Written Answers of 15 February 1988

PRIME MINISTER

  Corporations (Statistics)
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Prime Minister how many people were employed in the work force in 1987 in(a) British Coal, (b) British Telecom, (c) British Rail, (d) the Post Office, (e) British Gas, (f) British Steel, (g) British Shipbuilders and (h) British Airways; and how much was paid to the chairmen of these concerns.

  The Prime Minister
  British Telecom, British Gas and British Airways are no longer in the public sector. The information requested for the public sector corporations is as follows:

  Average number of employees1

  Salary of Chairmen2

  British Coal

  162,800

  145,000

  British Rail

  171,400

  81,000

  Post Office

  188,732

  90,000

  British Steel

  54,650

  100,000

  British Shipbuilders

  8,642

  65,000

  1 Information taken from 1986–87 annual reports and accounts.

  2 Salaries payable to current chairmen following each Board's latest pay review. Some chairmen are additionally eligible for performance bonuses.

  Economic League
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Prime Minister what directives or policy statements have been issued to nationalised industries regarding the use by those industries of information supplied by the Economic League; and what information she has about the involvement of that organisation in supplying information to nationalised industries or Government-sponsored bodies.

  The Prime Minister
  No such directives or policy statements have been issued; such matters would be for the industries themselves. I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins), to the hon. Member for Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 11 February, at column 307.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps she is taking to ensure that public funds designed to create employment do not go to bodies which use information supplied by the Economic League in taking employment and staff decisions.

  The Prime Minister
  Grants from public funds are made in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and are not allocated or withheld by reference to such criteria.

  Trawsfynydd (Test)
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas),Official Report 25 January, column 21, which authorities were consulted concluding that article 34 of the Euratom treaty is not relevant to the Trawsfynydd nuclear test.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 25 January, at column 8.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Unification Church
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the likelihood of new evidence becoming available to enable him to reverse his intention not to continue with the appeal against the decision not to remove charity status from the Unification Church; what efforts are being made to obtain fresh evidence; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  With the leave of the court, my appeal has been discontinued and cannot therefore be proceeded with further. If circumstances were to change further so as seriously to call into doubt the charitable status of either of the trusts in question I would consider raising the matter afresh with the Charity Commissioners. Immense efforts were made by the Treasury Solicitor to obtain new material while the proceedings were pending, but no active steps are being taken to amass further evidence now that my action has been discontinued.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Lord Chancellor is prepared to take to change the present position whereby, because of regulation 9 of the Legal Advice and Assistance Regulations (No. 2) 1980, legal aid is not available when defendants are outside the United Kingdom, following their extradition; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Legal advice and assistance is restricted to the application of English law. The Lord Chancellor is not contemplating any change.

  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Attorney-General whether legal aid has been available since the House of Lords judgment in the Heysel stadium extradition case, to help English lawyers in their efforts in the United Kingdom to assist Belgian lawyers in their defence of those involved in this case; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No, Sir. Legal aid is not available in respect of proceedings abroad.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Service (Staffing and Conditions)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the staffing and conditions of civil servants with a view to ensuring adequate levels to provide an efficient service to the public.
  417
  Mr. Brooke
  The standards and efficiency of service to the public provided by individual Departments are a matter for the Ministers responsible for those Departments.

  Terms and conditions of service for civil servants, and other matters of personnel management policy determined centrally, are kept under constant review to ensure that they meet the needs of individual Departments and Government as a whole.

  Income Tax
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of reducing the top rate of income tax from 60 per cent. to 50 per cent. and what would be the gain to the Exchequer if personal allowances for those who paid the original rate of 50 per cent. and above were not raised in line with inflation, on income which attracts income tax at that level and above.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The cost of reducing the 55 per cent. and 60 per cent. rates of income tax to 50 per cent. would be £530 million in a full year at 1988–89 levels of income. The cost assumes that 1987–88 personal allowances and tax bands are indexed to 1988–89 levels according to the statutory provisions. The yield from not indexing personal allowances for those liable to rates of 50 per cent. or more under indexation would be about £50 million.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will update his reply of 10 April 1986,Official Report, columns 191–92, to give the tax band table for 1986–87, 1987–88 and his estimate for 1988–89;

  (2) how many people in work or in receipt of unearned income paid (a) no income tax and (b) tax at top rate of (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 55 per cent., (iii) 50 per cent., (iv) 45 per cent., (v) 40 per cent., and (vi) 27 per cent. for the two years ended 1986–87, with estimates for the year ended 1987–88; and what was the total tax yield from each of the above groups for 1986–87.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answers 26 and 27 January 1988]: Information is in the tables. All estimates are provisional. Estimates of the number of taxpayers by marginal rate in 1988–89 are not available.

  Number of tax units (thousands)

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Marginal rate1

  Basic rate2

  19,400

  19,400

  19,700

  40 per cent.

  400

  410

  390

  45 per cent.

  290

  290

  330

  50 per cent.

  160

  170

  210

  55 per cent.

  70

  80

  100

  60 per cent.

  100

  110

  140

  Total higher rate

  1,020

  1,060

  1,170

  Total paying tax

  20,400

  20,500

  20,900

  Total3 not liable to tax

  5,300

  5,500

  5,500

  Income tax liabilities by marginal rate1 of tax unit (£ million)

  1986–87

  Marginal rate1

  Basic rate2

  29,630

  40 per cent.

  2,360

  45 per cent.

  2,220

  50 per cent.

  1,820

  418

  1986–87

  55 per cent.

  1,240

  60 per cent.

  3,800

  Total tax from higher rate tax units

  11,450

  Total tax liabilities

  41,080

  1 The marginal rate is taken as the higher of the marginal rates for married couples making a wife's earnings election.

  2 The basic rates are 30 per cent. for 1985–86, 29 per cent. for 1986–87, and 27 per cent. for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  3 ie the total with earned income or investment income.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost in 1988–89 of increasing mortgage tax relief to £35,000.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The direct revenue cost, in 1987–88 terms, of an increase in the ceiling for mortgage interest relief to £35,000 is estimated to be about £165 million. This estimate makes no allowance for any consequential changes to the distribution of outstanding mortgages. It would be premature to provide an estimate for 1988–89, since the cost will depend on the amounts of mortgage lending and level of interest rates, as well as on the 1988–89 income tax rates and bands.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated saving to the revenue of allowing only one individual to claim tax relief on any mortgage.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I assume that my hon. Friend is interested in the cost of the additional mortgage interest relief which sharers can receive in respect of a shared loan which exceeds £30,000. The direct revenue cost in 1987–88 of this additional relief is estimated to be about £25 million.

  United States Forces
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost to the Exchequer of United States forces in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information on the total cost to the Exchequer is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However the net identifiable public expenditure costs in 1986–87 were as follows:

  £ million

  Host Nation Support

  16·1

  PSA Administrative Expenditure

  25·7

  Rents for Married Quarters

  1·2

  Contributions in lieu of rates

  9·6

  Total

  32·6

  1 These are costs incurred by the United Kingdom in pursuance of its obligations under the Status of Forces Agreements.

  2 These costs reflect the net expenses incurred by PSA in design of buildings, letting contracts, supervising work in progress and consultancy fees.

  Tax Burden
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the direct tax burden has changed for those on below average earnings since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Income tax liabilities of single people and married couples with total income below
  419
  average earnings are £3·4 billion less in 1987–88 than they would be if the 1978–79 tax regime had been retained and indexed for inflation. Average earnings are those for full-time males (all occupations) paid at adult rates and they are estimated at £229·80 per week in 1987–88.

  Foreign Companies
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish details of the additional income brought into charge as a result of the controlled foreign companies legislation introduced in the Finance Act 1984, specifying in each financial year(a) the total acceptable distributions

  Financial year 1985

  Financial year 1986

  Financial year 1987 (to date)

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  (a) The total acceptable distributions paid to United Kingdom residents

  111·57

  181·17

  203·73

  (b) The total number of directions made

  Nil

  9

  16

  (c) The total chargeable profits apportioned and assessed under those directions, excluding those under appeal

  Nil

  2·98

  4·12

  (d)(i) The number of individual controlled foreign companies involved in pursuing acceptable distribution policies

  101

  138

  145

  The number of individual groups involved in pursuing acceptable distribution policies

  48

  77

  69

  (d)(ii)The number of individual controlled foreign companies involved in having directions made on them, including those under appeal

  Nil

  8

  14

  The number of individual groups involved in having directions made on them, including those under appeal

  Nil

  7

  11

  Note: The statistics are on the basis of amounts agreed or determined in each Financial Year, and, in the case of acceptable distributions, as reported by local offices.

  EC Finance Ministers
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he will hold with Finance Ministers of other EEC countries in regard to the framework of his forthcoming Budget.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend consults his counterparts in other EC countries on a range of fiscal and monetary issues. The composition of the Budget is, however, a matter for him alone.

  Tax Offices (Relocation)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from bodies within the county of Durham concerning the relocation of the 21 district tax offices away from London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Inland Revenue has received representations on this subject from Durham county council. The Inland Revenue's plans to relocate the 21 district tax offices—and parts of head office—have their origin in the reluctance of many trained inspectors to accept transfers to the London area. The choice of location for these offices was made only after a careful and thorough consideration of all the options. Operational and personal needs pointed to locations which already had a number of offices with a sufficient core of fully trained inspectors at particular grades.

  Tobacco Tax
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking a substantial 420
  paid to United Kingdom residents, (b) the total number of directions made, (c) the total chargeable profits apportioned and assessed under those directions, excluding those under appeal, and (d) the number of individual controlled foreign companies and individual groups involved in (i) pursuing acceptable distribution policies and (ii) having directions made on them, including those under appeal.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The additional income brought into charge as a result of the controlled foreign companies legislation introduced in the Finance Act 1984 is as follows:

  increase in tobacco tax in the 1988 Budget, in the light of continuing evidence by bodies including the Royal College of Physicians of the dangers to health posed by smoking.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.

  Public Bodies and Corporations
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the public bodies and corporations whose accounts are presented to Parliament each year and the dates on which the accounts were presented in the last 12-month period.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that this information cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

  ECOFIN Council
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Nigel Lawson
  The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 9 February. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council heard and discussed interim reports from the chairmen of the monetary committee and committee of central bank governors on the Commission's proposals to complete the liberalisation of capital movements in the Community. The Council agreed that the committees should complete their final reports to the Council by April and that Council working group discussions should start forthwith.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each of the years 1981–82 to 1985–86 and for the aggregate of these years the number of taxpayers claiming 100 per cent. capital allowances for investment in enterprise zones.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: I regret that this information is not available.

  Tax Fraud
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the number of prosecutions for cases of tax fraud detected in 1979 and 1986–87 for which the amount recovered was(a) under £999, (b) £1,000 to £4,999, (c) £5,000 to £9,999, (d) £10,000 to £24,999, (e) £25,000 to £49,999, (f) £50,000 to £99,999, (g) £100,000 to £499,999, (h) £500,000 to £990,999, (i) £1,000,000 to £1,499,999, (j) £1,500,000 to £1,999,999 and (k) over £2,000,000.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: No records are kept of the total amounts recovered in cases of prosecution for tax fraud. However, the numbers of prosecutions categorised by the amounts of tax due from fraud provable to criminal standards, were:

  1979

  1986–87

  Under £999

  42

  7

  £1,000–£4,999

  46

  20

  £5,000–£9,999

  11

  33

  £10,000–£24,999

  14

  66

  £25,000–£49,999

  7

  50

  £50,000–£99,999

  1

  25

  £100,000–£499,999

  3

  18

  £500,000–£999,999

  —

  —

  £1,000,000–£ 1,499,999

  —

  —

  £1,500,000–£1,999,999

  —

  4

  over £2,000,000

  —

  —

  These figures do not include police prosecutions, for which details of the tax involved are not held by the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total amount of money recovered from those cases of tax fraud in 1986–87 which each individually involved more than £1 million.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The total amount recovered including, where appropriate, interest and penalties was £7,888,255·14.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the number of cases of tax fraud detected in 1979 and 1986–87 for which the amount recovered was(a) under £999, (b) £1,000 to £4,999, (c) £5,000 to £9,999, (d) £10,000 to £24,999, (e) £25,000 to £49,999, (f) £50,000 to £99,999 (g) £100,000 to £499,999, (h) £500,000 to £990,999, (i) £1,000,000 to £1,499,999, (j) £1,500,000, to £1,999,999 and (k) over £2,000,000.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The Inland Revenue do not keep records of the number of investigations opened in any particular year, and the total number of investigations settled within each of the categories stipulated could not be provided except at undue cost.

  Unpaid Tax
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the numbers of taxpayers for whom the ground for non-payment of tax in 1979 and 1986 was(a) that they had gone abroad (b) that they were untraceable.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: The numbers of cases in which tax was irrecoverable in 1979 and 1986 because (a) the taxpayer had gone abroad or (b) the taxpayer was untraceable were:

  Number

  1979

  (a)Gone abroad

  2,491

  (b)Untraceable

  23,680

  1986

  (a)Gone abroad

  2,295

  (b)Untraceable

  49,009

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for 1979 and 1986 the numbers of taxpayers from whom tax was not collected for reasons of going abroad or being untraceable for whom the amount of tax owing exceeded(a) £10,000, (b) £50,000, (c) £100,000, (d) £500,000 and (e) £1,000,000.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: I regret that the detailed information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  PAYE
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases have been detected since 1979 of employers deducting moneys from employees in respect of PAYE and then not passing such payments to the Inland Revenue: and how many prosecutions ensued.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: Where amounts of PAYE deducted have been properly reported to the Inland Revenue by employers but not paid, debt recovery procedures are instituted. Prosecution does not occur in these cases.

  In 1986–87 — the first year for which figures are available — there were 852 detected cases in which deductions made from employees' earnings were not reported to the Revenue. In many of these cases the omissions were simply errors. In cases of negligence or fraud the normal consequence would be money penalties provided for in the Taxes Act. Only in very few instances would the question of criminal proceedings arise. The figures for such proceedings are not recorded separately, and could not be provided except at undue cost.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been expended by his Department on crediting employees with PAYE deductions which had been made by employees but not subsequently passed on to the Inland Revenue..

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: Employees are given credit for all PAYE deductions actually made, whether paid over to the Inland Revenue or not. The total amount of such deductions written off as irrecoverable between 1 November 1979 and 31 October 1986 was £214·7 million.

  Taxation
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each year since 1979(a) the basic rate of income tax and (b) Government revenue from all taxation, adjusted for inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: Following is the information:

  Basic rate of income tax

  Total taxes and national insurance contributions

  (pence per pound)

  (£ billion 1986–87 prices)

  1978–79

  33

  114·1

  1979–80

  30

  121·6

  1980–81

  30

  121·0

  1981–82

  30

  131·4

  1982–83

  30

  132·3

  1983–84

  30

  135·3

  1984–85

  30

  140·9

  1985–86

  30

  143·3

  1986–87

  29

  146·3

  1987–88

  27

  1 152·5

  [revalued at 1986–87 prices using GDP deflator]

  1 As forecast in the 1987 Autumn Statement.

  Sport and Recreation (Tax Exemption)
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the net effect to the Exchequer in the current financial year of giving tax exemption without charitable status to the governing bodies of sport and recreation.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would he the net effect of granting tax exemption without charitable status to the governing bodies of sport and the umbrella representative organisations of such bodies.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answers 11 February 1988]: I regret that this information is not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Persian Gulf
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further developments or action, in application of paragraph 3 of article VIII of the modified Brussels treaty, in geographical areas outside NATO will follow from the concerted action of Western European Union member countries on the Gulf crisis that started in summer 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The action taken by Western European Union member countries in the Gulf is a good example of the practical benefits which appropriate use of the organisation can bring to our security. Further such use of WEU should be considered whenever the right opportunity occurs.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the visit and search of unarmed merchant ships in international waters in the Persian Gulf.
  424
  Mr. Mellor
  Under article 51 of the United Nations charter, a state actively engaged in armed conflict, such as Iran, is entitled in exercise of its inherent right of self-defence to stop and search a foreign merchant ship on the high seas if there is reasonable ground for suspecting that the ship is taking arms to the other side for use in the conflict. This is an exceptional right: if the suspicions prove to be unfounded and if the ship has not committed acts calculated to give rise to suspicion, then the ship's owners have a good claim for compensation for loss caused by the delay.

  USSR
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the main developments in the Soviet Union's external policy which call for a reappraisal of Western European countries' relations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have welcomed the improved atmosphere of East-West relations and practical achievements such as the intermediate nuclear forces treaty. We have also noted signs of a less aggressive Soviet approach in some foreign policy areas. But we shall judge by deeds not words, and are awaiting in particular full Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.

  Atlantic Alliance
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which recent developments in the Atlantic Alliance make it essential to strengthen its European pillar; and what role the Western European Union will play in the organisation of strengthening this pillar.

  Mr. Mellor
  It has long been our objective to strengthen the European pillar of the Alliance. The Western European Union provides a forum for its members to concert a clear and distinctive contribution to the deliberations of the Alliance as a whole.

  Bophuthatswana
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions the South African Government have made representations to him, seeking United Kingdom recognition of Bophuthatswana; by whom such representations were made; and what precise form they took.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such representations in recent years.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to the answer of 5 February, if he will make a statement on the relevance of the history of the people of Bophuthatswana before 1977 to the formulation of United Kingdom policy towards Bophuthatswana.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As I explained in my answer of 8 February, at column 56, our policy is based on the fact that Bophuthatswana was created out of the Republic of South Africa, as a key element in the policy of separate development, to which we are wholly opposed.

  Foreign Ministers Meeting (Lusaka)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government were not represented at a meeting of eight Commonwealth Foreign Ministers in Lusaka on 1 February, to consider and review existing sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom is not one of the eight members of the committee.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on resource assessment work in the Falkland Islands conservation zone.

  Mr. Mellor
  A data collection and biological research survey programme was instituted by the Falkland Islands Government's fisheries department on the establishment of the Falkland Islands interim conservation and management zone on 1 February 1987. The data is analysed with the assistance of the FIG's scientific advisers, the renewable resources assessment group at Imperial college, who submit regular reports.

  Romania
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any requests to make representations to the Romanian Government over the planned and actual destruction of churches and other old monuments in the city of Bucharest; and whether he has made any such representations.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are aware of the strong concern which exists over the destruction of churches and other historic buildings in Bucharest, and over reports of further planned demolitions. My right hon. and learned Friend reflected this concern in his discussions with the Romanian Foreign Minister in London in November 1987.

  EC (Border Controls)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on plans to end border controls in western Europe by 1992.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Single European Act commits member states to work towards completing the single market by the end of 1992. We wish to see obstacles to the legitimate movement across frontiers of people, goods and services reduced as far as possible. This must be done in a way which preserves our ability to take measures to control immigration, combat terrorism, crime and drug trafficking and maintain essential safeguards for human, animal and plant health in accordance with the Single European Act.

  PLO (Training)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will institute an inquiry into the training of militamen from the Palestine Liberation Organisation in battleground communications, provided by Racal Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
  426
  Mr. Mellor
  No. The question of the alleged sale of radio equipment by Racal Ltd. to the Palestine Liberation Organisation in 1981 is currently under investigation, as my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Corporate Affairs told the House on 2 February.

  Northern Ireland (US Visits)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many locally and nationally elected United States politicians have been invited during each of the last 10 years to visit Northern Ireland at public expense; what positions they held; what was the full cost in each case; how many were involved in each party; how many brought their spouses or other relatives; and in those cases, who paid.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The table shows United States politicians who have visited Northern Ireland at the invitation and expense of the United Kingdom Government in each year from 1981 to 1987, and the number of relatives who are recorded as accompanying each one. In none of these cases were the expenses of a relative met by the United Kingdom Government. The total cost of all these visits, including travel between Belfast and London, hotel charges and meals, but excluding Government staff time and transport is estimated (at 1987 prices) at £9,000. It is likely that all the visits formed a part of a wider programme which covered other areas of the United Kingdom. The other information sought in the question is not available.

  1981
  —

  1982
  —

  1983
  The Hon. Thomas Hynes, Assessor of Cook County, Illinois.

  1984
  Mr. Richard Bauman, Member of the Oregon House of Representatives.

  1985
  Lieutenant Governor George Ryan of Illinois (with one relative).

  1986
  —

  1987
  The Hon. Michael Madigan, Speaker, Illinois House of Representatives (with one relative).
  Mr. Jack Kubik, Member, Illinois House of Representatives.
  Senator Royal Bolling, Senator, State of Massachusetts.

  Heysel Stadium
  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foriegn and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made, in the light of the expected duration of the case and the volume of evidence, of the adequacy of legal aid available in Belgium to assist the lawyers acting for the defendants extradited in the Heysel stadium case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Belgium authorities have appointed lawyers to represent the detainees. British legal aid is not available oversees. British consular officers continue to monitor the case closely.

  Hong Kong (Delegations)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the members of each delegation from Hong Kong that has been received by Ministers in his Department since May 1979, giving the dates of each such meeting.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 February 1988]: Ministers have received the following Hong Kong delegations since May 1979:
  October 1979:
  Four members of the Urban Council:

  Mrs. Elsie Elliot

  Mr. Denny Mong-Hua Huang

  Mr. Tsin Sai-Min

  Miss Cecilia Lai-Yin Yeung

  September 1982:
  Five members of the Executive and Legislative Councils:

  Sir S. Y. Cheung

  Mr. R. H. Lobo

  Mr. Li Fook-Wo

  Miss Lydia Dunn

  Mr. Chan Kam-Cheun

  May 1984:
  Delegation comprising:

  Dr. L. K. Ding—Vice President Hong Kong Medical Association

  Mr. Fund Wai-Kwong—Hong Kong Federation of Students

  Mr. Fung Ho-Lup—Society for Community Organisation

  Mr. Ma Kwok-Ming—"Meeting Point"

  Mr. Andrew Tu—Association for the Protection of Public Justice

  Mr. Fung Kin-Kee—Elected Urban Councillor

  Mr. Lee Chik-Yuet—Elected Urban Councillor

  May 1984:
  Eleven members of the Executive and Legislative Councils:

  Sir S. Y. Cheung

  Mr. R. H. Lobo

  Mr. T. S. Lo

  Miss Maria Tam

  Mr. Y. L. Cheung

  Mr. Allen Lee

  Mrs. Selina Chow

  Mr. S. K. C. Cheong

  Mr. Y. L. Chan

  Mr. M. D. Sargent

  Mr. O. V. Cheung

  December 1984:
  Twelve members of the Executive and Legislative Councils:

  Sir S. Y. Cheung

  Miss Lydia Dunn

  Mr. R. H. Lobo

  Mr. Q. W. Lee

  Miss Maria Tam

  Mr. Andrew So

  Mr. Y. L. Cheung

  Mrs. Selina Chow

  Mr. Y. L. Chan

  Mrs. Rita Fan

  Mr. P. Poon

  Mr. Allen Lee

  January 1985:
  Three members of the Executive and Legislative Councils:

  Sir S. Y. Cheung

  Miss Maria Tam

  Mr. P. Wong

  September 1986:
  Ten members of the Executive and Legislative Councils:

  Sir S. Y. Cheung

  Miss Lydia Dunn

  Mr. O. V. Cheung

  Sir M. Sandberg

  Mr. Q. W. Lee

  Mr. S. L. Chen

  428

  Miss Maria Tam

  Mr. Allen Lee

  Mr. Donald Liao

  Mr. E. P. Ho

  January 1988:
  Mr. Martin Lee (member of the Legislative Council)

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Family Planning
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further assistance the Government intend to provide for family planning projects in developing countries.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I am ready to consider requests for assistance with family planning activities from developing country Governments and non-governmental organisations. The projects in India, Kenya and Pakistan listed in the answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Davis) on 26 January at column 130 will include family planning activities.

  In addition, subject to parliamentary approval, in 1988 we will contribute to the following multilateral organisations working in family planning:

  £ million

  (i) International Planned Parenthood Federation

  5·75

  (ii) United Nations Fund for Population Activities

  5·25

  (iii) World Health Organisation Special Programme in Human Reproduction

  2·20

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urgently consider aid to Nicaragua for the expansion of its education and health programmes.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I am not proposing to provide additional Government-to-Government aid to Nicaragua at this time. The European Community provides substantial aid to central America, including Nicaragua.

  Bophuthatswana
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what United Kingdom funds have been directed to projects in Bophuthatswana since 1977–78, expressed in cash terms and real terms and as a percentage increase or decrease on the first year when such funds were so directed.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The figures are as follows. Those for the period before 1982–83 are not readily available. The projects in question are all non-governmental ones.

  Expenditure in cash terms £

  Expenditure in real terms (1987–88 estimated prices) £

  Percentage increase/decrease in real terms on 1983–84 Per cent.

  1982–83

  Nil

  —

  —

  1983–84

  227

  270

  —

  1984–85

  Nil

  —

  -100

  429

  Expenditure in cash terms £

  Expenditure in real terms (1987–88 estimated prices) £

  Percentage increase/decrease in real terms on 1983–84 Per cent.

  1985–86

  2,073

  2,225

  +725

  1986–87

  3,010

  3,138

  +1,063

  1987–88 (forecast)

  18,927

  18,927

  +6,913

  Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list information available to him on the external debt, for the latest available year, for each of the member states of the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Total external debt, including the use of International Monetary Fund credits, outstanding at the end of 1986 for each of the SADCC countries is estimated to have been as follows:

  Country

  $US millions

  Angola

  1,544

  Botswana

  358

  Lesotho

  186

  Malawi

  1,114

  Mozambique

  1,390

  Swaziland

  232

  Tanzania

  3,955

  Zambia

  5,300

  Zimbabwe

  2,480

  Sources: The World Bank World Debt Tables 1987–88, Vol. II, except for Angola and Mozambique for which OECD estimates have been provided.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list information available to him on the repayments of external debt, as a proportion of export earnings, for the latest available year, for each of the member states of the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Debt service payments (excluding those in respect of short term debt but including repayments to the International Monetary Fund) as a proportion of export earnings in 1986 for each of the SADCC countries is estimated to have been as follows:

  Country

  Per cent.

  Angola

  n/a

  Botswana

  5

  Lesotho

  50

  Malawi

  57

  Mozambique

  n/a

  Swaziland

  11

  Tanzania

  25

  Zambia

  38

  Zimbabwe

  29

  Source: World Bank World Debt Tables 1987–1988, Vol. II.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list information available to him on the repayments of external debt, for the latest available year, of each of the member states of the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference.
  430
  Mr. Chris Patten
  Repayments of principal and payments of interest on external debts (excluding short term debt but including repayments to the International Monetary Fund) in 1986 by each of the SADCC countries is estimated to have been as follows:

  Country

  $US millions

  Angola

  n/a

  Botswana

  44

  Lesotho

  14

  Malawi

  132

  Mozambique

  n/a

  Swaziland

  31

  Tanzania

  87

  Zambia

  268

  Zimbabwe

  397

  Source: The World Bank World Debt Tables, 1987–1988, Vol. II.

  Population Projects
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many requests for assistance with population projects or projects with a population component were received in January.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  None.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total expenditure on population projects or projects with a population component in 1987.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Figures for total expenditure on bilateral projects financed during 1987 are not yet available. Contributions to multilateral population programmes in 1987 totalled E13·2 million.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Derbyshire (Bids)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply of 3 February,Official Report, column 624, if he will publish figures for the bids by Derbyshire county council; and what percentage this represents of the allowed capital expenditure on education.

  Mr. Dunn
  The information requested for the years 1981–82 to 1988–89 is set out in tables 1 and 2. Before 1981–82, local education authorities did not receive block allocations but were notified annually, in the context of a rolling programme, of a limit on the value of building starts in the following year.

  The allocation in respect of prescribed expenditure does not represent my right hon. Friend's view of what an authority's capital expenditure on education should be. Authorities may use spending power from capital receipts and other flexibilities in the capital control system to supplement the allocations.
  431

  Table 1: Plans for and Allocations of Prescribed Capital Expenditure 1981–82—1988–89

  Year

  Derbyshire's Plans (Cash Prices)

  Derbyshire's Allocation2

  Allocation as per cent, of Plans

  £

  £

  1988–89

  15,025,000

  10,777,000

  72

  1987–88

  20,028,000

  9,036,000

  45

  1986–87

  13,942,000

  7,202,000

  52

  1985–86

  10,794,000

  7,239,000

  67

  1984–85

  9,885,000

  6,546,000

  66

  1983–841

  —

  6,848,710

  n.a.

  1982–831

  —

  8,490,005

  n.a.

  1981–821

  —

  8,750,830

  n.a.

  1 Cash plans were not requested in these years.

  2 The allocations shown are those announced before the start of the financial year.

  Table 2: Plans for and Allocations for Capital Expenditure by Governors of Aided Schools, 1981–82—1988–89 in Derbyshire

  Year

  Governors Plans for the Area of Derbyshire

  Allocation3

  Allocation as per cent, of Plans

  £

  £

  1988–89

  1,580,000

  1,155,000

  73

  1987–88

  900,000

  685,000

  76

  1986–87

  665,000

  190,000

  29

  1985–86

  455,000

  375,000

  82

  1984–85

  475,000

  225,000

  47

  1983–841

  215,000

  310,000

  144

  1982–831

  693,000

  576,000

  83

  1981–822

  —

  —

  —

  1 The planned expenditure relates to new projects only but the allocations included allowances for on-going projects.

  2 Allocations for 1981–82 were made on a different basis from those for later years and have therefore been omitted.

  3 The allocations shown are those announced before the start of the financial year in question and do not include subsequent revisions. Allocations made may be greater than the planned expenditure shown in the table. The information provided on bids was sometimes incomplete and compensatory adjustments were made to allocations.

  Medical Students
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the number of (a) women and (b) men students in all medical schools accepted for pre-clinical study in 1958, 1968, 1978 and 1988.

  Mr. Jackson
  The intake of pre-clinical medical students to United Kingdom medical schools is shown in the following table. 1960 is the first year for which information was collected.

  Academic year starting in

  1960

  1968

  1978

  11987

  Men

  1,528

  2,076

  2,480

  2,246

  Women

  492

  721

  1,499

  1,874

  1 Provisional.

  University Grants
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish tables showing(a) the volume of University Grants Committee grants to each university in Britain for each year since 1979–80, including planned expenditure to 1990–91, at constant 1987 prices and (b) the overall value of these grants at
  432
  1987 prices for each year since 1979–80, including planned expenditure to 1990–91, to (i) Scottish institutions, (ii) Welsh institutions, (iii) English institutions and (iv) British institutions as a whole; and if he will express as a percentage the change in real terms of these grants to (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) between 1979–80 and 1990–91, and 1987–88 and 1990–91;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1979–80 to 1990–91 the value of Government grants to each university in Britain.

  Mr. Jackson
  For 1979–80, I refer the hon. Member to table 41 of "Statistics of Education 1979 Universities Vol. 6", and for 1980–81 to 1985–86 to table 3 of the respective annual editions of "University Statistics Volume 3 Finance". Copies of these documents are available in the Library. Comparable information is not available for later years. The figures may be converted to constant prices on an academic year basis by taking account of the following gross domestic product deflators:

  Year

  1979–80

  60·780

  1980–81

  69·625

  1981–82

  75·673

  1982–83

  80·309

  1983–84

  83·988

  1984–85

  88·275

  1985–86

  92·475

  1986–87

  95·825

  1987–88

  100·000

  Student Grants
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provisions he has made for the financial value of student grants to increase so that they will take into account students(a) liability for payment of the poll tax and (b) loss of housing benefit entitlement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Students' liability to pay the community charge, and eligibility to receive housing benefit, are among the many matters which will be taken into account in reaching decisions on future levels of student support from public funds. The main rates of grant for the 1988–89 academic year have already been announced, at column 759 on 18 December 1987.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the student financial support review to report.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he now expects to publish the student financial support review.

  Mr. Jackson
  The work of the student support review is expected to be completed by the middle of this year.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate for each year since 1977 the value of the maximum student grant, outside London, at constant 1987 prices.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is as follows:
  433

  Academic Year

  "Elsewhere" rate of grant in constant (1987–88) prices

  1977–78

  2,271

  1978–79

  2,294

  1979–80

  2,230

  1980–81

  2,210

  1981–82

  2,130

  1982–83

  2,063

  1983–84

  2,042

  1984–85

  2,017

  1985–86

  1,964

  1986–87

  1,980

  1987–88

  1,972

  Notes:

  1. Repricing is based on the RPI for September each year.

  2. For the years 1977–78 to 1983–84 an adjustment has been made to take account of revised arrangements for travel expenses introduced in 1984–85.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to compensate students through increases in their grant for(a) their loss of housing benefit and (b) their liability for at least 20 per cent. of the poll tax.

  Mr. Jackson
  All prospective changes in students' financial circumstances will be taken into account in determining future levels of student support.

  ILEA
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what specific measures he will undertake to safeguard the standard of provision of nursery education in inner London, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority;

  (2) what specific measures he will undertake to safeguard the standard of provision of adult education in inner London, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority;

  (3) what specific measures he will undertake to safeguard the standard of provision of education for children with special needs in inner London, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority;

  (4) what specific measures he will undertake to safeguard the standard of provision of the youth service in inner London, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  Under the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 4 February, each Inner London council will become the local education authority for its own area. Councils will be required to publish in 1989 development plans setting out the service they expect to provide from April 1990. The Government will issue guidance on the subjects to be covered by these plans, which will include nursery education, provision for children with special educational needs, adult education and the youth service.

  My right hon. Friend also explained that the Department of Education and Science will be discussing, with the Inner London councils, which services, if any, might be better provided by formal or informal cooperative arrangements.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Liaison Committees
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the frequency of meetings of police liaison committees; and if he will list(a) the 10 committees that meet most frequently and (b) the 10 committees that meet least often.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In accordance with section 106 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the arrangements made in each police area for obtaining the views of the community on policing are the responsibility of individual police authorities, or, in the Metropolitan police district, the Commissioners of Police. I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of times the police liaison committee has met on the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the police liaison committee for the Isle of Wight met five times in 1986 and once in 1987.

  Football Games (Arrests)
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made at or around English Football League grounds in the current season.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  2,297 up to 31 October, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Child Murder
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the numbers of(a) homicides made known to the police in each of the past 10 years which involved the death of a child under 16 years of age and over the age of one year, and (b) infanticides made known to the police in the past 10 years, indicating the numbers of such cases where the child or infant was sexually abused.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information is published in chapter 4, "Homicide", of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1986", Cm. 233, copies of which are in the Library.

  Remand Prisoners (Police Cells)
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many juveniles have spent time on remand, or convicted, in police cells in the last six months, and how many of those were removed from the region in which they appeared in court in order to be held in police cells;

  (2) how many 17 to 20-year-olds have spent time on remand, or convicted, in police cells in the last six months; and how many of these were removed from the region in which they appeared in court in order to be held in police cells.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information is not available in the form requested. Records do not distinguish between juveniles and other under-21s or between convicted and
  435
  unconvicted prisoners. The available information relates to persons aged under 21 years held in police cells in England and Wales on any day. The following table lists this information for each Friday between 7 August 1987 and 5 February this year:

  Date

  Number

  7 August

  86

  14 August

  77

  21 August

  41

  28 August

  16

  4 September

  179

  11 September

  213

  18 September

  190

  25 September

  193

  2 October

  272

  9 October

  272

  16 October

  249

  23 October

  273

  30 October

  181

  6 November

  203

  13 November

  203

  20 November

  152

  27 November

  201

  4 December

  238

  11 December

  218

  18 December

  213

  25 December

  179

  1 January

  216

  8 January

  255

  15 January

  257

  22 January

  238

  29 January

  247

  5 February

  236

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will authorise Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons to carry out an investigation into the situation in police cells which are regularly used for the detention of prisoners on remand; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The role of the Chief Inspector of Prisons is to report on prison matters, whereas care and custody of prioners in police cells are the responsibility of chief officers of police.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners on remand were being detained in police cells on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On Friday 12 February, 985 prisoners were held in police cells, in England and Wales, most of whom would have been on remand.

  Hampshire Constabulary
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Hampshire police authority, or other interested parties, about increasing the establishment of the Hampshire constabulary.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Hampshire police authority sought an increase in its force establishment of 23 posts in 1987–88. Representations in support of the application have been received from a number of my hon. Friends whose constituencies lie within the force area and from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley).
  436
  My right hon. Friend was unable to approve the application for 1987–88 but the authority has been informed that further consideration will be given to it in 1988–89.

  Nuclear Power Stations (Fires)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances have occurred since 1979 where access to a nuclear power station has been denied to fire officers when a known fire has taken place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Question from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) on 22 January at column 869.

  Charity Law
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the reform of the law on charities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend announced on 21 January, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown), at column 1089, that the Government intend to bring forward legislation to implement the recommendations of Sir Philip Woodfield's efficiency scrutiny for the supervision of charities.

  Police Ancillary Services (Privatisation)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what ancillary services to the Metropolitan police have been privatised since 1979.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the following services have been contracted out in whole or in part since 1979, although a few may have been contracted out to some extent before then:

  vehicle servicing and repairs

  boat and aircraft repairs

  radio repairs

  vehicle wheelclamping

  design and organisation of building works

  design and installation of electrical, mechanical and public health services in buildings

  maintenance, alterations and improvements to buildings quantity surveying

  cleaning of buildings

  laundering

  security of buildings

  computer services

  publishing and bookbinding

  recovery of vehicles

  From 15 February 1988, the removal of storage of illegally parked vehicles in three areas of London will also be contracted out.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department if he will set up an independent review body to examine evidence in relation to the Birmingham pub bombings that was inadmissible before the Court of Appeal.

  Mr. Hurd
  No. The Court of Appeal has carefully reviewed the convictions in this case and has concluded that they are safe. I am not aware of any evidence which
  437
  the court was unable to consider and which merits further inquiry. In particular, having studied reports of what the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) has said to my hon. and learned Friend, the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), to Home Office officials and to the police, I have found no grounds for further action on the basis of his statements.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received from residents of the London borough of Tower Hamlets in the last two years; and what were their subject matters.

  Mr. Hurd
  Correspondence is not recorded in a way which enables this information to be obtained.

  Palestine Liberation Organisation (Training)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what basis his Department gave permission for the entry of members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to be trained at Racal training college, Heckfield place;

  (2) when applications were made by members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to enter the United Kingdom for the purpose of training in battlefield communications by Racal Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Without full particulars of the individuals concerned we have been unable to trace these applications, which were apparently made some years ago.

  Leicester (Officials' Visit)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the purpose of the visit by his Department's officials to Leicester on 16 February; what are(a) the names of the officials concerned; (b) the criteria used to select those organisations attending the meeting and (c) the names of the other cities to be visited in similar fashion; why hon. Members for Leicester have not been informed of the visits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  As is the normal practice, I wrote to the hon. Members for Leicester on 11 February notifying them and explaining the purpose of the visit by officials from the immigration and nationality department to Leicester on 16 February. The officials concerned are Mr. R. M. Morris; Mr. R. Fries; Mr. G. Treadwell; Mr. R. Weekes; and Mr. B. Leslie. Leicester county council was responsible for issuing invitations, but the meeting is open to the public. Similar visits have been made to Birmingham and Blackburn, and one to Haringey is also planned.

  Wedding (Prison)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Sister Sarah Clarke has been denied permission to attend the wedding of Paul Hill and Marian Sarah Seravalli at Her Majesty's prison Long Largin on 12 February.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Sister Clarke is not on Mr. Hill's list of approved visitors and the decision to deny her 438
  permission to attend the wedding ceremony was made in accordance with the rules governing visits to category A prisoners.

  Immigration
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what proportion of cases in which he received a recommendation from the appellate authorities in respect of individuals appealing against refusal to vary leave to remain in the United Kingdom, the adjudicators have(a) refused to hear or consider compassionate grounds and (b) made no recommendation that he should exercise his discretion to consider compassionate grounds;

  (2) how many recommendations he has received from the appellate authorities in respect of individuals appealing against refusal to vary leave to remain in the United Kingdom during each of the last three years; in how many of those cases the adjudicator recommended that he should consider compassionate circumstances; and in how many of those cases he did exercise discretion on compassionate circumstances.

  Mr. Renton
  No central record of these recommendations is held.

  Prisons
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on prison overcrowding.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On Friday 12 February, nearly 48,700 prisoners were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. They were held in accommodation designed for 42,400. A further 985 prisoners were held in police cells, and the total population was some 1,500 higher than a year ago. We are tackling the rapid population increase by measures designed to reduce demand by building up convincing alternatives to custodial sentences and remands in custody, and by increasing the supply of prison places. Our building programme will deliver four new prisons this year.

  Heysel Stadium
  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to grant financial aid to the lawyers who are assisting the Belgian lawyers defending those involved in the Heysel stadium case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  There is no provision for such expenditure. On the question whether legal aid could be available for this case, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question being given today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

  Dr. Frank Skuse
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of Dr. Skuse's evidence before the Court of Appeal, he will give the data of the first recorded expression of doubt about Dr. Skuse's competence; and what form it took.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is not the practice to disclose details of this nature about individual members of staff.
  439
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in which Dr. Frank Skuse gave evidence as a Home Office forensic scientist the defendant entered a not guilty plea.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The forensic science service does not keep records of the pleas entered by defendants in cases which it investigates.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of cases, year by year, in which Dr. Frank Skuse gave evidence as a Home Office forensic scientist.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The information is not available in the form requested.

  Dr. Alan Clift
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the dates when Dr. Alan Clift worked at his Department's forensic science laboratory at Chorley.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Dr. Clift worked at the forensic science laboratory at Chorley, formerly located at Preston, from 1 January 1955 until 28 June 1974.

  Fixed Penalty Fines
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the total number of foreign offenders imprisoned for each of the last five years; and if he will express the figures as a percentage of(a) the total number of prisoners and (b) the total number of foreign prisoners imprisoned for road traffic offences;

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

  Dr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 February and 8 February 1988]It is regretted that the figures given in the reply were inaccurate. The correct information requested appears in the following table:

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

  Number of persons

  Citizenship

  Motoring

  Other

  All

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

  10,010

  74,910

  84,920

  Other Foreign nationalities

  90

  930

  1,020

  of which:

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  1

  —

  —

  France

  1

  —

  —

  German Federal Republic

  13

  —

  —

  Greece

  3

  —

  —

  Holland

  1

  —

  —

  Hungary

  3

  —

  —

  Italy

  8

  —

  —

  Poland

  6

  —

  —

  Spain

  2

  —

  —

  Other Europe

  10

  —

  —

  440

  Citizenship

  Motoring

  Other

  All

  United States of America

  9

  —

  —

  South Africa

  3

  —

  —

  Burma

  2

  —

  —

  Peoples' Republic of China

  1

  —

  —

  Iran

  4

  —

  —

  Israel

  1

  —

  —

  Turkey

  5

  —

  —

  USSR

  1

  —

  —

  Rest of the World

  12

  —

  —

  Not recorded

  50

  170

  210

  All

  10,140

  76,010

  86,150

  1Including fine defaulters. Based on records held centrally NN hich are approximate.

  Royal Observer Corps
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures for the number of persons currently enrolled in and for the numbers of persons entering and leaving the Royal Observer Corps in each of the years 1979 to 1987; and whether the shortage of personnel is affecting the Royal Observer Corps' ability to perform its operational role.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department. The total strength of the Royal Observer Corps as at 31 December 1987 was 10,404. The numbers of persons entering and leaving the corps in each of the years 1979 to 1987 are as follows. There is no evidence to suggest that the current shortfall is having a serious effect on the corps' ability to perform its operational role, although effort continues to he put in to the recruitment of spare-time observers.

  Year

  Entering

  Leaving

  1979

  1,223

  1,364

  1980

  2,193

  1,260

  1981

  1,943

  1,535

  1982

  1,617

  1,588

  1983

  1,434

  1,747

  1984

  1,567

  1,636

  1985

  1,334

  1,454

  1986

  1,278

  1,585

  1987

  1,399

  1,542

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Discrimination
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of alleged discrimination have come before the courts in the last five years; and what was the decision on each case, listing the organisations involved.

  Mr. Viggers
  Twenty-one appeals against findings by the Fair Employment Agency, concerning discrimination on grounds of religious or political belief under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976, have come before the courts in Northern Ireland within the five years ending 31 January 1988. These are as follows, together with the decision where known. The decision in every case cannot be obtained without disproportionate effort and cost.
  441

  Table 1

  Appeals to County Court under section 28(3) of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976

  Date appeal lodged

  Complainant

  Respondent organization

  Outcome of appeal

  April 1984

  Stoneman

  v

  Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway

  Not known

  July 1984

  McLaughlin

  v

  Department of the Environment

  Dismissed

  October 1984

  Sterritt

  v

  F. A. Wellworth Co. Ltd.

  Dismissed

  February 1985

  Timoney

  v

  University of Ulster

  Withdrawn

  January 1985

  Wilson

  v

  Anglo Irish Meats

  Allowed

  May 1985

  King

  v

  Eastern Health Board (2 cases)

  Not known

  November 1985

  Boyle

  v

  Short Brothers plc

  Dismissed

  April 1986

  Carlin

  v

  NI Postal Board

  Dismissed

  April 1987

  McFetridge

  v

  Cookstown Community Project

  Not known

  July 1987

  Herald

  v

  Harland and Wolff

  Not known

  November 1987

  Brewster

  v

  Western Education and Library Board

  Not known

  Appeals to County Court by respondents under section 28(2) of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976: from 1983

  Date appeal lodged

  Organisation involved

  Outcome of appeal

  January 1983

  Maghera High School Management Committee

  Settled at court

  December 1984

  Southern Health and Social Services Board (2 cases)

  Allowed

  April 1985

  Northern Ireland Electricity Service

  Allowed

  April 1985

  Derry City Council

  Allowed

  February 1986

  Department of Environment (NI)

  Allowed

  November 1986

  The Village Inn (2 cases)

  Dismissed

  May 1987

  Ministry of Defence

  Dismissed

  Murders
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many murders were committed in the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone in each year since 1970; what information he has as to how many of these murders have been committed by the Irish Republican Army; and for how many there have been convictions;

  (2) how many murders were committed in each county in Northern Ireland in each year since 1970; what information he has as to how many of these murders have been committed by the Irish Republican Army;and for how many there have been convictions;

  (3) how many murders were committed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1970; what information he has as to how many of these murders have been committed by the Irish Republican Army; and for how many there have been convictions.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  London City Action Team
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will describe the remit, record of activity, and objectives of the London City Action Team.

  Mr. Atkins
  The city action teams, set up in April 1985, bring together my Department, the Department of Employment and the Department of the Environment. These are the Departments most responsible for boosting business confidence and development, improving training 442
  and the built environment, and encouraging small businesses. The teams co-ordinate Government programmes, which, for example in the Inner London partnership authorities of Hackney, Islington and Lambeth are estimated to amount to over £300 million of expenditure this year. They target those programmes more effectively on the needs of the inner city. They also aim to encourage private sector action for cities and investment in them.

  Particular objectives of the London team are to encourage enterprise, promote tourism and address employment difficulties covered by the mismatch between demand and the availability of jobs and skills. Since April 1987, the team has had an extra £1 million to help meet these aims, especially through joint projects with the private sector, for example through two local purchasing initiatives in south, north and east London in association with the south London business initiative and Business in the Community. The team's contribution of £82,000 is matched by £85,000 from the private sector; by contributing around £89,000 for a mobile training and technology unit for small clothing firms in the east end and elsewhere in association with private support of at least £75,000; by supporting a multi-purpose training centre in Lewisham designed to help reduce the mismatch of skills and job opportunities in London. The team is contributing £55,000 alongside private sector support from TEAM Greyfriars Ltd of £87,000.

  I am satisfied that the team is working well, meeting its objectives and making London a better place in which to live and work.

  Retail Sales
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his estimate, taking into account the relevant figures for December 1987, of the rate at which retail sales are rising on an annual basis; and what was the figure a year earlier.

  Mr. Butcher
  The final estimate of the annual rise in the volume of retail sales in 1987 was 5·8 per cent; the corresponding figure a year earlier was 5·4 per cent.

  ECGD (Tender to Contract Scheme)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will review the Export Credits Guarantee Department tender to contract scheme, in view
  443
  of the rates and conditions offered by the foreign exchange market for currency options and the minimal take-up rate for the scheme in the past three years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The tender to contract scheme has been reviewed twice in recent years. In view of the heavy losses incurred under the scheme in 1984 premium rates were raised, the minimum contract value was increased to £10 million and it became a requirement that applicants should demonstrate a genuine need to commit a firm foreign currency tender. Although the reduction in applications is probably partly due to these changes, it also reflects the worldwide decline in project business.

  Following a further comprehensive review in 1986, I concluded that the scheme could still play a useful role in helping exporters compete for new business and that experience indicated that the terms of the scheme were sound if the remit to contain costs was to be met. That remit was endorsed by the Committee of Public Accounts in its second report for the 1987–88 Session which followed the transfer of the scheme to the public expenditure account. However to meet a major criticism of exporters, from 1 April 1987 the non-refundable initial premium paid when cover is issued was halved.

  The scheme is a minor one supplementing the protection available from the foreign exchange market and of some value to British exporters. However, it is important to continue to contain potential claims on public expenditure. In view of this, I do not consider that a further review should be carried out, although of course the scheme will continue to be monitored.

  British Telecom
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will refer to the Director General of Oftel British Telecom's practice of supplying subscribers' names, addresses and telephone numbers to other companies for use in unsolicited mail and telephone calls; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Director General of Telecommunications has a duty under section 49 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 to consider any matter which relates to telecommunication services or apparatus which is the subject of a representation by or on behalf of a person who has an interest in that matter. The director general will consider the hon. Member's question and write to him.

  Consumer Credit Act 1974
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek to amend the Consumer Credit Act 1974 so as to stop the practice whereby files supplied by a credit reference agency under section 184(1) of the Act may in some circumstances include information about people other than the particular consumer involved.

  Mr. Maude
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to section 158(1) of the Consumer Credit Act. I have no plans to change this provision of the Act. I am aware, however, of the concern about certain commercial practices of credit reference agencies. The Director General of Fair Trading has a statutory responsibility in this area, and I know that he is considering this issue.

  Airbus
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, columns 608–10, if in his recent talks with British Aerospace he discussed possible Government subsidies to compensate the company for losses incurred on Airbus in consequence of dollar rate fluctuations: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have nothing to add to the answer which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave the hon. Member on 2 February 1988 at column 608 about his recent talks with British Aerospace.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy on the proposal of the continental partners of Airbus that subsidies should be given to Airbus Industrie to compensate for fluctuations in the dollar; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am not aware of such a proposal.

  Member's Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why information contained in a press release from his Department dated 1 February could not be given in answer to parliamentary questions from the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on Monday 8 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The hon. Member's questions of 8 February, at column 148, referred to the appointment of underwriters, an advertising agency and stockbrokers. My replies explained that Rowe and Pitman Ltd had been appointed stockbroking advisers for the flotation, but that no decisions had yet been taken on underwriting or advertising. This remains the position.

  My Department's press release of 1 February related to the appointment of merchant bank advisers, stock brokers and reporting accountants. Had the hon. Member asked in his questions of 8 February about merchant bank advisers or reporting accountants, I would have been pleased to give him that information.

  Rover Group (Job Vetting)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will call for a report from the chairman of the Rover Group on the vetting of job applicants in conjunction with the Economic League; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 11 February at column 307.

DEFENCE

  AWRE Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 163, what is the current full establishment of AWRE Aldermaston; and what is the current complement of staff.
  445
  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not our practice to disclose the numbers of staff employed on the nuclear warhead programme.

  Service Personnel (Medical Treatment)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers are currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy for depression.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no case currently being treated by the Army medical services.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers who have applied to leave Her Majesty's forces over the past 12 months have been found to be suffering from depression and received medical treatment as a result.

  Mr. Freeman
  No cases of depression have been found specifically as a result of soldiers applying to leave the Army over the past 12 months. However, within that period there have been 13 cases of soldiers in service being found to be suffering from severe depression who were subsequently medically discharged following counselling and treatment.

  Date

  Greater London

  Rest of England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  1 January 1980

  29,763·0

  154,087·0

  7,363·5

  19,467·5

  3,231·0

  1 January 1981

  27,742·5

  147,504·0

  7,514·5

  19,292·5

  3,086·5

  1 January 1982

  26,694·5

  140,339·0

  7,222·5

  18,655·5

  2,946·5

  1 January 1983

  25,074·5

  132,877·0

  7,059·5

  18,335·0

  2,825·0

  1 January 1984

  24,721·5

  126,221·0

  6,834·0

  18,594·0

  2,760·5

  1 January 1985

  22,332·0

  120,922·0

  6,631·0

  18,398·5

  2,708·5

  1 January 1986

  21,090·5

  117,966·0

  6,338·0

  18,032·5

  2,693·0

  1 January 1987

  20,373·0

  114,038·0

  6,137·5

  18,130·5

  2,621·0

  1 January 1988

  19,268·5

  99,518·0

  5,759·5

  12,268·0

  2,618·0

  For the purposes of consistency and comparability the above figures exclude personnel employed at royal ordnance factories, which changed to independent Companies Act status on 2 January 1985.

  Some 10,800 of the reduction in numbers in the rest of England between January 1987 and January 1988 was due to the transfer of royal dockyard staff to commercial management on 6 April 1987, and some 5,700 of the reduction in Scotland between the same dates was due to the similar transfer of Royal Dockyard Rosyth staff.

  Diego Garcia
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military facilities available to the United States armed forces on Diego Garcia.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The United States Government operate a United States navy support facility on Diego Garcia, in accordance with the provisions of the 1976 Exchange of Notes, Cmnd. 6413.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of(a) United States personnel and (b) United States aircraft based on Diego Garcia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There has been no material change in the numbers of United States service personnel on Diego Garcia since the reply of my right hon. Friend the Member

  Thames House, Millbank
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to locate any unit of his Department in Thames house, Millbank.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 20 January 1988, at column 764.

  Civil Servants (Numbers)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give for each year since 1980 the number of civil servants employed by his Department, excluding those employed on construction, in(a) Greater London, (b) England excluding Greater London, (c) Wales, (d) Scotland and (e) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not possible to distinguish Ministry of Defence employees employed on construction, but the number of full-time equivalent civilian staff, excluding casual staff, employed on January for each year since 1980 was as follows:

  for Tonbridge and Mailing (Mr. Stanley) to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 19 January 1987 at column 452. As for the deployment of United States military resources, it is not our usual practice to comment on details.

  Merchant Ships (Hong Kong)
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what date Hong Kong-registered merchant ships were added to the list of those ships covered by the information and notification and accompaniment system applied in the Persian Gulf.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The Armilla patrol has been accompanying merchant ships since early 1987. Hong Kong and dependent territory registered merchant ships have been eligible for protection from the Armilla patrol ever since it was established in 1980.

  Ships (Lost Components)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each occasion since 1979 on which large components or prefabricated sections of ships being built under contract for his Department have been lost at sea and at what locations; what was the total cost of the losses; how much was recovered from the contractors; and if he will make a statement.
  447
  Mr. Sainsbury
  There have been no previous losses at sea since 1979 of large components or prefabricated sections of ships being built under contract for the MOD.

  Trident Submarine
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of the loss of the bow section of a Trident submarine off the Mull of Galloway on 5 February; what discussions have taken place with the relevant contractors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The MOD has informed the company dealing with a shipment due next week of the importance of giving careful attention to the shipping arrangements. In the longer term, recommendations from the inquiries into the recent incident will be taken up, as appropriate.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the implications for the timing and cost of the Trident programme of the loss at sea on 5 February of the bow section of a Trident submarine; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which the bow section of a Trident submarine rolled off the deck of the ship transporting it from Glasgow to Barrow-in-Furness on 5 February; whether any casualties were involved; if he will give the precise location of the bow section; at what depth of water it is lying; what steps will be taken to mark the spot; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will order an immediate inquiry into the loss of the how section of a Trident submarine off the Mull of Galloway on 5 February; if there are any penalty clauses in the contract with the fabricator which can be invoked in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what estimate is available to him of the value of the how section of a Trident submarine lost off the Mull of Galloway on 5 February; what attempts will be made to salvage this item and at whose expense; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what is his assessment of the risk of the Trident bow section lost at sea on 5 February falling into the hands of a hostile foreign power; what steps his Department is taking to avert this risk; what resources are being devoted to this task; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what assessment he has made of the risk posed to other sea traffic by (a) the presence off the Mull of Galloway of an unsecured Trident bow section and (b) his Department's attempts to recover it or prevent it falling into unauthorised hands; and if he will make a statement;

  (7) what steps his Department has taken to warn (a) fishing vessels and (b) other marine craft of the presence off the Mull of Galloway of an unsecured Trident bow section; whether other vessels will be informed of the precise location of the item; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The loss of a forward dome structure for a Vanguard class submarine occurred on 5 February off the coast of South Galloway whilst it was being transferred from the Clyde to Barrow on the cargo vessel "Skellig Rock". The item, valued at some £⅓ million, is in a water depth of 55 m.

  Later on that same voyage, on 6 February, more sections of Vanguard class submarine structure were lost
  448
  overboard near Walney Island. These items also valued at some £⅓ million, are in a water depth of 16 m. We have had no notification of any casualties involved in these incidents.

  The detailed circumstances of these incidents are the subject of inquiries currently being undertaken by the Shipbuilder (VSEL) and the sub-contractor (Motherwell Bridge Engineering). My Department is represented at these inquiries, which will be additional to the insurers' inquiries. There is a liquidated damages clause in the contract with the fabricators (MBE).

  The consequences of these incidents are a matter for the shipbuilder and his sub-contractor to make good. Our present view is that there will be no effect on the overall United Kingdom Trident programme.

  Attempts will be made to recover all the lost items; however, no estimate of the expense to the parties concerned of such salvage is available at present. In the meantime, Hydrographer has issued the appropriate warnings to shipping and the coastguard is aware of the incidents. Neither location has been marked, but Motherwell Bridge Engineering has been formally requested to provide picket boat surveillance over the forward dome structure whilst the coastguard is keeping watch over the other items.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to monitor the arrangements for transporting components and prefabricated sections for the Trident submarines; whether any representative of his Department accompanies such cargoes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department is not required to approve the transport arrangements, as these are the responsibility of the shipbuilder and his sub-contractor.

  Binary Munitions (NATO)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to the answer,Official Report, 26 January, column 186, the new binary munitions will be assigned for use by NATO.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  No.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer,Official Report, 26 January, column 165, the new United States binary chemical weapons will also remain solely for the use of the United States forces.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Yes.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his United States counterpart to discuss chemical weapons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member on 26 January 1988 at column 164.

  Armilla Patrol
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are laid down on the ownership of British foreign-flagged ships to qualify them for accompaniment by the Armilla patrol in the Persian Gulf.
  449
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 1 February 1988 at column 445.

  Maintenance and Affiliation Orders
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average time the Army Board of the Defence Councils takes to deal with an appeal under section 180 of the Army Act 1955.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: Typically, the time taken from submission to the conclusion of an appeal varies between three to six months depending on the complexity of the case, and the amount of preparatory work which needs to be done before presentation to the Army Board.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Staff (Clocking-on)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff of the House(a) are and (b) are not obliged to clock on for work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  Two hundred and twenty two staff of the House are required to clock on for work and 695 are not required to do so. The former are industrial staff employed in the Refreshment Department. The requirement for these staff to clock on reflects the provisions of the House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978 under which conditions of staff of the House are kept broadly in line with those in the Civil Service, where industrial staff are required to record their hours of work. It also facilitates the calculation of overtime pay for those staff who are required to work shifts and who have varied starting and finishing times.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, when clocking-on for Refreshment Department staff was first introduced; under what conditions as to its duration; and if he has any plans to end the practice.

  Mr. Beith
  Clocking-on for industrial staff in the Refreshment Department was introduced as a permanent arrangement in 1967 on the advice of a consultant engaged by the Department. The old system of clock cards was discontinued in the latter part of 1986 and replaced, after consultation with the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), by a modern electronic system. When the system was first introduced there was no official trade union representation in the Refreshment Department. Consultation did take place, however, when the system was upgraded in 1986. After allowing a settling-in period in which to gain experience, it was decided to review the system. A consultant has been engaged, through the CCTA, who will report to management. The future of the present system will then be considered.

  Visitors
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the last review of the procedures for allocating 450
  tickets, special permits and guides for parties of visitors to the House took place; and if he will make a statement on the streamlining of current procedures.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Arrangements for Members' parties on the line of route were last reviewed by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee in January 1987. If the hon. Gentleman has any particular points to raise, I suggest that in the first instance he should write to the Serjeant at Arms.

TRANSPORT

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 1987,Official Report, column 421, he will estimate the percentage rise in tolls on the Severn bridge to achieve the objective laid down in the Severn Bridge Tolls Act 1965 should any rise be deferred for (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  On the basis of assumptions contained in my reply of 29 January, at columns 403–4, current projections indicate (a) 90 per cent., (b) 100 per cent., and (c) 140 per cent.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, columns 403–4, his projections of the required level of tolls increase at the Severn bridge to achieve the objectives of the Severn Bridge Tolls Act 1965 take into account the effect of a second Severn bridge on traffic flows over the original bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No.

  Highway Maintenance
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the information on local authority expenditure on highway maintenance given in his reply to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson),Official Report, 27 January, columns 260–2, included expenditure on public rights of way; and if he will list for each shire county for the years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87, the expenditure on maintenance of rights of way.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Expenditure on the maintenance of public rights of way will generally be included as part of local highway authorities' total expenditure on highway maintenance. Figures are available only for expenditure on the maintenance of "footways, cycle tracks and other rights of way" by shire counties in 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87. These are shown in the following table. No further disaggregation of these figures is possible.

  Local authority highway maintenance expenditure Footways, Cycle tracks and other rights of way

  £ million

  County

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Avon

  3·101

  3·115

  3·311

  Bedfordshire

  0·696

  0·783

  0·752

  Berkshire

  0·920

  1·152

  1·350

  Buckinghamshire

  1·711

  2·000

  1·956

  Cambridgeshire

  1·058

  0·646

  1·606

  Cheshire

  1·646

  2·411

  2·467

  Cleveland

  1·048

  0·347

  0·355

  451

  County

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Cornwall

  1·485

  1·303

  1·850

  Cumbria

  0·953

  0·303

  0·945

  Derbyshire

  1 941

  2·017

  2·548

  Devon

  2·021

  2·646

  2 612

  Dorset

  0·700

  0·870

  0·890

  Durham

  2·725

  2·175

  1·955

  East Sussex

  0·869

  1·197

  1·814

  Essex

  4·312

  4·948

  5·641

  Gloucestershire

  0·951

  1·028

  1·310

  Hampshire

  1·407

  1·304

  1·383

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  1·122

  1·311

  1·492

  Hertfordshire

  2·231

  2·372

  1·679

  Humberside

  2·687

  2·581

  3·045

  Isle of Wight

  0·384

  0·126

  0·129

  Kent

  3·084

  3·200

  3·219

  Lancashire

  1·719

  1·974

  1·904

  Leicestershire

  1·631

  3·035

  3·265

  Lincolnshire

  2·363

  2·549

  3·075

  Norfolk

  1·445

  1·657

  1·696

  Northamptonshire

  1·283

  0·967

  1·131

  Northumberland

  0·196

  0·248

  0·254

  North Yorkshire

  0·431

  0·473

  0·499

  Nottinghamshire

  3·686

  4·073

  3·654

  Oxfordshire

  1·004

  1·032

  1·092

  Shropshire

  0·183

  0·080

  0·104

  Somerset

  0·850

  0·589

  0·527

  Staffordshire

  1·303

  1·897

  0·877

  Suffolk

  1 192

  1·462

  2·043

  Surrey

  1,608

  1·959

  2·109

  Warwickshire

  0·654

  1·178

  1·377

  West Sussex

  1·718

  1·809

  2·715

  Wiltshire

  0·252

  0·581

  1·427

  Source: Local Authority Maintenance Outturn Forms.

  The Countryside Commission is currently carrying out a survey of spending on footpaths, bridleways and other public rights of way. Their provisional figure for maintenance spending by shire counties as a whole for 1986–87 is in the region of £3 million.

  Bypasses
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses were built in 1987.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Twelve bypasses or relief roads were completed in 1987. Other road improvements which are not primarily bypasses also relieve communities of traffic.

  Bus Stops (Obstruction)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the road safety implications of the obstruction of bus stops by parked vehicles; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Vehicles parked illegally at bus stops cause inconvenience to passengers and create delays and congestion for buses and other traffic. Road safety implications are not easily assessed. Police and traffic wardens are responsible for taking appropriate enforcement action. Technical information on the design of bus stops is contained in "Roads and Traffic in Urban Areas". (HMSO 1987).

  London Regional Transport Act 1984
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to amend section 40 of the London Regional Transport Act 1984.
  452
  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the consultation procedures adopted by London Regional Transport in respect of schemes under section 3(2) of the London Regional Transport Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We have received one letter in addition to one of 8 February from my hon. Friend. The statutory requirement for consultation applies to proposals by London Regional Transport to introduce a new London bus service, or vary or discontinue an existing one, whether or not the service is procured under section 3(2) of the London Regional Transport Act 1984. I am satisfied that those arrangements work adequately in practice.

  Ashbourne Bypass
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current position on the plans for the Ashbourne bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Preliminary investigations by our consulting engineers into possible routes are now complete. We expect to be able to consult the public on alternatives in April this year and to make an announcement about this in March. A preferred route will be announced after we have fully considered the comments received. Future progress will depend on the results of further investigations and the completion of statutory procedures. At this early stage we do not expect construction work to start until late 1992.

  Leisure Drives (Cheshire)
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost of advertising and signposting leisure drives in Cheshire in the last year for which figures are available; how many people he estimates use the designated routes who would not otherwise use them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Leisure drive signing is entirely a matter for Cheshire county council as local highway authority. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the council.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of London Regional Transport; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Sir Keith Bright on 4 February. They discussed the tragic fire at King's Cross and other matters relating to London Regional Transport.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give an estimate of the number of vehicles currently in use on the road without road fund licences; and what was the number of prosecutions for 1986 and 1987 for not being in possession of a currently valid road fund licence.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The most recent estimate of vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion in Great Britain based
  453
  on a national survey in June 1984, indicated that some 1·1 million unlicensed vehicles are in use on the road. In 1986, 342,513 evaders were prosecuted or agreed to pay a penalty in out-of-court settlements; and enforcement action induced a further 271,492 to relicense. The comparable figures for 1987 were 339,458 and 253,708, respectively.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the Civil Aviation Authority's statement in a press release dated 8 February about increased pressure on the air traffic control system, he will make it his policy not to approve any increase in the use of Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No. The Civil Aviation Authority, which has responsibility for air traffic control at Heathrow airport, has not recommended against increased use of Heathrow airport.

  Section 8 Grants
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 690, if he will publish the number of applications received by his Department for section 8 grants, the number of grants made and total expenditure in 1985–86 and 1986–87; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the section 8 grant system.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information requested is as listed:

  Year

  Number of applications

  Number of grants made

  Expenditure £ million

  1985–86

  9

  15

  6·9

  1986–87

  4

  1

  5·5

  The number of applications received and awards made fluctuate from year to year.

  There is no direct correlation, in any particular year, between the number of applications received, grants made and expenditure incurred.

  I am satisfied with the operation (although less so with the number of applicants) of the section 8 grant scheme, although we continue to see whether there are ways of streamlining the administration of these grants.

  Rail Closures
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the current closure of the Sudbury to Bures section of the Sudbury to Colchester railway line and the likely date for reopening; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I understand that the board is currently working to clear the bank slip which, recently closed the line between Sudbury and Marks Tey, and that it hopes to reopen the line as soon as possible. In the meantime, a bus shuttle service is in operation.

  Railway Termini (Platforms)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 695, he will give the number of platforms at each
  454
  principal rail terminus in the capitals of each of the countries of Great Britain; and how many of these would have to be lengthened to add an extra coach to trains leaving at peak hours.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The length of platforms at termini is not the only consideration. The length of platforms at intermediate stations is equally important. It is not generally possible to add single coaches to EMUs and DMUs, which form the majority of commuter trains, because they are normally made up in permanently-coupled sets of two, three or four. There can also be problems of signalling and timetabling and at maintenance depots. NSE is already planning to lengthen some platforms to allow longer trains to run where this will solve acute overcrowding problems.

  Thelwall Viaduct
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he intends to make to ease congestion during the reconstruction of the Thelwall viaduct on the M6.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We shall make every effort to keep three lanes open in each direction during construction of the new viaduct and the reconstruction of the existing structure.

  British Rail
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the external financing limit for British Rail for the current financial year.

  Mr. Channon
  I am able to announce that it has been possible to reduce the board's external financing limit for 1987–88 by £121 million from £751 million to £630 million.

  This reduction, which will have no effect on British Rail's investment programme, has been made possible by increased property sales and improved receipts. BR will therefore be able to reduce its borrowing requirement.

  London Regional Passengers Committee
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the role and composition of the London regional passengers committee.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.

  None.

  National Dock Labour Scheme
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the principles and objectives of the national dock labour scheme; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have been asked to reply.

  The scheme, known formally as the Dock Workers Employment Scheme 1967, is set out in full in schedule 2 to the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) (Amendment) Order 1967. Clause 1(2) states that
  "the objects of the scheme are to ensure greater regularity of employment for dock workers and to secure that an adequate number of dock workers is available for the efficient performance of dock work."
  455
  The Government's position with regard to the scheme remains as stated in an earlier reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 17 November 1987, at column 915.

  Dockers
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons were employed as registered dockers on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what was the comparable number 10 years previously.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have been asked to reply.

  There were 10,455 registered dock workers at the end of December 1987 compared with 29,168 at the end of December 1977. The latest available figure, for week ending 9 February 1988, is 9,873.

ENVIRONMENT

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the operation of the present planning appeal system.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The planning appeals system is generally well regarded by appellants, but hon. Members and others are rightly concerned about delays in reaching decisions in many cases.

  The number of appeals has risen by some 60 per cent., from 13,700 in 1983–84 to an estimated 22,000 in 1987–88. The main factors in this increase appear to be the increase in the proportion of planning applications refused by local planning authorities and, lately an increase in the volume of applications.

  In order to deal with the volume of appeals and reduce decision times, we have increased the number of inspectors and administrative staff; and are introducing new procedures and information technology.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next proposes to update his estimate of the number of individual gainers and losers under his community charge proposals.

  Mr. Howard
  On 13 January 1988, I placed a note in the Library which showed my latest estimate of the number of gainers and losers from the community charge proposals. This replaced the estimates published in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) in January 1986. No further update is presently proposed.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any proposals to replace the present domestic rating system with a system of rates based on capital values plus a local income tax; and what was his response.

  Mr. Howard
  Of those who responded to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government", 48 advocated a combination of rates and local income tax, compared with 283 who supported the community charge. The Government have consistently drawn attention to the short-comings of domestic rates and of LIT. In 456
  combination, they would fail to provide accountability, be very volatile, produce big changes in bills, and be extremely complicated and expensive to administer.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now come to a decision as to the percentage of the cost of implementing the community charge which the Government intend to contribute to local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  These are matters under discussion with local authority associations. The cost of the community charge will be taken account of in the 1989–90 RSG settlement.

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the total benefit to the Exchequer as a result of charging overseas students the full community charge; and what would be the difference in the returns to the Exchequer between charging overseas students the full poll tax and treating them in the same way as other students.

  Mr. Howard
  Overseas students on full-time courses in this country will have to pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge, under the provisions of clause 12 of the Local Government Finance Bill, in common with other full-time students.

  Skilled Workers (Rented Property)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any specific proposals to increase the supply of rented property for skilled workers in areas of housing stress; and if he will make a statement

  Mrs. Roe
  An increase in the supply of rented accommodation is the central objective of the deregulation proposals in the Housing Bill. Such an increase should have an impact both in the relief of housing stress and in facilitating job mobility.

  More specifically, the Housing Corporation gives priority to a number of groups, including key workers, with its conventional funding programme and can support schemes aimed specifically at helping young people to move to take up employment under its mixed funding programme, which is being increased to £58 million for the coming financial year.

  The Local Government Bill includes an explicit new power for local authorities to assist in the provision of privately let accommodation, subject to my right hon. Friend's consent. The new power could be used to help provide accommodation such as that described by the hon. Member.

  New Building Programmes
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what incentive there is for(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) private landlords to invest in new building programmes to house homeless and low income families.

  Mrs. Roe
  Subsidies are payable to local authorities' housing revenue accounts, and to registered housing associations through housing association grants. In each case, our policy is that subsidies should be paid only where rents would be insufficient to cover costs. In the allocation of resources, local authorities and the Housing Corporation give priority to areas of housing shortage.
  457
  Powers in the Local Government Bill will also enable local authorities to provide subsidies to private landlords. Low-income families are of course eligible for housing benefit.

  Improvement Grants
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to reduce the age qualification of a property for which one can apply for an improvement grant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  The consultation paper on home improvement policy, published last November, included a proposal that age limits for improvement grants might be replaced by more flexible arrangements which would allow local authorities to make grants for all but the most recently built properties. We are currently considering the comments received with a view to reforming the improvement grant legislation at the next suitable opportunity.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amount of the aggregate annual relief to business chargepayers benefiting from the concession in each of the relevant years if the uniform business rate proposed in the Local Authority Finance Bill were phased in with an upper limit on the extent of any increase(a) of 20 per cent. and (b) of 10 per cent. in any years, assuming currently estimated rates of inflation of rateable values.

  Mr. Howard
  It is not yet possible to make an accurate estimate of the cost of setting the proposed ceiling on year-on-year rate increases at any given level. The ceiling will

  S.12 Caravan Sites Act 1968 as amended: Designated authorities

  Type of authority

  Made

  Laid before Parliament

  Coming into operation

  London boroughs

  Barking

  13 March 1973

  21 March 1973

  1 June 1973

  Bexley

  17 April 1975

  25 April 1975

  1 July 1975

  Camden1

  27 April 1981

  6 May 1981

  27 May 1981

  Croydon

  28 May 1974

  7 June 1974

  1 August 1974

  Enfield

  4 March 1975

  13 March 1975

  1 June 1975

  Greenwich

  28 May 1974

  7 June 1974

  1 August 1974

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1 July 1975

  10 July 1975

  1 August 1975

  Havering

  13 March 1973

  21 March 1973

  1 June 1973

  Hillingdon

  15 August 1984

  15 August 1984

  17 August 1984

  Islington1

  27 April 1981

  6 May 1981

  27 May 1981

  Kensington and Chelsea1

  17 April 1975

  25 April 1975

  1 June 1975

  Kingston upon Thames

  10 January 1984

  19 January 1984

  10 February 1984

  Lambeth

  3 April 1979

  5 April 1979

  26 April 1979

  Lewisham

  3 April 1979

  5 April 1979

  26 April 1979

  Merton

  8 May 1973

  16 May 1973

  1 August 1973

  Newham

  13 March 1973

  21 March 1973

  1 June 1973

  Redbridge

  13 March 1973

  21 March 1973

  1 June 1973

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  13 December 1972

  21 December 1972

  1 April 1973

  Sutton

  28 May 1974

  7 June 1974

  1 August 1974

  Waltham Forest

  13 March 1973

  21 March 1973

  1 June 1973

  Wandsworth

  5 November 1981

  16 November 1981

  7 December 1981

  Westminster1

  30 October 1974

  7 November 1974

  1 January 1975

  Former county boroughs

  Bolton

  2 January 1974

  17 January 1974

  31 March 1974

  Bury

  8 May 1973

  16 May 1973

  1 August 1973

  Leeds

  8 May 1973

  16 May 1973

  1 August 1973

  Lincoln

  2 January 1974

  17 January 1974

  31 March 1974

  Manchester

  13 December 1972

  21 December 1972

  1 April 1973

  458
  apply both to increases resulting from the introduction of the uniform business rate, and to those resulting from the non-domestic revaluation in 1990; and detailed forecasts of the distribution of charges in rateable value on revaluation are not yet available.

  Skiers (Deaths)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has an estimate of the number of deaths of skiers at British ski resorts which could have been avoided by wearing safety helmets, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Government have no such estimate. In th 1986–87 season there were five deaths at ski resorts in Britain. Only one of these was from a fall in which head and other injuries were sustained. It is not possible to say whether this death could have been prevented by the wearing of a safey helmet.

  Caravan Sites Act 1968
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all county councils in England and Wales that have applied for designation under the provisions of the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and how many have been so designated.

  Mrs. Roe
  Following is the list of all authorities in England that are designated, or are in the process of designation, or whose applications for designation are under consideration. Designation in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
  459

  Type of authority

  Made

  Laid before Parliament

  Coming into operation

  Oxford

  28 May 1974

  7 June 1974

  I August 1974

  Plymouth

  25 September 1972

  4 October 1972

  1 January 1973

  St. Helens

  25 September 1972

  4 October 1972

  1 January 1973

  Stoke-on-Trent

  25 September 1972

  4 October 1972

  1 January 1973

  Wolverhampton

  13 December 1972

  21 December 1972

  1 April 1973

  County and district councils

  Dorset CC. Aylesbury Vale

  17 August 1978

  25 August 1978

  21 September 1978

  Chiltern, South Bucks, Buckinghamshire

  16 September 1981

  23 September 1981

  14 October 1981

  West Sussex CC

  25 January 1982

  3 February 1982

  24 February 1982

  High Peak, Derbyshire1

  25 January 1982

  3 February 1982

  24 February 1982

  Kennet; North Wiltshire; Thamesdown; West Wiltshire, Wiltshire

  25 January 1982

  3 February 1982

  24 February 1982

  Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

  1 September 1982

  13 September 1982

  5 October 1982

  Dartford, Kent

  21 October 1982

  4 November 1982

  26 November 1982

  South Bedfordshire

  1 November 1982

  11 November 1982

  3 December 1982

  Oswestry, Shropshire

  13 December 1982

  22 December 1982

  13 January 1983

  Nuneaton and Bedworth, Warwickshire

  11 March 1983

  23 March 1983

  14 April 1983

  Oldham

  11 March 1983

  24 March 1983

  14 April 1983

  Hyndburn, Lancashire

  15 March 1983

  24 March 1983

  15 April 1983

  Luton, Bedfordshire

  5 August 1983

  17 August 1983

  8 September 1983

  Trafford

  5 September 1983

  —

  —

  Ashford, Kent

  13 September 1983

  22 September 1983

  14 October 1983

  Salisbury, Wiltshire

  13 September 1983

  22 September 1983

  14 October 1983

  Gravesham, Kent

  22 December 1983

  12 January 1984

  3 February 1984

  Rochdale

  23 Februrary 1984

  5 March 1984

  27 March 1984

  South Derbyshire

  11 July 1984

  19 July 1984

  13 August 1984

  Boston, Lincolnshire

  12 September 1984

  20 September 1984

  12 October 1984

  West Lindsey, Lincolnshire

  14 November 1984

  23 November 1984

  15 December 1984

  Selby, North Yorkshire

  19 November 1984

  29 November 1984

  21 December 1984

  Huntingdonshire; Cambridgeshire

  14 December 1984

  4 January 1985

  26 January 1985

  Wealden; Rother; Eastbourne; Hastings; East Sussex

  17 December 1984

  4 January 1985

  26 January 1985

  Chester, Cheshire

  14 December 1984

  4 January 1985

  26 January 1985

  Middlesbrough, Cleveland1

  5 March 1985

  14 March 1985

  5 April 1985

  Northampton; Wellingborough; South Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire

  12 March 1985

  21 March 1985

  12 April 1985

  Epsom and Ewell, Surrey

  15 March 1985

  22 March 1985

  13 April 1985

  Tonbridge and Mailing, Kent1

  26 June 1985

  5 July 1985

  27 July 1985

  Babergh; Ipswich; Mid-Suffolk; Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk

  29 October 1985

  7 November 1985

  28 November 1985

  Peterborough, Cambridgeshire1

  15 November 1985

  25 November 1985

  16 December 1985

  Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire

  20 November 1985

  28 November 1985

  19 December 1985

  Hartlepool; Stockton-on-Tees; Cleveland1

  3 December 1985

  12 December 1985

  2 January 1986

  Chesterfield; Bolsover; North East Derbyshire, Derbyshire

  12 December 1985

  20 December 1985

  10 January 1986

  Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

  9 April 1986

  18 April 1986

  9 May 1986

  Canterbury, Kent

  8 July 1986

  18 July 1986

  8 August 1986

  Ryedale, North Yorkshire

  8 July 1986

  18 July 1986

  8 August 1986

  Darlington; Chester-le-Street; Derwentside; Easington; Sedgefield; Teesdale; Wear Valley; Durham

  8 September 1986

  19 September 1986

  10 October 1986

  East Northamptonshire

  27 November 1986

  5 December 1986

  26 December 1986

  Watford, Hertfordshire1

  17 December 1986

  8 January 1987

  29 January 1987

  Maidstone, Kent

  21 January 1987

  30 January 1987

  20 February 1987

  Lancaster

  26 March 1987

  2 April 1987

  23 April 1987

  Cherwell, Oxfordshire

  15 September 1987

  24 September 1987

  15 October 1987

  Kettering, Northants

  15 September 1987

  24 September 1987

  15 October 1987

  Northumberland

  15 September 1987

  24 September 1987

  15 October 1987

  Great Yarmouth

  28 September 1987

  7 October 1987

  28 October 1987

  Mid Bedfordshire

  North Bedfordshire

  12 January 1988

  20 January 1988

  10 February 1988

  1 Designated on the grounds that it is not necessary and/or expedient to make adequate provision.

  Designated Orders in preparation

  Gateshead MDC.

  Shepway, Kent.

  Applications for designation under consideration

  Dacorum, Hertfordshire.

  Dover, Kent.

  Hinkley and Bosworth; Oadby and Wigston; Blaby, Leicestershire.

  Runnymede, Surrey.

  Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire.

  Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire.

  Wyre Forest, Hereford and Worcestershire.

  "Water and Sewerage Law"
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his intention regarding 460
  implementing the proposals outlined in the discussion Paper "Water and Sewerage Law" chapter 1, paragraphs 1.25 to paragraphs 1.41, published by his Department.
  461
  Mrs. Roe
  Final decisions have still to be taken on the proposals in the consultation paper. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to prevent local authorities from evading competition by forming their direct labour organisations into separate companies.

  Mr. Ridley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on Wednesday 10 February at column 291.

  Water Industry
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to publish a White Paper on his proposals to privatise the water industry.

  Mrs. Roe
  No.

  Rural Areas
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to increase the assistance for rural areas in England, through the Development Commission, to ensure equality on a per capita basis with the rural development programmes for Scotland and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  Provision for expenditure by the Development Commission in 1988–89 has been increased by £2·5 million over previous plans in order to allow the Commission to respond to the increased demand for its established programmes, and carry forward the new initiatives which formed part of the Government's rural enterprise package. Because of differences in definitions and in administrative arrangements, it is not possible to make direct comparisons between the assistance per capita given to rural areas in England, Scotland and Wales.

  Euratom
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information has been provided by(a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., (b) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, (c) the Central Electricity Generating Board and (d) the South of Scotland Electricity Board to the European Commission under article 37 of the Euratom treaty on nuclear waste disposal since May 1979; and if he will list by date all submissions made by each of the nuclear facility operators to Euratom under article 37 of the Euratom treaty since each organisation has had a requirement to make available such data.

  Mrs. Roe
  Under article 37 of the Euratom treaty, responsibility for making submissions to the European Commission concerning plans for the disposal of radioactive waste rests with Her Majesty's Government, not the operators of nuclear installations.

  The information, which is supplied by the Department of the Environment on behalf of the nuclear site operators to the Commission under article 37 of the Euratom treaty, conforms to the regulations laid down by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Community dated 29 March 1982 (ref. No. L 83/15), a copy of which will be
  462
  placed in the House of Commons Library. The following submissions have been made to the Commission since May 1979:

  Date

  (a) British Nuclear Fuels plc:

  Capenhurst—Uranium Enrichment Plants

  May 1981

  Sellafield—Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant

  June 1984

  (b) United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Dounreay—PFR Fuel Reprocessing Plant

  November 1979

  (c) Central Electricity Generating Board

  Heysham 1—Nuclear Power Station

  May 1980

  Heysham 2—Nuclear Power Station

  January 1986

  Sizewell "B"—Nuclear Power Station

  November 1987

  (d) South of Scotland Electricity Board

  Torness Power Station

  February 1986

  Submissions made Prior to May 1979 under Article 37 are as follows:

  Date

  Central Electricity Generating Board

  Hinkley Point "B" Power Station

  1974

  Dungeness "B" Power Station

  1976

  Hartlepool Power Station

  1978

  South of Scotland Electricity Board

  Hunterston "B" Power Station

  1974

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

  Mrs. Roe
  No.

  Agricultural Buildings
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the total saving annually to the agriculture industry of not levying rates on agricultural buildings.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate that the amount that would be raised if agricultural land and buildings were rated is between £400 million and £500 million.

  Portable Discount Schemes
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the reply of 9 November 1987,Official Report, column 13, to the hon. Member for Gloucester, he has completed his study of portable discount schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are still considering the results of the studies of the schemes operated by the London boroughs of Brent and Bromley.

WALES

  Housing (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to improve housing provision in Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement.
  463
  Mr. Grist
  Alyn and Deeside district council receive an appropriate share of the capital allocations which my right hon. Friend makes to housing authorities. Similarly, housing associations active in the Alyn and Deeside area will receive an appropriate share of Government funding made to the Housing Corporation.

  Education (Clwyd)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to improve educational facilities in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Clwyd education authority receives its share of the Welsh rate support grant as determined by the agreed formula. It is also receiving support under the education support grant scheme in respect of expenditure of about £500,000 in 1987–88 and £1 million in 1988–89; together with grant under the in-service training grant scheme against expenditure of £1·8 million in 1988–89.

  Additionally the county receives moneys under the training and vocational education initiative from the Manpower Services Commission.

  Pig Farmers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to assist pig farmers in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  It remains our objective to remove monetary compensatory amounts from the pigmeat sector and we shall continue to pursue this in future negotiations. This would help Welsh pig farmers as will the private storage aids scheme to he reintroduced with effect from 15 February.

  Ophthalmic Waiting Lists
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are being taken to monitor the effect of charges for eye testing on ophthalmic waiting lists in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  It is not anticipated that a reduction in the availability of free sight tests will effect the rate of detection of abnormalities nor the work load of the hospital eye service. Statistics on waiting lists are collected and published on a routine basis and are always studied with care.

  Congenital Cardiac Malformation
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has or intends to gather in Wales about congenital cardiac malformation after the first week of life.

  Mr. Grist
  Health authorities in Wales are asked to provide the Welsh Office with information in respect of each in-patient and day patient discharged from hospital, including information relating to congenital cardiac malformation. Officials of the Department are presently exploring with those of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, which collates information on congenital malformation during the first week of life, the potential use of the child health computer system to provide data on congenital cardiac and other malformation after the first week of life.

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are being taken to monitor the effect of charges for dental treatment on dental care in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Dental health surveys of adults and children are conducted periodically and the results reported to the House. The general household survey also monitors dental health. These surveys show that the nation's dental health has shown dramatic improvement in recent years. I believe that this trend will continue.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Less Intensive Farming Methods
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the research projects his Department is conducting and funding into less intensive farming methods; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department is conducting and funding a wide range of research and development on less intensive farming methods. This includes work aimed at reducing chemical inputs in respect of crops and increasing the use of forage as an alternative to intensive feeding systems for livestock. We are also studying the production of beef and sheepmeat in hill areas and the more general environmental effects of less intensive production methods.

  Canthaxanthin
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to ban the use of canthaxanthin in the production of fish farm feeding stuffs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The use of canthaxanthin in fish feed in the United Kingdom is permitted under European Community directive and I am not aware of any proposals to change that. In its recent report on colouring matter in food, the Food Advisory Committee endorsed a recommendation from the Committee on Toxicology that the use of canthaxanthin should be restricted to feed prepared for farmed salmon and farmed trout only. Representations on the report were invited and I shall be making a further statement on the report when all the representations have been fully considered.

  Farming
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons were in business as farmers on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what was the comparable number 10 years previously.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is set out in table 5 in the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1988" (Cmnd. 299) and in table 4 in the "Annual review of Agriculture 1982" (Cmnd. 8491). Copies of these documents are in the Library of the House.

  Subsidies
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the total
  465
  annual cost of subsidies and other payments made by his Department to agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The latest estimates of total annual expenditure on agriculture by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are published in table 4·1 of the White Paper, "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Com. 288-II).

  Cereals, Rape and Grass
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will update the information in the

  England

  Thousand Hectares

  1979

  1987

  Actual change

  Per cent, change 1987–79

  Total area of cereals (excluding maize plus rape grown for oilseed)

  3,322

  3,637

  +315

  +9·5

  Total area of grassland (excluding rough grazing)

  4,295

  3,941

  1355

  -8·2

  1 The actual change does not agree because of rounding.

  Radioactive Caesium
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will estimate the length of time that radioactive caesium will continue to be available for uptake from the soil by vegetation in the restricted areas set up after the Chernobyl accident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 12 February 1988]: My Department has set in hand a substantial programme of research to enable the best possible estimate to be made. I am not willing to make any predictions before studying the results of this work which should start to become available later this year.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list details of the research projects his Department is funding or has funded into the uptake of radioactive caesium in upland sites; when the results will be completed; and if he will publish interim results.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 12 February 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 8 February 1988 at column 62.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Servants (Guidance)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received from the Association of First Division Civil Servants about those aspects of the recently issued revised note of guidance to civil servants which impinge on the ethics of the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  None.

THE ARTS

  Public Libraries
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the level of loans from public libraries in the last year for which figures are available.
  466
  reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North of 30 January 1987, Official Report, column 462, about the total acreage (a) in cereals and rape and (b) in grass in 1987 and the forecast for 1988 and about the increase or decrease in each case since 1979 in actual and percentage terms.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The areas for 1987 and 1979 are as set out.

  The 1988 area cannot be accurately forecast.

  Mr. Luce
  The latest available information indicates that in 1985–86 English public libraries loaned 540 million books. Loans of items other than books are estimated to have been about 14 million.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the Arts Council about the role of the arts in the national curriculum.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) earlier today.

  Museums (Co-operation)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will meet the director of the British Museum to discuss the level of co-operation between that museum and regional museums.

  Mr. Luce
  I am keen to encourage co-operation between the national museums and galleries I sponsor and regional museums and galleries. The British museum's good record in this area is illustrated in the trustees' triennial report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has to widen co-operation between national and regional museums.

  Mr. Luce
  I am keen to encourage co-operation between national and regional museums. One of the principal functions of the Museums and Galleries Commission, which is funded from the central Government arts programme, is to promote co-operation between sectors of the museums community.

  "Percentage for Arts" Schemes
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the effectiveness of "Percentage for Arts" schemes.
  467
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his policy towards the introduction of "Percentage for Arts" schemes.

  Mr. Luce
  I am actively encouraging putting art in public and private buildings. I am glad to see that there is much effective co-operation between the owners of buildings, developers, and artists in devising schemes which have enriched the environment.

  National Museum of Photography
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many people visited the National Museum of Photography in Bradford in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Luce
  The attendance figures for the last three years are as follows:

  Number

  1985

  546,894

  1986

  677,530

  1987

  706,319

  Opera (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last paid an official visit to an opera performance.

  Mr. Luce
  I last paid an official visit to the opera on Tuesday 2 February. I attended a performance of Puccini's "Madam Butterfly" by the English National Opera.

  Pensioners and Young People
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has to encourage access to the arts by pensioners and young people.

  Mr. Luce
  The Arts Council, the Scottish and Welsh arts councils and the regional arts associations encourage a variety of schemes to increase accessibility to the arts. I am very much in favour of this.

  Industrial Museums
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what financial support has been given in the last three years to industrial museums.

  Mr. Luce
  Two major museums devoted to science and industry receive grant-in-aid from central Government, the Science museum and the Greater Manchester museum of science and industry. The sums provided as grant-in-aid of these museums in the last three years were as follows:

  £'000

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Science Museum

  8,954

  9,171

  9,589

  Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

  1

  1,075

  1,252

  1 Funded by the Greater Manchester Council.

  Museums in the public and private sectors are eligible for grants administered by the Museums and Galleries Commission and the area museum councils. The value of such grants made to industrial museums is not readily available.

  Artists (Arts and Music Education)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to the current proportion of artists who received arts or music education at school; and what estimate he has of the proportion in future years.

  Mr. Luce
  This information is not held centrally.

  Museums and Galleries (Trustees)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairmen of trustees of the national museums and galleries; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Luce
  I meet the chairmen of particular national museums and galleries from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  South Bank Complex
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the recent increase in turnover in the shops in the South Bank complex.

  Mr. Luce
  I am pleased to note that turnover at the shops in the Royal Festival Hall has increased by 47 per cent. in the last 12 months.

  Subsidised Arts Bodies
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of moneys raised by subsidised arts bodies will have to be returned to him or the Arts Council.

  Mr. Luce
  None at all. No arts body will be penalised for increasing its income from other sources. On the contrary, I am providing incentives for arts organisations to seek and retain income from the private sector.

  Art Collections (Obscenity)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what advice he has given to trustees of national art collections on the display of works that might be regarded by the public as obscene.

  Mr. Luce
  I have issued no specific advice on this. If, however, an institution goes beyond what I regard as acceptable I have no hesitation in making this clear to them.

EMPLOYMENT

  Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
  Mr. Sackville
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors have been recruited by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in the current year.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive has recruited 19 inspectors to the nuclear installations inspectorate since 1 April 1987. A further three inspectors are expected to take up appointment in early March.

  MSC Training Schemes
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people there are on Manpower Services Commission training schemes in(a) the

  469
  Northwich travel-to-work area, (b) the Chester travel-to-work area and (c) the Runcorn travel-to-work area; and what were the figures on the same date in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Cope
  The information is not available in the form requested. The following table gives the number of people in training on some Manpower Services Commission training schemes in Cheshire on the same date over the past three years:

  Numbers on MSC Training Schemes1 in Cheshire2 at 31 December

  19853

  1986

  1987

  YTS4

  5,684

  7,120

  8,676

  The New Job Training Scheme5

  —

  —

  287

  1 Figures for the numbers in training on any given date are not available for other adult training schemes.

  2 Figures are not available for Northwich, Chester and Runcorn travel-to-work areas.

  3 Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

  4 One year YTS in 1985 and two years in 1986 and 1987.

  5 The New Job Training Scheme has operated nationally since April 1987.

  Fraud Investigators
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many fraud investigators are at present operating in the Seaham and Peterlee area of his Department;

  (2) what is the cost to his Department of the benefit fraud investigators who are operating in the Seaham and Peterlee offices; and if he will make a statement on their cost-effectiveness.

  Mr. Lee
  Two members of staff of my Department are engaged in fraud investigation work in offices covering the Seaham and Peterlee areas. Both are of executive officer grade and receive the appropriate salaries and allowances. I am quite satisfied that both officers operate cost-effectively.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation his Department has made of the experiment of having extra staff at job centres to work on outreach to ethnic minorities.

  Outcome of checks of pay carried out at establishments in north-west division, 1983–1986

  Checked by visit (routine)

  Found to be underpaying

  Checked by visit (complaint)

  Found to be underpaying

  1983

  2,097

  741

  1,031

  754

  1984

  2,062

  744

  1,054

  703

  1985

  2,055

  590

  1,048

  743

  19861

  2,529

  617

  1,040

  780

  1 North Wales became part of north-west division in 1986.

  Parental Leave
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the provisions for parental leave(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.
  470
  Mr. Lee
  My Department plans to complete an initial evaluation of the experiment by spring of this year.

  Restart
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost of each restart interview.

  Mr. Lee
  The cost of each restart interview in 1987–88 is estimated at around £13.

  YTS
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees are participating in the pilot YTS scheme in his Department; and how many are from ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Cope
  There are presently 84 trainees participating in the Department of Employment group YTS scheme, of whom 17 are from ethnic minorities.

  Electricity Charges
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from pottery, brick and tile manufacturers and other concerned industralists about the effect of increased electricity charges on jobs in those industries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I am not aware of any representations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on this matter.

  Wages (Underpayment)
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of underpayment the Wages Inspectorate investigated in the north-west division in each of the past five years; how many were the results of complaints by staff; how many were the results of routine spot checks; and what were the outcomes.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested for 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 is given in the table. I shall arrange for the figures for 1987 to be published in the Official Report when they become available. The table cannot be taken as indicating the general level of compliance with wages council orders in the north-west division, because the inspectorate tends to concentrate its visits on establishments where underpayments appear more likely to be found.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Provision for parental leave in the United Kingdom is on a voluntary basis. I understand that other member states of the EC have a statutory basis for parental leave, but that there are fundamental variations in the range and scope of these provisions.

  Benefit (Scotland)
  Mr. McLeish: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the total number of claimants in Scotland who have been refused unemployment benefit pursuant to the recommendations of claims investigators; and if he will break this figure down according to the reasons for withdrawal of benefit, for each year from 1979 to 1987;
  (2) if he will give the total number of unemployment benefit claimants referred to claims investigators for each of the unemployment benefit offices in Scotland for each year from 1979 to 1987;
  (3) if he will give the total number of unemployment benefit claimants referred to claims investigators in Scotland; and if he will break this figure down according to the reasons given for referral, for each year from 1979;
  (4) what was the total number of unemployment beneft claimants referred to claims investigators in Scotland for each year from 1979.
  Mr. Lee
  It is unclear from the hon. Member's questions which officials he is referring to as "claims investigators" and I am unable, therefore, to provide the information requested. If the hon. Member would like to write to me with further details, I should be happy to try to respond.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current ratio of persons in employment to those not in employment but available for work; and what has been the saving at the same date in each of the past five years in(a) the Northwich travel-towork area, (b) the Chester travel-to-work area and (c) the Runcorn travel-to-work area.

  Blyth Valley Parliamentary Constituency

  Unemployed

  Less than six months

  Six months to a year

  One to two years

  Over two years

  12 January 1984

  2,235

  858

  817

  734

  10 January 1985

  2,176

  977

  779

  920

  9 January 1986

  2,555

  988

  811

  1,023

  8 January 1987

  2,400

  979

  946

  1,057

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment for the York travel-to-work area, in January of each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not comparable over the whole period because of changes in the coverage of the count, and in the boundary definitions of the travel-to-work areas. The table shows the number of unemployed registrants in the York travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, at January of each year from 1979 to 1982, the number of unemployed claimants in that area at January 1983, and the number of unemployed claimants in the travel-to-work area as defined in 1984 for January of each year from 1984–87, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment and the unemployed.
  472
  Mr. Lee
  Following is the available information. Employee estimates for travel-to-work areas are derived from censuses of employment, the latest of which relates to September 1984. The table shows the total numbers of employees in employment (excluding self-employed people and members of Her Majesty's Forces), and the numbers of unemployed claimants in September 1984 in each of the requested travel-to-work areas, and also the ratio of employees in employment to unemployed claimants.

  September 1984

  Travel-to-work area

  Employees in employment

  Unemployed claimants

  Ratio

  North wich

  41,852

  6,627

  6·3:1

  Wirral and Chester

  167,559

  39,726

  4·2:1

  Widnes and Runcorn

  47,839

  12,010

  4·0:1

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Blyth Valley constituency at 1 January for each year between 1979 and 1987 had been unemployed(a) for less than six months, (b) for between six months and one year, (c) for between one and two years and (d) for over two years.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency at the closest date to 1 January of each year from 1984 to 1987 for which figures are available, for each of the durations requested. The comparison is affected by the change it the compilation of unemployment figures in March 1986. Statistics for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the ward-based system and are available only from June 1983.

  Unemployment rate Per cent.

  York travel-to-work area, 1978 definition

  Unemployed Registrants

  January 1979

  4·2

  January 1980

  3·8

  January 1981

  6·4

  January 1982

  7·8

  Unemployed Claimants

  January 1983

  8·5

  York travel-to-work area, 1984 definition

  Unemployed Claimants

  January 1984

  8·5

  January 1985

  10·9

  January 1986

  11·3

  January 1987

  11·2

  473
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment for the Barrow travel-to-work area, in January of each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not comparable over the whole period because of changes in the coverage of the count, and in the boundary definitions of the travel-to-work areas. The table shows the number of unemployed registrants in the Furness travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, at January of each year from 1979 to 1982, the number of unemployed claimants in the Barrow in Furness travel-to-work area as defined in 1984 for January of each year from 1984–1987, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment and the unemployed.

  Unemployment Rate per cent.

  Furness travel-to-work area, 1978 definition

  Unemployed Registrants

  January 1979

  6·1

  January 1980

  5·9

  January 1981

  9·9

  January 1982

  10·8

  Unemployed Claimants

  January 1983

  11·3

  Barrow in Fumess travel-to-work area, 1984 definition

  Unemployed Claimants

  January 1984

  10·8

  January 1985

  10·9

  January 1986

  11·2

  January 1987

  12·1

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment for the Stafford travel-to-work area, in January of each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not comparable over the whole period because of changes in the coverage of the count, and in the boundary definitions of the travel-to-work areas. The table shows the number of unemployed registrants in the Stafford travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, at January of each year from 1979 to 1982, the number of unemployed claimants in that area at January 1983, and the number of unemployed claimants in the travel-to-work area as defined in 1984 for January of each year from 1984–1987, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment and the unemployed.

  Unemployment Rate per cent.

  Stafford travel-to-work area, 1978 definition

  Unemployed Registrants

  January 1979

  3·3

  January 1980

  3·8

  January 1981

  6·9

  January 1982

  8·8

  Unemployed Claimants

  January 1983

  9·8

  Stafford travel-to-work area, 1984 definition

  Unemployed claimants

  474

  Unemployment Rate per cent.

  January 1984

  8·8

  January 1985

  9·4

  January 1986

  10·1

  January 1987

  9·6

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment for the Lincoln travel-to-work area, in January of each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not comparable over the whole period because of changes in the coverage of the count, and in the boundary definitions of the travel-to-work areas. The table shows the number of unemployed registrants in the Lincoln travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, at January of each year from 1979 to 1982, the number of unemployed claimants in that area at January 1983, and the number of unemployed claimants in the travel-to-work area as defined in 1984 for January of each year from 1984 to 1987, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment and the unemployed.

  Unemployment rate per cent.

  Lincoln travel-to-work area, 1978 definition

  Unemployed registrants

  January 1979

  6·3

  January 1980

  6·7

  January 1981

  10·4

  January 1982

  12·8

  Unemploymed claimants

  January 1983

  12·7

  Lincoln travel-to-work area, 1984 definition

  Unemployed claimants

  January 1984

  12·8

  January 1985

  12·9

  January 1986

  13·2

  January 1987

  13·2

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment for the Preston travel-to-work area, in January of each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not comparable over the whole period because of changes in the coverage of the count, and in the boundary definitions of the travel-to-work areas. The table shows the number of unemployed registrants in the Preston travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, at January of each year from 1979 to 1982, the number of unemployed claimants in that area at January 1983, and the number of unemployed claimants in the travel-to-work area as defined in 1984 for January of each year from 1984 to 1987, expressed as a percentage of employees in employment and the unemployed.

  Unemployment rate per cent.

  Preston travel-to-work area, 1978 definition

  Unemployed registrants

  January 1979

  5·2

  January 1980

  5·4

  January 1981

  9·7

  475

  Unemployment rate per cent.

  January 1982

  12·3

  Unemployed claimants

  January 1983

  12·2

  Preston travel-to-work area, 1984 definition

  Unemployed claimants

  January 1984

  11·9

  January 1985

  12·6

  January 1986

  12·7

  January 1987

  11·8

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will produce a table in the Official Report showing the number of men and women unemployed in the Houghton and Washington constituency for (a) under one year (b) one to two years (c) two to five years and (d) over five years.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of male and female unemployed claimants in the Houghton and Washington parliamentary constituency on 10 October 1987, the latest date for which information is available, for each of the durations requested.

  Houghton and Washington Parliamentary Constituency 10 October 1987

  Unemployed

  Male

  Female

  Under one year

  2,750

  1,390

  One to two years

  858

  242

  Two to five years

  1,088

  234

  Over 5 years

  617

  137

  Scheme

  1984

  1985

  1986

  £

  £

  £

  European Regional Development Fund

  1,142,000

  —

  24,000

  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee scheme

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance

  186,277

  199,698

  203,353

  Suckler Cow Premium

  125,045

  116,155

  105,679

  Sheep Annual Premium

  332,451

  537,979

  384,338

  EC Processing and Marketing Regulation 355/77

  60,365

  221,936

  176,218

  Capital Grants etc. (only part EC funded)

  1,278,648

  853,306

  396,118

  3,124,786

  1,929,074

  1,289,706

  Notes:

  1. Information on agricultural capital grants is not kept on a region or county basis. However, the figures provided are for the area covered by the DAFS office in Dundee, which corresponds closely with the former County of Angus.

  2. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of refunds from the EC, but over the three years in question refunds in respect of agricultural capital grants and so on paid by DAFS average some 21 per cent. of the assistance paid in Scotland.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the financial effect of indexing maintenance grants for each category of student.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am afraid that we are unable to provide the information requested, since the cost would depend on the index concerned and the date from which

SCOTLAND

  Gaming Machines
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to review the law on the installation of gambling or gaming machines in premises open to minors.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The need for such a review will be considered following the assessment of the findings of a recently completed research project into the use of which young people make of such machines.

  Tourism
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much public money has been spent in Angus, Scotland, to promote tourism in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Lang
  The main source of public sector support for tourism in Angus are the Scottish Tourist Board and Angus district council. Figures for expenditure in the financial years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87 were £118,999, £205,000 and £240,000 respectively. They include public sector assistance for the Angus tourist board.

  EC (Grants and Loans)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of EEC grants and loans which have been allocated for projects in Angus, Scotland, in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Lang
  There is no record of any EEC loan for projects in Angus in the years specified and no information is available in the form requested for grants under the European social fund. Details of other grants awarded are set out in the table.

  grants were assumed to be adjusted in line with such an index. The hon. Member will be aware that, for Session 1988–89, the main rates of student grant are to be increased broadly in line with inflation.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the student financial support review will be completed.
  477
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe) on 12 February 1988, at column 371.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about applications for legal aid made under the Advice and Assistance (Scotland) Regulations 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Legal Aid Board has recommended that failure to send the board a copy of the client's application within 14 days (as required by regulation 10) should render the grant ineffective for the purpose of payment of the account; and that, where a second solicitor is to act in the same matter, he or she should be required to sign the application. I am preparing amending regulations which will give effect to these proposals.

  Foreign Language Teaching
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of resources has been allocated to foreign language teaching in Scottish schools in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers of teachers in education authority secondary schools in Scotland in 1984 whose main teaching subject was a foreign language was 2,105 (7·6 per cent. of all teachers). Information for the other years requested is not readily available.

  A74 (Upgrading)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates will be the total cost of upgrading the A74 to motorway standard; and what sums towards this have been included in the expenditure totals for roads expenditure for the years 1988–89 to 1990–91 published in table 16.1 of Cm. 288-II.

  Mr. Rifkind
  A clear estimate of the costs of the A74 upgrading will be available only when feasibility studies are completed at the end of this year. When that information is available, I will be in a position to consider the implications for future reviews of expenditure plans.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects construction work to start on upgrading the A74 to motorway standard; and when he now expects this to be completed.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I attach a high priority to an early start to this project, but the precise timetable depends on the results of the detailed feasibility studies which are under way.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if a decision has been taken as to whether the upgraded A74 motorway will follow the line of the present road or will be on a separate line of route.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Decisions on the preferred line of the new motorway will not be taken until feasibility studies have been completed later this year.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to amend the Abolition of Domestic Rates etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, so as to incorporate those features of the Local Government Finance Bill which impose less onerous obligations on poll tax payers in England and Wales than are contained in the legislation already in force in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The Local Government Finance Bill embodies essentially the same system of community charges as is contained in the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987. The 1987 Act was fully debated by Parliament and we have no plans to make any fundamental changes to it. If, however, Parliament decides that refinements should be made to the proposals contained in the Local Government Finance Bill, we shall of course look carefully at what is decided and consider whether any parallel changes need to be made to the 1987 Act.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether poll tax registration officers will be required to omit from the published version of the register the name of any individual who satisfies them that he or she may suffer physical injury if his or her name is listed; and whether in cases where this would result in an address being listed with no corresponding name, the address would also be omitted, thus ensuring that attention is not drawn to properties where people at risk are residers.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering this matter.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether or not residents of women's refuges will be exempted from the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend intends that women's refuges should give rise to liability for the collective community charge.

  Residents of such premises will be exempt from personal community charge liability but will, under section 11(11) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, be liable to pay a collective community charge contribution to the landlord of the premises at the same daily level as the personal community charge.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of initial police reports on children for crimes and offences in(a) the Tayside region and (b) the Dundee area on the latest available date for each year since 1979.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Initial Police Reports on Children for Crimes and Offences

  Year

  City of Dundee Distric

  Tayside Region

  1979

  1,460

  2,222

  1980

  1,486

  2,312

  1981

  1,603

  2,602

  1982

  1,254

  2,118

  479

  Year

  City of Dundee Distric

  Tayside Region

  1983

  1,261

  2,752

  1984

  1,074

  2,133

  1985

  1,027

  2,044

  1986

  1,015

  1,917

  YTS
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate what proportion of the people who have participated in YTS went on to get work for each year since the scheme began.

  Mr. Lang
  Of those who left YTS in Scotland in the period June 1984 to March 1985 (the earliest information available) 50 per cent. were in employment three months after leaving the scheme. The comparable figures for those who left between April 1985 to March 1986 and between April 1986 to August 1987 were 50 and 49 per cent. respectively.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in the Dundee district authority area are on YTS at the latest available date; and what are the corresponding figures for each month since the scheme began.

  Mr. Lang
  As at 10 February 1988 there were 1,605 people on locally run YTS schemes in city of Dundee district. Camparable figures for the same date are 1,252 in 1987 and 1,371 in 1986 (the earliest information available). Monthly figures are not available except at disproportionate cost. The numbers on schemes administered by the Manpower Services Commission large company unit are not broken down to local level.

  NHS (Ancillary Services)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure on ancillary services in the National Health Service in each year since 1983, at constant 1983 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Total recurrent expenditure by health boards on catering, domestic, laundry, transport and portering services has been as follows:

  £ thousand at 1983–84 prices (using GDP deflator)

  1983–84

  174,739

  1984–85

  173,413

  1985–86

  169,367

  1986–87

  167,909

  Area of Productive Coniferous Woodland (Hectares)

  Year (at 31 March)

  Northumberland National Park

  Northumber land County

  Borders Region

  Dumfries and Galloway Region

  1970

  17,000

  52,000

  31,000

  82,000

  1975

  19,000

  55,000

  (not available)

  (not available)

  1980

  21,000

  58,000

  59,000

  125,000

  1985

  22,000

  59,000

  63,000

  138,000

  1987

  22,000

  60,000

  64,000

  139,000

  Nurses
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct health boards in Scotland not to offer voluntary redundancy to nurses.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. It is for health boards as employers to apply the NHS redundancy provisions having regard to their manpower requirements.

  Scottish Development Agency
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much public money has been spent by the Scottish Development Agency task force in Clydebank since its inception.

  Mr. Lang
  Since inception of the Clydebank task force in March 1980, the Scottish Development Agency has spent £31 million in Clydebank.

  Afforestation
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales was afforested with conifers in 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information is not available for 1970 or 1975.

  Figures for the subsequent years are set out in the following table:

  Area of Productive Coniferous Woodland (Hectares)

  Year(at 31 march)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  1980

  407,000

  781,000

  167,000

  1985

  395,000

  871,000

  174,000

  1987

  396,000

  918,000

  176,000

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of(a) the Northumberland national park,(b) Northumberland, (c) the Borders region and (d) Dumfries and Galloway, was afforested with conifers in 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information is set out in the following table:

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many primary schools there are in Scotland; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There were 2,418 education authority primary schools and departments at September 1987. I shall write to the hon. Member to provide a list of schools.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total expenditure on education, primary and secondary, in Scotland for each year since 1975, in 1986 money; and what are the estimates for 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  £ million

  Primary

  Secondary

  1974–75

  437·1

  547·2

  1975–76

  456·3

  549·9

  1976–77

  465·1

  567·4

  1977–78

  442·7

  526·9

  1978–79

  466·2

  555·9

  1979–80

  457·3

  554·1

  1980–81

  471·6

  587·0

  1981–82

  461·4

  617·8

  1982–83

  459·0

  604·8

  1983–84

  451·1

  609·8

  1984–85

  438·4

  600·1

  1985–86

  412·6

  568·4

  1986–87

  457·0

  625·0

  1987–88

  480·6

  629·3

  1988–89

  458·0

  582·9

  1989–90

  447·9

  572·0

  Notes:

  1. The figures shown cover current expenditure by local authorities only; information on capital expenditure covers all education sectors and cannot be split between primary and secondary.

  2. Figures up to 1986–87 are outturn or estimated outturn; 1987–88 is the total of local authority budgets; 1988–89 is the total of service provision within the rate support grant settlement (and excludes any attribution of the education unallocated margin of £90 million); and the 1989–90 figure is a provisional planning figure subject to review later this year.

  3. The figures reflect constant prices determined by application of GDP deflator, base year 1986–87.

  Education Statistics
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of(a) pupils and (b) teachers in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The provisional estimates are 430,900 pupils and 21,340 teachers in primary schools and departments, and 327,300 pupils and 25,290 teachers in secondary schools in September 1987.

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  11986

  1 21987

  Scotland

  58,501

  58,208

  58,028

  57,440

  57,295

  57,216

  56,334

  55,757

  55,338

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,599

  4,523

  4,488

  4,472

  4,438

  4,445

  4,415

  4,367

  4,312

  Ayrshire and Arran

  2,837

  2,822

  2,827

  2,794

  2,918

  3,059

  3,001

  2,974

  2,951

  Borders

  898

  897

  943

  928

  928

  931

  927

  939

  944

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,676

  1,595

  1,571

  1,548

  1,540

  1,542

  1,531

  1,507

  1,493

  Fife

  2,953

  2,913

  2,929

  2,989

  3,026

  3,161

  3,152

  3,262

  3,290

  Hospitals
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the number of new hospitals opened in Scotland for every year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Details of all hospital developments are not held centrally, as minor capital projects are delegated to health boards. The information for capital projects costing over £1 million is as follows:

  Year

  Number of Hospitals

  1979

  2

  1980

  10

  1981

  6

  1982

  5

  1983

  10

  1984

  6

  1985

  4

  1986

  4

  1987

  4

  TOTAL

  51

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figure for the National Health Service in-patient waiting list for Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is published in "Scottish Health Statistics 1986/87" (table 6.5), copies of which are held in the Library.

  Hip-replacement Operations
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the number of people waiting for hip-replacement operations in Scotland; and if he will provide the relevant figures for every year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the total number of hospital beds available in Scotland for each year since 1979; if he will provide a breakdown of these figures for each health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The average available staffed beds in each year ending 30 September in National Health Service hospitals in Scotland are as follows:
  483

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  11986

  1 21987

  Forth Valley

  3,611

  3,616

  3,583

  3,498

  3,446

  3,436

  3,407

  3,417

  3,410

  Grampian

  5,392

  5,391

  5,393

  5,462

  5,486

  5,595

  5,558

  5,575

  5,513

  Greater Glasgow

  14,045

  14,084

  14,032

  13,547

  13,355

  13,166

  12,907

  12,691

  12,559

  Highland

  2,455

  2,422

  2,427

  2,347

  2,290

  2,277

  2,220

  2,149

  2,165

  Lanarkshire

  5,517

  5,536

  5,538

  5,528

  5,491

  5,404

  5,283

  5,164

  5,042

  Lothian

  8,374

  8,389

  8,397

  8,452

  8,522

  8,451

  8,279

  8,089

  8,047

  Orkney

  119

  126

  131

  131

  131

  132

  129

  131

  131

  Shetland

  160

  159

  160

  160

  160

  161

  157

  160

  158

  Tayside

  5,648

  5,522

  5,408

  5,377

  5,354

  5,248

  5,158

  5,120

  5,109

  Western Isles

  216

  212

  202

  207

  210

  208

  211

  212

  216

  1 Provisional.

  2 Year ended 31 March.

  Industrial Development Grant
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he has undertaken, and what information is available to him, about the effects of withdrawal of industrial development grant status on areas close to enterprise zones.

  Mr. Lang
  I am not aware of any research directed to this specific topic. An evaluation of enterprise zones (including those in Scotland) was undertaken for the Department of the Environment by PA Cambridge Economic Consultants, and a copy of their report has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons. Additionally, a research study by Messrs. S. McDowall and H. Begg on the "Impact of Regional Policy Regradings in Scotland" is nearing completion.

  Cancer Screening
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the currently envisaged locations and operating dates for all 10 breast cancer screening facilities in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 12 February 1988]: We have announced that the first four centres will be established at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. We expect the Glasgow centre to begin operation in May, the Edinburgh centre in June and the Aberdeen and Dundee centres to begin operation later in 1988. The location of the remaining centres and the mix of static and mobile units is currently being considered by the Advisory Group on Breast Cancer Screening in Scotland, under the chairmanship of Sir Patrick Forrest. All 10 centres will be in operation by 1991.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on regional aid to industry in(a) Dundee and (b) Tayside in each differing catagory of aid in each financial year since 1978–79, both at current and outturn prices.

  Mr. Lang [holding answer 8 February 1988]: Total payments of regional selective assistance (RSA) under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 to firms in Dundee city and Tayside region are set out in table 1 at both current (synonymous with outturn) and constant
  484
  (1986–87) prices. Total payments under the revised regional development grant scheme (RDG2) to firms in Dundee city and Tayside region are set out in table 2.

  Information on the old RDG scheme is available only by local employment office area (EOA) for payments exceeding £25,000 to individual firms in any quarter. The total of such payments to firms in the Dundee EOA (which approximates to Dundee city local authority district) and the Arbroath, Blairgowrie, Brechin, Dundee, Forfar, Montrose and Perth EOAs (which approximate to Tayside region) are give in table 3.

  Table 1 Payments of RSA (£ million)

  Dundee city

  Tayside region

  Year

  Current prices

  Constant(1986–87) prices

  Current prices

  Constant (1986–87) prices

  1978–79

  0·3

  0·6

  0·7

  1·4

  1979–80

  0·7

  1·1

  0·9

  1·5

  1980–81

  1·2

  1·6

  1·5

  2·1

  1981–82

  1·4

  1·8

  1·6

  2·1

  1982–83

  1·2

  1·4

  1·4

  1·7

  1983–84

  2·2

  2·5

  2·5

  2·8

  1984–85

  2·5

  2·7

  3·0

  3·3

  1985–86

  2·0

  2·1

  2·3

  2·4

  1986–87

  2·7

  2·7

  2·9

  2·9

  Table 2 Revised RDG payments (£ million)

  Dundee city

  Tayside region

  Year

  Current prices

  Constant(1986–87) prices

  Current prices

  Constant (1986–87) prices

  1984–85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1985–86

  0·4

  0·4

  0·7

  0·7

  1986–87

  2·3

  2·3

  3·1

  3·1

  Table 3 Payments of old RDG (£ million)

  Dundee EOA

  EOAs lying wholly or mainly in Tayside Region

  Year

  Current prices

  Constant(1986–87) prices

  Current prices

  Constant (1986–87) prices

  1978–79

  1·0

  2·0

  2·2

  4·2

  1979–80

  1·2

  1·9

  1·8

  3·1

  1980–81

  1·4

  1·9

  2·7

  3·8

  1981–82

  1·8

  2·3

  3·6

  4·7

  1982–83

  2·8

  3·3

  3·6

  4·3

  1983–84

  4·3

  4·9

  4·7

  5·3

  1984–85

  5·5

  6·0

  6·1

  6·6

  1985–86

  3·4

  3·5

  3·9

  4·0

  1986–87

  4·4

  4·4

  5·1

  5·1

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Community Care
  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what further consideration he has given to the recommendation of the Select Committee on Social Services in its Second Report on community care, Session 1984–85, that the lessons from other countries of hasty change in closing down one set of facilities before firmly established alternatives exist need further examination; and if he will identify what action has been taken since the publication of the Government's response to that report, Cmnd. 9674.

  Mr. Newton
  Professional and other staff have continued to study a wide range of research and other reports fom other countries, which contain a number of useful lessons for ourselves. Our response to the Select Committee report clearly affirmed the view that, in the words of the policy paper attached to the response and circulated to health authorities, "New facilities must be available before old facilities are dispensed with." Since that time, after studying reports from other countries, we have funded research studies designed to demonstrate whether models of community care which have been found beneficial in those countries can be successful here.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report details of all schemes which his Department has arranged with private health service companies as part of its initiative to reduce hospital waiting lists.

  Mr. Newton
  A list of the projects currently being funded from regional health authorities' allocations from the waiting list fund for 1987–88 which make use of facilities in the private sector is as follows:
  Yorkshire RHA Scunthorpe DHA: ENT—70 cases Huddersfield DHA: Breast Surgery—90 cases Pontefract DHA: ENT/Gynaecology—306 cases Hull DHA: ENT—150 cases East Anglian RHA Cambridge DHA: Plastic surgery—50 cases North West Thames RHA South Bedfordshire DHA: ENT—25 cases Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA:Surgery—226 cases Ophthalmology—50 cases North East Thames RHA City and Hackney DHA: ENT—242 cases (2 projects)Southend DHA: Gynaecology—241 cases South West Thames RHA West Surrey/North East Hants DHA: Urology—12 cases Trent RHA Leicestershire DHA: 10 CABGs South Lincolnshire DHA:Orthopaedics—88 cases Orthopaedics—460 cases Southern Derbyshire DHA: Gynaecology—54 cases Central Notts DHA: Orthopaedics—160 cases Barnsley DHA: Gynaecology/Radiology—202 cases Doncaster DHA:General Surgery—170 cases 486 ENT—270 cases Gynaecology—115 cases Rotherham DHA: Surgery 67 cases Sheffield DHA:10 CABGs General Surgery—20 cases Surgery—92 cases South East Thames RHA Dartford and Gravesham DHA:Urology—130 cases General Surgery—40 cases Bromley DHA: Orthopaedics—22 hips In addition some post-operative nursing care has been purchased in the private sector for projects in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Brighton DHAs.Wessex RHA East Dorset DHA: Orthopaedics—20 cases Portsmouth and South East Hants DHA: Orthopaedics—100 hips West Midlands RHA South East Staffordshire DHA: Orthopaedics—80 cases North Staffordshire DHA: Gynaecology—20 cases Shropshire DHA: General surgery—100 cases Oxford RHA Milton Keynes DHA: Gynaecology—30 cases Aylesbury DHA: Plastic surgery—250 cases Mersey RHA Crewe DHA: Gynaecology: 107 cases North Western RHA Blackburn DHA: Orthopaedics—33 hips Burnley DHA:ENT—181 cases Orthopaedics—100 hips Bolton DHA: Ophthalmology—175 cases Bury DHA: ENT—225 cases Stockport DHA: Urology—42 cases

  Medical Professionals
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations from individuals in the Nottingham district health authority regarding the integration of medical professionals into the general management system.

  Mr. Newton
  I have received one letter about the principle of combining general managerial responsibilities with continuing clinical practice, but not from a member of the Nottingham district health authority.

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy that in regions where health authority assessments of the local needs of the mentally ill have not been made, he will withhold approval of further reductions in mental hospital beds and if plans for the closure of such hospitals until assessments of their needs have been made and alternative services to meet the needs provided.

  Mr. Newton
  We have already emphasised that no closure of a mental illness hospital should go ahead until a carefull assessment of all the existing patients' needs has been made and alternative services appropriate to those needs have been provided. The closure of hospitals should be a consequence of the former residents being suitably accommodated eleswhere, and not a reason for them to be placed in unsuitable accommodation.

  Nurses
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to recruit and retain nurses within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  We have taken a number of steps recently designed in whole or in part to improve nurse recruitment and retention in the National Health Service. For example, we announced before Christmas the special mortgage scheme with the Nationwide Anglia building society and agreement has been reached on a new grading structure for nurses which will mean that the skills of nurses in key specialisms will be reflected in their grading and therefore in their pay. Other central initiatives include the recently completed consultations on new nurse training proposals (Project 2000) and a new support worker grade for nursing; the feasibility study on the use of the youth training scheme as a means of recruiting to nurse training and to the support worker grade, on which a report has recently been published; a study commissioned by RHA chairmen to examine factors influencing recruitment and retention and suggest improvements; a career development project group established to examine the scope for attractive career goals for nurses; and in NHS/DHSS working group on equal opportunities for women which will in particular make recommendations for management of the career break.

  Action at national level can only be effective if it is matched by action by local management. Health authorities have been asked to improve recruitment and retention by making greater efforts to recruit mature entrants; organising "Back to Nursing" campaigns including refresher training; increasing male recruitment; establishing nurse banks: giving more opportunities for flexible working and job sharing.

  Treatment Costs
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average cost of treating a patient in hospital in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what information he has as to the range of such costs in district health authorities.

  Mrs. Currie
  The average cost of treating a patient in a major acute hospital in 1985–86 was £724. At the level of district health authorities, average costs ranged from £467 (35 per cent. below the national average) to £1,231 (70 per cent. above the national average). A large part of this variation may be attributed to different types of cases and different lengths of stay. If allowance is made for these factors by estimating what district costs would have been if their case mix and lengths of stay were equal to the national averages, districts' actual costs vary from 21 per cent. under to 23 per cent. over such estimated costs. To illustrate the variations that can arise a special study in one health authority has shown that the cost of a bronchoscopy is £125 plus £227 per day, while the cost of implanting a cardiac defibrillator is £10,500 plus £227 per day.

  Expenditure Statistics
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the proportion of United Kingdom gross domestic product spending on (a) the National Health Service as a whole, (b) hospital
  488
  and community health services and (c) family practitioner services, for each year from 1970 until the latest year in which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  NHS expenditure in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1970 is shown in the following table. These estimates are derived from Central Statistical Office national accounts. These accounts, however, do not identify separately expenditure on the hospital and community health services or on family practitioner services. The figures used in the table for these services are estimates derived from departmental records, which are compiled on a financial year basis. Comparable data for the United Kingdom for years before 1978–79 are not readily available.

  Percentage of GDP spent

  Year

  NHS

  12HCHS

  FPS

  1970

  3·8

  —

  —

  1971

  3·8

  —

  —

  1972

  4·0

  —

  —

  1973

  3·9

  —

  —

  1974

  4·8

  —

  —

  1975

  5·1

  —

  —

  1976

  5·0

  —

  —

  1977

  4·9

  —

  —

  1978

  4·8

  —

  —

  1979

  4·8

  3—

  3—

  1980

  5·3

  44·2

  1·1

  1981

  5·5

  4·3

  1·2

  1982

  5·4

  4·2

  1·2

  1983

  5·7

  4·5

  1·2

  1984

  5·5

  4·2

  1·3

  1985

  5·4

  4·2

  1·2

  1986

  5·5

  4·3

  1·2

  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 and earlier years are not readily available.

  4 Estimated.

  Hospital and Community Health Services (Staff Targets)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report his Department's staff targets for the hospital and community health services for each year since 1981 up to the latest year for which figures are available and similarly actual staff in post, all broken down by staff type.

  Mr. Newton
  A manpower control system was introduced in 1983 and the first manpower targets were given for March 1984. The distribution of approved targets between staff groups is a matter for regional decision.

  The table therefore gives overall total comparisons of the 14 regions as at 31 March.

  NHS Directly Employed Staff at 31 March Total 14 Regional Health Authorities

  Year

  Targets

  Staff in post

  1984

  802,700

  796,000

  1985

  802,700

  792,600

  1986

  796,000

  775,300

  1987

  789,500

  767,300

  1988

  781,300

  Not available

  489
  Source: DHSS Annual Censuses of NHS Medical and Non-Medical Manpower.

  Notes: 1. Excludes staff at the Dental Estimates Board, Prescription Pricing Authority and London Post-Graduate Special Health Authorities.

  2. Excludes Medical and Dental Locum Staff, Hospital Practitioners, Clinical Assistants,and Agency Nursing and Midwifery staff.

  3. All figures are independently rounded to the nearest hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  Health Authority Waiting Lists
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to seek to discover the reasons why certain health authorities have waiting lists of over one year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  We asked regional health authorities to submit comprehensive reports on the nature and causes of their waiting lists and time in July 1986 when we launched our waiting list/times initiative. The reports demonstrated that the causes of excessive waiting times varied from district to district and specialty to specialty. Many of the problems were able to be tackled within existing resources but others did require additional funding. We therefore set up a special £25 million waiting list fund for 1987/88 and aim to have treated some 100,000 additional cases by the end of March.

  For 1988/89 we have increased the fund to £30 million and have asked health authorities to make reductions in waiting times their top priority in making bids against the fund.

  Progress on projects supported from the fund and health authorities' progress within the initiative generally are monitored regularly.

  Laboratory Workers (HIV Infection)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 3 February, and in the absence of regular testing, he will give his reasons for stating that the risk of HIV infection to laboratory workers is extremely remote.

  Mr. Newton
  Published scientific literature illustrates that more than 2,000 recorded incidents of direct exposure to HIV contamination have resulted in very few occupationally acquired infections worldwide. The incidence of HIV infection in health care workers in general both in the United States and in this country closely matches that of the general population despite in some cases, multiple and daily encounters with AIDS patients and others who are HIV-positive.

  In the United Kingdom, more than 190 incidents of exposure to the HIV virus involving health care workers and including accidental direct innoculations have been recorded since 1985 with no evidence of infection. A single instance of sero-conversion in a British nurse was reported earlier in 1984.

  Some laboratory workers in this country engaged in work with the virus have volunteered to be tested, but none has been found to have contracted the infection.

  Income Support Scheme
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of the £225 million extra 490
  expenditure planned for the income support scheme is attributable to compensation for the payment of 20 per cent. of rates.

  Mr. Scott
  Including transitional protection, the planned level of expenditure on income support in 1988–89 is some £420 million higher than it would have been if the supplementary benefit scheme had continued with a normal uprating. This includes expenditure of £280 million to compensate for the 20 per cent. rates contribution.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the level of loans that will be written off each year under the social fund in the figures in the Government's expenditure plans 1988–89.

  Mr. Scott
  Social fund loans will seldom be written off. The net expenditure figures for loans which underlie the figures in the Government's expenditure plans 1988–89 assume that a proportion of loan repayments will remain outstanding at the end of each accounting period, but do not contain specific assumptions about the level of loans which are written off.

  Consultants
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that consultants employed on contract by regional health authorities adhere to the conditions set out in them; if he will detail the management procedures to ensure that the terms of the contracts are followed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I am satisfied that, in general, consultants carry out their contractual duties in a proper and responsible manner. Regional health authorities and the district health authorities in which the consultants actually work are together responsible for devising arrangements to ensure that consultants adhere to the terms of their contracts.

  Grimsby Health Authority
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many residential units for National Health Service staff there have been in the Grimsby district health authority in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Grimsby health authority for the information he is seeking.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many consultants are employed by the Grimsby district health authority on contracts; and how many of these work full time and part time for the National Health Service;

  (2) what is the annual cost of consultants contracts for the Grimsby district health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information on the number of consultants in non-teaching districts such as Grimsby is not available centrally, as such staff are employed by regional health authorities. Some information on costs is available from District accounts. In 1986–87, Grimsby's total expenditure on salaries and wages of medical consultants was
  491
  £1,451,000 and on dental consultants £56,000. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Yorkshire regional health authority for any further information which he requires.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the bed availability at the Grimsby district health authority as at the latest date; and if he will give similar figures for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  The requested information is given in the table, together with throughput.

  Average daily number of available beds in Grimsby District Health Authority

  Year

  Average daily number of available beds

  Throughput1

  1979

  797

  22·7

  1980

  800

  23·4

  1981

  806

  24·9

  1982

  800

  25·0

  1983

  807

  26·4

  1984

  800

  27·9

  1985

  957

  24·9

  1986

  970

  25·2

  1 Number of cases per available bed.

  Notes:
  Caistor hospital (mental handicap) was transferred to Grimsby district health authority from North Lincolnshire district health authority on 1 April 1985.Figures for years before 1982 relate to Grimsby's predecessor district within Humberside area health authority.
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appointments he has made to the Grimsby health authority since 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Secretary of State reappointed Mr. R. Blair as Chairman of Grimsby health authority on 1 April 1986.

  The appointment of members to Grimsby district health authority is the responsibility of the Yorkshire regional health authority and certain local authorities

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nurses have left the Grimsby district health authority since 1979; how many have been reinstated; what is the present number; and what it was in 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  Staff in post figures are shown in the table. Because of the 1982 National Health Service reorganisation, figures on a consistent basis are not held centrally for the years prior to 1982.

  Information on staff who have "left" or been "reinstated" is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Grimsby district health authority for this information.

  National Health Service and midwifery staff in post1 Grimsby district health authority at 30 September

  Year

  2Whole time equivalents

  1982

  1,190

  1986

  1,390

  1 Includes agency staff.

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

  Source: DHSS Annual Census of National Health Service Non-medical Manpower.

  Severe Weather Payments (Grimsby)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total of severe weather payments paid by benefit offices within the Grimsby constituency in 1986–87; if he will break down this figure by week of payment; and if he will estimate the number of claimants involved.

  Mr. Scott
  The Grimsby constituency is situated within the area covered by the Grimsby local office, although the boundaries are not conterminous. The total and weekly number of exceptionally cold weather payments made by the Grimsby office last winter is given in the table Figures are not available for the number of individuals receiving payment but the great majority of successful claimants will have received £5 in respect of each of the two weeks for which help was available in the Grimsby area. The number of successful claimants is therefore approximately half the total number of £5 payments made.

  Number of exceptionally cold weather payments made by the Grimsby local office by week of payment in the winter of 1986/87.

  Payment made in week ending

  Number of £5 weekly payments made

  20 January 1987

  155

  27 January 1987

  4,174

  3 February 1987

  2,005

  10 February 1987

  852

  17 February 1987

  279

  24 February 1987

  304

  3 March 1987

  103

  10 March 1987

  50

  17 March 1987

  76

  24 March 1987

  74

  31 March 1987

  38

  7 April 1987

  54

  14 April 1987

  36

  21 April 1987

  2

  28 April 1987

  4

  TOTAL

  8,206

  Nurses (Special Duty Payments)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been paid in the last eight years on special duty payments for nurses in the Grimsby health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that the information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Grimsby health authority for the information he is seeking.

  Benefit Fraud Investigators
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to his Department of the benefit fraud investigators who are operating in the Peterlee and Seaham area; and if he will make a statement on their cost-effectiveness.

  Mr. Portillo
  The estimated cost to the Department, in terms of salaries and expenses, of the three benefit fraud investigators currently operating in the Peterlee and Seaham area is of the order of £3,800 per month. I am completely satisfied that these staff fulful their duties in a cost-effective manner.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether invalid care allowance paid to a mother looking after hanidicapped dependants and therefore unable to work continues after the said mother reaches pensionable age of 60 years.

  Mr. Scott
  If the qualifying conditions are satisfied, entitlement to an invalid care allowance continues after pension age, but the amount payable may be reduced or extinguished on account of the payment of a retirement pension or other social security benefits.

  Supplementary Benefit (Caseload)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 26 January,Official Report, columns 200–214, what is the nature of the evidence he has relating to activity on the supplementary benefit caseload of benefit offices.

  Mr. Portillo
  The staffing levels of local social security offices are established by their proportionate share of the forecast national workloads (for example, the number of unemployed supplementary benefit claimants) and the average time spent on each of these workloads. The information on average times is obtained from periodic activity sampling exercises. The latest such exercise was held from August 1986 to July 1987.

  Dogs (Northumberland)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Northumberland health authority(a) received hospital treatment as a result of attacks by dogs, (b) died as a result of such attacks and (c) received hospital treatment for dog-borne diseases, including toxocara canis, as a result of contact with dogs or dog excrement, for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  There were no deaths of usual residents of Northumberland district health authority registered in 1986 where the underlying cause of death was due to injury caused by dogs. I regret that the remaining information requested is not available centrally.

  Cervical Cancer
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the northern region have died from cervical cancer in the last five years for which figures are available, expressed per thousand women.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is shown in the table.

  Number of deaths to women usually resident in Northern Regional Health Authority with underlying cause as malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri (ICD(9)1 180), and rates per thousand resident women. 1982 to 1986

  Year

  Number of deaths

  Rate per 1,000 women

  1982

  153

  0·096

  1983

  155

  0·097

  1984

  134

  0·084

  1985

  147

  0·093

  1986

  145

  0·092

  1 International Classification of Diseases 9th revision.

  Worth House Children's Home
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what inquiries the Social Services Inspectorate has made of the Kent constabulary at Herne Bay relating to the operation of Worth House children's home.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is not the Inspectorate's normal practice to make inquiries of the police in the conduct of its inspections, and none was made on this occasion.

  Benefits (RPI Error)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State of 18 December 1987,Official Report, column 1376, he will now update the estimate of the total amount of underpayment due to the miscalculation of the retail prices index in relation to social security benefits; and what was the total amount actually paid out in special lump-sum payments during the week started 1 February.

  Mr. Scott
  It is estimated that the underspend on social security will be £109 million between April 1987 and April 1989. £98 million of this was allocated to the first stage of the special payments exercise, for those entitled to benefit during the week commencing 1 February. Not all these special payments will actually have been made during that week, as many beneficiaries are paid monthly or quarterly or will cash their order book foils for that week at a later date. Consequently, no firm figures for the total spending on this stage of the special payments will be known for several weeks. Special payments will also be made to people whose entitlement arises between 8 February and 8 October, and to certain categories of people whose losses on weekly benefit as a result of the error were significantly more than £8.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the statement of 18 December 1987,Official Report, column 1376, he will explain the precise basis on which the figures of £8 and £7·85 were calculated in relation to the underpayment in benefit as a result of an error in computing the retail prices index.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 10 February at column 274.

  War Widows' Pensions
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to lower the age limit for the age allowance in war widows' pensions from 65 to 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The age allowances currently paid are £5·50 at age 65, increasing to £11 at 70 and £13·85 at 80. They are paid in addition to the standard war widow's pension of £51·35 a week, which is itself 30 per cent. higher than the national insurance widow's pension. These allowances are unique to the war widow's pension scheme and are intended to recognise the additional needs of elderly war widows as they grow older. There is no reason to reduce the age at which they are paid to 60.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to implement the request made by the War Widows Association of Great
  495
  Britain to increase the additional sums paid in age allowances related to war widows' pensions by £2 a week; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The request stems from proposals made in 1986 by a joint working group of officials and representatives of ex-service organisations to abolish some of the out-of-date provisions of the war pensions scheme and use the resources released to increase war widows' age allowances by £2 a week. The Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions rejected the proposals. That remains the position.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of outstanding claims for supplementary benefit in the Dundee, East and Dundee, West offices of his Department on the latest available date; and what were the corresponding figures in each month since January 1982.

  Mr. Portillo
  Details of the number of outstanding claims to supplementary benefit at Dundee, East and Dundee, West offices are shown in the following table:

  Date

  496 Dundee East

  Dundee West

  11 May 1982

  72

  51

  8 June 1982

  80

  60

  6 July 1982

  215

  103

  3 August 1982

  77

  78

  31 August 1982

  120

  100

  28 September 1982

  101

  59

  26 October 1982

  70

  52

  23 November 1982

  56

  39

  21 December 1982

  123

  54

  18 January 1983

  275

  57

  15 February 1983

  175

  48

  16 March 1983

  209

  56

  12 April 1983

  339

  92

  10 May 1983

  226

  48

  7 June 1983

  256

  74

  5 July 1983

  550

  93

  2 August 1983

  460

  95

  30 August 1983

  349

  65

  27 September 1983

  443

  144

  25 October 1983

  292

  64

  22 November 1983

  238

  51

  20 December 1983

  260

  58

  17 January 1984

  169

  56

  14 February 1984

  130

  64

  13 March 84

  177

  55

  10 April 1984

  201

  68

  8 April 1984

  137

  107

  5 June 1984

  118

  57

  2 July 1984

  289

  83

  31 July 1984

  225

  23

  28 August 1984

  251

  115

  25 September 1984

  221

  98

  23 October 1984

  181

  84

  20 November 1984

  122

  60

  8 December 1984

  166

  74

  16 January 1985

  172

  91

  12 February 1985

  110

  100

  12 March 1985

  76

  61

  9 April 1985

  129

  104

  7 May 1985

  83

  104

  4 June 1985

  128

  142

  2 July 1985

  324

  203

  30 July 1985

  187

  131

  27 August 1985

  187

  223

  24 September 1985

  214

  206

  22 October 1985

  201

  155

  19 November 1985

  180

  182

  17 December 1985

  232

  220

  496

  Date

  Dundee East

  Dundee West

  14 January 1986

  245

  273

  11 February 1986

  167

  180

  11 March 1986

  198

  257

  8 April 1986

  217

  212

  6 May 1986

  172

  116

  3 June 1986

  189

  134

  1 July 1986

  344

  275

  29 July 1986

  232

  164

  26 August 1986

  307

  174

  23 September 1986

  126

  151

  21 October 1986

  141

  110

  18 November 1986

  78

  106

  16 December 1986

  86

  102

  13 January 1987

  127

  160

  10 February 1987

  138

  184

  10 March 1987

  119

  255

  7 April 1987

  157

  168

  5 May 1987

  157

  133

  2 June 1987

  113

  153

  30 June 1987

  184

  226

  28 July 1987

  276

  141

  25 August 1987

  213

  122

  22 September 1987

  270

  145

  20 October 1987

  192

  121

  17 November 1987

  92

  105

  15 December 1987

  113

  120

  12 January 1988

  165

  122

  There are no figures held prior to May 1982.

  NHS (Ancillary Services)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the expenditure on ancillary services in the National Health Service in each year since 1983, at constant 1983 prices.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information derived from the annual accounts of health authorities in England is shown in the table.

  The savings which authorities have achieved largely reflects the success of the Department's policy requiring them to subject their arrangements for catering, domestic/ cleaning and laundry services to competitive tendering procedures.

  Hospital and Community Health Services1Expenditure or Ancillary Services

  Per annual accounts £ million

  At 1983–84 prices £ million

  1983–84

  1,151

  1,151

  1984–85

  1,143

  1,094

  1985–86

  1,142

  1,032

  1986–87

  1,133

  992

  1 Includes ambulance, blood transfusion and other services.

  Source: Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals.

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on ancillary services lacks a precise definition but has been taken as total current expenditure on catering, domestic/ cleaning, portering, laundry, linen and non-ambulance transport services.

  2. The figures have been expressed at 1983–84 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product deflator.

  Radiotherapy Unit, Southend
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many letters he has now received from the general public about the proposal by the North East
  497
  Thames regional health authority to close the radiotherapy unit at Southend general hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have received tens of thousands of representations from members of the public about the proposals. The matter has now come to the Secretary of State for a final decision which will be made shortly.

  National Health Service Staff (Pay)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if(a) medical laboratory technicians, (b) physiotherapists, (c) occupational therapists,(d) speech therapists, (e) medical physicists, (f) radiographers and (g) radiologists have received pay rises equal to the rise in the retail prices index in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Newton
  The percentage pay settlements for these groups in the National Health Service from 1983–84 to 1986–87 (1 August to 31 July) together with the annual rise in the retail prices index (July to July) are set out in the table.

  Pay round year

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  (a) medical laboratory scientific officers

  4·5

  4·7

  6·0

  5·0

  (b) Physiotherapists

  7·8

  112·1

  8·2

  9·1

  (c) occupational therapists

  7·8

  112·1

  8·2

  9·1

  (d) speech therapists

  4·5

  4·7

  6·0

  2—

  (e) medical physics technicians

  4·5

  4 7

  6·0

  5·0

  (f) radiographers

  7·8

  112·1

  8·2

  9·1

  (g) radiologists

  6·9

  6·3

  7·6

  8·25

  Retail Prices Index annual movement

  July to July

  4·5

  6·9

  2·4

  4·4

  1 Staged award, final part paid with effect from 1·2·86

  2 Settlement provided £450 lump sum and introduced revised grading definitions from 1 January 1988 (average increase estimated as approximately 9·0 per cent.)

  Birmingham Children's Hospital
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to increase funds to provide for the specialist and standard nursing levels which would

  All private resident charges 1988–89

  Charge class

  Not separate arrangements

  Separate arrangements

  Single rooms

  Shared accommodation

  Single rooms

  Shared accommodation

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Per cent· Increase

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Per cent· Increase

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Per cent· Increase

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Per cent· Increase

  Long stay (A)

  83

  93

  12·0

  75

  84

  12·0

  78

  87

  11·5

  71

  79

  11·3

  Psychiatric (B)

  70

  85

  21·4

  64

  77

  20·3

  66

  80

  21·2

  60

  73

  21·7

  Mainly acute (CI)

  138

  142

  2·9

  125

  129

  3·2

  130

  134

  3·1

  118

  122

  3·4

  Acute (C2)

  157

  169

  7·6

  142

  154

  8·5

  148

  160

  8·1

  134

  145

  8·2

  London Teaching (D)

  219

  226

  3·2

  199

  206

  3·5

  206

  214

  3·9

  187

  194

  3·7

  Provincial Teaching (E)

  174

  182

  4·6

  158

  166

  5·1

  164

  172

  4·9

  149

  156

  4·7

  London PG SHAs (F)

  238

  197

  -17·2

  217

  179

  -17·5

  225

  186

  -17·3

  204

  169

  17·2

  Sick children and National Heart and Chest (G)

  335

  n/a

  n/a

  305

  n/a

  n/a

  316

  n/a

  n/a

  287

  n/a

  n/a

  Average (unweighted) per cent. increase: 5·9.

  Average weighted per cent. increase: 6·3.
  498
  be required to reduce the waiting list for heart operations at Birmingham children's hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The recent problems at the Birmingham children's hospital are primarily the result of a shortage of trained nurses. The chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority has recently announced six areas of action intended to ensure that in future children do not wait for long periods for cardiac surgery. A number of measures are already being taken to improve the recruitment and retention of trained nurses including the proposal for a new paediatric intensive care course in Birmingham later this year.

  NHS (Private Patients)
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if decisions have been taken on the central reference lists of model charges for National Health Service private patients for the year from 1 April.

  Mr. Newton
  As from 1 April 1987, health authorities have had the function of determining the charges they will apply to their private patient facilities. Each authority must set its charges annually from 1 April each year. They will do so either by setting their own charges to recover costs or by adopting a centrally calculated list of model charges.

  The central reference lists of model charges for private in-patients and private out-patients for the year from 1 April are given in the tables.

  For private in-patients, the model charges for 1988–89 are on average 6·3 per cent. higher than those for 1987–88. The model charges are inclusive daily amounts based on the cost of providing accommodation and services for all patients. The figures take account of increased costs (including capital depreciation) and as last year also reflect the fact that private patients have shorter lengths of stay than NHS patients. The figures also take account of the fact that a number of authorities have set their own inpatient charges; where this has happened the hospitals concerned have been removed from the model list calculations. As a result, charges in one category have gone down, and model charges are no longer needed for another category.

  For private out-patients, the model charges for 1988–89 are on average 6·5 per cent. higher than for 1987–88. Charges for amenity beds are unchanged.
  499

  Private non—resident charges 1988–89

  Class A to E

  Class F+ G

  Item of Service

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Percentage change

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Percentage change

  1. Consultation

  6·50

  7·00

  +7·7

  12·00

  13·00

  +8·3

  2. (i) Day cases

  26·50

  28·50

  +7·5

  27·50

  29·50

  +7·3

  (ii) Day patients

  3100

  34·00

  +9·7

  32·00

  35·00

  +9·4

  3 Pathology

  7·00

  7·50

  +7·1

  13·50

  15·00

  + 11·1

  4. Radiography

  (i) Per unit value

  0·78

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1·00

  n.a.

  n.a.

  (ii) Minimum charge

  12·50

  13·50

  +8·0

  16·00

  18·50

  +15·6

  (iii) CT scanning

  96·00

  96·00

  no change

  115·00

  115·00

  no change

  5. Radiotherapy

  18·00

  18·00

  no change

  44·50

  44·50

  no change

  6. Physiotherapy

  5·00

  5·50

  + 10·0

  9·00

  11·50

  +27·8

  7. Occupational Therapy

  7·00

  8·50

  +21·4

  10·00

  10·00

  no change

  8 Other diagnostic procedures

  (i) Audiometry

  5·00

  5·00

  no change

  5·00

  5·00

  no change

  (ii) ECG

  9·00

  9·50

  +5·6

  16·50

  17·50

  +6·1

  (iii) EEG

  37·00

  38·50

  +41

  72·50

  83·50

  +15·2

  (iv) EMG

  23·00

  24·00

  +4·3

  44·50

  50·50

  +13·5

  9. Use of Operating theatres

  (i) Less than 10 minutes

  22·00

  22·50

  +2·3

  27·00

  28·00

  +3·7

  (ii). 10–30 minutes

  42·50

  44·00

  +3·5

  54·00

  56·00

  +3·7

  (iii) More than 30 minutes

  64·50

  67·00

  +3·9

  81·00

  84·00

  +3·7

  AIDS
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate, for the current financial year and for the past two financial years, the funds devoted by the Government specifically to respond to the AIDS crisis, broken down into funds spent on(a) public education, (b) health care and treatment, (c) provision of drugs, (d) research and (e) other actions.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 26 October 1987]: It is not possible to give a comprehensive three-year breakdown of funding devoted to all aspects of the Government's response to the challenge posed by HIV infection and AIDS. Much of the expenditure on care and treatment of people with HIV and AIDS, and the provision of drugs, comes from health authorities' and boards' general allocations and is not identifiable separately. This is also the case with the Ministry of Defence's Defence Medical Services where any expenditure on AIDS is subsumed within their overall allocation.

  The table sets out the money expended for the United Kingdom (figures rounded to the nearest £000) over and above the resources devoted to AIDS services by health authorities and boards from their general allocations. The figures must be read in conjunction with the notes.

  £'000s

  1985–86

  1986–87

  121987–88

  (a) Public education3

  548

  7,303

  12,578

  (b) Health care and treatment4

  1,169

  3,189

  21,556

  (c) Provision of drugs

  —

  —

  51,600

  (d) Research

  470

  1,050

  9,010

  (e) Other6

  1,148

  2,372

  16,300

  1 1987–88 figures include estimates based on likely expenditure at end of 1987–88 financial year.

  2 Excludes £125,000 of the Welsh Health Promotion Authority's budget, to support the work of the Welsh AIDS Campaign.

  3 Excludes educational material aimed at specific groups, included under (e) Other.

  4 Amounts shown are specific extra allocations made to health authorities as a contribution towards these costs. Other care and

  500

  reatment costs are met from health authorities general allocations, and are not separately identifiable.

  5 Central allocation to health authorities for Retrovir (AZT). Health authorities' and boards' expenditure on drugs otherwise met from other allocations and not separately identifiable.

  6 For example: overseas aid, funding of voluntary organisations, advice and guidance to specific groups (such as schools and the education service, employers and the police), and the Public Health Laboratory Service AIDS programme.

  Single Payments (North-East)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit single payments were made, and what was the cost thereof, for 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87 and the latest figures for 1987–88, for(a) Cleveland, (b) Durham, (c) Northumbria and (d) Tyne and Wear;

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The information requested is given in the table.

  The Department has 28 offices within the four areas mentioned in the question. However, the boundaries of the local offices and those of the county/administrative district are not conterminous.

  Number and cost of single payments made by DHSS local offices in (a) Cleveland, (b) Durham, (c) Northumberland and (d) Tyne and Wear

  (a) Cleveland

  This area includes the offices of Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  46,244

  4,114,9830

  April 1984 to April 1985

  96,503

  5,678,783

  April 1985 to April 1986

  111,615

  7,901,695

  April 1986 to April 1987

  93,332

  6,585,497

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  40,596

  2,615,608

  501

  (b) Durham This area includes the offices of Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Durham, Peterlee, Seaham and Stanley

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  28,394

  1,621,120

  April 1984 to April 1985

  48,963

  2,529,882

  April 1985 to April 1986

  69,501

  3,589,559

  April 1986 to April 1987

  49,720

  3,217,527

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  31,449

  2,149,397

  (c) Northumberland This area includes the offices of Ashington, Berwick, Blyth and Hexham

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  7,458

  487,581

  April 1984 to April 1985

  12,496

  785,649

  April 1985 to April 1986

  16,590

  1,146,094

  April 1986 to April 1987

  14,121

  1,021,046

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  8,599

  578,295

  (d) Tyne and Wear This area includes the offices of Gateshead, Houghton le Spring, Jarrow, Newcastle on Tyne (St. James'), Newcastle on Tyne (East), Newcaslte on Tyne (West), North Shields, South Shields, Sunderland (North) and Sunderland (South)

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  88,185

  5,848,421

  April 1984 to April 1985

  154,735

  9,156,968

  April 1985 to April 1986

  196,630

  13,101,212

  April 1986 to April 1987

  162,021

  11,646,645

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  76,698

  5,359,385

  1 The figures for April 1987 to 12 January 1988 are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit single payments were made, and what was the cost thereof, for 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87 and the latest figures for 1987–88 for his Department's local offices at(a) Darlington, (b) Bishop Auckland and (c) Peterlee.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Number and Cost of Single Payments Made by DHSS Local Offices at (a) Darlington, (b) Bishop Auckland and (c) Peterlee

  (a) Darlington

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  6,197

  258,450

  April 1984 to April 1985

  10,515

  611,790

  April 1985 to April 1986

  15,944

  790,037

  April 1986 to April 1987

  14,995

  791,343

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  8,088

  552,056

  (b) Bishop Auckland

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  6,642

  378,301

  April 1984 to April 1985

  11,025

  691,049

  April 1985 to April 1986

  16,557

  1,212,728

  April 1986 to April 1987

  13,000

  917,386

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  5,921

  436,251

  502

  (c) Peterlee

  Year

  Number of awards

  Cost £

  April 1983 to April 1984

  3,091

  221,976

  April 1984 to April 1985

  5,979

  456,178

  April 1985 to April 1986

  6,248

  453,083

  April 1986 to April 1987

  5,752

  417,003

  April 1987 to 12 January 19881

  2,823

  197,736

  1 The figures for April 1987 to 12 January 1988 are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances an individual ambulance authority raises charges from another authority for mutual assistance or services; and whether the financing of such mutual services is balanced.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: It is for the regional health authority to agree the circumstances in which such changes should be raised. Where the boundaries of an area served by a particular ambulance authority are not conterminous with regional health authority boundaries, an appropriate adjustment is made to the resource allocation targets of the health authorities concerned.

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

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: The requested information is given in the table.

  Average daily number of available beds in the National Health Service (England) 1986

  Number

  Total beds

  315,714

  Total acute beds

  131,332

  Total beds per 1,000 population

  6·7

  Total acute beds per 1,000 population

  2·8

  Figures for Scotland and Wales are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Benefits
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were receiving supplementary benefit in 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87 and the latest figures for 1987–88 in(a) Scotland (b) Strathclyde and (c) Greenock and Port Glasgow.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 12 February 1988]: The table sets out the information requested. The Strathclyde area is served by 31 local offices, including Greenock and Port Glasgow, although the boundaries are not conterminous.
  503

  Number of supplementary benefit claimants

  Region/local office

  2 August 1983

  31 July 1984

  31 July 1985

  13 August 1986

  29 July 1987

  Scotland

  469,871

  507,785

  531,176

  545,621

  563,047

  Strathclyde

  266,818

  290,618

  305,744

  313,911

  323,033

  Greenock

  9,936

  10,748

  11,101

  11,868

  12,672

  Port Glasgow

  4,235

  4,723

  5,006

  5,376

  5,275

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

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

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 1 February 1988]: The information that is available has now been placed in the Library.

  Health Statistics
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by district health authority the number of people on waiting lists for urgent and non-urgent operations for December of each year since 1982.

  Mr. Newton
  [pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1988]: I regret I cannot provide the hon. Member with all the information he seeks. The table gives the figures for March 1986 and March 1987 as the December figures do not separately identify urgent and non-urgent cases. Figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  In-patient waiting list for surgical specialties, 31 March 1986 and 31 March 1987

  1986

  1987

  Urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases

  Urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases

  Northern RHA

  Hartlepool

  40

  1,336

  36

  1,625

  North Tees

  0

  796

  0

  922

  South Tees

  171

  5,923

  134

  5,330

  East Cumbria

  0

  3,003

  0

  3,769

  South Cumbria

  14

  1,321

  0

  1,191

  West Cumbria

  33

  1,316

  39

  1,357

  Darlington

  5

  2,200

  5

  2,392

  Durham

  22

  741

  39

  897

  North West Durham

  4

  660

  0

  683

  South West Durham

  0

  446

  0

  803

  Northumberland

  142

  1,558

  37

  1,522

  Gateshead

  28

  1,053

  45

  1,277

  Newcastle

  997

  7,051

  1,069

  7,580

  North Tyneside

  21

  1,186

  11

  1,032

  South Tyneside

  0

  666

  0

  712

  Sunderland

  167

  3,643

  152

  3,485

  Yorkshire RHA

  Hull

  0

  6,615

  0

  6,908

  East Yorkshire

  0

  1,101

  0

  1,410

  Grimsby

  8

  1,237

  27

  1,373

  Scunthorpe

  0

  2,030

  0

  2,832

  Northallerton

  0

  419

  0

  676

  York

  9

  2,656

  11

  2,522

  Scarborough

  43

  1,541

  83

  1,621

  Harrogate

  35

  1,604

  30

  1,827

  Bradford

  181

  6,103

  146

  6,925

  Airedale

  101

  2,537

  73

  1,990

  504

  1986

  1987

  Urgent cases

  Non-Urgent cases

  urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases

  Calderdale

  1

  985

  5

  991

  Huddersfield

  0

  2,697

  0

  2,175

  Dewsbury

  4

  652

  2

  427

  Leeds Western

  555

  3,650

  343

  3,989

  Leeds Eastern

  595

  4,939

  445

  5,523

  Wakefield

  39

  2,122

  47

  2,131

  Pontefract

  508

  1,671

  311

  1,768

  Trent RHA

  North Derbyshire

  187

  2,405

  n.a.

  12,489

  South Derbyshire

  168

  6,281

  n.a.

  4,937

  Leicestershire

  787

  6,788

  n.a.

  7,962

  North Lincolnshire

  111

  3,033

  n.a.

  2,782

  South Lincolnshire

  61

  3,870

  n.a.

  4,166

  Bassetlaw

  24

  785

  n.a.

  535

  Central Nottinghamshire

  76

  5,292

  n.a.

  4,936

  Nottingham

  160

  7,994

  n.a.

  6,594

  Barnsley

  90

  2,358

  n.a.

  2,584

  Doncaster

  401

  4,172

  n.a.

  4,625

  Rotherham

  113

  4,060

  n.a.

  4,435

  Sheffield

  1,112

  10,300

  n.a.

  10,146

  East Anglia RHA

  Cambridge

  585

  4,402

  685

  4,087

  Peterborough

  40

  3,199

  100

  4,073

  West Suffolk

  61

  2,549

  73

  2,648

  East Suffolk

  112

  2,884

  114

  3,206

  Norwich

  1,264

  5,586

  1,171

  5,182

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  358

  3,040

  290

  2,893

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  120

  1,806

  4

  2,084

  Huntingdon

  14

  727

  65

  729

  North West Thames RHA

  North Bedfordshire

  0

  2,251

  0

  2,419

  South Bedfordshire

  0

  2,107

  5

  2,386

  North Hertfordshire

  1

  2,873

  61

  3,194

  East Hertfordshire

  8

  1,296

  9

  1,307

  North West Hertfordshire

  0

  1,821

  0

  1,501

  South West Hertfordshire

  160

  1,735

  105

  1,970

  Barnet

  464

  3,568

  266

  3,152

  Harrow

  8

  951

  7

  941

  Hillington

  624

  6,838

  769

  7,055

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  498

  4,652

  330

  5,513

  Ealing

  276

  1,830

  162

  1,263

  Brent

  15

  1,957

  36

  1,808

  Paddington and North Kensington

  95

  2,887

  109

  3,183

  Riverside

  732

  4,696

  827

  4,519

  North East Thames RHA

  Basildon and Thurrock

  881

  5,100

  828

  5,660

  Mid Essex

  23

  3,535

  210

  4,450

  North East Essex

  399

  3,883

  209

  2,977

  West Essex

  60

  4,787

  190

  4,406

  Southend

  584

  2,560

  711

  3,046

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  183

  6,232

  143

  6,208

  Hampstead

  49

  1,939

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Bloomsbury

  569

  13,074

  452

  12,009

  Islington

  318

  2,092

  464

  2,358

  City and Hackney

  1,859

  3,766

  2,095

  4,583

  Newham

  60

  1,051

  79

  1,488

  Tower Hamlets

  1,473

  5,024

  1,518

  5,855

  505

  1986

  1987

  Urgent cases

  Non-Urgent cases

  urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases

  Enfield

  32

  2,782

  29

  2,792

  Haringey

  160

  1,065

  156

  848

  Redbridge

  47

  1,553

  69

  2,266

  Waltham Forest

  190

  4,151

  224

  4,279

  South East Thames RHA

  Brighton

  241

  3,627

  135

  3,838

  Eastbourne

  43

  2,638

  118

  3,177

  Hastings

  109

  2,419

  151

  2,731

  South East Kent

  19

  2,620

  3

  2,538

  Canterbury and Thanet

  364

  4,213

  384

  4,460

  Dartford and Gravesham

  23

  4,388

  46

  4,793

  Maidstone

  91

  2,056

  113

  2,340

  Medway

  194

  1,893

  364

  2,974

  Tunbridge Wells

  395

  4,469

  200

  4,363

  Bexley

  0

  1,493

  0

  1,862

  Greenwich

  0

  2,486

  32

  2,516

  Bromley

  4

  1,863

  74

  2,130

  West Lambeth

  641

  5,189

  1,554

  6,054

  Camberwell

  129

  2,407

  212

  2,493

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  686

  6,914

  840

  7,918

  South West Thames RHA

  North West Surrey

  78

  2,907

  25

  2,890

  West Surrey and North East Hants

  1,425

  3,262

  2,329

  2,373

  South West Surrey

  101

  3,083

  83

  2,892

  Mid Surrey

  131

  2,162

  46

  2,094

  East Surrey

  141

  1,403

  136

  2,053

  Chichester

  146

  2,249

  73

  2,368

  Mid Downs

  98

  2,064

  113

  2,097

  Worthing

  364

  3,068

  250

  2,785

  Croydon

  179

  2,097

  119

  2,312

  Kingston and Esher

  246

  2,295

  176

  2,213

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  209

  3,042

  145

  2,346

  Wandsworth

  429

  1,720

  279

  2,248

  Merton and Sutton

  286

  2,676

  149

  2,741

  Wessex RHA

  East Dorset

  955

  4,159

  1,098

  4,183

  West Dorset

  240

  1,786

  283

  1,490

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  294

  5,847

  315

  7,244

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  1,046

  6,977

  1,339

  6,543

  Winchester

  109

  2,215

  139

  2,710

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  134

  3,446

  66

  2,345

  Salisbury

  286

  4,173

  177

  4,508

  Swindon

  54

  2,975

  91

  3,057

  Bath

  430

  4,907

  587

  4,855

  Isle of Wight

  27

  1,817

  7

  1,351

  Oxford RHA

  East Berkshire

  528

  6,815

  509

  7,233

  West Berkshire

  83

  4,469

  81

  3,859

  Aylesbury Vale

  68

  3,524

  18

  3,168

  Wycombe

  7

  1,004

  0

  1,311

  Milton Keynes

  41

  2,080

  69

  2,545

  Kettering

  21

  2,757

  70

  3,474

  Northampton

  703

  4,373

  613

  3,452

  Oxfordshire

  79

  5,426

  40

  5,639

  South Western RHA

  Bristol and Weston

  471

  7,328

  486

  7,539

  Frenchay

  81

  3,376

  77

  3,362

  Southmead

  48

  2,090

  62

  1,309

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  254

  4,363

  188

  4,174

  Exeter

  101

  4,513

  143

  4,501

  North Devon

  1

  1,351

  15

  1,678

  Plymouth

  206

  5,041

  332

  5,442

  Torbay

  89

  1,679

  41

  1,561

  506

  1986

  1987

  Urgent cases

  Non-Urgent cases

  urgent cases

  Non-urgent cases

  Cheltenham

  6

  2,180

  4

  2,153

  Gloucester

  321

  4,003

  300

  3,838

  Somerset

  503

  4,312

  806

  4,581

  West Midlands RHA

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  41

  2,007

  44

  1,940

  Herefordshire

  98

  2,556

  56

  2,889

  Kidderminster and District

  13

  1,285

  19

  1,566

  Worcester and District

  33

  3,353

  50

  3,407

  Shropshire

  292

  7,282

  401

  8,341

  Mid Staffordshire

  53

  1,625

  88

  1,520

  North Staffordshire

  943

  7,912

  1,057

  7,826

  South East Staffordshire

  14

  2,346

  38

  2,628

  Rugby

  0

  528

  0

  659

  North Warwickshire

  39

  1,786

  66

  2,507

  South Warwickshire

  16

  3,192

  15

  2,512

  Central Birmingham

  755

  4,178

  736

  4,315

  East Birmingham

  231

  3,052

  282

  2,460

  North Birmingham

  61

  2,206

  65

  1,235

  South Birmingham

  788

  6,503

  901

  6,668

  West Birmingham

  72

  3,294

  69

  4,520

  Coventry

  664

  5,309

  491

  4,220

  Dudley

  161

  4,054

  138

  3,746

  Sandwell

  0

  1,288

  0

  1,728

  Solihull

  0

  1,967

  74

  1,504

  Walsall

  9

  2,847

  24

  2,716

  Wolverhampton

  133

  3,901

  174

  4,585

  Mersey RHA

  Chester

  53

  1,736

  0

  2,736

  Crewe

  479

  4,198

  251

  3,258

  Halton

  4

  307

  0

  123

  Macclesfield

  158

  1,001

  61

  691

  Warrington

  0

  2,626

  0

  1,862

  Liverpool

  571

  7,086

  355

  6,874

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  8

  3,846

  53

  4,016

  Southport and Formby

  0

  1,103

  0

  1,331

  South Sefton

  37

  3,338

  58

  3,177

  Wirral

  195

  2,937

  136

  3,416

  North Western RHA

  Lancaster

  118

  1,957

  19

  2,269

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  442

  3,625

  511

  3,816

  Preston

  69

  4,501

  29

  4,462

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  8

  2,015

  9

  2,387

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  276

  2,191

  255

  1,812

  West Lancashire

  28

  1,892

  16

  2,431

  Chorley and South Ribble

  0

  764

  0

  770

  Bolton

  40

  2,788

  118

  3,013

  Bury

  6

  729

  0

  731

  North Manchester

  168

  2,454

  82

  2,331

  Central Manchester

  337

  4,843

  291

  6,070

  South Manchester

  682

  4,935

  459

  5,529

  Oldham

  321

  4,058

  447

  4,475

  Rochdale

  122

  2,911

  118

  2,815

  Salford

  120

  3,708

  219

  4,517

  Stockport

  403

  3,698

  290

  3,794

  Tameside and Glossop

  100

  1,533

  80

  1,526

  Trafford

  25

  1,476

  5

  1,528

  Wigan

  74

  4,281

  40

  4,418

  1 Total cases in 1987 for Trent RHA districts.

ENERGY

  Electicity Prices
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the secretary of state for energy if he will make a statement on his policy towards competitive electricity pricing in the light of the result of
  507
  the survey on international electricity pricing organised by National Utility Services, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  United Kingdom domestic electricity prices are among the lowest in Europe and will continue to he among the lowest after the increase in April. United Kingdom electricity prices will continue to compare favourably with world electricity prices.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from pottery, brick and tile manufacturers and other concerned industrialists about the effect of proposed electricity price increases on their industry; what information he has of the effect on industries highly dependent on energy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have received a small number of representations from pottery, brick and tile manufacturers. The increase in electricity tariffs this April is likely to represent only about one quarter of 1 per cent. of their gross output. United Kingdom electricity tariffs for industry will remain highly competitive with those overseas even after April, and intensive users will have the continued benefit of contracted load management schemes and the qualifying industrial consumers' scheme (QUICS).

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many pit closures the chairman of British Coal has advised him will be likely to take place in the current year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Pit closures are the responsibility of British Coal management under a procedure agreed with the unions.

  Fast Breeder Reactors
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest assessment of progress on the fast breeder reactor research programme.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Significant design improvements have been achieved in recent years making use of the results of the R and D programme. Effort is now being concentrated on a common European design.

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board and area electricity boards concerning privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I met the chairman of the area boards as a group last month and I meet Lord Marshall, chairman of the CEGB, regularly to discuss privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the implications of the Government's policy of privatisation of the electricity generation industry for the nuclear component of that industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry are still under consideration.
  508
  The Government will announce their plans for the industry, including the implications for nuclear generation, in due course.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on his plans for the privatisation of electricity.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the progress of Government plans to privatise the electricity industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Proposals for privatisation are still under consideration and no final decisions have been taken. The Government will announce their plans for the electricity supply industry in due course.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the cost to the taxpayer of the present advertising campaign by the electricity supply industry for electricity; and if he will seek to limit expenditure on such advertising during the approach to privatisation.

  Mr. Parkinson
  This is a matter for the industry; I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to publish his White Paper on electricity privatisation.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Government are still considering whether to publish a White Paper.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the Central Electricity Generating Board chairman; and what decision he has reached on the board's advice on the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet Lord Marshall, chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board, regularly to discuss privatisation of the electricity supply industry. No final decisions have been taken on the privatisation of the industry.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when and in what form he now expects to announce his proposals for the privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce his plans for electricity privatisation, in the light of his recent public statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Government will announce their plans for privatisation of the electricity supply industry in due course.

  British Coal
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
  509
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to how the £25 million investment plan recently announced for the north-east area for British Coal will be apportioned as between(a) Murton Howthorn, (b) Vane Tempest-Seaham, (c) Easington, (d) Dawdon, (e) Wearnmouth and (f) Westho.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The allocation of capital to individual collieries is a management matter for British Coal and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to privatise British Coal engineering workshops, transport, and canteen services.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Decisions on the appropriate balance between in-house and bought-in services are management matters for the British Coal Corporation.

  British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. to discuss the commercial future of Sellafield.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels from time to time.

  Sir Phillip Jones
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the new terms of reference of Sir Philip Jones on his reappointment as chairman of the Electricity Council.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 21 January at columns 858–59.

  Coal-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Wyn Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board in the near future to discuss plans for coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet the chairman of the CEGB regularly and discuss a wide range of subjects of mutual interest. The hon. Member will be aware that I received applications from the CEGB for consent to construct two new coal-fired power stations at West Burton and Fawley earlier this month.

  Hinkley Point
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is expected to report on the Central Electricity Generating Board proposal to build a pressurised water reactor at Hinkley Point.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate assessed generic safety features of the pressurised water reactor as part of its consideration of the Central Electricity Generating Board safety case for Sizewell B. Its views were reported in depth at the Sizewell inquiry.
  510
  The Health and Safety Executive informs me that the Central Electricity Generating Board is currently submitting to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate its detailed safety case for Hinkley Point C. It expects to be in a position to make a statement on the licensability of the station in June.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his current estimate of the proportion of electricity generation he expects to come from nuclear power by 1990.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am advised that Central Electricity Generating Board nuclear plants are expected to contribute 18·4 per cent. (46·9 TWh) of total electricity generation in England and Wales in the financial year 1990–91.

  Oil Fabrication Industry
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the level of activity in the United Kingdom oil fabrication industry.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The contract tonnages awarded to United Kingdom construction yards from current offshore developments are around 136,000 tonnes.

  Offshore Fabrication Industry
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet representatives of the United Kingdom offshore oil industries to discuss the health of the offshore fabrication industry.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  As chairman of the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILCO) which represents the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry, I expect to meet committee members this summer to discuss the health of the offshore fabrication industry. Apart from that meeting, I see representatives of all sides of the offshore industries regularly.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current series of tests at nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB has decided to postpone the natural circulation test scheduled for 12 February at Trawsfynydd nuclear power station. Any new proposal for a test is a matter for the board, subject to the agreement of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he was consulted by the Central Electricity Generating Board about the specific selection of locations for the cooling tests to be performed at Trawsfynydd and Wylfa nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a operational matter for the CEGB. No test can go ahead unless the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is satisfied that it is safe.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will invite a safety team from the International Energy operations safety review team to
  511
  evaluate the safety of any planned tests or experiments at Trawsfynydd nuclear plant or any other nuclear establishment before they are undertaken.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 11 February 1988 at column 347.

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

  Mr. Parkinson
  None. I have no plans for any such relocation.

  Coal Industry (New Pits)
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what criteria he uses in considering applications from British Coal relating to proposed new pit sinkings.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Investment decisions in respect of new mines, like other capital expenditure, are for the British Coal Corporation. Under long-standing arrangements it consults my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State as to the public interest before reaching its decision.

  The criteria to be applied by nationalised industries to capital expenditure are set out in Cmnd. 7131.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next intends to meet representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of British Coal.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 11 February at column 346.

  CEGB Chaplains
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next plans to meet the Central Electricity Generating Board chaplains.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I have no such plans.

  Colliery Waste Disposal
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has on the cost per colliery of waste disposal at(a) Murton-Hawthorn, (b) Vane Tempest-Seaham, (c) Dawdon and (d) Easington for the last five years;

  (2) what information he has on the cost per tonne of coal, and the cost per colliery for subsidence, at the following collieries for the last five years: (a) Murton-Hawthorn, (b) Easington, (c) Vane Tempest-Seaham and (d) Dawdon.

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

  Colliery Linkings
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he has received an application from British Coal for reimbursement of the cost of linking Murton, Hawthorn colliery to Seaham, Vane Tempest colliery;
  512
  (2) if he has received an application from British Coal for reimbursement of the cost of linking Dawdon and Easington collieries through underground drifting for the purposes of winning and transporting coal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  British Coal does not submit claims for reimbursement of any capital costs. Such costs form part of the corporation's overall expenditure limit which is discussed and agreed with the corporation in the annual investment and financing review.

  Mining Machinery
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the expenditure of British Coal in purchasing mining machinery made in Great Britain during the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The purchase of mining machinery is a management matter for British Coal, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  British Coal, Nottinghamshire
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he has any plans to privatise the road transport section operations of British Coal in Nottinghamshire; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has any plans to privatise the workshops, including national workshops of British Coal's operation in Nottinghamshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Decisions on the appropriate balance between in-house and bought-in services are management matters for the British Coal Corporation.

  Nuclear Power Sites
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to ensure that access to nuclear power station sites is afforded to fire officers in the execution of their duties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am advised that arrangements are in place at all nuclear power station sites to afford the fire services full access, should their presence be required to carry out fire-fighting or rescue duties.

  Fawley A Power Station
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average output of electricity from the Fawley A oil-fired power station in the last year in relation to its designated capacity; and what was the anticipated output at the time when planning permission was given to the Central Electricity Generating Board under section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operating matter for the CEGB. I have asked the chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

  Nuclear Energy Policy
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the Irish Government regarding nuclear energy policy.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Nuclear energy matters were discussed when I last met the Irish Minister for Energy in September 1987. We have since corresponded on nuclear issues of topical interest.

  Industry (Energy Requirements)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the current energy requirements of British industry.

  Table 2

  Supply and use of fuels

  Million therm

  1985

  1986

  11987

  1985

  1986

  Per cent. Change

  4th quarter

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  1Per cent. Change

  Final consumption by user2 Iron and steel industry

  Coal

  7

  6

  -14·3

  3

  3

  2

  1

  2

  2

  1

  1

  —

  Other solid fuel3

  1,756

  1,565

  -10·9

  412

  447

  348

  332

  439

  464

  464

  404

  +22·0

  Other coal derived fuels4

  286

  283

  -1·0

  70

  73

  72

  67

  71

  69

  72

  77

  +14·9

  Gas

  464

  433

  -6·7

  124

  123

  105

  87

  119

  132

  114

  98

  +13·1

  Electricity

  265

  251

  -5·3

  66

  68

  65

  55

  63

  68

  67

  60

  +8·1

  Petroleum

  286

  276

  -3·5

  65

  68

  66

  75

  67

  70

  64

  58

  -23·6

  Total

  3,063

  2,814

  -8·1

  739

  782

  658

  617

  761

  805

  782

  698

  +13·1

  Other industries7

  Coal

  1,862

  2,075

  +11·4

  566

  512

  468

  546

  549

  479

  532

  472

  -13·6

  Other solid fuel3

  116

  105

  -9·5

  27

  27

  24

  27

  27

  15

  11

  22

  -18 5

  Other coal derived fuels4

  25

  20

  -20·0

  8

  5

  6

  4

  6

  9

  10

  8

  (+)

  Gas5

  5,462

  4,946

  -9·4

  1,496

  1,476

  1,097

  954

  1,419

  1,655

  1,212

  1,073

  +12·5

  Electricity

  2,449

  2,479

  +1·2

  618

  657

  613

  579

  630

  660

  605

  596

  +3·0

  Petroleum

  3,565

  3,789

  +6·3

  865

  1,156

  929

  822

  882

  1,026

  726

  685

  -16·6

  Total

  13,478

  13,414

  -0·5

  3,578

  3,833

  3,137

  2,932

  3,513

  3,844

  3,096

  2,856

  -2·6

  1 Provisional.

  2 Deliveries are used as a proxy for consumption, except for gas, electricity, and the iron and steel industry use of solid fuels.

  3 Other solid fuel—coke and other manufactured solid fuels.

  4 Other coal derived fuels—coke oven gas and creosote/pitch mixtures.

  5 Gas—natural gas (supplied direct), and town gas.

  6 The final column shows the per cent. change on the same quarter in the previous year.

  7 'Industry'—broadly manufacturing plus construction.

  Electricité De France
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information was available to him about the profitability of Electricté De France when he made his most recent statement to the House about the alleged price advantage enjoyed by French electricity consumers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  According to the 1986 annual report of Electriciité De France (EdF), EdF's profit in that year was FF. 1·3 billion. EdF's annual report for 1987 has not yet been published.

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what has been the direct gross funding of the

  £ million (cash)

  £ million (1986–87 prices)

  UKAEA Gross expenditure

  Department of Energy Expenditure

  UKAEA Gross expenditure

  Department of Energy expenditure

  1958–59

  106·2

  95·6

  880·9

  793·0

  1959–60

  115·3

  88·1

  945·9

  722·7

  1960–61

  112·2

  87·5

  902·4

  703·7

  1961–62

  107·0

  71·7

  832·5

  557·8

  1962–63

  101·0

  60·8

  762·1

  458·8

  1963–64

  107·7

  53·0

  794·0

  390·7

  1964–65

  119·6

  36·1

  844·0

  254·8

  1965–66

  80·6

  23·7

  543·7

  159·9

  1966–67

  75·7

  26·7

  488·6

  172·3

  1967–68

  74·9

  18·2

  470·8

  114·4

  514
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The table gives the latest available figures for the energy requirements of British industry for each fuel, and all fuels combined.

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority by the Government since 1958 to 1987–88 by year, in both cash prices and 1986 prices;

  (2) what has been the net funding received by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority from the Government since 1958 to 1987–88 by year, after deducting income.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The following table gives the gross expenditure of the United Kingdom Energy Authority from 1958–59 to 1987–88. It also gives the expenditure by the Department of Energy (and its predecessors) with the UKAEA during that period.
  515

  £ million (cash)

  £ million (1986–87 prices)

  UKAEA Gross expenditure

  Department of Energy Expenditure

  UKAEA Gross expenditure

  Department of Energy expenditure

  1968–69

  91·8

  27·4

  549·0

  163·9

  1969–70

  90·6

  20·2

  515·5

  114·9

  1970–71

  95·7

  37·1

  503·3

  195·1

  1971–72

  96·3

  44·3

  463·4

  213·2

  1972–73

  93·1

  52·4

  415·2

  233·7

  1973–74

  91·0

  47·5

  378·8

  197·7

  1974–75

  106·6

  61·6

  371·9

  214·9

  1975–76

  152·5

  93·4

  423·4

  259·3

  1976–77

  174·9

  110·0

  429·0

  269·8

  1977–78

  186·1

  100·1

  400·8

  215·6

  1978–79

  213·4

  127·4

  415·2

  247·9

  1979–80

  251·2

  145·5

  418·2

  242·2

  1980–81

  323·3

  186·2

  453·9

  261·4

  1981–82

  355·7

  205·4

  454·9

  262·7

  1982–83

  380·4

  214·8

  453·8

  256·2

  1983–84

  404·6

  203·8

  461·4

  232·4

  1984–85

  399·7

  196·1

  436·6

  214·2

  1985–86

  424·0

  189·6

  436·8

  195·3

  1986–87

  416·6

  183·9

  416·6

  183·9

  1987–88

  445·3

  172·3

  427·1

  165·3

  Nuclear Fuel
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment has been made by(a) his Department, (b) consultants to his Department and (c) research scientists at the Central Electricity Generating Board, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority of the increase in neptunium-237 produced by recycling of uranium-236 from Magnox fuel for the production of advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear
  516
  fuel, compared with the use of natural uranium in advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel fabrication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: I am informed that assessments have been made of the use of recycled uranium rather than natural uranium in advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel. Resultant increases in concentration of neptunium-237 in the irradiated fuel are small and of no special significance.

  ADVISORY PANEL ON DISARMAMENT
  ADVISORY PANEL ON DISARMAMENT
  UNITED NATIONS: UK POLICY
  UNITED NATIONS: UK POLICY
  SOUTH AFRICA: OIL SUPPLIES EMBARGO
  SOUTH AFRICA: OIL SUPPLIES EMBARGO
  COLOURING MATTER IN FOOD
  COLOURING MATTER IN FOOD
  FORT CHAFFE US TRAINING BASE: UK PERSONNEL
  FORT CHAFFE US TRAINING BASE: UK PERSONNEL
  SUSPECTS: QUESTIONING PROCEDURE
  SUSPECTS: QUESTIONING PROCEDURE
  WEAPONS USED IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE
  WEAPONS USED IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE
  PRISONERS' WHEREABOUTS: DISCLOSURE
  PRISONERS' WHEREABOUTS: DISCLOSURE