Written Answers of 11 February 1988

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Maintenance Payments
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will bring forward proposals to abolish the right of an ex-spouse to no-fault maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No. Over the past 14 years the practice has been developed by the courts that conduct is relevant to only a limited number of applications for financial relief. That practice was approved by the Law Commission in 1981 and has statutory authority in section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, as amended by section 3 of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984.

  Pin-ups
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will issue instructions for the removal of all offensive pin-ups in all departmental premises of his office and the Lord Chancellor's Office.

  The Attorney-General
  There is no need for the Lord Chancellor to issue such an instruction as there is no evidence that this is a problem in his Department. The Department's equal opportunity policy statement makes it clear that displays of pin-ups causing offence may amount to sexual harassment which will not be tolerated and may be the subject of disciplinary proceedings.

  There is no offensive pin-up in my own Department.

  "Stalker"
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has completed consideration of whether to prosecute Mr. John Stalker under the Official Secrets Acts in relation to information in his book "Stalker".

  The Attorney-General
  I have concluded that a prosecution would not be in conformity with the code for Crown prosecutors issued pursuant to the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Confidential Discussions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply by the hon. and learned Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), Minister of State in his Department, on 18 January Official Report, column 495, what criteria are used to decide whether discussions with foreign affairs departments or Ministers in other states are to be considered as confidential; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We consider all exchanges with foreign Governments to be confidential unless their details are publicised by mutual agreement.

  Chile
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 18 November 1987,Official Report, column 592, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the judicial system in Chile conforms with international accords on human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The answer given to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 18 November did not imply that in our opinion the Chilean judicial system conforms with international accords on human rights. We take every opportunity to make clear to the Chilean Government our view that their judicial system reflects serious shortcomings. We have also made clear our view that they should publish in their official Gazette their ratification of the international covenant on civil and political rights, so as to give full effect to that covenant in domestic courts.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 18 November 1987,Official Report, column 593, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the forthcoming plebiscite in Chile represents a transition to democracy.

  Mr. Mellor
  We remain concerned to see an early return to democracy in Chile. The Chilean people themselves will have the chance to decide who will be their future president when they go to the polls in the forthcoming plebiscite. We hope that the campaign and poll will be freely and fairly conducted, with full opposition access to the media.

  Disarmament and Development
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have taken following the adoption at the recent United Nations conference on the relationship between disarmament and development of a final document calling for studies and planning related to a conversion of military industry to civilian production, and consequent action.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are committed to the search for balanced, equitable and verifiable measures of arms control that maintain the United Kingdom's security. Given the small size of the Government defence industry and in the absence of relevant arms control agreements, we do not believe that a case has been made for consideration of such studies or planning by the Government.

  Hong Kong (Animal Welfare)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to prevent the sale by auction by the Hong Kong authorities of illegally imported animal tusks, skins and antlers which have been confiscated.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. The confiscated animal tusks, skins and antlers being offered for sale by auction by the Hong Kong Government, are listed under appendix II of the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), for which trade for commercial purposes is allowed under strict licensing
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  control. These goods were seized by the Hong Kong Government over the last three years from illegal importers as a result of stringent enforcement action.

  The sale is being conducted in accordance with CITES guidelines and with the endorsement of Hong Kong's endangered species advisory committee, a statutory body which advises the Hong Kong Government on all endangered species protection matters. Successful tenderers must obtain appropriate possession licences, or registration in the case of ivory tusks, before they may take possession of the goods.

  All species listed in CITES appendix II are not immediately threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade in such species is strictly regulated through licensing control in order to prevent overexploitation.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide details by animal species of the tusks, skins and antlers seized by the Hong Kong authorities and due for auction on 26 February.

  Mr. Mellor
  The items due for auction on 26 February consist of:

  638 pieces of elephant ivory tusk,

  Nine pieces of lynx skin,

  Six pieces of wild cat skin,

  96 pieces of otter skin,

  18 pieces of red deer antler,

  250 pieces of alligator-crocodile,

  1,708 pieces of monitor lizard skin,

  246 pieces of python skin,

  239·2 kgs of elephant ivory cut pieces,

  81·2 kgs of elephant ivory scraps,

  2·9 kgs of wild American ginseng.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  USA (Veto Powers)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the attempts by the United States Administration to gain veto powers in international organisations, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the Inter-American Development Bank; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: According to our understanding, the United States Government are not seeking to gain veto powers in either of these organisations.

  The agreement establishing the Inter-American Development Bank, however, contains a requirement for a two-thirds majority for all decisions concerning the operations of the concessional fund for special operations. This effectively requires United States consent to such decisions, unless its voting power were to fall below one third. The United Kingdom accepted this, with other provisions of the agreement, when it joined the bank.

PRIME MINISTER

  Basingstoke
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she plans to visit Basingstoke in the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

  East Stow
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to East Stow.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

  Thurrock
  Mr. Janman
  to ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Thurrock in the near future.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

  EC (Finance)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals have been submitted by the Commission to the February meeting of the European Council in relation to the financial problems facing the community; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  During 1987 the Commission published a number of proposals which were considered at the European Council in Copenhagen. It has submitted no new proposals since.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend is in Brussels for a meeting of the European Council.

  Trade Unions (Leaders)
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 8 February, if she regards leaders of trade, unions who meet her in their representative capacity as private individuals.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 8 February, at column 46. I have also made clear that my normal practice is not to provide details of the many engagements and meetings I undertake in the course of each day.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will list the studies into the future of the Civil Service currently being undertaken;

  (2) if she will list studies into the future of the Civil Service completed in the last 12 months; and if she will place copies of the reports in the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  The only study into the future of the Civil Service which has been conducted during the last 12 months is the efficiency unit's current study on the next steps in improving management in government, which is still under consideration.

  "The Next Steps"
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will place in the Library a copy of Sir Robin Ibbs report "The Next Steps".
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  The Prime Minister
  The Government are considering Sir Robin Ibbs' report, together with the question of its publication.

  Efficiency Unit
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will list all the studies undertaken by her efficiency unit in the past;

  (2) if she will list studies currently being undertaken by her efficiency unit.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 19 January, at column 598.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that on occasions when it is only possible to answer parliamenatry questions at disproportionate cost with full replies, a reply is provided containing such information as is compatible with an acceptable cost; and if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government that all Government Departments adopt a similar policy on the provision of information.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 29 October 1987, at column 358, and to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 3 February, at column 618.

  The decision on whether to give a partial reply to questions involving disproportionate cost is also a matter for the judgment of individual departmental Ministers. I shall continue to deal with such questions in the light of the particular circumstances of each case.

  Advertising
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Prime Minister how much the Government have spent on advertising during the last 12 months.

  The Prime Minister
  Information on publicity costs, including advertising is held centrally only where the expenditure is incurred through the Central Office of Information. All other publicity and information expenditure is a matter for each Department.

  Expenditure on advertising by the Central Office of Information on behalf of all Government Departments for the financial year 1986–87 was £104 million inclusive of COI overheads and value added tax.

ENVIRONMENT

  Footpaths and Bridleways
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what positive moves he is taking to promote public awareness of their ancient rights of travel on public footpaths and bridleways.

  Mrs. Roe
  The Countryside Commission has recently published proposals for improving and extending public enjoyment of the countryside, including measures for raising awareness of a variety of recreational activities. My right hon. Friend welcomes this initiative.

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the water authorities; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Ridley
  I last met the chairman of the water authorities on 19 January. We discussed many things, including the way ahead to the earliest practicable establishment of the National Rivers Authority, and privatisation.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to meet the Nature Conservancy Council to discuss any threat to sites of special scientific interest arising from commercial interests in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Roe
  As is well known, Ministers and officials in my Department work closely with the council and my right hon. Friend will be meeting the council on 25 February to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the progress in the sales of council houses under the right-to-buy legislation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Up to the end of September 1987, some 654,100 council tenants in England had bought their homes under the right-to-buy legislation. Sales last year were running a little higher than in 1985 and 1986, arid are expected to rise further following the substantial increase in applications received.

  West Yorkshire Waste Management Joint Committee
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take urgent steps to announce the capital allocation to the West Yorkshire waste management joint committee for 1988–89; if he will publish details of the reasons for the delay in this announcement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  The capital allocations for waste regulation and disposal will, as in previous years, be announced before the end of February.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the public sector revenue costs of housing homeless families in each of the London boroughs(a) by providing them with newly built council dwellings, (b) by providing them with council dwellings acquired from the private sector and newly improved for letting and (c) by providing them with bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and if he will publish these figures on a comparable basis with those published in his replies to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey of Thursday 21 January, Official Report, column 826.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information on which my hon. Friend's estimates of the new build and acquisition and renovation costs were based was Londonwide and cannot reliably be
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  broken down by individual authority area. The information on bed and breakfast costs was derived from CIPFA's publication "Homelessness Statistics, 1986–87 Actuals", copies of which are in the Library. This gives figures of gross expenditure and household days for those authorities which responded to CIPFA's questionnaire.

  Fur Farms
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list those bodies which he will usually consult when considering planning applications for new fur farms over any likely detrimental impact upon the local environment.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Decisions on most planning applications are taken by local authorities who will consider each case on its individual merits. Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977 lists the bodies which authorities are statutorily required to consult before granting planning permission for any particular development. There are no specific consultation requirements for applications for new fur farms. Apart from the statutory requirements, generally it is for local authorities to decide the extent of consultation in particular cases.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the amount and extent of the tipping of toxic waste in the west midlands.

  Mrs. Roe
  I am advised by the waste disposal authorities that 324,049 tonnes of special waste were disposed of in the West Midlands county area in 1986–87.

  Empty Council Houses
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority dwellings were vacant at the most recent date for which figures are available in(a) Vale Royal and (b) Chester; how many had been vacant for over six months; and what where the figures represented as a percentage of stock.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information derived from the authorities' 1987 housing investment programme returns is as follows:

  Vacant local authority dwellings at April 1987

  Total vacant

  Percentage of stock

  Number vacant for more than six months

  Percentage of stock

  Chester

  106

  1·3

  2

  1—

  Vale Royal

  136

  1·4

  1

  1—

  1 Less than 0·05 per cent.

  Economic League
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has made use of the services provided by the Economic League since 1979.

  Mr. Ridley
  No.

  Chelsea Football Club
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 November 1987,Official Report, column 684, why he has now decided to instigate an independent public inquiry into the proposed development by Chelsea football club at Stamford Bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The planning application for this site was notified to my right hon. Friend on 8 January as a departure from the Greater London Development Plan. My right hon. Friend accordingly considered the proposals afresh, in the light of the papers sent by Hammersmith and Fulham council and the further representations he had received. He concluded that the application should be called in for his decision. Arrangements are being made for a public local inquiry to be held as soon as possible.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now give details of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1988–89.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 3 November that the gross provision for the Housing Corporation in 1988–89 would increase by nearly £50 million to £735 million and that we hoped that the extra public resources would increasingly be augmented by private finance under mixed funding arrangements.

  The £737 million programme we have now approved (which takes account of an additional £2 million in forecast capital receipts) includes provision for the first year's expenditure on a £58 million grant programme for new mixed funding schemes. This should allow the corporation to approve schemes providing some 3,300 homes at a total cost of £126 million—over 25 per cent. more than planned for the current year's experimental programme. This new programme will include at least £20 million worth of schemes to help homeless families and especially those in bed and breakfast accommodation.

  Provision for the homeless will also be among the priorities for the conventionally funded programme for housing for rent which will be maintained at the same level as 1987–88. And within this programme priority will also be given to reimprovement schemes which, together with increased spending on major repairs, will help bring empty properties back into full use. Another significant area for expansion is the low-cost home ownership programmes under which the corporation should be able to approve nearly one third more new homes than in the current year and which we hope to see expanded further by the introduction of mixed funding wherever possible. In allocating the resources for new rented projects, the percentage of investment in the 81 designated urban stress areas will be maintained, but the guidelines for allocations to rural areas will be revised. Priority will no longer be confined to the designated rural stress areas and schemes will be targeted on smaller and more isolated agricultural settlements with a view to doubling the present level of provision by housing associations in these areas.

  The breakdown of the approved development programmes for 1988–89 is as follows:

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  Housing corporation—approved development programme 1988–89

  £ million

  Net allocation (cash limit)

  655

  Receipts

  82

  Gross allocation

  737

  HOUSING FOR RENT

  Conventionally funded projects

  1. Contracted expenditure

  371

  2. New tenders approved

  145

  3. New projects approved

  63

  Mixed funding projects

  4. Committed expenditure

  14

  5. New projects approved

  25

  Major repairs

  6. Committed expenditure

  28

  7. New projects approved

  10

  Mini HAG

  8. Committed and new projects

  3

  HOUSING FOR SALE

  Improvement for sale, Leasehold for the elderly, shared ownership and home ownership for tenants of charitable associations

  9. Comitted expenditure

  50

  10. New projects approved

  26

  RTB

  11. Mortgages and other expenditure

  2

  Notes:

  1. £7·7 million has been included in Housing for Rent and for Sale to cover the costs of certain projects in Merseyside.

  2. The allocation of funds for new conventionally funded rented projects (Block 3) will initiate projects to a total cost of some £510 million to be completed over the next three to four years.

  3. The allocation of funds for new mixed funding rented schemes (Block 5) will allow the Corporation to approve schemes requiring a total of £58 million grant.

  Property Services Agency and Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies and reports have been, and are being undertaken on the operation of the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers from 1979 up to the latest date available.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 29 January 1988]: The table sets out, on the information available, studies and reports which were made on the operation of the Property Services Agency in each of the years 1979–80 to 1987–88, and the studies still in progress at present. It excludes internal studies and reports (but includes those led by other, central Departments). The first part of the list relates to the Property Services Agency, except for the Crown Suppliers. The second part relates to the Crown Suppliers alone.

  Part 1: Property Services Agency (except the Crown Suppliers)

  1979–80
  Estate Management Case Study (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Energy Conservation on the Government Estate (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Works Transport (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Administration Costs (Efficiency Scrutiny)1

  1980–81
  Repayment System for PSA Services3
  Custody Guard Service (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Economy in New Building Works for the Armed Services (Efficiency Scrutiny) 1 4
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  1981–82
  Report on Fees Paid to Works Consultants (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Frauds and Irregularities in the PSA (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Investment Appraisal in Government generally (Public Accounts Committee)3

  1982–83
  Resource Control Reviews—Study of District Works Offices in the Property Services Agency (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Report of the Working Group on Design Costs (Messrs Davis-Sweet and others) 5
  Report on Contracts Functions (Deloitte Haskins and Sells)
  Interim Report to the Secretary of State for the Environment on Cases of Fraud and Corruption in the PSA (WardaleTouche Ross) 6
  Multi Departmental Review of Personnel Work (Efficiency Unit)2

  1983–84
  Final report to the Secretary of State for the Environment on Cases of Fraud and Corruption in the PSA (Wardale/ Touche Ross)5
  Report on Economy Measures in Civil, Defence and Overseas estates (Public Accounts Committee)6
  Report on Building Maintenance Expenditure in the United Kingdom (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Systems Control in District Works Offices [in the light of the Wardale Report] (Public Accounts Committee)

  1984–85
  Report on Main Estimates 1984–85 (Environment Committee)
  Report on Building Maintenance (Comptroller ad Auditor-General)
  Report on Action Plans in the PSA on the Wardale Report and on Building Maintenance Expenditure (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Economy Measures in Civil, Defence and Overseas estates (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Defence Works in the Falkland Islands (Public Accounts Committee)
  Multi-Departmental Review of Consultancy, Inspection and Review (CIR) capability in Government Departments (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office)2
  Multi-Departmental Review of the Identification of Internal Talent (Efficiency Unit)2

  1985–86
  Identification and Disposal of Surplus Property (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Report on Main Estimates 1985–86 (Environment Committee)
  Multi-Departmental Review of Budgetary Control (HM Treasury)2
  Report on the Programme for the Provision of Prison Places (Comptroller and Auditor General)
  Report on Court Building Programmes (Public Accounts Committee)
  Report on Prison Building Programmes (Public Accounts Committee)
  Multi-Departmental Review of Office Accommodation (former Management and Personnel Office)2
  Report on Capital Expenditure Projects (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office)3
  Report on follow up to the Multi-Departmental Review of CIR services (HM Treasury and former Management and Personnel Office)2

  1986–87
  Specialist Professional Advice within PSA (Efficiency Scrutiny)1
  Report on Commercial Accounts (Deloitte, Haskins and Sells)

  301
  Report on Main Estimates 1986–87 (Environment Committee)
  Report on Management of the Defence Estate (National Audit Office)
  Report on Management of the Civil Estate (National Audit Office)
  Report into the Property Services Agency (Environment Committee)
  Multi-Departmental Review of Use of Private Enterprise in Government Departments (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office)
  Report on Internal Audit in Central Government (National Audit Office)2
  Report of Working Group of Capital Expenditure Projects (HM Treasury) 2
  Report of Working Group on Major Capital Projects (HM Treasury) 2
  Report on further follow up to the Multi-Department Review of CIR services (HM Treasury and former Management and Personnel Office) 2

  1987–88
  Report on Control and Management of the Trident Programme (National Audit Office)7
  Project Management in the PSA (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 8
  Study on Management of the Civil Estate (National Audit Office)9
  Study on Management Controls in District Works Offices (National Audit Office)9
  Study of Commercial Management of HM Dockyards (National Audit Office)7 9
  Study on the Employment of Works Consultants by Government Departments and Health Authorities (National Audit Office)9
  Study on National Energy Efficiency (National Audit Office)9

  Part 2: The Crown Suppliers

  1983–84
  Report on Supplies Transport Branch (Cranfield Institute of Technology)
  PSA Supplies Market Research Consultancy (Farnfield Marketing Consultancy)
  Multi Departmental Review of Government Purchasing: Contract and Procurement Procedures (former Management and Personnel Office)2

  1984–85
  Government Car Service and Inter-departmental Despatch Service (Efficiency Scrutiny)1

  1985–86
  Report on the Future of the Crown Suppliers (former Management and Personnel Office)6

  1986–87
  Report on the Future of the Crown Suppliers (Central Unit on Purchasing)2
  Study into the Feasibility of Privatisation of the Crown Suppliers (Coopers and Lybrand)
  Review of the Crown Suppliers (Mr. D. W. Jones)11

  Notes

  1. Efficiency Scrutinies are carried out under the aegis of the Cabinet Office's Efficiency Unit. They include in this list studies formerly known as Rayner Scrutinies.

  2. These studies applied to certain other Government Departments as well as to PSA, and were led by the central Department(s) indicated;

  3. The Working Group which carried out this study was led by Sir Derek Rayner, then adviser to the Prime Minister on Efficiency.

  4. This Scrutiny was undertaken jointly with the Ministry of Defence.

  5. This Working Group included Mr. R. O'B Davis, a partner in Coopers and Lybrand, and Mr. C. Sweet a consultant quantity surveyor as well as representatives from HM Treasury and the PSA.

  6. The interim and the final reports of the Wardale Enquiry were written by Sir Geoffrey Wardale, formerly
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  Second Permanent Secretary to the Department of the Environment, and Mr. A. G. Herron a partner in Touche Ross.

  7. These studies apply also to the Ministry of Defence.

  8. This Scrutiny was undertaken jointly with the Central Unit on Purchasing.

  9. These studies are currently in progress.

  10. These studies apply also to other Departments.

  11. Mr. D. W. Jones is a procurement consultant, formerly an executive in Esso Petroleum.

  Rateable Antiquities
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish his consultative document on portable antiquities.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [pursuant to his reply, Friday 29 January, c. 398]: My Department and the Welsh Office are today issuing a consultation paper seeking comments on the present arrangements for reporting funds and inviting suggestions for possible changes in the present law or administrative procedures. The paper explains how archaeological knowledge can be lost if finds are not reported. It asks for views on alternative arrangements, including how they might be implemented and enforced.

HOME DEPARTMENT

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

  Mr. Hurd
  All managers have been advised to ensure that no material which is likely to be found sexually offensive is displayed in the workplace; and to deal promptly with any complaints.

  Firearms (Amendment) Bill
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the level of consultation on his Firearms (Amendment) Bill.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Several hon. Members raised this matter during the Second Reading debate in the House on 21 January. Representations have also been received from shooting organisations and members of the public.

  Wormwood Scrubs (Annex)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as the future of the annex in Wormwood Scrubs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the psychotherapeutic annex, which is often called the hospital annex.

  The annex is to continue operating, and there are no plans to change its role or methods of working. During the present preliminary redevelopment phase the annex will be moved from the north end of B hall to the south end above the temporary hospital. We intend that, following other redevelopment work, the annex will be permanently located at the north end of one of the halls, where 36 cells with integral sanitation will be provided with office, meeting room and ancillary facilities for the exclusive use of the annex.

  Police (Complaints)
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps police forces take to monitor and analyse the ethnic origin of complaints regarding police behaviour; what is the practice of the Police Complaints Authority in this respect and whether the results of these excercises are made public.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information about the practices of individual police forces in this regard is not held centrally. The Police Complaints Authority does not itself routinely receive complainants or interview complaints and does not therefore collect statistics of this kind.

  Telephone Tapping
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to receive the judicial review on telephone tapping.

  Mr. Douglas Hurd
  I expect my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to present Lord Justice Lloyd's next annual report to the House in March 1988.

  Television Licences
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the abolition of television licences for pensioners: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Since 1 January this year one petition forwarded by an hon. Member has been received, and four members of the public have written seeking free television licences for pensioners.

  Staff Dispersal
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Hurd
  Since 1979 two main units of the Home Office have been moved from London. The computing and pay services division (301 posts) was relocated to Bootle in 1982–83, and the Prison Service south-east regional office (74 posts) to Woking in 1987. The transfer of at least 50 posts from the London Passport Office to Glasgow is planned to start later in the year. For future policy I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General's answer of 18 January to a question from the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram), at columns 475–76.

  Game Licences
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for modifying the system of game licences.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None at present.

  Mr. Ronald J. Garcia (Visa)
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the consular section of the British embassy in Manila had not received instructions to 304
  issue a visa to Mr. Ronald J. Garcia as of 27 January, despite his having had his appeal against refusal of a visa allowed by the tribunal at Southampton on 6 September 1987; and when such instructions will be issued to the British embassy in Manila.

  Mr. Renton
  On 30 November a copy of the adjudicator's determination was sent to the British embassy in Manila. In accordance with normal practice where a visit visa is refused and the applicant's appeal is subsequently upheld, but no direction is given by the adjudicator, I would expect Mr. Garcia to be invited for interview to have his case reconsidered in the light of current circumstances. We have been in touch with Manila in the light of the hon. Member's representations and the entry clearance officer will certainly bear in mind the adjudicator's careful determination.

  War Crimes (Inquiry)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify the powers available to Sir Thomas Hetherington and Mr. William Chalmers to require witnesses to testify in the inquiry on war crimes; and which authority they have to compel the giving of evidence.

  Mr. Hurd
  They will have no powers to compel witnesses to give evidence. In this respect they will be in the same position as the police and the prosecuting authorities generally are when dealing with alleged offences under the existing criminal law.

  Machine Gambling (Counselling)
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of organisations with which his Department has contacts which offer a counselling service to people addicted to machine gambling.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the course of our review of the law on amusement arcades we have had information from the organisations Parents of Young Gamblers and the Gordon House Association, both of which, I understand, offer such a service. We have also been in touch with the probation service: the work of the service can include counselling offenders with problems of addiction. Other organisations in contact with us in the review may offer services of which we are not aware.

  Michael Ryan (Guns)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the automatic and fully automatic guns owned by the late Michael Ryan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable that extensive investigations carried out by the Thames Valley police since the Hungerford shootings into the weapons held by Michael Ryan have not disclosed any substantive evidence that Ryan was ever in possession of automatic or fully automatic weapons. He was lawfully entitled to possess the following self-loading weapons:

  Beretta 9 mm pistol

  Bernadelli 22 pistol

  CZ OR50 32 pistol

  Kalashnikov 7·62 mm rifle

  Underwood Carbine 30 rifle

  Data Protection
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether codes of practice for police computer systems relating to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 have yet been published; and whether he will place copies in the Library.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) have now published codes of practice and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Organisations (Infiltration)
  Ms. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence for any person to infiltrate or join under false pretences a trade union or other organisation for the purpose of supplying confidential information about that organisation to other persons or bodies not authorised to receive such information; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 5 February 1988]: No.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  COCOM
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of exports of COCOM licensed aircraft to the eastern bloc countries for each year from 1980 to 1985.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Export licence records are not classified by special goods or by value. It would thus be possible to supply the information only at disproportionate cost.

  Racal (Equipment Sales)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to complete his investigations into alleged sales of military or sensitive equipment by Racal to the Palestine Liberation Organisation in 1981: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  An investigation by the Departments concerned into the allegations made just over a week ago is under way. My Department has invited the newspaper concerned and anyone else who may have documents or other relevant information which might help the investigation to make these available. The investigation will be completed as soon as possible.

  Rover Group (Positive Vetting)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will issue a direction to the Rover Group to cease the political vetting of job applicants; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Questions relating to recruitment and personnel are matters for the company.

  Crown Copyright
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any proposals for changing Crown copyright.
  306
  Mr. Butcher
  The Copyright, Designs and Patents Bill currently in another place will repeal the Copyright Act 1956 and replace it with a fresh statement of the law of copyright. Clause 151 sets out the provisions relating to Crown copyright. The most significant changes to the existing law are that the Crown's entitlement to copyright in works first published by the Crown will be repealed and the indefinite duration of copyright in unpublished Crown copyright works will be limited to 125 years.

  Communications Equipment (Licences)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will now review requirements for the provision of licences for the supply of communications equipment.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  PLO (Export Licences)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what export licences he has issued for the supply of goods to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, for each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Records of export licences are classified, where applicable, by applicant or country of destination rather than by end-user or consignee. The Palestine Liberation Organisation has not been so listed.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many jobs he expects to be sustained by regional selective assistance in 1988–89; and how many jobs have been sustained by all regional assistance in 1987–88.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The number of jobs created and safeguarded by regional selective assistance in 1988–89 will depend on the number, size and nature of applications which attract assistance.

  Sub-Post Offices
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of the Post Office to discuss the proposed reduction in hours and salaries of sub-offices and their staff.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  When I met the chairman of the Post Office in January we discussed the agreement concluded between the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters and the Post Office for the introduction of part-time sub-post offices, if that is the proposal to which the hon. Member's question refers. No one is proposing to reduce the salaries of sub-post office staff.

  Policy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what progress has been made in implementing the Consumer Affairs Council resolution of 1986 on the integration of consumer policies on food;

  (2) what progress has been made towards implementing the Consumer Affairs Council resolution of 1986 on the integration of consumer policies on competition.
  307
  Mr. Butcher
  The European Commission has recently submitted its first report to the Council on the progress made towards better integtration of consumer policy into other common policies including agriculture, competition, and transport, as requested by the Council resolution of 15 December 1986. A copy of the report is available in the Library (document 10541/87 of 14 December 1987). It is a disappointing report recording little progress.

  Estate Agents
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire of 16 December 1987,Official Report, column 539, if he will indicate what reviews he has carried out either generally or specifically since the implementation of the Estate Agents Act 1979; if he will publish in the Official Report the results of these reviews; whether any review in any form is currently being carried out in respect of sections 5, 18 or 21; whether he has any plans to amend regulation 5 of the Estate Agents (Accounts) Regulations 1981; and whether he has any plans to introduce regulations to give effect to section 22 of the 1975 Act.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 10 February 1988]: This Department has not carried out any overall review of the Act since its implementation. My predecessors have, however, considered whether regulations should be made under sections 16 and 17, section 19 and section 22 of the Act, but have concluded that there was no strong case for doing so. I have no plans to introduce regulations to give effect to section 22 of the Act and no immediate plans to amend regulation 5 of the Estate Agents (Accounts) Regulations 1981. The Director General of Fair Trading has a statutory duty under section 25 of the Act to superintend its working and enforcement, and I have received advice from him on aspects of the working of the Act, including sections 5, 18 and 21. I am awaiting with interest the outcome of proceedings between the Office of Fair Trading and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors with regard to section 18.

  Rural Transport Innovation Grant
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will give details of the number, type, and levels of grant paid under the rural transport innovation grant (Transport Act 1985) in(a) England and (b) Wales.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The administration of the rural transport innovation grant in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  The English equivalent of the grant is the rural transport development fund, which is administered by the Development Commission on behalf of the Department of Transport. The commission has paid 100 grants and has approved a further 14. Seventy grants, averaging about £8,500, have been paid for scheduled services, mainly by minibuses and taxibuses. Additionally, 18 grants have been paid to assist the appointment of county transport advisers, at an annual average of about £6,250 for up to three years, and 12 grants, averaging about £4,000, have been paid towards other miscellaneous projects.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Reform
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what statement of policy he has made concerning reductions in educational provision in respect of schools, colleges of further and higher education, careers advice and adult education institutes, respectively, which are currently the responsibility of the Inner London education authority.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced on 4 February, at columns 1178–79, the Government's proposals for education in inner London. Under those proposals each inner London council will become the local education authority for its area, responsible as such—subject to any co-operative arrangements between councils— for the provision of the services to which the hon. Member refers.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has made any calculations on the effect on the rate support grant of the proposed abolition of the Inner London education authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government propose that the Inner London education authority should be wound up and education responsibilities transferred to local borough councils from 1 April 1990. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment proposes to introduce from the same date new arrangements for the finance of local government. Under the provisions of the Local Government Finance Bill, rate support grant will be replaced by a new grant to local authorities, to be known as revenue support grant; rate support grant will not be payable after the financial year 1989–90. The distribution of revenue support grant will take account of the responsibilities of the inner London boroughs for education after 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has made any calculations on the effect on the rate support grant of the proposed abolition of the Inner London education authority in relation to the hand over of such functions as may be given to Hackney borough council.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government propose that from I April 1990 rate support grant should be replaced by revenue support grant, as part of the reform of local government finance. Authorities' entitlement to revenue support grant will depend on their assessed needs, which will take account of their responsibilities. Following the transfer of education functions from the Inner London education authority, the needs assessment for Hackney borough council will include an assessment of its need to spend on education. Revenue support grant to the borough will take account of that need.

  Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he and his officials first made contact with Mr. William Stubbs, education officer of Inner London education authority, as regards the possibilities of his running the funding council for the polytechnics.
  309
  Mr. Jackson
  Discussions between the Department and persons considered for the post of chief executive to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council were held in confidence. It would breach that confidence to disclose the dates of such contacts.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if Mr. William Stubbs, education officer of Inner London education authority, has accepted his offer to head the funding council for the polytechnics.

  Mr. Jackson
  Mr. Stubbs has agreed to become chief executive designate to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the head of the funding council for the polytechnics to take up his post.

  Mr. Jackson
  I expect the chairman and chief executive designate to begin the work of preparing for the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council in May.

  Pupil Records
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those organisations which have responded to the consultation paper on the keeping and disclosure of pupil records.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is as follows:

  Avon LEA

  Barnet LEA

  Bedfordshire LEA

  Berkshire LEA

  Bradford LEA

  Brent LEA

  Bromley LEA

  Bury LEA

  Cheshire LEA

  Cornwall LEA

  Croyden LEA

  Derbyshire LEA

  Devon LEA

  Dorset LEA

  Dudley LEA

  Durham LEA Essex LEA

  Gateshead LEA

  Haringey LEA

  Harrow LEA

  Havering LEA

  Hounslow LEA

  Inner London Education Authority

  Isle of Wight LEA

  Kent LEA

  Kingston-upon-Thames LEA

  Kirklees LEA

  Knowsley LEA

  Lancashire LEA

  Leicestershire LEA

  Lincolnshire LEA

  Merton LEA

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne LEA

  Norfolk LEA

  Northamptonshire LEA

  North Tyneside LEA

  Northumberland LEA

  North Yorkshire LEA

  Redbridge LEA

  Shropshire LEA

  Solihull LEA

  Somerset LEA

  South Tyneside LEA

  Staffordshire LEA

  Suffolk LEA

  Sunderland LEA

  Surrey LEA

  Sutton LEA

  Tameside LEA

  Trafford LEA

  Wakefield LEA

  Warwickshire LEA

  Wiltshire LEA

  West Sussex LEA

  Universities Central Council on Admissions

  Association of Workers for Maladjusted Children

  ILEA Divisional Parents Committee

  British Chamber of Commerce

  College of Preceptors

  Girls' Schools' Association

  Professional Association of Teachers

  Oxford Certificate of Educational Achievement

  Independent Schools Joint Council

  National Confederation of Parent-Teacher Associations

  Community Rights Project

  Polytechnic Central Admissions System

  Inner London Education Authority

  National Union of Teachers

  National Association of Head Teachers

  Association of County Councils

  310

  Special Educational Needs—National Advisory Service

  Department of Health and Social Security

  Trade Union Congress

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Children's Legal Centre

  Advisory Centre for Education

  Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association

  Education Otherwise

  National Union of Students

  Secondary Heads Association

  Methodist Church Division of Education and Youth

  Voluntary Council for Handicapped Children

  National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Dr Barnardo's

  Free Church Federal Council

  Her Majesty's Inspectorate

  National Association of Social Workers in Education

  In addition, responses have been received from school staff and governors, local councillors and other interested individuals.

  Pilgrim Upper School, Bedford
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give his reasons for approving the closure of Pilgrim upper school, Bedford; what criteria he used in reaching his decision; how many representations he has received from parents opposing the closure; if he will reconsider his decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend's decision to approve the proposal by the Bedfordshire LEA to cease to maintain the Pilgrim and John Howard upper schools and to establish a new upper school on the John Howard site was taken after careful consideration and on the balance of all the relevant facts and arguments, including the views of objectors. The criteria underlying my right hon. Friend's decisions on proposals of this kind are set out in detail in the Department's circular 3/87.

  A total of 2,066 statutory objections to the proposals were submitted to the authority, together with 527 non-statutory objections and a petition signed by 300. The authority also received a number of representations in support of the proposals, together with a petition signed by 3,286. My right hon. Friend has no power to change his decision.

  Teachers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers left the profession in each of the last five years on health grounds; and if any figures are available for those suffering mental stress.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The table gives the number of teachers in England and Wales granted retirement benefits under the Teachers' Supperannuation Regulations on the grounds of ill-health in each financial year since 1982.

  Financial year

  Number of retirements

  1982–83

  1,910

  1983–84

  2,172

  1984–85

  2,449

  1985–86

  2,698

  1986–87

  2,707

  Information is not available to show the number of retirements due to stress or stress-related illnesses.

  University Grants
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will announce the recurrent grants allocated to universities for the academic year 1988–89 by the University Grants Committee, along with the provisional allocations for 1989–90.

  Mr. Jackson
  The University Grants Committee's initial allocation of recurrent grant to universities in the academic year 1988–89, along with a provisional indication of the basic distribution for 1989–90 is shown in the table. Copies of the general letter of guidance that the chairman of the UGC has sent to all universities have been placed in the Library of the House. The general letter will be followed in about a week's time by an institutional annex about student numbers and funding for individual universities. The annexes will also be placed in the Library.

  The total grant distributed by the UGC as announced in the table does not include items which it is the UGC's practice to allocate separately, such as local authority rates, the overseas research student awards scheme, and the committee's small central reserve. These items amount to £147 million. Nor does the distribution include provision which is to be allocated separately for a targeted programme of restructuring for which my right hon. Friend announced an additional £155 million over three years on 3 November 1987 in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) at columns 645–48.

  Also to be distributed separately is the £56 million which the Government have made available in the financial year 1988–89 towards the cost of the 1987 academic pay restructuring settlement. The release of a further instalment of £71 million in the financial year 1989–90 will be subject to continued satisfactory progress on staff appraisal, probation and promotion arrangements.

  £ million

  University or college

  Basic distribution 1988–89

  Recurrent grant 1988–89

  Provisional basic distribution 1989–90

  Aston

  15·362

  15·91

  15·457

  Bath

  16·209

  16·48

  17·198

  Birmingham

  39·878

  41·06

  40·754

  Bradford

  15·691

  16·17

  16·063

  Bristol

  33·258

  33·86

  34·889

  Brunel

  13·807

  14·00

  14·166

  Cambridge

  47·806

  48·85

  49·336

  City

  12·150

  12·29

  12·377

  Durham

  17·728

  18·16

  17·751

  East Anglia

  14·666

  15·22

  14·296

  Essex

  9·274

  9·49

  9·529

  Exeter

  17·245

  17·55

  17·970

  Hull

  15·056

  15·70

  15·384

  Keele

  8·490

  8·67

  8·426

  Kent

  12·049

  12·63

  12·602

  Lancaster

  14·584

  14·85

  15·009

  Leeds

  44·973

  45·85

  45·884

  Leicester

  19·542

  19·98

  20·223

  Liverpool

  39·508

  40·34

  40·374

  London Business School

  1·803

  1·82

  1·709

  London University

  258·219

  265·87

  267·915

  (of which Imperial College)

  (32·466)

  (33·70)

  (33·281)

  Loughborough

  21·184

  21·72

  22·108

  Manchester Business School

  0·988

  1·00

  0·857

  312

  University or college

  Basic distribution 1988–89

  Recurrent grant 1988–89

  Provisional basic distribution 1989–90

  Manchester

  52·033

  53·95

  54·085

  UMIST

  17·857

  18·50

  18·532

  Newcastle

  33·238

  34·21

  33·732

  Nottingham

  30·009

  30·79

  30·923

  Oxford

  48·592

  49·84

  50·272

  Reading

  19·982

  20·27

  20·478

  Salford

  13·965

  14·93

  14·407

  Sheffield

  33·274

  34·47

  33·958

  Southampton

  28·841

  30·34

  30·542

  Surrey

  13·902

  14·47

  14·387

  Sussex

  16·000

  16·29

  16·774

  Warwick

  21·274

  22·39

  22·681

  York

  13·269

  14·33

  14·108

  Total England

  1,031·706

  1,062·25

  1,065·166

  Aberystwyth UC

  10·470

  10·60

  10·617

  Bangor UC

  10·926

  11·46

  10·822

  St. David's Lampeter

  2·109

  2·15

  2·175

  Swansea UC

  13·745

  14·31

  13·730

  UWCM

  7·398

  7·72

  7·717

  UCC/UWIST

  27·061

  28·50

  27·867

  Welsh Registry

  2·391

  2·39

  2·461

  Total Wales

  74·100

  77·13

  75·389

  Aberdeen

  22·016

  22·40

  21·677

  Dundee

  14·651

  14·99

  14·265

  Edinburgh

  46·593

  48·08

  47·582

  Glasgow

  47·584

  49·67

  48·844

  Heriot-Watt

  11·641

  12·69

  12·060

  St. Andrews

  11·783

  11·93

  12·006

  Stirling

  8·288

  8·73

  8·306

  Strathclyde

  25·638

  26·93

  26·704

  Total Scotland

  188·194

  195·42

  191·444

  Total Great Britain

  1,294·000

  1,334·80

  1,332·000

  Queen's Belfast

  31·087

  31·21

  30·630

  Ulster

  32·478

  32·58

  34·723

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Broking
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what job-broking facilities his Department has(a) at Sizewell B power station, (b) at Ashford for the Channel Tunnel and (c) in London docklands.

  Mr. Lee
  The employment service is providing special help for people to get jobs on the Sizewell B power station and Channel tunnel projects through on-site jobcentres. We are considering what more can be done in London docklands to help local unemployed people take advantage of the increasing number of jobs which are available there.

  Labour Costs
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in unit labour costs in Britain in each of the last nine years, and also in the original EEC six.

  Mr. Lee
  International comparisons of unit labour costs for the whole economy are not available. However, figures for manufacturing are provided in the table:
  313

  Unit Labour Costs in Manufacturing—Percentage Change on Previous Year

  Great Britain

  Belgium

  France

  Germany

  Italy

  Netherlands

  1978

  15

  1

  7

  5

  11

  2

  1979

  18

  3

  9

  3

  10

  3

  1980

  22

  4

  12

  8

  12

  4

  1981

  9

  4

  12

  5

  19

  1

  1982

  3

  -1

  11

  3

  17

  4

  1983

  -1

  -1

  8

  0

  14

  -2

  1984

  2

  5

  5

  1

  5

  -7

  1985

  3

  4

  3

  0

  9

  1

  1986

  4

  4

  3

  3

  3

  -1

  Notes:

  1. The percentages are calculated from index series produced by the International Monetary Fund except for Great Britain, figures for which are published in the Employment Gazette.

  2. Unit labour costs for Luxembourg are not available.

  3. The source index series are in local currency and are not adjusted for exchange rate changes.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are engaged in(a) service and (b) manufacturing industries in (i) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (ii) the Chester travel-to-work area

  Employees in employment1

  (Thousand)

  Travel to work area2

  Divisions SIC 1980

  Northwich

  Wirral and Chester

  Widnes and Runcorn

  1981

  1984

  1981

  1984

  1981

  1984

  6–9 Service industries

  22·4

  24·4

  110·7

  108·5

  26·8

  25·2

  2–4 Manufacturing industries

  14·6

  13·6

  46·6

  39·0

  21·3

  19·6

  1 The figures exclude the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's forces.

  2 Defined in terms of ward boundaries as at 1981.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of advertised job vacancies in(a) the Northwich travel-to-work area, (b) the Chester travel-to-work area and (c) the Runcorn travel-to-work area; what were the numbers at the same date in each of the last five years; and what each figure represents as a percentage of those unemployed but available for work.

  Mr. Lee
  The following tables show the number of unfilled vacancies (excluding community programme vacancies) at jobcentres covering areas closely corresponding to the Northwich, Wirral and Chester and Widnes and Runcorn travel-to-work areas in December of each of the last five years, along with the total number of unemployed claimants in each travel-to-work area. Total numbers of advertised job vacancies are not available but it is estimated that nationally about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres. Comparisons of the unemployment figures over the period are slightly affected by the change in the method of compiling the figures in March 1986.

  Northwich travel-to-work area

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  December 1983

  178

  6,449

  December 1984

  186

  6,441

  314
  and (iii) the Runcorn travel-to-work area; and what were the figures at the same time of year in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lee
  The available employee estimates for travel-to-work areas are from censuses of employment taken in September 1981 and September 1984 and are as follows:

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  December 1985

  209

  6,465

  December 1986

  301

  6,039

  December 1987

  209

  4,908

  Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  December 1983

  1,197

  37,315

  December 1984

  1,019

  38,848

  December 1985

  1,139

  39,317

  December 1986

  1,511

  37,824

  December 1987

  1,773

  32,633

  Widnes and Runcorn travel-to-work area

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  December 1983

  198

  11,403

  December 1984

  249

  11,549

  December 1985

  272

  11,536

  December 1986

  278

  11,074

  December 1987

  292

  9,535

  Business in the Community
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will hold early discussions with interested parties involved in the business in the
  315
  community liaison framework with private industry, on further measures to promote employment among young adults from disadvantaged areas.

  Mr. Cope
  All of this Department's employment and training measures are available to young adults from disadvantaged areas, including the enterprise allowance scheme. Further details of the new training scheme for unemployed adults will be given in a White Paper shortly. While I am always willing to consider new proposals to promote employment, the Government's main contribution to rising employment will continue to come from pursuing sound economic policies as a foundation for sustained growth. I am in frequent contact with business in the community.

  Ethnic Minorities (Training Grants)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when his Department will reach a decision on the application made by Reading borough council in June 1987 for approved training status under section 37 of the Race Relations Act 1976; and if he will explain the reasons for the delay in dealing with the application.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Reading borough council submitted an application for designation as a training body under

  Average gross weekly earnings

  Full-time sales whose pay was not affected by absence1

  £ per week

  April

  Manual

  Non Manual

  2Group 2

  3Group 3

  4Group 5

  5Group 6

  Current prices

  1979

  93·0

  113·0

  129·0

  113·1

  119·2

  114·4

  1980

  111·7

  141·3

  167·7

  139·6

  147·5

  145·6

  1981

  121·9

  163·1

  189·3

  179·6

  168·9

  162·9

  1982

  133·8

  178·9

  211·0

  185·8

  184·9

  176·9

  1983

  143·6

  194·9

  230·9

  197·6

  200·9

  195·3

  1984

  152·7

  209·0

  251·6

  208·1

  216·2

  212·0

  1985

  163·6

  225·0

  270·3

  223·1

  229·5

  229·1

  1986

  174·4

  244·9

  298·2

  242·2

  248·6

  246·8

  1987

  185·5

  265·9

  328·2

  261·2

  267·0

  265·5

  Percentage Increase6

  1979–80

  20·1

  25·0

  30·0

  23·4

  23·7

  27·3

  1980–81

  9·1

  15·4

  12·9

  28·7

  14·5

  11·9

  1981–82

  9·8

  9·7

  11·5

  3·5

  9·5

  8·6

  1982–83

  7·3

  8·9

  9·4

  6·4

  8·7

  10·4

  1983–84

  7·8

  9·0

  9·2

  5·8

  8·5

  9·1

  1984–85

  7·1

  7·7

  7·4

  7·2

  6·2

  8·1

  1985–86

  6·6

  8·8

  10·3

  8·6

  8·3

  7·7

  1986–87

  6·4

  8·6

  10·1

  7·8

  7·4

  7·6

  Constant 1987 prices7

  1979

  174·4

  211·9

  241·9

  212·0

  223·5

  214·5

  1980

  172·0

  217·6

  258·2

  215·0

  227·1

  224·2

  1981

  167·5

  224·2

  260·2

  246·8

  232·1

  223·9

  1982

  168·1

  224·7

  265·1

  233·4

  232·3

  222·2

  1983

  173·4

  235·4

  278·9

  238·7

  242·7

  235·9

  1984

  175·4

  240·0

  288·9

  239·0

  248·3

  243·5

  1985

  175·7

  241·7

  290·3

  239·6

  246·5

  246·1

  1986

  181·8

  255·3

  310·8

  252·4

  259·1

  257·2

  1987

  185·5

  265·9

  328·2

  261·2

  267·0

  265·5

  Percentage increase6 7

  1979–80

  -1·4

  2·7

  6·8

  1·4

  1·6

  4·5

  1980–81

  -2·6

  3·0

  0·7

  14·8

  2·2

  -0·1

  1981–82

  0·3

  0·3

  1·9

  -5·4

  0·1

  -0·7

  1982–83

  3·2

  4·7

  5·2

  2·3

  4·5

  6·2

  1983–84

  2·5

  3·6

  3·8

  0·6

  3·2

  3·7

  316
  section 37(3)(b) of the Race Relations Act 1976 on 1 June 1987. Officials from my Department contacted the council on 11 June to seek additional information, and on 28 July met officials from the council. In the light of that meeting, and further contacts, the council submitted revised proposals on 5 January 1988. These proposals, along with additional supporting material dated 29 January, but received by my Department on 5 February, are now under consideration.

  A decision on the application will be reached shortly.

  Average Earnings
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Employment what has been the level of average earnings of(a) male manual workers, (b) male non-manual workers and (c) managers, senior managers, directors, and professionals, in whatever categories the information is available, for each year since 1979, both current and constant (1987–88) prices; and what has been the percentage increase each year in the earnings of each group in both money and real terms since 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  The information requested is provided in the table. Data for senior managers and directors are not available.
  317

  April

  Manual

  Non Manual

  2Group 2

  3Group 3

  4Group 5

  5Group 6

  1984–85

  0·2

  0·7

  0·5

  0·3

  -0·7

  1·1

  1985–86

  3·4

  5·6

  7·1

  5·3

  5·1

  4·5

  1986–87

  2·0

  4·2

  5·6

  3·5

  3·0

  3·2

  Source: New Earnings Survey

  1 Data up to 1983 on the basis of males 21 and over. Data from 1984 on adult rates.

  2 Professional and related occupations supporting management and administration.

  3 Professional and related occupations in education, welfare and health.

  4 Professional and related occupations in science, engineering and technology.

  5 Managerial occupations other than general management.

  6 Increases for 1983–84 based on adult rates of pay.

  7 Constant prices at April 1987 RPI (All items).

  YTS
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to expand the YTS scheme in his Department during the current year.

  Mr. Fowler
  YTS has established itself as a high-quality training programme for young people with a nationally recognised record leading to jobs and vocational qualifications.

  YTS has had tremendous support from employers, the training profession and most particularly from young people themselves. YTS leads to jobs. It is the best start in working life young people can have. During the last six months the Department of Employment group has provided 120 training places. It is my intention that this number should be increased. The DE group will be making a further 80 placements available in 1988–89 bringing the total to 200.

DEFENCE

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

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As part of the Department's equal opportunities plan, on which the trade unions were consulted, an instruction will be issued to all civilian staff in the near future defining the Department's policy on sexual harassment. The instruction states that the display of material which is of a sexual nature and offensive to women and-or men generally may constitute sexual harassment and will not be tolerated. Specific instructions requiring the removal of any such material which may be on display in Civil Service premises will also be issued.

  Turkey (Arms Sales)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Shorland S550 armoured personnel carriers have been supplied to Turkey by Shorts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to announce details of specific defence sales business with other countries as the information is commercially confidential. In this case Shorts themselves announced on 27 January that they had received an order for 40 Shorland S550 APCs for Turkey.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the types and quantities of arms sold to Turkey.
  318
  Mr. Sainsbury
  It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to give details of defence sales business with other countries.

  Irish Air Space (Breach)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is available on a Royal Air Force aeroplane that breached Irish air space on 30 December 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  On the morning of 30 December 1987 an Army Air Corps Beaver aircraft penetrated Irish air space. The incident has been fully investigated by my Department and it is clear that it occurred as a result of a misunderstanding by the pilot of the exact terms of the flight clearance given to him, and this has been explained to the Irish Government. Appropriate disciplinary action has been taken and the relevant instructions to air crew in Northern Ireland have been clarified in order to avoid the recurrence of such a misunderstanding.

  HMS Conqueror (Logbook)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the outcome of the inquiry into the disappearance of the navigator's logbook of HMS Conqueror.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the statements made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) on 30 November 1984, at columns 593–94, and by my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Mr. Stanley) on 25 October 1985, at column 277.

  Economic League
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has made use of the services of the Economic League since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

WALES

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

  Mr. Grist
  The 1983 general household survey indicated that 95 per cent. of the population aged 16 and over living
  319
  in private households in Wales did not have private medical insurance cover. Equivalent results from the 1986 general household survey are not yet available.

  Infant Cardiology Services
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made concerning infant cardiology services in south and west Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  South Glamorgan health authority is readvertising the post of consultant paediatric cardiologist. Approval has been given to the development of a paediatric cardiac unit at the University hospital of Wales and work on site is planned to commence this year. On the recommendation of the Welsh medical committee, the cardiology committee of the Royal College of Physicians has been invited and has agreed to undertake, early this year, a review of the planning policies and service provision of cardiac services in south Wales for children and adults.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of his spending programmes will show a reduction in real terms in any of the next three years as compared with 1987–88 expenditure; and what is the figure of each reduction in each year.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave on 25 January,Official Report columns 121–24 in reply to an earlier question from him, from which the information now requested can easily be derived.

  I have already explained that it is misleading to make comparisons between public expenditure plans for one year and outturn (or estimated outturn) for other years.

  It will be readily seen that for 1988–89, planned provision in Cmnd. 288 for programmes within my other services block increases substantially over the comparable levels of planned expenditure provision in Cmnd. 56 for 1987–88. Reductions in planned provision for roads and transport (£10 million) housing (£6 million) other environmental services (£5 million) and arts and libraries (£1 million) are more than offset by increases in education (£34 million) and health and personal social services (£51 million). These are in addition to the increase in planned provision of £46 million for my industry, trade and employment programme. It means therefore that, within the programme as a whole, for each £1 of reductions there are more than £5 of increases.

  For 1989–90 and 1990–91 the distribution between programmes within my other services block is illustrative only. Decisions on the public expenditure totals and within that the allocation to individual block programmes will be taken in future public expenditure surveys.

SCOTLAND

  Hydro-electricity
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make funds available to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, for the implementation of the smaller run-of-the-river hydro project.
  320
  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend sets a limit on the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board's overall capital expenditure in any year and it is for the board to establish priorities between projects within the limits set taking account of system requirements and the expected return on the investments. The board has in recent years taken the view that other projects have had a higher priority against these criteria than run-of-the-river schemes.

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

  Mr. Rifkind
  In a general notice prohibiting sexual harassment, managers in my Department have been asked to ensure that potentially offensive material is not displayed in the workplace.

  Erskine Bridge (Tolls)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy with regard to tolls on the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The policy of successive Governments since 1973 has been to fix tolls at levels which, while having full regard to the economic needs of the areas served by the bridge, are likely to yield the best result in terms of revenue.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Scotland if for 1986 he will give the number of planning appeals against local authorities and the number that were successful.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In 1986 decisions were issued on 542 planning permission appeals under section 33 of the Town and Country (Planning) Scotland Act 1972. Of these 193 appeals (36 per cent.) were sustained.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give both the total number of National Health Service beds and the number of acute beds per head of population.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is published annually in "Scottish Health Statistics" (table 6.3), copies of which are held in the Library.

  Shaw Medical Centre Ltd.
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the structure proposed by the Scottish Development Agency that will allow the repayment of its investment in Shaw Medical Centre Ltd. made necessary by the cash risk after the first year;

  (2) what financial support is being given by the Scottish Development Agency to the Shaw Medical Centre Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish Development Agency's dealings with companies are conducted in confidence and are not disclosed except in cases where the agency holds
  321
  more than 20 per cent. of the voting rights, and where the total investment is in excess of £100,000. In these cases a report is made in the agency's annual report. Any investment made by the agency will be in accord with the investment guidelines laid down by my right hon. and learned Friend and will take into account the needs of the company.

  Procurators Fiscal (Written Warnings)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases procurators fiscal in Tayside

  Total number of warnings issued

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Total

  Dundee

  927

  971

  832

  756

  819

  —

  Perth

  174

  331

  135

  162

  245

  —

  Forfar

  139

  211

  182

  215

  177

  —

  Arbroath

  54

  89

  92

  102

  98

  —

  Tayside

  1,294

  1,602

  1,241

  1,235

  1,339

  6,711

  Warnings in cases involving indecency

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Dundee

  2

  6

  8

  17

  35

  Perth1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Forfar

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Arbroath

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Figures for Perth are not available.

  Scottish Special Housing Association
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there have been any changes in the senior management of the Scottish Special Housing Association in the last four weeks.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Staffing questions of this kind are a matter for the Scottish Special Housing Association itself. I understand, however, that a member of staff at director level left the association's employment recently under early retirement arrangements.

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to issue guidance on means of escape from fire in house in multiple occupation in Scotland.

  £ Thousands

  Health boards

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88 (estimated)

  Argyll and Clyde

  43,038

  53,348

  67,961

  77,063

  83,425

  86,906

  91,463

  96,811

  105,779

  114,482

  Aryshire and Arran

  26,313

  32,475

  43,166

  49,467

  55,328

  60,852

  65,902

  70,447

  77,304

  85,129

  Borders

  8,368

  10,095

  13,239

  14,920

  16,498

  17,904

  19,088

  20,163

  21,815

  24,415

  Dumfries & Galloway

  15,037

  18,556

  24,982

  27,243

  29,713

  31,120

  33,734

  35,642

  37,925

  41,171

  Fife

  27,003

  33,061

  43,249

  49,323

  53,743

  57,640

  62,329

  67,720

  72,509

  78,808

  Forth Valley

  27,134

  33,113

  44,377

  49,002

  52,659

  56,522

  59,960

  63,634

  69,112

  75,115

  Grampian

  51,646

  62,738

  82,953

  92,119

  101,559

  106,293

  113,677

  120,189

  130,395

  143,452

  Greater Glasgow

  164,369

  203,355

  262,095

  291,087

  310,181

  327,945

  346,301

  360,693

  384,189

  414,636

  Highland

  22,198

  27,280

  35,842

  39,342

  41,614

  44,475

  47,849

  51,552

  56,033

  60,106

  322
  have issued written warnings following the introduction of the legislation which awarded them the powers to do so; and how many individuals have been charged by Tayside police with offences of indecent acts and have received such written warnings.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Figures showing the number of warnings issued in recent years are contained in the first of the tables.

  "Offences of indecent acts" is not a precise category, but the numbers of offences involving such conduct as can be identified from available statistics are given in the second of the tables.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The guide setting out an advisory standard for means of escape from fire in certain houses in multiple occupation in Scotland will be issued by the Scottish Home and Health Department today. The guide also covers related fire safety measures and will assist the process of consultation between housing and fire authorities which is required under housing legislation. Copies of the guide are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Health Boards (Finance)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give the total cash allocation to each Scottish health board for each year from 1978–79, including projected allocations for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90;

  (2) if he will give the total cash allocation to Scottish health boards for each year from 1978–79, including projected allocations for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer, 26 January 1988]: Health boards' final allocations for recurrent expenditure on hospital and community health services, for the years 1978–79 to 1987–88 inclusive, are shown in the table. The allocations for 1989–90 will not be determined until the early part of 1989 once the relevant population and other data are available.
  323

  Health boards

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88 (estimated)

  Lanarkshire

  47,379

  58,114

  77,605

  85,072

  92,542

  97,956

  104,996

  111,060

  119,060

  129,381

  Lothian

  98,543

  119,359

  154,874

  172,268

  186,705

  195,184

  207,852

  218,430

  235,556

  253,551

  Orkney

  1,438

  1,718

  2,342

  2,752

  2,985

  3,248

  3,475

  3,674

  3,961

  4,419

  Shetland

  1,701

  2,203

  2,987

  3,389

  3,849

  3,990

  4,341

  4,523

  4,807

  5,237

  Tayside

  61,323

  73,926

  96,896

  105,553

  111,711

  116,468

  122,978

  128,462

  136,722

  146,558

  Western Isles

  2,600

  3,277

  4,280

  5,047

  5,832

  5,754

  6,508

  6,998

  7,476

  8,050

  598,090

  732,618

  956,848

  1,063,647

  1,148,344

  1,212,257

  1,290,453

  1,359,998

  1,462,643

  1,584,510

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Teacher Training
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teacher-training places have been available in Northern Ireland during the past five years; and what is the estimated number of places needed during the next five years in each of the institutions offering teacher training in the Province.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  Academic years

  Number

  1983–84

  630

  1984–85

  640

  1985–86

  640

  1986–87

  640

  1987–88

  735

  For 1988–89, a total of 735 places have been allocated — 110 to Queen's University of Belfast, 145 to the University of Ulster and 240 each to St. Mary's and Stranmillis colleges. Intake places beyond 1988–89 have not yet been determined and estimates would be unreliable.

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  Mid-1986 estimate of population

  642,100

  379,000

  288,900

  256,800

  Hospital and Community Health Services and Family Practitioner Services

  525

  285

  355

  390

  Personal Social Services

  85

  61

  63

  63

  Total

  610

  346

  418

  453

  Hospital and Community Health Services and Family Practitioner Services

  545

  294

  366

  404

  Personal Social Services

  88

  63

  65

  66

  Total

  633

  357

  431

  470

  1 These figures include expenditure which is incurred centrally by the Department and which is not possible to attribute to individual Boards.

  2 Comparisons of per capita spending by Boards are not meaningful as administrative populations do not coincide with actual catchment populations for man services including regional medical services, acute hospital services, psychiatric and mental handicap hospital services.

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

  Mr. Stanley
  The Civil Service policy on sexual harassment is set out in the programme of action to achieve equal opportunities for women in the Civil Service, which was published by the Cabinet Office (MPO) in 1984. Sexual harassment, including the display of sexually offensive material, at work is not tolerated and is dealt with as a disciplinary matter through the usual Civil

  Health and Personal Social Services
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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 board or equivalent, and in Northern Ireland 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.

  Mr. Needham
  Estimates of population at board level are not held for 1987–88 or 1988–89; the following figures are based on the estimate for mid-1986 which gave the population of Northern Ireland as 1,566,800. There is no generally accepted definition of the family, so per capita expenditure figures only are given. The total per capita expenditure on health and personal social services is expected to be:

  £

  1987–88

  511

  11988–89

  530

  Per capita spending by boards is expected to be2

  Service complaints procedures. To reaffirm this position, action is in hand to issue guidance to all members of staff in the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments in the near future.

  Travelling People
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions exist for the education of the children of travelling people in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  These children may attend any grant-aided school or further education establishment in Northern Ireland.
  325
  However in the Belfast area specific provision is made at St. Paul's primary school, Cavendish square where some 140 such pupils are enrolled and the teaching staff complement is six.

  Board and Lodging
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers

  Table A

  Health and Social Services Board

  Year ended 31 December

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  Total

  1981

  19

  12

  11

  8

  50

  1982

  30

  12

  5

  5

  52

  1983

  50

  11

  12

  16

  89

  1984

  76

  20

  7

  12

  115

  1985

  48

  12

  3

  21

  84

  Table B below contains, for each Health and Social Services Board, the numbers of homeless families (including children) occupying temporary accommodation reserved for homeless persons, during the years 1981 to 1985.

  Table B

  Health and Social Services Board

  Year ended 31 December

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Eastern

  Families

  134

  208

  251

  164

  164

  Children

  274

  430

  476

  346

  331

  Northern

  Families

  144

  121

  35

  59

  67

  Children

  204

  161

  75

  136

  165

  Southern

  Families

  29

  16

  39

  35

  30

  Children

  68

  36

  89

  78

  44

  Western

  Families

  55

  61

  60

  61

  60

  Children

  117

  125

  124

  155

  145

  Total

  Families

  362

  406

  385

  319

  321

  Children

  663

  752

  764

  715

  685

  Attorney-General (Statement)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he informed the Government of the Irish Republic of the Attorney-General's intention to make a statement to the House on 25 January.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 10 February 1988]: The Irish Government were informed on the morning of 25 January that my right hon. and learned Friend would be making a statement. A text was passed to them after the statement had been made.

  Salmon
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he intends to take to maintain a boat on the north coast of Northern Ireland for the protection of salmon during the current year.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Responsibility for the protection of salmon stocks rests with the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern
  326
  of people aged under 25 years residing in board-and-lodging accommodation in each health and social board area in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. Table A below shows, for each health and social services board, the numbers of single persons aged under 25 years occupying temporary accommodation reserved for homeless persons, during the years 1981 to 1985.

  Ireland. It is for the board to determine the most cost-effective manner of properly discharging its responsibility. The fishery patrols of the Department of Agriculture supplement the measures underaken by the Board.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mobility allowance appeals were heard by medical appeal tribunals at each venue in Northern Ireland in the past three years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:

  Year

  Belfast

  Londonderry

  1985

  226

  58

  1986

  262

  62

  1987

  295

  43

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the waiting times for appeals regarding mobility allowance, indicating any local differences in those waiting times.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Medical questions arising on mobility allowance appeals are decided in the first instance by medical boards and thereafter, if necessary, by medical appeal tribunals. Boards are held in Belfast and Londonderry although most appellants are examined at home. It takes just under five weeks on average from the time an appeal is received until the board makes its decision. There are no local differences. Non-medical questions are decided, on appeal, by social security appeal tribunals. The administration of both medical and social security appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, Mr. C. G. MacLynn, LL.B and the hon. Gentleman should write to him as regards waiting times for appeals to those tribunals.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the length of time taken to process claims for mobility allowance.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Eight weeks.
  327
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims and appeals regarding mobility allowance are pending at present.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: At 1 January 1988 there were 1,529 claims and 342 appeals pending.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are in receipt of mobility allowance in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Some 11,600 at 31 December 1987.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff there are by grade in the mobility allowance branch of the Department of Health and Social Security in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:

  Grade

  Number of staff

  Deputy principal1

  1

  Staff officer1

  1

  Executive officer I

  1

  Executive officer II

  1

  Administrative officer

  4

  Administrative assistant

  2

  10

  1 These grades have additional staff responsibilities.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many renewed mobility allowance claims, from those who had been in receipt of the allowance, have been disallowed in each of the past three years, indicating how many were subsequently awarded on appeal.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The information is as follows:

  Year

  Renewed claims disallowed

  Subsequently award on appeal

  1985

  148

  30

  1986

  224

  48

  1987

  209

  52

  Appeal figures related to appeals decided in the relevant years and do not necessarily reflect claims disallowed in those years.

  AIDS
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the decision of the United States national institutes of health to instruct all biological laboratories to review their safety guidelines following the reported infection of two laboratory workers with the AIDS virus after working with concentrated samples; and whether he will carry out such a review of procedures in medical and biological laboratories in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: I am aware of the decision referred to. Current guidance on safety procedures, prepared by the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens and the expert advisory group on AIDS, continues to be appropriate and therefore I have no plans to review those procedures.

  Maryfield (Costs)
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what yearly contributions the Irish Republic has made towards(a) the maintenance, (b) the operating costs and (c) the staffing costs at Maryfield; and what proportion these contributions are of the total costs within each of these areas.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 27 January 1988]: The Irish Government do not pay maintenance costs directly, but rather a share of rent for the secretariat building. In the last financial year, their contribution was £32,000. They also contribute to operating expenses in varying proportions, reflecting the use they make of each facility. The cost to the Irish Government of their staff is a matter for them.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Chemical Trials
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what chemical trials are being conducted on farms within the Easington area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 10 February 1988.

  Dairy Inspections
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many inspectors are currently employed to carry out dairy inspections;

  (2) what system there is of monitoring dairy inspections.

  (3) whether he will review the workings of the dairy inspections procedure.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The complement of the dairy husbandry discipline of ADAS is currently 103 and there are 91 officers actually in post. Of these, 72 dairy husbandary advisers undertake visits to dairy farms to check compliance with the milk and dairies regulations, but other duties (such as advisory work) account for about half of their time. The work of these advisers is monitored by their line managers and is also subject to regular staff inspection. In addition, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 26 January at column 175, there is to be a formal efficiency scrutiny of this work.

  Wool
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider increasing the guaranteed price for wool by 10 per cent. per kilogramme to cover production and other costs in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend met the farmers' unions and the British Wool Marketing Board last week to review the prospects for the 1988 clip year and the level of the guarantee which for the 1987 clip was set at 129p/kg. An announcement on the level of the guarantee for the 1988 clip will be made as soon as possible.

  Cereals
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the shortfall in the amount to the co-responsibility levy in respect of the 1986 cereal harvest, as between that paid by farmers and that collected by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) on how many tonnes of cereal following the harvest of 1986 co-responsibiltiy levy was paid to the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce;

  (3) what was the cereal harvest for 1986; and on how many tonnes co-responsibility levy was paid.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The cereals harvest for 1986 was 24·5 million tonnes. Co-responsibility levy has now been collected on 13·4 million tonnes, including 2 million tonnes of grain imported from other member states. About 13 million tonnes of cereals was not liable to levy in the United Kingdom during the 1986–87 marketing year; this comprised grain exported to other member states; grain used for seed; grain used on farms and grain processed by farmers and fed to their own livestock; grain stocks carried over into the current marketing year.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of the British cereal harvest in 1986–87 he estimates were liable to co-responsibility levy; and how much of the levy has been collected to date.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The cereals harvest for 1986 was 24·5 million tonnes. Co-responsibility levy has now been collected on 13·4 million tonnes, including 2 million tonnes of grain imported from other member states. About 13 million tonnes of cereals was not liable to levy in the United Kingdom during the 1986–87 marketing year; this comprised grain exported to other member states; grain used for seed; grain used on farms and grain processed by farmers and fed to their own livestock; grain stocks carried over into the current marketing year.

  Organic Products
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give import figures for each of the following organic produce for each year in the last 10 years: carrots, parsnips, potatoes, cabbages, turnips, swedes, courgettes, lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, pears and strawberries.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No records are maintained in overseas trade statistics of fruit and vegetables classified according to production systems. Moreover, there would be little point in keeping such statistics for organic produce until importing and exporting countries had agreed the necessary organic production standards and the inspection and certification arrangements.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in achieving common standards of safety assessment and certification for agriculture pesticides within the European Community.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The European Community has been operating a prohibition directive since 1979 which 330
  requires member states to withdraw certain substances from circulation. The EC Commission is advised by a committee of scientific experts in making its recommendations under this directive, and unanimous agreement of member states is required in the Council before substances can be added to the existing list of prohibitions. Outside the scope of this directive member states operate national controls on the supply and use of pesticides. A draft directive proposing an EC regime for approving or accepting pesticides was tabled by the EC Commission in 1976, but no progress has been made in discussing it in recent years.

  Ewe Premium
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to repay to British producers and trade interests the sums recoverable from the European Community as a result of recent favourable judgments on ewe premium and clawback, respectively.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The European Court's judgment of 2 February in cases 305/85 and 142/86 declares void the rates of ewe premium which were set by EC Commission regulation for Great Britain for the 1984–85 and 1985 marketing years. This welcome judgment fully vindicates the Government's case that the rates had been wrongly calculated. It means that supplementary premium payments will be payable to GB producers from FEOGA funds. Some £l1 million is involved, and we shall make payment arrangements as soon as the EC Commission has made new regulations setting properly calculated rates. And we are pressing the Commission to make the necessary regulations as soon as possible.

  The judgment in EC case 61/86—the Government's other sheepmeat case against the EC Commission —declares the relevant EC regulations void in so far as they apply clawback to exports of ewes, ewemeat and other categories of sheep and sheepmeat which cannot receive variable premium. As an immediate result, exporters of the affected categories are no longer obliged to pay clawback. In our view, the judgment also means that the Commission should return to us the clawback collected under the invalid regulations. We are also pressing the Commission on this as a matter of urgency. My officials will be maintaining close contact with the farmers' unions and the export trade who together have a related case before the High Court concerning one particular export consignment.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Company Profits
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of profitability in British companies.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of profitability in British companies.

  Mr. Brooke
  The profitability of non-oil industrial and commercial companies has increased in each of the past six years: the best performance for a generation.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of interest rates in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of interest rates.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Bank base rates are 9 per cent.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about his policy on interest rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  Short-term interest rates are the essential instrument of monetary policy and are held at whatever level is necessary to maintain downward pressure on inflation.

  Tax and Prices Index
  Mrs. Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rise in the tax and prices index in the 12 months to December 1987.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rise in the tax and prices index in the 12 months to December 1987.

  Mr. Brooke
  In the 12 months to December 1987 the tax and prices index rose by 1·9 per cent.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rise in the tax and prices index in the 12 months to December 1987.

  Mr. Lilley
  In the 12 months to December 1987 the tax and prices index rose by 1·9 per cent.

  Inflation
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Brooke
  The increase in retail prices over the 12 months ending December 1987 was 3·7 per cent.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Lilley
  The increase in retail prices over the 12 months ending December 1987 was 3·7 per cent.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of inflation.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Lilley
  The increase in retail prices over the 12 months ending December 1987 was 3·7 per cent.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of inflation he has assumed in relation to his expenditure plans for(a) National Health Service and (b) Government expenditure generally for each of the next three years.
  332
  Mr. Major
  The economic assumptions underpinning the Government's plans set out in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288), including the assumptions for general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator and the RPI, are set out in volume I, chapter 2, paragraph 4.

  The Government do not publish assumptions about the future movements in particular prices affecting individual expenditure programmes though, in planning and managing their programmes, Departments take account of the prices of the goods and services they purchase.

  Third World Debts
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Finance Ministers of creditor countries concerning the rescheduling of debt in Third world countries.

  Mr. Brooke
  Last September my right hon. Friend attended the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' meeting and the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank where the problems of developing countries' debt, especially that of sub-Saharan Africa, were discussed.

  Take-home Pay
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real take-home pay for a married man with two children who is on half male average earnings since 1978–79.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real take-home pay for a married man with two children who is on half male average earnings since 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Real take-home pay for a married man on half average male earnings with two children has risen by 18½ per cent. since 1978–79.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real take-home pay for a married man with two children who is on half male average earnings since 1978–79.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real take-home pay for a married man with two children who is on half male average earnings since 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Real take-home pay has risen by 18·5 per cent. for a married man on half average earnings since 1978–79. Average earnings are those for men in all occupations paid at adult rates who work a full week.

  Public Investment
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of public investment as a proportion of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Major
  In 1987–88 public sector capital spending, as defined in table 2.10 of volume I of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper, is estimated to be about 5½ per cent. of gross domestic product.

  VAT (Zero-rating)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received notice of the date on which
  333
  the European Court of Justice will declare its decision on the proceedings initiated by the Commission on the legality of the United Kingdom's zero-rating of supplies of electricity, gas, water and sewerage to industry and commerce and on the construction of commercial and industrial buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  No.

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average income tax relief has been received by a taxpayer earning £50,000 each year since 1979 at 1987 prices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson).

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the underlying rate of growth of manufacturing output.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the underlying rate of growth of manufacturing output.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the underlying rate of growth of manufacturing output.

  Mr. Major
  In the three months ending last November output was 6 per cent. higher than a year earlier.

  Tax (Higher Rates)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue raised from higher rates of tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue raised from higher rates of tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The total tax liability resulting from the difference between the higher rates of income tax and the basic rate is estimated to be £3·1 billion in 1987–88.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect on the income, per week, of a single person and a married couple on average national earnings as a result of cuts in the standard rate of income tax and the raising of personal allowances since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The effect of reductions in income tax since 1978–79 has been to increase income after tax by £10·69 per week for a married man and £10·88 per week for a single person on average earnings in 1987–88. The calculation is made by comparing the tax liabilities of the single person or married man under the 1987–88 income tax regime with those under the 1978–79 regime indexed to 1987–88 levels according to the statutory formula. Average earnings estimated at £229·80 per week are those for full-time men in all occupations, paid at adult rates, whose pay is unaffected by absence.
  334
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a taxpayer earning £50,000 a year would gain per year if the top rate of tax were reduced to 40 per cent.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A married man with gross income of £50,000 per year and no allowances or reliefs other than the married man's allowance would gain £2,961 if the top rate of income tax were reduced to 40 per cent. for 1988–89. The estimate assumes indexation of allowances and rate bands from their 1987–88 levels in accordance with the statutory formula.

  Government Shareholdings
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the disposal of Government-held shareholdings, in the light of the National Audit Office report on the sale of the Government shareholding in Rolls-Royce plc.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the disposal of Government-held shareholdings, in the light of the National Audit Office report on the sale of the Government shareholding in Rolls-Royce plc.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the disposal of Government held shareholdings, in the light of the National Audit Office report on the sale of the Government shareholding in Rolls-Royce plc.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the disposal of Government-held shareholdings, in the light of the National Audit Office report on the sale of the Government shareholdings in Rolls-Royce plc.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett).

  Mortgages (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Sumberg
  To as the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking an amendment of the law relating to tax relief on mortgage interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  As usual, my right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about the tax relief on mortgage interest. The level of mortgage interest relief has to be fixed each year and will be considered in framing the Budget proposals.

  Jobs
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created by growth in the economy since 1983.

  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created by growth in the economy since 1983.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created by growth in the economy since 1983.

  Mr. Major
  The combination of steady, sustained growth and supply side improvements has contributed significantly to the creation of nearly 1½ million new jobs since 1983.

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

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the public sector borrowing requirement for 1987–88.

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

  Income Tax (Reduced Rate Band)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking the introduction of a reduced rate band of income tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend has received a small number of representations.

  Productivity
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of productivity in the United Kingdom economy over the period since 1980.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Patnick).

  International Debt
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next proposes to meet other Finance Ministers to discuss the problems of international debt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend frequently meets other Finance Ministers; he is likely to do so at the spring meetings of the IMF/IBRD in April when international debt will be discussed.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to improve the balance of payments.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace).

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the balance of payments.

  Mr. Lawson
  The current account deficit last year was precisely in line with the forecast I made at the time of the Budget. The Government's policies are directed towards improving the performance of the economy overall. This is fully consistent with normal fluctuations in the composition of the balance of payments.

  Personal Disposable Income
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real personal disposable income since 1983.
  336
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of real personal disposable income since 1983.

  Mr. Major
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood).

  Growth
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the current British rate of growth compares with that of the other major industrialised countries.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the current British rate of growth compares with that of the other major industrialised countries.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the current British rate of growth compares with that of the other major industrialised countries.

  Mr. Lilley
  Total output in the United Kingdom grew by more than 4 per cent. over the year to the first three quarters of 1987. This is faster than any other major industrialised country.

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

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

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

  Mr. John Major
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 5 February at columns 783–84.

  Overseas Assets
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the latest figures for net United Kingdom assets overseas.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the latest figures for net United Kingdom assets overseas.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman).

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the latest figures for net United Kingdom assets overseas.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman).

  Business Starts
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much business starts have exceeded stops between 1979 and 1986.
  337
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much business starts have exceeded stops between 1979 and 1986.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much business starts have exceeded stops between 1979 and 1986.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key).

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest projections for the growth of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest projections for the growth of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest projections for the growth of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to an earlier question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt).

  Privatisation
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of the state-owned commercial sector which has been transferred to the private sector since 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of the state-owned commercial sector which has been transferred to the private sector since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill).

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposed privatisation of nationalised companies in the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Government have announced their intention to privatise the water and electricity industries and British Steel. There may also be other privatisation sales in this Parliament. No decision has been taken yet on the timing of sales.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of the state-owned commercial sector which has been transferred to the private sector since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill).

  CBI
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss economic prospects.
  338
  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend last met the director-general of the CBI at the meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 13 January 1988.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss economic prospects.

  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor last met the director-general of the CBI at the meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 13 January 1988.

  British Banks (Developing Countries)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on tax relief for British banks on their operations in developing countries.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on tax relief for British banks on their operations in developing countries.

  Mr. Holland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on tax relief for British banks on their operations in developing countries.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  British banks operating in developing countries qualify for tax relief under general tax law under the same criteria as other traders.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the(a) deflationary impact on economic activity and (b) the inflationary impact on prices of the proposed increases in electricity prices.

  Mr. Major
  Subject to the decisions of the area boards, the likely increases in electricity prices will add directly about ¼ per cent. to the level of the RPI. Calculating the net impact on activity and inflation would require the simulation of an economic model, and it has not been the practice to publish such estimates.

  New Zealand Finance Minister
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the Finance Minister of New Zealand.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Chancellor meets the Finance Minister of New Zealand from time to time.

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

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures for the growth of gross domestic product over the past year.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave on 5 February at column 785 to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett).

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of public investment as a proportion of gross domestic product.
  339
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of public investment as a proportion of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson).

  Government Departments (Relocation)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any costings have been undertaken by his Department of the likely saving from the relocation out of London of public bodies, including divisions of Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The responsibility for undertaking costings for relocation of activities out of London lies with the Department or public body concerned. With regard to a statement, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I provided to the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram) on 18 January 1988 at columns 475–76.

  Government Expenditure
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate Government expenditure per head of the electorate in(a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales in 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Major
  The table shows identifiable public expenditure per head of the electorate:

  £ per head of the electorate

  1979–80

  1986–87

  Scotland

  1,804

  3,235

  England and Wales

  1,421

  2,591

  The figures for the two years are not directly comparable because of changes in definition which have taken place between different public expenditure White Papers.

  Forestry
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the annual cost of tax reliefs on forestry.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the annual cost of tax reliefs on forestry.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the annual cost of tax reliefs on forestry.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The income tax forgone is currently estimated at some £10 million. No information on which to base an estimate of the cost of capital tax reliefs is available.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking a change in the taxation rules relating to forestry development.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 18 January at column 470.

  Relative Prices
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to change the extent to which the impact of relative prices is assessed in the public expenditure White Paper.

  Mr. Major
  I have no such plans at present. However, the possibility of including information on relative prices in the White Paper has been discussed in the Treasury and Civil Service Committee and the Government will consider carefully any recommendations the Committee may make on the subject.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue to be raised from inheritance tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue to be raised from inheritance tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  £1,050 million.

  Merchant Shipping
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal measures he intends to take to prevent the further decline of the merchant shipping fleet.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My hon. Friend will understand that I cannot anticipate the Chancellor's Budget statement.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next proposes to have discussions with the European Community Council of Ministers about European monetary matters.

  Mr. Lilley
  The next meeting of the European Community's Council of Economic and Finance Ministers is expected to be on 7 March. The agenda for that meeting has not yet been decided.

  Personal Equity Plans
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of personal equity plans entered into since the commencement of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  About 250,000 plans were started during 1987.

  Nurses (Pay)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additions to the Government's expenditure plans for(a) the National Health Service and (b) other central Government services for 1988–89 and 1989–90 would require to be made if (i) nursing staff and (ii) other employees were to receive a pay increase of 20 per cent.

  Mr. Major
  Departments are generally expected to contain the costs of any pay increases within the published plans. The Government will consider the financing of pay increases for nurses when the report of the nurses pay review body has been received.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions about pay levels for(a) nursing and (b) Civil Service staff are made in the Government's expenditure plans for 1988–89.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he has taken, in drawing up his expenditure plans for(a) the National Health Service and (b) central Government expenditure for 1988–89 of the provision of funds for (i) the pay award for nurses and (ii) public sector pay generally.

  Mr. Major
  The Government do not make a central pay assumption.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to increase the planned expenditure on(a) hospital and (b) all Government services for 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of representations received, he intends to increase the resources in his published expenditure plans for 1988–89(a) for the National Health Service and (b) for Government expenditure generally.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley).

  Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current estimate of underspend for 1987–88.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expected outturn for 1987–88.

  Mr. Major
  The latest estimated outturn for the planning total in 1987–88 is £147·3 billion as set out in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the percentage increase in spending on(a) hospital and (b) all central Government services between 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Major
  Health figures for the United Kingdom are shown in table 2.7 of volume I of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper. The table shows increases between 1988–89 and 1989–90 of about 4½ per cent. for hospital and community health services and about 5 per cent. for the National Health Service as a whole. The overall increase in central Government spending between 1988–89 and 1989–90 is planned to be about 5¼ per cent.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to increase planned expenditure on(a) the National Health Service and (b) all Government expenditure in the years 1988–89 to 1990–91.

  Mr. Major
  The Government have announced increases in public spending in total and on the National Health Service. The latest plans are set out in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Cm. 288). These plans will be reviewed in the normal way in the annual public expenditure survey.
  342
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in relation to his recently published expenditure plans for(a) education spending and (b) Government expenditure generally.

  Mr. Major
  The White Paper plans, and the increased provision they include for education, have been widely welcomed.

  Hospital Radio Broadcasting Equipment (VAT)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further representations he has received seeking zero rating of value added tax for hospital radio broadcasting equipment.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received no further representations since the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 27 November at column 129.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking the inclusion in his Budget of measures designed to reduce unemployment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations covering a variety of proposals, but relatively few have mentioned unemployment.

  Taxation
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much in real terms the average annual tax payment of someone earning £50,000 has reduced in the past eight years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The tax liability of a married man earning £50,000 per year with no allowances or reliefs other than the married man's allowance is £4,880 less in 1987–88 than it would be if the 1978–79 tax regime had been retained and indexed by the statutory formula to 1987–88. This is a reduction of one-fifth.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received during the past 12 months urging him to increase the level of taxation.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Of the large number of representations my right hon. Friend has received, only a small number support an increase in the level of taxation.

  Companies (Profitability)
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of profitability in British companies.

  Mr. Major
  The profitability of non-oil industrial and commercial companies has increased in each of the past six years: the best performance for a generation.

  Income Tax Returns
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to revise the format of an income tax return.
  343
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Following its computerisation programmes for both self-employed taxpayers and employees, the Inland Revenue has over several years altered the layout of its tax returns for individuals so that they may be addressed and issued by machine. The last returns affected were those for issue on or after 6 April 1987. No further amendments are planned but the returns are reviewed annually as a matter of course following the passage of the Finance Bill.

  Public Investment
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of public investment as a proportion of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Major
  In 1987–88 public sector capital spending, as defined in table 2.10 of volume I of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper, is estimated to be about 5½ per cent. of gross domestic product.

  Taxation Revenue
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue raised from higher rates of tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The total tax liability resulting from the difference between the higher rates of income tax and the basic rate is estimated to be £3·1 billion in 1987–88.

  Wages and Salaries
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the expenditure proposed for(a) hospital services and (b) other central Government services in the plans for 1988–89 to 1990–91 is calculated to account for wages and salaries.

  Mr. Major
  The Government do not have a central pay assumption.

  Confectionery
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have completed their review of the current borderline between standard rated and zero rated confectionery.

  Mr. Lilley
  No.

  Harvest Chewy Bars
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise of seeking to levy value added tax on Harvest Chewy Bars.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that this information is not yet available.

  Special Car Tax
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the implications of EEC fiscal harmonisation for the United Kingdom special car tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 10 February 1988]: The European Commission's package of proposals as currently
  344
  drafted make no provision for the continuation of car tax in its current form. The proposals have been submitted by ECOFIN to the Economic Policy Committee for consideration of their implications. They cannot be adopted without the unanimous agreement of the Governments of member states.

ENERGY

  NUM (Meeting)
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Offical Report the text of his reply to the request from the general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers for a meeting with him.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I understand that the general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers has said that he and the president asked for a meeting when I took office. Neither I nor my Department have any record of such a request and I have written to the general secretary asking for further details.

  UDM (Meetings)
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on what dates he or his representatives have met the leaders of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Energy Ministers meet leaders of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Deep-mined Coal (Subsidies)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the average level of Government subsidy per tonne of deep-mined coal in each year since 1973(a) for each of the United Kingdom coal fields, (b) for England, (c) for Wales, (d) for Scotland and (e) for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Government grants accrued in British Coal's accounts in each year since 1978-/79 are set out in the table:

  Year

  Government Grants

  Deep-mined Production

  Grant per tonne

  £ million

  million tonnes

  £/tonne

  1978–79

  172

  107·8

  1·60

  1979–80

  251

  109·3

  2·30

  1980–81

  254

  110·3

  2·30

  1981–82

  575

  108·9

  5·28

  1982–83

  520

  104·9

  4·96

  1983–84

  1,145

  90·1

  12·71

  1984–85

  2,414

  27·7

  87·15

  1985–86

  563

  88·4

  6·37

  1986–87

  882

  88·0

  10·02

  Grants are not given to specific areas or coalfields, so it is not possible to provide the other information requested.

  Power Stations (Environmental Import)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the implications for(a) the Sizewell B pressurised water reactor project, (b) the proposed Hinkley C pressurised water reactor project, (c) the proposed European demonstration reprocessing plant at

  345
  Dounreay, (d) the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield, (e) the planned coal-fired power station at Fawley, (f) the proposed Severn barrage tidal energy project and (g) any plans for a nuclear waste repository chosen by Nirex, of the new EEC regulation for environmental impact assessments, due to come into force on 3 July.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The sole purpose of the EC directive is to ensure that as from 3 July 1988 the environmental implications of major new developments are carefully examined in a fashion consistent throughout the Community, before consent is given to their construction. Such assessments have been undertaken for major energy developments, including those referred to by the hon. Member, in the United Kingdom for many years within the framework of planning law. Existing procedures will be brought into line with the directive's requirements. These will apply to developments for which planning or other consent is sought after 3 July. The directive does not apply to planning or consent applications submitted before that date.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy towards the provision of funds to objectors and section 34 parties at the forthcoming public inquiry into Central Electricity Generating Board plans to build a pressurised water nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Select Committee on Energy's recent report on the Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1987 raised the issue of funding for objectors at public inquiries. The Government will respond to this report as soon as possible. The hon. Member will know that the Government have hitherto taken the view that the funding of the objectors would not improve the efficiency of public inquiries.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to commission a public opinion survey of national and regional acceptance of nuclear station siting in the United Kingdom, in the light of the recently published study by the Health and Safety Executive on the tolerability of risks from nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. The Health and Safety Executive have produced a careful study, on which the Health and Safety Commission have invited considered comments.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to invite the International Atomic Energy Agency operational review safety team to(a) review the technical necessity and (b) be present at any future experimental test at a Magnox reactor of the type presently postponed at Trawsfynydd.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We fully support the development of the International Atomic Energy Agency's OSART missions. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has invited the agency to send such a mission to visit a United Kingdom nuclear plant. Details will be announced in due course. However, the objectives of OSART missions do not include the examination of specific porposals for tests, which are a matter between the plant operators and the regulatory authority.
  346
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to be present at any future experimental test at a Magnox plant of the type presently postponed at Trawsfynydd.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I would consider at the time if there was any advantage to my being present at such a test.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek to obtain for his departmental library transcripts of the three BBC2 "Brass Tacks" programmes on nuclear power, broadcast in October 1987.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he possesses on the resolution and vote in the European Parliament on 21 January on the proposed Central Electricity Generating Board experimental test at the Trawsfynydd Magnox reactor.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am arranging for a copy of the text of the resolution to be placed in the Library of the House. It was carried by a majority of 24.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many pits have closed in each year since 1979; what was the location and name of each pit; how many jobs were lost as a result of each closure; and what was the profit of loss of each pit closed in the year prior to closure.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for British Coal and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Combined Heat and Power Scheme (Edinburgh)
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the development of combined heat and power/district heating in Edinburgh.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department has carefully considered the report prepared by the Edinburgh CHP consortium. I accept the consortium's judgment that the options they studied are insufficiently attractive economically to proceed without further substantial support from public funds.

  It is the Government's long-standing policy that combined heat and power-district heating schemes should be taken forward by the private sector. The consortium has been informed that under these circumstances, I am not prepared to meet their requests for further financial support.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of increasing child benefit in line with the projected rate of inflation.

  Mr. Scott
  Increases in the rate of child benefit are not statutorily linked to movements in the retail prices index, but even for those benefits which are, the calculations are made on a "historical" and not a "projected" basis. If the current rate of child benefit were to be increased from April 1988 in line with the prices movement—over the
  347
  12 months to September 1987—used for uprating other benefits, the net additional cost for a full year would be £120 million.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision he has made in his public expenditure plans for additional funding to meet increased housing benefit costs arising from the proposed deregulation of the privately rented sector.

  Mr. Portillo
  The public expenditure plans published in Cm. 288 include provision for increased expenditure on housing benefit as a consequence of the Government's proposals to remove controls on new private lettings of some £10 million in 1988–89 rising to some £80 million at the end of the survey period. As explained in Cm. 288, the plans also allow for rents in the private sector to increase in real terms by 3 per cent. per year over the survey period.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take urgent steps to pay housing benefit due to residents for part III accommodation in Wakefield metropolitan district council for 1985–86 and 1986–87; what has been the cause of the delay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The administration of the housing benefit scheme, including the payments of awards of benefit, is the responsibility of local authorities. The Department has, however, withheld subsidy payments to a number of local authorities, including Wakefield, in respect of awards of housing benefit made to residents of part III accommodation. This is because we need to be satisfied that local authorities dealt with such claims in accordance with the regulations and detailed information from each of the authorities concerned is now being considered. I regret the delay, but final decisions on settlement will be taken once this process has been completed, which will be done as quickly as possible.

  Social Work Training
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the progress being made towards the introduction of the new mode of social work training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Officials of this Department, in conjunction with those of the other Government Departments involved, are currently considering the proposals submitted by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work in its publication "Care for Tomorrow". We expect to be in a position to respond to the proposals by the spring of this year.

  Special Payments
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps have been taken to ensure that disabled persons who are in receipt of two allowances through a combined order book will receive the £8 special payment on each allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on 2 February, at column 591.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether leaflet N 1262 issued to indicate the 348
  benefits which attract the £8 special payment took account of those people who receive more than one benefit through a combined order book.

  Mr. Scott
  The leaflet was designed to provide basic information to everyone qualifying for a special payment. There is a limit to the amount of detailed information that can be included in a leaflet of this kind, and a balance had to be struck. The leaflet did, however, make it clear that anyone needing further information should contact the Department.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many severely disabled people in the United Kingdom currently receive more than one benefit through the use of a combined order book.

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

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by categories the amounts raised by the ambulance services collectively from third parties in the last financial year.

  Mrs. Currie
  The summarised accounts of health authorities in England for 1986–87 record income in total only from charges to third parties for the non-national Health Service use of ambulance services as £340,263.

  This does not, however, include a small element in respect of ambulance services within the income arising from the provision of services to private health care establishments and private patients (totalling £1,490,424 in 1986–87) which health authorities are required to account for as income under section 58 of the National Health Service Act 1977.

  Supplementary Benefit (Caseload)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the supplementary benefit caseloads in terms of (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed claimants paid through unemployment benefit offices and (iii) other supplementary allowance cases(a) for each local office and (b) nationally, for the 32-week period ended on 7 April 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information is not available in the precise form requested.

  A breakdown by claimant category and local office of the number of people receiving supplementary benefit on 10 February 1987 is available in the "Analysis of Supplementary Benefit Claimants as at 10 February and 28 July 1987", a copy of which is in the Library.

  The national totals for each category of claimant is as follows for 10 February:

  Numbers

  Pensioners

  1,683,580

  Unemployed claimants paid through unemployment benefit offices

  2,069,962

  Other supplementary allowance cases

  1,465,560

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action at 10 February 1987.

  Dental and Sight Test Charges
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to which countries in the EEC charge for(a) dental check-ups and (b) sight tests.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that the information available to the Department on optical and dental charges in European Community Countries is insufficient to provide the details requested.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what statement or other evidence he has that charges will not deter people from having sight tests.

  Mr. Newton
  The effect of the Government's proposals is necessarily a matter of judgment, especially since it would be for opticians themselves to determine the level of any charges for those ceasing to be entitled to a free NHS sight test. But it is relevant to note that approximately a third of the population would continue to be so entitled, including the least well-off, and that most people who have a test need spectacles and there is no evidence that they have been deterred from attending the optician by the price of private spectacles.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistical evidence he has on the relationship between charges and the take-up of dental treatment.

  Mrs. Currie
  After an increase in dental charges there is evidence of a short-term drop in demand, followed by a recovery and a continuation of the long-term rise in the number of courses of dental treatment.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many representations he has now received on his proposal to introduce a charge for eye examinations; what proportion were in favour of charges; and what proportion were against charges;

  (2) how many representations he has now received on ending free dental checks; and what proportion were in favour of introducing a charge.

  Mr. Newton
  We have now received about 1,500 representations on the proposals to restrict the NHS sight test to certain groups and to introduce a charge for the NHS dental examinations subject to the same exemptions as for other dental charges. Concerning the balance of these representations, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 11 January, at column 181.

  Hospital and Community Health Service
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the share of gross national product represented by the hospital and community health service budget, adjusted by the hospital and community health service pay and price index, in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows the available figures. Deflators of whatever kind are not appropriate to this calculation since each figure represents one cash sum expressed as a percentage of another in the same year.
  350

  Gross expenditure on the NHS and HCHS as a percentage of GDP

  Year

  NHS

  1 2HCHS

  1979

  4·8

  3—

  1980

  5·3

  44·2

  1981

  5·5

  4·3

  1982

  5·4

  4·2

  1983

  5·7

  4·5

  1984

  5·5

  4·2

  1985

  5·4

  4·2

  1986

  5·5

  4·3

  1 Including expenditure on central health and miscellaneous services (separate figures for United Kingdom not readily available).

  2 The adjustment from financial year data to calendar year has been estimated using Departmental records.

  3 Comparable data for 1979 are not readily available.

  4 Estimated.

  Health Service Funding
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the findings of the review of Health Service funding conducted by his Department between 1981 and 1982.

  Mr. Moore
  The preliminary survey carried out during 1981–82 into methods of health financing was confidential advice to Ministers. In consequence, as reported to the Select Committee on Social Services ("Reply by the Government to the Second Report from the Select Committee on Social Services", Session 1981–82 Cmnd. 8775 page 8), it will not be made available outside Government.

  Research
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proposals he has to change the contractual agreements between his Department and scientists and social scientists relating to the publication of results obtained in the course of research undertaken on behalf of his Department;

  (2) what restrictions are presently imposed upon the publication of results by persons contracted to undertake research on behalf of his Department.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) on 1 December 1987, at column 562.

  Earnings (Jury Service)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he is giving to changing the regulations concerning the non-recognition of jury service payments for average pay calculations in order to permit jury allowance to be taken into account for average earnings purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  None. I assume the hon. Member is referring to the calculations used in establishing entitlement to statutory sick pay (SSP). Payments for jury service are not part of an employee's normal weekly earnings, nor do they attract liability for national insurance contributions. Such payments do not count, therefore, in the calculation of average weekly earnings for SSP.

  Abortion
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why the information on the identity of doctors carrying out abortions in private sector places approved under the Abortion Act is confidential.

  Mr. Newton
  The detail of a person's employment in this field is information which some individuals may not wish to be made publicly available. The Department respects this and treats all such information as confidential. I see no reason to change our practice in this respect.

  Airline Passengers (Smoking)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about the effects on the health of those non-smoking airline passengers obliged to occupy smoking seats.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is not possible to quantify separately the risk arising from particular episodes. However, the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health has concluded that there is evidence to link passive smoking with exacerbation of respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms in non-smokers, and that over an extended period exposure to passive smoking is consistent with an increase of between 10 and 30 per cent. in the risk of lung cancer. Non-smokers who are dissatisfied with facilities provided for their comfort when travelling should complain to the company concerned.

  Departmental Offices (Staffing)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the staffing allocations for 1988–89 as determined by the agreed complementing system, for his Department's offices in Hackney, Stoke Newington, Shoreditch, Hoxton and Finsbury Park; and what were the comparable staffing levels in 1986–87 and 1987–88.

  Mr. Portillo
  Staffing allocations for the year 1988–89 have yet to be finally determined. It is expected that details will be available in March 1988.

  The information requested for the previous two years is as follows:

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Hackney ILO

  195

  210·5

  Stoke Newington ILO

  135

  141·5

  Shoreditch AO

  88

  95·5

  Hoxton ILO

  149

  163·0

  Finsbury Park ILO

  210

  224·0

  Abbreviations:

  ILO = Integrated Local Office.

  AO = Area Office.

  Income Support
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will report progress on the conversion of supplementary benefit cases to income support at his Department's offices in Hackney, Stoke Newington, Shoreditch, Hoxton and Finsbury; what percentage of cases have to date been converted; what is his Department's estimate of the percentage of cases at each office that will be converted by 11 April; and when his Department's staff in each office expect to have finished the conversion exercise.
  352
  Mr. Portillo
  We plan to complete the conversion of supplementary benefit cases to income support by 11 April in all the offices mentioned although we recognise that there is stil a great deal to be clone. The percentage of cases converted by 26 January (the latest information available) in each of these offices was:

  Office

  Percentage

  Hackney ILO

  26

  Stoke Newington ILO

  38

  Shoreditch AO

  18

  Hoxton ILO

  39

  Finsbury Park ILO

  16

  Additional staff are working at Shoreditch AO and Finsbury Park ILO to assist them with conversion of cases.

  Prescriptions (Drugs)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates would be the cost to the National Health Service if hospital doctors prescribed brand name drugs, after the patent period had expired, rather than generic drugs.

  Mr. Newton
  Substitution of generic equivalents for brand name drugs is common practice in National Health Service hospitals. Where a generic equivalent is available hospital pharmacists and doctors carefully evaluate its suitability for use instead of the brand name product.

  Figures for the increased costs which health authorities would incur if brand name drugs were used exclusively are not held centrally.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates would be the saving to the National Health Service if all general practitioners prescribed generic drugs rather than brand name drugs, after the patent period.

  Mr. Newton
  It is estimated that if all general practitioners were to prescribe drugs generically the savings, assuming no change to prescribing patterns or mix or cost of drugs, would be in the region of £35 million in England.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has that general practitioners are increasingly prescribing generic drugs rather than brand name drugs, after the patent period.

  Mr. Newton
  Statistics derived from prescriptions for drugs dispensed by community pharmacists show that the percentage of prescriptions written and dispensed generically in England has risen from 15 per cent. in 1976 to 28 per cent. in 1986.

  Management Consultants
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total expenditure by his Department on management consultants on health matters each year since the introduction of general management in 1984.

  Mr. Newton
  The expenditure by the Department in 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87 and the estimated expenditure for 1987–88 on fees and expenses for outside consultants on health matters are as follows:
  353

  £ million

  1984–85

  0·911

  1985–86

  1·700

  1986–87

  4·525

  1987–88

  14·845

  1 Estimated.

  The figures are approximate. In some cases expenditure has been apportioned where consultants have been employed on both health and social security matters. The figures include social services consultancy.

  NHS (Performance Indicators)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services upon what date a copy of the new National Health Service performance indicators for 1986–87 will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 17 December 1987, at column 709. The national set of performance indicators for 1986–87 will now be completed by the end of February 1988 ready for issue to all health authorities in England in March 1988; they will be placed in the Library at the same time.

  GPs (Postgraduate Educational Allowance)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if the programme of regular education and training which general practitioners must undertake to qualify for the new postgraduate educational allowance is relevant to general practice; and if the programme's content will be approved by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

  Mr. Newton
  Relevance to general practice will be a key feature of courses qualifying for the new postgraduate educational allowance announced in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health". No decisions have been made about this new allowance. The detail will be discussed with the family doctors' representatives, the General Medical Services Committee during the coming year. The views of the Royal College of General Practitioners will be an essential part of our consideration of this issue.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many companies or individuals were prosecuted during 1985 and 1986 by his Department for non-payment of national insurance contributions on behalf of their employees.

  NHS staff in post: Liverpool district health authority at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalent1

  Staff group

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Medical2

  560

  580

  550

  560

  540

  Nursing3

  5,160

  4,960

  4,780

  4,780

  4,920

  Midwifery3

  230

  260

  270

  290

  290

  Administrative and Clerical

  1,360

  1,330

  1,350

  1,290

  1,310

  Ancillary4

  2,630

  2,490

  2,320

  2,190

  1,860

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

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

  354
  Mr. Portillo
  Both criminal and civil proceedings are used to recover class 1 national insurance contributions which have not been paid by employers. The numbers of court proceedings involving individuals and companies were as follows:

  1985

  1986

  Criminal Proceedings

  17

  14

  Civil Proceedings

  1,196

  1,482

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been expended by his Department since 1979 on national insurance credits in cases where deductions had been made by employers but then not passed on.

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

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the national insurance contribution per year of a person on average earnings.

  Mr. Portillo
  In 1988–89 a person on average earnings is expected to earn £175 per week and will therefore contribute £15·75 per week if not contracted out of the state earnings related pension scheme (SERPS) and £13·07 per week if contracted out of SERPS. A person receiving £175 during each week in 1988–89, will pay £819 in contributions if not contracted out, and £679·64 if contracted out, on the basis of 52 weekly payments.

  Medical Personnel (Liverpool)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) nurses, (b) midwives, (c) doctors (d) professional medical staff, (e) administrative officers and (f) ancillary workers were employed by the Liverpool health authority in each of the last six years; and what was the average yearly pay for each group in each year.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 11 January 1988]: Because of the 1982 National Health Service reorganisation, figures on a consistent basis are not held for the years prior to 1982. The figures for medical staff excludes senior registrars whose contracts are held by the regional health authority. The district health authority where those staff actually work cannot be identified separately. There will therefore be more doctors working in the Liverpool health authority than are accounted for in the table.

  Information on the pay of NHS staff in individual health authorities is not collected centrally and the hon. Member may care to contact the chairman of the Liverpool health authority for this information.
  355

  2 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. Excludes senior registrars—these staff have their contracts with the regional health authority.

  3 Includes agency staff.

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

TRANSPORT

  Rail Services (South-east)
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the response from the British Railways Board to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on rail passenger services supplied by the board in the south-east of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  The British Railways Board has responded to the report and I have placed copies of its reply in the Library of the House. It shows that it has accepted all the Commission's recommendations, and sets out the action it intends to take. I have discussed the commission's report with Sir Robert Reid, and I welcome the board's positive response. I shall be monitoring BR's progress in following up the commission's recommendations and I shall make a further statement on this in the autumn.

  Our policy is that by improving its efficiency BR should provide its customers with an attractive and reliable service and at the same time reduce its call on the taxpayer. I believe the commission's findings show that we have got this right, but there is still room for improvement and I agree with the commission's view that investment will be needed on some routes to relieve overcrowding and cater for traffic growth. I have already approved some investment in new rolling stock on this basis and I am pleased to see that BR is investigating options to identify what further investment is required to meet the quality standards I have agreed with it. In deciding BR's future investment ceilings, the Government will take account of any additional requirements that are shown to be justified. The expenditure figures incorporated in the public expenditure White Paper already contain provision for much of the investment mentioned by the commission, including improvements to the south-eastern approaches to London. I am always happy to receive sensible proposals from BR for cost effective new projects.

  The report suggests that we clarify the purpose of the public service obligation grant (PSO) for Network SouthEast and whether it is directed at certain groups of passenger rather than others. The grant is not intended to distinguish between different groups of passenger. Its main purpose is to enable BR to provide essential services and to subsidise fares where that is the most cost-effective way of contributing to the relief of road congestion in the south-east. I shall be discussing with the board in the light of the MMC's report whether its current fares structure reflects both the purpose of subsidy and the proper allocation of costs.

  The commission has taken a close look at BR's employment practices and the report contains a number of recommendations. This is an important area for BR to tackle and one where I hope that swift and substantial progress can be made.

  Finally, I must comment on the commission's statement that the board has failed to meet its statutory requirement to break even on revenue account, taking one year with another. The Government do not accept this
  356
  conclusion. The statutory requirement allows for fluctuation between profit and loss in individual years. The period covered by this report includes the ASLEF strikes in 1982 and the miners' strike—both of which had serious "one-off" effects on the board's revenue—and the taking of substantial provisions for the restructuring of British Rail Engineering Ltd. The board has also now changed its accounting policies so that the contribution made by the substantial proceeds from property sales is, for the first time in the 1986–87 annual report and accounts, reflected in the profit and loss account. Over the longer term, the fluctuation between profit and loss has been in balance. I do not, therefore, accept that the board can be said to have failed to meet its statutory duty.

  We are grateful to the commission for this comprehensive and detailed report, which follows up its 1980 investigation into BR's London commuter services. I am sure that it will prove to be an equally effective stimulus for further improvements in the way BR runs its services in the south-east.

  M3-M27 Road Link
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the dated of the public inquiries which have been held over the past 20 years into the route of the M3/M27 road link.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The following inquiries have been held into proposals for the sections of the M3 stated:

  March-April 1971

  Popham to Compton

  June-July 1972

  Compton to M27

  June 1976-June 1977

  Popham to Compton

  June-August 1985

  Bar End to M27

  June 1987-to date (re-opened inquiry)

  Bar End to Compton

  Winchester Bypass
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there have been on the Winchester bypass in each of the last 10 years, and what percentage of these involved heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of recorded personal injury accidents on the A33 between Compton and Bar End in the last 10 years is as follows:

  Number of accidents

  Percentage involving HGVs over 3 tons

  1978

  15

  33

  1979

  22

  22

  1980

  23

  17

  1981

  20

  10

  1982

  19

  16

  1983

  12

  none

  1984

  26

  19

  1985

  25

  24

  1986

  27

  37

  1987 Jan-Nov

  28

  32

  Our proposals for improving this road are currently being considered at a public inquiry.

  Railway Property (Trespass)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many legal actions for trespass on railway property were initiated by British Rail against fox hunts during 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My Department has no figures readily available. These are detailed matters for the British Railways Board and the British Transport police.

  Car Ownership
  Mr Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the growth in the last year in car ownership as expressed as a percentage of the adult population; what is the projected annual growth(a) nationally and (b) in Surrey; what recent census there has been of traffic on major roads and motorways in Surrey; and what is the density of major road traffic (i) nationally and (ii) in Surrey.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In the year to December 1986 the number of cars per head of adult population increased by 3 per cent. both in Surrey and in Great Britain. At national level growth of between 18 and 27 per cent. is forecast between 1986 and 2000. Similar growth is expected for Surrey.

  In 1986 the estimated traffic flow on major roads was 25,500 vehicles per day in Surrey, compared with 11,000 in Great Britain as a whole. These estimates are based on the continuing national traffic census.

  Figures for the number of cars per adult in 1985 and 1986 are derived from Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre records and from population estimates produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Figures for the number of cars at the end of 1987 will be available by end February.

  Forecasts of car ownership, expressed per head of total population are from the national road traffic forecasts for five-year periods to the year 2015 published by the Department.

  The Department's rotating census covers the whole major road network over a six-year period. Average daily flow on a link in the latest year is derived by scaling counts in earlier years using a factor derived at national level from repeated counts at a small number of sites.

  The average flow is obtained by weighting together flows on all links by their length.

  Air Misses
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in each of the last 10 years, passengers plus aircrew, have been at risk in serious air misses where, in the opinion of the Civil Aviation Authority, a collision would have resulted had one or both pilots not taken avoiding action without prior instructions to do so from air traffic control.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the inquiry which he has ordered in connection with his statement to the House on air misses on Monday 8 February,Official Report, column 21–24, has power to require the pilot of the Maley aircraft concerned to give evidence; and if he will make a statement.
  358
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The investigation into the air miss on 6 February involving a British Airways Tristar and a Bulgarian Balkan Airways TU154B was ordered by the Department's chief inspector of accidents, following a request from the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority. The investigation is being carried out under the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations 1983, which give the inspector powers to examine all such persons as he thinks fit. Where witnesses are resident overseas reliance is placed on annex 13 to the Chicago convention on international civil aviation, which covers the investigation of accidents and incidents. The Bulgarian authorities have accepted an invitation to participate in this investigation in accordance with the provisions of annex 13.

  Economic League
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has made use of the services provided by the Economic League since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No.

  Road Costs
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is considering further action which will ensure that local authority expenditure allocations for road construction and repair will be used to their fullest extent.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Provision for new construction has not been underspent since transport supplementary grant was limited to roads capital expenditure in 1985–86. We shall be keeping the position under review.

  The recent substantial underspend on road maintenance is regrettable. We are looking to highway authorities to set budgets for 1988–89 which more closely reflect provision in the public expenditure survey. In the light of those budgets we shall consider whether further action is necessary and might be effective.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the amount of money made available for roads to(a) the Department of Transport and (b) local authorities in England and Wales for (i) capital expenditure and (ii) repairs; and what was the amount spent in each year from 1978 to 1987.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 10 February 1988]: The tables show provision and outturn for national roads (motorways and other trunk roads) and local roads in England. The Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for roads in Wales.

  (a) National Roads (Department of Transport)

  £ million cash

  Provision

  Outturn

  1978–79

  Capital

  377

  327

  Current

  —

  40

  1979–80

  Capital

  443

  402

  Current

  —

  45

  1980–81

  Capital

  536

  472

  359

  Provision

  Outturn

  Current

  —

  50

  1981–82

  Capital

  685

  557

  Current

  —

  69

  1982–83

  Capital

  739

  672

  Current

  —

  60

  1983–84

  Capital

  652

  641

  Current

  71

  64

  1984–85

  Capital

  724

  718

  Current

  7l

  78

  1985–86

  Capital

  741

  734

  Current

  75

  77

  1986–87

  Capital

  812

  766

  Current

  81

  93

  1987–88

  Capital

  893

  ֵ

  Current

  83

  ֵ

  ֵ Not available.

  Notes:

  1. Capital expenditure covers new construction and improvement schemes and structural maintenance. Current expenditure covers routine maintenance of the network. (A different capital/current distinction applies to local roads expenditure.)

  2. Because of changes in the structure of the vote, for the years 1978–79 to 1982–83, an accurate allocation of the provision totals between capital and current cannot be made. Separate outturn figures are available.

  (b) Local Roads (Local Authorities)

  £ million cash

  Provision

  Outturn

  1978–79

  Capital

  n/a

  221

  Current

  477

  505

  1979–80

  Capital

  295

  293

  Current

  591

  575

  1980–81

  Capital

  318

  354

  Current

  708

  667

  360

  Provision

  Outturn

  1981–82

  Capital

  344

  308

  Current

  710

  793

  1982–83

  Capital

  410

  385

  Current

  799

  844

  1983–84

  Capital

  469

  437

  Current

  844

  877

  1984–85

  Capital

  482

  451

  Current

  902

  907

  1985–86

  Capital

  492

  522

  Current

  972

  963

  1986–87

  Capital

  523

  538

  Current

  1,115

  1,072

  1987–88

  Capital

  617

  n/a

  Current

  1,264

  1,117

  Notes:

  1. Capital expenditure covers new construction and improvement schemes only. Current expenditure covers all renewal (including structural) and routine maintenance plus road safety. (A different capital/maintenance distinction applies to national roads expenditure).

  2. Figures exclude urban programme and car parks.

  3. Outturns for 1986–87 remain provisional.

  4. Current outturn for 1987–88 is the total of local authority budgets.

  Consumer Policies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in implementing the Consumer Affairs Council resolution of 1986 on the integration of consumer policies on transport.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.

  The European Commission has recently submitted its first report to the Council on the progress made towards better integration of consumer policy into other common policies including agriculture, competition, and transport, as requested by the Council resolution of 15 December 1986. A copy of the report is available in the Library (document 10541/87 of 14 December 1987). It is a disappointing report, recording little progress.

  RPI UNDERSPEND
  RPI UNDERSPEND
  RENTED PROPERTY TAXATION
  RENTED PROPERTY TAXATION
  GINI COEFFICIENTS
  GINI COEFFICIENTS
  RECYCLED FIBRE
  RECYCLED FIBRE
  TRENT POLYTECHNIC: HOME ECONOMICS TEACHING
  TRENT POLYTECHNIC: HOME ECONOMICS TEACHING
  EUROPEAN FOUNDATION TREATY
  EUROPEAN FOUNDATION TREATY
  INF TREATY: COMPLIANCE
  INF TREATY: COMPLIANCE
  DEFENCE AND SPACE TREATY PROPOSAL
  DEFENCE AND SPACE TREATY PROPOSAL
  TEST BAN TREATIES
  TEST BAN TREATIES
  ZEEBRUGGE FERRY DISASTER: COMPENSATION CONVENTIONS
  ZEEBRUGGE FERRY DISASTER: COMPENSATION CONVENTIONS
  LOCAL AUTHORITY COMPANIES: PROPOSAL
  LOCAL AUTHORITY COMPANIES: PROPOSAL
  STORM DAMAGE: TASK FORCE TREES SCHEME
  STORM DAMAGE: TASK FORCE TREES SCHEME
  ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS: CONSULTATION PAPER
  ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS: CONSULTATION PAPER