  7

  4

  SEO

  14

  HEO

  51

  EO

  104

  AO

  71

  AA

  23

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Typist

  6

  Messenger

  2

  278

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to meet staff at Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in Aberdeen to discuss proposals to close that office.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 February 1988]: The Customs and Excise office in Aberdeen is not to close. The administrative section will, however, be transferred to Edinburgh or Glasgow as part of a necessary restructuring

  787
  of the Scottish collections. Staff trade union representatives have been kept advised of the proposals and full discussions are taking place.

SCOTLAND

  Parole
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why prisoners in Scotland are not informed of the reasons for refusal of parole; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The practice of not giving reasons for refusal to grant early release on parole licence has operated since the parole scheme was introduced. The decision on whether an individual should be granted the privilege of parole is taken by my right hon. and learned Friend in the light of confidential advice from the Parole Board for Scotland.

  Sheep (Radiation)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what dispensation was given in August 1986 to farmers in the restricted areas, following the Chernobyl accident, to leave their sheep unmarked.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There was no dispensation to allow unmarked sheep to be moved from the restricted areas except in the case of movement of breeding stock to recognised breeding sales.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheep without markings were authorised by his Department to be recalled from auction marts in or around the restricted areas following the Chernobyl accident in August and September 1986.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date marking paint was made available to satisfy the needs of all sheep farmers in the restricted areas of Scotland following the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Marking paint was available from 13 August 1986.

  Prisoners (Solitary Confinement)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners are in solitary confinement for disciplinary measures and how many prisoners are in solitary confinement for their own safety, in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under rule 43 of the Prison (Scotland) Rules 1952, a prisoner may, as a punishment, be confined to his cell for a limited period on the authority of the governor or the visiting committee. This punishment is awarded very rarely and no prisoner is subject to it at present. Under rule 36 of the prison rules, a prisoner may be removed from association, with the authority of the visiting committee or the Secretary of State, in the interests of good order or discipline, or in his own interests. This is not a punishment, and the prisoner has access to normal privileges other than association. At 31 January 1988, 68 adult inmates were being held under this rule.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has decided the amount of fee remission grant to allocate to schools participating in the assisted places scheme in respect of session 1988–89.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The allocations of fee remission grant for 1988–89 are shown in the table. As in 1987–88, 41 schools will participate.

  School

  £

  Albyn School for Girls, Aberdeen

  29,000

  Belmont House School, Newton Mearns

  31,000

  Craigholme School for Girls, Glasgow

  45,000

  Dollar Academy

  108,000

  Edinburgh Academy

  106,000

  Fernhill School, Glasgow

  69,000

  Fettes College, Edinburgh

  97,000

  Fort Augustus Abbey School

  120,000

  George Heriot's School, Edinburgh

  419,000

  Glasgow Academy

  81,000

  Glenalmond College, Perthshire

  140,000

  Gordonstoun School, Morayshire

  84,000

  The High School of Dundee

  322,000

  The High School of Glasgow

  105,000

  Hutchesons' Grammar School, Glasgow

  219,000

  Keil School, Dumbarton

  125,000

  Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow

  118,000

  Kilgraston (Convent of the Sacred Heart)

  98,000

  Kilquhanity House School, Castle Douglas

  31,000

  Lomond School, Helensburgh

  97,000

  Loretto School, Musselburgh

  87,000

  Merchant Company Schools

  1,144,000

  Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh

  175,000

  Morrison's Academy, Crieff

  283,000

  Rannoch School, Perthshire

  75,000

  Robert Cordon's College, Aberdeen

  88,000

  Rudolf Steiner School of Edinburgh

  104,000

  St. Aloysius' College, Glasgow

  230,000

  St. Denis & Cranley School, Edinburgh

  48,000

  St. George's School for Girls, Edinburgh

  34,000

  St. Leonard's School, St. Andrews

  58,000

  St. Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen

  26,000

  St. Margaret's School for Girls, Edinburgh

  116,000

  Strathallan School, Forgandenny, Perthshire

  133,000

  Wellington School, Ayr

  79,000

  West of Scotland School Company

  506,000

  Total

  5,630,000

EMPLOYMENT

  YTS
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places on YTS he plans for the Peterlee and Seaham areas of his Department in the year 1988–89.

  Mr. Cope
  For 1988–89, a total of 1,105 YTS places are provisionally planned in the local authority district of Easington, which includes Easington, Peterlee and Seaham.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Peterlee and Seaham area of his Department have obtained jobs during or following their period on a YTS scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  Between April 1986 and July 1987, a total of 41 per cent. of young people who left YTS schemes in
  789
  the Easington local authority district (which includes Easington, Peterlee and Seaham) were in jobs three months after leaving. Two-year YTS started in April 1986 and so most of those leaving schemes since that date did not complete their training. Results for those completing the two-year course will not be available until the end of this year.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in manfacturing industry(a) in May 1979 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will express each figure as a percentage of the total of those in employment.

  Mr. Lee
  The figures for June 1979 (there are no comparable estimates for May) and September 1987, the latest date for which figures are available are given in the following table:

  The Civilian Employed Labour Force in Great Britain

  Number

  (a) Manufacturing industries

  June 1979

  7,247,000

  September 1987

  5,328,000

  (b) All industries and services

  June 1979

  22,480,000

  September 1987

  24,187,000

  (c) (a) expressed as a percentage of (b)

  June 1979

  32·2

  September 1987

  22·0

  The Civilian Employed Labour Force is the sum of employees in employment and the self employed. The figures are unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of his Department's management training courses include sessions on equal opportunities for women; and what proportion of managers at grade 6 level and above working outside headquarters have received training on equal opportunities for women.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Most introductory line management training courses include sessions on all aspects of equal opportunities; these cover equal opportunities for women. There are plans to include such sessions in the remaining courses. Other line management courses contain where appropriate either a specific equal opportunities session or a discussion on equal opportunities issues. Overall, 23 courses contain general equal opportunities sessions and there are plans to include such sessions in a further four courses. In addition, three courses contain separate sessions on equal opportunities for women.

  Because of their different entry methods and the variety of courses they have attended, it is not possible to identify what proportion of managers at grade 6 level working outside headquarters have received equal opportunities training.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, the total number of unemployment benefit claimants 790
  allowed to sign quarterly; and if he will give the totals on a similar basis for each unemployment benefit office in Blyth and Cramlington.

  Mr. Lee
  The numbers of unemployed claimants in Great Britain included in the monthly unemployment count who were allowed to sign quarterly in December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 were 261,466, 291,788, 294,169 and 261,189 respectively. The comparable figures for the Blyth and Cramlington unemployment benefit offices at 10 December 1987 were 418 and 200 respectively. Figures of quarterly attenders are not available below national level for earlier years.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many more jobs have been created since 1983.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no figures for job gains and job losses. Between March 1983 and September 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a net increase of 1,449,000 in the size of the employed labour force in Great Britain. The figure has been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self employed and Her Majesty's forces.

  Japan (Overseas Visitors)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives have been taken by his Department to attract overseas visitors from Japan to visit the countries of Britain.

  Mr. Lee
  Japan is an increasingly important market and determined efforts are directed by the British tourist authiority towards encouraging Japanese people to undertake longer stays in Britain to enable them to visit as much of the country as possible. The 267,000 visitors to the United Kingdom from Japan in 1987 showed a 30 per cent. increase on 1986.

  Regional Unemployment
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will outline the measures his Department is undertaking to reduce the regional variations in levels of unemployment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  My Department co-operates closely with regional policy initiatives to bring help where it is most needed. In particular, our wide range of enterprise, employment and training programmes plays an important part in efforts to encourage local job creation, and give unemployed people the skills and experience they need to get back to work. It is most encouraging that over the past 18 months unemployment rates have been falling fastest in regions such as Wales, the north, and north-west, where unemployment was highest.

  Job Training Scheme
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of places available under the present job training scheme; what is the number of places not filled; and how many individuals have obtained credits or qualifications as a direct result of their time on the scheme.
  791
  Mr. Cope
  The Government have indicated that they were willing to provide resources for up to 110,000 people to be in training on the new job training scheme at any one time.

  At the end of December 1987, the latest date for which figures are available there were 24,418 formerly unemployed people participating in the new job training scheme.

  Information on credits or qualifications is not yet available. The Manpower Services Commission has commissioned a follow-up survey which will give some information on qualifications. The results should be known in the spring.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, when the new job training scheme becomes part of a larger programme, how many places will be available; what is his estimate of take-up, based upon experience of previous schemes; and how many individuals he expects to acquire vocational or certified credits towards qualifications.

  Mr. Cope
  The new job training scheme will become a part of the new training programme for unemployed adults from September. Details of the new programme are currently under consideration.

  Lancashire County Council (Grants)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what grants have been allocated by the Manpower Services Commission to Lancashire county council for 1988–89; what grants were made in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The estimated level of payments is provided in the table.

  Programme/Scheme

  1987–88 £000s

  1988–89 £000s

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative

  288

  1280

  YTS

  1,920

  1,759

  Work Related Non-Advanced Further Education

  3,820

  3,845

  Old Job Training Scheme

  387

  2260

  Community Programme

  3,700

  21,637

  Training Linked to the Community Programme

  17

  25

  Wider Opportunities Training Programme

  132

  242

  Access to Information Technology

  3

  —

  Industrial Language Training Service

  99

  241

  1 Payment for 1988–89 is still subject to contract.

  2 Estimates for 1988–89 relate to the period April to August only.

  We are currently considering proposals from the Manpower Services Commission for the operation of the new adult training programme which will replace the community programme, training linked to the community programme, the old job training scheme, the wider opportunities training programme (and some other programmes) from September 1988.

  Estimates for the level of payments for these existing programmes have therefore been made for the period up to the end of August 1988.

DEFENCE

  Low-flying Aircraft (Benbecula)
  Mr. MacDonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Western Isles on 14 December 1987,Official Report, column 414, he will make a statement on (a) the cause of the incident involving a low-flying United States air force F-111 over Benbecula on 12 September 1983, (b) the height and speed at which the aircraft was flying, (c) information available to him on what disciplinary measures were taken against the aircrew and (d) what revisions were made to instructions to aircrew concerning mock attacks on RAF Benbecula; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the official investigation into the incident.

  Mr. Freeman
  The incident involving an F-111 aircraft of the United States air force engaged in routine training over RAF Benbecula on 12 September 1983 was investigated fully by the Royal Air Force with the complete co-operation of the United States air force. It is not the practice to make public the findings of such investigations, since their efficient conduct relies heavily upon evidence volunteered in confidence. Appropriate steps have been taken to regulate military flying activity in the vicinity of RAF Benbecula.

  Nuclear Warheads
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear warheads and their delivery vehicles have been withdrawn from Europe as a result of multilateral or bilateral agreements by the United States and Soviet Union since 1958.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas), on 23 November 1987, at column 36.

  Security Services
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 26 January,Official Report, column 259, when the hon. Member for Linlithgow may expect to receive a formal and substantive reply to the points raised during the debate on the Army, concerning the legal status of the security services, relations between British intelligence and Australian intelligence in respect of the Whitlam Government, and responsibility for the La Belle discotheque outrage.

  Mr. Freeman
  A reply will be sent soon.

  Lynx Helicopter
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Westland plc concerning the announcement of the award of a contract for the new 360 deg. radar to be fitted to the Lynx helicopter.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No contract has been placed. However, we are considering representations from a number of propective suppliers including Westland plc.
  793
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the modernisation programme for the Royal Navy's Lynx helicopter fleet to be completed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The modernisation programme for the Royal Navy's Lynx helicopter will be carried out by a phased conversion programme which it is planned to complete by the mid-1990s.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value of contracts so far awarded as part of the modernisation of the Royal Navy's Lynx helicopter fleet.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The value of total commitment to date is £83 million.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what reasons have led to the delay in the announcement of the award of the contract for the new 360 deg radar to be fitted to the Lynx helicopter;

  (2) what issues he is considering in deciding on the award of the contract for the new 360 deg radar to be fitted to the Lynx helicopter;

  (3) when he expects to announce the award of the contract for the new 360 deg radar to be fitted to the Lynx helicopter;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the defence implications of any delays in announcing the award of the contract for the new 360 deg radar to be fitted to the Lynx helicopter.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing yet to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 16 November 1987 at column 455.

  Graduate Engineer Officers
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many engineer officers graduated from training in(a) 1985, (h) 1986 and (c)

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of Royal Air Force engineer officers who entered productive service in each year is as follows:

  Number

  1985

  166

  1986

  121

  1987

  189

  Pilots
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present ratio of pilots to aircraft in the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Freeman
  Including pilots in all roles, approximately 2·3:1.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force pilots graduated to fly(a) fast jets, (b) multi-engined aircraft and (c) helicopters in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:(a) 67; (b) 75; (c)

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present ratio of fast-jet pilots to frontline fast-jet aircraft.
  794
  Mr. Freeman
  It is not our practice to disclose such details relating to operational aircraft.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots who took premature voluntary retirement in 1987 or who have requested premature voluntary retirement were trained fast-jet pilots.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of trained fast-jet pilots who in 1987 took, or requested, premature voluntary retirement were 35 and 33 respectively.

  RAF Personnel
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force airmen currently serve in each of the following categories:(a) armaments engineering branch, (b) mechanical engineering branch, (c) electrical engineering branch and (d) electronics branch.

  Mr. Freeman
  As at 1 January 1988, the numbers of trained airmen currently serving in the specified groupings of trades, covering both aircraft and ground support engineering, are as follows:

  Numbers

  a. Armament Engineering

  3,285

  b. Mechanical Engineering

  15,880

  c. Electrical Engineering

  4,436

  d. Electronic Engineering

  11,554

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force airmen became qualified in 1987 to serve in each of the following branches:(a) armaments engineering branch, (b) mechanical engineering branch, (c) electrical engineering branch and (d) electronics branch.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of RAF airmen who entered the trained strength in 1987 were:

  Numbers

  a. Armament Engineering

  152

  b. Mechanical Engineering

  632

  c. Electrical Engineering

  224

  d. Electronic Engineering

  739

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Royal Air Force airmen in the armament engineer branch left the Royal Air Force in(a) 1985, (b)1986 and (c) 1987; and how many of these failed to complete their engagement;

  (2) how many Royal Air Force airmen in the electronic engineer branch left the Royal Air Force in (a) 1985, (b) 1986 and (c) 1987; and how many of these failed to complete their engagement;

  (3) how many Royal Air Force airmen in the electrical engineer branch left the Royal Air Force in (a) 1985, (b)1986 and(c) 1987; and how many of these failed to complete their engagement;

  (4) how many Royal Air Force airmen in the mechanical engineer branch left the Royal Air Force in (a) 1985, (b) 1986 and(c) 1987; and how many of these failed to complete their engagements.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of airmen in each of the specified groupings of trades who left the RAF in each of the last three years, together with the numbers of those who failed to complete their engagements, are as follows:
  795

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Grouping of Trades

  Total Outflow

  Failed to Complete Engagement

  Total Outflow

  Failed to Complete Engagement

  Total Outflow

  Failed to Complete Engagement

  Armaments

  161

  92

  147

  85

  122

  63

  Mechanical

  858

  394

  921

  436

  850

  380

  Electrical

  247

  98

  258

  110

  208

  103

  Electronic

  676

  303

  702

  333

  571

  246

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many engineer officers left the Royal Air Force in(a) 1985, (b) 1986 and (c) 1987; and how many of these failed to complete their engagement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of engineer officers who left the Royal Air Force in each year were as follows:

  Total Outflow

  Failed to Complete/Engagement

  (a) 1985

  110

  84

  (b) 1986

  132

  95

  (c) 1987

  139

  93

  INF Treaty
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether Her Majesty's Government were consulted before the inclusion in the intermediate nuclear forces treaty of the clause permitting the re-use and repackaging of fissile material and components from the warheads of Pershing II and ground-launched cruise missiles;

  (2) whether he had been consulted or has any knowledge of the United States Government's intention to use fissile material and components from the warheads of Pershing II and ground-launched cruise missiles withdrawn under the terms of the intermediate nuclear forces treaty for use in other nuclear weapons intended for European deployment.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The Government were fully consulted by the United States Government throughout the negotiation of the INF treaty, which is specific to the elimination of missiles, launchers, support equipment and facilities. It contains no express provision governing the future use of fissile materials. The warheads for the Pershing II and GLCM missiles to be withdrawn under the INF agreement are, like the missiles themselves, wholly the property of the United States Government and the use of the nuclear material they contain will be entirely a matter for the United States Government.

  Stinger Missiles
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the threat to Royal Navy Lynx helicopters on the Armila patrol from Iranian gunboats equipped with Stinger missiles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The range of threats to our naval forces in the Gulf is kept under constant review, but it would not be in the interests of their security to reveal our assessment of such threats.

  Helicopters (Gulf Duty)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether all Royal Naval helicopters currently on deployment in the Gulf are equipped with passive decoys against Stinger missiles; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether all Royal Naval helicopters currently on deployment in the Gulf have armaments capable of destroying Boghammer raiding craft; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) whether Sea Skua is capable of destroying Boghammer raiding craft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Royal Navy helicopters serving with the patrol are provided with equipment relevant to the range of threats they face in carrying out their operational tasks. It would not be in the interests of the safety of our helicopters and their crews to define the specific capabilities of individual aircraft.

  Pensions
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of bringing the pensions of those who retired from the armed services between 1976 and 1978 into line with those who have retired since; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Pensions currently in issue to retired members of the armed forces vary with each year of retirement as a result of periodic changes in rates of pay and annual adjustments under index-linking arrangements. There is, therefore, no satisfactory basis for making the estimate requested.

  Trident
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 444, whether United Kingdom Trident warheads will be reattached to missiles by United Kingdom personnel at the United States Trident facility in King's bay, Georgia; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 1 February, Official Report, column 444, whether any British warheads will be stored at the United States Trident facility at King's bay Georgia; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) pursuant to his answer of 1 February, Official Report, column 444, if he will estimate how many British military and civilian personnel will be employed at the United States Trident facility at King's bay, Georgia.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As has been stated previously, the United Kingdom-designed and built Trident warhead will at all times remain in United Kingdom hands. These warheads will be mated to and demated from United Kingdom Trident missiles at RNAD Coulport exclusively. No United Kingdom Trident warheads will therefore be transported to, or stored or handled at the United States
  797
  facility at King's bay, Georgia by any personnel. It is not planned that any United Kingdom staff will be permanently employed at King's bay.

TRANSPORT

  Road Haulage Permits
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the applications for European Community multilateral road haulage permits to be submitted by 31 December 1987 were successful; and how many successful applications originated in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There were 189 applicants for the extra 125 multilateral permits. Hauliers based in England obtained 107, in Scotland three, in Wales four and in Northern Ireland eleven. These were additional to the United Kingdom's 1987 quota of 902 permits.

  Carlton PSV
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake an urgent inquiry into the financial standings of Carlton PSV before he allows further sales of National Bus Company holdings to proceed, especially in relation to Crewe and Nantwich.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have received no proposals from the National Bus Company for further sales to Carlton PSV; I have no reason to think that any inquiry is necessary.

  Horne Report
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the current position of his Department in relation to recommendation 67 of the report of Professor Horne and his committee on the liaison between highway authorities and public utilities.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government's response to the Horne report called for negotiations between local authority associations and the National Joint Utilities Group on reommendation 67 which relates to diversions of services made necessary by highway authorities' works. Negotiations started late. Good progress has since been made in working out a code of practice; related financial issues are also currently under discussion.

  I hope that the negotiations will be completed within the next four to five months. We shall take the results into account in preparing the legislation required to implement the Horne report.

  Public Transport Policies
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department seeks to develop public transport policies within given travel-to-work areas, concomitant with population changes within those areas.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  In London it is the responsibility of London Regional Transport and the British Railways Board to provide a secure public transport service in response to changes in demographic and other relevant factors and in accordance with principles approved by the Secretary of State. Outside London, responsibility rests 798
  with the local authorities concerned to supplement local commercial services in accordance with their general public transport policies.

  Herald of Free Enterprise
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has had any communication with the International Maritime Organisation secretariat concerning possible breaches of(a) the international maritime dangerous goods code and (b) the 1974 international convention for the safety of life at sea in regard to the known cargo inventory of the Herald of Free Enterprise when it sank at Zeebrugge.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. It is not a requirement under either the code or the convention for breaches of regulations to be reported to the International Maritime Organisation's secretariat.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the exact cargo inventory carried on the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry when it sank at Zeebrugge in March 1987.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Department has a copy of the manifest for the last voyage of the Herald of Free Enterprise which indentifies all the goods-carrying vehicles on board and details the contents of their loads. None of the goods disclosed on the manifest were of a type prohibited from carriage on passenger vessels.

  Lancashire County Council (Grants)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what grants he has allocated to Lancashire county council for 1988–89; what allocations were made in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Transport supplementary grant allocated to Lancashire county council is £4,683,000 for 1988–89 and £6,375,000 for 1987–88.

  Grant is paid at 50 per cent. of accepted expenditure. The lower grant in 1988–89 results primarily from the fact that expenditure on some important major schemes accepted for grant is coming to an end. One new major scheme was accepted for 1988–89 with expenditure in the year of £1·4 million. Adjustments of £1·5 million were made to reflect lower than expected expenditure on some aspects of the county's programme in previous years.

  A grant of around £7,000 in 1987·88 has been approved under section 272 of the Highways Act 1980.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Social Security Reform
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the levels of gross earnings in April at which(a) a single householder, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with two children aged four and six years and (d) a single parent with one child, aged three years, will lose housing benefit, assuming full take-up of family credit, average rent and rates and other assumptions, as in his reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay) Official Report, 1 December 1987, column 566.

  Mr. Scott
  On the basis of illustrative assumptions about the level of rents, rates and tax allowances from
  799
  April 1988, informaion about the levels of gross income at which entitlement to housing benefit will cease is set out in the table.

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  (5)

  Cross income in Column 4 made up of

  Assumed tax allowance per year

  Assumed rent per week

  Assumed rates per week

  Total gross weekly income at which housing benefit runs out

  Gross wages

  Child benefit

  Family credit

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Single Householder (aged 2–9)

  2,505·00

  15·94

  6·67

  75·20

  75·20

  —

  —

  Married Couple (one over 18, both under 60)

  3,925·00

  17·82

  7·50

  107·20

  107·20

  —

  —

  Married Couple (one over 18, both under 60) with two children aged 4 and 6

  3,925·00

  19·12

  8·02

  129·41

  91·00

  14·50

  23·91

  Single Parent (over 18) one child aged 3

  3,925·00

  17·82

  7·50

  104·30

  54·00

  12·15

  38·15

  Notes:

  1. The tax rate is assumed to be 27 per cent.

  2. The tax allowance for the Single Parent consists of the single person's tax allowance and the additional personal allowance.

  Thames Health Regions
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the revenue derived from services to private patients by hospitals in each of the four Thames health regions in the last year for which figures are available; and how this compares with(a) five and (b) 10 years ago.

  Mrs. Currie
  Following is the information requested:

  Income from charges to private patients1

  Per annual accounts£000

  At 1986–87 prices £000

  North West Thames Region

  1976–77

  4,250

  10,425

  1981–82

  7,946

  10,161

  1986–87

  5,965

  5,965

  North East Thames Region

  1976–77

  3,270

  8,021

  1981–82

  6,395

  8,178

  1986–87

  8,837

  8,837

  South East Thames Region

  1976–77

  3,138

  7,697

  1981–82

  6,906

  8,831

  1986–87

  6,592

  6,592

  South West Thames Region

  1976–77

  1,454

  3,567

  1981–82

  2,889

  3,694

  1986–87

  2,621

  2,691

  1 Charges for accommodation and treatment under sections 65 and 66 of the National Health Service Act 1977 and previous legislation (ie. in-patients and out-patients).

  Source:

  Annual accounts of regional and district (formerly area) health authorities comprising the four Thames regions.

  Note:

  The figures for the earlier years have been expressed at 1986–87 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product deflator.

  NHS Patients (Statistics)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of in-patients in National Health Service hospitals develop infections or other medical conditions after they have entered hospital as a patient.
  800
  Mrs. Currie
  The only such condition for which statistics are currently centrally available is for the postoperative infection. In 1984 the estimated percentage of inpatient cases with a diagnosis of post operative infection, for all RHAs, was 0·7 per cent. A figure for 1985 will be available shortly and I will write to my hon. Friend when it is to hand.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when Mrs. Ingrid Joan Gorman of 14 Allerton Grove, Birkenhead, will receive the invalid care allowance which she applied for in December 1986 under reference No. 071904.

  Mr. Scott
  Mrs. Gorman's claim was decided on 28 January and she should receive payment within the next seven days. I regret that processing of the claim took much longer than is usual and I am writing to the hon. Member.

  Benefits
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in tabular form the number of(a) claimants and (b) dependants claiming housing benefit; and if he will give comparable data on the numbers claiming at the introduction of the scheme.

  Mr. Scott
  Housing benefit was fully introduced in April 1983. The number of people receiving housing benefit in the autumn of 1983 was 6,970,000, and in the autumn of 1986 was 7,180,000. We do not collect centrally the number of dependants.

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services which regional health authorities have assigned funds to bridge the transition to community-based services for the mentally ill from their own resources; and when these funds were first established.

  Mrs. Currie
  The following regional health authorities operate bridging funds for achieving the tansition to community based services for mentally ill people.
  801

  Regional Health Authority

  Financial year of starting

  Trent

  1985–86

  Yorkshire

  1984–85

  South-East Thames

  1985–86

  North-East Thames

  1985–86

  North-West Thames

  1987–88

  South-West Thames

  1984–85

  West Midlands

  1987–88

  East Anglian

  1983–84

  North Western

  1984–85

  Mersey

  1987–88

  Bridging funds are not the only financing mechanism for achieving such a change. Other regions have adopted different arrangements.

  "A Child in Mind"
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for hon. Members to be able to obtain copies of the Louis Blom-Cooper report, entitled "A Child in Mind," on a Green Card from the Vote Office.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that I am unable to do so, as this is not a departmental or Her Majesty's Stationery Office publication. However, I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider addressing a meeting of chairmen of district health authorities in England and Wales to discuss current problems affecting the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Currie
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regular meets the chairmen of regional health authorities. They, in turn, are in close contact with their district health authority chairmen, whose views can thereby be conveyed to Ministers. In addition, I and my ministerial colleagues attend meetings of district chairmen with their regional chairman in the regions whenever possible.

  Income Support
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the introduction of income support will affect families with children whose breadwinner is not in work.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is set out in the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits" which was published at the time of the uprating statement on 27 October 1987. Table 2A shows that 880,000 claimants under pension age who have children will have an increased entitlement and 270,000 will be unaffected by the change. Because of transitional protection no one in this group will experience a drop in total benefit income at the point of change. A copy of this document is in the Library.

  Family Income Supplement
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what effects he expects the abolition of family income supplement to have on the income of families with children whose breadwinner is in work.
  802
  Mr. Scott
  Family income supplement will be replaced by family credit, and we estimate that this new benefit should help more than twice as many families as family income supplement does at present. Almost all will receive more from family credit than from family income supplement, had it continued. Further details appear in tables 3A and 3B of "Impact of the reformed structure of income related benefits", October 1987, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Departmental Offices (Staffing)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to change the levels of staffing at his Department's offices in view of the changes in the social security regime in April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The results of the annual local office recomplementing exercise for the 1988–89 year are expected to be announced in March 1988. These will take account of a number of factors including procedural changes arising from the implementation of income support and social fund.

  Correspondence
  Sir Geoffey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate will receive a substantive response to the letter sent on 23 November 1987 to the Minister for Social Security and the Disabled about his constituent Mr. Duff and the attendance allowance requested for his wife.

  Mr. Scott
  I replied to my hon. Friend yesterday.

  Compensation Payments
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if the arrangements with regard to the £8 compensation payments being made to pensioners with respect to the miscalculations of the retail prices index will provide that those pensioners who receive their benefits in the form of two concurrent books will receive two £8 payments, and those who have only one book will receive only one payment.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if claimants receiving more than one allowance will be eligible to receive the £8 payment in respect of each allowance being received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall) on 4 February 1988.

  Drivers (Eye Tests)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the level of charges for compulsory eye tests for motor vehicle drivers required to raise a sum equivalent to the sum expected to be raised by charging for eye tests under the Health and Medicines Bill, and if he will provide figures for tests at one year, two years and three year intervals, respectively.

  Mr. Newton
  The Health and Medicines Bill does riot provide for revenue to be raised by charging for National Health Service sight tests. It proposes to limit the free NHS
  803
  test to certain groups. Any charge for tests for those in other groups will be for those providing them to determine.

  Coventry (Doctors Deputising Service)
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information he has on the Coventry doctors deputising service's extra availability for heavily deprived areas;

  (2) what information he has for each of the last five years for the spending on the Coventry doctors deputising service and the deputising usage rates for each family practitioner committee;

  (3) what information he has as to the proposed 30 per cent. cut in the Coventry doctors deputising service; and on whose instructions the decision was taken.

  Mr. Newton
  Within the framework of the Department's guidance issued to family practitioner committees, policy on consent to use is a matter for individual FPCs to determine taking into account local conditions which may be modified for different parts of their area. I regret, therefore, that information on levels of usage is not readily available centrally. Nor is information held centrally on GPs' expenses specifically incurred for deputising services.

  As far as Coventry is concerned, I understand that the FPC has no plans to cut levels of consent by 30 per cent. and that the needs of deprived areas are taken into account in deciding permitted levels of use by individual practices.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans, in the light of the Opren case, to propose amendments to the law relating to medical negligence.

  Mr. Newton
  We have no plans to amend the law in the light of the Opren case, still before the court, where allegations of negligence and liability have been neither admitted by the defendants nor determined by the court. Under the relevant provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, which come into force on 1 March 1988, it will no longer be necessary for an individual to prove negligence in order to establish liability in a case where a court is satisfied that a defect in a medicinal product caused personal injury.

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to empower community health councils to inspect private nursing homes to which National Health Service patients are discharged; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Community health councils were set up to advise on the operation of the National Health Service in their districts. Community health councils have a statutory right to visit NHS hospital premises. Private nursing homes are outside the NHS and a statutory right to visit these does not exist. However it has been agreed with representations of the private health sector that CHCs should have access to appropriate parts of premises where NHS patients receive services under contractual arrangements. We have no plans to introduce legislation.

  Medicines (Information)
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to improve information about medicines.

  Mr. Newton
  I have placed in the Library a copy of a consultation package which has been issued on information about medicines, and which is being made widely available to professional, consumer, and industrial organisations.

  The aim is promoting the safer use of medicines by improving information available to the public, doctors and pharmacists. In particular, it is proposed to require clearer label warnings and instructions, more information about composition, and manufacturer site identification. As required by S129(6) of the Medicines Act 1968, the next step is to have the views of representative organisations before making regulations.

  Psychogeriatric Patients
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers of psychogeriatric patients in the central Nottinghamshire health authority area for each year from 1979 to 1987 inclusive.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 15 January 1988]: Patients being treated for the psychiatry of old age (psychogeriatrics) may be seen in mental illness or psychiatric wards. Local practice varies and central data may therefore be misleading. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Central Nottinghamshire health authority for the information.

  National Health Service (Funding)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what extra revenue would be raised for the National Health Service if the weekly contribution from those in work were raised to its 1962–63 level of 17·2 per cent. of the National Health Service budget; and to what level weekly national insurance contributions would have to rise to meet this level of funding.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 21 January 1988]: An increase to 17·2 per cent. in the proportion of National Health Service net spending in Great Britain funded by the NHS contribution would have involved an extra £715 million being met from this source in 1987–88. The proportion of net spending funded by general taxation would have fallen correspondingly to 79 per cent. of the total. Such a change, if applied equally to employees and employers, would have required class 1 contribution rates in each case to be 0·2 per cent. higher.

  Hospital Building
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any plans for new hospital developments in the Nottingham, central Nottingham and Bassetlaw district health authority areas.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 1 February 1988]: The table gives details of major schemes over £1 million in total cost included in Trent regional health authority's larger schemes building programme over the strategic plan period to 1993–94. Individual district health authorities are responsible for capital development below this sum and

  805
  the hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of the DH As concerned for information about these. The following schemes are currently in progress:

  Estimated total cost £ million

  Currently estimated completion date

  Bassetlaw Health Authority

  Bassetlaw DGH phase 2

  6·69

  April 1990

  Central Nottinghamshire Health Authority

  Ashfield local hospital phase 1

  10·61

  August 1988

  Mansfield Victoria local hospital phase 1

  10·78

  August 1988

  Newark local hospital phase 1

  10·47

  May 1988

  Nottingham Health Authority

  Sherwood hospital phase 4

  1·13

  January 1989

  Nottingham general hospital—conversion of Trent wing

  105

  October 1988

  The following schemes are at the detailed planning stage:

  Estimated total cost £ million

  Currently estimated completion date

  Bassetlaw Health Authority

  Bassetlaw DGH phase 2A

  4·8

  1992

  (The funding of this scheme remains subject to formal RHA approval).

  Central Nottinghamshire Health Authority

  Dukeries local hospital phase 1

  10·30

  1988–89

  Kings Mill hospital, Mansfield, phase 3

  20·6

  1991

  Ashfield local hospital, phase 2

  6·15

  1992

  Mansfield Victoria local hospital, phase 2

  2·16

  1992

  Nottingham Health Authority

  Nottingham city hospital, extension to X-ray department

  5·0

  1991

  Nottingham city hospital, ESM1 assessment unit

  1·5

  1991

  Nottingham city hospital renal unit, and Nottingham city hospital, radiotherapy centre

  8·0

  1992

  Rushcliffe local hospital

  4·26

  1992

  The following schemes are also included in outline in the Regional Strategic Plan and remain subject to detailed planning:

  Estimated total cost £ million

  Currently estimated completion date

  Bassetlaw Health Authority

  Bassetlaw DGH phase 3

  12·0

  1996

  Central Nottinghamshire Health Authority

  Newark local hospital development, phase 2

  5·52

  1993

  Dukeries local hospital development, phase 2

  2

  —

  Kings Mill hospital, Mansfield, phase 4

  2

  1996

  Nottingham Health Authority

  Nottingham city hospital, Extension to operating theatres

  2·0

  1992–93

  Nottingham city hospital, medical unit

  3·5

  1993–94

  District psychiatric centre

  4·0

  1993

  Nottingham city hospital, catering department

  1·4

  1993

  Gedling local hospital

  3·27

  1993–94

  Highbury—new local hospital for the elderly

  2·5

  1994

  1 Completed schemes will cost over £1 million.

  2 Not yet known.

  Infant Mortality
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the six health authorities with the highest percentage of post-neonatal deaths for each year since 1975.
  806
  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 26 January 1988, c. 219]: The full information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, readily available figures for regional health authorities, and for district health authorities are shown in the tables.

  Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) with the highest post-neonatal mortality rates, 1975–86, England and Wales

  Regional Health Authority

  Rate

  1975

  North Western

  5·9

  East Anglia

  5·6

  Trent

  5·2

  South East Thames

  5·2

  North East Thames

  5·1

  West Midlands

  5·0

  1976

  Yorkshire

  5·1

  North Western

  5·1

  Wessex

  4·9

  East Anglia

  4·6

  South East Thames

  4·6

  West Midlands

  4·6

  1977

  Yorkshire

  5·1

  North East Thames

  5·0

  North Western

  4·9

  Northern

  4·9

  West Midlands

  4·5

  Mersey

  4·4

  South East Thames

  4·4

  1978

  South East Thames

  4·9

  South West Thames

  4·7

  Wessex

  4·6

  West Midlands

  4·6

  South Western

  4·5

  North Western

  4·5

  1979

  Yorkshire

  5·2

  South East Thames

  5·0

  East Anglia

  4·8

  Mersey

  4·8

  North Western

  4·7

  Wessex

  4·7

  West Midlands

  4·7

  1980

  Mersey

  4·9

  Wessex

  4·9

  South East Thames

  4·7

  South West Thames

  4·6

  Yorkshire

  4·6

  North East Thames

  4·5

  North Western

  4·5

  North West Thames

  4·5

  1981

  Wessex

  5·2

  Yorkshire

  5·1

  South East Thames

  4·8

  North Western

  4·5

  West Midlands

  4·4

  South Western

  4·3

  Wales

  4·3

  1982

  North West Thames

  4·9

  North Western

  4·8

  South Western

  4·8

  South East Thames

  4·7

  Wessex

  4·7

  Yorkshire

  4·7

  807

  Regional Health Authority

  Rate

  1983

  Wessex

  5·0

  North Western

  4·8

  Yorkshire

  4·6

  South Western

  4·5

  East Anglia

  4·3

  Trent

  4·3

  1984

  North Western

  4·5

  Yorkshire

  4·5

  Wessex

  4·3

  South East Thames

  4·1

  North East Thames

  4·0

  South West Thames

  3·9

  1985

  South East Thames

  4·6

  Yorkshire

  4·6

  North Western

  4·5

  North East Thames

  4·0

  Oxford

  4·0

  North West Thames

  3·9

  Wales

  3·9

  Wessex

  3·9

  1986

  North Western

  5·0

  South Western

  4·9

  Yorkshire

  4·6

  South East Thames

  4·5

  Wessex

  4·3

  South West Thames

  4·2

  1 Deaths four weeks and over but under one year per 1,000 live births.

  District Health authorities (DHAs) with the highest postneonatal mortality rates1 1983–86, England

  District Health Authority

  Rate

  1983–84

  Grimsby

  8·5

  Burnley

  7·9

  Wandsworth

  7·3

  Salford

  7·2

  Scarborough

  6·9

  Bloomsbury

  6·9

  1984–85

  Salford

  7·9

  Central Birmingham

  7·2

  Greenwich

  6·8

  Scarborough

  6·6

  Winchester

  6·4

  Macclesfield

  6·3

  1985·86

  Rugby

  8·8

  Bloomsbury

  7·4

  Brighton

  7·0

  Scarborough

  7·0

  Torbay

  6·8

  Milton Keynes

  6·6

  1 Deaths 4 weeks and over but under 1 year per 1,000 live briths.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Register of Interests
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the latest issue of the Members' Register of Interests 808
  is to be published; how many right hon. and hon. Members have submitted entries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Register of Members' Interests was laid before the House on 8 December 1987 and published on 28 January 1988. As to the number of right hon. and hon. Members who have registered their interests, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the first report of the Select Committee on Members' Interests (H.C. 199).

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farm Woodlands Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have so far expressed an interest in applying for grants under the proposed farm woodlands grant scheme.

  Mr. Gummer
  As the Farm Land and Rural Development Bill is still before Parliament and as the subordinate legislation will need to be made when the Bill has received Royal Assent, we cannot launch this scheme until later this year. It would therefore be premature to try to estimate the likely level of interest. There have, however, been an encouraging number of general inquiries.

  Pigmeat MCAs
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the annual cost to the Exchequer of the existing European Communities monetary compensatory amounts paid on pigmeat.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Expenditure on monetary compensatory amounts is fully funded by the Community budget to which the United Kingdom's contribution is about 20 per cent, before abatement by the Fontainebleau mechanism. However, the available figures do not show expenditure on pigmeat MCAs separately, and therefore no estimate can be made of the cost to the Exchequer of such expenditure.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the estimated level of public expenditure planned for pigmeat monetary compensatory amounts between now and fiscal year 1992–93.

  Mr. MacGregor
  United Kingdom MCAs are paid as subsidies on imports and charged as levies on exports. Because of Community arrangements designed to simplify MCA administration, many transactions involving United Kingdom MCAs are handled in other member states. Moreover, United Kingdom provision figures do not identify pigmeat mcas separately. For these reasons, it is not possible to provide the answers sought.

  EEC Export Refunds
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that European Community export refunds more accurately and quickly reflect changes in international currency exchanges.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Commission is responsible for operating the export refund arrangements, and does so in conjunction with the various commodity management committees. We press for modifications whenever these are required by altered circumstances.