Written Answers of 24 May 1988

WALES

  Waiting Lists (Gwent)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what urgent action is now proposed to reduce the waiting lists in Gwent following the meeting with the chairman of Gwent area health authority on 13 May.

  Mr. Grist
  As I announced yesterday, £1 million has been made available to Welsh health authorities under the hospital waiting times initiative in the current financial year. Of this, Gwent health authority has been offered £225,000 to help tackle waiting list problems in trauma and orthopaedic. In addition, Gwent has recently submitted its revised waiting list action plan and in conjunction with Welsh Office officials, it is actively working on its waiting list problems.

  Homeless People
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were classified as homeless in 1979; and what is the most recent figure.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: The numbers of persons accepted as homeless during 1979 and 1987 were 12,698 and 13,345 respectively.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were classified as homeless in 1979; and what is the most recent figure, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 19881]: The number of persons accepted as homeless in districts other than those which are in the valleys initiative area, during 1979 and 1987 were 8,755 and 9,817 respectively. The valley initiative programme launched during 1986 includes the following districts: Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogwr, Lliw Valley, Torfaen and Islwyn.

  Housing Statistics
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many housing starts there were in 1979; and what is the most recent figure;

  (2) how many housing completions there were in 1979; and what is the most recent figure.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: A total of 11,426 dwellings were started during 1979 compared with 10,665 during 1987. A total of 11,265 dwellings were completed during 1979 compared with 9,254 during 1987.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in Wales were built before 1919.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 18 May 1988]: There were 440,000 dwellings in Wales at 31 December 1987 which were built before 1919.
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  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh pensioners are living in houses classified as unfit to live in.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 19881]: In 1986 there were 46,800 persons of pensionable age in Wales living in dwellings classified as unfit.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh pensioners are living in houses classified as unfit to live in, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: In 1986 there were 32,800 persons of pensionable age in Wales excluding the local authorities covered by the valleys initiative, living in dwellings classified as unfit. The valleys initiative programme launched during 1986 includes the following districts: Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogwr, Lliw Valley, Torfaen, Islwyn.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many houses in Wales, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative, lack(a) one or more basic amenity, (b) an inside toilet and (c) a fixed bath;

  (2) how many houses in Wales are classified as unfit to live in excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: In 1986 in Wales, excluding the local authorities covered by the valleys initiative, there were 31,700 dwellings lacking one or more basic amenity, 12,500 dwellings lacking a WC inside the dwelling, 11,000 dwellings lacking a fixed bath or shower and 57,100 dwellings classified as unfit. The valleys initiative launched during 1986 includes all of the following districts: Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogwr, Lliw Valley, Torfaen and Islwyn.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in Wales are classified as being seriously in need of repair, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: In 1986 there were 90,300 dwellings in Wales classified as being in serious disrepair (that is, with repair costs of £3,000 or more), excluding the local authorities covered by the valleys initiative. The valleys initiative programme launched during 1986 includes the following districts: Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogwr, Lliw Valley, Torfaen and Islwyn.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many housing starts there were in 1979; and what is the most recent figure, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative;

  (2) how many housing completions there were in 1979; and what is the most recent figure, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: The number of dwellings started in the districts other than those which are covered by the valleys initiative area, during 1979 and 1987 were 9,614 and 9,183 respectively. The number of dwellings completed for the same districts and years were 9,496 and 7,848. The valleys initiative launched during 1986 includes all of the following districts: Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogwr, Lliw Valley, Torfaen and Islwyn.

  Synthetic Index
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how the synthetic index which ranks the regions of Europe in order of the intensity of their problems is calculated with regard to Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding anwer 23 May 1988]: The method of calculation of the synthetic index which forms part of the 3rd periodic report published by the European Commission (COM(87)230 final) is described at annex 2.3.1-D of the report. It is applied to level II regions; statistical information is made available by the United Kingdom Government, but the calculation of the index is entirely the responsibility of the Commission.

ENERGY

  Electricity (Privatisation)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what amount has been provisionally committed for publicity and advertising purposes in the forthcoming privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  At present no provisional commitments have been made for these purposes.

  Oil-based Muds
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to seek to tighten the criteria presently applied for the use of oil-based muds in the North sea.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Government are at present seeking to reduce pollution in the North sea by limiting the quantities of oil discharged into the sea associated with cuttings from wells drilled using oil-based muds. On the United Kingdom continental shelf steps are already being taken by the oil industry to reduce the extent of pollution from this source.

  Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I visited the Merseyside Council for Voluntary Services on 12 February to show my support for the community insulation project which it sponsors under the community programme. This project, known as "Keep Warm", has now draughtproofed over 2,500 homes of pensioners and low-income households in Liverpool. I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the sponsors of the project, and the success that they have achieved. I have since been in correspondence with the Merseyside Council for Voluntary Services about the points it raised with me during this visit.

  North Sea Employees
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the extent to which certain operators in the North sea oblige employees to bear the financial cost of health, safety and survival training for working offshore.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I am aware of only one instance where a contractor in the North sea obliged his employees 102
  to bear the financial cost of survival and fire-fighting training courses for working offshore. I understand that the contractor ceased this practice in 1986.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the extent to which certain employees working on North sea oil platforms are not being paid two weeks' leave pay in accordance with the work practice of two weeks off and two weeks on.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I understand that it is not uncommon in the offshore contracting industry for employees to be paid only for the weeks in which they work.

  Plutonium (Transport)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central of 11 May,Official Report, column 110, he will list the agencies other than the police which are to be involved directly or indirectly, in the physical protection of plutonium transported from Sellafield to Japan.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  For security reasons it would not be prudent to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 11 May 1988 at column 110.

PRIME MINISTER

  Basingstoke
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last paid an official visit to Basingstoke.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not recently visited Basingstoke.

  Denmark
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to Denmark.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Land Statistics
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will ensure that all Government Departments publish details of vacant, dormant, derelict and underutilised land in their possession.

  The Prime Minister
  Details of unused and underused land in the ownership of Government Departments in England and Wales are currently entered on the registers of such land maintained by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales. These registers are available for inspection by the public.

  Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Enviroment on 7 March that public bodies would themselves publish information about unused and underused land they own, similar publication of information by Government Departments is under consideration.

  Northern Region
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to the northern region.
  103
  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Avon
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next intends to pay an official visit to Avon.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 May.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 May.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an Audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Procedure Committee
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Lord President of the Council which reports of the Procedure Committee in the 1983–87 Parliament have yet to be debated.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 25 April at columns 17–18 and to my hon. Friend, the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) on 30 March at columns 521–24.

  Parliamentary Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the TSRB report on parliamentary pensions is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  During the passage of the Parliamentary and other Pensions Act 1987 there was a feeling among some Members of the House that the time had come for a review of certain features of the parliamentary pension scheme. In my written answer of 24 July at column 502, I explained that I had, therefore, invited the TSRB to review aspects of the scheme, the pensions of the Prime Minister, the Speaker and the Lord Chancellor, and ministerial severance pay. The report was published today and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. I would like to thank the review body for the time and effort it has devoted to these issues.

  The TSRB recommends revised early retirement arrangements under which a full accrued pension would be payable from a "pensionable age" of between 60 and 65, depending on length of service at the date of leaving the House. When the pension is brought into payment before the pensionable age it would be subject to an abatement, to be calculated on a broadly actuarial basis. The TSRB also recommends that the death in service gratuity should be two years' salary. We will be consulting the trustees of the parliamentary pension scheme on these and the other recommendations affecting the scheme itself, including the
  104
  suggestion that the holders of the office of Prime Minister and Speaker be allowed to participate in it. Depending on the outcome of those consultations, the Government would expect to lay before the House regulations under the Parliamentary and other Pensions Act 1987.

  The remaining recommendations, and that proposing that the Speaker and Prime Minister be allowed to participate in the parliamentary scheme, will require legislation to amend the Parliamentary and other Pensions Acts. We will bring this forward in due course.

  We accept the TSRB's recommendations that the holders of the offices of Prime Minister, Speaker and Lord Chancellor should be entitled to pensions of half final salary, that the cap on pensions increases payable to former office holders should be removed and the recommendations on ministerial severance pay. We propose that these arrangements should apply after the necessary Bill has received Royal Assent.

  Opposition Parties (Financial Aid)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if his review of the scheme for financial assistance to Opposition parties has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  A comprehensive review of the scheme for financial assistance to Opposition parties, or "Short" money, the first since it was introduced in 1975, has now been completed, and I intend to table shortly the necessary motions, embodying a number of proposed changes to the present resolution.

  In particular, it is proposed that the existing separate arrangements, which pre-date the introduction of "Short" money, whereby certain office equipment, postal facilities and stationery, are provided for the official Opposition out of departmental Votes shall be brought to an end. The current arrangements for the employment of four officially paid staff in the official Opposition Whips' Office would however, remain unaltered.

  It is also proposed, following discussion with the Opposition parties, that certain detailed changes should be made in the accounting procedures for these funds; in particular, that an independently certified statement should in future be made annually on behalf of the entitled parties that the amounts claimed have been expended on purposes in accordance with the resolution of the House.

  The review has also taken account of the recommendation made by the Top Salaries Review Body (report No. 24) for a similar "Short-type" scheme to be introduced in the House of Lords. The Government agree, in principle, that such assistance should be provided. Whilst, therefore, it is not proposed to establish a separate scheme for the House of Lords, it will be recommended that the amounts made available under this scheme to Opposition parties should in future be on the understanding that a substantial part of that assistance will be allocated to their work in that House.

  In the light of these proposed changes in the scope of the scheme, and the rises in relevant costs since the formula for calculating the amounts payable to entitled parties was last approved by the House, it is proposed that the new annual amounts payable under this scheme shall he based on £2,550 for each seat won by the qualifying party at the last general election plus £5·10 for every 200 votes. This new formula represents a rise of 70 per cent. in the formula approved for the existing scheme in 1985, but is not, of

  105
  course on a comparable basis. The new arrangement would be backdated to the date of the last general election, and is on the basis that there will be no further rise during this Parliament. It is further proposed that, in so far as the eligibility for assistance under the terms of the existing resolution is related to parties as they stood at the last general election, exceptional provision shall be made for the allocation of financial assistance to the Social and Liberal Democratic party and the present Social Democrat party, relating to their existing parliamentary membership.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Biwaters Project (Malaysia)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 31 March, Official Report, column 599, whether the Coopers and Lybrand/Sir William Halcrow and Partners value-for-money check contains figures other than Biwaters own published specifications.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The value for money study provided a detailed review of costings supplied by the Biwater group and was based on the group's own costings and those of its prospective suppliers and sub-contractors.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Overseas Development Administration, when considering grant/aid for Biwaters' Malaysia project, took into account the findings of the contemporaneous Nigerian inquiry into similar equipment under Mr. Justice Awoniyi.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave her on 26 April at columns 95–96. The Nigerian Government did not accept the recommendations of the commission of inquiry.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the cost comparisons with other plant of similar purpose and capacity contained in the Coopers and Lybrand/Sir William Halcrow and Partners value-for-money check on Biwaters' Malaysia project.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  No. The report contains commercially confidential information.

  Overseas Aid
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the gross public expenditure on overseas aid in 1987.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  In 1987 gross public expenditure on overseas aid totalled £1,283 million.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Weapons Control (EC Proposal)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the European Commission's proposal for a directive on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons (COM (87) 383 FINAL).
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  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 14 January at column 352.

  Jury Service
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to strengthen the rights of people who because of conscientious objection do not wish to take part in jury service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Lord Chancellor have received a number of representations on this issue and are considering them.

  Coach Parking, Westminster
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request the Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis to consider whether the parking of coaches opposite Parliament and the consequential congestion is consistent with the Sessional Order requiring the passage through the streets to be kept free and open.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am advised by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the parking restrictions prohibit coaches from parking in the area referred to by my hon. Friend, but that they do allow coaches to stop to set down and pick up passengers. Traffic wardens are deployed to prevent coaches from parking and to limit the number of coaches stopping at any one time. The police prevent coaches stopping when this causes difficulties; for example, during lobbies of Parliament.

  Tactical Aid Unit (Merseyside)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside as to the purpose and functions of the tactical aid unit and for the reason for the uniform it adopts while in action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Merseyside police tactical aid unit comprises police firearms instructors and other officers with experience and expertise in the use of firearms and firearms tactics. The unit provides a small specialist firearms team to deal with operations such as entry and search of premises where the subject is known or believed to be armed; siege situations; armed surveillance in support of the CID; and the destruction of dangerous animals. Members of the unit are routinely engaged on other police duties and are called upon as and when their specialist skills are required. The unit is not limited to a uniformed role but is able to respond in a manner appropriate to the circumstances of a particular operation.

  Entry Clearance Applications
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current delay in inquiries being made into entry clearance applications being referred to the United Kingdom for further inquiry; what proposals he has to increase staff who are undertaking such inquiries; and what proposals he has to expedite inquiry reports being submitted to overseas post.
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  Mr. Renton
  The time taken to make inquiries into entry clearance applications referred by overseas posts to the Home Office depends on the individual nature of the case, in particular whether an interview is needed. Entry clearance inquiries are an integral part of the work of the immigration department and are taken into account in determining staffing levels. Further, the recent immigration rules changes were designed to reduce the burden of routine work and thus to release resources to enable staff to deal more speedily with the other aspects of their work, including entry clearance referrals.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many entry clearance applications have been referred to him for inquiries to be made in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; how many such refusals have been made in 1988 to the latest available date; how many immigration officers are involved full-time with such inquiry work; what is the minimum and maximum delay in arranging interviews currently; and what is the current minimum and maximum time taken between a case being referred to his Department and reports being received by the appropriate overseas post.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is as follows:

  Entry clearance applications referred to immigration service headquarters for inquiries to be made through local immigration offices:

  Year

  Number

  1983

  2,336

  1984

  2,351

  1985

  2,258

  1986

  2,109

  1987

  2,084

  11988

  1,169

  11 January to 13 May.

  These inquiries represent only part of the duties of immigration officers at the ports involved and no officers are currently employed full-time on entry clearance interviews.

  Arrangements for interviews are made immediately on receipt of the file at most ports although the maximum time at others before these arrangements can be made is up to a month.

  Immigration
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have been admitted for settlement in the 10 years 1978 to 1987; what is his best estimate of the number likely to be admitted over the years 1988 to 1997; what estimate has been made of the cost to public funds of providing housing, school and hospital places to meet this influx; and what budgetary provision has been made to meet it.

  Mr. Renton
  The numbers persons subject to immigration control who were accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  Number

  1978

  72,330

  1979

  69,670

  1980

  69,750

  1981

  59,060

  108

  Number

  1982

  53,870

  1983

  53,460

  1984

  50,950

  1985

  55,360

  1986

  46,820

  1987

  45,980

  There is no estimate made of the numbers of likely to be granted settlement in the next 10 years or of the costs or contributions to public funds which might result from this component of the total likely change in the population of the United Kingdom over that period.

  Plans for the provision of housing, school and hospital places take into account overall changes in population, including estimates of net migration. These are the subject of projections produced by the Government Actuary's Department (national figures) and by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys with the Department of the Environment (for local authorities).

  Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of producing the Home Office research unit's study of neighbourhood watch schemes by Professor Rosenbaum published on 16 May.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Professor Rosenbaum contributed a chapter to a book entitled "Communities and Crime Reduction." This followed his contribution at an open conference in 1986 on crime prevention. This book was produced by the Home Office research and planning unit and published by HMSO on 16 May. A copy has been placed in the Library. He was not paid a fee and the cost to the Home Office was nil.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Durham County Council
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from Durham county council and other interested parties about its inability to meet its obligations through Government spending restrictions.

  Mr. Dunn
  My right hon. Friend has received representations from the Durham local education authority about the level of its education prescribed expenditure allocations for 1987–88 and 1988–89. The criteria used for determining those allocations are designed to ensure that all LEAs receive fair and equitable treatment and that none should find itself unable to fulfil its statutory obligations.

  Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities (Veterinary Colleges)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the names and status of those University Grants Committee members who visited the veterinary colleges of Glasgow and Edinburgh universities during the week beginning 16 May.

  Mr. Jackson
  In its review of veterinary education, the UGC is being advised by a committee of six experts
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  chaired by Sir Ralph Riley, DSc, FRS, former secretary and deputy chairman of the Agricultural and Food Research Council. Only Professor T. A. Douglas, PhD, MRCVS (department of veterinary clinical biochemistry, Glasgow university) is also a member of the UGC. Because of a clash of interests, Professor Douglas did not visit the Glasgow veterinary college. Otherwise, all members of the review group visited both establishments.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sums in total his Department has allocated for spending on capital, current and other costs of city technology colleges for the current financial year and for 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Overall planned expenditure on the city technology colleges programme is £19 million for the current financial year, £33 million for 1989–90 and £34 million for 1990–91. Future plans will be the subject of review during the year since 1991–92 falls outside the current public expenditure planning period. It is not possible at this stage to provide a breakdown showing capital and recurrent costs separately as this depends on a number of factors including the nature and condition of premises acquired, and the speed at which sponsors' plans are implemented.

  Teachers (Qualifications)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to amend the arrangements for granting qualified teacher status in England and Wales.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  After consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales I am today issuing a consultation document proposing new arrangements for granting qualified teacher status in England and Wales.

  I propose to simplify the arrangements governing the employment in England and Wales of teachers from other parts of the United Kingdom and from overseas and to introduce clearer and better arrangements for the entry to teaching of persons with relevant experience and other qualifications who have not completed courses of pre-service training.

  My objectives are to:
  enhance quality by requiring that—except in closely prescribed cases—all those entering teaching by other than the normal initial training route should have demonstrated the necessary knowledge, personal qualities and teaching ability in the classroom before being granted qualified teacher status;
  ensure that the arrangements for granting qualified teacher status are better able to serve the needs of employers;
  reduce significantly the administrative complexity of the present arrangements.

  With certain limited exceptions, primarily for teachers from other parts of the United Kingdom or other parts of the education service, I therefore propose that all entrants to teaching by other than the standard training route should have to have satisfactorily completed a period of service as a licensed teacher and any associated training required by the employer before being eligible for qualified teacher status.

  To secure that appropriate statutory authority exists for the new arrangements as these may be implemented in
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  the light of the process of consultation, the Government will table appropriate amendments to the Education Reform Bill now being considered in another place.

  I am also proposing to revoke the regulations providing for a statutory system of probation for teachers. The present system has proved cumbersome and ineffective. It should be the responsibility of the employer to provide support for the beginning teacher, to monitor his performance and, if necessary, to decide that that performance is unsatisfactory.

  Full details of my proposals are set out in the consultation document: copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses and in the Vote and Printed Paper Offices. I shall invite replies to the consultation document by mid-October.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Overseas Takeover Bids
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to ensure that there is full reciprocity in connection with bids for British companies from companies located overseas which protect themselves by devices such as the weighting of voting rights in order to enable minority shareholders to retain control; if he will investigate the wide variety of such obstacles permitted in the state of Delaware in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  It is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading to consider all aspects of a proposed merger when preparing his advice to the Secretary of State on the question of reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973. With regard to inward investment, one consideration that may be relevant in some cases is the extent to which United Kingdom companies have reciprocal freedom to acquire companies based in the home country of the prospective acquirer.

  I am aware of Delaware state takeover law.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consideration he has given to the economic and social implications of business decisions affecting the future of British companies, their shareholders and employees, being transferred to centres offshore and outside the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  As stated in the DTI Blue Paper on mergers policy, issued March 1988, the Government's general attitude towards inward investment is to welcome it, whether it be by acquisition or by direct inward investment.

  Nevertheless, there are instances in which foreign ownership of the United Kingdom company may raise particular concerns, and in such cases the power to make a reference if the proposed merger to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is available. Each case is considered individually on its merits in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

  The main consideration in deciding whether to make a reference to the MMC is the effect on competition but other relevant aspects of a case are also taken into account, including wider public interest issues.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what, for each year since 1975, was the

  Total visible trade

  Percentage changes on previous year (in United States dollar terms)

  Exports

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  Denmark

  France

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Japan

  1975

  2

  13

  14

  6

  14

  9

  1

  0

  1976

  14

  5

  7

  12

  5

  7

  3

  21

  1977

  14

  11

  14

  13

  22

  4

  16

  20

  1978

  20

  18

  20

  15

  22

  20

  20

  21

  1979

  25

  23

  28

  27

  27

  27

  21

  5

  1980

  15

  15

  14

  16

  28

  21

  12

  26

  1981

  -14

  -5

  -9

  -7

  -7

  6

  -9

  17

  1982

  -6

  -4

  -9

  -3

  -5

  -9

  0

  -9

  1983

  -1

  4

  -1

  -1

  -5

  -6

  4

  6

  1984

  0

  -1

  2

  0

  2

  9

  1

  16

  1985

  4

  7

  4

  4

  8

  -2

  7

  4

  1986

  28

  24

  23

  18

  5

  2

  32

  19

  1987

  21

  119

  20

  15

  22

  16

  21

  10

  Imports

  1975

  3

  5

  3

  6

  -1

  -4

  8

  -7

  1976

  15

  20

  19

  13

  5

  26

  18

  12

  1977

  14

  7

  9

  15

  13

  21

  15

  9

  1978

  20

  11

  16

  16

  20

  17

  20

  12

  1979

  25

  25

  31

  27

  31

  20

  31

  39

  1980

  19

  5

  26

  14

  16

  16

  18

  28

  1981

  -14

  -9

  -11

  -14

  -10

  8

  -12

  1

  1982

  -7

  -4

  -4

  -5

  -4

  -7

  -5

  -8

  1983

  -6

  -4

  -9

  -2

  1

  6

  -1

  -4

  1984

  2

  2

  -1

  1

  5

  26

  0

  8

  1985

  1

  10

  4

  6

  4

  6

  4

  -4

  1986

  22

  25

  20

  15

  15

  7

  20

  -3

  1987

  21

  19

  22

  21

  22

  10

  20

  18

  1 Estimate

  Source: OECD Trade Series 'A'.

  Trading Standards Officers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the present number of trading standards officers in England and Wales on 30 April and for the same period in 1987 and 1986.

  Mr. Butcher
  The information is not available for 1988 or in the form requested for the previous years. However, the following table provides figures for the years ending 31 March 1986 and 1987.

  Number of qualified trading standards officers in post with local weights and measures authorities

  Year ending 31 March

  1986

  1987

  England

  1,277

  1,196·6

  Wales

  95

  97

  Total England and Wales

  1,372

  1,293·6

  Notes:

  1. The figures have been collated from the annual returns of local weights and measures authorities.

  2. Provisional figures have been entered for the small number of local weights and measures authorities for whom information is not available.

  Pirate Radio (Birmingham)
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he intends to take to deal with the increase in pirate radio broadcasting in Birmingham.
  112
  percentage fluctuation in the foreign trade of Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, West Germany and Japan.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is in the following table:

  Mr. Butcher
  During 1987, my Department's radio investigation service (RIS) carried out 19 raids on three unlicensed stations in Birmingham. So far this year, the RIS has raided four Birmingham stations eight times, and interviewed eight people for possible prosecution under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. The RIS will continue to act to remove unlicensed transmitters causing interference to authorised radio services, and we shall be seeking to strengthen the terms of the law concerning the unlicensed use of radio as soon as possible.

  Biwater Project
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many British officials(a) testified to and (b) submitted written evidence to the Awoniyi commission of inquiry into the Biwater project.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No British officials testified to the Awoniyi commission of inquiry. Her Majesty's Government submitted written responses to questions put to it by the commission.

  Radio Britannia
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action his Department is taking to stop the illegal broadcasting by Radio Britannia in south London.

  Mr. Butcher
  A recently established unlicensed broadcaster calling itself Radio Britannia on a frequency
  113
  of 95·3 MHz was raided by radio investigation service officers on 18 May. One person was interviewed for possible prosecution under the Wireless Telegraphy Act, and the station's equipment was seized.

  Anglo-Soviet Trade
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the figures for trade between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union for each year between 1975 and 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is as follows:

  United Kingdom Trade with the Soviet Union 1975–1987

  Value in £ millions

  Imports

  Exports

  1975

  235·8

  211·4

  1976

  460·1

  241·5

  1977

  545·1

  347·1

  1978

  488·8

  422·9

  1979

  491·6

  416·2

  1980

  422·0

  449·2

  1981

  426·7

  408·3

  1982

  645·4

  3561

  1983

  729·9

  445·4

  1984

  855·3

  734·8

  1985

  726·5

  536·5

  1986

  702·1

  542·5

  1987

  875·4

  491·6

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Note: 1987 figures provisional.

  Turkish Yarn (Imports)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which companies have made representations to him about trading difficulties caused by Turkish yarns imports in the last two years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The following United Kingdom producer companies have made representations to the Department about problems resulting from the import of Turkish acrylic hosiery yarn:

  Benson, Turner Ltd.

  Courtaulds plc (on behalf of Courtaulds Spinning)

  Listers & Co. plc.

  Mossley Wool Combing & Spinning Co. Ltd.

  Thomas Burnley and Sons Ltd.

  In addition, representations have been made on behalf of this sector by the British Textile Confederation and the Confederation of British Wool Textiles.

  Representations have also been made by hon. Members on behalf of United Kingdom producers and of United Kingdom users writing in their support.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he is taking and what representations he is making to reduce the volume of Turkish yarn imports into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Following the renewal, from 1 January 1988, of the informal voluntary restraint arrangement between the European Community and Turkish textile export associations which covers cotton yarn and acrylic hand knitting yarn and was extended to cover acrylic hosiery yarn for the first time, the Department is monitoring the situation closely. In fact the volume of acrylic yarn imports from Turkey has fallen off sharply in the first three months of 1988, compared with the same 114
  period last year. The Department's unfair trade unit is assisting the United Kingdom industry in preparing an anti-dumping complaint on Turkish acrylic hosiery yarn.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received from Courtaulds Spinning about the effect of Turkish textile imports on production at the factory at Broad lane, Bramley, Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Department has received a number of representations from representatives of Courtaulds plc, on behalf of Courtaulds Spinning, about the effect of imports of Turkish acrylic hosiery yarn on their business over the past year. Most recently Courtaulds provided detailed information on 4 May concerning the impact of these imports on its activities at Bramley, and at Worksop, in support of an anti-dumping complaint being prepared by the industry.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations listed by date and reference, he has received from Courtaulds plc about the impact of Turkish textile imports in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department has received a number of representations from Courtaulds plc about the impact of Turkish textile imports over the last 12 months. These have either been made direct to the Department or as part of representations made by the sector as a whole. It is not possible to list them in the form requested.

  Civil Servants (Outside Activities)
  Mr. John
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants in his Department are also directors or consultants in(a) public liability companies, (b) companies limited by guarantee, (c) building societies, (d) other friendly societies and (e) commercial undertakings other than the above; and what rules or instructions govern these activities with particular reference to remuneration.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Members of staff of the Department of Trade and Industry are not permitted in their private capacity to hold directorships (other than in small, private, "family-type" companies); or to engage in consultancy work which has a connection with official duties or is on behalf of a firm or concern which is in a contractual or other special relationship with the Department. Currently no member of staff has permission to hold a directorship or act as consultant in a private capacity. Permission is granted only if the directorship or consultancy does not require attendance during office hours; would not impair the officer's usefulness as a civil servant; and does not conflict with the interests of the Department. If permission is granted no restriction as to remuneration is attached.

  As part of the Department's policy of encouraging and maintaining close links with industry and commerce, seven members of staff have been appointed in their official capacity as directors of public liability companies on a part-time basis. No central record is kept of consultancies undertaken by members of staff as part of official duties. Officials are not separately remunerated for directorships or consultancies, but expenses incurred on the business of the private organisations may be reimbursed.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sewage Sludge
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has plans to apply restrictions on the applications of sewage sludges with high nitrogen and phosphorus content to arable land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. The Department and the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service have already published advice to water authorities and farmers respectively about the disposal of sewage sludge to land.

  Barter Deals
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the qualifications and criteria by which barter deals between local authorities and the private sector will be judged to be bona fide transactions.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend announced on 25 April, at columns 103–104, the criteria against which he would consider applications for additional capital allocations for schemes affected by the measures he announced on 9 March. Guidance on how to apply for such allocations will be issued to local authorities shortly.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which office buildings, whether leasehold or freehold, in central London within the Property Services Agency control in both the civil and military estates are going to be surplus to requirements in the next four years; and what is their floor area.

  Mr. Chope
  It is the aim of the Property Services Agency to dispose of accommodation, whether freehold or leasehold, when it becomes surplus to Government requirements. A number of leases in central London are due to terminate during the next four years and the landlords may wish to recover possession of the buildings for refurbishment or redevelopment. The PSA will take the opportunities as and when they may arise to rationalise its holdings with the aim of minimising overall costs of accommodation to the Exchequer. Negotiations with landlords are always conducted on a commercial and therefore confidential basis. The future of office buildings in central London on the military estate is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the reason for the delay in the acknowledgement by Southwark LBC of the right-to-buy application of Mrs. E. Stevens of 138A Copleston Road, Peckham SE15.

  Mrs. Roe
  According to Southwark council, shortage of staff and high volume of work. The application was accepted on 19 May.

  Rate Support Grant
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total rate support grant paid 116
  to local authorities in (a) the south-east region, (b) Greater London, (c) outer London and (d) inner London, in total, in each year from 1979·80 to 1988·89, estimate.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  South east region

  Greater London

  Outer London1

  Inner London2

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1979–80

  2,473

  1,285

  772

  513

  1980–81

  2,856

  1,470

  894

  576

  1981–82

  2,798

  1,363

  777

  358

  1982–83

  2,844

  1,452

  840

  375

  1983–84

  2,749

  1,343

  825

  382

  1984–85

  2,711

  1,316

  836

  342

  1985–86

  2,740

  1,506

  830

  396

  1986–87

  2,841

  1,613

  3850

  3595

  1987–88

  2,859

  1,700

  912

  622

  1988–89

  2,835

  1,789

  976

  647

  1 Outer London boroughs only.

  2 Inner London boroughs (including City of London) only.

  3 London boroughs' grant entitlements changed in 1986–87, following the abolition of the GLC.

  Notes:

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

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

  Ealing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the housing investment programme allocations, and what was the total spending power out of capital receipts of the London borough of Ealing in each of the last five years and for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  HIP allocations (in £ million) have been made as follows:

  £ million

  1983–84

  16·283

  1984–85

  15·140

  1985–86

  12·553

  1986–87

  11·812

  1987–88

  10·653

  1988–89

  110·864

  1 Initial allocation only.

  The total spending power out of capital receipts, from figures supplied by Ealing council, was £13·8 million for 1985–86 and £18·2 million for 1986–87. Information for other years is not available.

  Local Government Superannuation Scheme
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will reconsider reducing the age of entry into the local government superannuation scheme from 18 to 16 years; and if he will make a statement:

  (2) if he will abolish the 12-month waiting period for manual workers to enter the local government superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  No. The rules which debar admission to the scheme to employees under the age of 18 and to manual workers during their first year of service were made many
  117
  years ago with the agreement of the local government employers and the unions. There is nothing in the recent social security legislation which requires an occupational pension scheme to admit classes of employees who have previously been excluded.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made of workers nearing the end of their service who have opted out of the local government superannuation scheme and, because of the diminished advantage of a personal pension, joined the state earnings-related pension scheme; and how this will affect the Government's plan to reduce the cost of the state earnings-related pension scheme.

  Mr. Chope
  The regulations under which employees may elect to leave the local government scheme only came into force on 6 April, and it is too early to estimate the numbers and ages of those who will take advantage of the new provisions.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his reply to the letter he has received from the Ramblers Association dated 13 May on the subject of planning precedents and opencast mining.

  Mr. Trippier
  An official reply was sent to the Ramblers' Association on 19 May: publication is a matter for the association. I have no objection to its doing so.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to issue a consultation document on local government finance with reference to the use of capital receipts.

  Mr. Howard
  My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to put forward proposals for a new legislative framework for all aspects of local authority capital expenditure and finance.

  "News on Sunday"
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he plans to take against those local authorities which invested pension funds in News on Sunday; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 3 December 1987 at column 642.

  Palace of Westminster (Toilets)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the last two occasions when the wall tiles in the ladies' toilets of the Committee Room Corridor were fully cleaned; when the floor was cleaned; and if he will give the same information for each of the ladies' toilets in the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: The wall tiles and floors were cleaned in accordance with the terms of the contract today and yesterday.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Disarmament (Verification)
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any information on progress being made on verification procedures in the INF and START talks.

  Mr. Mellor
  Mr. Shultz and Mr. Shevardnadze announced that they had resolved the outstanding United States-Soviet problems on the INF treaty verification procedures in Geneva on 11–12 May. They also reviewed the progress made in the START negotiations which of course include detailed verification provisions.

  Maori Warrior's Head (Sale)
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the New Zealand Government, the National Maori Council, Survival International, and any other organisations or individuals about the proposed sale of a Maori warrior's head at a London auction house on Friday 20 May; what response he has made and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received representations from Survival International and the Maori Council of New Zealand. These are being studied in the light of the litigation at present under way.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and how he intends to make representations to the Government of China in relation to the Basic Law of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Mellor
  The drafting of the Basic Law is the responsibility of the Chinese Government. However, as my right hon. and learned Friend stated in Parliament on 20 January, we will wish to satisfy ourselves that the Basic Law accurately reflects the provisions of the joint declaration. The draft Basic Law has already featured in a number of our exchanges with the Chinese authorities. If there are points which we consider are inconsistent with the joint declaration, we will make our views known to the Chinese authorities clearly and firmly.

  Japanese Wartime Signals
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the release of Japanese diplomatic intercepts to the national archives in the United States of America and the availability of the same material in Japan, he will authorise the transfer to the Public Records Office of the 1,800 decrypts of signals sent by the wartime Japanese naval attaché in Berlin presently retained by his Department.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  St. John's Church, Maseru
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make representations to the Government of Lesotho stressing the historical importance and significance of St. John's
  119
  church Maseru, and the war memorial which it contains; and if he will seek assurances that the church will not be demolished;

  (2) if he will seek clarification from the High Commissioner in Lesotho about reported proposals that the historic British church of St. John, Maseru, and the war memorial which it contains, are to be demolished; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This is a matter for the Anglican Church in Lesotho. I understand that the diocesan and church councillors are considering ways of developing the site, but that they are concerned to preserve the church and its war memorial.

  Entry Clearance Applications
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning delays in decisions being taken on entry clearance applications made on the Indian sub-continent because of the need for inquiries to be made in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We receive a number of representations from hon. and right hon. Members concerning individual cases. Specific statistics about such letters are not kept separately.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Gibraltar coroner about the postponement of the inquest into the deaths of three IRA personnel from June until August.

  Mr. Mellor
  The date of the inquest is a matter for the coroner. He announced in Gibraltar on 23 May that the inquest would not now be held in June, and a further statement giving the new date would be made as soon as possible.

  Cash Limits
  Sir Peter Blaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he proposes to make any changes to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cash limits.

  Mr. Eggar
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and Supplementary Estimates, the cash limit for Class II Vote 1 (overseas representation) will be reduced by £2,861,000 from £434,883,000 to £432,022,000 and the cash limit for Vote 3 (BBC external broadcasting and monitoring) will be increased by the corresponding amount of £2,861,000 from £114,621,000 to £117,482,000. This reflects the rationalisation of the operation of the three FCO broadcast relay stations at Orfordness, Masirah and Cyprus whereby the BBC external services will take over financial responsibility from the FCO for certain United Kingdom-based BBC support staff, technical maintenance and utilities costs. The transfer does not represent increased funding for additional broadcasting activity; nor does it add to the planning total of public expenditure.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Belfast Urban Area Plan Inquiry
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) by what authority permission was granted to representatives of Sinn Fein to make representations in Irish before the public inquiry into the Belfast urban area plan;

  (2) what was the cost of providing a translator when representatives of Sinn Fein made representations in Irish before the public inquiry into the Belfast urban area plan on 5 May.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: All arrangements for the public inquiry are the responsibility of the independent Planning Appeals Commission. I understand, however, that the cost of providing a translator was in the region of £25.

SCOTLAND

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of staff employed in the private offices of his Parliamentary Under-Secretaries in July 1987 and April 1988.

  Mr. Rifkind
  There were 2·25 whole-time equivalent staff in each of the private offices of the two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State on 1 July 1987 and 1 April 1988.

  Nurses
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average increase in weekly pay for nurses in Scotland following the increase approved in April.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's acceptance of the recommendations made by the Nurses' Pay Review Body this year will result in a wide range of pay increases from 4·2 per cent. to 33·6 per cent. with the largest percentage increases going to staff covered by the new clinical grading structure. For individuals with posts in the new clinical grading structure the outcome will be dependent on their placing within it but the total cost of this year's award has been estimated as 14·5 per cent. excluding the cost of London supplements. Examples of annual salaries for nursing staff in direct patient care areas from 1 April 1988 are shown in the table in terms of scale minima and maxima. The salaries payable from 1 April 1987 are shown for comparison, as are the equivalent gross increases in weekly pay.

  Grade

  1987 £ year

  1988 £ year

  Approximate gross increase £/week

  Student Nurse

  Minimum

  4,540

  4,825

  5·48

  Maximum

  5,170

  5,575

  7·79

  Nursing Auxiliary

  Minimum

  4,565

  5,000

  8·37

  Maximum

  5,855

  6,300

  8·56

  Enrolled Nurse

  Minimum

  6,250

  6,975

  13·94

  Maximum

  7,750

  8,300

  10·58

  Staff Nurse

  121

  Grade

  1987 £ year

  1988 £ year

  Approximate gross increase £/week

  Minimum

  7,300

  8,025

  13·94

  Maximum

  8,600

  10,650

  39·42

  Nursing Sister

  Minimum

  9,000

  10,200

  23·08

  Maximum

  12,000

  13,925

  37·02

  News Releases
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in full, the names of all organisations and individuals who are on the Scottish Information Office's distribution list for news releases.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I shall arrange for a list to be placed in the House of Commons Library as soon as possible.

  Cairngorms
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to alter the national planning guidelines on skiing to allow a road to be built into the northern corries area of the Cairngorms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department treats the Cairngorms as qualifying for designation under the World Heritage convention; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a recommendation from the Nature Conservancy Council, supported by the Countryside Commission for Scotland, that the Cairngorms should be inscribed on the World Heritage list. The recommendation is being considered in the light of the criteria for natural sites set by the World Heritage convention. My right hon. and learned Friend will announce his decision in due course. The status of the Cairngorms as a national scenic area, and of large parts of it as national nature reserve or as sites of special scientific interest, already provide protection for the special qualities of the area.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Cairngorms will be notified as a special protection area under the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds (EC 79/409); and whether the area notified will include the northern corries site of special scientific interest.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand that it is the Nature Conservancy Council's intention to put forward detailed advice to the Secretary of State later this year on the classification of the Cairngorms as a special protection area under EC directive 79/409, and that the council may recommend inclusion of the northern corries site of special scientific interest within the area to be classified. I cannot say when the Secretary of State will thereafter reach a decision.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the number of days that the main Cairngorm chairlift was operating each month during the period April to October, inclusive, for each of the past five years; and if he will list the number of chairlift tickets sold in each month during the last five years.
  122
  Mr. Lang
  These are operational and commercial matters concerning the Cairngorm Chairlift Company which is a private enterprise.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to what guidance is given to visitors using the Cairngorm chairlifts in order to reduce damage inflicted upon sensitive plants and wild animals in the Cairngorms.

  Mr. Lang
  The chairlifts are operated by the Cairngorm Chairlift company which is a private enterprise. The hon. Member may wish to note, however, that the Highlands and Islands Development Board as owner of the Cairngorm Estate has recently published a management plan, which sets out its policies for managing the estate. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of what steps have been taken, or are planned, by the chairlift operators as landowners of the Cairngorm skiing grounds to reduce damage by visitors to sensitive plants and wild animals found on the Cairngorm plateau; and if he will specify how much has been spent in these matters in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  The skiing area is leased to the Cairngorm Chairlift Co. Ltd. by the Highlands and Islands Development Board. The board and the company have no direct responsibility for conservation of the Cairngorm plateau. This is owned privately and, as a national nature reserve, is the subject of a management agreement with the Nature Conservancy Council.

  East Kilbride (Housing)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations have taken place between officials of the East Kilbride development corporation and the private sector on the sale of all or any part of the public sector housing stock under the management of the development corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  No such consultations have taken place.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the application of the poll tax to monastic communities.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has given careful consideration to the position of members of religious orders under the community charge system and has decided that there should be an exemption from the personal community charge for members of religious communities the principal occupation of which is prayer, contemplation, the relief of suffering, education or such other activities as may be prescribed. The exemption will be limited to monks and nuns who are dependent on the community for their material needs and who have no income or capital of their own. Income from a pension in respect of a former employment will however be disregarded. Appropriate amendments to the Local Government Finance Bill will be brought forward in due course.

  Quality Street Housing Association
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the discussions taking place between officials of Glenrothes development corporation and Quality Street housing association.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish new town development corporations regularly meet representatives of private sector companies to discuss proposals for the further development of the towns. The present discussions between Quality Street and Glenrothes development corporation represent but one example of that continuing dialogue. The present discussions are at a very preliminary stage. Should definite proposals be agreed between the parties it will then be a matter for the development corporation to approach my Department in the usual manner to seek the Secretary of State's consent. Meantime, I welcome the prospective participation of Quality Street in Glenrothes and hope that satisfactory proposals can be developed which will add to the housing options available to residents in the town.

  New Town Development Corporations
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the regulations or advice given to new town development corporations on the timing and disclosure of information to board members or meetings of development corporations or sub-committee.

  Mr. Lang
  These matters are determined by the boards of the development corporations on the advice of the appropriate chief executive—managing director.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of regulations or advice given to new town development corporations on the disclosure of information to press and public.

  Mr. Lang
  It is for each development corporation to determine whether or not to open board meetings to the press and public. Glenrothes development corporation held its first open board meeting in November 1986, and Livingston development corporation in summer 1987.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the regulations or advice given to new town development corporations on the disclosure of information to his Department.

  Mr. Lang
  New town development corporations disclose information to my Department on request.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the present members of new town development corporation boards, the nominating organisation and the date of appointment and the date of termination of appointment of each member.

  Mr. Lang
  This information is available in the annual report of each of the Scottish new town development corporations, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the official guidance available to new town development corporations involved in disposing of public sector housing or development land.

  Mr. Lang
  The terms on which new town development corporations may dispose of land are detailed in section 124
  18(5) of the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968. That section provides that, except with the consent of the Secretary of State, development corporations shall not dispose of land otherwise than on the best terms that can reasonably be obtained. The same statutory prescription of the terms governing disposal also applies to public sector housing, since "land" in Scots law includes buildings situated upon that land.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total amount of housing land available and owned by development corporations in each of Scotland's new towns.

  Mr. Lang
  As part of the review announced by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 13 May 1988,Official Report, column 280, an exercise is presently under way to establish precisely the information sought. Once that exercise is concluded, I shall write to the hon. Member with the information he requests.

  Ro-Ro Ferries
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make financial provisions to assist the operators of roll-on/roll-off ferries which serve the Scottish islands to either replace or adapt those vessels which do not comply with new IMO stability standards.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  International Maritime Organisation stability standards for new vessels will not be considered for adoption until later this year. Until that time it will not be possible to assess the implications for ferry operators.

  New Towns (Housing)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any discussions have taken place between Ministers or officials and representatives of Glenrothes development corporation on the sale of housing assets in the new town.

  Mr. Lang
  Discussions have taken place on this subject on a number of occasions in recent years between my officials and officers of Glenrothes development corporation. The developments at Alexander road, Huntly drive and Durris drive arise directly from those discussions. Furthermore, Glenrothes development corporation's sales of housing to sitting tenants have proved very successful and the 5,000th such sale is expected to take place in the very near future.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met with Scottish local authorities with new towns to discuss the future of public sector housing in Scotland's five new towns.

  Mr. Lang
  The last such meeting took place on 3 October 1986. I am due to meet SLANT (Scottish Local Authorities with New Towns) in London in early June.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he or any of his officials have met Kirkcaldy district council in its current year to discuss the future of the public sector housing stock in Glenrothes new town.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any discussions have taken place between
  125
  Ministers or officials and representatives of Quality Street housing association on the sale of housing assets in Glenrothes new town.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any discussions have taken place between either Ministers or officials of the Scottish Office and Quality Street housing association on the sale of new town housing assets in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to ensure that Scottish new towns do not enter into agreements to sell public housing assets to organisations other than individual tenants in advance of the coming into force of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

  Mr. Lang
  No. Scottish new town development corporations have over the last three years successfully concluded agreements whereby 608 houses have been sold to the private sector for refurbishment and subsequent sale to new town residents. Of these, 99 houses were in Glenrothes in the Alexander road, Huntly drive and Durris drive areas. The Government's proposals in clause 67 of the Housing (Scotland) Bill are designed to remove the limitations in section 18 of the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968, whereby disposals by a development corporation may be solely for the laying out or development of the new town. Given the maturity of the Scottish new towns, the Government concluded that this constraint was both dated and unnecessary.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of public sector houses and flats in each of Scotland's new towns.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is available at page 36 of the "Scottish Housing Statistics 1986", published in 1987, copies of which are available in the Library, although separate information on houses and flats is not available centrally.

  House Sales
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of district council or new town corporation sales of public sector housing in stock approved by him in each year from 1983 to 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is contained in SDD statistical bulletin, HSIU No. 34—Q4(87), table 5, a copy of which was sent to all Scottish Members in April 1988.

  Local Authorities (Compensation)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he makes to compensate local authorities for the costs of reinstatement grants or repurchasing of houses under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under section 296 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, the Secretary of State may contribute to local authorities' expenditure in giving assistance under the Act as follows:126
  Reinstatement: 90 per cent. of the annual loan charges on the amount of the grant.
  Repurchase: 75 per cent. of the loan charges on the relevant amount where the dwelling was originally sold by the authority or a predecessor; or 100 per cent. where it was sold by another public sector body.
  (The relevant amount is the price paid by the authority plus the seller's reasonable legal and other expenses, less the defective value of the house).

  Defective Housing
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate how many houses categorised as defective under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 remain in the ownership of(a) each local housing authority, (b) each new town development corporation or (c) the Scottish Special Housing Association.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested, based on returns by the bodies concerned to the Scottish Development Department, is set out in the table. No houses of the type described are owned by any of the new town development corporations or by those local authorities not entered in the table.

  Houses designated as defective under Part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987

  Public sector authority

  Number of houses owned

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  48

  Roxburgh

  50

  Tweeddale

  6

  Clackmannan

  81

  Falkirk

  599

  Stirling

  313

  Nithsdale

  42

  Stewartry

  40

  Wigtown

  74

  Dunfermline

  274

  Kirkcaldy

  283

  North East Fife

  63

  Aberdeen

  292

  Banff and Buchan

  87

  Kincardine and Deeside

  68

  Moray

  86

  Inverness

  129

  Lochaber

  167

  East Lothian

  208

  Edinburgh

  920

  Midlothian

  263

  West Lothian

  217

  Argyll and Bute

  156

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  89

  Clydebank

  479

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  172

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  297

  Cunninghame

  363

  Dumbarton

  813

  Glasgow

  2,496

  Hamilton

  522

  Inverclyde

  120

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  79

  Kyle and Carrick

  49

  Monklands

  254

  Motherwell

  606

  Renfrew

  146

  Strathkelvin

  103

  Angus

  43

  Dundee

  1,146

  Perth and Kinross

  230

  Western Isles

  1

  SSHA

  2,147

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses which are categorised as
  127
  defective under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 have been purchased by sitting tenants since the passage of the Housing (Scotland) Act; and how many have subsequently been (a) repurchased by the land authority or (b) reinstated with grant aid.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Assistance under the Housing Defects Act 1984, now consolidated as part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, is generally available only to those persons who bought their houses before the designated cut-off date of 26 April 1984. No information is therefore held centrally on defective houses purchased by sitting tenants after that date or of any subsequent resale to the authority.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the typical cost to a local housing authority of(a) the discount on the sale of a house to a tenant who qualifies for the maximum discount. (b) the cost of repurchasing the house at 95 per cent. defect-free value under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 and (c) reinstating the house to the required structural standard.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The discount element of a sale under the right to buy legislation does not involve a housing authority in any cost, whilst the sale generates receipts which would not otherwise be realised.

  The average cost of repurchasing a house designated as defective under the provisions of part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, at 95 per cent. of the defect-free value, is £21,000. During the course of each financial year, housing authorities are issued with special supplementary capital allocations to cover such liabilities.

  In Scotland, no reinstatements have yet been completed, so typical costs for this work cannot be determined.

  Fife Health Board
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the decision of Fife health board to appoint Colonel Francis Gibb to the position of general manager of Fife health board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. The appointment of a general manager is a matter for Fife health board.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he or his officials have met the chairman of Fife health board to discuss the appointment of Colonel Francis Gibb to the post of general manager.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. In the usual way the short list of candidates for the post was cleared in advance with my right hon. and learned Friend.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the costs incurred by Fife health board in appointing a firm of consultants to find suitable applicants for the post of general manager.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. The costs incurred by Fife health board are a matter for the board.

  Health Boards (Managers)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names, together with details of previous occupations, of all health board general managers in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:—

  Health Board

  General Manager

  Previous Occupation

  Argyll and Clyde

  Mr. I. C. Smith

  Health Service Treasurer

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Mr. J. M. Eckford

  Health Service Secretary

  Borders

  Mr. D. A. Peters

  Health Service Secretary

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Mr. M. D. Cook

  Health Service Treasurer

  Forth Valley

  Mr. A. R. Robertson

  Health Service Secretary

  Grampian

  Mr. H. Fullerton

  Director, Wiggins Teape

  Greater Glasgow

  Mr. L. Peterken

  Controller of Operational Services, Greater London Council

  Highland

  Mr. R. R. W. Stewart

  Health Service Secretary

  Lanarkshire

  Mr. F. Clark

  Health Service Secretary

  Lothian

  Mr. W. J. Tayler

  Health Service Administrator

  Tayside

  Dr. R. C. Graham

  Chief Administrative Medical Officer

  Orkney

  Dr. J. Cromarty

  Chief Administrative Medical Officer

  Shetland

  Mr. D. C. March

  Health Service Secretary

  Western Isles

  Mr. J. Glover

  Health Service Secretary

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice is given to health boards on the appointment of general managers; and what regulations apply to such appointments.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Advice to health boards on the appointments of general managers is contained in NHS circular 1985 (GEN)4 issued on 8 March 1985. A copy of the circular is in the Library of the House. This advice was issued for the initial appointments and central advertising is not undertaken for subsequent appointments. There are no statutory regulations applying to these appointments.

  Drug Tariff
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to add to the drug tariff in Scotland any health care products that are currently available only through the hospital or community health services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" published on 25 November 1987, the Government announced that as soon as the necessary arrangements could be made they would make both blood glucose testing strips for diabetics and a new range of wound care products available on prescription. I am pleased to be able to announce that from 1 June 1988 that blood glucose testing strips together with single use lancets will be available on prescription in Scotland: and that
  129
  from 1 July 1988 general practitioners in Scotland will be able to prescribe two of the new wound care products, namely Granuflex and Sorbsan dressings.

  Both the diabetic test equipment and the new types of wound care products are currently available through the hospital and community health services. But by making them available through family doctor prescription, a better and more convenient service to patients will be provided. In the case of diabetic testing materials, the wider availability will make a valuable contribution to enabling diabetics to treat and monitor their condition independently in their own homes. The new wound care products are more comfortable for patients than traditional dressings and make for quicker healing.

  Tay side payments

  Tayside as percentage of Scottish total

  Tayside as percentage of Great Britain total

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £ million

  £ million

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Regional selective assistance

  2·9

  2·0

  8·3

  5·3

  2·3

  1·4

  Regional development grant I1

  5·1

  0·6

  4·6

  1·8

  1·6

  0·6

  Regional development grant II

  3·1

  3·8

  8·2

  8·7

  2·6

  2·6

  National selective assistance

  Nil

  Nil

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tayside loans disbursed

  Tayside as percentage of Scottish total

  Tayside as percentage of United Kingdom total

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1986–87

  1987–88

  £ million

  £ million

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  European investment bank loans2

  2·2

  —

  16·0

  —

  3·3

  —

  Loan guarantee scheme

  0·1

  0·4

  3·4

  11·4

  0·3

  0·8

  1 Changes to the Regional development grant scheme were introduced in 1984. For the earlier scheme RDG I, data refers to payments over £25,000 as comprehensive figures are not available on a local basis.

  2 Information is available only for loans for which cover was provided under the exchange risk guarantee scheme. The scheme has not applied to European Investment Bank loans since 18 July 1985 and figures for 1986–87 relate to offers made before that date.

  Chernobyl (Compensation)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been received for a review of their case from farmers in Scotland claiming to have suffered losses as a result of the Chernobyl disaster but who had not been compensated under the Government's scheme; if he will give the dates between which they were made; if each such application was considered individually; on what date a decision was taken on them; how many of them he has rejected; and if he will make a statement on the general pattern of the defects in the applications which led to their rejection.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: A total of some £1·5 million has been paid to sheep farmers in Scotland since 1986 to compensate them from the effects of the Chernobyl disaster. The compensation arrangements have in general been welcomed by the National Farmers Union of Scotland, who have not found it necessary to submit any cases for review on the lines adopted by their counterparts in England and Wales. No cases are at present under review in Scotland, but two farming businesses have made, and are continuing to make, representations to the effect that they have not been compensated for losses which they claim to have suffered as a result of restrictions imposed in the aftermath of the Chernobyl incident.

  Tayside Region (Assistance)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the level of(a) regional selective assistance (b) regional development grant, (c) European Community loans paid through the European Investment Bank, (d) national selective assistance and (e) the Government's loan guarantee scheme which is paid to the Tayside region; and what proportion this represents of the respective totals for (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 April 1988]: Comprehensive information in the precise form requested is not available. Available information for 1986–87 and 1987–88 is set out in the table:

EMPLOYMENT

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been spent by his Department on television advertising in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Cope
  The total amount of money spent by this Department on television advertising in 1985, 1986 and 1987 was as follows:

  Department of Employment

  £ million

  1985–86

  Nil

  1986–87

  9·3

  1987–88

  13·7

  1 Includes Employment Service expenditure.

  Benefits
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women with dependants have been excluded from eligibility for benefit under the new claims experiment.

  Mr. Lee
  The experiment involved using more senior staff to interview newly unemployed people. Its aim was to see whether it was possible to provide more advice on both benefit procedures and employment opportunities at the initial point of contact with an unemployed person.
  131
  The entitlement rules for benefit remained unchanged during the experiment. Information was not collected on the number of women with dependants who were disallowed benefit during the experiment.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current trends in unemployment in the United Kingdom regions.

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

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies were registered at jobcentres in the city of Durham, at the most recent available date; what this figure represented as a percentage of registered unemployed; and what the comparable percentage is for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres and the number of unemployed claimants for the city of Durham and the United Kingdom in April 1988. It is not meaningful to calculate the ratio of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres to unemployed claimants, since only about a third of all vacancies in the economy are notified to jobcentres.

  Unadjusted

  Unfilled vacancies

  Unemployed claimants

  City of Durham

  447

  3,839

  United Kingdom

  251,300

  2,535,989

  Tourism
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas visitors visited regions other than London during the last period for which full figures are available.

  Mr. Lee
  It is estimated that, in 1986, overseas residents made approximately 7·9 million visits to the United Kingdom that included at least one night spent in a region outside London, which represents 57 per cent. of the total number of visits made that year. An equivalent estimate for 1987 will be available later this year.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of schemes in receipt of funds administered under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, during the years 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  Figures are not available in the form requested. The numbers of projects in England to which section 4 assistance was offered were:

  Year

  Projects

  Projects with assistance totalling £11·5 million

  1985–86

  542

  Projects with assistance totalling £13·9 million

  1986–87

  630

  Projects with assistance totalling £14·8 million

  1987–88

  609

  Economic League
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the implications for industrial relations of the use by employers of the services of the Economic League.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have made no such assessment.

  Benefit Fraud (Glasgow)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of the operation which led to the identification of Glasgow taxi drivers who were illegally claiming benefit.

  Mr. Lee
  The total cost to my Department for the Glasgow taxi drivers exercise was £4,328.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what means of electronic surveillance was used in Glasgow as part of the operation mounted to detect taxi drivers illegally claiming benefits.

  Mr. Lee
  Electronic surveillance is not used by my Department.

  Mines and Quarries Act 1954
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has consulted British Coal on the replacement of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954; and whether these consultations will be published.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission and Executive have consulted British Coal on the renewal of mines and quarries legislation. This forms part of the extensive consultation programme which involves all interested parties within the mining and quarrying industries.

  Responses to consultations are not published. The views of all consultees are taken into account both when proposed regulations and codes of practice are drafted and also by the commission when it considers proposals for new legislation.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limits or running cost limits for 1988–89.

  Mr. Fowler
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and summer Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made:

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 1 (employment programmes) will be reduced by £327,452,000 from £1,621,069,000 to £1,293,617,000. The reduction reflects the transfer of provision to class VII, vote 5 (Manpower Services Commission).

  The cash limit on class VII, vote 2 (Department of Employment: administration) will be reduced by £702,000 from £263,872,000 to £263,170,000. This is the net effect of the reduction of administrative costs paid to the Manpower Services Commission in respect of the community programme and further adjustment of the provisional split of capital and running costs between the Department of Employment (DE) and the Manpower

  133
  Services Commission (MSC) agreed at the time of the 1988–89 main Supply Estimates in respect of certain employment and enterprise functions transferred from MSC to DE on 26 October 1987.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 5 (MSC) will be increased by £281,927,000 from £1,656,251,000 to £1,938,178,000 in order to introduce the employment training programme that I announced on 16 February 1988 at column 825. The increase is the net effect of transfers from class VII, votes 1 and 2, offset by appropriations in aid totalling £46,227,000 from the Industry Department for Scotland (class XVII, vote 4) and the Welsh Office (class XVI, vote 4) towards expenditure on employment training.

  The cash limit for class XVI, vote 4 (MSC Scotland) will be increased by £23,719,000 from £186,363,000 to £210,082,000 to meet the proportion of the MSC increases described above which can be specifically identified as applicable to Scotland.

  The cash limit for class XVII, vote 4 (MSC Wales) will be increased by £22,508,000 from £120,213,000 to £142,721,000 to meet the proportion of the MSC increases described above which can be specifically identified as applicable to Wales.

  Finally, there is a token £1,000 cash limit on the new vote for the sale of professional and executive recruitment (PER), class VII, vote 6.

  Consequently the cash limits total for the Department of Employment group as a whole is reduced by £46,226,000 from £3,654,953,000 to £3,608,727,000.

  The Department of Employment's running costs limit will be increased by £6,000 from £611,290,000 to £611,296,000. This is the net effect of the transfer back to DE from the MSC of £1,397,000 running costs in respect of the transfer of certain employment and enterprise functions in October 1987 and the reclassification of PER seconded staff salaries out of running costs.

  The transfer of running costs to DE has resulted in the MSC's running costs limit being reduced by £1,397,000 from £225,055,000 to £223,658,000.

  Consequently the running costs total for the Department of Employment group as a whole is reduced by £1,391,000 from £945,916,000 to £944,525,000.

  "Action for Jobs"
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the total expenditure by the Central Office of Information on the Government's "Action for Jobs" programme for each month since its inception to the present day, distinguishing television advertising from other expenditure.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 18 May 1988]: The information requested is not available. Total expenditure by the Central Office of Information on the Government's "Action for Jobs" programme is as follows:

  £ million

  1986–87

  Television advertising

  9·3

  Total expenditure

  12

  1987–88

  Television advertising

  2·2

  Total expenditure

  5

  Government Campaigns
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library copies of all leaflets and brochures from the "Action for Jobs" and "Action for Cities" campaigns.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 18 May 1988]: I have arranged for the following leaflets and brochures to be placed in the Library:

  —"Action For Jobs" booklet PL843.

  —"Action for Jobs" booklet (ethnic language versions) PL782 Hindi, Vietnamese, Urdu, Gujerati, Bengali, Punjabi, Cantonese.

  —"Action for Cities" brochure.

  —"Action for Cities Guide for Action."

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, giving the dates of their employment, those advertising firms employed by the Central Office of Information on the "Action for Jobs" and "Action for Cities" campaigns.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 18 May 1988]: Davidson Pearce Ltd. was appointed by the Central Office of Information in April 1986 to the "Action for Jobs" campaign.

  The "Action for Cities" campaign does not employ an advertising agency. The "Action for Cities" breakfast presentations are organised by the Commercial Presentations Group, a conference and presentations company which was appointed directly by the Department of Trade and Industry in January 1988.

  Turkish Yarn (Imports)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of the total number of workers who have been(a) put on short-time working and (b) declared redundant as a result of Turkish yarn imports; and if he will name the companies involved.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested on short-time working and redundancies is not available from official sources, as there is no reliable way of relating redundancies to imports from a particular country—or indeed to imports in general. The acrylic yarn sector has also been affected by a fall in demand for knitwear.

THE ARTS

  Museums, Galleries and Theatres
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans are currently under consideration for the establishment of new museums, galleries and theatres; and where these will be located.

  Mr. Luce
  I know that the trustees of the national nuseums and galleries which I sponsor are considering a number of exciting new developments. For example, the Victoria and Albert museum is investigating the possibility of displaying part of its Indian collection at Bradford; the Imperial War museum has plans to establish an American air museum in a new building at Duxford airfield; and the Science museum is looking at a number of possible sites for a new national museum of food and farming. The Tate gallery is about to open the Tate gallery in Liverpool, and
  135
  the National Portrait gallery is opening a new outstation at Bodelwyddan castle in association with Clwyd county council.

  I am aware of some proposals to establish new theatres, such as the plan to set up a theatre in Spitalfields to take productions from the Royal exchange, Manchester; and the moving of the Empire, York, to a new building. The trend for new development in these areas is most encouraging.

  Galleries and Museums (Funding)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the proportion of public funds(a) given and (b) loaned to galleries and museums in England and Wales during each year since 1983.

  Mr. Luce
  The expenditure plans of the Office of Arts and Libraries are published every January in the public expenditure White Paper. The principal channels of funding to museums and galleries are:

  (i) as grants or grants-in-aid to the national museums and galleries and other directly funded museums in England;

  (ii) as grant-in-aid to the Museums and Galleries Commission which then makes grants to the English area museum councils and to non-national museums and galleries throughout the United Kingdom; and

  (iii) as rate support grant to English local authorities.

  No loans are made from the arts and libraries expenditure programme.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what percentage of those appointed to national governmental public bodies each year since 1985 are women.

  Mr. Luce
  Figures are as follows, in each case referring to the percentage of appointments on 1 April that year:

  Per cent.

  1985

  18

  1986

  19

  1987

  19

  The figure for 1988 will be published in "Public Bodies" later this year.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Building Societies
  Mr. Holland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the share, respectively, of the top three, top six and top 10 United Kingdom building societies as a percentage of total share of deposits and loans of all building societies in 1985 and 1986.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: For 1985 the proportion of total shares, deposits and loans of building societies held by the largest three, largest six and largest 10 societies was 45, 62 and 77 per cent. respectively. For 1986 the figures were 46, 62 and 77 per cent. respectively.

  Channel Tunnel (Customs Facilities)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress on discussions for on-train customs facilities to be provided for Channel tunnel passengers to London.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) on 18 March at column 690.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheepmeat (Testing)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many days elapsed between the taking of sheepmeat samples under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1986 and the results of the tests being available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There is no standard time between samples being taken and test results being available. Existing arrangements permit most samples to be turned around within 24 hours where this is necessary.

  Sewage Sludge
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take to reduce the contamination of sewage sludge by persistent or toxic substances, which accumulate in living organisms.

  Mr. Gummer
  The presence of such contaminants in sewage sludge disposed of at sea is permitted in only trace quantities to avoid harm to the marine environment. Extraction of such trace quantities is not practicable. Further reduction in contaminant levels must therefore be achieved by water authorities through their controls on trade discharges to sewers, in the context of Government policy to bring about a substantial reduction in the inputs of dangerous substances to rivers and estuaries by 1995.

  Industrial Waste
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to prohibit the dumping of industrial waste into the Irish sea.

  Mr. Gummer
  There is no dumping at present in the Irish sea of either solid or liquid industrial waste, under the licensing controls of part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

  I would examine very rigorously any new application for such dumping.

  The Ministry is controlling closely the dumping of sewage sludge and dredged spoil which are also licensed under the Act.

  Slimming Products
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what controls there are over foods which claim to be slimming products.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Food Labelling Regulations 1984 set out the conditions that must be met by any food that claims it is an aid to slimming. These
  137
  include requirements for a nutrition statement on the label and that the food must be capable of contributing to weight control or weight reduction. The requirements also extend to the advertising of such products.

  Beef
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what inspections take place of beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland for onward shipment to the continent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Animal and public health checks on beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland are the same whether the beef is intended for consumption in the United Kingdom or for onward shipment to the continent. Two types of checks are involved: checking of the necessary health certificates against the import documentation is carried out by Customs officers in all cases and physical checking of the meat is carried out on sample consignments by the port health authorities.

  Beef entering the United Kingdom for onward shipping to the continent is not eligible for payments of beef variable premium, hence no inspections for this purpose are carried out.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken to ensure that beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland for onward shipment to the continent is not subsequently sold in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Goods in transit are subject to control by the country of export. The authorities in that country must be furnished with proof that the goods have reached their intended destination and are not diverted elsewhere. Moreover, beef sent from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom in transit would not benefit from the United Kingdom mca or the beef variable premium. These taken together contribute a significant disincentive to diversion.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the labelling of imported beef which has been produced with the aid of hormones; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No such representations have been received.

  Irradiated Foodstuffs
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food what recent representations he has received about the case for requiring the labelling of irradiated foodstuffs so as to indicate that they have been irradiated once the ban on irradiation has been lifted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Many of the people who have written to me about food irradiation express the view that labelling should be required to make it clear when this process has been used. In my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Marland) on 24 March, at column 207, I made it clear that appropriate labelling provisions are among the controls we are examining.

  Contamination
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to complete the revision of his Ministry's contingency plans for dealing with emergency contamination and agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 9 February at column 158.

  Cod
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a table of all cod catch records for all vessels in the Lowestoft fleet for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 May 1988]: Landings of cod by the Lowestoft fleet are not readily available for the previous five-year period, due in part to changes in the fleet over this period and landings by under 40 ft vessels not being individually recorded prior to 1985. Landings of cod into Lowestoft by British vessels for the previous five years together with landings by the Lowestoft fleet during 1987 are however available. These are as follows with figures given in tonnes landed weigh:

  Cod landings at Lowestoft by British vessels

  Tonnes landed weight

  Value (£ thousands)

  1983

  3,321

  2,093

  1984

  2,382

  1,809

  1985

  1,638

  1,422

  1986

  1,565

  1,540

  1987

  2,122

  2,092

  Cod landed by vessels in Lowestoft as at end 1987

  Tonnes landed weight

  Value (£ thousands)

  1973

  1,929

  Plant Testing and Seed Certification
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the time of his Department's review team which investigated plant variety testing and seed certification systems in the United Kingdom was spent in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Members of the review team made three visits to Scotland, one visit to Wales and one visit to Northern Ireland. In England the team held meetings with various organisations, some of which represented interests for the United Kingdom as a whole. In addition, the team liaised closely with officials in all the Agriculture Departments and with members of the United Kingdom Seeds Executive.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the officials of his Department who conducted the review of plant variety testing and seed certification systems in the United Kingdom, giving any relevant information about their qualifications and experience, and making particular reference to any experience connected to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
  139
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: The names of the four officials who conducted the review are shown in the report on "The Plant Variety Testing and Seed Certification Systems in the United Kingdom." A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House. The team of officials was headed by the controller of plant variety rights for the United Kingdom who is also a member of the United Kingdom Seeds Executive. The team included the chairman of two senior interdepartmental committees with responsibilities for plant variety testing and seed certification matters in the United Kingdom. It is not Government policy to disclose personal details of the qualifications and experience of individual officials.

  Civil Servants (Outside Activities)
  Mr. John
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants in his Department are also directors or consultants in(a) public liability companies, (b) companies limited by guarantee, (c) building societies, (d) other friendly societies and (e) commercial undertakings other than the above; and what rules or instructions govern these activities with particular reference to remuneration.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: As part of a programme for improving awareness of the needs of business, senior officials are from time to time appointed as non-executive directors of commercial companies. At present two officials hold such appointments, for which they receive no remuneration.

  Where staff have private business interests of the sort referred to, they are required to seek approval if there is any possibility of conflict with the work of the Department. There are no rules about pay from private business interests.

  Sheep Variable Premium
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the sheep variable premium for lowland farmers is likely to be paid.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: An announcement on the ewe premium rate on eligible ewes for 1987 was made by the Department on 18 May, following its determination and publication by the European Commission. The final premium will be £6·238 per ewe for lowland producers. LFA producers received an advance of £2·80 per ewe last November and will be paid a balance of £3·438. All payments will be made as soon as possible. Variable premium payments on lambs of certifiable quality have been made throughout the marketing year in the usual way.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Dispensing
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received from dispensing doctors about the costs of their service compared with the same service provided by dispensing chemists;

  (2) whether he will make a statement about the comparative prices per script dispensed by (a) dispensing doctors and (b) dispensing chemists.
  140
  Mr. Newton
  We have received a few representations from dispensing doctor interests to the effect that dispensing by doctors is less expensive than dispensing by pharmacists. However, it is not possible to make such a comparison because the complex remuneration arrangements for general medical practitioners do not permit the precise separation of dispensing from non-dispensing costs. Thus dispensing fees to dispensing doctors do not reflect all their related costs, as they do with pharmacists, since some of the expenses of the former are directly and separately reimbursed in respect of expenditure on staff and premises. In 1986–87 the cost per prescription (excluding VAT) of drugs and appliances dispensed by doctors and by pharmacists was £3·81 and £3·98 respectively.

  Health Authorities (Costs)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report, for St. Helens and Knowsley, Southport and Formby, South Sefton, Wandsworth, Islington, Central Manchester and Liverpool health authorities (a) the percentage of Health Service costs devoted to the administration of the service, (b) child mortality rates at birth and within a month of birth, (c) the number of registered nurses in special care baby units per 100 low birthweight births, (d) the district nurse contact rate for the over 65s, (e) the number of community mental and physical handicap nurses employed per resident in each authority, (f) the day-patient attendance rate for the over 65s and (g) the extent of meals-on-wheels provision.

  Mr. Newton
  Such information as is available centrally is in the tables. The hon. Member may wish to contact the health authority chairmen concerned for the other details he requires.

  (a) Expenditure on headquarters administration as a proportion of total revenue expenditure

  Per cent.

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  3·44

  Southport and Formby

  4·68

  South Sefton

  3·27

  Wandsworth

  2·38

  Islington

  3·17

  Central Manchester

  2·67

  Liverpool

  2·92

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on headquarters administration includes all current expenditure on the pay and pay related costs of staff of all disciplines (including general managers) employed at headquarters levels and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit levels: such costs are regarded as operational.

  2. Information derived from the 1986–87 annual accounts (the latest available) of the health authorities concerned.

  (b) Child mortality rates

  The mortality rates quoted have slightly different criteria. The still birth rate is shown per 1,000 live and still births, whereas the neonatal (deaths in the first 28 days of life) rate is deaths per 1,000 live births. These rates have been calculated from all births ie including low weight births. The latest available data are for 1986.
  141

  Rates per 1,000 births

  Still births per 1,000 live and still births

  All neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  5·3

  4·5

  Southport and Formby

  4·2

  19·3

  South Sefton

  4·9

  4·9

  Wandsworth

  4·4

  4·1

  Islington

  6·8

  5·2

  Central Manchester

  9·4

  6·3

  Liverpool

  6·1

  5·0

  Source: OPCS Monitor DH3 87/4

  1 In Southport and Formby, where the birthrate is low, the comparatively high rate of neonatal deaths represents only 11 actual deaths in 1986.

  (c) The number of registered nurses and midwives in special care baby units (at 30 September 1986)

  Whole-time equivalent per 100 low birthweight births1

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  2·2

  Southport and Formby

  8·0

  South Sefton

  3·2

  Wandsworth

  7·5

  Islington

  10·8

  Central Manchester

  26·6

  Liverpool

  3·9

  1 Calculated on unrounded whole-time equivalent staff in post and number of births.

  Sources: DHSS Annual Census of National Health Service Non-Medical Manpower. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  (d) The district nurse contact rate for the over 65s (1986)

  Persons 65 and over treated by district nurses

  Percentage of population aged 65 and over treated by district nurses

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  8,336

  18·8

  Southport and Formby

  6,026

  26·5

  Number of main meals provided for elderly and/or physically handicapped people during the year ended 31 March 1987

  Health authority

  Local authority

  Meals at home Number

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  St. Helens

  144,249

  Knowsley

  61,018

  Southport and Formby; South Sefton

  Sefton

  103,626

  Wandsworth and part of Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton (30 per cent, by population)

  Wandsworth

  382,065

  Islington

  Islington

  268,467

  Central Manchester, South Manchester, North Manchester

  Manchester

  735,936

  Liverpool

  Liverpool

  404,103

  Benefit Entitlement
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of households entitled to (i) supplementary benefit and (ii) housing benefit which failed to claim benefit in 1987–88 and how many were pensioner households.

  Mr. Portillo
  The latest take-up estimates for supplementary benefit are for 1983 and those for housing benefit are for 1984. A convenient summary is shown on pages 272 and 273 of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288). More detailed technical reports are available in the Library.
  142

  Persons 65 and over treated by district nurses

  Percentage of population aged 65 and over treated by district nurses

  South Sefton

  2,847

  10·5

  Wandsworth

  2,438

  9·9

  Islington

  3,464

  14·6

  Central Manchester

  2,315

  13·6

  Liverpool

  16,869

  21·7

  Source: DHSS form LHS 27/3.

  (e) Number of community psychiatric nurses per 100,000 population

  (at 30 September 1986)

  Whole-time equivalent

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  10·7

  Southport and Formby

  7·6

  South Sefton

  3·9

  Wandsworth

  16·8

  Islington

  4·8

  Central Manchester

  7·9

  Liverpool

  6·0

  Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower; OPCS mid-year population estimates.

  (f) The day-patient attendance rate for the over 65s

  Information, including the age of patients admitted to a hospital bed for treatment as a day case and regular day admissions will be available centrally for the first time later this year. For patients using NHS day care facilities, the specialty function classification will provide some indication of the age groups using the facility.

  (g) Meals on wheels provision

  Information on meals-on-wheels provision is not available in the precise form requested as data are by local authority area, which is not always conterminous with health authority area. The latest information for the relevant local authorities is given in the table.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish a Bill as outlined in the 1987 White Paper 'The Law on Childcare and Family Services' (Cm. 62).

  Mr. Newton
  I cannot at present add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley) on 28 October 1987 at columns 307–8.

  Electro-convulsive Therapy
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each of the last three years for which figures are available(a) the number of cases where the Mental Health Commission has been asked to approve

  143
  the treatment with electro-convulsive therapy of a patient detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and (b) the number of such cases in which the Mental Health Commission has recommended against such treatment.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have asked the Mental Health Act Commission to provide the hon. Member with this information.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services for each of the last three years for which figures are available, what was the number of patients treated with electro-convulsive therapy following a diagnosis of puerperal psychosis; and, in each case, what was the average number of treatments per patient.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the figures she has requested. Records of diagnoses of patients receiving electro-convulsive therapy are not collected centrally.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each of the last three years for which figures are available, the number of patients in whose deaths electro-convulsive therapy was considered a contributory factor.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information is not available in exactly the form requested.

  However, during 1985 and 1986, the number of deaths registered in England and Wales with "Failure in dosage in electroshock or insulin—shock therapy" (International Classification of Disease code E.873.4) mentioned as a cause of death on the death certificate was nil.

  No "mentions" data for 1984 are available, but in that year no death was assigned an underlying cause of E873.4.

  Lobotomies
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services for each of the last three years for which figures are available, what was the number of lobotomies performed in Britain.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information in the form she requested. The number of psychosurgical operations (including lobotomies—leucotomies) performed in neurosurgical units in England (including referrals from other parts of the British Isles) are as follows:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  10

  21

  15

  Figures for Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Legionnaire's Disease
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how often tests are carried out on hospital water supplies to detect Legionnaire's disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  In the absence of a quick test to measure the pressure of legionnella in water, we consider that the 144
  maintenance of hospital hot and cold water systems to standards recommended in a code of practice issued by the Department offers the best means of protection against infection by legionnella. Routine sampling is not recommended unless a water supply is suspected as being the source of an infection, because technical and scientific resources can be more effectively employed on preventive maintenance.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was paid out in single payments to social security applicants in Lambeth in the financial year ended 31 March; and how much has been allocated under the social fund for the current year.

  Mr. Portillo
  The London borough of Lambeth is served by 10 local social security offices. The boundaries of these offices are not conterminous with those of the borough. Figures for single payment expenditure for the period 8 April 1987 to 10 April 1988 are given in the table. The figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Office

  Expenditure

  £

  Balham

  238,476

  Battersea

  202,006

  Brixton

  253,353

  Camberwell

  130,768

  Crystal Palace

  228,931

  Kennington Park

  210,689

  Oval

  227,673

  Peckham

  168,065

  South wark

  164,513

  Streatham

  486,924

  Information on the social fund allocations to local offices for 1988–89 was contained in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 4 November 1987 at columns 774–81.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children under the age of 16 years died as a result of solvent abuse in the most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  The most complete data available come from a continuing study carried out by the department of clinical epidemiology and social medicine of St. George's hospital medical school, London.

  This study—the national study of deaths associated with the abuse of volatile substances—collects data from a variety of sources, including death registrations and a survey of coroners' findings. It suggests that in 1985 there were 23, and in 1986 27 (provisional figure) such deaths of those aged under 16 in England and Wales.

  Three Rivers (Electorate)
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out a table showing the 1988 electorate for each ward in the district of Three Rivers.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:
  145

  District of Three Rivers

  Ward name

  Parliamentary electorate on the 1988 register

  South West Hertfordshire parliamentary constituency

  Chorleywood

  4,166

  Chorleywood West

  2,575

  Croxley Green North

  2,505

  Croxley Green

  3,327

  Croxley Green South

  2,817

  Rickmansworth

  3,537

  Moor Park

  3,273

  Moneyhill

  2,902

  Mill End

  2,364

  Maple Cross and West Hyde

  2,007

  Bedmond

  2,552

  Langleybury

  3,004

  Barratt

  2,102

  Oxhey Hall

  2,514

  Hayling

  3,268

  Northwick

  3,832

  Ashridge

  2,484

  Carpenders Park

  4,008

  Watford parliamentary constituency

  Abbots Langley

  3,612

  Leavesden

  3,264

  Dacorum (Electorate)
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out a table showing the 1988 electorate for each ward in the borough of Dacorum.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows.

  District of Dacorum

  Ward name

  Parliamentary electorate on the 1988 register

  South West Hertfordshire parliamentary constituency

  Northchurch

  2,122

  Berkhamstead West

  3,438

  Berkhamstead Central

  3,844

  Berkhamstead East

  4,836

  Bovingdon and Flaunden

  3,617

  Chipperfield

  1,396

  Kings Langley

  3,712

  West Hertfordshire parliamentary constituency

  Central

  3,999

  Highfield

  4,377

  Adeyfield West

  4,373

  Adeyfield East

  3,873

  Crabtree

  5,102

  South

  3,048

  Boxmoor

  5,015

  Warners End

  4,574

  Gadebridge

  3,583

  Chaulden

  2,039

  Levistock Green

  5,458

  Cupid Green

  4,924

  Grovehill

  5,845

  Bennetts End

  4,478

  Nash Mills

  1,732

  Tring East

  1,800

  Tring Central

  4,249

  Tring West

  3,747

  Aldbury and Wigginton

  1,873

  Ashridge

  2,818

  Flamstead and Markyate

  3,343

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what further plans he has to oblige regional health authorities to put out to competitive tender their solicitors, architects, quantity surveyors and engineers services.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have no new central initiative in mind, but we do encourage regional health authorities to test on a regular basis the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of all their services and to consider the use of private contractors for operational activities. Under existing arrangements all National Health Service construction work and at least 75 per cent. of design work is undertaken on the basis of external contracts based on fee competition.

  In-patients (Teaching Hospitals)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for the latest convenient year, the percentage of in-patients treated in each English teaching hospital who came from outside the health district in which that teaching hospital was located.

  Mr. Newton
  The available information is given in the table.

  Estimated percentage of non-maternity, non-psychiatric cases treated in National Health Service teaching districts in England who are normally resident outside the district: 1986

  Teaching DHA

  Per cent.

  Newcastle

  53·4

  Leeds Western

  33·6

  Leeds Eastern

  32·6

  Leicestershire

  4·4

  Nottingham

  21·9

  Sheffield

  25·5

  Cambridge

  39·7

  Paddington and North Kensington

  58·5

  Riverside

  52·1

  Hampstead

  69·3

  Bloomsbury

  84·6

  City and Hackney

  63·0

  Tower Hamlets

  46·8

  West Lambeth

  65·3

  Camberwell

  42·3

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  46·2

  Wandsworth

  55·6

  Southampton and South-West Hampshire

  23·4

  Oxfordshire

  21·8

  Bristol and Weston

  43·4

  Central Birmingham

  78·6

  Liverpool

  34·8

  Central Manchester

  69·4

  South Manchester

  65·6

  Salford

  27·1

  North Sea Oil (Sub-contractors)
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the extent of non-payment by sub-contractors on certain North sea oil platforms of national insurance contributions for weeks when employees are on leave.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department does not hold central information on the extent of non-payment of national insurance contributions by individual employers on North sea oil platforms. However, if any employee is concerned about his position in national insurance, he can discuss this with his local social security office and the staff there will be pleased to advise or investigate.

  Benefits
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated number of claimants who lost entitlement to increases of(a) unemployment benefit, (b) sickness benefit, (c) invalidity pension and (d) retirement pension, respectively, when section 10 of the Social Security Act 1988 came into force; and how many of them were women.

  Mr. Scott
  It is estimated that the total number of claimants who lost entitlement when section 10 of the Social Security Act 1988 came into force was 2,500, of whom 50 were women. The great majority of those losing entitlement are retirement pensioners and invalidity pensioners. Losses for other claimants are negligible.

  Community Care
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what impact the Government expect regulation 19(3) of the Income Support Regulations 1987 to have on its community care policy.

  Mr. Portillo
  Regulation 19(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 provides definitions of establishments which are to be treated as residential care homes or nursing homes for income support purposes. These definitions do not substantively differ from those in force under supplementary benefit legislation and represent no change in the Government's policy on community care.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the hon. member for Stockport of 11 May,Official Report, columns 183–84, what steps he proposes to take to assess whether the factors he there sets out fully account for the disparities in administrative and clerical costs as between district health authorities; what steps he proposes to take to reduce such costs in all district health authorities to the levels achieved in those districts with the most efficient performance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  There are many factors which influence the level of administrative and clerical staffing. Only detailed scrutiny of each individual district can establish whether differences are justified or not. This is the job of NHS management but we have sought to help in two specific respects.

  As part of the performance indicator package, DHAs and RHAs have been asked to undertake analyses of the past four years' indicators. These analyses, combined with local information, will form a basis for commentary to be presented to authority members and to be made available to local MPs and community health council members. This commentary should highlight changes over time and identify those main areas requiring further investigation.

  In addition, we will shortly publish a report of a review of administrative and clerical staff which commends to health authorities ways of monitoring the numbers of such staff and makes suggestions for potential improvements in performance.

  Cancer Hot-spots (Hull)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the Official
  148
  Report the figures upon which the discovery of two new child cancer hot-spots on the Bransholme and Greatfield estate in Hull are based.

  Mrs. Currie
  I am aware that the East Yorkshire health authority is preparing a report on childhood cancers from 1974 to 1986. I understand initial indications are that the rates in the Bransholme and Greatfield census wards are not significantly elevated. I would refer the hon. Member to the chairman of the East Yorkshire health authority for further information.

  HIV and AIDS
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish the report of the working group on the monitoring and surveillance of HIV infection and AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  We have today published the working group's report, and copies have been placed in the Library. We are grateful to Dr. Smith and to the members of the group for the very thorough work they have done.

  The group has made a number of recommendations to improve existing arrangements for the reporting of test results, for studies based upon them, and for further steps to improve information about the prevalence of HIV infection and its spread. In particular, it has recommended a programme of antenatal testing, based on three large samples drawn from different parts of the country, with participation being voluntary, and provision being made for unnamed testing if an individual wished.

  The Government accept all the group's recommendations in principle, and will be consulting interested bodies about their implementation. In respect of the proposal for antenatal testing, consultation will build on the experience of work already undertaken towards establishing antenatal testing in parts of Scotland, which we would seek to incorporate into the wider programme recommended by the working group.

  In the Government's view, implementation of the group's recommendations will significantly improve the information needed both for planning services and for the continued development of measures to minimise the spread of the disease.

  However, the Government are aware of a substantial body of opinion which believes that there is a greater likelihood of achieving these objectives through studies based on the testing of unnamed samples without specific consent—usually described as "anonymised testing"; and note that the working group itself recognises the possibility that this might in future be required. In view of this, and of the difficult ethical and legal issues associated with such testing, we consider it right that the issue should be the subject of further and wider public debate. We would welcome views by the end of August 1988.

  Birmingham Children's Hospital
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of job forums in which jobs for intensive care nursing staff at Birmingham children's hospital have been advertised since 17 February 1988; what response there has been; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the number of advertisements for intensive care nursing staff at Birmingham children's

  149
  hospital carried (a) in the nursing press and (b) in the Nursing Times since 17 February; what response there has been; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Since 17 February one two-day job forum has been held aimed at attracting nursing staff to the Birmingham children's hospital as a whole. Following this forum a number of nurse trainees expressed a firm interest in working at the hospital on completion of their training this summer.

  A recruitment advertisement for trained nurses appeared in the Nursing Times on 9 March but received no response. Since earlier advertisements in the nursing press also had minimal success in recruiting nurses trained in intensive care, recruitment efforts will in future concentrate on the hospital's innovative 52-week teaching and experience package, under which nurses work as supernumaries in the intensive therapy unit and which has already attracted nine recruits; on a course for training post-graduate nurses in paediatric intensive care, which will be the first such course outside London; on a possible course to convert enrolled nurses to registered sick children's nurses; on increasing the output of training schools in the region from 56 to 77 registered sick children's nurses a year; on local press and radio appeals to mature registered sick children's nurses who had left the profession to return to nursing; and on future job forums as opportunities arise.

  Widows (Income Support)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether a widow whose income exceeds her applicable amount for income support purposes might nevertheless live below income support level because the rate rebate taper makes no allowances for mortgage costs.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: Yes. This might happen in some cases where the income support assessment contains an amount for mortgage interest and where the person's income remains slightly above income support levels. All those actually on income support will receive a maximum rate rebate. The reason for this is that mortgage payments made by owner-occupiers are not an eligible housing cost for the purposes of housing benefit.

TRANSPORT

  Military Explosives (Transport)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to amend the Conveyance by Road of Military Explosives Regulations 1977.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 10 May at column 78.

  Carlisle-Settle Railway
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times he has travelled on the Carlisle to Settle railway, since his appointment as Secretary of State.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend has not visited the line in his present capacity, but I have travelled on it on a number of occasions.

  Historic Wrecks Advisory Committee
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance to the historic wrecks advisory committee.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  I have placed in the Library a copy of the Department's booklet on historic wrecks, which contains a description of the committee's functions and how it fulfills them. No further guidance is supplied to the committee.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take into account the future requirement of operating British Aerospace 146 planes in and out of London City airport, when coming to a decision with regard to the east London river crossing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  Late representations were received at the inquiries into the east London river crossing on the possible future use of the British Aerospace 146 at London City airport. These objections were referred by the inspector without comment to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and myself. We shall take these representations into account in considering the inspector's report of the inquiry. The use of BA146 aircraft would require a variation in the planning consent for the airport.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to announce the decision of the inspector relating to the east London river crossing.

  Mr. Channon
  Soon.

  Ferries (Stability)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the roll-on/roll-off ferries which operate in Scottish waters, indicating which routes they operate on and whether they comply with the proposed new IMO stability criteria;

  (2) how many of the ferries which operate in Scottish waters were included in the recent IMO survey of standards of residual damage stability for passenger ships; and how many met the new IMO criteria.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  A list of the 56 roll-on/roll-off ferries that normally operate in Scottish waters, and the areas in which they operate, will be placed in the Library. All these ferries comply with the present international safety standards. The study into the standards of residual stability of passenger ships sponsored by my Department compared the standards attained by a representative sample of existing ships with the standards proposed for new ships, which are not yet in force. There are as yet no new IMO criteria.

  Garages (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of prosecutions, in each of the last three years, for giving a false description of work carried out by a motor garage.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.
  151
  We have no information on the total number of prosecutions brought. However, the number of cases of successful prosecutions under section 14 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, relating to repairs or servicing of motor vehicles, as reported to the Office of Fair Trading by local trading standards departments, was as follows:

  Number

  11984–85

  18

  11985–86

  17

  11986–87

  28

  1 In each case, the year covers the period October-September.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce legislation to resolve the difficulty which arises where police officers are able to stop drivers at random but are prohibited from requiring breath tests at random; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  The courts have made it clear that the police may use their power to stop under section 159 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 to stop vehicles at random. They may then require a breath test under section 7 of the Act where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a driver has alcohol in his body, has committed a moving traffic offence, or has been involved in an accident. The Government have at present no plans to introduce further legislation in this area.

DEFENCE

  Maritime Strategy
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals concerning maritime strategy he will be taking to the Eurogroup meeting of Defence Ministers in Brussels on 25 May.

  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals concerning maritime strategy he will be taking to the Eurogroup meeting of Defence Ministers in Brussels on 25 May.

  Mr. Younger
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wigan (Mr. Stott).

  Trident
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the latest cost of Trident nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  One representation, in the form of a letter from a member of the public, has been received since the Secretary of State announced the revised Trident estimate in January this year.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on a system of communication to and from Trident submarines, and on the development of a control centre subject to political decision making.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 May 1988, at column 38.

  Bramley Camp
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for defence in respect of how many acres of Bramley camp his Department intends to seek planning permission for housing development.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are three small areas of land, amounting to about 20 acres in all, for which we have no further use. These areas adjoin existing residential areas and discussions are taking place with the Basingstoke and Deane borough council planning officials to consider these sites in relation to the local plan. These discussions will also cover the possible release and future use of an area of railway sidings which are no longer used.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the progress of the defence Export Services Organisation.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As the defence White Paper makes clear, the Defence Export Services Organisation is a continuing success in its work of assisting defence manufacturers, large and small, in their drive for exports which contribute significantly to our national wealth and job opportunities.

  NATO (nuclear Weapons)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts to discuss nuclear matters.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts to discuss nuclear matters.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts to discuss nuclear matters.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts to discuss nuclear matters.

  Mr. Younger
  The next meeting of NATO's nuclear planning group will take place in the autumn. I also expect to meet my NATO colleagues at the Defence Planning Committee in Brussels on 26/27 May when we shall be discussing a range of defence and security matters affecting the Alliance.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Defence what discussions he has had with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts about battlefield and short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts about battlefield and short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts about battlefield and short-range nuclear weapons.
  153
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) on 23 February at column 165.

  Merchant Shipping (Wartime Use)
  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed arrangements for the use of merchant shipping in time of war.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed arrangements for the use of merchant shipping in time of war.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed arrangements for the use of merchant shipping in time of war.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Doran).

  Air Sea Rescue
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which Royal Air Force bases he intends to retain air sea-rescue facilities.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the results of the review of search and rescue operations.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to replace the Royal Air Force Wessex air-sea rescue helicopters.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline his plans for United Kingdom air-sea rescue coverage in the 1990s.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer right hon. and hon. Members to the Adjournment debate on 23 May with my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker).

  Ex-Government Employees (Outside Appointments)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about former civil servants and members of Her Majesty's forces accepting outside appointments with defence contractors.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about former civil servants and members of Her Majesty's forces accepting outside appointments with defence contractors.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about former civil servants and members of Her Majesty's forces accepting outside appointments with defence contractors.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Litherland).

  UK-USSR (Confidence-Building Measures)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals for confidence-building measures he intends to put to the Soviet inspection team visiting the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down.
  154
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals for confidence-building measures he intends to put to the Soviet inspection team visiting the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down.

  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals for confidence-building measures he intends to put to the Soviet inspection team visiting the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals for confidence-building measures he intends to put to the Soviet inspection team visiting the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The exchange of visits between the chemical defence establishment at Porton Down and the Soviet chemical warfare facility at Shikhany, first proposed by the United Kingdom in 1986, will itself make a valuable contribution to confidence building. During the Soviet visit to Porton Down the talks will cover the full range of CW-related issues. We hope this will provide the opportunity for the Soviet Union to demonstrate the much greater openness about its CW capabilities necessary to build confidence in the context of the negotiations for a global CW ban.

  Strategic Defence Initiative
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the total value of contracts placed with United Kingdom firms or institutions in connection with the United States strategic defence initiative.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  US$61.5 million.

  HM Forces (Equal Opportunities)
  Mr. Michael Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to extend monitoring of equal opportunties in Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to extend monitoring of equal opportunities in Her Majesty's forces.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to extend monitoring of equal opportunities in Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 20 May 1988 at column 609.

  Nuclear-capable Aircraft
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning nuclear-capable aircraft were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear planning group meeting.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning nuclear-capable aircraft were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear planning group meeting.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning nuclear-capable aircraft were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear planning group meeting.
  155
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning modernisation of nuclear weapons were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear planning group meeting.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning modernisation of nuclear weapons were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear planning group meeting.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions concerning modernisation of nuclear weapons were made at the last North Atlantic Treaty Organisation planning group meeting.

  Mr. Younger
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Burnley (Mr. Pike) and for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley).

  Merchant Fleet
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission a study into the defence implications of the contraction in the merchant fleet.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  No. The number of merchant vessels available in the categories required for defence purposes in an emergency is already closely monitored and careful consideration is given to any defence implications.

  Type 23 Frigates
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent to date on the development of a computer system for the type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent to date on the development of a computer system for the type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent to date on the development of a computer system for the type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Expenditure to date is of the order of £35 million comprising some £30 million net expenditure on CACS4, and £5 million spent on the new command system for the type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the ordering of type 23 frigates.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Since tenders were invited for up to four type 23 frigates in October, meetings have been held with three groups of hon. Members, one of which included local trade union representatives, and to date we have received letters from 12 hon. Members and one letter from a regional council.

  In addition, I have replied to 12 questions in this House and the matter was raised during the debate on the Royal Navy on 3 March, at column 1242.

  Procurement Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of his Department's expenditure on procurement was spent in(a) England. (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland during the last year for which full figures are available.
  156
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Ministry's procurement expenditure in the United Kingdom on equipment in the financial year 1986–87 is estimated to have been distributed as follows:

  Per cent.

  England

  92

  Scotland

  5

  Wales

  2

  Northern Ireland

  1

  Note: The above estimates are based on the location of final suppliers to the Ministry of Defence. They do not take account of the different location of subcontractors or of suppliers to the main contractors.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's policy with regard to the regional distribution of procurement expenditure within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 10 November 1987 at column 158.

  Sea King Helicopters
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed the armed forces' requirements for Sea King helicopters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The armed forces' requirements for Sea King helicopters are kept constantly under review. In November 1987 orders were placed for seven Sea Kings for the Royal Navy to maintain front-line aircraft numbers.

  Low-flying Aircraft
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government or their North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies are proposing measures (i) to protect the civilian population of the countries affected by low-flying exercises from accidents and damage and (ii) to compensate the victims of such accidents.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are well established procedures for compensating members of the public in cases where it is established that personal injury or damage to property has resulted from military aircraft activity. These arrangements are kept under review and are subject to revision where appropriate. All possible steps are taken to keep to a minimum the risks associated with this essential military training.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if military aircraft operating in the United Kingdom low-flying system, outside the three designated tactical training areas, are permitted to descend below 250 ft minimum separation distance in special circumstances such as the run-in to targets during simulated attack or interception manoeuvres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Only within range areas, which fall within the physical boundaries of the United Kingdom low-flying system, but which are not part of the system in that they are designated avoidance areas for low-flying training, are aircraft permitted to descend below 250 ft minimum separation distance during the final approaches to a target.

  Chemical warfare
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scientific, technical and military information on chemical warfare related matters has been exchanged between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.

  Mrs. Clywd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scientific, technical and military information on chemical warfare related matters has been exchanged between Britain and the USSR.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scientific, technical and military information on chemical warfare related matters has been exchanged between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scientific, technical and military information on chemical warfare related matters has been exchanged between Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  A wide variety of scientific, technical and military information on CW-related issues, relevant to the conclusion of a verifiable global CW ban, is exchanged on a multilateral basis at the conference on disarmament at Geneva, in which both the United Kingdom and the USSR are participants.

  Ammunition Expenditure
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department intends to spend on medium and large calibre ammunition in the present financial year.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our anticipated expenditure in this area for the present financial year was some £125 million.

  Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Melton Mowbray
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made with the review of activities at the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Melton Mowbray.

  Mr. Freeman
  The review to which my hon. Friend refers concerns the possible formation of a joint service dog school; there are currently two dog schools which are located at Melton Mowbray and RAF Newton. The review, which will also take account of the costs of the Army's equine functions at Melton Mowbray, should be completed in the summer.

  Air Combat Facility (North Sea)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make a commitment to British Aerospace's proposed air combat manoeuvring instrumentation facility in the North sea.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to my reply of 11 May at column 134.

  Donnington Central Ordnance Depot (Fire)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the recent fire at Donnington central ordnance depot.
  158
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the recent fire at the Donnington central ordnance depot.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the recent fire at the Donnington central ordnance depot.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the recent fire at the Donnington central ordnance depot.

  Mr. Freeman
  The latest provisional estimate of the book value of the stock lost in the recent fire at COD Donnington is £147 million. The final estimate of the scale of the loss will depend on how much of the stock which survived proves to be salvageable.

  Maritime Operations
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are under consideration to the current concept of maritime operations.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are under consideration to the current concept of maritime operations.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are under consideration to the current concept of maritime operations.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are under consideration to the current concept of maritime operations.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 14 December 1987 at column 409, to which I have nothing to add.

  Low-flying Exercises
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received concerning low-flying exercises in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Between 1 March 1988 and 12 May 1988 the Ministry of Defence received 719 inquiries or complaints about low flying in the United Kingdom.

  Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association (Centenary)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to take part in the centenary celebrations of the Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend was invited to attend the service to be held in the Guards chapel on 25 May to mark the 150th anniversary of the Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association but unfortunately had to decline as he will be out of the country on that day. However, a number of senior officers from the Army and RAF will attend.

  Air Cadet Motor Gliders (Noise)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of recent complaints he has received about the engine noise of air cadet motor gliders at volunteer gliding schools.
  159
  Mr. Freeman
  Within the last six months the MOD has received a total of four complaints about engine noise of air cadet motor gliders at volunteer gliding schools. The four complaints were about activities at the following stations: RAF Little Rissington, RAF Henlow and RAF Halton.

  RAF Aircraft (Commercial Demonstrations)
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to monitor the use of RAF aircraft on commercial demonstrations.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. Every effort is made to respond helpfully to requests from United Kingdom companies to provide RAF aircraft for demonstrations in support of sales ventures. Well established procedures are followed in such circumstances. I will write further to my hon. Friend shortly.

  Glenmoriston Estates, Inverness-shire
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the defence implications of the proposed sale of Glenmoriston estates, Inverness-shire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The defence implications of this proposed sale are currently being assessed, but no decision has yet been taken and I am not, therefore, in a position to make a statement at present. I will write to the hon. Member when the situation has been clarified.

  Military Supplies (Storage)
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will further review safety procedures for the storage of military supplies.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will further review safety procedures for the storage of military supplies.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will further review safety procedures for the storage of military supplies.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will further review safety procedures for the storage of military supplies.

  Mr. Freeman
  Safety procedures for the storage of military supplies are already subject to a process of continuous review.

  Procurement
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from defence industry representatives on the question of procurement over the last four weeks.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence receives many letters from the defence industry during the normal execution of his duties. He meets industrialists frequently, both formally and informally, and most recently chaired a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council on 17 May.

  Nuclear-powered Submarines (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the decommissioning policy being adopted for nuclear-powered submarines.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 9 May at column 2.

  Cruise Missiles
  Mr. Terry Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States Defence Secretary about sea-launched cruise missiles.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States Defence Secretary about sea-launched cruise missiles.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States Defence Secretary about sea-launched cruise missiles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg).

  Army Equipment (European Collaboration)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of Army equipment is currently produced through European collaboration.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Provision made in the Supply Estimates for 1988–89 for Army equipment being procured through collaborative projects involving our European allies amounts to 7 per cent. of the Army equipment budget.

  Procurement (Collaborative Projects)
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom defence procurement is presently spent on collaborative projects.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  About 15 per cent.

  USSR (Nuclear Forces)
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on steps being taken by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to modernise its nuclear forces following the intermediate nuclear forces treaty banning land-based medium range weapons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The Soviet Union is continuing to modernise its whole array of nuclear-capable forces

  For details of the Soviet modernisation programmes I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) on 22 March at column 101 and to the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988".

  Arms Levels
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts about conventional arms levels.
  161
  Mr. Younger
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett).

  Tornado
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado F3 aircraft are currently held in storage at Royal Air Force, St. Athan; how many further aircraft of this type it is planned to place in storage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In order to facilitate an orderly build-up of the Tornado F3 force, a number of aircraft are held in storage at RAF St. Athan before being assigned to squadrons. This number fluctuates continuously; currently there are eight.

  Royal Navy
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Navy has a nuclear capability for shore bombardment.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the information contained in paragraph 302 of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988".

  Nuclear Weapons (Accidents)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all agreements, memoranda of understanding and other formal arrangements which relate to special arrangements between the United Kingdom and the United States of America covering accidents involving United States nuclear weapons on British soil.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There is a formal arrangement between the British and United States Governments which sets out the roles and responsibilities of the respective authorities in the highly unlikely event of an accident on United Kingdom territory involving a United States nuclear weapon.

  NATO (Nuclear Planning Group)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the date and location of each meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's nuclear planning group since January 1980.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The dates and locations of NPG meetings since January 1980 are as follows:

  Location

  3–4 June 1980

  Bodo, Norway

  13–14 November 1980

  NATO Headquarters, Brussels

  7–8 April 1981

  Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany

  20–21 October 1981

  Gleneagles, Scotland

  20–24 March 1982

  Colorado Springs, United States of America

  30 November 1982

  NATO Headquarters, Brussels

  22–23 March 1983

  Vilamoura, Portugal

  27–28 October 1983

  Montebello, Canada

  3–4 April 1984

  Cesme, Turkey

  11–12 October 1984

  Stresa, Italy

  26–27 March 1985

  Luxembourg

  29–30 October 1985

  NATO Headquarters, Brussels

  20–21 March 1986

  Wurzburg, Federal Republic of Germany

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  Location

  21–22 October 1986

  Gleneagles, Scotland

  14–15 May 1987

  Stavanger, Norway

  3–4 November 1987

  Monterey, United States of America

  27–28 April 1988

  NATO Headquarters, Brussels

  NATO Defence Ministers (Meetings)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers he plans to attend in the current year.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  My right hon. Friend will attend the ministerial meetings of the Eurogroup and the defence planning committee in Brussels from 25 to 27 May. He expects to attend further meetings of the Eurogroup, the defence planning committee and the nuclear planning group this autumn.

  NATO
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Royal Navy's conventional warfare role within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 302 of volume 1 of the "Statement of the Defence Estimates 1988".

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has issued to members of the armed forces about registration under the community charge legislation.

  Mr. Freeman
  Members of the armed forces in Scotland who receive community charge inquiry forms have been instructed that they should fill them in and return them to registration officers in the normal way. No instructions have yet been issued in respect of England and Wales.

  Defence Spending
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the percentage of gross domestic product allocated to defence in each of the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The information requested is as follows:

  Per cent.

  1987–88

  4·4

  1988–89

  4·2

  1989–90

  4·1

  The reducing percentage largely reflects forecast growth in GDP.

  Gibraltar (Incident)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bomb disposal units or military personnel with expertise in this field were present in Gibraltar on Sunday 6 March; how many bomb disposal
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  and other personnel this involved; how many of these were sent to Gibraltar in expectation of a possible Provisional IRA bomb attack; and on what dates these units or personnel arrived in Gibraltar.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  It is not the policy to comment on operational matters.

  Bomb Disposal Units (Gibraltar)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bomb disposal units are normally stationed in Gibraltar at any one time; and how many personnel this involves.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Personnel providing a military bomb disposal capability are permanently based in Gibraltar. For reasons of security it is not our practice to give details of establishments of military personnel.

  SOCIAL FUND: GRANTS AND LOANS STATISTICS
  SOCIAL FUND: GRANTS AND LOANS STATISTICS
  VOTING: DISQUALIFICATIONS
  VOTING: DISQUALIFICATIONS
  COMMUNITY CHARGES REGISTER, SCOTLAND: DATE OF BIRTH INFORMATION
  COMMUNITY CHARGES REGISTER, SCOTLAND: DATE OF BIRTH INFORMATION
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT: GRANT SYSTEM
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT: GRANT SYSTEM
  NORTHERN IRELAND: COMPLETION OF DEBT REPAYMENT
  NORTHERN IRELAND: COMPLETION OF DEBT REPAYMENT