Written Answers of 16 May 1988

WALES

  Bristol Channel
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many discharges or deposits into the Bristol channel from south Wales sources are currently authorised in respect of raw sewage, sewage sludge, industrial, nuclear or other wastes.

  Mr. Grist
  The public register held by the Welsh water authority contains details of all authorised discharges including those to the waters of the Bristol channel.

  In respect of the dumping of sewage sludge, the Welsh water authority holds one annual licence for dumping off the south Wales coast.

  A total of 28 authorisations have been granted for the indirect discharge into the Bristol channel of low-level radioactive waste of which one relates to a licensed nuclear site.

  Pembrey salt marsh
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to announce his decision regarding the proposed development of Pembrey salt marsh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend is considering information and views provided by Llanelli borough council, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Nature Conservancy Council and other interested people and organisations, following requests that he revoke a deemed planning permission for a road across Pembrey salt marsh. He will give his decision as quickly as possible.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Management Consultancies
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of his Department's assisted management consultancies for companies were established by 1 May in each region.

  Mr. Atkins
  From the launch of the consultancy initiatives on 13 January, to 29 April, 2,094 projects have been passed to independent scheme contractors for the appointment of consultants, as follows:

  Number

  North East

  152

  North West

  327

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  233

  West Midlands

  249

  East Midlands

  154

  South West

  191

  South East:

  Cambridge area

  89

  Reading area

  100

  296

  Number

  Reigate area

  117

  London area

  315

  Wales

  60

  Scotland

  107

  Departmental Advertising
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department spent on advertising in each year since 1979 and up to the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Butcher
  Expenditure by the Department of Trade and Industry between 1979 and the end of March 1988 is as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  0·25

  1980–81

  0·54

  1981–82

  0·83

  1982–83

  2·14

  1983–84

  1·39

  1984–85

  2·11

  1985–86

  1·22

  1986–87

  1·00

  1987–88

  17.90

  1 (Estimated).

  Telephone Exchange for the Deaf
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to assist the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, over and above sums guaranteed under the concerned technology scheme, with the funding needed to operate and develop the telephone exchange for the deaf on a long-term basis.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department is contributing £70,000, over the two years starting 1 March 1988, towards the cost of the Royal National Institute for the Deals telephone exchange for the deaf. There are no plans at present to offer further funds.

  Swiss Companies
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to the number of(a) successful and (b) contested bids by British companies for Swiss or Swiss-based companies in each of the last five years; and if he will publish the names of the companies concerned.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  United Kingdom companies are not required to register overseas acquisitions of companies. From press reports, however, my Department has identified the following cases of United Kingdom companies acquiring Swiss companies:

  Acquiring Company

  Swiss Company acquired

  1983

  APV Holdings

  Gelruder Ott AG

  1984

  Bowater

  Roba AG

  Croda International

  Kolmar Cosmetics

  1985

  None

  1986

  None

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  Acquiring Company

  Swiss Company acquired

  1987

  John Crowther

  Wollimex AG

  Queen's Moat Houses

  Hotel Admiral

  1988

  Blue Circle

  Romag AG

  There may well have been other acquisitions in addition to those listed. There is no available information on whether any of these acquisitions was contested or whether there were other bids which were contested and failed.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the sums paid for radio, newspaper and magazine advertising by Her Majesty's Government on the current campaign to increase United Kingdom awareness of the 1992 single European market.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The estimated costs of, radio and newspaper advertising in support of the first stages of the single European market publicity campaign are about £56,000 and £620,000 respectively. No paid advertising in magazines is involved.

  Asia and Africa
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the percentage annual change in the terms of trade between the United Kingdom and (a) low-income Asian countries and (b) low-income African countries for each year 1973 to 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Companies (Share Registers)
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many United Kingdom companies include in their articles of association a provision whereby the company board can refuse to register an entry in the share register.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 13 May 1988]: This information is not available. It is for companies themselves to decide whether to adopt standard articles or alternatively to draw up their own. The standard articles are prescribed by regulation and for the majority of companies these are known as "Table A". Prior to 1981, table A included such a provision for private companies. The current table A does not. Whatever articles are adoped they can be examined by looking at the record of the individual company maintained by the Registrar of Companies, which is available for public inspection in Cardiff or London.

  British Steel Corporation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what sites have been disposed of by the British Steel Corporation in each of the last five years; what number of acres in each region have been disposed of(a) as a result of direction by a Government Minister and (b) without such a direction; and what proportion of such disposals went to (i) development corporations, (ii) BSC
  298
  (Industry) Ltd., (iii) local enterprise agencies, (iv) local authorities, (v) other public bodies, or (vi) private bodies or companies.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: The main sites sold by BSC over the last five years are as follows:

  1983–84

  611 acres, Shotton

  Part of Normanby Park Works, Scunthorpe

  110 acres, Dudley Works

  1984–85

  39·5 acres Butchersfield, Warrington

  Bilston Works

  1985–86

  Stockholding Warehouse, Hounslow

  1986–87

  Monks Hall Works, Warrington

  1987–88

  378 acres, Normanby Park Works, Scunthorpe

  London Works, Tipton

  150 acres, Irlam

  Mill Buildings and site (21 acres), Jarrow

  No sites have been sold as a result of the direction by a Government Minister. It is not possible to identify the proportions of disposals to the various bodies mentioned because BSC does not record the purchasers in this specific manner. All disposals are made on the same basis of arm's length transactions at open market value.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those sites which are in the ownership of the British Steel Corporation but are(a) no longer in operational use or (b) projected to be surplus to operational requirements during the next five years; and if he will give an estimate of the acreage of such sites by region.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 29 April 1988]: Properties which are identified by the corporation as being surplus to operational requirements are offered for sale at open market value. BSC does not make projections of sites likely to become surplus to requirements: this is obviously dependent on operational and strategic decisions.

  The sites at present on the market include:

  775 acres agricultural land Twywell Estate Northants

  Remaining Steelworks buildings, Corby

  36 acres industrial land, Holwell

  19 acres industrial land, Kettering

  Warehouse, Swinton

  Two farms, near Llanwern

  Quarry, Scunthorpe

  23 acres industrial land, Rotherham

  6·5 acres industrial land, Bassaleg

ENERGY

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what the ratio of gross domestic product to energy consumption had been in the United Kingdom for the period 1973 to 1988; and what are the projections for 1990, 1995 and the year 2000.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The information requested is published as the energy ratio in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics. The data for 1987 are currently in preparation. For the period 1973 to 1986 the published figures are as follows:
  299

  Tonnes of coal equivalent per £1,000 GDP1

  Tonnes

  1973

  1·9

  1974

  1·8

  1975

  1·8

  1976

  1·8

  1977

  1·8

  1978

  1·7

  1979

  1·7

  1980

  1·6

  1981

  1·6

  1982

  1·6

  1983

  1·5

  1984

  1·5

  1985

  1·5

  1986

  1·5

  Million tonnes coal equivalent

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  Petrol

  30·1

  29·3

  28·7

  30·0

  30·9

  32·7

  33·3

  34·1

  Diesel1

  12·7

  12·6

  12·6

  13·0

  13·2

  13·4

  13·8

  13·3

  1 Includes gas oil/diesel use by railways and road and water transport, but excludes aviation fuels and gas oil used in the agriculture sector.

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Petrol

  33·3

  34·3

  34·8

  36·0

  36·3

  38·2

  39·7

  Diesel1

  12·5

  12·8

  13·7

  14·7

  15·3

  16·4

  17·3

  1 Includes gas oil/diesel use by railways and road and water transport, but excludes aviation fuels and gas oil used in the agriculture sector.

  Consumption of electricity and liquefied petroleum gas in transport was very small, approximately 0·4 million tonnes coal equivalent and less than 0·05 million tonnes coal equivalent respectively in each of the years shown.

  Projections of future fuel consumption levels are subject to considerable uncertainty. My Department does not normally publish energy forecasts. However, it did make available some conditional projections, including ones for transport, for the years 1990 and 2000 as part of the proof of evidence to the Sizewell B public inquiry, ref. DEN/P/1.

  Electrical Appliances (Labelling)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any proposals for the energy labelling of electrical appliances have been considered by Her Majesty's Government since 1979; what decisions were taken on such proposals; and what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mr. Rost) on 29 February 1988, at column 480. Energy labelling is a voluntary matter for the discretion of manufacturers and retailers, but I welcome its adoption and my energy efficiency office is always ready to advise those seeking its introduction or extension.

  International Energy Agencies
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what have been the Government's contributions to (i) Euratom, (ii) the Overseas Economic Co-operation and
  300
  1 Total inland consumption of primary energy (temperature corrected). GDP (average estimate) at 1980 factor cost.

  My Department has not published projections of future energy consumption since 1982.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the annual (i) petrol, (ii) diesel, (iii) gas and (iv) electrical consumption in million tonnes of coal equivalent for the transport sector for the period 1973 to 1988; and what are the projected consumption levels for the period 1989 to 2000.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Consumption of petrol and diesel in the transport sector for 1973 to 1987 was as follows:

  Development Nuclear Energy Agency, (iii) the International Energy Agency and (iv) the International Atomic Energy Agency, since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Details of the Government's subscriptions to the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and to the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), since 1979 are as follows:

  £000

  NEA

  IEA

  IAEA

  1979–80

  122

  280

  1,557

  1980–81

  118

  294

  2,079

  1981–82

  136

  313

  2,639

  1982–83

  146

  398

  2,609

  1983–84

  198

  407

  2,814

  1984–85

  205

  454

  3,531

  1985–86

  216

  453

  3,797

  1986–87

  230

  513

  4,099

  1987–88

  270

  524

  14,527

  1 Provisional.

  Source: Appropriation Accounts.

  The Government's contribution to Euratom is not separately identifiable as it forms part of the United Kingdom's general contribution to the European Communities budget.

  Nuclear Technology
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all Government approvals for the overseas transfer of nuclear technology, reprocessing and waste management(a) since the formation of British Nuclear Technology in June 1987 and (b) prior to June 1987; what assurances the Government have sought and obtained in

  301
  each case that the information is only for use for peaceful purposes; whether there have been any refusals of permission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 27 October 1987, at column 217. Details of individual contracts are commercially confidential.

  Offshore Installations (Standby Vessels)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from oil companies, the standby industry and others about amending the code of practice contained in the document assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Amendment of this guidance document is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Because of my Department's interest in the requirement for standby vessels for offshore installations, we have received some representations on this subject. Where appropriate these have been passed to the Department of Transport.

  Pressurised Water Reactors
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how the capital construction costs for possible new pressurised water reactors at Hinkley C, Wylfa B and Sizewell C have been calculated; and what assumptions have been used.

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

  Energy Prices
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the latest costings in 1988 prices, in pence per kilowatt hour, for electricity produced by(a) coal and (b) nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The latest costings in pence per kilowatt hour of electricity from coal or nuclear power stations is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  INF Treaty
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for

  Non-oil developing countries: External financing 1974–1987

  US$ billion

  Non-oil developing countries

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Deficit on goods, services and private transfers'

  37·1

  45·3

  34·6

  31·0

  41·9

  61·6

  85·9

  111·9

  90·3

  55·8

  40·0

  45·2

  30·8

  11·8

  Non-debt creating flows, net

  15·2

  12·6

  12·8

  15·3

  17·3

  22·9

  23·2

  26·7

  23·5

  22·8

  22·8

  30·4

  29·5

  30·6

  Official transfers

  8·9

  7·7

  7·6

  8·5

  8·4

  11·5

  12·5

  13·5

  13·1

  14·0

  14·1

  17·1

  17·7

  18·4

  Direct investment flows, net

  5·6

  5·4

  5·3

  6·0

  7·2

  9·4

  9·0

  12·8

  10·8

  8·2

  9·6

  9·6

  8·9

  11·0

  SDR allocations, valuation adjustments, and gold monetisation

  0·7

  -0·5

  -0·1

  0·8

  1·7

  2·2

  1·7

  0·4

  -0·4

  0·6

  -0·8

  3·8

  2·9

  1·3

  302
  introduction of verification procedures in the United Kingdom of the United States Senate's decision to postpone its consideration of ratification of the intermediate nuclear forces treaty.

  Mr. Mellor
  None of the INF treaty's verification provisions, including on-site inspections on United Kingdom territory, will take effect until the treaty comes into force. That is dependent on the exchange of instruments of ratification by the US and the Soviet Union.

  Nihat Kaymaz
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the Turkish Government in order to secure the release of Nihat Kaymaz.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have drawn the Turkish Government's attention to the public concern in this country about this case.

  Micro-organisms
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for an international ban on all military research leading to the testing or release of genetically engineered micro-organisms to the environment.

  Mr. Mellor
  The 1972 biological weapons convention prohibits the development or production of microbial, other biological agents and toxins, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes. The implications for this convention of various technological developments, including genetic engineering of micro-organisms, are considered regularly at review conferences. The next such conference will take place not later than 1991.

  Non-oil Developing Countries
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, as a total for all non-oil developing countries, and the 1974 to 1987 cumulative totals in constant 1987 pounds sterling of non-oil developing countries (a) current account deficits, (b) increases in official reserves, (c) non-debt creating flows to these countries, net, (d) net long-term capital from official sources and (e) borrowing from private markets.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Information is not available in the exact form requested. The following table, which has been obtained from International Monetary Fund sources, shows data for all non-oil developing countries on external financing flows between 1974 and 1987, measured in current dollars. Particular attention is drawn to the explantions in the footnotes to the table.
  303

  Non-oil developing countries

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Use of reserves

  -3·0

  -1·0

  -13·8

  -13·0

  -19·6

  -15·2

  -12·2

  -6·8

  4·5

  -11·4

  -17·4

  -10·1

  -29·3

  -41·8

  Asset transactions, net2

  -2·9

  -2·4

  -5·3

  -5·6

  -4·8

  -7·6

  -6·4

  -11·0

  -7·1

  -5·5

  -8·8

  -8·5

  -9·0

  -6·9

  Recorded errors and omission3

  -4·5

  -7·7

  -6·8

  -5·7

  -8·4

  -1·5

  -10·8

  -15·7

  -20·3

  -15·3

  -7·6

  -5·9

  3·0

  2·7

  Net external borrowing

  32·4

  43·8

  47·6

  40·1

  57·3

  63·1

  92·1

  118·8

  89·9

  65·2

  51·0

  39·2

  36·5

  27·1

  Reserve related liabilities

  1·9

  2·7

  5·2

  4·0

  2·7

  0·2

  2·9

  12·6

  22·2

  14·2

  9·3

  2·1

  8·0

  -4·6

  Liabilities constituting foreign authorities' reserves4

  0·1

  0·4

  1·7

  2·0

  1·4

  -0·8

  1·6

  0·7

  3·4

  -3·7

  -0·4

  0·4

  1·7

  0·1

  Net credit from IMF5

  1·5

  2·1

  3·2

  0·1

  0·5

  0·9

  2·8

  6·5

  6·9

  10·9

  4·9

  0·3

  -2·7

  -6·7

  Arrears

  0·3

  0·2

  0·3

  1·9

  0·7

  —

  -1·5

  5·4

  11·9

  7·0

  4·7

  1·3

  9·0

  2·1

  Long-term borrowing from official creditors, net6

  5·1

  11·8

  12·5

  13·0

  15·0

  28·4

  23·6

  30·0

  30·5

  27·6

  26·3

  24·0

  26·2

  29·5

  Other net external borrowing7

  22·3

  29·3

  30·0

  23·0

  39·6

  34·5

  65·7

  76·2

  37·2

  23·4

  15· 4

  13·1

  2·2

  2·2

  Source: IMF 'World Economic Outlook April 1988' (Table A43) and IMF Staff.

  Note: Except where otherwise footnoted, estimates shown here are based on national balance of payments statistics, which are not always easily reconcilable with year-to-year changes in either debtor-or creditor-reported debt statistics, in part because the latter are affected by changes in valuation· The figures for earlier years are not as reliable as those from 1980; there may ?e breaks in individual series and in some cases, data may have been estimated.

  1 Equivalent to currrent account deficit less official transfers. For purposes of this table, official transfers are treated as external financing.

  2 Pertains primarily to export credit.

  3 Positioned here on the presumption that estimates reflect primarily unrecorded capital outflows.

  4 Comprises short-term borrowing by monetary authorities from other monetary authorities.

  5 Includes use of Fund credit under General Resources Account, Trust Fund, Structural Adjustment Facility and Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility.

  6 Estimates of net disbursements by official creditors (other than monetary authorities) derived from debt statistics. Official net disbursement include the increase in official claims caused the transfer of officially guaranteed claims to the guarantor agency in the creditor country, usually in the context of debt reschedulings.

  7 Residually calculated. Except for discrepancies in coverage, amounts shown reflect mainly net external borrowing from private creditors and short-term flows.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to pay an official visit to Kampuchea to view conditions in that country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. We have no dealings with the regime of Phnom Penh.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Court Interpretation Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor has any plans to review the Welsh/English interpretation services of the courts in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Welsh/English interpretation services comprise simultaneous translation facilities at selected Crown courts and a panel of some 20 interpreters selected and trained under the supervision of a Welsh circuit judge. The system works well and requirements are kept under review.

  Social Security Commissioner, Cardiff
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) whether, in the light of the recent changes in the social security regime, he will review the case for a resident social security commissioner in Cardiff; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what recent representations he has received concerning the decision to close the office of the social security commissioner in Cardiff.

  The Attorney-General
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has received a number of representations from Members of Parliament, Peers and members of the public about the closure of the Cardiff office of the social security commissioners and is keeping the matter under review. He is, however, satisfied that 304
  neither the current case load nor the recent changes in legislation affecting social security are likely to require changes to the present arrangements for hearings in Cardiff of appeals to the commissioners.

  Prosecution Policy (Insulting Behaviour)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the policy of the Crown Prosecution Service towards prosecuting in cases of alleged insulting behaviour.

  The Attorney-General
  When considering all cases, including allegations of insulting behaviour, the Crown Prosecution Service applies the principles set out in the code for Crown prosecutors. If the hon. Gentleman is concerned as to the application of these principles in a particular case I shall endeavour to assist him if he will write to me.

  Legal Profession (Intake)
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy towards promoting a balanced social intake into the legal profession of the current level of grant support from local education authorities to postgraduate law students taking professional courses; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Promoting a balanced social intake into the legal profession primarily is a matter for the profession itself. The current level of grant support to postgraduate students is under discussion between the profession and the Department of Education and Science.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Attorney-General what administrative costs he estimates are likely to be incurred in 1988 in the suppression of the book "Spycatcher".

  The Attorney-General
  To seek to quantify costs of this nature would involve disproportionate expense. Future costs cannot usefully be estimated.

  Irish Attorney-General
  Sir John Biggs-Davison
  To ask the Attorney-General what consultations he has had with the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic within the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference or otherwise; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I have had consultations with the Attorney-General for the Republic of Ireland on four occasions since taking office.

  We have discussed matters of concern to our respective responsibilities, and principally the basis upon which extradition from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom of suspected offenders can be undertaken in the light of changes at first proposed and now effected in the Republic's legislation. These consultations have resulted in a clear mutual understanding of matters that respectively concern us, and we confidently hope that in all proper cases extradition will now take place, in conformity with the new Irish legislation.

PRIME MINISTER

  Central London (Prime Minister's Visits)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last informed the Members representing any of the central London constituencies of her intention to visit their constituency.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 11 May 1988, at column 121.

  Sewage and Waste Disposal
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 12 May, if she will list all the Departments which have responsibility or which exercise powers, either individually or in co-operation with other Departments, in relation to the dumping of sewage and other wastes; and if she will specify in the case of each responsibility or power the Department or Departments which exercise it.

  The Prime Minister
  The dumping of sewage and other wastes at sea is controlled by licensing under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The Departments responsible for operating the relevant provisions of the Act are the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, the Welsh Office and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.

  Control of the discharge of trade effluent from land to the sea is the responsibility of water authorities. The control of discharges of sewage including effluent from sewage treatment plants operated by water authorities are the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, which is also responsible, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for authorising the control of radioactive discharges to water. The Department of the Environment also has the responsibility for co-ordinating Government policy on the control of pollution generally, including the marine environment. In Scotland and Wales the Scottish Office and Welsh Office have similar responsibilities to the Department of the Environment in respect of environmental protection.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Mozambique
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any additional measures are planned to assist the safe passage of British aid in Mozambique.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I keep this matter under frequent review, with other aid donors and the Mozambique Government.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met a representative of the Phnom Penh Government to discuss the provisions of development assistance for Kampuchea.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor I have ever met a representative of the Heng Samrin regime.

  Food (Radioactivity)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford of 14 March,Official Report, columns 426–7, if, in the light of recent statements made by the Danish Foreign Minister, he will review his answer on levels of radioactivity in EEC food aid consignments.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The written reply to a Danish Member of Parliament made by Denmark's Foreign Minister on 8 April on radioactivity levels in EC food aid consignments is entirely consistent with the reply I gave to the hon. Lady on 14 March, as clarified by my subsequent letter of 29 March.

  EC/ACP Council of Ministers
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government were represented at the EC/ACP Council of Ministers in Mauritius; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I represented Her Majesty's Government at the annual ACP/EC Council of Ministers meeting which this year was held in Mauritius on 10–11 May. The meeting reviewed the whole range of cooperation between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the European Community within the framework of the Lomé convention. There was also an opportunity for informal discussions with ACP and EC colleagues on the prospects for the negotiations for a successor to the present Lomé convention, which will start in the autumn.

  Official Aid
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of gross national product was provided as official development assistance in 1987; and if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's policy on progress towards attaining the United Nations 0·7 per cent. of gross national product target in 1988–89.
  307
  Mr. Chris Patten
  We do not yet have the figure for 1987.

  As to the attainment of the 0·7 per cent. United Nations target, I can only say that, like previous Administrations, the Government are not able to set a date for achieving this. But, as the House will know, the aid programme is now growing in real terms and its quality is high.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current progress of aid to Ethiopia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We have committed over £45 million for famine relief in Ethiopia through bilateral and European Community channels since the beginning of 1987. Emergency aid operations in northern Ethiopia have been severely disrupted by the recent escalation of civil war and the Ethiopian Government's decision that expatriate relief workers should leave Eritrea and Tigré. In other parts of Ethiopia relief operations are proceeding reasonably satisfactorily, although the state of Sudanese refugees in western Ethiopia is a matter of grave concern.

  In addition to emergency aid, we are providing technical co-operation, training and assistance with famine rehabilitation including a £1·2 million well rehabilitation project in Welo region.

  Afghan Refugees
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for providing further assistance to Afghan refugees.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following signature of the Geneva agreements last month, I have announced a doubling of our annual programme of support for Afghan refugees to £10 million in the current financial year. These funds will support the work of British voluntary agencies and multilateral organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross. This assistance will be conditional on properly co-ordinated international arrangements for the resettlement of Afghan refugees being put in place.

  South Africa
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which and the ways in which the provisions of the Promotion of Orderly Internal Politics Bill now going through the South African Parliament would affect the funding of activities in South Africa through the British aid programme in respect of both bilateral and multilateral aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The full implications of the Bill are not yet clear, but we would deplore legislation which sought to restrict the flow of aid funds from abroad. We have already made our views clear to the South African Government both bilaterally and through representations made jointly with our European partners. We will go on doing all we can to ensure that aid for black South Africans continues.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Driving Licence Suspensions
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many driving licences were suspended for alcohol-related and for other offences in 1987.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information available relates to the number of disqualifications from driving by broad offence group, and is published in table 16 of Home Office statistical bulletin issue 36/87, "Offences Relating To Motor Vehicles, England and Wales 1986", copies of which are in the Library. In 1986, about 96,000 offences of driving, and so on, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs were so dealt with. There were about 162,000 disqualifications for all motoring offences, including disqualifications imposed under the "totting-up" rule. Figures for 1987 will be published later this year.

  Glue Sniffing
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Horne Department if he has any plans to seek to change the powers of the police to deal with the problem of glue sniffing.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The police have adequate powers to deal with those found supplying intoxicating substances in contravention of the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985. They have also been given guidance about the options open to them in dealing with glue sniffers in Home Office circular No. 30/84, a copy of which is in the library.

  Litter
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for offences involving the dropping of litter in the past year.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 21 April, at column 966. Information for 1987 will be published in the autumn in "Criminal Statistics, Supplementary Tables Vol. 1".

  Animals (Experiments)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to further limit experimentation on animals which is not directly necessary in the interest of human or animal health.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no plans to seek amendment of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, section 5(3) of which lays down the purposes for which the use of animals in experimental and other scientific procedures may be authorised.

  Prisoners (Clothing)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many changes of clothes prisoners are allowed per week at each of the following prisons; Birmingham, Leeds, Pentonville, Manchester, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs and Holloway.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Convicted male inmates at these establishments are provided with at least one complete
  309
  change of shirt, socks and underwear each week with other clothing being changed as necessary. Inmates employed in locations such as the kitchen and officers' mess or on maintenance work have more frequent changes of clothes. Unconvicted men may arrange their own supply of clean clothing, but otherwise are provided with clean kit on the same basis as covicted inmates.

  The female inmates at Holloway, whether convicted or unconvicted, wear their own clothing and do their own laundry. They are normally allowed to have three sets of clothes at any one time.

  Prisoners (Baths)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many baths, showers and lavatories there are for prisoners' use; and how many baths or showers prisoners are allowed per week at each of the following prisons; Birmingham, Leeds, Pentonville, Manchester, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs and Holloway.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All inmates have a bath or shower on reception and thereafter at least once a week. In addition, those participating in PE, located in hospital units or working in particular parties (kitchen, officers' mess, works department, and so on) will bathe or shower more often. At Holloway, there is normally no restriction on the frequency with which the inmates may bathe or shower.

  The following table sets out the other information requested:

  Establishment

  Baths

  Showers

  WCs/urinals

  Birmingham

  39

  71

  320

  Leeds

  6

  42

  1175

  Pentonville

  7

  69

  312

  Manchester

  10

  72

  193

  Wandsworth

  14

  65

  2366

  Wormwood Scrubs3

  39

  129

  122

  Holloway

  37

  19

  508

  1 12 additional WCs are being provided as part of a redevelopment project.

  2 Eight cells are being converted to integral sanitation.

  3 Excluding A wing, which is temporarily closed.

  Defendants proceeded against for offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1997

  England and Wales 1986

  Number of defendants

  Section of the Act

  Offence description

  Area

  Total proceeded against

  Total found guilty

  1(2)

  Unlawful eviction

  England

  70

  49

  Wales

  10

  5

  1(3)

  Unlawful harass-ment

  England

  26

  10

  Wales

  —

  —

  Racial Attacks
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the number of personal attacks per year since 1979 defined as racially

  Independent Broadcasting Authority
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to reappoint the present chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority when his term of office comes to an end.

  Mr. Renton
  Lord Thomson has informed my right hon. Friend that he wishes to retire when his appointment as chairman of the IBA comes to an end at the end of this year. We hope to announce a successor in the autumn.

  Marine Theft
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest available statistics on marine theft, particularly from pleasure craft.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information that is collected centrally does not enable thefts from boats to be distinguished from other thefts.

  Temgesics
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to include Temgesics in a classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no immediate plans to bring Temgesic within the controls of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, but we shall be keeping it under review in consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

  Eviction
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide the latest statistical information for(a) England and (b) Wales concerning (i) the number of prosecutions under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 for harassment and unlawful eviction and (ii) the number of successful prosecutions.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information available to me, which may be incomplete, is given in the following table:

  motivated, the number of related prosecutions and the number of resulting convictions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information is not available in the precise form requested, and that no relevant information is available prior to 1983. The available information is set out in the following table:
  311

  Number of "racial incidents"1 reported to the Metropolitan police; number of racial incidents in which arrests were made; and number of racial incidents "cleared up"

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Serious assaults

  n/a

  322

  350

  220

  270

  Minor assaults

  n/a

  189

  243

  282

  397

  All racial incidents2

  1,276

  1,515

  1,945

  1,733

  2,179

  Racial incidents in which arrests made3

  n/a

  197

  286

  217

  279

  Racial incidents "cleared up"4

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a.

  n/a

  672

  1 A "racial incident" is defined by the Metropolitan police as "any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motivation, or any incident which includes an allegation of racial motivation made by any person".

  2 The figures given include the following types of incident; serious assaults; minor assaults; arson; criminal damage; leafletting; abusive etc. behaviour; and slogan writing.

  3 Figures are not available on the number of persons arrested.

  4 A "clear up" occurs when both the offender and victim are known to the police and appropriate action (including arrest, summons, caution or other measure) is taken.

  I know that the Commissioner shares my concern about the continuing incidence of racially motivated attacks and harassment. Effective action to combat such attacks is part of the Commissioner's force goal for 1988 (as it has been since 1985). In pursuit of this a number of special initiatives have been or are being taken.

  Force instructions have been issued which provide mandatory requirements in respect of recording, investigating and monitoring practices. Initiatives also include anti-racial harassment campaigns (published in five Asian languages) and promoting multi-agency initiatives such as, racial harassment panels, helplines, community seminars and crime prevention advice. A special squad has been established in Newham and Tower Hamlets collating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence about racial incidents with a view to identifying patterns and arresting offenders.

  I welcome these initiatives, which I believe demonstrate the commitment of the Metropolitan police to tackling these shameful crimes.

  Kerb Crawling
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide figures for 1985 to the most recent date for which information is available for(a) the number of arrests for kerb crawling under the Sexual Offences Act 1985 in the metropolitan area as recorded in Metropolitan police figures and (b) the number of prosecutions for kerb crawling under the Sexual Offences Act 1985 in the metropolitan area, as recorded in Metropolitan police figures.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information available to me, which may be incomplete, shows no prosecutions in 1985 and four in 1986 in the Metropolitan police district under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1985. There is no power of arrest under the Act.

  Passport Office (Staff)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secrtary of State for the Home Department if he will consider increasing the staff at the passport office in Glasgow.

  Mr. Renton
  Additional permanent and casual staff are being recruited to deal with the current high level of demand for passport services. There are now 124 staff in 312
  post as compared with 83 at the start of the year. The complement will be further increased progressively from October 1988 after the Glasgow office has been computerised and begins to handle postal applications from London.

  Citizenship
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 9 May,Official Report, column 11, how many of the applications for registration, received after 31 December 1987, have been (a) accepted for consideration and (b) refused; and how many applicants (i) have been informed or (ii) have still to be informed.

  Mr. Renton
  I cannot add to the answer to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

  Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methods are used to monitor the effectiveness of neighbourhood watch schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office both undertakes and commissions research in this area. Indicators used to monitor effectiveness include local crime figures which, in some police force areas can now be produced far individual neighbourhood watch scheme areas; surveys including questions on fear of crime; information on the level of local involvement, and assessments of the resource implications for the police.

  Immigration (Detainees)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was (a) the total number detained and (b) the average occupancy in (i) Harmondsworth detention centre, (ii) the Harmondsworth annex, (iii) Queen's building, (iv) the Beehive, Gatwick, (v) Latchme:re house and (vi) the MV Earl William for each month from April 1987 to the nearest available date.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 3 April 1988]: The available information is as follows:

  313

  Total number of persons newly detained at each location during the week shown

  Week ending

  (i)Harmondsworth detention centre

  (ii) Annex

  (iii) Queen's building

  (iv) Beehive Gatwick

  (v) Latchmere House

  (vi) "Earl William"

  4 April 1987

  26

  30

  61

  63

  —

  —

  11 April 1987

  25

  30

  69

  50

  —

  —

  18 April 1987

  26

  26

  91

  59

  —

  —

  25 April 1987

  44

  28

  68

  24

  —

  —

  2 May 1987

  59

  30

  86

  48

  —

  —

  9 May 1987

  48

  15

  70

  48

  —

  —

  16 May 1987

  46

  40

  89

  76

  —

  —

  23 May 1987

  40

  26

  76

  32

  —

  —

  30 May 1987

  51

  40

  84

  55

  —

  —

  6 June 1987

  55

  26

  91

  51

  —

  —

  13 June 1987

  61

  40

  58

  62

  —

  —

  20 June 1987

  59

  14

  89

  60

  —

  —

  27 June 1987

  52

  25

  66

  53

  —

  —

  4 July 1987

  91

  22

  91

  59

  —

  —

  11 July 1987

  81

  24

  83

  66

  —

  —

  18 July 1987

  68

  13

  115

  78

  —

  —

  25 July 1987

  70

  16

  104

  63

  —

  —

  1 August 1987

  73

  17

  115

  75

  —

  —

  8 August 1987

  37

  23

  111

  68

  —

  —

  15 August 1987

  78

  35

  107

  69

  —

  —

  22 August 1987

  74

  49

  97

  53

  —

  —

  29 August 1987

  102

  38

  102

  76

  —

  —

  5 September 1987

  67

  27

  90

  47

  —

  —

  12 September 1987

  94

  39

  124

  76

  —

  —

  19 September 1987

  67

  15

  100

  55

  —

  —

  26 September 1987

  79

  20

  116

  59

  —

  —

  3 October 1987

  70

  27

  133

  59

  —

  —

  10 October 1987

  88

  29

  100

  61

  —

  —

  17 October 1987

  91

  22

  182

  76

  —

  —

  24 October 1987

  63

  27

  107

  58

  —

  —

  31 October 1987

  98

  33

  84

  54

  —

  —

  7 November 1987

  80

  36

  101

  54

  —

  —

  14 November 1987

  82

  30

  111

  71

  —

  —

  21 November 1987

  64

  18

  94

  62

  —

  —

  28 November 1987

  74

  22

  98

  49

  —

  —

  5 December 1987

  96

  37

  102

  66

  —

  —

  12 December 1987

  73

  24

  85

  73

  —

  —

  19 December 1987

  107

  20

  103

  52

  —

  —

  26 December 1987

  94

  50

  134

  62

  —

  —

  2 January 1988

  101

  29

  128

  55

  —

  —

  9 January 1988

  80

  18

  93

  46

  —

  —

  16 January 1988

  61

  24

  82

  46

  —

  —

  23 January 1988

  83

  34

  32

  68

  —

  —

  30 January 1988

  93

  29

  —

  51

  —

  —

  6 February 1988

  89

  15

  —

  66

  —

  —

  13 February 1988

  82

  26

  —

  82

  —

  —

  20 February 1988

  82

  17

  —

  64

  —

  —

  27 February 1988

  84

  10

  —

  68

  —

  —

  5 March 1988

  89

  26

  —

  75

  —

  —

  12 March 1988

  102

  45

  —

  47

  —

  —

  19 March 1988

  99

  27

  —

  61

  —

  —

  26 March 1988

  78

  27

  —

  69

  —

  —

  2 April 1988

  77

  29

  —

  67

  —

  —

  TOTALS

  3,853

  1,439

  4,122

  3,190

  607

  198

  Notes:

  (i) Some persons may have been detained at two locations within the same week.

  (ii) Weekly figures for Latchmere House and the "Earl William" are not available: the totals for those locations are for the year ended 31 March 1988.

  (iii) The "Earl William" was used as a place of detention from 22 May to 16 October 1987.

  (iv) The Queen's Building detention accommodation was closed for refurbishment on 19 January 1988.

  Average occupancy figures

  Week ending

  (i)Harmondsworth detention centre

  (ii)Annex

  (iii)Queen's Building

  (iv)Beehive Gatwick

  (v)Latchmere House

  (vi)"Earl William"

  4 April 1987

  63

  17

  11

  12

  97

  —

  11 April 1987

  61

  28

  12

  13

  97

  —

  18 April 1987

  48·5

  29·5

  12

  13

  96

  —

  25 April 1987

  60

  26·5

  11

  8

  97

  —

  2 May 1987

  57·4

  26·7

  11

  11

  97

  —

  314 315

  (i)

  (ii)

  (iii)

  (iv)

  (v)

  (vi)

  Week ending

  Harmondsworth

  detention centre

  Annex

  Queen's Building

  Beehive Gatwick

  Latchmere House

  "Earl William"

  9 May 1987

  63

  29

  12

  8

  97

  —

  16 May 1987

  63

  29

  11·5

  14

  97

  —

  23 May 1987

  66

  26

  9·5

  7

  96

  15

  30 May 1987

  56·5

  24

  9

  7

  53

  48

  6 June 1987

  64

  29

  11·5

  7

  92

  53

  13 June 1987

  58

  28

  10

  8

  52

  66

  20 June 1987

  61

  28

  10

  7·5

  95

  75

  27 June 1987

  58·8

  28·5

  10

  8

  96

  90

  4 July 1987

  55

  29

  10

  10

  95

  96

  11 July 1987

  58

  29

  10

  11

  91

  94

  18 July 1987

  62

  29

  12

  12

  94

  90

  25 July 1987

  58

  29

  10

  10

  90

  97

  1 August 1987

  59

  24

  12

  8

  90

  96

  8 August 1987

  58

  22

  11

  13

  91

  90

  15 August 1987

  53

  25·5

  13

  11

  95

  83

  22 August 1987

  54

  22

  12

  10

  93

  76

  29 August 1987

  55

  28

  11·5

  11

  90

  72

  5 September 1987

  62

  28

  10

  11

  98

  64

  12 September 1987

  58

  28

  10

  9·5

  92

  69

  19 September 1987

  49·8

  28

  12

  9

  93

  66

  26 September 1987

  55

  28

  10

  9

  91

  65

  3 October 1987

  57

  27

  8

  10

  61

  66

  10 October 1987

  50

  27

  10

  9

  94

  74

  17 October 1987

  62

  29·5

  12

  11

  92

  72

  24 October 1987

  57·5

  26

  8

  9

  88

  —

  31 October 1987

  58

  29

  11

  8

  90

  —

  7 November 1987

  61

  28·5

  12

  11·5

  93

  —

  14 November 1987

  55

  28·5

  11

  9

  97

  —

  21 November 1987

  61·5

  30

  12

  12

  96

  —

  28 November 1987

  63

  29·5

  11

  13

  98

  —

  5 December 1987

  61

  29

  11

  12

  95

  —

  12 December 1987

  60

  29

  11

  14

  94

  —

  19 December 1987

  59

  24

  11

  10

  96

  —

  26 December 1987

  62

  27

  11

  10·5

  95·5

  —

  2 January 1988

  62

  27

  11

  10·5

  95·5

  —

  9 January 1988

  61

  26

  10·5

  8

  96

  —

  16 January 1988

  57

  23

  10

  6·7

  97

  —

  23 January 1988

  59·5

  28·1

  10·5

  9·7

  97

  —

  30 January 1988

  62

  29

  —

  8·4

  97

  —

  6 February 1988

  60

  29

  —

  10

  95

  —

  13 February 1988

  62

  29

  —

  14

  97

  —

  20 February 1988

  62

  29

  —

  8

  98

  —

  27 February 1988

  61

  30

  —

  10

  98

  —

  5 March 1988

  61

  29

  —

  12

  93

  —

  12 March 1988

  57·4

  28·7

  —

  7·9

  98

  —

  19 March 1988

  60·7

  27·8

  —

  10·4

  97

  —

  26 March 1988

  57·8

  29·4

  —

  11

  98

  —

  2 April 1988

  65

  29·2

  —

  11

  98

  —

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Vandalism
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the cost of vandalism in schools(a) in England and (b) in Cheshire in the latest available year.

  Mr. Dunn
  The cost of vandalism in schools in English local education authorities was estimated in total to be between £25 million and £30 million in 1985–86. I understand that the maintenance cost falling on the Cheshire authority due to vandalism was £531,000 in 1987–88.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when the national curriculum will be introduced into secondary schools;

  (2) when the first 14-year-old will be assessed.
  316
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The implementation of the national curriculum depends on the passage of the Education Reform Bill now before Parliament and the making of subsequent statutory orders. However, my right hon. Friend is considering introducing attainment targets, programmes of study and related assessment arrangements for mathematics and science from September 1989 for pupils entering the third key stage of 12 to 14, with the first reports on results of assessments made publicly available for pupils starting the third key stage in 1990. On that basis the first reported assessment of 14-year-old pupils would be in summer 1993.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the syllabuses for the core and foundation subjects will be produced.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The national curriculum will not prescribe syllabuses for core and other foundation subjects. As now, it will be for schools to choose their own syllabuses. However, my right hon. Friend expects to initiate the statutory consultations required by the
  317
  Education Reform Bill, if passed, this autumn in respect of programmes of study for mathematics, science and, for primary pupils, English and technology, with a view to orders being made early in 1989.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the impact of assessment on independent schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No such estimate has been made, since independent schools will not be required to adopt the national curriculum and its assessment arrangements.

  Maintenance Awards
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost, for

  Numbers and percentages of students aged 16 and 17 in education in each local education authority in England.

  Academic year 1986–87

  Schools and further education establishments

  Full-time/sandwich

  Participation

  Full-time/sandwich

  Participation

  Numbers Aged 16

  Per cent. Aged 16

  Numbers Aged 17

  Per cent. Aged 17

  Barking

  549

  28

  348

  17

  Barnet

  2,168

  67

  1,608

  48

  Bexley

  1,476

  48

  956

  29

  Brent

  1,715

  65

  1,195

  43

  Bromley

  1,918

  56

  1,212

  34

  Croydon

  1,874

  49

  1,292

  31

  Ealing

  1,727

  58

  1,245

  40

  Enfield

  1,795

  53

  1,213

  34

  Harringey

  1,142

  56

  772

  34

  Harrow

  1,572

  75

  1,141

  52

  Havering

  1,466

  42

  948

  25

  Hillingdon

  1,294

  44

  840

  29

  Hounslow

  1,495

  59

  878

  33

  Kingston upon Thames

  878

  62

  613

  40

  Merton

  1,006

  54

  692

  35

  Newham

  1,370

  47

  865

  29

  Redbridge

  1,349

  51

  956

  34

  Richmond upon Thames

  779

  58

  623

  46

  Sutton

  1,216

  59

  743

  35

  Waltham Forest

  1,237

  46

  770

  27

  ILEA

  11,706

  51

  7,734

  31

  Birmingham

  7,119

  47

  4,678

  30

  Coventry

  1,833

  40

  1,297

  27

  Dudley

  1,920

  40

  1,404

  30

  Sandwell

  1,661

  35

  1,133

  22

  Solihull

  1,686

  50

  1,296

  36

  Walsall

  1,766

  38

  1,264

  27

  Wolverhampton

  1,590

  39

  1,079

  27

  Knowsley

  908

  33

  572

  20

  Liverpool

  2,920

  40

  1,906

  25

  St. Helens

  1,177

  38

  932

  30

  Sefton

  2,337

  52

  1,682

  39

  Wirral

  2,163

  46

  1,660

  33

  Bolton

  1,622

  40

  1,260

  30

  Bury

  1,208

  50

  951

  37

  Manchester

  2,458

  41

  1,924

  30

  Oldham

  1,044

  30

  782

  22

  Rochdale

  1,180

  36

  829

  26

  Salford

  1,233

  36

  947

  26

  Stockport

  1,859

  46

  1,459

  34

  Tameside

  1,342

  41

  881

  26

  Trafford

  1,211

  42

  1,010

  34

  Wigan

  2,251

  43

  1,824

  33

  Barnsley

  1,265

  35

  860

  23

  Doncaster

  1,511

  34

  1,064

  24

  Rotherham

  1,644

  39

  1,171

  27

  Sheffield

  3,160

  40

  2,224

  27

  Bradford

  2,621

  38

  1,600

  24

  Calderdale

  1,231

  43

  809

  27

  Kirklees

  2,742

  47

  1,845

  32

  318
  1988–89, of discounting parents' rental payments, in respect of the family home, in the same manner as mortgage payments, in assessing parental income for the purpose of calculating student grant awards and parental contributions to student financial maintenance.

  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not available.

  16 and 17-year-olds
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils, and what percentage, remained in full-time education after 16 and 17 years of age in each local authority in 1978–79 and the latest date available and the total for England.

  Mr. Dunn
  The latest available data are as follows. Information for 1978–79 is not available.
  319

  Schools and further education establishments

  Full-time/sandwich

  Participation

  Full-time/sandwich

  Participation

  Numbers Aged 16

  Per cent. Aged 16

  Numbers Aged 17

  Per cent. Aged 17

  Leeds

  4,204

  41

  2,699

  26

  Wakefield

  1,809

  36

  1,163

  23

  Gateshead

  893

  32

  574

  20

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1,245

  37

  902

  26

  North Tyneside

  1,157

  45

  846

  31

  South Tyneside

  741

  33

  593

  24

  Sunderland

  1,530

  33

  997

  21

  Avon

  5,360

  45

  3,660

  30

  Bedfordshire

  3,467

  48

  2,349

  32

  Berkshire

  5,150

  54

  3,449

  35

  Buckinghamshire

  4,313

  53

  3,256

  39

  Cambridge

  3,828

  48

  2,635

  32

  Cheshire

  6,593

  47

  5,018

  35

  Cleveland

  3,647

  41

  2,642

  29

  Cornwall

  3,312

  54

  2,254

  36

  Cumbria

  2,842

  41

  1,997

  27

  Derbyshire

  5,888

  44

  4,143

  30

  Devon

  5,846

  47

  4,301

  33

  Dorset

  3,629

  46

  2,486

  31

  Durham

  3,409

  39

  2,394

  26

  East Sussex

  3,988

  55

  2,711

  36

  Essex

  9,074

  43

  5,940

  28

  Gloucestershire

  3,235

  46

  2,294

  31

  Hampshire

  10,348

  52

  7,156

  35

  Hereford/Worcester

  4,410

  50

  3,215

  35

  Hertfordshire

  7,406

  54

  4,888

  34

  Humberside

  4,677

  35

  3,430

  24

  Isle of Wight

  849

  52

  532

  34

  Kent

  10,493

  50

  7,019

  32

  Lancashire

  8,000

  40

  6,243

  31

  Leicestershire

  5,574

  45

  4,144

  32

  Lincolnshire

  3,437

  44

  2,666

  32

  Norfolk

  4,255

  43

  2,703

  27

  North Yorkshire

  4,841

  52

  3,645

  38

  Northampton

  3,519

  44

  2,353

  28

  Northumberland

  1,720

  41

  1,230

  29

  Nottinghamshire

  5,509

  37

  4,222

  27

  Oxfordshire

  3,704

  53

  2,459

  34

  Salop

  2,765

  47

  2,000

  33

  Somerset

  2,632

  46

  1,864

  32

  Staffordshire

  6,333

  41

  4,589

  29

  Suffolk

  3,147

  38

  2,204

  26

  Surrey

  6,915

  63

  4,881

  42

  Warwickshire

  3,419

  51

  2,733

  38

  West Sussex

  4,424

  53

  2,958

  34

  Wiltshire

  3,688

  51

  2,449

  33

  Total

  293,619

  46

  205,873

  31

  City Technology Colleges
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had, and with whom, regarding the coversion of Haberdashers' Aske's school to a city technology college in Lewisham.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I have met representatives of the Haberdashers' Company on two occasions to listen to their views on a range of educational topics. In the course of these discussions they touched on their interest in the city technology colleges programme. Since then my officials have given technical advice to representatives of the governing body of the Haberdashers' Aske's schools about the steps which would be necessary to establish a city technology college in the schools' premises.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local businesses have expressed an interest in the establishment of a city technology college in Lewisham.
  320
  Mrs. Rumbold
  No local businesses have yet approached the Department about such a possibility.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the projected capital and revenue expenditure for the conversion of the Haberdashers' Aske's school in Lewisham to a city technology college; how much of this cost will be met by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No proposal has yet been made to us by the prospective sponsors of a city technology college to be established in the premises of Haberdashers' Aske's school. The details of what such a proposal might cost are not therefore known.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy regarding the conversion of already existing schools to city technology colleges.
  321
  Mrs. Rumbold
  We shall give careful consideration to any proposal made to establish a city technology college which has support in industry and commerce and in the local community.

  Under-fives
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet received a final report from Professor Margaret Clark on her evaluation of research into the education of under-fives.

  Mr. Dunn
  Yes. Professor Clark's report is, I understand, due to be published today and I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is an important report, with implications for a major sector of education and I hope it will command wide attention. The views expressed in it are of course solely those of Professor Clark. My Department will be sponsoring a seminar to discuss its findings and to promote their dissemination.

  Number of accidents reported

  Notices issued

  Year

  Fatal

  Serious

  Improvement

  Prohibition

  Prosecutions

  1979

  60

  589

  0

  2

  2

  1980

  63

  588

  2

  4

  3

  1981

  51

  943

  0

  5

  0

  1982

  57

  988

  1

  5

  1

  1983

  37

  943

  1

  4

  0

  1984–851

  39

  522

  2

  4

  2

  1985–862

  51

  894

  3

  3

  0

  1986–87

  32

  1,173

  2

  8

  1

  1987–883

  23

  931

  5

  30

  0

  Note: Accident figures include coal mines, licensed mines, mines other than coal and quarries.

  1 Includes a 15-month period for mines.

  2 Includes a 15-month period for quarries.

  3 Provisional.

  Open Tech
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the principal achievements of the Open Tech project since its inception: what is the current operating status of the project, and if he will give the following details of the activities of Open Tech to date:(a) the total cost to the Government, (b) the total contribution by (i) employers, (ii) local authorities and (iii) other organisations towards the costs; and (c) the number of students and trainees enrolled per year broken down by region, employer, local authority, other organisation, employment status, gender whether disabled, racial origin, and subject studied.

  Mr. Cope
  [pursuant to his reply, 12 January 1988, c. 219]: The report of the Tavistock Institute on the Open Tech programme has been placed in the Library.

THE ARTS

  Arts Council
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what the total grant from the Arts Council to the 12 English regional arts associations is for 1988–89; and what percentage increase this represents over 1987–88.

EMPLOYMENT

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many representations his Department has received from individuals who feel that they have been discriminated against on the basis of age when applying for jobs.

  Mr. Lee
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Mines and Quarries Inspectorate
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing, for each year since 1979, for mines and quarries, the number of(a) deaths, (b) serious injuries, (c) improvement and prohibition notices issued and (d) prosecutions undertaken by the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 13 May 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. Luce
  [pursuant to his reply, 12 April 1988, c. 57]: I regret that an error was made in the increase of 3 per cent. in the allocation of moneys from the Arts Council to individual RAAs. The percentage increase will be in the order of 4·7 per cent.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to how many calves have been born as a result of the use of bovine somatotropin; what controls he has over the future use of such animals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No calves have been born as a result of the use of bovine somatotropin.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations, and from whom, he has received concerning the use of bovine somatotropin; and if he will publish them.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have received a considerable number of letters from individuals and organisations representing consumers, producers and distributors. It would not be appropriate to publish such individual representations.
  323
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences for the use of bovine somatotropin in the United Kingdom have been issued by him.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Three ATCs have been issued to permit trials in a maximum of 1,130 cows. No product licences have been issued.

  Apples
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries arid Food what is the current tonnage of apples in intervention in the European Economic Community; and what were the comparable totals in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The latest provisional figure available from the European Commission for the amount of apples withdrawn from the market under the Community's intervention arrangements for the 1987–88 season so far is 536,167 tonnes. In each of the previous years, the totals were as follows:

  Tonnes

  1984–85

  660,902

  1985–86

  184,553

  1986–87

  354,089

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount of apples destroyed in the most recent annual period for which figures are available for the European Economic Community as a whole; and what was the total cost of such destruction.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The total amount of apples withdrawn from the market under the Community's intervention arrangements in 1986–87, the most recent year for which complete figures are available, was 354,089 tonnes. Of this, 105,023 tonnes found no outlets and were assumed to be spoilt or wasted. The amount of compensation paid to growers in respect of the latter tonnage was 12·5 million ecu.

  Bristol Channel
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the water quality in the Bristol channel, particularly as regards its effect upon fish stocks, swimming and beach pollution; if he has received any reports of injury or illness to fishermen as a result of water-borne pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Fish stocks in the Bristol channel show no adverse effects caused by the quality of water. This is unsurprising as disposals of waste licensed by the Ministry are carefully controlled to protect fish and to avoid any pollution of beaches. I understand that the Ministry has received no reports from the area of injury or illness to fishermen as a result of water-borne pollution.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the future size of(a) the Lowestoft and (b) the English inshore fishing fleet; and if he will make a statement on the role of the Lowestoft fleet in the United Kingdom fishery.
  324
  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 May 1988]: The Government are concerned to encourage an efficient United Kingdom fishing fleet with a catching capacity which bears a reasonable relationship to the available fishing opportunities. Within that overall objective, it is essentially for market forces to determine the relative size of different sectors of the United Kingdom fleet.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  London Allowance
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to the Exchequer of paying a London allowance to those lawyers, accountants and inspectors of taxes employed in, or seconded by, Government Departments over the last Five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Brooke
  The estimated cost to the Exchequer was £1·25 million in financial year 1987–88. Only inspectors of taxes received a London allowance as distinct from London weighting in 1986–87, at an estimated cost of £0·25 million. No London allowances were paid before April 1986.

  These figures exclude the knock-on effects on ERNIC, pensions and superannuation.

  Inner London Secretarial Allowance
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to the Exchequer of paying the inner London secretarial allowance to those in receipt of such allowance over the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Brooke
  The inner London secretarial allowance was introduced with effect from 1 April 1985. Its estimated cost to the Exchequer is as follows:

  Cost of inner London secretarial allowance £ million

  1985–86

  1·2

  1986–87

  2·1

  1987–88

  2·1

  Excluding the knock-on effects on ERNIC, superannuation and pensions.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the amount of debt outstanding on the balance sheets of each of the companies privatised since 1979 and the amount of this debt repaid prior to privatisation; and if he will specify out of which departmental expenditure programme the money for repayment was drawn.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 13 May 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to the annual reports and accounts of the companies in question for details of their balance sheets, and—to the extent that departmental expenditure was involved—to the relevant departmental Votes.

  Take-home Pay
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much, in real terms, he estimates take-home pay for(a) a single person, (b) a married man with no children and (c) a married man with two children to have increased for those on (i) half average earnings, (ii) three quarters average earnings, (iii) average earnings, (iv) one and a half times average earnings, and (v) twice average earnings, between 1978–79 and 1988–89; and what are the comparable figures between 1973–74 and 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 11 May 1988]: The figures are in the table.

  Percentage change in real take-home pay

  Multiples of male average earnings

  ½

  ¾

  1

  1½

  2

  Single

  1973–74 to 1978–79

  -1·0

  -2·2

  -2·8

  -3·6

  -4·1

  1978–79 to 1988–89

  +25·8

  +29·1

  +31·0

  +34·1

  +32·9

  Married with one earner and no children

  1973–74 to 1978–79

  +2·4

  +0·4

  -0·9

  -2·2

  -2·4

  1978–79 to 1988–89

  +23·3

  +27·1

  +29·3

  +32·8

  +32·8

  Married with one earner and 2 children aged under 11

  1973–74 to 1978–79

  +4·2

  +2·0

  +0·6

  -1·2

  -1·4

  1978–79 to 1988–89

  +21·5

  +25·1

  +27·5

  +31·3

  +31·5

  Note:

  The taxpayer is assumed not to be contracted out of SERPS, and to claim no allowances or reliefs other than the basic personal allowance (and child tax allowance where appropriate).

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Kincora Boys Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East of 28 March,Official Report, column 312, what information was available to his Department concerning investigations undertaken by the Sussex police relating to allegations of homosexuality, prior to Sir George Terry's appointment to investigate the events at Kincora boys home.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 26 April 1988]: I am not aware of any such investigation.

ENVIRONMENT

  Copehill Down (Training Village)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received calling for a public inquiry into the proposed construction of a training village at Copehill Down in Wiltshire.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend received 13 representations, all of them before January 1987.

  Garden Festival (Stoke-on-Trent)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute an appraisal of the benefits derived from the garden festival at Stoke-on-Trent.

  Mr. Trippier
  Consultants were commissioned in December 1987 to evaluate the national garden festivals at 326
  Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow. The benefits derived from these events are one of the elements of the evaluation.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the memoranda setting out the terms and conditions on which payments of grant-in-aid to urban development corporations are made.

  Mr. Trippier
  I am placing a copy of the current version of the memorandum in the Library.

  City Grant
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he received to his consultation paper on city grant; how many firms attended seminars organised by his Department to discuss the scheme; and what changes were made to the scheme prior to its inception on 2 May in the light of such discussions.

  Mr. Trippier
  A total of 119 written responses to the consultation document were received by 26 April. A short summary of these has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Five seminars on city grant were attended by about 900 representatives from private sector firms and other organisations. The majority of respondents and those attending seminars welcomed the proposal to introduce city grant and most favoured the lower threshold of £200,000 project value.

  City grant was introduced on 3 May for projects with an estimated value of £200,000 or more.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce regulations requiring notification to all waste disposal authorities by importers of non-special waste of all such waste passing through their jurisdiction.

  Mr. Moynihan
  There are no plans at present to introduce controls on imports of non-special waste into the United Kingdom, but we are currently considering the extent to which such measures may become necessary or desirable.

  Radiation
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the exposure to radiation dose limits for the public takes into account the greater exposure risks among younger age groups.

  Mr. Moynihan
  When radiation dose limits are applied to the public, account is taken of the potentially greater exposure that those in younger age groups receive because of size, diet and habits. The National Radiological Protection Board, an independent expert body, advises the Government on recommended radiation limits in this country.

  Caithness and Sutherland (Peatlands)
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will reproduce in the Official Report the resolutions passed by the International Union

  327
  for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources at the Costa Rica conference on the subject of the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The text of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the International Union for Nature and Natural Resources in Costa Rica on the subject of the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland is as follows:

  17.63 International importance of Scottish Peatlands, United Kingdom
  AWARE of the international importance of the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland, and in particular the peatlands of the flow country of northern Scotland, as an important part of an area identified in the World Conservation Strategy as a priority biogeographic province for the establishment of protected areas;
  AWARE that blanket bog is an extremely rare global habitat type, restricted to a few areas where cool oceanic conditions prevail;
  AWARE that the blanket bogs of Caithness and Sutherland, Scotland, form the largest remaining example of this habitat type in the world;
  INFORMED that "The Conservation and Development Programme for the United Kingdom; A Response to the World Conservation Strategy" states that the results of upland bird surveys show that "forestry operations should be planned with great care";
  NOTING that peatland ecologies from nine countries at a conference of the International Mire Conservation Group (held in September 1986) expressed their dismay at the extent to which afforestation was found to be destroying this internationally important habitat, and viewed the speed of destruction with particular alarm;
  NOTING the reports produced by the Nature Conservancy Council, the United Kingdom Government's own advisers on nature conservation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, documenting the loss of these blanket bogs to commercial forestry;
  RECALLING the commitment of all Parties to the Ramsar Convention including the United Kingdom to promote wise use of wetlands and in particular wetlands of international importance;
  AWARE of the United Kingdom Government's recent decision to protect a very substantial area of the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands, but at the same time to allow new afforestation of about 40,000 ha.

  United Kingdom sites listed as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention

  Name

  County/Region

  Date Designated

  Area (ha)

  Bridgwater Bay

  Somerset

  5 January 1976

  2,703

  Bure Marshes

  Norfolk

  5 January 1976

  412

  Cors Fochno and Dyfi

  Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys

  5 January 1976

  2,497

  Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere

  Norfolk

  5 January 1976

  892

  Lindisfarne

  Northumberland

  5 January 1976

  3,123

  Loch Druidibeg, Loch a'Machair and Loch Stilligary

  Western Isles

  5 January 1976

  1,780

  Loch Leven

  Tayside

  5 January 1976

  1,597

  Loch Lomond

  Strathclyde and Central

  5 January 1976

  253

  Lough Neagh and Lough Beg

  Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone, Armagh and Down

  5 January 1976

  39,500

  Minsmore—Walberswick

  Suffolk

  5 January 1976

  1,697

  North Norfolk Coast

  Norfolk

  5 January 1976

  5,559

  Ouse Washes

  Cambridgeshire and Norfolk

  5 January 1976

  2,276

  Rannoch Moor

  Tayside

  5 January 1976

  1,499

  Abberton Reservoir

  Essex

  24 July 1981

  1,228

  Cairngorm Loch

  Grampian and Highland

  24 July 1981

  179

  Claish Moss

  Highland

  24 July 1981

  563

  Loch Lintrathen

  Tayside

  24 July 1981

  218

  Rostherne Mere

  Cheshire

  24 July 1981

  79

  Silver Flowe

  Dumfries ad Galloway

  24 July 1981

  608

  Chesil Beach and the Fleet

  Dorset

  17 July 1985

  763

  328
  The General Assembly of IUCN, at its 17th Session in San Jose, Costa Rica, 1–10 February 1988:

  1. Congratulates the Government of the United Kingdom on its recognition that much of Caithness and Sutherland is of national and international importance for conservation and that a very substantial area (amounting to approximately half of the presently unafforested area of peatlands in these counties) is to be safeguarded.

  2. Calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to exercise extreme caution in the authorisation of any further planting proposals within the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands until it is clear where such plantings may take place without detriment to nature conservation.

  3. Calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to ensure that the 40,000 ha of land that it is envisaged may be afforested falls outside important areas for nature conservation within the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands.

  4. Calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to support, in areas not protected or afforested, farming practices that are compatible with conservation interests.

  5. Calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to designate appropriate areas within the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands as a Ramsar site or sites and to consider nominating them for listing under the World Heritage Convention.

  Landlords (Unlawful Behaviour)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the local authorities in(a) England and (b) Wales which have a tenancy relations officer whose duty it is to investigate complaints of the unlawful behaviour of landlords which contravenes the Protection From Eviction Act 1977.

  Mrs. Roe
  The information is not available.

  Ramsar Sites
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the Ramsar sites listed in the United Kingdom, their area where known and date of listing; and if he will give the number and area of Ramsar sites which have been listed by other signatories to the Ramsar convention.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The sites in the United Kingdom, listed under the Ramsar convention are:
  329

  Name

  County/Region

  Date Designated

  Area (ha)

  The Dee Estuary

  Merseyside, Cheshire and Clwyd

  17 July 1985

  13,055

  Derwent Ings

  North Yorkshire and Humberside

  17 July 1985

  783

  Holborn Moss

  Northumberland

  17 July 1985

  22

  Irthinghead Mires

  Cumbria and Northumberland

  17 July 1985

  608

  The Swale

  Kent

  17 July 1985

  5,835

  Alt Estuary

  Merseyside

  28 November 1985

  1,160

  Leighton Moss

  Lancashire

  28 November 1985

  124

  Martin Mere

  Lancashire

  28 November 1985

  119

  Loch Eye

  Highland

  23 September 1986

  195

  Loch Skene

  Grampian

  23 September 1986

  125

  Rockliffe Marshes (Part of Upper Solway Flats and Marshes)

  Cumbria

  23 September 1986

  1,897

  Chichester and Langstone Harbours

  Hampshire/West Sussex

  28 October 1987

  5,764

  Upper Severn Estuary

  Gloucestershire

  5 February 1988

  1,357

  The Wash

  Lincolnshire/Norfolk

  30 March 1988

  63,124

  Pagham Harbour

  West Sussex

  30 March 1988

  615

  As at 19 April 1988, a total of 366 sites, covering some 29,703,635 hectares had been listed by the 47 other contracting parties to the convention.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff in his Department are working on the listing and designation of Ramsar sites and special protection areas as at 1 April; and what are the comparable figures for the years 1984 and 1986.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Lead responsibility for the consideration of proposals from the NCC for the classification of Ramsar sites and special protection areas in England and Wales rests with a branch of the Department's wildlife division. This branch currently comprises four staff, as compared with five in 1984 and 1986. In dealing with Ramsar and SPA proposals, they consult extensively with officials in this and other Departments and in accordance with the voluntary approach to which we are committed, with other relevant interests. They are engaged also on a wide range of other activities concerned with habitat conservation. Responsibility for classification of Ramsar sites and SPAs elsewhere in the United Kingdom rests with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland as appropriate.

  Genetically Engineered Micro-organisms
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider restricting approval of release of genetically engineered micro-organisms to products which have a clear benefit to human health or the environment.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Only a few proposals for planned release have been received so far. These have been on a small scale and have been aimed at gaining knowledge on several aspects of the new technology. Releases have only taken place after a full independent assessment of their safety to man and to the environment. The Government will review the position on restricting planned releases in the light of accumulated experience, and of the advice of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, which is expected by early next year.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what methods are available for detecting and tracking genetically engineered micro-organisms which are produced without marker genes.
  330
  Mr. Moynihan
  Genetically engineered microorganisms can be detected and tracked in the environment by a variety of methods besides marker genes. Examples of other methods include gene probes, antibodies and enzyme abundance assays.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider prohibiting the environmental release of genetically engineered micro-organisms which are marked with antibiotic resistance factors.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Each proposal for the release of a genetically manipulated micro-organism is examined individually by appropriate expert advisory bodies. Any use of antibiotic resistance markers is one of the aspects which are specifically considered. Although the use of other types of markers is generally recommended, antibiotic resistance factors have been used, but only those which already occur in nature.

  Caravan Sites Act
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which London boroughs have(a) fulfilled the requirement of the Caravan Sites Act, (b) been granted a waiver from those requirements under his authority and (c) received his Department's grants in respect of each site; and which schemes are still being considered by him.

  Mrs. Roe
  The London borough councils have a duty under section 6 of the Caravan Sites Act to provide sites for gipsies residing in or resorting to their area. At 1 January 1988 the following London boroughs had provided sites for gipsies:

  Barking and Dagenham

  Bexley

  Bromley

  Croydon

  Ealing

  Enfield

  Greenwich

  Hammersmith and Fulham (jointly with Kensington and Chelsea)

  Haringey

  Harrow

  Havering

  Hillingdon

  Hounslow

  Kensington and Chelsea (jointly with Hammersmith and Fulham)

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  331

  Lambeth

  Lewisham

  Merton

  Newham

  Redbridge

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  Southwark

  Sutton

  Tower Hamlets

  Waltham Forest

  Wandsworth

  The Secretary of State has no powers to exempt authorities from their duty to provide sites. The power to do so originally contained in the Caravan Sites Act 1968 was repealed by the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

  I will write to the hon. Member about Exchequer grant for gipsy site schemes.

  Seismic Monitoring
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage area of the United Kingdom is subject to regular seismic monitoring; if the south-east of England is so covered; and what information he has from the European Economic Community about the comparable practice in France.

  Mr. Trippier
  The whole of the United Kingdom is subject to continuous seismic monitoring, but monitoring stations are unevenly distributed. The sizes of events that can be detected and the quality of data from which the locations of events can be calculated vary as a result of that uneveness. The monitoring capacity is least well developed in south-east England and Northern Ireland. No information has been obtained by the Secretary of State from the European Economic Community on current practices in France.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests he has had from the British Geological Survey to finance seismic monitoring programmes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The BGS has requested contributions from my Department to the funding of its seismic monitoring programme several times in the last 10 years. As a result, a significant extension to the monitoring network was established in the midlands area and the current monitoring capacity has been maintained. My Department is currently discussing with BGS and other interests an improved network.

  Earthquakes
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has on historical evidence of earthquakes in the south-east of England; and what information has been collected about geological structures in the area which are associated with earthquakes.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department has access to scientific and technical publications which contain records of historical earthquakes and information on geological structures in south-east England. It also receives reports on current seismic events detected by monitoring equipment operated by the British Geological Survey. Whilst documents referring to earthquakes are fairly numerous and over a period of over 1,000 years it is likely that only the largest events were recorded before modern 332
  monitoring arrangements commenced, the amount of information on each event is limited. The relationship between individual seismic events and specific geological structures is poorly known and information on deep geological structures in the south-east is fairly limited.

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing association grant is payable to a housing co-operative in receipt of mortgage income tax relief under the mortgage income tax relief scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The arrangements under which housing association grant (HAG) can be used in conjunction with private finance to provide rented housing schemes are relatively new, and detailed rules are still being developed. If a registered fully mutual housing association eligible for mortgage tax relief were to put forward proposals also involving the use of HAG, we would consider them.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has offered guidelines to water authorities concerning the transfer of staff to the new National Rivers Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Countryside and Water, has already issued guidelines to water authorities asking them to provide outline schemes of organisation for the separation of the functions that will pass to the National Rivers Authority into a separate NRA unit. Further guidance on staff transfer arrangements will be issued shortly.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered the transfer of all the functions of the rivers division of the Yorkshire water authority to the proposed National Rivers Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The functions of the National Rivers Authority were set out in the policy statement which the Government published in December. These include the functions of land drainage, water resources, fisheries and recreation carried out by the rivers division of Yorkshire Water. In preparation for the NRA, water authorities are drawing up schemes of organisation in accordance with guidelines we have issued. We shall be considering these in the light of advice we receive from the NRA advisory committee.

  Fly-tipping
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright) of 3 May,Official Report, column 390, when he expects to reach a decision, as part of the review of waste disposal legislation, on the possibility of making the registered owner of a vehicle used for fly-tipping liable to prosecution.

  Mr. Moynihan
  It will be necessary to consult a wide range of interested parties before coming to a decision on this issue. Consequently, it is not possible to give a firm date for a decision.

  Rivers and Canals
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered making the management of all British navigable rivers and canals responsible to one management body; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We have no plans to create a national navigation authority.

  National Rivers Authority Advisory Committee
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emoluments are to be paid to the chairman and committee members of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee.

  Mr. Moynihan
  As chairman of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Crickhowell will receive an annual salary of £40,000. Final decisions about the pay of committee members must await their appointment.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the salary of the chairman of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee.

  Mr. Moynihan
  As chairman of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Crickhowell will receive an annual salary of £40,000.

  Water Meters
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, before or after the privatisation of the water industry, he proposes that householders will be expected to meet the cost of installing water meters in their houses either(a) directly or (b) indirectly through increased water charges; and whether those households installing meters in advance of privatisation will be exempted from any further cost associated with compulsory water metering of households.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 13 May 1988]: Under paragraph 6 of schedule 1 to the Public Utility Transfers and Water Charges Act 1988 a water undertaker which requires domestic customers to be charged by measure must bear the cost of installing meters in existing properties. The water undertaker recovers its costs from the generality of its customers. That applies to water authorities and water companies alike, and is not affected by privatisation.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the additional costs of administration involved in the payment of the backdated housing benefit announced on 27 April, together with an estimate of the cost per individual case.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 6 May, at column 654.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing how many 334
  housing benefit claimants have lost and how many are better off in each district and islands area following recent changes in the system.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many Scottish Special Housing Association tenants are receiving less housing benefit than they received before the new housing benefit systems was introduced; and if he will break down the number of gainers and losers by district council wards.

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

  Dispersed Alarm Systems
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has further considered the provision of dispersed alarm systems in the light of the Griffiths report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris), and to the hon. Members for Caernarfon (Mr. Wrigley) and Ynys Môn (Mr. Jones) on 8 March 1988, at column 171.

  Genitourinary Medicine Clinics
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases were seen at genitourinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom in each year from 1980 to the latest available year.

  Mrs. Currie
  The available information is given in the table. Figures are not available for those who receive private treatment. The figures are counts of conditions — an individual is recorded under each condition present and may be recorded more than once in the year for different courses of treatment. Figures for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are the responsibilities of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales.

  New cases seen at NHS genitourinary medicine clinics in England

  Year

  Number

  1980

  458,979

  1981

  479,924

  1982

  517,668

  1983

  547,437

  1984

  569,928

  1985

  605,306

  1986

  647,359

  QDSW (Funds)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on his decision not to fund the QDSW; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have received no formal representations since my letter of 3 May to Professor Saul as chairman of the Council of Education and Training in Social Work.

  Abortions
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will issue guidance to doctors
  335
  performing abortions about the interpretation of the phrase "capable of being born alive", in the Infant Life Preservation Act of 1929;

  (2) if he will issue guidance to doctors performing abortions about the difference in interpretation between the phrase "capable of being born alive", in the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929 and the word "viable" in the Abortion Act 1967.

  Mr. Newton
  We have no plans to do so. Interpretation of the statutes is a matter for the courts.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidance to doctors on the gestational limit beyond which it should be presumed that a child should be "capable of being born alive", under the terms of the Infant Life Preservation Act; and if he will make a statement outlining the specific medical evidence available to him in formulating this advice.

  Mr. Newton
  We have no plans to do so. Whether or not any particular foetus is capable of being born alive is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned taking into account all the circumstances of the particular case. The best advice available on this subject remains the "Report on Foetal Viability and Clinical Practice", prepared in 1985 by a working party of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists together with representations of other medical and midwifery

  1986–87 Expenditure on Non-National Health Service (Agency, and So On)—Administrative and Clerical Staff

  Region

  Total Administrative and Clerical Staff £000s

  Typing and Secretarial Staff £000s

  Other Administrative and Clerical Staff £000s

  Northern

  96

  68

  28

  Yorkshire

  670

  258

  412

  Trent

  993

  486

  507

  East Anglian

  954

  488

  466

  North West Thames

  6,407

  3,489

  1,918

  North East Thames

  5,961

  3,291

  2,670

  South East Thames

  3,783

  1,930

  1,853

  South West Thames

  6,563

  1,985

  4,578

  Wessex

  1,089

  623

  466

  Oxford

  663

  258

  405

  South Western

  791

  550

  241

  West Midlands

  1,718

  860

  858

  Mersey

  143

  80

  63

  North Western

  384

  216

  168

  London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals

  1,962

  1,594

  368

  Family Practitioner Committees

  240

  137

  103

  England Total

  31,418

  16,313

  15,105

  All figures independently rounded to nearest £000.

  The figures exclude expenditure by certain SHAs and other bodies providing central services to the NHS. Their annual accounts do not separately identify such expenditure but, given the level of their total expenditure, that on agency staff is not thought to be significant.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps his Department is encouraging district health authorities to take in order to reduce dependency upon agency arrangements.

  Mr. Newton
  It is a matter for authorities at local level to make day-to-day decisions on the deployment of staff. Agency staff are used to alleviate staffing problems for a number of reasons including cover during periods of leave and where special skills are required for short-term projects. In the nursing and midwifery grades, staff are now being offered more flexible work arrangements, more opportunities for part-time work and job sharing, and 336
  professional bodies, and sent to all fellows and members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in this country. Its recommendations were unanimously supported in November 1987 in a further report by the same professional bodies, together with the Clinical Genetics Society.

  Agency Staff
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he has any information concerning the total cost each year of agency personnel used in each regional health authority to fill vacant administrative posts; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has concerning the cost to the National Health Service of using administrative and secretarial staff from agencies compared with the cost of fully employing such staff;

  (3) if he will estimate the total annual additional cost to the National Health Service of using agency staff to fill vacant clerical, secretarial and administrative posts.

  Mr. Newton
  The table shows the information that is available for expenditure on agency staff employed on administrative, secretarial and clerical work in the National Health Service in England for the year 1986–87. Details of the individual administrative and clerical posts covered by agency staff are not available centrally.

  nurse banks are being established. The recommendations of the independent pay review body and the new grading structure are expected to assist recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery staff, and thus reduce reliance on agency staff.

  Within the medical and dental staff group I am aware of health authorities' concern about the cost of M and D staff engaged through commercial agencies and officials are currently considering this issue with representatives of NHS management.

  Out-patients (Waiting Lists)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take in the light of the conclusions of the paper relating to outpatients waiting lists which appeared in the British Medical Journal of 30 April, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Newton
  I have noted the conclusions of the paper drawn on the basis of a study at the Royal Northern hospital. The pay and conditions of secretarial and clerical staff are matters for negotiation in the Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley council. This council is currently discussing a revised pay and grading system with a view to helping health authorities to overcome problems of recruitment and retention of certain groups of staff in particular geographical areas. In addition, health authorities are encouraged to use local initiatives on employment conditions to make jobs more attractive.

  Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions with local authority associations about the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

  Mr. Scott
  We are embarked on a series of discussions with local authority associations about the progressive implementation of the Act, in order to identify the resources required to implement each section. These discussions are continuing.

  Landlords (Payments)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been paid to landlords under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (S.I., 1987, No. 1968) over the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available; and if he has been monitoring the operation of the regulations.

  Mr. Portillo
  These regulations did not come into force until 11 April 1988. The provision of the regulations will be monitored and information on amounts paid direct to landlords will be collected, in due course, as part of the annual statistical inquiry.

  The figures for direct payments to landlords under the Supplementary Benefit (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1981 (S.I., 1981, No. 1525) which were in force before II April were not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Hospices
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make additional resources available to district health authorities specifically for distribution to enable voluntary hospices to pay their nurses an increase equal to the pay award to National Health Service nurses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 10 May, at column 140.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many Department of Health and Social 338
  Security offices were unable to make any payments from the social fund on 11 April because they had not received the appropriate forms.

  Mr. Portillo
  Arrangements were made well in advance to supply all offices with the appropriate forms. I am not aware of any offices that were unable to make payments from the social fund because they had not received the appropriate forms.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many social fund applications have been received since 1 April in each of his Department's social security offices serving the district of Edinburgh; and, of these applications, how many have been accepted and how many refused;

  (2) what percentage of the monthly social fund quota was allocated in each of his Department's offices serving the district of Edinburgh from 1 April to 1 May.

  Mr. Portillo
  Edinburgh is served by five local offices, Edinburgh city, Edinburgh east, Edinburgh north, Edinburgh south and Edinburgh west. Arrangements for the publication of data on the social fund were announced in my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 6 May, at column 656.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the criteria for refusal of help from the social fund for(a) claimants, (b) newly arrived immigrants and (c) refugees to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  Guidance and directions for the award of social fund payments appear in the "Social Fund Manual", which was published in November 1987. A copy is in the Library.

  Departmental Office (Southampton)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of the refurbishment of the Department of Health and Social Security office in Southampton.

  Mr. Portillo
  The latest work to refurbish the public waiting area in the Department's local office in Southampton has cost £64,000. Most of the work has been completed, but carpets have not yet been laid.

  Rate Arrears
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any plans to enable local Department of Health and Social Security offices to deduct rate arrears from income support to pay local authorities.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have no such plans.

  Low-income Families
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he received the low-income families tables derived from the family expenditure survey for 1985.

  Mr. Portillo
  Ministers received the full set of tables in March and the final pre-publication version with accompanying notes last week.

  Legionnaire's Disease
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the findings of the Wright committee on biocides for the treatment of water and the prevention of Legionnaire's Disease.

  Mrs. Currie
  I understand that the committee's work is well advanced and we expect to receive its report later this year.

  Computers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has any plans to integrate its proposed computer network with either the police computer network, the Inland Revenue computer network or the VAT computer network.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department is working with Her Majesty's Treasury, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, the Inland Revenue and the Home Office on the proposed Government data network. The network would share communication facilities. There are no plans to use the network to link the department's computers to those of other Departments.

  Plutonium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigations are currently under way or planned to evaluate the absorbed plutonium uptake into the teeth of children living near the Sellafield reprocessing plant.

  Mrs. Currie
  Following a recommendation in the report by the Independent Advisory Group*, established in 1983 to investigate the possible increased incidence of cancer in west Cumbria, the Department has agreed to fund a study into the levels of bone-seeking radionuclides such as plutonium in the teeth of young people. The study will involve the collection, from all parts of the United Kingdom, including west Cumbria, of shed deciduous (milk) teeth, and permanent teeth extracted in the course of normal dental practice. This work is being undertaken jointly by the Harwell laboratory and the physics department of the University of Bristol.
  *"Investigation of the Possible Increased Incidence of Cancer in West Cumber" (HMSO 1984).

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the district of Edinburgh were in receipt of supplementary benefit at 31 March.

  Mr. Portillo
  The total number of people in receipt of supplementary benefit on 17 November 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, from the five Edinburgh local offices was 57,285.

  (Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action. This figure may, however, overstate the number of people receiving supplementary benefit. The footnote to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves) on 31 March 1988, at columns 660–61, refers.)

  Single and Special Payments
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for single payments and special payments were outstanding in each of his 340
  Department's social security offices serving the district of Edinburgh at 1 April and 1 May, respectively; and what extra resources are being made available to deal with any outstanding applications.

  Mr. Portillo
  The district of Edinburgh is served by five social security offices, although their boundaries are not conterminous with that of the district council. Information for the dates requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, but figures are given in the table for the closest dates for which figures were collected.

  Single payments

  Additional requirements

  29 March

  3 May

  29 March

  3 May

  Edinburgh City

  244

  1,569

  1,504

  1,591

  Edinburgh East

  502

  2,638

  2,396

  2,527

  Edinburgh North

  239

  2,012

  1,112

  840

  Edinburgh South

  646

  2,153

  2,018

  1,989

  Edinburgh West

  253

  1,687

  1,980

  1,595

  The marked rise in single payment claims between 29 March and 3 May was due in large part to take-up campaigns organised by the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities, and a large number of other groups. All claims were examined on receipt and priority has been given to urgent cases. All Scottish offices received an additional allocation of manpower resources to achieve the conversion of supplementary benefit cases to income support in the year to April 1988. This extra manpower resource has been carried forward into the first three months of this financial year to aid the clearance of residual supplementary benefit work. In addition central management has authorised overtime working and the employment of additional temporary staff in the Edinburgh offices to clear outstanding single payment and additional requirement work. Central management in Scotland is keeping the situation under close review.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services 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. Portillo
  We have introduced a programme of energy management, including "spend to save" initiatives, with the object of an overall reduction in energy consumption. No specific savings target has been set for 1988–89, but a target is being developed for future years. Lighting systems will not normally be replaced by more energy efficient equipment until the end of their useful life, but in particular circumstances replacement systems are considered.

  Departmental Staff (Edinburgh)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the staffing levels designated by his Department for each of his Department's social security offices serving the district of Edinburgh for the years 1987–88 and 1988–89, respectively; and how many staff were in post in each of the offices at 1 May.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:
  341

  Office

  Complement 1987–88

  Complement 1988–89

  Staff in post 1 May 1988

  Edinburgh City ILO

  188

  161

  176

  Edinburgh East ILO

  166

  142

  158

  Edinburgh North ILO

  168

  151

  162·5

  Edinburgh South ILO

  182

  161·5

  170

  Edinburgh West ILO

  169

  155·5

  167·5

  ILO = Integrated Local Office.

  Great Ormond Street Hospital
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 11 May,Official Report, column 121, whether the Hospitals for Sick Children special health authority or its officers ever informally inquired of the Government whether they would be willing to fully fund the refurbishment of Great Ormond street hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  In preliminary discussions about this proposal, the possibility of full funding by the Government was raised but it was accepted very early on by both sides that the size of the scheme sought by the authority made this impossible given the time scale which the authority believed was desirable. It was agreed therefore that the best solution to enable the project to proceed rapidly was for a joint approach to funding, with the Government supporting the efforts of the public at large. I am delighted to learn that these efforts are meeting such success.

  Cancer Screening
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards a full universal cancer screening programme; what estimates of the cost and benefits of such a scheme have been made by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 13 May 1988]: Before a screening method for any cancer was introduced on a routine basis it would need to be assessed against the principles of screening formulated for the World Health Organisation (WHO). These include:
  there should be a suitable test which is acceptable to the population,
  treatment of the disease at an early stage should be of more benefit than treatment started at a later stage,
  the chance of physical or psychological harm to those screened should be less than the chance of benefit,
  the cost of a screening programme should be balanced against the benefit it provides.

  There are over 200 different cancers and, as yet, no established screening tests for most of them individually, or a universal test, which would meet the WHO criteria. The question of introducing a full universal screening programme has not, therefore, been considered.

  Screening for breast and cervical cancer meets the WHO criteria and national programmes have therefore been set up. Research is being undertaken into possible screening for other cancers.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he will take to improve the provisions for the special needs of members of ethnic minority groups in residential care.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 28 April 1988]: The Department's Social Services Inspectorate examined aspects of services for ethnic groups in 24 authorities in 1986 and reports have been sent to each participating social services department with advice on how to improve their provision for these groups. Further work by the inspectorate is being planned. The Department is funding three projects aimed at assisting social services authorities in the development of services for ethnic minority groups.

  The residential care needs of ethnic minority groups was one of the issues touched on in the independent review of residential care chaired by Lady Wagner. We will be considering Lady Wagner's report further in the light of Sir Roy Griffiths' report on community care and of reactions to both reports and will bring forward our own proposals in due course.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the cut-off point for community charge rebates in respect of individual's capital allowances from £6,000 to £10,000.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 28 April 1988]: We estimate, on the basis of current assumptions about levels of community charge and the operation of the rebate scheme, that the difference in benefit expenditure between a capital cut-off at £6,000 and one at £10,000 for community charge rebates would be £30 million. Our intention is that the level of capital cut-off for community charge rebates will be in line with that for housing benefit, currently £8,000.

  Debt Counselling
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has information on the number of debt counselling cases handled by citizens advice bureaux in Scotland in each of the last 10 years; and if he will give the grant-in-aid for each of these years.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of debt counselling cases handled by Scottish CABX ('000)

  Grant-in-aid to the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux ('000)

  1978–79

  n.a.

  106·6

  1979–80

  n.a.

  145·5

  1980–81

  n.a.

  217·9

  1981–82

  n.a.

  315·7

  1982–83

  n.a.

  530·6

  1983–84

  13·9

  629·7

  1984–85

  21·7

  700·4

  1985–86

  28·1

  813·9

  1986–87

  42·1

  889·0

  1987–88

  54·2

  926·0

  n.a. = Not available. (Statistics relating to the number of debt counseling cases handled before 1983–84 were not separately collected).

SCOTLAND

  Mr. Alex Pagett
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will enumerate and list the occasions on which Mr. Alex Pagett has visited offices of his Department since resigning from the SIO; and for what purposes.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Since resigning from the SIO, Mr. Pagett has occasionally visited the Scottish Office in London in order to liaise with Ministers and my special adviser. He has also visited the Scottish Office in Edinburgh on one occasion for a meeting with a Minister.

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any evidence of doctors overprescribing Temazepam, Temgesics, Diazepam and Lorazepam tablets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no evidence which suggests that doctors in general are prescribing greater quantities

  16 and 17 year olds1 in School2 or Full-time Non-advanced Further Education

  16 years olds

  17 year olds

  Number

  Percentage of 16 year olds

  Number

  Percentage of 17 year olds

  1978–79

  41,600

  46

  19,000

  21

  1986–87

  46,500

  56

  26,000

  31

  1 Age at 31 December of session.

  2 Excludes those leaving on attaining school leaving age at the end of the first term.

  Rents
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the average level of(a) local authority rents, (b) fair rents registered for unfurnished lettings and (c) market rents charged outwith the fair rent system, in each year since 1979, indicating the

  Average annual rents—local authority and registered furnished lets in Scotland

  Local authority1

  Registered unfurnished lets2

  Retail prices index

  Year

  Average annual rent £

  Percentage increase over previous year

  Cumulative percentage increase

  Average annual rent £

  Percentage increase over previous year

  Cumulative percentage increase

  Index (October 1979 = 100)

  Percentage increase over previous year

  1979

  255·61

  —

  —

  303

  —

  —

  100·0

  15·4

  1980

  305·73

  19·6

  19·6

  337

  11·2

  11·2

  115·4

  15·4

  1981

  400·07

  30·9

  56·5

  419

  24·3

  38·3

  128·9

  11·7

  1982

  469·03

  17·2

  83·5

  529

  26·3

  74·6

  137·7

  6·8

  1983

  512·56

  9·3

  100·5

  632

  19·5

  108·6

  144·6

  5·0

  1984

  543·94

  6·1

  112·8

  652

  3·2

  115·2

  151·8

  5·0

  1985

  600·53

  10·4

  134·9

  789

  21·0

  160·4

  160·1

  5·4

  1986

  675·49

  12·5

  164·3

  847

  7·4

  179·5

  164·9

  3·0

  1987

  758·03

  12·2

  196·6

  905

  6·8

  198·7

  172·3

  4·5

  1 At 30 September.

  2 Private sector rents registered by Rent Officers.

  Housing Capital Projects
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the bids made by local housing authorities and (b) the allocations that he has made to each of them for consent to spend on housing capital projects in 1988–89.
  344
  of these drugs than are required for the treatment of their patients. Arrangements exist for the routine monitoring of doctors' prescribing of all drugs and where there is any irregularity the health board will investigate and the doctor may be called upon to justify his prescribing. In only a very few isolated instances have there been such investigations into the prescribing of these drugs. Nevertheless in view of concerns about the use of Temazepam and Temgesic by drug addicts the prescribing of these drugs is being specially monitored at present.

  Further Education
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Scotland how many pupils, and what percentage, remained in full-time education after 16 and 17 years of age in each local authority in 1978–79 and the latest date available and the total for Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Estimates for Scotland as a whole are given below. Information for individual education authorities is not readily available.

  percentage increase in each on an annual and a cumulative basis; and what were the changes in the retail prices index over the same period.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No information is held centrally on rents which are not registered. The remainder of the information is given in the table.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Bids for 1988–89 and the related final gross capital allocations, issued in March 1988, are given in the table.
  345

  Gross Housing Capital Allocations 1988–89 (£ million)

  Housing Revenue Account

  Non-Housing Revenue Account

  Authority

  Authority's Bid

  Issued Allocation

  Authority's Bid

  Issued Allocation

  Berwickshire

  1·017

  0·850

  0·500

  0·500

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1·922

  1·800

  0·800

  0·650

  Roxburgh

  4·545

  4·000

  0·725

  0·600

  Tweeddale

  0·365

  0·365

  0·300

  0·300

  Clackmannan

  6·656

  5·000

  0·760

  0·450

  Falkirk

  17·065

  15·000

  2·122

  1·400

  Stirling

  10·820

  7·800

  1·955

  1·100

  Annandale and Eskdale

  3·882

  3·525

  0·540

  0·450

  Nithsdale

  8·935

  6·100

  0·768

  0·675

  Stewartry

  1·900

  1·750

  0·400

  0·325

  Wigtown

  3·108

  3·270

  1·045

  0·700

  Dunfermline

  13·507

  11·000

  1·240

  0·950

  Kirkcaldy

  15·453

  11·400

  1·755

  1·250

  North East Fife

  4·247

  4·247

  3·251

  1·750

  Aberdeen

  56·742

  17·250

  7·763

  5·000

  Banff and Buchan

  4·410

  4·350

  1·250

  1·075

  Gordon

  13·633

  7·800

  0·950

  0·800

  Kincardine and Deeside

  4·895

  4·430

  0·720

  0·625

  Moray

  6·333

  5300

  1·764

  0·950

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  0·768

  0·768

  0·300

  0·275

  Caithness

  4·181

  3·500

  0·950

  0·900

  Inverness

  6·317

  5·200

  1·400

  1·150

  Lochaber

  9·944

  4·200

  0·600

  0·500

  Nairn

  1·176

  1·100

  0·190

  0·125

  Ross and Cromarty

  6·958

  5·920

  2·967

  2·500

  Skye and Lochalsh

  2·278

  2·080

  1·020

  0·750

  Sutherland

  2·053

  2·053

  1·045

  0·800

  East Lothian

  12·919

  8·700

  2·800

  1·900

  Edinburgh

  61·927

  32·000

  31·000

  3·1000

  Midlothian

  5·000

  5·115

  0·961

  0·750

  West Lothian

  10·206

  8·000

  1·000

  0·750

  Argyll and Bute

  4·756

  4·750

  7·628

  5·700

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  2·374

  1·350

  0·600

  0·450

  Clydebank

  7·844

  6·500

  1·072

  1·000

  Clydesdale

  3·981

  3·594

  0·700

  0·600

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  2·477

  1·850

  0·640

  0·550

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  3·500

  3·300

  0·300

  0·225

  Cunninghame

  18·501

  7·500

  3·800

  2·500

  Dumbarton

  26·791

  7·000

  1·130

  0·700

  East Kilbride

  0·615

  0·615

  0·272

  0·270

  Eastwood

  1·495

  1·200

  0·250

  0·230

  Glasgow

  200·000

  88·000

  96·570

  45·500

  Hamilton

  11·148

  8·225

  1·530

  1·100

  Inverclyde

  10·064

  7·500

  2·781

  2·750

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  6·921

  6·000

  0·500

  0·300

  Kyle and Carrick

  7·442

  7·442

  0·780

  0·550

  Monklands

  18·000

  13·500

  1·080

  0·950

  Motherwell

  18·335

  16·500

  0·810

  0·700

  Renfrew

  45·065

  18·500

  3·380

  3·000

  Strathkelvin

  16·730

  7·412

  0·807

  0·600

  Angus

  5·624

  5·200

  0·758

  0·720

  Dundee

  28·250

  18·750

  5·000

  4·415

  Perth and Kinross

  6·586

  5·800

  2·750

  2400

  Orkney

  2·056

  1·100

  1·505

  1·300

  Shetland

  6·087

  5·200

  0·923

  0·850

  Western Isles

  5·131

  4·500

  3·790

  3·350

  Atmospheric Radioactive Contamination
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what equipment is available to his Department for the detection of radioactive contamination in the atmosphere; and if any new equipment has been acquired for this purpose since the Chernobyl accident.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell operates three air sampling stations in Scotland. In addition civil and nuclear establishments, the National Radiological Protection Board and some academic and research centres in 346
  Scotland undertake routine monitoring of the atmosphere for radioactivity. All results are available to the Scottish Office.

  Under the national response plan for dealing with nuclear accidents overseas, some 80 monitoring stations will be established in the United Kingdom, of which about 26 will be in Scotland. They will measure gamma dose rates, but a number of sites yet to be determined will also be equipped to measure air concentrations. Some 46 monitoring sites will be established this year (20 in Scotland) and the balance within two years.

  Pre-Five Services
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he has any plans to advise or assist regional councils to integrate pre-five services;

  (2) whether he has any plans to encourage regional councils to expand (i) nursery education, (ii) day care nurseries, and (iii) childminding services;

  (3) what assistance he will give to regional councils to enable them to target pre-five services to priority groups including handicapped children, children with language difficulties, and children living in low-income households;

  (4) whether he will take steps to ensure that pre-five provision is more responsive to the needs of the community.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Our current policy is to look to local authorities to determine the nature and scale of services for the pre-fives within their areas, in the light of the resources available to them and according to their own priorities.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to provide either capital allocation or capital grants to enable regional councils to improve provision of pre-five services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Allocations are made to regional and island authorities for capital expenditure on education and social work services. It is for authorities to decide what place improvement of provision for the pre-fives takes on their priorities for capital expenditure. Under the urban programme pre-fives projects in eligible areas may qualify for capital grants

  Parenthood Education
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to promote parenthood education in secondary shcools.

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Number of DLO staff

  Number of DLO staff

  Percentage reduction from previous year

  Number of DLO staff

  Percentage increase from previous year

  Number of DLO staff

  Percentage reduction from previous year

  16,012

  15,441

  3·6

  15,660

  1·4

  14,833

  5·3

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, during the course of his visit to Renfrew, West and Inverclyde, to open the Gledoch House hotel on 6 June, he will agree to meet constituents of the hon. Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde to discuss their housing problems in the light of recent changes in the benefits system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No. The hon. Member may wish to write to me; but questions on housing benefit policy are best addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many meetings have been held to discuss procedures to be followed for registration for the community charge of Her Majesty's forces personnel based in Scotland on temporary postings;
  348
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A joint working group of the Scottish Examination Board and the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum is currently developing proposals for short courses in health studies suitable for secondary pupils from age 14. Their report, which will shortly be circulated for consultation, includes proposals for a 40-hour short course on parenthood.

  Parentcraft Classes
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will take steps to promote parentcraft classes at clinics for mothers and fathers;

  (2) whether he has any plans to provide better and more local ante-natal and post-natal care and support.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for individual health boards to determine, in the light of the resources available to them, the appropriate provision for ante-natal and postnatal care and support in their areas and how these services should be organised.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, for each local authority in Scotland, the number of employees on a full-time equivalent basis in local authority direct labour organisations for each year since 1979 and the percentage annual change.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. However, statistics published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy since 1983–84 show that the total number of DLO staff employed by Scottish local authorities was as follows:

  (2) when his office expects to complete consideration of the community charge position of service families living in Ministry of Defence married quarters.

  Mr. Lang
  In general adult service personnel and their families who are solely or mainly resident in the area of a local authority will require to register for and pay the personal community charge in the normal manner. The position of those service personnel in Scotland who are exceptionally mobile and for whom individual registration for the personal community charge would be impracticable is the subject of continuing discussion between the Scottish Office and the Ministry of Defence.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employers have been taken to court in Scotland in each of the last five years for failure to implement the one-third quota of disabled people in their firms.
  349
  Mr. Lang
  I assume the hon. Member is referring to the 3 per cent. quota.

  There have been no such prosecutions in Scotland under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 during the last five years.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the take-up in Scotland of grants available to firms to assist them with adaptions to help them employ registered disabled people; and if he will list the firms and the sums allocated to each firm.

  Mr. Lang
  Grants totalling £22,343 were made to 11 employers in Scotland during 1987–88 to assist registered disabled people into employment. It is not Government policy to publish details of individual employers benefiting.

  Forestry
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names, locations and areas of plantations in the Dornoch forest district planted by the Forestry Commission in 1987–88; and if he will list similar information for those areas proposed to be planted in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information for 1987–88 is as follows:

  Name

  Location

  Area (hectares)

  Achairn

  Caithness

  94

  Rowens

  Caithness

  44

  Dyke

  North Sutherland

  168

  Achormlarie

  East Sutherland

  257

  Ledmore

  South Sutherland

  50

  Dalnessie

  South Sutherland

  251

  Invershin

  South Sutherland

  173

  Lochies

  South Sutherland

  16

  The commission's planting programmes for 1988–89 and 1989–90 have not yet been decided.

  Table 1

  Patients resident in mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units at 31 December

  Numbers

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  11986

  Mental illness2 Patients

  3,809

  3,854

  3,774

  3,772

  3,707

  3,676

  3,325

  3,409

  Mental handicap Patients

  1,773

  1,752

  1,723

  1,668

  1,578

  1,499

  1,373

  1,101

  Table 2

  Hospital doctors and nurses working in mental illness and mental handicap specialties at 30 September

  whole-time equivalent

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  11987

  Mental illness2

  Doctors3

  127

  123

  125

  132

  140

  135

  124

  123

  117

  All nursing staff4

  2,302

  2,450

  2,623

  2,549

  2,448

  2,484

  2,560

  2,561

  2,596

  qualified nurses

  1,031

  1,075

  1,152

  1,261

  1,289

  1,305

  1,328

  1,318

  1,358

  in-training nurses

  547

  590

  636

  513

  399

  429

  464

  470

  415

  unqualified nurses

  724

  786

  835

  775

  760

  750

  767

  773

  823

  Mental handicap

  Doctors3

  6

  6

  7

  6

  6

  4

  2

  3

  2

  350
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what wildlife surveys or environmental assessments the Forestry Commission is carrying out or commissioning, or requiring of applicants for forestry grant, in order to determine the effect of new afforestation proposals in Sutherland and Caithness on the wildlife populations of that area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Forestry Commission is consulting the Nature Conservancy Council at present over all afforestation proposals in Sutherland and Caithness. This enables the council to set out its views on the likely effect of afforestation on wildlife populations.

  Departmental Correspondence (Confidentiality)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 44, he will make a further statement about the progress of the inquiry into the unauthorised disclosure of correspondence between the Prime Minister's private office and his Department relating to opting out by schools.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No; in accordance with normal practice this is not a matter about which I am prepared to give any details.

  Mentally Ill Persons
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Scotland how many(a) registered mentally ill and (b) mentally handicapped patients there were in the Greater Glasgow health board area in 1979, and in each year until 1987; and how many staff were employed with groups in the mentally ill sector and in the mentally handicapped sector in 1979 and in each year until 1983.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: Information is not available centrally in the precise form requested. The following tables show the relevant available statistics.
  351

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  11987

  All nursing staff4

  656

  694

  742

  723

  728

  677

  696

  680

  775

  qualified nurses

  268

  281

  304

  302

  314

  337

  331

  322

  328

  in-training nurses

  130

  136

  150

  160

  178

  126

  115

  113

  119

  unqualified nurses

  259

  277

  289

  262

  236

  214

  249

  245

  329

  1 Provisional data. Information on patients at 31 December 1987 is not yet available.

  2 Mental illness figures include patients in psychogeriatric facilities and the staff caring for them.

  3 For doctors, mental illness includes the specialties: mental illness, child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy. It excludes forensic psychiatry. Doctors are classified by the specialty as per the contract of employment. A number of doctors classified under mental illness will have responsibility for mental handicap patients.

  4 Includes senior administrative nurses but does not take account of such nurses with more than one functional (specialty) responsibility. Some nurses working in the community psychiatric role may be included in the data but these nurses are not separately identified centrally. The individual nurse lines may not sum to the total because of rounding of the figures.

DEFENCE

  Genetically Engineered Micro-organisms
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if there are any research projects or proposals which will result in the testing or release of genetically engineered micro-organisms for defensive or offensive purposes by employees or agents of his Department;

  (2) what provisions he intends to take to ensure that the technology for hostile or mischievous release of genetically manipulated micro-organisms does not become freely available.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  All work carried out by my Department in connection with genetically engineered micro-organisms is designed to provide protection for our armed forces against the possible use of biological agents by an aggressor. No work is done for offensive purposes. There are no current research projects which would involve the release of any such micro-organisms to the environment. All such work complies fully with the procedures operated by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to discover from the United States Department of Defence whether it has plans to develop and test genetically engineered micro-organisms capable of disrupting agricultural productivity following the release into the environment.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Programmes undertaken by the United States Department of Defence are a matter for the United States Government. However, I understand that all testing for protective purposes of genetically engineered organisms undertaken by the United States Department of Defence, as permitted by the 1972 biological weapons convention, is closely scrutinised by the United States Environment Protection Agency, and that there is no risk to agricultural production.

  Stornoway Airport
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many simulated air attacks on Stornoway airport were carried out in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  Simulated air attacks on Stornoway airport have taken place from time to time between the six weeks of the year when Stornoway is activated for military exercises. There is no requirement for these to be recorded systematically and there is thus no precise figure available for 1987. Since the airfield was last activated in September 1987, it is estimated that there have been less than 10 simulated attacks.
  352
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the planned noise survey will be carried out at Stornoway airport.

  Mr. Freeman
  Arrangements have been made for the noise survey to take place from 11 to 15 July inclusive to coincide with the first military exercise at RAF Stornoway this year. I shall write to the hon. Member when the results of the survey are available.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next deployment of aircraft from the fleet requirements and air direction unit to Stornoway airport is planned.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not the Department's policy to reveal advance information of this type about its operational activities.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many practice approaches were carried out by military aircraft at Stornoway airport in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  Records of practice approaches by military aircraft at Stornoway airport were not kept prior to September 1987 and are not maintained during those periods when the airfield is activated for military exercises. Records kept by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. since the last military activation period between 7 and 18 September indicate that practice approaches by military aircraft average some 10 per month.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are currently provided at Stornoway airport for United States Navy maritime patrol aircraft.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no facilities currently provided at RAF Stornoway specifically for United States Navy maritime patrol aircraft, though such aircraft could use the airfield in the normal way, subject to their obtaining appropriate clearance.

  Air Defence Exercises
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what activities will be carried out at Stornoway airport during Exercise Elder Joust;

  (2) when the next air defence exercise in the Priory series is due to take place.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Exercise Priory series is to be replaced by the Exercise Elder Joust series, the first of which is scheduled to take place in October. Planning for this exercise is in its early stages. If RAF Stornoway is to be utilised the appropriate authorities will be notified in accordance with standing arrangements.
  353
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what activities will be carried out at Stornoway airport during Exercise Teamwork.

  Mr. Freeman
  Plans for this exercise have yet to be finalised. If RAF Stornoway is to be utilised the appropriate authorities will be notified in accordance with standing arrangements.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what deficiencies were identified in fighter reaction times to air threats to the north-west of the United Kingdom during the recent Exercise Elder Forest.

  Mr. Freeman
  An evaluation of this exercise is still under way, but preliminary indications are that it successfully achieved the aim of testing certain of the United Kingdom's air defence forces. It is not, however, the practice to reveal in detail operational lessons learnt from such exercises.

  Flight Refuelling Limited
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Western Isles on 22 April,Official Report, column 578, which services are provided to his Department by Flight Refuelling Limited under each of its three contracts with his Department.

  Mr. Freeman
  The services provided comprise the piloting and maintenance of Royal Navy Canberra and Hunter aircraft, the supply of crewed Falcon aircraft and the provision of target towing, silent target, threat simulation and electronic warfare services using these aircraft for the Royal Navy.

  Benbecula (Low Flying)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for the Western Isles on 22 April,Official Report, column 579, what was the appropriate action taken by the United States authorities in respect of the incident over Benbecula involving a United States Air Force F-111 on 12 September 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have nothing to add to the replies I gave the hon. Member on 5 February and 22 April 1988, at columns 791 and 579 respectively.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for the Western Isles on 22 April,Official Report, column 579, what changes were made to the regulations governing low level flying and simulated attacks on Benbecula airfield following the incident involving a United States Air Force F-111 on 12 September 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  No such amendment has been considered necessary.

  Air-Sea Rescue
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors are being taken into account in his review of the future location of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy air-sea rescue detachments.

  Mr. Freeman
  The review is being conducted by the Ministry of Defence in consultation with the Department 354
  of Transport, and is taking into account both the military search and rescue requirement and the needs of civil search and rescue, as recommended by the helicopter coverage group.

  RAF Leuchars
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the officers and men of the search and rescue squadron based at RAF Leuchars in connection with the redeployment of the squadron.

  Mr. Freeman
  No such instructions have been issued. I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 April 1988, at column 504.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the four nations memorandum of understanding (MOU) for full development of the European fighter aircraft has yet been signed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Younger
  I am pleased to confirm that the memorandum of understanding for the development phase of the European fighter aircraft (EFA) programme was signed in Bonn today by Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The signature of Spain is expected as soon as Spanish Government processes have been completed.

  As I told the House on 25 April, at column 22, EFA will fulfil a vital defence need in the best and most cost-effective way. It will continue the trend of successful European collaboration in aerospace. It will ensure that our industry remains in the forefront of this technology to the end of the century and beyond, while ensuring the best possible value for money for the taxpayer.

TRANSPORT

  Motorways
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the value of the motorway schemes in the national road programme in relation to the total value of the programme.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Thirty-four motorway schemes are under construction or in preparation at a value of more than £1,150 million compared with a total value for the national road programme of £5 billion.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of motorways under construction form part of the total mileage of trunk roads under construction.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Almost one quarter of the total trunk road mileage under construction is motorway.

  Safety at Sea
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has conducted any research on the effect of competition on passenger safety at sea; and if he will make a statement.
  355
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest assessment of the implications of competition with the Channel tunnel for the level of passenger safety standards on ferries.

  Mr. Channon
  Research of the kind suggested would not be fruitful, since passenger safety must always remain an overriding priority, whilst competition is aimed at improving efficiency and service to customers.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of competition for standards of passenger safety at sea.

  Mr. Channon
  None. Work of this kind would not be fruitful, since passenger safety must always remain paramount, while competition is aimed at improving efficiency and service to customers.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the public concerning the implications for passenger safety of the Dover ferries dispute between National Union of Seamen members and the P and O company.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and members of the public since this dispute began. Most of these in fact related to the working arrangements for officers, who are represented by Numast, rather than to the NUS dispute itself. Since P and O and Numast reached agreement on new working arrangements some weeks ago, I have had very few representations on the dispute or on safety questions.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the capacity of United Kingdom air traffic control to keep pace with air traffic in United Kingdom air space throughout the next 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Civil Aviation Authority, which is responsible jointly with the Ministry of Defence for the planning and provision of air traffic services, is currently working on an assessment of air space capacity and the options for dealing with the expected demand.

  Light Rail Public Transport Services
  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards providing subsidies for fares on light rail public transport services.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The Government's policy towards providing subsidies for light rail service is set out in their recent response to the third report of the Transport Select Committee on the financing of rail services. Broadly, the Government expect users to pay through fares the benefit they receive from rail services, but subsidies may be payable to reflect external benefits which cannot be captured through revenues.

  Fares
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the setting of fare levels for public transport services.
  356
  Mr. David Mitchell
  The setting of fares is a matter for the operators or, in the case of bus services supported by local authorities, for those authorities.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to promote reductions in bus fares; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Bus fares are a matter for the operators concerned. The competition successfully introduced by deregulation has reduced operators' costs, which should help contain increases in fares.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information on the level of public transport fares in passenger transport authority areas.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 12 May, the average fare per journey for adult single local bus tickets in the financial year 1986–87 was some 33p in the metropolitan areas. Comparable data for rail fares in the metropolitan areas are not available.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information about fare levels for local bus services

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on Thursday 12 May to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) at columns 236–7.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to promote reductions in rail fares; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Within the overall framework of objectives the Government have set it, it is for British Rail to decide what level of fares to charge for its services. I would not normally expect it to reduce fares unless it improved its financial performance. Our general policies on subsidies for rail services are set out in the Government's observations on the third report of the Transport Select Committee (House of Commons Paper 420, Annex C).

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information about trends in public transport fares.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The latest available data on fares on local buses are given in table 2.35 of Department of Transport statistics bulletin (88)29: "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain 1986–87" and for trains they are given in the last columns of tables 6 and 7 of Department of Transport statistics bulletin (88)13: "Quarterly Transport Statistics". Copies of both publications are in the Library of the House.

  Rail Electrification
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail electrification schemes have been approved by Her Majesty's Government since 1983.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Since 1983 the Government have approved seven electrification schemes, worth over £500 million. In addition the Government have approved a
  357
  package of Channel tunnel-related investment including some £30 million of electrification work. British Rail has itself approved a further nine smaller schemes.

  Nottingham-Bulwell-Mansfield Railway
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received with regard to the re-opening of the railway line from Nottingham through Bulwell to Mansfield.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 14 January 1988, at columns 358–59. Since that time my right hon. Friend has received two further representations, from Nottinghamshire county council and from a member of the public.

  Air Passengers (Compensation)
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the limits on damages which passengers on international scheduled flights can receive for death or injury pursuant to the Hague protocol to the Warsaw convention were last revised: and whether he will approach the co-signatories to secure agreement that these limits should be indexed annually in accordance with some parameter of value.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The latest amendments to the Warsaw convention — the Montreal protocols — were drawn up in 1975, and would raise the compensation limit to about £79,000. The protocols require 30 ratifications to bring them into force. So far only eight countries, including the UK, have ratified, and we are doing all we can to persuade other states to follow suit. These protocols provide for limited inflation increases of the liablility limits.

  Central London (Cars)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to restrict the number of cars coming into central London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Our policy on traffic management in London is set out in circular 2/87.

  Glasgow Airport
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to allow intercontinental and long-haul flights to land and take off at Glasgow airport, Abbotsinch.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The policy for the Scottish Lowlands airports remains that set out in the 1985 White Paper "Airports Policy" (Cmnd. 9542): that intercontinental and long-haul flights are only exceptionally allowed to use Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, but that this policy will be reviewed if Prestwick airport's financial results have not shown a steady improvement by 1989.

  Personal Stereos
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of his studies on the road safety implications concerning users of personal stereos.
  358
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A Transport and Road Research Laboratory hospital-based study of cycling accidents revealed no instances when the use of personal stereos have been a contributory factor in any of the accidents. All road users—and vulnerable ones in particular—should make sure they are able to concentrate fully on driving or riding. They should avoid unnecessary sources of distraction.

  Rear Seat Belts
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce legislation to require rear seat belts to be installed in all new passenger cars.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations were amended in 1986 to require all cars first used from 1 April 1987 to be fitted with adult seat belts or child restraints of an approved type.

  Rear seat belt anchorages have been obligatory on all new cars first used from 1 April 1982.

  The seat belt amendment Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day) was given its Third reading on Friday 13 May.

  British Rail
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Rail; and what subjects he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Rail; and what subjects he expects to discuss.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Members for Swansea, East (Mr. Anderson) and for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) earlier today.

  North Report
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received seeking changes in his policy for road safety following the publication of the North report on road traffic law.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The North report has generated a considerable amount of interest. We welcome public reaction to the recommendations. We are pressing ahead with our consideration of the recommendations as quickly as possible. We shall report to the House on our progress before the summer recess.

  Road Pricing
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards introducing road pricing in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Road pricing is an interesting idea. It raises practical issues. There are currently no plans to introduce it in London.

  Public Transport (Women)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department has given to the special needs of women using public transport.
  359
  Mr. David Mitchell
  In their formulation of policy towards public transport the Government have well in mind the importance of bus and rail services to women, who have, in general, less access to private cars and greater fears for their personal safety.

  Civil Aviation Safety
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received about standards of civil aviation safety in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend receives from time to time representations from various sources about the standards of civil aviation safety in the United Kingdom. These are normally referred to the Civil Aviation Authority, the body responsible for civil aviation safety regulation.

  Railway Stations, Cornwall
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the transport users' consultative committee concerning the state of repair of railway stations in Cornwall.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  None. But I understand that it has put some proposals to British Rail.

  Coaches (Vehicle Excise Duty)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding the level of evasion of the vehicle excise duty paid in respect of coaches.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No recent representations have been made on the extent of evasion of the duty payable on coaches. The national survey of VED evasion in 1984 did not identify coaches as a source of significant revenue loss. We are not aware of evidence to suggest that evasion among this vehicle group is exceptional.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on the current repairs on the Severn bridge and the likely completion date; and what is the latest estimated final cost.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Work is currently in progress on the supply of new hangers for the suspension bridge, for the major strengthening works on the crossing and for protection of river piers. Resurfacing work is expected to start next year. The programme for completion of all works by the end of 1990 remains on target. The current estimate for the whole scheme is £56 million.

  Traffic Flows (London)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the level of congestion and speed of traffic flows on roads in London for which he is responsible; and what equivalent information he has for five and 10 years ago, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The latest information is for the period 1983 to 1986 when the average speed of traffic on 360
  trunk roads, in London is estimated to have been 34 kph (21 mph) in the morning peak period, 46 kph (29 mph) in the daytime off-peak period and 37 kph (23 mph) in the evening peak period. A new survey of average traffic speeds on the strategic London road network of trunk and designated roads is now in progress. Results are expected in the late summer.

  Equivalent information for five and 10 years ago is riot available, but estimates of traffic speeds on a category of roads called primary roads, as defined in the Greater London development plan, were published by the Greater London council. The GLC's network of primary roads contained a high proportion of roads in common with London's trunk road network prior to 1 April 1986. Results over the requested period are as follows:—

  Average traffic speeds on primary roads Kilometres per hour1

  Survey period

  Time of day

  1977–79

  1980–82

  1983–86

  Morning peak period (7am-10am)

  36·8(23·0)

  41·9(26·2)

  39·8(24·9)

  Daytime off-peak period (10am-4pm)

  56·8(35·5)

  58·1(36·3)

  58·4(36·5)

  Evening peak period (4pm-7pm)

  43·5(27·2)

  47·7(29·8)

  44·2(27·6)

  1 Figures in brackets denote speeds in miles per hour.

  Tourist Buses(Central London)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the implications for traffic congestion of the parking of tourist buses in central London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Very few. Primary responsibility for the parking of tourist coaches lies with the local authorities and the operators. We keep a close watch on the position. The code of practice recently launched by the Bus and Coach Council will encourage better parking.

  Civil Air Traffic
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what increase in United Kingdom civil air traffic he expects during the next two years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. The last Department of Transport forecasts, published in 1986, estimated United Kingdom demand for air travel in 1990 in the range 83·2 to 98·9 million passengers per annum. The Department is currently working on new forecasts which are expected to be published before the end of the year.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to fund the development of rail freight interchanges in the north-east, in preparation for the opening of the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I am prepared to authorise any commercially worthwhile investment by British Rail related to the Channel tunnel, but direct financial assistance from the Government is ruled out by section 42 of the Channel Tunnel Act. Investment in privately owned interchange facilities may qualify separately for grants where there are clearly measurable environmental benefits.

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received from Manchester airport about the airport's future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A number of representations have been received about transatlantic services. The Government made clear in the 1985 White Paper "Airports Policy" that it is committed to the justified development of Manchester and other regional airports.

  London Transport Strategies
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the report on transport strategies for London from the London planning advisory committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  No.

  London Air Traffic Control Centre
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last visited the London air traffic control centre; and what was the purpose of his visit.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend visited the centre on 19 February to see the important work which is done there.

  London Underground (Staffing)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss the reduction of full-time cleaning staff on the London Underground subsequent to the King's Cross fire disaster.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has discussed with the chairman of London Regional Transport the programme of cuts in station staff now being implemented on the London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  London Regional Transport has kept me informed of developments following the fire at King's Cross and I meet the chairman of London Regional Transport from time to time as the need arises. However, staffing levels are for London Regional Transport to determine in the light of their statutory duty to have due regard to safety, efficiency and economy of operation.

  North Devon Link Road
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects the north Devon link road to be completed; how much it will have cost; and how many properties have been demolished along the route from Tiverton to Barnstaple.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We expect the north Devon link road to be completed about the middle of next year. It will have cost some £63 million to construct between the M5 and Barnstaple. By completion seven properties will have been demolished between Tiverton and Barnstaple.

  Rail Services (Subsidy)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the annual subsidy for rail 362
  services in each of the last five years for (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Germany, (d) Italy, (e) Holland and (f) Denmark.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Figures for Government support for British Rail since 1983 are given below. The figures include grant in compensation for the public service obligation under EEC Regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, and level crossings grant under EEC Regulation 1192/69.

  £ million

  1983

  873·0

  1984–85

  1,088·9

  1985–86

  839·7

  1986–87

  733·4

  1987–88

  815·6

  1984–85 is a 15-month period reflecting a change in the British Railways Board financial year. The figures for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 remain provisional; final claims have not been agreed. All figures are cash.

  The most recent information available to the Department on the revenues, costs and public subsidy levels of the European Community's railway systems is contained in the eighth Commission report on the transposed annual accounts of railway undertakings for 1984 (COM(87)311 final). A copy of this and of the transposed annual accounts for 1983 (COM(86)353 final) are in the Library of the House. There are substantial variations between countries in accounting systems and in the arrangements for financial support, so the figures contained in the report only provide a broad comparison.

  London Docklands (Rail Services)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the relative costs of developing existing railway facilities from north-east London to docklands to integrate the service with the docklands light railway system as against other proposed methods of relieving congestion on the Central line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Various possibilities for developing railway facilities from north-east London to Docklands are being considered by London Regional Transport in conjunction with the London Docklands Development Corporation and British Rail as part of a study of a public transport strategy for Docklands. Any proposals made will take into account the implications for the rest of the public transport network and the work being done in the Central London rail study, in which the Department is participating with London Regional Transport and British Rail.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates have been made of the cost of the proposed docklands light railway extension to south of the Thames.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  London Regional Transport and the London Docklands Development Corporation are examining the possibility of an extension of the Docklands light railway in some detail as part of their study of a public transport strategy for Docklands. A firm estimate of the cost of such an extension is not yet available.

  Civil Air Traffic
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much he expects civil air traffic to increase in the next 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Information is not available in this form. The Department's forecasts of air traffic for the United Kingdom, published in 1986, estimated demand on a high economic growth scenario at 98·9 million passengers per annum (mppa) in 1990, 132·1 mppa in 1995 and 169·4 mppa in 2000. On a lower economic growth scenario the forecasts were 83·2, 98·1 and 113·8 mppa respectively. We expect to publish new forecasts towards the end of the year.

  Dangerous Goods
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the problems in Holland and Germany arising from the level of training of British drivers of trucks loaded with explosives.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There have been occasional representations about the practice in United Kingdom not to issue a special certificate for drivers trained in explosives work.

  We have been discussing with the CBI and the Health and Safety Executive the development of an approved national training scheme for drivers of vehicles carrying explosives. This will give them a certificate and will be used to negotiate reciprocal recognition with the authorities in the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from Mr. Ian Rycroft, transport director of EC Transport, Dorset, calling for the United Kingdom authorities to design and authorise a course of instructions acceptable to other contracting states of the ADR agreement on international carriage of dangerous goods by road.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A telex message.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to bring the regulations on the transport of ammunition by road up to the standards of the ADR agreement on international carriage of dangerous goods by road.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The United Kingdom is a signatory of the ADR agreement and is involved in keeping it up to date.

  I explained to the hon. Member on 18 April that we intend to make the Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations later this summer. These regulations will be in line with the revised ADR provisions covering the carriage of explosives by road that are due to come into effect from 1 January 1990. Both will be more comprehensive than the current ADR provisions.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the extent to which the authorities in Holland and Germany provide additional locally trained drivers on British trucks carrying explosives in their countries because of the level of training of United Kingdom drivers.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany such a requirement is 364
  imposed upon foreign vehicles carrying explosives, notwithstanding the existence of the international road transport agreement, ADR.

  Offshore Installations (Standby Vessels)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to place before Parliament proposals to amend the practice contained in the document "Assessment of the Suitability of Standby Vessels Attending Off-Shore Installations"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Following earlier consultations a revised draft of the amendments was circulated to interested organisations for further comment. Officials are now studying the replies that have been received. Compliance with the recommendations in the document is voluntary and it is essential that its terms are acceptable to all concerned.

  As a non-statutory code it does not need to be placed before Parliament but I will arrange for copies to be deposited in the Library when the document is finalised.

  Saltash Bypass
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the reasons for the delay in the opening of the Saltash bypass; what action he proposes taking to minimise this delay; and what is the new projected date for the completion of the bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The contract for the construction of Saltash bypass was originally due to be completed by the end of July. Work has taken longer than anticipated because of unexpected construction difficulties. We are pressing the contractors to complete the works as quickly as possible. We hope to open the bypass before the end of the summer. In the meantime, we are considering whether any special steps can be taken to reduce delays during peak holiday traffic periods.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to fly nuclear waste out of Glasgow airport; and what discussions are proposed with local authorities on this matter.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There are no such plans.

  Associated British Ports (No. 2) Bill
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of Associated British Ports; whether he discussed the Associated British Ports (No. 2) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  In the debate on the Associated British Ports (No. 2) Bill on 11 May I explained to the hon. Member that I had not met the chairman of Associated British Ports in respect of the Bill and, further, that I had no knowledge of whether any other Minister or officials in the Department of Transport had done so.

  Subsequent inquiries show that some months ago, on 24 February my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the chairman of Associated British Ports, and their discussion did indeed cover the (No. 2) Bill.

  Bristol Channel
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases have been reported in each of the last five years of ships cleaning their tanks or discharging ships' refuse into the Bristol channel; how many prosecutions have been brought; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is not in itself an offence for ships to clean their tanks in the Bristol channel, or, at present, to discharge ships' garbage into the sea although regulations on this are being prepared. A discharge into the sea of oil or other noxious liquid substances after tank cleaning would be an offence. The numbers of sightings of oil or noxious liquid substances in the Bristol channel reported to the marine pollution control unit are as follows:

  Number

  1985

  0

  1986

  0

  1987

  3

  11988

  3

  1 To date.

  366
  Earlier figures are not readily available as none of the reports identified a particular ship as being responsible for the discharge no prosecution could be brought.

  Cherished Number Plates
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to ease the transfer of cherished number plates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We propose to reduce from five years to one the period that owners of stolen vehicles with a cherished number have to wait before they can use the number again. Details will be given to those able to benefit once work is completed on devising the most cost-effective implementation scheme. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently announced a consultation exercise on proposals for the Government to sell registration numbers not in use. This would make acquiring attractive numbers much easier.

  IMMIGRATION OFFICERS: UNHCR TRAINING
  IMMIGRATION OFFICERS: UNHCR TRAINING
  BETTING DUTY
  BETTING DUTY
  ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE CONSULTANCY SCHEMES
  ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE CONSULTANCY SCHEMES
  IMPORTED GOODS: QUANTITY CHECKS
  IMPORTED GOODS: QUANTITY CHECKS
  FISH FARMING: CEGB CONTRACTS
  FISH FARMING: CEGB CONTRACTS
  CRIME PREVENTION: USE OF FORCE
  CRIME PREVENTION: USE OF FORCE
  GIBRALTAR KILLINGS
  GIBRALTAR KILLINGS
  NETHERLANDS: ATTACKS ON BRITISH SERVICEMEN
  NETHERLANDS: ATTACKS ON BRITISH SERVICEMEN
  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: WASTE PAPER
  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: WASTE PAPER
  DHSS: SERVICE AT LOCAL OFFICES
  DHSS: SERVICE AT LOCAL OFFICES