Written Answers of 21 June 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is being spent by his Department on crime prevention measures in the current year; and what were the comparable figures for 1979–80.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is estimated that direct Home Office spending on crime prevention—on publicity, research, training, the safer cities programme and support for the new national organisation, Crime Concern—will total approximately £9 million in 1988–89. This compares with expenditure of some £350,000 in 1979–80, supporting publicity, training and research, a more than tenfold increase.

  Convicted Persons (Pardons)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of conviction on indictment he has recommended a full pardon to Her Majesty The Queen in each of the years 1982 to 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. John Patten
  In one such case a free pardon was granted, in 1982.

  Mr. E. Brambergis
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken in the case of Mr. E. Brambergis, referred to him on 18 April by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North.

  Mr. Renton
  As I advised the hon. Member yesterday, Mr. Brambergis was informed on 26 May that a visa promise for his son had been authorised by the Immigration Department.

  Delible Security Markers
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the security marking industry regarding the need to improve the performance of current delible security markers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office has received no such representations.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to publish the report on the evaluation of the civil defence region No. 2 REGEX exercise.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 20 May.
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  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has any intention of supplying gas detection equipment, as demonstrated to the delegation from the Soviet Union at Porton Down on 24 May, to local authorities or to the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation for civil defence purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Consideration will be given to the need for such equipment when current studies into the effects of chemical weapons and protective measures against them have been completed.

  Channel Tunnel (Immigration Clearance)
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes for immigration clearance on trains using the Channel tunnel which are designed to provide a high-speed link between the north of England and the continent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The Immigration Service is discussing with British Rail its requirements for official accommodation and facilities on trains which, using the Channel tunnel, will proceed via Olympia to destinations in the United Kingdom beyond London. Arrangements for immigration clearance will depend on the outcome of those discussions.

  Terrorism (Suspects)
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained in the last five years at the Channel ports on suspicion of terrorism, when seeking entry to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hurd
  The available information is shown in the following table. The information collected centrally does not distinguish whether the person concerned was attempting to enter or to leave the country.

  Persons detained at the Channel ports1 under the Prevention of Terrorism legislation

  Numbers of persons

  Persons detained

  Persons examined for more than one hour but not detained2

  1983

  16

  —

  1984

  4

  13

  1985

  6

  12

  1986

  2

  8

  1987

  5

  5

  19883

  1

  —

  1 Sea and air ports (excluding Gatwick) on or near the south coast between Land's End and North Foreland.

  2 Operative from 27 March 1984.

  3 1 January to 31 March.

  London Prisons
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much land each of Brixton, Holloway, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs occupies; and what is the market value of the land in each case.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The approximate amount of land occupied by each prison is as follows:
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  Hectares

  Brixton

  4

  Holloway

  4

  Pentonville

  4

  Wandsworth

  9

  Wormwood Scrubs

  10

  The market value of this land, were it to be available, is not known.

  Community Radio
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce regulations to remove from community radio stations the right to apply for licences if they continue to broadcast unlicensed after a specified date.

  Mr. Renton
  We are giving thought to the possibility of including in the legislative proposals for radio broadcasting which we intend to bring before Parliament a provision disqualifying persons convicted of offences of unlawful broadcasting from obtaining licences from the Radio Authority.

  Registration and Naturalisation (Fees)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total net income to his Department in 1985, 1986, 1987 and to date from applications for registration and naturalisation.

  Mr. Renton
  Fees received for applications for naturalisation and registration, net of refunds to unsuccessful applicants, for the financial years 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88 and for April and May 1988 are as follows:

  Financial year

  Receipts £

  1985–86

  3,269,000

  1986–87

  4,241,000

  1987–88

  14,218,000

  11988–89

  4,175,000

  1 To end May.

  Broadcasting Standards Council
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider locating the new Broadcasting Standards Council in Huddersfield.

  Mr. Renton
  No. As the headquarters of most of the broadcasting authorities are located in London, it makes sense for the Broadcasting Standards Council also to be located there.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the levels of impounded water in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Avon, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire; and if levels are sufficient to avoid restrictions on use during the next three months.
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  Mr. Moynihan
  Water undertakers serving these counties consider that impounded water levels are sufficient to avoid restrictions on the use of water this summer unless a drought develops.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what statistical information is obtained from water authorities about levels of impounded water stocks; and what information there is as to which water authorities are more than 10 per cent. below levels impounded in early June 1987.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Limited information upon rainfall; river flows and reservoir levels, representative of the country as a whole, is collected by my Department throughout the year. If the onset of drought is perceived, detailed information is then collected from all water authorities supplemented by information from the Institute of Hydrology and the British Geological Survey. Information upon impounded water stocks in relation to water stocks in June 1987 is not held centrally.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what improvements in impounding water stocks and its distribution have been achieved since 1984.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Since 1984 major reservoirs at Colliford in Cornwall and at Grimwith in Yorkshire have been completed. Improvements have also been made to the water distribution system through the investment of over £500 million by water authorities in England.

  Local Authority Publicity
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been given to local authorities on the implementation of section 28 of the Local Government Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Department of the Environment circular 12/88 provides guidance for local authorities on various provisions in the Local Government Act 1988, including section 28. A copy of the circular is in the Library.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of home improvement grants awarded, and what was the total amount spent on home improvement grants in each of the financial years since 1978–79 inclusive.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information is as follows:

  Renovation grants paid to private owners and to tenants: England

  Number of dwellings thousands

  Amount £ million

  1978–79

  58·8

  81·3

  1979–80

  70·6

  111·0

  1980–81

  71·8

  126·8

  1981–82

  72·3

  167·4

  1982–83

  131·6

  367·4

  1983–84

  250·6

  796·1

  1984–85

  195·2

  737·1

  1985–86

  124·4

  461·4

  1986–87

  110·9

  384·7

  1987–881

  114·1

  371·1

  1 = provisional estimate.

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation (London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of people who were living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each of the London boroughs on 1 June having been placed there by the local council.

  Mrs. Roe
  The latest figures, for the end of March 1988, appear in table 7 of "Local authorities' action under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act: England. Results for the first quarter of 1988. Supplementary Tables", which is in the Library.

  Waste Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for requiring strict declaration of quantities of waste shipped to the United Kingdom to avoid losses en route to the British port.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Regulations soon to be laid to implement the EC directive on the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste require the use of consignment notes which will enable any losses during the journey to be identified.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for requiring notification to waste disposal authorities in ports of import of the quantity, nature, and dangers of all waste imports, before arrival in Britain.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Under regulations soon to be laid to implement the EC directive on the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste, the waste disposal authority at the port of entry will receive detailed information on the quantity, nature and dangers of consignments of special waste before arrival at the port. We have no plans to require the pre-notification of wastes which are not covered by the directive.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the toxic waste imported into Britain during 1987 was hazardous but not recorded as special waste.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The records available relate only to special waste; that is, waste which is dangerous or difficult to dispose of.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take action to ensure the independent monitoring of all imported waste.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Disposal of all controlled waste, including imports, is subject to licences issued by waste disposal authorities.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the total cost of waste disposal authorities of undertaking the chemical analysis of imported toxic waste for the latest available year.

  Mr. Moynihan
  None.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the toxic waste imported into Britain during 1987 was subsequently recycled into other products.
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  Mr. Moynihan
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any assessment of the extent to which imported domestic waste from the United States of America is likely to contain cockroaches.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet representatives of the Water Authorities Association to discuss controls on water pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend and I regularly meet the water authority chairmen, and pollution control is among the issues discussed.

  Woodlands
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to protect woodlands following the judgment of the Court of Appeal about entitlement to compensation in the case of Bell v. Canterbury City Council.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend, jointly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, has laid before the House the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order) (Amendment) Regulations 1988, which come into operation on 30 June. This is an interim measure taken in response to the widespread concern about the continued effectiveness of tree preservation orders on woodlands in the light of the implications of the Court of Appeal decision for the compensation payable by local authorities. We are undertaking a general review of tree preservation policy and legislation, and the appropriate scope of arrangements for compensation will be considered further as part of that review.

  The new regulations will bring the compensation provisions for those trees in woodlands which do not require a Forestry Commission felling licence into step with the compensation provisions applicable to non-woodland trees protected by tree preservation orders. Local authorities will be enabled, when refusing consent to fell a woodland protected by a tree preservation order, to certify, in appropriate cases, that the trees have "outstanding or special amenity value". The effect of such a certificate will be that no compensation will be payable as a result of refusal of consent. However, there is a right of appeal against certification to the Secretary of State, who may cancel the certificate. Accordingly the interests of owners will be adequately safeguarded under the new arrangements.

  Local authorities will also now have the opportunity to consider whether any tree preservation orders previously made should be varied to reflect the amending regulations. My Department and the Welsh Office have written to them today to draw their attention to the regulations.

  In order to ensure a comparable degree of protection for woodlands containing trees which are above the thresholds for Forestry Commission felling controls, the commission has agreed to change its practice in dealing with applications for a licence to fell trees in woodland which is subject to a tree preservation order. Where the purpose of such an application is to convert the land to

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  agricultural use after felling, or in any other case where the applicant has not stated an intention to continue to use the land as woodland, the Forestry Commission will in future consider the application itself rather than refer it to the local authority to decide. In considering such applications the commission will be guided by its general presumption against the granting of felling licences to convert woodland to agricultural use, and will also take amenity considerations into account. Any claim to compensation as a result of refusal of consent will be against the commission and will be determined under forestry legislation. It is only in the exceptional case where the commission proposes to give consent that the matter would be referred to the Secretary of State for decision if the local authority objected, and that compensation would then be payable on the same basis as in the Canterbury case if consent were refused.

  On the other hand, where the Forestry Commission receives an application for a licence to fell trees subject to a tree preservation order and the application is accompanied by proposals for replanting, the commission will continue to follow its present practice and refer the application to the local authority to deal with. In those circumstances, any claim to compensation as a result of refusal of consent would be against the local authority and would be determined under town and country planning legislation. But, in view of the replanting proposals that would have been submitted, we are advised that the amount of any compensation, being limited to the actual loss or damage caused or incurred, would be likely to be much more modest than in the Canterbury case.

  Industrial Dredging
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has conducted as to the effects of industrial dredging on the United Kingdom coastal erosion.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: Two specific studies have been undertaken by Hydraulics Research Ltd. into the possible effects of marine dredging for sand and gravel on erosion of the United Kingdom coast. These are:
  Wave Attenuation over Uneven Sea Bed Topography—A Study of Wave Changes in relation to Offshore Dredging. September 1983.
  Sand and Gravel Mobility in relation to Offshore Dredging—A Radioactive Tracer Study in the Shipway Channel off the Suffolk Coast. February 1984.

  The possible effects of marine sand and gravel dredging on coastal erosion were reviewed in a recent study of the United Kingdom aggregates dredging industry entitled "Marine Dredging for Sand and Gravel," which was commissioned by the Department of the Environment and published by HMSO in 1987.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last reviewed the effects of industrial dredging upon the United Kingdom coastline.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: A report on marine dredging for sand and gravel was published by HMSO in 1987. It includes a section on the interaction of dredging with the coastal environment and a review of the known literature on shoreline stability in so far as it is relevant.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many tonnes of gravel for 484
  commercial use were extracted from the sea bed off the United Kingdom coast by industrial dredging vessels for each year since 1979;

  (2) how many tonnes of sand for industrial use were extracted from the sea bed off the United Kingdom coast by industrial dredging vessels for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: No figures are available to identify separately the sand and the gravel extracted off the United Kingdom coast. However, the combined tonnages of sand and gravel dredged from the sea areas off the coast of the United Kingdom for each year since 1979, in millions of tonnes, are as follows:

  Tonnes Millions

  1979

  18

  1980

  17

  1981

  15·3

  1982

  14·8

  1983

  15·9

  1984

  15·4

  1985

  16·3

  1986

  17·6

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions he has had with his European Economic Community colleagues as to the number of licences to be issued for industrial dredging off the European Economic Community coastline; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what discussions he has had with his European Economic Community colleagues aimed at limiting the number of vessels involved in industrial dredging; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: There have been no discussions with European Economic Community colleagues concerning either the number of licences for sand and gravel dredging off the coastline of the European Economic Community or the number of vessels involved. The Crown Estate Commissioners manage the rights to exploit minerals (other than gas or oil) in territorial waters and on the United Kingdom continental shelf and it is they who are responsible for the issue of licences to dredge such minerals.

  Merseyside Development Corporation
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much members of the Merseyside development corporation are paid each year.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: Each member of the Merseyside development corporation receives an annual salary of £3,770 per annum.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the salaries of the chairman, deputy chairman and chief executive of the Merseyside development corporation.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: The annual salaries of the chairman, deputy chairman and chief executive of MDC are £14,223, £6,436 and £41,049, respectively.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings have been held by the Merseyside development corporation in each of the years since it was established.
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  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: Since its inception in 1981 M DC has held 79 board meetings. An annual breakdown is provided as follows:

  Year

  Number of meetings

  April 1981–December 1981

  9

  1982

  11

  1983

  11

  1984

  11

  1985

  11

  1986

  12

  1987

  9

  January 1988–May 1988

  5

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the board of the Merseyside development corporation reside within the city of Liverpool.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: None of the current board members resides within the city of Liverpool.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in each of the last five years(a) high level, (b) low level and (c) intermediate level nuclear waste has been moved within the United Kingdom or in United Kingdom airspace, to or from (i) any civil British nuclear installation and (ii) any British nuclear electricity generating station or reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department does not collect details of the kind requested.

  Nitrates
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what latest information he has on the medical effect of excess levels of nitrate on human beings.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have been asked to reply.

  The most recent United Kingdom epidemiological study, published in 1986, did not indicate any relationships between exposure to raised levels of nitrate and cancer in humans. Whilst infantile methaemoglobinaemia is known to be caused by high concentrations of nitrate in drinking water, no cases of infantile methaemoglobinaemia attributable to concentrations of nitrate in drinking water have been reported in the United Kingdom since 1975.

  Advice on the medical aspects of nitrate in drinking water was last given in a letter from the Government's chief medical officer in November 1985. The Department continues to review all relevant scientific literature including epidemiological studies in other countries, and is presently seeking the advice of the committee on the medical aspects of the contamination of air, soil and water on the findings of studies published since 1985.

  Greater London (Studies)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report all studies and investigations he has announced concerning any aspect of planning and housing in the Greater London
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  area, stating for each the purpose of the study, by whom it is being undertaken, and the date of expected publication.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has commissioned an east London housing study to examine the scope for housing in five areas of east London. Coopers arid Lybrand Associates are undertaking the study, which is due to be completed by October 1988.

  In addition, the Department has commissioned a number of other studies, which while not dealing specifically with London, may touch on some aspect of housing or planning in London. Full lists of the 1988–89 studies are given in DOE planning research programmes newsletter and the housing research programme as annexed to DOE press release 224. Copies of both of these have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey on 9 June,Official Report, column 653, he will estimate the population for that part of each of the dockland boroughs which lies within the area of the London Docklands development corporation, for each year since its creation and for each year for which projected figures are available.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: I will write to the hon. Member.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Radio Surveillance Equipment
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 8 June,Official Report, column 588, what powers are available to his Department to monitor the use of radio surveillance equipment; what use has been made of these powers over the last five years; and what plans he has to strengthen those powers.

  Mr. Butcher
  There are no specific powers, but during and before the last five years the parts of the radio spectrum allocated for civil use have been regularly subject to monitoring exercises to establish patterns of use, to trace radio interference and to assist in the general management of radio services. I have no plans to take any specific powers.

  Home Accidents
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people in England and Wales in the latest complete year for which figures are availale were killed or injured by accidents occurring in the home; and what proportion of these is estimated to be as a result of misuse of electrical equipment.

  Mr. Butcher
  In 1984, the most recent year for which complete data are available, there were 4,593 fatal home accidents in England and Wales recorded in the home accident deaths database. 120 (3 per cent.) of these involved mains electrical products, but only for the 26 cases of electrocution was there expert judgment of the extent of misuse. It was noted as a contributory factor in
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  14 of them. In 1986, from data collected by the home accident surveillance system, there were estimated to have been about 1,990,000 patients treated in hospitals in England and Wales as the result of non-fatal home accidents. About 64,000 (3 per cent.) of these cases involved mains electrically powered products. No information is available on the extent to which misuse was a contributory factor.

  Girobank
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will discuss the status of Bootle as the major operations centre of Girobank with the Post Office board;

  (2) who is to determine the value of Girobank before it is sold to the private sector;

  (3) if, during his discussions with the chairman of the Post Office board, he will make it his policy to seek to ensure that the contingency centre for Girobank is sited in close proximity to the Bootle centre;

  (4) if he will discuss with the chairman of the Post Office board the protection of conditions of service, pension rights and continued trade union recognition before Girobank is privatised.

  Mr. Butcher
  Girobank belongs to the Post Office, with whose chairman and board I am in frequent touch, and the Post Office is managing the sale. The Post Office has already said that an important issue in discussions with potential purchasers is to pay proper regard to the interests of Girobank's staff at Bootle and elsewhere. The price offered will of course also be a major consideration. The siting of a contingency centre is a matter for the Post Office and for Girobank.

  Clinical Thermometers
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of clinical thermometers exported from the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community and from the European Economic Community to the United Kingdom in the most recent annual period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the period April 1987 to March 1988 trade with the EEC in clinical thermometers was valued at: exports £54,000 and imports £105,000. These figures should be treated with caution because of major changes to Customs procedures introduced in January 1988, details of which were given in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on 7 December 1987, at columns 34–35.

  Airbus
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to why the West German Economics Ministry has agreed to provide more aid to the Airbus project; whether the United Kingdom Government were consulted; and what is his latest assessment of the financial prospects of Airbus.

  Mr. Atkins
  Issues relating to the German Government's financial support for the Airbus programme are a matter for the German Government. I am in touch with British Aerospace about the problems which it 488
  believes the company faces in connection with Airbus programmes, and have asked for its latest assessment of the financial prospects of Airbus.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total amount of aid and guarantees provided by Her Majesty's Government to the Airbus project; and what percentage of this has been given to British Aerospace plc.

  Mr. Atkins
  British Aerospace has received launch-aid totalling some £249·3 million in connection with its participation in the Airbus A320 programme. It has been agreed that further launch-aid of up to £450 million will be made available in connection with the company's involvement in the A330/340 programme.

  Existing intergovernmental agreements, in connection with the A300 and A310 aircraft, provide in certain events for intergovernmental liability. The Government's present liability under such arrangements is in the region of £500,000.

  Steel
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the Council of Ministers was unable to agree quota reductions, and whether steel may now be freely traded without price restriction within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Atkins
  The future of the quota system is to be discussed at the Council of Industry Ministers on 24 June. In the absence of adequate commitments from industry to reduce excess capacity by the amounts agreed at the 22 December Council, quotas should end on 30 June. Pricing practices for ECSC steel producers are governed by article 60 of the Treaty of Paris, which prohibits unfair competitive practices and discriminatory pricing arrangements.

  Furniture (Fire Safety)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the proposed test for fabrics under the draft furniture fire safety regulations will be ignition source one, rather than crib four ignition procedure.

  Mr. Butcher
  Yes.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whereabouts on a sofa or chair the crib would normally be placed when carrying out crib ignition tests on furniture.

  Mr. Butcher
  In the BS 5852 tests required by both the existing regulations and by the proposed new ones, the upholstery composite is represented on a perpendicular seat/back test rig. The crib is placed on the seat in contact with the back, at least 100 mm from the edge.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether flammability testing of domestic upholstery covering material is normally carried out using the crib four procedure to cause ignition.

  Mr. Butcher
  The only flame test applied to domestic furniture covering material both in respect of the labelling option of the 1980/83 regulations and the draft new
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  regulations, is the simulated match of BS 5852, part 1. There is no proposal to test covering fabrics using ignition source 4, a small wooden crib.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether flammability testing of contract upholstery covering material is normally carried out using the crib four procedure to cause ignition.

  Mr. Butcher
  It is for the specifying authority to decide what ignition source to use in relation to any contract.

  Ignition source 5 is the most widely used of the cribs detailed in BS 5852. I am not aware of any which use the crib specified as ignition source 4.

  Fire-Safe Cigarettes
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to promote the development and use of fire-safe cigarettes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: The United States interagency committee reported on 29 October 1987 that it was technically feasible to make cigarettes with reduced liability to ignite upholstered furniture.

  The report further stated that the tar nicotine and carbon monoxide yields of such cigarettes were in line with the levels obtained from many popular brands, but added that further study of potential for causing disease would be required. The committee had not attempted to assess consumer acceptability of these "fire safe" cigarettes.

  The policy recommendations of the interagency committee dated 23 December recommended an examination of the health aspect and consumer acceptability and I shall monitor the progress made in this further examination.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear-powered Vessels (Accidents)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been provided by his Department to the Australian Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade's inquiry into safety procedures and contingency planning for accidents involving nuclear-powered vessels in harbour.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  General information about the Royal Navy's nuclear submarine safety procedures and reactor accident contingency planning was passed to the Australian Department of Defence last year. I understand that the Department has drawn on this as appropriate in responding to the Standing Committee's current inquiry on safety procedures relating to nuclear-powered vessels in Australian waters.

  Marconi
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether activities by Marconi companies in relation to defence contracts have been referred to the serious fraud office.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General who has responsibility for the serious fraud office, that this matter is being dealt with by it.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further discussions have taken place with the Soviet authorities about the implications of the recent visit by Soviet scientists to the Porton Down establishment for future exchanges of this kind in relation to chemical weapons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  A United Kindom delegation will be visiting the Soviet military chemical facility at Shikhany from 30 June to 4 July. This will be the second part of the exchange of visits between the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, and Shikhany. Any assessment of the merits of further exchanges should await the outcome of that visit.

  Disarmament
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement on his policy towards multilateral disarmament.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Bilateral and multilateral agreements offer the only sure means for achieving equitable arid lasting arms control and disarmament measures; the recent INF treaty is a vindication of this approach. NATO's next arms control priorities of a 50 per cent. reduction in the strategic nuclear weapons of the United States and Soviet Union, the achievement of stability in conventional forces in Europe and a global ban on chemical weapons fully meet the requirement that arms control measures should maintain and, if possible, enhance security.

  Nuclear Missiles
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to be in a position to announce specific decisions on the development and acquisition of new short range nuclear and nuclear-capable missiles.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to be in a position to announce specific decisions on the development and acquisition of new short range nuclear and nuclear-capable missiles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  A decision on the procurement of a weapon system to replace the free-fall bomb which currently provides the United Kingdom's independent sub-strategic nuclear capability will probably be taken next year. The timing of any decision to take into service with British forces a follow-on to the Lance missile system would depend on progress made by the United States in its efforts to meet SACEUR's requirements in this area.

  RAF Aircraft (Swedish Interceptions)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each year since 1979 Royal Air Force aircraft have been intercepted by aircraft from the Royal Swedish Air Force.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  No such records are maintained.

  Nuclear Accidents (Compensation)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the compensation arrangements in the event of
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  civilian death, injury and property damage resulting from (a) a military nuclear reactor accident and (b) a nuclear weapon accident.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In the unlikely event of a military nuclear accident in the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Defence would offer compensation under the same arrangements which exist for dealing with any other claims for personal injury, loss or damage.

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low-flying aircraft were received from Northern Ireland in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 22 February 1988]: No fixed-wing low-flying training is currently carried out in Northern Ireland. However, helicopters do undertake low-flying operations in Northern Ireland. Although no central records are available of complaints received, HQ Northern Ireland received 32 complaints in 1987.

PRIME MINISTER

  Security
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals she has to improve the security of information passing in(a) the Department of Education and Science and (b) other Government Departments, in the light of recent unauthorised disclosure of correspondence and briefing material.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  Every effort is made to keep classified information held in Government Departments secure. The arrangements are kept under review and modified when necessary.

  Allt Yr Yn, Newport
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Allt Yr Yn, Newport, Gwent.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Arpley Meadows, Warrington
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to pay an official visit to Arpley Meadows, Warrington.

  Mr. Wakenham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.
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  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 21 June.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend is in Toronto for an economic summit meeting.

  Poland
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if, when she visits Poland later this year, she will raise with the authorities there the treatment of workers in joint ICL-Polish Government enterprises; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend will certainly emphasise her concern about human rights in Poland and the need for trade union pluralism. I understand that ICL's joint venture agreement covers the marketing of their products in Poland and of Polish furniture in the West, and that the company has no direct involvement in manufacturing or the management of individual enterprises in Poland.

WALES

  Government Achievements
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Government's achievements in Wales since June 1987.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Seasonally adjusted unemployment in Wales has fallen by 23,200 over the past 12 months and has now fallen every month for 24 consecutive months. We have just seen the largest monthly fall in unadjusted unemployment since May 1983. The total of unemployed school leavers is down by 28 per cent. over the past year and the number of vacancies continues to increase. Advertisements for jobs in the main daily newspapers of Wales have increased very substantially in the first six months of 1988 compared to the same period in 1987.

  Over the past year, 96 inward industrial investment projects have been secured. These projects involve £370 million of capital investment and promise over 8,000 new jobs. Among the major projects are ones from companies based in the United States, Japan and Europe. Important projects have also been obtained in the financial services industries including the decision by the Trustee Savings Bank Trust to create an establishment in Newport that will provide 2,000 new jobs.

  The move of the Patent Office from London to Newport has also been secured which will provide 600 new jobs.
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  During the year I made visits to Japan, the Minister of State visited the United States and West Germany, and visits to West Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan and Saudi Arabia are planned in the future.

  The Welsh Development Agency budget for 1988–89 is a record for mainstream spending in both cash and real terms enabling it to significantly increase the range and intensity of its activities.

  The £127 million factory programme announced in January 1988 will enable the Agency to build up to 4·5 million sq ft of additional industrial work space, 50 per cent. higher than previously planned and 75 per cent. more than the area completed in the three years prior to May 1979. The new capacity will have the potential to accommodate over 13,000 new manufacturing jobs. The 2·2 million sq ft of factory lettings by the agency in 1987–88 were at a record high.

  In June last year I launched an exporting awareness campaign at a seminar of leading Welsh business men. The performance in Wales in terms of exporting has considerable scope for improvement. This campaign has been followed by an export promotion team from the Welsh Office contacting and working with many businesses. There has been a Principalitywide advertising campaign supplementing the national British Overseas Trade Board campign. There followed two major export advisory service promotions held in the early morning, one in Cardiff and the other in north Wales. These were considered to be the most successful export promoting meetings that have taken place in the Principality. Both were exceedingly well attended and a substantial increase in inquiries for Government export services has taken place as a result of them.

  The £45 million land reclamation programme launched on 14 June 1988 is the largest ever undertaken and will enable the agency to reclaim an extra 4,300 acres of derelict land.

  Registrations of new companies in Wales increased substantially during the year. The Welsh Development Agency's business development unit dealt with a record 39,000 inquiries from small enterprises in 1987–88–18 per cent. more than the previous year.

  WINtech's manufacturing technology centre has been opened at Cleppa park to act as a focus for activity in promoting the use of new technology.

  The Welsh Development Agency has been given approval to establish a £5 million Welsh technological development fund aimed at stimulating innovation employment in Welsh high technology enterprises.

  A major initiative was launched in April 1988 aimed at increasing the real value of the craft industry's sales and jobs by at least 50 per cent. within three years.

  Since June 1987 a total of 3,100 applications for regional development grant have been received—an increase of 80 per cent. over the previous year. There have been over 200 applications for regional selective assistance. If the potential of these applications is fully realised, it will increase investment in Wales by almost £2,000 million and create around 59,000 new jobs over the next few years.

  Since the launch of the new enterprise initiatives in January of this year we have received around 370 applications for consultancy assistance.

  Enterprise Wales has been launched, a major new package of assistance to industry. Welsh Office resources have been increased by some 40 per cent. over previous
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  plans and new grant and support schemes have been introduced for small firms and for firms in all sectors who wish to take advantage of consultancy advice.

  A major initiative has been launched to strengthen the financial services sector in south-east Wales. The campaign is being led by the Welsh Development Agency and backed by a consortium of local authorities.

  It has been agreed that the Welsh steel industry should be privatised which will give an opportunity to those that work so hard in the industry to participate in its ownership and in its future success.

  The gateway network was launched last October. This is an initiative that brings together central Government, local government and the private sector to co-ordinate and improve the help available to small businesses in Wales. Seven major banks have joined the network.

  Investment in trunk road improvements has continued at a high level. Since June 1987 the following schemes have been opened to traffic: A48 Cross Hands-Llanddarog dual carriageway bypass; A483 Ruabon bypass; A48 Chepstow Inner relief road and A40 Haverfordwest Relief Roads Phase 1. Construction has also started on the A483 Newbridge bypass; A55 Llanfairfechan bypass and A55 Northop bypass.

  The part I played in the discussions between the United Kingdom Government and the European Commission about integrated operations submissions, and the programme for Dyfed, Gwynedd, Powys in particular, helped to lead the negotiations to the recent adoption by the Commission of a £108 million national programme of community interest for the area and the acceptance in principle of the integrated operations programme for the three counties. In addition my discussion with Commissioner Varfis in February, were I believe, contributory to the recent recognition by the Commission of the need for continuing access to structural fund assistance on the part of rural Wales.

  I negotiated improved arrangements for the overseas promotion of Wales as a tourism destination, with the BTA providing £70,000 for 11 distinctively Welsh promotions and a further £94,000 to lever trade contributions of £220,000. This has already led to the establishment of a Wales reservation centre in the United States of America. In addition, a futher £50,000 was provided to the WTB for expenditure in the United Kingdom that complements this overseas marketing. In February 1988 an additional £250,000 was added to the WTB's budget to finance an immediate additional marketing campaign to assist the industry in Wales.

  In the year 1987–88 the commercial performance of CADW: Welsh Historic Monuments exceeded all targets and broke previous records for attendance and revenue. Admissions to monuments in care increased by 11 percent. to £1·56 million and revenue exceeded £1·78 million, a rise of 18·7 per cent.

  In December 1987 Mid Wales Development, the Welsh Development Agency and the Wales Tourist Board jointly decided to fund a new company to be called "Taste of Wales" (Bias ar Gymru) solely for the purpose of furthering the objects of the rural products group, by involving the hotel and catering sector and by encouraging them to use and promote the best of Welsh food. I formally launched Blas ar Gymru in May in Cardiff castle.

  The farm diversification scheme, which came into force on 1 January 1988, is intended to assist farmers to develop alternative commercial uses for agricultural businesses and

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  land. This covers investment in tourism, rural crafts, farm shops, on-farm catering, livery and pony trekking in the less-favoured areas only.

  I have designated the Lleyn peninsula as an environmentally sensitive area (ESA). I have also extended the area of the existing Cambrian mountains ESA. Farmers participating in the scheme are offered financial incentives to maintain the broad pattern of land use, protect the rough grazing, hay meadows and archaeological features and retain broadleaved woodland. This will enable all farmers in the original area recommended by the Countryside Commission for designation to be considered for participation in the scheme and to obtain its benefits.

  A new woodland grant scheme to provide Government support for private forestry planting was announced in March this year. The scheme replaced the forestry grant scheme and the broadleaved woodland grant scheme. The main features of the new scheme are increases in grants for conifer and broadleaved planting and new provision to conserve the environment.

  The Welsh rural products group was formed in June 1987. This body came about at my instigation. It includes representatives from all the statutory bodies and parties interested in improving and encouraging the development of food production, as well as the marketing of Welsh food and agricultural produce.

  Private housebuilding starts in Wales totalled 9,353 in 1987–88—this represents an increase of 24 per cent. on the previous year. The private sector total of over 9,000 starts in 1987–88 is the highest total for some considerable time. Taking into account starts in the public sector, over 11,500 new homes were started in 1987–88. Wales has led the way in establishing the principle of mixed funding schemes involving local authorities, housing associations and private finance. The mixed funding concept has been developed with the active support of the Housing Corporation and housing associations in Wales. It should attract approximately £7 million in private funding in 1988–89. This will be in addition to the £60 million being provided by the Government for the Housing Corporation's gross development programme. The objective of the initiative is to increase the provision of much needed social rented housing using a limited injection of public funds to trigger additional private sector investment.

  A total of 20 mixed funding schemes, which will provide over 1,000 houses, have been approved. The pilot scheme at St. Mellons will alone provide over 560 houses. The scheme commenced in September 1987 and is due for final completion in 1989. Associations started over 630 more new homes on site in 1987–88 under the mixed funding initiative—an increase of 50 per cent. over the corporation's target for the year. This was a particularly welcome achievement in the first year of the scheme. I have established my alternatives for social housing (ASH) programme to promote a wider choice in social rented housing in Wales. Consultancy advice is being made available to a limited number of councils to help them formulate proposals for transfer of their housing stock to new landlord bodies.

  As a consequence of our housing legislation, housing associations are set to become of increasing importance as providers of housing for those in need, in Wales as elsewhere. We have decided therefore that the time is now right to establish the independence of the Housing Corporation in Wales. The current Housing Bill makes
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  provision to achieve this by establishing a new body, Housing for Wales, which we believe will have a major contribution to make towards helping to tackle the housing problems we face in Wales.

  Between 1987–88 and 1988–89 revenue funding for the hospital and community health services in Wales has increased by £80 million or 10·7 per cent. over last year. Between 1987–88 and 1988–89 capital allocations to district health authorities increased by nearly 21 per cent.

  Within this overall total I would particularly like to point to the increased funding for the all-Wales mental mehandicap strategy of £3·75 million raising it to a record level of £13·75 million for 1988–89. I launched my strategic proposals for the development of locally based mental illness services in Wales on 16 May, for a period of six months consultation. In the current financial year I am making available a record £2·3 million to assist in the development of new patterns of mental illness services.

  A director has been appointed to oversee the introduction of breast screening for women aged 50 to 64 and a headquarters building has been purchased; screening will begin later this year.

  An additional £400,000 a year was allocated to health authorities in November 1987 to help improve their cervical screening programme, making a total of £800,000 a year of central support for this service; all but one authority are currently using family practitioner committee computers for call and recall and the computer should come on stream in the remaining district next month.

  A total of £1 million was allocated to health authorities in 1987–88 to help tackle the worst waiting list problems. I am happy to report that an additional 2,900 patients were treated and 6,600 additional out-patients were seen.

  I gave approval in November 1987 to the development of a paediatric cardiac unit at the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff as the first phase of a major expansion of cardiac services. An additional four computerised tomography (CT) scanners are to be installed in hospitals in Wales bringing to eight the number, provided at a cost in the region of £3·8 million from central funds.

  It was announced in May 1988 that two subsidiary renal dialysis units are to be developed and operated at the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff and Prince Charles hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, by Unicare Medical Services Limited under contract to South and Mid Glamorgan health authorities respectively.

  The report of the community nursing review for Wales entitled "Nursing in the Community—a Team Approach for Wales" has been submitted and a public consultation on it completed. The resources available for use by the Welsh Health Promotion Authority (amounting to nearly £1·8 million) have been allocated in full taking account of the authority's operational plan for 1988–89 submitted at its first performance review. Recognising the importance of lifestyle in the maintenance of good health, my Department has also completed a review of the plans provided by both local drugs advisory committees and AIDS co-ordinating teams. A new training grant to support social workers involved in dealing with child abuse has been introduced.

  My office is about to issue the corporate management programme for the Health Service in Wales. This is a five-year agenda for management action aimed at maximising the effectiveness of the NHS in Wales. It details the work which must be undertaken by a whole range of interests to enable health care services in Wales to

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  adapt constructively so as to ensure the highest standards of care and value for money. The number of people waiting for in-patient treatment on 31 December 1987 was lower than the number waiting on 31 December 1986. NHS hospitals are treating an increasing number of people. In the year to 31 December 1987, an additional 14,846 in-patients were treated over the numbers treated in 1986 and an additional 12,101 out-patients were seen for the first time in the same period. This represents increases of 99,021 (28·3 per cent.) and 88,122 (20·6 per cent.) in the treatment on in-patients and out-patients respectively over the numbers treated in 1979. In view of this success, a further £1 million is being made available to health authorities in the current year.

  A consultative process has been undertaken and completed on each of the proposals within the Education Reform Bill. The working group on Welsh in the national curriculum has been established and is expected to produce its report next April. The appointment of the Curriculum Council for Wales has been announced. It will be established subject to parliamentary approval of the Education Reform Bill. From September 1987, a total of 115 additional places were taken up under our assisted places scheme.

  November 1987 saw the launch of the language exports centre for Wales at University College, Swansea, funded as part of the PICKUP (professional, industrial and commercial updating) programme. The aim of the centre is to help industry and education in providing foreign language and export marketing training for small and medium-sized firms.

  I ensured the future of the Sherman theatre by providing £900,000 to enable the building to be purchased by the Welsh Arts Council and a grant of £27,000 to assist the Sherman Theatre Company in the short term.

  Government support for the Welsh language was a record total of £3·283 million of support for voluntary bodies and for bilingual education, nearly £250,000 has been allocated to the Welsh language education development committee to enable it to start work on its first major project. This is to develop a co-ordinated effort to prepare and distribute Welsh language teaching material for secondary schools.

  I have benefited in my understanding of the place of the language in Wales from discussions I have had with leading Welsh language organisations and others and from the valuable advice I have received from the working group I established in December 1987 under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Minister of State.

  The education support grant (ESG) programme in 1988–89, announced in August last year, totalled £7·39 million expenditure compared with a total of £4·18 million expenditure approved for 1987–88—an increase of over 75 per cent. Activities supported in 1988–89 include: mid-day supervision (£2·57 million); information technology (IT) in schools (£1·48 million); books and equipment for GCSE (£0·61 million); IT in non-advanced further education (£0·26 million); computer-aided engineering (£0·24 million); and 14 other categories.

  The technical and vocational education initiative (TVEI) helps to develop practical and relevant elements in the curriculum for 14 to 18-year-olds. All Welsh LEAs have been involved in pilot schemes. We announced in February 1988 their extension to all schools and colleges in Wales over the next few years, with £45 million of Government support.
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  Adult training schemes helped over 27,500 people, and over 20,000 people were involved in community programme work throughout the year. A further 12,000 people took part in the voluntary projects programme.

  A total of 19,080 young persons entered YTS in Wales during 1987–88. Once again the Training Commission undertook to guarantee all school-leavers a YTS place by Christmas 1987, and a success rate of 99·9 per cent. in Wales bettered anywhere else in Britain.

  In my statement to the House on 14 June I announced a three-year programme for the revitalisation of the valleys of south Wales designed to help improve economic, environmental and social conditions across the whole valleys area. It identifies almost SO proposals for new and increased activity including record levels of activity in land clearance, factory building and urban programme support along with other action to promote enterprise, strengthen tourism and the arts, promote housing improvement, improve health care and education and strengthen voluntary bodies.

  Public expenditure on key programmes promoting economic development, urban renewal and other environmental improvement and youth adult training is expected to be about £500 million over the life of the programme. It is also anticipated that over £1 billion of private sector investment will take place in the valleys over the same period.

  Hospital Patients (Treatment Statistics)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage increase there was in patients treated in hospitals in Wales in 1986 over those treated in 1979; and what percentage increase there was in outpatients treated.

  Mr. Grist
  Twenty-four per cent. more in-patients were treated and 18 per cent. more new out-patients were seen in Welsh hospitals in 1986 than in 1979. I am pleased to say that the 1987 figures show an even further improvement to 28 per cent. and 21 per cent respectively.

  CAT Scanners
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will take steps to release extra funds to Clwyd area health authority to enable CAT scanners to be more widely available to the people of north Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) where CAT scanners currently operate in north Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Computerised tomography scanners are presently in operation at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Ysbyty Maelor Wrexham. Funds have been made available to Gwynedd health authority to enable a scanner to be provided at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor. The Department has no plans to release additional funds to Clwyd health authority for computerised tomography scanning. It is open to the authority, should it so wish, to provide additional facilities.

  Cancer Treatment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department first gave evidence to the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs concerning cancer treatment in north Wales and in the north-west of England for north Wales patients; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Grist
  Evidence was given by officials to the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs concerning cancer treatment in north Wales on 27 June 1984.

  NHS Patients
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the action taken, and the studies made and the evaluations undertaken by Welsh and English authorities since evidence was last given by his Department to the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs, including cash allocations, staff appointments, treatment centres made available and efforts made to improve the liaison between north Wales and the English authorities for the benefit of north Wales patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Valleys Programme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide details of the criteria used in delineating the boundaries of the area to be aided under his recent valleys programme.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The area covered by the new programme took as its starting point the area of the south Wales coalfield. This was adjusted to exclude localities such as the coastal towns, which do not exhibit the economic, environmental and other characteristics associated with the valleys and to ensure that wherever possible the boundary follows existing administrative boundaries or physical features.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh power stations have installed flue gas desulphurisation air pollution filtering equipment.

  Mr. Grist
  None.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to require the fitting of flue gas desulphurisation equipment to Welsh power stations.

  Mr. Grist
  It will be for discussion between the industries concerned and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution how to meet the requirements on the United Kingdom, agreed at the EC Environmental Council on 16 June, to reduce the overall total of sulphur dioxide emissions from existing large combustion plant.

  Snowdonia National Park
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the threat now posed by air pollution and acid rain to Snowdonia national park.

  Mr. Grist
  Over the last 12 months we have received two representations—one from Friends of the Earth Cymru and one from a Welsh Member in response to a circular letter from that organisation.

  Unconventional Transport Services (North Gower)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to make a decision on the 500
  transport innovation grant to West Glamorgan county council for the provision of unconventional transport services in north Gower.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: No application for such grant has been received from West Glamorgan county council. However, my right hon. Friend expects to make a decision soon on an application under the scheme from West Glamorgan community service council.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those areas in which the Welsh water authority has applied for derogations from European Community regulations governing water quality on the grounds of excessive aluminium levels in the supply; and, in each case, what was the aluminium level.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on Thursday 16 June at columns 237–38.

  Regional Development Grants
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial provision is made for regional development grants in his estimate of the cost of the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: Applications for regional development grants received in the last 15 months from the valleys programme area involved investment of about £620 million. On the basis of applications and approvals currently outstanding, and the average payments that experience indicates will result from these, I would expect regional development grant payments to be of the order of £70 million over the next three years.

  Valleys Initiative (Expenditure Estimates)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish estimates of the expenditure likely in his valleys initiative under headings of the sources of the moneys such as urban aid, private industry, local authority, European Economic Community, Welsh Development Agency and so on.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: I estimate that over the three years of the new valleys programme expenditure on key programmes for the promotion of economic development will total some £529 million. I anticipate that approximately £215 million of this will be spent on Welsh Development Agency factory building, regional development grants, regional selective assistance and other investment assistance; some £164 million will be spent on urban programme schemes, urban development grants, road improvements, derelict land clearance and other environmental measures and £150 million on industrial training and work experience programmes.

  On past experience, the payment of regional development grants and regional selective assistance on the scale envisaged would lead to additional private sector investment of well over £1 billion. In addition there will, of course, be substantial private sector investment not linked to such assistance.
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  It is not possible to give exact figures for local authority expenditure, but it is estimated that (excluding their expenditure on the key programmes identified above) their spending in the valleys in 1988–89 will be of the order of £500 million.

  It is estimated that European regional development fund (ERDF) grants totalling £26 million are likely to be available to projects in the valleys as part of the Mid Glamorgan national programme of community interest. The proposed integrated operations programme for industrial south Wales may also attract a further £100 million from the ERDF and European social fund in the years to 1992.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish estimates of the average change in total household costs to families living in the areas covered by the valleys initiative when the change over is made from domestic rates to the poll tax.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: It is not possible to make an estimate of the full effects for the area. The effects upon particular households will be influenced by the assistance which will be available to those on low incomes. Those on income support will receive an automatic 80 per cent. reduction in their community charge bill and their income support will include an uprating (based on the average for Great Britain) to help them meet the remaining 20 per cent. There will also be lesser reductions in community charge bills for people on low incomes but above income support levels.

  What can be said generally is that most single-parent families, widows and widowers living alone, and many other single householders are likely to benefit substantially. Many households with more than two people over the age of 18 will contribute more towards the cost of local services. But in fact only 14 per cent. of local government expenditure will come from the community charge; 66 per cent. will come from central Government grant and the remaining 20 per cent. from non-domestic rates.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  School Outings (VAT)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will issue advice to local education authorities concerning the circumstances in which value added tax ought to be charged on school outings;

  (2) whether value added tax is now charged on school outings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  Schools purchasing taxable goods or services from VAT-registered persons have always been charged VAT. From 1 April 1988, however, local education authorities have been unable to reclaim from Customs and Excise the VAT on purchases of accommodation and the like for school outings which they have organised where the cost is passed on to the parents and pupils. This is because, from that date, a new scheme has debarred tour operators from deducting tax on such purchases, and not to extend the restriction to local authorities making essentially similar purchases would put 502
  commercial tour operators at a competitive disadvantage. However, where school outings are subsidised by the education authority, the tax remains refundable.

  The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, at the request of Customs and Excise, issued detailed guidance to local authorities on the new VAT arrangements in its "VAT News" in February this year.

  Employment Training (Taxation)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, and in what way, any of the payments that will be paid to trainees on the proposed employment training scheme, including their training allowance, any end of scheme bonus, any earnings outside the programme and any topping up payments they receive from their training placements, will be assessed for taxation purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The training allowance payable to trainees who participate in the employment training programme will not be chargeable to income tax. Similarly, top-up payments received from a training provider during an individual's training, or an end-of-course training bonus, will not be taxable provided a trainee's entitlement to such payments arises only from the completion of part or all of his or her training plan.

  The tax treatment of a trainee's income which does not arise from participation in the programme will depend on the precise circumstances in each case. Income from an employment would be chargeable to income tax under schedule E and tax would normally be deducted under the PAYE arrangements.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the organisations approached by himself and by the Building Societies Commission in consultations held in connection with proposed changes to schedule 8 of the Building Societies Act 1986, and in connection with the procedures set down for the conversion of societies into public limited companies; and what discussions he or the commission has had with organisations representing individual depositors or borrower members of building societies in the course of these consultations.

  Mr. Lilley
  The review of schedule 8 of the Building Societies Act was undertaken by the Treasury and the Building Societies Commission in close consultation with the Building Societies Association and, through it, with the societies themselves. The commission has also consulted extensively other Government Departments, the Bank of England, the Securities and Investments Board, and the relevant self-regulatory organisations.

  The commission issued consultation documents on conversion in July and December last year. Copies were sent to interested parties, including the Consumer Council among others. There has also been full consultation with the Treasury and other Government Departments, and the Bank of England together with the Building Societies Association and with individual societies and their financial and legal advisers. Abbey Members Against Floatation (AMAF), approach the commission in late May and have been invited to comment on the consultation paper.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the European Court to announce its ruling on value added tax on domestic and non-domestic construction work and other matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The court delivered its judgment today.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth in the United Kingdom economy in the next 12 months.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's latest forecast was published at Budget time. It showed growth of 3 per cent. in whole economy output in 1988, equivalent to 3½ per cent. growth on a non-oil basis. However, as my right hon. Friend reported to the House on 16 June at column 554, it now looks as though growth in 1988 may prove slightly higher than this.

SCOTLAND

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether community charge officers will be able to trace debtors and defaulters by asking for information concerning an individual's name and address from gas, water and electricity boards.

  Mr. Lang
  Responsibility for the recovery of arrears of community charges will fall to regional and islands councils as levying authorities. They will have no access to information held by electricity boards or British Gas plc (Scotland). However, under a Scottish amendment to the Local Government Finance Bill my right hon. and learned Friend may make regulations providing that a levying authority may make use of information which it has at its disposal for any other purpose with the exception of prescribed sensitive information. Regional councils would, therefore, be able to use information which they had collected as a result of their responsibilities as water authorities.

  Single European Market
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to ensure that the Scottish Development Agency, Locate in Scotland and Enterprise Trusts will have a full and effective role in explaining and promoting the significance of the single European market to Scottish industrialists.

  Mr. Lang
  My Department is working closely with the Scottish Development Agency, enterprise trusts, chambers

  Primary Schools

  Secondary Schools

  Roll

  1–499

  500–999

  1000+

  1–499

  500–999

  1000–1499

  1500+

  Borders

  77

  —

  —

  2

  5

  2

  —

  Central

  117

  4

  —

  4

  9

  7

  1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  118

  —

  —

  7

  7

  2

  —

  Fife

  143

  5

  —

  —

  7

  7

  5

  Grampian

  269

  5

  —

  10

  21

  6

  3

  Highland

  209

  1

  —

  12

  14

  1

  —

  Lothian

  236

  8

  —

  6

  36

  8

  1

  504
  of commerce and other organisations in Scotland to alert business to the implications of completion of the single European market. Seminars and business meetings are being organised throughout Scotland. Our aim is to ensure that every sector of industry and commerce in Scotland is fully aware of the challenges and opportunities which the single market will present.

  Widowers' Pensions
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects that the Government Actuary Department's review of the various proposals relating to the payment of widowers' pensions to widowers whose wives were employed in the teaching profession between 1972 and 1988 will be published; and when he expects a ruling will be made on the Scottish scheme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government Actuary's Department is not conducting a review of proposals relating to the payment of pensions to widowers whose wives were employed in teaching between 1972 and 1988. The Government Actuary has, however, just presented an actuarial report to the Secretary of State in respect of the Scottish teachers superannuation scheme for the quin-quennium 1981–1986 which is currently being considered.

  With regard to the question of widowers' pensions the Scottish teachers superannuation scheme is being amended to introduce widowers' benefits in respect of service undertaken by women teachers from 6 April 1988. The Social Security Act 1986 requires that, for service from this date, a widower will become entitled to a restricted pension of one-half of the minimum pension of his spouse guranteed for the purposes of contracting out of the state earnings related pension scheme. However, after consultation with teachers' associations and employers, it has been agreed that, in respect of service after 6 April 1988, the teachers' scheme will go further than the statutory requirement and will provide widowers' benefits on the same basis as those currently available to widows. In order to cover service prior to that date it will be necessary, however, for those women teachers, who so choose, to make appropriate payments. This is because the contributions already paid do not reflect the cost of giving such a substantial improvement.

  School Rolls
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each regional authority which have a school roll of (i) less than 500, (ii) between 500 and 1,000, (iii) between 1,000 and 1,500 and (iv) over 1,500.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers at September 1987 are set out in the table:
  505

  Primary Schools

  Secondary Schools

  Roll

  1–499

  500–999

  1000+

  1–499

  500–999

  1000–1499

  1500+

  Strathclyde

  902

  19

  —

  34

  105

  50

  3

  Tayside

  189

  2

  —

  8

  14

  9

  1

  Orkney

  24

  —

  —

  5

  1

  —

  —

  Shetland

  35

  —

  —

  8

  1

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  54

  1

  —

  15

  —

  1

  —

  Total

  2,373

  45

  —

  111

  220

  93

  14

  East Kilbride Development Corporation
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met officials of the East Kilbride development corporation; and what issues were discussed.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met officials of East Kilbride development corporation on Monday 9 May when he had the pleasure of opening the new JVC plant in the town. On that occasion he discussed the very successful year the corporation were having, with particular successes in the electronics, biotechnology and engineering industries.

  Needles and Syringes
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department will issue guidance to health boards on the sale of needles and syringes by pharmacists in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A circular is being issued today, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The circular asks health boards to promote local discussions to establish the need for the sale of injecting equipment to drug misusers in their area, and the number of pharmacists, who would participate on an entirely voluntary basis, willing to sell equipment to meet that need. This move is in recognition of the particularly significant problem of HIV infection in drug misusers which we face in Scotland. Of those who have been tested for HIV infection and found to be positive, over 50 per cent. are injecting drug misusers. HIV infection can be transmitted from one injecting drug misuser to another through the sharing of needles and syringes.

  The circular is concerned with facilitating sales as a normal commercial transaction between pharmacists and their customers. Boards are, however, being asked to provide pharmacists with information about local support services. They are also being asked to ensure that adequate facilities are available for the disposal of used equipment so that the risk of its reuse by other drug misusers, and hence the transmission of infection, and the risk to the general public, in particular to children, from used equipment which has been carelessly or recklessly discarded, are minimised. The circular indicates that pharmacists should be encouraged to provide disposal facilities but that it should not be a condition of sale that used equipment is first returned. Boards are also asked to consider whether there is a need for disposal facilities in places frequented by drug misusers such as certain health board clinics.

  The circular provides guidance on the procedures and conditions for the sale of equipment. These include restricting the number of needles and syringes which may be sold to each customer to five per visit. It also specifies that sales should be accompanied by the provision of advice and appropriate health education material.
  506
  As regards the legal position, while no general unqualified assurance of immunity from prosecution will be given, my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has said that he would not authorise the prosecution of any pharmacist in respect of sales by him of needles and syringes to drug misusers, provided the pharmacist has acted in accordance with the conditions and procedures set out in the circular.

  Greenland White-fronted Geese
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers and geographical locations of flocks of Greenland white-fronted geese, consisting of 1 per cent. or more of the world population of this sub-species, that regularly occur in the United Kingdom outside designated or proposed special protection areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 June 1988]: I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that there are no such flocks regularly occurring in the United Kingdom outside areas which have already been classified as special protection areas under article 4 of EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds or areas which in the opinion of the Nature Conservancy Council meet the criteria for classification.

  Maternity Units
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many maternity units have been closed since 1979, or are planned to close, in each region in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: Two maternity units have been closed since 1979 and one is planned to close in August:. In the same period, three maternity units have opened and one is planned to open in August.

  Life Expectancy
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current expectation of life for(a) men and (b) women at the age of 45 years in (i) England and Wales, (ii) all EEC countries, (iii) Scandinavian countries and (iv) Scotland; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: The information is not available on a comparable basis. The information which is readily available is as follows:

  Male and Female life expectancy at age 45 years

  1978–80

  1984–86

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  England and Wales

  28·3

  33·7

  29·4

  34·7

  Scotland

  26·5

  31·9

  27·7

  32·9

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the estimated numbers of tenants of(a) local authorities, (b) the Scottish Special Housing Association, (c) new town development corporations, (d) housing associations and (e) other private sector landlords who are in receipt of rent rebates or rent allowances for (i) certificated cases and (ii) standard cases.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 17 December 1987]: I have been asked to reply.

  Estimated number of housing benefit recipients

  Scottish district and island authorities: 1987–88

  Authority

  Certificated rent

  Standard rent

  Rebates

  Allowances

  Rebates

  Allowances

  Aberdeen

  7,400

  900

  11,000

  4,100

  Angus

  3,130

  480

  4,370

  520

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,100

  185

  1,620

  150

  Argyll-Bute

  2,470

  650

  2,365

  625

  Badenoch

  250

  100

  400

  140

  Banff and Buchan

  2,759

  275

  3,393

  224

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  393

  24

  706

  55

  Berwickshire

  513

  143

  871

  178

  Caithness

  922

  136

  968

  107

  Clackmannan

  2,500

  95

  3,120

  165

  Clydebank

  3,372

  231

  4,107

  201

  Clydesdale

  2,100

  140

  3,000

  110

  Cumbernauld

  1,007

  36

  1,374

  27

  Cumnock and Doon

  2,174

  119

  3,337

  122

  Cunninghame

  6,989

  618

  6,770

  306

  Dumbarton

  3,800

  280

  3,420

  290

  Dundee

  11,441

  1,443

  11,474

  2,542

  Dunfermline

  4,465

  323

  7,251

  439

  East Kilbride

  366

  112

  449

  81

  East Lothian

  3,050

  320

  4,850

  350

  Eastwood

  432

  75

  641

  140

  Edinburgh

  14,500

  8,900

  17,000

  16,700

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  785

  160

  1,360

  290

  Falkirk

  8,125

  490

  8,675

  540

  Glasgow

  69,500

  15,000

  51,000

  8,000

  Gordon

  782

  343

  1,869

  379

  Hamilton

  6,800

  240

  7,800

  200

  Inverclyde

  6,600

  430

  5,500

  700

  Inverness

  2,018

  246

  1,958

  251

  Kilmarnock

  5,087

  156

  5,592

  58

  Kincardine and Deeside

  688

  219

  957

  271

  Kirkcaldy

  6,187

  559

  9,728

  889

  Kyle and Carrick

  4,985

  488

  5,530

  430

  Lochaber

  714

  178

  860

  96

  Midlothian

  2,200

  320

  3,650

  700

  Monklands

  8,980

  56

  8,709

  154

  Moray

  2,750

  480

  3,750

  470

  Motherwell

  10,360

  268

  14,911

  372

  Nairn

  323

  60

  355

  83

  Nethsdale

  1,870

  320

  2,180

  320

  North East Fife

  1,780

  390

  3,070

  850

  Orkney

  351

  133

  427

  92

  Perth and Kinross

  3,500

  800

  5,000

  1,000

  Renfrew

  10,600

  1,200

  12,500

  900

  Ross and Cromarty

  1,960

  337

  1,636

  212

  Roxburgh

  1,090

  170

  1,910

  200

  Shetland

  350

  98

  620

  56

  Skye and Lochalsh

  247

  135

  251

  171

  Stewartry

  650

  140

  800

  110

  Stirling

  3,000

  400

  4,800

  710

  Strathkelvin

  2,290

  120

  3,074

  160

  Sutherland

  440

  70

  597

  41

  Tweeddale

  240

  120

  510

  190

  West Lothian

  5,040

  280

  6,040

  470

  Western Isles

  1,133

  205

  689

  87

  Wigtown

  1,500

  200

  1,500

  200

  508
  The available information is in the tables. Housing benefit for tenants of housing associations (other than the Scottish Special Housing Association) and other private sector landlords is administered by local authorities and information is not separately recorded. The numbers of recipients in these two groups are therefore included in the rent allowance figures for the appropriate local authorities. I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in providing this information.
  509

  Authority

  Certificated rent

  Standard rent

  Rebates

  Allowances

  Rebates

  Allowances

  Estimated number of housing benefit recipients, Scottish special housing association and new town development corporations: 1987–88

  Authority

  Certificated rent rebates

  Standard rent rebates

  Cumbernauld (DC)

  2,400

  2,400

  East Kilbride (DC)

  3,200

  4,300

  Glenrothes (DC)

  1,900

  2,100

  Irvine (DC)

  1,200

  1,200

  Livingston (DC)

  2,800

  2,200

  Scottish Special HA

  22,000

  25,200

  Note: These authorities do not administer rent allowances.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Consumer Services
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received seeking improved consumer services for right hon. and hon. Members.

  Mr. Wakeham
  During this Session, I have received representations from two hon. Members concerning the provision of ladies' hairdressing facilities, one of whom also requested the provision of a shop. In addition to these two letters, I have answered two parliamentary questions on matters relating to improved consumer services for right hon. and hon. Members: one concerning the aforementioned services from the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd), and one concerning the provision of cas dispensing facilities from my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler).

  Retired Members
  Mr. Biffen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many Members who retired at the 1979, 1983, and 1987 general elections respectively were aged 65 and over, and what in each case was their period of service in the House.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is as follows:

  Completed Years of Actual Service

  Number of Members aged over 65 years leaving the House at the General Election held in

  1987 (47)

  1983 (38)

  1979 (40)

  4

  —

  1

  —

  5

  —

  —

  1

  8

  2

  —

  1

  9

  —

  1

  1

  10

  —

  —

  1

  12

  1

  1

  —

  13

  4

  —

  —

  14

  —

  —

  7

  15

  —

  —

  1

  16

  7

  —

  —

  17

  —

  1

  2

  18

  —

  5

  1

  19

  —

  —

  4

  21

  3

  —

  1

  22

  10

  —

  —

  23

  1

  4

  3

  24

  —

  2

  —

  26

  2

  —

  —

  27

  4

  5

  3

  28

  1

  —

  3

  29

  —

  2

  —

  31

  5

  2

  1

  32

  —

  5

  1

  33

  2

  —

  8

  510

  Completed Years of Actual Service

  Number of Members aged over 65 years leaving the House at the General Election held in

  1987 (47)

  1983 (38)

  1979 (40)

  34

  1

  —

  —

  35

  —

  1

  —

  36

  3

  1

  —

  37

  —

  6

  —

  41

  1

  —

  —

  46

  —

  —

  1

  47

  —

  1

  —

  Mr. Biffen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the estimated annual cost of making severance payments to Members aged 65 and over based upon experience of the last three general elections; what would be the effect of such a figure upon the total Members' contribution to the pension fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The circumstances in which a severance payment is payable to a Member who leaves the House at a general election have changed between each of the elections of 1979, 1983 and 1987. The payment (now known as the resettlemant grant) is currently payable to any Member who ceases to be a Member at a general election while aged under 65 years. Expenditure arising from the payment of each grant, which is charged to the House of Commons Vote (Class XX Vote 21), only occurs in a year in which a general election takes place, and, therefore, no annual cost arises.

  The amount of the grant paid to a Member depends on his age and length of service and since it is not known which Members are likely to leave the House at the next election it is not possible to predict what costs would arise if Members aged 65 and over were entitled to the grant. However, having regard to the number and length of service of Members aged 65 or over who left the House at the last three general elections, the cost of resettlement grants, based on the current salary level and on the assumption that the percentage of yearly salary payable is equal to the rate currently applicable to those aged 55 to 64 years, would amount to an average cost of £897,560 in a general election year.

  As the payment of resettlement grants is a direct charge on the Vote of the House no costs fall on the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund and, therefore, Members' contributions to that fund are not affected.

  Palace of Westminster (Accidents)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if, pursuant to his answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 667, he will place in the Library details of all accidents in the Palace of Westminster referred to therein.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No. The records of accidents, which are maintained by Departments of the House, the Parliamentary Works Office and the Security Force, contain personal details of the individuals affected. It would not be appropriate to make them available in the Library.

  Scottish Office (Joint Committee)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he intends to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland of early May on the setting up of a Joint Committee of Lords and Commons to scrutinise the work of the Scottish Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I am still considering how best to proceed with regard to a Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. As I told the House during business questions last Thursday, I will shortly be discussing this matter with the Chairman of the Committee of Selection. I hope to be in a position to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland soon.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has arranged for urgent research to be undertaken into the possible transmission of the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to human beings in such a way that potentially fatal human Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease results.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Studies are already under way to discover whether BSE is transmissible between cattle and to other species.

  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is taking any action to prevent butchers selling for human consumption uncooked brains from cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Legislation comes into force today which makes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) a notifiable disease. The Ministry's veterinary service will be retaining the heads of all cattle in respect of which disease is notified, in order to examine brain tissue for diagnostic purposes. The brains will not, therefore, be available for human consumption.

  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will arrange for urgent research to be undertaken to develop a test for discovering the presence of the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy before its presence is revealed by the behaviour of the infected beast.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Yes. Immunological tests are being developed which, as part of their objectives, are 512
  designed to detect the presence of the agent in various tissues of the animal. The research programme will also address the need to try and develop a test in the live animal.

  Cereals (Seed Testing)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the estimated cost savings which have been identified as arising from the ending of the requirement for cereal seed testing before marketing; what is the estimated cost of (i) additional enforcement measures and (ii) additional monitoring measures arising from the proposed change; and if he will make a statement on his proposals for funding any additional costs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: The information requested is given in paragraphs 394, 403 and 476 of the report on plant variety testing and seed certification systems in the United Kingdom. The cost of additional monitoring measures are estimated to be minimal. The additional enforcement and monitoring costs can be accommodated within the gross saving of £652,000 proposed for seed certification.

  Milk
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the EC Commission following the recent European Court judgment relating to the non-marketing of milk scheme, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]: I am aware of this case which has implications for quota allocation in all member states; however, it is for the EC Commission to consider the necessary steps to comply with the judgment and to make proposals to the Council of Ministers. In the meantime, it would be inappropriate to advocate specific action.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Multi-sensor Platforms (South Africa)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to representatives from the World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa to the effect that multi-sensor platforms are being exported by British Aerospace to South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have informed the director of the World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa that we are considering his representations carefully. We have invited him to provide specific evidence.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action Her Majesty's Government will take to support the front-line states in the face of continued South African aggression.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have repeatedly condemned cross-border incursions from whatever quarter. As part of our policy of encouraging stability and development in the
  513
  region we will continue to give civil aid and, where appropriate, military training assistance to the front-line states.

  EEC (Staff)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total number of persons employed in the European Economic Community Commission, the European Parliament, and other European Economic Community institutions, respectively; and what were the comparable totals in 1979.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The tables show the maximum authorised staff establishment for 1979 and 1988. The 1988 total represents a 37 per cent. increase over the 1979 figure. The Community grew from nine to 12 member states during the same period.

  Financial Year 1979

  Institution

  Permanent posts

  Temporary posts

  European parliament

  1,837

  158

  Council:

  1,541

  6

  Economic and social committee

  325

  —

  Commission:

  Operation

  8,302

  278

  Research and investment

  2,636

  135

  Official publications office

  237

  —

  European centre for the development of vocational training

  33

  —

  European foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions

  28

  —

  Court of justice

  311

  4

  Court of auditors

  190

  24

  Source: Official journal of the European communities.

  Financial Year 1988: Draft Budget

  Institution

  Permanent posts

  Temporary posts

  Parliament

  2,967

  430

  Council

  2,119

  1

  Economic and social committee

  479

  —

  Commission:

  Operation

  11,518

  388

  Research and investment

  2,664

  480

  Office for official publications

  396

  —

  European centre for the development of vocational training

  57

  —

  European foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions

  51

  —

  Court of justice

  612

  46

  Court of auditors

  319

  55

  Source: Provisional Draft Budget of the European Communities: 1988.

  South Georgia
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to control fishing in the waters around South Georgia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since 1980 fishing around South Georgia has been subject to the provisions of the convention for the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources 514
  (CCAMLR). The United Kingdom and a majority of members of the Antarctic treaty are signatories. The CCAMLR Commission have banned fishing for Antarctic cod and in 1987 fixed a total allowable catch (TAC) for mackerel icefish around South Georgia.

  In order to increase knowledge of the conservation needs of the South Georgia fishery, the Commissioner for South Georgia last month commissioned the renewable resources assessment group of Imperial college to analyse all existing relevant data. The results of this study will be presented to CCAMLR on completion.

  Immigration Fees
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the fee for settlement and other long-term entry clearances(a) has been increased by around 20 per cent. and (b) is to be charged on a per capita rather than a per passport basis; and what total net income he expects to result from these changes to the end of this year and in subsequent years.

  Mr. Eggar
  (a) Settlement and other long-term applications take substantially longer, and thus cost more, to process than visit applications. The increase in this fee aims to reflect the disparity more closely.

  (b) The amount of work involved in processing a settlement application relates to the number of applicants regardless of whether they are travelling on a single or a family passport. It was therefore decided that all entry clearance fees should henceforth be charged on a per capita rather than a per passport basis.

  It is not expected that there will be any net income. Assuming settlement applications remain at existing levels, estimated additional revenue from these changes is about £500,000.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by how much entry clearance fees would have been required to be increased in the current year to recover costs of administering the entry clearance system.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the financial year 1987–88 the subsidy from public funds to the overseas entry clearance operation was about £9 million. With the fee increases introduced on 1 June 1988, it (s estimated the subsidy will be reduced to approximately £6·7 million by the end of the current financial year. Fee revenue would have to be increased by approximately a further 25 per cent. to meet the full cost of the entry clearance operation overseas.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what net income he estimates for the remainder of the current year, and in 1989 from making fees for single entry clearance non-refundable.

  Mr. Eggar
  Estimates can only be tentative at this early stage, but, on the basis of past refusal rates, it is unlikely that more than £300,000 will accrue from the decision to make fees for single entry clearance non-refundable.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why revised entry clearance fees were introduced with effect from 1 June rather than 1 January as in previous years.

  Mr. Eggar
  There is no set date for introducing changes to entry clearance fees. The aim is to recover the costs of
  515
  the entry clearance operation by the early 1990s. It was decided that some increases from 1 June 1988 were necessary to meet that longer-term objective.

  Antarctic (Minerals)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the recent Antarctic minerals regime negotiations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities was adopted on 2 June 1988 in Wellington, New Zealand. I am placing copies in the Library today.

EMPLOYMENT

  Careers Officers
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of secondary schools have careers officers; and what guidelines his Department gives them on the performance of their duties.

  Mr. Cope
  On 1 October 1987 there were 3,740 posts for careers officers in local education authorities in England. Careers officers undertake a wide range of duties, including work in secondary schools. Local education authorities decide how careers officers are deployed to carry out their duties.

  Local education authority careers officers perform their functions in accordance with statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State, most recently in March 1988.

  Adult Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training agencies and training managers are planned for each of the 54 Manpower Services Commission areas under the new adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training is being locally planned and will be locally delivered. Each of the 57 Training Commission area offices is currently arranging to contract with potential training agents and training managers and the number of contracts will vary from area to area to meet local needs.

  Deptford Skillcentre
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take to incorporate the recommendations of the Deptford skillcentre inquiries report into the equal opportunities policies and practices of the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Manpower Services Commission (now the Training Commission) has already investigated and, where necessary, responded to allegations about equal opportunities at Deptford skillcentre.

  The Training Commission is committed to an equal opportunities policy for all its programmes and has taken many steps to put it into effect. As part of this, the Skills Training Agency recently issued an equal opportunities guide for staff and trainees, after consulting the Commission for Racial Equality and Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Cooke's Works, Penrhyndeudraeth
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received a report from the Health and Safety Executive following the explosion at ICI Cooke's works, Penrhyndeudraeth on 14 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive is currently investigating the explosions and inquiries are still at an early stage. Two of its explosives inspectors have been at the site since 14 June 1988.

  Co-operative Development Agency
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the assessment of the Co-operative Development Agency carried out by his Department during early 1987.

  Mr. Cope
  I have today placed in the Library a copy of the report of the policy review and financial management survey undertaken in 1987, as part of the general programme of reviews of non-departmental public bodies.

  Disabled Persons
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the future funding of workshops offering sheltered employment for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The arrangements for supporting in employment people with severe disabilities falls within the scope of the internal review of the assistance offered by my Department to people with disabilities announced in March. We aim to complete this review as quickly as possible.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many adults are registered as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 on the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage this represents of the total work force.

  Mr. Lee
  The number of adults registered as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 on 18 April 1988 was 371,631. I regret that the number of adults in the total work force is not available. The only figure available for the total work force is that of the total working population of Great Britain which includes young people. In December 1987 this amounted to 27,212,000 (seasonally adjusted). The number of adults and young people registered as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 on 18 April 1988 was 374,238. This represented 1·4 per cent. of the total working population in December 1987.

  Part-time Workers (Holiday Pay)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the uniformity of approach of unemployment benefit offices with respect to holiday pay for part-time workers.

  Mr. Lee
  Procedural instructions are common to all UBOs and provide for reference to the independent adjudicating authorities of any unemployment benefit claim where a doubt on entitlement arises. This will
  517
  include doubts on claims made by part time workers who have received holiday pay from employment which has not been finally terminated.

  Earnings
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the proportion of full-time employees earning less that (i) £130 a week and (ii) £140 a week, when overtime earnings are excluded, for men and women separately, in each county in England and in each London borough, as recorded by the 1987 new earnings survey.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information is as follows:

  Proportion of full-time employees earning less than £130 and £140 per week excluding overtime payments. Employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence; April 1987.

  per cent.

  Counties of England by standard region

  Full-time Men

  Full-time Women

  £130

  £140

  £130

  £140

  Bedfordshire

  17·4

  23·0

  54·4

  61·7

  Berkshire

  14·4

  19·5

  40·1

  49·1

  Buckinghamshire

  18·0

  23·6

  41·5

  50·2

  East Sussex

  29·6

  37·2

  58·4

  64·2

  Essex

  19·3

  24·7

  56·1

  63·0

  Hampshire

  20·6

  27·3

  49·3

  57·3

  Hertfordshire

  13·9

  18·1

  42·0

  50·8

  Isle of Wight

  31·9

  40·4

  ..

  ..

  Kent

  24·1

  30·4

  56·7

  63·0

  Oxfordshire

  20·3

  26·1

  46·8

  57·2

  Surrey

  18·3

  23·81

  41·2

  51·3

  West Sussex

  21·5

  27·0

  47·0

  55·7

  Cambridgeshire

  21·0

  27·6

  54·1

  62·1

  Norfolk

  27·8

  36·0

  60·0

  67·0

  Suffolk

  26·9

  33·3

  55·8

  62·1

  Avon

  19·5

  26·1

  55·9

  64·8

  Cornwall

  35·6

  44·0

  63·4

  73·1

  Devon

  33·2

  41·4

  60·0

  65·8

  Dorset

  25·8

  33·8

  59·6

  66·1

  Gloucestershire

  20·5

  27·8

  55·7

  66·8

  Somerset

  27·2

  34·7

  58·5

  64·4

  Wiltshire

  21·1

  28·5

  58·5

  67·7

  West Midlands MC

  20·1

  26·0

  57·4

  65·4

  Hereford and Worcester

  29·6

  35·9

  61·2

  67·8

  Shropshire

  34·6

  44·5

  66·2

  73·7

  Staffordshire

  27·4

  34·7

  59·3

  65·7

  Warwickshire

  19·3

  25·1

  63·3

  68·9

  Derbyshire

  21·7

  30·4

  63·8

  70·6

  Leicestershire

  25·3

  33·4

  61·0

  69·9

  Lincolnshire

  35·6

  43·2

  69·3

  74·2

  Northamptonshire

  23·4

  30·0

  61·2

  70·0

  Nottinghamshire

  25·0

  31·6

  58·0

  66·9

  South Yorkshire MC

  22·1

  27·6

  60·7

  68·0

  West Yorkshire MC

  26·0

  32·8

  57·7

  65·4

  Humberside

  28·1

  34·1

  61·0

  69·9

  North Yorkshire

  34·4

  41·9

  60·9

  69·4

  Greater Manchester MC

  23·0

  29·7

  56·8

  63·5

  Merseyside MC

  21·9

  28·1

  53·0

  63·5

  Cheshire

  18·0

  24·5

  55·8

  62·2

  Lancashire

  26·9

  34·8

  62·6

  73·7

  Tyne and Wear MC

  20·9

  29·8

  53·7

  64·6

  Cleveland

  18·1

  24·9

  57·0

  63·4

  Cumbria

  19·9

  25·1

  56·2

  67·3

  Durham

  23·4

  30·5

  58·0

  69·0

  Northumberland

  29·8

  36·3

  67·2

  74·3

  518

  London boroughs

  Full-time men

  Full-time women

  £130

  £140

  £130

  £140

  Barking

  9·5

  13·1

  ..

  ..

  Barnet

  11·9

  17·4

  33·0

  42·9

  Bexley

  14·2

  16·5

  42·1

  48·6

  Brent

  13·0

  17·9

  43·0

  51·0

  Bromley

  ..

  ..

  37·3

  44·3

  Camden

  8·5

  12·4

  16·4

  22·8

  Croydon

  14·0

  18·8

  30·9

  40·9

  Ealing

  11·1

  16·7

  42·9

  48·0

  Enfield

  13·2

  21·1

  36·0

  50·8

  Greenwich

  13·7

  18·3

  39·2

  45·6

  Hackney

  ..

  ..

  23·4

  29·7

  Hammersmith

  8·8

  12·6

  24·4

  29·4

  Haringey

  13·2

  19·8

  32·2

  37·3

  Harrow

  8·9

  11·7

  ..

  ..

  Havering

  14·5

  20·1

  40·7

  44·4

  Hillingdon

  11·8

  16·8

  39·8

  51·2

  Hounslow

  7·3

  10·6

  26·2

  32·5

  Islington

  9·6

  14·0

  21·3

  30·5

  Kensington and Chelsea

  17·0

  20·8

  22·2

  27·8

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  16·4

  21·0

  32·0

  44·8

  Lambeth

  8·6

  11·7

  21·5

  22·9

  Lewisham

  18·0

  25·8

  ..

  ..

  Merton

  16·0

  20·5

  ..

  ..

  Newham

  13·9

  19·0

  ..

  ..

  Redbridge

  12·0

  19·2

  30·8

  38·3

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  10·2

  14·1

  30·1

  37·9

  Southwark

  10·4

  14·5

  21·5

  27·4

  Sutton

  ..

  ..

  31·2

  42·7

  Tower Hamlets

  12·5

  17·4

  26·2

  30·5

  Waltham Forest

  18·1

  21·5

  29·0

  36·0

  Wandsworth

  13·5

  16·6

  30·3

  37·1

  City of London

  4·5

  6·7

  12·0

  15·2

  City of Westminster

  9·3

  12·8

  13·8

  20·5

  .. denotes not available.

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1987.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Test Results (Seven-year-olds)
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet decided whether test results at the age of seven years will be established; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet decided whether test results at the age of seven years will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet decided whether test results at the age of seven years will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  As my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 7 June, we have decided that national assessment and test results for individual pupils should not be published. There will be no legal requirement for schools to publish aggregated results for pupils aged seven, but we will strongly recommend them to do so.

  Primary Schools (Rural Areas)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding primary schools in rural areas.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend regularly receives representations about rural primary schools which are the subject of reorganisation proposals.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received following the publication of the Higginson report on the future of A-level examinations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the Higginson report on the future of A-levels.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the future of general certificate of education A-levels examinations.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Since the report was published on 7 June about 12 representations have been received.

  Biological Sciences (Review)
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Advisory Board for the Research Council's review of the biological sciences.

  Mr. Jackson
  The ABRC is establishing a working group to review the disposition between the research councils of responsibilities for the biological sciences. The group will be chaired by Mr. J. R. S. Morris and is expected to report to the board around the end of the year.

  Opting-out Proposals
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received concerning opting-out proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has now received rather more than 1,000 letters about his proposals for grant-maintained schools.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to discuss the provision of speech therapy for children in the special educational needs category; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  No. The provision of speech therapy is the responsibility of district health authorities and not a matter for my Department.

  Teachers (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent progress has been made towards the establishment of a permanent body to negotiate schoolteachers' pay and conditions.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have already held preliminary discussions with the local authority associations and teacher unions about the Green Paper on future machinery. I intend to hold further discussions over the next few months.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is now in a position to 520
  publish figures of the number and type of teachers required to deliver the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is now in a position to publish figures of the number and type of teachers required to deliver the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Not yet. Firm estimates will depend upon reports from the relevant subject working groups. There are likely to be additional demands in some subjects but not necessarily an increase in numbers overall.

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of teaching time will be lost to primary school teachers during the implementation of assessment arrangements for the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Time spent on assessment is not "lost" to teaching, but is an essential part of the teaching. process. The national arrangements will represent a development of present practice designed to improve the effectiveness of assessment in schools for the benefit of parents, pupils and teachers.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will itemise the principal suggestions and elements in any recent public representations received by his Department for the specific contents of the proposed new national core curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department has not received any such recent public representations. The targets and programmes of study which my right hon. Friend will propose later this year for English, maths and science will be based on the reports of the working groups on these subjects. In producing their final reports, the working groups on maths and science will take account of detailed responses to their interim reports, and the English group will be considering comments received on the Kingman report on the teaching of English.

  Adult Education (London)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has made for the provision of adult education in inner London following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  Adult education is essentially a local service which should be responsive to local needs and can thus be more effectively organised by the boroughs. There may, however, be scope for certain boroughs to co-operate over certain areas of provision. In addition, there are several high-quality adult education institutions of national repute which carry out a high proportion of advanced work. The Government have made clear their intention to direct the London residuary body to provide financial support for Morley college, the Working Men's college and the Mary Ward centre, all of which are aided colleges. After the London residuary body has been wound up, the Government will be prepared to continue to provide financial support to these institutions as necessary. The Government believe that central funding may also be required for the City Lit.

  Polytechnic Students
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the number of students entering polytechnics.

  Mr. Jackson
  The figures given are taken from the Department's published "Statistics of Education: Further Education" volumes. Corresponding figures for 1987 are expected to be available in about two months.

  England Polytechnics—First year students1 (Thousands)

  Modes of attendance

  Enrolments on 1 November2

  Full-time and sandwich

  Part-time day and evening only

  Total: all modes

  1982

  64

  49

  113

  1983

  64

  52

  116

  1984

  65

  50

  115

  1985

  67

  53

  120

  1986

  69

  49

  118

  1 First-year students do not align exactly with entrants; some students may repeat the first year of a course and some may enter at the second or later year.

  2 Home, EC and other overseas students on both advanced and non-advanced courses are included.

  Sheffield (Further Education)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the relative merits of further funding city technology colleges and providing teacher funding and investment for the reorganisation of 16-plus education in the city of Sheffield; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No such assessment has been made since it is for Sheffield local education authority to decide how to deploy its teaching force to best meet the demands following the reorganisation of 16-plus education in Sheffield in September 1988.

  Qualified Teacher Status
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the consultation document "Qualified Teacher Status"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the consultation document "Qualified Teacher Status"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the consultation document "Qualified Teacher Status"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued the consultation document on qualified teacher status on 24 May. Responses are requested by 14 October; a few have already been received by the Department.

  Foreign Language Teaching
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the intended time scale for the introduction of foreign language teaching as an internal part of the national curriculum.
  522
  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend expects to require all pupils in the first three years of secondary school to study a modern foreign language for a reasonable time from autumn 1989. A similar requirement for pupils in years four and five will be introduced as soon as possible thereafter, taking account of pupil's commitments to studies for GCSE. The introduction of attainment targets, programmes of study and related assessment arrangements must await the setting up of a working group for modern foreign languages. My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to set up such a group. His decision to do so will depend on factors such as the outlook for teacher supply and deployment.

  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in north-east England teach (i) Japanese, (ii) Arabic and (iii) Latin as a normal part of their curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Nursery Education (London)
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any further information as to how the provision of nursery education in inner London boroughs is to be safeguarded following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  The inner London boroughs will inherit from ILEA the responsibility for nursery provision in their area. They will not be able to discontinue or curtail significantly any existing nursery schools or classes without the publication and approval of statutory proposals under the Education Act 1980.

  Under-Fives (Provision)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department plans to commission or undertake any survey, review or inquiry into the quality and standard of educational provision for children under five in reception classes in primary schools.

  Mr. Dunn
  The Government believe, and have on various occasions publicly expressed the view, that provision for four-year-olds in reception classes should be appropriate to their stage of development. While no formal investigation is planned, my Department and Her Majesty's Inspectors are monitoring the situation closely. The Department will, from next year, include in the annual statistical return submitted by schools additional questions on admission policies for four-year-olds. M y right hon. Friend believes the availability of experienced teachers to be an important qualitative factor, and he has proposed the inclusion in the LEA training grants scheme for 1989–90 of an appropriate national priority area.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action his Department has taken or is planning to take to ensure that local education authorities implement DES circular 2/73 recommendations on hours of attendance, staffing, and so on, for children under five years in reception classes in primary schools.
  523
  Mr. Dunn
  The Government have no plans to require local education authorities to implement the guidelines in circular 2/73, whose detailed recommendations have been largely overtaken by events.

  Mrs. Llin Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will outline his Department's strategy for improving the provision of education for children under five years.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures his Department is taking to encourage an increase in the number of full-time nursery education places for children aged three and four years old.

  Mr. Dunn
  I refer the hon. Members to the replies that I have given today to the hon. Members for Easington (Mr. Cummings), for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth), and for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram).

  Local Government Act 1988
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance he is issuing to local education authorities and school governors about the application of section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Advice on the provisions of the Local Government Act 1988 was issued to all local authorities on 20 May under the Department of the Environment circular 12/88. Section 28 of the Act relates to the activities of local authorities and there are no plans to issue separate advice to school governors. Copies of Department of Education and Science circular 11/87 "Sex Education at School" were sent to all schools in England and Wales in September 1987. The circular makes clear that there is no place in any school in any circumstances for teaching which advocates homosexual behaviour, which presents it as the norm, or which encourages homosexual experimentation by pupils.

  GCSE
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is in a position to assess the success of the general certificate of secondary education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is in a position to assess the success of the general certificate of secondary education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Her Majesty's inspectorate's interim report on the GCSE provided reassuring evidence that the new examination is being successfully introduced and is already leading to better teaching and learning in many schools. HMI is continuing to monitor progress and will publish a further report in the autumn. The Secondary Examinations Council (SEC) and the examining groups are already reviewing syllabuses and procedures.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are being made for those candidates who wish to resit this summer's GCSE examination, including those where an assessment of course work is part of the examination; and if he will make a statement.
  524
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The GCSE examining groups will provide opportunities for pupils to resit GCSE in the winter on a comparable basis to what was available in the past for O-level and GCSE examinations. The groups have also generally made arrangements for GCSE coursework to be carried forward in circumstances where a pupil changes school during the course or resits the examination. Detailed information relating to the arrangements in a particular subject or syllabus is available from the group concerned.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many cases of incorrect or late arrival of GCSE papers have been reported; what were the comparable figures under the previous GCE/CSE system; and what steps he is taking to ensure that no further such errors occur.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The distribution of GCSE papers is entirely the responsibility of the examining groups. The Secondary Examinations Council and the examining groups are collaborating to review the experience of the first GCSE examinations this summer and to make any necessary administrative improvements quickly.

  Science Base (Report)
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the Advisory Board for the Research Council's report entitled "A Strategy for the Science Base".

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 17 May to the hon. Member for the Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) at column 394.

  Teachers (Collective Bargaining Rights)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received seeking the restoration of collective bargaining rights for teachers and their organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received various responses from teacher unions and local authority associations to the Green Paper "Teachers' Pay and Conditions: A Consultative Document." He will be holding discussions about future machinery with interested parties over the next few months.

  School Building Maintenance
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what extra funding his Department is planning to provide for school building maintenance over the next three years, in the light of the report "Local Authority Property: a Management Handbook and a Management Overview."

  Mr. Dunn
  The Government's expenditure plans already include provision for local authority spending on repairs and maintenance of school buildings to increase each year. The expenditure plans for 1988–89 provide for authorities to spend 40 per cent. more in cash on the repair and maintenance of schools than in 1985–86.

  Head Teachers (Training)
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the training of head teachers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend recognises the importance of systematic and well-targeted training for senior teachers with a management responsibility. He proposes in 1989–90 to extend the national priority area covering management training within the LEA training grants scheme and he is now setting up a new task force on the management training of heads.

  Anti-Racist Measures
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards anti-racist measures adopted by education authorities.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is Government policy that ethnic minority pupils should have the same opportunity as all others to profit from what the schools can offer them and that schools should preserve and transmit our national values in a way which accepts Britain's ethnic diversity and promotes tolerance and racial harmony. It is for individual local education authorities and schools to determine, in the light of their own needs and circumstances, how to give effect to those policies.

  Nurseries
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action his Department is taking to encourage the establishment of nurseries in institutions of further and higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  None. The provision of nursery facilities is a matter for individual institutions.

  Teachers (Salary Structure)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he held any discussions with the Association of Metropolitan Authorities before announcing the latest salary structure for teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend held discussions with representatives of the National Employers Organisation (School Teachers), representing both metropolitan and non-metropolitan authorities, before making his announcement on 26 May.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the future of city technology colleges.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about progress in relation to his plans for city technology colleges.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the progress on city technology colleges.
  526
  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 17 May at column 392. Since that date BAT industries and others have announced their sponsorship of a Teesside CTC in Middlesbrough.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a further statement about the financing of city technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier this afternoon to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-East (Mr. Turner).

  Interdisciplinary Research Centres
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional funding he is providing for the new interdisciplinary research centres.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on 13 April at column 135.

  University Education (Funding)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next proposes to meet the University Grants Committee to discuss the future funding of university education.

  Mr. Jackson
  There are no present plans for such a meeting. The committee recently conveyed its views in writing.

  Children's Playgrounds
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on children's playgrounds in the light of the Consumers' Association survey on children's playgrounds, published in April, a copy of which has been forwarded to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  The Government welcome this report by the Consumers' Association which will be of interest to everyone with a responsibility for children's playgrounds and should be useful to them in reviewing their policies and practices. The Department's general requirements on school playgrounds are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 which require up to two thirds of a school's recreation area to be paved or have a hard porous surface. The remaining area need not be paved.

  16-plus Education
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government have any proposals to improve the staying-on rate at the age of 16 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government have any proposals to improve the staying-on rate at the age of 16 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government are committed to increasing the post-16 participation rate in education and
  527
  training. The proposal in the Education Reform Bill will help to secure that by giving more young people the motivation and the qualifications they need to stay on after 16. The Government are also working to broaden the range of opportunities available to those who want to stay on; to ensure that young people know what their options are; to give greater coherence to the pattern of post-16 vocational qualifications; and to bring home to both young people and employers the vital importance of education and training.

  Cleveland
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last visited a school in Cleveland; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend visited the site of the new city technology college in Middlesborough on Thursday 16 June, for the announcement of the BAT sponsorship of the college.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about Her Majesty's Government policy towards encouraging nursery education.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations recently.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the Government have any plans to introduce legislation to make it a statutory duty of local education authorities to provide education for three and four-year-old children of parents who wish their children to benefit from it.

  Mr. Dunn
  No. The Government believe that local authorities are best placed to judge the extent and form of provision for the under-fives appropriate to their circumstances, in the light of local demand.

  National Association of Head Teachers
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next intends to meet the leaders of the National Association of Head Teachers; and what issue he will discuss.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend last met leaders of the National Association of Head Teachers on 11 May to discuss the report of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions. He also addressed its annual conference on 3 June. No date has been set for a further meeting with the National Association of Head Teachers.

  Latin
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will estimate the number of school children studying Latin to O-level.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In 1985–86, the latest year for which information is available, the number of school leavers attempting O-level classics (including Latin, Greek/Greek translation, general classics and ancient history) was 24,560.

  New Polytechnic, Kent
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to designate a new polytechnic in Kent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans. However, the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council that will be established following the passage of the Education Reform Bill will be asked to include among its early tasks an assessment of whether any further designations would be appropriate.

  Basic Science (Funding)
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he has given to the proposal by the chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council that funding of basic science should be a fixed proportion of gross domestic product, with the proportion to be reviewed every four years.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have noted the proposal in Professor Mitchell's recent lecture. The possibility of a link between part or all of the science budget and the growth of GDP was also suggested in the ABRC's discussion document, "A Strategy for the Science Base." We are currently considering the ABRC's recommendations and the comments on them which we have received from the higher education and scientific communities. My right hon. Friend expects to make a statement later in the year on the Government's policy objectives for the science base and the steps we will be taking to achieve them.

  School Meals
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy on the nutritional content of school meals.

  Mr. Dunn
  Under the provisions of the Education Act 1980, the nutritional content of school meals is the responsibility of individual local education authorities. Many LEAs are promoting healthy eating options, often supported by work in the classroom and through marketing campaigns. The Government support such approaches.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the progress of the working parties established in relation to the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. Hughes).

  Student Funding
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on progress in relation to his plans to review methods of student funding.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Buckley).

  Parental Involvement
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received upon involving parents further in their children's education.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of letters from hon. Members and others on this subject. The Education (No. 2) Act 1986 increased the representation of parents on school governing bodies, and provided for more information to be give to parents. The proposals in the Education Reform Bill will further enhance parents' influence.

  Schools (Discipline)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about the maintenance of discipline in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Since my right hon. Friend announced the establishment of the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools on 18 March this year, we have received about 80 letters on the general subject of discipline in schools from hon. Members and others.

  Universities (Funding)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the current level of Government funding of the universities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend receives many representations bearing on present and prospective university funding.

TRANSPORT

  Ports (Employment)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the change in the number of people employed in United Kingdom ports and associated employment since(a) 1978, (b) 1968 and (c)

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The following figures, published annually in "Port Statistics" by my Department and the British Ports Association, are estimates of the number of people employed in the port transport industry. They are derived from the Department of Employment's standard industrial classification. Because of changes in the definition of the classification, the figure for 1986 (the latest available year) may be rather lower than an entirely consistent series would have given. The figures relate to Great Britain and to the middle of each year.

  Employees

  1958

  1155,450

  1968

  129,625

  1978

  62,600

  1986

  35,100

  530
  1 Including perhaps some 8,000 employed in inland waterway transport and other ancillary industries.

  A separate survey undertaken by the British Ports Association and National Association of Port Employers in March 1987 produced a total for Great Britain of 38,989.

  Leeds/Bradford Airport
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many representations he has received in favour of extending the operating hours of Leeds/Bradford airport;

  (2) when he will make a decision about the hours during which Leeds/Bradford airport may be used.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A number of such representations have been received. The decision, to be made jointly by the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment, will be announced as soon as possible.

  Vehicles (Lighting Standards)
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the upper and lower standards of illumination for lights on motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1984 require nearly all lights on vehicles to meet European standards of performance. These cover both maximum and minimum levels of intensity for a large number of individual types of light.

  Marine Surveyors
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there was any change in his Department's plans for the number of marine surveyors to be employed in any of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 as a consequence of the capsize of the Herald of Free Enterprise; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Yes. For 1988–89 and subsequent years, the planned level of staffing in the Surveyor General's organisation has been increased compared with previous plans, to provide for additional inspection work on roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries.

  Greater London
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report all studies and investigations he has announced concerning the planning or improvement to all modes of transport in the Greater London area, stating, for each, the purpose of the study, by whom it is being undertaken and the date of expected publication.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have announced the following relevant studies and investigations which are yet to be completed:
  531

  Study

  Purpose

  Undertaker

  Expected publication date

  Stage 2 of London Assessment Studies

  To indentify practical options for tackling transport problems in four areas of London

  Ove Arup and Partners, Travers Morgan Planning, Mott Hay and Anderson, Sir William Halcrow and Partners

  Spring-early summer 1989

  Western Environmental Im-provement Route

  Investigation into carriageway standards, junctions and associated management measures

  Husband and Co.

  Public Consul ta-tion on study options by end 1988

  Trunk Road Signing Review

  To review London's trunk road signing with a view to the provision of better information along main routes

  MVA Consultancy

  No plans

  Development of Traffic Management and Accident Prevention Measures

  To examine systematically all traffic management measures currently used on trunk roads

  W. S. Atkins and Partners

  No plans

  M25 Review

  To assess traffic trends on M25 and adjacent radial routes, identify existing and potential problem areas and recommend solutions

  Rendel, Palmer and Tritton

  No plans

  M25 Widening Study

  To investigate the best way of providing a fourth lane in each direction between junctions 15 and 16

  Sir William Halcrow and Partners

  No plans

  Central London Rail Study

  To develop a strategy for improving services in the Central London area and to provide for forecast demand up to the end of the century while maximising the use of existing assets

  Joint study by Department of Transport British Rail and London Regional Transport

  An initial report is expected in July. Further work will be required before publication is considered

  Central London Employment Trends

  To provide an appreciation of likely future trends in employment in London and hence in demand for rail services

  Joint study by Department of Transport and British Rail

  Expected to report early 1989

  Channel Tunnel Rail Capacity Study

  To examine options for increasing route, seating and terminal capacity between London and Channel tunnel in the longer term

  British Rail

  By BR in July 1988

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report, for each of the last five years, the numbers of people killed or injured on roads in South Killingholme, Immingham, Flamborough, Brockelsby, Melton Ross, Croxton, Keelby, and Great Limber, by age group.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Information in the form requested is not available centrally.

  I shall write to the hon. Member.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Schoolchildren (Illegal Employment)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the illegal employment of school-age children.

  Mrs. Currie
  No information is available on children who may be employed illegally.

  The Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 1920, which applies to Great Britain, prohibits the employment of children in industrial undertakings. The Health and Safety Executive has
  532
  powers under this Act to take immediate action if a child is found to be working illegally in any such employment; and through its agricultural inspectorate to enforce legislation which prohibits the employment or involvement of children in certain agricultural operations.

  The Children and Young Persons Act 1933, which applies to England and Wales, prohibits the employment of children under 13 and restricts the part-time employment of children between the ages of 13 and 16. Local authority byelaws made under this Act place further restrictions on the hours and occupations of schoolchildren's employment. Local authorities have powers, which are usually exercised through the educational welfare service, to enforce the byelaws and, under section 59 of the Education Act 1944, which also applies to England and Wales, to prohibit or restrict the employment of any child.

  Oxford Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the population served by each district health authority in the Oxford region in 1986–87, 1987–88 and the forecast for 1988–89; and what was the per capita expenditure for each district in these three years.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested for 1986–87, together with the projected population figures for 1987–88
  533
  and 1988–89 is shown in the table. Figures from the accounts of each health authority for 1987–88 will be available in the autumn. However, for that year and forecast expenditure figures for each district for 1988–89

  1986–87

  Total revenue expenditure

  Population (thousands)

  Revenue expenditure per capita

  Projected population (thousands)

  £000s

  £

  1987–88

  1988–89

  East Berkshire

  54,411

  361·3

  151

  364·2

  365·7

  West Berkshire

  72,384

  445·0

  163

  448·9

  453·9

  Aylesbury Vale

  41,497

  142·5

  291

  142·5

  143·9

  Wycombe

  29,943

  271·6

  110

  271·9

  271·7

  Milton Keynes

  21,031

  161·8

  130

  166·3

  172·6

  Kettering

  32,749

  253·2

  129

  252·6

  253·9

  Northampton

  57,013

  301·3

  189

  303·6

  307·3

  Oxfordshire

  110,946

  539·6

  206

  543·8

  549·1

  Sources

  a. 1986–87 annual accounts of the district health authorities

  b. Mid-year estimates of population 1986. Population figures for 1987–88 and 1988–89 are 1985 based projections (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys).

  Notes

  1. Expenditure on family practitioner services is excluded. Such expenditure is accounted for by family practitioner committees and cannot strictly be attributed to particular regions or districts.

  2. Significant variations in per capita expenditure figures at district level arise principally because:

  i. people travel across boundaries for treatment and sub-regional resource allocations reflect the pattern of service provision locally.

  ii. the population figures used make no allowance for people resident in one district who receive treatment in another or for the difference in morbidity and age/sex structure of particular populations.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for (1) what is the budgeted expenditure for Oxford regional health authority for the financial years 1987–88 and 1988–89; and what was the increase between the two years;

  (2) what is the budgeted expenditure for each district health authority in the Oxford regional health authority for 1987–88 and 1988–89; and what is the percentage increase for each.

  Mr. Newton
  The table provides the information requested for the Oxford region in terms of net cash limits.

  Similar information for each district within the Oxford region is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to write to the chairman of the Oxford RHA for this information.

  Oxford RHA

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Percentage increase

  £ million

  £ million

  Cash

  Real terms

  Revenue cash limit1

  2475·8

  3521·2

  9·54

  4·82

  1 Net of income.

  2 Adjusted cash limit ie initial cash limit and subsequent adjustments (including additions from waiting list fund and following 1987 review body pay awards).

  3 Initial cash limit and subsequent additions from waiting list fund and following 1988 review body pay awards.

  Leaflets
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects his Department's offices will have a full stock of all leaflets.

  Mr. Portillo
  The few outstanding leaflets referring to the April 1988 social security reforms will be available in local social security offices in the first week of July.
  534
  (which are not collected centrally) my hon. Friend may wish to approach the chairman of the Oxford regional health authority who may be able to assist.

  Doctors (Derbyshire)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors are currently employed by the National Health Service in Derbyshire; and what was the figure in 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The information in the table shows the total number of hospital and community health service medical staff based on whole-time equivalents at 30 September each year. The figures exclude all consultants and senior registrars whose contracts are held by the regional health authority. There will therefore be more doctors actually working in Derbyshire than accounted for in the table.

  Hospital and community health service medical staff at 30 September each year

  Derbyshire

  Whole-time equivalent

  1979

  250

  1986

  290

  Note:
  Figures include permanent paid, honorary and locum staff but exclude consultants and senior registrars whose contracts are held by the regional health authorities. Distribution of consultants and senior registrars within non-teaching district health authorities is not collected centrally. Figures are rounded to nearest 10.

  Paediatric Occupational Therapists
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps have been taken by his Department to deal with the shortage of paediatric occupational therapists.

  Mr. Newton
  The joint DHSS/NHS manpower planning advisory group has commissioned a study to look at future staffing and skill mix in occupational therapy.

  The project does not single out paediatric occupational therapists as a particular group but will cover the profession as a whole.
  535
  Preliminary results will be available in late 1989.

  Home Responsibilities Protection
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to increase the qualifying years for home responsibilities protection to include tax years before 1978; and if he will estimate the cost of such an increase.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so. It is very difficult to arrive at a precise costing, but the best estimate would suggest a cost of several hundred million pounds.

  AIDS
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 26 May,Official Report, column 265, he will make it his policy in future, when producing statistics about rates of HIV infection, to make clear whether the figures are based on reported cases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The statistics for HIV infection which the Department publishes in the regular quarterly reports have always been based on cases of HIV seropositivity and AIDS which are reported to the national surveillance centres. This is always explained in the text which accompanies the statistics.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what response he has made to representations by the Family Planning Association to the effect that cuts in family planning clinics are increasing the risk of young people catching HIV infection.

  Mr. Newton
  In correspondence with the Family Planning Association I have expressed the view that public awareness of the risks of transmission of HIV infection and the consequent demands on the services of family planning clinics are among the issues for health authorities to consider in determining the level of local provision.

  AIDS
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all funds or grants made available to National Health Service laboratories, hospitals or consultants for the purpose of conducting research on HIV infection or AIDS by the following organisations: (i) the Wellcome Foundation, (ii) Burroughs Wellcome, (iii)536
  Abbot Laboratories, (iv) du Pont and (v) Glaxo, identifying the organisation, amount, principal recipient and purpose of grant.

  Mr. Newton
  Such information is not held centrally. However, the Department is administering, at the request of Abbot Laboratories, the allocation of £65,000 set aside by Abbot for travel fellowships, to allow health care professionals who are undertaking research into AIDS or HIV infection to travel to the United states of America to meet other researchers working in the same field. So far eight fellowships have been awarded.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has authorised for use within the National Health Service any anti-HIV antibody test which has not previously been the subject of an evaluation as to efficiency conducted by or on behalf of his Department.

  Mr. Newton
  Anti-HIV antibody tests employed in the National Health Service do not require authorisation from the Department.

  The Department seeks to evaluate commercially available HIV tests on a systematic basis, and makes the reports of these evaluations available to the NHS and other interested parties, but we do not authorise particular test kits.

  Doctors (Competition)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department will be contributing to the Office of Fair Trading's inquiry into the competitive position of doctors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The Director General of Fair Trading has now referred the question of restrictions on doctors' advertising to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. I understand that officials from this Department will be invited to give evidence to the commission.

  Income Support
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of recipients of housing benefit supplement prior to 4 April who qualify for income support, and what proportion are pensioners.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information is not available to enable us to make such an estimate.

  Income Support
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987, he is empowered to direct that payments of income support relating to accommodation charges be made direct to the organisation providing the accommodation in cases where such charges have been incurred, but the claimant has moved on between the date of claim and the first pay day.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall) on 16 June at column 281.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether payment direct to the creditor of a debt owed by an income support claimant would be treated as income of the claimant under regulation 42(4)(a)(ii) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  A single payment made by a third party to a creditor of a debt would normally be treated as part of the claimant's capital under regulation 51(3)(a)(ii) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 if it were used in respect of food, clothing, footwear, fuel or certain accommodation costs. Payments made regularly by a third party could he treated as income of the claimant under regulation 42(4)(a)(ii) if they were used in respect of these items. The first £5 a week of these payments would be disregarded.

  NHS Managers
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if the moneys paid to National Health Service managers through the performance related bonus scheme are financed(a) centrally, (b) from district or (c) from regional budgets.

  Mr. Newton
  Health authorities are expected to meet all pay costs including performance related pay for managers from their overall cash allocations.

  Ambulances
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the current National Health Service review on ambulance purchase will be concluded.

  Mrs. Currie
  The review of purchasing policy for NHS ambulances is expected to be completed later this year.

  Foetal Tissue
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to his reply of 7 June to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos),Official Report, columns 557–58, if he will list the members of the ethical committees which approved the use of human foetal tissue in the transplant operations to which he refers;

  (2) pursuant to his reply of 7 June to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos), Official Report, columns 557–58,upon what information he based his understanding that the ethical committees to which he refers considered the issues involved in the use of foetal tissue in transplant operations with care and over a long period of time;
  538
  (3) pursuant to his reply of 7 June to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos), Official Report, columns 557–58,upon what date the ethical committees to which he refers first deliberated upon each of the applications for permission to transplant human foetal tissue; on how many separate days such deliberations continued in each case; and on what date a decision finally was minuted in each case.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos) of 7 June,Official Report, column 557, he wall now take steps to hold centrally the lists of names of members of ethical committees; and if he will list the members of all the ethical committees which approved the use of foetal tissue in the transplant operations to which he refers.

  Mr. Newton
  I understand, the ethical committee at the midland centre for Neurosurgery and neurology has discussed Professor Hitchcock's work on using transplantation techniques to treat Parkinsonism on a number of occasions since 1982. The specific procedure referred to was first discussed in February last year when further information was called for. A decision to authorise it was taken in December. The members of the ethical committee who considered this procedure were:

  Dr. J. M. Anderson, Consultant neurologist (December 1987 only)

  Mrs. B. J. Baker, Senior Nurse Manager

  Dr. S. W. Chauda, Neuro-radiologist (February 1987 only)

  Dr. J. Milligan, General Practitioner

  Dr. M. V. Salmon, Neuro-pathologist

  Dr. R. J. West, Neuro-radiologist

  Mrs. M. Wilkes, Community Health Council

  Mr. J. Ballantyne, Hospital Administrator and Secretary to the Committee

  Professor Hitchcock himself is also a member of the committee, but I understand attended the relevant meetings primarily to speak to his protocol and would have been excluded from any vote.

  We have no plans to hold the names of local ethical committee members centrally.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 7 June to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos),Official Report, columns 557–58, if he will arrange for the publication in the Official Report of the text of the declaration which was signed by the mothers in the cases to which he refers in which human foetal tissue was used in transplant operations.

  Mr. Newton
  The text of the declaration referred to was as follows:"I have no special wishes concerning the disposal of material arising from my pregnancy."

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 7 June to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos),Official Report, columns 557–58, whether, during the course of the prolonged and careful deliberation by ethical committees to which he refers, any of those committees sought advice from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  No.

  Research Findings (Publication)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the chairman of the university vice-chancellors, Sir Mark Richmond's letter to him about the Government's proposal on the right to republish research findings, he proposes to reconsider these proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have taken careful note of the points Sir Mark made in his recent letter, but we have no plans to change our policy.

  Obstetricians
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many consultant obstetricians are employed by each of the outer London health districts.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. Information on medical staff in the NHS is collected by the employing authority. Employing authorities for consultants are regional health authorities, district health authorities designated for undergraduate teaching purposes, and special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals.

  NHS (Technicians)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy for bringing about an improvement in the salaries of cardiac technicians, physiological measurement technicians, employed by the National Health Service; what information he has on the difficulty of recruiting and retaining student technicians due to low rates of pay; and if he will institute a review of the basis upon which this group of technicians are paid.

  Mr. Newton
  I presume that my hon. Friend refers to physiological measurement technicians (cardiology). Their pay and conditions of service are matters for negotiation in the professional and technical staffs B Whitley council and I understand the management side recently offered a 5·5 per cent. increase in pay and allowances for physiological measurement technicians. The staff side is consulting its members on the offer. I am not aware of any reports of difficulty in recruiting and retaining student technicians. The number of students in post since 1979 has increased by over 10 per cent.

  Körner Committee
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost to date of implementing the recommendations of the Körner committee.

  Mr. Newton
  s: Regional health authorities are responsible for implementing Körner; information about costs is not held centrally. The major expenditure has been on the implementation of operational computer systems to facilitate patient management and personnel administration, which provide Körner data as a by-product.

  Maternity Pay
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that holiday pay is taken into account as part of a woman's earnings for purposes of calculating statutory maternity pay.
  540
  Mr. Portillo
  Under current provisions employers are already required to take into account in calculating statutory maternity pay entitlement any contractual payment which is made during the test period, and which is treated as earnings for national insurance contribution purposes. This can include holiday pay.

  Blind Persons
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates is the total annual cost of a blind person to the Exchequer, indicating what proportion is resourced from central Government and local government, respectively.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that information is not available centrally in the form required.

  Single European Market
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes will be necessary in United Kingdom health and social services legislation in order to satisfy the harmonisation requirements of the European Community for the achievement of the single market in 1992.

  Mrs. Currie
  Provision of health and social services as such does not fall within the terms of the treaty establishing the European Community and therefore no change in the basic legislation covering their operation is likely. In other areas, for example the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, compliance with harmonised safety requirements for medical devices and supplies, authorisation and pricing arrangements for medicinal products and measures for the health and safety of workers, legislative changes may be necessary, depending on the measures adopted by the Community, which could affect the health and social services. The proposals for the approximation of duties on tobacco and alcohol, the labelling of tobacco products and the tar yield of cigarettes also have important health implications.

  Funeral Expenses
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the qualification for the payment of a contribution towards funeral expenses to widows following the death of the spouse or a dependent relative.

  Mr. Portillo
  We do not plan such a review. Regulated provision is made under the social fund for claims to be made by anyone, including widows, who is awarded either income support, family credit or housing benefit who has to take responsibility for a funeral and needs help to meet the expenses involved. For this purpose, particular provision is made to disregard, for 12 months, the £1,000 lump sum payable to widows when calculating the amount which may be paid under the social fund.

  Health and Social Service Benefit
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what entitlement to health and social service benefit(a) citizens of Eire and (b) citizens of Commonwealth countries have in the United Kingdom; and if these rights are reciprocal for United Kingdom citizens in Eire.
  541
  Mrs. Currie
  All people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom are eligible to use the full range of NHS facilities and the personal social services regardless of their own nationality. For health benefit the position in respect of temporary visitors from overseas depends on country of origin. All citizens of EC countries who are resident in the Community may obtain immediately necessary treatment for health conditions arising during a visit on the same terms as residents of the host country, by virtue of the EC social security regulations; this includes Irish visitors to the United Kingdom and United Kingdom visitors to Ireland. Similar arrangements for immediately necessary treatment exist for visitors from Australia, Malta and New Zealand, member countries of the Commonwealth with which the United Kingdom has concluded bilateral health care agreements. Visitors from other Commonwealth countries must pay for treatment received in the United Kingdom though they may do so through private insurance. United Kingdom citizens resident in Ireland are covered by the Irish health care scheme.

  Entitlement to income support (social service benefit) is dependent on immigration status. People from Commonwealth countries who are accepted for permanment settlement here are entitled to income support in the same way as United Kingdom citizens. Temporary visitors (students, tourists, business people) however, are only admitted if the immigration officer is satisfied that they will not have recourse to public funds.

  There are no immigration controls between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Consequently Irish citizens can claim income support in the same way as British citizens, and similarly British citizens can claim social welfare whilst in Ireland on the same terms as Irish citizens.

  Glue Ear
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of glue ear are currently diagnosed annually in children; and what were the figures in the previous five years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information available centrally relates to treatment in NHS hospitals. The table shows the most recent data on the number of patients treated in NHS hospitals with a main diagnosis of chronic mucoid otitis media (ICD1 381.2).

  0–14 years

  15 years and over

  All ages

  1985

  12,980

  720

  13,700

  1984

  11,320

  700

  12,020

  1983

  9,920

  570

  10,490

  1982

  8,070

  490

  8,560

  1 ICD: International Classification of Diseases.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for admission of children to hospital for operations in connection with treatment for glue ear in each regional health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information on waiting times for operations carried out in NHS hospitals is not collected centrally by diagnosis of the patient, but according to the type of surgical operation or procedure performed. A number of different operations are performed for the 542
  treatment of glue ear; the principal one is myringotomy/tympanostomy, for which information on waiting times of patients treated in 1985 (the latest year for which information is held centrally) is given in the table.

  Median waiting time in weeks between the time a patient was placed on the waiting list and admission to an NHS hospital in England for myringotomy/tympanostomy, by age and region of residence, 1985

  Region of residence

  Median waiting time (weeks)

  0–4 years

  5–14 years

  All ages

  Northern

  12

  11

  11

  Yorkshire

  9

  10

  10

  Trent

  10

  15

  13

  East Anglian

  6

  11

  10

  North West Thames

  7

  8

  8

  North East Thames

  8

  11

  9

  South East Thames

  10

  12

  10

  South West Thames

  11

  10

  10

  Wessex

  10

  12

  12

  Oxford

  7

  11

  9

  South Western

  10

  9

  9

  West Midlands

  7

  12

  9

  Mersey

  7

  9

  8

  North Western

  11

  11

  11

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether his Department issues any guidance to doctors about recognising behavioural changes in young children as a symptom of the onset of deafness due to glue ear;

  (2) whether he will make it his policy to establish a committee of inquiry to take evidence from those with experience of the condition glue ear and to make recommendations as to how treatment of the condition can be improved.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have issued guidance in the past on various screening and diagnostic services for hearing-impaired children. In order to obtain more up-to-date information, we commissioned research in 1985 from the Medical Research Council Institute for Hearing Research. The results, which include various considerations in respect of otitis media or glue ear, were received recently. When these have been studied we should be in a much better position to take matters forward.

  Low-income Families
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of persons in low-income families in England (i) on supplementary benefit, (ii) below 100 per cent. of supplementary benefit and (iii) below 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit, for each of the years 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1985, as reported for Great Britain in the Department of Health and Social Security low-income families tables.

  Mr. Portillo
  A reply can be supplied only at disproportionate cost. In addition, however, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 27 May at columns 413–14.

  NHS Patients (Physiotherapy)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his question of 12 April,Official Report, column 343, what is his policy towards the treatment of National Health Service patients in need of physiotherapy outside the National Health Service by non-state registered physiotherapists.
  543
  Mr. Newton
  Physiotherapy treatment for National Health Service patients is provided within the National Health Service by state registered physiotherapists. Where an NHS patient is referred outside for treatment, which is likely to be only in very unusual circumstances, there is no formal requirement that the physiotherapist should be state registered. Outside the NHS patients have the right to choose to seek treatment both from physiotherapists who are state registered and from those who are not.

  Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1983
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why the word "extra" was omitted from paragraph 14(e) of schedule 4 to the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1983.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980 were amended, before they took effect on 24 November 1980, to omit the word "extra" from column 2 of paragraph 13(e) to schedule 3. This was done to avoid the great difficulty of requiring the adjudication officer to establish the cost of a normal diet in order to determine the extra cost of a special one.

  Women's Refuges
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to protect the financial situation of women's refuges in any changes resulting from the review of board and lodging payments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have commissioned a study by the Policy Studies Institute into the characteristics of hostels, including women's refuges, providing accommodation for income support recipients. We expect to receive the results shortly. In the meantime, no decisions have been taken on future arrangements for paying these claimants.

  Benefits
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people, at the latest date for which information is available, were in receipt of(a) invalidity benefit, (b) invalidity benefit and supplementary benefit, (c) severe disablement allowance and (d) severe disablement allowance and supplementary benefit;

  (2) how many people were in receipt of severe disablement allowance at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is as follows:

  (a) 899,000 at April 1986

  (b) 112,000 at May 1987

  (c) 261,000 at April 1986

  (d) 136,000 at May 1987

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken between the date of claim for severe disablement allowance and the date of the decision on that claim where(a) the claimant is not required to undergo the 80 per cent. disablement test and (b) the claimant is required to undergo the 80 per cent. disablement test.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that the information requested is not available.
  544
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for severe disablement allowance were made in each of the years 1984 to 1988.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is as follows, based on calendar years.

  Claims

  1984

  19,398

  1985

  46,997

  1986

  38,508

  1987

  41,323

  1988

  221,835

  1 Severe disablement allowance first became payable on 29 November 1984.

  2 Up to 30 April, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the classification of refusals of severe disablement allowance to(a) men, (b) single women and (c) married women according to the following reasons: (i) over pension age, (ii) not incapable of work, (iii) failed the 80 per cent. disablement test, (iv) failed the residence and presence conditions and (v) other;

  (2) what is the classification of awards of severe disablement allowance to date to (a) men, (b) single women and (c) married women according to whether they (i) were exempt from the 80 per cent. of disablement, (ii) were passported to the 80 per cent. test or (iii) passed the 80 per cent. test;

  (3) how many (a) favourable and (b) unfavourable decisions on applications for severe disablement allowance have been made to date.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my replies to her on 23 July 1987 at columns 488–90. Since April 1987 statistics for severe disablement allowance have been collected on the same basis as those for sickness and invalidity benefit and updated information in the form requested is not available.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals there were, for each of the years 1984 to 1988, against refusals of severe disablement allowance because the claimant was judged not to satisfy the test of 80 per cent. disablement; and how many of these appeals resulted in the claimant being awarded severe disablement allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not readily available on the grounds of appeal or the satisfaction or otherwise of the 80 per cent. disablement test. The available information on severe disablement is provided in the table. National administrative statistics for social security appeal tribunals are not available in the equivalent form prior to the second quarter of 1984, while the latest available figures are for the third quarter of 1987.

  Social Security Appeal Tribunals (Great Britain)

  Severe Disablement Allowance Appeals

  Period

  Number of appeals lodged

  Number of appeals heard

  Number decided in claimants favour

  April—December 1984

  118

  1

  —

  Year ending December 1985

  1204

  87

  14

  Year ending December 1986

  1227

  138

  53

  545

  Period

  Number of appeals lodged

  Number of appeals heard

  Number decided in claimants favour

  Quarter ending March 1987

  151

  27

  12

  Quarter ending June 1987

  60

  32

  9

  Quarter ending September 1987

  54

  30

  11

  1 Estimated.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken between the date of a claim for invalidity benefit and the date of a decision on that claim.

  Mr. Portillo
  As at 8 April 1988 the average time taken between the date of claim to sickness and invalidity benefit and a decision on the claim was 11 days.

  Separate records are not kept of the number of claimants to sickness benefit and invalidity benefit.

  Clinical Thermometers
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southend, East on 16 June, what evidence he has of British producers of clinical thermometers having difficulties in exporting their products to the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have no evidence that the one existing United Kingdom producer of clinical thermometers covered by directive 76/764/EEC has difficulty in exporting his products to Europe. But under present arrangements the manufacturer needs to have his products tested by BSI in respect of sales to the NHS and also separately in Germany for the purpose of having the EEC mark applied in respect of sales elsewhere in Europe. When regulations are laid to give effect to the directive it is expected that the manufacturer will be able to reduce costs and simplify arrangements by using a single British or other approved test house to cover approval for home and export sales.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 16 June, when he will be in a position to give the national outstanding total of single payment claims as at 31 May.

  Mr. Portillo
  I expect to be able to do so shortly.

  Total revenue expenditure

  Per annual accounts

  Percentage increase/ (decrease)

  At 1986–87 prices

  Percentage increase/ (decrease) at 1987–87 prices

  On preceding year

  On 1982–83

  On preceding year

  On 1982–83

  £000

  £000

  Northern Regional Health Authority

  1982–83

  18,694

  —

  —

  22,364

  —

  —

  1983–84

  19,861

  6·24

  6·24

  22,693

  1·47

  1·47

  Virus Reference Laboratory
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if any members of the virus reference laboratory of the public health laboratory services are now or have at any time been employed as consultants by Burroughs Wellcome.

  Mr. Newton
  I am advised that to the best of the knowledge of the public health laboratory service no member of the staff of the PEELS virus reference laboratory has ever been employed by or received payments from Burroughs Wellcome.

  Cockroaches (Human Diseases)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the human diseases that are spread by cockroaches in the United States of America.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that although cockroaches may occasionally contaminate food, they are not "carriers" for any human disease. No specific information about the USA has been drawn to the Department's attention.

  Resettlement Unit, Worsley
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is able to make an announcement concerning the future of the resettlement unit at Worsley, Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  A review team consisting of representatives of voluntary and statutory organisations has recently submitted a package of proposals for the funding of schemes dealing with the resettlement of homeless people, to replace the services provided by the Worsley resettlement unit. The schemes would provide smaller facilities in Bury, Rochdale, Salford, Oldham, Tameside, Wigan, Leigh, Stockport, Bolton and Manchester. I have agreed these proposals, and detailed arrangements for local buildings and sites will now be considered. The resettlement unit will eventually close although no actual closure date has yet been arranged.

  Health Authorities (Revenue)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes in revenue have been made in the Northern regional health authority and Sunderland district health authority during the last five years for which figures are available, both in cash and real terms and as percentages.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 31 March 1988]: Following are the figures for total revenue expenditure and percentage changes over the latest available five-year period for the health authorities requested and the northern region as a whole:
  547

  Per annual accounts

  Percentage increase/ (decrease)

  At 1986–87 prices

  Percentage increase/ (decrease) at 1987–87 prices

  On preceding year

  On 1982–83

  On preceding year

  On 1982–83

  £000

  £000

  1984–85

  20,834

  4·90

  11·45

  22,798

  0·46

  1·94

  1985–86

  22,432

  7·67

  20·00

  23,163

  1·60

  3·57

  1986–87

  22,735

  1·35

  21·62

  22,735

  (1·85)

  1·66

  Sunderland Health Authority

  1982–83

  47,938

  —

  —

  57,349

  —

  —

  1983–84

  51,432

  7·29

  7·29

  58,767

  2·47

  2·47

  1984–85

  54,000

  4·99

  12·65

  59,089

  0·55

  3·03

  1985–86

  57,580

  6·63

  20·11

  59,457

  0·62

  3·68

  1986–87

  61,197

  6·28

  27·66

  61,197

  2·93

  6·71

  Northern Region1

  1982–83

  520,838

  —

  —

  623,084

  —

  —

  1983–84

  553,996

  6·37

  6·37

  633,001

  1·59

  1·59

  1984–85

  586,852

  5·93

  12·67

  642,163

  1·45

  3·06

  1985–86

  620,085

  5·66

  19·06

  640,300

  (0·29)

  2·76

  1986–87

  664,666

  7·19

  27·61

  664,666

  3·81

  6·67

  1 Includes the Northern Regional Health Authority, Sunderland and all other district health authorities comprising the Northern region.

  Source

  Annual financial accounts submitted to the Department by the health authorities concerned.

  Notes to the table

  1. The figures for the earlier years have been expressed at 1986–87 prices by the use of the gross domestic product deflator.

  2. Capital expenditure and expenditure on family practitioner services is excluded. The latter expenditure is accounted for by family practitioner committees (FPCs) and cannot strictly be attributed to particular districts or regions. However, prior to 1 April 1985 the Sunderland health authority and eight other district health authorities within the northern region each had an associated FPC and those authorities' revenue expenditure for the years before that date includes elements in respect of the administrative expenses of FPCs which are not separately identifiable.

  University Teaching Hospitals (Staff Salaries)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the latest available figure for the number of university teaching hospital medical and clinical staff whose salaries are not funded by the University Grants Committee; and what is the percentage change since 1980–81.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 4 May 1988]: Figures are not available centrally which identify separately the numbers of clinical staff of universities attached to a teaching hospital whose salaries are not funded by the University Grants Committee. Those for part-time staff funded from all sources are aggregated, as also are the figures for whole-time staff whose posts are wholly or partially funded by other sources. Information published by the Universities Statistical Record indicates that in 1985–86 there were 1,387 whole-time clinical medical and dental staff of universities whose salaries were not wholly funded by universities, an increase of 109 per cent. since 1980–81.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many households(a) in total, (b) by tenure, and (c) by household type are expected to receive (i) more and (ii) less housing benefit by up to £1 a week, £1
  548
  to £2 a week, £2 to £3 a week, £3 to £4 a week, £4 to £5 a week and £5 plus a week as a result of the changes implemented on 4 April and amended on 28 April.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 6 May 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 7 June 1988 at column 561.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of jobs to be created to administer the transitional protection scheme on housing benefit; whether those jobs will be temporary or permanent, and where they will be located.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 6 May 1988]: The transitional payments unit will be located in Glasgow and the final number of staff required will be decided in the light of applications received. Appointments will be made on both a permanent and temporary and a limited period basis; the proportion of the latter has yet to be determined.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he will be taking regarding the letters sent to him by the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding the cases of constituents who will be applying for the transitional payments over housing benefit increases; how soon the payments will be made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  In appropriate cases leaflet RR4—Housing Benefit New Rules—will be issued. This contains an application form for completion and return to the transitional payments unit in Glasgow. The first payments will be sent out in July when the unit becomes fully operational.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, of the 13 per cent. of his Department's staff who come from ethnic minority groups, which minority groups are represented and what levels of employment his Department's monitoring system shows them to have reached.
  549
  Mr. Stanley
  The Northern Ireland Civil Service does not monitor the ethnic origins of its staff. It records details of the sex, religious affiliation and any disabilities of its staff. Details of the Northern Ireland Civil Service's composition in these terms are given in the second report of its equal opportunities unit, a copy of which is in the Library.

  The figure of 13 per cent. relates to the Home Civil Service element of the Northern Ireland Office. This cadre is so small that the publication of information about ethnic monitoring groups which are represented and the grades they have reached would allow the ethnic origins of individuals to be identified. This would represent a breach of the confidentiality which is promised when the information is sought.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that the monitoring system developed for his Department complies with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and of the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

  Mr. Stanley
  The remits of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission for Great Britain do not extend to Northern Ireland. However, the equal opportunities monitoring system set up by the Northern Ireland Civil Service was developed in

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Northern Ireland Office

  Civil servants (thousands at 1 April each year)1

  4·2

  4·3

  4·3

  4·5

  4·5

  4·5

  4·6

  Total costs (£ million)3

  70·5

  76·6

  80·3

  89·5

  98·1

  109·1

  120·2

  Northern Ireland Departments

  Civil servants (thousands at 1 April each year)2

  26·3

  26·7

  25·9

  25·9

  26·3

  26·7

  26·8

  Total costs (£ million)3

  190·0

  205·4

  213·8

  229·1

  249·9

  267·5

  282·0

  1 Includes industrial and non-industrial civil servants, casual staff, prison discipline staff and civilian search unit staff. Civil servants seconded to the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Probation Board are not included.

  2 Includes industrial and non-industrial civil servants and casual staff of Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Northern Ireland Commission for Complaints, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the former Northern Ireland Exchequer and Audit Department (now the Northern Ireland Audit Office).

  3 Total costs consist of pay costs and personnel overheads.

  550
  full consultation with, and its introduction was welcomed by, the Fair Employment Agency and the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland.

  As far as the Home Civil Service element of the Northern Ireland Office is concerned, the monitoring system developed complies with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission so far as is practicable with a group of only some 190 civil servants.

  A survey to provide information on the ethnic origin of staff in the NIO was considered as part of a phased programme of ethnic surveys across the Civil Service, and the monitoring of recruits has continued since then. The Department also participates in annual surveys conducted across the Civil Service relating to the employment of women and of the disabled.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number of civil servants employed(a) by the Northern Ireland Office and (b) by Northern Ireland Departments, and the total cost to public funds of each, in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 13 June 1988]: Information for all of the years in question is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Available information is as follows:

  TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS: COMPENSATION
  TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS: COMPENSATION