Written Answers of 7 March 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Radio Authority
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his intention to use the radio division of the IBA as a planning nucleus during the transition period to the new Radio Authority.

  Mr. Renton
  The IBA will continue to be responsible for carrying out the duties with regard to local radio laid on it by the Broadcasting Act 1981 until relieved of them by new legislation. In the meantime, we shall welcome advice and assistance from the IBA's radio branch in preparing for the new structure of radio broadcasting.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the location and status of all buildings within his Department located in London and the annual cost of rents, rates and maintenance of each.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Department's office, storage and specialised accommodation is held in the name of the Secretary of State for the Environment and administered by the Property Services Agency, which makes an accommodation charge instead of direct payment for rent, rates, maintenance and minor works. That charge includes the agency's associated administration costs. The Home Office occupies all or part of 21 buildings in the London area on this basis. The total accommodation charge for these buildings, which are listed below, is £23,931,049 in 1987–88.

  The seven prison service establishments in London—Her Majesty's prisons: Brixton, Holloway, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs; Her Majesty's Remand Centre, Ashford; and Her Majesty's Youth Custody Centre, Feltham—are held in the name of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. No rent is paid for them; the total cost of their rates and maintenance for 1986–87 was £3,081,700.

  The building occupied by the Police National Computer Organisation at Hendon is held in the name of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The total cost of the building's ground rent, rates and maintenance for 1986–87 was £225,000.

  Building

  Predominant Use

  Accommodation Charge 1987–88 to PSA £

  Abell House John Islip Street London SW1P 4LH

  Office

  3,204,153

  Africa House 67–78 Kingsway London WC2B 6BW

  Office

  72,055

  2

  Building

  Predominant Use

  Accommodation Charge 1987–88 to PSA £

  Avondale Gardens Hounslow Middlesex TW4 5HX

  Storage

  44,929

  Bourne Avenue Hayes Middlesex UB3 1RF

  Storage

  63,453

  Cleland House Page Street London SW1P 4LN

  Office

  2,365,476

  Colnbrook-By-Pass Bath Road Harmondsworth Middlesex UB7 0HB

  Specialised

  308,289

  Clive House Petty France London SW1H 9HD

  Office

  1.064,666

  Greycoat House Greycoat Street London SW1P 2QF

  Storage

  68,808

  Heathrow Airport Terminal 1 Hounslow Middlesex

  Office

  90,742

  Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 Hounslow Middlesex

  Office

  108,339

  Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 Hounslow Middlesex

  Office

  226,815

  Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 Hounslow Middlesex

  Office

  311,542

  Heathrow Airport (Queen's Building) Hounslow Middlesex

  Office

  45,995

  Isis House 67–69 Southwark Street London SE1

  Office

  121,486

  Headstone Drive Wealdstone Harrow Middlesex HA1 4TZ

  Specialised

  352,427

  Horseferry House Dean Ryle Street London SW1P 2QF

  Office

  2,159,789

  Lunar House 40 Wellesley Road Croydon CR9 2BY

  Office

  3,193,568

  50 Queen Anne's Gate London SW1H 9AT

  Office

  9,995,209

  60–66 Rochester Row London SW1

  Office

  71,640

  St. Christopher House Southwark Street London SE1 0TE

  Office

  14,018

  3

  Building

  Predominant Use

  Accommodation Charge 1987–88 to PSA £

  London Road Stanmore Middlesex

  Office

  47,650

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff within his Department are located within each region outside London; what percentage this constitutes of staff within his Department; and what were the comparable figures, in absolute and percentage terms in 1979.

  Mr. Hurd
  Non-industrial staff serve in the Home Office at the following places:

  Region

  As a percentage of all staff in the Home Office

  South-East (excluding Greater London)

  6,223

  17·2

  South-West

  2,796

  7·7

  East Anglia

  1,665

  4·6

  East Midlands

  2,784

  7·7

  West Midlands

  2,811

  7·8

  North-West

  4,195

  11·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,485

  6·9

  North

  2,022

  5·6

  Wales

  882

  2·4

  Scotland

  128

  0·4

  Northern Ireland

  23

  0·1

  Greater London

  10,091

  27·1

  Total

  36,105

  100·00

  Comparable figures for 1979 are not readily available.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received concerning the workings of the Data Protection Act; whether he has any plans to seek to amend the Act; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Since 11 November 1987, when the Data Protection Act came fully into force, we have received 15 representations from hon. Members and members of the public of which 11 were requests for information. We have undertaken to review the working of the Act after a reasonable period of experience of its operation, and are considering the form and timing of such a review.

  Inner City Crime
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he is taking to combat crime in inner city areas.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have today announced an important initiative, the "Safer Cities" programme, which will support the Government's policies for the regeneration of inner city areas with strong new action against crime. Twenty safer city projects will be established in inner city areas over the next three years. Their effect will be to promote an active partnership between the police, local authorities and concerned individuals in a well targeted 4
  programme of effective action against locally identified crime problems. The programme is more fully described in a note, copies of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Passport Office, Peterborough
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the capacity for handling telephone calls from the public at the passport office in Peterborough; and what is the current average time after dialling and ringing that a caller is answered and connected to a member of staff to assist his or her query.

  Mr. Renton
  A new 24 exchange line telephone system was installed at the Peterborough passport office in July 1987. The time callers have to wait before being connected first to the operator and subsequently to the required extension varies according to the volume of calls at the particular time and the equipment does not have the capability to monitor response times. Planned modifications to the system, which will enable callers to be routed to a recorded message giving the answers to most general enquiries, should be completed within the next few weeks.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of passport applications awaiting action at the passport office in Peterborough; and what is the average time within which the documents are issued to the applicant, assuming the application form has been correctly completed.

  Mr. Renton
  Correctly completed non-urgent applications are being dealt with within 20 working days. Urgent applications are given priority. Applications are now being received at a rate of about 22,000 a week and it is estimated that a total of some 77,000 are now at the various stages of processing within the office.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current staff of the passport office in Peterborough; what is the authorised establishment; and when the last staff inspection took place.

  Mr. Renton
  The authorised permanent complement is 169 and there are now 208 staff in post, 43 of whom are casuals. The last formal staff inspection was in 1979. As I said in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) on 4 February, at column 687, work is well advanced on the computerisation of passport issuing in the United Kingdom. The computerised system will be installed at the six passport issuing offices over the next two years and staffing levels will be reviewed when the new system is operational.

  La Belle Discotheque
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the advice offered by Scotland Yard officers to the West Berlin public prosecutor, Dettlev Mehles, in connection with his inquiry into the La Belle discotheque bombing.

  Mr. Hurd
  No. I encourage co-operation and liaison between our police forces and foreign police forces in counter-terrorism matters including the investigation of specific terrorist incidents. I see no need to call for reports whenever such co-operation or liaison takes place.

  Police Statistics
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) chief constables, (b) superintendents, (c) chief superintendents and (d) sergeants in police forces in England and Wales are (i) members of ethnic minorities and (ii) women; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The position as at 31 December 1987 is as follows:

  Rank

  Ethnic minorities

  Women

  Chief constable

  —

  —

  Chief superintendent

  —

  8

  Superintendent

  —

  27

  Sergeant

  61

  725

  Mr. John Byrne and Mr. Stan Hathaway
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when Mr. John Byrne, a former member of the British armed forces in Northern Ireland, was sentenced to life imprisonment; what was his crime; and if he has been released;

  (2) when Mr. Stan Hathaway, a former member of the British armed forces in Northern Ireland, was sentenced to life imprisonment; what was his crime; and if he has been released.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  At Belfast Crown court in January 1981, Stanley Hathaway, then a serving soldier, pleaded guilty to the murder of two civilians while on patrol duty in October 1972. On the same date, John Byrne, also a serving soldier, pleaded guilty to one of the murders. Both men were sentenced to life imprisonment and were subsequently transferred to England to serve their sentences. Neither has been released.

  Firearms (McKay Report)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and by whom the McKay report on firearms was commissioned; and when the inquiry was announced or made known to the House.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Sir John McKay's working party was commissioned to review firearms controls in December 1970 by the then Home Secretary. The review was first announced in the other place on 15 December 1970.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any undertaking was given that the McKay report on firearms would be published, or a copy placed in the Library.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am not aware of any such undertaking.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now place a copy of the McKay report on firearms in the Library.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The report of Sir John McKay's working party on the control of firearms, prepared in 1972, was an internal document. Its main conclusions and recommendations were incorporated in the 1973 Green Paper, "The Control of Firearms in Great Britain", Cmnd. 5297.

  Canon Kevin Byrne
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received representations from Canon Kevin Byrne of St. Lawrence's, Birkenhead, in the form of sermon delivered on 7 February, relating to Her Majesty's Government's policy on capital punishment, sexual offences reform, the media, racial discrimination and other related matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Canon Byrne sent me a copy of his sermon for Sunday 7 February. His address discussed the theme of social cohesion which I had raised in a speech to the Peel Society on 5 February and which I returned to at a fringe meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England on 10 February. Mr. Byrne made a number of criticisms of successive Governments. A reply was sent from my office on 24 February.

  Social Services (Employee Vetting)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prospective employees of local authority social service departments have been referred to the Metropolitan police for checks under his Department's circular (86)44 since July 1986; and how many checks were still outstanding at 31 January.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that up to 29 February 1988 15,042 prospective employees of local authority social services departments have been referred to the Metropolitan police for checks since the arrangements announced in Home Office circular (86)44 came into force; 703 enquiries were outstanding on that date.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing(a) the number of applicants to local authority social services departments who have been referred to each local police authority for checks under the terms of his Department's circular (86) 44 and (b) the average delay in each authority.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is shown in the table. The latest figures available are for the period 17 July 1986 to 31 August 1987.

  Police force

  Number of enquiries received from social services departments

  Total number of enquiries received from all sources

  Average response times (days)

  Avon and Somerset

  4,850

  9,800

  4–10

  Bedfordshire

  1,118

  1,437

  7–10

  Cambridgeshire

  3,426

  4,911

  3–14

  Cheshire

  6,578

  7,208

  14

  City of London

  7

  7

  14–21

  Cleveland

  3,084

  4,964

  7

  Cumbria

  484

  512

  2–7

  Derbyshire

  43

  477

  21

  Devon and Cornwall

  3,586

  5,944

  4

  Dorset

  2,567

  2,662

  14

  Durham

  2,312

  5,049

  2

  Dyfed-Powys

  924

  1,625

  21

  Essex

  2,011

  4,545

  42–56

  Gloucestershire

  2,180

  2,341

  2

  Greater Manchester

  1—

  8,628

  14

  Gwent

  1,142

  2,013

  10

  Hampshire

  1—

  2,844

  10

  Hertfordshire

  1—

  128

  7

  Humberside

  1,653

  2,045

  14

  Kent

  1,165

  7,963

  28–42

  Lancashire

  4,626

  5,670

  14

  Leicestershire

  957

  1,010

  7

  Lincolnshire

  2,163

  4,317

  3

  7

  Police force

  Number of enquiries received from social services departments

  Total number of enquiries received front all sources

  Average response times (days)

  Merseyside

  3,557

  10,088

  14–28

  Metropolitan

  1,684

  3,971

  35–42

  Norfolk

  2,901

  2,946

  10

  Northamptonshire

  2,462

  2,497

  14

  Northumbria

  1,890

  5,930

  14

  North Wales

  1—

  2,173

  3–4

  North Yorkshire

  804

  832

  14–28

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  29

  1

  South Wales

  1—

  5,365

  7–10

  South Yorkshire

  1—

  3,268

  2

  Staffordshire

  2,327

  3,168

  2

  Suffolk

  1,169

  2,489

  14

  Surrey

  748

  1,711

  14

  Sussex

  4,010

  6,375

  2

  Thames Valley

  3,552

  5,189

  14–21

  Warwickshire

  2,631

  2,766

  7–10

  West Mercia

  1,388

  2,096

  10

  West Midlands

  6,317

  9,025

  3

  West Yorkshire

  3,298

  3,700

  3–28

  Wiltshire

  158

  1,558

  10

  1 These forces do not keep separate records of inquiries from social services departments.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has received any representations on delays in recruitment to local authority social service departments caused by police checks under his Department's circular (86)44; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received 11 representations from, or on behalf of, local authorities about delays in recruitment caused by police checks under the arrangements announced in Home Office circular (86)44. We are discussing the points raised with the police and the local authority associations.

  Councillors (Statistics)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many local councillors in England and Wales are members of ethnic minorities and as to the total number of local councillors in England and Wales.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are 22,775 county, district and borough councillors and about 65,000 parish and community councillors in England and Wales. Up-to-date information about the number of councillors who are members of ethnic minorities is not available.

  Under-age Drinking
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people under the age of 18 years have been prosecuted for obtaining or attempting to obtain alcoholic drink over the past 10 years up to the latest date for which figures ar available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 February 1988, c. 712]: I regret that the figure given for 1986 was incorrect. The table should have read.

  Persons found guilty of offences under section 169(2) of the Licensing Act 1964

  England and Wale

  Number of Persons

  Year

  Total found guilty

  1979

  4,091

  1980

  3,954

  8

  Year

  Total found guilty

  1981

  2,647

  1982

  1,862

  1983

  1,577

  1984

  1,095

  1985

  744

  1986

  885

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Torture
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for the delay in ratifying the United Nations convention against torture.

  Mr. Eggar
  The position has not changed since my answer of 16 November to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell), at column 397. It remains our intention to introduce legislation to allow ratification of the convention as soon as possible.

  Information Research
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants were engaged in the information research department of his Department in each year since 1971.

  Mr. Eggar
  The staff establishment of the information research department in each year from 1971 until disbandment in May 1977 was 117, 99, 91, 91, 88, 85 and 85.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the armed forces and civil servants were engaged in the information research department of his Department in Northern Ireland in each year since 1971.

  Mr. Eggar
  No member of the armed forces served in the information research department. One IRD officer served in Northern Ireland on secondment from November 1972 to December 1973.

  West Berlin
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the American Government(a) the implications for President Reagan's policy towards Libya of recent West Berlin police discoveries regarding Christina Endrigkeit and (b) the implications of these discoveries for the joint management by the allies of police in West Berlin.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are in constant and close contact with the United States authorities as well as the German authorities in Berlin about all aspects of the bombing of La Belle discotheque on 5 April 1986. It is not our practice to comment on cases, such as this, which are still subject to judicial inquiry.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds the allied Kommandatura exercised their right to instruct the Berlin authorities to remove from the western sector persons identified as posing a threat to the population of Berlin in April 1986; how such persons were identified; and whether their names are known to him.
  9
  Mr. Mellor
  The decision referred to was taken for the safety and security of the city. The people concerned were identified as posing a threat on the basis of information available to the allied and German authorities.

  Syria
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Syrian Government about the alleged supply to terrorists of Semtex bombs by the Syrian embassy in London prior to 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  We broke diplomatic relations with Syria in October 1986 because of official Syrian involvement in the attempt to blow up an E1 Al aircraft with a Semtex bomb.

  Falkland Islands (Exercise)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 2 March, what representations he has received from the Organisation of American States on the forthcoming military exercise in the Falkland Islands; if he will list the individual Governments who have expressed concern; what response he has made to the Organisation of American States' representations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have noted the resolution passed on 1 March by the Organisation of American States of which the United Kingdom is not a member. A number of Governments of states which are members of the Organisation of American States have expressed concern to us about the exercise.

  La Belle Discotheque
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what communications were received by the British military government, West Berlin, from the United States military police regarding the likelihood of a terrorist attack in West Berlin during the hours before the attack at La Belle discotheque on 5 April 1986; what response was made; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information has been made available to the British military government, West Berlin, on the type of explosive used to bomb the La Belle discotheque on 5 April 1986;

  (3) whether the allied authorities made any inspections, under paragraph 8 of BK10/58/3, of police information relating to the La Belle discotheque in April 1986; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) whether, in accordance with paragraph 6 of BK10, the Berlin police president reported to the Kommandantura the timing of any alerts in relation to events surrounding the bombing of the La Belle discotheque;

  (5) whether, in accordance with paragraph 9 of BK10/58/3, the possibility of issuing direct instructions to the police in relation to the La Belle discotheque bombing was discussed by the allied Kommandantura with the West German authorities in April 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have throughout the period in question kept in close touch with the American and French 10
  authorities, and with the German authorities in Berlin. I have nothing further to add to the many statements we have made on these matters.

  East Berlin
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications there were in April 1986 between the allies and the Soviet authorities about the alleged use of embassies in East Berlin for promoting terrorist activities.

  Mr. Mellor
  The allies were in close contact with the Soviet authorities in April 1986 regarding their joint rights and responsibilities for the security of Greater Berlin.

  Human Rights (Soviet Union)
  Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the human rights issues in the United Kingdom raised by the Soviet Union during his recent visit to the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Mellor
  During my right hon. and learned Friend's discussion of human rights, Mr. Shevardnadze raised alleged violation of human rights in the United Kingdom and handed over a list of so-called "political prisoners" in Northern Ireland. We have so far established that, of the eight individuals on the list, seven have been duly convicted of murder and one of attempted murder.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Beers and Lagers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the relative retail prices of(a) alcoholic and (b) non-alcoholic beers and lagers; if he has any plans to refer the price differential to the Office of Fair Trading; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department does not have information on the relative retail price of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers and lagers. The Director General of Fair Trading referred the supply of beer in the United Kingdom for retail sale on licensed premises to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on 4 August 1986. The commission is due to submit its report to my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State by 3 August 1988.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of this number; whether he is reconsidering the subject fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department has received three requests for subject access under the terms of the Data Protection Act. This is in keeping with the low level of applications which was anticipated. The subject access fee has been set at a level which will cover the cost of providing access and I am not reconsidering it.

  Airbus
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on recent developments in the Airbus programme.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I met my ministerial colleagues from France, Germany and Spain in Paris on 1 March to review recent developments in the Airbus programme.

  We noted with satisfaction the continuing commercial success of the products of the Airbus consortium, particularly the A320. The A320 received its certification from the airworthiness authorities of France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands on 26 February, and we congratulated the manufacturers on the fact that this major milestone had been achieved on schedule and that the first A320s would enter airline service at the end of this month. We also noted with satisfaction the continuing commercial success and technical development of the A330/A340 programmes.

  My colleagues and I also gave Airbus Industrie and its partner companies a mandate to pursue expeditiously the negotiations begun with McDonnell Douglas about possible collaboration. These will be undertaken with the aim of reaching an agreement that would be beneficial to both parties.

  We reviewed the position reached in the trade talks with the United States on civil aircraft in the context of the GATT, and expressed a wish that these discussions should reach an early and satisfactory conclusion in accordance with the principles and objectives agreed with United States Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter on 27 October 1987.

  Inner City Policy
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps are being taken to co-ordinate the Government's inner city policy more effectively.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The 16 Government task forces co-ordinate the programmes of all Government Departments in the small core districts of the cities they serve and initiate projects of their own on behalf of the whole Government.

  City action teams pull together and focus the efforts and resources of the Departments of Trade and Industry, Environment and Employment over wider urban areas in Birmingham, Liverpool, London (Hackney, Islington and Lambeth), Manchester-Salford, and Newcastle-Gateshead and the county of Cleveland. Apart from improving the effectiveness of Government programmes, the teams have a major role in encouraging the involvement of companies in urban regeneration. In view of their success, the Government are setting up two new city action teams, to cover Nottingham, Leicester and Derby, and Leeds and Bradford. The three Departments concerned will be spending over £1 billion in the areas covered by the CATs in 1988–89.

  I have also been asked by the Prime Minister to help her to co-ordinate the Government's policies on inner cities. As part of that task, I will launch on 13 April in Newcastle a series of Government working breakfasts with Ministers and senior industrialists and business men to promote more co-operation with the local leaders of business in urban regeneration. Other cities to be visited
  12
  will include Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London and I intend each working meeting to lead to increased efforts in each city concerned.

  The Government have also set up a central free telephone link (0800 181518) so that businesses can find out from a single contact point in our action for cities unit how they can play their part.

  Managed Workshops
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in providing more managed workshops in inner city areas.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  English Estates is to be the focus for a major new DTI-funded programme to bring the public and private sectors together to provide managed workspaces for business start-ups in inner cities. Up to £11 million of public funding will go into the programme in the first year through English Estates which has set up a new subsidiary company to spearhead the programme. Companies are being invited to adopt workshops in the town or city of their choice by investing directly in the projects or by providing land, buildings or experienced managers to give business support on site. English Estates is looking for as much private sector involvement as possible and is already working up projects in Manchester, Rochdale, Preston, Nottingham, Doncaster, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Spitalfields, Hackney and Peckham.

  Rover Group
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received, other than from the management of British Aerospace, asking for British Aerospace's negotiations for the acquisition of Rover Group to be conducted on an exclusive basis; what consultations he undertook before deciding to accede to such requests, and with whom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State consulted the chairman of Rover Group, Mr. Day, who advised that the Rover Group board considered exclusive negotiations with BAe should be pursued. The Government have accepted this advice, provided that negotiations are concluded by the end of April.

  Investment
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals the British Venture Capital Association has to increase investment in small enterprises in the Houghton and Washington area.

  Mr. Butcher
  The British Venture Capital Association is a private sector body for which there is no ministerial responsibility. I have drawn the hon. Member's question to the attention of the chairman of the British Venture Capital Association.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has now received the report from the stock exchange surveillance department
  13
  into alleged insider dealing in the shares of Matthew Brown prior to the takeover by Newcastle Breweries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 4 March 1988]: It is not the practice to reveal in particular cases whether reports about possible insider dealing are under consideration.

  Number of Sheep Farmed in each County in Wales

  1975

  1980

  1983

  1986

  Breeding Flock

  Clwyd

  457,738

  512,999

  574,938

  622,078

  Dyfed

  597,824

  704,677

  775,955

  860,415

  Gwent

  159,581

  171,701

  186,767

  200,516

  Gwynedd

  717,331

  779,560

  859,021

  926,011

  Mid Glamorgan

  144,608

  154,829

  168,136

  170,412

  Powys

  1,262,929

  1,445,758

  1,560,250

  1,640,040

  South Glamorgan

  19,692

  23,371

  24,729

  26,479

  West Glamorgan

  64,806

  73,308

  75,203

  83,529

  Wales

  3,424,509

  3,866,203

  4,224,999

  4,529,480

  Total Sheep and Lamb

  Clwyd

  915,362

  1,076,281

  1,203,619

  1,320,390

  Dyfed

  1,165,187

  1,445,363

  1,584,948

  1,788,670

  Gwent

  314,345

  344,048

  373,633

  405,417

  Gwynedd

  1,376,008

  1,579,960

  1,727,800

  1,889,871

  Mid Glamorgan

  254,885

  292,752

  318,736

  325,910

  Powys

  2,553,537

  3,019,463

  3,253,353

  3,451,847

  South Glamorgan

  41,344

  52,517

  53,995

  57,911

  West Glamorgan

  113,585

  136,358

  140,653

  163,250

  Wales

  6,734,253

  7,946,742

  8,656,737

  9,403,266

  Note: These figures are for main holdings only.

  Source: June Agricultural Census.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Council of Europe
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the European campaign for interdependence and solidarity of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Government support the aims of this campaign. Last November I announced a grant of up to £70,000 to the campaign: £40,000 for the United Kingdom National Organising Committee and £30,000 for the European Organising Committee (EOC). Since the inception of the campaign the Government have also met the expenses of the British representative to the EOC. On 15 February this year I addressed a round table on developing country debt organised as part of the campaign.

  UNICEF (Global Immunisation Programme)
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on UNICEF's global immunisation programme and on the United Kingdom's contribution to it.

WALES

  Sheep
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of sheep farmed in each county of Wales in the following years., 1975, 1980, 1983, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The number of sheep farmed in each county in Wales for the years requested is given in the following table. 1987 figures are not yet available.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I have no new information to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on I February at columns 460–61.

  Social Welfare Indicators
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the use by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank of social welfare indicators to measure the impact and viability of structural adjustment programmes on the poorest groups in developing countries: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We fully support the policy of the IMF and the World Bank to take account of the impact on the poorest groups in developing countries when helping to design structural adjustment programmes. We regard it as important in this process to use appropriate indicators of social welfare. Such indicators are, however, not always readily available in the countries in question. We therefore support the World Bank's recent initiative to help monitor living standards and improve statistical information on the condition of the poorest groups in African countries.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements have been made in accordance with the requirements of section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986 to monitor the effect on wildlife and the landscape of agreements concluded with the farmers in the environmentally sensitive areas already operative in England; whether he will make details of these arrangements available in the Library; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  A programme has been established to monitor the environmental effects of designation in all environmentally sensitive areas in England. Monitoring will be based on surveys of land use, landscape, ecology, and farming practice in each area. I expect to publish a first report, as required by section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986, before the end of the summer. This report will include the information requested.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Headmasters
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about his plans to give greater control over schools to headmasters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received a large number of representations about the proposals for the management of schools included in the Education Reform Bill. The proposals would increase substantially the powers of school governing bodies and enhance the role of head teachers. The principle of greater delegation has been welcomed by many.

  School Subjects
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding subjects outside the core curriculum.

  Mr.. Rumbold
  Since the Second Reading of the Education Reform Bill on 1 December, over 800 letters have been received commenting on the Government's proposals for a national curriculum. A number of these have mentioned subjects other than those defined as core and other foundation subjects in the Bill.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the progress in the number of city technology colleges to be instituted.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Sponsorship for five city technology colleges has now been announced. The Kingshurst CTC will open in September and the Nottingham CTC next year. We are making good progress in discussions with a number of other prospective sponsors.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.
  16
  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 19 January 1988, at column 620.

  Business Links
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further plans he has for encouraging closer links between schools and businesses.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 1 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell), at columns 755–56.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to ensure adequate staffing levels to cope with the subjects of the national curriculum.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that there are enough qualified teachers to teach all the subjects of the proposed national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on Monday 11 January, at column 53 and to the answer my right hon. Friend, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 19 January, at columns 629–30.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any further indication as to when the whole of the national curriculum will be available for teaching purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The date of full implementation remains dependent on actions and decisions which have still to be taken. Amongst such decisions are included when the remaining subject working groups will be established. My right hon. Friend hopes to set up those for English and technology shortly after Easter.

  School Reorganisation Plans
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school reorganisation plans have been with his Department awaiting a decision for more than six months; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has before him 26 proposals under sections 12 to 15 of the Education Act 1980 which were published over six months ago. These are shown in the table below. The list includes a number of proposals which affect only one school, and some which are held in abeyance for reasons beyond the Department's control.

  Current proposals over six months old (as at 1 March 1988)

  LEA and proposal

  Date of publication

  Brent: Establishment of the Islamia Primary School.

  25 April 1986

  ILEA: Change of status of Yesodey Hatorah Primary from Independent to Voluntary Aided School.

  2 January 1987

  17

  LEA and proposal

  Date of publication

  Suffolk: Closure of Little Bealings Primary School.

  19 January 1987

  Suffolk: Closure of Charsfield CE Primary School.

  19 January 1987

  Barnet: Establish Hasmonean Preparatory School as a Voluntary Aided School.

  12 February 1987

  Berkshire: Change of character of St. Bernards Convent School from single-sex to co-educational.

  25 March 1987

  Devon: Amalgamation of Colyton Grammar and Axminster Secondary Schools.

  3 April 1987

  Hertfordshire: Amalgamation of Bishop Hatfield Secondary School and Hatfield School.

  3 April 1987

  Hertfordshire: Amalgamation of Marshalwick and Wheathampstead Secondary Schools.

  3 April 1987

  Hertfordshire: Amalgamation of Margaret Dane and Hadham Hall Secondary Schools.

  10 April 1987

  Staffordshire: Reorganisation of Secondary Schools in Burntwood.

  30 April 1987

  Shropshire: Closure of Ightfield CE Primary School.

  20 May 1987

  Shropshire: Closure of Acton Burnell CE Primary School

  20 May 1987

  Lancashire: Closure of Preston Talbot RC Primary School.

  8 June 1987

  Oxfordshire: Amalgamation of St. Blaise CE Primary and Milton Heights Primary Schools.

  11 June 1987

  Kent: Closure of Highfield Secondary and amalgamation of Warren Woods Boys and Girls Schools.

  12 June 1987

  Merton: Reorganisation of County, Primary, Middle and Secondary Schools.

  12 June 1987

  Hampshire: Closure of Weyhill CE Primary School.

  19 June 1987

  Dorset: Enlargement of St. Mary's RC Combined School.

  3 July 1987

  Lancashire: Establishment of a new sixth form centre and change of age-range of Blackpool Collegiate and Blackpool Greenlands High Schools.

  17 July 1987

  Hampshire: Amalgamation of Hill and Richard Taunton Sixth Form Colleges

  30 July 1987

  Staffordshire: Rationalisation of Primary Education in Stoke-on-Trent

  30 July 1987

  Staffordshire: Rationalisation of Secondary Schools in Stoke-on-Trent

  30 July 1987

  Somerset: Closure of Chilcompton Infants, Chilcompton Juniors and Stratton-on-the-Fosse CE Primary Schools and establishment of a new CE Primary School.

  7 August 1987

  Wiltshire: Amalgamation of Westmead Infant and Junior Schools.

  7 August 1987

  Hampshire: Change age-range of Purbrook Park County Secondary School.

  24 August 1987

PRIME MINISTER

  Security (Trade Unions)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration has been given to banning trade unions from the Defence Intelligence Service.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards trade union membership in those sections of(a) the Home Office, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) the Foreign and
  18
  Commonwealth Office which deal with security matters or which handle highly classified information; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Apart from members of the Ministry of Defence Police, civil servants in these Departments are free to join trades unions irrespective of whether they deal with security matters or handle classified information.

  Psychological Warfare
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants were trained in psychological warfare in each year from 1972 to 1987 in England, in the United States of America, or in both.

  The Prime Minister
  One civil servant received two weeks' training in England in 1983. Records are not available before 1982.

  Security Services (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister which Minister was responsible for the security services in Northern Ireland(a) from 1974 to 1979 and (b) from 1979 to the current date.

  The Prime Minister
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for all aspects of security policy in Northern Ireland. The position before 1979 is not a matter for me.

  General Sikorski
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received any representations about the repatriation to Poland of the remains of General Sikorski; what reply she has made; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Representations have been received from various quarters both in Britain and in Poland. The Polish Foreign Minister raised with me last December the long-standing desire of the Polish authorities that the remains of General Sikorski be transferred to Poland. I told him that this was a delicate and difficult matter which divided the Polish people, and that the time had not yet come when we could agree to the transfer.

  NHS Review
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Prime Minister if, further to her reply at 1 March,Official Report, column 813, she will list those district health authorities which, as part of the Government's National Health Service review, had told her that they are satisfied with their current level of funding.

  The Prime Minister
  The hon. Gentleman will be aware from press reports and in other ways that many district health authorities have budgeted effectively within the resources allocated to them, and have provided full and comprehensive health care to those needing it. Since the review was announced a large number of submissions have been received dealing with the experiences of many health authorities. It would not, however, be appropriate to publish information which may have been given in confidence.

  War Widows
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government are now in a position to remove the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

  The Prime Minister
  All war widows receive pensions under the war pension scheme administered by the Department of Health and Social Security at the same standard rate regardless of when the husband served or died. Differences in total entitlement arise from changes made in the armed forces occupational pension scheme in 1973. These changes improved the provision made for widows where the husband gave service on or after 31 March 1973 and died from causes attributable to his service. It was recognised at the time that in accordance with normal superannuation practice, and in view of the very great costs which would have been involved, the new provisions could not he applied retrospectively. That position has not changed.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Efficiency Unit Report
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Efficiency Unit report on "Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps".

  Mr. Luce
  I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 18 February. I hope to make a further announcement to the House in due course.

  Training College, Sunningdale
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last visited the Civil Service training college at Sunningdale.

  Mr. Luce
  On 9 November 1987.

  Civil Service Applicants (Background)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is satisfied with the diversity of background of applicants for Civil Service posts; and what guidance he gives the Civil Service Selection Board in this respect.

  Mr. Luce
  Applications for Civil Service posts are welcome from all qualified individuals, irrespective of background. Publicity arrangements are specifically designed to attract as wide a field of candidates as possible.

THE ARTS

  Arts Council
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received regarding the future funding of the Arts Council in the light of recent grant announcements.

  Mr. Luce
  There has been general recognition that three-year funding through the Arts Council offers a firm basis to arts bodies on which to plan their future.

  Incentive Funding
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has received from the Arts Council as to its intended application of moneys set aside for incentive funding.

  Mr. Luce
  My office has discussed with the council the detailed arrangements for its incentive funding scheme. A summary is given in the council's brochure "Better Business for the Arts", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether(a) small and (b) innovative arts organisations will quality for incentive funding under the Arts Council's scheme.

  Mr. Luce
  The Arts Council published "Better Business for the Arts", containing full details of its scheme on 24 February.

  The minimum grant will be £5,000. To qualify for this an organisation will be required to increase its income from outside sources by £10,000 in the third year of a business plan. A major criterion for all incentive funding awards will be the artistic excellence of the programmes; innovation is an important feature.

  National Museum of Popular Music
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will give financial support to establish a national museum of popular music.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will give financial support to establish a national museum of popular music.

  Mr. Luce
  Any initiative in this area might look first to the entertainment industry for financial and practical help.

  Arts and Employment (National Plan)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has had discussions with regional Arts associations on developing a national plan for the arts and employment.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has had discussions with regional Arts associations to develop a national plan for the Arts and employment.

  Mr. Luce
  No, but I meet regional arts associations regularly and see the contribution that they are making. I do not think a national plan is required: the initiatives must arise locally. Some of them are referred to in the inner cities document launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister this morning.

  Heritage Preservation
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what assessment he has made of the extent to which plural funding can aid the preservation of Britain's heritage.

  Mr. Luce
  I expect the heritage to continue to be supported by a mixture of public and private funding. Objects saved with the help of the national heritage memorial fund almost always attract private contributions. In addition, the Government indemnify many privately sponsored exhibitions.
  21
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will conduct an audit of national museums to identify the potential for further regional development.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans to conduct such study.

  "Arts and the Inner City"
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what was the cost of the Office of Arts and Libraries' report entitled "Arts and the Inner City".

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what was the cost of the Office of Arts and Libraries report entitled "Arts and the Inner City".

  Mr. Luce
  £5,900 for research fees, travel and subsistence costs.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what was the cost of the Office of Arts and Libraries' paper "Arts and the Inner City".

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer Friday 4 March 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore) earlier today.

  West Midlands
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has had discussions with the West Midlands Arts Association about the potential for developing employment in the arts in the west midlands.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not had specific discussions with the west midlands arts associations, but I am aware of negotiations between WMAA and various local authorities, including Birmingham city council, Shropshire county council, and Dudley and Wolverhampton borough councils, covering employment initiatives within the field of the arts.

  Arts Projects (Equal Opportunities)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with regional arts associations about the use of funds available for developing equal opportunities policy in implementing arts projects.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with regional arts associations about the use of funds available for developing equal opportunities policies in implementing arts projects.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not discussed this matter with regional arts associations, but the Arts Council has an equal opportunities policy covering employment practices, and an action plan committing 4 per cent. of the council's expenditure to ethnic minority arts within two years. These policies are supported by regional arts associations.

  Touring Companies
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what are the criteria for the distribution by the Arts Council of money set aside for touring companies.

  Mr. Luce
  The criteria for touring companies are similar to those for all arts companies. They take into 22
  account the company's artistic performance and standards, its strategic role and the quality of its management. The Arts Council is making a particular effort to expand regional touring over the next three years and I have made increased funds available for the purpose.

  Financial and Marketing Skills
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what assessment he has made of the financial and marketing skills of arts bodies; and whether the Arts Council is providing advice on these skills.

  Mr. Luce
  In assessing its clients the Arts Council has regard to management ability as well as to artistic excellence. The council's new marketing department has embarked on a full programme of marketing support. I am also giving direct encourgement to marketing and recently announced support for two new measures: a distance learning package and training courses for top management.

  Regional Departmental Staff
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has had discussions with the regional arts associations about the provision of Office of Arts and Libraries officers in the regions.

  Mr. Luce
  I am satisfied with the present arrangements, which provide for consultation whenever necessary between my officials and regional arts associations. There is no requirement for an OAL presence in the regions.

  Arts Council Grants
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what assessments the Arts Council makes of the costs of individual productions by subsidised theatre companies in deciding its level of grant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  In assessing its clients the Arts Council takes full account of their performance, both artistic and managerial.

  Attendance Figures
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on total annual attendance figures at(a) London theatres, (b) provincial theatres, (c) London concerts, (d) provincial concerts, (e) London opera and (f) provincial opera.

  Mr. Luce
  The most recently available and comparable figures (1984) are as follows:

  thousands

  (a)

  10,471

  (b)

  5,557

  (c)

  1,118

  (d)

  1,348

  (e)

  565

  (f)

  474

  The figures at (c) and (d) refer to "symphony concerts".

  British Library
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what are the estimated capital costs of the new British Library at St. Pancras in each year from 1987–88 to 1990–91.

  Mr. Luce
  Provision for the estimated capital costs of the new British Library at St. Pancras for these years is as follows:

  £

  1987–88

  24,500,000

  1988–89

  33,088,000

  1989–90

  41,549,000

  1990–91

  46,159,000

  The figures given are in respect of the construction and resource costs for stage 1A, apart from £500,000 included within the 1988–89 figure, which is earmarked towards the design work for the completion stage.

  The figures are larger than those which I announced on 5 November because they include additional amounts transferred from the British Library's grant-in-aid in respect of savings in rents previously paid by the British Library to the Property Services Agency now reallocated to the project.

  Ethnic Arts
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the Arts Council with regard to the funding of ethnic arts within London and the appointment of black directors to arts bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I discuss funding matters with the chairman and secretary general on a regular basis. Employment practices, the composition of boards of directors, and the application of the council's equal opportunities policies are among the council's criteria for the assessment of its clients.

  Royal Opera House
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to seek powers to enable him to require the Royal Opera House to stage an appropriate proportion of black or ethnic arts.

  Mr. Luce
  No. It would be inappropriate for me to intervene in the artistic programmes of the Opera House, or any other funded theatre.

  Arts Council Minority Arts Unit
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the budget for the Arts Council minority arts unit in 1986–87 and 1987–88; and what is the proposed budget for 1988–89.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 4 March 1988]: The council had no separate budget for a minority arts unit in 1986–87. For the two succeeding years, budgets for the unit, including a grant to the minority arts advisory service, in figures are:

  £ thousand

  1987–88

  50·5

  11988–89

  65·0

  1 Projected.

ENERGY

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what new steps he is taking to promote increased activity by oil companies in the North sea.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The licensing and fiscal arrangements for companies wishing to develop the resources of the United Kingdom continental shelf have encouraged a very high level of activity in recent years. Whilst activity fell as a result of the oil price collapse in 1986, it has since recovered strongly, which is further evidence of the success of the Government's approach to the North sea.

  Oil-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the conversion of oil-fired power stations to coal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB keeps the possibility of conversion from oil to coal-fired power stations under constant review. I understand that the board has concluded that such conversion would be uneconomic at present.

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has now decided whether to produce a White Paper on privatisation of the electricity industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if will make a further statement on progress in preparing plans to privatise the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he is considering for the control of the national grid after privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress he has made regarding the proposed publication of a White Paper on electricity privatisation.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer the hon. Members to my statement to the House of 25 February 1988.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the privatisation of the electricity supply industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet Lord Marshall frequently. I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House of 25 February 1988.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to meet hon. Members to discuss various aspects of the Government's electricity privatisa-tion proposals.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I am always ready to discuss electricity privatisation with hon. Members. I refer my hon. Friend to my statement to the House of 25 February 1988.
  25
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received with regard to the extent of non-United Kingdom ownership of the electricity industry in the event of its being privatised.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have received a large number of representations on many aspects of electricity privatisation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what cost savings have been achieved in the electricity industry since 1979; and what are the cost saving targets for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Operating costs of electricity supply per unit sold fell in real terms by 10·3 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1986–87. The present performance aim is a reduction of 6·1 per cent. in controllable costs between 1983–84 and 1987–88. The performance aim for the next two financial years is under discussion.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the implications for his decision on the future structure of the electricity supply industry of the role played by the integrated grid system in maintaining power supplies following the lightning strike on the Sundon substation in May 1986, which resulted in the tripping of seven supergrid circuits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government recognise that national grid control must continue to direct the use of power stations to ensure that secure supplies are maintained. The future structure of the electricity supply industry provides for this. Nothing in the Government's proposals would affect the ability of the grid to deal with a similar incident to that at Sundon.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry on the rate of return required by the electricity industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) today.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman or representatives of British Coal concerning privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Independent Oil Sector
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to review policy towards the United Kingdom independent oil sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Government's policy has been and continues to be to provide opportunities for active participation by independents in offshore and onshore exploration and development.

  Oil Demand
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the projected level of demand for oil in the 26
  United Kingdom over the next three years; and what proportion of this will be met by output from the United Kingdom's own fields.

  Mr. Parkinson
  In 1987 the level of oil demand in the United Kingdom was 75 million tonnes. Over the next three years, we do not expect the level of demand to be very different. At this level, last year's production was 64 per cent. higher than self-sufficiency. On current estimates of future oil production, the United Kingdom is likely to remain self-sufficient well into the 1990s.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss productivity.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss working practices in the coal mining industry.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I regularly have meetings with the chairman to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much public funding support is being provided for British Coal in the current year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) earlier today.

  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the improvement in productivity in the coal industry since March 1985.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the improvement in productivity in the coal industry since March 1985.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Productivity in 1984–85 was, of course, affected by the miners strike. Deep-mined revenue output per man shift for the week ended 20 February was 3·52 tonnes, an increase of some 67 per cent. on the average of 2·11 tonnes for April 1985.

  Opencast Mining
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many tonnes of opencast coal were produced by licensed operators in the last financial year.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many tonnes of opencast coal were produced by licensed operators in the last financial year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am advised by British Coal that output of licensed opencast coal during 1986–87 was 1·8 million tonnes.

  Power stations (Scottish Coal)
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the amount of coal from Scottish miners burnt in power stations from 1979 to the latest date for which figures are available.
  27
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Coal consumed in SSEB power stations from Scottish mines from 1979 has been as follows:

  Year

  Million tonnes

  1979–80

  7·58

  1980–81

  7·28

  1981–82

  7·55

  1982–83

  4·65

  1983–84

  4·64

  1984–85

  2·39

  1985–86

  6·25

  1986–87

  4·50

  19871

  4·45

  1April to December.

  Figures for Scottish coal burn in other United Kingdom power stations, and abroad, are not readily available.

  Energy Supplies (Wales)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to visit Wales to discuss future investment in energy supplies.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Government's approach to energy policy is a national one. I am satisfied that the energy needs of Wales are being fully met.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give his Department's current estimates of the cost of wasted energy as a result of the poor standard of insulation in domestic housing in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Energy waste due to inadequate insulation in the housing sector is estimated at around £1 billion per year. it is in all our interests to minimise this waste. The Government, through the community insulation projects and the homes insulation scheme, are enabling over 300,000 households to be insulated annually. I hope that householders, local authorities, housing associations and building professionals will also continue to take advantage of my Energy Efficiency Office's information and advice service.

  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received on his Policy on energy efficiency in buildings.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I receive a regular flow of representations from those who occupy, own or manage buildings, from the energy efficiency and heating industries, and from building professionals.

  Nuclear Power
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what further proposals he has for the development of nuclear power.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 17 December 1987, at columns 6 9–40, and to the statement I made to the House on 25 February 1988.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the maximum velocity of impact that flasks carrying plutonium from Sellafield to Japan will withstand.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  British Nuclear Fuels plc is developing and testing a suitable container for transport-ing plutonium by air from Sellafield to Japan. The container will meet the most stringent international standards.

  CEGB Chaplains
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the Central Electricity Generating Board chaplains; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No such meetings have taken place.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has met the Confederation of British Industry on the subject of electricity pricing.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott).

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what further representations he has received from industrial consumers about electricity prices.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have received a number of representations from industrial consumers.

  Nuclear Safety
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will raise the recent Health and Safety Commission report on "The Tolerability of Risk from Nuclear Power Stations" at his next meeting with the commission.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The HSC will be considering the HSE paper, along with any comments received by 6 May 1988.

  Joint European Torus
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of the Joint European Torus.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The JET joint undertaking was originally established for a duration of 12 years beginning on 1 June 1978. Some of the scientific problems which JET was designed to explore are taking longer to solve than was originally hoped. To enable JET to complete its original objectives, an extension to the end of 1992 is currently under consideration in Brussels along with a proposed new community programme and R and D in the field of thermonuclear fusion.

  Energy Prices and Consumption
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he plans to review his policies on energy pricing and consumption, in the light of the March
  29
  Consultation Group report on energy consumption patterns in the north-west, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I welcome this study in so far as it shows the enormous scope for improved energy efficiency in the north-west and in the country as a whole. The Energy Efficiency Office will continue to pursue sound policies to help consumers benefit from this potential. For this it is essential that energy prices should be determined within a competitive environment.

  Offshore Fabrication Contracts
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to change the criteria employed by the Offshore Supplies Office in assessing the percentage of United Kingdom content in oil and oil-related fabrication and construction contracts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No

  Energy-Saving Measures
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received about energy saving; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have received numerous recent representations on energy saving, many of which have been in the context of the work currently being undertaken on the future development of the Energy Efficiency Office's programmes.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many members of staff within his Department are located within each region outside of London; what percentage this constitutes of staff within his Department; and what were the comparable figures in absolute and percentage terms in 1979.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The table below shows regions where 10 or more staff are currently located; there are also 28 staff in nine other regions. Comparable figures for 1979 are not available except for Strathclyde and East Midlands.

  1988

  1979

  Number

  percentage

  Number

  percentage

  Strathclyde

  74

  7

  110

  9

  East Midlands

  43

  4

  56

  4

  Grampian

  21

  2

  —

  —

  North-West

  21

  2

  —

  —

  Private Opencast Mining
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy who polices the tonnage of coal taken from opencast sites in the private sector.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Compliance with the licensing arrangements for private opencast mining operations is a matter for British Coal.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many subject access requests under the terms of the 30
  Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of this number; whether he is reconsidering the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department anticipates very few subject access requests and none has so far been received.

  I have no plans to reconsider the subject access fee set out in my reply of 29 October 1987, at column 375, to the hon. Member.

  Bulk Consumers (Efficiency)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evidence he has as to increased fuel efficiency on the part of bulk consumers; how this compares with the practice of other consumers, domestic and industrial; and what plans he has to encourage further such efficiency.

  Mr. Parkinson
  During the period 1979 to 1984 energy purchased per unit of production fell over 35 per cent. in the paper industry, 40 per cent. to 65 per cent. in basic chemicals, and over 70 per cent. in the aluminium industry. The figure for manufacturing industry as a whole was 25 per cent.

  No comparable figures exist for the domestic sector but, for example, about 90 per cent. of homes with lofts which can be insulated have been insulated.

  Building on this success, I have asked the Energy Efficiency Office to target its work on the economically most attractive areas, and to examine how the contribution of those who benefit from its industrial and commercial programmes can be increased.

  Opencast Executive
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to what percentage of(a) the profits and (b) the income of the Opencast Executive in South Wales was spent on site restoration in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will publish what information he has regarding the proportion of electricity generation in each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members states which are currently met by(a) nuclear, (b) coal-fired, (c) oil fired, (d) hydro and (e) other power stations;

  (2) if he will publish what information he has regarding the proportion of electricity generation in each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member states which are expected to be met in 1988 by (a) nuclear, (b) coal-fired, (c) oil fired, (d) hydro and (e) other power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The proportion of total electricity production by OECD member states estimated by the IEA for the years closest to those required by the hon. Members is as follows:
  31

  1986

  1990

  TWh

  Per cent.

  TWh

  Per cent.

  Coal

  2,424·5

  40

  2,707·9

  40

  Oil

  523·8

  9

  509·1

  8

  Gas

  521·9

  9

  611·9

  9

  Nuclear

  1,319·7

  23

  1,598·8

  24

  Hydro/Geothermal

  1,167·7

  19

  1,303·2

  19

  Other

  22·4

  0

  37·0

  0

  Total

  5,980·0

  100

  6,767·9

  100

  The IEA publication "Coal Information 1987", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House, provides detailed information for each member state.

  Department of Energy Programme Expenditure

  £million Cash1

  £million 1986–87 Prices1

  Year

  Fast Reactor

  Fusion2

  Thermal Reactor

  Radioactive Waste Management3

  Fast Reactor

  Fusion2

  Thermal Reactor

  Radioactive Waste Management3

  1975–76

  49·1

  5·7

  12·8

  —

  136·3

  15·8

  35·5

  —

  1976–77

  53·2

  6·7

  15·3

  —

  130·5

  16·4

  37·5

  —

  1977–78

  60·3

  7·3

  20·8

  6·4

  129·9

  15·7

  44·8

  13·8

  1978–79

  77·9

  10·9

  17·0

  3·8

  151·6

  21·2

  33·1

  7·4

  1979–80

  76·4

  13·0

  17·2

  5·8

  127·2

  21·6

  28·6

  9·7

  1980–81

  90·8

  14·8

  22·8

  5·3

  127·5

  20·8

  32·0

  7·4

  1981–82

  98·2

  22·5

  35·7

  13·0

  125·6

  28·8

  45·7

  16·6

  1982–83

  96·4

  21·6

  36·0

  8·4

  115·0

  25·8

  42·9

  10·0

  1983–84

  114·9

  22·1

  30·5

  8·9

  131·0

  25·2

  34·8

  10·1

  1984–85

  102·5

  25·6

  25·6

  9·8

  112·0

  28·0

  28·0

  10·7

  1985–86

  102·0

  21·1

  29·1

  14·4

  105·1

  21·7

  30·0

  14·8

  1986–87

  99·4

  18·9

  15·6

  14·0

  99·4

  18·9

  15·6

  14·0

  1987–884

  75·8

  20·8

  16·7

  22·1

  72·7

  20·0

  16·0

  21·2

  1 Department of Energy expenditure through the UKAEA.

  2 The figures also include the contribution to the JET project, where appropriate.

  3 Figures for 1975–76 and 1976–77 are not readily available.

  4 Estimate.

  £ million cash

  £ million 1986–87 prices

  Year

  Renewables

  Energy Efficiency

  Renewables

  Energy Efficiency

  1975–76

  0·5

  —

  1·4

  —

  1976–771

  1·0

  0·3

  2·5

  0·7

  1977–781

  2·5

  1·2

  5·4

  2·6

  1978–791

  3·6

  2·1

  7·0

  4·1

  1979–801

  8·2

  0·3

  13·6

  0·7

  1980–81

  11·3

  5·1

  15·9

  7·2

  1981–82

  17·3

  9·8

  22·1

  12·5

  1982–83

  14·7

  14·6

  17·5

  17·4

  1983–84

  11·7

  12·4

  13·3

  14·1

  1984–85

  14·9

  18·1

  16·3

  19·8

  1985–86

  13·2

  27·9

  13·6

  28·7

  1986–87

  12·0

  24·5

  12·0

  24·5

  1987–882

  13·7

  24·5

  13·1

  23·5

  1 Energy efficiency expenditure shown for 1976–77 to 1979–80 is for publicity only: separate figures for energy efficiency R & D in these years are not available.

  2 Provision.

  Central Electricity Generating Board
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet Lord Marshall frequently, and we discuss a range of matters.

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of Monday 15 February,Official Report, columns 516–18, if he will specify the funding provided in each of the table columns by year for (a) fast breeder reactor research, (b) fusion research, (c) thermal reactor research, (d) radioactive waste management, (e) renewable sources of energy and (f) energy efficiency.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The following table gives my Department's programme expenditure in the areas requested from the financial year 1975–76. Figures for the breakdown of the nuclear programme before 1975 –76 are not readily available; and the renewables and energy efficiency programmes did not begin until that year.

  Sellafield (Discharges)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, aside from quantities discharged to the sea or atmosphere, the forms of(a) refined uranium, (b) refined plutonium, (c) intermediate uranium

  33
  contaminated waste and (d) intermediate plutonium waste that leave British Nuclear Fuels plc, Sellafield, under full Euratom safeguards.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 5 February 1988]: All material leaving Sellafield which is destined for civil use is under safeguards and is in the form of oxides.

  Power Stations (Emissions)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much limestone will be required per annum for the flue gas desulphurisation equipment presently being installed on coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB plans to install flue gas desulphurisation equipment on 6,000 MW of existing coal-fired generating plant over the period 1988 to 1997.

  Each 2,000 MW coal-fired power station using FGD equipment would use about 300,000 tonnes of limestone per year when operating at high load factors. This represents about 0 ·3 per cent. of annual United Kingdom limestone production.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions from(a) Central Electricity Generating Board power stations and (b) privately owned power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  All new coal-fired power stations operated by both the public and private sector will be fitted with FGD equipment to the requirements of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution. In addition, the CEGB plans to retrofit 6,000 MW of existing generating capacity over the period 1988 to 1997.

  Electricity Supplies
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the ratio of electricity provided from(a) coal, (b) oil, (c) nuclear and (d) other sources; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The amount of electricity provided by the Central Electricity Generating Board in the financial year 1986 –87 amounted to 238 TWh. Of this, 75 per cent. was generated by coal-fired power stations, 16 per cent. from nuclear, 5 per cent. oil and 4 per cent. from other sources.

EMPLOYMENT

  Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an account of the history, staffing and activities of the Manpower Services Commission's docklands liaison group.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The London docklands liaison group involving officials of the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission was established in June 1987.

  The docklands liaison group provides a focal point for the consideration of employment and training issues related to the development of the London docklands.

  Urban Development Corporation
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Manpower Services Commission will submit the evidence requested by the Employment Committee for its inquiry into urban development corporations particularly in relation to the Manpower Services Commission's docklands liaison group; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Evidence from the Manpower Services Commission for the Select Committee into urban development corporations and the London docklands liaison group was sent to the Committee on 3 March 1988.

  Officials of the Manpower Services Commission are scheduled to give evidence to the Select Committee on 9 March 1988.

  Community Programme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of community programme projects and places, by type of project and type of sponsor, at the most recent available date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher),Official Report, Wednesday 9 December at columns 183 –86.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the take-up and progress of the enterprise allowance scheme in Waveney.

  Mr. Cope
  Information Js not available in the form requested. Since its national launch in August 1983, the enterprise allowance scheme has helped over 7,500 people to start their own business throughout Norfolk and Suffolk, including Waveney. Almost 2,400 people are currently receiving the allowance in these areas.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the location and status of all buildings within his Department located in London and the annual cost of rents, rates and maintenance of each.

  Mr. Lee
  The Department of Employment Group, including the Advisory, Conciliation Arbitration Service, the Health and Safety Executive and the Manpower Services Commission, occupies accommodation in 224 locations in the London area ranging from its main headquarters building, Caxton house, Tothill street, London, SW1, down to small jobcentres and unemploy-ment benefit offices. Civil accommodation for Government Departments is held in the name of the Secretary of State for the Environment and managed by PSA. Property for the Manpower Services Commission is in part held in its own name and the HSE holds the lease for its headquarters at Baynards house, London, W2. Some properties are held freehold; the rents of leasehold buildings are determined on a strictly commercial, and therefore confidential, basis. The total annual rent, including services charges paid to landlords for DE Group occupied properties in London in 1986 –87, the last
  35
  complete year for which figures are available, was £17 million. Comparable figures for rate payments, and maintenance charges paid to PSA for those properties managed by them, are £8·2 million and £1 ·9 million respectively.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the 10 latest categories of

  Numbers and Percentage of Employees in Employment1 in the Ten Industry Classes with the Largest Numbers of Employees in Swindon Travel To Work Area

  Classes of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980

  September 1981

  September 1984

  Number (thousands)

  Percentage

  Number(thousands)

  Percentage

  32

  Mechanical engineering

  3·3

  4·0

  34

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  3·9

  4·7

  5·1

  5·8

  35/36

  Manufacturing of motor vehicles and other transport equipment

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  50

  Construction

  4·7

  5·8

  4·3

  5·0

  61

  Wholesale distribution

  6·7

  8·2

  6·6

  7·7

  64

  Retail distribution

  8·9

  10·9

  10·5

  12·1

  66

  Hotels and catering

  3·4

  4·2

  3·2

  3·7

  83

  Business services

  4·1

  4·7

  91

  Public administration and defence

  3·3

  4·0

  3·6

  4·2

  93

  Education

  6·2

  7·6

  6·1

  7·0

  95

  Medical, other health and veterinary services

  4·8

  5·9

  4·2

  4·8

  1 The figures exclude the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's Forces.

  2 Figures for these industries cannot be given without disclosing confidential information relating to individual firms.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people unemployed in Houghton and Washington who are(a) 18 to 21 years of age, (b) 22 to 25 years of age, (c) 26 to 30 years of age, (d) 31 to 35 years of age and (e) over 36 years of age; and what percentage of each group this represents.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not available in the exact age bands requested, but the following table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the Houghton and Washington parliamentary constituency on 14 January 1988, for the age bands which most closely correspond with those requested. Unemployment rates by age are not calculated below national level.

  Houghton and Washington Constituency—14 January 1988

  Age

  unemployed claimants

  18–19 years

  642

  20–24 years

  1,339

  25–29 years

  1,003

  30–34 years

  867

  35 years and over

  3,065

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Houghton and Washington have been unemployed for longer than a year; and what percentage of the working force this total represents.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. On 14 January 1988 the numbers of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in the Houghton and Washington parliamentary constituency was 3,142. The smallest areas for which unemployment rates are available are travel-to-work areas.
  36
  employment in the Swindon jobcentre area in 1976, 1981 and 1986; how many were employed in each category; and what percentage of the work force these represent.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information on a comparable basis is given in the table. The figures are taken from the censuses of employment and relate to the Swindon travel-to-work area, as defined in 1984. Conparable jobcentre area information for 1981 and 1984 and travel-to-work area information for years prior to 1981 is not available.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the rate of male unemployment among(a) black and (b) white people in Brixton, Tottenham, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Information on unemployment by ethnic group is available only at regional, metropolitan county and national level.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many awards were made against claimants for frivolous or vexatious cases at industrial tribunals in each year since 1982; and what was the average value of these claims.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Details of all cases in which costs were awarded are readily available only for the last two years. There were 287 such cases in the 12 months to 31 March 1986 with a median award of £92. The corresponding figures for the 12 months to 31 March 1987 were 294 and £285, respectively. A breakdown between applicants and respondents is not readily available but in practice the vast majority of cost awards are against applicants.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning the effectiveness of pre-hearing assessments in industrial tribunals.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I am aware that criticisms have been made of the pre-hearing assessment procedure, most recently by Justice in its report on industrial tribunals. I am considering these criticisms in conjunction with the presidents of the industrial tribunals.
  37
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of applications to industrial tribunals in each of the last three years for which figures are available have been subject to a pre-hearing

  12 months ending

  Proportion of applications subject to pre-hearing assessment Per cent.

  Number of costs warnings issued

  Number of applications withdrawn or settled after costs warning

  31 December 1984

  9·4

  1,266

  1,004

  31 March 1986

  3·7

  672

  640

  31 March 1987

  3·9

  517

  500

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many awards of costs have been made by industrial tribunals during the most recent three years for which figures are available in respect of unfair dismissal cases; how they have been divided between awards against applicants and awards against respon-dents; and of all such awards how many did not follow a warning as to costs in a pre-hearing assessment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information on the number of cost awards in cases of unfair dismissal is readily available only for the two years ending 31 March 1987. The numbers are as follows:

  12 months ending 31 March 1986:

  185

  12 months ending 31 March 1987:

  229

  I regret that the remaining information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Unfair Dismissal
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average size of awards of compensation for all unfair dismissals made is each of the last three years for which records are available; and what is the average for awards against companies employing fewer than 20 people.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The median award of compensation for unfair dismissal cases was:

  12 months ending 31 December 1984:

  £1,345

  12 months ending 31 March 1986:

  £1,674

  12 months ending 31 March 1987:

  £1,805

  I regret that information on awards against companies with fewer than 20 employees is not available.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for unfair dismissal have been made in each of the last three years for which records are available; and how many relate to companies employing fewer than 20 employees.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of unfair dismissal applications registered was:

  12 months ending

  Number

  31 December 1984

  28,052

  31 March 1986

  27,632

  31 March 1987

  29,392

  I regret that information on the number of complaints relating to companies with fewer than 20 employees is not available.
  38
  assessment; in how many of such cases a warning as to costs was issued; and following such warning how many applications were withdrawn.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is as follows:

  Inner Cities
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to strengthen schools-industry links in inner city areas.

  Mr. Fowler
  I propose to deploy the resources of the Department of Employment Group to encourage the development and implementation of 12 employer-school compacts within inner city target areas. The basic aim of these compacts will be for employers to guarantee a job with training to young people from inner city schools who meet agreed standards of achievement and motivation, and for this to be set down in an agreement between employers and schools. In return, schools will commit themselves to bringing then pupils up towards these agreed standards.

  I have asked the Manpower Services Commission to give financial and organisational support to the 12 compacts for their first four years and I am setting aside £3 million a year for the next four years for this purpose. The scheme will be operated in full co-operation with the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to strengthen training and improve job prospects for inner city residents.

  Mr. Fowler
  My Department already spends over £l 1 billion in inner cities target areas providing unemployed people with skills, helping them find jobs and encouraging small businesses which are a prime source of new jobs. In intend to build on this work to focus our support on those who most need help. In particular, the following new initiatives are being introduced.

  More than 100 specialist staff will work in local communities giving information and advice about the Government's training programmes, building on the help already being provided through 500 jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices.

  People living in inner cities will be given more immediate access to information on jobs arid training programmes, for example in community centres or libraries, in some cases using new technology.

  Training in literacy, numeracy and English as a second language will be included in the Government's new training for employment programme. Special restart assessment courses will be set up for people lacking these basic skills.
  39
  A campaign to recruit more employers as training providers, particularly for the new programme, will be mounted.

  The Manpower Services Commission will encourage employers to provide more training places and collaborate in planning inner city training programmes.

  Small Businesses (Inner Cities)
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage small businesses in the inner cities.

  Mr. Fowler
  Small businesses make a central contribution to the development of inner city areas and to the generation of new jobs. My Department already provides substantial support to encourage self-employment and to help small businesses to start up, prosper and grow.

  I am now introducing new measures to extend our support within the inner city target areas.

  Six additional inner city offices manned by the small firms service are to be set up, improving access to
  40
  business advice and counselling. Specialist counsellors will be appointed, to work in the local small business community, particularly with ethnic minority businesses.

  A new fund of £600,000 per annum has been established, to be used to match private sector contributions to local enterprise agencies' projects specially designed to help inner city firms.

  More encouragement, better training and advice for would-be entrepreneurs will be offered through more "enterprise days" in inner city jobcentres and a new training enterprise allowance scheme.

  The flow of finance to inner city business will be encouraged by increasing the guarantee to banks for the loans they make to small businesses under the Government's loan guarantee scheme. This will be raised from 70 per cent. to 85 per cent. in the 16 inner city task force areas.

  Greater emphasis on the option of self-employment will be included in YTS and the new training for employment programme.

  Special Aids
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the special aids to employment scheme will be available on the new adult training scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Yes. The special aids to employment scheme will be available on the new adult training programme. This was one of the recommendations included in the Manpower Services Commission's report and we have accepted its report in full.

  Bridging Allowance
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what basis the proposed bridging allowance was calculated for young people at £15 per week; and whether he has any plans to increase the amount to the same rate as that payable under income support.

  Mr. Cope
  The proposed YTS bridging allowance has been set at £15 per week in order to provide short-term help for young people who have to wait for a few weeks for a YTS place after leaving a job or a previous YTS place. The allowance will be paid for a maximum of eight weeks, during which time the offer of a YTS place will be made. The allowance is more than twice the level of child benefit.

  The allowance is not a form of income support, nor is it intended to support young people in any way over a long period of time. We shall, of course, keep the level of the allowance under review.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether a young person discharged from a YTS place through no fault of her or his own will be entitled to a bridging allowance under the Employment Bill 1988 of more than eight weeks if they had completed 18 months of a YTS placement and still had six months before their 18th birthday and were unable to obtain another suitable YTS place.

  Mr. Cope
  The YTS bridging allowance will be limited to a maximum period of eight weeks in any year for all young people except registered disabled people.

  All young people under 18 are guaranteed a place on YTS. This includes young people who have left a previous YTS place. The current rules preventing those with limited YTS entitlement from re-entering YTS will be changed to ensure that they can re-enter YTS and complete their training right up to their 18th birthday.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that bridging allowance for young people under the Employment Bill 1988 will be paid immediately their parents cease receiving child benefit.

  Mr. Cope
  No. The child benefit and YTS bridging allowance payments are designed for different groups of young people and are not intended to run consecutively. The new YTS bridging allowance is for young people who are already in the labour market who apply for YTS after having left or lost a job or previous YTS place.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether bridging allowance, under the 42
  Employment Bill 1988, will be paid for more than eight weeks if a suitable YTS place cannot be found for a young unemployed person.

  Mr. Cope
  From September 1988 all young people under 18 years of age will be guaranteed a YTS place before their child benefit entitlement or YTS bridging allowance runs out.

  We have guaranteed that a suitable YTS place will be found for all young people under 18 including those who are disabled who want one before these payments run out.

  Special arrangements will be made for young registered disabled people, who may require special training facilities, to receive the YTS bridging allowance for longer than eight weeks if this proves necessary.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether a young person in receipt of bridging allowance under the Employment Bill 1988 will be penalised if she or he refuses an unsuitable YTS place.

  Mr. Cope
  There will be no change to the present arrangements for placing young people on to suitable YTS schemes.

  The new bridging allowance is for young people looking for a YTS place after leaving or losing a job or previous YTS place. If young people in this position refuse suitable YTS places consideration will be given to whether the bridging allowance should be suspended.

  YTS (Houghton and Washington)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently on YTS schemes in Houghton and Washington; and if he will provide a table delineating 1 he totals from 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Cope
  The YTS programme began in 1983. The following table gives numbers on schemes in Houghton and Washington at 31 January for the past four years. Earlier data are not available.

  Number

  31 January 1985

  504

  31 January 1986

  484

  31 January 1987

  828

  31 January 1988

  829

  Jobcentres (Advertisements)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instruct jobcentres to accept job vacancy advertisements only in those cases, where jobs are advertised at legal minimum rates set by wages councils, where details of the job are given and where hours to be worked are clearly stated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Jobcentres have existing instructions that, where vacancies are notified for occupations affected by wages orders, rates must be riot less that those specified.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will prepare standard job vacancy advertisements, reflecting good practice in terms of offering legal rates of pay, details of work to be undertaken and hours to be worked, for display in jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.
  43
  Mr. Lee
  Vacancies for display in jobcentres are recorded in a standard format. I am satisfied with existing arrangements.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Hospital Charges
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what sums were collected by each health authority from non-United Kingdom residents for hospital charges in 1985–86 and 1986–87; and what is the estimated net sum after deduction of costs of administration.

  Mrs. Currie
  The table shows the income under section 121 of the National Health Service Act 1977 recorded in the annual accounts of health authorities for 1985–86 and 1986–87. This income is shown net of any sums written off in the relevant year, including those due from earlier years; in some cases the result is a negative figure (figures shown in brackets in table). Such figures represent adjustments to the accrued income reported in prior years and not actual outflows of funds.

  No deduction has been made for the cost of administration. The Department has no specific overall information on the administrative costs of collecting section 121 income which will vary from authority to authority.

  The table does not include income received under sections 65 and 66 of the Act from overseas residents treated as private patients.

  Income from overseas visitors (under section 121 of the National Health Service Act 1977)

  District health authorities

  1986–87

  1985–86

  £

  £

  Northern Region

  Hartlepool

  26

  —

  North Tees

  —

  —

  South Tees

  7,181

  8,749

  East Cumbria

  4,796

  5,023

  South Cumbria

  4,213

  10,209

  West Cumbria

  844

  1,002

  Darlington

  5,688

  1,580

  Durham

  1,196

  5,128

  North West Durham

  (83)

  1,112

  South West Durham

  (250)

  1,537

  Northumberland

  805

  7,688

  Gateshead

  2,088

  1,480

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  54,854

  65,748

  North Tyneside

  3,730

  1,847

  South Tyneside

  1,247

  345

  Sunderland

  533

  1,667

  Total

  86,868

  113,115

  Yorkshire region

  Hull

  979

  3,771

  East Yorks

  710

  495

  Grimsby

  2,720

  4,935

  Scunthorpe

  (152)

  386

  Northallerton

  2,512

  386

  York

  3,700

  31,271

  Scarborough

  (88)

  2,532

  Harrogate

  2,054

  6,619

  Bradford

  18,552

  7,098

  Airedale

  1,618

  3,874

  Calderdale

  1,657

  12

  Huddersfield

  5,120

  592

  Dewsbury

  13

  387

  Leeds Western

  25,407

  9,361

  Leeds Eastern

  22,383

  16,153

  44

  District health authorities

  1986–87

  1985–86

  £

  £

  Wakefield

  11,874

  993

  Pontefract

  —

  4,033

  Total

  99,059

  92,898

  Trent region

  North Derbyshire

  872

  2,802

  South Derbyshire

  6,312

  2,158

  Leicestershire

  19,606

  20,959

  North Lincolnshire

  —

  275

  South Lincolnshire

  1,460

  1,614

  Bassetlaw

  2,834

  411

  Central Nottinghamshire

  2,012

  918

  Nottingham

  10,942

  15,194

  Barnsley

  1,998

  —

  Doncaster

  85

  (1,391)

  Rotherham

  1,510

  1,503

  Sheffield

  41,134

  40,673

  Total

  88,765

  85,116

  East Anglian Region

  Cambridge

  51,919

  48,132

  Peterborough

  929

  1,557

  West Suffolk

  1,536

  6,562

  East Suffolk

  4,513

  (1,154)

  Norwich

  9,424

  7,988

  Great Yarmouth

  9,454

  282

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  212

  712

  Huntingdon

  3,694

  3,972

  Total

  81,681

  68,051

  North West Thames Region

  North Bedfordshire

  5,455

  5,753

  South Bedfordshire

  7,362

  12,842

  North Hertfordshire

  5,673

  3,601

  East Hertfordshire

  1,583

  1,081

  North West Hertfordshire

  156

  8,918

  South West Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  Barnet

  2,980

  21,322

  Harrow

  3,873

  6,643

  Hillingdon

  53,656

  24,902

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  9,978

  21,436

  Ealing

  1,349

  6,142

  Brent

  6,677

  22,044

  Paddington

  150,949

  199,717

  Riverside

  203,997

  180,914

  Total

  453,688

  515,315

  North East Thames Region

  Basildon and Thurrock

  5,090

  4,736

  Mid Essex

  373

  12,650

  North East Essex

  1,987

  2,861

  West Essex

  1,052

  9,298

  Southend

  1,690

  4,726

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  1,435

  3,427

  Hampstead

  33,721

  73,755

  Bloomsbury

  45,778

  150,170

  Islington

  6,192

  9,020

  City and Hackney

  779

  13,088

  Newham

  (606)

  3,692

  Tower Hamlets

  12,283

  9,318

  Enfield

  626

  2,978

  Haringey

  9,190

  6,510

  Redbridge

  (3,691)

  6,684

  Waltham Forest

  4,494

  5,399

  Total

  120,393

  318,312

  South East Thames Region

  Brighton

  (2,255)

  33,437

  Eastbourne

  3,935

  4,987

  Hastings

  889

  4,701

  South East Kent

  9,177

  14,785

  45

  District health authorities

  1986–87 £

  1985–86 £

  Canterbury and Thanet

  6,688

  12,153

  Dartford and Gravesham

  864

  1,596

  Maidstone

  503

  779

  Medway

  5,431

  5,369

  Tunbridge Wells

  3,767

  5,530

  Bexley

  5,583

  (458)

  Greenwich

  16,701

  14,261

  Bromley

  1,625

  5,008

  West Lambeth

  29,418

  32,307

  Camberwell

  65,302

  (2,802)

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  47,894

  32,179

  Total

  195,522

  163,832

  South West Thames Region

  North West Surrey

  5,471

  125

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  —

  14,175

  South West Surrey

  15,057

  11,973

  Mid Surrey

  5,093

  32

  East Surrey

  37,958

  19,155

  Chichester

  1,904

  5,833

  Mid Downs

  6,773

  18,163

  Worthing

  3,698

  5,739

  Croydon

  6,969

  4,363

  Kingston and Esher

  5,503

  7,473

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  8,634

  22,016

  Wandsworth

  52,604

  36,260

  Merton and Sutton

  4,118

  2,207

  Total

  153,782

  147,514

  Wessex Region

  East Dorset

  19,215

  31,948

  West Dorset

  4,412

  3,143

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  4,411

  6,015

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  8,007

  15,719

  Winchester

  4,317

  2,173

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  2,760

  754

  Salisbury

  6,122

  25,143

  Swindon

  6,659

  4,798

  Bath

  3,845

  1,077

  Isle of Wight

  —

  —

  Total

  59,748

  90,770

  Oxford Region

  East Berkshire

  16,699

  10,599

  West Berkshire

  1,356

  5,764

  Aylesbury

  1,571

  17,508

  Wycombe

  5,688

  4,105

  Milton Keynes

  360

  125

  Kettering

  3,002

  2,231

  Northampton

  2,085

  2,312

  Oxford

  20,812

  64,330

  Total

  51,573

  106,974

  South Western Region

  Bristol and Weston

  10,528

  11,962

  Frenchay

  6,173

  6,905

  Southmead

  4,564

  3,573

  Cornwall

  2,188

  7,180

  Exeter

  29,085

  3,516

  North Devon

  652

  1,480

  Plymouth

  7,384

  11,339

  Torbay

  7,756

  18,546

  Cheltenham

  5,595

  8,617

  Gloucester

  372

  664

  Somerset

  5,394

  7,599

  Total

  79,691

  81,381

  46

  District health authorities

  1986–87

  1985–86

  £

  £

  West Midlands Region

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  1,107

  230

  Hereford

  —

  2,662

  Kidderminster

  3,823

  800

  Worcester

  3,240

  7,866

  Shropshire

  3,587

  4,516

  Mid Staffordshire

  810

  —

  North Staffordshire

  2,728

  1,799

  South East Staffordshire

  399

  2,079

  Rugby

  476

  1,503

  North Warwickshire

  1,130

  —

  South Warwickshire

  6,809

  10,340

  Central Birmingham

  30,277

  38,610

  East Birmingham

  13,306

  5,557

  North Birmingam

  3,148

  9,754

  South Birmingham

  (15,825)

  41,002

  West Birmingham

  17,978

  25,150

  Coventry

  19,870

  17,279

  Dudley

  14,335

  5,261

  Sandwell

  4,710

  12,487

  Solihull

  17,652

  3,298

  Walsall

  6,539

  9,348

  Wolverhampton

  7,864

  7,477

  Total

  143,963

  207,018

  Mersey Region

  Chester

  16,845

  6,698

  Crewe

  1,450

  15,170

  Halton

  142

  51

  Macclesfield

  —

  —

  Warrington

  675

  1,590

  Liverpool

  7,100

  16,800

  St. Helens and Knowlsey

  1,976

  50

  Southport and Formby

  5,623

  8,496

  South Sefton

  12,629

  16,164

  Wirral

  2,909

  2,790

  Total

  49,349

  67,809

  North Western Region

  Lancaster

  2,045

  3,809

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  3,418

  2,037

  Preston

  11,887

  5,048

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  6,911

  1,831

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  5,773

  4,648

  West Lancashire

  1,084

  1,156

  Chorley and South Ribble

  —

  343

  Bolton

  49

  512

  Bury

  (411)

  832

  North Manchester

  13,268

  1,616

  Central Manchester

  18,755

  10,510

  South Manchester

  2,967

  23,083

  Oldham

  (1,934)

  10,081

  Rochdale

  2,416

  982

  Salford

  2,103

  7,354

  Stockport

  2,032

  1,018

  Tameside and Glossop

  1,095

  (1,711)

  Trafford

  627

  759

  Wigan

  1,660

  2,479

  Total

  73,745

  76,387

  Special Health Authorities for the London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals

  Hospital for Sick Children

  —

  17,787

  National Hospital for Nervous Diseases

  17,064

  2,124

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  —

  —

  Bethlem Royal Hospital and Maudsley Hospital

  (27,984)

  27,984

  47

  District health authorities

  1986–87 £

  1985–86 £

  National Heart and Chest Hospital

  10,556

  14,884

  Royal Marsden Hospital

  21,993

  7,927

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals

  49,048

  71,257

  Eastman Dental Hospital

  —

  —

  Total

  70,677

  141,963

  Leicester General Hospital (Renal Extension)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list representations received on the partial opening of the renal extension at Leicester general hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have received no representations other than those from the hon. Member. The new kidney unit at Leicester general hospital is expected to open later this year. The opening was always intended to be staged. Twenty-four of the 30 available beds should open initially as soon as the district is able to recruit the necessary staff; the others will follow according to workload demand. Trent RHA, of which Leicester is a part, already provides a higher level of renal service than the national guidelines recommend. No separate representation has been received.

  Hospital Beds
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the proportion of all hospital beds occupied by patients who are(a) over 65 years and under 75 years and (b) over 75 years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The estimated figures requested for National Health Service hospitals in England in 1985—the latest year for which information is available—are(a) 18 per cent. and (b) 34 per cent. respectively. Further information on the use of National Health Service resources by age group is available in DHSS Statistical Bulletin 4/87, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Iatrogenic Illness
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in England and Wales were admitted to hospital as a result of iatrogenic illness in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested about iatrogenic illness is not collected centrally. Such figures as are available, which relate to discharges or deaths are given in the attached table.

  Estimated number of discharges (including deaths in hospital) of in-patients with diagnosis as shown, NHS hospitals, England 1984–85

  1984

  1985

  Post-operative infection—main diagnosis

  7,120

  6,890

  Post-operative infection—subsidiary diagnosis

  9,090

  8,720

  Aplastic anaemia—main diagnosis

  3,290

  2,820

  Road Accident Casualties
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each year since 1979 the number of road accident casualties admitted to hospital, the average length of hospital stay, and the cost to the National Health Service.
  48
  Mrs. Currie
  The total cost to NHS hospitals of treating casualties arising from all road traffic accidents is estimated to be £121 million for 1985. I regret that accurate figures for previous years are not available. The other information requested is given in the table.

  Estimated number of in-patient discharges1 and mean duration of stay of road traffic accident cases in NHS hospitals, England, 1979 to 1985

  Year

  Estimated number

  Mean duration of stay (days)

  1979

  66,750

  212·4

  1980

  65,070

  212·6

  1981

  63,090

  211·9

  1982

  63,690

  12·0

  1983

  59,710

  12·0

  1984

  59,190

  11·6

  1985

  55,870

  12·5

  1Including deaths in hospital.

  2Data relates to cases in England and Wales.

  Local Office Project
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the additional cost to the Government of contracting out work on the local office project to private consultants; and what information he has on rates of pay of those employed by Computer Sciences Corporation and Arthur Andersen and Company by reference to those of equivalent staff of his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  The cost of the development work on the local office project being performed by private consultants is being met from within the Department's existing budgets. Although scales of fees have been negotiated between the Department and the two firms, it is not possible to provide meaningful comparisons with Civil Service scales, because of insufficient Civil Service staff with equivalent skills and ability to deliver to the same timescale, and the different terms of service which will apply.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps have been taken, or will be taken, to ensure that the work carried out by the Computer Sciences Corporation and Arthur Andersen and Company will be of the required quality to meet the needs of his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  All local office project work performed by Computer Science Corporation and Arthur Andersen is subject to the established quality assurance procedures. These are designed to ensure that every product is delivered according to prior specification and will meet the user's requirements.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations have taken place with the Civil Service unions on the contracting out of work on the local office project.

  Mr. Portillo
  Civil Service unions have been regularly consulted and informed on contracting out work on the local office project at both departmental and local level.

  Maternity Services
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services which health authorities have implemented the recommendations of the Maternity Services Advisory Committee.

  Mrs. Currie
  The reports of the Maternity Services Advisory Committee made a number of recommendations. Most districts have implemented the advice given or have plans to do so. Where districts have not fully implemented the recommendations, they have concluded that existing practices are already working well.

  Following publication of the reports in 1985, the Department sought information from health authorities on a number of issues arising from the reports with a view to establishing a base from which to measure progress on implementation through the accountability review process. A copy of the findings of this exercise has been placed in the Library.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of this number; whether he is reconsidering the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Up to 1 March 1988, 270 subject access requests had been received. It had been estimated that the Department might receive some 200,000 requests per year. At present the Department does not charge a fee.

  Hospital Car Service
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those health authorities which reimburse drivers in the hospital car service at a rate below that agreed by the General Council for National Health Service staff.

  Mrs. Currie
  This information is not held centrally.

  Alarms
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a Bill to enable local authorities to charge a fee to private residents for the connection of their private alarms to local authorities control centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  No. Local social services authorities already have powers to charge for the connection of private alarms to their control centres. The powers of housing authorities to charge for connection in these circumstances are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  One-Parent Families
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of one-parent families in the United Kingdom recorded by the most recent statistics; and what was the number recorded in 1971.

  Mr. Portillo
  Comparable information for the whole of the United Kingdom is not available. But within Great 50
  Britain there were an estimated 940,000 one-parent families in 1984 which is the lastest year for which the statistics are available. The estimated number in 1971 was 570,000. The definition used, and other particulars, are contained in an article in "Population Trends No. 45 (Autumn 1986)", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Attendance Allowance (Orkney and Shetland)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people in(a) Shetland and (b) Orkney receive a retirement pension combined with the higher rate attendance allowance;

  (2) how many people in (a) Shetland and (b) Orkney receive widow's benefit combined with a higher rate attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in(a) Shetland and (b) Orkney receive invalidity benefit combined with higher rate attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Two and five, respectively, at 2 March 1988.

  Abortions
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown of the numbers of abortions performed in the Northern regional health authority at gestation of(a) 18, (b) 19, (c) 20, (d, 21, (e) 22 and (f) 23 or more weeks, by the district health authority in which they were performed; and if he will express the figures as a rate per thousand women in their main child-bearing years in that district health authority.

  Mr. Newton
  No. Abortion statistics by district health authority of termination are not released for reasons of maintaining confidentiality.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average monthly expenditure on single payments between August and October 1985.

  Mr. Portillo
  The average monthly, that is four-weekly, expenditure on single payments in the 12-week period ending on 22 October 1985 was £24,473,644.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide for each office of his Department in west Yorkshire, grouped according to the main conurbations, information on single payments for the years 1983 to 1988 in the form of his reply of 15 February,Official Report, columns 503–504.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 29 February 1988]: I have placed in the Library tables giving the information requested.

  Cook-chill System (Wakefield)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has considered the request of Wakefield district health authority for an investigation into the value for money exercise on the introduction of cook-chill system for providing food; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Wakefield health authority's resolution asks the Secretary of State
  51
  "to institute a public enquiry into the lengthy decision making process prior to the implementation of the cook-chill system of catering in Wakefield".

  Its request is still under consideration.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received relating to(a) the transportation of solid meal components in a refrigerated state and (b) fluids being transported warm, to wards in the Wakefield health authority area under the cook-chill system; if any assessment has been made as to whether this practice conforms to the procedures recommended by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have received no information of the type suggested. Any assessment as to whether such practices conform to the principles contained in the Department's guidelines is primarily a matter for the Wakefield health authority advised as necessary by the Yorkshire regional health authority.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the report of Wakefield district health authority on the annual deficit of £263,000 arriving from the introduction of the cook-chill system; if he will make provision to cover this deficit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have received no such report. There is no question of central funding being made available to meet the costs of the introduction of cook-chill. That is a matter for local management.

  Regional Secure Units
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the research study on the regional secure units funded by his Department has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  A survey of regional secure services funded by the Department has been carried out. A report is being prepared.

  Marta Owen
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent steps he has taken to monitor the progress of the closure of Swinton house hospital, Salford, and of the provision of care for Marta Owen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Arrangements for the closure of Swinton house and the relocation of its patients, including Marta Owen, are a matter for the Salford health authority in conjunction with the North Western regional health authority. Where appropriate, interim provision will be made for patients leaving Swinton house until long-term arrangements for their care are settled.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the percentage loss in income in the Houghton and Washington area due to housing benefit reductions for those households earning(a) £60 per week, (b) £80 per week and (c) £150 per week.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that the information is not available.
  52
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Kensington,Official Report, 4 February, columns 737–42, and to the figures for the lone parent earning £60 per week in table 'D', whether one-parent benefit is to be excluded from set income for the new housing benefit calculation; and what rate of lone parent premium was used for his calculations.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret my reply given to my hon. Friend on 4 February at columns 737–42 should be amended as follows: Table D showing the new system from April 1988 for a single person with gross weekly earnings of £60 and children aged 4 and 6 gross should indicate £81·95 in net weekly spending power with no rent or rate rebates.

  One parent benefit is taken into account for calculating housing benefit. The lone-parent premium used was £8·60.

  NHS Staff
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing how many(a) district general managers, (b) consultants, (c) nursing staff and (d) domestic staff in the National Health Service are (i) members of ethnic minorities and (ii) women in each district health authority in England and Wales; and what is the total number of people in each category.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information about the numbers of staff employed in each health district in England in the groups and categories mentioned is not readily available and to provide it would entail a special exercise which would be disproportionate in terms of cost. The NHS is an equal opportunities employer and health authorities have the obligation of ensuring that policies to this end are implemented.

  Hospitals (Ministerial Visits)
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals in Birmingham have received official visits from Ministers since 11 June 1987.

  Mrs. Currie
  None. An invitation has been accepted and a visit is planned to take place later this spring.

  Emphysema
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now received the Industrial Advisory Council's report on its investigation into the cause of emphysema among coal miners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received the report of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's investigation into bronchitis and emphysema. It is receiving careful consideration and a statement will be made shortly.

  Benefits
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the expenditure savings(a) during 1988–89 and (b) after the end of transitional protection, as a result of the benefit changes to be implemented in April; and if he will also show how much of the savings is due to (a) the 20 per cent. minimum rates contribution, (b) housing benefit changes,

  53
  (c) the new capital rule for housing benefit and family rebate and (d) the replacement of single and other payments by the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that the structural changes to the benefit system in April 1988 will involve additional public expenditure in 1988–89 of some £430 million compared with a straight uprating of the old schemes; there will also be a saving of some £490 million on rate rebates, which are not classified as public expenditure. It is not possible to make realistic estimates of the effect after the end of transitional protection, which will not be for several years.

  The saving from requiring householders to pay 20 per cent. of their domestic rates bill, net of the cost of the compensation for this liability built into the income support, housing benefit and family credit rates, is some £80 million. The overall saving from the housing benefit changes is some £650 million; of this, roughly £80 million is attributable to the new capital rule.

  Gross expenditure on loans and grants from the social fund will be broadly in line with expected outturn on single payments in the current year.

  Eye Tests
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost of an eye test for a hospital ophthalmic out-patient.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

  Electorates
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the average number of electors per constituency in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland at the latest available date.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:

  Area

  Total number of electors on the 1987 register

  Average number of electors per constituency

  United Kingdom

  43,666,375

  67,179

  England

  38,393,203

  69,585

  Scotland

  3,994,893

  55,485

  Wales

  2,175,168

  57,241

  Northern Ireland

  1,103,111

  64,889

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report those constituencies in the United Kingdom which have electorates greater than 75,000 and those which have electorates less than 40,000 at the latest available date, showing in each case the number of electors.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:

  Parliamentary constituency

  Electors on 1987 register

  Constituencies with electorate greater than 75,000

  Isle of Wight

  99,760

  Milton Keynes

  98,215

  East Berkshire

  88,884

  Eastleigh

  88,664

  East Hampshire

  87,476

  Horsham

  87,229

  54

  Parliamentary constituency

  Electors on 1987 register

  Huntingdon

  87,195

  Devizes

  87,145

  Swindon

  87,140

  Wokingham

  86,587

  Westbury

  85,708

  South Colchester and Maldon

  85,302

  Peterborough

  85,244

  Cirencester and Tewkesbury

  85,181

  Crosby

  85,099

  North West Surrey

  84,295

  Ryedale

  84,205

  The Wrekin

  83,796

  Chelmsford

  83,696

  Woking

  83,453

  North Colchester

  83,391

  South Suffolk

  83,143

  Waveney

  82,920

  Dudley West

  82,884

  South West Cambridgeshire

  82,692

  Stroud

  82,340

  Stratford-on-Avon

  82,255

  Feltham and Heston

  81,999

  Chichester

  81,862

  Harrow East

  81,842

  Aldershot

  81,791

  Mid Bedfordshire

  81,697

  North Wiltshire

  81,670

  Mid Worcestershire

  81,581

  Portsmouth North

  81,350

  Brigg and Cleethorpes

  81,214

  Mid Sussex

  81,138

  Hornsey and Woodgreen

  81,122

  Bridlington

  81,072

  South Derbyshire

  81,041

  Billericay

  80,588

  Grantham

  80,366

  South Staffordshire

  80,338

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  80,272

  Richmond (Yorkshire)

  80,255

  Central Suffolk

  80,204

  Langbaurgh

  80,201

  Romsey and Waterside

  80,179

  York

  80,159

  Cheltenham

  80,121

  Faversham

  80,062

  Beverley

  79,958

  South West Bedfordshire

  79,927

  West Hertfordshire

  79,886

  North Hertfordshire

  79,689

  Northavon

  79,610

  Chorley

  79,514

  Arundel

  79,468

  Meriden

  79,436

  South Norfolk

  79,359

  South Hams

  79,356

  Basingstoke

  79,116

  West Gloucestershire

  78,982

  Halesowen and Stourbridge

  78,979

  Rutland and Melton

  78,921

  Solihull

  78,355

  Houghton and Washington

  78,821

  Guildford

  78,783

  North Shropshire

  78,240

  Blaby

  78,155

  Bosworth

  78,131

  South Worcestershire

  78,129

  Braintree

  78,025

  Tonbridge and Malling

  77,956

  Honiton

  77,942

  Lincoln

  77,939

  Aylesbury

  77,933

  Fareham

  77,910

  Gloucester

  77,899

  Harwich

  77,827

  Worthing

  77,719

  Rugby and Kenilworth

  77,640

  55

  Parliamentary constituency

  Electors on 1987 register

  Bury St. Edmunds

  77,615

  Winchester

  77,527

  Poole

  77,481

  Wallsend

  77,465

  Havant

  77,412

  Erewash

  77,381

  Woodspring

  77,255

  Warrington, South

  77,245

  Sheffield, Hillsborough

  77,236

  Tunbridge Wells

  77,205

  Weston-Super-Mare

  77,172

  West Lancashire

  77,054

  Rochford

  77,048

  Salisbury

  77,045

  Macclesfield

  77,018

  Northampton, South

  76,948

  Canterbury

  76,931

  Portsmouth, South

  76,814

  Tottenham

  76,713

  Harrogate

  76,607

  Suffolk Coastal

  76,547

  South West Hertfordshire

  76,535

  Warrington, North

  76,517

  Sunderland, North

  76,503

  Hertford and Stortford

  76,470

  Witney

  76,221

  St. Albans

  76,206

  Dudley, East

  76,154

  Newbury

  76,145

  Stockton, South

  76,136

  Wansdyke

  76,108

  Boothferry

  76,084

  Exeter

  76,053

  Bournemouth, East

  75,906

  Rossendale and Darwen

  75,894

  New Forest

  75,780

  Sunderland, South

  75,762

  Harborough

  75,686

  Ealing, Southall

  75,660

  Scarborough

  75,628

  Blackburn

  75,586

  Don Valley

  75,452

  Torridge and West Devon

  75,373

  Batley and Spen

  75,334

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  75,318

  Bournemouth, West

  75,290

  North Luton

  75,270

  Tynemouth

  75,180

  South West Norfolk

  75,152

  Taunton

  75,035

  Stoke-on-Trent, North

  75,029

  North East Cambridgeshire

  75,026

  Constituencies and electorates less than 40,000

  Tweedale, Ettrick and Luaderdale

  38,283

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  31,972

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,519

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,332

  Western Isles

  23,685

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Service if he will list the 12 largest constituencies by area in the United Kingdom, showing their electorates at the latest available date.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:

  Parliamentary constituency

  1Hectares

  Electors on the 1987 register

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  954,680

  52,808

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  870,708

  67,336

  Caithness and Sutherland

  788,297

  31,519

  Argyll and Bute

  681,362

  49,272

  56

  Parliamentary constituency

  1Hectares

  Electors on the 1987 register

  North Tayside

  485,104

  54,464

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  441,883

  53,994

  Penrith and Border

  327,984

  71,930

  Western Isles

  308,717

  23,685

  Brecon and Radnor

  301,269

  49,936

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  265,463

  69,997

  Kincardine and Deeside

  261,106

  64,219

  Mid Ulster

  257,098

  68,341

  1These figures relate to land and inland water.

  NI Fund
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the most recent advice he has received from the Government Actuary as to the minimum target balance of the national insurance fund as a proportion of annual benefit expenditure.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government Actuary stated in 1983 that the national insurance fund's minimum target balance should be one sixth of the year's estimated benefit expenditure. (Report on the draft Social Security Benefit Up-Rating Order 1983. Cmnd. 8969.) This has never been a fixed target, but a prudent limit below which the balance should not be allowed to fall.

  Poverty Levels
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the number and percentage of people in ethnic minorities who are below the poverty level; what are the comparable figures for those who are not members of ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  This Government, like Governments, do not accept that a poverty line can be drawn. No information on ethnic minorities is contained in the national census, the annual family expenditure survey or DHSS administrative statistics.

  Income Support Scheme
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, further to his answer of 15 February to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East,Official Report, column 492, he will break down the £420 million extra expenditure under the income support scheme in 1988–89 into expenditure incurred by transitional protection and expenditure not incurred by transitional protection; and in each case how much of this expenditure is attributable to compensation for the 20 per cent. rates contribution.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: Of the £420 million, extra expenditure on transitional protection will be £200 million and that on structural changes £220 million.

  Extra expenditure on income support in 1988–89 to compensate for the 20 per cent. rates contribution will be £280 million. This relates entirely to the structural effect. However, in calculating the amount of benefit payable at the point of the change to income support, compensation for the rates contribution is also to be built into the supplementary benefit levels. But for this the cost of

  57
  transitional protection would have been reduced by £70 million and the total additional expenditure in 1988–89 would have reduced from £420 million to £350 million.

  Brighton Health Authority
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of student and pupil nurse training places in the Brighton health authority; and what level of expenditure was allocated for training purposes for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 4 March 1988]: I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks, since it is not held centrally. Details about the number of student and pupil nurse training places and the level of expenditure for training purposes for each year since 1979 should be available from Brighton health authority, and the hon. Member may wish to contact the district chairman.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps have been taken to ensure that officials of his Department have an adequate awareness of myalgic encephalomyelitis when assessing appropriate benefit claims:

  (2) what training is given to staff in his Department to help them to identify myalgic encephalomyelitis sufferers claiming sickness or other benefits to which they may be entitled.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 4 March 1988]: For incapacity benefits, entitlement depends on a medical opinion that a claimant is incapable of work; for disability benefits there are medical criteria which are related to the effect of the disabling condition rather than its cause. People can thus qualify for these benefits even if the specific cause of their symptoms cannot readily be identified and the Departmental officials who deal with their claims are not therefore required to have a knowledge of particular diagnostic conditions.

DEFENCE

  Services (Recruitment Guidelines)
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules or guidelines govern recruitment to the armed services in respect of persons(a) with convictions, (b) convictions of murder and (c) on parole.

  Mr. Freeman
  When considering applications from individuals who have been convicted of an offence the services are bound by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Act lays down, according to sentence passed, those convictions which can and cannot be deemed to be "spent" under the Act and if the designated period of time has elapsed since the individual was convicted it is not necessary to advise the recruiting staff of it. Therefore, a candidate could quite legitimately enter the armed forces having at some time in the past been convicted of an offence.

  Even in cases where a conviction is not spent, entry is not automatically refused. Recruiting staff many, after giving due consideration to the offence committed, the individual's conduct since and any other relevant
  58
  information they have before them, decide to accept the candidate. However, if the individual is still subject to any form of supervision order, it is unlikely he or she would be accepted; this would include an individual who had been convicted of murder and was released on licence.

  Members' Visits
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the rules governing visits to sites within his responsibility by right hon. and hon. Members; when they were last updated; and why.

  Mr. Freeman
  Right hon. and hon. Members may by mutual agreement with local armed forces units visit defence establishments within their constituency; and similar arrangements may be made for Front Bench defence spokesmen in respect of defence establishments outside their constituency. Hon. and right hon. Members may also visit defence establishments as part of all-party parliamentary groups whose plans are drawn to the attention of hon. and right hon. Members.

  These arrangements are intended to assist hon. and right hon. Members in the conduct of their parliamentary duties, while minimising disruption to the normal conduct of military activities and maintaining the political impartiality of the armed forces.

  Fylingdales
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to organise within the next few months a parliamentary visit to Fylingdales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am always prepared to consider suggestions from hon. Members for visits to defence establishments by groups of parliamentarians. I shall bear the hon. Member's interest in mind.

  D Notice Committee
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 February,Official Report, column 387–8, what action has been taken as a result of the permanent under secretary in his Department drawling the letter from the vice chairman of the D Notice Committee, Mr. J. M. Ramsden, dated 21 January, to the attention of those in the Government concerned with the relevant matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Younger
  My ministerial colleagues and I have noted the contents of Mr. Ramsden's letter of 2 February. We are pleased that the media side of the Defence Press and Broadcasting Committee had decided to continue to participate in the D Notice system, on which the Government place great value.

  Administrative and Executive Grades
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which administrative and executive grades are in receipt of special pay additions; where they are located; and what are the total numbers by grade at each location.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Special pay additions for administrative and executive grades have been introduced at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield. The grades involved are administrative assistant, administrative officer, executive
  59
  officer and higher executive officer. It is not the practice to discloe details of the number or deployment of staff employed in these areas.

  Psychological Warfare
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members if the armed forces and civil servants from his Department were engaged in psychological warfare in Northern Ireland each year from 1972 to 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not the policy to comment on operational matters.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces and civil servants from his Department were trained in psychological warfare in each year from 1972 to 1987 in England, in the United States of America, or in both.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Ministry of Defence no longer uses the term "psychological warfare". In common with the rest of NATO, the Ministry of Defence uses the term "psychological operations" and runs courses intended to familiarise Ministry of Defence personnel with the background to and the concept of psychological operations. Records of Ministry of Defence personnel attending psychological operations training courses are only held from 1983. The figures for those personnel attending such courses in the United Kingdom are as follows:

  Year

  Numbers Attending

  1983–84

  111

  1984–85

  12

  1985–86

  14

  1986–87

  9

  1987–88

  10

  1 Including one civil servant

  A small number of armed forces personnel have also attended psychological operations training courses run in the USA. Records of numbers of such personnel exist from 1982 only, and are shown below:

  Year

  Numbers Attending

  1982

  2

  1983

  1

  1984

  0

  1985

  0

  1986

  1

  1987

  3

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what capacity Mr. Colin Wallace served in the Ulster Defence Regiment whilst a senior information officer in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Freeman
  Mr. Wallace served as a part time 2nd lieutenant in 1 (County Antrim) UDR.

  Captain Fred Holroyd
  Mr. Livingstone:
  To ask the Secretary for State for Defence whether Captain (retired) Fred Holroyd was
  60
  offered any other post in military intelligence in Northern Ireland or elsewhere before he was medically downgraded in July 1975.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not our normal practice to discuss the postings of individual officers.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis Captain (retired) Fred Holroyd was referred for medical examination at the military wing of the Musgrave Park hospital, Belfast, in 1975, and later transferred for medical examination at the Royal Victoria hospital, Netley, Southampton, in 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not my Department's policy to discuss the details of individual medical cases which are medical in confidence.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 11 December,Official Report, columns 311 and 312, what representations have been received from Captain (retired) Fred Holroyd, his legal representative, or from his civilian doctors, for access to his medical records; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to the honourable member on 11 December 1987, at column 312.

  Vanguard (Lost Components)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 26 February,Official Report, column 378, (1) how each of the various pieces of Vanguard submarine lost overboard on 5 to 6 February were secured to the deck of the ship;

  (2) what progress has been made in the attempts to recover the five Vanguard submarine sections lost on 5 to 6 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Until the results of the inquiry into the incidents are known, I have nothing to add to my statements to the House on 15 and 26 February, at columns 448–9 and 378–80 respectively.

  Complaints (Redress of Grievance)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of Defence how many complaints seeking redress of grievance have been made in each of the last five years; how many have been successful; how many complaints related to injustice; and in how many of the cases there was a request for a payment because of injuries for which a legal action might have been brought but for section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  Submissions for redress of grievances made under the terms of the service discipline Acts may be dealt with by commanding officers, or at any of the higher levels of command, the service boards of the Defence Council. No central records are kept of the total number of submissions made. However, information relating to submissions considered by the service boards is as follows:

  Year

  Number of submissions considered

  Number in which redress was granted in whole or in part

  1983

  21

  5

  1984

  33

  8

  61

  Year

  Number of submissions considered

  Number in which redress was granted in whole or in part

  1985

  61

  25

  1986

  62

  13

  1987

  83

  10

  1988 (to date)

  6

  —

  Notes:

  1. Figures only available from 1985 for submissions to the Admiralty Board.

  2. Five submissions are still under consideration.

  All complaints relate to what the complainant considers to be be injustice. As far as can be established from available records, four submissions considered by the service boards in the last five years have requested payments in circumstances where, but for the operation of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 a legal action might have been pursued.

  Cemeteries
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence ( 1 ) when the War Graves Commission last inspected the graves in the Woodgrange Park cemetery in the London borough of Newham; and how many complaints have been directed by the commission to the cemetery owners;

  (2) what measures are adopted by his Department to ensure that cemetery owners acting as agents of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintain proper standards of care;

  (3) if he will list those cemeteries in London which charge for maintaining war graves and those cemeteries which do not;

  (4) if any charges have been paid to the current owners of the Woodgrange Park cemetery for maintaining war graves; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  These are matters for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and I have asked the director general to write to the hon. Member.

  Ex-Marine Martin Kettrick
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the procedure that was followed regarding the complaint of ex-Marine Martin Kettrick for redress of grievance; who assessed the complaint; and how the opinion of Martin Kettrick was presented.

  Mr. Freeman
  As an ex-member of the Royal Marines, Mr. Kettrick submitted his complaint directly through the Department of the Commandant General Royal Marines. In accordance with normal practice, information concerning the complaint, its origins, and all relevant circumstances was assembled by the relevent secretariat division for presentation to the Admiralty Board. The opinion of Mr. Kettrick, as expressed in the full text of his complaint, formed part of that presentation. The case was considered at length by the Admiralty Board and a decision then taken on behalf of the Defence Council.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in the consideration of the case of ex-Marine Martin Kettrick, the fact that section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 has now been abolished was taken into account; what assessment was made of the actuarial level of the pensions that Martin Kettrick received from 62
  the Army in relation to what he might have received had he been successful in a civil court; and if there was any assessment of the possibility that Martin Kettrick's injuries arose from the negligence of others.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Crown Proceedings (Armed Forces) Act 1987 is non-retrospective and section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 remains a bar in Mr. Kettrick's case to a civil action in the courts in which questions of negligence and level of damages would otherwise have been determined. Nevertheless, in considering Mr. Kettrick's case full account was taken, and assessments made, of these and all other relevant factors including the value of the pension and other benefits which he continues to receive under the no-fault system available to members of the armed forces.

  Maritime Tactical Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if Britain's maritime tactical nuclear weapons are all assigned to NATO; and whether they can be withdrawn from NATO command to be used under national command;

  (2) what is the strategy for employment of Britain's maritime tactical nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  All the United Kingdom's nuclear forces are committed to NATO, in support of the strategy of flexible response, although they remain at all times under the control of the British Government and are capable of being employed independently when supreme national interests are at stake.

  National Joint Ocean Surveillance Information Centre
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the National Joint Ocean Surveillance Information Centre is designed to be capable of operating as a back-up to the United States ocean surveillance information system;

  (2) when the National Joint Ocean Surveillance Information Centre first became operational;

  (3) what is the number of (a) Royal Navy personnel, (b) United States military personnel, (c) United States civilian personnel and (d) British civilian personnel assigned to the United Kingdom National Joint Ocean Surveillance Information Centre.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 14 December 1987, at column 411.

  Eurogroup Defence Ministers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and where the next meeting of Eurogroup Defence Ministers is scheduled to take place; if he is planning to attend the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the agenda for the meeting.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence will attend the next Eurogroup meeting which takes place on 25 May. A range of items will be discussed.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Income Tax
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of reducing the higher tax rate of 60 per cent. to(a) 50 per cent., (b) 45 per cent., and (c) 40 per cent. in 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The direct revenue costs, in a full year at 1988–89 levels of income, of reducing the higher tax rates to the levels specified are given in the table below:

  Top rate of tax Percentage

  revenue cost £ million

  50

  530

  45

  1,000

  40

  1,650

  The estimates are based on projections of the 1984–85 survey of personal incomes in line with the forecasts in the Autumn Statement and are therefore provisional. The costs assume indexation of the current income tax bands and allowances to 1988–89 levels according to the statutory provisions. The estimates assume that the wife's earnings election is made where it is beneficial, but no other allowance is made for possible changes in taxpayers' behaviour.

  Personal Ownership
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the growth of personal ownership in Britain since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon) on 29 October, at column 435.

  VAT
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the date by which the final verdict of the European Court is likely to be known in respect of the case between the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government in respect of value added tax zero-rating policy on domestic and non-domestic construction work.

  Mr. Lilley
  The European Court of Justice has not yet given an indication of a likely date for delivery of its judgment; best estimates suggest that it may not deliver judgment before April or May at the earliest.

  Forestry
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on tax incentives for forestry.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations.

  Shareholders
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has regarding the number of shareholders within the United Kingdom.
  64
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon) on 29 October, at column 435.

  Luncheon Vouchers (Civil Servants)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the annual cost of providing weekly luncheon vouchers of(a) £5, (b) £6 and (c) £7 per employee for each civil servant in the London pay area; and what is his estimate of the cost of similar services for all civil servants outside London.

  Mr. Brooke
  The table below gives estimates, excluding administrative costs, based on the numbers of civil servants at 1 January 1987.

  £ million

  Weekly luncheon vouchers

  Pay area

  £5 per employee

  £6 per employee

  £7 per employee

  London

  32·3

  38·8

  45·3

  Outside London

  124·1

  148·9

  173·8

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider providing luncheon vouchers as a means of topping up any pay offer in response to the 1988 pay claim by the National Union of Civil and Public Servants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  No.

  Britoil
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the text of his letter of 29 February to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) about Britoil, referred to in the Official Report, column 1168, on 3 March.

  Mr. Lawson
  The text of the letter is as follows:"In my statement to the House on 23 February I said that the details of the arrangement which the Government had reached with BP were set out in an exchange of letters between BP and the Treasury, and that I was placing copies of those letters in the Library. In response to your subsequent question, I referred you to the letter written by BP
  After my statement, you raised a point of order to the effect that the undertakings to which I had referred were not set out in the documents. You suggested that this was a gross abuse of the House. Your point of order referred only to the letter from Sir Peter Middleton and not to the letter from Sir Peter Walters, which was of course the letter to which I had referred in my reply to you and which contained BP's undertakings. Both letters were, in fact, deposited in the Library at the same time, and I assume that you overlooked the letter from Sir Peter Walters when you went to inspect the documents.
  I recognise that your accusation of 'Ministerial abuse of the House' was made in good faith; but it was a very serious charge indeed and one wholly without foundation. I am sure you will recognise that it is only proper that you should set the record straight, in Hansard, by a further point of order."

  Taxation
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the manner of the answer given on 1 July 1986,Official Report, column 509, he will publish a table showing his estimate for the current financial year of the numbers of people who will be liable to pay income tax, higher rate tax and employee's contributions to

  65
  national insurance, divided into the main categories on the basis of the combined rates of deduction from income for which they will be liable.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 February 1988]: The table gives estimates of employees liable to income tax and national insurance contributions (NIC) in 1987–88 by the combined marginal rate of tax and NIC. Cases where the main source of income derives from self-employment have been excluded. Estimates are derived

  Employees liable to income tax and NIC by marginal rate

  Combined Tax and NIC Marginal rate

  No. of employees

  1Taxable Income

  Earnings of individual

  per cent.

  Thousands

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  5

  600

  0

  39–65

  7

  100

  0

  65–100

  9

  100

  0

  100–295

  27

  600

  1–17,900

  Under 39

  32

  1,400

  1–17,900

  39–65

  34

  2,400

  1–17,900

  65–100

  36

  12,100

  1–17,900

  100–295

  227

  1,100

  1–17,900

  above 295

  340

  400

  17,901–20,400

  all ranges

  345

  300

  20,401–25,400

  all ranges

  350

  100

  25,401–33,300

  all ranges

  355

  100

  33,301–41,200

  all ranges

  360

  100

  above 41,200

  all ranges

  All

  19,400

  —

  —

  1 For married couples taxable income is the combined income of the husband and wife except where there is a wife's earnings election, when the wife's earnings are treated separately as her taxable income.

  2 Above the upper earnings limit (£295 per week) for National Insurance contributions, the marginal rate of NIC is zero.

  3 For higher rate taxpayers the marginal rate of NIC is zero, except for a few cases where the wife's earnings are below the upper limit or much of the income comes from investments.

  Revenue Contributions
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual receipts derived from payment of(a) income tax, (b) capital gains tax, (c) natonal insurance and (d) value added tax paid by the top (i) 1 per cent. and (ii) 5 per cent. and (iii) 10 per cent. of earners and the bottom (1) 1 per cent. (2) 5 per cent. and (3) 10 per cent. of earners.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 February 1988]: I regret that information is not available in the form requested and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. However, the Central Statistical Office published an analysis of the distribution of taxes and benefits by households in the July 1987 edition of "Economic Trends."

  Licensed Premises (Sports Centres)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what incentives are offered through tax rebates and tax concessions to licensed premises within sports centres both in the public and private sector to encourage the reinvestment of profits in enhanced sporting facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: There are no special reliefs or concessions for licensed premises within sports centres and normal tax rules apply.
  66
  from projections of the 1984–85 survey of personal incomes which does not contain details of NIC. These have been imputed from earnings levels on the simplifying assumption that all employees are contracted in to the earnings-related part of the national insurance scheme and do not pay the reduced rate for married women optants. Other estimates could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

  Sole Traders
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to waive the earnings limit for 714s certificates for those sole traders starting a business with assistance from the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: The 714s certificate was introduced in 1982 to enable those who did not qualify for a full exemption certificate because of a history of unemployment to obtain limited exemption from deduction at source on their earnings. It is difficult to see why the recently unemployed who receive financial assistance under the enterprise allowance scheme should be given a further advantage over the recently unemployed who do not.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the earnings limit of £150 a week, excluding the cost of materials, was set in relation to sole traders applying for a 714s certificate; what the figure would now be if it had been increased in line with rises in average earnings; and what plans he has to raise the limit.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: The £150 limit came into effect on 1 December 1982 and, if increased in line with average earnings, would now stand at £215. I have no plans at present to raise the limit.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Irish Army Air Corps
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how often Irish Army Air Corps aircraft have
  67
  landed at Aldergrove airport in each of the last three years; what are the reasons for these landings; and to what extent this practice has developed as a result of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Stanley
  It is not the practice to give details of flight movements at military establishments.

  However, use of Aldergrove airport by the Irish Army Air Corps is essentially in the context of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Ian Richard Thain
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date his Department learned that Ian Richard Thain had applied for or was being offered parole, and by what agency his Department was informed.

  Mr. Stanley
  My Department was first informed by the Ministry of Defence on 13 February 1986 that Private Thain's petition for early release on parole had been lodged by his solicitor.

  My Department was informed by the Home Office on 13 November 1986 of Private Thain's forthcoming release from prison.

  RUC (Photographs)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library any guidelines issued to the Royal Ulster Constabulary concerning the release of official photographs for media use.

  Mr. Stanley
  I understand that the instructions on the use of official photographs are contained in the RUC code, an internal document for police use only. Any question of releasing these instructions would be a matter for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Statistics on security Part I—Statistics of terrorist activity Yearly figures: 1971–1987

  1971

  1972

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  Shooting Incidents1

  1,756

  10,628

  5,018

  3,206

  1,803

  1,908

  1,081

  755

  728

  Explosions

  1,022

  1,382

  978

  685

  399

  766

  366

  455

  422

  Bombs Neutralised

  493

  471

  542

  428

  236

  426

  169

  178

  142

  Weight of explosives in lbs2

  Explosions

  10,972

  47,462

  47,472

  46,435

  13,753

  17,596

  2,839

  5,343

  11,181

  Neutralised

  3,001

  19,978

  32,450

  27,094

  11,159

  16,252

  2,188

  5,860.5

  4,530

  Armed Robberies

  437

  1,931

  1,215

  1,231

  1,201

  813

  591

  442

  434

  Amount stolen

  303,787

  790,687

  612,015

  572,951

  572,105

  545,497

  446,988

  232,650

  568,359

  Malicious Fires3 4

  —

  —

  587

  636

  248

  453

  432

  269

  315

  Deaths:

  Civilian

  115

  321

  171

  166

  216

  245

  69

  50

  51

  Army/UDR

  48

  129

  66

  35

  20

  29

  29

  21

  48

  RUC RUC 'R'

  11

  17

  13

  15

  11

  23

  14

  10

  14

  Injuries:

  Civilian

  1,838

  3,813

  1,812

  1,680

  2,044

  2,162

  1,027

  548

  557

  Army/UDR

  390

  578

  548

  483

  167

  264

  188

  135

  153

  RUC/RUC 'R'

  315

  485

  291

  235

  263

  303

  183

  302

  165

  1 Figures in ( ) refer to shots heard only and not included in the total.

  2 Estimated weight only.

  3 Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.

  4 No figure for April-June 1981.

  68

  Security Statistics
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if security statistics for Northern Ireland for the second half of 1987 are now available, together with details of persons charged with terrorist-type offences and convictions for scheduled offences for the year.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 2 March 1988]: Yes, the statistics together with those since 1971 are as follows:

  Statistics on Security

  PART I

  Statistics of Terrorist Activity

  Yearly totals for 1971–1987

  Statistics for terrorist activity comprise the following:

  (i) Number of shooting incidents.

  (ii) Number of explosions.

  (iii) Number of bombs and devices neutralised.

  (iv) Weight of explosives in bombs and devices neutralised.

  (v) Number of armed robberies and amount stolen.

  (vi) Number of malicious fires.

  (vii) Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/RUC 'R', Army and civilians.

  PART II

  Statistics of Security Forces' Activity

  Yearly totals for 1971–1987

  Statistics for security forces' activity comprise the following:

  (i) Number of houses searched.

  (ii) Number of weapons, pounds of explosives and rounds of ammunition found.

  (iii) Number of people charged with terrorist type offences (murder, attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, armed robbery and other offences relating to the security situation, for example, arson, membership of illegal organisation and so on.

  PART III

  Statistics of Persons Convicted of Scheduled Offences

  Yearly totals for 1983–1987
  69 70

  Part I—continued

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Shooting incidents1

  642

  815

  382

  290

  230

  196

  285

  489

  (327)

  (165)

  (134)

  (104)

  (41)

  (107)

  (185)

  Explosions

  280

  398

  219

  266

  193

  148

  172

  236

  Bombs neutralised

  120

  131

  113

  101

  55

  67

  82

  148

  Weight of explosives in lbs2

  Explosions

  9,059

  9,261

  11,199

  6,923

  8,545

  11,711

  11,309

  5,767

  Neutralised

  6,405

  9,168

  7,300

  7,503

  6,114

  7,715

  9,463

  8,818

  Armed robberies

  412

  587

  580

  622

  627

  459

  724

  858

  Amount stolen

  496,825

  854,929

  1,392,202

  830,258

  701,903

  655,690

  1,207,152

  1,900,098

  Malicious fires3 4

  275

  536

  499

  528

  840

  740

  906

  506

  Deaths:

  Civilian

  50

  57

  57

  44

  36

  25

  37

  66

  Army/UDR

  16

  23

  28

  15

  19

  6

  12

  11

  RUC/RUC 'R'

  9

  21

  12

  18

  9

  23

  12

  16

  Injuries:

  Civilian

  530

  878

  328

  280

  513

  468

  773

  780

  Army/UDR

  77

  140

  98

  88

  86

  33

  55

  104

  RUC/RUC 'R'

  194

  332

  99

  142

  267

  415

  622

  246

  1 Figures in ( ) refer to shots heard only and not included in the total.

  2 Estimated weight only.

  3 Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.

  4 No figure for April-June 1981.

  Statistics on security Part II—statistics of security forces' activity Yearly figures: 1971–87

  1971

  1972

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  Houses searched1

  17,262

  36,617

  74,556

  71,914

  30,092

  34,939

  20,724

  15,462

  6,452

  Finds

  Firearms

  717

  1,264

  1,595

  1,260

  825

  837

  590

  400

  301

  Ammunition (rounds)

  157,944

  183,410

  187,399

  147,202

  73,604

  70,306

  52,091

  43,512

  46,280

  Explosives

  2,748

  41,488

  38,418

  26,120

  11,565

  21,714

  3,809

  2,108

  1,996

  Persons charged with terrorist type offences2

  31972

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  Murder

  13

  71

  77

  138

  120

  131

  60

  45

  Attempted murder

  16

  85

  76

  88

  121

  135

  79

  39

  Firearms offences

  242

  631

  545

  460

  353

  301

  225

  177

  Explosives offences

  86

  236

  161

  100

  215

  146

  79

  40

  Theft Act

  111

  186

  239

  314

  188

  203

  151

  159

  Other

  63

  205

  276

  97

  279

  392249

  210

  Total

  531

  1,414

  1,374

  1,197

  1,276

  1,308

  843

  670

  1 Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

  2 These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.

  3 31 July to 31 December.

  Part II—Continued

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Houses searched1

  4,106

  4,104

  4,045

  1,497

  1,282

  812

  1,273

  1,523

  Finds

  Firearms

  203

  409

  317

  200

  197

  238

  215

  267

  Ammunition

  28,078

  47,127

  41,452

  32,451

  27,211

  13,748

  29,061

  19,796

  Explosives

  1,810

  7,536

  5,066

  3,762

  8,534

  7,373

  5,386

  12,974

  Persons charged with terrorist type offences2

  Murder

  63

  48

  50

  75

  41

  24

  12

  28

  Attempted Murder

  59

  72

  96

  60

  68

  52

  28

  21

  Firearms Offences

  112

  155

  173

  150

  155

  105

  128

  132

  Explosives Offences

  39

  39

  41

  48

  21

  37

  31

  22

  Theft Act

  128

  158

  130

  119

  94

  65

  70

  109

  Other

  149

  446

  196

  161

  149

  239

  386

  156

  Total

  550

  918

  686

  613

  528

  522

  655

  468

  71 72
  1Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

  2These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier year

  Notes on the Tables:

  1. The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown and Peace Office in its annual return.

  2. The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast Crown Court. This covers all scheduled offences tried on indictment.

  3. Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney-General certified out of the scheduled mode of trial, that is non-terrorist serious offences.

  4. Where a person had been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

  Convictions for scheduled offences

  Number convicted

  Sentence (January-December 1987)

  Offence

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Non-custodial sentence

  Young offenders centre training schools

  Less than 5 years

  5 years and less than 7 years

  7 years and less than 10 years

  10 years and less than 15 years

  15 years and less than 20 years

  20 years and over

  Life

  Murder

  14

  11

  38

  26

  10

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  10

  Attempted murder

  14

  13

  20

  7

  11

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  6

  2

  1

  0

  Conspiracy to murder

  7

  10

  10

  17

  15

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  6

  3

  0

  0

  Manslaughter

  3

  5

  2

  9

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Wounding with intent to do grevious bodily harm

  7

  1

  8

  19

  8

  5

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Causing grevious bodily harm

  7

  3

  2

  13

  10

  6

  1

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Assault occasioning grevious bodily harm

  18

  11

  6

  5

  13

  7

  3

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Causing explosion

  9

  6

  13

  5

  7

  1

  0

  0

  1

  4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Placing explosives

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possessing explosives with intent

  12

  20

  16

  20

  21

  4

  0

  0

  2

  1

  2

  7

  5

  0

  Other explosives offences

  5

  2

  6

  5

  3

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possessing a firearm with intent

  28

  37

  55

  46

  81

  34

  8

  13

  11

  3

  6

  5

  1

  0

  Possessing a firearm

  0

  8

  53

  20

  16

  14

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Carrying a firearm with intent

  22

  15

  18

  19

  12

  11

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other major firearms offences

  53

  4

  6

  6

  5

  3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Minor firearms offences

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robbery

  191

  132

  160

  156

  159

  55

  13

  52

  29

  6

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Aggravated robbery

  0

  1

  4

  1

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Membership of illegal organisations

  14

  11

  8

  3

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Attempted robbery

  0

  11

  20

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Soliciting support for proscribed organisation

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unlawful collection of information

  7

  2

  4

  5

  8

  5

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Illegal training

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kidnapping

  2

  1

  8

  9

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blackmail

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contributing to resources of a proscribed organisalion

  5

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Burglary

  0

  10

  16

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Aggravated burglary

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hijacking

  45

  37

  28

  41

  56

  43

  8

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Attempted hijacking

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Arson

  32

  17

  32

  59

  74

  52

  7

  10

  4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of an offensive weapon

  4

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Petrol bomb offences

  21

  20

  88

  64

  79

  52

  14

  13

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Escape offences

  5

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Criminal damage

  1

  0

  2

  5

  20

  10

  2

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Intimidation

  2

  0

  1

  2

  16

  4

  3

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Assisting offenders

  6

  2

  1

  4

  3

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Withholding information

  12

  1

  3

  9

  6

  6

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possessing prohibited articles

  1

  13

  2

  3

  9

  6

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Conspiracy to arm terrorists

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Common law riot

  1

  19

  3

  5

  23

  17

  3

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  550

  430

  645

  584

  679

  346

  64

  130

  56

  21

  27

  18

  7

  10

  RUC Special Branch
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total number of police officers and civilians serving in, or responsible to, the RUC special branch in each year from 1968 to to the latest available date.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 29 February 1988]: In the particular operational circumstances of Northern Ireland this information is confidential.

  Diplock Courts
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners currently serving sentences in Northern Ireland have been convicted in Diplock courts; and how many(a) Catholics and (b) Protestants have been convicted and acquitted in Diplock courts.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: The only information readily available indicates that on 1 February there were 1,155 prisoners in Northern Ireland who had been convicted of scheduled offences, although in a proportion of cases, where there was no connection with terrorism, they would have been dealt with by normal jury trial. Five hundred and eighty six of these gave their religion as Roman Catholic; and 549 as Protestants. There were 20 "others".

  Figures are not available showing the religious persuasion of all those convicted in the Diplock courts, or of those who were acquitted.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report such information as is available to him as to (a) the make, (b) the type and (c) the calibre of the firearms used by terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland during the last five years.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: The following information can be made available:

  Types of weapon used by terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland in the last five years

  Pistols

  Revolvers

  Rifles

  Heavy machine guns

  Sub machine guns

  General purpose machine guns

  Shotguns

  Most common calibres of the firearms used by terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland in the last five years

  1. ·22 LR (Long Rifle)

  2. 7·65 mm

  3. 9 mm Short

  4. 9 mm Parabellum

  5. ·380

  6. ·38 Smith and Wesson

  7. ·38 Spl (Special)

  8. ·357 Magnum

  9. ·30 M1 Carbine

  10. 7·62 × 39 mm

  11. 7·62 NATO

  12. 12 Gauge Shotgun

  13. ·223 (5·56 mm)

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally held(a) shotguns, (b) rifles, (c) handguns and (d) other firearms were
  74
  stolen from their civilian owners in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, where the owners were not members of the part-time Ulster Defence Regiment or Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve; and if he has any information as to how many were stolen by paramilitary and terrorist organisations.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are known to have been killed in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years by persons who were using(a) a shotgun, (b) a hand gun, (c) a rifle and (d) another firearm which was legally held by the person using it, not being a member of the security forces; and of these deaths how many (i) were the victims of a relation or (ii) died during the commission of another crime.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ENVIRONMENT

  Nottingham (Housing Waiting List)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) further to his answer of 22nd February, what changes have been necessitated in the calculation of indicators for Nottingham as a result of the changes in Nottingham's housing waiting list;

  (2) when he expects discussions between his Department and the Housing Corporation regarding changes in the Nottingham housing waiting list to he completed; and if he will make a statement as to the likely effects.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As I explained in my earlier answer, waiting list figures are not used in the housing needs index. Discussions of the calculations and other indicators for Nottingham have, however, been concluded and the city's latest housing needs index score has been increased. The corrected figures will be taken into account in future decisions about the allocation of the Housing Corporation's programme; the error had no bearing on allocations to be made for 1988–89.

  St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet,Official Report, 23 February, column 125, why it is no longer his policy that the former St. George's hospital building, Hyde Park, should be restored and used in accordance with the decision expressed by his predecessor in December 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As with all planning permissions, that given on appeal in 1982 in relation to St. George's hospital was an indication that the proposed works and use of the site were acceptable in planning terms. A planning approval is not an indication that other uses or works are unacceptable provided they, in turn, receive permission. As stated in my previous answer, it is for the owner of the site to decide which, if any, planning permissions and listed building consents should be implemented.

  Palace of Westminster (Lavatories)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve the standards of cleaning and maintenance of lavatories in the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  If my hon. Friend is aware of any particular lavatory in the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings where he considers the standard of cleaning and maintenance to be inadequate, he should report this to the House authorities who carry out a daily inspection.

  Inner Cities
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage further investment in inner city revival.

  Mr. Ridley
  A new streamlined grant, city grant, will replace urban development grant and urban regeneration grant from 2 May. It will also incorporate private sector derelict land grant within the 57 urban priority areas.

  City grant will be paid directly by my Department and will have simplified procedures aimed at giving quicker decisions. It will encourage developers to invest in projects providing jobs and homes in inner areas.

  A consultation document inviting views on aspects of city grant is being issued today. I am placing copies in the Library.

  Idle Land
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in bringing idle land owned by public bodies back into use.

  Mr. Ridley
  Since the registers of unused and underused land were first compiled in 1981, some 50,000 acres of this land has been removed from the registers because it has been sold or brought into use by the owners. This has been achieved through publicity, financial discipline and the use of the power to direct disposal. These measures will continue to be applied; and provisions to improve their effectiveness are contained in the Local Government Bill.

  I consider that publication of information by the public bodies themselves about the unused and underused land they own would provide a significant incentive to the efficient management of land assets, which the recently published Audit Commission report indicated was needed in the case of local authorities. And it would contribute to the public accountability of the bodies concerned.

  I therefore intend that public bodies should regularly publish this information and as a first step I will be consulting the local authority associations on how local authorities are to do so.

  Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to implement parts II, III and V of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We intend to bring parts II, III and IV of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 into force during April, and to bring part V into force by the summer recess.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for new urban development corporations.

  Mr. Ridley
  I propose to establish a new urban development corporation in the lower Don Valley, Sheffield, and to extend the remit of the Merseyside development corporation to cover further areas of land in Liverpool and the Wirral. These proposals will be subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary orders.

  The lower Don Valley has recently been studied by consultants. The UDC would cover approximately 2,000 acres to the north-east of the city centre and account for public expenditure of about £50 million over seven years. I shall bring forward specific boundary proposals shortly and reach decisions in the light of the view of local interests.

  I shall appoint consultants to look at areas identified on Merseyside and to advise on their development potential and boundaries. The areas would cover approximately 800 acres and expenditure could be between £50 million and £90 million over eight or nine years. Decisions on boundaries will be taken in the light of the results of the consultants' study and of the views of local interests.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each urban development corporation the parliamentary constituencies contained within or overlapped by it.

  Mr. Trippier
  The constituencies contained within or overlapped by each UDC in England are as follows:

  Black Country Development Corporation

  West Bromwich West

  West Bromwich East

  Walsall North

  Walsall South

  Warley West

  Warley East

  London Docklands Development Corporation

  Bethnal Green and Stepney

  Bow and Poplar

  Newham South

  Southwark and Bermondsey

  Merseyside Development Corporation

  Birkenhead

  Bootle

  Liverpool Riverside

  Wallasey

  Teeside Development Corporation

  Hartlepool

  Redcar

  Middlesbrough

  Stockton North

  Stockton South

  Trafford Park Development Corporation

  Stretford

  Worsley

  Davyhulme

  Salford East

  Eccles

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation

  Tyne Bridge

  Newcastle upon Tyne East

  Wallsend

  Tynemouth

  77

  Jarrow

  South Shields

  Sunderland North

  Sunderland South

  Housing Condition Surveys
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing condition surveys have been completed in England and Wales since 1970; what has been the cost of each at 1988 prices; and when he expects the next survey to be carried out.

  Mrs. Roe
  Four house condition surveys have been completed in England since 1970, but the sizes of sample and other arrangements have differed considerably in successive surveys. The extra-mural expenditure incurred in each survey was, at 1988 prices:

  £

  1971

  120,000

  1976

  431,000

  1981

  468,000

  1986

  1,533,000

  We plan to hold the next English house condition survey in 1991. House condition surveys in Wales are a matter for my right hon. friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Dog Licences
  Miss Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received on dog licences.

  Mr. Chope
  Since publication of the Local Government Bill on 26 June 1987, some 1,700 letters have been received from hon. Members and others. In addition, the Department has received some 8,700 printed postcards or letters prepared by organisations concerned with dogs.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton),Official Report, 9 February, column 126, if an employee of the Crown Suppliers will receive all pension rights under the principal Civil Service pension scheme, including benefits payable in respect of premature retirement, in the event of the sale of the Crown Suppliers; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton), Official Report, column 126, what specific steps will be taken to ensure that Crown Suppliers employees in any privatised regime will have pensions comparable with those which they now possess; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Work on how best to effect the sale of the Crown Suppliers is at an early stage, and it is too soon to specify the precise steps which will be taken to give staff pension rights broadly comparable to those which they now possess.

  Chapels (Listed Buildings)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications he has recently received for demolition or alteration of non-conformist 78
  chapels or former chapels which are listed buildings; and whether Brunswick Methodist chapel, Macclesfield, and Preston Unitarian chapel have been the subject of any such application.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Applications for listed building consent are made initially to local planning authorities, but must in certain circumstances be referred to the Department if the authority proposes to grant consent so that the case can be considered for call-in for decision by my right hon. Friend. All applications by local planning authorities themselves are automatically referred to the Department for decision.

  Since 1 August 1987, 17 applications for listed building consent for the demolition (total or partial), alteration or extension of listed non-conformist chapels or former chapels have been referred to the Department. In 10 of these cases we decided not to intervene; this category included an application to convert the Brunswick Methodist chapel, Macclesfield, to office and residential purposes. In a further five cases we are still considering call-in; and two local planning authority applications are currently before us for decision.

  In addition to the above applications, my right hon. Friend refuesed consent in January 1988, following a public inquiry, for the total demolition of he Old Methodist chapel, Swineshead, near Boston, Lincolnshire. This application was made in April 1987. The Preston Unitarian chapel was the subject of a local planning authority application for total demolition in February 1986. The authority was asked to investigate the possibility of selling the chapel on the open market as the Department was not satisfied that sufficient thought had been given to this possibility. Efforts to sell the building have not been successful to date.

  Fishing Rates
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the total annual product of fishing rates in England and Wales.

  Mr. Chope
  I regret the information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report details of the sequence of events which have caused him to delay his decision in the matter of the London Docklands East Docklands Compulsory Purchase Order 1985; and if he will now publish his decision.

  Mr. Trippier
  The order covers an unusually large number of plots owned by a wide diversity of local authority, statutory undertakers and private interests. It has been necessary for the Department to consult other Government Departments under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 and to seek agreement from the parties affected on the dimensions of those plots where compulsory acquisition is to be confirmed in part. My right hon. Friend's decision is expected imminently.

  Pollution (Archaeological Sites)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the policy that the polluter should
  79
  pay for the cost of removing pollution applies to anyone developing an archaeological site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Whilst I think the analogy with the "polluter pays" principle is false in this context, both the Department and English Heritage encourage developers to contribute towards the cost of archaeological investigation in advance of development. A code of practice prepared nearly two years ago by the British Archaeologists and Developers Liaison Group has been a valuable stimulus to this successful voluntary approach. In addition, the Government contribute some £6 million a year in grants towards rescue archaeology projects through their heritage agency, the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. Local planning authorities can impose conditions on planning permissions affecting land considered to be of archaeological interest to ensure that access is given to archaeologists, and a similar requirement is often a condition of consent to development affecting scheduled monuments.

  Water Supplies (Nitrate Levels)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on private water supplies where the nitrate levels are above recommended levels.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) on 12 February, at columns 382–83, by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe).

  Office Development (Ruthin)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the office development already funded to replace the present agricultural department accommodation in Ruthin will proceed.

  Mr. Chope
  The intention is to provide a new Crown building, including accommodation for the Welsh Office Agricultural Department, in Ruthin, but a date for the start of construction had not yet been decided.

  New Towns
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the proposed or actual wind-up dates for all the new towns.

  Mrs. Roe
  In England, firm wind-up dates have been set for the new town development corporations at:

  Aycliffe and Peterlee 31 March 1988.

  Washington 31 March 1988.

  Peterborough 30 September 1988.

  Target wind-up dates, which will be reviewed with the relevant local authorities nearer the time, for the remaining corporations are:

  Warrington and Runcorn 30 September 1989.

  Telford 30 September 1991.

  Milton Keynes 31 March 1992.

  My right hon. Friend has no responsibility for new town development corporations in Scotland or Wales.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the names, profession, and salary of people appointed to each urban development corporation.
  80
  Mr. Trippier
  Board membership for each English urban development corporation is as set out, together with information on each individual's other interests. The remuneration of chairmen and deputy chairmen is shown alongside the names of each: payments reflect the time commitment made. Members of the London Docklands development corporation receive a flat rate of £4,535, and members of all other corporations £3,625.

  Black Country Development Corporation

  Mr. Bill Francis (Chairman £9,117). Former Director, Trafalgar House and Gas Ltd.

  Mrs. Jean Denton (Deputy Chairman £12,376). Counsellor, Burson-Marseller.

  Mr. Joe Adams. Councillor, Sandwell MBC.

  Mr. Eric Alison. Councillor, Walsall MBC.

  Mr. Roger Carey. Chief Executive Director, Slough Estates plc.

  Mr. Charles Darby. Chairman and Managing Director Bass Mitchels and Butler.

  Mr. Roy Kettle. Chairman, CI Group plc.

  Mr. Graham MacKenzie. Chairman, T1 Group Specialised Tube Business Area.

  Mr. Ray Partridge. Councillor, Sandwell MBC.

  Mr. Paul Sabapathy. Finance Director, IMI Refiners Ltd.

  Mr. Michael Worley. Chairman and Managing Director, William King & Sons Ltd.

  London Docklands Development Corporation

  Sir Christopher Benson (Chairman £27,226). Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MEPC plc.

  Mr. Alan Benjamin. Director CAP Group plc.

  Sir Andrew Derbyshire. Chairman, Robert Mathew, Johnson-Marshall London Ltd.

  Sir Christopher Foster. Commercial Advisor, British Telecom.

  Sir John Garlick. Former Permanent Secretary, Department of Environment.

  Mr. Jonathan Mathews. Councillor, Tower Hamlets BC.

  Mr. Lewis Moss. Senior Partner Moss and Partners

  Mr. Wyndham Thomas. Chairman and Chief Executive Inner City Enterprise. Former General Manager, Peterborough New Town.

  Merseyside Development Corporation

  Mr. Philip Carter (Chairman £18,234). Former Managing Director, Littlewoods Organisation. Chairman Everton FC, President The Football League, Chairman Merseyside Tourism Board.

  Mr. John Smith (Deputy Chairman £6,188). Chairman, Sports Council, Chairman, Liverpool FC.

  Professor Graham Ashworth. Professor of Urban Environmental Studies, Salford University.

  Mr. Brian Thaxter. Local Director of Barclays Bank plc. Liverpool.

  Professor Patrick Minford. Professor of Applied Economics, Liverpool University.

  Mr. Clive Lewis. Senior Partner, Clive Lewis and Partners.

  Mr. Thomas Glover. Councillor, Sefton BC.

  Mr. John Hale. Councilor, Wirral BC.

  Dr. John Ritchie. Chief Executive of the Development Corporation.

  Teesside Development Corporation

  Mr. Ron — Norman (Chairman £18,234). Chairman and Director, R. Norman Ltd.

  Lord Dormand (Deputy Chairman £6,188). Former MP for Easington.

  Mr. Michael Carr. Councillor, Middlesborough BC.

  Mr. Alan Cherry. Managing Director, Countryside Properties Ltd.

  Mrs. Dianna Eccles. Director, Sainsbury's Ltd.

  Mr. Bryan Hanson. Councillor, Cleveland CC.

  Mr. Roger Kingdon. Chief Executive, The Davy Corporation.

  Mr. Andrew Russell. Director, Casco Property Ltd.

  Mr. John Sutcliffe. Chairman. North Housing Trust Ltd.

  Mr. Laurie Wild. Councillor, Stockton-on-Tees BC.

  Trafford Park Development Corporation

  Mr. Peter Hadfield (Chairman £18,234). Former Chairman and Managing Director, Bass North West Ltd.

  Mr. Anthony Russell (Deputy Chairman £6,188). Former

  81
  Chairman Lankro Chemicals Group.

  Mr. Barry Brotherton. Councillor, Trafford BC.

  Mr. Peter Collins. Chairman and Managing Director Petros Development Company.

  Mr. William Moores. Councillor, Salford BC.

  Mr. Hugh Richards. Former Senior Partner W. H. Robinson & Co.

  Mr. Hamish Stewart. Personnel Director, Carborundum Abrasives plc.

  Mr. Colin Warbrick. Councillor, Trafford BC.

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation

  Mr. Paul Nicholson (Chairman £13,676). Chairman and Managing Director, Vaux Group.

  Mr. John Ward (Deputy Chairman £6,188). Regional Director, Barclays Bank plc.

  Mr. Graeme Anderson. Executive Deputy Chairman, Northern Engineering Industries.

  Mr. John Barnsley. Senior Partner, Price Waterhouse.

  Mr. John Donnelly. Councillor, Sunderland BC.

  Mr. John Hall. Managing Director, Cameron Hall Developments.

  Dr. Ralph Iley. Director Group Development, Cookson Gp plc.

  Mr. Joe Mills. Regional Secretary, Transport and General Workers Union.

  Mr. Bert Moore. Councillor, Newcastle City C.

  Mr. Septimus Robinson. Councillor, South Tyneside BC.

  Phoenix Initiative
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals the Phoenix initiative has rendered for the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation regarding its future in terms of private sector investment.

  Mr. Trippier
  None.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the total number of people who will not pay the poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  I do not believe evasion will be a serious problem, and I have explained why on a number of occasions to the Standing Committee considering the Local Government Finance Bill. The most recent was on 25 February at columns 1000–1.

  Inner City Renewal Project, Bow
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will grant the necessary approval to permit work to proceed on the inner city renewal project for the Monteith estate in the Bow neighbourhood of the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

  Mr. Trippier
  This project requires a number of consents. These are being considered urgently by the Department and a letter will be sent to the London borough of Tower Hamlets shortly.

  Windsor Castle
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions the Property Services Agency has had regarding the structural condition of Windsor castle; with whom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  In January this year some cracking occurred in the north-west quadrant of the Round Tower 82
  at Windsor castle, which houses the Royal archives. It is possible that the recent period of exceptionally heavy rainfall increased pressures within the earth mound which supports the tower giving rise to movement. Engineers of the Property Services Agency and specialist consultants have been monitoring the situation closely since the occurrence and no further movement has taken place. A comprehensive geo-technical survey, including borehole investigation, has been planned and will beging this week. Preliminary results will be available during May and I will write to my hon. Friend at that time.

  The Royal Household is being kept closely in touch with developments.

  Model Yacht Sailing Association and London Archers
  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether suitable equivalent new premises have been found for the Model Yacht Sailing Association and the London Archers as a result of the necessary demolition of the old ones.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A new clubhouse will be built at the north end of the Paddock area in Kensington Gardens to house both of these long-established clubs. Work should start on 1 April and the new premises be completed and ready for occupation by 1 June. I aim to minimise any disruption of the clubs' normal summer activities.

  Crown Suppliers (Fuel Branch)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will produce a table in the Official Report showing the savings to the Government for each of the last five years from the activities of the Crown Suppliers fuel branch.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer Friday 4 March 1988]: Over the last five years TCS prices for liquid fuel have been below the average in an independent index comprising prices among large fuel buyers. On this basis the savings on liquid fuel purchased were as follows:

  £ million

  1987

  11·2

  1986

  7·8

  1985

  5·7

  1984

  3·8

  1983

  2·5

SCOTLAND

  Soroya (Monofilament Nets)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take against the Grimsby vessel Soroya for carriage of monofilament nets pending his appeal against the court decision on the illegality of this regulation; and how many other vessels he has proceeded against since the court decision.
  83
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A report is shortly to be submitted by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland against the skipper of the vessel concerning the alleged carriage of these nets. The matter will be referred to the procurator fiscal in Aberdeen for consideration of proceedings. The Lord Advocate has decided that all appropriate cases involving monofilament gill nets will be proceeded with notwithstanding the appeal which the Crown has lodged against the decision of the sheriff at Stranraer.

  As far as other vessels are concerned, the numbers of those proceeded against are not centrally held and cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  Training Exercise
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the Home Defence training exercise held in Scotland in 1986 to train regional government staff for wartime duties; what number and grades of officials from each Department participated in the exercise; and which local government staff, public and private utility staff and staff from other agencies with designated war appointments took part in the exercise.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No such exercise was held in Scotland in 1986.

  Roads (Fife)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the amount of Government expenditure on the construction, maintenance and repair of motorways and trunk roads in Fife since 1979; and what is the estimated expenditure for these purposes in each of the next five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested for expenditure in Fife since 1979 is shown in the table. The White Paper on public expenditure (Cm. 288-II) gives details of the Government's proposals for Scotland for the period to 1990–91, but no decisions have been taken on how planned trunk road expenditure should be allocated by scheme or by region.

  Expenditure (£ million)

  Financial year

  New construction and improvements

  Maintenance (including structural maintenance)

  1979–80

  1·139

  0·686

  1980–81

  2·304

  0·604

  Total sheep in Scottish Islands areas and regions (June census, thousands)

  1975

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  Islands Areas

  Shetland

  234

  243

  261

  286

  248

  Orkney

  75

  77

  92

  116

  116

  Western Isles

  199

  201

  198

  201

  135

  Regions

  Highland

  1,215

  1,175

  1,201

  1,287

  1,261

  84

  Financial year

  New construction and improvements

  Maintenance (including structural maintenance)

  1981–82

  3·789

  0·914

  1982–83

  3·857

  1·165

  1983–84

  5·303

  1·894

  1984–85

  6·014

  1·099

  1985–86

  6·164

  1·221

  1986–87

  4·030

  1·708

  1987–88 estimate

  2·010

  1·258

  Forfar Bypass
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many drivers have been charged with road traffic offences following incidents or accidents on the Forfar bypass since it was opened to traffic; how many of those charged have been brought before the courts; and how many of those appearing in court were over 70 years of age.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Clothing Grants
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he gives to local authorities on the frequency of clothing grants.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Assistance with clothing under section 54 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 is available only where a pupil is unable to take full advantage of the education offered because of the inadequacy or unsuitability of his clothing. This is a matter for decision by education authorities in the circumstances of individual cases and no central guidance has been issued.

  Sheep
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of sheep farmed in each county of Scotland in the following years: 1975, 1980, 1983, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The total number of sheep recorded in the annual June agricultural census for each of the Scottish local government islands areas and regions is set out in the table. After the 1986 census, 6,000 very small scale holdings with a total of 203,000 sheep were excluded from subsequent annual censuses.
  85

  1975

  1980

  1983

  1986

  1987

  Grampian

  563

  586

  644

  662

  702

  Tayside

  732

  726

  744

  799

  807

  Fife

  106

  103

  102

  101

  104

  Lothian

  240

  237

  244

  237

  248

  Borders

  1,190

  1,250

  1,263

  1,303

  1,347

  Central

  354

  355

  377

  397

  410

  Strathclyde

  1,553

  1,623

  1,668

  1,774

  1,835

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,074

  1,145

  1,230

  1,354

  1,387

  SCOTLAND

  7,536

  7,720

  8,024

  8,515

  8,600

  Note:

  Individual figures may not agree with totals due to rounding.

  Housing Condition Survey
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has any plans to carry out a housing condition survey in Scotland; if he will estimate the cost of such a survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  Local authorities have ample powers to carry out surveys of their areas to establish housing conditions. We are keeping the possibility of a national house condition survey under review but we are not, as yet, convinced of its merits. In particular, it is unlikely that such a survey would yield results at below district level unless the sample size was large, and consequently expensive. Our best assessment is that a national survey would cost over £5 million.

  Rates (Aberdeen)
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of rates paid in Aberdeen by non-domestic ratepayers in the current financial year, the amount of rates to be paid by non-domestic ratepayers in the first year of the community charge, and the proportion of such payments which will be available to Aberdeen city district council.

  Mr. Lang
  The amount of rates paid in Aberdeen by non-domestic ratepayers in 1987–88 is estimated at £73 million. It is not possible to calculate the amount of rates to be paid by non-domestic ratepayers in the first year of the community charge as this will depend on decisions not yet taken and information not yet available. For the same reason it is not possible to calculate the proportion of such payments which will be available to Aberdeen city district council; but the proportion for 1987–88 is estimated at 25 per cent.

  Capital Spending (Aberdeen)
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he used in allocating the capital spending of Aberdeen city district council for the forthcoming financial year; and if he will review the position in the light of representations received.

  Mr. Lang
  The allocation of resources for capital expenditure by local authorities, including Aberdeen city district council is determined, within the resources available, on the basis of their relative needs. In the light of the financial plans they submit each year, the relative needs of authorities are assessed taking account of a number of factors, including the capital costs of individual projects, their current expenditure consequences, the 86
  previous spending patterns and performance of the authorities and their forecasts of capital receipts. Account is also taken of the provisional allocations previously issued; it is, in general likely to be disruptive to depart very far from them but there can often be a need to adjust them to reflect particular changes in circumstances.

  The resources available for distribution as capital allocations for 1988–89 are finite. They were allocated in full with the Scottish Office finance division letter of 22 February 1988.

  Hospital and Community Health Services
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure in Scotland on the hospital and community health services was, in each year since 1982–83, adjusted by the hospital and community health services pay and prices deflator.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No separate price index is maintained for hospital and community health services in Scotland.

  NHS (Contracting Out)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discretion has been give by him to health boards in Scotland on implementation of his circular on the contracting out of ancillary services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Home and Health Department's letter of 11 December set boards a specific programme of competitive tendering within a specified timetable. All boards are expected to carry that out.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter received from Fife health board in response to his circular on the contracting out of ancillary services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. Correspondence between the Scottish Home and Health Department and health boards is not normally made available to other parties.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the consultations held with each health board prior to the placing of the advertisement in The Scotsman on behalf of the Scottish Health Service in which notice of information about tendering for in-house ancillary services for health boards was given.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The advertisement was placed by health boards acting jointly. No consultations by the Scottish Home and Health Department were involved.
  87
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details in the Official Report of any external, management, financial or marketing consultants advising him on privatisation or contracted-out programmes.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The only firms of this nature currently advising me are the following. Their advice is being sought in connection with the privatisation of the electricity supply industry or of the Scottish Transport Group:

  Quayle Munro Ltd., Merchant Bankers.

  Barclays de Zoete Webb Ltd., Merchant Bankers.

  British Linen Bank Ltd., Merchant Bankers.

  Merz and McLellan, Consulting Engineers.

  Coopers and Lybrand, Chartered Accountants.

  McGrigor Donald, Solicitors.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the savings he envisages from the contracting out of ancillary services in each health board for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is impossible to predict accurately the level of savings likely to be achieved through competitive tendering. This will depend on the levels of bids submitted.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the Scottish Trades Union Congress and Health Service unions to discuss the contracting out of health board ancillary services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I will be replying shortly to an invitation from the Scottish Trades Union Congress to meet to discuss a number of matters including competitive tendering for support services.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the responses from Scottish health boards to his circular on the contracting out of ancillary services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 24 February, at column 231, to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudon (Mr. McKelvey).

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take against any health board refusing to contract out their ancillary services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The question does not arise, since no board has declined to proceed with the programme of competitive tendering for certain ancillary services.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the cost of placing the advertisement in The Scotsman on behalf of the Scottish health service in which information about tendering for in-house ancillary services for health boards was given.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The cost of placing the advertisement in The Scotsman was £277.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the companies which have shown an interest in competing for ancillary service contracts.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what basis his Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for health announced on Radio Scotland on 27 February that all Scottish health boards have agreed to invite tenders for in-house services.
  88
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  All health boards accept that they must implement the programme of competitive tendering on which my right hon. and learned Friend has decided.

  Acute Beds (Fife)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail his reasons for adopting option D as the basis for acute bed provision in Fife.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In deciding on option D I took a view of what was best for patients throughout Fife, taking account of travelling time, the location of population, cost and the demands on the Scottish hospital building programme.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much expenditure is required for the acute bed proposals in Fife contained in option D; and if he will make available this level of expenditure.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  At present the only expenditure at issue is the Dunfermline development of option D, the cost of which is estimated at £27 million.

  The question of substantial capital funding will not arise for a year or two. If approval in principle is granted, that will indicate a firm intention of finance expenditure.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what timetable he now envisages for(a) the submission of Fife health board's option D proposals for acute bed provision in Fife, (b) ministerial decision, (c) agreement of financial allocations and programme and (d) implementation at local level.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have asked Fife health board to make a new submission for approval in principle to the Dunfermline development of option D and expect the board to do this as soon as possible, to facilitate an early decision. Allocation of capital funds for the development would then be considered in the context of the capital building programme.

  It would be for the health board to progress the implementation of projects within the procedures subsequent to approval in principle.

  Fife Health Board
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why Fife health board has not yet appointed a new general manager to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Lee; and whether the post will be redesignated.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This is a matter for Fife health board. I understand that the board is making every effort to find a suitable person to fill the vacant post of general manager.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the meetings held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for health, the hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) and the chairman of Fife health board since 1 July 1987 to the present, including dates and subjects discussed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have had two meetings with the chairman of Fife health board since 1 July 1987—on 15 October 1987 and 1 February 1988. On both occasions we discussed a range of matters affecting the Health Service.

  Health Boards
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the membership of each health board, detailing names, nominating body, date appointed and known political affiliation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 24 July 1987 at columns 427–32, to the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith) and my reply of 3 November 1987 at columns 685–9, to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg).

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report any chairman or members of Scottish health boards who have direct pecuniary or other interests in private health care.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Such information is not collected or held centrally. The general obligation of chairmen and members to declare any interests related to specific contracts is set out in the National Health Service (Health Boards: Membership, Procedure and Payment of Subscriptions) (Scotland) Regulations 1975.

  Hospitals
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish capital expenditure amounts for hospital building programmes for each of the health boards in 1988–89, 1989–90, and 1990–91.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March at column 667, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) about 1988–89. Capital expenditure figures are not published for the two following years though health boards are given indicative provisional allocations for planning purposes.

  Seals
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will institute a study of the number of grey and common seals killed annually on the east coast of Scotland; and whether he will consider seeking to amend the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 to secure the indigenous grey and common seal populations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to put in hand such a study. It would be expensive and the results likely to be unreliable. There is no legal requirement on the public to report the number of seals shot outwith the close season, during which shooting can only take place under licence or to prevent seals causing damage to fisheries.

  My right hon. and learned Friend does not consider that the available evidence would justify an amendment to the Conservation of Seals Act for the purpose proposed. It is estimated by the Environment Research Council that the size of the Scottish population of grey seals is expected to be 92,500, an annual increase of 5 per cent. over the period 1985 to 1987. The minimum size of the common seals is estimated to be some 18,100 animals.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many salmon netting stations are located around the east coast of Scotland; how many seals are shot around these stations; and how many seals are killed around all fish farms annually.
  90
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Comprehensive information on the numbers of salmon netting stations around the Scottish coast and annual records of the number of seals killed around netting stations and fish farms are not kept centrally.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current population of common seals on the east coast of Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland obtains advice from the Natural Environment Research Council as to estimates of seal populations.

  The most recent estimates obtained from the council in respect of common seals were provided by surveys carried out by the sea mammal research unit in 1984. These showed a minimum total population in that area of some 1,000 animals.

  Sheep (Radioactivity)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what authority unmarked sheep were allowed to be moved in August 1986 from the restricted areas of Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Consents were given on my right hon. and learned Friend's behalf by the Department. of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland under section 2(1) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 12 February,Official Report, column 371, how many (a) rams, (b) ewes and (c)lambs were allowed to be moved from the restricted areas of Scotland following the Chernobyl accident in each month from June 1986 to April 1987.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  1986

  Rams

  Ewes

  Lambs

  June

  nil

  nil

  nil

  July

  nil

  nil

  nil

  August

  7

  nil

  8,404

  September

  79

  nil

  nil

  October

  50

  nil

  nil

  November

  nil

  nil

  nil

  December

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1987

  January

  nil

  nil

  nil

  February

  nil

  nil

  nil

  March

  nil

  nil

  nil

  April

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Rating Reform
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the cost of publishing and delivering an explanatory booklet on the community charge to every household in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The cost to my Department of preparing, printing and distributing the explanatory booklet for the current community charge information campaign is £246,367.

  Ships and Piers (EC Aid)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what levels of European Economic Community
  91
  aid and have been available for ship replacement and pier construction undertaken by the Scottish Transport Group in the past five years; and if he will list the specific projects for which such aid has been received, together with the amounts involved in each case.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Since 1 January 1985 assistance from the EEC's European regional development fund for ferry

  Year

  Location

  Project

  Award (£)

  Percentage of cost

  1984

  Uig/Tarbert/Lochmaddy1

  New ferry vessel and conversion of terminals to roll-on/roll-off

  3,280,000

  40

  1985

  Tobermory

  Pier improvements

  110,000

  50

  1985

  Gourock

  Pier improvements

  175,000

  50

  1985

  Rothesay

  Pier improvements

  37,000

  50

  1985

  Oban

  Pier improvements

  750,000

  50

  1985

  Largs/Cumbrae, Fishnish/Lochaline

  Two new ferry vessels

  850,000

  50

  1986

  Lochranza/Claonaig

  New ferry vessel

  425,000

  50

  1987

  Lochaline

  Extension of slipway

  43,000

  50

  1987

  Colintraive/Rhubodach

  New ferry vessel

  425,000

  50

  1987

  Oban/Mull/Colonsay

  New ferry vessel

  3,300,000

  50

  1 Terminals at Uig and Lochmaddy owned by Highland regional council and Western Isles islands council respectively.

  Skoal Bandits
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the Ministers in his Department, together with their responsibilities, at the time of the decision to give financial assistance to United States Tobacco for the manufacture of Skoal Bandits.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In November 1984, when the offer of assistance was made, the Secretary of State for Scotland was my right hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger). The other Ministers, and their responsibilities, were:

  Rt. hon. Lord Gray of Contin.
  Responsibilities: Agriculture; fisheries; forestry; the Highlands and Islands Development Board; Scottish Tourist Board; and the co-ordination of Government action in relation to the Highlands and Islands.

  The hon. Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart).
  Responsibilities: Industrial and regional development; manpower services; matters relating to oil development; new towns; education including primary, secondary and higher education, hut excluding universities; public libraries; youth and community services; sport and recreation; and the arts.

  The former hon. Member for Argyll and Bute (Mr. MacKay).
  Responsibilities: Health boards and the Common Services Agency; hospital services; general practitioner services; community health services; ambulance services; health education; services for the elderly, children, the disabled and the mentally handicapped; list D schools; children's hearings; and the after-care of offenders.

  The former hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Ancram).
  Responsibilities: Police and fire services; civil law and criminal justice; prisons; Scottish courts administration; local government; town and country planning; housing; roads and transport; water, sewage and pollution; urban renewal; building control; and ancient monuments and historic buildings.

TRANSPORT

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Warrington, South of 24 February,Official Report, column 203, on the second Severn bridge, he will revise the
  92
  vessels and infrastructure has been available at 50 per cent. of the gross cost of the project concerned. Prior to that date the standard rate was 30 per cent. but this was varied on occasion depending on the nature of the project. Since 1983 the Scottish Transport Group's subsidiary, Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd., have been awarded assistance from the fund as follows:

  forecast in his answer of 14 December, Official Report, columns 421–22, of the level of tolls required to meet the objective of the Severn Bridge Act 1965 to take account of the forecasts of the division of traffic flow.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  When we decide that forecast traffic growth warrants the construction of the second bridge, and how it is to be financed, we shall have to consider their implications for the finances of the present crossing.

  Enforcement Officers
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many enforcement officers he employed in(a) 1979 and (b) the latest available year; and whether he has any plans to increase their numbers.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department employed 1,401 enforcement officers in 1979 and 1,560 in 1987. These officers are:

  1979

  1987

  Traffic examiners

  241

  235

  Vehicle examiners

  327

  352

  VED enforcement officers

  833

  973

  There are no plans to increase the numbers of enforcement officers.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions were brought by enforcement officers in each year from 1979 to the latest available year.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of prosecutions brought by the Department's traffic area offices between 1978–79 and 1986–87 in enforcing heavy goods and passenger operator and vocational driver licensing and other requirements relating to road safety were as follows:

  Number

  1978–79

  10,700

  1979–80

  14,100

  1980–81

  13,500

  1981–82

  12,500

  93

  1982–83

  Number

  1982–83

  14,900

  1983–841

  9,300

  1984–85

  13,500

  1985–86

  15,000

  1986–87

  16,300

  1 The period of the reporting year was changed resulting in a six-month report.

  The number of prosecutions sought by the Department between 1979 and 1987 for vehicle excise duty offences including those settled out of court were as follows:

  Number

  1979

  172,000

  1980

  210,000

  1981

  169,000

  1982

  198,000

  1983

  253,000

  1984

  291,000

  1985

  305,000

  1986

  343,000

  1987

  348,000

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the location and status of all buildings within his Department located in London and the annual cost of rents, rates and maintenance of each.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on Wednesday 2 March 1988, at column 584, to his question referring to the Department of the Environment. The Department of Transport occupies accommodation in 58 buildings in the Greater London area, ranging from the main HQ building at 2 Marsham Street down to driver testing centres.

  Accident Statistics
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out a table listing(a) the percentage of total motorway traffic represented by and (b) the percentage of vehicles involved in motorway accidents which are (i) heavy goods vehicles and vehicles drawing a trailer and (ii) buses and coaches.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information requested, based on road accident injury statistics for GB in 1986, is as follows:

  Heavy goods vehicles Percentage

  Buses and coaches Percentage

  Percentage of motorway traffic

  15·9

  0·8

  Percentage of vehicles involved in motorway accidents

  14·1

  0·8

  Heavy goods vehicles include articulated vehicles and goods vehicles drawing a trailer. The percentage of vehicles involved in motorway accidents, which are heavy goods vehicles or other vehicles drawing a trailer, is 15·4. However, traffic figures are not available, separately, for other vehicles drawing a trailer.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list for each of the first six months for 1987(a) the number of buses and coaches involved in accidents on motorways and (b) the number which were travelling in the fast lane at the time.
  94
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of buses and coaches involved in accidents on motorways in GB in the first six months of 1987 is as follows:

  Number

  January

  6

  February

  3

  March

  7

  April

  4

  May

  12

  June

  6

  The lane in which the vehicle was travelling at the time of the accident is not recorded on the police road accident report form.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road death rates of each of the countries in the EEC, expressed as deaths per 100,000 population, for the latest available year; and if he will list the equivalent figures for 10 years earlier.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is as follows:

  EC comparisons of road deaths1 per 100.000 population

  1976

  1986

  Belgium

  25

  20

  Denmark

  17

  315

  Federal Republic of Germany

  24

  15

  France

  28

  22

  Greece

  14

  16

  Irish Republic

  17

  11

  Italy

  17

  313

  Luxembourg

  28

  22

  Netherlands

  18

  11

  Portugal

  35

  326

  Spain

  17

  18

  United Kingdom

  212

  10

  1 In accordance with the commonly agreed international definition, most countries define a fatality as being due to a road accident if death occurs within 30 days of the accident. The official road accident statistics of some countries, however, limit the fatalities to those occuring within shorter periods after the accident. Deaths and death rates in the table have been adjusted according to the factors used by the Economic Commission for Europe and the European conference of Ministers of Transport, to represent standardised 30-day deaths.

  2 Great Britain only.

  3 1985 Data.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of this number; whether he is reconsidering the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  By 1 March the Department had received 1,197 subject access inquiries, 1,185 were inquiries made of the Driver and 'Vehicle Licensing Centres' 78 million driver and vehicle licence records held there on computer. 270,000 transactions are handled each day at the centre. No prior estimate had been made of the number of subject access inquiries. We have no plans to reconsider the levels of fees charged.

  Transport Safety
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with which institutions he has discussed the voluntary improvement of transport safety standards during the last month.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Safety standards are one aspect of most of the discussions I and my hon. Friends have with outside bodies.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to bring forward new guidelines for transport safety; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We keep safety standards in transport regularly under review and will continue to develop proposals when the need arises.

  King's Cross and St. Pancras
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has had recent discussions with representatives of British Rail and British Rail Properties Limited on the outline plans to redevelop the King's Cross and St. Pancras station complexes.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No. This is a commercial matter for British Rail.

  Traffic Law Review
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the team set up by his Department to review traffic law to announce its findings; and what priority he attaches to achieving a change in the law relating to road traffic offences.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We expect to receive Dr. North's report of his road traffic law review very shortly. We shall give urgent consideration to its recommendations.

  Ferry Safety
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives of ferry staff to discuss safety standards.

  Mr. Channon
  I have had no recent meetings with ferry staff on this subject.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the health and safety implications of longer shift patterns aboard British ferries.

  Mr. Channon
  Working arrangements on board United Kingdom-registered ferries operating out of United Kingdom ports vary considerably, according to the companies and routes involved. I understand that proposals for new working arrangements for certain routes are now under discussion between the seafarers trades unions and the company concerned. Whatever arrangements may result will, of course, need to comply with the statutory officers manning requirements and with the statutory requirement that the watch system shall be such that the efficiency of watchkeepers is not impaired by fatigue.

  Near Misses
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received seeking an inquiry into the near misses of aircraft recently occurring over United Kingdom airspace.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We and the Civil Aviation Authority (which is responsible for air traffic control and air safety) have received a number of representations about recent airmisses. The chairman of the CAA asked the Department's chief inspector of accidents to investigate the airmiss over Kent on 6 February. The CAA is itself investigating that and other air misses under its usual procedures.

  My right hon. Friend also asked the chairman to review urgently the procedures for investigating and reporting airmisses and the chairman reported to him on 3 March 1988. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) the same day.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received seeking an inquiry into the recent near misses of aircraft in United Kingdom airspace.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a number of representations following the recent reports of airmisses and asked the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to review urgently the arrangements for reporting and investigating them. I draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 3 March 1988 to the member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) setting out the chairman's response.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on whether non-London airports are operating at their full potential.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Passenger traffic statistics suggest that a number of non-London airports are operating below their capacity, although others, such as Manchester and Birmingham, are close to the capacity of their present passenger terminals.

  Speed Limiters
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to bring forward legislation requiring speed limiters to be fitted to heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Such limiters would have to be set at 60 mph — the motorway speed limit for heavy goods vehicles of over 7·5 tonnes gross weight. The latest national speed survey has shown an encouraging reduction in lorry speeds on motorways. If this trend continues it will reduce the need to consider the fitting of speed limiters.

  Channel Tunnel
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure that regions north of London are able to benefit fully in terms of transport infrastructure, from the Channel tunnel project.
  97
  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 2 March, at column 599–600.

  Smoke Hoods
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the establishment of an internationally agreed specification for airline passenger protection smoke hoods.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend met the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority in December 1987 to discuss the authority's decision not to introduce regulations requiring the mandatory carriage of passenger smoke hoods. He informed my right hon. Friend then of the international collaboration on this matter between the Civil Aviation Authority and other leading aviation authorities. That collaboration is continuing and may in time lead to an internationally agreed specification.

  Drinking and Driving
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received seeking a reduction in the blood alcohol level for drinking and driving offences; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are pressed at different times to reduce the permitted blood alcohol content to various levels including nil below the present limit of 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.

  With more than half of all drinking and driving offenders convicted at around twice the existing limit, the current priority is to secure greater compliance with the law as it stands.

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met members of the British Transport police authority, and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend has not had any meetings with the British Transport Police Committee.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his reply of 29 June 1987,Official Report, column 35, to the hon. Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the intensive local campaigns to discourage the evasion of vehicle licence duty;

  (2) pursuant to his reply of 29 June 1987, Official Report, column 35, to the hon. Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) for the most recent date for which figures are available, how many successful prosecutions have been brought by police following the intensive local campaigns against evasion of vehicle licence duty during 1987–88.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The evidence shows that campaigns are an effective way of deterring VED evasion. Eleven campaigns have so far been held in the financial year 1987–88. Four more are under way.

  Checks of DVLC's computer register show that 172,000 vehicles recorded as unlicensed before the 11 campaigns
  98
  were launched were licensed afterwards. This represents £12·8 million revenue which might otherwise have been lost.

  So far, some 3,000 of the 5,286 evaders who ignored the warnings given during the campaigns have been successfully prosecuted, yielding a further £380,000 in fines, back-duty orders and costs.

  Seat Belts (Coaches)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any estimate has been made as to the number of lives that may have been saved over the last five years had passengers in motor coaches been required to wear seat belts; and if he has any plans to require coach manufacturers to fit seat belts in their vehicles.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department has not made such an estimate. The available information on coach accidents could not support more than a broad indication of the numbers and types of casualty that might have been avoided by wearing seat bells.

  From 1 October 1988 seat belts must be fitted in new coaches to seats most at risk, such as the front seats. The Department is investigating the possibility of extending this requirement to existing modern coaches.

  Airport Charges
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a list of the landing and take-off charges for a Boeing 727 at each airport in Britain; and whether there are different scales for British Airways and other operators.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Information on charges is not compiled in this form. Detailed data for most airports will shortly be published in the Aerodrome Owners Association 1988 handbook, a copy of which will be placed in the Library. All the larger airports operate under public use licences, which require the aerodrome to be available to all persons on equal terms and conditions.

  Nuclear Materials (Flasks)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a full copy of the report by the Central Electricity Generating Board's consulting engineers Ove Arup about the safety of flasks used for carrying nuclear materials; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Any such reports are the property of the Central Electricity Generating Board and it is for it to decide whether or not they can be made available.

  Car Telephones
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent reports he has received regarding the use of car telephones; and if he will introduce new regulations regarding their use.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  None. We have no plans to introduce legislation controlling use of in-car telephones. Existing legislation already places the responsibility on drivers to have proper control of their vehicles at all times. A motorist who fails to do so as a result of distraction or lack of concentration is liable to prosecution. The revised
  99
  Highway code advises drivers not to use a hand held telephone while their vehicles are moving, except in an emergency.

  Roads (Expenditure)
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans for further road investment.

  Mr. Channon
  I am adding two new major projects to my road programme:

  —a £50 million grant for the construction of a new road through the Black Country, linking the Black Country development corporation area to the M5 and M6: and

  —a £59 million scheme to improve the A13 between Limehouse and Dagenham to assist the redevelopment of Docklands and east London and linking in to the London Docklands Development Corporation's docklands highway.

  These new schemes will provide better transport links to stimulate new enterprise and jobs in these two inner-city areas. They are in addition to the £2 billion of schemes — two fifths of the total — already in my trunk road programme, which will directly assist the regeneration of inner cities throughout the country. More such schemes will follow.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the numerical criteria used to determine the proportion of local authority block grants allowed for expenditure on roads.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Local authorities receive support for roads expenditure through two grants, which form part of aggregate exchequer grant (AEG). The criteria for determining AEG are set out in section 54(4) of the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980.

  Capital expenditure on roads of more than local importance is supported by transport supplementary grant (TSG). TSG is allocated on the basis of accepted estimated expenditure selected from bids included in highway authorities' annual transport policies and programme (TPPs). Criteria used include cost/benefit analyses and previous years' plan progress.

  Like most other local authority spending, transport current expenditure and the financing costs of capital expenditure not financed by TSG are supported through block grant. This is distributed according to the expenditure of each authority in relation to its grant related expenditure assessment (GRE). GREs are built up from components for each service including roads. The roads maintenance GRE formula contains a number of factors, including road lengths and traffic volume. Details are published in the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1988–89" (HC. 163) and in the Department of Environment's "Technical Handbook of Grant Related Expenditure 1988–89".

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the amount of transport supplementary grant per head of the population for each of the county and metropolitan borough councils for the years 1986–87 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The table lists values of transport supplementary grant (TSG) per head of population in 100
  1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 for each local highway authority in England. TSG is awarded on the relative merits of each authority's proposed programme of highway improvements not on the basis of population.

  Transport Supplementary Grant Metropolitan districts

  (£) per capita

  Authority

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Bolton

  0·34

  7·85

  5·13

  Bury

  4·37

  1·92

  5·85

  Manchester

  6·59

  5·04

  6·97

  Oldham

  0·41

  1·23

  5·09

  Rochdale

  1·33

  121

  1·38

  Salford

  6·26

  13·75

  16·07

  Stockport

  6·45

  0·98

  0·62

  Tameside

  2·09

  1·15

  1·44

  Trafford

  7·42

  6·64

  2·97

  Wigan

  7·39

  5·38

  7·55

  Knowsley

  1·17

  0·86

  1·48

  Liverpool

  5·43

  4·61

  2·56

  St· Helens

  0·42

  0·80

  3·38

  Sefton

  0·40

  0·69

  0·57

  Wirral

  0·94

  1·12

  3·67

  Barnsley

  3·17

  2·12

  1·80

  Doncaster

  1·42

  0·78

  1·63

  Rotherham

  0·91

  0·66

  0·88

  Sheffield

  4·48

  3·91

  0·71

  Gateshead

  0·33

  3·84

  9·62

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  3·77

  6·08

  8·12

  North Tyneside

  0·34

  2·18

  1·98

  South Tyneside

  8·69

  6·15

  2·29

  Sunderland

  4·90

  3·68

  5·30

  Birmingham

  3·89

  3·88

  3·89

  Coventry

  2·86

  5·21

  6·26

  Dudley

  0·41

  2·14

  2·30

  Sandwell

  1·61

  1·96

  3·05

  Solihull

  0·34

  1·36

  2·52

  Walsall

  5·51

  5·21

  6·03

  Wolverhampton

  9·30

  11·23

  13·74

  Bradford

  7·12

  9·88

  3·64

  Calderdale

  0·33

  0·63

  1·09

  Kirklees

  3·56

  2·05

  3·50

  Leeds

  0·29

  0·78

  2·14

  Wakefield

  0·45

  0·58

  0·85

  Shire Counties

  Authority

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Avon

  1·81

  2·09

  4·55

  Bedfordshire

  3·77

  5·06

  6·24

  Berkshire

  4·62

  4·28

  3·66

  Buckinghamshire

  1·28

  3·38

  1·15

  Cambridgeshire

  2·73

  7·20

  3·55

  Cheshire

  3·11

  2·02

  1·44

  Cleveland

  5·40

  3·95

  5·67

  Cornwall

  2·78

  3·35

  5·06

  Cumbria

  0·58

  1·60

  2·88

  Derbyshire

  1·60

  0·82

  0·74

  Devon

  2·75

  3·22

  3·50

  Dorset

  8·19

  8·57

  6·77

  Durham

  2·58

  4·01

  3·23

  East Sussex

  1·72

  1·41

  3·08

  Essex

  3·56

  5·35

  5·77

  Gloucestershire

  1·69

  1·84

  2·08

  Hampshire

  3·66

  2·79

  2·69

  Hereford and Worcester

  2·99

  2·60

  3·02

  Hertfordshire

  4·49

  1·83

  3·14

  Humberside

  2·43

  2·31

  5·32

  Isle of Wight

  8·00

  7·18

  5·83

  Kent

  2·97

  3·89

  6·17

  Lancashire

  3·46

  4·62

  3·39

  Leicestershire

  4·31

  5·07

  5·65

  Lincolnshire

  1·69

  3·12

  2·01

  Norfolk

  1·48

  3·00

  2·95

  Northamptonshire

  9·42

  7·98

  5·84

  101

  Authority

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Northumberland

  3·73

  3·58

  1·81

  North Yorkshire

  5·15

  5·10

  2·75

  Nottinghamshire

  1·72

  1·84

  2·02

  Oxfordshire

  0·92

  1·42

  1·24

  Shropshire

  3·77

  3·32

  4·46

  Somerset

  3·01

  2·88

  7·15

  Staffordshire

  3·20

  2·95

  2·76

  Suffolk

  4·14

  1·44

  2·79

  Surrey

  2·48

  3·02

  2·21

  Warwickshire

  2·59

  3·04

  3·63

  West Sussex

  5·31

  4·49

  3·93

  Wiltshire

  2·70

  2·64

  0·66

  London Boroughs

  Authority

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  City of London

  78·70

  93·92

  38·13

  Barking and Dagenham

  0·66

  5·38

  19·15

  Barnet

  0·55

  1·58

  131

  Bexley

  7·83

  2·06

  2·95

  Brent

  1·99

  1·22

  1·71

  Bromley

  0·86

  1·44

  13·07

  Camden

  0·30

  0·59

  0·71

  Croydon

  0·30

  0·63

  0·73

  Ealing

  5·59

  6·54

  6·56

  Enfield

  13·82

  27·97

  42·41

  Greenwich

  3·62

  9·16

  3·75

  Hackney

  1·22

  1·07

  2·28

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1·06

  0·78

  0·43

  Haringey

  5·29

  7·49

  18·67

  Harrow

  6·17

  7·98

  17·72

  Schemes accepted for transport supplementary grant (TSG) where first year rate of return or net present value is known

  Authority

  Scheme

  Accepted for TSG

  First year rate of return (per cent·)

  Net present value1(£ million)

  Length (Km)

  Barking

  Al24

  Barking Town Centre/Northern Relief Road

  1987–88, 1988–89

  35

  —

  1·5

  Bromley

  Bromley High Street Relief Road—Section 2

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  105

  4·8

  1·6

  Sutton

  A232

  Croydon Road/B272 Hilliers Lane Junction Improvement

  1988–89

  29

  2·5

  0·6

  Sutton

  A24

  London Road/A2043 Malden Road Junction Improvement

  1988–89

  25

  1·3

  0·6

  Bolton

  A666

  St. Peters Way Extension/Topp Way Dualling

  1987–88, 1988–89

  12

  1·6

  1·8

  Bury

  A665

  Blackburn Street Diversion, Radcliffe

  1988–89

  4

  -0·6

  1·0

  Manchester

  Man/Sal Irr E Section (Redhill Street-Fairfield Street)

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  26

  3·9

  1·3

  Manchester

  A665

  Man/Sal Irr (Cheetham Hill Road-Jubilee Street)

  1988–89

  1

  -2·0

  0·4

  Manchester

  Man/Sal Irr (Regent Road-Chester Road—Phase 1

  1987–88, 1988–89

  11

  4·4

  1·2

  Manchester

  Man/Sal Irr (Regent Road-Gore Street)

  Manchester

  M56

  Airport Access Road Stage 1 (Outwood Lane/M56 Spur Road)

  1988–89

  83

  3·3

  0·5

  Oldham

  A62

  Manchester Street/Manchester Road Improvement

  1988–89

  26

  8·9

  2·6

  Salford

  A57

  Regent Road Improvement (M602-Water Street)

  1987–88, 1988–89

  10

  2·7

  1·8

  Salford

  A6042

  Man/Sal Irr Gore Street-Regent Road

  1987–88, 1988–89

  11

  4·4

  0·6

  Salford

  A5063

  Trafford Road Improvement (M602-The Quays)

  1988–89

  19

  1·1

  0·9

  Tameside

  A635

  Manchester Road-Stockport Road-William Street Gyratory, Ashton

  1988–89

  25

  3·1

  1·3

  Wigan

  Bradshawgate Diversion, Leigh

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0·6

  0·9

  Liverpool

  A561

  Park Road Relief Road-Phase 1

  1988–89

  10

  3·7

  5·5

  St· Helens

  A570

  St Helens Inner Ring Road-Phase 4

  1988–89

  21

  2·4

  1·1

  Gateshead

  A695

  Ryton Crawcrook Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  29

  6·1

  5·9

  Gateshead

  A692

  Redheugh Bridge Southern Approach Road Flyover

  1988–89

  26

  3·9

  0·4

  Sunderland

  Al231

  Inner Ring Road

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  2·7

  0·8

  Coventry

  A46

  Far Gosford Street Relief Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  5

  —

  1·4

  Coventry

  A444

  Foleshill/Holbrooks Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  7

  —

  2·5

  Dudley

  A461

  Queens Cross Improvements

  1987–88, 1988–89

  42

  —

  0·8

  Sandwell

  A461

  Ocker Hill Roundabout, Sandwell

  1987–88, 1988–89

  80

  —

  0·1

  102

  Authority

  1936–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Havering

  7·65

  5·38

  1·34

  Hillingdon

  21·96

  10·42

  8·44

  Hounslow

  2·67

  3·19

  3·89

  Islington

  0·30

  0·61

  0·43

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2·87

  1·90

  0·50

  Kingston upon Thames

  26·64

  35·38

  2·47

  Lambeth

  0·53

  1·18

  1·01

  Lewisham

  0·30

  1·29

  4·18

  Merton

  7·14

  16·53

  15·35

  Newham

  6·03

  5·58

  1·67

  Redbridge

  1·18

  4·60

  1·77

  Richmond upon Thames

  1·39

  1·27

  1·15

  Southwark

  6·56

  3·40

  4·62

  Sutton

  2·95

  4·97

  4·61

  Tower Hamlets

  0·30

  1·15

  0·45

  Waltham Forest

  4·02

  5·05

  2·29

  Wandsworth

  8·94

  9·44

  2·15

  Westminster

  2·79

  2·14

  1·19

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority (a) the value of the first year return, (b) the total net present value and (c) the length of each road project which qualified for transport supplementary grant, in each year from 1986–87 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The table lists all local road schemes supported with transport supplementary grant (TSG) in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 for which either a net present value or a first year rate of return is availablie. A number of other schemes for which economic costs and benefits are not available is also supported with TSG.
  103

  Authority

  Scheme

  Accepted for TSG

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Net present value1 (£ million)

  Length (Km)

  Sandwell

  A41

  Holloway Bank Canal Bridge

  1988–89

  11

  —

  0·3

  Sandwell

  A461

  Great Bridge Relief Road Phase 1

  1987–88, 1988–89

  50

  0·2

  Solihull

  A34

  Stratford Road, Monkspath, Dualling

  1987–88, 1988–89

  14

  —

  1·9

  Wolverhampton

  A4150

  Wolverhampton Ring Road Section 6A

  1986–87, 1987–88

  15

  —

  0·9

  Wolverhampton

  A449

  Stafford Road Improvement—Section 3A&3B

  1986–87, 1987–88

  10

  —

  1·8

  Wolverhampton

  A4150

  Wolverhampton Ring Road—Section 6B

  1986–87, 1987–88

  10

  —

  1·3

  Wolverhampton

  A449

  Stafford Road Improvement—Section 3C

  1987–88, 1988–89

  13

  —

  0·4

  Wolverhampton

  A4124

  Wednesfield Bypass Junction Improvements

  1988–89

  38

  —

  0·4

  Wolverhampton

  Black Country Route—Sections 3, 4, 5A, 5B

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  19

  7·9

  3·3

  Bradford

  Bradford City Ring Road—Stage III

  1988–89

  —

  4·4

  1·0

  Bradford

  A6037

  Bradford Canal Road—Stage I

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0·7

  0·7

  Leeds

  Leeds Inner Ring Road—Stage V

  1988–89

  46

  17·4

  0·4

  Avon

  A4032

  Newfoundland Street, Bristol

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  4·5

  0·8

  Avon

  Avon RR (1A)-Hambrook-Badminton Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 1987–88, 1988–89

  16

  5·4

  3·3

  Avon

  Avon RR (IB1)—Badminton Road-Westerleigh Road

  Avon

  Avon RR (III)-A420 Warmley-Marsham way

  1988–89

  14

  26·1

  1·9

  Avon

  A370

  M5-Town Centre Link, Weston-Super-Mare

  1988–89

  14

  4·7

  0·5

  Bedfordshire

  A505

  Luton-Dunstable Relief Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  8·1

  4·5

  Bedfordshire

  A507

  Shefford/Clifton/Henlow Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  4·6

  7·0

  Buckinghamshire

  A413

  Amersham Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  15

  —

  3·7

  Cambridgeshire

  A605

  Elton-Chesterton BP

  1988–89

  24

  5·0

  5·9

  Cheshire

  Chester Western BP—Phase 1

  1988–89

  —

  4·5

  2·1

  Cheshire

  A49

  Diversion (Phase 2), Warrington

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  1·1

  1·2

  Cleveland

  A66

  South Bank Link Road

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  3·0

  2·4

  Cleveland

  A177

  Durham Road Bypass

  1988–89

  16

  3·3

  1·6

  Cornwall

  A30

  Penzance Primary Distributor

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  1·2

  4·6

  Cornwall

  A392

  Newquay Gannel Link Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  19

  1·8

  0·5

  Cornwall

  A39

  Truro-Devoran 1 (Carnon Downs Bypass)

  1987–88, 1988–89

  6

  0·2

  1·4

  Cumbria

  A591

  Staveley Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  0·7

  2·8

  Derbyshire

  A610

  Ripley Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  0·1

  1·9

  Derbyshire

  A619

  Tapton Bypass Chesterfield—Stages 1 and 2

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  3·1

  2·5

  Derbyshire

  A6007

  Ilkeston Inner Relief Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  5·3

  1·3

  Devon

  A3064

  Plymouth-St. Budeaux Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  12

  4·5

  1·7

  Devon

  A380

  Thorns Cross-Eagle Farm 1 (Olchard Lane-Eagle Farm)

  1988–89

  —

  0·7

  1·8

  Dorset

  A37

  Dorchester Western Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0·1

  2·0

  Dorset

  B3081

  Gillingham Internal Relief Road

  1988–89

  6

  0·7

  1·6

  Durham

  A688

  Canney Hill Bypass

  1988–89

  72

  4·8

  1·1

  East Sussex

  A22

  Maresfield Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  6·0

  2·8

  East Sussex

  A267

  Mayfield Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  1·0

  1·8

  Essex

  A414

  Maldon Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  2·6

  2·4

  Gloucestershire

  B4066

  Berkeley-Sharpness—Stage 2A (Berkeley Bypass)

  1986–87, 1987–88

  7

  0·2

  1·1

  Hampshire

  B3349

  Hook Bypass Underbridge

  1988–89

  21

  2·6

  0·0

  Hampshire

  Blackwater Valley Route (North)

  1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  4·5

  6·5

  Hereford and Worcester

  A422

  Worcester Southern Link

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  39

  1·3

  4·6

  Hereford and Worcester

  A456

  Bewdley Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  16

  8·4

  5·2

  Hertfordshire

  A414

  Stanstead Abbotts to Harlow

  1988–89

  —

  2·6

  3·8

  Hertfordshire

  A4008

  Watford M1 Link and Southern Junction System

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  27·9

  3·4

  Humberside

  A180

  Grimsby West Marsh Relief Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  13·3

  2·2

  Humberside

  A1173

  Stallingborough Interchange to Kiln Lane

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  1·0

  1·7

  Humberside

  A1165

  Hull Stoneferry Road 1

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0·2

  0·8

  Humberside

  A1173

  Immingham Kiln Lane to Kings Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  4·0

  1·7

  Humberside

  A165

  Hull North Orbital Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  4·9

  1·2

  104 105

  Authority

  Scheme

  Accepted for TSG

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Net present value1(£ million)

  Length (Km)

  Humberside

  A1163

  Hull Drypool Link 1986–87,

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0·7

  0 6

  Humberside

  A165

  Ganstead Diversion

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  1·0

  1 5

  Humberside

  A165

  Long Riston Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0 4

  1·0

  Humberside

  A16

  Grimsby New Baxtergate

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  0–6

  0 8

  Humberside

  A1163

  Hull Wilmington Link

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  5·4

  1·1

  Humberside

  A1165

  Hull Stoneferry Bridge

  1988–89

  —

  0·4

  0 3

  Humberside

  A1033

  Hedon Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  2·6

  2 4

  Humberside

  A164

  Castle Hill to Bentley

  1988–89

  —

  0·4

  4 6

  Kent

  A228

  West Malling Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  6

  0·3

  3·1

  Kent

  A253

  Ramsgate Harbour Approach

  1987–88, 1988–89

  21

  2·0

  2 4

  Kent

  A249

  Albion Place/Mote Road

  1988–89

  50

  22·1

  1·5

  Kent

  A206

  Dartford Northern Bypass

  1988–89

  74

  32·8

  3·0

  Kent

  A293

  Thanet Way Dualling

  1987–88, 1988–89

  9

  1·6

  28·0

  Kent

  A253

  Lord of the Manor

  1988–89

  22

  1·0

  0·2

  Lancashire

  A65

  Nelson-Colne (Main Works)

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  23

  32·8

  1 7

  Lancashire

  A6068

  Shuttleworth Hall Link Road

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  37

  10·5

  1·7

  Lancashire

  A56

  North Valley Link Road, Colne

  1987–88, 1988–89

  48

  9·3

  1·2

  Lancashire

  Burnley Inner Relief Road—Phase II

  1988–89

  28

  4·6

  0 7

  Leicestershire

  A6006

  Asfordby Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  15

  0·8

  0·7

  Leicestershire

  Leicester Southern Distributor III

  1988–89

  26

  —

  1·7

  Lincolnshire

  A52

  Bicker Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  0·3

  2·3

  Lincolnshire

  A46

  Dunholme Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  12

  0·1

  1·9

  Lincolnshire

  A52

  Donington Bypass

  1988–89

  8

  0·2

  1·7

  Norfolk

  A143

  Kirby Cane/Geldeston Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  -0·3

  3·2

  Norfolk

  A1101

  Outwell Bends

  1988–89

  5

  0·0

  2·1

  Norfolk

  A146

  Trowse Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  0·5

  1·4

  Northumberland

  A1068

  Ellington Bypass and Potland Link

  1987–88

  —

  0·0

  3 6

  North Yorkshire

  A658

  Harrogate Knaresborough Southern Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  9·7

  10·2

  North Yorkshire

  A59

  Green Hammerton Bypass

  1988–89

  —

  0·3

  3·0

  North Yorkshire

  A59

  Far Laithe to Pacegate

  1988–89

  —

  0·2

  1·2

  Shropshire

  A49

  Reabrook to Telford Way Link

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  18

  9·2

  2·2

  Shropshire

  A591

  English Bridge Gyratory

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  51

  3·0

  0 4

  Somerset

  A358

  Ashill to Southfields Roundabout (A303)

  1988–89

  3

  0·7

  4·4

  Staffordshire

  A525

  Keele Bypass

  1988–89

  20

  0·8

  1·8

  Staffordshire

  A460

  Cannock Eastern Bypass

  1988–89

  38

  9·6

  2·5

  Suffolk

  A143

  Ixworth Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88

  2

  -0·4

  4·0

  Suffolk

  Al2

  Saxmundham Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  8

  0·4

  5·5

  Suffolk

  Al2

  Kessingland Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  10

  0·9

  2 5

  Suffolk

  A144

  Halesworth Relief Road

  1988–89

  5

  0·0

  1·0

  Surrey

  A22

  Godstone Road Whyteleafe Junction

  1988–89

  33

  1·1

  0·5

  Surrey

  St· Johns Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  1·1

  0·5

  Warwickshire

  A4390

  Stratford Southern Relief Road

  1987–88, 1988–89

  44

  4·8

  1·4

  Warwickshire

  A429

  Wellesbourne Bypass

  1988–89

  20

  0·4

  2·1

  West Sussex

  A264

  Horsham Northern Bypass

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  —

  4·2

  5·7

  West Sussex

  A24

  Farthings Hill

  1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  6

  0·1

  1·3

  West Sussex

  A24

  Dial Post

  1987–88, 1988–89

  7

  0·1

  1·7

  West Sussex

  A272

  Cuckfield Bypass

  1987–88, 1988–89

  7

  0·6

  1·8

  West Sussex

  A264

  Bewbush

  1988–89

  9

  1·5

  1·1

  1 1979 prices discounted to 1979.

  Road Improvements
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what programmes are being initiated to improve road quality standards throughout the United Kingdom; and if he will provide a table listing expenditure figures for all regions from 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have initiated a greatly enhanced programme of structural maintenance on national roads. Maintenance of other roads is a matter for 106
  local authorities. Where authorities continue to under-spend we will be looking urgently for ways of improving the situation, in consultation with the local authority associations.

  Rural Transport (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received concerning rural transport in Cornwall; and if he will make a statement.
  107
  Mr. David Mitchell
  No recent representations have been received about rural transport services in Cornwall. Deregulation passed off smoothly there with services broadly maintained at reduced cost to the county. There are minibuses in many towns and the consequent increase in bus mileage overall has been of benefit to the people of Cornwall.

  Train Drivers (Statistics)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to how many train drivers employed by British Rail are(a) members of ethnic minorities and (b) women; and what is the total number of train drivers on British Rail's network.

  Mr. Channon
  I do not have this information. I am asking the British Railways Board to write to the hon. Member.

  Motor Industry (Safety Standards)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans and programmes are being considered to enhance and promote safety standards in the motor industry.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Many improvements to vehicle safety are under consideration in the European Commission's working group of governmental and motor industry experts. Introductory dates are agreed only when new or amending directives are adopted. For example, last November agreement was reached to require anti-lock brakes on new heavy articulated vehicles and coaches, registered from 1 October 1991.

  TERRITORIAL SEA LIMITS: OBSERVANCE BY NATO
  TERRITORIAL SEA LIMITS: OBSERVANCE BY NATO
  INVALID CARE ALLOWANCE: BACKDATED PAYMENTS
  INVALID CARE ALLOWANCE: BACKDATED PAYMENTS
  PAEDIATRIC NURSES
  PAEDIATRIC NURSES
  SELLAFIELD: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INVESTIGATION
  SELLAFIELD: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INVESTIGATION
  IAEA: AD-HOC INVESTIGATIONS
  IAEA: AD-HOC INVESTIGATIONS