Written Answers of 24 June 1988

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Land Registry
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General how many people were employed at Her Majesty's Land Registry during each of the past 10 years; how many are now employed by the Land Registry; and whether he has any proposals for increasing staffing of the Land Registry.

  The Attorney-General
  Staff in post as at 1 April in each of the last 10 years:

  Permanent

  Casual

  Total

  1988

  8,200·0

  728·0

  8,928·0

  1987

  7,310·0

  608·0

  7,918·0

  1986

  7,029·0

  262·5

  7,291·5

  1985

  6,820·5

  32·9

  7,149·5

  1984

  6,676·5

  316·5

  6,993·0

  1983

  5,818·0

  712·5

  6,530·5

  1982

  5,546·5

  361·5

  5,908·0

  1981

  5,680·5

  3·0

  5,683·5

  1980

  5,898·0

  45·0

  5,943·0

  1979

  5,543·0

  47·0

  5,590·0

  1978

  5,309·0

  42·0

  5,351·0

  There are current proposals for additional resources to meet the Land Registry's growing commitments, which have nearly trebled over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the cost of staffing the Land Registry during the last year for which records are available; what was the total cost of operating the Land Registry during that year; and what was the total in fees received by the Land Registry during that year.

  The Attorney-General
  The provisional memorandum trading account for 1987–88 shows staff costs (including superannuation) of £94·04 million, total costs of £121·14 million and income from fees of £141·07 million.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the minimum, maximum and average time taken to process an application to the Land Registry to complete a registration.

  The Attorney-General
  The minimum processing time can be as low as one week. Applications so processed include the registration of transactions where the register has already been computerised, expedited applications and many straightforward applications where no points arise. The average time for processing substantive applications at the end of May 1988 was 16 weeks.

  No information is available as to the maximum processing time, but many complex applications take some considerable time to process and can be dependent on the ability of applicants to deal satisfactorily with departmental requisitions.
  724
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General how much profit he estimates was made by the Land Registry during each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

  The Attorney-General
  The surpluses shown in the Land Registry's memorandum trading accounts for the last 10 years are as follows:

  £ million

  1978–79

  5·93

  1979–80

  8·13

  1980–81

  1·17

  1981–82

  6·93

  1982–83

  12·40

  1983–84

  10·18

  1984–85

  20·64

  1985–86

  16·98

  1986–87

  26·02

  1987–88

  19·93

  The figures for 1987–88 are, as yet, only provisional.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General on what basis fees are payable to the Land Registry for the registration of properties assessed.

  The Attorney-General
  Section 145 of the Land Registration Act 1925 (as amended) provides for the making of fee orders, under which applications to register conveyances and transfers are charged on an ad valorem basis related to the price or value of the property. Most minor applications are either charged at flat rate or there is no fee. The current fee order is the Land Registration Fee Order 1988.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will establish an inquiry into the operation and staffing of Her Majesty's Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No. The National Audit Office has conducted a review of the operations of Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Comptroller and Auditor General reported to Parliament the findings of the review on 28 July 1987. The Committee of Public Accounts has considered the report and the report on its findings is awaited.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General how long he estimates it takes for applications to the Land Registry to be opened; and how long it takes thereafter for required payments received from applicants to be banked.

  The Attorney-General
  Applications to the Land Registry are opened on the day of receipt and cleared funds in respect of the cheques associated with these applications are normally available five working days later.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will institute a system whereby interest is paid to applicants on moneys received from them, where registration is not completed within two months of the date when fees paid to the Land Registry have been banked.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Secret Intelligence Operations (Member's Book)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he proposes to take in the light of the publication of the
  725
  book "The Friends—Britain's Post War Secret Intelligence Operations" written by the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Allason).

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 22 June, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. There is no legal action that I propose to take in the light of the publication of this book.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Select Committee on Scottish Affairs
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will estimate the administrative costs of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs in each of the years 1983 to 1987 inclusive.

  Mr. Beith
  The administrative costs of Select Committees borne on the House of Commons Vote include the costs of visits in the United Kingdom and overseas, the fees and expenses of specialist advisers, witnesses' expenses, entertainment expenses and the costs of preparing minutes of evidence for publication. Details of all such costs in respect of the Scottish Affairs Committee in the financial years 1983–84 to 1986–87 are set out in the Select Committee returns for each Session. The totals of these costs were as follows: 1983–84, £12,162; 1984–85, £38,612; 1985–86, £13,487; and 1986–87, £23,535.

  Printing and publishing costs are borne by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and are also shown in the Sessional Returns. Staff serving the Committee varied from time to time in this period, and had other responsibilities in addition to their work for the Committee; it is not possible, therefore, to give precise figures of staff costs. For most of this time, however, the staff of the Scottish Affairs Committee consisted of a deputy principal clerk, an assistant clerk and a secretary.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has carried out monitoring exercises in accordance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

  Mr. Brooke
  In 1982 the Department carried out a study of career opportunities for women in the Treasury, which included the monitoring of relative success rates for men and women at an internal promotion board from the EO to the HEO grade and a comparison of these rates with relative assessments of long-term potential.

  This year the Treasury will be participating in the OMCS review of career development issues, including the promotion process and allocation to duties, by gender and ethnic origin. This will involve monitoring two internal promotion boards during 1988 and calculating the likely representation in five and 10 years' time of women and ethnic minority staff in the grade levels covered by the exercise. This information will be used to judge future equal opportunities performance.
  726
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what monitoring of ethnic recruitment to his Department has been undertaken; and what have been the results of that monitoring.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Treasury introduced the ethnic monitoring of recruitment for the AO and AA grades in London in July 1987. This is now carried out continuously. Results suggest that the number of appointments offered to members of ethnic minorities is broadly in proportion to the number of eligible candidates applying from each ethnic group.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra allocations of funds have been made, other than those related to the nurses pay settlement, to(a) the Scottish Office, (b) the Northern Ireland Office and (c) the Welsh Office since he published his public expenditure White Paper; and for what purposes.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]Only a few low-cost adjustments in 1988–89 amounting to about £3 million in Scotland, and £1 million in Wales, and no change for the Northern Ireland Office.

  VAT
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to provide that, where a company incurs liability for value added tax or deposits taken from customers for goods not yet supplied, value added tax may be collected on a quarterly basis for all the deposits the company has taken, rather than the company being required to raise a second invoice for each customer's job to account for the value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]Existing legislation already provides for this where a company supplies goods to customers who are not registered for VAT, since there is no obligation in such cases to issue a tax invoice for either the deposit or the main supply. However, if a tax invoice were not issued to a registered customer in respect of VAT charged on a deposit, the customer would not, in turn, he able to reclaim the VAT.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Holloway Prison
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a day women spent out of their cells, on C1 psychiatric unit, Holloway, from 14 May to 14 June; and how many women have attended the skills training unit each day during the same period of time.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In the period 14 may to 14 June 1988, inmates on Cl unit spent an average of 5·7 hours out of cell each day.

  The table gives the number attending the skills training unit each weekday.

  Weekday

  Number attending skills training unit

  May

  16

  18

  727

  Weekday

  Number attending skills training unit

  17

  4

  18

  17

  19

  14

  20

  16

  23

  17

  24

  5

  25

  14

  26

  17

  27

  14

  30

  10

  31

  6

  June

  1

  9

  2

  8

  3

  10

  6

  12

  7

  4

  8

  15

  9

  12

  10

  10

  13

  12

  14

  5

  1 The unit does not open at weekends or on public holidays. On 10 June the unit remained closed because of shortage of staff.

  Passport Applications
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the current average time taken in dealing with full passport applications at each passport office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett).

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum in 1988 to date have been refused permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; to what countries they have been sent upon refusal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Recent press reports have referred to information gathered weekly from Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Dover, for guidance of management. These describe the number of asylum applications made by passengers arriving at those ports, and the initial action taken. The returns do not trace further action, for example, to grant temporary admission or to remove a passenger who was initially detained.

  The latest available refugee statistics are for 1987 and were published earlier this month in Home Office statistical bulletin 16/88, copies of which are in the Library.

  Itinerants (Stonehenge)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Wiltshire as to what recent checks have been made by the police concerning the insurance, road 728
  fund tax and where applicable MOT certificates of vehicles in the convoy of itinerants at present in the vicinity of Stonehenge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of Wiltshire that over the period of the summer solstice police resources were concentrated as a priority on the maintenance of public order and prevention of mass trespass in the Stonehenge area. Nine vehicles were impounded following the attempted occupation of Stonehenge by a group of people on 16 June. Subsequent checks showed that eight of these were unroadworthy and they have been retained by the police.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received recently by the National Television Licence Records Office from the Walsall metropolitan borough council on behalf of pensioners for the concessionary licence fee; how many were approved and on what dates; and how many submitted before the change in the regulation remain outstanding and for which proportion.

  Mr. Renton
  Three applications have been received since 1 January this year, all of them before the new regulations came into force. They were approved on 4 February, 29 March and 12 April. There are no applications outstanding. However, I understand the hon. Member has been in correspondence with NTVLRO about some further applications which Walsall metropolitan borough council says it sent earlier this year, but of which there is no record of receipt.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards identity cards being issued for all citizens.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The question of the issue of identity cards has been considered from time to time, but we remain to be persuaded that there is a sufficiently strong case for their introduction.

  Anabolic Steroids
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report from the Home Office advisory committee on drugs relating to anabolic steroids.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]We expect to receive advice shortly from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on extension of the controls in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to anabolic steroids. A further announcement will be made when this advice has been received and considered.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Reform
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the overall additional estimated costs that will be incurred by local authorities as a result of the implementation of the provisions of the new Education Reform Bill.
  729
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The cost of the progressive implementation of the measures in the Education Reform Bill for schools and further education will vary from authority to authority according to developments already under way. Some redirection of recurrent and capital resources will be required. My right hon. Friend has announced proposals for the education support grants programme in 1989–90, which includes some £65 million new expenditure related to the Bill's provisions for financial delegation and the national curriculum. A significant part of the programme of in-service training grants, currently supporting expenditure of £270 million, will be directed towards the implementation of the Bill's provisions in 1989–90 and subsequent years. There will also be implications for capital programmes within the Government's plans to enable local education authorities and voluntary bodies to spend more than £750 million on improving school buildings between now and 1990–91. The Government have set aside £65 million over the next three years mainly for the development and administration of assessment procedures, for which local authorities will not be charged fees. The Bill's provisions for the transfer of funding responsibility for polytechnics and colleges to central Government will lead to a reduction in spending and grant for local authorities of some £800 million from 1989–90.

  Home Education
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in England are educated at home(a) by their parents and, (b) by local education authority tutors; and what is the cost per child per week.

  Mr. Dunn
  The precise information requested is not available. Based on local education authority returns to the Department of Education and Science, 8,266 pupils in England were receiving education otherwise than at school in January 1987 under arrangements made by the authorities. The number includes those being taught in hospitals, excluding hospital special schools, in other groups such as units for spastics, assessment centres and community homes as well as at home. Figures for the various categories are not available; nor are the separate costs of this provision.

  Pupil Costs
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost of educating a child(a) at a state primary school and (b) at a state secondary school in England.

  Mr. Dunn
  The average net institutional recurrent expenditure per pupil in England in 1986–87 was £900 in maintained primary and £1,340 in maintained secondary schools.

  Net institutional recurrent expenditure covers the cost of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not cover the cost of school meals, central administration and inspection, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay.

  Truancy
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many prosecutions for truancy of pupils aged(a) under 11 years of age, (b)730
  years, (c) 12 years, (d) 13 years, (e) 14 years and (f) 15 years were instituted in each of the past five academic years;

  (2) what is the average time taken to bring court proceedings against parents whose children play truant from school.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My Department does not collect statistics on court proceedings related to truancy.

  Itinerants (Stonehenge)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are taken to ensure that children of school age living in vehicles attached to the convoy of itinerants currently in the vicinity of Stonehenge are educated in accordance with the provisions of section 36 of the Education Act 1944; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is the duty of parents to ensure that their children of compulsory school age receive efficient full-time education suited to their age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs they may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. It is for local education authorities to ensure that the parents of any children of compulsory school age in their area are performing this duty.

  Children (Statistics)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures for the number of children in England(a) in care, (b) in psychiatric units and (c) in residential schools for non-attendance at school; and if he will give the overall costs and costs per week per child for each case.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have been asked to reply.

  I regret that not all the figures requested are available; the available information is as follows.

  At 31 March 1986, it is estimated that there were 66,700 children in care of local authorities in England.

  In 1985–86, the total expenditure on children in care was £406 million, an average cost of £144 per child per week (provisional figure). Expenditure on some items, including administration and field work, cannot be separately identified for children in care and is not included here. Children on whom little or no expenditure has been incurred (for example children in care living at home) have been excluded in calculating the average cost.

  There were 500 children aged under 16 years resident in NHS mental illness hospitals and units in England at 31 December 1986.

  It is estimated that there were 1,900 children in care for non-attendance at school under section 1(2)(e) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 at 31 March 1986. It is not known how many of these children are in residential schools.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average payment of regional selective assistance in(a) development areas and (b) intermediate areas under (i) the old system of grants and (ii) the new system.
  731
  Mr. Atkins
  The average payment of regional selective assistance by my Department per completed project where the offer was made in the period 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1988, when the revised regional development grant scheme was terminated, was £58,862 in development areas and £33,359 in intermediate areas. There have not yet been any payments to projects which have received offers since 1 April 1988. Regional selective assistance has been interpreted as covering project and training grants.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the average payment per job for regional selective assistance in(a) development areas and (b) intermediate areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  The average payment per job by my Department for regional selective assistance on completed cases where the offer was made in the period 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1988 was £2,710 in development areas and £2,099 in intermediate areas. Regional selective assistance has been interpreted as covering project and training grants.

  Leeds-Bradford Airport
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the likely impact on industry in Yorkshire of an extension of operating hours at Leeds-Bradford airport.

  Mr. Atkins
  Both the Association of Yorkshire and Humberside Chambers of Commerce and the Yorkshire region of the Confederation of British Industry have recently supported the case for extension of operating hours at the airport. I see no reason to doubt that an extension would be of benefit to industry in the region.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the likely impact on industry in Yorkshire and Humberside region of a high speed rail link through the Channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Consideration of high-speed rail links through the Channel tunnel from regional centres is still at an early stage. My Department keeps closely in touch with British Rail and business nationally and regionally over the way services can be developed once the tunnel is open in 1993, in order to maximise the benefits to the business community.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the operation of the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

  The Prime Minister
  I will be discussing a number of aspects of monetary co-operation with my European colleagues at the European Council meeting to be held in Hanover on 27–28 June, but the Government's position on the matter to which my hon. Friend refers is well known.

  Security Services (Employment Policy)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the security services are an equal opportunity employer; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The legislation governing equal opportunities recognises the need for exceptions in relation to members of the armed forces and the safeguarding of national security.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the take-up of certificated and standard housing benefit separately in 1985, showing in each case(a) the total likely to be entitled to benefit, (b) the proportion receiving benefit, (c) the numbers not receiving benefit, (d) estimated amount of benefit unclaimed, and (e) the average weekly amount unclaimed, broken down into pensioners, sick and disabled, families with children, and one-parent families.

  Mr. Portillo
  We expect to publish housing benefit take-up estimates based on the 1985 family expenditure survey by the end of the year.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of senior citizens who have lost(a) some and (b) all of their housing benefit as a result of changes in regulations implemented in April 1988 by region for (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Patient Information Systems
  Mr. Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the extent to which computerised patient information systems and inter-hospital information systems have assisted development of the desired service cost indicators; and where such systems have been implemented.

  Mr. Newton
  All district health authorities have systems for processing the cost and activity data required to derive specialty costs, the major components of which will be drawn from computerised patient information systems.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much would be saved if child benefit were given in full up to £100 a week gross earnings, and phased out between £100 and £140 gross earnings for one child and £100 and £180 gross earnings for two children, if no payment were made for more than two children.

  Mr. Nicholas Scott
  The precise savings from such a measure would depend on the exact nature of the scheme adopted. However, assuming that families who lose child
  733
  benefit would be compensated, as appropriate, through income support and housing benefit, and also through family credit (via the addition of £7·25 per week to the child credits), the estimated net saving, in a full year at 1988–89 prices and benefit levels, would be of the order of £2·7 billion.

  Income Support
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the value of income support, including premiums where appropriate, for(a) a single person aged under 25 years, (b) a single person aged over 25 years, (c) a couple over the age of 18 years, (d) a couple with two children aged under 11 years and (e) a one-parent family with one child under 11 years of age as a proportion of average net earnings for all males and all manual males.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Income support benefit rates—as percentages of average earnings (11 April 1988)

  Recipients under pension age

  1Per cent.

  2Per cent.

  Single person

  Aged 16–17

  11·1

  13·3

  Aged 18–24

  15·0

  17·8

  Aged 25 and over

  19·2

  22·8

  Married couple

  28·4

  33·5

  Married couple plus 2 children

  37·3

  43·4

  One parent family with one child (under 11)

  Aged 16–17

  21·2

  24·9

  Aged 18 and over

  28·7

  33·6

  1 Average net earnings: All males.

  2 Average net earnings: All manual male workers.

  Notes:

  1. Net average earnings are taken to be provisional gross average earnings less tax and national insurance contributions at the non-contracted out rate, plus child benefit where appropriate.

  2. The calculations for one parent families incorporate the additional personal tax allowance in respect of a one parent family.

  Erith and District Hospital
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received during the past six months on the future of Erith and district hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  One letter has been received from a member of the public.

  1991 Census
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his proposals for the 1991 census are on schedule.

  Mrs. Currie
  Yes.

  Orthotists and Prosthetists
  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received representations from the Orthotists and Prosthetists Training and Education Committee, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and other organisations on the need to increase the number of trained orthotists in England and Wales; if he has received representations of the best methods for training such professional staff; and if he will make a statement.
  734
  Mr. Scott
  No representations have been received on this subject. The Orthotists and Prosthetists Training Council is currently considering future training needs for orthotists.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his best estimate of the anticipated shortfall in the number of trained prosthetists in England and Wales; what action is being taken on behalf of his Department in(a) the short term and (b) the long term to overcome the shortfall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The Orthotic and Prosthetic Training and Education Council is currently considering the future training needs of prosthetists, in consultation with the Disablement Services Authority, which is concerned with prosthetic services in England.

  Lost or Stolen Payments
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what, on average, is the waiting time by region for a claimant reporting a payment lost or stolen to be informed of the outcome of inquiries.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the period laid down in his Department's guidelines for dealing with a claimant who reports that a payment is lost or stolen and the claimant being told of the result in investigations; and whether he will publish the guidelines in the Official Report.

  Mr. Portillo
  The administrative procedures followed when a claimant reports a loss of benefit vary according to the benefit concerned, the method of payment and the circumstances of the loss.

  Itinerants (Stonehenge)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of benefits currently being paid by his Department to claimants who are living in vehicles attached to the convoy of itinerants currently in the Stonehenge area of Wiltshire; what steps. are taken by his Department to ensure that no benefits are paid in respect of fraudulent claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  A total of £6,383·57 has been paid in benefit to claimants who were part of the convoy in the Stonehenge area of Wiltshire. All income support claimants are required to produce evidence of identity and all statements are subject to verification.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for 1979 and for the latest available year the total figures showing the change in the number of beds in the areas covered by the following health authorities: North West Thames, South West Thames, North East Thames, South East Thames, Basingstoke, Winchester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Wycombe, East Berkshire, West Berkshire and Oxfordshire; and if he will also give the totals for acute bed changes.
  735
  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 16 June 1988]The available information is given in the table.

  Average daily number of available beds

  All Specialties

  Acute Specialties

  Region/District Health Authority

  1979

  1986

  Percentage change

  1979

  1986

  Percentage change

  North West Thames1

  27,904·5

  22,904·7

  -17·9

  11,287·9

  8,602·3

  -23·8

  North East Thames1

  29,442·8

  25,982·0

  -11·8

  13,500·6

  11,732·2

  -13·1

  South East Thames1

  28,407·9

  23,095·6

  -18·7

  12,082·8

  10,096·8

  -16·4

  South West Thames1

  26,242·0

  21,141·4

  -19·4

  8,347·5

  6,831·6

  -18·2

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  1,633·7

  1,414·9

  -13·4

  487·8

  501·3

  2·8

  Winchester

  920·9

  842·8

  -8·5

  413·1

  376·3

  -8·9

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  3,057·5

  2,656·6

  -13·1

  1,142·2

  1,088·2

  -4·7

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  3,112·4

  2,859·6

  -8·1

  1,369·7

  1,315·4

  -4·0

  Isle of Wight

  946·0

  683·8

  -27·7

  310·6

  298·0

  -4·1

  Milton Keynes2

  —

  470·3

  —

  —

  273·5

  —

  Ayle1bury Vale

  1,872·1

  1,421·6

  —

  628·6

  572·7

  —

  Wycombe

  777·7

  739·9

  -4·9

  474·6

  432·8

  -8·8

  East Berkshire

  1,773·3

  1,537·1

  -13·3

  948·5

  771·5

  -18·7

  West Berkshire

  2,987·4

  2,335·6

  -21·8

  1,029·3

  916·3

  -11·0

  Oxfordshire

  3,288·4

  2,951·0

  -10·3

  1,649·8

  1,624·8

  -1·5

  1 Data for 1979 and 1986 is not comparable due to NHS restructuring in April 1982

  2 Milton Keynes is included in Aylesbury Vale for 1979

  Patients (Expenditure)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the average annual expenditure per patient in 1986–87 by(a) the Northern regional health authority and (b) Sunderland district health authority.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 24 March 1988]For patient treatment costing purposes all hospitals are classified into a series of standard types which reflect the principal use to which their beds are allocated and an overall average cost or expenditure per patient is thus not determined.

  In terms of 1986–87 per capita expenditure (that is, total revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services, etc. per head of resident population) the figure for Sunderland health authority (£206) is typical of the overall average for all sixteen district health authorities within the northern region (£208).

  Smokeless Tobacco Products
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will detail the scientific and research evidence which has been produced to him in support of the proposed ban on all smokeless tobacco products;

  (2) on what statistical scientific and analytical information his Department has based its proposed ban on all smokeless tobacco products.

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 23 march 1988, c. 153–54]A number of references were omitted from the list placed in the Library. A revised list has been placed in the Library. The Government's proposals rest on the evidence listed and the conclusions based on it of the committee on carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment, those of the independent scientific committee on smoking and health, the report of the United States Surgeon General of April 1986 on evidence of links between smokeless tobacco products and oral cancer, the findings set out in the International Agency on Research into Cancer's report on evaluation of carcinogenetic risks to humans (volume 37)736
  and the views of a WHO group of experts meeting in June 1987. A press release summarising their views has also been placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Contracts (Regional Policy)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is given to regional policy implications when contracts are placed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As I said to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 10 November 1987, at column 158, it is our policy to place equipment orders, wherever practicable, by competitive tendering. This policy has brought significant benefit to the defence budget and to the taxpayer and has promoted the health and efficiency of the defence industry. Where appropriate, however, we do take into account wider, relevant factors, including local employment levels.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to state how many and what percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department are(a) woman and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at 1 May 1988 the number of women industrial and non-industrial employees was 40,800 (28·6 per cent.). As there are some 430 different non-industrial grades within the MOD the following breakdown relates to stated grades and equivalents: grades 7 and above, 135 (2·8 per cent.), SEO/HEO, 1,452 (7·1 per cent.), EO, 4,141 (16·5 per cent.), AO and below 24,791 (65·2 per cent.), industrial grades 10,281 (19 per cent.). In common with what is happening in other Government Departments, the voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of MOD staff is being conducted in six phases. The results of the three phases completed were published in December 1987 by the Cabinet Office. The figures from the first three phases show that the number of respondents from the ethnic minorities
  737
  employed in the MOD was as follows: grade 7 and above 31 (1 per cent.), SEO/HEO and equivalent 91 (0·9 per cent.), EO and equivalents 148 (1·2 per cent.), AO/AA and equivalents 598 (2·9 per cent.). The overall figure was 868 (1·9 per cent). No figures are available yet for industrial staff.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken to encourage more applicants from the ethnic minorities: and when and with what results and by which sections within his Department such positive action was taken.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The MOD has implemented a programme of positive action to encourage more applicants from the ethnic minorities. The actions already taken include advertising in the ethnic press, featuring ethnic minorities in new recruitment brochures, sponsoring students under the Windsor fellowship scheme, and participating in a scheme to provide training for potential executive officer recruits. Further actions are being given consideration.

  The actions are primarily being undertaken by MOD recruitment authorities serving units located in areas with a high ethnic minority working population. It is too early to say whether this programme of positive action has had an effect on the number of ethnic minorities applying for posts in the MOD.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts he has taken to increase the number of part-time posts in his Department and with what results; and how many and what percentage of such part-time posts are occupied by women and by people form ethnic minorities, respectively.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at I May 1988 there were 3,849 part-time posts in the MOD. Of these 3,545 (92 per cent.) are occupied by women. Figures for ethnic minorities in part-time posts are not available. The MOD actively encourages part-time working and job-sharing. As part of the MOD equal opportunities plan, instructions on part-time working have been issued within the Department, and job-sharing trials are being conducted in a number of local areas.

  Submarines
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will now make a statement on the disposal of the Dreadnought submarine;

  (2) whether he has made a decision on the disposal of Polaris submarines once they are decommissioned.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to the hon. Member on 28 January 1988, at column 307.

  Persian Gulf (Naval Co-operation)
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the arrangements for co-operation between the Royal Navy and other Western navies in the Gulf.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Following discussions held in the framework of the WEU between the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands, the three Governments have agreed to integrate their mine countermeasures forces 738
  operating in the Gulf with effect from 1 July. The three Royal Navy, one Belgian and one Dutch MCM Vs will operate as a joint force, with logistic support provided by RN or RFA vessels. RN destroyers or frigates of the Armilla Patrol will provide any necessary protection for mine countermeasures operations. Operational tasking will be co-ordinated from the headquarters of the RN's commander-in-chief fleet at Northwood, although in the case of the Belgians and Dutch ultimate command over their own ships will be retained by their respective national naval authorities. The British commander of the integrated flotilla will be assisted by a staff officer provided alternately by the Belgian and Dutch navies. The joint operation has been designated Calendar after the world war II code name for the successful tri-national mine clearance of the Scheldt estuary in 1944–45.

  Overall, the United Kingdom remains committed to close co-ordination with other Western navies also working to preserve international freedom of navigation in Gulf waters, and the arrangements for co-operation between the Royal Navy and other Western navies in the Gulf remain in other respects unchanged.

ENVIRONMENT

  Stud Farms (Rates)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount was collected in rates from stud farms and other horse breeding establishments in each of the last two years; if he has any estimate of the amount due in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Information on rateable values and rates paid by stud farms is not available centrally. We have announced that an exemption from rates for these buildings which are occupied together with agricultural land or buildings and which are below a specified size threshold, will be provided for by Government amendment to the Local Government Finance Bill. It is envisaged that this provision will result in the great majority of those that keep one or two horses for their own enjoyment or for breeding on a small scale being exempt.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the continuing delay in the purchase by Mr. W. B. Hamond of his home at 12b Mount Adon park, London SE22 ODT from Southwark borough council.

  Mrs. Roe
  I am most concerned about the continuing delay in this case, which Southwark says is due to a shortage of valuers. I understand that a section 125 offer notice is expected to be served in early July.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the reasons for the delay in the purchase by Mrs. R. Newton of her home at 10 Denesmead, Herne Hill, London SE24 from Southwark borough council.

  Mrs. Roe
  I understand that industrial action has caused a delay in the dispatch of the draft lease. The council says that it expects to dispatch it next month.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his latest estimate of the numbers of single homeless persons in London.

  Mrs. Roe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 22 June.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the extra £24·1 million to be made available to local authorities to combat homelessness constitutes new expenditure; from which Vote it will be financed; to which authorities, and based upon what criteria, these moneys will be paid; how much each receiving authority will receive; what guidelines will be given to authorities about how they may spend these moneys; and what restrictions will be placed upon its use.

  Mrs. Roe
  The extra money is not voted expenditure. It forms part of the £141·7 million increase in this Department's cash limits arising from a local authority underspend in 1987–88. £21·1 million of the £24·1 million extra is to be targeted on authorities with the most severe homelessness pressures. Decisions on specific allocations have not yet been taken, but they will reflect numbers of homeless acceptances and in bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Whilst it is our intention that these additional resources will be used to alleviate homelessness, it will be for the local authorities to make the final decision on the use of individual allocations.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appointments have been made to the National Rivers Authority to date, stating positions and salary levels.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No appointments will be made to the National Rivers Authority until it has been established by the main water privatisation legislation, which we hope to introduce next Session. As has already been announced, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Crickhowell has been appointed chairman of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee, which will advise Ministers on the reorganisation of the water authorities needed to prepare for the creation of a separate NRA. The committee will be assisted by a team of civil servants and consultants under a grade 3 civil servant.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the result of his consultation exercise on waste regulation and disposal.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We expect to make an announcement very soon.

  Trade in Endangered Species
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to secure 740
  better compliance with the convention on the international trade in endangered species by signatory nations; and whether he will make proposals for the strengthening and more effective enforcement of the convention.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The United Kingdom vigorously supports the convention and, together with our partners in the European Community, implements the provisions of the convention through EC regulations 3626/82 and 3418/83.

  We shall be considering with our European partners whether it would be appropriate to submit any proposals for securing better compliance with the convention to the next meeting of the conference of the parties to the convention to be held in October 1989.

  Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (Appeals)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the arrangements for appealing against the decision of the leasehold valuation tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department and the Welsh Office have written to a wide range of interested parties inviting comments on a consultation paper about the arrangements for appealing against the decision of the leasehold valuation tribunal in connection with the operation of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967. I am arranging for copies of the paper to be placed in the Library.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes any concessions concerning the uniform business rate for charity shops.

  Mr. Howard
  We are currently considering representations on this matter which have been received during proceedings on the Local Government Finance Bill in another place.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 16 June,Official Report, column 248–49, when he expects to have the necessary information to estimate the effect of exempt individuals including student nurses, on the likely levels of central grant and community charge for particular areas; and how often that information will be updated.

  Mr. Howard
  It will be necessary to have this information in good time for the introduction of the community charge in England and Wales on 1 April 1990, and to update it each year thereafter.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an updated version of figures K1 and K3 on pages 130 and 132 of Cmnd. 9714, using the most recent available statistics.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 20 June 1988]An updated version of figure K3 is provided in the table. Data to update figure K1 are not readily available and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
  741

  Tax revenues from the main local taxes as percentage of total tax revenues of local governments (selected countries 1985)

  Taxes on

  Income and profits

  Payroll

  Property

  General consumption

  Specific goods and services

  Taxes on use

  Other

  Federal Countries1

  Australia

  —

  —

  95·9

  —

  —

  4·1

  —

  Austria

  39·4

  11·0

  10·1

  22·7

  10·7

  1·5

  4·5

  Canada

  —

  —

  84·7

  —

  —

  1·2

  14·0

  Federal Republic of Germany

  80·6

  —

  18·4

  —

  0·4

  0·4

  0·2

  Switzerland

  87·1

  —

  12·6

  —

  0·2

  0·1

  —

  United States of America

  5·9

  —

  74·2

  10·9

  4·7

  4·3

  —

  Unitary Countries

  Belgium

  78·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15·3

  5·9

  Denmark

  93·4

  —

  6·4

  —

  0·1

  0·1

  —

  Finland

  99·0

  —

  0·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  France

  16·0

  —

  32·6

  —

  3·3

  6·4

  41·7

  Greece

  14·5

  —

  9·0

  2·4

  24·5

  6·9

  42·6

  Ireland

  —

  —

  100·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Japan

  58·0

  —

  23·7

  —

  12·4

  4·8

  1·0

  Italy

  66·7

  —

  —

  —

  10·2

  0·3

  22·7

  Luxembourg

  83·0

  —

  4·2

  7·0

  0·3

  0·3

  4·7

  Netherlands

  —

  —

  75·4

  —

  1·1

  23·5

  —

  New Zealand

  —

  —

  93·0

  —

  1·9

  5·1

  —

  Norway

  91·4

  —

  5·5

  —

  —

  0·4

  2·7

  Portugal

  64·4

  —

  1·6

  9·3

  19·2

  4·4

  1·0

  Spain

  40·3

  —

  10·4

  26·0

  13·9

  —

  9·4

  Sweden

  99·7

  —

  —

  —

  0·2

  0·1

  —

  United Kingdom

  —

  —

  100·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Excludes state, regional or provincial figures.

  sourse:OECD Revenue Statistics 1965–86.

  Merseyside Task Force
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the staffing levels of the Merseyside task force in every year since its inception.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]The following are the numbers:

  Year

  Number

  1981

  27

  1982

  27

  1983

  24

  1984

  39

  1985

  43

  1986

  51

  1987

  59

  1988

  59

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to appoint a new director of Merseyside task force;

  (2) what review is being carried out into the functions of the Merseyside task force; who is in charge of such a review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]An internal management review is being carried out by two of my officials. Decisions about future senior management of the task force will be taken after the review has been completed.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of the future of the Merseyside task force; and what has been his response.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]I have received representations that the task force has been valuable in promoting the regeneration of Merseyside and 742
  should remain in operation. I have indicated in my response that I intend to retain a strong office in Merseyside.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what role is being planned for the Merseyside task force in the administration of the Government's policies for the inner cities.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 13 June, at column 21.

  Chimneys (Lining)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce grants for lining of chimneys; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I have been asked to reply.

  The existing arrangements for renovation grants can include, at local authorities' discretion, works for the provision of chimney linings where such works form part of a wider package of renovation. I have no plans to introduce a specific grant for such provision.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agricultural Spending
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current annual expenditure incurred by Her Majesty's Government on items relating to agriculture which were, prior to 1979, financed in part or whole by the European Economic Community; and if he will specify the nature of the functions involved.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]All the costs of operations in the United Kingdom under the CAP
  743
  are ultimately borne by the United Kingdom, either directly or via our contribution to the EC budget. Estimates for United Kingdom expenditure in 1987–88 on CAP schemes which are fully or partly-funded by the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) are given in the table.

  For the guarantee section, all the schemes listed were in operation prior to 1979, although Community reimbursement for intervention costs was reduced by 25 per cent. of the standard amounts fixed for this purpose only with effect from December 1985. Community funding for guarantee section expenditure was also reduced in 1987–88 by the introduction of a two-month delay in advances from the EAGGF. As a result of this, funding for expenditure in February and March 1988 was not received until the 1988–89 financial year.

  For the guidance section, most of the schemes listed, or their predecessors, were in operation prior to 1979. It would not be practical to provide figures which exclude all those schemes which did not exist before 1979.

  Total expenditure £ million

  EAGGF funding £ million

  Guarantee section

  Fully-funded by the EAGGF

  Internal subsidy schemes

  557

  413

  External trade measures

  521

  458

  Intervention purchasing (including EAGGF receipts for financing costs) (losses on sale fully reimbursed when produce sold)

  113

  208

  Partly-funded by the EAGGF Storage and technical costs of intervention

  96

  41

  Beef variable premium scheme

  136

  44

  Suckler cow premium scheme

  36

  19

  Guidance section

  Farm capital grants (part European Community-funded schemes)

  76

  114

  Support for agriculture in less-favoured areas (hill livestock compensatory amounts and additional benefits under capital grants schemes)

  131

  127

  Other

  13

  12

  1 Reimbursement for eligible expenditure incurred in 1986.

  Brewers Society Code of Practice
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from the National Licensed Victuallers Association to make the Brewers Society code of practice a legally binding document; what action he intends taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to our hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) on Tuesday 14 June 1988, at column 135.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he hopes to achieve at the next EC Council of Ministers meeting with regard to the fishing industry in general, and the inshore fleets in particular.
  744
  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1988, c. 290]I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Luxembourg on 23–24 June.

  The Council agreed an amendment to the marketing regulation which amongst other things provided for carry-over premiums to assist the private storage of herring and mackerel. This should facilitate smoother marketing of species of considerable importance to the United Kingdom industry. The Commission will also review the operation of the carry-over premium system for all species within the next two years. A widening of the margin of tolerance in the price at which herring and mackerel can be withdrawn from the market was agreed, which will also assist our industry. In addition, the new regulation limits the total amount of subsidy which can be paid in the tuna sector, where expenditure has been growing significantly.

  The Council also agreed an amendment to the technical conservative regulation which reduces the minimum landing size of nephrops in the Irish sea and the seas of western Scotland to acceptable levels. The Council endorsed the requests of the United Kingdom and France for further scientific work to be undertaken before any action is taken to revise the technical conservation measures in respect of nephrops in the North sea and the Bay of Biscay. I again drew the Council's attention to the problem of the changing migratory pattern of western mackerel and warned that we may wish to return to the Council later to request flexibility in the fishing across the 4°W line should this prove to be necessary.

  The Council had a first round of discussions on amendments to the control regulation which would facilitate better enforcement in the case of vessels landing in a member state other than its flag state. I explained the need for urgent action and the Council agreed to reach an early decision on this question. I pressed the Commission to make proposals as soon as possible, on the basis of the evidence we have given it, to increase the precautionary TACs for Channel cod and plaice, and the Commission undertook to consider this request urgently. This was a useful Council meeting in which progress was made on a number of issues of importance to the United Kingdom fishing industry.

  Radioactive Contamination
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available in the form of a map the figures for milk and sheepmeat tests for caesium 137 included in "Radionuclide Levels in Food, Animals, and Agricultural Products 1987," for the areas of Clwyd and Gwynedd only, showing as accurately as possible the sampling sites.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have been asked to reply.

  The document contains over 160,000 milk and sheepmeat results for Gwynedd and Clwyd, and the cost of mapping in the form requested would be disproportionate.

ENERGY

  B205 Corridor (Decontamination)
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will seek to have placed in the Library copies of the British Nuclear Fuels plc video recordings of
  745
  aspects of the B205 corridor incident clean-up and decontamination operations of about June 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that from time to time video recordings are taken to assist in the planning of, and briefing for, engineering work. Although the cassettes used for these recordings are reused as a matter of course, some recordings presently remain of the—205 corridor work of June-July 1987. As it is not BNFL's normal practice to issue these recordings, I shall ask its chairman to write to the hon. Member to arrange a suitably convenient time for viewing.

  Sacked Miners
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has concerning the number of miners in the north-east area of British Coal who are not yet re-employed, having lost their jobs during the miners' strike.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Questions on the dismissal and re-employment of mineworkers are matters for the management of the British Coal Corporation.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to

  Mean wait in days for all specialists except obstetrics, mental illness and mental handicap by health board of treatment—1975 to 1986

  Health board of treatment

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Argyll and Clyde

  104

  103

  107

  84

  91

  99

  93

  77

  99

  91

  93

  85

  Ayrshire and Arran

  93

  83

  77

  81

  90

  89

  82

  90

  104

  103

  92

  80

  Borders

  103

  81

  79

  83

  87

  72

  83

  59

  58

  54

  52

  52

  Dumfries and Galloway

  112

  109

  102

  101

  95

  122

  94

  90

  138

  116

  101

  95

  Fife

  99

  96

  89

  77

  89

  83

  95

  67

  133

  112

  101

  95

  Forth Valley

  82

  98

  110

  88

  105

  87

  82

  65

  78

  71

  60

  55

  Grampian

  70

  66

  65

  61

  90

  91

  86

  69

  132

  102

  83

  78

  Greater Glasgow

  64

  71

  67

  64

  74

  65

  63

  60

  105

  79

  66

  66

  Highland

  63

  58

  51

  47

  48

  46

  49

  54

  57

  61

  63

  71

  Lanarkshire

  93

  81

  73

  68

  76

  69

  64

  66

  77

  56

  51

  46

  Lothian

  67

  71

  71

  61

  83

  67

  59

  58

  81

  67

  61

  65

  Orkney

  11

  28

  175

  18

  22

  22

  18

  21

  17

  18

  28

  18

  Shetland

  61

  64

  73

  89

  90

  110

  112

  67

  67

  51

  56

  44

  Tayside

  70

  71

  79

  66

  71

  67

  74

  69

  92

  86

  86

  87

  Western Isles

  45

  39

  34

  35

  45

  48

  45

  47

  53

  40

  41

  51

  Scotland

  75

  77

  75

  67

  80

  73

  71

  65

  95

  80

  72

  71

  1 This mean is based on five cases.

  Scottish Joint Negotiating Committee for Further Education
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans for the future of the Scottish Joint Negotiating Committee for Further Education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In the Government's view the 40-strong statutory committee has proved a cumbersome and ineffective forum for negotiating the pay and conditions of academic staff in the local authority further education colleges and in the centrally-funded colleges.

  In large measure this seems to be because the two sectors have different funding sources, the staff have different conditions of service and the pressures facing management are different. Over the last six years management and staff sides have done their best to
  746
  fund a Government-sponsored seismological survey using the latest available techniques in order to establish the oil and gas potential around the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no current plans to fund such a survey.

SCOTLAND

  Patients (Waiting Times)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board for each year since 1970 the mean in-patient and out-patient waiting time and two standard deviations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on waiting times is available for health boards from 1975—the first full year of boards' operation. The mean waiting times for in-patient treatment are given in the table. They refer to heterogeneous groups of specialties, within each of which the distribution of waiting times is not symmetrical. In these circumstances, an overall standard deviation is not meaningful. The sharp increases in 1979 and 1983 reflect industrial action in the NHS. Mean waiting times for out-patients are not available.

  establish the committee as an effective forum for negotiation, but progress has been disappointing. Moreover, from time to time in recent years we have received representations from both management and staff interests about the unsatisfactory nature of the present arrangements.

  In the last two negotiation rounds the differing interests of the two sectors have been recognised by both management and staff interests with the creation of two separate negotiating groups. The 1987 negotiations resulted in two separate packages which reflected the differing priorities of the two sectors. In the 1988 negotiations a settlement has just been reached for the further education, but not for the centrally-funded, sector, and the expectation must be that in due course there will again be a different outcome affecting pay and conditions in the two sectors.
  747
  In the light of this evidence of the difficulties inherent in working within the present SJNC(FE), I intend taking the first legislative opportunity to abolish the committee. I do not wish to reach a conclusion at the present time on the precise form of any replacement negotiating machinery, as this is a matter on which the interests concerned in the two sectors will themselves have views.

  My officials stand ready to assist the various parties in devising alternative arrangements which better reflect the needs of management and staff at all levels in the two sectors.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which regional council areas service men are exempt from requirements to register for the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  In general, adult United Kingdom service personnel and their families who are solely or mainly resident in the area of a local authority will require to register for and pay the personal community charge in the normal manner. The position of those United Kingdom service personnel in Scotland who are exceptionally mobile and for whom individual registration for the personal community charge would be impracticable is the subject of continuing discussion between the Scottish Office and the Ministry of Defence. These arrangements will not apply to visiting forces which, in fulfilment of the United Kingdom's international treaty obligations, will be exempt from personal community charge liability. Provisions covering the position of visiting forces are contained in the Local Government Finance Bill.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the United States Government over registration and payment of community charge by United States service men stationed in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  None. The Ministry of Defence is the principal point of contact between Her Majesty's Government and the United States forces stationed in the United Kingdom. That Department is in regular contact with the United States authorities on a wide range of matters, including the implications for visiting forces of the introduction of the community charge.

  Leukaemia (Rosyth)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to inquire into the link between leukaemia and radiation in the Rosyth area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) has completed consideration of the incidence of leukaemia occurring in young people near Dounreay and has published its report, copies of which are in the Library. We have referred to COMARE information on the incidence of leukaemia throughout Scotland, including incidence in the vicinity of Rosyth. We will continue to be guided by the committee on any further work which is necessary in relation to specific Scottish sites.

  East Kilbride Development Corporation
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Gallowayand 748
  Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Lang) last met officials of the East Kilbride development corporation; and what issues were discussed.

  Mr. Lang
  I last met officials of the East Kilbride development corporation on Tuesday 7 June, when I had the pleasure of announcing the establishment in the new town of the Motorola Semiconductor Company's European design centre. We discussed the successful conclusion of Motorola's plans to bring to East Kilbride the full range of its manufacturing, assembly, test and design operations and to create the largest centre of its type in Europe.

  Schools (Staffing Review)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the outcome of his Department's review of staffing standards in Scottish schools will be available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A review of the staffing needs of secondary, primary and special schools has been completed and I shall be issuing today for consultation new guidance on staffing standards based on its outcome. This will replace existing standards, which date from the mid-1970s. The new standards are based on existing and immediately foreseeable demands on teachers' time. They reflect the weight of classroom duties, but also take into account the need for specialist teachers, management time required to service school boards and for other purposes, and the importance of adequate provision for small primary schools and for pupils from eithnic minorities and from deprived backgrounds. They should also give authorities and head teachers more flexibility in the disposition of their staff resources than hitherto.

  The standards offer a framework for the staff complements needed to implement current educational policies, and they are commended as an indicative guide to staffing levels. I shall be monitoring the effect of their application on schools from 1989–90, and as changes occur in the running of schools, for example, through the progressive delegation of financial and managerial responsibility to school level, I shall be ready to review the form of guidance on staffing for the longer term.

  Application of the revised standards would have increased by about 2,700 the teacher numbers taken directly into account within the RSG settlement covering 1988–89. Financial provision for education within this year's settlement included an unallocated margin pending completion of the review of staffing standards. The new standards will be used as the basis of provision for the cost of teachers' salaries within the revenue support grant settlement for 1989–90.

  Further Education (College Principals)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will establish a review into the further education negotiating machinery with a view to offering principals of further education colleges a negotiating right on the Scottish joint negotiating committee for teaching staff in further education, or its successor body.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 22 June 1988]I refer to the reply I gave today to a question from the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg) in which I announced my intention to abolish the SJNC(FE) at the
  749
  first legislative opportunity. i hope that the parties concerned in the local authority sector will discuss how best to represent the interests of the principals in discussing the form of replacement negotiating machinery.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Day Care
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average cost per day care place in Northern Ireland for each year from 1976–87 according to type of day centre.

  Type of establishment

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Old people's homes

  51·99

  58·90

  65·07

  78·38

  100·87

  111·19

  119·86

  126·75

  131·50

  142·39

  147·84

  Children's homes

  75·03

  80·21

  89·03

  117·15

  174·16

  204·08

  236·80

  270·47

  287·90

  277·62

  287·80

  Hostels for the mentally ill

  35·41

  39·37

  43·30

  45·17

  58·09

  63·74

  67·53

  74·51

  80·84

  87·76

  105·15

  Family group homes

  36·30

  47·67

  52·24

  78·06

  105·10

  103·15

  117·34

  133·59

  203·30

  226·22

  272·32

  Mental handicap hostels

  44·16

  47·81

  52·85

  67·68

  85·04

  96·40

  113·33

  147·32

  158·55

  171·18

  181·10

  Hostels for adolescents

  67·79

  84·89

  82·56

  103·44

  158·29

  146·57

  176·81

  187·32

  207·78

  228·59

  204·94

  Other residential accommodation

  34·33

  41·92

  30·32

  33·97

  32·22

  62·10

  71·32

  80·54

  96·58

  114·24

  112·40

  Hospital Patients
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state for Northern Ireland the average cost per in-patient day or case by hospital type from 1971–72 up to the latest year for which figures are available.

  Average cost per in-patient day

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Acute

  38·74

  48·35

  63·45

  71·25

  76·95

  79·41

  86·21

  92·36

  96·86

  Mainly acute

  30·16

  37·59

  48·60

  54·51

  60·02

  60·43

  65·46

  69·25

  72·68

  Partly acute

  28·59

  30·64

  40·23

  44·33

  48·07

  50·55

  54·26

  67·38

  62·73

  Sub-acute

  24·64

  28·40

  35·27

  39·28

  42·10

  44·42

  46·81

  47·34

  48·06

  Mainly long stay

  22·21

  26·56

  34·29

  36·98

  44·54

  49·39

  50·76

  61·01

  66·:>4

  Long stay

  16·85

  20·66

  27·55

  29·83

  32·46

  34·16

  36·35

  37·57

  40·12

  Maternity

  50·70

  49·94

  76·73

  88·05

  80·12

  84·28

  84·41

  90·27

  87·"2

  Psychiatric

  14·93

  18·19

  24·04

  26·50

  29·88

  31·39

  33·89

  35·55

  39·48

  Psychiatric (mental handicap)

  15·71

  18·75

  24·51

  27·23

  29·38

  31·00

  32·81

  33·79

  35·66

  Tuberculosis and chest

  31·05

  36·70

  47·29

  46·66

  61·90

  68·65

  71·30

  —

  —

  Other hospitals

  —

  35·86

  45·27

  50·05

  55·31

  58·09

  59·91

  63·06

  67·34

  Teaching hospitals

  47·95

  57·29

  74·73

  81·98

  88·99

  93·85

  98·95

  100·14

  110·42

  Personal Social Services
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a table showing for

  Gross expenditure on personal social services by main budget headings at 1986–87 price levels

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Residential accommodation

  23,491,265

  24,570,923

  26,983,698

  29,837,148

  30,708,419

  31,543,868

  32,019,937

  31,878,591

  32,217,445

  31,636,233

  Day care accommodation

  4,821,139

  5,738,420

  6,389,279

  7,117,841

  7,421,435

  8,101,376

  7,630,390

  8,008,679

  7,955,753

  7,976,386

  Special care/Mental handicap services

  8,230,800

  8,794,676

  9,132,603

  10,059,436

  10,093,157

  10,907,942

  12,473,100

  13,087,532

  13,545,494

  14,314,658

  Fieldwork services

  9,905,966

  11,211,447

  14,189,872

  16,128,842

  16,371,630

  17,109,456

  17,725,394

  17,794,490

  17,956,726

  18,545,470

  Home help services

  17,527,042

  17,531,547

  18,525,685

  18,109,760

  19,405,982

  19,411,458

  19,238,643

  18,922,634

  19,722,556

  18,845,131

  Meals service

  880,213

  892,447

  938,260

  960,885

  880,273

  785,882

  788,338

  799,139

  741,416

  684,940

  Other

  8,378,176

  11,050,411

  11,136,984

  12,723,627

  12,393,425

  13,319,216

  13,963,624

  13,846,139

  14,108,910

  12,780,311

  73,234,601

  79,789,871

  87,296,381

  94,937,539

  97,274,321

  101,179,198

  103,839,426

  104,337,204

  106,248,300

  104,783,129

  750
  Mr. Needham
  The information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Residential Care
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state for residential care in the personal social services in Northern Ireland the average cost per resident for each year from 1976–87 by type of establishment.

  Mr. Needham
  The cost per resident week by type of establishment is shown in the table.

  Mr. Needham
  The average cost per in-patient day by hospital type for 1978–79 and subsequent years is shown in the following table. Costs for years prior to 1978–79 are not available on a comparable basis.

  Northern Ireland gross current expenditure at 1986–87 prices by programme budget in personal social services in each year since 1976–77.

  Mr. Needham
  Information requested for the years 1977–78 to 1986–87 is shown in the table. Figures for 1976–77 are not available in the format requested.

  Health Services
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a table showing for

  Gross expenditure on Hospital and Community Health Services by main budget headings at 1986–87 price levels

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Hospital and Related Services

  347,154,334

  358,687,830

  369,682,307

  369,284,987

  381,432,344

  386,942,275

  394,707,830

  394,967,460

  389,229,391

  381,719,558

  Community Health

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Health Centres

  6,015,305

  6,788,044

  7,234,664

  7,599,770

  8,030,310

  8,382,775

  8,774,550

  8,842,585

  9,018,479

  9,181,949

  Health Clinics

  2,812,295

  2,026,380

  1,932,574

  1,682,917

  1,856,391

  1,870,116

  1,895,114

  1,832,673

  1,688,261

  1,662,833

  Health Visiting Services

  5,154,534

  5,497,733

  5,667,286

  5,999,904

  6,117,720

  6,434,529

  6,594,638

  6,835,716

  6,871,360

  7,114,662

  Home Nursing Services

  10,897,778

  11,422,085

  12,011,270

  13,158,212

  12,774,820

  13,047,350

  13,984,665

  14,510,956

  14,789,767

  15,417,330

  School Health Services

  3,287,055

  3,992,692

  4,127,793

  4,363,932

  4,460,866

  4,578,986

  4,563,391

  4,663,802

  4,569,733

  4,542,026

  Other

  4,625,369

  4,980,999

  4,948,863

  5,078,782

  5,301,486

  5,541,501

  5,940,520

  6,248,191

  6,457,285

  7,102,727

  32,792,336

  34,707,933

  35,922,450

  37,883,517

  38,541,593

  39,855,257

  41,752,878

  42,933,923

  43,394,885

  45,021,527

  NHS (Patients)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was, for acute services, the number of day cases, out-patient attendances and in-patient cases treated in Northern Ireland in each year from 1976–77

  Day and out-patient cases

  In-patient cases

  Year

  Day patient attendances

  Out patient attendances

  Expenditure as adjusted by:

  No. of patients treated

  Average (days) stay

  Expenditure as adjusted by:

  General inflation

  HCS inflation

  General inflation

  HCS inflation

  1976–77

  13,974

  1,126,252

  13,460,500

  14,463,990

  124,604

  11·34

  95,989,508

  103,145,597

  1977–78

  16,113

  1,143,499

  12,226,836

  13,780,409

  127,171

  11·41

  96,350,761

  108,593,334

  1978–79

  15,854

  1,187,471

  12,464,667

  14,190,831

  126,350

  11·54

  94,534,130

  107,625,731

  1979–80

  24,098

  1,220,861

  12,951,374

  14,299,252

  133,758

  11·01

  101,311,754

  111,855,495

  1980–81

  24,706

  1,291,836

  14,225,355

  14,548,733

  134,229

  10·92

  110,493,399

  113,005,191

  1981–82

  22,737

  1,307,681

  14,337,609

  14,896,106

  134,857

  10·86

  113,155,421

  117,563,194

  1982–83

  22,662

  1,345,017

  14,802,368

  15,486,124

  132,226

  10·85

  114,402,466

  119,686,981

  1983–84

  25,966

  1,439,633

  15,664,991

  16,321,411

  138,740

  10·72

  117,268,256

  122,182,221

  1984–85

  24,948

  1,486,116

  16,242,589

  16,709,847

  142,254

  10·30

  119,945,885

  123,396,420

  1985–86

  29,681

  1,541,986

  16,117,280

  16,700,638

  148,577

  9·83

  119,720,597

  124,053,830

  1986–87

  31,412

  1,552,628

  17,684,635

  17,684,635

  144,583

  9·95

  119,549,166

  119,549,166

  Maternity Services
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was, for maternity services in Northern Ireland, the number of in-patient cases, the expenditure after allowing for general inflation, the expenditure after allowing for hospital and community health service inflation, the number of out-patient attendances and the length of stay per patient for each year since 1976–77, together with the perinatal mortality rate.

  Mr. Needham
  The health and social services boards' accounts are not maintained in such a way as to permit the expenditure on maternity services to be separately identified. The statistical information requested is as follows:

  Maternity services in Northern Ireland

  In-patient cases

  Out-patient cases

  Length of stay

  Perinatal mortality cases

  1976

  33,270

  137,675

  6·6

  22·3

  1977

  32,884

  139,979

  6·7

  21·1

  1978

  34,183

  146,814

  6·5

  18·1

  1979

  37,358

  151,870

  6·3

  16·6

  1980

  37,674

  158,876

  6·1

  15·6

  1981

  36,221

  152,671

  6·1

  15·3

  1982

  35,103

  151,696

  6·2

  13·3

  752
  Northern Ireland gross current expenditure at 1986–87 prices by programme budget in hospital and community health services for each year since 1976–77.

  Mr. Needham
  Information requested for the years 1977–78 to 1986–87 is shown in the table. Figures for 1976–77 are not available in the format requested.

  together with the expenditure after allowing for general inflation, expenditure after allowing for hospital and community health service inflation and the average stay per patient.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is as follows:

  In-patient cases

  Out-patient cases

  Length of stay

  Perinatal mortality cases

  1983

  35,606

  163,385

  5·9

  13·1

  1984

  36,808

  170,489

  5·8

  10·8

  1985

  36,968

  169,735

  5·6

  11·1

  1986

  37,388

  173,208

  5·5

  19·5

  1 Provisional.

  Mentally Ill People
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what, for the personal social services for the mentally ill in Northern Ireland, was the number of day centre places, expenditure after allowing for general inflation, expenditure after allowing for personal social services inflation and the number of residents in each year from 1976–77.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Constitution (Referendum)
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will arrange for a referendum on the constitutional position to be held in Northern Ireland.
  753
  Mr. Tom King
  I have no current plans to do so.

  Mental Handicap Hospitals
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of patients leaving mental handicap hospitals and units after a stay of five or more years in Northern Ireland and by area board.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  National Health Service
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of National Health Service community psychiatric nursing staff, mental illness, in Northern Ireland and each area board at 30 September in each of the years 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986; and what was the percentage change between 1983 and 1986.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  1. Private cars

  Total registrations in Northern Ireland

  ROI "personal imports

  per cent.

  ROI "dealer" imports

  per cent.

  May 1987

  5,047

  45

  0·89

  18

  0·35

  June 1987

  5,722

  53

  0·92

  38

  0·66

  July 1987

  4,091

  62

  1·51

  18

  0·43

  August 1987

  4,348

  52

  1·19

  16

  0·36

  September 1987

  4,600

  75

  1·63

  21

  0·45

  October 1987

  3,919

  95

  2·42

  17

  0·43

  November 1987

  2,810

  60

  2·13

  27

  0·96

  December 1987

  1,503

  39

  2·59

  10

  0·66

  January 1988

  6,715

  118

  1·75

  67

  0·99

  February 1988

  5,328

  121

  2·27

  95

  1·78

  March 1988

  5,644

  108

  1·91

  35

  0·62

  April 1988

  3,941

  152

  3·85

  22

  0·55

  2. Light goods vehicles—As type approval does not apply to light goods vehicles, no information is available on whether imports are "Personal" or "Dealer".

  Total Registrations in Northern Ireland

  ROI Imports

  Percentage

  May 1987

  360

  27

  7·50

  June 1987

  416

  24

  5·76

  July 1987

  317

  18

  5·67

  August 1987

  284

  27

  9·50

  September 1987

  312

  17

  5·44

  October 1987

  344

  29

  8·43

  November 1987

  327

  33

  10·09

  December 1987

  211

  33

  15·63

  January 1988

  513

  74

  14·42

  February 1988

  343

  67

  19·53

  March 1988

  375

  13

  3·46

  April 1988

  285

  13

  4·56

  3. Other Vehicles1

  Total Registration

  ROI Imports

  Percentage

  March 1988

  444

  51

  11·48

  April 1988

  352

  44

  12·50

  1 This information is available only from March 1988 onwards and does not distinguish between "Personal" and "Dealer" imports.

  754

  year1

  Eastern Board

  Northern Board

  Southern Board

  Western Board

  Northern Ireland

  1983

  22

  8

  10

  22

  62

  1984

  25

  9

  10

  20

  64

  1985

  33

  8

  13

  21

  75

  1986

  35

  8

  11

  25

  79

  Percentage change

  1983–

  59

  Nil

  10

  14

  27

  1 Information on the numbers of community psychiatric nurses is collected on an ad hoc basis and therefore it is not possible to give information as at 30 September in each year.

  Vehicle Imports
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new(a) motorcars, (b) vans, and (c) other vehicles have (been brought into Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many in each category have been listed as personal imports; how many have been imported for sale by the importer; and what percentage of total sales in each month in each category these imports represent.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 21 June 19881]The information requested is set out in the tables:

  Irish Language
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the role of Irish in the school curriculum has been discussed at meetings of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 21 June 1988]The Intergovernmental Conference has discussed Irish language questions and education questions on a number of occasions, as reported in the joint statements issued after such meetings. The details of conference proceedings are confidential.

  Tolls
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a list of road, bridge and tunnel facilities in Northern Ireland for which tolls are levied, with a note for each entry of (a) the name and address of the responsible authority (b)whether it produces published accounts for that specific facility (c) which Minister is responsible for authorising changes in such tolls, and (d) on which (i)

  755
  public expenditure programme and (ii) class, vote and subhead, the toll revenue and associated expenditure is to be found.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 23 June 1988]There are no roads, bridges or tunnel facilities in the Northern Ireland public road system for which tolls are levied.

WALES

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department's ethnic monitoring exercise commenced; when he expects it to be concluded; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 16 June 1988. A survey of the ethnic origin of staff in my Department commenced on 20 April 1988 and was concluded on 31 May. A 94 per cent. rate of return was achieved. The results of the survey are currently being analysed by the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister of the Civil Service).

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what positive action he has taken to remedy past inequalities in employment practices in his Department in compliance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively, other than those measures specified in his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West dated 27 May, at columns 397–8.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 27 May. Since my earlier reply agreement has been reached with the trade union side in my Department on equal opportunities framework papers covering monitoring of policies, training, promotion and job allocation.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has appointed an equal opportunities officer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  An equal opportunities officer has been designated within my Department's personnel management division. The officer has responsibility for advising senior management on the application and monitoring of the Civil Service policy on non-discrimination. The officer also provides advice on the implementation of the programme of action on equal opportunities recommended by the joint review group of the Civil Service National Whitley council's joint personnel management committee.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many and what percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively;

  (2) what were the results of the survey recently completed to provide information on the ethnic origin of staff in his Department; and how many, and what percentage of staff in each unit or grade were found to be of Afro-Caribbean and Asian origin, respectively.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The details requested by the hon. and learned Gentleman for female staff in my Department 756
  are set out in the table. The information sought about staff from ethnic minorities is not available, since an ethnic monitoring staff-in-post survey of the Welsh Office has only very recently been completed and the results are currently being analysed by the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister of the Civil Service).

  women

  Number

  per cent.

  Grade 1

  —

  —

  Grade 2

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  —

  —

  Grade 4

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  1·5

  3

  Grade 6

  11

  17

  Grade 7

  15

  13

  SEO

  14

  17

  HEO

  67

  34

  EO

  179·5

  50

  AO

  277

  67

  AA

  148·5

  61

  Typing and secretarial grades

  219·5

  100

  Other support grades

  44·5

  31

  Professional grades

  24

  16

  Industrials

  2

  2

  TOTAL

  1,003·5

  46

  Notes:

  1. All figures relate to current operational grades.

  2. As at 1 June 1988.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to improve equality of opportunity for women and for people from ethnic minorities in all grades of his Department, in connection with employment, training and promotion, respectively.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My Department, as an equal opportunities employer, is conducting a continuing policy of encouraging women and members of ethnic minorities to play their full part in its work. The matter is kept under review by a joint management-union working party. Specific issues currently under consideration include a feasibility study of day care facilities, training for women managers and efforts to build links with schools with significant numbers of children from ethnic minorities.

  Home Education
  Mr. leuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has to how many children in Wales are educated at home(a) by their parents and (b) by local education authority tutors; and what is the cost per week per child.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information on children educated at home is not collected by the Department.

  Non-attendance at School
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide figures for the number of children in Wales(a) in care, (b) in psychiatric units and (c) in residential schools for non-attendance at school; and if he will give the overall costs and costs per week per child.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There were 3,481 children in care on 31 March 1987. The number of resident patients aged under 16, in mental illness hospitals and units, as at 5 April 1987, was 38. Information on expenditure in respect of children in mental illness hospitals and units is not
  757
  available centrally. Information is not collected centrally on residential schools for non-attendance at school. However, it is estimated that 84 children were in care under a care order for non-attendance at school. It is not known how many of these children were in residential schools. The provisional 1986–87 current expenditure by local authorities on children in care was £15·7 million and the average cost per child per week was £110.

  Pupil Costs
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost of educating a child at(a) a state primary school and (b) a state secondary school in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The costs to local authorities of educating a child in Wales in 1986–87 were as follows:

  £ (out-turn)

  State primary schools

  909

  State secondary schools

  1,320

  Language Teaching
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Russian A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Russian teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Italian A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Italian teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Spanish A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Spanish teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of German teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of French teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The policy statement "Modern Languages in the School Curriculum" recognised recent improvements in the nature and provision of foreign language teaching. While levels of performance taken as a whole have improved, there is evidence that much higher standards can be achieved, especially in oral communication. Recent attention by LEAs in service training programmes, and the work of LEA advisers, will enhance the quality of foreign language teaching and will help raise standards of achievement. I hope to see, also, a greater diversity in the range of languages offered in schools.

  Implementation of the national curriculum will mean that all pupils up to the age of 16 in maintained secondary schools will in due course study a modern language, which will, in Wales, be in addition to Welsh.

  The numbers of pupils educated at maintained schools who passed Spanish, Italian and Russian at A-level in 1987 in Wales were 46, five and one respectively.

  Starter Homes
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the rate of building of starter homes in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  758
  Mr. Grist
  Data are not collected on the number of starter homes built in Wales. I am satisfied, however, that the housebuilding industry is responding to the demand for all types of homes. In 1987 the private sector started 8,700 new homes in Wales, an increase of 23 per cent. on the previous year and the highest total since 1973.

  Tolls
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of road, bridge and tunnel facilities in Wales for which tolls are levied, with a note for each entry of(a) the name and address of the responsible authority, (b) whether it produces published accounts for that specific facility, (c) which Minister is responsible for authorising changes in such tolls, and (d) on which (i) public expenditure programme and (ii) class, vote and subhead, the toll revenue and associated expenditure is to be found.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 23 June 1988]There are two major tolled crossings in Wales—the Cleddau bridge and the Porthmadog Cob. Neither is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales and toll revenue and associated expenditure do not appear in the roads public expenditure programme. The toll rate on the Porthmadog Cob is fixed in primary legislation. Changes in the tolls on the Cleddau bridge are not required to be authorised by the Secretary of State, though he has certain powers relating to such tolls. Accounts are published annually and the authorities responsible for these crossings are:

  Cleddau Bridge

  Dyfed County Council

  County Hall

  Carmarthen

  Dyfed SA31 1JP

  Porthmadog Cob

  The Rebecca Trust

  Y Dollborth

  Porthmadog

  Gwynedd

  Details of ownership and accounting arrangements for minor crossings and roads are not readily available.

EMPLOYMENT

  Co-operative Development Agency
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past four years the funding provided under the terms of the Co-operative Development Agency and Industrial Development Act 1984, as well as an estimate of the funds which will be available in the current year.

  Mr. Cope
  The Co-operative Development Agency's estimated funding for the 1988–89 financial year under the terms of the Co-operative Development Agency and Industrial Development Act 1984 has been approved at £240,000. The table shows for each of the past four years the funding provided under the terms of the Co-operative Development Agency Act 1978, as amended by the Co-operative Development Agency and Industrial Development Act 1984.
  759

  Year

  Funding £'000s

  1 April 1984–31 March 1985

  200

  1 April 1985–31 March 1986

  200

  1 April 1986–31 March 1987

  235

  1 April 1987–31 March 1988

  200

  Also, under the terms of the Industrial Development Act 1982, £40,000 was made available in 1987–88 and £45,000 has been approved for 1988–89

  Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many filled places on the following programmes for each standard region, including Greater London, there were at the end of each month from February to May inclusive: community programme, enterprise allowance scheme, YTS, young workers' scheme, job release scheme, jobshare scheme, new job training scheme and jobstart allowance.

  Mr. Cope
  The information by standard region is as follows:

  (a) Community programme1

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  South East

  10,263

  10,104

  9,889

  9,624

  London

  14,117

  14,217

  14,259

  14,274

  South West

  14,576

  14,401

  14,120

  13,783

  West Midlands

  26,127

  25,643

  25,433

  25,038

  East Midlands and Eastern

  17,065

  16,894

  16,605

  16,340

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  26,030

  25,927

  25,561

  25,140

  North West

  36,279

  36,351

  36,036

  35,453

  Northern

  28,182

  28,277

  28,200

  28,055

  Wales

  19,816

  19,865

  19,668

  19,688

  Scotland

  30,971

  31,052

  31,344

  31,033

  1 Excluding Charities.

  (b) Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  London and South East

  21,915

  23,232

  22,968

  22,858

  South West

  9,944

  9,893

  9,857

  9,933

  West Midlands

  9,316

  9,229

  9,173

  9,029

  East Midlands and Eastern

  10,167

  9,001

  8,957

  9,116

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  9,025

  9,032

  8,951

  8,950

  North West

  14,193

  14,205

  14,073

  14,155

  Northern

  5,097

  5,152

  5,140

  5,197

  Wales

  5,810

  5,854

  5,851

  5,799

  Scotland

  8,643

  8,710

  8,603

  8,571

  (c) Youth Training Scheme2

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  South East

  42,250

  41,260

  40,570

  40,320

  London

  20,550

  20,220

  20,110

  20,180

  South West

  31,150

  30,280

  29,680

  29,590

  West Midlands

  46,570

  44,900

  44,200

  44,080

  East Midlands and Eastern

  46,430

  45,220

  44,640

  44,970

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  43,410

  42,270

  41,920

  42,500

  North West

  59,980

  58,370

  56,560

  56,660

  Northern

  28,570

  27,720

  27,090

  27,180

  Wales

  23,160

  22,510

  22,340

  22,600

  Scotland

  45,340

  44,520

  43,260

  43,300

  2 Adjusted figures to take account of late notification of young people leaving the scheme.

  760

  (d) The New Workers Scheme3

  February 1988

  March 1988

  South East

  725

  529

  London

  194

  194

  South West

  1,178

  e1,075

  West Midlands

  2,424

  2,338

  East Midlands and Eastern

  1,449

  1,053

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  e2,059

  e1,845

  North West

  4,099

  3,852

  Northern

  e1,748

  e1,548

  Wales

  1,860

  e1,697

  Scotland

  1,990

  1,739

  April 1988

  May 1988

  London and South East

  517

  384

  Wales and South West

  2,538

  2,358

  East Midlands/Eastern and West Midlands

  3,016

  2,743

  Yorkshire and Humberside and Northern

  3,071

  2,752

  North West

  3,408

  3,031

  Scotland

  1,524

  1,341

  3 The new workers scheme replaced the young workers scheme in April 1986. Figures are for employees being supported at specified time. Figures for February/March and April/May are shown separately due to a change in the way that the figures are collected.

  e = estimate

  (e) The Job Release Scheme

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  South East

  2,016

  1,874

  43,149

  42,977

  London

  930

  865

  —

  —

  South West

  1,632

  1,548

  1,384

  1,303

  West Midlands

  1,938

  1,834

  1,660

  53,277

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,930

  2,783

  1,780

  —

  Yorks and Humberside

  3,035

  2,891

  2,611

  2,496

  North West

  3,175

  3,025

  2,506

  2,600

  Northern

  788

  747

  910

  638

  Wales

  684

  652

  594

  559

  Scotland

  1,422

  1,319

  1,163

  1,089

  4 Figures are for London and the South East

  5 Figures are for the West Midlands, East Midlands and Eastern

  February 1988

  March 1988

  (f) Jobshare6

  South East

  22

  18

  London

  3

  2

  South West

  26

  25

  West Midlands

  47

  46

  East Midlands and Eastern

  74

  72

  Yorks and Humberside

  194

  189

  North West

  288

  257

  Northern

  58

  54

  Wales

  87

  90

  Scotland

  34

  30

  April 1988

  May 1988

  London and South East

  15

  16

  Wales and South West

  115

  111

  East Midlands/Eastern and West Midlands

  121

  111

  Yorks and Humberside and Northern

  234

  207

  North West

  263

  188

  Scotland

  31

  28

  6 Figures are for employees being supported at specified time and due to a change in the way that the figures are collected they are shown separately for February/March and April/May.

  761

  (g) The New Job Training Scheme7

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  South East

  2,849

  3,010

  3,056

  —

  London

  3,283

  3,547

  3,123

  —

  South West

  2,126

  2,398

  2,462

  —

  West Midlands

  3,051

  3,467

  3,183

  —

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,814

  2,833

  2,863

  —

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,168

  4,329

  4,275

  —

  North West

  3,716

  4,097

  4,159

  —

  Northern

  2,097

  2,339

  2,590

  —

  Wales

  1,351

  1,390

  1,469

  —

  Scotland

  2,828

  3,025

  3,055

  —

  7 Figures for May are not yet available.

  (h) The Jobstart Allowance8

  February 1988

  March 1988

  April 1988

  May 1988

  London and

  South East

  173

  171

  164

  153

  South West

  114

  102

  92

  88

  West Midlands

  391

  367

  311

  305

  East Midlands and Eastern

  328

  276

  239

  216

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  399

  396

  342

  324

  North West

  741

  712

  599

  537

  Northern

  252

  253

  252

  248

  Wales

  246

  253

  213

  204

  Scotland

  344

  332

  363

  355

  8 The figures relate to the number of people actually in receipt of the allowance at a given date.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment under what circumstances an unemployed claimant receiving income support or unemployment benefit and studying in further education on a course of less than 21 hours per week can continue with that course work as an element within an employment training personal action plan.

  Mr. Cope
  Everyone joining employment training will follow an integrated programme of directed and practical training based on an agreed individual action plan. Employment training will build on trainees' previous attainments and experience, and an individual's action plan may include the completion of courses started before the trainee joined the programme that are relevant to the plan.

  YTS Bridging Allowance
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment under what circumstances 16 and 17-yearolds in receipt of the YTS bridging allowance will be able to pursue a part-time education course, similar to the 21-hour rule without losing the allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The YTS bridging allowance will be paid for a maximum of eight weeks in any 12-month period to young people who have lost a job or a previous YTS place. To be eligible for the allowance young people must apply for a YTS place, make themselves available for interviews when required and be prepared to start on a YTS course 762
  at any time. Subject to those conditions young people may, if they wish, pursue a part-time education course while receiving the allowance.

  Itinerants (Stonehenge)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of benefits currently being paid by his Department to claimants who are living in vehicles attached to the convoy of itinerants currently in the vicinity of Stonehenge; what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that no benefits are paid in respect of fraudulent claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  My Department does not keep records which show the amount of benefit paid to special groups of claimants. My Department has over 800 officers engaged exclusively in the investigation of benefit fraud. They liaise with their counterparts in the Department of Health and Social Security to ensure that every suspicion of benefit fraud is investigated. Because of the nature of their travels, the itinerants gathering at Stonehenge are unlikely to be committing the most common sort of benefit fraud, which is working and signing. If they are drawing benefit, however, they may be infringing the benefit system by not being available for work. Availability for work is rigorously enforced by my Department through the availability questionnaire which I announced in the House on 1 December 1987. Instructions issued to officials in the south-west require them to apply the full test of availability to any unemployed person claiming benefit.

  YTS
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the projected numbers of YTS trainees on(a) year one and (b) year two for 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 and what are the projected average lengths of stay.

  Mr. Cope
  The Government's expenditure plans, published in January 1988, show projected entrants to YTS at 363,000 in 1989–90 and 358,000 in 1990–91. Assumptions which underpinned that forecast are that 207,000 trainees with a two-year entitlement would progress into a second year in 1989–90, and 195,000 such trainees would progress into a second year in 1990–91. Average length of stay for those with a two-year entitlement would be 72 weeks in 1989–90, and 73 weeks in 1990–91, while for those with a one-year entitlement average length of stay would be 42 weeks in 1989–90 and 43 weeks in 1990–91.

  The current public expenditure survey will cover the three years in question. The projections made last year are of course under review as part of this year's survey in the light of labour market trends, changes in legislation, and other factors.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he now has final figures for the number of entrants to YTS in 1986–87; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The Training Commission has released figures today which show that there were 419,635 starts to YTS in 1986–87. Cumulative figures at the end of each month were:
  763

  Number

  1986

  April

  22,826

  May

  37,738

  June

  128,225

  July

  190,786

  August

  244,557

  September

  332,928

  October

  356,181

  November

  371,877

  December

  379,849

  1987

  January

  396,055

  February

  407,198

  March

  419,635

  TOTAL FOR YEAR

  419,635

  These figures represent the actual numbers of scheme starts, including second and subsequent starts where trainees have transferred between schemes. It is estimated that the number of individuals entering YTS in 1986–87 was some 20 per cent. lower than the figures for starts in the table.

  These figures differ from those published during 1986–87 because they include notifications of starts which had not been received at the time the monthly statistics were announced.

  Wages Councils Agreements
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the estimated number of establishments and workers covered by wages council agreements, in 1987, in each region in Scotland and in each of the four cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen; and if he will show in that table the number of inspections, by visit and by other methods, carried out by the Wages Inspectorate in each area, and the rate of compliance with wages councils' rates in 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Wages Inspectorate statistics are not compiled for areas smaller than the inspectorate's nine divisions, of which Scotland is one. Those items requested for which separate figures are compiled for Scotland were provided in the reply given to the hon. Member on 4 March 1988, at columns 734–38.

  Minimum Wages
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of employers who have been informed by the Wages Inspectorate in Scotland that the maximum period for which arrears arising from under-payment of minimum rates can be claimed is 18 months; and if he will estimate the number of workers in Scotland affected by this information.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not the case that arrears can be claimed only for a period of 18 months. To the best of the inspectorate's knowledge, no such advice has been given.

  Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about recent changes in the loan guarantee scheme.
  764
  Mr. Cope
  As one of the initiatives in the action for cities launch on 7 March the Government announced their intention to raise the guarantee level on the loan guarantee scheme loans from 70 to 85 per cent. for eligible borrowers in inner city task force areas. That initiative has now been brought into effect. Since the introduction this January of simplified arrangements for loans of up to £15,000, take up under the scheme has doubled to over 200 per month. Both those changes should assist small businesses to start up and grow.

TRANSPORT

  Departmental Staff
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give for each standard planning region of England(a) the number of employees of his Department, (b) the amount spent on wages and salaries and (c) the proportion of total expenditure in each region by his Department which is represented by personnel costs.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of employees in each economic planning region of England at 21 June was as follows:

  Region

  Northern

  444

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  689

  North West

  840

  East Midlands

  547

  West Midlands

  776

  East Anglia

  306

  South East

  2,146

  South West

  1,103

  London

  2,818

  The Department does not have a breakdown by former planning region of the amount spent on wages and salaries or of the proportion of total expenditure which personnel costs represents.

  Motorists (Green Card)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any plans to end the green card insurance requirement for British motorists travelling in EEC countries as a result of the Single European Act.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There is no requirement for motorists to have a green card when driving in other Community countries. Motor insurance policies issued in one member state already provide the cover required in law in each of the others. For convenience, United Kingdom insurers issue green cards to drivers who wish to extend the full cover provided by their domestic policies. This use of the green card does not correspond with its original purpose. To use some other form of certification as evidence of the extension of such cover would introduce an additional complication at a time when the aim is for freer movement between EC countries.

  Irish Road Traffic
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set up a survey to identify the total amount of road traffic from the Republic of Ireland which passed through the United Kingdom on its way to the continent of Europe during a given period of time.
  765
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No.

  Road Traffic Law
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to complete his consideration of the recommendations of the North report on road traffic law.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said on 12 April, at column 79, we are pressing ahead with consideration of the recommendations of the North report. We will report to the House on our progress before the summer recess.

  A27 (Flyover)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a scale model of the road flyover at the Offington roundabout proposed in the consultant study of the A27 to enable constituents of the right hon. Member for Worthing attending the public exhibition to assess the impact of the proposed flyover on the local environment.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The consultants' recommended route has been developed to a sufficient extent to show that it would be a practicable solution and to indicate the approximate height of a flyover at the Offington roundabout. It would not be possible to prepare an accurate scale model until the detailed design stage is reached.

  Tyre Treads
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he plans to discuss the issue of tyre tread depths with Governments of those countries enforcing a minimum tread depth of 1·6 mm or above; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report the minimum statutory tyre tread depths in each country for which his Department has records.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have no plans to discuss tread depths with other Governments. In use requirements for tyres are a domestic matter which each country decides in the light of local conditions. The Department does not keep complete records of minimum statutory tread depths in other countries. I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for York, (Mr. Gregory) on 18 April, at columns 538–39. The latest informal information we have is as follows:

  European and other country tread depth standards

  Italy, West Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium:

  1 mm over the full width

  France:

  1 mm in the principal grooves

  Luxembourg, Switzerland and Japan:

  1·6 mm over the full width

  United States of America:

  ⅙inch over the full width

  Austria:

  Motor cycles

  1 mm over the full width

  Passenger cars and vans up to 3,000 kg laden weight

  1·6 mm over the full width

  PSVs and goods vehicles

  2 mm over the full width

  766

  Netherlands: Passenger vehicles for up to 9 people (including driver)

  1 mm over the full width except the tyre shoulder

  Goods vehicles with a laden weight of up to 3,500 kgs and trailers

  Other goods vehicles and PSVs

  No tread depth, tyre must be suitable for use and have rubber over whole surface. Slight cuts in rubber are permissible.

  Portugal:

  1 mm over ¾of width.

  HGV Test Centres
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many firms have block bookings at the HGV test centre at Beverley.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Five firms have block booking arrangements at the Beverley HGV driving test centre.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport upon what principles block bookings at the Beverley HGV test centre are allocated.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  At Beverley, and all other HGV driving test centres, block booking arrangements are made with full-time training organisations which have a regular demand for HGV tests, provided that a reasonable amount of testing capacity remains to accommodate individual applicants.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the waiting time for individual applications for tests at the Beverley HGV test centre for firms without block bookings.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The forward booking date at Beverley HGV driving test centre is not kept separately for individual and block booked candidates. The forward booking date inclusive of both is currently 17 weeks. This is too long. We are urgently seeking ways to improve the situation.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the commercial value for firms training for HGV licences of the value of block bookings at the Beverley HGV test centre.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No financial estimate has been made. The Department's policy is to provide block booking facilities at Beverley and other HGV driving test centres wherever possible.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why block bookings are granted to HGV licence training firms at the Beverley HGV training centre.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  At all HGV driving test centres we provide block booking facilities so that firms can plan their HGV driver training programmes to known test dates. The extent to which block booking facilities can be made available is currently limited at Beverley by shortage of accommodation.

  M23 (Traffic Delays)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Worthing on 20 June, whether he will take steps to ensure that the county council officials responsible for delaying the traffic on the M23 on 11 June to use a deflectograph machine are no longer employed on his Department's work; why it was considered necessary to undertake the work at short notice; what cost saving was achieved by employing the machine at that particular time; who owns the machine used; and what factors led to the conclusion that similar weather conditions were unlikely to prevail at a time when traffic was not heavy.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The county council is being asked for a report. I shall write to my right hon. Friend.

  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the right hon.768
  Member for Worthing of 20 June, what information he has, in respect of the measurements of the road surface of the M23 on 11 June, as to when the police were first informed by the county council of its intention to carry out the work; what conclusions were reached as a result of the measurements; what action has been taken as a result of measuring the condition of the road; and when he expects a review by his Department of traffic flow maintenance.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Surrey county council and the police first discussed the programme for the measurements on 26 April. The police were informed at 11.30 am on 10 June of the work to be done on the following day. The information obtained will take some weeks to analyse. It is needed to decide the structural treatment required during future major maintenance works. We are considering more generally what further steps might be taken to improve traffic flows in connection with maintenance works.