Written Answers of 10 May 1988

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Settlement Applications
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries have been received at British embassies and high commissions in(a) South Africa, (b) Zimbabwe, (c) Canada, (d) Australia and (e) New Zealand for settlement in the United Kingdom by descendants of United Kingdom-born grandparents for each year since 1982 and each month to date in 1988;

  (2) from which countries, and in which years, people have entered the United Kingdom in each year since 1971 for settlement on the grounds of United Kingdom ancestry.

  Mr. Renton
  The information available centrally relates to the numbers of persons accepted for settlement on the grounds of being a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the United Kingdom. Provisional figures for 1987 are given in the table. Equivalent figures for earlier years can be found in the annual Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom" (tables 3 and 4A of the issue for 1986—Cm. 166). South Africa is not a member of the Commonwealth and therefore citizens of that country cannot obtain settlement in this way.

  Numbers of Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom—1987

  Nationality

  On arrival

  On removal of time limit

  Australia

  1,740

  250

  Canada

  420

  80

  New Zealand

  1,700

  360

  Zimbabwe

  90

  50

  Other

  80

  30

  All nationalities

  4,020

  770

  Working Holidays
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received at posts overseas for an entry certificate or visa over the past 10 years under the working holidaymaker provision; how many of the applicants were granted entry certificates or visas on that basis and how many were refused, for each year; and what is the average length of time taken to arrive at a decision on such an application.

  Mr. Renton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information leaflets for people who inquire about working holidaymaker provisions are available; what form of evidence is required to prove that applicants will not have recourse to public funds, as required by the rule; what happens to such applications 58
  where there is no United Kingdom sponsor; and if inquiries are conducted in the United Kingdom of a sponsor in cases of such applications.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no information leaflets on working holidays, but entry clearance officers are always ready to give advice about the arrangements. In deciding whether applicants qualify for entry clearance or leave to enter, account is taken of available funds and whether there is a reasonable prospect of their finding work to help support themselves. Sponsorship is not obligatory, though, where reliance is placed upon it, suitable inquiries may be made if that is considered necessary.

  Firearms
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to announce the compensation scheme for firearms that may be made illegal under the Firearms (Amendment) Bill, presently before the House.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Shortly.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of firearms clubs currently approved by his Department; how many are(a) rifle clubs and (b) pistol clubs; and how many that have been given approval come under the control of (i) the National Rifle Association, (ii) the National Small Bore Rifle Association and (iii) the National Pistol Association.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  About 8,000 clubs are approved under section 11 of the Firearms Act 1968. The detailed information requested is not readily available.

  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 how many firearm certificates(a) he granted, (b) he varied and (c) he renewed to persons who had not completed a minimum of 6 months' probationary period with a firearms club for the purpose of shooting rifle or pistol/revolver at targets only on Ministry of Defence approved ranges.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that information in the form requested is not available. With regard to probationary membership generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question on 31 March, at column 446.

  Dunmore Shooting Centre Club
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set out in the Official Report what was stated in writing by the secretary of the Dunmore Shooting Centre Club on the RCI application for the approval of a rifle club by his Department which was granted on 16 September 1986, to the numbered question 6, "The club has regular use of the following ranges", and, for "type of firearm.";

  (2) if he will set out in the Official Report what was stated in writing by the secretary of the Dunmore Shooting Centre Club on the RCI application for the extension of a rifle club by the Secretary of State, which approval was extended and granted on 15 February, to the numbered question 6, "The club has regular use of the following ranges," and, for "type of firearm."

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not the practice to disclose the contents of individual applications.
  59
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the typographical error regarding the date of the extension of his Department's approval of the Dunmore Shooting Centre Club in his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East on 31 March,Official Report, column 687, was made in his Department or by the Thames Valley police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The error, for which I apologise, was made in my office.

  Michael Ryan
  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 the reasons why he did not make a written application to the out of Thames Valley police authority area club, the Wiltshire Shooting Centre, in connection with the application by the late Michael Ryan dated 14 July 1987 for a variation to his firearms certificate.

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

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East,Official Report, 3 May, columns 428–29, he will now call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to what date the crime prevention officer who compiled the report dated 27 April 1987 entered details in his pocket book of the date of his visit to inspect the security arrangements for the firearms of the late Michael Ryan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable that the date in question was 23 April 1987.

  Special Constabulary
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce rights of appeal for those persons dismissed from the special constabulary.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no plans to introduce a right of appeal for those persons dismissed from the special constabulary. The need for a discipline code for special constables has been consered from time to time. The conclusion has always been that it is neither sensible nor practicable to apply such a code to voluntary, part-time and unpaid officers.

  Security Services
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish an annual report on the work of the security services.

  Mr. Hurd
  No.

  Water Authorities (Customer Information)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at whose initiative the Data Protection Registrar was asked to investigate Yorkshire water authority's practice of selling information about its customers to private mail advertising agencies.

  Mr. Renton
  I am informed by the Data Protection Registrar that the matter was drawn to his attention by the 60
  Bradford Telegraph and Argus. It is the registrar's normal practice to investigate cases which suggest a possible breach of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that the results of the Data Protection Registrar's investigation of Yorkshire water authority's practice of selling information about its customers are made public.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend has no powers to direct the Data Protection Registrar in this matter. I am informed by the registrar that he determines whether or not to give publicity to the results of investigations he undertakes in the light of the circumstances found. No conclusions have yet been reached in this case.

  "Spotlight"
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for broadcasting standards of the decision by the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast the programme, "Spotlight", in Northern Ireland which related to the recent killings in Gibraltar.

  Mr. Renton
  We regret that the BBC came to this decision, but we do not draw general conclusions from it about broadcasting standards.

PRIME MINISTER

  NHS (Manchester)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received from the city of Manchester in regard to the National Health Service and the problems of patient care in Manchester's hospitals; what reply she has made; if she will publish the correspondence in the Official Report; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a letter from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Litherland) enclosing one from Councillor Eileen Kelly. a copy of which was also sent to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Services has now replied to the letter. It is not my usual practice to publish exchanges of this kind.

  Engagements
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.
  61
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the President of Guyana.

ENVIRONMENT

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his Department's target reductions in energy usage for 1988–89; what is his Department's target reduction in electricity usage for lighting in 1988–89; and what investment his Department is planning to make in new energy efficient lighting equipment in 1988–89 to achieve those target reductions.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department's target reductions in energy usage for 1988–89 are:

  Per cent.

  DOE (C)

  5

  PSA

  5

  Central DOE has reduced energy costs by about 18 per cent. over the past two years. In the case of PSA energy costs have been reduced by almost 13 per cent. over the same period.

  Because of the wide range of operational requirements and types of buildings, it is not feasible to set specific targets for particular forms of energy consumption and investment in energy-efficient lighting equipment forms only part of the steps to be taken to reduce usage.

  Rates
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 local authorities whose combined precept for rates, county, district and parish, are the highest in England.

  Mr. Chope
  The table contains the available information for the 10 authorities with the highest combined rates and precepts as requested:

  General Rate Poundages 1988–89 (p)

  Poundages

  Bolsover

  347·73

  Sheffield

  347·50

  North East Derbyshire

  343·65

  Calderdale

  337·86

  High Peak

  333·31

  Chesterfield

  332·22

  Bradford

  331·55

  Langbaurgh·on·Tees

  330·41

  Harlow

  327·90

  Manchester

  327·04

  Council Estates (Purchases)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has been informed of any initiatives by housing associations and private developers to purchase council estates or parts of estates.
  62
  Mrs. Roe
  I am aware that local authorities in many parts of the country have already disposed of houses and flats to housing associations and private developers or are discussing the possibility. The local authorities concerned will be the best source of information.

  Water Pipes
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many kilometres of water piping in England and Wales are bitumen-lined.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I am advised that, as a broad estimate, 200,000 km of water mains in England and Wales are lined with bituminous materials.

  Parliament (Women's Toilets)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on which days. and at what times over the last four weeks, women's toilets off the Committee Room Corridor were cleaned.

  Mr. Chope
  The lavatories were cleaned between the following times,(a) Monday to Thursday, 6.00–8.30 am, noon-1 pm, 2.30–3.30 pm, and 8 pm and the House rising; (b) Friday 6–8.30 am, noon-1 pm and 2.30–3.30 with two exceptions. On Monday 11 April the fourth clean was omitted and on Monday 2 May no cleaning took place. No cleaning was carried out on Saturdays and Sundays. The frequency of the cleaning was in accordance with the terms of the contract.

  European Community (Ministerial Meetings)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met his ministerial counterparts with responsibility for local government from the other European Community states; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Chope
  Common interests in matters concerning local government in European states go wider than the European Community. Discussion of such issues takes place in the forum of the Council of Europe. Meetings of local government Ministers take place about every two years. The next will he in September.

  Business Expansion Scheme (Housing)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to ensure that the business expansion scheme housing provisions are not used to produce sub-standard housing and insecure tenancies.

  Mrs. Roe
  To qualify for tax relief under the scheme dwellings would need to be fit for human habitation and to have all the standard amenities within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985. Tenancies would need to be new-style assured tenancies under the Housing Bill which provide long-term security of tenure.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of right to buy sales to date since the passing of the Housing Act 1980.
  63
  Mrs. Roe
  A total of 689,000 dwellings in England had been sold by local authorities, new towns and housing associations under the right-to-buy legislation up to the end of December 1987.

  Water Companies Association
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to meet representatives of the water companies association; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to meet representatives of the Water Companies Association.

  Balanced Flue Gas Appliances
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the current regulations for the installation of balanced flue gas appliances, in the light of the findings of Midland Environment Ltd. of relatively high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide on estates where large numbers of appliances are installed.

  Mr. Trippier
  The findings of the report by Midland Environment Limited, together with subsequent, more detailed, research being undertaken at the Building Services Research and Information Association, will be considered as part of the ongoing review of the safety aspects of the building regulations.

  Water Authorities (Customer Information)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent available figure for the amount of income per annum generated by water authorities selling information about their customers to private agencies.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have no such information.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the practice of certain water authorities in selling information about their customers to outside agencies is in the interest of the authorities' consumers.

  Mr. Moynihan
  None. Like other bodies, water authorities are subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

  Housing Association Dwellings
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many housing association dwellings, which were developed with local authority funding but became empty and uninhabitable because the local authority could not finance the necessary major repairs(a) were repaired, with Housing Corporation funding and (b) remained empty, as the Housing Corporation could not finance the necessary major repairs (1) during 1984–85,
  64
  (2) during 1985–86 and (3) during 1986–87; and if he will give this information (i) for England as a whole, (ii) for Greater London, (iii) for metropolitan areas outside London, (iv) for non-metropolitan areas and (v) for each English local authority area;

  (2) how many housing association dwellings, which were originally developed with local authority finance (a) became or (b) remained empty and uninhabitable (1) during 1984–85, (2) during 1985–86 and (3) during 1986–87, as the local authority could not fund necessary major repairs; and if he will give this information (i) for England as a whole, (ii) for Greater London, (iii) for metropolitan areas outside London (iv) for non-metropolitan areas and (v) for each English local authority area;

  (3) how many housing association dwellings, developed with local authority funding, are currently empty and uninhabitable because the local authority is unable to finance the necessary major repairs (a) for England as a whole, (b) for Greater London, (c) for metropolitan areas outside London, (d) for non-metropolitan areas and (e) for each English local authority area.

  Mrs. Roe
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The information is not available in the form requested. However, a Housing Corporation survey in June 1985 indicated that 745 housing association dwellings mortgaged to local authorities in England were vacant because of a need for major repairs. During the years in question Housing Corporation funding was not normally available for major repair to housing association dwellings originally developed with local authority finance, although the corporation has now been authorised to fund repairs wherever the local authority is genuinely unable to do so itself on condition that the dwellings are then let to homeless people.

  Rating Reform
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the Price Waterhouse report on administering the community charge; and if he will announce the arrangements he is making to disseminate the report.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: I expect to receive this report shortly and will consider then how best to disseminate its findings.

  Departmental Responsibilities (Staff Allocation)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures for the allocation of staff to the areas of responsibility of his Department of(a) housing, (b) local government and (c) environmental protection and research for each year since 1974 for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The table shows the information for each year since 1983. The information is not readily available for earlier years.
  65

  Department of the Environment (Central) Staff numbers from 1 April 1983 to 1 April 1988

  Command

  1 April 1983

  1 April 1984

  1 April 1985

  1 April 1986

  1 April 1987

  1 April 1988

  Housing and Construction (including Rent Assessment Panels)

  374

  346

  377·5

  388·5

  1296

  1328

  Local Government and Local Government Finance

  133·5

  152·5

  207·5

  213

  200

  207

  Environment Protection

  1,066

  1,022

  1,015·5

  1,044·5

  232

  227

  Notes:

  1. The Building Research Establishment (750 staff at 1 April 1987) transferred from the Environmental Protection command to the Housing command during 1986–87.

  2. The Department's statistical services were centralised and included in the Housing Command from 1 April 1987.

  3. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution was created on 1 April 1987. Staff numbers for the Environmental Protection Command at 1 April 1987 and 1 April 1988 do not include staff in the Inspectorate.

  4. The totals for Environmental Protection exclude Staff working on Water topics.

  5. Staff working on research are shown against the area of work for which the research is undertaken, except for BRE which is included against Environmental Protection up to 1 April 1986 and Housing thereafter.

  Houses (Multiple Occupation)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures he intends to bring forward to monitor and regulate the use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation and houses in multiple occupation should the proposed Housing Bill become law.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We do not propose to introduce any specific procedures for this purpose.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Student Support
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is yet in a position to make a statement on his proposals for the reform of student financial support.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to announce his proposals for the reform of the system of student financial support.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government will determine their policy in the light of the conclusions of the review of student support. They will publish their proposals for the future of student support in due course.

  Pupils (Transport)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that local education authorities' contracts for transport to school of pupils with special needs are subject to strict enforcement of adequate provisions, concerning overcrowding of vehicles, use of safety harnesses and adult escorts for young people.

  Mr. Dunn
  Contracts for the provision of school transport are a matter for local education authorities and the relevant transport contractors, not for my right hon. Friend.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial allowances will be made available to children with visual impairments to assist their independent use of public transportation services.

  Mr. Dunn
  Section 55 of the Education Act 1944 lays down requirements on local education authorities for the
  66
  provision of transport for school children. Any additional provision for children with visual handicaps will be matter for individual local education authorities.

  Cultural Convention
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to assist in the co-operation of the various institutions concerned with education in Europe along the lines envisaged in the cultural convention.

  Mr. Dunn
  The aims of the cultural convention are realised through the work of the Council for Cultural Cooperation (CDCC), the steering committee, which has, since 1962, been responsible for drawing up and implementing the educational and cultural programmes of the Council of Europe. My Department participates actively in the educational work of the CDCC, generally by representation at formal sessions, and specifically by participation in its projects and activities.

  The education programme includes (see table) a wide range of work designed primarily to realise ideals through practical co-operation. This includes disseminating new ideas, techniques and achievements among member states and increasing contacts at all levels between their education systems on issues of major, current concern.

  European Education Ministers, who meet regularly under the auspices of the Council of Europe, recognise the need to rationalise the educational programmes of international organisations. The CDCC is to discuss this in June, taking account of the 1986 report of the Colombo Commission on European Co-operation beyond 1990. In response to this report, CDCC has been asked to collaborate with other organisations in developing from existing work up a coherent youth education and training action programme to promote in education a European dimension and a commitment to human rights and to the principles of pluralist democracy.

  Table Education programme of the council for cultural co-operation (CDCC): 1988–89

  i. European Dimension in Education

  —pupil mobility and exchanges

  —teacher bursaries programme

  —European Schools Day

  ii. Teacher Training

  —selection, education and professional development of teachers

  —teacher appraisal

  67
  Table Education programme of the council for cultural co-operation (CDCC): 1988–89

  iii. European University Co-operation

  iv. European Research and Documentation

  v. Innovation in School Curricula

  —intercultural education

  —European History

  —Human Rights

  vi. Adult Education and Social Change

  —long term unemployment

  —older citizens

  vii. Language Learning and Training of Language Teachers

  viii. Schools and Museums

  Autistic Children
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provisions are being made in the national curriculum to ensure that the special needs of autistic children will be adequately met.

  Mr. Dunn
  Clause 11 of the Education Reform Bill provides that, where a child in England or Wales has a statement of special educational need under the Education Act 1981, the statement may direct where parts of the national curriculum should be modified or, in exceptional cases, disapplied. This provision could be used to meet the particular needs of the autistic child.

  GCSE Syllabuses
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the number of mode 2 and mode 3 GCSE syllabuses scrutinised by the Secondary Examinations Council which have failed to meet the appropriate standard and about those procedures for scrutiny.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  All GCSE syllabuses in use in schools have been approved for 1988 and 1989 examinations against the relevant GCSE national criteria.

  The Secondary Examinations Council approved the mode 1 syllabuses in the 20 main subjects, accounting for over 90 per cent. of estimated entries for the 1988 examinations. The GCSE examining groups approved the remaining mode 1 syllabuses, and all mode 2 and 3 syllabuses. The mode 2 and 3 syllabuses are likely to account for less than 5 per cent. of entries. The GCSE examining groups comprise the independent school examination boards, which bore sole responsibility for approving O-level and CSE syllabuses.

  For 1990 examinations, all syllabuses in the 20 main subjects, including mode 2 and 3, will need SEC approval. So far the SEC has approved, for 1990 examinations, 19 of about 450 mode 2 and 3 syllabuses in the 20 main subjects which have been brought to its attention. We estimate that about 95 per cent. of entries in that year will be for syllabuses approved by the SEC.

  Education Reform
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures his Department is 68
  taking to ensure an adequate supply of teachers to implement the curriculum proposals of the Education Reform Bill.

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

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to date to the enterprise initiative.

  Mr. Atkins
  From the launch of the enterprise initiative on 13 January up to 29 April over 70,000 inquiries have been received for the enterprise initiative booklet from firms and intermediaries. In addition, over 32,000 booklets containing more detailed information on the individual initiatives have been issued.

  Fibrous Carbon Bonded Thermal Insulation
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many licences his Department issued for the export of equipment and technology for manufacture of fibrous carbon bonded thermal insulation to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics prior to the introduction of controls in November 1986;

  (2) what criteria were used in drawing up controls on the export of equipment and technology for the manufacture of fibrous carbon bonded thermal insulation.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Before the introduction of controls on the export of such insulating material, export licences were not needed to any destination. The criteria used in drawing up the controls reflected our strategic concerns and were adopted by our COCOM partners in the controls agreed multilaterally.

  Marine &c. Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any plans to seek to repeal the Marine &c. Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  We have international treaty obligations to maintain legislation to prevent broadcasting from beyond territorial waters. It is essential to prevent such broadcasting because of the widespread interference it can cause, Far from repealing the 1967 Act, we are considering strengthening its enforcement powers through amendments to be incorporated in the forthcoming Broadcasting Bill.

  Baby Walkers
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in view of recent accidents, he will make it mandatory for baby walker manufacturers to issue comprehensive instructions with their products.

  Mr. Butcher
  Research has shown that most baby walker accidents requiring hospital treatment involve a fall
  69
  down steps or stairs. For this reason the British Standard on baby walkers—BS 4648—which is currently being updated includes a requirement that all baby walkers should carry a permanent label stating "WARNING—Never leave your baby alone in this walker". In addition, the standard specifies that instructions concerning the correct and safe assembly and use of the walker should be provided. The instructions advise users to guard against open fires, stairs and steps and to ensure that floor areas are clear of any obstructions.

  My Department will examine the draft revised standard to ensure that it provides an adequate level of safety and if so, it will he considered for approval for the purpose of the general safety requirement provision of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  National Engineering Laboratory
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to put the security services at the national engineering laboratory, East Kilbride, out to competitive tender; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The national engineering laboratory, East Kilbride, is currently investigating the available means of reducing the running costs of its security service. The survey includes a comparison with the likely costs of contracting out the service.

  Furnishings (Foam Fillings)
  Mr. lain Mills
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether there has been any progress on drafting a standard for foam filling of domestic upholstered furniture during consultation on his Department's draft Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  Yes. During the consultation period on the draft regulations, agreement has emerged on a draft British Standard specification "The Flammability

  Table 1—Government expenditure on R and D1 as a percentage of the gross domestic product (gdp)

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  All government spending

  1979

  1·30

  1·18

  1·08

  1·14

  0·39

  1980

  1·37

  1·14

  1·12

  1·15

  0·46

  1981

  1·41

  1·12

  1·31

  1·15

  0·65

  1982

  1·34

  116

  1·32

  1·21

  0·64

  1983

  1·33

  1·16

  1·41

  1·14

  0·70

  1984

  1·34

  1·19

  1·46

  1·11

  0·76

  1985

  1·29

  1·26

  1·47

  1·13

  0·78

  1986

  2 1·23

  1·28

  1·49

  1·10

  0·85

  1987

  21·18

  1·32

  ..

  1·11

  0·72

  Government spending on defence R and D

  1979

  0·67

  0·58

  0·38

  0·13

  0·01

  1980

  0·71

  0·57

  0·41

  0·11

  0·01

  1981

  0·69

  0·61

  0·50

  0·10

  0·04

  1982

  0·64

  0·71

  0·46

  0·10

  0·03

  1983

  0·66

  0·74

  0·45

  0·11

  0·04

  1984

  0·68

  0·79

  0·48

  0·11

  0·07

  1985

  0·67

  0·85

  0·45

  0·14

  0·08

  1986

  0·60

  0·88

  0·45

  0·13

  0·08

  1987

  0·60

  0·91

  ..

  0·14

  0·06

  Government spending on non-defence R and D

  1979

  0·64

  0·60

  0·70

  1·00

  0·38

  70
  Behaviour of Single filling Components (Foams or Fibres) Used in Domestic Upholstered Furniture" (document 88/37988) issued by BSI on 12 April. A copy has been placed in the Library. This technical specification will be incorporated in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.

  This specification has the agreement of my Department, and was drawn up by a BSI committee on which the fire prevention officers and enforcement officers, the foam manufacturers and the furniture manufacturers were represented. Although the consultation period on the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations does not end until 12 May, I believe that, in the interests of clarity and to allow the manufacturers to plan ahead, it is right to make this agreement public in advance of the end of the consultation period. I will be considering all other comments made on the draft regulations after 12 May and will make a further announcement as soon as possible after that date.

  Government Research
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on(a) Government spending on all scientific research as a proportion of gross domestic product, (b) Government spending on defence research as a proportion of gross domestic product, (c) Government spending on non-defence research as a proportion of gross domestic product, (d) industrial funding on scientific research as a proportion of gross domestic product, (e) total funding on scientific research as a proportion of gross domestic product, and (f) Government spending on advancement of knowledge as a proportion of gross domestic product, in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) the United States of America, (iii) France, (iv) West Germany and (v) Italy in the period 1979 to 1937.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The available information is given in the tables.
  71

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1980

  0·66

  0·57

  0·71

  1·04

  0·45

  1981

  0·72

  0·51

  0·81

  1·05

  0·61

  1982

  0·70

  0·45

  0·85

  1·11

  0·61

  1983

  0·67

  0·41

  0·95

  1·03

  0·66

  1984

  0·66

  0·40

  0·97

  1·00

  0·69

  1985

  0·62

  0·41

  1·01

  1·00

  0·70

  1986

  20·62

  0·39

  1·03

  0·96

  0·77

  1987

  0·58

  0·41

  ..

  0·97

  0·67

  Government spending on advancement of knowledge (included in non-defence R and D)

  1979

  0·33

  0·05

  0·25

  0·49

  0·12

  1980

  0·35

  0·05

  0·25

  0·50

  0·14

  1981

  0·29

  0·04

  0·22

  0·49

  0·18

  1982

  0·29

  0·04

  0·30

  0·48

  0·19

  1983

  0·29

  0·04

  0·37

  0·50

  0·17

  1984

  0·29

  0·04

  0·38

  0·49

  0·17

  1985

  0·23

  0·05

  0·38

  0·49

  0·19

  1986

  0·22

  0·04

  0·38

  0·48

  0·24

  1987

  0·22

  0·05

  0·49

  0·28

  Data not available

  Source: OECD.

  Note: See footnotes 1 and 2 of Table 2.

  Table 2—Gross domestic expenditure on R and D1 as a percentage of the gross domestic product (gdp).

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Total gross domestic exenditure on R and D

  1981

  2·42

  2·45

  2·01

  2·45

  1·01

  1983

  2·27

  2·62

  2·15

  2·54

  1·12

  1985

  2·33

  2·83

  2·31

  2·66

  1·33

  1986

  2·44

  2·89

  2·38

  ..

  1·47

  Gross domestic expenditure funded by industry

  1981

  1·00

  1·19

  0·82

  1·42

  0·51

  1983

  0·96

  1·30

  0·89

  1·50

  0·51

  1985

  1·07

  1·37

  0·96

  1·62

  0·59

  1986

  21·21

  1·39

  ..

  ..

  0·60

  .. Data not available.

  Source: OECD.

  1 Separate figures are not available for scientific R and D.

  2 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority moved from the government sector to the industry sector in 1986. This affected all government spending and non-defence government spending, as a percentage of gdp in 1986 and 1987. It also affected gross domestic expenditure on R and D funded by industry as a percentage of gdp in 1986.

  Provisional estimate of these percentages without this change of sector allocation are given below:

  1986

  1987

  All government spending

  1·27

  1·22

  Government spending on non-defence R and D

  0·65

  0·62

  Gross expdenditure on R industry and D funded by industry

  1·14

  —

WALES

  Cardiff Bay Barrage Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1), pursuant to his reply of 3 March,Official Report, column 662, whether initial feasibility studies on the Cardiff bay barrage scheme aided by the European regional development fund have been completed; and if the Government have now reached a view on the barrage proposal;
  72
  (2) whether initial feasibility studies on the Cardiff bay barrage scheme aided by the European regional development fund include a study of alternative barrage lines and their relative impact in terms of Government responsibilities with regard to article 4 of the directive 74/409 on the conservation of wild birds.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The initial feasibility studies aided by the European regional development fund were completed by November 1986. The studies considered various barrage lines across the mouth of Cardiff harbour and the effect of such a barrage on over-wintering shorebirds. Further economic, technical and ecological studies have been undertaken and these are currently being considered before a Government view on the barrage is reached.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the average rate paid by a domestic
  73
  ratepayer in each Welsh district in 1988–89, together with his estimate for the community charge which would be payable by each payee in 1988–89 had the proposed system been in operation.

  Mr. Grist
  Illustrative figures are given in the following table:

  Community Charge and Average Rate Bill for each Welsh District 1988–89

  Total Community Charge £1

  Average Rate Bill per adult £2

  Alyn and Deeside

  141

  176

  Colwyn

  149

  198

  Delyn

  150

  176

  Glyndwr

  149

  155

  Rhuddlan

  138

  170

  Wrexham Maelor

  153

  162

  Carmarthen

  151

  123

  Ceredigion

  140

  136

  Dinefwr

  136

  110

  Llanelli

  160

  137

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  136

  126

  South Pembrokeshire

  140

  152

  Blaenau Gwent

  156

  116

  Islwyn

  154

  127

  Monmouth

  145

  167

  Newport

  150

  185

  Torfaen

  151

  154

  Aberconwy

  137

  173

  Arfon

  135

  129

  Dwyfor

  136

  160

  Meirionnydd

  140

  158

  Ynys Mon

  130

  154

  Cynon Valley

  155

  108

  Merthyr Tydfil

  168

  124

  Ogwr

  164

  151

  Rhondda

  156

  85

  Rhymney Valley

  171

  139

  Taff Ely

  163

  145

  Brecknock

  134

  131

  Montgomeryshire

  117

  128

  Radnor

  124

  135

  Cardiff

  110

  179

  Vale of Glamorgan

  121

  166

  Port Talbot

  205

  154

  Lliw Valley

  186

  142

  Neath

  175

  154

  Swansea

  199

  192

  Total WALES

  150

  150

  1 These figures are provisional and will be updated when better information is received from all local authorities. No allowance has been made for the transitional safety-net arrangements. The calculations are based on present needs assessments, which are under review.

  2 Average rate bills per adult are on a basis comparable with the community charge figures and exclude any use of balances.

  Pre-school Playgroup Association
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much cash he has allocated to Clwyd county council in each of the years since April 1979 for PPA. (Wales) in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: None. Departmental funding to support the activities of PPA (Wales) at the all-Wales level is made direct, not through local authorities. Funds provided by the Department to Clwyd under the all-Wales mental handicap strategy may be used in approved schemes to fund appropriate activities of voluntary groups, including local PPA groups, but the
  74
  decision to provide funds for approved schemes, and the level of funding provided, is a matter for the authority to determine.

  Infertility Services
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to current research undertaken into the needs of the infertile in Wales; what Government funded research is being undertaken into infertility services in Wales; and how much Government cash has been allocated in the past eight years to the health authorities of Wales for National Health Service services for the infertile in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The needs of the infertile in Wales are similar to those of the infertile elsewhere, and relevant research is being undertaken in many places throughout the world. Within the United Kingdom, the Medical Research Council, which receives the greater part of its funds from the Exchequer, supports a number of projects concerned with fertility, pregnancy and foetal development.

  The development of infertility services is kept under constant view by the Welsh Office in co-operation with the health authorities, and relevant professional and other interests. Generally, it is for individual health authorities to determine what proportion of the funds they have been allocated should be spent on services for the infertile. We have, however, allocated special funds to South Glamorgan health authority under the centrally funded developments programme for the development of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer services, totalling £29,916 in 1986–87, £48,741 in 1987–88 and £93,935 in 1988–89.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of employees in full-time employment in Clwyd for each of the years June 1978 to June 1987; and how many of these were in manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: Data for Clwyd are available for 1978, 1981 and 1984 (census of employment data) only:

  Clwyd Employees in Employment-Full Time: (Thousands)

  Total

  Manufacturing

  1980 SIC (Division 2–4)

  1968 SIC (Orders 3–19)

  June 19781

  104

  N/A

  42

  September 19811

  39

  31

  30

  September 19812

  90

  32

  N/A

  September 19842

  91

  33

  N/A

  Source: Department of Employment, Censuses of Employment.

  1 Jobcentre based information.

  2 Ward based information.

  N/A Not available.

  Note: Jobcentre and ward-based aggregates are not strictly comparable. The former are based on an amalgamation of Jobcentre areas which may not be conterminous with the county boundary and, unlike the ward based aggregates, they include no allowance for non-response and duplication in census returns.

  Medical Secretaries
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each district health authority(a) the number of funded establishments for qualified medical secretaries and (b) the number of medical secretaries in post.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: (a) This is not available centrally. (b) Information relating to the number of medical secretaries recognised as such by the National Health Service payroll system shows the following in post at 30 September 1987.

  District Health Authority

  Staff1

  Clwyd

  52·9

  East Dyfed

  48·8

  Gwent

  55·2

  Gwynedd

  53·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  32·4

  Pembrokeshire

  10·6

  Powys

  2·0

  South Glamorgan

  57·6

  West Glamorgan

  38·2

  1 Staff in post (whole-time equivalents).

  Not all district authorities provide comprehensive and accurate occupation coding, and a number of staff in these pay grades are unallocated. The figures quoted should thus be treated with caution.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each district health authority the amount spent on medical secretaries contracted from agencies in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: Medical secretaries' expenditure is not classified with health authorities' annual accounts. However, the agency costs incurred by Welsh health authorities for administrative and clerical—typing and secretarial skills, during 1986–87 are as follows:

  £ (thousands)

  Clwyd

  —

  East Dyfed

  —

  Gwent

  —

  Gwynedd

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  —

  Pembrokeshire

  —

  Powys

  11·06

  South Glamorgan

  0·08

  West Glamorgan

  —

  WHCSA

  0·08

  Wales

  11·22

  Source: Health Authorities' Annual Accounts.

ENERGY

  Wave Power
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review his policy into wave power following the evidence of Professor Stephen Salter to the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the European Communities.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department regularly reviews all the renewable technologies taking into account any new development or ideas which may alter previous assessments. All our recent reviews have indicated that 76
  research into large-scale offshore wave power would not be cost effective. Copies of the latest review, undertaken as part of a comprehensive appraisal of a wide range of energy technologies was published in 1987 as "Energy Paper 54". Copies are in the Libraries of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Chile
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to whether the conditions laid down by the Catholic Church and the 14 opposition parties in relation to the plebiscite have been met by the Government of Chile; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have noted the increase in the number of registered voters in Chile and the access to television of the democratic opposition, and hope that both will continue.

  Additionally, I refer the hon. Member to the reply of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) of 22 April.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department's advice has been sought concerning the possible sale by British Aerospace of Hawk military aircraft to the Government of Chile; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  It has been the policy of successive British Governments not to disclose details of potential defence sales.

  Human Rights, Democracy and Territorial Violations
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the representations regarding(a) human rights, (b) pluralistic democracy and (c) territorial violations which Her Majesty's Government have made to other Governments for each year since 1974.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is not practicable to list all representations made by Her Majesty's Government since 1974. However, in our dealings with other Governments, we regularly raise human rights and territorial violations and make clear our support for a pluralistic democracy as appropriate. Such representations, on human rights for example, are sometimes more productive if undertaken without publicity.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track are electrified in each of the standard regions of the United Kingdom; and in each case what percentage that represents of the total length of track.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The information requested is not available for standard United Kingdom regions, however the table sets out data for BR regions.
  77

  Region

  Total track miles

  Electrified track miles

  Percentage

  Eastern

  5,386

  1,164

  22

  London Midland

  6,186

  2,091

  34

  Scotland

  2,718

  666

  25

  Southern

  3,044

  2,473

  81

  Western

  3,002

  —

  0

  Total

  20,336

  6,394

  31

  Motorways (Resurfacing)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to ensure that future motorways are resurfaced in concrete rather than tarmacadam.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In most cases both forms of construction are suitable. There will be exceptions where engineering needs will dictate a particular form of construction. In those cases where a choice between alternatives is to be made, this will continue to be done on the basis of competitive tendering.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take in the light of the published road accident figures for 1987.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are pleased that the provisional 1987 figures show pedestrians deaths at the lowest level ever recorded. The figure for road deaths overall is the lowest for 34 years.

  Five thousand one hundred deaths are still too many. Our aim is to cut road casualties by a third by the end of the century. This will require unremitting effort and in particular measures to help the most vulnerable groups and to tackle the unacceptably high level of accidents in urban areas.

  We shall be working closely with local authorities, with industry and commerce and with the many organisations with a special interest in tackling the problems of death and injury on the road. We welcome the high level of public interest and commitment, and in particular the increasing recognition that we shall have made a great step forward if we can cut out the road deaths associated with alcohol.

  Member's Correspondence
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to respond to the hon. Member for Easington's letter concerning his interrogation by Israeli security staff at Heathrow airport on Friday 1 April.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State did so on Monday 9 May.

  Institution of Professional Civil Servants
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants involved in transport industries; and what was the content of the discussions.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has not yet met IPCS representatives.

  Ammunition Lorries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he was first informed of the fire on a lorry loaded with ammunition in the Newport, West constituency that took place on 30 January;

  (2) if he will make representations to the United States Army on the safety implications of the recent fire on a lorry loaded with ammunition on 30 January and with regard to the substitution of civilian personnel for Ministry of Defence police as escorts for ammunition lorries at Caerwent in February and the conviction for drunken driving of a civilian driver who was about to collect an ammunition load on 30 March;

  (3) if he is notified of collisions, accidents, fires and major breakdowns of lorries loaded with ammunition, by all armed forces stationed in the United Kingdom;

  (4) what additional precautions have been introduced to strengthen Statutory Instrument No. 888, Conveyance by Road of Military Explosives Regulations 1977, to protect vehicles from the threat of sabotage or theft by terrorists.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Incidents such as the one on 30 January involving the transport of military ammunition do not have to be reported to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. They are covered by instructions issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 25 April, at column 75.

  Regulation 888 will be revoked by the new regulations referred to in my reply of 18 April, at column 369. This will not affect departmental responsibility for the movement of military ammunition.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Benefits
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has had any discussions with interested parties on possible modifications to the new benefits system introduced under the Social Security Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The new benefits system is simpler. fairer and better targeted than the old, and no major modification is called for. To ease the transition, however, my right hon. Friend has announced a package of measures to prevent large cash losses to pensioners, disabled people, widows and families with children at the point of change and to provide some minor easements where the rules seemed to be working unduly harshly.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what costs of disability will be covered by payments from the Independent Living Fund; and if claimants will be routinely referred to the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  The Independent Living Fund is primarily intended to help severely disabled people on low incomes with the cost of employing personal care or domestic assistance. The eligibility criteria which were published on 31 March also empower the trustees to take into account a number of factors, including other care needs, in
  79
  determining the level of payments to individuals. I expect the trustees will wish to inform applicants of their possible entitlement to other forms of help where appropriate. However the social fund cannot make payments for domestic assistance and respite care.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the first payment to be made from the Independent Living Fund; and what arrangements for interim payments he has made.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) and for Barnsley, West (Mr. Patchett) earlier today.

  Nurses
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on recruitment levels at schools of nursing.

  Mrs. Currie
  According to information produced by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwivery and Health Visiting in the year 1986–87, a total of 22,825 people entered basic nurse training. At 31 March 1987, there were 61,009 learners undertaking basic nurse training in England.

  Mr. Rees
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on recruitment levels at schools of nursing.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) earlier today.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how he intends to monitor the implementation of the new clinical grading structure for nurses.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how he intends to monitor the implementation of the new clinical grading structure for nurses.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how he intends to monitor the implementation of the new clinical grading structure for nurses.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how he intends to monitor the effects of the regrading of clinical nurses.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) earlier today.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the training of nurses.

  Mr. Newton
  We have received a number of letters from hon. and right hon. Members, and members of the general public, on a variety of issues relating to nurse training. In addition, the chairman of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting wrote on 19 April expressing the council's desire for an early response to its Project 2000 proposals for reform of nurse education and training. We hope to be able to make a response to these proposals shortly.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the probable impact of changes in the entitlement to free school meals following the enactment of recent social security legislation in the city of Coventry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  In October 1987, the latest date for which information is available, 15,002 children in the Coventry local education authority area were authorised to receive free school meals. Of these, 83 per cent. came from families in receipt of supplementary benefit. Children from families now in receipt of income support continue to be entitled to free school meals. Many of the other children who previously received free school meals may be from families eligible for family credit, which includes extra cash compensation in place of entitlement to free school meals.

  Income Support
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many complaints his offices in north Devon have received regarding anomalies in the new support systems for the elderly, infirm or unemployed.

  Mr. Portillo
  Whilst local offices do not keep records of this kind, we believe that the transitional protection for income support claimants, and the extra protection for many housing benefit claimants announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 April, will remove many of the difficulties for claimants at the time of change in the benefit system.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 122, on what basis it is possible to provide information on disabled claimants who will receive a lower entitlement under income support than they received prior to 11 April.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on all client groups, including the disabled, will be based on statistics provided by the annual statistical inquiry. This provides information by DHSS region.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply of 12 April,Official Report, column 122, how the reformed income-related benefits for the disabled will be monitored.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 22 April at column 602. Information will also be derived from the OPCS survey of disabled people.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.
  81
  Mr. Portillo
  The level of housing benefits is influenced by a large number of factors including changes in housing costs and household income. Decisions on the uprating of benefits will be announced in the autumn in the normal way.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received following the change in housing benefit regulations; and if he is considering further changes.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services during the debate in the House on 27 April at columns 351–61.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

  Mr. Scott
  The changes announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 April were directed primarily towards reducing the significant cash losses experienced by a comparatively small number of claimants at the point of change. They will have had only a marginal effect on the overall balance between gainers and losers as a result of the social security reforms.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.
  82
  Mr. Portillo
  We shall continue to monitor the introduction of the reformed housing benefit scheme with care.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities require the national insurance number of claimants for housing benefit; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  We aim in the next few years to use national insurance numbers (NINOs) to provide a standard base for data on all social security benefits administered through DHSS offices. In principle we would envisage housing benefit data being collected on the same basis in the future. We have advised local authorities of this, but have indicated that NINOs are items of personal data requiring careful consideration to ensure their use by authorities is for housing benefit purposes only. We shall be discussing detailed arrangements with the local authority associations. Authorities have been advised, however, that until discussions are concluded they may wish to invite claimants to supply their NINOs if known, but that they should not require claimants to do so.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the first month's full operation of the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 6 May at column 656.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Bradford have been refused social fund loans since 11 April to date.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much in total has been disbursed in community care grants since the new system of social security payments came into operation; what proportion of the total funds available for community care grants this represents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby., South (Mrs. Beckett) on 6 May 1988 at column 656.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to reassess the £1·30 weekly contribution towards 20 per cent. average domestic rates included in income support levels.

  Mr. Scott
  Income support levels will be adjusted from April next year to reflect the average 20 per cent. contribution to the community charge. The precise amounts to be included will be announced at the time of the general uprating statement in the autumn.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to extend the mobility allowance to existing recipients reaching the age of 75 years.
  83
  Mr. Scott
  The age 75 limit will not affect any existing recipients of mobility allowance until November 1989. We shall consider, nearer that time, whether it should be extended.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has given to the Wakefield district health authority over the cancelling of operations because of a shortage of nurses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  No advice on staffing matters has been given specifically to Wakefield health authority, but health authorities generally have been asked to undertake a variety of measures to improve recruitment and retention of nursing staff.

  Health Workers' Unions
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met the representatives of the health workers' unions; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Newton
  The pay and conditions of service of NHS employees are the subject of negotiation between the management and staff sides of Whitley councils. My right hon. Friend and I have met representatives of a number of individual staff groups and have also held meetings with the health services committee of the TUC. The most recent of these was on 2 February when the subjects discussed included NHS resources, pay and staffing levels, and the Government's internal review of the Service.

  NHS (Lotteries)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his policy towards the use of lotteries to raise funds for the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  We have always welcomed the additional support for health services provided by a wide range of charitable and other organisations through their various fund-raising activities, including lotteries.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received regarding the classification of bronchitis and emphysema as industrial diseases.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received a report from the industrial injuries advisory council on its investigation into bronchitis and emphysema. We have also received letters from several right hon. and hon. Members.

  Mental Hospitals (Closures)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the current progress of closure of mental hospitals as part of his policy for community care.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Government's policy for the care of mentally ill people is based on a shift to district-based services where in-patient care is complemented by care in the community. The aim is to enable mentally ill people to 84
  be provided with whatever services they need with the minimum of formality or delay, without losing touch with their normal lives. The reduction in size of some of the old, badly sited mental illness hospitals and the closure of others is a consequence of achieving that aim and not a precursor, and is preceded by the development of psychiatric services in each district which, at present, may lack them.

  Details of closure plans were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) on 13 April at columns 172–74.

  St. James's Hospital, Balham
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans now exist for the future use of St. James's hospital, Balham, SW12; and if the will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  We are still considering the proposal to close out-patient services at St. James's hospital, Balham. Until we reach a decision no plans can be developed for the future use of the hospital or its site.

  Hospitals (Birmingham)
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the consequences for the work of Birmingham hospitals of the entry into fully effective operation of the planned new district general hospital in Solihull.

  Mrs. Currie
  The development of Solihull district general hospital and other peripheral hospitals is part of the west midlands long-term strategy for increasing the provision of health services on the growing population centres surrounding Birmingham. For detailed information on this strategy my hon. Friend may care to write to the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of child benefit paid to income taxpayers.

  Mr. Scott
  It is estimated that the cost of child benefit paid to tax-paying families in 1988–89 is likely to be around £3·6 billion.

  Domestic Help Additions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if domestic help additions will continue to be available to suitable claimants making fresh claims after 11 April.

  Mr. Scott
  Domestic help additions were a feature of the supplementary benefit scheme which, on 11 April was replaced by income support. The new scheme assists people with costs associated with long-term sickness or disability through a system of flat rate premiums. Additionally, we are setting up the Independent Living Fund which will make payments to severely disabled people on low incomes who need to employ help so that they can live independently.

  NHS Performance Indicators
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the chairmen of the regional health authorities following the publication of the 1986–87 National Health Service performance indicators.

  Mr. Newton
  None.

  Form AG1
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services who designed form AG1, issued by his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  Form AG1 was produced by professional writers and design staff in the Department. It follows the new house-style which is being introduced for all claim forms and leaflets and other material.

  Cost Improvement Programme (Rotherham)
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has had any interim report on the Rotherham district health authority's 1988–89 cost improvement programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The Trent regional health authority's short-term programme for 1988–89 identified planned recurrent cost improvement savings of £0·38 million in Rotherham health authority.

  District Health Authorities (Asset Sales)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take to encourage the sale of unwanted assets by district health authorities, in the light of the report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General, "Estate Management in the National Health Service."

  Mrs. Currie
  Health authorities in England are fully aware of the need and advantages of disposing of all land and property which is surplus to NHS requirements and are actively encouraged to dispose of surplus property with all despatch. Proceeds from sales of surplus properties in England have increased over the last 10 years from £7·5 million in 1978–79 to about £200 million in 1987–88. In this period over 7,000 acres have been disposed of and a further 6,000 are currently awaiting disposal. Some regional health authorities are now raising over £20 million per year from disposals—and, since all proceeds are retained by the NHS for reinvestment in the Service, they are effectively adding 20 per cent. to their capital expenditure programmes.

  Cook-Chill System (Wakefield)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the cost of implementing the cook-chill system of catering in the Wakefield district health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  Responsibility for implementing cook-chill in Wakefield is a matter for the district health authority. The hon. Member may therefore wish to contact the chairman of Wakefield health authority for the information he is seeking.

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the increase in nurses' pay in 1988–89, with particular reference to those in the London area.

  Mr. Newton
  My right hon. Friend met representatives of the nursing professions at the time of the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister of the Government's decision on the pay review body's recommendations. These recommendations included the introduction of London pay supplements. The representatives expressed their satisfaction that the Government have decided to implement the recommendations in full and to make available additional resources to cover the full estimated cost.

  AIDS
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the establishment of needle exchange schemes to reduce the rate of spread of the AIDS virus among injecting drug misusers.

  Mr. Newton
  This subject is addressed, among ethers, in the report from the advisory council on the misuse of drugs to which the Government responded on 29 March at columns 452–54. In addition, we have received eight letters about needle exchange schemes since the start of 1988.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of claims for single payments outstanding at his Department's offices in Scotland on 11 April, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The boundaries of the Department's local office areas and the Scottish regions are not conterminous. The numbers of claims for single payments outstanding at close of business on 8 April 1988 in each of the Department's offices in Scotland which handles supplementary benefit claims are as follows. (The figures are provisional and subject to revision).

  Claims

  Aberdeen North

  386

  Aberdeen South

  1,816

  Airdrie

  3,571

  Arbroath

  278

  Ayr

  4,937

  Bellshill

  3,103

  Bathgate

  809

  Campbeltown

  4

  Clydebank

  2,337

  Coatbridge

  2,517

  Cowdenbeath

  943

  Cumbernauld

  2,803

  Dumbarton

  1,807

  Dumfries

  471

  Dundee East

  1,059

  Dundee West

  624

  Dunfermline

  1,599

  East Kilbride

  145

  Edinburgh City

  2,141

  Edinburgh East

  2,942

  Edinburgh North

  311

  87

  Claims

  Edinburgh South

  695

  Edinburgh West

  318

  Elgin

  314

  Falkirk

  3,268

  Fort William

  117

  Galashiels

  68

  Glasgow Anniesland

  4,250

  Glasgow Bridgeton

  575

  Glasgow City

  3,400

  Glasgow Craigton

  5,335

  Glasgow Cranstonhill

  56

  Glasgow Laurieston

  959

  Glasgow Maryhill

  4,302

  Glasgow Parkhead

  829

  Glasgow Partick

  666

  Glasgow Provan

  1,400

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  495

  Glasgow Southside

  1,064

  Glasgow Springburn

  6,358

  Greenock

  599

  Hamilton

  1,100

  Inverness

  1,105

  Irvine

  3,467

  Johnstone

  95

  Kilmarnock

  859

  Kirkcaldy

  434

  Lerwick

  3

  Leven

  352

  Motherwell

  3,841

  Oban

  12

  Paisley

  416

  Perth

  1,958

  Peterhead

  513

  Port Glasgow

  2,875

  Stirling

  808

  Stornoway

  130

  Stranraer

  168

  Wick

  130

  TOTAL

  87,937

  Those offices having the largest numbers of single payment claims outstanding are generally in areas where take-up campaigns have been organised by local and regional councils. In response, central management in Scotland has deployed teams of experienced officers in those offices which have been most heavily affected. Claims have been sifted in order to identify those which are most urgent and these have been given priority. In addition consideration is being given to the possibility of additional overtime working to clear the backlog. At the current rate of progress it is hoped that the bulk of the outstanding claims will have been cleared by the end of June.

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with the professional bodies representing anaesthetists and obstetricians about providing flying squad emergency services for small, outlying obstetric units.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 8 March 1988 at columns 168–69.

  Pensioners (Benefits)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent discussions he has had with pensioners' organisations concerning the changes in the social security benefit system; and if he will make a statement.
  88
  Mr. Scott
  The social security benefit reforms were among the matters discussed when I accompanied my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister when she met a delegation from the national pensioners' convention on 10 March. The reforms were also discussed when I met a delegation from the National Federation of Retirement Pensions Associations (Pensioners' Voice) on 9 May.

  Aerosols
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any plans to ban the use of aerosols in his Department's buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  Whilst we have no plans to place a ban on the use of aerosols in the Department's buildings, we support action which is in hand internationally to limit the use of chlorofluorocarbon propellants and to adopt the most suitable alternatives. In the meantime, the Department will continue to observe hazard warnings on, for example, flammable products and to use appropriate chemical products safely and cost effectively.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much his Department allocated to or spent in 1985, 1986 and 1987 in the North West health region, the Northern health region and the Yorkshire health region, respectively.

  Mr. Newton
  Following is expenditure information for the Northern, Yorkshire and North Western health regions:

  Total expenditure on hospital and community health services1

  1984–8 £ million

  1985–86 £ million

  1986–87 £ million

  Northern region

  634·7

  669·6

  717·4

  Yorkshire region

  709·2

  772·3

  818·1

  North Western region

  899·3

  943·5

  988·0

  1 Includes revenue and capital expenditure on hospital, community health, ambulance, blood transfusion and other services.

  Source:

  Annual accounts of the regional health authority and district health authorities comprising each region.

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on family practitioner services is excluded: such expenditure is accounted for by family practitioner committees (FPCs) and cannot strictly be attributed to particular regions. However, prior to 1 April 1985 many of the district health authorities within each region had an associated FPC and those authorities' total expenditure figures for 1984–85 include elements relating to FPCs' administrative expenses which are not separately identifiable.

  2. Expenditure by the special health authorities and other bodies providing central services to the National Health Service and expenditure met centrally by the Department is also excluded.

  OPCS (Library)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services why the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys library has been closed to the public; if alternative sources of like information are available to the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' library was closed to the public in January 1988
  89
  because of unexpected staff losses. These losses occurred just as a management review of all library services was scheduled to begin and it was considered unwise to replace the staff until this review was finished. The review has now reported, with several recommendations to improve the cost-effectiveness of the library service. However it also found that continued closure of the library would deprive the public of an extensive and valued source of information and would achieve savings only at the cost of generating additional work elsewhere in OPCS. Accordingly the library will re-open to the public on 1 June 1988, although an appointments system will be introduced and there will be limits on the number of appointments each day. A press notice giving details of the new arrangements will be issued shortly.

  Departmental Television Advertising
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services 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. Portillo
  The total annual expenditure by the Department on television advertising for each year since 1979 to the current financial year was:

  £

  1979–80

  169,000

  1980–81

  180,000

  1981–82

  294,000

  1982–83

  774,000

  1983–84

  976,000

  1984–85

  Nil

  1985–86

  832,000

  11986–87

  2,345,000

  11987–88

  7,968,000

  1 The increased expenditure in 1986–87 and 1987–88 is largely accounted for by the Aids television campaign.

  All advertisements were approved for broadcast by the independent broadcasting authorities.

  Income Support (Disabled Pensioners)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria were used to determine the different rates of income support for a pensioner disabled before the age of 60 and a pensioner disabled after the age of 60.

  Mr. Scott
  A person disabled before the age of 60 gets the disability premium of £13·05 (single) or £18·60 (couple) if he or his partner is blind, has an invalid carriage, is receiving a long-term incapacity or disablement benefit, or has been incapable of work for 28 weeks.

  A person disabled after the age of 60 may qualify for the higher pensioner premium. This is paid at the same rate and on the same terms as the disability premium except that the 28-week rule of incapacity for work does not apply to people aged 60 or more. A person who qualifies for the disability premium immediately before reaching the age of 60 will get the higher pensioner premium on reaching that age. The difference in the qualifying conditions reflects the
  90
  fact that some degree of disability is likely to occur as people get older. This is catered for in the pension premiums of £10·65 (single) and £16·25 (couple).

  The severe disability premium is payable to people under and over the age of 60 on exactly the same conditions.

  The details of this premium structure will be looked at in the light of the OPCS survey on disabilities.

  Green Giros (Encashment)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information is provided to claimants about the criteria for encashment of green giros at Crown post offices.

  Mr. Portillo
  Guidance on the encashment of green giros is given on the reverse of the giro and on posters displayed in Post Offices. The Post Office clerk must be satisfied in each case that the conditions for payment have been met.

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received on the workings of the new social security legislation which came fully into force in April.

  Mr. Scott
  Many.

  Clinical Judgments (Complaints)
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he has given to introducing legislation to grant a discretion to the Health Service Commissioner to investigate complaints involving clinical judgment, if he thinks fit; what is his latest assessment of the factors which(a) favour and (b) do not favour such a proposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  This issue was thoroughly aired in the House during the passage of the Parliamentary and Health Commissioners Act 1987. The Government concluded at that time that the procedures introduced in 1981, (with the commendation of the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration) were working reasonably well and did not seek to extend the Health Service Commissioner's power in this respect. No new factors have emerged since that decision was taken.

  Supplementary Benefit Claimants (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply of 12 April,Official Report, columns 115–6, if he will supply numbers for each major client group in the statistics for those claiming supplementary benefit in 1979 and in 1987 for the David Lane and Shakespeare street offices of his Department.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:
  91

  Office

  Supplementary benefits claimants under pension age

  Supplementary benefits claimants over pension age

  Total

  Required to register for employment

  Not required to register for employment

  Date of Count: 27 November 1979

  David Lane

  1,530

  1,981

  3,163

  6,674

  Shakespeare Street

  1,906

  2,310

  4,988

  9,204

  Date of Count: 17 November 1987

  David Lane

  5,228

  3,955

  3,360

  12,543

  Shakespeare Street

  5,265

  5,009

  5,146

  15,420

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

  Doctors (Contracts)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to examine honorary contracts for doctors in the course of the National Health Service review.

  Mr. Moore
  Our review is wide-ranging and we have received many proposals for reform. We shall consider these carefully before reaching conclusions.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors have applied to have their contracts varied from whole-time to less than whole-time in recent years.

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

  NHS Pay
  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the progress towards a settlement of the current pay round for theatre operating staff and all other outstanding groups within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Newton
  The recommendations of the pay review bodies, which have already been accepted by the Government, affect the pay of some operating theatre staff. The pay of other theatre staff, as well as that of the remaining non pay review body staff groups, is a matter for the Whitley councils.

  Abortions
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  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 West Cumbria district health authority area for each of the last seven years for which figures are available; how many of these abortions were performed on ground 4 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 5 to save the life of the pregnant woman.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is given in the table.
  92

  Notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 to usual residents of West Cumbria health areas, by selected grounds—1980 to 1986

  Area of usual residence

  All grounds

  Ground 4 (mentions)

  Ground 5

  West Cumbria Health District

  1980

  217

  —

  —

  1981

  204

  7

  —

  1982

  242

  3

  —

  West Cumbria District Heath Authority

  1983

  222

  6

  —

  1984

  251

  9

  —

  1985

  224

  6

  —

  1986

  227

  5

  —

  Complementary Medicine
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received seeking funding for the administrative costs of running research bodies engaged in stimulating research into complementary medicine; whether his Department intends to fund such expenses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  One such body, the Research Council for Complementary Medicine, has approached the Department for a contribution towards its administrative costs. My noble Friend and officials are currently in correspondence with them about their application.

  Doctors (Medical Protection)
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the salary of junior and senior doctors includes an element for subscriptions to professional medical defence bodies; and whether membership of a medical protection body is obligatory.

  Mr. Newton
  Membership of a professional defence organisation is, other than in exceptional circumstances, a contractual requirement for hospital doctors. Their salaries are determined on the advice of the independent Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration. In its 1987 report, the review body took account of the cost of subscriptions in making its recommendations. This year, the review body has recommended, and the Government have accepted, that in most cases a proportion of these costs should be directly reimbursed to practitioners.

  Radiation (Report)
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the report from
  93
  the committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment looking into allegations of higher than normal incidences of leukaemia and lymphatic cancer among young children living near AWRE Aldermaston and AWRE Burghfield.

  Mrs. Currie
  The report is expected later this year.

  Lewisham
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the staffing levels designated by his Department for each of the offices serving the London borough of Lewisham for the years 1987–88 and 1988–89, respectively; and how many staff were in post at 1 May in each of the offices.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  Office

  Complement 1987–88

  Provisional Complement 1988–89

  Staff in Post 1 May 1988

  Bromley ILO

  131

  115

  121·5

  Crystal Palace ILO

  156

  135

  152·5

  Eltham AO

  34

  25

  30·5

  Eltham NIO

  29

  27

  29

  Greenwich Park ILO

  198

  171

  188·5

  Hither Green AO

  46

  43

  43

  Lewisham ILO

  200

  167

  205

  Peckham ILO

  167

  148

  165·5

  Woolwich ILO

  277

  247

  254·5

  Notes:

  ILO=Integrated Local Office.

  AO=Area Office.

  NIO=National Insurance Office.

  The figures for 1988–89 are provisional as final staff complements for some local offices have not yet been allocated.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances invalid care allowance is deducted from other benefits a carer is eligible to receive.

  Mr. Scott
  Where a carer is entitled to invalid care allowance and, simultaneously, a personal income maintenance benefit, the maximum amount payable is the rate of the higher benefit. This applies where the carer is also entitled to any of the following benefits:—

  sickness benefit

  maternity allowance

  unemployment benefit

  invalidity benefit

  severe disablement allowance

  widow's benefit

  retirement pension

  Maternity Payments
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the last review of criteria for maternity payments was undertaken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  These payments were included in the Government's reviews of social security in 1985. The current provisions were enacted in the Social Security Act 1986 and came into operation in April 1987.

  Unemployment Benefits
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Social Security Advisory Committee completed its review and reported on the additional condition for seasonal workers claiming unemployment benefit; and how he intends to respond.

  Mr. Portillo
  The committee's report has been received and the report and the Government's response are contained in a Command Paper presented to Parliament today — "The Additional Condition for Seasonal Workers Claiming Unemployment Benefit." C. 374.

SCOTLAND

  National Health Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given in his review of the National Health Service to the functioning of the Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's review of the National Health Service will take fully into account the circumstances of the Health Service in Scotland.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what will be the obligations of members of the armed forces who live away from home on military service, under poll tax regulations;

  (2) what will be the obligations of merchant seamen who spend a majority of the year in foreign waters, under poll tax regulations.

  Mr. Lang
  All adults who are aged 18 or over and who have their sole or main residence in a local authority's area will be liable to pay the personal community charge The question of whether a person is solely or mainly resident in the area of a local authority will be a matter of fact in relation to the particular circumstances of each case.

  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering, in consultation with my right horn. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, the detailed application of the community charge proposals to members of the armed forces.

  Ski Areas
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to improve uplift facilities within the Scottish ski areas; and if he will make a statment.

  Mr. Lang
  It is for the private sector to initiate proposals for new ski development in Scotland. The Government are willing to assist, through their development agencies, schemes that are financially viable and consistent with planning guidelines.

  Gaelic Language
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his Department's policy on the role of television in the safeguarding and promotion of the Gaelic language.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We recognise the contribution which the media in general, and television in particular,
  95
  can make to the preservation of the Gaelic language. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no direct locus in this matter but we have encouraged the Gaelic community and its representative organisations to discuss its needs with the broadcasting authorities. It is, however, for the broadcasting authorities to assess the demand and to provide the appropriate services within available resources.

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board the increase in expenditure required for 1988–89 due to the nurses' pay award and the extra money being made available by his Department for this increase.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The sum of £92 million is being made available in Scotland to finance the full additional costs of the review body pay recommendations. Boards will be informed of their additional allocations shortly.

  Job Creation
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve employment prospects in Glasgow, Maryhill; and how many registered unemployed people there were there in March 1984 and March 1988.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: The Government can best improve the employment prospects of Glasgow, Maryhill, and of Scotland as a whole, by the creation of a healthy and vigorous economy. That is precisely what the Government are doing.

  In March 1984 there were 7,443 unemployed claimants in the Glasgow, Maryhill parliamentary constituency. The corresponding figure in March 1988 was 7,300.

  "The Scotsman"
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on what measures he or the Lord Advocate intend to take against The Scotsman newspaper for the publication of leaked documents on 22 April from the submarine base at Holy Loch.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 May 1988]: Upon the basis of the information presently available neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor my noble and learned Friend intends to make any such statement.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, when the United Kingdom comes within milk quota, the co-responsibility levy on milk will be abolished.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It is for the Council of Ministers to decide on the continuation of the co-responsibility levy. As part of its price-fixing package the Commission has proposed that it should be continued. In view of the continuing high cost of the milk regime, I support this proposal.

  Lupins
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement setting out the financial and other incentives provided by the EEC for the growing of lupins; what is the purpose of such expenditure; and what is the current annual expenditure on this activity;

  (2) what surplus now exists in the production of lupins in the EEC; and what is the current annual expenditure of disposing of such a surplus;

  (3) what information he has on lupin production in the EEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Aid is payable to animal feed compounders utilising Community-grown sweet lupins, which have a high protein content, provided a specified minimum price has been paid to the grower. There is no surplus, because the Community is a substantial net importer of protein products. The cost to the Community budget of aid to sweet lupins was about 0·5 MECU (or £350,000) in 1987, and an estimated 6,000 tonnes will be eligible for aid in 1987–88.

  Farmers (Cumbria)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for review he has received from farmers in Cumbria claiming to have suffered losses as a result of the Chernobyl disaster but who had not been compensated under the Government's scheme; if he will give the date range when these applications were made; if each such application was considered individually; on what date a decision was taken on them; how many of these applications he has rejected; and if he will make a statement on the general pattern of the defects in the applications which led to their rejection.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: When the Chernobyl sheep compensation scheme was first introduced, we and the farmers unions concluded that it would be cumbersome and slow to try to cost the effect of the restrictions on each individual enterprise. We decided instead to set qualifying criteria which were designed, in close consultation with the NFU, to target compensation on those who needed it in line with a formula which enabled rapid calculation. The element of rough justice that would be involved was accepted by the farmers unions as inevitable in the interests of getting money to affected producers as quickly as possible and on the basis of clear criteria for their claims.

  In December 1986 the NFU claimed that a small minority of restricted producers had suffered losses that year which were not covered by the compensation arrangements which we had introduced. My Ministry had exhaustive discussions throughout 1987 with the NFU to examine the issues involved. However, those discussions failed to find a sound basis for avoiding the rough justice which had been anticipated.

  On 5 January 1988 the Cumbria branch of the NFU wrote to the Ministry's Carlisle office reporting that it had completed a survey of the local producers affected by the restrictions, identifying some cases of alleged inadequate compensation. On 28 January the survey forms which the NFU had devised and sent to producers were supplied to us. These covered 66 farmers. Only nine have received no compensation at all: 57 have already received some

  97
  compensation (totalling at present over £80,000) under one or more of the four legs of the compensation arrangements we have introduced.

  The cases identified by the Cumbria branch of the NFU represent some 4 per cent, of the 1,600 Cumbrian producers who fell under restriction. Their claim is that the Government should pay amounts which each producer has identified as arising in respect of his own holding totalling £177,000. Thus, they are seeking in effect individual assessments which would take account of what would have happened in a "normal" year. Since the scheme does not provide for individual assessment in this way, such payments cannot be made.

  The question of defects in the information in the forms provided by the individual farmers does not arise since there is no basis against which to assess it. Careful examination of the new information in the forms has again failed to establish a sound basis for identifying farmers whose cases might justify further consideration or for making changes to the scheme. My right hon. Friend wrote to the president of the NFU explaining this on the 23 March 1988 and, at his request, the divisional office wrote to the Cumbria NFU in similar terms.

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety at Work
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions were made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 as a result of investigations undertaken within West Yorkshire by the Health and Safety Executive for each year from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the available information.

  Number of prosecutions1 in West Yorkshire2: Information laid by factory and agricultural inspectors and by inspectors from local authorities

  Year

  Number

  1981

  110

  1982

  81

  1983

  114

  1984

  120

  1985

  138

  31986–87

  168

  1 Also includes cases taken under other associated regulations and Acts.

  2 County of West Yorkshire comprising Bradford, Calderdale, Kirkless, Leeds and Wakefield.

  3 Provisional data for the 12 month period April 1986 to March 1987.

  Factory Inspectorate
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in West Yorkshire for each year from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Figures for West Yorkshire are not available. The number of factory inspectors in West and North Yorkshire is as follows:

  April

  Inspectors

  1980

  37

  1981

  35

  98

  April

  Inspectors

  1982

  29

  1983

  31

  1984

  29

  1985

  35

  1986

  34

  1987

  31

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many visits were made by factory inspectors employed by the Health and Safety Executive in West Yorkshire for each year from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) cannot identify, without disproportionate cost, the number of visits made by factory inspectors in West Yorkshire exclusively. The table shows the total number of visits made by HSE's factory inspectors in West and North Yorkshire from 1985 to 1987:

  Year (1 April-31 March)

  Number of visits

  1985–86

  11,445

  1986–87

  13,261

  1987–88

  10,731

  There is no information available on the total number of visits before 1985.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents and incidents were investigated by factory inspectors employed by the Health and Safety Executive in West Yorkshire for each year from 1980 to 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) cannot identify, without disproportionate cost, the number of accidents and incidents investigated by factory inspectors in West Yorkshire exclusively.

  The table shows the total number of accidents and incidents investigated by HSE factory inspectors in West and North Yorkshire from 1980 to 1987.

  Number of accidents and incidents investigated1

  Year

  Number

  19802

  782

  19812

  686

  19822

  642

  19832

  526

  1984–853

  591

  1985–864

  467

  1986–874

  674

  1987–884

  703

  1 Includes investigations of accidents, gas incidents, dangerous occurrences and diseases.

  2 Period 1 January to 31 December.

  3 Period 1 January 1984 to 31 March 1985.

  4 Period 1 April to 31 March.

  Staff (Ethnic Origins)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and how many women, respectively, who are of Afro-Caribbean and of Asian origin, respectively, are employed at senior levels in his Department.

  Mr. Lee
  In common with the rest of the Civil Service, the Department of Employment group has carried out
  99
  surveys of the ethnic origin of its staff. The surveys were undertaken on the basis of voluntary self-classification. Results for 1 April 1988 show that of a total of 3,654 staff at senior executive officer level and above, 3,246 (or 89 per cent.) responded. The table shows the number of those responding who classified themselves as Afro-Caribbean or Asian.

  Afro-Caribbean

  Asian

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  senior Excutive Officer(or equivelant)and above

  7

  0

  10

  1

  Staff (Monitoring)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has instituted an ethnic and a sex monitoring exercise, respectively, in his Department, in compliance with the code of the Commission for Racial Equality and of the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I fully accept the need for employers to monitor the sex and ethnic origin of both their work force and job applicants, and the Department of Employment group has taken a firm lead in this respect.

  The Department has been monitoring the effectiveness of its equal opportunity policies for women since 1 July 1985. Monitoring covers all the areas of personnel practice which the Equal Opportunities Commission's code of practice suggests should be monitored.

  In common with other departments, the Department of Employment group has carried out a programme of surveys to find out the ethnic origin of staff. This was completed early in 1987. With a database thus established, the Department has begun monitoring recruitment and access to training as well as the ethnic composition of its staff, and is now considering how to extend ethnic monitoring to other areas of personnel practice such as promotion.

  Departmental Employment Practices
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has taken positive action to remedy past inequalities in employment practices in his Department, in compliance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and of the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

  Mr. Lee
  The Department has taken several initiatives to encourage women and ethnic minorities into grades and areas of work in which they have been, or are, under-represented. Examples are positive encouragement to ethnic minorities to apply for jobs at levels where it is the Department's responsibility to recruit; for women to attend "women-only" management training courses run by the Civil Service College and the Department itself; and to both women and ethnic minority staff to enter and develop a career in computing within the department.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken concerning the Public Accounts Committee's findings in regard to the 100
  employment of people with disabilities, the distribution of employment rehabilitation centres and his Department's lack of reliable information on the numbers and locations of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The Government are considering the conclusions reached by the Public Accounts Committee. A response will be conveyed to the Public Accounts Committee in due course. The Government have announced already that the view expressed by the Public Accounts Committee will be among the matters taken into account in the internal review of services for people with disabilities set up by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State earlier in the year.

  Restart Scheme
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if all clients are informed about follow-up interviews at their first restart interview.

  Mr. Lee
  Based on a pilot exercise last year, follow-up interviews are now offered to clients where resources are available. The decision to inform clients is a matter for local management discretion.

  Earnings
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the latest figures for average male earnings expressed as(a) mean average, (b) median and (c) mode;

  (2) what are the latest figures for average female earnings, expressed as (a) mean average, (b) median and (c) mode.

  Mr. Lee
  The latest date for which information is available is April 1987. Table 30 in part B of the report on the new earnings survey 1987 gives information on the gross weekly mean and median earnings of full-time adult male and female employees in Great Britain. Information on the distribution of weekly earnings from which the modal ranges can be determined, is published in table 29 of part B. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

THE ARTS

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) what were the costs of(a) staff, (b) equipment and maintenance, (c) temporary and other premises and accommodation, (d) training, (e) administration, (f) advertising and marketing, (g) value added tax and (h) other costs involved in introducing compulsory charges for admission to the Natural History museum in 1987–88;

  (2) how many additional staff (a) were originally employed and (b) are in post now, at the Natural History museum to assist in administering admission charges.

  Mr. Luce
  The staffing and administration of the arrangements for the collection of admission charges at the British Museum (Natural History) are matters for the museum's trustees. I understand that the overall costs for 1987–88 were £158,000: 11 per cent. of the net income raised.

  Arts Council Publications
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the production cost of each Arts Council publication in the last five years, with reference to(a) staff time, (b) printing, (c) design and art work, (d) commissioned work and (e) other costs.

  Mr. Luce
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Museums, Galleries and Libraries
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps have been taken to provide a basis for settling the grading and pay of the directors heading national and other major museums, galleries and libraries.

  Mr. Luce
  A review of these posts was undertaken by Mr. Gordon Burrett CB (retired civil servant), Professor Brian Morris (chairman of the Museums and Galleries Commission), and a senior Treasury staff inspector. I, and other sponsoring Ministers, are grateful to the review team for their report, copies of which I am placing in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The grading and pay of director posts is related to the corresponding Civil Service grades. The review team were asked to recommend appropriate grade levels, taking

  Directors posts heading national and other major museums, galleries and libraries

  Institution

  Present grading

  Proposed by review team

  New grading with effect from 1 April 1988

  1. British Museum

  2

  2

  2

  2. BritishLibrary

  2

  2

  2

  3. British Museum (Natural History)

  +3

  +3

  +3

  4. Victoria and Albert

  +3

  +3

  +3

  5. National Gallery

  +3

  +3

  +3

  6. Tate Gallery

  3

  +3

  +3

  7. Science Museum

  3

  +3

  +3

  8. National Maritime Museum

  4

  -3

  4

  9. National Museums of Scotland

  4

  -3

  4

  10. National Museum of Wales

  4

  -3

  4

  11. National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  Not yet graded

  4

  4

  12. Imperial War Museum

  5

  4

  4

  13. National Portrait Gallery

  5

  4

  4

  14. National Galleries of Scotland

  5

  5

  4

  15. National Library of Scotland

  5

  5 plus allowance

  4

  16. National Library of Wales

  5

  5

  4

  17. Wallace Collection

  5

  5

  5

  18. Sir John Soane's Museum

  5

  5

  5

  19. Ulster Museum

  5

  5

  5

  20. Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

  5

  5

  5

  21. Royal Air Force Museum

  5

  5

  5

  22. National Army Museum

  5

  5

  5

  23. Royal Armouries

  5

  5

  5

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Married Man's Allowance
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many husbands(a) do not have sufficient earnings to make full use of their married man's allowance, and (b) make full use of this allowance.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I apologise for the delay in replying.

  In 1988–89, about 2·9 million husbands are expected to have insufficient income of their own to use all their tax
  102
  account of these relationships. They concluded that although there were drawbacks in the present system of using Civil Service grade analogues, the balance of advantage still lay decisively with retaining it, though it should be reviewed again before long. The Government agree with this view.

  The Government have carefully considered the review team's ecommendations, and have accepted them where the majority of posts are concerned. In particular, in the middle range, however, it has been decided to substitute a broader-banded approach, not involving the creation of a special new grade between grades 3 and 4, for the relatively finer tuning proposed by the team. The table sets out the posts concerned, the present gradings, those proposed by the review team and those which have now been approved by the Government and will be introduced with effect from 1 April 1988.

  The review team also recommended that a system of merit awards should be introduced for the directors. There is much to be said for the enhanced motivation and the rewards for performance that such awards may provide. There are, however, a number of considerations to be taken into account in the introduction of any such arrangements for the national museums and galleries, and the Government will consider this proposal further before reaching a decision.

  allowances. In about half a million of these couples, the wife is able to use the married man's tax allowance against her earnings.

  About 11·3 million married couples are expected to be liable to income tax in 1988–89 and to use all the appropriate tax allowances.

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office Publications
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many publications Her Majesty's Stationery Office published in each of the last eight years; and what were the total receipts in each year.
  103
  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Number of new titles

  Net receipts from sales(£million)

  1980–81

  8,400

  31·0

  1981–82

  8,900

  39·4

  1982–83

  8,400

  33·2

  1983–84

  7,800

  30·7

  1984–85

  9,300

  32·3

  1985–86

  9,200

  36·3

  1986–87

  9,300

  36·2

  1987–88

  8,300

  36·4

  Note Net receipts are for all publications except those for which Her Majesty's Stationery Office acts as agent.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the reduction in capital gains tax receipts in the first full year of operation of independent taxation of capital gains for husband and wife and the reduction that would result were the transfer of assets between husband and wife to be chargeable occasions.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]The full year cost in respect of capital gains realised in 1990–91 is £60 million. This cost may be partly offset by tax on gains deferred from earlier years to take advantage of the new arrangements for the taxation of husband and wife. I regret that information is not available on which to base an estimate for transfers between husband and wife.

DEFENCE

  Animals (Experiments)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments have been carried out by the Ministry of Defence in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The number of experiments subject to the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, and the subsequent Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, for the last five years for which figures are available is as follows:

  Year

  Experiments

  1982

  14,400

  1983

  9,900

  1984

  11,000

  1985

  6,900

  1986

  6,600

  Gnome Aero Engines
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gnome aero engines have been repaired by Rolls-Royce under tender No. A24A since it commenced, and what is the difference between the tender price per engine and the invoiced price.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information requested is commercially confidential between the Ministry of Defence and the company concerned.

  Ammunition Lorries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) his Department, (b) Gwent county council, (c) the Department of Transport, (d) the Welsh Office
  104
  and (e) the local press were informed of the fire that took place on 30 January on a lorry loaded with ammunition in the Newport, West constituency.

  Mr. Freeman
  The fire was reported to the Ministry of Defence through the appropriate channels. However, the incident was a minor one and the ammunition load was at no time in any danger, so the other bodies were not informed.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all occasions in the past 10 years when lorries loaded with ammunition were involved in collisions or major mechanical breakdowns.

  Mr. Freeman
  Statistics on the number of vehicles loaded with ammunition in collisions or major mechanical breakdowns are not held centrally for years prior to 1982 and details could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The occasions since 1 January 1982 are as follows:

  13 December 1982, 11 January 1983, 11 December 1983, 3 December 1984, 13 May 1985, 3 December 1986, 22 July 1986, 27 April 1988.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the occasions in the past 10 years when lorries loaded with ammunition caught fire on motorways and other roads.

  Mr. Freeman
  Statistics on the number of vehicles loaded with ammunition which caught fire are not held centrally for years prior to 1982 and details could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The occasions since 1 January 1982 are as follows:

  24 October 1984, 1 May 1986, 30 January 1988.

  Commoners (Rights)
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 April,Official Report, columns 310–11, whether he will make it his policy to seek to suspend sine die the rights of common, instead of extinguishing them under the Defence Act 1854, with a view to their restoration once Greenham and Cookham Commons are no longer required for military use.

  Mr. Freeman
  The option was carefully considered before the decision to extinguish the commoner's rights was announced. Since the lapse of the wartime defence regulations in 1958 the Ministry of Defence has had no legal powers to suspend commoners' rights. However, I am considering whether these rights, once extinguished, could be restored, in the event that RAF Greenham Common is no longer required for defence purposes.

  Low-level Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds) of 14 April,Official Report, column 237, what discussions the Chief of the Air Staff held with the Moroccan authorities on the possibility of the Royal Air Force making use of facilities in Morocco for low-flying training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 5 May 1988]I have nothing further to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds) on 14 April 1988, at column 237. The details of discussions of this sort are confidential.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those nations and organisations which have employed chemical weapons in the past 10 years; and which international statutes they have been adjudged to have violated.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  There have been a large number of reports of the use of chemical weapons over the last 10 years, although many have not been confirmed. Iraqi forces have repeatedly used chemical weapons against Iranian forces in the Gulf conflict. There has also been evidence of the use of chemical weapons in Afghanistan and south-east Asia in the early 1980s, although independent on-site investigation did not prove possible.

  The use of chemical weapons in war is prohibited by the 1925 Geneva protocol, to which approximately 110 states are currently party. About a third of these states have reserved the right to retaliate against first use.

  Main allegations on CBW use 1977–1988

  Laotian and Vietnamese forces in Laos

  1977–1981

  Vietnamese forces in Kanpuchea

  1978–1984, 1986 and1987

  United States covert action (CIA) in Cuba

  1978–1981

  Vietnamese and Chinese forces during Chinese invasion

  February 1979

  Soviet forces in Afghanistan

  1980–84 (and 1986)

  Ethiopian forces against Eritrean sessionists and in the conflict with Somalia

  Summer 1980-April 1981 (and continuing)

  Iraqi forces in Iran

  November 1980–1988

  Salvadoran Army and National Guard in El Salvador

  1981 and 1984

  South African forces in Angola and Namibia

  December 1981 (and continuing)

  Burmese army against insurgents

  1982 and 1986

  Guatemalan forces in civil war

  July 1982

  Indonesian forces in East Timor

  October 1984

  Philippines Armed Forces against insurgents in Mindanao

  November 1984

  Nicaraguan forces against contra guerilla forces

  December 1984 and February 1986

  Angolan (Cuban/Soviet) forces against UNITA positions

  September-November 1983 and 1987

  Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Army against Sudanese Army

  January 1986

  Chadian Government against rebel forces

  April 1986

  Libyan forces in Chad

  December 1986 and September 1987

  Mozambique forces against RENAMO rebels

  December 1986

  Sudan

  December 1986

  Filipino terrorists against Government forces

  September 1987

  Note:

  Most of these allegations are unsubstantiated and/or are made by less than partial observers; for instance, outside Governments supporting one of the combatants. Several of these allegations have been repeated over the last decade and each separate report is not reproduced here.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Debating Time
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how much debating time has been made available for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish matters since July 1987; and if he will list the legislation which has been considered on the Floor of the House and in Standing Committee for each of the regions.
  106
  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested for legislation relating exclusively to Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish matters is as follows:

  Debating time since July 1987

  Floor of the House

  Standing Committee

  Scottish matters

  47·41

  89·46

  Welsh matters

  11·46

  0·54

  Northern Ireland matters

  22·59

  1·06

  Legislation considered

  Scottish

  Scottish Development Agency Bill2

  Housing (Scotland) Bill2

  School Boards (Scotland) Bill2

  Rate Support Grant (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 19873

  Rate Reduction (Lothian Region) 1987–88 Report3

  Rate Reduction (Edinburgh District) 1987–88 Report3

  d. Housing Support Grant (Scotland) Order 19883

  d. Housing Support Grant (Scotland) Variation Order 19883

  Rate Support Grant (Scotland) (No. 3) Order 19873

  Revaluation Rate Rebates (Scotland) (No. 3) Order 19873

  Non-Domestic Rates and Community Charges (Timetable)(Scotland) Regulations 19883

  Education (Publication and Consultation Etc) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 19883

  Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 19883

  Standard and Collective Community Charges (Scotland) Regulations 19883

  d. Advice and Assistance (Financial Conditions) Scotland Regulations 19881

  d. Civil Legal Aid (Financial Conditions) Scotland Regulations 19881

  Salmon (Weekly Close Time) (Scotland) Regulations 19881

  Wales

  Welsh Development Agency Bill3

  Welsh Rate Support Grant Supplementary (No. 2) Report 1986–873

  Welsh Rate Support Grant Report 1988–893

  Welsh Rate Support Grant Supplementary (No. 2) Report 1984–853

  Welsh Rate Support Grant Supplementary (No. 2) Report 1985–863

  d. Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) (Miscellaneous
  Changes) Order 19871

  Northern Ireland

  Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension) Order
  19873

  d. Appropriation (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Order 19873

  d. Electricity Supply (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Jury Trial (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Registration of Clubs (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Water (Fluoridation) (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Charities (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Limitation (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Enduring Powers of Attorney (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Enduring Powers of Attorney (Northern Ireland Consequential Amendment) Order 19873

  d. Appropriation (No. 3) (Northern Ireland) Order 19873

  d. Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts 1978 and 1987 (Continuance) Order 19883

  d. Criminal Injuries (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 19883

  d. Appropriation (Northern Ireland) Order 19883

  d. Wages (Northern Ireland) Order 19883

  d. General Assistance Grants (Abolition) (Northern Ireland) Order 19883

  107

  d. Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 19871

  d. Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 19881

  d. Minor's Contracts (Northern Ireland) Order 19881

  108
  Notes:

  1 Standing Committee.

  2 Both on Floor of the House and in Standing Committee.

  3 On Floor of the House only.

  d. Draft.

  MR. VASILI SHIPILOV
  MR. VASILI SHIPILOV
  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
  INF AGREEMENT AND NATO NUCLEAR FORCES
  INF AGREEMENT AND NATO NUCLEAR FORCES
  NATO: STRATEGY OF DETERRENCE
  NATO: STRATEGY OF DETERRENCE
  BURNAGE HIGH SCHOOL, MANCHESTER: REPORT
  BURNAGE HIGH SCHOOL, MANCHESTER: REPORT
  PENSIONERS' INCOME TAX OBLIGATIONS
  PENSIONERS' INCOME TAX OBLIGATIONS
  FLAT-RATE TAXATION
  FLAT-RATE TAXATION
  OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS: INTERNATIONAL LAW ON REMOVAL
  OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS: INTERNATIONAL LAW ON REMOVAL
  OPCS LIBRARY
  OPCS LIBRARY