Written Answers of 25 February 1988

WALES

  Hospital Referrals
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to rates of patient referral to hospitals by different general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Surveys of out-patient referrals in a six-week period were conducted at hospital out-patient clinics throughout Wales in spring 1985, autumn 1985 and autumn 1986. The information for 1985 has been used to calculate an indicator of the referral rate for each general practice. Some practices have been made aware of their referral rates by medical officers of the regional medical service, who are based in the Welsh Office. This

  Wales: Hospitals closed since 1978

  Health authority/hospital

  Number of beds1

  Type of hospital

  Date of closure

  Clwyd

  Prince Edward Memorial

  31

  Othopaedic

  31 May 1980

  Llangwyfan

  201

  Mainly long stay

  7 August 1981

  Chatsworth House

  29

  GP Maternity

  27 August 1985

  Colwyn Bay Maternity

  12

  Maternity

  20 October 1985

  Chirk2

  26

  Acute

  October 1987

  East Dyfed

  Cilymaenllwyd

  32

  Pre-convalescent

  13 January 1984

  Allt-y-Mynydd

  46

  Mental handicap

  16 December 1986

  Pembrokeshire

  Kensington

  68

  Long stay

  14 June 1978

  Pembroke County War Memorial

  166

  Acute

  31 December 1978

  St. Thomas

  87

  Partly acute

  31 December 1978

  Gwent

  Snatchwood

  25

  Geriatric

  9 November 1980

  Cefn Mably

  76

  Geriatric

  18 April 1983

  Gwynedd

  Gors Maternity

  17

  Maternity

  28 November 1980

  Minffordd

  37

  Acute

  17 July 1984

  Eryri

  67

  Orthopaedic

  14 September 1984

  Caernarvonshire and Anglesey General

  193

  Acute

  28 September 1984

  Galltysil

  32

  Geriatric

  1 March 1985

  Mid Glamorgan

  Abertysswg

  12

  Acute

  28 February 1978

  Merthyr General

  126

  Acute

  30 March 1978

  Bedwellty

  25

  Geriatric

  24 May 1978

  Glyncornel

  45

  Geriatric

  27 October 1979

  St. Tydfils

  103

  Mainly long stay

  28 June 1980

  Blackmill Isolation

  32

  Infectious diseases/pre-convalescent

  9 October 1985

  Bridgend and District

  27

  Ear, nose and throat

  12 October 1985

  Cefn Hirgoed

  59

  Mainly long stay

  12 October 1985

  Powys

  Adelina Patti

  63

  Mainly long stay

  25 March 1986

  252
  information by practice is not appropriate for general release, but an article giving broader figures for districts for the spring 1985 survey was published in the British Medical Journal (volume 295, 19 September 1987). Information for autumn 1986 is currently being processed and it is intended to publish results when ready at a broad level.

  NHS Consultants
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the different frequencies and the number of times individual consultants see National Health Service patients in respect of the 10 most common hospital treatments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not held centrally.

  Hospital Closures
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by health authority in Wales, the numbers of beds in each and the types of hospitals closed since 1978.

  Mr. Grist
  During this period, when 11 new hospitals and more than 2,000 beds have been opened, the following beds have been closed.
  253

  Health authority/hospital

  Number of beds1

  Type of hospital

  Date of closure

  West Glamorgan

  Llwynderw

  21

  Pre-convalescent

  20 May 1979

  Drymma Hall

  68

  Mental handcap

  10 May 1986

  Cwmdonkin

  24

  Pre-convalescent

  21 August 1987

  1 This figure is based on the hospitals' complement at approximately one year before closure as hospitals are usually closed gradually over a period.

  2 Temporary closure for building work.

  Cervical Cytology
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the total cervical cytology examinations carried out by family medical practitioners in each of the health authorities in Wales were reimbursable directly under the item-of-service payment in each of the last five 12 month periods for which figures are available.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional measures he proposes to take to improve the cervical cytology uptake in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The cervical cytology screening service, including any action necessary to improve uptake, is the responsibility of the individual district health authorities. Over the last two years some £800,000 of recurring central funding has been allocated to health authorities to help them improve the service. Uptake rates are being monitored by the Welsh Office.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the non-domestic rate for Wales in 1990, based on current prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The current average non-domestic rate poundage in Wales is 236 ·5p. A decision on the level for 1990 will be announced at the appropriate time.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from business ratepayers in Wales as to the progress towards the establishment of a unified non-domestic rate for Wales in 1990.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have received comments on our proposals from a number of organisations and individuals.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in the revaluation of business property in preparation for the introduction of a unified non-domestic rate for Wales in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Valuation Office has issued forms of return and consideration is now being given to the appropriate level of value as at 1 April 1988.

  Radiation (Sheep)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 22 February, whether in the period before May and October 1986 any live monitoring machines for testing radiation in sheep were available but not in use; and if he will make a statement.
  254
  Mr. Peter Walker
  Apart from a limited field trial of one machine no live monitoring machines were available for use in north Wales prior to the beginning of October 1986.

  Legislation (Publication)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what difficulties his Department has experienced in publishing legislation laid by him in the present Session; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My Department has not experienced any difficulties in pubishing legislation laid by me in the present Session.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the amount of Government financial assistance for the Welsh language in both cash and real terms since 1979; and what was the proportion of this which has been educational expenditure.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 23 February 1988]: The information is as follows:

  Total Government support for the Welsh language under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 and section 26 of the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976

  Cash terms (£ thousands)

  Real terms (£ thousands)

  1(Percentage age)

  1979–80

  237

  412

  —

  1980–81

  893

  1,310

  258

  1981–82

  1,615

  2,158

  49

  1982–83

  1,766

  2,200

  49

  1983–84

  2,011

  2,394

  51

  1984–85

  1,987

  2,264

  51

  1985–86

  2,422

  2,605

  54

  1986–87

  2,528

  2,635

  57

  1987–88

  2,899

  2,899

  60

  1 Proportion of expenditure in respect of educational projects under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.

  2 First year of grant.

  The above does not include expenditure by other agencies, such as the Welsh Arts Council, not directly funded by my Department whose work involves activity related to the Welsh language, or the expenditure on S4C, which has increased as follows:

  £ million

  1982–83

  20

  1983–84

  24

  1984–85

  28

  1985–86

  34

  1986–87

  37

  1987–88

  40

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Attorney-General how many civil servants are employed in his and the Lord Chancellor's Department; what are their average weekly working hours; and how many are(a) on flexitime, (b)on job-sharing schemes, (c) on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight and (d) able to retire with full pension rights at 60 years.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor's Department employs 9,947 full-time, 1,155 part-time and 961 casual staff. Full-time staff in central London work 41 hours per week (gross); elsewhere, 42 hours. Part-time staff work, on average, 24 hours a week. The decision to take part in a flexitime scheme is a personal one and no central record of numbers is kept. However, 208 offices operate a flexible working hours scheme, while 218 offices have elected to continue with fixed hours. Forty-six members of staff job share and four applications are pending. No applications have been refused. Details of the individual patterns of work are not kept centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost, but 1,040 staff work between 10 and 30 hours a week and 104 between 31 and 35 hours a week. A total of 11,075 are entitled to retire with a pension at the age of 60, the amount of pension payable being calculated on the period of reckonable service completed.

  Eighteen civil servants are employed in the Law Officers' Department. All are full-time and work 41 hours per week (gross). None is on flexitime, on job-sharing schemes or on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight. All are entitled to retire with a pension at the age of 60, the amount of pension payable being calculated on the period of reckonable service completed.

  Mr. Freddie Andrews
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General why fraud squad investigations into the case of Freddie Andrews were reopened in 1987; and on whose instruction there has been further investigation.

  The Attorney-General
  investigations into this matter were not reopened in 1987. An investigation by an officer of the fraud squad of the Royal Ulster Constabulary commenced in August 1981. A preliminary report was submitted by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland on 26 February 1982. Since that date, thorough and complex police investigations have continued and a number of further reports have been received in the office of the Director from the Chief Constable. On 10 June 1987 a direction to prosecute an individual for an offence contrary to section 15 of the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 was issued to the Chief Constable.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish details of all properties inherited by Freddie Andrews(a) on the death of his father and (b) still in his ownership when the Official Solicitor assumed responsibility for his affairs (No. 516 1978); if he will publish dates of transfer of each property transaction and the value of each transaction; and if he will provide a copy of each audited annual account for the affairs of Freddie Andrews
  256
  since his affairs became the responsibility of the Office of Care and Protection, with details of the use to which moneys raised were put.

  The Attorney-General
  It is not appropriate to publish details of the affairs of any patient without leave of the court, as such matters must be treated in the same confidence as that enjoyed by any other person. An application may be made to the court by any person concerned about a particular case for disclosure of any information in respect of which the applicant can demonstrate a legitimate interest.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General why the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland originally directed no prosecution in respect of all matters raised by the late Detective Constable Patterson which included information on Freddie Andrews' case; and why investigation papers in the Andrews case were subsequently submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (Northern Ireland).

  The Attorney-General
  A direction to prosecute an individual for an offence contrary to section 15 of the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 was issued on 10 June 1987. An investigation by an officer of the fraud squad of the Royal Ulster Constabulary commenced in August 1981. A preliminary report was submitted by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland on 26 February 1982. Since that date thorough and complex police investigations have continued and a number of further reports have been received in the office of the Director from the Chief Constable. The direction of 10 June 1987 was issued having regard to the various reports made by police, the last of which was submitted on 13 May 1987.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General what discussions there have been between the relatives of Freddie Andrews and the office of the Official Solicitor on the handling of his affairs, since he was placed under the Office of Care and Protection at his relatives' request.

  The Attorney-General
  Following the appointment of the Official Solicitor on 11 January 1979 to assume responsibility for the affairs of Mr. Frederick Andrews there were numerous meetings between him and the individual members of the patient's family and their legal representatives. In the course of a review directed by the court in September 1983 the newly appointed Official Solicitor and counsel engaged by her had further discussions with the legal representatives of members of Mr. Andrews' family. At the conclusion of the review the judge directed that the Official Solicitor should discontinue investigations unless new or additional evidence was forthcoming.

  Mentally Handicapped People (Care)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish details of the steps to be followed where relatives wish to have a mentally handicapped person returned wholly to the care of his relatives from the Office of Care and Protection.

  The Attorney-General
  Part VIII of he Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 provides that where a person is found to be incapable, by reason of mental
  257
  disorder, of managing and administering his property and affairs the High Court may exercise general powers and make specific orders in respect of such a person's property and affairs. Such a person is referred to as a patient. A patient may be restored to management of his own affairs where the court is satisfied that the patient has become capable of managing and administering his property and affairs.

  Plymouth Land Registry
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average delay in dealing with inquiries relating to registration of title at the Plymouth land registry; what has been the longest during the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Telephoned inquiries to the Plymouth district land registry are generally replied to within 24 hours and postal inquiries within 48 hours, or, if information has to be obtained from records, in up to five working days. However, replies to postal inquiries on plans matters are currently taking about three weeks on average because of the large number received. Extra resources have been allocated to this work to restore the normal response time. Information about the longest time taken to reply to an inquiry is not available.

  Drug Damage (Class Actions)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to seek changes in the law which would permit class actions in drug damage cases, and to enable victims of drug disasters to win compensation in the courts more quickly and more cheaply.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has no immediate plans to introduce a system of class actions but he will be considering the possible scope for reform in this area of law. In the meantime, the Lord Chancellor will be moving amendments to the Legal Aid Bill which could facilitate the funding of multi-party actions; and the Civil Justice Review is considering how time and expense can be saved in personal injury litigation generally.

PRIME MINISTER

  Official Information (Leaks)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 682, for what reasons she does not accept the premise on which was based the question about her policy towards setting up formal inquiries into the improper leaking of official information in cases where the salient facts appear to be known in advance of such an inquiry; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 4 February, at column 682.

  Crumlin road Prison
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Her Majesty's prison Crumlin road, Belfast.
  258
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin road, Belfast.

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

  Crown Estates Act 1961
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to seek to amend the Crown Estates Act 1961.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 17 December 1987, at column 621.

  Hospital Matrons
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment she has made of the implications for the quality of patient treatment as well as efficiency, of reintroducing the post of matron in National Health Service hospitals; if she will take immediate steps to restore this post; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's aim is to see that the NHS provides cost effectively a high standard of health care for all who use it. Heath authorities are free to use the title of matron, and some do so. The Government are the first to recognise that for many people such a post is held in high esteem by the patients.

  Dorset
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Dorset.

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

  Economic League
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 683, what information she has as to whether any non-departmental organisations for which Ministers are responsible have used the resources of the Economic League in considering job applications; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Individual non-departmental public bodies are responsible for their own recruitment arrangements. Information on these arrangements is not held centrally.

  Where the Civil Service Commissioners recruit on behalf of such bodies, I am advised that the commissioners have not used the services of the Economic League.

  Hong Kong (Animal Welfare)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 26 January,Official Report, columns 171–72, if the total ban of the sale of rhinoceros products within Hong Kong from July will include all medical substances with an ingredient from any rhinoceros product.

  The Prime Minister
  The Hong Kong Government intend that the ban should include all medical substances with an ingredient from any rhinoceros product.

  Departmental Co-ordination (Correspondence)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will take steps to improve co-ordination between the Departments of Employment and Health and Social Security, with particular regard to replies to correspondence for hon. Members on behalf of their constituents in the light of the transfer of a letter for the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth dated 3 December 1987 from the Department of Employment to the Department of Health and Social Security, then back to the Department of Employment; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Departments concerned regret the delay in dealing with this particular case, to which a response will be sent very shortly. Co-operation between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Employment is normally satisfactory and does not lead to delay in replying to correspondence.

  Engagements
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 February.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 February.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 February.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 February.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 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.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what are their average weekly working hours; and how many are(a) on flexitime, (b) on job-sharing schemes, (c) on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight and (d) able to retire with full pension rights at 60 years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department currently employs some 2,541 staff, including 477 in Her Majesty's Inspectorate. Conditioned hours are 41 a week in London and 42 a week elsewhere, including meal breaks.

  There are 553 staff taking part in the flexible working hours arrangements in operation at the Department's Darlington office. Sixteen staff are currently job sharing.

  Of the 131 staff employed part-time, 22 work the equivalent of a four-day week or nine-day fortnight.

  All members of staff who complete at least five years (two years with effect from 1 April 1988) pensionable service are entitled to a pension on retirement at age 60. As such they all receive their individual full pension rights based on length of service and salary. Statistics are not
  260
  readily available on the number of staff who might complete the full 40 years pensionable service required to achieve the maximum level of pension entitlement.

  Religious Instruction and School Collective Worship
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of parents withdrew their children from(a) religious instruction and (b) school collective worship in the last academic year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Secondary School Libraries
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 10 November 1987, concerning secondary school libraries, how the £10 million provided for 1988–89 by his Department will be allocated to schools; if any guidelines will be issued on how this money is to be spent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Tile £10 million for secondary school library provision was identified within the expenditure plans for 1988–89 in response to representations from local authorities that there was a particular need in this area. It will now be for local authorities themselves to decide individually on the priority which they wish to give to secondary school library provision from within the resources available to them.

  Education Reform
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received seeking greater protection and encouragement of drama, music, art and design within the core in the national curriculum as currently proposed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under the Government's proposals in the Education Reform Bill, art and music are foundation subjects within the national curriculum. They will therefore form part of the curriculum for all pupils of compulsory school age in maintained schools. We have received a number of representations stressing the importance of drama and design and asking that they be included in the national curriculum. We have also received a number of suggestions that the expressive arts subjects should all be included in the national curriculum through the means of integrated arts courses.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy towards the promotion of energy conservation schemes in inner cities, in the light of the Association of the Conservation of Energy's report "Regenerating the Inner Cities — The Energy Dimension".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government believe that there should be effective energy conservation in inner cities and elsewhere. Pilot schemes to improve conservation have been supported by the Government's urban
  261
  programme and other initiatives. The Department of the Environment is considering changes to the building regulations designed to raise standards of insultation, and is consulting the Association for the Conservation of Energy, among others.

  Motor Trade (Abuse)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response he has made to the recommendations of the joint local authorities' associations on "Tackling Abuses in the Motor Trade", published in October 1987; and what consequential consultations he expects to have with interested parties.

  Mr. Maude
  Many of the recommendations of the joint local authority associations' report "Tackling Abuses in the Motor Trade" were discussed at a meeting on 15 December 1987 at which my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for roads and traffic and I met a delegation led by the Director General of Fair Trading. At that meeting it was agreed that it was desirable to amend section 60 of the Road Traffic Act 1972, to make it easier for trading standards officers to deal with the sellers of unroadworthy vehicles. Also, as a result of that meeting, it was agreed that a number of other suggestions to help combat the sale of unroadworthy vehicles and the fraudulent alteration of odometers would be examined further. My Deprtment and the Department of Transport are keeping in touch with the Office of Fair Trading and the various interested parties will be kept informed of progress on this matter.

  Matthew Brown (Takeover)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive the report from the stock exchange survelliance department into alleged insider dealing in the shares of Matthew Brown prior to the takeover by Newcastle Breweries.

  Mr. Maude
  The stock exchange will no doubt submit a report to me if it considers it appropriate to do so.

ENERGY

  Dounreay Nuclear Establishment
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) in view of the reduction in support by European utilities for fast reactor development, what he estimates are the prospects for future public funding of the Dounreay nuclear establishment over the next(a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years;

  (2) if he will make a statement with regard to his policy on the future of the Dounreay nuclear establishment after the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The European collaboration is currently considering the research requirements for the development of a common fast reactor design. The Government and the utilities, as joint customers, will consider the implications of this work for the fast reactor research programme. The UKAEA is responsible for the allocation of work between its individual sites.

  Fast Reactor Programme
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the 262
  recent decision by the European fast reactor utilities group to build only one fast reactor on the timing, scale and viability of the EDRP proposal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Assessment of the impact on the EDRP proposal of decisions taken by the European utilities about future fast reactor orders is a matter for the applicants.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  World Bank
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the size of the general capital increase recently agreed by the executive board of the World Bank and the accompanying recommendations.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Her Majesty's Government warmly welcome the recommendation by the executive directors of the World Bank that the board of governors should be invited to approve an increase in the bank's capital of US$74·8 billion—nearly 80 per cent. —with a 3 per cent. paid-in element. This increase would enable the bank to raise its annual level of lending from around $14 billion now to over $20 billion by 1992.

  We also welcome that part of the executive directors' report which concerns the bank's future policies. In particular, the report reiterates the importance of the bank's role in assisting Governments to alleviate poverty; and there will be a growing concern with the social and environmental aspects of development. The bank will also continue to assist heavily indebted countries, both in designing structural reform programmes and in providing finance. The report also recognises the importance of promoting the private sector in developing countries.

  As soon as the capital increase has been approved by the bank's governors, I shall invite the House to authorise my Department to subscribe to the United Kingdom's allocation of 30,450 new shares. The cost of the 3 per cent. paid-in element of these shares will be around $110 million, which we expect to pay over five or six years beginning in 1988–89. The remaining 97 per cent. of the value of the shares will be callable, and as such will represent only a contingent liability.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his discussions with Irish Ministers within and without the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council itself last met in November 1985. Since then I have had regular opportunities to meet Irish Ministers at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council and other meetings of the European Communities, when I have been able to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  In addition my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the co-chairman, with the Irish Foreign Minister, of the Intergovernmental Conference established by the Anglo-Irish Agreement, within the framework of the AIIC.

  China (Claims Agreement)
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline the arrangements for the distribution of the moneys received from the People's Republic of China under the claims agreement of 5 June 1987.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Foreign Compensation (People's Republic of China) Order 1987 was laid before Parliament on 8 January and is due to enter into operation on 1 March. It provides for the Foreign Compensation Commission to register and evaluate claims by those who satisfy the British nationality requirements of the order in respect of bonds issued or guaranteed by the Chinese authorities before 1 October 1949 and in respect of property or other assets expropriated in China between 1 October 1949 and 1 January 1980. The order also sets out arrangements for the distribution of compensation to successful claimants.

  Following a public tender the firm of Ernst and Whinney has been engaged to assist the Foreign Compensation Commission in its administrative and executive tasks. Advertisements will appear in the national press on 28 and 29 February indicating how detailed information may be obtained by potential claimants under the order.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Bail
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those charged with crimes were granted bail in 1987; how many of those granted bail had been charged with theft; and what percentage of those granted bail were(a) subsequently found guilty, or (b) subsequently found not guilty or (c) awaiting trial at the end of 1987.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the numbers of persons finally dealt with by the courts who had been remanded on bail by the police, magistrates' courts or the Crown court, by offence type and outcome, is published in chapter 8 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1986" (Cm. 233), a copy of which is in the Library. Information is not available on the number remanded on bail at any particular time.

  Westminster Children's Hospital (Break-in)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the circumstances of the break-in at Westminster children's hospital paediatric research laboratory on the night of 6 and 7 February and as to the progress of police investigations into this incident.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that an inquiry was instituted following a report from the Children's Medical Charity that premises occupied by the charity in Vincent square might have been unlawfully entered on the night of 6–7 February, but that this inquiry has now been terminated at the request of the charity, which no longer wishes to pursue the matter.
  264
  Mr. and Mrs. F. Gow (Member's Correspondence)

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston can expect a reply to his letters of 10 December and 13 December 1987 regarding Mr. and Mrs. F. Gow, of Glasgow G32.

  Mr. Renton
  I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.

  London Police Stations
  Mr. Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each of the London police stations at which(a) men and (b) women were being held in police cells on 15 February.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A record of the London police stations at which men and women held in police cells on 15 February is not available and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Remand Prisoners (Newham)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many remand prisoners have been held in Newham police stations during the past year; how many are currently being held; what is the average cost per person per clay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Reliable information as to the number of remand prisoners held in police stations in the borough of Newham during the past year is not available. There were six remand prisoners held in police cells at north Woolwich police station on 23 February and no such prisoners held in any other police stations in the borough of Newham on that date. The average cost of holding a prisoner in a police cell in London is £163 per day.

  Murderers (Release)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement as to the circumstances in which Private Thain was released from prison after serving three years of a life sentence for murder;

  (2) how many prisoners convicted since 1979 of murder and serving life sentences have been released within three years or less.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Private Thain was released on life licence in February 1987 after three and a half years' detention (including time spent in custody before his trial). His case was dealt with under the normal procedures for considering the release of life sentence prisoners. The date of the first formal review by the Parole Board machinery was fixed after consultation with the judiciary on the requirements of retribution and deterrence for the offence in accordance with the revised arrangements announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hampshire, East (Mr. Mates) on 30 November 1983, at columns 505–7, and Private Thain's release was subsquently authorised following a favourable recommendation by the Parole Board.
  265
  One other prisoner convicted of murder since 1979 has been released on life licence after three and a half years or less (including time spent in custody before trial). He was convicted at the age of 15.

  Mordecai Vanunu
  Mr. Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of fresh evidence as to the identity of Mordecai Vanunu's fellow passenger on flight BA 504 to Rome on 30 September 1986 and her presence in London at the time of Mr. Vanunu's disappearance, he will institute an inquiry into the case, to establish whether any crime was committed in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hurd
  Any investigation by the police would have to start from evidence that a criminal offence had been committed in the United Kingdom, but no such evidence has been received. If anyone has such evidence, he should contact the police.

  Special Event Radio
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about special event radio.

  Mr. Renton
  In 1986 my right hon. Friend announced an experiment in licensing low-powered transmitters to provide information or a commentary to those attending the sites of festivals, sporting events and so on. During the period of the experiment a total of 31 licences were issued covering 59 separate events. The experiment has generally been welcomed.

  In answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 19 January 1988, we announced that we intend to bring forward legislation based on the Green Paper "Radio: Choices and Opportunities" to establish a new Radio Authority, which will have responsibility for licensing radio services, including special event radio. Pending new legislation, we have decided to continue with the licensing of special event radio on broadly the same basis as during the experiment. It has, however, been possible to reduce the licence fee to £100 for transmissions not exceeding 50 milliwatts maximum radiated power on the MF band. A fee of £450 will continue to be payable for services using a higher power, where this is deemed to be necessary to provide adequate coverage to the site, and an additional supplement will be payable for assignment of VHF frequencies. Full details of the general and technical conditions and the licensing procedure are set out in notes for the guidance of prospective licensees, available from the Home Office, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Job Dispersal
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any further plans to transfer Ministry of Defence jobs to Scotland.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Apart from the very recent selection of the final tranche of 70 posts, to complete the MOD dispersal commitment of 1,400 jobs, to Glasgow later this 266
  year there are no current plans for any major relocation of jobs to Scotland. But we remain anxious to improve the geographical spread of defence employment, particularly in areas of high unemployment. However, all moves must be justifiable in both operational and economic terms.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what are their average weekly working hours, and how many are(a) on flexitime, (b) on job-sharing schemes, (c) on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight and (d) able to retire with full pension rights at 60 years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The number of United Kingdom-based civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence on 1 January 1988 was 146,814, comprised of 87,650 full-time and 1,816 part-time non-industrial staff and 55,101 full-time and 2,247 part-time industrial staff. Data relating to the other information requested are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  RAF Search and Rescue, Chivenor
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his programme for replacement of the helicopter in use by the Royal Air Force search and rescue unit at Chivenor.

  Mr. Freeman
  Studies are continuing into the deployment of Royal Navy and Royal Air Force helicopters for search and rescue requirements. The results will be announced shortly.

  Hazardous Loads (West Yorkshire)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military vehicles carrying nuclear and conventional explosives have travelled on public roads within west Yorkshire in each of the last five years; if the appropriate local authorities and the police were informed in all cases; what representations he has received about such matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on the movement of nuclear weapons or the associated operational procedures. Over the past year five letters have been received about the alleged movement of nuclear weapons in West Yorkshire.

  Nuclear Tests (Radiation Victims)
  Mr. Churchill
  to ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the evidence supplied by his Department to the National Radiological Protection Board in respect of the levels of radiation to which certain members of Her Majesty's forces had been exposed in the course of the British atmospheric nuclear weapon test and experimental programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As my hon. Friend will be aware, the National Radiological Protection Board was provided with radiation dose information from the "Blue Book" listings and AWRE "health physics records". A sample test of the records provided was made to check that the information given had been accurately extracted. Information concerning the dose records of individuals
  267
  cannot be published because of personal confidentiality, but any individual may apply to have his own dose record if he so wishes.

  Murder
  Mr. Mullin
  to ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving members of the British armed forces have convictions for murder.

  Mr. Freeman
  One.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government (Capital Debts)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the capital debts owed by each of the district and metropolitan district councils in England.

  Mr. Chope
  Figures for outstanding advances for capital purposes for each local authority in England are published in the CIPFA publication "Capital Expenditure and Debt Financing Statistics". Copies for each year up to 1985–86, the latest year for which this information has been published, are held in the Library of the House.

  Highway Authorities (Abolition of Powers)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to lay the order abolishing the powers vested in the local highway authorities under article 12 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As I said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Kirkhope) on 4 February, at columns 711–12, we hope to lay the new consolidated general development order a short time after the end of the two-month period for comment on the proposals in the consultation paper which we issued that day.

  Darenth Park
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the name of the inspector who will preside over the reopened Darenth park planning application; and when the inquiry will commence.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The reopened inquiry will be conducted by Mr. J. J. Parkinson, MSc, CEng, MICE, MINT, ACIArb, who presided over the original inquiry in February 1987.

  The applicants' agents have asked for time in which to prepare their evidence and we are in contact with them and Dartford borough council about possible dates in June or July. I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as the arrangements have been finalised.

  Howbury Grange-Dartford North Marshes
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the result of the inquiry on the Howbury grange-Dartford north marshes development.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A decision on these proposals is expected shortly. I shall inform my hon. Friend of the Secretary of State's decision as soon as it is made.

  Bees
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached on the Green Paper on environmental pollution, published in 1986, in so far as it relates to the control of bees in urban areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We are considering the representations made in response to the consultation paper on air pollution control.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much, by weight or cubic capacity, radioactive waste is stored in Great Britain; whether any such waste is stored in the county of Durham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  One thousand three hundred and fifty cu m of heat-generating radioactive waste and 41,800 cu m of intermediate-level radioactive waste are currently stored in Great Britain. None of this waste is stored in county Durham. A further 2,430 cu m of low-level radioactive waste is in temporary storage in Great Britain pending its disposal at British Nuclear Fuels' site at Drigg, in Cumbria.

  Badgers
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received for the amendment of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to make it a criminal offence to dig out or otherwise destroy a badger's sett; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 12 February, at column 381.

  Southwark (Rate Limitation)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the extra 2·98p offered by him to the London borough of Southwark in increased rate limitation for 1988–89 was (a) in respect of storm damage,(b) in respect of block grant losses, and (c) to create a working balance.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend's offer to the London borough of Southwark of a maximum rate of 101p—an extra 2·98p over the maximum he had proposed earlier — was made in the light of all the borough's circumstances which were known to him, and he has now prescribed a maximum of that level.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the next London Docklands development corporation financial report will be published.

  Mr. Chope
  The corporation will publish its annual report and accounts for 1987–88 in July 1988 and these will then be laid before Parliament.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order an inquiry into the operations of the London Docklands development corporation; and if he will make a statement.
  269
  Mr. Chope
  The remarkable achievements of the LDDC are self-evident. No inquiry is necessary.

  Office Building, Richmond Terrace
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what respect the quality of furnishings and fittings in the new Department of Health and Social Security building in Richmond terrace differs from the standard laid down in the design brief published in the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services), third report Session 1983–84, appendix 1.1. (HC 571).

  Mr. Chope
  The furniture and fittings in Richmond House are to normal Civil Service standards, with the exception of those in the fine room suites, which have been provided in a style compatible with their restoration. The

  Urban programme resources (England) 1979–80 to 1987–88

  (£ million, cash)

  Outturn expenditure

  Estimated outturn

  Initial allocation

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Partnerships

  110

  116

  118

  143

  133

  131

  125

  122

  120

  Programme Authorities

  32

  47

  50

  77

  86

  97

  96

  103

  140

  Other Designated Districts

  3

  6

  5

  9

  8

  8

  10

  9

  —

  Traditional Urban Programme

  30

  33

  42

  47

  53

  47

  44

  37

  10

  Urban Development Grant/Urban Regeneration Grant1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  15

  22

  22

  30

  Other (includes Merseyside Task Force)

  10

  —

  —

  19

  23

  23

  20

  19

  24

  Total

  185

  202

  215

  295

  310

  321

  317

  312

  324

  1 Urban Regeneration Grant was introduced on 1 April 1987.

  Partnership and Programme Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the estimated outturn expenditure on each partnership and programme authority annually from 1979–80 to 1987–88, estimated.

  Urban programme resources (England) 1979–80 to 1987–88

  £ million, cash

  Estimated outturn

  Initial allocations

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Partnerships

  Birmingham

  13·2

  17·3

  16·9

  25·6

  24·3

  25·5

  25·9

  25·9

  25·0

  Hackney1 2

  11·8

  15·4

  15·0

  12·1

  12·6

  13·0

  10·4

  11·3

  10·8

  Islington1 2

  11·0

  15·4

  15·0

  9·7

  9·5

  11·1

  10·3

  9·3

  10·0

  Lambeth

  6·8

  9·0

  9·2

  10·4

  10·9

  12·4

  12·1

  11·3

  12·8

  Liverpool

  12·6

  17·6

  17·4

  24·6

  25·2

  23·2

  21·3

  23·0

  20·0

  Manchester/Salford

  13·0

  17·5

  16·8

  23·6

  23·9

  23·7

  23·2

  22·0

  23·8

  Newcastle/Gateshead

  9·1

  12·9

  14·0

  19·8

  21·1

  21·0

  19·6

  19·0

  17·2

  Docklands

  20·5

  26·2

  28·3

  17·0

  5·9

  3·3

  —

  —

  —

  Programme authorities

  Barnsley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Blackburn

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·6

  3·7

  3·8

  3·7

  4·00

  Bolton

  1·66

  2·11

  2·56

  2·99

  4·3

  3·2

  3·9

  3·8

  4·00

  Bradford

  2·63

  3·33

  3·12

  5·97

  5·8

  5·5

  4·1

  3·5

  4·50

  Brent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·1

  4·2

  3·8

  3·8

  4·00

  Bristol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Burnley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·00

  270
  design brief published in the Select Committee report does not detail furniture standards in a form for comparison to be made.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure on the urban programme annually from 1979–80 to 1987–88 according to outturn expenditure in(a) partnership, (b) programme authorities, (c) other designated districts, (d) urban development grants, (e) traditional urban programme, (f) Merseyside task force and (g) any others.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is in the table. This updates a table "The Urban Programme 1986–87: A Report on its operations and achievements in England" which was published by the Department in October 1987.

  Mr. Chope
  The figures are shown in the table. The table records outturn expenditure for 1979–80 to 1985–86, estimated outturn for 1986–87 and the initial allocations for 1987–88, since outturn data are not yet available.
  271

  Estimated outturn

  Initial allocations

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Coventry

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·5

  4·4

  4·2

  3·8

  5·00

  Derby

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·25

  Doncaster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  Dudley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·25

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Halton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·43

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2·63

  3·33

  4·27

  4·78

  5·7

  5·2

  5·0

  4·5

  5·00

  Haringey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·00

  Hartlepool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  Hull

  2·06

  2·62

  3·40

  3·89

  6·2

  4·6

  4·6

  4·5

  5·00

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·25

  Kirklees

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·82

  Knowsley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·0

  3·2

  3·5

  3·6

  4·00

  Langbaurgh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  Leeds

  2·70

  3·56

  3·75

  4·63

  4·7

  4·1

  4·3

  4·0

  4·50

  Leicester

  2·78

  3·83

  4·16

  5·77

  6·7

  5·7

  5·2

  4·7

  5·43

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Middlesbrough

  2·06

  2·71

  3·43

  4·98

  5·6

  5·1

  4·5

  5·4

  5·50

  Newham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  North Tyneside

  1·57

  2·25

  2·34

  3·07

  3·5

  3·1

  3·2

  3·8

  3·50

  Nottingham

  2·62

  3·41

  3·75

  4·98

  5·6

  5·0

  4·7

  5·3

  4·50

  Oldham

  1·78

  2·43

  2·85

  4·36

  4·5

  3·4

  3·7

  3·7

  4·00

  Plymouth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·36

  Preston

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·23

  Rochdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·6

  3·4

  4·4

  3·6

  4·00

  Rotherham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  St. Helens

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Sandwell

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·0

  4·6

  3·7

  4·5

  5·00

  Sefton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Sheffield

  2·65

  3·44

  3·49

  4·86

  4·5

  4·2

  4·5

  5·5

  5·50

  South Tyneside

  1·90

  2·51

  2·99

  4·82

  4·5

  4·2

  4·2

  4·6

  4·50

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·75

  Stockton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·25

  Sunderland

  1·77

  2·6

  2·68

  2·95

  3·5

  3·2

  3·3

  4·3

  4·00

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·0

  4·3

  4·2

  4·8

  4·50

  Walsall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·5

  4·6

  4·9

  4·2

  4·50

  Wigan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·50

  Wirral

  2·07

  2·67

  2·79

  4·42

  3·5

  3·3

  3·3

  4·3

  3·50

  Wolverhampton

  1·76

  2·93

  3·22

  5·52

  5·9

  5·0

  5·0

  5·1

  5·50

  The Wrekin

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·56

  1 The Docklands joint partnership was dissolved after the London Docklands Development Corporation was set up in 1981. Expenditure since then was to meet continuing commitments.

  2 Hackney and Islington formed a joint partnership until March 1982.

  — No programme authority expenditure in these years because authority did not have programme authority status.

  Rates
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the likely average household increase in rates in cash terms of ratepayers living in the borough of Eastbourne and the district of Wealden for 1988–89.

  Mr. Chope
  None. This information is not available as East Sussex county council, Eastbourne borough council and Wealden district council have not yet set their rates for 1988–89.

  MOD Properties (Sales)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list Ministry of Defence properties placed with the Property Services Agency for disposal in the southern and eastern regions: and if he will list those properties already disposed of since 25 November 1986 in the same regions.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The following lists show those MOD properties currently witii PSA southern and eastern regions for disposal, and those sold since 25 November 1986:
  272

  Properties with PSA for Disposal

  Description

  Area (hectares)

  Southern Region

  Land at Jacobs Field, Bramley

  3·140

  Land at Westcott, Bucks

  3·320

  Land at Sopley, Christchurch

  15·090

  Flowerdown, Winchester

  14 houses

  Land at The Meadows, Camberley

  30·890

  Land at Barton Stacey

  0·343

  Land at Kingsley Village

  0·861

  Land at former Infants School Site, Tadley

  0·333

  Land adjoining Range End, West End, Woking

  0·291

  Land at Arncott, Bicester

  60·700

  Land at Pirbright Common, Guildford

  26·890

  Hamcroft, Portland

  9 houses

  Aldermaston

  5 houses

  Land at Bicester (possible development site)

  3·290

  Allotments, Shrivenham

  0·630

  Land at Hawley Green, Camberley

  0·280

  Land at Bisley (Queens Road)

  1·209

  Land at Bricksbury Hill, Farnham

  0·105

  Land at Bramshott Common, Liphook

  0·760

  Land at Royal Navy Depot, Botley

  0·506

  Site of former Nos. 1 and 2 The Woods, Hawley

  0·700

  Land at Frimley Fuel Allotment

  1·200

  273

  Description

  Area (hectares)

  Land at Normandy Common, Hants

  8·502

  Site of 18 houses, Bordon

  18 houses

  68 houses, Bordon

  68 houses

  Former Access Track, Bordon

  0·146

  Ewshot Recreation Ground

  1·149

  Land at Hillclose, Bovington

  0·009

  9 houses, Barrack Road, Christchurch

  9 houses

  Agricultural Land, Abingdon

  13·310

  Land at Bicester (adjoining owner)

  0·324

  Land at Bicester (balancing pond)

  2·630

  22 houses, Hawkins Way, Abingdon

  22 houses

  Bowsey Hill Training Area, Henley

  3·581

  5 Riley Road, Reading

  1 house

  Jubilee Playing Fields, Littleton

  4·253

  Land at Station Road, Bordon (Water Board)

  1·012

  Land at Cody Road-Beverley Crescent, Cove, Farnborough

  0·193

  Houses at Barton Stacey

  6 houses

  Land for Refuse Amenity Point, Station Road, Bordon

  1·246

  Artington Cold Store, Guildford

  4·144

  Bassingbourne Church Crookham-Oakbridge Road, Basingstoke

  5 houses

  Balmore House, Reading

  1 house

  Woolston, Southampton

  161·870

  Queens Quarters, Lynchford Road, Farnborough

  0·810

  Civil Enclave, Farnborough

  20·240

  Sandy Lane, Church Crookham

  1·310

  RAE Farnborough

  3 houses

  CAD Bramley

  404·685

  Eastern Region

  Bushey

  2 houses

  Land at Felixstowe

  0·890

  Land at Lethe Grove, Colchester

  3·120

  Bawdsey

  1 house

  Bury St. Edmunds

  38 houses

  South Drive, Cardington

  3 houses

  Land at Molesworth

  3·800

  Land at Cardington

  14·800

  Land at Waltham Abbey

  0·480

  Leavesden Airfield, Watford

  107·240

  RAF Watton, Norfolk

  40 houses

  Oxendon Close, Leighton Buzzard

  18 houses

  Land at RAF Bentwaters

  0·190

  Land at Duxford

  2·500

  Properties sold since 25 November 1986

  Discription

  Area (hectares)

  Southern Region

  Land at Shortheath Common, Bordon

  2·080

  "Springhill", Normandy

  1 house

  Land at Hartford Bridge, Minley

  1·690

  Land at Shenley Brook end, Bletchley

  7·900

  Land at Brizewood, Brize Norton

  0·080

  Land at Liphook

  0·780

  Land at West End Common

  50·180

  Bordon

  205 houses

  Boreholes, Barton Stacey

  0·199

  Warnford Road, Tilehurst

  1 house

  9 houses, Whitley Wood, Reading

  9 houses

  2 Pattison Road, Reading

  1 house

  24 Coningham Road, Reading

  1 house

  Building Plot, Calcot

  0·032

  Land at Eweshot Lane, Eweshot

  0·079

  Land at Brook Cottage, Thursley

  0·467

  32 Cody Road, Cove

  1 house

  194 Sandy Lane, Cove

  1 house

  Stoneleigh Drive, Brize Norton

  3 houses

  Ampney Orchard

  15 houses

  Building Plot adjoining 31 Halton Village

  0·100

  Land at RAF Bicester for road improvements

  1·841

  Land at Bordon (Church site)

  0·500

  274

  Discription

  Area (hectares)

  Land at Parsons Barracks, Aldershot

  0·850

  Childrens Playground, Mercury Close, Bampton

  0·146

  Land at Hutton Road, Ash

  0·145

  Land for Prison, Bicester

  4·010

  31 Halton Village

  1 house

  Land adjoining 32 Hillside, Cove

  0·478

  Building Plot at Whitley Wood

  0·085

  Land for Sub-station, Bovington

  0·280

  Hamcroft, Portland

  7 houses

  Aldermaston

  41 houses

  Burghfield

  11 houses

  Houses at Barton Stacey

  15 houses

  Latymer, Bucks

  80 houses

  Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot

  76 houses

  RAE Farnborough

  40 houses

  Cove, Hants

  2·870

  Rafborough Estate

  51 houses

  Farnborough Road

  10 houses

  Mytchett Place, Surrey

  4·800

  Land at Cupids Corner, Shoeburyness

  0·093

  Eastern Region

  Land at Bushey

  0·070

  Land at Shoeburyness

  0·080

  Shoeburyness

  2 houses

  Shoeburyness

  2 bungalows

  Land at Pinner

  0·014

  Bawdsey

  1 house

  Shortstown, Cardington

  58 houses

  Land at Wattisham

  0·700

  Land at Sculthorpe

  5·820

  Land at Cardington

  17·200

  Spixworth

  11 houses

  Clapham, Beds

  2 houses

  Land at Abbotts Road, Colchester

  12·600

  Land at South House, Colchester

  1·480

  Marlborough Park, Kempston

  1 house

  Woodhurst Road, Peterborough

  1 house

  Wadham Road, Abbotts Langley

  1 house

  Land at Bounstead Road, Colchester

  0·110

  Land at Marham

  1·820

  Sharnbrook, Beds

  1 house

  Homefleld Road, Colchester

  12 houses

  Land at Enfield

  0·120

SCOTLAND

  Schools (Books and Equipment)
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional moneys he intends to allocate to education authorities in Scotland for spending on school books and equipment; and how he will monitor the situation so as to ensure that these moneys are spent on books and equipment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Provision is made for local authorities' expenditure on non-teaching costs (including books and equipment) within the total planned for local authority current expenditure, on which the determination of rate support grant is based. For 1988–89 planned provision for non-teaching costs is £466·2 million, an increase of 4·6 per cent. over the corresponding amount for 1987–88. Authorities have complete discretion to spend these resources as they think fit.

  The Government have enhanced provision for local authority capital allocations by £2 million in 1987–88 and £3 million in 1988–89, specifically to support the introduction of secondary school science and technology courses. Authorities will be asked how these allocations have been used. It is intended to increase the specific grant

  275
  available for expenditure on education in deprived areas in 1988–89 by £1·1 million for the purchase of books and equipment. This expenditure will be monitored under arrangements to be agreed.

  "Fines and Fine Default"
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received a copy of the report by the Association of Directors of Social Work entitled "Fines and Fine Default"; and if he will implement any of the recommendations made in that report.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 11 January 1988.

  Long-stay Mental Hospital Patients
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many long-stay mental hospital patients have been released into care in the community in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg) on 19 November 1987. Information for 1987 is not yet available.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to income generation within the blood transfusion service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I encourage the Scottish national blood transfusion service to generate income in appropriate ways. In particular, income is generated through commercial companies contracting to meet the costs of research projects which are of value also to the National Health Service. Income is received from private medical establishments to meet the cost to the blood transfusion service of handling and processing blood and blood products supplied. Because the blood is freely given by blood doners, no charge is made for the blood itself.

  Orthopaedic Surgery (Senior House Officers)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the filling of posts of senior house officer in orthopaedic surgery in Scottish health board areas; and if he will list the number of such posts unfilled.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the number of vacant senior house officer posts is not held centrally. Recruitment of hospital medical staff is a matter for individual health boards, but I am aware that some posts at senior house officer grade in orthopaedic surgery are difficult to fill from time to time. I am not aware of any serious problems on the delivery of service.

  Nursery Education
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many three and four-year-old children in each local education authority area in Scotland are in(a) full-time
  276
  and (b) part-time education in private nursery schools; and what percentage of the estimated three and four-year-old population in each local education authority area this represents for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not available.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many three and four-year-old children in each local education authority in Scotland are in(a) full-time and (b) part-time nursery education, in nursery schools and nursery classes of primary schools, but excluding any children in reception classes in primary schools and any children in private schools; what percentage of the estimated three and four-year-old population in each local education authority area this represents; and what is the average hourly attendance, per week, of these children in (i) full-time, and (ii) part-time nursery education for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The provisional numbers of three and four-year-old pupils in education authority nursery schools and departments in September 1987 and these numbers expressed as percentages of the estimated numbers of three and four-year-olds in the population in mid 1986 are set out in the table.

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Borders

  0

  0·0

  390

  16·5

  Central

  9

  0·1

  2,483

  36·8

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  0·0

  427

  12·2

  Fife

  184

  2·1

  4,009

  45·1

  Grampian

  258

  2·0

  2,420

  18·9

  Highland

  5

  0·1

  612

  11·1

  Lothian

  769

  4·5

  7,196

  42·2

  Strathclyde

  1,088

  1·8

  16,463

  27·1

  Tayside

  471

  5·0

  1,873

  20·1

  Orkney

  0

  0·0

  83

  17·0

  Shetland

  0

  0·0

  110

  17·2

  Western Isles

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Scotland

  2,785

  2·2

  36,066

  28·0

  Information on hourly attendance is not available.

  Maternity Units (Costs)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate his Department has made of the average cost of delivery in maternity units in Scotland;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report those maternity units where the cost per delivery is estimated as being less than £500.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I regret that the information requested is not held centrally.

  Electricity Generation (Coal Burn)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated annual burn of coal for electricity generation in Scotland for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Lang
  I am advised by the South of Scotland Electricity Board that the annual consumption of coal over the next five years is expected to be in the range 4·5 million—5·5 million tonnes, although this is subject to a number of uncertainties.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give in tabular form the numbers of young people aged(a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years who left school in each year from 1983 to the most recent date; and if he will give his projections for school leavers in each age bracket till 2000.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the numbers of school leavers in school sessions 1982–83 to 1986–87 is set out in the table. Revised projections of school leavers are currently being prepared by officials. I shall reply to the hon. Member on this point as soon as possible.

  School1 leavers; by age2; Scotland

  Age

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–873

  15

  38,473

  37,643

  35,193

  33,817

  32,281

  16

  31,040

  31,098

  30,607

  29,613

  28,793

  17

  19,678

  19,387

  18,862

  18,610

  18,269

  418

  1,797

  1,609

  1,157

  1,036

  1,001

  1 All schools.

  2 Age at 31 December of the school session.

  3 Provisional.

  4 Or over.

  Torness Power Station
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimated time taken for power generation at Torness power station.

  Mr. Lang
  I am advised by the South of Scotland Electricity Board that it has made formal application to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate for permission to raise power on reactor 1 at Torness. The board anticipates receiving the required consent shortly and this will allow commissioning tests to proceed at up to 23 per cent. of the thermal rating of the reactor. Thereafter, it is planned to shut down the unit for computer adjustments before commencing delivery of power to the grid in May.

  Tied Houses
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to a policy of exempting owners in small island communities from the requirement to sell tied houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Table 1

  Unemployment claimants: Scotland (not adjusted for seasonal factors)

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  January

  —

  188,016

  266,290

  323,735

  352,757

  353,641

  362,196

  371,117

  380,446

  February

  —

  188,928

  268,438

  319,671

  347,393

  351,293

  357,173

  367,198

  372,524

  March

  —

  185,268

  268,349

  311,357

  341,502

  343,498

  351,909

  359,318

  363,781

  April

  —

  186,254

  269,857

  309,579

  337,301

  337,429

  354,710

  356,676

  363,456

  May

  —

  181,283

  266,869

  303,140

  326,252

  331,793

  347,908

  351,572

  346,140

  June

  166,986

  201,874

  269,733

  302,318

  324,058

  329,270

  345,635

  351,359

  340,341

  July

  171,653

  214,415

  282,495

  312,704

  330,507

  336,667

  352,262

  358,988

  342,845

  August

  171,239

  220,959

  290,336

  316,423

  328,840

  336,763

  350,026

  358,570

  336,054

  September

  163,585

  221,598

  302,183

  327,930

  339,992

  349,193

  355,763

  363,037

  332,684

  October

  165,292

  227,407

  302,362

  327,045

  333,425

  343,110

  353,311

  359,236

  325,462

  November

  166,673

  235,694

  303,201

  329,097

  333,400

  343,409

  351,463

  360,125

  321,451

  December

  167,463

  243,317

  303,571

  333,203

  332,715

  343,117

  353,249

  365,217

  324,007

  278
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The "right to buy" provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 do not require owners to sell tied houses. The tenants' choice provisions in the current Housing (Scotland) Bill do not apply to houses exempt from the right to buy.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his projections of youth unemployment for the years 1987 to 2000; and what estimate he has of the likely impact of youth training schemes in reducing unemployment for those in the age bracket 16 to 20 years.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government make no projections of youth unemployment. It is known, however, that there will be a demographic decline in the number of young adults up until the mid-1990s.

  No young people up to the age of 18 need be unemployed, as they are guaranteed a place on YTS. YTS is, however, a training rather than an employment measure and its purpose is to provide training to equip young people for entry into the labour market.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of(a) people registered as unemployed in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987, (b) employees in employment in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987 and (c) occupied places on special training and temporary work programmes in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is not available in the precise form requested.

  Table 1 shows the number of unemployed claimants in Scotland between June 1979 and December 1987. Due to changes which have taken place in the compilation of the statistics since 1979 these figures are not comparable over the whole period. This information is available in the Library.

  Table 2 shows the number of employees in employment in Scotland on a quarterly basis from June 1979 to September 1987 (the latest date for which information is available). This information is also available in the Library.

  Table 3 gives available data on filled places for YTS and the community programme and Table 4 on starts on adult training schemes.
  279

  Table 2 Unemployed claimants: Scotland (not adjusted for seasonal factors)

  thousands

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  March

  —

  2,073·8

  1,998·1

  1,932·6

  1,879·2

  1,879·8

  1,892·2

  1,875·0

  1,862·4

  June

  2,102·3

  2,082·3

  2,001·8

  1,950·1

  1,899·0

  1,901·2

  1,904·1

  1,887·7

  1,886·4

  September

  2,107·8

  2,068·9

  1,985·3

  1,931·9

  1,898·6

  1,903·9

  1,912·4

  1,885·9

  1,881·8

  December

  2,094·1

  2,036·8

  1,958·3

  1,903·2

  1,890·8

  1,902·0

  1,897·5

  1,874·6

  —

  Table 3 YTS and Community Programme Filled Places: Scotland

  YTS

  Community programme

  March 1984

  29,433

  15,525

  December 1984

  32,321

  17,537

  December 1985

  31,019

  24,177

  December 1986

  34,201

  31,689

  1987

  April

  36,805

  30,006

  May

  35,813

  30,076

  June

  39,341

  29,921

  July

  40,330

  29,828

  August

  43,568

  30,403

  September

  45,658

  30,826

  October

  45,486

  30,687

  November

  45,034

  30,443

  December

  43,706

  30,147

  Table 4 Adult Training Starts: Scotland

  Number

  1985–86

  22,745

  1986–87

  42,005

  1987

  April-June

  10,316

  July

  3,425

  August

  3,558

  September

  4,467

  October

  6,253

  November

  5,237

  December

  3,157

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of employees in(a) full-time employment and (b) part-time employment in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  Monthly estimates of employees in employment in Scotland are not available. The table gives quarterly estimates, which have not been adjusted for seasonal variation. The number of male part-time employees is only available from the census of employment: it was 58,000 in June 1978, 59,000 in September 1981, and 61,000 in September 1984.

  Employees in employment in Scotland (not seasonally adjusted)

  Thousands

  Males all

  Females full-time

  Females part-time

  1979

  June

  1,205

  565

  332

  September

  1,205

  571

  331

  December

  1,197

  563

  334

  280

  Males all

  Females full-time

  Females part-time

  1980

  March

  1,184

  560

  330

  June

  1,186

  561

  335

  September

  1,178

  558

  332

  December

  1,158

  547

  332

  1981

  March

  1,133

  535

  330

  June

  1,128

  538

  336

  September

  1,113

  534

  338

  December

  1,095

  526

  338

  1982

  March

  1,084

  517

  332

  June

  1,090

  523

  337

  September

  1,083

  508

  340

  December

  1,067

  502

  334

  1983

  March

  1,055

  495

  329

  June

  1,060

  502

  337

  September

  1,058

  503

  337

  December

  1,045

  501

  345

  1984

  March

  1,040

  499

  341

  June

  1,043

  511

  347

  September

  1,053

  505

  346

  December

  1,045

  501

  356

  1985

  March

  1,039

  501

  352

  June

  1,040

  502

  362

  September

  1,044

  505

  363

  December

  1,032

  500

  366

  1986

  March

  1,020

  494

  361

  June

  1,022

  501

  365

  September

  1,020

  499

  367

  December

  1,007

  493

  375

  1987

  March

  998

  490

  375

  June

  1,006

  501

  379

  September

  1,003

  494

  384

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give the total number of(a) male employees in employment and (b) female employees in employment in Scotland in each month between June 1979 and December 1987;

  (2) if he will give the total number of employees in (a) manufacturing industry and (b) service industry in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  Monthly estimates of employees in employment in Scotland are not available. The table gives quarterly estimates, adjusted for seasonal variation.
  281

  Employees in employment in Scotland

  Thousands (Seasonally adjusted)

  Males

  Females

  Manufacturing (2–4)

  Services (6–9)

  1979

  June

  1,201

  893

  605

  1,215

  September

  1,200

  898

  601

  1,221

  December

  1,199

  897

  595

  1,224

  1980

  March

  1,192

  899

  580

  1,234

  June

  1,182

  891

  565

  1,235

  September

  1,173

  886

  549

  1,235

  December

  1,160

  879

  531

  1,239

  1981

  March

  1,141

  874

  521

  1,231

  June

  1,124

  869

  511

  1,223

  September

  1,107

  868

  502

  1,226

  December

  1,097

  863

  496

  1,220

  1982

  March

  1,091

  858

  487

  1,218

  June

  1,087

  855

  478

  1,218

  September

  1,077

  845

  469

  1,210

  December

  1,069

  836

  459

  1,201

  1983

  March

  1,062

  833

  451

  1,202

  June

  1,058

  833

  445

  1,207

  September

  1,052

  838

  440

  1,209

  December

  1,047

  846

  436

  1,216

  1984

  March

  1,047

  848

  433

  1,222

  June

  1,041

  853

  435

  1,222

  September

  1,046

  849

  432

  1,225

  December

  1,047

  856

  433

  1,234

  1985

  March

  1,045

  861

  432

  1,242

  June

  1,038

  860

  432

  1,236

  September

  1,038

  866

  428

  1,247

  December

  1,033

  865

  422

  1,252

  1986

  March

  1,026

  863

  417

  1,251

  June

  1,020

  862

  411

  1,253

  September

  1,014

  864

  407

  1,257

  1979

  1983

  1985

  1987

  Net change between 1979 and 1985

  Net change as per cent. of 1979 employment

  Thousands

  Total manufacturing1

  603·9

  443·9

  430·5

  395·5

  -173·4

  -29

  Total manufacturing2

  577·0

  419·9

  392·2

  —

  -184·8

  -32

  Engineering2

  237·9

  174·8

  156·5

  —

  -81·4

  -34

  Textiles2

  50·1

  31·0

  31·0

  —

  -19·1

  -38

  Shipbuilding2

  30·6

  24·8

  20·8

  —

  -9·9

  -32

  Iron and Steel2

  22·7

  11·2

  9·7

  —

  -13·0

  -57

  Electronics4

  41·5

  42·7

  43·9

  42·8

  +2·4

  +6

  Mining3

  25·0

  23·7

  14·3

  —

  -10·7

  -43

  Transport and communication1

  135·3

  118·5

  115·2

  108·3

  -20·1

  -15

  1 Figures from the Census of Employment.

  2 Figures from the Annual Census of Production. The latest available figures from this source relate to 1985. Figures for 1986 are due to be released later this year

  3 Estimated figures include all employees of British Coal in Scotland.

  4 Derived from the IDS Regional Data System.

  282

  Males

  Females

  Manufacturing (2–4)

  Services (6–9)

  December

  1,008

  867

  403

  1,260

  1987

  March

  1,004

  872

  398

  1,265

  June

  1,004

  876

  396

  1,271

  September

  997

  876

  392

  1,269

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of people in self-employment in Scotland for each month between June 1979 and December 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  Annual estimates only are prepared on the basis of information from the 1981 census of population and the labour force surveys: these are given in the table. These figures are subject to sampling variation.

  Employers and the Self-Employed in Scotland

  thousands

  June

  1979

  160

  1980

  154

  1981

  149

  1982

  164

  1983

  179

  1984

  185

  1985

  200

  1986

  205

  1987

  194

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed in(a) manufacturing, (b) mining, (c) engineering, (d) electronics, (e) textiles, (f) shipbuilding, (g) iron and steel and (h) transport in 1979, 1983 and 1987; and how many jobs have been lost in each of these sectors since 1979 and as a percentage of the 1979 figure.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The most relevant figures for employment come from a variety of sources, and are set out in the table.

  Isle of Islay
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals to designate all or any part of the Isle of Islay as an environmentally sensitive area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No.

  Catering and Domestic Service Contractors (Meeting)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to the answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 664, he will indicate which organisation or individual organised the meeting held on 2 October 1987; and if he will list all those who were invited to attend, and the basis on which they were so invited.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The meeting was organised by the Scottish Home and Health Department. Since the subject of the seminar was competitive tendering for domestic and catering services, invitations were issued to the trade associations representing domestic and catering firms and to the chairmen and general managers of health boards and the Common Services Agency in view of their responsibilities for managing the Health Service. Grant Thornton Management Consultants were invited because of their considerable experience of the process of competitive tendering in the NHS in England.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to the answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 664, he will indicate where the meeting of 2 October 1987 was held.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Health Service centre, Edinburgh.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to the answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 664, he will indicate which organisations and individuals made presentations at the meeting held on 2 October 1987; and if he will arrange for copies of any written material to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Presentations were made by the Contract Cleaning and Maintenance Association, the British Hotels Restaurants and Caterers Association and Grant Thornton Management Consultants. I am placing in the Library copies of material which was handed out by the CCMA to those taking part in the seminar.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to the answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 664, he will indicate the individuals or organisations represented by Grant Thornton Management Consultants at the meeting held on 2 October 1987, and whether Grant Thornton Management Consultants were paid any moneys from public funds in respect of their services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Grant Thornton did not represent any individuals or organisations at the meeting on 2 October 1987. They received no fee for their attendance.

  "Inside Intelligence"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the cost hitherto of Her Majesty's284
  Government's proceedings in the Scottish courts in relation to Anthony Cavendish and his memoirs, "Inside Intelligence."

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The cost of the proceedings will only be known once accounts have been lodged with and taxed by the auditor of court.

  Scottish Special Housing Association (Loan)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the reply on 22 February to the hon. Member for East Kilbride, if he will give the loss sustained by the Scottish Special Housing Association on the 183-day loan for £16 million advanced on 30 June 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Special Housing Association incurred interest charges of £742,000 on the short-term loan of £16 million advanced from the National Loans Fund on 30 June 1987. Since these charges were incurred without adequate provision in the association's estimates, the association's financial regulations require that they should be shown as a financial loss.

  Employment Practices
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conditions relating to employment practices are applied to firms substantially dependent on assistance from public funds.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: All companies are bound by employment law. No particular conditions relating to employment practices are applied to firms in receipt of assistance from public funds for which my Department is responsible.

  D and A Allan (Clydebank)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much public money, in terms of grants, freedom from rates or other tax relief, rent reductions and other support, has been given to the firm of D and A Allan in Clydebank's business park since it was established.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The firm of David Allan and Co. Ltd. is located in the Clydebank business park within the Clydebank enterprise zone. No rates will therefore be payable by the company during the life of the zone. I understand that no direct assistance has been provided by the Scottish Development Agency, such as rental concessions or loans, offers of financial assistance have however been made by the Clydebank Enterprise Fund Ltd. (a body that is partly funded by the SDA) but details are confidential. Details of individual grant payment by my Department are also generally a matter of commercial confidentiality although cumulative payments of regional development grant to individual firms in excess of £25,000 in any single quarter are published regularly in British Business.

  SDA (Contracts)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the contracts, with the subject of the assignment, awarded to management consultants or accounting firms by the Scottish Development Agency, with the name of the consultant concerned.
  285
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 29 January 1988]: The amounts spent by the Scottish Development Agency on consultants' fees are given in the table. A detailed breakdown comprising the subject of the assignment and the names of the consultants cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate expense and breaching commercial confidentiality.

  £

  1981–82

  3,115,748

  1982–83

  4,265,553

  1983–84

  5,086,337

  1984–85

  4,953,324

  1985–86

  8,568,179

  1986–87

  6,851,863

  11987–88

  5,538,812

  1 To 31 December.

  The figures, which exclude fees associated with capital contracts, include fees on research and development, advisory services, appraisal and administration (for example, tax and accountancy advice, pension and legal consultancies).

  Nurses
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide data showing the average level of nurses' pay in Scotland; and if he will also express this as a percentage of the national average income.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: I regret that information on average annual earnings of nurses in Scotland is not collected centrally. Examples of rates of pay for nursing staff in direct patient care areas at the current level payable from 1 April 1987 are shown in the table.

  Grade

  Minimum of basic pay scale £ per annum

  Maximum of basic pay scale £ per annum

  Student Nurse

  4,540

  5,170

  Nursing Auxiliary

  4,565

  5,855

  Enrolled Nurse

  6,250

  7,750

  Staff Nurse

  7,300

  8,600

  Sister II

  9,000

  12,000

  Senior Nurse 7

  10,850

  13,550

  In addition, nurses receive payment for working unsocial hours and overtime. There are also allowances for staff employed in certain geriatric and psychiatric units.

  The average gross weekly earnings of adults in full-time non-manual employment in April 1987 was £217·40. This figure includes overtime and other supplements to basic pay, and is not directly comparable to the salaries quoted above. For a typical married man earning the average gross salary quoted above, the 2 per cent. decrease in the standard rate of income tax introduced in the 1987 Budget led to an increase of £2·89 per week in take-home pay. For a typical single person the increase was £3·42 per week.

EMPLOYMENT

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in his Department and the number and ranks of staff reporting to each.
  286
  Mr. Cope
  There are two deputy secretaries in the Department of Employment. One has four secretaries (grade 3) and one assistant secretary (grade 5) reporting to him with responsibilities for:Employment policy including employment and training legislation, new initiatives and measures to assist the long-term unemployed—51 staff.
  Oversight of the employment service and its regional and local office organisation with some 41,000 staff.
  Training policy, including adult training and education, youth training, careers service inspectorate and youth employment policy—(and liaison with the Manpower Services Commission)—83 staff.
  European Community business relating to employment—32 staff.
  Press and information matters—53 staff.

  The other has five under secretaries (grade 3) and one grade 4 reporting to him with responsibilities for:
  Overseas affairs, covering international employment matters, the labour attache service and the work permit scheme—137 staff.
  Health and safety policy, including legislation (and liaison with the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive)—nine staff.
  Economic and social advice and research on employment matters, including employment market research—54 staff.
  Industrial relations policy and legislation, including disputes, pay issues, wages councils, Wages Inspectorate, employment protection, redundancy and equal opportunities—(429 staff); and oversight of the Employment Appeal Tribunal (26 staff); the Central Office of Industrial Tribunals (362 staff); and liaison with the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
  The Department's interest in small firms and tourism, including the loan guarantee and enterprise allowance schemes and oversight of regional small firms advisory centres—238 staff.
  Employment statistics, including unemployment and vacancy series, index of retail prices, family expenditure and labour force surveys and the census of employment—263 staff.

  Two directors at under secretary (grade 3) level also report direct to the permanent secretary covering:
  Finance and resource management, including all financial services and audit—676 staff.
  Personnel and management services, including computer services, procurement and office support services such as typing, messengerial and library services — 1,131 staff.

  Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many filled places there were for each region, including Greater London, at the end of October 1987, November 1987, December 1987 and January 1988 on(a) the community programme, (b) the enterprise allowance scheme, (c) YTS, (d) the young workers scheme, (e) the job release scheme, (f) the job share scheme, (g) the new job training scheme and (h) the job start allowance.

  Mr. Cope
  The information by MSC region is as follows:
  287

  October 1987

  November 1987

  December 1987

  January 1988

  (a) Community Programme1

  South East

  10,497

  10,178

  10,161

  10,175

  London

  14,541

  13,987

  13,906

  13,846

  South West

  14,592

  14,579

  14,539

  14,331

  West Midlands

  26,011

  25,896

  25,785

  25,660

  East Midlands and Eastern

  17,235

  16,921

  16,881

  16,860

  Yorks and Humberside

  25,430

  25,161

  25,345

  25,530

  North West

  36,138

  36,346

  36,117

  36,063

  Northern

  28,410

  28,224

  28,171

  28,061

  Wales

  20,047

  19,613

  19,570

  19,454

  Scotland

  30,687

  30,443

  30,146

  30,209

  (b) Enterprise allowance scheme

  South East

  12,176

  12,173

  12,231

  12,084

  London

  10,123

  10,103

  10,017

  10,004

  South West

  10,334

  10,194

  10,085

  10,013

  West Midlands

  9,617

  9,403

  9,498

  9,455

  East Midlands and Eastern

  10,245

  10,145

  10,216

  10,135

  Yorks and Humberside

  9,299

  9,158

  9,200

  9,160

  North West

  14,946

  14,748

  14,715

  14,540

  Northern

  5,133

  5,121

  5,174

  5,121

  Wales

  5,958

  6,595

  5,944

  5,886

  Scotland

  9,193

  8,443

  8,924

  8,833

  (c) YTS

  South East

  46,411

  45,972

  45,348

  245,313

  London

  22,345

  22,214

  21,856

  22,007

  South West

  33,717

  33,478

  33,106

  33,141

  West Midlands

  51,944

  51,364

  50,660

  50,643

  East Midlands and Eastern

  51,021

  50,489

  49,758

  49,792

  Yorks and Humberside

  47,089

  46,921

  46,366

  46,561

  North West

  65,282

  65,315

  64,581

  64,665

  Northern

  30,508

  30,525

  30,264

  30,219

  Wales

  24,378

  24,513

  24,251

  24,530

  Scotland

  43,569

  43,588

  42,573

  46,179

  (d) The new workers scheme3

  South East

  962

  899

  835

  783

  London

  258

  242

  224

  209

  South West

  1,354

  1,315

  1,247

  1,221

  West Midlands

  2,765

  2,735

  2,578

  2,548

  East Midlands and Eastern

  1,715

  1,692

  1,566

  1,557

  Yorks and Humberside

  2,224

  2,254

  2,160

  2,178

  North West

  4,234

  4,619

  4,363

  4,326

  Northern

  1,850

  1,845

  1,815

  1,848

  Wales

  1,849

  1,925

  1,915

  1,930

  Scotland

  2,127

  2,074

  1,972

  2,072

  (e) The Job Release Scheme4

  South East

  2,311

  2,228

  2,144

  2,123

  London

  1,051

  1,029

  999

  980

  South West

  1,765

  1,735

  1,709

  1,705

  West Midlands

  2,122

  2,071

  2,052

  2,037

  East Midlands and Eastern

  3,179

  3,095

  3,043

  3,073

  Yorks and Humberside

  3,168

  3,094

  3,074

  3,152

  North West

  3,396

  3,306

  3,250

  2,306

  Northern

  890

  861

  841

  829

  Wales

  739

  718

  703

  712

  Scotland

  1,531

  1,501

  1,485

  1,488

  (f) Jobshare5

  South East

  30

  31

  22

  23

  London

  6

  5

  5

  5

  South West

  19

  20

  25

  27

  West Midlands

  48

  52

  44

  41

  East Midlands and Eastern

  82

  85

  85

  84

  Yorks and Humberside

  175

  179

  181

  190

  North West

  310

  314

  314

  321

  Northern

  48

  54

  55

  57

  Wales

  66

  79

  80

  85

  Scotland

  45

  42

  40

  38

  (g) New job training scheme

  South East

  6

  2,459

  2,426

  2,643

  London

  6

  2,841

  2,907

  2,688

  South West

  6

  1,979

  1,933

  2,056

  West Midlands

  6

  3,130

  2,921

  3,025

  288 289

  October 1987

  November 1987

  December 1987

  January 1988

  East Midlands and Eastern

  6

  2,645

  1,729

  2,728

  Yorks and Humberside

  6

  3,297

  3,808

  4,038

  North West

  6

  3,231

  3,257

  3,414

  Northern

  6

  1,761

  1,747

  1,946

  Wales

  6

  1,208

  1,223

  1,239

  Scotland

  6

  2,472

  2,407

  2,472

  (h) The jobstart allowance

  London and South East7

  312

  259

  219

  186

  South West

  210

  172

  153

  138

  West Midlands

  631

  537

  476

  429

  East Midlands and Eastern

  475

  448

  370

  339

  Yorks and Humberside

  546

  496

  447

  407

  North West

  1,041

  965

  850

  770

  Northern

  378

  337

  284

  255

  Wales

  373

  331

  286

  257

  Scotland

  500

  461

  418

  381

  Notes:

  1 Excluding charities.

  2 Figures are as recorded by MSC at the end of January 1988 and are subject to revision.

  3 The new workers scheme replaced the young workers scheme in April 1986. Figures are for employees being supported at specified time.

  4 Figures are for employees being supported at specified time.

  5 Includes job splitting scheme. Figures are for employees being supported at specified time.

  6 Regional figures for October 1987 are not available.

  7 Separate figures for Greater London are not available.

  Labour Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, from the 1987 "Labour Force Survey" by region including Greater London, and by sex, the number of people not counted as unemployed by the definition using broad International Labour Organisation guidelines, on the grounds that they had not looked for a job in the four weeks prior to interview, but who had stated that they would like a job if one was available, and(a) were available to start work within two weeks or (b) were not available to start work within two weeks.

  Mr. Lee
  Preliminary results from the 1987 "Labour Force Survey" are as shown in the following table:

  Persons not in employment and not unemployed on ILO-OECD definition, who had not looked for work in four weeks prior to interview1 but would like a job, by availability to start work Spring 1987, Thousands

  Available to start within two weeks

  Not available to start within two weeks2

  Males

  Females

  Males

  Females

  Great Britain

  379

  799

  284

  512

  Northern

  28

  55

  20

  35

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  41

  86

  28

  53

  East Midlands

  26

  60

  18

  42

  East Anglia

  3

  24

  3

  14

  South East

  100

  209

  73

  152

  of which Greater London

  49

  90

  32

  66

  South West

  23

  62

  18

  29

  West Midlands

  43

  87

  30

  50

  North West

  55

  101

  42

  73

  Wales

  24

  39

  23

  29

  Scotland

  30

  75

  26

  38

  1 Includes those who did not state whether they had looked for work.

  2 Includes those who did not state whether they were available to start work.

  3 Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, from the 1987 "Labour Force 290
  Survey", the number of people who had looked for a job in the four-week reference period and were available to start work within two weeks, for each region and Greater London, broken down by sex and claimant status.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information is given in the following table. A reliable analysis of the regional figures by claimant status is not available.

  People looking for a job in the four-week reference period1 who were available to start work within two weeks Great Britain, Spring 1987 (Preliminary results)

  Thousands

  Men

  Women

  Total

  Claiming benefits

  1,506

  495

  2,001

  Not claiming

  215

  668

  883

  Total, Great Britain

  1,722

  1,163

  2,884

  Of which:

  South East

  393

  282

  675

  (including Greater London)

  (203)

  (115)

  (318)

  East Anglia

  44

  41

  85

  South West

  100

  92

  193

  West Midlands

  209

  119

  328

  East Midlands

  117

  87

  203

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  172

  105

  277

  North West

  236

  163

  398

  North

  127

  72

  199

  Wales

  101

  64

  165

  Scotland

  223

  139

  362

  Note: The figures from the "Labour Force Survey" are subject to sampling errors. In some cases figures may appear not to add because of rounding.

  1 Including some wanting to start a new job already obtained, as in the ILO/OECD measure of unemployment.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the constituencies in which current unemployment is at over 15 per cent.

  Mr. Lee
  The information requested is not available. Unemployment rates are not calculated for areas smaller than travel-to-work areas.

  YTS
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an estimate of the number of places available on YTS for Scotland, England and Wales in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Cope
  The estimated numbers of YTS entrants are as follows:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Scotland

  38,600

  36,500

  36,000

  England

  321,100

  303,500

  299,300

  Wales

  24,300

  23,000

  22,700

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an estimate of the number of places available on YTS for Scotland, England and Wales in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Cope
  The estimated numbers of YTS places in 1988–89 are as follows:

  Number

  Scotland

  65,000

  England

  450,000

  Wales

  30,000

  Estimated for later years are not yet available.

  Mr. A. Archer (Member's Correspondence)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth dated 3 December 1987 concerning the case of Mr. A. Archer, which was referred by his Department to the Department of Health and Social Security on 11 January and referred back to his Department on 16 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I apologise to my hon. Friend for the considerable delay in responding to his letter of 3 December 1987. Inquiries are being made to establish the facts relating to the case in question and I hope to be able to reply in the very near future.

  Tourism
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the amount of money in per head of population spent on tourism promotion in each of the English regions, by region, and for Scotland and Wales(a) on promotion abroad and (b) on promotion within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  I regret that figures for the English regions are not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The figures show per capital expenditure (in the current financial year) by the national tourist boards on all activities in Britain and that by the British Tourist Authority, which has overall responsibility for the overseas promotion of tourism to the whole of Britain. The only national tourist board empowered to promote overseas is the Scottish board.
  292

  Per Capital Expenditure (£)

  Body

  Abroad

  In Britain

  BTA

  0·64

  —

  ETB

  —

  0·60

  STB

  0·17

  1·97

  WTB

  —

  3·97

  Wages
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers have been prosecuted in the last 12 months for breach of wages council obligations; and what was the overall number of work places in which infringements were discovered.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the 12 months ending 31 January 1988 the Wages Inspectorate prosecuted nine employers for offences under wages council legislation.

  Statistics on infringements are compiled by reference to the numbers of each type found. In 1987, 4,443 establishments were found to be underpaying one or more workers, 1,249 establishments had inadequate wage records, 6,743 had inadequate records of time worked and 6,275 were not displaying a current wages council notice. These figures are not mutually exclusive. The overall number of establishments found to be infringing the legislation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Maternity Pay Fund
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have for the maternity pay fund.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Social Security Act 1986 provided for the introduction of statutory maternity pay from 6 April 1987 and for the assets and liabilities of the maternity pay fund to be transferred to the national insurance fund not later than 5 April 1988.

  The transfer took place on 31 January 1988, on which date the maternity pay fund ceased to exist. A statement of account showing the state of maternity pay fund at the date of transfer will be published in due course.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Incontinence
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his current best estimate of the number of incontinence sufferers in the United Kingdom; if he will give an estimate of the distribution in incontinence by age and sex; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  An epidemiological survey conducted by the Medical Research Council's epidemiology and medical care unit between 1976 and 1986 covering a sample of the general population in England and Wales showed rates of prevalence of urinary incontinence per thousand population as follows:

  Aged

  Number

  Males

  5–14

  69

  15–64

  16

  293

  Aged

  Number

  Over 65

  69

  Femaies

  5–14

  51

  15–64

  85

  Over 65

  116

  As faecal incontinence is less common, it is not possible to give precise prevalence figures.

  Cleveland Social Services Department
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to carry out an investigation into the running of Cleveland county council's social services department, when the Butler Sloss tribunal reports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I do not think it would be right for me to pre-empt the outcome and recommendations of Lord Justice Butler Sloss' inquiry report.

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many medical laboratory scientific officers are currently employed in the National Health Service; what is the maximum number employable in each grade; how many vacancies exist in each grade; how many have left the profession in each of the last two years; and what were their grades upon departure.

  Mr. Newton
  At 30 September 1986, the latest date for which data are available to this level of detail, there were 14,624 (whole-time equivalent) medical laboratory scientific officers (including unqualified grades) in post in the National Health Service in England.

  Information on the maximum number employable, vacancies, leavers and their grades upon departure is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairmen of individual regional health authorities for this information.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of medical laboratory scientific officers working in the public health laboratory service hold qualifications at degree level or above.

  Mr. Newton
  This information is not routinely collated and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Retirement Age
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a system of equal retirement age of 65 years for women and men, with flexible pension arrangements for those who wish to retire earlier; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We are considering what options for change in pension age might be appropriate. As well as equal treatment between men and women and the possibility of greater choice for individuals, our consideration of this subject has to take account of the social and economic impact of any change and of the long-term financial implications for individuals, employers and the state.

  Foreign Students
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances foreign students in Britain,294
  supported by grants from their own Governments, are entitled to full supplementary benefit; how many students are currently claiming; and what has been the cost to the public funds in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Scott
  Most foreign students are not entitled to supplementary benefit—except in emergencies—as they are admitted to the United Kingdom on the basis that they will be self-supporting and will not have recourse to public funds. However, students from other EC member states (and certain other European countries) can qualify for supplementary benefit on the same basis as British students; that is normally in the summer vacation only, and provided they are available for temporary work. The number of such students receiving benefit is not known but is thought to be minimal.

  Community Care
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what part he intends the voluntary sector to play in the provision of community care for both mentally handicapped and elderly people; and how much money has been allocated to them for this purpose.

  Mr. Newton
  Voluntary organisations have an important role to play both in the direct provision of services and in the contribution they make to developing policies and planning future services. We shall continue to encourage and support them and to promote their partnership with the statutory sector. In 1986–87, DHSS financial support to the voluntary sector through the S64 general scheme of grants and a number of special initiatives exceeded £35 million. A substantial proportion of this money has been used to develop innovative projects which have extended the range of services to elderly and mentally handicapped people in the community as well as meeting the administrative costs of national voluntary organisations concerned with the interests of these groups.

  War Widows
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to review the pensions of elderly war widows with a view to increasing the benefit to bring it into line with that for more recently widowed spouses of service men, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Under the war pensions scheme administered by the Department the standard rate of war widows pensions is the same regardless of when the service man died. Differences in widows' pensions paid under the armed forces pensions scheme are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  NHS (Spending)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of gross national product the Government now spend on the National Health Service, and what are the latest comparable figures for other EEC Governments.

  Mr. Newton
  The share of health expenditure in total national spending is conventionally calculated in relation to gross domestic product; that is the market value of all goods and services produced by United Kingdom residents.
  295
  In 1986, the latest year for which information is available for the United Kingdom, public expenditure on health was 5·3 per cent. of GDP.

  The following table shows public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP in EEC countries in 1985, the latest year for which internationally comparable data are available.

  Public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP, 1985

  Per cent.

  Belgium

  5·5

  Denmark

  5·2

  France

  6·7

  Germany

  6·4

  Greece

  4·1

  Ireland

  6·9

  Italy

  5·4

  Netherlands

  6·5

  Portugal

  4·1

  Spain

  4·3

  United Kingdom

  5·2

  Note: Luxembourg is excluded from the table because of reported inconsistencies in the national health accounts.

  Source: OECD.

  Nurses
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether nurses employed within the National Health Service who transfer between hospitals or between health districts at their own request revert to the bottom of the relevant pay scale and lose any incremental points gained by years of qualified service.

  Mr. Newton
  A nurse who transfers to a post of equivalent grade within the NHS enters the salary scale for the new post at her existing salary.

  Dr. Raj Kumar
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the case of Dr. Raj Kumar and his claim under the National Health Service (Superannuation) (War Service Etc.) Regulations 1977; and if he will consider future amendment of these regulations.

  Mrs. Currie
  Dr. Kumar's claim to reckon his war service in the National Health Service superannuation scheme has been most carefully considered but cannot be met. The National Health Service (Superannuation) (War Service Etc.) Regulations 1977 require that entry to National Health Service employment, following war service, must have been on or before 30 June 1950. Dr. Kumar did not enter such employment until 17 September 1976 and so does not satisfy this requirement. There is no discretion under the war service regulations to vary the basic entry requirements. These have been applied consistently not only to the NHS superannuation scheme but to all other public service schemes.

  The Government do not intend to amend these regulations.

  Clinics (Brent)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services which clinics in the Brent area health authority have been closed during the period 1979 to 1987; and which clinics are currently threatened with closure.
  296
  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not held centrally. As responsibility for local health services rests with district health authorities, the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Brent health authority.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been received concerning the proposed closure of Perrin road clinic, College road clinic, One Tree Hill clinic and Monks park clinic in the Brent health authority area.

  Mrs. Currie
  Two representations have been received centrally. The provision of services locally is a matter for Brent health authority, and the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the authority for further information.

  Nottingham Family Practitioner Committee
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps his Department will take to ensure that Nottingham family practitioner committee, as agent for his Department's stationery for doctors(a) retain adequate stocks of A5 envelopes for women No. FP6B, (b) begin to stock A4 stationery and (c) assist those doctors wishing to convert from A5 to A4 stationery.

  Mr. Newton
  I know of no problem with regard to stocks of FP6B envelopes. The necessary A4 stationery is available for those who require it either direct from Her Majesty's Stationery Office or from stocks held by the family practitioner committee; the method of supply is for local arrangement. We do not regard it as a matter of priority to allocate funds to assist the change from A5 to A4 stationery for medical record purposes.

  Brent Health Authority
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the level of annual revenue allocated to Brent health authority from 1979 to the current dates.

  Mrs. Currie
  The allocation of resources to district health authorities is a matter for regional health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the North West Thames regional health authority for information about the annual revenue allocated to Brent health authority.

  Rent Thresholds
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the rent threshold figures giving the maximum housing benefit subsidy for each local authority area from April.

  Mr. Portillo
  The table gives the threshold figure set for each rent registration area (county or London borough) for 1988–89. Each authority's threshold is the same as that of the registration area in which it is located.

  Authority

  Rent Threshold 1988–89 £ per week

  Barking

  56·58

  Barnet

  77·32

  Bexley

  57·32

  Brent

  62·43

  297

  Authority

  Rent Threshold 1988–89 £ per week

  Bromley

  71·67

  City

  85·97

  Camden

  88·09

  Croydon

  74·41

  Ealing

  70·55

  Enfield

  60·69

  Greenwich

  55·13

  Hackney

  59·55

  Hammersmith

  61·85

  Haringey

  63·91

  Harrow

  66·02

  Havering

  63·53

  Hillingdon

  66·71

  Hounslow

  69·75

  Islington

  64·15

  Kensington and Chelsea

  76·31

  Kingston

  71·15

  Lambeth

  62·89

  Lewisham

  54·41

  Merton

  72·77

  Newham

  54·88

  Redbridge

  55·54

  Richmond

  74·83

  Southwark

  56·41

  Sutton

  68·96

  Tower Hamlets

  58·83

  Waltham Forest

  48·73

  Wandsworth

  69·64

  Westminster

  114·89

  Merseyside

  41·96

  Cheshire

  45·80

  Greater Manchester

  50·30

  Lancashire

  60·48

  West Midlands

  39·05

  Hereford and Worcester

  46·45

  Shropshire

  44·65

  Staffordshire

  39·19

  Warwickshire

  38·76

  Tyne and Wear

  39·27

  Cleveland

  41·71

  Cumbria

  31·00

  Durham

  38·89

  Northumberland

  43·50

  Humberside

  34·89

  North Yorkshire

  43·55

  South Yorkshire

  36·84

  West Yorkshire

  38·93

  Derbyshire

  38·42

  Leicestershire

  39·19

  Lincolnshire

  41·53

  Northamptonshire

  43·69

  Nottinghamshire

  40·98

  Essex

  47·30

  Norfolk

  47·38

  Suffolk

  44·65

  Bedfordshire

  43·00

  Berkshire

  50·83

  Buckinghamshire

  48·51

  Cambridgeshire

  47·33

  Hertfordshire

  42·88

  Oxfordshire

  54·48

  East Sussex

  53·27

  Kent

  54·63

  Surrey

  52·34

  West Sussex

  50·98

  Dorset

  45·32

  Hampshire

  47·68

  Isle of Wight

  43·22

  Avon

  52·34

  Gloucestershire

  49·15

  Somerset

  45·42

  Wiltshire

  49·69

  Cornwall

  51·95

  Devon

  51·53

  Clwyd

  40·70

  298

  Authority

  Rent Threshold 1988–89 £ per week

  Dyfed

  44·00

  Gwent

  39·61

  Gwynedd

  35·24

  Mid-Glamorgan

  41·63

  Powys

  38·54

  South Glamorgan

  48·31

  West Glamorgan

  39·32

  Borders Region

  72·00

  Central

  72·99

  Dumfries and Galloway

  60·94

  Fife

  61·72

  Grampian

  63·50

  Highland

  54·50

  Lothian

  62·08

  Strathclyde

  55·03

  Tayside

  64·88

  Islands

  37·06

  Heating Allowances
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what applications for extra heating allowances can be made by tenants of local authority property where the local authority installs new heating systems, which cause tenants to pay more in energy costs than before the new system was installed;

  (2) what single adjustment payments are available to those in receipt of benefit to help meet the cost of new heating systems installed in properties by local councils.

  Mr. Portillo
  No additional weekly help is available towards the running costs of a new heating system. The supplementary benefit scale rates are intended to cover all normal day-to-day expenses, including heating.

  Where people have not put aside sufficient money for fuel costs because of unfamiliarity with a new heating system, single payments are available for half of the running costs incurred during the first six months of using that system.

  Benefit Offices (Staff Safety)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many regions of his Department have requested the fitting of reinforced glass screens in interview rooms in local offices because of concern for the safety of staff following benefit regulation changes in April; if he will list the total offices of his Department where such screens are to be fitted; and what is the total cost of additional security at these offices.

  Mr. Portillo
  No region has made such a request. However, because of the anticipated increase in private interviews from April, additional interview rooms are being provided in local offices where needed. Some of these rooms will have protective screens.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to protect local office staff from attacks by the public following the benefit changes in April.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are existing arrangements in local offices to protect staff from attacks by the public. The Department sees no need to supplement these provisions following the benefit changes in April.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of 16 and 17-year-olds claiming supplementary benefit in January, June and October of each year from 1979 to 1987 inclusive and for Scotland, England and Wales.

  Mr. Scott
  Information relating to the number of 16 and 17-year-olds claiming supplementary benefit in the months quoted is not collected, but the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in receipt of supplementary benefit on a particular day in each year indicated is as follows:

  Year

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Great Britain

  1979

  59,000

  12,000

  7,000

  79,000

  1980

  112,000

  18,000

  10,000

  140,000

  1981

  134,000

  22,000

  11,000

  166,000

  1982

  148,000

  22,000

  13,000

  183,000

  1983

  139,000

  25,000

  11,000

  175,000

  1984

  148,000

  25,000

  11,000

  184,000

  1986

  126,000

  32,000

  10,000

  168,000

  1987

  not yet available

  Source: Sample statistical inquiry conducted in November/December each year other than 1986 when it was conducted in February. No inquiry took place in 1985.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland, England and Wales who will lose their general entitlement to supplementary benefit as a result of the new social security provision for the years 1988 –89, 1989 –90 and 1990 –91.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that information on which to base estimates of the numbers who will lose general entitlement to income support is not available since a number of groups of 16 and 17-year-olds will retain their entitlement through being in one of the categories to be exempt from the general provision. In addition, it is not known how many will continue in higher education or who will go straight from school into a job. However, an estimated 70,000 unemployed summer school leavers will be affected in September 1988. Of those, some 95 per cent. will lose entitlement to income support in their own right.

  Patients (Compulsory Domiciliary Medication)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what considerations he or the Mental Health Act commissions are giving to statutory powers for compulsory domiciliary medications of patients not in institutions; if he is aware of any evidence of such need; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Compulsory treatment in the community is the subject of discussions that have been taking place within such organisations as the Mental Health Act Commission, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and MIND. At present no firm proposals have been put forward to the Department. No changes would be considered without a full consultation with all those concerned with mental health.

  North Yorkshire Family Practitioner Committee
  Mr. John Greemway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations were carried out before making further appointments to the North Yorkshire family practitioner committee.
  300
  Mrs. Currie
  All appointments of lay members to family practitioner committees are made by Ministers alter consultation with the chairman.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on changes in the charges levied on private hospitals for blood ordered from the blood transfusion service.

  Mrs. Currie
  Guidance to health authorities on the handling charges for blood and its derivatives supplied to non-NHS hospitals is given in a "health notice" which is revised annually. This revision ensures that the handling charges continue to reflect the costs incurred.

  Handling charges to be levied from 1 April 1988 until 1 April 1989 will be published in a "health notice" currently in course of preparation.

  Drug Manufacturers
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements exist to enable manufacturers to make representations against unfavourable recommendations of the advisory committee on National Health Service drugs and the advisory committee on borderline substances.

  Mr. Newton
  From today the committees will advise manufacturers in writing of proposed unfavourable recommendations they intend to make to Health Ministers. Manufacturers will be given 30 days from the date of the letter of the committee concerned (or longer at the discretion of the committee) in which to make writ ten representations against the proposed recommendations. Requests for an oral hearing will be granted by the committees if they consider that a case is of such a nature that their advice cannot properly be formulated without one. Manufacturers will have the right to be represented at any oral hearings that may be arranged. The Committees will take full account of any representations received in formulating their recommendations to Ministers.

  Borderline Substances
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the terms of reference of the advisory committee on borderline substances; and what are the criteria used to decide whether a borderline substance should be placed on the list of products excluded from prescription under the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  The terms of reference of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) are:"To keep under review the principles for determining whether preparations should properly be regarded as drugs, foods, toilet preparations, or disinfectants and to give advice on the classification of particular preparations in these categories submitted to the Committee."
  In making decisions about borderline substances the Secretary of State is advised by the ACBS. This committee provides him with expert independent medical advice on the classification of so-called borderline substances and whether they should not be prescribed by general medical practitioners at NHS expense or should be prescribed for patients with specified medical conditions.

  The committee considers all relevant information provided by the manufacturer of the substance concerned;

  301
  and the sole criterion used by the committee in reaching an opinion that a particular borderline substance should not be prescribed is that it has no therapeutic use in the treatment of disease.

  The Secretary of State, in deciding whether a borderline substance should be placed on schedule 3A to the NHS (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974 and so not be prescribable by general practitioners at NHS expense, takes the committee's advice into account and uses the same criterion. Scotland and Northern Ireland have corresponding arrangements.

  NHS Income-generating Unit
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to establish a National Health Service income-generating unit within his Department; how many staff, and at what grades, will be employed; what the cost will be; against what guidelines it will operate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 19 January 1988]: I am today announcing the establishment of an income generation unit within the Department. The unit will be headed by Mr. Ron Kerr, district general manager of North Hertfordshire health authority on secondment to the Department. The unit will form part of the NHS Management Board's financial management directorate and will advise the board, and through it Ministers, on issues relating to income generation. Its responsibilities

  Claimants currently receiving supplementary benefit who will receive a transitional addition from April 1988 by amount of addition and claimants category (thousands)

  Amount of addition

  80+

  60–79

  Sick/disabled

  Lone parents

  couples and children

  Others

  Total

  No addition

  190

  660

  190

  400

  470

  970

  2,870

  <£1

  120

  120

  10

  90

  10

  110

  470

  £1–2

  30

  100

  l0

  50

  10

  60

  260

  £2–3

  20

  120

  *

  10

  10

  90

  260

  £3–4

  10

  50

  *

  10

  *

  30

  110

  £4–5

  10

  30

  *

  10

  *

  40

  80

  £5–10

  40

  *

  10

  *

  150

  210

  £10+

  *

  *

  *

  *

  *

  30

  40

  Total receiving addition

  200

  450

  30

  190

  30

  520

  1,420

  Total with and without addition

  390

  1,120

  220

  580

  510

  1,480

  4,300

  Notes:

  (i) * denotes a figure of less than 5,000.

  (ii) Figures may not add owing to rounding.

  (iii) These estimates are based on data from the February 1986 Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  Income Support
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many recipients of supplementary benefit will fail to qualify for income support as a result of the changed definition of full-time work from 30 hours to 24 hours; and if he will indicate how many of these claimants are single parents.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 19 February 1988]: It is estimated that some 15,000 claimants will fail to qualify for income support as a consequence of the reduction in the number of hours they may work and remain entitled to benefit. Fewer than 5,000 of these will be single parents. Those single parents and couples with children affected by
  302
  will include helping authorities to develop and implement income generation schemes; identifying and promoting opportunities for income generation; disseminating best practice to health authorities; and monitoring the success of the income generation initiative. We expect that, in addition to Mr. Kerr and his secretary, the unit will consist of four staff, of whom at least one will be a health authority officer on secondment.

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of those currently receiving supplementary benefit who will receive transitional additions from April when income support is introduced; and if he will provide these figures by amount of addition in bands of £1, and by claimant category, for each local office of his Department in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Knowsley South (Mr. Hughes)Official Report, 29 January, column 411, if he will break down the number of claimants who will receive a transitional addition (a) by category of claimant and (b) by benefit office.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 17 February 1988]: Information on numbers of claimants receiving a transitional addition for each local office is not available. For Great Britain, the information requested is in the table.

  this change may be entitled to family credit, and all claimants may be entitled to housing benefit and remission of health charges on the grounds of low income.

  Social Security Tribunals
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department's office at Yeoman street, Leicester, will supply the regional chairman of social security appeals tribunals in Nottingham its statement of case relating to the appeal against refusal of supplemen-tary benefit by a constituent of the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton, departmental reference number 103/22797, whose name and address has been given to his private office; and when the appeal will be dealt with.
  303
  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: The constituent to whom my hon. Friend refers lodged an appeal on 23 December 1987. The adjudication officer has forwarded his submission of the facts of the case to the social security appeals tribunal in Nottingham. The case has been listed for hearing on 8 April 1988.

  Funeral Costs
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he is having with appropriate organisations on promoting simple and inexpensive insurance schemes to cover funeral costs and if he will make publicity material available about such schemes.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: There are no discussions in progress with any organisations about the promotion of private insurance to cover funeral expenses. There are no plans for the Department to publicise such schemes.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to encourage people taking out simple and inexpensive insurance to cover the cost of their own funeral and to plan for their own funeral arrangements; what consultation is taking place with the insurance industry to devise suitable insurance schemes; and if he will make arrangements for premiums to such schemes, either in lump sum or regular payments, to be claimed from his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: We are aware that many people wish to take out private insurance to cover the cost of their own funeral, but there has been no consultation with the insurance industry to devise such insurance schemes. We believe that public funds should primarily be used to help those on low incomes who are faced with funeral expenses which they cannot afford to pay. Such provision is currently made from the social fund to those in receipt of certain income-related qualifying benefits.

  AIDS and Drug Misuse
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the report of the Advisory Council on Drug Misuse on AIDS and drug misuse before he responds publicly to the report's recommendations.

  Mr. Moore
  [holding answer 28 January 1988]: I have recently received the first report on AIDS and drug misuse by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. I am grateful to the council for completing this stage of its work so quickly, and we are giving the report urgent consideration. Meanwhile, I have set in hand arrangements for publishing the report, which I expect to be available in a few weeks.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Sherry
  Mr. Whitney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) why excise duty regulations permit British sherry producers to pay lower duty in relation to alcoholic strength than is charged on sherry; and whether he will make a statement on this distinction;

  (2) why competing sherries are taxed under different regimes.
  304
  Mr. Lilley
  Excise duties on wines and made wines are charged by reference to alcoholic strengths at the time of duty payment. The same rates apply to United Kingdom production as to imports. British sherry producers can achieve a lower duty burden by blending their products after payment of duty.

  Engine-Testing Fuels
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking the exemption from excise duty of fuels used in bona fide engine testing.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this matter.

  Dollar Value
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the statement on the meeting of the European Council,Official Report, 15 February, columns 705–17, whether he will publish in the Official Report the value of the dollar agreed as the basis for deciding what constitutes exceptional circumstances; and what call would be made on the contingency reserve if the nominal rate of the dollar fell so as to reduce the real rate, in terms of relative export prices for manufacturers, to the average for 1978–80.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in response to the question by the hon. Member on 22 February 1988 at column 15.

  Money Supply
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the expansion of the money supply, using each of the main monetary indicators, for each quarter since May 1979, as a percentage of the figure one year previously.

  Mr. Lilley
  Quarterly figures for M0, the main narrow measure of the money supply, were published in the 1988 edition of Economic Trends Annual Supplement for the period 1982 Q3 to 1987 Q3. Earlier quarterly figures have not been published. Figures for M0 in 1987 Q4 can be derived as the average of the monthly figures in table 11.4 of Financial Statistics, February 1988.

  Quarterly figures for broad money back to 1979 were made available by the Bank of England in June 1987. Subsequent figures for broad money are shown in tables 11.2 and 11.3 of Financial Statistics, February 1988.

  Funeral Charges (VAT)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the effect on the present level of funeral charges of introduction of zero-rate value added tax on funeral charges.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: This information is not available.

THE ARTS

  Arts Marketing
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister of the Arts what plans he has to continue encouraging arts marketing in the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Luce
  I recognise the need for professionalism in marketing the arts. I welcome the creation of the Arts Council's marketing department, which has embarked on a wide programme of developments in this field. After extensive consultations, I have decided to provide additional resources for new marketing initiatives, with which I shall be particularly associated, to supplement and complement the work already in hand. These will replace the 1987–88 experimental arts marketing scheme.

  The Arts Council in co-operation with other bodies, including the Museums and Galleries Commission, will take the lead on two new measures: the development of a distance learning package and a programme of training courses for top management. The distance learning package is intended to make good practice on arts marketing widely available through an instructional video and supporting literature. The marketing courses are aimed at increasing the awareness of the value of marketing among those concerned with the management of arts bodies.

TRANSPORT

  Air Safety (Alcohol and Drug Abuse)
  Mr. Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken by the Civil Aviation Authority to determine whether alcohol or other drugs are being abused by those responsible for air safety; whether any screening tests for drug abuse have been conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority; and what is his policy on screening for alcohol abuse and other substance abuse by air traffic controllers and airline pilots.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Civil Aviation Authority is wholly responsible for aviation safety regulation. I will ask the chairman of the authority to write to my hon. Friend.

  A1 (Improvements)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to be completed on improvements to the A 1 between Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Two schemes are programmed for improvements to the Al north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. One involves a small scheme modification to the roundabout at the northern end of the Berwick-upon-Tweed bypass, and should be completed in 1988–89. The other will provide a dual carriageway from Marshall meadows to the Scottish border or beyond. This is a larger scheme and the most effective solution may require consultation with the Scottish Development Department. Work should be completed in the early 1990s.

  Manchester International Airport
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement, further to the reply 306
  to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, from the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, on 11 January, Official Report, column 144, on the prospects for increased United States carrier access to Manchester international airport; and what steps he is taking to keep the airport's board in touch with development.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The United States Government have just responded to the proposals that we tabled early in January. The United States proposals are being studied with interest and urgency.

  It is too early to give precise indications of future prospects for increased access by United States carriers to Manchester. The Government are pleased that the United States Government appear to wish to negotiate on this matter.

  We seek to ensure that Manchester International Airport Authority is continually kept in touch with developments.

  Cycling
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of steps his Department is taking and has taken to make cycling safer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Pedal cyclists are one of the vulnerable road user groups. Progress on cycling safety can be made in steps.

  Some 90 per cent. of cycle casualties are on local authority roads. They have the responsibility to provide cycle facilities. The Department provides technical advice and guidance to local authorities on the design and construction of cycle facilities based on research and application studies conducted by the traffic advisory unit and the TRRL. Current work includes 24 innovatory schemes, funded by the Department, and five large-scale urban cycle route projects.

  The new "Highway Code" includes advice to cyclists on safer riding techniques and to motorists on the need to be aware of cyclists. As part of our current road safety publicity programme we are distributing relevant material to local authority road safety officers.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the number of people who travel by bicycle and the distances of journeys made by bicycle.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  About 3½ million people in Great Britain use a pedal cycle in an average week. The average length of a bicycle journey is about 1¾ miles. Cycling accounts for about 2¾ billion miles a year on Great Britain's public roads.

  London Underground
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support the Government are giving to efforts to fight crime on the London Underground.

  Mr. Channon
  Following my Department's report, "Crime on the Underground", we have made available £15 million to London Underground Ltd. over three years to implement a range of measures to improve the security of passengers on the Underground. These measures, which
  307
  will be implemented progressively, include equipping 42 deep-level stations with facilities to provide reliable underground radio communications; pilot schemes at a number of stations involving staffed focal points; safe waiting areas; and passenger alarms with talk-back facilities. If successful, these measures will be extended to other parts of the network. The British Transport police are considering ways of extending the application of new policing methods which brought a reduction of more than 25 per cent. in robberies last year at the southern end of the Northern and Victoria lines.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what types of radio equipment are currently available for British Transport police officers engaged on duties within the London Underground system.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The British Transport police use standard police personal radios in the VHF band. Following a recommendation in my Department's report, "Crime on the London Underground," London Underground Ltd. is at present installing leaky feeder cables at 42 key deep level stations which will enable the BTP to have instant radio contact underground with their control centre.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many police officers have been deployed on regular duties on the London Underground in each of the past five years; and what is the number currently in service.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The average number of British Transport police officers deployed on regular duties on the London Underground in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1983

  278

  1984

  262

  1985

  269

  1986

  304

  1987

  319

  The complement of the Underground division of the British Transport police has been increased to 350 officers; the number so far in post is 314.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many arrests have taken place on the London Underground system on each of the past five years.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The British Transport police do not record the number of arrests on the London Underground. The number of of prosecutions for offences on the Underground in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Year

  Indictable

  Non-indictable

  1983

  1,417

  8,969

  1984

  1,113

  6,441

  1985

  1,207

  6,162

  1986

  1,397

  4,651

  1987

  1,365

  2,687

  The decrease in prosecutions for non-indictable offences reflects a reduction in the problem of ticket fraud with the introduction of travelcards and changes in London Underground's ticketing and inspection procedures.
  308
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities arising from people falling under trains have occurred on the London Underground system in each of the past five years.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The table shows the fatalities on all lines of London Underground Ltd. during the last four years resulting from persons falling under trains. Figures for 1983 are not readily available.

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Trespassers

  19

  19

  15

  20

  Suicides

  22

  24

  33

  27

  Others:

  Falling off platforms

  1

  4

  3

  1

  Attempting to board as train departed

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Totals

  42

  48

  51

  48

  Note. In all cases listed as falling off platforms drugs, drink or illness was a main factor.

  Bus Services (London)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the deregulation of bus services in Greater London.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  In recent months we have received 10 representations from hon. Members, a submission from the London Regional Passengers' Committee and a small number of letters from members of the public about the future deregulation of bus services in London.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the adequacy of staffing levels on bus services in Greater London.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is for the management of LRT and the bus operator concerned to determine what staffing levels are adequate to run bus services efficiently and safely.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, when he next meets the chairman of London Regional Transport, he will raise with him the standard of service provided by London Regional Transport subsidiaries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  We expect to discuss a range of issues when we next meet the chairman of London Regional Transport, including quality of service.

  A6 Disley Bypass
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if pursuant to the answer of 19 February,Official Report, column 750, he will list the local councils and public bodies he consulted, with the advice received in each case, in relation to the route of the A6 Disley bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In accordance with usual practice, when preparing for the current public consultation we invited views, on a strictly in-confidence and non-committing basis, from the councils and public bodies listed as follows. Each now has the opportunity to submit formal views.
  309

  Cheshire County Council

  Derbyshire County Council

  High Peak Borough Council

  Macclesfield Borough Council

  Stockport Borough Council

  Peak Park Planning Board

  Chinley, Buxworth and Brownside Parish Council

  Disley Parish Council

  Lyme Handley Parish Council

  New Mills Parish Council

  Poynton with Worth Parish Council

  Countryside Commission

  Nature Conservancy Council

  National Trust

  Chester Regional Health Authority

  Derbyshire Regional Health Authority

  North West Regional Health Authority

  British Gas

  British Geological Survey

  British Pipeline Agency Ltd.

  British Railways London Midland Region

  British Telecom

  British Waterways Board

  CEGB

  Whaley Bridge Parish Council

  Cheshire Constabulary

  Derbyshire Constabulary

  Greater Manchester Constabulary

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Civil Aviation Authority

  North Western Electricity Board

  North West Water Authority

  Buses (Testing)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many cases of which he is aware bus or coach operators have submitted more than one vehicle for test using the same set of tyres on the different vehicles so submitted.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Such records are not available Spot checks at operators' premises and of vehicles in use are normally carried out when operators are suspected of using vehicles in an unroadworthy condition.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take as a result of Ladyline Coaches of Cheshire recently submitting nine vehicles for test with the same set of tyres.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are not proposing to take further action as a result of these allegations.

  Ladyline Coaches operates a fleet of eight buses varying in size from minibuses to large coaches. No more than four vehicles could have interchangeable tyres. The Department has no evidence to support the allegations regarding the use of the same tyres on more than one vehicle. In any case the practice is not illegal.

  The Department's vehicle examiners inspected six of the operator's vehicles in January 1988. All were found to be in a satisfactory condition.

  North Wales Coast Railway Line
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the chairman of British Rail the decision not to proceed with work to upgrade the track of the main north Wales coast line across Ynys MÔn during the next financial year.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. Detailed decisions of this sort are a management matter for BR.

  A1/A1(M) (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, by accident type and class of vehicle, the numbers of accidents on that part of the A1/A1(M) road which falls within the county of Durham, in the last year for which figures were available.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is as follows:

  Accidents on the A1 in Durham: 1986

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  Total

  Total accidents

  3

  17

  22

  42

  Of which:1

  involving Pedal cycles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Motorcycles

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Cars

  2

  14

  15

  31

  Buses and coaches

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Light goods vehicles

  1

  3

  2

  6

  Heavy goods vehicles

  2

  2

  10

  14

  1 Some accidents involve two or more vehicles and will therefore be counted more than once.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Surplus Commodities
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the statement on the meeting of the European Council,Official Report, 15 February, column 711, whether he will explain why it would be bad for the countryside if United Kingdom farmers were no longer allowed to export some of their surplus production of cereals and dairy products at the expense of the United States and other food-exporting countries; and if he will include in the Official Report an estimate of the effect on United Kingdom exports of manufacturers of the growth of this trade.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The United Kingdom has a successful export trade in agricultural products. If access to export opportunities were denied to our farmers, other countries would take our place on world markets. This would have the effect of reducing substantially the amount of land devoted to cereals production, to the detriment of the rural economy.

  Greek Bananas
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements were made at the European Economic Community summit for putting a ceiling on the output of bananas from Greece and for reviewing the Greek restrictions on imports of bananas from other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There is no common regime for bananas. The Commission is responsible for administering the free circulation provisions of the treaty of Rome.

  Agricultural Policy
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will meet representatives of the Church of England to discuss implications for the standard of living of rural people of Her Majesty's Government's agricultural policy.

  Mr. Gummer
  No such meeting has been requested.
  311
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from clergymen in rural areas about the effects of Her Majesty's Government's agricultural policy on the rural areas.

  Mr. Gummer
  I receive representations from a wide range of organisations, on the impact of agricultural policy on the rural areas. On 17 February, for example, I had a useful meeting with a delegation from Rural Voice led by its chairman, Rev. Jeremy Martineau.

  Intervention Stocks
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of cereal, beef and cheese held in intervention stocks in the United Kingdom as of the latest available date, in June 1979 and in June 1983.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The total book value of cereals, beef and cheese held in intervention stores in the United Kingdom on those dates were (£ million):

  Number

  December 1987

  308

  June 1983

  108

  June 1979

  50

  Alternative Land Use
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next intends meeting representatives of the National Farmers Union to discuss the potential for farm woodlands.

  Mr. Gummer
  We are in regular contact with the National Farmers Union about the development of farm woodlands. I discussed our revised proposals for the farm woodland scheme with the NFU and other interested organisations on 16 December.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with farming organisations concerning the relationship between farming and forestry, following his proposals for alternative land use.

  Mr. Gummer
  I met representatives of various farming organisations recently to discuss this subject and the proposed farm woodland scheme in particular.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the set-aside proposal agreed in Brussels preclude the possibility of a lowland farmer receiving payment for set-aside and using the grazing fallow to diversify or expand his sheep flock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The terms of the recent agreement by the European Council enable member states to permit grazing of set-aside land under conditions be laid down. The details have still to be discussed in the Council, and decisions on the precise shape of the scheme in the United Kingdom will follow after that.

  Grain Production
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the EEC 312
  output of grain in each of the past 10 years; by how much production will have to rise above the 160 million tonne threshold to increase the burden on the EEC budget; what is the Government's forecast of (a) production and (b) production costs in each of the next five years when the price reduction has been triggered if rising yields per hectare are maintained; and what contribution the new arrangements are forecast to make to reducing agricultural surpluses.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 February 1988]: Total production of cereals in the previous 10 years in the countries which now make up the European Community was as follows:

  Million tonnes

  1978–79

  137·0

  1979–80

  132·7

  1980–81

  144·2

  1981–82

  134·3

  1982–83

  145·2

  1983–84

  138·2

  1984–85

  173·2

  1985–86

  160·5

  1986–87

  154·3

  11987–88

  153·1

  1 Provisional.

  The effect of increased levels of production on the EC budget would depend on a wide range of factors, including prices of cereals on world markets and the ECU-US dollar exchange rate.

  The Government do not make forecasts of production or production costs on the basis requested by the hon. Member; I would, however, refer him to the reply I gave him on 22 February, at column 49.

  The introduction of stabilisers for cereals will reduce the level of producers returns and so the incentive to produce cereals.

  Cereals
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, for each member state of the European Community, the yield of cereals in the harvest year 1986–87, the tonnage liable to co-responsibility levy and the proportion of levy paid to date.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 February 1988]: The most recent figures available for production and the tonnage on which co-responsibility levy has been collected for the 1986–87 Community harvest are as follows. Information is not available on the tonnage liable to the co-responsibility levy.

  Member state1

  Production million tonnes

  Tonnage on which levy collected by 31 July 1987 for transactions to 30 June 1987

  Belgium

  2·3

  3·2

  Denmark

  8·0

  1·7

  West Germany

  25·6

  11·5

  Greece

  5·2

  0·9

  Spain

  16·0

  4·5

  France

  50·1

  14·8

  Ireland

  1·8

  0·9

  Italy

  17·8

  6·3

  313

  Member state1

  Production million tones

  Tonnage on which levy collected by 31 July 1987 for transactions to 30 June 1987

  Luxembourg

  0·1

  0·1

  Netherlands

  1·3

  2·7

  United Kingdom

  24·5

  211·7

  314
  1 Portugal does not yet implement the EC cereals regime.

  2 Up to 31 December 1987 levy had been collected on 13·4 million tonnes in respect of the 1986–87 harvest.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Crumlin Road Prison
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will pay an official visit to Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin road, Belfast, to discuss prison conditions.

  Mr. Stanley
  I had the pleasure of paying an official visit to Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin road, on 25 November.

  Security
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation.

  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in the Province.

  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the present security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Tom King
  Since I last answered questions in the House on 28 January, three members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and one civilian have died. The threat remains high, but the courageous and determined efforts of the security forces are continuing to yield results. In particular, they have recovered a number of significant caches of arms and ammunition thought to have belonged to both Loyalist and Republican terrorist organisations.

  So far this year 34 people have been charged with serious offences and 222 weapons, 63,616 rounds of ammunition and 392 lb of explosives have been recovered in Northern Ireland. In addition, already this year the Garda Siochana has made a number of very significant finds of arms and ammunition. These include some 125 weapons, approximately 80,000 rounds of ammunition and almost 600 lb of commercial explosives.

  Public Order (Prison Sentences)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prosecutions have taken place under the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987; how many right hon. and hon. Members from Northern Ireland constituencies have served prison sentences as a result; and how many local councillors have served prison sentences.

  Mr. Stanley
  On the latest available figures 2,108 people had been prosecuted under the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987; five hon. Members had chosen to be imprisoned rather than to be fined for offences under the order. Similar information in respect of local councillors is not readily available.
  316
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many right hon. and hon. Members representing constituencies in Northern Ireland are presently in prison in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Stanley
  Four.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount of single payments paid by the Department of Health and Social Security in 1987–88; and what plans he has to protect the living standards of claimants under the new social fund arrangements.

  Mr. Needham
  Single payments in the 52 weeks ended 12 January 1988 amounted to nearly £24·3 million.

  From April 1988, people will generally be expected to manage on their weekly income. However, under the social fund there will continue to be non-repayable grants to help people maintain themselves in the community. Loans will also be available to help with budgeting and there will be limits to the size of weekly repayments. These will be set in proportion to the applicant's benefit level and his continuing commitments, the aim being to ensure that the level of recovery is not unreasonable.

  United States Investment
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the effect of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland's decision not to prosecute certain Royal Ulster Constabulary officers on the stated investment intentions of United States industrialists in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  There is no sign of any such effect, nor do I expect any.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of United States investment in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  There are currently 24 United States companies in Northern Ireland employing 10,171 people.

  Employment (Equal Opportunities)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards anti-discrimination practices in employment.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Government are firmly committed to ensuring full equality of opportunity in employment for all Northern Ireland. Proposals for strengthening the law relating to discrimination on religious or political grounds are now being finalised. The consultation period on a proposal for a draft Sex Discrimination (Amendment) Order has just been completed, and that measure, which brings the position in Northern Ireland into line with that in Great Britain, should become law by the summer. Provision to prevent discrimination against disabled persons in employment continues to be made on the same basis in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish his White Paper on equal opportunity.
  317
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now announce the date for the publication of his White Paper on Equal Opportunity.

  Mr. Viggers
  My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement on the Government's policy proposals in the near future.

  Capital Grant Scheme
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the effect of the abolition of the standard capital grant scheme on the amount of money available for industrial development in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  There will be no diminution in the priority given to measures which will further strengthen the Northern Ireland economy. Resources will continue to be made available as necessary for the Industrial Development Board and the local enterprise development unit to deal with any soundly based project that could not proceed without Government support.

  Stalker/Sampson Report
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reconsider his decision not to publish the Stalker/Sampson report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now reconsider his decision not to publish the Stalker/Sampson report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  No.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received from the Northern Ireland trade union movement about unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  In December 1987 I received a copy of the document "Making the Economy Work — An Alternative Development Strategy," published by the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union. Otherwise I have not received any representations from the trade unions on general economic issues since November 1986, although I am always ready to do so.

  ACE Schemes
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to expand the use of ACE schemes for community care initiatives; and if he will make a statement on proposed new ACE schemes in this field.

  Mr. Viggers
  On 13 December last I announced that an additional £10 million was being allocated to the ACE programme in 1988–89 and approximately 30 per cent. of this increase would be available to ACE sponsors who promote community health and social care projects. Consideration is currently being given to a number of proposals for the establishment of new ACE projects as well as the expansion of existing schemes in the community care field.

  RUC (Catholic Recruits)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what projections he has made of levels of recruitment of Catholics to the Royal Ulster Constabulary over the next five years.

  Mr. Stanley
  I understand that no such projections have been made; nor could they be made meaningfully, being dependent on the quality and background of all future applicants. The RUC will, however, continue its long-standing efforts to recruit Roman Catholics to the RUC and the RUC Reserve.

  Police Authority
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Northern Ireland Police Authority; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Stanley
  My right hon. Friend and I frequently meet and correspond with the chairman of the Northern Ireland Police Authority and other members of the authority, as necessary, on matters within the authority's statutory remit. The specific matters concerned are confidential.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has yet reached a conclusion on the provision of new electricity generating capacity in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the likely start date for Kilroot phase II.

  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the provision of new electricity generating capacity in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) earlier today.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the workings of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I believe the agreement and the conference established by it provide the best means of co-operation with the Government of the Irish Republic, in the interests of both countries.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of present unemployment levels in Northern Ireland; and if he will take steps to ensure that unemployment totals for Northern Ireland are in future published at the same time as unemployment rates by constituency in Great Britain.

  Mr. Viggers
  At 14 January 1988, the latest date for which unemployment figures are available, there were 121,778 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland, representing 17·9 per cent. of the working population. Compared with the same month last year, that is a decrease in unemployment of 9,427.
  319
  Unemployment figures for Northern Ireland are published by press release on the same dates as those for the rest of the United Kingdom, public holidays permitting.

  Wages Act 1986
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to extend the Wages Act 1986 to Northern Ireland; what is his estimate of the effect on employment levels of young people that the removal of wages council protection would have; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Draft Wages (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, which was laid on 10 December 1987, will introduce reforms similar to those already in place in Great Britain under the Wages Act 1986. I am not aware of any studies which quantify the number of jobs which will arise from the specific reforms which are proposed and attempts to estimate the effect on employment levels of the removal of young persons from the scope of wages councils are not likely to be productive. However, the removal of statutory minima which prevent employers offering jobs at rates which young people would accept will be conducive to their increased employment.

  Dogs
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the operation of the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  No. The Department of Agriculture has monitored the operation of the order since it came into force; it has been well received and there are no plans to carry out a review.

  Police Discipline
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next proposes to meet the Northern Ireland Police Authority to discuss police discipline.

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

  RUC (Reorganisation)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Stanley
  My right hon. Friend did so on 17 February.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, and of what rank, are to be subject to internal disciplinary proceedings following events reported in the Stalker/Sampson report, for obstructing the officers of the Stalker/Sampson team in carrying out their inquiries.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay).

  Kincora Boys Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants working in his Department were interviewed in connection with investigations into the Kincora Boys Home.

  Mr. Tom King
  This is a matter for the RUC. It is, however, not police practice to reveal details about persons interviewed during the course of their investigations.

  Job Creation (Foreign Investment)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created in the last five years as a result of foreign firms setting up in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  A total of 6,472 new jobs have been promoted in the period 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1987 as a result of new foreign in vestment and expansions of existing foreign-owned companies.

  RUC-Garda (Meetings)
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary last met his counterpart in the Garda of the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Stanley
  On 16 January.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the consultation paper on education reform is to be published.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the next few weeks.

  Terrorism
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he remains satisfied with progress in the fight against terrorism in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I shall not be satisfied until the evil of terrorism is eradicated. I believe that no level of terrorism can ever be justified. We will continue to give every support to the security forces in their efforts to defeat the men of violence and to press for the closest possible co-operation between the RUC and the Garda Siochana.

  Travelling People
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what monitoring takes place to determine atmospheric lead levels at legal and other sites occupied by travelling people; and, where such monitoring has occurred, what levels have been recorded.

  Mr. Needham
  Monitoring of atmospheric lead levels, other than emissions from the scheduled processes under the Alkali and Works Regulation Act 1906, is the responsibility of the district councils in Northern Ireland. No monitoring of lead levels has been carried out on sites occupied by travelling people in the Province. I shall be arranging for a circular to be issued to the councils drawing attention to the possible need to initiate monitoring on such sites.

  Rubbish Dump, Magheramorne
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what compensation will be offered to Magheramorne owner-occupiers, the sale of whose property is blighted by the proposal to develop the largest rubbish dump in Northern Ireland at Magheramorne.

  Mr. Needham
  There is no provision in the planning legislation for the payment of compensation to third parties as a result of planning decisions. In any event a decision has not yet been reached on the proposal.

  Training Centres
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of training centres in Northern Ireland, their courses and their attendances in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Viggers
  The available information for the two years ended 31 March 1987 is lengthy and in tabular form. I have sent a copy to the hon. Member and arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference is to be held.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference is to be held.

  Mr. Tom King
  We had a meeting yesterday and I hope to meet Irish Ministers again shortly.

  European Heritage Funding
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the list of projects approved during the past three years for European Heritage funding; and if he will make a statement on the procedure for submitting applications for European Heritage funding.

  Mr. Needham
  No projects for European Heritage funding have been approved in Northern Ireland.

  The procedure for submitting applications is usually contained in a spring issue of the official journal of the European Communities in each year. Applications have to be submitted by the owner of the property or his agent. The journal gives details of the regional or national organisation responsible for selecting projects and a closing date. The organisation establishes the eligibility of the project after which the Commission, on expert advice, makes a decision on whether or not to provide financial support.

  The conservation service of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland carries out this function for the Commission in Northern Ireland. It is advised by the Historic Buildings Council for Northern Ireland.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has of the current cost of facilities for the homeless in Northern Ireland and what has been the cost in each of the last five years.
  322
  Mr. Needham
  There are three statutory hostels for the homeless, which are run by the Eastern health and social services. Expenditure on them in each of the last five years was as follows:

  £

  1982–83

  305,190

  1983–84

  273,543

  1984–85

  246,067

  1985–86

  309,516

  1986–87

  239,131

  A comparable figure for 1987–88 is not yet available.

  Expenditure by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on its homeless advice unit since it was established in November 1985 is as follows:

  £

  1985–86

  38,972

  1986–87

  62,239

  1987–88

  157,638

  1 estimate to 31 January 1988

  Detailed information on the cost of general facilities for the homeless provided by the Housing Executive and registered housing associations through the housing programme is not readily available.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current funding for voluntary organisations dealing with homelessness in Northern Ireland; and what are the criteria to qualify for such funding.

  Mr. Needham
  In 1986–87, the Department of Health and Social Services and the four health and social services boards paid grants totalling £299,154 to voluntary organisations dealing with homelessness.

  Such grants are payable on a discretionary basis to voluntary organisations providing services similar or related to any of the health or personal social services under article 71 of the Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order 1972.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the implications of the recent cuts in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive budget in the light of the transfer of responsibility for homeless people from the Department of Health and Social Security to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; and what additional funding he proposes to provide for this new function.

  Mr. Needham
  The Northern Ireland Housing Executive's budget is determined each year as part of the public expenditure survey. The transfer of responsibility for the temporary accommodation needs of homeless people to the executive will be accompanied initially by a transfer of resources from the health and social services boards. Subsequent bids by the executive for additional funding to be directed towards meeting the needs of the homeless will be assessed in future public expenditure surveys.

  Teacher Training Places
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teacher training places in Northern Ireland have been taken up by students from the
  323
  Irish Republic during the past year as a result of European Community regulations; and what he estimates the demand to be for that source for the next two years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ten such students took up training in 1987–88. No significant change is expected over the next two years.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what manpower modelling processes have been set up within the equal opportunities unit of the Department of Finance and Personnel (NI); and if he will make a statement on their operation.

  Mr. Stanley
  The equal opportunities unit has concentrated to date on establishing a sound data base and analysing the resultant material in terms of age profile, promotion rates, wastage and so on. This enables trends to be identified leading to measurement and evaluation of the variables which are influencing those trends. The results have been fully reported in the unit's first two reports. When the analytical work is completed, the unit will be considering whether there exists a sound foundation for manpower modelling which avoids the dangers of projections based on uncertain trends and simplified assumptions.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the equal opportunities unit of the Department of Finance and Personnel (NI) has only produced one report of its investigations in four years.

  Mr. Stanley
  Following the instituting of comprehensive monitoring arrangements, the unit has produced two reports—the first on 22 July 1986 and the second on 17 December 1987. Copies of both reports are in the Library.

  Community Services Grant Aid
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list by district council area, the community services grant aid given to district councils during 1986–87 and 1987–88;

  (2) if he will list by district council area, the community services grant aid to be given to district councils during 1988–89 and the date on which district councils were given this information.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information for 1986–87 and 1987–88 is shown in the table. I am planning to make an announcement in March in respect of 1988–89.

  Council

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £

  £

  Antrim

  51,750

  52,950

  Ards

  37,500

  38,550

  Armagh

  18,750

  19,200

  Ballymena

  60,000

  61,350

  Ballymoney

  7,500

  7,650

  Banbridge

  17,625

  18,000

  Belfast

  660,000

  675,225

  Carrickfergus

  42,000

  43,350

  Castlereagh

  93,750

  94,950

  Coleraine

  33,750

  34,500

  Cookstown

  6,750

  6,900

  Craigavon

  192,750

  197,175

  Derry

  124,500

  128,625

  Down

  33,750

  35,475

  Dungannon

  8,625

  8,850

  324

  Council

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £

  £

  Fermanagh

  40,500

  41,625

  Larne

  21,750

  22,275

  Limavady

  17,250

  17,625

  Lisburn

  69,000

  70,950

  Magherafelt

  5,250

  5,400

  Moyle

  15,750

  16,125

  Newry/Mourne

  95,250

  98,400

  Newtonabbey

  57,750

  59,100

  North Down

  50,250

  50,925

  Omagh

  62,250

  64,350

  Strabane

  73,500

  75,975

  Capital Schemes
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list by district council area, the recreational or community capital schemes which were approved or implemented during 1986–87 and 1987–88;

  (2) if he will list by district council area, the recreation or community capital schemes which are to be approved or implemented during 1988–89.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information for 1986–87 and 1987–88 is shown in the table. I hope shortly to release details in respect of 1988–89.

  1986–87—Council and Project

  Ards

  Greyabbey Village Hall—Upgrading

  Surfacing of Tennis Courts, Bowling Green and Car Park

  Floodlighting at Enter Park

  Ballymena

  Pavilion at Clough Playing Fields

  Golf Driving Range, Ballymena Showgrounds

  Sand slitting at Cargan Playing Fields

  Pavilion at Cargan Playing Fields

  Ballymoney

  Play Area at Rockend, Corkey

  Castlereagh

  Extension to Braniel Community Centre

  Equipment for Cragleith Playing Fields

  Carrickfergus

  Extended Lobby at Leisure Centre

  Coleraine

  Lodge Road Athletics Track—Equipment

  Resurfacing of Anderson Park Tennis Courts

  Derry

  Resurfacing of Tennis Courts at St. Columb's Park

  Floodlightin of all weather pitch at Brooke Park

  Floodlighting of all weather pitch at St. Columb's Park

  Bowling Pavilion at Brooke Park

  Pavilion at Prehen Playing Fields

  Down

  Crossgar Playing Fields

  1987–88—Council and Project

  Antrim

  Golf Control Building at Allen Park

  Greystone Community Centre

  Ards

  Health and Safety works at Comber Leisure Centre

  Health and Safety works at Kiltonga Squash Centre

  Health and Safety work at Queen's Hall

  Floodlighting at the Common, Donaghadee

  Armagh

  Markethill Bowling Pavilion

  Ballymena

  Kells/Connor Playing Field Development

  325

  Sand slitting at Cargan Playing Fields

  Floodlighting at Showgrounds

  Portable Changing Unit at Clough Playing Fields

  Ballymoney

  Health and Safety works at Riada

  Belfast

  Playground equipment at various sites

  Upgrading of Woodvale Community Centre

  Conversion of old sauna at Grove Swimming Pool (Weights Room)

  Castlereagh

  Cregagh Community Centre extension

  Coleraine

  Playing Field at Kilrea

  Equipment at Lodge Road Playing Fields

  Derry

  Purchase of rescue boat for Prehen Boathouse.

  Floodlighting of Templemore pitches.

  Down

  Erection of temporary changing pavilion at Annsborough.

  Erection of temporary changing pavilion at Rossconnor Arts Centre, Downpatrick.

  Dungannon

  Access road at Dungannon Park.

  Moy Community Centre.

  Refurbishment of pitches at Dungannon Park.

  Fermanagh

  Purchase of Ederney Town Hall and conversion to Community Centre.

  Larne

  Replacement heating system at Lynn Community Centre. Tower Pool weight training room.

  Purchase of land at Glenarm.

  Limavady

  Health and Safety works at Roe Valley Recreation Centre.

  Resurfacing tennis courts at Roemill.

  Lisburn

  Car parking at Lisburn Leisure Centre.

  Magherafelt

  Floodlighting of tennis courts at Queen Elizabeth II Park.

  Temporary pavilion at Tobermore Playing Fields.

  Health and Safety works at Greenvale Leisure Centre.

  Dungannon

  Land Purchase at Dungannon Farm Park

  Fermanagh

  Purchase of Newtownbutler Town Hall and conversion to Community Centre

  Larne

  Seacourt Community Centre

  Gymnasium Equipment for Tower Pool Complex

  Extension to Bowling Pavilion at Curran Park

  Limavady

  Additional seating at Limavady Town Hall

  Stage lighting at Limavady Town Hall

  Conversion of Highlands Primary School to Community Centre

  Newry and Mourne

  Meigh Playing Fields

  Bowling green at Clonallon Park, Warrenpoint

  Omagh

  Snooker extension at Omagh Leisure Centre

  Play area at Fairview Gardens, Dromore

  326
  Newry and Mourne

  Pavilion and Annalong Bowling Green

  Multi purpose area at Hilltown

  Purchase of former library premises, Margaret Square

  Newtownabbey

  Changing pavilion at 3 Mile Water Playing Fields

  North Down

  Extension to Breezemount Community Centre

  Floodlighting hockey pitches at Ward Park

  Omagh

  Health and Safety works at Eskra Community Centre

  Strabane

  Health and Safety works at Riversdale Leisure Centre

  NI 2000
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the NI 2000 programme for cleaning up the environment in the Province.

  Mr. Viggers
  The NI 2000 board was appointed on 20 January 1988. Since then two meetings have been held to plan operational strategies for the promotion of environmental improvement projects. Already proposals for projects have been received from both the public and private sectors and I look forward to receiving progress reports from the chairman of NI 2000.

  Car Parks
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many car parks are run by the Department of the Environment (NI); how many are free and in how many charges are levied; and how many have been privatised since his answer on this matter to the hon. Member for Epping Forest on 3 April 1987.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department of the Environment (NI) controls 334 car parks of which 91 are charged and 243 are free. A total of 31 charged car parks are managed by the private sector. No car parks have been privatised since 3 April 1987.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to the introduction of an under-fives initiative in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  The implementation of this objective is being carried forward in the detailed operational plans drawn up annually by the health and social services boards in the light of local needs, priorities and available resources. I have no plans to introduce a special initiative for the under-fives in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of mother and toddler groups in Northern Ireland and the assistance or concessions offered to them by area boards, councils, the Housing Executive and other bodies.

  Mr. Needham
  The extent to which health and social services boards provide financial or other support to such groups is not readily known, but some units of management do offer modest grant-aid (usually in the
  327
  form of launching grants) to groups operating in their districts. Both the Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive may assist groups by the provision of spare capacity in schools and the letting of dwellings or the leasing of land at nominal rent to permit such groups to carry out their activities.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate nursery education provision in each board area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers of available places in 1987–88 are as follows:

  Board Area

  In nursery schools

  In nursery classes in primary schools

  Totals

  Belfast

  1,250

  850

  2,100

  Western

  500

  225

  725

  North-Eastern

  825

  300

  1,125

  South-Eastern

  750

  100

  850

  Southern

  625

  725

  1,350

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details of the financial or other assistance given to pre-school playgroups by(a) each health and social services board and (b) each education and library board.

  Mr. Needham
  In addition to contacts with pre-school playgroups in connection with registration procedures required under the Children and Young Persons Act (NI) 1968, the health and social services boards provided financial assistance as follows in the year ended 31 March 1987:

  £

  Northern Board

  75,054

  Southern Board

  31,361

  Eastern Board

  823,948

  Western Board

  142,837

  Northern Ireland total

  1,073,200

  Education and library boards provide no assistance to pre-school playgroups.

  Privatisation
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by Northern Ireland departments and statutory boards with the privatisation of services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stanley
  The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland is planning to privatise the artificial insemination service at 1 October 1988 and the pig carcase

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–8834

  New1 Entrant

  Total2 Enrolment

  New1 Entrant

  Total2 Enrolment

  New1 Entrant

  Total1

  Universities

  Queen's University

  1,845

  7,164

  1,886

  7,360

  1,936

  7,552

  University of Ulster

  2,665

  7,458

  2,766

  7,613

  2,992

  7,994

  Colleges of Education

  Stranmillis

  168

  563

  166

  594

  173

  632

  St. Mary's

  166

  567

  171

  595

  177

  635

  Institutions of Further Education

  328
  classification service by 1 January 1989. A number of other possibilities in the Northern Ireland public sector are also under consideration.

  Tertiary Education
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what EEC legislation and court rulings were taken into account when deciding the terms and conditions governing eligibility of European Economic Community students for places and grants for tertiary education in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  These terms and conditions were not determined separately from those in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Government took mainly into account a judgment of the European Court of Justice in February 1985 in a case referred to it by a Belgian court (Gravier v City of Liege).

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the cost of funding tertiary education in Northern Ireland, for students from European Economic Community member states(a) in total and (b) for each member state;

  (2) how many students from the United Kingdom, eligible to receive tertiary education in Northern Ireland, have been unable to gain places during 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88;

  (3) what is the total number of students in Northern Ireland who have applied for entry to tertiary education in 1988, listed by education establishments.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures the Government intend to implement to curb the use by students from European Economic Community member states of Northern Ireland's tertiary education system to the detriment of students from the United Kingdom who are unable to obtain places there.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No measures are proposed. There is no evidence that EC students are displacing United Kingdom students from places in tertiary education in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total number of students who commenced tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, listed by educational establishments;

  (2) what was the total number of students involved in tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, listed by educational establishments.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Available information is as follows:
  329

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–8834

  New1 Entrant

  Total2 Enrolment

  New1 Entrant

  Total2 Enrolment

  New1 Entrant

  Total1

  Belfast College of Technology

  981

  1,196

  737

  965

  —

  —

  North West College of Technology

  687

  1,003

  773

  1,083

  —

  —

  Antrim Technical

  206

  254

  197

  245

  —

  —

  Ballymena Technical

  655

  883

  665

  893

  —

  —

  Newtownabbey Technical

  351

  427

  382

  507

  —

  —

  Lisburn College of Further Education

  396

  487

  429

  558

  —

  —

  North Antrim College of Further Education

  91

  117

  183

  201

  —

  —

  Lurgan College of Further Education

  414

  556

  378

  559

  —

  —

  Portadown College of Further Education

  953

  1,178

  718

  971

  —

  —

  Armagh College of Further Education

  562

  720

  568

  789

  —

  —

  Banbridge College of Further Education

  225

  272

  186

  245

  —

  —

  Down Technology Area

  395

  471

  395

  469

  —

  —

  Newcastle College of Further Education

  160

  180

  228

  263

  —

  —

  Fermanagh College of Further Education

  413

  539

  401

  526

  —

  —

  Coleraine Technical

  392

  499

  329

  434

  —

  —

  Limavady Technical

  303

  357

  292

  378

  —

  —

  Magaherafelt College of Further Education

  231

  264

  278

  338

  —

  —

  East Tyrone Technology Area

  560

  675

  624

  767

  —

  —

  Omagh Technical

  473

  553

  480

  548

  —

  —

  Larne College of Further Education

  243

  267

  247

  289

  —

  —

  Newry and Kilkeel Further Education Area

  624

  786

  567

  715

  —

  —

  Belfast College of Business Studies

  892

  923

  798

  965

  —

  —

  Castlereagh College of Further Education

  324

  387

  405

  480

  —

  —

  Rupert Stanley College of Further Education

  827

  1,030

  1,182

  1,489

  —

  —

  North Down Technology Area

  718

  882

  642

  812

  —

  —

  Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College

  212

  233

  192

  210

  —

  —

  1 Excludes students entering postgraduate study as they commenced tertiary education in a previous year.

  2 Includes all full-time students.

  3 Figures for 1987–88 are provisional.

  4 Figures for Institutions of Further Education are not yet available.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students in tertiary education in Northern Ireland in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88, and how many of those applying for entry in 1988, are from

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  ROI

  Other EC1

  ROI

  Other EC1

  ROI

  Other EC3

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Percent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.

  Universities

  Queen's University University of

  95

  1·3

  14

  0·2

  121

  1·6

  10

  0·1

  179

  2·4

  7

  0·1

  Ulster

  224

  3·0

  29

  0·4

  337

  4·4

  64

  0·8

  609

  7·7

  60

  0·8

  Colleges of Education

  Stranmillis

  7

  1·2

  —

  —

  6

  1·0

  —

  —

  7

  1·1

  —

  —

  St. Mary's

  8

  1·4

  —

  —

  10

  1·7

  —

  —

  8

  1·3

  —

  —

  Institute of Further Education

  Belfast College of Technology North West

  2

  0·2

  —

  —

  5

  0·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  College of Technology

  55

  5·5

  —

  —

  78

  07·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Antrim Technology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ballymena Technology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newtownabbey Technology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lisburn College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Antrim College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  330
  other European Economic Community member states, listed (a) as a percentage of the total, (b) by educational establishments and (c) by country of origin.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is as follows:
  331

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  ROI

  Other EO1

  ROI

  Other EC1

  ROI

  Other EC3

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.2

  Number

  Per cent.

  Lurgan College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Portadown College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Armagh College of Futher Education

  2

  0·3

  —

  —

  1

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Banbridge College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Down Technical Area

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newcastle College of

  Futher Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fermanagh College of Further Education

  16

  3·0

  —

  —

  18

  3·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Coleraine Technical

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  0·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Limavady Technical

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Magherafelt College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  East Tyrone Technical Area

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Omagh Technical

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Larne College of Further Education

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newry and Kilkeel

  Further Education

  Area

  5

  0·6

  —

  —

  4

  0·6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Belfast College of Business Studies

  1

  0·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0·15

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Castlereagh College of Further Edudation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Rupert Stanley College of Further Education

  3

  0·3

  —

  —

  8

  0·5

  1

  0·16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Down

  Technical Area

  4

  0·5

  —

  —

  3

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Ireland

  Hotel and Catering College

  1

  0·4

  —

  —

  2

  1·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Includes students from European Community member states other than the United Kindom or the Republic of Ireland. Information on EC students at universities is not readily available by individual member states, apart from ROI.

  2 As percentage of all full-time students.

  3 Figures for 1987–88 are provisional.

  4 Figures for Institutions of Further Education are not yet available. Figures for 1988 are not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  5 Germany.

  6 France.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what terms and conditions are applicable in Northern Ireland to students from European Economic Community member states, regarding eligibility for(a) Department of Education grants and (b) education and library board grants to pursue tertiary education;

  (2) what terms and conditions are applicable in Northern Ireland to students from European Community member states, regarding fee-paying places in tertiary education.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  EC students who gain places in Northern Ireland institutions of tertiary education and 332
  who satisfy certain criteria of eligibility in respect of residence, type of course and previous study have their tuition fees paid.

  Fees-only awards are made by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland and the education and library boards, respectively, to EC students who, in competition with Northern Ireland students, obtain postgraduate bursaries or studentships or discretionary awards in respect of other courses of tertiary education.

  RUC (Chief Constable)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received concerning the position of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Tom King
  The first part of my statement on 17 February dealt with the aspect of possible disciplinary proceedings as a result of the investigations carried out by Mr. Stalker and Mr. Sampson. I have undertaken to inform the House of further developments.

  As I also told the House on 17 February, I have discussed certain aspects of the Stalker-Sampson inquiry report with the Chief Constable. In particular he has accepted in principle all the recommendations made by Mr. McLachlan.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Stanley
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the Chief Constable of the RUC regularly. Our meetings are confidential and it would not be right to disclose their content.

  Fair Employment Agency

  Staff and Grade1

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Co-ordinating Director (PO)

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Deputy Co-ordinating Director (DP)

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Assistant Director (Complaints) (DP)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Assistant Director (Investigations) (DP)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Assistant Director (DP) (Solicitor/Secretary)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Assistant Director (DP) (Education/Publicity)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Conciliation Officers (SO)

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  3

  2

  Research Officer (SO)

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Investigation Officers (SO)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  3

  Assistant Conciliation Officers (EOI)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  Employer Liaison Assistant (EOI)

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Assistant Investigation Officers (EOI)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Trainee Conciliation Officers (EOI)

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Administrative Officers (EOI)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Administrative Assistant (EOII)

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Education Assistant (EOII)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Clerical Staff

  3

  4

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  Total

  8

  11

  13

  13

  13

  12

  13

  15

  15

  15

  20

  Equivalent Grades in Northern Ireland Civil Service.

  PO—Principal Officer.

  DP—Deputy Principal.

  SO—Staff Officer.

  EOI—Executive Officer (Grade 1).

  EOII—Executive Officer (Grade 2).

  Children
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the proportion of four-year-olds in Northern Ireland(a) in single parent families, (b) whose parents are unemployed and (c) whose parents receive family income supplement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 February 1988]: The information is not available. However the proportion of four-year-olds in families receiving one parent benefit is approximately one in 17·5 of all four-year-olds in families receiving child benefit.

  Fair Employment Agency
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the yearly number of employees of the Fair Employment Agency for each year since its inception, indicating their grade and classification and brief job description.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 24 February 1988]: The information required is detailed in the table. In addition the agency are currently engaged in the recruitment of 11 additional staff: One assistant director (employer liaison) (deputy principal); four employer liaison officers, two conciliation officers, one education officer, and one research assistant (all at staff officer level) and two clerical staff.
  335
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the amount of money spent by the Fair Employment Agency each year since its inception in constant prices.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 24 February 1988]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Period

  FEA Expenditure at 1987 Prices £

  1976–771

  104,426

  1977–78

  186,064

  336

  Period

  FEA Expenditure at 1987 Prices £

  1978–79

  237,559

  1979–80

  277,162

  1980–81

  288,086

  1981–82

  290,339

  1982–83

  284,148

  1983–84

  274,171

  1984–85

  294,522

  1985–86

  309,916

  1986–87

  398,582

  1 September 1976 to March 1977

  DRUGS: UNFAIR RECOMMENDATIONS— APPEALS PROCEDURE
  DRUGS: UNFAIR RECOMMENDATIONS— APPEALS PROCEDURE
  BORDERLINE SUBSTANCES: CLASSIFICATION
  BORDERLINE SUBSTANCES: CLASSIFICATION
  NHS EXPENDITURE
  NHS EXPENDITURE
  DHSS EXPENDITURE
  DHSS EXPENDITURE
  SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT
  SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  NUCLEAR MATERIALS: ALLEGED BLACK MARKET
  NUCLEAR MATERIALS: ALLEGED BLACK MARKET
  INF AGREEMENT: INSTRUMENTS
  INF AGREEMENT: INSTRUMENTS
  TEACHER TRAINING COURSES: ACCREDITATION
  TEACHER TRAINING COURSES: ACCREDITATION
  TASK GROUP ON ASSESSMENT AND TESTING REPORT
  TASK GROUP ON ASSESSMENT AND TESTING REPORT
  EC: REGION DEFINITIONS
  EC: REGION DEFINITIONS