Written Answers of 27 May 1988

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of any revised cash limits for his Department's Votes.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Subject to parliamentary approval to the necessary supplementary estimate, cash limits for the following Votes will be revised as follows:

  Vote

  Current cash limit

  Increase-decrease

  Revised cash limit

  £

  £

  £

  Class XII

  Vote 1

  463,655,000

  16,366,000

  480,021,000

  Class XII

  Vote 3

  1,843,563,000(1)

  -53,000

  1,843,510,000

  Of these changes, £1,900,000 will be charged to the reserve and £14,436,000 is contained within the planned provision for programmes. There will therefore be no increase in the planned total of expenditure.

  Additional provision is sought for Class XIII, Vote 1 as follows:
  Fifty three thousand pounds to enable the Cranfield institute of technology to participate in the programme for manufacturing systems engineering courses. This increase to be offset by a matching reduction in provision on Class XIII, Vote 3.
  Eleven million, four hundred and thirteen thousand pounds for costs associated with the establishment, subject to the passage of the Education Reform Bill, of the National Curriculum Council; the School Examination and Assessment Council; the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and the Education Assets Board.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those of his Department's forms, leaflets and pamphlets in relation to university education in Wales which were issued in bilingual or Welsh language format.

  Mr. Jackson
  Most publications concerning university education in Wales are issued by other agencies: the Department does not use the Welsh language in its publications.

  Lecturers
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to reorganise the pay structure of lecturers in further education so that they receive promotion through merit rather than by effluxion of time.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department has only observer status on the National Joint Council (Further Education).
  342
  The grade of a lecturer is currently determined largely by the level of teaching in which he or she is engaged, and whether he or she has management responsibilities. The basic lecturer grade will from July have a salary maximum of £15,369—£1,506 more than a school teacher on the main professional grade who does not hold an incentive allowance. Progression to the next grade is automatic only for lecturers engaged for 50 per cent. of their time essentially on courses above A-level standard, and it is possible for progression to be refused on the grounds that a lecturer is inefficient. Progression to the remaining grades is on merit. Further education lecturers are thus not generally guaranteed promotion within the existing pay structure on the basis of length of service alone. The Government will be looking to the further education sector in the years ahead to refine this salary structure so as to provide further incentives for good cost-effective teaching.

  A-levels (Bolton)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in Bolton's secondary schools took A-level examinations during 1986 and 1987; and how many are scheduled to sit the examination in the current year.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In 1985–86, 710 school leavers from maintained schools in Bolton attempted A-levels and 670 achieved one or more A-level passes. Information for 1987 and 1988 is unavailable.

  Pupils (Equal Opportunities)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give guidance to local education authorities about the implications of the recent decision in the courts with respect to equal opportunities between male and female pupils.

  Mr. Dunn
  I assume the hon. Member is referring to the recent decision by the Court of Appeal to uphold the earlier High Court ruling that Birmingham city council was guilty of unlawful sex discrimination in providing fewer selective places for girls than for boys in the city's maintained grammar schools. I understand that the council now intends to appeal against the judgment to the House of Lords. My right hon. Friend wishes to await the outcome of that appeal before considering whet her it would be appropriate to offer any guidance to local education authorities.

  Dementia
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current level of funding by his Department for research into problems associated with dementia in the elderly.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Medical Research Council, which receives a grant in aid from this Department, is the main agency through which Government fund medical research in the United Kingdom. In 1986–87, the last financial year for which figures are available, the council spent £4:15,000 on projects directly related to dementias and a further £2·4 million on research that could increase our understanding of dementias. Some support for research on dementia is also provided through UGC block grants to universities and medical schools.

  Aging
  Mr. lawn Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many research students are funded by the Medical Research Council; and what proportion of the total are engaged in research into aging.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that the Medical Research Council is currently supporting 605 research students. The council does not hold any information on the proportion of these students engaged on research into aging.

TRANSPORT

  Planning Inquiries (Reports)
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will take steps to introduce in England and Wales a facility for the proposal of corrections of facts in drafts of inspectors' reports at planning inquiries, similar to that which already exists in Scotland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have no plans to make such a change.

  Air Routes
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, when he next meets the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, he will discuss the criteria to be used at the route licence hearings involving the former British Caledonian routes from Gatwick to Nice, Oslo, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In view of his appellate role, it would be improper for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to discuss individual cases with the chairman. The authority will consider these applications on the evidence and arguments presented, in the light of its duties and its current statement of air transport licensing policies.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the decision by the Civil Aviation Authority not to award the Gatwick-Brussels route formerly operated by British Caledonian Airways to British Airways for Her Majesty's Government's policy on competition and consumer choice in aviation.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State does not comment on the implications of specific licensing decisions which may be subject to appeal to him.

  Road Schemes (Kent)
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretay of State for Transport if he will list his Department's proposed road improvement or new road schemes costing £100,000 or more which are planned to start in Kent within the next five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  "Policy for Roads in England: 1987" (Cm125) lists the following national trunk road programme schemes in Kent:

  (a) Planned start of construction to March 1989.

  M20

  Maidstone-Ashford.

  A282

  Dartford-Thurrock Crossing and Approach Roads.

  (b) Planned start of construction April 1989 to March 1991

  A20

  Folkestone-Dover Stage 1 (Folkestone-Court Wood)

  A249

  A2 Junction-M2 Junction Dualling

  A249

  Iwade Bypass

  344
  (c) Planned start of construction from April 1991 onwards

  M2

  Widening between Junctions 1–3

  M20

  Widening between Junctions 5–8 (Maidstone Bypass)

  A20

  Folkestone-Dover Stage 2 (Court Wood-Dover)

  A21

  Kipping's Cross-Lamberhurst Improvement

  A21

  Lamberhurst Bypass

  A21

  Tonbridge Bypass-Pembury Bypass Improvement

  A259

  New Romney Bypass

  A259

  St. Mary's Bay and Dymchurch Bypass

  A261

  M20–A259 Hythe Improvement

  In addition work to provide hard shoulders on the A2 from the London boundary to the M2, phased over the period 1985–1991, is continuing. Construction of the Maidstone-Ashford section of the M20 should start later this year. The start dates for the remaining schemes are dependent upon the completion of the statutory procedures.

  The Department is also considering the following trunk road schemes in Kent, costing £100,000 or more, within its south-east regional programme:—

  M20

  Traffic lights at the Junction 7 exit.

  M25

  Crossovers between Junction 5 and the Surrey boundary.

  A2

  Lighting to the west of the Medway towns.

  A2

  Central reserve safety fencing between the M2 and Harbledon; and between Harbledon and Bridge.

  A21

  Central reserve safety fencing between the A225 and A2014.

  A249

  Brielle Way Improvement.

  A259

  Improvement to the Junction with the A2070 at Brenzett.

  A259

  Taylors Lane—Coast Drive Improvement.

  A259

  Tartane Lane—Tudor Avenue Improvement.

  A259

  Park Farm/Pavilion Road Junction Improvements.

  A259

  Shorncliffe Road, Castle Road and Cheriton Avenue Junction Improvements.

  Passenger Ferries
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stretford on 23 May, if he plans to alter his definition of and acceptable evacuation time for a passenger ferry; if the research programme to which he refers is concerned with evacuation time; and when he expects it to report.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The maximum evacuation time of 30 minutes, which is the time within which the muster and evacuation arrangements (including the launching and deployment of lifeboats and other life-saving appliances) must enable the ship to be evacuated, came into force on 1 July 1986 and there are no plans to alter it. The research programme referred to in my answer on 23 May is concerned with facilitating movement in, and escape from, a ship at high angles of heel and not with evacuation time. I expect to receive a report on this work by spring 1989.

  North Sea Surveyor (Collision)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to hold an inquiry into the collision on 7 May between the Danish-registered Pandalus and the North Sea Surveyor which resulted in the death of two fishermen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The collision involved two foreign vessels—the Danish fishing vessel Pandalus and the Norwegian survey ship North Sea Surveyor. The Danish and Norwegian authorities are conducting their own
  345
  inquiries and surveyors from my Department are co-operating with them. The question of a fatal accident inquiry is a matter for the procurator fiscal.

  Fishing Vessels (Collisions)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded collisions there have been between fishing vessels and other ships in the North sea in each of the past five years.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The following table shows the numbers of collisions in the Department's records, between fishing vessels and other ships in the North sea, since 1983.

  Number

  1983

  1

  1984

  5

  1985

  4

  1986

  1

  1987

  2

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings have been held between his officials and representatives of the Scottish fishing industry in connection with accidents or near misses of fishing boats and other seafaring vessels in each of the last five years; and if he will list such incidents in the Official Report.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  There has been one formal meeting between my officials and representatives of the Scottish fishing industry within the last five years devoted specifically to accidents or near misses of fishing boats and other seafaring vessels. And there have been a number of meetings at which accidents involving fishing vessels have been among the topics for discussion, notably those of the fishing industry safety group on which the Scottish industry is represented. This group meets regularly, and has held 11 meetings since April 1983.

  Mobility Advice and Vehicle Information Service
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many disabled people have visited the mobility advice and vehicle information service since its foundation.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Since January 1986, 493 disabled people have attended for assessments and advice on driving and car adaptations; and a further 7,702 have been given advice by telephone or letter. In addition several hundred disabled people and professionals in the disability field have visited the centre as individuals or in groups.

  Tachographs (Repairs)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to introduce regarding the approval of tachograph repairers.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have today issued a consultation paper setting out in detail proposals for a new scheme for approving tachograph repairers, following preliminary consultation last year. Copies are available in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  National Health Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Scottish Office of Government policy towards the future development of the National Health Service, with particular reference to the inquiry currently in progress and its consideration of matters of particular application to Scotland; and what representations she has received on this subject.

  The Prime Minister
  The circumstances of the Health Service in Scotland will be taken fully into account in our review of the National Health Service. The Scottish Office and the Department of Health and Social Security are closely in touch on these matters.

  Year 2000 (Celebration Plans)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will report on progress of the Government's plans to celebrate the year 2000.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) on 23 February 1988 at column 126.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Prime Minister whether any Government Department in the United Kingdom or its representatives abroad were consulted about the decision to delay the inquest on the three Irish Republican Army members shot in Gibraltar; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The decision to delay the inquest was the coroner's alone, although it was known for some time before his announcement that he was considering this.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Prime Minister why the decision to delay the inquest on the three Irish Republican Army members shot in Gibraltar was announced from No. 10 Downing street in advance of any formal announcement by the coroner in Gibraltar; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  A decision by the coroner to postpone the inquest had been widely forecast in the press. My press office understood that it had already been announced, as indeed it was later that same day. The decision to delay the inquest was the coroner's alone.

ENERGY

  CEGB (Energy Efficiency)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of 'State for Energy if he will direct the Central Electricity Generating Board to undertake investment in energy efficiency programmes, so as to reduce the need for its growing programme of pressurised water reactor nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The electricity supply industry already promotes the efficient use of energy through
  347
  schemes in the domestic sector such as Economy 7, Budget Warmth, Energy Wise, Medallion and Civic Shield awards; and in the industrial and commercial sectors through Energy Management in Lighting, PEP and BETA awards.

  Petroleum Production Licences
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if there is a minimum agreed work obligation linked to all petroleum production licences.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Most licences in practice include a work obligation, but there is no standard programme.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he varies or amends obligations entered into with companies to whom petroleum production licences have been granted exclusively.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend gave him on 5 May 1988 at columns 559–60, which details the circumstances in which amendments or variations are usually made.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if Gazette notices are required inviting applications for petroleum production licences which have been surrendered.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Surrendered areas which it was proposed to offer for relicensing in a future licensing round would be included in an announcement of the round made by means of parliamentary written statement, press notice and Gazette notice. Where the licence has been replaced by another form of licence, there would not be a notice inviting applications for the area.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on what basis his Department decides to replace surrendered licences with different types of licences.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  When considering applications for replacement of surrendered licences with different types of licences, I expect applicants to meet the requirements of the relevant regulations and to establish that it would be appropriate to award them the licence.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what mechanisms exist, where the holder of a petroleum production licence seeks to have it extended, for other applicants to be considered for the rights conferred by that licence.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  For certain forms of production licence, I have a discretion, set out in the relevant regulations, to extend the term. I would consider all the circumstances of the case before deciding whether to extend the term. If it was decided that the licence should not be extended, then the area in question would normally be made available in a future licensing round.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if it is the practice of his Department to notify owners of land affected when an extension is sought for an existing petroleum production licence;

  (2) if it is the practice of his Department to notify owners of land affected when the holder of a petroleum production licence seeks to have the licence altered materially.
  348
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No. I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend on 5 May 1988 at column 558. A petroleum licence by itself does not confer on the licence holder any rights over the freeholder's land, and the position would not change if the licence were extended.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by what the Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1976 (S.I. 1976 No. 1129) were replaced when superseded; and in what ways the regulations were varied.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The regulations referred to by my hon. Friend were amended by SIs 1978/929 and 1980/721 and then replaced in their entirety so far as the grant of new licences is concerned by the Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1982. In respect of seaward areas, the 1982 regulations have been amended by SIs 1984/397 and 1986/1021. For landward areas, the 1982 regulations were in turn superseded insofar as the grant of new licences was concerned by the Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1984, which are still in force. Details of the new system introduced by the 1984 regulations were given in the 1984 report to Parliament by the then Secretary of State for Energy on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how his Department notifies freehold owners of land that it is the Department's intention to grant or issue a petroleum production licence in respect of their land.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given of 5 May 1988 by my right hon. Friend at column 558. My hon. Friend wil also wish to note that information about the area which will be covered by new licences is given when my Department publishes a press release following every petroleum licensing round, showing the geographical areas over which I intend to issue the new licences. A notice is also published in the London Gazette giving the relevant co-ordinates and/or describing the extent of the areas which will be covered by the licences.

  Coal
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he expects the United Kingdom will be self-sufficient in its coal needs in 1992.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Both the demand for coal and the share of that demand supplied by United Kingdom sources will depend upon the United Kingdom industry's ability to compete with other fuels and with imported coal. The Government have every confidence that the British coal industry will take the necessary measures to enable it to become fully competitive.

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

  Mr. Parkinson
  The good practice set out in the codes published by the Commission for Racial Equality and the
  349
  Equal Opportunities Commission underpin the employment policies that operate within my Department. For example, recruitment advertisements are now placed with selected newspapers from the ethnic minority press as well as local newspapers; opportunities are available for female staff to attend women only development courses; and flexible working arrangements encourage those with domestic responsibilities to continue in paid employment.

  Energy Pricing
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will ask the European Commission to investigate unfair competition in energy pricing in member states.

  Mr. Parkinson
  With the support of all member states of the Community, the Commission has taken an initiative to identify obstacles to a single energy market. They include energy pricing practices.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make it his policy to support economic development measures for north Nottinghamshire aimed at its recovery from the effects of pit closures.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government have established a wide range of measures aimed at providing employment opportunities in areas hit by closure. These include the enterprise initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry, the programmes of the Manpower Services Commission, the activities of British Coal Enterprise Ltd., the advisory and counselling services of the small firms service, and the encouragement of local enterprise agencies.

  Coal Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will delay the date of publication of his Department's consultative document "Coal Mining Subsidence—Compensation".

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Department of Energy's consultation paper "Coal Mining Subsidence Compensation: Proposals for Legislation" was issued on Friday 29 April, as referred to in column 334 on 29 April.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will meet a deputation of local authority representatives from Nottinghamshire to discuss compensation for damage caused by coal mining subsidence.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I welcome the opportunity to learn the views of the local authorities in Nottinghamshire on coal mining subsidence compensation when they respond to the consultation document on the subject issued by my Department on 29 April.

  North Sea Oil Production Platforms
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has given further consideration to the abandonment policy for North sea oil production platforms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Part I of the Petroleum Act 1987 provides a framework for regulating abandonment and the 350
  Government have also played an active part in the development of international guidelines and standards in the International Maritime Organisation. Abandonment of offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking account of all relevant factors including safety of navigation, fishing patterns, the protection of the marine environment, technical complexity and cost.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any change has been agreed in the 1988–89 cash limits for the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the summer supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the overseas aid vote (class II, vote 5) will be increased from £1,221,114,000 to £1,223,114,000. This increase covers the higher level of contribution to the International Monetary Fund enhanced structural adjustment facility announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 14 December 1987, at column 371. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

ENVIRONMENT

  Ministerial Duties
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings with United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. the Minister for Sport, the hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) has attended in the course of his official duties in the last year; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I met the chairman of Nirex on 22 October 1987.

  Pollution
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidelines he follows in assessing the economic availability of the best available technology in relation to point sources discharges into the North sea;

  (2) if he will list those toxic substances that are likely to accumulate in living organisms and which should be controlled by emission standards based on the best available technology.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The principal criterion currently governing the setting of discharge consents is the need to protect the aquatic environment and safeguard legitimate uses of water, normally by reference to particular quality objectives or standards for receiving waters.

  However, I announced on 18 November that the Government intend to introduce an additional requirement for industrial processes discharging significant quantities of certain dangerous substances to use the best available technology not entailing excessive cost in order to minimise inputs of those substances. Detailed proposals, including how such a requirement might be applied, and to which substances, will be included in a forthcoming consultation paper.

  Water Authorities (Finance)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sums of free reserves available currently to each water authority over and above the estimated costs of fulfilling the recommendations of the Select Committee on Environment as stated in its report on river and estuary pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In the water authorities' accounts, the amounts shown in the balance sheet as "reserves" represent retained profit which has already been deployed to finance investment and do not therefore represent funds which are free to finance investment in later years. Details of the funding of the investment of each water authority are shown in the source and application of funds statement

  Loans outstanding

  Water authority loans outstanding time series [Outturn prices]

  £ million cash

  As at 31 March

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Loans outstanding

  Northumbrian

  89

  100

  134

  168

  202

  239

  259

  305

  353

  389

  397

  407

  424

  431

  North West

  234

  359

  399

  450

  486

  522

  566

  652

  691

  730

  811

  851

  920

  985

  Severn Trent

  370

  410

  459

  512

  501

  545

  568

  619

  675

  737

  748

  787

  840

  851

  Yorkshire

  180

  196

  235

  270

  285

  314

  347

  381

  415

  442

  469

  507

  537

  553

  Anglian

  343

  383

  447

  494

  516

  553

  572

  610

  681

  722

  792

  843

  885

  916

  Thames

  367

  383

  433

  472

  459

  443

  409

  424

  449

  432

  423

  394

  315

  242

  Southern

  146

  155

  159

  186

  196

  216

  241

  272

  284

  290

  312

  321

  328

  321

  Wessex

  105

  115

  127

  146

  151

  157

  167

  173

  180

  196

  213

  226

  250

  265

  South West

  74

  83

  98

  111

  115

  117

  120

  125

  128

  130

  133

  140

  143

  141

  England Total

  1,908

  2,184

  2,491

  2,809

  2,911

  3,106

  3,249

  3,561

  3,856

  4,068

  4,298

  4,476

  4,642

  4,705

  Water authority loans outstanding time series1 [1987 prices]

  memo: Index in use:

  102·6

  124·3

  150·6

  175·8

  191·8

  210·6

  252·2

  284·0

  313·4

  327·9

  345·1

  366·1

  381·6

  396·9

  As at 31st March

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Northumbrian

  344

  319

  353

  379

  418

  450

  408

  426

  447

  471

  457

  441

  441

  431

  North West

  905

  1,146

  1,052

  1,016

  1,006

  984

  891

  911

  875

  884

  933

  923

  957

  985

  Severn Trent

  1,431

  1,309

  1,210

  1,156

  1,037

  1,027

  894

  865

  855

  892

  860

  853

  874

  851

  Yorkshire

  696

  626

  619

  610

  590

  592

  546

  532

  526

  535

  539

  550

  559

  553

  Anglian

  1,327

  1,223

  1,178

  1,115

  1,068

  1,042

  900

  852

  862

  874

  911

  914

  920

  916

  Thames

  1,420

  1,223

  1,141

  1,066

  950

  835

  644

  593

  569

  523

  486

  427

  328

  242

  Southern

  565

  495

  419

  420

  406

  407

  379

  380

  360

  351

  359

  348

  341

  321

  Wessex

  406

  367

  335

  330

  312

  296

  263

  242

  228

  237

  245

  245

  260

  265

  South West

  286

  265

  258

  251

  238

  221

  189

  175

  162

  157

  153

  152

  149

  141

  England total

  7,381

  6,974

  6,565

  6,342

  6,024

  5,854

  5,113

  4,977

  4,883

  4,924

  4,943

  4,853

  4,828

  4,705

  1 Repriced figures adjusted for inflation.

  Notes:

  Master time series constant prices.

  Repricing to = 396·9 = 1987prices.

  Index in use = RPI.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each financial year for each water authority since its inception the capital investment for each both(a) in real terms measured against the retail prices index and (b) as a cash sum; and if he will make a statement.

  Water authority capital investment time series

  (1986–87 Prices DOE services only)

  Repricing to: =114·8 = 1986–87 prices

  Repriced figures adjusted for inflation

  Memo:

  42·6

  51·5

  55·0

  58·5

  66·4

  83·4

  103·7

  104·6

  102·9

  102·5

  105·1

  111·0

  114·8

  Index in use:

  Year

  1974–75

  1975–76

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Northumbrian

  65·5

  99·7

  123·4

  119·7

  112·5

  84·0

  65·4

  41·4

  42·1

  35·8

  29·4

  40·4

  36·7

  North West

  148·3

  129·3

  147·4

  131·9

  116·3

  115·9

  102·4

  97·1

  120·8

  147·9

  160·3

  169·3

  185·0

  Severn Trent

  196·0

  156·8

  148·9

  140·5

  132·1

  104·4

  109·2

  106·4

  155·7

  128·5

  116·6

  124·2

  150·0

  Yorkshire

  96·8

  106·1

  97·3

  95·8

  93·7

  77·7

  84·5

  81·0

  79·5

  86·6

  101·8

  96·8

  123·9

  352
  in their accounts which are laid before Parliament annually. My right hon. Friend expects to respond to the Select Committee's report shortly. This will take account of the financial implications of its recommendations.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each financial year for each water authority since their inception the amount owed to creditors at the end of each financial year(a) in real terms, measured against the retail price index and (b) as a cash sum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information is shown in the tables below. The amounts of loan outstanding at the end of each accounting period is based upon water authorities' annual accounts and may also be found in the Water Authorities Association annual publication, "Waterfacts".

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information requested is shown in the tables. Capital expenditure figures are drawn from water authority annual accounts. Real terms capital investment has been calculated with reference to the public works non-road index. This is an index specifically applied to water industry capital investment and as such is accepted as a more meaningful deflator of capital expenditure than the RPI.
  353

  Memo:

  42·6

  51·5

  55·0

  58·5

  66·4

  83·4

  103·7

  104·6

  102·9

  102·5

  105·1

  111·0

  114·8

  Index in use:

  Year

  1974–75

  1975–76

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Anglian

  185·5

  177·3

  145·5

  110·9

  103·2

  85·1

  88·7

  102·8

  100·8

  126·7

  101·6

  113·5

  128·0

  Thames

  143·7

  157·2

  156·8

  121·5

  105·8

  97·2

  87·1

  87·7

  105·6

  125·8

  111·0

  114·7

  130·6

  Southern

  66·9

  71·6

  72·2

  60·4

  62·2

  63·3

  52·2

  55·0

  55·9

  65·3

  62·1

  65·4

  67·0

  Wessex

  50·1

  52·6

  46·1

  40·2

  41·5

  34·0

  27·4

  32·5

  35·5

  44·8

  40·1

  51·8

  60·6

  South West

  47·2

  39·5

  38·0

  35·5

  28·9

  25·5

  23·3

  23·3

  28·3

  33·1

  42·8

  39·6

  39·6

  England Total (DOE Services only)

  999·9

  990·0

  975·6

  856·4

  796·2

  687·1

  640·3

  626·9

  724·2

  794·6

  768·6

  815·9

  921·4

  Note: Constant price figures for investment have been derived by using the Public Works Non Roads (PWNR) deflator.

  Water authority capital investment time series

  (Outturn prices DOE services only)

  £ million cash

  Year

  1974–75

  1975–76

  1976–77

  1977–78

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Capital expenditure

  Northumbrian

  24·3

  44·7

  59·1

  61·0

  65·1

  61·0

  59·1

  37·7

  37·7

  32·0

  26·9

  39·1

  36·7

  North West

  55·0

  58·0

  70·6

  67·2

  67·3

  84·2

  92·5

  88·5

  108·3

  132·1

  146·7

  163·7

  185·0

  Severn Trent

  72·7

  70·3

  71·3

  71·6

  76·4

  75·8

  98·7

  97·0

  139·6

  114·8

  106·7

  120·1

  150·0

  Yorkshire

  35·9

  47·6

  46·6

  48·8

  54·2

  56·4

  76·4

  73·8

  71·3

  77·4

  93·2

  93·6

  123·9

  Anglian

  68·8

  79·5

  69·7

  56·5

  59·7

  61·8

  80·2

  93·7

  90·4

  113·2

  93·0

  109·7

  128·0

  Thames

  53·3

  70·5

  75·1

  61·9

  61·2

  70·6

  78·7

  79·9

  94·7

  112·4

  104·3

  110·9

  130·6

  Southern

  24·8

  32·1

  34·6

  30·8

  36·0

  46·0

  47·2

  50·1

  50·1

  58·3

  56·8

  63·2

  67·0

  Wessex

  18·6

  23·6

  22·1

  20·5

  24·0

  24·7

  24·8

  29·6

  31·8

  40·0

  36·7

  50·1

  60·6

  South West

  17·5

  17·7

  18·2

  18·1

  16·7

  18·5

  21·1

  21·2

  25·4

  29·6

  39·2

  38·3

  39·6

  England Total1

  370·9

  444·0

  467·3

  436·4

  460·6

  499·0

  578·7

  571·5

  649·3

  709·8

  703·5

  788·7

  921·4

  1DOE services only.

  Water Industry (Privatisation)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what his Department estimates will be the result of privatisation on the debt burdens of the current water authorities; and what effect this will have on the Government's policy towards water authorities being self financing;

  (2) what information his Department currently holds on the likely dividends to shareholders resulting from water privatisation;

  (3) what his Department estimates will be the gross yield per annum of dividends to shareholders, assuming the whole water industry is privatised simultaneously, exempting those aspects of it which will be the responsibility of the National Rivers Authority;

  (4) what his Department estimates will be the effect on overheads and administrative costs of the water industry as a result of (a)changes in executive salaries and (b)registration and servicing of shareholders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  It would be premature to speculate about the magnitude of the sums involved in the questions raised by the hon. Member.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the per capita redistribution proceeds of the classified business rate will be calculated only on the basis of those adults registered to pay the community charge in a local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Our present intention is that the sums available from non-domestic rates should be distributed 354
  by reference to the best estimate of the registrable population making allowance for exempt persons and students, who will pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge. We intend to consult the local authority associations about these proposals.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the percentage increase or decrease in rate payments which will be paid by businesses and proprietors of commercial and industrial premises as a result of the introduction of the uniform business rate, in the following constituencies(a) Amber Valley, (b) Mid-Worcestershire, (c) West Lancashire, (d) Staffordshire, Moorlands, (e) Hendon, South, (f) Darlington and (g) Fylde.

  Mr. Howard
  If a national non-domestic rate had been in operation in 1987–88 at the then average level of 224·1p, general rates in the named constituency areas would have been changed as follows:

  1987–88

  Per cent.

  Amber Valley

  -22

  Mid Worcestershire

  Redditch

  +11

  Wychavon

  +14

  West Lancashire

  -1

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  +1

  Hendon South

  +21

  Darlington

  -17

  Fylde

  -1

  Liverpool (Visit)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Under-Secretary of State's visit to Liverpool.
  355
  Mr. Chope
  I visited Liverpool on Monday 16 May for a meeting with the Merseyside residuary body. Discussions centred on the RB's progress towards wind up, scheduled for March 1989.

  Bathing Water Survey
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North East (Mrs. Hicks) on 5 May,Official Report, columns 571–77, on what date he will place in the Library a detailed summary of the results of the bathing water survey.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Within a few weeks.

  Barn Owls
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide estimates to show the change in numbers of barn owls in England and Wales over the last 20 years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The only available figures for England and Wales are a survey in 1932 which showed a breeding population of just over 12,000 pairs and the Hawk Trust's barn owl survey, taken over the period 1982–85, which showed some 3,750 pairs.

  Sporting Events (Violence)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the implications for his initiatives to reduce violence at sporting events of the refusal of Torquay United FC to relocate its match against Swansea on 28 May.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A representative of Swansea City supporters club telephoned my officials on 24 May. We have made inquiries of the Football League and the police and my concerns have been made clear to them. However, it is for the Football League and the police to decide whether there is a case for relocating this match. I have been assured that the police are satisfied that they have made appropriate arrangements to deal with potential problems. They are aware of the possible problems and have prepared a contingency plan to cope with them. The situation will, however, continue to be monitored by the police and their policing arrangements will be reviewed in the light of any further information they receive.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of how many councils with waste disposal responsibility in England have terms of contract which will be affected by the recent court ruling in the case of Torfaen borough council v. ReChem plc; and what representations he has received about the implications of this judgment.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The judgment made on 16 September 1987 in the case Regina v. ReChem International Ltd. concerned the validity of a condition in a licence for waste disposal under part 1 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Under the 1974 Act, it is the responsibility of waste disposal authorities to issue such licences, and it is for each authority to satisfy itself that any conditions in the licence are valid and enforceable. Licences do not come before the
  356
  Secretary of State except on appeal. I do not, therefore, have the information to assess how many licences may be affected by the ReChem case. I have received no representations about the implications of the judgment.

  Residential Development
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the proportion of planning appeals he has allowed for residential development for schemes of(a) 100 houses and under and (b) over 100 houses (i) nationally, (ii) in the south-east planning region and (iii) in Kent, over the most recent convenient 12-month period.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  BWB Freight Depots (Sale)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations were taken into account in deciding which bid was successful in the sale of the eight freight depots by British Waterways Board to Leggett Freightways; what conditions of sale were offered by the Leggett Freightways which enhanced the employment conditions of British Waterways Board employees over and above those provided by statute; and why the sale was spread over five accounting years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In assessing bids, the British Waterways Board took into account all relevant considerations, including the financial basis of the bid, the nature of the firm's interest and the implications for BWB employees.

  The bid from Leggett Freightways, as well as being the most financially advantageous for the board, provided the best prospects for the long-term future of the employees concerned. Their conditions of service on transfer will be unchanged in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. For pensions, which are not covered by the regulations, employees will initially remain in the BWB scheme. Leggett Freightways has undertaken to introduce within six months a scheme of its own which will provide comparable benefits at comparable levels of contribution.

  The arrangements for payment of the purchase price over five years compare favourably on the basis of net present value with the terms offered in other bids.

  ID Investment Development AG
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to the answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 493, regarding the conveyance of Heveningham Hall to ID Investment Development AG, what information he has as to the identity of the main shareholders in that company.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Planning
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many people are employed in planning in his Department;

  (2) what is the total annual cost of the planning function at his Department;

  (3) how many people are employed in regional planning in his Department;
  357
  (4) what is the total annual cost of regional planning in his Department.

  Mr. Ridley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  SERPLAN
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many people are employed at Serplan;.

  (2) what is the cost per annum of Serplan.

  Mr. Ridley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Tenants (Milton Keynes)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will allow a ballot of tenants in Milton Keynes corporation on the transfer of housing management functions back to the corporation.

  Mrs. Roe
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Racial Equality
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to enable councils in Great Britain to refuse to contract work to companies and firms which are discovered to have poor records on racial equality in the work force.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the current membership and affiliations of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee; and what criteria are used for making appointments to the Committee.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any changes to announce to his Department's cash limits or the running cost limit for 1988–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  The cash limit for Class X, Vote 5 (Department of the Environment: administration) has been reduced by £0·160 million from £123·597 million to £123·437 million. This results from the transfer of responsibility for payments to the Post Office for issuing game licences from my Department to the Home Office. The departmental running costs limit has also been reduced by £0·160 million from £155·222 million to £155·062 million.

  The cash limit for Class X, Vote 6 (rate support grants, England) has been reduced by £400 million from £10,224·200 million to £9,824·200 million. The latest estimate of block grant payable in respect of 1988–89 is £8,938 million, £533 million less than provided in the settlement and hence in the original vote estimate. However, there are indications that this underclaim will reduce later in the year and in the light of this and other information I consider a reduction of £400 million to be appropriate.
  358
  The cash limit for Class X, Vote 9 (sale of shares in water services plcs etc.) has been reduced by £60,000 from £2,500,000 to £2,440,000. This is to provide for expenditure to be incurred by the Secretary of State for Wales on advice relating to the privatisation of the Welsh water authority.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the names of consultants appointed by the London Docklands development corporation in the last financial year, together with the nature of the contract, and indicating those cases where the auditors have found no evidence of formal competition.

  Mr. Trippier
  [pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1987, column 598.]: The LDDC let contracts to 140 consultants in the 1986–87 financial year, at a total cost of £10·9 million. The external auditors, Messrs Ernst and Whinney, have not found any cases during their audit which fail to meet the guidelines on competition. The consultants appointed during 1986–87 are identified in a list which has been placed in the Library by the type of expertise they provided.

  The LDDC also let contracts to 145 consultants in the financial year 1985–86, at a total cost of £7·9 million. The external auditors, Messrs Robson Rhodes, reported 40 cases where the full documentary evidence of the competitive process that had been carried out was not always available to those ratifying appointments. The LDDC has made it clear, however, that such evidence was always kept on file, and was available for inspection if requested. A list of these contracts has been placed in the Library.

  Housing Defects
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government have completed their consultations on the proposed new expenditure limits for grant eligible reinstatement works under the housing defects legislation; and if he will make a statement

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [pursuant to his answer, 5 May 1988, column 567]: The order made on 3 May (1988 No. 820), introducing the new grant-eligible expenditure limits for repairs under the housing defects legislation, contained certain errors. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have therefore made a second order (1988 No. 923) which ensures that the correct limits come into force, as intended, on Tuesday 31 May 1988. My officials are dealing with this in their letter to local authorities, home owners' groups and repairers.

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

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 10 May 1988]: Following are the principal events I have attendee. This list does not include a wide range of local and school sporting activities also seen on official duties.
  359

  Event

  1987

  17 June

  Boxing, Albert Hall

  18 June

  England v Pakistan (cricket, 2nd Test)

  1 July

  Boxing (world title fight), Albert Hall

  3 July

  Wimbledon Tennis Championships

  4 July

  Henley Royal Regatta

  5 July

  Wimbledon Tennis Championships (Men's Finals)

  10 July

  Peugeot Talbot Games (athletics), Crystal Palace

  12 July

  European Dressage Championships, Goodwood

  12 July

  London Youth Games

  17 July

  Cricket, Wakefield

  23 July

  National Schools Regatta, Solent

  25 July

  Junior International Championships (Women's Bowling), Coventry

  26 July

  Final stage of the Tour de France, Paris

  31 July

  ESCA v Presidents XI (cricket), Harrow

  1 August

  Stoke Mandeville World Wheelchair Games

  2 August

  Motorcycle Grand Prix, Donnington

  3–4 August

  Admirals Cup (sailing), Cowes

  6 August

  5th Cornhill Test (cricket), Oval

  8 August

  England v Rest of the World (football), Wembley

  27 August

  World Netball Tournament, Glasgow

  28 August

  World Rowing Championships, Copenhagen

  3–7 September

  World Athletics Championships, Rome

  9 September

  England v West Germany, Dusseldorf

  12 September

  South Coast Rowing Championships, Isle of Wight

  13 September

  2nd European Hockey Cup—Picketts Lock

  16 September

  Opening of 20th World Water Skiing Championships, Thorpe Park

  19 September

  World Board Sailing Championships, St. Austell, Cornwall

  20 September

  Chislehurst Fun Run

  Westminster Mile

  Baseball at the Oval

  26 September

  Rugby Union: Bristol v. Gloucester

  27 September

  Lewisham Lions Modern Pentathlon

  Sunday Times Fun Run—Hyde Park

  3 October

  Charlton v. Arsenal (football)

  4 October

  Opening of Charlton's Training Ground (football displays)

  4 October

  England v. Turkey (football), European Championships, Wembley

  18 October

  British Airways Masters—Badminton Tournament, Royal Albert Hall Serpentine Regatta—Hyde Park

  20 October

  World Open Squash Championships, NEC, Birmingham

  24 October

  Bruno v. Bugner Boxing, White Hart Lane

  25 October

  Brands Hatch, Motorcycle Meeting

  26 October

  WBC Boxing Tournament, Café Royal

  28 October

  WBC Boxing Conference, Cumberland Hotel

  31 October

  Tottenham v. Wimbledon

  1 November

  ILEA Fun Run, Crystal Palace

  7 November

  Final World Cup One Day Cricket—Calcutta

  16 November

  London Federation of Boys' Clubs Senior Boxing Championships Final, Grosvenor House Hotel

  23 November

  Lords & Commons Swimming Gala

  24 November

  Semi Final of Come Dancing—Blackpool

  26 November

  Metropolitan Police Five-a-side Youth Football Competition, Wembley

  12 December

  Cheltenham, Racing

  Nabisco Masters Doubles Tennis, Royal Albert Hall

  13 December

  BBC TV Sports Review 1987, Television Centre

  20 December

  Charlton v. Chelsea

  28 December

  Racing at Chepstow

  1988

  1 January

  Manchester United v Charlton Athletic

  16 January

  Luton v Derby County

  23 January

  Charlton v Liverpool

  360

  Event

  28 January

  Benson and Hedges Snooker Quarter Final, Wembley

  4 February

  Inauguration of Girobank Trampoline League, Elephant and Castle

  6 February

  England v Wales, Twickenham

  12–18 February

  Winter Olympics, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  20 February

  Wales v Scotland, Cardiff

  26 February

  Penguin Swimathon '88, Queen Mother Sports Centre

  27 February

  Hartlepool v Crewe Alexandra

  28 February

  Multiple Sclerosis Society Cricket Match, Hampstead Cricket Club

  6 March

  Martini Challenge International Fencing Championships 1988, Seymour Leisure Centre, W1

  12 March

  England v USA, Athletics, RAF Cosford

  15 and 17 March

  Cheltenham Festival

  19 March

  International Ladies Hockey, England v Spain, Wembley

  20 March

  Ladies Hockey 1st XIV East—Ealing

  23 March

  Regional Disabled Swimming Championship, Ladywell Pool, Lewisham

  23 March

  England v Holland Football International, Wembley

  26 March

  Derby County v Arsenal

  27 March

  Mini Hockey Tournament, Crystal Palace

  29 March

  Professional Boxing, Wembley Arena

  1 April

  FC Berlin v Erfurt, East Berlin

  2 April

  Ice Show, East Berlin

  3 April

  Ladies Handball International, East Berlin

  9 April

  Grand National, Aintree

  10 April

  British Open Teams Gymnastics Centenary Championships, Bognor Regis

  12–13 April

  British National Skiing Championships, Alpe d'Huex, France and 100 gates of Slalom; Disabled Initiative

  21 April

  Wheelchair Bowls Match, Stoke Mandeville

  23 April

  Charlton Athletic v Newcastle

  24 April

  Littlewoods Cup Final, Arsenal v Luton, Wembley

  30 April

  Rugby League Silk Cut Challenge Cup Final, Halifax v Wigan, Wembley

  2 May

  Motor Racing, Silverstone

  7 May

  Badminton Three-Day Event

  14 May

  FA Cup Final, Liverpool v Wimbledon, Wembley

  15 May

  100 ends of bowls against disabled international team, Paddington

  22 May

  Cricket: Lords Taverners v Masters XI, Dulwich

  23 May

  Cricket: England v West Indies at Lords

  24 May

  Football, England v Colombia at Wembley

  Americium-241
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he possesses further to that included in the 1987 annual report, to April 1987, of the radiochemical inspectorate, concerning the whereabouts of a consignment of Americium-241 which disappeared en route from the United States of America to Amersham International; what investigations have been undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 23 May 1988]: A full investigation was carried out by inspectors of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, who interviewed employees of the agencies concerned and arranged for an extensive physical search of the agencies' premises to be carried out. Despite those efforts, the radioactive source was not located. The freight handling agencies have been instructed to notify HMIP immediately if the package is found. Steps have been taken to ensure that the carriers

  361
  concerned are fully aware of the requirements of the Storage in Transit Exemption Order 1962, and I am considering whether any amendments to that Order are required.

SCOTLAND

  Post-operative Deaths
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce funding for a confidential inquiry into post-operative deaths along the lines of the one recently carried out in England and Wales.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This matter is currently receiving consideration.

  Wage Rates
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average hourly wage for(a) full-time female employees, (b) part-time female employees, (c) full-time male employees, and (d) part-time male employees, in Scotland since 1985, in cash and real terms.

  Mr. Lang
  The following information has been derived from the new earnings survey, which is conducted by the 362
  Department of Employment in April each year, and covers a 1 per cent. sample of employees who are members of PAYE schemes.

  Average hourly earnings (excluding the effect of overtime) of adult employees1 in Scotland

  2Pence per hour

  Female

  Female

  Male

  Male

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Cash terms

  1985

  314·0

  257·5

  438·2

  n.a.

  1986

  343·8

  272·0

  471·6

  n.a

  1987

  364·8

  289·5

  505·3

  n. a

  Real terms: at April 1987 3prices

  1985

  337·3

  276·6

  470·7

  n.a.

  1986

  358·3

  283·5

  491·6

  n.a.

  1987

  364·8

  289·5

  505·3

  n.a.

  1Employees on adult rates, excluding those whose pay for the survey pay-period was affected by absence.

  2All figures are subject to sampling errors.

  3These estimates were made using the Retail Prices Index

  n.a. Not available.

  Bathing Water
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the reply on bathing water in Scotland on 5 May Official Report, column 536, on what date he now expects to publish a full report for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Development Department expects to publish the report in June.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inquiries his Department has received about the poll tax; and how long it is taking on average to answer each inquiry.

  Stage of participation in TVEI

  Education authorities involved

  Optional/Compulsory participation by pupils

  Pilot project (small numbers of secondary schools)

  Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Western Isles, Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute, Glasgow, Ayr, Dumbarton and Lanark Divisions)

  Optional

  Preparatory Project (all secondary schools in Orkney; small numbers in other EAs)

  Central, Orkney, Shetland

  Optional in Central and Shetland; compulsory in Orkney because of small numbers involved.

  Extension project (all secondary schools)

  Lothian, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Strathclyde (Renfrew Division)

  Compulsory

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library copies of any minutes of all meetings which took place in 1981, 1982, and 1987, between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for health and the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No.

  Pre-court Diversion Schemes
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to publish the findings of his Department's research into pre-court diversion schemes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 9 February 1988. The second report to which I referred has not yet been received.

  Unemployed Young People
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people under the age of 18 years in Renfrew, West and Inverclyde are unemployed and have not been on any Government scheme.

  Mr. Lang
  The number of unemployed claimants under the age of 18 in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde parliamentary constituency on 14 April 1988 (the latest date for which information is available) was 149. Details of
  364
  Mr. Lang
  Since May last year, when the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Bill was enacted, my right hon. and learned Friend has received about 2,200 inquiries about the community charge, over half since the publication of the booklet "You and the Community Charge". The length of time taken to deal with each inquiry depends on its nature.

  Technical, Vocational and Educational Initiative
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the technical, vocational and educational initiative programme has been implemented in each education authority in Scotland; and whether it is optional or compulsory for pupils in each area to participate.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The following table shows the position as it will be from autumn 1988:

  those unemployed claimants who have not benefited from a Government training or employment scheme are not collected.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Discontinued Cases
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the number of cases discontinued, by area, by the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will break them down by type of offence, for the last 12 months.

  The Attorney-General
  During the 12-month period ending 31 March 1988, a total of 109,580 defendants had the cases against them wholly discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service, either under the formal provisions of section 23 of the Prosecution of Offences Act, 1985, (under which section proceedings may be discontinued at an early stage by written notice to the magistrates court and to the defendant, without any further court hearing) or by no evidence being offered at court. The table shows the figures for each area. Records of the figures broken down by type of offence are not maintained, and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  During the same 12-month period, a total of 57,760 cases were referred by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice prior to any charges being made. In a significant proportion of these cases, the Crown Prosecution Service advised that no proceedings should be instituted.
  365

  Cases discontinued

  Area

  April—June 1987

  July—Sept 1987

  Oct—Dec 1987

  Jan—March 1988

  Total

  Avon-Somerset

  589

  553

  503

  493

  2,138

  Bedfordshire-Hertfordshire

  682

  407

  475

  378

  1,942

  Cambridgeshire-Lincolnshire

  374

  432

  480

  497

  1,783

  Cheshire

  376

  384

  440

  554

  1,754

  Derbyshire

  746

  332

  308

  403

  1,789

  Devon-Cornwall

  765

  815

  647

  610

  2,837

  Dorset-Hampshire

  918

  933

  1,086

  1,176

  4,113

  Essex

  757

  631

  587

  933

  2,908

  Gloucestershire-Wiltshire

  475

  607

  589

  624

  2,295

  Humberside

  144

  195

  301

  379

  1,019

  Kent

  1,134

  945

  695

  1,024

  3,798

  Lancashire-Cumbria

  1,017

  1,143

  1,085

  1,135

  4,380

  Leicestershire-Northamptonshire

  925

  776

  647

  670

  3,018

  London Inner

  1,522

  1,682

  1,934

  2,070

  7,208

  London North

  974

  1,167

  1,354

  1,400

  4,895

  London South

  1,280

  1,365

  1,539

  1,565

  5,749

  Manchester

  1,399

  1,528

  1,520

  1,802

  6,249

  Merseyside

  898

  1,210

  1,165

  1,142

  4,415

  North Wales-Dyfed

  460

  562

  587

  640

  2,249

  North Yorkshire-Cleveland

  443

  547

  666

  734

  2,390

  Northumbria-Durham

  982

  1,335

  1,133

  1,209

  4,659

  Nottinghamshire

  128

  183

  200

  283

  794

  South Wales-Gwent

  1,762

  1,729

  1,711

  1,808

  7,010

  South Yorkshire

  530

  492

  769

  692

  2,483

  Staffordshire-Warwickshire

  642

  569

  716

  1,010

  2,937

  Suffolk-Norfolk

  798

  633

  525

  622

  2,578

  Sussex

  1,202

  1,071

  1,113

  1,236

  4,622

  Thames Valley

  366

  668

  722

  828

  2,584

  West Mercia

  454

  535

  492

  571

  2,052

  West Midlands

  411

  767

  576

  699

  2,453

  West Yorkshire

  2,214

  2,256

  2,569

  2,610

  9,649

  Grand total

  25,367

  26,452

  27,134

  29,797

  108,750

  Torfaen Borough Council (Court Case)
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Attorney-General on what date he received a letter from Torfaen borough council about the recent court decision in the case involving the council and ReChem plc; on what date an acknowledgement was sent; when he hopes to be able to send a substantive reply; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The initial correspondence from the office of the solicitor to the borough of Torfaen was received on 26 January 1988 and was formally acknowledged on that day. The points of law raised by the ruling to which the hon. Member refers have since been considered by officials and are under consideration by me. I expect to reach my decision shortly, whereupon it will be communicated to the borough solicitor.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he is taking against bookshops found to be selling "Spycatcher".

  The Attorney-General
  The organised sale or distribution of "Spycatcher" is at risk of being a contempt of court. In my capacity as a law enforcement officer, I shall continue to direct the sending of letters warning bookshops found to be selling the book of the risk and requiring them to withdraw the book from sale and to undertake not to resume sale of the book unless or until permitted by law to do so. This week I have directed the sending of five such letters.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Car Park (Passes)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will state the number of current passes for the House of Commons car park which have been issued to each category of person entitled to such parking passes; and whether particular places are for the use only of hon. Members.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Category

  Permit holders

  Current permits

  1.

  Right hon. and hon. Members (Levels 1, 2 and 3)

  606

  2.

  Officers of the House (Level 5)

  112

  3.

  Members' Secretaries with over 15 years service (Marked bays on Level 3)

  25

  4.

  Late night staff (Levels 4 and 5)

  298

  5.

  Staff of the House with over 15 years service (Levels 4 and 5)

  44

  6.

  Palace of Westminster photographic pass holders on Fridays and non-sitting days only (Levels 4 and 5)

  474

  The top three levels of the underground car park are reserved for the use of hon. Members; however the Services Committee has long recognised the convenience to hon. Members of being able to transfer their car parking permit to any Palace of Westminster photographic pass holder acting on their behalf.

  Televising (Lighting)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has for the holding of a lighting demonstration in the Chamber in connection with the proposed experiment in the televising of proceedings of the House.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Arrangements have been made for the BBC and ITN to hold a lighting demonstration in the Chamber at 10.30 am on Tuesday 14 June. All right hon. and hon. Members are invited to attend.

  Further details are given in a letter from the chief political adviser, BBC, to the Clerk of the Select Committee on the Televising of Proceedings of the House. A copy has been placed in the Library. The text of the letter is as follows:
  "This will confirm our discussions about the lighting demonstration for the televising of the Commons. We have agreed that this should take place on Tuesday, 14th June at 10.30 am.
  The broadcasters (BBC and ITN) will arrange for a demonstration of the different types of lighting which would provide adequate pictures for television companies. We will also have in the Chamber a camera, a remote control mechanism and a possible "hide" for these.
  As you will understand, it is not possible for such a demonstration to be mounted in anything other than a workmanlike way. The lighting will be mounted on scaffolding poles. Because we shall be demonstrating more than one lighting type, there will be more lights than would be needed for the final version. There will be no opportunity to make any concession to aesthetics. We can only give an indication of what options could be available. The final installation would be very different.
  I am worried that, if these limitations are not understood, it might be thought that the broadcasters were contemplating some insensitive installation. This is not so and I wanted to emphasise this to the Committee at this point.
  We will be in touch with the Serjeant-at-Arms and we will ask the PSA about the practical details for the work. The PSA will put in the scaffolding over the weekend and we will test out the lighting systems. The scaffolding will be left in on the Monday, and we shall put in the lights overnight Monday/Tuesday in preparation for the demonstration. We will then remove the lights for Tuesday's sitting. The PSA will be requested to remove the scaffolding on Tuesday night, so that by Wednesday, 15th, there should be no trace of us."

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Directives
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the proposed European directives that he has vetoed in the Council of Ministers since 1979.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Council secretariat does not keep records of votes on a national basis. The information requested is therefore not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Foreign Honours and Medals
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British nationals are permitted to receive and wear official foreign honours awarded later than five years after the end of the last war.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Orders ('B') Regulations which govern the acceptance and 368
  wearing by persons not in the service of the Crown of orders, decorations and medals conferred by Heads or Governments of foreign states and by members of the Commonwealth overseas of which the Queen is not the Head of State stipulate inter alia that
  "Permission will be not given in respect of Orders relating to services wholly rendered more than five years before the question of eligibility for permission is raised."

  Similar rules apply to persons in the service of the Crown.

  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British nationals are permitted to receive and wear foreign commemorative medals under military regulations A, "Awards of Medals".

  Mr. Mellor
  I shall write to my right hon. Friend as soon as possible, and place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Disarmament
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards each of the recommendations of the United Nations Association for the forthcoming United Nations special session on disarmament, a copy of which has been forwarded to him.

  Mr. Mellor
  I assume that the recommendations referred to are those in the paper submitted by the United Nations Association to the chairman of the UNSSD III preparatory committee on 14 January. We share the UNA's belief that disarmament and security are indivisible. The United Kingdom is committed to the search for increased security at lower levels of armaments. We look to the United Nations special session for a balanced and constructive discussion of all aspects of arms control and disarmament. We support the United Nations as the leading forum for worldwide international co-operation. We seek to make the maximum use of the United Nations to promote the settlement of disputes, to preserve peace and to spread the rule of law. We have always supported the United Nation's peace-keeping efforts, and have supported the increased use of the secretary-general's "good offices".

  Militarily significant, verifiable and politically binding confidence-building measures can contribute to breaking down barriers of mistrust and to reducing the risk of miscalculation, and as such are an essential pre-requisite for meaningful arms control. However, we see no value in purely declaratory measures.

  We have warmly and publicly endorsed the central message of the Brundtland report that the way forward lies in sustainable development based on economic growth.

  We are committed to the search for balanced, equitable and verifiable measures of arms control. Without such agreements, however, the Government do not believe that a case has been made for conversion which would require any Government action at present.

  We played a full part at the conference on disarmament and development; we are committed to both disarmament and development each for its own sake. However there is no simple, automatic link between the two goals. In particular we do not believe that progress in one should depend on progress on the other. Our reservations about the final document were expressed in our closing statement at the conference.
  369
  On a United Nations verification agency I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 23 May.

  Under chapter VII of the United Nations charter the Security Council is empowered to take measures (for example. arms embargoes) to maintan or restore international peace and security. The imposition of such measures is, of course, subject to agreement in the Security Council.

  We believe that an arms sales register complied under the auspices of the United Nations could in principle establish a means of monitoring, in a universal and non-discriminatory manner, measures taken to restrain the accumulation of conventional arms. But to be effective such a register must be universal and not simply based on the production, import and export of arms of the western countries alone. We do not believe that the imposition of timetables on arms control negotiations is a useful of effective way of conducting them.

  The Government are fully committed to implementation of article VI of the non-proliferation treaty. We have consistently urged and worked for constructive arms control negotiations. But we firmly believe that the first step towards nuclear disarmament must be effective bilateral negotiations between the superpowers, who possess 95 per cent. of the world's nuclear weapons. We therefore strongly support the United States—USSR arms control negotiations at Geneva whose objectives are wholly consistent with the obligations assumed under article VI.

  Our policy towards a comprehensive test ban treaty was outlined in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to two questions by the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 30 November 1987.

  An effective verifiable global ban on chemical weapons is a United Kingdom priority, and we are working hard at the Geneva negotiations to achieve this.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Research and Development
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the level of his Department's support for research and development by region, for each financial year from 1979–80 to 1987–88(a) as a percentage of the total budget and (b) in cash terms;

  (2) what was the level of his Department's support for research and development for each of the counties of Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and East Sussex for each year from 1979–80 to 1987–88 in cash terms.

  Mr. Butcher
  This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he has taken to remedy past inequalities in employment practices in his Department, in compliance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

  Mr. Butcher
  The DTI agreed the adoption of policies on race relations and equality of opportunity for women 370
  with its departmental trade unions in 1984. These policies take account of the codes of practice issued under the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Equal Opportunity Act 1975. Policy statements were circulated to all staff in 1984. Copies of these have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. All DTI staff have been made aware of their personal responsibility to ensure quality of opportunity. Guidance is given, in particular, to those who report on others performance; those who select for recruitment, training, promotion and allocation to duties; and to managers, about the need to guard against unfair discrimination. Some examples of action taken are:
  Appointment of an equal opportunity officer in 1984. An ethnic monitoring survey of all staff has been undertaken with a view to providing a database against which progress of various groups can be monitored.
  Staff who face changes in domestic responsibilities may be helped to remain in, or return to, employment by special leave arrangements, part-time working and so on.
  The Department provides a one-week women-only management course.
  Grievance procedures are clearly laid down.

  Carbadox and Olaquindox
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information and at what level of disaggregation his Department holds of the volume of the compounds(a) Carbadox and (b) Olaquindox which is (i) produced and (ii) sold in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  This information is not available.

  Regional Development Grant
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at what level of hourly remuneration the threshold for jobs is to be regarded as being created for the purposes of regional development grant.

  Mr. Atkins
  In determining the number of jobs to be provided by a project for the purposes of regional development grant, the Secretary of State takes account of all the circumstances of the case, including whether the published criteria of the scheme are met; whether remuneration is by commission or salary/wages, or both; and the rates of pay. There is no particular threshold in relation to the rates of pay.

  Pen Tops (Safety)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the British Standards Institute to develop a new safety standard for pen tops; at what stage is its investigation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The British Standards Institution has set up a committee to develop a new standard. It held its first meeting in April and a further one will take place in June at which it is hoped to finalise a draft. This will then be circulated for public comment before an expected publication date in December. The standard will be considered for approval for the purpose of the general safety requirement provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  Airbus
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what rate of exchange between the pound
  371
  sterling and the United States dollar was assumed in deciding the launch aid provided by his Department towards the Airbus A330 and A340 projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Information on the rate of exchange assumed between sterling and the United States dollar, and indeed other aspects of the discussions with the Government on British Aerospace's application for launch aid for the A330/A340 programme, is commercially confidential.

  Regional Enterprise Grant
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements are being made for expenditure provision for regional enterprise grants for innovation in Scotland and Wales and for estimated receipts from the European regional development fund; and what consequential changes to his Department's cash limits for 1988–89 will be made.

  Mr. Atkins
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and supplementary estimates, the cash limit, for Class V, Vote 2 will be reduced by £4,460,000 from £574,715,000 to £570,255,000 to cover transfers to the Welsh Office's Class XVII, Vote 2 and the Industry Department for Scotland's Class XVI, Vote 3 of provision for expenditure on regional enterprise grants for innovation projects, and to take account of latest estimates for receipts from the European regional development fund.

  As a result, the cash limit for Class XVII Vote 2 will increase by £600,000 from £76,100,000 to £76,700,000 and the cash limit for Class XVI, Vote 3 will increase by £1,100,000 from £135,854,000 to £136,954,000.

  No net increase to public expenditure results from these changes.

  Departmental Cash Limit
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit for 1988–89 for Class V, Vote 8.

  Mr. Maude
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimates, the cash limit for Class V, Vote 8 (expenses related to the privatisation of the British Steel Corporation) will be reduced by £1,199,000 leaving a token provision of £1,000.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the outcome of the negotiations with the European Commission on the value added tax threshold.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-West (Sir A. Grant) at column 874 on 22 January.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the financial and manpower savings in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise as a result of the implementation of the Customs 88 project.
  372
  Mr. Lilley
  The Customs 88 changes were introduced throughout the European Community on 1 January 1988 with the aim of simplifying and facilitating European trade. They were not designed to achieve financial and manpower savings in customs administration and did not have that effect.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's commitment to trade facilitation as an objective of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise service.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government are fully committed to trade facilitation as an objective of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and are satisfied that it is given due weight in the management of the Department's activities.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion as a percentage of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise financial and manpower resources is devoted to the fast clearance of international traffic, to preventive checks and to collection of dues and duties.

  Mr. Lilley
  The latest completed figures are for the year ended 31 March 1987 as published in the last report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. The figures are:

  Percentage cost of administration

  Percentage of manpower

  Customs duties including freight clearance and revenue collection work

  16

  14

  CAP work

  1½

  1½

  Preventive work

  18

  14

  It is not expected that the figures for 1987–88 or for the current year 1988–89 will show significant variations from this, although the proportion of preventive work will reflect the increased manpower introduced last year and planned for this year. Fast clearance is not identified separately within the allocations set out in the table.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement as to the working priorities of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, indicating the role of trade facilitation as part of its ongoing activities.

  Mr. Lilley
  The working priorities of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are clearly set out in the board's management plan for 1988–89, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Trade facilitation is a major consideration in determining the Department's activities, so long as it is consistent with the maintenance of effective customs controls and the necessary protection of revenues.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has made to use the resources saved in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise by ports and airports linking into the DTI system to help to speed up the clearance of goods through a port.

  Mr. Lilley
  Resource savings stemming from the introduction of direct trader input (DTI) facilities have been utilised to improve the effectiveness of existing controls and to accommodate increases in the volume of international trade.
  373
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of savings in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise budget as a result of major international ports and airports linking into DTI systems.

  Mr. Lilley
  In 1988–89, running costs savings in Customs and Excise arising from utilisation of direct trader input systems are estimated to be £5 million.

  Overseas Investment
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the breakdown of the United Kingdom's net overseas investment since 1979 between the following geographical areas(a) The United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) Canada, (d) Australasia, (e) South America, (f) south-east Asia, (g) other EEC countries, (h) other European countries and (i) the rest of the world.

  Mr. Major
  Comprehensive information on the geographical distribution of overseas assets is not available. Data on direct investment relating to the end of 1984 may be found in British Business of 22 May 1987. Estimates of direct investment flows overseas to end of 1986 were published in British Business of 11 March 1988. The latest issue of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin contains information on the United Kingdom monetary sector's assets overseas as at the end of 1987.

  Taxpaying unit by marginal rate

  Region

  Thousands

  As percentage of all taxpaying units

  30 per cent.

  40 per cent.

  45 per cent.

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  30 per cent.

  40 per cent.

  45 per cent.

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  North

  1,000

  11

  6

  5

  (2)

  (3)

  97·2

  1·1

  0·6

  0·5

  0·2

  0·3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,570

  24

  13

  8

  3

  5

  96·8

  1·5

  0·8

  0·5

  0·2

  0·3

  North West

  2,070

  36

  21

  10

  4

  5

  96·5

  1·7

  1·0

  0·5

  0·2

  0·2

  East Midlands

  1,310

  16

  11

  6

  (4)

  4

  96·9

  1·2

  0·8

  0·5

  0·3

  0·3

  West Midlands

  1,700

  19

  (18)

  (11)

  6

  4

  96·8

  1·1

  1·0

  0·6

  0·2

  0·3

  East Anglia

  660

  (12)

  8

  5

  (3)

  (5)

  95·3

  1·8

  1·2

  0·7

  0·4

  0·7

  South East

  6,200

  190

  119

  75

  38

  60

  92·8

  2·8

  1·8

  1·1

  0·6

  0·9

  South West

  1,490

  31

  14

  13

  5

  (7)

  95·6

  2·0

  0·9

  0·8

  0·3

  0·4

  Wales

  800

  13

  7

  3

  (3)

  2

  96·6

  1·5

  0·8

  0·4

  0·4

  0·2

  Scotland

  1,690

  36

  18

  11

  4

  6

  95·7

  2·0

  1·0

  0·6

  0·2

  0·3

  Northern Ireland

  430

  7

  (6)

  (2)

  (1)

  (1)

  96·0

  1·6

  1·4

  0·5

  0·2

  0·2

  Hearing Aids
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to seek to exempt all hearing aids from value added tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: Hearing aids supplied by a person on the register of dispensers of hearing aids or the register of persons employing such dispensers are at present exempt from value added tax. However, my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary recently tabled a new clause to the Finance Bill which, if approved by the House, will apply VAT at the standard rate to these supplies from 1 September 1988. This is to comply with a judgment of the European Court, published on 23 February, which ruled that the United Kingdom, in exempting from VAT certain goods supplied with medical care (including hearing aids), was in breach of its obligations under the EC sixth directive on VAT adopted in 1977. Hearing aids supplied free by the National Health Service will remain outside the scope of the tax.

  National Savings
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to privatise the management of national savings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have no such plans.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers there are in each of the income tax bands in each of the English regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and in each case what proportion of the total number of income tax payers in each region they represent.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest information available by region relates to 1985–86. In the table, married couples are counted as one unit, members of Her Majesty's forces and the Merchant Navy are excluded, and tax liability is measured before allowing for mortgage interest relief given at source. Estimates of the numbers with a marginal rate of 40 per cent. or higher, whilst shown to the nearest thousand, are in many cases based on small samples; where this means that the actual number may be more than about one third higher or lower than shown in the table, the numbers are shown in brackets. The corresponding percentages should also be treated with particular caution.

  Public Expenditure
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of public expenditure in 1987.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 24 May 1988]: Information on public expenditure is generally recorded on a financial year basis and the latest estimate of outturn for the public expenditure planning total for 1987–88 is £146 billion, as published in table 5·1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis of the extent of charges by main public expenditure programme for the years 1979–80 to 1990–91, in a form consistent with the written answer of 30 March 1982, Official Report, columns 97–98, and with table 2.1 of Cm. 288-I.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 25 May 1988]: The table shows for the years 1982–83 to 1990–91 for each of the Departments defined in table 2.1 of volume I of the 1988

  375
  public expenditure White Paper the income from charges which excludes receipts from council house sales,

  Public Expenditure: Charges 1982–83 to 1990–911

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  estimated outturn

  plans

  plans

  plans

  Department

  Defence

  -1,002

  -1,046

  -782

  -537

  -698

  -801

  -705

  723

  -741

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office2

  -2

  —

  —

  -1

  -1

  -1

  —

  —

  —

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food3

  -22

  -41

  -21

  -20

  -20

  -23

  -23

  -24

  -24

  Trade and Industry4

  -64

  -74

  -41

  -50

  -79

  -94

  -93

  -103

  -103

  Energy

  -74

  -88

  -72

  -83

  -221

  -111

  -26

  -27

  -28

  Employment

  -48

  -32

  -33

  -32

  -29

  -36

  -37

  -38

  -40

  Transport

  -171

  -192

  -214

  -241

  -239

  -261

  -338

  -336

  -345

  DOE—Housing

  -34

  -45

  -48

  -56

  -55

  -58

  -53

  -53

  -55

  DOE—Other environmental services

  -609

  -594

  -715

  -775

  -848

  -797

  -735

  -763

  -786

  Home Office and Legal departments5

  -242

  -262

  -328

  -312

  -386

  -357

  -356

  -380

  -394

  Education and Science

  -750

  -902

  -915

  -999

  -1,144

  -1,321

  -1,315

  -1,354

  -1,390

  Arts and Libraries

  -60

  -68

  -71

  -79

  -77

  -87

  -97

  -100

  -104

  DHSS—Health and personal social services6

  -695

  -749

  -793

  -863

  -948

  -968

  -1,120

  -1,120

  -1,170

  Scotland

  -293

  -328

  -320

  -359

  -378

  -409

  -416

  -423

  -431

  Wales

  -129

  -144

  -145

  -164

  -175

  -186

  -197

  -202

  -208

  Northern Ireland

  -66

  -72

  -72

  -75

  -81

  -83

  -81

  -84

  -87

  Chancellor's departments

  -31

  -35

  -31

  -26

  -31

  -31

  -30

  -30

  -30

  Other departments7

  -157

  -754

  -767

  -794

  -803

  -777

  -762

  -828

  -860

  Total of departments

  -4,449

  -5,426

  -5,368

  -5,466

  -6,213

  -6,401

  -6,384

  -6,588

  -6,796

  1 Figures in the table are consistent with Cm 288.

  2 Including Overseas Development Administration.

  3 Including Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and Forestry Commission.

  4 Including Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  5 This group comprises the Home Office, Lord Chancellor's Department, Northern Ireland Court Service, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Office, Procurator Fiscal Service and the Lord Advocate's Department.

  6 Excludes direct credits which were not included under charges in Table 14.1 of Cm 288-II.

  7 Including Property Services Agency and Civil Superannuation.

  BP Shares
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the partly paid BP shares purchased by the Bank of England.

  Mr. Lawson
  Under the terms of the BP share support scheme, which were announced on 29 October and which closed on 6 January, 38,576,002 partly paid BP shares were repurchased by the Bank of England. These shares could not be sold by the Bank, unless at a price in excess of 120p per share, before 30 April 1988. Now that this date has passed, I propose, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, that the Treasury should purchase these shares from the issue department of the Bank, at the prevailing market price. Her Majesty's Government have no immediate plans to resell these shares though it is their intention to do so at some time in the future. A revised estimate will be presented shortly, and will provide for the costs of purchase and of paying the second instalment on the purchased shares.

THE ARTS

  Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

  Mr. Luce
  I visited Liverpool on 24 May to attend the official opening of the Tate gallery of the north. This
  376
  privatization proceeds and other capital recipts. Figures on the same definition for the years 1979–80 to 1981–82 are not readily available.

  splendid gallery and other developments in the Albert dock area demonstrate the contribution that the arts can make to urban regeneration.

  Tate Gallery of the North
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) what information he has on the cost of fully staffing(a) the reading room and (b) the community education van at the Tate gallery of the north on Merseyside;

  (2) what information he has on the levels of staffing on 24 May at the Tate gallery of the north on Merseyside (a) in the gallery's reading room and (b) in the community education van;

  (3) what information he has on the levels of staffing at the Tate gallery of the north on Merseyside (a) as originally proposed and (b) on 24 May.

  Mr. Luce
  There are 48 staff at the Tate gallery, Liverpool including 19 warders. The detailed deployment of staff at the gallery is for the curator to determine under the guidance of the director and trustees of the Tate gallery.

  Libraries
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list(a) the library authorities and (b) the services which have been contracted out.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 26 May 1988]: Published statistics do not contain this information and there are no

  377
  centrally held records. At present many library authorities contract out some support services such as cataloguing, jacketing and binding of books.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish a list of existing library co-operatives.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 26 May 1988]: No. There are many library co-operatives from the large regional library bureaux and the automation co-operatives to the small locally based schemes, and no complete and up-to-date list is readily available.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts which public library authorities are reluctant to use their existing powers either in full or in part, to charge for services, as referred to in paragraph 2.4 of the public libraries Green Paper; and whether he will list those services(a) not charged for and (b) not provided.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 26 May 1988]: No central records are kept and it is not possible to deduce from published statistics the full extent to which authorities use existing charging powers. However, advice which I have received and early indications from comments made on the Green Paper indicate that many authorities make only nominal use of these powers.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Manpower (Staffordshire)
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to respond to the request made in 1987 from the chief constable of Staffordshire for 50 additional police officers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend informed the House on 18 May at columns 466–67 that he had approved 10 additional police posts for Staffordshire police. The police authority has been informed that the posts outstanding from its application for 50 posts will be considered when he next takes decisions on the allocations of police manpower.

  Brownies Health Club
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many police officers were involved in a raid on Brownies health club in Streatham, London, SW16 on 5–6 May; what degree of force was used during the raid; whether policemen involved wore rubber gloves; and what was the cost of the operation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 41 police officers and five supporting civilian staff were involved in the operation, which was largely completed during a normal police shift. The cost of overtime, the only additional cost, amounted to about £100.

  As to the use of force, the Commissioner tells me that no injuries were sustained during the operation either by his officers or by members of the public and that the only physical damage was to a lock at the entrance of the club. One of the civilian staff and four of the police officers are known to have worn protective gloves. The other officers were issued with disposable gloves for use if necessary, but no records were kept of actual use.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prison population is of the West Indian ethnic group.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the records held centrally, on 31 December 1987, about 10 per cent. of the population of prison department establishments in England and Wales were from the West Indian, Guyanese or African ethnic groups. The information is not reliable enough for a more detailed analysis.

  Boundary Proposals (Welwyn Hatfield)
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to when the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is likely to complete its consideration of the draft scheme submitted by Welwyn Hatfield district council in September 1987 and to formulate its draft proposals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The time of the work of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is a matter for the commission. I understand, however, that the Commission hopes to publish its draft proposals for Welwyn Hatfield in the summer.

  Immigration
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates exist within his Department of the numbers of immigrants likely to be admitted for settlement in the current and coming years; and if he will publish these estimates.

  Mr. Renton
  Projections of acceptances for settlement in the current and following year only are prepared within the Home Office, but are not published, because the uncertainties surrounding the timing of individual applications for, and grants of, settlement inevitably makes them highly speculative.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley as to whether the firearms certificate of the late Michael Ryan was in the possession of the Thames Valley police for the purposes of a variation to the certificate at the time of his death; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 31 March 1988 at column 688.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley as to between what dates the firearms certificate of the late Michael Ryan was in the possession of the Thames Valley police for the purposes of a variation to the certificate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable that the dates in question in respect of the variation applications made by Michael Ryan are as follows: Between 24 March 1987 and 30 April 1987, sometime after 15 June 1987 (only the date when the certificate was called for is known) and 6 July 1987; and between 17 July and 3 August 1987.

  Alcohol (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shopkeepers were prosecuted in 1987 in the Greater Manchester area for selling alcohol to people aged less than 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The available information, which may be incomplete, shows that in 1986 there were 20 prosecutions in Greater Manchester under section 169(1) of the Licensing Act 1964. It is not possible to identify how many of those prosecuted were shopkeepers. 1987 data are not yet available.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to make any changes to the cash limits within his responsibility and to the Department's running cost limit for 1988–89.

  Mr. Hurd
  The cash limit on the Vote for Home Office administration, miscellaneous and community services and civil defence, England and Wales (Class XI, Vote 3) has been reduced by £2,740,000 from £412,908,000 to £410,168,000. This is because £2·9 million of expenditure expected to fall in 1988–89 was met from Supply Estimates provision in 1987–88. This reduction is partially offset by an increase of £160,000 arising from the transfer from the Department of the Environment of responsibility for the payments to the Post Office for issue of game licences. As a consequence of these changes, the Home Office running cost limit has also been reduced, by £240,000 from £808,039,000 to £807,799,000.

  Untried Persons (Custody)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many untried prisoners were held in custody on the most recent convenient date; and how many of these had been on remand in custody for more than three months, more than six months and more than 12 months, respectively.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: On 31 March 1988, a total of 8,390 untried prisoners were held in prison department establishments in England and Wales. A further 1,310 prisoners were held in police cells, most of whom would have been on remand. The latest information on the length of time since initial remand in custody, relates to 30 June 1987 and is given in the table.

  Estimated population1 of untried prisoners in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1987: by length of time since first remand into Prison Department establishment2

  Length of time since first remand into Prison Department establishment2

  Estimated number of persons3 4

  Up to three months

  6,300

  Over three up to six months

  2,000

  Over six up to 12 months

  750

  Over 12 months

  100

  All untried prisoners

  59,140

  1 Based on records held centrally which are approximate, detailed checking of individual cases, would involve disproportionate cost.

  2 Excludes any time spent in police cells, before being received on

  380
  remand into a Prison Department establishment; includes any subsequent time which may have been spent on bail.

  3 Rounded estimates; the components do not add to the total, because they have been rounded independently.

  4 Provisional figures.

  5 Excludes 580 prisoners held in police cells, most of whom would have been on remand.

  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis as to how many firearms have been seized by the Metropolitan police in the past five years; and how many firearms were stolen in the same area over the same time.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis that separate information is not available on the numbers of weapons seized. The total numbers of firearms and shotguns surrendered or confiscated are published in the Commissioner's annual reports (page 140 of the issue for 1986), copies of which are in the Library. Over the five years 1982 to 1986 the total was 6,503. Over the same period the Metropolitan police recorded 941 offences of theft, burglary or handling stolen goods in which firearms or shotguns were misappropriated. The number of weapons involved will be higher since some offences involved more than one weapon.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Lough Neagh/Lough Beg
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to designate Lough Neagh/Lough Beg as a special protection area under European Community directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department may only declare sites to be special protection areas under European Community Directive 79/409 after they have been given protection as areas of special scientific interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. Lough Beg was declared an ASSI on 20 August 1987. As survey work to enable the drawing of boundaries for the proposed Lough Neagh ASSI will not commence until the summer of 1988, it is not possible, as yet, to state when the two loughs jointly will be declared as a special protection area.

  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that no deleterious effects, as a result of drainage operations, occur within the Lough Neagh/Lough Beg area designated under the convention of wetlands of international importance especially as a waterfowl habitat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Each proposal for new or improvement drainage works within the Lough Neagh/Lough Beg area is the subject of detailed consultation between the Departments of Agriculture and Environment for Northern Ireland. The primary objective of these consultations is the retention and protection of the important wetlands.

  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the areas of special scientific
  381
  interest so far declared within the Lough Neagh/Lough Beg Ramsar site, giving the area and dates of declaration and confirmation in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  One area of special scientific interest has so far been declared within the Lough Neagh/Lough Beg Ramsar site. The area, which is known as the Lough Beg area of special scientific interest was declared on 20 August 1987. It was confirmed with slight modifications on 11 March 1988 and the confirmed area is 1,125 hectares.

  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all applications to the Department of Agriculture (NI) for drainage grant within, or likely to affect, areas of special scientific interest declared within the Lough Neagh-Lough Beg Ramsar site since the respective areas of special scientific interest declarations were made.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Drainage (SSSIs)
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on co-ordination between the Department of Agriculture (NI) and the countryside and wildlife branch of the

  Name of ASSI

  Date notification received

  Nature of operation

  Department's response

  Black Bog

  6 May 1987

  Drainage

  Consent refused

  Garry Bog

  16 July 1987

  Cleaning drains

  Consent refused

  Black Bog

  22 July 1987

  Maintenance of existing minor drains

  Consent given

  Black Bog

  3 August 1987

  Maintenance of existing minor drains

  Consent given

  Lough Beg

  21 December 1987

  Cleaning existing water outlets

  Consent refused

  Inner Belfast Lough

  16 March 1988

  Modification of the structure of water courses and construction and maintenance of ditches

  Consent given

  Black Bog

  13 April 1988

  Clearing streams and drains

  Under consideration

  Monawilkin

  29 April 1988

  Drainage

  Under consideration

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

  Mr. Stanley
  The Government are fully committed to providing equality of employment opportunities for all sections of the community in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. They have established an equal opportunities unit which has to date published two reports, copies of which are in the Library. The reports give details of the measures taken or to be pursued in developing the monitoring system, implementing a programme of action and carrying out related research.

  As for the home Civil Service element of the Northern Ireland Office, the Civil Service policy statements on equal opportunities have been circulated to staff, and equal opportunities policies continue to be rigorously implemented. Thirteen per cent. of staff in London come from the ethnic minority groups, and 56 per cent. are women.
  382
  Department of the Environment (NI) in relation to the consideration of applications for grant aid for drainage work which may affect areas of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Needham
  Before submitting details of proposals for grant-aid on drainage works in areas of special scientific interest to the Department of Agriculture (NI) the landowner is required to consult with and obtain the consent of the countryside and wildlife branch of the Department of the Environment (NI). The Department of Agriculture (NI) will not accept proposals for grant-aid which have not obtained the consent of the Department of the Environment (NI).

  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, with dates, all notifications made to the Department of the Environment (NI) under article 25 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands Order 1985, of proposals to carry out drainage in areas of special scientific interest, indicating the response of the Department in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  Under article 25 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has received the following notifications to carry out drainage in areas of special scientific interest. In each case the notifications relate to a specified portion of the area and not to the entire site:

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland now qualify for invalid care allowance; and what was the number as at 1 April 1987, 1 April 1986 and 1 April 1985.

  Mr. Needham
  At 1 April 1988, the latest date for which information is available, 4,901 persons were in receipt of invalid care allowance. The corresponding figures for 1 April 1987, 1 April 1986 and 1 April 1985 were 2,137, 686 and 701 respectively.

  NHS (Expenditure)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for each year since 1974–75 (i) total National Health Service expenditure, (ii) current expenditure on hospital and community health services, (iii) capital expenditure on hospital and community health services, (iv) expenditure on family practitioner services, (v) expenditure on centrally funded National Health Service services and (vi) expenditure on personal social services; if he will give each(a) in cash terms, (b) adjusted using the relevant pay and prices indicator and (c) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator; and if he will place in the Library details of the methods used to make the adjustments.
  383
  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 18 February 1988]: Factors for inflation relevant to the health and personal social services are not maintained separately for Northern Ireland. Data collated by DHSS in London and their methodology will be used but are not yet available. I hope to be able to write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary (Inquiry)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the inquiry by the Northern Ireland Police Authority arising out of the Stalker-Sampson reports will be completed.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 25 May 1988]: It is not possible to give an exact date but I understand that the Police Authority is giving the matter urgent consideration and will reach a decision as soon as possible.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) on what date Mr. Charles Kelly submitted his initial report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary on matters relating to the Stalker-Sampson inquiry;

  (2) on what ground Mr. Charles Kelly has been asked to reconsider details of his initial report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary relating to the Stalker-Sampson report;

  (3) what disciplinary charges will be brought as a result of the initial report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary by Mr. Charles Kelly relating to the Stalker-Sampson inquiry;

  (4) what further matters Mr. Charles Kelly was asked to investigate following the completion of his initial report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 25 May 1988]: Mr. Kelly has not yet submitted his report.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the inquiry by Mr. Charles Kelly into the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Stalker-Sampson inquiry to be completed.

  Mr. Tom King
  [holding answer 25 May 1988]: Mr. Kelly is expected to complete his work within the next month.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he estimates will be the minimum broadleaf component under the proposed farm woodland scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  We are not proposing to lay down a minimum broadleaf component under this scheme since we believe it is better to encourage a reasonable proportion of broadleaf planting by incentives and advice.

  The incentives are of two kinds. First, there will be longer annual payment periods for predominantly broadleaf woodland. Second, we have much enhanced the planting grants for both pure broadleaf planting and the broadleaf component of mixed woodland under the scheme as part of the forestry tax and grant changes announced in March.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the total acreage of farmland which it is hoped will be taken out of production under the set-aside scheme and whether he proposes to take reserve powers to make the scheme compulsory; to be activated in the event that insufficient reductions are made by voluntary means.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land he expects to be taken out of agriculture through the voluntary set-aside scheme in each of the English regions, Wales and Scotland; and what proportion of land at present in use each figure represents.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I will not be in a position to estimate the area likely to be taken out of production until I have assessed the initial uptake of the United Kingdom scheme, details of which I shall announce as soon as our consideration of the recently decided Community regulations is completed. The relevant Community legislation provides that set-aside should be voluntary for individual farmers. The United Kingdom in common with all other EC Governments and the Commission is opposed to compulsory set-aside.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sum he expects farmers to be paid per hectare of land which they take out of production under the voluntary European Community set-aside scheme.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I shall be making an announcement on this and other aspects of the United Kingdom set-aside scheme as soon as our consideration of the recently decided Community regulations is complete.

  Feed Additives
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he made any attempt to prevent the adoption of the European Community Directive which reintroduced the compound Carbadox as an animal feed additive in the United Kindom.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Very strong representations were made, both to the European Commission and to other member states, on grounds of safety. Although other member states were not convinced by the Government's arguments, the text of the directive finally adopted allows the serious anxieties of the Government to be given due weight.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Farmers' Union on the use of Carbadox and Olaquindox in animal foodstuffs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have received no such representations.

  CAP (Reform)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about current proposals to reform the common agricultural policy.
  385
  Mr. MacGregor
  Negotiations are continuing on the Commission's proposals for farm prices and related measures in 1988–89. The Government are seeking to ensure that the approach adopted on CAP reform at the recent European Council is carried forward in the price-fixing. We favour adjustments to support arrangements which will bring supply and demand into better balance and restore intervention to its original role as a safety net rather than an alternative market outlet.

  New Zealand Butter
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy towards the import of New Zealand butter into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The EC Commission has not yet made a proposal on the arrangements for the import of New Zealand butter from 1 January 1989, and so I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 3 March at column 679.

  Upland Soils (Radioactivity)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the light of the effects of the Chernobyl disaster, he will initiate within his Department research into the behaviour of radioactive isotopes in upland soils.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department has already initiated a full programme of research into the behaviour of radioactive isotopes deriving from the Chernobyl accident in upland soils of the United Kingdom. An updated list of current research projects is being placed in the Library of the House.

  European Directives
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the proposed European directives which he has vetoed in the Council of Ministers since 1979.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Council secretariat does not keep records of votes on a national basis. The information requested is not, therefore, readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Hill Livestock Support Payments
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider changing his policy in order to pay the full hill livestock support payments in areas considered marginal under European Community rules as well as in hill areas.

  Mr. Gummer
  The rates of hill livestock compensatory allowances payable in both the "severely disadvantaged" and marginal "disadvantaged" areas of the United Kingdom are set taking account of the severity of the permanent natural handicap. They will be examined later this year as part of the regular autumn review of the economic conditions in the hills and uplands.

  Agricultural Land
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of agricultural land in each of the European Community member states is in state or local authority ownership.

  Mr. Gummer
  In the United Kingdom an estimated 6 per cent. of agricultural land is owned by the public sector (the Crown, Government Departments, local authorities, statutory agencies and nationalised industries). I regret that comparable information for the other member states of the European Economic Community is not readily available.

  Farming Incomes
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage change in farming incomes in the United Kingdom after taking inflation into account in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The percentage changes in United Kingdom farming incomes for the period 1979 to 1987, after removing the effect of inflation, are set out in the table.

  Per cent.

  1979–80

  -23

  1980–81

  16

  1981–82

  18

  1982–83

  -23

  1983–84

  39

  1984–85

  -51

  1985–86

  27

  1986–871

  -6

  1 Forecast

  Agricultural Holdings
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the change in the average size of agricultural holdings in the United Kingdom, England, and each of the English regions since 1978, 1968, and 1958.

  Mr. Gummer
  The average sizes of agricultural holdings in terms of area of crops and grass per holding derived from the annual agricultural census for the years 1958, 1968, 1978, and 1987 are given in the table. The crops and grass area, which excludes rough grazings and woodland, is the only area measure available for all four years. Some of the apparent increase in average size is due to changes to the census threshold which have excluded an increasing number of smaller holdings from the census.

  Average area of crops and grass (hectares per holding)

  1958

  1968

  1978

  1987

  United Kingdom

  25·0

  33·2

  42·6

  47·3

  England

  28·7

  40·6

  50·7

  53·6

  The average size for each of the English regions in 1978 and 1987 is given in the table. Because of changes in definition, data for comparable regions are not available for 1958 or 1968.
  387

  Average area of crops and grass (hectares per holding)

  1978

  1987

  Region

  North

  56·6

  60·2

  Yorks & Humberside

  51·9

  53·9

  East Midlands

  61·7

  68·0

  East Anglia

  64·5

  72·5

  South East

  57·9

  58·4

  South West

  43·6

  45·9

  West Midlands

  44·4

  46·7

  North West

  28·4

  30·4

  Total England

  50·7

  53·6

DEFENCE

  Women Officers (Pregnancy Leave)
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what leave is granted to women army officers during pregnancy.

  Mr. Freeman
  All women serving in the Army are compulsorily retired on pregnancy normally during the fourth month and are entitled to terminal leave on full pay of up to a maximum of four weeks.

  Self-propelled Howitzer
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now intends to place an order for new 155 mm self-propelled howitzers for the Army.

  Mr. Freeman
  We hope to make an announcement about the 155 mm self-propelled howitzer competition shortly.

  Challenger Tank
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to place an order for more Challenger tanks for the Army.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend) on 12 January 1988 at col.200

  Marchwood Military Port
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the British registered merchant vessels that were employed to transport Army ordnance between Marchwood military port and overseas destinations in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  The RFAs Sir Lancelot, Sir Geraint, Sir Percivale, Sir Bedivere, Sir Tristram and Sir Caradoc and the Earl Granville and Tor Caledonia were employed in transporting Army ordnance between Marchwood military port and overseas destinations in 1987.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign vessels visited the Marchwood military port in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  Thirteen.
  388
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names and number of foreign-registered vessels that were employed to transport military ordnance between Marchwood military port and(a) United Kingdom and (b) overseas destinations in 1987, showing in each case which company the ship belonged to and in which country the ship was registered.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) foreign registered vessels employed to transport military ordnance from Marchwood to United Kingdom destinations

  Saint Magnus, owned by Mamoet Shipping, West German flag.

  Condock 1, owned by Kustenshiffahrt Bauer and Hauschildr KG, West German flag.

  Hamburg, owned by DFDS, Bahamian flag.

  Mercandian Diplomat, owned by Mercandian line, Danish flag.

  Gabriella Wehr, owned by Oscar Wehr, West German flag.

  (b) foreign registered vessels employed to transport military ordnance from Marchwood to overseas destinations

  Dancia Black, owned by Shiperaft AS, Danish flag.

  Obotrita, owned by Peter Doehle Schiffahrt GMBH, West German flag.

  Panther, owned by Mortensen and Lange, Danish flag.

  Mercandian Sea, owned by Mercandian Line, Danish flag.

  Dana Cimbria, owned by DFDS, Danish flag.

  Surrey, owned by DFDS, Danish flag.

  Felcia, owned by Shiperaft AS, Danish flag.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the British-registered merchant vessels that were employed to transport ordnance between Marchwood military port and other United Kingdom destinations in 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  The RFAs Sir Lancelot, Sir Geraint, Sir Percivale, Sir Bedivere, Sir Tristram, Sir Caradoc and Sir Galahad were employed to transport ordnance between Marchwood military port and other United Kingdom destinations in 1987.

  BAOR (Mercedes-Benz Trucks)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last five years hiring Mercedes-Benz trucks for British Army of the Rhine work.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available in respect of the occasional hire of trucks since central records of expenditure on vehicle hire do not distinguish between types of vehicle. A contract was placed in October 1987 involving the long-term lease of Mercedes tractors for transporting light armoured fighting vehicles in BAOR. Expenditure against this contract in the financial year 1987–88 was about £9,500.

  Army Trucks
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to place an order for new 4-tonne trucks for the British Army.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 22 February 1988 at column 103. There has been no change in our position on the competition to choose a new 4-tonne vehicle design. The contract to provide some 2,000 of the existing 4-tonne model for the services over the next two years was placed with AWD Ltd. on 22 March.

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

  Mr. Freeman
  The MOD is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all its employees and potential recruits. Examples of the initiatives which have been taken include positive action to encourage more applicants from the ethnic minorities; "women only" management training courses; and efforts to increase the number of part-time posts.

  Northern Ireland Charities
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those charities in Northern Ireland that have received help and funds from the armed forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  The armed forces in Northern Ireland, as elsewhere, make an enormous contribution to both local and national charities. Their contribution takes the form of donations raised by a wide variety of voluntary efforts, as well as actual help. Much of this work is done at a local unit level. No central record is kept and the information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate effort. However, as an illustration, I am advised that the nine battalions of the UDR raised over £130,000 in 1987 for a variety of service and civilian charities, both in the United Kingdom mainland and Northern Ireland. No donations to charities in Norther Ireland are made from official MOD funds.

  Disabled Service Personnel
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often, and under what circumstances, money is deducted from pensions of wounded and discharged service personnel to pay for cars or other forms of transport provided to help them to overcome their disabilities.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Ministry of Defence does not provide cars on invaliding. No deductions are therefore necessary.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often and under what circumstances, letters to wounded service, or ex-service personnel are addressed "Dear Sir/Madam"; and who is responsible for the drafting of such letters.

  Mr. Freeman
  Personal letters to wounded service, or ex-service, personnel are not addressed "Dear Sir/Madam" but in the case of standard routine correspondence conducted using pre-printed stationery this form of address may be used.

  Pensions
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the rate of pensions and the method of awarding them to wounded members of the armed forces who are invalided out.

  Mr. Freeman
  Such pensions and the methods of award are kept under regular review.

  Injured Service Personnel
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been invalided out because of injuries in the last 10 years; and how often their welfare is followed up by the armed forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  1977

  280

  1978

  276

  1979

  200

  1980

  168

  1981

  144

  1982

  123

  1983

  166

  1984

  231

  1985

  343

  1986

  297

  Note: Figures for 1987 are not yet available.

  In all cases of discharge caused by injury the armed forces automatically sets in train procedures laid down in the "After Care Guide" which has been designed as the result of long experience to follow up on the welfare of all ex-service personnel and the widows of those who die in service. I am sending a copy to the right hon. Member.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been received in the last 10 years from wounded service personnel, or ex-service personnel about their treatment.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last 10 years wounded service personnel have been ordered to wear civilian clothes on ceremonial or public occasions.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last 10 years wounded service personnel, or ex-service wounded personnel have been excluded from ceremonial occasions because of their disabilities.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are not aware of any such occasions and there is no MOD policy to exclude disabled or wounded service or ex-service personnel from such occasions. In respect of ex-service personnel every encouragement is given to them to attend especially through ex-service men's clubs and associations and the Royal British Legion.

  Tornado Aircraft
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the estimated annual cost of storage and maintenance for Royal Air Force Tornado aircraft currently stored at RAF St. Athan.

  Mr. Freeman
  Extra costs of some £60,000 per year are incurred for heating and lighting of the hangarage used.

  Military Helicopters
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum authorised separation distance
  391
  between military helicopters and civilian vehicles travelling on public roads; and what are the legislative provisions governing the proximity of military aircraft to civilian road traffic.

  Mr. Freeman
  Low-flying military helicopters are instructed to maintain a minimum height of 50 ft from the ground or 32·8 ft (10m) minimum separation distance from any upstanding object when flying. They may however be authorised to hover at levels down to a minumum separation distance of 9·8 ft (3m). There are no legislative provisions governing the proximity of military aircraft to civilian road traffic.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military helicopter units which were exercising in the Dalmally-Tyndrum area of Argyll on 5 May.

  Mr. Freeman
  According to available records the only military helicopter authorised to fly at low level in Scotland on 5 May was a naval Lynx operating from HMS Minerva.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incident involving a military helicopter and a civilian car on the A85 road between Dalmally and Tyndrum on 5 May.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following notification of the incident by Strathclyde civil police on 7 May, a full investigation was commissioned to establish whether a military helicopter was involved and if so, what the circumstances were.

  Swimming Pool (Deal Barracks)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will list each occasion that the swimming pool by Deal barracks has been made available to cross-Channel operators; to which operators it has been made available, in the last 12 months; and how much was charged for the pool's hire on each occasion.

  Mr. Freeman
  The P and O company is the only cross-Channel operator to have used the swimming pool belonging to the Royal Marines School of Music in the last 12 months. Details of charges were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 26 May 1988.

EMPLOYMENT

  Mines and Quarries Act 1954
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations there have been with the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers over the replacement of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission and Executive has consulted the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers 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. In particular a series of meetings has been held with all the coal mining unions about the most advanced 392
  of the mining legislative packages, the proposed Mines (Safety of Exit) Regulations and approved code of practice.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations there have been with the National Union of Mineworkers on the replacement of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission and Executive has consulted the National Union of Mineworkers 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. In particular a series of meetings has been held with all the coal mining unions about the most advanced of the mining legislative packages, the proposed Mines (Safety of Exit) Regulations and approved code of practice.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to bring legislation before Parliament to replace the Mines and Quarries Act 1954.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The intention is to replace the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 with some 15 sets of regulations accompanied by codes of practice. The Health and Safety Commission is considering the first such set on safety of mines exits, and will shortly have before it proposals on quarries (explosives), with a view to submission to the Secretary of State for laying before Parliament. Further sets of regulations will follow. It is expected that the programme will be completed in the early 1990s.

  Adult Training Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he intends to make to ensure that participants on the adult training scheme who are paid up to £250 by their employer on leaving the scheme will not be subject to tax liability or benefit loss; and what would be the effect of an employer making a payment of more than £250.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced that a training bonus will be payable to trainees who complete an action plan of over three months duration with an additional bonus for those who attain a vocational qualification or a credit towards one. Bonuses will be funded jointly by the Manpower Services Commission, training managers and employers until March 1991, and thereafter by contributions from employers and training managers. The maximum total payable under this scheme will be £200, and the bonus will be disregarded for the purpose of assessing entitlement to income support. As a payment relating exclusively to training undertaken it will not be liable to income tax.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he intends to make to ensure that participants on the adult training scheme are not subject to any benefit loss or tax liability as a result of receiving £10 to £12 per week additional to their benefit.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Participants in employment training will receive a training premium of £10 to £12 a week over and above their previous benefit entitlement. These payments will be disregarded for benefit purposes and will not be liable to income tax.

  Job Release Scheme
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provision is to be made for handicapped people working in sheltered workshops affected by the abolition of the job release scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  While we appreciate the particular problems of people with disabilities who are approaching retirement age it is for those organisations which provide employment in sheltered workshops to determine arrangements under which employees may retire from employment.

  Parental Leave
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply of 15 February,Official Report, column 471, if he will list those member states of the EEC which have some form of statutory provision relating to parental leave, and which do not.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My current information is that all member states have some form of statutory provision with the exception of Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply of 15 February,Official Report, column 471, what information he has on the fundamental variations in the range and scope of provisions for parental leave in those member states of the European Community with statutory provision.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  TVEI (Orkneys)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what conditions, in terms of number of participant pupils, have been required of Orkney islands council in order to qualify for Manpower Services Commission funding for the technical, vocational and educational initiative programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The Government intend that all young people aged 14 to 18 in maintained schools and colleges should be given access to the wider and richer curriculum developed by the technical and vocational education initiative. I am pleased that Orkney education authority has indicated its wish to participate in the initiative from this autumn, and proposes that all students aged 14 will take part from the first year. I am informed that negotiations between the Training Commission (formerly the Manpower Services Commission) and the education authority are proceeding satisfactorily on this basis.

  Sex Discrimination
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the representations he has

  MSC region

  Financial year 1985–86 (31 March 1986)

  Financial year 1986–87 (31 March 1987)

  Financial year 1982788 (31 March 1988)

  (a) Remploy:

  South East

  327

  329

  325

  London

  707

  687

  665

  South West

  536

  521

  516

  West Midlands

  656

  672

  646

  East Midlands and Eastern

  641

  650

  653

  394
  received in response to the consultation document "Restrictions on Employment of Young People and the Removal of Sex Discrimination in Legislation"; and if he will make them available in the Library.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on Friday 20 May 1988,Official Report, column 613.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to implement the proposals contained in the consultation document "Restrictions on Employment of Young People and the Removal of Sex Discrimination in Legislation"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I announced the Government's decision to denouce ILO convention No. 45 in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Mr. Tredinnick) on Thursday 26 May.

  I am still considering with my colleagues the responses we have received on other matters covered by the consultation document. The Northern Ireland Office is currently consulting publicly on the equivalent Northern Ireland legislation and the closing date for responses to its consultation document is 3 June 1988.

  Redundancy Payments (Equality)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to provide for statutory redundancy payments to be payable to both women and men up to the age of 65 years, or to normal retiring age for the job where that is below 65 years, and on a non-discriminatory basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 29 October 1987 my hon. Friend the Minister of State announced his intention to increase the age limit up to which women can receive a statutory redundancy payment from 60 to 65 years as soon as legislative time was available.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide statistics on the number of registered disabled persons employed(a) with Remploy and (b) in local authority sheltered provision for each of the standard regions in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 17 May 1988]: Information is not available in the form requested. Information on the number of approved severely disabled workers employed in each Manpower Services Commission (MSC) region in the 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 financial years is set out in the tables.
  395

  MSC region

  Financial year 1985–86 (31 March 1986)

  Financial year 1986–87 (31 March 1987)

  Financial year 1987–88 (31 March 1988)

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,135

  1,125

  1,104

  North West

  1,600

  1,644

  1,647

  Northern

  944

  909

  920

  Wales

  1.463

  1,504

  1,492

  Scotland

  1,050

  1,029

  1,074

  (b) Local Authority sheltered provision:

  South East

  335

  301

  322

  London

  614

  640

  639

  South West

  972

  1,034

  1,072

  West Midlands

  1967

  565

  617

  East Midlands and Eastern

  —

  672

  758

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  520

  556

  567

  North West

  617

  666

  699

  Northern

  235

  228

  235

  Wales

  524

  504

  532

  Scotland

  707

  754

  833

  1 The figure of 967 occupied places relates to the whole of the former Midlands Region.

  Scotch Derrick Cranes
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether all scotch derrick cranes in use have been checked following the fatal accidents at Nantergantick quarry by people who are competent and who either can check, or have caused a check on cast iron components; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 26 May 1988]: Following the accident the mines and quarries inspectorate carried out a comprehensive review of all scotch derrick cranes in use at quarries. The review included advice to owners on proper procedures to establish whether or not critical components were made of cast iron.

  Mines and Quarries Inspectorate
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if individual inspectors in the mines and quarries inspectorate have the necessary legal knowledge and skills to enable them to institute and conduct prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 26 May 1988]: Inspectors of the mines and quarries inspectorate receive the appropriate training to institute, but not conduct, prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The prosecutions are conducted by the solicitors branch of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Underpaid Employees
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the main reasons for not prosecuting the 4,443 establishments which underpaid employees in 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Four of the establishments were prosecuted for underpaying workers and four for failing to produce adequate records. Prosecution action was not considered appropriate in the other cases mainly because it is not the practice of the wages inspectorate to prosecute employers unless the offence is deliberate or repeated and the evidence considered adequate. The willingness of workers to give evidence in court if required is also a factor in deciding whether or not prosecution action is 396
  appropriate. In most cases underpayment is immediately put right and the inspectorate will take this into account when considering whether prosecution will serve any useful purpose.

  Women's Pension Schemes
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of female part-time waged workers is included in pension schemes in(a) nationalised industries and (b) local government;

  (2) what percentage of female full-time waged workers is included in pension schemes in (a) nationalised industries and (b) local government.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have been asked to reply.

  According to estimates produced from data collected for the 1987 survey of occupational pension schemes by the Government Actuary (as yet unpublished) the percentage of female part-time and full-time employees of nationalised industries and local government who were members of occupational pension schemes at the time are as follows:

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Nationalised industries

  20

  over 95

  Local government

  10

  over 95

  Note:

  These figures take no account of changes since 1987 resulting from the Government's recent pensions reforms.

WALES

  Electorate
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in descending order, by electorate, the number of voters in each Welsh constituency in 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Parliamentary constituencies in Wales, listed in descending order of the total number of electors on the 1988 electoral register, are shown in the following table:

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Total electors 1988

  WALES

  2,180,269

  Pembroke

  71,637

  397

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Total electors 1988

  Vale of Glamorgan

  67,681

  Clwyd North West

  67,384

  Carmarthen

  66,879

  Delyn

  65,022

  Caerphilly

  64,434

  Ceredigion and Pembroke North

  64,372

  Llanelli

  64,252

  Wrexham

  63,664

  Pontypridd

  61,011

  Rhondda

  60,835

  Torfaen

  60,780

  Swansea West

  60,767

  Gower

  59,977

  Monmouth

  59,690

  Clwyd South West

  59,556

  Alyn and Deeside

  59,494

  Cardiff South and Penarth

  59,165

  Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

  58,495

  Bridgend

  58,355

  Cardiff West

  57,689

  Swansea East

  57,436

  Blaenau Gwent

  56,265

  Newport West

  55,933

  Cardiff North

  55,616

  Neath

  55,405

  Cardiff Central

  53,827

  Conwy

  53,468

  Ynys Mon

  53,201

  Newport East

  53,071

  Aberavon

  52,446

  Ogmore

  51,620

  Islwyn

  50,967

  Brecon and Radnor

  50,575

  Cynon Valley

  50,125

  Caernarfon

  46,587

  Montgomery

  40,472

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  32,116

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

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

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My Department continues to be an equal opportunity employer. With regard to the code of the Commission for Racial Equality, it is carrying out ethnic monitoring and has approached organisations representing ethnic minority groups and schools with high ethnic populations in the Cardiff area in order to offer career talks and work experience placements and to inform them of local recruitment exercises so as to encourage applications from ethnic minority communities. As for the Equal Opportunities Commission's code, the Welsh Office has an annual review of progress in the field of equal opportunity; a flexi-time agreement; a job-sharing agreement; part-time working; advice to staff on sexual harassment; and detailed guidance about the options and benefits that are available to officers coping with changes in domestic commitments.

  Farmers (Statistics)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers there are in each county in Wales at the latest convenient date.
  398
  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is as follows:

  Farmers, by county: June 1987

  Whole-time

  Part-time

  Total

  Clwyd

  3,094

  1,209

  4,303

  Dyfed

  8,847

  2,982

  11,829

  Gwent

  1,615

  794

  2,409

  Gwynedd

  3,433

  1,376

  4,809

  Mid Glamorgan

  687

  381

  1,068

  Powys

  4,829

  1,346

  6,175

  South Glamorgan

  409

  160

  569

  West Glamorgan

  683

  349

  981

  Wales

  23,546

  8,597

  32,143

  Note: The figures are for Main Holdings only, and include partners and directors where they too are engaged in farm work.

  Farm Workers
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farm workers are employed in Wales at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is as follows:

  Farm workers at June 1987

  Number

  Salaried managers

  289

  Family workers:

  Male:

  Wholetime

  2,838

  Part-time

  1,487

  Female:

  Wholetime

  545

  Part-time

  646

  Hired workers:

  Male:

  Wholetime

  3,229

  Part-time

  1,410

  Female:

  Wholetime

  253

  Part-time

  428

  Seasonal or casual workers:

  Male

  7,166

  Female

  1,674

  Total farm workers

  19,965

  Note: These figures include an estimate of the number employed in minor holdings.

  Language Assistants
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many language assistants went to which countries under the auspices of the exchange of language assistants scheme in the last year for which figures are available; how many came from which countries in exchange; and if any teach through the medium of Welsh.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The number of such appointments arranged by the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges for 1987–88 is set out in the following table. Language assistants are expected to teach through the medium of their own language, not those of the host countries.
  399

  Country

  Language assistants abroad from Wales

  Foreign language assistants in Wales

  Austria

  13

  6

  Belgium

  —

  1

  Canada

  1

  —

  Columbia

  2

  —

  Federal Republic of Germany

  29

  27

  France

  62

  161

  German Democratic Republic

  2

  —

  Italy

  6

  2

  Spain

  3

  7

  Switzerland

  4

  —

  122

  104

  1Including nationals of other francophone countries studying in France.

  AIDS
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in Wales the number of persons suffering from AIDS; and if he will disaggregate the statistics by age and sex.

  Mr. Grist
  At the end of April 1988, 21 cases of AIDS in Wales had been reported to the communicable disease surveillance centre, of whom 15 had died.

  Information on the number of AIDS cases is disaggregated by sex on a United Kingdom basis only. For reasons of medical confidentiality, the figures for Wales are not disaggregated by health authority, age of sex.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of people in Wales that are currently HIV positive.

  Mr. Grist
  At 31 March 1988, the number of known HIV antibody positive people in Wales was 102.

  There are a number of unknown factors here and at present it is not possible to make an estimate of the number of people who are HIV antibody positive. However, a group of experts under the chairmanship of Sir David Cox is now considering forecasts for the numbers of people infected with HIV and with AIDS over a two-to-five-year period.

  Authority/Hospital

  Approved for closure

  DHA proposed for closure

  Included in DHA Strategic Plan as possible candidate for closure

  Number of patients in hospital at 5 April (Latest figures available)

  Clwyd

  North Wales, Denbigh

  —

  —

  Major run-down proposed.

  504 (includes 56 patients at

  Poole Park

  —

  —

  1988–89

  31 December 1986 at Poole Park

  East Dyfed

  St. David's Carmarthen

  —

  —

  Major run-down proposed.

  366

  Gwent

  Pen-y-Fal

  —

  —

  1991–92

  423

  St. Cadics

  —

  —

  Major run-down proposed.

  273

  Mid Glamorgan

  Parc

  —

  —

  1992–93

  494

  Glanrhyd/Penyfai

  —

  —

  —

  329

  Powys

  Mid Wales, Talgarth

  —

  —

  —

  263

  South Glamorgan

  Whitchurch

  —

  —

  —

  424

  400
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many babies born in Wales were HIV positive at birth.

  Mr. Grist
  To the end of March 1988, the communicable disease surveillance centre had received no reports of HIV positive babies born in Wales.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many babies have been born in Wales to mothers who are HIV positive.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not known since pregnant women and babies are not routinely tested for HIV antibodies.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many terminations of pregnancy in Wales have been carried out because the mother is HIV positive.

  Mr. Grist
  None of the notifications of termination of pregnancy carried out in Wales for the period 1 January 1983 to 30 September 1987 included a mention of either HIV positive condition or AIDS (ICD code 279·1). The information in respect of 1987 is provisional.

  Carbadox and Olaquindox
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from(a) the National Farmers Union, (b) the Farmers Union of Wales and (c) any other organisation on the use of Carbadox and Olaquindox in animal foodstuffs in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None.

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those psychiatric hospitals caring for long-stay patients in each district, showing (a) those which have been approved for closure, (b) those which have been proposed for closure by their district health authority, (c) those which have been listed in district strategic plans as possible candidates for closure and (d) the number of patients in each hospital.

  Mr. Grist
  The details required are as follows:
  401

  Authority/Hospital

  Approved for closure

  DHA proposed for closure

  Included in DHA Strategic Plan as possible candidate for closure

  Number of patients in hospital at 5 April (Latest figures available)

  Royal Hamadryad

  —

  —

  All beds psycho-geriatric. Closure proposed for 1988–89 with all beds being transferred to St. David's Hospital.

  49

  West Glamorgan

  Cefn Coed

  —

  —

  —

  348

  Garngoch

  —

  —

  —

  39

  Wage Rates
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average hourly wage for(a) full-time female employes, (b) part-time female employees, (c) full-time male employees, and (d) part-time male employees in Wales since 1985, in cash and real terms.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Available data are as follows:

  Average hourly earnings excluding effect of overtime1

  (Pence)

  April 1985

  April 1986

  April 1987

  (a) Current price terms

  Males

  Full-time employees

  421·8

  448·5

  474·0

  Part-time employees

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Females

  Full-time employees

  309·0

  334·8

  358·1

  Part-time employees

  243·6

  263·7

  282·9

  (b) At constant (April 1987) prices2

  Males

  Full-time employees

  453·1

  467·5

  474·0

  Part-time employees

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Females

  Full-time employees

  331·9

  349·0

  358·1

  Part-time employees

  261·7

  274·9

  282·9

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  1 Based on the average hourly earnings of adults on adult rates excluding the effects of overtime whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.

  2 These figures are ercalculated using the Retail Price Index and April 1987 as the base.

  "Western Mail (Article)"
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who authorised the provision of quotations from an internal Welsh Office document to Roger Dobson of the Western Mail for use in his article of 17 March entitled "£900 million plan to breathe new life into South Wales".

  Mr. Peter Walker
  No such information was provided or authorised by the Welsh Office.

  Valleys Initiative
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he first announced his intention to establish a valleys initiative.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In the autumn of last year I indicated that I was considering the problems and opportunities present in the valleys and the options for action to deal with them, I have always made clear that I would have wide-ranging consultations before coming to conclusions on the programme for the coming years.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list with dates those organisations and
  402
  interests which he has consulted about his valleys initiative; which remain to be consulted; and when he intends to consult them.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have held discussion with a large number of organisations in recent months, and I have had specific meetings with representatives of the following organisations on the dates shown:

  Organisation

  Tuesday 19 April

  Manpower Services Commission.

  Wales TUC.

  Friday 22 April

  Wales Tourist Board.

  Wednesday 27 April

  Confederation of British Industry (Wales).

  Thursday 28 April

  Gwent County Council.

  Lliw Valley Borough Council, Neath Borough Council, Port Talbot Borough Council, Swansea City Council, Dinefwr Borough Council, Llanelli Borough Council, Brecknock Borough Council.

  Friday 29 April

  Welsh Water Authority.

  Tuesday 3 May

  Taff Ely Borough Council, Cynon Valley Borough Council, Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council, Ogwr Borough Council, Rhymney Valley District Council, Rhondda Borough Council.

  Thursday 5 May

  Secondary Housing Association for Wales, Housing Corporation, Welsh Housing Association's Council.

  Blaenau Gwent Borough Council, Islwyn Borough Council, Torfaen Borough Council.

  West Glamorgan County Council.

  Neath Development Partnership, Port Talbot Co-operative Development Agency, Swansea Self Start, West Glamorgan Enterprise Trust.

  Friday 6 May

  Mid Glamorgan County Council.

  Dyfed County Council.

  Thursday 12 May

  Welsh Development Agency.

  British Coal (Enterprise), British Steel Corporation (Industry), Business in the Community.

  Friday 13 May

  Business in Taff Ely, Economic Development Partnership of the Rhymney Valley Ltd, Ogwr Partnership Trust, Merthyr—Aberdare Development Enterprise, Rhondda Enterprise Ltd.

  Mid Glamorgan District Health Authority, West Glamorgan District Health Authority, East Dyfed District Health Authority, Gwent District Health Authority, Gwent District Health Authority.

  Powys County Council.

  403

  Organisation

  Monday 16 May

  Land Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what technical arrangements he is making to fulfil his intention, declared in reply to a supplementary question from the right hon. Member for Swansea, West,Official Report, 23 May, column 6, to make simultaneous announcements of his valleys initiative in the Chamber of the House and in the valleys.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I shall ensure that on the day of the announcement statements are made both in the House and in the valleys.

  Torfaen (RSG)
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will allow an expenditure disregard in the calculation of

  £ million (commitments)

  Sources

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Total

  European Regional Development Fund—Quota2

  47·3

  65·6

  56·9

  59·5

  53·8

  283·1

  European Regional Development Fund—Non Quota

  —

  7·3

  —

  1·0

  —

  8·3

  European Investment Bank

  23·1

  13·2

  47·1

  28·9

  1—

  112·3

  European Coal and Steel Community

  44·6

  19·8

  36·2

  14·6

  1—

  115·2

  European Social Fund

  24·5

  1·5

  3·3

  4·9

  1—

  34·2

  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund3

  57·4

  60·4

  53·2

  67·3

  1—

  238·3

  791·4

  1—Figures not yet available.

  2 Gross commitments

  3 EAGGF figures are based on identifiable receipts

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons are employed in the construction industry in each of the Welsh counties; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Data for the Welsh counties are available for 1978, 1981 and 1984 only and are as follows:

  Construction—Employees in employment

  Thousands

  June 19781

  September 19812

  September 19842

  Clwyd

  8·0

  5·4

  5·7

  Dyfed

  7·0

  6·1

  4·9

  Gwent

  8·7

  8·7

  7·8

  Gwynedd

  6·9

  4·8

  3·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  10·7

  8·0

  8·6

  Powys

  2·2

  1·3

  1·6

  South Glamorgan

  10·9

  10·1

  8·3

  West Glamorgan

  11·0

  8·2

  6·5

  Source: Censuses of Employment.

  1Jobcentre based information; 1968 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), Order XX; this differs from the 1980 SIC, for instance, in including open-cast coal mining operations.

  2'Ward-based information; 1980 SIC Division 5.

  Note: Jobcentre and ward-based aggregates are not strictly comparable. The former are based on an amalgamation of Jobcentre areas which may not be coterminous with the county boundary and, unlike the ward-based aggregate, they include no allowance fo non response and duplication in census returns.
  404
  rate support grant for Torfaen borough council, in respect of that authority's expenditure for the monitoring of ReChem International Plc.

  Mr. Grist
  No. Expenditure disregards are relevant only in circumstances in which expenditure guidance has been issued in respect of a rate support grant settlement which includes targets and penalties. The settlements since 1986–87 do not include such arrangements.

  EC Payments
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, for each of the past five years, the total receipts by way of grants and other payments which have come to Wales from the European Economic Community budget.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Details of identifiable EC grants and loans for the past five years are as follows:

  These figures do not include the self-employed, who constitute 20 per cent. of those employed in construction according to the 1981 census of population.

  Sheepmeat
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken by his Department to ensure that Wales retains its present share of the sheepmeat sector in Europe on the implementation of the review of the common agriculture policy sheepmeat regime.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  During the review of the sheepmeat regime we will continue to resist changes which would discriminate against United Kingdom and Welsh interests and will seek to secure arrangements which would allow free but fair competition.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to inform the European Commission of the views of the Welsh farming community concerning the imposition of a separate budgetary stabiliser for sheepmeat produced in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Our opposition to a separate sheepmeat stabiliser for Great Britain was made clear to the Commission during the negotiations which produced the agreement at the European Council on 11–12 February 1988. In accepting the final terms of the agreement as a whole, a judgment had to be made on the overall benefits which could be achieved.

  Green Pound
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the European Commission concerning the views of the Welsh farming community on the devaluation of the green pound; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—with whom I work in close collaboration on all matters of importance to agriculture—has made it clear to the Agriculture Council that some devaluation is justified in the current price fixing. He is therefore pressing the Commission to make satisfactory proposals.

  Agricultural Research
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales are employed in agricultural research in(a) the private sector and (b) the public sector.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Comprehensive information on the number of people employed in Wales in agricultural research in the private sector and in the universities is not kept centrally.

  At 1 May 1988, the Agricultural and Food Research Council's Welsh plant breeding station employed 224 people. Approximately 127 ADAS officers and support staff in Wales are also involved in agricultural research and development work as part of their duties.

  Silage Pollution
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures his Department is taking to increase

  Year

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  11987

  Index of farming incomes (deflated by the RPI (1979=100))

  100

  92

  115

  139

  68

  94

  46

  69

  81

  Percentage change

  —

  -8

  25

  21

  -51

  38

  -51

  50

  17

  1 Figures for 1987 are subject to revision.

  Chernobyl Disaster (Compensation)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning farmers in Wales affected by the Chernobyl disaster who fell ouside the compensation system; and what measures are being undertaken to compensate them.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  On 11 January 1988, the National Farmers Union in Wales presented to my Department 56 cases it considered to have been inadequately compensated by the direct losses scheme under the Chernobyl compensation arrangements. The evidence submitted by the union did not reveal any special problems or anomalies not already covered by the existing compensation arrangements. The union also confirmed that no new principles of compensation had been identified. I wrote to the chairman of the NFU in Wales on 23 March 1988 rejecting the 56 cases. I have no plans to extend the existing compensation arrangements, which I firmly believe are a fair and balanced response to producers' needs.
  406
  the awareness of farmers of the dangers of silage pollution; and what assistance his Department makes available to the industry to help the prevention of such pollution.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My Department, with the help of ADAS, is continually bringing the dangers of pollution to the attention of farmers during individual farm visits, through articles in ADAS publications, and by exhibits at various demonstrations.

  Farm capital grants under the agriculture improvement scheme are available for the handling, storage and treatment of agricultural effluents and waste.

  Ewe Premium
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total loss to Welsh sheep producers of the decision of the EEC sheepnneat management committee to set the 1987 ewe premium at £6·24 per ewe rather than the proposed £6·44.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Some 4·7 million ewe are expected to qualify for 1987 sheep annual premium and the loss to Welsh producers as a consequence of the rate of premium being 20p less than originally anticipated will therefore be about £940,000.

  Farming Income
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of St ate for Wales what was the percentage change in the value of farming incomes in Wales after taking inflation into account in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  After taking account of inflation, as measured by the retail price index, the percentage change in the value of farming incomes in each year since 1979 is as follows:—

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the affects of the proposed community charge on farming families in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The few representations I have received relate to ability to pay the community charge and the effect of a change in the use of buildings and land from agriculture which may make them subject to business rates. Farmers and other adults in their families, unless they are exempt, will like other adults be liable for the community charge and may be eligible for community charge benefits. If agricultural buildings and land are used for any other non-domestic purpose they will become liable for business rates under the new system, as they would under the present one. As with all non-domestic hereditaments, there will be transitional arrangements for occupiers who would otherwise face large rate increases.

  Agricultural Holdings
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the change in the average size of agricultural holdings in Wales since 1978, 1968, and 1958.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The average area of main holdings in Wales for the years requested is as follows:

  Hectares

  Average area per holding

  1958

  29·3

  1968

  38·1

  1978

  47·3

  1987

  50·0

  Dairy Processing Industry
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in the dairy processing industry in Wales; and what are the corresponding figures for 1978, 1968, and 1958.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Available information is as follows:

  Employees in employment (£ thousands)

  (SIC 1968) Minimum List Heading 215

  (SIC 1980) Activities 4130 and 4213

  1978

  1981

  1981

  1984

  Preparation of milk and milk products including ice-cream1

  3·7

  3·3

  3·3

  4·0

  Source: Censuses of Employment.

  1 Under Standard Industrial Classification 1968, totals of employees in employment within the ice-cream industry were included in preparation of milk and milk products.

  Due to inconsistencies in the industrial classification, comparable data for 1958 and 1968 are not available.

  Mortality Rates
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the mortality rate in Wales based on social classes 1 to 5 for the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Grist
  Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Nurses (Pay)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will provide the finance to health authorities to cover the recent pay increase for nurses and for new nurses recruited to meet shortages on establishment.

  Mr. Grist
  The estimated additional cost of the review bodies' recommendations, which the Government have agreed to fund in full, relates to staff in post. It is a matter for local determination whether, within these and other discretionary resources available to health authorities, the numbers and grading of staff in post should be changed.

  Engagements
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his official engagements since 1 May.
  408
  Mr. Peter Walker
  In addition to Cabinet, Cabinet Committee and other ministerial meetings I have, amongst others, met: the Italian ambassador, the Japanese ambassador and the governor of the Prefecture of Oita, and also met representatives of the following organisations:

  Taff Ely Borough Council

  Cynon Valley Borough Council

  Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council

  Ogwr Borough Council

  Rhymney Valley District Council

  Rhondda Borough Council

  Blaenau Gwent Borough Council

  Islwyn Borough Council

  Torfaen Borough Council

  Mid Glamorgan County Council

  Dyfed County Council

  Powys County Council

  Neath Development Partnership

  Port Talbot Co-operative Development Agency

  Swansea Self Start

  West Glamorgan Enterprise Trust

  Business in Taff Ely

  Economic Development

  Partnership of the Rhymney Valley Ltd.

  Ogwr Partnership Trust Ltd.

  Merthyr-Aberdare Development Enterprise

  Rhondda Enterprise Ltd.

  Tate and Lyle plc

  Chartered Trust

  Rank Hovis McDougall

  WINvest

  MAFF Regional Panel

  West Glamorgan County Council

  Welsh Housing Association's Council

  Secondary Housing Association for Wales

  The Housing Corporation

  British Coal (Enterprise) Ltd.

  British Steel Corporation (Industry)

  Business in the Community

  Mid Glamorgan District Health Authority

  Gwent District Health Authority

  West Glamorgan District Health Authority

  East Dyfed District Health Authority

  Land Authority for Wales

  St. David's College, Lampeter

  Food From Britain

  The Design Council

  Royal College of Pathologists

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  British Tourist Authority Board

  Welsh Development Agency

  Peat McLintoch.

  I have addressed the:

  Farmers' Union of Wales

  The Institution of Gas Engineers

  Business and Education Initiative Conference

  National Association of Goldsmiths

  launched:

  Taste of Wales Ltd.

  The Draft Mental Illness Strategy

  The Welsh products Exhibition

  and visited:

  Llancaiach Fawr Elizabethan Manor

  Pyrock Manufacturing Ltd.

  Hitachi Consumer Products (UK) Ltd.

  JR Freeman and Son Ltd

  Otford Specialised Mouldings

  Cardiff Business School

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Altogether, quite a busy month.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those groups or organisations which
  409
  responded to the Government's consultation paper, proposing a national rivers authority, suggesting a separate authority for Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is as follows:

  Council for Wales of the National Farmers' Union;

  Dee and Clwyd Local Consumer Advisory Committee;

  Farmers Union of Wales;

  Gwynedd Local Consumer Advisory Committee;

  Usk Local Land Drainage Committee;

  Welsh Consumer Council;

  Welsh Office of the Association of District Councils;

  Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association.

  One individual who responded also suggested a separate authority for Wales.

  Housing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in Wales, excluding the area covered in the valleys initiative, were built before 1919.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 20 May 1988]: In 1986 there were 324,000 dwellings built before 1919 in Wales, excluding the area covered by the valleys initiative.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Medical Accidents (Awards)
  Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many awards in excess of £100,000 for medical accidents caused through negligence were notified to his Department in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987; and if he will list the awards together with the health authority involved.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department does not keep detailed statistics on such cases. However, health authorities are expected to keep the Department informed during negotiations for settlement or during the course of litigation. The Department's approval is required to write off (in health authorities' accounts) compensation payments in excess of £100,000 made under legal obligation although it may be several years between an initial notification and actual write-off. The following awards/settlements in excess of £100,000 for medical accidents caused through negligence were actually notified to the Department for write off purposes by health authorities in each of the financial years 1982–83 to 1987–88:

  Year and Health Authority

  Amount of award/ settlement (£)

  1982–83

  —

  —

  1983–84

  Croydon

  250,000

  Swindon

  534,000

  1984–85

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  220,760

  Islington

  235,000

  1985–86

  Bassetlaw

  385,000

  Grimsby

  270,000

  Solihull

  250,000

  Swindon

  275,000

  1986–87

  Bath

  175,000

  Cambridge

  151,222

  Central Birmingham

  175,000

  Central Manchester

  207,000

  410

  Year and Health Authority

  Amount of award/settlement (£)

  East Berkshire

  550,000

  North Lincolnshire

  130,000

  Nottingham

  115,000

  Nottingham

  375,000

  Walsall

  260,000

  Wandsworth

  600,000

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  150,498

  1987–88

  Bloomsbury

  430,000

  Crewe

  375,000

  Torbay

  350,000

  Note: The figures shown represent the total amount of the award/settlement, excluding costs. They do not take account of the fact that the health authority's liability may have been reduced by a contribution from a medical defence organisation.

  Electro-convulsive Therapy
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what regulations or guidelines are currently in force regarding the use of electro-convulsive therapy.

  Mrs. Currie
  In general electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) stands in the same position as any other treatment which may be offered or recommended in the clinical setting. Ethical and clinical standards are enforced by the professional organisations of practitioners such as the General Medical Council. For patients detained under section 58 of the Mental Health Act, however, regulation 16 specifies ECT as one of the treatments requiring consent or a second opinion. Administration of ECT for a detained patient under that section requires either the patient's informed consent or a second opinion from a doctor appointed by the Mental Health Act Commission that the treatment should be given.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what comparisons his Department has made of the frequency of use of electro-convulsive therapy in Britain and in other countries.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have no information on the frequency of use of electro-convulsive therapy in other countries which would enable us to make comparisons with treatment in this country. The Department is, however, aware of two major studies of psychiatrists' attitudes and practice with regard to electro-convulsive therapy, one in the United Kingdom, one in the United States of America, references to which are contained in "Essentials of Postgraduate Psychiatry" by Hill, Murray and Thorley (Second Edition).

  Hospital Beds (Waltham Forest)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the answer of 5 May,Official Report, colums 547–49, if he has the figures available for 1987 of the average number of available beds for (a) acute and (b) geriatric specialties an Waltham Forest district health authority.

  Mrs. Currie
  This information is not available in the form requested. The number of available bed days during the 1987–88 financial year, classified by ward type rather than consultant specialty, will be available later this year.

  Blandford Fly
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what respresentations he has received on the hazards to health caused by the Blandford fly; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  No representations have been received about the unpleasant toxic bite of this fly, which I understand can cause painful swelling of the joints.

  AIDS
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of recorded instances of persons infected with the AIDS virus within the Leicestershire health district.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide the current figures per district health authority for England and Wales of patients registered as being infected by the AIDS virus.

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that this information is not held centrally. Figures on the latest number of reported cases of AIDS, by regional health authority are published monthly. Similar statistics on reported HIV antibody positive persons are published quarterly. Copies are available in the Library. The reports required under the AIDS (Control) Act 1987, the first of which will be submitted later this year, will contain figures on the number of positive results obtained from blood samples taken for the purposes of HIV antibody tests by facilities and services provided by district health authorities.

  Departmental Efficiency (Blackpool)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to improve efficiency in his Department's headquarters in Blackpool.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 8 March 1988 at column 163.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many additional nursing homes in the private sector have been opened in the past five years; and how many beds this represents.

  Mrs. Currie
  The number of private hospital homes and clinics registered in England has risen by 1,052 from 1,214 in 1982 to 2,266 in 1986, the latest date for which information is held centrally. Over the same period, the total available bed stock rose from 34,786 to 62,112, an increase of 27,326.

  Tobacco (Health Warnings)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the response of the tobacco industry to the 1986 voluntary agreement on tobacco products' advertising and promotion, and health warnings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The agreement commenced on 1 April 1986 and is due to run until 31 October 1989. There is no reason for the industry to respond to the agreement over 412
  and above their compliance with the terms. The working of the agreement is overseen by the committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship whose first report was published on 23 March. Copies are available in the Library. The Government have indicated their intention to seek the renegotiation of the agreement to reflect current needs.

  Children (Malignancy)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures for the proportion of children newly diagnosed with malignancy who are expected to survive.

  Mrs. Currie
  The latest available information is shown in the table. It shows the percentage of children of each age groups which are expected to survive for five years after the date of diagnosis, based on cases newly diagnosed in 1981. It should be noted that survival is likely to vary considerably depending on the type and site of the cancer.

  Relative1 five-year survival rates (per cent.) for children newly diagnosed with malignancies in 1981, England and Wales.

  Age group

  0–4

  5–14

  Males

  63·0

  62·0

  Females

  55·0

  56·9

  1Adjusted to take account of the probability of surviving five years in sex and age group at death rates for England and Wales.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the figures in real and cash terms for expenditure on housing benefit in the last three financial years of the old scheme and the estimated expenditure for the current financial year.

  Mr. Portillo
  Expenditure on housing benefit in the last three financial years of the old scheme and estimated expenditure for the current financial year in real and cash terms is set out in the tables. Real expenditure is shown in 1988/89 prices. Estimated expenditure for the current financial year includes the changes announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the House on 27 April 1988.

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  11988–89

  Table 1: Cash expenditure

  Housing benefit rent allowance and rebate

  3,129

  3,368

  3,620

  3,936

  rate rebate

  1,510

  1,650

  1,760

  1,378

  TOTAL

  4,639

  5,018

  5,380

  5,314

  Table 2: Real expenditure (1988–89 prices)

  Housing benefit rent allowance and rebate

  3,545

  3,696

  3,783

  3,936

  rate rebate

  1,711

  1,810

  1,839

  1,378

  TOTAL

  5,256

  5,506

  5,622

  5,314

  1Estimate.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Renfrew district council and
  413
  Inverclyde district council are in receipt of less money due to the changes in housing benefits; and if he will show their previous and current entitlement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that information relating to individual local authorities is not available.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will visit the constituencies of Renfrew, West and Inverclyde in 1988 to meet those who have had their housing benefit cut due to the recent changes in benefits.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have no immediate plans to do so.

  Mentally Ill Patients
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mentally ill and mentally handicapped patients have moved from hospital care into residential care that is funded in full by supplementary benefit payments.

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

  Family Income Statistics
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children in Scotland were living in families below supplementary benefit level, on supplementary benefit and with incomes up to 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit level, classified by employment status; whether they were in one or two-parent families in 1985 on the latest basis and on a basis comparable with 1979 and 1981; and what proportion these children made up of the total number of children;

  (2) how many people in Scotland in 1985 were (a) below, (b) at and (c) up to 140 per cent. of the supplementary benefit level on the latest basis and on a basis comparable with 1979 and 1981; what percentage of the total population they represent in each case; what is his estimate of the number of childen living in such households in each case; and what percentage of total children they represent in each case.

  Mr. Portillo
  Separate analyses for Scotland, Wales and particular regions cannot be prepared on a reliable basis. Figures based on the methods of "Households Below Average Income: 1981–85" and "Low Income Families—1985" are available only for Great Britain as a whole. More detailed discussion of the reasons leading to this conclusion may be found in chapter 1, paragraph 14 and chapter 3, paragraph 11 of "Low Income Statistics—Report of a Technical Review: March 1988", copies of which are in the Library. The principal difficulty is that the family expenditure survey does not allow reliable estimates of those with low incomes to be made below the national level.

  Carbadox and Olaquindox
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence his Department holds about the role of Carbadox as a carcinogen in humans.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department holds information from animal test data provided by the manufacturers, Pfizer Ltd.; also the following published scientific reports:414

  1. Bentin L, Preller E, and Kowalsi B. Antimicrob. Agents Chemotherap. 20. 336–343, 1981.

  2. Yoshimura H, Nakamura M, Koeda T, and Yoshikawa K. Mut. Res. 90: 49–55, 1981.

  3. Voogd C E, Van der Stel J J, and Jacobs J J J A A. Mut. Res. 78: 233–242, 1980.

  4. Negishi T, Tanaka K, and Hayatsu H. Chem. Pharm. But. 28: 1347–1349, 1980.

  5. Ohta T, Moriya M, Kaneda Y, Watanabe K, Miyazawa T, Sugiyama F, and Shirasu Y. Mut. Res. 77: 21–30, 1980.

  6. Shirasu Y, Moriya M, and Kato K. Mut. Res. 53: 261, 1978. (Abstract).

  7. Oud J L, Reutlinger A H H, and Brangcr J. Mut. Res. 68: 179–182, 1979.

  8. Cihak R, Srb V, and Vontorkava M. Mut. Res. 116: 129–135, 1983.

  9. Sykora and Vortel 1986. Natal study of the Carcinogenicity of Cyadox and Carbadox. Biol. Vet. Chem. (Praha) 22, 53–62.

  The Department holds sufficient evidence to establish that this compound is a mutagen and a carcinogen, both in laboratory tests and in living animals.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence his Department has that the compounds of Carbadox and Olaquindox are mutagens.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Department holds information from animal test data provided by the manufacturers, Pfizer and Bayer respectively, and the following published scientific reports:

  1. Bentin L., Prellar E. and Kowalski B (1981): Mutagenicity of quindoxin, its matabolites and two substituted Quinoxaline-di-N-oxides. Antimicrob. Agents and Chemother. 20 (3): 336–343.

  2. Cihak R., Srb V. and Vontorkova M. (1983). Cytogenetic effects of quixoxaline-1,4-dioxide-type growth-promoting agents. I. Micro-nucleus test in rats. Mutat. Res. 116: 129–135.

  3. Cihak R. and Vontorkova M. (1983). Cytogenetic effects of quinoxaline-1,4-dioxide-type growth-promoting agents. II. Metaphase analysis in mice. Mutat. Res. 117: 311–316.

  4. Cihak R. and Vontorkova M. (1985). Cytogenetic effects of quinoxaline-1,4-dioxide-type growth-promoting agents. III. Transplacental micronucleus test in mice. Mutat. Res. 144 (2): 81–84.

  5. English A. R. and Dunegan C. M. (1970). Quinoxaline-1,4-di-N-oxides. I. Inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli by 2,3-dihydroxymethyl-quinoxaline-1,4-di-N -oxide (34481). Proc. Soc. Expl. Biol. Med. 133: 398–400.

  6. Suter W., Rosselet A. and Knussel F. (1978). Mode of action of quindoxin and substituted quinoxaline-di-N-oxides on Escherichia coli. Antimicrob. Agents and Chemotherap. 13 (5): 770–783.

  7. Voogd C. E., van der Stel J. J. and Jacobs J. J. J. A. A. (1980). The Mutagenic action of quindoxin, carbadox, olaquindox and some other N-oxides on bacteria and yeast. Mutat. Res. 78: 233–242, 1980.

  8. Yoshimura H., Nakamura M. and Koeda T. (1981). Mutagenic activities of carbadox and olaquindox—growth promoters for pigs. Mutat. Res. 90: 49–55.

  9. Negishi T., Tanaka K., Hayatsu H. (1980). Mutagenicity of carbadox and several quinoxaline-1,4-dioxide derivative. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 28, 1347–1349.

  10. Windholz M., Budavari S., Blumetti R. F., Otterbein E. S. (Eds) (1983). The Merck Index, Merck and Co. Inc. Rahway, New Jersey.

  11. Sykora A. and Vortel V. (1986). Natal Study of the Carcinogenicity of Cyadox and Carbadox. Biol. Vet. Chem. (Praha): 22, pages 53–62.

  12. Ohta T., Moriya M., Kaneda Y., Watanabe K., Miyazawa T., Sugiyama F., and Shirasu Y. Mut. Res. 77: 21–30, 1980.

  13. Shirasu Y., Moriya M., and Kato K. Mut Res. 53: 261, 1978.

  415

  14. Oud J. L., Reutlinger A. H. H. and Branger J. Mut. Res. 68: 179–182, 1979.

  The Department holds sufficient evidence to establish that these compounds are mutagens, both in laboratory tests and in living animals.

  Glaucoma
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he intends to make for identifying and advising close relatives of sufferers of glaucoma.

  Mrs. Currie
  Appropriate arrangements have still to be decided. We shall need to consult the medical profession and others before any scheme is finalised.

  Electorate (Hertfordshire)
  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 districts of(a) Stevenage, (b) Watford, (c) Welwyn Hatfield and (d) Hertsmere.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is as follows:

  District of Stevenage

  Ward name

  Parliamentary electorate on the 1988 register

  Stevenage Parliamentary Constituency

  Symonds Green

  5,414

  Old Stevenage

  5,311

  Wellfield

  1,700

  St. Nicholas

  3,867

  Martins Wood

  4,797

  Pin Green

  3,961

  Mobbsbury

  3,512

  Chells

  3,257

  Bedwell Plash

  3,996

  Monkswood

  2,474

  Shephall

  3,522

  Bandley Hill

  6,065

  Roebuck

  4,235

  Longmeadow

  5,129

  (b) District of Watford

  Ward name

  Parliamentary electorate on the 1988 register

  Watford Parliamentary Constituency

  Woodside

  5,028

  Stanborough

  4,853

  Meriden

  5,646

  Leggatts

  4,306

  Callowland

  4,197

  Tudor

  4,964

  Nascot

  5,045

  Central

  4,715

  Park

  4,233

  Vicarage

  5,636

  Holywell

  4,360

  Oxhey

  4,810

  (c) District of Welwyn Hatfield

  Ward name

  Parliamentary Electorate on the 1988 register

  Welwyn Hatfield Parliamentary Constituency

  Welwyn West

  3,021

  Welwyn East

  4,186

  416

  Ward name

  Parliamentary Electorate on the 1988 register

  Handside

  5,090

  Peartree

  5,004

  Hollybush

  4,341

  Howlands

  4,664

  Sherrards

  4,771

  Haldens

  8,924

  Hatfield East

  5,782

  Hatfield West

  5,343

  Hatfield North

  4,714

  Hatfield Central

  4,483

  Brookmans Park and Little Heath

  4,349

  Welham Green and Redhall

  5,522

  Broxbourne Parliamentary Constituency

  Northaw

  4,363

  (d) District of Hertsmere

  Ward name

  Parliamentary Electorate on the 1988 register

  Hertsmere Parliamentary Constituency

  Aldenham East

  3,576

  Aldenham West

  3,560

  Brookmeadow

  3,050

  Campions

  1,984

  Cowley

  4,272

  Elstree

  4,123

  Heath North

  3,959

  Heath South

  3,759

  Hillside

  3,449

  Kenilworth

  3,044

  Lyndhurst

  3,346

  Mill

  3,482

  Potters Bar Central

  3,207

  Potters Bar East

  4,850

  Potters Bar North

  3,754

  Potters Bar South

  2,921

  Potters Bar West

  3,702

  St. James East

  3,185

  St. James West

  3,539

  Shenley

  1,558

  Hospices
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he has any information concerning the numbers of nursing staff currently employed by hospices;

  (2) whether he has any information concerning the total size and percentage of total spending represented by nursing costs to hospices.

  Mr. Newton
  Most hospices are independent voluntary bodies and such information is therefore not collected centrally.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he has any plans to take steps to assist hospices in meeting the cost of the new pay levels for nursing personnel;

  (2) whether he gives any guidance to regional health authorities about assistance given to hospices to meet nursing costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 10 May at column 140.
  417
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the problems faced by hospices in meeting the new pay levels for nursing personnel.

  Mr. Newton
  We have had representations from "Help the Hospices" and from a number of individual hospices through their local Members of Parliament.

  Research Grants
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current level of funding by his Department for research project grants targeted to the elderly and care in the community.

  Mrs. Currie
  In 1987–88 £2·3 million of the Department's research budget was spent on community care projects. £1 million of this was spent on research focusing particularly on the elderly, whilst the remaining sum supported research into community care affecting all age groups. Expenditure in 1988–89 is likely to be at a similar level.

  Invalidity Pensions
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people living in the area of(a) Renfrew district council and (b) Inverclyde district council are receiving invalidity pensions.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. The Department's local offices at Johnstone, Paisley and Port Glasgow serve the area covered by Renfrew district council and the local offices at Greenock and Port Glasgow serve the area covered by Inverclyde district council, but their boundaries are not conterminous.

  The numbers of people claiming sickness benefit or invalidity pension at these local offices as at 30 April 1988, the latest date for which information is available, is as follows:

  Number

  Johnstone ILO

  3,050

  Paisley ILO

  7,022

  Port Glasgow ILO

  1,868

  Greenock ILO

  4,152

  I regret that separate records are not kept of the numbers of claimants in receipt of sickness benefit and invalidity pension.

  The source of the above information is a 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

  Pneumoconiosis
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the basis for estimation of pneumoconiosis damage for payment of miners' industrial injury benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  Where a claim is made for industrial injuries disablement benefit for the prescribed disease pneumoconiosis the extent of the disablement is assessed by a special medical board. The board takes into account the nature and extent of the symptoms as explained by the claimant to the board doctors, the physical signs found on clinical 418
  examination, the extent of the radiological changes of pneumoconiosis, the results of lung function tests, and any other medical evidence. The results of the tests are compared with the results expected of a normal healthy person of the same age, sex and height.

  Other conditions which are present, particularly pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis or emphysema may also be taken into account in assessing the overall disablement.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people living in(a) Renfrew, West and (b) Inverclyde are receiving war pensions.

  Mr. Portillo
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Invalid Care and Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency are receiving invalid care allowance; and if he will also give the figures for Renfrew district council and Inverclyde district council areas;

  (2) how many people in Renfrew district council and Inverclyde district council areas are receiving mobility allowance.

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

  Southampton Office
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his plans for his Department's local office in Southampton over the next five years.

  Mr. Portillo
  At the present time the Department has no plans to change the location or boundaries of its office in Southampton.

  Essex Hospitals
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individual representations he has received in opposition to West Essex health authority plans for Princess Alexandra hospital, Harlow, and the corresponding downgrading of St. Margaret's hospital, Epping, and the Hertfordshire and Essex hospital, Bishop's Stortford.

  Mrs. Currie
  We have received five letters which have been referred by hon. Members together with several thousand letters direct from members of the public and a number of petitions about changes to services at St. Margaret's and the Herts and Essex hospitals proposed by West Essex health authority.

  Abortions
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the range of fees charged by private clinics operating with a Department of Health and Social Security licence for terminations of pregnancy together with the range of gestational ages to which they apply.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 17 November 1987 at columns 524–5. He may wish to approach individual approved places direct about the levels of their fees.
  419
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of private clinics licensed by his Department to conduct terminations of pregnancy from 1968 to the latest date for which figures are available;

  (2) if he will list the private clinics licensed to conduct terminations of pregnancy which have had their licences revoked since 1968 together with the grounds for that withdrawal of the licence.

  Mr. Newton
  Our records show that in the period since 1968, 110 places have been approved under the Abortion Act 1967. Of these, 38 are no longer approved for the following reasons:

  Places

  Approval ceased at proprietor's request or because of change of ownership

  17

  Approval withdrawn by DHSS because of a breach of the Assurances or mismanagement by the proprietors

  21

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of applications by private clinics to conduct terminations of pregnancy which have been refused by his Department since 1968 together with the grounds for refusal.

  Mr. Newton
  Our records show six cases in which an application reached its final stages but was refused. In each case this was because the proprietor was considered unsuitable.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of related prosecutions that have been brought following the revocation of a licence to terminate pregnancy against the proprietors of private clinics since 1968.

  Mr. Newton
  The information available indicates that of the prosecutions brought under the Abortion Act none has been directly related to the withdrawal of an approval.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total level of supplementary benefits payments that have been made in respect of residential care for elderly people in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 29 April at column 336.

  Regional Health Authorities (Budgets)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the total budgets for each regional health authority in the United Kingdom for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Newton
  For information on the total revenue and capital expenditure incurred by health authorities in England, including analyses by region (and for recent years to individual regional and district health authorities), I refer the hon. Member to the Department's annual booklet "Health Authorities' Annual Accounts—National Summary (England)"—copies of which are held in the Library.
  420
  Questions concerning health authorities in the other countries within the United Kingdom are matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the current population of each regional health authority in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Currie
  Estimates of resident populations in mid-1986 are listed in the table. Figures relating to mid-1987 will be available shortly.

  Thousands

  Number

  England: Regional Health Authorities

  Northern

  3,080·2

  Yorkshire

  3,601·4

  Trent

  4,633·8

  East Anglian

  1,991·6

  North West Thames

  3,488·1

  North East Thames

  3,760·8

  South East Thames

  3,618·6

  South West Thames

  2,964·5

  Wessex

  2,876·4

  Oxford

  2,476·3

  South Western

  3,177·5

  West Midlands

  5,181·2

  Mersey

  2,414·1

  North Western

  3,989·8

  Wales

  2,821·0

  Scotland: Health Board Areas

  Borders

  101·8

  Central

  271·8

  Dumfries and Galloway

  146·8

  Fife

  343·8

  Grampian

  502·9

  Highland

  200·8

  Lothian

  741·9

  Tayside

  392·3

  Orkney Islands

  19·3

  Shetland Islands

  23·6

  Western Isles Islands Area

  31·5

  Strathclyde Health Areas

  Argyll and Clyde

  445·3

  Ayrshire and Arran

  374·8

  Greater Glasgow

  959·8

  Lanarkshire

  564·6

  Northern Ireland: Health and Personal Social Services Boards

  Eastern

  642·1

  Northern

  379·0

  Southern

  288·9

  Western

  256·8

  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what projections of population growth his Department are using for planning purposes over the next five years in the South East Thames region, and for each of the Kent health authorities.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is for the South East Thames regional health authority to plan services for that region making use of available population projections such as those published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether there is to be any change in the running cost limit of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Mrs. Currie
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the gross running cost limit for OPCS Class XX Vote 16 will be increased by £50,000 from £38,002,000 to £38,052,000 reflecting increased expenditure by OPCS on services provided to the Ministry of Defence. The MoD gross running cost limit for Class I Vote I will be correspondingly reduced by £50,000. There is no overall increase in gross running costs as a result of these changes.

  Benefit Changes (Coventry)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish tables using the assumptions in his answer to the then hon. Member for Kensington (Sir B. Rhys Williams) of 4 February,Official Report, column 737, but using expenditure and benefit figures appropriate for families in Coventry for which he has sufficient data,

  Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  Family income supplement

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  FSM

  FWM

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  28·70

  14·50

  22·44

  18·88

  10·79

  7·27

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  91·65

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  23·70

  14·50

  22·44

  17·63

  10·79

  6·87

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  93·10

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  18·70

  14·50

  22·44

  16·38

  10·79

  6·47

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  94·53

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  13·70

  14·50

  22·44

  15·13

  10·79

  6·07

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  94·48

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  8·70

  14·50

  22·44

  13·88

  10·79

  5·67

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  94·43

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  3·70

  14·50

  22·44

  12·36

  10·79

  5·10

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  91·74

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  10·28

  10·79

  4·28

  5·85

  2·55

  0·00

  89·71

  130·00

  14·72

  11·70

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  6·98

  10·79

  2·98

  5·85

  2·55

  0·00

  91·51

  140·00

  17·42

  12·60

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  3·68

  10·79

  1·68

  5·85

  2·55

  0·00

  93·31

  150·00

  20·12

  13·50

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  2·55

  0·00

  94·35

  160·00

  22·82

  14·40

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  0·00

  0·00

  98·20

  170·00

  25·52

  15·30

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  0·00

  0·00

  104·60

  New benefit system from April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  FC

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  Difference between systems

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  40·32

  14·50

  22·44

  7·68

  10·79

  2·84

  5·85

  83·26

  -8·39

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  34·65

  14·50

  22·44

  6·10

  10·79

  2·36

  5·85

  83·63

  -9·47

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  28·99

  14·50

  22·44

  4·52

  10·79

  1·87

  5·85

  83·98

  -10·55

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  24·37

  14·50

  22·44

  3·23

  10·79

  1·47

  5·85

  84·27

  -10·21

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  19·75

  14·50

  22·44

  1·95

  10·79

  1·08

  5·85

  84·58

  -9·85

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  16·67

  14·50

  22·44

  1·09

  10·79

  0·81

  5·85

  84·77

  -6·97

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  12·19

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  84·79

  -4·92

  130·00

  14·72

  11·70

  7·71

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  86·71

  -4·80

  140·00

  17·42

  12·60

  3·23

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  88·63

  -4·68

  150·00

  20·12

  13·50

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  91·80

  -2·55

  160·00

  22·82

  14·40

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  98·20

  0·00

  170·00

  25·52

  15·30

  0·00

  14·50

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  104·60

  0·00

  422
  and with an additional column showing the extent of the differences that will result from the changes in benefits in April.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: The information requested is set out in the tables. It should be noted that the results are essentially hypothetical. They compare the post-reform position in April 1988 not with the actual pre-reform cash situation but with a hypothetical position which they might have been in, had the previous structure continued and been uprated on the assumptions in "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income Related Benefits" (October 1987). Second, the comparisons are based on average local authority housing charges in Coventry but do not reflect the wide variety of rents and domestic rates that people actually pay. Finally the comparisons do not take account of the transitional cash protection arrangements announced on the 27 April.

  More importantly the claimants in the examples are in the groups that may qualify for transitional protection under the arrangement announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 27 April. The cash differences will, therefore, in those cases be significantly lower (£2·50).
  423

  Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Married couple with three children aged 3, 8 and 11

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  Family income supplement

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  FSM

  FWM

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  32·90

  21·75

  22·44

  19·91

  10·79

  7·60

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  107·01

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  30·50

  21·75

  22·44

  18·01

  10·79

  6·99

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  110·20

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  25·50

  21·75

  22·44

  16·76

  10·79

  6·59

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  111·63

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  20·50

  21·75

  22·44

  15·51

  10·79

  6·19

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  111·58

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  15·50

  21·75

  22·44

  14·26

  10·79

  5·79

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  111·53

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  10·50

  21·75

  22·44

  12·87

  10·79

  5·30

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  109·05

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  5·50

  21·75

  22·44

  11·22

  10·79

  4·65

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  108·15

  130·00

  14·72

  11·70

  0·50

  21·75

  22·44

  9·57

  10·79

  4·00

  5·85

  5·10

  1·83

  107·25

  140·00

  17·42

  12·60

  0·00

  21·75

  22·44

  6·44

  10·79

  2·77

  5·85

  5·10

  0·00

  106·96

  150·00

  20·12

  13·50

  0·00

  21·75

  22·44

  3·14

  10·79

  1·47

  5·85

  5·10

  0·00

  108·76

  160·00

  22·82

  14·40

  0·00

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  5·10

  0·00

  110·55

  170·00

  25·52

  15·30

  0·00

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  0·00

  0·00

  111·85

  New benefit system from April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Married couple with three children aged 3, 8 and 11

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  FC

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  Difference between systems

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  51·72

  21·75

  22·44

  6·02

  10·79

  2·33

  5·85

  99·74

  -7·27

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  46·05

  21·75

  22·44

  4·44

  10·79

  1·85

  5·85

  100·11

  -10·09

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  40·39

  21·75

  22·44

  2·86

  10·79

  1·36

  5·85

  100·46

  -11·17

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  35·77

  21·75

  22·44

  1·58

  10·79

  0·96

  5·85

  100·76

  -10·82

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  31·15

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·57

  5·85

  100·77

  -10·76

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  28·07

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  101·52

  -7·53

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  23·59

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  103·44

  -4·71

  130·00

  14·72

  11·70

  19·11

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  105·36

  -1·89

  140·00

  17·42

  12·60

  14·63

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  107·28

  0·32

  150·00

  20·12

  13·50

  10·15

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  109·20

  0·44

  160·00

  22·82

  14·40

  5·67

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  111·12

  0·57

  170·00

  25·52

  15·30

  1·19

  21·75

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  113·04

  1·19

  Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Lone parent with two children aged 4 and 6

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  Family income supplement

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  FSM

  FWM

  Net weekly spending power

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  28·70

  19·40

  22·44

  17·65

  10·79

  6·88

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  94·93

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  23·70

  19·40

  22·44

  16·40

  10·79

  6·48

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  96·38

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  18·70

  19·40

  22·44

  15·15

  10·79

  6·08

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  97·81

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  13·70

  19·40

  22·44

  13·90

  10·79

  5·68

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  97·76

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  8·70

  19·40

  22·44

  12·39

  10·79

  5·12

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  97·29

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  3·70

  19·40

  22·44

  10·74

  10·79

  4·47

  5·85

  2·55

  1·83

  94·39

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  0·00

  19·40

  22·44

  8·66

  10·79

  3·65

  5·85

  2·55

  0·00

  92·36

  New benefit system from April 1988

  Coventry L.A.

  Lone parent with two children aged 4 and 6

  Earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  FC

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Rates

  Rate rebate

  Fares to work

  Net weekly spending power

  Difference between systems

  60·00

  0·00

  3·00

  40·32

  19·40

  22·44

  1·60

  10·79

  0·97

  5·85

  80·21

  -14·72

  70·00

  0·00

  4·90

  34·65

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  80·07

  -16·31

  80·00

  1·22

  5·60

  28·99

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  82·49

  -15·32

  90·00

  3·92

  6·30

  24·37

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  84·47

  -13·29

  100·00

  6·62

  7·00

  19·75

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  86·45

  -10·84

  110·00

  9·32

  9·90

  16·67

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  87·77

  -6·62

  120·00

  12·02

  10·80

  12·19

  19·40

  22·44

  0·00

  10·79

  0·00

  5·85

  89·69

  -2·67

  424