Written Answers of 12 May 1988

SCOTLAND

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the quality and condition of bathing waters around the coast of Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Munro) on 5 May, column 536.

  Teachers (Pay)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish teachers received no increase in their salaries following the recent pay award to Scottish teachers, as a result of the existing pay structure within the teaching profession in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Wilhelm Mohnke
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will make it his policy to arrange for the immediate release of all public records relating to Wilhelm Mohnke and the Wormhoudt massacre.

  The Attorney-General
  Public records relating to Wilhelm Mohnke and the Wormhoudt massacre are subject to the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958. The Act provides for certain records over 30 years old to be retained by Departments, for administrative or other reasons, under section 5(1), in accordance with the criteria set out in paragraphs 26–27 of the White Paper "Modern Public Records", (Cmnd. 8531, March 1982). The Lord Chancellor's policy is to act in accordance with these. A file (TS26/206) containing reports of the incident is available for public inspection in the Public Records Office. A number of other files relating inter alia to this incident continue to be held by the Ministry of Defence where their contents are being examined in the light of the relevant statutory provisions and criteria to which I have referred.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the City of London police on progress in the inquiry on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service into alleged contempt between the two principal Crown witnesses during the appeal of the men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  The Attorney-General
  The Director of Public Prosecutions expects to receive a report in the near future.

PRIME MINISTER

  Bristol Channel (Dumping)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will instruct those Ministers who authorise dumping of industrial, nuclear, sewage or any other waste into the Bristol channel, and all other Ministers with supervisory or investigatory powers, to co-ordinate an investigation into the number of permits issued and the efficiency of control on volume or toxicity of material dumped, together with an estimate of any illegal pollution by dumping without licence, including ships washing out their tanks in mid-channel.

  The Prime Minister
  Departments with responsibilities in this field already co-ordinate their activities and monitor jointly the water quality in the Bristol channel. Any information concerning the unlicensed disposal of waste is dealt with by the appropriate Department; for ships washing out their tanks this is the Department of Transport.

  "Reducing the Risk of Legal Challenge"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will place in the Library a copy of the memorandum, "Reducing the Risk of Legal Challenge", which accompanied the document entitled "Judge over your Shoulder".

  The Prime Minister
  I am advised the memorandum was produced separately from the other document to which the hon. Member refers. I am placing a copy in the Library.

  Government Legal Services (Inquiry)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will include within the remit of Sir Robert Andrew's inquiry into the Government's legal services, consideration of which increasing demands have been placed on the public legal services by Government policies, their legal case against Peter Wright; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to alter the terms of reference of Sir Robert Andrew's review of Government legal services which were set out in the reply to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 20 January 1988,Official Report, column 955.

  Professor Brian Griffiths
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of the visit of Professor Brian Griffiths to Scotland in April 1988 to discuss school matters.

  The Prime Minister
  The estimated cost of the visit was £250.

  Written Answers (Costs)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of the written answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on Government achievements,Official Report, 6 May, columns 628–44.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the cost to public funds connected with her reply to the
  195
  hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on 6 May, Official Report, columns 628–44, including the costs of printing.

  The Prime Minister
  The reply was assembled from material provided by a wide range of Departments. The total cost of time of those who contributed, including secretarial staff, measured by salary, overheads, and other costs, including printing, is estimated at £3,900.

  Government Policy Objectives
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those policy objectives which Her Majesty's Government have failed to achieve since May 1979 in respect of the United Kingdom and also in respect of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have secured, or are making progress towards securing all their main policy objectives.

  Rowntree plc
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Prime Minister how many representations she has received about the future of Rowntree plc; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister of Trade and Industry,Official Report 10 May 1988, columns 151–52. I have received a number of representations including from hon. Members.

  Sir Jeffrey Sterling
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last met Sir Jeffrey Sterling; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Sir Jeffrey Sterling is special adviser to my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. I meet departmental special advisers from time to time.

  P and O
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister on what dates officials in her office, the Cabinet Office or any Government Department have been involved in any way in property and planning negotiations between local authorities and P and O.

  The Prime Minister
  Officials would not normally be involved in negotiations between local authorities and any company about property and planning matters except in connection with disposal of Government land or Government grants in respect of development schemes. If the hon. Member has any specific matter in which he is interested, perhaps he would be good enough to make inquiries with the Ministers concerned.

  Engagements
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 May.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 May.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 May.
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  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufacturing Firms (Houghton and Washington)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to the answer of 5 May,Official Report, column 541, if he will provide a list of the 20 new manufacturing firms located in Houghton and Washington which have opened since January 1985 and their locations.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information referred to was collected under and is subject to the Statistics of Trade Act. This precludes providing details of individual companies.

  Vetting Procedures
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide details of the vetting procedures applied to non-Civil Service staff employed by outside contractors who undertake security duties at research establishments of his Department.

  Mr. Butcher
  Non-Civil Service security guards are employed at one research establishment of this Department. They are vetted as to suitability and reliability by their employer, to a standard acceptable to the Department.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the departmental review of all the research establishments of his Department announced in the White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" (Cm. 278) of January will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  I hope to announce the outcome of the review of the DTI's research establishments within the next few weeks.

  Takeovers
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy on exercising his powers under the Industry Act 1975 to prohibit a foreign takeover of a British company by a company headquartered in a country which places obstacles in the way of takeovers of their companies by foreign firms.

  Mr. Butcher
  The powers in part II of the Industry Act 1975 relate only to changes of control of important manufacturing undertakings. These powers have never been used. The Government consider that the powers under the Fair Trading Act 1973 are a more appropriate means of implementing mergers policy. In deciding whether to refer a merger to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under the merger provisions of this Act, one factor that may be relevant in some cases is the extent to which United Kingdom companies have reciprocal
  197
  freedom to acquire companies based in the home country of the prospective acquiror. Each case must, however, be considered individually on its own merits.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission (References)
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of references of cases to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission which have involved issues of reciprocity with other countries in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  So far as I am aware, the MMC has addressed the matter of reciprocity in only one report, Elders IXL Ltd and Allied-Lyons plc. In that case, the MMC concluded it was unlikely that any imbalance between Australian and British law would operate against the public interest.

  Swiss Company Law and Practice
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has made to the Swiss Government on the lack of reciprocity in company law and practice.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have made no such representations.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advice he has received from the EEC Commission about overcapacity in the steel industry; and what action will be taken about this advice.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 10 May 1988]The European Commission has estimated that overcapacity in the European Coal and Steel Community steel industry amounts to some 30 million tonnes, of which around 20 million tonnes is accounted for by flat products and heavy sections. The Council of Industry Ministers agreed on 22 December 1987 that unless guaranteed undertakings to reduce this overcapacity were forthcoming by 10 June, ECSC production quotas would end on 30 June. For full details I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) on 12 January,Official Report, columns 215–17.

ENVIRONMENT

  Bricklayers (British Library Site)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average weekly earnings of a bricklayer currently working on the British Library site.

  Mr. Chope
  The pay of bricklayers working on the British Library project is determined by the contractor, taking into account market conditions.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the availability of bricklayers for the British Library project.

  Mr. Chope
  The buoyancy of the construction market in London has led to keen competition for skilled 198
  bricklayers. I understand that the contractor keeps the numbers under constant review and adjusts them to meet programme targets.

  Tyfoam
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (I) what information he has as to the number of occasions on which the ICI product Tyfoam has been withdrawn from use by local authorities following complaints from tenants and residents;

  (2) what information he has as to how many local authorities have used the ICI product Tyfoam in dealing with structural faults in municipal housing.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not available to the Department.

  Micro-organisms (Genetic Engineering)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will press for the inception of international regulatory machinery to prevent the abuse of genetic engineering of micro-organisms, such as the release of organisms in developing countries without the approval of national authorities.

  Mr. Moynihan
  This subject is already under discussion internationally and the United Kingdom is playing a full and constructive part. Adequate guidance for countries wishing to control this area has already been published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ("Recombinant DNA Safety Considerations"; OECD Paris 1986). No further action is currently contemplated by the Government.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are presently devoted to monitoring of water quality in Britain.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The main reponsibility for monitoring the quality of our inland arid coastal waters in England and Wales lies with the regional water authorities. In all, about I,000 staff are engaged in this area of work although many also undertake other duties. Questions about the monitoring undertaken in Scotland by the river purification authorities are matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Oxfordshire (Rateable Values)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates the average increase in rateable values in Oxfordshire has been since the last revaluation.

  Mr. Howard
  Analysis of the returns made to the Inland Revenue about rent levels for non-domestic property has not yet been carried out. It is therefore too early to say what the average level of increase in rateable value in Oxfordshire will be.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by region how many council tenants over the age of 70 years have(a) applied to buy and (b) bought their council homes for each year since 1979.
  199
  Mr. Waldegrave
  Information is not collected on the age of tenants applying to buy or buying their council homes.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce detailed plans for the privatisation of the Crown Suppliers.

  Mr. Chope
  As soon as possible.

  London Docklands (CPOs)
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of his decision letters concerning compulsory purchase orders made by the London Docklands development corporation since 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  The decision letter related to the London Docklands (East Docklands) CPO 1985 was placed in the Library on 11 March 1988. I have arranged for copies of all other decision letters on the corporation's CPOs to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many draft compulsory purchase orders have been made by the London Docklands development corporation since 1981; and how many he has cofirmed.

  Mr. Trippier
  The corporation has made 34 compulsory purchase orders, all since 1985, of which to date I have confirmed six in whole or in part.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the clearing banks concerning their ability to cope with transactions expected under the poll tax.

  Mr. Howard
  My officials have met representatives of the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) to discuss the implications of community charge collection for money transaction systems. Representatives of APACS will attend the next meeting of the implementation sub-group of the community charge working group, which comprises officials of the Department of the Environment, the Welsh Office, DHSS and the local authority associations, to discuss the practical issues arising from the introduction of the community charge.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to ensure that persons required to complete the poll tax registration form are given 21 days in which to do so.

  Mr. Howard
  Regulations will provide that persons requested to supply information to community charge registration officers must do so within 21 days of the request.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the average rate paid by a domestic ratepayer in each English district in 1988–89, together with his estimate as to the community charge per payer in 1988–89 had the proposed system been in operation.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 10 May 1988]I hope to be able to publish these figures shortly.
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  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 May,Official Report, column 389, whether he will grant additional capital allocations to those authorities which need to lease office accommodation for staff for poll tax, in addition to the £25 million already allocated, in the event of such leases counting as prescribed expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 11 May 1988]I shall consider what additional capital allocations may be appropriate in the light of the findings from the Price Waterhouse report on the cost of the community charge, when I receive it.

  Salisbury Plain
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken by his Department to protect sites of antiquity and archaeological interest on Salisbury plain under Ministry of Defence control.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Land in the Salisbury plain training area is managed by the Property Services Agency (defence land agent) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. In relation to archaeological remains, the agency acts in accordance with a scheme of management agreed between this Department and the MoD following the report of the Salisbury plain training area archaeological working party (1984–85), with advice from the Salisbury plain training area archaeological consultative committee, comprising representatives of the Army, the Ministry of Defence and the Property Services Agency. The committee is next meeting on 18 May.

  Empty Local Authority Properties
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has considered bringing forward legislation to compel local authorities to sell to housing associations properties which have remained empty for more than six months without good cause; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  Following discussions during the Committee stage of the Housing Bill, we are considering what practical measures might be introduced to reduce the number of empty local authority properties. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning hopes to make a statement on Report.

  Southend United FC
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he issued a notice to Southend borough council about the development of a new ground for Southend United football club in Sutton road; what was the purpose of the notice; when he expects the council will be enabled to consider the planning application; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  On 31 March 1988 the Secretary of State directed Southend-on-Sea borough council to refer to him the application for a new stadium for Southend United because, for the reasons given in the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State's letter to my hon. Friend of 30 March, he considered it was one that he, rather than the council, should decide. A local inquiry is being arranged to enable
  201
  all interested parties to express their views, after which the Secretary of State will decide whether or not to grant planning permission. Since an inquiry is to be held, I am unable to comment on the merits of the proposal.

  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, what information on the investing by local authorities of balances and so on in companies is available to him (a) from the quarterly borrowing and lending inquiry, (b) from the quarterly return of rates, interest receipts and payments, wages and salaries and (c) CIPFA capital expenditure and debt-financing statistics; and if he will make a statement on recent trends in this area of local authority activity.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 11 May 1988]Information on the level of investment by local authorities in companies is not available from the returns specified, apart from the level of short-term investments of less than 12 months in industrial and commercial companies, which is collected on the quarterly borrowing and lending inquiry. The level of such investment was £50 million at 31 March 1988.

  Housing Defects
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has settled the distribution to individual councils of the £20 million housing investment programme resources for 1988–89 set aside for local authorities facing particular difficulties with their obligations under the housing defects legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have decided to allocate the £20 million of available resources to 75 local authorities, which are today being notified individually by my Department's regional controllors. The authorities receiving such allocations are as follows:

  Region

  Amount (£)

  Northern

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  200,000

  Hartlepool

  95,000

  Gateshead

  55,000

  Chester le Street

  43,000

  Durham City

  34,000

  Tynedale

  25,000

  Total

  452,000

  North West

  Stockport

  68,000

  Crewe

  130,000

  Macclesfield

  16,000

  Trafford

  24,000

  Wigan

  92,000

  South Ribble

  66,000

  Rossendale

  41,000

  Total

  437,000

  Merseyside Task Force

  Ellesmere Port

  451,000

  Liverpool

  332,000

  St. Helens

  28,000

  Total

  811,000

  South West

  202

  Region

  Amount (£)

  Tewkesbury

  700,000

  Northavon

  840,000

  Bristol

  1,800,000

  Forest of Dean

  250,000

  Thamesdown

  300,000

  Salisbury

  150,000

  South Somerset

  200,000

  North Wiltshire

  150,000

  South Hams

  100,000

  Stroud

  100,000

  Exeter

  100,000

  Wansdyke

  50,000

  Woodspring

  150,000

  Total

  4,990,000

  Greater London

  Havering

  200,000

  Merton

  200,000

  Redbridge

  200,000

  Richmond

  418,000

  Waltham Forest

  200,000

  Total

  1,218,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Barnsley

  240,000

  Doncaster

  120,000

  Rotherham

  380,000

  Sheffield

  120,000

  Leeds

  430,000

  Wakefield

  390,000

  Harrogate

  40,000

  Total

  1,720,000

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  707,000

  Dudley

  95,000

  Sandwell

  652,000

  Wolverhampton

  273,000

  Hereford

  128,000

  Worcester

  145,000

  Wyre Forest

  74,000

  Wrekin

  74,000

  Cannock

  178,000

  Newcastle

  191,000

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  637,000

  Stoke

  542,000

  North Warwickshire

  546,000

  Nuneaton

  338,000

  Total

  4,580,000

  East Midlands

  Chesterfield

  335,000

  Derby

  338,000

  North East Derbyshire

  393,000

  Boston

  156,000

  North Kesteven

  139,000

  South Holland

  171,000

  Gedling

  392,000

  Total

  1,924,000

  Eastern

  Three Rivers

  482,000

  Epping Forest

  355,000

  Thurrock

  274,000

  East Hertfordshire

  129,000

  South Bedfordshire

  88,000

  North Hertfordshire

  87,000

  Chelmsford

  72,000

  Forest Heath

  35,000

  Total

  1,522,000

  203

  Region

  Amount (£)

  South East

  Reading

  265,000

  Eastleigh

  214,000

  Southampton

  711,000

  Rochester/Medway

  924,000

  Vale of White Horse

  232,000

  Total

  2,346,000

  These additional HIP allocations for 1988–89 will help maintain the good progress now being achieved, in assisting owners who are eligible under the housing defects legislation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Maryfields (Public Buildings)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a flag was last flown on the flag pole at the public buildings, known as Maryfields, near Belfast; which flag it was; and what are the instructions for flying the Union flag at these premises.

  Mr. Stanley
  The last flag flown at Maryfield was the Union flag, on 21 August 1985. Since the secretariat of the Intergovernmental Conference has been housed in the building, the policy has been to fly no flags there.

  Arts, Museums and Libraries
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of total central Government spending on Northern Ireland is represented by his Department's total expenditure on arts, museums and libraries in 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  0·6 per cent. each year.

  Arts Council
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants were made by his Department to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  £3·682 million in the 1987–88 financial year. Its allocated budget for 1988–89 is £3·7 million.

  Business Sponsorship Incentive Scheme
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the total grants made under the Northern Ireland business sponsorship incentive scheme in each financial year since its inception and the total related business sponsorship for the same years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The business sponsorship incentive scheme was introduced in Northern Ireland in August

  Persons serving life/pleasure released on licence since 1980

  Life

  SOSP

  Year

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Others

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Others

  Totals

  1980

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1981

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  4

  1982

  1

  —

  5

  —

  —

  1

  7

  1983

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  4

  1984

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

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  1987. Grants paid out under the scheme in the 1987–88 financial year totalled £73,023. The related business sponsorship amounted to £115,362.

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) life sentence prisoners and (b) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State there are in Northern Ireland's prisons, excluding those who have been given release dates; and how many in each category are Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners.

  Mr. Stanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Persons serving indeterminate sentences as at 9 May 1988 excluding those who have been given release dates

  Number

  Life

  Loyalist

  206

  Republican

  154

  Others

  31

  Total

  391

  SOSP

  Loyalist

  4

  Republican

  21

  Others

  3

  Total

  28

  Overall Total

  419

  Note The classifications in the table arc based on the believed paramilitary affiliations of the prisoners at the time of their arrest.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) life sentence prisoners and (b) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State have been given release dates in each year since the setting up of the Northern Ireland life sentence review board; and how many in each category were Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners.

  Mr. Stanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall) on 14 March at columns 447–48.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) life sentence prisoners and (b) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State have been released on licence each year since 1980; how many in each category were Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners; and what was the average length of sentence served by Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners in each category.

  Mr. Stanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  205

  Life

  SOSP

  Year

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Others

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Others

  Totals

  1985

  2

  2

  —

  5

  2

  —

  11

  1986

  1

  2

  1+(1)1

  5

  5

  —

  14+(1)1

  1987

  8

  7

  2

  4

  7

  —

  28

  1988 (to date)

  2

  6

  1

  3

  1

  —

  13

  TOTALS

  18

  19

  12+(1)1

  19

  16

  1

  85+(1)1

  Average years served

  11·82

  11·10

  10·07

  10·56

  10·59

  10·33

  —

  1 One person originally released on licence in August 1977 had his licence revoked in February 1983: he was subsequently re-released on licence in October 1986.

  Note The classifications in the table are based on the believed paramilitary affiliations of the prisoner at the time of their arrest.

  Northern Ireland Hospice
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when his Department hopes to be in a position to provide additional financial help to the Northern Ireland Hospice to enable it to meet the financial consequences of the recent nurses' pay review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]The Department's policy is to offer financial help towards the administration costs of the regional office of voluntary bodies. Boards may help with service costs which includes nurses' salaries. The Department is committed to helping the Northern Ireland Hospice with its central administration costs and will be informing the hospice shortly of the level of grant-aid available for the 1988–89 year.

  New Hospital (Antrim)
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the estimated running costs per annum of the first half of the proposed new hospital at Antrim.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 9 May 1988]I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Antrim, East (Mr. Beggs) on 13 April 1988.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Pakistan
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's ambassador to Pakistan and the Government of Pakistan concerning prison conditions.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government of Pakistan are well aware of our concern for human rights in Pakistan. There has been no specific representation about prison conditions.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits to prisons have been made by British embassy staff in Pakistan in the past year.

  Mr. Mellor
  British embassy staff have made one prison visit in the past year to see a British citizen detained in Peshawar. In addition, staff from the consulate general in Karachi have visited another British prisoner on approximately 15 occasions.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings Her 206
  Majesty's embassy in Pakistan has had with opposition political parties, human rights groups and trades unions in the last year.

  Mr. Mellor
  British embassy staff, including Her Majesty's ambassador, have frequent meetings with a wide range of political contacts, including opposition leaders, human rights activists and trade union leaders.

  Denmark
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America concerning the non-nuclear defence policies of the Government of Denmark.

  Mr. Mellor
  Allied Governments discuss fully together all issues related to our ability to maintain collective defence and security.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Denmark concerning their non-nuclear defence policy.

  Mr. Mellor
  Denmark's policy on nuclear weapons is of long standing, and is well-known to her allies in NATO. Denmark is also well aware of her allies' views on nuclear issues, including those of Her Majesty's Government.

  Bolshevik Revolution
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when those British citizens entitled to compensation for the confiscation of their property, during the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 will receive the funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is hoped that payments to successful property claimants will be made towards the end of 1989. At the same time, a final payment will be made to successful bond claimants who received an interim payment of 10 per cent. of the face value of a bond at the end of last year.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to when the inquest into the Gibraltar killings is to be held.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Gibraltar authorities have announced that the inquest will open on 27 June.

  Swiss Companies (Share Ownership)
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Swiss Government on the subject of barriers to share ownership by United Kingdom companies and individuals in Swiss companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  There have been no representations on this specific issue, but discussions between the Community and EFTA countries cover a wide range of trade issues, including the impact of the single market 1992 campaign.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments of recent changes in the sterling/United States dollar exchange rate.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments of recent changes in the sterling exchange rate.

  Mr. Lawson
  The outcome for the current account of the balance of payments depends on many more factors than just the sterling-dollar exchange rate. Much more important for the maintenance of competitiveness is the need to control unit costs.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many rates of inheritance tax have been eliminated since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In 1979 there were 14 rates of capital transfer tax chargeable on death, and 17 rates chargeable on lifetime transfers. There is now a single rate of inheritance tax.

  Take-home Pay
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in real take-home pay for a married man on half average earnings with two children(a) from 1973–74 to 1978–79 and (b) from 1978–79 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in real take-home pay for a married man on half average earnings with two children(a) from 1973–74 to 1978–79 and (b) from 1978–79 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in real take-home pay for a married man on half average earnings with two children(a) from 1973–74 to 1978–79 and (b) from 1978–79 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in real take-home pay for a married man on average earnings with two children(a) from 1973–74 to 1978–79 and (b) from 1978–79 to 1988–89.
  208
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  His real take-home pay is expected to have risen by 21½ per cent. since 1978–79 compared with just over 4 per cent. between 1973–74 and 1978–79.

  Disposable Income
  Mr. Robert B. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of real personal disposable income in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Major
  Real personal disposable income in 1987 is estimated to have been 15 per cent. higher than in 1979. Further growth is expected this year.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the balance of payments deficit for 1988–89.

  Mr. Major
  At Budget time, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer forecast a current account deficit of £4 billion for 1988 as a whole.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much total employment rose in the United Kingdom in 1987.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much total employment rose in the United Kingdom in 1987.

  Mr. Major
  Total employment in the United Kingdom rose by half a million in 1987, the largest annual increase for 30 years.

  Export Performance
  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account his economic policy takes of the impact of the sterling exchange rate on the export performance of British industry.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The interests of British industry are best served by the Government maintaining their commitment to the defeat of inflation.

  Inflation
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Brooke
  In the 12 months to March 1988 the level of inflation, as measured by the General Index of Retail Prices ( RPI), was 3 . 5 per cent.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the rate of inflation; and what he expects it to be by the end of the current year.

  Mr. Brooke
  My right hon. Friend forecast at the time of the Budget that the RPI will increase in the year to the fourth quarter of 1988 by 4 per cent.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of inflation.
  209
  Mr. Lilley
  In the 12 months to March 1988 the level of inflation, as measured by the General Index of Retail Prices (RPI), was 3·5 per cent.

  Mr. Fatchett
  33, To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the rate of inflation for 1988–89.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast at the time of the Budget that the GDP deflator will increase by 4½ per cent. in 1988–89 over the previous financial year. He forecast the RPI to increase by 4 per cent. in the year to mid-1989.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the rate of inflation to the end of 1989.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have not made a forecast for inflation to the end of 1989.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current annual rate of inflation; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Lilley
  In the 12 months to March 1988 the level of inflation, as measured by the General Index of Retail Prices (RPI), was 3·5 per cent. In March 1978 the rate was 9·1 per cent.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the rate of inflation for the rest of 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast at the time of the Budget that the RPI will increase in the year to the fourth quarter of 1988 by 4 per cent.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the outturn rate of inflation for 1988–89.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the hon. Member to the forecast made in my right hon. Friend's Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89, paragraphs 3.45 and 3.46.

  Husband and Wife Taxation
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect upon elderly taxpayers of the change to independent taxation of husband and wife.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect upon elderly taxpayers of the change to independent taxation of husband and wife.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Over 80 per cent. of the 1·1 million elderly married couples paying tax under the present system will have less tax to pay under independent taxation, and 160,000 elderly couples will be taken out of tax altogether.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect upon married women with small incomes from savings of the change to independent taxation of husband and wife.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect upon married women with small incomes from savings of the change to independent taxation of husband and wife.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is estimated that, at forecast 1990–91 levels of income, about 700,000 married women 210
  with investment income or pensions of less than £1,000 per annum will gain an average of about £140 from the change to independent taxation. A further 800,000 with incomes between £1,000 and £5,000 will gain an average of about £290.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further evidence he has of any link between work incentives and cuts in the highest rates of income tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Cutting marginal tax rates undoubtedly gives a stimulus to enterprise, initiative and effort. Cuts in the highest rates will encourage managers and skilled professionals to work and pay tax in this country rather than abroad. These effects inevitably take some time to build up. A number of econometric studies identify a positive incentive effect, despite tending to look only at the short term. Since top tax rates were cut in 1978–79 the share of tax paid by the top 5 per cent. of taxpayers has increased from 24 to 30 per cent.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the weekly value to a married man on half average male earnings of the changes in income tax for 1988–89.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the weekly value to a married man on half average male earnings of the changes in income tax for 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  £2·43. The calculation assumes that the wife has no earnings and that the only allowance or relief claimed is the married man's allowance.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the weekly value to the average pensioner couple of the changes in income tax for 1988–89.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the weekly value to the average pensioner couple of the changes in income tax for 1988–89.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Waller).

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many higher rates of income tax have been eliminated since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Since 1979 the number of higher rates has been reduced from nine to just one. In addition the investment income surcharge has been abolished.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much manufacturing output has increased since the first half of 1979.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much manufacturing output has increased since the first half of 1979.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much manufacturing output has increased since the first half of 1979.
  211
  Mr. Major
  In the three months to February 1988 manufacturing output was 2½ per cent. higher than in the first half of 1979.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the outlook for manufacturing investment in 1988.

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the outlook for manufacturing investment in 1988.

  Mr. Major
  The Budget forecast projected growth of 11½ per cent. in manufacturing investment 1988. The April CBI industrial trends survey also points to strong investment growth, with the balance of firms expecting to increase investment in plant and machinery over the next 12 months at the highest level for 15 years.

  VAT (Books and Newspapers)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the zero-rating for value added tax of books and newspapers.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of representations in favour of maintaining VAT zero rating for books and newspapers.

  Finance (No. 2) Bill
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received following publication of the Finance (No. 2) Bill.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend has received a number on various subjects.

  Married Persons' Tax Allowance
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking an amendment to the Finance (No. 2) Bill to provide for the married persons' tax allowance to vary according to the number of dependent children; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I am not aware of any representations on this point. Child tax allowances formerly gave taxpayers a measure of support for children but were abolished in 1979 following the introduction of child benefit.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now expects the balance of payments deficit to be for 1988–89.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his present forecast of the balance of payments current account deficit for 1988.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing).

  Alcoholic Beverages (Duties)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost in terms of lost revenue of harmonising the duties on alcoholic beverages.

  Mr. Lilley
  On the basis of the Commission's proposals, around £2·5 billion per year.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the standard rate of corporation tax has been reduced since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The main rate of corporation tax was 52 per cent. for the financial year commencing 1 April 1979. The proposed rate for 1988–89 is 35 per cent.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  Bank base rates are 8 per cent.

  Retail Price Inflation
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average of retail price inflation over the past five years.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average of retail price inflation over the past five years.

  Mr. Lilley
  About 4·6 per cent.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next proposes to meet the Finance Ministers of the Group of Seven countries to discuss exchange rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets his opposite numbers in the major industrial countries from time to time to discuss a range of international economic issues.

  Tax Breaks
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax breaks are eliminated or reduced by the Finance (No. 2) Bill 1988.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold).

  Output
  Mr. Wolfson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of output in 1987.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth of output in 1987.

  Mr. Major
  The output measure of gross domestic product at constant factor cost (1980 prices) for 1987 was 4·8 per cent. higher than the corresponding figure for 1986. Over the same period the average measure of GDP rose by 4·4per cent.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the financial effect in a full year of the changes in capital gains tax for gains made before 1982 announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  For gains realised in 1988–89, the full-year cost of bringing forward the base date for capital gains to 31 March 1982 is estimated to be £120 million for individuals and trusts and £250 million for companies.

  Where assets were acquired before April 1982 gains accruing since then will remain in charge and for individuals and trusts will be affected by other changes announced in the Budget.

  Golden Handshakes
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the financial effect on the Exchequer in a full year of the changes in taxation arrangements for executive golden handshakes announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Assuming no consequential changes to the distribution of termination payments, the proposed increase in the tax-free slice of termination payments from £25,000 to £30,000 and abolition of the reduced rates of tax which applied to the next £50,000 of such payments are expected to lead to a small yield of £1 million to £2 million in a full year.

  Tax Changes
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the estimated revenue effect of the Budget increase tax changes as they affect(a) the top 5 per cent. of earners and (b) the bottom 5 per cent. of earners.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The direct revenue costs in a full year of the Budget income tax changes above indexation for the top 5 per cent. of taxpayers, who will nearly all have earned income, are about £2·7 billion. The corresponding figure for the bottom 5 per cent. of people with some earned income is negligible since the levels of earnings will be below tax thresholds.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the net effect on the Exchequer of the changes in inheritance taxation announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The net effect of the Budget changes in inheritance tax is estimated at a full-year cost of £220 million measured from an indexed base.

  Corporate Investment and Production
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage increases there have been in corporate investment and production between 1983 and 1987 in the United Kingdom; what changes have been made in levels of personal income tax in this period; and what information he has on comparable figures for France.

  Mr. Major
  Between 1983 and 1987 business investment in the United Kingdom increased by 17 per cent.—more 214
  than in France where it increased by only 9 per cent. Figures for the growth of output of the United Kingdom corporate sector are not readily available, but over the same period the output of the production industries, which exclude agriculture forestry and fishing construction and services, increased by 11 per cent. in the United Kingdom. In France the corresponding figure was 4¼ per cent.

  In 1983–84, the basic rate of income tax was 30p in the pound and it had been reduced to 27p by 1987–88. Comparisons with France are difficult because of the different tax structure. But, over the same period, the scale of personal tax rates in France did not change for most people.

  Foreign Exchange Intervention
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to publish detailed analyses of foreign exchange intervention.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. It is the long-standing practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of foreign exchange intervention.

  Tax and Prices Index
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rise in the tax and prices index in the 12 months to March 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  In the 12 months to March 1988 the tax and price index rose by 1·6 per cent.

  Productivity
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the growth in United Kingdom productivity since 1980.

  Mr. Major
  Whole economy output per head rose at an average annual rate of 2·7 per cent. between 1980 and 1987. Manufacturing output per head rose at an average annual rate of 5·1 per cent. between 1980 and the three months ending in February 1988.

  Pensioners (Tax)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking an amendment to the Finance (No. 2) Bill to alter the marginal tax rate position of pensioners; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 31 March 1988 at column 609.

  Bank of England (Governor)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets the governor from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

  Overseas Assets
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Forth).

  Public Sector Debt
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to publish a revised estimate for the public sector debt repayment for 1988–89.

  Mr. Major
  A revised estimate for 1988–89 will be published in the Autumn Statement.

  Convergence
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to discuss problems of economic and financial convergence with his EEC counterparts.

  Mr. Brooke
  The next meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council is expected to be on 6 June. There is also an informal meeting of European Community Finance Ministers on 14–15 May.

  Avgas
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been received regarding the excise duty on Avgas.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations regarding the excise duty on Avgas.

  Company Profitability
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the rise in company profitability in 1987.

  Mr. Major
  The profitability of non-North sea industrial and commercial companies is provisionally estimated to have risen by 1½ percentage points between 1986 and 1987 to 10½ per cent.—the highest level for about 20 years.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has of the effect of his Budget on job creation in the north-west.

  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend's Budget provides the best possible environment for economic growth and enterprise in all parts of the country, including the northwest. The number of unemployed in the north-west has fallen by over 20 per cent. since June 1986 and over the past year the unemployment rate in the north-west has fallen by more than in any region other than the west midlands.

  Company Tax Allowances
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy towards the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to harmonise company tax allowances.
  216
  Mr. Lamont
  I understand that preliminary draft proposals by the European Commission for harmonisation of the business tax base are at present in preparation. The Government will study the proposals and have an opportunity to comment on them when they have been communicated formally to the Council of Ministers in due course.

  Spending Power
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the average increase in net weekly spending power of a man with two children of seven and 11 years and a non-working wife for each extra £1 he earns if he increases his pay from(a) £100 to £110, (b) £110 to £120, (c) £120 to £130, (d) £130 to £140 and (e) £140 to £150, assuming he pays average rent and rates.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The figures are set out in the table. The man is assumed not to be contracted out of SERPs, to claim family credit and to claim only the married man's allowance. The figures take account of the Budget changes in income tax and of the new benefit system from April 1988. The family would not be entitled to rent or rate rebates.

  Increase in net spending power per £1 of extra earnings for married man with children aged 7 and 11, paying average rent and rates

  Range of increase in weekly income

  Extra net spending power per £1 of extra earnings

  (a) From £100 to £110

  0·14

  (b) From £110 to £120

  0·20

  (c) From £120 to £130

  0·20

  (d) From £130 to £140

  0·20

  (e) From £140 to £150

  0·20

  Employment
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much total employment rose in the United Kingdom in 1987.

  Mr. Major
  Total employment in the United Kingdom rose by half a million in 1987, the largest increase in 30 years.

  Stock Exchange
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the chairman of the stock exchange; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has meetings with the chairman of the stock exchange from time to time.

  Retail Price Index (Error)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he made his decision to refuse compensatory payments to those public sector pensioners who lost financially as a result of the Government's error in calculating the retail price index.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Sir W. Clark) on 18 December 1987 at columns 845–46.

WALES

  Limb Fitting
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the existing facilities for limb fitting in Wales, whether he has any plans for extending the facilities available or providing new facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what action is proposed to reduce travelling time and distances to existing limb fitting centres: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Limb fitting clinics are held at the artificial limb and appliance centres (ALAC) at Cardiff and Morriston. Patients in north Wales currently attend limb fitting clinics at Liverpool ALAC, although, as announced in Welsh health circular 87/11, it is intended to establish satellite ALACs in north Wales. The Welsh Health Common Service Authority, which is now responsible for the artificial limb and appliance service in Wales, will be pursuing this in discussion with health authorities and others.

  The circular also referred to the need for improved transport facilities for patients travelling long distances from north Wales to Merseyside. Funds have since been made available to the Gwynedd health authority to enable fast, comfortable ambulance transport to be provided for such patients travelling to the regional radiotherapy facilities and the ALAC in Merseyside.

  Hospital Waiting lists
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for urgent cases in Gwent hospitals;

  (2) what proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for non-urgent cases in Welsh hospitals;

  (3) what proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for (a) orthopaedic and (b) general operations in Wales;

  (4) what proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for ear, nose and throat treatment in Gwent;

  (5) What proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for out-patient treatment in Welsh hospitals;

  (6) what proposals he has to reduce the waiting list for in-patient treatment in Gwent.

  Mr. Grist
  The management of waiting lists is the responsibility of the relevant district health authority. Authorities have been asked to submit to the Welsh Office revised action plans which identify the continuing problem areas and put forward solutions.

  A total of £2 million has been allocated to authorities in Wales over the last two years to help them implement schemes for tackling the worst waiting list problems and a further £1 million is available in the current year. Distribution of these funds is being considered in the light of the revised action plans which have just been received.

  NHS Funding
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional funds he plans to make available to the Health Service in(a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport.

  Mr. Grist
  As a result of the Government's decision to fund in full the costs of the recently announced review 218
  bodies' awards to doctors, nurses and midwives and professions allied to medicine, an additional £38 million will be made available to the Health Service in Wales in the current financial year. Of this some £5 million is to be allocated to Gwent health authority. It will be the responsibility of that authority to determine its distribution within the district. The authority will also receive additional allocations during the course of the year from the £9³2 million which was earmarked for centrally directed developments when hospital and community health services' provision for 1988–89 was first announced by my right hon. Friend on 16 December 1987. To date some £900,000 of these central reserves has been set aside for approved and provisionally agreed developments in Gwent. These funds will be formally allocated to the authority as and when the developments proceed.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total consumption of paper by the Civil Service per year since 1979; and what proportion for each year is recycled.

  Mr. Luce
  Information of this nature is not available for the Civil Service in general or my Department in particular.

THE ARTS

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether, with reference to his written answer on 24 February to the hon. Member for Warley, East,Official Report, column 196, he will now publish in the Official Report the number of attendances at the British museum (natural history) during the calendar year 1987; and whether he will at the same time give the number for 1986, together with the percentage figure represented by the difference.

  Mr. Luce
  I understand that the number of attendances at the British museum (natural history) during 1987 was 1,999,130 compared with 3,239,685 in 1986, a difference of 38·3 per cent.

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since he last made an announcement on the subject to the House.

  Mr. Luce
  Since my announcement on 1 February, at column 462, I am pleased to announce a portrait of Captain William Wade by Thomas Gainsborough has been accepted in lieu of estate duty. The offer was conditional on allocation to Bath city council. This acceptance followed the precedent set by the acceptance of Picasso's "Weeping Woman" in that Bath city council agreed to pay the owner the difference (£230,000) between the tax liability to be satisfied, £638,444 and the "special price" of £868,444. This was made possible by a call on the reserve in accordance with the arrangements agreed in July 1985.
  219
  I have also decided, subject to the satisfactory completion of the improvements to the Tate's archive storage accommodation, to allocate the archives of the late Lord Clark to the Tate gallery.

  Finally, 10 portrait miniatures accepted from the estate of the late right hon. Viscount Harcourt have been allocated; nine to the Victoria and Albert museum and one, a portrait of Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, to the national portrait gallery.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Fiji
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what projects are run in Fiji by the Commonwealth Development Corporation; what money is involved in each of them; and what periods the commitments cover.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Commonwealth Development Corporation is now involved in seven projects in Fiji. It has either provided loan money or taken up equities in each project. The companies or institutions involved, with the amounts, are as follows:

  Position at 31 December 1987

  Equity Fiji $ million

  Loan £ million

  Fiji Citrus Products

  0·23

  0·32

  Fiji Development Co Ltd

  0·53

  0·94

  Fiji Electricity Authority

  —

  13·15

  Fiji Pine Commission

  —

  3·61

  Fiji Sugar Corporation

  —

  4·02

  Tropik Wood Industries Ltd

  2·00

  4·16

  Fiji Forest Industries Ltd

  —

  1·55

  TOTAL

  2·76

  27·75

  The equities are not held for any set term. The loans have agreed terms for payment of capital and interest to CDC over varying periods up to the year 2000. The CDC is also negotiating a loan of £5 million to the Fiji Development bank, for on-lending to small farmers and fishermen, to be disbursed by CDC between 1988 and 1991.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there has been any new technical co-operation with Fiji since May 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  Technical co-operation with Fiji concentrates on manpower support and training. Since May 1987, 17 new awards for training in the United Kingdom have been made and the following new appointments in Fiji have been financed or supplemented from the bilateral country programme:

  Financial Adviser to Posts and Telecommunications

  Director, Roads and Airfields

  Principal Utilisation Officer, Forestry

  Director, Water and Sewage.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the level of United Kingdom aid to Fiji since May 1987; and if he will give figures for the equivalent period for 1986–87.

  Mr. Mellor
  Assistance to Fiji from the Overseas Development Administration from May 1987 to the end of March 1988 totalled £971,938. The amount for the 220
  equivalent period in 1986–87 was £1,003,971. This excludes expenditure by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  Ethiopia
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what development aid has been given to Ethiopia by the European Community in the last year; and what has been the United Kingdom contribution.

  Mr. Mellor
  In 1987 the European Community approved three development projects for Ethiopia under the third Lomé convention, namely:

  £ million

  Grant funding

  —Integrated training programme linked to the development of the rural sector

  4·9

  —North Shewa rural development and land reclamation programme

  16·6

  Risk capital (managed by the European Investment Bank)

  —Development of an opencast gold mine and or treatment plant at Northern Lega Dambi, Sidamo Province

  14·5

  36·0

  The United Kingdom share of the total funding is about £6 million.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list any new aid projects, and any new programme aid agreements for Fiji approved since May 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  There have been no financial aid projects or programme aid commitments either from the bilateral country programme or by the Commonwealth Development Corporation. Our bilateral country programme now consits of technical co-operation alone.

  UN Aid Target
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the answer of 6 May,Official Report, column 639, to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison); he will tabulate progress made in 1979 in reaching the United Nations aid target of 0·7 per cent. of gross national product.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is as follows:

  Net official development assistance percentage of gross national product (GNP)

  Per cent.

  1979

  0·52

  1980

  0·35

  1981

  0·43

  1982

  0·37

  1983

  0·35

  1984

  0·33

  1985

  0·33

  1986

  10·31

  1 Revised from 0·32 per cent.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Fusion (Research)
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he proposes to take any action with regard to future funding and support in relation to research in nuclear fusion, on the conclusions of ETSU-R43; what assessment he has made of the extent to which the joint European Torus project provides value for money; and what is his assessment of the prospects for commercial power from nuclear fusion within the next 70 years;

  (2) whether he intends to seek independent advice, in addition to that from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, on the next stage of research funding for nuclear fusion, the next European Torus; whether he will make it his policy to publish any future evaluation of fusion research; whether he will sponsor a conference on the subject; and whether he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will seek to obtain for his departmental library a copy of the recently published assessment of nuclear fusion sponsored by the European Parliament and produced by the Centre for Energy Studies at South Bank polytechnic; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  ETSU report, R43, is a document providing background information and, as such, has been available in my Department and influenced continuing decisions on the funding of fusion research for some time. We are currently considering with Euratom partners a proposal to extend to 1992 the life of the joint European Torus project at Culham, which is the only device in the world intended for sustained experiments on deuterium-tritium plasma. Given the need to demonstrate operating reliability of any plant over a number of years, it is unlikely that fusion power will be commercially available before the middle of the next century.

  The next decision needed on the next European Torus will be whether to proceed to detailed engineering design. It is common ground between the United Kingdom and its partners that such a decision cannot be made before 1990 or without an independent evaluation of the Community fusion programme. Advice will be needed from many different sources. My Department has seen the interim report by the Centre for Energy Studies, which was prepared for the European Parliament's committee on energy research and technology.

  Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the effect of refuelling advanced gas-cooled reactors on their standard electrical output.

  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.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has on the radiological content of gas released during depressurisation of advanced gas-cooled reactors.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Monitoring the radioactivity of gaseous discharges from ACRs is not a function of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. The responsibility for authorising discharges of radioactive substances rests with the authorising Departments (Department of the Environment and the Scottish Development Department).

  Nuclear Installations (Refuelling)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the reports of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on on-load refuelling.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Operators of AGR stations must comply with NII's requirements in respect of safety in order to secure consent for continued operation. The HSE has no plans to publish reports on on-load refuelling.

  Civil Plutonium (Exports)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all instances since May 1979 when he has given permission for the export of civil plutonium under section 2(i) of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 6 May 1988]Since May 1979, permission for the export of civil plutonium under section 2(1) of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 has been given on 19 occasions.

  Information on individual exports is commercially sensitive. The countries of destination are included in the reply by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) on 18 February 1987 at column 635 in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen).

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Children (Special Educational Needs)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received concerning the implications of the report on the teaching of children with special educational needs.

  Mr. Dunn
  In the past two months, the Department has received about 2,550 representations about the Educational Reform Bill which include reference to children with special educational needs.

  Teachers' Superannuation Fund
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has issued any further guidance to independent schools using the teachers' superannuation fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information and guidance on teachers' superannuation is provided by means of circular letters to all relevant employers, including independent schools. Since January 1987 four such letters have been issued, covering a wide range of subjects. Of particular relevance to independent schools was Teachers' Pensions Letter No. 89, issued in February 1988, relating to salary increases for teachers approaching retirement.

  Education Authorities (Property)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with the local education authorities in areas outside the Inner London education authority regarding the future of their properties within their authority district.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that he is willing to discuss the future of Inner London education authority property located outside the inner London area both with the inner London councils and with the authorities in whose area it is located. Such discussion is likely to take place in the context of the inner London councils' preparation of their development plans for the education service in their area.

  ILEA (Property)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all property owned by the Inner London education authority outside the area served by the Inner London education authority.

  Mr. Dunn
  Comprehensive information on ILEA's property is held only by the authority itself. Under the provisions of the Education Reform Bill, currently under discussion in another place, the Inner London education authority will be required to make such information available to the inner London boroughs and other local authorities in which Inner London education authority property is located, as well as to my right hon. Friend.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Leicester Prison
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many prisoners Leicester prison was constructed; how many prisoners it holds at present; how many and what percentage of those prisoners are living three to a cell; what is the size of those cells; how many hours a day those prisoners on average spend locked into those cells; and what is the maximum time spent by prisoners locked in their cells.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following is the available information.

  Leicester prison was constructed as a county gaol in the 1820s, and information on the capacity of the buildings is not now readily available. The inmate accommodation was demolished and replaced in the 1880s.

  On 4 May, 358 prisoners were held: 207 of these were located three to a cell, representing 57 per cent. of the total.

  Most prisoners are in cells the dimensions of which are approximately 3·9 m by 2·2 m (8·5 sq m). Other cells vary slightly from these dimensions.

  Time spent in cells is difficult to measure systematically because prisoners leave their cells for many different purposes. Locally assembled information shows that, in the seven-day period ended 4 May 1988, prisoners generally spent about 16·5 hours (sentenced prisoners serving 18 months or over) or 17·5 hours (unsentenced prisoners or those serving shorter sentences) locked in cells each day, with the following exceptions: prisoners in the special security unit (13 hours); in security category A and on the escape list (19 hours); in the prison hospital (19·5 hours); and segregated under rule 43 at their own request (19 hours).

  The maximum time spent locked in cell may exceptionally extend to 23 hours a day for a small number of prisoners segregated under rule 43 for reasons for good order and discipline or who have reduced mobility due to sickness.

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) of the applications for citizenship received in each month in the year 1987, how many and what percentage have now been processed; and what was the minimum, the average and the maximum waiting time for those applying for such processing;

  (2) pursuant to the answer of 19 April, Official Report, column 408, of the estimated 290,000 citizenship applications received in 1987, how many grants of citizenship were refused; and how many are still in the course of processing.

  Mr. Renton
  Information is not available in the form requested. The number of applications for British citizenship received in the nationality division, and the number granted and refused, in each month during 1987 is as follows:

  1987

  Applications1 received

  Granted2

  Refused2

  January

  4,587

  4,874

  298

  February

  4,503

  6,728

  373

  March

  4,475

  7,255

  341

  225

  1987

  Applications1 received

  Granted2

  Refused2

  April

  3,552

  3,511

  410

  May

  4,295

  4,585

  387

  June

  4,869

  5,436

  411

  July

  6,539

  5,391

  409

  August

  8,616

  4,529

  313

  September

  7,070

  5,093

  434

  October

  7,557

  5,249

  464

  November

  15,512

  5,685

  365

  December

  8,443

  6,412

  308

  1 These figures do not include applications received in Lunar house, but not yet received in the case working groups.

  2 Provisional figures.

  At the end of April there were approximately 250,000 applications for citizenship in the course of processing. Information about maximum and minimum waiting times is not readily available; the average waiting time for applications currently being completed is seven months for registration and 17 months for naturalisation.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how long he estimates that an application for British nationality received by him during the month of January will take before the same is acknowledged and processed, respectively;

  (2) approximately how long he estimates that an application for citizenship currently waits at Lunar house before it is opened and acknowledged, respectively;

  (3) how many sacks of applications for British nationality are currently awaiting opening at Lunar house.

  Mr. Renton
  The majority of applications received during January have now been acknowledged. The remainder, and all other current applications (in total about 9,400), will have been opened and acknowledged by the end of this month.

  It is not yet possible to estimate how long, on average, it will be before decisions will be reached on applications received during January.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's practice in the use of standard acknowledgement forms and standard processing methods in respect of applications for British nationality; and whether he will place in the Library copies of such standard forms and of all processing documents.

  Mr. Renton
  We make the fullest practicable use of standard forms and letters in order to hold down the cost of fees payable by applicants. Some 245 forms are at present used in connection with processing applications. Their purpose and method of use would in many cases not be clear without a detailed guide which it would be disproportionately expensive to prepare. For that and other reasons I am not willing to make such forms and documents available in the Library.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed in the processing of applications for British citizenship; and what is his estimate of the average turnover of such staff during the course of a calendar year.

  Mr. Renton
  The number of staff employed in case-working groups processing applications for British citizenship has varied between 152 and 146 from 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988, averaging 148 over the year.
  226
  These figues do not include staff processing inquiries about citizenship status, dealing with requests for application forms and maintaining the computer records which support the processing of cases.

  Over that year the turnover of staff is estimated at 26 per cent.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how long he now estimates it will he before all applicants for British nationality who applied in 1987 will know whether such applications have been successful;

  (2) what system his Department follows in processing applications for British nationality;

  (3) whether he will institute an inquiry into the delay in opening, acknowledging and processing applications for British nationality; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  No, since the initial stage of the work to deal with the 290,000 citizenship applications received in 1987, including over 100,000 in December 1987, has now been completed. All these applications have been acknowledged.

  Unless there are exceptional reasons for taking a case out of turn, applications will be processed generally in order of receipt. We are considering the response to the recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee in its recent report (HC 340) about the time within which all applications received during 1987 should be decided, and will report our conclusions to the House.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money by way of fees in respect of applications for British nationality he estimates to be contained in the citizenship applications currently awaiting opening and acknowledgement at Lunar house.

  Mr. Renton
  The amount of fees contained in the 9,400 citizenship applications received since late January which await to be opened in Lunar house depends on the proportions of registration and naturalisation applications, but is expected to be in the region of £750,000.

  Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes there are in Cambridgeshire for(a) the district council areas and (b) the towns of Whittlesey, March, Wisbech and Chatteris; and what were the comparable figures in 1987 and 1986.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that there were 168 neighbourhood watch schemes in Cambridgeshire at the end of April 1988, 66 at the end of April 1987 and seven at the end of April 1986. The total for the current year can be broken down by police sub-division (closely related to the district council areas) and section (equivalent to a town) as follows:

  Number of schemes

  (a) Police sub-division

  Peterborough

  56

  Fenland

  28

  Huntingdon

  31

  Cambridge (covers Cambridge City, East and South Cambridgeshire District Council areas)

  53

  227

  Number of schemes

  (b) Police section

  Whittlesey

  1

  March

  18

  Wisbech

  7

  Chatteris

  2

  Comparable figures for 1986 and 1987 are not available in this form.

  Television (Scotland)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to(a) how many hours of television will be produced for regional consumption by BBC Scotland, STV, Grampian and Border Television in 1988, (b) how many hours of television in Gaelic are expected to be broadcast by BBC Scotland, STV, Grampian and Border Television in 1988 and (c) what were the equivalent figures for 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  I understand from the BBC and the IBA that the information sought is as follows:

  Table 1 Regional programme production

  Programme hours produced per year

  1987

  1988

  BBC Scotland

  863

  1863

  STV

  507

  496

  Grampian

  370

  364

  Border Television

  235

  2260

  Table 2 Gaelic Programmes

  Programme hours transmitted per year

  1987

  1988

  BBC Scotland

  52

  52

  STV

  21

  345

  Grampian

  34·5

  439·5

  Border Television

  —

  —

  1 This is a forecast figure based on analogy with previous years.

  2 Border Television's transmission area covers the Isle of Man, northern England and southern Scotland. This figure represents the total output for the region.

  3 This figure includes material made by Grampian Television and an independent production company, and broadcast by STV.

  4 This figure represents Grampian Television programmes only. Grampian anticipates obtaining additional Gaelic programming from STV for transmission during 1988.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has as to how many hours of television will be broadcast as a whole by BBC Scotland, STV, Grampian and Border Television in 1988.

  Mr. Renton
  I understand that BBC Scotland and the three ITV companies expect to transmit the following numbers of hours of programming during 1988:

  Television programme hours to be transmitted in 1988

  Number

  BBC Scotland—BBC 1

  5,905

  BBC 2

  4,335

  STV

  7,686

  Grampian

  5,512

  Border Television

  16,010

  1This figure includes extra programming during the night hours which is expected to begin later in the year.

  Gaelic
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the broadcasting of television programmes in Gaelic; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  It is for the broadcasting authorities—the BBC and the IBA—to consider the emphasis which should be given to Gaelic broadcasting. They are responsible for the scheduling of programmes and for their content. I understand they recognise the important part Gaelic has to play in preserving the cultural heritage of Scotland.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to forbid the deliberate inhalation of solvents to create intoxication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave to his earlier question on 21 April at col 516.

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make the H0144 class of files publicly available at the Public Records Office.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Earlier papers in this class are being reviewed. As part of this review a further release for public inspection of some 3,250 files comprising between 40,000 and 50,000 sub files is planned later this summer.

  Domestic Servants
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the total numbers of people admitted to the United Kingdom for each year since 1979 as domestic servants and au pairs; and from which countries.

  Mr. Renton
  The numbers of au pairs (excluding EC nationals) admitted to the United Kingdom by nationality are published annually in table 1 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom" (Cm. 166 for the 1986 edition) copies of which are in the Library. The figures for 1987 are as follows:

  Numbers of au pairs admitted in 1987

  Nationality

  Number

  Austria

  820

  Cyprus

  1

  Finland

  710

  Malta

  1

  Norway

  600

  Sweden

  1,850

  Switzerland

  1,390

  Turkey

  200

  Yugoslavia

  480

  Other countries and stateless

  90

  Total

  6,150

  1 5 or less.

  Similar information regarding domestic servants and au pairs who are EC nationals is not available.

  Asylum
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special hardship visas have(a) been applied for at and (b) been granted by British posts overseas to people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom in 1986 and 1987; and what are the criteria for deciding such applications.

  Mr. Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) asylum and (b) severe hardship visas were made at British diplomatic posts overseas in 1986 and 1987, not including applications for resettlement made at diplomatic posts outside the applicant's own country; how many such applications were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) given exceptional leave to remain; and how an applicant qualifies for a severe hardship visa.

  Mr. Renton
  Assuming that the hon. Members are referring to the practice of entertaining applications made to British posts for asylum seekers wishing to come here, I regret that the figures sought are not available. Applications are referred to the Home Office for decision. Each is considered on its individual merits, in the light, inter alia, of the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and any links the applicant may have with the United Kingdom.

  Cruise Missile Convoys
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from the chief constables of Wiltshire, Thames Valley and Hampshire, as to the costs of policing cruise missiles convoys, per exercise, for each year since 1984.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not the practice, for both operational and security reasons, to give details of matters relating to exercises conducted by nuclear missile units.

  Guildford Pub Bombings
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report from the Metropolitan police concerning the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the protection of those found guilty of the Guildford pub bombings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend received a report from the Avon and Somerset police last month regarding inquiries arising from material submitted to him last year. This is now being considered, together with other matters raised about these convictions, and he expects to reach a conclusion shortly. We are not expecting any report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  Paul Hill
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for what reasons Paul Hill, currently held in Her Majesty's prison Long Lartin was put into solitary confinement; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) for how long, during his sentence, Paul Hill, currently held in Her Majesty's prison, Long Lartin, has been held in solitary confinement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. Hill has not been in solitary confinement at any time. He has been removed from 230
  normal association in the interests of good order and discipline under the terms of prison rule 43 for a total of 585 days, and for offences against discipline has been awarded a total of 181 days cellular confinement. Information about other occasions when he has been segregated, for example under prison rule 48 when awaiting adjudication, is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times Paul Hill, currently in Her Majesty's prison Long Lartin, has been moved since first being taken into custody.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. Hill moved four times before his trial in 1975 and 37 times since returning to prison under sentence, usually in the interests of good order and discipline.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available the text of his reply to the letter he recently received from Amnesty International regarding the conduct of the appeal hearing of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Mr. John Patten
  Arrangements have been made for a copy to be placed today in the Library of the House.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to publish further proposals to amend the current Sunday trading laws; and in what form they will be published.

  Mr. Renton
  The Government's views are known. They favour complete deregulation of Sunday trading hours but will consider any practicable compromise short of this if a consensus can be achieved.

  Prisoners (Diets)
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of inmates in each of Her Majesty's prisons who are following(a) vegan diets, (b) vegetarian diets, (c) gluten-free diets and (d) diabetic diets.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  P and O Dispute
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to the statement on the P and O dispute on 5 May,Official Report, column 1017, if he will give details of each offence for which people were arrested, the date and place of each arrest and whether the person arrested has been convicted;

  (2) further to the statement on the P and O dispute on 5 May, Official Report, column 1017, whether any arrests have been made following alleged threats of intimidation; and to whom the threats were reported.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information up to 10 May is as follows:
  231

  Date

  16 April

  One arrest for obstruction (cautioned and released).

  18 April

  One arrest for assault on the police, entering and remaining on the docks without authority and obstruction (charged and bailed to appear in court on 23 May).

  26 April

  Four arrests for assault on the police and obstruction (all charged and bailed to appear in court on 6 June).

  27 April

  Two arrests for breach of the peace (released without being charged).

  29 April

  One arrest for breach of the peace (released without being charged).

  30 April

  One arrest for breach of the peace (released without being charged); and two arrests under section 4 of the Public Order Act 1986 (one charged and bailed to appear in court on 6 June and one released without charge); and one arrest under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1968 (charged and bailed to appear in court on 6 June).

  5 May

  One arrest under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 (charged and bailed to appear in court on 13 June); and one arrest for obstruction of the highway and breach of the peace (charged and bailed to appear in court on 13 June).

  6 May

  One arrest for criminal damage to the homes of two working seamen (charged, bailed and due to re-appear in court on 19 May).

  10 May

  One arrest for criminal damage to a working seaman's vehicle (charged and due to appear in court on 11 May).

  All the arrests except those for criminal damage occurred in close proximity to Dover eastern dock. Reports to the police of intimidation are being recorded and investigated.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money Her Majesty's Government have spent, either directly or through grants to independent organisations, on educational material warning of the dangers of solvent abuse, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have been asked to reply.

  Details of expenditure in the years for which figures are available were given in my reply to the hon. and learned Member on 20 April at column 463.

DEFENCE

  Scout Movement
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department keeps on the Scout movement; why the information is collected; who supplies the information to his Department; who has access to the information; and why parents were not asked for permission.

  Mr. Freeman
  What information the Ministry has is provided by the Scout movement itself, and relates primarily to the operation of the Scout movement in north-west Europe. Here the army assists with the administration of the movement but policy, organisation,232
  records and running the Scouts remain the responsibility of the movement which maintains a civilian field commissioner in Germany for this purpose.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Freeman
  The Ministry of Defence's target reduction in non-operational energy usage for 1988–89 is almost £10 million in cash terms. Electricity used for lighting is not separately identifiable from electricity consumption as a whole, and it is therefore not possible to say how much of this is attributable to electric lighting. I regret that it would not be possible to identify investment in new energy-efficient lighting planned for 1988–89 without disproportionate cost.

  Fiji (Military Personnel)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any military personnel from Fiji have received training within the United Kingdom or in the United Kingdom bases overseas since May 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Since May 1987 no member of the Fijian armed forces has received training, either within the United Kingdom or in the United Kingdom bases overseas.

  Cruise Missiles
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place with(a) the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters and (b) the Government of the United States of America concerning the continued deployment and disposal of cruise missiles in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Such discussions are confidential.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times per month since 1984, cruise missile exercises have been conducted from RAF Greenham Common.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  No exercises involving cruise missiles have been conducted from Greenham Common.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has, in the course of his frequent meetings with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation colleagues, discussed the possible deployment of further sea-launched cruise missiles as part of the maintenance of nuclear forces.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 26 April at column 144.

  Stornoway (US Officers' Visit)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the visit of a group of United States military officers to Stornoway on 16 February.
  233
  Mr. Freeman
  I believe the visit to which the hon. Member refers involved two United States officers who passed through RAF Stornoway in connection with a visit to an exercise in the north Atlantic.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the rules of engagement under which service personnel operated in Gibraltar in shooting three IRA personnel.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The material facts concerning the deaths of the terrorists will be considered by the coroner in Gibraltar, acting with a jury, in accordance with the normal procedures for the conduct of inquests under Gibraltar law. The purpose of the inquest will be to determine how the terrorists died and it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment before then.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Party Political Promotions
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is his policy on the use of parliamentary resources and facilities for the purposes of promoting a political party.

  Mr. Wakeham
  It is a long-standing convention of the House that the resources and facilities extended to individual Members and political parties should not be used for the furtherance of political interests. That principle has always governed the rulings of the House authorities and the Services Committee.

  Annie's Bar
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the annual turnover of Annie's Bar; and which members of the press have access.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The annual turnover of Annie's Bar up to 31 March 1988 was £21,790 excluding VAT. Access is restricted to some Lobby correspondents and to the heads of the parliamentary staff and sketch writers of certain newspapers and press agencies.

  Line of Route
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if there are any plans to reverse the present line of route so that it commences at Westminster Hall and finishes at the Norman Porch; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  There are no such plans. This proposal was considered by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee on 10 February 1986 when it was rejected, mainly because of the security implications.

  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will raise the present line of route with the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The arrangements for parties on the line of route are kept under continuous review by the 234
  Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee. In the past two years, several measures have been introduced to improve these arrangements, on the recommendation of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee and with the approval of the Services Committee.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which regions adult unemployment has fallen in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which regions adult unemployment has fallen in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which regions adult unemployment has fallen in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Lee
  Unemployment has fallen in all regions of the United Kingdom over the last 12 months. The largest falls in the unemployment rate have been in the west midlands, the north-west and Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Earnings
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the trend of earnings.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The underlying trend in the growth of average earnings over the economy as a whole increased last autumn, since when it has been running at 8½ per cent. a year. This follows a period of over four years at about 7½ per cent. Part of this increase is due to the buoyant economy but many basic pay settlements are also too high. Settlements that are not justified by the needs of the enterprise concerned raise costs unnecessarily and are bad for jobs. They discourage recruitment and hold back further output, investment and improved competitiveness on which the growth of employment depends.

  Dock Labour Scheme (Levy Payments)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total management levy and severance levy paid by port employers in each year from 1968 to 1987 for the financing of the dock labour scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The levy paid by employers was as follows:

  Management £

  Severance £

  1968

  1,887,697

  —

  1969

  1,936,387

  1,171,884

  1970

  1,964,779

  3,929,558

  1971

  1,930,892

  4,334,907

  1972

  1,687,386

  5,556,306

  1973

  1,709,761

  5,654,089

  1974

  1,966,083

  2,630,184

  1975

  2,518,947

  3,729,800

  1976

  3,486,540

  6,657,361

  1977

  3,411,061

  7,478,529

  1978

  3,364,555

  7,850,456

  1979

  3,929,712

  9,069,435

  235

  Management £

  Severance £

  1980

  4,927,484

  9,507,058

  1981

  5,207,640

  12,500,957

  1982

  5,073,635

  12,257,110

  1983

  4,977,509

  10,955,903

  1984

  4,479,791

  11,540,407

  1985

  4,282,645

  5,523,879

  1986

  4,336,891

  1,835,979

  1987

  4,433,636

  2,047,046

  Blind Persons (Reader Service)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been allocated to the Manpower Services Commission's personal reader service for the blind for each of the last two years for which figures are available; and of that how much has been spent.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In 1986–87 £42,660 was allocated to the personal reader service for the blind for YTS and £2,236 was spent. In 1987–88, of the £42,660 allocated, £3,000 was spent. For new JTS £8,000 was allocated for 1987–88. No money has been spent.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the average cost per trainee of the Manpower Services Commission's personal reader service for the blind for each of the years since it was introduced;

  (2) what has been the average number of hours of reading service provided per trainee under the Manpower Services Commission's personal reader service for the blind since its introduction.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information on the average number of hours provided and the cost per trainee of the personal reader service for the blind is not available. In YTS, the service is provided for a maximum of 450 hours per trainee over a two-year scheme. In new JTS the service is provided for 225 hours over one year's training with a pro-rata allocation for shorter periods on the scheme. On both schemes, trainees' use of this resource varies according to their individual needs.

  Communication Service for the Deaf
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to extend the communication service for the deaf to the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Cope
  The nature of the enterprise allowance scheme means that participants attend very few formal meetings. Interpreters can be provided for deaf people attending the introductory awareness day and for their free business counselling sessions with the small firms service.

  Employment Training Programme
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the employment training programme will include courses specifically for people with special learning needs.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training will offer all participants an individual action plan, drawn up to meet their particular needs. In some cases, this may involve training designed specifically for those people with learning difficulties.

  Voluntary Projects Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are his plans for the continuation of the voluntary projects programme schemes after August.

  Mr. Nicholls
  From 5 September, employment training will replace the majority of MSC programmes for unemployed adults including the voluntary projects programme. However, some projects may continue until March 1989.

  Employment training combines the best features of current programmes including VPP and we expect that many current VPP providers will move forward into the new programme. Employment training will include special arrangements for an extended introduction to training for disadvantaged clients, similar to that developed through the VPP in recent years.

  Servants
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what actions have been taken by his Department to inquire into the circumstances of domestic servants and au pairs working in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Terms and conditions of employment are, in general, matters for agreement between the parties concerned.

TRANSPORT

  Safety at Sea
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received about standards of passenger safety at sea.

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

  Public Transport (Fares)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information about public transport fares levels in shire county areas.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The average fare per journey for adult single local bus tickets in the financial year 1986–87 was 33p in metropolitan areas and 47p in non-metropolitan areas. However, the average journey length was longer in non-metropolitan areas.

  Owing to the wide variations in types of train ticket and in journey lengths, comparable data on train fares cannot realistically be provided. However, information on BR receipts and traffic by operating sector are contained in section 3 of "Transport Statistics of Great Britain 1976–1986," a copy of which is in the Library.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Tax and Benefits System
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for a single childless person aged 18 to 24
  237
  years, earning (a) £40, (b) £50, (c) £60, (d) £70, (e) £80, (f) £90, and (g) £100 under the existing tax and benefits system, following the Budget and the social security changes, in each case assuming the person is paying average local authority rent and rates.

  New tax and benefit system from April 1988

  Gross earnings £

  Tax £

  NI £

  Family credit £

  Child benefit £

  Rent £

  Rent rebate £

  Rates £

  Rate rebate £

  Fares to work £

  Net weekly spending power £

  40·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  10·12

  8·45

  3·55

  5·85

  23·43

  50·00

  0·00

  2·50

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  5·25

  8·45

  2·05

  5·85

  24·56

  60·00

  2·48

  3·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·68

  8·45

  0·64

  5·85

  25·60

  70·00

  4·98

  4·90

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  29·88

  80·00

  7·48

  5·60

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  36·68

  90·00

  9·98

  6·30

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  43·48

  100·00

  12·48

  7·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  50·28

  I regret that my reply to a similar question from the hon. Member on 11 March 1988 at columns 396–8

  Pre-budget tax and new benefit system from April 1988 Single person aged 18–24

  Gross earnings £

  Tax £

  NI £

  Family credit £

  Child benefit £

  Rent £

  Rent rebate £

  Rates £

  Rate rebate £

  Fares to work £

  Net weekly spending power £

  40·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  10·12

  8·45

  3·55

  5·85

  23·43

  50·00

  0·49

  2·50

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  5·57

  8·45

  2·14

  5·85

  24·48

  60·00

  3·19

  3·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  1·15

  8·45

  0·78

  5·85

  25·50

  70·00

  5·89

  4·90

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  28·97

  80·00

  8·59

  5·60

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  35·57

  90·00

  11·29

  6·30

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  42·17

  100·00

  13·99

  7·00

  0·00

  0·00

  15·94

  0·00

  8·45

  0·00

  5·85

  48·77

  Continence (Advice)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many continence advisers are currently employed by each local health authority in England and Wales; and in 1985;

  (2) what plans he has to expand the continence advisory service in England and Wales;

  (3) what steps he is taking to monitor the effectiveness of continence advisory services in health authorities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that statistics on the number of continence advisers employed by local health authorities are not collected centrally.

  With regard to the expansion of continence advisory services, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 26 January 1988 at column 192. The effectiveness of continence advisory services is not monitored directly. That is a responsibility of the management of the local health authority concerned.

  Interpreters
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many interpreters there are in the offices of his Department in Tower Hamlets.
  238
  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is provided in the table.

  contained an error. The figures given in the second table related to single people over age 25 and not to the 18–24 years age group specified. Following is the corrected table:

  Mr. Portillo
  There are no professional interpreters in the Department's five offices in Tower Hamlets. However, there are 70 members of staff in these offices able and willing to act as interpreters covering 25 languages.

  Reciprocal Social Security Agreements
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what new social security agreements have been negotiated and are awaiting implementation with new countries about the introduction of a reciprocal social security agreement;

  (2) which countries he is at present in negotiation with about the introduction of a reciprocal social security agreement;

  (3) if he will list those countries with whom the United Kingdom has entered into a social security agreement enabling British pensioners living there to receive United Kingdom pension increases in full;

  (4) if he will list those countries with whom the United Kingdom has not yet entered into a social security agreement enabling British pensioners living there to receive United Kingdom pension increases in full;

  (5) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in the United States of America;

  (6) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in Malta;

  (7) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in Bermuda;
  239
  (8) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in the Bahamas.

  Mr. Scott
  The United Kingdom has entered into social security reciprocal agreements which include provision for British pensioners to receive pension increases at upratings with the following countries. Except where the footnote shows otherwise the effect is that pensions are paid at the rate that would have applied had the pensioners remained in the United Kingdom.

  Austria

  Belgium

  Bermuda (1 November 1969)3

  Cyprus

  Denmark1

  Finland

  France

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Gibraltar

  Greece1

  Iceland

  Republic of Ireland

  Isle of Man

  Israel

  Italy

  Jamaica (1 October 1972)3

  Jersey and Guernsey

  Luxembourg

  Malta

  Mauritius (1 November 1981)3

  Netherlands

  Portugal

  Sark2

  Spain

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Turkey

  United States of America (25 September 1969)3

  Yugoslavia

  1 United Kingdom pensions in Denmark and Greece are paid at unfrozen rates by virtue of EC regulations (1408/71 and 574/72) and not by virtue of reciprocal agreements with the United Kingdom.

  2 United Kingdom pensions in Sark are paid at unfrozen rates by virtue of a separate provision of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975.

  3 Increases have been paid only from the dates shown so that increases effective before those dates are not payable.

  There are United Kingdom pensioners in some 140 other countries, including the Bahamas, with whom there is no reciprocal agreement enabling pension increases to be paid. There are no new social security agreements already negotiated and awaiting implementation. Negotiations concerning new agreements are in progress with Barbados and the Philippines, and concerning revision of an existing agreement (which does not provide for pension increases to be paid) with Norway.

  Blind and Partially Sighted Persons
  Ms. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what advantages a person obtains by being included on(a) the blind register and (b) the partially sighted register.

  Mr. Scott
  A claimant to severe disablement allowance who is registered as blind or partially sighted is automatically accepted as satisfying the 80 per cent. disablement condition. Blindness is a qualification for disablement premium under income support and a person who is blind with additional disabilities may qualify for attendance allowance. People who are registered as blind 240
  may also apply for a special income tax allowance, a television licence at reduced cost, free postage on items sent as articles for the blind and certain travel concessions. On the other hand, those who are blind or partially sighted do not need to be registered as such with local authorities before they can be helped by social services departments.

  Grants and Loans
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will detail the number of applicants to his Department's local offices in Bradford who since 11 April have been refused(a) grants and (b) loans; and what is the number of those who asked for a grant but were given a loan;

  (2) if he will detail the state of the grants and loans budgets for each of his Department's local offices in Bradford for the month since 11 April; and if he will undertake to record and make available this information on a monthly basis.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 6 May 1988 at column 656, where I outlined our plans for providing local office social fund data. Information on the number of those who ask for a grant but are offered a loan is not available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the repayment arrangements made by the three local offices of his Department in Bradford to applicants who have been given loans since 11 April.

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

  Decision-Making
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific information is available to him via social fund microcomputers; and how he intends to monitor the quality of decision-making undertaking by local office staff.

  Mr. Portillo
  I will place a note in the Library giving details of the specific information obtained from the microcomputers. The quality of decision-making will be monitored by information obtained from the microcomputers, by the activities of local management, regional office monitoring teams and by independent research.

  Transitional Protection Additions
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the number of people receiving transitional protection additions at each local office of his Department in Bradford; if he will provide this information on the basis of each claimant category; and whether the addition is more or less than £10 a week.

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

  Case Reviews
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate how many applicants to the social funds of the local office of his Department in Bradford since 11 April have indicated their intention to take their case to review; and if he will undertake to
  241
  record, on a monthly basis, the number of applicants taking their cases to the first and second stages of the review process and the outcome of such reviews.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that this information is not available. Information about applications for review and their outcome will be recorded on local office microcomputers as it becomes available.

  Devon Ambulance Services
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what have been the total numbers of ambulances for Devon ambulance services for the past five years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The total number of ambulances in service for the Devon ambulance service for each of the last five years is as follows:

  Financial year

  Number of ambulances

  1983–84

  117

  1984–85

  119

  1985–86

  121

  1986–87

  124

  1987–88

  120

  Ambulances
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines his Department gives on ambulance replacement regarding(a) design and (b) origin of manufacture.

  Mrs. Currie
  DHSS guidelines to NHS authorities on(a) cover chassis equipment, basic body construction and dimensions, standard equipment facilities and fitments, allowing for modification in the light of local conditions and needs. Ambulance design criteria and replacement policy are currently under review.

  On (b) guidelines do not specify requirements as to origin of manufacture. Health authorities are expected to seek best long-term value for money, taking all relevant factors of cost, quality and service into account.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what European Economic Community regulations apply to the purchase or replacement of ambulances.

  Mrs. Currie
  Directive 77/62/EEC, as amended by directive 80/767/EEC, relates to the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public supply contracts.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services after what mileage an ambulance is replaced.

  Mrs. Currie
  NHS ambulances are usually replaced after 140,000 miles or seven years. Individual replacement decisions are taken in the light of local usage and circumstances.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services from where ambulances are purchased.

  Mrs. Currie
  Ambulances currently in use by the NHS have been purchased by competitive tendering from suppliers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the European Economic Community. Other sources of supply can be considered on their merits.
  242
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ambulances have been off the road in Devon in the last year and every month in the current year due to lost wheels or half shaft problems.

  Mrs. Currie
  During 1987, 58 ambulances were taken off the road in Devon due to either lost wheel or half shaft defects. All the vehicles were returned to service by 11 January 1988. The 58 vehicles were withdrawn from service on 30 April 1988 and replacement of these vehicles will be completed by the end of this month.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of ambulances in service for each district health authority for each year since 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  The available information, which is given in the table, is not precisely in the form requested. Information is available only centrally by ambulance authority rather than district health authority.

  Ambulance Services Total Vehicles used to Transport Patients

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  England

  6,605

  6,491

  6,440

  6,459

  Northern

  546

  470

  458

  477

  Cleveland

  83

  82

  84

  82

  Cumbria

  94

  92

  92

  94

  Durham

  111

  111

  95

  99

  Northumbria M.A.S.

  258

  185

  187

  202

  Yorkshire

  597

  636

  638

  647

  Humberside

  167

  165

  167

  167

  North Yorkshire

  113

  113

  115

  116

  West Yorkshire M.A.S.

  317

  358

  356

  364

  Trent

  644

  648

  678

  688

  Derbyshire

  135

  132

  142

  132

  Leicestershire

  133

  137

  142

  142

  Lincolnshire

  97

  99

  99

  95

  Nottinghamshire

  138

  137

  130

  131

  South Yorkshire M.A.S.

  141

  143

  165

  188

  East Anglian

  218

  219

  225

  231

  Cambridgeshire

  64

  64

  63

  54

  Norfolk

  92

  90

  94

  96

  Suffolk

  62

  65

  68

  81

  North West Thames

  196

  193

  200

  202

  Bedfordshire

  70

  70

  70

  71

  Hertfordshire

  126

  123

  130

  131

  North East Thames

  149

  148

  137

  133

  Essex

  149

  148

  137

  133

  South East Thames

  317

  300

  300

  300

  East Sussex

  91

  94

  94

  94

  Kent

  226

  206

  206

  206

  South West Thames

  1,179

  1,184

  1,170

  1,127

  Surrey

  127

  121

  121

  104

  West Sussex

  85

  88

  83

  85

  London A. S.

  967

  975

  966

  938

  Wessex

  308

  297

  293

  280

  Dorset

  59

  57

  59

  62

  Hampshire

  161

  154

  144

  130

  Wiltshire

  75

  73

  74

  73

  Isle of Wight

  13

  13

  16

  15

  Oxford

  285

  284

  283

  279

  Berkshire

  75

  75

  74

  72

  Buckinghamshire

  78

  76

  76

  76

  243

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Northamptonshire

  75

  76

  76

  76

  Oxfordshire

  57

  57

  57

  55

  South Western

  484

  480

  447

  457

  Avon

  142

  143

  111

  114

  Cornwall/Isles of Scilly

  76

  72

  68

  71

  Devon

  117

  119

  121

  124

  Gloucestershire

  98

  83

  82

  83

  Somerset

  51

  63

  65

  65

  West Midlands

  728

  713

  690

  713

  Hereford and Worcester

  96

  94

  97

  94

  Shropshire

  73

  71

  70

  67

  Staffordshire

  148

  153

  154

  156

  Warwickshire

  59

  54

  56

  59

  West Midlands Metropolitan

  352

  341

  313

  337

  Mersey

  338

  351

  387

  393

  Cheshire

  105

  114

  118

  121

  Mersey Metropolitan Council

  233

  237

  269

  272

  North Western

  616

  568

  534

  532

  Lancashire

  218

  185

  176

  171

  Greater Manchester M.A.S.

  398

  383

  358

  361

  Source: York health authority.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ambulances have been replaced nationally each year since 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  Approximately 850 NHS ambulance vehicles have been replaced annually in the United Kingdom since 1983.

  Ambulance Service Pay Claim
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will make an offer regarding the 1988 ambulance service pay claim.

  Mr. Tony Newton
  The pay of ambulance officers and control assistants is a matter for negotiation in the ambulance officers' joint negotiating committee, and that of ambulance men and women in the ambulance Whitley Council. I understand that offers which were rejected were made on 15 April and 20 April respectively, and negotiations stand adjourned.

  Ancillary Staffs Council Pay Award
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the ancillary staffs council pay award, when agreed, will be entirely funded by his Department.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall) on Tuesday 10 May 1988 at column 133.

  Overseas Pensioners
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether pensioners from Australia, Canada and New Zealand who live within the United Kingdom have their pensions frozen by their respective Governments in the same way as British pensions are frozen.

  Mr. Scott
  New Zealand superannuation is not payable abroad except during temporary absences. Australian and 244
  Canadian pensions payable to pensioners living in the United Kingdom are not frozen by their respective Governments but entitlement for those living abroad is restricted in other ways. Australian old age pensions are awarded only to people who claim while permanently resident in Australia. Canadian old-age security pensions are payable outside Canada, other than during temporary absences, only to people who have resided in Canada for at least 20 years after the age of 18 (compared with a residence requirement of 10 years for those living in Canada).

  Hounslow and Spelthorne District Health Authority
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will call for a report from Hounslow and Spelthorne district health authority over the sponsorship of Kempton races to pay for staff salaries.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that the sponsorship of Kempton park races was connected with a charitable appeal towards upgrading the buildings and buying more modern equipment at Ashford and West Middlesex hospitals. There is a long-standing tradition of such support for the Health Service, for which we are most grateful. I hope everyone concerned enjoyed their day.

  Correspondence
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if an answer will now be provided to the letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate, (Mr. Portillo), reference PO(5)1508/8, dated 22 February and written by Mr. J. M. Hamilton of 58 Woodlands lane, Shirley, Solihull.

  Mr. Portillo
  A reply was sent to Mr. Hamilton on 10 May.

  National Childbirth Trust
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he received an application from the National Childbirth Trust for Department of Health and Social Security section 64 grant for an average of £62,000 for each of the next three years; and when he expects to make a decision upon the application.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Sir G. Finsberg) on 27 April at columns 177–78.

  Quest for a Test for Cancer
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date an expert panel considered an application for funding from Quest for a Test for Cancer for a wide clinical trial due to start in January 1988; on what date the panel made a decision upon the application; when the National Health Services procurement directorate knew of the panel's decision; and when it was communicated to the applicant.

  Mrs. Currie
  The expert panel chaired by the Department's chief scientist, Professor O'Grady, met on 26 February 1988 to review some 13 applications for research funding on a similar theme and made recommendations the same day. This included a
  245
  recommendation that the project to which the hon. Member refers should not, as submitted, be funded by the Department. However, the Department contacted the applicant on 15 April to discuss a new proposal for further collaborative work with a view to commercial exploitation of the screening method involved.

  Child Benefit
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the change in the real value of child benefit since its introduction.

  Mr. Scott
  Child benefit was phased in between April 1977 and April 1979. The value of child benefit at April 1987 was 96·7 per cent. of its value at April 1979, based on the movement in the general index of retail prices during that period.

  Abortion Act 1967
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will establish an independent and representative body to review the workings of the Abortion Act 1967 and to make recommendations.

  Mr. Newton
  We have no plans to do so. The main issues raised by abortion have been considered on a number of occasions, most recently by the House of Lords Select Committee on the Infant Life (Preservation) Bill, which reported earlier this year.

  NHS Hospitals (Cost)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 3 May,Official Report, column 350, what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards seeking private contributions towards the capital costs of National Health Service hospitals.

  Mrs. Currie
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in her reply to the hon. Member, we welcome the support for the health services provided in a number of ways by such private contributions.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 6 May,Official Report, columns 628–44, to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) he will list those objectives in the field of policy for disabled persons and their carers which Her Majesty's Government have not fulfilled.

  Mr. Scott
  Government objectives are to respond to the needs of disabled people and to encourage their increased independence and integration into society. The Government aim to improve the targeting of assistance to them in order to enable this to happen. Since 1979, we have increased spending on benefits for the long-term sick and disabled by over 80 per cent. in real terms, or by about £3 billion. This year we are spending an extra £60 million on 270,000 sick and disabled claimants through the disability premium, and a further £8 million for claimants eligible for the severe disability premium. We have also set aside £5 million for the Independent Living Fund to provide help to severely disabled people which will enable them to live 246
  independently in the community. We recognise the importance of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. The Act is being progressively implemented in a properly planned way, in co-operation with the service providers.

  Pathology Laboratories
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any discussions have taken place between representatives of the Government and representatives of the Hospital Corporation of America, the American Medical International, National Medical Enterprises and the Humana Corporation about the privatisation of pathology laboratories in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  No.

  District Health Authority Plans
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures govern the re-submission for consultation of district health authority plans which have been approved but not implemented.

  Mrs. Currie
  There are no specific formal procedures to govern the situation indicated by the hon. Member. Statute requires health authorities to consult community health councils over individual proposals for substantial changes in services.

  Coventry Churches Housing Association
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what undertakings Coventry Churches housing association has given under its agreement with Coventry district health authority as a condition for the use of the Whitley hospital site to provide the equivalent full hospital care for its patients.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that only those patients who do not require full consultant oversight in NHS hospital facilities will be considered for transfer, under arrangements currently being drawn up, to the care of the Coventry Churches housing association.

  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make available to right hon. and hon. Members the documents which define the detailed patient hospital care requirement of the Coventry Churches housing association as a condition of its use of the Coventry Whitley hospital site.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that the patient care policy document, which will form part of a legally binding agreement between Coventry health authority and the Coventry Churches housing association, is currently being put in final form. The document will be available shortly and I will ensure that the hon. Member receives a copy and that a further copy is placed in the Library.

  Coventry (GPs)
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many Coventry citizens were denied permanent practitioner placement in the last year for which figures are available;
  247
  (2) how many Coventry citizens had been denied a permanent practitioner placement after complaining of a doctor's misconduct in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  I regret the information requested is not held centrally. I refer the hon. Member to Coventry family practitioner committee which may be able to provide it. It is, however, the case that where a patient has difficulty in finding a doctor who will accept him on his list, the FPC is empowered to assign that patient to a doctor's list.

  NHS Properties
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the target to have 70 per cent. of all National Health Service properties in an adequate position was set.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 11 May 1988]The target was set in July 1985.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 5 May,Official
  248
  Report, column 549, he will identify the 2 per cent. of National Health Service property not currently held to be in an adequate condition but which it is intended to improve; what plans have been made to ensure that it is in an adequate condition with the estimated dates of completion; and if he will give the estimated cost of each such scheme.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 11 May 1988]The National Health Service estate comprises some 12,000 major sites and each site may have several buildings. Centrally we do not collect information about the condition of each building. It is for individual health authorities to identify and remedy particular deficiencies as part of their ongoing estate management functions. In 1985–86 64 per cent. and in 1986–87 68 per cent. of the property was in adequate condition. If that trend continues we can expect the NHS to have achieved the 70 per cent. target during 1987–88. The figures for 1987–88 will not be available before February 1989.

  TENANTS' RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
  TENANTS' RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
  REDUNDANT CHURCHES
  REDUNDANT CHURCHES