Written Answers of 18 February 1988

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Human Rights (Report)
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has recieved the 13th annual report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  The report has been published today, and copies have been laid before Parliament. It covers the period 1 November 1986 to 31 October 1987.

  The report deals with a wide range of matters which the commission has considered during the year under review. These include emergency legislation, the European convention on human rights, the European and United Nations conventions for the prevention of torture, the European social charter, compensation for victims of terrorism and community relations.

  Copies of my response to the commission's report and of the report itself have been placed in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Reform
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what number of administrators he estimates will need to be added to the current administrations of the 12 proposed inner London local education authorities for the purpose of administering education in their own areas following the abolition of the Inner London education authority;

  (2) how many administrators he estimates will be needed by the proposed 12 inner-London local education authorities for the administration of student award schemes for the 12 separate authorities after the abolition of the Inner London education authority;

  (3) how many additional administrators he estimates will be needed by the proposed 12 inner-London local education authorities for the purpose of recoupment arrangements between each of these boroughs, after the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  Each inner London council will be responsible for deciding on the appropriate staffing levels to fulfil its duties as a local education authority from 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the additional duties which the Government intend to impose on the inner London borough councils, in the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1991, as a result of the abolition of the inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  As my right hon. Friend explained in his statement on 4 February, we propose that the inner London boroughs should become the local education 682
  authorities for their areas on 1 April 1990. During 1989 they will be required to produce development plans, setting out the service they propose to provide and the arrangements they envisage for the transfer, as a basis for local consultation.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to ensure the maintenance and continuation of the innovation and research work undertaken by the Inner London education authority's research and statistics branch.

  Mr. Dunn
  Each inner London council will be required to produce, during 1989, a development plan setting out the service it proposes to provide. My right hon. Friend made it clear in his statement on 4 February, at columns 1178–79, that we will also be discussing with the boroughs which services, if any, might be provided on a co-operative basis.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements will be made by his Department to monitor and evaluate curriculum developments within the proposed new 12 inner London local education authorities, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  The inner London education authorities will be covered by the requirements of the national curriculum as this is introduced, in the same way as all other education authorities in England. The information provisions will ensure that parents and others are kept fully informed about the curriculum offered to pupils and their achievements.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why his statement to the House on the reorganisation of education in London did not define in detail which of the Inner London education authority's services are planned to be transferred to which successor bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement, this will be a matter for discussion with the inner London councils.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate in detail what scope he envisages for the setting up of joint education boards under section 6 of and schedule 1 to the Education Act 1944 covering parts of the inner-London area following the abolition of the Inner London education authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend explained in his statement that each inner London council will become the local education authority for its area. We will be discussing with the councils which services, if any, might be provided on a co-operative basis. If necessary, powers under the Education Act 1944 enable the Secretary of State to require groups of boroughs to establish joint education committees in respect of certain services.

  Professor Sigbert Prais
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the resignation of Professor Sigbert Prais from the mathematics working group for the new national curriculum.
  683
  Mrs. Rumbold
  In his letter of resignation to my right hon. Friend Professor Prais explained that the calls that the mathematics working group had made on his time were affecting his other commitments. My right hon. Friend regrets that the working group will no longer have the benefit of Professor Prais' advice. However, he has asked the group to take into account in the further work the issues raised by Professor Prais in the note which Professor Prais submitted last November.

  School Activities (Charges)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now announce the outcome of his consultations on charging for school activities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I undertook consultations about charges for school activities in response to requests from parents, schools and LEAs for clarification of the effect of section 61 of the 1944 Education Act. We together received some 480 responses; we have also had further discussions with the local authority associations and others. Respondents to the consultations have generally endorsed our objectives, which are to preserve the principle of free education, to clarify the law and to maintain valued provision.

  The consultations made clear that our proposals can be substantially simplified while still achieving these aims. We therefore propose to introduce new clauses to the Education Reform Bill on the following lines:

  (a) to establish clearly that schools may invite but not require parents to make voluntary contributions to the school's activities in order to enhance what is otherwise provided. Such contributions should benefit all pupils in a group whether or not their parents have contributed, and might cover for example class trips in school time, or the provision of additional computer equipment.

  (b) to permit schools to charge for the additional costs of activities provided outside school hours. But charging will not be allowed where provision organised out of school hours is specifically required by an external examination syllabus or national curriculum legislation.

  (c) Except in the following two cases, to prohibit charging for any activity undertaken within normal school hours; and also prohibit "charging in kind" for such activities—though schools will not be prevented from encouraging pupils to bring in their own materials on a voluntary basis where appropriate, for example for cookery classes.

  (d) to permit charges for individual instrumental music tuition, taken with a parent's agreement, even when it is provided during normal school hours.

  (e) to confirm that charges may be made for board and lodging for residential courses such as field trips, as allowed under the 1944 Act. But the proviso in that Act that charges must be remitted if suitable education cannot be provided on an alternative non-residential basis is rarely practicable and will not be repeated.

  (f) to provide that the full cost of board and lodging must be remitted where children of parents receiving family credit or income support are required to go on a field trip; and that more generally schools may use their powers to remit charges in the light of their own published policies.

  The legislation will not require any charges to be made. Where charges are allowed it will be for the provider of the service (generally the school, but in some cases the LEA) to determine whether they should be made.

  We believe that these proposals will be widely welcomed as a practical solution to a long-standing problem which has become increasingly difficult in recent years, and which all concerned have urged us to tackle.
  684
  Such legislation will reaffirm the basic principle of free school education, will ensure that parents, schools and LEAs know clearly what is and is not permitted, and will enable worthwhile enhancements to normal provision to be retained.

ENERGY

  Opencast Coal Mining
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what steps he takes to ensure compliance with the law dealing with the scale of private opencast coal operations laid down in section 36 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 as amended by section 46 of the Opencast Coal Act 1958;

  (2) if he has any plans to seek to amend the current legal limit on the scale of private opencast coal operation in the light of evidence given by Sir Robert Haslam to the Select Committee on Energy on British Coal's practice as regards interpretation of the current rules.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As I explained during the debate on the coalfields communities on 20 November 1987, at column 1362, the Government are committed to the development of a prosperous private sector for coal and are considering whether to raise the statutory limits applied to the licensed sector. In the meantime, I have asked Sir Robert Haslam to consider what scope exists for greater flexibility within the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act as it stands. Under existing legislation the British Coal Corporation is responsible for the granting of licences for private opencast mining operations.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the locations and dates of licences granted since 1981 by British Coal to private operators of opencast coal workings to excavate single sites believed to contain 35,000 tonnes of coal or more and contiguous sites believed to contain a combined total of 50,000 tonnes of coal or more.

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

  Research Expenditure
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of public expenditure for which he is responsible is spent on the research development, production and deployment of(a) nuclear energy and (b) other forms of energy.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The total amount of voted expenditure in 1986–87 for which the Secretary of State for Energy was directly responsible was £1,663.2 million. Of this, £188·3 million, or 11·3 per cent., was in connection with nuclear energy and £1,452·8 million, or 87·3 per cent., in connection with other forms of energy — the remainder being expenditure in relation to Departmental administrative costs. On the basis of our latest forecast outturn for 1987–88, the corresponding figures are: nuclear 12·3 per cent. and other forms of energy 86·1 per cent.

  Electricity Supplies (Emergencies)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow
  685
  (Mr. Dalyell), Official Report, 8 February, column 62, what measures are in force physically to protect the Central Electricity Generating Board headquarters for the national grid control system in Southwark against malicious intruders; whether the Central Electricity Generating Board employs any security personnel at the site; what back-up system exists in the event of a total breakdown at Southwark; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The threat of terrorism and malicious damage at all CEGB installations is recognised and appropriate measures are taken. It would not be appropriate for me to reveal the details. If national control in Southwark were lost for any reason, plans exist for its functions to be transferred to an emergency control centre.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  RUC (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received about the decision not to initiate prosecutions against members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  The Attorney-General
  I have received a number of letters from hon. Members, various groups and from the general public commenting on the statement I made on 25 January.

  Extradition
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Attorney-General how many requests for extradition have been made to the Irish Government since December 1987.

  The Attorney-General
  A total of 20 warrants, issued in respect of six persons, have been submitted to the Irish authorities since the date of entry into force of the Irish Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987.

  Seventeen of those 20 warrants, issued in respect of four of those six persons, are not covered by section 44A of the Irish Extradition Act 1965 (added by section 2(1) of the Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987), which relates to directions to be given by the Irish Attorney-General concerning the backing of warrants.

  One warrant, covered by section 44A, is to be withdrawn, the person in respect of whom it was issued having returned of his own volition to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his policy as regards the requirements for establishing a case for extradition and the conditions he has to comply with and what information he has as to the policy of the Attorney-General of the Republic of Ireland on those matters.

  The Attorney-General
  The requirements for the backing of warrants in the Republic of Ireland are laid down in part III of the Irish Extradition Act 1965, the Extradition (European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism) Act 1987 and the Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987. Under the last mentioned Act, I understand that the Irish Attorney-General is required to give a direction that certain warrants for the arrest of a fugitive shall not be backed for execution by the Garda Siochana unless he is of the opinion that that there is a clear intention to prosecute or to continue the prosecution of the fugitive 686
  and such intention is founded on the existence of sufficient evidence. The Government have been concerned that these new provisions now inserted into the Irish Extradition Act 1965 would present impediments to extradition from the Irish Republic. (That Act before this amendment had effectively reciprocated the provisions of the relevant United Kingdom legislation, contained in the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965.) The Government made those concerns known to the Irish Government when the terms of the amending legislation were first intimated. In particular, the Government were concerned that they might lead to a requirement that the Irish courts be furnished with the actual evidence supporting any warrant submitted for backing in the event of a challenge to the execution of such warrant. The Government considered, and still consider, that seriously damaging consequences for the intended criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom could follow if that were to occur.

  I have notified my counterpart in the Irish Republic that I am entirely willing to provide him in each instance with a note from me confirming that the United Kingdom prosecuting authorities had considered the evidence, as they are required to do; that they were satisfied that it was sufficient to found a prosecution; and that there was a settled intention to prosecute accordingly. I have also agreed to his request that I provide him in each instance with a note setting out the relevant law.

  I had hoped that these particulars would be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the new Irish legislation, but the Irish Attorney-General has indicated that this is not the case. In these circumstances, I am considering with the Irish Attorney-General what practicable steps can yet be taken to secure the important mutual objective of enabling extradition between our two countries to proceed effectively.

WALES

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officers in each health authority area in Wales are appointed to inspect private and publicly owned residential homes(a) for the elderly, (b) for the mentally ill, (c) for mentally disabled people and (d) for physically disabled people; and if he will outline the training and guidance which such officers have received.

  Mr. Grist
  Information about the total numbers of local authority and health service staff engaged in this function in Wales is not held centrally. The training of such staff is the primary responsibility of the authorities concerned, but the Welsh Office has co-operated in the provision of suitable facilities and has issued general guidance from time to time.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how his expenditure on regional aid in each of the next three years will be divided between(a) regional selective assistance, (b) regional development grant, and (c) the Welsh Development Agency, at constant prices.
  687
  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: Planned expenditure by my Department, as contained in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper and expressed at constant prices' is as follows:

  £

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Regional selective assistance

  42·1

  46·1

  52·7

  Regional development grants

  58·3

  37·2

  23·8

  Gross planned provision2 for the Welsh Development Agency on the same price basis, excluding 1·5 million per annum transferred to the Development Board for Rural Wales amounts to:

  £ million

  1988–89

  103·7

  1989–90

  101·5

  1990–91

  101·2

  Expenditure provision for 1989–90 and 1990–91 will of course be considered in the 1988 survey.

  1 Cash figures adjusted for general inflation as measued by the GDP deflator at market prices (1986–87 base year).

  2 A combination of the direct taxpayer contribution and the expected proceeds from rents, sales and services.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Food Aid
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid from European Community surplus stocks of cereals was sent abroad in the last three years; to which countries and in what amounts; what was the cost of transporting and administering the total amount of food aid; and what obstacles he sees to expanding food aid from European Community surpluses.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The European Community has allocated over 1 million tonnes of cereals as food aid in each of the last three years; over 90 per cent. of it has been obtained from sources within the Community. Detailed statistics are included in the European Commission's annual report on food aid policy and management. The 1984 report was deposited with the Select Committee on European Legislation on 30 July 1987, and is available in the Library of the House. The 1985 and 1986 reports will be deposited shortly, when they are circulated by the Commission.

  The European Commission has reported expenditure on the transport of food aid (not only cereals) in 1986 as £68 million. Figures for transporting cereals alone, and for the cost of administering food aid, are not separately recorded.

  Provision of food aid from the EC is fully justified in famine situations. However, in the longer term food aid will not solve the problem of continuing food shortages in developing countries; production by local farmers must be encouraged. Food aid may increase demand for imported foodstuffs which can never be produced locally and hamper efforts to encourage local food production in recipient countries.

PRIME MINISTER

  Little Lowford
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Little Lowford, North Rugby.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Pensions
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the under-calculation made in the cost of living increase due to be paid in 1987 to retired public sector pensioners; and how it is proposed to refund to such pensioners the shortfall in their pensions.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Sir W. Clark) on 18 December 1987, at columns 845–46. Details of the arrangements for making payments to charities are still being worked out and will be announced soon.

  Scottish Schools and Colleges
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she intends to review other proposed closures of Scottish schools and colleges in the light of her intervention over the proposed closure of Paisley grammar school.

  The Prime Minister
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has made regulations which will ensure that any proposals to close a school which is operating at over 80 per cent. of its capacity will in future require his consent.

  RAF Lakenheath
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to visit RAF Lakenheath.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Vacant Land
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to a publicly owned site of vacant land.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  European Council
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the outcome of the European Council in Brussels on 11 and 12 February.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on Monday 15 February.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister when the official communique of the European Council Heads of Government meeting was made available to Her Majesty's Government; at what time of which day it was placed in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The official conclusions of the European Council will take the form of a single text which will be prepared once agreement is reached at the Foreign Affairs Council on the non-arable stabilisers package.
  689
  These conclusions will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as they have been circulated by the presidency. For the benefit of the House, two documents — the overall agreement (SN 517/88) and the detailed draft conclusions prepared by the German presidency before the European Council (SN 461/88)—were placed in the Library yesterday. As explained in the cover note, document SN 461/88 was agreed except in so far as it was modified by SN 517/88. It is those two documents which will form the basis of the single text which has still to be produced. As I said to the House yesterday, I apologise that the documents were not availabe before my statement.

  European Commission (President)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the President of the Commission of the European Communities.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  EC (Agricultural Spending)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement setting out precisely the exceptional circumstances which can be used to justify agricultural spending in excess of the guidelines under the Brussels agreement of 11 and 12 February, in the light of the publication since her statement of 15 February,Official Report, column 706, of annex V of the note from the presidency (EEC document SN 461/88).

  The Prime Minister
  Document SN 461/88 was a draft of conclusions circulated by the presidency before the European Council. It was overtaken by decisions taken at the Council in a number of important areas. The agreed outcome of the Council is recorded in document SN 517/88. This contains no reference to provision for exceptional circumstances, since I and a number of others strongly opposed any such reference, and no such provision was agreed.

  Surplus Food Stocks
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister what estimate was made by the European Council of the cost of depreciating and disposing of existing surplus stocks which are to be financed outside the guideline, and which she referred to in her statement on 15 February,Official Report, column 706; and if she will further publish a table showing the amounts of stocks of each commodity which the Council agreed would be covered by these arrangements outside the guideline.

  The Prime Minister
  EEC document SN 461/88 states that amounts will be inscribed in title 8 of the budget for depreciation of existing excessive stocks (1988 prices) as follows:

  1988

  1,200 mecu

  1989–91

  1,400 mecu per year

  These were based on overall figures provided by the Commission, which is now preparing a detailed breakdown between commodities.

  Surplus Butter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if the special arrangements made in 1987 to transfer the cost of dumping butter surpluses from the European Economic 690
  Community to member states, which were covered by the report of the Court of Auditors to the Council of Finance Ministers, will continue following the Brussels agreement of 11 and 12 February; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  These arrangements are not affected by the agreement. Member states will receive reimbursement for the costs of disposal on the timetable previously agreed.

  Cereals
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister on what basis the Council estimated that cereal production in the European Economic Community would reach the level of 168 million tonnes in the current year, as set out in her statement of 15 February,Official Report, column 705; and what information was supplied to the Council about actual cereal production in the European Economic Community in each of the previous four years, respectively.

  The Prime Minister
  The EC Commission provides all member states with details of Community cereals production for previous harvests and trend projections for future harvests.

  The figures are as follows:

  million tonnes

  1984

  173·2

  1985

  160·5

  1986

  154·3

  1987

  1153·1

  1988

  2167·7

  1989

  2171·0

  1990

  2174·4

  1991

  2177·5

  1 Estimate

  2 Trend projection

  Engagements
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 February.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Immigration
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State: for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current
  691
  average waiting time for the determination of entry clearance applications from fiancées and spouses in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

  Mr. Mellor
  The average waiting time from submission of an entry clearance application to first interview for fiancé(e)s and spouses in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is as follows:

  Fiancé(e)s

  Spouses

  Time in months

  New Delhi

  7

  3

  Bombay

  9

  6

  Islamabad

  16

  10

  Karachi

  10

  5

  Dhaka

  8

  8

  Some applications are determined after first interview. No statistics are available on waiting times in cases where further information is required of applicants or where applications have to be referred to the Home Office.

  Syrian Security Forces
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Syrian Government about allegations of torture by its security forces.

  Mr. Mellor
  None since October 1986 when we broke diplomatic relations with Syria.

  Palestinian Refugees
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to(a) how many Palestinian refugees there were in 1958 and at the last available date, (b) how many Palestinian refugees have been provided with jobs and permanent housing by each of the Arab states since 1958, (c) how much financial assistance each of the Arab states gives to the Palestinian refugees and what this is as a percentage of their gross national product, (d) how many Palestinian refugee families have been provided with permanent housing by Israel since 1967 and (e) how the infant mortality rate in Gaza has altered since 1967 and what information he has about the rate in the Palestinian camps in other countries.

  Mr. Mellor
  (a) In 1950 just over 800,000 Palestinian refugees were registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA); in October 1987 the total was approximately 2,218,000. Figures for 1958 are not available.

  (b) This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  (c) Contributions to UNRWA are set out in the report of the Commissioner-General, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  (d) UNRWA estimate that around 5,000 Palestinian families have moved from refugee camps in Gaza to Israeli Government-sponsored housing projects. Housing construction costs are met by the families concerned.

  (e) UNRWA's health programmes have helped to reduce the infant mortality rate in Palestinian refugee camps over the past decade; the rate remains higher in Gaza than elsewhere.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Northumberland Ambulance Service
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff have been employed by the Northumberland ambulance service for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Figures on a comparable basis are not held centrally for the years prior to 1982, due to the NHS reorganisation in that year. Such information as is available is given in the table.

  NHS Ambulance Staff (including ambulance officers) employed at Northern Regional Health Authority Headquarters and Headquarters Units

  At 30 September

  Whole time equivalents1

  1982

  657

  1983

  661

  1984

  616

  1985

  591

  1986

  596

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

  Note:

  1 Figures are rounded to nearest whole-time equivalent.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 26 November 1987,Official Report, columns 319–21, if he will list in league order, with the highest at the top, by acreage of land held, district health authority areas within the National Health Service in England, showing the valuation in each case (a) before the recent revaluation and (b) at the present valuation as decided by the district valuer.

  Mrs. Currie
  Returns from district valuers are currently being checked for completeness before being aggregated. It is likely to be several weeks before the information sought is available, when I let my hon. Friend have a further reply.

  St. Andrew's Hospital, Thorpe St. Andrew
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total acreage of(a) St. Andrew's hospital, Thorpe St. Andrew, Norwich (North) and (b) St. Andrew's hospital, Thorpe St. Andrew, Norwich (South); and if he will give details in each case of the valuation prior to the recent revaluation and present valuation as decided by the district valuer.

  Mrs. Currie
  The acreages are 123 and 32 respectively. Valuations of these sites were not provided by the district valuer in 1985. As the sale of one of the sites is now under active consideration, I am not prepared to prejudice effective marketing by disclosing the current valuation.

  NHS Property (Norwich)
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all National Health Service property within the Norwich health authority district, stating acreage and valuation in each case(a) before the recent revaluation and (b) at the present valuation as decided by the district valuer.
  693
  Mrs. Currie
  The property with a site area of one acre or more, currently held by the Norwich health authority is listed with their acreage, and where available, the district valuer's open market valuation of 1985. For commercial reasons we are not prepared to disclose the current valuations of particular sites.

  Property

  Acreage

  Valuation1 £ million

  Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

  16·262

  3·300

  Whittingham Hospital

  8400

  0·250

  Wayland Hospital

  9·708

  0·150

  Colman Hospital

  5·983

  1·200

  West Norwich Hospital

  20·912

  1·900

  Drayton Hall Maternity Home

  8·271

  —

  Hellesden Hospital

  64·877

  —

  David Rice Hospital

  35·778

  —

  Bethel Hospital

  1·213

  —

  Land at Vale Hospital

  15·750

  0·010

  St. Andrews Hospital

  155·120

  —

  Eaton Grange

  1·296

  0·200

  Hales Hospital

  10·112

  —

  Little Plumstead Hospital

  125·420

  0·570

  Cromer and District Hospital

  3·700

  0·200

  North Walsham War Memorial Hospital

  6·900

  0·280

  St. Michaels' Hospital

  17·760

  0·330

  Kelling Hospital

  31·975

  0·580

  Pine Heath Hospital

  11·760

  —

  Number and cost of single payments made by Department of Health and Social Security local offices in Leicestershire during the period April 1983 to December 1987

  Office

  Leicester

  Year

  Burleys Way

  Lower Hill Street

  Norton Street

  Yeoman Street

  Loughborough

  April 1983 to April 1984

  Number

  3,138

  5,438

  4,630

  6,137

  3,100

  Cost

  £274,094

  £614,589

  £574,768

  £683,905

  £208,682

  April 1984 to April 1985

  Number

  4,475

  8,920

  9,508

  9,419

  4,943

  Cost

  £314,323

  £724,558

  £780,380

  £784.057

  £382,439

  April 1985 to April 1986

  Number

  6,825

  11,032

  12,969

  12.168

  6,291

  Cost

  £563,168

  £904,285

  £1,077,188

  £1,042,317

  £472,728

  April 1986 to 7 April 19871

  Number

  8,363

  10,828

  12,521

  14,642

  5,345

  Cost

  £653,618

  £813,747

  £1,028,279

  £1,321,734

  £383,897

  8 April 1987 to 15 December 19871

  Number

  2,327

  3,358

  3,836

  4,728

  1,708

  Cost

  £180,962

  £224,912

  £320,762

  £375,584

  £120,023

  1 The figures for April 1986 -December 1987 are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Benefit System (Data Protection)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that arrangements for the administration of the new benefit system are compatible with the requirements of the fourth and fifth data protection principles.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department's standing instructions on data protection require that all computerised systems which contain personal data be identified and registered with the Data Protection Registrar. These instructions demand strict adherence to all the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Additionally, the Department has
  694

  Property

  Acreage

  Valuation1 £ million

  Fletcher Hospital

  6·229

  0·245

  Mundesley Hospital

  24·180

  0·250

  Dereham Hospital

  14·500

  0·243

  Wells and District Hospital

  1·707

  0·225

  North Walsham Health Centre

  1·150

  —

  Thorpe Health Centre

  1·750

  —

  Wymondham Health Centre

  1·662

  —

  1 These are open tnarket valuations prepared specifically for Performance Indicators.

  Single Payments (Leicester)
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the number of people in receipt of single payments and the total amount of single payments made in each of his Department's offices in the Leicester area in each of the years 1983 to 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information concerning the number of people in receipt of single payments is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The total number and cost of single payments made by each of the Department's local offices in Leicestershire is given in the table.

  established a data protection unit whose responsibilities include monitoring to confirm compliance with all the data protection principles.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has had representations from local authorities concerning the difficulty of making arrangements for the processing of personal data in connection with the administration of the new benefit system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I am not aware of any representations arising from the use of personal data in the administration
  695
  of rebates or allowances from April 1988. If the hon. Member is aware of any particular difficulty perhaps he could let me know.

  1991 Census
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has studied the impact of community charge legislation for the accuracy of the 1991 census.

  Mr. Scott
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is taking steps to ensure that the 1991 census will be as accurate as possible. The likely effect of all possible causes of inaccuracy will be considered and monitored, both before the census in tests and after the census in post-enumeration checks. As in earlier censuses, it will be stressed that information provided by the public on census forms will be used only in the preparation of statistics.

  Students (Benefits)
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring the benefits which students have lost since 1979, showing separately the costs in respect of(a) transport benefits, (b) housing benefits and (c) supplementary benefit.

  Mr. Portillo
  On the cost of restoring assistance with student transport costs to its 1979 level, I refer the hon. Member to the reply of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 1 February 1988 at column 441. The cost of reversing changes to the social security benefit rules for students cannot be calculated precisely because of the many variables. The total estimated net reduction in benefit expenditure in a full year arising from the changes made in 1986 and 1987 was, at 1985–86 benefit rates, £31/2 million in unemployment benefit, £31/2 million in supplementary benefit and £17 million in housing benefit. This takes no account of the £8 million cost of the related special increase in the accommodation element of the student grant. Expenditure on social security benefits paid to students is higher in real terms than in 1979, as relatively few students received help with rent and rates before the introduction of housing benefit in 1982–83.

  Dual Laser Beam Sorter
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 25 January, which specialised laboratories in the United Kingdom have a dual laser beam sorter; and what plans there are to use such machines to test the radiation exposure of(a) workers, or former workers, in nuclear installations, (b) residents or former residents, of the areas around nuclear installations and (c) former members of the armed forces who served near nuclear bomb test sites.

  Mrs. Currie
  Of the laboratories in the United Kingdom with a dual laser beam sorter, we are aware of only one which is considering its use in estimating radiation exposure. I understand from the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid through the Department of Education and Science, that is clinical and population cytogenetics unit at Edinburgh has built such a device and one of its principal aims is to develop 696
  the technology so that the device can be used to detect the effects of radiation exposure on people. It is hoped that this may eventually be of use in assessing occupational radiation exposures.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many officers are appointed to inspect private and publicly owned residential homes in each health authority area in England(a) for elderly people, (b) for mentally disabled people, (c) for mentally ill people and (d) for physically disabled people; and if he will outline the training and guidance which such officers have received.

  Mr. Newton
  Information about the number of local authority staff engaged on these functions is not held centrally. The Department has issued general guidance to authorities about residential care and the registration system. The Secretary of State has commended to them the code of practice for residential care, "Home Life". This spring the Department's social services inspectorate is running jointly with the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work a series of workshops to support good registration and inspection practice and the handling of complaints. The Department is also arranging in conjunction with the Welsh Office the preparation of distance-learning material for the basic training of the staff of local authorities and health authorities engaged on the registration and inspection respectively of residential care homes and nursing homes.

  Unemployment Benefit (Disqualifications)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of his recent proposals to increase benefit suspension times from 13 to 26 weeks, he will give the percentage of those people disqualified for unemployment benefit on the grounds of being voluntarily unemployed without just cause or through misconduct who have imposed on them the full 13 weeks suspension; and what guidance is given to adjudication officers on imposing shorter disqualification periods.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information is not collected on the length of disqualifications and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Adjudication officers are advised that when considering the length of disqualification to be imposed they should give regard to the individual circumstances of each case and should exercise their discretion accordingly. They do not automatically apply a disqualification of the maximum period.

  Urgent Case Payments
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether urgent case payments will still be available to those denied unemployment and supplementary benefit on grounds of being unavailable for work after the proposed change in leglislation on 11 April.

  Mr. Portillo
  At present the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 make no provision for payment of income support to a person who is required to be available for work as a condition of receiving income support but is found by an adjudication officer to be not available.

  However, the Government plan amendment of the regulations so that payment of income support at a

  697
  reduced rate can be paid to such a person if hardship would otherwise be caused to that person or to a member of his or her family.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how, in view of his intention to substitute crisis loans for urgent case payments, he envisages such loans will be repaid; and if he will estimate the likely number of people who will be affected.

  Mr. Scott
  Where appropriate, social fund crisis loans will be recovered from future payments of certain social security benefits made to the recipient of the loan. Other arrangements for repayment will be made with recipients of crisis loans who are not in receipt of benefit. No firm estimates of numbers of crisis loans can be given in advance of experience.

  Winter Mortality
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Sciences what information he has as to what research is currently taking place into winter mortality; how much of this is being funded by Her Majesty's Government; when the results of such research are expected; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The excess of winter deaths among the elderly is a matter of concern to the Government and we are anxious that the many factors involved should be carefully investigated to enable appropriate preventive action to be taken. The Medical Research Council, which is the main Government agency for biomedical and related research and receives its grant-in-aid through the Department of Education and Science, is at present setting up a working group to advise the council's physiological systems and disorders board on what scientifically valid studies could be carried out to address the reasons for the excess of winter deaths in the United Kingdom.

  Maternity Statistics
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) of 11 December 1987,Official Report, columns 295–96. if he will be able to provide the information requested after the new system for collecting maternity statistics, as set out by the steering group for health services information, comes into operation on 1 April.

  Mrs. Currie
  From 1 April 1988, information collected on all births, in NHS hospitals and elsewhere, will include: the method of delivery, the birth weight, the highest level of care received by the baby, the length of stay of the baby, the intended place of delivery, and the actual place of delivery.

  Health Spending
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the capital spending on the hospital and community health services for each National Health Service region and for the special health authorities (i) in cash terms, (ii) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator and (iii) adjusted using the National Health Service pay and prices index;
  698
  (2) if he will give the capital spending on hospital and community services in net terms after deducting proceeds from land and property sales (i) in cash terms and (ii) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator.

  Mr. Newton
  Captial expenditure figures for the latest year available are given in the table.

  Gross capital expenditure 1986–87

  Regional and Special Health Authorities

  1986–87 (£000)

  Northern

  52,686

  Yorkshire

  69,981

  Trent

  77,478

  East Anglian

  32,529

  North West Thames

  66,543

  North East Thames

  75,904

  South East Thames

  76,517

  South West Thames

  54,172

  Wessex

  70,999

  Oxford

  33,539

  South Western

  68,403

  West Midlands

  115,259

  Mersey

  48,443

  North Western

  73,394

  Post-Graduate Special Health Authorities

  28,165

  Total Gross Expenditure

  944,012

  Less Capital receipts

  137,805

  Total Net Expenditure

  806,207

  Source: Health authority summarised accounts.

  Health Authorities (Monitoring)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 18 December 1987,Official Report, columns 936–37, he will indicate whether the routine monitoring of regional health authorities spending has now been fully introduced; and to what extent it and the National Health Service Management Board have revealed a continuing deficit for health authorities on revenue account for the current financial year.

  Mr. Newton
  The first routine monitoring of regional health authority spending on an income and expenditure basis will cover the period from 1 April to 30 June 1988. As I announced in the House on 16 December the review carried out by the National Health Service management board in the autumn led to an additional £75 million being made available to English health authorities in response to the problem identified in the current financial year.

  Hartley Hospital, Colne
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to announce his decision on proposals for closure of Hartley hospital, Colne.

  Mrs. Currie
  The regional health authority has decided that the transfer of out-patient services located at Hartley hospital and the future use of he building will be the subject of a public consultation exercise. A final decision on the proposals will be made by Ministers only if the community health council objects to them.

  Camberwell Office (Post)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the figures for each successive
  699
  month from January 1987 to the present for the amount of post at the Camberwell office of his Department not yet linked with files, outstanding postal claims, single payment claims and other assessment work.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is not available in the form requested. The amount of unlinked post over two days old at the Camberwell DHSS office is as follows:

  Items of unlinked post over two days old at Camberwell DHSS office

  Date

  Items

  13 January 1987

  983

  10 February 1987

  4,399

  10 March 1987

  4,544

  7 April 1987

  3,292

  5 May 1987

  2,592

  2 June 1987

  3,242

  30 June 1987

  2,241

  28 July 1987

  2,996

  Number of urgent need payments

  Camberwell's totals as a percentage of the region's

  Date

  Camberwell

  Region

  13 January 1987

  60

  2,895

  2·1

  10 February 1987

  103

  3,843

  2·7

  10 March 1987

  232

  3,588

  6·5

  7 April 1987

  245

  3,447

  7·1

  5 May 1987

  259

  3,163

  8·2

  2 June 1987

  648

  3,520

  18·4

  30 June 1987

  529

  3,650

  14·5

  28 July 1987

  482

  3,919

  12·3

  25 August 1987

  545

  4,100

  13·3

  22 September 1987

  576

  4,233

  13·6

  20 October 1987

  605

  3,884

  15·6

  17 November 1987

  435

  3,827

  11·4

  15 December 1987

  376

  3,353

  11·2

  12 January 1988

  371

  3,305

  11·2

  Source: Monthly Statistical Returns.

  Southend General Hospital (Radiotherapy)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now in a position to announce his decision on the appeal by the Southend community health council regarding the proposal by the North East Thames regional health authority to close the radiotherapy unit at Southend general hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We hope to announce our decision very soon.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the supplementary benefit single payment expenditure(a) for each local office and (b) nationally, for the 32-week period ended on 7 April 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: The supplementary benefit single payment expenditure nationally for the period for the 32 week period ending on 7 April 1987 was £167,385,633. This figure is provisional and subject to amendment. The information for each local office has now been placed in the Library.
  700

  Date

  Items

  25 August 1987

  3,923

  22 September 1987

  2,673

  20 October 1987

  3,090

  17 November 1987

  2,228

  15 December 1987

  1,863

  12 January 1988

  2,413

  Source: Regional Statistical Returns.

  Urgent Needs Payments
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the figures for the number of urgent needs payments made in each successive month from January 1987 to the present, at the Camberwell office of his Department and the percentage which those figures represent of the total number of urgent needs payments made in the region.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  Birmingham Children's Hospital
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many scheduled heart operations at Birmingham children's hospital were cancelled between 8 February and 19 February; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many children are on the waiting list for heart surgery in the west midlands; how many scheduled operations have been cancelled and how many emergency heart operations have been performed over the last 12 months at Birmingham children's hospital; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what is (a) the minimum number of intensive care unit beds recommended for the Birmingham children's hospital, (b) the minimum number of beds designated for heart operations and (c) the number of beds actually available in the week beginning 7 February for scheduled non-emergency operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: This detailed information is not held centrally. However, in 1987 a total of 288 cardiac operations were carried out at the Birmingham children's hospital compared with 155 in 1978 which represents an 86 per cent. increase. The total revenue allocation to the hospital under the supra-regional

  701
  services arrangements for neonatal and infant cardiac surgery in 1988–89 will be £1·032 million compared with £0·988 million this year. Decisions on the level of provision of beds are a matter for health authorities and the hon. Member may therefore wish to write to the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority for the further information she seeks.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drug Traffickers
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to put in place bilateral international arrangements for the confiscation of assets of convicted drug traffickers.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions with foreign Governments about introducing reciprocal legislation to provide for the confiscation of all assets of drug traffickers.

  Mr. Hurd
  On 9 February my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I signed the first such agreement with the United States of America. We expect to conclude further agreements in the course of this year.

  Dr. Frank Skuse
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to reinstate Dr. Frank Skuse in the light of the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the evidence of Dr. Frank Skuse at the Birmingham pub bombings Appeal Court hearing, he will order an inquiry into the Home Office forensic laboratory at Chorley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rees
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will order an inquiry into the Home Office forensic laboratory at Chorley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  No.

  Prisoners (Welsh Language)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines he has issued to prison governors in England and Wales concerning the rights of convicted prisoners and prisoners on remand to speak Welsh with visitors, to receive correspondence and printed matter in Welsh, and to send letters in Welsh; and whether these guidelines have been revised during the past year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Prison standing orders provide that prisoners may speak the language of their choice at visits; and prisoners are free to send letters and to receive letters and publications in any language. The position, which has not changed recently, is the same for both unconvicted and convicted prisoners.

  Chelmsford Prison (Staff)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current levels of prison officers at Her Majesty's young offenders prison, Chelmsford.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 9 February, there were 147 officers of grades VI to VIII at Her Majesty's Prison Chelmsford. We plan to post a further 17 officers there during March.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will visit the Nottingham, North constituency to discuss crime prevention with local electors; and if he will make a report.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so; but I hope to visit Nottingham, when an opportunity arises, to talk to those concerned with a wide range of local crime prevention activity. This includes a commendable increase in the number of neighbourhood watch schemes, the involvement of the private sector in local crime prevention initiatives through the local chamber of commerce, and last November's knives amnesty during which some 470 knives and other weapons were handed over to the police.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by his Department in developing or stimulating crime prevention measures, particularly in t he private sector.

  Mr. John Patten
  Good progress has been made on an increasingly wide range of crime prevention initiatives at local and national level. Home Office funding of the five local projects at Bolton, Croydon, Wellingborough, Swansea and north Tyneside has now ceased, but the projects will continue with funding from other sources. We have encouraged professional bodies and other groups and organisations to identify their crime prevention potential and to act. A great deal can be achieved through the dissemination of good practice, and bodies such as the Royal Institute of British Architects and the National House Building Corporation have arranged conferences or produced sound practical advice for architects and builders. The other way in which the private sector can help in the development and stimulation of crime prevention measures is through sponsorship. Recent examples include Rolls-Royce, which will be funding a local crime prevention project in Crewe, Barclays bank, which is meeting the salary cost of a project co-ordinator at Knowsley, and National Westminster bank, which has met the costs of providing domestic security equipment for schemes running in Avon and Birmingham.

  British Broadcasting Corporation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the future of the BBC.

  Mr. Renton
  In recent months we have received many representations about the future of broadcasting, including that of the BBC. A number have suggested new methods of financing the BBC. On this our policy remains that we accept the view of the Peacock committee that the
  703
  television licence fee should remain for the time being the principal means of financing the BBC, with the fee indexed to the retail prices index to encourage the BBC to use its resources efficiently and to determine priorities in carrying out its duties under its charter.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will invite the Chief Inspector of Prisons to submit a report on the situation in police cells used to house prisoners on remand; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question on 15 February at column 437.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people being held in police cells on 1 February.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 1 February 1988, 758 prisoners were held in police cells in England and Wales.

  Television (Programme Content)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to have any further discussions with the BBC and the independent television companies about the effectiveness of their self-imposed regulation of the content of programmes shown before 9 pm and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  We shall keep in close touch with the broadcasting authorities over the next few months on a wide range of issues including their responsibility for enforcing programme standards. The Government recognise the need for stronger and more effective oversight of standards relating to the portrayal of violence and sex on television. My right hon. Friend has announced our intention to set up the Broadcasting Standards Council which will provide a focus for public concern about these matters.

  Prevention of Terrorism
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his response to Lord Colville's report on the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1984 in order to assist in combating terrorism.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friends to what I said during the debate on the renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during 1987 he employed his powers to authorise an extension of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1984.

  Mr. Hurd
  In 1987 I authorised 41 extensions of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

  Charities
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce amending legislation on charities.

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

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to seek to make any changes to the way in which the Charity Commission adjudges whether a purportedly religious organisation should be granted charitable status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  This is a matter of common, rather than statute, law. The Government propose to improve the supervision and monitoring of all charities, in line with the recent efficiency scrutiny report by Sir Philip Woodfield. We are considering the scope of this legislation.

  Prisons (Crown Immunity)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has estimated the cost of removing Crown immunity from prisons with regard to health and safety and kitchen hygiene legislation.

  Mr. Hogg
  We are satisfied that existing arrangements are effective and can see no justification for the removal of Crown immunity from prisons with regard to kitchen hygiene legislation. The cost of removing Crown immunity has not been estimated.

  Prisons (Private Sector Involvement)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had regarding the involvement of the private sector in the building and management of prisons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon) on 12 February at column 363.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many non-white police officers are currently employed on uniform duties in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is in the table:

  Number of non-white police officers employed on uniform duties

  Force1

  As at 31 January 1988

  Metropolitan police

  390

  West Midlands police

  2138

  Greater Manchester police

  78

  Merseyside police

  30

  1 The information is only available on a force basis.

  2 This is the total west midlands figure. Separate figures for uniformed officers are not available.

  705
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his response to the report of the review of police manpower in Leicestershire, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On the basis of the review, the Leicestershire police authority has sought approval for an increase of establishment of 45 posts in 1988–89, 33 posts in 1989–90, and 13 posts in 1990–91. The application will be considered in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary along with applications which have been received from other police authorities.

  Alcohol Abuse
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the licensed trade to discuss the recommendations of the Government's ministerial working group on alcohol abuse.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has not recently had an opportunity to do so; I met representatives of the licensed trade to discuss these matters on 26 January.

  Trial Verdicts (Review)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will implement the recommendation of the Home Affairs Select Committee in its report on "Miscarriages of Justice" to the effect that an independent review body be set up to review cases of alleged miscarriage of justice; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will implement the recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee's report on "Miscarriages of Justice" that an independent review tribunal be set up to examine alleged miscarriages of justice; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. The Government's response to this recommendation was set out in paragraphs 7 to 16 of our reply to the Home Affairs Committee (Cmnd. 8856).

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the recommendations of the Home Affairs Select Committee report on "miscarriages of Justice" which have been implemented.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Select Committee's recommendation for the establishment of a public prosecution service was implemented in the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. The other principal recommendations concerning an independent review body have not been accepted, for reasons given in the Government's reply to the report (Cmnd. 8856), to which I refer the hon. Member for further details.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to refer any further cases of alleged miscarriages of justice to the Court of Appeal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend will continue to exercise the power given him by section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in accordance with established practice where he is satisfied that there is some new evidence or other new consideration of substance which has not previously been taken into account by a court and which the Court of Appeal can properly consider.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings to an independent review body of the sort recommended by the House Select Committee on Home Affairs report on "Miscarriages of Justice".

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an independent review body to examine evidence that the persons responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings are living in Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an independent review tribunal to examine evidence in relation to the Birmingham pub bombings that was not admissible before the Court of Appeal.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an independent review body, along the lines recommended by Lord Devlin and the Home Affairs Select Committee, to review evidence by the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) that he has traced and interviewed the four persons solely responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings and that they are all in Ireland.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case of the Birmingham pub bombings to an independent tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case of the Birmingham pub bombings to an independent review body.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer hon. Members to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Deptford and Lewisham (Ms. Ruddock) on 15 February at column 437.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an independent review body to consider evidence that the persons actually responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings are not in custody; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Deptford and Lewisham (Ms. Ruddock) on 15 February at column 437.

  I understand that on application by the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings the Court of Appeal has certified that there has been raised a point of law of general public importance. I understand further that the court has refused the six men leave to appeal to the House of Lords, but that: it is now open to them to apply to the House of Lords for leave to pursue the point. Consequently, the matter is now sub-judice.

  Deportation Orders
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are subject to deportation orders in Liverpool at the latest date.

  Mr. Renton
  Information on deportation orders is not readily available by area or city.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the working of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 20 November 1987 at columns 716–17. Further information is contained in the board's latest annual report (Cm. 265), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the backlog of cases awaiting resolution by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government provided £77 million for the criminal injuries compensation scheme in the Estimates for this financial year—an increase of £33 million over previously planned provision—and plans to make available £81 million in 1988–89 and £89 million in 1989–90. This increased provision will finance an increase in the number of compensation payments and has enabled the board to recruit 90 additional staff at its new office in Glasgow who will help to deal with the backlog of claims.

  Passports
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the speed and manner in which passport applications and renewals are currently being processed.

  Mr. Renton
  With the exception of the London passport office, where continuing heavy demand is causing some abnormal delays, the passport offices are processing straightforward, non-urgent passport applications for all types well within the four-week minimum period of notice specified on passport application forms. Urgent applications are given priority.

  Computerisation of the passport issuing system, which is due to commence at the Glasgow passport office in the late summer of this year, extending to all offices by the end of 1989, should speed up the passport-issuing process and reduce delays.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to widen the provisions of residential care licences to permit the reduced television fee to be charged in all warden-controlled accommodation, in addition to those premises housing people of pensionable age with physical disabilities or mental disorders; and if he will also seek powers, to provide lower prices and free television licences for those with no other resources than the basic retirement pension.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no plans to do so.

  Charitable Trusts
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has plans to seek to amend the law on charitable trusts.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government have already announced their intention to propose legislation to 708
  strengthen the powers of the Charity Commission and improve the supervision and monitoring of charities. We are considering the scope of this legislation.

  Independent Radio
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to safeguard the opportunities for drama and live music under the new regulations which will govern the expansion of radio.

  Mr. Renton
  The extent to which independent stations' programmes include drama and live music will be for the stations themselves to determine when applying for a licence to the radio authority. When making their applications they will no doubt have regard to the criteria which the authority will apply and to their obligation to maintain their promise of performance. The best safeguard for these opportunities will lie in the expansion of radio itself which the Government propose to make possible.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further discussions he has had on DNA testing in immigration control.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 5 February at column 781.

  Parole
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to change the working of the parole system.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The parole system is being reviewed by a committee under the chairmanship of Lord Carlisle. The terms of reference of the review were announced by my right hon. Friend on 16 July 1987 at column 1294.

  Game Licences Act 1860
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of compliance with the Game Licences Act 1860; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to a previous question from the hon. Member on 25 January, at column 2, giving details of the convictions for offences under the Game Licences Act 1860.

  The level of compliance is of course very difficult to ascertain with precision. However, the Government are concerned that poaching offences should be pursued with all possible vigour, and we believe that the police share this concern.

  Basildon (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent visit to Basildon by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten).

  Mr. John Patten
  I visited Basildon on Tuesday 2 February to open a crime prevention exhibition organised
  709
  by Allders department stores. The exhibition showed a range of security equipment and provided an opportunity for the police and the local crime prevention panel to give advice and information on crime prevention matters. The exhibition was due to run at Basildon until Saturday 13 February, and then to be transferred to other parts of the country. The Allders initiative is an excellent example of the way in which the private sector can contribute to crime prevention.

  Young Persons (Non-custodial Treatment)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives he is supporting that are aimed at replacing custody for 17 to 19-year-olds.

  Mr. John Patten
  Our policy is to encourage the use of non-custodial measures whenever they are suitable. The Government have recently offered grants to the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and the National Children's Home for work on alternatives to custody for 17 to 20-year-olds. This is part of our wider consideration of punishment in the community for offenders over 17.

  Immigration (Primary Purpose Rule)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to abolishing the primary purpose rule.

  Mr. Renton
  The primary purpose requirement is kept under continuing review but there are at present no plans to amend the relevant provisions of the immigration rules.

  West Mercia Constabulary
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many people are currently employed by the West Mercia constabulary; and how many of these are police officers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As at 31 December 1987, there were 1,949 police officers and 746 civilians (counting part-time staff as half) working for the West Mercia constabulary.

  Independent Television Network
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to discuss the future structure of the Independent Television network.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the IBA from time to time to discuss matters of current interest, which include the structure and operation of the ITV network.

  Prison System (USA)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has held following his noble Friend, the Earl of Caithness's visit to America to study the prison system there.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Both before and since my noble Friend's visit to America, there have been extensive 710
  discussions at official level with private companies which have expressed an interest in the design and building of prisons or the provision of management or other services.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about manpower and police recruiting in the Metropolitan police area.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The strength of the Metropolitan police on 18 January was 27,488; the highest ever. This is about 250 short of establishment. Recruitment is buoyant, although it continues to be offset to a great extent by wastage. Intakes of about 200 recruits take place every five weeks at the Hendon training school and there will be an additional intake at the Wanstead centre in the spring. The Metropolitan police have also taken special initiatives to encourage recruits from the ethnic minorities.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Tower Hamlets council concerning immigration matters; and what account he took of these representations when formulating his policy on immigration.

  Mr. Renton
  When my right hon. Friend visited Tower Hamlets in December 1986, the local council made representations to him about the problem of housing people who had been temporarily admitted to the United Kingdom while their claims were examined. The pressure on services in areas such as Tower Hamlets was one of the factors which we took into account in bringing forward clause 3 of the Immigration Bill which makes universal the requirement that those claiming the right of abode here should establish their claims before coming here.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations regarding the right of hon. Members to intervene in immigration cases.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to a question from the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie).

  Under-age Drinking
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people under the age of 18 years have been prosecuted for obtaining or attempting to obtain alcoholic drink over the past 10 years up to the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information held centrally, which may be incomplete, is given in the following table. Data for the years prior to 1979 are not available.

  Persons found guilty of offences under Section 169(2) of the Licensing Act 1964—England and Wales

  Year

  Total found guilty

  1979

  4,091

  1980

  3,954

  1981

  2,647

  1982

  1,862

  711

  Year

  Tolal found guilty

  1983

  1,577

  1984

  1,095

  1985

  744

  1986

  538

  Settlers
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to how many people from Northern Ireland settled in each local authority area in England in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (2) what information he has as to how many people from the Republic of Ireland settled in each local authority area in England in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (3) what information he has as to how many people from Northern Ireland settled in each local authority area in Scotland in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 and 25 years and over;

  (4) what information he has as to how many people from the Republic of Ireland settled in each local authority area in Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 and 25 years and over;

  (5) what information he has as to how many people from Northern Ireland settled in each local authority area in Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (6) what information he has as to how many people from the Republic of Ireland settled in each local authority area in Scotland in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over.

  Mr. Renton
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimates exist for the numbers of people from the Republic of Ireland who will settle in England, Scotland and Wales in each year for the next five years, and for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (2) what estimates exist for the numbers of people from Northern Ireland who will settle in England, Scotland and Wales in each year for the next five years, and for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over.

  Mr. Renton
  No such estimates exist.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish an estimate of 712
  the staffing and financial consequences for the monitoring and approval of bids under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 submitted by inner London boroughs after the proposed transfer of education responsibilities to them following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Hurd
  Details of the administrative arrangements for section 11 posts following the proposed abolition of ILEA have not yet been settled. I do not expect any significant staffing or financial consequences for the Home Office. Boroughs which take responsibility for existing ILEA posts funded under section 11 would take over responsibility for satisfying the Home Office of the effectiveness of those posts. They would be eligible to apply for section 11 grant for further posts, as they now do for posts in other services.

  "Some Mother's Son"
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will raise at his next meeting with the chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority the circumstances in which the film "Some Mother's Son", containing deception and misleading assertions about the British Army's activities in Ulster, was shown on Channel 4.

  Mr. Renton
  The Independent Broadcasting Authority has the statutory responsibility for ensuring that the programmes it broadcasts maintain a high general standard in all respects and in particular in respect of their content and quality. I am sure the authority will have taken due note of the lessons of this unfortunate incident, for which Channel 4 has already apologised publicly.

  Work Permits
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to introduce legal sanctions against employers who offer jobs to people without authorisation to work.

  Mr. Renton
  We have no present plans to do so.

  Murder (Convictions)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, for each year since 1979, the figures for(a) the number of people convicted of murder, (b) the number of people given life sentences, (c) the number of people serving life sentences who were released from prison having served less than 10 years in prison and (d) the number of people given life sentences having already served a life sentence.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 4 February 1988]: The information requested is given in the following table. More detailed information about life sentence prisoners is given annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1 (f) of the latest issue for 1986 Cm. 210) and in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", (Supplementary tables section 2.1(A) and section 2.4 of the latest issue for 1986). Copies of both publications are in the Library.
  713

  England and Wales

  Number of persons

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Persons convicted of murder:

  136

  169

  126

  184

  132

  150

  173

  179

  Persons given life sentences1:

  183

  203

  175

  245

  167

  184

  208

  241

  Life sentence prisoners1 released from Prison Department Establishments having spent less than 10 years in such establishments under sentence2

  By type and date of release:

  On licence

  49

  24

  38

  50

  52

  40

  29

  17

  Other3

  35

  39

  39

  43

  32

  40

  44

  49

  Persons released from Prison Department Establishments on life licence who were later given a further life sentence:

  By year if further sentence:

  1

  1

  44

  1

  24

  —

  3

  2

  1 Including custody for life and detention during Her Majesty's pleasure or for life under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

  2 Excluding any time spent on remand in custody, in non-Prison Department establishments or following any subsequent recall.

  3 Including successful appeals, deaths and transfers to psychiatric hospitals or outside England and Wales.

  4 Including one person given life sentence in Scotland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Bottles
  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he is taking to encourage distributors of glass and plastic bottles and containers to mark each with a deposit charge, to be returnable, to reduce litter, broken glass and waste.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Government consider that the use of deposit schemes should be decided by producers and distributors in the light of their assessment of the market implications. The Government welcome schemes such as bottle banks for the collection and recycling of consumer waste. As a direct result of a commitment conference I chaired on glass recycling, the glass industry and local authorities gave an undertaking to double the number of bottle banks in the five years from 1986.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he now expects to receive the inspector's report into the House of Fraser.

  Mr. Maude
  The inspector's interim report on the membership of the House of Fraser plc was published on 9 August 1984. His investigation under section 172 of the Companies Act 1948 is concluded, and no further report will be published.

  The investigation into the affairs of Fraser Holdings plc under section 432(2) Companies Act 1985 continues and I am unable to say when a report will be received.

  Departmental Computer System
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why, when his Department's Minstrel 1 computer system was replaced the manufacturers of Minstrel 4 were not invited to tender for its replacement.

  Mr. Butcher
  There was no simple replacement of the Department's Minstrel 1 computer system. Its correspondence management functions were subsumed within a wider networked system for all DTI Ministers designed to provide additional facilities, including engagements 714
  management, word processing and links into ICL-Mail (on which the Department's electronic mail service is based).

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those countries on which Her Majesty's Government have imposed trade restrictions on the sale of arms.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Arms and other military equipment described in group 1 of part II of schedule I to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987 (SI 1987 No. 2070) require a licence for export to any destination except as provided in article 4 of that order.

  EC (Trade Policy)
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the suspension of the tariff concessions enjoyed by the Republic of Korea under the generalised scheme of preference.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The European Community suspended Korea's GSP benefits following the Korean Government's decision not to extend to EC member states the same concessions on intellectual property rights as those given to the United States. Despite lengthy and concerted protests from EC member states that this discrimination was unacceptable, the Korean Government have still not extended the same concessions to countries other than the United States.

  Following the failure to reach agreement, the Community, fully supported by the British Government, decided to suspend Korea's GSP benefits. In the context of negotiations with Korea it was necessary for the Community to take immediate decisions. The suspension was approved by the Council of Ministers on 18 December and came into effect from 1 January 1988.

  Differences between the European Economic Community and the European Coal and Steel Community mean that the procedural steps are not the same and the ECSC suspension will take effect from 15 February.

  I would like to take this opportunity to express the hope that the House understands the special reasons why the

  715
  Government agreed to these measures before it was possible for the House to complete its scrutiny of the proposals.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list detailing the various measures approved by the EEC Council and implemented by the Commission which had the effect of removing or suspending trade concessions to foreign nations or otherwise restricting imports in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: I am writing to my hon. Friend and will place a copy of the reply in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why he agreed in January to the EEC Commission suspending the tariff concessions enjoyed by the Republic of Korea under the general system of preferences; what will be the effect of this suspension on the price of imported goods from Korea; what action the Commission is calling upon the Republic to undertake so that the suspension can be terminated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: The suspension of Korea's benefits under the European Community's GSP scheme was made in response to the Korean Government's decision not to extend to EC member states the same concessions given to the United States in the field of intellectual property rights.

  New Korean legislation giving better protection for intellectual property came into effect from 1 July 1987. However, the Korean Government entered into a bilateral arrangement with the United States Government which gave United States firms certain special concessions related to the implementation of the legislation. These concessions were not intended to be made available to Community firms. Despite lengthy and concerted protests from EC member states that such discriminatory action was unacceptable, the Korean Government have still not extended the same concessions to countries other than the United States.

  Following the failure to reach satisfactory agreement, the Community, fully supported by the British Government, decided to suspend Korea's GSP benefits. The Council regulation stated that it would not be appropriate for Korea to benefit from GSP as long as it discriminated against the Community in this way.

  The Government's support for the measure took into account the likely effect of suspension both on United Kingdom manufacturers and on United Kingdom consumers, importers, and distributors. Import prices remain a commercial matter for the companies concerned and include many elements beside import duties. The suspension was approved by the Council of Ministers on 18 December and came into effect from 1 January 1988.

  Average hourly wages of female employees in manufacturing industry1

  Belgium

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Francs2

  Percentage increase

  Francs2

  Percentage increase

  Deutschmarks3

  Percentage increase

  Guilders2

  Percentage increase

  £24

  Percentage increase

  1975

  111·06

  17·9

  59·84

  15·8

  7·51

  8·8

  8·39

  15·6

  0·930

  27·9

  1976

  121·85

  9·7

  11·33

  ֵ

  8·01

  6·7

  9·11

  8·6

  1·094

  17·6

  716
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why he has agreed to support a further measure to suspend Korean tariff concessions under the general system of preferences concerning steel products; what will be the effect of the suspension on import prices; what action the Commission is calling upon the Republic to undertake so that the suspension can be terminated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 8 February 1988]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to his earlier question today.

  The Commission published its proposal to suspend European Coal and Steel Community GSP benefits for Korea at the same time and for the same reason as the proposal to suspend European Economic Community GSP benefits. Differences between the two Communities mean the procedural steps are not the same and the ECSC suspension took effect from 15 February.

  Earnings
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the average wages or salaries of(a) female and (b) male workers in (i) the industrial, (ii) the services and (iii) the agricultural sectors.

  Mr. Lee
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested, relating to April 1987, is provided in the table.

  Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates whose earnings were not affected by absence—Great Britain

  Males £

  Females £

  Manufacturing industries (SIC 2–4)

  222·3

  133·4

  Service industries (SIC 6–9)

  227·6

  151·9

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing (SIC 0)

  145·1

  122·3

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has for each year since 1975 on the average wage increases in percentage terms for women (i) manual workers and (ii) non-manual workers in(a) Belgium, (b) France, (c) the Federal Republic of Germany, (d) Italy, (e) the Netherlands, (f) the United States of America and (g) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  I have been asked to reply.

  The following table sets out the available information published by the International Labour Office covering average hourly wages of females in manufacturing industry. These are mainly manual workers as salaried employees are excluded. Separate information for non-manual workers is not available. Italy and the United States of America do not provide separate figures for females.
  717

  Belgium

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Francs2

  Percentage increase

  Francs2

  Percentage increase

  Deutschmarks3

  Percentage increase

  Guilders2

  Percentage increase

  £2 4

  Percentage increase

  1977

  133·39

  9·5

  12·80

  13·0

  8·62

  7·6

  10·02

  10·0

  1·195

  9·2

  1978

  140·92

  5·6

  14·50

  13·3

  9·13

  5·9

  10·63

  6·1

  1·346

  12·6

  1979

  151·68

  7·6

  16·26

  12·1

  9·62

  5·4

  11·13

  4·7

  5 61·571

  16·7

  1980

  164·61

  8·5

  18·78

  15·5

  10·25

  6·5

  11·71

  5·2

  1·834

  17·0

  1981

  188·31

  14·4

  21·88

  16·5

  10·84

  5·8

  12·23

  4·4

  2·019

  10·1

  1982

  201·26

  6·9

  24·73

  13·0

  11·36

  4·8

  13·03

  6·5

  2·200

  9·0

  1983

  213·80

  6·2

  28·09

  13·6

  11·70

  3·0

  13·22

  1·5

  2·372

  7·8

  1984

  223·25

  4·4

  529·86

  6·3

  12·00

  2·6

  13·41

  1·4

  2·529

  6·6

  1985

  232·25

  4·0

  31·78

  ֵ

  12·54

  4·5

  13·53

  0·9

  2·710

  7·2

  1986

  ֵ

  ֵ

  33·02

  3·9

  13·03

  3·9

  ֵ

  ֵ

  2·897

  6·9

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

  2 October of each year.

  3 Includes family allowance paid directly by employer.

  4 Full time female manual workers on adult rates of pay—includes all adults prior to 1980.

  5 Change in coverage of series.

  6 On a basis consistent with 1980, the 1979 figure was £1·567.

  ֵ Not available.

  Source: International Labour Office:

  'Year Book of Labour Statistics 1986'

  `Bulletin of Labour Statistics 1987–8'.

EMPLOYMENT

  YTS
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many requests have been made by youth training scheme trainees for communications support under the communication service for the deaf;

  (2) what information he has as to the number of youth training scheme trainees who have been provided with communication support under the communication service for the deaf.

  Mr. Cope
  Since the communication service for the deaf was introduced in April 1986, a total of 172 trainees have been provided with communication support. I am not aware of any application for such support having been refused.

  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been allocated by his Department to fund the communication service for the deaf on the youth training scheme since it was established; and how much of this has actually been spent.

  Mr. Cope
  The communication service for the deaf was introduced in April 1986 and in the first year of its operation £248,000 was allocated to the service and £73,588 was spent. In the current financial year, £254,000 was allocated and £160,884 had been spent up to the end of January 1988.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people from the Republic of Ireland took up places on community programmes, YTS and other young persons programmes in England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (2) what information he has as to how many people from Northern Ireland took up places on community programmes, YTS and other young persons programmes
  718
  in England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987, inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over.

  Mr. Lee
  I regret that the information requested is not available. The Manpower Services Commission which runs the community programme, YTS and other programmes does not collect information on the number of participants who come from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what information he has as to how many people from the Republic of Ireland took up full-time or part-time employment in England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987 inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over;

  (2) what information he has as to how many people from Northern Ireland took up full-time or part-time employment in England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1982 to 1987 inclusive, for each of the age groups 16 to 18 years, 18 to 25 years and 25 years and over.

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

  Women
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present proportion of women workers in the total working population of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  Women in work are estimated to represent 38 per cent. of the working population of the United Kingdom in September 1987, the latest date for which figures are available.

ENVIRONMENT

  Planning Appeals
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time it has taken him to decide an appeal against local planning authorities decisions in each of the last three years; what steps he is taking to speed the process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. William Waldegrave
  The median time from receipt to decision for all appeals in each of the last three years is as follows:

  weeks

  1985

  20

  1986

  21

  1987

  24

  The number of planning appeals received has been increasing in the past three years at about 11 per cent. per year. A total of 21,548 were received in 1987. The increased number of appeals has meant that processing times have not improved as planned. The following steps have been taken, or are in hand to remedy this:
  — regulations setting a timetable for the variable stages of the written representations procedure and offering the opportunity of a simplified process, if appropriate, were made in May 1987;
  —additional resources have been allocated to the planning inspectorate (more inspectors and administrative staff) in order to deal with the additional work;
  —the Department has invested in information technology in order to speed up the preparation of decision letters; and
  — revised inquiries procedure rules will soon be introduced, which will, inter alia, contain timetabling provisions to speed up the process of fixing inquiries and which will help the inspectorate to make better use of existing resources.

  There has been a reduction to 22 weeks in the overall median time from receipt to decision of those appeals decided in December 1987.

  Home Improvements
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made with consultations on the paper "Home Improvement Policy" of November 1987; when he expects to bring forward legislation to implement his proposals; and why no legislative action in this regard has taken place since the publication of the Green Paper "Home Improvements—a New Approach" (Cmnd. 9513) in May 1985.

  Mrs. Roe
  Aspects of the Green Paper were reconsidered in the light of the comments received and revised proposals were published in the housing White Paper (Cmnd. 214) and subsequent consultation paper on home improvement policy. We are now considering the responses to these with a view to legislation at the next practicable opportunity.

  Urban Regeneration Grants
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a further statement on the payments to date of urban regeneration grants.

  Mr. Trippier
  Since urban regeneration grant was introduced, five offers of grant totalling £9·85 million have 720
  been made for projects in Manchester, Dudley and Liverpool. This grant is expected to attract £42·3 million of private investment into these areas. Approval in principle has been given to a project in Blackburn.

  Heveningham Hall
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions were attached to the sale of Heveningham hall; if these have been complied with; what information he has as to how often Heveningham hall has been open to the public since July 1981; and if he will make a repair order on Heveningham hall.

  Mrs. Roe
  The following three conditions were attached to the conveyance of Heveningham hall to permit public access to the principal rooms and to the gardens on at least 30 days each year unless prevented by circumstance outside the owner's control; to complete within five years the restoration of the orangery; and to use best endeavours to complete a tree planting scheme recommended by Dame Sylvia Crowe in 1975. In addition, the owner entered into a hiring agreement whereby certain items of furniture in the house which remained in the Secretary of State's ownership were to be hired to him for a nominal rent, subject to conditions relating to their care.

  Restoration of the orangery was completed in 1985, but the tree planting scheme remains to be done. Most of the furniture covered by the hiring agreement is currently in store, under the custody of English Heritage. Precise records of opening times are not available, but I understand that the position has been as follows:

  1982 house and gardens open for 30 days

  1983 gardens only open, because of building work

  1984–6 house open by appointment only to bona fide visitors, again because of building work.

  1987 house and gardens open throughout August

  Despite the regrettable delay, my right hon. Friend has no reason on present information to doubt the owner's intention to complete the outstanding repairs. Should there be serious doubts about this we would have to consider serving a repairs notice.

  PSA (Civil Accommodation Vote)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to increase the cash limit on the Property Services Agency civil accommodation vote during the current financial year.

  Mr. Chope
  Further to my reply on 2 February Official Report, column 551, the cash limit on PSA's civil accommodation Vote, Class XX, Vote 19, in 1987–88 should now be increased by £67,699,000 from £230,377,000 to £298,076,000 subject to approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The increase is to enable PSA to purchase additional freehold office accommodation.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Pensions
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax yield he estimates would be lost in the financial year 1988–89 if the limit set by the Inland Revenue on pension policies whose contributions qualify
  721
  for tax remission were increased to (a) 75 per cent. and (b) 80 per cent. of final salary or pay in the year of retirement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Net receipts of corporation tax1

  Cash terms

  At constant (1978–79) prices2

  As percentage of total taxes and royalties

  £ million

  £ million

  Per cent.

  1978–79

  3,940

  3,940

  8·1

  1979–80

  4,646

  3,980

  7·6

  1980–81

  4,645

  3,350

  6·5

  1981–82

  4,930

  3,240

  5·7

  1982–83

  5,679

  3,480

  6·2

  1983–84

  6,184

  3,620

  6·4

  1984–85

  8,341

  4,680

  7·8

  1985–86

  10,708

  5,670

  9·4

  1986–87

  13,495

  6,940

  11·3

  1 Including advance corporation tax.

  2 By reference to movements in the GDP deflator.

  Covenants
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of tax revenue forgone as a result of covenants made out to students.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Tax revenue forgone as a result of covenants to students is estimated to be about £150 million annually.

  Government Data Network
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the specifications concerning the throughput on the Government data network in terms of packets per second or Baud rate, have been calculated in the absence of centrally held information concerning the annual rate of inter and intra-departmental data transfer at the Department of Health and Social Security, the Inland Revenue, the Home Department and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Brooke
  The four Departments each provided information on their potential use of the Government data network. This has allowed prospective suppliers to determine the shape and capacity of the network design each has proposed. This information had not previously been held centrally.

  The four Departments' current requirements for GDN as set out in the statement of service requirement do not involve any data transfers between them. There is thus no information on such data to hold centrally.

  Police National Computer
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated increase in throughput specifications in terms of packets per second or Baud rate that will be required if the police national computer is connected to the Government data network.

  Mr. Brooke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department is considering the

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will set out in tabular form, for each year since 1978–79, corporation tax receipts(a) in cash terms, (b) in constant price terms and (c) as a percentage of total tax receipts.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The information is as follows:

  suitability of the Government data network for the police national computer. The PNC requirements are being defined and, if GDN were to be used, suppliers would need to take account of these in their enhancement plans.

  The GDN is being designed to allow for expansion and resilience.

  Public Expenditure (Private Finance)
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make available the paper on the role of private finance in public expenditure which was recently sent to the National Economic Development Office.

  Mr. Major
  I am arranging for copies of the paper, "Private Finance in Public Expenditure", to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Taxation
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the sum paid in tax per year of a person on average earnings.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 11 February 1988]: A married man on average earnings of £11,950 per annum pays £2,202 per year in income tax under the 1987–88 tax regime. A single person on the same earnings pays £2,572 per year. Average earnings are those for full time men in all occupations paid at adult rates whose pay is unaffected by absence. The calculations assume that the taxpayer has no reliefs or allowances other than the appropriate personal allowance.

  Benefits (RPI Error)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the special payments being made to social security beneficiaries on account of the miscalculations of the retail prices index are being treated as exempt from tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: These special ex-gratia payments are not taxable.

  Agriculture (Tax Concessions)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax concessions are made to agriculture which are not available to manufacturing industry; and what is his estimate of the annual value of such concessions.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: There is one statutory tax relief applying to agriculture which is not broadly mirrored by an equivalent relief for manufacturing industry. This is section 28 of the Finance Act 1978, which allows farmers to average their profits over two years for tax purposes, in certain circumstances. The estimated cost of this relief for 1987–88 is £10 million. There are also several extra-statutory concessions affecting agriculture; the cost of most of these cannot be reliably estimated, but is likely to be very small.

  Building Industry (Tax Exemption Certificates)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the operation of the 715 tax exemption certificate in the building industry in the light of reports that it enables paramilitary groups to defraud the Revenue; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 16 February 1988]: The operation of the special tax regime for the construction industry, including its effectiveness in deterring and detecting tax evasion, is kept under regular review.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what checks are made on building companies before they are allowed to obtain tax exemption certificates from the Inland Revenue; and how many such certificates have been issued in London in the last three years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 16 February 1988]: The Inland Revenue should satisfy itself—from its own records, from information provided by the applicant or through other appropriate enquiry — that the applicant meets the requirements of section 70 and parts I and IV of schedule 12 to the Finance (No. 2) Act 1975.

  The figures requested by the hon. Member are not readily available. However, on the basis of a sampling exercise, the number of companies holding 714P or 714C exemption certificates whose tax affairs are dealt with by tax offices in the London regions are roughly:

  Number

  January 1986

  16,500

  January 1987

  17,300

  January 1988

  17,600

  Many construction firms undertake work outside the immediate area of their tax office.

  Irish Republican Army
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's estimate as to the sums lost to the Revenue through Irish Republican Army and other paramilitary extortion rackets in the last three 724
  years; what efforts have been made to ensure coordination between the Revenue, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and other police forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 16 February 1988]: I can make no reliable estimate of such sums. The Inland Revenue co-operates with police forces investigating suspected tax offences.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Gastropods
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research is planned into the use of carnivorous slugs, beetles, glow-worms, frogs and microbes as environmentally acceptable methods of controlling gastropods;

  (2) if any alternative research is planned by his Department to continue the work recently stopped at Cleppa Park, Newport, Gwent, into the search for a less toxic substitute to metaldehyde for the control of gastropods;

  (3) what evidence he has of changes in the level of resistance of gastropods to the toxic effects of metaldehyde; and what evidence he has of subsequent changes in the use of (a) metaldehyde and (b) the more toxic methiocarb;

  (4) what information has he of research, currently being undertaken or planned, in the private sector to provide an environmentally benign alternative to the chemical substances now used to control gastropods;

  (5) what information he has on research in France of the effect of an increased use of metaldehyde and methiocarb in controlling gastropods on plant growth;

  (6) if he is considering introducing legislation to restrict the use of metaldehyde as a control agent for gastropods because of the danger to children and to wildlife;

  (7) if he is encouraging research into alternatives to metaldehyde for use in the control of gastropods.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The use of pesticides, including those based on the active ingredient metaldehyde, is subject to detailed statutory controls under part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. Under these arrangements, the effects of pesticides on human safety and that of wildlife and the environment are all carefully considered by independent experts before any approvals for use are granted by Ministers.

  In the case of slug pellets based on metaldehyde, the potential risks to children and animals are well understood. Product labels are required to draw attention to these risks and formulations contain repellants and dyes to make them less attractive to mammals and birds. Reports of accidents are also carefully monitored and do not justify the introduction of new controls at present.

  Nevertheless, it is the Government's policy to reduce pesticide use to the minimum consistent with efficient food production. The main Government-funded research work on slug control is taking place at the Institute of Arable Crops Research, Long Ashton. This includes the prediction of slug damage in crops and the effects of cultivation methods on control. There is also research into biological control, though this is concentrating on the

  725
  pathogens which specifically attack slugs rather than on the use of natural predators such as slow worms or hedgehogs.

  My Department's own laboratories at Slough are investigating the effects of metaldehyde on wildlife and I am aware of industry-funded work at Rothamsted into the production of alternative and more specific molluscicides. I believe that there is also some industry-funded work at Long Ashton on the potential for microbial control, but I do not have details of this.

  I am also aware of similar work in France but do not have any information about results in relation to plant growth.

  We have no evidence of resistance to metaldehyde in land molluscs and particularly slugs. However, its efficiency as a molluscicide is very dependent on weather conditions at the time of baiting, with humidity likely to reduce mortality. Pesticide usage data for 1983 (latest available data) show use on cereals, arable crops and horticulture of 600,000 ha and 94,000 ha respectively for methiocarb and metaldehyde. The survey of pesticide usage in arable crops scheduled for this year will give an indication of recent changes in usage.

  Food Prices
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will show the average price to the consumer of(a) a pint of milk, (b) a 21b loaf of bread and (c) a pint of beer in 1960, 1970. 1980 and 1987; and what was the percentage increase between 1980 and 1987 in each case.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:

  Milk1 per pint

  Bread2 per loaf

  Beer per pint

  Average Prices

  1960

  3·3

  4·8

  8·8

  1970

  5·0

  9·1

  12·9

  1980

  16·5

  33·7

  43·4

  1987

  25·3

  43·7

  81·2

  Percentage change

  1980–87

  5·3

  3·0

  8·7

  1 Whole pasteurized

  2 Large white sliced loaf.

  Chemicals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what controls he will introduce to prevent the more intensive use of chemicals to increase production on the reducing areas of cultivated land produced by the 'set-aside' proposals.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have received views on this and other related points in response to the consultation document issued on 8 December. In the light of these and of the eventual Community legislation, the Government will be taking decisions on the details of the United Kingdom scheme, including the controls applying to participating farmers.

  Milk Quota
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how many million litres his Department estimates the 1987–88 national United Kingdom milk quota will be exceeded.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on Tuesday 2 February 1988, at column 566, to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett).

  Wheat
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will update the information contained in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North of 26 of February 1987,Official Report, column 368, about the average ex-farm selling price of wheat in the United Kingdom for each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 and also at constant prices, showing the 1979 price as 100.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information is as follows:

  Ex-farm price of home-grown wheat1 (£ per tonne)

  Price index in real terms2 (1979 = 100)

  1979

  95·92

  100

  1980

  99·30

  86·5

  1981

  108·92

  85·1

  1982

  113·74

  82·2

  1983

  124·80

  86·2

  1984

  114·58

  76·1

  1985

  112·25

  70·4

  1986

  111·18

  67·2

  1987

  112·35 (forecast)

  65·0

  Notes:

  1 weighted average price at first point of sale. (Source: Annual Review of Agriculture.)

  2 deflated by price deflator of CDP at market prices.

  Battery Hens
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, following the implementation of Council directive 86/113/EEC under S.I. 1987, No. 2020, on the welfare of battery hens, he will estimate(a) the percentage of battery farmers who are currently producing under the new regulations; (b) the percentage of battery farmers who are currently producing using old-style cages before the final enforcement date in 1995 and (c) his Department's current figure of the number of battery farmers found to be producing illegally.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations lay down various specific requirements on cage design, which do not apply to existing cages until 1995. There is also a schedule of further requirements which applied from 1 January. All the provisions of the regulations apply immediately to new cages. My staff will continue to visit battery units to check that farmers are complying with the regulations and to advise on any necessary changes.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to the remarks of the
  727
  Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) on 15 February, Official Report, column 796, he will identify the section of the last agreement on budgetary restraint of 4 December or any previous Community agreement, which gave the Council the same powers as are set out in annex V to the note from the presidency (EEC document SN 461/88) to increase agricultural expenditure in excess of the agreed guideline; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  This annex refers to existing provisions in the treaty and does not confer any new powers on the Council.

  Food Labelling
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy towards nutrition labelling, in the light of the recent report of the Coronary Prevention Group entitled "European Community An Analysis of the United Kingdom Government's Position on Nutrition Labelling".

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Officials from my Department have met representatives of the CPG and their legal advisers. My officials explained that it is the EC food labelling directive (79/112) rather than the treaty of Rome which is directly relevant in this case. The ability of a member state to act unilaterally on grounds of public health is restricted to non-harmonised food labelling provisions. What may alone be required to appear on a food label is harmonised and this does not include nutrition information. Whilst therefore it is possible for the United Kingdom to set up a system of voluntary nutrition labelling, it is not open to it under Community law to make the giving of fat or nutrition information on labels a statutory requirement without the consent of the other member states. Thus we continue to seek with the European Commission a solution to our proposals for fat labelling regulations within the context of Community law. I believe that the Coronary Prevention Group now understands better the legal position held by the Government on this issue. This position also results from discussions with the legal services of the European Commission.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Beverages (Saccharine)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to ensure that no beverages containing saccharine are on sale in refreshment rooms in the curtilage of the House, and that those currently on sale are withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No. I do not consider such action to be necessary. The use of saccharin in foods is permitted by the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1983 following advice on need, by the Government's Food Advisory Committee, and on safety, by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Protection and the Environment (COT).

SCOTLAND

  Job Creation
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of any public initiatives which are planned to improve work and job prospects in north Angus, Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government's policies to keep inflation down, to stimulate enterprise, to restore competitiveness to industry and to establish a strong private sector have resulted in a significant fall in the unemployment levels in north Angus, as over Scotland as a whole, during the past year.

  In north Angus, as throughout Scotland, the full range of Government training and employment programmes, including a rural job club, are continuing to assist the unemployed to find jobs and to start new businesses; and both indigenous and incoming firms benefit from the range of Government assistance to help industry create and improve job opportunities.

  "Cabinet"
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply of 27 January,Official Report, columns 294–5, who in the Government the BBC consulted before deciding not to show the programme entitled "Cabinet."

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand that the BBC did not seek advice from the Government about that programme.

  Police (Computers)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list the constabularies which will have computers connected to the upgraded police national computer network, and those constabularies that have an existing mainframe computer linked to the police national computer.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The eight Scottish police forces have access to the police national computer and it will be maintained once the PNC network has been upgraded.

  The mainframe computer of Lothian and Borders police has an interface with the PNC which will also be maintained with the upgraded PNC network.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list mainframe computers belonging to constabularies, indicating whether they are for command and control or criminal information purposes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  One Scottish force, Lothian and Borders police, has a mainframe computer (this term being taken as excluding mini and micro computers). It is used for criminal information purposes, and has no command and control functions.

  School Closures
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will take steps to prevent Colstor secondary school, Springburn, from closing;

  (2) if he will take steps to prevent Elmvale primary school, Springburn, from closing.
  729
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Decisions about the closure of schools are primarily for education authorities and they require my right hon. and learned Friend's consent only in the circumstances prescribed under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prevent St. Bede's primary school, Balornock, from closing.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Decisions about school closure are primarily a matter for the relevant education authority subject to my right hon. and learned Friend's consent in prescribed circumstances. Because St. Bede's is a denominational school, his consent would be required if the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church were to object to any decision to close it.

  Fishing Stock Licences
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current total number of fishing stock licences held in Scotland by(a) individuals, (b) share/joint owners and (c) companies; and if he will give comparative totals for each year for which such statistics are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Numbers of pressure stock and non-pressure stock licence holders in Scotland are available for 1987 and 1988. Details are shown in the table.

  Individuals

  Joint owners

  Companies

  PSL

  Non PSL

  PSL

  Non PSL

  PSL

  Non PSL

  1988

  262

  78

  865

  25

  48

  2

  1987

  268

  78

  885

  25

  44

  2

  Where companies, for example fish selling companies, hold a minor share in a vessel, together with an individual or individuals, such licences are shown under joint ownership.

  It should also be noted that, in a few cases, the company holding the licence is composed entirely of the crew of the vessel or of the skipper and family.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average current cost of purchasing a stock licence for a fishing vessel of(a) an under 40 ft boat and (b) an under 80 ft boat; and what have the comparative figures been in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are a number of conditions that have to be fulfilled before a fisherman can obtain licences to catch certain fish stocks. If my officials, and those of other fisheries Departments, are content that these conditions have been met, appropriate licences are issued without cost to the fisherman concerned.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officers in each health authority area in Scotland are appointed to inspect private and publicly owned residential homes(a) for elderly people, (b) for mentally disabled people, (c) for mentally ill people and (d) for physically disabled people; and if he will outline the training and guidance which such officers have received.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The registration and inspection of residential homes is the responsibility of local 730
  authorities, and health boards have no supervisory functions in relation to such homes. Information on the number of local authority staff engaged on these functions is not held centrally.

  Hospital and Ward Closures
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the numbers of(a) hospital closures and (b) ward closures in Scotland for each year since 1979; and if he will also provide a breakdown of these figures for each health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information for complete hospital closures is set out in the table. Records on partial closures and ward closures are not held centrally. In the same period, 51 major new hospital developments providing some 5,770 beds have been opened.

  Number of hospitals

  Year

  1979

  7

  1980

  3

  1981

  3

  1982

  3

  1983

  4

  1984

  4

  1985

  3

  1986

  8

  1987

  3

  Health Board

  Argyll and Clyde

  12

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3

  Borders

  2

  Fife

  2

  Forth Valley

  2

  Grampian

  1

  Greater Glasgow

  5

  Highland

  1

  Lanarkshire

  2

  Lothian

  1

  Shetland

  2

  Tayside

  5

  Salmon Farming
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scot land if his Department is at present assessing the efficacy of the sonic seal scarer used on some marine salmonid farms; if he has any plans to curtail, modify or extend the predator control research programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is currently assessing the efficacy of the sonar seal scarer used on some marine salmonid farms. Several sonar scarers designed by the Department's scentists are presently on trial. There are no plans to curtail, modify or extend the current research programme but this is kept under review.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has recently commissioned a survey, or research, into the efficacy and design of predator nets used to protect the stock at marine salmonid fish farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has not commissioned or clone any such research which is seen as more appropriate for the fish farming industry itself to undertake.
  731
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent advice has been given by his officials to the owners and managers of marine salmonid farms, on the subject of predators; and if he will place copies of such memoranda in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has not produced any specific written information or advice on this subject. Advice is however given on an ad hoc basis to reflect particular circumstances.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has any recent information regarding the effect of predators on the incidence of disease, levels of stress and the overall productivity at marine salmonid farms.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has no recent information on this subject.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to commission further surveys of the economic cost of predation in marine salmonid fish farming, including birds, mink and otters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to devote extra resources to the research of production methods, design of equipment, protection against predators and the health and safety of those employed in the salmonid fish farming industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to devote extra resources to such research.

  Seals
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to change the current licensing scheme for the shooting of seals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to give the approximate number of seals killed, either by shooting or entanglement in nets, at marine salmonid fish farms in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not collected. The numbers of seals killed under licence are reported to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. Outwith the close season, however, licences to shoot seals and returns to the Department of seals shot are not required.

  Community Education
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount within the total rate support grant settlement for each local authority is provided for community education, including expenditure on youth service, in respect of the year 1987–88 and for 1988–89.

  Mr. Lang
  Rate support grant is paid in support of authorities' income generally. It is not attributed to particular services.

  Shetland Islands (Housing)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Shetland Islands council about the proposed transfer of ownership of Scottish Special Housing Association houses in the Shetland Islands; and what is his policy towards the transfer of all or any of those houses to the Shetland Islands council at the request of tenants concerned.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Shetland Islands council has recently written to the Scottish Development Department indicating that it wishes to discuss whether appropriate arrangements could be made for the transfer to it of Scottish Special Housing Association houses in the Shetland Islands. I wish to give full consideration to the particular circumstances of this request and to the views of all the interests concerned, including the SSHA as owners and the tenants. I am not, therefore, in a position to indicate our likely response to the inquiry from Shetland Islands council.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has now received concerning the Government's proposals to introduce charges for opticians' eye tests: and how many of them have been supportive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  To date my right hon. and learned Friend has received 81 representations expressing concern about the introduction of charges for sight tests. No one has written to my right hon. and learned Friend specifically to support the introduction of such charges, but a number of representations have been generally supportive of the Government's plans as set out in the White Paper, "Promoting Better Health" for developing and improving the primary health care services.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schoolchildren in Scotland have been indentified as affected by dyslexia.

  Mr. Michael Forysth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Tayside Crime Prevention Panel
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the composition of the Tayside crime prevention panel; how the individuals are selected for appointment; and whether they have been vetted with regard to criminal charges and for written warnings from procurators fiscal.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are three separate panels covering the Angus, Dundee, and Perth and Kinross districts of Tayside region. I will invite the chief constable of Tayside police to let my hon. Friend have details of the membership. Each currently has between 12 and 14 members, all appointed by the chief constable. Individuals are usually invited by him to serve either directly, or following nomination. In respect of proven criminal charges much would depend upon the nature of the offence, when it took place, and the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Written warnings are confidential to the procurator fiscal.

  Women Workers
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which economic sector in Scotland has the highest percentage of women workers; and what information he has as to its wages and salaries level in respect of other sectors of the economy.

  Mr. Lang
  The latest available estimates of employees in employment in Scotland are for September 1987. Of the five main industry sectors, the service sector is the one in which women account for the highest percentage of employees.

  Information from the new earnings survey, which covers a 1 per cent. sample of employees who are members of PAYE schemes, is provided in the table.

  Average gross weekly earnings (including overtime) of full-time employees on adult rates

  Scotland, April 1987

  Services £ per week

  All industries £ per week

  Men

  Manual

  161·2

  179·7

  Non-manual

  245·7

  256·4

  Women

  Manual

  104·1

  111·7

  Non-manual

  150·3

  149·0

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) female and (b) male workers are in the (i) agricultural, (ii) industrial and (iii) services sectors in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The table gives the available information.

  1980

  Thousands

  SIC

  Male

  Female

  0

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  25

  5

  2–4

  Manufacturing

  266

  128

  6–9

  Services

  545

  728

  Average gross weekly earnings (including overtime) of adult1 full-time manual employees2

  Scotland

  £ per week

  Males Industry group3

  Females Industry group3

  April

  Agriculture forestry and fishing

  Manufacturing industries

  Service industries

  Agriculture forestry and fishing

  Manufacturing industries

  Service industries

  1975

  42·7

  58·2

  52·7

  ֵ

  32·9

  31·1

  1976

  53·9

  68·2

  61·3

  ֵ

  40·8

  37·9

  1977

  61·4

  75·0

  66·8

  ֵ

  46·4

  40·5

  1978

  67·6

  86·2

  72·5

  ֵ

  52·8

  46·2

  1979

  74·9

  99·2

  84·6

  ֵ

  59·1

  48·7

  1980

  85·4

  117·5

  102·8

  ֵ

  70·1

  62·1

  1981

  93·3

  130·0

  114·4

  ֵ

  77·4

  69·1

  1982(a)

  102·2

  144·4

  124·6

  ֵ

  85·7

  73·0

  1982(b)

  101·7

  143·0

  125·1

  ֵ

  85·3

  73·0

  1983

  107·1

  151·0

  132·1

  ֵ

  92·1

  78·2

  1984

  114·8

  163·7

  138·8

  ֵ

  97·6

  84·7

  1985

  121·9

  176·3

  145·3

  ֵ

  107·4

  90·9

  1986

  133·2

  186·1

  153·2

  ֵ

  110·9

  95·9

  1987

  132·6

  194·0

  161·2

  ֵ

  119·6

  104·1

  ֵ indicates that the sample cannot provide a reliable estimate.

  1 for 1983 and earlier, males aged 21 and over and females aged 18 and over; for 1984 and later, those on adult rates.

  734
  These figures are provisional estimates, and subject to revision when further information becomes available. The number of employees in employment includes both manual and non-manual employees.

  Parliamentary Constituencies
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Boundary Commission for Scotland intends to conduct any interim reviews of parliamentary constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Boundary Commission for Scotland has informed me that it intends to conduct interim reviews of 16 parliamentary constituencies under section 3 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986. The constituencies are as follows:Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley CC and Galloway and Upper Nithsdale CC;
  Central, Fife CC, Dunfermline, East CC, Fife, North-East CC, and Perth and Kinross CC;
  Clydesdale CC, East Kilbride CC and Glasgow, Cathcart BC;
  East Lothian CC, Midlothian CC and Edinburgh, East BC;
  Monklands, East BC and Falkirk, East CC;
  Strathkelvin and Bearsden CC and Glasgow, Maryhill BC.

  In each case, I understand that the review has been occasioned by alterations to local authority boundaries so that they no longer follow exactly those of the parliamentary constituencies concerned.

  Wages
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, for each year since 1975, figures for the average wages for agricultural, industrial and services workers respectively in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 9 February 1988]: Information from the Department of Employment's new earnings survey, which covers a 1 per cent. sample of employees who are members of PAYE schemes, is provided in the table.
  735

  2 those whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence.

  3 figures for 1975 to 1982(a) are based on the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC); those for 1982(b) to 1987 are based on the 1980 SIC.

DEFENCE

  YTS
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many YTS places are currently on offer with Her Majesty's forces; how many have been taken up; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the present financial year (1987–88) there are 1,769 places available on the scheme. Between April and the end of December 1987 we received 1,746 applications of which 585 were accepted and 526 young people were admitted for training during that period.

  Applicants are offered places only on condition that they meet successfully both the MSC YTS eligibility criteria and the normal service recruiting standards.

  Frigates
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of Royal Navy frigates currently deployed on seagoing duties.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas) on 26 January 1988 at column 189. The number of ships actually at sea at any one time constantly fluctuates.

  Inner-city Task Forces
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action is being taken by the Army to encourage liaison between Army cadet forces and inner-city task forces; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Last month, with the support of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster I asked TAVR associations with inner city responsibilities to liaise with local inner city task forces to determine the scope for local community or commercial assistance towards the expansion of the Army Cadet Force within their respective areas, and to submit proposals. Reports are awaited shortly and will be given urgent and sympathetic attention.

  Royal Naval Stores Depot, Llangennech
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has in hand for the future military use of the whole or part of the royal naval stores depot of Llangennech.

  Mr. Freeman
  A number of options are being studied for the future use of part or all of the RNSD site at Llangennech, including the possibility of the location of forms and publications storage operations. These are all at a very early stage of consideration and it is too soon to say whether any will be adopted.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what incidents have been reported in the past five years involving nuclear submarines from Faslane and the Holy Loch.
  736
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  As with any other equipment, nuclear submarines suffer occasional defects. However, maintenance, operating and safety standards are exacting. As a consequence, there have been no incidents involving nuclear submarines at Faslane or Holy Loch over the last five years where there was any radiological hazard to service men, base personnel or members of the public.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements there are for informing the public in the west of Scotland, in the event of danger arising from an incident involving a nuclear submarine in the Clyde.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The public notification procedures to be followed in the unlikely event of any accident in the Clyde which might lead to a radiation hazard are detailed in the Clyde area public safety scheme. Similarly, the Scottish special safety scheme details procedures for other nuclear submarine berths on the west coast of Scotland.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any of the reactor cladding was damaged on HMS Resolution during 1988;

  (2) if any of Her Majesty's submarines departed from the Clyde submarine base at a time later than their scheduled departure date during January.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: It is not our policy to comment on matters affecting the operation or operational movements of Her Majesty's submarines.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he intends to make amendments to the Clyde public safety scheme in order to make provisions in the event of any radioactive leak arising from accidents to nuclear submarines in the River Clyde or nearby waters.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: The Clyde area public safety scheme already makes provision for any such accidents in the River Clyde and nearby waters.

  HMS Resolution
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he proposes to take as a result of the recent incident involving HMS Resolution.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The electrical malfunction which occurred on board HMS Resolution on 26 January posed no danger to the submarine's reactor, its crew or the public. It will therefore be the subject of a routine technical report which will investigate the causes of the malfunction and make any necessary recommendations.

  Falkland Islands (Exercise)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he is making for overseas observers to attend the exercise in the Falkland Islands in March; and which countries he expects to be included.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Foreign observers will not be invited to attend Exercise Fire Focus.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose, nature and extent of the exercise to
  737
  be held in the Falkland Islands from 7 to 31 March 1988; what vessels, aircraft and land forces will be involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Exercise Fire Focus will practise the United Kingdom's ability to reinforce the Falkland Islands rapidly in case of emergency. The exercise will involve the deployment to the islands of RAF Phantom air defence aircraft, Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, and a significant number of troops, mainly from the Light Infantry, but with support from the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and other land force units. Following the reinforcement phase, there will be some unit exercises to take advantage of the excellent training facilities in the islands.

  Nuclear-powered Vessels (Clyde)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of all holding berths certified to handle nuclear-powered vessels in the Clyde area.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There is one holding berth in the Clyde area, at the Clyde submarine base, Faslane.

  Category X Berths (Clyde)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of all category X berths in the Clyde area.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There are five category X berths in the Clyde area, all within the Clyde submarine base at Faslane.

  Clyde Submarine Base
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been a Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation team employed at the Clyde submarine base during the current year.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: No Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation teams have been activated at the Clyde submarine base in 1988.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any civilian or naval personnel have been contaminated with radiation at Clyde submarine base in the course of January.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: No.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what detailed information is available to the Clyde local liaison committee on the consequences of an accident involving a nuclear reactor on the nuclear-powered submarines based at the Clyde submarine base.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: The possible consequences of a nuclear submarine accident involving the Clyde submarine base are detailed in part 1 of the Clyde area public safety scheme, which is available to the Clyde local liaison committee.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist for the disposal of nuclear material arising from an accident to a nuclear submarine in or around the Clyde submarine base.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: It is not our policy to discuss such arrangements in detail.
  738
  However, depending on the severity of the incident, there would be a range of options, all of which would take full account of the interests of public safety.

  Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where in Scotland the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation is based; whether it was on active deployment during January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: The Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation (Scotland) is based at the Clyde submarine base. It has not been actively deployed during 1988.

  Clyde Local Liaison Committee
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist for the evacuation of the population both in and beyond the area covered by the Clyde local liaison committee.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: Evacuation of the civilian population in the unlikely event of a nuclear reactor accident is addressed in the Clyde area public safety scheme. There is little likelihood of evacuation being required beyond the area of the Clyde local liaison committee; but the scheme provides the framework on which the response to an accident with more widespread effects would be based.

  Clyde Public Safety Scheme
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to revise the procedures contained in the Clyde public safety scheme.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: The Clyde area public safety scheme is kept under constant review and amendments are issued as necessary.

  Fitness Enhancing Courses
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider introducing a system of income-generating fitness enhancing courses of up to four weeks' duration for civilian executives and others, run by the services and financed by the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 4 February 1988]: There are at present no plans for such a system which would not be an appropriate use for Defence manpower. I would be happy, however, to consult private sector companies involved in the provision of fitness training in order to establish what advice and facilities, if any, they believe the armed forces might have to offer in this field. I should also emphasise that personnel regularly leave the services with experience in both fitness and adventurous training activities. The service resettlement branches would be pleased to hear from civilian organisations which may wish to avail themselves of the skills which these personnel have acquired during their service.

  Air-Sea Search and Rescue
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the total annual cost to the Royal Air Force of air-sea search and rescue services over each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 10 February 1988]: The figures requested do not fall naturally out of normal Ministry of Defence costings, and could be produced only with disproportionate effort. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the then Member for Ynys Môn, Mr. Best, on 14 July 1986, at column 425, giving the full costs of the military SAR service in the financial year 1985–86. The full costs of the military SAR service in 1987–88 are approximately £57·7 million.

TRANSPORT

  Dangerous Substances (Harbours)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the 1987 regulations covering dangerous substances in harbour areas, so that in future the berthing of ships at harbour facilities are subject to the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations and the Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Act 1983.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the total cost of the penalties that the Government will impose on the Merseyside passenger transport authority for the operation of the Mersey ferries and tunnels in 1988–89; and what is the projected accumulation of penalties over the next 10 years.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The precept limit of 27p recently set for Merseyside passenger transport authority for 1988–89 takes into account the need for expenditure on the Mersey ferries and tunnels in that year. The limit is 1.49p lower than that for 1987–88. For spending at its revised expenditure level (EL), Merseyside PTA would have a grant entitlement for 1988–89 of £19·8 million, — significantly higher than for 1987–88.

  It is not possible to apportion grant entitlement between particular services, nor is it possible to project future years' grant entitlement.

  Anti-oil Pollution Patrols
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what aircraft were considered for use on anti-oil pollution patrols; why each was rejected; and why a foreign aircraft was chosen.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The aircraft to be used on antipollution patrols is one of a number being provided and operated by a firm which has been contracted to undertake a varied package of aerial counter-pollution work, including patrolling and dispersant spraying. The choice of contractor was made, after full competitive tendering, on the basis of competence, ability to meet a performance specification, and the cost of the total service. No stipulation was made of the make of aircraft to be 740
  provided except insofar as they should be capable of meeting the specified performance criteria. The company awarded the contract is British and of the eight aircraft committed to the overall contract five are of British manufacture.

  Mersey Tunnels
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy with regard to the capitalisation of the interest on the debt on the Mersey tunnels.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  As my right hon. Friend announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Kirkhope) on 18 December 1987, he has decided to extend the current power to capitalise interest charges to 30 September 1988 and this was notified to the Merseyside passenger transport authority. My right hon. Friend is awaiting information from the PTA on long-term projections of revenue and expenditure with a view to discussing with them ways of dealing with the problem of accumulated debt.

  British Rail
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss British Rail's policy on sales of its land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have no immediate plans to do so. Our policy is for the railways board to dispose of all its surplus land and property as rapidly as possible at a proper commercial price. I discussed progress with the chairman of the British Rail Property Board in December.

  PSV Drivers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, for the last five years for which figures are available, he will give the number of public service vehicle drivers taken ill on duty, whether or not an accident resulted.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will seek to provide medical examination of public service vehicle drivers every two years after the age of 50 years, and yearly beyond the age of 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. We have no reason to believe the present arrangements are not effective in identifying drivers whose medical condition makes them unfit to hold a licence. I shall be glad to hear from the hon. Member if he has evidence to the contrary.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations which govern the form and content of the training course and examination which precede the issue of a public service vehicle licence.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The requirements of the public service vehicle driving test are set out in the Public Service Vehicles (Drivers' Licences) Regulations 1985. The form and content of training courses are not prescribed in regulations.

  Public Service Vehicles (Inspections)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the numbers of public service vehicle examinations conducted under the auspices of a bus or coach operating company, as opposed to one of his Department's inspectors, in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  All public service vehicle annual test examinations are conducted by the Department's vehicle examiners. In 1986–87, 20,684 examinations (70 per cent.) were done at operators' premises, 47,692 (30 per cent.) at the Department's heavy goods vehicle test stations.

  Long-distance Buses (Seat Strength)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of international consultations on seat strengths for long-distance buses.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  International discussions in the Economic Commission for Europe on a standard for the strength of coach seats were successfully concluded last year.

  As soon as the United Nations secretariat publishes an ECE regulation incorporating the standard we will consult interested parties on a national regulation to make it mandatory for new British-registered coaches.

  Channel Tunnel Workings (Waste Disposal)
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drums of soil contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyl from the Channel tunnel workings in Kent have been stored by his Department at the Royal Army Ordnance Corps depot at Moreton-on-Lugg; where these drums will be removed for incineration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  A total of 2,990 drums of soil contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls are currently stored at the RAOC depot, Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire. The material is being analysed to determine whether any of it is suitable for landfill at a licensed waste disposal site. Soil which is contaminated above the maximum level which is acceptable for landfill will be destroyed by high temperature incineration. The destruction contract, which has been let to Rechem International Ltd. of Pontypool, requires the incineration programme to be completed by 15 January 1989.

  Motorway Traffic
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates have been made of the likely growth in motorway traffic in the next 10 years; and what percentage of motorways it is estimated will have to carry more traffic than their design capacity in 1988.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The national road traffic forecasts, published in 1984, provide a range for total traffic growth nationally. They do not distinguish between traffic on motorways and that using other roads. Since the forecasts were produced, actual traffic growth has been at the upper end of the forecast range. If it continues in that way some sections of motorway will become congested. In 742
  our regular reviews of the national road programme we assess what additional capacity is needed to cater for future growth. The White Paper published last April added 12 motorway widening and improvement schemes to the programme.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of the M25 already carry a greater volume of traffic than their design capacity; what forecasts have been made of future traffic flows on the M25; and when he expects to make a decision on the proposal by private developers to augment the capacity of the M25.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Traffic flows on some sections of the M25 are very heavy and congestion occurs. Last year's roads White Paper announced a review of the whole of the M25 and details are to be announced shortly. This will assess future traffic levels, identify potential problem areas, and suggestion solutions. Costains recently published in outline a scheme for a second tier on the M25. We have not yet received firm proposals.

  War Risks Insurance
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what agreements he proposes to enter into with British war risks insurance associations.

  Mr. Channon
  I have today entered into separate agreements with 10 British mutual war risks insurance associations under the Marine and Aviation Insurance (War Risks) Act 1952, to provide reinsurance against war risks to shipping. They replace agreements entered into in 1954 and 1959, and provide similar cover for the reinsurance of British-owned ships against war risks arising from hostilities involving the United Kingdom.

  They include, however, an important new provision that ships on foreign registers may be covered when I give my consent. This will allow the benefits of government reinsurance for war risks to shipping to be extended to shipping beneficially owned by British interests and registered in foreign states. The new agreements are in line with the new rules that the associations have adopted this year; the rules and the agreements both reflecting the changes that have in recent years taken place in the marine insurance market. They are, though, more closely integrated with the rules and considerably simpler than those they replace.

  M20
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to place the main contract for the building of the M20 Hollingbourne to Ashford motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Subject to the satisfactory completion of the remaining statutory procedures, we plan to let two contracts in the summer and autumn this year, for completion at about the same time in late 1990.

  Arundel Bypass
  Mr. Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received since 1 October 1987 regarding commencement of work on the Crossbush section of the A27 Arundel bypass; and what responses he has made to these representations other than interim postcard acknowledgements.
  743
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have received representations from my hon. Friend, the chairman of the Lyminster parish council and the local district councillor.

  I wrote to my hon. Friend in December to explain that the case for building the Crossbush section of the bypass in advance was still being examined. I have written to the chairman of the parish council, with a copy to my hon. Friend, to say that I will visit Crossbush during my visit to West Sussex on 2 March. We will make an announcement on the representations as soon as possible.

  London Regional Passengers Committee
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of the London regional passengers committee he has appointed; and if he will list their names and the organisations they represent.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.

  Membership of the London regional passenger committee currently stands at 28 and their names are as follows:

  Dr. E. C. Midwinter (Chairman)

  Mr. S. J. Beavan

  744

  Mr. S. Bradshaw

  Mrs. B. E. Carroll-Brown

  Mr. R. J. Caton

  Mrs. D. Chaney

  Mrs. H. M. Fogg

  Mr. R. P. Govindia

  Miss J. Harvey

  Mr. C. S. Heaps

  Mr. M. J. Kilker

  Miss. F. C. Lawson

  Mr. L. A. Mack

  Mrs. D. Manley

  Mrs. S. C. May

  Mrs. J. Phillips

  Mrs. F. M. P. Rea

  Mr. M. J. Seddon

  Mr. D. J. H. Senior OBE

  Mr. G. P. Theobald

  Mrs. J. Williams

  Ms. M. Winterbotham

  Mrs. K. Wood

  Membership of the committee is drawn from a wide range of bodies and organisations, but members are appointed as individuals and not to represent the interests of the body which nominated them.

  NORTHERN IRELAND AGRICULTURE: REVIEW PROPOSAL
  Lord Blease
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether in view of the report by Comptroller and Auditor General to Northern Ireland into Department of Agriculture Agricultural Colleges (HC paper 235) there is now to be a similar inquiry, under the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland (DANI) Policy Review, into the arrangements with the Queen's University Belfast, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, all of whose academic staff are joint appointments with DANI.

  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)
  The arrangements between Queen's University of Belfast and the Department of Agriculture concerning the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science were examined in 1984–85. There are no plans for a further review as they are working satisfactorily.

  NORTHERN IRELAND: COMMISSION FOR POLICE COMPLAINTS
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the independent police complaints commission is now functioning in Northern Ireland, and if not, when it expects to begin working; and who are the members of the commission.

  Lord Lyell
  The Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland will come into operation on 29th February 1988. The 852
  appointment of Mr. James Grew as chairman-designate to the commission was announced on 1st December 1987; the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is now considering the remaining membership and expects to announce it shortly.

  STANLEY HOUSE AND GREAT WESTMINSTER HOUSE: SCAFFOLDING
  Lord Houghton of Sowerby
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the purpose of the complete enclosure by wooden scaffolding of Stanley House in Marsham Street and Great Westminster House in Horseferry Road at present occupied by staff of the MAFF; when work on the building is planned to begin; and how long the scaffolding will stay up; whether the staff are to be moved from these conditions and if so, when and to where; and what is to be the future use of this building.

  The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)
  The fan scaffolding surrounding Stanley House and Great Westminster House was erected by the freeholders, who are responsible for the structure of the property. Recent investigations by the freeholder have revealed some spalling of the concrete on the external elevations of the building and the purpose of the scaffolding is to avoid any danger that might arise to members of the public. I am advised that the freeholders do not propose to effect any repairs and their intention is that the scaffolding should remain in place until they demolish and redevelop the building. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food staff are due to leave the building by September 1988, on lease expiry. They will move to Nobel House in Smith Square and Ergon House in Dean Bradley Street.