Written Answers of 17 June 1988

PRIME MINISTER

  Food Surpluses
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has responded to the petition delivered to No. 10 Downing street on 20 April requesting the fairer distribution of European Economic Community food surpluses.

  The Prime Minister
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food replied on 18 May to the petition from the Common Market fair food campaign.

  Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the written reply of 26 April,Official Report, column 96, to the hon. Member for Brent, East, on what date she wrote to the Chairman of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee.

  The Prime Minister
  I wrote the letter to which I referred on 12 March 1987.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister on what basis it was judged appropriate in her reply to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison),Official Report,6 May, columns 628–44, on Government achievements in the United Kingdom since May 1979, to incur an expenditure above the standard upper limit for resourcing answers to parliamentary questions.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 14 March 1988, at column 429. On this occasion it was decided that since the question concerned a large number of Departments it was appropriate to give a consolidated answer.

  "Strategies for Deception"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister for what reason Her Majesty's Government have intervened to halt the publication of the academic work on "Strategies for Deception" by Professor Sir Nicholas Howard, All Souls.

  The Prime Minister
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the volume in the "Official History of British Intelligence" series prepared by Professor Sir Michael Howard, Regius Professor of Modern History and Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. Publication of this volume is still under consideration. At such time as a decision is taken, I shall, of course, inform the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General what guidance the Director of Public Prosecutions gave to the City of London police on their inquiry into contacts between the two principal Crown witnesses at the recent appeal hearing relating to the Birmingham pub bombings trial.

  The Attorney-General
  The Director of Public Prosecutions passed to the City of London police the information that he had received. In all cases in which the director requests police inquiries it is for the police themselves to determine how those inquiries are conducted.

  On occasion, advice is offered to assist the police in their investigation. It is not the practice of either the director or myself to disclose whether any advice has been offered, and, if so, in what terms, in any particular case.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of value added tax refund claims under Customs and Excise notice No. 719 processed for the fiscal year 1986–87.

  Mr. Lilley
  I presume my hon. Friend refers to the fiscal year 1987–88 as my hon. Friend's question on notice No. 719 for the year 1986–87 was answered on 26 November 1987 at column 291. The number of claims processed in the fiscal year 1987–88 was 9,254.

  Business Registrations
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many businesses were registered for value added tax in the Corby district at the end of(a) 1981 and (b) 1986;

  (2) how many businesses were registered for value added tax in the East Northants district at the end of (a) 1981 and (b)

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that records are not maintained on a town or district basis. Corby and east Northants lie within the area covered by the local VAT office at Peterborough. There were 15,097 businesses registered at this office at the end of 1981 and 19,070 at the end of 1986.

  Dredging
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms were licensed to carry out industrial dredging off the United Kingdom coast in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lawson
  The number of firms to which licences have been issued by the Crown Estate Commissioners to extract sand and gravel off the United Kingdom coastline is as follows:

  Year

  Firms

  1979

  19

  1980

  20

  1981

  19

  317

  Year

  Firms

  1982

  20

  1983

  19

  1984

  19

  1985

  20

  1986

  20

  1987

  20

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms were licensed to carry out dredging off the North sea coast in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lawson
  The number of firms to which licences have been issued by the Crown Estate Commissioners to extract sand and gravel off the North sea coast is as follows:

  Year

  Firms

  1979

  9

  1980

  9

  1981

  9

  1982

  9

  1983

  8

  1984

  8

  1985

  8

  1986

  8

  1987

  8

  Inflation
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on inflationary pressures within the economy; and what action he envisages in that regard.

  Mr. Lawson
  The central objective of economic policy is the elimination of inflation.

  Life Assurance
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when, in the course of his review of the taxation of life assurance, he will be consulting the industry and other interested parties.

  Mr. Lawson
  Work done so far on the review of the taxation of life assurance has highlighted a number of unsatisfactory features. The present tax regime has built up piecemeal over many years and has proved increasingly out of line with developments. The incidence of tax between offices is very uneven; some offices pay very much less tax than might be expected given their profits and the

  Inland Revenue

  Customs and Excise

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  (1987–88 prices)

  (1987–88 prices)

  1978–79

  *

  *

  46·7

  93·9

  1979–80

  *

  *

  52·6

  91·3

  1980–81

  *

  *

  65·9

  98·4

  1981–82

  *

  *

  74·3

  99·5

  1982–83

  *

  *

  80·1

  100·1

  1983–84

  54·6

  65·2

  89·8

  107·2

  1984–85

  63·2

  71·8

  102·5

  116·5

  1985–86

  67·7

  72·6

  113·6

  121·9

  1986–87

  71·4

  74·2

  130·4

  135·6

  1987–88

  84·1

  84·1

  151·2

  151·2

  Notes:

  The inland Revenue figures relate to accounts investigation work in tax districts, investigations by specialist units and checks by the Revenue's PAYE auditors. Costs for 1982–83 and earlier years were not recorded in a way which permits extraction of the figures requested; the 1983–84
  318
  investment returns they earn for their policy holders; and in consequence the yield from the industry overall is also less than might have been expected. For many policy holders, the current rules may even so mean a higher effective burden—particularly on their capital gains—than they would face if investing in other ways. And there are many technical weaknesses and uncertainties which call into question the effectiveness of the regime.

  With my agreement the Inland Revenue is today publishing a consultative document which examines the position in detail and sets out a number of different ways in which the issues could be tackled.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth in the volume of trade, both inward and outward, between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe in the next 12 months.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: No specific forecasts of these flows are available.

  Financial Institutions (Investments)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the cost of rebasing to 1982 market value investments held by financial institutions which will not benefit from the 1982 rebasing under the capital gains tax provisions in the Finance (No. 2) Bill 1988;

  (2) if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of an indexation allowance for investments held by financial institutions which do not benefit from the capital gains tax allowance.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answers 13 June 1988]: I regret that the information needed to provide estimates for these proposals is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Tax Evasion
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department to prevent tax evasion in each year since 1979, in cash and real terms, at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 June 1988]: The estimated cost of resources devoted by the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise to preventing tax evasion was as follows:
  319
  figure is also not strictly comparable to those for later years.

  The Customs and Excise figures relate to the overall cost of VAT control officers and specialist staff employed in VAT fraud investigation. Control officers deal mainly with legitimate traders but equally have a duty to pursue VAT fraud. The 1987–88 figure is provisional.

  Civil Defence
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will identify(a) liaison arrangements between his Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation civil emergency planning boards and committees, concerning civil emergency and home defence planning, and (b) the extent of collaborative work carried out with these bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: Any matters affecting the Treasury are covered by the Home Office in its liaison role with NATO.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will identify the terms of reference of work on(a) civil emergencies and (b) home defence planning carried out in his Department, the number of staff involved and the annual budgets for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: The role of my Department in an emergency situation would be to maintain economic activity. The staff and cost implications are small and not separately identifiable within existing budgets.

TRANSPORT

  Dredging
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many vessels were operating as industrial dredgers off the coast of the United Kingdom for each of the years from 1980 to 1987;

  (2) how many vessels were operating as industrial dredgers off the North sea coast for each of the years from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information is not available within my Department. Figures from Crown Estate Commissioners, who issue licences, indicate that 55 industrial dredgers operate around the United Kingdom coast. Of these, about 20 operate off the North sea coast. A more detailed breakdown of these numbers is not available.

  Driving Tuition
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to maintain high standards of driving tuition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Good instruction is important for good driving skills and behaviour. The Department has agreed with the national instructors associations five measures to help maintain high standards in the compulsory registration system for driving instructors. They are:

  (a) introduction of "banding" into the written examination to ensure an adequate level of knowledge over the whole syllabus;

  (b) expansion of the syllabus of the written examination to include questions on the theory and practice of learning, teaching and assessment;

  320

  (c) a limit of three attempts at each of the two practical qualifying tests within a period of two years from passing the written examination:

  (d) extension of the minimum period of cancellation of tests without forfeiture of fee from three day s to 10;

  (e) targeting checks of registered instructors more effectively on those who need it.

  These measures will be introduced progressively over the next nine months.

  We are also co-operating with the national instructors associations in their development of an industry-approved register of establishments that train instructors, including the appropriate standards for instructor training courses.

  These measures are designed to maintain and improve driving standards and to reduce accidents.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Higginson Committee (Report)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the total cost of establishing, servicing, and publishing the report of the Higginson committee on the future of A-levels.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The total salary, and other non-pay costs, including travel, of establishing and servicing the Higginson committee and publishing its report on the future of A-levels was £68,234, which included £7,584 for printing.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Industrial Investment
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will estimate the amount spent per head in industrial support and investment promotion in(a) the northern region and (b) Scotland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The amount spent per head on industrial support and investment promotion as regional preferential assistance, in the most recent year for which figures are available, is as follows:

  Expenditure per head of civilian working population, 1986–87

  £

  Northern Region

  96·6

  Scotland

  99·6

  Notes:

  1. The expenditure figures are based on regional development grants, regional selective assistance (under section 7 of the Industry Act 1982), expenditure on land and factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

  2. Civilian working population comprises employees in employment, the self-employed and the unemployed.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the number of jobs created in Scotland, England and Wales as a result of investment by non-United Kingdom European Community companies since 1979.

  Mr. Atkins
  The following are the Invest in Britain Bureau (IBB) figures for the number of jobs expected to be
  321
  created or safeguarded, in the long term, by inward investment projects announced by companies from member states of the European Community, other than the United Kingdom, in each year since 1979 for England,

  The number of jobs (created or safeguarded) associated with inward investment projects announced by companies from other member states of the European Community

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Created

  Safeguarded

  Created

  Safeguarded

  Created

  Safeguarded

  1979

  2,574

  n.a.

  158

  n.a.

  0

  n.a.

  1980

  2,517

  n.a.

  405

  n.a.

  105

  n.a.

  1981

  977

  n.a.

  331

  n.a.

  17

  n.a.

  1982

  1,266

  n.a.

  152

  n.a.

  56

  n.a.

  1983

  666

  2,252

  151

  705

  255

  10

  1984

  1,302

  7,026

  459

  68

  683

  500

  1985

  2,236

  845

  743

  393

  461

  10

  1986

  3,398

  1,237

  524

  114

  431

  0

  1987

  3,483

  1,322

  336

  1,125

  510

  120

  n.a. = Not available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of public expenditure was devoted to overseas aid in 1979 and in 1987.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Gross public expenditure on overseas aid represented 1·25 per cent. of total public expenditure in 1979 and 0·90 per cent. in 1987.

ENERGY

  British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek to obtain for his departmental library the report by Large and Associates No. LA 1817/274 concerning the investigation of allegations of malpractices at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Sellafield, issued in May.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that the report to which the hon. Member refers was commissioned privately from Large and Associates by the two organisations Greenpeace and Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment (CORE). Those organisations have not sent a copy of it to my Department.

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will the final expected cost of the capping of the near-surface trenches of radioactive wastes at the Drigg dump site near Sellafield.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  B205 Reprocessing Plant
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the chief nuclear installations inspector is satisfied with the current reporting arrangements concerning the entering and leaving of the B205 reprocessing plant, in terms of the accountability of the whereabouts of workers at the plant.
  322
  Wales and Scotland. The figures are based on information provided by the companies themselves and include only those jobs associated with inward investment projects currently known to the IBB

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This matter was raised during the Health and Safety Executive's safety audit of BNFL Sellafield in 1986. BNFL subsequently introduced improvements to the health physics control arrangements at the entrance to B205. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is considering, with BNFL, the need for further improvements and is awaiting the results of an experimental system in use on a new plant on the site.

WALES

  Welsh Water Authority
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the name, age and occupation of each member of the Welsh water authority.

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

  Name

  Age (January 1988)

  Occupation

  Mr. John Elfed Jones, CBE

  55

  Chairman

  Professor Ronald Walter Edwards

  58

  Professor of Applied Ecology

  Mr. Timothy Knowles

  50

  Managing Director

  Mr. Gareth Edwards, MBE

  41

  Company Director

  Major Howard Robert Jackson

  67

  Farmer

  Councillor Sir John Cotterill

  53

  Farmer

  Councillor Graham Jones

  55

  Steel Worker

  Councillor John Thompson, JP

  56

  Farmer

  Councillor Lloyd Turnbull

  54

  Company Director

  Councillor William Elwyn Conway

  63

  Club Steward

  Miss Elizabeth Jean Muir

  40

  Marketing Consultant

  Mr. John William Ray

  55

  Managing Director

  Dr. Martin Owen

  41

  Executive Director and Group Treasurer

  Perinatal Intensive Care
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his proposals for a perinatal
  323
  intensive care service for Wales and the proposed role within that service of the Morriston hospital special care baby unit.

  Mr. Grist
  I have agreed in principle the designation of a regional perinatal intensive care centre at the University Hospital of Wales. To advise on the operational structure of the centre and its relationship with other services in Wales for new-born babies, including the need for satellite units, I am setting up an expert advisory group under the chairmanship of Professor C. E. Stroud, Professor of Child Health, King's College school of medicine and dentistry.

  DRIVE
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many projects have taken advantage of the DRIVE initiative(a) in the area convered by Mid Wales Development, and (b) in the area covered by the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  At 31 March 1988 52 projects had accepted offers of assistance from Mid Wales Development and 27 from the Welsh Development Agency.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drugs
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received for the decriminalisation of narcotic drugs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  From time to time the Home Office receives representations for the decriminalisation of certain activities relating to controlled drugs. We take the view that action on these lines would be irresponsible.

  Drugs Charges (Mr. Alan Waite and others)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the reasons for the dropping of drugs charges against Mr. Alan Waite, Mr Geoffrey Pope, Mr. Marcel Mullins, Mr. Mark Wittaker, Mr. Paul Brown and Ms. Theresa James.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, following arrests in 1984, the charges in these cases were dropped in view of doubts about the reliability of police evidence upon which the prosecutions depended.

  Drugs (Police Operations)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications for the management of police operations relating to dangerous drugs in London of the conviction of Inspector Norman McGowan and Police Constable Michael Buchanan for theft of drugs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The management of police operations is a matter for chief officers. Since the conviction of Mr. McGowan and Mr. Buchanan, the 324
  coming into force of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 has introduced new procedures for the treatment of suspects. Since then also, and following a major review of the organisation and management of the Metropolitan police, area drug squads have been established which are under the supervision of an officer whose responsibilities extend beyond drugs matters. I understand that both these changes have helped to improve the supervision and management of officers engaged in the investigation of drug-related crime.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prison population is represented by ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the records held centrally, on 31 December 1987 about 14 per cent. of the population of prison department establishments in England and Wales was from the ethnic minority communities. More detailed information, for 30 June 1987 and previous years, was published in table 6 of Home Office statistical bulletin 8/88 on "The Prison Population in 1987", copies of which are in the Library.

  Police (Vetting Powers)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide a list of the legislation and other powers under which the police claim the authority to vet members of the public; and if he will summarise the reasons why such vetting takes place.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In most cases the police do not vet members of the public. The police supply information' about an individual to other organisations which would decide in the light of this information, and any other information in their possession, whether a person was suitable for the post applied for.

  The principles governing the disclosure of police information are set out in section 17 of the consolidated circular to the police on crime and kindred matters and in Home Office circular 45/1986, copies of which are in the Library.

  Information from police records is supplied only where there are important considerations of public interest to justify departure from the general rule of confidentiality. These are, broadly speaking:

  (i) where there is a statutory obligation to provide information;

  (ii) to the courts for the administration of justice;

  (iii) to ensure probity in the administration of law;

  (iv) for the protection of vulnerable members of society; and

  (v) national security.

  Electronic Tagging
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the proposals to introduce electronic tags both for defendants on bail and as an alternative sentence to imprisonment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to introduce electronic tagging on an experimental basis for remand prisoners.
  325
  Mr. John Patten
  Letters from hon. Members and interested organisations have suggested various uses for electronic monitoring, including checking the whereabouts of people remanded on bail and as an element in non-custodial sentences. We are examining the equipment which is available.

  Drunkenness
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to control drunken behaviour amongst young people.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Government entirely accept the importance of this issue. That is one reason why we set up the ministerial group on alcohol misuse under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council. The Licensing Act 1988 tightens the offence of selling alcohol to under-age drinkers, increases the penalties for those found guilty of doing so and makes it an offence for wholesalers to sell alcohol to people under 18. We hope that these measures will increase the number of successful prosecutions for offences connected with under-age drinking.

  Action has been taken on two recent reports to the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention which made proposals for dealing with this problem. Successful pilot schemes based on the recommendations of the 1986 working group report on violence associated with licensed premises have taken place in several towns. Progress in implementing the recommendations of the 1987 working group report on young people and alcohol was reported by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 26 April at columns 85–86.

  The recent ACPO survey of disorder in non-metropolitan areas, carried out in consultation with the Home Office, confirmed the police view that much disorder is drink-related. We are considering urgently with the police the problems they have in dealing with this sort of disorder and what measures, including the wide dissemination of the results of successful crime prevention schemes, can best be taken to help the police tackle them.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the future involvement of the probation service in providing alternatives to custody for young offenders.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government would like to build on the experience of the probation service in supervising juvenile and young adult offenders in the community. We are encouraging and enabling the probation service to develop programmes for young offenders aged 17 to 20 which make them face up to the consequences of the offending behaviour, both for themselves and for their victims. We are strengthening community service orders. We want also to examine the scope for exercising more control over offenders in the community; punishing them for the harm they have done; enabling them to make recompense and helping them to tackle problems which stand in the way of their becoming law-abiding citizens. The probation service will have a central role in these 326
  developments and we are already having constructive discussions with it about our proposals which we hope to publish before long.

  Illegal Travellers' Encampments
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions he has had with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police about the use of Public Order Act powers to remove illegal travellers' encampments; and with what result;

  (2) on how many occasions Public Order Act powers have been used in the Metropolitan police area to remove illegal travellers' encampments; and in which local authority areas.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is an operational matter for the senior police officer present at the scene of an unlawful occupation to decide whether or not in all the circumstances it would be appropriate to use the power in section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986. I understand that the Metropolitan police do not collect statistics on the use of the power and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Football Hooliganism
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the possible extension of the terms of section 9 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 to cover crimes of violence committed by British citizens outside the jurisdiction as a means of combating football hooliganism by Britons abroad.

  Mr. John Patten
  I would not wish to rule out of consideration any effective means of tackling the problem of violence by British football supporters abroad. Given the evidential difficulties, however, it seems doubtful whether extraterritorial jurisdiction would in fact be an effective approach to the problem, or offer sufficient advantage to justify such a radical departure from the essentially territoral basis of our criminal law.

  Hooliganism
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable the courts in appropriate cases to withdraw, for any period to be fixed by them, the right to hold a British passport of anyone convicted of a hooligan-type offence and who, in their opinion, is likely to bring Britain into disrepute if allowed to travel abroad.

  Mr. Douglas Hurd
  As part of the measures announced by the Government on 16 June to deal with problems of football hooliganism, we shall be considering whether the courts should have powers in the longer term to impose restrictions on overseas travel following conviction for an offence.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the position of a trainee who is receiving income support on the proposed employment
  327
  training scheme, whose spouse or partner gets (a) a job for more than 24 hours a week, or (b) a job for less than 24 hours a week, during the trainee's time on the programme; whether such persons will be obliged to inform his Department of these change in circumstance; and what impact the spouse or partner's earnings will have on the trainee's training allowance.

  Mr. Nicholls
  All those in receipt of income support, including employment training participants, are obliged to inform the DHSS of any change in their, or their partner's circumstances. Income support can normally only remain payable so long as neither partner works for 24 hours a week or more. A partner's wages from part-time employment will be taken into account after allowing the appropriate earnings disregard (£5 or £15 per week). If the income support entitlement of an employment training participant is reduced, the basic training allowance payable may also be reduced to ensure an element of income support remains in payment and entitlement to "passported benefits" is safeguarded.

  YTS
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his intention to renew contracts to organisations which have failed to gain approved training organisation status in relation to YTS.

  Mr. Cope
  The Training Commission which administers YTS does not intend to renew contracts to organisations which have failed to gain approved training organisation status.

  Young People
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if organisations which have failed to meet minimum standards of the Manpower Services Commission are still being paid to offer places to young people.

  Mr. Cope
  No. All organisations providing YTS must achieve approved training organisation status. Where a YTS provider has had its application for approved training organisation status rejected, and its rights of appeal have been exercised without the rejection being reversed, the Training Commission moves to close the contract at the earliest permissible date. In these cases also steps are taken to require recruitment to cease. Where closure occurs, existing trainees are transferred to other places offering suitable training as soon as practicable. In cases where a YTS provider is in breach of contract, urgent remedies are sought under threat of contract closure, or contracts are closed immediately or with a period of notice. During closure procedure it is standard practice to require recruitment to cease.

  Scottish health boards' expenditure on mental health1

  (£'000)

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Argyll and Clyde

  17,037

  18,098

  19,173

  19,899

  21,006

  21,967

  Ayrshire and Arran

  6,636

  7,299

  8,444

  9,349

  10,284

  11,793

  Borders

  3,498

  3,897

  3,953

  4,207

  4,470

  4,616

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Warsaw Pact (Verification)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement, in the context of United Kingdom membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the offer of on-site physical verification of Warsaw pact bases, depots and troop deployments in the conventional weapon sector, with less than 12 hours' notice, made by the Soviet negotiators to the United States delegation during the recent Moscow summit.

  Mr. Mellor
  We understand that during the summit the Soviet Union proposed an exchange of data on force levels accompanied by verification through on-site inspections, as well as elimination of asymmetries. This movement towards the Western approach in the conventional arms control field is welcome. An Alliance priority now is to reach a balanced outcome in the CSCE review conference in Vienna which will allow the conventional stability talks to commence. Any agreement reached in the talks will certainly require an exchange of data, verified by on-site inspection.

  Nuclear Tests (Verification)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to resume active negotiations with the United States of America and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on verifications of nuclear tests following the joint verification plans announced by Mr. Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev at the Moscow summit.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. The United States/Soviet joint verification experiments on nuclear testing are bilateral and relate to the bilateral United States/Soviet threshold test ban treaty.

  Asia/Pacific Conference
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department received any invitation to send a representative or observer to the conference for a nuclear-free Asia/Pacific in Hong Kong on 8 to 12 June.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

SCOTLAND

  Health Boards
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the total spending on mental health for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The table shows health boards' expenditure on mental health in each year from 1981–82 to 1986–87. Information is not available for years before 1981–82.
  329

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Dumfries and Galloway

  6,798

  7,361

  8,127

  8,949

  9,146

  9,531

  Fife

  11,100

  12,320

  13,787

  15,240

  17,311

  18,727

  Forth Valley

  214,140

  215,238

  16,171

  17,055

  18,694

  21,343

  Grampian

  19,250

  20,464

  21,444

  22,816

  24,647

  25,910

  Greater Glasgow

  48,263

  50,615

  54,080

  57,562

  61,175

  64,423

  Highland

  8,451

  8,524

  9,083

  9,555

  9,877

  10,320

  Lanarkshire

  14,844

  16,067

  16,967

  19,284

  20,693

  21,842

  Lothian

  30,847

  32,651

  33,218

  34,768

  36,358

  38,938

  Orkney3

  11

  17

  17

  18

  20

  22

  Shetland

  44

  49

  52

  116

  122

  155

  Tayside

  21,698

  23,015

  24,096

  25,446

  26,452

  27,319

  Western Isles

  38

  22

  43

  49

  60

  n.a.

  Total

  2202,655

  2215,637

  228,655

  244,313

  260,315

  4276,906

  1 Mental Health covers Mental Illness, Care of the Elderly with Mental Disability, and Mental Handicap.

  2 On a different basis from later years.

  3 Excludes Care of the Elderly with Mental Disability.

  4 Excludes Western Isles.

  n.a.—Not available.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the spending on mental handicap for each year since 1979.

  Scottish health boards' expenditure on mental handicap

  £ thousands

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Argyll and Clyde

  3,107

  3,273

  3,317

  3,619

  3,780

  3,801

  Ayrshire and Arran

  856

  1,011

  1,104

  1,162

  1,295

  1,522

  Borders

  662

  743

  795

  781

  729

  697

  Dumfries and Galloway

  282

  338

  600

  1,237

  1,084

  932

  Fife

  4,527

  4,953

  5,493

  5,510

  5,800

  6,052

  Forth Valley

  7,239

  7,944

  8,379

  8,944

  9,833

  10,866

  Grampian

  5,307

  5,770

  6,107

  6,520

  6,956

  7,216

  Greater Glasgow

  9,548

  9,997

  10,417

  10,835

  11,628

  12,901

  Highland

  2,275

  2,382

  2,610

  2,702

  2,704

  2,861

  Lanarkshire

  3,987

  4,340

  4,557

  5,374

  5,931

  6,421

  Lothian

  7,329

  7,504

  8,046

  8,976

  9,458

  8,405

  Orkney1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Tayside

  5,022

  5,187

  5,619

  5,864

  6,152

  6,430

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  n/a

  Total

  50,142

  53,443

  57,045

  61,525

  65,351

  268,105

  1 Expenditure on mental handicap is included in returns of expenditure on mental illness.

  2 Excludes Western Isles.

  n/a = Not available.

  Child Care
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has in relation to the number of social workers, teachers, medical staff, ancillary staff and other members of the public in Scotland, who have been vetted by police before they are employed in jobs where they work with children; and whether his Department keeps information as to the number of people refused employment and the reasons therefor.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Licence Holders (Vetting)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has in relation to the number of licence holders who have been vetted by police before a licence is given; and whether his Department keeps information as to the type of licence applied for, the number of people refused a licence and the reasons therefor.
  330
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The table shows health boards' expenditure on mental handicap in each year from 1981–82 to 1986–87. Information is not available for years before 1981–82.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are many different activities which are, or may be, subject to licensing under a wide range of enactments. In some cases—for example, under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 or the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982—the chief constable has a statutory right to object to the grant or renewal of a licence. No information is collected centrally about the number of licences granted or refused under these enactments.

  Radioactivity (Monitoring)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department conducts any environmental monitoring(a) alone and (b) in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence at the ports of Rosyth, Holy Loch and Coulport, to assess the radiological impact of nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable Royal Navy and United States navy ships that use the dockyards.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Marine monitoring for radioactivity in these areas is undertaken both by MOD
  331
  and by MAFF whose programme provides an independent check on behalf of the Secretary of State for Scotland. MOD publish results of its own surveys while the MAFF work is included in aquatic environment monitoring reports entitled, "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles," which are in the Library. The MAFF reports, which include assessments of the monitoring results, confirm that the levels of radioactivity around the naval establishments in Scotland remain very low and of no significance in radiological terms.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his decision to commission Coopers and Lybrand to handle the establishment of Scottish Homes, including the terms of reference of his agreement with that firm, the fee to be paid and the reason why he has decided not to have the work done by civil servants; and what relevant experience Coopers and Lybrand has in the provision and management of rented housing to meet social needs in Scotland or elsewhere.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The hon. Member will recall that I informed the First Scottish Standing Committee on 4 February, during its consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill, that we were likely to commission consultants to assist Scottish Homes to produce proposals in relation to its structure below board level. In pursuit of that intention, eight firms of consultants were invited in May to produce proposals in relation to the task of advising the board and chief executive of Scottish Homes on possible options for the organisational structure; and on an implementation and development plan in relation to the action necessary to enable Scottish Homes to establish itself as fully operational. Coopers and Lybrand was selected to carry out the task after thorough consideration of the proposals submitted by consultants, which involved the general manager of the Scottish Special Housing Association and the director of the Housing Corporation in Scotland as well as officials of the Scottish Office. It has been asked to complete the work by 1 September 1988.

  The use of consultants for work of this type by Government Departments is not uncommon and recognises their specialist knowledge in relation to large-scale organisational and project management tasks, which is not widely available within the Civil Service. Coopers and Lybrand has a wide range of relevant experience including work for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Scottish Special Housing Association and a number of local authorities in Scotland and elsewhere. It will work in close consultation with the Scottish Development Department, the Housing Corporation in Scotland and the Scottish Special Housing Association; and with the chairman-designate and chief executive designate of Scottish Homes once they have been appointed.

  The estimated cost of the work is a matter of commercial confidence, which it would be inappropriate to disclose.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will describe the scope and remit of the 332
  current review of the present arrangements for fish farming applications; when he expects it to be completed; and if its findings will be published in full.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend is reviewing the operation of the consultation arrangements introduced by the Crown Estate Commissioners in 1986 and is taking into account representations from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and a number of other organisations about the procedures currently operated by the commissioners in relation to the establishment of offshore fish farms. The review is not yet complete but he hopes to announce its conclusions before long. No decision about the form of announcement has yet been taken.

  Women Prisoners
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners received accredited vocational training during 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No accredited vocational training courses were held at Cornton Vale during 1986.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1986 had had psychiatric in-patient treatment prior to their trial and sentence; and what percentage of these women were mothers.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not available in the form requested. Details of previous psychiatric treatment of inmates in penal establishments is obtained, if necessary, in individual cases but is not recorded centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1986(a) had previously been in prison and (b) had previous convictions and non-custodial sentences.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only statistical information held centrally on the previous sentences and convictions of inmates is obtained from the inmates on reception into the penal establishment and may not be completely reliable. The figures from this source are as follows:

  Women received under sentence into prisons in Scotland: 1986

  Percentage admitting:

  per cent.

  Previous direct prison sentence

  60·8

  Other direct custodial sentence (but not direct prison sentence)

  4·2

  Other previous sentence only (non-custodial or custodial sentence in default of fine/compensation order)

  14·1

  No previous sentence

  20·9

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners acquired qualifications; and if he will list those qualifications.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The question cannot be answered in precisely the terms stated. The position in relation to individual educational qualifications gained during the past two years was as follows:
  333

  1986

  gained by 13 candidates

  O grades

  23

  Highers

  Nil

  1987

  gained by 9 candidates

  O grades

  17

  Highers

  1

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what percentage of men with no previous convictions were sent to prison in the most recent five years for which statistics are available;

  (2) what percentage of women with no previous convictions were sent to prison in the most recent five years for which statistics are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only available statistical information on previous convictions is obtained from inmates on reception into the penal establishment and may not be completely reliable. The figures from this source are as follows:

  Adults received under sentence in prisons in Scotland:

  Percentage admitting no previous convictions, 1983–87

  Men

  Women

  1983

  3·4

  7·4

  1984

  3·5

  7·9

  1985

  5·3

  15·3

  1986

  6·7

  20·9

  1987

  6·2

  18·7

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of convicted(a) men and (b) women were sent to prison in (i) 1977 and (ii) 1987.

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

  Percentage of adults, with a charge proved against them, given a sentence of imprisonment

  Year

  Men

  Women

  1977

  5·1

  1·7

  1987

  8·0

  3·5

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) men and (b) women convicted of crimes of violence were sent to prison in each of the last five years.

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

  Percentage of adults convicted of a crime of violence given a sentence of imprisonment

  Year

  Men

  Women

  1983

  42·6

  7·7

  1984

  41·4

  7·3

  1985

  45·4

  8·8

  1986

  43·7

  9·3

  1987

  40·0

  9·6

  Prisoners (Facilities)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what physical training and recreation activities are available to(a) male and (b) female prisoners.
  334
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A wide variety of facilities for physical education and recreation are available in all penal establishments in Scotland. Usage by individual inmates is influenced by considerations of security and control as well as priorities of need.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the vocational courses of the industrial training boards, currently available to(a) adult and (b) young offender male prisoners, are also available to the same categories of women prisoners.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  At present there is no fully accredited vocational training available for female inmates at Cornton Vale, although skill training is provided in sewing, garment making, cookery and horticulture. Plans are well in hand to introduce properly accredited courses in catering and hairdressing in the near future.

  Cornton Vale Prison
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions the electronic link between the central office and each room in Cornton Vale women's prison malfunctioned between 1985 and 1987; and what was the average time taken for repairs to be carried out.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The system malfunctioned on 34 occasions in 1985, 32 in 1986 and 40 in 1987. The average time taken to complete repairs was 1½ hours. When it was thought the work on individual rooms might take more than one hour, the inmate was moved temporarily to another room.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average number of days of in-service training provided to staff at Cornton Vale prison in 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is not immediately available, but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many body and strip searches in Cornton Vale in 1986 and 1987 were carried out on prisoners who were pregnant.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women prisoners who gave birth while imprisoned in Cornton Vale in 1985, 1986 and 1987, respectively,(a) kept their babies with them following the births and (b) did not keep their babies following birth; and what was the length of sentence served by each such mother following the births.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of inmates who gave birth while in the custody of Cornton Vale was:

  Year

  Inmates

  1985

  6

  1986

  3

  1987

  4

  Two of these inmates were released from custody directly from hospital without returning to Cornton Vale. Of the 11 who did return to Cornton Vale, 10 returned with their babies and one did not.
  335
  Of the 11 who returned to Cornton Vale, one has not yet been released and the following is the length of time spent in custody after the birth and before liberation by the remaining 10:

  Inmates

  Under 2 months

  3

  3 months

  2

  5 months

  1

  6 months

  2

  7 months

  1

  15 months

  1

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland until what age babies are permitted to remain with their mothers in Cornton Vale prison.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In general children do not remain at Cornton Vale with their mothers beyond the age of 12 months.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of (i) female staff and (ii) male staff at Cornton Vale women's prison in 1986 were on sick leave for(a) less than one week, (b) between one week and up to one month, (c) between one month and up to six months and (d) for six months or more.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is not immediately available but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Prisoners (Photographs)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether women prisoners who are mothers are able to keep photographs of their children during the course of their imprisonment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Yes.

  Prisoners (Children)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what percentage of mothers imprisoned in 1986 in Cornton Vale prison, whose children were in local authority care, were visited by their children at least once during their imprisonment; what was the average length of time, from initial imprisonment before such a visit took place; and whether visits took place at the usual visiting hours and in the visiting area used by mothers whose children were not in care;

  (2) what percentage of mothers imprisoned in Cornton Vale prison in 1986, who had access orders in respect of their children, fulfilled those orders (a) in full and (b) partially during the course of the mother's imprisonment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not available in the form requested. Visits by children in local authority care to mothers who are inmates at Cornton Vale are arranged in appropriate cases on an individual basis and in consultation with the relevant local authority social work department. Such visits would normally take place in less formal surroundings and outwith usual visiting hours and are a significant feature of the regime at Cornton Vale.

  Detailed information on children in local authority care subject to access orders, or visits by children subject to such access, is not routinely collected in respect of those admitted to Cornton Vale.

  Prisoners (Children)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what percentage of women imprisoned in 1986 were mothers whose children were in local authority care before their trial and conviction; and what percentage of these women were single mothers;

  (2) what percentage of women prisoners in 1986 were mothers with children under school leaving age; and what percentage of those children. while their mothers were in custody (a) continued living in the same family situation and (b) moved into local authority care;

  (3) how many (a) men and (b) women prisoners presently have children requiring to be taken into care.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available.

  Details of child care arrangements may be volunteered by the inmate or may be obtained for social work or other purposes in individual cases. Such details, however, are not routinely collected or centrally recorded in respect of those admitted to penal establishments in Scotland.

  Prisoners (Outside Work)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) male and (b) female prisoners were employed outside their prisons in 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The percentage of male prisoners employed outside their prisons during 1986 was 1·2 per cent. No female prisoners were so employed.

  Prisoners (Disciplinary Action)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the amount of disciplinary action against(a) male and (b) female prisoners; and what proportion of such disciplinary action in each case was for the mutiny or violence category of offence.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest available information on numbers and types of disciplinary offences by inmates is given in appendix 5 of the "Prisons in Scotland—Report for 1986" (Cm. 223), copies of which are available in the Library.

  In 1986 there were no disciplinary findings or punishments on inmates for the offence of "mutiny". There is no category of offence of "violence". Figures are given in the "Prisons in Scotland" report for specific offences of assaulting officers or assaults on other inmates, and for the general offence of "offending against good order and discipline" which may include other acts of violence such as fighting.

  Children in Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) girls and (b) boys, between the ages of 10 and 16 years, held in care have committed no crimes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is estimated that at 31 March 1987 60·5 per cent. of boys and 86·5 per cent. of girls in local authority care were there for reasons not related to the commission of crimes or offences.

  Hostel Accommodation
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of hostel accommodation is available for(a) men and (b) women offenders; and what facilities for children are available at these establishments.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Offenders' hostels grant-aided by my right hon. and learned Friend under section 79 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 presently offer a total of 80 places, 17 of them for women; they do not contain accommodation for children. Information is not held centrally about other residential accommodation catering for offenders which may be provided by local authorities or voluntary bodies.

  Prisoners (Meat Allowance)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider increasing the current meat allowance for prisoners in Cornton Vale prison; and if he will state the current allowance for prisoners in other prisons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The current allowance of meat for prisoners is the same at Cornton Vale as in other prisons in Great Britain. It is based on properly balanced dietary scales for inmates as a whole. I see no reason to change it.

  Deportation
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the light of violence against persons of ethnic minorities awaiting either deportation to the country of their origin or appealing against deportation in Her Majesty's prisons in Scotland, he will take steps to safeguard them by placing them in establishments outwith Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Cancer registrations in children aged <1, by health board: 1977–1986

  Health board

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  1

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1

  —

  1

  2

  4

  1

  2

  1

  —

  2

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  Fife

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  2

  2

  Forth Valley

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Grampian

  —

  1

  —

  2

  2

  1

  3

  2

  3

  —

  Greater Glasgow

  4

  2

  1

  3

  2

  2

  2

  3

  1

  —

  Highland

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Lanarkshire

  —

  —

  4

  5

  —

  4

  2

  —

  4

  1

  Lothian

  4

  1

  1

  3

  —

  2

  1

  —

  2

  2

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tayside

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  13

  6

  10

  19

  12

  11

  17

  12

  12

  10

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring systems he has initiated, in pursuance of his commitment to providing equality of opportunity for all employees in, and potential recruits to, the Ministry of Defence to comply with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission,
  338
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 June 1988]: There is no evidence of widespread or systematic abuse against inmates of ethnic origin. Prison staff are particularly vigilant in detection of abuse against all inmates, including ethnic minorities. All instances of inmate assault, for whatever reason, are fully investigated, including police involvement where sufficient evidence exists to bring charges against the suspected perpetrators.

  From 1 January to 1 May 1988 only 13 people were held in detention in Scottish prisons, at any one time, under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971. Such a small number does not justify the provision of special accommodation. However, I have asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons to advise me on what improvements, if any, might be made to the arrangements for accommodating such detainees.

  Cancers
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figures for the incidence of all types of cancers, including leukaemia, for all age groups, broken down to the smallest geographical areas available; and if he will also give the comparable figures for similar periods over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 June 1988]: This information could not be provided except at disproportionate expense.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the incidence of cancers in babies in Scotland; how this compares with previous years, broken down by area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 June 1988]: The tables set out the information requested, by health board, for registered cases of cancer in children aged less than one year at date of registration over the period 1977 to 1986.

  respectively; and what such exercises have revealed concerning the employment of people from ethnic minorities and of women respectively.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Ministry of Defence, in common with other Government Departments, has been carrying out a voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of all non-industrial and industrial staff. The survey of non-industrial staff is being conducted in six phases. To date, three phases have been completed, and of the
  339
  respondents 1·9 per cent. are from the ethnic minorities. The survey of industrial staff commenced this month and the results are not likely to be available for some time. The ethnic monitoring of recruitment commenced in 1987 and as yet no results are available.

  As regards women, there are no specific monitoring exercises currently taking place but records are kept which show the proportion of males and females in each grade. Consideration is being given to ways in which the progress of women and ethnic staff can be effectively monitored.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has established an equal opportunities unit; and whether his equal opportunities efforts are coordinated by an equal opportunities officer.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes.

  Harrier
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the integrity of Royal Air Force Harrier wing structures; and what investigations are currently being made into defects in these structures.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I am fully satisfied that the integrity of the Harrier wing is being maintained through a planned programme of inspection and repair.

  Tornado
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Tornado F3 aircraft currently in store at Royal Air Force St. Athan will be held there awaiting modification and upgrading.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  All the F3 aircraft currently in storage at RAF St. Anthan will receive modifications to bring their capability and maintainability to a level comparable with the latest production aircraft.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the delivery rate for Tornado F3 aircraft was first agreed with British Aerospace; and what changes in that agreed rate have occured since that date.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The delivery rate for the Tornado programme was first agreed with Panavia, the Tornado prime contractor, in 1974. In 1982, following full consultation with Germany and Italy, it was agreed that the peak annual delivery rate for the Tornado should be adjusted to 44 for the United Kingdom. Although there have been some changes since then in the balance of deliveries between Tornado variants to accommodate export sales requirements, there has been no change to the agreed peak delivery rate.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of upgrading the 18 RAF Tornado F2s to F2A standard.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The estimated cost of upgrading 18 RAF Tornados F2 to F2A standard is about £20 million.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the sale of the RAF Tornado F2 and F3 aircraft, currently in store at RAF St. Athan, to Italy.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  None.

  Departmental Staff (South-east England)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to reduce the proportion of the total manpower of his Department that is based in the south-east of England from its present level.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is established policy in the Department that every effort should be made to relocate work from London and the south-east to the regions whenever it proves operationally and economically viable. Whenever potential opportunities for relocation arise they are carefully considered.

  Gruinard Island
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the membership of the independent advisory group that endorsed the conclusion that Gruinard island was safe for disposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Independent Advisory Group (IAG) on Gruinard Island was appointed in 1985 under the chairmanship of Professor W. D. P. Stewart, BSc, PhD, DSc, FIBiol, FRSE, FRS, head of microbiological sciences at Dundee university. Its other members were:

  J. P. Duguid, CBE, BSc, MD, FRCPath.,

  Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology,

  University of Dundee.

  A. J. Stevens, MA, BVSc, MRCVS, Dip.Bact.,

  Formerly Director, Central Veterinary Laboratories,

  M.A.F.F, Weybridge, Surrey.

  J. A. Strong, CBE, MD, FRCP, FRCPE, FRSE,

  Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Edinburgh.

  Past President, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

  T. S. West, CBE, BSc, PhD., DSc, CChem., FRSC, FRSE,

  Formerly Director, Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Aberdeen.

  Honorary Professor of Chemistry and Soil Sciences,

  University of Aberdeen.

  J. G. White, MSc, PhD, CBiol., MIBiol.,

  Adviser to the Director on Soil Partial Sterilants,

  AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research,

  Wellesbourne, Warwick.

  J. A. N. Emslie, MB, ChB, MD, Dip.Bact.,

  Consultant Epidemiologist,

  Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow.

  (Observer on behalf of the Scottish Home and Health Department).

  A. J. Alexander, BSc,

  Department of Biological Sciences,

  University of Dundee.

  Secretary.

  The IAG reviewed and endorsed the plans prepared by my Department's chemical defence establishment (CDE) for decontaminating Gruinard island; provided consultancy advice to the CDE in the selection of a contractor Ito carry out the decontamination work; and monitored the subsequent tests carried out by both the CDE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food central veterinary laboratory to establish the success of the treatment. The IAG's report, which was completed earlier this year and a copy of which will be placed in due course in the Library of the House, concluded that
  "the chances of persons or animals contracting anthrax on Gruinard island are so remote that the island can be returned to civil use".

  As provided in the terms of transfer to the Ministry of Defence, we are proposing to return Gruinard island to its previous owners.

  Modular Stand-off Weapon
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the consequences for British participation in this and similar collaborative projects of the announced withdrawal by France from the modular stand-off weapon project.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom will be expected to make a larger percentage contribution to the cost of project definition. There are no consequences for other collaborative projects.

  Radiological Hazards
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition of radiological hazard is used by his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  MOD recognises that some ionising radiations are a potential hazard to health. Procedures adopted for limiting the exposure of workers and members of the public are in accord with the philosophy of the International Commission on Radiological Protection and are governed by the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 and the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Super VC10
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many super VC10 aircraft have been purchased from British Airways; what was the cost of the purchase; how many are now in service as tanker aircraft; how much has been spent on converting super VC10s to tankers; and what is the intended fate of the remaining aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In March 1981, at a cost of £3·75 million, 14 Super VC10s were bought from British Airways as spares to support the rest of the VC10 fleet: some additional spare parts were included in the package. Six aircraft remain, five of which are earmarked for conversion to tankers. The rest were used as sources of spare parts.

  Out-of area Operations
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail all the steps taken since 1982 to improve the effectiveness of the armed forces in mounting out-of-area operations, with particular reference to those aspects where deficiencies or gaps in capability led Her Majesty's Government to seek assistance from the United States Administration during the Falklands war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The enhancements to our out-of-area capability since 1982 are detailed in the annual "Statement on the Defence Estimates". Some particular improvements introduced as a result of experience in the Falklands conflict were indicated in Cmnd. 8758 ("The Falklands Campaign: The Lessons").

  Major enhancements since 1982 include the creation of a joint force headquarters which would be activated in response to a crisis outside the NATO area; the fitting of point defence systems in Royal Navy ships and the provision of an organic airborne early warning capability for the fleet; significant enhancements to 5 Infantry Brigade (re-named 5 Airborne Brigade); and a substantial
  342
  strengthening of the RAF's long-range transport capability. Of these, some of the point defence systems were acquired from the United States.

  Nuclear Reactor Plants
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to obtain for his Departmental library a copy of the study for the United States Navy Department, released in May 1984, entitled "Environmental Impact Statement on the Disposal of Decommissioned, De-fuelled Naval Submarine Reactor Plants".

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Copies of this document have been available in the Ministry of Defence since it was published.

  Ships (Radioactive Releases)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the level of monitoring undertaken by his Department on radioactive releases from nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable ships in(a) Royal Navy dockyards and (b) United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Marine monitoring for radioactivity around Royal Navy dockyards and in United Kingdom territorial waters is undertaken both by MOD and by MAFF, whose programme provides an independent check. Both MOD and MAFF publish the results of these surveys. The results indicate that the levels of radioactivity around the naval establishments in the United Kingdom remain very low and of no significance in radiological terms, thus confirming the effectiveness of our radiation control procedures.

  Nuclear-powered Submarines
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications of the report, "Environmental Monitoring and Disposal of Radioactive Wastes from United States Naval Nuclear-Powered Ships and their Support Facilities, 1987," by J. J. Mageno, J. M. Steele and L. F. Poletti, for the United States Navy Department naval nuclear propulsion unit, report NT-88–1, published February 1988, for the long-term management of Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The report concludes that United States navy procedures to control the release of radioactivity are effective in protecting the environment and the health and safety of the general public. It therefore has no bearing on the long-term management of Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines. However, the Royal Navy's maintenance, operation and safety standards are no less exacting and no less effective in protecting the environment. As a consequence, there has never been an incident involving such submarines which has posed any radiological hazard to service men, base personnel, or members of the public.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the expenditure to date, and what is the expected expenditure to be incurred over the next 50 years, towards the decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines of the Royal Navy.
  343
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Much of the work to date on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines has been undertaken as part of more wide-ranging planning for the defuelling, de-equipping and refitting of nuclear submarines. The expenditure on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines over the next 50 years will depend on the method of disposal ultimately chosen.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been conducted by his Department on the radiological implications of decommissioning nuclear-propelled submarines.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Studies of the preparation of nuclear submarines for disposal, including the radiological impact on the work force, have been completed. A study of the radiological impact on the environment of the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines is currently under way.

  Thompson Sub-machine Guns
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy as to the use of American Thompson sub-machine guns by the Army in Northern Ireland.

  (£000s)

  Belfast

  North-Eastern

  South-Eastern

  Southern

  Western

  Recurrent

  1982–83

  355

  323

  371

  161

  225

  1983–84

  814

  606

  764

  788

  551

  1984–85

  1,050

  736

  809

  929

  647

  1985–86

  945

  712

  873

  585

  549

  1986–87

  996

  674

  919

  776

  752

  1987–88

  943

  756

  896

  854

  750

  1988–89

  1,336

  1,036

  1,105

  971

  892

  Note: These allocations exclude the salaries of full-time lecturers paid directly by the Department of Education.

  (£000s)

  Belfast

  North-Eastern

  South-Eastern

  Southern

  Western

  Capital

  1982–83

  273

  341

  689

  227

  161

  1983–84

  466

  554

  542

  359

  620

  1984–85

  303

  552

  262

  244

  236

  1985–86

  187

  172

  210

  271

  461

  1986–87

  268

  425

  197

  615

  485

  1987–88

  205

  295

  126

  178

  485

  1988–89

  194

  467

  317

  99

  466

  Information on provision for young people with special educational needs is available only for recurrent expenditure in the following years:

  (£000s)

  Belfast

  North-Eastern

  South-Eastern

  Southern

  Western

  1986–87

  467

  288

  164

  164

  187

  1987–88

  491

  330

  159

  187

  197

  1988–89

  517

  347

  183

  197

  212

  In addition, the following sums have been offered to the boards for improving access for the physically disabled at further education colleges:
  344
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 13 June 1988]: The Thompson sub-machine gun was withdrawn from Army service over 30 years ago.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  YTP Scheme
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much finance has been made available each year to each of the area education boards in Northern Ireland for the implementation of the YTP scheme; and how much of that money has been allocated by each board to the particular provision for young people with special educational needs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The financial allocations made available to the education and library boards from the 1982–83 financial year for this purpose are:
  345

  (£000s)

  Belfast

  North-Eastern

  South-Eastern

  Southern

  Western

  1988–89

  45

  nil

  116

  15

  48

  EC (Free Food)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which organisations are assisting with the distribution of European Community free foods; whether the European Community free food scheme is being operated within all district council areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  Thirteen organisations have been designated to participate in the distribution of food in Northern Ireland under the European Community free food scheme. A list of designated organisations in the United Kingdom has been placed in the Library.

  Given the voluntary nature of the scheme it is not possible to ensure that all parts of Northern Ireland are covered. However, although most of the designated organisations in Northern Ireland will be distributing the food in their immediate locality, two have indicated that they intend to operate more widely in the Province.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agriculture and Food Research Council
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the cuts in scientific staff engaged by Government-funded Agriculture and Food Research Council research establishments since 1984; and whether further redundancies are contemplated detailing numbers and establishments.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since April 1984 the number of permanent scientific staff posts in the AFRC has been reduced by 1,081.

  Further losses may be required as a consequence of reductions in research and development expenditure by the Agricultural Departments. It is not yet possible to quantify these losses or to say where they might fall.

  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the location and staff numbers in Agriculture and Food Research Council establishments and an outline of the work undertaken at each.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The current staff complements of the eight institutes of the AFRC at 1 April 1988 are as follows:

  Number

  Institute of Arable Crops Research

  748

  Institute for Animal Health

  584

  Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research

  499

  Institute of Engineering Research

  329

  Institute of Food Research

  730

  Institute of Grassland and Animal Production Research

  678

  Institute of Horticultural Research

  618

  Institute of Plant Science Research

  401

  Total

  4,587

  Staffing figures for individual sites are not available.

  Details of the locations of the sites and of the research work undertaken at the institutes are set out in the
  346
  AFRC's corporate plan 1988–93 and annual report 1986–87. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the Government-funded research establishments formerly funded by the Agriculture and Food Research Council that have been transferred to the private sector.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Part of the council's plant breeding institute has been transferred to the private sector.

  Research and Development and Advisory Services
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department intends to reduce its support for research and development and advisory services; and if he will identify the economies likely to be made.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In his Autumn Statement last year my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced reductions of £5 million and £10 million for 1989–90 and 1990–91 in planned public expenditure on agriculture, fisheries and food research and development. These reductions reflected the Government's view that industry should contribute more to the funding of research from which it benefits. The report on the recent internal examination of agriculture departments' R and D expenditure is currently under consideration and no decisions have yet been reached.

  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reason he set up an inquiry into his Department's support for research and development and advisory services; when it intends to report; and whether it will be published.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department's examination of its research and development programme took place against the objectives outlined in the July 1987 White Paper on civil research and development (Cm. 185) and the Government's general view that industry should fund more of the work from which it benefits. It therefore sought to identify those areas of research which are closest to the market—that is to say, which have the most direct commercial potential. It did not cover advisory work as such, except in respect of technology transfer services. The review was an internal exercise and it would not be appropriate to publish the report, which is currently under consideration. A separate internal review of the first year's experience of ADAS charging is also being undertaken, as explained in the reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 26 May 1988 at column 261.

  Dry Sow and Tether Stalls
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of pig farmers in England and Wales are estimated still to employ dry sow stalls and tether stalls; how this proportion compares with 10 years ago; and what action he proposes to ensure the phasing-out of such stalls.
  347
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It is estimated that approximately half the pig farmers in England and Wales still use dry sow stalls or tether stalls. No accurate information is available on the position 10 years ago, but it is believed that the proportion of farmers using such systems has declined. The Farm Animal Welfare Council has recently completed a review of pig production systems, which makes a number of recommendations to ensure that future trends in housing the dry sow are away from the use of stalls and tethers. We are currently consulting interested parties on that report and no decision will be taken until their comments have been fully considered.

  Home Brewery (Takeover)
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking in response to the representations made to him by the National Licensed Victuallers Association concerning the takeover of Home Brewery by Scottish and Newcastle and the decision of the latter to end current agreements with tenants.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  This is a commercial matter in which it would not be appropriate for me to intervene, but, having regard to the Brewers' Society code of practice on tenants' security, I have drawn the attention of the society to the concerns of the National Licensed Victuallers' Association.

  Domestic Waste Imports
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the import of domestic waste from New York to Warrington; what are the risks of the generation of animal or plant diseases from this waste; and if he will receive a delegation from Cheshire county council on this matter.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department has received a number of representations on this matter and is assessing whether such imports would endanger animal or plant health. Overall responsibility for imports of domestic waste rests with the Department of the Environment and it would therefore be for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to receive a delegation from Cheshire county council. I understand that he will be happy to do so.

  Industrial Dredging
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies he has conducted as to the effects of industrial dredging on fish life and breeding grounds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Applications to dredge are carefully considered by Ministry scientists in order to ensure that extraction does not seriously damage fishery resources including breeding grounds.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has held with his European Economic Community colleagues as to the effects of industrial dredging upon fish stocks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  None. The primary international forum for consideration of the effects on fisheries of marine sand and gravel extraction is the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, in whose discussions Ministry scientists participate with representatives of other EC countries.
  348
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what studies he has conducted as to the effects of industrial dredging on the seabed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr.Gummer
  In considering applications to dredge, the Ministry assesses the nature, depth and extent of deposits, if necessary by conducting surveys. Controls can then be applied to ensure that the nature of the sediment is not changed by dredging, thus allowing recolonisation once dredging operations have ceased.

  Public House Licensees
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he is proposing to make to the representations from the National Licensed Victuallers Association urging greater security for tenant licensees in view of the refusal on the part of some landlords to abide by the Brewers' Society code of practice.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) on 14 June.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Licensed Victuallers Association regarding Grand Metropolitan's proposals to introduce a 20-year lease policy for licensees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The National Licensed Victuallers Association has expressed concern that the proposed 20-year leases appear not to be covered by the provisions of the Brewers' Society code of practice cm tenant security. The matter is being pursued with the Brewers' Society.

  Salmon
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Irish Government about the effect of illegal drift netting on United Kingdom salmon stocks, following the publication of the report of the Irish Government's salmon review group which was presented to the Minister for the Marine in November 1987.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: I have seen with interest the report of the Irish Government's salmon review group. No doubt the Irish Government are considering their response to the various recommendations contained in the report and it is, of course, entirely a matter for that Government to regulate salmon fishing in their waters. United Kingdom Fisheries Departments do monitor the effects of the Irish salmon fishery and there is an exchange of scientific information. I shall raise the issues considered in the report with the Irish Minister when we next meet.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all publications from his Department on pesticides used in the agricultural industry.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: My Department produces jointly with the Health and

  349
  Safety Executive "Pesticides 1988" which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. This lists all pesticides approved for sale in the United Kingdom under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Her Majesty's Stationery Office also publishes the annual reports of the advisory committee on pesticides and reports of the working party on pesticide residues.

  The Ministry itself publishes leaflets about the Control of Pesticides Regulations and related information, and draft codes of practice on the use and storage of pesticides. We also publish from time to time circular letters and consultation documents on specific aspects of the developing statutory controls, such as residues, off-label approvals and evaluations of new pesticide active ingredients.

  Other information on pesticides is included within the many publications available to farmers and growers from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. I have arranged for lists of these, and copies of the specific publications I have mentioned to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the expenditure of his Department on research into the effects of pesticides on meat products; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: Pesticides are approved for use only when it has been established that such use will not lead to harmful residues in food, including animal products. The working party on pesticide residues monitors for residues in animal products as part of its ongoing surveillance programme. In addition, my Department is undertaking research relating specifically to residues in beef, milk and sheepmeat at a cost of £58,000 per annum. Other work costing £279,000 per annum and relating to crops which may be used in animal feedstuffs also has some relevance.

  Blue-marked Sheep
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the answer of 13 June to the hon. Member for South Shields, if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of the age and sex of the 9,357 sheep marked blue and released for further fattening.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: This information is not available.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is being taken to eliminate the risk that bovine spongiform encephalopathy may be contracted from the blood and bone meal in compound feed.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: Legislation comes into force on 18 July which will suspend the use in feed rations for ruminants of any animal protein, including blood and bone meal, which is derived from ruminants.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement outlining 350
  the arrangements for protecting potato growing in the United Kingdom, giving the amount of potatoes withdrawn from the market over the past 12 months and the cost of such withdrawals.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: In Great Britain potato market support involves control by the Potato Marketing Board (PMB) of the area planted and intervention by the board to remove potatoes from the market in times of surplus. The Government set a target area each season to be planted by producers registered with the PMB and the board must ensure as far as possible that that area is planted. Intervention is triggered when market prices are below the support prices set by the Government. The Government share the cost of market support with the PMB up to 500,000 tonnes each season on the following basis:

  Size of surplus (000 tonnes)

  0–200

  201–300

  301–500

  Board's share (percentage of tonnage)

  100

  50

  0

  Government's share (percentage of tonnage)

  0

  50

  100

  Over the past 12 months the board has removed just over 150,000 tonnes of potatoes from the market. The cost is estimated to be about £6 million, which will be met entirely by the board from its levies on registered potato producers.

  Separate market support arrangements exist in Northern Ireland, involving intervention, financed by the Government, if average market prices for the season are likely to be below a specified target price. No potatoes have been withdrawn from the market in the last 12 months.

  Sugar
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current international price of sugar; and what subsidy is offered for the export of surplus sugar, expressed in pounds per tonne.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: On 8 June 1988 the London daily price for white sugar (which is representative of world prices) was £146·9 per tonne. On the same day the EC sugar management committee approved a maximum export refund for Community sugar of 424·9 ecu per tonne which, if the sugar was exported from the United Kingdom, would be equivalent to £267·4 net of the current MCA.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the terms of reference, membership and method of working of the departmental committee on the future funding of housing co-operatives.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle).

  Water Authority
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the name, age and occupation of each member of each water authority in England.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The details are as follows:

  Anglian Water Authority

  B. V. Henderson, CBE

  59 Chairman AWA

  A. G. Semple

  54 Managing Director AWA

  P. F. Bullock

  60 TechnicalServicesDirectorAWA

  J. A. Simpson

  49 Operations Director AWA

  A. F. Smith

  43 Finance Director AWA

  Miss A. C. Abbey

  37 Community worker

  J. V. Boodle

  61 Managing Director, British Fermentation Products Ltd.

  Dr. J. R. G. Bradfield, CBE

  63 Senior Bursar, Trinity College, Cambridge

  A. Bridgewater

  52 Company Director, Norwich Union

  Dr. Jane P. Carmichael

  44 Managing Director, Anglo Maribo Seed Co. Ltd.

  The Earl of Cranbrook, DL

  55 Farmer

  C. J. Groome

  47 Industry Group Head National Economic Development Office

  Dr. S. W. Kingsnorth

  62 Management Consultant

  J. L. Roughton, CBE, DL*

  65 Farmer

  P. H. Tombleson, OBE*

  62 Executive Director, National Anglers' Council

  Northumbrian Water Authority

  Sir M. Straker, CBE

  60 Chairman NWA

  W. F. Ridley

  62 Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive NWA

  D. G. Cranston

  50 Finance Director NWA

  Dr. R. Hey

  62 Executive Director, Cookson Group plc

  Mrs. J. Johnson

  55 Various public appointments

  D. R. C. Kelly

  51 Chairman R. C. Kelly (Packing) Ltd

  Prof. M. B. Pescod, OBE

  55 Head of Dept and Head School of Civil and Mining Engineering, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

  N. J. B. Prynn

  50 Bursar, Durham School

  P. L. Tennant*

  58 Various public appointments

  E. A. Wrangham*

  60 Farmer

  North West Water Authority

  W. D. Grove

  60 Chairman NWWA

  J. B. Oldfield

  60 Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive NWWA

  B. Alexander

  56 Planning and Engineering Director NWWA

  T. A. F. Barnes*

  63 Chartered Surveyor

  J. A. Cropper, DL

  49 Chairman, James Cropper plc (Papermaking)

  A. G. Pendleton

  59 Business Counsellor

  Mrs. M. C. Bolton

  36 Chartered Accountant

  J. B. Robinson*

  62 Farmer

  F. Sanderson

  61 Company Director, Elga Ltd, Butterworth Clifford Co. Ltd. (high purity water equipment)

  Hon. W. R. F. Vane

  36 Farmer

  Severn-Trent Water Authority

  J. G. Bellak

  57 Chairman STWA

  F. E. Earnshaw

  59 Operations Director STWA

  C. G. McMillan

  59 Finance Director STWA

  J. E. Anthony

  53 Miner

  R. H. Boisser

  57 Company Director, Pressac Holdings plc (Electro-mechanical)

  C. G. Hawthorne*

  56 Farmer

  A. W. Henn

  57 Chairman, T. A. Henn & Sons Ltd. (Retail Jewellery)

  T. C. Heywood-Lonsdale

  51 Property Manager

  352

  F. A. Jennings*

  56 Director, Executive Chairman, Birmingham Anglers' Association

  R. J. H. Parkes, BEM

  62 Chairman, Industrial & Heating Services Ltd.

  A. H. Simon

  43 Chairman, Evode Group plc

  D. M. Woodroffe

  49 Engineer

  B. P. Zissman

  53 Director, Adagio Ltd. (Menswear)

  Southern Water Authority

  W. J. W. Courtney, CBE

  63 Chairman SWA

  B. R. Thorpe, CBE

  58 Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive SWA

  D. J. Arnold

  49 Management and Marine Consultant

  Lord Chappie of Hoxton

  66 Director, Inner City Enterprises and Horserace Totalisator Board

  P. A. Girle

  61 Director, SE Region, Nat west Bank

  H. J. L. Harris*

  67 Farmer

  J. R. Hitch

  51 Chairman, Proptran Ltd. (Business and Computer Consultancy)

  A. Humbert*

  56 Farmer

  Rear-Admiral D. G.

  Spickernell, CB

  67 Chairman. Ocean Control plc

  South West Water Authority

  K. Court

  53 Chairman and Chief Executive SWWA

  S. J. Day

  53 Farmer/Company Director, Godfrey Syrett Ltd & Peal Furniture (Durham) Ltd

  Lady Mary Holborow

  51 Various public appointments

  Dr. J. R. Lawrence

  57 Director ICI Laboratory

  G. C. Manning*

  49 Farmer

  D. Mitchell*

  57 Managing Director (Deputy) Watts, Blake Bearne Co.

  Sir Kenneth Sharp, TD

  61 Chartered Accountant

  C. Stuart

  60 Company Chairman/Chief Executive Brymon Airways

  R. E. Trenerry

  44 Chief Accountant of E.C.C. International

  Thames Water Authority

  R. Watts, CBE

  62 Chairman TWA

  Mr. Davies, JP*

  60 Farmer

  Sir Peter Harrop, KCB

  62 Consultant

  Sir Christopher Leaver, GBE

  50 Managing Director, Russell, McIver Group of Companies (Wine Merchants) and other directorships

  H. P. Parry*

  63 Chartered Accountant

  K. J. Salter

  40 Chartered Accountant

  J. M. Thompson

  60 Chairman of London & Manchester Group plc and other directorships

  R. T. Whiteley, OBE, DL

  56 Businessman/Farmer

  Mrs. J. K. Wykes

  65 Company Director, C. E. Wykes & Co.

  Wessex Water Authority

  W. N. Hood

  52 Chairman WWA

  R. H. Baker*

  57 Farmer

  Dr. A. K. Barbour, OBE

  61 Environmental Scientist

  Lady Digby, DL

  54 Director, SW Region Natwest Bank

  Major-General P. H. Lee, CB, MBE

  59 Company Director, Wincanton Transport Ltd.

  D. N. A. McLure

  62 Management Consultant

  Major J. M. Mills, TD, DL*

  68 Farmer

  O. Oldham

  61 Various directorships and public appointments

  K. F. Roberts, CBE

  65 Chartered Civil Engineer

  Yorkshire Water Authority

  G. P. Jones

  61 Chairman YWA

  J. P. Coverdale, OBE*

  58 Farmer

  353

  D. Cramb, CBE

  62 Deputy Chairman, Rowntree Mackintosh plc

  J. A. Fawcett*

  57 Managing Director, Thos Fawcett & Son (Maltsters)

  B. P. Hogg

  52 Deputy Managing Director, Provident Financial Group plc

  T. Jackson

  63 Bookseller

  H. G. Masterson

  57 Science & Technical Manager (Northern Area) CEGB

  M. C. Simpson

  59 Retired (Former Director of Finance, Leeds City Council)

  Mrs. P. V. Smith, MBE

  50 Housewife

  A. J. T. Unwin

  63 Chartered Engineer

  * Member appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  District Councils (Agency Arrangements)
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review agency arrangements between shire counties and their districts in order that districts may give their own priorities to matters including lighting, footpath maintenance, car parking and traffic management.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department of Transport expects local authorities to consider how to ensure that agency arrangements for highways between counties and districts are put on a more systematic and businesslike footing, in the light of last year's Audit Commission report. The Government have no other plans for a review.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider transferring powers currently exercised only as agents from shire counties to their districts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government have no plans for major changes in the responsibilities of county and district councils. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is, however, considering the proposal in the recent Audit Commission report on improving the condition of local authority roads that the responsibility for street cleansing, grass-cutting and other horticultural work should be transferred to district councils.

  Property Searches
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any recent representations concerning the time taken by London boroughs to process property search applications.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have received a number of representations expressing concern about the length of time taken by some local authorities to respond to search inquiries. The Government share this concern. The problem and possible solutions are currently being examined by the conveyancing standing committee of the Law Commission whose recommendations we will study carefully.

  Countryside Commission
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funds he intends to allocate to the Countryside Commission in 1989–90 to ensure the effective implementation of its "Enjoying the Countryside" initiative; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government's expenditure plans for 1989–90 make provision for an allocation of £19·535 354
  million to support the Countryside Commission's programme, which includes the enjoying the countryside initiative. Any changes to these plans will be announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement.

  Homelessness
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present level of homelessness in(a) England and (b) Wales; and what was the corresponding figure for 1979.

  Mrs. Roe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 10 June at column 737. For information about Wales I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  HOTCHA
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average value of discounts provided under the HOTCHA scheme in each region of England during the latest six-monthly period for which figures exist.

  Mrs. Roe
  The average discount provided under the HOTCHA scheme in each Housing Corporation region in England during the period October 1987 to March 1988 is as follows:

  £

  London and Home Counties North

  17,209

  London and Home Counties South

  17,440

  West

  13,043

  East Midlands

  10,000

  West Midlands

  9,231

  North-East

  8,823

  North-West

  10,000

  Merseyside

  8,125

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenants have bought houses under the HOTCHA scheme in each six-monthly period since the scheme was introduced.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information requested is as follows:

  tenants

  1984–85

  September to March

  159

  1985–86

  April to September

  1,280

  October to March

  1,292

  1986–87

  April to September

  794

  October to March

  521

  1987–88

  April to September

  931

  October to March

  460

  British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Sellafield
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring takes place of the radioactive nitrogen oxide gases released from the B 268 medium active evaporation and uranium finishing plant at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Sellafield.

  Mr. Moynihan
  British Nuclear Fuels plc is required to monitor radioactive gaseous discharges from the Sellafield
  355
  site as a condition of the certificate of authorisation issued by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The radioactive content of the nitrogen oxide gases discharged from B 268 is monitored for alpha and beta, plutonium alpha, americium and curium radioactivity.

  American Domestic Waste (Warrington)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the import of American domestic waste to Warrington; how many lorries daily will be required to transport this waste from Liverpool to Warrington; what type of lorry will be used; what will be included in the domestic waste; whether any risk to human life will arise; if he will receive a delegation from Cheshire county council on this matter; and if he will ban the importation of this waste.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We have received a number of representations about these proposals which I understand to be the subject of negotiation between the interested parties. The matter is, in the first instance, for Cheshire county council to determine, as operator of the site concerned and as planning and waste disposal authority. I have agreed to meet members of the council to discuss the matter.

  Tap Water (Greater Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the level of aluminium in tap water in the Greater Liverpool area.

  Mr. Moynihan
  All drinking water supplies in the Greater Liverpool area comply with the standard for aluminium set by the EC drinking water directive.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the importing of toxic waste for disposal in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Moynihan
  All special waste imported into the United Kingdom is subject to the same controls as special waste generated in this country. The provision of disposal services for imports of special wastes is a legitimate business provided it is carried out with proper environmental safeguards, does not involve risks to public health and does not jeopardise the availability of suitable facilities for United Kingdom waste. Within this framework this service can benefit the environment where suitable facilities are not available in the country of origin.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to which countries exporting toxic waste to Britain do so because such disposal would be illegal in their countries.

  Mr. Moynihan
  To the best of our knowledg no waste imported into the United Kingdom would be illegal to be disposed of in its country of origin.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that all mixed consignments of toxic waste imported for disposal in the United Kingdom contain chemicals that are compatible.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road 356
  contains stringent requirements that incompatible chemicals including waste chemicals should not be carried together. When a consignment of waste reaches the United Kingdom its deposit, storage and handling will be subject to licensing by the waste disposal authorities, which should impose conditions to ensure the waste is handled safely and that incompatible chemicals are kept separately.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding waste transfer stations being used to obscure the nature and origin of toxic waste prior to its disposal.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have received no such representations.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take urgent steps to ensure that all major landfill sites disposing of toxic waste have analysis facilities on site.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The licensing of waste disposal facilities is a matter for waste disposal authorities. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution has advised them that all major landfill sites licensed for special wastes should have laboratory facilities on site and that this should be a requirement of the licence.

  Water Pollution (Aluminium)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that immediate measures are taken to eliminate pollution of water by aluminium; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Most water supplies already comply with the aluminium standard set in the EC drinking water directive. Action is being taken by water undertakers to ensure that all remaining supplies comply.

  Current concentrations in these supplies are not considered to be a health risk. The directive standard was set in relation to the appearance of water; it was not set on health grounds.

  Research into possible health risks from aluminium in water is kept under review by the Government's medical advisers, who are in contact with researchers, including the University of Southampton which is carrying out a study on aluminium in drinking water and Alzheimer's disease. When the full report on this study is available, probably later this year, it will be assessed by medical experts. In the meantime, medical advisers consider that too much weight should not be placed on the results on any single study.

  Aluminium salts are widely used in the United Kingdom and many other countries as coagulants in water treatment to remove contamination by undesirable suspended matter. Aluminium can also occur naturally in some raw waters.

  There are a number of alternative theories about the cause of Alzheimer's disease, of which a possible link with aluminium is only one. Over 90 per cent. of the daily intake of aluminium comes from food even when the water contains the maximum concentration allowed by the EC drinking water directive. Other evidence and scientific considerations also weigh against the suggestion that aluminium derived from drinking water is likely to be a cause of Alzheimer's disease.

  Unfurnished Dwellings (Rents)
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for(a) England, (b)

  357
  Yorkshire and Humberside and (c) Barnsley district, the average level of local authority rents and fair rents registered for unfurnished dwellings for each year since 1979, indicating the percentage in each year on an annual and cumulative basis; and what was the change in the retail price index over the same period.

  (A) Average weekly unrebated rents at April for local authority dwellings

  England

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Barnsley

  Average rent

  Per cent, increase

  Average rent

  Per cent, increase

  Average rent

  Per cent, increase

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  1979

  6·41

  —

  —

  5·45

  —

  —

  4·53

  —

  —

  1980

  7·70

  20

  20

  6·63

  22

  22

  6·32

  40

  40

  1981

  11·42

  48

  78

  10·02

  51

  84

  9·73

  54

  115

  1982

  13·48

  18

  110

  11·39

  14

  109

  10·99

  13

  143

  1983

  13·97

  4

  118

  11·88

  4

  118

  11·99

  9

  165

  1984

  14·66

  5

  129

  12·47

  5

  129

  12·55

  5

  177

  1985

  15·54

  6

  142

  13·77

  10

  153

  13·29

  6

  193

  1986

  16·36

  5

  155

  14·88

  8

  173

  14·39

  8

  218

  1987

  17·20

  5

  168

  15·93

  7

  192

  15·10

  5

  233

  19881

  18·67

  9

  191

  17·09

  7

  214

  15·77

  4

  248

  1 Provisional.

  (B) Fair rents1 (£ per week) unfurnished tenancies2 second half-year averages

  Retail price index United Kingdom April

  England

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Percentage increase

  £

  £

  over year

  since 1979

  1979

  39·55

  46·85

  —

  —

  1980

  311·40

  48·05

  22

  22

  1981

  13·00

  9·85

  12

  36

  1982

  14·25

  11·35

  9

  49

  1983

  15·60

  12·35

  4

  55

  1984

  16·80

  13·55

  5

  63

  1985

  18·05

  14·90

  7

  75

  1986

  19·95

  17·15

  3

  80

  1987

  21·20

  17·85

  4

  87

  1 Service charges, if any, are included.

  2 Registered rents are for private regulated tenancies only.

  3 England and Wales.

  4 Annual average (second half-year not available).

  The mix of properties for which rents are registered varies from year to year for a number of reasons; for example, extension of decontrol in 1981; the reduction from three to two years in the minimum period for re-registration which led to re-registrations in 1983 of rents previously registered in 1980 and 1981. Therefore, comparisons of averages for consecutive years do not properly reflect rent movements. Better estimates of rent movements are derived from previous and new registered rents for tenancies where there has been no material change in terms or in the physical condition. For properties with rents fixed in the second halves of 1979, 1982, 1984 and 1986, the estimated increases are:

  England

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Percentage increase

  Percentage increase

  in period

  annualised

  in period

  annualised

  1979–82

  47

  14

  58

  16

  1982–84

  18

  9

  18

  9

  1984–86

  17

  8

  18

  9

  The estimated annualized increase for properties with rents fixed in the second half of 1987 was 9 per cent. for
  358
  Mrs. Roe
  The latest available figures on local authority rents, the average rents registered by rent officers and the movements in the retail prices index up to 1987 are as follows:

  both England, Yorkshire and Humberside. Information provided by rent officers is not available below county level outside London.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wells on 24 March,Official Report, column 192, whether he has yet received final returns of outturn on the DOE/LA 1 cash limit for 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  No, but sufficient returns have now been received to confirm that the DOE/LA 1 cash limit for 1987–88 will have been underspent by at least £141·7 million; that is, 5 per cent. of the original cash limit. The cash limit for 1988–89 will, under the end-year flexibility arrangements, be increased by that amount.

  The capital expenditure returns submitted by local authorities for 1988–89 do not suggest that the revised cash limit will be overspent. I and my colleagues responsible for services within the DOE/LA1 cash block will therefore now be making further capital allocations of £41·7 million for 1988–89. These are additional to the £100 million announced in my reply of 24 March.

  The sum available for my Department's services from the £41·7 million is £24·1 million. I propose to direct £3 million of this to areas of poor quality private sector housing. The remaining £21·1 million will be for further direct help to the homeless. This will be the third tranche of additional resources in the last seven months, totalling over £74 million, and targeted to those local authorities with particular homelessness pressures. As before, we will expect authorities to use these extra resources to bring empty property back into use to house their homeless people, relieving the burdens of temporary accommodation.

  Aluminium
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the levels of
  359
  aluminium in the water supply provided by the North West water authority, and current EEC permitted levels of aluminium in water supplies.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: All drinking water supplies provided by the North West water authority comply with the standard for aluminium set by the EC drinking water directive except for the following: parts of Sefton MB, Stockport MB, Bolton MB, Tameside MB, Oldham MB, Carlisle district, Eden district, Iancaster borough, Ribble Valley district.

  I also refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham).

  Illegal Dumping (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received regarding the illegal dumping of building waste in London.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: The Department has received many representations about fly-tipping in London, including dumping of building waste, both from hon. Members and from the general public. We recognise this as a serious problem and have consulted on legislative proposals which assist its solution. We expect to announce the conclusions of the consultation shortly.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Social Services what is his latest estimate of how many people have lost entitlements to receive housing benefit as a result of recent changes to the social security system.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 7 June 1988 at column 561.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Social Services if he will make it his policy, in responding to hon. Members' representations on behalf of constituents affected by changes in the calculation of entitlement to housing benefit, to comment on the individual concerns of each constituent rather than issuing a duplicate reply.

  Mr. Portillo
  The appropriate reply to a letter from hon. Members is always judged according to the letter in question. When we receive a large volume of correspondence about a single subject, it is often appropriate to use a comprehensive standard reply. This ensures that hon. Members receive a consistent explanation of Government policy and that replies are sent out as quickly as possible. If Ministers were to ask for a detailed report on the individual circumstances in every case affected by a change of policy, and to reply accordingly, this would result in inordinate expense and delay.

  Local authorities are best placed to explain the detail of the calculations they have made in individual housing benefit cases.
  360
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of restoring the housing benefit to all those who will not gain from the transitional arrangements.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: The cost would be very substantial, but would largely depend on the manner in which losses were restored and the account that was taken of increases in other benefits.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if local authorities are able to submit details of claimants' housing benefit losses of more than £2·50 direct to his Department's central unit responsible for making transitional payments.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: An applicant for transitional payments will have to give his consent to the transfer if any information between his local authority and the transitional payments unit. This has been taken into account in the discussions with the local authorities associations on the detailed arrangements for handling applications for transitional payments and obtaining the necessary information.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, which received a holding answer on 20 May, concerning claims in respect of housing benefit losses of more than £2·50; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I replied to the hon. Member today.

  Travel Costs
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what percentage of the health budget accounts for travel costs in the following regional health authorities(a) Northern, (b) North East Thames, and (c) Merseyside in the latest year for which figures are available.

  (2) what were the costs both in absolute terms and as a percentage spent on transporting of patients to and from medical establishments in the latest year for which figures are available in the following regional health authorities (a) Northern, (b) North East Thames, and (c) Merseyside.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that information precisely as requested is not held centrally. Following is the information available from annual accounts submitted to the Department by the regional and district health authorities comprising the Northern, North-East Thames and Mersey regions for 1986–87 (the latest year available):

  (1) Total revenue expenditure on ambulance services

  Region

  £'000

  As a proportion of all revenue expenditure per cent.

  Northern

  20,629

  3·10

  North East Thames

  21,820

  2·24

  Mersey

  13,390

  2·47

  361

  (2) Total revenue expenditure on non-ambulance transport1

  Region

  £'000

  As a proportion of all revenue expenditure per cent.

  Northern

  2,510

  0·38

  North East Thames

  4,263

  0·44

  Mersey

  2,317

  0·43

  1 Includes costs for the transportation of staff, stores, materials, etc. and patients. (These components are not separately identifiable).

  Note: The figures at (1) and (2) include the travelling and subsistence costs of the staff employed in providing ambulance and non-ambulance transport services. Other staff travelling and subsistence costs are excluded.

  Adult Training (Benefits)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if people participating in the adult training scheme will continue to receive any transitional protection they are eligible for on their social security benefits;

  (2) if participants finishing their adult training programme and returning to income support will continue to be eligible for transitional protection on their social security benefits.

  Mr. Portillo
  Claimants participating in the adult training programme will continue to receive transitional protection while participating in the programme. Protection will continue after the programme ends provided they continue to be eligible for income support.

  Family Income Supplement
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish a table showing the take-up of family income supplement in 1985, broken down into(a) the total likely to be entitled to benefit, (b) the proportion receiving benefit, (c) the numbers not receiving benefit, (d) the estimated amount of benefit unclaimed and (e) the average weekly amount unclaimed;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing the take-up of supplementary benefit in 1985, broken down into (a) the total likely to be entitled to benefit, (b) the proportion receiving benefit, (c) the numbers not receiving benefit,(d) the estimated amount of benefit unclaimed and (e) the average weekly amount unclaimed, broken down into pensioners, sick and disabled, unemployed, families with children and one parent families.

  Mr. Portillo
  The latest take-up estimates for supplementary benefit are for 1983 and those for family income supplement are for 1983–84. A convenient summary is shown on pages 272 and 273 of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288). More detailed technical reports are available in the Library.

  Notifiable Diseases
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if any action is taken in respect of general practitioners who fail to notify all cases of notifiable diseases.

  Mrs. Currie
  We are aware that the level of notification of communicable disease is not satisfactory although notification is a legal responsibility of the diagnosing clinician. However, one of the recommendations of the recently commissioned report "Public Health in England" is that the Department circulates to all doctors a brief explanatory guide to the notification procedure and its purpose. That guide is being prepared and will be circulated in the next few months. I hope it will encourage a substantial improvement.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will set out in tabular form the distribution of all supplementary benefit recipients in respect to their relationship to 100 per cent. entitlement along the lines of paragraph 7 of chapter 2 of the "Low Income Statistics" report of a technical review.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Distribution of persons in income units receiving supplementary benefit or housing benefit supplement 1983

  Relative net resources

  Per cent, of persons

  Less than 100

  2·7

  100 but less than 105

  32·7

  105 but less than 110

  22·6

  110 but less than 120

  19·6

  120 but less than 140

  14·7

  Over 140

  8

  Total

  100

  Notes:

  1. "Persons" in an income unit are defined as a single person or married couple with their dependent children (if any)

  2. "Relative Net Resources" are defined in terms of the supplementary benefit scale rate applied to each income unit. The scale rate is defined as 100. Since two sets of scale rates are in use, for pensioners and others, two individuals shown as having income at the same scale level may have significantly different incomes.

  3. Percentages do not total to 100 due to rounding.

  Source 1983 Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Inquiry.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the total number of recipients and dependants on supplementary benefit who were on benefit for one year or more, broken down into the following categories:(a) two-parent families with children, (b) one-parent families with children, (c) pensioners and (d) others, for each year from 1978 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is as follows:
  363

  thousands

  (a) Two parent families with dependants aged under 19 years

  (b) One parent families with dependants aged under 19 years

  (c) Pensioners

  (d) Others

  November 1978

  82

  238

  1,569

  646

  November 1979

  70

  225

  1,570

  615

  December 1980

  72

  227

  1,548

  634

  December 1981

  153

  267

  1,570

  882

  December 1982

  226

  306

  1,598

  1,178

  December 1983

  260

  334

  1,494

  1.427

  December 1984

  308

  376

  1,509

  1,633

  February 1986

  326

  447

  1,551

  1,864

  May 1987

  318

  485

  1,566

  1,918

  Source: Annual Statistical Inquiries.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people aged up to 16 years have used dental services paid in full or in part by the National Health Service for each year since 1975;

  (2) how many people over the age of 21 years have used dental services paid in full or in part by the National Health Service, for each year since 1975;

  (3) how many people between the age of 16 and 21 years have used dental facilities paid in full or in part by the National Health Service, for each year since 1975.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry that the information sought by the hon. Member is not available in precisely the form requested. Figures for the number of courses of treatment in the general and community dental services, by age of patient, in England from 1975 are set out in the tables. Such information for the hospital dental service is not available. Figures are by calendar year up to 1985; thereafter by financial year for the latest year available.

  England—General Dental Service Number of Courses Completed

  Age Group

  Under 16

  16–20

  21 and over

  1975

  8,418,180

  2,550,880

  14,936,060

  1976

  8,561,970

  2,665,660

  15,050,280

  1977

  8,723,800

  2,792,660

  15,456,720

  1978

  8,894,450

  2,892,720

  15,318,240

  1979

  8,633,090

  2,870,640

  15,660,880

  1980

  8,768,860

  3,038,220

  16,806,550

  1981

  8,766,720

  2,981,850

  17,286,620

  1982

  8,878,390

  2,866,070

  18,181,830

  1983

  8,866,440

  2,886,810

  18,752,220

  1984

  8,837,750

  2,811,790

  19,321,290

  1985

  8,819,330

  2,712,990

  19,853,780

  1986–87

  8,949,590

  2,602,270

  20,551,250

  England—Community Dental Service Number of Courses Completed

  Aged Under 15

  School children Aged 15 and over

  Others

  1975

  1,135,131

  135,033

  7,034

  1976

  1,124,267

  145,493

  7,704

  1977

  1,101,724

  148,246

  7,317

  1978

  1,096,169

  153,690

  9,222

  1979

  1,067,366

  158,081

  12,163

  1980

  1,090,243

  171,743

  15,085

  1981

  1,071,088

  172,657

  17,677

  1982

  1,070,586

  184,248

  21,402

  1983

  1,060,352

  179,789

  25,988

  1984

  1,078,357

  182,480

  32,173

  1985

  1,101,592

  180,666

  35,977

  1986–87

  1.105,957

  179,804

  46,266

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the numbers of persons in England and Wales known to be suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis; what is the current state of research into the causes and treatment of the disease; what financial help is given to the ME Association and its work for sufferers; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I recently announced a grant of £5,000 to the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association. Research of relevance to ME is being conducted but detailed information about this work and data on the number of sufferers are not held centrally.

  Passive Smoking
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the increased risk of lung cancer from passive smoking.

  Mrs. Currie
  The fourth report of the independent scientific committee on smoking and health, published in March this year, concludes that breathing other people's tobacco smoke gives rise to a 10 to 30 per cent. increase in the risk of lung cancer among non-smokers. This is in line with the findings of the International Agency for Research into Cancer, the United States National Research Council and the United States Surgeon General, all of which conclude that passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer. Copies of the independent scientific committee's report are in the Library.

  Benefits Taper
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations concerning the existence of a 100 per cent. taper, whereby hostel residents pursuing training or employment see a reduction in their benefit £1 for £1 if they earn more than £5 a week.

  Mr. Portillo
  No.

  Foetal Brain Cell Implants
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on foetal brain cell implants.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 7 June at columns 557–58.

  Funeral Expenses
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claiming only housing benefit in
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  (a) Lewisham, (b) London and (c) Britain have submitted a claim for a grant towards funeral expenses in the last year.

  Mr. Portillo
  The numbers of people receiving only housing benefit who submitted a claim for a social fund funeral payment from 6 April 1987 to 10 April 1988 are as follows:

  Number

  (a) Lewisham1

  31

  (b) London

  848

  (c) Great Britain

  10,402

  1 The Lewisham, Deptford constituency is covered by the Department's local offices at Greenwich Park, Lewisham and Peckham, although their boundaries are not conterminous with those of the constituency.

  Departmental Staff (Barnsley)
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each year since 1979 the establishment figure and the actual number of persons in post at(a) Barnsley Department of Health and Social Security office and (b) Barnsley employment office; and what was the total case load count for each year for the same period.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has two local offices in Barnsley—Barnsley East and Barnsley West. The information requested in respect of both these offices is as follows:

  Barnsley West

  Barnsley East

  Complement 1979–80

  131

  179

  Complement 1980–81

  127

  172

  Complement 1981–82

  122

  166

  Complement 1982–83

  113

  152

  Complement 1983–84

  95

  118

  Complement 1984–85

  95

  122

  Complement 1985–86

  104

  128

  Complement 1986–87

  109

  135

  Complement 1987–88

  120

  161

  Complement 1988–89

  114

  148

  Staff in post 1 June 1981

  122

  167

  Staff in post 1 June 1982

  113

  160

  Staff in post 1 June 1983

  105

  142

  Staff in post 1 June 1984

  99

  126

  Staff in post 1 June 1985

  102

  136

  Staff in post 1 June 1986

  110

  138·5

  Staff in post 1 June 1987

  116·5

  147

  Staff in post 1 June 1988

  118·5

  155·6

  Information regarding the numbers of staff in post prior to 1981 is not available.

  The latest case load counts, based on a 100 per cent. count of all cases in action, and the corresponding figures for previous years, are as follows:

  Supplementary-benefits

  Short term benefits

  Barnsley West

  1979

  4,356

  1980

  4,288

  1981

  5,218

  1982

  6,329

  1983

  6,421

  3,192

  1984

  7,530

  3,555

  1985

  7,952

  3,467

  1986

  8,231

  3,698

  366

  Supplementary benefits

  Short term benefits

  1987

  8,414

  3,593

  1988

  17,398

  3,785

  Barnsley East

  1979

  5,449

  1980

  5,594

  1981

  6,725

  1982

  8,234

  1983

  8,595

  3,936

  1984

  10,093

  4,438

  1985

  10,738

  4,158

  1986

  11,334

  4,172

  1987

  10,980

  4,423

  1988

  19,578

  4,837

  1 Income support.

  Information regarding short-term benefits case loads prior to 1983 is not available.

  Comparable figures are not available for the full range of contributory benefits.

  The 1988 case load figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Direct comparisons between the numbers of staff and the live load are misleading as work loads vary considerably by type and duration of claim and the action that has to be taken. All these factors vary over time as a result of legislative, policy and procedural changes.

  The information requested relating to Barnsley employment office is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Children in Care
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons aged 17 years and under were received into care by a local authority in England and Wales under section 7(7) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 in(a) 1985, (b) 1986 and (c) 1987; and how many in each year were from an ethnic minority background.

  Mrs. Currie
  The number of young persons admitted to care by local authorities in England under section 7(7) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 for the most recent three years for which information is currently available is given in the table. Information for 1987 is not yet available.

  Information about the ethnic origin of children and young people in care is not collected centrally.

  Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Young persons1 admitted to care of a local authority under section 7(7)2 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969: England

  During year ending 31 March

  Number admitted

  1984

  1,215

  1985

  990

  1986 (provisional)

  778

  1 All persons admitted to care were aged 17 years and under.

  2 Legal status of most recent care episode.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what further research he will be undertaking
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  about the possible link between aluminium in drinking water and Alzheimer's disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am aware that it has been suggested that aluminium in drinking water is one of the possible causes of Alzheimer's disease. For information about research on Alzheimer's disease I refer my hon. Friend to the reply by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Education and Science, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 29 April at column 342.

  Domestic Violence (Report)
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to publish the final report which he has commissioned from the Policy Studies Institute on the characteristics of hostels and the people who live in them before making any decision on income support payments for the victims of domestic violence living in women's refuges.

  Mr. Portillo
  The institute's final report is still awaited. Permission to publish will not be unreasonably withheld.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current level of Government funding 368
  for the national campaign against drug abuse; and whether he contemplates any changes in its level or targeting.

  Mrs. Currie
  We plan to spend £2·5 million in the current financial year on a national campaign about the dangers of drug misuse. The campaign's content and targeting will be determined in the light of evaluation findings relating to 1987–88 campaigns, and of information about the current drug scene.

  Compliance Cost Assessment
  Mr. Nelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish a list of compliance cost assessments prepared by his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following compliance cost assess-ments are available:

  Extension to DHSS Manufacturer Registration Scheme

  Temperature Control (Food)

  Industrial Injuries (Reduced Earnings Allowance)

  Maternity Allowance (Statutory Maternity Pay)

  Ionising Radiation

  Housing Benefit Earnings Inquiries

  Family Credit Earnings Inquiries

  Alignment of Benefit Pay Periods

  National Insurance—Amendment to Regulations on Recording the Details of Earnings

  National Insurance "Trust Fund" Exemption

  They are available on request from the departmental deregulation unit, Room 002, 151 Great Titchfield street, London SW1.