Written Answers of 9 March 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. T. D. Phung
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to provide a substantive reply to the representations made on 17 March 1987 by the hon. Member for Woolwich in the case of Mr. T. D. Phung.

  Mr. Renton
  I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.

  Mr. Truong Nguyen Thanh.
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his inquiries into the case of Mr. Truong Nguyen Thanh, originally raised with him by the hon. Member for Woolwich on 1 July 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  As I told the hon. Member in my written answer on 2 December 1987 at column 588, further inquiries were needed before this case could be resolved. I much regret that there has been some delay in initiating these. A reply is, however, now awaited from Mr. Truong. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the case has been fully considered.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Renton
  During the period 11 November 1987 to 1 March the Home Office received 16 requests for subject access.

  It was not judged possible to make any firm advance estimate of likely take-up, but there was an indication, on the basis of experience in other European countries, that requests might be in the range of 0·1 to 1·0 per cent. per annum of records held, that is between 5,000 and 50,000 requests a year to be addressed to the Home Office.

  There are no plans to reconsider the subject access fees charged by the Department.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not hold discussions with the Data Protection Registrar to produce a code of practice covering national security purposes as is possible under the terms of part V of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Hurd
  I can see no advantage in a code of practice in this area.

  La Belle Discotheque
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Metropolitan police on their discussions with the West Berlin police regarding the statement by the acting head of the United States police in West Berlin, on 14 April 1986, as to the state of alerts in relation to the bombing of the La Belle discotheque: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to a similar question from the hon. Member on 7 March, at column 4.

  Child Care
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many responses he has received from the voluntary sector to his consultative document on the proposed national unit for disclosure of police information to voluntary bodies concerning those wishing to work with children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received 11 responses from the voluntary sector (including eight from bodies representing a number of voluntary organisations).

  Police Cells (Escapees)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the escape of five category A and two remand prisoners from South West London magistrates court cells on 6 March.

  Mr. Hurd
  The security of prisoners held in police and magistrates courts cells within the Metropolitan police district is the responsibility of the Commissioner. I understand from the Commissioner that on Sunday 6 March, 12 remand prisoners were being accommodated in court cells at South Western magistrates court, where they were the responsibility of one sergeant and three constables. One prisoner was being returned with an escort from the shower room when several prisoners attacked the police officers and succeeded in overpowering them. Seven of the 12 prisoners then escaped from the premises. The escape was discovered at approximately 10 pm when the night duty police officers arrived to relieve their colleagues. The prisoners who escaped included two who were jointly charged with murder, one who was on remand for possession of firearms, three who were on remand in relation to drug offences and one who was on remand for robbery. No category A prisoner was among those who escaped.

  The Commissioner tells me that the incident is now being investigated by members of the Metropolitan Police Complaints Investigation Bureau and that all divisional chief superintendents have been instructed urgently to review security in police and magistrates courts cells within their divisional territories. The cells at the South Western district magistrates court will not be used for remand prisoners, pending a full review of the security arrangements.

  I understand that three men, including the two men who escaped having previously been charged with murder, have now been recaptured.

  RUC (Chief Constable)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 218, what inquiries he made of persons in (a) Scarborough and (b) Northern Ireland before announcing that the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Sir John Hermon, was in Northern Ireland throughout 19 May 1986; on what evidence his statement to the House was based; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  No inquiries were made of any persons in Scarborough. In Northern Ireland an inquiry was addressed to the Royal Ulster Constabulary. I was informed that Sir John Hermon held a meeting in his office on the morning of 19 May, that he attended a medal presentation ceremony in the afternoon, and that in the evening he had a dinner engagement, all these engagements being in Northern Ireland.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is being done to increase the involvement of the public in crime prevention and to provide information on the steps that can be taken to reduce crime.

  Mr. John Patten
  Following the recent announcement of the "Safer Cities" programme my right hon. Friend today launched a major publicity campaign aimed at encouraging the public to work with the police to reduce crime. The campaign will cost about £3 million in its first phase, and is designed to run for three years. A free handbook is being made available on request which will give practical advice on a wide range of preventive measures. A copy of the handbook has been sent to all hon. and right hon. Members and placed in the Library.

  Prisoners' Grievance Procedures (Review)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons' review of prisoners' grievance procedures will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The report of a thematic review of prisoners' grievance procedures, conducted by Sir James Hennessy before the expiry of his term and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, is published today. I am grateful to Sir James Hennessy and to the inspectorate for the work which went into this review and for a report which I hope will stimulate discussion of this important subject.

  Sir James Hennessy's principal conclusion is that prisoners' grievance procedures need to be fair, efficient and effective and to inspire confidence among prisoners, staff and the wider community; that the existing procedures do not in all respects satisfy those requirements; and that they need to be overhauled.

  £'000

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Barnet

  260

  192

  1,091

  1,662

  400

  880

  1,109

  Brent

  342

  298

  340

  46

  12

  631

  467

  198
  Among the specific recommendations in the report are proposals for simplifying the procedures so that, as far as possible, each stage for examining a request or grievance should be exhausted before the next is embarked upon. The report envisages that governors, boards of visitors and the prison department would continue to play a part in the resolution of prisoners' grievances, which however should be distinguished according to whether they are complaints or requests; but it also proposes the establishment of a new prison ombudsman and the discontinuation of prisoners' access to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

  Other recommendations include a statutory code of prisoners' rights and duties as a long-term aim; the removal of the restrictions on the ventilation of prisoners' complaints; the withdrawal of the disciplinary offences of making a false and malicious allegation and of repeatedly making groundless complaints; improved information for prisoners about the procedures for making a complaint; and the introduction of time limits for replying to complaints and of a requirement for reasons to be given when complaints are rejected.

  Before reaching decisions on the recommendations in this report I want to be able to take into account comments from interested individuals and organisations, both inside and outside the prison service. These should reach the Department by 9 June and should be sent to the Head of P3 Division, Home Office Prison Department, Cleland House, Page Street, London SW1P 4LN.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Under-fives
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he envisages any reduction of educational provision for children under five years of age, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  Education for under-fives is provided at the discretion of local education authorities, but the inner London councils will be required to set out their proposed provision for this age group in development plans to be published early next year. Any proposals for significant reductions in current provision would be subject to statutory procedures under the Education Act 1980.

  Voluntary-aided and Special Agreement Schools
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the capital spending allocation for voluntary-aided and special agreement schools was in the London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Hillingdon and Harrow in each of the years 1982–83 to 1988–89; and how much in each case was allocated to Roman Catholic voluntary-aided schools.

  Mr. Dunn
  Allocation in these years for each of these London boroughs is as follows:
  199

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Ealing

  185

  350

  340

  341

  331

  762

  971

  Enfield

  81

  314

  375

  620

  197

  93

  383

  Haringey

  147

  58

  60

  425

  323

  75

  50

  Hillingdon

  94

  131

  175

  67

  40

  230

  350

  Harrow

  21

  22

  10

  20

  1

  25

  25

  The allocations shown here are those announced before the start of the financial year in question and do not include subsequent revisions.

  It is not possible to show separately how much has been allocated to Roman Catholic voluntary-aided schools.

  Nottinghamshire Education Committee
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received a request for a meeting from the Nottinghamshire education committee with regard to its capital allocation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received no such request.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any of the proposed city technology colleges will be supported by funds from the tobacco industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The companies which have announced their intention to sponsor a city technology college include Hanson plc, which has interests in the tobacco industry among a number of others.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Lavatories
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, how many(a) water closets for (i) men and (ii) women and (b) urinals there are in the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested, for the Commons area of the Palace of Westminster, is as follows:

  Toilet facility

  Number of locations

  Urinals1 and water closets for men

  38

  Water closets for women

  15

  1 Urinals alone are provided in 2 locations.

  Select Committees (Visits)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the cost of(a) home and (b) overseas visits by each Select Committee since 1979; how many members were involved in each visit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  All the information requested for Sessions 1985–86 and 1986–87 is contained in the Sessional Select Committee Returns for those years; costs of home and overseas visits in sessions 1979–80 to 1984–85 are set out in the Sessional Returns, but the number of Members involved in each visit in those years could be discovered 200
  only at disproportionate cost; information about the anticipated cost of overseas travel by Committees in the current session was given in my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 29 February at columns 642–4; the other information requested for this Session is not yet available, but will be included in the Sessional Return for this session.

ENERGY

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's policy with regard to the provision of urban sites suitable for combined heat and power stations.

  Mr. Parkinson
  It is for the promoters of urban combined heat and power schemes to obtain suitable sites for CHP stations and to secure the necessary planning consent.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's policy with regard to the encouragement of the further development of combined heat and power district heating in Britain.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department has provided substantial funding towards studies to evaluate the feasibility of combined heat and power-district heating. It is now for the private sector to take its further development forward.

  Uranium
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what uranium not covered by either bilaterial or multilateral safeguard arrangements has been imported for civil use into the United Kingdom since 1979; and if he will name the countries of origin of such uranium.

  Mr. Parkinson
  None. All civil nuclear material in the United Kingdom is subject to our safeguards agreements with Euratom and the IAEA.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what specific provisions exist in each of the current safeguards arrangements covering uranium to ensure that uranium imported into(a) the United Kingdom, and (b) the European Economic Community remains within the safeguardable nuclear cycle; and what is the practice of (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) Euratom with regard to weight-for-weight direct substitution of safeguarded uranium within the agreed safeguards arrangements.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: All uranium imported into the United Kingdom for civil use is subject to Euratom safeguards and the terms of the United Kingdom-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement. In some cases it is subject to special safeguarding obligations agreed between the supplying country and the Community.
  201
  Euratom accepts exchanges of safeguards obligations between nuclear material on the basis of strict equivalence in quantity and quality.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if there are any contractual arrangements currently in force that permit the import or retention of spent nuclear fuel and attendant radioactive wastes to remain in the United Kingdom which are not covered by a return to sender clause.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Since 1976, BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that these options should be exercised, and that the wastes should be returned. BNFL has a number of reprocessing contracts with overseas customers which were signed before 1976. Those contracts do not contain return of waste options, but wastes from them will represent no more than 10 per cent. of total waste arisings in the United Kingdom by 2000. No facilities in addition to those needed for the disposal of United Kingdom wastes should be required.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Gaza Strip
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current budget for housing construction and sewage systems within the Gaza strip of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; what were the equivalent figures for each of the last five years; and what were the contributions to these budgeted figures from(a) the United Kingdom, (b) each of the other four permanent members of the Security Council, (c) Saudi Arabia, (d) Kuwait and (e) Iraq.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The UNRWA has not been involved in the construction of housing or sewerage systems in Gaza for many years. The agency has undertaken a modest programme of essential maintenance of shelters for special hardship families and a limited amount of surface drain construction in the eight Gaza camps. Expenditure on these programmes for the period 1983–88 is as follows:

  Shelter maintenance US dollars

  Surface drains US dollars

  1983

  44,000

  175,000

  1984

  104,000

  72,000

  1985

  72,000

  33,000

  1986

  111,000

  13,000

  1987

  129,000

  72,000

  1988 (Projected)

  135,000

  94,000

  These programmes are funded from the core budget. The UNRWA has not received earmarked contributions for this type of expenditure and cannot therefore provide a breakdown by donor country.

  United Nations Children's Fund
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of Her Majesty's Government's total multilateral aid budget was contributed to the United Nations children's fund in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is as follows:
  202

  Percentage of gross public expenditure on multilateral aid contributed to UNICEF

  Year

  Per cent.

  1978

  3·48

  1979

  2·87

  1980

  1·89

  1981

  2·12

  1982

  1·45

  1983

  1·26

  1984

  1·13

  1985

  1·70

  1986

  1·63

  The 1987 percentage is not yet available.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations children's fund (general resources and special appeals) in each year since 1978 at current and outturn prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 21 October 1987 at columns 745–6.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's percentage share of total contributions to the general resource fund of the United Nations children's fund in the latest available year.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Our share of total contributions to the general resources fund of the United Nations Children's Fund was 4·24 per cent. in 1986, the latest available year. The figure is taken from UNICEF's report "Contributions from Governments and Other Sources to General Resources and for Specific Purposes in 1986" a copy of which was placed in the Library in October 1987.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available as to the total value to United Kingdom companies of contracts awarded to supply goods and services to the United Nations children's fund for each year since 1982.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The following are the latest UNICEF figures available:

  $US

  1982

  11,658,700

  1983

  10,392,900

  1984

  9,205,900

  1985

  11,136,100

  1986

  13,901,900

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of Her Majesty's Government's contributions to multilateral aid agencies was made(a) by automatic subscription and (b) by voluntary contribution, in each since 1978.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information in the table covers contributions from the aid programme to United Nations development agencies, international financial institutions, the European Community and Commonwealth aid programmes defined as follows:
  203

  i. Agencies where automatic subscription payments follow from agreed administrative budgets (for example the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and most aid paid from the European Community budget);

  ii. Agencies where subscription or contribution payments follow negotiated increases in capital or soft fund resources (for example the multilateral development banks, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Development Funds and the European Community's aid programme towards the Mediterranean states);

  iii. Agencies to which we contribute on a purely voluntary basis, year by year, (for example the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation).

  Percentage of total multilateral contributions (as defined above)

  Year

  (i)

  (ii)

  (iii)

  1978

  16

  54

  30

  1979

  15

  57

  28

  1980

  22

  61

  17

  1981

  27

  58

  14

  1982

  23

  64

  13

  1983

  19

  71

  10

  1984

  27

  63

  10

  1985

  29

  56

  15

  1986

  23

  62

  l5

  Figures for 1987 are not yet available.

  Note: Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Police Computers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General what prosecutions(a) are currently taking place, (b) are currently being considered and (c) have been completed in the last year which involve allegations of abuse of the police national computer or any other police computer; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No separate records are kept by the Crown Prosecution Service of prosecutions involving allegations of abuse of police computers, and accordingly it is not possible to give an accurate answer to the hon. Member's question.

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

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has received 700 subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1984, all but one of which came from members of staff. No estimate had been made of the likely number of requests. No fee is currently being charged by the Department and no change is being considered.

  "My Country Right or Wrong"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on his decision to apply for the lifting 204
  of the interim injunction against the transmission of the first episode of the BBC programme "My Country Right or Wrong".

  The Attorney-General
  When the Government had reason to believe that the Radio 4 series "My Country Right or Wrong" would include interviews with members and former members of the security and intelligence services, the Government asked the BBC to give details of what would be broadcast from those interviews. The BBC refused to provide that information and so the Government sought and obtained an interlocutory injunction in order to uphold the duty of confidentiality owed by such persons. When in the course of the court proceedings the BBC provided a transcript of the first episode, the Government were able to consider what was to be broadcast from those interviews and concluded that it was no longer necessary for the broadcast of that episode to be restrained by the injunction. The Government were not able to agree to the lifting of the injunction as a whole because the BBC has still refused to disclose what other material from those interviews it is proposed to include in future broadcasts.

WALES

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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 Walker
  My Department has received one request for subject access, under the terms of the Data Protection Act, and did not attempt to estimate the number of requests which might be received. At present there are no plans to reconsider the level of subject access fees.

TRANSPORT

  RAF Boulmer
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether civilian air traffic control will continue to be carried out at RAF Boulmer; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The responsibility for the provision of air traffic control services rests jointly with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defence. I understand from the authority that the civil element of the joint air traffic control unit at RAF Boulmer is to close on 1 October 1988, and the civil air traffic control tasks undertaken by the unit will be transferred to other centres.

  Aircraft Safety
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received from the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise; and what reply he is sending.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise wrote to my right hon. Friend on 29 February about air safety. I will send the right hon. Gentleman a copy of the reply.

  Plutonium (Transport)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if any studies have been conducted by his Department into the environmental contamination implications of an aeroplane carrying plutonium canisters to or from Dounreay nuclear power development establishment crashing into the sea between Caithness and the Orkneys.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The evidence submitted by British Nuclear Fuels to the European demonstration reprocessing plant (EDRP) inquiry at Dounreay showed that in the event of an air crash in the sea there would be no release of radioactivity.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many voyages take place each month of ships transporting plutonium from or to the Dounreay nuclear power development establishment via the Minches to or from British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield site.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  These movements are in full compliance with national regulations based on the recommendations of the International Maritime Organisation, which do not depend for their effectiveness on a particular route, and do not require individual authorisation. I understand that since the start of this traffic in June 1981 there have been 21 movements of plutonium nitrate from Dounreay to Sellafield, the

  (a) Expenditure on maintenance1 of national roads 1979–80 to 1987–88

  (£ million cash)

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  31987–88

  England

  Eastern

  8

  14

  17

  25

  18

  24

  25

  37

  34

  East Midlands

  15

  11

  21

  30

  27

  34

  31

  36

  32

  London

  8

  8

  8

  7

  6

  9

  8

  13

  15

  Northern

  7

  3

  6

  7

  4

  5

  6

  9

  7

  North West

  9

  15

  21

  32

  33

  34

  29

  35

  45

  South East

  7

  7

  18

  20

  23

  31

  34

  40

  54

  South West

  10

  13

  15

  20

  16

  21

  17

  24

  22

  West Midlands

  11

  23

  31

  27

  28

  27

  15

  32

  28

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  7

  10

  20

  25

  24

  27

  17

  27

  45

  Total for England

  82

  104

  157

  193

  179

  212

  182

  2253

  282

  Scotland

  15

  18

  30

  27

  34

  29

  31

  35

  39

  Wales

  11

  10

  20

  17

  19

  22

  38

  35

  33

  Northern Ireland4

  36

  38

  43

  40

  48

  50

  56

  55

  56

  Total for United Kingdom

  144

  170

  250

  277

  280

  313

  307

  378

  410

  1 Maintenance covers structural, routine and winter maintenance of the carriageway (excluding bridges), both capital and current. (A different capital/current distinction applies to local roads expenditure).

  2 Provisional outturn.

  3 Estimated outturns.

  4 All roads in Northern Ireland.

  (b)Expenditure on maintenance1 of local roads 1979–80 to 1987–88

  (£ million cash)

  21979–80

  21980–81

  21981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  31987–88

  England

  Eastern

  —

  —

  —

  91

  96

  100

  109

  115

  130

  East Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  72

  72

  76

  79

  82

  88

  London

  —

  —

  —

  130

  140

  154

  150

  145

  155

  206
  discharged flasks being returned to Dounreay by the same route. Certain categories of waste are also transported from Sellafield to Dounreay by sea.

  Second Severn Crossing
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the second Severn crossing.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The consultants for the project—W. S. Atkins and Partners and G. Maunsell and Partners — are making good progress. A public exhibition has been held at nine different centres on both sides of the estuary and consultations are now under way with affected parties. These consultations will continue during the coming months. The consultants are proceeding with the further technical investigations needed. We hope to be in a position to finalise the proposals in 18–24 months.

  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 March 1988, c. 105–7]: The following tables should have been included.
  207

  21979–80

  21980–81

  21981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  31987–88

  Northern

  —

  —

  —

  50

  54

  57

  65

  63

  71

  North West

  —

  —

  —

  110

  124

  119

  115

  138

  171

  South East

  —

  —

  —

  89

  106

  116

  127

  132

  133

  South West

  —

  —

  —

  96

  93

  98

  109

  114

  127

  West Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  90

  92

  94

  106

  104

  108

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  103

  105

  106

  115

  110

  138

  Total for England

  567

  665

  692

  831

  882

  920

  975

  1,003

  1,121

  Scotland

  104

  120

  130

  141

  149

  149

  151

  4156

  173

  Wales

  48

  52

  72

  69

  74

  74

  75

  83

  590

  Total for Great Britain

  719

  837

  894

  1,041

  1,105

  1,143

  1,201

  1,242

  1,384

  1 Maintenance covers current expenditure and consists of structural, routine and winter maintenance of the carriageway (including bridges in England). (A different capital/current distinction applies to national roads).

  2 Figures by English region are not readily available for these years.

  3 Budget figures for England and Scotland.

  4 Provisional outturn.

  5 Estimated outturn.

PRIME MINISTER

  Middle East (Ministerial Visits)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will list all planned official visits by Ministers to(a) the state of Israel and (b) member countries of the League of Arab States during the current year.

  The Prime Minister
  A number of visits are under consideration, but details have yet to be finalised.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Nationalised Industries
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is the total amount spent on the nationalised industries since 1958 by way of purchase, subsidy, written-off loans and any other similar costs, and interest; and what has been the average rate of return on capital invested over that period.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Nationalised industries have not always been distinguished from other public corporations in available statistical sources. Over the period 1958 to 1987 inclusive, £71 billion in today's price was spent on purchase (£4 billion), grant subsidies (£44 billion) and written-off loans (£23 billion) for those public corporations which have at some point been defined as nationalised industries. The average real rate of return, after subsidies, on capital employed in all public corporations over the period 1958 to 1986 inclusive was approximately one half of 1 per cent. per annum.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the deficit in manufactured trade in 1988; and what percentage change this represents on the 1987 figure.

  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend will be making a new forecast at Budget time.

  Productivity
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rise in productivity in(a) nationalised and (b) private industry since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to table 4.7 of the White Paper, "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Cm. 288-I).

  Cigarettes
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cigarettes were released for home consumption during the six months following the last Budget and the previous two periods of six months; what estimates he has made on the effect on cigarette sales if he had raised cigarette tax in line with inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The figures requested are as follows:

  Clearances of cigarettes for home consumption

  billion

  Number

  April to September 1986

  37

  October 1986 to March 1987

  58

  April 1987 to September 1987

  41

  Clearances of cigarettes for home consumption are subject to significant variations—especially on account of forestalling of Budget or manufacturers' price increases. Clearances do not necessarily therefore reflect consumption during that period.

  It is estimated that cigarette consumption would have been about 1 per cent. lower in 1987–88 if the duty had been revalorised in the 1987 Budget (no duty increase).

  Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Economic and Finance Council meeting on 7 March.

  Mr. Brooke
  The European Community's Ecofin Council met in Brussels: I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council established the draft Community budget for 1988 and reached agreement on a provisional draft

  209
  intergovernmental agreement. The Italian delegation made it clear that in the forthcoming discussions on the new own resources decision it will continue to argue that the GNP-based financing of the United Kingdom's abatement should be brought to account against the new fourth own resource (thus in effect increasing the proportion of the budget which would be financed in accordance with VAT shares) rather than (as proposed by the Commission) within the VAT ceiling.

  The draft budget proposals for expenditure remain as set out in my written answer on 24 February, at columns 194–6. The budget total remains at 44·7 billion ecu (£31·0 billion) for commitment appropriations and 43·4 billion ecu (£30·1 billion) for payment appropriations. Provision for the United Kingdom's abatement is 2·387 billion ecu (£1·656 billion).

  The provisional and indicative amount which member states would contribute under the intergovernmental agreement has been reduced slightly, from some 7·7 billion ecu to some 7·647 billion ecu (£5·304 billion), with a United Kingdom contribution of 1·263 billion ecu (0·876 billion). This extra financing would be partially offset by smaller VAT payments, leaving total extra financing, compared with the maximum amount available under the existing own resources ceiling, of about 5·4 billion ecu (£3·7 billion) after allowing for a surplus of 0·5 billion ecu (£0·3 billion) carried forward from 1987. As before, all sterling equivalent figures are calculated at the rate of 1·4417 ecu to the pound used by the Commission in its latest budget proposals.

  Over lunch the Council considered preparations for the forthcoming discussions on budget discipline with the European Parliament, which were foreshadowed in paragraphs Al4 and 15 of the consolidated conclusions of the Brussels European Council (SN 461/1/88).

  The Council heard a presentation by the president of the European Court of Auditors of the court's report for 1986. I emphasised the importance which the United Kingdom attaches to obtaining better value for money from Community expenditure. I welcomed the increasing attention which the court is giving to fraud in the Community and I also encouraged the Commission to bring forward cost-effective proposals for combating fraud. The Council approved a resolution recommending that the European Parliament should grant the Commission a discharge on implementation of the 1986 budget.

  Increase in income after tax (£ per week) compared with indexation in 1988–89 for married man with two children

  Multiple of average earnings1

  ½

  ¾

  1

  1½

  2

  5

  10

  Increase derived from:

  (i) 1p cut in basic rate

  0·46

  1·07

  1·69

  2·91

  3·60

  3·60

  3·60

  (ii) 5 per cent. increase in income tax thresholds

  0·99

  0·99

  0·99

  0·99

  3·90

  10·69

  10·69

  (iii) Increase in child benefit

  (a)£3·40 per week2

  6·80

  6·80

  6·80

  6·80

  6·80

  6·80

  6·80

  (b)£2·15 per week3

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  (iv) reduced rate band of 25 per cent. on first £3,400 of taxable income

  0·93

  1·31

  1·31

  1·31

  1·31

  1·31

  1·31

  (v) reduced rate band of 20 per cent. on first £850 of taxable income

  1·14

  1·14

  1·14

  1·14

  1·14

  1·14

  1·14

  210
  The Council reviewed the economic situation in the Community and agreed that there was no need to change the policy guidelines set out in the 1987–88 annual economic report adopted last December.

  Family Earnings
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table setting out for a two-child family on(a) half average earnings, (b) three quarters average earnings, (c) average earnings, (d) one and a half average earnings, (e) twice average earnings, (f) five times average earnings and (g) 10 times average earnings, the increase in net income derived from (i) a 1p cut in the standard rate of income tax in 1988–89, (ii) an increase in personal allowances, over and above indexation, incurring the same cost as (i), (iii) an increase in child benefit incurring the same cost as (i), both assuming and not assuming similar increases in the supplementary benefit children's rates, (iv) the introduction of a reduced rate tax band of 25 per cent. at the same cost as (i) showing what band of income the reduced rate would cover, and (v) the introduction of a reduced rate tax band of 20 per cent. at the same cost as (i), showing what band of income the reduced rate would cover.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 18 February 1988]: The effects of the proposed changes on a one earner, two child, family are shown in the table. The table contains information based on direct revenue or expenditure cost in a full year at 1988–89 levels of income, based on projections from the 1984–85 survey of personal incomes in line with forecasts in the Autumn Statement. On this basis, each of the measures would cost £1·4 billion in a full year—that is the full year figure underlying the first year cost of a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax, £1·25 billion, shown in the Autumn Statement. The income tax changes are compared with the 1987–88 tax regime indexed to 1988–89 according to the statutory provisions. The income tax calculations assume that all personal allowances and higher rate thresholds would increase by the same percentage and disregard any changes in social security income-related benefits to which the family may be entitled. It has also been assumed that the only tax relief or allowance available to the married couple is the married man's allowance and that the wife has no earnings.
  211
  1 Average earnings assumed to be £244·7 per week, an increase of 6·5 per cent. on 1987–88 in line with the assumptions used by the Government Actuary for reviewing national insurance contributions (paragraph 3.02 of the Autumn Statement 1987).

  2Assuming no change in income support rates.

  3.Assuming a corresponding change in income support.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much in real terms the average annual tax payments of a man with no allowances and reliefs other than the married man's tax allowance earning (i) £5,000, (ii) £10,000, (iii) £15,000 and (iv) £20,000 has increased or decreased since 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 February 1988]: The information is given in the table. The calculations have been made by comparing the tax liabilities under the 1987–88 income tax regime with those under the 1978–79 regime indexed to 1987–88 according to the statutory formula.

  Reduction in income tax liability under 1987–88 tax regime

  Annual earnings

  As percentage of liability under 1978–79 indexed tax regime

  £

  £

  per cent.

  5,000

  139·00

  30

  10,000

  439·00

  21

  15,000

  739·00

  20

  20,000

  1,045·65

  19

  It is assumed that the taxpayer has no income other than earned income and no allowances or reliefs other than the married man's allowance.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why notices of coding for the tax year 1988–89 are being sent out in advance of the new rates of tax being known.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 February 1988]: Notices of coding for the tax year 1988–89 have been issued where, because of changes in taxpayers' circumstances, the taxpayers' codes for the year commencing on 6 April 1988 differ from the code for the current year 1987–88. Apart from prefix F codes, changes to rates of tax do not normally cause any revision to be made to a taxpayer's code. They merely affect the amount of tax to be deducted by the employer in applying that code.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in the 1988–89 financial year of introducing a reduced rate tax band of(a) 25 per cent. and (b) 20 per cent. on the first £1,500 of taxable income; and what would be the effect on the net income of (i) a single person, (ii) a couple where the wife is not working and (iii) a couple where the wife is working and paying tax.
  212
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: The full-year cost at forecast 1988–89 income levels of introducing a reduced rate of income tax of (a) 25 per cent. and (b) 20 per cent. on the first £1,500 of taxable income would be £690 million and about £2·5 billion respectively. The estimates are based on a projection of the 1984–85 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional.

  The net gain to a basic rate taxpayer is given in the table. For the purposes of the calculations the 1987–88 income tax regime has been indexed to 1988–89 in accordance with the statutory provisions.

  Married man

  Single

  Wife not working

  Wife with earnings liable at basic rate

  £·p

  £·p

  £·p

  (i) reduced rate 25 per cent. on the first £1,500

  0·58

  0·58

  1·15

  (ii) reduced rate 20 per cent. on the first £1,500

  2·02

  2·02

  4·04

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which of the last 10 years changes in the dollar/ European currency unit exchange rate have had a European Community budget effect of more than 400 million European currency units; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 7 March 1988]: The Commission has estimated that, in 1988 prices, a 5 per cent. movement in the dollar/ecu exchange rate has an effect of some 400 million ecu on the European Community budget.

  The frequency of changes of this magnitude is sensitive to the precise periods compared. On the basis of annual averages, however, the year-on-year change in the dollar/ ecu exchange rate has exceeded 5 per cent. in most years since 1978, the exceptions being 1980 and 1985. In three years the dollar depreciated by more than 5 per cent., whereas in four years the dollar appreciated by more than 5 per cent.

DEFENCE

  Ammunition (Scorriton Down)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why live ammunition was stored at Scorriton Down in the Dartmoor national park; what precautions were taken to protect it; how much was stored there; when the theft was discovered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Scorriton Down lies in an area used extensively for military training during the second world war. The range was closed in 1947 and clearance work lasted until 1949, at which time the land was returned to the owners. Since the equipment used to locate the munitions at that time was not as effective as its more modern counterparts, some items remained undetected until the discovery last year of some live ammunition. The Royal Engineers were then called upon to conduct what has proved to be a lengthy clearance operation.

  During the course of this clearance operation foolhardy members of the public have, quite contrary to common sense, and at considerable risk to themselves and others, deliberately dug up and removed four items of old

  Ministry of Defence United Kingdom based civilian staff

  1 January 1988

  1 January 1980

  1 January 1979

  Number of staff

  Percentage of total

  Number of staff

  Percentage of total

  Number of staff

  Percentage of total

  Total

  144,782·5

  100·0

  220,213·0

  100·0

  225,478·0

  100·0

  England

  118,786·5

  82·0

  183,850·0

  83·5

  188,472·0

  83·6

  South-East

  61,369·5

  42–4

  95,519–0

  43·4

  98,488·0

  43·7

  London

  19,268·5

  13·3

  29,763·0

  13·5

  n/a

  —

  Other

  42,101·0

  29·1

  65,756·0

  29·9

  n/a

  —

  East Anglia

  2,579·5

  1·8

  2,796·5

  1·3

  2,950·0

  1·3

  South West

  30,026·0

  20·7

  50,930·0

  23·1

  52,126·0

  23·1

  West Midlands

  8,903·5

  6·1

  11,032·0

  5·0

  11,171·0

  5·0

  East Midlands

  3,966·5

  2·7

  7,820·0

  3·6

  7,959·0

  3·5

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  5,893·0

  4·1

  7,834·0

  3·6

  7,749·0

  3·4

  North West

  2,895·0

  2·0

  3,789·5

  1·7

  3,891·0

  1·7

  North

  3,153·5

  2·2

  4,128·0

  1·9

  4,138·0

  1·8

  Wales

  5,759·5

  4·0

  7,363·5

  3·3

  7,659·0

  3·4

  Scotland

  12,268·0

  8·5

  19,467·5

  8·8

  19,610·0

  8·7

  Northern Ireland

  2,618·0

  1·8

  3,231·0

  1–5

  3,305·0

  1·5

  Overseas-at sea

  5,350·5

  3·7

  6,301·0

  2·9

  6,432·0

  2·9

  For the purposes of consistency and comparability the figures exclude personnel employed at Royal Ordnance Factories, which changed to independent Companies Act status on 2 January 1985.

  Some 10,800 of the reduction in numbers in the southwest between January 1980 and January 1988 was due to the transfer of Royal Dockyard Devonport staff to commercial management on 6 April 1987, and some 5,700 of the reduction in Scotland between the same dates was due to the similar transfer of Royal Dockyard Rosyth staff.
  214
  munitions. These stolen items have since been recovered and destroyed, along with all other munitions found on the site to date.

  In the light of this incident the Army is reviewing its operating procedures. Pending the outcome of this review, clearance work on Scorriton Down has ceased and the police have been informed of this. I shall write further to my hon. Friend once the review of procedures is complete.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Sainsbury
  It is not possible to distinguish Ministry of Defence employees employed in London from those in the rest of the south-east prior to 1980. The following table gives the number of full-time equivalent civilian staff, excluding casual staff, employed on 1 January for 1979, 1980 and 1988 in each economic planning region of England, separating London from the rest of the south-east in 1980 and 1988, in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and overseas and at sea.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Sainsbury
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer to his question to the Secretary of State for the Environment on 2 March 1988, at column 584. In the case of the Ministry of Defence, the Department occupies accommodation in 39 properties on the Civil Estate in the Greater London area, ranging from its main HQ building in Whitehall through sites, for example at Stanmore and Chessington, to the archives at Hayes and stationery store at Wandsworth.
  215
  There are 98 sites on the Defence Estate in the Greater London area, excluding married quarters, residences and recreation grounds, ranging from service careers information offices to airfields as at RAF Northolt and Army garrisons as at Woolwich.

  Gurkhas (Gold Recovery)
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to seek the recovery of gold taken from former British Gurkha soldiers in Calcutta in 1987 by the Indian customs service.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are in active discussion with the relevant authorities in India on ways of recovering the gold and on the question of documentation which would enable British Gurkhas to take gold through India en route for Nepal without risk of further such incidents. In the meantime we are seeking to ensure that those Gurkhas who were affected do not suffer hardship as a result of the temporary loss of their gold.

  British Forces (Germany)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each year since 1979 (i) the total cost of British forces based in Germany, (ii) the amount chargeable to the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and (iii) the amount paid by that Government; what is the current outstanding amount owing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The estimated costs of British Forces Germany, excluding equipment, are as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  948

  1980–81

  1,140

  1981–82

  1,086

  1982–83

  1,234

  1983–84

  1,277

  1984–85

  1,345

  1985–86

  1,436

  1986–87

  1,463

  1987–88

  1,595

  All figures are at Estimates prices and exchange rates for the years stated. Since 1980–81 the Federal Republic of Germany has made no direct financial contribution to the cost of BFG, but it provides various buildings, lands and services free of charge, or at reduced rates.

  Aldermaston (Weapons Development)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any work has been carried out at Aldermaston on new weapons, details of which have not yet been reported to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member on 21 January, at column 774.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what specific arrangements are made to safeguard the public against the effects of incidents involving British nuclear submarines which could lead to the release of radioactive material when any visit is undertaken to the port of Cardiff;

  (2) what steps are taken to ensure the safety of the general public when incidents occur which could involve
  216
  the release of radioactive material from British nuclear submarines (a) at any time, (b) during entry or leaving port and (c) while in port.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Safety schemes, detailing procedures and protective measures to be implemented in the unlikely event of an accidental release of radioactive material from a submarine are drawn up to cover the areas of all naval bases and other berths used by such vessels in the United Kingdom. These are produced in consultation with the appropriate local authorities, emergency services and other civilian agencies with a direct involvement, all of whom hold copies. The combined Barry and Cardiff special safety scheme covers the arrangements for Cardiff.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many incidents involving British nuclear submarines have resulted in the release of radioactive material since 1978; and whether any of these occurred in Cardiff or in the Bristol channel;

  (2) how many incidents involving nuclear submarines and their reactors have occurred since 1978; and how many fell into each of the categories of mechanical problems, operator error or electrical faults;

  (3) how many incidents involving the reactors which power Britain's nuclear submarines occurred between 1962 and 1978 in Cardiff or within 10 miles of Cardiff;

  (4) how many incidents involving the release of radioactive materials from British nuclear submarines occurred in Cardiff or the Bristol channel, between 1962 and 1978.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not our general policy to discuss matters affecting the operation of Her Majesty's submarines. However, maintenance, operating and safety standards are exacting, and, as a consequence, there has never been an incident involving such submarines where there was any radiological hazard to service men, base personnel or members of the public.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many port visits in the United Kingdom have been made(a) by British nuclear submarines and (b) other nations' nuclear submarines in each year since 1962; and how many of these have been to Cardiff in each year.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Visits of United Kingdom nuclear powered submarines to non-naval ports since 1970, when records have been kept, are as follows:

  Port

  Visits (total)

  Hull (to 1981)

  8

  Barry (to 1978)

  4

  Liverpool

  29

  Southampton

  5

  Cardiff

  14

  The visits to Cardiff have taken place as follows: 1970; 1971; 1972; 1975; 1976; 1977; 1981; 1983 (2 visits); 1985; 1986 (2 visits); 1988 (2 visits).

  In 1986 there were 17 visits of non-United Kingdom nuclear powered submarines to United Kingdom naval bases and in 1987 there were 12. There were no such visits in these years to non-naval ports, including Cardiff.

  The other figures are unobtainable except at disproporationate cost.

  "Giants of the Glens"
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the
  217
  transcript of the Channel Four television programme, "Giants of the Glens", broadcast on 13 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. The Channel Four television programme, "Giants of the Glens", concerned hydroelectric power in the north of Scotland and is thus a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Heavy Water
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what projects have been carried out, or are planned, to produce heavy water in Scotland for military purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  None.

  Mr. Kurt Waldheim
  Mr. Rhodes James
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the nature of the report naming the then Lieutenant Waldheim as a wanted German Army intelligence officer; and if he will consider releasing it.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  As I announced on 29 February, at columns 420–21, a comprehensive review of the results of the Ministry of Defence's earlier investigation into the fate of captured British service men and the involvement, if any, of the then Lieutenant Waldheim has been set in hand. However, I am anxious that the review should be able to proceed without diversion of effort into questions of the release of individual documents. It would conflict with the proper conduct and progress of the current review to release documents piecemeal in advance of the final report. It is important that the review team should not be pressed for comments of detail on matters which are being comprehensively addressed in the course of the review and which will be covered in its report.

  With regard to the document naming Lieutenant Waldheim, to which my hon. Friend refers, I wish to correct the mistaken suggestion that this is a wanted list, in view of speculation that has arisen since it was referred to by the International Commission of Historians (ICH).

  This document was mentioned by the commission in the following terms:
  "The Commission also made enquiries regarding a CIA file of 26 April 1945 which according to report contained certain information on Lieutenant Waldheim. Although we were refused access to that file which even now is still a classified document the extract that we were given to look at and that we were assured was the only one relating to Waldheim contained only a personal description of Waldheim. That description is part of a list of a great number of Wehrmacht officers in the Ic Branch".

  I can confirm that the document to which the Commission refers was simply a record of a routine interrogation report dated 26 April 1945 on the details of individuals who happened to be known to a German officer. It was not a wanted list as has been alleged in some newspapers. In this interrogation report one of the names mentioned is that of the then Lieutenant Waldheim. The relevant verbatim extract from this document is as follows:
  "236 Ob.lt. WALDHEIM
  Subordinate officer to WARNSTORFF in SALONIKA.
  Height: ca 1·82
  Hair: Light
  Eyes: Light
  Age: ca 28"

  The interrogation report contains no other reference to the then Lieutenant Waldheim.
  218
  We will consider the possibility of releasing particular documents when the review team's findings are published.

  ALARM Project
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make statement about progress on the ALARM project.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Following British Aerospace's decision to adopt a new motor for the air-launched anti-radar missile — ALARM — negotiations were concluded last November between the company and my Department for the continuation of the project. I am glad to be able to say that the company is now satisfied with its work on proving the new motor. As a consequence, under the terms of last November's agreement, a revised contract came into effect on 29 February 1988 providing for the project to continue, with responsibility for success placed on the company under tight fixed price conditions.

  NATO (Merchant Shipping Needs)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether NATO has yet launched its proposed study into the Alliance's ability to meet its needs for merchant shipping in times of emergency or war; and when he expects the study to be completed.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have been asked to reply.

  NATO is proposing to invite tenders from consultants to carry out the study under the organisation's international competitive tendering procedure. I under-stand the aim is to complete the study by September 1989.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iran-Iraq War
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress to date in implementing the mandatory United Nations Security Council resolution requiring a cease-fire in the war between Iran and Iraq; what is the latest estimate available to him of the number of deaths in this conflict, including civilian deaths; and how many are believed to have died as a result of the use of chemical weapons officially banned by international agreements.

  Mr. Mellor
  Despite the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General, Security Council resolution 598 remains unimplemented after seven months. The Security Council is therefore actively working on enforcement measures to be applied to the recalcitrant party.

  It is estimated that approximately 150,000 Iraqi and 500,000 Iranian troops have been killed so far, together with a total of some 200,000 civilians. The number of deaths directly attributable to the use of chemical weapons is not known.

  Hostages
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current steps he is taking, through diplomatic contacts, to bring about the release of Mr. Terry Waite and other British hostages still imprisoned by Arab terrorists; and whether he is pursuing diplomatic initiatives through the United Nations Security Council.
  219
  Mr. Mellor
  Her Majesty's embassy in Beirut is very active in trying to obtain information about the disappearance and whereabouts of all British hostages held in the Lebanon. We have repeatedly called upon Governments or organisations with influence over the hostage-takers to use their influence to secure the release of all those held. We are also in regular contact with other Governments, including members of the United Nations Security Council, who might be able to help.

  Middle East (Christian Worship)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give details of the arrangements made by Her Majesty's ambassador in Saudi Arabia, and by the British interests section in the embassy of the protecting power in Libya, for British subjects who wish to attend Christian worship at Easter, in the light of the ban on holding public Christian services in those countries.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Saudi Arabian Government confirmed recently that Christians are permitted to worship individually according to their conscience. Her Majesty's ambassador in Riyadh has not made any special arrangements for British nationals to attend Christian worship at Easter.

  British nationals in Tripoli may attend the weekly religious services at either the Anglican, Roman Catholic or Non-Conformist Union church, and there is also a Roman Catholic church in Benghazi. The Anglican chaplain in Tripoli makes fortnightly visits to the 500-strong British community in Marsa A1 Brega and he also regularly visits the Anglican community in Benghazi.

  Middle East (British Citizens)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of British citizens currently in(a) Libya and (b) Syria; and what were the equivalent figures before Her Majesty's Government broke off diplomatic relations with those states.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are estimated to be about 3,250 British citizens currently in Libya and 300 in Syria. The corresponding figures before we broke off relations with those states were 8,250 and 300.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Milian
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan regarding their treatment of their Ahmadi community.

  Mr. Eggar
  We regularly make known to the Pakistan Government the extent of concern expressed in this country over the situation of the Ahmadi community in Pakistan.

EMPLOYMENT

  RPI (Error)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will issue a corrected series of the retail prices index for all items and for all items less 220
  housing costs for each month from February 1986 until October 1987 inclusive, to take account of the error in the retail prices index.

  Mr. Lee
  No. It has always been the practice not to revise the retail prices index once it has been published, as doing so would create serious problems for some users. This practice was endorsed by the Retail Prices Advisory Committee in its latest report (Cmnd. 9848, July 1986) and I see no reason to change it.

  Extra payments have been made to pensioners in recompense for their small losses at the time of pensions uprating and to ensure that the Exchequer has not benefited from the consequent social security under payment.

  Professional and Executive Recruitment
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what professional advice he has received about options for transferring Professional and Executive Recruitment out of the public sector.

  Mr. Fowler
  I announced on 2 December the appointment of Lloyds merchant bank to advise me on the options for transferring PER out of the public sector.

  There is extensive private sector provision in the activities which PER provides on a fee-charging basis. It is the Government's view that activities of a clearly commercial nature are better conducted in the private sector.

  I have now received Lloyds' advice, which recommends that PER should be transferred out of the public sector through a sale by tender. This recognises, I believe, that the current PER operation is essentially a commercial recruitment business and that it will have the opportunity both to realise its full commercial potential and to develop better in the private sector.

  The Government intend therefore to proceed with privatisation. I have asked Lloyds merchant bank to conduct the necessary preparatory work over the next couple of months, with a view to offering PER for sale, through a private tender process open to all interested parties, at the earliest opportunity.

  I am keen that PER's staff should have every chance to benefit from the wider opportunities that privatisation will open up for PER. I shall therefore offer all PER's established staff the option of accepting voluntary secondment arrangements. When PER transfers to the private sector, staff who have opted for these arrangements will remain in the business as civil servants on secondment for a limited period on favourable terms. Staff who do not opt for voluntary secondment will be redeployed within the Department of Employment group prior to privatisation.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current estimates and projections of the population of working age of(a) men aged 16 to 64 years and (b) women aged 16 to 59 years, by standard region including Greater London for 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Lee
  [pursuant to his rely, 23 February 1988, c. 86]: I regret to say that an error has been discovered in some of the information which was supplied to my Department

  221
  for use in my earlier reply. The figures affected are the estimates of the population of working age in Greater London. The correct figures are:

  Greater London

  Thousands

  Men aged 16 to 64 years

  1979

  2,183

  1983

  2,185

  1986

  2,203

  Women aged 16 to 59 years

  1979

  2,040

  1983

  2,026

  1986

  2,052

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

SCOTLAND

  Firearms Certificate
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue guidance to chief constables to the effect that no alterations to firearms certificate should be made as a matter of general policy until such time as the Firearms Bill has been enacted and the compensation measures contained therein have been agreed by Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No. Under the Firearms Act 1968, the chief constable has a duty to satisfy himself that an applicant for the issue or renewal of a firearm certificate has a good reason for having in his possession, or for purchasing or acquiring, the firearm or ammunition in respect of which application is made, and can be permitted to have it in his possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace. A person aggrieved by the refusal of a chief constable to grant or renew a certificate may appeal to the sheriff.

  Family Planning Services
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future level of provision of family planning services in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for individual health boards to determine, within the resources available to them, the most appropriate pattern of provision of family planning services in their respective areas.

  Abortions
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions were carried out in the Strathclyde region for each of the last five years, broken down by(a) age of women and (b) period of gestation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is given in the table.

  Abortions in Strathclyde region 1982–86

  Age

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  0–16

  78

  88

  100

  88

  99

  16–19

  797

  759

  925

  903

  922

  20–24

  823

  892

  1,004

  1,036

  1,078

  25–29

  493

  504

  579

  568

  660

  30–34

  370

  352

  384

  359

  409

  222

  Age

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  35–39

  303

  277

  283

  274

  262

  40–44

  140

  111

  104

  97

  101

  45+

  13

  19

  10

  11

  10

  Total

  3,017

  3,002

  3,389

  3,336

  3,541

  Period of gestation—weeks

  0–10

  1,281

  1,338

  1,504

  1,541

  1,559

  10–13

  1,367

  1,288

  1,462

  1,431

  1,601

  14–17

  280

  272

  344

  312

  318

  18–19

  47

  67

  53

  33

  39

  20–24

  41

  36

  24

  17

  23

  25+

  1

  1

  2

  2

  1

  Total

  3,017

  3,002

  3,389

  3,336

  3,541

  Amniocentesis Tests
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of amniocentesis tests undertaken in Scotland, for the most recent years for which the information is available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I regret that the information requested is not held centrally.

  Spent Fuel Reprocessing
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there will be any requirement on the Scottish power industry to renegotiate after privatisation the contracts with British Nuclear Fuels plc for spent fuel reprocessing.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what requirements will be laid upon the Scottish electricity companies to participate in United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. under privatisation plans.

  Mr. Lang
  Details have yet to be considered, but present expectations are that the SSEB's shareholding in United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. will pass to the successor operator of SSEB nuclear power stations.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the present underwriting arrangements in respect of a major incident at a nuclear power plant in his preparation of plans for privatising the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Lang
  Arrangements under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 will continue after privatisation.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what valuation will be put on(a) unreprocessed spent nuclear fuel, (b) uranium arisings, (c) plutonium arisings, and (d) nuclear waste arisings from South of Scotland Electricity Board nuclear fuel reprocessed at Sellafield, under privatisation;

  (2) what valuation will be put on low and intermediate level nuclear wastes at South of Scotland Electricity Board plants under privatisation.

  Mr. Lang
  It is too early to say what the valuation of these materials will be at the time of the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Hip Replacement Operations
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average waiting time for a hip replacement operation using private beds in National Health Service hospitals in each health board area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 8 March 1988]: The information requested is given in the table. Figures are for 1985 (which is the latest year for which information is available) and for the four health board areas in which hip replacements are carried out on private patients in National Health Service hospitals.

  Private patients

  Health board

  Number of cases

  Mean wait (in days)

  Borders

  1

  12

  Forth Valley

  1

  27

  Lothian

  10

  56

  Tayside

  3

  88

  Scotland

  15

  57

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which departments of Glasgow Royal infirmary are currently issuing letters to general practitioners stating that patients cannot be given out-patient appointments due to lack of medical staff; how many of these letters have so far been issued; and if he will make a statement on the effects of these shortages on patient care.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: In my reply of 24 February, I explained to the hon. Member the temporary difficulties being faced by the ophthalmology department at the Glasgow Royal infirmary. During this period about 180 letters were sent to general practitioners. As I indicated in my earlier reply the Greater Glasgow health board had taken steps to overcome the difficulties at the Department. I regret the inconvenience caused to the patients concerned.

  Operations
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if, for 24 February, he will give the total number of operations postponed in Scottish hospitals, the number in each health board and the number in each specialty in each health board;

  (2) if he will give the total number of operations performed in Scottish hospitals on 24 February, the number in each health board and the number in each specialty in each health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: Health boards report that 792 operations were performed in Scottish hospitals on 24 February and that 818 were postponed because of industrial action on that day. (The latter figure differs from that given in reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Perth and Kinross (Mr. Fairbairn) on 1 March because Argyll and Clyde health board's return erroneously included 80 operations which were in fact lost on other days; the remaining small difference is due to health boards revising their preliminary estimates.) Operations were postponed in seven out of the 15 health boards. Details are given in the tables.
  224

  Health Boards where operations were postponed on 24 February because of industrial action

  Operations performed

  Operations postponed

  Argyll and Clyde

  General surgery

  3

  60

  Orthopaedic

  2

  5

  Ear, nose and throat

  —

  19

  Ophthalmology

  1

  4

  Gynaecology

  2

  17

  8

  105

  Ayrshire and Arran

  General surgery

  14

  —

  Orthopaedic

  5

  5

  Ear, nose and throat

  3

  4

  Ophthalmology

  6

  —

  Urology

  9

  —

  Gynaecology

  12

  —

  Obstetric

  7

  —

  56

  9

  Grampian

  General surgery

  7

  19

  Orthopaedic

  6

  9

  Ear, nose and throat

  10

  —

  Ophthalmology

  1

  1

  Urology

  15

  1

  Plastic

  —

  4

  Dental

  —

  8

  Paediatric

  9

  27

  Gynaecology

  2

  11

  Endoscopy

  —

  18

  Thoracic

  3

  —

  Radiological studies

  20

  30

  73

  128

  Greater Glasgow

  General surgery

  19

  47

  Orthopaedic

  9

  25

  Ear, nose and throat

  2

  23

  Ophthalmology

  2

  19

  Urology

  2

  36

  Plastic/Oral

  —

  20

  Dental

  4

  9

  Gynaecology

  10

  37

  Neurosurgery

  1

  3

  Cardiac

  13

  6

  Gastroenterology

  —

  3

  Vascular

  4

  —

  Endoscopy

  2

  —

  Laser surgery

  6

  —

  Thyroid

  1

  —

  75

  228

  Lanarkshire

  General surgery

  4

  51

  Orthopaedic

  4

  17

  Ear, nose and throat

  —

  10

  Ophthalmology

  4

  —

  Urology

  —

  27

  Gynaecology

  2

  37

  Endoscopy

  —

  4

  ECT

  1

  —

  15

  146

  Lothian

  General surgery

  43

  57

  Orthopaedic

  13

  27

  Ear, nose and throat

  17

  34

  Ophthalmology

  2

  14

  Urology

  —

  3

  Oral surgery

  1

  1

  225

  Operations performed

  Operations postponed

  Plastic

  1

  14

  Paediatrics

  —

  8

  Gynaecology

  26

  22

  Neurosurgery

  3

  2

  Cardiothoracic

  10

  —

  Cardiac

  3

  —

  Endoscopy

  3

  —

  Day bed

  —

  9

  Main theatre

  17

  —

  Burns

  1

  —

  Accident and emergency

  7

  —

  147

  191

  Tayside

  General surgery

  28

  —

  Orthopaedic

  19

  4

  Ear, nose and throat

  16

  —

  Ophthalmology

  3

  —

  Urology

  11

  —

  Plastic

  5

  4

  Dental

  14

  —

  Gynaecology/Obstetrics

  41

  —

  Trauma

  4

  —

  Neurosurgery

  3

  3

  144

  11

  Health boards where no operations were postponed on 24 February because of industrial action

  Operations

  Borders Health Board

  Emergency Surgery

  11

  Dumfries and Galloway

  General surgery

  23

  Orthopaedic

  6

  ENT

  4

  Maternity

  1

  Emergency

  2

  36

  Fife

  General surgery

  22

  Orthopaedic

  13

  ENT

  11

  Ophthalmology

  4

  Urology

  4

  Oral surgery

  5

  Gynaecology

  9

  68

  Forth Valley

  General surgery

  19

  Orthopaedic

  6

  ENT

  5

  Ophthalmology

  9

  Urology

  11

  Gynaecology

  9

  Endoscopy

  10

  Broncoscopy

  5

  Emergency

  2

  76

  Highland

  General surgery

  23

  Orthopaedic

  9

  Ophthalmology

  6

  Gynaecology

  15

  Endoscopy

  9

  Angiogram

  5

  226

  Operations

  Emergency

  7

  74

  Orkney

  No operations were performed on 24 February as it was not an operating day

  Shetland

  General surgery

  7

  Western Isles

  General surgery

  12

  1 24 February was not an operating day.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the effect on industry in the north-west of the proposed uniform business rate.

  Mr. Howard
  Had the unified business rate been implemented in 1987–88 it could have saved businesses in the north-west £180 80 million, 18 per cent. of their present rate bills. These savings would be in addition to the further benefits which the 1990 revaluation is expected to bring to the region. Overall these changes should provide a major boost to the economy of the north-west. The future index-linking of rate increases to no more than the rate of inflation will ensure that this is a continuing benefit. These benefits for businesses would not be at the expense of community charge payers. The new grant arrangements we propose, together with the distribution of the national non-domestic rate income, would have allowed all authorities to provide a standard level of service at the same level of community charge, £178 in 1987–88.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Ridley
  The following tables show the numbers of staff in my Department located within each of the Department of the Environment and Property Service Agency regional areas' outside the London regional area at 1 February 1988, together with the percentages which those numbers represent of my total staff:

  Region

  Number

  Per cent.

  Department of the Environment

  East

  912

  2·8

  East Midlands

  104

  0·3

  North

  112

  0·3

  North West

  245

  0·8

  South East

  21

  0·1

  South West

  664

  2·1

  West Midlands

  127

  0·4

  Yorks and Humberside

  126

  0·4

  227

  Region

  Number r

  Per cent.

  Properly Services Agency

  East

  2,874

  8·9

  Midlands

  1,453

  4·5

  North East

  1,639

  5·1

  North West (including some staff in Northern Ireland)

  1,385

  4·3

  South

  1,656

  5·1

  South East

  2,401

  7·4

  South West

  2,572

  8·0

  In addition there were 1,981 (6.1 per cent.) staff in Scotland, 1,227 (3–8 per cent.) in Wales and 504 (1.6 per cent.) abroad.

  Figures for 1979 were:

  Region

  Number

  Per cent.

  Department of the Environment

  East

  1,381

  2·7

  East Midlands

  235

  0·5

  North

  383

  0·5

  North West

  353

  0·7

  South East

  1,288

  2·5

  South West

  948

  1·8

  West Midlands

  292

  0·6

  Yorks and Humberside

  247

  0·5

  Property Services Agency

  East

  2,432

  4·7

  Midlands

  2,725

  5·3

  North East

  2,790

  5·4

  North West (including some staff in Northern Ireland)

  2,551

  4·9

  South

  2,933

  5·7

  South East

  4,401

  8·5

  South West

  4,643

  9·0

  There were 3,253 (6·3 per cent.) staff in Scotland, 1,995 (3·7 per cent.) in Wales and 802 (1·6 per cent.) abroad.

  1 The joint Department of the Environment/Department of Transport regions and the PSA regions cover different areas.

  These figures cannot be compared directly with those for 1988 as there have been major organisational changes since 1979 including privatisation and hiving-off of functions.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of council homes sold in the East and West Lindsey district council areas; and how many applications to buy are currently being processed.

  Mrs. Roe
  The numbers of sales from April 1979 to September 1987 reported by each English local authority appear in the table placed in the Library on 2 March 1988 in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry). East Lindsey has reported a further 45 sales in the quarter ended December 1987. East Lindsey is currently processing 222 applications for the right to buy and West Lindsey 131.

  Inner City Regeneration
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his Department has spent since 1979 on grants to private sector companies to aid inner city regeneration.

  Mr. Trippier
  Expenditure by my Department on grants to private sector companies to aid inner city regeneration totals approximately £150 million since 1979.
  228

  Inner Area Programme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation procedures his Department recommends prior to inner area programme proposals being approved by local authorities.

  Mr. Trippier
  The ministerial guidelines for the urban programme suggest that the local private sector and local voluntary sector should be consulted on the scope and content of inner area programmes (IAPs). The IAP strategy statement should give an account of the consultation. The form of consultation procedures is a matter for the local authority's discretion.

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairmen of water authorities in England and Wales; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Pursuant to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 February to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) at column 298, I have also met the chairman of the Water Authorities Association and two of his fellow chairmen on 24 February to discuss a range of issues relating to the privatisation of the water authorities.

  Housing Defects Legislation
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to introduce legislation to amend the rules in the housing defects legislation, which determine whether eligible owners receive reinstatement grant or repurchase; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have been consulting local authority associations, home owners groups and other interested bodies on the suggestion that "test d" of section 538(1) of the Housing Act 1985 be dropped. That test requires an authority to repurchase if the direct cost of that is any less than the alternative cost of housing defects grant.

  In the light of consultees' responses, which generally supported the change, 1 have decided that "test d" should be removed from section 538(1) and we will shortly be laying an appropriate order before Parliament to achieve that. The order must be affirmed by resolution of both Houses, but I hope that it will be possible to have it in operation by June. This change will not affect the Act's other "value for money" test which will continue to require an authority to satisfy itself that reinstatement is justified, having regard to the likely freehold value of the property after repair.

  Removal of "test d" will give local authorities and home owners some welcome additional flexibility. As things stand, owners have to have their homes repurchased, even where they and the authority would prefer repair, whenever the cost of repair would exceed that of repurchase, even when the margin is very narrow. This change will allow repair where there is agreement this makes sense and is in accordance with the Act's other value-for-money test ("c").

  Section 538(4) of the Act provides that such an order does not affect an application for assistance made before the order comes into force. However it is open to owners,

  229
  if they choose, to withdraw their existing applications and then submit fresh ones, if they wish to take advantage of this change. Owners who are interested in this may therefore wish to discuss the position with their local authority.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the annual European regional development fund infrastructure grant available for national programmes and integrated development operations applications in the north-west region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  In co-operation with the local authorities and other public bodies, the Government will be submitting to the European Commission applications for the north-west region. These are being prepared in the expectation that ERDF aid of up to £60 million annually will be available for such programmes in that region. On this basis the Merseyside integrated development operation, the Manchester-Salford-Trafford integrated development operation and the Mersey basin II national programmes will be seeking an average annual ERDF grant of £25 million, £20 million and £15 million respectively. In addition, authorities may continue to submit separately applications for infrastucture projects which are not included in the programmes.

  These figures compare favourably with total ERDF grants of £51·6 million committed to the region in 1987, of which £19·8 million was for local authorities. Decisions on actual grant awards are, of course, made by the European Commission.

  Local Authorities (Receipts)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the information he has collected on the accumulated capital receipts held by local authorities at the end of 1986–87.

  Mr. Ridley
  My Department has now received accumulated capital receipts returns for 1986–87 from 97 per cent. of English local authorities. On the basis of these it is estimated that at the end of 1986–87 local authorities in England held accumulated receipts giving rise to spending permission in later years of £9·4 billion. Some of these receipts were notional, such as leasing disposals. The cash from much of the remainder had been used for such purposes as repaying debt and financing capitalised housing repairs. After allowing for such factors, only £5·3 billion out of the £9·4 billion spending permission could be converted to cash.

  I have today placed in the Library, a table showing for each local authority which has provided a return (a) the accumulated receipts giving rise to spending permission and (b) the amount which could be converted into cash.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many views and proposals on the role and composition of bodies appointed by him or by departments subject to his direction and control have been received from the Government of the Irish Republic under 230
  article 6 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; how many recommendations for appointments have been put forward; how many offers or approaches have been made; and how many such offers have been accepted.

  Mr. Tom King
  There have been several discussions through the Intergovernmental Conference about the role of a number of public bodies in Northern Ireland. The Irish side has to date suggested 39 people who might be considered for public appointments in Northern Ireland; these names include 19 people who were already on the central appointments unit's list; 12 people suggested by the Irish currently hold a total of 20 public appointments.

  Property Compensation
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the sum of £50 is arrived at as an offer of compensation based on site value in an area scheduled for redevelopment, for a property yielding £16 per week rental income; and if he will re-examine the level of compensation currently offered in respect of some properties in Agnes street, Carrickfergus.

  Mr. Needham
  The redevelopment area referred to was vested under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

  The housing order directs that when assessing compensation on the acquisition of a house, classified as unfit for human habitation and incapable of being rendered fit at reasonable expense, then the value to be ascertained is the site value on the assumption that all buildings are removed and available for redevelopment within the building byelaws in force at the date of vesting. In these circumstances, the structure on the site and the rental income generated from that structure are not relevant.

  The £50 offer of compensation represented an assessment of the value of a small site in Carrickfergus at 3 July 1986 (the operative date of the vesting order).

  A claimant in any case is under no obligation to accept when he believes the compensation offered is unrealistic. Recourse may be made to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce amending legislation to ensure that owners of properties denied access to home improvement grants for a prolonged period because of pending proposals for redevelopment by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will receive fair compensation for property acquired through voluntary negotiation or after a vesting order.

  Mr. Needham
  Compensation for property acquired by the Housing Executive is governed by current values in an open market determined on the basis of either the value of the houses or of the sites cleared of all buildings as appropriate under the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. Consideration is being given to amending legislation which would abolish the site value rule in article 91(1) of the 1981 order.

  NI 2000
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will undertake to place before Parliament the progress reports that he will receive from the chairman of NI 2000.

  Mr. Viggers
  No, not as a matter of course.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Viggers
  The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments have received a total of 20 subject access requests. The estimate for the first year was 3,800 requests. Subject access fees have not been reconsidered.

  ACE Funding
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to the proposals put forward by the Northern Ireland committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on new procedures to deal with the withdrawal of ACE funding from organisations on grounds of security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  I have considered carefully the proposals put forward by the Northern Ireland committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions but I am satisfied that for security reasons it would not be possible to adopt them.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to adopting new procedures, which will include the right of reply, when decisions are being made on the possible withdrawal of ACE funding from organisations on grounds of security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  I am satisfied that the current arrangements are appropriate in these cases and have no plans to change them. Where funding is withdrawn the organisation concerned is advised that the action taken is in accordance with the Government's stated policy. Representations can be made to the Government by aggrieved bodies and these are considered in light of the circumstances in each case.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether free school meals will be available to the children of those receiving family income supplement on 11 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  As family income supplement ends on Sunday 10 April 1988 and family credit will be introduced from Monday 11 April 1988, free school meals will not be available to these children on 11 April 1988. To ensure, however, that families do not lose out at this time a transitional payment of family credit, which includes an amount for school meals, will be made on 12 April 1988.232
  This will be in addition to a second payment, covering the period from 12 April to 18 April, which will be paid on Tuesday 19 April 1988.

  RUC (Chief Constable)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the official engagements for 19 May 1986 of Sir John Hermon, Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Tom King
  The Chief Constable's arrangements are matters for him.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Sir John Hermon, was in touch by telephone at any time on 19 May 1986 with Mr. James Anderton, chief constable of Manchester, or any of the other senior police officers meeting at the Royal hotel, Scarborough, on that date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I have no knowledge of such matters.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for Upper Bann which was tabled for answer on 18 February relating to the composition and membership of public bodies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Tom King
  Today.

  Libya (Exports)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to seek to end exports from the United Kingdom to Libya, in view of the recent arms discoveries in Northern Ireland believed to have originated in Libya.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  No. We do not operate economic sanctions against Libya, and British firms remain free to use their own judgment on whether to trade with Libya. We do not, however, actively promote trade with Libya. Nor is there any question of the Government issuing licences for defence exports to Libya or of resuming diplomatic relations whilst Libyan involvement in terrorist activity and support for the IRA continues.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance has been given by the Government of France in establishing the quantity of illegal arms shipped to Irish Republican terrorists.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  There has been full co-operation between the French Government and ourselves on all aspects of the Eksund case. As the matter is now the subject of French judicial proceedings, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will indicate the type and calibre of firearms most commonly used by the Irish Republican
  233
  Army in attacks on the security forces and the type and calibres of the firearms most commonly used to assassinate members of the security forces when off duty.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 7 March 1988, at columns 73–74.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many persons resident in Northern Ireland have obtained a Great Britain driving licence by submitting an accommodation address in England, Scotland or Wales at which they can be contacted in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  This information is not available.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Northern Ireland residents who have had a Northern Ireland driving licence revoked can obtain a driving licence in Great Britain without disclosing details regarding the loss of a Northern Ireland driving licence.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  A Northern Ireland licence holder could not obtain a full British driving licence in these circumstances.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining the staffing arrangements for the social fund, indicating the numbers and grades or titles of officers at each social security office, with an outline of their respective roles.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 March 1988]: The arrangements are currently being finalised but broadly speaking, staff engaged on single payments work will be allocated to social fund work from April 1988. Work to determine the mix of grades and the distribution of these staff to each social security office is under way. Job descriptions have been agreed with the departmental trade union side but further discussions are needed on the specific grades and numbers.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will describe the procedures for appealing or requesting a review of a decision by a social fund officer; what provisions have now been made for such procedures; and what requirements, rights or other factors must be considered in reviewing a decision by a social fund officer.

  Revolvers/Pistols

  Light Machine Guns

  Rifles

  Others

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Army

  1983

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  UDR

  1983

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  9

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  1

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  40

  27

  4

  3

  135

  135

  4

  —

  234
  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 March 1988]: The procedure for making applications for review of determinations by social fund officers is set out in the Social Fund (Application for Review) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1988 (SR1988 No. 20) which comes into operation on I 1 April 1988. Briefly, the application must be made in writing within 28 days of the decision having been issued and the reason for the application must be stated.

  Applications for review will be considered within the social security office by the social fund officer who made the original decision and by a senior officer. If the applicant remains dissatisfied the decision will be reviewed by a social fund inspector who will operate independently from the social security office.

  In reviewing a decision a social fund officer must have full regard to all the circumstances which existed at the time of the original decision together with any new evidence or relevant change of circumstances.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many serving members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary have been charged with murder or manslaughter since 1969;

  (2) how many serving members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary have been convicted of murder or manslaughter since 1969, giving the name and date in each case.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answers 29 February 1988]: Statistics prior to 1977 are not readily available. Since 1977 four serving members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary have been charged with murder and two with manslaughter. One officer has been convicted of manslaughter. It is not the practice to disclose details of individual cases.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firearms and of what types have been(a) stolen and (b) recovered from (i) the Regular Army, (ii) the Ulster Defence Regiment, (iii) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (iv) the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: The information is as follows:
  235

  Revolvers/Pistols

  Light Machine Guns

  Rifles

  Others

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  Stolen

  Recovered

  RVC

  1983

  9

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  6

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  9

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1987

  6

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  RUCR

  1983

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Notes:

  1. Recoveries indicated in 1983 refers only to those weapons stolen in 1983 and not before.

  2. Recoveries indicated from 1984–87 are in respect of recovery of weapons stolen in the years 1983–1987.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  NHS Pay
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report, the percentage increases in average pay levels, in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms for (a) doctors, (b) nurses and midwives, (c) ancillary staff, (d) administrative and clerical staff and (e) professions allied to medicine, over the periods (1) 1974 to the latest year for which figures are available, (2) 1979 to the latest year and (3) 1980 to the latest year;

  Percentages

  Period

  Staff group

  Nurses and Midwives

  Doctors and Dentists

  Professions allied to medicine

  Ancillary staff

  Administrative and clerical

  1974 to 1987

  Cumulative average settlement

  272·6

  317·8

  n/a

  240·0

  250·2

  Cumulative change in retail price index

  266·1

  266·1

  n/a

  266·1

  266·1

  Real terms increase

  1·8

  14·1

  n/a

  (7·1)

  (4·3)

  1979 to 1987

  Cumulative average settlement

  126·3

  113·7

  134·2

  81·7

  63·0

  Cumulative change in retail price index

  75·3

  75·3

  75·3

  75·3

  75·3

  Real terms increase

  29·1

  21·9

  33·6

  3·7

  (7·0)

  1980 to 1987

  Cumulative average settlement

  64·0

  62·6

  69·9

  45·4

  43·0

  Cumulative change in retail price index

  49·9

  49·9

  49·9

  49·9

  49·9

  Real terms increase

  9·4

  8·5

  13·3

  (3·0)

  (4·6)

  Notes:

  1. The period covered is from 1 August of each base year to 31 July 1987.

  2. The cumulative change in the retail prices index is that from July of the base year to July 1987.

  3. The real terms increase is the cumulative average settlement deflated by the increase in the retail prices index over the period.

  4. Figures in brackets indicate real terms reductions.

  n/a =not available.

  Dental Services (Disciplinary Cases)
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of disciplinary cases concerning dental services in the years 1982 to 1986 in relation to(a) the number resolved without an oral hearing, (b) the number resolved with an oral hearing, (c) the number, after an oral hearing, where the contractor
  236
  (2) what have been the percentage increases in National Health Service staff pay levels for the following groups (a) doctors and dentists, (b) nurses, midwives and health visitors, (c) professions allied to medicine, (d) administrative and clerical staff, and (e) ancillary staff, since (i) 1979–80, and (ii) 1980–81, up to the latest year for which figures are available; and what have been the increases in the retail price index over the same periods.

  Mr. Newton
  Comparable information about average pay levels over the periods requested is not available. The table gives details of increases in rates of pay. The extent by which basic rates are enhanced by additional earnings varies between staff groups and is substantial in the case of ancillary staff.

  was found to be in breach of his terms of service and (d) the number where a withholding resulted, together with the average size of the withholding.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information about the investigation of complaints concerning the family practitioners is not available centrally in the form requested.
  237
  In the years 1982–86, the following cases were completed in respect of the dental practitioner services:

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Disciplinary action—Cases investigated

  303

  323

  421

  651

  599

  Breach found

  114

  118

  196

  343

  298

  It is not possible, from centrally held information, to calculate an average level of withholding concerning all cases. During the period in question the following range of withholdings was applied:

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Decision to withhold remuneration

  91

  80

  145

  255

  Amount withheld— Less than £100

  40

  28

  40

  69

  £100–£249

  14

  13

  31

  26

  £250 and over

  37

  39

  74

  160

  In 1986 the form of presentation changed. The figures are:

  Number

  Under £500

  124

  £500—£999

  49

  £l,000—£1,999

  39

  £2,000 and over

  8

  Nurses (Pay)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how nurses' pay has altered in real terms(a) between 1974 and 1979, (b) between 1979 and 1984 and (c) since the pay review body was set up in 1984.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Pay-round Yearn (1 August-31 July)

  Percentage movement in real terms pay1

  1974–75—1978–79

  -21

  1979–80—1983–84

  +15

  1983–84—1986–87

  +16

  1 Percentage movements in real terms pay reflect the percentage cash increase/decrease for the pay round year deflated by the increase in the retail prices index throughout the pay round year.

  National Health Service Pay
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) on what basis his Department has not in the past eight years fully funded pay awards in the National Health Service:

  (2) what proportion of pay awards to nurses have been met through extra central Government funding for each of the last five years; and what studies have been made and what steps taken by his Department over that period to ensure that the difference between each pay award and the Government allocation for that purpose could be made up without detriment to levels of patient care.

  Mr. Newton
  Prior to 1982–83 health authorities were funded on a system of volume planning and funds were provided by the Government to meet increases in expenditure. Since then authorities have operated under the cash planning system and are expected to meet all expenditure within the total resources available to them.238
  Nevertheless in three of the last four years we have provided additional funds to help authorities meet the cost of review body awards.

  Neither initial allocations nor (except in 1984–85) additional funding was earmarked specifically for the pay of individual staff groups such as nurses. The following proportions are a notional assessment based on the nurses' percentage share of the cost of review body awards and relate to the period since the inception of the nurses review body.

  Proportion of cost of nurses' pay award in:

  Initial allocation

  Additional funding

  Total

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  1984–85

  39·5

  46·5

  86·1

  1985–86

  80·4

  —

  80·4

  1986–87

  77·1

  17·7

  94·9

  1987–88

  39·4

  54·1

  93·5

  Totals do not sum due to rounding.

  Although no specific studies of the type described have been undertaken, health authorities are aware of the need to plan flexibly to meet any pay and price pressures that arise and of the additional revenue available to them as a result of savings released by their cost improvement programmes.

  Trent RHA
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the costs to public funds of the administration of Trent regional health authority in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Newton
  Following is the information derived from the annual accounts of the health authorities comprising the Trent region.

  It would be misleading to interpret a regional health authority's data in isolation from that of the districts it manages. Regions are managed in an integrated way and, therefore, to provide a more accurate picture, regional health authority and district health authority figures should be combined.

  Expenditure on headquarters administration

  Trent regional health authority

  District health authorities

  Region total

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1982–83

  5,327

  26,355

  31,682

  1983–84

  7,773

  23,646

  31,419

  1984–85

  8,358

  24,484

  32,842

  1985–86

  8,884

  21,786

  30,670

  1986–87

  10,683

  22,847

  33,530

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on headquarters administration includes all current expenditure on the pay and pay related costs of staff of all disciplines (including general managers) employed at headquarters levels and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit levels: such costs are regarded as operational.

  2. Prior to 1 April 1985 many of the district health authorities had an associated family practitioner committee (FPC) and those authorities' expenditure for the years before that date includes elements relating to FPCs' administrative expenses which are not separately identifiable.

  Hip Replacement Operations
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate for each district health authority within Greater London(a) the current length of time an individual would be expected to wait for a hip replacement operation and (b) the number of individuals currently waiting for a hip replacement operation who have been on the waiting list for (i) up to one year, (ii) between one and two years, (iii) between two and three years, (iv) between three and four years and (v) over four years.

  Mr. Newton
  None of the information requested is available centrally. Information on in-patient waiting lists is collected by specialty of treatment and not by intended method of treatment-operation. A one in 10 sample of hospital discharge records provide data about the waiting experience of patients who have been treated, but at district level the sample is too small to provide reliable estimates for hip replacement operations.

  Regional information for 1985—the latest year for which data are held centrally—is given in the table.

  Estimated median interval in weeks between the time a patient was placed on the waiting list and the date of admission to NHS hospitals for total hip replacement and other arthroplasty of hip, Thames regions, 1985

  Region

  Time

  North West Thames

  13

  North East Thames

  18

  South East Thames

  23

  South West Thames

  26

  Median Waiting Time (in weeks) of waiting list cases treated, by specialty and region, NHS hospitals, England 1985

  Specialty

  Northern

  Yorkshire

  Trent

  East Anglian

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  South West Thames

  All Non-Psychiatric Specialties

  7

  8

  8

  8

  5

  6

  7

  8

  General Medicine

  2

  2

  3

  3

  2

  1

  1

  1

  Neurology

  2

  3

  5

  5

  1

  3

  2

  2

  Rheumatology

  3

  4

  2

  4

  1

  2

  1

  1

  General Surgery

  5

  6

  5

  5

  4

  5

  5

  5

  Ear, Nose and Throat

  14

  13

  15

  12

  11

  11

  11

  12

  Traumatic and Orthopaedic

  10

  9

  15

  14

  9

  13

  15

  12

  Ophthalmology

  11

  14

  13

  11

  13

  9

  11

  12

  Urology

  6

  7

  7

  9

  6

  7

  8

  8

  Plastic Surgery

  12

  12

  9

  13

  6

  9

  12

  12

  Thoracic Surgery

  6

  3

  7

  2

  1

  1

  5

  1

  Oral Surgery

  15

  19

  15

  19

  12

  15

  12

  12

  Gynaecology

  6

  6

  7

  6

  3

  5

  5

  7

  Median Waiting Time (in weeks) of waiting list cases treated, by specialty and region, NHS hospitals, England 1985

  Specialty

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHA's

  England

  All Non-Psychiatric Specialties

  9

  8

  8

  8

  5

  7

  5

  7

  General Medicine

  1

  1

  2

  2

  0

  3

  3

  2

  Neurology

  7

  5

  2

  5

  5

  3

  3

  3

  Rheumatology

  2

  11

  2

  4

  3

  2

  1

  3

  General Surgery

  6

  5

  6

  6

  5

  5

  3

  5

  Ear, Nose and Throat

  15

  11

  13

  11

  9

  15

  15

  12

  Traumatic and Orthopaedic

  17

  12

  15

  12

  8

  11

  6

  12

  Ophthalmology

  14

  18

  13

  20

  9

  11

  11

  13

  Urology

  10

  8

  7

  10

  8

  6

  4

  8

  Plastic Surgery

  13

  14

  10

  14

  9

  14

  21

  12

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much National Health Service waiting lists have changed between 1979 and 1987 in(a) the North West Thames regional health authority and (b) the North West Hertfordshire district health authority.

  Mr. Newton
  The in-patient waiting list for North West Thames regional health authority has decreased by 9·3 per cent. from 48,503 to 44,007 between 31 March 1979 and 31 March 1987. The in-patient waiting list for North West Hertfordshire district health authority has also decreased over the same period, from 2,743 to 1,544, a fall of 43·7 per cent.

  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the average waiting time for each specialty by regional health authority and the average for England, Wales and Scotland, respectively.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows the median interval between the date an in-patient was placed on the waiting list and the date of admission (estimated centrally using a 10 per cent. sample of anortymised hospital records) for those specialties where most of the sample numbers were large enough to give reliable estimates at regional level.
  241

  Specialty

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHA's

  England

  Thoracic Surgery

  3

  1

  4

  6

  2

  1

  5

  3

  Oral Surgery

  15

  22

  20

  13

  8

  13

  0

  15

  Gynaecology

  6

  7

  6

  6

  6

  6

  —

  6

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the hospital waiting list figures for England and by English health regions for September 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  The September waiting list figures are being compiled now and will be published as soon as possible.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the hospital waiting list figures by specialty for the Nottingham district health authority and the Trent region, for the latest available date.

  Mr. Newton
  The latest available information about NHS waiting lists is contained in the summary booklet, "Hospital in-patient waiting list—England at 31 March 1987," a copy of which is in the Library.

  NHS Administrators
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many administrators were employed in the National Health Service at district health authority level in 1978–79 and 1986–87;

  (2) how many administrators were employed in the National Health Service at regional health authority level in 1978–79 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Newton
  It is not possible readily to distinguish, from staff engaged on administrative and clerical work in the National Health Service, those solely engaged as administrators. The table provides figures for administrative and clerical staff in the respective years:

  Administrative and Clerical Staff in Post at Regional Health Authority Level and at District Health Authority Level in England at 30 September.

  Whole-time equivalents1

  Regional Health Authority Level

  District Health Authority Level

  1978

  7,500

  84,900

  1986

  7,800

  95,500

  Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower

  1 Figures are rounded to the nearest one hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  2 1978 figures include staff at area health authority level whose functions were devolved to district health authorities as a result of the 1982 reorganisation.

  AIDS
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has of improved practice in the general population following the AIDS advertising campaign.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 22 February at column 34.

  Community Nurses
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps fully to integrate community nurses into the primary health care team.

  Mr. Newton
  It is for health authorities to determine the organisation and management structure of community nursing services. However, we have long encouraged the development of primary health care teams, in which community nurses are an integral part, and gave fresh endorsement to the team approach in a guidance circular (HC(87)29/HC(FP)(87)10) issued to health authorities and family practitioner committees in November.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the drugs Ampligen and Imuthiol (DTC) to become available for the treatment of AIDS patients in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Newton
  I am not able to say whether these products are likely to become licensed for use in this country. So far no application for a product licence or Clinical trial has been received. It should be noted, however, that medical practitioners have the right to import and prescribe medicines for their individual patients even if the product is not licensed for use in this country.

  Consultants (Private Practice)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service consultants supplement their income through private practice in the Northern regional health authority area.

  Mr. Newton
  This information is not available. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Northern regional health authority for information on the types of contract held by the consultants in its employment.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the additional resources that are being made available to the South East Thames regional health authority and the South East Kent health authority in order to finance training and other costs already incurred and likely to occur in connection with ensuring that emergencies and casualties that may arise during the construction and future operation of the Channel tunnel are adequately provided for.

  Mr. Newton
  In the main the Department does not identify funds for specific purposes. Resource allocations to regions are aimed at securing progress, over time, towards targets which take account of, amongst other things, change in the size and composition of the population served, the relative health care needs of the region and patient flows between regions.

  The allocation of resources to districts is a matter for regions. It is for regions and districts to determine, within

  243
  a national framework of health care priorities, and in the light of local needs and circumstances, how all their resources can best be used.

  Foetuses and Foetal Material
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many nursing homes have his approval to supply foetuses or foetal material to institutions and organisations; and if he will list the purposes for which the foetuses or foetal material are required;

  (2) what forms of final disposal of foetuses or foetal material are used by institutions and organisations supplied by nursing homes; and what systems or checks his Department has for ensuring that disposal is done in an approved manner;

  (3) how many National Health Service hospitals supply foetuses or foetal material to institutions and organisations; and if he will list the purposes for which the foetuses or foetal material is used;

  (4) what forms of final disposal of foetuses or foetal material are used by institutions and organisations supplied by National Health Service hospitals; and what systems or checks his Department has for ensuring that disposal is done in an approved manner;

  (5) what fees are charged by National Health Service hospitals or private nursing homes to institutions and organisations for the supply of foetal material and foetuses; and whether such fees are subject to the approval and monitoring of his Department;

  (6) what arrangements are in operation for obtaining the consent of parents before the disposal of foetuses or foetal material to institutions and organisations by National Health Service hospitals and private nursing homes; and what steps his Department takes to ensure that such arrangements are followed.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department approves the arrangements for the supply of foetal material by nursing homes approved under the Abortion Act 1967. Arrangements for the supply of material by NHS hospitals are the responsibility of individual health authorities.

  The use and disposal of human foetal material in this country is controlled in accordance with the code of practice recommended in the report of the advisory group on the use of foetuses and foetal material for research (Peel report 1972). The code of practice stipulates amongst other things that a precondition of research should be that there is no objection on the part of the parent and that there is no monetary exchange for foetuses or foetal material. In the private sector the Department satisfies itself that these requirements will be met before approval is granted.

  Private sector places currently approved to supply foetal material are as follows:
  244

  Approved place and material supplied to

  Purpose

  Calthorpe Nursing Home

  Birmingham Children's Hospital

  Research on chorionic villus sampling

  East Birmingham Hospital

  Birmingham Maternity Hospital

  Park View Clinic

  Foetal Tissue Bank, Royal Marsden Hospital

  Various projects on virology, immunology, oncology, biochemistry and molecular biology

  Robert Nursing Home

  Birmingham University Medical School

  The study of genetics, umbilical vessels, comparative histology, cancer and foetal development

  The final disposal of material is a matter for the receiving organisations themselves.

  Medical Consultants
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to review the basis on which medical consultants are employed by the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 18 January 1988 at column 565.

  Welfare of Children
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been spent by social services departments under section 1 of the Child Care Act 1980.

  Mr. Newton
  The figures are given in the table.

  Net current expenditure under Section 1 of the Child Care Act 1980—England

  Year

  Cash (£ million)

  1982–83

  3·358

  1983–84

  4·184

  1984–85

  7·255

  1985–86

  6·561

  1986–871

  8·262

  1 Provisional.

  Special Hospital Patients
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire of 16 February,Official Report, columns 555–56, he will list in the Official Report the length of time each of the patients listed has been waiting for transfer, in numbers of months.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is as follows:
  245

  Hospital

  Number of patients awaiting a vacancy in an identified hospital

  Length of wait in months (as at 4 January 1988)1

  Number of patients awaiting a vacancy in local authority accommodation

  Length of wait in months (as at 4 January 1988)2

  Broadmoor

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  3

  4

  —

  —

  1

  7

  —

  —

  1

  9

  —

  —

  1

  10

  —

  —

  1

  12

  —

  —

  Moss Side

  3

  2

  1

  4

  1

  3

  —

  —

  Park Lane

  3

  1

  1

  2

  1

  4

  1

  3

  1

  10

  1

  6

  —

  —

  1

  9

  Rampton

  3

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  3

  2

  4

  —

  —

  1

  6

  —

  —

  3

  6

  —

  —

  3

  7

  —

  —

  1

  9

  —

  —

  1

  10

  —

  —

  1

  12

  —

  —

  1

  20

  —

  —

  1 In the case of patients subject to restrictions under the Mental Health Act, the length of wait is calculated from the date on which the Home Secretary's consent to transfer was obtained. For unrestricted patients, the calculation is from the date on which a placement was agreed between the special hospital and the receiving hospital.

  2 The length of wait is calculated from the date on which the Mental Health Review Tribunal ordered the patient's discharge.

  General Practitioners
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many general practitioners there are per 10,000 of the population in(a) Greater London and (b) the rest of England.

  Mr. Newton
  At 1 October 1986 the numbers of general medical practitioners per 10,000 population in Greater London and the rest of England were 5·5 and 5·1 respectively.

  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost of training a family doctor.

  Mr. Newton
  About £110,000 comprising £40,000 for university costs of undergraduate medical education—as defined in my reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 23 November 1987 at column 81—and a further £70,000 for the direct salary costs of doctors during their pre-registration year and three years vocational training for general practice. Since training is basically on-the-job there is an offsetting but unquantifiable value of the service contribution made by these doctors.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimated loss of revenue over the last three years for which figures were available arising from employers collecting national insurance contributions but failing to transfer the same to the Department; and whether he has any plans to tighten existing procedures in this respect.

  Mr. Scott
  Reliable estimates of these losses are not available. We have no plans to change the procedures 246
  outlined in my reply to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 2 February at column 576. However, these are kept under constant review.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how frequently hypothermia is cited as a cause of death; and to what extent the incidence of hypothermia is changing.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) on Tuesday 8 March 1988.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to alter the working of the arrangements for severe weather payments so far in the current winter.

  Mr. Scott
  There are no plans to amend the current scheme for exceptionally cold weather payments before it ends in April. The Social Security Bill currently before Parliament provides for payments in respect of cold weather to be made after this winter from the social fund. The details of the new scheme will be decided later this year.

  Internal Examinations
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has issued guidelines to hospitals to ensure that no internal examinations are conducted upon women under anaesthetic without their written consent; and if he will publish the guidelines.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department's guidelines provide that an explanation of the nature and effect of an operation or
  247
  investigation procedure under anaesthetic must be given to a patient and the patient's written consent obtained. Separate consent should be obtained if patients are to be involved in teaching of medical or other students. The guidelines were issued as circulars HM(73)8 as amended by HC(77)18, and DS30/71. Copies of the circulars are available in the Library.

  Meningococcal Septicaemia
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths over the last 10 years have been attributed to having meningococcal septicaemia.

  Mrs. Currie
  Before 1979, meningococcal septicaemia (ICD (8)1 036·1 Meningococcaemia without mention of meningitis) included Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. Since 1979, meningococcaemia (ICD (9)1 036·2) and Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, meningococcal (ICD (9)1 036·3) have been coded separately. The table therefore, shows both of these latter conditions from 1979.

  Year

  ICD(8)1036·1

  ICD(9)1036·2

  ICD(9)1036·3

  1978

  52

  —

  —

  1979

  —

  53

  12

  1980

  —

  33

  8

  1981

  —

  40

  15

  1982

  —

  34

  15

  1983

  —

  40

  10

  1984

  —

  47

  6

  1985

  —

  46

  14

  1986

  —

  75

  20

  19872

  —

  71

  6

  1 International Classification of Diseases 8th and 9th revisions.

  2 Provisional—

  The 1987 figure for the number of notifications of acute and meningococcal meningitis is provisional as it is based on the notifications reported to OPCS each week. It does not include all late or corrected notifications, and is therefore liable to a small change at a later date.

  The annual statistics should be compared with caution as

  (i) The 9th revision of the ICD was introduced on 1 January 1979.

  (ii) A change in coding was introduced on 1 January 1984.

  (iii) Figures for 1986 and 1987 exclude deaths in the first 28 days of life.

  Out-patient Appointments
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the proportion of out-patient appointments that are not kept.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  Family Planning
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information he has about the comparative cost of providing family planning advice and services through(a) local health authorities and (b) general practitioners;

  (2) if he will make a study of the comparative cost of providing family planning services through (a) general practitioners and (b) family planning clinics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  We are aware of local studies which have questioned the cost-effectiveness of transferring family planning services from clinics to general practitioners but 248
  information collected centrally does not enable a study of comparative costs of the two complementary services to be made. It remains Government policy that people should be able to choose their source of family planning advice, and we have no present plans to commission such a study.

  Amniocentesis Tests
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the numbers of amniocentesis tests which were undertaken in England in the most recent year for which the information is available; and what information he has as to how many of these tests were followed by(a) an abortion, (b) a normal birth, (c) the birth of a disabled child and (d) a miscarriage;

  (2) if he will list the routine statistics which are collected centrally by his Department concerning (a) amniocentesis techniques of foetal diagnosis, and (b) chorionic villus sampling techniques; and whether he has any plans for extending the statistical information gained by his Department in these areas.

  Mrs. Currie
  While information is routinely collected centrally on the number of amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling operations performed in NHS hospitals on in-patients and day-cases, these procedures are normally carried out as out-patient procedures and no central data are available, although they may be held locally.

  There are at present no plans to extend the collection of routine statistics to cover details of out-patient procedures.

  Abortion notifications provide details of abortions conducted on the grounds of foetal abnormality but do not indicate what tests or other evidence have been used to make the diagnosis.

  It is not possible to link individual cases from the two sets of information. Nor is it possible to link details of the operation with information relating to the subsequent birth of a child nor to a miscarriage unless this occurs within the same consultant episode

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the proportion of women who are offered an amniocentesis test and take up such an offer.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will list those health authorities in England in which foetal diagnosis by amniocentesis and related techniques are available; and if he will indicate for each such area what age thresholds are applied for women with no apparent genetic risk for limiting the availability of amniocentesis.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested on foetal diagnosis by amniocentesis and related techniques can be produced only at a disproportionate cost. No information is held centrally on age thresholds for limiting amniocentesis to women with no apparent genetic risk.

  Benefit Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of time appellants wait before attending an appeals tribunal for(a) mobility allowance and (b) attendance allowance.
  249
  Mr. Portillo
  Social security appeal tribunals hear lay questions on mobility allowance and attendance allowance; medical appeal tribunals hear medical questions on mobility allowance and the Attendance Allowance Board reviews medical questions for attendance allowance. The national administrative statistics for social security appeal tribunals show that in Great Britain for the quarter ending 30 June 1987 (the latest available figures), the average time taken between the lodgement and hearing of an appeal is 19·1 weeks for mobility allowance and 30·5 weeks for attendance allowance. I regret that equivalent estimates are not available for medical appeal tribunal hearings or reviews by the Attendance Allowance Board.

  Drug Tariff Products
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on what basis dispensers of drugs tariff medicines and products are reimbursed; and if he will make it his policy to claw back all discounts which effectively reduce the true cost of the drug tariff items to dispensers below the tariff reimbursement price, rather than introducing an averaging system.

  Mr. Newton
  Pharmacists are reimbursed monthly for the cost of the medicines and other products they dispense on the basis of either a price listed in the drug tariff or the manufacturer's list price. Apart from the payment for some medicines and other products on which no discount is available, a percentage is deducted from the monthly total of these prices in order to take account of the discounts which pharmacists can obtain. The level of discount obtained is established by periodic inquiries, agreed between the Department and the representatives of the profession, and reflected in a graduated discount scale published in the drug tariff. The same principle applies to payments made to dispensing doctors.

  Reimbursement on the basis of actual prices paid, rather than through an averaging system, would remove the incentive to purchase as economically as is consistent with good dispensing practice and we have no plans for such a change.

  Dental Charges
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many civil servants have been employed administering dental charges in each of the last four years.

  Mrs. Currie
  About 10 civil servants in the Department are regularly engaged in duties in connection with dental charges, including preparations of forecasts, estimates, legislation and guidance, and dealing with correspondence. None is wholly or mainly engaged in such duties.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether any evidence is available to his Department regarding a possible link between recent cases of meningitis and imported Greek yoghurt carrying the meningitis bacterium; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what tests have been conducted on imported Greek sheep's yoghurt to establish whether it contains meningitis-carrying bacteria; and if he will make a statement.
  250
  Mrs. Currie
  There is no evidence of a connection between meningococcal meningitis and the consumption of any particular foodstuff. Recent cases of meningitis have been mainly meningococcal meningitis, which is caused by a different organism from that which causes listeria meningitis. A recent case of listeria meningitis was associated with a cheese made in this country.

  All imported food is subject to routine sampling by port health authorities. We have no evidence to associate imported Greek sheep's milk yoghurt with illness caused by the listeria organism, which is in any case unlikely to occur in an acidic product such as yoghurt.

  Social Security Reform
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportions of those working families who are eligible for family credit are(a) tenants paying rent, (b) mortgagors, (c) outright owner-occupiers and (d) non-householders; and if he will illustrate the effect on net weekly spending power of introducing the reformed structure of income-related benefits for the following categories (i) a married couple with one earner and two children aged 13 and 16 years and (ii) a married couple with one earner and three children aged three, eight and 11 years, assuming, where appropriate, that the families (A) pay average local authority rent and rates, (B) have a £13,000 outstanding mortgage and pay appropriate weekly mortgage interest, (C) own their own home outright and pay average local authority rates and (D) are non-householders and pay no rent, mortgage interest, or rates, in each example showing both current and post-reform net weekly spending power, and any change between the two, for earnings ranging from £70 to £200 in £10 steps.

  Mr. Portillo
  The tenure composition of the family credit eligible population is as shown:

  Family credit eligible population tenure

  Per cent.

  Rent paying tenants

  50

  Mortgagors

  38

  Outright owners

  8

  Non-Householders

  4

  Total

  100

  The information on net weekly spending power is provided in the tables. Overall two thirds of family credit recipients are expected to gain or be unaffected.

  Table 1 Married couple, one earner—2 children aged 13 and 16 Average local authority rent and rates 1988–89 Net weekly spending power £

  Gross earnings

  Pre-reform

  Post-reform

  Increase (+)/Decrease (-)

  70

  96·55

  97·65

  +1·10

  80

  97·98

  98·00

  +0·02

  90

  97·93

  98·39

  +0·46

  100

  97·88

  99·86

  +1·98

  110

  94·98

  101·18

  +6·20

  120

  94·08

  103·10

  +9·02

  130

  95·66

  105·02

  +9·36

  140

  94·91

  106·94

  +12·03

  150

  96·11

  108·86

  +12·75

  160

  102·51

  110·78

  +8·27

  251

  Gross earnings

  Pre-reform

  Post-reform

  Increase (+)/Decrease (-)

  170

  108·91

  112·70

  +3·79

  180

  115·31

  115·31

  —

  190

  121·71

  121·71

  —

  200

  128·11

  128·11

  —

  Table 2 Married couple, one earner—2 children aged 13 and 16 £13,000 mortgage, average local authority rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-reform

  Post-reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  70

  —

  —

  —

  80

  —

  —

  —

  90

  —

  —

  —

  100

  86·67

  100·11

  +13·44

  110

  85·42

  101·43

  +16·01

  120

  86·17

  103·35

  +17·18

  130

  90·92

  105·27

  +14·35

  140

  96·02

  107·19

  +11·17

  150

  96·36

  109·11

  +12·75

  160

  102·76

  111·03

  +8·27

  170

  109·16

  112·95

  +3·79

  180

  115·56

  115·56

  —

  190

  121·96

  121·96

  —

  200

  128·36

  128·36

  —

  Note:

  Below £100 gross weekly earnings a borrower would be unlikely to get a £13,000 mortgage.

  Table 3 Married couple, one earner—2 children aged 13 and 16 outright owner, average local authority rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-reform

  Post-reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  70

  100·46

  113·99

  +13·53

  80

  103·14

  115·92

  +12·78

  90

  104·34

  117·51

  +13·17

  100

  105·54

  118·98

  +13·44

  110

  104·29

  120·30

  +16·01

  120

  105·04

  122·22

  +17·18

  130

  104·69

  124·14

  +19·45

  140

  109·79

  126·06

  +16·27

  150

  115·23

  127·98

  +12·75

  160

  121·63

  129·90

  +8·27

  170

  128·03

  131·82

  +3·79

  180

  134·43

  134·43

  —

  190

  140·83

  140·83

  —

  200

  147·23

  147·23

  —

  Table 4 Married couple, one earner—2 children aged 13 and 16 Non-householder: No rent, mortgage or rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-Reform

  Post-Reform

  Increase ( + )-Decrease (- )

  70

  104·25

  122·40

  +18·15

  80

  107·33

  124·82

  +17·49

  90

  108·93

  126·80

  +17·87

  100

  110·53

  128·78

  +18·25

  110

  109·93

  130·10

  +20·17

  120

  111·33

  132·02

  +20·69

  130

  112·23

  133·94

  +21·71

  140

  118·63

  135·86

  +17·23

  150

  125·03

  137·78

  +12·75

  160

  131·43

  139·70

  +8·27

  170

  137·83

  141·62

  +3·79

  180

  144·23

  144·23

  —

  190

  150·63

  150·63

  —

  200

  157·03

  157·03

  —

  252

  Table 5 Married couple,·one earner—3 children aged 3, 8 and 11 Average local authority rent and rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-Reform

  Post-Reform

  Increase( + )-Decrease ( -)

  70

  111·80

  100·13

  -11·67

  80

  113·23

  100·55

  -12·68

  90

  113·18

  102·53

  -10·65

  100

  113·13

  104·51

  -8·62

  110

  110·65

  105·83

  -4·82

  120

  109·75

  107·75

  -2·00

  130

  108·85

  109·67

  +0·82

  140

  108·54

  111·59

  +3·05

  150

  110·34

  113·51

  +3·17

  160

  112·31

  115·43

  +3·12

  170

  116·16

  117·35

  +1·19

  180

  122·56

  122·56

  —

  190

  128·96

  128·96

  —

  200

  135·36

  135·36

  —

  Table 6 Married couple, one earner—3 children aged 3, 8 and 11 £13,000 mortgage, average local authority rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-Reform

  Post-Reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  70

  —

  —

  —

  80

  —

  —

  —

  90

  —

  —

  —

  100

  101·11

  104·76

  +3·65

  110

  100·02

  106·08

  +6·06

  120

  100·77

  108·00

  +7·23

  130

  101·52

  109·92

  +8 40

  140

  104·35

  111·84

  +7·49

  150

  109·45

  113·76

  +4·31

  160

  112·56

  115·68

  +312

  170

  116·41

  117·60

  +1·19

  180

  122·81

  122·81

  —

  190

  129·21

  129·21

  —

  200

  135·61

  135·61

  —

  Note: Below £100 gross weekly earnings a borrower would be unlikely to get a £13,000 mortgage.

  Table 7 Married couple, one earner—3 children aged 3, 8 and 11 Outright owner, average local authority rates Net weekly spending power £

  Gross earnings

  Pre-reform

  Post-reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  70

  114·90

  118·13

  -3·23

  80

  117·58

  119·67

  +2·09

  90

  118·78

  121·65

  +2·87

  100

  119·98

  123·63

  +3·65

  110

  118·89

  124·95

  +6·06

  120

  119·64

  126·87

  +7·23

  130

  120·39

  128·79

  +8·40

  140

  118·12

  130·71

  +12·59

  150

  123·22

  132·63

  +9·41

  160

  128·88

  134·55

  +5·67

  170

  135·28

  136·47

  +1·19

  180

  141·68

  141·68

  —

  190

  148·08

  148·08

  —

  200

  154·48

  154·48

  —

  Table 8 Married couple, one earner—3 children aged 3, 8 and 11 Non-householder: No rent, mortgage or rates

  Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-Reform

  Post-Reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  70

  118·43

  127·05

  +8·62

  80

  121·51

  129·47

  +7·96

  90

  123·11

  131·45

  +8·34

  253

  Net weekly spending power £

  Gross Earnings

  Pre-Reform

  Post-Reform

  Increase ( + )/Decrease ( - )

  100

  124·71

  133·43

  +8·72

  110

  124·11

  134·75

  +10·64

  120

  125·51

  136·67

  +11·16

  130

  126·91

  138·59

  +11·68

  140

  125·88

  140·51

  +14·63

  150

  132·28

  142·43

  +10·15

  160

  138·68

  144·35

  +5·67

  170

  145·08

  146·27

  +1·19

  180

  151·48

  151·48

  —

  190

  157·88

  157·88

  —

  200

  164·28

  164·28

  —

  Notes to tables:

  1. All main assumptions as in "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits", October 1987, copies of which are held in the Library.

  2. Net weekly spending power is defined after payment of income tax and national insurance, receipt of benefits, payment of net housing costs and work-related expenses (travel costs).

  3. Average weekly local authority rents for these family types are assumed to be £19·12, local authority rates £8·02, water rates £1·78. A £13,000 mortgage is assumed to imply a net (after tax) mortgage interest payment of £18·87 per week.

  NHS (Administrative Costs)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the proportion of administrative costs within the National Health Service as a proportion of current costs in(a) 1978, (b) 1979 and (c) the latest available year.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost of the administration of the National Health Service in each of the last seven years; if he will express this as a percentage of the total annual cost of the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 14 January 1988]: Following is information, covering both hospital and community health services and family practitioner services, derived from annual accounts submitted to the Department:

  National health service—headquarters administration

  Expenditure on headquarters administration

  As a proportion of total current expenditure

  As a proportion of total expenditure (current & capital)

  £'000

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1978–79

  255,899

  4·41

  4·15

  1979–80

  306,193

  4·41

  4·16

  1980–81

  378,311

  4·26

  4·00

  1981–82

  393,377

  3·97

  3·72

  1982–83

  403,292

  3·75

  3·52

  1983–84

  418,429

  3·66

  3·45

  1984–85

  444,016

  3·63

  3·41

  1985–86

  479,047

  3·71

  3·47

  1986–87

  516,624

  3·72

  3·48

  Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population (England)

  £ (cash)

  All age groups

  Births

  0 to 4

  5 to 15

  16 to 64

  65 to 74

  75+

  Personal social services

  1979–80

  35

  15

  45

  45

  10

  55

  210

  254
  Sources:

  Annual financial accounts of:—

  (i) regional and district health authorities and the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. (Predecessor authorities for the years prior to 1982–83.)

  (ii) family practitioners committees.

  (iii) the Dental Estimates Board and the Prescription Pricing Authority.

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on headquarters administration includes all current expenditure on the pay and pay related costs of staff of all disciplines (including general managers) employed at headquarters levels and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit levels: such costs are regarded as operational.

  2. The table includes the total expenses of the Dental Estimates board and the Prescription Pricing Authority which are regarded as wholly administrative. Expenditure by other bodies and special health authorities providing central services to the National Health Service (eg. the Central Blood Laboratories Authority) and expenditure met centrally by the Department is excluded.

  Regional Health Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will itemise in cash terms the amount spent by each regional health authority on administration in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986."

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 7 December 1987]: Tables showing each health authority's expenditure on headquarters administration for the years requested have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give per capita spending on health and personal social services in cash terms and at 1987–88 prices for each year since 1979 to the latest available date for(a) all ages, (b) up to four years, (c) five to 15 years, (d) 16 to 64 years, (e) 65 to 74 years and (f) 75 years and over, giving the amount spent on (i) hospital and community services, (ii) family practitioner services, (iii) personal social services and (iv) total in England;

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 18 February 1988]: Estimates of gross current expenditure per head of population on health and personal social services, in cash and at 1987–88 prices, for each year between 1979–80 and 1985–86, the latest year for which these estimates are available are given in the table.

  These figures are derived through successive estimations starting with the Department's programme budget analysis, details of which are provided annually to the Social Services Committee and are published by the Committee in minutes of evidence associated with its report on public expenditure on the social services 1987 (HC 413). Expenditure on each of the services identified is then apportioned to different age groups from data on the use of services derived from a variety of sources. Due to these changes in sources and definitions data for the earliest years may not be fully consistent with those for later years.
  255

  All age groups

  Births

  0 to 4

  5 to 15

  16 to 64

  65 to 74

  75+

  1980–81

  40

  15

  55

  55

  15

  60

  260

  1981–82

  45

  20

  60

  65

  15

  65

  275

  1982–83

  50

  20

  65

  70

  15

  65

  305

  1983–84

  55

  20

  70

  75

  20

  75

  330

  1984–85

  60

  25

  75

  75

  20

  80

  345

  1985–86

  60

  25

  80

  80

  20

  80

  355

  Family practitioner services

  1979–80

  35

  40

  30

  25

  35

  45

  85

  1980–81

  45

  50

  40

  30

  40

  60

  105

  1981–82

  50

  60

  50

  40

  45

  65

  115

  1982–83

  60

  65

  55

  50

  50

  75

  125

  1983–84

  65

  70

  60

  55

  55

  85

  135

  1984–85

  70

  80

  70

  60

  60

  100

  150

  1985–86

  75

  85

  75

  65

  65

  100

  150

  Hospital and community health services

  1979–80

  115

  625

  120

  50

  65

  220

  545

  1980–81

  145

  790

  145

  60

  80

  290

  710

  1981–82

  160

  915

  150

  70

  85

  325

  770

  1982–83

  175

  1,005

  160

  75

  90

  340

  840

  1983–84

  185

  1,025

  160

  75

  95

  370

  875

  1984–85

  195

  1,075

  175

  80

  100

  395

  925

  1985–86

  200

  1,110

  185

  90

  105

  390

  970

  Total for above services

  1979–80

  185

  680

  195

  120

  110

  320

  840

  1980–81

  230

  855

  240

  145

  135

  410

  1,075

  1981–82

  255

  995

  260

  175

  145

  455

  1,160

  1982–83

  285

  1,090

  280

  195

  155

  480

  1,270

  1983–84

  305

  1,115

  290

  205

  170

  530

  1,340

  1984–85

  325

  1,180

  320

  215

  180

  575

  1,420

  1985–86

  335

  1,220

  340

  235

  190

  570

  1,475

  Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population (England)

  £ (1987–88 prices1)

  All age groups

  Births

  0 to 4

  5 to 15

  16 to 64

  65 to 74

  75+

  Personal social services

  1979–80

  60

  25

  75

  75

  20

  95

  360

  1980–81

  60

  25

  85

  85

  20

  85

  385

  1981–82

  60

  25

  80

  85

  20

  90

  365

  1982–83

  65

  25

  80

  85

  20

  80

  380

  1983–84

  65

  25

  85

  90

  20

  90

  390

  1984–85

  65

  25

  85

  85

  25

  90

  390

  1985–86

  65

  25

  85

  85

  25

  90

  385

  Family practitioner services

  1979–80

  65

  70

  55

  45

  60

  80

  150

  1980–81

  65

  75

  55

  45

  60

  85

  155

  1981–82

  70

  80

  65

  55

  60

  90

  155

  1982–83

  75

  85

  70

  60

  65

  95

  155

  1983–84

  75

  85

  75

  65

  65

  105

  160

  1984–85

  80

  95

  80

  70

  70

  110

  170

  1985–86

  80

  90

  80

  70

  70

  no

  160

  Hospital and community health services

  1979–80

  200

  1,085

  205

  85

  110

  385

  950

  1980–81

  215

  1,160

  215

  90

  120

  425

  1,045

  1981–82

  215

  1,220

  200

  90

  115

  435

  1,030

  1982–83

  215

  1,250

  200

  90

  115

  425

  1,045

  1983–84

  220

  1,220

  195

  90

  115

  440

  1,045

  1984–85

  220

  1,225

  200

  90

  115

  450

  1,055

  1985–86

  215

  1,195

  200

  95

  110

  420

  1,045

  Total above services

  1979–80

  325

  1,180

  335

  205

  190

  560

  1,460

  1980–81

  340

  1,260

  355

  220

  200

  595

  1,585

  1981–82

  345

  1,325

  345

  230

  195

  615

  1,550

  1982–83

  355

  1,360

  350

  235

  200

  600

  1,580

  1983–84

  360

  1,330

  355

  245

  200

  635

  1,595

  1984–85

  365

  1,345

  365

  245

  210

  650

  1,615

  1985–86

  360

  1,310

  365

  250

  205

  620

  1,590

  256 257
  1 Adjusted in fine with the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why he will not publish figures for Greater London as a whole, for Health Service expenditure in real terms, using the National Health Service pay and prices deflator.

  Mr. Newton
  The composition of an individual health authority's expenditure, or that of a group of health authorities in a particular metropolitan area, can differ significantly from the national average. It is therefore not appropriate to revalue such expenditure by reference to centrally assessed movements in pay and prices.

  Prescriptions
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each year since 1975 the net ingredient cost per prescription given.

  Mr. Newton
  The average net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in England for each year from 1975 to 1986 (the latest year available) is as follows:

  Average Net Ingredient Cost per Prescription

  £

  1975

  0·94

  1976

  1·17

  1977

  1·47

  1978

  1·69

  1979

  1·94

  1980

  2·36

  1981

  2·78

  1982

  3·14

  1983

  3·48

  1984

  3·69

  1985

  3·92

  1986

  4·24

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why two prescription charges are made for a single course of Cyclo-Progynova tablets;

  (2) if he will list all single course treatment where more than one prescription charge is made;

  (3) what are the purposes for which a course of Cyclo-Progynova are prescribed;

  (4) if he will list those courses of treatment which are similar in purpose or similar in content to Cyclo-Progynova; and in each case what prescription charge or charges are levied;

  (5) who are the manufacturers of Cyclo-Progynova tablets; and what similar courses of treatment they provide which are available to National Health Service patients;

  (6) what revenue has accrued to the National Health Service from Cyclo-Progynova tablets and other courses of treatment respectively for which dual prescription charges are levied in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the practice of applying a double prescription charge for Cyclo-Progynova used in the treatment of cancer in women.
  258
  Mr. Newton
  [holding answers 26 February and 4 March 1988]: A prescription charge is payable in respect of each quantity of a drug dispensed. Therefore, where more than one drug is required for a patient's treatment, more than one charge is payable, unless the patient is exempt.

  Packs of cyclo-progynova, which is licensed for the treatment of menopausal conditions, and for which the licence holder is Schering Health Care Ltd., contain two separate drugs. More details of the product and its uses may be found in the ABPI Data Sheet Compendium, a copy of which is in the Library. A comprehensive list of every other licensed product of similar purpose or similar content cannot be produced without disproportionate cost, but a list of the more widely used products of this nature may be found in the British National Formulary, which is also in the Library.

  I regret that information on the revenue from charges for cyclo-progynova is not available, nor is it possible to say how many courses of treatment result in more than one prescription charge.

  Housing Benefit and Rent Rebates
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of people claiming (i) housing benefit and (ii) rent rebates, listing separately(a) standard, (b) certificated and (c) supplement, for each year from 1984 to 1987, for each district council and regional council area in Scotland.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 26 February 1988]: The available information has now been placed in the Library. The figures represent estimated numbers of benefit recipients in each authority. The number of unsuccessful claims is not available.

  EC (Health Care Expenditure)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing health care expenditure per head in each of the European Economic Community countries, expressed in the common purchasing power standard.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 March 1988]: The following table shows for 1985 (or for the latest available year) health care expenditure per head in total and for the public and private sectors in EEC countries expressed in terms of pounds sterling using OECD purchasing power parities.

  Expenditure on health care per head of population in EEC countries in 1985

  EEC Country3

  total

  1£'s per head public

  private

  Belgium

  451

  347

  104

  Denmark

  430

  361

  69

  France

  562

  446

  116

  Germany

  563

  439

  124

  Greece1

  127

  121

  6

  Ireland

  309

  268

  41

  Italy

  416

  332

  84

  Netherlands

  531

  420

  111

  259

  EEC Country3

  total

  1£'s per head public

  private

  Portugal2

  150

  106

  44

  Spain2

  237

  170

  67

  United Kingdom

  355

  320

  35

  Source: OECD.

  1 Expressed in pounds sterling using OECD purchasing power parties.

  2 Data for 1984.

  3 Luxembourg is excluded from the table due to reported inconsistencies in the national health accounts.

  Long-stay Patients
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of all long-stay patients, respectively, in geriatric hospitals, hospitals for the mentally handicapped and mentally ill, and psychiatric hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: Costing returns submitted by health authorities include returns for the following hospital types, geriatric, mental handicap, and mental illness, but do not separately identify expenditure dependent on length of stay.

  In 1986–87, total current expenditure in England on inpatients in these hospitals was as follows:

  £

  Geriatric hospitals

  275,889,208

  Mental handicap hospitals

  1481,182,993

  Mental illness hospitals

  2795,317,915

  1 Includes expenditure on community units for the mentally handicapped.

  2 Excludes expenditure on psychiatric units within general hospitals etc. which is not separately identifiable centrally.

  Whitley Hospital, Coventry
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will call for a report from the chairman of Coventry district health authority about the financial arrangements, including rental payments, entered into with Coventry Church housing association in advance of the formal Secretary of State's decision on the closure proposals affecting Whitley hospital in Coventry, South-East.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 3 March 1988]: All aspects of Coventry health authority's proposal for the future patterns of health services in the district are currently being examined by Ministers, as part of a reference on the closure of Whitley hospital and other service changes.

  Abortions
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of abortions, under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, in the Pontefract district health authority area for each year from 1983 up to the latest year for which figures are available; how many of these abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the pregnant woman; and what is the latter figure expressed as a percentage of the former.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 March 1988]: The information is shown in the table.
  260

  Number of notifications of abortions performed on usual residents of Pontefract district health authority, and number of mentions of ground 51 1983–86

  Year

  Number of abortions

  Mention of ground

  1983

  346

  0

  1984

  339

  0

  1985

  355

  0

  1986

  408

  0

  1 Ground 5 of the 1967 Abortion Act permits abortions to be performed "in emergency to save the life of the mother".

  Hospitals
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average and total change in running costs for hospitals where old hospitals have been replaced by newly built hospitals providing an equivalent or near-equivalent service; and what is the total capital invested in this group of hospitals since 1979.

  Mrs. Currie
  Since 1979 about 250 hospital building schemes each costing £1 million have been completed at a total cost of nearly £1·5 billion. I regret that comparative information linking running costs and activity data by hospitals of different ages is not available.

  Mental Illness Hospitals
  Dr. Owen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the most recent figures for the number of(a) full-time consultant psychiatrists, (b) adult in-patients, (c) out-patient attendances and (d) day patient attendances in hospitals for the mentally ill.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Mental illness: Consultant staff and hospital attendance England 1986

  Number

  Consultants (WTE)1 in adult mental illness and psychotherapy (at 30 September):

  Total

  1,128

  Whole-time

  843

  Maximum part-time2

  141

  Other part-time

  144

  In-patients, aged 16 and over (at 31 December)

  59,780

  Total out-patient attendances

  1,720,895

  Day patient attendances in main hospitals

  940,167

  Day patient attendances in day hospitals

  2,770,869

  1 Whole-time equivalents, rounded to nearest whole number.

  2 These are usually treated as whole-time staff to reflect their substantially whole-time commitment.

  Telephone Exchange for the Deaf
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 19 February,Official Report column 784, what options are being considered for the long-term arrangements for providing the telephone exchange for the deaf; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Discussions are in train involving the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, British Telecom and Government Departments about setting up a research study which will address a wide range of options.

  Family Allowance
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any special arrangements will be made to compensate families on income support from 1 April for the loss of family allowance when a son, or daughter, in full-time education reaches the age of 19 years.

  Mr. Scott
  Transitional protection ensures that families entitled to supplementary benefit during week commencing 4 April and to income support from 11 April, will receive at least as much benefit income under the income support scheme at the point of change. We have no plans to make other arrangements.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Patent Office
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has had from businesses on the transfer of the Patent Office.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have received just over 100 representations, about half from firms of patent and trade mark agents and the rest from industrial and commercial businesses.

  Industrial Revenue Bonds
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to announce his plans for industrial revenue bonds for the inner cities.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government have at present no plans to introduce industrial revenue bonds.

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his Department's new enterprise initiative.

  Mr. Atkins
  Response to the enterprise initiative continues to be excellent. More than 42,000 inquiries have been received. We are on course to achieve our White Paper target figure of 1,000 consultancy projects per month.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his Department plans to spend in regional assistance in each of the next four years.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department's planned level of expenditure on the main regional assistance measures in the years 1988–89 to 1990–91 is £330 million, £304 million and £265 million respectively. In accordance with normal practice, plans for 1991–92 have not been made.

  Pen Tops
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the technical committee of the British Standards Institute to discuss new safety standards for pen tops.

  Mr. Butcher
  The British Standards Institutions (BSI) is taking urgent steps to develop this standard.262
  Responsibility for controlling the work will rest with BSI but I understand that the first meeting of the technical committee concerned is likely to take place in April.

  Confectionery
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of United Kingdom(a) exports and (b) imports of confectionery in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In 1987 exports of confectionery goods were valued at £405 million and imports £330 million.

  Training Centres
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider establishing training centres for people on approved courses which do not qualify for local education authority grants.

  Mr. Butcher
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Economic Progress
  Mr. Stokes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to convey to industry that economic progress will only be maintained by greater appreciation of the need for the highest quality, value, and reliable delivery to the customer of goods and services.

  Mr. Butcher
  The whole thrust of the enterprise initiative is to promote best practice in these and other aspects of performance.

  EC (Single Market)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in removing barriers to free trade in the European Community; and what further action is being taken to ensure that by 1992 there is a genuine single market in Europe.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Community is making encouraging progress towards the completion of the single European market by the target date of 31 December 1992. More than 100 individual measures aimed at removing barriers have been agreed in the last 18 months, 48 of them during the United Kingdom presidency in the second half of 1986. Following implementation of the Single European Act, the increased use of majority voting is already speeding up the process of decision taking. Priorities for decisions this year include standards, opening up public purchasing, liberalising capital movements, and freedom of establishment for the professions.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the Government's plans to prepare British companies for the completion of the single market in 1992.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since we announced our campaign the DTI has received an encouragingly large number of representations from all sectors of British business. All have warmly welcomed the priority which the Government are giving to completing the single market and the steps we are taking to make British business aware of the challenge.

  Confederation of British Industry
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My last meeting with the CBI was on 25 January. Our discussions on this occasion were mainly concerned with inner city issues.

  European Space Agency
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the European Space Agency; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Director-General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Dr. Luest, called on me when he was in London on 16 February. We discussed ESA matters and United Kingdom involvement in ESA programmes.

  Industrial Competitiveness
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the international competitiveness of British industry has changed in the last year.

  Mr. Butcher
  In the third quarter of 1987, the latest period for which data are available, relative unit labour costs in manufacturing were broadly unchanged from their level in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

  Industry-School Links
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to forge closer collaborative links between industry and schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  A number of measures to forge closer collaborative links between industry and schools were announced as part of the enterprise initiative in the White Paper "DTI-the department for Enterprise" published on 12 January 1988. Three new targets were set:every year 10 per cent. of teachers should have the opportunity to gain some personal experience of the world of business
  every young person should have two or more weeks of work experience, suited to his or her ability and needs, before leaving school
  every trainee teacher should gain an appreciation of the needs of employers and the importance of links between schools and employers.

  In addition, the Government's policy statement, "Action for Cities", announced by the Prime Minister on 7 March contained a range of initiatives including the Department of Employment's proposals to develop "compacts", initially in 12 of the urban programme areas. My Department will be working closely with DES and MSC to foster these partnerships and a wide range of other links between schools and business.

  Company Liquidations
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many company liquidations there were in Hereford and Worcester in the year 1983 to date.

  Mr. Maude
  Company liquidations are not analysed by county, but Hereford and Worcester are part of the area 264
  administered by the Official Receiver's office in Gloucester, which processed an estimated 351 compulsory liquidations in the years 1983 to 1987. No regional analysis is available of creditors' voluntary liquidations, the other type of insolvent company liquidation.

  Tokyo Stock Exchange
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to what factors he attributes the more rapid recovery of the Tokyo stock exchange than the British stock exchange since the crash.

  Mr. Maude
  Many factors influence the behaviour of prices in different markets; and I do not propose to speculate about them.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he plans to take to encourage the revival of the British film industry.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Government maintain the view that the provisions of the Films Act 1985 offer a framework within which the commercial film industry can develop successfully. British Screen Finance Ltd., which received Government funds under the terms of the Films Act, has in just over two years supported over 35 feature and short films. In addition, more than 20 projects have received Government finance under the development scheme managed by the National Film Development Fund.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what effects he expects the uniform business rate to have on his Department's regional policy.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The introduction of the uniform business rate will mean that firms throughout the country with premises of the same rateable value will pay the same rates. This will be of enormous benefit to my Department's policy of encouraging enterprise in the regions.

  Mergers Policy
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he had received on Her Majesty's Government's mergers policy.

  Mr. Maude
  The Department has received a large number of representations during the course of the recent review of law and policy on mergers and restrictive trade practices and these are listed in the Department's recent publication, "Mergers Policy" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Association of Innovation Centres Executives
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next expects to meet Dr. Donaldson, secretary of the Association of Innovation Centres Executives, to discuss Government funding for industry.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to meet the secretary of the Association of Innovation Centre Executives, Dr. Donaldson. However, I recently met Dr. Donaldson and other members of AICE to discuss the work of innovation centres, and ways in
  265
  which these centres might be able to contribute to DTI's new innovation policies. I have agreed to visit the northeast innovation centre later in the year.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of investment firms have registered with the Securities and Investments Board or self-regulatory organisations by the deadline laid down in the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  The Securities and Investments Board calculates that, on P-Day, approximately 5,100 firms were already members of recognised self-regulating organisations and around 9,140 applications were in the course of consideration. It is not possible to say what percentage of investment firms such a figure constitutes.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received requesting the postponement of implementation of section 9 of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  Section 9 of the Financial Services Act was brought into force in June 1987. No representations requesting postponement of the section were made.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is now able to announce the date of authorisation under the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  Section 3 of the Financial Services Act will require any person carrying on investment business in the United Kingdom to be authorised or exempted. It remains my intention that this section and other key investor protection provisions of the Act should be commenced in April, but the precise date has not yet been determined.

  Competition Policy and Consumer Protection
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received from heavy industry on competition policy issues and consumer protection matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The Department is in regular contact with both individual firms and representative groups from all sides of industry, including heavy industry; in the course of these contacts, industry's views on a range of matters, including competition policy and consumer protection are discussed.

  ICI Teesside
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many automatic grants under the regional aid programmes have been made to ICI Teesside in each of the past 10 years; and what was their value.

  Mr. Atkins
  Details of regional development grant payments made to ICI and its subsidiaries above £25,000 are published in British Business. The dates of publication were as follows:

  Date of publication

  1977–78

  Q1

  12 August 1977

  Q2

  4 November 1977

  266

  Date of publication

  Q3

  10 March 1978

  Q4

  19 May 1978

  1978–79

  Q1

  11 August 1978

  Q2

  3 November 1978

  Q3

  16 February 1979

  Q4

  18 May 1979

  1979–80

  Q1

  19 October 1979

  Q2

  7 December 1979

  Q3

  22 February 1980

  Q4

  6 June 1980

  1980–81

  Q1

  29 August 1980

  Q2

  28 November 1980

  Q3

  13 February 1981

  Q4

  15 May 1981

  1981–82

  Q1

  7 August 1981

  Q2

  6 November 1981

  Q3

  12 February 1982

  Q4

  7 May 1982

  1982–83

  Q1

  13 August 1982

  Q2

  29 October 1982

  Q3

  4 February 1983

  Q4

  6 May 1983

  1983–84

  Q1

  29 July 1983

  Q2

  4 November 1983

  Q3

  3 February 1984

  Q4

  25 May 1984

  1984–85

  Q1

  31 August 1984

  Q2

  9 November 1984

  Q3

  15 February 1985

  Q4

  10 May 1985

  1985–86

  Q1

  16 August 1985

  Q2

  17 January 1986

  Q3

  11 April 1986

  Q4

  20 June 1986

  1986–87

  Q1

  19 September 1986

  Q2

  5 December 1986

  Q3

  10 April 1987

  Q4

  10 July 1987

  1987–88

  Q1

  4 September 1987

  Q2

  18 December 1987

  Q3

  12 February 1988

  Notes:

  Details published are:

  (i) original RDG scheme: individual payments which exceed £25,000;

  (ii) revised RDG scheme: payments to individual undertakings in a travel-to-work area which cumulatively exceed £25,000 in any one quarter.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the balance of trade in information technology for 1987.
  267
  Mr. Maude
  The crude trade deficit (1) in the products of the information technology and electronics industries (2) in the first nine months of 1987, not seasonally adjusted, was £1·7 billion.

  (1) Imports (cif) less Exports (fob)

  (2) Activity headings 3301, 3302, 3441, 3442, 3443, 3444, 3453 and 3454 of the Standard Industrial Classification (1980)

  Audio Cassettes (Levy)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received on the need for a levy on blank audio cassette tape.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many representations he has received(a) for and (b) against the introduction of a blank tape levy.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department received more than 1.000 responses to the 1985 Green Paper "The Recording and Rental of Audio and Video Copyright Material" and the 1986 White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation" both of which addressed the question of a levy on blank tape. A large proportion of respondents commented on that question and the majority were opposed to the introduction of a levy. Since the Copyright, Designs and Patents Bill was published in October 1987, my Department has dealt with 80 further representations on the matter and of these, 42 were in favour of a levy and 38 against.

  Product Improvement
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his Department's initiative to help developing firms improve the quality of their products.

  Mr. Butcher
  The national Quality Campaign was launched in April 1983 with the aim of providing a wider awareness of the importance of quality. Since its launch, it is estimated that the campaign has reached more than 70,000 firms. There is continued high demand for the comprehensive range of campaign booklets and videos. Quality-related events have been developed on a regional, company-supplier or sectoral basis. Around 20 such activity programmes have been held with the most recent one in Brighton last month for the south-east region.

  There are around 9,000 company entries in the latest edition of the "Register of Quality Assessed United Kingdom Companies," a 50 per cent. increase on the previous edition. In addition, the level of demand for assisted quality consultancy advice has been significant—more than 5,000 so far. This help continues to be available through the enterprise initiative. From this it is clear that more and more firms are adopting the positive approach to quality which is so vital to the United Kingdom's competitiveness.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the export performance of the aerospace industry in 1987 and on its prospects for the coming year.
  268
  Mr. Atkins
  Final figures for 1987 are not yet available but provisional estimates indicate that the British aerospace industry exported some £5·5 billion of goods during the year. Prospects for the coming year are good with expected exports of around £6 billion.

  Manufactured Imports and Exports
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the growth in manufactured imports and exports in the last 12 months and in the last eight years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is as follows:

  Change in the volume of trade in manufactures in the last twelve months

  Overseas trade statistics basis seasonally adjusted 1980 = 100

  Import volume

  Export volume

  Index, February 1986 to January 1987

  148·8

  114·6

  Index, February 1987 to January 1988

  165·4

  124·1

  Percentage change

  +11

  +8½

  Volume of trade in manufactures 1980–1987

  Overseas trade statistics basis 1980 = 100

  Import volume index

  Export volume index

  1980

  100·0

  100·0

  1981

  97·9

  94·4

  1982

  107·3

  96·4

  1983

  121·4

  95·8

  1984

  133·9

  104·5

  1985

  140·6

  110·8

  1986

  148·2

  114·1

  1987

  162·6

  123·8

  Companies (Advertising)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans there are to seek to protect the consumer from misleading advertising by loan companies.

  Mr. Maude
  It is already an offence under section 46 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to publish an advertisement which is false or misleading in a material respect. In addition the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations regulate the form and content of advertisements for credit in some detail and ensure that consumers are given full and accurate information on relevant matters, including the total cost of credit. I believe, nevertheless, that there is scope for improving the protection provided by the current regulations and my Department will shortly circulate revised draft regulations which simplify and clarify the existing provisions and contain additional safeguards for borrowers, particularly in the area of secured lending.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has had recently from the British shipbuilding industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Representations have recently been made about the competition faced by United Kingdom private
  269
  sector merchant yards from other yards in the Community. The particular case has been drawn to the attention of the European Community.

  Consumers Association
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to meet the Consumers Association; and what matters he intends to discuss.

  Mr. Butcher
  I intend to meet the director general of the Consumers Association on Wednesday 23 March to discuss a number of topics relevant to consumers.

  Credit Cards
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans for the further regulation of credit cards.

  Mr. Maude
  No. I believe that the legal framework established by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 already ensures that credit card users are adequately protected.

  Manufactures
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the balance of trade in manufactures for 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For 1987 there was a deficit of £6·5 billion in trade in manufactures.

  Business (Marketing Skills)
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his Department's initiative to help developing businesses improve their marketing skills.

  Mr. Butcher
  Response to the interprise initiative continues to be excellent. More than 42,000 inquiries have been received. We are on course to achieve our White Paper target figure of 1,000 consultancy projects per month.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value in real terms of manufactured goods imported to, and exported from, the United Kingdom in June 1979 and the last month for which estimated figures are available.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is as follows:

  United Kingdom trade in manufactures for June 1979 and January 1988 at 1980 prices

  £ million

  Imports

  Exports

  June 1979

  2,695

  3,061

  January 1988

  4,693

  3,429

  Regional Development Grant (Tourism)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much regional development grant has been paid to the north-west region in respect of the tourism industry in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Atkins
  Data on payments of regional development grants are held by reference to the 1980 standard industrial 270
  classification. There is no specific code for tourism under this classification. The main activities which make up the tourist industry are not eligible for RDG. It is possible that projects involving activities which are eligible for RDG, such as central services, may be submitted by applicants who are active in the tourist industry, but information on grant paid in such circumstances is not available.

  National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Butcher
  I met the chairman of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux on Monday 7 March when we discussed a number of current issues including the funding of the services provided by the citizens advice bureaux.

  Takeovers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he intends to take to reduce the scale of takeover activity and the consequent loss of jobs in Wales, Scotland and the north of England.

  Mr. Maude
  Mergers policy has been under review. The main conclusions were announced in the recent White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise"; and more detailed conclusions were set out in the Department's policy document "Mergers Policy" published on 3 March. The Government's policy is that the main—though not exclusive—consideration in determining whether mergers should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission will be their potential effect on competition. Where competition is not affected, the Government believe that it is normally right for proposed mergers to be decided by the market without intervention by official agencies. But mergers may occasionally raise other issues which affect the public interest and the discretion to refer them to the MMC is to be retained.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the contribution to the United Kingdom balance of trade in 1986–87 of(a) the aerospace industry, (b) information technology and (c) pharmaceutical industries.

  Mr. Atkins
  The crude balance of trade for the sectors listed for the financial year 1986–87 is:

  £ million

  (a) Aerospace

  +2,106

  (b) Electronics and Information technology1

  -1,894

  (c) Pharmaceuticals

  +850

  The "electronics and information technology" sector has been taken to comprise activity headings 3301/2, 3441–4 and 3453/4 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980).

  Research and Development
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to what percentage of turnover is invested in research and development by(a) the electronics industry, (b) the chemical industry and (c) the pharmaceutical industry.
  271
  Mr. Maude
  In 1985, expenditure by United Kingdom industrial enterprises on research and development they performed and financed from their own resources as a percentage of sales and work done, was as follows:

  Per cent.

  Products of the electronics industry, including office machinery and electronic data processing equipment

  6·5

  Products of the chemical industry, excluding pharmaceutical products

  1·7

  Pharmaceutical products

  10·2

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of gross domestic product was spent on non-military research and development in Britain for the last year for which figures are available; and what is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average.

  Mr. Maude
  The latest available information relates to 1985 and is shown in the table. It was published in table 5.10 in the 1987 "Annual Review of Goverment Funded Research and Development (R and D)". The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) does not compile information on gross expenditure on R and D (GERD) for non-defence purposes for member countries. The figures given are rough estimates for certain countries. They are based on GERD, which is published by OECD for member countries, adjusted to eliminate expenditure on R and D for defence purposes, with the result expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

  Estimated GERD for civil purposes as a percentage of GDP in 1985

  Percentage

  United Kingdom

  1·7

  United States of America

  1·9

  Federal Republic of Germany

  2·5

  France

  11·8

  Japan

  22·5

  1 1984 estimate.

  2 1983 estimate.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to encourage a higher level of research and development expenditure by British industry.

  Mr. Butcher
  A major objective of my Department's recently announced innovation policy is to encourage industry to fund more of its own R and D, as well as to encourage co-operation between companies and the academic science base. The Government have created the right climate to enable industry to invest more in R and D.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the code approved by the Accounting Standards Committee requiring disclosure in company accounts of spending on research and development; and what further plans he has to encourage greater commitment by companies to research and development.

  Mr. Maude
  The Accounting Standards Committee is considering the responses to its exposure draft 41 which proposed changes to its "Statement of Standard Accounting Practice 13", including a new requirement that 272
  company accounts should disclose expenditure on research and development. The Government support this proposal and we are hopeful that a revised standard will be agreed later this year.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the decision to return the British Steel Corporation to the private sector.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have received a small number of letters from various parties about points of detail. I have so far received a few representations about the principle of privatisation itself. I regard this as a matter which is no longer particularly controversial except within a narrow political circle.

  Airbus Project
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he will meet ministerial colleagues from France and Germany to discuss the Airbus project.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster met his French and German colleagues on 1 March to discuss the Airbus project, and expects to be in regular contact with them on this issue.

  Export Initiative
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his Department's export initiative.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Since the launch on 12 January, nearly 9,000 export initiative booklets have been requested. While it is too soon to provide detailed figures on the take-up of the various schemes, considerable interest has been shown by exporters in the marketing initiative which provides access to independent consultancy advice on, among other things, how companies should approach and plan for their business abroad.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of manufacturing investment in 1987 and in 1979.

  Mr. Maude
  The provisional estimate of investment in manufacturing industry, including leased assets, for 1987 is £7·4 billion at 1980 prices. The corresponding investment in 1979 and 1983 was £8·2 billion and £5·6 billion respectively at 1980 prices.

  Inner Cities (New Businesses)
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures for the establishment of new businesses in inner-city areas.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  A total of 46,000 new businesses were registered for VAT in urban priority areas in 1986. That is the latest year for which complete figures are available. The number of VAT registered businesses in the inner cities was 307,000 at the end of 1986—2·3 per cent. higher than the two years before.
  273
  We have no accurate figures for the number of new businesses below the threshold for VAT in urban priority areas. However about one third of all enterprise allowance scheme applicants come from these areas and we expect to have 110,000 entrants nationally in 1988–89.

  Consumer Credit
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to seek to change the level of protection afforded by the Consumer Credit Act.

  Mr. Maude
  The Consumer Credit Act already provides comprehensive protection for consumers. I have no plans to change the basic framework of protection provided by the Act although I propose amendments to the Act, when there is a suitable opportunity, to simplify and clarify certain provisions which have caused difficulty both for lenders and their customers. I also propose amendments to the Act to remove all business hire and credit from its scope. These changes have been supported by organisations representing unincorporated businesses and sole traders who are at present within the scope of the Act. I am also proposing to amend the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations to clarify and simplify the existing provisions and provide additional safeguards for
  274

  Table 1

  Type of work distribution of new first degree university engineering graduates entering United Kingdom employment (per cent.)

  1980

  1982

  1984

  1985

  11986

  All engineering

  Engineering, scientific, technical, computing

  87

  85

  84

  83

  83

  Financial

  2

  3

  4

  4

  6

  Other

  10

  12

  12

  14

  10

  Mechanical engineering

  Engineering, scientific, technical, computing

  93

  88

  86

  86

  86

  Financial

  1

  2

  3

  3

  4

  Other

  6

  9

  10

  10

  10

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  Engineering scientific, technical, computing

  94

  93

  94

  94

  91

  Financial

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Other

  6

  5

  6

  6

  8

  Numbers entering employment

  All engineering

  5,065

  5,325

  6,417

  6,412

  5,362

  Mechanical engineering

  841

  1,008

  1,164

  1,197

  1,010

  Electrical, electronic engineering

  1,257

  1,418

  1,852

  1,774

  1,013

  1 The university subject classification changed in 1986. The apparent short fall in electrical and electronic engineering is due to a major part of this subject group being transferred to other categories in the classification, where they are not readily identifiable.

  Source: Universities Statistical Record, First Destinations Survey, annual volumes.

  Table 2

  Sectoral distribution of new first degree university engineering graduates entering United Kingdom employment (per cent.)

  1980

  1982

  1984

  1985

  11986

  All engineering

  Manufacturing

  60

  61

  65

  63

  61

  Finance, commerce

  5

  7

  8

  8

  10

  Other

  36

  33

  27

  29

  30

  Mechanical engineering

  Manufacturing

  80

  79

  77

  76

  74

  Finance, commerce

  3

  4

  6

  5

  7

  Other

  16

  16

  18

  19

  19

  borrowers, particularly in the area of secured lending. I believe that these changes would enhance the present level of borrower protection while at the same time reducing the burden on business.

  Information Technology and Science Graduates
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the trend for information technology graduates and those with science degrees to take employment in the City rather than in manufacturing industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department regularly receives information on the first employment destinations of UK university graduates from the Department of Education and Science. Whilst many jobs in manufacturing are open to graduates of any discipline, others require specific expertise, graduates in subjects which are less strongly attracted to careers where a general level of academic attainment is required, including some in the financial and commercial sectors. It should be noted that only a small proportion of such jobs are in the City.

  The tables illustrate the recent trends in the first employment of engineering and science university graduates:
  275

  1980

  1982

  1984

  1985

  11986

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  Manufacturing

  78

  74

  79

  77

  73

  Finance, commerce

  1

  3

  4

  4

  6

  Other

  21

  22

  16

  19

  21

  Source: Universities Statistical Record, First Destinations Survey, annual volumes.

  Table 3

  Type of work distribution of new .first degree university science graduates entering United Kingdom employment (per cent.)

  1980

  1982

  1984

  1985

  1986

  All Sciences (excludes psychology and geography)

  Scientific, engineering, technical, computing

  60

  55

  56

  55

  54

  Financial

  15

  17

  18

  20

  22

  Other

  26

  28

  26

  25

  24

  Biological sciences

  Scientific, engineering, technical, computing

  49

  45

  45

  47

  45

  Financial

  10

  9

  11

  12

  15

  Other

  41

  45

  44

  41

  40

  Physics

  Scientific, engineering, technical, computing

  78

  72

  75

  71

  68

  Financial

  5

  9

  7

  11

  13

  Other

  17

  20

  17

  18

  19

  Maths, computer studies

  Scientific, engineering, technical, computing

  64

  63

  62

  60

  58

  Financial

  24

  25

  27

  30

  31

  Other

  12

  13

  11

  10

  10

  Numbers entering employment

  All sciences

  6,082

  5,860

  7,655

  8,020

  6,742

  Biological sciences

  1,486

  1,427

  1,525

  1,643

  1,578

  Physics

  945

  946

  1,252

  1,229

  1,097

  Maths computer studies

  1,721

  1,823

  2,600

  2,659

  2,682

  1 Changes to the subject classification mean that the 1986 figures are not fully compatible with previous years.

  Source: Universities Statistical Record, First Destinations Survey, annual Volumes.

  Table 4

  Sectoral distribution of new, first degree university science graduates entering United Kingdom employment (per cent.)

  1980

  1982

  1984

  1985

  11986

  All science

  Manufacturing

  40

  36

  38

  35

  30

  Financial, commerce

  27

  30

  33

  35

  38

  Other

  33

  33

  29

  30

  32

  Biological sciences

  Manufacturing

  23

  21

  21

  22

  21

  Financial, commerce

  20

  20

  23

  25

  27

  Other

  56

  59

  56

  53

  52

  Physics

  Manufacturing

  58

  55

  58

  50

  40

  Financial, commerce

  13

  17

  18

  24

  25

  Other

  29

  27

  24

  27

  36

  Mathematics, computer studies

  Manufacturing

  38

  35

  34

  31

  27

  Mechanical engineering

  43

  47

  49

  52

  54

  Electrical, electronic engineering

  19

  18

  17

  17

  19

  Source: Universities Statistical Record, First Destinations Survey, annual volumes.

  Television and Radio Programmes (Publication)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps using his powers in relation to monopolies, to facilitate the publication of advance television and radio programmes by newspapers and other periodicals.
  276
  Mr. Maude
  No. The policies and practices of the British Broadcasting Corporation and of Independent Television Publications Ltd. of limiting the publication by others of advance programme information have already been investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. In a report published on 11 September 1985 the Commission concluded that these policies and practices did not operate against the public interest.

  Inner City Task Forces
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to expand the number of inner city task forces.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Not at the moment. The eight new task forces are establishing themselves very well but 1 see no reason to expand the numbers further. I wish to retain the close contact between Ministers and task forces, the informality, short lines of command and ability to innovate and experiment which have been the main advantages of the task force initiative so far.

  Car Manufacturing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the number and geographical spread of firms which are dependent upon the car manufacturing industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no data on which to provide an estimate of the number and geographical spread of firms which are dependent upon the car manufacturing industry. However it is estimated that there are some 2,000 firms supplying components to the vehicle industry generally of which 20 or so of the largest firms account for over 75 per cent. by value of United Kingdom annual vehicle component production. For many suppliers the vehicle industry represents only one of their markets. There is a traditional concentration of vehicle components suppliers in the west midlands.

  Motor Vehicles (South Korea)
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current amount of motor vehicle exports to and imports from South Korea, together with the duties and tariffs levied by the United Kingdom on Korean vehicle imports and those levied by South Korea on United Kingdom vehicle exports.
  278
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Exports of motor vehicles to South Korea for the 11 months January to November 1987 amounted to £0·5 million; imports for the same period amounted to £16·9 million.

  The tariffs levied by the United Kingdom on Korean vehicle imports range from 10 per cent. to 22 per cent. Passenger vehicles are also subject to 10 per cent. car tax, and 15 per cent. VAT is levied on all vehicles.

  Tariffs levied by the Republic of Korea on United Kingdom vehicles exports range from 15 per cent. to 30 per cent. Additional duties include a special excise tax, ranging from 10 per cent. to 40 per cent. and a defence tax of 30 per cent. In addition 10 per cent. VAT is levied on the total.

  Managed Workshops
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he will announce the first managed workshop in an inner city area.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  There are already many managed workshops in inner cities, but I believe that more are needed to provide premises and advice for people starting new businesses.

  English Estates is leading the new DTI-funded programme announced on 7 March and is already involved in negotiations with private sector companies. We should be able to announce specific new projects in the near future.

  Restrictive Trade Practices
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to be able to make a statement about the Government's policy on restrictive trade practices.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government published a Green Paper on restrictive trade practices policy yesterday. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page).

  INDEPENDENT OIL COMPANIES: GOLDEN SHARE
  INDEPENDENT OIL COMPANIES: GOLDEN SHARE
  DEEP SEABED MINING AGREEMENT
  DEEP SEABED MINING AGREEMENT
  MoD: STAFF RESIGNATION STATISTICS
  MoD: STAFF RESIGNATION STATISTICS
  NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION CENTRES
  NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION CENTRES
  DEER ACTS: FORFEITURE PROVISIONS
  DEER ACTS: FORFEITURE PROVISIONS
  PRISONERS' GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES: REVIEW
  PRISONERS' GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES: REVIEW
  CRIME PREVENTION: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
  CRIME PREVENTION: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
  FIREARMS DEALERS
  FIREARMS DEALERS
  NHS: SUPRA-REGIONAL SERVICES
  NHS: SUPRA-REGIONAL SERVICES
  NHS FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES
  NHS FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES
  NHS CLOSURE STATISTICS
  NHS CLOSURE STATISTICS
  CARE IN THE COMMUNITY: GRIFFITHS REPORT
  CARE IN THE COMMUNITY: GRIFFITHS REPORT
  SPECTACLES SUPPLIED BY UNREGISTERED OPTICIANS
  SPECTACLES SUPPLIED BY UNREGISTERED OPTICIANS
  THE ARCTIC: UK PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSIONS
  THE ARCTIC: UK PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSIONS
  THE ARCTIC: ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION
  THE ARCTIC: ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION
  CONVENTIONAL STABILITY TALKS
  CONVENTIONAL STABILITY TALKS