Written Answers of 3 May 1988

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Justice Review
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the civil justice review to be published, pursuant to his statement of 16 December,Official Report, column 1212.

  The Attorney-General
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor received the report of the civil justice review on 28 April. He has given instructions for the report to be printed and will present it to Parliament as soon as possible. It is expected that this will be early in June.

ENERGY

  Electricity Industry
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in the light of his proposals to privatise the electricity supply industry, he will issue a direction to the Central Electricity Generating Board to withdraw all its formal applications for the construction of new power stations under section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909, until such time as the future pattern of the industry has been settled.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. Until new legislation is brought forward and passed by Parliament, the Central Electricity Generating Board continues to have a statutory obligation to supply. It therefore remains its responsibility to plan sufficient generating capacity to meet the need for electricity in England and Wales.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Lesotho
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list current development projects in Lesotho for which United Kingdom national, Commonwealth or European Community assistance is given and the value of that assistance.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Under the bilateral aid programme to Lesotho, Britain is currently financing the following projects at a total cost of £8·078 million:

  Projecl

  £ million

  Village Water Supplies

  1·475

  Rural sanitation

  0·223

  Maseru sewerage

  0·444

  Maseru urban sanitation

  0·588

  Forestry

  1·006

  Government Computer Centre

  0·530

  National Development Corporation Line of Credit

  1·126

  Road Improvement Unit

  2·624

  Mabote Site and Services

  0·034

  Livestock Improvement Centres

  0·028

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  In addition we expect to spend about £2·4 million in 1988–89 on technical co-operation activities. The Commonwealth fund for technical co-operation is currently funding with grants estimated at £153,000 a number of projects in Lesotho involving the provision of experts. Projects in Lesotho currently being financed by the European Community from the fifth and sixth European development funds are as follows:

  Total cost £ million

  (a) Grants

  Mekaling-Quthing road

  6·76

  Mohale's Hoek-Mekaling road

  3·65

  Mphaki Area Development II

  2·55

  Asparagus expansion scheme

  3·28

  Highlands water scheme

  6·55

  Manpower development programme

  5·31

  Levotholi Polytechnic

  0·41

  Lesotho Airways Corporation

  1·48

  Lesotho Customs services

  0·09

  Institute of Public Administration

  0·31

  Studies (irrigation, agricultural water supply, health, finance, vet services)

  0·43

  (b) Special loans

  Mohale's Hoek-Mekaling road

  6·07

  Mekaling-Quthing road

  0·35

  (c) Risk Capilal

  Lesotho National Development Corporation

  2·07

  Highlands water scheme

  2·41

  41·72

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the United Kingdom contributions to Lesotho through national, Commonwealth and European Community action in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  United Kingdom bilateral aid expenditure and the estimated British share of Commonwealth and European Community aid expenditure to Lesotho since 1983 have been as follows:

  £000s

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  United Kingdom bilateral aid

  4,695

  5,233

  2,382

  3,784

  Estimated United Kingdom share of European Community aid

  840

  1,300

  1,340

  950

  Estimated United Kingdom share of Commonwealth aid1

  80

  37

  30

  46

  1 Figures cover the period June-July.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what measures he has taken, or proposes to take, to assist the Lesotho Government to strengthen their national economy and decrease their dependence on the economy of the Republic of South Africa;

  (2) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the role of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference as an agency for diminishing Lesotho's economic dependence on the Republic of South Africa.
  345
  Mr. Chris Patten
  All our bilateral aid to Lesotho aims to strengthen the national economy. In addition we support the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference, of which Lesotho is a member.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment is available to him of Lesotho's repayment of foreign debt; and to which countries repayment has not been made.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The figures in the table show the debt service payments which were due and estimates of the actual payments made on public and publicly guaranteed debt from 1984 to 1987. I am not aware of any countries which have failed to receive repayments due from Lesotho.

  Debt Service Payments $US millions

  Due

  Paid

  1984

  20

  21

  1985

  18

  18

  1986

  12

  14

  1987

  13

  13

  Source: World Bank World Debt Tables and IMF Staff Papers.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment is available to him on the level of economic growth in Lesotho in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The rate of economic growth in Lesotho as measured by the estimated growth in the gross domestic product is as follows for each year since 1983.

  Percentage growth rate of GDP

  Per cent.

  1984

  9·4

  1985

  3·8

  1986

  2·2

  1987

  2·8

  Source: IMF Staff Papers.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the extent to which Lesotho has benefited from joining the Lomé convention and been given improved access to European Community markets.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Over the five years to 1990 Lesotho will get 41 million ecu (about £28 million) in planned aid from the European development fund, in addition to benefiting from SADCC and other regional projects. Lesotho also receives lending from the European Investment Bank, finance under the Stabex scheme, and emergency aid.

  Under the Lomé convention, Lesotho's exports of its industrial products and the great majority of its agricultural products enter the Community free of tariff or other restrictions.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  London (Specialist and Support Services)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what feasibility studies were carried out before hand on the extent to which successor authorities to the Inner London education authority would be able to run specialist and support services and employ special advisers in the event of abolition.
  346
  Mrs. Rumbold
  In putting forward their proposals, the Government took account of the fact that outer London and other metropolitan borough authorities maintain services such as those referred to by the hon. Member. Detailed discussions on such services will clarify any further work required to ensure continuity.

  School Governors>
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those local education authorities which are providing training courses for school governors at public expense.

  Mr. Dunn
  A survey conducted recently on behalf of the Department suggested that most local education authorities provide some school governor training. Section 57 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 places on every local education authority to provide every school governor with such training as the authority considers necessary for the effective discharge of the governor's functions. This duty will take effect from 1 September 1988 for county and maintained special schools, and 1 September 1989 for voluntary schools.

  Police-School Liaison
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken on the recommendations of the joint teachers' association, Police Federation working party report on police — school liaison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government welcome co-operation between the teaching profession and the police as reflected in this report. Liaison between police and schools is important not only for education itself, but also for the prevention of crime and for maintaining the essential relationship of trust and confidence between the police and the public.

  The report covers very similar grounds to that covered by a report produced jointly by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Society of Education Officers in 1986. The Government circulated this report to all schools and police forces. Both the Home Office and the Department of Education and Science have worked in hand to identify and disseminate examples of good practice in police-schools liaison. The Home Office is financing a research project to evaluate the effectiveness of various methods of police-schools liaison and Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools has begun an examination of good practice in a number of local education authorities.

  The arrangements for police-schools liaison need to be developed locally. We understand that since the publication of the 1986 report local working parties have been set up in many areas to develop joint police-schools programmes.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations are currently taking place with teachers and local education authorities on pay increases.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend wrote on 19 April to the local authority associations, the teacher unions and
  347
  bodies representing the interests of the governors of voluntary schools setting out his proposal to implement the recommendations on pay rates of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions. This letter invited the consultees to say if they would like a meeting with him or with officials, such meetings to take place by 13 May. A number of such meetings have been arranged.

  Education Expenditure (Kirklees)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the expenditure per pupil for primary and secondary schools in Kirklees metropolitan council area for each year from 1982 to the present date.

  Mr. Dunn
  The net institutional recurrent expenditure per pupil by Kirklees local education authority in primary and secondary schools in the years 1981–82 to 1986–87, the latest date for which actual data is available, is set out in the table:

  Expenditure1 per pupil in Kirklees—1981–82 to 1986–87

  Primary £

  Secondary £

  1981–82

  590

  780

  1982–83

  650

  855

  1983–84

  675

  880

  1984–85

  720

  960

  1985–86

  785

  1,055

  1986–87

  875

  1,250

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

  Note: All figures are in cash terms

PRIME MINISTER

  Advertising
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish a list of advertising contracts awarded by the Government in respect of the advertising programmes by the Government for the financial year 1987–88.

  The Prime Minister
  The following agencies were approved to work on the following campaigns contracted through the Central Office of Information for the financial year 1987–88.

  Agencies

  Campaigns

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners Limited

  Crime Prevention Prison Office Recruitment

  Electoral Register

  Koestler Awards

  Absent Voters

  Army Officer Recruitment

  British Nationality Act

  Rolls Royce Flotation

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners Ltd.—

  Small Business Advisers Data Subjects

  Financial

  Offshore Supplies Office

  Slaymaker Cowley White/BDG Ltd.

  Army—Other Ranks Police Recruitment

  George Hynes and Partners (Ireland) Ltd.

  Army—Northern Ireland

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  Agencies

  Campaigns

  Young and Rubicam Ltd.

  Navy Recruitment

  FCO Limited

  Fire Prevention

  Jobshare

  Job Release

  Waldron Allen Henry and Thompson

  Anti Car Tax Evasion Road Safety/Drink and Drive

  DDB Needham Worldwide

  Road Construction Taxi sharing

  Zeebrugge Disaster

  Rabies Prevention

  Farming and the Countryside

  Association of Drainage Authorities

  Companies Registration Office

  National Engineering Laboratory

  Patents Office

  Queen's Award

  Transonic Wind Tunnel

  Small Firms Merit Awards

  The Cuba Desk Campaign

  Towards Integration

  National Engineering Laboratory Seminars

  National Physical Laboratory

  Custom Silicon

  King's Cross Disaster

  CB Radio Licence Evasion

  J. Walter Thompson Company Limited

  Recruitment—Air Force BAA flotation

  Now's the time to export

  Yellowhammer Advertising Company Limited

  Employ the Unemployed Job Club

  Davidson Pearce Limited

  Action for Jobs

  Career Loans

  Gold Greenlees Trott Advertising Limited

  The Employment Service Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  Dorland Advertising Limited

  Mobile Tax Centre Campaign Reforms Information Pack

  Income Support

  Maternity Benefit

  Family Credit

  Pensions

  National Insurance Uprating

  Working with Drug Users

  Widows Benefit

  Housing Benefit

  Winter Warmth

  Funeral Grants

  Anti Smoking

  Special Payments

  Dental Charges

  Recruitment—Customs Officers

  Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising

  Youth Training Scheme Community Programme

  Dewe Rogerson Limited

  British Gas Flotation 2nd Call

  BP Flotation

  TBWA Limited

  Nurse Recruitment

  AIDS

  Blood Donor Recruitment

  Benton and Bowles Recruitment Limited

  Teaching as a Career

  349

  Agencies

  Campaigns

  Leo Burnett Limited

  Job Training Scheme

  Ayer Barker Limited

  Financial Services Act

  WCRS Mathews Marcantonio

  National Training Award Corporate Advertising

  WBH Advertising Limited

  Training Courses Fit for Work

  Sheltered Employment Procurement and Consultancy Service

  Job Centres

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish by Government Departments the latest estimate of expenditure on advertising for the financial years 1978–79 to 1987–88 and the forecast, if any, for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90, giving in each case a breakdown of advertising in(a) television and (b) elsewhere.

  The Prime Minister
  Information on publicity costs, including advertising, is not held centrally except where the expenditure incurred was through the Central Office of Information.

  Expenditure on advertising for the year 1978–79 through COI on behalf of Government Departments was £18·8 million.

  Details of departmental expenditure on publicity, including advertising, for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 were supplied by Ministers in response to questions from the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) and published in the Official Report November—December 1986, July 1987 and December 1987-January 1988.

  Forecasts for 1988–89 and 1989–90 are a matter for individual Ministers and are not available centrally.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Prime Minister if the press offices of Government Departments are involved in the preparation of Government advertisements.

  The Prime Minister
  The deployment of staff in Government Departments is a matter for the Ministers in charge of the Departments.

  Departmental Correspondence
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the progress of the leak inquiry relating to the exchange of information between Mr. Paul Gray of her private office and the office of the Secretary of State for the Environment, concerning the poll tax and housing benefit.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 14 March 1988 at column 425.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the progress of the investigation into the unauthorised disclosure of a memorandum from her office to the Secretary of State for Scotland on the issue of opting out in Scottish school board legislation.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to my reply of 15 April to the hon. Member at column 254.

  Great Ormond Street Hospital
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister when the news media were informed of her intended visit to the Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children.

  The Prime Minister
  In the normal way, the press was informed shortly before the visit took place.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister why she did not inform the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras about her recent official visit to Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children; on what date the visit was decided upon; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  It is my consistent practice to inform any Member of a visit to his or her constituency shortly before the visit is due to take place. It has not, however, been my practice to do so when the visit is in the central London area. I have been hoping to visit Great Ormond street for some time.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the estimated cost to public funds of her visit to the Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children.

  The Prime Minister
  The costs of visits of this nature are not readily identifiable.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister why Her Majesty's Government have refused to fund fully the refurbishment of the Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government are planning to commit over £27 million to this scheme. It was agreed with the trustees at the outset that private funds would play a major part in the development. This is entirely consistent with Government policy and I welcome the generosity and commitment already shown by industry, commerce and the general public.

  Strathclyde (Educational Changes)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting between Professor Brian Griffiths and parents in Strathclyde about educational changes.

  The Prime Minister
  Professor Griffiths, the head of my policy unit, like the other members of the unit, meets a wide variety of people in the course of his work. It is not my normal practice to comment on any such specific discussions.

  Rail Travel
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since May 1979 she has travelled by train while engaged on official business.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 14 April 1988 column 219. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 22 April 1988 column 583, I travelled by train in February 1987.

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters she has received regarding the changes in social security; and to how many she has replied to date.
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  The Prime Minister
  I have received many such letters, from right hon. and hon. Members and others. Replies are sent as soon as possible. Some are transferred to the Department of Health and Social Security because they require details of personal cases and fall within the responsibility of that Department.

  Office Staff
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants in her office are engaged on a regular basis in preparation for Prime Minister's Question Time.

  The Prime Minister
  A number of officials in my office are engaged in preparation for Question Time, in addition to their other responsibilities.

  Civil Servants (Press Briefings)
  Mr. John
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will, pursuant to the answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 97, to the hon. Member for Pontypridd on the criteria governing civil servant press briefings, investigate the circumstances in which Mrs. Elizabeth Attridge and Mr. Grant Meaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food came to hold a press briefing on 21 April dealing with an Opposition research document, in the light of the criteria for the political neutrality of civil servants; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I am advised that no such press briefing has taken place. If, during the course of briefings given for declared reasons, journalists ask for comments on criticisms of the Departments' handling of a particular matter, factual answers will be given.

EMPLOYMENT

  Small Firms
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from small firms following the Budget proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Small firms have welcomed the changes announced recently in the Budget. In particular the reductions in rates of personal taxation represent a further encouragement to the strong and expanding small firms sector.

  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the small firms service.

  Mr. Cope
  The small firms service, through its information and counselling arms, works to promote the growth of viable and profitable small businesses, and is increasingly developing its help to established businesses. In 1987–88, in England, it handled more than 266,000 inquiries and gave 39,138 counselling sessions. Inner city businesses are receiving extra help with the establishment in 1988 of six new inner city offices and the recruitment of specialist business advisers. The service's annual report for 1987–88 is planned for publication in the summer.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed and if he will make a statement.
  352
  Mr. Lee
  The latest estimates show that the employed labour force in Great Britain numbered 24,654,000 in December 1987. The employed labour force has now risen for 19 successive quarters, and by more than half a million in the last year alone.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in unemployment since May 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  Between May 1979 and March 1988 the seasonally adjusted level of adult unemployment increased by 117 per cent. on a consistent basis. However, since July 1986 unemployment has been falling. It is now 2,504,800 the lowest figure since December 1981.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in employment levels in the south-west since 1983.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest estimates show that the civilian employed labour force in the south-west region increased by 121,000 between December 1983 and December 1987.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the most recent percentage unemployment figure in the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Lee
  The unemployment rate in the European Community was 10·4 per cent. seasonally adjusted, in February 1988.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many more people are employed in East Anglia currently than in 1983.

  Mr. Lee
  By December 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian employed labour force in East Anglia had increased by 159,000 compared with December 1983. The civilian employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment and the self-employed.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the disparities between male and female unemployment in various parliamentary constituencies, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Daventry of 11 March,Official Report, column 371.

  Mr. Lee
  The level of both male and female unemployment varies with local labour market conditions, but the variations tend to be more marked among men than among women. Therefore, there are local variations in the ratios of female to male unemployment.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of unemployment in the west midlands, and what was the figure 12 months ago.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on levels of unemployment in the west midlands.

  Mr. Lee
  On 10 March 1988, the number of unemployed claimants in the west midlands region, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, was 254,800. This is a fall of 61,300 since March 1987 when the comparable figure was 316,000, nearly 20 per cent. lower.
  353
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the comparable current unemployment levels in the United Kingdom and other Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Following is the information for all the Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation countries for which standardised unemployment rates are available.

  International unemployment rates1, seasonally adjusted

  per cent.

  Latest month

  Australia

  7·4

  February

  Belgium

  10·4

  February

  Canada

  7·8

  February

  Denmark2

  5·7

  February

  Finland

  5·1

  February

  France

  10·6

  February

  Germany

  6·5

  January

  Greece2

  7·4

  April 1987

  Ireland2

  19·0

  February

  Italy2

  11·3

  February

  Japan

  2·7

  January

  Luxembourg2

  3·0

  February

  Netherlands

  9·6

  February

  Norway

  2·2

  November

  Portugal

  6·8

  August

  Spain

  19·6

  November

  Sweden

  1·6

  February

  United States

  5·6

  February

  United Kingdom

  9·0

  February

  1 OECD standardised unemployment rates except where otherwise stated.

  2 Harmonised unemployment rates published by the Statistical Office of the European Community.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployment throughout the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  On 10 March 1988 seasonally adjusted adult unemployment in the United Kingdom was 2,504,800—a fall of 27,800 since February and the lowest figure, on a consistent basis, since December 1981.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of unemployed claimants to unfilled vacancies in jobcentres, using current measurement criteria, in(a) May 1979 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lee
  Vacancy figures are not available, on a consistent basis, for May 1979. The earliest available figures, January 1980 are given in the table, together with the March 1988 figures. The figures are on a consistent basis with current definitions. It is not meaningful to calculate a ratio of unemployment claimants to unfilled vacancies at jobcentres, since only about a third of all vacancies in the economy are notified to jobcentres.

  United Kingdom

  January 1980

  March 1988

  Unfilled Vacancies (seasonally adjusted)

  193,400

  245,500

  Unemployment Claimants (seasonally adjusted excluding school-leavers)

  1,141,200

  2,504,800

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  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he intends to take to promote equal opportunities for the deaf in the new adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  All training agents and training managers in employment training will be required to have an effective equal opportunities policy. The individual assessment available to everyone in employment training will help to identify whether any additional help is needed for people who have hearing difficulties to enable them to participate fully in the programme. Depending on identified needs, extra assistance could include a communicator service, the loan of special equipment, and the possibility of a supplementary grant for training managers for higher cost training.

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the rate of the fall in unemployment in the last 12 months in Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of persons unemployed in Yorkshire and Humberside; and how this figure compares with the position 12 months ago.

  Mr. Lee
  In March 1988 seasonally adjusted adult unemployment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region was 243,400; a fall of 50,100, over 17 per cent. lower than a year ago.

  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people currently in employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on current trends in employment levels in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  In December 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, the employed labour force in the United Kingdom was 25,200,000. This is an increase of 501,000 since December 1986. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and Her Majesty's forces. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.

  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed in the north-east region of England; what were the comparable figures 12 months ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The latest available information is taken from the September 1984 census of employment. There were then 882,700 employees in employment, excluding self-employed people and members of Her Majesty's forces, in the north-east region of England. More comprehensive and up-to-date employment statistics can be provided for the standard economic regions. These show that in December 1987, the civilian employed labour force in the northern region was 1,209,000. The figure for 1986 was 1,193,000. The civilian employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment and the self-employed.

  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment in south Yorkshire.
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  Mr. Lee
  In March 1988, the number of unemployed claimants in the county of South Yorkshire was 88,220, a fall of 13,930 or 13·6 per cent. since March 1987.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many long-term unemployed people there were in June 1983 and in March 1988; and what assessment he has made of their employment prospects for the next year.

  Mr. Lee
  Unemployment figures are analysed only by duration quarterly. On 14 January 1988 (the latest available date) the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in the United Kingdom was 1,100,615. The figure for July 1983 was 1,050,431. The comparison is affected by changes in the coverage of the count. Long-term unemployment has fallen by 234,000 over the last 12 months, the largest fall on record.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment in the north-west; what was the comparable level 12 months ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  In March 1988, the level of seasonally-adjusted adult unemployment in the north-west region was 347,800, compared with 413,000 in March 1987, a fall of almost 16 per cent. over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the number of jobs lost in the Rotherham-Mexborough travel-to-work area during the last six months; what specifically is the number of jobs lost in the last few days at the Swinton glassworks; and what is the number of full-time vacancies at the present time.

  Mr. John Lee
  The information on jobs lost in the Rotherham and Mexborough travel-to-work area, for the period requested, is not available.

  Information given to the Department under the redundancy provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975 and the redundancy provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 is given in confidence and remains confidential until made public by the company concerned. On 4 March 1988 the number of full-time unfilled vacancies at jobcentres covering an area closely corresponding to the Rotherham and Mexborough travel-to-work area was 325.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  Since the enterprise allowance scheme began in 1982, just over 333,000 unemployed people have been helped to start their own business. 110,000 places will be available during the current year.

  YTS
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the progress of YTS.

  Mr. Norman Fowler
  Two-year YTS was introduced in April 1986 and the programme is now firmly established as the major route from school to work, providing training for around 60 per cent. of all 16 and 17-year-old entrants 356
  to the labour market. Three quarters of all young people leaving YTS go into a job, full-time education or further training.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for YTS trainees going into work or further education and training.

  Mr. Lee
  The Manpower Services Commission conducts regular follow-up surveys of all YTS leavers. The latest results show that 75 per cent. of young people who left YTS schemes betweeen April 1986 and October 1987, were in work, further education or training at the time of the survey.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are currently on YTS training schemes.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At the end of March 1988 the Manpower Services Commission management information system shows some 389,000 in training on YTS. This figure represents an impressive achievement in convincing young people the value of training. It also represents significant progress towards our objective that all young people under 18 years of age should have the opportunity either to continue in full-time education or of entering a period of work experience combined with work-related training and education.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of YTS participants leave the scheme with a recognised qualification.

  Mr. Cope
  Until recently, as a result of the conversion to two-year YTS, 90 per cent. of leavers were early leavers and therefore not representative. Most young people will not have completed their two-year training programme until after March 1988. A national survey of those trainees who have stayed into their second year shows that 54 per cent. have already gained a qualification, and that a significantly higher proportion will have entered for a qualification by the end of their second year.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what forecast he has on the growth of inbound Channel tourism following the construction of the Channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Numbers of visitors to this country from the rest of Europe have been rising, and in 1987 reached the record number of 9·3 million. While the opening of the Channel tunnel is bound to encourage further growth, it is not possible to forecast how many of the 15 million expected travellers using the tunnel in 1993—the first year of operation—will be incoming.

  MSC Training Schemes
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently on Manpower Services Commission training schemes.

  Mr. Fowler
  In March 1988 there were some 390,000 young people on YTS and 30,000 people on the new job training scheme.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he has made in his assessment of the likely impact upon employment and registered unemployment of the completion of the single European market in 1992.

  Mr. Nicholls
  This Department welcomes moves towards the completion of the single market. It is actively considering the likely effects of completion upon the United Kingdom labour market.

  Business in the Community
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the target teams for the inner cities set up by Business in the Community.

  Mr. Nicholls
  This Department and the Manpower Services Commission welcome the formation of the eight inner city target teams and will continue to work closely with Business in the Community.

  Disabled People (Travel and Tourism Course)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there are any plans to expand the number of places on the travel and tourism course for the disabled sponsored by the Manpower Services Commission.

  Mr. Lee
  Manpower Services Commission-supported travel and tourism courses respond to local needs and as with their programmes for unemployed people generally, account is taken of the specific needs of disabled people locally.

  The Manpower Services Commission's area office at Taunton currently supports a 14-place course in travel and tourism at the Hotel Careers Centre, Bournemouth. One of the trainees is a disabled person.

  A further travel and tourism course is planned at Bournemouth. It will begin on 23 May, and offers a further 14 places.

  Jobcentres
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inquiries were made at jobcentres concerning job vacancies in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  We do not have precise information for 1987. However, I would expect the total to be broadly similar to the 19 million inquiries recorded in 1985–86, the last year for which comprehensive information is available.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of job clubs.

  Mr. Lee
  The job club programme has made significant progress over the last 18 months. At 31 March 1988 a total of 1,204 job clubs were open, compared with only 254 in October 1986. The number of people helped in 1986–87 was 25,695. In 1987–88 the number helped rose to 105,677 358
  of which 57,080 (54 per cent.) went into jobs and a further 14,521 (14 per cent.) went into training, the community programme or enterprise allowance scheme.

  Engineering (Higher Education)
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Engineering Council's proposals in its discussion document "Restructuring of Engineering Higher Education", a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Cope
  This Government welcome the discussion document as a focus for debate on this important area, and I have referred it to the Manpower Services Commission who will be commenting in the near future.

  Tourism
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much Britain has received in European Community grants for tourism-related projects over the last three years.

  Mr. Lee
  Over the last three calendar years (1985 to 1987) tourism and tourism-related projects in England have received nearly £70 million in infrastructure grants from the European regional development fund.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas visitors came to London in 1987; and how much they spent.

  Mr. Lee
  It is estimated by the London tourist board that there were 9 million overnight visits to London by overseas residents in 1987, spending £3·7 billion during the period they stayed in London.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the relationship between tourism and jobs in rural areas.

  Mr. Lee
  The English tourist board calculates that in 1986 a total of £3,000 million was spent by visitors to the countryside, with much of this revenue going to local shops, pubs, hotels, restaurants and attractions thereby helping to support rural jobs.

  The English tourist board anticipates a growth in rural tourism of 20 to 25 per cent. by 1992 with jobs in rural areas also increasing.

  Disabled People (Employment)
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to monitor the employment progress of disabled people, in particular through the new adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A wide range of information will be collected on the identity and progress of participants in employment training including those separately identified as having a disability. Data will be available from their referral to a training agent for assessment and through the stages of action on the agreed training programme to their exit from employment training into a range of possible outcomes.

  "Training for Employment"
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received following the publication of Cm. 316, "Training for Employment", and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the White Paper "Training for Employment"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  We have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others about our important and ambitious proposals contained in the White Paper "Training for Employment".

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the implications for deaf people of the White Paper "Training for Employment".

  Mr. Nicholls
  The new adult programme employment training will provide quality training for all eligible participants including those with hearing difficulties. All organisations participating in employment training will be required to have an effective equal opportunity policy. Trainees with hearing difficulties will have access to the full range of opportunities with, as necessary, additional help through a communicator service, loans for special equipment and the possibility of supplementary funding for training managers for parts of their training programme that would be particularly expensive.

  Skill Shortages
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about proposals to deal with skill shortages.

  Mr. Cope
  The strength of our economy means that some employers are finding it more difficult to meet some of their skills needs through recruitment. Employers can improve the supply of skills they need by providing the proper incentives for individuals to acquire the right skills and experience and by stepping up investment in training.

  We have given a lead by expanding our investment in training to around £3 billion in 1989–90 from £458 million in 1979–80. YTS guarantees up to two years' training for 16 and 17-year-old school leavers and the new 1·4 billion employment training programme will provide unemployed adults with the skills which today's jobs demand.

  The Manpower Services Commission is also continuing to develop its programmes to encourage employers to recognise and meet their own training needs.

  Training Commission
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Training Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State frequently meets the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission, which will be renamed the Training Commission subject to the Employment Bill 1988 receiving Royal Assent. He will, of course, continue to meet the commission chairman to discuss training issues.

  Adult Training
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the development of the adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Manpower Services Commission is well advanced in its development work for employment training which is to be introduced from 5 September. MSC officials will shortly be providing detailed information to existing providers and others interested in taking part.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the special arrangements being made for disabled people and those with special needs under the new adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on Tuesday 29 March,Official Report, column 414.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if special schemes for disabled people on the new adult training programme will be available at the assessment stage.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Yes. The special help schemes for people with disabilities will be available at all stages of employment training, including the assessment stage.

  School leavers
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers are expected to come onto the job market in each of the next five years; and how that compares with the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lee
  It is projected that 510,000 school leavers in the academic year 1988–89 will be available for employment in Great Britain and that the corresponding numbers for the following two years will be 480,000 and 460,000. Projections for later years are not yet available. The latest year for which estimates are available is the 1984–85 academic year. An estimated 620,000 young people leaving school in that year were available for employment.

  Self-employment
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have become self-employed since 1 January 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Between December 1982 and December 1987 there was an estimated net increase of 727,000 in the number of self-employed people in Great Britain.

  Hotels and Restaurants (Training)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to encourage the success of the hotal and restaurant trainee placement scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A total of over 10,000 training placements for trainees in hotel and catering occupations is currently available under the YTS and the new job training scheme. The Hotel and Catering training board has expressed interest in increasing the number of training placements available to adult trainees by participating in employment training, which commences in September.

  Enterprise in Higher Education
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the Manpower Services Commission's enterprise in higher education initiative.

  Mr. Cope
  I have been most encouraged by the amount of interest shown by institutions: 85 outline bids were received. Up to 10 projects will be selected for support in 1988–89.

  Trade Union Reform
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on current Government plans for trade union reform.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Employment Bill, which received its Third Reading in another place on 25 April, contains the Government's current proposals for changes in trade union law.

  Unemployment Benefit Offices
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed in unemployment benefit offices at the present time; and how many were employed three years ago.

  Mr. Lee
  Staff employed in unemployment benefit offices are included with Department of Employment (DE) regional staff in our departmental staff record system. The staff in post figures for DE regional staff for 1 April 1988 and 1 April 1985 are as follows:

  Number

  (i) Staff-in-post as at 1 April 1985

  27,049

  (ii) Staff-in-post as at 1 April 1988

  28,546

  Casual staff (usually taken on for a limited period to do a particular job) have not been included. And part-time staff have been counted as whole units. Figures differentiating between staff working in regional offices and those in unemployment benefit offices could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Wages Council Orders
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions have been issued to jobcentres about advertising vacancies for jobs which are subject to wages council orders.

  Mr. Lee
  Jobcentres have instructions that, where vacancies are notified for occupations affected by wages orders. Rates must not be less than those specified. Staff are advised not to display vacancies offering wages below the minimum level and to consult the wages inspectorate in cases of doubt.

  Health and Safety at Work
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to announce any new initiatives to improve health and safety at work.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission and its executive currently have a number of initiatives under way to improve health and safety at work. I expect the commission to submit proposals for future action to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State later this year.
  362
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will undertake a review of the extent of employers' compliance with the requirement under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act to publish and keep up to date a safety policy for their firm.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. I am satisfied that the inspection measures described in the reply I have to the hon. Member on Monday 18 January 1988,Official Report, column 509, are adequate to monitor the extent of compliance with this requirement.

  Action for Cities
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received following the launching of the action for cities initiative; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  Since the launch of the action for cities programme on 7 March 1988 this Department and the Manpower Services Commission have been taking forward the various initiatives that were announced. There has been a high level of interest from the private sector in the new initiatives. A large number of inquiries have been received from companies, employer groups and other organisations about the schools-industry compacts initiative. A number of possible projects have been identified for potential support under the local enterprise agency project scheme. Support has also been expressed for the new small firms service office in Sheffield.

  This interest is being sustained by the programme of action for cities working breakfasts, in which this Department is closely involved. These aim to stimulate further private sector involvement in inner city regeneration.

  Restart Programme
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many long-term unemployed have been offered help under the restart programme since its inception.

  Mr. Lee
  Since 1 July 1985, some 3·5 million interviews have taken place under the restart programme, of which just under 90 per cent. have resulted in an offer of positive help being made.

  EC Internal Market (Social Dialogue)
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of meetings which have taken place between his Department and trade unions, as part of the social dialogue recommended by the European Commission in order to consider the implications of the creation of the EEC internal market by 1992.

  Mr. Cope
  There have been no such meetings between this Department and trade unions. The social dialogue consists of discussions between the two sides of industry and is currently conducted at a European level.

  International Conferences
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is Britain's share of the world market for international conferences and association meetings.
  363
  Mr. Lee
  In 1986 (the most recent year for which figures are available) Great Britain had 9 per cent. of the world market for international conferences and association meetings.

  Factory Inspectorate
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the criteria in terms of size, equipment, number of employees and other factors, which determine whether the factory inspectorate visits a factory, and the interval between visits.

  Mr. Nicholls
  All factories registered with the Health and Safety Executive are subject to inspection, regardless of size, equipment and number of employees. The factors taken into account in determining when an inspector visits a factory include the factory inspectorate's system of priority assessment for preventive inspection, required remedial action following an earlier visit, an incident, a complaint, necessary special inquiries or a request for advice by the management. There is no fixed period between inspections.

  Single Union Agreements
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to promote single union agreements in industry.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is for individual employers to decide which unions, if any, they wish to recognise. This is not a matter in which the Government can usefully intervene.

  Non-statutory Training Organisations
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provisions are being made, in light of recent critical reports, to improve non-statutory training organisations.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 29 March 1988,Official Report, column 412.

  Catering
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the numbers employed in the catering industry, broken down by the categories of hospitals, armed forces, school, institutional and industrial catering.

  Mr. Lee
  Figures are not available for the categories specified. The latest available information, which is for December 1987, is as follows:

  Employees in employment

  Hotels and catering

  1,077,000

  Of which:

  Restaurants, snack bars, cafes etc.

  230,000

  Public houses and bars

  286,000

  Night clubs and licensed clubs

  155,000

  Canteens and messes

  136,000

  Hotel trade

  257,000

  Other tourist etc. accommodation1

  13,000

  1 This estimate is subject to considerable potential estimation error due to the relatively small number of employees in the industry.

  Note: The figures are unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.

  Rowntree plc
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the employment implications of the bids by Jacobs Suchard and Nestlé Ltd. for Rowntree plc; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Under the Fair Trading Act 1972 the Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to advise my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a merger or prospective merger should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for further investigation. The director general takes into account all matters which may raise questions of public interest including any likely significant employment effects of the merger or prospective merger.

  Community Programme
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provisions his Department has made for additional funding to be made available for those projects in the community programme which may be unable to generate the funding necessary to meet the costs of the management team salaries and running costs, following the changes in the Manpower Services Commission community programme due to come into force on 5 September; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The funding arrangements for employment training were set out in the White Paper "Training for Employment" (Cm. 316). Higher cost training places, including places on projects carried over from the community programme may attract a supplementary grant of up to £40 a week.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many representations he has received concerning the impending changes in the Manpower Services Commission community programme criteria, due to take place on 5 September; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The community programme and our other provision for unemployed adults will be replaced by employment training from 5 September. My right ho n. Friend has received a number of representations from hon. Members and others about these important proposals to provide quality training for longer-term unemployed people.

  ACAS
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the annual report of the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

  Mr. Fowler
  I have received the ACAS report for 1987, which will be laid before both Houses of Parliament tomorrow. The report is also to be published tomorrow and copies will then be available from the Vote Office.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Substitute Teachers
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many substitute teachers were
  365
  employed in primary schools in each of the education and library boards in Northern Ireland in each academic year from 1980–81 to 1987–88.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the full-time teacher equivalent based on the number of days for which salary was paid to substitute teachers in primary schools in the financial year 1987–88 (the only year for which figures are available) is as follows:

  Number

  Belfast

  105

  North-Eastern

  116

  South-Eastern

  109

  Southern

  125

  Western

  112

  Housing Executive
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of certificates of work completed in Housing Executive contracts were paid at the date due under the contract conditions during 1986–87; and how many payments were delayed beyond that date.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by the chief executive that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those recommendations of the Housing Executive committee set up as a result of the Rowland inquiry which have not yet been put into practice.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Cross-border Police Investigations
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will raise in the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference the question of police investigations by the Garda Siochána and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each other's jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 28 April 1988]: We have regularly discussed a wide range of security matters in the Intergovernmental Conference, and will continue to do so. Details of proceedings are generally confidential, except as they are recorded in joint statements issued after each meeting.

  Kincora Boys Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Mr. Peter Bell, currently working at the Northern Ireland Office, was interviewed in respect of any of the investigations into the Kincora boys home.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 26 April 1988]: I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 25 February 1988 at column 322.

  Foreign Travel
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the total costs incurred by 366
  his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

  Mr. Stanley
  [holding answer 22 April 1988]: The information is as follows:

  £

  Ministerial travel

  35,282

  Civil Servants

  11,946,799

  1 This figure includes some domestic travel costs by the Department of Economic Development.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British National Space Centre
  Mr. Gerald Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what is the current level of investment in the British National Space Centre and the space-related industry; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the current investment through the European Space Agency in projects Polar Platform and Radarsat of the British Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The British National Space Centre (BNSC) co-ordinates a civil space budget of some £120 million per annum. About £80 million of this is spent through the European Space Agency (ESA) on areas of activity in which United Kingdom companies and organisations participate. The remainder funds national and other programmes. The British space-related industry therefore benefits both directly and indirectly from the Government's total expenditure on civil space.

  I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 18 April, at columns 350–51, to my hon. Friends the Members for Corby (Mr. Powell) and for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor), which gave details of the Government's investment in the ESA polar platform and the Canadian Radarsat.

  Consarc Calcarb
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department has authorised Consarc Calcarb to export equipment and technology necessary to manufacture fibrous carbon bonded thermal insulation to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is the Department's general practice not to comment on individual cases. No licences to export to the USSR such insulating material or the technology to manufacture it have been granted to any company since controls were introduced in November 1986.

  Land Rover
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report column 436, he will state what criteria were used to establish the difference between military and paramilitary versions of the Land Rover and basic versions when considering export licence requirements for South Africa.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  All arms and other military and paramilitary equipment and appliances described in group I of part II of schedule I of the Export of Goods (Control)
  367
  Order 1987 (SI 1987 No. 2070) require a licence for export to any destination except as provided in article 4 of that order. This includes vehicles specially designed for military or paramilitary purposes, or incorporating features specially designed for such purposes.

  Departmental Television Advertising
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total cost to public funds of(a) the current television advertising campaign for the single European market and (b) the current television advertising campaign for the enterprise initiative scheme.

  Mr. Butcher
  The estimated cost of the current DTI television advertising campaigns are as follows:

  £

  Single European Market

  3·8 million

  Enterprise Initiative

  5·6 million

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total annual expenditure by his Department on television advertising campaigns, approved for broadcast by the IBA for each year since 1979 to the current financial year.

  Mr. Butcher
  The annual expenditure on TV advertising by the Department of Trade and Industry and its predecessor Departments since 1979–80 is as follows:

  £

  1979–80

  —

  1980–81

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1982–83

  729,934

  1983–84

  192,486

  1984–85

  31,635

  1985–86

  —

  1986–87

  —

  1987–88

  5,570,016

  Budget allocations for television advertising during 1988–89 are still under discussion.

  Ariane V
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning the funding of Ariane V projects in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received representations from a number of sources about funding of Ariane V projects in the United Kingdom.

  Ariane V should provide a competitive satellite launcher in the mid-1990s to which the United Kingdom will have access. Our involvement in past Ariane development has been minor and the spin-off has not been exceptional. Launcher technology is outside the main thrust of our space strategy which is directed in the industrial field primarily at developing and exploiting the commercial potential of earth observation data.

  Ariane V is an optional programme within the European Space Agency. For the United Kingdom participation is unlikely to yield returns commensurate with the heavy investment required. We have therefore decided to exercise our option not to take part in the Ariane V development programme.

  Restrictive Trade Practices
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on restrictive trade practices.

  Mr. Maude
  Fundamental reforms of the law on restrictive trade practices are proposed in the consultative document "Review of Restrictive Trade Practices Policy" (Cm. 331). This was laid before Parliament on 8 March, and I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on that date at column 114.

  Factory Space
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the available vacant factory space in development areas in the north of England.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am aware that demand for factory space has increased very substantially over the past year in the assisted areas in the north of England, as in other areas, and that the amount of vacant space has declined. In the Government's view, it is for the private sector to respond to this increased demand wherever possible so that there is a return to a properly functioning property market. With this aim in view, English Estates has been asked to consider urgently what may be done both to get maximum benefit from its own resources and to encourage greater private sector provision. Its proposals are expected shortly.

  Exports (Vietnam)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those companies exporting to Vietnam in the last three years, and the total value of their orders.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Information about individual company's export entries obtained by Her Majesty's Government in pursuance of their statutory powers is considered to be confidential. Total direct United Kingdom exports to Vietnam have been:

  Year

  £

  1985

  2·1 million

  1986

  1·3 million

  1987

  12·6 million

  1Provisional.

  In addition, a considerable volume of indirect United Kingdom exports is believed to reach Vietnam, particularly via Hong Kong and Singapore.

  Aerospace Exports
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total amount of aerospace exports in the most recent completed year.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Aerospace exports during 1987 totalled £5·6 billion.

  Common Internal Market (Television Advertisement)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many computer manufacturers were
  369
  invited to participate in developing the television advertisement on the common internal market; what were the criteria for choosing Mr. Alan Sugar; what was the cost of production of the advertisement and by which firm; what was the cost of television time for exhibition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Mr. Sugar is one of a number of nationally known business figures who have agreed to take part in a series of advertisements designed to underline to British business the crucial importance of preparing for the single European market. The question of invitations to other computer manufacturers does not arise.

  The television advertisements are produced through the Central Office of Information by Terence Donovan Productions Ltd. The estimated cost of the current single European market television advertising is £3·8 million, of which some £3·5 million represents airtime costs.

  European Community (Shareholders)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current situation regarding the conflict within European Community legislation with respect to the case for precedence of security considerations over the requirement to treat Community shareholders equally; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Article 221 of the EEC treaty requires that member states accord nationals of other member states the same treatment as their own nationals as regards participation in the capital of companies or firms, without prejudice to the application of the other provisions of the treaty. One of the latter, article 223, enables any member state to take such measures as it considers necessary for the protection of the essential interests of its security which are connected with the production of or trade in arms, munitions or war material.

  Regional Development Grant
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of companies which have advanced investment plans to claim regional development grant before the 31 March deadline; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is not known how many firms have advanced their investment plans in order to be eligible for assistance under the revised regional development grant scheme following the announcement of its closure. I can, however, say that my Department received about 6,700 applications for project approval after the date of announcement of termination of the scheme and by the 31 March deadline, compared with about 700 per month on average in the year to 31 December 1987.

  Selective Assistance
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the specific guidelines to be issued on the type of investments which may qualify for selective assistance.

  Mr. Atkins
  The question has been interpreted as referring to regional selective assistance (RSA). In order to qualify for RSA, investment projects must create or safeguard employment in the assisted areas. They should have good prospects of achieving commercial viability so 370
  that the employment benefits are durable. They should also strengthen the regional and national economy; for example, by improving productivity, increasing exports or introducing new technology. Any adverse impact on employment in other firms is taken into account. Manufacturing and service sector firms may receive assistance, but service sector projects which serve only a local market do not generally qualify for RSA.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many applications he has received for regional development grants in the north-west(a) during the 11-week period after his announcement that grants would end and (b) during the previous financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following the announcement of the termination of the revised regional development grant scheme on 12 January 1988, about 2,500 applications were received in the north-west by the 31 March deadline. In the financial year to 31 March 1987, 2,435 applications were received in the north-west. The equivalent figure for the calendar year to 31 December 1987 was 2,775.

  Shipbuilding (Intervention Fund)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of shipbuilding intervention fund subsidies paid under sixth directive rules in Great Britain in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  The sixth directive on aid to shipbuilding came into effect on 1 January 1987. Since then, the following offers of assistance have been made to shipyards in Great Britain:

  Number and Type of Vessel

  I

  British Shipbuilders

  (i)

  Appledore Ferguson

  1 Dredger

  Shipbuilders Ltd.

  1 Ferry

  II

  Private Sector

  (i)

  Cochrane Shipbuilders Ltd.

  2 Tugs

  1 Product Tanker

  (ii)

  Richard Dunston (Hessle) Ltd.

  1 Tug

  (iii)

  Fairey Marinteknik (UK) Ltd.

  1 Ferry

  (iv)

  McTay Marine

  1 Fishing Boat

  (v)

  Richards (Shipbuilders) Ltd.

  1 Fishing Boat

  Rowntree plc
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider a reference to the Office of Fair Trading for possible anti-competitive practices if either of the two bids for Rowntree plc by Jacobs Suchard and Nestle Ltd. should succeed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The Director General of Fair Trading has a duty under the Fair Trading Act 1973 to advise my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a merger qualifying under the Act should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers commission for further investigation. My right hon. and noble Friend will make his decision whether to refer qualifying merger proposals, or mergers, involving Rowntree in the light of the director general's advice.

  Chlorofluorohydrocarbons
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give figures for the amount of funding granted to private industry by his Department to assist in the development of alternatives to chlorofluorohydrocarbons for each year since 1980 for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement about future funding.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has given no such funding, nor does it have any plans to make any available specifically for this purpose in the future. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 20 April at column 440.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in the light of new scientific evidence, including that published on 15 March by the International Ozone Trends Panel, he will now require labelling of aerosol products to indicate whether they contain chlorofluorohydrocarbons as propellants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer to my reply to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 17 March at column 647.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his Department is expecting to spend on promotion of the single European market in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Secretary of State has announced the start of a five-year campaign to underline to British businesses the importance of the single European market. The first phase of the campaign is expected to cost some £5 million. The level of future expenditure in this and subsequent years will depend on the way business responds to this crucial challenge.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any information on the amount of money to be spent on the promotion of the single European market by the European Commission in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We have no details of the sums which the Commission is spending for this purpose.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on any grants from the European Commission to organisations within the United Kingdom to promote the single European market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have no information on any grants of this kind.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the amount being spent on the promotion of the single European market by other European Economic Community members; and if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the amounts in (a) European currency unit, (b) European currency unit per head of population and (c) as a percentage of growth national product for each year for which he has the available information.
  372
  Mr. Alan Clark
  A number of member states have launched or are preparing major awareness campaigns on the single market. We have no details of the budgets which they are making available for this purpose.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has made any assessment of which sectors of the economy are(a) well placed and (b) badly placed to improve their trade balance with the rest of the European Economic Community following the creating of the single European market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 25 April at column 45.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of the brief given to advertising agencies bidding for the account to handle the promotion of the single European market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Advertising agencies working on Government accounts are appointed through the Central Office of Information which also provides the account brief. I understand that it is not the practice to publish such briefs.

  "Action for Cities"
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many inquiries have been received on the "Action for Cities" telephone inquiry line.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Up to 29 April, 495 inquiries were received from businesses and approximately 400 from other sources.

  National Engineering Laboratory
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the capital programmes for the national engineering laboratory at East Kilbride, for each year since 1979 in actual and real terms and the projected capital programmes.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: A detailed breakdown of the full economic cost of the programmes since 1979 is attached at table 1. They were funded partly by industry but mainly by Government.

  Table 2 gives the same figures converted to 1987 values using the index of manufacturing costs, which seems the most appropriate conversion. (Table 3 gives the index used, taken from the wholesale price indices for manufactured products excluding food, drink and tobacco.)

  Table 4 gives the projected spends on research programmes for the years 1988–92 according to the corporate plan approved by the laboratory's supervisory board. The figures are grouped into the five major headings of flow measurement, fluids and heat (including biotechnology), structures, materials and engineering systems. The corporate plan may be changed in the light of the forthcoming departmental review of all the DTI research establishments announced in the White Paper "DTI the department for Enterprise (Cm. 278)" of January 1988.
  373

  Table 1—Full economic costs of programmes since 1979

  £ million

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Flow measurement

  0·9

  1·0

  1·1

  1·20

  1·4

  1·7

  1·8

  1·9

  Fluids-turbomachinery

  0·8

  0·9

  1·1

  1·0

  1·6

  2·3

  2·3

  2·2

  Heat transfer

  0·9

  1·1

  1·3

  1·53

  1·5

  1·5

  2·0

  2·3

  IC engines

  0·4

  0·45

  0·41

  0·42

  0·45

  0·5

  0·6

  0·7

  Structural testing and analysis

  1·8

  2·2

  2·6

  2·20

  2·7

  3·3

  3·5

  3·6

  Materials engineering

  1·2

  1·2

  1·4

  1·52

  1·57

  1·6

  1·9

  1·7

  Computer aided engineering

  0·9

  0·85

  1·11

  1·25

  2·0

  2·8

  2·9

  4·6

  Fluid power

  1·0

  1·1

  1·0

  1·44

  1·6

  1·8

  2·1

  —

  Metrology

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  0·80

  0·7

  0·4

  0·1

  —

  Wavepower-alternative energy

  0·4

  0·45

  0·55

  0·16

  —

  —

  —

  0·3

  Energy conservation

  0·45

  0·55

  0·56

  0·62

  0·3

  —

  —

  —

  Technology transfer-advisory work (not included above)

  2·95

  3·5

  3·47

  4·06

  2·78

  2·2

  2·3

  2·0

  Laboratory FEC

  12·5

  14·3

  15·2

  16·2

  16·6

  18·1

  19·5

  19·3

  Table 2—Full economic costs of programmes since 1979 converted to 1987 values

  £ million

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  21·5

  21·6

  21·0

  20·8

  20·2

  20·7

  21·2

  20·0

  Table 3

  Wholesale price indices for manufacturing products (excluding food, drink and tobacco)

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1·720

  1·513

  1·381

  1·282

  1·216

  1·145

  1·085

  1·038

  Table 4

  NEL corporate plan—planned resource deployment by centre of expertise

  (£'000)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Flow measurement

  2,385

  2,637

  2,541

  2,591

  2,653

  Fluids and heat

  5,049

  5,475

  5,878

  5,913

  6,136

  Materials

  1,765

  1,940

  2,275

  2,536

  2,848

  Structures

  4,285

  4,488

  4,292

  4,492

  4,640

  Engineering systems

  4,813

  5,130

  5,256

  5,255

  5,030

  BSC
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he received the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the British Steel Corporation; and when he intends to publish it.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The report was delivered to the Secretary of State in 1986. The delay in publication has been caused by the need to consider very carefully a request by the British Steel Corporation that the Secretary of State should exercise his powers under section 17 of the Competition Act 1980 to make a number of excisions to the published report in order to avoid prejudicing the interests of the corporation. We shall publish the report as soon as possible.

  VR Shipping
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps were taken by his Department to ensure the creditworthiness of VR Shipping before the contract for 24 ferries was underwritten by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
  374
  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: Before the contracts for the 24 ferries were underwritten by ECGD the full standard investigations were carried out as regards the financial standing of VR Shipping and the provision of appropriate collateral security.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the ability of the Danish company VR Shipping to pay for the 24 ferries it ordered from NESL(a) at the time of signature of the contract and (b) now.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The answer to the previous question refers to the ability of VR Shipping to pay for the ferries at the time of signature of the contracts. As my right hon. and learned Friend reported to the House on 18 April, the contracts are currently in dispute pending the outcome of which the payment situation is unclear.

  Department for Enterprise Campaign
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of the brief given to advertising agencies bidding for the department for Enterprise campaign.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Advertising agencies working on Government accounts are appointed through the Central Office of Information which also provides the account brief. COI regards briefs inviting tenders from contractors as confidential commercial invitation and I see no reason to invite it to publish such briefs.

SCOTLAND

  Drift Netting
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet able to publish the number of salmon and sea trout caught in river drift nets in the river Tweed for 1987.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Drift net fishing for salmon and sea trout is unlawful in the river Tweed.

  Rateable Values
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will estimate the average increases in rateable value that will result from the commercial revaluation due in Scotland in 1990 for each rating authority in Scotland;

  (2) if he will break down the expected increases in rateable value into districts, towns and parts of towns within each rating area and show deviations expected from the average figures for each area.

  Mr. Lang
  No estimates are yet available of the likely average increases in rateable value at the 1990 non-domestic revaluation in Scotland. The assessor for each valuation area is required to provide, by 1 November 1989, to the relevant rating authorities and to the Secretary of State an estimate of the rateable valuation in 1990 of each district or island area, and the detailed information requested will not be held centrally.

  Unified Business Rate
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to publish estimates of the commercial rates to be levied in Scotland under the proposed unified business rate system.

  Mr. Lang
  It would be premature to consider the preparation of such estimates until non-domestic property north and south of the border is valued for rating purposes on a comparable basis.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the cost to public funds of the Government advertising campaign on the poll tax carried out by the agency Ogilvy and Mather in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The expenditure by my Department on the public information campaign on the community charge including the production and household distribution of the recent booklet, has been £480,566.
  376
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to provide for imprisonment for wilful refusal to pay the poll tax in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to seek to make the community charges registration officers answerable to him on questions of the compilation of the register and the notice given to responsible persons.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Licensing Law
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in the light of responses to the 1986 consultation paper on Scottish licensing law.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  More than 2,000 representations were received in response to the 1986 consultation paper. These are currently being analysed and decisions about what, if any, action might follow thereon will be taken when the analysis is complete.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to publish the contents of submissions made to him in response to the 1986 consultation paper on licensing law; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Except where respondents have requested confidentially, replies, comments and representations received in response to the 1986 document have been placed on public file which is open to inspection by appointment at St. Andrew's house.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his conclusions on the current review of licensing legislation in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Replies to the 1986 consultation paper are currently being analysed, and the Government's conclusions will be announced when that analysis is complete.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration is being given to allow licensing boards in Scotland to consider an application for a regular extension at the same board meeting as an application for a permanent transfer; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is being considered along with other possible amendments to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 in the context of our current review of liquor licensing legislation.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many unemployed males over the age of 50 years and out of work for more than one year there are in the city of Glasgow;

  (2) how many unemployed females over the age of 50 years and out of work for more than one year there are in the city of Glasgow;

  (3) how many unemployed males over the age of 50 years and out of work for more than one year there are in the Glasgow, Pollok constituency.
  377
  (4) how many unemployed females over the age of 50 years and out of work for more than one year there are in the Glasgow, Pollok constituency.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested as at the latest available date is shown in the table.

  Claimants unemployed for more than one year, aged 50 and over on 14 January 1988

  Males

  Females

  City of Glasgow district

  5,893

  1,501

  Glasgow, Pollok constituency

  537

  121

  This information is available in the Library.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much in money terms, real terms and as a real term percentage local authority expenditure on the provision of accommodation for the homeless had changed in each year since 1979(a) in Scotland and (b) in the city of Glasgow.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not possible to identify centrally expenditure incurred by local authorities in meeting the needs of the homeless.

  Social Work Departments
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the prospects for filling vacancies in social work posts in Strathclyde, Lothian, Tayside, Borders, Central, Fife, Dumfries, Galloway, Grampian, Highland, Shetlands, Western Isles and Orkney social work departments.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information of this kind is not held centrally.

  Rate Support Grant
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the outturn or estimated outturn total of rate support grant paid to local authorities in Scotland in total in each year from 1979–80 to 1987–88.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  £

  1979–80

  1,194,800,000

  1980–81

  1,451,000,000

  1981–82

  1,512,300,000

  1982–83

  1,633,100,000

  1983–84

  1,718,250,000

  Table 1

  Catering services staff: whole time equivalent

  31 March 1982

  31 March 1983

  31 March 1987

  30 September 1987(c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  Scotland

  5,765·1

  194·7

  5,793·7

  195·0

  5,005·3

  172·5

  4,900·8

  167·2

  CSA

  21·0

  1·0

  26·3

  2·0

  19·1

  1·0

  18·7

  1·0

  Argyll and Clyde

  450·5

  17·0

  436·6

  18·0

  370·0

  12·0

  359·4

  11·0

  Ayrshire and Arran

  313·8

  12·0

  333·7

  14·0

  328·3

  13·0

  323·8

  11·0

  Borders

  68·6

  2·0

  72·2

  3·0

  76·5

  3·0

  75·1

  3·0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  184·8

  5·0

  180·9

  4·0

  176·1

  4·6

  170·8

  5·8

  Fife

  271·4

  9·0

  271·1

  10·0

  274·4

  11·0

  271·9

  11·0

  378

  £

  1984–85

  1,670,870,312

  1985–86

  1,704,059,747

  1986–87

  1,656,162,143

  1987–88

  1,777,322,740

  Note:

  The figures given for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 are estimates based on the latest expenditure returns submitted by local authorities.

  Hospital Services
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the costs incurred for each health board staff time and other records in respect and work connected with competition tendering for hospital services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (I) what proposals there are for monitoring procedures to be carried out by health boards following the award of contracts for cleaning and domestic services for in-house to private contractors;

  (2) what instructions he has given to health boards in respect of the inclusion of Whitley council rates of pay as a condition in tender documents to be issued to private contractors; and if he will place a copy of any such instruction in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Guidance was issued with the Scottish Home and Health Department's letter of 11 December 1987 a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names of any companies which have expressed an interest in tendering for(a) domestic and (b) catering services in hospitals, for local health boards in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 8 March to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish).

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the whole-time equivalent staffing numbers for each health board in(a) catering services and (b) domestic services as at (i) 31 March 1982, (ii) 31 March 1983, (iii) 31 March 1987, (iv) 31 December 1987 and (v) 31 March 1988.

  Mr. Forsyth
  Centrally held manpower statistics for the NHS in Scotland are up-dated twice a year at 31 March and 30 September. The most recent figures available relate to 30 September 1987. The tables set out the information requested showing operational staff and managerial staff separately.
  379

  31 March 1982

  31 March 1983

  31 March 1987

  30 Septemher 1987(c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  Forth Valley

  369·5

  7·0

  366·5

  7·0

  268·2

  7·0

  236·6

  7·0

  Grampian

  496·5

  14·9

  502·2

  13·0

  444·0

  10·7

  440·3

  8·7

  Greater Glasgow

  1,539·6

  46·8

  1,553·8

  44·0

  1,232·1

  39·8

  1,219·2

  39·8

  Highland

  179·9

  6·0

  168·4

  6·0

  145·9

  4·9

  150·7

  4·9

  Lanark

  464·2

  16·0

  454·7

  16·0

  423·4

  11·0

  413·3

  12·0

  Lothian

  783·7

  32·0

  799·0

  32·0

  695·9

  33·0

  675·3

  30·0

  Orkney

  13·0

  0·0

  13·0

  1·0

  14·2

  0·0

  14·8

  0·0

  Shetland

  12·3

  1·0

  11·3

  1·0

  17·0

  1·0

  18·0

  1·0

  Tayside

  562·1

  24·0

  569·0

  23·0

  484·7

  20·5

  477·8

  21·0

  Western Isles

  34·2

  1·0

  35·0

  1·0

  35·5

  0·0

  35·1

  0·0

  Notes:

  (a)Operational staff.

  (b)Managerial staff.

  (c)Provisional figures.

  Table 2 Domestic services staff: whole time equivalent

  31 March 1982

  31 March 1983

  31 March 1987

  30 September 1987(c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  Scotland

  11,970·1

  174·4

  11,873·1

  174·3

  10,215·7

  204·0

  9,924·9

  197·1

  CSA

  51·1

  0·0

  58·5

  0·5

  57·6

  3·5

  56·4

  1·5

  Argyll and Clyde

  904·8

  11·9

  909·0

  12·9

  705·9

  11·9

  708·6

  12·0

  Ayrshire and Arran

  553·2

  10·0

  593·1

  11·0

  514·4

  13·0

  472·1

  11·0

  Borders

  160·8

  2·0

  166·4

  2·5

  151·5

  2·9

  157·8

  2·9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  284·6

  2·0

  283·2

  2·0

  261·2

  2·0

  255·6

  2·0

  Fife

  597·7

  7·0

  600·5

  7·0

  571·7

  10·0

  571·6

  9·0

  Forth Valley

  560·0

  6·0

  552·8

  6·0

  502·7

  7·0

  491·7

  6·0

  Grampian

  1,125·8

  13·0

  1,121·6

  12·0

  932·4

  17·0

  922·6

  16·0

  Greater Glasgow

  3,215·8

  46·5

  3,111·8

  46·4

  2,598·2

  46·7

  2,496·7

  49·7

  Highland

  328·9

  7·0

  321·6

  7·0

  315·2

  7·0

  311·8

  7·0

  Lanark

  1,037·4

  7·0

  1,033·1

  9·0

  903·5

  12·0

  910·8

  15·0

  Lothian

  1,823·5

  33·5

  1,821·4

  28·5

  1,592·6

  41·8

  1,489·2

  35·9

  Orkney

  33·5

  0·0

  33·1

  0·0

  28·6

  0·0

  30·0

  1·0

  Shetland

  35·0

  1·0

  34·1

  1·0

  32·1

  1·0

  31·9

  1·0

  Tayside

  1,212·7

  26·5

  1,185·0

  26·5

  1,002·1

  28·2

  974·1

  27·1

  Western Isles

  45·3

  1·0

  47·9

  2·0

  46·0

  0·0

  44·0

  0·0

  Notes:

  (a) Operational staff.

  (b) Managerial staff.

  (c) Provisional figures.

  Local Authority Services
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were(a) the original financial thresholds specified for each category of work for which local authorities were required to seek competitive tenders in the Local Government, Planning and Land (Scotland), Act 1980, (b) the dates on which these original thresholds became

  Category of work

  Level of threshold from 1 April 1982

  Level of threshold from 1 April 1984

  General road works

  Jobs with an individual value of more than £100,000.

  Jobs with an individual value of more than £50,000.

  Jobs amounting to £50,000 or less in excess of 70 per cent. by value of the total of such work in the previous financial year (whether undertaken by contractor or DLO).1

  General water and sewerage works

  Jobs with an individual value of more than £50,000.

  No change

  New construction works

  Jobs with an individual value of more than £50,000.

  No change

  Jobs amounting to £50,000 or less if award of the work to the DLO would result in the DLO having carried out in that financial year at least two thirds of the aggregate value of similar work which it carried out in the previous year.

  Jobs amounting to £50,000 or less in excess of 40 per cent. by value of the total of such work in the previous financial year (whether undertaken by contractor or DLO).

  380
  effective, (c) the date on which these thresholds were subsequently amended and (d) the revised financial thresholds specified for each category of works on each occasion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Act in question is, in fact, the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. The information requested is shown in the table.
  381

  Category of work

  Level of threshold from 1 April 1982

  Level of threshold from 1 April 1984

  Maintenance work

  Jobs with an individual value of more than £10,000.

  No change.

  Jobs amounting to £10,000 or less in excess of either 40 per cent. by value of the total of such work in the previous financial year (whether undertaken by contractor or DLO) or £300,000, whichever is the higher.2

  1 Subject to transitional arrangements for 1984–85 only under which, for jobs amounting to £50,000 or less, up to 90 per cent. of the amount of such work undertaken by the DLO in the previous financial year could be awarded to the DLO without competition provided this was more than 70 per cent. of the total of such work commissioned by the authority in that year.

  2 Subject to transitional arrangements for 1984–85 only under which, for jobs amounting to £10,000 or less, up to 80 per cent. of the amount of such work undertaken by the DLO in the previous financial year could be awarded to the DLO without competition provided this was more than 40 per cent. of the total of such work commissioned by the authority in that year.

  Local Authorities (Capital Expenditure)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide the actual housing account capital expenditure for every Scottish district and island local authority in each of the years since 1980–81, broken down into(a) net allocations and (b) net receipts and shown in actual and 1987–88 prices.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information sought cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible providing the most closely related information that is readily available centrally.

  Erskine Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest figure for the overall operating deficit on the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In the financial year 1986–87 there was a surplus of revenue over operating costs of £702,050.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to(a) end or (b) increase tolls on the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Development Department is currently reviewing toll levels at the Bridge.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he plans to take concerning the finances of the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Development Department is currently pursuing a number of initiatives to reduce operating costs at the bridge including the recent transfer of responsibility for routine maintenance to Strathclyde regional council.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest accumulated debt on the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The accumulated deficiency at 31 March 1987 was £63,259,983.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to write off the accumulated debt on the Erskine bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We are keeping the question of the accumulated debt on the Erskine bridge under review.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates will be the budget for a school board with(a) up to 500 pupils, (b) up to 1,000 pupils and (c) more than 1,000 pupils.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Under the terms of the School Boards (Scotland) Bill it will be for education authorities, after discussion with the school boards concerned, to set budgets for their school boards. The size of the school may have some effect on the budget for a school board; a more significant variable would be the range of additional delegated functions, if any, which the board concerned had taken on.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify, in detail, how his estimate of £5 million for the cost of running school boards was arrived at.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's estimate of the net additional cost to education authorities of the initial implementation of the school boards system was made on a national basis. It was based on information about the existing school councils system and on the cost of governing bodies under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 in England and Wales.

  Road Humps
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is considering giving authorisation to any roads authorities in Scotland to use road humps in their area for a trial period.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Consultations are under way with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the possible introduction of the road hump provisions of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in one or more regions.

  Dogs
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to bring Scottish legislation into line with English legislation concerning the fouling of pavements by dogs.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend plans to consult on this and other issues arising from a review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 later this year. In doing so, he will take into
  383
  account measures to combat the fouling of public places by dogs which are being pursued with apparent success in some areas of England.

  Pelican Crossings
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if usual vehicle speeds are included in the criteria used to judge when a road requires a pelican crossing.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Vehicle speeds are one of the considerations discussed in some detail in the Scottish Development Department technical memorandum SH 7/87, which was issued by the chief road engineer to regional and islands councils.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the criteria used to decide when a road requires a pelican crossing.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The relevant regulations are the Pelican Pedestrian Crossing Regulations and General Directions 1987. The criteria used in determining when a pelican crossing may be installed are contained in the associated Scottish Development Department circular No. 2/87.

  School Entrances (Road Markings)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any plans to give legal force to road markings at school entrances.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for local authorities to decide whether to use the road markings as prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1981 and also to decide what, if any, associated restrictions should be incorporated in a traffic regulation order. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in the light of local authorities' budgets and rates for 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Local authorities in Scotland have budgeted to spend £136 million or 3·8 per cent. over guidelines in 1988–89 and have determined rates which will, on average, increase domestic rate bills by 5·2 per cent. I am pleased that the realistic provision and grant which I have made has resulted in many authorities setting their rates at a reasonable level, but I am disappointed that so many authorities have still ignored warnings about overspending.

  I am particularly concerned at the problems facing ratepayers in the areas of those authorities which are planning the most substantial expenditure excess. As a result, I have decided to initiate action in terms of section 5 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 in respect of Lothian regional council, on the grounds that its planned expenditure for 1988–89 is excessive and unreasonable. A letter has today been sent to Lothian region proposing a rate reduction of 5·6p, and inviting it to make representations about the proposed reduction.

  I am giving further consideration to whether the planned expenditure of any district council is excessive and unreasonable. I am also reflecting on appropriate grant
  384
  penalties for overspending authorities in the light of views expressed to me last Friday by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. I will make a further announcement on these matters soon.

  Teachers (Superannuation)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will amend the teachers' superannuation scheme so that women teachers have the same right as male teachers to pass on to their spouse on death, benefit rights and entitlements accrued in respect of contributions paid prior to 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

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

DEFENCE

  Soviet Aircraft (Interceptions)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average number of Soviet aircraft intercepted per week by RAF aircraft in the United Kingdom air defence region in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The information is as follows:

  Average number of interceptions by the RAF of Soviet aircraft per week

  Year

  Average

  1979

  4–5

  1980

  4–5

  1981

  3–4

  1982

  3–4

  1983

  2–3

  1984

  2–3

  1985

  3–4

  1986

  3–4

  1987

  2–3

  US Maritime Pre-positioning Ships
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any request has been received from the United State authorities for the provision of port or anchorage facilities for United States maritime pre-positioning ships.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Discussions on the possibility of providing port or anchorage facilities for United States pre-positioning ships are taking place on a confidential basis but no decision has yet been taken.

  COD, Donnington
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the full report of the internal inquiry into the 1983 fire at COD, Donnington.

  Mr. Freeman
  No, because of the need to maintain the confidentiality of board of inquiry proceedings. It would be contrary to established practice, as reflected in the Queen's regulations for the Army, to release the full report of a board of inquiry. I have, however, provided the hon. Member with a copy of a Ministry of Defence statement on the findings of the board of inquiry into the 1983 fire at COD Donnington and have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

  REME (West Germany)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the production hours worked by REME workshops in West Germany, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: There is no readily available comprehensive record of production hours worked by all REME workshops in West Germany and it would entail disproportionate effort to obtain it. However, the number of production hours worked at each of the two base workshops over the last five years is as follows:

  Year

  23 Base Workshop

  37 Rhine Workshop

  1987–88

  1,518,920

  515,213

  1986–87

  1,555,577

  528,767

  1985–86

  1,500,505

  528,661

  1984–85

  1,570,592

  543,392

  1983–84

  1,575,479

  541,652

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much spare production capacity there was in the REME workshops in West Germany, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: It would require an extensive, lengthy and detailed examination to establish the extent of spare production capacity, if any, throughout the REME workshop organisation in BAOR over the last five years, which would entail disproportionate effort.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any production time at the REME workshops in West Germany was lost due to illicit production, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The only centrally-recorded cases of the misuse of REME production capacity for unofficial purposes over the last five years arose in 1986–87. There were two cases. According to the assessment made in the course of the SIB investigations, the total production time involved was 266 hours. Information on any minor cases which may have arisen over the last five years is not held in central records and it would entail disproportionate effort to obtain it.

  Army (Dismissals)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers and 386
  privates have been dismissed from the Army; for the irregular use of military facilities, fraud or similar cases in each of the last five years; and what were the sums involved in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The table gives details of dismissals from the Army on conviction for fraud. I regret that the remaining information that the hon. Gentleman requested is not available:

  Dismissed from the Army

  Privates

  NCOs

  1983

  18

  —

  1984

  16

  1

  1985

  11

  —

  1986

  25

  1

  1987

  12

  —

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers and privates dismissed from the Army for irregular use of military facilities, fraud or similar offences have received ex gratia payment on their dismissal in each of the last five years; and what were the amounts involved in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: Personnel dismissed from the armed forces do not receive ex-gratia payments. Since July 1984 they would normally be awarded the basic rate of pension and terminal grant to which they are entitled by virtue of their rank and length of service.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers and privates dismissed from the Army for the irregular use of military facilities, fraud or similar offences have received an Army pension in each of the last five years; and what were the amounts of fraud involved in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: Detailed information regarding pensions received by soldiers dismissed from the Army for the irregular use of military facilities, fraud, or similar offences is not readily available. However since July 1984 soldiers dismissed for such offences have been awarded the basic rate of pension benefits which they have earned by virtue of their rank and length of service.

  Courts Martial
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers and privates have been court martialled for the irregular use of military facilities, fraud or similar offences in each of the last five years; and what were the sums involved in the offences in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The table gives details of court martial convictions for fraud. I regret that the remaining information that the hon. Gentleman has requested is not available:

  Conviction by Courts Martial

  Year

  Privates

  NCOs

  1983

  42

  10

  1984

  28

  11

  1985

  32

  5

  1986

  43

  7

  1987

  33

  3

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 20 April to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East,Official Report, column 500–1, if he will indicate the sections of the Firearms Act 1968 and the clause in the Firearms (Amendment) Bill to which he had regard in stating his Department's understanding of the expression class of firearm.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The term "class" appears in both section 2(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 and in clauses 1 and 7 of the Firearms (Amendment) Bill. My Department also understands and accepts all other descriptions of firearms contained within these documents.

  Sonic Booms
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sonic booms have been reported over land areas of the United Kingdom in each year since 1979; and how many of these were caused by military aircraft.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: Central records of reported alleged sonic booms are not maintained.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lesotho
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to, or received from, the Lesotho Government with regard to Lesotho's relations with the Republic of South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to, or received from, the Government of the Republic of South Africa with regard to the Republic of South Africa's relations with Lesotho.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The South African Government are aware of our view that they should co-operate peacefully with all their neighbours, and refrain from the use of force.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom policy on the maintenance of stability in southern Africa of the Republic of South Africa's policy towards Lesotho.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We shall continue to urge South Africa to co-operate peacefully with all its neighbours and to refrain from the use of force.

  Jose Pardo (Impounding)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impounding of the Peruvian ship, the Jose Pardo in the Huskissonn dock in Liverpool; and what action he proposes to take to ensure that the crew still with the ship can return home to Peru.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Peruvian ship El Presidente Jose Pardo impounded in Liverpool on the instruction of the 388
  Admiralty Marshal on 30 October 1987 against debts incurred by the vessel's owners, the state-owned Peruvian company, Compania Peruanas de Vapores (Peruvian Steamship Company).

  The repatriation of the crew, who are free to leave whenever they wish, is the responsibility of the Peruvian authorities. The Peruvian embassy confirmed on 29 April that the owner's agents in Liverpool have paid the crew's salaries and are arranging for their repatriation. The future of the Jose Pardo is for the owners and court to decide.

  Extradition
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the speech in Derbyshire on 22 April, Her Majesty's Government have received any indication from Dublin of progress in resolving differences over extradition; and if he will make a statement in the context of that speech.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Irish are fully aware of our views on the need for effective extradition procedures. We hope that there will be an early resolution of the current difficulties.

  Intergovernmental Organisations
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list in the Official Report the intergovernmental organisations, excluding the European Communities, of which the United Kingdom is a member, the amount of the United Kingdom's annual contribution to each organisation, the percentage of each organisation's budget which this represents and which Government Department accounts for each contribution.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 29 April 1988, c. 312]: I should have said,
  "I shall reply as soon as possible."

  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what general principles are applied by Her Majesty's Government in determining the level of United Kingdom contributions to intergovernmental organisations; whether the United Kingdom consults other countries about its budgetary policy with respect to these organisations; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The policy of this Government is identical to that of their predecessors; namely, to meet our obligations to international organisations in full and on time. Assessed United Kingdom contributions are usually determined by reference to a pre-set scale of assessment which varies from one organisation to another. Voluntary contributions are determined by the Minister concerned.

  For the international financial institutions, such as the World Bank Group, the regional development banks and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, we seek equitable burden sharing in the capital stock of each institution and in the soft fund replenishments.

  Budgetary matters are discussed with other countries as appropriate.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has set aside public funds for an explanatory advertising campaign on the introduction of the poll tax in England and Wales.

  Mr. Howard
  Provision was made in the public expenditure estimates for 1988–89 for expenditure on information on the community charge and uniform business rate to be made available after Royal Assent to the Local Government Finance Bill, but no decisions have yet been taken on the form or cost of any such expenditure.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether local authorities are now able to lease offices to accommodate staff for poll tax; and what conditions will have to be fulfilled for such leases not to count as prescribed expenditure.

  Mr. Ridley
  Local authorities do not require my consent to acquire accommodation, of whatever tenure, to be used for the purposes of any of their functions. The acquisition of a leasehold interest in office accommodation will entail prescribed expenditure unless paragraph 3(1) of schedule 3 to the Local Government (Prescribed Expenditure) (Consolidation and Amendment) Regulations 1987 as amended by the Local Government (Prescribed Expenditure) (Amendment) Regulations 1988 applies to the acquisition. The amount of prescribed expenditure is laid down in section 80 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and, subject to Parliament's approval to the Local Government Finance Bill, clauses 129 and 130 (first Lords print) of that Bill.

  Lead Pollution
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigations have been carried out by his Department on the dangers of lead pollution in areas adjacent to motorways.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In January 1986 the Government reduced the maximum permitted lead content of petrol by almost two thirds and all new petrol-driven cars will be required to run on lead-free petrol from October 1990. Studies have been carried out by the Department to monitor the effectiveness of the legislation. They have shown a substantial decrease in air lead concentration throughout the country (average 53 per cent., motorway location 54 per cent.) and the levels found are well below the EEC limit value. Average blood lead concentrations measured in 1986 in adults living near a large motorway interchange and in children attending schools alongside busy main roads were also low.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of water authority expenditure is utilised for the monitoring and effective biological control of British waterways; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how much money was spent by water authorities for the last financial year available on the treatment of sewage; and what proportion of their overall budget this amounts to;
  390
  (3) what information he has as to how much was spent by the Yorkshire water authority in 1987–88 for the treatment of sewage; and what proportion of overall expenditure it amounts to.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The income and expenditure of the water authorities in England and Wales was set out in their annual reports and accounts for 1986–87 which were laid before Parliament on 15 July 1987. This information is summarised in "Water Facts" published annually by the Water Authorities Association. Copies of these documents are available in the Library. Outturn information about 1987–88 will be laid before Parliament in July.

  Fly Tipping
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many prosecutions were brought against illegal fly tippers in Greater London during the last 12 months period for which figures are available; and what were the figures for similar periods during the preceding five years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department that the most recent available information held centrally about prosecutions in the Metropolitan police area under section 2 of the Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978 and section 3 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is as set out in the table.

  Prosecutions

  1984

  66

  1985

  53

  1986

  70

  Prosecutions under section 3 of the 1974 Act include those for the breach of licence conditions as well as those for the unlicensed deposit of waste. This information may, however, be incomplete. Information for earlier years is not readily available.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to allow prosecutions to be taken against employers or vehicle owners in cases of illegal fly tipping.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The prosecution of the employers of fly-tippers is already possible where it can be shown that they caused or permitted the fly tipping offence to take place. I am considering the possibility of making the registered owner of a vehicle used for fly-tipping liable to prosecution as part of the review of waste disposal legislation.

  Local Authorities (Equities)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to which local authorities are investing balances and so on in equities; and if he will state in each case the political control of the authority, the value of the investment and the source of this information.

  Mr. Ridley
  Information on the value of equities held by individual local authorities is not collected by my Department.

  Local Authorities (Capital Programmes)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his announcement on 25 April,
  391
  Official Report, columns 101–2, if he will make it his policy to lay before Parliament reports about the granting of additional allocations as a means of relaxing the capital controls, citing individual authorities, individual projects and their values; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  Individual capital allocations have on many occasions hitherto been issued to individual local authorities for particular projects or purposes. Information about those likely to be of particular interest has been provided either in response to questions or through the Library. I am not persuaded of the need for more formal reporting arrangements.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he plans to give local authorities on capital programmes in the light of his statements on 9 March,Official Report, columns 325–36, and 25 April, Official Report, columns 101–2; and when such advice will be available.

  Mr. Ridley
  Copies of both statements and of the regulations made on 9 March and the new clauses added to the Local Government Finance Bill have already been circulated to all local authorities in England to which part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 applies. Representatives of local authorities have asked my Department to issue a circular containing guidance on the interpretation of the regulations and new clauses and amplifying the criteria which I proposed on 25 April,Official Report, columns 103–4. I will consider what advice can properly be given, after the current consultations have taken place.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his announcement about relaxations in the local authority capital control system,Official Report, 25 April, column 102, what percentage of the schemes made aware to him, after his announcement of 9 March, will be allowed to proceed by virtue of the relaxations; and what is his estimate of the value (a) of

  Rate support grant

  £ million

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  South East

  2,473·473

  2,856·488

  2,797·865

  2,844·049

  2,749·122

  2,711·310

  2,739·686

  2,841·019

  2,850·716

  2,852·703

  South West

  608·890

  717·471

  772·624

  773·548

  770·703

  785·617

  763·628

  740·407

  797·808

  820·106

  East Anglia

  237·488

  282·565

  302·603

  307·256

  310·400

  310·349

  290·431

  291·178

  300·931

  302·192

  West Midlands

  761·723

  896·405

  945·372

  949·203

  1,010·028

  1,025·689

  1,004·430

  1,052·489

  1,043·422

  1,044·842

  East Midlands

  584·950

  684·816

  750·100

  744·861

  755·326

  767·979

  759·462

  708·639

  761·570

  777·748

  North West

  1,197·551

  1,413·074

  1,517·018

  1,491·752

  1,519·498

  1,531·872

  1,573·071

  1,531·388

  1,629·770

  1,711·248

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  902·489

  1,088·756

  1,157·512

  1,165·507

  1,198·221

  1,213·150

  1,222·959

  1,173·759

  1,269·143

  1,325·565

  Northern Region

  603·613

  719·583

  757·833

  742·668

  753·800

  758·023

  774·722

  712·131

  794·270

  847·415

  Total all regions

  7,370·177

  8,659·158

  9,000·927

  9,018·844

  9,067·098

  9,103·989

  9,128·389

  9,051·010

  9,455·630

  9,681·819

  Notes:

  1. Rate support grant comprised needs, resources and domestic elements in 1979–80 and 1980–81 and block grant, domestic rate relief grant in following years.

  2. The figures given are the latest available grant entitlements. These are final for the years 1979–80 to 1984–85 inclusive.

  Methyl Chloroform and Carbon Tetrachloride
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures for the consumption and production of methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the
  392
  the schemes made aware to him after 9 March which were affected by his statement and (b) of the schemes of which he has knowledge that will be allowed to proceed and in respect of which he will grant additional allocations.

  Mr. Ridley
  I announced on 25 April certain criteria against which I would consider requests for additional capital allocations. Many of the representations which I have received since my statement of 9 March did not quantify the value of the schemes concerned or provide sufficient particulars for them to be judged against the criteria.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the changes made to the rules governing local authority capital expenditure since 1980.

  Mr. Ridley
  The present system for the control of local authority capital expenditure is contained in part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, which took effect from 1 April 1981, and prescribed expenditure regulations made thereunder. The original regulations made in 1981 have been amended by further prescribed expenditure regulations made in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1988. In addition, amendments relating to deferred purchase were made by the Local Government Act 1987 and consequential regulations. Further amendments stand to be made under the Local Government Finance Bill.

  Rate Support Grant
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the outturn or estimated outturn total of rate support grant paid to local authorities, within each standard economic region, in total, in each year from 1979–80 to 1987–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  The information is as follows:

  European Economic Community, (c) the United States of America and (d) the rest of the world for each year since 1980 for which figures are available.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Figures for United Kingdom production of methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are commercially confidential; figures for United Kingdom
  393
  consumption are not available. European Community figures for production and consumption are not available. Following are available figures of estimated world and USA use since 1980; production figures are not available;

  Thousand metric tonnes

  Chloroform

  Carbon Tetrachloride

  World

  USA

  World

  USA

  1980

  n/a

  314

  n/a

  322

  1981

  n/a

  279

  n/a

  329

  1982

  n/a

  270

  n/a

  266

  1983

  n/a

  266

  n/a

  260

  1984

  n/a

  303

  n/a

  323

  1985

  545

  270

  1,029

  280

  1986

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1987

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Source: Product Uses and Market Trends for Potential Ozone Depleting Substances: 1985–2000. Rand. 1986.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the contribution of methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride to the depletion of stratospheric ozone.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Methyl chloroform has a low ozone-depleting potential as it tends to decompose before reaching the stratosphere. Carbon tetrachloride has a relatively high ozone-depleting potential, but most of what is produced is not emitted as it is used primarily as an intermediate in the production of CFC11 and CFC12. There is, therefore, considerable uncertainty about how much of these gases reach the stratosphere but current estimates suggest that each could contribute about 7 per cent. to the potential depletion of the ozone layer from man-made sources.

  Montreal Protocol
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 495, he will state what proposals Her Majesty's Government will make at the meeting of the Environment Council on 16 June regarding implementation of the Montreal protocol.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Commission has put forward a proposed regulation for the implementation of the protocol in the European Community. It is too early to judge how far this will have progressed by the time of the Environment Council on 16 June but the United Kingdom will continue to press for early agreement on Communitywide action.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 494, he expects the European Community member states simultaneously to ratify the Montreal protocol.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The aim is that the European Community and its member states should ratify the Montreal protocol simultaneously before the end of 1988.

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cubic metres of intermediate level radioactive waste are stored in(a) Sellafield and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
  394
  Mr. Ridley
  A total of 28,200 cu m of intermediate level radioactive waste is stored at Sellafield and 13,600 cu m elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

  Rural Areas (Assistance)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to increase the effectiveness of the Government's policies for assisting rural areas.

  Mrs. Roe
  On 1 April the Development Commission merged with its main agency, the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (COSIRA) under the title of the Rural Development Commission. The staff and activities of COSIRA have been transferred to the commission and now form its small business service. The commission will continue to be the principal instrument for carrying forward the Government's policies for diversifying rural enterprise and will now have the added advantage of being in direct contact with private firms in rural areas.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Outside Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many Crown servants have left to take up outside appointments, by year from 1979; from what Government Departments; and what grades were involved.

  Mr. Luce
  This information is not held centrally. However, I refer the hon. Member to the statistical report prepared by the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) entitled "Acceptance of Outside Appointments by Crown servants — 1987", copies of which I placed in the Library of the House on 10 March 1988. This contains most of the information requested covering particularly the years 1980 to 1987 inclusive.

  Security (Vetting)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will provide details of the vetting procedures applied to non-Civil Service staff employed by outside contractors who undertake security duties at Government establishments.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: It is the responsibility of individual Government Departments to ensure the suitability of any private company and its employees for work on their behalf. It would not be appropriate to give details of the steps taken to do so.

WALES

  Job Creation
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the jobs associated with the regional development grant applications currently being considered by his Department are new jobs; and how many are safeguarded jobs.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I am pleased to confirm that all the jobs involved in the 1,935 applications being processed from the beginning of this month are new jobs for I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman must be aware that regional development grants take account only of new jobs created directly in the activities to which the project relates.

  Breast Cancer Screening
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up breast cancer screening units in each of the health authority areas in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Our aim is to extend the breast screening service to all parts of Wales by 1990. In view of the low population density of much of the Principality many areas are likely to be served by mobile screening units.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of employees in(a) Clwyd and (b) Wales in employment in (i) May 1979 and (ii) May 1987, and the total number of employees in manufacturing industry standard industrial classification 2–4 in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Available data are as follows:

  Thousands

  All employees in employment

  Manufacturing

  Clwyd

  Wales

  SIC 68 (orders III-XIX)

  SIC 80 (divisions 2–4)

  June 1978

  128

  1,015

  310

  ..

  June 1979

  ..

  1,033

  315

  ..

  September 1984

  119

  886

  ..

  212

  June 1987

  ..

  863

  ..

  206

  Source: Department of Employment.

  PPA and Nursery Schooling
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate the cash spent on(a) PPA and (b) nursery schooling in Wales in 1986–87 and 1987–88; if
  396
  he proposes to give extra cash to PPAs in Wales; if he proposes to make available extra cash for nursery schooling in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  PPA Wales has been receiving grant aid from the Department towards its administrative and headquarters costs for a number of years. The organisation received £118,500 in 1986–87 and £122,997:in 1987–88. The level of grant aid in 1988–89 has yet to be decided.

  Total current expenditure on the nursery and primary sectors combined was £249·8 million in 1986–87 and £273·8 million in 1987–88. Separate information on nursery schooling is not collected. It is for LEAs to determine their own priorities within the resources available to them.

  Rate Support Grant
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the outturn or estimated outturn total of rate support grant paid to local authorities in Wales, in total, in each year from 1979–80 to 1987–88.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is given as follows:

  £ million

  1979–801

  589·9

  1980–811

  693·4

  1981–821

  745·3

  1982–831

  797·8

  1983–841

  812·0

  1984–851

  815·4

  1985–861

  837·0

  1986–872

  882·1

  1987–883

  937·1

  1 Outturn.

  2 Revised estimate.

  3 Budget.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Income Tax
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he calculates to be the average per capita income tax saving per week for British taxpayers who currently pay tax at a marginal rate of 60 per cent., as a result of his Budget proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The average reduction in income tax liability in a full year at 1988–89 levels of income for taxpayers whose marginal rate would have been 60 per cent. under the 1987–88 regime indexed to 1988–89 is estimated to be £190 per week.

  Take-home Pay
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate how, in detail, he has arrived at the figure of 27½ per cent. as the rise in real take-home pay for a married man with two children on average earnings between 1978–79 and 1988–89, as given in response to the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 14 April,Official Report, column 339.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The detailed calculations are in the table.

  The earnings figures are derived from the new earnings survey series for full-time males on adult rates, whose pay was not affected by absence. The 1978–79 figure has been adjusted to take account of a change in definition of the series in 1983. The 1988–89 figure has been projected from 1986–87 using the assumptions of a 7½ per cent. increase between 1986–87 and 1987–88 and a 6½, per cent. increase between 1987–88 and 1988–89, as provided to the Government Actuary and reported in chapter 3 of the autumn statement 1987.

  The retail prices index for 1978–79 has been rebased to 13 January 1987 = 100, the base of the current RPI series. The RPI is assumed to rise by 4 per cent. between 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Calculation of real take home pay for a married man with two children on average earnings

  £ per week

  1978–79

  1988–89

  Earnings

  92·80

  244·70

  Income tax

  -18·46

  -41·49

  NIC

  -6·03

  -22·02

  Child benefit

  +5·14

  +14·50

  Take home pay

  73·45

  195·69

  RPI

  51·10

  106·80

  Take-home pay at constant 1988–89 prices

  153·51

  195·69

  Percentage increase

  27·50

  Central Office of Information
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed in the Central Office of Information for the years 1978–79 to 1987–88.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information requested is as follows:398

  1 January

  Permanent staff in-post (including part-timers)

  1979

  1,163

  1980

  1,177

  1981

  1,158

  1982

  1,071

  1983

  969

  1984

  961

  1985

  925

  1986

  878

  1987

  815

  1988

  804

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the rules on Government advertising under which the Central Office of Information operates.

  Mr. Lilley
  The conventions on central Government publicity and advertising are set out in the Government's evidence submitted to the Widdicombe inquiry in 1985 and deposited in the Library of the House (published as annex D to "Local Authority Publicity: interim report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Conduct of Local Authority Business chaired by Mr. David Widdicombe QC").

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the budget for the Central Office of Information for each of the years 1978–79 to 1987–88; and how much of that budget was expended on advertising and how much on other Central Office of Information activities.

  Mr. Peter Lilley
  [holding answer 28 April 1988]: The information is as follows:

  Year

  Total expenditure £

  Advertising expenditure £

  Other expenditure £

  1978–79

  35,400,000

  18,800,000

  16,600,000

  1979–80

  40,700,000

  20,600,000

  20,100,000

  1980–81

  45,100,000

  20,000,000

  25,100,000

  1981–82

  46,100,000

  18,500,000

  27,600,000

  1982–83

  48,300,000

  18,800,000

  29,500,000

  1983–84

  60,300,000

  21,300,000

  39,000,000

  1984–85

  64,700,000

  21,900,000

  42,800,000

  1985–86

  66,900,000

  25,100,000

  41,800,000

  1986–87

  149,800,000

  98,500,000

  51,300,000

  1987–881

  150,400,000

  88,000,000

  62,400,000

  1 Figures given are an estimate.

  Life Expectancy
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the Government Actuary has uplifted the life expectancy of adult males and females since 1958.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government Actuary's department has calculated the life expectancy of adults in the United Kingdom on the basis of current mortality rates about 30 times since 1958 for publication in the Central Statistical Office's "Annual Abstract of Statistics." In addition, the Government Actuary has made a projection of life expectancy on about 25 occasions since 1958 for the purpose of the national population projections. On almost every occasion life expectancies have shown increases for both men and women.

  EC (Budget Council)
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of the European Community's Budget Council.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Budget Council met in Luxembourg on 28 April. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council reached agreement on the expenditure provisions of its second reading draft budget. In response to the Italian delegation, however, who entered a waiting reserve on the content of the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) needed to finance the budget, the President of the Council did not declare the new draft budget formally established.

  In its discussions on the European Parliament's modifications and amendments to the first reading draft budget established on 7 March, the Council agreed on total expenditure of 45·1 billion ecu (becu) (£31·3 billion) in commitment appropriations and 43·6 becu (£30·3 billion) in payment appropriations. Within these totals provision for agricultural guarantee expenditure remains, as in the Council's first reading draft budget, at 27·5 becu (£19·1 billion) with a further 1·24 becu (£0·9 billion) for disposals of existing stocks and a monetary reserve of 1 becu (£0·7 billion).

  As regards non-compulsory expenditure, the Council agreed on figures of 11·4 becu (£7·9 billion) for commitment appropriations and 10 becu (£6·9 billion) for payment appropriations. The increases over 1987 are 10·5 per cent. and 8·1 per cent., respectively, compared with corresponding figures in the first reading draft budget of 7 per cent. and 5·9 per cent. and with the "maximum rate" of increase, calculated in accordance with the treaty, of 7·4 per cent. The European Parliament will have the right under the treaty to add the remainder of its half maximum rate margin to these amounts (some 27 mecu (£19 million) for commitments and 144 mecu (£100 million) for payments).

  The Council agreed that the IGA total and the contributions of individual member states would be adjusted automatically so as to conform with the payments due under the Community's new own resources decision as finally agreed. The Italian delegation made clear that in the discussions on this decision they would continue to argue for an interpretation of the Brussels European Council conclusions which was more favourable to Italy than that proposed by the Commission.

  The presidency asked the Italian delegation to resolve the matter of their waiting reserve by 4 May, which is the day before the deadline under article 203(5) of the treaty for the Council to act on the Parliament's modifications and amendments. I will keep the House informed about the outcome.

  Government Securities
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are holding(a) 3·5 per cent. War Loan, and (b) all undated Government securities.

  Mr. Lilley
  There are approximately 459,000 holdings of undated Government securities on all registers. Of these, approximately 335,700 are of 3·5 per cent. war loan. It is impossible without undue cost to distinguish between personal and corporate holdings.

  Pensions (RPI Error)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are being made for donations to public service charities following the understatement of the retail prices index and its implications for centrally administered public service pensions.

  Mr. Brooke
  The total saving attributable to the retail prices index error in the superannuation schemes for civil servants, teachers, NHS staff, members of the armed forces and overseas pensioners is about £7·2 million.

  This sum is being paid in donations to charities supporting needy or retired personnel in those services by the responsible Departments. The office of the Minister for the Civil Service has already made payments of about £0·4 million to Civil Service charities in the financial year 1987–88. The remaining donations to Civil Service and other public service charities will be made in this financial year and next.

  The charities will include:

  Civil Service

  Civil Service Retirement Fellowship

  Civil Service Benevolent Fund

  Civil Service Sports Council

  Civil Service Club

  Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance

  Post Office and Civil Service Sanatorium Society

  Occupational Pension Advisory Service

  Teachers (England and Wales)

  Teachers' Benevolent Fund

  Church Schoolmasters' and Schoolmistresses' Benevolent Institution

  Scottish Teachers

  Educational Institute of Scotland Benevolent Fund

  Scottish Secondary Teachers' Benevolent Fund

  Armed Forces

  King George's Fund for Sailors

  Army Benevolent Fund

  RAF Benevolent Fund

  Overseas Service Pensioners

  Overseas Pensioners' Benevolent Society

  Staines Trust

  Sudan Government Pensioners' Supplementation Fund

  Fuller information will be available on request from the Departments concerned once their detailed arrangements are complete.

  For National Health Service staff, there is at present no national charity on the scale desirable for so large a public service. The Government are therefore taking this opportunity of consulting staff and management interests on the possibility of establishing a National Health Service benevolent fund which would be registered as a charity, managed on voluntary lines, and given a substantial initial endowment from public funds.

  Tax Units
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax units will be on incomes, including unearned income, in excess of £50,000, £70,000 and £100,000 in 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 25 April 1988]: In 1988–89 it is estimated that 230,000 tax units (married couples and single people) will have total income of over £50,000 and that 100,000 tax units will have income of over £70,000. I regret that a reliable estimate of the number of

  401
  tax units with income of over £100,000 per year is not available as estimates are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes. All estimates are provisional.

  Government Establishments (Security Arrangements)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list those Government establishments which are currently examining putting out to tender the security functions where those functions are currently undertaken by Civil Service staff;

  (2) if he will list all the Government establishments where the security functions are undertaken by outside contractors, and the names of those contractors.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, since records of the security arrangements in Government establishments are not held centrally.

  VAT
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proposed rate of value added tax which the Commission of the European Communities proposes to be applied in the United Kingdom to proceeds from the gifts in kind to charities, including proceeds from retail sales; what is the approximate range of annual revenue he would expect to receive at the proposed or current United Kingdom relevant rate from such a tax; what was the date at which such a proposal was first made known to him; what consultations he has had with, and what information he has provided to, the principal charities concerned; what is the response of Her Majesty's Government to this proposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The Commission's tax approximation proposals (published in August 1987) would require charity shops to charge VAT on donated goods sold retail. The rate (standard 14–20 per cent. or reduced 4–9 per cent.) would depend on the goods sold. Donations of goods by private individuals would not be affected, as these are outside the scope of the tax. I regret that information which might enable us to estimate the likely revenue yield is not held centrally.

  I have received no representations from charities on this subject.

  The Government's position, which has been repeated on numerous occasions, is that we are not prepared to accept proposals which would restrict our ability to apply VAT zero rates. Our position is safeguarded because changes to EC tax law require unanimity.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many mink farms are currently in operation in each county and region, respectively, in England; and what were the equivalent figures 12 months ago.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:402

  Mink farms (premises) in operation in England by MAFF Region and County or former County

  Region and County

  As at 24 March 1987

  As at 24 March 1988

  Northern

  14

  15

  Humberside

  4

  4

  Northumberland

  1

  1

  North Yorkshire

  1

  1

  Former county of South Yorkshire

  1

  1

  Former county of West Yorkshire

  7

  8

  Midlands and West

  13

  17

  Cheshire

  2

  2

  Lancashire

  10

  14

  Staffordshire

  1

  1

  Eastern

  4

  7

  Hertfordshire

  0

  1

  Lincolnshire

  1

  1

  Norfolk

  1

  2

  Suffolk

  2

  3

  South Eastern

  6

  6

  Buckinghamshire

  1

  1

  Hampshire

  2

  2

  Isle of Wight

  1

  1

  Kent

  1

  1

  West Sussex

  1

  1

  South Western

  8

  8

  Cornwall

  4

  4

  Dorset

  1

  1

  Gloucestershire

  1

  1

  Wiltshire

  2

  2

  I regret that numbers of mink farm licences and licensed farms given in reply to the hon. Member's previous questions on 24 March, at column 206, on this subject were incorrect. The position is that at 24 March there were 45, not 48 licences for the farming of mink in force in England. These licences covered 46, not 49 farms. A year earlier there were 42 licences covering 43 farms, not 44.

  Agricultural Debt
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the level of agricultural debt per acre in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Gummer
  In 1985, the latest year for which firm figures are available, the average level of agricultural debt in the United Kingdom was £179·62 per acre, the provisional figure for 1986 is £182·87 per acre and the forecast figure for 1987 is £188·28 per acre.

  Quick-frozen Foods
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the negotiations over European Community document 9402/84 on the approximation of laws relating to quick-frozen foodstuffs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 20 April 1988 at columns 505–6.

  Woodland Grant Scheme
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next proposes to meet
  403
  representatives of the Country Landowners Association to discuss the woodland grant scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the Country Landowners Association for the specific purpose of discussing this subject.

  Ancient Monuments
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding good stewardship of ancient monuments by the agricultural community.

  Mr. Gummer
  My officials regularly meet English Heritage and other archaelogical interests. During these meetings, and in their response to relevant consultation papers issued by my Department, these interests have made known their views on good stewardship of ancient monuments by the agricultural community.

  Free Food Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of Thursday 21 April, how much of the butter and beef available under the free food scheme in the United Kingdom has already been released; how much he expects to be released; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Butter and beef is now being allocated to designated organisations for withdrawal from intervention during the rest of 1988, up to the full limit of £10·4 million on the funds that the Commission has authorised for the United Kingdom. My present expectation is that this will be sufficient to fund the release of about 2,500 tonnes of butter and about 1,600 tonnes of beef. Release will start when the designated organisations have made their practical arrangements.

  Donnington Fire (Pollution)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what area of farmland has suffered from pollution following the fire at Donnington, Shropshire; what monitoring his Department is undertaking; and what criteria he will use in deciding whether to take emergency powers to protect human health under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  An area of farmland of about 162 hectares immediately downwind of the fire, covering two farms, has been affected by deposited ash and particles. The Ministry immediately undertook an extensive survey of vegetation in the area covered by the smoke plume extending across Shropshire to the Welsh border; no asbestos was found in these samples. A more intensive survey in the immediate vicinity of the fire has found some evidence of local deposition of asbestos in the debris; further analysis of food crops grown in the vicinity of the fire is in progress.

  The criteria for action under part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 are listed in section 1(1) of the Act. Advice has been given to farmers in the affected area to keep livestock under cover and I understand the local environmental health officer has advised householders to wash fruit and vegetables from their garden.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the names and locations of bodies in Scotland, England and Wales whose research and development funding is currently under review by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The current internal review of Agriculture Departments' R and D expenditure covers all areas of activity with particular reference to near market work. I cannot comment on the implications for particular locations at this stage.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the names and locations of research institutes in the United Kingdom currently in receipt of financial support for research and development from public funds.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Within the areas of responsibility of my Department, public funds are used to support both in-house research and externally commissioned work at a large number of locations. My Department also provides a grant in aid to the royal botanic gardens, and has ad hoc contracts with certain universities and a limited number of commercial establishments. The main external contractors are the Agricultural and Food Research Council and Natural Environment Research Council, details of whose institutes are available from the councils themselves.

  Work on agriculture, fisheries and food is also funded by the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

  Barnes Review
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the terms of reference of the Barnes review of the transfer of technology and the effectiveness of near market research and development which his Department supports.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am placing a copy of the terms of reference in the Library of the House, though as the review is an internal policy study we do not intend to publish its findings.

  Fallow Land (Grants)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning land which is left fallow and for which grants are obtained which is subsequently used for stock grazing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 25 April 1988]: Under the Community set-aside scheme, member states have the option of permitting extensive grazing of livestock on land taken out of production. We have received a number of representations both for and against operating this option in the United Kingdom, and we shall be taking these into account in deciding on the final form of the national scheme. An announcement on this will be made as soon as possible.

  Clyde Herring
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his intention to seek a review of the state of the stock of Clyde herring before the end of May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 25 April 1988]: The annual and international process of obtaining and analysing scientific data on fish stocks is initially undertaken by a variety of scientific working groups, which then submit reports to the advisory committee for fisheries management (ACFM) for consideration. The ACFM will then produce a further report reviewing the state of the stocks (including the Clyde herring stock) and providing advice on management policy. The ACFM will be meeting from 16 to 26 May 1988 and will report shortly thereafter. I shall take a particular interest in their advice on all stocks of importance to United Kingdom fishermen, including, of course, Clyde herring.

  Forestry Grant
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, further to his answer of 29 March,Official Report, column 398, he will state (a) the area of land approved for forestry grant-aid and (b) the area of land planted or restocked by the private sector, in each of the five English conservancies of the Forestry Commission in the three years 31 March 1985, and in each of the three conservancies in the years from 1 April 1985 to date.

  Mr. Gummer:
  [holding answer 22 April 1988]:

  The information is as follows:

  Year Ended 31 March

  Conservancy

  Area of new planting or restocking approved for grant-aid (hectares)

  Area of new planting or restocking grant-aided by the Forestry Commission (hectares

  1983

  North West

  1,142

  495

  North East

  2,329

  1,180

  East

  1,221

  647

  South East

  4,408

  394

  South West

  2,125

  792

  1984

  North West

  1,770

  486

  North East

  1,334

  1,269

  East

  4,104

  543

  South East

  3,491

  407

  South West

  5,591

  710

  1985

  North West

  2,757

  775

  North East

  2,263

  659

  East

  5,009

  563

  South East

  2,140

  304

  South West

  5,210

  442

  1986

  North

  3,356

  883

  East

  5,681

  1,213

  West

  6,965

  1,234

  1987

  North

  5,123

  1,110

  East

  13,433

  1,381

  West

  6,689

  1,372

  1988

  North

  3,939

  1,238

  East

  11,076

  1,670

  West

  8,917

  1,467

TRANSPORT

  Disabled People (Facilities)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the level of grants local authorities give under section 106 of the Transport Act 1985 towards providing, maintaining or improving(a) any vehicle equipment or other facilities intended wholly or mainly for disabled people, or (b) any equipment or other facilities intended to provide assistance for disabled people which are incorporated in vehicles, and so on, designed for the public at large.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  It is for local authorities to decide what use to make of the powers conferred on them by section 106 of the Transport Act 1985 to make grants towards the provision or adaptation of vehicles to meet the needs of disabled people. The Department does not keep central records of expenditure incurred.

  Public Utilities (Replacement Work)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what survey by his Department has taken place as to the replacement work undertaken by public utilities on repairs of holes they dig on public highways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department commissioned a comprehensive review of public utilities street works from a committee chaired by Professor Michael Horne, whose report was published in November 1985. It found that the principal problem with reinstatements was the division of responsibility between the utility and the highway authority, leading to poor temporary reinstatements.

  The committee's principal recommendation was that the full responsibility should be placed on the utilities, backed up by a series of recommendations to ensure that they do a good job. The report was generally welcomed and the Government have accepted the great majority of the recommendations.

  We are committed to introduce the necessary legislation. We are seeking a suitable opportunity to bring it before Parliament.

  A1 (Crash Barriers)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the recent fatal accident on the A1 at Great Ponton in Lincolnshire, he will reconsider his decision not to instal central reservation crash barriers for the entire length of the A1; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There has been no such decision. We are installing central reserve safety fencing on the A1 in accordance with the revised criteria announced on 17 December 1986.

  There is a rolling programme, phased in with major maintenance works in order to minimise disruption to the travelling public.

  The scheme to install safety fencing along a length of the Al at Great Ponton was completed in November 1986. Unfortunately the fatal accident occurred just south of this section.

  Cycle Routes (London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with London borough councils as to their policy on developing cycle routes within their borough; and what money he has allocated for this work.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department is a member, together with the London boroughs, of the London cycling forum, an advisory body sponsored by the London planning advisory committee.

  Cycling schemes which meet the criteria set out in the Department's circular 1/88 are eligible for transport supplementary grant as part of highway improvements.

  I will send the hon. Member leaflets, produced by the Department's traffic advisory unit, describing good practice in cycle schemes in London. This series is available in the Library.

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review the speed limits at which traffic may pass through residential areas.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Applications to the Department for speed limits below 30mph will be considered sympathetically when allied to speed-reducing engineering measures. In residential areas, it is for the local highway authorities to consider individual cases using guidance from the advisory criteria given in circulars Roads 1/80 and 4/83. General policy on speed limits is kept under constant review.

  Horne Report
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is intending to take on implementing the recommendations of the Home report.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are preparing proposals for legislation and we are consulting the street works advisory committee on these. When the proposals are complete we intend to consult interested parties. Action is proceeding jointly with the utilities and highway authorities to implement recommendations of the report relating to specifications for reinstatements, the training and certification of workmen, and the development of a computerised street works register. Negotiations are taking place on the arrangements for diversionary works.

  Local Authority Transport Expenditure
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds his decision was made to consult outside bodies on his Department's arrangements for local authority transport expenditure; on what basis outside bodies are intended to respond to his Department's request for information; what information has been provided by his Department to outside bodies for consideration of these matters and his Department's developing position; and if he is contemplating changes in expenditure arrangements, specifically in relation to transport supplementary grants.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  As part of the continuing programme to review efficiency of Government Departments, the Department of Transport is carrying out 408
  an efficiency scrutiny of its activities in relation to local authorities' capital expenditure on roads. As is usual for such scrutinies, the examining officer is seeking the views of outside bodies that may have an interest in the activities under review. Information on the present arrangements is already generally available. We have no immediate plans to change the arrangements for transport supplementary grant. We shall consider suggestions for change including any which arise from the present review.

  Street Works Advisory Committee (Recommendations)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors are delaying the introduction of legislation to implement the recommendations of the street works advisory committee in relation to excavation of roads by public utilities; what representations he has received from the relevant statutory undertakers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The street works advisory committee is advising the Department on our proposals for legislation to implement the Home report. The proposals are not yet complete because we are awaiting the outcome of negotiations between the public utilities and highway authorities on the issue of diversions to utility apparatus required as a consequence of highway improvement works.

  The Government are committed to legislation and we are seeking a suitable opportunity to introduce it, but we have a full programme of legislation.

  The statutory undertakers in their collective response to the Horne report supported the need for legislation. Letters from the chairmen of British Gas and the Electricity Council support its early introduction.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest accumulated debt on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The estimated accumulated debt at the end of the 1987–88 financial year was £95 million.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest available figures for traffic flows across the Severn bridge(a) on a daily basis and (b) in total.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The average daily traffic flow across the Severn bridge for the year up to the end of March 1988 was 44,263 vehicles. Since the opening of the crossing in 1966, nearly 230 million vehicles have used it.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest figure for the overall operating deficit on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The estimated overall deficit, including interest and sinking fund contributions, was £11·5 million in 1987–88.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to increase tolls on the Severn bridge following the recent report from the Auditor General.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  It was said in the foreword to the 1986–87 account, published on 6 April, that the question of a tolls increase is under review.
  409
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to write off the accumulated debt on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) on 8 December 1987,Official Report, columns 119–20.

  Brigg and Redbourne (Bypass)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why there is a further delay to the tendering process of the A15 Brigg and Redbourne bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I understand that the preparatory work is not proceeding as quickly as Humberside county council, the highway authority responsible for the scheme, would wish. The contract preparation has been delayed because the Department's new specification for highway works has been applied to this project. The new road will benefit from the higher standard of construction.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects construction to begin on the A15 Brigg and Redbourne bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This is a Humberside county council scheme for which the Department is giving a 100 per cent. grant to approved expenditure. The starting date is for the council to determine, within the constraints of the Department's grant rules.

  Yorkshire and Humberside (Regional Director)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his regional director for Yorkshire and Humberside will be replying to the letter dated 25 April from the director of technical services of Humberside county council; and if a copy of this reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Brigg and Cleethorpes.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  He will do so shortly. A copy will be sent to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why there is a delay in the issuing of grant approval for the A15 Brigg and Redbourne bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Grant approval should be issued shortly after the necessary financial approvals have been obtained. We need to be sure that, in the light of the recently notified substantial increase in the estimated cost, the scheme represents value for money.

  National Travel Survey
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the results of the last national travel survey; and whether a decision has been taken on the timing of the next survey.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A report of the 1985–86 national travel survey has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. We have asked the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to begin data collection for the next national travel survey in June. We have decided that it would be more cost-effective if the survey were a continuous one. The new survey, which will follow the same design as that held in 1985–86, will collect data from 10,000 households over three years instead of 12 months.

  Merchant Navy (Training)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what use he proposes to make of the powers in the Merchant Shipping Bill[Lords] to give financial assistance in respect of Merchant Navy training.

  Mr. Channon
  I am placing in the Library a document entitled "A Scheme for Department of Transport Assistance for Merchant Navy Officer Training", which outlines the training scheme I propose to introduce under powers contained in the Merchant Shipping Bill.

  In developing this scheme I have had two objectives. The first is to increase the number of officers being trained for service in the Merchant Navy, which declined significantly during the 1980s. The second is to build on and develop the existing training arrangements, and on the use already being made by the industry of Government financial assistance, notably the funding available under the Manpower Services Commission's youth training scheme.

  The scheme will arrange for suitable men and women, whether specially recruited officer cadets or in-service rating trainees, to follow a programme of training which leads to a Department of Transport first certificate of competency as a deck officer or marine engineer officer, in accordance with the recommendations of the Merchant Navy training board and as approved by my Department.

  Each officer trainee in respect of whom Department of Transport assistance is payable will be required to be employed or sponsored by a managing agent who will be responsible for the administration of the trainee's full programme of vocational education and training from recruitment to completion. The managing agent might be a traditional shipping company, a suitable training company or group, or a nautical college. The overall scheme will be managed on my Department's behalf by a co-ordinating agent. I am pleased that the General Council of British Shipping, which has a wealth of experience and contacts in this field, has agreed to take on the role of co-ordinating agent for the scheme. Recruitment to the scheme will be through the managing agents, under the guidance of the co-ordinating agent.

  At present, where officer trainees are following a scheme of training approved by the Manpower Services Commission, and are eligible on age grounds, the managing agent receives assistance in respect of such trainees at the standard rates (currently £37 per week) for the YTS scheme. Those arrangements will continue, and managing agents will be expected to take the maximum advantage of assistance available both under the YTS and from LEA grants. My Department will give financial assistance in respect of trainees who are ineligible for YTS assistance on age grounds. This assistance will be given at the rate of £50 per trainee per week. Thus an officer trainee who began a four-year course of training at age 16 would, if following an approved course, be eligible for assistance for the first two years under YTS, and for the second two years under my Department's scheme. For a trainee embarking on a course at age 18, or later, assistance would be claimed under my Department's scheme for the entire period. In either case, assistance under my Department's scheme would be abated by the amount of any LEA grant payable.

  I plan to give assistance under my Department's scheme not only in respect of new trainees, but in respect of

  411
  trainees who are already undergoing an approved course of training and who are ineligible for YTS grants on age grounds. I shall be announcing in due course the date from which payments will be made in respect both of new and of existing trainees. My aim is. with the help of the coordinating agent and of the managing agents, to have the scheme in operation to give financial assistance in respect of the new intake of officer trainees this autumn.

  I also recognise the importance of junior officers studying for higher statutory qualifications. I therefore plan to make payments, again at the rate of £50 per head per week, towards the costs of officers studying for such qualifications, for the number of weeks of study leave which are prescribed by current National Maritime Board agreements. These payments would be made either to the individuals concerned, or to companies employing them who provide paid study leave, as appropriate. These payments will also be administered by the co-ordinating agent.

  I believe that these arrangements will be widely welcomed in the industry. As has already been announced, a budget of £2·5 million has been earmarked for the scheme in 1988–89, and £3·5 million for the full year 1989–90. This will represent a very significant level of financial assistance, over and above that available through YTS, for training in the industry. Our intention is that the Government's support should lead to a substantial increase in the number of cadets being trained and should open up new opportunities in the industry for those interested in a challenging and worthwhile career. I hope that everyone concerned will take full advantage of this assistance.

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when negotiations will be resumed with the United States Government on the licence application of United States carriers for new services to and from Manchester airport; what action has been taken since the previous negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The United States Government are not prepared to enter into further substantial discussions on United States carriers' access to Manchester until next year. Her Majesty's Government have pursued a number of points arising from the March talks. We will try to secure a resumption of negotiations as soon as possible.

THE ARTS

  "The Urban Renaissance"
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, further to his reply of 28 March,Official Report, column 353, what information he has on (a) the larger research project of which "The Urban Renaissance" is a part, (b) the firm of consultants undertaking the research project, and (c) the total cost of the larger research project.

  Mr. Luce
  The consultants, Dewe Rogerson Ltd., are assisting the Arts Council in a widespread public information campaign designed to encourage partnerships among inner city agencies, arts organisations, local government and the private sector to promote the use of the arts in the regeneration of urban areas. "The Urban 412
  Renaissance" is a part of that campaign. Fees paid to individual consultants are not separately identified in the Arts Council's accounts.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, further to his reply of 28 March,Official Report, column 353. what information he has on how the time of the Arts Council's permanent staff was costed and attributed to production of the Arts Council pamphlet "The Urban Renaissance".

  Mr. Luce
  An estimate was made of the staff time taken on the preparation of the material, and the cost of that time was estimated by reference to the salaries and overhead costs of the staff engaged.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the printing costs of the Arts Council pamphlet "The Urban Renaissance".

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The pamphlet cost £2,560 to print.

  Challenge Training Scheme
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the cost of the Arts Council pamphlet on the challenge training scheme.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The Arts Council pamphlet on incentive funding, "Better Business for the Arts" cost £7,932. There is no scheme or pamphlet on "challenge training".

  Visits and Entertainment (Costs)
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the cost of(a) ministerial visits and (b) entertaining in his Department in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Ministerial visits £

  Ministerial entertaining £

  1984–85

  9,514

  5,219

  1985–86

  23,272

  8,344

  1986–87

  18,030

  3,931

  1987–88

  10,664

  5,749

  The figures include the related costs of staff in direct support of the Minister.

  The Office of Arts and Libraries was established as an independent Department in July 1983 and corresponding figures for 1983–84 are not available.

  Arts Council (Annual Report)
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he expects the Arts Council to publish its annual report for 1987–88.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: In the autumn of 1988.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on moneys in his grant to the Arts Council for 1988–89 which remain unallocated.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The sum of £140,795 is still to be allocated by the council.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Don Valley
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many constituents in Don Valley will(a) benefit and (b) lose, when the Social Security Act 1986 comes into effect in April 1988 in the following categories (a) single pensioners under the age of 80 years, (b) single pensioners over the age of 80 years, (c) pensioner couples under the age of 80 years, (d)pensioner couples over the age of 80 years, (e) single unemployed under the age of 25 years, (f) single unemployed over the age of 25 years, (g) unemployed couples, (h) unemployed couples with children and (i) single parent families.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 12 April 1988, at column 122.

  Mortality Statistics
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average delay in publishing the monthly mortality figures.

  Mrs. Currie
  There has been no delay over the last year. Estimated numbers of deaths registered in four-weekly periods for England and Wales, and counties at age under one week, under one year and at all ages are published about seven weeks after the end of the period to which they relate. Similar weekly statistics for England and Wales only are published 11 days after the end of the period to which they relate (excepting public holidays). Both sets of figures are published currently in "OPCS Monitor" series WR "Registrar General's Weekly Return for England and Wales", copies of which are in the Library.

  Abortions
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much National Health Service time each week is spent by(a) consultants and (b) nurses in carrying out abortions, and caring for the patients involved.

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

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of abortions under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 in the Pontefract health authority area for each of the last seven years for which figures are available; how many of these abortions were performed on ground four where there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped; and how many of these abortions were performed on ground five to save the life of the pregnant woman.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is given in the table.414

  Notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 to usual residents of Pontefract health areas, by selected grounds 1980–86

  Area of usual residence

  All grounds

  Ground 4

  Ground 5

  (mentions)

  Eastern Health District of Wakefield AHA1

  1980

  341

  3

  —

  1981

  383

  7

  1

  1982

  367

  5

  —

  Pontefract District Health Authority

  1983

  346

  5

  —

  1984

  339

  3

  —

  1985

  355

  3

  —

  1986

  408

  10

  —

  1 Conterminous with Pontefract District Health Authority

  AIDS
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much he intends to spend over the next three years on curbing the spread of infection of AIDS; and how much he expects to spend thereafter on the care of people with this disease.

  Mr. Newton
  We attach the highest priority to measures to stop the spread of HIV infection. This is the purpose of the public education campaign; the public health measures which have been taken; and why all health authorities have been asked to draw up plans for local action on AIDS and HIV. In 1988–89 the Government have allocated £10 million for further development of AIDS public education, including maintaining the national AIDS helpline. We have earmarked £58·6 million in 1988–89 to help develop preventive, counselling and diagnostic services and to make a contribution towards the cost of care and treatment in hospitals and the community.

  In addition we expect to continue to provide support for voluntary agencies such as the Terrence Higgins Trust which carry out educational and counselling activities aimed at preventing the further spread of HIV infection.

  Firm spending plans beyond 1988–89 will be decided following the forthcoming public expenditure survey.

  Premature Babies (Deaths)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities in England and Wales, and where situated, have facilities of a special room set aside to help parents come to terms with the death of their premature baby, similar to room 5 of the special care baby unit at the Rosie maternity hospital, Cambridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that the information requested is not held centrally. The third report of the maternity services advisory committee titled "Care of the Mother and Baby" did however advise health authorities to provide such a private room for the parents of a baby likely to die soon after birth.

  I am aware of the efforts being made in Cambridge to help parents come to terms with the grief of bereavement; such sensitive and kindly care is deeply appreciated by all concerned.

  Orthotics Service
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department's report on its study of the arrangement for the delivery of the orthotics service, its efficiency and efficacy is to be published.

  Mrs. Currie
  The departmental team which conducted this study has not yet finalised its report. Decisions on publication will be taken when the final report has been completed.

  Income Support
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people were receiving income support(a) nationally and (b) through each of his Department's local offices in Redcar, Eston, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool on Monday 11 April;

  (2) how many people receiving income support on 11 April (a) nationally and (b) through each of his Department's local offices in Redcar, Eston, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool were also in receipt of transitional protection.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners are in receipt of income support within the Wakefield metropolitan district; and how many of them are receiving a transitional addition.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not available. Information on the number of claimants receiving income support will be available from the end of May.

  Single Payment
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for his Department's offices at Cumbernauld(a) the number of single payment applications and (b) the number granted in each week for the first three months of the current year.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has only one office in Cumbernauld. Information in the form requested is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Figures are however collected for the numbers of decisions made on single payment claims which represent full or partial awards of supplementary benefit in respect of the items claimed, and the numbers of decisions to refuse payment. These are given in the table for the first three complete four-weekly statistical periods in 1988. The figures are provisional and subject to revision.

  Full awards

  Partial awards Refusals

  Value £

  13 January to 9 February

  644

  35

  299

  42,864

  10 February to 7 March

  1,127

  30

  576

  79,627

  8 March to 8 April1

  919

  27

  315

  69,150

  1 Statistical period lengthened to align with the end of the supplementary benefit scheme.

  Departmental Television Advertising
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many advertisements from his Department have been rejected by the Independent Broadcasting Authority for broadcast in the current year.

  Mr. Portillo
  None.

  Waltham Forest (Ward Closures)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all temporary ward closures in Waltham Forest district by date of first closure; and if, in each case, he will indicate when the ward is expected to reopen, or when consultations on permanent closure are expected to commence.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret that this information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of Waltham Forest health authority.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if payments from the Independent Living Fund will be disregarded when disabled people are being assessed for means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby South, (Mrs. Beckett) on 12 April at columns 102–3.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many applications to the Independent Living Fund have been received; and what arrangements there are to make grants to those people who fulfil the eligibility criteria;

  (2) how the assessment of applicants to the Independent Living Fund is to be undertaken, and by whom.

  Mr. Scott
  The arrangements for assessing and making payments from the Independent Living Fund will be a matter for the trustees to decide when the fund is formally established. By the end of last week we had received eight completed application forms. A further 30 application forms had been sent out as a result of inquiries to the fund about specific individuals.

  As an interim measure, officials, guided by professional advice, are making inquiries and carrying out assessments so that when the trust is formally established decisions can be taken swiftly. We shall look sympathetically at individual cases and, where appropriate, officials will arrange for payments in advance of the fund itself coming into operation.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what stage negotiations to register the Independent Living Fund as a charity have reached.

  Mr. Scott
  Counsel is making the final adjustments to the draft trust deed which we shall then put to the charity commissioners for urgent consideration.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline the review procedure for applicants turned down by the Independent Living Fund.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 12 April at column 12.
  417
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the trustees of the Independent Living Fund are to be appointed; why they have not yet been appointed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The Independent Living Fund's trust deed will provide that there will be up to 10 trustees of whom five may be appointed by the Secretary of State and five by the Disablement Income Group. I will announce the names when the fund is ready to be formally established.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether legislation will be introduced to disregard payments from the Independent Living Fund for the purposes of assessing housing benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  We plan to do so as soon as possible. The eligibility criteria for the fund, which I announced on 31 March in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Alexander) at columns 659–60, contain a provision for the fund to make good any housing benefit reductions arising from payments by the fund, once the planned change to housing benefit legislation has taken effect.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistical basis was used by his Department when assessing the potential number of applicants to the Independent Living Fund.

  Mr. Scott
  The February 1986 sample of supplementary benefit cases indicated that there were some 250 people of all ages receiving domestic additions of more than £20 a week. However the sample for this group was very small, thus the figure has been taken only as a broad indication that the number of successful claims is likely to be counted in hundreds rather than thousands.

  Electoral Register
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish for each English and Welsh constituency the numerical and percentage change of the number of people on the electoral register between February 1987 and February 1988.

  Mrs. Currie
  A table giving the information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the 1985-based forecast for the expected percentage change of the number of people on the electoral register between mid-1987 and mid-1988 in(a) Wales, and (b) England.

  Mrs. Currie
  Forecasts of the changes in the number of people on the electoral register from one year to another are not prepared centrally. However the mid-1985-based projections of the resident population aged 17 years and over—which includes some people ineligible for electoral purposes—suggest that the percentage change between mid-1987 and mid-1988 would be approximately 0·5 per cent. for both Wales and England.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what he expects the percentage increase to be of the number of people on the electoral register in(a) Wales, and (b) England for each of the next five years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The mid-1985 based projections of the resident population suggest the following changes over the next five years.
  418

  Mid year to mid year period

  Percentage increase in resident population aged 17+

  (a) Wales

  1987–88

  0·5

  1988–89

  0·2

  1989–90

  0·2

  1990–91

  0·1

  1991–92

  0·0

  1992–93

  0·0

  (b) England

  1987–88

  0·5

  1988–89

  0·4

  1989–90

  0·3

  1990–91

  0·2

  1991–92

  0·1

  1992–93

  0·0

  Emphysema
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the industrial injury advisory council's report on its investigation into emphysema among coal miners.

  Mr. Scott
  The council's report on bronchitis and emphysema will be published on 19 May 1988.

  Look After Your Heart Campaign
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to increase spending on the Look After Your Heart campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Government funding of the Look After Your Heart campaign was £420,000 in 1986–87 and £1·5 million in 1987–88. We are increasing this further in 1988–89 to £1·8 million to which, in addition, the Health Education Authority will be contributing £2 million. We have a continuing commitment to this vital campaign, which aims, in the longer term, to bring about a significant reduction in the unacceptable level of premature death from coronary heart disease.

  Heart Disease (Report)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take in the light of the recent recommendations of the national forum for coronary heart disease prevention report, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have read the recommendations of the national forum's report with interest. We are at present developing the second year of the Look After Your Heart campaign and will consider carefully the comprehensive and helpful suggestions the report makes. We have no plans to set up further committees as the report suggests.

  Christie Hospital, Manchester
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has any plans for the direct funding of Christie hospital, Manchester; what information he has as to how many patients come from outside the north-west region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  There are no current plans to fund Christie hospital, Manchester directly. Information is not
  419
  held centrally on the number of patients who attend the hospital from outside North Western region. The right hon. Member may wish to raise that matter with the chairman of North Western regional health authority.

  Surplus Land (North-West)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much surplus land and property has been sold by the North Western regional health authority; what sums were raised as a result; and how much further land and property held by the authority is surplus to requirement.

  Mrs. Currie
  All health authorities are encouraged to dispose of redundant land and buildings promptly. Information is not held centrally on the number of surplus land and property sites sold by North Western regional health authority, but revenue from sales over the last five-year period is given as:

  £

  1982–83

  599,762

  1983–84

  998,663

  1984–85

  1,978,761

  1985–86

  2,693,555

  1986–87

  8,768,675

  There are approximately 10 land-property sites over 1 acre currently considered surplus to requirement. This figure may vary, however, depending on local service rationalisation decisions.

  London (Staffing Shortages)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take following the survey undertaken by his Department's inspectorate on behalf of the Greater London branch of the Director of Social Services, entitled "London Workforce Survey —November 1987", concerned with staffing shortages in social services in the capital.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 26 April 1988 at column 127.

  Income Support (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in the week beginning 11 April in those of his Department's offices serving London or London postal districts(a) how many claimants had their conversion from supplementary benefit to income support completed, (b) how many claimants granted income support received a transitional addition and (c) what was the average amount of any transitional addition they received.

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

  Departmental Offices (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of his Department's offices servicing London, or London postal districts, have been closed since 1 March as a result of(a) industrial action, (b) staff shortages and (c) other reasons.
  420
  Mr. Portillo
  The numbers of DHSS offices closed to the public for varying periods, in the London postal districts, and Greater London area since 1 March 1988 are:

  (a) 34;

  (b) Nil;

  (c) 10.

  Pathology Laboratories (Staffing)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report, commissioned by the manpower planning advisory group, on staffing of pathology laboratories was received by the National Health Service management board; how and when he intends to publish its findings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The report was considered by the manpower planning advisory group in February and referred by it to the National Health Service Management Board and regional chairmen. We intend to circulate the report to health authorities and others shortly.

  War Disabled
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many war disabled have lost money through the recent housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that the information requested is not available. However, the hon. Member will know that even after the recent changes, it is a matter for local authority discretion whether war pensions and war widows' pensions shall be disregarded in assessing income when calculating housing benefit entitlement.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce new proposals to exclude the war disabled from financial loss through housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Portillo
  War disabled claimants who have had their housing benefit reduced as a direct result of the housing benefit reforms, which took effect at the beginning of April this year, will receive transitional protection in the same way as other qualifying groups. Further details of the proposals announced on 27 April will be made available shortly.

  Benefit Changes (Correspondence)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many letters he has received regarding the changes in social security.

  Mr. Portillo
  Many, as indeed I have on most other issues concerning social security.

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a break-down of the groups comprising the 10 per cent. of claimants said not to gain in cash terms as a result of the social security reforms.

  Mr. Scott
  Detailed estimates classified by family status and by client group may be found in tables 7A and 8A of "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits" published in October 1987. Copies are available in the Library.

  Housing Benefit Regulations
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his statement in the House on 27 April, what estimate he has made of the administrative costs to local authorities of implementing the further proposed changes in housing benefit regulations; and if he will take steps to compensate local authorities for these additional costs.

  Mr. Portillo
  We intend to adjust the provision for local authorities' housing benefit administration costs to reflect the additional work arising from the changes announced on 27 April. We shall be discussing the work involved and the likely costs with the local authority associations.

  Accident and Emergency Units (Closure)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 29 March,Official Report, column 751, he will make it his policy not to refer hon. Members to chairmen of district health authorities when answering questions on the closure of accident and emergency units.

  Mrs. Currie
  The provision of health services in England is the responsibility of 190 district health authorities and 90 family practitioner committees which are best placed to determine local priorities and needs. In questions regarding detail of individual hospital services, referral to the district health authority chairman is usually the most appropriate and efficient way to answer the questions of hon. Members.

  Social Security Agreements (Reciprocal Arrangements)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the countries(a) with which there are reciprocal social security agreements; (b) in which British emigrant pensioners receive regular uprating of pensions in line with the United Kingdom; and if he is considering arranging an agreement to include Canada in the latter category.

  Mr. Scott
  The United Kingdom has reciprocal social security agreements with the following countries. British emigrant pensioners receive regular uprating of pensions in line with those in the United Kingdom in all these countries except for those marked with an asterisk.

  Australia*

  Austria

  Belgium

  Bermuda

  Canada*

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  Finland

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Gibraltar

  Greece

  Iceland

  Republic of Ireland

  Isle of Man

  Israel

  Italy

  Jamaica

  Jersey and Guernsey

  Luxembourg

  Malta

  Mauritius

  Netherlands

  New Zealand*

  422

  Norway*

  Portugal

  Spain

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Turkey

  United States of America

  Yugoslavia

  United Kingdom pension upratings are also paid to pensioners living in Sark by virtue of a provision of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1973.

  Canadian and United Kingdom officials have discussed the possibility of revising the agreement between the two countries so that pension increases would be payable. However, to pay full United Kingdom pensions to all British pensioners in Canada would cost an additional £41 million a year. In view of the substantial costs involved I cannot say when we shall be able to make further progress towards a revised agreement.

  Midwives
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of trained midwives in(a) England, (b) Leeds Eastern health authority and (c) Leeds Western health authority for each of the years 1983 to 1988.

  Mr. Newton
  The figures requested are shown in the table. Figures for 30 September 1986 are the latest available to this level of detail.

  NHS qualified midwives1 at 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  England

  Leeds Eastern health authority

  Leeds Western health authority

  1983

  17,316

  135

  114

  1984

  17,832

  145

  119

  1985

  18,431

  157

  120

  1986

  18,850

  149

  123

  1 Excludes learners and agency staff.

  2 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest whole-time equivalent.

  Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

  Retail Prices Index (Error)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if any decisions have yet been made on the disbursement of money to charities following the error in the retail price index.

  Mr. Scott
  The balance remaining out of the saving attributable to the RPI error in the social security uprating is £7·5 million after allowing for the compensatory payments to individual beneficiaries. This sum will be paid to charities whose activities broadly benefit those groups affected by the error. The sum available to charities in England is £6·4 million. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and for Wales will be making separate announcements about their own arrangements.

  I have received many offers of help with the disbursement of these funds and requests for a share of the available money. After careful consideration and consultation with representatives of voluntary organisations I have decided to allocate just over £4 million direct

  423
  to individual voluntary organisations for specific purposes. These organisations are listed at table A together with the amounts it is proposed they should receive.

  In addition we will be discussing with three generalist organisations arrangements for the disbursement of a further £2 million of funding to local voluntary bodies. The three organisations concerned are listed at table B together with the amounts it is proposed they should receive. It is envisaged that these charities will be better placed to fund local organisations working within the particular fields of the groups of claimants who it has not been possible to compensate.

  A further public statement will be made shortly about the arrangements for local voluntary organisations who are not listed at table A to apply for funding.

  My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General has today made an announcement on the allocation of moneys to public service charities in respect of the RPI error.

  Table A

  Organisation

  Grant (£)

  Unemployed

  The Unemployment Unit Charitable Trust

  10,000

  The Rainer Foundation

  58,000

  Parent Support Groups

  Nippers-National Information for Parents of Prematures: Education, Resources and Support

  10,000

  Sands—Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society

  10,000

  Child Accident Prevention Trust

  10,500

  Parent's Lifeline

  5,000

  Disabled

  Motability

  190,000

  SENSE

  500,000

  RNID

  200,000

  Foundation for Conductive Education

  30,000

  Muscular Dystrophy Group

  70,000

  Ann Verney Training Services

  70,000

  Disabled Living Foundation

  101,500

  National Deaf-Blind Helpers' League

  25,000

  Partially Sighted Society

  20,000

  St. Elizabeth's (Epilepsy)

  8,000

  RADAR

  40,000

  Brittle Bone Society

  8,000

  Disability Alliance

  5,000

  Dial UK

  5,000

  ADA (Action for Dysphasic Adults)

  10,000

  Elmore Committee Project

  186,000

  MENCAP Homes Foundation

  75,000

  Dr. Barnardo's

  55,000

  Contact a Family

  10,000

  Home Farm Trust

  30,000

  Forest and Gardens Ltd.

  10,000

  Motor Neurone Disease Association

  15,000

  AFASIC

  25,000

  CRUSE

  15,000

  Elderly

  Age Concern

  200,000

  The National Osteoporosis Society

  20,000

  EXTEND

  10,000

  Age Exchange Theatre Trust

  5,000

  The Employment Fellowship

  5,000

  Help the Aged

  55,000

  University Settlement Bristol Community Association

  20,000

  Centre for Policy on Ageing

  20,000

  Single Parents

  Gingerbread

  175,000

  Home Start

  180,000

  Child Care

  35,000

  424

  Organisation

  Grant (£)

  WRVS Trust

  20,000

  National Out of School Alliance

  130,000

  National Council for One Parent Families

  250,000

  Drugs and Solvent

  Turning Point

  150,000

  Alcohol

  Alcohol Concern

  100,000

  Medical and Research Organisations

  National Cancer Charities

  100,000

  Cancer Relief MacMillan Fund

  150,000

  Association for Emergency Medical Technicians

  10,000

  Brain Damage Research Trust

  20,000

  Battered Women

  Women's Aid Federation

  75,000

  Homeless

  West End Co-Ordinated Voluntary Services for Single Homeless People

  150,000

  Community Service

  Community Service Volunteers

  200,000

  St. John Ambulance

  10,000

  Family Organisations

  Family Welfare Association

  25,000

  Family Holiday Association

  25,000

  Ethnic Minorities

  Health Information Trust

  50,000

  King's Fund Centre

  50,000

  Table B

  Grant (£)

  Delegated Funding

  NCVO

  400,000

  Charities Aid Foundation

  775,000

  ITV Telethon Trust

  1,000,000

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a regional breakdown of the number of claimants whose housing benefit will not be restored as a result of the transitional arrangements announced on 27 April.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how it is intended to inform claimants that they will now have some of their housing benefit restored; and whether his Department's local offices will write direct to claimants; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how long the transitional period will last in respect of those who will have some of their housing benefit restored; and whether any distinction will be made after the transitional period between claimants who will then lose housing benefit at different rates;

  (3)from what date housing benefit will be restored to claimants during the transitional period; and how soon individuals will be informed directly of the position.

  Mr. Portillo
  We will be making a further announcement shortly.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants who have savings in excess
  425
  of £3,000 have lost some of their housing benefit; whether he will now raise the capital sum at which benefit begins to be reduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that the information requested is not available. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 27 April, the upper limit for capital will be increased for housing benefit to £8,000, but the lower level remains at £3,000.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to make an oral statement to the House before any further changes are made in the transitional arrangements regarding housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  No.

  National Childbirth Trust
  Sir Geoffry Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the reply of 27 April,Official Report, columns 177–78, he will state, in the light of his Department's continuous funding of the National Childbirth Trust since 1977–78, what particular difficulties have arisen which have led to a delay of seven months since September 1987 in reaching a decision on the trust's application for a further three years' funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We receive many requests for section 64 funding and each application has to be carefully examined. The National Childbirth Trust's is currently being dealt with in conjunction with a number of others. The financial position of the trust has altered since its last award. We hope to announce the decision shortly.

  Medical Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions have taken place between his officials and the BMA about a pilot scheme for a medical compensation scheme since the Attorney-General's reply to the Adjournment debate on 16 December,Official Report column 1214.

  Mrs. Currie
  Officials met the BMA at the association's request in January. No firm proposal for a pilot scheme was put forward by the BMA. The representatives of the BMA were advised that some of their concern about cost and slowness in clearing actions through the courts was likely to be met by the civil justice review and that no "no fault compensation" scheme would be considered until the outcome of that review is known.

  Medical Equipment and Telephone Systems (Rental)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards district health authorities renting medical equipment or telephone systems or creating a capital fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The National Health Service may employ renting for such items but only where it represents best overall value for money to the Exchequer as a whole. The full costs of renting must be shown to be lower than outright purchase and the Department's and, in most cases, the Treasury's approval is required. Health authorities derive capital funding from the Exchequer (and the sale of surplus property) on an annual basis.

  Hospital Waiting List (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the waiting time by speciality and by individual consultant for patients to be seen by consultants in the Nottingham district health authority for their initial examination having been referred by their general practitioner.

  Mr. Newton
  Information on out-patient waiting times is not collected centrally.

  NHS Managers (Performance Awards)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield of 21 April, how many of the performance awards paid to National Health Service managers in the Yorkshire regional health authority area related to their achievement of hospital or ward closures.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 26 April 1988]: Information about the objectives set for individual district and unit general managers is not held centrally. It is however highly unlikely that any such awards are in the form suggested by the hon. Member, since planned hospital or ward closures will normally be part of wider objectives in improving the use of resources or developing new patterns of service, and performance criteria will be related to the achievement of these wider objectives.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Her Majesty's Government propose to implement the undertaking given in December 1980 by the then Secretary of State for the Home Department to issue a national advisory standard on fire safety in houses of multiple occupation.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office plans to publish the final version of the national advisory standard for England and Wales later this year.

  Driving Offences
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions for each of the last three years for (i) driving without due care and attention under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 and (ii) failing to have proper control over a vehicle under regulation 104 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986; and if he will express the figures as a percentage change for each of the years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information on offences under section 3 of the 1972 Act relates to proceedings and findings of guilt at magistrates courts and is published annually in "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables" (table 5 of the issues for 1984 to 1986, the latest available), copies of which are in the Library. For offences under regulation 104 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 and corresponding earlier legislation, proceedings were recorded in respect of 733 alleged offences in the magistrates' courts in 1986, 622 of which
  427
  resulted in a finding of guilt; equivalent figures for 1984 and 1985 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. As from 1 October 1986, offences under regulation 104 may he dealt with by means of a fixed penalty notice, but the information collected centrally does not separately distinguish offences under regulation 104 from other careless driving offences.

  Right of Entry
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the categories of officials by Department entitled to statutory right of entry to private property.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I can, however, assure my hon. Friend that the Government are concerned that statutory rights of entry should not be created unnecessarily. A systematic review of powers of entry by public officials was completed in 1981. As a result of the review, Ministers recommended that 30 powers should be revoked and up to 63 modified. Following the review, the Government instituted arrangements which provide for the Department to scrutinise centrally all new proposals to provide new legal powers of entry in order to ensure that they are fully justified and that they do not impose an undue burden on those who will be affected by them.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police officers who work with personal data used for a purpose associated with national security are instructed to ignore the code of practice which relates to personal data used for police purposes.

  Mr. Hurd
  The code of practice issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers explains the circumstances in which personal data are exempt from the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a code of practice for personal data used for national security purposes, similar to the code for personal data used for police purposes, will not be introduced.

  Mr. Hurd
  For the reason I gave in reply to an earlier question from the hon. Member on 9 March at column 195.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend section 28 of the Data Protection Act to cover data gathered in the course of community charge collection.

  Mr. Renton
  No.

  Part-time Firemen
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the number of part-time firemen(a) in Wales and (b) nationally; what their average remuneration per week is; and what assessment he has made of the effect of recent social security changes on the benefits of part-time firemen.

  Mr. John Patten
  As at 1 January 1988 there were 1,583 retained firefighters in Wales, and 16,896 nationally,428
  excluding Northern Ireland; no information is available centrally regarding their average remuneration. The effect on the benefits of retained firefighters of the recent changes in social security legislation announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services will vary with the circumstances of individual claimants.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on how he intends to curb the spread of drug misuse in Britain; and what resources and advice will be made available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government continue to develop their comprehensive strategy to attack the supply of and demand for drugs by devoting resources to action on five fronts:

  —international efforts to reduce supplies from abroad;

  —strengthening enforcement by police and customs;

  —maintaining effective deterrents and tight domestic controls;

  —developing preventive education and publicity;

  —improving treatment and rehabilitation.

  This strategy is co-ordinated by the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs, which I chair, and is set out in our publication "Tackling Drug Misuse", which we shall shortly be reissuing.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East on 21 April,Official Report, column 525, he will indicate the sections of the Firearms Act 1968 to which he had regard in relation to his Department's definition of the term class of firearm.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I was referring to the provisions of the Act generally, according to context.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to whether the Thames Valley police(a) applied for and (b) received written confirmation as to the status of the late Michael Ryan's membership of the Wiltshire shooting centre in connection with his application dated 14 July 1987 for a variation to his firearms certificate;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Thames Valley police standard inquiry letter form sent by the chief constable to firearms club secretaries when he inquires into the membership status of applicants who have completed and submitted to him a firearms form 1 for the grant renewal and variation of firearms certificates.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his earlier question on 31 March 1988 at column 691.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to on what dates and by police officers of what ranks acting as crime prevention officers visits were made to the house of the late Michael Ryan between 2 April and 30 April 1987 for the purpose of inquiries regarding the applications he made in relation to his firearms certificate.
  429
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to his earlier question on 31 March 1988 at column 690. I understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that the report of the crime prevention officer dated 27 April 1987 does not specify the dates of the visits made.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to when the chief constable's policy of a requirement for the successful completion of a minimum six-month probationary period before an applicant for a firearm certificate may be considered for the grant of such a certificate was introduced, and as to any changes there may have been in that policy subsequently.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that no such policy has been introduced.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action he has taken or intends to take in respect of the inaccuracy of the evidence given at the inquest held in connection with the Hungerford murders by Thomas Alfred Warlow, a forensic scientist attached to the Home Office forensic science laboratory at Huntingdon, on the composition and special qualities of the 7·62x 39 bullets fired by the late Michael Ryan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None; I am not aware of any matters that would justify disciplinary action.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the names of which(a) clubs and (b) ranges the police constable wrote on the Thames Valley police form FIR 25(9/74) following the officer's visit to the house of the late Michael Ryan (i) on 30 November 1986 in response to his interview in connection with the receipt of the firearms form I application dated 23 November 1986 for the grant of a firearm certificate and (ii) on 28 March 1987 and 25 July 1987 in response to his interview in connection with the receipt of the firearms form 1 application dated 23 March and 14 July respectively; and, in each case, what additional answers the police constable wrote to the following numbered questions on form (5) have reasons why the applicant wishes to acquire or possess the firearm(s)/ammunition been verified?, and (6) with whom have they been verified? and (8) if for use with approved club, give details of range and current membership.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is not the practice to disclose the contents of reports obtained by the police for operational use.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to which(a) clubs and (b) ranges, the late Michael Ryan gave in completing section 14,
  "reasons for requiring each of the firearms and ammunition specified",
  and section 15,
  "where do you intend to use each of the firearms specified",
  when requesting authority to possess firearms on his firearms form 1 applications dated (a) 23 November 1986, (b) 23 March 1987 and (c) 14 July 1987 for the grant of, or variation to, his firearm certificate.
  430
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not the practice to disclose the contents of reports obtained by the police for operational use. I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question of 31 March 1988 at column 692.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force to list for which firearm permission was subsequently granted by the chief constable to the late Michael Ryan as a result of his firearms form 1 certificates on his applications for the variation of a firearms certificate on his applications dated(a) 23 March 1987 and (b) 14 July 1987;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what firearms the late Michael Ryan requested authority to possess on his firearms form 1 application for the variation of a firearms certificate from the chief constable on his application dated (a) 23 March and (b) 14 July 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that Michael Ryan requested and was granted authority to hold in respect of(a) a ·22 pistol and a ·32 pistol and (b) a 7·62 rifle and a ·30 calibre carbine.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police as to what is stated in his force's standing orders and amendments to standing orders for the period(a) 23 November 1986 to July 1987 and (b) July 1987 to the current date, in respect of the minimum probationary period required to establish the bonafides of applicants for the (i) grant, (ii) variation and (iii) renewal of firearms certificates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is not the practice to disclose the contents of documents used for operational purposes by the police.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to whether Mrs. Vickers of the Police Complaints Authority has submitted requests for files and papers to the chief constable of Thames Valley police in the course of investigations into events(a) leading up to and (b) involving the shootings by the late Michael Ryan on 19 August 1987 and as to what response the chief constable has made to such requests, giving dates on which any such material was received by Mrs. Vickers: and if he will indicate the dates on which Mrs. Vickers has had to make any repeat requests for such material; and whether any such requests for such material have been refused or not yet complied with.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on 22 April at column 593. I understand that the Police Complaints Authority is entirely satisfied with the co-operation which it is receiving from the Thames Valley police.

  Police-School Liaison
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions he has taken on the recommendations of the teachers' association, Police Federation joint working party report on police—school liaison.
  431
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government welcome cooperation between the teaching profession and the police as reflected in this report. Liaison between police and schools is important, not only for education itself but for the prevention of crime and for maintaining the essential relationship of trust and confidence between the police and the public.

  The report covers very similar ground to that covered by a report produced jointly by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Society of Education Officers in 1986. The Government circulated this report to all schools and police forces. The Home Office and the Department of Education and Science have work in hand to identify and disseminate examples of good practice in police-schools liaison. The Home Office is financing a research project to evaluate the effectiveness of various methods of police-schools liaison and Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools has begun an examination of good practice in a number of local education authorities.

  The arrangements for police-schools liaison need to be developed locally. We understand that since the publication of the 1986 report local working parties have been set up in many areas to develop joint police-schools programmes.

  Identity Cards
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cost-benefit analysis has been made, in relation to the possible introduction of universal identity cards analagous to those in force in other countries, of the likely expenditure set against the implications for the convenience and protection of the public.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No such analysis has been undertaken. That would, in itself, be an expensive exercise and we have no reason to think the practical benefits to be obtained from the introduction of a universal identity card system would be commensurate with what would undoubtedly be the substantial cost of introducing it. No difficulties emerged when national identity cards were withdrawn in 1952, and the police have not asked for their reintroduction.

  Passports
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the number of(a) passports lost, (b) passport applications lost and (c) birth certificates lost (i) in the London passport office and (ii) in all the passport offices.

  Maximum and minimum delay times (working days)

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Minimum

  London

  16

  2

  20

  6

  36

  11

  72

  20

  Liverpool

  12

  2

  22

  1

  14

  2

  38

  2

  Peterborough

  10

  1

  13

  2

  12

  3

  26

  5

  Newport

  10

  1

  17

  1

  31

  3

  56

  4

  Glasgow

  14

  2

  16

  2

  33

  4

  51

  6

  Belfast

  3

  1

  4

  1

  4

  2

  7

  2

  432
  Mr. Renton
  The table shows the number of passports lost in transit to the applicant, and not recovered, in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom. Instances of passports, applications and other documents going astray within a passport office are not separately recorded, but they are conparatively rare. Lost passports and documents submitted in support of passport applications are replaced free of charge to the applicant.

  Passports Lost in Post (Not Recovered)

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  London

  167

  80

  80

  78

  Liverpool

  224

  222

  243

  195

  Peterborough

  133

  109

  117

  69

  Newport

  108

  120

  95

  70

  Glasgow

  32

  30

  29

  17

  Belfast

  3

  8

  10

  13

  Total

  667

  569

  574

  442

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the number of letters received by Home Secretaries from hon. Members concerning cases of poor service from passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  The number of letters on passport matters received from hon. Members since 1 April 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom, is as follows:

  Year

  Letters

  1984 (April-December)

  186

  1985

  184

  1986

  238

  1987

  433

  An analysis of the letters by subject matter is not readily available, but the increases during the last two years are largely attributable to letters expressing concern about the standard of service. The large increase in 1987 is primarily attributable to the increased delays following industrial action over pay in the early summer.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the average period between receipt of a passport application and provision of a passport by(a) the London passport office and (b) all passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  The table shows the maximum and minimum delays in processing correctly completed non-urgent passport applications occurring in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom.
  433
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the total number of passport applications(a) to the London passport office and (b) to all passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in precisely the form requested. The table shows the number of new passports issued and amendments made to existing passports in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom.

  Output-All passport services

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  London

  553,412

  575,982

  574,041

  484,048

  Liverpool

  539,337

  545,293

  707,256

  675,513

  Peterborough

  464,525

  500,570

  595,377

  585,034

  Newport

  429,849

  438,087

  524,344

  556,468

  Glasgow

  163,427

  163,007

  201,383

  184,289

  Belfast

  54,169

  57,380

  69,993

  79,398

  Total

  2,204,719

  2,280,319

  2,672,394

  2,564,750

  Permanent staff numbers [authorised complement] (+ maximum number of casuals)

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  2

  London1

  300

  (+52)

  301

  (+35)

  296

  (+47)

  301

  (+50)

  Liverpool

  206

  (+27)

  206

  (+14)

  206

  (+32)

  206

  (+49)

  Peterborough

  169

  (+23)

  169

  (+28)

  169

  (+34)

  169

  (+43)

  Newport

  170

  (+20)

  170

  (+24)

  169

  (+31)

  169

  (+51)

  Glasgow

  83

  (+12)

  83

  (+13)

  83

  (+18)

  83

  (+26)

  Belfast

  15

  (+6)

  15

  (+6)

  15

  (+6)

  15

  (+5)

  Total

  943

  (+140)

  944

  (+120)

  938

  (+168)

  943

  (+224)

  1 Includes Headquarters staff.

  Column 1 shows the authorised complement of permanent staff.

  Column 2 shows the highest number of casual staff in post in any month.

  Police Informers
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what Home Office guidelines exist for police authorities or regional crime squads for rewarding informants(a) who are suspected of having committed a related criminal offence and (b) who are not so suspected;

  (2) what percentage of all public funds spent on rewarding informants with knowledge of drug-smuggling operations is provided out of (a) national and (b) local funds;

  (3) to what extent police forces provide protection and livelihood for police informants after they have finished co-operating with the police; and whether such protection and livelihood is arranged outside Britain;

  (4) what sum is set aside each year by (a) his Department and (b) police authorities by authority for the rewarding of informants with knowledge of drug-smuggling operations;

  (5) what amount of public funds was spent on rewarding drug informants for information in each year from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There is no central fund for the payment of informants and information about payments to informants in relation to drug smuggling offences is not available. The handling, protection and payment of
  434
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist at ports to forestall the use of passports lost by passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  Security features are incorporated in United Kingdom passports to ensure that any attempts to facilitate their use by another person, through alteration of personal details or substitution of photographs, will be readily apparent on examination of the document at United Kingdom ports of entry.

  Passport Offices (Staff)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the total number of staff employed at(a) the London passport office and (b) all passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  The table shows the authorised complement of permanent staff and the peak monthly total of casual staff employed in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom.

  informants are operational matters for the chief officer of the force concerned. General guidance about the use of informants by the police is included in the consolidated circular to the police on crime and kindred matters (paragraph 1.92), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many successful seizures of drugs have taken place following information supplied to police by informants during each of the last 10 years;

  (2)how many drug-related arrests have been made following information supplied to authorities by informants in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Citizenship
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that photocopies of passports and other documents sent to his Department by those applying to register as British citizens are made and retained by the Home Office in order to avoid further delays in processing applications.

  Mr. Renton
  No. Passports and documents submitted with the applications for registration received before 31
  435
  December 1987, which were the subject of my statement on 16 February, at column 863, have already been returned.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether passports and other documents, sent to his Department by those applying to register as British citizens, are being returned to the home addresses of applicants by recorded delivery in all cases; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) why 19 passports and other documentation relating to various applications to the Home Office were sent from Lunar house, Croydon, in an OHMS envelope, which was badly torn, and not posted by recorded delivery, on 18 April, to the offices of the Bradford Council for Voluntary Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The normal practice is to return passports and documents by recorded delivery post. The cases in question cannot be identified from particulars given, but if the hon. Member will provide further details, I will investigate the matter.

  Mortgage Fraud
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation or take other steps to tackle mortgage fraud.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. There is no reason to suppose that police powers and the existing criminal law are inadequate for this purpose.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any information on increases in mortgage fraud; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I am aware that the fraud squad of the Metropolitan police has set up a special team to deal with this matter.

  British Nationality Act 1981: Applications granted

  Date

  Adult registration

  Minor registration

  Naturalisations

  1987

  April

  1,990

  539

  982

  May

  2,742

  619

  1,224

  June

  3,234

  855

  1,347

  July

  3,178

  852

  1,361

  August

  2,737

  541

  1,251

  September

  2,956

  649

  1,488

  October

  3,047

  595

  1,607

  November

  3,307

  626

  1,752

  December

  4,102

  624

  1,686

  1988

  January

  5,149

  706

  1,518

  February

  4,370

  485

  1,115

  March

  3,749

  444

  1,077

  Note: All figures are provisional.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what income the nationality division of his Department received in nationality fees in each month since April 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  For the required information in respect of 1987, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 11 January 1988 at column 11.

  Nationality
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) adult registration, (b) registration of minors and (c) naturalisation were (i) received and (ii) granted by the nationality division of his Department for each month from April 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  The following is the information available for applications for British citizenship made under the British Nationality Act 1981 received in case-working groups in the nationality division and granted for each month from April 1987 to March 1988.

  British Nationality Act 1981: Applications received

  Date

  Adult registrations

  Minor registrations

  Naturalisations

  1987

  April

  2,649

  473

  430

  May

  1,394

  500

  2,401

  June

  2,003

  610

  2,256

  July

  3,985

  781

  1,773

  August

  4,669

  1,008

  2,939

  September

  4,007

  873

  2,190

  October

  4,397

  878

  2,282

  November

  9,495

  1,782

  4,235

  December

  ,890

  863

  1,690

  1988

  January

  10,591

  1,161

  2,305

  February

  8,611

  716

  1,899

  March

  12,451

  1,306

  3,777

  Note: These figures do not take account of some 190,000 cases which have been received in Lunar house but not yet received in the case-working groups.

  Fees received, net of refunds to unsuccessful applicants during January to March 1988, were as follows:

  1988

  £

  January

  1,335,057

  February

  1,523,734

  March

  13,282,369

  1 Provisional.

  437
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the budgeted cost and (b) the actual cost of processing nationality applications in the nationality division of his Department during 1987–88.

  Mr. Renton
  The processing of citizenship applications is required to be self-financing. The budgeted costs per case therefore equate to the fees charged. The outturn costs for 1987–88 are not yet available but will be published in due course.

  Concessionary Television Licences (Glanford)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will receive a delegation from the Glanford borough council, led by the hon. Member for Brigg and Cleethorpes, to discuss Glanford borough council's application for concessionary television licences.

  Mr. Renton
  I shall be glad to do so.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what period of time he expects to take to reach a decision on Glanford borough council's application for concessionary television licences for pensioners living in council accommodation.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend hopes to do so within the next few weeks.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the operational requirement for the replacement police national computer has yet been issued to potential suppliers; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Hurd
  The operational requirement for the replacement police national computer has now been issued to all interested suppliers, and a copy has been placed in the Library.

  Coaches
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many coach drivers have been prosecuted for dangerous driving following the discharge of their passengers into the middle of the road on Westminster bridge and as to what steps he intends to ensure adequate parking restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hogg
  I am advised by the commissioner that there is no record of prosecutions having been brought in such circumstances. The Metropolitan police would take suitable enforcement action if offences came to light. The imposition of parking restrictions is a matter for the local authority concerned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the petitions which have been presented in the House for and against the introduction of the poll tax in Scotland since June 1987.
  438
  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows. All the petitions were presented against the introduction of the community charge in Scotland.

  21 October 1987

  Provost and Councillors of Dunfermline District Council (F)

  22 October 1987

  Residents of Hamilton (F)

  3 November 1987

  Gilmerton Branch of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners' Association (F)

  9 November 1987

  East Kilbride Constituency (F)

  10 November 1987

  Citizens of Kilmarnock and Loudon

  12 November 1987

  Provost and Councillors of Dunfermline District Council (F)

  17 November 1987

  Residents of the Uists and Benbecula (F)

  23 November 1987

  Students and staff of Coatbridge College, Monklands West (F)

  24 November 1987

  Citizens of the U.K.(F)

  30 November 1987

  Residents of Lennoxtown (F)

  2 December 1987

  Members of Park Community Council (F)

  16 December 1987

  Constituents of Govan (F)

  16 December 1987

  Provost and Councillors and residents of Cumbernauld (F)

  18 December 1987

  James Watson and others

  14 January 1988

  Residents of Tranent (F)

  19 January 1988

  Royal Burgh of Haddington (F)

  25 January 1988

  Members of East Lothian District Council (F)

  26 January 1988

  Glasgow, Rutherglen (F)

  2 February 1988

  Residents of the Western Isles (F)

  2 February 1988

  Cumnock: National Association of Widows (F)

  2 February 1988

  S. McColgan and others (F)

  2 February 1988

  Prestonpans Labour Party Club (F)

  10 February 1988

  Members of Tayside Regional Council (F)

  10 February 1988

  Residents of Constituency of Livingston

  18 February 1988

  Residents of Constituency of Falkirk West and others

  24 February 1988

  7/131 Branch of T.G.W.U. (F)

  24 February 1988

  Residents of Burgh of Cockenzie and Port Seton (F)

  8 March 1988

  Residents of Musselburgh, East Lothian (F)

  9 March 1988

  Citizens of Central Glasgow

  11 March 1988

  Constituents of Dumbarton (F)

  21 March 1988

  Edinburgh branch of Transport Salaried Staffs Association

  20 April 1988

  Residents of Glasgow, Springburn (F)

  21 April 1988

  Ratepayers and residents in Motherwell District Council (F)

  27 April 1988

  Residents of Central Edinburgh

  Note: (F) = Formally presented.

  Legislation
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the Bills that have been introduced since October 1987 by Departments and the number of hours of parliamentary time devoted thereto at each stage.

  Hours of Consideration

  Bill

  Department

  Second Reading

  Committee

  Report1

  Third Reading

  Lords Amendment

  Social Security

  DHSS

  6·34

  43·30

  11·31

  0·48

  3·03

  Employment

  Employment

  4·34

  55·24

  12·41

  0·49

  —

  Urban Development Corporations (Financial Limits)

  Environment

  6·13

  1·40

  1·25

  0·47

  —

  Licencing

  Home

  5·37

  22·43

  6·24

  —

  3·5

  Immigration

  Home

  6·02

  50·33

  5·05

  0·24

  —

  Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

  FCO

  2·40

  0·20

  —

  0·26

  —

  Housing

  Environment

  8·20

  102·23

  —

  —

  —

  Education Reform

  DES

  6·37

  151·15

  22·30

  2·16

  —

  Health and Medicines

  DHSS

  6·15

  63·30

  12·18

  —

  —

  Local Government Finance

  Environment

  12·07

  128·52

  29·08

  1·14

  —

  Housing (Scotland)

  Scottish Office

  5·32

  73·27

  10·45

  —

  —

  Criminal Justice [Lords]

  Home

  6·23

  79·07

  —

  —

  —

  Firearms (Amendment)

  Home

  6·39

  25·32

  —

  —

  —

  Regional Development Grants (Termination)

  Environment

  5·43

  17·03

  —

  3·02

  —

  Merchant Shipping [Lords]

  Transport

  3·53

  16·32

  5·30

  —

  —

  Farm Land and Rural Development [Lords]

  MAFF

  3·18

  11·04

  —

  —

  —

  British Steel

  Trade and Industry

  5·27

  257·20

  —

  —

  —

  School Boards (Scotland)

  Scottish Office

  614

  27·30

  —

  —

  —

  Finance (No. 2)

  Treasury

  6·12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Copyright Designs and Patents [Lords]

  Trade and Industry

  5·25

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Committee of the Whole House

  Income and Corporation Taxes [Lords]

  Lord Chancellors Department

  0·04

  —

  0·24

  —

  —

  Welsh Development Agency

  Welsh Office

  2·53

  31·51

  —

  —

  —

  1 Report includes Third Reading where no substandial debate took place.

  2 Indicates stage not completed.

  3 Includes remaining stages.

  Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Affairs
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how much debating time was allocated to Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish affairs in 1986–87; and what legislation relating exclusively to each region was brought forward.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Excluding questions, the time allowed in session 1986–87 for debate of Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish affairs was as follows:
  440
  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is as follows:

  Time

  Scottish

  28 hours

  Welsh

  9 hours 48 minutes

  Northern Ireland

  26 hours 8 minutes

  During that period seven Bills were introduced relating solely to Scotland; one Bill related exclusively to Northern Ireland; and none related exclusively to Wales. With regard to secondary legislation, the Secretary of State for Wales presented 12 statutory instruments, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland one statutory instrument, and the Secretary of State for Scotland 111 statutory instruments. In addition, the Secretary of State For Northern Ireland brought forward 15 Orders in Council for consideration by the House.

  MERCHANT NAVY TRAINING
  MERCHANT NAVY TRAINING
  INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR IRELAND: ADVICE TO BOARD
  INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR IRELAND: ADVICE TO BOARD
  DEBT REPAYMENTS: SUBTRACTION FROM BENEFITS
  DEBT REPAYMENTS: SUBTRACTION FROM BENEFITS
  GENETICALLY ENGINEERED ANIMALS: PATENTING
  GENETICALLY ENGINEERED ANIMALS: PATENTING
  SPEECH THERAPY AND PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH STATEMENTS
  SPEECH THERAPY AND PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH STATEMENTS
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972: PROVISION OF SERVICES UNDER S.137
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972: PROVISION OF SERVICES UNDER S.137