Written Answers of 11 May 1988

SCOTLAND

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names and areas of land for which instalments of forestry grant aid have been paid in Sutherland and Caithness since 1 April 1981.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct the Forestry Commission to publish details in future in its annual report of(a) the area of land approved for forestry gant aid and (b) the area of planting for which grants were paid for (i) conifers, (ii) mixed woodlands and (iii) pure broadleaves in each of the Forestry Commission's conservancies in that year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall ask the forestry commissioners to consider whether more detailed information on private planting might reasonably be provided in their annual reports.

  Housing
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to review existing tolerable standard laws for housing;

  (2) whether he intends making severe condensation in a house a reason for declaring a house unfit for habitation;

  (3) whether he intends to make lack of bath or shower a condition for a house being regarded as substandard.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We are currently reviewing the statutory tolerable standard for houses in the context of our proposed reform of the home improvement and repair grants system, as outlined in the White Paper "Housing: The Government's Proposals for Scotland," published last November. We expect to issue a detailed consultation paper on our reform proposals shortly for comment.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984

  Mr. Rifkind
  No valid applications have been received from the general public under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 and consequently no revenue has been received by the Scottish Office.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications under the provisions of 110
  the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Eighteen valid applications have been received under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984; all have been from staff within the Scottish Office.

  Chronically Sick Young People
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of residential places available in each health board area for the young chronically sick.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information is not held centrally in precisely the form requested. Information about beds available for young chronic sick people in NHS hospitals in each health board in Scotland is contained in table 3 of "Scottish Hospital Activity Statistics" published by the information and statistics division, Scottish Health Service Common Services Agency. Residential places for physically disabled people are also provided in residential homes registered by local authority social work departments. Information about these can be found in the "Statistical Bulletin: Residential Accommodation," published by the Scottish Education Department, social work services group. Further relevant information is contained in the annual report presented under the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. All of these documents are available in the Library.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the most recent estimate of the number of young chronically sick in each health board area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any further items have been accepted in lieu of tax in the current financial year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am pleased to announce that the following item has been accepted in lieu of tax:

  Item

  Amount of Tax Satisfied £

  The portrait of John Gray of Carntyne by Sir Henry Raeburn

  96,250

  The portrait has been allocated to Aberdeen art gallery and museum in accordance with the conditions upon which it was offered.

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

  Mr. Lang
  The table shows present estimates of the average rate bill paid by a domestic ratepayer and the estimated level of community charge which would be
  111
  necessary to replace domestic rate income in 1988–89. Neither set of figures reflects the rate reduction of 5·6p proposed for Lothian regional council. The community charge figures are those that would be required to raise the same revenue for each authority in domestic rates in the current year. They do not represent forecasts of the level of charge when the new system is introduced in 1989–90.

  Average domestic rate bill 1988–89 £

  Community charge districts plus regions (including community water charge)£

  Berwickshire

  353

  205

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  355

  207

  Roxburgh

  354

  211

  Tweeddale

  374

  205

  Clackmannan

  449

  245

  Falkirk

  426

  233

  Stirling

  583

  270

  Annandale and Eskdale

  380

  210

  Nithsdale

  396

  210

  Stewartry

  398

  210

  Wigtown

  353

  203

  Dunfermline

  461

  247

  Kirkcaldy

  457

  258

  North East Fife

  518

  261

  Aberdeen City

  431

  220

  Banff and Buchan

  342

  208

  Gordon

  391

  206

  Kincardine and Deeside

  395

  201

  Moray

  335

  201

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  376

  201

  Caithness

  310

  202

  Inverness

  424

  204

  Lochaber

  356

  214

  Nairn

  421

  200

  Ross and Cromarty

  361

  209

  Skye and Lochalsh

  248

  200

  Sutherland

  246

  195

  East Lothian

  630

  331

  Edinburgh City

  639

  334

  Midlothian

  590

  323

  West Lothian

  544

  316

  Argyll and Bute

  444

  274

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  885

  283

  Clydebank

  468

  267

  Clydesdale

  504

  263

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  544

  266

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  430

  256

  Cunninghame

  512

  279

  Dumbarton

  582

  281

  East Kilbride

  567

  261

  Eastwood

  792

  264

  Glasgow City

  505

  291

  Hamilton

  550

  272

  Inverclyde

  515

  263

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  484

  268

  Kyle and Carrick

  578

  274

  Monklands

  522

  266

  Motherwell

  500

  261

  Renfrew

  540

  273

  Strathkelvin

  606

  266

  Angus

  423

  245

  Dundee City

  485

  275

  Perth and Kinross

  462

  249

  Orkney

  191

  107

  Shetland

  384

  201

  Western Isles

  220

  125

  Scotland

  498

  266

ENERGY

  Nuclear Reactors (Fuel Consumption)
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the quantity in tonnes of fresh fuel consumed per year by(a) a 500 MW Magnox reactor, (b) a 1300 MW advanced gas-cooled reactor, and (c) an 1100 MW pressurised water reactor.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Uranium
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the quantity in tonnes of depleted uranium produced from the Magnox reprocessing operation at Sellafield which has been re-enriched and used as nuclear fuel since its inception.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Over 15,000 tonnes of depleted uranium from the reprocessing of Magnox irradiated fuel have been enriched for use in civil nuclear fuel.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy 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. Peter Morrison
  My Department has no plans to invest in new energy-efficient measures in our main building, where we are the principal tenants, as we will be vacating the premises in the summer of 1989. My Department, though, has set a target reduction in electricity consumption within its control, for 1988–89, of 7 per cent. Electricity used for lighting cannot be identified separately from overall electricity consumption.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central of 24 February,Official Report, column 240, if he will list the bodies and agencies for which Ministers are responsible which are to be involved directly or indirectly, in the physical protection of plutonium transported from Sellafield to Japan.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The police and other agencies will be involved as necessary.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what demand British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. expects for plutonium for the manufacture of fresh fuel for electricity generation in Japanese reactors from the mid 1990s.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for BNFL and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what factors are taken into account apart from physical protection in assessing alternative forms of transport for exporting plutonium overseas.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Safety and physical protection are the two most important factors in assessing alternative
  113
  forms of transport for exporting any nuclear material overseas. The cost of transporting the material must also be taken into account.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the countries which currently send spent Magnox fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing; how much plutonium has been returned to these countries; and how it was transported.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Japan and Italy currently send spent magnox fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing. Some 2½tonnes of plutonium from the reprocessing of such fuel has been returned to either the country of origin or, on the instructions of its owner, to a third country. The plutonium was transported by air or by sea in accordance with IAEA safety regulations.

  Information relating to specific consignments is confidential for reasons of security and commercial sensitivity.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether plutonium production ability was a factor in the choice of design for the advanced gas-cooled reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The choice of individual reactor design is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Thermal Oxide Fuel
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the countries currently under contract to send spent thermal oxide fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing in the mid-1990s.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The countries which have thermal oxide reprocessing contracts with British Nuclear Fuels plc which still have to send fuel to Seltafield for reprocessing in the new thermal oxide reprocessing plant are the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Japan. BNFL also has fuel for reprocessing from Canada, Sweden and Spain which has already been delivered.

  Air-sea Combat Manoeuvring System
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his assessment of the likely effects on North sea gas and oil installation manufacturing in(a) East Anglia and (b) the United Kingdom generally, of the air-sea combat manoeuvring system.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I understand that British Aerospace is considering a project which would involve the fabrication of six small towers. United Kingdom fabrication yards should be in a strong position to compete for the work if the project goes ahead.

  Power Stations (Comparative Costs)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish his Department's calculations of the relative costs of a coal-fired station in relation to Sizewell B, referred to in his decision letter of 12 March 1987 on the Central Electricity Generating Board's application to construct Sizewell B; and if he will make a statement.
  114
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have nothing to add to the letter issued by my right hon. Friend on 12 March 1987, which adequately states the grounds for his decision to give consent to the power station at Sizewell B.

  AGRs (Refuelling Shutdowns)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions on average advanced gas-cooled reactors have to be shut down each year for refuelling; and if he will estimate the cost of these shutdowns.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter For the Central Electricity Generating Board and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what minimum proportion of the minimum non-fossil fuel generated electricity in the privately owned electricity industry structure he proposes for England and Wales he envisages will be generated from nuclear stations.

  Mr. Parkinson
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 March 1988, c. 295–96.]: As the White Paper on privatising electricity (Cm. 322) made clear, the Government have decided that the obligation will be expressed in terms of a requirement for the distribution companies to contract for a specified minimum proportion of non-fossil fuelled capacity. This will ensure that both nuclear capacity and renewable sources of power will be able to make a contribution to maintaining diversity of fuel sources in the electricity supply system. The distribution companies will be able to seek such capacity from any source, including own generation (within any general limits on this that may be laid down), providing any necessary safety, planning and other consents are obtained. The obligation will set a minimum level of non-fossil fuelled capacity; there will be nothing to prevent distribution companies contracting for or generating companies building a higher level of plant.

  It is intended that the requirement will be embodied in an order in the form of a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State under powers to be sought in the main privatisation legislation. What follows is therefore subject to Parliament approving that legislation.

  The Government believe that, in order to give an effective and clear statement of strategic priorities, and to set the background for the series of power station applications submitted and intended to be submitted by the Central Electricity Generating Board (the benefit of which will be transferred to the CEGB's successor companies), it would be right to set the obligation as a level to be obtained in the future. The White Paper made it clear that the proportion of non-fossil fuelled generating capacity required to be under contract would be fixed at a level achievable at the time of privatisation. The precise level is still under consideration. However the Governent's present intention is that, when it is set, the figure for the year 2000 will not be below the present level of existing and committed nuclear and renewable generating capacity.

WALES

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  One.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Energy Saving
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Hurd
  My Department has set a target reduction of 0·45 per cent. in energy usage for 1988–89. Investment in energy efficiency measures, including wherever possible the introduction of more energy-efficient lighting equipment, is planned to amount to £690,000, of which investment in energy-efficient lighting equipment accounts or £10,000 supplemented by general maintenance expenditure. Because of the wide range of operational requirements and types of building occupied by the Department it is not practicable to specify targets for particular forms of electricity usage such as lighting.

  Political Parties (Annual Accounts)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to oblige political parties to file and publish annual accounts.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No.

  Nationality Application
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum and what is the maximum fee currently required to be remitted by an applicant for British nationality; and where he deposits such fees between the time they are removed from the applicants' envelopes and the time that the applicants are informed as to the result of their applications.

  Mr. Renton
  The prescribed fees for British citizenship are as set out. On receipt of each application, the fee is taken as an appropriation in aid into class XI, vote 3, and is accounted for in the appropriation account for that vote.

  £

  Naturalisation

  170

  except for the spouse of a British citizen for which the fee is

  60

  116

  £

  Registration of an adult

  60

  Registration of a minor

  60

  except for registration under the provisions of section 9 of the British Nationality Act 1981 for which the fee is

  10

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what revenue has been received by the Metropolitan police, since 11 November 1987, from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that to 5 May 1988 the force had received £1,490 in fees for access to personal records under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Renton
  During the period 11 November 1987 to 6 May 1988 the Department received £127·50 in fees for subject access to personal records under the provisons of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by the Metropolitan police have been received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided the following information:

  Subject access applications: 11 November 1987 to 5 May 1988 Metropolitan police

  Number

  Applications for data held solely on Metropolitan police computers

  11

  Applications for data held on Metropolitan police computers and on the police national computer

  58

  Applications for data held solely on the police national computer

  52

  Total applications for subject access

  12l

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  During the period 11 November 1987 to 6 May 1988 the Department received 21 requests for subject access.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made by
  117
  his Department or other Government agencies to provide cost-effective communications systems for police national computer U2.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department is considering a number of options for the provision of a cost-effective communications system for the replacement police national computer.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be made for tendering for civil works contracts associated with police national computer U2; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All contracts for civil works at the PNC site at Hendon, associated with the replacement police national computer system, will be let by the Metropolitan police (which is responsible for providing services to that site) under its normal tendering procedure.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what stage has been reached for specifications for data processing equipment for police national computer U2.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The operational requirement for the replacement police national computer was issued to potential suppliers on 3 May 1988. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are currently employed full or part-time on planning or development work for police national computer U2.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As at 9 May 1988, 48 staff (42 civil servants and six seconded police officers) were employed full-time, and one civil servant was employed part-time, on planning and development work for the replacement police national computer.

  Children's Homes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken for the Metropolitan police to record examinations of applicants to work in children's homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that at present it is taking on average 47 days to deal with inquiries from local authorities about applicants for posts which involve substantial access to children. Separate figures are not available for inquiries about applicants for posts in children's homes run by local authorities.

  Births (Holloway Prison)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many babies have been born in Her Majesty's prison, Holloway in each year since 1979 and in local hospitals to prisoners in Holloway.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The available details are as follows:

  Number of babies born:

  Period

  in Holloway

  in hospital2

  1979

  1

  18

  1980

  —

  20

  1981

  —

  28

  118

  Number of babies born:

  Period

  in Holloway

  in hospital2

  1982

  1

  10

  1983

  1

  24

  January 1984-March 19851

  1

  28

  April 1985-March 1986

  1

  27

  April 1986-March 1987

  —

  26

  April 1987-March 1988

  —

  31

  1 Due to changes in the collection period the statistics for January 1984-March 1985 cover a 15 month period.

  2 In outside hospital to Holloway inmates.

  Arrangements are always made for babies to be born in outside hospitals unless emergencies prevent this.

  Passports
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make inquiries into the reasons why Mr. Emrys Frederick Williams of 154 Maplin Way, Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who sent his passport for renewal to the passport office, Peterborough, on 16 March, to enable him to attend his daughter's wedding in the United States of America, has not yet received his passport, although the Department acknowledged the receipt of his application on 23 March (Number 7); and when he expects the passport office to be able to deal with passport applications more expeditiously.

  Mr. Renton
  A replacement passport was posted on 9 May. Applications showing an early date of travel are given priority at the passport, offices. As Mr. Williams had indicated that he did not intend to travel until 5 July, his application was not regarded as urgent.

  I announced on 31 March, at columns 680–81, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), a number of special measures to reduce delays at the passport offices in advance of computerisation of the passport-issuing system.

  Crime (Clear-up Rates)
  Mr. John
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each police force in England and Wales, the clear-up rate, at the latest convenient date, of the following crimes:(a) murder and manslaughter, (b) offences against the person, (c) arson, (d) robbery, burglary and theft, (e) offences against property, including wilful and malicious damage; and if he will set out the corresponding rates for the same date five years previously.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: The number of notifiable offences cleared up by the police in 1987 was 1·23 million, 9 per cent. higher than in 1982. Clear-up rates for the largest major groups of offences are listed in the following tables. More detailed analyses of offences recorded and cleared up by type of offence are generally published by chief officers of police in their annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library. For some types of offences such as homicide and arson, the annual numbers recorded and cleared up by some forces are small and subject to appreciable fluctuations, so that clear-up rates based on these numbers may be misleading.
  119

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police: clear up rate by offence group and police force area—England and Wales 1982

  Percentage

  Police force area

  Total12

  Violence against the person

  Burglary

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage1

  Avon and Somerset

  40

  85

  28

  37

  83

  38

  Bedfordshire

  39

  77

  29

  40

  61

  23

  Cambridgeshire

  40

  85

  34

  38

  69

  30

  Cheshire

  52

  90

  40

  52

  90

  47

  Cleveland

  46

  81

  40

  47

  61

  30

  Cumbria

  43

  90

  34

  43

  74

  38

  Derbyshire

  46

  86

  31

  47

  90

  27

  Devon and Cornwall

  45

  88

  32

  43

  86

  32

  Dorset

  41

  79

  33

  37

  84

  35

  Durham

  45

  87

  32

  45

  91

  38

  Essex

  40

  80

  32

  41

  65

  27

  Gloucestershire

  42

  68

  30

  44

  72

  31

  Greater Manchester

  40

  75

  24

  42

  91

  29

  Hampshire

  34

  75

  23

  34

  65

  28

  Hertfordshire

  47

  83

  40

  47

  86

  27

  Humberside

  41

  83

  32

  42

  78

  29

  Kent

  41

  78

  40

  40

  54

  30

  Lancashire

  45

  89

  34

  45

  85

  38

  Leicestershire

  46

  82

  39

  44

  81

  35

  Lincolnshire

  52

  86

  38

  55

  73

  36

  London, City of

  20

  56

  19

  13

  58

  32

  Merseyside

  40

  63

  37

  39

  79

  25

  Metropolitan Police District

  16

  54

  8

  16

  45

  11

  Norfolk

  37

  83

  28

  37

  82

  27

  Northamptonshire

  41

  83

  31

  41

  81

  31

  Northumbria

  49

  79

  40

  54

  58

  29

  North Yorkshire

  43

  90

  29

  44

  82

  37

  Nottinghamshire

  43

  74

  40

  43

  60

  25

  South Yorkshire

  49

  82

  39

  51

  81

  31

  Staffordshire

  49

  91

  40

  48

  71

  34

  Suffolk

  45

  86

  30

  46

  70

  30

  Surrey

  31

  78

  17

  32

  55

  29

  Sussex

  45

  85

  30

  48

  72

  39

  Thames Valley

  39

  79

  29

  39

  75

  30

  Warwickshire

  39

  86

  34

  37

  72

  31

  West Mercia

  43

  88

  35

  42

  77

  33

  West Midlands

  33

  68

  31

  33

  53

  21

  West Yorkshire

  42

  76

  42

  40

  69

  27

  Wiltshire

  40

  88

  30

  39

  67

  25

  England

  36

  75

  28

  36

  68

  25

  Dyfed-Powys

  57

  95

  50

  51

  96

  52

  Gwent

  57

  91

  42

  57

  92

  46

  North Wales

  50

  82

  37

  51

  80

  38

  South Wales

  47

  85

  41

  46

  85

  35

  Wales

  50

  87

  41

  49

  87

  39

  England and Wales

  37

  76

  29

  37

  69

  26

  1 Excluding offences of 'other criminal damage' of value £20 and under.

  2 Including offences in the sexual offences, robbery and 'other notifiable offences' group which are not shown separately in this table.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police: clear up rate by offence group and police force area England and Wales 1987

  Percentages

  Police force area

  Total12

  Violence against the person

  Burglary

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage1

  Avon and Somerset

  30

  83

  17

  27

  75

  27

  Bedfordshire

  29

  72

  22

  27

  59

  19

  Cambridgeshire

  35

  83

  26

  33

  66

  29

  Cheshire

  40

  87

  25

  40

  83

  42

  Cleveland

  34

  72

  29

  34

  58

  23

  Cumbria

  46

  90

  35

  45

  81

  42

  Derbyshire

  45

  87

  27

  45

  84

  37

  Devon and Cornwall

  39

  84

  29

  37

  79

  29

  Dorset

  36

  89

  23

  30

  83

  35

  Durham

  42

  84

  33

  41

  18

  53

  Essex

  35

  79

  25

  36

  60

  22

  Gloucestershire

  38

  98

  25

  38

  82

  31

  120 121

  Police force area

  Total12

  Violence against the person

  Burglary

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage1

  Greater Manchester

  27

  72

  18

  25

  83

  19

  Hampshire

  34

  77

  26

  32

  73

  26

  Hertfordshire

  44

  81

  25

  44

  90

  29

  Humberside

  32

  77

  23

  32

  55

  22

  Kent

  33

  80

  26

  31

  60

  26

  Lancashire

  46

  84

  37

  43

  92

  40

  Leicestershire

  45

  83

  41

  42

  76

  31

  Lincolnshire

  37

  78

  29

  37

  61

  24

  London, City of

  19

  80

  25

  12

  46

  23

  Merseyside

  43

  54

  44

  43

  73

  24

  Metropolitan Police District

  16

  53

  8

  15

  47

  11

  Norfolk

  36

  82

  30

  36

  72

  25

  Northamptonshire

  41

  79

  40

  40

  65

  22

  Northumbria

  44

  76

  41

  46

  71

  21

  North Yorkshire

  34

  94

  20

  34

  77

  33

  Nottinghamshire

  34

  75

  27

  31

  57

  23

  South Yorkshire

  43

  83

  35

  44

  75

  30

  Staffordshire

  42

  83

  31

  41

  68

  32

  Suffolk

  45

  85

  30

  47

  71

  3I

  Surrey

  34

  87

  18

  32

  66

  31

  Sussex

  32

  77

  18

  32

  64

  29

  Thames Valley

  31

  72

  21

  30

  67

  21

  Warwickshire

  34

  83

  28

  33

  66

  24

  West Mercia

  42

  90

  34

  40

  74

  34

  West Midlands

  36

  67

  45

  32

  55

  18

  West Yorkshire

  39

  80

  35

  18

  73

  26

  Wiltshire

  36

  78

  21

  15

  66

  30

  England

  33

  74

  27

  31

  66

  22

  Dyfed-Powys

  51

  94

  35

  43

  91

  42

  Gwent

  53

  91

  41

  49

  92

  47

  North Wales

  43

  90

  27

  42

  87

  36

  South Wales

  39

  82

  33

  39

  74

  28

  Wales

  43

  87

  32

  41

  84

  34

  England and Wales

  33

  75

  27

  32

  67

  23

  1 Excluding offences of 'other criminal damage' of value £20 and under.

  2 Including offences in the sexual offences, robbery and 'other notifiable offences' group which are not shown separately in this table.

  Petty Sessional Divisions
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons with the appropriate qualifications were employed by each petty sessional division in England and Wales at 3I December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 and the latest date available;

  (2) what was the establishment figure for persons with appropriate qualifications for each petty sessional division in England and Wales at 3I December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 and the latest date available;

  (3) how many ancillary persons were employed in each of the petty sessional divisions of England and Wales at 31 December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 and the latest date available;

  (4) what was the establishment figures for ancillary persons employed by each petty sessional division of England and Wales at 31 December 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 and the latest date available.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 21 April 1988]: I have today written to the hon. Member, and a copy of the reply has been placed in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what revenue has been received by the Cabinet Office since [1 November 1987 for the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984;

  (2) how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by the Cabinet Office have been received since 11 November 1987.

  The Prime Minister
  Twenty-two subject access requests have been received. All but one were from staff who are not charged a fee. The Cabinet Office has received £10 in revenue.

  VAT
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has advised the European Council of Her Majesty's Government's objection to the levying of value added tax on food, fuel, and children's clothing; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made our position
  123
  perfectly clear to the Economic and Finance Council (ECOFIN) which is the appropriate forum for discussion of the European Commission's proposals for tax approximation.

  Great Ormond Street Hospital
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister, further to her answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 3 May,Official Report, column 350, whether the Hospitals for Sick Children special health authority ever asked the Government to meet the full costs of the refurbishment of Great Ormond street hospital for sick children.

  The Prime Minister
  The Hospitals for Sick Children special health authority has made no formal proposal for the Government to meet the full cost of its rebuilding programme. The authority has always accepted that the Government would not fully fund this scheme.

  Visits
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister (I) why she did not inform right hon. and hon. Members representing central London constituencies that she proposed to cease the practice of informing them of her intentions to visit their constituencies;

  (2) why she informs right hon. and hon. Members representing constituencies outside central London of her intentions to visit their constituencies;

  (3) how many times, since she decided not to inform right hon. and hon. Members representing central London constituencies of visits to their constituencies, she has visited Holborn and St. Pancras;

  (4) when she ceased to make it her practice to inform right hon. and hon. Members representing seats in central London of her intentions to visit their constituency;

  (5) which constituencies are covered by her decision not to inform right hon. and hon. Members representing central London constituencies of her intentions to visit their constituency;

  (6) why she has decided not to inform right hon. and hon. Members representing central London constituencies of her intentions to visit their constituency.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my replies of 3 May 1988, at column 350. My usual practice has always been to inform any Members of a visit to his or her constituency shortly before the visit is due to take place, as a courtesy to the hon. Member concerned. It would be impractical to do so, however, in relation to central London because of the frequency of visits in that area which I undertake in the course of my duties. Records are not readily available of the visits I undertake to these central London constituencies, which for this purpose include the city of London and Westminster, South, Chelsea, Kensington, Westminster, North, Holborn and St. Pancras and Islington, South and Finsbury.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment is available to him on the level of economic growth in Zimbabwe in each year since 1983.
  124
  Mr. Mellor
  The rate of economic growth in Zimbabwe as measured by the estimated growth in the gross domestic product is as follows for each year since 1983:

  Year

  Per cent.

  1983

  -4·2

  1984

  2·6

  1985

  9·3

  1986

  2·3

  1987

  0·3

  Source IMF staff papers.

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

  Mr. Mellor
  Over the five years to 1990 Zimbabwe will get 73 million ecu (about £50 million) in planned aid from the European development fund, in addition to benefiting from SADCC and other regional projects. Zimbabwe also receives loans from the European Investment Bank and emergency aid, and is eligible for finance under the stabex scheme.

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

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

  Mr. Mellor
  Under the bilateral aid programme to Zimbabwe, Britain is currently financing the following projects at a total cost of £28·598 million:

  Project

  £ million

  Land Resettlement Grant 1981

  20·000

  Project Loan 1982

  Water Bowsers

  0·475

  Veterinary Faculty Equipment

  0·740

  Land Rover Rehabilitation

  0·707

  Cold Storage Commission Equipment

  0·757

  Kwekwe Roasting Plant

  0·317

  Migrant Pest Control

  0·050

  Tractor Rehabilitation Grant 1986

  1·200

  Rural Development Grant 1986

  Lister Diesels Assembly

  1·897

  Lister Diesels Rehabilitation

  0·385

  Dairy Marketing Board

  0·490

  Nyanyadzi Irrigation

  0·280

  Cotton Marketing Board

  1·300

  28·598

  In addition, we expect to spend about £6 million in 1988–89 on technical co-operation activities.

  The Commonwealth fund for technical co-operation is currently funding with grants estimated at £67,800 a number of projects in Zimbabwe involving the provision of experts.

  Projects in Zimbabwe currently being financed by the European Community from the fifth and sixth European development funds are as follows:
  125

  Total allocation £ million

  Grant funding

  Veterinary faculty, University of Zimbabwe

  5·17

  Fruit and vegetable development programme

  0·43

  Matabeleland South Rural Water Project

  0·76

  Aid to Grain Marketing Board

  0·96

  Microprojects programmes III

  2·07

  Technical assistance to Zimbabwe Development Bank

  0·34

  Regional tsetse and trypanosomiasis control

  5·76

  Regional railways training

  1·38

  Agriculture Finance Corporation

  2·41

  Expert development programme

  3·03

  Konyati and Gatske-Gatske communal lands

  2·07

  Reintegration of qualified nationals

  0·52

  Special loan funding

  Smallholder coffee, fruit, vegetable. irrigated food crop development

  2·90

  Tsetse and trypanosomiasis control

  2·69

  Matabeleland South Rural Water Project

  2·07

  Aid to Grain Marketing Board

  3·88

  Agricultural Finance Corporation

  13·79

  European Investment Bank risk capital

  Zimbabwe Development Bank

  3·10

  The United Kingdom share of this total of £53·33 million is about £9 million.

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

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

  (£000s)

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  United Kingdom bilateral aid

  19,453

  15,062

  23,636

  12,242

  Estimated United Kingdom share of European Community aid

  1,590

  4,470

  700

  600

  Estimated United Kingdom share of Commonwealth aid

  79

  89

  107

  78

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

  Mr. Mellor
  All our bilateral aid to Zimbabwe aims to strengthen the national economy. In addition, we support the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference, of which Zimbabwe is a member.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what revenue has been received by the Overseas Development Adminstration since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.
  126
  Mr. Mellor
  None. Members of the Overseas Development Administration's staff, overseas pensioners and staff employed under the aid programme are not charged for reasonable access to their personal records.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by the Overseas Development Administration he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  Four.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to meet the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals to discuss the arrangements for the introduction of the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  No. The arrangements for the introduction of the community charge are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I understand that officials of his Department will be meeting representatives of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals in the near future.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he intends to make regarding the qualifications and suitability of persons to be employed as teachers in city technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Teachers at city technology colleges will be employed by the charitable trust established to run the colleges, and appointed by the governing bodies and the principals acting on behalf of the governing bodies. My right hon. Friend will require, as a condition of grant, that CTCs will normally employ as teachers those who have qualified teacher status.

  CTCs will be registered independent schools within the meaning of the Education Act 1944. As such they will fall within the scope of my right hon. Friend's powers under section 71 of that Act with regard to the suitability of persons employed as teachers. Like other schools, CTCs will also have access to my Department's information on those teachers who have been excluded from the profession, or restricted in their activities.

  Schools (Healthy Eating)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the United Kingdom have taken part in schemes under the inner urban aid fund to promote healthy eating among school children; and if he will make a statement about the schemes' effectiveness.

  Mr. Dunn
  The information is not available. Many local education authorities are actively involved in promoting healthy eating at school.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to expand the assisted places scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dunn
  The Government are committed to expanding the assisted places scheme to an eventual total of 35,000 places in England and Wales. We have made a start by allocating some additional places to schools already participating in the APS from September 1988. Expansion will continue in line with the availability of resources.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom policy on the maintenance of stability in southern Africa of Zimbabwe's policy of maintaining a military presence in Mozambique.

  Mr. Mellor
  We welcome the assistance which the Zimbabwe Government are providing to the Mozambican Government in their efforts to restore peace to Mozambique.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any representations to, or received representations from, the African National Congress with regard to that organisation's use of Zimbabwe as a route into South Africa.

  Mr. Mellor
  No, but we have made clear on many occasions our opposition to cross-border incursions from whatever quarter.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the use by the African National Congress of Zimbabwe as a route into South Africa.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have repeatedly condemned crossborder incursions. Our opposition to the use of violence by the ANC is well known.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom policy towards relations with Zimbabwe of the reported merging of the Zanu and Zapu political movements in Zimbabwe.

  Mr. Mellor
  This is an internal matter for Zimbabwe. We welcome the generally improved internal security situation which appears to have stemmed from it.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom policy on the maintenance of stability in southern Africa of Zimbabwe's policy towards its neighbouring countries and the African National Congress.

  Mr. Mellor
  We wish to encourage stability in the region and to that end we attach importance to regional co-operation in southern Africa, as is demonstrated by our support for SADCC and the FLS. Our policy towards the African National Congress is well known.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not make a charge for subject access to present or former members of staff. As all the applications have fallen into this category, no revenue from the payment of fees has accrued.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  Since 11 November 1987 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received 27 requests for subject access, all from present or former members of staff.

THE ARTS

  Eastern Arts
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received since his last announcement of funding for Eastern Arts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received no such representations. The funding of regional arts associations is a matter for the Arts Council.

  Arts Council (Consultants)
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) what information he has on the total costs of consultancies engaged by the Arts Council in each of the past five years;

  (2) whether he will list the arts consultants that his Department has employed in each of the past five years, the projects on which they have worked and the cost per consultancy.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answers 29 April and 9 May 1988]: I have been advised that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. But the major consultants, and the projects for which they were engaged by the Arts Council in 1987–88, at a total cost of £145,103, were:

  Consultant

  Project

  Dewe Rogerson Ltd.

  An Urban Renaissance

  Newchurch & Co. Ltd.

  Upstart

  Peat Marwick, McLintock & Co.

  Advice on accountancy matters and incentive funding

  Price Waterhouse & Co.

  Incentive funding

ENVIRONMENT

  Building Industry
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the forecasts for growth in the building industry in 1988(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European nations.
  129
  Mr. Trippier
  Forecast percentage changes in construction output in real terms in 1988 over 1987 are set out in the table.

  Country

  Percentage change 1988–87

  West Germany

  -0·5

  Belgium

  -1·0

  Denmark

  -7·4

  France

  1·6

  Great Britain

  1 3·0

  Italy

  0·8

  Netherlands

  -0·9

  Norway

  -1·4

  Austria

  1·0

  Sweden

  1·4

  Switzerland

  0·2

  1 Excludes Channel tunnel project.

  Forecasts for the United Kingdom are not available.

  These forecasts were compiled by Euroconstruct, a biannual conference of European forecasting organisations, at its winter meeting at the beginning of December 1987. Britain is represented by NEDO and stockbrokers James Capel. The British forecasts reflect the views of NEDO's joint forecasting committee. My Department does not publish forecasts of construction output. The next Euroconstruct meeting is in July, when these forecasts will be reviewed.

  In April the National Council of Building Material Producers forecast the change at 8 per cent. for Great Britain. It is expected that the forecast by NEDO's committee will be revised upwards when they meet in May-June.

  Rent Acts
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private properties there are for rent outside the Rent Acts in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Roe
  This information is not available.

  Wetlands
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to announce the designation of an area either as a site under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance or as a special protection area under the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds or both.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We are currently considering a number of proposals put forward by the Nature Conservancy Council for the classification of sites as special protection areas under the EC birds directive and/or as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention. While we shall endeavour to reach a decision on these cases as expeditiously as possible, I cannot forecast when the next classification of a site will be announced. Classification of sites in Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the criteria and guidelines for the identification of wetlands of international importance for listing under the Ramsar convention which were adopted by the third conference of contracting 130
  parties to the convention at Regina, Canada, in June 1987; and what is the extent to which the criteria and guidelines will be adopted in identifying wetlands of international importance in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The criteria and guidelines for the identification of wetlands of international importance for listing under the Ramsar convention which were revised at the third conference of contracting parties at Regina, are as follows:

  Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International Importance for Designation for the List under Article 2 of the Ramsar Convention

  As revised at the Third Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties in Regina

  A wetland is suitable for inclusion in the List if it meets any of the criteria set out below:

  1. Criteria for assessing the value of representative or unique wetlands.

  A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is a particularly good example of a specific type of wetland characteristic of its region.

  2. General criteria for using plants or animals to identify wetlands of importance.

  A wetland should be considered internationally important if

  (a) it supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species or subspecies of plant or animal, or an appreciable number of individuals of any one or more of these species; or

  (b) it is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of a region because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna; or

  (c) it is of special value as the habitat of plants or animals at a critical stage of their biological cycles: or

  (d) it is of special value for its endemic plant or animal species or communities.

  3. Specific criteria for using waterfowl to identify wetlands of importance.

  A wetland should be considered internationally important if:

  (a) it regularly supports 20,000 waterfowl; or

  (b) it regularly supports substantial numbers of individuals from particular groups of waterfowl, indicative of wetland values, productivity or diversity; or

  (c) where data on populations are available, it regularly supports 1 per cent. of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterfowl.

  LDDC (Extension)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes any extension to the London Docklands Development Corporation similiar to the extensions recently announced to the Merseyside Development Corporation.

  Mr. Trippier
  No.

  Coastal Footpaths (North Devon)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many miles of coastal footpaths are now open to the public along the north Devon coast from Somerset to Cornwall; and how many more miles are needed to complete this route.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Approval last year of the link between Braunton and Westward Ho completed the Somerset and north Devon coast path. The whole of the Devon section of this long-distance route, which covers approximately 89 miles, is now open and available to the public.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those studies commissioned during the last five years by his Department on enterprise zones.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department commissioned an evaluation of the enterprise zone experiment in 1986. No other studies have been commissioned in the last five years.

  Water (Nitrate Content)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the working party investigating the problem of the nitrate content in water is due to report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have nothing further to add to my statement of 20 January in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Southend East (Mr. Taylor), at column 742.

  Houses (Multiple Occupation)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities in England and Wales which have been visited by the environmental health officer seconded to his Department to advise on houses in multiple occupation, since 3 November 1987.

  Mrs. Roe
  Since 3 November 1987 the Department's environmental health advisor has visited environmental health departments in the following English local authorities. The adviser's remit does not extend to Wales.

  Blackpool

  Camden

  Hereford

  Lancaster

  Leeds

  Manchester

  Portsmouth

  Reading

  Thanet

  Woodspring

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Ridley
  £20.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Ridley
  By 9 May 1988 my Department—including PSA—had received 426 applications. All but three have come from existing or former employees of the Department about their personal records.

  Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce the commencement orders relating to those parts of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 so far unenacted.
  132
  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend intends to make the commencement order for the remaining provisions in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 before the summer recess, after consultation with interested parties.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he estimates that the availability of the community charge register to the general public will make the register more accurate; and whether he will list those organisations and individuals, other than individuals whose details appear in the register and the community charge officer, who are likely to be involved in maintaining the accuracy of information found on the register.

  Mr. Howard
  The general public will have a legitimate interest in the accuracy of the community charge register. We have therefore decided to ensure that an extract from the register will be available for public inspection. It is impossible to predict in detail what contacts there might be between registration officers and individuals or organisations.

  Local Authorities (Finance)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his answer of 3 May,Official Report, column 390, if he will list in the Official Report those authorities to which he has granted additional capital allocations or additional borrowing approval from 1 April 1981 to 9 March 1988 and, in each case, give the amount of the additional allocations and borrowing approval, the project for which it was issued and the reasons for issuing it.

  Mr. Ridley
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For instance, over 750 allocations were issued in response to the Department's letter of 29 October 1982, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

  Zoological Society of London
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will announce details of further financial support to the Zoological Society of London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Zoological Society of London has been receiving an annual grant and capital support from my Department for a number of years, in recognition of its special status as a centre of zoological excellence. This support has secured the viability of the society. It has enabled it in particular to sustain its famous collections of animals at Regent's Park and Whipsnade and to meet the costs of the Institute of Zoology, which enjoys considerable international renown.

  Last year the society and my Department jointly engaged a team of leading consultants, headed by Peat Marwick McLintock, to report on the scope for improving the zoos' financial performance and implications for future Government support. We have decided, in the light of the consultants' findings, that a radical change in approach is needed. This recognises that ZSL has distinctive and separate roles in the field of scientific research and species conservation, on the one hand, and

  133
  in the promotion of public understanding and enjoyment of animals, presented in attractive surroundings, on the other.

  London zoo and Whipsnade have enjoyed enormous popularity with generations of London families and visitors from further afield. But the zoos need to renew their existing infrastructure and invest in new attractions to retain and build on this well-deserved popularity. The consultants have indicated that, given the right kinds of management skills, the zoos have the opportunity to remain world leaders and to become financially self-sufficient.

  The Government accepts that ZSL's scientific work through the Institute of Zoology should receive continuing support. But as far as the zoos themselves are concerned, the Government believe that continued annual subsidy from public funds is no longer appropriate. Nevertheless, some limited further assistance is needed to set the society on its new path.

  The Government and ZSL have accordingly reached agreement on the following terms:

  (a) After the end of the present financial year, annual funding for ZSL's Institute of Zoology will be provided through the Universities Funding Council (which is intended to replace the University Grants Committee from 1 April 1989) and the University of London. From then on ultimate responsibility will rest with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  (b) ZSL will establish a new operating subsidiary company, to run the two zoos. The company will have a new managing director and specialist management team provided by the Grant Leisure Group Ltd., initially for a period of three years.

  (c) The society has undertaken that the management of the new company will produce a master development plan. My Department will then provide ZSL with a once-and-for-all capital endowment of up to £10 million, payable by November 1988. I have agreed with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to fund these resources either from savings within my own programme, or if necessary by call on the Reserve.

  (d) Subject to agreement on detailed terms, I propose to grant to the society a new 60-year lease in respect of the Regent's Park site, under the terms of the Crown Estate Act 1961. This will include an extra 10 acres of land from the park which the society has the option of taking under the Act, and arrangements will he made for the society to take over the management of the Gloucester Slips coach and car park. There will be no payment under the lease initially, but I shall he reviewing the terms of it once the society's financial position is assured.

  The Government believe it is right to recognise, through the proposed endowment, the particular significance of London zoo's long association with Regent's Park and its impact on the amenities of the royal park as a whole. I am glad to say that Westminster city council welcomes the concept of looking at a long-term strategy for Regent's Park zoo. South Bedfordshire district council, too, is very supportive of the concept of a revitalised Whipsnade.

  I am very grateful to the president and hon. treasurer of the society and their colleagues for the willing cooperation which has made all this possible. The society has shown its confidence in the management skills of Mr. Grant and his team, who bring with them an impressive record of success in zoos and other visitor attractions.

  I am confident that these new arrangements will give the greatest possible scope to ZSL to make a success of its operations and to raise private capital for new investment. They will enable the Government to withdraw from what I consider to be an inappropriate regime of subsidy. The
  134
  Government have done their bit. It is now up the public to show their support for ZSL and to demonstrate that they want to see zoos of this eminence continuing into the 21st century.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether water authorities are now able to start making preparations for the establishment of the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Ridley
  Following the granting of Royal Assent to the Public Utility Transfers and Water Charges Act, my noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Countryside and Water has today invited the English water authorities to prepare schemes of organisation in accordance with guidelines he has sent to them. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, has issued a similar invitation to the chairman of Welsh Water. Copies of the guidelines have been laid in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached on the comments made in response to the consultation paper on water and sewerage law published by his Department and the Welsh Office in March 1986.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We received many positive and constructive responses to our consultation paper. As a result we have in some cases modified or discarded our original proposals.

  We have, in particular, decided not to proceed with the proposals for transferring to undertakers responsibility for private sewers and water supply pipes. We recognise the problems faced by some householders, particularly those whose sewers are not adopted. These are, however, responsibilities which go with the properties concerned and purchasers of property need to take them into account just as they do other maintenance obligations. To transfer responsibility to undertakers would mean customers in general having to meet the cost. The existing legislation permits the owners of private sewers to apply to the relevant water authority to have their sewer adopted and there is a right of appeal to the Secretary of State if the authority refuses. This is an important safeguard, which we intend to preserve.

  I am placing a summary of our revised proposals in the Libraries of both Houses. I believe the changes we propose will provide a modern operational framework which will serve the water industry well in the years ahead. Provision to implement these changes will be made in the main water privatisation Bill.

  Sporting Events
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many football matches the Minister with responsibility for sport, the hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan), has attended in the course of his official duties in the last year; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 10 May 1988]: I have attended 15 matches so far this season; these being the following:

  135

  Venue

  Date

  Football League Centenary Match Bobby Robson's 11 v. The Rest of the World

  8 August 1987

  West Germany v. England

  9 September 1987

  Tottenham Hotspur v. Wimbledon

  31 October 1987

  Metropolitan Police 5-a-side Tournament

  26 November

  Finals Wembley Arena

  1987

  Luton Town v. Derby County

  16 January 1988

  Hartlepool United v. Crewe Alexandra

  27 February 1988

  England v. Holland

  23 March 1988

  Derby County v. Arsenal

  26 March 1988

  Union Berlin v. Rott Weiss Erfurt (East Germany)

  1 April 1988

  The Littlewoods Cup Final Luton Town v. Arsenal

  24 April 1988

  In addition, I attended Charlton Athletic's home games against:

  Venue

  Date

  Arsenal

  3 October 1987

  Chelsea

  20 December 1987

  Liverpool

  23 Januaryl988

  Newcastle United

  23 April 1988

  and its game at Manchester United on 1 January 1988.

  I shall also be attending the following:

  Venue

  Date

  The FA Cup Final

  14 May 1988

  England v. Colombia—Rous Cup

  24 May 1988

  England v. Republic of Ireland—European Championships in West Germany

  12 June 1988

  Green Belt
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards proposals for private sector sponsored transport infrastructure projects in the green belt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are rigorously adhering to Government policy towards all proposals under the planning Acts for development in the green belt. This policy is clearly stated in PPG2—copies of which are in the Library—which states:"Inside a Green Belt, approval should not be given, except in very special circumstances, for the construction of new buildings or for the change of use of existing buildings for purposes other than agriculture and forestry, outdoor sport, cemeteries, institutions standing in extensive grounds, or other uses appropriate to a rural area."

DEFENCE

  Brigadier Geoffrey Slater
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the Army has required Brigadier Geoffrey Slater to retire from his post as head of 23 Base Workshops at Wettar, in the Federal Republic of Germany; if he is to be charged with any offence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following allegations against Brigadier Slater, which were made in an anonymous letter to Headquarters British Army of the Rhine, it was decided that it was in the best interests of Brigadier Slater and of the Army that he be removed from his appointment.

  After a full investigation by the special investigation branch of the Royal Military Police and by Brigadier
  136
  Slater's commanding officer and after taking legal advice, it was decided that it was more appropriate to deal with the matter administratively.

  Air-Sea Combat Manoeuvring System
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his assessment of the air-sea combat manoeuvring system, in respect of its likely effects on North sea gas and oil installations.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Further to my answer at column 622, on 31 March, British Aerospace's unsolicited proposals to construct an air combat manoeuvring installation in the North sea continue to be studied by this Department, taking account of all relevant factors. I have nothing further to add at this stage.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The revenue received by the Ministry of Defence from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984, is nil.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at 1 May 1988, 4,322 applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records have been received by the major pay and personnel database centres in the Ministry of Defence.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there were any British Army personnel directly involved in the recent shooting incident in Gibraltar.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Yes.

  Machrihanish Air Base
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the actual and proposed developments at Machrihanish air base following its increasing use by military aircraft and personnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  Subject to securing the necessary funding from NATO sources, it is intended to carry out a programme of modernisation of the facilities at RAF Machrihanish over the next seven years or so. Our plans are still at a relatively early stage of development, but we shall be approaching the local planning authorities very shortly for formal consultation on our outline proposals.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail any alterations at present being carried out or being planned for the future at Machrihanish air base.
  137
  Mr. Freeman
  Some work is curently under way to provide increased protection to existing facilities at Machrihanish. It is too early to give details of the proposed future modernisation projects. but further consultation will take place in the normal way with local planning authorities when design work reaches an appropriate stage.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the state of the balance of payments on current account at the end of 1988.

  Mr. Major
  At Budget time my right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast a deficit on the current account of £4 billion in 1988.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised under the business expansion scheme in(a) 1987–88 and (b) 1986–87.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is provisionally estimated that over £165 million was raised in 1986–87. Information for 1987–88 is not yet available.

  Trade Deficit
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries are predicting a greater trade deficit per head than the United Kingdom for 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  On the OECD's last published forecasts for 1988, nine OECD countries will have larger current account deficits, per head of the population, than the United Kingdom.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the balance of trade for 1988.

  Mr. Major
  At Budget time my right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast a deficit on visible trade of £12½ billion in 1988. Combined with a projected surplus on invisibles of £8½ billion, the current account was forecast to be in deficit by £4 billion, less than 1 per cent. of GDP.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the balance in manufactured trade for 1988.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the balance in manufactured trade for 1988.

  Mr. Major
  At Budget time, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast a deficit of £8½ billion on manufactured trade during 1988. With substantial surplus expected on trade in services and oil and on net earnings from overseas assets, the current account deficit is forecast to be £4 billion, less than 1 per cent. of GDP.
  138
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of his estimate of the anual trade balance for 1988 has now been reached by the monthly figures.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of his estimate of the annual trade balance for 1988 has now been reached by the monthly figures.

  Mr. Major
  At Budget time my right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast a visible trade deficit of £12½ billion in 1988. The deficit in the first quarter was £3·6 billion.

  Industrial Competitiveness
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any information on the effects of top tax rates on industrial competitiveness.

  Mr. Major
  Maintaining tax rates in line with or below those of our main competitors is vital if Britain is to retain and motivate its most talented and enterprising individuals.

  Disposable Incomes
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report his latest estimate of average per capita disposable incomes for each region of the United Kingdom, taking into account average mortgage repayments in each region.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 March, at column 503. No more recent information will be available until towards the end of the year.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984;

  (2) how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Treasury has received no applications for subject access under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984. It has received no revenue since 11 November 1987 from the payment of related fees.

  Taxation (Harmonisation)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish tables showing the changes which would occur in tax levels on petrol, cigarettes, alcohol and other items of consumer expenditure in consequence of the measures recommended by the European Commission for the harmonisation of indirect taxation.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 23 March at columns 124–26 (tables (a) and (c)) and 24 March at column 196.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the increase or
  139
  decrease in tax revenue stemming from petrol and diesel oil, alcohol, tobacco and other items, respectively, in consequence of the recommendations of the EEC Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 23 March at columns 124–26 (table (b)) and 24 March at column 196.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received information from the EEC Commission about whether its tax harmonisation proposals will be subject to unanimity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  No such information is necessary. The unanimity requirement is written into article 17 of the Single European Act.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on United Kingdom industry and commerce of the proposals by the EEC Commission on tax on petrol and diesel oil; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  We estimate that the direct impact of the Commission's proposals for the harmonisation of the duties on petrol and diesel oil would be a reduction in duty payable of approximately £250 million in a full year.

  VAT
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he now expects to receive the decision of the European Court on the case initiated by the Commission on the levying of value added tax on gas, electricity, water, sewerage and protective clothing and footwear supplied to industry and commerce and on the levying of value added tax on all new commercial and industrial buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 10 May 1988]: The European Court of Justice has not yet given an indication of a likely date for delivery of its judgment.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Teaching Company Scheme
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to promote industry's awareness of the teaching company scheme.

  Mr. Butcher
  The teaching company scheme is being promoted as part of the enterprise initiative.

  Advertising Agencies
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which advertising agencies have been used by his Department in the last year.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which advertising agencies have been used by his Department in the last year.

  Mr. Butcher
  The agencies contracted to work on DTI campaigns for the financial year 1987–88 were—

  Ayer Barker

  Charles Barker

  140

  D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles

  Doyle, Dane, Bernbach and Needham

  WCRS Matthews Marcantonio

  J. Walter Thompson

  DBF Advertising

  Single European Market
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in negotiating measures aimed at the completion of a single European market, he will make it his policy to encourage other member countries of the European Community to adopt a comprehensive programme of deregulation similar to that carried out in Britain.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Yes. It is a cornerstone of our policy on completing the single market that no measure should impose unnecessary burdens on business. There is general agreement that the benefits of the single market can best be realised in a liberal market with the minimum of red tape. We therefore frequently discuss deregulation with other member states.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response he has had to efforts to ensure that business men in all regions of the country are made aware of the opportunities presented by the completion of the single European market in 1992.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Government are already taking a number of measures to alert business to the single European market and the vital importance of preparing for it now. These include regional conferences, detailed literature, national advertising and a telephone hotline. The single market campaign will run until 1992, but its exact form will he continually assessed in the light of current needs.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on the Government's preparations for the European single market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Government have launched a five-year campaign to encourage firms in every part of the country to prepare for completion of the single European market. As part of the campaign there will be 20 regional conference and many more seminars. This will be supported by a comprehensive information service including detailed literature, DTI's Spearhead computer database, our 1992 telephone hotline, and national advertising.

  Local Enterprise
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has met the representatives of the ACC, ADC and the AMA to discuss the report "Stimulating Local Enterprise—The Local Authority Role."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No.

  Business Prospects (Warrington)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his assessment of business prospects in the Warrington area.

  Mr. Atkins
  United Kingdom GDP is forecast to increase by 3 per cent. and manufacturing output by 5 per cent. this year. The strengthening of incentives in this
  141
  year's Budget and the help available through the enterprise initiative will ensure that business in Warrington continues to be well placed to take its full share of this growth.

  Consumer Protection
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received seeking new legislation to protect consumers.

  Mr. Butcher
  Suggestions for new legislation to protect consumers are received from a wide range of organisations and individuals. Careful consideration is given to all proposals, bearing in mind the Government's wish to avoid placing undue burdens on business. Our aim is rather to protect consumers by ensuring that they have good and sufficient information on which to make a reasoned choice.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current deficit in manufactured goods with the EEC up to the most recent practicable date in 1988.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the 12 months to March 1988, there was an estimated deficit of £10·5 billion on the balance of payments basis.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the level of exports of manufactured goods in 1988 so far; and what equivalent information he has for 1987.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the level of exports of manufactured goods in 1988 so far; and what was the equivalent figure for 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the first three months of 1988 exports of manufactured goods were valued at £14·9 billion. The equivalent figure for the first three months of 1987 was £14·8 billion.

  Management Buyouts
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total value of management buyouts in(a) 1987 and (b)

  Mr. Butcher
  About £3·2 billion and £1·2 billion respectively.

  Ministerial Visits (Northumberland)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent ministerial visits have been made by Ministers from his Department to Northumberland.

  Mr. Atkins
  I visited Northumberland on 30 March.

  Aircraft Equipment Manufacturers
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will consider making launch aid available for aircraft equipment manufacturers.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My Department's policy has been to provide launch aid only to airframe and aeroengine manufacturers. Equipment companies may be eligible to apply for other forms of support under the Department's enterprise initiative.

  Microwave Distribution System
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest information he has on the feasibility of the microwave distribution system.

  Mr. Butcher
  A report on the economic and technical feasibility of microwave video distribution systems, commissioned from Touche Ross by my Department and the Home Office, was delivered in December 1987. The report shows that, given certain assumptions about the spectrum that might be made available, six and perhaps up to 12 additional television services could be provided to areas covering some 70 per cent. of United Kingdom households, though not everyone within such areas would receive an acceptable signal. The Government are at present considering the report together with other information, in the context of wider decisions on the future structure of broadcasting.

  Business Consultancy Service
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department's proposed business consultancy service will extend to start-ups; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Start-up companies are not specifically precluded from applying for the business planning initiative, but experience has shown that their needs are generally best helped through agencies such as the small firms service and local enterprise agencies. The consultancy initiatives are aimed primarily at helping existing business to become aware of new methods and opportunities through the use of specialist outside advice.

  Fixed Investment
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Overseas Economic Co-operation and Development countries spend(a) a larger and (b) a smaller share of their gross domestic product on fixed investment than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Comparisons for most OECD countries are readily available only for 1986. In that year the following OECD countries spent a larger share of the GDP on fixed investment than the United Kingdom:Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

  Belgium spent a smaller share of GDP on fixed investment than the United Kingdom. Comparable figures for other OECD countries are not available.

  Computing Service Industry
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to improve the methods for assessing the performance of the United Kingdom computing service industry in comparison with overseas competitors.

  Mr. Butcher
  I do not seek to assess the performance of the private sector. The Department does, however, collect and publish information about the billings of the computing services sector (including its billings to overseas clients). These arrangements have recently been strengthened to improve the quality of the figures. This
  143
  information is published in the relevant Business Monitor. The Government also support the efforts of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to establish a framework which will enable international comparisons of this kind of information to be made.

  Solvents
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce legislation to provide that potentially dangerous solvents in shops shall be kept in locked cabinets.

  Mr. Butcher
  No. Re-Solv, the non-profit-making body set up by the industry to combat solvent abuse, is issuing guidance to retailers, part funded by Government, which advises them to keep "sniffable" products locked up, out of reach, under the counter or under direct supervision. I prefer this to compulsion.

  Competitiveness
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has recently received on the United Kingdom's competitiveness.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Most of the contacts that my Department has with industry and commerce involve having a bearing on United Kingdom competitiveness in one way or another.

  Society of British Aerospace Companies
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to meet the president of the Society of British Aerospace Companies; and what matters will be raised.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no plans for a meeting at present. However should the SBAC president wish to see me I would of course be happy to discuss whatever matters he wished to raise.

  New Technology (North-West)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to encourage the growth of new technology industries in the north-west of England.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Government have created the necessary conditions for such growth by establishing the right climate for enterprise and the development of new industry nationally.

  In the north-west, as elsewhere, my Department is actively promoting the various elements of the enterprise initiative, which give particular attention to the needs of areas such as the north-west. We are working with a number of regional bodies on initiatives to attract both new technology industries to the region, to foster the growth of new technology-based firms and the application of new technology to existing industry.

  The enterprise initiative offers wide-ranging support for all business, including specialised consultancy advice for small and medium-sized firms. In the assisted areas and urban programme areas support for up to two thirds of the costs of such consultancy projects is available. Elsewhere we support 50 per cent. of the costs. We have introduced a special scheme—regional enterprise grants—to help
  144
  firms in the development areas, with fewer than 25 employees to finance their innovation and investment projects, and have extended the small firms merit award for research and technology (SMART). Assistance is available towards the cost of collaborative research projects, and regional selective assistance is available for investment projects by new and existing firms in the assisted areas.

  The Department has recently announced an increased grant of £450,000 to INWARD, the north-west's regional development organisation concerned with attracting inward investment, including new technology companies, to the region.

  English Estates North West is helping in the development of new technology companies in the region through its investment in Wavertree technology park in Liverpool, the Salford university business park and the technology exchange at Bolton.

  The Department's regional office has been closely involved in the formation of Nimtech-NW, a private sector initiative to encourage and accelerate the development of science-based industries in the north-west. Nimtech is now the focus for the north-west's regional technology centre, which, with Government funding support, is working in close co-operation with the region's eight universities and polytechnics to improve technology transfer and skills training throughout the region. The region has a well-established tradition of collaboration between industry and the academic sector. This strength is further reflected in Manchester recently attracting the new private sector and Government sponsored centre for exploitation for science and technology, and Salford university winning the competition to host the Department's national advanced robotics research centre.

  Columbus Project
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about British involvement in the Columbus project.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to my statement in the House on 18 April in response to questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Corby (Mr. Powell) and for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor).

  Companies (Extra-territorial Controls)
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about his policy towards the United States Government exerting extraterritorial controls over United Kingdom firms.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We have asserted on many occasions our rejection of US claims to extra-territorial jurisdiction which infringe on United Kingdom sovereignty.

  Sub-Post Offices
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the chairman of the Post Ofice on the problems of rural sub-post offices.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets the chairman of the Post Office from time to time to discuss matters of current interest including rural sub-post offices.
  145
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the total hours of opening of sub-post offices in(a) 1986 and (b)

  Mr. Butcher
  This is a matter for the Post Office and I have asked the chairman of the Post Office to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has met representatives of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters and Mistresses to discuss rural sub-post offices.

  Mr. Butcher
  I met representatives of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters on 15 October last year to discuss issues of interest to their members, including rural sub-post offices.

  "Take the Initiative" Campaign
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the amount of public funds spent on his Department's current "Take the Initiative" advertising campaign.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The estimated cost up to the end of May of the current DTI advertising campaign to promote the enterprise initiative is £7·4 million.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which countries of the Economic European Community the United Kingdom is running a positive trade balance.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries the United Kingdom is running a positive trade balance.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  All European Community countries are members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. In the last 12 months United Kingdom trade was in surplus with the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Irish Republic, Greece and Spain.

  Enterprise Initiative (North-West)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the support that has been made available under the enterprise initiative to businesses in the north-west.

  Mr. Atkins
  A total of 2,319 specific inquiries for consultancy support under the Department's enterprise initiative have been received from businesses in the northwest up to 29 April 1988. At that date, these inquiries had resulted in 721 applications for consultancies being processed. A total of 389 business reviews have been completed, of which 322 have been forwarded to scheme contractors.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current operation of the Company Securities (Insider Dealing) Act.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My Department considers all allegations of possible contraventions of the Company 146
  Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 which are referred to it. In appropriate cases, if the circumstances suggest there may have been such a contravention, inspectors are appointed under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to carry out an investigation. There are at present 15 cases where inspectors are investigating possible contraventions, and nine cases are under consideration for investigation. Since January 1987 there have been three convictions and one acquittal on charges of contravening the Act. Criminal proceedings have begun in three more cases. The operation of the Act is kept under review.

  Foreign Companies
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he plans to continue to make support available to foreign companies wishing to set up operations in any of the assisted areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  The DTI's enterprise initiative includes a range of assistance available in the assisted areas to United Kingdom and foreign-owned companies for investment projects which meet the relevant criteria.

  Trade Deficit
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the trade deficit so far in 1988.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the first three months of 1988 there was an estimated deficit of £1·8 billion on the current account.

  Basildon
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what figures he has for the growth in the number of businesses in Basildon.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no figures which indicate precisely the growth of businesses in Basildon. However the Business Statistics Office register for businesses for VAT purposes shows the following for Basildon district:

  Number of businesses registered for VAT

  Number

  End 1981

  2,370

  End 1986

  3,043

  Per cent. increase

  28·45

  Figures for 1987 are not yet available

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is aware of any research on the effect of interest rates on the level of manufacturing investment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the connection between the level of manufacturing investment and the level of interest rates.

  Mr. Atkins
  There has been a large amount of research on this subject, including "Factor Prices in the Treasury Model", by C. Kelly and D. Owen (GES working paper No. 83). A copy is lodged in the House of Commons Library.
  147
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by how much manufacturing investment fell between 1979 and 1987.

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

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the most recent figures for manufacturing investment; what the percentage change has been since 1979; and which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries have a greater increase or decrease over this period.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The most recent figures of investment in manufacturing industry, including leased assets, are for 1987—for which the latest estimate is £7·4 billion at 1980 prices. The corresponding investment in 1979 and 1983 was £8·2 billion and £5·6 billion respectively at 1980 prices. These figures show a decrease of 9 per cent. between 1979 and 1987, and an increase of 33 per cent. between 1983 and 1987. Figures for OECD countries are not available on a comparable basis over this period. Available figures for OECD countries are published in "OECD National Accounts 1973–1985".

  Scandinavia (Trade)
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current level of trade with Scandinavia.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For the three months to March 1988, United Kingdom trade with Scandinavia was: exports £1,229·6 million and imports £2,557·2 million. These figures should be treated with more than the usual caution because of major changes to customs procedures introduced in January 1988, details of which were given in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on 7 December 1987,Official Report, columns 34–35.

  Restrictive Trade Practices
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his recent Green Paper on restrictive trade practices.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The reaction to the Green Paper has been generally favourable, although we are as yet in the early stages of consultation and have therefore had few formal responses.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received from industry concerning the effects of changes in the exchange rate.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My Department has recently received representations from a number of firms and trade organisations about the possible effects of recent exchange rate movements.

  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest assessment of the 148
  impact of the sterling exchange rate on the export performance of British industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Export performance is affected by a variety of factors, of which variation in exchange rates is only one. The improved design, quality and reliability of many British products has contributed substantially to our improved competitiveness and export performance in recent years.

  Airbus
  Mr. Cartiss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met French and German Ministers to discuss the Airbus project.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I last met French and German Ministers to discuss the Airbus programme in Hanover on 5 May. We discussed the reorganisation of Airbus Industrie and co-operation between Airbus Industrie and McDonnell Douglas.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made on the constitutional and financial restructuring of Airbus Industrie in order to make it more publicly accountable.

  Mr. Atkins
  I and my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster met the aerospace Ministers of France and the Federal Republic of Germany and the Spanish ambassador to Germany, representing the aerospace Minister of Spain, in Hanover on 5 May to consider the preliminary response of the Airbus partners to the proposals for restructuring the consortium contained in the report of the four independent experts known as the Airbus "wise men".

  We noted with satisfaction that the Airbus partners and Airbus Industrie have responded promptly in studying the wise men's recommendations and reaching agreement in principle to their proposals. We asked the industrialists to start to implement the restructuring without delay with a view to establishing the structure of the new organisation by autumn, with full implementation from the end of 1988 at the latest.

  Imports (Voluntary Restraint)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will consider publishing official estimates of the effects of voluntary restraint arrangements on imports into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Voluntary restraint arrangements generally seek to limit imports of a particular product or range of products to agreed levels. The effects of such arrangements on imports vary according to the levels and coverage of the agreement, the extent to which it is respected and whether there is scope to switch production to areas that are perceived as less sensitive by the industry. The conditions set in individual voluntary restraint agreements are not published and the advice I received on the impact on imports was based on commercially confidential information.

  Advertising
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the amount spent by his Department on advertising for each year since 1984.
  149
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Information is not readily available for expenditure on advertising other than that spent centrally by my Department.

  The figures which are readily available are:

  £ million

  1984–85

  2·1

  1985–86

  1·2

  1986–87

  0·9

  1987–88

  17·9

  1 provisional.

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

  British Steel
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received regarding the proposals to transfer British Steel to the private sector.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received a small number of letters from various parties about points of detail. I have received a few representations about the principle of privatisation.

  CBI
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the Confederation of British Industry; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim).

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what support is being made available to small businesses under the enterprise initiative to encourage innovation in new technology.

  Mr. Butcher
  Small firms can participate in collaborative research, with other firms, higher education institutions, technology organisations, or Government research establishments. The Department offers grants of up to 50 per cent. of the cost. The teaching company scheme is also available.

  Firms with fewer than 200 employees can compete for 100 Awards in the small firms merit award for research and technology (SMART) competition. The awards are for 75 per cent. of the cost of developing a new product or process (up to total costs of £50,000). Applications close on 30 June 1988.

  In development areas, firms with fewer than 25 employees can apply for regional enterprise grants. The innovation grant provides 50 per cent. of the agreed project cost up to a maximum grant of £25,000. I will arrange to send my hon. Friend details of these schemes.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures available for the level of funding for research and development provided by industry.

  Mr. Maude
  Industry spent £3·6 billion on the research and development which it performed in 1986. The 150
  information was contained in an article on the results of the 1986 survey of industrial research and development published in British Business on 5 February 1988. A copy of this is in the Library.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is satisfied with the level of spending by industry on research and development.

  Mr. Butcher
  There are some companies and industries in the United Kingdom whose innovation record is outstanding, but in general the level and growth of British industry's spending on R and D have been lower as a proportion of GDP than its main overseas competitors. The Government have created the right climate to enable industry to invest more in R and D. A major objective of my Department's innovation policy is to encourage industry to fund more of its own R and D and to encourage co-operation between companies and the academic science base, for the purpose of increased wealth creation and competitiveness.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what will be the effects on the United Kingdom aerospace industry of the decision by Her Majesty's Government to proceed with development of the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The United Kingdom will have a 33 per cent. share in the development phase of the European fighter aircraft. British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce will be playing a leading role, and major opportunities will be opened up for British industry. The development phase alone will give direct long-term employment to an estimated 3,000–4,000 people in the United Kingdom.

  Consumer Goods (Safety)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he has introduced to improve the safety standards applying to consumer goods.

  Mr. Butcher
  The safety of consumers has been greatly improved by the implementation of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. From 1. October 1987, under the general safety requirement, it became a criminal offence to supply any consumer product that is not reasonably safe. This requirement is closely linked to standards of safety. The European Community directive on product liability, implemented by the same Act, came into force on 1 March 1988 which means that, if defective products reach the market and people are injured by them, it will be much easier to obtain redress through the courts.

  In addition to the general safety requirement, the safety of a range of products is covered by specific regulations. New regulations are to be introduced covering the flammability of the upholstered furniture and bedding; and it is the intention to introduce further regulations to implement a number of EC directives, including those covering the safety of toys and certain electical products.

  Departmental Offices (Relocation)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in the relocation out of London of offices under his Department's control since 1979.
  151
  Mr. Butcher
  My Department is making good progress. Some 50 per cent. of the Department is already outside London and plans to relocate at least a further 1,600 posts in the period 1987–91 are being implemented.

  Misleading Credit Advertising
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress he is making in his campaign to tackle misleading credit advertising.

  Mr. Maude
  On 23 March my Department circulated revised draft regulations which simplify and clarify the existing provisions of the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations and contain important additional safeguards for borrowers, particularly in the area of secured lending. Comments on the draft regulations have been requested by 20 May 1988.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on the implementation of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Section 3 of the Financial Services Act was brought into force on 29 April. The other principal provisions in the Act, relating to the authorisation and regulation of persons carrying on investment business in the United Kingdom, were also commenced on that date.

  Inner City Policy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on inner city policy.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government have stepped up the attack on urban decay and have given priority to encouraging investment in inner city areas through a range of measures amounting to some £3,000 million in 1988–89. They launched a new Action for Cities drive in March 1988 which included a new urban development corporation in Sheffield and the extension of the existing corporation in Merseyside, in addition to the earlier announcement of proposals to establish new corporations in Leeds, central Manchester and Bristol; streamlined grants to encourage the development of inner city land and buildings; more help for small businesses in inner city areas; further Government support for links between schools and employers; new crime prevention initiatives and better inner city roads. Good progress has already been made with these new measures.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is very shortly to lay orders before the House to establish the urban development corporations in Leeds, Bristol, central Manchester and Sheffield. Approvals worth over £7 million have been made for projects eligible for city grant.

  The first of six new small firms service offices was opened by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Employment in Sheffield on 19 April. Others are planned for Leicester, Derby, Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton.

  My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office launched the first of 20 safer cities crime prevention projects in Wolverhampton on 7 April.
  152
  Two successful breakfast presentations to senior business men have been held in Newcastle and Leeds, with others to follow in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London. They have helped to encourage business interest in inner city regeneration, and nearly 100 companies have made positive offers of help.

  Over 40 inquiries have been received from companies, employer groups and other organisations about the schools-industry compacts initiative, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has written to major employers inviting them to take advantage of development funds available to establish compacts.

  Several possible projects have been identified for potential support under the local enterprise agency project scheme. New city action teams based in Leeds and Nottingham, in addition to those already established in Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne are helping to pull together the various Government programmes involved and to sustain the momentum of local regeneration. At neighbourhood level, 16 inner city task forces support projects which open up job and enterprise opportunities for local residents. They have to date made contact with some 400 companies.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response there has been to the Europe Open for Business campaign.

  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response he has had to his plans for preparing British companies for completion of the internal market in 1992.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Government are already taking a number of measures to alert business to the single European market and the vital importance of preparing for it now. These include regional conferences, detailed literature, national advertising and a telephone hotline. The single market campaign will run until 1992 but its exact form will be continually assessed in the light of current needs.

  Govan Shipbuilders
  Mr. Milian
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if any decision has yet been reached on the possible sale of Govan Shipbuilders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. British Shipbuilders are still negotiating with Kvaerner Industries.

  Space Research
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on his policy towards British participation in space research projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) on 18 April 1988 at columns 350–51.

  Car Production
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures for car production in the United Kingdom.
  153
  Mr. Atkins
  Provisional figures indicate that production of passenger cars in March 1988 was 106,000 units, seasonally adusted.

  Timber Industry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the timber industry to discuss the future of home-produced timber; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My ministerial colleagues and I are in close touch with representatives of markets for home-produced and other timber, but I have not yet met representatives of the producers of such timber.

  Spearhead Single Market Database
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what type of information will be made available to business through the Spearhead single market database.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Spearhead database gives information on current and prospective measures in the single market programme and gives access to the full texts of the relevant Community legislation. It provides details of measures which have been adopted by the Community, but which have not yet entered into force; summaries of proposals under discussions, together with contacts in the appropriate Government Departments; and information on other proposals which the Commission has said it intends to table between now and 1992.

  Balance of Trade (West Germany)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the most recently available figure for the balance of trade with West Germany.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the 12 months to March 1988, United Kingdom visible trade with FR Germany was in deficit by £6·8 billion on the overseas trade statistics basis.

  Schools and Industry
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress he is making towards achieving his specific objectives for forging closer links between schools and industry.

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

  In addition, the Government's policy statement "Action of Cities", announced by the Prime Minister on 7 March contained a range of initiatives including the Department of Employment's proposals to develop compacts. initially in 12 of the urban programme areas.
  154
  My Department will be working closely with DES and MSC to foster these partnerships and a wide range of other links between schools and business.

  British Shipbuilders
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the future of British Shipbuilders.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have received a number of representations.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of British Shipbuilders; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I remain in close touch with the chairman of British Shipbuilders on the full range of issues currently of concern to the corporation.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of British Shipbuilders; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I remain in close touch with the chairman of British Shipbuilders on the full range of issues currently of concern to the corporation.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will discuss with the Post Office Director of Counters the practicality of making poll tax payable through post offices.

  Mr. Butcher
  This would be a commercial matter for negotiation between the Post Office and the statutory levying authorities and I have no plans to discuss it with the Post Office.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the increase in manufacturing productivity in Britain since 1979; and what is the comparable record of the United Kingdom's major industrial competitors.

  Mr. Butcher
  Between 1979 and 1987, output per head in the manufacturing sector increased by 37 per cent. The comparable increases for our major competitors are:

  Percentage

  Italy1

  35

  USA

  31

  Japan

  26

  Canada

  24

  France1

  19

  Germany

  16

  1 First three quarters of 1987 only.

  Source:

  United Kingdom: CSO.

  countries: OECD and IMF.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the most recent figure for output in manufacturing industry; and what was the figure for the same months 14 years ago.

  Mr. Butcher
  In February 1988 manufacturing output was at a level of 110·3, based on 1980 equal to 100. This
  155
  is over 1 per cent, higher than the level of 109·0 for February 1974. But my hon. Friend will appreciate that monthly data can be erratic. A firmer basis for comparison would be that in the three months to February 1988, manufacturing output was over 2 per cent. higher than in the same period 14 years ago and over 21 per cent. higher than in the trough of the recession in 1981.

  Local Businesses
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to improve communications between his Department and business at a local level.

  Mr. Atkins
  The close communications which my Department's regional offices already maintain with business is being reinforced at the local level by the opening of some 24 satellite offices throughout England making 35 local offices in all. DTI regional offices have a particular responsibility for marketing the DTI services for business described in the White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" laid before the House in January and to which business response has been excellent.

  In addition, 16 task forces and eight city action teams have been set up part of whose role is to assist companies wishing to become involved in urban regeneration. With Ministers from other Departments I am meeting senior representatives of business and industry at a series of working breakfasts to highlight opportunities for them in the inner cities.

  Inner City Renewal
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how he plans to increase further private sector investment in inner city renewal.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government will encourage greater private investment in inner cities through the new and expanded urban development corporations, city grant, which bridges the gap between cost and profitability and by other new measures aimed at small firms, including support under the enterprise initiative to help inner city businesses improve their performance. We also intend to increase the supply of managed accommodation for new businesses in inner cities through English Estates. Locally, city action teams and task forces will continue to work in partnership with business. Ministers are giving a series of breakfast presentations to senior business men in major cities to give companies practical advice about how they can help the drive to make the deprived districts of their own city more prosperous and how the Government can support them.

  Council of Ministers (Shipbuilding)
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last discussed shipbuilding within the European Community's Council of Ministers; and what was the content of the discussions.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I last discussed shipbuilding matters in the Council of Ministers in December 1987. The topic was the Renaval programme of assistance to regions affected by the Community-wide decline in merchant shipbuilding. At that meeting I pressed hard for rapid progress to be made on the scheme. Detailed negotiations are continuing.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the principal objectives of his Department's advertising and promotional activities.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The emphasis of DTI policies as set out in the White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" is on transferring information particularly to small and medium sized companies. Advertising and related promotional activities are quick and efficient ways of achieving improved communications with business. We are particularly seeking to improve business managers' knowledge of the services available to companies under the enterprise initiative, the variety of ways in which companies can work with Government in regenerating inner cities, the need to prepare for the European single market in 1992 and the opportunities for trade and investment in Japan.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's planned spending on(a) television advertising and (b) press advertising in the current year.

  Mr. Butcher
  The overall press and television advertising plans for DTI in the current year are still under discussion. Major commitments during the first three months of 1988–89 are as follows:

  Television £ million

  Press £ million

  Single European Market Campaign

  3·8

  0·62

  Enterprise Initiative Campaign

  —

  0·63

  Mergers
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response to his recent paper on the policy and procedures of merger control.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The paper set out the conclusions of the review of mergers policy, and took account of views submitted during the course of the review. The main lines of these conclusions have been known for some time, and have attracted some public comment; but the paper did not formally invite responses, and my Department has received none.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made in planning his policy on privatisation of industries for which he is responsible of the extent to which standards of service to customers have been maintained in privatised industries.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The circumstances surrounding each privatisation are different and all relevant factors are taken into account in the planning of each new privatisation. However, I believe that standards of service to customers are more likely to be improved when the management of the business has full commercial freedom and is exposed to the pressures of a competitive market.

  Chemicals Industry
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what forecasts he has for the level of new investment in the chemicals industry in 1988.
  157
  Mr. Atkins
  The Chemical Industry Association's investment intentions survey for 1988 shows that capital spending in the chemical sector in 1988 is expected to rise to £1,740 million, which allowing for inflation is an increase of nearly 19 per cent. on 1987.

  Consumers Association
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the Consumers Association; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Butcher
  I met the chairman and director general of the Consumers Association on Wednesday 23 March and we discussed a number of topics relevant to consumers.

  Business (Best Practice)
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to promote best practice to British business.

  Mr. Atkins
  The enterprise initiative is a national programme which aims to raise the performance of management by promoting the use of best practice. The key element in the enterprise initiative is the six consultancy initiatives, covering marketing (including export marketing), design, quality, manufacturing systems, business planning, and financial and information systems. Their aim is to improve management skills in these key areas in small and medium-sized firms by encouraging them to use specialist outside advice.

  Other elements of the enterprise initiative, notably the business and education initiative and the research and technology initiative, are also concerned with technology transfer and encouraging the promotion of best practice throughout industry and commerce.

  Investment and Job Creation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to ensure that investment and the creation of employment will be secured in areas of high unemployment which have recently been classified as requiring the maximum level of regional support.

  Mr. Atkins
  The DTI, through its recently launched enterprise initiative, offers a range of incentives to encourage business development throughout the country. Regional selective assistance is available for investment projects undertaken by firms in assisted areas; regional enterprise grants are available for small firms in development areas with fewer than 25 employees to support investment and innovation projects; and in all asssisted and urban programme areas the DTI will pay two thirds of the cost of consultancy projects in marketing, design, quality, manufacturing systems, business planning, and financial and information systems.

  Drug Companies
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of capital investment by Britain's drug companies in(a) 1987 and (b)

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1986, the latest year for which investment data by industry are available, the net capital 158
  expenditure in the pharmaceutical products industry was £396 million, at current prices. The comparable figure for 1985 is £346 million.

  Source: Annual Census of Production.

  British National Space Centre
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any proposals to strengthen the British national space centre.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As announced in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) on 18 April 1988 at columns 350–51, Mr. Arthur Pryor has been appointed director general of the British national space centre. He will be reviewing the effectiveness of the centre as part of his new responsibilities.

  Robots
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the level of usage of robots in British industry; and what equivalent information he has about other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the level of usage of robots in British industry; and what equivalent information he has for other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

  Mr. Butcher
  Robots in use in British industry numbered 4,303 at the end of 1987. This shows a total increase of 14·5 per cent. and an increased growth rate of 30 per cent. on the previous year's figures.

  The table shows the level of usage of robots in the OECD countries in 1986. The figures are produced by the International Federation of Robotics.

  Country

  Robots in use in 1986

  Australia

  800

  Austria

  250

  Belgium

  1,050

  Denmark

  210

  Finland

  336

  Germany

  12,400

  France

  5,273

  Italy

  5,000

  Japan

  118,000

  Netherlands

  630

  New Zealand

  42

  Norway

  396

  Spain

  854

  Sweden

  2,383

  Switzerland

  382

  United Kingdom

  3,683

  United States of America

  25,000

  Canada

  11,753

  1 at the end 1983.

  Source: AFRI.

  No figures are available for the following OECD countries:

  Greece

  Luxembourg

  Iceland

  Portugal

  Ireland

  Turkey

  New Car Sales
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of new car sales for the first quarter of 1988.

  Mr. Atkins
  There were 584,832 new cars registered in the United Kingdom in the first quarter of 1988.

  Rover Group
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed takeover of Rover Group by British Aerospace.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since my statement on 29 March we have received 25 letters on this subject.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made to ensure the implementation of GATT agreements with Japan to protect the Scotch whisky industry from discriminatory import taxation.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  This issue was high on the agenda when my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Takeshita, last week. Mr. Takeshita was left in no doubt that we attach the greatest importance to a speedy resolution of this problem, with the introduction of a non-discriminatory tax system which allows Scotch whisky to compete on equal terms with other spirits. He undertook to take a personal interest in the resolution of this issue.

  Confectionery Companies
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to prevent the acquisition of British confectionery companies by Swiss interests.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. Each individual case will be for consideration in the normal way under the provisions of the Fair Trading Act.

  Investigation Policy
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his policy on investigation under the Companies Act 1985 and the Financial Services Act 1986.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has been reviewing the investigation powers and procedures under these Acts in the light of recent experience of operating them.

  Fair and efficient markets depend on effective enforcement of the law and of self-regulatory requirements. Investigation powers have a key role to play in this. Their purpose is to discover the facts so that, if there has been misconduct, appropriate prosecution or regulatory action can be taken. The value of the existing powers is demonstrated by the results obtained. In the last two years, for example, following investigations under the Companies Act, criminal proceedings were brought in 28 cases involving the management of 47 companies and leading to penalties ranging from fines to, in one instance,
  160
  imprisonment for 15 years. In addition, 61 companies were wound up in the public interest and nine people were disqualified from acting as directors. In the relatively short time that the Financial Services Act investigation powers have been in force, two people have been convicted of insider dealing as a direct result of investigations by inspectors, and legal proceedings are in train in two further cases.

  These results demonstrate the contribution which the investigation powers make to the detection of malpractice. But, of course, not all investigations reveal malpractice. Their purpose is to find out the facts so that decisions can be taken on whether further action is needed. None of the investigation powers can be used unless there is a good reason. Some of the powers have higher thresholds. There is no question of the Secretary of State having the power to undertake "witch hunts", as has been suggested. But when in my judgment the statutory criteria are met, the Department will continue to use the powers when circumstances make it appropriate to do so. In exercising my discretion, we shall apply the same broad standards as our predecessors have done.

  My Department has recently completed a review of existing investigation powers and procedures with a view
  to ensuring that investigations are undertaken as effectively and quickly as is compatible with a thorough and fair inquiry.

  The review concluded that in general the present range of powers matched the different purposes and circumstances of investigation required in the United Kingdom, but that there was a need for more scope and flexibility in the way they could be used and for clarification of some of the provisions to improve efficiency.

  Accordingly, it is intended to introduce the proposed
  changes to the law at the next convenient opportunity:—

  (i) enabling the general powers of company investigation under Section 432 of the Companies Act also to be used in certain cases (broadly suspected fraud, misfeasance or misconduct) when the prime purpose is to consider the case for prosecution or regulatory action and there is no intention to publish a report;

  (ii) strengthening various powers, including extending the existing powers to seek a search warrant for relevant books and papers and (subject to the Secretary of State's approval) to obtain information about relevant bank accounts, and tidying up the provisions on freezing share dealings;

  (iii) extending the existing powers to recover the cost of investigations from persons who are convicted on a prosecution instituted as a result of an investigation;

  (iv) enabling the Secretary of State to appoint outsiders to undertake inquiries under Section 447 of the Companies Act;

  (v) simplifying the exchange of information between DTI investigators involved in different cases;

  (vi) enabling the Secretary of State to terminate insider dealing investigations when no further purpose would be served by continuing and to terminate Companies Act inspections when it is more appropriate for further action to be handled by the serious fraud office or, in Scotland, through the Lord Advocate.

  The review also concluded that, because of growing international links in corporate activity, and to help improve mutual co-operation with other countries, it would be helpful if the United Kingdom could do more than at present to assist overseas regulators. We are therefore also considering whether to introduce provisions for the Secretary of State to exercise powers to assist overseas regulatory authorities in some situations in which he cannot at present, when he is satisfied there is good reason to do so. We will bring forward proposals in due course if we do decide to proceed.
  161
  Additionally, steps will be taken to ensure more guidance and support for outside inspectors, closer working between DTI staff and outside inspectors and more use of criminal lawyers in investigation work.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has also reviewed the practice on announcing investigations. In the case of major investigations with a wider public interest, mounted under sections 432 and 442 of the Companies Act, that normally lead to a published report, it is clearly right to announce these when they are set up. This is existing practice as regards investigations into public companies, and I propose to extend it to such investigations into private companies. Inquiries under section 447 are much more limited in scope and are intended only to look at the books and papers of a company and seek explanations of them. It has never been the practice to announce these and the Department is satisfied that this should continue to be the case. Public announcement would undermine the effectiveness of the inquiries and would unduly damage the business of the companies concerned. We would consider confirming the existence of such an inquiry only if it had already been announced by the company concerned and no further prejudicial consequence was involved in such confirmation. The same applies to inquiries under section 105 of the Financial Services Act.

  Insider dealing investigations under section 177 of the Financial Services Act involve independent inspectors, but the reports are not published. The purpose is to ascertain whether there has been a contravention of the Company Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 and in appropriate cases the investigation may lead to prosecution. We have decided that, in the main, the interests of efficiency and justice are best served by not normally announcing or confirming these investigations. However, the Department will consider making an announcement if it is in the public interest, for example, if public officials are thought to be involved or if there has already been publicity for an investigation and we judge that it would be less damaging to the individuals or organisations concerned and appropriate in the circumstances if I were to acknowledge the existence of an investigation.

  Finally, the Department has reviewed the resources available within my Department for investigation and related work. Resources have been considerably increased over recent years and the results are now beginning to be seen as staff gain experience. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has concluded that a further increase in resources devoted to this work is needed in order to speed up the handling of the cases. He has also decided that to improve co-ordination, key enforcement activities of the Department should be brought together in one division. These functions include decisions on cases where it is appropriate to undertake investigations under the powers in the Companies and Financial Services Acts; carrying out investigations under section 447 of the Companies Act; liaison with outside inspectors; determination of appropriate action when reports are received; and the prosecution of offences for which the Department has particular responsibility, including insider dealing and other offences under the companies legislation, and insolvency offences.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. Butcher
  My Department has set a target reduction of 5 per cent. in energy usage for 1988–89; the target for electricity usage for lighting is 7 per cent. Investment in energy-efficiency measures, including the introduction of energy-efficient lighting equipment, will amount to £228,000 in 1988–89.

TRANSPORT

  Motorway Network
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend the motorway network.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are continuing to develop the motorway network to meet both present and future traffic needs. We have 60 miles of new motorway and motorway improvements currently under construction. We plan to start work on a further 150 miles over the next five years.

  Traffic Growth
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's estimates are for traffic growth in 1990, 1995 and 2000.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department's estimates of traffic growth between 1987 and the dates requested are as follows:

  Low growth per cent.

  High growth per cent.

  1987–1990

  4

  8

  1987–1995

  9

  19

  1987–2000

  12

  28

  The estimates are presented as a range to reflect uncertainty about factors underlying traffic growth, such as GDP and fuel prices. They are based on the forecasts given in "National Road Traffic Forecasts, 1984", issued by the Department in March, 1985.

  The Department's forecasts are of long-term growth, and cannot sensibly be used to forecast annual growth rates in specific future years.

  1987 has been used as a base year because that is the latest year for which observed national traffic data are available. It is normal practice to base forecasts on the latest available traffic data. so that they take account of all past trends.

  Road Improvements
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he plans to ensure that plans for road improvements keep pace with traffic growths up to the year 2000.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are continuing to develop the trunk road network. We have a large new construction and
  163
  improvement programme worth some £5 billion. It is regularly reviewed. Schemes are added as the need is identified.

  Humberside Airport
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the plans of the Civil Aviation Authority to carry out a formal investigation, with a view to prosecution of officials of Humberside airport and on the response to such plans from the general manager of the airport: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We understand that the Civil Aviation Authority has no plans for investigation or prosecution of Humberside airport officials.

  Motor Cycles (Leg Protectors)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the comments which he has received from individual motor cyclists and from the British Motorcyclists Federation, regarding his proposals for leg protectors; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We welcome the stimulus to research by motor cycle manufacturers into the serious problem of leg injuries that has resulted from the widespread public debate about suitable protector design. Over 13,000 motor cyclists a year receive in-patient hospital treatment following road accidents, most of these accidents occur at low speeds—under 30mph. Over 60 per cent. of the serious injuries they suffered were to their legs, often leading to permanent disability. We circulated a draft specification for leg protectors to interested organisations for comments last July. This has generated a great deal of correspondence, including co-ordinated letter-writing campaigns. Unfortunately, some of the criticism was ill-informed.

  We propose to work closely with manufacturers and other expert bodies over the next year in developing solutions to the leg injury problem. A letter has gone to the organisations consulted last July outlining how the research is to be carried forward over the next 12 months and making it clear that they will be included in consultation on the fruits of this co-operative effort next summer. Copies are available in the Library.

  The Department will wish to be thoroughly assured of the safety benefits of any specification, whether the proposal that emerges is recommended as a requirement for all new vehicles, or might be prescribed as a safety standard for manufacturers to use when offering leg protectors as an option to their customers.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) 8 March,Official Report, Columns 27–28, what is the maximum velocity of impact that flasks carrying plutonium are expected to withstand under the most stringent current international standards.
  164
  Mr. David Mitchell
  The International Atomic Energy Agency regulations require flasks to withstand a free drop of 9 m with a terminal velocity of 30 mph, on to any unyielding target. This is equivalent to an impact of about 65 mph on to hard rock or 75 mph on to concrete. The IAEA is currently reviewing these standards in relation to the transport of plutonium by air. In the meantime, British Nuclear Fuels plc is designing a flask to meet the United States regulatory criteria which involve an impact velocity of 288 mph.

  Transport Infrastructure Projects
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines on the scope of possible projects he has given to private sector companies considering making proposals for private sector-sponsored transport infrastructure projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has written to a number of prominent firms in the finance and construction industries inviting their ideas in general terms on the possibilities for private sector infrastructure projects. He has asked them to put forward ideas for building and operating infrastructure in ways which are more cost-effective than current methods and preferably to look for novel concepts which will complement existing and planned public sector provision. The firms have also been provided with a copy of the paper which the Government put to the civil engineering EDC clarifying the Ryrie rules.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specific proposals from private sector companies for private sector sponsored transport infrastucture projects he has received since 1 January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of ideas on privately funded infrastructure projects this year including suggestions for:

  —a road tunnel under the Thames

  —a second tier on the M25

  —a rail link to the Channel tunnel

  —improvements to the public transport surface access to Heathrow airport

  —a light rapid transit system for Avon.

  A large number of more general ideas have also been put forward recently, largely in response to my right hon. Friend's letter of March 28 to firms in the finance and construction industries inviting their views on privately financed transport infrastructure projects.

  London Underground
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in each of the past five years people have fallen in front of London Underground trains.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The table shows how many incidents have been reported where people have fallen under trains on all the lines of London Underground Limited during the last four years. Figures for 1983 are not readily available.
  165

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  Trespassers

  19

  10

  5

  19

  9

  5

  15

  9

  —

  20

  1

  4

  Suicides

  22

  3

  —

  24

  10

  1

  33

  6

  —

  20

  10

  1

  Others

  1

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  3

  4

  —

  1

  —

  176

  Totals

  42

  13

  5

  47

  19

  6

  51

  19

  —

  41

  11

  81

  1 A new reporting order was introduced from 1 January 1987 which has resulted in more comprehensive reporting of minor injuries.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assurances he has received from British Rail as to whether the planned fleet of high speed passenger trains operating through the Channel tunnel will be able to use existing British Rail lines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is an essential in the specification for these trains that they must be able to operate satisfactorily on existing electrified British Rail lines.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cereals
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated increase or decrease in production in percentage terms of(a) wheat, (b) barley and (c) maize in 1988 by comparison with 1987 (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in the EEC as a whole.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Given the significance of the weather for cereal yields, it is not possible to produce a reliable forecast of United Kingdom cereal production before the harvest. However, the latest forecasts of Community production of cereals in 1988 produced by the European statistical office show the following changes when compared with the provisional production figures for 1987:

  Percentage change

  Common Wheat

  7·7

  Durum Wheat

  -3·1

  Barley

  1·0

  Maize

  5·4

  Other Cereals

  0·6

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all Forestry Commission district offices in England have been circulated with a copy of the statement made by the Secretary of State for the Environment on behalf of their two Ministries on 16 March and whether the Forestry Commission has issued instructions to all districts on the implementation of the guidelines contained in that statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I confirm that a copy of the statement was sent to all Forestry Commission forest district offices in England on 16 March. Further instructions to the forest districts must await the guidance letter which I promised in the statement and which is in preparation. In the meantime, the commission is delaying decisions on grant applications likely to be affected by the new policy.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has any evidence of morbidity in babies resulting from the drinking of milk from animals treated with bovine somatotropin.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department has no such evidence.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the trials being carried out at the AFRC Institute for grassland and animal production on bovine somatotropin will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Field trials on bovine somatotropin (and all other medicinal products) must be conducted under the authority of an animal test certificate issued under the Medicines Act 1968. Such certificates are granted for two years but are normally renewable. I cannot, at this stage, therefore, give a completion date.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to draw up guidelines for the commercial administration of bov:ine somatotropin, including monitoring of performance and health.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  We are not yet in a position to draw up such guidelines.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Ministry charges fees for subject access to personal records, only for requests from members of the public, not from employees. To date, no requests for access have been received from members of the public and, therefore, no revenue has been received.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To date, my Ministry has received 37 applications for subject access to personal data. The applications relate to a total of 121 registrations under the Act and all have been from Ministry employees.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food how many of the badgers taken in each parish for 1986 and 1987, respectively, were subsequently found to be carrying tuberculosis.
  167
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The number of badgers found to be positive for bovine tuberculosis on post mortem are shown in the following table.

  Parishes where badgers may be removed automatically

  County and Parish

  1986

  1987

  Avon

  Batheaston

  0

  10

  Cold Ashton

  2

  1

  English Combe

  0

  10

  Hawkesbury

  0

  2

  St. Catherine

  0

  10

  Cornwall

  Camborne

  10

  1

  Helland

  0

  10

  Kirkhampton

  10

  10

  Linkinhorne

  10

  2

  Ludgvan

  10

  0

  Michaelstow

  0

  10

  Merwenstowe

  10

  0

  Sancreed

  3

  10

  South Hill

  2

  2

  Stithians

  2

  10

  Stoke Climsland

  10

  0

  St. Gulvias

  2

  10

  St. Just

  8

  10

  St. Neot

  0

  10

  St. Veep

  10

  9

  Wendron

  0

  7

  Devon

  Hartland

  10

  0

  Manaton

  10

  8

  Dorset

  Cheselbourne

  0

  1

  Stoke Abbott

  10

  3

  Gloucestershire

  Alderley

  10

  0

  Bisley with

  Lypiatt

  2

  1

  Boxwell with

  Leighterton

  10

  8

  Coates

  10

  0

  Edgeworth

  0

  0

  North Nibley

  1

  10

  Nympsfield

  0

  10

  Painswick

  10

  2

  Prestbury

  3

  0

  Standish

  11

  10

  Stinchcombe

  2

  10

  Stroud

  10

  2

  Uley

  0

  1

  Whittington

  3

  10

  Wotton Under

  Edge

  10

  10

  Somerset

  Cheddar

  10

  0

  Wiltshire

  Box

  7

  0

  Compton Bassett

  1

  10

  North Wraxall

  6

  10

  Dyfed

  Bettws Evan

  10

  0

  Llangeler

  0

  0

  Parishes where prior approval of the Consultative Panel on Badgers and Tuberculosis is required before removal

  Avon

  Pucklechurch

  0

  10

  168

  County and Parish

  1986

  1987

  Cornwall

  Davidstowe

  10

  3

  Menheniot

  10

  0

  St. Martin

  10

  0

  Devon

  Holsworthy

  10

  8

  Milton Damerel

  10

  1

  Sutcombe

  10

  3

  Thornbury

  10

  0

  Gloucester

  Brookthorpe

  10

  0

  Duntisbourne

  Rouse

  10

  7

  Moreton Valence

  4

  0

  Somerset

  Rodney Stoke

  10

  0

  Westbury sub

  Mendip

  10

  2

  Wiltshire

  Brokenborough

  10

  2

  Malmesbury St.

  Paul without

  10

  0

  Sherston

  10

  0

  Dyfed

  Llanddarog

  10

  0

  Llanwinio

  10

  0

  1 Denotes no badgers removed.

EMPLOYMENT

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to locate the Docklands liaison group in the Docklands.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no plans to re-locate the London docklands liaison group in the area covered by the London Docklands Development Corporation.

  A decision has been taken to retain the London docklands liaison group in the current location (Aldgate) because of its close proximity to the LDDC area and the operational advantages of being co-located with MSC's east London area office.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the main differences between the new job training scheme and the proposed new adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training combines the best features of a number of the existing programmes it will replace, including the community programme and the new job training scheme. A major new feature will be the training agent, who will carry out an objective initial assessment for each entrant and draw up a personal action plan, agreed with each individual, which will form the basis of their training programme. Employment training will be more flexible than new JTS, enabling participants to progress through a wide range of training options. These will include project-based training, enterprise training, placements with employers and an entitlement to at least 40 per cent. off-the-job training. The emphasis will
  169
  be on quality and wherever possible, training will lead to a recognised vocational qualification, or a credit towards one.

  Community Programme
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what would the community enterprise programme wage be now had it been increased in line with inflation since its inception.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The maximum average wage payable to adult employees on the community enterprise programme was £83 per week at its inception in April 1981. This would have risen to £116·60 per week if the programme still existed and the wage had risen in line with inflation.

  The community enterprise programme was superseded by the community programme in October 1982.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether community programme workers joining after 1 March and eligible to transfer to the new adult employment training scheme in September will incur benefit penalties if they leave at the end of their period of six months on wages.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Worsley (Mr. Lewis) on 24 March 1988, at column 164.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why the MSC has withdrawn funding and support for the training programme for black community programme managers in Birmingham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A training course to help black people to set up as independent sponsors of projects under the community programme commenced on 10 August 1987. The course is jointly sponsored by the MSC, Handsworth task force and the city of Birmingham local authority. The MSC has not withdrawn funding. The course reached its scheduled completion date on 6 May 1988.

  The MSC is arranging for the trainees involved in this course to be employed by community programme sponsors.

  Blind Persons (Reader Service)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have used the personal reader service for the blind in each year since its introduction.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The personal reader service for the blind was introduced into YTS in April 1986. in 1986–87, four trainees used the service, and in 1987–88 a further three. The service was introduced into new JTS in November 1987: no one on that scheme has used the service so far.

  Table A

  Total Employees in Employment

  Not Seasonally Adjusted Thousands

  South East

  Greater London

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorks and Humber

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  1986

  June

  7,349

  3,467

  762

  1,566

  2,017

  1,518

  1,786

  2,262

  1,078

  861

  1,888

  489

  September

  7,363

  3,467

  775

  1,577

  2,037

  1,514

  1,789

  2,271

  1,081

  863

  1,886

  488

  December

  7,403

  3,487

  784

  1,569

  2,050

  1,519

  1,795

  2,283

  1,086

  862

  1,874

  489

  Restart Programme
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will pro vide figures of the cost of the restart programme for the financial years 1986–87 and 1987–88, and an estimate of the cost of the programme for 1988–89; and what criteria and evaluative techniques are used to measure the success of the programme.

  Mr. Lee
  The main aim of the restart counselling programme is to contact all long-term unemployed people and to offer them positive help back to work.

  The main measures of success of the programme are the number of long-term unemployed people contacted, the number interviewed, and the percentage of those interviewed who are offered positive help. This information is collected monthly.

  Between July 1986 and March 1988, some 4·4 million people were contacted, 3·5 million interviewed and 89 per cent. of those offered positive help.

  The costs of the counselling programme are as follows:

  1986–87 £22 million.

  1987–88 £40 million (estimated outturn).

  1988–89 £41 million (estimate).

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide monthly figures from June 1986 to the most recent date for which information is available for(a) the number of employees in employment for each of the standard regions, (b) the unemployment figures by claimant count for each of the standard regions, (c) an estimation of how much of the reduction in unemployment by claimant count is a result of (i) people moving into full-time work. (ii) people moving into part-time work, (iii) community programmes and other adult schemes, (iv) people being removed from the claimant count by being offered other state benefits, (v) restart interviews leading to people removing themselves from the claimant count without work or training destination and (vii) people leaving the register as a result of claims investigations.

  Mr. Lee
  Following is the available information. Table A gives the number of employees in employment, which is available only quarterly, for each of the standard regions in the United Kingdom from June 1986 to the latest available date. Table B similarly shows seasonally adjusted adult unemployment monthly from June 1986.

  The information requested in part (c) is not available. It is impossible to make reliable estimates of the effect on the changes in the unemployment count of the various potential influences. During the period of strong economic growth and an improving jobs market, such as we are currently experiencing, many more people are encouraged to look for work. Some of the jobs were taken by people who were not previously unemployed claimants.
  171

  South East

  Greater London

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorks and Humber

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  1987

  March

  7,377

  3,454

  780

  1,555

  2,039

  1,505

  1,778

  2,259

  1,077

  852

  1,862

  485

  June

  7,448

  3,474

  795

  1,592

  2,051

  1,528

  1,802

  2,262

  1,090

  863

  1,886

  485

  September

  7,495

  3,503

  809

  1,591

  2,064

  1,540

  1,808

  2,268

  1,092

  873

  1,879

  493

  December

  7,552

  3,528

  819

  1,586

  2,093

  1,552

  1,817

  2,287

  1,099

  870

  1,878

  496

  Table B

  Total seasonally adjusted adult unemployment

  Thousands

  South East

  Greater London

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  1986

  June

  119·2

  404·6

  82·1

  203·4

  337·2

  197·2

  304·5

  437·6

  226·2

  174·9

  341·2

  125·7

  July

  778·5

  404·2

  82·6

  203·9

  337·0

  197·7

  304·3

  436·9

  225·9

  173·9

  343·0

  126·5

  August

  775·9

  403·5

  82·6

  203·3

  337·2

  198·2

  304·3

  434·9

  225·1

  172·9

  344·8

  127·4

  September

  769·2

  400·8

  81·9

  201·3

  334·9

  197·1

  302·5

  432·3

  223·2

  170·4

  345·4

  127·8

  October

  762·0

  397·5

  80·8

  199·6

  331·7

  196·1

  300·9

  428·3

  221·3

  169·0

  345·6

  128·1

  November

  755·5

  394·5

  80·7

  198·1

  331·3

  195·8

  299·1

  426·2

  221·6

  168·1

  346·5

  127·6

  December

  746·5

  390·5

  79·5

  195·3

  326·5

  193·4

  296·6

  422·7

  219·9

  166·0

  346·9

  127·4

  1987

  January

  744·0

  390·2

  79·6

  194·3

  324·9

  193·3

  295·3

  421·2

  218·9

  164·6

  348·6

  127·3

  February

  727·6

  381·6

  78·0

  191·1

  319·2

  191·3

  291·9

  416·3

  217·7

  161·5

  345·9

  126·1

  March

  716·1

  377·5

  77·0

  188·1

  316·1

  189·5

  293·5

  413·0

  216·2

  159·3

  343·3

  125·4

  April

  708·6

  373·5

  76·0

  186·9

  313·0

  189·3

  290·1

  410·8

  216·1

  158·6

  345·9

  126·0

  May

  692·8

  368·5

  74·0

  180·8

  305·8

  184·6

  281·7

  401·0

  211·9

  155·4

  336·8

  126·1

  June

  681·3

  362·9

  72·9

  179·2

  302·2

  182·8

  281·5

  398·9

  210·1

  154·1

  333·9

  125·5

  July

  668·0

  357·3

  71·3

  175·9

  296·4

  179·8

  276·2

  391·3

  206·3

  152·3

  330·7

  125·2

  August

  654·3

  351·0

  69·8

  172·7

  290·7

  176·3

  271·6

  385·5

  203·3

  150·8

  326·2

  124·6

  September

  639·8

  344·7

  68·1

  167·7

  284·2

  173·1

  266·9

  379·1

  200·9

  148·5

  320·3

  123·7

  October

  623·4

  338·4

  65·7

  162·9

  278·4

  169·1

  261·3

  372·0

  197·5

  145·2

  315·5

  122·7

  November

  603·9

  331·0

  62·7

  158·8

  272·0

  165·2

  256·3

  364·1

  193·5

  142·4

  311·3

  120·7

  December

  590·8

  326·2

  61·3

  156·7

  268·5

  163·1

  253·1

  360·6

  191·4

  140·2

  308·7

  119·7

  1988

  January

  572·9

  318·6

  59·6

  154·2

  262·5

  159·5

  248·8

  356·1

  188·5

  138·0

  306·2

  118·4

  February

  564·2

  318·0

  58·3

  151·8

  258·1

  158·2

  245·8

  351·2

  187·6

  136·8

  303·4

  117·2

  March

  557·1

  315·8

  57·0

  149·1

  254·8

  156·1

  243·4

  347·8

  187·0

  135·9

  300·1

  116·4

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to publicise successful prosecutions for unemployment benefit fraud in each region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  While my Department encourages publicity for large-scale fraud drives, we generally do not actively seek publicity for individual successful prosecutions.

  Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the benefit position of adult claimants who leave the proposed new employment training scheme for adults before the end of their agreed training programme, in relation to their previous level of benefit; and in what circumstances an adult claimant will face benefit penalties for either refusing to join, or leaving a place early, in the proposed employment training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  People who leave employment training early will be entitled to claim unemployment benefit or income support, provided that they meet the statutory conditions for entitlement to these benefits. The level of benefit of those who have previously received these benefits may alter if their circumstances have changed 172
  while on the programme. Refusal of a place on employment training or leaving the programme early will not in themselves be grounds for refusal of benefit.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Pharmaceutical Services
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will test the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical services in National Health Service hospitals by putting them out to tender.

  Mr. Newton
  We encourage health authorities to consider the possibilities for securing greater cost-effectiveness in the provision of all NHS services. Going out to tender for a particular service is one such possibility, but we have no central initiative in mind to extend the range of services subject to mandatory tender action.

  Southern Derbyshire District Health Authority
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money Southern Derbyshire district health authority has spent in local authority rates in each year from 1978–79 to the present.

  Mr. Newton
  Following is information derived from the annual accounts of the Southern Derbyshire health authority since its establishment on 1 April 1982:
  173

  Total expenditure on contributions in lieu of rates

  £000

  1982–83

  1,096

  1983–84

  1,204

  1984–85

  1,388

  1985–86

  1,416

  1986–871

  1,669

  1 latest available.

  Note:

  Prior to 1 April 1982 the district health authority's predecessor health district formed part of the Derbyshire area health authority and district based figures were not collected centrally.

  Rates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the 10 district authorities in England with the highest percentage rate rises in the current year; and which of these authorities fall within the present criteria for possible rate capping.

  Mr. Newton
  Information on health authorities expenditure on contributions in lieu of rates is not collected in-year but is recorded in their annual accounts. Health authorities' annual accounts for the financial year 1987–88 are not due for submission to the Department until the end of June 1988 and information for that year will be available in the autumn.

  Acute Medical Care
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the health budget is allocated to acute medical care.

  Mr. Newton
  Estimated gross expenditure on acute hospital services represented 45 per cent. of total spending on the hospital and community health services for 1985–86.

  Nurse Contact Rate
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the district nurse contact rate for the over 65s in Trafford, Sheffield, Manchester City, West Lambeth and Stockport health authorities.

  Mr. Newton
  The available information is given in the table. Information is collected centrally on the number of persons treated by district nurses but not on the total number of treatments given.

  Number of persons and percentage of population, aged 65 and over, treated by district nurses during 1986

  District health authority

  Number of persons treated

  Percentage of population treated

  Trafford

  7,744

  23·4

  Sheffield

  16,066

  17·5

  Manchester Central

  2,315

  13·6

  West Lambeth

  1,426

  6·1

  Stockport

  8,942

  20·9

  Source: DHSS form LHS 27/3

  Disabled Persons (Rayner Scrutiny)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the results of 174
  the Rayner scrutiny on the supply and use of home equipment issued to temporarily or permanently disabled people in the community, commissioned by his Department in 1986.

  Mr. Newton
  This is currently under consideration.

  Consultant Urologists
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many consultant urologists are working in each health authority in England and Wales.

  Mr. Newton
  Figures are not available for all district health authorities. Information about medical staff is collected by employing authorities, which, for consultants, means regional health authorities, district health authorities designated for teaching purposes, and special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals in England, and district health authorities in Wales. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

  Table: Numbers of Consultants in post in Urology at 30 September 19861 in England and Wales

  Region

  Number (total) including:—

  DHA

  Number

  Northern

  13

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  4

  Yorkshire

  14

  Leeds Western

  2

  Leeds Eastern

  2

  Trent

  17

  Leicestershire

  3

  Nottingham

  4

  Sheffield

  4

  East Anglian

  11

  Cambridge

  3

  North West Thames

  12

  Parkside

  2

  Riverside

  5

  North East Thames

  29

  Hampstead

  1

  Bloomsbury

  13

  City and Hackney

  2

  Tower Hamlets

  3

  South East Thames

  24

  West Lambeth

  4

  Camberwell

  3

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  4

  South West Thames

  14

  Wandsworth

  3

  Wessex

  10

  Southampton and South West

  Hampshire

  2

  Oxford

  6

  Oxfordshire

  1

  South Western

  11

  Bristol and Weston

  2

  West Midlands

  20

  Central Birmingham

  2

  Mersey

  10

  Liverpool Central

  4

  North Western

  22

  Central Manchester

  2

  South Manchester

  5

  Salford

  2

  SHAS for the London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals

  Hospitals for Sick Children

  3

  Royal Marsden

  3

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlottes

  1

  Wales

  8

  Gwent

  1

  Mid-Glamorgan

  1

  South Glamorgan

  3

  West Glamorgan

  2

  Pembrokeshire

  1

  1 Including permanent paid, honorary and locum staff.

  Körner Information Forms
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is monitoring the time taken in filling out Körner information forms by physiotherapists and occupational therapists in(a) the Nottingham district health authority and (b) generally; and if he will make a statement on the cost effectiveness of such information gathering.

  Mr. Newton
  The Department is not monitoring the time taken to collect Körner information: this is a matter for authorities which are individually responsible for implementing Körner.

  A variety of systems are being used to collect data about physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The aim of collecting this and other information is to assist management and professional staff in ensuring that resources are effectively used. The cost-effectiveness of the work in the short-term will therefore depend on what it shows, and what is done with it.

  Electorates
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the 25 largest parliamentary constituencies by electorate, with their electorates; and what is the average constituency electorate on the current register.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:

  Parliamentary constituencies

  Electors on the 1988 Register

  Milton Keynes

  103,210

  Isle of Wight

  100,785

  East Hampshire

  90,013

  Huntingdon

  89,657

  Swindon

  89,138

  Westbury

  89,001

  Eastleigh

  88,994

  Devizes

  88,110

  Peterborough

  86,630

  South Colchester and Maldon

  86,493

  Cirencester and Tewkesbury

  86,219

  Wokingham

  85,427

  Ryedale

  85,380

  The Wrekin

  85,327

  Crosby

  84,766

  South Suffolk

  84,631

  North Colchester

  84,594

  North West Surrey

  84,343

  Dudley West

  84,329

  East Berkshire

  83,950

  Waveney

  83,830

  South West Cambridgeshire

  83,673

  Chelmsford

  83,604

  Horsham

  83,568

  North Wiltshire

  83,439

  Average constituency electorate

  United Kingdom

  67,237

  England

  69,689

  Schemes Under Construction

  Contract Dates Start

  Complete

  Estimated Completion

  Northern RHA

  Darlington Memorial Maternity Department

  7 March 1988

  7 May 1989

  7 May 1989

  Furness General Scheme 2 Phase 1

  6 April 1986

  21 July 1988

  5 September 1988

  Social Security Fraud
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to publicise successful prosecutions for social security fraud in each region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has not normally sought publicity for successful prosecutions. Where inquiries are made by members of the press following their attendance at court, regional information officers assist on matters of fact.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what revenue has been received by his Department since 11 November 1987 from the payment of fees for subject access to personal records, pursuant to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Portillo
  None. The Department does not charge a fee.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 for subject access to personal records held by his Department he has received since 11 November 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  At the close of business on Friday 6 May 1988, 364 applications had been received.

  Consultants (Suspected Fraud)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of suspected fraudulent claims by hospital consultants were investigated during 1987; in how many cases fraud was discovered; how much money was involved; and what further action is being taken to prevent further instances.

  Mr. Newton
  This information is not collected centrally. It is the responsibility of health authorities to carry out any necessary checks on claims submitted by all NHS employees, including consultants.

  NHS Capital Schemes
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by regional health authority and special health authority all capital schemes costing over £1 million which are currently in progress; and if he will give the estimated date of completion.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is included in the table.
  177

  Schemes Under Construction

  Contract Dates Start

  Complete

  Estimated Completion

  Hartlepool DGH Scheme 3 Phase 2

  4 January 1988

  4 April 1990

  4 April 1990

  Royal Victoria Infirmary Scheme 1 Phase 5

  4 January 1988

  4 July 1991

  4 July 1991

  South Cleveland GH Hemlington Brokerage (D)

  8 February 1988

  8 October 1989

  8 October 1989

  South Shields General Scheme 3 Phase 1

  24 January 1987

  25 January 1990

  25 January 1990

  St. Georges Hospital Boilerhouse

  29 June 1987

  29 December 1988

  7 November 1988

  Westmoreland DGH Scheme 1 Phase 1

  7 September 1987

  7 September 1990

  7 September 1990

  Yorkshire RHA

  Castle Hill Hospital Surgical Development

  23 November 1987

  11 February 1990

  11 February 1990

  High Royds Hospital Upgrading of Six Wards

  2 June 1986

  2 November 1988

  2 November 1988

  Hull Royal Infirmary PGMEC

  2 November 1987

  30 April 1989

  30 April 1989

  Pontefract Day Surgical Unit

  24 August 1987

  17 February 1989

  31 December 1988

  Scarborough Geriatric Day Hospital and Wards

  25 May 1987

  26 November 1988

  26 November 1988

  Scunthorpe DGH Phase 3B A and E Block

  15 September 1986

  10 October 1988

  10 October 1988

  Scunthorpe DGH Phase 4A(2) Four Storey Block

  20 July 1987

  18 August 1989

  18 August 1989

  Seacroft Hospital Leeds EPD Wards

  4 January 1988

  2 January 1989

  2 January 1989

  Staincliffe DGH Pathology Department (Extns and Imps)

  9 March 1987

  13 March 1989

  13 March 1989

  Staincliffe DGH Phase 1 (Nucleus)

  7 January 1985

  6 July 1988

  3 August 1988

  Trent RHA

  Bassetlaw DGH Phase 2

  30 June 1986

  22 September 1989

  6 October 1989

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary Childrens Unit

  20 October 1986

  6 November 1988

  6 November 1988

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary Phase 2 Path. Lab.

  17 August 1987

  9 September 1989

  9 September 1989

  Glenfield DGH Phase 2

  11 May 1987

  7 April 1990

  25 May 1990

  Kendray-Sub Phase 2B-Mental Illness Unit/Esmi

  2 November 1987

  7 August 1989

  7 August 1989

  Kings Mill—Mortuary and Histopathology

  13 April 1987

  22 July 1988

  22 August 1988

  Leicester Royal Infirmary Phase 4B

  26 October 1987

  1 July 1990

  1 July 1990

  Louth County

  28 September 1987

  12 February 1989

  12 February 1989

  Montagu Mexborough Wards and Theatres

  3 February 1986

  9 May 1988

  4 July 1988

  Northern General Renal Unit

  8 February 1988

  21 July 1989

  21 July 1989

  Pilgrim Hospital (Boston) Support Services

  6 April 1987

  30 September 1988

  12 October 1988

  Sheffield Childrens Phase 1 Development

  14 April 1986

  6 May 1988

  October 1988

  East Anglian RHA

  Kings Lynn London Road Contract 2

  15 June 1987

  2 October 1988

  2 October 1988

  Northgate—Conv. of Maternity Unit to Geriatric

  8 June 1987

  2 January 1989

  2 September 1988

  North West Thames RHA

  Central Middlesex Psychiatric Unit

  18 November 1985

  16 November 1987

  31 March 1988

  Charing Cross G.U. Unit

  2 November 1987

  7 October 1988

  7 October 1988

  Clayponds Geriatric Unit (Nucleus)

  1 February 1987

  14 October 1988

  14 October 1988

  Colindale Psychogeriatric Hospital

  9 November 1987

  7 August 1989

  7 August 1989

  Edgware General Hospital

  28 October 1985

  1 July 1988

  1 July 1938

  Gossoms End Day Unit

  23 February 1987

  10 October 1988

  10 October 1938

  Hemel Hempstead Phase 2—Unit for the Elderly

  1 February 1988

  10 November 1989

  10 November 1939

  Lister Residential Accommodation

  12 March 1984

  10 June 1985

  10 June 1985

  Marjory Waren Medical Centre

  2 November 1987

  1 November 1988

  1 November 1938

  Mount Vernon Medical Block

  18 May 1987

  18 December 1987

  24 February 1938

  North London Blood Transfusion Centre—Enabling Weeks

  1 June 1987

  14 October 1988

  14 October 1988

  North London Blood Transfusion Centre

  1 June 1987

  14 October 1988

  14 October 1988

  OE 11 Reorganisation of Acute Facilities Phase 1

  3 August 1987

  26 November 1989

  26 November 1989

  St. Alban's Redevelopment of Main Phase

  17 November 1986

  23 January 1989

  31 January 1989

  St. Stephen's Aids Centre

  27 April 1987

  1 April 1988

  1 April 1988

  North East Thames RHA

  Barking Elderly Care Services Department

  April 1987

  December 1988

  10 February 1989

  Chingford M.I. Residential and Day Unit

  4 January 1988

  3 February 1989

  3 February 1989

  Clacton Community Hospital Phase 2

  1 December 1986

  28 February 1988

  17 May 1988

  East Ham Memorial Accommodation for Mentally Ill

  4 January 1988

  30 June 1989

  30 June 1989

  Harold Wood Phase 2 School of Nursing

  6 May 1986

  8 September 1987

  29 April 1988

  High Wood—Extension to Laurels

  27 April 1987

  8 July 1988

  21 September 1988

  London Hospital (Mile End)

  2 February 1987

  29 April 1989

  1 May 1989

  North Middlesex Geriatric and Catering

  17 March 1986

  16 March 1988

  16 June 1988

  Rochford Geriatric Wards

  June 1986

  March 1988

  27 June 1988

  St. Ann's Geriatric Unit

  3 August 1987

  27 January 1989

  31 March 1989

  St. Ann's M.I. Day Hospital and ESMI

  6 October 1986

  30 November 1987

  3 May 1988

  Whipps Cross Phase 1

  18 April 1988

  19 November 1990

  19 November 1990

  Whittington Redevelopment Phase 1

  2 November 1987

  13 August 1990

  13 August 1990

  South East Thames RHA

  Eastbourne New DGH Phase 2

  23 June 1986

  31 December 1988

  31 December 1988

  Faversham Hospital Geriatric Wards

  2 March 1987

  2 June 1988

  2 June 1988

  Hastings DGH Pre-phase Works

  23 June 1986

  22 December 1987

  16 February 1988

  Medway DGH Phase 38

  6 October 1986

  31 March 1989

  14 June 1989

  R.V.H. Folkestone Phase 2

  2 March 1987

  25 November 1988

  25 November 1988

  Regional Distribution Centre

  17 December 1987

  13 October 1988

  13 October 1988

  178 179

  Schemes Under Construction

  Contract Dates Start

  Complete

  Estimated Completion

  St. Thomas' Hospital—South Wing

  1 June 1987

  31 May 1989

  31 May 1989

  South West Thames RHA

  Bognor Community Hospital

  1 February 1988

  30 July 1990

  30 July 1990

  Crawley Hospital Phase 4

  13 October 1986

  12 August 1988

  April 1988

  Earls Court Ambulance Station

  28 September 1987

  27 February 1989

  27 February 1989

  East Surrey DGH Phase 2 Frame Contract

  23 November 1987

  22 May 1990

  22 May 1990

  Horsham Hospital Mental Illness Unit

  7 September 1987

  7 June 1989

  7 June 1989

  Mid Sussex Phase 1

  14 July 1986

  13 July 1989

  30 November 1989

  Royal Surrey County Guildford Phase 2

  1 September 1986

  30 November 1989

  30 November 1989

  St. George's Phase 2 A and E Extension

  9 November 1987

  14 August 1988

  14 August 1988

  Wessex RHA

  Bournemouth DGH—Phase 1 (Nucleus)

  6 August 1984

  6 May 1987

  4 August 1988

  Odstock Hospital Salisbury—Phase 1 (Nucleus)

  4 January 1988

  24 May 1991

  24 May 1991

  Poole General Hospital—ESNI Assessment Unit—Day Hospital

  20 July 1987

  19 July 1989

  19 July 1989

  Royal United Bath—Operating Theatres

  28 November 1985

  14 February 1989

  7 March 1989

  St. Ann's Canford Cliffs—Extension Contract 1

  19 October 1987

  10 July 1989

  27 July 1989

  St. Martin's Bath Geriatric Wards

  27 May 1987

  8 March 1989

  8 March 1989

  St. Mary's Portsmouth

  24 August 1987

  22 November 1989

  22 November 1989

  St. Mary's—Isle of Wight—Phase 38 (Nucleus)

  28 October 1985

  11 September 1988

  14 May 1989

  Westbury Replacement of Sambourne Hospital

  4 January 1988

  21 May 1989

  21 May 1989

  Oxford RHA

  Buckingham—Phase 1

  23 November 1987

  25 October 1989

  25 October 1989

  Heatherwood Catering Pharmacy Workshops and Stores

  7 December 1987

  31 August 1989

  31 August 1989

  John RadclifTe Hospital—Phase 3

  26 May 1987

  25 November 1988

  25 November 1988

  Kettering—New Theatres and Spencer Ward

  20 July 1987

  9 January 1989

  9 January 1989

  Milton Keynes DGH—NI Unit

  18 May 1987

  14 April 1989

  14 April 1989

  Stoke Mandeville—OPD—Hospice

  4 January 1988

  3 July 1989

  3 July 1989

  Stoke Mandeville—Pathology

  5 October 1987

  3 February 1989

  3 February 1989

  Wexham Park—Rehabilitation Unit

  19 November 1986

  17 August 1988

  17 August 1988

  South Western RHA

  Cheltenham General Phase 18

  19 August 1985

  16 May 1988

  1 August 1988

  Cirencester Memorial Replacement and ESNI Beds

  6 January 1986

  15 August 1988

  30 April 1988

  Frenchay DGH Phase 1

  7 July 1986

  3 March 1989

  14 July 1989

  Glenside Sub—regional Secure Unit

  5 January 1987

  5 July 1988

  5 July 1988

  Gloucester Royal Phase 4B

  7 April 1986

  13 January 1989

  13 January 1989

  South Molton Hospital Geriatric and GP Unit

  24 February 1986

  19 February 1988

  6 April 1988

  Southmead Hospital—Pathology Phase 1

  16 March 1987

  27 March 1989

  27 March 1989

  Torbay DGH Geriatric Wards

  1 February 1988

  18 August 1989

  18 August 1989

  Williton New Geriatric Hospital

  24 November 1986

  26 August 1988

  26 August 1988

  West Midlands RHA

  Bromyard Community Hospital

  16 June 1986

  4 September 1988

  13 May 1988

  Burton (Outwoods) Psychiatric/Temporary Maternity

  22 September 1986

  19 March 1988

  2 June 1988

  Burton on Trent DGH (Central Production Unit)

  13 October 1986

  27 May 1988

  27 May 1988

  City General Stoke Surgical Accomm. (Nucleus)

  11 March 1985

  2 September 1988

  4 September 1988

  Dudley—Guest Rehabilitation Unit

  6 April 1987

  6 October 1988

  6 October 1988

  Edward Street—Psychiatric/Geriatric

  1 September 1986

  28 November 1988

  8 December 1988

  Good Hope Phase 2

  6 January 1986

  1 February 1988

  31 May 1988

  Good Hope Phase 3A

  7 July 1986

  3 January 1988

  30 April 1988

  Queen Elizabeth Birmingham—Phase 3 Contract 1

  7 April 1986

  31 July 1988

  1 September 1988

  Telford DGH Phase 1 (Nucleus)

  26 November 1984

  26 May 1988

  31 June 1988

  Walsall Phase 4A and 4B (Nucleus)

  7 January 1985

  7 July 1988

  2 October 1988

  Mersey RHA

  Alder Hey Paed. Cardiology and Inst. of Child Health

  18 March 1985

  18 September 1987

  April 1988

  Broadgreen Development Phase 1 (Nucleus)

  6 January 1986

  4 January 1988

  31 May 1988

  Clatterbridge Medical Unit (Nucleus)

  October 1986

  September 1988

  4 October 1988

  Fazakerley Hospital Acute M.I. Unit

  11 May 1987

  3 June 1988

  8 July 1988

  St. Helens Redevelopment Phase 1 Boiler House

  7 April 1986

  3 January 1988

  30 July 1988

  Warrington DGH Phase B (Nucleus)

  17 March 1986

  30 April 1988

  30 April 1988

  North Western RHA

  Chorley DGH Geriatric Unit

  29 June 1987

  25 December 1988

  24 January 1989

  Fairfield Phase 1

  5 July 1985

  1 February 1988

  15 April 1988

  Manchester Royal Infirmary Catering Block

  1 September 1987

  27 November 1989

  22 May 1989

  Manchester Royal Infirmary Phase 2

  14 July 1986

  13 January 1990

  5 January 1990

  Manchester Royal Infirmary Service Complex

  1 September 1986

  23 September 1988

  23 September 1988

  Oldham DGH Phase 1

  11 February 1985

  7 February 1988

  16 March 1988

  Queens Park Blackburn Phase 1 Paediatric

  4 June 1984

  4 June 1986

  18 March 1987

  Royal Preston Pathology Phase 2

  28 September 1987

  28 November 1989

  28 November 1989

  Whelley Hospital Phase 1

  26 May 1987

  24 November 1989

  24 November 1989

  180 181

  Schemes Under Construction

  Contract Dates Start

  Complete

  Estimated Completion

  Non RHA

  Blood Products Manufacturing Unit Elstree

  1 May 1983

  1 November 1985

  30 April 1988

  Great Ormond Street Boiler Plant Replacement

  18 August 1986

  30 June 1988

  30 June 1988

  Hammersmith Hospital Redevelopment Phase 1

  September 1985

  May 1988

  31 March 1988

  Maudsley Hospital Redevelopment Phase 1A

  1 June 1987

  23 October 1988

  21 November 1988

  Moorsfields Eye Hospital—Redevelopment Phase 2B

  5 February 1988

  National Heart and Chest Centre Brompton Phase I

  2 March 1987

  23 July 1989

  23 July 1989

  Total number of schemes = 134

  National Insurance Liability
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to prevent the avoidance of national insurance contribution liability through the payment of earnings in gilt.

  Mr. Portillo
  There has been an increase in the practice of paying part of remuneration in gilts to directors and other highly paid personnel. This is a device which avoids national insurance contribution liability. I have therefore today laid before the House regulations (The Social Security (Contributions) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 1988) withdrawing the exemption from national insurance contributions which currently applies to gilts and other debt instruments. The regulations will have effect from tomorrow.

  Hospital qualified midwives13 At 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  671

  904

  880

  987

  1,017

  1,039

  Yorkshire

  826

  994

  1,056

  1,102

  1,133

  1,182

  Trent

  867

  1,268

  1,205

  1,216

  1,275

  1,295

  East Anglian

  456

  532

  511

  549

  550

  575

  North West Thames

  765

  906

  876

  903

  926

  947

  North East Thames

  930

  1,108

  1,188

  1,185

  1,208

  1,197

  South East Thames

  914

  1,006

  1,052

  1,056

  1,053

  1,114

  South West Thames

  638

  743

  737

  771

  791

  773

  Wessex

  667

  789

  785

  806

  819

  823

  Oxford

  497

  640

  691

  710

  728

  757

  South Western

  526

  712

  762

  766

  795

  819

  West Midlands

  1,020

  1,264

  1,400

  1,522

  1,579

  1,621

  Mersey

  525

  704

  700

  699

  715

  751

  North Western

  1,080

  1,296

  1,388

  1,379

  1,456

  1,474

  London Post-Graduate Special Health Authorities

  99

  164

  174

  147

  174

  178

  England Total

  10,480

  13,028

  13,403

  13,795

  14,219

  14,543

  Hospital qualified midwives employed in special care baby units1 at 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  29

  29

  33

  37

  37

  41

  Yorkshire

  35

  41

  59

  74

  88

  99

  Trent

  79

  91

  87

  83

  71

  71

  East Anglian

  37

  28

  22

  18

  26

  32

  North West Thames

  53

  61

  59

  56

  57

  62

  North East Thames

  39

  42

  45

  49

  53

  58

  South East Thames

  16

  28

  34

  56

  91

  70

  South West Thames

  24

  28

  24

  24

  40

  34

  Wessex

  28

  38

  46

  46

  44

  59

  Oxford

  18

  24

  37

  47

  40

  46

  South Western

  59

  46

  57

  54

  63

  70

  182
  Further action will be taken if it appears that other securities are being used to avoid national insurance contribution liability.

  Health Authorities (Staff)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list for England and for each regional health authority for each year since 1981 the number of whole-time equivalent qualified midwives working(a) in hospital maternity units, (b) in special care baby units, (c) o in education and (d) as community midwives;

  (2) if he will list for England for each regional health authority for each year since 1981 the number of whole-time equivalent nurses working in (a) hospital maternity units and (b) special baby care units.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 26 April 1988]: The information requested is given in the tables.
  183

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  West Midlands

  27

  69

  70

  79

  100

  112

  Mersey

  51

  53

  47

  52

  52

  47

  North Western

  59

  63

  74

  91

  90

  109

  London post-graduate special health authorities

  —

  25

  19

  9

  11

  11

  England Total

  553

  667

  712

  773

  862

  921

  Hospital qualified midwives employed in education1 at 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  24

  26

  29

  29

  32

  32

  Yorkshire

  47

  48

  44

  46

  48

  49

  Trent

  46

  44

  48

  48

  50

  53

  East Anglian

  15

  19

  21

  22

  23

  25

  North West Thames

  32

  36

  47

  46

  48

  48

  North East Thames

  52

  47

  61

  54

  59

  53

  South East Thames

  46

  47

  48

  48

  48

  75

  South West Thames

  30

  30

  34

  36

  29

  26

  Wessex

  25

  31

  31

  31

  39

  41

  Oxford

  24

  24

  24

  25

  26

  31

  South Western

  25

  28

  37

  39

  37

  35

  West Midlands

  48

  48

  58

  53

  59

  55

  Mersey

  32

  32

  30

  28

  27

  38

  North Western

  54

  55

  61

  70

  73

  64

  London Post-Graduate Special Health Authorities

  6

  7

  7

  5

  7

  7

  England Total

  506

  521

  580

  581

  605

  631

  Community midwives1 at 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  221

  219

  228

  238

  245

  253

  Yorkshire

  260

  267

  288

  310

  323

  323

  Trent

  442

  452

  463

  472

  471

  475

  East Anglian

  194

  201

  217

  216

  221

  218

  North West Thames

  174

  194

  195

  205

  212

  230

  North East Thames

  240

  237

  250

  249

  262

  279

  South East Thames

  231

  249

  263

  285

  293

  316

  South West Thames

  168

  163

  169

  184

  195

  206

  Wessex

  165

  178

  194

  214

  224

  222

  Oxford

  168

  160

  163

  172

  191

  191

  South Western

  134

  138

  170

  178

  213

  217

  West Midlands

  419

  428

  452

  449

  495

  489

  Mersey

  217

  221

  227

  236

  237

  244

  North Western

  373

  395

  435

  445

  458

  466

  London post-graduate special health authorities

  —

  2

  1

  6

  —

  —

  England Total

  3,406

  3,504

  3,713

  3,858

  4,041

  4,127

  Nursing staff working in hospital maternity units1 4 30 September: 1981 to 1986

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  681

  663

  648

  616

  617

  589

  Yorkshire

  904

  945

  812

  753

  757

  722

  Trent

  1,120

  1,116

  1,083

  1,031

  992

  972

  East Anglian

  426

  423

  426

  435

  421

  424

  North West Thames

  611

  648

  593

  605

  583

  574

  Norh East Thames

  782

  838

  694

  666

  623

  596

  South East Thames

  797

  812

  770

  740

  731

  727

  South West Thames

  532

  450

  438

  412

  376

  398

  Wessex

  574

  543

  508

  494

  506

  493

  Oxford

  519

  559

  450

  491

  473

  464

  South Western

  798

  739

  620

  606

  576

  555

  West Midlands

  1,421

  1,451

  1,264

  1,138

  1,134

  1,137

  Mersey

  561

  559

  507

  487

  485

  474

  North Western

  965

  1,025

  922

  914

  853

  847

  184 185

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  London post-graduate special health authorities

  68

  134

  111

  130

  123

  124

  England Total

  10,759

  10,904

  9,844

  9,518

  9,250

  9,096

  Nursing staff worKing in special care baby units1 30 september: 1981 to 1986

  2Whole-time equivalents

  Region

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern

  82

  88

  95

  104

  114

  119

  Yorkshire

  49

  64

  77

  106

  122

  122

  Trent

  187

  245

  277

  265

  275

  282

  East Anglian

  84

  84

  86

  80

  88

  92

  North West Thames

  90

  80

  98

  112

  127

  137

  North East Thames

  36

  55

  63

  71

  63

  63

  South East Thames

  45

  71

  106

  125

  148

  145

  South West Thames

  45

  48

  59

  63

  57

  62

  Wessex

  56

  66

  69

  90

  110

  112

  Oxford

  62

  85

  70

  100

  104

  116

  South Western

  100

  112

  132

  135

  135

  121

  West Midlands

  101

  204

  201

  226

  274

  278

  Mersey

  80

  103

  90

  86

  85

  74

  North Western

  79

  103

  145

  160

  166

  186

  London post-graduate special health authorities

  1

  16

  14

  27

  29

  28

  England Total

  1,096

  1,423

  1,581

  1,750

  1,897

  1,937

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

  1 Excludes students and agency staff.

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

  3 Includes staff employed in Education and Special Care Baby Units.

  4 Includes staff in Special Care Baby Units.

  District Health Authorities (Costs)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take in the light of the significant variations between different district health authorities in the percentage of their total expenditure taken up by administrative and clerical costs; to what factors he attributes these variations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 3 May at columns 490–98 which gave individual regional health authority and district health authority administrative and clerical staff figures together with cost and cost relative to population.

  Costs, particularly the costs relative to population for individual districts, can be influenced by a number of factors: (a) the presence or absence of regional services such as blood transfusion or ambulance services and regional specialties; (b) people crossing district boundaries for treatment and sub-regional resource allocations reflecting the pattern of service provision locally; (c) the fact that the population figures used are for resident population and make no allowances for differences in morbidity and age-sex structure of particular populations; (d) the payment of London weighting allowance to staff employed in relevant authorities within the four Thames regions.

  Baby Intensive Care Units (Leeds)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many special and intensive care units for babies have had(a) the number of beds reduced and (b) wards closed, in the Leeds Western health authority for each of the past five years;

  (2) what is the total number of places in special and intensive care units for babies in the Leeds Western health authority; and what was the corresponding figure for 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: Leeds Western health authority is responsible for the provision of the health services indicated but I am advised that in 1983 there were 29 special care baby unit cots available at the Leeds maternity hospital and four neonatal intensive care cots at the general infirmary. These services transferred to the Clarendon wing at the general infirmary in 1983. Improved facilities and changes in medical practice have resulted in a different bed mix. There are currently 20 SCBU cots, six neonatal intensive care cots, and seven "transitional care beds" which are associated with more intensive nursing than would usually be required: a total, as in 1983, of 33. For further details the hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of Leeds Western health authority.

  Statistical Bulletins
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a list of each of the statistical bulletins published by his Department, the title, date, number of copies printed, number of copies distributed free of charge to Government, National Health Service and other users, and the numbers sold so far and the price.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 5 May 1988]: The information requested has been placed in the Library. The sales figures are the numbers sold up to the end of April 1988.

  British Pensioners (Canada)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter of 17 December 1987 from the Minister of Health and Welfare of Canada, the right hon. Jack Epp, regarding British pensioners resident in Canada; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 5 May 1988]: The Canadian Minister of Health and Welfare, Mr. Jack Epp, wrote to the then Secretary of State for Social Services on 17 December 1986 about British pensioners resident in Canada. A reply was sent on his behalf by my noble Friend, the Baroness Trumpington, on 13 February 1987. I have arranged for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library.

  This letter refers to another reply from the noble Baroness to a letter from Mr. Brian Howe, the Australian Minister for Social Security, on the same issue. As the two are complementary I have arranged for a copy of that letter to be placed in the Library also.

  Tinnitus
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount which has been allocated during the current financial year for research into the condition known as tinnitus by his Department.

  Table: Senior hospital doctors: (England) (Whole-time equivalent) per 100,000 in-patient cases treated

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  England

  222

  220

  222

  227

  220

  218

  215

  217

  Northern

  217

  214

  220

  236

  223

  220

  220

  220

  Yorkshire

  188

  181

  188

  194

  183

  178

  177

  178

  Trent

  201

  200

  197

  206

  198

  198

  195

  200

  East Anglia

  239

  224

  228

  242

  231

  228

  229

  226

  North West Thames

  253

  251

  256

  242

  243

  239

  241

  240

  North East Thames

  236

  234

  238

  244

  238

  232

  239

  240

  South East Thames

  231

  234

  234

  232

  231

  223

  212

  220

  South West Thames

  246

  249

  250

  250

  244

  238

  238

  245

  Wessex

  216

  213

  208

  216

  211

  214

  214

  208

  Oxford

  216

  214

  216

  230

  224

  231

  228

  233

  South Western

  211

  213

  215

  218

  213

  209

  206

  205

  West Midlands

  217

  215

  216

  220

  213

  209

  206

  212

  Mersey

  210

  214

  211

  216

  207

  205

  203

  202

  North Western

  198

  203

  204

  212

  206

  206

  200

  203

  SHAs and BGs

  372

  376

  372

  387

  392

  408

  399

  405

  Notes to the Table

  (1) Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff in the grades of consultants, associate specialists and hospital practitioners within
  188
  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 6 May 1988]: I understand that the Medical Research Council, the main Government agency responsible for the promotion of medical and related biological research, and which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science, is funding some research into this condition and spent some £131,000 in 1986–87, the latest year for which information is available. Details are available in the MRC handbook, a copy of which is in the Library.

  The Department is not currently funding any research into tinnitus and has not allocated funds for such research in 1988–89.

  Taxes and Benefits
  Sir Brandon Rhys Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the numbers of working single people and of earners with dependent families who will have marginal rates of tax and benefit withdrawal in excess of 70 per cent. in 1988–89; and what will be the combined total number of people in that situation, including earners and their dependants.

  Mr. Scott
  [pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1988, c. 244–46]: On the basis of the figures set out in my previous reply the total numbers attached to tax units, where the head might face a combined marginal rate of tax payment and benefit withdrawal in excess of 70 per cent., is estimated to be no more than 2 million.

  Senior Doctors
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each regional health authority the number of senior doctors per 100,000 in-patients treated for each year since 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Newton
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1988, c. 548–50]: I regret that some of the information provided was incorrect. The correct information is set out in the table.
  189
  the medical specialties.

  (2) All figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number of the whole-time equivalent.

  (3) Because of the NHS restructuring in 1982 figures on in-patient cases treated for the four Thames regions and special health authorities are not strictly comparable over the whole period.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Mentally Handicapped People (Training)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State foe Northern Ireland if he will list by unit of management the number of training places for mentally handicapped and mentally ill patients under the four health and social sevices boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Training under the health and social services boards for mentally handicapped and mentally it patients comprises work-orientated activities, often linked to social skills programmes, conducted in specialist statutory facilities under the supervision of board staff For the mentally handicapped, training places arc provided in workshops, adult training centres and social education centres in the community and in day care unit' in mental handicap hospitals. For the mentally ill training is provided in industrial therapy units attached to the psychiatric hospitals. The table relates only to training provided by the statutory sector. The places shown include not only those specifically provided for the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped, but those in multi-client workshops in the community which are taken up by the mentally ill. The latest date for which central statistics are held on available training is 31 December 1986.

  In regard to the mentally ill client group living in the community a very considerable amount of training is, already provided, and more is planned by Industrial Therapy Organisation Ltd., a voluntary body supported by both regional and local statutory funding.

  The four health and social services boards are committed to a continuing assessment of the needs for training of the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped. particularly in the context of the increasing emphasis on helping these two client groups to lead as independent and fulfilling lives as possible within the community.

  Health and social services board and unit of management

  Places for the mentally handicapped

  Places for the mentally ill

  Eastern

  Down

  60

  East Belfast and Castlereagh Community

  130

  220

  Lisburn

  120

  Muckamore Abbey Hospital

  230

  North Down and Ards

  100

  North and West Belfast Community

  200

  8

  Purdysburn Hospital South Belfast Community

  211

  85

  Northern

  Antrim and Ballymena

  120

  220

  Coleraine, Ballymoney and Moyle

  55

  Lame and Carrickfergus

  220

  Magherafelt and Cookstown

  50

  Southern

  Armagh and Dungannon

  150

  131

  Craigavon and Banbridge

  100

  50

  Newry and Mourne

  27

  20

  190

  Health and social services board and unit of management

  Places for the mentally handicapped

  Places for the mentally ill

  Western

  Fermanagh

  74

  10

  Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane

  244

  120

  Omagh

  75

  88

  TOTAL

  2,166

  952

  Maintained Schools (Insurance Costs)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if grant provision to maintained schools allows for insurance costs for these properties.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Yes.

  Museums
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present valuation of(a) property and (b) exhibits at the Ulster museum, Stranmillis, Belfast, and the Ulster Folk and Transport museum at Cultra.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what assessment he has made of the implications for employment levels at museums in Northern Ireland of current proposals to privatise services there; if he will defer those proposals; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the implications of privatising services at museums in Northern Ireland for the security of property and exhibits, with particular reference to the risk of bogus firms with paramilitary connections seeking to tender for contracts; and if he will make a statement;

  (3)what is the estimated value of annual savings to be made in public expenditure at (a) the Ulster museum, Stranmillis, and (b) the Ulster Folk and Transport museum, Cultra, from proposals to contract out catering, cleaning and security work.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The assessment of the implications for employment levels, the security of property and exhibits and the value of savings likely to be achieved are an integral part of an exercise which I have asked the trustees to undertake. The intention is that they should evaluate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of contracting-out to competitive tender their cleaning, catering, security and warding services and to submit proposals.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland plans to introduce a potato stock feed scheme in the immediate future.

  Mr. Viggers
  No.
  191
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are required by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland for the implementation of a potato stock feed scheme in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  Under an agreement with the Ulster Farmers Union, the Government are obliged to use their best endeavours to ensure that the Northern Ireland market price over the season as a whole does not finish lower than the target price for potatoes for human consumption. For the 1987 crop the target price for ware potatoes is £46 per tonne.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the extent of the surplus of potatoes on the Northern Ireland potato market during the period September 1987 and March 1988.

  Mr. Viggers
  This information is not available, but any surplus would not appear to be substantial since average growers' prices remain above the 1987–88 target price.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change there has been in the quantities of potatoes being exported from Northern Ireland since September 1987; what quantities were exported between September 1987 and March 1988; and what were the comparable figures for the two previous 12-month periods.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information requested, which relates to exports of seed and ware potatoes from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and foreign destinations, is as follows:

  '000 tonnes

  September 1987 to March 1988 (inclusive)

  90

  September 1986 to March 1987 (inclusive)

  88

  September 1985 to March 1986 (inclusive)

  73

  Labour Statistics
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement, giving figures for the last convenient period, of the fall in unemployment and provision of new jobs in the Province.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 5 May 1988]: Trends in unemployment in Northern Ireland over the last year have been very encouraging. Seasonally adjusted unemployment (excluding school leavers) decreased by 9,000
  192
  between March 1987 and March 1988 and has fallen in all but two of the past 17 months. This has been matched by improved results from the industrial development agencies. Between them the Industrial Development Board and the Local Enterprise Development Unit promoted 9,347 new jobs during the year ended 31 March 1988, compared to 8,431 in the previous year.

  GCSE
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the cost of collection of GCSE assessments by Securicor during the week ended 29 April; whether the written papers will be transported by the postal system; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: These matters are the responsibility of the various examining bodies.

  Artificial Insemination Service
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were submitted in response to the invitation to acquire the artificial insemination service; whether the successful applicant submitted the higher offer; what other factors and criteria were considerations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]: The Department of Agriculture sought applications from organisations which wished to be considered for the grant of the licence to provide an AI service for cattle producers in Northern Ireland and no acquisition as such was involved. This was in accordance with a decision that the Department should disengage from provision of the AI service at 30 September 1988. Organisations with interest and potential capability were invited by public advertisement to apply for the licence. Acquisition of the Department's assets was not a requirement for grant of the licence.

  Four applications were received. In assessing the applications, the main factors and criteria were commitment to the cattle production sector, financial resources, operational proposals, managerial resources, breeding policy and semen procurement provisions. The application by AI Services (NI) Society Ltd. was deemed the most suitable.

  ACOST MEETING
  ACOST MEETING
  ISRAEL-US MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
  ISRAEL-US MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
  GERMAN SUBMARINE: ALLEGED INCIDENT
  GERMAN SUBMARINE: ALLEGED INCIDENT
  NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY: PROPOSED SCHEMES
  NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY: PROPOSED SCHEMES
  WATER AND SEWERAGE LAW: REVISED PROPOSALS
  WATER AND SEWERAGE LAW: REVISED PROPOSALS
  ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON: FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON: FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: STUDY TEAMS
  PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: STUDY TEAMS
  FINANCIAL AND COMPANY INVESTIGATIONS: POWERS
  FINANCIAL AND COMPANY INVESTIGATIONS: POWERS
  SPECIALISED SATELLITE SERVICES
  SPECIALISED SATELLITE SERVICES
  IMMUNISATION
  IMMUNISATION
  DISABLED PEOPLE: INCOME SUPPORT
  DISABLED PEOPLE: INCOME SUPPORT
  FOOD MANUFACTURERS' FEDERATION REPORT
  FOOD MANUFACTURERS' FEDERATION REPORT
  WEST BELFAST EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS
  WEST BELFAST EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS