Written Answers of 10 June 1988

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the certificate of education courses available(a) in English, and (b) in Welsh;

  (2) if he will list, by secondary school, the subject entries and number of candidates (a) per subject offered through the medium of Welsh and (b) per subject offered through the medium of English, for the certificate of education examination;

  (3)how many staff are employed by the Welsh Joint Examination Council to organise, administer and develop Welsh medium certificate of education courses.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Certificate of education courses are administered by the Welsh joint education committee (WJEC). Information relating to courses is not held by the Department; any such requests should be directed to the WJEC.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many statemented children there are at present in Welsh medium or bilingual primary and secondary schools, and at Welsh units, in each Welsh local education authority area.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information as at January 1987 is as follows:

  Number of statemented pupils in Welsh medium or bilingual schools or Welsh units

  Local education authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  Clwyd

  43

  20

  Dyfed

  98

  15

  Gwent

  6

  —

  Gwynedd

  181

  117

  Mid Glamorgan

  69

  43

  Powys

  30

  4

  South Glamorgan

  5

  —

  West Glamorgan

  15

  1

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many statemented children in each Welsh education authority area have been transferred from Welsh medium or bilingual schools as a result of the statementing.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the numbers of the following professionals by local education authority in Wales; and in each case how many are able to carry out their work through medium of Welsh as well as English(a) educational psychologists, (b) educational social workers, (c) speech therapists, (d) advisory teachers in social and emotional problems, (e) special education advisers, (f) education welfare officers and (g) advisory teachers for the hearing impaired, visually impaired, etc.
  688
  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of specialist advisers employed by local education authorities is not held centrally. For information about the number of speech therapists, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's reply to him of 1 March.

  Caergwrle Bypass
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will meet Clwyd county councillors to discuss the Caergwrle bypass;

  (2)if he will meet Caergwrle residents who oppose the Caergwrle bypass green route;

  (3)if he will establish a public inquiry into the proposals for a Caergwrle bypass; and if he will make a statement;

  (4)if he will give financial assistance to Caergwrle, Clwyd, residents who seek to oppose the Caergwrle bypass green route.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This is a county road scheme and therefore a matter for Clwyd county council.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Departmental Accommodation
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to enter into any new long-term commitment for the Overseas Development Administration's London accommodation in the current financial year.

  Mr. Eggar
  No.

  Eland House
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to the Overseas Development Administration for the rental of Eland house over the last three years; and what has been the total cost to public funds of renting that building.

  Mr. Eggar
  The rent paid by the Overseas Development Administration to the Property Services Agency for Eland house under the property repayment services arrangements for each of the last three financial years was as follows:

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  2,175,838

  1,927,294

  2,212,976

  Civil accommodation for Government Departments is held in the name of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and managed by the PSA. The rents of leasehold buildings are determined on a strictly commercial and therefore confidential basis.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Student Unions
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will place in the Library details of any representations he has received concerning automatic membership of student unions; and if he will make a statement;
  689
  (2) if he will place in the Library a list of those organisations and individuals who made representations to him concerning automatic membership of student unions; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will place in the Library the information he has on compulsory student union membership; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Students become members of the student union of their university, polytechnic or college of further or higher education by virtue of their being enrolled at the institution. They are not normally required to pay any subscription as a member and can decide whether or not to take part in the union's activities. As indicated in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman) on 18 April, the Government intend shortly to gather up-to-date factual information on the services available to students from their unions. Since the general election I have met the National Union of Students once to discuss the issue of union membership. The issue has also figured during visits I have made to institutions of higher and further education. In addition, over the period 1 June 1987 to 31 May 1988 we have received some 30 letters from hon. Members and members of the public about membership of local unions and a further 30 letters concerning membership of the National Union of Students. The letters have been evenly divided between those in favour of and those opposed to the present system of membership.

  I do not consider it appropriate to deposit this correspondence in the Library.

  Mr. H. W. Steggles
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he hopes to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for South Hams dated 23 March, enclosing a letter from Mr. H. W. Steggles of Eastern Hill, Middlecombe, Noss Mayo, Plymouth, dated 15 March.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I replied to my hon. Friend on 8 June. I regret the delay in replying.

  Schools (Expenditure)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the public spending per head of senior school population in pounds sterling for Germany, France, the United States of America and Italy.

  Mr. Dunn
  For international returns, data for the senior school population are included with non-advanced further education and therefore cannot be identified separately.

  Head Teachers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has about the rate at which head teachers are now seeking early retirement, what comparable information he has on previous years; and to what factors he attributes the trend.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  For teachers as a whole, premature retirements have in recent years consistently accounted for about 60 per cent. of all retirements. Premature retirement has kept open promotion opportunities for teachers and improved the age structue of the profession. Information 690
  about premature retirements of head teachers is available only combined with information on college prinicpals and up to 1986–87. The number of premature retirements in these groups fell by 17 per cent. in 1986–87 compared with 1985–86. Pension is based on the best 12 months' salary over the last three years of service. It is likely that teachers were postponing retirement in 1986–87 in order to improve their pensions by awaiting the effect on pensions of the substantial pay increases of 25 per cent. between March 1986 and October 1987. We would expect premature retirements to rise again by 1988–89 as these increases feed through into pension entitlements.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what difficulties are being experienced in the recruitment of headteachers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Good up-to-date information is not available. The interim advisory committee on teachers' pay found no particular evidence of serious recruitment problems affecting heads and deputies. The Department estimates that at January 1988 approximately 300 headteacher posts were vacant, that is only slightly more than 1 per cent. of headteacher posts.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Driving (Minimum Age)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his assessment on the effect on the balance of payments current account of raising the minimum age requirement for the driving of(a) motor cars and (b) all motor vehicles to 18 years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Information on which to base an assessment is not available.

  Liquor Taxation (Japan)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his assessment of the impact on the United Kingdom balance of payments current account of the Japanese Government's present discriminatory system of liquor taxation.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are currently awaiting the Japanese Government's response to the recommendations of the general agreement on tariffs and trade that the discriminatory element in Japanese taxation of imported wines and spirits should be removed. We expect substantially increased exports of Scotch whisky to Japan following tax reform.

  North Peckham Task Force
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what are the running costs per year of the North Peckham task force;

  (2) how much Daniel Levy, the North Peckham task force leader, is paid per year.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a similar question from her on Tuesday 12 April.

  Israel (Exports)
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current volume of Israeli exports to
  691
  the United Kingdom; what is the make-up of those exports; and what were the comparable figures for each year from 1966 to 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The current value of imports from Israel for the first four months to April 1988 are £167.00 million.

  United Kingdom imports from Israel

  Table 1

  Value £ thousands

  Division

  1970

  1971

  1972

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  Total trade

  44,856

  54,745

  57,805

  69,740

  78,893

  91,183

  125,785

  159,680

  176,414

  219,297

  Of which:

  05

  Vegetables and fruit

  24,234

  32,558

  33,233

  35,325

  39,241

  47,107

  58,744

  67,724

  76,515

  86,099

  84

  Articles of apparel and clothing accessories

  1,282

  1,622

  1,912

  2,545

  5,061

  8,259

  12,350

  17,595

  21,531

  29,121

  65

  Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles NES, and related products

  1,598

  1,137

  1,264

  1,279

  2,170

  1,842

  2,601

  5,427

  8,327

  13,583

  89

  Miscellaneous manufactured articles NES

  756

  1,102

  762

  1,364

  1,421

  1,283

  1,566

  2,502

  3,142

  5,446

  66

  Non-metallic mineral manufactures NES

  3,994

  4,416

  6,019

  9,787

  8,115

  10,809

  18,794

  18,587

  31,987

  27,504

  29

  Crude animal and vegetable materials NES

  147

  249

  458

  331

  405

  586

  924

  2,145

  5,804

  10,579

  United Kingdom imports from Israel

  Table 2

  Value £ thousands

  Division

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  April 1988

  Total trade

  232,746

  255,866

  276,011

  313,677

  392,744

  403,952

  385,175

  437,014

  167,049

  Of which

  05

  Vegetables and Fruit

  83,464

  95,288

  97,237

  100,420

  113,402

  142,562

  107,384

  123,687

  55,301

  84

  Articles of apparel and clothing accessories

  38,710

  46,359

  54,438

  62,792

  69,808

  71,379

  73,077

  71,022

  24,125

  65

  Textile yarn, Fabrics, made-up articles NES and related products

  13,431

  16,718

  16,674

  20,177

  25,627

  31,319

  35,550

  38,171

  14,634

  89

  Miscellaneous manufactured articles NES

  7,672

  9,803

  11,084

  11,452

  16,247

  16,609

  17,509

  24,418

  7,601

  66

  Non-metallic mineral manufactures NES

  19,644

  21,890

  17,287

  15,125

  13,795

  14,137

  16,272

  22,052

  7,207

  29

  Crude animal and vegetable materials NES

  6,231

  7,719

  6,627

  8,604

  9,565

  12,608

  13,023

  14,585

  9,343

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Notes:

  (i) Total trade figures are on a 1981 basis throughout. Imports valued at (CIF).

  (ii) Figures for 1987 and for four months ended April 1988 are provisional.

  Computers
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) to whom the data are given which are supplied by applicants wishing to sell computers who are required to complete his Department's computer questionnaire; and if he will make a statement;
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  These figures should be treated with more than the usual caution because of major changes to customs procedures introduced in January 1988, details of which were given in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on 7 December 1987, at columns 34–35.

  Information on the make up of imports, within acceptable cost limits, is given in the tables:

  (2) to whom the data are given which are supplied by applicants wishing to sell computers who are required to complete his Department's export licence application,; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Applications for export licences and supporting data are considered by DTI officials and, in many cases, by officials of other Departments from whom the DTI seeks advice.
  693
  In the case of applications to export certain items to the proscribed destinations, COCOM partners are also consulted. For this purpose, brief details, which do not identify the exporter, are provided to COCOM partners.

  The circulation of a particular export licence application and its supporting documents will depend upon the level of technology involved and the proposed ultimate destination.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Belfast—Dublin Road, Newry (Parking)
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are being taken to ensure that private entrances and exits, leading on to and off the main Belfast to Dublin road, in the immediate vicinity of the existing customs station at Newry, are kept clear of parked vehicles.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 7 June 1988]: Prohibition of waiting by vehicles in the vicinity of the existing customs station, Newry, introduced by the Department of the Environment (NI) in 1981 and 1982 remain in force. Police and traffic wardens make every effort to ensure that traffic regulations in operation in the area are enforced.

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total staff and administration cost to his Department of the Chernobyl accident.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 7 June 1988]: Precise figures are not available but staff costs incurred, in the main by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, are estimated at around £300,000. Some £70,000 has been spent on the purchase of produce for testing, live monitoring equipment and paint in connection with the operation of the mark and release scheme. A further £12,900 has been paid in compensation to producers affected by the movement restrictions on sheep.

ENERGY

  Gas Disconnections
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to monitor the numbers of gas disconnections; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The numbers of gas disconnections are monitored by the Gas Consumers Council and Ofgas, and will continue to be so.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of plans to privatise electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Discussions with the industry are continuing satisfactorily and our aim is to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity.

  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is considering, in his proposals for electricity privatisation, a system of compensating owners of power stations which are not being run at any given time because they are too expensive.
  694
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Arrangements governing the future operation of power stations will be set out in the power supply contracts. These should provide proper incentives to generators to provide supplies as economically as possible.

  Magnox Reactors
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which nuclear power station Magnox reactors are currently out of operation; and when he expects each of them to he back in service.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that the following four of the CEGB's Magnox reactors are out of service: Bradwell R1, Trawsfynydd R1, Berkeley R1 and Dungeness `A' R2. Bradwell R 1 and Trawsfynydd R1 are expected to return to service in June while Berkeley R1 and Dungeness 'A' R2 are expected to return in July.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom continues to act as guarantor power for Cyprus; what information he has as to how many Turkish and Greek troops there are in Cyprus; how many troops from each of these countries are authorised to be in Cyprus; and what estimate he has as to how many non-Cypriots are resident in the Turkish and Greek sectors of the island.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom continues to fulfil its obligations under the 1960 treaty of guarantee, by consulting our fellow guarantor powers from time to time.

  We estimate that there are between 28,000 and 30,000 Turkish troops and between 2,500 and 3,500 Greek troops stationed in Cyprus. The 1960 treaty of alliance provided for 650 Turkish troops and 950 Greek troops. We estimate that there are about 35,000 non-Cypriot settlers in the north. We have no figures for non-Cypriots resident in the south.

  Nelson Mandela Concert
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the implications for international relations of the proposal by the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast a concert celebrating the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The South African Government have made representations about the programme to us through the embassy at Pretoria.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people awaiting trial before magistrates and Crown courts were remanded in custody on 1 June; of that number, how many were held(a) in youth custody or juvenile remand centres, (b) in prisons, (c) in police stations, (d) in Army or other service establishments or (e) in other institutions; and if he will make a statement.
  695
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The most recent readily available information for prison department establishments is given in the following table. No untried prisoners were held in a youth custody centre or in Rollestone Army camp. In addition on 30 April, about 1,080 prisoners, most of whom were on remand, were held in police cells at police stations and magistrates courts.

  Population of untried prisoners in Prison Department establishments on 30 April 1988; by type of establishment and age group

  Type of establishment

  14–20

  21 and over

  All ages

  Remand centres

  2,164

  1,321

  3,485

  Prisons

  526

  4,851

  5,377

  All establishments

  2,690

  6,172

  8,862

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Army or other service establishments used to hold people remanded in custody awaiting trial before either magistrates or Crown courts on 1 June.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Only two Army camps have been brought into use as temporary prisons and these held no untried prisoners on 1 June.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the establishments, other than youth custody or juvenile remand centres, prisons, police stations, or establishments of the armed forces, which were used to hold people remanded in custody awaiting trial before either magistrates or Crown courts on 1 June.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Police cells at certain magistrates' courts were the only other type of accommodation used for untried prisoners on 1 June.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the people remanded in custody awaiting trial before magistrates or Crown courts on 1 June had been held in custody for a continuous period greater than(a) 12 months and (b) six months.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The latest information for untried prisoners on the length of time since initial remand in custody, relates to 30 June 1987 and is given in the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for St Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) on 27 May 1988 at columns 379—80.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the people remanded in custody awaiting trial before magistrates or Crown courts on 1 June were women;

  (2) if he will list the establishments in which women were held on remand, and the numbers of women held in each one, on 1 June.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The most recent readily available information for prison department establishements relates to 30 April and is given in the following table. On that date no female prisoners were held in police cells at police stations or magistrates' courts.
  696

  Population of female untried prisoners in Prison Department establishments on 30 April 1988: by establishment.

  Prison Department establishment

  Number of untried prisoners

  Holloway

  267

  Low Newton Remand Centre

  19

  New Hall

  29

  Pucklechurch Remand Centre

  27

  Risley Remand Centre

  75

  All establishments

  417

  Mr. Roc Sandford
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Birkenhead will receive a reply to a letter written to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) on 28 April, regarding the case of Mr. Roc Sandford.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.

  Overseas Visitors
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of visitors to the United Kingdom from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in each of the years from 1976 to 1987 inclusive, broken down by country.

  Mr. Renton
  Information on the numbers of visitors admitted to the United Kingdom by nationality is published annually in table 1 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom" (Cm 166 for the issue for 1986), copies of which are in the Library. The issue for 1987 will be published next month; however the figures requested for 1987 are as follows:

  Nationality

  Visitors given leave to enter for less than 12 months

  Ordinary

  Business

  Indonesia

  9,560

  2,000

  Malaysia

  32,500

  4,750

  Philippines

  14,900

  1,710

  Singapore

  23,800

  4,290

  Thailand

  13,100

  2,700

  Gatwick Airport (Exercise)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were involved in the security exercise at Gatwick airport on 7 June; how many vehicles were stopped and searched; on whose authority the exercise was mounted; and what was the total cost involved in the exercise.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The security operation held at Gatwick airport on 7 June by the Sussex police was a routine operation and was approved by the Home Office. Because of the nature of the deployment it would not be appropriate to provide details of the number of police officers involved or the costs of the operation. The operation involved no change in the standard force procedures for stopping and searching vehicles.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with disability organisations concerning the increase from 5p to £5 in the concessionary television licence for elderly and disabled people living in residential care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  There was no need for consultation on this issue.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated net revenue will be from the recent increase in television licence fees for elderly and disabled people who live in sheltered housing or in residential homes.

  Mr. Renton
  About £2 million a year, which will cover the costs of collection and extensions to the scheme.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  McDonald Wheeler Fund Management Ltd.
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the current position regarding the inquiry relating to McDonald Wheeler Fund Management Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The director of the serious fraud office now has the conduct of the inquiry to which my hon. Friend refers. It is being pursued by a team of police officers, accountants and lawyers, but it is not yet complete.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Attorney-General what has been the total cost so far in terms of legal and other fees, travelling and expenses, Civil Service time and all other charges relating to the worldwide attempts by Her Majesty's Government to prevent the publication and distribution of the book "Spycatcher", including actions to prevent Mr. Peter Wright from receiving royalties from sales.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of yesterday to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick).

  Rowntree
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Attorney-General what were the reasons for his intervention with regard to the Joseph Rowntree charitable trust and the Joseph Rowntree memorial trust following the trusts' public stance on the takeover bids for Rowntree plc by Nestle and Suchard.

  The Attorney-General
  A request for information was made on my behalf to the trustees of the Joseph Rowntree charitable trust and the Joseph Rowntree memorial trust in exercise of my responsibilities as protector of charity under the Crown, in the light of a report in The Daily Telegraph on 2 June.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he consulted the charity commissioners or any other body 698
  before making representations to the trustees of the Joseph Rowntree memorial and charitable trusts regarding their charitable responsibilities to their beneficiaries in the context of the proposed takeover of Rowntree plc.

  The Attorney-General
  The Treasury Solicitor sought information from officials of the Charity Commission as to the likely identities of the charitable trusts referred to in The Daily Telegraph's report of 2 June and requested copies of the relevant trust documents. No other body was consulted before these inquiries were made on my behalf.

  Miss M. Murphy
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Attorney-General when the social security commissioners will be ready to send the submission on the appeal made by Miss M. Murphy, promised within 30 days on 12 April, to Mr. A. McGuiness and Miss Murphy.

  The Attorney-General
  Copies of the document to which the hon. Member refers were sent to Mr. McGuiness and Miss Murphy on 8 June 1988.

  Unmarried Fathers
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to introduce legislation relating to the parental rights of unmarried fathers; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Part II of the Family Law Reform Act 1987 contains a number of provisions which improve the legal position of unmarried fathers. Other plans and priorities will determine when resources can be made available for the purpose of bringing part II into force, but the Lord Chancellor will keep the matter under close review.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Personal Taxation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue effect in 1988–89 of(a) abolishing the high rate of income tax, (b) abolishing all personal tax reliefs other than the personal allowances, and (c) the net revenue effect of combining both measures.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The direct cost in income tax revenue for a full year at 1988–89 levels of income of abolishing the higher rate of income tax is estimated at £2·7 billion. The direct cost in capital gains tax revenue on disposals in 1988–89 is estimated at £0·2 billion.

  Information on income tax reliefs is available only in respect of mortgage interest, retirement annuity premiums, employees' superannuation contributions and the business expansion scheme. The total direct revenue yield from abolishing these reliefs is estimated at £6·7 billion. The capital gains tax cost would be small.

  The net effect of abolishing these reliefs and the higher rate of tax would be a yield of some £3 billion. This estimate includes the consequential effects on revenue from capital gains tax on disposals in 1988–89. The income tax component makes no allowance for possible behavioural effects arising from the changes.

  Taxation Changes
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to publish at the time of his Budget statement a full study of the redistributive effects of the taxation changes he is introducing.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  There are no plans at present to add to the substantial amount of information already published on the effect of Budget proposals.

  Incomes
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing, for families with one to four children, the income break-even levels, in £ sterling per week as a percentage of average male manual earnings, at which child benefit entitlement is the same as income tax liability.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The table sets out the weekly income levels for a married man whose wife is not working at which income tax liability equals child benefit entitlement at 1988–89 levels.

  Break-even levels

  Number of children

  £ per week

  As a percentage of average male manual earnings1

  1

  107·75

  52·0

  2

  136·75

  65·9

  3

  165·75

  79·9

  4

  194·75

  93·9

  1 Average manual earnings for male aged over 21 working a full week are estimated to be £207·40 per week in 1988–89.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for 1978–79 and 1988–89 or the most recent year available the total income before and after tax at constant prices for(a) the top 1 per cent., (b) the top 5 per cent. and (c) the top 10 per cent. and each 10 per cent. thereafter down to the bottom 10 per cent., including both working and non-working households in the figures and the percentage of income before and after tax accruing to each group.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 7 June 1988]: Estimates for the years 1978–79, 1981–82 and 1984–85 of shares of income, before and after tax, received by quantile groups are contained in "The distribution of income in the United Kingdom 1984–85", published in the November 1987 edition of Economic Trends.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the income tax remitted to taxpayers at all levels since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The amount of income tax remitted to taxpayers at all levels since 1979 was:
  700

  Year (to 31 October)

  Amount (£ thousand)

  1979

  39,617

  1980

  45,091

  1981

  55,020

  1982

  70,143

  1983

  93,721

  1984

  126,905

  1985

  138,468

  1986

  187,088

  Tax is written off where there is no reasonable prospect of recovery—for example, because the taxpayer is insolvent.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the gain to the revenue in a full year of increasing the rates of corporation tax and advance corporation tax, respectively, to 52 per cent.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The yield from increasing the main rate of corporation tax to 52 per cent. would be about £11 billion at 1987 levels of company profits and dividends. The additional yield from increasing the advance corporation tax rate and small companies rate to 52 per cent. would be about £2 billion. These estimates take no account of possible behavioural effects following such a change.

  Inland Revenue (Pre-paid Envelopes)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement concerning the decision of the Inland Revenue to cease the practice of enclosing pre-paid envelopes in correspondence with taxpayers.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 29 January 1988 at column 420 and to the Inland Revenue press release of the same date.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of mortgage interest tax relief for the United Kingdom as a whole and for England, also expressed in terms of the cost per mortgagor receiving tax relief and the cost per owner-occupied dwelling, for the financial years 1979–80 to 1987–88; and what is the estimated cost in respect of 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Estimates for the United Kingdom for the years 1979–80 to 1988–89 and for England from 1979–80 to 1982–83 are given in the table. Figures for 1983–84 onwards include the cost of relief given to non-taxpayers.
  701

  Cost of mortgage interest relief

  Average cost of relief per mortgagor

  Average cost of relief per owner-occupied dwelling

  (£ million)

  (£)

  (£)

  England

  UK

  England

  UK

  England

  UK

  1979–80

  1,300

  1,450

  250

  245

  130

  125

  1980–81

  1,735

  1,960

  335

  335

  165

  160

  1981–82

  1,820

  2,050

  350

  350

  170

  165

  1982–83

  1,895

  2,150

  350

  350

  170

  170

  1983–84

  n/a

  2,780

  n/a

  370

  n/a

  210

  1984–85

  n/a

  3,580

  n/a

  460

  n/a

  265

  1985–86

  n/a

  4,750

  n/a

  595

  n/a

  340

  1986–871

  n/a

  4,750

  n/a

  580

  n/a

  335

  1987–881

  n/a

  4,850

  n/a

  575

  n/a

  330

  1988–891

  n/a

  4,250

  n/a

  495

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Provisional.

  n/a Not available.

  Following the introduction of MIRAS in April 1983, regional information on the cost of mortgage interest relief cannot be extracted from Inland Revenue records. The regional distribution of mortgage interest can be derived from the family expenditure survey (FES), but, as the sample size for the FES is relatively small, it is not possible to provide robust estimates of regional trends for the period after 1982–83. Separate figures for England for 1983–84 to 1988–89 are therefore not available.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the total value of mortgage interest relief forgone as tax income by the Inland Revenue, the total number of recipients of this relief and the average amount of relief received per mortgagor, respectively, in the United Kingdom, in England and in Greater London in each tax year from 1978–79 to 1987–88; and if he will give an estimate for 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 7 June 1988]: Estimates for the years 1978–79 to 1982–83 have been derived from the results of the survey of personal incomes and are given in the table.

  Mortgage interest tax relief

  Total cost

  Number of mortgagors

  Average cost of relief

  £ million

  thousands

  £

  1978–79

  London

  170

  680

  250

  England

  995

  5,010

  200

  United Kingdom

  1,110

  5,600

  200

  1979–80

  London

  235

  760

  310

  England

  1,300

  5,250

  250

  United Kingdom

  1,450

  5,890

  245

  1980–81

  London

  280

  710

  395

  England

  1,735

  5,210

  335

  United Kingdom

  1,960

  5,860

  335

  1981–82

  London

  290

  660

  440

  England

  1,820

  5,190

  350

  United Kingdom

  2,050

  5,850

  350

  1982–83

  London

  260

  620

  420

  702

  Total cost

  Number of mortgagors

  Average cost of relief

  £ million

  thousands

  £

  England

  1,895

  5,400

  350

  United Kingdom

  2,150

  6,130

  350

  Following the introduction of MIRAS in April 1983, regional information on the cost of mortgage interest relief cannot be extracted from Inland Revenue records. The regional distribution of mortgage interest can be estimated from the family expenditure survey (FES), but, as the sample size for the FES is relatively small, it is not possible to provide robust estimates of regional trends for the period after 1982–83. Accordingly, the following table shows the relevant figures for 1983–84 to 1988–89 for the United Kingdom only. FES data for 1983 to 1985 suggest that about 88 per cent. of total mortgage interest relief is attributable to England and 14·5 per cent. to London. The corresponding percentages for the number of mortgagors are 88 per cent. for England and 10·6 per cent. for London.

  United Kingdom

  Cost of mortgage interest relief1

  Number of mortgagors

  Average cost of relief

  £ million

  thousands

  £

  1983–84

  2,780

  7,500

  370

  1984–85

  3,580

  7,750

  460

  1985–86

  4,750

  8,000

  595

  1986–872

  4,750

  8,200

  580

  1987–882

  4,850

  8,400

  575

  1988–892

  4,250

  8,600

  495

  1 Includes the cost of mortgage interest relief given to non-taxpayers.

  2 Provisional.

  Housing (Expenditure)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of identifiable public expenditure; according to the main functions for housing in the years 1980–81 to 1987–88; and what was the expenditure per head of population for each of those years.

  Mr. Major
  The table shows, in £ million and £ per head of the population, public expenditure on the housing function which can be identified as having been incurred in one of the four countries of the United Kingdom.
  703

  Identifiable Public Expenditure1

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  £ million

  England

  2,709·6

  3,154·1

  3,264·5

  2,866·3

  2,558·1

  Scotland

  686·9

  717·0

  656·3

  614·7

  643·4

  Wales

  125·3

  194·9

  137·1

  126·1

  158·4

  Northern Ireland

  161·9

  193·0

  211·0

  227·3

  237·6

  United Kingdom

  3,683·7

  4,259·0

  4,268·9

  3,834·4

  3,597·5

  £ per head

  England

  57·9

  67·3

  69·5

  60·8

  54·1

  Scotland

  132·9

  139·2

  127·5

  119·7

  125·6

  Wales

  44·6

  69·4

  48·8

  44·8

  56·2

  Northern Ireland

  105·3

  125·1

  136·1

  145·9

  151·6

  United Kingdom

  65·4

  75·6

  75·6

  67·7

  63·4

  1 Excludes certain expenditure such as Government net lending to public corporations.

  Figures prior to 1982–83 are not available on a consistent basis because of changes in definition that have taken place between different public expenditure White Papers. Figures for 1987–88 are not yet available. The figures given above cannot be further disaggregated but a more detailed functional analysis of United Kingdom public expenditure can be found in table 2.7 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Cmnd. 288-I).

  Departmental Land and Buildings
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparable with that

  Sales of Land and Buildings by Department, 1979–80 to 1990–91 (£ million)

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  estimated outturn

  plans

  plans

  plans

  Defence

  45

  66

  54

  41

  32

  28

  60

  76

  68

  81

  50

  50

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  3

  2

  12

  6

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food2

  9

  21

  13

  12

  11

  11

  20

  31

  29

  10

  10

  10

  Trade and Industry3

  3

  3

  2

  7

  11

  16

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  3

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Transport

  32

  44

  66

  41

  44

  53

  51

  51

  90

  47

  40

  40

  DOE-Housing

  544

  792

  1,392

  1,965

  1,525

  1,355

  1,286

  1,497

  2,063

  1,665

  1,750

  1,830

  DOE-Other Environmental Services

  121

  192

  215

  288

  314

  394

  458

  634

  883

  853

  720

  690

  Home Office and Legal departments4

  22

  26

  26

  39

  70

  69

  70

  90

  48

  65

  50

  40

  Education and Science

  20

  25

  47

  46

  46

  79

  101

  118

  114

  105

  110

  110

  Arts and Libraries

  —

  8

  2

  4

  3

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  DHSS-Health and Personal Social Services

  15

  22

  25

  27

  45

  64

  103

  164

  221

  212

  210

  210

  DHSS-Social Security

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  42

  81

  133

  190

  230

  251

  228

  245

  292

  292

  260

  240

  Wales

  19

  27

  102

  137

  90

  82

  84

  92

  116

  111

  110

  110

  Northern Ireland

  1

  —

  1

  3

  3

  4

  4

  8

  13

  13

  10

  10

  Chancellor's Departments

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other Departments5

  5

  9

  7

  16

  8

  8

  24

  39

  38

  35

  40

  50

  Total

  879

  1,316

  2,092

  2,816

  2,436

  2,419

  2,512

  3,054

  3,989

  3,500

  3,360

  3,420

  1 Including Overseas Development Administration.

  2 Including Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and Forestry Commission.

  3 Including Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  704
  given to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) in the Official Report, 27 January 1987, columns 229–30, for sales of land and buildings by Departments, including plans for 1990–91.

  Mr. Major
  The table shows sales of land and buildings by Department for the years 1979–80 to 1990–91. The figures included sales by local authorities and new towns as well as central Government and are consistent with the figures published in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288).
  705
  4 This group comprises the Home Office, Lord Chancellor's Department, Northern Ireland Court Service, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Office, Procurator Fiscal Service and Lord Advocate's Department.

  5 Including Property Services Agency and Civil Superannuation.

  House Prices
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the assumption on the rise in house prices in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 built into the figures given for receipts from sales of housing in table 3.6 Cm. 288–1.

  Mr. Major
  It is not Government practice to publish assumptions which may be market sensitive.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the assumptions on interest rates for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 used in calculating table 2.17 of Cm. 288–1.

  Mr. Lilley
  It is not the practice to give interest rate assumptions, which are market sensitive.

  Chartered Accountants
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many chartered accountants are employed in the Civil Service.

  Mr. Brooke
  About 275, or around a third of fully qualified accountants in the Civil Service.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Harry Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the employment effect of(a) reducing the income tax take from higher-rate payers by £2 billion in a full year, (b) reducing the income tax take for standard rate payers by £2 billion in a full year and (c) increasing by £2 billion the resources of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Major
  It has not been the practice to publish estimates of the economic effects of changes in taxation or public expenditure.

  Tourism
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals are being made to the European Commission on taxation on tourists, in the light of the introduction of the European single market; and what representations he has received seeking a tourism or landing tax in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have made no proposals to the European Commission on taxation of tourists. My right hon. Friend has received a small number of representations about imposing a tax on arrivals in or departures from the United Kingdom.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the tax allowance to £3,498, £3,848, £4,233, £4,656, £5,122, £5,634, respectively, for single pensioners aged 65 to 79 years;

  (2) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the tax allowance to £3,641, £4,005, £4,406, £4,846, £5,331, and £5,864, respectively, for single pensioners aged 80 years and over;
  706
  (3) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the tax allowance to £5,538, £6,093, £6,702, £7,372, £8,109 and £8,920, respectively, for married pensioners aged between 65 and 79 years;

  (4) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the tax allowance to £5,726, £6,298, £6,927, £7,621, £8,383 and £9,221, respectively, for pensioners over the age of 80 years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answers 23 May 1988]: The estimated costs of increasing the age allowances from the levels proposed in the 1988 Budget are shown in the tables. All estimates are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional.

  Personal allowance

  1988–89 Full year cost

  Personal allowance

  1988–89 Full year cost

  £

  £ million

  £

  £ million

  Single aged 65–79

  Single aged 80 years and over

  13,180

  —

  13,310

  —

  3,498

  60

  3,641

  15

  3,848

  115

  4,005

  35

  4,233

  170

  4,406

  50

  4,656

  225

  4,846

  65

  5,122

  285

  5,331

  80

  5,634

  325

  5,864

  95

  Personal allowance

  1988–89 Full year cost

  Personal allowance

  1988–89 Full year cost

  £

  £ million

  £

  £ million

  Married aged 65–79

  Married aged 80 years and over

  15,035

  —

  15,205

  —

  5,538

  85

  5,726

  5

  6,093

  165

  6,298

  15

  6,702

  245

  6,927

  20

  7,372

  325

  7,621

  25

  8,109

  400

  8,383

  35

  8,920

  480

  9,221

  40

  1Proposed level of allowance in 1988–89.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioner tax units there are for the following levels of gross taxable earnings(a) £3,000 to £4,000, (b) £4,000 to £5,000, (c) £5,000 to £6,000, (d) £6,000 to £7,000, (e) £7,000 to £8,000, (f) £8,000 to £9,000, (g) £9,000 to £10,000, (h) £10,000 to £11,000, and (i) over £11,000, respectively.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Estimates are given in the table. The estimates are based on projections of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and the 1985 family expenditure survey and are therefore provisional.

  Range of total income1

  Estimated number of aged tax units2 in 1988–89

  £ per year

  thousands

  3,000-

  1,100

  4,000-

  860

  5,000-

  490

  6,000-

  290

  7,000-

  200

  707

  Range of total income1

  Estimated number of aged tax units2 in 1988–89

  £ per year

  thousands

  8,000-

  180

  9,000-

  140

  10,000-

  110

  11,000 and over

  730

  1 Earnings, pensions and investment income.

  2 Married couples and single people aged 65 or over.

DEFENCE

  Staff Losses
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why there has been a consistent loss of professional and technological staff from his Department over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The number of MOD professional and technical officers (P and TOs) fell from 23,400 to 14,700 between 1 April 1983 and 1 January 1988. Most of this reduction is accounted for by the transfer out of MOD employment of P and TOs in the royal dockyards (3,200) and the royal ordnance factories (2,700). The balance is attributable partly to the general reduction in MOD manpower numbers and partly to a shortfall in replacing normal losses.

  As stated in paragraphs 518 to 520 of the "Statement on Defence Estimates 1988" the problems of recruitment and retention of civilian staff are being tackled in several ways: for P and TOs especially, by improved pay arrangements, a new recruitment strategy, and building on the progress made by the formation of the defence engineering service.

  Jaguar
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the upgrading of the navigation attack system for the Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The update to the Jaguar navigation attack system is nearing completion at a cost of some £40 million.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the chaff and flare dispensers for Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much longer the Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft will remain in Royal Air Force service.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The Jaguar is planned to remain in service with the Royal Air Force until it is replaced by the European fighter aircraft, which we hope will enter service in the mid-1990s. This process is expected to be completed around the turn of the century.

  Tornado
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado F2/3 aircraft have been delivered to the Royal Air Force to date.
  708
  Mr. Sainsbury
  By the end of May 1988, a total of 94 aircraft had been delivered.

  No. 51 Squadron
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why there is no mention of No. 51 squadron in the appendix to the current year's "Statement on Defence Estimates".

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Annex C of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" is primarily concerned with front-line units. 51 squadron is not classified as a front-line unit.

  AWACS
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the strengthening of runways and taxiways at Royal Air Force Waddington for AWACS aircraft.

  Mr. Freeman
  The cost of strengthening the runways and taxiways at Royal Air Force Waddington for the Boeing E-3 aircraft, AWACS, is £6·5 million. However, the opportunity has also been taken to carry out simultaneously other routine airfield pavement maintenance work at a further cost of approximately £1 million.

  Agusta Helicopters
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Agusta helicopters are in service with British forces.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  A small number of Agusta helicopters are in service with British forces. It is not our practice to publish numbers of operational aircraft.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask the National Radiological Protection Board to examine the incidence of(a) cataracts, (b) arthritis, (c) diabetes and (d) deformed children amongst nuclear test veterans.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As the right hon. Member is aware, the NRPB has after careful consideration of all the data available to it, made recommendations for relevant follow-up studies in its report. The Government have endorsed these recommendations which do not include the diseases referred to, which in any event are not included in any national register.

  HMS Hermione
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 May, when he expects the investigation into the loss and subsequent discovery of a document concerning routine refit work on HMS Hermione to be completed.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The investigation has been completed. It is not our normal practice to disclose the results of such investigations. However, I am satisfied that the loss of the document in question was accidental and measures have been taken to try and prevent a recurrence.

  Gatwick Airport (Exercise)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops were involved in the security
  709
  exercise at Gatwick airport on 7 June; what was the purpose of the exercise; what equipment was deployed; and if any military personnel searched vehicles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  This was a routine security operation in support of the police. Such operations are conducted regularly for deterrent purposes. It is not the policy to give details of operational matters.

EMPLOYMENT

  School Leavers
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in each of the years 1980–81 to 1987–88 and in projections for each year until 1990–91, how many school leavers aged 15, 16 and 17 years entered the employment market; how many of these gained places on the YTS or its predecessors; how many entered employment; how many were unemployed; of those entering the YTS, how many had employee status; and in the years after the introduction of the two-year YTS, how many second year trainees there were and how many of these had employee status.

  Mr. Cope
  The information which is available is given in the tables:

  Table 1

  Young People in the Labour Market—Great Britain Thousands

  Young People leaving School for the Labour Market1

  YTS Entrants (Financial year) Beginning in Year Shown)

  (Academic Year Ending in Year Shown)

  Age 15

  Age 16

  Age 17

  All

  1981

  500

  70

  60

  630

  n/a

  1982

  480

  90

  70

  640

  n/a

  1983

  490

  90

  80

  660

  333

  1984

  490

  80

  70

  640

  356

  1985

  470

  80

  70

  620

  350

  1986

  460

  80

  60

  600

  344

  1987

  440

  80

  60

  580

  2328

  Projections

  1988

  410

  80

  60

  550

  331

  1989

  380

  70

  60

  510

  363

  1990

  360

  70

  60

  480

  358

  1 Age at beginning of academic year and excluding leavers from further education. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

  2 Provisional figure.

  Table 2

  Young People1 in training on YTS—Great Britain thousands

  All

  With Employee Status

  In First Year

  In Second Year

  January

  1985

  276

  19

  n/a

  n/a

  1986

  274

  22

  n/a

  n/a

  1987

  318

  44

  266

  52

  21988

  395

  57

  243

  152

  1 Aged 18 or under at previous 31 August. Training Commission estimates based on information from the YTS Management Information System.

  2 Provisional figures.

  The other information requested is not readily available on a comparable basis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Litter and Industrial Waste
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are employed in(a) the United Kingdom, by region, and (b) Basildon, in the collection and disposal of litter and industrial waste; and if he will express the figures as a percentage of the total local work force.

  Mr. Lee
  Estimates are not separately available for the industries specified. The latest available figures for the regions of the United Kingdom are for employment in all sanitary services (class 92 of the standard industrial classification 1980) in December 1987. These cover refuse disposal, public cleansing, street cleaning, fumigation, disinfection, pest destroying (including treatment against woodworm and woodrot), sewage disposal and cleaning services (including window cleaning, chimney sweeping and units specialising in cleaning industrial, commercial and Government premises).

  The information is as follows. The figures are unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.

  Employees in employment in the Sanitary Services Industry

  Numbers as a percentage of the (Civilian) (Working Population1)

  South East

  170,000

  1·8

  East Anglia

  13,000

  1·3

  South West

  40,000

  2·0

  West Midlands

  37,000

  1·4

  East Midlands

  21,000

  1·1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  31,000

  1·3

  North West

  27,000

  0·9

  North

  14,000

  1·0

  Wales

  12,000

  1·0

  Scotland

  35,000

  1·5

  Northern Ireland

  4,000

  0·6

  1 The Civilian Working Population is the sum of Employees in Employment, the Self Employed, and Unemployed.

  The available information for Basildon is from the September 1984 census of employment. There were then 500 employees employed in the sanitary services industry. This represents 1 per cent. of the sum of all employees in employment and the unemployed in the area at that time.

  Fatal Accidents
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the number of fatal accidents investigated by Her Majesty's factory inspectorate, (b) the number of prosecutions arising from these investigations and (c) the number of these prosecutions taken in the Crown court, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The numbers of fatal accidents investigated by the Health and Safety Executive's factory inspectorate are set out in the table:

  Year

  Fatal accidents investigated

  1983

  384

  1984

  414

  1985

  412

  1986

  353

  1987

  365

  711
  The numbers of informations laid relating to prosecutions by the factory inspectorate are set out in the table. Not all these cases arose from accidents at work. The proportion of these that relates to fatal accidents and the number of subsequent prosecutions taken in the Crown court could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information for 1987–88 is not yet available.

  Year

  Information laid

  1982

  2,134

  1983

  1,989

  1984

  1,882

  1985

  1,842

  11986

  Quarter 1

  446

  21986–87

  1,690

  1 Data for the 3-month period January 1986 to March 1986.

  2 Provisional data for the 12-month period April 1986 to March 1987.

  Health and Safety Executive (Inspectors)
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the location and the number of inspectors at each grade, and each office address, of each Health and Safety Executive office in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to offer to disabled employees the opportunity for early retirement similar to that existing under the job release scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  No. The job release scheme was closed on 31 January 1988 and its resources redirected to measures which would help longer-term unemployed people (including those with disabilities) more effectively. There are at present no plans to replace it.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he plans to take to protect projects which provide services for disabled people when employment training replaces the community programme in September.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Project-based training will be an important part of employment training with some 194,000 project-based opportunities in the first year, broadly the present level of community programme provision. I hope that most current community programme projects will move forward into employment training, bringing with them the worthwhile services that they currently provide.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, if he will make a statement on the recent value-for-money scrutiny of the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  The efficiency unit conducted a scrutiny of the enterprise allowance scheme in 1987 as part of its 712
  continuing programme of work. I have now considered the report prepared by the scrutiny team. The scrutiny found the scheme offered good value for money, and no major changes to the operation or rules of the scheme are planned. The report makes recommendations for improving the efficiency of the administration of the scheme, and for improving the success and growth of the businesses established through it. My Department has drawn up an action plan in response to the report and we will be introducing a number of pilot projects to implement the team's recommendations. These involve requiring every applicant to complete a simple business plan as a condition of entry to the scheme and reducing the number of monitoring visits made by officials. We also intend to take steps to make more and better training available to those applying for the scheme. I have arranged for copies of the scrutiny report and my Department's commentary to be placed in the Library.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice his Department is giving to trade unions about the creation of a single European market in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 9 June 1988]: The Government aim, through their awareness campaign on the single European market, to stimulate everyone connected with business to be aware of the challenge of 1992, and to take action accordingly. The opportunities that the single market offers for boosting growth and so increasing employment are important for all union members. We hope that union members will encourage their employers to anticipate and take full advantage of I he opportunities.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Sittings of the House
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report a consolidated list of the occasions which the House has sat later than 1.30 am since 1958.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide this information in the time available. I will reply shortly.

  Legislation
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the total number of (a) Government Bills and (b) private Members' Bills introduced in each Session since 1958;

  (2) what percentage of (a) Government Bills, and (b) Private Members' Bills received the Royal Assent in each Session since 1958.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is as follows:

  Session

  Government Bills

  Private Members' Bills

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1958–59

  56

  98

  43

  48

  1959–60

  53

  100

  42

  45

  1960–61

  48

  94

  55

  36

  713

  Session

  Government Bills

  Private Members' Bills

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1961–62

  39

  100

  53

  38

  1962–63

  43

  98

  50

  36

  1963–64

  64

  98

  86

  40

  1964–65

  66

  98

  80

  21

  1965–66

  36

  58

  38

  —

  1966–67

  103

  100

  107

  22

  1967–68

  65

  97

  77

  17

  1968–69

  54

  94

  94

  13

  1969–70

  63

  60

  81

  19

  1970–71

  76

  100

  67

  18

  1971–72

  59

  100

  82

  21

  1972–73

  59

  100

  85

  18

  1973–74

  33

  45

  42

  —

  1974

  39

  90

  39

  18

  1974–75

  81

  90

  86

  12

  1975–76

  76

  95

  85

  19

  1976–77

  49

  86

  89

  12

  1977–78

  49

  100

  89

  12

  1978–79

  55

  80

  58

  5

  1979–80

  71

  100

  125

  8

  1980–81

  58

  98

  80

  18

  1981–82

  47

  98

  93

  11

  1982–83

  48

  85

  81

  12

  1983–84

  60

  100

  118

  11

  1984–85

  56

  96

  98

  21

  1985–86

  51

  96

  114

  18

  1986–87

  39

  92

  85

  18

  1987–88 to date

  43

  n/a

  88

  n/a

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, if he will publish in the Official Report a list of private Members' Bills which were introduced (a) under Standing Order 58, (b) under the ten-minute rule, and (c) ballot Bills, which received the Royal Assent in each session since 1958.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is as follows:

  A. Private Members' Bills introduced under S.O. 58 receiving Royal Assent

  1958–59

  Agricultural Improvement Grants

  Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene and other Charities (Newcastle upon Tyne) Charity

  Hospital of St. Nicholas (Salisbury) Charity

  Jesus Hospital (Rothwell) Charity

  Poor's Coal Charity (Wavendon) Charity

  Small Lotteries and Gaming Act 1956 (Amendment) Solicitors (Amendment) [Lords]

  Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment)

  1959–60

  Bromley College and other Charities

  Chipping Sodbury Town Trust

  Game Laws (Amendment)

  House of Commons Members' Fund

  Marriage (Enabling) [Lords]

  Pawnbrokers

  United Charities of Nathaniel Waterhouse, and other Charities (Halifax)

  1960–61

  Banisters (Qualification for Office)

  Court of Chancery of Lancaster (Amendment)

  Credit-Sale Agreements (Scotland)

  Nurses (Amendment)

  Oaths Act 1888 (Amendment)

  Private Street Works

  Public Authorities (Allowances)

  Small Estates (Representation)

  1961–62

  Animals (Cruel Poisons) [Lords]

  British Museum [Lords]

  Drainage Rates

  714

  House of Commons Members' Fund

  Law Reform (Damages and Solatium) (Scotland)

  Law Reform (Husband and Wife)

  Marriage (Wales and Monmouthshire)

  Recorded Delivery Service

  1962–63

  Dog Racing (Betting Days)

  Drainage Rates

  Performers' Protection [Lords]

  Public Lavatories (Turnstiles)

  Stock Transfer [Lords]

  1963–64

  Animals (Restriction of Importation)

  British Nationality (No. 2)

  Burgh Police (Amendment) (Scotland)

  Dangerous Drugs

  Divorce (Scotland) [Lords]

  Elections (Welsh Forms)

  Episcopal Church (Scotland) [Lords]

  Films [Lords]

  Fireworks

  Hairdressers (Registration)

  Married Women's Property [Lords]

  National Health Service (Hospital Boards)

  New Forest [Lords]

  Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment)

  Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) [Lords]

  Road Traffic

  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1923 (Amendment)

  Trustee Savings Banks [Lords]

  1964–65

  British Nationality

  Criminal Justice

  Criminal Procedure (Attendance of Witnesses)

  Criminal Procedure (Scotland)

  Justices of the Peace [Lords]

  Local Government (Scotland)Act 1947 (Amendment) (No. 2)

  Lost Property (Scotland)

  Merchant Shipping

  Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty)

  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries [Lords]

  Solicitors [Lords]

  Solicitors (Scotland) [Lords]

  1965–66

  None

  1966–67

  Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) [Lords]

  Land Registration [Lords]

  Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod

  Matrimonial Homes [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping

  Protection of Birds [Lords]

  Refreshment Houses [Lords]

  Slaughter of Poultry

  1967–68

  Sale of Venison (Scotland) (No. 2)

  Wills

  1968–69

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) [Lords]

  Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance)

  Public Health (Recurring Nuisances)

  Sharing of Church Buildings [Lords]

  1969–70

  Education (School Milk)

  Food and Drugs (Milk)

  Game [Lords]

  Indecent Advertisements (Amendment) [Lords]

  Marriage (Registrar General's Licence)

  New Forest [Lords]

  Proceedings against Estates [Lords]

  Riding Establishments [Lords]

  Road Traffic (Disqualification)

  715
  1970–71

  Carriage of Goods by Sea

  Powers of Attorney

  Welsh National Opera Company

  1971–72

  Affiliated Proceedings (Amendment) (No. 2)

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Scotland)

  Civil Evidence

  Harbours, Piers and Ferries (Scotland) [Lords]

  National Health Service (Family Planning) Amendment

  Performers' Protection [Lords]

  Police

  Social Work (Scotland) [Lords]

  Sunday Cinema [Lords]

  Sunday Theatre (No. 2) [Lords]

  1972–73

  Badgers [Lords]

  Dentists (Amendment)

  Gaming (Amendment)

  Rate Rebate

  Sea Fisheries (Shellfish)

  Succession (Scotland) [Lords]

  1973–74

  None

  1974

  Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office and Discharge of Ecclesiastical Functions) [Lords]

  Mines (Working Facilities and Support)

  Parks Regulation (Amendment) [Lords]

  1974–75

  Guard Dogs

  Hearing Aid Council (Extension)

  1975–76

  Licensing (Amendment) [Lords]

  Motor-Cycle Crash-Helmets (Religious Exemption)

  Protection of Birds (Amendment)

  Solicitors (Scotland) [Lords]

  1976–77

  Farriers Registration (Amendment) [Lords]

  Licensing (Amendment)

  Presumption of Death (Scotland)

  Roe Deer (Close Seasons)

  Unfair Contract Terms

  1977–78

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland)

  Education (Northern Ireland) [Lords]

  Import of Live Fish (Scotland) [Lords]

  Industrial and Provident Societies [Lords]

  Theatres Trust (Scotland)

  1978–79

  Confirmation to Small Estates (Scotland)

  Criminal Evidence [Lords]

  Films

  1979–80

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) [Lords]

  Gaming (Amendment) [Lords]

  Import of Live Fish (England and Wales)

  Licensing (Amendment) (No. 2)

  Representation of the People

  1980–81

  Countryside (Scotland)

  Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) [Lords]

  Food and Drugs (Amendment)

  Forgery and Counterfeiting [Lords]

  Licensing (Amendment) [Lords]

  Matrimonial Homes and Property [Lords]

  1981–82

  Copyright Act 1956 (Amendment) [Lords]

  Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) [Lords]

  Firearms

  716
  1982–83

  British Nationality (Falkland Islands) [Lords]

  Coroners' Juries

  National Audit

  Pet Animals Act 1951 (Amendment) [Lords]

  1983–84

  Education (Amendment) (Scotland) [Lords]

  Law Reform (Husband and Wife) (Scotland)

  Lotteries (Amendment) [Lords]

  1984–85

  Agricultural Training Board

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) [Lords]

  Charities [Lords]

  Dangerous Vessels [Lords]

  Hill Farming

  Licensing (Amendment) [Lords]

  Prohibition of Female Circumcision

  Wildlife and Countryside (Service of Notices)

  1985–86

  Forestry

  Gaming (Amendment)

  Health Service Joint Consultative Committees (Access to Information)

  Highways (Amendment)

  Incest and Related Offences (Scotland) [Lords]

  Law Reform (Parent and Child) (Scotland)

  Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) [Lords]

  Marriage (Wales)

  Prevention of Oil Pollution [Lords]

  Protection of Children (Tobacco)

  1986–87

  Animals (Scotland) [Lords]

  Billiards (Abolition of Restrictions) [Lords]

  Deer

  Gaming (Amendment) [Lords]

  Licensing (Restaurant Meals) [Lords]

  Prescription (Scotland)

  Protection of Animals (Penalties)

  Register of Sasines (Scotland)

  Registered Establishments (Scotland)

  1987–88 to date

  Land Registration [Lords]

  B. Private Members' Bills introduced under the Ten Minute Rule receiving Royal Assent

  1958–59

  Eisteddfod

  Housing (Underground Rooms)

  Obscene Publications

  Police Federation

  Restriction of Offensive Weapons

  1959–60

  Adoption

  Oil Burners (Standards)

  1960–61

  Companies (Floating Charges) (Scotland)

  Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 (Amendment)

  1961–62

  Penalties for Drunkenness

  1962–63

  None

  1963–64

  Law of Property (Joint Tenants)

  Local Government (Development and Finance) (Scotland)

  New Towns (No. 2)

  Young Persons (Employment)

  1964–65

  Shops (Early Closing Days)
  717
  1965–66

  None

  1966–67

  Farm and Garden Chemicals

  Private Places of Entertainment (Licensing)

  Sexual Offences (No. 2)

  Vessels Protection

  1967–68

  Design Copyright

  Hearing Aid Council

  Highlands and Islands Development (Scotland)

  1968–69

  Architects Registration (Amendment)

  Licensing (Scotland)

  National Mod (Scotland)

  Tattooing of Minors

  1969–70

  Trees

  1970–71 and 1971–72 None

  1972–73

  Breeding of Dogs

  London Cab Reform

  1973–74 to 1979–80 None

  1980–81

  Transport Act 1962 (Amended)

  1981–82

  None

  1982–83

  Solvent Abuse (Scotland)

  1983–84

  None

  1984–85

  Rent (Amendment)

  Town and Country Planning (Amendment)

  1985–86

  None

  1986–87

  None

  1987–88 to date

  None

  C. Ballot Bills receiving Royal Assent

  1958–59

  Criminal Justice Administration (Amendment)

  Family Allowances and National Insurance

  Fatal Accidents

  Intestate Husbands' Estate (Scotland)

  Landlord and Tenant (Furniture and Fittings)

  Legitimacy

  1959–60

  Abandonment of Animals

  Clean Rivers (Estuaries and Tidal Waters)

  Corporate Bodies Contracts

  First Offenders (Scotland)

  Noise Abatement

  Offices

  Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings)

  Road Traffic (Amendment)

  Road Traffic (Driving of Motor Cycles)

  Wages Arrestment Limitation (Amendment) (Scotland)

  1960–61

  Carriage by Air

  718

  Consumer Protection

  Highways (Miscellaneous Provisions)

  Home Safety

  Industrial and Provident Societies

  Mock Auctions

  Police Federation

  Printer's Imprint

  Rivers (Prevention of Pollution)

  Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage

  1961–62

  Agriculture and Forestry Associations

  Air Guns and Shot Guns etc

  Carriage by Air (Supplementary Provisions)

  Coal Consumers' Councils (Northern Irish Interests)

  Landlord and Tenant

  Local Authorities (Historic Buildings)

  Local Government (Records)

  Lotteries and Gaming

  National Assistance Act 1948 (Amendment)

  Police Federations

  Shops (Airports)

  1962–63

  Animal Boarding Establishments

  Corn Rents

  Deer

  Forestry (Sale of Land) (Scotland)

  Limitation

  Local Authorities (Land)

  Local Government (Financial Provisions)

  Matrimonial Causes and Reconciliation

  Nursing Homes

  Oaths and Evidence (Overseas Authorities) and Countries

  Oil in Navigable Waters

  Sheriff Courts (Civil Jurisdiction and Procedure) (Scotland)

  Wills

  1963–64

  Adoption

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Amusements with Prizes)

  Criminal Procedure (Right of Reply)

  Local Government (Pecuniary Interests)

  Merchant Shipping

  Nurses

  Protection of Birds Act 1954 (Amendment)

  Riding Establishments

  Scrap Metal Dealers

  Trade Union (Amalgamations etc)

  Trading Stamps

  Universities and College Estates

  1964–65

  Administration of Estates (Small Payments)

  Carriage of Goods by Road

  Highways (Amendment)

  Public Health (Notification of Births)

  1965–66

  None

  1966–67

  Abortion

  Antarctic Treaty

  Civic Amenities

  Industrial and Provident Societies

  Licensing (Amendment)

  Licensing (Certificates in Suspense) (Scotland)

  National Health Service (Family Planning)

  National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Amendment)

  Road Traffic (Amendment)

  Road Traffic (Driving Instruction)

  Teachers of Nursing

  Tokyo Convention

  1967–68

  Adoption

  Caravan Sites

  Clean Air

  Domestic and Appellate Proceedings (Restriction of

  719
  Publicity)

  Friendly and Industrial and Provident Societies

  Local Authorities' Mutual Investment Trust

  Maintenance Orders

  Theatres

  1968–69

  Auctions (Bidding Agreements)

  Divorce Reform

  Employers' Liability (Defective Equipment)

  Ponies

  1969–70

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons

  Conservation of Seals

  Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions)

  Local Government (Footpaths and Open Spaces) (Scotland)

  Parish Councils and Burial Authorities (Miscellaneous Authorities)

  1970–71

  Administration of Estates

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment)

  Consumer Protection

  Dangerous Litter

  Interest on Damages (Scotland)

  Law Reform Miscellaneous Provisions

  Motor Vehicles (Passenger Insurance)

  Nullity of Marriage

  Unsolicited Goods and Services

  1971–72

  Carriage by Railway

  Defective Premises

  Matrimonial Proceedings (Polygamous Marriages)

  National Insurance (Amendment)

  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries

  Trade Descriptions

  Trading Representations (Disabled Persons) (Amendment)

  1972–73

  Domicile and Matrimonial Proceedings

  Employment Agencies

  Employment of Children

  Hallmarking

  Heavy Commercial Vehicles (Control and Regulations)

  Law Reform (Diligence) (Scotland)

  Protection of Wrecks

  1973–74

  None

  1974

  Carriage of Passengers by Road

  Education (Mentally Handicapped Children) (Scotland)

  Rehabilitation of Offenders

  Town and Country Amenities

  1974–75

  Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants

  Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions)

  Farriers (Registration)

  International Road Haulage Permits

  Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses)

  Mental Health (Amendment)

  Mobile Homes

  Unsolicited Goods and Services (Amendment)

  1975–76

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Amendment) (No. 2)

  Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability)

  Dangerous Wild Animals

  Divorce (Scotland) (No. 2)

  Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings

  Explosives (Age of Purchase &c.)

  Food and Drugs (Control of Food Premises)

  Industrial Common Ownership

  Representation of the People (Armed Forces)

  720

  Sexual Offences (Amendment)

  Stock Exchange (Completion of Bargains)

  Theatres Trust

  1976–77

  Control of Food Premises (Scotland)

  Housing (Homeless Persons)

  Insurance Brokers (Registration)

  Minibus

  Rentcharges

  Town and Country Planning (Amendment)

  1977–78

  Civil Liability (Contribution)

  Consumer Safety

  Internationally Protected Persons

  Local Government

  Protection of Children

  Rating (Disabled Persons)

  1978–79

  None

  1979–80

  Concessionary Travel for Handicapped Persons (Scotland)

  Coroners

  Deer

  Licensed Premises (Exclusion of Certain Persons)

  Married Women's Policies of Assurance (Scotland) (Amendment)

  1980–81

  Disabled Persons (No. 2)

  Horserace Betting Levy

  Indecent Displays (Control)

  Industrial Diseases (Notification)

  Licensing (Alcohol Education and Research)

  Local Government and Planning (Amendment)

  Zoo Licensing (No. 2)

  1981–82

  Children's Homes

  Cinematograph (Amendment)

  Food and Drugs (Amendment)

  Forfeiture

  Gaming (Amendment)

  Planning Inquiries (Attendance of Public)

  Supply of Goods and Services

  1982–83

  Copyright (Amendment)

  Diseases of Fish

  Level Crossings

  Licensing (Occasional Permissions)

  Road Traffic (Driving Licences)

  1983–84

  Agriculture (Amendment)

  Anatomy

  Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Amendment) (No. 2)

  Child Abduction

  Cycle Tracks

  Juries (Disqualification)

  Prescription and Limitation (Scotland)

  Road Traffic (Driving Instruction)

  Trade Marks (Amendment)

  Video Recordings

  1984–85

  Charter Trustees

  Controlled Drug (Penalties)

  Copyright (Computer Software) (Amendment)

  Gaming (Bingo)

  Hospitals Complaints Procedure

  Intoxicating Substances (Supply)

  Local Government (Access to Information)

  Motor-Cycle Crash Helmets (Restriction of Liability)

  Road Traffic (Production of Documents)

  Sexual Offences

  Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment)

  721
  1985–86

  Children and Young Persons (Amendment)

  Civil Protection in Peacetime

  Consumer Safety (Amendment)

  Corneal Tissue

  Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation)

  Drainage Rates (Disabled Persons)

  Horticultural Produce

  Industrial Training

  Protection of Military Remains

  Road Traffic Regulation (Parking)

  Safety at Sea

  1986–87

  Access to Personal Files

  Agricultural Training Board

  AIDS Control

  Crossbows

  Crown Proceedings (Armed Forces)

  Motorcycle Noise

  1987–88 to date

  None

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list those Bills which completed all stages in one sitting for each session since 1958, together with the dates of the sitting.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is as follows:

  Presentation, First Reading to Third Reading
  Session 1971–72

  23rd February 1972

  Northern Ireland Bill

  Session 1973–74

  7th February 1974

  Appropriation Bill

  Session 1978–79

  3rd April 1979

  Finance Bill

  Session 1979–80

  28th October 1980

  Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Bill

SCOTLAND

  Elsie Inglis Maternity Hospital
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in connection with Lothian health board's proposal to close the Elsie Inglis maternity hospital in Edinburgh.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a total of around 330 letters from MPs, individuals and groups.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to make his decision on the proposal by Lothian health board to close the Elsie Inglis maternity hospital in Edinburgh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has today approved a restructuring of obstetric services in Lothian, which means the closure from 1 August 1988 of the Elsie Inglis memorial maternity hospital. He took particular account of the fact that there has been an oversupply and underuse of obstetric beds in Lothian for a number of years and, without change, this would be even worse from 1 August when a consultant-led obstetric 722
  service will be available for the first time at Borders general hospital. He also took account of the fact that the board's proposals have the support of its professional advisory committees and that the resources released will be fully available to permit the board to develop and improve services within its area.

  Legal Aid
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has made arrangements to deal with cases where, in terms of section 18 of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986, the court may not modify the loser's expenses in a civil action in which both parties are assisted persons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This unintended consequence of section 18 will be remedied by the provisions of schedule 4 to the Legal Aid Bill. I have authorised the Scottish Legal Aid Board to deal by write off with cases which arise before the Bill comes into force. In effect, the expenses of losing assisted persons will be borne by the Scottish legal aid fund exactly as if the court had modified them.

  Hospital Patients
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have spent more than three months in hospital in(a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 May 1988]: Detailed information including length of stay is held centrally only for NHS hospitals. Corresponding information is not held for private hospitals. Readily available information relates not to individual patients but to discharges (including deaths) of patients from hospital after separate episodes of care. The same patient may therefore be counted more than once. The information in the table relates to the number of discharges of patients after a stay of more than three months from all NHS hospitals, except maternity hospitals, in eayc country and in each calendar year. It does not include people who spent more than three months in hospital and who were still in hospital at the end of the year because information held centrally is incomplete. Many long-stay patients are therefore excluded.

  Scotland

  England1

  Wales

  Northern2Ireland

  1979

  10,321

  93,700

  5,288

  3,070

  1980

  9,105

  88,823

  5,433

  2,600

  1981

  9,656

  87,599

  5,331

  2,990

  1982

  9,775

  87,560

  5,167

  3,560

  1983

  10,193

  86,540

  5,062

  3,380

  1984

  9,863

  87,460

  5,323

  3,190

  1985

  10,299

  84,830

  5,257

  2,700

  1986

  9,828

  n.a.

  4,974

  3,330

  1 The non-psychiatric component is estimated from a 10 per cent, sample of discharge records.

  2 Excludes discharges from mental handicap hospitals.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average cost per kilowatt hour of electricity generation from(a) the North of Scotland Hydro-Electricity Board and (b) the South of Scotland Electricity Board.
  723
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: The average cost of generation, including electricity derived from interchange and purchases, borne by both Scottish electricity boards under their joint generating agreement in 1986–87 was 1·97p per kilowatt hour. An analysis of the boards' costs is contained in their annual reports for 1986–87, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's budget devoted to promoting increased take-up of means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department's planned budget for publicising social security is £14 million for 1988–89.

  Slimming Products (Safety)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report of the advisory committee into the safety of slimming products will be available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Guar gum and glucomannan are widely used as stabilisers in food and are approved for such use under regulations. It is the level of these substances in certain slimming products which has created some concern.

  Owner occupiers in receipt of Supplementary Benefit (Great Britain)

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  11985

  1986

  31987

  1. Number of owner occupiers on Supplementary Benefit receiving help with mortgage interest (000s)

  196

  235

  242

  277

  —

  356

  334

  2. Total amount included in benefit assessments for help with mortgage interest (£ million)

  2124

  2170

  152

  219

  —

  351

  335

  3. Average weekly amount included in individual assessments (£)

  12·18

  13·87

  12·12

  15·18

  —

  18·96

  19·31

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  1 No figures available for 1985.

  2 Data collected on a different basis and not directly comparable.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon of 19 May,Official Report, column 559, why no meetings have been held with representatives of local authorities on the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 since October 1987.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 7 June at column 573.

  Total expenditure on salaries and wages—Nurses and midwives

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Mersey Region

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  Chester

  12,102

  Nil

  12,823

  Nil

  13,529

  Nil

  14,301

  Nil

  15,451

  Nil

  Crewe

  11,339

  Nil

  11,977

  Nil

  13,033

  0·01

  14,095

  0·03

  15,201

  0·22

  Halton

  3,347

  Nil

  3,468

  0·12

  3,627

  0·28

  4,850

  0·79

  5,713

  1·96

  Macclesfield

  11,148

  0·01

  11,765

  —

  12,459

  0·08

  12,969

  0·05

  13,970

  0·36

  Warrington

  14,920

  Nil

  16,275

  Nil

  17,374

  Nil

  18,629

  Nil

  20,291

  Nil

  Liverpool

  36,143

  0·19

  36,535

  0·32

  38,170

  1·09

  40,335

  1·06

  44,577

  1·24

  St. Helens & Knowsley

  18,557

  Nil

  19,309

  Nil

  20,683

  Nil

  21,902

  Nil

  23,751

  Nil

  724
  We are seeking expert advice on the potential risks associated with taking these products and expect to obtain that in July. However, if the advice is to cast doubt on the safety of the products we shall then need to consider what action can be taken to control them, without affecting the proper use of these substances as stabilisers in food.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ambulance service vehicles in England and Wales are used as emergency ambulances; and what proportion are equipped with cardiac defibrillators.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information is not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of providing supplementary benefit to assist with mortgage interest and/or ground rent; what were the numbers of claimants and the average weekly payments for the years 1979 to 1988; and what is the estimate for the current year for the present system of support.

  Mr. Portillo
  The available figures are shown in the table. Information specifically on assistance with ground rent is not collected centrally nor, prior to 1981, was information on mortgage interest. No specific estimate has been made of expenditure on these items in the current year.

  Nurses
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of nurses employed by each district health authority in the Mersey region in each of the last five years, showing what percentage of the cost resulted from the employment of agency nurses in each case.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested for the latest available five-year period is shown in the table:
  725

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Mersey Region

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  £ thousand

  Non-NHS per cent.

  Southport & Formby

  8,410

  0·06

  8,605

  0·01

  8,992

  0·08

  9,432

  0·03

  10,279

  0·08

  South Sefton

  15,005

  0·07

  15,323

  Nil

  16,108

  Nil

  17,118

  Nil

  18,621

  —

  Wirral

  20,499

  Nil

  20,505

  Nil

  21,178

  Nil

  22,164

  Nil

  24,133

  Nil

  Districts Total

  151,470

  0·06

  156,585

  0·08

  165,153

  0·27

  175,795

  0·27

  191,987

  0·39

  Mersey RHA

  408

  1·64

  459

  1·19

  481

  0·89

  537

  1·53

  597

  0·82

  Region Total

  151,878

  0·06

  157,044

  0·08

  165,634

  0·27

  176,332

  0·28

  192,584

  0·39

  Note:The percentage figures show the proportion of total expenditure attributable to the employment of non-National Health Service (agency, etc.) nursing and midwifery staff. Insignificant percentage figures (ie less than 0·005 per cent.) have been indicated by the use of a dash (—).

  Source:Annual accounts submitted to the Department by the health authorities comprising the Mersey region.

  Community Care
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the recent statements of the Health Service Commissioner on the issue of community care for mentally handicapped people.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Health Service Commissioner has investigated a number of complaints relating to community care for mentally handicapped people. We are studying the published reports of these cases and will be considering whether any advice needs to be given to health authorities in the light of them.

  Maternity Payments
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women claimed maternity grants in the last year of availability in Kensington; and how many have received social fund maternity payments in the first years of availability.

  Mr. Portillo
  A total of 726 claims for non-contributory maternity grants were made from 7 April 1986 to 5 April 1987 in the Kensington DHSS local office area. 202 awards for social fund maternity payments were made from 6 April 1987 to 10 April 1988.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when information on the first month's operation of the social fund is to be placed in the Library; if he will list the type of information about the social fund to be placed in the Library monthly; if he intends to issue monthly releases to the media to coincide with the placing of information in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  As I explained in a letter to the hon. Member on 26 May, data for the first month of operation of the social fund have been delayed due to technical problems. These should be resolved shortly. I have arranged for data for May to be placed in the Library next week, as these have not been affected by the same problems. Details of the monthly publication of data on the operation of the social fund were announced in my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 6 May at column 656. Press inquiries for data will be met by the Department in the normal way.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the latest figures from the quarterly statistical inquiry showing the number of people in receipt of supplementary benefit and the numbers dependent on supplementary benefit.

  Mr. Portillo
  In November 1987, the latest date for which information is available, 4·85 million people were in receipt of supplementary benefit; and 8 million were dependent on that benefit.

  St. Peter's Hospital, London
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to intervene to prevent the closure of national referral centres, with particular reference to St. Peter's hospital, Henrietta street, London WC2; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  When there is a proposal for a closure or substantial change of use of a Health Service building, there is a clear procedure set out in HSC (IS) 207, a copy of which is in the Library. This requires health authorities to consult on any such proposal which may then be referred for a final decision to the Secretary of State if the relevant community health council objects to the proposal, but the proposal is supported by the regional health authority.

  The relocation of St. Peter's hospital has been agreed by the community health council concerned and it would not therefore be appropriate for Ministers to intervene formally. We have nevertheless asked Bloomsbury health authority to ensure that the detailed plans for the relocation are feasible and that the future role of the St. Peter's group of hospitals as a national centre of excellence in urology and nephrology is safeguarded.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether proceeds from the proposed sale of St. Peter's hospital, Henrietta street, London WC2, will revert to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  No. The receipts of such a sale would be received by the relevant health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of North East Thames regional health authority for further details.

  Low Income (Scotland)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish for Scotland tables for 1985 on low-income families.
  727
  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 27 May 1988 at columns 413–14.

  Health Service Closures
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of(a) hospitals, (b) antenatal clinics, (c) casualty wards and (d) geriatric units that have been closed since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is important to note that closures may be offset or balanced by openings or reprovision elsewhere. The number of units or facilities approved for closure between 1979 and end 1986 is as follows:

  Number

  (a)

  hospitals/units—total closure

  316

  (b)

  maternity units

  67

  (c)

  casualty wards

  Not known

  (d)

  geriatric units

  89

  The number of antenatel clinics within the maternity units at (b) is not known.

  We expect figures for the year 1987 to be available in the near future.

  Student Support
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the terms of reference of the committee reviewing student support; and what interim proposals he has in relation to the increasing use by students of the social security system.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are no plans to alter the social security entitlement of students in advance of any changes which may be proposed by the student support review, chaired by the Department of Education and Science, the terms of reference of which are:"To review the present arrangements for the financial support of students studying at first degree level or equivalent in Great Britain and to consider the future basis for such support, having regard to:

  (i) the situation and the maintenance needs of students, and the extent to which it is appropriate that those needs should be supported from public funds;

  (ii) other actual and possible sources of support which would allow the removal of students from the social security system—including the case for a system involving loans as well as grants, and the contribution of sponsorship to the needs of students on vocationally orientated courses;

  (iii) the Government's stated policies for higher education and access to it; and

  (iv) arrangements made in other countries with developed systems for the financial support of students."

  Benefit Disqualification
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to review the operation of the current benefit disqualification rules.

  Mr. Portillo
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the rules governing disqualification for unemployment benefit for voluntary unemployment. There are no plans to change those rules or their operation.

  Baby Milk (Free Samples)
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will implement the recommendation in 728
  the COMA report entitled "Present-day Practice in Infant Feeding", that free samples of baby milk should not be allowed in hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  Yes. In 1981 the World Health Organisation issued a code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes (the WHO Code) and the report from the chief medical officer's committee on medical aspects of food policy "Present-day practice in Infant Feeding: Third Report" was published in January 1988. Both recommended that samples of baby milks should not be given to mothers.

  I have discussed this with the Infant and Dietetic Foods Association of the Food and Drink Federation, previously known as the Food Manufacturers' Federation. At the Government's request the industry has agreed the time is right to discontinue manufacturers' provision to hospitals of free samples and subsidised supplies of baby milks. This change would fully meet, within the United Kingdom, the World Health Assembly's more recent 1986 resolution that Governments should not allow free and subsidised supplies of breast milk substitutes in maternity wards and hospitals. We expect this change to be implemented fully by the end of 1988.

  We also agreed that the two instruments for securing within the United Kingdom the aim and principles of the WHO code, health circular HC(83)13 and the FMF code of practice for the marketing of infant formulae in the United Kingdom (the FMF code) should be revised and reissued to take account of this change and in the light of experience since they came into effect in 1983. The main change in the FMF code will be to reflect the cessation of samples and subsidised supplies. We anticipate that the revised health circular and FMF code should come into effect during the autumn.

  We intend these changes to coincide with the launch in October of the breastfeeding organisations' new initiative to promote breast feeding, which we welcome. I warmly congratulate the manufacturers on their helpfulness and in particular on their pledge to assist with the new initiative, to which they generously plan to give financial support.

  Benzodiazepines
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those drug companies which supplied benzodiazepines to the National Health Service during each of the years 1978 to 1986 inclusive; and what was the amount of payments made to each of these companies.

  Mr. Newton
  [pursuant to his reply, 26 April 1988, c.130]: I regret that the list of companies provided in the previous reply was unfortunately incorrect. The correct list of companies supplying proprietary benzodiazepines to the family practitioner services in 1986 is:

  DDSA Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

  Farmitalia Ltd.

  Fisons plc

  Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

  Norgine Ltd.

  Roussel Laboratories Ltd.

  Roche Products Ltd.

  Schering Chemicals Ltd.

  Steinhard Ltd.

  Upjohn Ltd.

  Wyeth Laboratories Ltd.

TRANSPORT

  Allerton Park, Knaresborough
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report from the inspectors on the public inquiry held to consider the proposals for ingress to and egress from Allerton park, Knaresborough, from the A1.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The inspector has reported on proposals to improve the adjacent section of the A1. The report is being considered jointly by the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment.

  Birmingham International Airport
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near misses have been reported, in the current year to date, involving aircraft flying to from Birmingham international airport; and how many are still under investigation.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Civil Aviation Authority has said that one such airmiss has been reported this year and is under investigation.

  Air Traffic Controllers
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many air traffic controllers are currently under technical suspension as a result of airmisses between aircraft over United Kingdom territory.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This is a matter for the management of the National Air Traffic Services.

  Settle Bypass
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of the Settle bypass currently under construction; and when completion will take place.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The land and works for the A65 Settle and Giggleswick bypass are estimated to cost £8·6 million. It is planned for completion by the end of the year.

  Civil Aviation
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to give the Civil Aviation Authority additional powers to alter the structure of civil aviation in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have no plans at present to seek additional powers. The existing statutory framework has proved sufficiently flexible and adaptable to allow the competitive development of airline services.

  Air Traffic Controllers (Industrial Action)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of inconvenience to British air passengers travelling to and from European destinations as a result of industrial action by air traffic controllers in various countries; and if he will initiate discussions with Transport Ministers in other European Community countries with a view to establishing employment agreements which prohibit such industrial action.
  730
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is kept informed of serious air traffic delays by the Civil Aviation Authority, and by airlines and others in the industry. Delays occur for a variety of reasons. My right hon. Friend does not believe the initiative proposed by my hon. Friend would be a productive or appropriate one at this juncture.

  LRT (Chairman)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the chairman of London Regional Transport refusing to accept the latter's resignation after the King's Cross underground fire.

  Mr. Channon
  I am not prepared to make available correspondence conducted on a personal basis.

  Railway Closures
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a table showing since 1979 how many(a) railway stations have been closed, (b) miles of railway line have been taken out of use, (c) stations have ceased to be served on Sundays and (d) stations are no longer staffed at any time.

  Mr. Mitchell
  The table lists the number of railway stations and route miles of railway line closed to passengers each year since 1979.

  Station

  Routes miles of line closed

  1979

  —

  —

  1980

  —

  —

  1981

  2

  0·75

  1982

  —

  27·25

  1983

  14

  36·75

  1984

  2

  —

  1985

  8

  8·75

  1986

  5

  2·5

  1987

  1

  33·75

  This total of 32 stations closed should be seen in the context of 88 stations opened or reopened since 1980 (including 16 in Scotland) to give a net increase in stations opened of 56.

  Sunday services and the destaffing of stations are management matters for British Rail.

  LRT (Signalling)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number of signal failures on London Regional Transport and the capital expenditure at constant prices by London Regional Transport on signalling equipment for each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The incidence of routine signal failure is not reportable to my Department. That and the implications for expenditure on routine maintenance and ongoing renewal are matters for the operator.

ENVIRONMENT

  Planning Refusal (Dartford)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he turned down a planning application
  731
  at Dartford to develop 1,000 acres for houses, jobs and leisure; and what representations were received from the local community.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend refused planning permission for this development for the reasons contained in the decision letter dated 24 May. I am today sending my hon. Friend a copy of that letter together with a copy of the inspector's report. The report summarises the representations received both in favour of and in opposition to the proposals.

  Housing Land (London)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to make more land available for housing in London, so as to offer Londoners the opportunity to remain in London.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Secretary of State's strategic guidance will include guidance on the provision each borough should make in its unitary development plan to meet London's expected overall requirement for new housing in the 1990s. The guidance will be issued, following consultation, early next year.

  In addition, we are appointing consultants to conduct a major study of the potential of five areas of east London for housing, mainly for middle and low-income groups.

  We are maintaining the pressure on all public landowners to release their underused land for development. Since the land registers were introduced in 1981, some 4,700 acres of such land in London has been brought hack into use, much of it for housing.

  European Directives and Regulations
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the list of directives and regulations with their subject matter relating to his Department that have been agreed by the European Economic Community Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A list of over 200 environmental measures, including regulations and directives, is given in "EEC Environment Policy and Britain" by Nigel Haigh: The second edition of this useful reference work was commissioned by the Department of the Environment as a contribution to European Year of the Environment. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House. The measures listed are all of interest to this Department although in a number of cases primary responsibility lies in other Departments. Since the second edition was prepared the following measures have been adopted by the Council of Ministers.Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2242/87 on action by the Community relating to the environment (OJ L207, 29 July 1987)
  Council Directive 87/405/EEC amending Directive 84/534/ EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the permissable sound power level of tower cranes (OJ L220, 8 August 1987)
  Council Directive 87/416/EEC amending Directive 85/210/ EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the lead content of petrol (OJ L225, 13 August 1987)
  Council Directive 87/432/EEC on the eighth adaptation to technical progress of Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances (OJ L239, 21 August 1987) Commission Directive 87/477/EEC amending for the third
  732
  time the Annex to Council Directive 79/117/EEC prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances (OJ L273, 26 September 1987)
  Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3143/87 amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 on the implementation in the Community of the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (OJ L299, 22 October 1987)
  Council Directive 88/76/EEC amending Directive '70/220/ EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by gases from the engines of motor vehicles (OJ L36, 9 February 1988) Council Directive 88/77/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles (OJ L36, 9 February 1988)
  Council Directive 88/180/EEC amending Directive 84/538/ EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the permissible sound power level of lawnmowers (OJ L81, 26 March 1988)
  Council Directive 88/181/EEC amending Directive 84/538/ EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the permissible sound power level of lawnmowers (OJ L81, 26 March 1988)
  Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 869/88 replacing Annex B to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3626/82 on the implementation in the Community of the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (OJ L87, 31 March 1988).
  Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1094/88 amending Regulations (EEC) No. 797/85 and (EEC) No. 1760/87 as regards the set-aside of arable land and the extensification and conversion of production (OJ L106, 27 April 1988).
  Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1272/88 laying down detailed rules for applying the set-aside incentive scheme for arable land (OJ L121, 11 May 1988).
  Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1273/88 laying down criteria for delimiting the regions or areas which may be exempted from the schemes for the set-aside of arable land, extensification and the conversion of production (OJ L121, 11 May 1988).
  Council Directive 88/298/EEC amending Annex II to Directives 76/895/EEC and 86/362/EEC relating to the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on fruit and vegetables and cereals respectively (OJ L126, 20 May 1988).
  Commission Directive 88/302/EEC adapting to technical progress for the ninth time Council Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances (OJ L133, 30 May 1988).
  Resolution of the Council of the European Communities and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council on the continuation and implementation of a European Community policy and action programme on the environment (1987–1992) (OJ C328, 7 December 1987).
  Council Resolution of 25 January 1988 on a Community action programme to combat environmental pollution by cadmium (OJ C30, 4 February 1988).

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost of providing home improvement grants and what was the number of dwellings involved, for private owner-occupiers, landlords and housing associations, private tenants and public sector tenants; what were the total costs for private owners and tenants for the years 1980 to 1987; and what is the current estimate for 1988.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Following are the estimates of the amount of home improvement grants paid and the numbers of dwellings covered by these grants, with the local authorities' expenditure on administration of home improvement and home insulation grants.
  733

  Improvement grants paid1: England

  Dwellings (thousands)

  Amount (£ million)

  Owner occupiers

  Landlords and housing associations

  Tenants (public and private)

  Owner occupiers, landlords and housing associations

  Tenants (public and private)

  Expenditure on improvement and home insulation grants administration (£ million)

  1980–81

  61·1

  10·3

  0·4

  126·0

  0·9

  n/a

  1981–82

  84·5

  12·0

  0·8

  166·1

  1·4

  n/a

  1982–83

  110·8

  18·8

  2·0

  364·1

  3·3

  33

  1983–84

  214·3

  30·3

  6·0

  778·3

  17·8

  45

  1984–85

  159·2

  31·4

  4·6

  726·3

  10·8

  41

  1985–86

  94·2

  24·9

  5·4

  451·6

  9·7

  42

  1986–87

  84·9

  19·8

  7·2

  378·4

  9·7

  42

  1987–88

  87·1

  16·5

  10·5

  361·1

  11·5

  43

  1 Improvement, conversion, repairs and intermediate grants.

  n/a—Not available.

  Local Authorities (Subsidies)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what subsidy has been paid and is estimated to be paid in respect of English local authorities for the financial years 1979–80 to 1988–89 from the Exchequer, both in total and expressed as a subsidy per dwelling for the total number of dwellings in local authority control and in respect of those authorities in receipt of subsidy;

  Main housing subsidy and rate fund contributions 1981–82 to 1987–88 local authorities in England

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Main Housing Subsidy

  Total

  881·1M

  436·8M

  346·9M

  353·9M

  486·4M

  476·5M

  464·0M

  469·4M

  Per Dwelling:

  All LAs

  163

  92

  75

  77

  107

  107

  108

  —

  LAs in Subsidy

  167

  209

  250

  263

  342

  374

  371

  —

  Negative RFCs

  Total

  -17·1M

  -22·1M

  -28·0M

  -44·2M

  -58·3M

  -101·3M

  -59·7M

  —

  Per Dwelling:

  All LAs

  -3

  -5

  -6

  -10

  -13

  -23

  -14

  —

  LAs in Subsidy

  -3

  -11

  -20

  -33

  -41

  -80

  -48

  —

  Positive RFCs

  Total

  419·6M

  432·7M

  495·2M

  432·3M

  438·4M

  378·0M

  412·6M

  —

  Per Dwelling:

  All LAs

  78

  91

  106

  94

  97

  85

  96

  —

  LAs in Subsidy

  79

  184

  309

  207

  260

  242

  262

  —

  Note: Not all local authorities in receipt of Exchequer subsidy are also making contributions from the general rate fund.

  House Building
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the level of investment in residential construction, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product, for the European and other major developed nations.

  Mr. Trippier
  International differences in housebuilding costs, population growth and internal migration affection comparisons of this kind.

  The available information given in the table is taken from the "OECD National Accounts" vol II detailed tables 1973–1985.

  Residential Construction as a Percentage of GDP in 1985

  Country

  Per cent.

  Austria

  4·6

  Belgium

  3·2

  734
  and what is the position, expressed in similar terms, for rate fund contributions, for both negative and positive contributions.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Housing subsidy up to 1980–81 was paid under a different system, so I am using 1981–82 as the first year. The information requested is shown in the tables. The rate fund contribution figures (RFCs) are net amounts. The 1987–88 and 1988–89 figures are estimates. Only a provisional housing subsidy figure is available for 1988–89 at this stage in the year.

  Country

  Per cent.

  Finland

  6·2

  France

  4·6

  Germany (Federal Republic)

  5·5

  Greece

  3·9

  Iceland

  n/a

  Ireland

  4·5 (1984)

  Italy

  4·0

  Luxembourg

  4·7 (1982)

  Netherlands

  4·6

  Norway

  4·1

  Portugal

  6·4 (1981)

  Spain

  4·6 (1984)

  Sweden

  4·1

  Switzerland

  n/a

  Turkey

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  3·5

  Yugoslavia

  n/a

  Australia

  5·2

  Canada

  5·4

  Japan

  4·9

  735

  Country

  Per cent.

  New Zealand

  4·3 (1984)

  United States (America)

  4·8

  n/a Not available

  It is estimated that the 1987 equivalent percentage for the United Kingdom is 3·7 per cent.

  Abercrombie House, East Kilbride
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy not to enter into any arrangements to sublet any part of Abercrombie house, East Kilbride.

  Mr. Chope
  No.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to ensure that residential volunteers carers who receive only a nominal subsistence allowance will he exempt from the community charge.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to what was said by my noble Friend the Minister of State during the Committee stage of the Local Government Finance Bill in another place on 24 May, at columns 814–15. The matter is currently under consideration.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of homeless households in priority need in England in each year since 1979; and if he will give this information for England as a whole and for each district council and London borough.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The estimated numbers of households accepted by local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the housing Acts, are derived from quarterly returns. The figures for England are in the table. I regret that in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the hon. Member for Redcar (Ms. Mowlam) on 18 May at column 481 the acceptance figures quoted for 1979 to 1987 were those for 1978 to 1986.

  Total acceptances

  of which priority need

  1979

  57,200

  55,030

  1980

  62,920

  60,390

  1981

  70,010

  65,530

  1982

  74,800

  69,930

  1983

  78,240

  71,590

  1984

  83,550

  76,760

  1985

  94,530

  87,540

  1986

  105,280

  96,490

  1987

  112,730

  102,440

  The readily available information on priority need acceptances by individual authorities comes from their housing investment programme returns. The figures appear in column B5 of the "HIP1 all items print" for each of the years 1981–82 to 1983–84, column B6B for 1984–85 and column C1B for 1985–86 and for 1986–87; copies of these documents are in the Library. In some cases, figures in HIP returns may differ slightly from those reported in the quarterly returns.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many landfill sites in current use exist in Warwickshire; and how many have been identified as emitting methane or carbon dioxide.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I am advised by Warwickshire county council that there are 98 landfill sites currently in use in Warwickshire, of which nine have been identified as emitting landfill gas.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations exist covering the control of landfill sites; and if he has any plans to review their working.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Landfill sites are licensed by waste disposal authorities under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Clarification of the types of activity which are and are not subject to licensing is contained in the Licensing of Waste Disposal Regulations: 1976 and 1977, which will be superseded by the Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988 in October next. We expect to announce shortly our conclusions on proposals for legislative changes to improve arrangements for waste disposal.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how often disused landfill sites are inspected and by whom; what record of such visits exists; and if the public are permitted to inspect such records.

  Mr. Moynihan
  District councils have a duty under the Public Health Act 1936 to inspect their districts from time to time for the detection of statutory nuisance which may be caused by, inter alia, any accumulation or deposit which is prejudicial to health or is a nuisance. In general, Government advice to authorities is that information collected from exercises of this kind should be made available to the public.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many explosions have occurred on or near landfill sites as a result of methane or carbon dioxide gas in each year since 1960.

  Mr. Moynihan
  This information is not held by my Department.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he plans to the laws which control special wastes and the arrangements for monitoring breaches in disposal licences.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We plan to issue a consultation paper with proposals to amend the Control of Pollution (Special Wastes) Regulations 1980 later this year. Responsibility for monitoring that conditions specified in disposal licences are complied with rests with waste disposal authorities. It is for each authority to make suitable arrangements for this.

  Palace of Westminster (Water Samples)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each of the occasions since May 1987 when each of the shower heads, water tanks central
  737
  heating and all other water tanks and systems at the Palace of Westminster were sampled; if he will publish the results; who carried out the monitoring; and whether any action has been taken.

  Date

  Location

  Reason for test

  Result

  21 May 1987

  Palace of Westminster Engineers Control

  Warm Water issuing from drinking water tap

  Sample was chemically and bacteriologically suitable for drinking.

  Problem overcome by increasing lagging in adjacent hot water pipe.

  4 February 1988

  Norman Shaw North

  Dirty Water

  Samples were chemically and bacteriologically suitable for drinking.

  Problem probably caused by work on Bridge Street site disturbing the water main.

  22 February 1988

  Sales Office and PSA Tea Point

  Complaint about skin irritation

  Water samples would not be expected to cause any skin irritation.

  10–13 May 1988

  Palace of Westminster Kitchens

  Outbreak of illness in House of Lords

  Preliminary results shows adequate chlorine levels and no colorform organisms were detected.

  Note: The samples were analysed by the laboratory of the Government Chemist.

  Water for hot water services is stored at 60°C and kept at 50°C in the distribution system. No water samples have been taken from shower heads. Nor has water quality sampling been carried out on central heating water tanks.

  The cooling towers of the air conditioning system in the Palace and the standby generator serving the underground car park are dosed to minimise microbiological contamination. The water quality is tested by an approved specialist contractor, Betz. All the tests carried out since
  738
  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 7 June 1988]: Routine testing of drinking water supplied direct from the water authority's main is not normally required. But bacteriological and chemical tests have been carried out on four occasions since May 1987 for the reasons shown in the table.

  May 1987—August and November 1987 and February and May 1988 were satisfactory. In addition, the water in the air conditioning system and boiler plant is chemically tested every month by the same company. All the results have been satisfactory since May 1987.

  Water sampling is undertaken in accordance with a PSA technical instruction (No. 22) which incorporates the standards detailed in an EEC directive and current DHSS guidelines.