Written Answers of 19 October 1988

WALES

  Temporary Traffic Lights
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many temporary road traffic lights there are on trunk roads in Wales at present; and what are the two longest times of operation and their locations.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  There are 25 temporary road traffic lights associated with roadworks on trunk roads in Wales at present. The two longest times of operation and their locations are:

  (a) A494 Drws-y-Nant, Gwynedd, in operation from January 1979 and expected to remain until June 1991, and,

  (b) Aberaeron-Aberarth, Dyfed, in operation from January 1984 and expected to remain until September 1989.

  Information regarding temporary traffic lights for statutory undertakers' works is not held centrally.

  Curriculum Council
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the establishment of the Curriculum Council for Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Curriculum Council for Wales, which I appointed in shadow form in May 1988, was formally established on 16 August 1988. Its chairman is Mr. Hywel Evans OBE, JP, headteacher of Aberconwy school, Gwynedd. The other 13 members are:—

  Mr. Richard Daugherty—Senior Lecturer, Department of Education, University College Swansea, West Glamorgan

  Mr. Alwyn Evans—Chief Adviser, Gwynedd LEA

  Mrs. Margaret Hemmings—Headteacher, Lewis Girls School, Mid Glamorgan

  Mr. Michael Jones—Solicitor, Cardiff, South Glamorgan

  Mr. Wynne Lewis—Head of Science Department, St. Cyres School, Penarth, South Glamorgan

  Mr. John Love—Headteacher, Dyffryn Comprehensive School, Newport, Gwent

  Miss Anne Powell—Headteacher, Birchgrove Infants School, Swansea, West Glamorgan

  Mr. Eddie Roberts—Director of Education, Mid Glamorgan

  Mr. Ieuan Roberts—Headteacher, Ysgol Croesatti, Flint, Clwyd

  Mrs. Olwen Chapman—Headteacher, Llanefyl Church in Wales School, Powys

  Mr. Ieuan Price—Principal, Carmarthen College of Technology and Art, Dyfed

  Mr. Peter Winterburn—Lecturer in Biology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, South Glamorgan

  Mrs. Beryl Brewer—Personnel Manager, Marks and Spencers, Cardiff, South Glamorgan.

  The council was given its formal remit on 12 October and a copy of the remit has been placed in the Library of the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Profession
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received recently on the reform of the legal profession; and if he will make a statement.

  The Solicitor-General
  I have received three representations since 1 April 1988 and my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor has received 28 representations, from the same date, on such matters as rights of audience, fusion, legal education and training and entry to the profession.

  Immigration Appeals
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Attorney-General how many refusals of visitor visas have gone to immigration appeals; what were the outcomes of such appeals; and what is the total cost of such proceedings.

  The Solicitor-General
  Appeals against refusal of applications for visitor visas are not recorded separately, but are recorded together with appeals against refusal of applications by foreign students for temporary entrance clearance. In the period 1 January to 31 August 1988 a total of 3,277 separate appeals in this category were received by the adjudicators and 28 by the immigration appeal tribunal. Because of the way in which statistics are recorded by the appellate authorities, it is not possible to show the outcome of appeals received within any particular period. However, between 1 January and 31 August 1988, a total of 1,226 appeals against refusal of applications for visitors' visas and from foreign students were disposed of by the adjudicators of which 302 were allowed, 656 dismissed and 268 withdrawn; and 65 appeals were disposed of by the appeal tribunal of which 19 were allowed, 25 dismissed and 21 were considered to be outside the tribunal's jurisdiction.

  It is not possible to distinguish accurately the total cost of dealing with particular categories of appeal. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average cost of holding an immigration appeal hearing.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Lord Chancellor is responsible for the administration of the immigration appellate authorities. It is not possible from current records to give a precise average cost for an immigration appeal hearing. However, in the calendar year 1987, a total of 9,943 appeals were dealt with by the immigration appellate authorities. The total cost of the appellate authorities in the financial year 1987–88 (the first full financial year in which the Lord Chancellor had responsibility for the IAAs' administration) was £2,411,088. From this information it would be possible to state as an informed, but not precise, estimate that the average cost of dealing with an appeal was of the order of £240.

  It is estimated that in the same period hearings outnumbered appeals by approximately 20 per cent.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Attorney-General what has been the total cost to public funds from all efforts made by Her Majesty's Government to prevent the publication and reporting of the book, "Spycatcher".

  The Solicitor-General
  The total amount expended to date on legal costs both here and abroad in respect of litigation and advice, and on travelling and subsistence, is about £1,019,000.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Parliament
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps have been taken or are planned by any institution of the European Economic Communities to implement the opinion of the European Council meeting at Hanover, that there was a need to associate the European Parliament more closely with its decisions; and for what reason she concurred with that opinion.

  The Prime Minister
  The conclusions of the Hanover European Council reflect our wish to encourage the continued constructive involvement of all the institutions, including the European Parliament, in the business of the Community. The co-operation procedure laid down in the Single European Act provides a further way of associating the European Parliament more closely in the decisions of the Council.

  Social Services
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Prime Minister whether responsibility for social services will rest with the Health Department and under the ministerial responsibility of the Secretary of State for Health.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. Responsibility for personal social services is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Parliament Square (Access)
  Mr. Bowen Wells
  To ask the Prime Minister what central Government funds have been spent on proposals for improvements for Parliament square and the environs of the Palace of Westminster which benefit the public and make access easier for hon. Members; and when such proposals will be implemented.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have committed some £186,000 to studies commissioned by Westminster city council into ways of improving the environment and traffic conditions in Parliament square. Westminster's consultants have recently reviewed options for long-term improvements. The Government will be considering the way forward with Westminster, the House authorities and other interested parties. The implementation date for improvements will depend on which scheme is selected.

  European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if any definition has been proposed by Her Majesty's Government of the phrase "European union", as contained in the preamble to the Single European Act; and if she will provide any appropriate references or text.
  850
  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the speech of my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary on 23 April 1986, at column 325.

  Separation of Powers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will bring forward legislation to ensure a constitutional separation of powers in order to enhance the powers of the elected representatives vis-a-vis those of Government.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  "Spycatcher"
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what further representations she has received calling for an inquiry into allegations of illegality and domestic subversion made against the British secret services in the book "Spycatcher"; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received no such representations and I have nothing to add to the statement issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary for the Home Department on 13 October, immediately after the publication of the House of Lords judgement on the book "Spycatcher". A copy of this statement has been placed in the Library.

  Interviews
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many requests for British media interviews have been received by her during the past 12 months; and how many were granted.

  The Prime Minister
  I receive a considerable number of requests every year, but I am only able to accept a few owing to my many other commitments.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister which towns in the United Kingdom she has visited during the past 12 months, showing if she had any discussions with elected civil leaders in each of the towns listed.

  The Prime Minister
  During the past 12 months I have visited numerous towns in the course of my official duties. They include:

  Aberdeen

  Greenock

  Ashford

  Halifax

  Belfast

  Inverness

  Bilborough

  Lisburn

  Cambridge

  Mablethorpe

  Coleraine

  Newhaven

  Daventry

  Nottingham

  Drumahoe

  Perth

  Dundee

  Plymouth

  Edinburgh

  Redditch

  Enniskillen

  Salford

  Folkestone

  Scunthorpe

  Glasgow

  Wellesbourne

  With regard to discussions with civil leaders, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 8 February 1988 at column 46.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the countries she has visited, together with dates, during 1988 to date.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is as follows:
  851

  Date

  Country visited

  4–8 January

  Kenya, Nigeria

  12–13 February

  Belgium (EC)

  17 February

  Belgium (NATO)

  2–3 March

  Belgium (NATO)

  6–8 April

  Turkey

  10 June

  France

  18–22 June

  Canada

  27–28 June

  Germany

  29 July-9 August

  Bahrain, Oman, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates

  20–23 September

  Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many(a) Department of Health and Social Services offices and (b)jobcentres she has visited in the past 12 months.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 April 1988 at column 245.

  Official Meetings
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) which trades union leaders she has met officially for discussions during the past 12 months;

  (2) which local authority leaders she has met officially for discussions during the past 12 months.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 8 February 1988 at column 46.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many requests for official meetings have been received by her during the past 12 months; and how many were granted.

  The Prime Minister
  I receive a considerable number of requests for official meetings each year, and agree to a substantial number of these.

  Australia (Visit)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the purpose of her visit to Australia in 1988.

  The Prime Minister
  I visited Australia at the invitation of the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Hawke, to mark Australia's bicentenary, to open British day of Expo 88 and to hold discussions with members of the federal and state governments.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what was the total cost for maintaining contact with the United Kingdom when she was visiting Australia and other countries in August 1988; and how many officials were involved at(a) home and (b) abroad;

  (2) what was the total cost to public funds of her visit to Australia and other countries in August 1988; how many officials accompanied her; and what were their functions.

  The Prime Minister
  It is too soon after my visit to Australia and the middle and far east to be able to give detailed information on the cost to public funds. A provisional estimate of the total cost of the visit, including communications with the United Kingdom is £174,000.

  I was accompanied on the visit by three officials and 11 support staff including two communications officers. A third communications officer was temporarily moved from Hong Kong to Canberra for five days to assist with the
  852
  increase in messages. All other staff involved with communications handled telephone calls and messages as part of their normal duties.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many journalists accompanied her in officially provided transport on her visit to Australia and other countries in August 1988; which organisations they represented; and what was the cost charged to each journalist.

  The Prime Minister
  There were places for 15 journalists in the official aircraft. All were taken by representatives of newspapers and radio and television organisations. Each journalist was charged £1,750 for the whole tour.

  Cabinet Office (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the latest available figures for the Cabinet Office in the London pay area of the number of vacancies by grade and the proportion this is of the grade complement in London.

  The Prime Minister
  The position as at 1 October 1988 is as follows:

  Grade

  Vacancies

  Complement

  Grade 7

  6·5

  169·0

  Senior Executive Officer

  2·5

  51·0

  Higher Executive Officer

  3·0

  77·5

  Executive Officer

  5·0

  134·0

  Administrative Officer

  10·5

  179·0

  Senior Personal Secretary

  0·5

  50·0

  Personal Secretary

  6·5

  68·5

  Typist

  3·0

  58·5

  Support Manager 3

  0·5

  5·0

  Support Grade Band 2

  4·0

  74·0

  Senior Psychologist

  1·0

  4·0

  Senior Occupational Health Nursing Adviser

  1·0

  3·0

  Occupational Health Nursing Adviser

  1·0

  3·0

  Sister

  1·0

  3·0

  Graphics Officer

  3·0

  9·0

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will provide the latest available figures for the Cabinet Office for(a) numbers of staff in receipt of local pay additions, by grade, (b) location of those offices awarding local pay additions and (c) annual cost.

  The Prime Minister
  The numbers of individuals in receipt of local pay additions in the Cabinet Office by grade and location are:

  Grade

  London

  Sunningdale

  Basingstoke

  Administrative Assistants

  38

  1

  52

  Administrative Officers

  169

  27

  81

  Executive Officers

  133

  1—

  1—

  Typists

  54

  3

  16

  Typing Managers

  6

  0

  2

  Personal Secretaries

  62

  2

  5

  Senior Personal Secretaries

  50

  0

  1

  1 LFAs not payable to these grades in these locations

  The figures are based on the number of staff-in-post as at 1 October 1988. The estimated annual cost is £365,700.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  ODA (Transfer)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for further transfer of the Overseas Development Administration from London; and what basis he uses as a critierion in this respect.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The ODA now has some 500 posts in its East Kilbride office, and is in the process of moving some 390 posts to the former Royal Navy dockyard in Chatham; 680 posts remain in central London. The bulk of the ODA departments currently located in central London are planned to remain there, as close as possible to the rest of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. However, the requirement for accommodation in central London is kept under review by the ODA, in common with other Government Departments, to hold this to the minimum necessary bearing in mind the need to administer the aid programme cost-effectively.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of aid to Kampuchea; and what criteria or conditions will influence or determine any decision of Her Majesty's Government to again provide official aid to that country.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further plans there are for United Kingdom aid to the people of Kampuchea.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We do not give official aid to Cambodia, and shall only be able to consider the provision of such aid when a government acceptable to the majority of Cambodians is in place. We are currently considering the provision of humanitarian aid via British non-governmental organisations working in Cambodia, and we contributed £100,000 to the World Food Programme/Food and Agriculture Organisation appeal launched in May.

  Rhinos (Protection)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the assistance given to the Governments of Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe for the protection of rhinos in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Conservation of wildlife, including the rhinoceros, has been supported through the aid programme in both Kenya and Zimbabwe during the last five years, although precise figures are not readily available. We currently have three experts in Kenya, one of whom co-ordinates the Kenya rhino rescue project. We are ready to discuss with the Governments concerned what further assistance we might provide.

ENERGY

  Power Stations (Safety)
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the substantive documentation which 854
  demonstrates the safety of construction, operation and decommissioning of the pressurised water reactor power station now under construction at Sizewell.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The safety documentation on which the Health and Safety Executive granted the CEGB a site licence for Sizewell B is the pre-construction safety report together with its supporting reports. A copy of the PCSR is available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Sizewell B pre-construction safety report is to apply, other than for site specific related changes, to the similar station proposed for Hinkley Point C.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Yes. The CEGB proposes that, other than for minor changes made, with the agreement of the HSE's nuclear installations inspectorate, to the Sizewell design after licensing and for changes to deal with site specific requirements, the Sizewell PCSR can be directly applied to Hinkley Point C.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make the proprietary version of the pre-construction safety report available to hon. Members, members of the public and to objectors who have registered with the Hinkley Point C secretariat.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Copies of the Sizewell PCSR, together with CEGB documents covering the site-specific related changes for Hinkley Point C, are available in the Libraries of both Houses. They are also available for inspection by the public at several CEGB premises, and at the Hinkley Point C inquiry public office, and have been put before the Hinkley Point C inquiry inspector as inquiry documents.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether all the references cited in the Sizewell B, pre-construction safety report, are available in unabridged form.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. Commercially confidential information contained in the PCSR supporting documents is not publicly available. The Nil has, of course, been supplied with unabridged versions of all safety documents.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy for what reason each deletion and abridgement of the Sizewell B, pre-construction safety report, and supporting reference documents has been made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Deletions of material in the PCSR supporting documents have been made for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Woodcock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) following his understanding that British Coal has now taken steps to introduce the option that claimants may have subsidence damage repair work undertaken by a contractor of their choice, what steps have been taken to publicise this option in the last year; how many claimants have requested this option within the last year; and in how many cases British Coal has agreed to this option within the last year;
  855
  (2) within what period of time of the British Coal Corporation receiving a claim are claimants against the corporation for subsidence damage in active mining areas now being visited; and what percentage of claimants have not been visited within four weeks (a) in the last 12 months for which figures are available and (b) in the last three months for which figures are available;

  (3) since the Government's response to the Waddilove report on subsidence damage, what percentage of claimants have chosen to have repairs carried out by a contractor of their choice; how many requests to have repairs carried out by independent contractors have been refused by the board; and how many references there have been to independent adjudication.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  These are management matters for British Coal, and I have asked the chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Woodcock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy since publication of the Government's response to the Waddilove report on subsidence damage, how many requests have been received by the board for reference to independent adjudication; how many requests have not been referred because of lack of agreement by the board; and where references have been made to independent adjudication, in what proportion of cases British Coal has agreed to meet the costs of the adjudicator.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a management matter for British Coal, and I understand that the deputy chairman has already written to my hon. Friend on this subject.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the effect on the initial market value of a privatised electricity industry, of a requirement that at least 20 per cent, of generating capacity should now be non-fossil fuel based.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The market value of the electricity industry will depend on a wide range of factors including the profitability of the companies, their capital structures, their future prospects and the state of the market. It is imposssible to say to what extent any particular factor will contribute to this.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals there are to require private companies operating nuclear power stations after the privatisation of the electricity industry to take out insurance against major nuclear accidents.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Meirionydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 3 March 1988, col.649.

  South Africa (Oil Embargo)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has to help prevent the circumvention of the international oil embargo against South Africa.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have made it clear to companies operating on the United Kingdom continental shelf that they must comply with the the export guidelines which state that North Sea oil shall only be exported to members 856
  of the European Community and the International Energy Agency or countries with whom there is already an existing pattern of trade.

DEFENCE

  Irish Sea (Exercises)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what naval vessels, maritime reconaissance aircraft or other defence equipment were involved in exercises in the Irish sea on 5 September; whether any incidents or collisions occurred; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There was no exercise in the Irish Sea on 5 September and there were no incidents or collisions involving royal naval vessels.

  Conservative Party Conference 1988
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what services were provided by members of the armed forces for purposes connected with the 1988 Conservative party conference; and what was the total cost involved.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In response to requests from the chief constable, Sussex constabulary, small numbers of military personnel were deployed to assist the police in searching the conference area for explosive devices and in potential bomb disposal tasks. In addition, the minesweeper, HMS Nurton, was. stationed off Brighton, and three rigid inflatable boats crewed by Royal Marines were provided to assist the police in patrolling inshore waters. In line with normal arrangements for such operations no charges for the small extra costs incurred by my Department for transport, accommodation, and so on, were made to the Sussex constabulary.

  Australia (Prime Minister's Visit)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to his Department of the Prime Minister's visit to Australia and other countries in August 1988.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence made available an RAF VC10 aircraft and crew for the Prime Minister's visit to Australia and other countries in August 1988. A provisional estimate of the cost to be borne by the Management and Personnel Office is £195,000.

  Armilla Patrol
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost to date of the Armilla patrol; and what is the current monthly cost.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Members for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) and for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 5 November 1987 at column 888, by my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Stewart).

  Rhino Poaching (Kenya and Zimbabwe)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will offer the services of British combat
  857
  troops to the Governments of Kenya and Zimbabwe to assist in the campaign against the poaching of rhino; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. Such operations would not be appropriate tasks for the armed forces. The Government have, however, provided other forms of assistance to African Governments in their attempts to halt the illegal trade in endangered species, including staff and equipment to be used by wildlife departments. In addition, the United Kingdom is a party to the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and has been in the forefront of those calling for even stricter controls on such trade.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  National Union of Students
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if(a) the National Union of Students and (b) the Federation of Conservative Students have been asked to submit evidence to the inquiry on voluntary membership of the National Union of Students.

  Pupils under 5 in Maintained Nursery and Primary Schools

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Barking

  0

  2,284

  0

  2,630

  0

  2,607

  0

  2,587

  0

  2,174

  Barnet

  489

  3,465

  496

  3,608

  500

  3,646

  495

  3,617

  520

  3,568

  Bexley

  175

  1,067

  174

  1,223

  175

  1,204

  175

  1,180

  175

  1,257

  Brent

  277

  3,755

  281

  3,946

  271

  4,021

  268

  4,074

  278

  4,035

  Bromley

  0

  1,961

  0

  1,137

  0

  1,136

  0

  1,140

  0

  1,097

  Croydon

  384

  2,489

  426

  2,659

  410

  2,696

  411

  2,740

  404

  2,728

  Ealing

  626

  2,816

  630

  3,106

  605

  3,125

  610

  3,078

  577

  4,236

  Enfield

  0

  3,066

  0

  3,349

  0

  3,487

  0

  3,399

  0

  3,321

  Haringey

  226

  3,387

  219

  3,553

  216

  3,555

  213

  3,418

  201

  3,356

  Harrow

  0

  1,482

  0

  1,466

  0

  1,562

  0

  1,555

  0

  1,414

  Havering

  0

  1,854

  0

  2,058

  0

  2,088

  0

  1,987

  0

  1,967

  Hillingdon

  101

  3,315

  119

  3,590

  116

  3,653

  117

  2,832

  120

  2,780

  Hounslow

  0

  3,381

  0

  3,606

  0

  3,837

  0

  3,779

  0

  3,703

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  231

  1,348

  237

  1,437

  238

  1,461

  238

  1,394

  244

  1,417

  Merton

  208

  2,159

  209

  2,298

  180

  2,413

  173

  2,221

  0

  2,388

  Newham

  1,038

  3,242

  982

  3,492

  962

  3,840

  979

  3,756

  952

  3,686

  Redbridge

  0

  1,213

  0

  1,239

  0

  1,286

  0

  1,253

  0

  1,228

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  70

  1,417

  75

  1,467

  62

  1,500

  68

  1,475

  61

  1,491

  Sutton

  232

  426

  233

  439

  233

  489

  240

  490

  240

  466

  Waltham Forest

  431

  2,843

  373

  2,938

  339

  2,998

  292

  2,799

  329

  2,693

  Birmingham

  2,092

  10,483

  1,973

  14,319

  2,187

  15,065

  2,245

  15,332

  2,302

  15,634

  Coventry

  387

  3,690

  402

  4,018

  391

  4,055

  464

  4,048

  445

  4,109

  Dudley

  475

  2,272

  472

  2,449

  481

  2,782

  471

  2,753

  398

  3,040

  Sandwell

  157

  5,037

  159

  5,403

  155

  5,616

  208

  5,730

  203

  5,867

  Solihull

  0

  2,650

  0

  2,764

  0

  2,872

  0

  2,640

  0

  3,037

  Walsall

  848

  5,109

  790

  5,517

  753

  5,481

  770

  5,296

  727

  5,369

  Wolverhampton

  823

  3,669

  831

  3,994

  824

  4,054

  810

  3,937

  830

  3,956

  Knowsley

  0

  2,372

  0

  2,608

  0

  2,873

  0

  3,254

  0

  3,350

  Liverpool

  565

  8,500

  528

  8,999

  555

  9,198

  548

  9,636

  550

  9,433

  St Helens

  74

  2,399

  75

  2,532

  70

  2,613

  76

  2,825

  73

  2,916

  Sefton

  312

  3,724

  311

  3,938

  315

  3,977

  316

  3,836

  319

  3,948

  Wirral

  240

  3,658

  263

  3,875

  221

  4,012

  219

  3,938

  226

  4,094

  Bolton

  599

  3,746

  614

  4,010

  618

  4,185

  601

  4,270

  549

  4,464

  Bury

  157

  1,841

  152

  2,071

  146

  2,018

  142

  2,052

  145

  2,076

  Manchester

  386

  7,009

  425

  7,378

  512

  7,666

  540

  7,782

  540

  8,425

  Oldham

  0

  3,360

  0

  3,776

  0

  3,947

  0

  3,883

  0

  3,952

  Rochdale

  870

  2,541

  891

  2,765

  894

  2,783

  885

  2,793

  910

  2,743

  Salford

  776

  3,602

  780

  3,965

  812

  4,101

  870

  4,025

  862

  4,106

  Stockport

  736

  2,277

  759

  2,524

  773

  2,553

  779

  2,370

  771

  2,537

  Tameside

  318

  3,422

  335

  3,689

  325

  3,729

  324

  3,721

  332

  3,842

  Trafford

  80

  795

  0

  929

  0

  1,016

  0

  991

  0

  992

  Wigan

  183

  4,029

  183

  4,468

  190

  4,571

  199

  4,423

  193

  4,479

  Barnsley

  165

  3,475

  161

  3,570

  167

  3,579

  173

  3,562

  175

  3,570

  Doncaster

  0

  5,107

  0

  5,351

  0

  5,513

  0

  5,505

  0

  5,523

  Rotherham

  331

  3,392

  340

  3,455

  365

  3,530

  352

  3,467

  336

  3,436

  Sheffield

  741

  5,828

  735

  6,137

  731

  6,294

  722

  6,193

  714

  6,194

  Bradford

  571

  6,284

  565

  6,860

  592

  7,437

  510

  7,311

  515

  7,206

  858
  Mr. Jackson
  I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman) on 18 April at column 292, in which he announced the intention to conduct a fact-finding survey of student services and the links between local student unions and the National Union of Students. He also indicated that he would be glad to receive any information or suggestions which interested parties might wish to put forward. Beyond that, no formal invitation to submit evidence has been issued to either body mentioned.

  Under-fives
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the total number of children under five, by education authority, at(a) nursery schools and (b) primary schools, for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Butcher
  The total numbers of pupils aged under five in maintained nursery and primary schools in each local education authority in England in January of each year since 1983 are given in the table. Many of these pupils in primary schools were in nursery classes.
  859

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Nursery

  Primary

  Calderdale

  97

  2,688

  91

  2,904

  95

  2,963

  87

  2,941

  88

  2,865

  Kirklees

  849

  3,730

  751

  5,591

  713

  5,797

  699

  5,288

  666

  5,193

  Leeds

  272

  8,184

  265

  8,759

  273

  9,214

  275

  9,383

  274

  9,341

  Wakefield

  478

  4,248

  500

  4,596

  472

  4,949

  484

  4,883

  464

  4,968

  Gateshead

  59

  3,084

  59

  3,274

  58

  3,274

  64

  3,097

  52

  3,256

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  592

  3,785

  593

  4,202

  579

  4,202

  586

  4,306

  621

  4,264

  North Tyneside

  307

  3,243

  287

  3,588

  276

  3,854

  315

  3,743

  286

  3,620

  South Tyneside

  806

  2,242

  807

  2,482

  797

  2,483

  688

  2,486

  695

  2,431

  Sunderland

  905

  4,345

  927

  4,742

  933

  4,754

  927

  4,626

  964

  4,616

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  7

  0

  10

  0

  10

  0

  6

  0

  13

  ILEA

  4,015

  22,881

  4,075

  24,384

  4,208

  24,892

  4,152

  25,210

  4,150

  25,296

  Avon

  1,477

  7,536

  1,465

  8,072

  1,465

  8,958

  1,461

  8,600

  1,459

  8,677

  Bedfordshire

  1,358

  3,600

  1,366

  3,799

  1,387

  3,632

  1,320

  4,050

  1,356

  3,966

  Berkshire

  1,740

  2,554

  1,809

  2,705

  1,941

  3,005

  1,938

  3,052

  2,015

  3,157

  Buckinghamshire

  507

  2,633

  519

  2,684

  514

  2,535

  515

  2,530

  512

  2,495

  Cambridgeshire

  647

  5,416

  633

  5,829

  631

  6,166

  635

  5,951

  655

  5,964

  Cheshire

  796

  7,440

  810

  7,986

  816

  8,102

  819

  8,172

  828

  11,422

  Cleveland

  445

  10,011

  360

  10,704

  279

  10,996

  156

  10,969

  156

  11,196

  Cornwall

  103

  4,209

  96

  4,492

  91

  4,880

  94

  4,517

  92

  4,303

  Cumbria

  681

  4,785

  705

  5,114

  701

  5,353

  694

  5,325

  738

  5,220

  Derbyshire

  1,115

  6,786

  1,119

  7,441

  1,127

  9,721

  1,129

  10,205

  1,162

  10,152

  Devon

  142

  3,894

  140

  4,564

  141

  4,369

  247

  4,170

  257

  5,235

  Dorset

  0

  1,464

  0

  1,615

  0

  1,765

  0

  1,797

  0

  1,727

  Durham

  2,206

  7,044

  2,303

  7,917

  2,272

  7,951

  2,266

  7,809

  2,405

  7,570

  East Sussex

  272

  4,019

  274

  4,545

  290

  4,689

  296

  4,692

  285

  4,714

  Essex

  248

  6,375

  255

  6,496

  259

  6,879

  249

  6,739

  254

  7,664

  Gloucestershire

  0

  3,493

  0

  3,883

  0

  4,136

  0

  3,807

  0

  4,007

  Hampshire

  257

  6,876

  256

  7,122

  259

  7,599

  260

  7,479

  258

  7,396

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  1,904

  0

  2,327

  0

  2,724

  0

  2,402

  0

  2,584

  Hertfordshire

  1,720

  9,532

  1,728

  9,960

  1,734

  10,145

  1,701

  10,044

  1,663

  9,916

  Humberside

  983

  8,083

  889

  9,298

  897

  9,581

  910

  9,851

  946

  10,173

  Isle of Wight

  0

  903

  0

  955

  0

  957

  0

  897

  0

  921

  Kent

  87

  4,638

  79

  5,088

  90

  4,730

  84

  4,518

  78

  4,409

  Lancashire

  3,229

  11,369

  3,330

  12,563

  3,386

  13,375

  3,358

  13,182

  3,400

  13,318

  Leicestershire

  48

  6,280

  50

  6,526

  49

  6,871

  50

  7,072

  50

  7,012

  Lincolnshire

  358

  2,835

  393

  3,078

  335

  3,215

  284

  3,287

  282

  3,259

  Norfolk

  365

  4,576

  363

  4,871

  375

  4,792

  393

  4,754

  382

  4,512

  North Yorkshire

  311

  4,493

  320

  5,048

  322

  5,971

  315

  6,213

  314

  6,199

  Northamptonshire

  494

  5,590

  499

  6,063

  504

  6,698

  503

  6,528

  502

  6,694

  Northumberland

  155

  3,379

  156

  3,822

  131

  3,886

  136

  3,890

  134

  3,957

  Nottinghamshire

  513

  11,435

  560

  12,210

  557

  12,351

  536

  12,537

  580

  12,302

  Oxfordshire

  794

  1,370

  539

  1,796

  494

  1,865

  502

  1,815

  496

  1,806

  Salop

  157

  2,531

  188

  2,779

  160

  2,758

  160

  2,933

  160

  2,782

  Somerset

  28

  2,518

  0

  3,287

  0

  3,525

  0

  3,436

  0

  3,358

  Staffordshire

  1,838

  8,594

  1,879

  9,392

  1,836

  9,962

  1,844

  9,321

  1,843

  9,440

  Suffolk

  144

  3,516

  172

  4,069

  157

  4,151

  167

  4,173

  162

  4,295

  Surrey

  502

  4,001

  497

  4,211

  506

  4,287

  404

  4,234

  420

  4,162

  Warwickshire

  623

  3,905

  649

  4,228

  665

  4,281

  726

  4,773

  730

  4,761

  West Sussex

  454

  854

  452

  953

  454

  926

  451

  897

  452

  904

  Wiltshire

  0

  2,527

  0

  2,983

  0

  2,649

  0

  2,303

  0

  2,467

  Pupils under 5 in maintained nursery and primary schools

  1988

  Nursery

  Primary

  Barking

  0

  2,455

  Barnet

  500

  3,561

  Bexley

  174

  1,250

  Brent

  274

  3,867

  Bromley

  0

  1,071

  Croydon

  400

  2,569

  Ealing

  535

  4,338

  Enfield

  0

  3,414

  Haringey

  246

  3,358

  Harrow

  0

  2,231

  Havering

  0

  1,970

  Hillingdon

  120

  2,816

  Hounslow

  0

  3,804

  Kingston Upon Thames

  236

  1,442

  Merton

  0

  2,464

  Newham

  972

  3,001

  Redbridge

  0

  1,336

  Richmond Upon Thames

  64

  1,538

  Sutton

  240

  595

  Waltham Forest

  329

  2,828

  Birmingham

  2,317

  16,235

  860

  1988

  Nursery

  Primary

  Coventry

  443

  4,130

  Dudley

  401

  3,080

  Sandwell

  209

  6,030

  Solihull

  0

  3,024

  Walsall

  755

  5,440

  Wolverhampton

  843

  3,924

  Knowsley

  0

  3,466

  Liverpool

  560

  9,568

  St. Helens

  66

  2,851

  Sefton

  315

  3,995

  Wirral

  262

  4,050

  Bolton

  553

  4,501

  Bury

  161

  2,331

  Manchester

  535

  8,577

  Oldham

  0

  4,041

  Rochdale

  910

  2,899

  Salford

  845

  4,119

  Stockport

  766

  2,511

  Tameside

  322

  3,955

  Trafford

  0

  1,175

  Wigan

  186

  4,582

  Barnsley

  181

  3,563

  861

  1988

  Nursery

  Primary

  Doncaster

  0

  5,677

  Rotherham

  355

  3,486

  Sheffield

  738

  6,470

  Bradford

  502

  7,454

  Calderdale

  88

  2,972

  Kirklees

  651

  5,392

  Leeds

  254

  9,487

  Wakefield

  463

  5,103

  Gateshead

  50

  3,132

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  623

  4,255

  North Tyneside

  291

  3,642

  South Tyneside

  713

  2,430

  Sunderland

  949

  4,652

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  17

  Inner London

  4,232

  25,731

  Avon

  1,420

  8,923

  Bedfordshire

  1,329

  3,957

  Berkshire

  2,021

  3,175

  Buckinghamshire

  512

  2,502

  Cambridgeshire

  637

  6,158

  Cheshire

  838

  11,949

  Cleveland

  153

  11,374

  Cornwall

  101

  4,429

  Cumbria

  758

  5,447

  Derbyshire

  1,217

  10,754

  Devon

  255

  5,484

  Dorset

  0

  4,658

  Durham

  2,463

  7,570

  East Sussex

  284

  5,007

  Essex

  252

  7,522

  Gloucestershire

  0

  3,923

  Hampshire

  260

  7,474

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  2,505

  Hertfordshire

  1,733

  10,146

  Humberside

  963

  10,434

  Isle of Wight

  0

  994

  Kent

  81

  4,287

  Lancashire

  3,399

  14,005

  Leicestershire

  50

  8,442

  Lincolnshire

  286

  3,361

  Norfolk

  399

  4,556

  North Yorkshire

  308

  6,440

  Northamptonshire

  525

  6,752

  Northumberland

  137

  3,999

  Nottinghamshire

  575

  13,044

  Oxfordshire

  499

  1,896

  Shropshire

  166

  3,063

  Somerset

  0

  3,419

  Staffordshire

  1,824

  9,653

  Suffolk

  95

  4,496

  Surrey

  416

  5,094

  Warwickshire

  755

  5,064

  West Sussex

  446

  811

  Wiltshire

  0

  2,525

  Docklands
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the London borough of Newham concerning the future capital investment in education in docklands; and what timetable he expects to pursue in order to meet the needs of the area for new school places.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have received the London borough of Newham's education capital plans for 1989–90 and future years. In addition, officials from my Department have discussed capital needs in the dockland area with representatives of Newham.

  Newham is responsible for providing sufficient school places in their area. Its capital plans are currently under consideration and capital allocations for 1989–90 are expected to be announced before the end of the year. In formulating allocations priority will continue to be given to the establishment of new or enlarged schools to meet population growth.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has had and what preliminary conclusions he has reached concerning the establishment of a city technology college in the London borough of Newham.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Newham was listed in our booklet "A New Choice of School" as a suitable location for a city technology college, and my officials have had discussions with a number of potential sponsors about the establishment of one there. No formal proposals have yet been made to us, but we shall be delighted to consider any that are.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what level of financial contribution has been made by Marks and Spencer towards the cost of the proposed city technology college in Nottingham; what proportion this represents of the total cost; and what other indications he has received of Marks and Spencer's degree of commitment to this project.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I can confirm that Marks and Spencer is one of the sponsors of the Nottingham CTC. It is for sponsors itselves to decide whether or not to announce the degree of its sponsorship.

  Schoolchildren (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action his Department is taking to ensure continued health care for schoolchildren within the Nottingham district health authority area in the light of the district health authority's reduction of 20 whole-time nursing posts, including five in the schools health service.

  Mr. Butcher
  The responsibility for school health service matters lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Museums, Colleges and Institutions (Funding)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the museums, adult education colleges and other institutions presently funded by the Inner London education authority which the Government intend to support after 1 April 1990; if he will give an estimate of the financial support involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department of Education and Science circular 6/88 listed the museums and adult education colleges for which the Government were willing to consider a measure of central funding. The detailed arrangements are now under discussion with the institutions, the Inner London education authority and other bodies as appropriate. A copy of the circular has been placed in the Library of the House.

  University College and Middlesex School of Dentistry
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of the University college and Middlesex school of dentistry and its associated dental hospital, and the consequences of closure for staff.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government have accepted the University Grants Committee's recommendations for the rationalisation of dental education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and their implications for health service provision. In line with the agreed need to reduce the current over-provision of dental graduates, there will be a net intake reduction of 55 places in October 1989, principally through the withdrawal of funding from the University college and Middlesex school of dentistry. The consequences for the staff of that school will be for the college to decide, in consultation with London university and the University Grants Committee. Arrangements will be made for students on courses, including those currently registering, to complete their studies.

  As regards Scotland, the health service implications of the University Grants Committee's recommendations are more complex. Consequently, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has established a small working party whose remit is to recommend changes in the current provision of dental education in Scotland which best safeguard services to NHS patients. The intention is to secure necessary changes in provision from October 1990.

  School Examinations and Assessment Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the establishment of the School Examinations and Assessment Council.
  864
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The School Examinations and Assessment Council, set up in shadow form earlier this year, was formally established under section 14 of the Education Reform Act 1988 on 15 August with a full complement of 15 members. The council's chairman is Mr. Philip Halsey, CB, LVO, who will also act as the council's chief executive. The council has been designated the body responsible for approving syllabuses and syllabus criteria under section 5 of the Act. I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses a copy of my letter to Mr. Halsey of 28 September about the work of the council.

  National Curriculum Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the establishment of the National Curriculum Council.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The National Curriculum Council, which was set up in shadow form earlier this year, was formally established under section 14 of the Education Reform Act 1988 on 15 August, under the chairmanship of Mr. Duncan Graham CBE who will also act as the council's chief executive. The council currently has 13 members, including its chairman. I intend to make two further appointments to bring the membership up to the full complement of 15 provided for in the Act.

  I have approved the council's proposal to locate its main offices in York.

  I wrote to Mr. Graham on 26 August about the work of the council. Its initial tasks include conducting statutory consultations on my proposals for attainment targets and programmes of study in mathematics and science for pupils aged five to 16 which I sent to the council on its establishment. Copies of my letter and of the proposals have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

EMPLOYMENT

  Community Programme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make: a statement on the future of community projects currently operated by the community programme in Nottingham and elsewhere.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Local officials of the Training Agency held a series of presentations with all community programme agents and sponsors to ensure, wherever possible, the satisfactory transition of community programme projects into employment training. Project-based places have an important role within employment training and substantial provision has been made for this in the new programme.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has had regarding redundancies in community task force.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In July 1988 community task force sought advice from the Training Agency about the issue of redundancy notices to CTF employees whose services would not be required from 5 September 1988.

  In response, in August, the Training Agency outlined the procedures, which included details of financial help available to CP agents/sponsors, including CTF.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees of the community task
  865
  force have had redundancy notices sent to them as a result of replacing the community programme and the jobs training scheme with the adult training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A total of 235 employees were issued with redundancy notices by community task force as a result of the change to employment training.

  All of those concerned had the opportunity to apply for alternative posts in employment training and in the event 138 people actually left.

  Wages
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing(a) on a national basis and (b) on a regional basis the average weekly wage for (i) full-time male employees, (ii) part-time male employees, (iii) full-time female employees and (iv) part-time female employees in both cash terms and real terms based on 1987–88 prices for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  I am sending the hon. Member the available information, a copy of which has also been placed in the Library.

  YTS
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were on YTS schemes in the constituencies of(a) Burnley, (b) Pendle, (c) Rossendale/Darwen and (d) Hyndburn on 31 August.

  Mr. Cope
  The information is shown in the table:

  Number of young people on YTS at 31 August 1988

  Local authority district1 2

  Number

  Burnley

  343

  Pendle

  900

  Rossendale and Blackburn3

  1,311

  Hyndburn

  1,169

  1 Young people do not necessarily train in the local authority district in which they live.

  2 The Training Agency's computerised management information system does not collect information by constituency. Figures have been given for local authority districts (LADs).

  3 Statistics for Darwen are not available, but are included in Blackburn LAD.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of people living in(a) Lancashire, (b) greater Manchester, (c) Merseyside

  Unfilled vacancies analysed by industry—5 August 1988

  Industrial classification

  North-west region

  Lancashire County

  Jobcentres covering Burnley constituency

  Jobcentres covering Pendle constituency

  Jobcentres covering Rossendale & Darwen constituency

  Jobcentres covering Hyndburn constituency

  Agriculture forestry and fishing

  96

  28

  2

  1

  0

  1

  Coal extraction

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil and natural gas extraction

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mineral oil processing

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nuclear fuel production

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gas, electricity and water

  105

  21

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Extraction of other minerals and ores

  9

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Metal manufacture

  29

  7

  1

  3

  0

  1

  Manufacture of non-metallic products

  83

  21

  2

  6

  4

  2

  Chemical industry

  201

  58

  8

  6

  31

  0

  Production of man-made fibres

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  866
  and (d) Cheshire who have never worked since leaving school; and if he will indicate how many people under the age of 18 are in this situation in each area.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the requested counties who had not entered employment since leaving full-time education along with those aged under 18 in this group on 8 September 1988. These figures include some temporary over-recording.

  Unemployed school-leavers, 8 September 1988

  Total

  Aged under 18

  Lancashire

  3,542

  526

  Greater Manchester

  11,632

  1,845

  Merseyside

  12,943

  2,034

  Cheshire

  3,456

  511

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of unemployed people in(a) Burnley and (b) Pendle who have been unemployed (i) for more than one year and (ii) for more than two years.

  Mr. Lee
  The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants for the requested durations in Pendle travel-to-work area and Burnley travel-to-work area on 14 July 1988.

  Unemployed claimants—14 July 1988

  Travel-to-work

  One year and over

  two years and over

  Burnley

  1,537

  1,070

  Pendle

  949

  614

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of vacancies which exist by industrial classification in(a) the north-west, (b) Lancashire, (c) the Burnley constituency, (d) the Pendle constituency, (e) the Rossendale and Darwen constituency and (f) the Hyndburn constituency: and if he will list other vacancies according to whatever similar criteria his Department uses for the same areas.

  Mr. Lee
  Following is the available information, which is also in the Library. The tables show the number of unfilled vacancies analysed by industry at jobcentres in the north-west region, the county of Lancashire and at jobcentres covering areas closely corresponding to the requested parliamentary constituency areas on 5 August 1988, the latest available date.

  Recent research has confirmed that, nationally, about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres. Estimates arenot available disaggregated by local area or industry.
  867

  Industrial classification

  North-west region

  Lancashire County

  Jobcentres covering Burnley constituency

  Jobcentres covering Pendle constituency

  Jobcentres covering Rossendale & Darwen constituency

  Jobcentres covering Hyndburn constituency

  Manufacture of metal goods

  305

  99

  23

  22

  13

  6

  Mechanical engineering

  747

  188

  31

  14

  15

  22

  Manufacture: office machinery/D.P. equipment

  55

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  366

  87

  11

  4

  3

  9

  Manufacture of motor vehicles

  127

  35

  3

  1

  2

  1

  Shipbuilding and repairing

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacture: aerospace/transport equipment

  191

  150

  4

  11

  1

  0

  Instrument engineering

  35

  8

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Food, drink and tobacco

  338

  98

  4

  1

  1

  12

  Textiles

  323

  88

  2

  32

  15

  5

  Leather, footwear and clothing

  785

  202

  25

  14

  44

  16

  Timber and furniture

  328

  79

  16

  13

  17

  4

  Paper, printing and publishing

  271

  87

  8

  1

  11

  12

  Other manufacturing

  326

  100

  18

  11

  8

  4

  Construction

  1,460

  364

  22

  17

  25

  29

  Wholesale and distribution

  711

  147

  4

  8

  9

  6

  Retail distribution

  3,639

  1,009

  39

  138

  36

  37

  Hotels and catering

  3,384

  1,267

  37

  43

  29

  41

  Repair of consumer goods and vehicles

  253

  42

  3

  1

  1

  9

  Transport

  868

  155

  9

  4

  30

  15

  Telecommunications

  142

  19

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Insurance, banking etc., business services

  2,041

  399

  32

  18

  22

  23

  Public administration and defence

  2,476

  746

  45

  41

  33

  17

  Medical and other health services

  1287

  372

  19

  8

  27

  3

  Other services—N.E.S.

  2,292

  730

  44

  37

  28

  62

  Speculative placings/transfers/inputs

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed building workers there are in the north-west.

  Mr. Lee
  Information from the labour force survey indicates that in spring 1987 there were an estimated 13,000 people in the north-west who were currently unemployed and whose last employment (within the previous three years) was in building work in the construction industry. An occupational analysis of the Department's monthly claimant unemployment count is not available.

  Wages Council Inspectors
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many wages council inspectors are currently in post in the north-west region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are currently 12 wages inspectors in post in the north-west division of the inspectorate.

  Health and Safety Executive Area

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Q1 1986

  11986–87

  South West

  14

  16

  16

  12

  3

  17

  South

  7

  11

  9

  11

  1

  11

  South East

  17

  17

  19

  21

  3

  14

  Greater London

  33

  32

  29

  34

  5

  26

  East Anglia

  11

  13

  14

  16

  3

  13

  Northern Home Counties

  9

  8

  14

  10

  —

  10

  East Midlands

  14

  9

  8

  12

  5

  11

  West Midlands

  16

  18

  11

  11

  2

  7

  Wales

  23

  13

  23

  19

  4

  21

  Marches

  11

  12

  11

  7

  2

  6

  North Midlands

  16

  16

  10

  12

  5

  8

  South Yorks and Humberside

  14

  14

  14

  13

  3

  15

  West plus North Yorkshire

  18

  21

  19

  17

  4

  19

  Greater Manchester

  13

  11

  14

  14

  1

  13

  Merseyside

  9

  11

  16

  16

  8

  9

  North West

  13

  17

  7

  4

  2

  8

  North East

  21

  9

  17

  15

  5

  15

  Scotland East

  21

  28

  22

  17

  1

  22

  Scotland West

  26

  11

  17

  13

  8

  8

  Wages Councils (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions there were in the north-west region in 1987 and to date in 1988 under wages council legislation.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There were two prosecutions of employers in the north-west division in 1987. In 1988, there has been one to date.

  Accident Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the distribution by locality of fatal accidents at work in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of fatal injuries to employees reported to the Health and Safety Executive's factory inspectorate in each of its areas are shown in the table.
  869

  Health and Safety Executive Area

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Q1 1986

  11986–87

  Total reported to HM Factory Inspectorate

  306

  287

  290

  274

  65

  253

  Total reported to other HSE Inspectorates and HSC Agencies2

  131

  108

  110

  102

  23

  76

  Total reported to Local Authorities3

  32

  48

  37

  22

  10

  26

  Grand Total

  469

  443

  437

  398

  98

  355

  1 Data for the year commencing 1 April 1986.

  2 Figures on an area basis could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  3 From 1982 to 1985 the figures include some self-employed and from 1982 to 1983 they may also include some members of the public.

  Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Unionists
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those persons who have been offered the post of Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Unionists; and what was their response.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 270,000 employment training places agreed with prospective training managers will be provided by(a) employers, (b) voluntary or community corporations, (c) local authorities, and (d) other bodies.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 9 September, around 291,000 employment training places had been agreed. Of those, 96,500 are provided by employers (including private sector training organisations); 88,000 by voluntary bodies; 61,000 by local authorities; and 45,000 by other bodies.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sugar
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report in tonnes of white sugar equivalents, or raw unrefined sugar where appropriate, the quantities of sugar in the sugar year 1987–88 which were (a) imported into the United Kingdom from African, Caribbean and Pacific states of European Economic Community, (b) imported as raw or white sugar, stating their main country of origin, (c) produced from sugar beet grown in the United Kingdom, (d) exported as raw or refined sugar to member states of the European Economic Community or other countries, respectively and (e) absorbed by retail and bulk domestic sugar markets, respectively, together with any other relevant information, including stocks in hand and carried over, related to the above figures.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:

  1987–88 (October-September)

  '000 tonnes1

  United Kingdom Imports (provisional figures)

  From EC

  Ireland

  47·5

  Denmark

  43·9

  France

  21·7

  Other

  1·9

  Total

  113·5

  870

  '000 tonnes1

  From ACP

  Mauritius

  466·7

  Fiji

  199·7

  Jamaica

  129·6

  Guyana

  142·6

  Swaziland

  71·6

  Barbados

  66·2

  Other

  155·4

  Total

  1,231·9

  Other Sources

  0·5

  Total

  1,345·9

  United Kingdom production from Home Grown Beet (including carry forward from 1986–87)

  1,328·3

  Carry forward to 1988–89

  102·3

  'C sugar to be exported from 1987–88 production

  82·0

  Exports to EC (provisional)

  72·0

  Exports to third countries (excluding C sugar) (provisional)

  160·0

  Deliveries to retail market (provisional)

  587·0

  Deliveries to industrial market (provisional)

  1,538·0

  2Stocks (as at 31 August 1988)

  311·1

  1All figures in '000 tonnes white sugar equivalent—figures may not sum due to rounding.

  2 Figure comprises sugar held by producers and merchants in the EC sugar storage scheme plus preferential sugar held in store by cane refiners.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Kirk wood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has had regarding the commercial licensing of bovine somatotropin and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have received a considerable number of letters from individuals and organisations expressing opposition and some in support to the licensing of bovine somatotropin.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding the five-year delay in enforcing maximum residue limits for pesticides on fruit and vegetables; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have received several representations following reports in the media. Over 800 maximum residue levels for pesicides on fruit and vegetables have in fact been introduced under the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations 1988. All these limits come into effect on 31 December 1988.
  871
  There are, however, six individual commodity/pesticide combinations which were included in our second consultation document but for which MRLs have not yet been set. It was recognised in our proposal that approved uses in this country can sometimes lead to residues above the various international MRLs. It was therefore proposed in the consultation document that these MRLs should come into effect in five years time, so as to allow time for good agricultural practice to be adapted. However, I was advised that it was not normal practice to set limits so far in advance of implementation. I have asked for residue data relating to these six MRLs to be reconsidered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. MRLs which reflect the advice of the ACP and current international standards will be introduced as soon as possible. However, in setting a timetable, I will be bound to take account of any necessary adjustments to agricultural practice which may have to be set in train.

  Coastal Defence
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what principles he has adopted in his policy for coastal defence; what proposals he has for future defence works; and what bodies may be in future responsible for their adoption.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Ministry in providing grant aid for coastal defence, gives highest priority to schemes which provide protection to people and property. To qualify for grant, schemes must be technically appropriate, economically justified and environmentally sympathetic. Coastal and drainage authorities regularly provide information on their programmes of work which assist the Ministry in planning future grant expenditure.

  In parallel with our proposals to privatise water and sewerage utilities, it is intended that water authorities' responsibilities for coastal defence should be transferred to the proposed National Rivers Authority, together with other river management and regulatory functions. Otherwise present arrangements, whereby works programmes are decided by regional or local land drainage committees and financed by precept in constituent county councils, will continue.

  Milk
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to comply with the ruling by the European Court of Justice that European Community legislation for milk quotas was deficient in that it did not take into account those who had ceased milk production under a Community-financed scheme in 1984; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Commission has now put forward proposals to deal with this problem, and we are giving these careful consideration. It is for the Council of Ministers to make decisions on these proposals.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Milk Marketing Board concerning his practice of permitting certain drugs to be injected into cows markedly to increase yields; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The chairman of the Milk Marketing Board has told me of the concern of many milk 872
  producers about the possible impact if BST were to become generally available. He also reported that many wanted an EC ban on its use.

  Applications for licences for the product are being considered by the European Commission's Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, which is required to provide an opinion before licence applications are determined nationally. Any decision in the United Kingdom will take account of our obligations under the Medicines Act 1968 and the relevant EC directives.

  Soft Drink Regulations
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received following publication of his proposals for revision of the soft drink regulations; what steps he proposes to maintain quality standards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have received numerous comments on the draft soft drinks regulations and will give them careful consideration before deciding on how best to proceed. It is my intention to ensure that the new regulations enable consumers to make an informed choice when purchasing soft drinks and at the same time allow innovation by manufacturers.

  Food Labelling
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning proposals for nutritional labelling being prepared by the European Commission; what representations he has made to the Commission concerning any change in the information at present provised to consumers in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I understand that the European Commission has just tabled its proposals on voluntary nutrition labelling, although we have not yet received the formal document. Earlier drafts indicate that the proposals are similar to the full nutrition labelling declarations (category III) as contained in the Ministry's guidelines, a revised version of which was issued to the industry in January. As expected, the proposals are for voluntary nutrition labelling but that where nutrition information is given it should be in a mandatory form. As soon as we receive the formal proposals from the European Commission they will as usual be circulated to industry and other interested parties for comment.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration is being given by the Food Advisory Committee to the use of graphical representations to accompany numerical nutrition declarations; if he will make it his policy to ensure that all sections of the food industry are consulted before any decision is made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Food Advisory Committee has looked into the possible use of graphical representations to accompany numerical nutrition information and has concluded that further work is required particularly regarding consumer expectations before the various options can be considered further. It is my policy to ensure that all sections of the food industry and other interests are fully consulted about any proposals which may affect them, including, of course, any on the graphical representation of nutrition information.

  EC (Surplus Produce)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what organisations were licensed to distribute the current issue of European Economic Community surplus produce; what criteria were used to select these organisations; what regulations or advice has been given to those charged with distribution of this food; what quantity is being distributed in England, Wales and in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Mr. Gummer) announced to the House that 127 organisations had been designated to distribute surplus produce to the most needy. A list of those organisations was placed in the Library on that day. To qualify for designation, charitable and non-profit making organisations were required to demonstrate that they could comply with the conditions of the scheme and in particular: (i) that they were capable of arranging for the produce to be withdrawn from intervention stores (preferably in quantities of no less than 1 tonne on any one occasion), to be processed into an appropriate form for final consumption, and to be distributed to the most needy; (ii) that they were capable of carrying out the operations mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) with due safeguards against abuse and against risks to health; (iii) that the quantity of butter and/or beef received under these arrangements would be additional to quantities (if any) which the organisation normally acquires from commercial sources or from concessionary sales; and that such quantities continue to be acquired; (iv) that they would maintain adequate and satisfactory books and records and would undertake to make these available as required to the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce or its agents for verification purposes.

  Written instructions on how the scheme should be operated have been issued to all designated organisations. The Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce arranged for a series of seminars for organisations operating the scheme, to be held throughout the United Kingdom. The board provides any additional advice necessary on a daily basis.

  The quantities of produce that designated organisations have been authorised to withdraw from intervention stores in 1988 can be broken down as follows:

  Organisations based in:

  Butler

  Beef

  (tones)

  (tones)

  England

  1,677

  570

  Wales

  176

  332

  Scotland

  80

  550

  Northern Ireland

  530

  320

  Figures are not available for local authority areas.

  Council of Agriculture Ministers
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on 17 and 18 October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  At this meeting, at which I represented the United Kingdom, the Council again discussed the Commission's proposal for an optional scheme of direct income aid to low-income farmers, with 874
  a Community contribution towards the cost. I repeated my considerable doubts about the cost-effectiveness and appropriateness of the proposal, and these doubts are now being shared by a number of other members of the Council.

  The Council also discussed for the second time the Commission's proposal for giving effect to the judgment of the European Court about the position of farmers who, because they had taken part in the earlier Community schemes for the abandonment of milk production or conversion of dairy herds, were not assigned a quota for milk production when the quota system was introduced in 1984. The main issues in the debate were the circumstances in which such farmers should now be considered for a milk quota, the conditions to be attached, how the extra quota should be found and how the cost should be offset. The matter is to be considered further, but considerable support was given to the views I have strongly expressed on both occasions that the quotas of existing producers should not be affected and that the conditions for beneficiaries under the judgment need to be restrictively drawn, in particular to ensure that only those clearly intending to go back into milk production should be included and that windfall gains should be excluded.

  The Commission gave an oral presentation of its proposals for changes in the support arrangements for beef and for sheep as well as the results of its discussions with the New Zealand Government about future imports of butter and sheepmeat from that country. Members of the Council were only able to give very brief preliminary reactions, and these subjects will be taken up at later meetings.

  After some discussion, the Council eventually decided on a reduction in the consumption aid for olive oil to apply during the 1988–89 marketing year, with a saving of 102 million ecu to the CAP budget.

  Along with a number of my colleagues in the Council, I expressed serious doubts about the Commission's ideas for detailed implementation of the extensification scheme, particularly in relation to control and verification, the risk of fraud and other practical difficulties. The Commission undertook to reconsider.

  There was also a discussion of the state of the pigmeat market, in which I again expressed the case for the early abolition of monetary compensatory amounts in that sector.

THE ARTS

  Property in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he expects to lay before the House the statement referred to in his written answer of 29 June to the hon. Member for Warley, East,Official Report, column 259; and whether he will make it his policy that in future years such statements in conformity with section 9 (6) of the National Heritage Act 1980, are laid before the House within three months of the close of the financial year covered by them.

  Mr. Luce
  The statement to which the hon. Member refers was laid before the House on 28 July. It is my intention that in future years the statement of disposals or transfers of property accepted in lieu of tax should, whenever possible, be laid within three months of the close of the financial year.

  Investment
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether, in the light of the publication of the PSI Myerscough report on the economic importance of the arts in Britain, a copy of which has been sent to him, he will make it his policy to increase investment in the arts and entertainment industry.

  Mr. Luce
  The PSI report is a valuable contribution to understanding the role of the arts within the economy. It illustrates how useful developments can be funded by a partnership between public and private interests. It is one of the objectives of the three-year funding programme which I announced last year to stimulate such plural funding of the arts.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, what are the latest available figures for his office in the London pay area of the number of vacancies by grade and the proportion this is of the grade complement in London.

  Mr. Luce
  The Office of Arts and Libraries is located in central London and currently has the following vacancies for permanent staff:

  Number

  Executive Officer

  1

  Administrative Officer

  1

  Administrative Assistant

  2

  These posts constitute 7 per cent, of the total complement.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Minister of the Arts if he will provide the latest available figures for his office for(a) numbers of staff in receipt of local pay additions, by grade, (b) location of those offices awarding local pay additions and (c) annual cost.

  Mr. Luce
  The number of staff expected to receive local pay additions in the Office of Arts and Libraries in a full year is as follows:

  Number

  Administrative Assistants

  3

  Administrative Officers

  6

  Executive Officers

  10

  Senior Personal Secretaries

  1

  Personal Secretaries

  3

  Typists

  1

  Total

  24

  They are located at Horse Guards road and at Sumner street, London SE1.

  The annual cost is estimated at £14,400.

  British Library
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the total cost to date of the Urquhart wing at the British Library's document supply centre, Boston Spa.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 4 July 1988]: The three phases of the Urquhart wing at the British Library's document supply centre, Boston Spa, cost a total of £11,235,027 including VAT.

  Club Theatres
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on regulations for club theatres.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 28 July 1988]: I have been asked to reply.

  Public performances of plays are subject to the licensing requirements of the Theatres Act 1968. Premises licensed under the Act will be subject to local authority fire and safety regulations. Local authorities have no power to regulate the content of plays but the 1968 Act prohibits the presentation of obscene performances, whether in public or private, subject to certain defences. Performances of plays in clubs will not be subject to the licensing provisions of the Act if the public are not admitted.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Strip Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners are at present held on remand at Risley detention centre; to how many strip searches they have been subjected in July, August and September, respectively, giving the number of persons involved, number of times each person was searched and if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while a search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings(a) making a remand appearance at court, (b) attending a trial, (c) inter-prison visit and (d) other reasons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 17 October there were eight inmates on remand at Risley remand centre who had been placed in category A. Comprehensive records of strip searches are kept only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there was one in Risley during July, August and September. Information from Risley indicates that this prisoner was strip-searched once in July at the time of a cell change and twice in September, at the time of a cell change and on transfer to another establishment. No unauthorised articles were discovered on any of these occasions. On no occasion did the prisoner refuse to be strip-searched.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A women prisoners there were in Her Majesty's prison, Durham, in July, August and September, respectively, and how many strip searches were made on prisoners in those months, indicating strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, after visits and after cell changes, wing searches and cell searches, and listing the reasons for searches; and illegal contraband or smuggled items found.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During July, August and September, there were three category A women prisoners in Durham prison. The number of occasions on which each was strip-searched during each month is shown in the table:
  877

  Inmate A

  Inmate B

  Inmate C

  July

  August

  September

  July

  August

  September

  July

  August

  September

  After legal visits

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  After other visits

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  4

  —

  1

  1

  At the time of cell changes, and wing and cell searches

  —

  2

  —

  1

  2

  1

  —

  2

  1

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  No unauthorised article was found on any of the three women. I set out the reasons for such searches in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 15 January at column 446.

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons originally from(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Irish Republic, were in prison in (i) England and (ii) Wales, at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Citizens of Northern Ireland are not separately identified from other citizens of the United Kingdom. However, on 31 August 1988, about 310 prisoners in prison service establishments in England who were citizens of the United Kingdom or whose citizenship was unknown were known to have been born in Northern Ireland. A further three were held in establishments in Wales.

  The recording of nationality on the records held centrally for citizens of the Republic of Ireland is not completely reliable because it depends upon the information provided by the prisoner. On 31 August, about 470 prisoners in establishments in England were recorded as citizens of or born in the Republic of Ireland. None was held in establishments in Wales.

  Guildford Pub Bombings
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times each of the four people convicted of the Guildford bombing have been subject to(a) prison moves and (b) prison disciplinary proceedings since 1974.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report of the Somerset constabulary on the case of the four people convicted of the Guildford bombing.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is not the practice to publish the reports of police investigations.

  Disabled People's March (Police Deployment)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the

  Club

  Season 1987–88

  Season 1988–89 (to 18 October)

  Charged £

  Paid £

  Charged £

  Paid £

  Arsenal

  161,875·96

  161,875·96

  15,955·96

  5,810·28

  Brentford

  34,078·68

  34,078·68

  9,645·95

  6,790·68

  Charlton

  49,273·65

  49,273·65

  9,960·01

  9,441·27

  Chelsea

  168,257·86

  168,257·86

  47,318·96

  30,783·20

  Crystal Palace

  37,173·59

  37,173·59

  10,176·56

  4,203·23

  Fulham

  26,526·79

  26,526·79

  5,093·81

  1,326·96

  Leyton Orient

  17,509·17

  17,509·17

  3,924·49

  1,100·62

  878
  Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many Metropolitan police officers, and at what rank, were deployed on 28 July at the march of people with disabilities from Kennington Park to Elephant and Castle.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that one chief inspector, five inspectors, nine sergeants and 80 constables were deployed on the march.

  Firearms (Amendment) Bill
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to extend the Firearms (Amendment) Bill to firearms rendered incapable of firing live ammunition, but which will accept blank ammunition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Firearms (Amendment) Bill does not amend the definition of a firearm in section 57(1) of the Firearms Act 1968 and there are no plans to do so.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions his Department has held with historical re-enactment groups concerning the Firearms (Amendment) Bill; if he will list those groups; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assistance his Department has sought from historical re-enactment groups concerning the Firearms (Amendment) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have considered carefully representations from the Sealed Knot, the English Civil War Society, the Great War Society an the World War II Battle Re-enactment Society. I am satisfied that the Bill will not impose an unreasonable burden on their activities. Most of the guns they use will still be able to be held either on a firearm or a shotgun certificate.

  Football League Clubs, London (Police Costs)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  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 much was(a) charged and (b) paid by each Football League club in London for police services in the 1987–88 season and 1988–89 season to date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information is as follows:
  879

  Club

  Season 1987–88

  Season 1988–89 (to 18 October)

  Charged £

  Paid £

  Charged £

  Paid£

  Millwall

  57,693,28

  57,693·28

  16,975·52

  12,329·84

  Queen's Park Rangers

  129,564·28

  129,564·28

  28,004·20

  16,233·40

  Tottenham Hotspur

  153,785·36

  153,785·36

  12,413·06

  Nil

  West Ham United

  176,303·08

  176,303·08

  30,433·09

  12,452·08

  Wimbledon

  81,354·26

  81,354·26

  16,897·37

  11,077·49

  Total

  1,093,395·96

  1,093,395·96

  206,798·98

  111,549·05

  Traffic Wardens (Newham)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic wardens were on duty in the London borough of Newham over the weekend of 8–9 October 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner that on Saturday 8 October, one traffic warden controller, six traffic warden supervisors and 34 traffic wardens were on duty and on Sunday 9 October one traffic warden controller, six supervisors and 27 traffic wardens.

  Telephone Interceptions
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what sums of money were charged to Government by British Telecom or other telephone companies for interception services in the last financial year; and what was the average cost per interception;

  (2) how many telephone lines in total were intercepted by authorised warrant in 1987;

  (3) for all telephone interceptions in 1987, what proportion were authorised for (a) criminal investigation and (b) domestic surveillance for security purposes;

  (4) what has been the average duration of an authorized interception warrant during the past two years; who monitors them; and to whom the monitoring information is reported;

  (5) how many requests have been received from the police to have telephone lines monitored for traffic frequency in the past 12 months;

  (6) how many individual telephone lines have been intercepted on average per authorised warrant in the last two years.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Interception of Communications Act 1985 sets out the purposes for which a warrant may be issued and makes provision for the monitoring of interception under the Act by an independent judicial figure, the right hon. Lord Justice Lloyd. The commissioner's annual reports, presented to parliament by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, comment on the results of that monitoring.

  The figures for the number of interceptions warrants issued by the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland in force on 31 December 1987 were given in an annex to the report of the commissioner, which was presented to Parliament in March 1988 (Cmnd. 351). I do not intend to publish statistics additional to those in the commissioner's reports. Nor would it be consistent with the practice of successive Governments to give information about the costs relating to interception warrants.

  Police Manpower (Newham)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were on duty in the London Borough of Newham over the weekend of 8–9 October 1988; and what was the total cost involved.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that there were 2,607 police officers on duty on 8 October and 2,578 on 9 October. The total additional cost was £206,959.

  Airport Police Officers (Sidearms)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it became routine for police officers at(a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick publicly to display sidearms; why this was considered necessary; and who authorised this practice.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Armed police officers at Heathrow Airport have carried unconcealed sidearms while dressed in shirt sleeve order for several years, and, since 14 December 1987, while dressed in full uniform. At Gatwick airport sidearms have been carried unconcealed by officers in shirt sleeve order since 16 October 1987. In each case the decision was taken by the chief officer of police (the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the chief constable of Sussex constabulary respectively) in accordance with his responsibility for all operational matters, for the greater comfort of the officers concerned, and in order to render their sidearms more accessible in an emergency.

  Party Conferences (Policing Costs)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has regarding the policing costs associated with the 1988 annual conference of(a) the SDP, (b) the Liberal-Democrats, (c) the Labour party, (d) the Conservative party and (e) any other political party in respect of which additional policing costs arose.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constables of Devon and Cornwall and of Lancashire that there were no additional policing costs associated with the 1988 annual conference of the Social Democratic party and that the estimated additional costs of policing the Social and Liberal Democrats' conference and the Labour party conference were £400 and £61,000 respectively.

  I also understand from the chief constable of Sussex that it is anticipated that the additional costs of policing the 1988 Conservative party conference will be £1·4 million, subject to the finalising of the accounts.

  There is no information held centrally to suggest that any significant additional policing costs are incurred for other political party conferences in England and Wales.

  "Dispensing with the Services of a Police Officer"
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he had with the Police Federation before the document, "Dispensing with the Services of a Police Officer", was made public.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The document to which my hon. Friend refers was not produced or made public by my Department.

  Prisoners (Food)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out in tabular form, for the latest convenient date, the expenditure per head for inmates in each of Her Majesty's prisons in respect of food per week; and how this relates to the actual budget.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The quantity of food for inmates is determined by reference not to cash budgets but to dietary scales designed to meet agreed nutritional requirements. Ingredients are supplied primarily from centrally negotiated contracts and from prison farms and gardens. The notional cost per inmate per week totalled £6·45 in the year ended 31 March 1988.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each south Yorkshire police division(a) the date on which the first neighbourhood watch schemes were established, (b) the crime rate on that date and (c) the crime rate on the most recent available date.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand the first neighbourhood watch schemes were established in each South Yorkshire police division are as follows:

  Division

  Date

  Location

  Rotherham

  January 1984

  Firbeck Village

  West Bar (Central Sheffield)

  August 1984

  Arbourthorne Estate

  Barnsley

  April 1985

  Greenmoor Village

  Doncaster

  June 1985

  Clayton Village

  South Sheffield

  October 1985

  Alderson Place

  North Sheffield

  June 1986

  Phenistone Road

  I regret that information about crime rates on particular dates cannot be provided.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes there are in each South Yorkshire police division; and by what percentage the crime rate has fallen or risen since these schemes began.

  Mr. John Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 July 1988 c. 642]: I regret that my answer was incomplete. The full text of the reply is as follows:

  I understand from the chief constable of South Yorkshire that the first neighbourhood watch schemes in his police force area was established in January 1984 and that by the end of June 1988 the total number of schemes had increased to 718. The following table shows the number of schemes in each police division:—
  882

  Division

  Number of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

  Doncaster

  152

  Barnsley

  76

  Rotherham

  63

  West Bar

  44

  South Sheffield

  241

  North Sheffield

  142

  Total

  718

  Each of these schemes was established at different times between January 1984 and 1988 and it is not possible to state by what percentage the crime rate has fallen or risen since each scheme began.

  However, we welcome the fact that total recorded crime in the South Yorkshire police force area in the first six months of this year has fallen by 4·8 per cent, and residential burglaries by 10·2 per cent, compared with the same period in 1987.

  Departmental Programmes
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by his Department in each of the past five years on the evaluation of departmental programmes; and what proportion this constitutes of(a) the amount allocated for evaluation and (b) the Department's total budget.

  Mr. Hurd
  [holding answer 28 July 1988]: It is not possible to identify separately the resources involved in the evaluation of my Department's programmes.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance from(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés and (d) fiancées made at British posts on (1) New Delhi, (2) Bombay, (3) Calcutta, (4) Madras, (5) Dhaka, (6) Islamabad, (7) Karachi and (8) Colombo for each quarter since January 1987 were (A) received, (B) granted and (C) refused; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration; how many refusals at each post were (I) wholly and (II) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the couple could support and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds; what was the refusal rate at each post; and what percentage of those refusals were (y) wholly and (z) partly on primary purpose grounds.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 20 July 1988]: Information for the Indian sub-continent for the whole of 1987 and, where available, for the first quarter of 1988 is given in the tables. Where the numbers are small, the figures for individual posts have been combined. In order to keep down the cost, only annual data for 1987 have been given. In any case, information on refusals which takes account of successful appeals is not compiled for periods shorter than 12 months. Corresponding information for Colombo is not available.
  883

  Table 1 Husbands, fiances, wives and fiancees in the Indian sub-continent applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom

  Number of persons or percentage

  Post

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  1st quarter

  1st quarter

  1st quarter

  1st quarter

  New Delhi (including Calcutta)

  Applications received3

  220

  60

  340

  70

  500

  180

  330

  60

  Applications granted4

  150

  40

  130

  40

  480

  130

  170

  60

  Applications refused initially

  130

  20

  230

  50

  10

  1

  90

  30

  Refusal rate (percentage)5

  43

  ..

  59

  ..

  2

  ..

  34

  ..

  Bombay (including Madras)

  Applications received3

  320

  70

  340

  80

  1,150

  320

  260

  70

  Applications granted4

  210

  60

  180

  30

  1,050

  280

  140

  40

  Applications refused initially

  160

  40

  200

  60

  20

  1

  50

  1

  Refusal rate (percentage)5

  37

  ..

  46

  ..

  2

  ..

  25

  ..

  Dhaka

  Applications received3

  250

  90

  20

  10

  1,430

  380

  20

  1

  Applications granted4

  100

  20

  1

  1

  1,070

  360

  10

  10

  Applications refused initially

  70

  20

  10

  1

  160

  80

  10

  1

  Refusal rate (percentage)5

  36

  ..

  2 78

  ..

  1

  ..

  2 50

  ..

  Islamabad (including Karachi)

  Applications received3

  1,240

  390

  1,050

  250

  2,620

  790

  450

  70

  Applications granted4

  280

  100

  360

  80

  2,130

  600

  290

  70

  Applications refused initially

  320

  130

  450

  150

  120

  30

  40

  10

  Refusal rate (percentage)5

  49

  ..

  47

  ..

  4

  ..

  11

  ..

  1 5 or fewer, or ½ per cent, or less.

  2 Refusal rate based on fewer than 15 applications.

  3 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed.

  4 Granted initially or on appeal.

  5 Applications refused, after taking account of successful appeals, as a percentage of applications decided. .. = not available.

  Table 2

  Husbands, fiances, wives and fiancees in the Indian sub-continent refused1 entry clearance to the United Kingdom in 1987

  Number of persons or percentages

  New Delhi (including Calcutta)

  Bombay (including Madras)

  Dhaka

  Islamabad (including Karachi)

  Total Indian sub-continent

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  Number refused because couple could not accommodate and/or maintain themselves without recourse to public funds:

  Solely for these reasons

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  —

  2—

  2—

  —

  2—

  —

  10

  —

  2—

  —

  2—

  —

  10

  2—

  20

  2—

  Partly for these reasons

  10

  2—

  —

  2—

  —

  2—

  —

  —

  10

  2—

  2—

  2—

  70

  50

  —

  2—

  80

  60

  2—

  10

  Number refused because primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to United Kingdom:

  Solely for this reasons

  100

  170

  2—

  10

  120

  160

  10

  20

  30

  —

  —

  —

  200

  250

  2—

  10

  450

  580

  20

  40

  Partly for this reasons

  10

  20

  —

  30

  —

  2—

  —

  2—

  10

  2—

  —

  —

  60

  80

  2—

  10

  450

  580

  20

  40

  Primary purposes refusals as a percentage of all refusals:

  Solely on primary purpose

  purpose

  grounds

  90

  88

  356

  13

  96

  94

  65

  38

  48

  —

  —

  —

  74

  76

  3

  40

  80

  83

  19

  25

  Partly on primary

  purpose

  grounds

  6

  9

  —

  29

  —

  3

  —

  4

  15

  357

  —

  —

  23

  24

  —

  9

  14

  15

  —

  17

  1 After taking account of successful appeals.

  2 Five or fewer, or ½ per cent, or less.

  3 Refused rate based on fewer than 15 applications.

  —Nil.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table in the Official Report, in the same format as his written reply of 25 July, on receipts to his programme classified as charges in respect of his programme expenditure over the years 1982–83 to 1990–91, and consistent with the answer of 27 May, Official Report, columns 375–76, indicating the receips in respect of running costs expenditure, together with a supplementary analysis indicating, separately, the amounts of receipts in respect of programme expenditure and of running costs expenditure estimated to have been met from other public expenditure programmes.

  Mr. Hurd
  [holding answer 28 July 1988]: The following figures, which are consistent with those given by my right
  884
  hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 29 July at columns 747–48, relate to receipts which offset running cost expenditure for which the Home Ofice is responsible. The Home Office receives no receipts classified as being paid from other public expenditure programmes in respect of running costs. Figures for receipts in respect of programme expenditure paid from other public expenditure programmes could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Science Research
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by his Department in each of the past five years on social science research; what percentage this constitutes of total departmental expenditure and of his Department's research budget; and
  885
  how much of the research has been undertaken (a) within his Department, (b) by universities and polytechnics and (c) by independent research organisations.

  Mr. Hurd
  [holding answer 28 July 1988]: The information is not available in the form requested. That

  Percentage undertaken

  Year

  Expenditure on social science and humanities research (£m)

  Percentage total expenditure

  Percentage research budget (social science and humanities, science and technology)

  (1) within Department

  (2) by Universities by and polytechnics

  (3) independent1 research organisations

  1982–83

  3·1

  0·45

  25·6

  51·6

  12·9

  11·9

  1983–84

  3·0

  0·38

  24·6

  56·7

  13·3

  2·7

  1984–85

  2·9

  0·34

  22·0

  62·0

  17·2

  4·8

  1985–86

  2·8

  0·31

  20·4

  64·3

  21·4

  1·8

  1986–87

  2·3

  0·23

  17·3

  56·5

  21·7

  1·3

  1 Industrial research associations, non-industrial research institutes.

  Adoption
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many babies were brought into the United Kingdom for adoption by British couples during 1987; and if he will list the countries of origin.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Information is not available in the form requested, as the statistics collected on passenger admissions do not separately identify children who come to the United Kingdom for adoption. The available information—which may not be entirely complete—is that 52 children were granted settlement in the United Kingdom in 1987 on the basis of their adoption by a person already settled here. The nationalities are shown in the table:

  Acceptances for settlement by reason of adoption

  Nationality

  Number of children of each nationality

  India, Pakistan

  7

  Canada, Korea, Philippines, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, USA

  2

  Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, German Federal Republic, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe, Other

  1

  152

  1 Includes one child whose nationality is not recorded.

  General Practitioners (Misuse of Drugs)
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases there have been of general practitioners being brought before the misuse of drugs tribunal; and how many of those have been found guilty for each of the most recent five years for which records are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: The number of cases of general practitioners considered by the misuse of drugs tribunal for each of the years 1983–87 is as follows:
  886
  available and given in the table relates to expenditure not only on social science research but on research on humanities. It also includes research performed elsewhere in central Government. Expenditure on social science and humanities research is expressed as a percentage of total cash-limited Home Office expenditure.

  Year

  Number of cases

  1983

  3

  1984

  3

  1985

  1

  1986

  3

  1987

  3

  In all but one of these cases my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made, in th light of the tribunal's findings, a direction under section 13 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, prohibiting the practitioner from prescribing certain controlled drugs. In the remaining case, representations by the practitioner against a proposed direction are shortly to be considered by the misuse of drugs advisory body.

  Passports
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of employees at the passport office and the number of passports issued in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 June 1988, c. 679]: I regret that my answer contained incorrect information. The answer as it should have appeared is as follows:

  The information, covering the six United Kingdom passsport offices, is as follows:

  Year

  Number of passports issued

  Highest number of staff in post in any month1

  Permanent staff

  Casual staff

  1979

  1,809,091

  901

  182

  1981

  1,768,538

  996

  119

  1983

  1,979,740

  949

  167

  1985

  1,799,043

  938

  111

  1987

  2,041,220

  961

  232

  1 Includes headquarters staff

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for each of the last five years, broken down by sex, of persons convicted of child abuse; and of the sentences given by the courts, in England and Wales.
  887
  Mr. John Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1988, c. 420]: I am now able to provide some data for 1986. Comparable information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost, while figures for 1987 are not yet available.

  The tables bring together the readily available information on the number of defendants found guilty of

  Table 1: Persons found guilty and sentenced at all courts for sexual offences where the victim is known to have been of 16 years of age or under

  England and Wales 1986

  Number of persons

  Offence description

  Sex

  Total found guilty

  Total for sentence

  Absolute/conditional discharge

  Probation/supervision order

  Fine

  Community service order

  Fully suspended sentence

  Immediate custody

  Otherwise dealt with

  Buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal

  M

  147

  147

  5

  21

  2

  1

  5

  108

  5

  Attempts to commit buggery with a boy under the age of 16 or with a woman or an animal

  M

  20

  20

  3

  1

  —

  1

  3

  12

  —

  Indecent assault on male person under 16

  M

  398

  401

  30

  121

  33

  2

  46

  156

  13

  F

  12

  12

  1

  6

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  Indecent assault on female person under 16

  M

  1,318

  1,327

  103

  350

  110

  26

  164

  518

  56

  F

  9

  9

  3

  1

  —

  —

  2

  3

  —

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13

  M

  100

  100

  1

  12

  7

  2

  6

  70

  2

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16

  M

  339

  337

  50

  50

  70

  21

  45

  94

  7

  F

  2

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Incest with girl under 13

  M

  75

  75

  —

  4

  —

  —

  2

  65

  4

  F

  2

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse

  M

  3

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Householder permitting unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16

  M

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  F

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Person responsible for girl under 16 causing or encouraging her prostitution etc.

  M

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  F

  2

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Abduction of unmarried girl under 16

  M

  11

  11

  1

  2

  —

  1

  3

  3

  1

  F

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Gross indecency

  M

  236

  235

  19

  63

  34

  3

  27

  81

  8

  F

  7

  7

  —

  3

  —

  —

  2

  2

  —

  Total

  M

  2,649

  2,658

  212

  624

  257

  57

  302

  1,110

  96

  F

  36

  36

  5

  12

  2

  —

  7

  10

  —

  Table 2: Persons found guilty and sentenced at all courts for offences of violence against the person where the victim is known to have been of 16 years of age or under

  England and Wales 1986

  Number of persons

  Offence description

  Sex

  Total found guilty

  Total for sentence

  Absolute/conditional discharge

  Probation/supervision order

  Fine

  Community service order

  Fully suspended sentence

  Immediate custody

  Otherwise dealt with

  Murder of infant under 1 year

  M

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Infanticide

  F

  9

  9

  —

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cruelty to a child

  M

  58

  57

  14

  7

  1

  1

  12

  20

  2

  F

  65

  65

  13

  27

  2

  1

  12

  10

  —

  Summary offences

  Cruelty to, or neglect of children

  M

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  F

  3

  3

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  888
  certain sexual offences and offences of violence against children. For other types of offence it is not possible from the results of court proceedings held centrally to distinguish the age of the victim. As the hon. Member will see, nearly half of the persons convicted of sexual offences received sentences of immediate custody.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Transitional Arrangements
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local offices of his Department

  Four-week period ending

  15/12/87

  12/1/88

  9/2/88

  8/3/88

  18/4/88

  Number of offices suspending routine visits

  41

  51

  52

  48

  32

  Number of offices suspending out of course visits

  271

  264

  284

  291

  289

  1This period is slightly longer than four weeks in order to coincide with the end of the supplementary benefit scheme.

  (Note: The same office may appear in both categories of visit and in each four-week period.)

  (source: Internal management information returns)

  Conductive Education
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the visit to the Peto institute in Hungary, by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Chelsea (Mr. Scott), in mid-September; whether the visit resulted in administrative easement of benefit transferral for the United Kingdom families concerned; and what proposals he now has for further support and development of conductive education in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Scott
  I visited the Peto institute during a short visit to Hungary from 18–21 September, and I was very impressed by the skill and dedication of Dr. Hari and her staff. I met some of the United Kingdom families whose children were attending the Peto institute, and listened to their concerns. I also saw two examples of the use of conductors in Hungarian hospitals and had discussions with Hungarian Government Ministers.

  Following an earlier visit by officials, we had already made special arrangements for co-ordinating the handling of claims by the United Kingdom families for attendance allowance, invalid care allowance and mobility allowance. The arrangements are intended to reduce the need for inquiries and to enable benefits to continue in payment abroad without interruption. Additionally, information already obtained for attendance allowance purposes will be used, wherever possible, for deciding claims for

  Unemployment benefit only

  Supplementary benefit and unemployment benefit

  Supplementary benefit only

  No benefit2

  February 1982

  2,158

  472

  2,192

  759

  February 1984

  1,490

  428

  3,220

  848

  November 1986

  1,400

  371

  2,897

  961

  November 1987

  870

  195

  2,422

  807

  Notes:

  1 Data are normally obtained as at November of each year. However as a result of industrial action during 1981 and 1984 it has not been possible to give data for those dates. Instead figures as at February 1982 and 1984 have been provided.

  2 The only figures available are for those who are "signing" at the unemployment benefit office to receive National Insurance credits.

  Multiple Sclerosis
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report, for the past five years for which figures are available, the number of applications for mobility allowance received by medical
  890
  suspended the normal visits undertaken to review claims (LO2 visits) during the transitional period of the introduction of the new social security arrangements.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The table gives the number of local offices suspending one visit or more during each of the four-week periods of the exercise to convert supplementary benefit cases to income support:

  mobility allowance for children reaching the age of five, to avoid the requirement to return to the United Kingdom for medical examination.

  I have seen many examples of excellent practice in this country by health and education professionals working with disabled children. I welcome the work of the Birmingham Foundation for Conductive Education, in piloting the training of United Kingdom conductors, in association with the Peto institute. I shall await with great interest the findings of the associated research project, to which Government have contributed substantial funding. I also welcome the interest shown by health and education professionals in this country in aspects of conductive education and I hope that my visit will lead to more exchanges of good practice between the United Kingdom and Hungary. All these developments have the potential of adding to the range of options open to parents of motor-disordered children in the United Kingdom.

  Benefits
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the numbers of unemployed people in Burnley by entitlement to benefit for the years 1981, 1984, 1986 and 1987 and distinguishing between the following(a) unemployment benefit only, (b) supplementary and unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit only, and (d) no benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The numbers of people registered as unemployed in Burnley by entitlement to benefit for the years11982, 1984, 1986 and 1987 were:

  appeal tribunals in the United Kingdom from applicants who suffered from multiple sclerosis, as a percentage of the total applications heard by the tribunals in the same period, together with the percentage of applications from multiple sclerosis applicants during the same period whose appeals were upheld.
  891
  Mr. Scott
  I regret that it is not possible to provide information about the number of claims received from people suffering from specific diagnostic conditions.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the total value of(a) grants, and (b) loans, given by social security offices to persons living within the Fife North-East area over the last six months; and what was the total value of single payments made by those offices to persons living within the Fife, North-East area over the same period in 1987;

  (2) what was the number of applications received by social security offices from persons within the Fife North-East area for a grant or loan from the social fund during the last six months and the proportion of these for which a grant or loan was given;

  Local Office

  Number of SP claims

  Number of SP awards

  Percentage successful awards

  Total payments £

  Dundee East

  8,919

  4,538

  50·88

  346,712

  Leven

  3,368

  1,622

  48·16

  119,946

  Perth

  2,824

  1,532

  54·25

  120,934

  Pensions
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will propose Community legislation to oblige member states to introduce equality in respect of the ages at which men and women became entitled either to state or occupational pensions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The current draft directive on equal treatment would require equal pension ages for men and women within both state and occupational pension schemes. Negotiations on this draft directive are continuing.

  Disabled People (OPCS Report)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what date he received from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys the report on the financial situation of people with disabilities; on what date he intends to publish the report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The complete text of the OPCS report on the financial circumstances of disabled adults living in private households was received by the Department at the end of August. On the date of publication of the report I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 7 June at column 575.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to seek to improve the workings of the family credit system with regard to the requirement to submit audited accounts; what representations he has received concerning the need to modify current regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no requirement for self-employed persons to submit any accounts in support of a claim for family credit The relevant information
  892
  (3) what was the number of applications for single payments from persons in the Fife North-East area over the six months period from April 1987; and what was the proportion of these for which a payment was granted.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Fife North-East constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Dundee East, Leven and Perth, but their boundaries are not conterminous. Information about social fund applications and awards from the social fund since 11 April 1988 is held in the Library.

  Information about single payment expenditure is not available monthly. However, the available information for the 24-week period ending on 22 September 1987 is shown in the table.

  about business receipts and expenses may be provided by completing a form supplied by my Department or by submitting accounts, as the person wishes. The legislation provides that, for accounts to be acceptable for this purpose, they have to be maintained and audited by a qualified auditor. Representations have been received from claimants and their financial advisers that this latter condition is unduly restrictive.

  We intend, shortly, to lay amending regulations to relax the rules on the acceptability of accounts, though without changing the present basis of assessing earnings from the business by reference to gross receipts and expenses allowable under family credit legislation.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families were in receipt of family credit payments during the period April to June, inclusive; and how many of thesed were paid on the basis of submitted audited accounts.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of families in receipt of family credit was:

  194,000 at the end of April

  215,000 at the end of May

  236,000 at the end of June

  None of these was being paid on the basis of submitted audited accounts.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families were in receipt of family income supplement in March; and how many families were in receipt of family credit in September.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Around 205,000 families were receiving family income supplement in March. Around 242,000 families were receiving family credit at the end of September, but at that stage the situation was distorted by the effects of the postal dispute which had held up the receipt and clearance of claims. Otherwise, on the basis of claims subsequently received, the figure could have been expected to be higher than at the end of August when over 255,000 families were receiving family credit.

  Income Support
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to change the arrangements for paying income support to homeless people.

  Mr. Scott
  As a result of monitoring the operation of the new social security scheme, we have concluded that there is scope for improving the arrangements for helping homeless people. We are therefore taking the following steps.

  First, we are issuing further guidance to local offices to ensure that claimants are paid their full income support entitlement as soon as possible after the start of a claim. This will draw attention, in particular, to the power to pay some benefit in the first week of a claim, including a full week's board and lodging payment if this falls due during the period covered.

  Secondly, we will be expanding the guidance in the social fund manual to ensure that officers dealing with crisis loan applications are aware of the potential risks to health and safety that may be faced by the homeless. Crisis loans may be available in advance of the normal income support pay day to meet accommodation charges, including the payment of rent in advance.

  Finally, we are extending the direct payment arrangements. Existing provisions allow for the accommodation charge within income support to be paid direct to a hostel from the start of a claim if the hostel is akin to a resettlement unit or provides facilities for alcoholics or drug addicts. We will be extending these arrangements to cover all hostels. This should help more claimants to secure accommodation.

  We continue to believe that payment of income support in arrears is the most sensible arrangement for the majority of people below pension age. This is in line with the way wages and other benefits are normally paid.

  In addition, landlords providing board and lodging accommodation were informed of the new payment arrangements before income support was introduced and

  Caseload and costs of the community charge benefit scheme—latest estimates

  Community charge benefit

  Rate rebates

  caseload thousands

  (individuals) thousands

  Cost £ million

  caseload thousands

  cost £ million

  England

  6,860

  (9,380)

  1,525

  5,115

  1,265

  Scotland

  780

  (1,040)

  165

  600

  160

  Wales

  440

  (600)

  60

  295

  45

  Great Britain

  8,080

  (11,020)

  1,750

  6,015

  1,470

  Notes:

  1. The caseload figures in columns one and four are take-up estimates of numbers of claimants. They thus treat both partners in a married or unmarried couple as one. Column two gives the estimated number of individuals who would receive community charge benefit.

  2. The rate rebate figures are estimates for 1988–89.

  3. The community charge benefit figures are based on a maximum benefit of 80 per cent, of liability and a prescribed taper of 15 per cent.

  The current housing benefit rules for assessing the levels of the applicable amounts, the treatment of capital and income and a minimum benefit of 50p per week per claim have been used throughout. The figures are based on the most recent illustrative estimates of what community charges would have been in 1988–89 had they been in operation.

HEALTH

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the recent study commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Security on the incidence and prevalence of communications and language handicaps and the need for speech therapy.
  894
  our information shows that, in practice, most are accepting payment of accommodation charges in arrears. Claimants planning to stay in this type of accommodation are provided with a letter for the landlord confirming that a claim for benefit has been made.

  We are, of course, continuing to monitor the effects of the new scheme.

  Dorsal Column Stimulators
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in the area of which regional health authorities dorsal column stimulators for pain relief have been fitted in the most recent period for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Currie
  I have been asked to reply.

  We do not hold this information centrally.

  NHS Laundry and Cleaning (Accidents)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the rate of (i) fatal accidents, (ii) serious, non-fatal accidents, and (iii) minor accidents in(a) National Health Service laundries, (b) National Health Service cleaning, (c) privatised laundries, and (d) privatised cleaning in the last two years.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  Details of injuries are maintained by the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the increase in the number of claimants and the level of expenditure on housing benefit which will result from the introduction of the community charge.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 17 June 1988]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Mr. Mellor
  I expect the report to be published by the researcher when it is complete.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that the current National Health Service structure for speech therapists is retained if local education authorities are providing funding for speech therapy.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not believe that the provision of funds for speech therapy by local education authorities
  895
  would undermine the current National Health Services structure for speech therapists. Health authorities remain responsible for the provision of speech therapy services and there is in general good co-operation between health authorities and local educational authorities in the provision of services for children.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the district health authorities which have a specialist speech therapist in post.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally, but under the new flexible pay and grading structure introduced on 1 January this yar, it is possible for speech therapists in most grades to be employed in a specialist field.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide central funds for the provision of speech therapy services.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the respective duties of(a) education authorities and (b) health authorities to provide funds for speech therapy services.

  Mr. Mellor
  Speech therapy is one of the services which it is the duty of health authorities to provide under the National Health Service Act 1977. Local education authorities have no duty to provide funds for speech therapy services, but will have the power to do so when a recent amendment to the Education Act 1981 comes into effect on 1 November 1988.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to take to increase the number of specialist speech therapists who work with deaf children and adults.
  896
  Mr. Mellor
  This is a matter for individual health authorities and speech therapy managers.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to take to increase the minimum and maximum salary levels of speech therapists following the claim submitted on 1 April.

  Mr. Mellor
  Pay is a matter for negotiation in the appropriate Whitley council. I understand that at a joint meeting on 27 June National Health Service management made an offer of 5·5 per cent, increase on all points of all scales. This offer, which includes salaries ranging from £8,704 to £20,263, has been rejected. Negotiations are continuing on the offer and a further meeting is to be arranged.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many specialist speech therapists in the United Kingdom work with deaf children and adults;

  (2) how many children had speech therapy identified as a special need on special educational statements; and if he will list the number of these children that receive therapy at the level required.

  Mr. Mellor
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS (Expenditure)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown of estimates given in his reply to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 9 March,Official Report, columns 254–56, showing spending by age separately on (a) the hospital service and (b) community health services.

  Mr. Mellor
  This information is not available.

  Mentally Ill People
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in meeting the 1991 targets for provision for mentally ill people outlined in Command 6233, "Better Services for the Mentally Ill and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years;

  (2) what progress has been made to meet the 1991 targets for provision for mentally ill people, by health and social services authority, outlined in Command 6233, "Better Services for the Mentally Ill "; and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The Command Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill ", published in 1975 by the then Labour Government, did not set illustrative targets.

  Over the next three years we expect to see a continuing development of services, though the pace of change will depend on local needs and opportunities.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in meeting the 1991 targets for provision for mentally handicapped people outlined in Command 4683, "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"; and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years;

  (2) what progress has been made in meeting the 1991 targets, by health and social services authority, for provision for mentally handicapped people outlined in Command 4683, "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"; and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years.

  Mrs. Currie
  The "targets" set in the 1971 White Paper were intended to be guidelines to the statutory authorities on the scale of provision necessary to provide better services for mentally handicapped people. The movement to community care and changes in thinking on the best form of provision have now made the guidelines less useful.

  Substantial progress has been made in expanding provision for mentally handicapped people, including support to the majority of mentally handicapped people who live at home, and increased residential provision for those who cannot, while the numbers living in NHS hospitals continue to fall. The provision of local authority day services has also increased. We expect this progress to continue.

  Between 1976 and 1986 there was a decrease of 14,800 in the number of NHS resident patients from 49,000 in 1976 to 34,200 in 1986. During the same period there was an increase of 12,600 places in residential homes from 11,800 to 24,400 and of 13,800 places in adult training centres and special needs units from 36,600 to 50,400.

  Relevant figures are available in the Department's various statistical publications on health and personal social services, the most recent of which is the "Statistical Bulletin on Personal Social Services Mental Handicap Provision," copies of which are in the Library.

  Home Helps
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates his Department has about the distribution 898
  of the work of home helps between their various client groups; and if he will indicate whether this has changed over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  This information is no longer collected centrally. However, information collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and published in "Personal Social Services Statistics, 1986–87 Actuals" contains details of the home help service for the week beginning 10 November 1986. Information for the year ending 31 March 1977 was published in "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England, 1978". Copies are available in the Library.

  The available information indicates that in both 1977 and 1986 the large majority of people receiving home help were aged 65 years and over, but it is not possible to deduce detailed trends.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of home helps in England in each local authority; and what this figure represents per 1,000 persons aged 65 plus years and per 1,000 persons aged 75 plus years, in the latest available year.

  Mr. Mellor
  The latest available information for each local authority in England is given in the table. The figures do not indicate the volume of service actually provided to people in these age groups. The exact proportion of the service which goes to particular age groups is not known.

  Number of home helps (expressed as whole time equivalents) and rate per thousand population aged 65 years and over and per thousand population aged 75 years and over, by local authority, England, 1986

  Number (wte)

  Rate per thousand population

  Aged 65 years and over

  Aged 75 years and over

  Cleveland

  620

  8·8

  22·8

  Cumbria

  553

  6·9

  16·4

  Durham

  752

  8·3

  20·8

  Northumberland

  450

  9·5

  23·0

  Gateshead

  358

  11·1

  27·6

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  682

  14·7

  34·0

  North Tyneside

  304

  9·6

  24·0

  South Tyneside

  242

  9·5

  23·9

  Sunderland

  622

  15·7

  39·7

  Humberside

  1,191

  9·2

  22·3

  North Yorkshire

  728

  6·2

  13·9

  Barnsley

  382

  11·6

  29·6

  Doncaster

  451

  11·4

  28·8

  Rotherham

  422

  12·5

  32·1

  Sheffield

  1,147

  12·5

  29·3

  Bradford

  716

  10·7

  24·7

  Calderdale

  316

  10·0

  23·1

  Kirklees

  524

  9·5

  22·3

  Leeds

  1,148

  10·3

  23·9

  Wakefield

  367

  8·5

  21·6

  Cheshire

  863

  6·6

  16·3

  Lancashire

  1,614

  7·0

  16·3

  Bolton

  353

  9·3

  22·3

  Bury

  235

  9·1

  21·4

  Manchester

  926

  13·4

  31·9

  Oldham

  352

  10·9

  26·2

  Rochdale

  354

  12·5

  29·9

  Salford

  357

  92

  21·9

  Stockport

  360

  8·4

  19·8

  Tameside

  407

  12·4

  30·4

  Trafford

  291

  8·8

  20·7

  Wigan

  514

  12·3

  30·9

  Knowsley

  199

  10·6

  28·2

  Liverpool

  685

  8·8

  20·6

  Sefton

  319

  6·5

  15·0

  899

  Number (wte)

  Rate per thousand population

  Aged 65 years and over

  Aged 75 years and over

  St. Helens

  405

  15·8

  39·7

  Wirral

  331

  6·0

  14·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  617

  6·4

  15·5

  Shropshire

  253

  4·4

  10·7

  Staffordshire

  958

  6·9

  17·6

  Warwickshire

  520

  7·7

  19·1

  Birmingham

  1,459

  9·8

  23·9

  Coventry

  3S0

  8·4

  21·6

  Dudley

  307

  7·3

  18·4

  Sandwell

  327

  7·0

  17·3

  Solihull

  127

  4·9

  12·7

  Walsall

  252

  7·2

  19·3

  Wolverhampton

  343

  9·1

  22·8

  Derbyshire

  1,639

  11·6

  28·2

  Leicestershire

  730

  5·9

  14·0

  Lincolnshire

  518

  5·6

  13·7

  Northamptonshire

  331

  4·2

  10·0

  Nottinghamshire

  1,279

  8·7

  21·2

  Bedfordshire

  430

  6·9

  16·9

  Berkshire

  609

  7·0

  17·0

  Buckinghamshire

  530

  7·3

  17·7

  Cambridgeshire

  627

  7·3

  17·3

  Essex

  1,377

  6·0

  14·3

  Hertfordshire

  664

  4·9

  12·0

  Norfolk

  724

  5·5

  12·8

  Oxfordshire

  250

  3·3

  7·8

  Suffolk

  499

  4·8

  11·1

  Camden

  410

  14·9

  32·5

  Greenwich

  459

  14·2

  33·7

  Hackney

  414

  16·2

  36·9

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  269

  11·6

  25·5

  Islington

  282

  11·9

  27·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  121

  6·5

  13·8

  Lambeth

  493

  14·4

  32·3

  Lewisham

  560

  15·1

  34·8

  Southwark

  396

  11·5

  27·1

  Tower Hamlets

  215

  10·0

  23·0

  Wandsworth

  434

  11·0

  24·6

  Westminster

  332

  11·1

  24·3

  City of London

  11

  20·2

  48·3

  Barking and Dagenham

  210

  8·1

  19·6

  Barnet

  220

  4·5

  10·1

  Bexley

  260

  8·2

  19·3

  Brent

  454

  13·4

  31·3

  Bromley

  252

  5·2

  12·3

  Croydon

  257

  5·9

  13·4

  Ealing

  229

  5·7

  13·1

  Enfield

  274

  6·5

  14·3

  Haringey

  425

  16·1

  35·3

  Harrow

  233

  7·3

  15·7

  Havering

  223

  6·4

  16·9

  Number of places in local authority, voluntary and private residential homes for elderly and younger physically handicapped people in England, by local authority, 1979 and 1986, and rates per 1,000 population aged 65 and over

  1979

  19861

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65+

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65+

  England

  179,502

  26·1

  244,214

  34·0

  Northern Region

  Cleveland

  1,499

  22·8

  1,904

  27·8

  Cumbria

  1,822

  24·2

  2,786

  35·3

  Durham

  1,867

  21·8

  2,382

  26·8

  Northumberland

  1,164

  25·9

  1,518

  32·2

  Gateshead

  671

  21·8

  769

  24·2

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1,295

  28·0

  1,576

  34·2

  North Tyneside

  804

  27·3

  1,221

  39·3

  South Tyneside

  488

  20·5

  674

  27·2

  Sunderland

  969

  25·5

  1,222

  31·5

  Regional Total

  10,579

  24·0

  14,052

  30·8

  900

  Number (wte)

  Rate per thousand population

  Aged 65 years and over

  Aged 75 years and over

  Hillingdon

  272

  7·8

  18·4

  Hounslow

  156

  5·5

  12·4

  Kingston upon Thames

  73

  3·2

  7·0

  Merton

  199

  7·0

  15·1

  Newham

  357

  12·8

  30·1

  Redbridge

  159

  4·2

  9·5

  Richmond upon Thames

  162

  5·6

  12·1

  Sutton

  110

  4·0

  8·6

  Waltham Forest

  399

  11·5

  24·8

  Dorset

  568

  4·1

  8·9

  Hampshire

  994

  4·5

  10·5

  Isle of Wight

  133

  4·8

  10·6

  Kent

  994

  4·1

  9·5

  Surrey

  454

  2·8

  6·5

  East Sussex

  678

  4·2

  8·6

  West Sussex

  593

  4·1

  8·9

  Wiltshire

  400

  5·0

  11·8

  Avon

  1,141

  7·5

  17·1

  Cornwall

  385

  4·6

  10·6

  Devon

  888

  4·5

  9·9

  Gloucestershire

  438

  5·2

  12·2

  Somerset

  429

  5·4

  12·3

  England

  53,706

  7·4

  17·3

  Notes:

  1 Figures exclude home help organisers and assistant and trainee home help organisers.

  2 Figures for Isles of Scilly are included with Cornwall.

  3 Figures are provisional.

  Residential Homes for the Elderly
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the ratio of places in residential homes for the elderly to the population aged 65 plus years in England and in each local authority in 1979 and the latest available year;

  (2) what was the number of places in voluntary, local authority and private homes for the elderly in England for each of the last 10 years; and how these relate to the population aged 65 plus years and 75 plus years.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information available centrally prior to 1985 does not separately identify residential homes solely for elderly people. The information given in the tables relates to places in homes for elderly and younger physically handicapped people. Information collected on places does not identify provision for specific age groups.
  901

  1979

  19861

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65 +

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65 +

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  Humberside

  2,939

  24·2

  4,622

  36·3

  North Yorkshire

  3,535

  31·8

  5,186

  44·3

  Barnsley

  609

  20·0

  871

  27·0

  Doncaster

  809

  22·5

  1,118

  28·8

  Rotherham

  528

  17·4

  766

  23·1

  Sheffield

  2,060

  23·2

  2,086

  22·8

  Bradford

  2,053

  30·2

  2,984

  45·1

  Calderdale

  863

  27·1

  1,056

  34·0

  Kirklees

  1,507

  26·9

  1,665

  30·3

  Leeds

  2,558

  23·5

  3,152

  28·6

  Wakefield

  867

  21·6

  1,024

  24·2

  Regional Total

  18,328

  25·4

  24,530

  32·9

  North Western Region

  Cheshire

  2,633

  22·2

  3,753

  29·4

  Lancashire

  5,948

  25·4

  10,531

  46·0

  Bolton

  811

  21·4

  1,068

  28·5

  Bury

  762

  29·2

  1,041

  40·7

  Manchester

  2,546

  35·0

  2,763

  39·9

  Oldham

  778

  24·0

  1,126

  35·1

  Rochdale

  638

  22·7

  912

  32·5

  Salford

  903

  23·5

  1,122

  29·1

  Stockport

  849

  20·7

  1,226

  29·0

  Tameside

  512

  16·1

  792

  24·4

  Trafford

  679

  21·2

  1,134

  34·6

  Wigan

  740

  18·1

  940

  22·9

  Knowsley

  246

  14·5

  285

  15·4

  Liverpool

  2,513

  30·9

  2,579

  33·3

  Sefton

  1,600

  34·5

  3,216

  66·7

  St. Helens

  475

  19·4

  487

  19·6

  Wirral

  1,419

  26·6

  1,959

  36·1

  Regional Total

  24,052

  25·1

  34,934

  36·4

  West Midlands Region

  Hereford and Worcester

  2,227

  25·6

  3,521

  37·4

  Shropshire

  1,257

  24·5

  2,295

  41·1

  Staffordshire

  2,486

  19·9

  3,936

  29·3

  Warwickshire

  1,679

  28·1

  2,121

  32·2

  Birmingham

  3,262

  22·6

  4,287

  29·1

  Coventry

  782

  19·0

  1,175

  26·4

  Dudley

  612

  16·1

  1,147

  27·8

  Sandwell

  884

  20·6

  964

  21·1

  Solihull

  408

  19·3

  571

  22·9

  Walsall

  584

  18·7

  865

  25·3

  Wolverhampton

  789

  23·1

  1,057

  28·9

  Regional Total

  14,970

  22·1

  21,939

  30·3

  East Midlands Region

  Derbyshire

  2,734

  20·6

  4,110

  29·6

  Leicestershire

  2,604

  22·9

  3,448

  28·6

  Lincolnshire

  1,864

  22·8

  3,042

  33·8

  Northamptonshire

  1,595

  22·3

  2,462

  32·3

  Nottinghamshire

  2,811

  21·0

  3,524

  24·6

  Regional Total

  11,608

  21·8

  16,586

  29·2

  Thames Anglia Region

  Bedfordshire

  1,410

  25·5

  1,880

  30·8

  Berkshire

  1,860

  23·8

  2,770

  32·4

  Buckinghamshire

  1,906

  30·2

  2,308

  32·8

  Cambridgeshire

  1,716

  22·5

  2,319

  27·7

  Essex

  4,997

  24·4

  7,731

  34·2

  Hertfordshire

  2,743

  23·9

  3,379

  25·5

  Norfolk

  3,062

  26·2

  5,033

  39·3

  Oxfordshire

  1,801

  27·0

  1,999

  27·1

  Suffolk

  2,448

  26·1

  3,393

  33·1

  Regional Total

  21,943

  25·2

  30,812

  32·0

  Inner London Region

  Camden

  867

  29·5

  892

  32·3

  Greenwich

  835

  27·2

  943

  29·7

  Hackney

  816

  29·0

  664

  25·6

  Hammersmith

  609

  23·4

  592

  25·2

  Islington

  719

  29·7

  797

  33·5

  902 903

  1979

  19861

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65 +

  Places in homes

  Rates per 1,000 population aged 65 +

  Kensington

  1,402

  65·5

  1,065

  57·9

  Lambeth

  1,218

  31·3

  1,154

  33·5

  Lewisham

  795

  20·8

  1,058

  28·7

  Southwark

  1,015

  28·4

  1,004

  29·4

  Tower Hamlets

  614

  27·0

  538

  25·0

  Wands worth

  1,705

  39·5

  1,730

  43·6

  Westminster

  793

  23·9

  574

  19·3

  City of London

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Regional Total

  11,388

  30·6

  11,011

  31·6

  Outer London region

  Barking

  378

  14·9

  417

  16·3

  Barnet

  1,587

  33·0

  1,990

  41·2

  Bexley

  401

  13·8

  479

  15·4

  Brent

  710

  20·2

  665

  19·6

  Bromley

  1,216

  27·8

  1,488

  31·3

  Croydon

  1,659

  37·4

  1,672

  38·6

  Ealing

  1,298

  31·1

  1,320

  33·1

  Enfield

  1,016

  24·4

  993

  23·7

  Haringey

  1,018

  32·3

  989

  37·0

  Harrow

  782

  25·0

  921

  28·8

  Havering

  433

  14·7

  775

  23·2

  Hillingdon

  671

  21·6

  687

  20·0

  Hounslow

  565

  19·6

  587

  20·8

  Kingston upon Thames

  470

  20·8

  470

  20·3

  Merton

  520

  18·1

  575

  20·3

  Newham

  740

  23·6

  800

  28·5

  Redbridge

  803

  21·8

  894

  24·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  920

  31·5

  876

  30·4

  Sutton

  707

  25·3

  806

  29·4

  Waltham Forest

  444

  12·1

  613

  17·6

  Regional total

  16,338

  24·2

  18,015

  26·7

  Southern Region

  Dorset

  3,712

  29·3

  5,934

  43·1

  Hampshire

  5,402

  27·1

  8,946

  41·4

  Isle of Wight

  774

  30·4

  1,538

  55·5

  Kent

  6,083

  26·6

  6,537

  27·6

  Surrey

  4,453

  30·4

  5,993

  38·1

  East Sussex

  6,708

  41·5

  8,621

  53·1

  West Sussex

  4,596

  34·5

  6,742

  47·5

  Wiltshire

  1,428

  20·2

  2,522

  32·2

  Regional total

  33,156

  30·4

  46,833

  40·4

  South Western Region

  Avon

  4,176

  29·4

  5,638

  37·7

  Cornwall

  1,945

  25·1

  3,652

  44·1

  Devon

  6,975

  37·6

  11,049

  57·0

  Gloucestershire

  2,094

  28·0

  2,560

  31·3

  Somerset

  1,950

  27·1

  2,603

  33·1

  Regional total

  17,140

  31·1

  25,502

  43·5

  1 Latest available year.

  Number of places in local authority, voluntary and private homes for elderly and younger physically handicapped people in England, 1976 to 1986, and rates per 1,000 population aged 65 and over, and 75 and over

  Places (000's)

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  11986

  All homes

  170·0

  173·8

  176·9

  179·5

  184·8

  191·1

  196·6

  205·3

  217·7

  233·6

  244·2

  Local authority

  110·8

  112·6

  113·6

  113·6

  114·1

  114·9

  115·5

  115·9

  116·4

  116·1

  115·6

  Voluntary

  32·8

  33·0

  33·3

  33·9

  35·0

  36·9

  36·7

  37·6

  38·2

  37·5

  36·0

  Private

  26·4

  28·1

  30·1

  32·0

  35·8

  39·3

  44·3

  51·8

  63·1

  80·0

  92·6

  Rates per 1,000 population

  Aged 65 and over All homes

  25·7

  25·9

  26·0

  26·1

  26·5

  27·0

  27·7

  28·9

  30·8

  33·2

  34·0

  Local authority

  16·7

  16·8

  16·7

  16·5

  16·4

  16·3

  16·2

  16·3

  16·5

  16·5

  16·1

  Voluntary

  5·0

  4·9

  4·9

  4·9

  5·0

  5·2

  5·2

  5·3

  5·4

  5·3

  5·0

  Private

  4·0

  4·2

  4·4

  4·6

  5·1

  5·6

  6·2

  7·3

  8·9

  11·4

  12·9

  904 905

  Places (000's)

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  11986

  Aged 75 and over All homes

  71·5

  71·5

  71·0

  70·2

  70·6

  70·9

  71·2

  72·5

  74·9

  78·2

  80·0

  Local authority

  46·6

  46·3

  45·6

  44·4

  43·6

  42·7

  41·8

  40·9

  40·0

  38·9

  37·9

  Voluntary

  13·8

  13·6

  13·4

  13·3

  13·3

  13·7

  13·3

  13·3

  13·1

  12·5

  11·8

  Private

  11·1

  11·6

  12·1

  12·5

  13·7

  14·6

  16·1

  18·3

  21·7

  26·8

  30·3

  1 Latest available year.

  Meals Service
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of meals provided, for each of the last 10 years, by the meals service; how many were

  Meals service—England

  Number of meals served (millions) and rates per 1,000 population (over 65 and over 75 years)

  Year ended 31 March

  Total

  Rate (Over 65)

  Rate (Over 75)

  At home

  Rate (Over 65)

  Rate (Over 75)

  Elsewhere e.g. day centres

  Rate (Over 65)

  Rate (Over 75)

  1976

  40·5

  6,122

  17,041

  24·3

  3,676

  10,233

  16·2

  2,446

  6,808

  1977

  41·2

  6,141

  16,937

  24·6

  3,670

  10,123

  16·6

  2,471

  6,815

  1978

  41·1

  6,046

  16,493

  25·3

  3,717

  10,139

  15·8

  2,329

  6,353

  1979

  40·9

  5,943

  16,018

  26·2

  3,800

  10,241

  14·8

  2,144

  5,777

  1980

  41·7

  5,981

  15,935

  27·0

  3,874

  10,320

  14·7

  2,108

  5,615

  1981

  41·5

  5,866

  15,393

  27·0

  3,822

  10,031

  14·4

  2,043

  5,362

  1982

  40·3

  5,672

  14,602

  27·1

  3,813

  9,817

  13·2

  1,858

  4,784

  1983

  41·0

  5,763

  14,464

  27·8

  3,914

  9,824

  13·1

  1,849

  4,640

  1984

  42·4

  6,001

  14,570

  28·8

  4,085

  9,917

  13·5

  1,916

  4,653

  1985

  42·9

  6,103

  14,377

  29·9

  4,247

  10,005

  13·1

  1,856

  4,372

  1986

  44·1

  6,140

  14,454

  30·9

  4,305

  10,135

  13·2

  1,835

  4,319

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion the income from sales and fees and charges for meals provided by the meals service represents of expenditure thereon for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The available information is shown in the table. The latest available data year is 1986–87.

  Meals service—England

  Year

  Gross expenditure £ million

  Fees and charges £ million

  Fees and charges as Percentage of Expenditure

  1977–78

  22·447

  6·000

  26·73

  1978–79

  26·373

  7·221

  27·38

  1979–80

  31·828

  8·975

  28·20

  1980–81

  36·266

  11·319

  31·21

  1981–82

  38·742

  13·176

  34·01

  1982–83

  43·836

  15·568

  35·51

  1983–84

  47·728

  17·439

  36·54

  1984–85

  51·447

  19·051

  37·03

  1985–86

  54·805

  20·634

  37·65

  1986–87

  59·661

  22·834

  38·27

  Notes:

  1. Local authorities have discretion whether, and to what extent, to charge for meals. The Government's view is that they should seek to recover the economic cost of providing meals where this does not cause hardship. Where someone represents to their local authority that they cannot afford the charge, the local authority has a duty to reduce it to the amount that they consider it reasonable for the recipient to pay.

  2. Gross expenditure is wage costs, supplies and administrative expenses minus other income (eg, health authority contributions to jointly financed schemes).

  3. Data relate to meals on wheels and meals served in day centres
  906
  provided at home and how many elsewhere; and if he will relate these figures to the population aged 65 plus years and 75 plus years in each year.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is given in the table. The figures do not indicate the actual provision to people in these age groups. The exact proportion of meals provided to each age group is not known.

  for elderly people. Data are not collected centrally about meals which may be provided at other types of day centre.

  Meals on wheels service—England £ million (Cash)

  Gross expenditure

  Fees and charges

  Fees and charges as percentage of expenditure

  1977–78

  16·170

  4·219

  26·09

  1978–79

  18·773

  5·244

  27·93

  1979–80

  23·093

  6·537

  28·31

  1980–81

  26·423

  8·342

  31·57

  1981–82

  28·587

  9·648

  33·75

  1982–83

  32·103

  11·370

  35·42

  1983–84

  35·405

  12·995

  36·70

  1984–85

  38·714

  14·534

  37·54

  1985–86

  42·085

  16·079

  38·21

  1986–87

  46·360

  18·036

  38·90

  Meals in day centres for elderly—England £ million (Cash)

  Gross expenditure

  Fees and charges

  Fees and charges as percentage of expenditure

  1977–78

  6·277

  1·781

  28·37

  1978–79

  7·600

  1·977

  26·01

  1979–80

  8·735

  2·438

  27·91

  1980–81

  9·843

  2·977

  30·24

  1981–82

  10·155

  3·528

  34·74

  1982–83

  11·733

  4·198

  35·78

  1983–84

  12·323

  4·444

  36·06

  1984–85

  12·733

  4·517

  35·47

  907

  Gross expenditure

  Fees and charges

  Fees and charges as percentage of expenditure

  1985–86

  12·720

  4·555

  35·81

  1986–87

  13·301

  4·798

  36·07

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has made available to community health councils in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department does not separately fund community health councils, the expenses of which are met from the overall allocations made to health authorities.

  Following are figures of revenue expenditure incurred by community health councils and derived from the summarised annual accounts of health authorities in England for the latest available five years:

  Year

  £000

  1982–83

  5,787

  1983–84

  6,099

  1984–85

  6,341

  1985–86

  6,784

  1986–87

  7,165

  Nurses (Back Injuries)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has, for each of the last five years for which figures are available, as to how many nurses have suffered back injuries sustained at work; and how many of those have needed surgery as a result.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Drug Prescribing
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are made for a registered medical practitioner to participate on a named patient basis.

  Mr. Mellor
  Under the Medicines Act 1968, doctors are free to be supplied with and to prescribe any unlicensed drug on a named patient basis if they judge it to be in the patient's best interest.

  Medical Accidents
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances other than as a result of litigation a health authority compensates the victims of a medical accident.

  Mrs. Currie
  There are two situations, other than as a result of litigation, in which a health authority may compensate the victim of a medical accident. Firstly, where an authority is potentially legally obliged to do so. This would occur where an authority is advised by its solicitors that, in the particular circumstances of a case, civil proceedings, if issued, would be indefensible and that liability should be admitted and a basis for compensation agreed or, alternatively, that payment should be offered "without prejudice" but in full satisfaction of the potential 908
  claim. Secondly, in cases where, although under no legal obligation to do so, an authority nevertheless considers that, in the circumstances of the case, compensation should be offered on an ex gratia basis.

  Nurses and Mid wives (Pay Award)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the full year cost for 1989–90 of the nurses and midwifery staff pay award.

  Mr. Mellor
  We estimate the cost of this year's pay award to nurses in the hospital and community health services in England will be £731 million. The extra £110 million my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State announced on 13 October together with the additional funding provided in April means we have met the cost of the award in full.

  Physiotherapists
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physiotherapists have been trained in each of the past five years at Guys' and St. Thomas' schools of physiotherapy; how many physiotherapists will be trained at these schools in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The intake of student physiotherapists to the two schools is set out in the table:

  Guys'

  St. Thomas'

  1984

  38

  24

  1985

  30

  24

  1986

  30

  24

  1987

  30

  24

  1988

  30

  24

  The South East Thames regional health authority, which is responsible for managing physiotherapy training arrangements in the region, plans to cease intakes to these schools as from 1989, when new courses will begin at King's college, University of London and Brighton polytechnic.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the number of unfilled physiotherapy posts in each regional health authority in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will estimate the number of unfilled physiotherapy posts in the four London regional health authorities over the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have information on the number of physiotherapy posts vacant against funded establishments on a regional basis. However, the results of the most recent sample surveys of health authorities suggest that nationally about 3·6 per cent, of funded posts for physiotherapists are unfilled after three months.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections he has of the availability of physiotherapists in the London area over the next five and next 10 years; if these take into account the effect of the development of a new school in Eastbourne and subsequently at Brighton polytechnic; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We await the report of a joint working party recently set up by the Manpower Planning Advisory
  909
  Group (which advises regional chairmen and the National Health Service management board) and the chartered Society of Physiotherapy which is urgently undertaking a reveiw of the short-term manpower situation in the profession. The results will be available by early next year. In spring 1989 we shall be issuing guidance on a supply strategy for the next five to 10 years. This work will take account of any particular supply problems of the London area and of proposals for new schools such as that proposed at Brighton polytechnic. Officials are in close touch with the region concerned on the details of this proposal.

  Resource Management Initiative
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to extend the resource management initiative.

  Mr. Mellor
  The resource management initiative is a NHS management board and a joint consultants committee jointly sponsored initiative. The pilot projects will be subject to an interim evaluation this October and a formal evaluation in October 1989. The pilots have already demonstrated that certain elements—for example, the introduction of nurse management information systems and the feeding back to managers and clinicians of existing information—are areas that the majority of acute hospitals could usefully begin to introduce. We are considering how best to programme an extension of the initiative over the country as a whole.

  Eyesight Tests
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review current proposals to introduce charges for eyesight tests.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 22 July 1988, at column 896.

  Child Care
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of children, by local authority area in(a) local authority day nurseries and (b) with child minders, for each year since 1983.

  Mrs. Currie
  We do not have the information in the form requested. Figures for children on the registers of day nurseries provided by local authorities and places available with registered child minders in each local authority in England are published annually in "Children's Day Care Facilities" (A/F/6), copies of which are in the Library.

  Hospital Beds and Facilities
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he proposes to take to assist doctors in the London area endeavouring to follow the policy of trying to get beds and facilities for their patients outside their own catchment area, who are being resisted by hospital administrators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  General practitioners are free to refer their patients to any consultant whom they consider is best able to treat them. Equally, consultants have the right to refuse 910
  to accept such a referral for any reason. Over the years this right has been extended to include consultants who agree with authorities locally that certain types of patients, usually in the non-acute services—for example, mental illness—will benefit if they are treated within certain catchment areas, normally that within which the patient lives. Consultants may also agree that they will accept referrals from GPs in other districts/regions only if the patients concerned have particular need of their specialist skills.

  Health Education Service (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will assist the Nottingham district health authority to prevent further reductions in the health education service to schools.

  Mrs. Currie
  The allocation of funds to Nottingham health authority is a matter for Trent regional health authority. The district must itself decide how best to allocate the resources available to it.

  Departmental Services
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 29 July,Official Report, column 779, which proposed changes to services his Department treats as requiring formal public consultation.

  Mrs. Currie
  The requirements for public consultation are laid down in the Community Health Councils Regulations 1985 (SI 1985 No. 304). These require that when a health authority proposes to make any substantial development of the service it provides, or variation in its service, it must formally consult the relevant community health council. A departmental circular (HSC IS 207) provides that where the community health council objects to proposals which relate to a closure or change of use of hospitals, the matter should be referred to the regional health authority. If the region supports the original proposal, the matter is referred for final decision by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State.

  Parliamentary Constituencies
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the parliamentary constituencies in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland, in descending order of size, showing in each case the extent to which they are either above or below the quota.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is contained in "Electoral Statistics, 1988" (HMSO), a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those local authorities in whose area a population decline of 5 per cent, or over was noted between the census of 1961 and 1981; and what information he has with regard to population decline since the last official census.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is given in the tables. Table 1 lists local authorities in England and Wales whose resident populations declined by 5 per cent, or more between 1961 and 1981. Table 2 contains a list of authorities not included on table 1 whose populations have fallen by 5 per cent, or more between 1981 and 1987 (the last year for which estimates are available).
  911

  Table 1

  County district/London borough

  Estimated mid-Year populations—thousands

  Percentage changes

  1961

  1981

  1987

  1961–81

  1981–87

  Islington

  260·0

  166·1

  168·7

  -36·1

  1·5

  Kensington and Chelsea

  219·0

  140·1

  133·1

  -36·0

  -5·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  221·0

  151·3

  151·1

  -31·5

  -0·1

  Westminster, City of

  271·0

  188·2

  173·4

  -30·6

  -7·8

  Liverpool

  741·0

  516·7

  476·0

  -30·3

  -7·9

  Southwark

  312·0

  218·3

  216·8

  -30·0

  -0·7

  Manchester

  657·0

  462·8

  450·1

  -29·6

  -2·7

  Tower Hamlets

  204·0

  145·2

  159·0

  -28·8

  9·5

  Hackney

  257·0

  185·1

  187·4

  -28·0

  1·3

  Camden

  245·0

  179·1

  184·9

  -26·9

  3·2

  Lambeth

  340·0

  253·0

  243·2

  -25·6

  -3·9

  Wandsworth

  334·0

  262·0

  258·1

  -21·6

  -1·5

  Haringey

  259·0

  207·2

  193·7

  -20·0

  -6·5

  Newham

  264·0

  212·8

  206·5

  -19·4

  -2·9

  Lewisham

  290·0

  236·4

  231·6

  -18·5

  -2·0

  Rhondda

  100·0

  82·6

  77·1

  -17·4

  -6·6

  Salford

  293·0

  247·0

  237·7

  -15·7

  -3·8

  Blaenau Gwent

  95·0

  80·1

  77·3

  -15·7

  -3·5

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  336·0

  284·1

  282·7

  -15·4

  -0·5

  Portsmouth

  225·0

  191·4

  186·8

  -14·9

  -2·4

  Barking and Dagenham

  176·0

  151·6

  147·8

  -13·9

  -2·5

  Brent

  295·0

  254·2

  256·6

  -13·8

  1·0

  Birmingham

  1,179·0

  1,020·8

  998·2

  -13·4

  -2·2

  South Tyneside

  185·0

  162·0

  156·3

  -12·4

  -3·5

  Waltham Forest

  247·0

  217·5

  214·5

  -11·9

  -1·4

  Richmond upon Thames

  182·0

  161·8

  163·0

  -11·1

  0·8

  Preston

  142·0

  126·4

  126·7

  -11·0

  0·2

  Wear Valley

  72·0

  84·1

  84·7

  -11·0

  0·9

  Merton

  188·0

  167·6

  184·0

  -10·9

  -2·2

  Derwentside

  99·0

  88·4

  86·3

  -10·7

  -2·3

  Nottingham

  311·0

  278·2

  276·8

  -10·5

  -0·5

  Meirionnydd

  35·0

  31·4

  31·3

  -10·3

  -0·2

  Port Talbot

  61·0

  54·8

  49·9

  -10·2

  -9·0

  Kingston upon Hull

  302·0

  273·7

  252·7

  -9·4

  -7·7

  Merthyr Tydfil

  67·0

  60·8

  58·5

  -9·3

  -3·8

  Stoke-on-Trent

  276·0

  252·3

  246·7

  -8·6

  -2·2

  Sandwell

  338·0

  309·8

  298·4

  -8·3

  -3·7

  Middlesbrough

  164·0

  150·6

  143·3

  -8·2

  -4·9

  Teesdale

  27·0

  24·8

  24·9

  -8·1

  0·5

  Kingston upon Thames

  146·0

  134·3

  132·2

  -8·0

  -1·5

  Bristol

  436·0

  401·3

  384·4

  -8·0

  -4·2

  Redbridge

  249·0

  229·2

  230·1

  -8·0

  0·4

  Easington

  110·0

  101·4

  95·7

  -7·8

  -5·6

  Brighton

  162·0

  149·4

  140·9

  -7·8

  -5·7

  Barnet

  318·0

  295·2

  305·9

  -7·2

  3·6

  Cynon Valley

  73·0

  67·8

  64·9

  -7·1

  -4·3

  Greenwich

  231·0

  215·6

  216·6

  -6·7

  0·4

  Berwick upon Tweed

  28·0

  26·2

  27·1

  -6·4

  3·4

  Wansbeck

  67·0

  62·7

  59·6

  -6·4

  -4·9

  York

  109·0

  102·1

  101·5

  -6·3

  -0·6

  Ealing

  301·0

  282·2

  296·9

  -6·2

  5·2

  Sheffield

  581·0

  547·6

  532·3

  -5·7

  -2·8

  Harrow

  211·0

  199·0

  200·1

  -5·7

  0·5

  North Tyneside

  210·0

  198·6

  192·9

  -5·4

  -2·9

  Bolsover

  75·0

  71·0

  69·4

  -5·3

  -2·2

  Table 2

  County District/London Borough

  Estimated mid-year populations—thousands

  Percentage changes

  1961

  1981

  1987

  1961–81

  1981–87

  City of London

  5·0

  5·4

  4·7

  8·0

  -13·2

  Burnley

  99·0

  94·2

  85·0

  -4·8

  -9·7

  Harlow

  54·0

  79·5

  72·9

  47·2

  -8·3

  Scunthorpe

  67·0

  66·3

  61·5

  -1·0

  -7·3

  Knowsley

  152·0

  174·0

  161·5

  14·5

  -7·2

  Spelthorne

  84·0

  92·8

  87·0

  10·5

  -6·2

  Norwich

  121·0

  126·1

  118·6

  4·2

  -5·9

  Hartlepool

  97·0

  94·9

  89·8

  -2·2

  -5·4

  Sedgefleld

  82·0

  93·5

  88·4

  14·0

  -5·4

  Southampton

  205·0

  209·9

  199·1

  2·4

  -5·2

  Source:

  1961 populations: The Registrar General's Revised Estimates of the Population 1961–1971; 1981 & 1987 populations: OPCS Monitor PPI 88/1.
  912 913
  Population estimates for 1961 and 1981 are based upon the Censuses held in those years. A number of adjustments have been made to Census results so that the figures relate to usually resident populations at mid year. Mid 1987 estimates have been obtained by updating census-based 1981 figures to take account of subsequent births, deaths and migration. No adjustments have been made to remove any effects of changes in boundaries since the local government reorganisation of 1974.

  Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out in the Official Report the number of infant deaths attributed to sudden infant death syndrome in England each month in 1986.

  Mrs. Currie
  The table shows the number of deaths (registered in England and Wales, but usually resident in England) under one year of age with any mention of sudden infant death syndrome, cot death or similar term on the death certificate, irrespective of whether it did or did not appear as the underlying cause of death by month of occurrence for 1986. Infant deaths which may have been sudden and unexpected, but where no mention of "sudden" or "cot" death or similar term was made on the death certificate, cannot be separately identified reliably.

  Number of deaths under one year of age with any mention of sudden infant death syndrome by month of occurrence. Usual residents of England

  1986 Provisional

  Month of occurrence

  Number

  January

  159

  February

  178

  March

  140

  April

  117

  May

  114

  June

  71

  July

  67

  August

  67

  September

  74

  October

  112

  November

  140

  December

  183

  Sugar
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what reports on the health implications of sugar consumption have been received by his Department in the past five years;

  (2) when he expects to receive the report on sugar from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  In recent years two scientific reports on sugar and health have been received in the Department:

  1. "The Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugars" from the United States Food and Drug Administration (1986),

  2. "Report on Sugars and Syrups" from the British Nutrition Foundation (1987).

  In addition, the Chief Medical Officer's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA) panel on sugars in the diet has received some 20 submissions from interested individuals and organisations. We expect the panel's report in the course of next year.

  Child Health
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that parents throughout the country possess a standardised health record for each of their children; and if he will make a statement.
  914
  Mrs. Currie
  The Government believe that as a matter of principle people should have the right to know what is recorded about them. We have said in debate that we want progress on developing draft guidelines for general access to medical records and we hope this will be achieved later this year. We think it is in the interests of everyone, especially the health and welfare of patients, that progress is made quickly.

  With regard to parent-held child health records, we must give recognition to the fact that parents are the primary health carers of their own children. This is reflected in the Department's overall policy to encourage increased parent participation in clinical and social decisions affecting the care of their children.

  We support in principle the introduction of parent-held child health records to record details of routine screening checks on their children such as hearing, eyesight, height and weight, childhood illnesses and immunisations. Because of the number of different professionals involved in child health surveillance there are obvious advantages when parents hold such information all on one record and take it with them to each appointment. However, the decision on whether to give parents these records is a matter of professional judgment.

  There obviously needs to be a full consensus of professional opinion before a "standardised" record can be introduced throughout the country. Some of the professional bodies involved have already established a joint working party chaired by Dr. David Hall to look at and make recommendations on the content and timing of child health surveillance. The report is expected early next year.

  Several health authorities have already successfully introduced parent-held child health records on an experimental basis. We are watching closely the outcome of this work and, in the light of experience and the joint working party report, we will take any action necessary.

  Resource Management
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the resource management pilot project at Arrowe Park hospital;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of the National Health Service resource management initiative.

  Mrs. Currie
  The resource management initiative's overriding aim is to ensure that health authorities' resources are used efficiently and effectively to the maximum benefit of patients. The main components are:

  (a) to develop new management systems that provide a central role for doctors, nurses and other professional staff in the management process;

  (b) to develop new computerised hospital management information systems; and

  (c) to equip staff for their new roles and responsibilities.

  A key feature of resource management is the active co-operation of the medical profession; the resource management initiative is jointly sponsored by the joint consultants' committee and the NHS management board, and its ultimate success will depend on the continuing commitment of clinicians.
  915
  The initiative is being piloted at six acute sites and progress at five of the six sites is both good and on schedule. More specifically, developments at two sites (the Freeman hospital, Newcastle, and the royal infirmary, Huddersfield) have reached a point where all the main new information systems will shortly become operational.

  Developments at three of the other four sites (the Pilgrim hospital, Boston, Guy's, and the royal Hampshire county hospital, Winchester) are expected to reach a broadly similar stage next spring.

  Developments at Arrowe Park hospital have to date been slower than at the other sites, although some useful work has been undertaken in developing management structures. The project plan for the hospital is currently being revised and discussed with the district and region. The NHS management board is keen that Arrowe Park remains part of the initiative.

  Progress at the sites will be evaluated, with an interim report expected in October 1988. A fuller evaluation is scheduled for completion in October 1989, and will be based on 12 months operational experience at two sites and six months operational experience at three other sites. Decisions on extending the initiative to other sites will be taken in the light both of the 1989 evaluation and of the outcome of the current review of the NHS.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Savings (Taxation)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken or what steps have been proposed to implement the conclusion of the European Council meeting at Hanover that there should be proposals for eliminating fraud, linked to the delivery of national systems for the taxation of savings and for controlling the application of these systems.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The capital movements directive agreed in June requires the Commission to make such proposals by the end of this year. No proposals have yet been made.

  Earnings (Unemployment)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the contribution to reducing unemployment of each 1 per cent, annual decrease in average earnings.

  Mr. Major
  A decrease in the level of pay settlements which brought them more closely into line with increases in productivity would have an important effect in reducing unemployment. This is now on a firm downward trend, and greater wage restraint would help to keep it there.

  Tax Cuts
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effects of the tax cuts announced in the Budget on the levels of consumer expenditure.

  Mr. Major
  The Budget left the overall burden of taxation unchanged, and I therefore do not expect any significant immediate effects on total consumers' expenditure. In the longer run, by improving incentives and encouraging an enterprise economy, it will have 916
  boosted output, employment and exports, and allow a higher level of consumers' expenditure than would otherwise have been possible.

  Taxes (Western Isles)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of creating a Western Isles division of the general commissioners of taxes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In the region of £30,000 per annum.

  Civil Service Pensions
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people employed by the Civil Service, prior to 1949 on permanently unestablished grades, are still in employment or are in receipt of pensions; and what is the estimated cost of counting in full their unestablished service prior to 1949 for pension purposes.

  Mr. Brooke
  I regret that this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Taxation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Exchequer revenues from direct taxation came from each quintile of income groups(a) before the 1988 Budget and (b) after the 1988 Budget.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Estimates of the percentage distribution of income tax liability in recent years including 1987–88 (pre-1988 Budget) and 1988–89 (post-1988 Budget) were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 28 July at column 488. Estimates covering revenue from all direct taxation are not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those above and those below age 65 years the estimated number of tax units and their tax liability in the current financial year in each range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 divided into single persons and one-earner and two-earner married couples; and if he will include the number of females within each category and their tax liability;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units paying income tax and their income tax liability as a proportion of their total income in a full year at 1988–89 rates, by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples; and if he will add figures showing the likely effect of his proposals for the separate taxation of husbands and wives on the numbers of tax units and the proportion paid in tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Available estimates are given in the tables. All estimates are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Under the present system a married woman's income is treated as her husband's and taxed as if it belonged to him. Separate estimates for single females are provided in the tables. Comparable estimates after the introduction of independent taxation of husbands and wives are not
  917
  available. However estimates of gains in 1990–91 are published in the Inland Revenue Budget press release "Independent Taxation of Husband and Wife".

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income, 1988–89

  Single Males

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income (Percentage)

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income (Percentage)

  2,000

  170

  10

  1·7

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  360

  80

  6·2

  60

  10

  2·9

  4,000

  360

  160

  10·0

  70

  20

  6·9

  5,000

  430

  290

  12·5

  50

  30

  10·5

  6,000

  470

  430

  14·1

  30

  20

  12·7

  7,000

  450

  500

  14·7

  20

  20

  14·4

  8,000

  390

  510

  15·6

  10

  20

  15·3

  9,000

  440

  690

  16·7

  20

  20

  16·0

  10,000

  600

  1,100

  16·7

  30

  60

  18·1

  12,000

  510

  1,180

  17·3

  10

  40

  20·2

  15,000

  290

  900

  18·3

  20

  70

  20·8

  20,000

  160

  730

  19·9

  20

  100

  23·6

  30,000

  50

  450

  25·4

  10

  80

  28·5

  50,000

  20

  510

  32·3

  1—

  100

  36·1

  1 Less than 5,000.

  Number of tax units paying income tax and lax liability by range of total income, 1988–89

  Single Females

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  2,000

  180

  10

  1·5

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  440

  90

  6·1

  170

  20

  2·7

  4,000

  450

  190

  9·5

  190

  60

  7·1

  5,000

  560

  360

  11·9

  100

  50

  9·5

  6,000

  520

  450

  13·3

  80

  60

  12·5

  7,000

  370

  390

  14·4

  60

  70

  14·1

  8,000

  310

  410

  15·5

  30

  40

  15·3

  9,000

  230

  350

  16·2

  40

  60

  16·0

  10,000

  290

  530

  16·9

  50

  110

  17·9

  12,000

  250

  570

  17·4

  40

  110

  19·7

  15,000

  120

  370

  18·7

  40

  140

  21·0

  20,000

  80

  390

  21·2

  30

  170

  23·6

  30,000

  20

  190

  27·2

  10

  150

  29·2

  50,000

  10

  130

  31·9

  10

  490

  37·4

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income, 1988–89

  Married couples without wife's earned income

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  Number of units liable to pay lax ('000s)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  1—

  2—

  3·2

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  110

  10

  2·3

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  150

  50

  5·8

  120

  20

  2·2

  6,000

  230

  120

  8·0

  130

  50

  5·7

  7,000

  260

  180

  9·5

  70

  40

  8·1

  8,000

  330

  290

  10·5

  80

  70

  9·5

  9,000

  320

  360

  11·7

  40

  40

  11·5

  10,000

  720

  1,020

  12·9

  50

  80

  14·2

  12,000

  770

  1,520

  14·7

  50

  100

  16·6

  15,000

  610

  1,700

  16·1

  50

  160

  18·4

  20,000

  440

  1,870

  18·3

  30

  140

  21·4

  30,000

  160

  1,460

  24·2

  30

  250

  26·8

  50,000

  70

  1,730

  31·0

  10

  330

  34·3

  1 Less than 5,000

  2 Less than £5 million

  918 919

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income, 1988–89

  Married couples with wife's earned income

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (loner limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax (000's)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  Number of units liable to pay tax (000's)

  Tax liability (£ million)

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income per cent.

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  10

  —1

  1·4

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  20

  10

  4·2

  20

  —1

  1·5

  6,000

  70

  10

  3·3

  20

  10

  3·6

  7,000

  110

  40

  4·8

  40

  10

  5·1

  8,000

  170

  90

  6·5

  50

  30

  5·6

  9,000

  190

  150

  7·9

  40

  30

  7·8

  10,000

  590

  580

  8·9

  80

  80

  9·6

  12,000

  1,060

  1,590

  11·1

  70

  140

  13·9

  15,000

  1,660

  3,780

  13·1

  110

  270

  15·6

  20,000

  1,470

  5,460

  15·6

  70

  290

  18·2

  30,000

  480

  3,460

  20·1

  20

  200

  23·9

  50,000

  100

  2,300

  28·1

  10

  350

  31·1

  1 Less than £5 million

  British Library
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether consideration has been or is being or will be given to the possibility of levying charges on those who will use the new British library building under construction in Euston road, London NW1.

  Mr. Luce
  I have been asked to reply.

  The British library board plans to maintain the free provision of its basic services. At the same time, consideration will continue to be given as needed to supplementing the grant-in-aid with charges for the provision of value-added or premium services as is done at present. This applies both to the library's present accommodation and to the new building at St. Pancras.

  Farm Incomes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table giving for the most recent financial year the information on farm incomes for tax purposes given in his written reply dated 14 March 1985, Official Report, column 246.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: The latest available information is for 1985–86 and is given in the tables.

  Table 3: Individuals—gros: profit, 1985–86 tax year

  Number of cases

  Amount of gross profit

  Range of gross profits

  Husband's plus single people

  Wive's

  All individuals

  Husband's plus single people

  Wive's

  All individuals

  (Lower limit)

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  Nil or negative

  27

  11

  38

  28

  0

  28

  1

  25

  5

  30

  41

  2

  43

  1,000

  12

  3

  15

  20

  3

  23

  1,500

  10

  3

  13

  32

  5

  37

  2,000

  15

  8

  22

  44

  17

  60

  2,500

  16

  2

  18

  63

  7

  70

  3,000

  18

  2

  20

  79

  7

  86

  3,500

  13

  4

  16

  75

  15

  89

  4,000

  13

  3

  16

  75

  12

  88

  4,500

  13

  2

  15

  84

  10

  94

  5,000

  14

  2

  17

  106

  13

  119

  920

  Table 1: Companies

  Accounting periods ending in the financial year to 31 March 1986

  Number/Amount

  Number with gross trading profit for tax purposes

  8,000

  Gross trading profit for tax purposes

  £390 million

  All taxable income after reliefs (profits chargeable to Corporation Tax)

  £190 million

  Notes:

  1. The companies included are those whose main activity is in agriculture or horticulture. Their trading profits may include profits from non-agricultural and non-horticultural activities.

  2. Companies with a trading loss in 1985–86 are excluded.

  Table 2: Individuals (summary)

  Income tax year 1985–86

  Number/Amount

  Number of cases

  324,000

  Gross profit for tax purposes

  £2,510 million

  Taxable profit

  £1,800 million

  Notes to Table 2, 3 and 4:

  1. The number of cases is the number of married men and single people whose "main source" (usually but not always the largest source) of earned income is from self-employment in agriculture and horticulture; plus the number of married women whose largest source of self-employment income is from agriculture and horticulture.

  2. Gross profit includes balancing charges. It also includes any non agricultural/horticultural profits of individuals concerned. Taxable profit is gross profit less losses and capital allowances so far as allowed for the income tax year.

  3. Individual items may not sum to total due to rounding.

  4. Nil or negative includes losses.
  921

  Number of cases

  Amount of gross profit

  Range of gross profits

  Husband's plus single people

  Wive's

  All individuals

  Husband's plus single people

  Wive's

  All individuals

  (Lower limit)

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  6,000

  13

  2

  15

  117

  13

  130

  7,000

  10

  7

  17

  98

  -53

  151

  8,000

  13

  3

  17

  185

  30

  215

  10,000

  8

  3

  11

  111

  28

  139

  12,000

  13

  2

  15

  217

  33

  250

  15,000

  10

  2

  13

  241

  37

  278

  20,000

  12

  4

  17

  474

  132

  606

  Total

  256

  68

  324

  2,090

  417

  2,510

  Table 4: Individuals—taxable profit, 1985–86 tax year

  Taxable Profit (lower limit)

  Husbands plus single people

  Wives

  All Individuals

  Number of cases

  Amount

  Number of cases

  Amount

  Amount of Cases

  Amount

  (thousands)

  (£ million)

  (thousands)

  (£ million)

  (thousands)

  (£ million)

  Nil or negative

  27

  -8

  14

  -2

  40

  -10

  1

  25

  12

  5

  2

  30

  14

  1,000

  12

  14

  3

  4

  15

  19

  1,500

  10

  18

  6

  12

  17

  29

  2,000

  15

  33

  8

  17

  23

  49

  2,500

  16

  44

  4

  11

  20

  55

  3,000

  18

  57

  3

  9

  20

  66

  3,500

  13

  46

  2

  8

  15

  55

  4,000

  13

  57

  2

  7

  15

  64

  4,500

  13

  59

  2

  11

  15

  71

  5,000

  14

  77

  1

  7

  16

  84

  6,000

  13

  84

  3

  17

  16

  100

  7,000

  10

  76

  6

  46

  16

  122

  8,000

  13

  119

  3

  27

  16

  146

  10,000

  8

  90

  1

  12

  10

  102

  12,000

  13

  168

  1

  15

  14

  182

  15,000

  10

  177

  3

  45

  13

  222

  20,000

  12

  378

  2

  47

  14

  424

  256

  1,500

  68

  294

  324

  1,800

  Income Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units paying income tax and their income tax liability in a full year at 1988–89 rates by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples; and if he will provide corresponding information on the basis of the following rates of tax (a) single persons, £3,000 taxed at nil rate, £1,500 at 15 per cent., £1,500 at 20 per cent., £7,500 at 25 per cent., and five successive bands of £5,000 at an incremental rate of 5 percentage points to a

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income 1988–89

  Singles

  Married couple with wife's earnings

  Married couple without wife's earnings

  Total income (lower limit)

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  £ per annum

  '000s

  £ million

  '000s

  £ million

  '000s

  £ million

  Taxpayers under 65

  2,000

  350

  20

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  800

  170

  —

  —

  1—

  1—

  4,000

  810

  350

  10

  1—

  110

  10

  5,000

  990

  650

  20

  10

  150

  50

  6,000

  990

  880

  70

  10

  230

  120

  7,000

  820

  890

  110

  40

  260

  180

  8,000

  700

  920

  170

  90

  330

  290

  9,000

  670

  1,040

  190

  150

  320

  360

  922
  maximum of 60 per cent., (b) all married persons, £3,000 exempt, £3,000 nil rate, £3,000 at 15 per cent., £3,000 at 20 per cent., £9,000 at 25 per cent., and four successive bands of £8,000 at an incremental rate of 5 percentage points to a maximum of 55 per cent., (c) the nil rate band to be reduced by one-half of the amount by which total income exceeds £7,500 and £15,000 in the case of single and married persons, respectively, on the same basis as the present age allowance and (d) all other allowances and reliefs to be abolished.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Provisional estimates for the 1988–89 tax regime, based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal income, are given in the table. Estimates for the alternative tax regime could be produced only at disproportionate costs.
  923

  Singles

  Married couple with wife's earnings

  Married couple without wife's earnings

  Total income (lower limit)

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  Number of units paying tax

  Tax yield

  £ per annum

  '000s

  £ million

  '000s

  £ million

  '000s

  £ million

  10,000

  890

  1,630

  590

  580

  720

  1,020

  12,000

  760

  1,750

  1,060

  1,590

  770

  1,520

  15,000

  400

  1,270

  1,660

  3,780

  610

  1,700

  20,000

  230

  1,120

  1,470

  5,460

  440

  1,870

  30,000

  70

  640

  480

  3,460

  160

  1,460

  50,000

  20

  640

  100

  2,300

  70

  1,730

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  230

  30

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  260

  80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  150

  80

  20

  1—

  120

  20

  6,000

  110

  80

  20

  10

  130

  50

  7,000

  80

  90

  40

  10

  70

  40

  8,000

  50

  60

  50

  30

  80

  70

  9,000

  50

  80

  40

  30

  40

  40

  10,000

  80

  170

  80

  80

  50

  80

  12,000

  60

  150

  70

  140

  50

  100

  15,000

  60

  210

  110

  270

  50

  160

  20,000

  50

  270

  70

  290

  30

  140

  30,000

  20

  230

  20

  200

  30

  250

  50,000

  10

  590

  10

  350

  10

  330

  1 Less than £5 million or 5,000.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for women above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units paying income tax in 1988–89 directly or indirectly and the estimated amount of tax payable in a full year at the marginal rate, dividing the figures to show the amounts by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 and distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples; and if he will include tables showing his estimate of the amount of tax which would be

  Number of single females paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income 1988–89

  Aged 65 and over

  Aged under 65

  Total income

  Number

  Tax liability

  Number

  Tax liability

  (lower limit)

  total

  of higher rate taxpayers

  total

  of higher rate taxpayers

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  ('000)

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  180

  10

  —

  3,000

  170

  20

  —

  440

  90

  —

  4,000

  190

  60

  —

  450

  190

  —

  5,000

  100

  50

  —

  560

  360

  —

  6,000

  80

  60

  —

  520

  450

  —

  7,000

  60

  70

  —

  370

  390

  —

  8,000

  30

  40

  —

  310

  410

  —

  9,000

  40

  60

  —

  230

  350

  —

  10,000

  50

  110

  —

  290

  530

  —

  12,000

  40

  110

  —

  250

  570

  15,000

  40

  140

  —

  120

  370

  —

  20,000

  30

  170

  140

  80

  390

  210

  30,000

  10

  150

  150

  20

  190

  190

  50,000

  10

  490

  490

  10

  130

  130

  Total

  850

  1,530

  780

  3,830

  4,430

  530

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for one-earner and two-earner married couples under 65 years of age and married couples over 65 years of age the number of tax units paying less and the number paying more tax in each income band up to a lower limit of £100,000 at 1988–89 rates of tax in the event
  924
  payable by such tax units in 1988–89 on the basis of separate taxation for husbands and wives as proposed for 1990.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Estimates for single women are given in the tables. They are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are provisional.

  Under the present tax system a married women's income is treated as her husband's and taxed as if it belonged to him. The estimates requested of the tax liability on the income of married women under the present tax system and under independent taxation could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  of the proposed allowances for separate taxation of husbands and wives being replaced by a transferable allowance of £3,000 for each spouse; and if he will include figures of the consequential changes in tax yield.
  925
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: I regret that the estimates requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, further to his written reply of 2 October comparing income taxation in the United Kingdom and Germany, he will give a breakdown of the 22 to 56 per cent, range of tax showing the actual rate charged on incomes of single, one-earner and two-earner couples at intervals of DM10,000 together with the corresponding rate chargeable in the United Kingdom in terms of the gross income and the taxable income, assuming the minimum allowances in both cases; and if he will add details of the corresponding social security contribution and if child benefit is payable.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Such information as can be produced without incurring undue cost is given in the tables, which are supplemented by explanatory notes.

  Table 1

  Germany

  Taxable income

  Income tax rate per cent.

  DM

  £

  Single

  Married couple

  18,000

  4,390

  22

  21

  28,000

  6,829

  32

  21

  38,000

  9,268

  39

  23

  48,000

  11,707

  45

  29

  Table 2

  United Kingdom

  Taxable income

  Marginal rate of income tax

  Income tax as a percentage of gross income

  Income tax and National Insurance contributions as a percentage of gross income

  £

  Per cent.

  Single

  One-earner married couple

  Two-earner married couple

  Single

  One-earner married couple

  Two-earner married couple

  4,390

  27

  17·4

  14·5

  11·2

  26·4

  14·3

  12·3

  6,829

  27

  19·9

  17·4

  14·1

  28·9

  19·3

  16·7

  9,268

  27

  21·4

  19·2

  16·2

  30·4

  22·4

  19·8

  11,707

  27

  22·4

  20·4

  17·6

  31·4

  24·4

  22·0

  14,146

  27

  23·0

  21·3

  18·8

  31·4

  24·8

  23·2

  16,585

  27

  23·6

  22·0

  19·6

  30·8

  25·1

  23·6

  19,024

  40

  24·6

  23·2

  20·9

  31·1

  25·9

  24·5

  21,463

  45

  26·4

  25·0

  22·8

  32·2

  27·5

  26·1

  23,902

  45

  28·1

  26·8

  24·6

  33·4

  29·0

  27·6

  26,341

  50

  29·7

  28·4

  26·3

  34·5

  30·5

  29·1

  28,780

  50

  31·3

  30·0

  27·9

  35·7

  31·9

  30·5

  31,219

  50

  32·7

  31·4

  29·4

  36·8

  33·1

  31·8

  Notes:

  1. The figures relate to 1987–88 to ensure compatibility with Table 1.

  2. The calculations assume that all income is earned income, there are no reliefs other than the appropriate personal allowance and that in two-earner married couples no wife's earnings election has been made but the wife makes full use of the wife's earned income allowance. National Insurance Contributions are at the standard Class 1 rate for employees contracted-in to the state additional (earnings related) pension scheme. In the calculations for income tax and national insurance contributions the assumption is made that married couples have two children; child benefit is deducted accordingly, to take into account cash benefits for children.

  Investment Income
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units with an investment income in 1988–89 by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples together with aggregate and the average investment income in each case; and if he will provide separate figures for those with an investment income of more than £200;
  926

  Taxable income

  Income tax rate per cent.

  DM

  £

  Single

  Married couple

  58,000

  14,146

  48

  33

  68,000

  16,585

  51

  37

  78,000

  19,024

  52

  41

  88,000

  21,463

  53

  44

  98,000

  23,902

  54

  45

  108,000

  26,341

  54

  47

  118,000

  28,780

  55

  49

  128,000

  31,219

  56

  50

  Notes:

  1. The figures relate to 1987 to ensure compatibility with the figures given in the written answer of 22 October 1987.

  2. Conversions to sterling have been made on the basis of OECD estimates of purchasing power parity.

  3. The tax rates have been rounded.

  4. The same rates apply for both one- and two-earner married couples.

  5. Social security contributions, deductible in arriving at taxable income, are as follows:—

  Old age insurance—9·35 per cent, of gross earnings, maximum
  deduction DM 6,395 (£1,560) pa.

  Unemployment insurance—2·15 per cent, of gross earnings,
  maximum deduction DM 1,470 (£358) pa.

  Health insurance—6·3 per cent, of gross earnings, maximum
  deduction DM 3,231 (£788) pa.

  6. Child benefit, not included in computing taxable income, is payable as follows:—

  50 DM (£12.20) per month for the first child

  100 DM (£24·39) per month for the second child

  220 DM (£53·66) per month for the third child

  240 DM (£58·54) per month for each subsequent child

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for women above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units with an investment income in 1988–89 by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples, together with the average investment income in each case; and if he will provide separate figures for those with an investment income of more than £200.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Available estimates are in the tables. All estimates are provisional and subject to a wide margin of error because

  927
  they are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and the coverage of investment income in the survey is incomplete. In some cases, investment income on which basic rate liability is satisfied by

  Table 1

  Single people and married couples with investment income 1988–89

  Single people

  Married couples

  Total income

  without wife's earned income

  with wife's earned income

  (lower limit)

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  £ per annum

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  Aged under 65

  5,000

  2,700

  1,500

  540

  1,100

  580

  530

  520

  270

  520

  10,000

  1,600

  1,200

  760

  2,000

  1,200

  600

  2,900

  1,800

  620

  20,000

  170

  430

  2,590

  350

  390

  1,110

  1,300

  1,200

  920

  30,000

  50

  340

  6,960

  140

  440

  3,130

  460

  960

  2,080

  50,000

  20

  330

  21,000

  60

  730

  11,900

  100

  930

  9,120

  All

  4,540

  3,800

  840

  3,650

  3,340

  920

  5,280

  5,160

  980

  Aged 65 and over

  5,000

  480

  930

  1,950

  460

  620

  1,350

  220

  250

  1,120

  10,000

  150

  890

  5,840

  150

  580

  3,900

  270

  730

  2,700

  20,000

  40

  510

  14,600

  20

  200

  8,500

  50

  350

  6,600

  30,000

  20

  380

  25,500

  20

  360

  17,600

  20

  290

  12,400

  50,000

  10

  490

  58,600

  10

  330

  42,100

  10

  450

  35,100

  All

  700

  3,200

  4,570

  660

  2,090

  3,170

  570

  2,070

  3,630

  Table 2

  Single people and married couples with investment income of more than £200 1988–89

  Single people

  Married couples

  Total income

  without wife's earned income

  with wife's earned income

  (lower limit)

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  £ per annum

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  Aged under 65

  5,000

  2,000

  1,400

  680

  760

  550

  720

  330

  250

  760

  10,000

  1,300

  1,200

  940

  1,500

  1,100

  750

  2,200

  1,700

  780

  20,000

  130

  420

  3,390

  250

  380

  1,510

  970

  1,200

  1,220

  30,000

  40

  340

  8,050

  110

  430

  3,950

  370

  950

  2,560

  50,000

  10

  330

  24,800

  50

  730

  13,800

  90

  920

  10,000

  All

  3,480

  3,690

  1,060

  2,670

  3,190

  1,190

  3,960

  5,020

  1,270

  Aged 65 and over

  5,000

  430

  920

  2,130

  440

  620

  1,420

  200

  240

  1,230

  10,000

  150

  890

  5,900

  140

  570

  4,150

  260

  730

  2,850

  20,000

  40

  510

  14,700

  20

  200

  8,530

  50

  350

  6,750

  30,000

  20

  380

  25,700

  20

  360

  17,700

  20

  290

  12,600

  50,000

  10

  490

  58,600

  10

  330

  42,100

  10

  450

  35,100

  All

  650

  3,190

  4,910

  630

  2,080

  3,300

  540

  2,060

  3,810

  Table 3

  Single Females with investment income and married couples where the wife has investment income 1988–89

  Single females

  Married couples

  Total income

  without wife's earned income

  with wife's earned income

  (lower limit)

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  £ per annum

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  Aged under 65

  5,000

  1,500

  850

  580

  770

  200

  260

  340

  90

  270

  10,000

  530

  570

  1,080

  1,300

  380

  280

  2,200

  640

  300

  20,000

  40

  220

  5,120

  210

  80

  390

  980

  330

  340

  30,000

  10

  190

  14,200

  90

  70

  790

  360

  200

  560

  50,000

  —

  130

  52,500

  40

  90

  2,060

  80

  200

  2,640

  All

  2,080

  1,960

  940

  2,410

  820

  340

  3,960

  1,460

  370

  Aged 65 and over

  5,000

  360

  750

  2,070

  310

  180

  580

  140

  70

  540

  10,000

  110

  640

  5,860

  100

  130

  1,290

  200

  200

  990

  20,000

  20

  320

  16,600

  20

  50

  2,730

  40

  90

  2,300

  30,000

  10

  290

  28,400

  20

  100

  6,750

  20

  100

  4,730

  50,000

  10

  390

  61,700

  10

  80

  11,900

  10

  130

  11,000

  All

  510

  2,390

  4,690

  460

  540

  1,170

  410

  590

  1,440

  928
  deduction at source is not reported. No reliable estimates can be given for single people and married couples with total income of less than £5,000.
  929

  Table 4

  Single Females with investment income and married couples where the wife has investment income of more than £200 1988–89

  Single females

  Married couples

  Total income

  without wife's earned income

  with wife's earned income

  (lower limit)

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  Number

  Investment income

  £ per annum

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  000s

  total £ million

  average £

  Aged under 65

  5,000

  1,100

  800

  740

  400

  160

  400

  170

  70

  430

  10,000

  410

  560

  1,360

  790

  310

  390

  1,300

  550

  410

  20,000

  30

  220

  6,440

  90

  70

  800

  490

  280

  580

  30,000

  10

  190

  15,000

  30

  70

  2,030

  170

  180

  1,070

  50,000

  —

  130

  52,600

  20

  90

  4,550

  40

  190

  4,330

  All

  1,550

  1,900

  1,230

  1,330

  700

  2,170

  1,270

  590

  Aged 65 and over

  5,000

  330

  740

  1,230

  260

  170

  670

  100

  70

  680

  10,000

  110

  640

  5,890

  90

  130

  1,540

  180

  200

  1,110

  20,000

  20

  320

  16,700

  20

  50

  2,840

  40

  90

  1,420

  30,000

  10

  290

  28,400

  20

  100

  7,040

  20

  100

  4,970

  50,000

  480

  390

  61,700

  10

  80

  13,000

  10

  130

  11,600

  All

  700

  2,380

  4,960

  400

  530

  1,330

  350

  590

  1,690

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of an increase of £100 in each of the allowances and reliefs for income tax at 1988–89 income and tax levels; and if he will provide corresponding figures on the basis of the proposed 1990 regime for the independent taxation of husbands and wives.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Provisional estimates for the main income tax allowances based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes are in the table. Estimates for increases in allowances under independent taxation are available only at 1990–91 income levels.

  Direct revenue cost of increasing allowances by £100 in a full year

  £ million

  Allowance

  at 1988–89 incomes

  Single and wives earned income

  340

  Married man's2

  265

  Additional personal and widow's bereavement

  15

  Single age

  25

  Married age2

  20

  Allowance

  at 1990–91 incomes with Independent Taxation1

  Personal allowances:—

  single and wives

  340

  husbands2

  270

  Additional personal and widow's bereavement

  15

  Aged personal

  single and wives

  30

  husbands2

  25

  1 Assuming allowances are indexed from 1988–89 to 1990–91.

  2 To provide an appropriate comparison between the present system of allowances and Independent Taxation, the personal allowances under Independent Taxation are shown separately for single people and wives and for husbands. If the married couple's allowance were also increased by £100, it would cost approximately a further £270 million for the non-aged and £25

  930
  million for the aged.

  Note:

  The additional personal and widow's bereavement allowances are defined under present legislation as the difference between the married allowance and the single allowance. It follows that all the allowances could not be increased by £100 at the same time.

  Wife's Earnings Election
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for wives with earned income the estimated distribution of the number of such wives in 1988–89 by wife's total income and the couples' joint total incomes together with the estimated revenue loss from wife's earnings elections and the estimated further loss on the 1990 basis of separate taxation of husbands and wives;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the estimated number and direct revenue cost of wife's earnings elections in a full year by range of incomes at 1988–89 income and tax levels together with tables for (a) husbands and (b) wives showing (i) the numbers separately assessed by range of total income of the relevant spouse and (ii) the aggregate total income of each spouse and the aggregate investment income of each spouse; and if he will add a table showing the additional direct revenue cost on the basis of the 1990 proposals for the separate taxation of husbands and wives.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Available estimates are in the tables. They are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional. Further estimates for investment income and separate taxation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Distribution of wives1 earned income 1988–89

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  1

  2,280

  60

  2,000

  1,970

  170

  4,000

  1,110

  340

  6,000

  950

  430

  8,000

  500

  520

  10,000

  270

  730

  931

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  12,000

  240

  1,190

  15,000

  100

  1,880

  20,000

  40

  1,520

  30,000

  20

  640

  Wives earnings election 1988–89

  Income (lower limit)

  By range of joint total income of married couple

  By range of wives earned income

  By range of husbands total income1

  £ per annum

  number '000

  cost £ million

  number '000

  cost £ million

  number '000

  cost £ million

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6,000

  —

  —

  70

  15

  2

  —

  10,000

  —

  —

  125

  70

  5

  5

  15,000

  —

  —

  55

  60

  45

  15

  20,000

  10

  2

  35

  70

  155

  110

  30,000

  290

  245

  15

  30

  95

  115

  All ranges

  300

  245

  300

  245

  300

  245

  1 Husband's earned income plus husband and wife's investment income.

  2 Less than £1 million or 1,000.

  Elderly Taxpayers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing his estimate of the number of single persons and married couples aged 65 to 79 and the numbers aged 80 and over, the distribution by income of those subject to tax, and the numbers benefiting from age relief in whole or in part and at what cost to the Exchequer; and if he will provide a similar estimate for 1990–91.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Estimates of the numbers of single persons and married couples aged 65 and over in 1988–89 and the distribution of income for those liable to income tax are given in the tables. In 1988–89, about 2·5 million single persons and married couples, including half a million non-taxpayers, benefit from the age allowances at a cost to the Exchequer of about £400 million. Costs in 1990–91 will depend on the levels of the age allowances.

  Number of single people and married couples aged 65 and over in 1988–89

  Thousands

  Age

  Single persons

  1Married couples

  65–79

  3,300

  2,400

  80 and over

  1,700

  500

  Total aged 65 and over

  5,000

  2,900

  1 Based on the age of the husband or the wife, whichever is the elder.

  Taxpayers1 aged 65 and over2 by range of total income 1988–893

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Thousands

  3,000

  230

  4,000

  300

  5,000

  330

  6,000

  280

  932

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  All ranges

  7,480

  7,480

  1 Excluding some wives with earnings below the PAYE reporting limit and self-employed wives making a net loss.

  2 Combined income of husband and wife.

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Thousands

  7,000

  260

  8,000

  210

  9,000

  160

  10,000

  240

  12,000

  170

  15,000

  210

  20,000

  80

  25,000

  40

  30,000

  90

  All

  2,600

  1 Single person or a married couple.

  2 Either husband or wife is aged 65 or over.

  3 Estimates are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are provisional.

  Incomes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for (a) two-earner families with a wife's earnings election and (b) other higher-rate taxpayers by tax category, his estimate of the number and distribution of incomes, together with the average unearned income and average amount of mortgage interest relief in each income band in each category in the current financial year; and if he will add a table showing the gains and losses to the Exchequer from the application of separate taxation of husbands and wives as proposed for 1990.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: Provisional estimates for 1988–89 based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes are given in the table. Estimates of the effects of the introduction of independent taxation in 1990–91 were given in the Inland Revenue press release on independent taxation issued on 15 March 1988.
  933

  Higher rate taxpayers1 with wife's earnings election 1988–89

  Total income (lower limit)

  Number

  with investment income

  with mortgage interest relief

  Number

  Average amount

  Number

  Average amount

  £ p.a.

  000s

  000s

  £ p.a.

  000s

  £ p.a.

  20,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  25,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  30,000

  13

  12

  2,200

  8

  1,400

  35,000

  35

  34

  2,500

  24

  2,300

  40,000

  44

  42

  2,700

  32

  2,700

  50,000

  69

  66

  9,800

  48

  2,800

  All

  161

  154

  5,700

  112

  2,600

  1 Married couples and single people.

  Higher rate taxpayers—single people 1988–89

  Total income (lower limit)

  Number

  with investment income

  with mortgage interest relief

  Number

  Average amount

  Number

  Average amount

  £ p.a.

  000s

  000s

  £ p.a.

  000s

  £ p.a.

  20,000

  32

  30

  8,200

  4

  1,100

  25,000

  63

  52

  7,700

  26

  2,400

  30,000

  35

  30

  10,000

  17

  2,500

  35,000

  20

  16

  10,900

  8

  3,000

  40,000

  19

  16

  14,600

  9

  2,800

  50,000

  32

  24

  34,200

  12

  2,900

  All

  200

  168

  13,000

  75

  2,500

  Higher rate taxpayers—Married couples with wife's earnings and no earnings election 1988–89

  Total income (lower limit)

  Number

  with investment income

  with mortgage interest relief

  Number

  Average amount

  Number

  Average amount

  £ p.a.

  000s

  000s

  £ p.a.

  000s

  £ p.a.

  20,000

  1

  1

  5,100

  —

  —

  25,000

  140

  128

  2,500

  75

  1,300

  30,000

  169

  157

  2,300

  142

  2,600

  35,000

  62

  58

  3,500

  51

  2,800

  40,000

  45

  43

  5,600

  32

  2,800

  50,000

  49

  48

  15,100

  34

  3,000

  All

  466

  435

  4,300

  334

  2,400

  Higher rate taxpayers—Married couples without wife's earnings 1988–89

  Total Income (lower limit)

  Number

  with investment income

  with mortgage interest relief

  Number

  Average Amount

  Number

  Average Amount

  £ p.a.

  000s

  000s

  £ p.a.

  000s

  £ p.a.

  20,000

  12

  11

  4,400

  3

  500

  25,000

  84

  68

  3,100

  48

  2,200

  30,000

  72

  58

  3,500

  51

  2,600

  35,000

  54

  49

  5,200

  41

  2,800

  40,000

  56

  50

  6,600

  38

  2,700

  50,000

  76

  70

  15,300

  51

  3,000

  All

  353

  307

  6,900

  233

  2,600

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, for those above and those below pensionable age and distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples, the estimated saving to the Exchequer of abolishing all allowances and reliefs other than the basic single and married allowances; and if he will provide similar tables on the 1990 basis of separate taxation of husbands and wives.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1988, c. 506]: The total direct revenue yield from
  934
  abolishing all income tax allowances (other than the basic single and married allowances) and reliefs cannot be estimated reliably. Available estimates of the direct revenue yield in a full year at 1988–89 income levels of abolishing some specified tax reliefs and allowances other than the single, married man's, and wife's earned income allowancess are in the table. Estimates are based on a projection of the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional. Estimates do not allow for any behavioural changes that might occur.
  935
  The introduction of independent taxation of husband and wife will not affect the estimates for single taxpayers. Changes to the figures for married couples cannot be estimated reliably.

  Direct revenue yield at 1988–89 income levels of abolishing income tax reliefs and allowances1

  Under 65 years

  65 years and over

  All

  Married couples

  Married couples

  Income (lower limit)

  Single

  Without wife's earnings

  With wife's earnings

  Single

  Without wife's earnings

  With wife's earnings

  £'000

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  0

  60

  10

  —

  100

  10

  —

  180

  5

  450

  200

  100

  80

  120

  70

  1,020

  10

  550

  540

  520

  15

  15

  20

  1,660

  15

  180

  340

  760

  5

  5

  10

  1,290

  20

  110

  180

  600

  5

  900

  25

  60

  120

  370

  5

  560

  30

  80

  220

  610

  10

  10

  10

  940

  50

  60

  190

  290

  10

  10

  560

  All

  1,550

  1,800

  3,250

  210

  170

  130

  7,110

  1 Estimates assume that tax reliefs for the following are abolished: mortgage interest, retirement annuity premiums, employees superannuation contributions, the business expansion scheme and donations to charities; and that all tax allowances other than the basic single allowance, the basic married man's allowance, and the wife's earned income allowance are also abolished.

  Composite Rate Interest
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units in receipt of more than £200 gross in composite rate interest in 1986–87 and the average amount received, together with his estimates for 1988–89; and if he will divide the figures to show the amounts for those above and those below pensionable age by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 and distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples.

  Aged 65 and over with composite rate interest over £200 net

  Aged under 65 with composite rale interest over £200 net

  Lower Limit of total income

  Number

  Average Amount

  Number

  Average Amount

  £

  £

  £

  Single People

  2,200

  368,000

  1,090

  249,000

  915

  10,000

  85,600

  2,560

  139,000

  1,360

  20,000

  25,900

  4,130

  49,200

  (2,400)

  50,000

  (2,000)

  (6,800)

  4,100

  (3,000)

  100,000

  (400)

  (18,600)

  (900)

  (6,800)

  Married Couples without wives earned income

  2,200

  202,000

  960

  144,000

  (800)

  10,000

  63,200

  2,370

  116,000

  1,150

  20,000

  28,600

  3,040

  115,000

  (2,220)

  50,000

  2,160

  (5,900)

  15,400

  (2,240)

  100,000

  (500)

  (11,100)

  3,550

  4,900

  Married Couples with wives earned income

  2,200

  141,000

  830

  128,200

  880

  10,000

  140,000

  2,170

  422,000

  950

  20,000

  36,500

  3,180

  348,000

  1,270

  50,000

  (5,600)

  (12,200)

  28,700

  2,910

  100,000

  (900)

  (18,600)

  4,910

  5,110

  Property Income
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units in receipt of more than £200 gross in lettings and other incomes from property and the average amount received, together with his estimates for 1988–89; and if he will
  936
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: The latest information available relates to 1985–86 and derives from the survey of personal incomes. Some of these estimates are 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 tables, the figures are shown in brackets. The coverage of investment income in the survey is incomplete. In some cases investment income on which basic rate liability is satisfied at source is not reported. Composite rate interest is reported net of tax in the survey.

  divide the figures to show the amounts for those above and those below pensionable age by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 and distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: The latest information available relates to 1985–86 and derives from the survey of personal incomes. Some of these estimates are based on small samples: where this means

  937
  that the actual number or amount may be more than about one third higher or lower than shown in the tables, the figures are shown in brackets.

  Aged 65 and over with over £200 before tax from lettings

  Aged under 65 with over £200 before tax from lettings

  Lower limit of total income

  Number

  Average rental

  Number

  Average rental

  £

  £

  £

  Single people

  2,200

  41,100

  1,400

  (29,700)

  (1,900)

  10,000

  (10,900)

  (2,900)

  (17,400)

  (2,600)

  20,000

  8,040

  (8,100)

  7,500

  (4,400)

  50,000

  (600)

  (10,700)

  (900)

  (9,000)

  100,000

  (100)

  (12,200)

  (400)

  (14,400)

  Married couples without wives earned income

  2,200

  (26,400)

  (1,400)

  (19,600)

  (400)

  10,000

  (12,300)

  (2,600)

  (12,300)

  (1,400)

  20,000

  (6,900)

  (3,900)

  14,300

  2,670

  50,000

  (500)

  (6,800)

  2,420

  (4,800)

  100,000

  (100)

  (24,000)

  (800)

  (11,800)

  Married couples with wives earned income

  2,200

  (7,100)

  (1,400)

  (17,600)

  (1,800)

  10,000

  (4,400)

  (3,100)

  (39,600)

  (2,100)

  20,000

  8,720

  4,040

  42,700

  2,770

  50,000

  (2,800)

  (5,800)

  7,800

  6,240

  100,000

  (700)

  (14,200)

  1,700

  (10,900)

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, further to his reply of 22 October,Official Report, columns 858–60, on income tax allowances and rates in the United Kingdom and Germany, he will publish in the Official Report comparable figures for France and Italy.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 29 July 1988]: The information requested is given in the tables, which are supplemented by explanatory notes.

  Table 1

  Allowances and reliefs

  £

  France

  a. Basic exemption (zero rate band) Single person

  1,305

  One-earner married couple

  1,305

  Two-earner married couple

  1,305

  b. Employment income relief: a percentage of gross pay less social security contributions Single person

  1

  plus

  2

  One-earner couple

  3

  Two-earner couple

  4

  Italy

  a. Employment income relief (tax credit) Single person

  206·80

  One-earner married couple

  206·80

  Two-earner married couple

  413·60

  b. Married person's relief (tax credit) One-earner couple

  176·54

  Two-earner couple where employment income of spouse does not exceed £1,261

  176·54

  c. Low income relief (tax credit, given where person's employment income—and that of any spouse—does not exceed £4,623·70)

  Single person

  65·57

  One-earner married couple

  65·57

  Two-earner married couple

  131·14

  d. Deduction for social security contributions and (subject to a maximum of £1,056·86) life and accident insurance premiums and various other expenses

  938
  110 per cent. (maximum relief 4,822).

  220 per cent. Of balance(maximum 8,731).

  3As for single person.

  4For each partner: as for single person.

  Notes:

  1. The figures relate to 1987 to ensure comparability with the figures for Germany and the United Kingdom given in the written answer of 22 October 1987 referred to in the question.

  2. Conversions to sterling have been made on the basis of OECD estimates of purchasing parity.

  3. The figures relate to employment income.

  4. In France and Italy child relief is also given according to the number of children.

  5. In France relief is given to married couples by means of the income splitting system which reduces the tax payable by a married couple.

  Table 2

  Income Tax Sales

  Rate per cent.

  Band of taxable income, £

  France

  0

  1–1,305

  5

  1,306–1,364

  9·6

  1,365–1,617

  14·49

  1,618–2,557

  19·2

  2,558–3,288

  24

  3,289–4,129

  28·8

  4,130–4,997

  33·6

  4,998–5,765

  38·4

  5,766–9,606

  43·2

  9,607–13,212

  49

  13,213–15,628

  53·9

  15,629–17,778

  56·8

  over 17,778

  Italy

  12

  1–2,522

  22

  2,523–4,623

  27

  4,624–11,768

  34

  11,769–21,015

  41

  21,016–2,032

  48

  42,033–63,049

  53

  63,050–126,100

  58

  126,101–252,204

  62

  over 252,204

  939
  Notes:

  1. See Note 1 to Table 1.

  2. See Note 2 to Table 1.

SCOTLAND

  Prisons
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons originally from(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Irish Republic were in prisons in Scotland at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I regret that this information is not available in the format requested. However, in 1987, a total of 83 persons born in Northern Ireland and 34 persons born in the Irish Republic were received under sentence into penal establishments in Scotland.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, in respect of land within environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland(a) how many applications have been received from voluntary conservation bodies wishing to enter into management agreements in each of these areas, and what is the total area of land involved and (b) how many agreements have so far been concluded with voluntary conservation bodies in each of these areas and what is the total area of land involved.

  Total area has

  Estimated extent of agricultural land—has

  Estimated number of eligible farmers/crofters

  Concluded agreements

  Area covered by agreements

  Breadalbane

  120,000

  90,000

  160

  55

  26,360

  Loch Lomond

  42,000

  30,600

  89

  15

  8,250

  Whitlaw and Eildon

  8,000

  7,500

  65

  —

  —

  Stewartry

  42,000

  39,000

  300

  4

  550

  The Machair of the Uists, Benbecula, Barra and Vatersay

  7,000

  7,000

  800 + 65 Grazing Committees

  7

  65

  Dumfries Bypass
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what stage are the plans for the A75 bypass around Dumfries, and if he will make a statement on the future timetable for this scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The contract for the Dumfries bypass has been awarded and construction is due for completion by October 1990.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the effect of the introduction of community charge on the income of full-time students in Scotland, in terms of average losses or gains per month.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has made no such estimate.
  940
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  One application covering 373 hectares in the Loch Lomond ESA has been received from a voluntary conservation body. An agreement was concluded covering these 373 hectares.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to lay a report before the House in accordance with the requirements of section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986 on the performance of management agreements in environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland; and whether any such report will describe the steps taken to monitor the effect of the agreements on wildlife and the landscape in each area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is too early to assess the effect of the performance of management agreements on each environmentally sensitive area as a whole. My right hon. and learned Friend is, however, considering whether a preliminary statement describing conditions in each area might be helpful. The report on the effect of agreements which will be provided in due course will describe the monitoring arrangements adopted.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State: for Scotland if he will give in respect of environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland(a) the total extent in hectares, of each area, (b) the extent of agricultural land within each area, (c) the number of farmers eligible to enter into management agreements in each area, (d) the number of agreements concluded with farmers in each area and (e) the total area of land covered by agreements in each area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  Scottish Bus Group
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out the programme for the disposal of Scottish Bus Group subsidiaries, providing, where known, the proposed timetable for disposal.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes soon to announce the detailed pattern of privatisation in terms of the units to be offered for sale. It is not possible in advance of the necessary legislation to say when sales will begin.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the terms of reference of the non-executive members of the Forestry Commission.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The powers and duties of the Forestry Commissioners are mainly set out in the Forestry Act 1967.

  Inshore Fisheries (Helicopter Patrols)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many helicopter patrols for the surveillance
  941
  of inshore fisheries have been mounted during the current financial year; how many of these have been specifically or mainly for the surveillance of salmon fisheries; and what their total costs so far have been.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Twenty-four separate patrols have been undertaken in the current financial year by helicopters hired for surveillance of Scottish inshore fisheries, which flew a total of 91½ hours at a cost of £56,137. To isolate the cost of salmon enforcement as distinct from other forms of enforcement is not feasible.

  EC Surpluses
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what organisations were licensed to distribute the current issue of EC surplus produce; what criteria were used to select these organisations; what regulations or advice has been give to those charged with distribution of this food; what quantity is being distributed in Scotland and in each locality; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Questions (Norman Shaw North Branch Library)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to arrange for a duplicate set of written parliamentary questions to be placed in the Norman Shaw North branch library on each sitting day; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  Palace of Westminster (Child Care Facilities)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what facilities are available for the care of the children of hon. Members and staff in the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No such facilities exist. Their provision is, however, being considered, along with other claims for accommodation, in the context of phase II of the new parliamentary buildings.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Officers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if local government officers falling within the politically restricted group as defined in his Department's response to the Widdicombe committee of inquiry, who have been selected to contest elections prior to the enactment of legislation arising from this response, will be required to resign their positions or withdraw from being a candidate for the election.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The White Paper "The Conduct of Local Authority Business" (Cm. 433, paragraph 5.23) sets out the Government's proposal: local authority officers holding a post in the politically restricted 942
  group will not be capable of being elected as an MEP, MP or member of a principal local authority at or after the next election occurring after the legislation comes into force.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his officials have had prior to his response to the Widdicombe committee of inquiry, with the International Labour Organisation concerning the implications of imposing political restrictions on the existing contracts of employment of affected local government officers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None.

  Use Classes Order
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider revising the 1987 Use Classes Order in order to separate the office from the light industrial use classes.

  Mr. Chope
  I have no plans to amend the scope of the business use class (B1) of the 1987 Use Classes Order.

  Anti-Utter Campaign
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the achievements of his national anti-litter campaign.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The programme, launched by the Prime Minister, of experimental projects undertaken by the Tidy Britain Group is well under way. With Government support the group is running a series of project-based pilot schemes to tackle specific major problem areas over 12 months. The projects incorporate before and after studies to help assess the effectiveness of different approaches. It is too soon to reach conclusions, but I understand from the group that the projects are attracting good support from all sectors of the community.

  New Dwellings (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new dwellings have been constructed in each London borough in each year since 1979 by(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and co-operatives and (c) the private sector.

  Mr. Trippier
  Housebuilding figures reported by London boroughs and, until its abolition the GLC, are published for the local authority, housing association and private sectors in table 1 of "Housebuilding in England by local authority areas: 1980 to 1987". These figures include building outside boroughs' own areas, details of which are given in table 2(b). Geographical information on GLC build and building by housing associations assisted by the GLC are given in table 3.

  Housebuilding figures reported for 1979 are given in table 4(b) of "Local Housing Statistics", issue No. 59. Housing association figures are shown under the heading "Other public sector" and include activity by Government Departments; for London this amounted to three starts and 161 completions. A geographical breakdown of GLC build and build by housing associations assisted by the GLC is given in table 7 of "Local Housing Statistics", issue No. 53. No boroughs reported any building activity outside their own areas in 1979.
  943
  Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Figures for housing co-operatives are not reported separately to the Department. Activity will be included either in the housing association sector or the private sector depending on the type of co-operative.

  Limehouse Link Road
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of purchasing land required for the Limehouse link road; and what is the expected cost of building the Limehouse link road.

  Mr. Trippier
  LDDC estimates that at outturn prices the Limehouse link road will cost £141·5 million to construct. The cost of associated land acquisition will be determined by the outcome of current compulsory purchase orders and of statutory compensation procedures.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department or the London Docklands development corporation is providing finances for the building of the Limehouse link road; what are the respective sums being made available from all sources; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The costs of constructing the Limehouse link will be met wholly by the LDDC. The corporation itself will decide what proportion of these costs will be met from its Government grant, and what proportion from land disposal receipts.

  Freshwater Biological Association
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed closure of the Windermere and River Frome laboratories of the Freshwater Biological Association; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have received a number of representations about the River Frome laboratory. This and the Windermere laboratory of the Freshwater Biological Association are funded by grant-in-aid from the Natural Environment Research Council which comes under the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Piers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the future ownership maintenance and operations of piers in the tidal Thames.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Thames Water Authority is currently considering the implications of the reorganisation of the water industry for the future ownership of the piers which are currently in its ownership.

  Housing Investment Programmes
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities whose housing investment programme in 1988–89 is less than 20 per cent, of its housing investment programme in 1979–80, in real terms.
  944
  Mr. Trippier
  A comparison of gross capital expenditure on housing in 1979–80 with authorities' estimates for 1988–89 identifies no authorities whose 1988–89 expenditure was, in real terms, less than 20 per cent, of its 1979–80 expenditure. We have not yet received returns of estimated 1988–89 expenditure from 14 authorities.

  Owner-occupation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities in whose area there is a 75 per cent, or higher rate of owner-occupation.

  Mr. Trippier
  The most recent information for individual local authority areas is from the 1981 census. The percentages of households who were owner occupiers is shown in Table 17 of "Census 1981, Key statistics for local authorities, Great Britain", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is now taking to evaluate the impacts of proposals to utilise a new high-speed railway from London to the Channel tunnel for daily working journeys for residents in Kent to and from London; what effects he expects such proposals to have on the existing structure plan for that county; and if he will state his criteria for development in areas not scheduled for residential expansion.

  Mr. Chope
  The impact on daily working journeys for residents in Kent is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  I understand that British Rail is undertaking widespread consultations on Channel tunnel train services and is at present discussing the strategic implications of its proposals with Kent county council and the London planning advisory committee, and that Kent county council hopes to come to a conclusion on the strategic implications in January. It will be a matter for Kent county council to decide, in the light of British Rail's decision on a preferred route, whether or not to undertake a further review of the Kent structure plan.

  The Secretary of State's criteria for development in areas not scheduled for residential expansion are set out in general terms in circulars issued by the Department and more recently in the planning policy guidance notes. The detailed application of these policies in this case is primarily a matter for the local planning authorities in Kent and London.

  Irish Sea (Pollution)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis tests are carried out to establish the level of pollution in the Irish sea; whether he seeks the opinion of independent monitoring organisations; and if he will make a statement on pollution in the Irish sea.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Monitoring and research in the Irish sea is carried out by a wide range of organisations including United Kingdom Government Departments with responsibility for fisheries and the environment, by
  945
  water authorities and by research agencies including the National Environmental Research Council. The independent Irish sea study group offers an opportunity to interested parties including universities, industry, Government Departments and conservation groups to meet to discuss these issues. The group, whose work the Department welcomes, hopes to produce a report on the Irish sea shortly. Aspects of pollution in the Irish sea were considered in a recent report on the Irish sea, by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, which we are considering. We are in contact with the Irish Government about how best to take these matters forward.

  Vicuna
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply of 28 January,Official Report, column 374, he is now in a position to provide details of the amounts and destinations of trade in vicuna and stock levels of vicuna available in the United Kingdom market; what progress has been made in reconciling the discrepancy between United Kingdom and Japanese statistics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The majority of international trade in vicuna products from the United Kingdom in recent years has been to Japan. The total exports (in kg) for the years 1983 to 1987 to Japan and to the rest of the world were:

  Japan

  Rest of world

  1983

  54·71039

  20·34270

  1984

  184·43149

  20·83830

  1985

  245·01560

  14·56341

  1986

  205·88448

  6·19800

  1987

  332·42721

  25·97895

  The current stock, level of pre-convention vicuna held in the United Kingdom is 406,53 kg.

  The apparent discrepancy between the United Kingdom and Japanese statistics has been resolved and full details of the exports concerned were contained in my letter of 29 September 1988 to the hon. Member.

  Full details will be published in due course in the United Kingdom supplementary report on CITES trade for 1986 and the EC CITES reports for 1986 and 1987.

  Conservative Party Conference
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what services were provided by personnel of his Department for the 1988 Conservative party conference.

  Mr. Ridley
  None, but, in preparing for the conference, my Ministers and I drew upon material produced by my Department during the normal course of business.

  Pool Cars
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received regarding criminal offences associated with the use of pool cars; what plans he has for curtailing the abuse of pool cars; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1988, c. 235]: I am sorry that my hon. Friend's question
  946
  appeared wrongly in the Order Paper addressed to the Secretary of State for the Environment. It was correctly tabled for answer by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, but was transferred because of a misinterpretation of the term "pool car" as referring to the Government car service pool vehicles used by Ministers and officials, the responsibility of the Department of the Environment. There was insufficient time, once the mistake had come to light, to transfer the question back to the Home Department before the day on which it was set down for answer.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Gas Supply
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of gas to non-tariff customers is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The report is published today, following a reference to the commission by the Director General of Fair Trading in November 1987.

  In its unanimous report, the commission found extensive discrimination by British Gas in the pricing and supply of gas to contract customers. It concluded that this practice operated against the public interest. The commission made four main recommendations which it felt would encourage competition in the supply of gas, and restrain BG's discriminatory policy on pricing and supply of gas. The recommendations were that BG should be required:
  to publish a price schedule at which it is prepared to supply firm and interruptible gas to contract customers, and not to discriminate in pricing or supply;
  not to refuse to supply interruptible gas on the basis of the use made of the gas, or the alternative fuel available;
  to publish further information on common carriage terms; to contract initially for no more than 90 per cent, of any new gas fields.

  One of the main findings was that BG's policy of price discrimination imposed higher costs on customers less well placed to use alternative fuels, or to obtain them on favourable terms, thus placing an arbitrary cost disadvantage on these customers. In addition, BG's policy of relating prices to those of the alternatives available to each customer placed it in a position to undercut potential gas suppliers, which may be expected to deter new entrants and inhibit the development of competition in the market. Its refusal to supply interruptible gas to some customers also imposed additional costs on those users.

  The commission also concluded that BG's failure to provide adequate information on the costs of common carriage, its ability to identify potential customers of competing suppliers and the potential source of gas, and its position as a dominant purchaser of gas may all be expected to deter entry into the market.

  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State welcomes this report. The MMC's recommendations offer a sound basis for encouraging the development of effective competition in the supply of gas to contract customers. The Secretary of State is asking the Director General of Gas Supply to seek agreement with British Gas to modifications to British Gas's authorisation so as to effect remedies relating to British Gas's pricing and contract policies in the supply of gas to large users, and also relating to the provision of information on its common carriage

  947
  terms for transmission of gas. If satisfactory arrangements cannot be made by agreement, the Secretary of State has powers to remedy the adverse effects by order under the Fair Trading Act.

  In order to encourage the emergence of other suppliers of gas to industrial users, the Secretary of State considers that it is essential that a reasonable percentage of the output of new gas fields should be available to suppliers other than British Gas. He has asked the Director General of Fair Trading to consult interested parties on the basis of the MMC's recommendations, with a view to proposing by 31 January 1989 a scheme which will make it easier for others to buy gas from developers of gas fields. In particular, he has asked the director general to advise him whether requirements under such a scheme should be subject to a time limit, and if so what the limit should be. The Secretary of State will then consider the position further.

  The Secretary of State believes that these measures will remove distortions in the gas market with consequential improvements to resource allocation and efficiency. The remedies are designed to encourage new entrants into the industrial gas market thereby accelerating the development of competition.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the balance of trade in each of the following goods and services for(a) the second quarter of 1988 and (b) the second quarter of 1987 (i) passenger motor cars, (ii) other consumer goods, (iii) machine tools, (iv) instrument engineering, (v) tourism and (vi) banking and insurance services.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Quarterly estimates of earnings from the banking and insurance services are not available. The balance of trade for the remaining goods and services is given in the table:

  United Kingdom Balance of Trade

  £ million

  Second quarter 1987

  Second quarter 1988

  Passenger motor cars

  -840·0

  -1,316·9

  Other consumer goods

  -1,119·2

  -1,515·4

  Machine tools

  -0·5

  -20·2

  Instrument engineering

  -137·0

  -160·0

  Tourism

  -307·0

  -550·0

  Note: All figures provisional

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the last 12 months of available figures the overall balance of trade of the United Kingdom in respect of (a) the European Economic Community and (b) the rest of the world showing for each the percentage of both overall trade and of the respective surpluses or deficits.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Information on United Kingdom trade with EC and the rest of the world is in the table. Because the overall trade balance comprises both surpluses and deficits it is not meaningful to express components as percentages.
  948

  United Kingdom Trade, 12 months to June 1988

  £ billion BoP basis

  Exports

  Imports

  Balance

  Total trade (exports plus imports)

  Trade with:

  EC

  39·2

  50·6

  -11·4

  89·8

  Rest of World

  40·6

  44·1

  -3·5

  84·6

  World

  79·8

  94·7

  -14·9

  174·5

  Source: Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East, of 20 July,Official Report, column 619, he will give the information requested on the trade in manufactured goods between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany in the form in which it is available.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Figures of United Kingdom trade in manufactures with the Federal Republic of Germany at current prices are in the table:

  United Kingdom trade in manufactures1 with Federal Republic of Germany

  Exports fob

  Imports cif

  Crude balance

  Exports as percentage of imports

  £ billion

  £ billion

  £ billion

  Per cent.

  1970

  0·4

  0·51

  ·1

  81

  1971

  0·4

  0·6

  -0·2

  72

  1972

  0·5

  0·8

  -0·3

  60

  1973

  0·6

  1·3

  -0·6

  50

  1974

  0·8

  1·7

  -0·9

  47

  1975

  1·0

  1·7

  -0·7

  57

  1976

  1·4

  2·5

  -1·0

  58

  1977

  1·9

  3·2

  -1·3

  59

  1978

  2·2

  4·1

  -1·9

  54

  1979

  2·8

  5·3

  -2·5

  52

  1980

  3·1

  5·1

  -2·0

  61

  1981

  3·2

  5·3

  -2·2

  60

  1982

  3·4

  6·7

  -3·3

  51

  1983

  3·9

  8·9

  -4·9

  44

  1984

  4·9

  10·0

  -5·1

  49

  1985

  5·8

  11·6

  -5·8

  50

  1986

  6·4

  13·1

  -6·7

  49

  1987

  7·3

  14·7

  -7·5

  49

  1 Standard International Trade Classification (Rev 2) Sections 5–8.

  Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will take steps to examine the accounts of all the corporate financial intermediaries which placed client moneys in funds managed by Barlow Clowes operations in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar to ascertain whether they have kept proper books of account in each year since 1983 in accordance with the Companies Acts, and that all commission and benefits due or payable to those companies was properly included as revenue in the accounting records of those companies;

  (2) if he will appoint inspectors to those financial intermediary companies which placed in total £100,000 or more of client moneys with Barlow Clowes operations in order to ascertain whether those companies have kept proper books of account which have incorporated all

  949
  benefits, payments and commissions due to, paid or payable to the companies, their employees, their directors and their shareholders since 1983.

  Mr. Maude
  I understand the concerns of the many investors who put their money into the Barlow Clowes funds on the advice of professional intermediaries. The Financial Intermediaries Managers and Brokers Regulatory Association is looking into dealings with Barlow Clowes by its members. My Department is in close touch with FIMBRA and the Securities and Investments Board over this matter. Whether further action by my Department in this area is appropriate and, if so, what form it should take remain under close and careful consideration.

  Dr Glyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received about advice given at the London Regional Transport retirement seminar to pensioners to invest in Barlow Clowes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  I have received many representations from pensioners and others who placed investments with Barlow Clowes. I do not believe I have received any which refer to retirement seminars given by London Regional Transport.

  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to ensure that all stockbrokers and financial intermediaries who advised their clients to invest in Barlow Clowes will have their names published and that FIMBRA is not solely responsible for this disclosure.

  Mr. Maude
  I do not think that it would be appropriate to publish such a list at this stage.

  Ranks Hovis McDougall (Bid)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received a report from the Office of Fair Trading on the Goodman Fielder Wattie bid for Ranks Hovis McDougall plc.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is yet in a position to say if he will refer the Ranks Hovis McDougall takeover bid by Goodman Fielder Wattie to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State announced on 18 August that he had decided, in accordance with the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading, to refer the proposed acquisition by Goodman Fielder Wattie (GFW) for Ranks Hovis McDougall pic to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for further investigation. GFW subsequently abandoned its bid, and the reference has been laid aside.

  Pleasurama
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will now take steps to investigate the alleged insider dealing in shares in Pleasurama; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The surveillance division at the stock exchange looks at cases of price movements before price 950
  sensitive announcements, and where appropriate it passes information to my Department for consideration of whether further investigation is required, in particular by the appointment of inspectors under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986. Such appointments are not normally announced.

  City (Self-regulation)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster whether he will now introduce legislation to outlaw self-regulation in the City; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  No.

  Capital Investment (North-west)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish, using the 1979 base year figure of £971 million, the percentage charge of capital investment in the north-west in the years 1987 and 1988 to date; and if he will also give that figure as a cash sum for each year.

  Mr. Maude
  Regional capital expenditure data are available only for manufacturing industry. Results for 1987 and 1988 are not yet available. In current prices, net capital expenditure in manufacturing industry in the north-west region rose by 3 per cent, from £971 million in 1979 to £1,000 million in 1986. In constant (1980) prices, net capital expenditure fell by 38 per cent, from £1,118 million in 1979 to £698 million in 1986.

  Source: Annual Census of Production.

  Computers (Export)
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster further to the answer of 29 April 1988,Official Report, column 287, what further steps have been taken, to ease the current restrictions placed by HM Customs on the temporary export of personal computers by British business men; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The arrangements described in my answer of 29 April,Official Report column 287, eased the burden on business men visiting most free world countries. For destinations not covered by those arrangements my Department will consider applications for temporary export licences for multiple use.

  I have arranged for copies of the press notice announcing the measures to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Nottinghamshire (Structural Funds)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will agree to meet a delegation from Nottinghamshire county council to discuss reorganising Nottinghamshire as an eligible area in the revised European structural funds as well as in national regional industrial policy.

  Mr. Newton
  No, for the reasons set out in my letter of 30 September to the chief executive of Nottinghamshire county council, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Strip Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, in July, August and September, respectively, giving the number of persons involved and number of times each person was searched; if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings(a) making a remand appearance at a trial, (b) attending trial, (c) inter-prison visit or (d) other reasons.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of Searches

  July

  August

  September

  Total number of searches carried out

  28

  18

  29

  Total number of inmates searched

  20

  13

  22

  Number of prisoners searched once

  12

  9

  15

  Number of prisoners searched twice

  8

  3

  7

  Number of prisoners searched more than twice

  —

  1

  —

  Reasons for Search

  First admission on remand/awaiting trial

  12

  5

  5

  First admission on sentence/final discharge

  11

  11

  21

  Attending remand court

  —

  —

  —

  Name of non-departmental public body

  Number of staff

  Functions

  Interim Council for Catholic Maintained Schools

  21 full time 3 part time

  In consultation with the Department of Education and Education and Library Boards to negotiate, establish and implement educational policy in general educational matters and in areas of management of Catholic maintained schools

  Northern Ireland Centre for Learning Resources

  17 full time 2 part time

  The Centre provides high-level audio-visual and print design resources to support the education and training of teachers and to help to facilitate curriculum development work in schools

  Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland

  7

  To keep under review the care and treatment of people suffering from mental disorder and to monitor the operation of the operation of the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986

  Northern Ireland Health Promotion Committee

  Nil

  To provide services to support Government policies to promote good health and prevent disease

  Technology Board for Northern Ireland

  8 departmental staff (of whom 5 are employed by DED)

  To advise Government on strategic scientific technological and industrially related research and development issues

  Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Travellers

  Nil

  To advise the Minister on ways and means of securing such improvements as they may deem necessary or desirable in the living conditions of the Travelling People in Northern Ireland

  Divis Joint Development Committee
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums of money have been received or applied for by the Divis joint development committee in the past year from the Department of Economic Development and the Department of Employment Belfast action team; and what are the profits concerned.

  Mr. Needham
  For the financial year 1987–88 grants were paid as follows:952

  Number of Searches

  July

  August

  September

  Attending trial

  —

  —

  —

  Inter-prison visits

  —

  1

  1

  Pre-release home leave

  3

  1

  1

  Visits to outside hospitals

  2

  —

  —

  Released on bail

  —

  —

  1

  No prohibited article was found during these searches and no prisoner refused to be searched.

  New Businesses
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many businesses have been set up in the area defined as "Catholic West Belfast'' in the document "Making Belfast Work" in the last five years using public funds; and if he will list them shewing whether they are still in business and the amounts of public funds invested, together with the numbers of jobs created, when they started and any subsequent job losses.

  Mr. Needham
  The area in the document is defined by reference to council wards. The information requested is not held at ward level and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Public Bodies
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many non-departmental public bodies, agencies, boards and units have been set up by his Department since November 1985; how many staff are employed by them; if he will list the names and functions carried out by such organisations; and how many such organisations have been wound up since November 1985.

  Mr. Needham
  Since November 1985, six such bodies have been. established (details are as shown) and four bodies have been wound up.

  £

  Department of Economic Development (ACE Scheme)

  267,736·48

  Department of the Environment (BAT)

  35,749·60

  Profits do not accrue from these programmes.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Housing Executive or any
  953
  other Government body is funding new premises for the Divis joint development committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  I understand that there have been consultations between the executive and the committee about a possible alternative site for new premises, since the committee's present premises are scheduled for demolition. Neither the executive nor any other Government Department has proposals at present to fund any new premises.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to whether the Divis joint development committee has applied to the International Fund for Ireland for contributions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  This is a matter for the board of the International Fund for Ireland. I have arranged to have the question referred to the chairman.

  Union Flag
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the Union flag was not flown on the Southern health and social services board premises at The Mall, Armagh, on Sunday 21 August; and what new arrangements are being made to ensure that the Union flag is flown on these premises on all appropriate dates.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The requirement to fly the Union flag on those prescribed days relevant to Northern Ireland applies to central Government offices only. There is no requirement therefore for the Southern health and social services board to comply.

  Milk Quota
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the reply of 7 June,Official Report, column 465, how many of the 801 milk producers who were contracted out of production had applied for milk quotas to the Department of Agriculture (NI) prior to 31 July; and when they were advised that they should apply by 31 July.

  Mr. Viggers
  While various inquiries by producers had been made during the period 31 March 1984 to 31 July 1988, the exact number could not be determined without incurring disproportionate cost. The European Commission only announced in September its proposals for dealing with the European Court judgment about milk quotas and the non-marketing of milk scheme. One of its conditions for eligibility was that former producers must have applied for additional quota before 31 July 1988. Obviously advice could not be given to producers to apply before that date because the proposed deadline was not known until after it had passed. The United Kingdom and other member states have been expressing strong reservations about the proposed 31 July 1988 deadline. Consideration of the proposals continues and it is likely to be some time yet before the final arrangements are established.

  Agricultural Land (Development)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on 954
  co-ordination between the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) over the release of agricultural land for building development.

  Mr. Needham
  Both Departments are concerned to ensure that conditions favour a viable rural economy in Northern Ireland. Developments which will improve the quality of life, including employment prospects, in rural communities, while at the same time conserving the countryside are encouraged.

  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland as planning authority consults the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland on planning applications which affect agricultural land. The Department of the Environment when drawing up an area, local or subject plan also consults the Department of Agriculture to ensure that the development proposals in the plan are acceptable from an agricultural viewpoint.

  Barr Hall, Portaferry
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the proposal to use the private residence at Barr Hall, Portaferry, as a prisoner rehabilitation centre; whether there is a planning permission for this proposal; and whether he will arrange a public inquiry before any planning decision is made for an application to use Barr Hall as a rehabilitation centre.

  Mr. Needham
  None. Should a planning application for such a proposal be received, it will be processed in the normal way, including consideration of the need for a public inquiry.

  EC (Surplus Produce)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what organisations were licensed to distribute the current issue of EEC surplus produce; what criteria were used to select these organisations; what regulations or advice has been given to those charged with distribution of this food; what quantity is being distributed in Northern Ireland and in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Farm Woodland Schemes
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the response to the new farm woodland schemes: how many inquiries he has received; how many applications have been approved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  There has been considerable interest shown in the farm woodland scheme which opened to applications on 1 October. The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland held two FWS open days at Seskinore and Garvagh, at which approximately 400 farmers attended. Another open day is being held at Castlewellan on 19 October and further publicity events are planned. One hundred and forty information packs
  955
  have been issued, and to date 15 applications have been received by the Department. None of these applications has yet been approved.

  Housing (Insulation Standards)
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why housing insulation standards are lower in Northern Ireland than in Scotland and England; what steps are being taken to introduce the latest standards to Northern Ireland; and when these new standards will be implemented in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  The same thermal insulation standards apply in Northern Ireland as in Great Britain. It is the intention that, subject to consultation with interested parties, standards in Northern Ireland will be adjusted to reflect any increase in standards in Great Britain.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  United States of America
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit the United States of America.

  Mr. Eggar
  No dates have yet been fixed for my right hon. and learned Friend's next visit to the United States. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be there from 15 to 17 November.

  South Africa
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met a representative of the Government of South Africa; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met the South African ambassador on 23 September. They discussed a range of issues of common interest.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of United Kingdom relations with South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the speech that my right hon. and learned Friend made on 17 May to the Royal Commonwealth Society, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to meet representatives from the African National Congress of South Africa and the South West African People's Organisation of Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so.

  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives the Government propose to take in relation to southern Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We shall continue to pursue policies designed to promote fundamental change in South Africa.

  United Nations
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the United Nations secretary-general; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the secretary-general of the United Nations; and what was discussed.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met the secretary-general of the United Nations; and what was discussed.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the secretary-general of the United Nations; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend met the secretary-general on 27 September during his visit to the general assembly. They discussed Afghanistan, Iran/Iraq, Namibia and Cyprus. The following day the secretary-general was present at a confidential meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest session of the United Nations general assembly.

  Mr. Eggar
  The 43rd session of the UN general assembly began on 20 September and is not expected to end until early December.

  International Debt
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions were held at the latest session of the United Nations general assembly on the resolution of the international debt problem.

  Mrs. Chalker
  During the recent visit of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to New York for the opening of the United Nations general assembly, a number of speakers referred to international debt issues.

  Central America
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America regarding recent developments in the central American peace process.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have regular discussions with the United States Administration on a wide range of issues, including developments in the central American peace process.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit central America.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit central America.
  957
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit central America.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit central America.

  Mr. Eggar
  I will attend the San Jose V conference due to be held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras in February 1989. I also hope to be able to visit the region during 1989.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America regarding recent developments in the central American peace process.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have regular discussions with the United States Administration on a wide range of issues, including developments in the central American peace process.

  Chile
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with the Government of the United States of America regarding the current situation in Chile.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have remained in regular and close contact with the United States Government about the political situation in Chile, in particular about the recent plebiscite. Both of us have welcomed the exemplary conduct of the polling and the Chilean Government's acceptance of the result.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had had recently with other Governments of the European Economic Community regarding the current situation in Chile.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with other governments of the EEC regarding the current situation in Chile.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have remained in close and regular contact with our European Community partners on the political situation in Chile. The twelve member states issued a statement on 7 October on the outcome of the recent plebiscite. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have recently made about the plight of refusenik families in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every suitable opportunity to raise these issues with the Soviet authorities. My right hon. Friend the Secretary for Education and Science took up a number of individual cases during his recent visit to the Soviet Union. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State raised the case of Mr. George Samoilovich with Mr. Shevardnadze in New York on 26 September, following earlier representations by officials.

  Bophuthatswana
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards recognition of Bophuthatswana.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider giving full diplomatic recognition to the country known as Bophuthatswana.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards recognition of Bophuthatswana.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards recognition of Bophuthatswana.

  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards recognition of Bophuthatswana.

  Mr. Woodcock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards recognition of Bophuthatswana.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The creation of Bophuthatswana was a key element in the South African Government's policy of seperate development, to which we are wholly opposed. In common with all other states except South Africa we do not recognise Bophuthatswana as independent.

  Western European Union
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the priorities of the United Kingdom presidency of the Western European Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Our four main priorities for our presidency of the WEU remain those set out in the reply of my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 28 June 1988, namely: to elaborate the commitments in the WEU platform in order to make practical contributions to the common defence; to use the WEU as a forum for frank discussions of key European security issues; to develop the WEU as a forum for coordinating European approaches to out of area issues; to secure a satisfactory outcome to the enlargement negotiations with Spain and Portugal.

  Spain
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Prime Minister of Spain; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary's last meeting with the Prime Minister of Spain was on 27 November 1987. They discussed EC matters and Gibraltar.
  959
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of Anglo-Spanish relations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Anglo-Spanish relations are excellent, as shown by the recent visit by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the current state visit by Her Majesty The Queen.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit Spain.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary is in Spain at the moment in attendance upon Her Majesty The Queen during her state visit.

  France
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an official visit to France.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend will visit Paris on 2 November when he will address the conference of the "Kangaroo Group" on the European single market and have talks with the French Foreign Minister, Monsieur Dumas.

  Weapons Control
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made during the summer adjournment on negotiations towards a treaty regarding chemical weapons.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the general progress of the arms control negotiations in Geneva.

  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress in all arms negotiations or conferences currently under way.

  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on the negotiation of a treaty to ensure the global elimination of all chemical weapons.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United States/Soviet nuclear and space talks in Geneva continue to make progress but their conclusion is unlikely this year. The United States and Soviet Union are negotiating verification protocols to the threshold test ban and peaceful nuclear explosions treaties with a view to early submission for ratification. We hope that a mandate for conventional stability talks covering the area from the Atlantic to the Urals can soon be agreed in Vienna. The mutual and balanced force reduction talks in Vienna remain stalled.

  At the Geneva negotiations for a global chemical weapons convention discussion during the summer session (which finished on 20 September) continued on a series of technical issues, particularly verification.

  The United Kingdom is again playing an active role in the first committee of the United Nations general assembly which convened in New York on 17 October.

  Middle East
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the middle east.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We shall continue to encourage the parties to the Arab/Israel dispute to pursue the search for peace, and to agree arrangements for an international conference.

  Narcotics Trade
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts Her Majesty's Government are making to negotiate asset seizure agreements with third countries to counter international trade in narcotics.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have signed agreements to trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of drug trafficking this year with the United States of America, Bahamas, Canada and Australia. Negotiations are well advanced with several other Governments and talks have opened with a further 40 countries.

  United Arab Emirates
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of United Kingdom relations with the United Arab Emirates.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Our relations with the United Arab Emirates are long established and very good.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister on 26 September 1988 in New York when he called on President Mugabe. They discussed my right hon. and learned Friend's recent visit to Africa, our bilateral relations, and recent developments in southern Africa.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit Mozambique.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend visited Mozambique from 17 to 19 September. He had friendly and useful talks with President Chissano, the Mozambican Foreign Minister and other senior Ministers. The visit confirmed our assessment that the Mozambique Government are following pragmatic policies, both internally and in their relations with their neighbours.

  Mexico
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit Mexico.
  961
  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to visit Mexico.

  Tanzania
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to pay an official visit to Tanzania.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend visited Tanzania between 14 and 17 September. He has no plans for a further visit.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussion he had with the President of Turkey on his recent visit on the presence of Turkish troops in the occupied area of northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This subject was raised in my right hon. and learned Friend's talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister during President Evren's state visit. He made clear our view that the withdrawal of Turkish troops would be an important element of any final settlement.

  Kenya
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Foreign Minister of Kenya; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met Dr. Ouko on 11–12 September during his recent visit to east Africa. They discussed a range of regional, bilateral and other issues.

  Prince Sihanouk
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Prince Sihanouk is paying a working visit to Britain on 25 and 26 October in the course of which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will discuss with him the current situation in Cambodia and the prospects for progress towards a negotiated settlement.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had the opportunity to raise the issue of human rights in Eastern Europe with the Foreign Ministers of the countries concerned.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We attach great importance to the observance of human rights commitments. We take every suitable opportunity of raising abuses of human rights, both in general terms and in relation to individual cases where appropriate, with the Governments concerned.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs last raised such issues in meetings with his counterparts in Eastern Europe as follows:
  962

  Romania:

  November 1987 in London

  Czechoslovakia:

  June 1987 in London

  Bulgaria:

  September 1987 in London

  GDR:

  November 1986 in London

  Poland:

  December 1987 in London

  In addition, he wrote to the Romanian Foreign Minister in September this year about the human rights implications of Romania's rural redevelopment programme ("systematisation").

  Hungary's human rights record, though not faultless, is good by comparison with its neighbours. We have not had cause to raise human rights issues in recent ministerial contacts.

  EC (Spanish Presidency)
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he expects to hold talks in the near future with his Spanish counterpart and the Spanish Minister of EEC Affairs on the suggestions which the United Kingdom intends to put forward for the period of the Spanish presidency, beginning on 1 January 1989.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend saw the Spanish Foreign Minister yesterday and discussed a number of issues including future developments in the European Community. I am also in regular contact with my Spanish opposite number on these issues.

  Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards reaching agreement on a comprehensive test ban treaty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The negotiations on nuclear testing between the United States and Soviet Union appear to be making satisfactory progress towards their first goal: ratification of the 1974 threshold test ban treaty and the 1976 peaceful nuclear explosions treaty. The ultimate objective is the complete cessation of nuclear testing as part of an effective disarmament process. Our position on a comprehensive test ban was contained in the answer given on 27 June by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor): a comprehensive test ban remains a long-term goal; but we shall continue to rely for our security on a nuclear deterrent for the foreseeable future and that means a continuing requirement to conduct tests in order to ensure that our nuclear weapons remain effective and up to date.

  Brazil
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of Anglo-Brazilian relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom enjoys traditionally good relations with Brazil, which we are seeking to develop. We welcome her return to democracy. Brazil is by far our largest export market in Latin America. I am looking forward to visiting Brazil myself from 4–14 November. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State Department of Energy is in Brazil this week.

  Pakistan
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Pakistan to discuss progress towards the restoration of democracy.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to visit Pakistan.

  Soviet Union (Ministerial Meetings)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met Foreign Minister Shevardnadze of the Soviet Union; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met Mr. Shevardnadze in New York on 26 September. They discussed arms control questions; regional conflicts, including the role of the United Nations in resolving them; CSCE and human rights; and bilateral relations.

  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of Anglo-Soviet relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Anglo-Soviet relations are better than for many years, and we welcome this. We maintain an active dialogue with the Soviet leadership in order to secure progress in arms control; on the resolution of regional conflicts; greater respect for human rights; and increase in trade; and more contacts at all levels between our two peoples.

  Uganda
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Foreign Minister of Uganda; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met Mr. Ssemogerere during his visit to Uganda between 13 and 14 September. They discussed a range of bilateral, regional and other issues.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Spanish authorities and the new Chief Minister of Gibraltar on the implementation of the Gibraltar airport agreement with Spain.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has made clear, both to the Spanish authorities and to the Chief Minister, that we believe that the agreement is very much in Gibraltar's interest; that we hope that the Gibraltar House of Assembly will take steps to implement it; but that we will not attempt to impose it on the people of Gibraltar.

  Soviet Union
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Having visited the Soviet Union in February this year my right hon. and learned Friend has no immediate plans for a return visit. I will pay a visit to the Soviet Union as soon as dates can be agreed.

  Common European Policies
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European foreign policies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend attended an informal weekend meeting in Yannina on 15–16 October. All his colleagues from the EC were present. They had an excellent discussion of political co-operation matters, particularly the prospects for further developments in East-West relations with Europe.

  Arms Reductions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current state of conventional arms reduction negotiations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Informal discussions are taking place in Vienna between representatives of NATO and the Warsaw pact aimed at agreeing a mandate for negotiations on conventional stability covering the Atlantic/Urals area. Few outstanding difficulties remain to be settled but the talks cannot begin before the conclusions of the Vienna CSCE review meeting. This in turn is dependent on achieving a satisfactory outcome in respect of human rights. Meanwhile the MBFR negotiations, now in their 16th year, continue in Vienna but with little prospect of substantive agreement.

  Central Europe
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the latest security developments in central Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Implementation of the INF treaty has now begun involving inter alia the withdrawal of Soviet and US LRINF/SRINF missiles from central Europe. At the same time Warsaw pact and Alliance negotiators are meeting in Vienna with a view to agreeing a mandate for new negotiations on conventional stability. While these will cover the whole Atlantic/Urals area they are likely to focus on areas where the concentration of forces is greatest, notably in central Europe. It is hoped the conventional negotiations will begin within the next few months, in parallel with further negotiations on confidence building. Meanwhile the MBFR talks, which are directly concerned with the reduction of armed forces in central Europe, continue in Vienna but with little prospect of early agreement.

  Gibraltar Airport
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of Anglo-Spanish relations in the light of the continuing restrictions imposed by Spain on British military aircraft wishing to use Gibraltar airport.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos). We continue
  965
  to press the Spanish authorities to lift the restrictions imposed on British military aircraft using Gibraltar airport, but regrettably they have not yet done so.

  Visa Fees
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about introducing last June a full visa fee for children entering the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations on this point.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation has occurred between the members of the Western European Union and those members of the European Economic Community, who are not members of the Union, concerning the conclusion of paragraph 2 of the Union's adopted document, "Platform of European Security Interests", which states that Union members are convinced that the construction of an integrated Europe will remain incomplete as long as it does not include security and defence.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No formal consultations have taken place.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those proposals placed before the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Communities which implement the objective of the progressive realisation of economic and monetary union, as adopted at the Hanover European Council.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No proposals on economic and monetary union have been considered by the Council of Ministers since June. The committee tasked by the Hanover European Council with studying and proposing concrete stages leading towards economic and monetary union is due to complete its proceedings in good time to enable the Ministers for Economic Affairs and for Finance to examine its results before the European Council in Madrid in June 1989.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Chris Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on economic progress in the Falkland Islands.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The most recent estimates indicate that the GNP of the Falkland Islands increased threefold from 1986–87 to 1987–88, from approximately £9·9m to approximately £30m. I expect this increase to be sustained in 1988–89. The islands' welcome prosperity has enabled the Falkland Island Government to finance an increasing number of its own development projects in fisheries, local infrastructure and fanning.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those decisions of 966
  the European Economic Community Council of Ministers which have been taken by qualified majority vote in accordance with the provisions of the Single European Act since it came into force, indicating those in which the representatives of the United Kingdom (a) abstained and (b) voted in the minority when a qualified majority was obtained.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information on Council decisions is not available in the form requested. About 100 decisions have been taken by majority vote since the Single European Act came into force.

  Political Prisoners (South Africa)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has of the number of political prisoners held in South African gaols.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I regret that we have no reliable estimate of the number of political prisoners in South African jails.

  Council of Ministers (Standing Orders)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the standing orders or their equivalent of the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have made arrangements for a copy of the rules of procedure of the Council, published by the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  EC Treaties
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to publicise the availability of the Treaty Series No. 47 (1988) treaties establishing the European Communities (CM. 455).

  Mrs. Chalker
  I am grateful for this opportunity to draw the attention of the House to the consolidated version of the three basic Community treaties as amended by the Single European Act, recently published by HMSO. Copies of the Command Paper have been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Publication of the Cm. 455 was announced in HMSO's Daily List and on Prestel in the normal way. It will be listed in HMSO's September monthly catalogue and will be one of the featured titles in the July-September "New Books from HMSO" leaflet.

  In addition, HMSO is planning to mail fuller details, with information on other titles of European interest, to some 5,000 bookshops, businesses and libraries shortly.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list any statutes, treaties or other agreements which define the scope and manner of the internal and external relationships and obligations of member states of the European Economic Communities, other than those contained in Treaty Series 47 of 1988 (Cm. 455).

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are none.

  European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list in the Official Report those publications or speeches by Ministers which express the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the interpretation of the concept of European union;

  (2) what definition of the term European union is currently accepted by Her Majesty's Government; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards European union.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the speech of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State on 23 April 1986 at column 325.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to initiate the convening of an international conference to promote a settlement for the Kampuchean people, containing international guarantees against the return to power of Pol Pot and his immediate followers.

  Mr. Eggar
  We fully support the efforts of Prince Sihanouk and the Association of South East Asian Nations to bring about a negotiated political settlement in Cambodia. Naturally we are ready to help when and where we can. This might include eventual participation in an international conference if, in due course, that seemed to be the best way to proceed.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to promote the exclusion of the Pol Pot faction of the Khmer Rouge from the United Nations.

  Mr. Eggar
  We see no reason to change our policy on the question of Cambodia's seat at the United Nations, which implies neither recognition of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (we recognise only states, not Governments) nor support for the abhorrent Pol Pot.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to propose the establishment of a United Nations-backed comprehensive register of international arms sales.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1982 we proposed that all states should report to the United Nations the value of their military production and of their imports and exports of arms. We followed up these proposals at the recent Third United Nations special session on disarmament with a call for greater openness on all types of international transfer of conventional weapons; we raised the possibility at that time of establishing a United Nations register of arms transfers on a universal and non-discriminatory basis. We believe that such a register could provide a means of monitoring measures taken to restrain the accumulation of conventional arms.

  Anglo-United States Relations
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had consultations with the United States Secretary of State about Anglo-United States relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learnd Friend met Mr. Shultz for bilateral talks in the margins of the United Nations general assembly on 29 September.

  North Atlantic Assembly (Parliamentary Delegation)
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom parliamentary delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Mr. James Lamond, MP, Mr. Frank Cook and Lord Lucas of Chilworth have replaced Mr. David Clark, MP, Mr. Kevin McNamara, MP and Lord Colnbrook as members of the delegation.

  Black Rhino Horn
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any representation have been made to the Government of North Yemen regarding the use of black rhino horn for dagger handles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  No representation has been made to the Government of North Yemen regarding the use of black rhino horn for dagger handles.

  Vicuna
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about current vicuna stocks in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since the enactment in 1976 of the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance, which covers vicuna, the Hong Kong Authorities have not issued any licence for the import, export or possession of vicuna or any of its products. They therefore have no record of such stocks in the territory.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make funds available to the Government of Peru to assist them in the project to expand vicuna population; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are aware that the Peruvian Government are interested in expanding the vicuna population, but not aware of any request for financial assistance. We have recently conducted a review of our bilateral aid programme for Peru, and the question of vicuna was not raised by the Peruvian authorities.

  Prime Minister (Tour Costs)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional costs were incurred by each of Her Majesty's embassies and high commissions arising from the tour by the Prime Minister to various countries in August 1988.
  969
  Mr. Eggar
  All separately identifiable expenditure incurred by Her Majesty's embassies and high commissions is being reclaimed from the Office of the Minister of the Civil Service. Any residual costs not separately identified will have been absorbed within posts' existing local budgets.

  Iran-Iraq (United Nations Force)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution towards the costs of the United Nations observation force supervising peace between Iran and Iraq has(a) been sought and (b) been paid.

  Mr. Eggar
  According to the latest bulletin from the United Nations the total requests for contributions towards the costs of the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group amount to $35·2 million. Of this total $16·2 million have so far been paid. The assessed contribution of the United Kingdom for the first three months of the operation of the force (9 August to 8 November 1988) is $2,085,184. This has been paid.

TRANSPORT

  East-London River Crossing
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms of reference given to the consultants contracted to report on the alternative design of the proposed east London river crossing, showing separately those related to(a) navigational requirements, (b) maximum height of structure and (c) any limit on additional cost over that estimated for the existing design; and if he will request a report on the design and cost implications of incorporating facilities for a single or double line for (i) a conventional railway and (ii) an extension of the docklands light railway.

  Mr. Channon
  The terms of reference of the review are as follows:

  (a)—to ascertain whether there is, within the broad order of costs of the Department's proposed bridge, an alternative design which would be practicable, acceptable, satisfy the objectives of the east London river crossing scheme and keep options open for the future use of London City airport;

  (b)—to consult interested parties including:

  (i) the Port of London Authority

  (ii) the Civil Aviation Authority

  (iii) the Royal Fine Arts Commission

  Consideration of additional rail links across the Thames is a matter for the public transport operators concerned.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the estimated costs of the newly approved east London river crossing and associated roads, broken down under the headings(a) roadworks north of the Thames, (b) the river crossing by one or more possible means or designs of bridge, (c) roadworks south of the Thames, (d) environmental conservation elements in (a) to (c) above, globally or individually and (e) the Oxleas wood tunnel and other conservation works recommended by his inspector; what is the approximate percentage cost of (e) compared to the estimated total; and what are his reasons for not authorising expenditure under this heading.
  970
  Mr. Channon
  The estimated costs of the east London river crossing, as presented at the public inquiry, excluding land acquisition and supervision costs, at average 1984 prices are as follows:

  (a) Works north of the Thames: £21 million.

  (b) The Thames bridge proposed by the Department: £56 million.

  (c) Works south of the Thames: £66 million.

  (d) It is not possible to identify separately all the environmental conservation elements of a scheme as they are not all additional items but integral parts of the scheme design. Identifiable environmental conservation measures in (a) to (c) above, including new footpaths, footbridges and landscaping, amount to some £19 million. About £1 million will be spent north of the river and the remainder south of the Thames.

  (e)—The inspector estimated that his recommendation of a tunnel under part of Oxleas wood and associated works would cost about an additional £10 million. Additional environmental measures and cycleways recommended by the inspector will cost some £750,000. These recommendations approximate to 8 per cent, of the total estimated works costs. The inspector's tunnel recommendation would also have required the deletion of the south facing slip roads at the Shooters hill interchange. Having carefully weighed the advantages of the inspector's proposals against the disadvantages, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I were not satisfied that the additional cost of the tunnel and the loss of benefits from deletion of the slip roads were justified.

  Driving Tests (Cancellation)
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reduce the amount of notice which must be given by a learner driver to cancel a driving test without loss of fee from the current time of 10 days.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No. The 10 days' notice was introduced on 27 June this year to cut the number of wasted test periods, shorten waiting times for all candidates and keep down fees.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will ensure that at least three days notice of cancellation of a driving test is given by his Department, except if the reason is exceptionally bad weather;

  (2) if he will ensure that driving tests are not cancelled by his Department without notice.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Every effort is made to give as much notice of cancellations as possible. Circumstances such as sudden illness of an examiner may sometimes make a last-minute cancellation unavoidable. In such cases, priority is given to re-booking the candidates involved; and claims for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses are considered sympathetically.

  General Secretary, ASLEF
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the general secretary of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the general secretary of ASLEF on 12 July, when he received a deputation from the railway unions about a report which they commissioned on quality of service on British Rail.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received concerning private funding of all or part of any new rail link between London and the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail will be inviting proposals from the private sector shortly.

  Passenger Transport Companies
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the programme for the disposal of passenger transport companies formed from the metropolitan county PTEs providing, where known, the proposed timetable for disposal together with any proposals for their subdivision into smaller parts.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no powers to dispose of passenger transport companies formed from the old metropolitan county PTEs bus undertakings. My right hon. Friend recently announced his approval to the sale of Yorkshire Rider Ltd. to its management and employees.

  Municipal Operators (Disposal)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the programme for the disposal of English and Welsh municipal operators, providing, where known, the proposed timetable for disposal.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has encouraged local authorities and PTAs to consider disposing of their municipal bus companies but no powers presently exist to require this.

  Fares (London)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state what instructions or other basis he hs given to the board of London Regional Transport which permits or requires it to raise fares on London bus and underground services to levels twice that of inflation.

  Mr. Portillo
  The level and structure of fares is a matter for the board of London Regional Transport.

  London Rail Services (Congestion)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the joint report from British Rail and London Regional Transport concerning congestion on rail services in central London; when this will be made public; and if he will make a statement concerning his responses.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to receive the report of the central London rail study and announce its main findings towards the end of the year.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, consequent to the receipt of the report by London Regional Transport and the British Railways Board on rail congestion in London, he will estimate the cost of extending the approved rail link from Heathrow to Paddington over two miles of new standard gauge tube 972
  tunnel to King's Cross, and investigate the implications of using such a line, and that proposed from Mottingham to King's Cross, as part of the London urban rail network.

  Mr. Portillo
  The central London rail study is taking account of the proposed new Heathrow-Paddington rail link. It is for British Rail and BAA to consider whether they wish to bring forward proposals to extend the link beyond Paddington.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, consequent to the receipt of the report by London Regional Transport and the British Railways Board on central London rail congestion, he will use his statutory power to require London Regional Transport and its subsidiaries to restore train frequency on London underground to that of pre-war or subsequent levels, where currently they do nor. reach such levels of service.

  Mr. Portillo
  The central London rail study is considering the scope for improving the utilisation of the existing network. We shall consider carefully any such proposals.

  Dial-a-ride, London
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his latest plans for the future of the London dial-a-ride service.

  Mr. Portillo
  There have been increases of 50 per cent, in funding and ridership since LRT assumed responsibility for funding the scheme. I am encouraging LRT in its objective of securing improvements in the utilisation of vehicles and drivers so that more people can benefit.

  Train Punctuality and Complaints
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now seek to place a statutory duty on British Rail to provide information on train punctuality and complaints to the Central Transport Consultative Committee and to the local committees.

  Mr. Portillo
  I understand that BR already provides the CTCC and TUCCs with detailed monitoring information on performance against quality standards including punctuality. Perhaps my hon. Friend could write if there is a particular problem he has in mind.

  British Rail (Investment)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the levels of investment for British Rail for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 together with the anticipated level of investment for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91, and in addition the figures to be broken down by region.

  Mr. Portillo
  The levels of British Rail investment for the years in question are as follows:

  £ million

  Cash

  1988–89 prices

  1985–86

  412

  462

  1986–87

  411

  447

  1987–88

  543

  567

  973
  BR's 1988 corporate plan shows an increasing investment programme, with total investment expenditure of around £2bn over the three years to 1990–91 (at current prices).

  BR does not break the figures down on a regional basis.

  Manchester Airport Rail Link
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent developments there have been in regard to the Manchester airport rail link; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have recently received a statement from the PTA in support of its case that this link is financially viable. I am studying that, and also British Rail's views on the need for financial support from the PTE. I have therefore asked greater Manchester PTA to set out for me the way in which it sees the link being financed, including the scope for private sector funding.

  PSV and Bus Operator Licences
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cheques for applications for(a) PSV operator, and (b) bus operator licences bounced in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Figures on bouncing cheques are not readily available.

  Driving Tests
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests were carried out in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many cheques that were issued in payment for the driving test fee bounced.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A total of 2,096,181 driving tests of all types were conducted in the financial year 1987–88. Information about numbers of bouncing cheques is not readily available.

  Driving Licences (Recall)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances a driving licence can be recalled once it is issued.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Powers exist to revoke an ordinary driving licence for medical reasons or if it was granted in error or contained an error or omission. In addition, the statutorily independent traffic commissioners may suspend or revovke a vocational driving licence if they are not satisfied that the holder meets the required standards of fitness, or if conduct means that the holder is not a proper person to have the vocational licence in question.

  MFV Inspire (Sinking)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the sinking of the MFV Inspire on 5 September; what plans he has for an inquiry; what other vessels were known to be in the vicinity at the time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  One of my Department's marine surveyors is investigating the circumstances surrounding 974
  this tragic accident. His investigation will include consideration of whether any other vessels were in the vicinity of the Inspire at the time that she was lost.

  Collisions and Sinkings
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incidents have been reported to him in the last 12 months involving collisions, sinkings or other interactions between vessels in the Irish sea, firth of Clyde and Atlantic coast of Scotland.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following incidents have been reported to my Department between 1 October 1987 and 30 September 1988.

  General Lapas (Phillipines) (Merchant Vessel (MV)) Osco Spirit (Liberia) (MV)—In collision in Belfast Lough on 29.10.87

  Tipperary (Ireland) (MV) Sumburgh Head (Bermuda) (MV)—In collision off Dublin on 18.2.88

  Drum (Yacht) Otis (Submarine)—Yacht contacted unlit submarine 3½ miles south of Mull of Kintyre 27.7.88

  Ardlough (Antigua) (MV)—Flooded and sank in the Irish Sea on 26.9.88

  Ocean Gain (UK fishing vessel) (FV)—Founded off Holyhead on 1.3.88

  Mhairi (UK FV)—Capsized and sank off the West Coast of Iona on 17.1.88

  Alert II (UK FV)—Founded off the Isle of Muck on or about 3.5.88

  St Patrick (French FV)—Struck North Shoals and sank on 14.2.88

  Emma Jane (UK FV)—Flooded and sank 3 miles North East of Anglesey on 18.7.88

  Kaya (UK FV)—Collided in Loch Broom on 22.7.88

  Inspire (UK FV)—Capsized and sank off Cemaes Head, Cardigan, on 5.9.88

  Village Belle III (UK FV)—Struck a rock whilst departing from Kirkcudbright on 6.9.88 and subsequently sank.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about recent loss of vessels, incidents and collisions in the Irish sea; what action he has taken as a result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  My Department has received two representations. These are being dealt with by way of correspondence with my officials.

  Roads and Utilities (Report)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further action he has taken, or expects to take, considering on the Horne report on roads and utilities.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Proposals for legislation, developed in consultation with the street works advisory committee, are advancing.

  Progress is being made jointly with the utilities and highway authorities in producing the technical systems and documents required to support the new arrangements, including specifications for reinstatements, a code of practice for diversionary works, training and certification of workmen and a computerised street works register.

  Legislation will be introduced when a suitable opportunity can be found.

  Foreign Reflaggings
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many foreign reflaggings to the ensign have occurred since the introduction of the Armilla patrol; and which countries' ships have been involved;

  (2) if any contributions towards the cost of the Armilla patrol have been sought from countries or companies whose ships have reflagged to the ensign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is not possible to provide this information going back to September 1980, except at a wholly disproportionate cost.

  No contributions have been sought towards the cost of the Armilla patrol and there is no intention of seeking any from countries or companies whose ships have reflagged.

  Buses (London)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the timetable he now envisages for the privatisation of London Buses Ltd. and deregulation of buses in London, respectively; and what steps he is taking to ensure the continuity of major existing bus routes prior to and after the implementation of each of these measures.

  Mr. Portillo
  We intend to deregulate bus services in London in the early 1990s. No timetable has been set. Detailed proposals will be brought forward in due course.

  Unlicensed Vehicles
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reports of unlicensed vehicles have been received by the London enforcement office in the period from 1 January 1988 to date.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  252,752.

  BARNES REVIEW
  BARNES REVIEW
  FOOD FROM BRITAIN: FUNDING
  FOOD FROM BRITAIN: FUNDING
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, LUXEMBOURG, 17TH–18TH OCTOBER
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, LUXEMBOURG, 17TH–18TH OCTOBER
  SPATIAL DATA
  SPATIAL DATA
  GAS SUPPLIES: MMC REPORT
  GAS SUPPLIES: MMC REPORT