Written Answers of 30 March 1988

DEFENCE

  NATO-Warsaw Pact (Weapons)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the comparative nuclear, conventional and chemical weapons' levels of NATO and the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Comparisons of NATO and Warsaw pact nuclear and conventional forces are published annually in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates".

  While there is broad parity at the strategic level of nuclear forces, the Warsaw pact continues to enjoy a significant advantage in the intermediate and short-range categories.

  The Soviet Union also commands the world's largest, most comprehensive and advanced capability for chemical and toxic agent warfare. The United Kingdom abandoned its chemical weapons capability in the 1950s and the United States produced no chemical weapons between 1969 and 1987. However, this unilateral restraint by the West has not been matched by the Soviet Union. It was against this background that the United States began its modernisation programme to replace its own aging stocks with binary weapons stationed on United States territory.

  As regards conventional forces, the Warsaw pact enjoys massive numerical superiority, and these forces are deployed so as to enable them to initiate surprise attack and large scale offensive action. They also have the potential to bring forward massive land-based reinforcements across relatively short distances. By contrast, NATO is faced with the need for many of its reinforcements to cross the Atlantic.

  Pay Awards
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the number of his Department's staff at grade 2 and grade 3 who have received discretionary pay awards, the proportion of staff in receipt of the awards with the average amount by grade, and the total expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Department made three awards at grade 2 level and 11 awards at grade 3 level in October 1987 representing 25 per cent. and 20 per cent. respectively of the total numbers in each grade. Payments were made in the form of increments of £2,500 to grade 2 and £2,000 to grade 3. Expenditure on the basis described would be £29,500 in a full year.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if executive officers, higher executive officers and senior executive grades in his Department are being considered for a pay increase similar to the discretionary awards paid to grades 2 and 3 in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Pay for these grades is negotiated centrally by Her Majesty's Treasury.

  Strategic Defence Initiative
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the results to date in terms of(a) contracts and (b) jobs of the memoranda of understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom in connection with the strategic defence initiative.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The value of SDI research awards so far won by British organisations is about US $60 million, spread over 65 contracts. It is not known what results this business has led to in terms of jobs.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will summarise such details as he is able to provide of the memoranda of understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom in connection with the strategic defence initiative.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information requested is set out in "UK Participation in the US SDI Research Programme — Guidelines", issued by the Ministry of Defence in May 1986. A copy was placed in the Library of the House at that time.

  Equipment Budget
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was(a) the percentage and (b) the amount by which his Department's equipment budget was not foreseen (i) when projects started and (ii) when projects entered full development; and if he will supply this information for current projects and for the past five years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Reliable information is not available in the form requested. Some attempts have been made to establish the degree of cost and time increase between earliest and current estimates for selected major projects, but no simple unarguable correlation exists between these figures and the total equipment budget.

  Detective Chief Inspector Broome (Lecture)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether prior approval was given for the text of the lecture given by Detective Chief Inspector Robert Broome of the Ministry of Defence police, at the faculty of law, university of Southampton on 9 December 1987: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Detective Chief Inspector Broome took part in an informal, in-house discussion held in the university by members and students of the faculty. There was no script. However, before accepting such an invitation he should have obtained the prior approval of the chief constable. He did not do so, and accordingly has been seen by the chief constable to be given formal advice in accordance with force standing orders, as to his future conduct.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.
  465
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Details of management and computer consultancy contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence during 1987 are as follows:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Arthur Young

  Study into Vacant Married Quarters and Disposals

  Arthur Young

  Review of Ex-Works Transport

  Arthur Young

  Consultancy Assistance on Transport Matters

  Colebrook Evans and McKenzie

  Machinery Valuation at the Director of Military Survey, Feltham

  College of Maritime Studies

  Manpower Utilisation Study, Consultancy Assistance with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Study into the Functions and Activities of the Stores and Clothing Development Establishments.

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Study into Asset Management in the Chief of Fleet Support Area

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Consultancy Assistance for IT Effectiveness and IT Technical Audits

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Study into Spares Procurement for the Master General of the Ordnance and the Quartermaster General

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Study into Spares Procurement for Director General of Supplies and Transport (Naval)

  Harold Whitehead and Partners

  Productivity Scheme Review at Royal Ordnance Factory, Cardiff

  Harold Whitehead and Partners

  Productivity Scheme Review at RAF St. Altham

  Harold Whitehead and Partners

  Review of the Senior Management Structure of the Royal Navy Stores

  Harold Whitehead and Partners

  Assistance with the Review of the RAF Maintenane Executive

  Harold Whitehead and Partners

  Productivity Schemes Review of Central Ordnance Depot, Bicester

  Hunting Engineering Ltd.

  Consultancy to Study the Relationship between Aircraft Fleet Size and Availability

  John Brown Tourism

  Study into the Future. Presentation of HMS Victory

  N. M. Rothschild and Sons Ltd.

  Merchant Bank Advisor for the Royal Ordnance Factories

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Study into Tri-Star Long Term Support

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Assistance with the Quarter Master General's Equipment Maintenance Study

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Study to Review Consumable Stores Management—Director General Aircraft (Navy)

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Feasibility of a Science Park at Royal Signals and Research Establishment

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Phase 2 of the Rotables Study—Director General Aircraft (Navy)

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Consultancy Study to Define a Repair Policy Analysis Methodology—Director General Aircraft (Navy)

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Rosyth Dockyard Commercial Material Systems

  PIRA

  Study into the Replacement of Internal Survey Equipment at the Director of Military Survey Feltham

  Price Waterhouse

  Consultancy Support for Director General Ship Refitting Corporate Development

  Price Waterhouse

  Resource Management in United Kingdom Land Forces

  Price Waterhouse

  Business Systems Support to Subships at Devonport

  466

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Publishing Resources Ltd.

  Recruitment Strategy Study for Engineers

  Steve Mercer Associates

  Consultancy Assistance for Director of Naval Manpower Audit

  Touche Ross and Company

  DGDA Efficiency Audit—Cash Management Study

  Touche Ross and Company

  Commercialisation of the Royal Dockyards

  Computer Consultancy Contracts

  Arthur Andersen and Co.

  Study to develop MOD systems Architecture for Non-operational IT

  Arthur Andersen and Co.

  Study to develop a MOD wide Information Architecture for Non-operational IT

  Arthur Young

  Implementation Support for the Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation's Management Accounting System

  D. E. Barnard Systems

  Support to IT Strategy Unit

  CAP Industry

  Study for MOD wide connexion Architecture for Non-operational IT

  Computer Sciences

  Study of computing requirements of Royal Aircraft Establishment

  Computer Sciences

  Study into Army Supply Computer Systems

  Computer Sciences

  Advice on replacement of Royal Aircraft Establishment Management Information System

  Computer Sciences

  Consultancy requirement for Management and Technical advice for Corporate HQ Office Technology System

  Computer Sciences

  Provision of Consultancy Services for Corporate HQ Office Technology System

  EASAMS Ltd.

  Modelling requirements for Army Logistics

  EASAMS Ltd.

  Project Management System for Procurement Executive (Master General of the Ordnance)

  EASAMS Ltd.

  Study into systems calibrations for laboratories

  Honeywell Bull Ltd.

  Operations Management Development Consultancy on RAF Stations

  LOGIC A UK Ltd.

  Study into replacement communications system for Navy Suppliers

  LOGICA UK Ltd.

  Consultancy support for Training Army Commanders (Simulation)

  LOGSYS Ltd.

  Systems design study into Royal Signals and Radar Establishment Personal Information Systems.

  Norton Computer Services

  Maintenance of New Range COBOL Programs

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Computer consultancy to validate 10 year plan for computing needs at RMSC Shrivenham

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Consultancy Support to IT Strategy Unit

  PIRA

  Study into the Future of Printing Technology

  PRAXIS SYSTEMS

  Consultancy for MOD Library

  Price Waterhouse

  Consultancy Support for Implementation of Director General Ship Refitting Information Technology Strategy

  Price Waterhouse

  Study into computerisation of handling Civilian Travel Claims

  Rex Thompson and Partners

  Implementation of the Army Planning model

  467

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  TRI-PLAN Ltd.

  Consultancy assistance with Data planning for Project Management Systems

  Touche Ross and Co.

  Study to define Information Technology for Director General Aircraft (Navy)

  Rescue Helicopters
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to the replacement of the Sea King helicopters by a squadron of Wessex helicopters at the air sea rescue base at RAF Coltishall, with particular reference to the mechanical aspects of the different capabilities of the Wessex and the Sea King in their air sea rescue role; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. There is no requirement for military aircraft to be licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the poor weather flying and long-range operation capability of the Wessex helicopter in relation to air-sea rescue duties in the North sea; what is the equivalent capability of the Sea King helicopter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Sea King's more sophisticated avionics and flight control system, longer range and extra capacity makes it a more capable all-weather aircraft than the Wessex. However, the Wessex remains capable of performing rescue operations in most weather conditions, including at night, where there is sufficient visibility.

  NHS Patients
  Sir Michael Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards achieving a formal financial agreement between his Department and the Department of Health and Social Security Service for the treatment of National Health Service patients in United Kingdom hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  A financial arrangement between the two Departments has just been concluded. Essentially, the MOD will continue to treat NHS patients in service hospitals up to a specified baseline, broadly equating to the defence training requirement and accept the cost as a charge to Defence Votes. Any spare capacity above that baseline will be identified and offered to health authorities on a marginal extra cost basis to relieve NHS waiting lists and maximise the contribution of service hospitals to civilian health care. The national arrangement is a framework which sets out guidelines within which local contracts and planning agreements between service hospitals and health authorities will be promoted. Its implementation will depend on the active co-operation of health authorities and service hospitals. Both my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health and I will do all that we can to encourage this.

  Defence Procurement
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the scrutiny report "Defence Procurement, Learning from Experience"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My noble Friend has decided that this report need no longer carry a privacy marking restricting its circulation. Accordingly, copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House, together with a paper indicating how its recommendations are to be implemented.

  The report's recommendations, in the words of its authors, represent
  "a necessary extension and complement to current initiatives; they are not an attempt to push off in some totally new direction".

  The principal initiatives taken so far to secure better value for money are given in the answer at volume 130, column 107. The measures now planned will build on these by improving further the assessment of technical risks, the tailoring of the Procurement Executive's organisation to meet its evolving tasks, the monitoring of performance and the dissemination of lessons learnt.

PRIME MINISTER

  Biwaters
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister whether., pursuant to her answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 20, she was aware in assessing Biwaters reputation as worthy of her support in Malaysia, that Biwaters had not by then successfully completed a major water project anywhere and had twice appeared in Nigerian courts for alleged poor performance; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The support given to Biwater, in relation to the Malaysian rural water supply project reflected our assessment that the company was fully capable of implementing the contract. Completion of the project in Niger state by Biwater represents the first request to come from the Nigerian Government for finance under the recently agreed Export Credits Guarantee Department package.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Cabinet Office in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  The Prime Minister
  The management and computer consultancy contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office, in the calendar year 1987, are as follows:

  Firm

  Assignment

  BGM Consultants

  Identification of core skills in clerical grades

  Diane Bailey Associates

  Preparation of a Stress Management Training Pack

  ITS Ltd

  Guide to conducting Training Reviews

  Systems Concepts Ltd

  Training Information Communications Study—Feasibility Study

  John Childs

  Training Information Communications Study—Customer needs survey

  469

  Firm

  Assignment

  Anne Hughes Hallet

  Research on undergraduate attitudes to a career in HM Tax Inspectorate

  B. O'Connor

  Selection procedure design (engineer recruitment)

  National Foundation for Educational Research

  Aptitude test analysis

  PE Consulting Services

  Study into future development of the Civil Service College Administrative Computer System

  Centre for Training and Evaluation Studies

  Evaluation of the self instruction training package for the new staff appraisal system

  Richard Williams

  Equal Opportunities monitoring project

  Business Research Unit

  Evaluation of staff attitudes to the new staff appraisal system

  Crow Associates

  Research on computers in personnel management

  Keith Robertson

  Consultancy for the 'Managing Absence' project

  Diane Bailey Associates

  Survey on presentation of Occupational Welfare Service to management and staff in the Civil Service

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Advice on manpower planning and computers in personnel

  John Rowley

  Production of guidelines for managers and trade unionists on job satisfaction projects and a summary of the guidelines for staff

  W. O'Keefe

  Study of purchasing and stores activities (Cabinet Office)

  Hay Management Consultants

  A study of the feasibility of short service assignments in the Science Group

  Purchasing Index (UK) Ltd1

  Development of the Central Unit on Purchasing database

  Frank Griffiths Associates1

  Advice in connection with the Institute of Civil Engineers review of conditions of contract

  R W White1

  Review of arrangements for Purchasing and Supply function in Government

  Name of firm

  Assignment

  CMG Information Systems:

  Development of a new Administrative Computer System for Her Majesty's Inspectorate.

  CCTA:

  Education Information study.

  Research Services Limited:

  Undergraduate income and expenditure survey.

  Coopers and Lybrand:

  Advice on financial delegation to schools.

  Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co:

  Review of the preparation and production of inspection reports.

  Spicer and Pegler Associates:

  Review of accounting procedures at one of the Department's grant-aided bodies.

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells:

  Financial management advice and assistance to the University Grants Committee.

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells:

  Review of audit controls over teachers' pensions (payments and contributions).

  Loughborough Consultants Limited:

  Analysis of universities' responses to the Jarratt report.

  BIS Applied Systems Limited:

  Office Systems Strategy-telecommunications study.

  470

  Firm

  Assignment

  E R Farnbridge and C Evans1

  Review of Supply and Service Agreements between departments and the Central Purchasing Agencies

  DF Collins1

  Advice on Written Guidance

  1 Costs for these studies were shared with other Government Departments.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Railway Records, Relics and Premises
  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the documents and objects which he has specified as of sufficient interest to warrant preservation under section 144(7) of the Transport Act 1968;(a) generally and (b) relating to the former Great Western railway;

  (2) what transfers of records, relics or premises have been made under section 144(1)(a) of the Transport Act 1968;

  (3) what is his policy on the acquisition and preservation of railway records, relics and premises under section 144 of the Transport Act 1968; and what steps have been taken to identify, locate and assess such records, relics and premises.

  Mr. Jackson
  I am arranging for inquiries to be made and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department awarded the following contracts to management and computer consultancy firms during the calendar year 1987:

  Student Grants
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish details of his decisions on the levels of student grants for the 1988-89 academic year.

  Mr. Jackson
  The main rates of student grant for the 1988-89 academic year were announced on 18 December 1987, at column 759. Reductions in assessed parental contributions to compensate for the ending of tax relief on non-charitable covenants have also been announced. In addition, I announced on 24 February, at column 213, the Government's decision to amend the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations so that international degree courses will no longer require specific designation for awards purposes.

  I am publishing today all the supplementary grant rates for 1988-89. Details have been placed in the Library. There will also be some further minor changes to the grant arrangements, including an increase in the disregard of orphans' trust income and a new disregard of the first £2,000 of all pension income in the calculation of student income.

  Science Base
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the increase in public spending on the science base between 1987-88 and 1988-89(a) after allowing for general inflation and (b) in cash terms.

  Mr. Jackson
  After allowing for general inflation, as measured by the GDP deflator, there will be an increase of about 2 per cent. in expenditure on the science base between 1987-88 and 1988-89. The increase in expenditure in cash terms between the two years is about 6 per cent. These figures should be substituted for those quoted by my right hon. Friend in the debate on British science on 29 February at column 720.

ENVIRONMENT

  Guinness Trust (Exhibition)
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to housing development and the Guinness Trust to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As I told Mr. Cohen, the chief executive of the Guinness Trust, in my letter to him of 13 November 1987, I am happy to give my support to the trust's proposal for such an exhibition.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Property Services Agency in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Ridley
  The following consultancies were let in 1987:
  472

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Management Consultancy

  Mr. I. J. Miller

  Re-write of Clerk of Works Handbook

  Arthur Young

  To examine procedural and training implications of move to cost recovery and untying of major project services for civil clients

  Mr. P. Hyde

  Development of a methodology tor addressing the management of change when moving to cost recovery and untying of major project services for civil clients

  UIS Ltd

  To provide assistance for audit of the Civil Estate Record Information System

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd

  Assistance to the IT Committee and the Project Services Project Board

  Mr. D. Boylan

  Efficiency Scrutiny of Project Management

  Mr. J. B. G. Quinlan

  To consider the findings of the special audit of London District Works Offices and make recommendations

  Mr. C. F. Griffin

  To consider the findings of the special audit of London District Works offices and make recommendations

  Computer Consultancy

  Software Sciences Ltd.

  Conversion to new computer operating system

  International Computers Ltd.

  Specialist support for accounting (LAFIS) software package

  Rapid-Gen System Ltd

  Technical advice on use of specialist software

  International Computers Ltd.

  Enhancement/development of new accounting systems

  Telfast Computer Services (London) Ltd.

  Enhancement/development of new accounting systems

  Primary Systems Ltd.

  Techincal support for PRIME computer hardware

  Surrey University

  Investigation into Construction Project Management System

  Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.

  Development of Construction Project Management System

  W S Atkins Management Consultants

  Project Management support for IT Strategy

  Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.

  Development of Measured Term Contract Ordering System

  PA Computers and Telecomms Ltd.

  Advice on procurement of PSA's distributed computer infrastructure for IT Strategy

  PA Computers and Telecomms Ltd.

  Advice on development of software for IT Strategy

  PA Computers and Telecomms Ltd.

  Study of PSA's finance and accounting functions to identify information systems needs

  Scicon Ltd.

  Support for systems analysis methodology

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Study for computer aided design

  Metron Technology Ltd.

  Computer capacity planning study

  B S Oldacres Computers Ltd.

  Pilot study-extraction of data from computer aided design system

  Dialatron Business Systems Ltd.

  Support for installation of text processing systems

  PA Computers and Telecomms Ltd.

  Corporate Information Requirements

  International Computers Ltd.

  Support for computer communications

  Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.

  Software support

  473

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  International Computers Ltd.

  Software support

  Spicer and Peglar Associates

  Support for specialist software

  Metascybe Systems Ltd.

  Feasibility Study for financial control computer system.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Ridley
  Central records are collected annually after the end of the financial year. The latest available returns therefore cover 1986-87.

  The contracts awarded to management or computing consultants by the Department of the Environment in the financial year 1986-87 were as follows:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  DOE (Central)

  CACI Ltd.

  1984 Labour Force Estimates

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Study of Accounting Framework

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Teesside UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Business Plan for Thamesmead Town

  Dames and Moore International

  Hazard Assessment of Landfill Operations

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Advice on Implementation of New Financial Regimes for New Towns

  Digital (DEC)

  Installation of Software

  Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd.

  Black County UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study

  Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd.

  Assessment of Demand for Geographic Information in the Private Sector

  Frazer Williams (London) Ltd.

  Training Division Administrative Computing System

  Imbucon/Landuse Consultants

  Hyde Park Study

  I.T.R.U.

  Training Needs Analysis

  Landuse Consultants

  Advice on Spoil Disposal

  Landuse Consultants

  Hampton Court Palace—Restoration of Lime Avenue

  Landuse Consultants

  Richmond Park Tree Planting Scheme

  McDonnell Douglas Information Systems Ltd.

  Additional Support AB Application Software

  MSL International

  Headhunters—UDC Chief Executives

  MUA Systemica

  Migration Component of the Official Sub-National Population for Projection

  Negus and Negus

  Tower of London Signs Survey

  Pactel

  Capacity Planning for Romney House Computer Bureau

  Peter Peregrinus

  Processing information for ENRIP/ERIB database

  Pinpoint Analysis

  Local Authority Planning Performance and Land-use Change Statistics

  Price Waterhouse

  Management Training at RTCC

  Price Waterhouse

  Training in Presentational Skills and Dealing with the Media

  Price Waterhouse

  Tyne and Wear UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study

  Roger Tym and Partners

  Evaluation of Derelict Land Grand Systems

  Roger Tym and Partners

  Trafford Park UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study

  Russell Reynolds and Associates

  Headhunters—SW Water Authority Chairmanship

  Schlackmans

  Royal Palaces Market Research

  474

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Schlackmans

  Tower of London Market Research 'Open to View/English Heritage' Tickets

  Spicer and Pegler Associates

  Management Information System at BES

  Stallard and Co.

  Legal advice to Thamesmead on Transfer of Thamesmead from LRB

  Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Bill
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had on the terms of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Bill since it received Royal Assent; when he expects the new authority to be operational; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Royal Assent to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 was signified on 15 March. Under the Act's provisions my right hon. Friend is empowered to make an order specifying the date on which the new Broads Authority will be constituted as soon as not less than 27 of the 33 appointments required to be made (under section 1(3)(a) and (b) of the Act) by my right hon. Friend and the 12 other appointing authorities have been duly made. Those authorities have all been invited to inform the Department as soon as their appointments have been made. Consultations have also been initiated with the various interested bodies about the nine appointments which my right hon. Friend is required to make, and suggestions are now being received.

  My right hon. Friend intends to make an order establishing the new authority as soon as all the necessary appointments have been made. As I informed the House on 29 February, during consideration of Lords amendments, it is intended that the "operative date", on which the new authority will assume all its executive functions, will be 1 April 1989.

  Highway Maintenance
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority in England and Wales the amount by which it either underspent or overspent the proportion of its GRE allowed for highway maintenance in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Chope
  Following is the information requested for highway authorities in England:

  1985-86 overspend on highway maintenance for highway authorities

  £ million

  City of London

  2·684

  Camden

  1·606

  Greenwich

  1·154

  Hackney

  -0·471

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1·514

  Islington

  -0·350

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·187

  Lambeth

  -0·840

  Lewisham

  1·101

  South wark

  ·935

  Tower Hamlets

  2·808

  Wandworth

  -0·087

  Westminster

  4·387

  Barking and Dagenham

  -0·250

  475

  £ million

  Barnet

  ·047

  Bexley

  -0·379

  Brent

  ·515

  Bromley

  -0·163

  Croydon

  -1·145

  Ealing

  ·456

  Enfield

  -0·487

  Haringey

  -1·427

  Harrow

  -2·083

  Havering

  -0·391

  Hillingdon

  -0·287

  Hounslow

  -0·486

  Kingston·upon·Thames

  -0·201

  Merton

  ·674

  Newham

  1·401

  Redbridge

  -0·364

  Richmond·upon·Thames

  ·137

  Sutton

  ·276

  Waltham Forest

  ·726

  G.L.C.

  31·435

  Greater Manchester

  2·032

  Merseyside

  -9·474

  South Yorkshire

  -0·417

  Tyne and Wear

  3·356

  West Midlands

  1·258

  West Yorkshire

  -1·311

  Isles of Scilly

  -0·079

  Avon

  -2·119

  Bedfordshire

  2·602

  Berkshire

  -2·152

  Buckinghamshire

  0·312

  Cambridgeshire

  -0·246

  Cheshire

  -7·911

  Cleveland

  1·141

  Cornwall

  -0·287

  Cumbria

  -3·979

  Derbyshire

  -0·366

  Devon

  0·807

  Dorset

  -0·882

  Durham

  -1·953

  East Sussex

  0·287

  Essex

  3·933

  Gloucestershire

  -1·119

  Hampshire

  -1·865

  Hereford and Worcester

  -2·275

  Hertfordshire

  1·339

  Humberside

  1·444

  Isle of Wight

  0·234

  Kent

  2·408

  Lancashire

  -0·717

  Leicestershire

  -0·209

  Lincolnshire

  -0·078

  Norfolk

  -3·624

  Northamptonshire

  -2·368

  Northumberland

  -1·811

  North Yorkshire

  1·760

  Nottinghamshire

  -2·409

  Oxfordshire

  -0·085

  Shropshire

  -2·861

  Somerset

  -1·044

  Staffordshire

  -1·648

  Suffolk

  -0·034

  Surrey

  -3·210

  Warwickshire

  1·804

  West Sussex

  1·340

  Wiltshire

  -0·395

  Footpaths
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the appeal made by Mr. and Mrs. John Baybutt of The Copping, Hundred End land, Hesketh Bank, Lancashire against the refusal of Lancashire county council to delete footpath 66 North Meols from the definitive map; and if he will make a statement.
  476
  Mr. Moynihan
  The decision on this appeal was issued on Tuesday 29 March.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has following the case David Rubenstein v. the Secretary of State for the Environment, to seek to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to give power to his Department to delete footpaths from the definitive map; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The implications of this judgment are receiving careful consideration and a further statement will be made as soon as possible.

  Sport and Leisure
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, by local authority area, the numbers of schoolchildren taught to swim by amateur swimming clubs in each year since 1979;

  (2) if he will list by name the number of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities within each local authority area;

  (3) what information he has on the percentage of publicly owned swimming pools which are open for use between 6 and 8 am (a) on weekdays and (b) at weekends;

  (4) what information he has on the average charges to swimmers using publicly owned sports facilities;

  (5) if he will list those local authorities which have taken positive steps to encourage the use of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities by Olympic swimmers and athletes;

  (6) if he will list those local authorities who operate concessionary charging policies, in respect of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities, for (a) the disabled, (b) schoolchildren, (c) the unemployed and (d) pensioners;

  (7) what information he has as to any sport and leisure facilities, formerly under private ownership, that are now controlled by local authorities and as to the reasons for the change of responsibility in each case.

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

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the training facilities available to swimmers and athletes(a) of Olympic standard and (b) of national competition standard, in the light of the responses he has received to the consultation exercise on competition in the management of local authority sports and leisure facilities.

  Mr. Ridley
  No such information came to light in the process of the consultation exercise. However, I understand that there are a substantial number of facilities countrywide at which swimmers and athletes of all abilities can train.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name, and list by local authority area, those publicly owned sport and leisure facilities currently under private management.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am not aware of any comprehensive list of such facilities.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement about the future management of publicly owned sports and leisure facilities.
  477
  Mr. Ridley
  We have received more than 350 responses to the consultation paper which set out our proposal to bring compulsory competition to the management of local authority sport and leisure facilities. These are now receiving careful consideration. I expect to be able to make an announcement about our decisions before the summer recess.

  As my hon. Friend's answer today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) said, if we decide to go ahead with compulsory competition for the management of sport and leisure facilities, implementation will be delayed beyond the 1 August 1989 date applicable to the other activities in the Local Government Act.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses he has received from amateur sporting bodies in respect of the consultation exercise on competition in the management of local authority sports and leisure facilities.

  Mr. Ridley
  We have written to all the respondents to the consultation exercise seeking their agreement to publish their replies. When we have confirmation that they have no objections we shall place copies of their responses in the House Library.

  Race Relations
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet decided which questions on race relations matters should be specified for the purposes of section 18 of the Local Government Act 1988.

  Mr. Howard
  Following consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality, the Confederation of British Industry, the local authority associations and other interested bodies, I have decided that the questions and description of evidence specified under section 18(5) of the Local Government Act 1988 should be as follows:

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1988-SECTION 18(5)

  Speccation of questions and descriptions of evidence
  1. Is it your policy as an employer to comply with your statutory obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976 and, accordingly, your practice not to treat one group of people less favourably than others because of their colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins in relation to decisions to recruit, train or promote employees?
  2. In the last three years, has any finding of unlawful racial discrimination been made against your organisation by any court or industrial tribunal?
  3. In the last three years, has your organisation been the subject of formal investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality on grounds of alleged unlawful discrimination?
  If the answer to question 2 is in the affirmative or in relation to question 3, the Commission made a finding adverse to your organisation;
  4. What steps did you take in consequence of that finding?
  5. Is your policy on race relations set out—

  (a) in instructions to those concerned with recruitment, training and promotion;

  (b) in documents available to employees, recognised trade unions or other representative groups of employees;

  (c) in recruitment advertisements or other literature?

  6. Do you observe as far as possible the Commission for Racial Equality's Code of Practice for Employment, as approved by Parliament in 1983, which gives practical guidance to employers and others on the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity in employment, including the steps that can be taken to encourage members of the ethnic minorities to apply for jobs or take up training opportunities?
  478
  Description of evidence
  In relation to question 5: examples of the instructions, documents, recruitment advertisements or other literature.

  These questions and description of evidence will be notified to local authorities in a circular to be issued shortly.

  Rating Reform
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 278, he will give the total numbers of individuals gaining and losing on a regional basis from the poll tax, as derived from figures 6 and 9 of the accompanying note.

  Mr. Ridley
  Estimates of gainers and losers can be made only for households or tax units. Estimates on both these bases and at regional level were contained in the figures published on 13 January.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses to the document entitled "Appeals and Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals", published by his Department on 10 November 1987.

  Mr. Chope
  We have received 122 responses to the consultation document. A summary of the views expressed has been placed in the Libraries of the House, together with copies of those responses where we have the respondents' permission to publish their views.

  The consultation document set out the Government's proposals for the constitution and procedures of valuation and community charge tribunals, which will replace local valuation courts and become the appellate body for both rating appeals and appeals arising from the community charge. The proposals were generally welcomed by respondents and will form the basis of regulations to be made under the provisions of the Local Government Finance Bill, following Royal Assent. These regulations will be the subject of further consultation.

  In the light of the responses to the consultation document, certain changes have been made to the proposals. In relation to the president of each tribunal, it had been proposed that he or she should be appointed by the Secretary of State. But the majority of respondents pointed out that the present system, whereby the chairman of the local valuation panel is elected by the members, has worked well and that there is no justification for change. The Government accept this view.

  The consultation document proposed that where two or more existing local valuation panels share a clerk and office, consideration should be given to amalgamating those panels under one president. In the light of the responses to the consultation document, the Government have accepted that such amalgamation should take place only with the agreement of the panels concerned.

  The proposal for limiting the number of serving councillors on any tribunal commanded general support. A number of respondents took the view that the ceiling of 50 per cent. of the membership was too high. In the light of this, the Government propose that the percentage of serving councillors should be reduced to 30 per cent. of the membership of any tribunal. The Government recognise, however, that some local valuation panels currently have a significantly greater proportion of serving councillors

  479
  than this. There would be no benefit in terminating the appointment of a large number of experienced panel members at a time when the panels are assuming their new and expanded duties. It is proposed therefore that the 30 per cent. ceiling should be achieved over a period — as members' terms of office come to an end and new members are appointed.

  Illuminated Signs
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for changing controls of illuminated signs and advertisements on business premises in conservation areas and in towns and villages generally.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On 28 October last year my Department issued a consultation paper canvassing proposals for amending the Town aand Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1984 so as to provide "deemed consent" for certain types of illuminated advertisement displayed on "business premises", possibly including premises in conservation areas. The comments submitted in response to the consultation paper are being considered and my right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement in due course.

  Stockbridge Village Trust
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to publish the report prepared by Roger Tym and Partners on the work of the Stockbridge Village Trust.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The report is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office today. It is entitled -Stockbridge Village Trust: Building a Community" and covers the period 1983-85, with a brief update at the end of 1986. The report is a useful account of the early years of the trust's ambitious development programme. It records the substantial progress which the trust has made in transforming one of the worst local authority estates on Merseyside into an area where people actively want to live. During this period the trust gained tenants' confidence as a responsible and efficient landlord, turning a void rate of more than 10 per cent. into a fully occupied estate with a substantial waiting list. And the trust also succeeded in attracting private investment to an area which would have been unthinkable previously: over 200 residents had exercised the right to buy and around 100 new homes had been built for sale in the period covered by the report. Equally importantly, the report describes some of the difficulties which the trust has faced, particularly on its initial financial assumptions, and contains a number of important lessons for initiatives of this kind. We have sent copies to all local authorities in England and other interested parties, and I have placed a copy in the Library. Further copies are available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office stockists, or from the Department, at £5·95 each.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a timetable for the implementation of competitive tendering procedures for individual local government services in the phasing programme.
  480
  Mr. Howard
  [pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1987, c. 598-99]: My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses to the consultation paper on implementation of competition for English local authority services issued on 2 November. He has decided to confirm the proposal of a phased introduction of competition by local authorities (other than parish councils), with authorities split into groups and each group taking the activities covered by the Act in a different order.

  The groups of authorities will be the same as set out in the consultation paper. The date by which authorities will have had to have exposed their first activities to competition will be set at 1 August 1989, to allow adequate time for all stages of the competitive process to be completed.

  Three other changes to the implementation proposals have been made which will help ensure efficient implementation of the competition process. These take account of the fact that a decision on the possibility of adding sport and leisure management to the list of defined activities has not yet been taken, and therefore, if this activity is added by order, some delay in implementing competition for it is inevitable.

  My right hon. Friend has decided to confirm the £100,000 de minimis level below which authorities' services would be exempt from competition.

  These decisions are described fully in a letter which is today being sent to all affected authorities, and copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  A further announcement will be made shortly about implementation for the other English authorities and bodies covered by part I of the Act.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Industry Restraint Agreements
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will list those voluntary industry restraint agreements which have been terminated as a result of Government pressure, referred to by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) on 18 March Official Report, column 1365, and those which remain.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government have informed the industries concerned that it sees no case for continuing inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements (VRAs) covering the following products:Monochrome televisions from Singapore, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand;
  Colour televisions from Japan, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Taiwan;
  Music centres from Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan;
  Pottery from Japan;
  Stainless steel cutlery from Japan and Republic of Korea.

  Separately, restraints on imports of pottery and footwear from Taiwan have lapsed.

  We are aware that voluntary arrangements at present remain for fork-lift trucks, machining centres, numerically controlled lathes, cars and commercial vehicles from Japan; and special steels from Spain. The United Kingdom industry is discussing the renewal of arrangements on footwear with the Republic of Korea.
  481
  The European Commission has negotiated a number of restraint agreements on steel and, in addition to the multifibre arrangement, on certain limited textile and clothing products. A number of other arrangements with Japan were brought to an end in 1985. On behalf of the United Kingdom the Commission has negotiated restraints on leather footwear from certain eastern European countries.

  Illegal Broadcasting
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions have taken place over the past 12 months in respect of illegal broadcasting by pirate radio stations.

  Mr. Butcher
  During 1987 there were 77 prosecutions, of which 75 resulted in conviction under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 for offences connected with unlicensed broadcasting.

  South Africa (EC Code of Conduct)
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on how British companies have complied with the European Community code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa during the 12-month period to 30 June 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  By 18 March 1988, 128 companies had submitted reports to the DTI under the code of conduct. Copies of the reports and of the Department's analysis and summary have, as in previous years, been placed in the Library of each House. These documents may also be inspected at the Department's statistics and market intelligence library, at the British embassy in Pretoria, at the British consulate-general in Johannesburg, and at the British consulates in Cape Town and Durban.

  The analysis and summary is the second since the adoption of the revised code of conduct by EC Foreign Ministers in November 1985. The period under review was again characterised by an inflation rate which was significantly higher than the average rate of wage increases. Against this background, the performance of British subsidiaries in further reducing the number of their black employees paid below the code's recommended minimum level is particularly encouraging. Companies' reports for the period under review indicated that over 97 per cent. were paid above that level. In addition, companies continued to report impressive levels of involvement in projects benefiting the wider communities from which their work forces were drawn.

  The Government are grateful to companies for this year's unprecedented level of co-operation in providing reports, and urge them to maintain this performance and to comply fully with the code.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each management or computer

  Firework injuries in Great Britain (4-week period in October-November)

  1987

  1986

  1985

  1984

  1983

  Place of accident

  1. Family or private party

  260

  286

  255

  231

  311

  2. Semi-public party (e.g. scouts, cricket club)

  88

  72

  76

  65

  84

  482
  consultancy contract awarded by the Office of Fair Trading in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Butcher
  This is a matter for the Director-General of Fair Trading, and I will ask him to write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Maude
  No such contracts were awarded in 1987.

  Tour Operators (Fuel Surcharges)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will initiate an inquiry into the extent of fuel surcharges made by tour operators; what recent evidence he has received on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 March at column 360.

  Fireworks (Injuries)
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the figures of injuries caused by fireworks in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  According to reports from hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland 960 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during the three weeks leading up to 5 November 1987 and the few days after. The figures for 1987 and the preceding four years are shown in the table.

  Although the figures are somewhat disappointing, they do not justify further restrictions on the retail sale of fireworks to the public.

  We will be mounting a higher profile firework safety campaign again, this year urging the public to treat fireworks with care and not to misuse them. We will be asking local trading standards officers to work closely with the police in enforcing vigorously the increased penalties for selling fireworks to the under-16s and in taking action against those who let off fireworks in the streets.

  For its part, the fireworks industry has agreed to stop supplying mini-rockets to the shops, since these particularly lend themselves to misuse by hooligans. It is also making a training video for organisers of displays on how to run a public display safely.

  We are also drawing up a British standard for the performance, testing and labelling of fireworks, which should enable us to stop the importation of the more hazardous fireworks from the far east.
  483

  1987

  1986

  1985

  1984

  1983

  3. Large public display

  155

  119

  117

  108

  111

  4. Casual incident in street etc.

  364

  299

  435

  298

  257

  5. Other place

  47

  52

  64

  59

  54

  6. Indoors

  20

  18

  21

  17

  16

  Type of firework

  1. Banger

  163

  161

  241

  175

  184

  2. Rocket

  174

  159

  197

  115

  107

  3. Roman candle, coloured fire etc.

  96

  88

  90

  103

  114

  4. Home-made or extracted powder

  24

  14

  27

  21

  15

  5. Other proprietary fireworks

  109

  118

  73

  74

  78

  6. Sparklers

  95

  80

  67

  65

  95

  7. Unspecified type

  299

  226

  273

  225

  240

  Severity of injury

  1. Fatal injury

  0

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2. Detained more than one night

  60

  48

  53

  55

  61

  3. Sufficient to cause absence from work of equivalent

  158

  160

  231

  161

  147

  4. Minor injury

  661

  582

  632

  506

  592

  5. Unspecified injury

  81

  56

  52

  55

  33

  Eye injuries (included in 2–5)

  312

  291

  341

  295

  293

  Age group of injured persons

  1. Over 20

  252

  235

  214

  180

  215

  2. 16 to 20

  168

  145

  161

  109

  108

  3. 13 to 15

  220

  207

  271

  208

  173

  4. Under 13

  320

  259

  322

  281

  337

  Total

  960

  846

  968

  778

  833

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the Internal Market Council held on 22 March.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, adopted a directive to amend the existing EC directives on the rules for public sector supplies contracts. It also adopted directives on fluid fertilisers; the sound power level of lawnmowers; the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations; and modification of the investment rules for undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities. The Council also discussed a proposed directive on broadcasting activities, received a progress report from the Commission on completion of the internal market, and heard a Commission statement relating to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Fiji
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has concerning the location of the Overseas Development Agency regional office in Fiji; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The future of the British development division in the Pacific was examined in 1984 as part of an efficiency scrutiny. The conclusion was that the division represented a cost-effective vehicle for aid delivery and that it was appropriately located. While I will continue to keep under review the cost-effectiveness and siting of all five of the ODA's development divisions overseas, I have no current plans to relocate the British development division in the Pacific.
  484
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the level of United Kingdom assistance to Fiji since the military coup in May 1987; and what information he has about the level of assistance provided by other EEC countries.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  United Kingdom assistance to Fiji since the military coup in May 1987 to the end of February 1988 totalled £866,303. Information about aid provided by other European Community countries for so recent a period is not available.

  Central America
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what levels and types of technical assistance and bilateral aid are given to Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, E1 Salvador, Belize and Mexico, respectively; and when was the last time a project for such aid or assistance was approved for Nicaragua.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The latest available figures by level and type of British aid are for 1986:

  Financial project Aid1

  Technical cooperation2

  Disaster relief

  Total (£000s)3

  Costa Rica

  11,016

  522

  —

  11,538

  Panama

  —

  70

  —

  70

  Nicaragua

  —

  3

  82

  86

  Guatemala

  —

  —

  10

  10

  E1 Salvador

  —

  47

  193

  239

  Belize

  2,314

  865

  —

  3,179

  Mexico

  —

  686

  117

  803

  1Includes investments made by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  2 Includes personnel, training and equipment but not projects co-

  485

  financed with British voluntary agencies.

  3 Totals may not exactly equal sum of individual columns as all figures are rounded.

  The last bilateral Government to Government aid provided to Nicaragua was in 1987 for sheets worth £600 for the Bertha Calderon hospital in Managua.

  We have responded positively to appeals from various relief organisations including the International Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for their work in Central America including Nicaragua. Since 1985–86 we have contributed over £1·5 million. We also support small development projects in Nicaragua co-financed with British voluntary agencies. Thirty such projects have been approved since 1985–86. Nicaragua also receives aid through the European Community ($9 million in 1986) of which Britain's share is around 20 per cent.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Councillor Mrs. Angela Pink
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision not to prosecute Councillor Mrs. Angela Pink of Nottingham city council.

  The Attorney-General
  I have written to the hon. Gentleman about the case to which he refers.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Her Majesty's Land Registry in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  The Attorney-General
  No new management or computer consultancy contracts were awarded by Her Majesty's Land Registry in 1987.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Lord Chancellor's Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  The Attorney-General
  The following contracts were awarded to management or computer consultancy firms by the Lord Chancellor's Department in 1987:

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates

  Review of funds accountancy system—system testing.

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates

  Review of funds accountancy system—project plans.

  CAP Industry Ltd.

  Review of machine accounting system at the Public Trust Office.

  Digitus

  Advice on computer operating system.

  Helistar Marlow

  Assistance with the Crown Court Computer Project.

  Peat Marwick and McLintock

  Advice to the Business Efficiency Team in connection with the Claims Registry Project.

  Dog Fighting
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will prosecute the publication "Pit Bull News" for promoting illegal dog fights; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will prosecute those persons alleged to have been involved in illegal dog fighting who are named in the
  486
  article entitled "Killer Dogs" which appeared in the Yorkshire Evening Post of Monday 21 March: and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No evidence has as yet been submitted by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service in respect of those matters to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I have, however, referred them to the Director of Public Prosecutions. If he thinks it appropriate, the director will invite the police to make inquiries.

  Extradition
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to agree extradition arrangements under the new Irish legislation with the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic.

  The Attorney-General
  In my answer on 18 February to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) I indicated that I had notified the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic that I was entirely willing to provide him in each instance with a note from me confirming that the United Kingdom prosecuting authorities had considered the evidence, as they were required to do; that they were satisfied that it was sufficient to found a prosecution; and that there was a settled intention to prosecute accordingly. I had also agreed to his request that I provide him in each instance with a note setting out the relevant law, but I had said that the Government saw the possibility of seriously damaging consequences for the intended criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom if I were to provide him with the actual evidence supporting any warrant.

  On 25 February I wrote to the Irish Attorney-General to say that I was very hopeful that we could find a way through our mutual difficulties towards the end that I knew we both desired. I believed that in the first instance it would be useful if officials were to meet as soon as possible to discuss the matter.

  At the subsequent meeting of officials on 2 March an offer was made on my behalf to provide the Irish Attorney-General in each instance additionally with a statement of facts which would give a clear picture of the case against the accused.

  Following requests by me for a response to this offer the Irish Attorney-General yesterday requested a further meeting of officials to be held on 7 April. I have agreed to this request.

  I regard it as imperative that extradition arrangements between the two countries under the new Irish legislation be agreed as soon as possible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Fires (Statistics)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many fires there were in(a) occupied dwellings, (b) multiple-occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, and (c) multiple-occupied dwellings in other buildings, in each of the three most recent years for which figures are available; and if he will analyse these data by the most likely cause of fire;

  (2) how many (a) deaths, and (b) casualties there were due to fire in (i) single occupied dwellings, (ii) multiple-occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced house, and (iii) multiple-occupied dwellings in

  487
  other buildings, analysed by the most likely cause of fire, in each of the three most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  Some information on fires attended by local authority fire brigades in dwellings in single and multiple occupation, and on the resulting casualties, is published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (for example, tables 32, 46 and 47 of the volume for 1986) copies of which are in the Library. The following tables give the more detailed information requested, for the years 1984–86. Information for 1987 is not yet available.

  Fatal casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and cause of fire

  1984

  1985

  1986

  United Kingdom

  Dwellings in single occupation—total

  436

  438

  462

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  40

  45

  47

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  35

  33

  34

  Misuse of appliances

  78

  89

  91

  Playing with fire

  20

  32

  42

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  139

  125

  118

  Placing articles too close to heat

  51

  47

  50

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  73

  67

  80

  Detached semi-detached or terraced houses in multiple occupation—total

  99

  86

  89

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  5

  13

  5

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  11

  4

  3

  Misuse of appliances

  14

  10

  20

  Playing with fire

  —

  —

  3

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  38

  42

  35

  Placing articles too close to heat

  8

  10

  12

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  23

  7

  11

  Other dwellings in multiple occupation—total

  151

  169

  194

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  12

  16

  14

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  9

  21

  20

  Misuse of appliances

  27

  17

  35

  Playing with fire

  1

  13

  10

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  74

  66

  79

  Placing articles too close to heat

  12

  19

  12

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  16

  17

  24

  Dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type—total

  —

  —

  —

  All dwellings in multiple occupation

  250

  255

  283

  Fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and cause of fire

  United Kingdom

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Dwellings in single occupation—total

  34,972

  36,905

  37,313

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  1,837

  1,908

  2,065

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  7,152

  7,798

  7,990

  Misuse of appliances

  15,663

  16,429

  16,682

  Playing with fire

  1,518

  1,740

  1,548

  Careless handing of fire or hot substances

  3,354

  3,386

  3,441

  488

  United Kingdom

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Placing articles too close to heat

  2,336

  2,557

  2,627

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  3,112

  3,087

  2,960

  Detached, semi-detached or terraced houses in multiple occupation—total

  6,616

  7,242

  7,343

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  678

  865

  870

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  930

  1,050

  1,065

  Misuse of appliances

  2,921

  3,010

  3,109

  Playing with fire

  315

  316

  303

  Careless handing of fire or hot substances

  938

  1,099

  1,102

  Placing articles too close to heat

  430

  485

  496

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  404

  417

  398

  Other dwellings in multiple occupation—total

  14,383

  15,203

  15,020

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  2,702

  3,028

  3,166

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  1,220

  1,382

  1,310

  Misuse of appliances

  5,251

  5,564

  5,637

  Playing with fire

  1,476

  1,556

  1,297

  Careless handing of fire or hot substances

  2,423

  2,509

  2,520

  Placing articles too close to heat

  609

  619

  682

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  702

  545

  408

  Dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type—total

  21

  23

  26

  All dwellings in multiple occupation

  21,020

  22,468

  22,389

  Non-fatal casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and cause of fire

  United Kingdom

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Dwellings in single occupation—total

  4,546

  4,836

  5,459

  Cause

  Deliberate or possible deliberate

  329

  337

  424

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  591

  671

  697

  Misuse of appliances

  1,727

  1,929

  2,124

  Playing with fire

  363

  420

  408

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  897

  796

  1,057

  Placing articles too close to heat

  345

  341

  429

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  294

  342

  320

  Detached, semi-detached or terraced houses in multiple occupation—total

  1,167

  1,230

  1,347

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  121

  170

  191

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  112

  117

  128

  Misuse of appliances

  388

  431

  475

  Playing with fire

  34

  31

  48

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  289

  283

  303

  Placing articles too close to heat

  89

  98

  109

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  134

  100

  93

  Other dwellings in multiple occupation—total

  1,945

  2,276

  2,385

  Cause

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate

  314

  367

  411

  Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies

  154

  193

  136

  Misuse of appliances

  682

  766

  842

  Playing with fire

  96

  154

  108

  Careless handling of fire or hot substances

  472

  514

  638

  489

  United Kingdom

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Placing articles too close to heat

  140

  148

  168

  Other, unknown or unspecified

  87

  134

  82

  Dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type—total

  —

  —

  4

  All dwellings in multiple occupation

  3,112

  3,506

  3,736

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rescues were made by fire brigades from fires in(a) single-occupied dwellings, (b) multiple-occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and (c) multiple-occupied dwellings in other buildings, in each of the three most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  The numbers of persons rescued, both by brigade staff and without brigade assistance, from fires attended by local authority fire brigades in dwellings and other occupied buildings in the United Kingdom are published in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (Table 20 of the volume for 1986, copies of which are in the Library). The following table gives the more detailed information requested for rescues by brigade staff for the years 1984–86. Information for 1987 is not yet available.

  Rescues by brigades from fires in dwellings by type of occupancy United Kingdom

  Type of building

  Number of persons rescued

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Dwellings

  Single occupancy

  897

  932

  1,044

  Multiple occupancy

  Fatal casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling, age and whether trapped—United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Total

  Trapped

  Total

  Trapped

  Total

  Trapped

  Dwellings in single occupation

  Total casualties

  436

  300

  438

  295

  462

  299

  0–15 years

  97

  93

  74

  68

  81

  75

  16–60 years

  112

  80

  111

  83

  147

  106

  Over 60 years

  227

  127

  251

  143

  232

  116

  Unspecified age

  —

  —

  2

  1

  2

  2

  Detached, semi-detached or terrace houses in multiple occupation

  Total casualties

  99

  66

  86

  62

  89

  62

  0–15 years

  13

  9

  4

  4

  7

  7

  16–60 years

  43

  33

  39

  32

  40

  31

  Over 60 years

  43

  24

  43

  26

  41

  23

  Unspecified age

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Other dwellings in multiple occupation

  Total casualties

  151

  113

  169

  113

  194

  120

  0–15 years

  11

  11

  28

  27

  29

  25

  16–60 years

  57

  47

  46

  30

  56

  33

  Over 60 years

  83

  55

  95

  56

  109

  62

  Unspecified age

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  All casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation

  250

  179

  255

  175

  283

  182

  1 The figures for persons trapped exclude those who became casualties while discovering or fighting the fire but were also trapped.

  490

  Type of building

  Number of persons rescued

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Detached, semi-detached or terraced houses

  603

  693

  687

  Other

  1,015

  1,177

  1,127

  Of unspecified type

  —

  —

  6

  Unknown or unspecified occupancy

  39

  42

  47

  All dwellings

  2,554

  2,844

  2,911

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the data for(a) deaths and (b) casualties from fires in (i) singly-occupied dwellings, (ii) multiple-occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, and (iii) multiple-occupied dwellings in other buildings according to whether the persons were (1) aged under 16 years, (2) aged between 16 and 60 years, and (3) aged over 60 years; and if he will provide information on how many of the fatalities resulted from persons being trapped.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the age, and circumstances, of casualties in fires in dwellings attended by local authority fire brigades is published in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (Tables 26, 46 and 47 of the volume for 1986, copies of which are in the Library). The following tables give the more detailed information requested for the years 1984–86. Information for 1987 is not yet available.
  491

  Non fatal casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and age—United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Dwellings in single occupation

  Total casualties

  4,246

  4,836

  5,459

  0 to 15 years

  781

  830

  949

  16 to 60 years

  2,254

  2,747

  3,073

  Over 60 years

  1,125

  1,176

  1,303

  Unspecified age

  86

  83

  134

  Detached, semi-detached or terrace houses in multiple occupation

  Total casualties

  1,167

  1,230

  1,347

  0 to 15 years

  96

  115

  143

  16 to 60 years

  746

  787

  878

  Over 60 years

  308

  304

  285

  Unspecified age

  17

  24

  41

  Other dwellings in multiple occupation

  Total casualties

  1,945

  2,276

  2,385

  0 to 15 years

  282

  313

  295

  16 to 60 years

  1,106

  1,289

  1,423

  Over 60 years

  526

  650

  606

  Unspecified age

  31

  24

  61

  Casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type

  —

  —

  4

  All casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation

  3,112

  3,506

  3,736

  Welford Road Prison, Leicester
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what capacity Welford road gaol in Leicester was built; what is its current average occupancy; and what urgent steps he is taking(a) in order to reduce the number of people turning to crime and (b) to alleviate the crisis in Leicester.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The certified normal accommodation of Leicester prison is 200. On Friday 25 March, 411 prisoners were accommodated there. My right hon. Friend is today announcing measures which will provide general relief for the whole prison system which is under extreme pressure.

  The Government have just launched the safer cities initiative, which, in 20 inner city areas, will lead the way in providing constructive activities for those most at risk of turning to crime. This is in addition to the major new TV publicity campaign and other crime prevention measures concerned with improving physical security and design and better management of property or services.

  Irish Prisoners
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is given the circumstances of the families of Irish category A prisoners in deciding on whether to transfer the prisoners near to where their families live; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Requests by prisoners for permanent transfer to Northern Ireland are considered in the light of criteria which have been made public. These criteria, which do not distinguish between category A and other inmates, deal with the circumstances of the inmate in question rather than those of his family, but as every application is dealt with on its merits, any exceptional family circumstances which may put forward in support of a request would be taken into account. Repatriation of 492
  prisoners to the Republic of Ireland is not at present possible since the Republic has not ratified the European convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners.

  Criminal Trials (Time Limits)
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police areas in England and Wales operate statutory time limits for the presentation of criminal trials; whether he has plans to introduce time limits in all areas of England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  From 1 April, statutory custody time limits in criminal proceedings will operate in 14 police areas covering the counties of Avon, Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Somerset, West Midlands and Wiltshire, and the whole of Wales. We hope to extend time limits throughout England by 1990.

  South Africa House (Arrests)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of arrests of persons outside South Africa House(a) so far this year and (b) in the last week; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the number of arrests outside South Africa House this year is six, of which three were made during the week ending 25 March.

  Crime Prevention
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned or is aware of into the incidence amongst(a) women and (b) pensioners of fear of going out after dark; if he proposes to hold discussions with chief constables on the prevention of crimes against women and pensioners; if he will meet representatives of women's arid pensioners' organisations to discuss the problem; and of he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  In recent years there have been a number of Home Office studies, principally the British crime surveys of 1982 and 1984, which, among other issues, covered the fear of going out after dark. The studies revealed that such fear among women and the elderly was substantial, particularly in some locations, but that levels of fear were frequently in excess of an objective assessment of the risk. Fieldwork is currently taking place for the 1988 British crime survey which will cover this issue again.

  Surveys by other organisations (for example the November 1987 poll by MORI for Readers' Digest and an October poll for Help the Aged) have confirmed that fear of crime is a significant problem, especially for women and the elderly.

  Chief officers of police and organisations such as Help the Aged and Age Concern give special attention to the particular needs of women and elderly people in the issue of crime prevention advice and guidance. The new Home Office handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime", which is freely available, contains sound, practical guidance specifically addressed to both groups. In addition, Government programmes such as the community or estate action programme and our plans to improve crime prevention on public transport are of particular benefit to potentially vulnerable groups.
  493
  We are satisfied that the police pay particular attention to the concerns of women and the elderly in planning local crime prevention campaigns. We are, however, keen to work closely with responsible organisations representing the interests of women and pensioners in reducing the fear of crime; and I and colleagues have meetings, from time to time, with such groups at local and national levels.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Metropolitan police in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the following contracts were awarded in 1987:

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  PActel

  Feasibility Study1

  Geoff Ford

  Work Information Management System Consultancy1

  Hoskyns

  Database Consultancy1

  Digitus

  Source Programs Advice on Manpower planning system2

  The Instruction Set

  UNIX2

  Safe Computing

  Implementing Police Payroll—setting up software

  Time Manager International

  Management Training for staff

  Logica

  Capacity Planning

  McDonnell Douglas

  Statistics systems—Hist. File Cleardown

  Chess Valley

  Maintaining data input system for Crime statistics

  Carnell

  PJCS Consultancy for Payrolls

  ICL

  Setting up Personnel 20 package

  ICL

  Consultancy for New Traffic Tickets System

  Tom Scharff

  In-line mailing-advice on whether cost effective to restore faulty equipment

  Gerard Systems

  ARTEMIS consultancy

  S.I.A.

  Rostering consultancy for Territorial Operations System

  Hoskyns

  Spool increase consultancy

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Computer management consultancy for Chief Engineer's Department

  PActel; Admiral Computer Services; Marshall Computing Services

  Miscellaneous computer consultancies for Chief Engineer's Department

  PActel

  Project Manager for Crime Report Information System

  Hoskyns

  Various levels of project staff for new Traffice Tickets System

  Eagling; K.P.G.

  Contract Operations for old Traffic Tickets System

  Prolog

  VME

  Hoskyns

  Fixed Penalty Office Contract Staff

  1 All for the Electrical and Mechanical Branch Control Information Systems.

  2 Territorial Operation Systems.

  Dog Fighting
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to increase the sentences available to the courts for offences of dog fighting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government entirely share the public abhorrence of the barbaric practice of dog fighting.494
  The penalties for such activities, provided under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, were recently doubled by the Protection of Animals (Penalties) Act 1987 to the maximum penalties available summarily, that is, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (£2,000), or six months' imprisonment, or both. We are giving full support, in which I hope the hon. Member will join us, to the proposals by my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Mr. Browne) in his Protection of Animals (Amendment) Bill to increase substantially the maximum penalties for attendance at animal fights or baiting.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent advertisements for the sale of fighting dogs being placed in British newspapers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no such plans.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for dog fighting were obtained in 1987; where the offences were committed; and what sentences were given by the courts concerned in each case.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information collected centrally does not distinguish offences relating to dog fights from other offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take urgent action to prevent the importing of American pit bull dogs for use in illegal dog fighting rings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We do not consider that such a ban would be effective in preventing illegal fighting, given the number of dogs already in the United Kingdom which are susceptible to abuse, and the difficulty in distinguishing between dogs bred for fighting and as pets. In addition, an import ban on the whole of a particular strain of dog would be contrary to our international trading obligations unless the domestic sale and commercial breeding of dogs of the strain in question were similarly prohibited.

  Oak Tree Farm Rural Projects
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the reasons for the delay by the Charity Commission in dealing with the request for registration by Miss Monica Moreton of Great Haywood, Stafford, on behalf of the Oak Tree Farm Rural Projects.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend has asked the chief charity commissioner to look into these matters.

  Immigration
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people living in the Birmingham area were waiting to be interviewed by immigration officials in connection with applications for entry clearance for members of their family to join them in the United Kingdom at 31 January.

  Mr. Renton
  At 31 January 1988, there were 36 outstanding entry clearance applications referred to the immigration service and awaiting interview of persons living in the Birmingham area. All have either now been completed or have appointments arranged before 31 March 1988.

  Sinn Fein
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to seek to limit Sinn Fein's access to the broadcasting media; and what representations he has received on this matter.

  Mr. Renton
  We have no proposals at present to seek to limit Sinn Fein's access to the broadcasting media, nor have we received any representations on the matter.

  Extraditions (Irish Republic)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of the persons for whom extradition warrants were sent from England and Wales to the Irish Republic in each of the last five years, indicating in each case in which terrorist-type activity was the reason for the warrants, whether the persons named were extradited and which warrants were held to be defective, showing in such cases the exact reasons each warrant was held to be defective.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: Information on individual warrants sent from England and Wales to the Republic of Ireland is not held centrally. My right hon. Friend's reply of 6 November 1987 at columns 906–7 gave the available information for the years 1982–86. Figures for 1987 are not yet available. In that period, the return of Evelyn Glenholmes to face charges in connection with terrorist offences failed because the Irish court considered that information on oath that had already been laid should have been resworn on the day when the warrants were issued.

THE ARTS

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his office in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Luce
  One computer consultancy contract was awarded by my office in 1987 to AMTEC Consulting for the Government art collection database project.

  Antiquarian Books
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (I) whether the criteria laid out in the Waverley rules cover copies of the Grolier-bound "Hypnerotomachia" (1499) or "Aesop's Fables" (1480) currently owned by the John Rylands library, Manchester;

  (2) if he will seek to prevent the export of antiquarian books from British libraries.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: Any book which has been in this country for more than 50 years and is over £16,000 in value requires an export licence. If such an application were made and referred to the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art the item would be assessed against the Waverley criteria. Export licences are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Income Tax
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue costs of a cut in all higher rates of income tax to (i) 40 per cent. and (ii) 35 per cent. in(a)1988–89 and (b) 1989–90.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The cost of abolishing all higher rates of income tax above 40 per cent. is estimated to be £965 million in 1988–89 and £2,070 million in 1989–90. The abolition of rates of income tax above 40 per cent. was announced in the Budget on 15 March; the costs given above are those published in table 4.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89. The cost of further reducing the higher rate of tax to 35 per cent. is estimated to be an additional £405 million in 1988–89 and an additional £880 million in 1989–90.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield in 1989–90 from reducing capital gains tax allowances to the level of personal allowances.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  About £10 million. The levels of personal allowances substituted for the annual exempt amount as a basis for this reply are those proposed in chapter 4 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89 (Cm. 361).

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue effect in 1989–90 of reducing the top rate of inheritance tax to 40 per cent.; and if he will give the most recent available figures for the annual number of taxpayers paying inheritance tax at a rate above 40 per cent. and the average value of their estate.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The cost in 1989–90 is estimated at £150 million. It is estimated that for 1987–88 a total of 5,200 taxpayers will have paid IHT at rates above 40 per cent. The average value of their estates is estimated at £475,000.

  Benefits in Kind
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in favour of the introduction of legislation to treat as benefits in kind for tax purposes the official accommodation, cars, and other facilities provided for Ministers of the Crown; what reply he has given; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Normon Lamont
  None. Whether or not official accommodation, car and other facilities provided for Ministers of the Crown are treated as benefits in kind for tax purposes is determined, according to the facts of each case, under the same legislation which deals with the taxation of benefits in kind received by office holders generally.

  Personal Incomes
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the weekly gain of a single person earning £150,000 a year from his Budget tax changes.
  497
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the weekly gain of a single person earning £100,000 a year from his Budget tax changes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The weekly gain from the Budget of a single person earning £150,000 and £100,000 a year, with no other income, would be £721·92 and £464·23 respectively. The figures refer only to income tax and assume that the taxpayer is entitled to no income tax reliefs or allowances other than the single person's allowance. The calculation is made by comparing the taxpayer's income tax liability under the 1987–88 tax regime with that under the proposed regime for 1988–89.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in gross domestic product per capita in each of the English regions, Wales and Scotland since 1979.

  Mr. Major
  Estimates of gross domestic product per capita were published in the November 1987 edition of Economic Trends, a copy of which is available in the House Library.

  Increases in gross domestic product per capita between 1979 and 1986 are provided for the specified regions in the table below.

  Increase in General Domestic Product' per capita from 1979 to 19862

  £

  Per cent.

  North

  2,441

  90

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,461

  89

  East Midlands

  2,538

  89

  East Anglia

  2,865

  103

  South east

  3,158

  92

  South west

  2,631

  96

  West Midlands

  2,241

  79

  North west

  2,378

  83

  Wales

  2,177

  83

  Scotland

  2,405

  85

  1 GDP at factors cost: current prices.

  2 1986 figures are provisional.

  Laboratory Animals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent steps the Inland Revenue has taken to counteract tax evasion by suppliers of animals to university laboratories; and what statistics are maintained for this purpose.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  No centrally co-ordinated steps have been taken or thought necessary and no statistics are maintained. If the hon. Gentleman has reason to believe there is evasion in this field, perhaps he would write to me.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Brooke
  The following is the information requested:
  498

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  A. P. Computer Consultants

  Feasibility study of revised publications subscription system

  P. Headley Consultants

  Modification of software package

  Daton Systems Ltd.

  Specification of micro system for forms stockholding

  Printing Industries Research Association

  Preparation for BS5750 quality assurance accreditation

  NHMC Consulting

  Warehouse organisation and efficiency review

  NHMC Consulting

  Forms Centre organisations and efficiency review

  NHMC Consulting

  Design of new warehouse

  NHMC Consulting

  Review of storage of departmental forms and stationery

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by the Inland Revenue in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The amount spent by the Inland Revenue in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases was £13·9 million.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: About £2·1 million in the calendar year 1987.

  Petrol Duty
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue yield from excise duty payable on petrol in the last year for which figures are available; and on what total quantity of petrol that duty was collected.

  Mr. Lilley
  Information specifically related to petrol is not available. In 1986–87 the revenue collected from the excise duty on light oil (of which petrol is the major element) was £5,755 million. This represents the duty on 29,700 million litres.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking amendment of the law to end the practice whereby fuel surcharges are not counted as income for the purposes of corporation tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  None so far as I am aware. Under the law as it stands, fuel surcharges imposed by tour operators are in principle taxable like other trading receipts. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, I should be glad to look into it if he will let me have details.

  General Commissioners of Income Tax
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations were received in response to the Inland Revenue's consultative documents on the General Commissioners of Income Tax; and if he will make a statement.
  499
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In July 1987 the Inland Revenue published, with the authority of my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Lord Chancellor, a consultative document on the possibility of setting up General Commissioners in Northern Ireland. Comments were received from professional bodies, individual firms and others, representing a wide range of interests. A clear majority of these were in favour of the introduction in Northern Ireland of local tax tribunals. Where reservations were expressed they were predominantly about the importance of appointing and training appropriate General Commissioners, and about the transitional arrangements for introducing the new system.

  In view of this broad measure of support, the Finance Bill will include the legislation necessary to enable General Commissioners to be introduced in Northern Ireland. However, the system will not be brought into operation before January 1989. My right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor will set the date for the change in the light of progress with the appointment of General Commissioners. This will also allow the Inland Revenue to inform taxpayers and their advisers in Northern Ireland how their rights to appeal to an independent tribunal will be preserved and improved by the new system.

  The Board of Inland Revenue issued a separate consultative document in November 1987 on possible changes to the legislation which determines which body of General Commissioners deal with an appeal (or other proceedings). The proposal was that in some tax offices appeals by companies, trusts and large unincorporated businesses should be brought before the General Commissioners for the division in which the tax office was situated, subject to the taxpayer's right of objection. Comments from professional and representative bodies, individual firms and others recognised that the existing legislation was inflexible and caused difficulty. However, there was concern that the proposed changes to the legislation might in practice be equally inflexible, and about the lack of opportunities for taxpayers to propose a different place of hearing for their appeals.

  The Inland Revenue is therefore undertaking further consultation on new proposals which will make it easier for taxpayers to agree with tax offices where their appeals should he heard. This should make it unnecessary for the Inland Revenue to make use of directions for many taxpayers.

  If taxpayers and their advisers find this revised approach more acceptable the aim will be to introduce the necessary legislation in this year's Finance Bill.

  Tax (Repayment)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is to be any change in the way that the Inland Revenue handles claims for repayment of tax by individuals during the course of a tax year.

  Multiple of average earnings

  Half

  Two-thirds

  One

  Five

  Ten

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  Single

  1978–79

  23·5

  100·0

  27·5

  100·0

  31·5

  100·0

  52·2

  100·0

  67·5

  100·0

  1979–80

  22·9

  102·5

  26·3

  103·4

  29·7

  100·4

  42·8

  121·6

  51·4

  151·8

  1980–81

  24·7

  103·6

  27·7

  104·9

  30·7

  106·4

  44·3

  122·6

  52·1

  154·7

  500
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Individuals who are not liable to tax can claim payment of the tax credit attached to dividends; they can also claim repayment of tax deducted from certain interest and other payments. Whether or not an individual is liable to tax cannot be finally settled until the end of the tax year when his or her actual income and personal allowances and reliefs for the year are known.

  Nevertheless the Inland Revenue's practice has been to allow individuals to claim provisional repayment by instalments during the course of a tax year rather than waiting until the end of the year. In very many cases these involve repayment of comparatively small amounts of tax at a disproportionate cost.

  With effect from 6 April 1989, therefore, there will be a change in the Inland Revenue's practice. With my approval, after that date the Inland Revenue will repay tax claimed during the course of the tax year only when the amount of tax involved exceeds a limit of £50. Where the tax repayable is less than this, the Inland Revenue will not process the claims but instead will be asking individuals to wait until either the amount exceeds the £50 limit or the end of the tax year, whichever is the earliest, before claiming repayment. This change in practice may affect the timing of repayments, but it will not affect the amount repaid.

  Taxation
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will construct an index, with 1978–79 equalling 100, of the changes in the level of income tax and national insurance contributions for each subsequent year for a taxpayer on(a) half, (b) two thirds, (c) average, (d) five times average and (e) 10 times average earnings for households where the taxpayer is (i) single, (ii) married with no children, (iii) married with two children and (iv) married with four children, in all cases assuming the wife does not work, using a similar form to his answer of 1 May 1987, Official Report, columns 287–90.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 17 March 1988]: The table shows (a) income tax plus national insurance contributions less child benefit, where appropriate, as a percentage of gross earnings; and (b) real net income after tax, NIC and child benefit in index number form with 1978–79 equalling 100. The calculations assume that the taxpayer has no reliefs other than the appropriate personal allowance and that national insurance contributions are at the contracted-in rate. Average earnings are those for full-time males paid at adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence. Figures for 1987–88 and 1988–89 are provisional.
  501

  Half

  Two-thirds

  One

  Five

  Ten

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  1981–82

  26·9

  100·0

  29·6

  101·6

  32·3

  103·4

  46·4

  117·2

  53·2

  150·4

  1982–83

  27·3

  100·3

  30·1

  101·6

  33·0

  103·1

  45·9

  119·3

  53·0

  152·4

  1983–84

  27·0

  104·6

  30·0

  105·8

  33·0

  107·2

  45·1

  125·7

  52·5

  159·6

  1984–85

  26·5

  108·3

  29·6

  109·4

  32·7

  110·7

  45·3

  128·9

  52·6

  164·0

  1985–86

  26·2

  110·3

  29·4

  111·3

  32·6

  112·4

  45·5

  130·3

  52·7

  165·9

  1986–87

  25·8

  115·6

  28·9

  117·0

  31·9

  118·5

  45·7

  135·4

  52·8

  172·7

  1987–88

  25·0

  120·8

  27·8

  122·8

  30·5

  125·0

  45·9

  139·4

  53·0

  178·1

  1988–89

  23·8

  125·8

  26·3

  128·3

  28·9

  131·0

  36·1

  168·7

  38·0

  240·2

  Married

  1978–79

  16·0

  100·0

  21·9

  100·0

  27·8

  100·0

  50·5

  100·0

  66·5

  100·0

  1979–80

  16·0

  101·7

  21·1

  102·6

  26·3

  103·8

  41·5

  120·2

  50·7

  149·6

  1980–81

  17·9

  102·8

  22·6

  104·2

  27·3

  105·8

  42·9

  121·2

  51·5

  152·4

  1981–82

  20·8

  98·7

  25·0

  100·4

  29·3

  102·4

  45·2

  115·7

  52·6

  148·0

  1982–83

  20·8

  99·4

  25·3

  100·8

  29·8

  102·5

  44·6

  117·9

  52·3

  150·1

  1983–84

  20·1

  104·1

  24·9

  105·3

  29·6

  106·7

  43·7

  124·4

  51·9

  157·4

  1984–85

  19·3

  108·3

  24·2

  109·3

  29·2

  110·5

  43·9

  127·8

  51·9

  161·7

  1985–86

  18·9

  110·3

  23·9

  111·2

  29·0

  112·3

  44·0

  129·2

  52·0

  163·7

  1986–87

  18·9

  115·0

  23·7

  116·4

  28·5

  118·0

  44·2

  134·2

  52·1

  170·3

  1987–88

  18·9

  119·1

  23·1

  121·2

  27·4

  123·8

  44·5

  138·0

  52·3

  175·6

  1988–89

  17·9

  1233

  21·9

  126·1

  26·0

  129·3

  35·1

  165·3

  37·6

  235·2

  Married with 2 children (both under 11)

  1978–79

  2·4

  100·0

  11·5

  100·0

  20·9

  100·0

  48·8

  100·0

  65·6

  100·0

  1979–80

  1·4

  102·8

  10·2

  103·2

  18·9

  104·1

  40·0

  119·0

  50·0

  147·8

  1980–81

  4·9

  102·5

  12·9

  103·6

  20·8

  105·2

  41·6

  119·8

  50·8

  150·4

  1981–82

  7·3

  99·4

  14·9

  100·6

  22·5

  102·4

  43·9

  114·6

  51·9

  146·2

  1982–83

  6·9

  100·6

  14·9

  101·4

  22·8

  102·8

  43·2

  116·8

  51·6

  148·4

  1983–84

  5·9

  105·6

  14·2

  106·2

  22·4

  107·3

  42·3

  123·3

  51·2

  155·5

  1984–85

  5·0

  109·8

  13·5

  110·2

  22·0

  111·1

  42·4

  126·6

  51·2

  159·9

  1985–86

  5·0

  111·2

  13·5

  111·7

  22·0

  112·6

  42·6

  127·9

  51·3

  161·7

  1986–87

  5·7

  115·2

  13·8

  116·1

  21·9

  117·7

  42·9

  132·7

  51·5

  168·2

  1987–88

  6·2

  118·4

  13·7

  120·2

  21·1

  122·8

  43·3

  136·4

  51·6

  173·3

  1988–89

  6·1

  121·5

  13·0

  124·0

  20·0

  127·5

  33·9

  162·6

  37·0

  231·2

  Married with 4 children (two under 11, one 11–15 and one over 16)

  1978–79

  -11·7

  100·0

  0·1

  100·0

  13·3

  100·0

  46·7

  100·0

  64·5

  100·0

  1979–80

  -13·3

  103·0

  -0·8

  102·6

  11·6

  103·6

  38·5

  117·3

  49·3

  145·5

  1980–81

  -8·1

  101·7

  3·1

  102·0

  14·3

  103·9

  40·3

  117·8

  50·2

  147·8

  1981–82

  -6·2

  99·5

  4·8

  99·8

  15·8

  101·6

  42·5

  112·8

  51·3

  143·8

  1982–83

  -7·0

  100·9

  4·5

  100·9

  15·9

  102·2

  41·8

  115·1

  50·9

  145·9

  1983–84

  -8·4

  106·2

  3·5

  105·8

  15·3

  106·9

  40·9

  121·5

  50·4

  153·0

  1984–85

  -9·3

  110·3

  2·7

  109·8

  14·8

  110·7

  41·0

  124·8

  50·5

  157·3

  1985–86

  -8·9

  111·3

  3·1

  110·9

  15·1

  111·9

  41·2

  126·0

  50·6

  159·1

  1986–87

  -7·5

  114·7

  3·9

  114·7

  15·2

  116·4

  41·6

  130·6

  50·8

  165·3

  1987–88

  -6·4

  117·3

  4·2

  118·2

  14·8

  121·0

  42·0

  134·1

  51·0

  170·2

  1988–89

  -5·8

  119·4

  4·2

  121·1

  14·1

  124·9

  32·7

  159·2

  36·4

  226·4

  Clearing Banks (Tax Receipts)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he anticipates in tax receipts from the clearing banks for the year 1987–88 before any provision for sovereign country debt and after tax relief given on account of sovereign country debt.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: The effect on tax receipts of these provisions by all banks for the year 1987–88 was given in the answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 14 March 1988 at column 429. Because of the Inland Revenue's rules of confidentiality, it is not the practice to give figures of this kind for particular parts of the banking sector.

  Rail Services (Budget Document)
  Mr. Buchan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has made or intends to make any payment to British Rail for the publication and distribution on inter-city services of a document entitled "Summary of the Budget Proposals"; and if he will make a statement.
  502
  Mr. Peter Brooke
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: No. I understand that a Budget summary was published by a private firm and made available to inter-city passengers at no cost to British Rail.

  Building Societies
  Mr. John
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for the members and mortgagors of a building society which converts to a public liability company.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: It is for the investing and borrowing members of a society to decide whether conversion is in their best interests. A society cannot convert unless they vote in favour. The Building Societies Act 1986 imposes stringent voting thresholds and majorities for passing resolutions, and also provides for the members to be given all the material information they need to reach an informed judgment on which way they wish to vote. In addition a society seeking to convert must first obtain a banking licence from the Bank of England. The Government have sought to remove both artificial obstacles and artificial inducements to conversion.

SCOTLAND

  Ettrick and Lauderdale (Housing Capital Allocations)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he plans any increase in housing provisional capital allocations, 1988–89, for Ettrick and Lauderdale district council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On 28 March my right hon. and learned Friend announced details of the final housing capital allocations for all district and island councils. These included increased allocations of £1·8 million on the HRA block and £0·65 million on the non-HRA block for Ettrick and Lauderdale district.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether sporting organisations in Scotland will be required to pay the unified business rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  As the first stage in the reform of non-domestic rates in Scotland, increases in the non-domestic rate poundages set by local authorities will, under section 3 of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, be subject to an index-linked ceiling from 1 April 1989. This will benefit sporting organisations and other non-domestic ratepayers in Scotland.

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many long-stay mental patients he expects there will be in hospitals in Scotland in each of the next seven years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on Tuesday 29 March 1988.

  AIDS
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to respond to the British Medical Association, Royal College of General Practitioners and Scottish General Medical Services committees' call for general practitioners to be able to give out free needles and condoms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The suggestions made by the three bodies are contained in a joint policy statement setting out a wide range of proposals on AIDS, HIV infection and drug misuse. I welcome the interest of these

  Grades

  Establishment

  Funded establishment

  Staff or post at 29 February 1988

  1987–88

  1987–88

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Chief nursing officer

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Deputy chief nursing officer

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Assistant chief nursing officer

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Senior nurses (including one senior tutor)

  14

  14

  14

  —

  Charge nurses-ward sisters (including one clinical teacher)

  56

  54

  56

  —

  Staff nurses

  53

  55

  31

  2

  Senior enrolled nurses

  37

  37

  37

  —

  Enrolled nurses

  146

  146

  139

  —

  Nursing assistants

  21

  21

  19

  —

  TOTAL

  330

  330

  299

  2

  504
  bodies in a matter which is of major concern to the Government, and we shall be arranging early discussions with their representatives to consider the details of their proposals.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the operation and future of the syringe exchange centres in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) on Tuesday 29 March 1988.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to prevent the spread of HIV 2 in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  HIV 2 infection in the United Kingdom has been monitored for some time. The indications are that the disease is extremely rare in the United Kingdom: the first positive among several thousand tests was found only some two weeks ago. Blood samples from high risk groups will continue to be monitored and we shall take account of the situation in Europe, where HIV 2 infection is thought to be more prevalent, to assess whether further measures are needed.

  Community Care
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate for expenditure on community care in Scotland in each of the next three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No such estimates are available. Community care can take a number of forms and expenditure may arise for health boards, local authorities and central Government (through the social security system).

  Nurses
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) the establishment figures, (b) the funded establishment figures and (c) the in-post figures of Carstairs state hospital for each nursing grade employed; and if he will publish, for each grade category, the number of employees in full-time posts, the number of part-time employees and the whole-time equivalents of those part-time employees.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The establishment figure is based on a patient population of 230. The current patient population is 210. The information is given in the following table:
  505

  1 Whole-time equivalent 1·25.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) the establishment figures, (b) the funded establishment figures and (c) the in-post figures of each health board in Scotland for the following nursing grades: regional nursing officer 1 and 2, regional nurse 1 and 2, district nursing officer grades 1 to 7, director of nursing services grades 1 + to 6, senior nurse grades 1 + to 8, sister I, sister II, health visitor, deputy nursing sister, staff nurse, senior enrolled nurse, enrolled nurse, nursing auxiliary/assistant; and if he will publish, for each grade category, the number of employees in full-time posts, the number of part-time employees and the whole-time equivalent of those part-time employees.

  Table

  Scotland

  Argyll and Clyde

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Borders

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Fife

  Forth Valley

  Grampian

  Greater Glasgow

  Highland

  Lanark

  Lothian

  Orkney

  Shetland

  Tayside

  Western Isles

  C.A.N.O.

  15·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  Director of Nursing Services

  83·0

  8·0

  4·0

  2·0

  4·0

  8·0

  5·0

  8·0

  16·0

  3·0

  6·0

  14·0

  0·0

  0·0

  10·0

  1·0

  Senior Nurses Grades 1–8

  1,343·8

  101·5

  80·4

  29·0

  43·0

  78·0

  83·8

  11·60

  370·5

  64·3

  111·5

  192·0

  4·0

  5·0

  60·0

  6·0

  Sister/Charge Nurse1

  7,303·1

  603·8

  387·9

  175·4

  218·7

  270·8

  378·1

  709 1

  1,838·4

  318·9

  677·5

  975·6

  34·1

  38·2

  634·2

  66·5

  Staff Nurse/Midwife

  13,089·3

  818·1

  845·8

  195·1

  446·7

  780·0

  565·4

  1,125·8

  2,936·5

  610·5

  893·3

  2,271·8

  21·2

  47·2

  1,278·8

  72·2

  Senior Enrolled

  591·0

  43·8

  17·4

  4·0

  13·8

  19·4

  16·8

  29·9

  170·9

  21·4

  137·4

  55·1

  0·0

  2·0

  59·1

  0·0

  Enrolled

  9,784·3

  685·9

  471·7

  150·9

  275·9

  752·4

  473·4

  1,037·5

  2,053·9

  317·2

  1,116·4

  1,196·8

  72·3

  45·2

  1,084·4

  48·4

  Health Visitor2

  1,420·3

  126·8

  84·0

  32·5

  38·3

  95·8

  83·2

  147·2

  267·6

  80·9

  137·6

  186·2

  10·5

  12·0

  108·7

  11·0

  Protected Grades

  178·1

  10·1

  5·0

  0·0

  3·0

  1·0

  2·0

  10·0

  4·0

  2·0

  29·0

  15·0

  0·0

  0·0

  97·0

  0·0

  Other Qualified3

  959·0

  52·3

  42·9

  18·0

  27·0

  54·5

  46·9

  104·6

  250·7

  28·0

  77·5

  184·5

  0·0

  0·0

  84·0

  0·0

  Auxiliary/Assistant

  15,592·2

  1,562·6

  949·5

  342·2

  482·4

  854·8

  1,200·0

  1,552·6

  3,837·3

  545·5

  1,255·5

  2,349·5

  36·3

  44·3

  1,619·9

  58·9

  Table 2

  Whole time

  Number Part time

  Total

  WTE for part time

  CANO

  15

  0

  15

  0·0

  Director of Nursing Services

  83

  0

  83

  0·0

  Senior Nurses Grades 1 to 8

  1,336

  12

  1,348

  7·8

  Sister/Charge Nurse1

  6,366

  1,410

  7,778

  937·1

  Staff Nurse/Midwife

  9,157

  7,033

  16,200

  3,922·3

  Senior Enrolled

  497

  133

  530

  94·0

  Enrolled

  6,638

  4,927

  11,585

  3,145·3

  Health Visitor1 2

  1,309

  199

  1,508

  111·3

  Protected Grades

  177

  2

  179

  1·1

  Other Qualified1 2

  941

  46

  987

  28·0

  Auxiliary/Assistant

  8,397

  12,308

  20,705

  8,295·2

  1 Includes district nurses and midwives who are on the same pay scale.

  2 Includes combined duty health visitors.

  3 Includes teaching grades.

  Pupils (Behaviour)
  Mr. Buchanan-Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils were excluded from school on account of bad behaviour in each of the past five school years; and if he will give the figures for each year for each education authority.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Forestry
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent estimate of the area of annual new planting of trees in the United Kingdom over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government's aim is traditional planting at the rate of 33,000 hectares a year.
  506
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information is not held centrally about health boards' establishments or funded establishments for nursing staff. Table 1 sets out for each health board in Scotland at March 1987 the whole-time equivalent numbers of staff in post in the grades that correspond as closely as possible to the categories set out in the question. Some of these categories are specific to the English situation. Information about numbers of employees in full-time posts and about part-time employees in each health board at March 1987 could be made available from central records only at disproportionate cost. Table 2 sets out for Scotland as a whole and for the same grades the number of staff in full time posts, the number in part-time posts and the whole-time equivalent of those employed part time.

  In addition, the proposed farm woodland scheme will provide for the planting of 36,000 hectares in the period of three years from its introduction.

  Students (Allowances)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish full details of students allowances for session 1988–89.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I announced the main rates of student grant for the 1988–89 academic year in response to a question from my hon. Friend on 18 December 1987, at columns 819–20.

  I am publishing today the supplementary grant rates for the 1988–89 session. The increases in these rates are

  507
  broadly in line with the 4 per cent. increase in the main rates. In addition, there are three minor changes in the terms of the students allowances scheme, namely:

  (i) All student pension income will be disregarded up to a limit of £2,000;

  (ii) a student who reaches the third anniversary of his or her marriage during a course will be given independent status with effect from his or her next award; and

  (iii) unpaid placements will not count towards the length of a previous course for the purposes of the "previous study" requirements.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce any change to the 1987–88 cash limit for local authority non-housing capital expenditure.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The 1987–88 cash limit figure has been increased from £437·8 million to £443·8 million to reflect the £6 million in supplementary capital allocations issued in December to local authorities to assist with the capital costs of implementing the community charge.

  Personal Information (Access)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when consultation will take place on the regulations to be made under section 3 of the Access to Personal Files Act 1987 in respect of access for individuals to manually maintained records containing information relating to themselves held by local authority social work departments in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Proposals for the making of these regulations were issued today and a copy of the consultative paper and a list of bodies to which it is addressed has been placed in the Library of the House. The paper has been issued to local authorities in Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and those voluntary organisations principally concerned with the interests of social work client groups whose records are likely to be held by local authorities and others representing more general consumer interests. A response has been requested by 27 May.

  The right of access provided under these proposals is in line with that already available in relation to local authority records of the same type under the Data Protection Act 1984. The proposals include a safeguard that information may be withheld if access is likely to result in serious harm to the physical or mental health, or emotional condition, of the individual requesting access, or to another person.

  It is proposed that local authorities will be able to charge an access fee of up to a maximum of £10.

  Pollution
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to combat air and water pollution.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The Scottish Office is actively engaged in a large number of measures to deal with pollution of all kinds. For example, we played a full part in the policy and administrative preparations for the North sea conference of Ministers in London in November, including the
  508
  organisation of the preliminary international meeting of senior officials in Edinburgh, and we are now taking action to implement the measures agreed by Ministers at the conference; these are listed in the declaration, of which a copy is available in the Library.

  We identified for the first time 23 Scottish waters in terms of the EC bathing waters directive, and these are being monitored to ensure compliance with the directive's standards.

  We have tackled particular water pollution problems as necessary, for example by placing restrictions on the use of TBT anti-fouling paints on small boats and fish cages.

  In the field of air pollution, we are maintaining a close watch on the implementation in Scotland of the EC directives relating to air pollution; encouraging, and paying grants to, local authorities which carry out smoke control measures under the clean air acts; and actively considering comments received on the Government's paper on the review of air pollution legislation in Great Britain. We have also commissioned research projects on specific air pollution questions in Scotland.

  If the hon. Member has any particular aspect in mind, he may like to write to me or to my right hon. and learned Friend.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the measures his Department is taking to encourage a reduction in the emission of pollutants which cause acid rain.

  Mr. James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The reduction of acid-producing emissions has to be approached on a national and international basis. The reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on 16 November 1987, at column 185, outlined the reduction in United Kingdom emissions since 1970 and the specific measures being taken by the CEGB to reduce emissions from some major power stations. These measures will be of particular benefit in reducing acidification in Scotland, which receives a major part of its acid-producing emissions from elsewhere. In relation to Scottish emissions, the use of low sulphur coal in the two major SSEB coal-fired stations, and the high level of hydro and nuclear electricity generation, considerably reduce the level of acid-forming pollutants produced in Scotland. We are, however, keeping the position under review.

  Patients (Spending)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the average annual expenditure per patient in Scotland in 1986–87.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 23 February 1988]: It is not possible to provide a meaningful overall average cost per patient. However, information on the cost of in-patient and out/day-patient treatment based on the statistical information produced annually and contained in the publication "Scottish Health Service Costs" is given in the table:
  509

  Average annual cost (1986–87)

  £

  In-patient case

  1,177·90

  Out-patient attendance

  12·65

  Accident and emergency attendance

  17·54

  Day patient1 attendance

  29·06

  Day case2 attenance

  64·36

  1 Defined as a patient who attends a day hospital or day facility from outwith the hospital on a regular basis.

  2 A patient using a hospital facility during the course of a day for investigation, operative procedure or other treatment, who requires some form of preparation, period of recovery or observation and who does not remain in the facility overnight.

  Comparison with other countries of the United Kingdom on the basis of these figures is difficult, as average annual expenditure per patient is influenced by the mix of cases treated, the age and sex of patients and a variety of other factors. Scotland, for example, has a higher proportion of the United Kingdom's teaching hospital places and proportionately more patient care takes place within the relatively more expensive teaching hospital environment. Average expenditure per patient also depends on the methods used to allocate hospital running costs between certain categories; for example, inpatients and day cases.

ENERGY

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his plans for the Central Electricity Generating Board generation development and construction division, Barnwood, Gloucester, in the context of the proposed privatisation of the electricity industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for discussion with the industry.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Cecil Parkinson
  Contracts placed with private sector firms and companies for management or computer consultancy were:

  Consultants

  Subject

  Spencer Stuart

  Advice on the selection of UK Atomic Energy Authority Board Member

  Valstar Technical Systems Ltd)

  Contracts for computing

  Gearhart Geodata Service Ltd)

  advice and support to the Department's Petroleum Engineering Division

  Energy Performance Information
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the oral answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Worcestershire South (Mr. Spicer) of 7 March,Official Report, column 11, he will give the detailed evidence on
  510
  which was based the assertion that the Danish Government's scheme to provide energy performance information for buildings is not particularly successful; what representations he has received from the Danish Government on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My hon. Friend's remarks were based on the conclusion of a study of the Danish heat survey scheme prepared for the European Commission by independent consultants. I have received no representations from the Danish Government.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  East-West Relations
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of East-West relations.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  We welcome the improved atmosphere of East-West relations. Mr. Shultz and Mr. Shevardnadze met in Washington last week. They fixed dates for the Moscow summit (29 May-2 June). We look for further substantive progress in the key areas of arms control, regional issues and human rights.

  Libya and Syria
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for relations with(a) Libya and (b) Syria of the revelations at the trial in West Berlin of Christina Endrigkeit, in relation to the bombing of La Belle discotheque.

  Mr. Mellor
  None, Sir. Christina Endrigkeit is not on trial. I have nothing to add to what my right hon. and learned Friend told the House on 24 October 1986, namely that there is no evidence available to us which implicates Syria or any country other than Libya in the La Belle bombing.

  Falkland Islands (BBC Services)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will discuss with representatives of the Legislative Council for the Falklands Islands arrangements for transmission of the external services of the BBC.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to meet representatives of the Legislative Council. The BBC world service can be heard throughout the islands on short wave and further BBC radio material is rebroadcast daily on the FM band by the Falkland Islands broadcasting service and by British forces broadcasting services.

  USSR (Foreign Policy)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the implications for Soviet foreign policy of internal protest within the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Mellor
  Unfortunately the improving Soviet human rights performance has not yet been reflected at the CSCE conference in Vienna. Nationalist tensions clearly have implications for Mr. Gorbachev's policy of openness.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures have been taken recently to encourage the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  When I was in Moscow in February I told Mr. Gorbachev and Mr. Shevardnadze of the need for the complete withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan this year and our wish to see a neutral, nonaligned and independent Afghanistan. We welcome the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General's personal representative to pave the way for a settlement.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit Kabul.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to visit Kabul.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about progress towards a Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Soviet Union has expressed its intention to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. Arrangements for the withdrawal are the subject of proximity talks in Geneva involving Pakistan and the Kabul regime. We have repeatedly called for Soviet withdrawal to be completed within 1988.

  Middle East
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit the middle east.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no current plans for an early visit to the middle east. I regularly visit the area, and we keep in the closest touch with developments in the region.

  Mr. Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards a middle east peace settlement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We support current efforts to promote the convening of an international conference as a framework for negotiations to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. We hope that all the parties concerned will avoid action which could stifle progress towards a settlement.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy towards the Arab-Israeli conflict in the middle east.

  Mr. Mellor
  We support current efforts to promote the convening of an international conference as a framework for negotiations to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. We hope that all the parties concerned will avoid action which could stifle progress towards a settlement.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the Israeli Foreign Minister to discuss the situation in the middle east; and if he will make a statement.
  512
  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend has tic, plans at present for such a meeting.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions he intends to make towards encouraging the Israeli Government to respond favourably to the Shultz plan on the middle east.

  Mr. Mellor
  We shall continue to stress to the Israeli Government the urgent need for progress towards a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the proposals for peace negotiations in the middle east put forward by the United States Secretary of State in his letter to the Prime Minister of Israel dated 4 March; and whether that policy has been conveyed to Mr. Shultz and Mr. Shamir.

  Mr. Mellor
  We support the United States' initiative, and urge the parties to work for progress on this basis. All concerned are aware of our views.

  EC-Japan
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on recent bilateral discussions between the European Community and Japan.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Members of the Commission met Japanese Ministers in Tokyo on 2–5 December last year to discuss current issues between the two sides. There have been regular official level meetings since then.

  South Africa
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives Her Majesty's Government have taken since 1979 about the repeated South African invasions of Angolan territory, the illegal occupation of Namibia and the repression of black South Africans.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have been active throughout in urging the withdrawal of South African troops from Angola. As a member of the contact group, we have also been closely involved in negotiations for Namibian independence. We have repeatedly called for an early end to apartheid, and sought to encourage dialogue between all South Africans across the racial divide.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of South Africa concerning the administration of justice in South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the initiatives taken since 1979 by Her Majesty's Government, alone or with member nations of the United Nations or European Community, regarding(a) apartheid in South Africa, (b) the illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa, (c) the repeated violation of the territory of Angola by South African troops and (d) the funding of mercenary troops in Mozambique.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have taken every opportunity bilaterally, with European Community partners, the
  513
  Commonwealth and through the United Nations to urge on the South African Government the need to end apartheid, to implement the United Nation plan for Namibian independence, to withdraw from Angola, and to pursue a peaceful policy towards her neighbours. We shall continue to do so.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the benefits to the United Kingdom of maintaining normal diplomatic relationships with South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Without diplomatic relations it would not be possible for us to influence the South African Government or to maintain contact with a wide range of opinion in South Africa including many members of the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition, the Churches and trades unions. We use our contacts with the South African Government to seek to persuade them of the need for peaceful but fundamental change, to allow the United Nation plan for Namibian independence to go ahead, and to withdraw from Angola.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to meet the South African ambassador in London; and if he will make a statement on the recent contacts between his Department and representatives of the South African Government following the decision on the Sharpeville Six of 18 March.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to meet the South African ambassador. On the "Sharpeville Six", I have nothing to add to what I told the House on 16 and 17 March.

  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South African Government regarding the new restrictions imposed upon certain organisations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend issued a statement on 24 February condemning these restrictions, following which I summoned the South African ambassador for the same purpose on 25 February. Her Majesty's ambassador at Cape Town has also made plain our views to the South African Government.

  France
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when last he met the President of France.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last saw President Mitterrand at the NATO summit on 2–3 March although they did not have the opportunity at that time for a substantive discussion.

  Iran-Iraq War
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest information on developments in the Iran-Iraq war.

  Mr. Mellor
  Although we have seen nothing on the scale of last year's offensives near Basra, fierce fighting continues in Kurdistan, where there have also been recent claims of the use of chemical weapons. The "war of the cities" involving the exchange of missile attacks on major 514
  Iranian and Iraqi cities also continues, resulting in the deaths of many innocent civilians. Attacks on shipping in the Gulf have recently resumed after a three-week lull.

  We deplore the continuation of the conflict and call on both sides to implement Security Council resolution 598 immediately, most importantly a complete ceasefire.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress towards achieving a ceasefire in the Gulf conflict.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Security Council issued a statement on 16 March reaffirming the need for immediate implementation of SCR 598, and supporting the Secretary-General's intention of having intensive consultation with emissaries from Iran and Iraq. In parallel, work is continuing on an arms embargo resolution.

  China
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when last he met the Chinese Foreign Minister; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend had talks with Foreign Ministers Wu on 10–11 March during his visit to the United Kingdom. Their agenda covered a wide range of bilateral and international subjects including East-West relations, disarmament, the middle east and Hong Kong.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of Sino-British relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  During their talks earlier this month my right hon. and learned Friend and the Chinese Foreign Minister noted with satisfaction the excellent state of Sino-British relations. We continue to work closely together on matters relating to Hong Kong, and there is an active programme of commercial, scientific, educational and cultural exchanges between our two countries.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in Kampuchea.

  Mr. Eggar
  We continue to seek the withdrawal of all Vietnamese forces from Cambodia and a settlement which would allow the Cambodian people to determine their own future, free from outside interference, through free and fair elections.

  USSR (Broadcasting)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics about freedom of broadcasting across frontiers.

  Mr. Mellor
  None. Jamming of the BBC vernacular services to the Soviet Union and Poland has ceased. We hope that the Soviet Union will take steps to end all jamming and will continue to make our views known in appropriate fora.

  Persian Gulf
  Mr. Stokes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what length of stay he envisages for the Gulf task force.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Armilla patrol will remain in the region for as long as British shipping remains under serious threat as a result of the Iran — Iraq conflict. However, we keep that presence under constant review and make necessary adjustments in the light of current circumstances.

  Mr. Peter Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will initiate international discussions to ensure the right of peaceful navigation through the Persian Gulf.

  Mr. Mellor
  There is already close co-operation between western countries which maintain naval forces in the Gulf in order to help ensure freedom of navigation. We encourage all countries with an interest in the region to contribute by whatever means they can to upholding this vital principle.

  EC Foreign Policy
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European foreign policies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon and learned Friend met his colleagues from the Twelve to discuss European political co-operation matters at an informal weekend meeting in Konstanz on 5–6 March, and again on 22 March in Brussels. He expects to discuss these matters with them next on 13 June in Brussels.

  Foreign Ministers Meeting (Hamburg)
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with what action he proposes to follow up the conference of European and Central American Foreign Ministers in Hamburg.

  Mr. Eggar
  We continue to give firm support to the peace process. The commitments which the Community and its member states have entered into are recorded in the political and economic communiqués copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's response to the European Community conference on Central American affairs, held in Hamburg on 29 February.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 4 March at column 742.

  USSR
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received from Soviet human rights groups on his recent visit to Moscow.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend met a number of refuseniks and former prisoners of conscience during his visit and accepted representations from them.516
  The Soviet authorities have been left in no doubt of our views on the human rights issues raised and the individual cases concerned.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will be making representations to the Soviet Union about human rights in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

  Mr. Mellor
  We regularly raise with the Soviet authorities the issue of human rights in the Soviet Union as a whole. Recent events in Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly the violent clashes which have taken place, are clearly of major concern to the Soviet authorities. We are following closely their efforts to address grievances and defuse tensions in the area.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek a further opportunity of raising with the Soviet Foreign Minister the plight of those long-term refuseniks such as Inna and Yuly Kosharovsky who are still waiting for exit visas.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yuly Kosharovsky was among the refuseniks with whom my right hon. and learned Friend met during his recent visit to the Soviet Union. Inna and Yuly Kosharovsky are among the cases about which we have repeatedly expressed our concern to the Soviet authorities. We shall continue to take every possible opportunity to raise with them the plight of the refuseniks.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in the Soviet Union, during the period of glasnost, in the numbers of dissidents obtaining exit visas.

  Mr. Mellor
  During 1987 more than 8,000 Soviet Jews, 15,000 Germans and several thousand Armenians left the Soviet Union, a considerable increase over previous years. While we welcome these signs of greater freedom of movement, the fundamental change in Soviet policy towards freedom of emigration which we seek is still absent. We shall continue to press the Soviet authorities to respect the right to emigrate of all Soviet citizens who wish to do so.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Soviet Union on the freedom of religion over the last year.

  Mr. Mellor
  We regularly make representations to the Soviet Union on freedom of religion, both in bilateral contacts and at the CSCE review conference in Vienna. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister pressed for greater freedom of religion during her talks in Moscow in March last year. My right hon. and learned Friend again raised this issue with the Soviet authorities during his recent visit to the Soviet Union.

  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made by the Soviet Union, under pressure from Her Majesty's Government, to grant human rights to all its citizens.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North
  517
  (Mr. Gale) on 2 March. We continue to press for further improvements in Soviet human rights performance both bilaterally and at the CSCE follow-up meeting in Vienna.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further measures are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to persuade the Soviet Government to permit Michael Kremen to emigrate.

  Mr. Mellor
  Michael Kremen's case is among those about which we have expressed concern to the Soviet authorities. My right hon. and learned Friend again raised the issue of Soviet citizens denied permission to emigrate with Mr. Shevardnadze during his talks in Moscow last month.

  United States of America
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the President of the United States of America to discuss Anglo-American relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to see President Reagan when he visits London on 2–3 June after the Moscow summit.

  Trinidad and Tobago
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend last saw Prime Minister Robinson at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Vancouver in October 1987. A variety of international and bilateral topics of mutual interest was discussed.

  Operation Fire Focus
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received from other Governments in relation to Operation Fire Focus.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 2 March at column 587.

  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on the outcome of the recent NATO summit.

  Mr. Mellor
  No direct representations have been received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on the outcome of the recent NATO summit.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on progress towards achieving a verifiable worldwide ban on chemical weapons.

  Mr. Mellor
  Encouraging progress has been made at the chemical weapons negotiations in Geneva. However,518
  complex issues remain to be dealt with, particularly on verification and arrangements for an international inspectorate, if we are to achieve an effective convention.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Governor General of the Falklands; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo) on 2 March at column 587.

  Single European Act
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on the decision-making process within the Community of the Single European Act.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave on 21 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor). Since then, qualified majority voting has led to the adoption of air transport liberalisation measures and the public supplies directive which opens up contract opportunities. It has enabled a common position to be reached by the Council on a number of other single market measures, including non-life insurance and toy safety.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the recent peace talks in Nicaragua.

  Mr. Eggar
  None. However, we welcome the resumption of direct ceasefire talks between the Nicaraguan Government and the Contras, and hope that they will lead to a ceasefire and prevent any repitition of the Nicaraguan incursion into Honduras.

  Cyprus
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the President of Cyprus in the near future.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend will have talks with President Vassiliou in London on 31 March.

  Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role his Department has in preparations for the forthcoming review of the working of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The review of the working of the Conference is to be undertaken by the two Governments. My Department will contribute to the preparation and conduct of our part in the review.

  NATO—Warsaw Pact (Conventional Forces)
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a
  519
  further statement on progress towards reducing the imbalance in conventional forces between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg) on 3 February at column 629.

  Austria
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in negotiations to associate Austria more closely with the EEC.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The European Economic Community—Austria free trade agreement of 1972 provides a basis for economic co-operation. EC-EFTA ministerial meetings take place regularly to promote co-operation in specific fields. Progress has been made recently in areas of interest to Austria, including transit procedures and frontier controls.

  Japan
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the current state of Anglo-Japanese relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  None. Anglo-Japanese relations are excellent.

  South-east Asia
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to seek to make an official visit to south-east Asia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend will make official visits to Malaysia (5–7 April), Singapore (7–9 April) and Brunei (9–10 April). The purpose of these visits is to build on the excellent relations which exist between the United Kingdom and the three Commonwealth countries of south-east Asia, and to discuss a range of regional and international issues.

  Mauritius
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Mauritian high commissioner; and what was discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and Learned Friend met the Mauritian high commissioner on 15 January during his intitial call as the new high commissioner for Mauritius in London. Topics of mutual interest were discussed.

  Refugee Camps
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often during the past 10 years Her Majesty's Government have made formal representations to the Governments of(a) Jordan and (b) the Lebanon about conditions in the Palestinian refugee camps in those countries; and when was the last occasion in respect of each Government.

  Mr. Mellor
  This information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We regularly discuss Palestinian 520
  refugee issues with the Jordanian and Lebanese Governments. In February 1987, my right hon. and learned Friend raised with President Gemayel conditions in the refugee camps in Lebanon.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the infant mortality rate in the refugee camps in Gaza and the comparable rates in(a) Syria, (b) Iran, (c) Iraq, (d) the Yemen, (e) the Lebanon and (f) Jordan.

  Mr. Mellor
  World Health Organisation figures for infant mortality per 1,000 live births in 1987 are as follows:

  Number

  Syria

  59

  Iran

  113

  Iraq

  80

  Yemen

  1137

  2135

  Lebanon

  52

  Jordan

  54

  1 Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen.

  2 Yemen Arab Republic.

  United Nations Relief and Works Agency's latest estimate is that the infant mortality rate in Palestinian refugee camps in all five areas of operation (Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan) is between 30 and 40 per 1,000 live births.

  Nuclear-free Zone
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government policy on the proposals of the Warsaw pact countries of a nuclear-free corridor along the line of contact between the Warsaw pact and NATO with a width of 300 km and from which all types of offensive weapons would be withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is our view that such a nuclear-free corridor would not enhance the security of the area. The corridor could still be targeted by weapons based outside and mobile systems could easily be moved back at a time of tension.

  Naval Forces (Mediterranean)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions he considers are required to accept the Soviet Union proposal of a freeze on naval forces in the Mediterranean from 1 July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We cannot support this Soviet proposal. A freeze on naval forces would constrain NATO's ability to reinforce Europe by sea in times of crisis, on which our defensive strategy depends, without significantly affecting the Warsaw pact's military capability.

  British Citizens (Belgium)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Belgian Government in connection with the arrest of a number of British citizens in Brussels on 2 March; what representations he has received from the families of those arrested and other interested parties; and if he will make a statement.
  521
  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has made no representations to the Belgian Government. He has received copies of statements from five of the persons who were taken into custody.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will provide information to the Data Protection Registrar, in a way that does not compromise national security, on the number, scope and extent of the certificates that he has signed under section 27 of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. It is not necessary for the Registrar, in the exercise of his responsibilities under the Act, to have these details.

  NATO (Flexible Response)
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in seeking to maintain the policy of the flexible response.

  Mr. Mellor
  The declaration issued by Heads of Government at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit confirms the continuing validity of the Alliance's strategy, which depends on an"appropriate mix of adequate and effective nuclear and conventional forces which will continue to be kept up to date where necessary."

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Eggar
  The management and computer consultants awarded contracts in the financial year 1987–88 are as follows:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assingment

  Management Consultants

  B. J. Stent, Materials Services and Consultancy

  Procurement Consultancy

  Kinsley Lord

  Review of Assistant Under Secretary command

  R. Pope

  Report on Purchasing

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Freight Tender Review

  Ken Snooks International

  Review of Thomas Cook/British Airways Implant

  SPS Management Services

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Contract

  Touche Ross

  Study of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Computer Audit Requirements

  BIS

  Review of Information Handling Requirements of the Diplomatic Service

  Computer Consultants

  Data General

  Management Accounting and Information System

  Excel Systems

  An Expenditure Forecasting System

  Kinesis Computing Limited

  Development of Overseas Systems

  BIS

  Development of Overseas Systems

  Kode Limited

  Review of Faults in Overseas Systems

  522

  Firm

  Subject of Assingment

  Towngate Software Limited

  Development of an Overseas Accounting System

  Computer Sciences Limited

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  Logica United Kingdom Limited

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  Systems Designers Public Limited Company

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  The Instruction Set

  (i)

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  (ii)

  Administration Records Consultancy

  Information and Records Management Systems

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  Psychometric R + D Limited

  Folios Consultancy Studies

  Information Resources

  (i)

  A Financial Estimates System

  (ii)

  An Overseas Estates Financial System

  Software Sciences Limited

  Advice on computer strategy and standards

  Price Waterhouse

  (i)

  Computerisation of Administration Records

  (ii)

  Replacement of Financial System

  Kings Brook Information Associates

  Replacement of System for Library and Records.

  Palestine Liberation Organisation
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the officially stated policy of Her Majesty's Government relating to the claim of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, endorsed by the Arab League and other bodies, to be the sole legitimate representative of the Palestine people; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not accept this claim.

  Anglo-Guatemalan Relations
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Guatemalan authorities about Anglo-Guatemalan relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  Both my right hon. and learned Friend and I met the Vice President of Guatemala, Sr. Roberto Carpio Nicolle, on 8 March. Our conversations covered a number of topics, including the nature of our bilateral relationship.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members of Parliament (Allowances)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he will carry out a full review of hon. Members' allowances including an assessment of staffing and equipment needs of hon. Members.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Top Salaries Review Body carried out a full review of Members' allowances in 1986. There is no case for a further review at present.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) whether he intends to increase hon. Members' research and secretarial allowance in line with inflation in 1988;

  (2) whether he has any proposals to increase hon. Members' research and secretarial allowance in 1988.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The office costs allowance will increase in line with the formula set out in the Resolution of this House of 21 July 1987.

  Select Committees (Officials)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether the "Memorandum of Guidance to Officials Appearing Before Select Committees" issued in 1980 is still in use.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have today arranged for copies of an updated memorandum of guidance to be placed in the House Libraries. The principles of the 1980 memorandum remain unchanged, though the additional guidance issued in April 1987, on evidence concerning the conduct of civil servants, has been incorporated, as undertaken in Cm. 78.

  Session

  Report

  Report or recommendations debated

  1958–59

  Procedure in the Public Business of the House

  13 July 1959

  1961–62

  Effect of Standing Order No. 58 (2) on minorities

  1962–63

  First Report

  The rule relating to reference in the House of Commons to matters considered as sub judice

  20 June 1963

  Second Report

  Expediting the Finance Bill

  Third Report

  The Recommittal of Bills to Committees of the whole House; the operation of sub-paragraph (a) or paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 1A (Exemptions from S.O. No. 1 (Sittings of the House)) in relation to Consolidated Fund Bills; renaming Standing Committees; the application of Standing Order No. 95A (Statutory Instruments, (Procedure)) to motions for affirmative resolution; the application of paragraph 4 of Standing Order No. 8 (Questions to Members) in relation to Mondays

  23 July 1963

  1963–64

  First Report

  The form of the Defence Estimates

  Second Report

  The disclosure of matters contained in the Reports of Select Committees

  27 October 1965

  Third Report

  The allocation of time to proceedings on public bills; the method of signifying objection during the time for unopposed business; opportunities for short speeches; morning sittings

  1964–65

  First Report

  Second Reading Committees; Ten-Minute Rule Bills

  27 October 1965

  Second Report

  Question Time

  27 October 1965

  Third Report

  Expediting the Finance Bill

  27 October 1965

  19 April 1967

  Fourth Report

  "Specialist" Committees

  27 October 1965

  14 December 1966

  Fifth Report

  Proxy voting for sick Members

  1965–66

  First Report

  Supply, Ways and Means, and other Money Committees

  14 December 1966

  1966–67

  First Report

  Times of Sitting of the House

  14 December 1966

  19 April 1967

  12 December 1967

  12 November 1968

  Second Report

  Urgent and Topical Debates

  19 April 1967

  14 November 1967

  Third Report

  Methods of Voting

  19 April 1967

  Fourth Report

  The Finance Bill

  19 April 1967

  14 November 1967

  Fifth Report

  Questions

  14 November 1967

  Sixth Report

  Public Bill Procedure

  14 November 1967

  12 December 1967

  1967–68

  The Dates of the Session; The Financial Year

  1968–69

  First Report

  Scrutiny of Public Expenditure and Administration

  21 October 1969

  12 November 1970

  Second Report

  The Form of the Defence Estimates

  21 October 1969

  Procedure Committee Reports
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report a list of Procedure Committee reports for each Session since 1958; and if he will list those reports which were debated on the Floor of the House, together with the date, since that date.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The following list includes the substantive reports from Procedure Committees, together with their titles or an indication of their subject matter, and the dates on which the reports, or the recommendations made in reports, were debated:
  525

  Session

  Report

  Report or recommendations debated

  1969–70

  First Report

  Ten Minute Rule Bills

  23 November 1970

  Second Report

  Question Time

  7 April 1971

  1970–71

  Second Special Report

  Joint Committee on Consolidation, etc Bills

  First Report

  Scrutiny of Taxation

  Second Report

  The Process of Legislation

  116 November 1971

  24 November 1971

  8 August 1972

  18 December 1972

  1971–72

  Fourth Special Report

  Scrutiny of Taxation

  First Report

  Election of a Speaker

  8 August 1972

  Second Report

  Debates on Consolidated Fund Bills; and Ministerial Statements

  18 December 1972

  Third Report

  Rights of Members to attend Meeting of Select Committee

  18 December 1972

  Fourth Report

  Matters sub judice

  28 June 1972

  Fifth Report

  Lords Amendments to the NHS (Family Planning) Amendment Bill

  Sixth Report

  Time of Opposed Private Business

  1972–73

  First Report

  Timing of the Budget Statement

  Second Report

  Powers of Chairman of Standing Committees, and Public Petitions

  Third Report

  Debates on Defence

  24 November 1973

  Fourth Report

  Introduction of New Members after By-Elections

  Fifth Report

  Deferment of Private Members' Bills

  20 November 1973

  Sixth Report

  Members' Constituency Interests and Select Committee Inquiries

  1974–75

  First Report

  European Secondary Legislation

  3 November 1975

  Second Report

  Calling Amendments for Division at the end of debate on a motion

  Third Report

  Late Sittings of the House

  Fourth Report

  Restriction on the length of speeches

  1975–76

  First Report

  Procedure for establishing the order of Oral Questions

  31 October 1979

  Second Report

  Order of Precedence of Private Members' Bills

  31 October 1979

  Third Report

  Tabling of Questions and Access to the Table Office

  1976–77

  First Report

  Calling Amendments for Divison at the end of Debate

  31 October 1979

  Second Report

  Method of Raising Points of Order during Divisions

  31 October 1979

  Third Report

  Voting on Opposition Motions on Supply Days

  31 October 1979

  30 October 1980

  Fourth Report

  Business of the House Motions

  31 October 1979

  Fifth Report

  Questions to the Prime Minister

  31 October 1979

  Sixth Report

  The Operation of Standing Order No. 9

  31 October 1979

  Seventh Report

  Eligibility of Members successful in Ballots for Motions and Bills to take part in subsequent Ballots

  31 October 1979

  Eighth Report

  Tabling of Amendments to Bills on the day of Second Reading

  31 October 1979

  1977–78

  First Report

  Public Bill Procedure; Delegated

  31 October 1979

  Legislation; European Communities

  17 January 1980

  Legislation; Financial Control; Organisation of Sessions and sittings

  30 October 1980

  1980–81

  First Report

  Procedure (Supply)

  19 July 1982

  1982–83

  First Report

  Procedure (Finance)

  6 December 1983

  1983–84

  First Report

  Short Speeches

  31 October 1984

  1984–85

  First Report

  Printing of Oral Questions to the Prime Minister

  Second Report

  Public Bill Procedure

  27 February 1986

  Third Report

  Questions lost when a Sitting is broken

  27 February 1986

  Fourth Report

  Short Speeches

  27 February 1986

  1985–86

  First Report

  The Operation of Standing Order No. 10

  27 February 1986

  526 527

  Session

  Report

  Report or recommendations debated

  Second Report

  Allocation of time to Goverment Bills in Standing Committee

  Third Report

  Short Speeches

  1986–87

  First Report

  A Parliamentary Calendar

  Second Report

  Use of time on the Floor of the House

  Third Report

  Early Day Motions

  1 Some recommendations were the subject of a Government Statement on 8 November 1971.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to reduce the continuing shortage of Welsh medium teachers in all secondary school subjects.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I am proposing to introduce a teacher training incentive supplement which I hope will encourage Welsh-speaking graduates to consider teaching as a career. It is designed in particular for those who need some practice and additional language immersion to give them the confidence to use their Welsh in a formal teaching situation.

  The supplement, to be paid in addition to the normal mandatory maintenance grant, will be £1,200. Selected students will he expected to attend additional language workshops to improve their command of the language. These additional attendances will take place during the vacation periods.

  The scheme will be available in the first instance for secondary post-graduate certificate of education courses at UCW Aberystwyth, UCNW Bangor, University college, Cardiff (home economics), Gwent college of higher education (CDT) and Trinity college Carmarthen (religious education). The scheme is being introduced on a trial basis for 1988 and 1989. If it leads to an increase in the number of students training through the medium of Welsh it could be extended in future years.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what programmes are presently in existence to promote the employment of disabled persons; and what initiatives are being considered to encourage employers to hire the handicapped.

  Mr. Lee
  The Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission promote the employment of people with disabilities through a range of programmes which are designed to assess abilities; determine needs; assist rehabilitation and development of skills; place in employment; and, for people with severe disabilities, provide employment opportunities. These programmes include the Department resettlement service, the quota scheme, disablement advisory service, the code of good practice on employment of disabled people, and sheltered employment programme; and the commission's rehabilitation service, and support for residential training centres. All general programmes administered by the 528
  Department and the commission are also open to people with disabilities. Information about the operation of all these programmes was published in the Manpower Services Commission's report for 1986–87. Measures to encourage employers to recruit and retain people with disabilities are the particular responsibility of the Department's disablement advisory service. The effectiveness of measures taken to encourage employers to develop an equal opportunity policy towards people with disabilities will be included in the review of policies and programmes which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced that we would be undertaking during the debate on the Local Government Bill, on Wednesday 19 March at column 346.

  Benefits (Income Support)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether individuals who benefit from transitional protection to prevent their benefit being reduced under income support will retain the protection on leaving a place on the adult training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Race and Sex Monitoring
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what information he has concerning the extent of race and sex monitoring, respectively, among major and minor industries, respectively.

  (2) how many and what percentage of the significant private sector employers visited by his Department's race relations advisory service since 1985, have introduced ethnic monitoring arrangements; and how many and what percentage were considering the introduction of such arrangements at the time of the visit.

  Mr. Fowler
  No detailed information is available on the full extent of race and sex monitoring in the workplace. However for race in the period 1 April 1985 to 31 December 1987, of 374 major private sector employers visited by the Department of Employment's race relations advisory service, 126 (34 per cent.) have introduced or are actively considering the introduction of ethnic monitoring. No records are available to show the number who were already considering such arrangements prior to the visit being made.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will institute an inquiry to ascertain the extent to which(a) race and (b) sex monitoring practices in major and minor industries, respectively, comply with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
  529
  Mr. Fowler
  I have no plans to do so at the present time.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research projects he has commissioned to ascertain the response of industry to the introduction of sex and race monitoring systems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  A research project will shortly be commissioned to investigate the benefits that accrue from the introduction of ethnic monitoring systems by employers. In so far as it does not detract from the central focus of the project, the research will cover gender and disability dimensions also.

  Tourists
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas tourists visited(a) London, (b) the rest of England, (c) Scotland, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) Wales in 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is not yet available for the whole of 1987. However, in the 12 months to September 1987, overseas residents made 9 million visits to London 7 million visits to the rest of England, 1·4 million visits to Scotland and 0·6 million visits to Wales. A comparable estimate of visits to Northern Ireland is not available.

  Tourism (North-West)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to promote job opportunities in tourism in the north-west.
  530
  Mr. Lee
  My Department works with other Government Departments and the tourist boards to promote the many and varied job opportunities that exist in tourism, and to create the framework which will encourage new jobs. Jobs in tourism are growing at the rate of nearly 1,000 a week all over the country. In the north-west specifically there was a 7 per cent. increase in hotel and catering jobs in the 12 months to September 1987.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the levels of funding for the Health and Safety Executive to carry out research in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission and Executive are responsible for the provision of funds for research from their overall operational budget. The figures for HSE's spending on research since 1985–86 are:

  £ million

  1985–86

  5·3

  1986–87

  5·4

  1987–88

  15·1

  1 Estimate.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged between 16 and 25 years were unemployed on 1 January of each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Lee
  The following is the available information, which is also in the Library. The tables show for the date closest to January 1 each year for which data are available, the numbers of unemployed registrants aged 16 to 24 years in the United Kingdom for each year from 1979 to 1982 (table (a)) and the numbers of unemployed claimants in the same age category for each year from 1983 to 1988 (table (b)). The figures are affected by the changes in the coverage of the count.

  Table (a)

  United Kingdom

  Unemployed registrants—aged 16 to 24 years

  11 January 1979

  524,724

  10 January 1980

  538,574

  15 January 1981

  930,990

  14 January 1982

  1,153,602

  Table (b)

  United Kingdom

  Unemployed claimants—aged 16 to 24 years

  13 January 1983

  1,225,957

  12 January 1984

  1,259,737

  10 January 1985

  1,286,182

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  (a).Number of complaints to CAC under section 19

  13

  62

  38

  21

  18

  18

  12

  11

  16

  13

  22

  (b). Number of declarations under section 19

  —

  10

  13

  15

  2

  6

  —

  1

  3

  3

  2

  (c). Number of complaints under section 20

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  (d).Number of CAC awards under section 21

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Youth Training
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will categorise the main areas of employment currently providing places for YTS trainees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  At 31 December 1987, 60 per cent, of YTS training was in the main occupational areas of: administrative and clerical; construction and civil engineering; selling and storage; health community and personnel service; mechanical engineering and metal processing.

  A further 20 per cent, of training was in motor vehicle repair and maintenance; agriculture; electrical and electronic engineering and catering and food preparation.

  YTS places exist in all sectors of the economy, covering almost all occupations. The Manpower Services Commission plans YTS places according to local labour
  532

  United Kingdom

  Unemployed claimants—aged 16 to 24 years

  9 January 1986

  1,245,892

  8 January 1987

  1,132,792

  14 January 1988

  893,317

  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment figures for the Langbaurgh division in(a) June 1983 and (b) January 1988.

  Mr. Lee
  On 14 January 1988 the number of unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituency of Langbaurgh was 6,800. The corresponding figure for June 1983 was 8,000.

  Employment Protection (Complaints)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many complaints under section 19 of the Employment Protection Act have been made to the Central Arbitration Committee in each year since 1977;

  (2) how many Central Arbitration Committee declarations had been made under section 19 of the Employment Protection Act for each year since 1977;

  (3) how many complaints under section 20 of the Employment Protection Act have been made to the Central Arbitration Committee for each year since 1977; and how many Central Arbitration Committee awards of improved terms and conditions have been made under section 21 of the Employment Protection Act.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is as follows:

  market needs. Two-year YTS is now firmly established and offers all school leavers quality training in modern work skills.

  This will be of benefit both to young people and to British industry, which will gain from a better trained, more flexible young work force.

  Adult Training
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the new adult training programme will come into operation.

  Mr. Fowler
  The new programme, which I have decided will be called "Employment Training", will come into operation on 5 September this year. The Manpower Services Commission is now well advanced with its detailed plans for launching the new programme and it has already established contact with a wide range of training providers. This new programme, which will have resources
  533
  of £14 billion, will enable up to 600,000 unemployed people each year to acquire the training they need to fill the job vacancies which are now increasingly available.

  Gangmasters
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now able to give the results of his Department's recent investigations into the activities of gangmasters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  Benefit fraud investigators from my Department, supported by investigators from the Department of Health and Social Security, have now concluded a major investigation into the activities of gangmasters and their workers in Lincolnshire. Of the 600 people investigated, all of whom were drawing benefits as unemployed, between 40 and 60 are likely to face prosecution for offences under social security legislation. Up to 20 of those facing prosecution are likely to be gangmasters. In addition to the likely prosecution cases 300 of the 600 claimants investigated withdrew their claims to benefit during the investigation. Benefit savings from the exercises are likely to total some £330,000.

  The Government are determined to reduce abuse of the gangmaster system in the interests both of safeguarding public funds and of protecting legitimate gangmasters and their equally honest employees whose businesses are being undermined by the dishonest in the industry. Further unannounced fraud drives will therefore take place in the areas concerned at regular intervals for the foreseeable future.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Manpower Services Commission in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Lee
  The management and computer consultancy contracts awarded during 1987 are listed below:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Consultants

  Subject of Assignment

  Jones, Lang, Wootton

  Feasibility study on untying MSC from Property Services Agency.

  Central Unit on Purchasing (Her Majesty's Treasury Consultant)

  Provide advice about purchasing arrangements within MSC

  PIEDA

  To improve local labour market operations in Scotland

  Centre for Urban and Regional Industrial Development (University of Manchester)

  Manchester labour market consultancy project

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Guidance for MSC staff on appraisal and viability of Voluntary Organisations

  Centre for Employment

  Study of operational systems

  Initiatives

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Guidance for MSC staff on implementation of item 5 above

  Armitage Norton

  Drawing up financial systems of control for community roots trust

  EOSYS Ltd

  Production of an information technology directory

  534

  Consultants

  Subject of Assignment

  Armitage Norton

  Drawing up managerial systems of control for community roots trust

  Centre for Employment Initiatives

  Study of operational systems

  Sheffield Council of Voluntary Services

  Pilot appraisal and viability test checks see 5 and 7 above

  Prospect Centre

  Develop MSC's human resource development strategy

  Sheffield City Polytechnic

  To assist central research information unit

  (2) Computer consultancy projects

  P E Consulting Services

  To study current and future needs of sheltered employment branch

  C. J. Makeson

  A study to examine MSC's proposals for, and design of a network terminal protocol

  Comshare

  To provide MSC senior management with on-line access to screen-based reports of corporate information

  Central Computer and telecommunications Agency (CCTA)

  To examine the PLECTRUM computer system, evaluate errors and security procedures

  A. J. Aykroyd

  A consultant to assist with the development of the "Master Modeller" software package

  Coopers and Lybrand

  To advise the Director of the MSC on the levels of investment the commission should make in information technology

  P A Computer and Telecommunications

  To assist MSC in the introduction of office technology in head office

  Arthur Young

  To assist MSC in deciding whether data sharing is applicable in the MSC environment

  P. E. Consulting Services

  To produce options and recommendations for stand-alone office technology systems

  Hoskyns Group

  To study the options for the continuing support of the TOPS and SPECTRUM systems

  Mr. Boothroyd

  To monitor the progress of the introduction of office technology for senior management and special measures division

  Concurrent Computer Corporation Ltd

  To test the work load capacity of the SUPERVACS system

  Arthur Young

  A consultant to provide technical support in information engineering concepts and methods

  CCTA Consultant

  A feasibility study into the expansion of the BACIE database

  CCTA Consultant

  To examine MSC's use of automated software development tools and to make recommendations for future use

  Mr. Harrison

  To produce a distance learning package for SUPERVACS operators

  Mr. Boothroyd

  To provide advice to head of computing on proposed office technology development

  CCTA

  To establish the effectiveness of control, management and working methods employed on the FMAS project

  CCTA

  To establish the user requirements, system specification and business case for central research information system

  Mr. Humphries

  A consultant to provide advice about the training access point project

  ICL

  A consultant to provide advice about the implementation of a free text multi-user database

  535

  Consultants

  Subject of Assignment

  CAP Industry Ltd

  To provide quality assurance for the SUPERVACS project

  CCTA

  To provide contingency plans to support the SUPERVACS system

  Compsoft

  A consultant to provide advice about computerisation of the staff deployment survey

  South Yorkshire Microsystems Centre

  To develop a database and provide training for the RESTART project

  Comshare

  Additional development work on providing information to MSC senior management

  P. A. Consultants

  A consultancy to provide a training course for the implementation of the office technology systems

  CCTA

  To carry out further work on the central research information system

  CCTA Consultant

  To carry out a post-implementation review of the 'VETG' reorganisation project

  Xentec

  To assist in the running of the SPECTRUM system

  J. Westgate (Consultants) Ltd

  To assist with the implementation of network terminal protocol

  CAP

  To look into the feasibility on implementing a terminal protocol on an open systems interconnection conforming network

  Xentec

  To assist in the maintenance of the SPECTRUM system

  C. Makemson

  To provide quality assurance for the various outputs from MSC's virtual terminal protocol project

  Sherringtom Software Ltd

  To provide programmers for work on the TOPS MINIS project

  CCTA Consultant

  To establish the requirements for the display of vacancies on ORACLE

  COMPSOFT

  To provide guidance on the most efficient way to design and implement an accident database

  Presenting with Style

  To provide training in the use of 'WordPerfect' software for senior officers' secretaries

  M. Wilson (Consultant)

  To carry out changes to the Supercalc system for a staff development survey

  P. A. Computers and Telecommunications Ltd

  To provide advice and assistance on replicating MSC's 'MASCOT' system in head office

  EOSYS

  To carry out a strategic review of videoconferencing requirements within the DE group

  CCTA Consultant

  To undertake a scoping study of funding, charging and management aspects of the MSC network

  ORACLE TELETEXT Ltd

  To investigate and determine the requirements of the employment service in respect of passing information from the jobcentre computer network to ORACLE

  CAMTEC

  To assist with the development of the MSC network management system

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Lee
  The following firms were awarded contracts by the Department of Employment group, excluding the Manpower Services Commission, in 1987:
  536

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of assignment

  AIMS Training

  Advice on the use of structured systems analysis and design methodology (SSADM)

  Arthur Andersen

  To prepare a full study report on computerisation of benefit-related payments

  D. E. Barnard Systems

  Post-implementation review follow-up study

  CACI

  Research on unemployment in council house estates

  CCTA Consultancy Services

  Electronic mail study

  CCTA Consultancy Services

  Non-quantifiable benefits study

  CMA Ltd.

  Ad-hoc consultancy for computer project

  CMG Information Services Public Sector Ltd.

  Comparative study of computing costs

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Review of local innovation centres

  Datasolve Ltd.

  Consultancy support to computer

  Deloitte Haskins and Sell

  Financial management review of British Tourist Authority and English Tourist Board

  Durham University Business School

  Employment of graduates in small firms

  HUSAT

  Job design and other human factors affecting operators in the NUBS 2 project

  ICL Ltd.

  Advice on the use of software tools

  ICL Ltd.

  Development of a computer prototype

  IFF Research Ltd.

  Vacancies and recruitment in Great Britain

  Logica

  System support

  Macdonell Douglas

  To produce a prototype for the computerisation of personnel records

  R O'Connor Consultants

  Information technology standards strategy study

  PA Computers and Telecommunications Ltd.

  Evaluation criteria for a major computer project

  PA Consultancy Services Ltd.

  Office automation pilot study

  PA Consultancy Services Ltd.

  Work in connection with the review of the skills training agency

  Pannell Kerr Foster Associates

  Review of the statistical needs of the tourism industry

  Segal Quince Wicksteed

  Helping small firms start up and grow; creating a supportive local environment

  Donald Smith Seymour and Rooley

  Generator replacement feasibility study

  Yale Data Ltd.

  To investigate the feasibility of local payment of benefit

  Arthur Young

  To prepare and advise on procedures for managing major capital works projects

  Arthur Young

  Enhancement to resource information system: commitment accounting

  Closed Shops
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the number of union membership agreements or closed shops, approved by ballot, in newspapers, broadcasting and other media since 14 August 1980; and if he will list those media companies where such closed shops currently exist.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department does not have direct access to the information requested. We are aware,
  537
  however, of two such ballots which have taken place since 14 August 1980. One of the ballots reached the required majority for approval, the other did not.

  Job Release Schemes
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will announce the results of the review of the rates of allowance payable under both the job release scheme and the part-time job release scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  Although the job release scheme closed on 31 January 1988, the allowances will continue to be paid to participants for up to five years. Following our annual review, the allowances payable from 11 April 1988 under the job release schemes will be as follows:

  Full-time Scheme

  For disabled men who entered the scheme aged 60, 61, 62 and 63:
  for those who are married with a dependent wife whose net income from all sources does not exceed £13 a week—£75·50 a week, taxable;
  for all other disabled men £62·15 a week, taxable.

  For women who entered the scheme aged 59 and men who entered the scheme aged 64:
  for those who are married with a dependent spouse whose net income from all sources does not exceed £13 a week —£70·25 a week, tax free;
  for all others £56·05 a week, tax free.

  Part-time Scheme

  The part-time job release scheme closed on 30 May 1986. However, the rates of allowance for those who entered the scheme on or before that date will be as follows:
  For disabled men who entered the part-time scheme aged 60 and 61 and men who entered the part-time scheme aged 62 and 63:
  who are married with a dependent wife whose net income from all sources does not exceed £13 a week—£44·70 a week, taxable;
  for all others £37·25 a week, taxable.
  (There are no longer any participants receiving the tax-free allowance on the part-time scheme.)

  Disability Benefit
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people received(a) provisional assessments; and (b) final assessments of under 14 per cent. in respect of disability benefit in the 12 months prior to September 1986; and what was the total amount paid.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: I have been asked to reply.

  The information is as follows for the period 1 October 1985 to 30 September 1986.

  Number

  Provisional assessments less than 14 per cent.

  53,850

  Final assessments less than 14 per cent.

  155,240

  1 Includes some assessments also shown under provisional assessments.

  Disablement benefit was paid in most of these cases as a lump sum gratuity. It is estimated that the total amount paid in this period was about £40 million.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people received(a) provisional assessments and (b) final assessments of 14 per cent. and higher in respect of disability benefit in the 12 months following September 1986; and what was the total amount paid.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: I have been asked to reply.
  538
  To date information on assessments is available only for the six-month period 1 October 1986 to 4 April 1987. It is as follows:

  Number

  Provisional assessments 14 per cent. or more

  5,175

  Final assessments 14 per cent. or more

  2,325

  The total amount paid on these cases during this period is estimated to be about £5¾ million. Following changes introduced in October 1986 this sum consists mainly of weekly pensions, though it includes some lump sum gratuities.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown by regional health authority of the allocation of resources to district health authorities for operations to be conducted by private hospitals to reduce waiting lists for the next financial year.

  Mr. Newton
  Our policy is that the Health Service and the private sector should co-operate to provide the best possible total health care for all patients. Health authorities provide us with data on contractual arrangements with private institutions annually in arrears. We do not, therefore, have data for the next financial year.

  So far 20 projects which will make use of the private sector facilities are in the regional health authorities' programmes for the use of the £30 million waiting list fund for 1988–89.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the waiting list figures for September 1987.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret to say that there have been continuing difficulties in switching to the new and more detailed information system which have delayed the production of waiting list statistics in a validated form. They will be published as soon as possible after Easter.

  Further work is being undertaken to establish whether gaps in the data so far collected by health authorities can be filled.

  Mental Patients
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the amounts provided for the forthcoming year by each health region in England and Wales for bridging funds for local care of patients discharged or excluded from mental hospitals; how much in each case is provided for the long-term patients still to be discharged from hospitals and how much for those already discharged from hospitals; and what the time per patient is in each case.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that this information is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of each regional health authority for the information he is seeking.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy not to announce any
  539
  decision regarding proposals for hospital or ward closures during the period when the House of Commons is in the summer adjournment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Decisions on the closure of hospitals are taken, and announced, as a part of a formal process over many months involving district health authority discussion and, where appropriate, consideration by the regional health authority and Ministers. It would not be conducive to good Health Service planning and the efficient use of resources to delay formal announcements of closures by Ministers by what could be a further three months in some cases.

  Griffiths Report
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to respond to proposals made by Sir Roy Griffiths in his report to the Secretary of State for Social Services, "Community Care Agenda for Action"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 29 March.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Moore
  Details of each management or computer consultancy awarded by the Department in 1987 are as follows:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of assignment

  Abbey Business Consultants

  General support

  Abbey Business Consultants

  Family Practitioner Committee computing requirements

  Abbey Business Consultants

  Development of General Practitioner/ Family Practitioner Committee links

  Abbey Business Consultants

  Evaluation of system for Medical Practices Committee

  Action Tech

  Medical Division clinical trial exemption project

  Applied Systems Engineering; CSC

  Departmental Integrated Support Environment

  Arthur Andersens; CSC

  Operational Strategy Services task force

  Arthur Andersens; CSC

  End to End Architecture

  Arthur Andersens

  Retirement Pension Forecast and Advice Service

  Arthur Young

  General support

  Medicines Division—IT Strategy

  Medicines Division—Adverse drug reaction

  Arthur Young

  Whole Unit Concept: internal staffing factors

  Arthur Young

  Expert system for Korner-based performance indicators

  Arthur Young; Systems Design; Enator; KPMG

  Review of forecasting, planning and control systems for local office network

  Arthur Young; Dr. P.

  Good laboratory practice

  Grasso

  Atkins Planning

  Setting targets for the utilisation of NHS residential accommodation

  D. E. Barnard

  Family Practitioner Services Data Communications

  540

  Firm

  Subject of assignment

  Binder Hamlyn

  IT User Training

  Binder Hamlyn; A. Holbrook

  Review of medicines laboratory at Edinburgh

  BIS

  Development of an implementation methodology.

  BIS

  Review of telecommunications.

  Delia Bubby

  Programming: Operational Research Studies.

  BT;CSC

  Family Credits.

  BT Talks

  Strategy Data Network.

  Campbell and Devore Associates

  Family Centres Inspection.

  Cocking and Drury; Data Logic

  Operational Strategy implementation model based on APL.

  Computer People South

  Dentists/Dental Estimates Board links software development.

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Activity sampling in Social Security offices.

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Health promotion and disease prevention—policy modelling.

  Coopers and Lybrand; Queen Mary's Medical School; St. Mary's Medical School

  Integrated Review of Resource Allocation Working Party.

  Coopers and Lybrand; Gallup; Logica; Sigma; Delgat

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny.

  CRC (Commercial)

  GP computing support.

  CSC; Falcon

  Local Office Project.

  CSC

  Service Management.

  CSC

  Strategy Product Assurance Group.

  CSC

  Overall Management.

  CSSL

  SR5 Information Centre.

  Kay Curtis

  Upgrade of Primary Care system GP/ FPC links software development.

  DEGW

  Accommodation study for occupation of Richmond Yard.

  Deloitte, Haskins and Sells

  Proprietorial lead element of pharmacist proprietors notional salary.

  Enator

  Aggregate Performance Indicators.

  Enator

  Implementation of Regional Office By Office Package in six Social Security Regions.

  Eosys

  Richmond Yard (communication implications).

  Ernst and Whinney

  Investment Appraisal.

  Ernst and Whinney

  FA/FB—Operational Project.

  Ernst and Whinney

  Social Services Inspectorate—System Specification

  Fabric Care Research Association

  Total linen management systems.

  Grafton

  SR5 Information Centre.

  ICL

  Mainframe Management System: Newcastle Central Office.

  ICL

  Retirement Pension Project.

  ICL

  Consultant (mainframe environment).

  I.N.I. Systems

  Operational Strategy: Manpower Model.

  Institute of Health Services Management

  Senior manager's pay structure plus analysis of backgrounds of Unit General Managers.

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Manpower Management Model.

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Staffing implications of Social Security Review.

  Kings Fund College

  Advice to the national development team for people with mental handicap.

  Kinsley Lord

  Management communications in the NHS.

  KPMG

  Fincare campus. Development needs of the NHS finance function.

  Linklaters and Paines; Rowe and Mawe

  Personal Pension Scheme model rules

  Local Government Training Board

  Training of senior managers in Social Services

  541

  Firm

  Subject of assignment

  Logica

  Telecommunications Network studies

  Logica

  Implications of moving mainframe to Lytham

  John McGee

  Facilitator for NHS Management Board on organisational strategies

  MAS; IJK Research; CACI; Leicester University

  Advertising on smoking

  Metron

  Interim system for Professional Information Requirements

  MOM

  Asset register

  Dr. A. T. Moore

  Pilot study in East Anglia, out-patient referral systems

  Moss Price Computing

  Medicines Division Inspectorate— operational planning system

  National Institute of Social Work

  One day seminar

  Oxford RHA

  FPC Software Training

  PA Management Consultants

  Management Information Systems for Regional Directorate

  PActel

  SR5 Information Centre

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Integrated Strategic Planning

  PHH Ltd.

  Transport fleet management and information system

  Price Waterhouse

  Review of Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  Price Waterhouse

  Service Management group

  Price Waterhouse

  Waiting List initiative

  Price Waterhouse

  YTS Feasibility Study

  REL

  Strategy Security

  Resources International; Ultra Comp.

  National Unemployment Benefit system

  Richmond Associates

  Consultancy on accommodation

  Drs. Rogers, Lockwood, Zermansky, Rose, Sandilands and Phillips (GPs)

  Review of prescribing publications and other work

  Roundhouse Marketing; J.C. Barnett

  Action on prescribing

  SIA

  SR5 Information Centre

  Software AG

  SR5 Information Centre

  Software AG

  FA/FB—Operational Project

  Spicer and Pegler

  Performance Indicators expert system

  Grant Thornton

  Domestic catering and laundry services

  Touche Ross

  GP/FPC links trial evaluation

  Touche Ross

  Dentists/Dental Estimates Board links trial evaluation

  University of Keele

  Structures in pathology laboratory Service

  WS Atkins

  Quality Assurance

  WS Atkins

  Regional Liaison general IT support

  WS Atkins

  Telecommunications: Wiring survey

  Wootton Jeffreys

  Procurement guidance

  Patients (Treatment Statistics)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each district health authority, regional health authority and special health authority and for England as a whole(a) the number of people readmitted for treatment and tests once during the last year and the proportion of the total case load this figure represents, (b) the number of people readmitted for treatment and tests during the last year and the proportion of the total case load this represents, and (c) the number of people readmitted for treatment and tests more than twice in the last year and the proportion of the total case load this represents.

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

  Abortions
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the results of the study currently being undertaken at the request of his Department into the incidence of post-abortion stress disorder.

  Mr. Newton
  The collection of data for the joint Royal College of General Practitioners — Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists "Attitudes to Pregnancy" study continued until the end of 1987. The data are still being analysed. It is hoped that some information on the psychiatric sequelae of abortion will be published this year.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of the extra £220 million being spent on family credit is attributable to the cash compensation for the loss of free school meals.

  Mr. Portillo
  The net cost of including cash in the children's rates in place of free school meals and free welfare milk, after allowing for the cost of these items which would otherwise arise, is around £65 million. It is not possible to estimate a separate figure in respect of free school meals.

  Social Security Act 1986
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what extra resources he plans to make available to his Department's local budgets to implement the Social Security Act 1986.

  Mr. Portillo
  Budgets for 1987–88 were increased by some £27 million to provide 3,000 staff for the implementation of the reforms. Thereafter, as the reformed schemes and the computerisation programmes are implemented, the Department's manpower and consequently the budgets will reduce (see Cmnd. 288-II table 15.30).

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much the maximum cost of dental treatment has risen in real terms between April 1979 and April 1988.

  Mr. Newton
  The maximum cost to the patient for a single course of treatment under the general dental service was £30 on 1 April 1979. On 1 April 1988 it will become £150, an increase of 400 per cent, in cash and 160 per cent, in real terms1.

  1 adjusted in line with the RPI.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much prescription charges have risen in cash and real terms between April 1979 and April 1988.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is set out as follows:
  543

  April 1979

  April 1988

  Percentage change

  £

  £

  Cash

  Real1

  Prescription charge

  ·20

  2·60

  1,200

  577

  Pre-payment certificate:

  4-monthiy

  —

  13·50

  n/a

  n/a

  6-monthly

  2·00

  —

  n/a

  n/a

  Annual

  3·50

  37·50

  971

  458

  Note:

  n/a not available.

  1 Adjusted in line with the RPI.

  Smoking
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what medical evidence is available to him about the comparative health risks of(a) smoking cigarettes and (b) ingesting oral tobacco products; and if he will break down this evidence as between the different forms of health risks.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Sir D. Smith) on 23 March 1988, at columns 153–54.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps Her Majesty's Government now propose to take in the light of the publication of the Froggatt report on passive smoking to persuade smokers to change to alternative methods of ingesting tobacco; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Government do not propose to encourage alternative forms of tobacco consumption, as all common use of tobacco carries a significant risk to health.

  Death Rates
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each year since 1979, the death rate(a) from drowning, (b) from accidents in the home and (c) from road accidents.

  Mrs. Currie
  Information from the registration of deaths is given in the table. Statistics for 1981 may have been affected by a dispute in the registration service, and are not comparable with other years.

  Mortality rates per million population for drowning, accidents in the home, road accidents. Persons of all ages. England and Wales—1979–1986

  Drowning 994·11

  Cause of death Accidents in the home E850-E869, E880-E9281

  Road accidents E8W-E819, E826-E8291

  1979

  23·3

  93·4

  118·5

  1980

  24·1

  86·3

  117·6

  1981

  22·8

  65·5

  82·6

  1982

  22·5

  78·3

  107·1

  1983

  21·7

  78·3

  103·4

  1984

  19·5

  77·6

  102·4

  1985

  19·7

  76·3

  98·0

  19862

  18·3

  na

  97·6

  544

  1 International Classification of Diseases—9th Revision.

  2 Age 28 days and over.

  na = not yet available.

  Operations
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list, for each regional health authority in order of frequency, the total numbers of operations performed in each of the following categories in the latest year for which figures are available(a) kidney transplant operations (h) hip replacement operations, (c) heart surgery upon infants, (d) cataract operations, (e) male and female sterilisations and (f) terminations of pregnancy;

  (2) what information he has concerning the average National Health Service waiting times in each regional health authority for operations in each of the following categories (a) kidney transplant operations, (h) hip replacement operations, (c) heart surgery upon infants, (d) cataract operations, (e) male and female sterilisations and (f) terminations of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 24 February 1988]: The total number of kidney transplants performed in 1987, by region, in which the operation was carried out according to information provided by the Unite Kingdom transplant service, is given in table I. Information on waiting times for kidney transplants is not collected centrally.

  Table 2 shows, for the remaining categories, the numbers of patients operated on in National Health Service hospitals in England during 1985 (the latest year for which the figures are available) and the median waiting times, in weeks, of those admitted from a hospital waiting list. These were estimated from a 10 per cent. sample of anonymised hospital records for in-patients and day-case patients.

  Table 1

  Regional Health Authority

  Kidney transplants

  Northern

  75

  Yorkshire

  81

  Trent

  108

  East Anglian

  67

  North West Thames

  97

  North East Thames

  126

  South East Thames

  181

  South West Thames

  42

  Wessex

  71

  Oxford

  72

  South Western

  89

  West Midlands

  125

  Mersey

  52

  North Western

  79

  Total

  1,265

  545

  Table 2

  Estimated numbers and median waiting time in weeks of waiting list cases, selected operations, by region of treatment, National Health Service hospitals, England, 1985

  In-patient cases treated region of residence

  England

  Northern

  Yorkshire

  Trent

  East Anglian

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  Operation on eye lens

  Est. No.

  59,140

  4,440

  4,950

  6,060

  3,300

  3,540

  3,290

  3,790

  Med. W.T.

  16

  13

  21

  16

  15

  17

  11

  16

  Interval sterilisation— Female

  Est. No.

  49,910

  3,200

  3,550

  6,360

  2,700

  3,810

  2,880

  3,300

  Med. W.T.

  12

  12

  17

  13

  11

  7

  8

  11

  Termination of pregnancy

  Est. No.

  47,650

  3,840

  2,930

  5,920

  2,680

  4,480

  4,770

  3,330

  Med. W.T.

  <1

  <1

  <1

  <1

  <1

  <1

  <1

  <1

  Hip replacement operations

  Est. No.

  37,650

  2,060

  2,470

  3,330

  1,560

  2,480

  3,660

  2,850

  Med. W.T.

  21

  19

  20

  25

  21

  13

  18

  23

  Sterilisation associated with delivery

  Est. No.

  9,972

  849

  1,121

  1,372

  196

  653

  719

  555

  Med. W.T.

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  Sterilisation associated with abortion

  Est. No.

  5,024

  301

  400

  608

  420

  315

  490

  279

  Med. W.T.

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Ligation or Vasectomy of Vas Deferens

  Est. No.

  3,710

  270

  310

  300

  130

  120

  360

  180

  Med. W.T.

  12

  u/r

  7

  12

  u/r

  u/r

  u/r

  u/r

  Heart surgery: 0 to 4 years

  Est. No.

  2,120

  200

  190

  80

  nil

  100

  nil

  280

  Med. W.T.

  2

  u/r

  nil

  u/r

  nil

  nil

  nil

  u/r

  n/a—Not available.

  n/r—Not relevant.

  u/r—Small sample numbers—unreliable estimates.

  In-patient cases treated

  Day cases

  South West Thames

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHA's

  England

  Operations on Eye Lens

  Est. No.

  3,470

  3,800

  2,160

  3,790

  5,000

  2,740

  5,450

  3,400

  1,570

  Med. W.T.

  14

  18

  24

  21

  27

  11

  16

  10

  6

  Interval Sterilisation—Female

  Est. No.1

  2,770

  3,350

  3,110

  3,210

  4,960

  1,790

  4,910

  n/r

  6,560

  Med. W.T.

  15

  11

  14

  13

  15

  9

  10

  n/r

  16

  Termination of Pregnancy

  Est. No.

  1,770

  2,050

  3,250

  3,720

  2,870

  930

  4,720

  390

  25,820

  Med. W.T.

  1

  1

  <l

  1

  1

  <1

  1

  nil

  1

  Hip Replacement operations

  Est. No.

  2,640

  2,730

  2,090

  2,840

  4,020

  1,550

  3,330

  20

  60

  Med. W.T.

  26

  28

  18

  22

  24

  16

  19

  u/r

  n/a

  Sterlisation associated with Delivery

  Est. No.1

  435

  327

  468

  392

  1,110

  664

  1,110

  n/r

  u/r

  Med. W.T.

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  n/r

  nil

  Sterlisation associated with Abortion

  Est. No.

  190

  295

  319

  350

  360

  145

  552

  n/a

  nil

  Med. W.T.

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  nil

  Ligation or Vasectomy of Vas Deferens

  Est. No.

  190

  470

  150

  490

  350

  80

  310

  u/r

  42,080

  Med. W.T.

  u/r

  9

  u/r

  12

  u/r

  u/r

  7

  nil

  10

  Heart Surgery: 0–4 years

  Est. No.

  nil

  200

  50

  30

  240

  470

  40

  240

  u/r

  Med. W.T.

  nil

  u/r

  nil

  u/r

  u/r

  1

  u/r

  u/r

  nil

  Brighton Health Authority
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide details of the Brighton health authority waiting list for each category of care for each year from 1979, and for each quarter in 1987.

  Number of patients on the in-patient waiting list for Brighton District Health Authority from 31 March 1979 to 31 March 1987

  Specialty

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Thoracic medicine

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dermatology

  —

  —

  12

  10

  19

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Geriatrics

  43

  13

  45

  38

  —

  9

  10

  18

  13

  General surgery

  1,696

  1,398

  1,197

  1,020

  1,108

  1,046

  1,463

  1,024

  1,138

  Ear, nose and throat

  556

  554

  436

  395

  670

  471

  477

  405

  568

  Traumatic and orthopaedic

  873

  896

  826

  907

  979

  874

  625

  678

  984

  Ophthalmology

  51

  113

  169

  131

  204

  299

  320

  207

  148

  Urology

  722

  568

  568

  494

  456

  725

  601

  553

  225

  Plastic surgery

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  18

  30

  Oral surgery

  112

  223

  129

  107

  123

  144

  164

  204

  237

  Orthodontics

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  —

  4

  1

  546
  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 4 March 1988]: The information available centrally is given in the table.
  547

  Specially

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Neurosurgery

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Gynaecology

  391

  367

  284

  345

  242

  281

  303

  413

  398

  Mental illness

  15

  39

  17

  16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  G.P. dental

  51

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Paediatric surgery1

  —

  52

  63

  —

  —

  —

  —

  360

  244

  Other

  —

  23

  24

  30

  —

  —

  33

  29

  36

  Total

  4,515

  4,250

  3,770

  3,493

  3,801

  3,859

  4,006

  3,915

  4,022

  1 between 1982 and 1985, Paediatric Surgery was included in General Surgery.

  Spending Power
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish figures, similar to those in his Department's tax-benefit model tables, comparing net weekly spending power for a lone mother with two children aged four and six years, in each of the following circumstances(a) not working, after one year on benefit, (h) earning £20 a week from part-time work, (c) earning £40 a week from part-time work and (d) working full time and earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110 and (vii) £120 per week under the tax and insurance rates announced in the Budget of 15 March, and the benefit system which will be implemented in April;

  (2) if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax-benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for each of a single wage married couple (i) with two children aged four and six years and (ii) with three children aged three, eight and 11 years earning (a) £60, (b) £70, (c) £80, (d) £90, (e) £100, (f) £110, (g) £120, (h) £130, (i) £140, (j) £150, (k) £160 and (l) £170 under the tax and insurance rates announced in the Budget on 15 March and the benefit system which will be implemented in April.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 16 March 1988]: The information requested is set out in the tables. It should be

  New lax and benefit system from April 1988—lone working mother with two children aged 4 and 6 (assuming average local authority rent and rates)

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  NI

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  40·32

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  81·95

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  34·65

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  84·38

  80·00

  0·31

  5·60

  28·35

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  87·07

  90·00

  2·81

  63·0

  23·59

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  89·11

  100·00

  5·31

  7·00

  18·83

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  91·15

  110·00

  7·81

  9·90

  15·61

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  92·53

  120·00

  10·31

  10·80

  10·99

  19·40

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  94·51

  New tax and benefit system—single wage married couple with two children aged 4 and 6

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  NI

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  40·32

  14·50

  19·12

  4·36

  9·80

  1·87

  5·85

  83·28

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  34·65

  14·50

  19·12

  2·78

  9·80

  1·39

  5·85

  83·65

  80·00

  0·31

  5·60

  28·35

  14·50

  19·12

  1·02

  9·80

  0·85

  5·85

  84·04

  90·00

  2·81

  6·30

  23·59

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  84·21

  100·00

  5·31

  7·00

  18·83

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  86·25

  110·00

  7·81

  9·90

  15·61

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  87·63

  120·00

  10·31

  10·80

  10·99

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  89·61

  130·00

  12·81

  11·70

  6·37

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  91·59

  140·00

  15·31

  12·60

  1·75

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  93·57

  548
  noted that the results are hypothetical in two senses. First, the results are based on average local authority housing charges and do not reflect the wide variety of rents and domestic rates that people actually pay. Secondly, the other assumptions used are those set out in "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits," October 1987.

  New tax and benefit system from April 1988—lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6 (assuming average local authority rents and rates)

  Not working—1 year on benefit

  Working part-time—£20 earnings

  Working part-time—£40 earnings

  £

  £

  £

  Income support

  45·35

  40·35

  20·35

  Gross earnings

  0·00

  20·00

  40·00

  Tax

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  National Insurance

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Fares to work

  0·00

  2·92

  2·92

  Rent

  19·12

  19·12

  19·12

  Rent rebate

  19·12

  19·12

  19·12

  Rates

  9·80

  9·80

  9·80

  Rate rebate

  6·42

  6·42

  6·42

  Child benefit

  19·40

  19·40

  19·40

  Free school meals

  2·55

  2·55

  2·55

  Free welfare milk

  1·83

  1·83

  1·83

  Net weekly spending power

  65·75

  77·83

  77·83

  549

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  NI

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  150·00

  17·81

  13·50

  0·00

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  98·42

  160·00

  20·31

  14·40

  0·00

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  105·02

  170·00

  22·81

  15·30

  0·00

  14·50

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  111·62

  New tax and benefit system—single wage married couple with three children aged 3, 8, and 11

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  NI

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  51·72

  21·75

  19·12

  2·70

  9·80

  1·36

  5·85

  99·76

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  46·05

  21·75

  19·12

  1·12

  9·80

  0·88

  5·85

  100·13

  80·00

  0·31

  5·60

  39·75

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  100·82

  90·00

  2·81

  6·30

  34·99

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  102·86

  100·00

  5·31

  7·00

  30·23

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  104·90

  110·00

  7·81

  9·90

  27·01

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  106·28

  120·00

  10·31

  10·80

  22·39

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  108·26

  130·00

  12·81

  11·70

  17·77

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  110·24

  140·00

  15·31

  12·60

  13·15

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  112·22

  150·00

  17·81

  13·50

  8·53

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  114·20

  160·00

  20·31

  14·40

  3·91

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  116·18

  170·00

  22·81

  15·30

  0·00

  21·75

  19·12

  0·00

  9·80

  0·00

  5·85

  118·87

  Mental Handicap Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures will be undertaken by his Department and by local authorities to monitor the quality and effectiveness of community-based services for mentally handicapped people provided by his Department, the voluntary sector, the independent sector and local authorities;

  (2) what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that Health Service managers and practitioners are informed of his Department's policy on mental handicap; and what measures are being taken to ensure that they are carrying out the policy.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 16 March 1988]: The Government's policy on the care of mentally handicapped people has been summarised and issued to health authorities and social services departments in a number of publications including "Mental Handicap: Policies and Priorities" under HN(85)2/LASSL (85)6 as annex 2 of the Government's response to the report of the Social Services Select Committee on "Community Care with Special Reference to Adult Mentally ill and Mentally Handicapped People" (November 1985. Cmnd. 9674). We shall be reviewing our community care policies in the light of the Wagner and Griffiths reports and reactions to them, bringing forward our own proposals in due course.

  Health authorities are responsible for monitoring their own services. The Department regularly assesses progress and plans through the annual review system. The social services inspectorate maintains liaison with local social services departments, monitors the development of personal social services and helps authorities to improve and maintain standards. The inspectorate has just completed a study of the implementation of the Registered Homes Act 1984, which included 11 visits to authorities and independent homes of which 18 had facilities for mentally handicapped people. The inspectorate has also completed a study of day services for mentally
  550
  handicapped people in 13 local authorities chosen to be nationally representative and a selected sample of non-statutory provision.

  The Department also obtains information about health and social services through visits and reports from the national development team for people with a mental handicap, which advises health authorities and social services departments on the development of their services and draws attention to good practice. In addition, information is also obtained through the central collection of statistics, correspondence, discussions and visits involving private and voluntary provision of care as well as the statutory authorities.

  Northern Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the average cost per accident and emergency attendance in each hospital in the Northern regional health authority in the last year.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 24 March 1988]: The information for 1986–87 in respect of those hospitals in the northern region which undertake treatment of accident and emergency patients is as follows:

  Accident and emergency patients

  Health District and Hospital

  Cost per attendance

  (£)

  Darlington

  Darlington Memorial

  12·40

  Durham

  Dryburn

  13·69

  East Cumbria

  Alston

  4·72

  Brampton

  4·87

  Cumberland Infirmary

  13·23

  551

  Health District and Hospital

  Cost per attendance

  (£)

  Keswick

  10·41

  Penrith New

  8·84

  Gateshead

  Queen Elizabeth

  17·00

  Hartlepool

  General

  20·99

  Newcastle

  General

  17·12

  Royal Victoria Infirmary

  17·77

  North Tees

  General

  16·87

  North Tyneside

  General

  17·77

  GB Hunter

  7·75

  North West Durham

  Shotley Bridge General

  21·69

  Northumberland

  Alnwick Infirmary

  15·32

  Ashington

  15·74

  Berwick Infirmary

  19·52

  Coquetdale Cottage

  33·33

  Haltwhistle War Memorial

  5·67

  Hexham General

  22·59

  Morpeth Cottage

  28·82

  Thomas Knight Memorial

  3·34

  South Cumbria

  Furness General

  18·06

  Westmoreland County

  12·75

  South Tees

  Cleveland Cottage

  10·17

  Guiseborough General

  11·41

  Middlesbrough General

  17·24

  North Riding Infirmary

  8·38

  Stead Memorial

  6·71

  South Tyneside

  Ingham Infirmary

  11·60

  South West Durham

  Bishop Auckland General

  21·97

  Sunderland

  Eye Infirmary

  6·73

  District General

  16·87

  West Cumbria

  Cockermouth

  8·37

  Mary port

  3·78

  West Cumberland

  11·35

  Workington

  9·07

  Benefits (Refusal)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total number of claimants in the Dundee area who have been refused benefit through the decision of an independent adjudication officer; if he will break this figure down according to the reasons for withdrawal of benefit; and if he will provide the information requested for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 24 March 1988]: Statistics are available only for the number of supplementary benefit decisions where benefit was refused during the period 14
  552
  April 1982 to 9 February 1988. There are no corresponding statistics for contributory benefits. The total number of decisions where supplementary benefit was refused for the above period, in the two local offices serving the Dundee area is as follows:

  Dundee East

  Dundee West

  1982–83

  3,964

  2,770

  1983–84

  3,089

  2,946

  1984–85

  2,735

  3,129

  1985–86

  3,818

  3,376

  1986–87

  4,731

  3,970

  1987–88

  3,239

  2,319

  I regret that the reasons for refusal of benefit are not recorded and that no statistics are kept in respect of benefits withdrawn once entitlement has been established.

  Departmental Offices, Bradford
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the amount paid out in single payments at his Department's local offices at Lair Russell house, Vicar lane, Bradford, and Leeds road, Bradford, for 1987; what is the allocation for the social fund for the 12 months commencing in April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: Information is not available in precisely the form requested. In the period from 17 December 1986 to 15 December 1987 single payments expenditure at the Bradford, South office was £583,457 and at the Bradford, East office it was £649,893. Information on their social fund budget allocations for the period from 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 was contained in my hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. HeathcoatAmory) on 4 November 1987, at columns 774–81.

  Cancer Incidence
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will ensure that all material relating to the high incidence of child cancer in the Humberside villages of Kirkella Willerby and Analaby is referred to the area statistics unit within the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; and if, in accordance with its remit, he will request it to report as a matter of urgency;

  (2) what progress has been made by the area statistics unit within the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in identifying and analysing unusal clusters of disease in the neighbourhood of industrial installations; and what material emanating from its work has been, or is intended shortly to be, made public.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: The small area health statistics unit (SAHSU) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is establishing a computerised data base and, in collaboration with others, developing further methods of analysing health statistics in relation to potential sources of pollution. These advances should in due course greatly strengthen our understanding of such statistics.

  Officials from Departments funding the unit met the director and his colleagues at the steering committee on 23 March. The development phase is well advanced and should be completed within two years. Before then the unit will be able to advise on any reports of unusual incidence

  553
  of disease using more limited means of analysis already available. SAHSU will publish reports of its scientific investigations in the usual way.

  My hon. Friend is aware that the East Yorkshire health authority has asked Dr. Ray Cartwright to assess the statistical evidence of local patterns of childhood cancer on Humberside. We await the results of that work, which I am told are expected very quickly. Because of the health authority's initiative and the unit's stage of development, we do not propose to ask SAHSU to investigate the problem reported on Humberside. Once the results are made available, we will take advice as to whether further studies would be helpful.

  I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for waste disposal and sport has instigated an investigation into the radioactive discharges from Capper Pass to be carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution.

  Motor Cyclists
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of stay in hospital for motor cyclists who have sustained serious leg injuries in road accidents.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The information is not currently available centrally.

  NHS Patients (Private Treatment)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of National Health Service patients cared for and treated under contractual arrangements with the private sector, by specialty and regions for each year since 1979 and the cost to the regional health authorities.

  Mrs. Currie
  [pursuant to her reply, 10 March 1988, c. 347]: Tables showing the requested information have been placed in the Library. Expenditure by specialty is not collected separately.

TRANSPORT

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any plans to extend the docklands light railway into the London borough of Southwark; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  There are no current plans for such an extension. LRT, with the London Docklands development corporation and British Rail, is examining various possible improvements in rail transport for the London borough of Southwark, including a possible extension of the east London line to Peckham.

  Railway Records
  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for consents to transfers of relics, records or premises under section 144(1)(b) of the Transport Act 1968 he has received since the Act came into force; and if he will give details of those (a) to which he has consented and (b) which related to the area of the former Great Western Railway.
  554
  Mr. David Mitchell
  We have received no applications for such consents in recent years. Records are not readily available for earlier periods.

  Non-corridor Rolling Stock (Network SouthEast)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue a direction to British Rail to withdraw, on grounds of passenger safety, all non-corridor rolling stock from all Network SouthEast routes.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Deployment of rolling stock is a matter for BR in the light of its statutory obligations, but I have discussed the recent tragic murder with Sir Robert Reid. I understand that all non-corridor rolling stock will be phased out by 1991. In the meantime it is used only on a limited number of lines and normally only at peak times. Even off-peak, non-corridor compartment coaches account for only part of the train, so that passengers have a choice between compartment and open coaches. BR is taking steps to bring this choice to passengers' attention and is considering whether further measures might be appropriate.

  Kelsall Bypass
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for improving safety on the Kelsall bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Following the two recent fatal accidents we have asked Cheshire county council, as our agents, to look at what might be done to improve safety. I expect its report shortly and will let my hon. Friend know what we decide.

  A51 (Chester Bypass)
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for constructing a bypass round Chester on the A51; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Our only proposal for a bypass round Chester is on the A41 east of the city. This will include a new junction with the A51. Line and side roads orders were recently confirmed and construction could start next year.

  Private Companies (Safety)
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to seek to extend his powers to enforce safety improvements on private companies.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We regularly seek to foster the safe movement of people and goods.

  Transport Safety
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to produce a White Paper on transport safety; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 March, at column 476, to the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Ms. Abbott).

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each management or computer
  555
  consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Comprehensive records of all contracts with consultancy firms are not held centrally. It would be disproportionately expensive to collect all the information required. The following list identifies those management and computing consultancies which began in 1987 and are valued at £10,000 or more.

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  CACI Inc. International

  NIS-TR121A and TR529 forms—Computerisation

  Files and PQs databases—Mi,nor Modification

  HMIS Development

  DDS—Maintenance and Support Lands Management System

  Central Computer Service

  Study of Highway Data needs in London

  DE Barnard Systems Ltd.

  NIS Quality Assurance—Technical Review

  HM Systems

  Further computerisation of Transport and Road Research Laboratory— administrative support services

  Howard Humphries and Partners

  Maintenance and Support of DEFLEC and CHART—road condition survey material

  Structures Database Maintenance Contract

  Bridges Database Phase 2 Merging and Standardising Databases

  JMP Consultants Ltd

  Supply and Maintenance of RMMS DCD software—road maintenance management material

  Learmonth Burchett Management Systems

  NIS Central Consultancy

  Logsys Ltd.

  3rd Party Claims Database Phase 1 Highways Inquiries Database Phase 1 and 2

  Matt Hall

  Industrial Bonus Scheme

  Matt Hall

  Vehicle Examiners in Testing Stations

  MVA Systematica

  Coding of COBA 10—cost benefit analysis system

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Logical Design for RMMS

  PE Consultants

  Provision of independent means of assessing/validating manpower levels (in AA and AO grade) in Drivers Division

  Perth Crest

  Winter Fleet Maintenance

  S. G. Bisson

  Bridges database Report Generator Pace Data Load

  SIA

  NISR/CHART Interface Contract

  NIS—Graphical Presentation Utility

  NISR and Accidents Maintenance Contract

  GPU Maintenance

  Savoy Software Science Ltd.

  Support and Development of RMMS —Two Counties Study

  Total Video

  NIS—Video Copying

  Touche Ross

  IFCOS—Stage One

  Transportation Planning Associates

  Maintenance of OSCADY

  Wootton Jeffries

  ROTAN 2—Annual average day flow of traffic calculations for census work.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The total amount spent by the Department in 1987 on
  556
  management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases, was £2·3 million.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost of administering the collection of vehicle excise duty in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by(a) collection, (b) detection of evasion, (c) prosecution and (d) other.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A breakdown of costs in the form requested cannot be provided. The function of licensing vehicles and collecting vehicle excise duty (VED) cannot readily be separated from the function of running a register of vehicles. The total cost of performing these functions together in the United Kingdom in 1986–87 was £99 million. Some £8 million to £9 million of that was Department of Transport costs of detecting, pursuing and prosecuting VED evaders. Police and traffic wardens contribute substantially to the detection of VED evasion in the course of their normal duties, and costs are likewise incurred by the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total revenue collected from vehicle excise duty in the most recent year for which figures are available; what estimates he has of the total revenue owing but not collected in that year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The net amount of vehicle excise duty collected in the United Kingdom in 1986–87 was £2,520 million. Estimated loss of revenue for that period through evasion (based on the evidence of a 1984 survey) was about £105 million. The Government are determined to increase the effectiveness of enforcement action against VED evasion. In 1986–87 £23 million was recovered in fines, back duty and out-of-court settlements, more than twice the 1982–83 total. Campaigns are an effective way of deterring evasion. Fifteen campaigns have been held during 1987–88, and 14 are already planned for the rest of the calendar year 1988.

  A38 (Roadworks)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the locations of all roadworks on the A38 (Exeter to Plymouth section); whether they are on the eastbound or westbound carriageway; what is the nature of the work; when the work was started; who the contractors are on each section; what is the contract completion date on each section; and what is the cost involved.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The current roadworks are two central reserve safety barrier installations: for 3 miles at Drumbridges; and for 2·8 miles at south Brent.

  Over parts of these sections one lane of both east and west-bound carriageways is closed as the work progresses. Both sections started last October and were due to be completed in February. Because of poor ground conditions work on the Drumbridges section is not now expected to be completed until the end of April. Work at south Brent should be completed before Easter. The contractor for both sections it; Colas Roads Ltd. and the total cost is £576,000.

  Ferries (Safety)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the safety of ro-ro ferries.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend receives frequent representations about ferry safety from organisations and individuals.

  M40
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the latest estimate of the completion date of the M40 motorway; and whether final decisions have been taken as to the number of lanes in each carriageway throughout its length.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Subject to the outcome of the public inquiry held recently into the WaterstockWendlebury section, we plan to complete the whole of the M40 extension from Oxford to Birmingham during 1991.

  The sections north of Wendlebury will be dual three-lane standard. Between Waterstock and Wendlebury, where traffic flows are forecast to be much lower, we are proposing dual two-lane standard but with the scheme designed to accommodate provision of third lanes when warranted by traffic levels. The question of standards on this section was discussed in detail at the recent inquiry. We are currently awaiting the inspector's report.

  North Report
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the North committee report on road traffic laws will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 22 March, at column 61, to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs).

  Public Service Obligation Grant Cash Ceiling
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an announcement about the public service obligation grant cash ceiling for 1988–89.

  Mr. Channon
  For 1988–89, the cash ceiling on PSO grant, will be £605 million. For the first time this year the grant will be for the Network SouthEast and provincial sectors only. The figure of £605 million makes full provision for worthwhile investment to improve quality of service and increase efficiency.

  Heathrow and Gatwick
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to respond to the report of the committee, chaired by Mr. Christopher Tugendhat, on runway utilisation at Heathrow and Gatwick.

  Mr. Channon
  I have responded today. Copies of my letter to Mr. Tugendhat and of the report which was published today by the Civil Aviation Authority have been placed in the Library.

  InterCity
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he has made to the directions given to the British Railways Board under section 3 of the 558
  Railways Act 1974, in view of the objective that InterCity should cease to be eligible for grant from 1 April of the current year.

  Mr. Channon
  I have now issued a direction under section 3 of the Railways Act 1974 which excludes InterCity services from the passenger service obligation. As a result, that sector will no longer be eligible for grant. in accordance with the objectives agreed with Sir Ronald Reid in 1986. The new direction, which replaces that issued in 1974, also clarifies the status of subsequent developments in the board's activities. These changes do not mark any change of policy towards the services provided by the British Railways Board, or in the resources available to them.

  A copy of the direction has been placed in the Library of the House.

  National Bus Company
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the National Bus Company's disposal programme.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I yesterday approved the sale of the National Bus Company's London Country (North East) subsidiary to Parkdale Holdings plc and Mr. Alan Stephenson, a bus operator. I understand that, subject to the approval of Parkdale's shareholders, the sale is likely to be completed before the end of April. This will mark the conclusion of the privatisation of NBC's bus operations.

  The substantial completion of privatisation, well before the statutory deadline, is a remarkable achievement. I am particularly pleased that the outcome of the privatisation has so clearly vindicated our decision to sell NBC's operations by means of the separate disposal of individual subsidiaries. Seventy subsidiaries have now been sold, 52 of them local bus operating companies. Some 40 of the companies have been bought by management or employee teams; and many of the sales have included provision for employee share schemes or profit-sharing schemes. NBC privatisation has helped to make a reality of our policy of spreading wealth in the community instead of concentrating it in the hands of the state.

  Separate sales have also achieved their objective of promoting competition in the bus industry. There are already numerous examples of ex-NBC subsidiaries competing with each other to provide better services for bus passengers up and down the country. Privatisation has thus reinforced and enhanced the success of our policy of bus deregulation.

  Finally, separate sales have proved good for proceeds. Individual sale prices are not being disclosed for commercial reasons; but I hope to make a statement to the House as soon as practicable on the aggregate proceeds of the disposal programme.

  In recording the success of the NBC privatisation I pay tribute to the board of NBC and in particular to the chairman of the company, Mr. Rodney Lund; to the board member responsible for privatisation, Mr. Christopher Campbell; and to their negotiating team who have worked so hard and so successfully over the past two years.

  Passenger Transport Authorities
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has considered the responses to his proposal for passenger transport authorities to bill their districts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend and I have considered carefully all the views expressed by local authorities, their associations and others in response to my Department's discussion paper. Although most respondents disliked our proposals, they did so on the grounds that the proposals will lead to mass secession from PTAs by district councils; we do not consider this will happen but will treat any applications on their merits. Moreover, their response has confirmed our view that the proposal will deliver valuable gains in accountability. The Government, therefore, intend to introduce appropriate amendments to the Bill on Report to effect the change. I have today placed copies of the responses to the discussion paper in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Cabotage
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the share of the United Kingdom cabotage market held by British shipping: and whether there is any information available as to the value of the market.

  Mr. Channon
  British-flagged shipping was estimated to have some 72 per cent. of the total United Kingdom cabotage market (by value) in 1986, the last year for which information was available. The United Kingdom has 59 per cent, of the cargo cabotage, 93 per cent. of the passenger cabotage and 73 per cent. of the offshore supply markets. In addition, up to a further 5 per cent. of the total traffic carried in foreign-flagged vessels may have been beneficially owned by United Kingdom nationals. Other EC states accounted for 12 per cent. of the total market. The value of the total United Kingdom cabotage market is estimated to be in the order of £440 million.

  Motor Cyclists
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what area of the body is most often seriously injured amongst motor cyclist casualties.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: Over 60 per cent. of all serious injuries to motor cyclists are to the legs. It is estimated that leg protectors could transfer 40 per cent. of leg injuries from the serious category to slight and eliminate 30 per cent. of slight leg injuries.

  Portsmouth City Transport
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on the application for sale of Portsmouth City Transport.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: The Secretary of State has decided to grant his consent to the application from Portsmouth city council for the sale of Portsmouth City Transport Ltd. to Southern Vectis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Mentally III People
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many homeless persons in Northern Ireland have previously been admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses;

  (2) how many homeless persons in Northern Ireland have previously been admitted to mental hospitals; and what this figure represents as a percentage of the total number of homeless persons in Northern Ireland;

  (3) how many residential places in the community will be provided for those discharged from mental hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the next seven years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what experiments in hospital hostels for discharged mental patients have been conducted in Northern Ireland; what lessons have been learnt; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Hospital hostels are regarded as part of the psychiatric hospital provision and do not accommodate patients who have actually been discharged. The hostels cater for some patients as part of their rehabilitation programmes. Experimentation with rehabilitation programmes using hospital hostels and other types of facilities is conducted on a continuing basis.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the amounts provided for the forthcoming year in Northern Ireland for bridging funds for local care of patients discharged or excluded from mental hospitals; how much in each case is provided for long-term patients still to be discharged from hospital and how much for those already discharged from hospital; what the figure per new patient is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A total of £3.45 million in bridging finance is being allocated to health and social services boards in 1988–89. This consists of two amounts: £2.45 million continued funding for schemes identified by boards in 1987–88 and a further £1 million for new schemes.

  These resources are intended primarily to assist in reducing the number of long-stay patients in psychiatric and mental handicap hospitals. However, some of this money will be spent on community facilities such as day hospitals which will also serve those outside hospital.

  Bridging finance is only one source of funding for community care schemes, many of which will also involve the voluntary and private sectors. The initiative also involves a wide variety of schemes which are at different stages of development. As a result it is not yet possible to calculate overall costs for each patient involved.

  Mental Hospitals
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the mental hospitals which are scheduled to(a) open and (b) close in Northern Ireland in each of the next seven years.
  561
  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are no plans either to open or close any mental hospitals in Northern Ireland over the next seven years.

  Rush Park Flats (Damage)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will inquire into the conditions of hallway floors and walls and the lift walls and floors since the contractors moved into the multi-storey blocks of flats at Rush Park, Newtownabbey, County Antrim; whether damage could have been diminished by the use of a small skip inside these buildings as recommended by the tenants to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and its consultants; and whether the use of a small skip would have assisted workmen in clearing up nightly and would have facilitated the caretaker in maintaining high standards of upkeep.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who has advised me that a skip could not be used inside the multistorey blocks of flats at Rush Park, Newtownabbey. Doors would have had to be removed and the lifting of the skips would have been impossible. Each floor being worked on is cleaned on a daily basis by the contractor who removes all debris to outside skips.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will inquire into the level of nuisance and disturbance, damage and general uncleanliness experienced at Rush Park, Newtownabbey, during installation of economy seven, rewiring and fitting new kitchens; what standards of work and cleanliness for work carried out by contractors for public bodies his Department lays down; and what procedures he advises the Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenants to follow when they observe damage being caused by contractors to floors, walls, lifts and security doors in blocks of flats or other property.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  These are matters for the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who has advised me that the level of disturbance experienced at Rush park, Newtownabbey, is commensurate with a major contract of this type. Standards of work and cleanliness are set by the Housing Executive within contract documentation. All materials must be to the Executive's approved specification and works must be executed by competent tradesmen in workmanlike manner and to the satisfaction of the supervising officer in all respects. The contractor is responsible for removal of rubbish, debris, sawdust and surplus material, and so on, from the site, both as it accumulates from time to time and at completion. Prior to work commencing tenants were advised at a series of meetings of the procedures to follow if they observed damage being caused by the contractor. They were informed that details should be reported to the Housing Executive district office or to the clerk of works who is regularly on site.

  Cairdhu Hospital
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the present position regarding the future of Cairndhu hospital, Lame; and whether this property will be transferred to Lame borough council.
  562
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Sir Thomas and Lady Edith Dixon hospital (Cairndhu) was closed on 1 June 1986 and action to dispose of the property was begun shortly thereafter. However, the conditions under which the hospital was orginally donated may affect its disposal and the matter has been referred to the Chancery court.

  I am aware of Lame borough council's interest in acquiring the property and will bear its interest in mind.

  Members' Correspondence
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will request, through his nominees on the Eastern health and social services board, an immediate and considerable improvement in the time taken to reply to letters from right hon. and hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Guidance was issued to boards in June 1985 on the target time scale for replying to inquiries of this type, and in the light of the right hon. Gentleman's question I will remind boards of their obligations in this matter.

  If the right hon. Gentleman has any specific complaints he would like to raise with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for health matters, he would be glad to pursue them.

  Windscale (Radioactive Fallout)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what actions the Government of Northern Ireland took in 1957 and 1958 to warn the people of Northern Ireland regarding the radioactive fallout from Windscale in October 1957; and what provisions were made to safeguard the health and welfare of the populace in Northern Ireland at that time.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No warning action was considered necessary because the radioactive material released was carried in a southerly direction across England and Wales before travelling into parts of northern Europe. It did not therefore pose any threat to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the locations in Northern Ireland where readings of radioactive fallout were taken following the fire at No. I pile at Windscale in October 1957; and if he will publish the results and dates of such readings.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I am not aware of any readings of radioactivity having been taken specifically in relation to the Windscale fire in October 1957. The routine monitoring of milk at that time for Strontium 90 indicated levels which were of no radiological significance for the population of Northern Ireland. As I have indicated in reply to a previous question from the hon. Gentleman, there was no threat to Northern Ireland from this incident, and therefore no additional monitoring action was deemed necessary.

  Trade Refuse Collection
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those district councils which, in addition to the rates, impose an additional charge per week on ratepayers for the collection of trade refuse from their commercial and industrial premises.
  563
  Dr. Mawhinney
  As there is no duty on district councils in Northern Ireland to notify the Government whether or not they charge for waste collection, the information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Brucellosis
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which dates since 24 January 1987 the dairy herd of Messrs. T and J. J. Rainey,256–62 Ballygowan road, Crossnacreery, Belfast, has been tested for brucellosis; and on which dates the results were made available to the herd owners.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Twelve animals in this herd were tested on 10 March 1987 and retested on 24 March 1987. The herd owner was verbally advised of the results by Department of Agriculture staff on 19 March 1987 and 3 April 1987 respectively. The annual brucellosis herd test was completed on 28 October 1987. Results of annual tests are notified to herd owners only when a positive or inconclusive reaction occurs. All of these tests were negative.

  Community Care
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate for expenditure on community care in Northern Ireland in each of the next three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Current accounting procedures do not readily allow for separate identification of expenditure on community care, a term which itself is open to interpretation. It is estimated, however, that approximately 26 per cent. of health and social services boards' expenditure, £624 million, is currently allocated to community services. Under the regional strategy for the period 1987 to 1992 it is envisaged that this proportion will rise to 30 per cent. by 1992.

  Community Programme
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if subsidised work presently carried out by individuals on community programmes puts at risk in any way the viability of small businesses employing craftsmen and tradesmen.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. ACE sponsors must satisfy the Department of Economic Development that proposed projects do not threaten existing businesses or put at risk existing jobs.

  Homes (Insulation)
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing the number of homes insulation grants made in each of the past three years and the total amounts of money expended.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  Date

  Grants made

  Expenditure £

  April 1985 to March 1986

  4,800

  333,647

  April 1986 to March 1987

  5,400

  346,472

  April 1987 to January 1988

  3,146

  220,284

  Orthotists
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing for each area board the number of orthotists in post for each of the last five years for which figures are available; what plans he has to increase the number of orthotists in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the orthotics service in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In Northern Ireland the prosthetic orthotic and aids service is ad ministered by the Eastern health and social services board as a regional service supplying artificial limbs (prostheses) and appliances (orthoses). The figures requested are as follows:

  Prosthetist/Orthotist

  Year

  Number

  1983

  4

  1984

  5

  1985

  5

  1986

  5

  1987

  5

  Under powers conferred by statute the Department of Health and Social Security has delegated to health and social services boards its functions of providing or securing the provision of integrated health services designed to promote the health and social welfare of the people of Northern Ireland. It is for the Eastern board to decide how best to provide this particular service in the light of its assessment of need and other competing demands.

  Health Care (Report)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the report entitled "A Survey of Expertise in the Northern Ireland Health Care Sector" written by United Medical Enterprises on behalf of the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: Yes.

  Mairead Farrell
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount of student grant was awarded to Mairead Farrell, in respect of her course at Queen's university, Belfast.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev. Martin Smyth) on 18 March 1988, at column 686.

  Castle Court Development, Belfast
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public finance is being allocated for the building of the Castle Court development in Belfast, and what percentage this figure is of the total cost.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: The Government have offered support of up to £10 million to John Laing Developments Ltd. towards the cost of the Castle Court project. This represents 18·18 per cent. of the estimated total development cost of £55 million. The £10

  565
  million will support a profit level of up to 15 per cent. of development costs. After this point the Government will share the profits equally with Laings.

  Higher Education Grants
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to monitor grants of public funds to those in higher education who have active sponsorship of terrorist organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: None.

  Teachers (Leave of Absence)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with education and library boards the case for provision for leave of absence without pay for teachers accompanying a husband or wife who has been selected to represent Northern Ireland at a business promotion or marketing conference overseas, where requests for such leave occur not more than once in five years and the school principal can make satisfactory arrangements to cover the absent teacher; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: I have no plans to do so. This is, in the first instance, a matter for the employing authority, and where leave of absence without pay is recommended by the authority it is usual practice for the Department of Education for Northern Ireland to approve.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Free Food Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amount of food which to date has been issued to the needy under the free food scheme for each country and each product; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I will provide the hon. Member with the information once the final authorisation for release of food has been given by the Commission.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department has placed the following contracts with management and computer consultants in 1987:

  Management consultancy contracts

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  1. Support of the ADAS Data Flow project

  2. IT Strategic Architecture Study

  Hoskyns Group plc

  IT Organisation/Resources Study

  566

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  Peat, Marwick, McLintock

  Development & Support of ADAS Work Recording System

  Vauntberry Computer Services

  Support of ADAS Invoicing System

  Mr. P. W. Cunlifie

  Review of Animal Medicines Licensing

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what circumstances mink farms may operate without a licence.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To keep mink without a licence is an offence under the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932. However, where discussions are continuing with an applicant in order to ensure satisfactory standards, a prosecution may not be the most appropriate form of enforcement.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the level of milk quotas in England and Wales in 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. MacGregor
  We announced on 31 March 1987 the arrangements for transferring quota from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. We implemented an outgoers' scheme to obtain sufficient quota to meet this requirement but none was offered. The provisional cut of about 0·3 per cent. that was imposed in 1987–88 will therefore be made definitive because the outgoers' scheme was unsuccessful. Compensation will be paid at the rate already announced that is, 27·49p per litre spread over seven years.

  Turning now to the arrangements for 1988–89, the House will already be aware of the agreement in the Community to reduce quotas permanently by 1 per cent. This is in addition to the 2 per cent. cut imposed in 1987–88. A Community outgoers' scheme to obtain as much as possible of this quantity voluntarily achieved only a very small percentage of the 1 per cent. target quantity required in England and Wales. The balance will now be achieved by making uniform cuts in each producer's quota, compensated at 27·49p per litre spread over seven years. This means that, compared with 1987–88 quotas, the reduction required in England and Wales will be very close to 1 per cent. in both wholesale and direct sales quotas.

  Also as a result of Community decisions, the temporary suspension of wholesale quotas in 1987–88 was 4 per cent. of 1986–87 allocations. This will be replaced by a suspension of 51/2 per cent. of 1986–87 allocations in 1988–89. Producers will be compensated for this at the rate of 6·8p per litre.

  The Government's policy has been to maximise the amount of quota which producers can use by allocating the whole national quantity; this means that if new requirements arise there is no pool of quota from which they can be drawn. Some small additional adjustments are now needed within England and Wales to allow for various needs. These include the award of quota to the beneficiaries of expropriated land awards and those producers who have successfully pursued judicial reviews of allocations made to them by the Dairy Produce Quota Tribunal. It would be prudent to reduce all quotas by about one thousandth (0·1 per cent.) to meet these

  567
  requirements. This will be done on a provisional basis pending a final assessment of the amount of quota actually required to meet the needs which I have mentioned.

  Finally, an amendment is also being made to the prescribed quota per hectare under the end of tenancy compensation provisions. This will reflect the compulsory 1 per cent. reduction in quotas required as from 1 April 1988 and the provisional cut mentioned above. This is in accordance with the assurances regarding adjustments to standard quota given in the House of Lords on 2 July 1986.

  Council of Agriculture Ministers
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting on 28 and 29 March in Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Council of Agriculture Ministers met in Brussels on 28–30 March 1988. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The major business at this meeting was to conclude discussion on a stabiliser for the wine sector necessary to complete the European Council summit package on agriculture. The negotiation was long and difficult. I had to resist strong pressure from wine-producing countries to weaken the proposals, but I am pleased to report to the House that the Council finally agreed that a much more rigorous price should be set for the quantity of surplus wine which producers are required to send for distillation. Under the arrangements agreed, the price paid to producers for this obligatory distillation will be reduced by more than half. This severe drop in price support will encourage producers to reduce production by grubbing up part or all of their vineyards. Those who opt to do so will be eligible for single payments and may be exempted from the obligation to distil a proportion of their wine production. This is a tough arrangement to tackle costs and surpluses in this sector and is fully consistent with the outcome of the European Council.

  The Commissioner for Agriculture formally presented his price proposals for 1988 and Ministers had a first exchange of views on them. I made clear the importance the Government attach to the Community pursuing a strict price policy and containing the cost of the price settlement within the guideline agreed by the European Council. I stressed the current level of negative monetary compensatory amounts in the United Kingdom, reminded the Council of my strong support for the Commission objective of the removal of MCAs by 1992 and argued for measured steps towards their objective this year. Specifically on pigmeat, I pressed for complete devaluation of the United Kingdom green rate in the pig sector where monetary compensatory amounts are clearly causing market distortion.

  The Council reached agreement on new terms for pigmeat production aids. I continue to believe that it is wrong to have Community financing of grant-aided schemes which encourage pig production at a time when the pig sector is under pressure and the Community is more than self-sufficient. I would have liked to see these grants phased out immediately but a majority of member states were in favour of retaining them. However, by continuing to press our case I succeeded in considerably reducing their impact on pig production from the end of
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  March, by reducing the number of pig places per holding eligible for grant. The grants will also now cease on 31 December 1990 unless the Council decides otherwise.

  The Council adopted two proposals for revision of production aid for olive oil. Under this system, on current estimates of the last harvest aid will be cut this season by 11 per cent.

  In the absence of agreement on price levels for milk and beef for the coming marketing years, which were due to begin on 1 and 4 April respectively, the Council agreed to extend the current marketing years for those commodities to 30 April.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has determined the market support prices for potatoes to apply in Great Britain for the 1988–89 crop year beginning on 1 July.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Agriculture Ministers have consulted the farmers' unions about the market support arrangements to apply for the 1988–89 crop year. Ministers have decided to authorise the F'otato Marketing Board to enter into pre-season contracts with producers to purchase not more than 300,000 tonnes of potatoes over the period November 1988 to May 1989 at a scale of prices not exceeding a weighted average of £53 per tonne. Within the 300,000 tonnes limit the board is free to decide what tonnage to place under contract. We have also authorised the board to intervene directly on the market throughout the season where this will ensure that support can be carried out more cheaply than by purchasing tinder contract, provided that the total intervention during 1989–90 does not exceed 500,000 tonnes. The target area for potato plantings in Great Britain, another important factor in market stability, was fixed last July at 156,000 hectares.

  Radioactivity
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review his current methods of monitoring for radioactivity post-Chernobyl, in view of the recent discoveries of high levels of radioactivity in soil.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 28 March 1988]: The principal objective of my Department's monitoring programme is to ensure the safety of foodstuffs. Whilst my Department is constantly reviewing its methods in the light of scientific and other developments, radioactivity levels in soils are only indirectly related to the level of radioactivity in food.

  ADAS Advice
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food how many farmers received respectively, commercial advice and advice on conservation and pollution, animal welfare and diversification, at their own request, from Agricultural Development and Advisory Service officials in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
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  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 29 March 1988]: Information is not available in the form requested. ADAS advisers have provided farmers with advice on animal welfare, environmental affairs and other relevant subjects in the course of advising on other matters and during special visits.

  Free Food Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the local authorities and 570
  voluntary organisations that have indicated a willingness to participate in the European Community free food scheme in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 18 March 1988]: I am currently considering applications for designation under the scheme received from a number of charitable and other organisations and from certain local authorities. I shall announce the list of designated organisations as soon as possible.

  THE NORTH: CAPITAL FORMATION
  THE NORTH: CAPITAL FORMATION
  RECORDED MUSIC BROADCASTING: MMC REFERRAL
  RECORDED MUSIC BROADCASTING: MMC REFERRAL
  BERKSHIRE AND CLEVELAND: UNEMPLOYMENT AND VACANCY FIGURES
  BERKSHIRE AND CLEVELAND: UNEMPLOYMENT AND VACANCY FIGURES
  UNFAIR DISMISSAL COMPLAINTS
  UNFAIR DISMISSAL COMPLAINTS
  ABM DEPLOYMENT
  ABM DEPLOYMENT
  OCEAN SURVEILLANCE CENTRE
  OCEAN SURVEILLANCE CENTRE
  PLESSEY AEROSPACE CONTRACT
  PLESSEY AEROSPACE CONTRACT
  SDI DELTA 181: US EXPERIMENTS
  SDI DELTA 181: US EXPERIMENTS
  US SUBMARINE RESEARCH
  US SUBMARINE RESEARCH
  NI PRISON DEPARTMENT: PLEASURE AND LIFE SENTENCE CASES
  NI PRISON DEPARTMENT: PLEASURE AND LIFE SENTENCE CASES
  CENTRE FOR THE DEAF AND SPEECH THERAPY: FUTURE
  CENTRE FOR THE DEAF AND SPEECH THERAPY: FUTURE
  NI: DRIVING OFFENCES
  NI: DRIVING OFFENCES