Written Answers of 10 February 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ministerial Visit
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of the recent visit by his Minister of State to the sub-continent of India.

  Mr. Renton
  The cost to the public funds for travel and subsistence expenses of my recent visit to the sub-continent of India was £10,600.

  Residence Applications
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to reach a decision on the applicants United Kingdom residence to which his letter and 106257/8(S) of 27 November 1987 to the hon. Member for Woking refers; and if he will allow the individuals concerned to leave the United Kingdom and re-enter again on a temporary basis until this case is determined.

  Mr. Renton
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 9 February.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to(a) the age of drivers stopped and asked to take a breathalyser test and (b) the age of those failing such a test.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on all those required to provide a roadside screening breath test is published annually in Home Office statistical bulletins, the latest issue, No. 24/87, giving figures for 1986. The bulletin does not include information by age of driver, because these details are not collected centrally. However, information on the ages of those found guilty of driving and so on with excess alcohol is published in table 15 of "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, 1986, Supplementary Tables", and of those breath-tested after accidents involving personal injury in table 36 of "Road Accidents, Great Britain, 1986", copies of both of which are in the Library.

  Risley Remand Centre (Suicide Attempts)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the period of detention at Risley remand centre of the six Iranians and one Iraqi who entered the United Kingdom at Liverpool without authorisation in December 1987; to which nation these people were deported; whether any of them had any form of medical examination while they were at Risley remand centre; what was the nature of the suicide attempts that they made on 4 January; and whether any other suicide attempts were made by these men while they were at Risley remand centre.

  Mr. Renton
  These stowaways were detained at Risley remand centre from 22 December 1987 to 15 January 1988 216
  following refusal of entry. All of them were medically examined there and held in the hospital wing. On 4 January, two of the men scratched themselves on the stomach and chest with a plastic knife causing superficial injuries. No other attempts to injure themselves were made. The men flew to Greece on 15 January under arrangements made by the immigration service and agreed with the men and the Greek authorities.

  Senior Police Officers (Meeting)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the purpose of the meeting at the Royal hotel, Scarborough, in May 1986 which was attended by Sir Lawrence Byford, Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Mr. Phillip Myers, Inspector of Constabulary for the North West and Northern Ireland, Mr. Colin Sampson, chief constable of West Yorkshire, and Mr. James Anderton, chief constable of Greater Manchester; and for what purpose Sir John Hermon, Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary visited this hotel whilst the meeting was taking place.

  Mr. Hurd
  The meeting was arranged by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary to discuss allegations about the conduct of the then deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester which had been brought to the attention of Mr. Anderton.

  The meeting took place on 19 May 1986. I understand that Sir John Hermon was in Northern Ireland throughout that day and that he had no prior knowledge of the meeting.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Church Schools
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement regarding the Government's policy towards Church of England secondary schools.

  Mr. Dunn
  I value the work done by Church of England schools within the maintained sector.

  Fee Remission
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the extra cost involved of full fee remission for all home students, in respect of part-time degree courses in(a) universities, (b) polytechnics and other colleges and (c) the Open University.

  Mr. Jackson
  The extra cost of full remission of part-time students' fees would have been £14·14 million for the universities in the academic year 1985–86 and £8·85 million for the Open University in 1986. The information is not available for polytechnics and other colleges.

  City of London Polytechnic
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science what proposals have been made to close down the department of metallurgy and metals engineering at the City of London polytechnic and for what reason; what steps are planned to safeguard the position of existing students in the event of such a closure; and when a decision is likely to be taken.
  217
  Mr. Jackson
  The court of governors of City of London polytechnic decided at its meeting on 20 January to cease recruitment to all metallurgy courses. I understand that the reason for the decision was the need to contain the polytechnic's expenditure within the funds expected to be available to meet it. The polytechnic has assured all existing students that they will be enabled to complete their courses under arrangements to be made with Thames polytechnic.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education; and whether he discussed with them his proposals for further education colleges included in the Education Reform Bill.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend will be meeting representatives of the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education on 24 February. He expects to discuss with them then issues relating to the Education Reform Bill.

  Universities Funding Council
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to establish the membership of the Universities Funding Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend will announce the membership of the Universities Funding Council in due course.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning his proposals for devolving the control of further education colleges from local education authorities to college governing bodies.

  Mr. Jackson
  361 responses have been received to the consultation paper, "Maintained Further Education: Financing, Governance and Law", from a wide range of colleges, local education authorities, educational and other organisations, and individuals.

  Medical Students
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to increase the

  Total expenditure1

  Authorised precept

  Cash

  21987–88 real terms

  Cash

  21987–88 real terms

  £ million

  £ million

  Percentage change year on year

  p

  p

  1983–84

  855

  1,018

  —

  77·00

  91·66

  1984–85

  897

  1,023

  +0·5

  80·00

  91·17

  1985–86

  3887

  954

  -6·7

  77·25

  83·08

  1986–87

  4905

  943

  -1·2

  77·25

  80·53

  1987–88

  51,015

  1,015

  +7·6

  79·73

  79·73

  1988–89

  6970

  928

  -8·6

  781·80

  78·28

  Percentage change between 1983–84 and 1988–89

  -8·8

  218
  extra week's allowance given to medical students to the same weekly rate as the basic maintenance grant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  No. The rates of grant payable for extra weeks of attendance apply equally to all eligible students, and reflect the fact that the main rates of grant include provision for some items (like books and equipment) which is related to a full year's expenditure.

  Inner London Education Authority
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will indicate in respect of his policy to require reductions in the net expenditure of the Inner London education authority for the financial year 1988–89, the approximate percentage reduction he expects under each of(a) staff, (b) premises, (c) transport, (d) supplies and services, (e) transfer payments, (f) finance and debt charges and (g) other expenses;

  (2) over which academic terms in the financial year 1988–89 he expects the Inner London education authority to implement his required reduction in expenditure; and if he will indicate the percentage reduction of expenditure this indicates for the respective terms.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Subject to the House's approval, the Secretary of State intends to prescribe a maximum precept for the ILEA for 1988–89 of 81·8p, enabling the authority to raise £985 million. The ILEA will need to make substantial reductions to manage its expenditure within this level of precept income. It is for the ILEA to determine how best to achieve these reductions.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will tabulate in the Official Report the net expenditure of the Inner London education authority for each of the financial years 1983–84 to that determined for 1988–89, in current values, together with the authorised precept in pence per pound on inner London local authorities, in both actual and current values, indicating which were subject to maximum rate limits, together with the approximate percentage increase or reduction in net real expenditure compared to the previous financial year, and the overall reduction in percentage of real terms from 1983–84 to 1988.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information available is set out in the following table. The ILEA has been subject to precept limitation since 1985–86.
  219

  1These figures are consistent with the definition of "total expenditure" used for block grant purposes. They exclude the capitalisation of repairs and contributions from special funds.

  2The cash figures have been repriced to 1987–88 real terms using the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator.

  3 The figure for 1985–86 includes £31·4 million of additional income arising from an adjustment in the calculation of pooling contributions.

  4 Revenue expenditure recorded in ILEA's published statement of accounts for 1986–87 before adjustment for capitalised repairs and including expenditure met by contributions from special funds was £970 million.

  5 ILEA's budgeted revenue spending as recorded in its published estimates before adjustment for capitalised repairs was £1,025 million.

  6 The figure given is the re-determined expenditure level for the ILEA in 1988–89. The precept maximum of 81.8p (see note 7) would enable the ILEA to raise £985 million on the latest available information.

  7 Subject to approval by the House of the draft Precept Limitation (Prescribed Maximum) (Inner London Education Authority) Order 1988 laid before the House on 29 January.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what inquiries or reports into the administration of educational standards in the Inner London education authority he has asked Her Majesty's inspectorate of education to undertake, or has received from it since 1979; and with what result.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The last comprehensive HMI report on educational provision in ILEA was made public in 1980. Since then, HMI has continued to inspect on a wide basis and has reported to the holder of my office accordingly; all institutional reports and surveys have been published and are available in the Library of the House.

  Primary and Secondary Schools (London)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the primary or secondary schools in the London boroughs of Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark and Lambeth to which he, or other Ministers in his Department, have paid an official visit subsequent to his taking up office as Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Mr. Dunn
  Since May 1986 my right hon. Friend has visited Notre Dame Roman Catholic girls' school in Southwark. My hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) has visited St. Luke's Church of England school in Lambeth, Mulberry girls' school in Tower Hamlets and Alleyn's school, which is an independent school, in Southwark and my hon. Friend, the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Walden) has visited Islington sixth form centre.

  Ideal Home Exhibition
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated total cost of the hire of a stand by his Department at the Ideal Home Exhibition, broken down by(a) full cost of officials and inspectors from his Department staffing the stand, (b) hire of stand, (c) publicity and publications and (d) all other costs.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The cost of hiring the Department of Education and Science stand is a matter of commercial confidentiality between the Department and the organisers. The stand will be manned by volunteers from the

  Whole-time equivalent doctors and nursing staff in NHS hospitals

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Nursing staff1

  Hospital

  Type of hospital3

  Doctors2WTE

  Qualified

  In training

  Unqualified

  Total

  Alexander

  Type of hospital subject to change4

  —

  8·0

  —

  —

  8·0

  Bellefield

  Mental handicap unit (adult and children)

  0·9

  28·4

  —

  48·9

  77·3

  Bellshill Maternity

  Non-teaching, non-GP, maternity unit

  25·0

  143·8

  86·0

  80·1

  309·9

  220
  Department and Her Majesty's inspectorate, who will receive time off in lieu for work outside their normal conditioned hours; the extra cost to the Department will be confined to travel and subsistence for some of Her Majesty's inspectorate.

  The cost of publications will depend upon their take-up rate during the exhibition; all publications will be supplied from the Department's existing stocks. No publicity costs have been incurred. A 12-screen video wall will be hired at a cost of £25,730. This will be used to display examples of good practice in schools. Other costs of furnishing the stand (furniture, electricity, cleaning and so on) will be in the order of £3,000.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science between what dates he intends to hire a stand at the Ideal Home Exhibition; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department will be taking a stand at this year's Ideal Home Exhibition throughout the period when the exhibition is open, that is from 8 March to 4 April inclusive. The main purposes of the display are:

  i to inform members of the public about the changes in the composition of school governing bodies following the passage of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986; and to interest parents visiting the exhibition in becoming parent governors of their child's school.

  ii. to explain the new examinations (GCSE, AS-levels and CPVE) to parents and prospective employers.

  iii. to explain the thinking behind the proposed national curriculum.

  Relevant publications about these subjects and other education matters of interest to the public will be available on the stand. It will also show examples of best practice in education and will enable visitors to ask questions about particular aspects of their own or their children's education.

SCOTLAND

  Hospitals (Lanarkshire)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the hospitals in the Lanarkshire health board area, giving details of the type of hospital and the numbers of(a) doctors and (b) nurses at each hospital.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:
  221

  Nursing staff1

  Hospital

  Type of hospital3

  Doctors2WTE

  Qualified

  In training

  Unqualified

  Total

  Birkwood

  Mental handicap unit (adult)

  1·4

  44·8

  —

  101·9

  146·7

  Cleland

  Geriatric unit including assessment unit

  4·9

  74·3

  —

  80·1

  154·4

  Coathill

  Day hospital

  1·2

  103·6

  —

  64·1

  167·7

  Hairmyres

  Mixed specialist hospital without maternity unit

  62·2

  330·4

  150·0

  102·7

  583·1

  Hartwood

  Mental hospital, non-teaching

  23·7

  474·6

  131·0

  249·0

  854·6

  Kello, Biggar

  GP hospital

  1·1

  12·3

  —

  6·8

  19·1

  Kirklands

  Mental handicap unit (adult)

  1·4

  75·3

  5·0

  87·6

  167·9

  Lady Home

  GP hospital

  —

  10·1

  —

  5·2

  15·3

  Law

  Mixed specialist hospital without maternity unit

  91·6

  426·3

  231·0

  110·2

  767·5

  Lockhart

  Miscellaneous type of hospital

  0·1

  18·9

  —

  9·5

  28·4

  Monklands

  Mixed specialist hospital without maternity unit

  120·8

  440·7

  156·0

  137·1

  733·8

  Motherwell Maternity

  Maternity unit, non-teaching, non-GP

  0·3

  23·9

  —

  5·0

  28·9

  Roadmeetings

  Long-stay geriatric unit

  1·0

  36·4

  —

  49·6

  86·0

  Stonehouse

  Mixed specialist hospital without maternity unit

  34·8

  180·6

  50·0

  53·8

  284·4

  Strathclyde

  Long-stay geriatric unit

  0·3

  46·0

  —

  24·9

  70·9

  Udston

  Long-stay geriatric unit

  0·4

  19·6

  —

  10·2

  29·8

  Victoria Cottage

  GP hospital with long-stay cases

  0·7

  10·6

  —

  5·0

  15·6

  Wester Moffat

  Long-stay geriatric unit

  0·2

  25·6

  —

  20·1

  45·7

  William Smellie

  Maternity unit, non-teaching, non-GP

  8·7

  74·9

  —

  18·5

  93·4

  Wishaw

  Long-stay geriatric unit

  0·1

  31·0

  —

  17·9

  48·9

  1 In post at 31 March 1987 (excluding teaching staff).

  2 Average over the financial year 1986–87.

  3 As shown in Scottish Health Service Costs.

  4 Used for young chronic sick specialty in 1986–87

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his overseas visits since June 1987.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I visited in my official capacity the United States of America between 9 and 16 October 1987 and Japan between 17 and 21 October 1987.

  National Health Service (Review)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he proposes to hold as part of the review of the National Health Service in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend will consider carefully any submissions put to him.

  Veterinary Inspectors
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when representatives of his Department last met the British Veterinary Association to discuss the work of local veterinary inspectors; what matters were discussed; and when he anticipates a further meeting taking place.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No such meetings have taken place and none is planned. However, my officials are closely following the discussions which are taking place between the British Veterinary Association and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received against proposals to put work done by local veterinary inspectors out to tender.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Letters have been received from two hon. Members following approaches made to them by the north of Scotland division of the British Veterinary Association and an individual practitioner.
  222
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to his Department's Department of Agriculture of paying fees to local veterinary inspectors in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Fees and other expenses due to local veterinary inspectors in Scotland, as elsewhere in Great Britain, are borne by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, not by my Department. However, I am advised that the sums involved in the years for which information is available were as follows:

  Year

  Fees1

  Travel and subsistence

  £

  £

  1981–82

  1,317,894

  81,694

  1982–83

  1,342,120

  121,175

  1983–84

  1,461,200

  126,825

  1984–85

  1,560,455

  125,825

  1985–86

  1,341,155

  133,219

  1986–87

  1,574,692

  136,189

  1 Including earnings related National Insurance contributions.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local veterinary inspectors are currently retained by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Scotland; and how many there were in 1985, 1980 and 1975.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The responsibility for appointing local veterinary inspectors in Great Britain rests with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, acting jointly. The number of local veterinary inspectors currently retained in Scotland is 508. This compares with 510 and 429 in 1985 and 1980 respectively. Comparable information for 1975 is not available.

  Brucellosis
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of brucellosis in human beings were recorded in Scotland in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Brucellosis is not a notifiable disease and figures for 1960 and 1965 are not available centrally. The Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit has supplied the following data for the later years:

  Year

  Number of cases of brucellosis

  1970

  347

  1975

  116

  1980

  79

  1985

  5

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Stalker-Sampson Investigations
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his statement of 25 January,Official Report, columns 21–23, when he was first informed by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland of the Director's decision to give directions not to institute any criminal proceedings relating to the Stalker-Sampson investigations.

  The Attorney-General
  Thursday 21 January 1988.

  Ministerial Statement
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General who was informed of his intention to make a statement in the House on 25 January prior to that date; and when.

  The Attorney-General
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Ministerial Communications
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General what communications there were between his Office and the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North on 24 January either directly or on behalf of his Office and what communications there were within the previous seven days.

  The Attorney-General
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

WALES

  Health and Personal Social Services
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table setting out for 1987–88 and 1988–89 the estimated number of(a) families and (b) persons in each health region or equivalent, and in Wales as a whole, showing net average expenditure on health and personal social services per family and per person in each year, and distinguishing between expenditure on the National Health Service and on the personal social services.
  224
  Mr. Grist
  The information is not readily available in the form requested. For Wales as a whole net estimated outturn in 1987–88 and net planned expenditure in 1988–89 per person and per family of four are as follows:

  Net expenditure per year

  Population (thousand)

  Health and Personal Social Services

  National Health Service

  Personal Social Services

  £

  £

  £

  1987–88 2,814:

  Per head

  445

  391

  54

  Per family of 4

  1,780

  1,564

  216

  1988–89 2,817:

  Per head

  472

  416·5

  55·5

  Per family of 4

  1,888

  1,666

  222

  The expenditure figures used are constistent with the information given in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Cm. 288-II) and include net current and capital spending.

  The population estimates quoted are the most recently published ones based on a 1985 projection by the Office of Population Census and Surveys.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the figures for recruitment to teacher training courses in 1987; what were the figures for 1986 in(a) the University of Wales and (b) the local authority/voluntary sector; and whether recruitment targets were achieved.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Details of teacher training students recruited in 1986 and 1987 are as follows:

  Recruitment to Initial Teacher Training in Wales

  1986–87

  Target

  1987–88

  Target

  Public Sector

  BEd Primary

  410

  525

  509

  525

  BEd Secondary

  58

  100

  77

  85

  PGCE Primary

  146

  135

  148

  135

  PGCE Secondary

  89

  105

  l09

  120

  Total

  703

  865

  843

  865

  University Sector

  Primary

  124

  141

  160

  160

  Secondary

  451

  545

  468

  545

  Total

  575

  686

  628

  705

  Recruitment to courses in the public sector increased by 20 per cent. and to courses in the University of Wales by 9 per cent.

ENERGY

  Mining Equipment
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what has been the contribution of heavy duty longwall mining equipment to the improvements in the productivity of British Coal for the years 1985–86 and 1986–87;

  (2) what information he has into how many British coal faces utilise heavy duty mining equipment, and as to when all faces will be so equipped.
  225
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  These are matters for British Coal, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Coal (International Trade)
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give his estimate of the growth of the international trade in coal by the end of the century.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Department does not undertake such estimates. However, a widely known projection of international coal trade in the OECD area is that published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in "Coal Information 1987". This projects that total hard coal imports by OECD countries in 2000 will be 65 per cent. higher than the level in 1985.

  Coal Industry (Policy)
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review the Government's energy policy, in the light of the conclusions of the Financial Times international coal report, a copy of which has been sent to him, about the potential number of coal-importing power stations likely to be built over the next 10 years and their capacity to absorb all the additional tonnage now planned, as well as the slack to be taken up in over capacity at existing mines.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No.

  Nuclear Experiments
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will(a) list all occasions since 1 January 1973 when notifications of planned nuclear experiments have been made to the European Commission under European treaty article 34 and (b) place copies of such notifications in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No experiments have been carried out at United Kingdom nuclear power stations which required to be notified under article 34 of the Euratom treaty.

  Radiation
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will undertake to revise all statements made to the House by Ministers in his Department since May 1979 on safe levels of radiation exposure, in the light of(a) new dose limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection and (b) the new exposure standards set by the National Radiological Protection Board.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Occupational exposure to radiation is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. Reference was made to the current advice on dose limitation provided by national and international bodies in the answers I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle Upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 22 January 1988 at column 886 and 1 February 1988 at columns 474–75.

  Nuclear Exports
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will(a) list all occasions since 1 January 1973 that
  226
  notifications of planned nuclear exports have been made to the European Commission under the European treaty article 103 and (b) place copies of such notifications in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The hon. Member may have in mind commercial contracts for the export of nuclear materials. I am advised that these contracts do not fall within the scope of article 103 of the Euratom treaty. Particulars of individual consignments and destinations are of course commercially confidential to the parties involved.

  Nuclear Installations (Fixed Assets)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what valuation was put on the fixed assets at Sellafield, Capenhurst and Springfields when transferred from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. ownership in 1971; and whether the initial investment cost in these facilities is included as a proportion of the unit cost of nuclear-generated electricity by his Department.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The net book values of the fixed assets to which the hon. Member refers were:

  £ million

  Sellafield (Windscale and Calder Hall)

  8·29

  Capenhurst

  6·98

  Springfields

  4·31

  The value of these facilities is reflected in BNF's charges to its customers and, as such, is included in the unit cost of nuclear-generated electricity.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc (Exhibition)
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of British Nuclear Fuels plc to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for an exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 29 February to 4 March inclusive.

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the level of financial contributions made by member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency for its safeguards system.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The costs of the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards system are met from the agency's regular budget. A total of $45 million has been allocated for safeguards in the 1988 budget of $137 million to which member states will contribute in accordance with their assessed contributions.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if Her Majesty's Government will increase its contributions to the International Atomic Energy Agency in support of the expanded role now played by the agency's operational safety review team.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The costs of the International Atomic Energy Agency's operational safety review teams are met from the agency's regular budget. The regular
  227
  budget for 1988, to which the United Kingdom will contribute in accordance with her assessed contribution, allows for increased activity by these teams.

EMPLOYMENT

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small businesses have been established in the northern region since 1983.

  Mr. Cope
  The best estimate available of the number of small businesses is from VAT information. In the three years 1984 to 1986, there were an estimated 20,100 new VAT registrations in the northern region.

  MSC (Employment Schemes)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to increase the range of aids available under the Manpower Services Commission's special aids to employment scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  The aim of the special aids to employment scheme is to supply any tools or equipment that are needed to overcome the effects of any disability in the employment field. Consequently, there is no limit to the range of aids that can be considered under the scheme.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to publicise more widely the aids currently available under the Manpower Services Commission's special aids to employment scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  The special aids to employment scheme is already publicised widely by the Disablement Advisory Service and staff at jobcentres, through the code of good practice on the employment and disabled people, videos, leaflets, liaison with employers and voluntary organisations, and direct contact with individual people with disabilities. There are no plans to publicise individual items available under the scheme, but examples are quoted in leaflets.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment is made of the suitability of aids issued under the special aids to employment scheme for the needs of the recipients.

  Mr. Lee
  The aim is to provide the most cost-effective suitable device which a person with a disability needs to do the job. Assessment of the appropriate aid for the purpose is made by staff of the Disablement Advisory Service in consultation with individual worker, the employer, the manufacturer, and technical and medical guidance and support as necessary.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many aids provided under the Manpower Services Commission's special aids to employment scheme in the last five years were issued to people categorised as(a) deaf without speech, (b) deaf with speech and (c) hard of hearing.

  Mr. Lee
  The figures showing the number of aids issued under the special aids to employment scheme to the three categories of people with hearing impairment are only readily available for the latest two and a half years (April 1985 to October 1987):
  228

  Numbers

  (a) Deaf without speech

  97

  (b) Deaf with speech

  248

  (c) Hard of hearing

  347

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average length of time between receipt of an application for equipment under the Manpower Services Commission's special aids to employment scheme and the date the equipment was delivered.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no figures available on the average length of time between receipt of the application for equipment under the special aids to employment scheme and the date the equipment was obtained. Typically, the period can vary from a few days to several weeks depending on the complexity of the case and the availability of the equipment.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what has been (1) the numerical, and (ii) the percentage, loss or gain in(a) manufacturing industry, (b) service industries and (c) the public service from 1979 to 1987 in(i) the United Kingdom, (ii) West Germany, (iii) the United States of America and (iv) Japan;

  (2) what has been the total increase or decrease in jobs in (a) manufacturing industry, (b) service industries and (c) the total economy from 1979 to 1987 in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) West Germany, (iii) Japan and (iv) the United States of America.

  Mr. Lee
  There are no figures for job losses or job gains, and estimates are not available for all the dates, areas and categories specified. The available information is as follows:

  Numerical changes in the levels of civilian employment1

  Manufacturing Industries

  Service Industries

  Totals in Civilian Employment

  Great Britain

  1979–1985

  -1,783,000

  1,119,000

  -919,000

  1979–1987

  -1,954,000

  1,856,000

  -432,000

  West Germany

  1979–1985

  -793,000

  627,000

  -505,000

  Japan

  1979–1985

  1,200,000

  3,210,000

  3,280,000

  United States of America

  1979–1985

  -1,579,000

  9,370,000

  8,326,000

  Percentage changes in the levels of civilian employment1

  Manufacturing Industries

  Service Industries

  Totals in Civilian Employment

  Great Britain

  1979–1985

  -25

  8

  -4

  1979–1987

  -27

  13

  -2

  West Germany

  1979–1985

  -9

  5

  -2

  229

  Manufacturing Industries

  Service Industries

  Totals in Civilian Employment

  Japan

  1979–1985

  9

  11

  6

  United States of America

  1979–1985

  -87

  15

  8

  1 Civilian employment is the sum of employees in employment and the self employed in Great Britain. In West Germany, Japan and the United States of America the figures include unpaid family workers.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those available for work in Derbyshire were unemployed in each of the years 1983 to 1987; and what was the number of advertised job vacancies for each of those years.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the annual average number of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed. Estimates of self-employment, also part of the working population, are not regularly produced for counties. Also included are the annual average number of unfilled job vacancies registered at jobcentres, in the county of Derbyshire for each year from 1983 to 1987. Total numbers of advertised job vacancies are not available but it is estimated that nationally about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres.

  County of Derbyshire

  Year

  Unemployed claimants1 (per cent·)

  Unfilled vacancies2

  1983

  12·4

  1,512

  1984

  12·7

  1,493

  1985

  12·7

  1,663

  1986

  12·8

  2,049

  1987

  12·0

  2,363

  1 The numbers are affected by changes in the coverage of the count·

  2 The number of unfilled vacancies for 1983 is an average of 9 months, as the figures are only available from April 1983·

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many self-employed people there were in (i) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (ii) the Runcorn travel-to-work area and (iii) the Chester travel-to-work area in each of the last five years; and what those figures represented as a percentage of the working population.

  Mr. Lee
  The only source of information on the self-employed resident in travel-to-work area (TTWAs) is the decennial census of population. Information from the 1981 census of population for the relevant TTWAs is as shown in the table:

  Self-employed Number

  as percentage of economically active

  Northwich

  5,237

  9·1

  Widnes and Runcorn

  3,115

  4·9

  Wirral and Chester

  17,084

  7·0

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many 230
  visitors stayed overnight in (a) the Northwich travel-towork area, (b) the Runcorn travel-to-work area and (c) the Chester travel-to-work area in each of the last five years; how much they spent; and how many jobs they provided.

  Mr. Lee
  Data on the number and expenditure of overnight visits to the travel to work areas specified are not available. However, data on the number of overnight visits to Cheshire by overseas visitors and their associated expenditure are:

  Visits

  Spending

  (000s)

  (£ millions)

  1982

  172

  20

  1983

  183

  23

  1984

  211

  27

  1985

  198

  31

  1986

  204

  38

  The latest available data on employment in tourism related industries in Cheshire relates to September 1984 when there were an estimated 21,800 employees in employment. Equivalent data for specified travel-to-work areas are as follows:

  Number

  Northwich

  2,600

  Widnes & Runcorn

  3,200

  Wirral & Chester

  12,800

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have taken advantage of the job training scheme child care payment systems in(a) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (b) the Chester travel-to-work area and (c) the Runcorn travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Cope
  There are no trainees receiving child care payments in the three areas concerned. The facility for such payments is being piloted in 10 areas nationally, none of which fall within the boundaries of Cheshire.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, what is the current level of(a) youth, (b) long-term and (c) all unemployment in (i) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (ii) the Chester travel-to-work area and (iii) the Runcorn travel-to-work area; what have been the figures at the same date in each of the last five years; and what each figure represents as a percentage of those available for work.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is available from the Library. Table(a) shows the number of unemployed claimants aged under 18, table (b) shows the number of unemployed claimants unemployed for over one year, and table (c) shows the total number of unemployed claimants at October of each of the last five years, (the most recent available figures are for October 1987) in the Northwich, Wirral and Chester and Widnes and Runcorn travel-towork areas, together with these numbers as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed. Comparisons over the period are slightly affected by the change in the method of compiling the figures in March 1986.
  231

  Travel to work area

  October 1983

  Per cent.

  October 1984

  Per cent.

  October 1985

  Per cent.

  Octobe 1986

  Per cent.

  October 1987

  Per cent.

  Table (a)—Unemployed Claimants aged under 18

  Northwich

  478

  1·0

  485

  1·0

  461

  1·0

  344

  0·7

  258

  0·6

  Wirral and Chester

  2,763

  1·3

  2,527

  1·2

  2,374

  1·2

  2,114

  1·1

  1,530

  0·8

  Widnes and Runcorn

  1,057

  1·8

  1,008

  1·7

  805

  1·4

  717

  1·3

  614

  1·1

  Table (b)—Claimants unemployed over one year

  Northwich

  2,254

  4·9

  2,514

  5·3

  2,493

  5·3

  2,467

  5·3

  2,027

  4·4

  Wirral and Chester

  15,703

  7·6

  17,007

  8·3

  17,848

  8·8

  17,650

  8·8

  15,421

  7·7

  Widnes and Runcorn

  4,865

  8·3

  5,503

  9·3

  5,659

  9·9

  5,487

  9·8

  4,637

  8·3

  Table (c)—Total unemployed Claimants

  Northwich

  6,262

  13·5

  6,434

  13·6

  6,563

  13·8

  6,016

  12·9

  5,116

  11·0

  Wirral and Chester

  37,083

  18·0

  38,637

  18·9

  39,368

  19·5

  37,875

  18·9

  33,365

  16·6

  Widnes and Runcorn

  11,389

  19·3

  11,703

  19·8

  11,584

  20·3

  11,335

  20·2

  9,668

  17·2

  School Leavers
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of school leavers went directly into full-time employment in(a) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (b) the Chester travel-to-work area and (c) the Runcorn travel-to-work area, in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lee
  I regret that the information requested is not available for the relevant travel-to-work areas.

  Confectionery and Biscuits
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are his estimates of the prospects for further employment in the confectionery and biscuit industry in the north of England, in the event of the removal of value added tax from products currently charged at the standard rate.

  Mr. Lee
  I am not in a position to make such estimates.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those registered as unemployed in England and Wales in each of the last five years had previous primary diagnoses of(a) mental illness and (b) schizophrenia psychoses; and how many had been registered as unemployed for (i) three to six months, (ii) six months to one year, (iii) one to three years and (iv) over three years.

  Average Hourly Wages of Employees in Manufacturing Industry1

  Belgium

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  France

  Netherlands

  Sweden

  United States of America

  Italy

  (Francs)2

  (£)2/6

  (Deut-schmarks)3

  (Francs)2

  (Guilders)2

  (Kronor)3

  ($)

  (Lira)4

  1975

  144·32

  1·399

  9·69

  11·99

  9·95

  ..

  4·83

  1,794

  1976

  159·68

  1·559

  10·35

  13·87

  10·77

  27·31

  5·22

  2,133

  1977

  174·59

  1·687

  11·14

  15·61

  11·83

  29·51

  5·68

  2,673

  1978

  18444

  1·949

  11·73

  17·49

  12·49

  33·03

  6·17

  3,244

  1979

  199·61

  2·275

  12·36

  19·56

  13·05

  36·01

  6·70

  3,849

  1980

  217·88

  2·664

  13·18

  22·72

  13·77

  39·63

  7·27

  4,684

  1981

  243·08

  2·934

  13·92

  26·14

  14·56

  43·18

  7·99

  5,742

  1982

  256·80

  3·197

  14·64

  29 75

  15·60

  45·67

  8·49

  6,693

  1983

  270·33

  3·436

  15·14

  33·56

  15·93

  48·45

  8·83

  7,712

  1984

  281·78

  3·677

  15·49

  35·67

  16·16

  53·98

  9·19

  8,539

  1985

  293·81

  3·971

  16·20

  37·75

  16·58

  58·58

  9·53

  ..

  1986

  295·30

  4·268

  16·80

  39·29

  ..

  ..

  9·73

  ..

  Source: International Labour Office 'Year Book of Labour Statistics 1986'

  `Bulletin of Labour Statistics 1987–8'
  232
  Mr. Lee
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Occupational Health Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has responded to the consultative document produced by the Health and Safety Commission regarding occupational health services and ratification of International Labour Organisation convention 161 adopted in June 1985; and if' he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I invited the Health and Safety Commission to give its views on whether the Government should ratify ILO convention 161 on occupational health services. The commission issued a consultative document and, in the light of the comments received, has recently submitted its advice which I am currently considering.

  Hourly Earnings
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has for each year since 1975 as to the figures for average hourly earnings of industrial workers in(a) Belgium, (b) Britain, (c) Germany, (d) France, (e) Holland, (f) Sweden, (g) the United State of America and (h) Italy.

  Mr. Lee
  The table sets out the available information published by the International Labour Office for average hourly wage of employees in manufacturing industry.
  233

  Notes:

  1 Average gross earnings per hour of men and women of all ages (except salaried employees) unless otherwise indicated. See notes for each country. Figures relate to annual averages unless otherwise indicated.

  2 October of each year.

  3 Includes family allowance paid directly by employer.

  4 Includes value of payments in kind.

  5 Second quarter of each year. Adults only. Including holiday and sick leave payments and the value of payments in kind.

  6 Full time male manual workers on adult rates of pay—includes quarrying after 1983 and all adults prior to 1980.

  .. Not available.

  Italics Change in coverage of series.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  British Industry Committee
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he proposes to give to the British Industry Committee on South Africa in its efforts to get British companies to invest in social projects in South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have kept in close touch from the outset with the British Industry Committee on South Africa about its scheme to invest in social projects in South Africa. We also maintain contact with the major British companies already involved in such projects, which we welcome. The Government have committed funds totalling £21 million for the five years beginning in April 1987 to our own major development programme for black people in South Africa.

  Helsinki Final Act
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent progress of Romania in fulfilling the Helsinki Final Act.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Maples) on 13 January, at columns 185–89.
  Romania's performance has not improved over the last six months. The presidency of the European Community made representations to the Romanian authorities on 3 February in Bucharest on behalf of the Twelve, drawing attention to the need for Romania to respect its CSCE commitments.

  BBC Overseas Service
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate in real terms the grant payable to the BBC overseas service over the last five years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The total grants-in-aid of the BBC external services in the last five years for broadcasting and monitoring were as follows:

  Total £ million

  Real increase on previous year percentage

  1982–83

  70·9

  5

  1983–84

  77·6

  5

  1984–85

  81·1

  0

  1985–86

  90·0

  5

  1986–87

  98·8

  7

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government or to the United Kingdom ambassador in Washington from the member states of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty concerning breaches of non-proliferation treaty article 1 on the prohibition of assistance in making nuclear weapon devices.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received no such representations.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is aware of any breaches of article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any member state Government party to the non-proliferation treaty has ever made it known to the depository states that they intend to consider withdrawing from the treaty; and if he will list the signatories to the treaty at the most recent practicable date.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received no suggestions that any party to the non-proliferation treaty wishes to withdraw. I have placed copies of the latest list of signatories to the treaty in the Library.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives his Department will take to ensure the extension and strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the 1995 renewal conference of the treaty.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are strongly committed to the nonproliferation treaty. It is, however, too soon to consider initiatives for renewing the treaty in 1995.

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request Her Majesty's Government's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency board of directors to forward a report to his Department on the agency's director-general's latest safeguards implementation report and oral commentary; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Mellor
  We receive International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards implementation reports on an annual basis. The reports and the Director-General's oral commentary are confidential to board members.

  However, a summary and the main conclusions of the 1986 safeguards implementation report (the latest available) are given in paragraphs 34 and 391 to 437 of the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual report for 1986. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct Her Majesty's Government's permanent ambassador to the United Nations permanent disarmament conference to initiate negotiations under the amendment procedure of the 1963 partial test ban treaty to enforce the finalisation of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Nuclear Materials (Security)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any representative from the nuclear authorities in the United Kingdom has been invited to the meeting of nuclear experts convened by the DG. 17 energy directorate of the European Commission on 15 February; and if he will set out the assistance the United Kingdom intends to offer to the Energy Commission inquiry looking into nuclear materials security in the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yes. The possibility of any United Kingdom assistance being supplied will be considered in the light of the outcome of the meeting.

  Nuclear Materials (Oversight)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's evaluation of the adequacy of chapters 7 and 10 of the European treaty on ensuring oversight of nuclear materials and technology management within and without the EEC.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are satisfied that chapters VII and X of the Euratom treaty adequately cater for the safeguarding of nuclear material both inside the Community and in trade between Community and third countries. These chapters do not address the question of technology management.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department currently possesses on the inquiries to be undertaken, respectively, by(a) the Euratom safeguards directorate and (b) the commission of inquiry of the European Parliament appointed on 20 January to investigate the adequacy of the implementations of nuclear safeguards to nuclear facilities within the EEC member states.

  Mr. Mellor
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the allegations involving a German firm, Transnuklear, and the Belgian nuclear centre at Mol. Following those allegations, Euratom officials, working with officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency, carried out exhaustive checks and found no evidence that any nuclear material of significance has been diverted and no evidence of any breach of safeguards.

  The European Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry which was appointed on 20 January to investigate activities at Mol is to report within four months from that date.

  Armoured Personnel Carriers (Turkey)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth. Affairs what assurances have been sought from the Turkish Government on the proposed uses of the 40 Shorts SS50 armoured personnel carriers which its Interior Ministry has contracted to buy for their gendarmerieé; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None. Turkey is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally with which we enjoy excellent bilateral relations.

  Nuclear Materials (Khartoum)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct Her Majesty's ambassador to Sudan to inquire of the Sudanese Prime Minister if he will make available to Her Majesty's Government any information he possesses concerning the allegations of a black market in weapons grade nuclear materials in Khartoum made public initially on 30 October 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  Her Majesty's embassy in Khartoum is in touch with the appropriate Sudanese governmental authorities. There is still no evidence to confirm the allegation of a black market in weapons grade nuclear material in Sudan.

  Annette Heunis and Terry Tsle
  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from Her Majesty's ambassador in South Africa about the case of Annette Heunis and Terry Tsle, who have fled to Bophuthatswana to escape the attempts by the South African police to stop their mixed race relationship.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None. The case has received extensive coverage in the British press. As the House knows, Her Majesty's Government believe that individuals should be free to live where they wish.

  Hong Kong
  Sir Peter Blaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Hong Kong Government White Paper on representative government will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Hong Kong Government White Paper on the development of representative government was published in Hong Kong earlier today. Copies of the White Paper were placed in the Library of the House today. The paper covers a range of issues connected with the development of representative government. The main decisions are that

  (a) ten directly elected members will be introduced into the Legislative Council in 1991;

  (b) in 1988 the number of appointed members in the Council will be reduced from 22 to 20, and the number of members elected by functional constituencies increase from 12 to 14. In 1991 the present geographically-based electoral college system of election will be abolished, but the urban and regional councils will each continue to elect one member to the Council;

  (c) links between the urban district boards and the urban council will be strengthened;

  (d) the Governor will continue to be the president of the Legislative Council for the immediate future.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Coal Waste (Disposal)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with British Coal regarding its proposals to dispose of increased amounts of coal waste and slurry off Dawdon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 9 February 1988.

  Dairy Inspections
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average(a) cost of a dairy inspection, (b) duration of a visit for a dairy inspection and (c) number of visits each inspector carried out per day, for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, the charge of £90 reflects the total cost of enforcing the milk and dairies regulations, and the salary and travelling costs of the dairy husbandry staff who carry out farm visits (including follow-up visits which are not chargeable) account for approximately half of this sum.

  The duration of routine dairy husbandry visits varies and it is not possible to provide a meaningful average.

  Dairy husbandry advisers achieve between three and four visits per day, but this is an average. In practice they aim to devote complete days to farm visiting (during which they normally cover five farms) after which between one third and one half of a day is required for writing up the results and preparing for the next block of visits.

  Chemical Trials
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the scope and purpose of all chemical trials currently being conducted on United Kingdom farms.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The agricultural and horticultural industries use a wide range of chemicals, most notably as fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides, veterinary medicines, disinfectants and cleaning agents. My Department has statutory responsibilities for testing or monitoring in a number of these areas. We also have a research and development programme to support this work and to explore was of minimising chemical usage. This includes studying the effects of chemicals in crops and food, on the environment and on wild life. Most trials involved are carried out in laboratories or at experimental research stations, though some do take place on farms with the agreement of the farmer concerned and subject to the necessary supervision. Farm trials are also undertaken to assess commercial viability, though the majority of these are conducted by chemical companies and subject to any licensing conditions. In the case of pesticides, this involves authorisation by the granting of an experimental permit under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. For veterinary medicines, companies or individuals may apply for an animal test certificate under the Medicines Act
  238
  1968. But in order to protect commercial confidentiality, section 118 of the Act prohibits the disclosure of information relating to such applications.

  Centrally held information on the R and D programme does not readily allow the identification of projects which include farm trials and details of these and the many pesticide permits could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Rainfall (West Yorkshire)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department first received from the Meteorological Office rainfall figures for the period 2 to 7 May 1986, in relation to west Yorkshire; when this information was transmitted to his Department's regional offices in west Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: First information on rainfall across Britain during the period in question was provided immediately, by telephone—see my reply of 29 January at column 421. This was used to identify areas most likely to be affected by fallout; later, this function was replaced by the use of results of surveys of actual deposition and of monitoring, which made it clear that north Wales, Cumbria and southwest Scotland were the areas of significant deposition. Subsequent to these surveys, preliminary rainfall maps (based on radar data and covering the whole country on 3–4 May) were received by my Leeds regional office at the end of June 1986 from the local meteorological office.

DEFENCE

  Air-Sea Search and Rescue
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many mountain rescue associations have submitted comments to his Department on the future of air-sea search and rescue services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since 1 January 1987, seven mountain rescue organisations have submitted comments to this Department on the future of search and rescue services. A number of other organisations associated with mountaineering have also done so.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Moray,Official Report, 26 January, column 183, he will list in the Official Report the names of those organisations and individuals who have made representations to retain air-sea search and rescue services as a function of the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Freeman
  Representations to retain search and rescue services as a military function have been made by, or on behalf of, the following organisations:

  Brecon Mountain Rescue Team

  British Mountaineering Council

  Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team

  Hinckley Mountaineering Club

  Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team

  Lomond Mountaineering Club

  Mountaineering Council of Scotland

  Mountain Rescue Committee

  Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland

  Moray District Council

  National Organisation for Outdoor Education

  239

  (Scotland)

  National Union of Seamen

  Pembrokeshire Conservative and Unionist Association (St. Davids branch)

  Ramblers' Association, East Yorkshire and Derwent Area

  Scottish Mountaineers' Club

  Swaledale Fell Rescue Organisation

  Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team

  Wick Community Council

  It is not the practice to list the names of private individuals who have made representations to this Department.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the total number of representations he has received about the future of air-sea search and rescue services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Apart from parliamentary questions, some 60 inquiries or representations about the future of air-sea search and rescue services have been received by this Department since 1 January 1987.

  Trident (Contracts)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts awarded to United Kingdom companies for work on the United States Trident strategic weapon system programme, giving in each case the name of the company, the nature of the work, the value of the contract and the duration of the contract.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Up to the end of September 1987, 395 contracts had been awarded to 59 United Kingdom firms out of a total of 1,007 requests for quotation received from the seven major United States primes involved with the United States Trident II programme. The total value of these contracts is $78 million. Many of the contracts are for initial quantities for the full-scale engineering development phase, with the potential for follow-on production orders. It is not the practice to give details of individual contracts.

  Exercise Teamwork 88
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a rehearsal amphibious landing in the United Kingdom is planned for Exercise Teamwork 88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  No rehearsal amphibious landing is planned to take place in the United Kingdom as a part of Exercise Teamwork 88, which will be a major NATO maritime exercise held later this year in the Atlantic and Norwegian sea areas.

  Trident
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the re-entry vehicle bus for the Trident system is being purchased in the United States of America;

  (2) whether the re-entry vehicles for the Trident system are being purchased in the United States; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As has frequently been stated, the Trident D5 missile — which includes the post boost vehicle (or bus) — will be purchased from the United States. The warheads will be developed and manufactured in this country, and will be assembled in the United Kingdom into re-entry vehicles of which some parts will have been purchased from the United States.

  Departmental Staff Duties
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his departmental staff are employed full-time on nuclear arms control and disarmament research.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Responsibility within the Ministry of Defence for nuclear arms control matters falls initially on the defence arms control unit. Within this unit, two people are engaged full time on nuclear arms control. A great many others, in various parts of the Ministry, contribute to relevant research and to the formulation of policy as an important part of their duties.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on how many occasions in each of the years 1979 to the present day he met the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels to discuss nuclear materials provisions in support of the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent;

  (2) when he last paid a visit to (a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Sellafield, (b) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Capenhurst and (c) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Chapel Cross.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Since my right hon. Friend was appointed to his current office in January 1986, he has not met the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels plc officially nor has he visited the company's sites at Sellafield, Capenhurst and Chapel Cross.

  Tritium
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has had any discussions with his counterpart in the United States of America over the provision of tritium to the United States of America from Chapel Cross.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend has had frequent meetings with the United States Secretary for Defence; the details of their discussions are confidential.

  Cabinet Defence Committee—UKAEA (Minutes)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Defence Committee and the chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, of 2 August 1957, recently released under the 30-year rule, to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Freeman
  If the hon. Member is referring to a specific document that has already been released for open inspection under the 30-year rule, he may ask the Library to request a copy direct from the Public Record Office at Kew.

  Nuclear Accidents
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has made any evaluation of the implications of the radiation contamination of clean-up workers following the 21 January 1968 accident involving a nuclear weapon-carrying B-52 US air force bomber at the US air force base at Thule, Greenland, for emergency procedures at all Royal Air Force bases used by nuclear capable aircraft.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The alleged contamination of personnel involved in the clean-up operation after the
  241
  Thule accident in 1968 is a matter for the US and Danish authorities. However, the accident was studied in detail by the Ministry of Defence, and all pertinent lessons are now reflected in our nuclear weapon accident contingency plans, the details of which remain classified.

  30-Year Rule
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will initiate a review of all the statements and parliamentary answers made by Ministers in his Department to the House to assess if formal revision is necessitated by new information contained in official papers on defence matters released on 11 January under the 30-year rule; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  To enable me to reply perhaps the hon. Member would specify which statements contained in official papers on defence matters released on 11 January under the 30-year rule would in his opinion necessitate review or revision of parliamentary answers made by MOD Ministers.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail the changes in the investment criteria

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Exchequer

  118

  114·2

  147·5

  195·6

  216·2

  312·5

  339·2

  317

  111

  101·4

  82·1

  Ratepayers

  212

  193·6

  156·9

  I have no information about the amount of grant requested prior to 1985–86, but since then the total grant has been in excess of need and surpluses have been carried forward each year.

  Traffic Accidents (Radiation)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the number of traffic accidents in which either workers or employees were exposed to significant levels of radiation for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Studies carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board show that since 1975 no employees or workers have been exposed to significant levels of radiation in traffic accidents.

  Light Dues
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the level of charges equivalent to light dues levied by different European countries.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Within the EC, light dues are charged in Greece, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. I have no information about the level or scope of the charges in Greece, but the Republic of Ireland operates a similar system to that in the United Kingdom, although the rates of charge may vary from time to time. I understand that in the Netherlands there is a Government levy on port dues which is applied to meeting 242
  applied by Her Majesty's Government to British Rail for (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic since the Transport Act 1962; and what future changes he envisages.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Changes since 1962 could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost. The Government's current views on criteria for railway investment will be set out in their response to the Transport Committee's report on the financing of rail services.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of(a) the amount of central Government funding to London Regional Transport and (b) the amount of public funding from all sources that was (i) requested by London Regional Transport, or where appropriate the Greater London council and (ii) provided for the last 10 years.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is not possible to attribute subsidy between ratepayers and taxpayers prior to 1985–86, since much of the latter's contribution was by means of rate support grant and transport supplementary grant to the GLC, which, as block grants, were not hypothecated. The figures for grant provided are as follows:

  the costs of navigational aids outside the ports. Elsewhere in Europe, I understand that in Sweden light dues are levied on vessels arriving from abroad, and that in Norway part of the costs of lights is met through port charges. Of the membership of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, which is a worldwide organisation, about 45 per cent. of member countries rely solely on port or light dues, and about 38 per cent. rely on general taxation or subsidy or a mixture of public finance and dues.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the relative safety for different types of road user on(a) all roads, (b) trunk roads and (c) motorways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information requested is available only for English roads:

  Accident involvement rates for drivers/riders of different vehicle types: England: 1986

  Per 100 million vehicle kilometers

  Motorways

  Trunk roads

  All roads

  Car drivers

  26·1

  78·8

  122·8

  Pedal cyclists

  N/A

  1,156·5

  631·5

  Motor cyclists

  167·2

  697·4

  1,011·9

  Light goods vehicle drivers

  22·1

  69·6

  100·9

  Heavy goods vehicle drivers

  23·2

  61·2

  67·1

  243

  Motorways

  Trunk roads

  All roads

  All drivers/riders of motor vehicles

  26·1

  85·2

  137·9

  The involvement rates relative to the involvement rate of car drivers are given in the table.

  Relative accident involvement rates for drivers/riders of different vehicle types: England: 1986

  (car drivers= 1)

  Motorways

  Trunk roads

  All roads

  Car drivers

  1·00

  1·00

  1·00

  Pedal cyclists

  N/A

  14·67

  5·14

  Motor cyclists

  6·40

  8·85

  8·24

  Light goods vehicle drivers

  0·84

  0·88

  0·82

  Heavy goods vehicle drivers

  0·89

  0·78

  0·55

  All drivers/riders of motor vehicles

  1·00

  1·08

  1·12

  Casualty rates for drivers/riders of different vehicle types: England: 1986

  Per 100 million driver kilometers

  Motorways

  Trunk roads

  All roads

  Car drivers

  10·9

  31·5

  38·4

  Pedal cyclists

  N/A

  1,121

  605

  Motor cycle riders

  148

  636

  908

  Light goods vehicle drivers

  9·6

  22·7

  24·2

  Heavy goods vehicle drivers

  7·1

  14·1

  12·3

  All drivers/riders of motor vehicles

  10·8

  36·1

  51·8

  Relative casualty rates, for driver/riders of different vehicle types: England: 1986

  (car drivers= 1)

  Motorways

  Trunk roads

  All roads

  Car drivers

  1·00

  1·00

  1·00

  Pedal cyclists

  N/A

  35·6

  15·8

  Motor cycle riders

  13·5

  20·2

  23·6

  Light goods vehicle drivers

  0·88

  0·72

  0·63

  Heavy goods vehicle drivers

  0·65

  0·45

  0 32

  All drivers/riders of motor vehicles

  0·99

  1·15

  1·35

  Roads (Repair and Maintenance)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road repair and maintenance schemes originated by(a) his Department and (b) local authorities are now privately managed; and what plans he has to extend management privatisation of road projects.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Private agents manage repair and maintenance on our behalf in the following areas:

  1. South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands (motorways only).

  2. West Yorkshire (motorways and part of the trunk roads).

  I am not aware of arrangements for private management of maintenance of local authority roads.

  We have no plans at present to extend private management of trunk road maintenance. We shall keep the possibility under review.

  Aircraft (Near-Miss Incidents)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with Civil Aviation Authority making the maximum information available to the public regarding the near-miss involving a British Airways plane and a Bulgarian aircraft.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on Monday 8 February.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ascertain from the Civil Aviation Authority whether lack of command of the English language has been a contributing factor in near-miss incidents.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I will ask the chairman of the CAA to write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ascertain from the Civil Aviation Authority whether the near-miss involving a British Airways plane and a Bulgarian aircraft was in any way contributed to by defective air traffic control equipment.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on Monday 8 February. This is a matter which will be considered by the investigation being conducted by the chief inspector of accidents.

  Railways Inspectorate
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the duties of the Railways Inspectorate.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The principal duties of the Railway Inspectorate are to assist and advise the Secretary of State in the exercise of his jurisdiction under the railway regulatory Acts. This includes the inspection and approval of new and altered railway works, including level crossings, safety rules and regulations, and the reporting and investigation of accidents. In addition, the inspectorate applies the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 to the operational parts of the railways in Great Britain under an agency agreement between the Department and the Health and Safety Commission, and inspects railway works and investigates accidents in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Singapore under separate agency agreements. Full details of the Secretary of State's jurisdiction under the railway Acts, and details of the agency agreement with the HSC, are given in appendix 11 of the Department's report on the safety record of the railways in Great Britain during 1986, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Railways (Safety)
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the availability of finance is one of the criteria adopted by the Railways Inspectorate in determining its policy towards safety measures on railways.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Both British Rail and London Regional Transport have a statutory duty to provide or secure the provision of rail services and in so doing to have due regard to efficiency, economy and safety of operation. In considering proposals affecting safety the Railway Inspectorate bears these requirements in mind.

  Heavy Vehicles
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to encourage the use of air suspensions on heavy vehicles to reduce the harmful effects on roads and bridges.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are circulating proposals to increase the permitted weight on each axle of a triaxle of a semi-trailer from 7·5 tonnes to 8 tonnes provided that air suspensions or other equivalent fluid suspensions are fitted. This will allow more flexibility in load distribution and reduce the likelihood of overloading axles. The maximum weight of articulated vehicles remains at 38 tonnes.

  Night Flying
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has reached decisions about future night-flying restrictions at Heathrow and Gatwick airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  On 6 November last year I published proposals for future night restrictions at the two airports. I set out then my objective—to improve the night noise climate around the airports without imposing unnecessary restrictions on the airline industry.

  I am very aware that many people living near the airports feel strongly about night flying. I have considered their views very carefully. My predecessors accepted that some night disturbance was unavoidable. They framed night restrictions designed to phase out the noisiest aircraft. This phasing out has now been achieved and those living near the airports have benefited—at no small cost to the airlines. I now have the opportunity to build on those achievements with further improvements in the night noise climate.

  The challenge is to ensure that the benefits of modern aviation technology are enjoyed not only by those who fly, but by those on the ground. I believe that we can do that by giving airlines an incentive to replace their older, noisier aircraft by modern quieter ones. There is a balance to be struck. These modern aircraft are expensive. But because they make so much less noise than their predecessors, particularly on take-off, they can be used at night with much less disturbance. And because night movements can make a lot of difference to the economics of operating expensive new aircraft, they become more attractive to airlines. They will be used by day, much more than at night, and so will help to improve the daytime noise climate.

  I am determined that at Gatwick night noise disturbance should be reduced over the next five years. I therefore intend to reduce sharply flights by noisier, older aircraft, while increasing those by quieter aircraft —allowing a very small increase year by year in the total number of flights. I am thus adopting the preferred option in the consultation paper.

  At Heathrow there is less demand for night flights than at Gatwick. The present quotas are not fully used, and I can achieve my objectives by limiting the further growth of night movements by keeping them to about their present level, as proposed in the consultation paper. There are very few planned departures in the middle of the night at Heathrow: in future I shall require that these should be modern, quieter aircraft. Take-offs by older, noisier
  246
  aircraft will not be allowed in the small hours except for a small quota for those planned to take off earlier which are unavoidably delayed. This should achieve a considerable improvement in the noise climate during this most sensitive period.

  I know that many people near Gatwick remain to be convinced that more flights, even by modern aircraft, can mean less disturbance from noise. I assure them that we shall monitor the noise climate, and the noise of individual aircraft, to ensure that the benefits of quieter aircraft are realised in reduced disturbance. I am prepared to consider whether additional monitoring is necessary, to verify the reduced effects on local populations of night flights by quieter aircraft. It is important that people should have confidence in the monitoring, and I therefore intend to conduct it more openly, by inviting the airport consultative committees to nominate representatives of local people to sit with representatives of the airline industry on an advisory committee to consider all aspects of monitoring.

  The consultation paper proposed a regime for night flights extending over five years. However, if after two years (that is after the summer season 1989) it is apparent that disturbance from night flights at Gatwick is getting worse, rather than lessening as our research leads us to expect, we shall revise the quotas accordingly. Thus we shall, in effect, be putting the onus on the airline industry to prove their case in the meantime. At Heathrow, because the quotas are being cut, the level of disturbance will in any case be less than it otherwise would have been.

  In response to suggestions made during the consultation, I shall make some small adjustments to the consequential changes which we proposed.

  The main points of the new restrictions are described in a paper I have placed in the Library. Copies will be sent to hon. Members who were involved in the recent consultations.

  Channel Tunnel (Rail Infrastructure)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the investment criteria applied by Her Majesty's Government to British Rail, and information available to him on criteria applied by the French Government to SNCF, in relation to rail infrastructure connected to or associated with the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  So far as Channel tunnel related investment is concerned, it is our understanding that the French Government, like Her Majesty's Government, expect the investments of their railways to show a proper commercial rate of return.

  Motor Vehicles (Safety)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the manufacturers of motor vehicles with a view to improving vehicle safety and safety of other road users; what steps he is taking to secure wider adoption of safer vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We attach high importance to safety-conscious vehicle design and maintenance. We regularly meet vehicle manufacturers and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to discuss the
  247
  implications of new technology, new vehicle standards, vehicle defects and appropriate corrective action including recalls.

  The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has been in the forefront in fostering safer vehicle design. Current ideas and developments include the pedestrian-friendly car, which could save pedestrian casualties caused by unsympathetic vehicle fronts, increased use of rear seat belts and child restraints, improved fire prevention, a softened steering wheel which could prevent facial injuries, and increased fitment of such braking features as antilock.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Tax Changes
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much on average those earning over £50,000 a year have gained, on an annual basis, from tax changes over the past eight years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Members for Worsley (Mr. Lewis), for Durham, North-West (Ms. Armstrong) and for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 14 January 1988, at columns 389–90.

  Borrowing Requirement
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, pursuant to the reply of 25 January,Official Report, columns 82–84, concerning the Government's borrowing requirements, he will publish in the Official Report particulars of the difference between Government revenues and disbursements for (a) central Government, (b) local government and (c) other public bodies in the current financial year, excluding borrowing.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The difference between the Government's receipts and expenditure is their borrowing requirement. Details of the borrowing requirements of central Government, the local authorities and the public corporations are published in "Financial Statistics", tables 3.4, 4.4 and 5.4 respectively.

  Government Data Network
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines currently apply to limitations on the exchange of information between Government Departments; and in what way this will be affected by the proposed introduction of a Government data network.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: Any transfer of date between Departments requires the authorisation of the Department that owns the data. This requirement will continue if the proposed GDN is introduced.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his answer of 12 November,Official Report, column 277, he is yet in a position to announce the outcome of the tendering process for the Government data network.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: No. Memoranda of agreement were agreed by Departments and the bidding consortia on 11 January. Tenders will be invited shortly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Data Processing Industry
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of output in the data processing industry in 1986 and in 1980; and what was the level of exports in the industry in the same period.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Respondents to the Department's computing services inquiry reported sales of £1·6 billion in 1986, including £114 million exports. In 1980, respondents reported £500 million sales and £34 million exports.

  Management Education
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to encourage the spread of management education.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how he intends to advance his proposals on management education outlined in the recent White Paper.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As set out in the White Paper, "DTI—department for Enterprise," (Cmnd. 278), DTI, along with other Government Departments and the Manpower Services Commission, is represented on the industry-led Council for Management Education and Development (the Charter Group initiative). The council's objective is to encourage the spread of management education and good management practice. Its work will include formulating a code of good practice and helping to develop a framework for management education and training at all levels. I am greatly encouraged by the progress which the council has made so far.

  Letter Monopoly (Breaches)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions have been initiated by his Department relating to the breaking of the letter monopoly of the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  None. It is the responsibility of the Post Office to decide what action should be taken if it believes that its letter monopoly is being infringed.

  Printing Industry
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of output in the printing industry in 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Atkins
  The index of production for the United Kingdom printing and publishing industries was 105·6 in 1986 and 116·3 in the first three quarters of 1987 based on 1980 = 100.

  Space Research
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy on the science and technology of space research; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I remain wholly committed to a programme of scientific research in space and in particular to the European Space Agency's Horizon 2000
  249
  programme. This programme has received a 20 per cent. real terms increase in funding over the last three years and I am satisfied that the present level of planned funding will enable the objects of Horizon 2000 to be met satisfactorily.

  Space can be a spur to new advances in technology by British industry. It can sometimes be a profitable area of economic activity, for example in the field of communications. I am satisfied that the current level of Government expenditure of some £120 million per annum is justified and I will continue to seek to use it in ways which are potentially beneficial for industry. However, I do not consider that a case has been established for any increase. I have today confirmed to the European Space Agency that Britain will not be extending its involvement in ESA by taking part in the optional programmes on the Ariane V launcher or the Columbus space station as presently proposed.

  Earth observation from space, however, could have significant potential. It involves the processing of remote sensing data from satellites and its supply to end-users for a range of applications. Data from the European Space Agency's first remote sensing satellite, to which the United Kingdom is contributing, will start to be transmitted by the early 1990s. To process this data I have decided to provide funds, estimated at £4 million per annum over five years, to set up an earth observation data centre as part of the national remote sensing complex at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.

  At present there is little agreement, either among manufacturing companies or users, on a preferred strategy for future earth observation operations, but I will continue to consider the various options open to us.

  Investment Capital
  Mr. George
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his estimate of the amount of capital raised for new investment on the stock market in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maude
  New money raised on the stock exchange in the year to January 1988, net of redemptions, was £16·7 billion.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the increase in United Kingdom producer prices and manufactured import prices in the latest year for which data are available.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  United Kingdom output producer prices for manufacturing increased by 3·8 per cent. and manufactured import prices by 4·2 per cent. between 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate for the balance of trade in manufactured goods for the current year and 1989.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement forecast that there would be a deficit in trade in manufactures of £9 billion in 1988. A new forecast will be published at the time of the Budget.
  250
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the increase in manufactured imports and manufactured exports between 1979 and 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Between the years 1979 and 1987 imports of manufactures, on a balance of payments basis, increased in value by £39·8 billion (141 per cent.) to reach £68·1 billion while exports rose by £29·9 billion (96 per cent.) to £60·8 billion. The corresponding increase by volume was 62 per cent. for imports of manufactures and 25 per cent. for exports.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest estimate of the deficit on manufactured trade in 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the year 1987 the deficit in trade in manufactures was provisionally estimated to be £7·3 billion.

  Computer-aided Design
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what support his Department is providing for computer-aided design.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department offers support for the promotion of computer-aided design by the provision of information and advice, and through specific initiatives, to schools, higher education institutions and industry.

  Electronics Industry
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of output in the electronic capital goods sector in 1986 and in 1980; and what was the level of exports in the industry over the same period.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  United Kingdom manufacturers' sales of radio and electronic capital goods amounted to £3 billion in 1986 and £1·6 billion in 1980. The industry's exports came to £1·2 billion in 1986 and £500 million in 1980.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of output in the consumer electronic sector in 1986 and in 1980; and what was the level of exports in the sector in the same period.

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

  Consumer electronics sector1

  £ million

  1980

  1986

  United Kingdom manufacturers' sale

  551

  989

  Exports

  134

  448

  Note:

  1 Activity Heading 3434 of the Standard Industrial Classification (1980).

  Commercial Vehicles
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on total unit sales of British-produced commercial vehicles in the home market in 1987 and 1986.

  Mr. Atkins
  Sales to the home market of United Kingdom-built commercial vehicles increased from 175,843 units in 1986 to 193,553 in 1987.

  Association of British Chambers of Commerce
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the officers of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met the national council of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce last week. A wide variety of topics were discussed.

  Consumers' Association
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next expects to meet representatives of the Consumers' Association; and what subjects he proposes to discuss.

  Mr. Butcher
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs visited the Consumers' Association on 25 January and discussed a number of topics relevant to consumers. I have no specific plans for a further visit, but I shall be arranging to meet representatives of consumer bodies, including the Consumers' Association, in the near future.

  Textile Industry
  Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the growth of productivity and change in profitability in the textile industry since 1980.

  Mr. Atkins
  Between 1980 and the three quarters of 1987, productivity rose by 44 per cent. Profitability of large textile companies has also increased strongly over the period, according to their published accounts.

  Austin Rover
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on sales of individual models made by Austin Rover in 1987 and 1986.

  Mr. Atkins
  During 1987 Austin Rover sold a total of 296,784 cars in the United Kingdom against 293,240 in 1986. The model breakdown was as follows.

  1987

  1986

  Mini

  15,873

  16,154

  Metro

  108,223

  109,351

  Maestro

  43,815

  51,406

  Montego

  56,238

  62,658

  Rover 200

  50,254

  45,197

  Rover 800

  20,200

  4,307

  Total

  296,784

  293,240

  Preliminary figures indicate that total worldwide sales by Austin Rover increased in 1987 to over 435,500 against 411,023 in 1986.

  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to return the Austin Rover Group to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  It remains the aim of both the Rover Group board and the Government to return Austin Rover 252
  and Land Rover to full private ownership. The group's chairman has spoken publicly of his belief that privatisation can be achieved in the lifetime of this Parliament, and work continues within the company to review the options towards that general objective.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by how much turnover in the aerospace industry has increased in the last 10 years; and by how much exports in the industry have increased over the same period.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Aerospace industry sales increased from £2·2 billion in 1977 to £7·6 billion in 1986. In the same period, exports increased from £900 million to £4·3 billion.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on the criteria for obtaining regional selective assistance.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have nothing to add to my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry's replies of 19 January, at columns 671–75, to my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, South-East (Mr. Hicks) and to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) and 26 January, at column 149, to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams).

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the regional policy aspects of his Department's recent White Paper.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since the publication of the DTI White Paper on 12 January we have received several representations on aspects of regional policy which refer, amongst other things, to the changes we have made.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what timetable he envisages for the assessment of eligibility for regional selective assistance.

  Mr. Atkins
  For offers of regional selective assistance made by my Department in 1987 the average period between receipt of application and date of offer was eight weeks. I am actively considering ways in which the processing time can be kept to a minimum in future—particularly for small applications — consistent with meeting the objectives of the scheme.

  Questions about the administration of regional selective assistance in Scotland should be addressed to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on his statement on the future of regional policy, and how he proposes to respond to these.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since the publication of the DTI White Paper on 12 January we have received several representations on aspects of regional policy which refer, amongst other things, to the changes we have made. We will consider the views expressed very carefully.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advice will be available to businesses to enable them to acquire regional selective assistance.
  253
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The regional selective assistance scheme is described in the Department's booklet, "The Regional Initiative: Guide to Regional Selective Assistance," which also gives contact points for further inquiries. Officials are available to give further advice to potential applicants as and when it is requested.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the implications of the White Paper "DTI the Department for Enterprise" for the west midlands region.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The west midlands has a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and business enterprise and I have every expectation that the region's businesses will make extensive use of the consultancy initiatives and of the other elements of the enterprise initiative. Regional selective assistance remains available within the west midlands intermediate area. The DTI is establishing new offices in Stoke-on-Trent, Telford, Coventry and Hereford in order to get nearer to the business community. I am sure that the enterprise initiatives will make a very worthwhile contribution to the region's prosperity.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning the future funding of regional aid and the consequences of any changes in regional funds from the European regional development fund.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received a number of representations about the European Community's current review of its structural funds, including the European regional development fund. The Government consider that the highlands and islands of Scotland should continue to be eligible for the fund. We have made representations to the Commission accordingly.

  Turkish Yarn
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what evidence he has received of trade disruption to United Kingdom industry arising from the importing of Turkish acrylic yarn.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the reply I have sent to the hon. Member following his priority written question put down for answer on 1 February.

  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received any representations regarding the recent agreement reached with Turkey on the import into the United Kingdom of acrylic yarn.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Yes, I have received a number of representations about the recent agreement with Turkish textile exporters.

  I met representatives of the Confederation of British Wool Textiles, who are concerned about the acrylic yarn imports.

  North Peckham Task Force
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement concerning expenditure of Government funds by the North Peckham task force.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since the Government's North Peckham task force was set up in 1986, some £4·2 million of Government funds have been committed for task force 254
  projects benefiting the residents of the area. Of this, about £1·2 million has come from funds available to task forces and £3 million from other Government programmes.

  Competition Policy
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for strengthening competition policy and acting against restrictive practices.

  Mr. Maude
  Proposals for strengthening competition policy were announced in last month's White Paper "DTI —the department for Enterprise" (Cm 278).

  British Telecom (Magnetic Tapes)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has had discussions with British Telecom regarding the proposed sale of magnetic tapes containing telephone directory and other information to third parties.

  Mr. Butcher
  No. This is a matter for British Telecom. It would be for the Director General of Telecommunications to consider any representations about such a proposed sale.

  New Businesses (Retired People)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to encourage retired people with business or professional experience to use their experience for the benefit of new businesses.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am actively seeking semi or newly retired people to serve as enterprise counsellors to conduct business reviews for small and medium-sized firms under the consultancy elements of the new enterprise initiative. A national recruitment campaign has already attracted many applicants, and I expect that 200 additional enterprise counsellors will be appointed as a result.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the European Community Commission to discuss grants from the European regional development fund.

  Mr. Atkins
  At the Industry Council on 22 December, which agreed in substance on the proposed RESIDER programme for European regional development funds in certain steel closure areas.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for strengthening collaborative research and development.

  Mr. Butcher
  The White Paper, "DTI — the Department for Enterprise," which was placed before the House on 12 January announced important initiatives to strengthen collaborative research, including programmes on information technology and superconductivity. On 3 February my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced five programmes in the LINK initiative. These programmes have a total Government contribution of £42
  255
  million over five years. One of the principal aims of LINK is to strengthen collaboration between the science base and industry.

  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he is taking to evaluate the effectiveness of spending on civil research and development in the United Kingdom; and what are the results.

  Mr. Butcher
  It is primarily for the market to evaluate research and development activity in the private sector.

  As far as my Department's programmes of support for R and D are concerned, we undertake regular reviews of their effectiveness and, in particular, their value for money. Where such reviews show that some adjustment to our approach is justified we take appropriate measures to achieve this.

  Leyland Trucks
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the profitability of the former Leyland Trucks since its merger with DAF.

  Mr. Atkins
  I understand that DAF BV has not yet published its audited results for the year ended 31 December 1987. However, the chairman of DAF's board of management recently confirmed that Leyland DAF had made a significant contribution to the DAF group's 1987 profit of £18 million.

  Departmental Confidential Hot Line
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce a confidential hot line at his Department for informants on suspected insider dealing and other breaches of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  It is already open to members of the public to contact my Department, anonymously or otherwise, about alleged contraventions of the Company Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985. Any such approaches are treated in confidence if the informant so wishes. The main provisions regarding breaches under the Financial Services Act 1986 are not yet in force. When that Act is fully implemented, responsibility for its enforcement will be shared between my Department and the Securities and Investments Board. My Department will shortly be discussing the practical implications of this with the Securities and Investments Board.

  Japanese Manufacturers
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Japanese manufacturers are established in the United Kingdom; and what percentage of total Japanese investment in western Europe this represents.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of Trade and Industry is aware of 75 Japanese companies in the United Kingdom that are either manufacturing or have announced plans to do so. This represents about 30 per cent. of all Japanese manufacturing plants in western Europe.

  Car Sales
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on new car sales in 1987; and what was the importers' share of the market in 1987 and in 1986.
  256
  Mr. Atkins
  There were 2,013,693 new car sales in 1987. The importers' share of the market was 51½ per cent. in 1987 and 56 per cent. in 1986.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he will take to ensure that inner cities benefit from the single European market from 1992.

  Mr. Atkins
  Completion of the single market will create opportunities and challenges for all sectors of the economy by ensuring unimpeded access to a market of 320 million people. Our policies reflect the need to equip inner-city firms to compete for that business.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how he will encourage small firms to take advantage of the 1992 single European market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The national awareness campaign which we are preparing is intended to ensure that all companies in Britain, large and small, are fully aware of the opportunities and challenges of the single European market. Under the enterprise initiative (launched on 13 January) financial assistane is available to firms of fewer than 500 employees for consultancy support to help them improve their competitive performance.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to prepare British companies for the competition of the single European market in 1992.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are determined to ensure that British business is given every chance to take advantage of the new opportunities which will come from creating a single Community market. We will shortly announce the details of a major awareness campaign to reach companies throughout the country.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what timetable he envisages for carrying out a review of the assisted areas map.

  Mr. Atkins
  The White Paper, "DTI—the department for Enterprise", (Cm. 278), indicated that the Government have no intention at present of reviewing the assisted areas map.

  Television Advertising
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's budget for television advertising in the current year.

  Mr. Butcher
  Currently planned expenditure by DTI on television advertising is £5£3 million in this financial year.

  Japan (Trade Deficit)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the level of trade deficit with an inward flow of capital from Japan in 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The United Kingdom trade deficit with Japan in 1987 totalled £3,968 million, on an OTS basis, exports and imports reaching £1,495 million and £5,463 million respectively.
  257
  The United Kingdom does not compile comprehensive statistics on flows of capital between the United Kingdom and other individual countries.

  HOTOL
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received any further proposals from British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce on HOTOL.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have recently received a proposal from Rolls-Royce for a further year's work on the HOTOL propulsion concept. I expect to receive a related proposal from British Aerospace shortly and I will consider them both with care.

  Staff Dispersal
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to complete his review of the possible relocation out of London of divisions within his Department; and what priority he attaches to achieving such a relocation.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am very committed to ensuring that my Department's divisions are located as cost effectively as possible, bearing in mind the services they provide, the need to recruit and retain staff, and the potential benefit to a receiving region's economy. I hope to announce shortly a decision on the relocation of the Patent Office. I will continue to consider the best location for other parts of my Department.

  English Industrial Estates
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the future planned expenditure on English Industrial Estates.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1987–88 English Estates' planned programme in the assisted areas was increased from £33·5 million to £37 million. As a result of increased levels of asset sales, it is likely to achieve a record programme of £47 million. In 1988–89 it has been asked to plan for a programme £5 million higher than this year's (that is, £42 million). In practice it may exceed this figure and it has been authorised to spend up to £49 million if it can generate the necessary funds from its own resources. The level of the new managed workspace programme for the inner cities has not yet been finalised. It will, however, be additional to the planned expenditure under the existing programme for the assisted areas.

  Mergers
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of proposed mergers was referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1987.

  Mr. Maude
  Of the 321 mergers and merger proposals which qualified under the Fair Trading Act 1973 for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1987, six, or approximately 2 per cent., were subsequently referred to the commission.

  Companies (Grants)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department maintains an approved list 258
  of companies for the purposes of grants towards management, financial, organisational and other consultancies.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Under the enterprise initiative consultancy schemes, which currently cover marketing, design, quality and manufacturing systems, the selection and deployment of consultants is a matter for the scheme contractors who operate on behalf of the DTI. Similar arrangements will be made for the new consultancy initiatives on business planning and financial and information systems to be introduced in April.

  Inner Cities
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress on departmental co-operation and initiatives to tackle inner-city problems.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Government Departments are continuing to work together with business, local councils, voluntary organisations and local residents in the inner cities through a range of programmes and initiatives to bring about inner-city renewal. Government Departments co-operate through the urban programme and inner-city task forces to support projets which encourage enterprise and development and improve the environment. The Government effort is also co-ordinated by the five city action teams which promote joint initiatives and provide a local point of contact for companies and others wishing to be involved in inner-city renewal.

  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contribution the private sector is making to his Department's inner-cities initiative.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The private sector is making a tremendous contribution to the success of our policies for the inner cities. within my own Department's inner-cities initiative we have:—support from six clearing banks for task force development funds
  —secondments, including the secondment of the task force leader in Spitalfields by TSB England and Wales plc
  —backing by over 150 individual firms for the scheme of enterprise advice and training—"Headstart in the Inner Cities" which the Industrial Society is running for my Department and MSC
  —the setting up, by "Investors in Industry plc", of a £10 million investment fund for growing businesses in inner-city areas
  —involvement through Business in the Community with which we are collaborating in four task force areas on a neighbourhood partnership programme.

  These are only a few examples. There are many other individual cases in which the private sector is involving itself in task force projects. I greatly welcome the work currently being taken forward by the CBI to develop still more ways in which industry and commerce can commit itself to the economic future of our cities.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the weekly output of United Kingdom-made steel in November 1987; and what has been the trend in the weekly rate since 1980.

  Mr. Atkins
  In November 1987 the weekly average of United Kingdom crude steel production was 370,000 tonnes. The information on steel output is published
  259
  monthly in "BSC/BISPA Steel Industry Statistics" and the "CSO Monthly digest of statistics", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  EC (Trade Barriers)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his policy on the removal of trade barriers within the European Community.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We and other member states are committed to taking all the steps necessary to complete the single market of the Community by 31 December 1992. Completing this market of 320 million people will open up major opportunities for business. We are determined to ensure that British business is given every chance to make the most of them.

  EC (Insurance Market)
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in attempts to achieve agreement in the European Community on removing national barriers to free trade in insurance.

  Mr. Maude
  At the Internal Market Council on 18 December agreement was reached, by qualified majority, on the main elements of the non-life insurance services directive. This is a welcome step forward in opening up the Common Market to free trade in insurance, and we hope that it will now be possible to move quickly to formal adoption of the directive.

  Managed Workshops
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has on the provision of managed workshops.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We have asked English Estates to establish a new programme for the provision of managed workspace, primarily in inner-city locations and with considerable private sector involvement. The level of the new programme has yet to be finalised, but it will be additional to the planned expenditure under the corporation's existing programme for the assisted areas.

  Financial Institutions
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the implications of the recent White Paper on his Department for its responsibility for regulating the City financial institutions.

  Mr. Maude
  Paragraphs 2.27 to 2.33 of the White Paper explain the work being done to increase confidence in the working of markets by achieving a fair level of protection for the individual customer and investor. The Financial Services Act 1986 establishes a new regulatory structure which will provide a comprehensive system of investor protection which will retain the flexibility to respond to developments in rapidly changing markets.

  Canning Town Glassworks
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he proposes to take in regard to the 260
  closure of the Canning Town Glassworks at Swinton in view of the reassurances previously offered by Guinness plc. to the hon. Member for Wentworth.

  Mr. Atkins
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman shortly.

  Support for Innovation
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what support for innovation will be provided by his Department outside development areas after 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" (Cm 278) sets out in chapter 8 "Innovation, using Technology" the support for innovation available throughout Great Britain. This support covers collaborative research, technology transfer, small firms and start-ups, exceptional projects, space and other research programmes. Support for collaborative research is described in more detail in the "Research and Technology Initiative" booklet, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

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

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is in the table.

  United States of America balance of trade per capita January to October 1987

  United States $

  (A)

  (B)

  United Kingdom

  -10

  -50

  Canada

  -40

  -370

  Sweden

  1 -10

  1 -290

  Japan

  -200

  -390

  F R Germany

  -50

  -200

  Brazil

  -10

  -70

  1 =estimate

  (A) balance per head of United States population.

  (B) balance per head of trading partner.

  Sources: United States Department of Commerce.

  OECD.

  IMF International Financial Statistics.

  Trade Safety
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy on the European Community draft directive for general duty to trade safety.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Consumer Protection Act 1987 introduced a general safety requirement into United Kingdom law on 1 October 1987. We can therefore support in principle the concept of a general safety duty throughout the European Community. When the EC draft directive is communicated, we will approach the discussions with the Commission and member states in a constructive way. But there are a number of potential problems involved in this complex issue which will need careful handling if it is to result in genuine improvements to the protection afforded to consumers.

  Child Safety Campaign
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action the Government are taking as their contribution to the European child safety campaign beginning in April.

  Mr. Butcher
  The United Kingdom has made clear its willingness to participate in some form of European child safety campaign, provided that it is well thought through and properly targeted. Discussions have been held during 1987 with the Commission and other member states about the form and content of a campaign and we are waiting for revised proposals to come forward from the Commission. No decision has been taken on the launch of the campaign, and any action taken by the United Kingdom Government will need to be considered in the light of the Commission's proposals. My Department has already announced the start of a series of consumer safety awareness campaigns to be run over the next three years. Child safety will feature prominently among the target areas.

  Heavy Duty Mining Equipment
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the United Kingdom share of the following markets for heavy duty mining supports for the period 1981 to 1986: North America, Western Europe (excluding the United Kingdom and West Germany), Africa, the far east and Australia;

  (2) what was the United Kingdom share of the following markets for heavy duty mining shearers for the period 1981 to 1985: North America, Western Europe (excluding the United Kingdom and West Germany), Africa, the far east and Australia;

  (3) what was the United Kingdom share of the following markets for heavy duty mining face conveyors for the period 1981 to 1985: North America, Western Europe (excluding the United Kingdom and West Germany), Africa, the far east and Australia.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the total value in 1987 of exports of British-produced heavy duty longwall mining equipment;

  (2) what was the total value in 1987 of exports of home-produced mining equipment, excluding heavy duty longwall mining equipment.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on exports of home-produced mining equipment is not available. However, total exports of mining equipment for 1987 amounted to £86.8 million; this figure may include some re-exported goods.

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Note: Mining equipment defined as Standard Industrial Classification Activity heading 3251.

  Guinness plc
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Guinness plc to report.

  Mr. Maude
  The investigation continues, but I am unable to say when a report will be received.

  House of Fraser (Holdings) plc
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of House of Fraser (Holdings) plc to report.

  Mr. Maude
  The investigation continues, but I am unable to say when a report will be received.

  Lonrho plc
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to complete his consideration of representations in relation to a possible breach by Lonrho plc of sections 204 to 206 of the Companies Act 1985 in relation to share dealings in House of Fraser plc during the period from the date of the inspector's interim report into share dealings in House of Fraser to the date of its acquisition by A1 Fayed Investment and Trust (UK) Limited.

  Mr. Maude
  These matters are kept under review, but at present no action is considered necessary.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to complete his consideration of representations in relation to a possible breach of section 231 of the Companies Act 1985 by Lonrho plc in relation to its Liechtenstein subsidiaries Blorg and Contango.

  Mr. Maude
  By letter dated 16 November 1987, my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry informed my hon. Friend that representations in relation to a possible breach of section 231 of the Companies Act 1985 by Lonrho in relation to its Liechtenstein subsidiaries, Blorg and Contango, had been considered and he had decided to take no further action in the matter, the substance of which occurred some 20 years ago.

  Electronic Fund Transfers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to introduce a statutory code of practice to govern electronic fund transfers between banks and customers.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have no immediate plans to introduce such a code of practice. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer set up a review committee in November 1986 to look into all aspects of banking services law. Developments in electronic funds transfer are an important element in that review. Until the review committee has reported, it would not be appropriate for the Government to form a view on such issues.

  Productivity Rates
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has for each year since 1974 about the figures for productivity hourly of industries in(a) Belgium, (b) Britain, (c) Germany, (d) France, (e) Holland, (f) Sweden, (g) the United States of America and (h) Italy.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is in the table.
  263

  Output per manhour in manufacturing 1980 = 100

  Year

  Belgium

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  France

  Netherlands

  Sweden

  United States of America

  Italy

  1974

  68·1

  96·4

  80·5

  75·6

  76·5

  87·6

  88·5

  81·5

  1975

  71·7

  94·5

  83·0

  77·7

  75·4

  88·9

  92·2

  77·9

  1976

  79·1

  98·8

  88·8

  84·1

  83·8

  90·3

  96·3

  84·5

  1977

  83·5

  99·2

  92·1

  88·7

  87·9

  88·8

  98·6

  85·5

  1978

  89·0

  100·8

  95·0

  93·8

  93·9

  91·3

  99·4

  88·1

  1979

  94·0

  101·5

  99·6

  98·4

  98·9

  98·4

  100·0

  94·4

  1980

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  1981

  107·1

  106·5

  102·2

  104·2

  104·2

  100·4

  102·2

  103·4

  1982

  113·1

  111·9

  103·7

  110·9

  107·4

  103·4

  104·4

  105·4

  1983

  120·6

  120·4

  109·7

  115·7

  114·3

  111·4

  110·4

  108·2

  1984

  124·6

  125·7

  113·7

  120·2

  126·5

  116·3

  116·4

  115·1

  1985

  127·6

  129·7

  118·7

  124·2

  131·2

  119·4

  122·5

  116·9

  1986

  126·7

  133·0

  121·1

  126·8

  133·9

  122·4

  127·0

  118·3

  19871

  128·2

  140·8

  122·7

  129·7

  133·2

  127·0

  130·8

  121·9

  1 1st quarter to 3rd quarter, not seasonally adjusted·

  Source: International Monetary Fund.

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Dr. Blackburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to publish lists of compliance cost assessments which Departments prepare, showing the impact of proposed new Government regulation on businesses.

  Mr. Maude
  Officials in the enterprise and deregulation unit are arranging for a selected list of compliance cost assessments (CCAs) to be published in the Department of Trade and Industry magazine "British Business". In addition, Departments will arrange for lists of CCAs to be published in appropriate publications and press notices.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  1991 Census
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the 1991 census information will be made available to community charge officials in England and Wales; whether census officials expect to use the community charge register; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  It would be an offence under section 8(2) of the Census Act 1920 for the Office of Pupulation Censuses and Surveys to pass census information about identified persons or households to community charge officials. The office has no plans to use community charge registers in carrying out the 1991 census.

  Health Services
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will conduct an urgent exercise within the European Community to compare the various funding arrangements for hospital and health care services; how private and taxpayer funding contributes to these services and by what proportion; and what personal control and accountability the individual has over the provision of health services.

  Mr. Newton
  Much of the information referred to by my hon. Friend is already available in published form in this country. In particular, the funding arrangements for 264
  state health systems are summarised in "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities" a copy of which is in the Library.

  We shall of course take appropriate account of this information, supplemented by further inquiries where this seems sensible, in conducting the review announced recently by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Family Practitioner Committee (Leeds)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the funding application from the Leeds family practitioner committee for the salary for a general practitioner dealing with the homeless.

  Mr. Newton
  Yes. We have asked officials to look into ways in which the problems encountered so far in funding can be overcome.

  British Paediatrics Association
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the British Paediatrics Association campaign "Making Children a Priority Again", which is to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall during the week commencing 22 February.

  Health and Personal Social Services
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table setting out for 1987–88 and 1988–89 the estimated number of(a) families and (b) persons in each health region or equivalent, and in England as a whole, showing net average expenditure on health and personal social services per family and per person in each year, distinguishing between expenditure on the National Heath Service and on the personal social services.
  265
  Mr. Newton
  The information is not readily available in the form requested. For England as a whole net expenditure per person and per family of four in 1987–88 and 1988–89 is as follows:

  Net expenditure per year

  Population (million)

  Health and personal social services

  National health service

  Personal social services

  £

  £

  £

  1987–88

  47·380

  Per head

  413

  349

  64

  per head per family of four

  1,652

  1,396

  256

  1988–89

  47·488

  Per head

  436

  370

  66

  per head per family of four

  1,744

  1,480

  264

  The expenditure figures used in this calculation are taken from table 14.1 in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91", vol II (Cm 288-II) and include net current and capital spending. The national health service figure is the balance of health and personal social services expenditure after the deduction of health and personal social services spending and includes an element in respect of centrally financed services.

  National Health Service Staff
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the total numbers and the total costs of salaries of National Health Service administrative and clerical staff for each of the years 1974, 1979 and 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is given in the table:

  Numbers and costs of salaries of administrative and clerical staff employed in the National Health Service in England

  Number1 (whole-time equivalent at September)

  Cost3 (in financial year beginning) £ million

  1974

  82,800

  207 (755)

  1979

  103,000

  501 (872)

  1986

  2111,400

  903 (941)

  1 Rounded to the nearest hundred.

  2 Including general managers.

  3 Main figures represent true costs in each year. Figures in parentheses alongside represent these costs at 1987–88 money values.

  Speech therapists

  Salary from 1 April 1975

  Salary from 1 August 1979

  Salary from 1 October 1982 to 31 March 1984

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Speech therapist

  2,142

  2,811

  3,212

  4,048

  5,130

  6,074

  Senior II speech therapist

  2,811

  3,537

  4,048

  4,968

  6,345

  7,468

  Senior I speech therapist

  3,243

  4,005

  4,598

  5,555

  7,468

  8,370

  Chief IV speech therapist

  3,243

  4,005

  4,598

  5,555

  7,468

  8,370

  Chief III speech therapist

  3,684

  4,641

  5,155

  6,324

  8,370

  9,269

  Chief II speech therapist

  4,179

  5,334

  5,764

  7,166

  9,630

  10,799

  Chief I speech therapist

  4,872

  6,033

  6,606

  8,011

  10,799

  12,108

  District senior chief (grade introduced on 1 April 1982)

  —

  —

  11,204

  12,561

  Age Allowance
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of extending the age allowance to all persons over state retirement age; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Andrew Scott
  The estimated cost of extending the retirement pension age addition to all pensioners together with a corresponding increase in the pensioner premium in income support would be about £100 million in 1988–89.

  Retail Prices Index (Error)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the error in the retail prices index and the distribution of funds surplus to those required for £8 compensatory payments.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received more than 20 letters from organisations about the disbursement of funds, mostly registering an interest in applying for funding. We have also been asked if the funds could be used to increase war widows pensions.

  Pay Scales
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the pay scales currently in force for(a) speech therapists, (b) clinical psychologists and (c) hospital pharmacists; and what were these pay scales in 1983, 1979 and 1975.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is as follows:
  267

  Speech therapists current salary (from 1 January 1988)

  Grades amended from 31 December 1987

  Grade

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Maximum, plus discretionary increase

  £

  £

  £

  Grade A

  8,250

  8,903

  —

  Grade B

  8,570

  10,777

  11,636

  Grade C

  11,198

  14,103

  15,233

  Grade D

  13,058

  15,233

  16,455

  Grade E

  15,233

  17,777

  19,207

  Pharmacists

  Salary from 1 June 1975

  Salary from 1 August 1979

  Salary from 11 September 1982–31 March 1984

  Current salary from 1 October 1986 (pay award pending)

  Pharmacists who give a commitment to provide an emergency duty service

  minimum

  maximum

  minimum

  maximum

  minimum

  maximum

  minimum

  maximum

  minimum

  maximum

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Pre-registration student

  2,580

  —

  3,509

  —

  4,659

  —

  5,388

  —

  —

  —

  Basic Grade Pharmacist

  3,078

  3,933

  4,527

  5,592

  6,428

  8,096

  8,232

  10,344

  9,288

  11,400

  Staff Pharmacist

  4,437

  5,697

  6,228

  7,803

  8,910

  11,887

  10,296

  13,680

  11,424

  14,808

  Principal Pharmacist Grade 3

  5,844

  7,824

  7,995

  10,458

  12,120

  16,339

  14,016

  18,816

  15,216

  20,016

  Grade IV Pharmacist

  6,876

  7,923

  9,275

  10,588

  15,401

  16,994

  17,808

  19,632

  18,720

  20,544

  Senior Grade IV Pharmacist

  —

  —

  9,891

  10,715

  16,331

  17,925

  18,888

  20,712

  19,800

  21,624

  Grade V Pharmacist

  7,665

  8,346

  10,263

  11,118

  16,597

  18,191

  19,188

  21,060

  20,124

  21,996

  Pharmaceutical Officers

  7,368

  9,270

  9,891

  12,278

  16,331

  20,314

  18,888

  23,472

  19,800

  23,520

  Clinical Psychologists

  Salary from1 April 1975

  Salary1 April 1979

  Salary from 11 September 1982 to 31 March 1984

  Current Salary from 1 April 1975

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Probationary/Trainee Grade *A

  2,277

  3,078

  3,486

  4,527

  5,681

  6,759

  7,825

  8,404

  Basic Grade

  3,183

  3,933

  4,662

  5,592

  6,996

  8,349

  8,681

  10,496

  Senior Grade

  4,437

  5,697

  6,228

  7,803

  9,010

  11,649

  11,164

  14,591

  Principal Grade

  5,844

  7,824

  7,995

  10,458

  11,413

  16,010

  14,389

  19,895

  Top Grade

  7,551

  9,198

  10,119

  12,174

  16,090

  19,117

  20,034

  23,978

  Top Grade (with *B Greater Responsibility)

  7,779

  10,386

  10,404

  13,656

  18,285

  21,311

  22,667

  26,624

  Notes:

  *A Title amended 1 February 1987.

  *B Top Grade with plussage prior to 19 March 1982.

  Swimming
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much his Department spent, in each of the last three years for which figures are available, on the promotion of swimming as a form of healthy exercise.

  Mrs. Currie
  The promotion of swimming is not funded by the Department. The Health Education Authority includes swimming in its promotion of exercise as one aspect of a healthier way of life. It is not possible to quantify the cost of this separately.

  Community Treatment Orders
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the possible introduction of community treatment orders for the mentally ill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Representations are received from time to time on the question of compulsory treatment in the community. Discussions have been taking place within 268
  such organisations as the Mental Health Act Commission, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and MIND. At present, no concrete proposals have been put to the Department.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of general practitioners per 10,000 population for(a) England, (b) the Mersey region, (c) the Crewe health district, (d) the Chester health district and (e) the Halton health district.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is collected from family practitioner committees which are not necessarily conterminous with health authority boundaries. Figures, as at 1 October 1986, are as follows:

  Number of general practitioners per 10,000 population

  England

  5·18

  Mersey Region

  5·14

  269

  Number of general practitioners per 10,000 population

  Cheshire FPC (including Crewe, Cheshire and Halton Health Districts)

  5·00

  Meningitis
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out, in a table for each hospital in the North-West Hertfordshire district health authority, the number of cases of meningitis admitted for each month since January 1987.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

  Private Health Insurance
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the proportion of the population of(a) England and (b) Wales which is not covered, in whole or in part, by private health insurance.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is estimated that 91 per cent. of the United Kingdom population was without any form of private health insurance in 1986. The latest available estimate for England only is for 1983, when 92 per cent. of the population was without cover. Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Benefits
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beneficiaries in the Seaham and Peterlee area have more than one pension, benefit or allowance paid from one book.

  Mr. Portillo
  The number of pensioners receiving a combined payment of retirement pension and supplementary benefit is as follows:

  Number

  Seaham

  571

  Peterlee

  1,222

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action at 28 July 1987.

  I regret that information is not available on the number of claimants receiving any other combination of benefits on one order book.

  Abortions
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the monthly figures for the cost of abortions carried out under the auspices of the National Health Service in the current financial year.

  Mr. Newton
  Information is not available in the exact form requested. However, the estimated cost of abortions carried out under the National Health Service, excluding those performed under agency arrangements with the private sector in each month of the current financial year, based on the number of notifications received in each of those months is as follows:
  270

  £

  April 1987

  990,000

  May 1987

  967,000

  June 1987

  1,049,000

  July 1987

  1,183,000

  August 1987

  993,000

  September 1987

  1,017,000

  October 1987

  1,062,000

  November 1987

  1,103,000

  December 1987

  972,000

  January 1988

  950,000

  Later information is not yet available.

  Endometriosis
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision in the National Health Service for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis and of the suitability of the practice of same-day discharge of laparoscopy patients.

  Mrs. Currie
  Specialist advice and treatment for endometriosis are available in gynaecology departments in all health authorities. Following laparoscopy, patients are discharged when assessed as fit for discharge by their gynaecologist.

  Health Inspectorate
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to set up a health inspectorate to visit acute services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Not at present, but I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestions in mind.

  St. James's Hospital, Portsmouth
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients received in-patient care and attended out-patient clinics for mental illness at St. James's hospital, Portsmouth, for the latest two years available.

  Mrs. Currie
  The table shows the information available centrally on admissions and attendances at St. James's hospital and its subsidiary units. A patient may be readmitted or attend an out-patient clinic a number of times in any year.

  1985

  1986

  Number of admissions, for mental illness

  1,766

  1,609

  Number of attendances to out-patient clinics conducted by psychiatric medical staff

  11,547

  10,469

  Cot Deaths
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the latest annual number available for sudden infant death syndrome (cot death) for the United Kingdom and for the two previous years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the latest annual number available for sudden infant death syndrome (cot death) for Hampshire and for the two previous years.
  271
  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table. Data relate to Great Britain rather than the United Kngdom, since comparable data for Northern Ireland are not available. The latest available data year is 1986.

  Number of deaths under one year of age with any mention of sudden infant death syndrome (ICD 9 798.0) on the death certificate, Great Britain, and Hampshire 1984–86

  Year

  Great Britain

  Hampshire

  11984

  1,383

  45

  11985

  1,444

  63

  11986

  1,654

  62

  1 Provisional.

  Variations to Product Licences
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of time taken to deal with applications to variations to product licences in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The licensing authority is currently examining ways in which better statistical information can be produced, using new technology wherever possible. The time taken to process an application to vary a product licence can be days or months, depending upon the nature of the variation (for example, it may require extensive pharmaceutical or medical consideration) or on the number of applications being dealt with by the licensing authority at any one time.

  Atenolol Tablets
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the following P1 Variations submitted by APS Ltd., to be approved:(a) Atenolol tablets 50 mg and 100 mg, new source of active ingredient, (b) Atenolol tablets 50 mg and 100 mg, new source of active ingredient, (c) Atenolol tablets 50 mg and 100 mg, improved assay method and (d) Stilboestrol tablets 1 mg and 5 mg.

  Mr. Newton
  The licensing authority notified APS Ltd. about its P1 Variations for Atenolol on 5 February 1988 and about Stilboestrol on 22 December 1987. The outcome of the company's applications is regarded as confidential.

  Patients treated NHS hospitals, England 1986

  All specialties

  Discharges and deaths

  Day cases

  New put-patients

  Total out-patient attendances

  England

  6,413,789

  1,050,158

  8,767,788

  37,727,608

  Northern

  441,095

  81,047

  602,318

  2,564,607

  Yorkshire

  525,296

  81,635

  654,945

  2,906,164

  Trent

  592,398

  95,092

  779,739

  3,442,368

  East Anglian

  253,483

  42,022

  335,814

  1,391,156

  North West Thames

  419,008

  67,766

  673,473

  2,676,886

  North East Thames

  530,372

  70,304

  860,602

  3,670,603

  South East Thames

  495,246

  71,323

  778,104

  3,288,125

  South West Thames

  347,089

  56,449

  484,808

  2,043,912

  Wessex

  366,421

  63,297

  468,549

  1,854,115

  Special Payments
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the formula under which he has calculated the special payment for pensioners and others to adjust for the proper level of inflation.

  Mr. Scott
  In the main, the maximum loss to retirement pensioners and other groups eligible for £8 special payments is £7·85 over the full two years affected by the error in the retail price index. The benefits in question have been 5p a week less than they would have been during 1987–88, a 53-week benefit year, and 10p a week less than they would have been during 1988–89, a 52-week benefit year. Mobility allowance will have been paid at rates 5p a week less than it would have been in each year, yielding a loss of £5·25; a special payment of £5 will be made on this benefit.

  NHS Review
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services with which organisations or individuals he proposes to consult or from which he hopes to obtain views as part of his review of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Moore
  We should like to hear from any organisation with constructive proposals.

  Mental Hospitals (Patients' Money)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to revise memorandum HM(71)90, published in 1971; and when he will publish the circular which will provide advice to mental hospital administrations on access to, and use of, patients' money.

  Mr. Newton
  We are considering whether a revised circular is needed at the present time to replace HM(71)90. We know that many hospitals are devising imaginative and useful schemes within the existing guidelines to use patients' money for their personal benefit and with a view to enhancing their quality of life.

  Hospitals (Treatment Statistics)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital in-patients and out-patients were treated in the latest year for which figures are available in each region; how many consultants are employed by each region; and at what annual cost.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is set out in the tables.
  273

  Discharges and deaths

  Day cases

  New out-patients

  Total out-patient attendances

  Oxford

  299,270

  39,901

  397,586

  1,564,003

  South Western

  417,443

  63,375

  516,671

  2,006,240

  West Midlands

  673,375

  93,403

  855,524

  3,840,664

  Mersey

  336,944

  79,098

  446,162

  2,022,898

  North Western

  624,678

  125,564

  789,043

  3,644,682

  SHAs and BGs

  91,671

  19,882

  124,450

  811,185

  Table 2

  Hospital Medical and Dental Consultant staff at 30 September 1986

  whole-time equivalents

  Region

  All Staff

  Costs (£'000)

  Northern

  918

  35,669,000

  Yorkshire

  928

  35,196,000

  Trent

  1,139

  41,719,000

  East Anglian

  544

  20,671,000

  North West Thames

  951

  36,462,000

  North East Thames

  1,260

  48,926,000

  South East Thames

  1,079

  41,095,000

  South West Thames

  804

  28,631,000

  Wessex

  720

  27,131,000

  Oxford

  640

  23,359,000

  South Western

  805

  29,651,000

  West Midlands

  1,384

  51,051,000

  Mersey

  659

  25,390,000

  North Western

  1,204

  48,609,000

  SHA's

  —

  12,832,000

  1 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff.

  Brook Hospital
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many intensive treatment unit beds are currently closed at the Brook hospital; and for how long these beds have been closed.

  Mrs. Currie
  As I informed the hon. Member in my reply on 2 February at column 595, at present two of the eight intensive treatment unit beds at the Brook hospital are closed.

  At the beginning of 1986 there was a nursing staff complement of 50 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) for eight intensive treatment unit beds plus six coronary care unit beds. Because of concern about the adequacy of these staffing levels, two of the intensive treatment unit beds were then closed. The nursing complement was also reviewed (using the recommendations of the Cheltenham study report on nurse staffing ratios) and increased to 57 WTEs for the six intensive treatment units plus two coronary care unit beds.

  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds have been closed either temporarily or permanently over each of the past three years at the Brook hospital and Greenwich district hospital; and how long each closure lasted.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. Member the information she seeks which is not held centrally. Details about the availability of beds at the Brook hospital and Greenwich district general hospital should be available from Greenwich health authority, and the hon. Member may wish to contact the district chairman.

  Hospices
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those district health authorities that do not have a hospice for the care of the terminally ill within their boundaries.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is not collected centrally by the Department, but information collected by the hospice information service at St. Christopher's hospice indicates that as at November 1987 the following district health authorities had no in-patient hospice unit within their boundaries.

  Northern Region

  Darlington

  Durham1

  East Cumbria

  Gateshead

  Hartlepool1

  North Tees1

  North Tyneside

  Northumberland

  North West Durham

  South Cumbria

  South Tees1

  South Tyneside1

  South-West Durham West Cumbria1

  Yorkshire Region

  Bradford1

  Dewsbury1

  East Yorks

  Harrogate1

  Hull1

  Northallerton

  Pontefract1

  Scunthorpe1

  Wakefield1

  Trent Region

  Barnsley1

  Bassetlaw1

  Central Nottinghamshire1

  Doncaster1

  North Derbyshire1

  Rotherham1

  South Lincolnshire1

  East Anglian Region

  East Suffolk1

  Huntingdon

  West Norfolk and Wisbech1

  West Suffolk1

  North West Thames Region

  Barnet1

  Brent1

  East Hertfordshire1

  Harrow

  Hounslow and Spelthorne1

  North Hertfordshire

  Riverside1

  South Bedfordshire1

  1Districts with home care services or a support team for terminal care.
  275
  North East Thames Region

  Basildon and Thurrock

  Bloomsbury1

  Enfield1

  Haringey1

  Islington1

  Newham

  Redbridge1

  Tower Hamlets1

  West Essex

  South East Thames Region

  Bexley1

  Camberwell1

  Dartford and Gravesham1

  Greenwich1

  Lewisham and North Southwark1

  Maidstone1

  South East Kent1

  Tunbridge Wells1

  South West Thames Region

  Croydon

  Mid-Surrey

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  South West Surrey

  Wandsworth

  Wessex Region

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire1

  West Dorset1

  Winchester1

  Oxford Region

  Aylesbury Vale1

  West Berkshire1

  Wycombe1

  South Western Region

  Frenchay

  Gloucester1

  North Devon1

  Southmead

  West Midlands Region

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  Central Birmingham

  Coventry1

  Dudley1

  East Birmingham

  Kidderminster and District1

  Mid Staffordshire

  North Birmingham

  North Warwickshire1

  Rugby

  Sandwell

  Shropshire1

  Walsall

  Worcester and District1

  Mersey Region

  Chester1

  Crewe1

  Halton

  Macclesfield

  Southport and Formby1

  North Western Region

  Bolton

  Burnley Pendle and Rossendale

  Bury1

  Central Manchester1

  Chorley and South Ribble1

  North Manchester

  Oldham

  Rochdale1

  South Manchester1

  Tameside and Glossop

  Trafford

  276
  1 Districts with home care services or a support team for terminal care.

  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he gives to district health authorities with regard to the provision of hospices for care of the terminally ill.

  Mrs. Currie
  The guidance given to health authorities by the Department on the planning and provision of terminal care services, including of hospices, is contained in health circular HC(87)4 of February 1987, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Infant Feeding
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the report on present day practice in infant feeding from the chief medical officer's committee on medical aspects of food policy.

  Mrs. Currie
  "Present day practice in infant feeding: third report" is being published today. I warmly welcome this addition to what has become a notable series of scientific reports on feeding British babies and young children. It has been awaited eagerly by paediatricians, midwives, health visitors, and child dieticians. It breaks new ground for the series because it considers the one to five-year-olds as well as infants.

  The authors are to be congratulated, particularly for their unequivocal statement that breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies. I shall make sure that all their recommendations are studied carefully and I am setting in hand arrangements for disseminating their main messages very widely.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the increase in the cost of the National Health Service over the years, both in terms of percentage of gross domestic product and of the cost to the average family in constant 1988 prices.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 25 January 1988]: The information is as follows:

  NHS gross expenditure United Kingdom £ million (1987–88 prices)

  Percentage of GDP1

  Cost per annum per family of four2£

  1979–80

  16,248

  4·9

  1,157

  1979–80

  16,531

  4·8

  1,176

  1980–81

  18,102

  5·3

  1,285

  1981–82

  18,544

  5·5

  1,316

  1982–83

  18,852

  5·5

  1,339

  1983–84

  19,106

  5·4

  1,356

  1984–85

  19,628

  5·5

  1,391

  1985–86

  19,602

  5·3

  1,385

  1986–87

  20,417

  5·4

  1,439

  1987–88

  21,454

  n/a

  1,508

  1 ODP(E).

  2 Derived from per capita spending × 4.

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many consultants and doctors within the
  277
  Trent regional health authority are currently suspended on full pay on disciplinary grounds; and for how long the individual suspensions have been in operation;

  (2) if he will obtain from the Trent regional health authority, and publish in the Official Report, the cost of the suspension on full pay of three consultants and one associate specialist in the authority, one of whom has been suspended since June 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 29 January 1988]: Information supplied by Trent regional health authority shows there are four consultants and one associate specialist who have been suspended on full pay since respectively June 1982, April 1985, March 1987, April 1987, and January 1986. The total estimated salary costs of the suspensions to date amount to £455,797.

  In the longest case of suspension the Secretary of State confirmed, in February 1986, the health authority's dismissal of a consultant after normal disciplinary and appeals procedures had been followed.

  At cash prices

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  1978–79

  1987–88

  1978–79

  1987–88

  £

  £

  £

  £

  (estimated)

  (estimated)

  (i) Average expenditure per head

  142

  377

  139

  363

  (ii) Per income taxpayer1

  308

  869

  301

  836

  (iii) Per household2

  400

  998

  391

  961

  (iv) Per family of four3

  569

  1,508

  556

  1,453

  At 1987–88 prices4

  (i) Average expenditure per head

  289

  377

  283

  363

  (ii) Per income taxpayer1

  627

  869

  614

  836

  (iii) Per household2

  812

  998

  795

  961

  (iv) Per family of four3

  1,157

  1,508

  1,132

  1,453

  Notes:

  1Number of income taxpayers 1978–79, 25·9 million; 1987–88, 24·7 million (projected)—Inland Revenue.

  2Number of households 1978–79, 20·0 million; 1987–88, 21·5 million—Department of Environment.

  3Notional family of four = per capita spending x 4.

  4Revalued in line with GDP deflator at market prices.

  All figures relate to the United Kingdom.

  NHS (Waiting Lists)
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what new proposals he has to cut waiting lists for operations within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 2 February 1988]: The waiting list fund will be increased from £25 million to £30 million for 1988–89. On 18 December 1987 I wrote to the chairman of regional health authorities setting out our objectives for the waiting list initiative in 1988–89.

  We are making the reduction of waiting time our prime objective, giving particular attention to serious or disabling conditions. As a first step, we are asking regions to adopt, as some aleady have, a target-based approach to waiting time.

  We also want to see every district develop a local statement of policy on out-patient and in-patient waiting times, particulary for the major specialties and most frequently occurring conditions. Such a statement can flow only from constructive discussion between clinicians and managers and must take into account local services, rates of demand, facilities and resources.
  278
  The consultant subsequently took legal action which resulted in a divisional court ruling that the Secretary of State's decision was invalid and that the case should be reconsidered. It is now being reviewed and a decision will be taken as soon as possible.

  Because of concern about the length of time taken in such disciplinary cases, a working party including representatives of the Department, the professions and the NHS is currently reviewing the procedures.

  NHS (Funding)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will express(a) central Government funding and (b) health charges accruing to the National Health Service in 1979 and 1987–88 as a sum per (i) person, (ii) income taxpayer, (iii) household and (iv) average family of four.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 29 January 1988]: The information is as follows:

  The £30 million waiting list fund will be available for allocation to regions for specific waiting list projects. There is considerable scope for the Health Service to make cost-effective use of external sources of treatment for waiting list patients. For 1988–89 we expect the regional programmes to contain serious and substantial examples of projects making cost-effective use of facilities outside the district, whether they be in the private sector, or armed forces hospitals or in other districts.

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire Health Authority
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what have been the numbers of patients, subdivided into convenient categories, waiting for (i) first appointments and (ii) subsequent treatment in the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority district each year since 1974–75, expressed also as a percentage increase or decrease on the previous year and on 1974–75 figures; and what were the average times of waiting.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The information available is set out in the tables.
  279

  Number of patients on in-patient waiting list for Basingstoke and North Hants District Health Authority from 31 March 1976 to 31 March 1987

  All cases

  All urgent cases

  All urgent cases on list for more than one month

  Year

  Number

  Per cent. change over previous year

  Per cent. change over 19762

  Number

  Per cent. change over previous year

  Per cent. change over 19762

  Number

  Per cent. change over previous year

  Per cent. change over 19762

  1976

  2,055

  0

  0

  92

  0

  0

  56

  0

  0

  1977

  2,259

  9·9

  9·9

  93

  1·1

  1·1

  67

  19·6

  19·6

  1978

  2,368

  4·8

  15·2

  116

  24·7

  26·1

  92

  37·3

  64·3

  1979

  3,239

  36·8

  57·6

  107

  -7·8

  16·3

  67

  -27·2

  19·6

  1980

  3,556

  9·8

  73·0

  136

  27·1

  47·8

  78

  16·4

  39·3

  1981

  3,178

  -10·6

  54·6

  98

  -27·9

  6·5

  80

  2·6

  42·9

  1982

  3,371

  6·1

  64·0

  64

  -34·7

  -30·4

  47

  -41·3

  -16·1

  1983

  3,511

  4·2

  70·9

  103

  60·9

  12·0

  78

  66·0

  39·3

  1984

  3,436

  -2·1

  67·2

  112

  8·7

  21·7

  94

  20·5

  67·9

  1985

  3,279

  -4·6

  59·6

  132

  17·9

  43·5

  100

  6·4

  78·6

  1986

  3,589

  9·5

  74·6

  134

  1·5

  45·7

  106

  6·0

  89·3

  1987

  2,411

  -32·8

  17·3

  66

  -50·7

  -28·3

  34

  -67·9

  -39·3

  Non-urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases on list for more than one year

  Year

  Number

  Per cent. change over previous year

  Per cent. change over 19762

  Number

  Per cent. change over previous year

  Per cent. change over 19762

  1976

  1,963

  0

  0

  588

  0

  0

  1977

  2,166

  10·3

  10·3

  301

  -48·8

  -48·8

  1978

  2,252

  4·0

  14·7

  470

  56·1

  -20·1

  1979

  3,132

  39·1

  59·6

  608

  29·4

  3·4

  1980

  3,420

  9·2

  74·2

  751

  23·5

  27·7

  1981

  3,080

  -9·9

  56·9

  848

  12·9

  44·2

  1982

  3,307

  7·4

  68·5

  837

  -1·3

  42·3

  1983

  3,408

  3·1

  73·6

  1,045

  24·9

  77·7

  1984

  3,324

  -2·5

  69·3

  1,234

  18·1

  109·9

  1985

  3,147

  -5·3

  60·3

  831

  -32·7

  41·3

  1986

  3,455

  9·8

  76·0

  920

  10·7

  56·5

  1987

  2,345

  -32·1

  19·5

  474

  -48·5

  -19·4

  1 Percentage change figure based on 1982 as no data shown in 1974.

  2 Percentage change figure shown for 1976 as no data shown for 1974.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) to what extent the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority has benefited from the Government's special £50 million funding of their initiative to reduce waiting lists, in terms of financial support and additional personnel;

  (2) how many more patients are likely to be treated by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority as a result of additional funding through the Government's special funding to reduce waiting lists; and what categories of patients will benefit.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The Basingstoke and North Hampshire district health authority has been allocated £22,560 from the Wessex regional health authority's £1·4 million allocation from the £25 million waiting list fund for 1987–88. This funding is being used to finance two projects. The appointment of a bed allocation officer in the orthopaedic specialty will have a considerable impact on bed occupancy and throughput in this specialty. The appointment of an additional consultant in opthalmology is expected to enable 200 additional in-patients to be treated by 31 March 1988.

  For 1988–89 the waiting list fund has been increased to £30 million. The regional allocations from the fund will be anounced shortly.

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

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 February 1988]: The requested information is given in the table.

  In-patient waiting lists in the following district health authorities

  Urgent

  Non-Urgent

  Total

  Leeds Eastern

  31 March 1986

  604

  5,059

  5,663

  30 September 1986

  493

  4,651

  5,144

  31 March 1987

  445

  5,619

  6,064

  Leeds Western

  31 March 1986

  587

  3,810

  4,397

  30 September 1986

  443

  4,033

  4,476

  31 March 1987

  357

  4,401

  4,758

THE ARTS

  "Arts in the Inner Cities"
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he intends to publish the report "Arts in the Inner Cities", by Mr. Paul Collard.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: I have considered a survey submitted by Mr. Paul Collard and am placing a copy in the Library, together with a working document by the Arts Council, which I warmly welcome.

  The Government do not accept many of the statements or recommendations in Mr. Collard's survey, in particular those elements which over-emphasise central intervention and the role of the public sector. I do not intend to publish it.

  The Government believe that the arts can play an important part in helping to revitalise the inner cities, particularly where they have the support of local and private sector interests. Arts bodies do, however, need to present more clearly what they have to offer. I shall be considering how best to assist this over the next few months.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Disabled People
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what retraining facilities he intends to provide for the disabled unemployed in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  Retraining for the disabled unemployed is provided at the 12 training centres operated by the Department of Economic Development and at the Thomas Doran training centre, Dungannon which provides specialised training for the disabled. Where appropriate places are also obtained at specialised training colleges in Great Britain. Rehabilitation-resettlement is provided at the employment rehabilitation centre, Felden, Whiteabbey for those returning to work after an illness or accident. The provision of additional facilities is kept under review.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further action he intends to take to counteract unemployment among disabled people in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  Disabled people are encouraged to use all the facilities provided through the jobmarket network

  District Councils

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Antrim

  2,223

  8,577

  25,065

  18,750

  25,336

  27,375

  40,500

  43,050

  43,875

  47,250

  51,750

  Ards

  5,219

  11,250

  12,500

  15,000

  18,784

  19,950

  22,500

  25,050

  28,125

  32,250

  37,500

  Armagh

  5,789

  7,875

  9,000

  10.875

  12,275

  13,125

  15,750

  17,475

  18,000

  17,850

  18,750

  Ballymena

  6,942

  23,175

  25,030

  31,575

  32,326

  37,500

  40,500

  44,250

  55,500

  56,625

  60,000

  Ballymoney

  322

  2,250

  1,500

  1,350

  874

  2,025

  7,200

  6,150

  6,375

  6,750

  7,500

  Banbridge

  —

  —

  —

  2,250

  4,151

  9,900

  13,500

  16,275

  16,875

  16,950

  17,625

  Belfast

  65,831

  129,975

  211,480

  262,500

  353,839

  479,625

  546,150

  579,000

  600,000

  624,000

  660,000

  Carrickfergus

  4,040

  13,954

  20,485

  22,980

  26,691

  30,000

  31,800

  35,325

  39,000

  40,500

  42,000

  Castlereagh

  10,812

  43,050

  52,420

  45,055

  56,353

  61,050

  68,250

  72,525

  76,500

  81,000

  93,750

  Coleraine

  4,084

  8,520

  12,200

  14,250

  22,148

  24,900

  27,750

  29,475

  30,750

  33,000

  33,750

  Cookstown

  2,138

  5,250

  5,250

  4,690

  4,543

  4,500

  5,400

  5,775

  6,000

  6,600

  6,750

  Craigavon

  31,630

  65,438

  111,800

  107,250

  128,867

  138,750

  161,250

  171,150

  176,250

  183,750

  192,750

  Derry

  17,306

  53,625

  78,375

  92,250

  123,188

  106,500

  117,000

  117,000

  120,000

  124,500

  124,500

  Down

  7,435

  7,782

  13,300

  12,750

  15,726

  15,375

  17,475

  18,975

  22,500

  31,875

  33,750

  Dungannon

  2,351

  4,125

  4,900

  4,875

  5,679

  5,700

  9,000

  9,525

  9,750

  8,250

  8,625

  Fermanagh

  4,222

  8,213

  11,250

  13,275

  21,405

  24,000

  31,125

  34,275

  36,000

  37,500

  40,500

  282
  including the restart and jobclubs schemes. Encouragement is also being given to the employment of disabled persons on Action for Community Employment (ACE) projects. Additional sheltered employment places are being provided with private employers for severely disabled people. Consideration is being given to improvements in the service provided by disablement resettlement officers. Discussions are also taking place with the Northern Ireland Council on Disability to seek further ways of improving employment opportunities for disabled persons.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training and support facilities are available for the disabled unemployed in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  Training for unemployed disabled people is available on an integrated basis at training centres and on employers' premises through various departmental schemes. Specialised training is also available at the Thomas Doran centre, Dungannon. Home-based training in the use of computers has been introduced on a pilot basis for house-bound disabled people. It is intended to extend this form of training.

  Support facilities are available through the disablement resettlement officers based in local jobmarkets.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the unemployment rate for disabled people from 1980 to 1987 inclusive at all social security offices in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  Disabled persons claiming benefit do not have to indicate that they are disabled. The proportion of disabled persons who are unemployed is therefore not known.

  Community Services
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the amount allocated to each district council in Northern Ireland for community services in the financial years from 1976–77 to 1986–87 inclusive.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The amounts allocated by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland for community services recurrent costs are shown below. Details of amounts to cover capital costs are not readily available.
  283

  District Councils

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Lame

  5,739

  11,240

  15,100

  14,625

  19,220

  20,400

  24,900

  25,650

  26,250

  27,000

  21,750

  Limavady

  750

  2,287

  4,240

  6,675

  6,640

  10,275

  11,625

  12,750

  15,000

  16,500

  17,250

  Lisburn

  8,838

  17,243

  24,000

  22,500

  31,016

  47,250

  56,250

  60,975

  66,000

  66,000

  69,000

  Magnerafelt

  —

  2,625

  2,650

  2,625

  2,883

  2,400

  4,125

  4,425

  4,875

  5,100

  5,250

  Moyle

  2,160

  3,150

  3,750

  1,915

  2,447

  4,425

  7,050

  8,700

  13,125

  15,750

  15,750

  Newry and Mourne

  4,643

  28,383

  45,450

  46,500

  61,158

  64,875

  75,375

  82,350

  86,250

  91,500

  95,250

  Newtownabbey

  19,871

  29,625

  37,200

  43,405

  45,213

  45,000

  45,900

  48,750

  57,750

  60,000

  57,250

  North Down

  4,978

  14,429

  17,000

  21,225

  25,774

  27,225

  31,125

  34,575

  34,500

  45,000

  50,250

  Omagh

  5,198

  13,425

  18,375

  18,375

  21,842

  27,375

  36,750

  40,050

  43,500

  52,950

  62,250

  Strabane

  11,512

  25,350

  39,750

  42,370

  48,752

  49,500

  57,750

  55,500

  58,500

  66,750

  73,500

  Total

  234,033

  540,816

  802,070

  879,890

  1,117,130

  1,299,000

  1,506,000

  1,599,000

  1,691,250

  1,795,200

  1,897,500

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider establishing an equal opportunities unit within the Northern Ireland Council for Disability to be resourced by the Department of Economic Development.

  Mr. Viggers
  This question is currently under consideration.

  Travel to Interview
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what definition is used by the Department of Economic Development of permanent post for the purposes of assessing applications under the travel-to-interview scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  The job must be expected to last for more than one year.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications have been made under the travel-to-interview scheme operated by the Department of Economic Development; how many of these have been rejected on grounds that the posts applied for were not permanent ones; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  From its introduction in October 1986 until the end of December 1987, a total of 1,508 applications were made under the travel-to-interview scheme. Forty-four applications were rejected on the grounds that the posts applied for were not permanent ones.

  School Nurse
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report, for each year over the last five up to the latest year for which figures are available, the following information with respect to school nurses: (a) the total number employed, given as total, whole-time, part-time and whole-time equivalent, (b) the establishment figure and (c) the number of vacant posts.

  Mr. Needham
  The information on numbers employed at 31 December each year is set out in the table. Information on establishments and vacant posts is not collected centrally and is not readily available.
  284

  Northern Ireland

  Total Number of School Nurses 1982–1986

  Year

  Total

  Whole-time

  Part-time

  Whole-time Equivalent

  1982

  97

  60

  37

  82·64

  1983

  96

  60

  36

  81·83

  1984

  96

  60

  36

  81·49

  1985

  97

  57

  40

  80·94

  1986

  92

  53

  39

  76·57

  Private Health Insurance
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has of the proportion of the population of Northern Ireland which is not covered, in whole or in part, by private health insurance.

  Mr. Needham
  This information is not available.

  Cars (Imports)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the cars brought into Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic as formal imports in each month in 1987 were recorded as changing ownership within(a) one month and (b) two months of importation.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  General Practitioner Trainees
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the numbers of(a) general practitioner trainees per unit of management, (b) general practitioner training practices per population in each health unit of management and (c) candidates for the training programme, in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The number of general practitioner trainees per unit of management is not available. The table shows the number of general practitioner trainees per health and social services board area.

  Health and Social Services Board

  Year

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  1983

  30

  12

  6

  6

  1984

  22

  13

  9

  7

  1985

  28

  11

  8

  4

  1986

  26

  110

  6

  7

  1987

  26

  11

  8

  4

  1 1 resigned from Northern board during the year.

  The number of general practitioner training practices per population in each health unit of management is not

  285
  available. The table shows the number of general practitioner training practices per head of population in each Health and Social Services Board area. The figures for 1987 are not yet available.

  Health and Social Services Board

  Year

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  1983

  1:21,000

  1:22,000

  1:31,000

  1:21,000

  1984

  1:22,000

  1:24,000

  1:28,000

  1:28,000

  1985

  1: 22,000

  1:21,000

  1:32,000

  1:26,000

  1986

  1:23,000

  1:21,000

  1:29,000

  1:29,000

  Up to 1987 there were two annual intakes to the vocational training scheme, February and August. The numbers applying for each of the past five years are shown in the table. Unsuccessful candidates frequently reapply, thus the numbers given include a substantial degree of double counting.

  Year

  February Intake

  August Intake

  1983

  42

  58

  1984

  31

  78

  1985

  38

  77

  1986

  35

  105

  1987

  43

  112

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the criteria applied in the selection of general practitioner trainees and their allocation to training practices.

  Mr. Needham
  Any medical practitioner fully registered with the Central Medical Council may apply for a place on the Northern Ireland vocational training scheme for general practice. Applications are considered by a selection panel and thereafter successful candidates arrange for 12 months' general practice training with an approved general practice trainer.

  Granting Authority

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Belfast Education and Library Board

  135,465

  130,696

  110,520

  173,600

  197,166

  North-Eastern Education and Library Board

  166,617

  184,547

  230,191

  305,746

  331,465

  South-Eastern Education and Library Board

  82,197

  90,027

  105,459

  117,162

  121,280

  Southern Education and Library Board

  122,361

  182,477

  109,839

  163,630

  195,629

  Western Education and Library Board

  235,411

  234,297

  218,550

  348,824

  247,231

ENVIRONMENT

  Green Belt
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about his most recent planning guidance in respect of the use of green belt land.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  To date I have received no representations about planning policy guidance note 2, on green belts, the publication of which I announced on 20 January in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley), at columns 745–46. The new guidance note contains no departure from established green belt policy.
  286
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the allocation of general practitioner trainees to each training practice in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  It is not possible to provide this information in the form requested. However, over the past five years the average number of trainees per training practice in each health and social services board area was as follows:

  Number

  Eastern Board

  4·5

  Northern Board

  3·1

  Southern Board

  3·7

  Western Board

  3·3

  Higher Education Students
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the number of higher education students in Northern Ireland, excluding overseas students, who did not receive a full value award in each of the past five years, by granting authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No figures are available.

  Lesser-value Awards
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the amounts of lesser-value awards, by granting authority in each of the past five years in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The latest available information on the total cost of such awards is as follows:

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the dispersal of radioactive waste under the sea and the use of sub-duction zones.

  Mrs. Roe
  The disposal of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste in a repository under the seabed, either with access from a tunnel from the shore or from an offshore structure, are two of the options currently being considered by UK Nirex Ltd. No consideration has been given by Nirex to the use of sub-duction zones for radioactive waste disposal.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on co-operation with, and provision of information and documentation for, the European Parliament special commission of inquiry on
  287
  problems of nuclear waste and materials management and transport in the European Economic Community member states.

  Mrs. Roe
  I am happy to co-operate with the European Parliamentary committee of inquiry appointed to investigate activities at the Belgian nuclear centre at Mo1.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the proportional increase in the volumes of solid nuclear waste arising at Sellafield from the full operation of the site iron exchange plant.

  Mrs. Roe
  Less than 5 per cent.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communication he has had with the European Commissioners for Energy and Environmental Affairs over the Commission's internal inquiry over recent problems of handling nuclear waste and its transport in the EEC.

  Mrs. Roe
  None, but I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has been consulted by the European Commission about United Kingdom participation at a meeting of nuclear experts.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what proportion the volume of nuclear waste is expected to increase annually over present annual production when the thermal oxide reprocessing plant is commissioned for full operation.

  Mrs. Roe
  The volumes of untreated high, intermediate and solid low level nuclear wastes arising at Sellafield are expected to increase by 160 per cent. 40 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively over present annual production when the thermal oxide reprocessing plant is commissioned for full operation.

  Boxing
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to encourage the British Boxing Board of Control to eliminate unnecessary risk to boxers in fights.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Government plan no such steps. The safety of those taking part in professional boxing is a matter for the British Boxing Board of Control. British boxing is subject to stringent medical safeguards and the board's medical advisers take full account of the latest medical research.

  Staff Dispersal
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many divisions within his Department have been relocated out of London since 1979; what plans he has for further relocation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  Some 20,000 of the 32,000 staff in my Department, including PSA are already located outside London. Approximately 60 posts in the Crown Suppliers were moved from central London to Bootle in 1982. Some 70 posts comprising the Department's eastern regional office are to move from London to Bedford later this year. I am actively looking for other areas of work where relocation would be cost-effective and seek to ensure that, where practicable, appropriate work is carried out in the Department's regional offices.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals are being considered at this time; and how long before it takes to resolve such an appeal.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On 31 December 1987 there were 12,090 planning appeals being processed in the Department. For those cases decided in December the median handling time from receipt to decision was 22 weeks.

  Isle of Wight
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why the Isle of Wight was omitted from the report "Developing the Rural Economy";

  (2) why the Isle of Wight was not included in the areas selected by ECOTEC on behalf of the Development Commission.

  Mr. Trippier
  The ECOTEC report, "Developing the Rural Economy", was an assessment of the general effectiveness of the Development Commission's economic programmes. Only nine areas were selected for study solely to provide a representative cross-section of the rural areas in which the commission operates and the programmes it has provided. No significance therefore should be attached to the inclusion or omission of any particular area.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if refunds of water charges are available to householders who are dissatisfied with the quality and colour of their water supply; and how many disconnections of water supplies have occurred in the last five years where consumers have refused to pay water charges because of poor quality water.

  Mrs. Roe
  No refunds of water charges are available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to obtain information on the disconnections of water supplies by(a) water authority and (b) local authority area.

  Mrs. Roe
  Information on the number of disconnections for non-payment is collected annually by my Department from each water authority. Latest figures for 1986–87 are as follows. Figures by local authority area are not available centrally.

  Number

  North West

  457

  Northumbrian

  300

  Severn Trent

  1,000

  Yorkshire

  293

  Anglian

  2,268

  Thames

  576

  Southern

  1,152

  Wessex

  0

  South West

  404

  England

  6,450

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on progress with contracting out local authority services by competitive tendering.

  Mr. Ridley
  [pursuant to his reply, 4 November 1987, c. 735]: It has come to the Government's attention that a number of authorities are considering setting up companies, under their control, whose main function would be to carry out work which, if the Local Government Bill were enacted in its present form, would fall within a defined activity for the purposes of part I of the Bill. It seems probable that the main, or perhaps the only, purpose of setting up such companies would be to circumvent the Bill's competition provisions.

  As the law presently stands, authorities to which section 135 of the Local Government Act 1972 or section 81 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 applies must make standing orders to secure competition for contracts for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works, but are not required to do so in relation to contracts for the provision of services. It would therefore be possible, even after enactment of the Bill, for an authority to award to its own company, and without competition, a contract for work which, if carried out by the authority's own employees, would be subject to the competition provisions of part I of the Bill.

  Although we are still considering, in the context of the Widdicombe report, the wider aspects of local authority involvement in companies, we have decided that this particular issue calls for immediate action.

  We therefore propose to make it unlawful for an authority to enter into a contract with one of its own companies for the carrying out by the company of work which falls within any of the activities which are defined activities for the purposes of clause 2 of the Local Government Bill, unless the authority has taken steps for the purpose of securing competition for that work. This requirement is to have effect from midnight tonight.

  An appropriate amendment to the Local Government Bill is being tabled today—its text is as follows.

  The authorities to whom the new provision will apply are local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland (as defined in clause 1(2) and (3) of the Bill), police, fire and civil defence, waste disposal and passenger transport authorities and the Inner London education authority. For the purposes of the new provision, a company will be treated as an authority's own company if, as a result of a
  290
  decision of the authority, either the authority itself, or any member or officer of the authority, or any nominee of the authority is a member of the company or its subsidiary or holding company.

  After Clause 32
  Insert the following new Clause—
  ("Local authority companies.

  —(1) A local authority or relevant public body shall not enter into a contract under which a company which is associated with the authority or body is to carry out work falling within a defined activity, unless, before entering into that contract, the authority or body has taken reasonable steps for the purpose of securing competition for the carrying out of that work.

  (2) For the purposes of this section a company is associated with a local authority or relevant public body if, by virtue of any decision of the authority or body (including that of any committee or sub-committee thereof in the course of discharging any function conferred upon them by virtue of section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972, or, in relation to Scotland, section 56 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973)—

  (a) the authority or body, or

  (b) any member or officer of the authority or body, or

  (c) any nominee of the authority or body,

  is a member either of the company or of another company which, in accordance with section 736 of the Companies Act 1985, is the company's subsidiary or holding company.

  (3) In this section—

  (a) "defined activity" has the meaning assigned by section 2 above;

  (b) "local authority" has the meaning assigned by subsection (2) or, as the case maybe, subsection (3) of section 1 above; and

  (c) "relevant public body" means any authority or committee falling within paragraphs (e) to (j) of subsection (1) of section 1 above

  (4) This section (and, so far as is relevant for the purposes of the definitions in subsection (3) above, sections 1 and 2 above) shall be deemed to have come into force on 11th February 1988 and, accordingly, has effect in relation to contracts entered into on or after that day.")

  Local Authorities (Financial Aid)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to seek to amend the law relating to the powers of a local authority to offer financial assistance to the owner of(a) a church or place of religious observance, (b) a training centre run by a voluntary organisation, (c) health care premises run commercially or by a voluntary body, (d) a small shop, (e) a restaurant, (f) a sports club and (g) industrial premises to make the property accessible for disabled people including wheelchair users.

  Mr. Chope
  No. Local authorities already have powers for these purposes.

  HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER
  HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER
  COMPLIANCE COST ASSESSMENTS: PUBLICATION
  COMPLIANCE COST ASSESSMENTS: PUBLICATION
  SPACE RESEARCH POLICY
  SPACE RESEARCH POLICY
  SEVERELY DISABLED WAR PENSIONERS: BENEFIT SHORTFALL COMPENSATION
  SEVERELY DISABLED WAR PENSIONERS: BENEFIT SHORTFALL COMPENSATION
  TREE PLANTING GRANTS
  TREE PLANTING GRANTS
  RADIATION MONITORING
  RADIATION MONITORING
  NCC STAG CULL: COSTS
  NCC STAG CULL: COSTS
  REPLAN SCHEME: FUTURE
  REPLAN SCHEME: FUTURE
  ELDERLY WAR WIDOWS: PENSIONS
  ELDERLY WAR WIDOWS: PENSIONS
  LAMBS: CERTIFICATION AND GRADING METHODS
  LAMBS: CERTIFICATION AND GRADING METHODS